"Brian? Where've you been?" asked Kevin while Brian came
into the house. "I thought we had plans for tonight."
Brian looked up. "Oh yeah, I forgot, sorry Kev, something
came up."
"What's wrong, Frick?" asked Nick.
"Lots of things. It's a long story, but to make a long story
short, Mariah told me that she loved me."
All the guys looked at each other.
"Congratulations!" they all cried.
"We knew it would happen one day or another!" said
Howie, patting Brian on the back.
"Yeah," they all agreed.
"What? You all knew about this?"
"Well, don't be upset!" said AJ. "But we could all
tell it was bound to happen."
"You mean she told you guys?"
"No! She didn't tell us! We just kind of assumed that's
all." answered AJ. "What the hell is your problem? Gee, you think the
guy would be happy."
"What is wrong?" asked Kevin, now with an expression of
concern.
Brian sighed. "She ran off on me."
"Why?" asked Nick with a look of surprise. "That's
a way to react after you tell someone you love them. Don't girls play that when
they're in like grade 2? They say I like you and run away?"
"No!" Brian said raising his voice. "You don't
understand. After she told me I didn't say anything back. She thinks I don't
love her."
All the boys stayed silent, then Howie broke the silence.
"Well, do you?"
Brian looked up confused. "Do I what?"
Once again, the guys all looked at each other. This time more of
disbelief.
"Do you what?" asked AJ. "What are you? Who are
you? What have you done to Brian?"
"Look, I don't have time for games, what are you talking
about?"
"Brian, if you have to ask us that, then maybe you're not as
good a friend as I thought you were." said Nick, then he walked away
shaking his head. The guys slowly followed him.
Brian looked at Nick and the rest of the guys, confused as ever.
Then it hit him.
"I'm so stupid!" he cried. Then he ran out the door. He
knew exactly where he was headed.
* * *
Mariah ran on the sand, she didn't know where she was headed but
she just needed to run. She finally collapsed on the sand, not being able to
stand or run. She was frozen from the cold of the night. The rain was pouring
down and she was soaked to the bone. Her clothes clung to her as if holding on
for dear life. Mariah felt the warmth being drained from her, but she didn't
care. Not that it would matter anymore. She laid on the sand, thinking, with
the rain beating her down on her, soaking her to the bone. Her face was
drenched from the rain and her own tears.
'What's wrong with me?' she asked herself. 'Why does everyone
leave me? Why don't they love me?'
She couldn't even get up, she was too cold and too tired. She laid
there for the longest time. Her health beginning to drain from her. Then she
felt a warm hand on her shoulder.
"Mariah!" yelled Brian. "Wake up! Please wake
up!"
Mariah turned on to her back and looked up. She saw the person who
she wanted to see the least. She jerked herself and stood up. Brian reached out
to help. She jerked away.
"Leave me a lone!" she yelled. The waves were crashing
behind her, the rain pouring on them both.
"No!" cried Brian. "I won't!"
"I don't need your pity!" she yelled back. "Just go
back to where you came from! I don't need you"
Brian was stung from that comment. "You're wrong!" he
yelled back. "You do need me, and I need you. We need each other!"
Mariah laughed out loud. "That's such a joke! Don't lie to
me."
"I'm not lying!" Brian yelled. He felt himself losing
his voice, he was yelling just to be heard on top of all the waves crashing and
the rain pouring.
Brian walked closer to her.
"Why do you think I'm lying?"
"Why don't you love me?" she cried back, sinking to her
knees. "Why doesn't anyone want me?"
Brian was shocked by that question. He didn't know how to answer.
"See!" she cried. "I can't make you love me, so
don't try the pity thing. I've had enough of that. I've had it all my life! I
know now that it was a mistake telling you that I love you, and I regret saying
it!"
"Don't say that!" he replied quickly.
"Why not?" replied Mariah. "Look at us! We're out
in the rain yelling at each other. We wouldn't be here if I hadn't said
anything."
"Well, maybe you regret it, but I don't."
Mariah looked at him. "What?"
Brian walked close to her, and this time she didn't back away from
him.
"I don't regret it because I love you too!" he said. He
felt as if weights had been lifted off his shoulders. He didn't realize how
much he loved her until he was close to losing her.
"Y--yo--you what?" asked Mariah in disbelief.
"I love you too." Brian said, with more ease than the
first time.
Mariah couldn't believe her ears. She was about to say something,
but the last thing she heard was Brian shouting her name while she felt her
body slump onto the sand. Everything went black.