Lisa put away the last dish and turned to her Aunt. "Are we done?"
Mary nodded, "Yes, thank you Lisa. Are you going to lay down before Eric and I go out to dinner?"
Lisa nodded, "Come up and get me when you're ready to leave." She turned and jogged upstairs, very glad that she made it up without running out of breath. Ever since she'd lost all of her weight, she'd felt wonderful. Even her hair was under control. She opened the door to her room and walked inside, laying down on the bed and turning off the lamp.
She lay still, staring up at the dark ceiling. She could still taste Nick's lips over hers from the day before. She had kept herself busy so she didn't think about it but now she was alone in the dark and couldn't sleep, it just popped into her mind.
'Why does he keep bugging me?' she asked herself. She didn't have an answer. She could only hope that he didn't know where she was staying.
But yet, a part of her liked what he was doing. It made her feel special. And she could no longer deny her feelings for him. She was head over heels in love with Nickolas Gene Carter. Lisa sat up fast with that realization. She was in love! With Nick! Lisa let out another groan and threw herself back and sighed. She missed Nermal.
A soft knock on her door made Lisa sit up fast. It'd startled her. "Y-yeah?"
Eric poked his head in, "We're leaving now, honey."
Lisa stood, "Alright."
Eric looked at her, "Are you sure you don't mind doing all of this babysitting for us?"
Lisa shook her head and smiled reassuringly, "Of course not! It's my way of thanking you for having me over."
Eric smiled and turned and headed back downstairs. Lisa followed him and waved them off. Megan was sleeping on the couch, her teddy bear held tightly in her arms. Eric Jr and Tony were playing a quit board game and Sammy was reading her newest book.
Lisa walked into the room and quietly carried Megan up to her room and then walked back down.
"Hey guys."
Sammy smiled, "Hey, Lisa."
Lisa plopped down on the couch and leaned her head back, letting out a loud sigh. Sammy looked at her. Lisa smiled and watched the boys play.
"I'll go fix your snack." Lisa walked into the kitchen and got out apples and peanut butter. Then she sliced the apples, put them in four bowls, and grabbed four more smaller bowls. She placed a spoonful of peanut butter in each one and set them on the table before pouring four small glasses of milk. "Come and get it."
The three kids walked in and sat down. "Thanks." Jr said, digging in.
The three talked amongst themselves, arguing slightly. Lisa ate her snack in silence, her mind wandering. She could still taste his sweet lips on hers and it was driving her crazy.
"Lisa?"
Eric's voice made her jump. She looked at him, "Yeah?"
"Someone's knocking on the door and you said not to answer it, to let you."
"Ok, thanks. Can you kinda clean up from the snack?"
Eric nodded and sent his brother and sister into the other room as Lisa walked into the front hall and opened the door. Nick Carter leaned casually against the door frame, smiling at her.
"Hey, sweetness." He leaned in and stole a quick kiss before pulling back.
Lisa sighed, "Yes, Nick? How can I help you."
Nick winked, "That's not a safe question, baby, and you know it."
Lisa rolled her eyes, "Ok, I have a safe question for you. How did you find out where was staying?"
Nick shrugged, "I have my resources."
She gave him a look, "Which one of the kids told you?"
"I'm sworn to secrecy."
"What do you want?" before Nick could make a sly remark Lisa held up her hand, "Get to the point or I'm closing the door."
Nick's blue eyes turned serious, "Fine. Can I talk to you for a moment? Alone?"
Lisa glanced over her shoulder and saw Eric Jr watching them. She nodded, "Fine. Eric, watch Sammy and Tony until I get back." She walked out onto the porch and closed the door. "Talk away, Carter."
Nick looked into her eyes, "Lisa, why are you being so cold to me?"
"What do you mean?" she leaned back and crossed her arms over her breasts, trying to look away from his eyes but finding it impossible.
"Like right now, sweetness, why are you trying to ignore my feelings for you?" he asked, his eyes serious.
"What feelings?" she couldn't tell him that she had feelings for him, more than she'd ever had in her life for one person.
Nick let out a groan, "Lisa! Don't act so dumb! I know how smart you are! I know you can feel what's happening between us!"
Lisa frowned. She had to do this, though it was going to hurt her, she had to try to put a stop to this as soon as she could. She was fifteen and he was twenty. "Nick, nothing is happening between us."
He let out a desperate moan and took her hands into his and looked her in the eyes, "You mean you can honestly look me in the eyes and say that you feel absolutely nothing for me?"
Lisa forced down her tears, "I feel absolutely nothing for you." One of them had to be the brave one, the one that stopped this before either of them got hurt.
The look in Nick's eyes broke her heart. "I don't believe you." He leaned in and kissed her sweetly, desperately. Lisa shoved him back and looked down at her feet. Nick nodded and backed away, "I'm not giving up. I promise you, sweetness." Then he turned and stalked to his car.
Lisa watched him go with a heavy heart. Then she turned and walked inside and into the kitchen before she sat at the table and buried her face in her arms. She wasn't going to cry, she wasn't going to cry.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and look over and saw Sammy looking at her. Eric Jr and Tony were standing behind her, looking at her with a sad look in their eyes.
"Yeah?" Lisa asked, her voice close to cracking.
Sammy's eyes took on a sympathetic look. "You love him."
Lisa nodded slowly and then ran her hand through her hair. Tony sat down beside her.
"Then give in, go out with him."
"I can't, it's illegal. I'm fifteen and he's twenty."
"So." Sammy said. "I think you just are too scared." Her eyes took on a mad gleam. "You're being stubborn."
Lisa looked at her, "Sammy…"
Sammy shook her head and smirked, "You had your chance. I give up." Then she ran from the room.
"Sammy!" Lisa called after her. The only response she got was the sound of Sammy's door slamming shut. She looked at the boys.
Tony shrugged and Eric smiled. "She had her heart set on you two getting together."
Lisa sighed and felt her tears building up. She was being stubborn, but, she was also being cautious. She was only doing what was best for everyone. But if that was true then why didn't she believe it?