Ch. 25 Later in the evening.... Brian pushed his plate up so the waitress could pick it up and she laid the bill down. "Bill's here," he announced. He slid it over to Nick. "Here ya go." Nick looked from his barely eaten food to the bill, scoffing slightly. "I don't think so," he said, "If ya'll were depending on me to pay it, we should've gone to McDonalds." "Well, who's gonna pay it?" Tat asked, "I'm broke." "Me too," chimed in Kelly, Beth, Leighanne, Howie, and Kevin. Brian and A.J. looked at each other. "Think they'll let us wash dishes for them?" Brian teased. "Nuh-uh!" everyone argued. Brian and A.J. laughed, pulled out their wallets and each paid half. Brian looked over at Leighanne. "Let's go dance, babe," he told her. She stood up, looked over at Nick who was still looking off, and pulled Brian up. "Actually, I need you to do me a favor," she replied. Brian stood up and leaned in a little. "Here? Now?" She glared at him. "Not that...Come here.." They walked out on the dance floor and started dancing. "Guess who was in the bathroom crying a little while ago," she yelled to him over the noise. Brian strained to hear her. "Who?" he yelled back. "Amy!" "Wha-Why? Is it because of Nick?" Leighanne shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know! She wouldn't say but I'm guessing that's why!" "Hmmm...So, what's the favor?" Suddenly the fast music stopped and a slow one started. Brian pulled Leighanne in and they swayed to the music. "I don't like seeing Nick and Amy like this. I want you to go dance with her and get her to talk and I'll get Nick to dance with me and then, we'll switch mid-song. Deal?" He nodded. They separated and went off to their friends. Amy looked around at all the happy couples and felt depression sink in. She sighed. Before she even finished, she looked up to see Brian coming towards her. She tried to look off but he was still walking her way. He walked up to her and held out his hand. "Amy, will you dance with me?" he asked. "Where's Leighanne?" she asked. Brian pointed over to their table. "She was tired of dancing and I still wanna dance so she told me to come ask you." Amy gave him a suspicious look but took his hand. He pulled her up and they walked to the middle of the dance floor. She placed her hands loosely around his neck and he put his hands on her waist. As they swayed, Brian looked over at their table to observe Leighanne's efforts with Nick. So far, nothing was working. "Leighanne, if you're trying to get me to go talk to Amy, it's not working," Nick told her, "I haven't done anything wrong. I'm not going out there with you." Leighanne pointed out to the floor. "Brian's dancing with Amy," she told him. His eyes wandered to where they were and he gazed longingly at her. "Nick, I don't like seeing you all depressed like this. You two have got to work something out. Did you know Amy was in the bathroom crying earlier?" Nick looked back up at her. "She was?" he asked, his voice softening. He narrowed his eyes. "No, she wasn't..." Leighanne looked over at Beth. "Wasn't Amy crying when we were in the bathroom?" Beth nodded her head. Leighanne looked back at Nick. "See?" Nick looked back up at Amy, thinking. He watched as her and Brian swayed back and forth, talking and laughing. That should be him doing that with her. Why doesn't she think of Lance with Brian? he wondered to himself. He looked back at Leighanne, shaking his head. He pushed her aside and got up. She felt a surge in her heart but it was lowered quickly by his next words. "I'll see you later. Bye." With that, he walked out the door and onto the beach. Leighanne watched him leave in horror and looked over at Brian to see the same expression on his face. "Mommy," Emily whined, tugging at Beth's arm. "I'm ready to go home." Beth looked away from her conversation with Kevin. "We'll leave in a few minutes," she told her, "So hold your horses.." She looked back over at Kevin. "Now, where were...." "Mommmmmmyyyyyy...." Beth looked at Kevin. "Ready to go?" she asked him. Kevin took one last swallow of his drink and stood up. He pulled Emily out of her seat and up on his shoulders. "C'mon, kid," he said. She giggled. Beth got up and they said goodbye to everyone else. They walked out the door and off to Kevin's rented 4Runner and drove home. The song ended and Brian and Amy stepped away from each other. Christina Augilera's "I Turn to You" came on. Amy groaned and looked off. "Is this the one you and Nick were dancing to earlier?" Brian asked, knowing it was. Amy looked painfully at him. "He told you all about it, didn't he?" she asked, "Told you what a crazy ass bitch I am, huh?" Brian shook his head. He led her back over to her table. They sat down. "No, Nick was just wondering why you did that," he told her. Amy sipped some more of her Coke and looked back up at him. "That's just it. Even I don't know...Has he told you about Lance?" Brian nodded. Amy chuckled half-heartedly. "I should've known. Anyways...I guess the song just made me think about him." "You know, Nick's been going through the same thing and he's terrified about this whole starting over thing. He really really likes you though and you just keep confusing him and that's scaring him too.." "I'm so confused myself. I try to stop dwelling on Lance but...I can't. I loved him so much. He was my heart and with him gone, it's like my heart's been ripped out of my chest. It scares the shit out of me thinking about trying again. And I really..like Nick but I am so scared." She banged her fist on the table. "God, I hate this crap!" She started to cry again. Brian slid out from his side of the booth and into hers. He pulled her to him and she cried on his chest. "Shh...it'll be okay...," he tried to comfort her. "I...j-just don't..don't..want to get..h-hurt again..." "I know, I know..." Nick kicked up some sand as he walked along the beach and shoved his hands in his pocket. "What am I going to do?" he said out loud. He looked up to see a girl sitting on the beach and staring off into the distance. It wasn't Amy. He heard her singing to herself. It was Mandy. Well, at least there's someone I understand, he thought. He walked over to her and sat down next to her. "What are you singing?" he asked her. She looked over at him, a little surprised. She smiled though. "Well, howdy stranger," she teased, "Long time since I've seen you. Decide to find you a real woman and ditch Psycho Bitch?" Nick glared at her. "She's not crazy, just confused," he told her, "Just like me." She drew lines in the sand. "Nick, do you love her?" she asked. Nick slipped off his shoes and stuck his feet in the sand. The sand cooled by the night air felt so good as it sifted between his toes. He looked out at the full moon. "I...I don't know. I think I'm falling for her, but you're the only girl that I've ever loved.." Mandy looked up at him at those words. "Really?" she asked, "Do you still love me?" Nick looked over at her. "You know I do," he told her. She leaned in to kiss him but he stopped her. "But it's something I have to learn to get past. You've hurt me too much and I don't think loving you is so great to risk it again." She leaned in again. "Don't you miss what we had? I mean, at least you knew I wasn't still hung on some other guy like Psycho Bitch.." "No, you just hung on me until some other guy came around. And quit calling Amy 'Psycho Bitch'. She's just trying to deal with her heartache like I am. If she cares, she'll come around." Mandy sat back. "Why do you keep defending her? And what makes you so sure that she'll ever come around? You can't wait for her forever. But you know you'll always have me..." He started to say something but she leaned over and placed her oh-so familiar lips on his and the fire he had been trying to put out towards her so long was slowly reigniting until a full flame was burning in his heart. He felt his heart push Amy out of his head and focus on what he had in front of him. Not breaking their lip-lock, they hurried up to his house and into his room. He felt her tugging at the bottom of his shirt and pulling it up. He stepped back. "Mandy, we can't..." She met his eyes, the passion burning inside. He pushed his guilty conscience aside. "Aww, fuck it. It's not like Amy and I are dating anyways and probably never will.." He pulled up his shirt and helped her pull up hers. They fell back on his bed. About an hour later... "Thanks for the talk, Brian," Amy said, wiping her eyes, "I feel better. I think I'll go talk to Nick now. Do you know where he went?" Brian shrugged his shoulders. "If he's not on the beach, then he probably went home. Check both places." She stood up and started to walk off. She glanced back at Brian. "Thanks. I can see why you and Nick are best friends.." He smiled and watched her walk off. She walked up the beach, pumps in hand, feeling her feet sink in the sand, making it hard to walk. She looked up the beach but there was no sign of Nick anywhere. She walked up to the house and saw that his lights were off. She figured he had gone to bed so she decided she'd talk to him tomorrow. She went in her own dark house and to her room. She put her pajamas on and walked over to close her window. When she did, she saw someone crawling out of Nick's window. "Who are you?" she yelled. The girl fell on her butt. "Shit! Don't scare me like that!" Amy's heart lurched in her throat. "Mandy, what the hell are you doing there?" she asked. Mandy finished buttoning her shirt. "Tell Nick something came up and that I'm sorry I had to leave so soon..." Amy stepped back, horrified. "Did you and Nick...uh...?" Amy saw the evil smile form on her face. "Aww..hell yeah. See, if you would have stopped being such a psycho wishy-washy bitch, you could have been there instead of me.." Amy felt like she was going to vomit. She couldn't speak. She stepped back and closed the window. She waved her hands in front of her face frantically. "Oh my god...Oh my god..." was all she could say.
Ch. 26 Amy's eyes popped open and she looked around, not moving her head. She sat up and looked towards the window. Dawn's first ribbons of light were peeking through the early morning skies. She looked at her watch on her nightstand. It read 5:34 am. She groaned and laid back on her pillow. She had been tossing and turning for hours, never getting the ease to sleep. Her mind was in turmoil, repeatedly asking the same question: Why? Why did Nick go back with Mandy when he said he wouldn't? Why did he when he knew what would happen? She was angry but more hurt and confused than anything. She started blaming herself. Why didn't I talk to him sooner? she asked herself. This never would have happened if I had. This is all my fault. And for the millionth time that night, she began to cry. ********** Nick bolted up from his pillow, looking around. It had to have been a dream; he and Mandy didn't do anything. He knew that it HAD happened as he saw he was nude and the pillow next to him was empty. The realization hit him like a rock. He had slept with Mandy. And once again, like he knew would happen, she got what she wanted and ditched him. His thoughts went to Amy and the guilt washed over him like a tidal wave. He felt like he was gonna be sick. "I have fucked up royally," he condoned himself, "I am so screwed." Did Amy know though? Would she know? Should she know? This was the girl he told that she could trust. He swore to her he'd never be like Lance and here he was and there she was. He knew she'd never forgive Lance, now he was going to lose her too. He sighed, propping his body up on his arms behind him. What a prick I turned out to be, he thought. Amy was the girl he cared about, not Mandy. Yes, he did tell her that he loved her and he did but he was beginning to love someone else too, Amy, and she was the one for him, not Mandy. Amy was the one he had been waiting on and no matter her feelings at the moment with Lance and everything, he was the one for her. And now, he had blown it. He heard the screen door open and shut next door and looked at his tiny alarm clock. It was only 5:40 am. He jumped out of the bed, wrapped the sheet around his body, and peeked out the blinds. He saw Amy in her long nightgown, walking with the arms crossed ever-so-slowly through the sand to the water line. He watched her in wonder as she stood there, letting the cool Atlantic water puddle around her feet, the wind tossing her light brown hair around. He smiled and decided he would join her. He threw on his boxers, yesterday's jeans, and a white wifebeater, and ran out the door. ******* "Amy! Amy!" she heard that almost dreaded male voice call out. She didn't trust her voice so she just stared blankly out at the incoming waves. She felt a warm hand on her bare shoulder and felt goosebumps raise on her skin. God, to feel him touch her like she knew he had touched Mandy the night before. Thinking of that made tears come to her eyes again. She turned her head away in her effort to control her emotions. "Nick, if you're looking for Mandy, she told me to tell you that something came up," she said coldly, "I guess she'll see you later, right?" Nick turned her around and tried to take her hands in his. She looked down and watched him rub her fingers with his thumbs. She couldn't look up without crying. Before he could say anything, she spoke up. "Nick, I blame myself," she replied, "If I had just stayed there with you yesterday and not run off, it might have been you and me last night and not you and Mandy. If I had just explained myself, this would have never happened. If..If.." Nick shook his head. "No, no, no," he argued, "No, this is not your fault." She nodded her head. He tilted her head upwards til their eyes met. He saw the tears welling up in her eyes. He focused his eyes into hers. "No, Aim. This is my fault. I knew better. I don't know why I did it. I was confused, she was there. I understand her even though I don't like her...I guess that's why. Hell, I don't know." Amy nodded her head and Nick breathed a deep sigh of relief, thinking she understood and would forgive him. She backed up slowly, pulling her hands from his. "You don't know?" she asked softly, "Well, I understand.." Nick smiled slightly. "You do?" She nodded and her expression darkened. "Yeah, I do," she replied, "I understand that you fucked up with very little reason and I've decided to help you out. I'm going to give you time to figure out why you did it or least come up with a decent excuse. Until then, don't talk to me nor come near me. Nick, it's time you made up your damn mind. It's me or Mandy. Your decision. Good luck choosing.." Before he could reply, she spun on her heels and stormed back up to the house, running in and slamming the door. Nick watched her run off. She was right, he knew. He had to decide. He already knew who he wanted...Amy. Now he had to prove that to her. He ran his fingers through his thick blond hair and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. He looked up and down the dimly lit coastline. It was as empty as his heart felt. He decided a long walk would do him good so he started off. ******* Amy came in and flung herself on the sofa, crying. Her nerves were shot and her already weak heart was aching excruciatingly. Her body finally gave up and she passed out. A couple of hours later.... "Amy, Amy!" she heard someone calling her name then felt hands on her shoulders. She shook her head. "No..Nick..go away..no.." "Amy..." Amy opened her eyes and focused her vision. It was Jessie that was calling her name. "What?!" she growled grumpily. She looked outside the window to see the sun brightly shining on the crystal blue waters, those same waters that witnessed her heart breaking all over again. She looked back up at Jessie. Jessie motioned for her to sit up so she could sit down. Amy slowly sat up and put her feet on the floor, feeling the grittiness of the now dried sand in-between her toes. "Why are you on the couch?" Jessie questioned her, "And why is there sand all over your feet and..." She dusted the seat cushions before sitting down. "...all over the couch?" Amy rubbed her face and her pounding forehead. She shook her head and looked over at Jessie. "Do you really want to know?" Jessie nodded. "Please..." Amy told her the whole situation. Jessie's eyes widened and she pulled her best friend, who was again near tears, to her. "Oh man..you poor baby," she sympathized, "What a sense of deja vu." Amy nodded. "I thought Nick would be different, that he wouldn't do that," she sobbed, "He even swore he never would. This is what I get for giving my heart to someone again. I knew this would happen but everyone told me to go for it. Well, I did. I hope you're happy. I'm not. I..I.." She lost her voice and her shoulders started shaking in her tears. Jessie rubbed her head and rocked her back and forth. "Amy, Nick is different. He made a mistake, he knows it. He's just as confused as you. You should have seen him when you ran out yesterday. I think he felt he had screwed up, giving his heart to someone else. Then he saw Mandy last night and feeling totally defeated, he surrendered to her. He knew what he was getting into and that attracted him. He knew he wouldn't be thrown for a loop like he has been with you. He ought to know that's not love. Things will work out between the two of you. I know it." Amy looked up at her. "How do you know what he was feeling?" she snapped, "You weren't there, you aren't him." "But I've been in the same situation that he was in," she replied. Amy sat up, looking confused. "When? You never told me about this..." Jessie looked up and her own eyes watered. "Well...it happened right before I met Matt..." *********** "You did WHAT?" A.J. exclaimed. Nick looked down at his feet as he sat on the edge of A.J.'s bed. "Yup...I fucked her," Nick replied, "I don't know why. But I think I just ruined everything there ever was between me and Amy." Brian, sitting in the desk with his feet propped up and the chair leaning back, sat up straight. "So let me get this straight. You left the club, ran into Mandy on the beach, and wound up back here with her," he sorted everything out, "And in the meanwhile, Amy was running over here to tell you she cared about you and..and..." Nick and A.J. both looked over at him curiously. "What?" Nick asked. Brian looked away. "Amy and I had a talk last night and she told me she cared about you, that she was scared to death about getting cheated on and hurt again and dumbass me told her you'd never do that to her because you knew how it felt," Brian explained, "Well, Carter..once again I've underestimated you. You had to go and pull a dumbass stunt like that." Nick leaned over and put his head in his hands, his short bangs falling over his hands. "God I suck," he muttered, "I've just broken the heart of the girl I care for most and I'll never get it back. I am such a prick..." "For once I have to agree," A.J. replied, "You have screwed up big time. Maybe Amy will be understanding and you two will work it out, maybe she'll be like Amanda and hate you for the rest of your life. Good luck, man." "Nick, you have got to stop going back and forth between Amy and Mandy," Brian told him, "How you could go back to a bitch like Mandy is beyond me. What about all those times she talked you down, made you feel worthless, like you could get no one else but her? What about those times where she took every shred of dignity of respect you had in yourself and tore it apart? You knew for yourself what she was out for and you gave it to her anyways, thinking that was love. That was bullshit. Mandy didn't know what love was and never will. Yet you gave every piece of your heart to that ungrateful little whore. Then you look at Amy. Now this is a true loving kind of girl. She knows what love is but she's been in the same sad case as you. Thinking love was blind when all it was choosing not to see. She was abused in the same way as you. She got everything taken from her and got nothing in return. She knows how you feel, thinks what you think, wants and needs the same things as you. She needs a true love, she needs you. You need to see that Mandy is not the only girl meant for you, in fact she never was. If you want to continue to be treated like shit because you feel like shit, go ahead. But if you want love, real true love, you've gotta give up chasing Mandy." Nick nodded. "I know what I want. I care about Amy a lot. Can't say that I love her but I know I could. Now, if she'll only let me.." ********* The weeks flew by and it had almost been a month since the incident and still nothing from Amy. She'd hang around all the other guys but when it came to Nick, she wouldn't have anything to do with him. Then word came that a ship was coming to take them home. Nick, in despair, knew he had to get Amy back before he lost the best thing that ever happened in his life.
