CHAPTER 19 – DO YOU LOVE ME?


“Nickolas, you need to come over right now” Bianca stammered into the phone
“What’s wrong?” Nick questioned as he flipped mute onto the TV
“Just get your ass here okay” Bianca huffed as she hung the phone back up

“Something up B?” Arora inquired as she opened the fridge and peered in
“Yeah I guess you could say that” Bianca responded as worry engulfed her entire face
“What?” Arora inquired walking into the lounge, standing over the couch where Bianca was seated
“This” Bianca sighed as she flung a magazine into Arora’s hands
“Oh my god, this is real?” Arora stumbled as she starred at the cover
“Unfortunately” Bianca sighed again

The cover of the magazine was bold and the picture practically took up the entire front page, the heading read “Back Porch Vixen” and the picture was a recent one of Nick and Bianca, engaged in what seemed blatantly obvious on the sunny porch, just off to the side of the house.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

Chastity huffed in annoyance as she unfolded the note stuck at the bottom of her door. It unfolded into an A4 size paper. She studied it closely before realizing what it was – a copy of an Annulment for AJ McLean and Amanda Latone.

I Told you. You’re the one I want to be my wife was scribbled across the bottom, in AJ’s handwriting.

She reached over, the paper still clutched in her manicured hands. Dialing the phone quickly, she waited for an answer.

“Hello?” came the soft raspy response
“AJ?” Chastity spoke quietly
“Chas?”
“I love you McLean”

~ 10 MINUTES LATER ~

“Don’t worry about it Bianca, it’ll go away” Nick commented as he sat down beside her
“For god sakes Nick, your ass is on the cover of a news-stand magazine and you think it’ll just go away. Maybe you find it flattering, but personally I don’t” Bianca snapped
“Look don’t stress okay? Nobody cares about this, it doesn’t matter”
“It doesn’t matter? No I suppose it doesn’t to you, but then again you are getting laid, so it makes you look like a man, would that be about right?”
“Bianca, I think your over reacting, sure its not the best piece of publicity, but in the long run it doesn’t matter” Arora added
“god, you don’t get it do you? It’s not your chest that’s plastered on the cover of some tacky magazine Arora, it’s mine, therefore I reserve the right to freak out about this” Bianca announced before storming out of the lounge

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

Chastity flung the door open, practically falling into AJ’s arms, as he embraced her tightly. They broke away in unison as Chastity gestured for AJ to come in.
“I think there are still some things we need to talk about” she said slowly as she closed the door behind him “I know we’re both relatively young AJ, but I know that a relationship needs two things, honesty and trust, and as much as I hate to admit it, I don’t think we have either” she said sadly
“I don’t get it, I thought things were okay”
“I don’t want things to be okay AJ, I want them to be right and I want them to be forever. You weren’t honest to me, and I didn’t trust you, cant you see? We’ll never be more than this, we’ll never be real” she sighed. It hurt to imagine such a thing been true, but she knew it was, they could fool themselves, but not for long.
Chastity fell softly onto the couch, clutching onto one of the zebra print throw cushions.

“Chastity Amanda Silver, do you love me?” AJ inquired his eyes searching hers for the honest locked within
“You know I do” she replied quietly
“And I love you. That counts for a lot Chas, most never find that, but we have that, and with that, we can get over anything. Just give it a go”

~ THAT NIGHT ~

Arora grabbed her leather jacket from behind the door, and waved to Bianca and Nick as her and Brian headed out the door destined for a movie theatre down the road.

“I'm sorry about before” Bianca said softly as she sipped the soda in her hand “I didn’t mean to go off at you like that”
“It’s okay, you’re upset. But like I said, it’ll fade” Nick commented, his mind elsewhere
“Nick, are you okay?” Bianca inquired wrapping her arm around him as they sat on the couch
“Yeah, fine”
“I’ve been thinking” she smiled wrapping her finger through a lock of his sun kissed hair
“About?”
“Tablecloths”
“Tablecloths?”
“For the wedding, I want green ones, and then silver cutlery” she winked kissing his cheek briefly “and I think we should get married on a beach, only a few of our family and friends there, or a cliff top, Arora will be my maid of honor, and I assume Brian will be your best man, but that’s your choice, then a big reception, and some swanky hotel, fully catered, what do you think?” she rattled off
Nick remained silent.
“Nick? Are you listening to me?” Bianca laughed tapping his shoulder
“Huh, what?”
“Did you hear a word of what I just said?”
“A Beach? Or something”
“For god sakes Nick, pay attention. Tell me what's on your mind”
“Nothing”
“Oh, so you were just ignoring me” she snickered
“No”
“Then what are you thinking about?”
Nick sighed quietly to himself, deep down he knew this was something he had to do.
“Bianca” he started turning to face her, as he scooped her hand into his “I’ve been doing some thinking, and I’ve come to some conclusions, first of all, I love you, so much it sometimes scares me, and I want to give you everything you deserve, and everything you’ve ever wanted but I know I have to do that with my whole heart, I know that’s how you need to be loved”
“What are you saying?”
“Right now, I'm not doing that” Nick stammered as his lip quivered
“What?”
“I'm sorry Bianca, but I cant marry you, not now, not until I know that I can love you with my whole heart, so I need to work a few things out” he cried, the honest burning holes through his heart, as tears formed in her eyes
She wiped her eyes and starred across at him.
“Is there someone else?” she inquired, keeping her composure as best she could
“I'm sorry” Nick whispered, providing enough of an answer for her
She dropped his hand and stood up off the couch.
“I thought you loved me Nick” she announced the tears running loose down her face
“I do Bianca, I swear I do”
“No you don’t, you cant”
“I just need to set things right Bianca, please understand that. You need to be loved completely and I want to be the one to do that”
Silence hung over the two and Bianca turned her back on Nick, sniffing back her tears quietly.
“I need you to answer me something Nick, and I need you to be honest” she paused waiting for an answer. He nodded slowly in response.
“Do you love her?” Bianca inquired



Chapter 20
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