I sat there quietly in between this woman and Nick.

"I'm Katrina." She smiled holding her hand out.

"Maria." I smiled shaking her hand.

"I don't mean to be rude but..." She lifted headphones.

"Oh, no go ahead." I smiled looking at the back of the seat in front of me.

Now I couldn't look her way without Katrina thinking I was looking at her or nosing at her phone.

Plus I couldn't look Nicks way or out the window incase it struck up a conversation...

It shouldn't be like this I know, we never left on bad blood but when Nick was detached from the crew it just seemed to put a block up between us all.

So I had a flight, from Vegas to New York of looking at the back of the seat pretending it was interesting.

What do I even do?

Do I speak? Make conversation? Keep quiet? Be ignorant?

"You still make the same face when you're conflicted then?" Nick said amused.

Offended I looked at him "What face?!"

"Like.." He did his impression of my face which simply looked like he was in pain.. From having something shoved right up his ars-

"How are things?" He asked.

"Good thanks.... You?"

I almost cursed at myself for being so polite, I was never raised to be nasty and that was probably my downfall. He knew I wouldn't ignore him.

"Good thank you. How has work been? You still work at Joey's?"

"No, well.. I do but I'm leaving."

"Oh, really?"

I nodded.

"Why is that?" He asked.

"Change in the wind. You of all people know what I mean."

He smiled and nodded. "That I do. Only I didn't have a choice.... Did I?" He asked.

Here we go...

"I wouldn't know. I don't get involved with things that don't concern me." I replied curtly.

"Huh..  So what exactly has been said about me? No doubt a pack of lies." He muttered.

"We don't speak about you. The boys do their thing, I support Aaron like you know and I know Zak doesn't speak of you at all."

He muttered something but I couldn't hear what it was.

I wish I brought earphones with me,  I wish I had helped myself to a pair of Zak's ever growing collection he had. But I probably wouldn't have based on the fact I'm a bit funny with sharing things like that.

Many people didn't know that earphones cause 700x more bacteria in your ear. To me that's equivalent to using someone else's tooth brush.. You don't do it.

But then again Zak would have had new ear buds....

Plus his hygiene was top dollar with 2 showers a day. Sometimes 4 if he's been to the gym and then the pool.

I don't think I've ever smelt body odour on him, not even when we've got all hot and sweaty in the bedroom after hours of playtime.

In the films, it shows a couple drenched with sweat, I always scoffed and rolled my eyes thinking 'yeah, cause that's what happens...'

Oh how very wrong I was.

With age comes experience right? Well when you're hot AF and know how to get women to fall at your feet the experience level goes through the roof. Obviously I'm speaking about Zak here.

It was me who couldn't keep up at the best of times and had to push him away unable to physically cope with anymore pleasure..

Death by sex.. That is what may be on tombstone.

Speaking of that, I hadn't noticed that I was a little sore today, last night was a night I wouldn't give in.. Zak knew as if we were silently arguing over England.

If I fell first, I stayed... If he fell first, I went.

I won. He nearly had an asthma attack, although he tried to play it cool but I noticed and he gave up to take his inhaler, I later learned that he had forgot to do his prevention inhaler in the morning.

My heart hurt a little from this morning and I wanted to say it was because he was tired, but I could almost guarantee he didn't sleep last night. I know I didn't, I was worried about missing my alarm.

"How's the rivalry going?" Nick asked making me look up.

"Huh?"

"You and Zak?"

"We're allies now I'm living with him."

He blinked and moved back slightly "I'm sorry. Come again?"

"My apartment block had a fire, Aaron had no room at the inn and there were a few other things.. Now I live with Zak."

"Huh? Well that's surprising. You two hated each other's guts."

"People change." I responded.

"Don't I know it." He muttered.

I didn't tell him about myself and Zak, for one it was none of his business, two I didn't know if this was a trap kinda thing? You know where Nick will start pouring poison into my ear. But nothing had happened yet?

With Katrina I presumed asleep and Nick on his phone I did the deed.

No not that.

I checked my phone again.

Message (1)

I clicked seeing Zak's name in bold and instantly felt a pull.

It was a photo of him and Gracie laying in bed with the caption "Empty space beside us... Sorry about this morning..  Miss you. Xx"

I ran my thumb over the my phone screen and looked up only to find Nick looking at my phone.

"Not just housemates then?" He asked.

I looked away feeling my cheeks heat up.. I could hardly deny it, oh beetroot face here.

"Like I said.. People change." I mumbled.

"Well if you happy."

"I am."

"How did Aaron take the news? Cause we all knew he held a torch for you."

I glared at him "I can tell you right now we didn't all know that. Because he doesn't."

Nick scoffed "Okay. Sorry."

"Good." I replied folding my arms.

Me and Aaron were close, but not that close, he situated himself in the friendzone as did I.

"So he took it bad then?" Nick baited.

"More than surprised but we're fine now." I replied.

"One big happy family."

Now I felt bad, because Nick was once upon a time part of our family, and although he now wasn't I couldn't do what the boys did and brush him off. I used to love spending time with Nick.

In fact I always found Nick attractive, the winning smile used to melt me. He knew it and used it to make me agree with any little disagreement the boys had.

"So he looks after you... Yeah?" He asked.

I nodded and looked at him to see a little smile "That's good. You deserve someone who will look out for you."

Now that is when I saw the old Nick break through. The Nick who always looked out for me and the Nick who was at Aaron's when I went there after punching my ex.

He was the one to give me a hug whilst Aaron ran around like a headless chicken when I burst into tears.

Mostly over the fact I busted my knuckles then over my ex's nose.

Zak was there and simply grunted before walking outside.

"I just hope he doesn't hurt you." He mumbled looking out the window.

****
A few hours later and the plane was coming into land. I gave a sigh and looked at Katrina who was collecting her things up.

"Welcome to New York." She grinned.

"This is a pit stop. I'm going back to England for a while."

"You are?" Nick asked.

I nodded "Yeah, last few months or so has been hard.. I uh- I'm going home to see my mum."

He looked at me conflicted before sighing and giving me a hug. I allowed myself to hug him back.

"I still miss our talks." He mumbled into my hair.

"I miss your laugh. I'll take you to the ice cream shop. Do do do doo." I sang the vine himself and Aaron did earning a laugh.

I giggled and let him go.

"Okay, one for the road. For old times sakes." He lifted his phone and turned on the camera.

We pulled a stupid face and took a photo.

"Get a nice one." Katrina took his phone away and stood in the seats opposite. Nick wrapped his arm around me pulling me in close. Giving a smile Katrina took the photo and handed it back to Nick.

"That's a good photo." She smiled. "Well it was nice to meet you. Maybe we will cross paths one day."

"Nice to meet you too." Even if you hardly spoke.

I turned to Nick and gave him a playful punch.

"Hey, what was that for?" He asked overreacting, he made out I almost broke his arm.

"For not telling me goodbye." I replied as we made our way off the plane.

"It was hard enough as it was."

"Well you could have dropped a text or email." I sighed.

"Sorry Ri."

"I forgive you. Just.. Keep doing what you love yeah?" I asked making him smile and give me another hug.

"You take care and if you ever. Ever. Need time out, I know V would love to see you."

I smiled and nodded "Take care."

We parted ways and I watched him walking off with Katrina.

"Hey, Nick?"

He turned and looked at me.

"Good luck with the show.. I hope it goes from strength to strength."

He gave a smile "Goodbye Maria."

"Goodbye Nick."