Brian sat staring at the computer screen that was covered with Instant Messages from fans. For the first time in a long time he didn't care that someone had given out his screenname. His thoughts were lost as he watched Xanda from the window of his study. She seemed like a different person. She sat in the oak tree while staring at the sunset; her legs covered with small scrapes and bruises from the climb. Her hair was a tangle of brown, red, and gold. She almost looked beautiful if it wasn't for the ugliness Brian saw inside of her whenever he looked at her.

He was soon drawn out of his trance when he heard Nick's voice booming over the hum of the computer. Brian quickly pulled the shades of the window and turned around with an annoyed expression. "Yo, Bri...hey man, what were you doing?" Nick asked with sudden curiosity. "Nothing. Just looking at the sunset. What do you need?" Brian asked, trying to change the subject as he stuffed his hands into his front pockets of his worn jeans. Nick wasn't buying it but decided to play along. "You got a minute? I got a story for you!" Nick half-smiled. He was proud of himself but he wasn't sure why. "Yeah, what the hell? What's up?" Brian smiled somewhat while he shut off his computer. Nick leaned over his shoulder and noticed all the Instant Messengers. "Damn, word got out. That sucks; that's another screenname to delete. Those things are starting to get harder to think of, too." Nick pointed out. Brian sighed with frustration knowing that Nick was right.

"So, what's the story?" Brian asked as he spun around in his computer chair to face Nick. Nick smiled slightly and took a seat on the edge of the large computer desk. "Do you know why AJ and Xanda broke up?" Nick questioned. "Yeah, she did something and he ended it. That, or she ended it because he wasn't giving her the fame she wanted." Brian answered bitterly. Nick laughed in spite of himself as he shook his head. "You don't have a clue!" He laughed as Brian looked at Nick with a calm face. "If I don't have a clue why not fill me in?" Brian asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Dude, AJ cheated on Xanda and got caught! Even Howie knows about this! Xanda got pissed and ended it and now they're both miserable." Brian sat stoned face for what seemed like minutes before the look of shock registered. "Are you kidding me?" He choked out. Nick shook his head in response. "Nope! AJ fucked up bad and he hurt her! He slept with some underage fan that he met in that night club in New York during the tour only he was too drunk to remember it. Keely saw AJ leaving with her and Howie saw the girl trying to sneak out of his hotel room the next morning. Don't you remember how he was acting the next morning during the interview? He knew he was in deep shit!" Nick exclaimed.

Brian didn't respond as he sat staring off into space. "Betcha feel guilty!" Nick accused playfully. "Huh?" Brian asked as he glanced up at Nick. "I said 'I bet you feel guilty' for the way you've been treating Xanda. She was the one who got hurt and you've been throwing it in her face ever since. Man, you're a prick." Nick pointed out. Brian nodded his head slightly. "Yeah, I guess I was being a jerk. I feel bad for how I've treated her, but, she's still the same woman I couldn't stand the day we met. Me telling her I'm sorry won't change that. We'll never get along so I'm not even going to bother." Brian stated stubbornly. "Damn dude, you're a dick! Hell, even *I* would go over and apologize. Or at least I'd make a small effort to be nicer to her." Nick hinted after replaying Keely's words in his head. He was trying to gain Brownie Points with Keely and using Brian was the best way he could think of.