A/N: When I first uploaded this, something went wrong and I'm not exactly sure what happened, but it wasn't readable.
Cherylann Rivers: Cute idea. The bantering about the cologne was fun, and you captured Joe's impulsive and kind of pain in the butt but adorable younger brother vibe well. I would have hoped that Frank would have been in love with Callie when he was with her- not Nancy- but as the premise for a Frank and Nancy story- nice job!
Response: Thanks! I think he had more of a crush on Nancy, but he wouldn't do anything about it and he was still in love with Callie, if that makes any sense. I'm not saying whether that's right or wrong, I'm just saying that's the way I thought about it when writing it! But if it wasn't a Frank/Nancy story, I wouldn't have done that, because honestly, Frank and Callie were so cute together!
Smithy: Good that Frank and Callie remained friends. Sometimes those high school romances just don't last.
Response: Yeah, I know that isn't necessarily completely realistic; however, I like both characters and thought it would be a nice contrast as to where Nancy and Ned are at this moment in the story.
Penlew: This chapter is all garbled
Response: I have no idea what happened... but thank you for pointing this out! (And also, I love the word "garbled," I'm not quite sure why, haha.)
Smithy: This is completely unreadable, You'd better fix it.
Response: Hello again; I'd also like to thank you for pointing this out. At first I thought the other comment was saying that my words didn't make sense and the chapter was kind of all over the place, and because I don't think this isn't the most seamless chapter ever, I could see that point of view! But having another review of the same nature made me check this chapter even faster than I otherwise would have!
Nancy woke up in her clothes to her cell phone ringing. At first she was confused, but then she remembered the events of the day before. She heard her phone ring again and groaned. The last thing she wanted to do was answer her phone, but maybe it was Ned. When she thought about that, she quickly picked up herself and answered, "Hello?"
"Hey, Nancy. Where are you? You were supposed to get here 45 minutes ago and you've got us worried sick!" the person on the other end of the phone said quickly.
"I'm fine, Joe. I promise. Tell Frank that I just fell asleep and so I haven't even left my house yet, but I'm mostly packed," Nancy replied.
"You don't even have all your stuff packed yet?" Joe Hardy asked loudly. She then heard her friend yell, "Hey, Frank, Nancy doesn't even have her stuff packed yet!" Nancy just rolled her eyes. Joe started talking into the phone again. "Seriously, though, Nancy. That is totally unlike you. What's going on?"
"Uh, Ned and I, uh…"
"Had sex for the first time?" Joe suggested, in a tone much too eager for Nancy's liking.
"What the hell, Hardy?"
"I'm sorry Nancy. I think he had caffeine when I wasn't looking," Frank called out and laughed. He couldn't even hear Nancy, but he knew that what his brother said was inappropriate and he wanted to apologize on his behalf.
"Okay, okay! I didn't think this would be the first time, but you never know… So are you two engaged?"
Before Nancy could respond, she heard Joe yell, "Frank, Nancy and Ned just got engaged."
"That is not what happened," Nancy responded sternly. Then quietly she added, "In fact, practically the opposite happened."
"Oh my God, Nancy; I am so sorry. Do you want me to hand the phone to Frank?"
"Uh, no thank you. I'm okay. I just need to finish packing and then I'll be there in about three or so hours. But please, tell Frank 'hello' for me, will you?"
"Of course, Nancy. Anything for you." Nancy rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time in the past minute and a half that she had been on the phone with Joe.
"Thanks, Joe. See you two soon! I've missed you."
"We miss you, too!" Joe replied.
"Yes, we do," Frank said quietly, and Nancy heard his voice faintly. She had slight butterflies in her stomach at the sound of his voice and she quickly shook her head of all of her thoughts about him. She had just gotten in a break up with her boyfriend—well, ex boyfriend now—and it was partially because of this. Nancy couldn't let Ned be right. She couldn't stand the fact that she lied to him and even if she could, she didn't like being wrong.
Nancy quickly said, "Bye!" and hung up the phone. She sighed before plugging it in to charge for the few minutes it would take her to get ready to leave.
Once she gathered all the rest of her stuff, she unplugged her phone (which had already charged to 78%) and put the charger in her suitcase.
She went down her stairs to Hannah and her dad talking over breakfast.
"Ah, there you are!" Hannah said excitedly. "How would you like some breakfast, dear? I saw Ned storm out of the house; he didn't even bother to say goodbye to me! It was probably quite the rough night, huh, hon?
"Hannah, you said there was nothing to worry about and that Nancy just felt tired, so she decided to leave tomorrow to meet the Hardy boys. You didn't tell me she might have had a bad night," Carson said to Hannah worriedly.
"Well, I didn't want to engage in gossip, Carson, so I thought it better to keep my mouth shut. I'm sorry that I respect your daughter," Hannah replied, matter-of-fact, as Nancy put her suitcase and bag down and then walked into the kitchen.
"That's not what I meant, Hannah," Carson chuckled.
"I'm fine, Hannah," Nancy assured her housekeeper. "And thank you for worrying about me, dad." Nancy kissed her dad on the cheek and sat down as Hannah grabbed her her breakfast.
"So you're going to be spending at least a week with the Hardy brothers," Carson said suddenly yet nonchalantly.
"Yes! I haven't seem them in a while, and I miss them," Nancy explained.
"And I'm sure they miss you too," Hannah replied. She then added, "Especially Frank" with a wink.
"Oh my God, Hannah," Nancy said, blushing. "We're just friends."
"People who are 'just friends' don't look at each other the way he looks at you. And the way you talk about him proves to me that something's going on between you two."
"Yes," Nancy responded, "a friendship." Hannah laughed.
After that, they sat in silence and ate their breakfast. Carson also read the newspaper.
When Nancy was finished, she got up and started to wash her plate. Hannah followed her and said, "Oh, no, dear. I'm the housekeeper; I'll clean your dishes."
"Thank you, Hannah," Nancy replied. "Now, I think I've got to get going. Bye, dad! Bye, Hannah!" Nancy walked to the door where she had put her suitcase, sleuthing kit, and extra bag. For such a tiny person who didn't care much for her appearance, Nancy carried many things.
"Don't you dare think about leaving without giving me a hug, Miss Drew," Hannah said sternly before breaking into a smile and laughing lightly.
"And don't leave without giving me a hug either, young lady," Carson teased.
"I wouldn't dream of either of those things. And I'm going to miss you guys so much!" Nancy exclaimed, hugging Hannah and then her father. "But I'll be back in a week. It might be longer, but I'm not sure," Nancy said thoughtfully. Jokingly, she followed it up with, "Hopefully I'll be back sometime this month." Both Carson and Hannah laughed.
"Don't forget to call the both of us, alright, Nancy?" Carson requested.
"Of course, dad! Whenever I'm able to, I do. Don't I?"
"I suppose that's true, but only when you aren't too caught up in your cases," Carson said thoughtfully before kissing his daughter on the cheek.
"I promise I try," Nancy smiled, as she threw her sleuthing kit over her right arm. She then told her dad, who was about to help her with her other two bags, "I've got it, but if you could please get the door, that'd be great." Nancy then slung her extra bag over her left arm and wheeled her suitcase behind her.
Nancy walked out the door which her dad was holding open for her and thanked him. "I'll be back soon, and I'll call as soon as I get settled into my hotel room!" Nancy promised.
Hannah and Carson walked out onto the porch and cracked the door behind them as they watched Nancy get into her blue car. Once Nancy had stepped in and waved goodbye to them, they waved back and went back inside.
And with that, Nancy was on her way.