Nick awoke the next morning, alone; in a bed, not all unfamiliar, but still not the one he was use to sleeping in. Looking around, he remembered where he was. Smiling to himself, he sat up. Glancing over, he realized that the spot where Alesha should've slept hadn't been slept in at all. Crawling out of bed, he was surprised to see his clothes neatly folded, setting on the chair by the desk. Quickly dressing, he walked out into the front room hoping to see Alesha out there. Instead he was met with silence. Looking outside, he saw that her car was gone. It was then that he noticed the note on the table.
Dear Nick,
Sighing, Nick folded the note up and stuffed it in his pocket. "Dammit Carter," he mumbled. "You really fucked up this time." Grabbing his shoes, he walked out the door and back to his house. Hearing his phone ringing, he hurried inside. "Hello?" he growled.
"My, aren't we a cheerio this morning?" Howie asked.
"What do you want D?"
"Rough night?" Howie asked.
"Something like that. What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to come over to Rebecca's tonite? We're having a barbecue thingy. And ummm…I kind of have a surprise," Howie said.
Nick knew Howie was grinning on the other end of the line. "Sure. What time?"
Howie chuckled. "7. Don't be late," he said hanging up.
"Like I want to go hang out with anyone," Nick mumbled. "I just want to be alone."
Although I can't honestly say that I'm sorry last night happened, I am sorry in a way. I guess I was lonely and missing you. It's kind of funny that it happened in a way. Not too long before you walked up to me last night, I prayed that I'd get even one more night with you. How ironic life is, huh? Anyway, I figured I should be gone when you wake up. That way you wouldn't have to face what we did. I know that things will be and can never be as they were. And to wake up next to you would be too painful for me. Please don't think that I'm expecting anything from you. I'm not. I just hope that last night doesn't make you think any less of me. Not that I think that's possible considering what I remember you saying to me. Anyway…just remember that I love you and I'm sorry if I did anything to hurt you.
Forever…Alesha
Alesha walked back in her house a few hours later, not feeling any better than when she had left. "What did I do?" she asked herself for the thousandth time since she had gone. "You just proved to him that you are everything he said you were," she mumbled. Shaking her head, she made her way to her bedroom where she turned on her computer. Hoping that work will prove to be more of a distraction than her drive was, she dialed up to the Internet. As soon as it connected her ICQ box flashed with a message.
darkstar: Hey sweetie.
Alesha looked over at the clock. "Dammit. I don't want to go," she whined to herself. Howie had called her on her cell phone earlier asking her to come over that night. "What in the world would be so important that he'd need everyone to show up for his little barbecue thingy?"
c: Ick…
Alesha looked at the screen funny and shook her head as she logged off the computer. Picking up the phone she dialed Taelen's friend Joey's house so she could get Taelen ready to go over to Howie's house.
celtion: Umm…hello
ds: I'm sooo sorry darling
c: shrugs…it's okay
ds: no, something came up and I couldn't make it. I tried to email you, but I couldn't log into my email account
c: it's okay, really. Don't worry about it
ds: I can't help it. I was really looking forward to meeting you.
c: smiles…me too…perhaps some other time
ds: so what did you do yesterday? Other than hate me
c: oh…I hung out with some friends…
ds: sounds like fun
c: shrugs…what did you do?
ds: I had some important business to attend to…didn't quite work out well, but oh well…
c: I'm sorry…
ds: for what? Not your fault
c: shrugs…I just know what it's like to have things not work out the way you want them to…
ds: hmmm…you seem awfully depressed…something ya wanna talk about?
c: laffs…not really…I'm sure you don't want to hear it.
ds: shrugs…I'm a pretty good person to talk to ya know
c: smiles…yeah, well, it has to do with my love life…
ds: ahh…an ex-boyfriend?
c: nods…kind of…see, you don't want to hear about it
ds: smiles…darling…just because I have feelings for you, doesn't mean that I don't want to hear if you have feelings for someone else. May sting a bit, but it's not going to kill me
c: smiles…why can't guys like you exist in real life
ds: laffs…we do…it's just hard to catch us…life sometimes keeps us busy
c: smiles…I spent the day with him yesterday. I bumped into him at the mall waiting for you
ds: oh?
c: nods…he was with his best friend…shrugs…we went out and had lunch, hung out in the arcade with Tae…shopped
ds: sounds fun…you miss him don't you?
c: nods…yeah…then last night…he kind of…well…we…
ds: oh really?
c: nods…I just…I don't know what to do…
ds: hmm…how does he feel about it?
c: shrugs…I don't know. I didn't talk to him. I kind of left.
ds: ohch…
c: nods…I was just afraid…I mean, I know that he doesn't want me back…it was just one of those things that was spurned from being lonely, ya know?
ds: wow…
c: and what really sucks is that part of the time I was thinking about you…
ds: me? Why would you be doing that? You were with the guy you love…why would you want to be thinking about me ?
c: laffs…because ya goof, falling for you
ds: blinks…you're…falling…for me???
c: nods…hard, too…
ds: wow…now THAT was unexpected.
c: bad?
ds: shakes his head….nonono…good…good…just…wow…
c: laffs…
c: I'm glad that you find it so surprising…
ds: smiles…no, you just made my whole day…
c: smiles…well, that's good
ds: what?
c: I have to go…
ds: but you just got here
c: smiles…I have to go over to a friend's house
ds: sighs…not his?
c: laffs…no, not his…
ds: smiles…kay…I guess I will talk to you later…thank you for telling me
c: you don't have to thank me…
ds: I know…but I'm happy to know that my feelings aren't wasted on someone
c: laffs…no, they definitely aren't wasted…I'm just a little confused…it's hard saying good bye to someone that you've been emotionally attached to for what seems like forever…
ds: I know sweetie…just don't rush into anything…I don't want you regretting anything…
c: smiles…I won't…anywho…I REALLY hafta go…so…I guess…bbye
ds: shakes his head… no goodbyes…until we meet again…
c: oookay…until we meet again then…
