“Hey girls!” Melissa said as she approached her friends. The girls embraced and sat down. “I’ve missed you guys so much! I’m so happy you could make it. It’s cool that you could postpone your flight for a couple days.” Melissa said, her face beaming with happiness. Even though Nick had been a wonderful comfort, she missed her two best friends. “ You know we wouldn’t miss a Backstreet party for anything in the world! But you know that’s not why we’re here. We needed to make sure you’re alright!” Rhonda said. “Oh I’m doing ok. Just a little nervous about tonight, but… I think I’ve realized that there are some things and some people I’m eventually going to have to face. I really don’t think it will be tonight though. Howie’s mom’s birthday is today… you know that will probably be an all day celebration.” Melissa said. “Yeah probably…So anyway, where is Nick?” Katrina asked. “Oh he’s over there talking to AJ.” Melissa saw Rhonda’s eyes light up. “I told them to stop over here when they were done talking. They needed some privacy.” Rhonda now had a perpetual smile on her face. “Have you guys seen Kevin yet?” Melissa asked. “ No , not yet…” Katrina said with a sigh. “Oh please, you know he has to be here, it’s his party!” “So what have you been up to this past week?” Rhonda asked inquisitively. “ We want full details” Katrina added. Melissa smiled and proceeded to tell them about the past week. “ Well just know that I’m here for you.” AJ said to Nick , trying to give him encouragement. “Yeah, thanks AJ. I just want to try and have fun tonight, not focus on any problems unless I have to.” “ Sounds good to me!” AJ said. Just has they were about to walk into the living room to meet the girls, the doorbell rang. “Hold on buddy, we might as well get that while we’re here… “HEY!” AJ yelled as Howie stepped through the door. “You’re here! I thought you were…” Howie cut Nick off. “ I slipped out a little early, how could I miss the chance to make fun of Kevin growing old!” Howie smiled. “Well D, you better watch it, you’re not that far behind…” Nick said, wrapping his arms around the smaller man. “I’m glad you could make it.” Nick said into Howie’s ear, embracing him tightly. “Me too” Howie responded, patting Nick on his back. “Well, now that we’re all here… Let’s go have some fun!!!” AJ said. “Oh yeah, I want you guys to meet that girl I met, her friends are here too, I think you’ll both like them.” Nick said as he headed into the room, the others following behind him. “Yeah so we went to the beach a lot. It’s such a relaxing and peaceful place to be when there is no one else around. I had a lot of time to think and reflect on what has been going on the past few months. We talked a lot and really got to vent things and help each other out. It was…” Melissa was interrupted by the look on her friend’s faces. ‘It must be Nick and AJ’ she thought to herself. “Hey girls” she heard Nick say behind her back. “Hey guys.” Melissa said not turning around yet. “ These are my two best friends, Rhonda and Katrina.” “Nice to meet you” Nick said. “And girls, these are my two friends AJ and…” Melissa turned around to see whom else he was going to say. “Howie.” The world seemed to stop for a minute. Howie stepped from behind Nick and saw Melissa sitting in front of him. Both of them stared deep into each other’s eyes, the months of pain and the memories of love and pleasure flooded back. Rhonda and Katrina were also in shock, staring at the two, unable to believe what was happening. “Howie, this is Melissa, that girl I told you I met the other night.” The silence was deafening. “What’s wrong with you dude? Howie…. Hello?” “Hi…” Howie said very softly, unsure of what to say. He wanted more than anything to ask her what the hell had happened, why she had left and broken his heart, why couldn’t he get her out of his mind? “Hello…” she said, still staring into his eyes, her feelings raging inside her, anger, frustration, love. “I’m so happy you guys finally get to meet each other.” Rhonda and Katrina continued to stare in disbelief. AJ wondered what the hell was going on, everyone looking dumbfounded at each other. “ Hey, what’s going on?” AJ leaned in and whispered in Rhonda’s ear. “That’s Melissa.” She said. “ Um pardon me for saying this, but no shit.” He responded. “ No,” she said staring back at him, “That’s MELISSA” ‘Oh My God, it makes perfect sense. Holy shit’ AJ thought ‘ I need to stop Nick before he says something he shouldn’t. “Nick” AJ said, motioning him towards him to lean closer. “Dude, AJ, what’s going on? I thought they’d like each other, they’re not even saying a word…” “Nick… that’s Melissa… you know… from Lupus.” AJ whispered. Nick’s mouth dropped. ‘How could I have missed it? I was too focused on my own problems to see it. Holy shit what have I done? I slept with the girl that Howie loves?’ Nick thought. “ How… are … you?” Howie asked, trying now to avoid eye contact with her, remembering how much she did hurt him. Before she could answer and before Nick could interrupt, all conversation was halted by the noise coming from the kitchen. “Listen Brian, I know that it was just a drunken mistake, I’m going to go apologize to Nick, it wasn’t his fault.” Kevin said as he started into the living room. “Kevin! Wait!” Brian called after him. Kevin stopped and turned around. “Yeah cuz?” ‘This is it , I have to tell him , I can’t hurt Nick again… I just can’t . I love him too much.’ Brian thought to himself. ‘Now or never’ he said under his breath before uttering “ It wasn’t just a drunken mistake. I wanted it Kevin.” Brian’s hands were now shaking, sweat pouring from his head, he felt as if he was going to pass out. “What did you say?” Kevin said raising his voice. “I’m sorry Kev, please don’t get upset here, it’s your party….” Kevin pinned Brian to the wall. “ I said, What did you say?” Kevin said, his teeth grinding, trying to stop from screaming again. “ Kev, please, let me go, let’s just talk about this. People in the nearby room were growing quiet, conversations stopping as the sight in the kitchen was revealed. “I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU JUST SAID” Kevin screamed into Brian’s face. Everyone in the living room turned around, including Nick. “ I SAID IT WASN’T A MISTAKE, I WANTED IT, I LOVE HIM KEVIN! SO FUCK YOU!” Brian screamed, his face turning bright red as he shoved his cousin off of him, stormed through the living room, and ran up the stairs to his bedroom. He did it, he finally did it…Brian fell onto the bed, tears now pouring from his face. ‘Now I’ve fucked everything up…Kevin hates me, Nick hates me, and I am still madly in love with him… DAMMIT!’ Brian rolled around on the bed, punching the pillows, sobbing. Kevin recovered and quickly made his way through the living room towards the steps to the master bedroom where Brian was hiding. ‘OH no you don’t…’ Nick thought to himself. He ran after Kevin, grabbing his arm, stopping him from going any further. “Just leave him alone Kevin.” Nick said firmly. “Get off of me” Kevin said, his voice trembling with anger. AJ was soon standing next to the both of them. “ Please Kev, listen to him, they have to work this out, it has nothing to do with you.” Kevin relaxed his arm and his eyes were now full of hurt and confusion instead of anger. “It does when it has to do with my cousin.” Kevin said before heading down the hallway leading out to the guesthouse. “Now you, get up there and talk to him…” AJ said, patting Nick on the shoulder. Nick ran up the stairs, needing to get to Brian as fast as he could. He understood now that Brian just wasn’t ready before. He still hurt him, but he knew that Brian was hurting now; he needed to hold him in his arms, tell him how much he loved him. |
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