Julianna's point of view

My eyes remained firmly shut as my alarm blared throughout the room.
"Shut up," I groaned. Of course that did not work, and if anything, it seemed like the stupid little clock began to yell louder. I reached out with my hand, in hopes of hitting a button, any button, that would stop the incessant noise. To my surprise, I succeeded. "Thank God," I whispered, as if I didn't want to disturb the silence of the room. The noise began again and I spent a good fifteen seconds being blond and staring at the clock, before realizing that it was my phone which was bugging me this time.
"What?" I growled into the phone.
"Good morning to you too," came Brad's cheery voice.
"Sorry," I apologized. "I'm just grouchy," I yawned.
"How was the press conference?"
"Ugh, don't ask. But on the bright side, it was amusing to see Nick giving the reporters a piece of his mind."
Brad laughed. "Can he afford that?"
"Probably not. Which is evident by the fact that he asked if I needed a ride home after driving me back to the set." I snickered.
"I guess he misplaced the piece of information that says you drive to work."
"Yeah, it was in the piece of mind that he gave to the reporters." I thought for a few seconds. "You know, if Nick's awake now, his right or left ear is probably so red."
"Why?"
"My mom told me that when someone is badmouthing or making fun of you, your right or left ear will turn red and be really hot. Like an ear blush I guess."
Brad let out another laugh. "So how would you feel about me offering to drive you to an pick you up from work today?"
"I'd feel very happy cause this way I won't have to drive while I'm half-asleep." I grinned, ecstatic at the thought of seeing Brad again.
"Great. I guess I should also mention that I'm parked in your driveway."
That sentence was enough to get me to bolt out of bed and race downstairs. I threw open the door and smiled at the sight of Brad leaning against his car, phone pressed to his ear.
I turned off my phone. "Hey," I came up to him.
"You hung up on me," he pouted playfully.
"Well let me make it up to you," I smiled seductively as I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, thereby pulling him down and pressing my lips to his.
Brad smiled against my lips. "Now that's a great way to say good morning."
I pulled myself away from him. "Glad you like it."
Brad looked me up and down. "Nice outfit," he commented.
It was then that I realized I had slept in a midrift top and a pair of short, cotton shorts.
I smiled out of embarrassment and retreated back into the house, pulling Brad with me.
"So you woke up early just to get to my house when I woke up?" I asked.
Brad grinned and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Yep, I like spending time with you, even if it means getting up at five thirty."
He was not allowed to be that sweet. If he kept talking, there would be no way in hell that I'd go to work.
"Besides, it's my day off from school," Brad added and looked into my eyes. "I wanted to find a way to see you and this seemed perfect."
All those stupid cliché's finally made sense as I gazed into Brad's blue eyes. The whole weak-in-the-knees-heart-skipping-a-beat thing was very real to me then.
"Why don't you come to the set with me?" I suggested eagerly. "That is, if you don't already have other plans, " I added quickly.
"I'd love to come," he smiled and kissed my forehead lightly. I grinned…life was perfect.

FOUR MONTHS LATER
Nick's point of view

"Niiick."
"Go away," I mumbled.
"Niiiiick," the familiar voice whined again.
I opened one eye. "You have a death wish, don't you?"
"Oh come on, it's not that early!"
I opened my other eye to look at my alarm clock. "It's not even six in the morning!" I groaned and rolled over, pulling my comforter over my head. "Come back in six hours," I said, my voice muffled since I buried my face in my pillow.
"Nick!" My comforter was yanked off of me.
"If you wanted to see me in my boxers so much, all you had to do was ask," I retorted, and stuffed my head under my pillow.
"Niiiick!"
Oh great, the whining was back.
"Go. Away."
"But I have very big and very wonderful news!"
"Very good for you. Goodnight." I turned over again.
All of a sudden I felt myself being turned back. "Damn girl, when did you get so strong?" I asked, opening my eyes and squinting at my uninvited guest.
Julianna shrugged. "I work out you know. Now do you want to know my news or not?"
I tilted my head. She looked like she was about to burst from excitement. It was then that I did something that I never do-I got out of bed at six in the morning on my first day off after a massive tour. I stretched my arms over my head and sat back down.
"Okay, what's your big news?"
Julianna shoved her left hand in my face. "Brad and I are getting married!"
My jaw dropped as my eyes focused in on the diamond on Julianna's ring finger. "WHAT?!?!?!?" I bolted from my seat. "Please tell me that this is a joke!" I exclaimed, grabbing her hand and examining the ring.
She pulled her hand back. "Of course it's not a joke. We're getting married next month after the movie wraps. Isn't it wonderful?" she beamed.
"No."
Julianna's face fell. "What do you mean?"
"I think you're making a huge mistake, one that's going to ruin your life," I stated.
"What?" she said softly.
"You heard me. Jul, how can you be marrying this guy? You've only been dating for four months! I thought you were a smart girl, since when do you make stupid decisions like this?"
Julianna's face expression hardened. "How can I be marrying this guy?" she yelled. "In case you forgot, 'this guy' is your friend and you introduced us! Brad and I are in love and when it's right you just know."
"Call off this wedding now, before it goes any further," I said, folding my arms over my chest.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" she poked my chest hard. "You're not my father, not my brother, not even my ex-boyfriend for crying out loud. I would expect reactions like that from all those people, but not you Nick. You're supposed to be my friend and you're supposed to support me in whatever I do. You seemed so for my relationship with Brad, you encouraged it. And now that him and I are about to be truly happy, you go all weird on me? Well you know what? Fuck. You."
"You already did that, remember?" I said piercingly.
Oh wait, did those words just come out of my mouth? Oh boy.
Julianna's mouth parted in shock at my statement. "I can't believe you just said that," she whispered.
Here comes stupid statement number two. Where was my brain during all this anyway?
"Well believe it. And if you and Brad are really going to go through with this, then I won't be there to see you ruin your lives."
"Fine, don't come to the wedding, who needs you anyway?" Julianna spat. She took one last look at me and then ran out the door. I heard her pounding footsteps on the stairs and a few seconds later I heard the front door slam.

Julianna's point of view

I burst into my house, ran straight upstairs to my room, and collapsed onto the bed crying. I couldn't believe Nick had said all those things. Nick-the guy who had become like a best friend to me in the past months. Sobs shook my body as I remembered the look of pure anger on his face and the piercing tone he had used to speak those hurtful words.
I had no idea how long I had been laying there crying but a door closing downstairs caught my attention. Seconds later I heard footsteps on the stairs. I knew it was Brad just by how he walked.
"Jul?" he called out from the hallway. "You home?"
I sniffled and got up, heading towards his voice.
Brad appeared in the doorway, a smile lit up his handsome face. "Hey you, I was just…" his smiled disappeared when he saw my haggard appearance. "What's wrong? What happened?" he rushed over and pulled me into a hug.
"I…told Nick about our engagement and he just blew up about it! He said that we shouldn't be getting married and that if I was a smart girl I would call this off right now," I sniffled through the words. "He said that if we do get married…he won't come to the wedding."
Brad's jaw stiffened as his face expression turned to one of anger. "What the fuck is his problem?" he exclaimed. "I'm going to straighten him out right now."
I grabbed his arm. "No, don't. Maybe after Nick cools down he'll think more clearly."
"You sure?"
I nodded. "Yeah." I wrapped my arms around Brad tighter, enjoying the comfort of his embrace.

Brian's point of view

"Did you know about this?" Nick yelled into the phone as soon as I picked up.
"Hi Nick, how are you?" I replied calmly.
"Did you know about this?"
"Hi Brian, I'm good and you?" I continued the conversation.
"Bri, I'm only going to ask one more time. Did. You. Know. About. This?"
"Know about what?"
"Julianna's engagement," he said, his words seething.
"She and Brad are engaged? That's wonderful," I grinned. Good for them, it was about time those two crazy kids made it official.
"WONDERFUL?? Are you out of your fucking mind?"
"Nick, watch your language," I reprimanded.
"How can you say it's wonderful?" he repeated the word like it was dirty.
"Because it is, they make such a great couple."
"They've known each other for four months! How can you support this?"
"They're in love, everyone knows it, I think that getting engaged was smart because when you find the right person you just know."
"Ah, forget you."
I looked at the silent phone in my hand. If Nick wanted to be a baby about it, that was fine with me.
"Who was on the phone?" Leighanne asked, coming into the living room.
"Nick," I replied, pulling her down into my lap.
She took a quick glance at the clock. "At seven thirty in the morning? Is he okay?"
"Just pissed. He just found out that Julianna and Brad got engaged," I told her.
"Really?" she smiled widely. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for them."
"That's what I said, but Nick just blew up at me. I don't know what his deal is," I shrugged.
"You think that maybe he has feelings for her?" Leighanne suggested.
I shook my head. "Doubt it, he doesn't act like it."
"What if he doesn't even realize it?"
I gave that some thought. "Well, then he's gonna have to deal with it. I better call Jul to congratulate her and Brad and tell her that I think Nick has serious maturity issues," I chuckled. Leighanne smiled and handed me the phone.

Julianna's point of view

Brad rested his chin on my head and softly stroked my hair. "You okay?" he asked gently.
I nodded. "Yeah." I took a calming breath. "Why do you think he reacted like that?"
Brad shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine," he replied.
"You've known him longer," I pointed out.
"True, but sometimes I don't get Nick at all. And this is one of those times." He tightened his arms around me and I melted into his hug. My cell phone rang and Brad grabbed it, since it was near him.
"Hello? Oh hey Bri," he said. "Thanks, we're happy too. Who told you? Oh, so he called? Yeah, he did some yelling here too. I have no idea what's up with him. Really? Do you really think that that's it? Come on, this is Nick we're talking about. I highly doubt it. Didn't they hate each other at first? No, I don't think that's it. Ah, I have no idea and right now that's not something I want to give much thought to. He'll cool down; give him a couple of days. Before we know it, he'll be back to his old self. Yeah. Thanks again Bri. Bye."
"What did Brian say?" I asked.
"He and Leighanne send a big congratulations about the engagement and he had a strange theory as to why Nick reacted the way he did."
I raised my eyebrows. "Do tell."
"He thinks that Nick has feelings for you. Whether he realizes them or not Brian doesn't know, but he thinks that that's why he blew up at your announcement."
"No way," I said shaking my head. "He can't have feelings for me, we're just friends."
"That's what I told Bri, but he seemed pretty sure," Brad said. "I don't know, we'll see how Nick will act in a couple of days. I'm sure this whole thing will blow over by then."
"I hope you're right because I really would like him to be at our wedding."
Brad nodded in agreement. "Me too, I was planning on asking him to be my best man."
I sighed. "I'm incredibly happy that you proposed, did I mention that?"
Brad grinned. "I'm incredibly happy that you said yes."
"Me too. I love you."
"I love you too."

chapter 19 chapter 21