*Kelly*
I heard someone open the door and cut on the lights. I squinted and threw my pillow over my head.
“Kel?” Theresa’s voice called.
I removed the pillow from my head and looked up at her.
“What are you doing here?” I questioned.
“Ohmygosh Kel! Are you alright?? You’ve been cryin’! What’s wrong?!” she exclaimed ignoring my question.
I told her the whole story about me and AJ then she told me the whole story about her and Howie. We were crying together and gave each other a hug.
“Maybe AJ should stay with Howie since they’re so much alike! That’ll solve AJ and Kev’s problem, too,” I commented.
“Yeah, I agree,” she nodded and looked at her watch. “Wow! It’s like 5:30 in the morning! Maybe we should try to get some sleep!” she suggested.
“Ha! What’s the point? I can’t sleep well anyway. I’m gonna walk down to the bar and get a capuccino or something. Want anything?” I told her walking into the bathroom to reapply my makeup. I hadn’t even undressed!
“Nah…I’m gonna try to get a bit of rest,” Theresa said lying down on the bed.
“Ok, see you later,” I said walking out the door.
I walked into the bar and immediately spotted AJ sitting at the bar across the room. He was slumped over on the bar with his head in his hands. I could tell he was crying because his body was shaking. I walked over and sat down beside of him.
“AJ, we need to talk,” I said as the bartender walked over to ask if I wanted anything.
“Uh…yeah, a capuccino, please. Thanks!” I told him, turning my attention back to AJ.
He turned to look up at me and he looked so pitiful. He was wearing his sunglasses, of course, so that nobody could see his puffy eyes. I saw his tear stained cheeks, though. I felt tears fill my eyes as I looked at this person that I loved so deeply with all of my heart. I fought to keep the tears from falling, but they came anyway.
“Oh baby, I’m so sorry,” he apologized pulling me to him, squeezing me so tightly, and running his fingers through my hair.
I pulled back and wiped my eyes with a napkin as the waiter brought me my capuccino.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
“You alright, ma’am?” the waiter asked concerned.
I nodded and continued to wipe my tears with a napkin.
“Kel, I’m so glad that you came down here. I’m so sorry. I never meant for you to see that,” AJ continued to apologize.
“You never meant for me to see that or you never meant to do that?” I questioned, as I felt my anger return a bit.
“Neither! I mean, ugh!! I never meant to see Katie again. It was the worst mistake of my life. I swear! Kelly, I love you,” he pleaded.
“Who was she?” I asked him.
“Huh?” he asked confused.
“Who was she? You obviously knew her,” I commented, recalling how he acted when she approached.
“It’s not important who she was or how I knew her…” he trailed off.
“AJ, it’s important to me. Now who was she?” I demanded.
He sighed and began to explain. “Alright, Kelly…Katie was my…girlfriend. See, technically we never broke up. She had to move here because of her father’s job and I never thought I would see her again. I haven’t seen her in almost two years! How was I supposed to know that she would come back into my life?”
“But…you’re glad that she did, right?” I questioned, almost afraid of the answer I might hear.
“No, Kelly I’m not. If this is what she has done to us, then I wish I would’ve never seen her,” he told me, reaching for my hand.
I pulled it away. “AJ, it’s not her fault. It takes two people to kiss ya know!!” I raised my voice a bit.
“Kelly, I’m not sure what you saw, but that’s not the way it was at all. I swear to you! We were dancing and she was telling me about how her life’s been since she moved here. She said that she would like for us to start going out again and I told her that I had a new love in my life…you. She got upset and basically well, just kissed me! I’m sooo sorry that you had to see that!”
“Are you lying to me Mr. McLean?” I asked, almost smiling because deep down I knew he would never lie to me.
“Baby, I would never lie to you. I would never ever do anything to hurt you or make you cry! I’m so sorry!” he apologized, reaching over to hug me.
I hugged him back this time. It had never felt so good to be back in his arms again…where I belonged.
“This is the way it should always be!” I told AJ.
“No…this is the way,” he pulled me to him, kissing me deeply.
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*Gail*
Nick and I got everyone up the next morning so we could eat breakfast together in the bar of the hotel. We walked in and found Kelly and AJ together.
“Oh hey you two!” Nick yelled as we all followed him over to them. “Man, you guys look pretty rough!” Nick laughed.
“Shut up, man!” AJ said, punching Nick in the stomach.
“Ow! What was that for?” Nick scowled, holding his tummy.
“Come here, honey. Let me make it better,” I consoled, rubbing his tummy for him.
“Thanks sweetie,” he said kissing my forehead.
Nick and I split some pancakes and decided to go scuba diving. Since Nick was licensed and all, he rented a boat just for us and we were off…
“Come on…take my hand,” Nick held out his hand to help me onto the boat. He didn’t have to tell me twice! I slipped my hand into his and climbed aboard. We sailed off into the cystal blue ocean of the Bahamas. The shore got further and further away as we drifted carelessly out into the great horizon.
“Gail?” Nick asked steering the boat.
“Yep?” I questioned, moving closer to him.
“Change into your diving gear and we’ll go down ok?” he said bringing the boat to a halt.
Once Nick and I were ready, I firmly grasped his hand as we splashed into the ocean together. It was amazing under the water! Words can’t described what it felt like to be under the water with Nick, away from the world, away from everything, away from everyone… We watched the tropical fish swim by for a while and finally decided to go back up to the boat.
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*Claudi*
“How’s your breakfast baby?” I asked Brian taking another bite of my eggs.
“Fine. Yours?” he replied uninterested, taking a bit of his toast.
“Really good, thanks. So, what are the plans for the day?” I asked, trying to make conversation.
“Wanna go jet skiing?” he suggested bluntly.
“Yeah! But, Bri, I’ve never been on one before….” I confessed.
“Don’t worry babe! I’ll show ya!” he smiled.
We paid for our breakfast and then left the hotel.
“Alright ya ready??” Brian asked as he hopped onto the jet ski. I climbed on behind him and wrapped my arms firmly around his chest. I was wearing the neon orange one-piece bathing suit that Brian had bought for me and he was wearing just a pair of blue swimming trunks.
“Here we go!!!” he screamed as we flew away from the shore and headed out around the water. Water was splashing on our legs and drops flew across our faces and in our hair.
I giggled and yelled over the roar of the jet ski, “This is sooo much fun!”
We rode around for a while and finally we came to a stop.
“What now?” I asked exasperated.
“It’s your turn!” he laughed, getting off so we could trade places.
“Are ya sure you want me to? I’m an unexperienced driver!” I laughed.
“Yeah, of course. I trust ya! Get on!” he exclaimed, pushing me toward the jet ski.
I climbed on and Brian got on behind me. I started up the ignition and he placed his arms gently, but firmly around my waist.
“Hold on!!!” I screamed as we skidded across the water.
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*Vic*
“You finished?” Kevin asked me as I took the last sip of my orange juice.
“Yep, I’m ready,” I said standing up, grabbing my purse.
Kevin paid for our meal and we left.
“Come on. I wanna take you somewhere before we go dancing tonight,” Kevin said as we hopped into his car.
“Where are we going?” I questioned.
“You’ll see…” he smiled, while speeding down the road.
We arrived at a little rundown, wooden shack on the beach. It looked very old and had probably been through several storms, judging by its appearance.
“Kev, where are we?” I questioned nervously, looking around.
“Just come on,” he said leading me by the hand.
He opened the door to the building and I spotted a beautiful white stallion.
“Kevin, she’s beautiful!” I exclaimed.
“Ready to go for a ride?” he grinned, untying the horse.
He led the horse, whose name was Angel Dust, down to the beach. I climbed on behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. We rode along together on the edge of the water, where it meets the sand. I leaned my head on his shoulder, against his neck and just closed my eyes, thinking how wonderful it felt to be near him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Theresa*
I stayed in my room and ordered room service because I knew that everyone would be going downstairs and I wasn’t in the mood to see or talk to anyone, especially Howie.
There was a knock on the door. Oh, good, room service! I thought happily. I opened the door to find Howie standing there with a bouquet of flowers. I frowned and slammed the door in his face.
“Theresa, please. We need to talk!” he pleaded through the closed door.
“I don’t have anything to say to you!” I yelled back.
“Well, I have something to say to you. Please, just give me a few minutes to explain,” he whined.
I sighed and opened the door to let him in and then I went and climbed back into the bed and pulled the covers over me.
“Theresa, I need to talk to you,” Howie said, trying to pry the covers off of me.
“Then talk!” I snapped back at him.
He gave me a blank look and I sat up in the bed to listen to what he had to say for himself.
“I know that I should’ve never betrayed you like that. You trusted me and loved me and I deceived you,” he began.
I just nodded silently in agreement.
“I think that I just got sort of nervous at the prospect of actually settling down with just one woman. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love you, just maybe I’m not ready to get married,” he stopped searching my face for a reaction.
I felt like breaking down and sobbing. I mean, sure, I was mad at him for giving a girl his number, but that didn’t mean I didn’t love him and didn’t want to marry him!
“Wha…what do you mean? We’re not getting married?” I said, as the tears welled up in my eyes.
He took my hand into his. “Theresa, I love you. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just I feel so young to be settling down so quickly and I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do or not,” he continued.
“Then why did you ask me to marry you?!” I screamed, throwing my engagement ring at him and going out onto the deck.
He didn’t come out for a long time and when he did, I wish that he hadn’t.
“Baby,” he started, caressing my arm.
“Don’t touch me! You’ve hurt me enough! Can’t you just go?” I yelled behind my tears.
He looked down at the ring in his hand and looked back up at me.
“Howie, just go…” I sighed, plopping down into a chair.
He silently turned and left the room, leaving me wallowing in my tears, pain, hurt, and hopes…that maybe, just maybe he would change his mind….
