Chapter 19 - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

When we got back to Tante Amèlie’s, we found Mark in the process of picking up beer cans and bottles that were littered throughout the house, and fortunately, no sign of Tante Amèlie herself. Not that she would have really freaked out or anything, but its never fun when the adult in charge (or in this case, supposedly in charge) comes home to find their house a disaster, then there are all those uncomfortable explanations.

As soon as we walked in, Mark glanced up and looked concerned. “How did things go Nickie?” He asked.

I shrugged. “As well as could be expected.” I replied. “Apparently my parents are completely to blame, so Mrs. Crosby doesn’t totally hate me, and I have a feeling that Mr. Crosby was just amused by the whole situation.”

Mark laughed. “My Dad would be the same way.”

Sidney hugged me around the shoulders. “You should have seen her Mark, she was wonderful.”

“You were better.” I replied, looking up at him adoringly and hugging him back.

“Could you to please stop?” Mark asked, looking as if he were about to puke, and not just because of our performance. “I did just break up with my girlfriend last night.”

I let go of Sidney and gave Mark a hug. “You know you didn’t have to break up with her just because she sent people to go have sex in my room.”

Mark shook his head in disgust. “It wasn’t just that Nickie.” He said. “It was a whole lot of things Nickie, not just last night. I mean, I liked Catrine and all… she was wicked in the sack, and she didn’t care if I fooled around a little on the road. But the minute you moved here she just like, snapped.”

“I so did not need to know about Catrine’s skills in bed Mark.” I said wrinkling my nose in disgust.

“Well he is right about one thing Nickie.” Sidney said. “Your arrival did turn things upside down here.” He glanced at me fondly. “I mean, if it weren’t for you, Bianca would still have illusions of being my girlfriend.”

“And you’d still be a man-whore.” I giggled. “You forgot that part.”

“Like you’ve never been called a slut Nickie.” Mark said. “I mean, Sidney can’t help the fact that wherever he goes girls throw themselves at him.”

“But he can help taking advantage of it.” I snapped back. “Something you seem to have a problem with… and something that probably helped to make Catrine more then a little jealous and paranoid.”

Mark shrugged. “She knew full well who and what I was when she got with me. I mean after all, I did cheat on my last girlfriend with her.”

I shook my head. “Once a cheater always a cheater Mark.”

He glared at me. “You are such a bitch Nicole.”

I hugged him around the waist. “Oh come on Mark, you know that I love you.” I said smiling at him. “I just kind of understand Catrine. I mean, Coby wasn’t exactly the kind of wonderful boyfriend that Sidney is.”

“Did he cheat on you?” Sidney demanded angrily, looking interested, since I rarely talked to him about Coby or any of my other friends’ back home.

I shrugged. “It’s over now Sid… let’s not worry about it.”

“You brought it up.” Mark pointed out helpfully, grinning wickedly.

I stuck my tongue out at him. Then I turned to Sidney and said. “Coby was a catch for me and I was one for him. Getting him gave me a sense of victory over the other girls who wanted him. I bragged about him, he bragged about me. But when it came right down to it, he wasn’t the guy for me. You are.”

“Didn’t getting me give you a sense of victory?” He asked, looking a little confused.

“Not really.” I replied. “Actually, if anything, it just gave me a sense of contentment… like life was the way it was supposed to be. I didn’t want to brag about you to anyone… you were almost like a secret I just wanted to hug to myself.”

He kissed me gently. “I love you.” He whispered.

“I love you too.” I replied.

“I’m going to throw up.” Mark said, looking decidedly green as he headed for the bathroom.

“Oh come on Tobin.” I called.

“No.” He replied from the bathroom before Sidney and I could hear him retching. “I’m really going to throw up.”

Sidney and I laughed and wandered around the house picking up beer bottles and cans as we did so. After about thirty minutes of just random cleaning while we smiled softly and looked at each other when we thought the other wasn’t looking. In fact, every time I went to look at him, I’d catch his glance. Finally though, I looked at my watch.

“Sid you should probably go home….” I said slowly, not really wanting him to leave, but knowing that he probably should. “Your parents are going to get worried again… and the last thing either of us need is to have Mama-Bear Crosby pounding on Tante Amèlie’s door again.”

He shrugged. “I’ve only been gone like an hour Nickie.” He said. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Sure it is.” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around my waist tightly. “You only get to spend so much time with your family honey. Go spend time with them. I’ll make sure that Mark is recovered enough by tonight so that we can eat your mother’s home-cooked meal without him needing to rush the bathroom to puke it up.” I giggled.

“I heard that!” Mark yelled from the bathroom, over the sound of the flushing toilet and running water.

I giggled again. “The tables have turned Tobin!” I called back.

I knew that he’d be glaring at me from the bathroom, but soon Sidney and I could hear him retching again, so we knew that he was in no condition to do, well anything. “Thank God we don’t play until tomorrow night.” Sidney said.

I giggled yet again. “I promise I’ll take care of him.” I said, kissing him softly. “He’ll be fine.”

“I know you’ll take great care of him Nickie.” Sidney replied, kissing me a little harder.

“She better take good care of me!” Mark yelled from his place on the bathroom floor. “I took damn good care of her on New Year’s!”

Sidney laughed. “You two are hilarious.” He told me, his hands roaming familiarly over my body.
“Eric used to say the same thing about us.” I replied, raising my eyebrows, teasing him.

Sid rolled his eyes. “You and Tobin aren’t funny the same way that you and I were funny. You and Tobin know that no matter what you say to each other, you’re going to be friends. Everyone knows that you and Tobin will be friends forever… especially since he broke up with Catrine because of how she treated you. When you and I were at each other’s throats no one knew which direction we were going to go in. Would we be friends? Would we be fuck buddies? Would we hate each other forever? That’s why we were funny. You and Tobin are funny in the same way that Eric and I are funny.”

I kissed him softly. “Silly boy.” I said.

He kissed me back forcefully and the next thing I knew, I was stretched out on the couch in Tante Amèlie’s rose coloured living room, Sidney on top of me. His lips and hands caressing me softly and insistently. His breath was ragged in my ear. “Do we have time?” He asked.

“You need to go honey.” I said, pushing him off me softly.

“But I don’t wanna.” He whined, reaching for my ass.

I shook my head. “You’re a whinny thing aren’t you?”

He laughed. “Look whose talking brat.” He said, kissing me on the nose. “Besides, if I go home, who knows when I’m going to get to be alone with you again.” He paused. “Plus, I may not get my pre-game snuggle.”

I laughed. “You’ll survive honey.” I said.

“I dunno….” He said, pretending to look sad. “I have gone on a point scoring streak since we started having them.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Then you’ll just have to do a better job of sneaking out tonight. And you’ll have to manage not to fall asleep this time.”

He stuck his tongue out at me. “I know where I’m not wanted.” He replied, pulling away from me a playful look on his face.

“Come here you.” I replied, pulling him into my arms. “You’re always going to be wanted here honey.” I said kissing him.

“I know.” He said arrogantly. “You need me.”

“You need me more.” I replied.

“Of course.” He said with a cocky grin. “Where else am I going to meet a girl who drives me so insane?”

“You like it.” I teased pulling him to me and teasing his ear with my tongue, teeth and lips.

“I love it.” He groaned kissing my neck forcefully.

“Sidney baby….” I moaned. “You have to go.”

“You don’t want me to go….” He said his lips still working on my neck.

“Damnit phenom, I never want you to go.” I snapped back meeting his passion with my own. “But I don’t need your parents hating me.”

“Will you just go already?” Mark called from the bathroom.

“I suppose I should.” Sidney said, looking at his watch.

I kissed him gently. “We’ll see you at super tonight phenom, now go.”

“One more.” He said, pulling me back into his arms for another kiss.

“I love you.” I whispered, softly as he pulled away.

“I love you more.” He replied, turning and leaving.

I sighed softly and smiled as I watched him leave. “It’s about time.” Mark muttered from the hallway, where he was standing, leaning heavily on the wall.

I laughed and went into the kitchen, pouring him a lukewarm glass of water (I know this sounds gross Ms. Kulak, and if you were ever young, you’d know that when you’re hung over you don’t want to re-hydrate too quickly, so lukewarm water is best). “Someone forgot to drink his water last night.”

“Thanks.” He mumbled taking a sip.

“Come on back to the bathroom.” I said, looking around. “I think this place is a big enough mess without you puking somewhere.”

“Bitch.” He muttered.

“Actually….” I said slowly, wrinkling my nose in disgust. “Did anyone puke anywhere?”

“Not that I know of.” He said, shaking his head, which was clearly aching. I reached into the medicine cabinet and produced a couple of Advil. “Thanks.” He said taking them and taking his time swallowing them. I shuddered. I knew full well how taking pills too quickly could cause you to puke them up, and I really didn’t want to see that. “But then again, after the fight with Catrine, and kicking those morons out of your room, the night becomes kind of fuzzy until Mrs. Crosby was pounding on the door.”

“Well you need to start feeling better soon.” I said, looking at my watch. It was nearly 1:30. “Because we have to be at Sid and Eric’s for super at 6:00.”

“Don’t mention food to me.” He groaned.

“Drink you’re water you big baby.” I said. “And then lie down and have a nap. I’ll clean this place up and you just worry about feeling better for super because Mrs. Crosby is expecting both of us.”

“But what if I don’t wanna?” He whined, sipping his water.

“Then I’ll call Catrine and tell her you were wrong and you want to get back together.” I replied with a grin.

“You wouldn’t dare.” He said holding his head in his hands.

“Try me.” I said, raising my eyebrows and folding my arms across my chest.

He raised his hands in defeat. “I give up!” He said. “I surrender. Now just let me go die in peace.”
“You’ve got it.” I said grinning, taking his glass of water and handing him another. “But Mark, you better be done dying at 5:30. ‘Cause ill or not, I’m not facing Mrs. Crosby again without some backup.”