"She's so great! And to think…this is all such coincidence!" Nick exclaimed as he collapsed onto Brian's bed with a sigh of happiness.

"Um…Nick? It's not my place to tell you…but…"

"What are you talking about, Bri?"

"I was talking with Steve at the front desk this morning. Their being here isn't just coincidence…"

"What are you talking about, man?"

"They live around here. Their father's rich. Melissa went out on a date with Steve Friday night in return for getting those reservations, and then they paid a pretty penny to get in here to meet us…"

"You're lying, Brian!" Nick declared as he sat up abruptly, his pale cheeks deepening in outrage.

"No, I'm not. Go ask her…"

"Fine! I will! And she'll tell me that you're wrong!" Nick leapt to his feet and ran out of the room. He pounded on Melissa's door until she opened it. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her. She had just stepped out of the shower, her long brown hair almost black from being wet. Her skin was fresh and soft. A large white terry cloth towel was wrapped around her, and she held it close at her breasts.

"Hi, Nick. Do you need something?"

"I just want to prove Brian wrong! He came up with some wild story that you bribed the desk clerk and paid extra for these room just to meet us!" Her smile faded and her eyes dropped as he talked. "It isn't true, right?"

He could hardly hear her whispered reply. "Oh, Nick. It wasn't supposed to be like this…" She looked up, her green eyes shining with tears. "It's true, but I didn't think…"

"No!" he cut her off, his face falling into an expression of hurt and anger. "How could you?!" he practically growled before he turned and stormed back to his room.

"Because I didn't think I would fall in love with you…" she whispered into the empty hall as tears began to slide down her cheeks.

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Nick laid down on his bed, burying his face in his pillow and did something he hadn't done in years…he cried. The pillow muffled his sobs as he felt his heart wrenching inside his chest. How could she?! She was so perfect…so wonderful… Pictures of her filtered through his mind, causing the tears to come harder and faster. He had never known love before her. It had been love at first sight…but he had been blind. She lied to him.

____________________________________________________

Melissa laid on her bed with the TV on later that night, her eyes unfocused as she stared into space thinking of Nick as tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. He wouldn't even listen to me…and now he hates me. She didn't hear the knock on her door or it's opening. But soon, someone gently shook her shoulder to break her out of the daze she was lost in.

"Brian! Oh my God…you scared me!" she screeched, quickly wiping the moisture from her face.

"You know…you hurt him."

"I wasn't planning on it…I'm so sorry. I thought we would get these rooms…maybe see you once or twice in the hall and that would be it. I never thought I would…" Tears began to trail down her cheeks again as she finished in a whisper, "…fall in love with him."

"Is that just another lie?" came a new voice from the open doorway. Nick stood there, his tall body leaning against the doorframe, his skin pale and his eyes still red and puffy from crying.

She stood up. "Nick…I never thought this would happen! If I had known any of this a few days ago…I would have told you! I'm so sorry…"

He just looked away as she stepped closer. She froze as she saw tears brimming in his blue eyes.

"Nick…please believe me." Her voice softened, "I never meant to hurt you…"

"But you did! Do you realize what it did to me to find out what happened?!"

"The same thing it did to me when I saw you walk away in anger…" she whispered, lowering her eyes to the floor, the warm tears falling uncontrollably. She started to sob as the thought of losing him crossed her mind. "Nick…I don't want to lose you…I love you!" she said between sobs.

Suddenly, she found a warmth surround her as his arms circled her shoulders, pulling her face into his chest, her tears wetting the front of his shirt. "I love you too…" he whispered as he pressed a kiss into her hair. "That's why it hurt so much…"

"Um…I'm gonna leave you two alone…" Brian said quietly as he squeezed past Nick through the door.

"Come on…" Nick whispered as he nudged her slightly toward the bed. He closed the door behind them before they sat down at the foot of her double bed. He tilted her chin up with a single finger and looked into her eyes, the tears still spilling onto her skin. "Why must you be so beautiful?" he whispered, his eyes enveloping her face.

"I'm not beautiful…"

"Yes, you are…" he replied before affixing a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you, Melissa. I wish this fight had never happened. Now that I think about it. If you hadn't done this…I would never have met you. But promise me…you'll never do anything like this again…"

"I promise. This was my one last fiasco. I love you too…" she said with a slight smile before their lips joined again.