Christmas Eve arrived and Tara spent that afternoon with Justin. For the past week, Nick and Justin had her time occupied with them. Justin had no idea that Nick was trying to pursue Tara, while Nick on the other hand, was trying his best to impress Tara to make her his.
Tara came back from her afternoon with Justin and closed the door behind her. The house was beautifully decorated with Christmas decorations that Nick and her had bought together. She remembered those days when Justin was gone, and all the time that Nick and her had spent together. They had indeed became very close to one another. She looked over at the tree, and saw the area where her and Nick had shared their kiss.
Tara walked over to the place where they had shared their kiss, and Nick stepped into the room, slipping his arms around her.
"Nick.. what are you.." Tara said. Nick slipped his hand over her mouth to hush her, and pointed up. A piece of mistletoe was hanging overhead, Nick had obviously put it there that day.
"We can't turn down tradition.." Nick said, and let his hand go off of her mouth. He leaned in and gave her a kiss, and she kissed him back. Nick let his lips linger on hers, waiting for a response, and she responded back by kissing him again. She couldnt resist kissing Nick, her feelings for him started to surface after that first kiss they shared.
"Nick.." Tara said, breaking off the kiss.
"what is it Tara?"
"i... Im soo confused" Tara said, going over to the couch and taking a seat. Nick walked over and sat beside her, and wrapped an arm around her.
"We can get through it together, Tara"
"I dont think so.." Tara said "its too complicated.."
"It doesnt have to be.."
"But it is" Tara replied.
"Ok... we need to be honest with one another Tara. I really need to know how you feel, and I want you to tell me the truth" Nick said. He looked straight in her eyes and she knew she had to tell him.
"Nick.. I... I do have feelings for you, and I have for awhile. I also have feelings for Justin, and have for awhile also"
Nick seemed proud and happy with himself when he heard Tara admit her true feelings.
"I guess I always liked you all along, but you were with Mandy, and then I met Justin, and stopped liking you in that fashion, and started to like him. Now I love Justin, but my feelings for you are resurfacing.."
"So what you are saying is that you stopped liking me when you met Justin, and now you love him, and you are starting to feel things again for me?"
"uhh.. yeah.." Tara admitted.
"so that means I do have a chance.."
"It means I dont know what to do, Nick"
The phone rang, and Nick still stared at Tara.
"you better get it.. its probably the guys.." Tara said. Nick stood up to go get the phone in the other room. A few moments later, he came back into the living room, and Tara was gone.
"Karine, Mar.. I really need to talk to you guys" Tara said, barging into Karine's house. Mar was over visiting.
"What is it? whats wrong?" Mar asked. Karine looked over at Tara and noticed tat she was distraught.
"I'm in a really bad sitation..." Tara said.
"What is it?? are you alright?" Karine asked worried.
"Yeah, I'll be fine.. but... Im really confused... Karine, Mar... I'm in love with two guys.."
"Your WHAT?" Mar asked, surprised, raising her voice.
"I knew this would happen" Karine said, shaking her head at Tara.
"What? How could you know this would happen"
"Cuz I knew you liked Nick very much before you met Justin, and after you moved in with Nick, it was only a matter of time before you'd realize you like him"
"well... THANK YOU FOR WARNING ME" Tara said, a little angry. She was obviously upset.
"Sorry... " Karine said. Mar went over to Tara and gave her a hug.
"What are you going to do, sis?" Mar asked comfortingly.
"I dont know, Mar... I seriously dont know. I love Justin, but I love Nick also.."
"Who would you rather be with?" Mar asked.
"I cant answer that.. I know what being with Justin is like, but I have no idea what dating Nick is like, I dont know what the situation would be like"
"Maybe you should find out how the situation would be.. maybe you should go out with Nick on a date"
"Like that would go over well with Justin.." Tara said.
"Does Justin know that you like Nick?" Karine asked.
"No.. but he knows something is a little odd with me lately"
"I think maybe you should have a talk with Justin and let him know where he stands, and how you feel" Mar advised.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah, its the best thing to do"
Nick drove over to Justin's house, wanting to talk to Justin and hopefully catch Tara if she was at his house. He pulled up to Justin's oceanview home and parked his car. He walked up the sidewalk and rang the doorbell. Justin opened the door, half asleep. He stood there in his basketball boxers and a white muscle shirt.
"Justin? is Tara here?"
"No.. why... whats up?" Justin answered, yawning.
"I need to have a talk with you.."
Justin invited Nick inside and they took a seat at the kitchen table.
"what is it, Carter?"
"There's something I need to tell you, and it involves Tara"
"what is it? is she alright?"
"yeah shes fine. Its about me. I thought it would be best if I came over here to tell you myself, I love Tara. Im not talking about as a best friend, I'm talking about LOVE love. I thought that you should know that"
"Carter you dont stand a chance, shes my girlfriend, she's with me. She loves me" Justin said, defending himself.
"Well, I'd also like you to know that I do have a chance, and I'm going to take that chance. I'm going to fight for her" Nick said.
"I think you should leave now" Justin said, getting a little angry.
"fine, I came here to tell you what I needed to. Good luck, Justin. May the best man win" Nick said, and then left Justins house.
"fuck" Justin said, and ran up the stairs to his phone.
Later that same evening, Christmas Eve, Tara had Karine drive her over to Justin's house.
"Tara.. I've been looking all over for you!" Justin said, worried. He pulled Tara into his house and gave her a large hug.
"whats wrong, Justin?" Tara asked, hugging him back.
"I need you to hold me"
"ok.." Tara said. They went over to his couch and Tara laid down on it, he laid down beside her. She wrapped his arms around him and held him.
"we need to talk, Tara" Justin said, looking up at her. "I got a visitor today.."
"oh no.." Tara said, realizing it could have been Nick.
"yeah... it was Nick. He came over to tell me that he loves you, and hes going to fight for you"
"he got to you before I did..." Tara said, upset.
"You knew about this?"
"I knew since today, Justin! I dont know what to do!"
"You love me dont you?"
"Of course I do!" Tara replied right away.
"What about Nick?"
"I dont know.." Tara said. It was hard for her to tell Justin she had feelings for Nick, but she knew she had to tell him.
"Justin, I know honesty is best in a relationship, so I think I should just get this out right now. I do love you, but I do also have some feelings for Nick. These feelings kind of developed and grew while you were gone on tour.. and I only recently came to realize how I truly feel" Tara said.
"so you love the both of us?" Justin asked.
"yeah.."
"Tara, I love you, and I'm going to fight for you..." Justin said.
"I dont care what Carter pulls, he's not going to have you! You're my girl, and I love you..and you love me. I'm going to fight till the end" Justin said.
"Justin I'm soo confused.."
"come here.." Justin said, switching positions so he was the one to be holding onto her.
"This is all my fault.." Justin said to himself.
"No its not, Justin! Its my fault.."
"If I hadn't gone on tour, this would never have happened"
"You had to go on tour, you couldnt stop! I wouldnt have let you stopped! I love you too much to pull you away from your work like that"
"I'd do it for you.." Justin said, leaning down to kiss Tara's forehead.
"Can we just have things go on like they usually are?" Tara asked.
"I was hoping you'd say that.." Justin said, leaning down to kiss her lips softly.
"what about Nick?" Tara asked, wanting to know what to do.
"As much as I am going to fight for you, he has to have a fair share too, Tara, and since I know you have some feelings for him, if he wants to take you out then you should go out with him on a date. But just know that its not the end for us, cuz I'll be right here fighting for you also"
"are you serious? You want me to go out with Nick?"
"in the end it is your decision, Tara.. I think if you spent time with both of us date-wise, it might help you make your decision" Justin said. Tara was blown away about how mature Justin was acting about the whole situation.
Tara went back to her home that night, Nick was already in bed.
Tara noticed that his door was shut, but she needed to talk to him. She knocked quietly on his door and opened it.
Nick was asleep in his bed, dressed in his boxers, the sheets half kicked off the bed. Tara decided not to wake him up, so she went back to her own room and went to bed.