Nothing like a Smoothie in the Morning[Open]

[Nicolette O'Kieffe]

One thing that made Saturday a crumby day was the aftermath of a night out on the town. You tended to forget exactly how many bottles of beer and shots you had consumed and told yourself one more wouldn't hurt. And guess what; you were usually wrong. You spent the early hours of the morning stumbling home in the white glow of the full moon. Waking up the next morning all you were sure of was that you wanted to chop off your own head to put an end to that killer migraine of yours.

Or at least that is what Nicolette O'Kieffe had heard. She had never consumed so much booze as to lose her own head; her friends had done so on numerous occasions though. A sip of beer and Nicolette had her alcoholic fix for the night. She really didn't find it necessary to puke out her insides or give herself a head-splitting migraine to have a good time.

Like every other uneventful Saturday, she awoke to the sound of her grandmother, Deirdre, humming some little Irish ditty as she made her way down the stairs of the Tudor style home and into the kitchen. Nicolette smiled to herself as she lifted her tousled hair from the pillow and slinked about her room in search of something to wear. Settling on a denim skirt and her signature white camisole, she looked at her long chocolate locks in the antique mirror in the hallway before grabbing her notebook and jogging down the stairs.

"Cole, where are you going?" her mother would call from the bowels of her bedroom. It used to perplex Nicolette when her mother would know what she was up to but since learning of her ancestry it was an accepted occurrence.

"Digital Beam," she called out before running out the front door and steering a navy blue Toyota Camry down the streets of Wenham, Massachusetts, the small town between Salem and Ipswich and home to one of the most mysterious rumors of the day.

The smell of coffee brewing behind the counter and the din of keys tapping over at the computer stations affronted Nicolette as she pressed her back against the cold glass door and slid into the local hangout. Her ballet flats rapped on the tile floor as she ordered a strawberry banana smoothie and took a seat at one of the circular tables that had been scattered around the room.

Her pale eyes scanned the room diligently as her hand guided the long straw around the edge of the transparent plastic cup before her lips parted and gently sipped the pink beverage up the shoot, the tart beverage oddly refreshing and invigorating.

In true Nicolette fashion, she pulled a large Gothic novel from her oversized coach bag and gently rested it on the dry portion of the table while carefully minding her smoothie sitting a bit to close too the unmarked pages of Villette for her comfort. Gingerly, she held the plastic cup in her hand and began thumbing through the pages to find where she had last left off.

[Colbie Ophelia Corey]

x uptown girl x
o she's been living in an uptown world o


Colbie moaned as the bright greeting from the sun's cheery mood spread itself into every nook and cranny of her room, blinding her eyes before they'd even been opened. She quickly pulled the covers spread over her bead, above her head as she tried to comprehend exactly what had happened. It was funny how that one more drink that you swore would never kill you, always managed to find a way to damage you.

Slowly opening her yes, Colbie once again let a groan escape her delicate lips before noticing the God awful taste that stained her mouth. Last night had definitely been one of the greatest nights of her life, and it would have been ten times better if she could have actually remembered what had happened now.

As she attempted to strain her brain for answers to the missing pieces that would complete the puzzle of last nights activities, she half willingly pushed the covers that she'd been hiding under, off before hastily removing herself from the comfortable bed that she swore she'd never leave when she'd first awoke this morning.

Colbie headed straight for the bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush. The first thing she was determined to get rid of, was the disgusting taste that was sitting in her mouth at that moment, the next step was making herself look as if she were human, the mop on her head, and the red color her face had turned, needed to disappear.

After about an hour of beautifying herself, and approving of looking at least decent to be seen in public, she decided on her wardrobe, a pair of hip hugger, tight fitted jeans, frayed at the bottom, as well as a black and white striped, tight fitted, long sleeved shirt. Colbie only finished her look off with her favorite white gold, petite pearl bracelet, as well as a pair of black ballet slippers. Her hair was worn down, and after giving herself one more close look over in her antique, gothic style, hand carved wooden mirror, black in color, Colbie had finally come to the conclusion that she was worth yenough to be seen in public, and with that, she grabbed her keys, and her purse, and rushed out the door. If it hadn't been for the fact that she'd promised Nicolette last night, before her first drink, that she'd meet her at the digital beam, there'd be no doubt, Colbie would still be in bed.

Pulling her black toyota yaris s-sedan out of the driveway, Colbie sped towards her destination, arriving within fifteen minutes of time. It was easier to pass time when there were conveniently no cops around to give you a ticket for speeding.

Colbie pulled into the first spot she saw, quickly removing herself from the car and making her way into the dimmed lighted building. Colbie could only thank the genius who had decided to dim all of the lighting in the most famous hangouts in Massachusetts.

Colbie smiled at a few boys who'd decided to make her their eye candy before she'd even walked into the place, and after a few minutes of looking around the crowded teen hangout, she'd spotted a girl, buried in a book, and recognized her as Nicolette. It was funny how little things such as habits or noses being stuck in books gave a person away, even in a dimmed environment.

Walking over to the table in which Nicolette was sitting, Colbie smiled, lowering the book from her friends face, and winked.

"Hey, sexy. What's a pretty lady like yourself doing all alone in a place like this."

Giggling, Colbie gave her friend a hug to greet her before making her way to the opposite side of the table where she sat down, and was greeted almost immidiately by a waitress.

"Can I offer you something to eat or drink?"

Colbie looked up at the young girl, who she'd recognized from school, as if she were an angel that had just been sent from above.

"Oh, God, yes. I would love the biggest cup of the strongest coffee you have."

Grinning as the girl walked away, almost laughing, Colbie put her head down on the table, peeking up at Nicolette as if she were a cat hiding, waiting for her master to play with her.

"I have the worst migraine ever..but every second last night was worth it..I just..have yet to rmember every single second.."

Colbie pouted, half grinning as she looked up at Nicolette like a lost puppy.

[Nicolette O'Kieffe]

_{"Someday my prince will come"}

Villette, the last novel to be written by Bronte. Nicolette couldn't count the number of times she had read the particular book and delved into the life of Lucy Snowe. Each time she seemed to peel away a new layer of the story and gain some new understanding of the characters. She lived vicariously through the romances of the heroines and perhaps that was the problem.

She longed to live her own love story; one with a man speaking sweet prose to win over her heart. The true romantic, Nicolette wanted to be courted and treated like a queen. Had she lived in another time that might have been fitting, but like everyone else Nicolette lived in the twenty-first century where men her age had the decorum of pigs. The looked at any attractive girl like a prize to be had and made wagers on them like horses at a race track. Not at all the romanticized love from the Gothic romances she so adored.

No amount of magic could change where she was and pining after the perfect prince charming had gotten her nowhere. Sometimes Nicolette truly envied what Colbie and Forrest had; other times not so much. But the fact remained that she truly believed in the old fairytale that someday her prince would come.

Even in her reading daze, Nicolette was aware that Colbie was late but that was to be expected of her friend. The girl could party and even if that wasn't the case there was always her boyfriend who was more than willing to pass the time with Colbie in her arms. Looking down at her Chanel watch, Colbie was only about ten minutes late so far. It didn't matter much, Nicolette had every intention of sitting around and getting a substantial amount of reading down with her smoothie at her side.

As if the girl had magical powers, which Colbie in fact did, she appeared in the doorway of the the dimly lit Digital Beam. All heads belonging to the male populous turned to face her as sunlight created a glowing silhouette around her figure. Nicolette too in grossed in her novel didn't realize her friend had entered the room until a hand peeked over the top of the worn pages and lowered it with a friendly smile.

"You know, just waiting up for someone to arrive. They're late."

A smirk emerged on the corner of Nicolette's painted lips as she returned the hug. Waiting for Colbie was as natural as breathing. One was punctual to the point of being irritating, the other fashionably late.

"A migraine? Really? I wonder why?" Nicolette teased, closing the book over a napkin and taking a sip of her Strawberry Banana Smoothie.

"What was it this time? Animal, mineral, or vegetable?"

[Colbie Ophelia Corey]

x i wanna rock and roll all night x
o and party every day o


Colbie's grin spread from one ear to the other ear as she continued to peek out from her arm toward her friend as if she were that lost puppy, ready to pounce and play at any given moment. The music blasting from the speakers hung from the ceiling created an ever worse pounding sensation in her head than she'd had before, however, she'd ignore it for the time being.

Going back to the topic at hand, she giggled at Nicolette's comment, lifting her head from her arm just in time to thank the waitress fro the large mug of coffee she'd managed to produce for the hung over Colbie who tried to put two and two together over what her actions were last night.

"Hmm.."

Colbie actually looked as if she might have been straining her brain a little too much to figure this out. It almost scared her not to be able to remember a whole night of her life.

"You know.."

Colbie cocked her eyebrow as she fixed her coffee to her liking, a tad bit of milk as well as just one spoon of sugar, and after taking a sip of it, she smiled, warmly, as she looked back up at Nicolette. It was always that warm and fresh cup of coffee that had hit the spot and provided a healing feeling for Colbie.

"I'm not quite sure what it was this time but..umm..as soon as I can fill in the pieces of this unfinished puzzle, you'll be the first to know, my darling."

Giving off a playful wink, she took another sip of her coffee before turning her attention to the book in which she held in her hands.

"Oh, Cole. Villette again? How many times have you read that book?"

She laughed sympathetically towards Nicolette. It was funny how completely different their two personalities were, and how well they got along. If Colbie had, had the patience, she would have engaged herself in one of these books that kept Nicolette's interest, however, she was never able to read about things, Colbie had always been the one to go out and live what those characters in the book lived.

[Nicolette O'Kieffe]

_{"Sometimes you miss the forest through the trees"}

Nicolette shook her head sympathetically as Colbie groaned from the splitting headache, an effect of the partying she had done from the night before. It seemed unsettling to think that an entire evening had been forgotten, siphoned away by the amount of liquor that was in her tiny body.

"Sometimes I really don't understand you."

For a girl that may take a sip of wine or some cocktail every now and again, it seemed absurd to drink so much of anything that you would go into a drunken stupor and end up with the worst hang over in the history of the world. And it seemed even more idiotic to think that after one of those nights, you'd go back and do the same thing again. Did they expect a different result? It wasn't going to happen. Consuming half your body mass in booze would always lead to that headache, nausea, and sluggishness the next day.

"Do you ever consider that these hang overs wouldn't happen if you laid off the beers? You are just asking to get your stomach pumped one day."

Sipping her smoothie, Nicolette smirked and played with the corner of her napkin as her eyes wandered around the teenage populated digital cafe. Even the employees, most of whom went to school with Colbie and Nicolette, were in their teens. Only a smattering of adults seated themselves at the small circular tables. They had their laptops resting on the table and busily typed away with one hand and sipped their morning coffee or chai tea with the other.

She looked back at Colbie then at the large book resting on the table top before giving a coy smile and sipping her cool beverage.

"Umm..."

How many times had she read Villette? She had read Jane Eyre more, maybe a half dozen time; and there were no secrets about Tolstoy's Anna Karenina which she had read twice. It was a safe bet to say Villette had been read from cover to cover three or four times.

"Three or four times, maybe. I don't really keep track."

Nicolette knew that she was a pathetic soul, living through the stories of fictional character in her novels and in her movies. But her life was lacking in the love department and anyway it was safer to visit those worlds than to be in them yourself.

"I know I'm pathetic," she smirked, "But not all of us have a Forrest in their life. Some of us miss the forest through the trees."

[Colbie Ophelia Corey]

x When I wake up in my makeup x
o It's too early for that dress o


Colbie grinned as her friend gave her the 'sometimes i don't understand you line' again. If it hadn't been for her accent and her family, Colbie would have never believed Nicolette to be Irish. She was a tragedy to the whole culture as far as drinking went. She wouldn't even let the cold, carbonated beverage touch her lips. She preferred drinks such as soda, juice, smoothies and water over anything alcoholic.

Colbie simply beamed a smile toward Nicolette as she attempted to ignore the throbbing pain coming from her head. Last night had to have been something pretty special, however, she still couldn't fill in the details. She wasn't worried, however, she was sure something would spark her memory, it was the way it had always happened since as far back as she could remember.

Taking another sip of the piping hot beverage that sat in front of her, Colbie closed her eyes letting out a small purr in reaction to the way the coffee had hit the spot before opening her eyes, letting reality slap her clear across the face as Nicolette's words rolled into her ears, sticking to her mind like a post-it note. Raising an eyebrow, she took another sip of coffee.

"That's like me telling you to put down that book. It's never going to happen."

Taking another sip of coffee, Colbie let her eyes roam around the building, noticing a tan skinned boy around their age staring at her from near the 'juice bar'. He had a charming smile, his teeth pearly white and he, also, was sipping at a cup of coffe, a large one at that. He seemed oddly familiar, however, regardless of how charming, handsome and familiar he was, Colbie only pried her attention off of him to focus on Nicolette.

"I'm not going to have to get my stomach pumped either. If I drank that much, I'd still be laying unconscious somewhere."

Before the conversation could be continued, Nicolette had said something quite alarming to Colbie in which she was able to catch quickly, regardless of her enormous hang over.

"I know I'm pathetic,"

She smirked towards Colbie, sipping at her smoothie while still holding her book as if it were a golden treasure someone would snatch at any moment.

"But not all of us have a Forrest in their life. Some of us miss the forest through the trees."

Colbie's sincere look towards her friend was enough to give off that she'd slipped into another one of her fits of thoughts. She thought about her dreams, the ones she'd had since she was born of a boy in a forest. She'd run to the injured and hurt boy and protect him, care for him and burse him. The two ran through the forest playing together, laughing and having a good time. They'd fall asleep under the star lit sky under a canopy of trees, curled up in each other's arms. It was a pure love only children could understand, and it came to life when they met in the forest on that strange night when not only them, but six other children were pulled toward that forest in Wenham.

"Heh..no pun intended?"

It was a small comedy relief, but it cleared the tension from the air. The play on words had actually been a little funny.

"How about him?"

She teased Nicolette by turning her attention to the tan guy still sitting at the juice bar, sipping at his rather large cup of coffee. He'd been more of a Colbie type, so she never expected Nicolette to go for it, but she'd make it her personal goal to find someone who fit Nicoltette's type every step of the way.

[Nicolette O'Kieffe]

_{"I think I'll pass"}

Put down her books? Never. Not in a million years. Nicolette looked utterly vilified at the idea of not being able to read one of her stories and she knew that Colbie would find her reaction comical. But there was no way that she would ever stop reading and her friend was right; it just wasn't going to happen.

Her whole life could be found within the covers of one of the novels Nicolette held dear to her. They were able to give her the life that she lacked, a life with eternal sunshine, love, and independence. It truly was pathetic but Nicolette relied on her books for livelihood. They gave her something to believe in and to long for.

Regardless of the nonchalant tone with which Colbie disregarded Nicolette's warning, she couldn't have been more serious about it. Lowering the straw from her lips, her small hand gently forced the large cup of coffee away from Colbie's face.

"And I'm saying that it isn't so ridiculous. There is such a thing as alcohol poisoning and I rather not have to worry about you every time you go out. It's not safe."

Nicolette's tone was purposefully stern, yet she had somehow retained the quiet, almost melodic intonation in her voice. It was one of those controls that the young woman had honed. You got more bees with honey than with vinegar and getting nasty would do nothing to prove her point.

"What would happen if one of these days one of the guys who are always eying you suddenly became bold and..." her eyes took on a darker color than normal and seemed to glaze over at the thoughts that ran across her mind. The image of Colbie laying unconscious and unprotected somewhere was all too real, "and ruffied you?"

"Just please be more careful. Have all the fun you want just don't end up in a ditch somewhere."

It was a rather futile attempt at getting Colbie to listen. They had had this sort of conversation time and time again. Colbie would promise to take it easy and then the next weekend she would end up in the same hopeless state. Her friend would remain sympathetic and sigh disappointedly but accept the truth. Colbie wasn't going to change.

"No, no pun intended."

She smiled weakly and released the coffee mug so that Colbie could enjoy the rest of her hang over remedy while Nicolette took another sip of her smoothie and looked over Colbie's shoulder at the guy sitting by the juice bar.

He was obviously more Colbie's type than Nicolette's own. Sure he fit the tall, dark, and handsome persona of any hero with his swarthy complexion, toned core with rippling muscles, and a flawless smile but even from where she sat she knew he lacked something.

"You mean that hasn't stopped smiling at you like a complete idiot?"

Nicolette smirked, not at all disheartened by the fact that all eyes were on her friend. It had always been that way. Colbie emitted some charismatic glow that Nicolette in her quiet ways did not. And her friend was much better at enticing men with her long legs and come hither glances than she could ever hope to be.

"I think I'll pass."

[Colbie Ophelia Corey]

x i've got one hand in my pocket x
o and the other one is giving a peace sign o


Giggling, Colbie carefully took another sip of the still piping hot, large mug of coffee in front of her as she scanned the room, unwilling to give up on her study hard, book smart, non alcoholic friend, however, easily ignoring her stern rant on Colbie about the inappropriate and irresponsible behavior that Colbie had thrived on performing every time she was in a crowded environment filled with rowdy teen, alcohol and music. In fact, Colbie had done enough partying for both herself and Nicolette combined.

"Alright. I'll stop."

A grin stamped upon her lips, Colbie, yet again, would make an effort to please her friend, although, they both knew it would never work. When you were in high school, and had a college boyfriend, you would hardly find yourself in a situation where you acted as sophisticated adults. You played around and acted immaturely while you still could. Sophistication and responsibility were things you saved for later on in life.

"How about him?"

Colbie quickly changed the topic at hand once more to turn Nicolette's attention to a tall guy sipping a smoothie at the juice bar. He was tall, clean, well groomed, and when she'd caught a glimpse of his smile as he laughed with the bartender who was obviously a friend of his, she could have died, the dazzling whites, and charming smirk that made his smile complete was enough to make your knees grow weak as you melted like putty inside. He seemed sophisticated as well, no one Colbie would swoon over, but he was model worthy which was enough to gain her attention.

"I think his name is..umm.."

Through her hungover state, Colbie strained herself to remember their fellow school mates name, and after five minutes of non existent luck, a light bulb flashed above her head and her brain began to wake up, or the cells that hadn't already died woke up.

"T..something with a t-o..Thomas! .. Tom.."

She smiled, her eyes lit up that the pain of her headache, after two of the strongest asprin known to man, was finally being released, and vanishing into thin air where she hoped it would stay next time she decided to get drunk.

[Nicolette O'Kieffe]

_{Do they know what that is?}

That had been all too easy. Nicolette sighed and looked heavenward as she shook her head mournfully. Even if she had brought up good points, Colbie was going to do as she pleased. The only reason Nicolette let the topic down so easily was because Colbie was never really alone at those raves; somewhere in the background stood a tall, young man who would give his life for her. Forrest would make certain that nothing happened to Colbie.

Still, Nicolette was growing tired of the whole party scene in which her friend seemed to thrive. The one or two times she had accompanied Colbie to a frat party at the local college or some house party, Nicolette was guaranteed a night of utter boredom; she didn't drink, she didn't whore about flaunting herself for the male genders about, and most times she had no one to talk to. Colbie ran off to Forrest and the two went about their own business. It had happened at the Rave at Ipswich Cliffs and poor Nicolette had been left in the company of that singer from Paramore wearing only lingerie.

"By the way I meant to thank you for leaving me with that singer at the Rave."

Smirking over the rim of her straw, Nicolette took a sip of the beverage and rolled her eyes playfully. She was willing to give anyone a chance but Hayley had pretty much horrified the poor girl with her promiscuity. Hayley wouldn't have expected that from Belle Watling in Gone with the Wind. Hayley even had the flaming hair.

"I still don't know why they called the band Paramore. Do they know what a paramour is?" she inquired, lowering her voice, "It's an illicit lover."

"Now why would you label yourselves that?"

Again, Nicolette's crystalline gaze looked towards the guy Colbie had pointed out to her. One thing was for sure, Colbie had an eye for the most handsome men in the room. Her eyes focused on the young man who was enjoying his own smoothie. He had a strong, masculine jawline and a muscular frame. As he laughed, his emerald eyes shimmered of their own accord.

"Tom?"

She seemed a bit shocked that she had been eying Tom Hawke, a school mate and a fellow member of the photography club.

"We're just friends. I know him from school and the photography club."

Nicolette turned her gaze back to the table and drew some more of her smoothie up the straw without a word. Colbie was in on of her match making moods again. Every so often, she'd point out every eligible bachelor and get some men interested in her friend. The gesture was sweet but usually it didn't work out. Colbie and Nicolette had very different taste in men.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Colbie."

[Colbie Ophelia Corey]

x we go together like x
o wamma lamma lamma a dingity ding a dong"


Sitting across the table from one of the pickiest, most difficult hopeless romantic known to man, Colbie took the last sip of her giant mug of black coffee, looking hopelessly persistent toward her book reading friend, before turning her attention to the waitress who'd been sitting behind the juice bar looking completely lost and bored on this slow business day.

"Excuse me!"

With a bright smile, Colbie managed to gain the young girl's attention with her loud voice. The girl had scurried over to the table without hesitation, a big smile on her face that was without a doubt fake. It wasn't hard to figure out that the young girl of seventeen or eighteen years old would have much rather been anywhere else except here, serving tables after a night of partying. Colbie had easily recognized her as the stripping girl who'd stood on Ridley's coffee table the previous night dancing to one of the Pussycat Dolls songs. The girl had gone to their school, and probably didn't remeber one second of last nights house party at Ridley's. It was probably best kept that way.

"Yes, maam? What can I get for you?"

The polite act had been worn out a few years back when people began to realize that waiters and waitresses weren't actually being polite, they were faking a smile and thinking rude thoughts about how stupid and pathetic you actually were.

"I need another cup of this wonderful coffee."

As the girl turned to walk away, taking Colbie's empty mug with her, Colbie grabbed her by the arm lightly, gaining the girl's attention once more.

"Thanks, doll, you're a peach."

A flattering smile spread across Colbie's face as she slid a twenty dollar bill into the girl's apron before letting her walk away. It was almost too easy to bust a few balls after a party, especially when you were able to bring back memories after many hours of strenuous thinking. Colbie was almost grateful for the whole night to be clear to her instead of a mystery. Not remembering this morning had been torture.

"Come on, Nikki Cola.."

A desperate, pleading look appeared across Colbie's face as she attempted, once again, to convince Nicolette to put her books into action using herself as the main character.

"You know, Nicolette, we could write a book about your romance one day..or make a movie!!"

With that, the waitress had returned with yet another large mug of piping hot coffee, a God send for Colbie as the two exchanged fake smiles before the girl quickly turned around and walked away from the table she would have chosen not to serve if she'd had that choice.

"You know..some of the greatest relationships started as friendships.."

Colbie raised an eyebrow, this time fixing her coffee with just a small amount of skim milk, as well as one spoon of sugar, taking a sip while still eying tall, dark and handsome whose gorgeous emerald eyes lit up the room.

"Go over and say hi!"

A smiling, almost giggling Colbie wouldn't give up on her persistence. Nicolette deserved a boy, and tall, dark and handsome going by the name of Tom seemed like a good match from afar, and Nicolette had already seemed to know him. Colbie had always thrived on playing matchmaker, and ninety five percent of the time, she hadn't let down one of her many customers.

Smirking, she lifted an eyebrow toward Nicolette, waiting for her next move as if they were in a big, life like, twenty first century version of the game, chess.

[Nicolette O'Kieffe]

Ha! If you made a novel or movie out of Nicolette's life it would be one of the shortest novels ever written and perhaps the most unsuccessful movie of all time. What exactly had she done so far? She had dated one or two guys, never really had a long term relationship, and in the last year she had been subjected to the life of a single female.

"No, they'd make a movie out of your life and most likely I'd be the one writing it. Some spinster with a cat sitting on her lap writing about a love story she had witnessed."

A somber smile appeared on her face as her finger nimbly moved the straw around the rim of the cup. She'd be another Jane Austen who had lost love and could only relive it through reading or writing about it. Only difference was that Nicolette had never felt the warm embrace of love and adoration that she dared to dream of. It had remained elusive for her eighteen years.

"Really, I'm fine. One day I will find what I am looking for. But I doubt you playing matchmaker will be of much help."

She sat silently for a moment while the waitress scampered about bringing Colbie another big mug of coffee. By the way Colbie was smiling there was something about the waitress that her friend knew about. Nicolette perked up a bit as her wild imagination formulated reasons for the smug grin that had appeared on her friend's dimpled face. The possibilities were endless and radical but all very possible.

Rolling her eyes, Nicolette glanced back at Tom who was still at the juice bar and then glanced back at Colbie with a skeptical frown. Maybe some friends had developed into something deeper and more intimate but she and Tom? They were just classmates in high school.

"You know, friends that become lovers also have nasty fallouts."

Now the question was to think of an example to back up that blasted hypothesis. Nicolette wracked her pretty little brain for a few moments thinking about all of the couples that had first been friends and then become lovers and then broken up leaving a trail of carnage behind them.

"Look at... look at... I can't think of one at the moment... but that short of relationship comes with a lot of baggage and in the end if things didn't work out there goes a perfectly good friendship."

Nicolette bit down on her lip and stared down at her hands for a moment, "And I am not going to go up to him and say hi. One, I'm not going to make a fool of myself. And two, I am not interested. We are friends and that's it.

"So please, can you just drop it?"

Her voice remained soft as Nicolette pleaded with her friend to butt out---- in the nicest way possible. Her pale blue eyes looked everywhere but at the young man Colbie had chosen for her and at Colbie herself. Nicolette loved talking about over people's love affairs but her own were rather uncomfortable to hear about.