Revenge is a Dish Best Served Hot

Time Ticks By

Nicole POV

The days passed much as they always had, filled with work and not much else. Nicole put in for all the extra shifts that were offered as she had to not only break her lease here but find an apartment in Chattanooga. They weren't badly priced, she just had to get her first month's rent and the security deposit in two weeks. She was halfway there, but working fourteen-hour shifts, seven days a week was tough. Nicole was used to working that much, she just hated the toll it took on her body.

Nicole had just stepped in the door when her phone started ringing, she knew it would be Briar as she had been ducking her phone calls all week. When the phone stopped ringing, Nicole shot her a text telling her that she was at work and couldn't talk.

“No you aren't!” a voice on the other side of the door yelled scaring the s**t out of her. Nicole couldn't believe Briar showed up at her apartment. Maybe if she ignored her, Briar would go away.

“I’m not leaving!” Briar screamed as if she could read her thoughts. “I also have your spare key! Don't make me use it.” Nicole sighed and walked over to the front door and let her best friend in. Briar stood at the door with a “what the hell” expression on her face.

“Really Nicole? You ghost me for the past two weeks? You think that's cool?” Briar asked as she barged into her tiny apartment. Nicole looked her hall for Reaper as the man was never far from her friend.

“He’s out on a run,” Briar responded as she sat down on the couch. Nicole shut the door slowly, hoping to delay the inevitable.

“What’s going on Nicole? Please let me help you like you helped me,” Briar responded.

“I’m leaving this town,” Nicole breathed out.

“Cause of Grimm?” Briar asked in a low voice.

“Yes and no.” she let out a sigh and looked up to the ceiling as she fought back tears. “I have no one here but you, it took me years to realize that everyone in my life was using me. You are the only one that cares about me.”

“Where will you go?” Briar asked in a quiet voice. Nicole finally smiled a real smile for the first time in weeks. She finally looked at Briar.

“I got in Briar! I got in!” she was exhausted but so excited to share the news with her friend. It took a moment for her words to click, but when it did Briar’s face lit up in excitement.

“That's great! Oh, I'm so glad!” Briar squealed and threw a hug around her. “I’m sad you are leaving, but I am so happy for you!” Nicole let out a sigh of relief and contentment as she felt comfort for the first time in days.

…

It was her farewell party, the night before she left for Chattanooga. Nicole was all set, packed, and ready to leave in the morning. She had no idea how she pulled off the money in time. She got a studio apartment that was five miles from the hospital, but the good news is that the bus schedule was reliable and the bus stop was only two blocks away from her complex. So she sold her car to pay the apartment deposit, she didn't get a lot from it, fifteen hundred, but it was enough for her to get a jumpstart in the new city. Briar and Reaper offered to move her to the new town, so she didn't have to worry about how her meager stuff was going to get to the new apartment. Her current landlord by some miracle agreed to let her end the lease without a penalty. Her finances were in a lot better shape than she thought. She had a total extra five hundred dollars in her savings. Nicole just prayed that she would be able to pay for her books and supplies. Everything else was covered by the program. She was set, hopefully.

It was a shame that her personal life couldn't be the same. Nicole looked out at her going away party and realized that moving was the right decision. There was almost no one here. The bar that normally buzzed with life was heard dead. Briar and Reaper showed up for the party along with Mrs. Hart. Her family was nowhere in sight, despite being invited and having full knowledge of her moving tomorrow.

Nicole invited all of her colleagues to the facility she worked at. Apparently taking every unwanted shift for the past five years wasn't good enough to warrant anyone other than Nancy to stop by. Nancy was the sweetest lady at the facility and helped to train Nicole when she started working there. There were a few members of the MC, though looking at the men it seemed they were just there for early Friday night specials. She spent almost seven years hanging out in this bar and not even fifteen people could show up to say goodbye. It was so sad she wanted to cry.

Briar must have noticed her look as she and Reaper came walking up. Nicole gave a small smile seeing Reaper keep a belly over her stomach.

“Nicole I-” Briar started.

“It’s okay,” she cut off. “I just- I don't know what I wanted from this party.” Nicole sighed and looked around again. She didn't know why she agreed to Briar throwing her a party. The normally silent Reaper chimed in,

“He’s on a run, I thought it was best. His behavior-”

“Reaper-” Nicole cut him off not wanting to hear any more about Grimm. “I think it’s just time for me to admit defeat, please don't tell him I left?” she asked Reaper.

“Of course, and please call me Axel.” Nicole nodded but doubted that she would be seeing much of the man for the foreseeable future. This town had nothing for her.

“Here,” Briar said handing her a card. “Open this tomorrow, it's for some dinner the first night of your apartment,” Briar said. Nicole nodded and put the card in her wallet.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Briar stated. Nicole nodded and walked out the door, it would be the last time she spent in this crappy little town and she wasn’t sorry about it.

The next morning Axel and Briar showed up in a lifted truck. In no time the truck was loaded down and they were headed the four hours to Chattanooga. The drive was extra long due to Briar needing extra stops due to her frequent bathroom breaks.

Once they arrived in Chattanooga, and navigated the city to her crappy apartment building; Briar looked back at her with doubt. Nicole shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s what I can afford,” she responded.

“Sweetness,” Axel said in his low voice when Briar opened up her mouth to speak again.

“But-”

“No,” Axel stated firmly. “Let’s get Nicole moved in.” Briar looked between the two of them and nodded while Axel parked the truck out front.

“Do you have the keys?” Axel asked. Nicole held up the keys in her hand.

“Yeah, they were mailed last week,” she responded as she got out of the truck and grabbed the boxes in the backseat.

“Which apartment number?” Axel hollered out as the girls took off into the building.

“Thirty-four!”

Nicole made her way up the two flights of stairs and opened up her new studio apartment. Nice would not be the word used to describe it. It was run down, outdated appliances. it was clean and that is all that matter.

“Hey!” Axel shouted surprising both girls with a load of stuff. “Let’s get moved in so we can go home!” Axel shouted and Nicole nodded following him back down the stairs.

…

Nicole waved away her only friends in the world and fought the urge to cry.

“No! Don't do it,” she told herself. Instead, she decided to open the card Briar gave her and order some food. When she broke the seal money fell out on her lap. It was over two thousand dollars. Nicole was about to call Briar and ask what the hell this was when she saw Briar’s writing on the card.

Nicole,

I know you don't want to accept this, but please use this to help you get started on your new life. I love you. Thank you for being there for me at my lowest and let me be there for you. You are my family Nicole.

Briar.

Nicole couldn't help it. She cried.