The brilliant sunlight filtered intrusively through Nick�s curtains rousing him from his restless slumber. Swearing, he covered his eyes, shielding them from the early morning rays. Irritated, he flipped onto his other side and burrowed his head beneath his pillows.

Nick�s whole body ached with exhaustion as he desperately tried to drift off to sleep. He had lain awake last night just thinking. He had thought about Rianna and how no matter where he went, her face always seemed to follow him. He saw her in his daydreams, his fantasies and even in other people.

Last night though, it been the most real. He had really believed it was her. The hair, the figure, it had all been so familiar and yet it hadn�t been her at all. The moment he�d looked into her eyes, he had known she wasn�t Rianna.

This girl�s eyes had been filled with so much sorrow and pain. They lacked the vibrance and sparkle that Rianna�s eyes possessed. Yet, there was a certain intimate intensity about her eyes that had sparked a curiosity within Nick. He had found himself hopelessly enchanted by her for a few moments. There had been the strange need overwhelming his body to learn all about the intricacies of her life.

Nick�s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the harsh, shrill ring of his telephone. Groaning, he covered his head with his pillow. He had an inkling as to whom it was on the other end. Nick listened to the repetitive rings, half hoping that she�d just give up and hang up. She didn�t though.

The answering machine clicked on and Nick heard his own voice float throughout his apartment. The digital beep of the machine followed and her soft, quiet voice filtered throughout the air.

�Nick? It�s me Melissa. I�m a little worried about you. You were gone this morning when I woke up. What happened? I�m going out now but give me a call on my cell. Please call Nick. I�m really worried. The number is�� As she rattled off the digits of her cell phone, Nick closed his eyes and tuned out her voice.

It didn�t matter. She wasn�t important. Nick was more than certain that he�d never see Melissa again.

When Jessica had arrived home last night and silently trekked up the stairs to her room, she had been rudely greeted with the distinct stench of alcohol. As she had tiredly approached the top of the stairs, she had cast a sidelong glance towards her mother�s room. The door had been conveniently left open ajar.

Afraid to awaken her mother, Jessica had peered cautiously into the silent room. She had found her mother there on the bed, passed out. Her hair was a mess, clothes rumpled and her trusty beer bottle clenched in one of her hands. Jessica had noted that her companion seemed to have mysteriously disappeared.

Now, Jessica lay in her bed gazing aimlessly out the window at the sun-dappled trees of California.

Her body was stiff and tired. She had cried so much last night that she had no more tears to cry now. Instead, her sadness had been replaced once again with a foreboding loneliness.

She couldn�t bring herself to forget about yesterday and its strange turn of events. She had been so ready to give up and admit defeat until he had come along. Someone she didn�t even know had managed to spark a sense of hope in her. With just one glance, he had been able to make her realize that maybe things weren�t as desolate as they seemed.

As he�d walked away from her, there had been so many things she had wanted to express to him but hadn�t be able to. What he, a complete stranger, had done for her was beyond words.

The better part of Nick�s day had been spent moping around his barely furnished spacious apartment. The only few guilty pleasures which Nick possessed were his comfortable leather couch, his modern stereo system and his large bed.

His apartment was sparsely decorated with the few oil paintings which Rianna had chosen for him in attempts to brighten up the place. The dreary appearance of his apartment had never mattered before to Nick for he wasn�t used to spending time there. He had become accustomed to staying the night with Rianna at her place.

With a sigh, Nick sank gratefully onto the plush leather sofa. It was on days like these, when Nick longed for companionship of any sort. Rianna had been his life for so long, that he had managed to successfully alienate the few good friends that he had made over the years. Every waking second had been spent with Rianna or talking about Rianna. The two had been inseparable. Nick�s friends had quickly tired of forever taking a backseat to his relationship with her.

On many a pensive day, Nick was apt to begin thinking about her. Precious minutes were wasted as he envisioned her before him. Often he would sit there simply wondering if she was happy. Wondering if she�d ever regretted the decision she had made.

In his heart of hearts, Nick was grudgingly aware that he already knew the truth. Rianna was happy. She didn�t care about him or even miss him. If she did, she would have called, even if it was just once and the call only lasted for a few seconds.

Since Rianna had ended things, happiness was not something Nick experienced often. The limited feelings of happiness he occasionally felt were always marred by the infinite sadness which she had manage to instil in him.

With another lonesome sigh, Nick peered around his apartment. The bare walls suddenly seemed to stifle him and he felt a lump form in his throat. All he wanted at that moment was not to be alone. To be with someone, to talk to someone would surely take his mind off Rianna. Nick had no one though. There wasn�t anyone he could think of calling, much less going to visit.

He sat there quietly contemplating his options for a full ten minutes. Finally, Nick decided to just get out. Maybe the fresh air would serve to calm his nerves somewhat. He thought of heading to the beach.

As Nick grabbed his keys and headed out the door, he was frightfully aware that although the intoxicating fragrant sea air might calm him down some, it wouldn�t be able to put an end to the tantalizing visions of Rianna which danced before him regardless of where he was.

Jessica sat ridgidly on the edge of her bed, her fists clenched tightly and her face awash with fear. She peered around her room, listening intently. She could hear the faint sound of tinkling glass as it contacted with the floor. It was the familiar sound of her mother as she moved drunkenly about, carelessly shattering beer bottles in the process.

Usually, Jessica would sit anxiously waiting until the din from her mother�s room died down. The silence that ensued was always music to her ears.

Today however, her mother was particularly active. Jessica�s body ached with exhaustion, but she was too scared to go to sleep. She feared what her mother might do to her during one of her drunken rampages.

Jessica sat staring lifelessly at the clock upon her bedside. An hour had passed as she sat, her mind was completely blank. She could still hear the faint rustling of the sheets as her mother moved restlessly about in bed.

Carefully, Jessica climbed into bed, her body stiff with tension. She pulled the soft comforting covers up around her, keeping her eyes glued to her door. It wasn�t uncommon for her mother to barge angrily into her room and take out her frustrations upon her.

Jessica had learned quickly that it was utterly useless to fight back. She never had the strength. Somehow, her mother was always able to make her feel weak and helpless, both physically and emotionally. Jessica often wondered what her mother gained from torturing her like this. She wondered if one day she would find out her mother�s ulterior motives for hurting her. She prayed that some day the pain would stop and her mother would forgive her for whatever unforgivable sin she had committed.

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