"How's your dad?" Kayla asked as Kristen made her way towards Nick in the backyard.

"He's going to be released next week most likely," Kristen said nodding. "I wanted to stay but they told me the band needed me more."

Sara was first to see her nad then Brian. Nick slowly turned arond and got his first look at his girlfriend.

"Hey girl," Sara said hugging her. "We've all been worried but now that you're here, you can tell us all what's going on."

Kristen smiled. "My dad will be fine but he will have to take it easy now. He will be released next week sometime but they are keeping him there a bit longer.."

"He's better though," Sara said giving her another hug.

"Yeah, I spent most of my vacation at the hospital," Kristen said sadly. "Trying to call you!" She looked accusingly at Nick but her smile made Nick feel even guiltier.

"I was really busy," Nick said lamely. Kristen looked really confused and Nick added, "whenever I got home it was too late to call."

"Oh, I would have accepted your call at anytime," Kristen said attempting a smile.

"Maybe you two should go talk in private," Brian said softly. Nic knodded his agreement with that idea and followed Kristen inside Brian's house.

"Why do they need to talk in private?" Sara asked looking at Brian curiously.

"Nick ahs some explaining to do," Brian finally said hoping she would be satisfied with that answer. She must have been because she nodded and went back to talking with Kevin and Kirsten.

Nick sat in a chair across from Kristen in Brian's living room .He was tapping his foot trying to think of the best way to approach the topic.

"Nick, why couldn't you make time to call me? I really needed to hear your voice," Kristen said almost making Nick wince. If only she knew the reason he couldn't have called her.

"I'm sorry, if I had known Kristen," Nick said slowly.

Kristen opened her mouth but Nick held up his hand. "No, I know that isn't an excuse but if I had known."

"I jsut don't understand. You were that busy," Kristen said feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

Nick almost let the whole sorrid tale come out when he saw her crying, but even her crying couldn't make him tell. She'd cry even harder if she knew.

"I mean, Nick, I'm your girlfriend," Kristen said looking pitiful.

Brian walked into the living room to let them know lunch was being served but froze when he saw Kristen crying.

"kristen, I know it hurts but I'm sure she meant nothing and I know Nick didn' mean anything by it," Brian said not even realizing he had just made it worse.

"What?" Kristen asked looking from Nick to Brian.

Nick glared at Brian. "Oh crap," Brian said realizign his mistake. "Um...I'm just going to leave now."

Nick took a deep breath as he turned back to Kristen. She was staring at him as if waiting for him to explain.

"What was he talking about?" Kristen asked confused.

"He was talking about a dumb mistake I made over our vacation,' Nick said wasting as much time as he could.

"What mistake?"

"Kristen, you need to know that this in no way changes my feelings towards you in any way,' Nick said. "You-"

"Nick, just tell me what in the hell Brian was talking about," Kristen said sounding pissed.

"I got drunk...one night," Nic kstarted. "And I met this girl."

Kristen closed her eyes. She had an idea of what was coming up. "What was her name?"

"That doesn't matter," Nick said shaking his head.

"Tell me her name," Kristen said staring at him.

"Missy," Nick said finally. "She is an old friend of mine. I was drunk and I don't remember anything that happened that night but I do knwo we did something."

"You bastard," Kristen said the tears had stopped flowing. "That was why you wouldn't call me. You felt too guilty."

"Kristen..." Nick tried but didn't know what to say.

"Well my dad was unconsious in a hospital and I called you, you were cheating on me. Why Nick?" Kristen asked glaring at him.

"I dont' know," Nick said unable to think of an excuse. And that he wanted to have fun would probably piss her off even more.

"Well guess what, Missy whatever her last name is can have you. I need a boyfriend who is there for me and isn't such a bastard," Kristen said standing up.

"Kristen, I was druck, I never would have cheated if I was sober," Nick cried.

"And that makes it okay," Kristen said shaking her head. "Nick you have a lot to learn about commitment. It doesn't matter if you were drunk, you cheated on me"

Nick watched as Kristen made her way towards the door that lead to the kitchen. "Wait!" he said grabbing her arm.

"No! Let go of me! You are not somebody I wanna see right now. You are scum!" Kristen yelled running out of Brian's house.

Nick was standing in the same place when Brian came back into the house 5 minutes later.

"I don't want her to be alone," Nic ksaid softly.

"Sara is driving her home. It seems Kristen didn't want to be alone either," Brian said softly.

"She hates me," Nick said trying not to cry.

"Maybe for awhile," Brian conceded. "But i can guarantee she will forgive you someday."

"Yeah, maybe. But that someday is not today," Nick said sounding pitaful.

Brian layed his hand on Nick's shoulder and just stood there quietly. Nic kneeded to know somebody was on his side. Mistakes happen, but would Kristen ever come to realize that.

"Yeah, she's in her room. I don't know if she is okay, but I would assume that she won't be okay tonight," Sara said into the phone .Brian had called wanting to know how she was doing. "I'll call you tomorrow and let you know more." Sara smiled. "Bye."

She placed the phone into the phone jack and slowly made her way to Kristen's room. "Kristen, can I come in?" she asked while she tapped lightly on her door.

"Yeah," Kristen called.

Sar walked into the pitch black bedroom. Kristen was huddled under her comforter still unable to cry.

"Hey,' Sara said sitting down beside her.

Kristen sat there staring at the wall. She looked dead, except every once in awhile you saw her chest moving.

Sara was quiet, waiting until Kristen wanted to talk. She wouldn't push her friend

"He cheated on me," Krsiten said breaking into Sara's thoughts.

"Yeah," Sara said softly. "Kristen, you do realize that he didn't cheat because of you. It had nothing to do with you."

"It doesn't matter," Kristen said sadly. "I don't care about that. It's the fact he cheated."

Sara sighed. "I know it hurts but he didn't mean to."

"And you know this how?" Kristen asked glaring at her. "I thought you'd be on my side. I was your friend before he was."

"Brian told me and this isn't about sides,' Sara said holding back her anger. KRisten didn't mean to be so pig-headed she wasjust hurtin . "You both are my friends. And yes he shouldn't have cheated but Kristen, dont' bring sides into this."

Kristen glared at her. "You are right, I do need my friends right now nad you aren't one obviously, get out!"

"Kristen," Sara said shocked.

"I said get out," Krsiten said going back to staring at the wall.

Sara made her way outside of Kristen's room and even though she wanted to slam the door, she shut it quietly. Kristen maybe didn't want her freindship but she was going to get it. No matter what.