That day, Nicki walked about very giddy. She put a bounce in her step that warranted second glances from the hormone-driven teenage boys, but they weren't on her mind. She had no intention of telling anyone at all, actually, but she was confronted by Katie at lunch while they were alone.
"So why are you so, like, happy all of a sudden?" Katie asked, pulling a banana out of her lunchbag.
"Oh, no reason," Nicki couldn't supress her grin, but tried, since she couldn't explain it.
"Spill it," Katie continued unpacking her lunch. "You hook up?"
Nicki was half-offended. "No," and snorted, "I said it was nothing, so stop."
"Nick," Katie said sternly. Nicki didn't care for that nickname but didn't have the heart to tell her so, "We've been friends since Grade 6. No secrets." Nicki's heart sunk at what a teenage girl cliche she'd become, and sighed.
"It's nothing, really. No big deal."
"Okay fine," Katie changed the subject. "Hey, you want to come on my Uncle's boat for a week this summer?"
'This summer...' thought Nicki, 'I'm not gonna be here this summer... I'm not going to even exist after this summer.' "I have something to tell you," Nicki said, gravely.
"What?" Katie asked, "Is it about why you were so happy?"
The hapiness was actually starting to melt away. Nicki opened her mouth, fully intending to tell the truth, but her voice was caught in her throat. She couldn't say it, so instead, she said, "I'm moving this summer."
Katie's jaw dropped. her eyes welled up and the ghosts of tears could be seen. She just gasped, "What?"
"Um, I'm moving in July. To Baltimore." Nick had lived in Baltimore a few years back, it seemed like a nice enough place to pretend to move.
"Oh my God," Katie just stared. "I'll come visit you. You can still come."
"I, uh..." Nicki tried to worm her way out, but couldn't see an escape. She really wanted to get out of this. "I can't... I... okay, that was a lie. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for lying just now. But the truth... you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
