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Twenty minutes later, he came panting up the street to his house. Nick slowed down and walked the rest of the way. He hoped no one would see him come in but he didn't want to look suspicious if someone WERE to see him. He somewhat straightened his hair by combing his fingers through it. As he approached the driveway, he realized the house looked dark. Either they were all out, or they were watching television in the den, which was in the back of the house. Nick hoped for the first option.
To his dismay, as he opened the front door, he heard noise from another part of the house. Nick cursed silently to himself as he tossed his keys onto the little table by the door. He pulled out another key at the same time and it took him a second before realizing it was Michele's spare key. In his haste, he had locked her door but forgot to put the key back. "Shit," he mumbled as he shoved the key in his pocket at the sound of footsteps approaching.
"Hey Nicky... where ya been?" Brian asked as he descended the stairs.
"Nowhere, just headin' upstairs."
"You just get back?" Brian smiled.
Nick eyed him warily. Did he know something? "Uh, yeah... just went to visit an old friend," he lied.
"I thought Michele was gonna give you a ride home..." prodded Brian.
"Yeah, but as we were leaving... we uh, I saw..."
"Nick, look. Don't lie to me alright?" Brian cut in. "C'mon." He motioned upstairs. Once in Nick's room, Brian continued, "Look, I know what's going on."
"What... do you mean?" replied Nick, pretending to not know what his best friend was implying.
"Cut the crap, Nick... You know what I mean," he suddenly snapped. Softening his tone, he went on. "I'm your best friend. If you can't trust me and tell me something like this, then how important is our friendship to you?"
Nick knew Brian was going for the guilt trip, and it worked. He sighed and reluctantly admitted to it. "Fine. You're right. I'm in love with someone else. And that someone else is Michele. Happy now? I admit to it... how did you find out anyway?"
Brian quietly replied, "From Orianne... she didn't believe Jen when she told her the suspicions she had-"
"Wait," interrupted Nick. "Jen knows?! Great. Does EVERYONE know!?"
"Nick, listen. Jen suspects, but she has every reason to be wary of where your love is going if it isn't to her. She confided in Orianne last night when she drove Jen home.
Nick rested his head in his hands as he sat, leaned over on the edge of his bed. "Damn man... what the hell am I supposed to do?"
"You gotta come clean with Michele and Jen. You have to decide who you love more and then act on those decisions."
Nick contemplated Brian's advice. "You're right... thanks Bri..." Brian began to get up from Nick's desk chair when Nick added, "Oh, and Brian? Please don't tell the others yet." Brian nodded and closed the door behind him. Nick sighed and flopped onto his bed.
Deception