Chapter 2 Spiraling - Live. Love.

Brad tightened his grip on her, his heart breaking. When she’d called him, he’d nearly lost his mind. Nothing scared his baby sister. She wasn’t built that way. She exuded reckless confidence and had a mouth to back it up. He’d seen her pick fights with hockey enforcers three times her size. He’d shot up in bed at the small sound of her voice fighting through tears. Fear and adrenaline coursing through him. Her speech broken by hiccups he only got the just of what had happened. Her boyfriend had put hands on her and she wanted to come home.

He’d wanted to fly down and take care of it. To find this man that his baby sister had trusted enough to live with. Who had treated her like trash. He’d run into Gage when he’d been headed to the door. The dark dangerous look in Gages eyes had told Brad he already knew what was happening.

Cia had caught up to them before they’d gotten to the door. Blocking it with her body. Rationalizing that Nicky would be on the plane home by the time they even got there, and they’d want to be here when she arrived. Not in some jail cell. Of course, she was right.

“I got you kid.” Brad murmured in her ear. “You get out ok?” He asked quietly. Nicky nodded taking a shaky breath, pulling herself back together. He set her feet back on the ground pulling her back to look down into her face. “You’re, ok?” He asked, cupping her cheeks. Nicky nodded again taking another deep breath. He wiped her tears with his thumbs before kissing her forehead.

“I’m, ok. I’m good.” Nicky assured clearing her throat rubbing her palms over her eyes.

“Come on, Cia is in the car with the kid and they’re probably about to kill each other.” Brad said tossing his arm over her shoulder he steered her towards the exit.

Nicky flicked a look up at Gage, embarrassed and feeling exposed. His eyes were dark when they met hers an emotion she couldn’t place clouding them, the muscle in his jaw twitching from being clinched. Without a word he reached down and took her dance bag from her, tossing the strap over his shoulder. He took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. Holding it as they walked from the building.

Cia was out of the car, leaving the drivers door wide open running to meet them the second she saw them. Nicky and Cia hadn’t always been friends. Four years apart and socially opposites. If it hadn’t been for that first date she’d had with Brad, they probably would have never connected. They’d clicked instantly. Two sides of the same coin they never had an awkward moment. They fed off of each others energy like only two women could do talking simultaneously with enough energy to drain an entire room of people.

Cia was still in her scrubs, somehow still looking fresh and energetic after a twelve-hour shift in the ER. Her golden highlighted brown hair still smoothly French braided at the back of her head. Her brown eyes were bright as they searched Nicky face. Seeing Cia didn’t make Nicky crumple. It energized her.

She pulled away from Brad and Gage meeting Cia they grasped hand’s both talking at once, talking at a speed only another woman would be able to follow. In the short walk back to the car, they’d covered everything. How good they thought the other looked. How much of a dick Jeremy was. How much it sucked that Nicky had to leave New York. How much drama Cia had to share from the hospital. And how much Remy was exactly like her Aunty Nic. Nicky breathed for the first time since she’d walked into that room. She was home.

It was late and Nicky couldn’t sleep. Her new room was empty. Cia had done her best with such short notice. Nicky had comfortable blankets, a towel, basic toiletries. Remy had left a plastic dinosaur toy that roared when the button on his back was pressed, to chase away bad dreams. But otherwise, it was empty. Void of any personality. Unused in the house it only had the basics. Bed, lamp, dresser. As she lay there in her borrowed T-shirt that smelled like her brother the reality of what had happened sat heavily around her.

Everything she had been working for since she’d turned twelve was in New York. Four years at Juilliard. An entire year of training and preparing for a showcase that wouldn’t happen now. Gone. She had nothing. She’d left everything. Her career, clothes, shoes, photos. Her favorite fuzzy slippers. Everything. She’d have to rebuild everything. Tears were pushing her the back of her eyes when her phone blooped announcing an incoming text, it’s light shining brightly into the dark room.

Ryker :

You good?

Nicky looked suspiciously around her dark room. Wondering if her room was bugged or he somehow had a camera hidden in the vacant space that she just hadn’t seen. He couldn’t possibly know her that well, could he? Could he just know she was laying in the dark in the middle of the night wallowing in self pity? About to spiral

Ryker:

Nic?

Nicky:

I’m ok

Ryker:

Sure?

Nicky:

I have no stuff

My coach is in NY

I’ll miss the showcase

Ryker:

Nic

Nicky:

I’ll be stuck freelance

Doing toothpaste commercials

Or worse

Dancing on a pole in a club.

Ryker:

You’re not dancing in a club

You get new stuff

A new coach

You bust your ass and get your audition

Nicky:

Don’t be rational

Ryker:

Your right

The stuff is gone

Dreams are crushed

The world is over

You’re destined to be a stripper

Nicky:

Shut up

Dick

My pictures

My favorite fuzzy slippers

Ryker:

Take a breath

I’ll take care of it

Nicky:

How?

Ryker:

You just have to trust me

Nicky:

I do

I missed you

…

Gage

I missed you too Kitten.

Nicky put her phone down, tears forgotten replaced by a bubble of happiness she’d rather not think too hard about. She’d really missed him. They’d never lost touch, but long distance wasn’t the same as across the hall. He’d always grounded her. When she had a bad day, needed a pick me up, needed a reality check she texted Gage. He could make her smile, fix her shitty attitude, and push her back into her place.

She’d texted him right before she’d called Brad. Just his name. Two am, in bed with another girl and he’d responded before Brad had even picked up the phone. With Brad in her ear Gage had helped her calm down by text so that she could tell Brad what had happened. Get her on a plane. Get her home. God she’d missed him.