The Fault Line (GxG)

33. Fine, then take them off

I'm waiting on Nico outside in her driveway. I told her to meet me here before I left home even though I have been waiting for a while now. Sighing, I picked up my phone to call her, but it only went to voice mail. The last time we spoke, she was looking forward to going camping, so I expected her to be waiting for me. 

Confused about seeing her mother opening the front door, I turned off the car. I brought the keys with me as I rushed over to Addison, who had an apologetic smile on her face.

"She might need a little bit of a nudge today," She told me apologetically. I didn't quite get what she meant until the sound of the piano came to my ears. 

"Okay," I smiled at her and kicked off my shoes to run up the stairs. Quietly I pushed the door open, seeing that beautiful girl sitting behind the piano. Brown hair up in a ponytail as her hands move over the keys. I sit down next to her in silence, and she stopped playing right away.

"It feels wrong," She said, clenching her hands into fists on top of the keys. 

"What feels wrong?" I asked and cleared my throat. 

"That I'm here and she isn't. It's our birthday, and it's unfair that I am here to celebrate it and she isn't," She clenched her jaw. 

"I can't seem to untie myself from the guilt, and it's destroying me. I can't enjoy anything without thinking about Nova, thinking that she deserved to be here and to live her life," She turned to look at me, pain screaming in her eyes. 

"I want to go camping with you, more than anything, but it feels wrong," She shook her hands on her lap in frustration. 

"It feels like I'm hurting her, and it hurts me," Nico said and I moved my leg over the bench to face her, then took her hands into mine.

"You think Nova would prefer you sitting here feeling sorry than you being out there?" I asked, and it made her look me in the eyes. 

"Probably not," She answered, shrugging. 

"You think Nova would have told you to go out and have fun and live your life?" I wondered, and a tiny smile appeared on her lips. 

"Most likely," She nodded. 

"Then maybe you should live your life for her in that way instead of feeling guilty for it, because if that is what you think she would have wanted you to do, then you should do that," I told her, and she leaned her forehead on mine.

"Why do you have to be so smart," She said, and I crinkled my nose.

"I'm not smart," I replied. 

"You are smart in a thoughtful way, and I love that about you. I love you, and I think Nova would have liked you," She smiled.

"You still don't want to go?" I wondered, but she shook her head. 

"No, I always wanted to go with you. I just feel bad that I can, and she can't," She breathed deeply. 

"But," She smiled brightly, letting go of my hands and placed them onto my cheeks to lean her forehead on mine.

"Certain someone I love very much made me rethink about it all and I think she might be right. I don't believe Nova would have accepted it if I punished myself like this," She said before laying her lips softly onto my forehead for a light kiss. 

***

I brought Nico with me to the place where we first kissed. I thought maybe since she enjoyed the view so much last time, it would be a good idea. It seemed to be true as she was quite happy when I told her.