SECRET - Nick Miller

The Landlord

Mariana's dad ended up staying the weekend before catching a late flight sunday night. A week after what Mariana calls the fiasco she sits at the kitchen counter with Winston and Schmidt reading a book yet her mind is distracted by Nick. He seems to be pushing her away, whenever she enters he leaves. If she makes a jab at him he just brushes it off, most of the time he barely interacts with her. Mariana can't help but wonder if its something to do with her or with Nick's new girlfriend Julia, she does recall hearing about an issue Jess had with her but thats all blown over now apparently. Mariana hasn't met her so theres no opinion to be formed.

"Here we go again, another text message from work look:" Schmidt says showing his phone to the two, "'Tokyo call at 11?' driving me crazy. What is she trying to say?"

"Wow, crazy" Mariana says as disinterested as possible.

"I'm not an expert at your industry at all," Winston starts, "but sounds like there's a call... from Tokyo... sometime today... oh wait, at 11"

"You guys don't understand, I've been getting a lot of mixed signals from my boss." Schmidt explains as Winston disagrees.

"What is wrong with you? The world is not out to seduce you"

"Yeah honestly Schmidt how big is your ego." Mariana agrees with Winston as Schmidt leans towards her smirking.

"I can think of something thats bigger" he says winking making her grimace while Winston points to the jar forcing him to put 20 dollars in there.

"It's always in your head man" Winston says recalling instances where Schmidt had assumed people wanted to have sex with him. However, their conversation ended quickly as Nick and Jess entered arguging about a parking space before Jess asks the group

"Isn't Nick the most negative person you've ever met?"

"Absolutely and you know what? It all pools up in that sadness center below his belly" Schmidt points out as Mariana laughs.

"Ha! you're telling me" she agrees.

"Okay you know what" Nick starts ready to argue back before meeting her eyes and suddenly backing off.

"What?" Mariana challenges, tired of this now and just wanting it to end but Nick just shakes his head.

"Nothing."

"Okay sure" She gets up and sits on the sofa continuing to read her book in peace. Nick looks over and watches her, for some reason feeling bad for how he's been acting because there is no rhyme or reason as to why. They have been off, not even bickering like they do which is very unusual but he doesn't seem to care at the moment he just wants to focus on Julia. But how can he? When he is always seeing Mariana, she is constantly on his mind and he can't seem to escape and he can't figure out why which is frustrating.

Mariana is pulled back when she looks over and sees Nick grapple with the disposal watching his biceps flex as he swings the stick back and fourth.

"It's fixed" He states.

"Okay, Nick, I'm calling the landlord" Jess says as Mariana is now back in the conversation completely and the book is down.

"Alright" She swings herself up and joins them again at the kitchen counter, this is the longest time her and Nick had spent in a room together in days.

"We don't need him, he's a jerk" Nick says as Schmidt and Winston agree.

"Maybe you've never given him a chance" Mariana says as Nick rolls his eyes and Jess continues.

"Yeah what if he's a great guy" she nods as Nick continues to disagree like the negative man he is trying to convince her not to contact the landlord, Jess reluctantly decides to listen to him but makes eye contact with Mariana who immediately knows she's going to do it anyway.