*~The Dream Of A Lifetime~*

Valondra got the blanket out of her car and headed down to the beach. She went to the same beach where she and Nickolas had their first date; three years ago. And the same beach where Nickolas proposed to her two years and eleven months later. She laid her blanket out and sat down; looking out to the ocean.

She just looked and started to think about everything that happened between her and Nickolas. She thought about the good times, as well as the bad. She reached in her pocket and slowly pulled out her engagement ring. She looked at it and sighed. She didn’t notice or hear anyone approach until she heard, “Loni.”

She quickly stuck the ring in her pocket and said, “Nick, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be with your family?”

“They made other plans so…”

“Please sit.” Nickolas laid his blanket down. “We can share mine.”

“That’s alright. I know how you want your space so I’ll use my own.” Valondra watched Nickolas sit down and had to laugh at him. He looked at her confused, as she laughed. She looked away from him and said, “You never answered my question. What are you doing here?”

“This beach is open to the public. You don’t own it.”

“I ask you a simple question and you get cocky right away. Just…”

“I wasn’t getting cocky. You’re the one getting cocky. You were practically demanding an explanation of why I’m here.”

“I wasn’t…”

“I don’t need to give you or anyone else an explanation of why I’m here. Why are you here?”

“Screw you.” She got up. “Why should I tell you? You get huffy right away.” She picked up her blanket and moved away from him. He watched, as she laid her blanket down and sit down. ”Don’t talk to me, Carter.”

“You’re so…” He tried to think of a nice rude word.

“I’m so what?” She got up and walked over to him. “Annoying? Stubborn? A bitch? Demanding? Snobby? Selfish? You tell me what I am.”

“Princess, calm down.” He stood up. “I’m not trying...”

“Princess? Princess! After you get all cocky and what not with me, you have the nerve to call me Princess. What’s wrong with you? Were you born stupid or is it something you worked at?”

“So now I’m stupid. Thanks a lot.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You’re so arrogant and obnoxious.”

“I am not arrogant. You’re the arrogant one and you’re so conceited and stuck on yourself and…and…and arrogant…and…”

“You already said arrogant.”

“I know. Shut up. You always interrupt me when I talk. You either start talking in the…”

“I do not interrupt you.”

“You just did it again. Why is that? It’s either you start talking or you…” She didn’t finish, as

Nickolas kissed her. After the kiss she said, “Kiss me.” They looked at each other. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Are you mad at me now?”

“Well…n-n-no.”

“You can’t even talk right. That proves you want me.”

“So.” She pulled herself out of his arms and walked away.

“Do you still want to take it slow?”

“Yeah, because what happened is still going to take sometime to get over. You can’t rush this kind of stuff, Baby.”

“Oh it’s alright for you to call me Baby, but I can’t call you Princess. Two can play at this game of yours, Sweetheart.”

“Grow up, Nick.” She turned to him. “You can be so childish.”

“And you can be so hypocritical.”

“How am I hypocritical?”

“You just are.”

“I just am. There’s a great explanation.”

“Why must you be so cocky?”

“I’m not cocky.”

“Whatever.”

“You’ll get whatever when I’m not in your life anymore.”

Nickolas looked at her dumbfounded. “I’m hoping you don’t mean that.”

“Perhaps I do. You don’t have a say so.”

“Why not?”

“Because I said.”

“There’s a great explanation.”

“Why do you get mad right away?”

“Why do you have to be so stubborn?”

“Because I want to!” Nickolas looked at her shocked by her tone. “Is that so wrong?”

“Yes! Especially when the guy that loves you so much is having a hard time trying to figure you out, because he doesn’t understand you anymore!”

“What’s so hard to understand?”

“Everything. You want me then you don’t. You’re kissing me then you say it’s wrong. You want to be more than friends then you want to take it slow and just be friends. You’re confusing the hell out of me anymore.”

“Do you think I’m just supposed to jump back into your arms after what happened?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I just want to know what’s going on between us. Are we just friends or are we more?”

“I don’t know.” She turned and looked out at the ocean.

“What happened, Lon?”

“What do ya mean?”

“We were getting along great since the wedding, but now we’re at each others throats. Did I miss something when we were apart?”

She thought about what Joshua had said to her then lied, “You didn’t miss anything that was of much importance.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“You tell me.” She turned back to face him.

“Why are you getting all huffy?”

“If anyone’s getting huffy it’s you.”

He looked at her. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem is your problem.”

“And that’s what? Because I can’t help being in love with you. Excuse me; I’m sorry that’s such a problem for you.”

“I know what your problem is, Nicky. It’s been three years and you have a problem with the fact that I don’t want to have sex with you. And you can’t handle that anymore. Well I’m so sorry I’m not ready.”

They were standing face to face. “Maybe I’ll never be ready. Will that be a problem for you if we ever get married?”

“Maybe that’s what you need. Maybe you need to get laid so you quit being a pain in my ass.”

“Me a pain in your ass? You’re a pain in my ass. And how dare you tell me what I need, because that’s what you want.”

“And what you need.” She slapped him across the face and walked away. Nickolas ran after her and picked her up off her feet. “Don’t start what you can’t finish.”

“Put me down.” She started kicking her feet and slapped his arms. “I didn’t start anything.”

“You want down. Fine.” He dropped her in the sand.

She went face first in the sand and Nickolas sat beside her, as she lifted her head. “Are you ready to be mature adults about this?”

Valondra sat up and turned away from him. “Go away, please.”

“I’m not leaving until we resolve this.”

“There’s nothing to resolve.” She sniffled. “Because there’s no us.”

“Are you crying?” He moved to look at her, but she turned away.

“No.” She tried wiping the sand off her face.

“Loni, I don’t want to leave here knowing you’re mad at me again. We have no reason to fight.” She didn’t look at him, as he heard her crying softly. “Will you look at me please?” After a minute she still didn’t move. “If this is the way you want it, fine. Then it’s the way it’s going to be.” He got up and started walking away. He picked up his blanket and looked at Valondra. When she didn’t look at him or say anything he began to walk again.

He stopped when he heard, “Nick, don’t go.” He turned around, but Valondra wasn’t looking at him yet. “Stay…please.”

“So we can fight some more? I think I’ll pass.”

“No. I hate fighting with the man I love. We’ve already been through so much. Why cause more pain?”

“Do you know what today is, Loni D?”

“Our third anniversary since we’ve been together.”

“Correction, it would’ve been our third, but you put a stop to it. Remember?”

“So I’m the bad guy. Is that how it’s going to be?”

“I don’t want to fight.” He walked over to her.

“Neither do I.” He sat beside her again. “The reason I came here was because of what day it is and I was hoping you’d be here.” She was still crying.

“Will you look at me please?”

“Why?”

“Because I like the way your eyes sparkle like the stars under the moonlight.”

“Nice try.” “I’m being honest. I was hoping I’d find you here myself.”

“Nicky, I miss what we had. I came here wanting to remember everything. What we said, what we did, and those moments we didn’t say or do anything, but just laid in each others arms.”

“Please look at me. I don’t want you to cry.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “When you cry it makes me cry. The moments that mean so much to me are the ones when we just lay together, because we know what the other’s thinking.” He waited a moment before she turned to look at him. “Look at you, you’re covered in sand.” He started to brush the sand off her. “Princess, you’re bleeding.”

“It’s just my lip.” He wiped the blood away. “That’s not important.”

“Yes it is, because I did it and I’m sorry. I had no right to drop you like I did. I’m really sorry.”

“Nick, forget about it. It’s all right. I’m all right. It doesn’t even hurt.” Nickolas knew she was lying.

“I can’t forget about it. I hurt the woman I love so it’s not all right.”

“Yes it is. The important thing is that we’re both still here wanting to make it right. That’s what I want, Nick, that’s what I need. I need you back in my life the way you used to be.”

“I want that too. Is this what you really want? You want us to be together?”

“Yes. Very much. I love you, Nick.”

“I love you, Loni.” They looked at each other and kissed.

“Ouch!”

“It doesn’t even hurt.”

She smirked. “I lied.” They kissed again and she hugged him. “I want to act like this past month never happened and just start from where we left off. I never want to hear about it or talk about it. I don’t even want to remember it. I don’t even want to hear Bridgett’s name.”

“We don’t have too. But, Princess, if you want to start where we left off then I want…”

“Everything else we had. Nick, I…”

“Want to take it slow. I know.”

“You interrupted me again. You’re making a habit of it.”

“Are you picking a fight?” They looked at each other.

“No.” He started to chuckle. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re face is covered in sand.”

“You have no room to talk.” She threw a handful of sand at him. “You kissed me and got it on yourself.”

“It was worth it.” He wiped the sand off her face. “I’m sorry for dropping you.”

“Don’t worry. I have no broken bones…minus the ones in my hand.” They both started laughing. “It was pretty funny I guess.”

“Yeah, but if we get back together I don’t want to start all over. I want to start where we ended.”

“I know. I’d like to start there too.” She stood up and reached in her pocket.

“What are you doing?” She took her hand out of her pocket and held out her hand to Nickolas. He looked at her then at the ring that was resting in her palm.

“If you don’t want to marry me anymore then I’ll just throw it to the fishes.” She drew back her arm and Nickolas jumped up and stopped her from throwing the ring.

“I will not let you throw a $500,000 ring into the ocean; especially since I bought it for you.” He took the ring from her and she just looked at him. “I thought you wanted to take it slow?”

“I lied. If we take it any slower we’ll be 90 when we get married and you’ll have to use Viagra to get it up.”

“Funny.” She held up her left hand. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like I pressured you to do this?”

“This is where we ended, Baby, so are you going to put the ring on or not. Because if not I’m leaving.”

“Feisty.” He kissed her then got down on one knee.

“What are you doing?”

He smiled and looked up at her then asked, “Valondra, will you marry me…again?”

Valondra smiled. “Yes.” She knelt down in front of him and he pulled her to him and put the ring on her finger.

“You can’t change your mind now. This is for life.”

“Nick, I love you so shut up and kiss me.”

“I love you.” He kissed her passionately and she wrapped her arms around him.