Even from atop the stairs, he could hear her sobs. Each heart-wrenching sob was like a knife to AJ�s heart. As Elizabeth�s sobs continued the knife dug deeper and AJ�s wounds became more painful.

Watching Elizabeth as she stood helplessly in Brian�s arms, AJ realized now more than ever how much he cared about her. She meant so much to him. She was the only girl he had ever loved. The only girl he had ever given his heart to. What was emblazoned in his memory though was the fact that Elizabeth was also the only girl who had captured his heart and then shattered it into a million pieces.

That was why AJ had done it. It was out of love that AJ had stopped things from progressing between he and Elizabeth earlier on. It had been one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. AJ had almost even succumbed to the feeling of her warm body against his, but he had come to his senses before it was too late.

Elizabeth didn�t love him and it was now crystal clear to him. Maybe she loved him as a friend, but nothing more. She didn�t love him the way he loved her. She didn�t care for him the way that you were supposed to when you were in love with someone. She had been leading AJ on a tumultuous ride of emotions and there was no way that he was ready to embark on another journey. Especially a journey that he knew would certainly be short-lived given her true feelings for him.

AJ stared at Elizabeth�s listless body as Brian slowly rocked her back and forth. A feeling of immense sadness washed over him as he took one last look at Elizabeth.

�Goodbye Liz,� he whispered. This was it. A sad ending to a chapter in his life. The last of his romance with true love. The bittersweet irony of the situation was that he had made the decision himself. No turning back now, he realized as he turned on his heel and retreated quietly to his room.

Lila watched anxiously as Jessica played with her hands. She sat in silence as Jessica fidgeted nervously clasping and then unclasping her hands repeatedly. How am I going to tell her that Nick left? She�s going to be crushed. Lila let out a long sigh wishing that things could be different. Nick and Jessica belonged together. She was sure of it now more than ever.

�Maybe I should call him,� Jessica volunteered as her voice faltered. As the words escaped her lips, she almost laughed at her own suggestion. She couldn�t call him. What would she say to him? How do you tell someone that you think you are falling in love with them but you�re too scared to admit it? Jessica wondered. There were so many questions in her mind. Questions that she desperately wished she had the answers to. Looking to Lila for guidance, she immediately noticed the uncomfortable look upon her friend�s face. A look of worry encompassed Lila�s normally happy features.

�Jess,� Lila said, pausing to catch her breath before she launched into a full explanation. �After you ran out, Nick he�� she paused, shifting her eyes to the ground. �He left. He drove off without saying a word to Brian or I,� she finished in a rush. She lifted her eyes from the floor meeting Jessica�s. She hated having to be the one to break this news to Jessica. She could tell just from the pained look in her eyes that Jessica was hurting.

�H-He left?� Jessica asked incredulously. She couldn�t believe what Lila was telling her. She had never meant to hurt him. Where did he go?

Lila nodded in a silent affirmation, placing a consoling hand on Jessica�s trembling shoulder.

The phone rang just then startling both girls. Jessica could almost hear her heart as it beat wildly in her chest. Nick! Maybe it�s him, she prayed. It has to be him. I have to tell him that I never meant to hurt him. I was just so scared.

Jessica sat across from Lila staring intently at the phone as Lila quickly rose to pick it up. It seemed like ages to Jessica before Lila finally picked it up.

�Hello?� Lila inquired breathlessly. Jessica held her breath waiting, hoping, and willing it to be Nick on the other end.

�Yeah Brian. I found her. She�s alright,� Lila replied glancing over at Jessica. Jessica exhaled dejectedly in a rush. It wasn�t Nick. He wasn�t going to call. He probably never wanted to see her again.

Lila lowered her voice and turned her back slightly making it hard for Jessica to hear their conversation. �I told her. She�s pretty upset though,� Lila said quietly into the receiver.

Jessica stared at her feet as she dug her toes into the plush cream carpet creating never ending patterns and swirls with her foot. She could feel the lump in her throat rising. How could she have been so stupid? Nick was so right for her and she knew it. She had known it since the first day he had come to town. Something in his eyes told her so. It was something that told her that with him by her side she would be all right. That he would never hurt her like way Justin did.

Closing her eyes tightly, her mind reeled as she realized that it might be too late. Nick was gone now. Who knew if she would get another chance to tell him? Please Nick, she silently begged. Don�t do this to me. To us. Come back to me, she prayed as her tears began to fall once again.

Lila�s voice interrupted Jessica�s silent pleas. �Jess. We should go back over to Brian�s. It�s not safe to stay here.� Jessica could hear Lila and feel herself nodding her head although she couldn�t understand a word Lila was saying. All she could think of was Nick�s eyes. The eyes that she longed to look into again even if it was only for a second.

Justin paced up and down the floor of his bachelor apartment pausing every few seconds to look at Jessica�s pictures which adorned his walls.

She was so beautiful. He needed to see her again. He needed to be with her, to feel her in his arms � even if it was just for a second. Justin was determined to do exactly that. He moved closer to Jessica�s pictures running a hand over them gently as he closed his eyes.

�Justin! Leave me alone! Stop!� he snapped his eyes open backing away from the board shakily. Her face loomed put at him accusingly. Her blue eyes flashing with anger.

Covering his ears with his hands he willed her to stop. He slumped onto his tattered couch rocking his body back and forth still shielding his ears with his hands.

�I love you Jess.�

�Don�t do this to us Jessica. You know that you want this too.�

�No Justin. I�m not ready. I can�t do this. Not yet at least.�

�Jess. It�s me. Can you meet me at the docks tonight? I really need to talk to you. Please?�

�Justin! What are you doing? Justin!�

He opened his eyes with a jolt, sweat pouring down his face. Images of Jessica swirled throughout his mind. Images of her face, her smile, and her tears flashed through his memory. It was too much. He couldn�t take it anymore.

In one swift motion, he grabbed the half-full coffee mug from the table in front of him. Seething with anger, he threw the mug forcefully into the air at the board. The mug hit the pictures shattering across the floor as the coffee splashed into the air. Shards of glass flew across the room, tinkling as they contacted the ground.

�You didn�t mean it! You wanted me!� he screamed at the photos loudly, watching as the coffee slowly dripped from them.

Jessica shivered as she surveyed the scene outside from the safety of Lila�s car. The masses of grey clouds overhead crashed and loomed creating eclectic sounding thunderbolts.

I wonder where he is. What�s going through his mind right now? She knew that she was being utterly foolish hoping that wherever Nick was, his thoughts were of her. She couldn�t blame him if he never wanted to see her again.

She was so deep in thought that she didn�t even notice they had arrived at the guys� place. Lila had to shake her gently to snap her out of her reverie.

She climbed out of the car slowly not caring about the rain that was relentlessly pouring down. She stood almost as if she were in a trance, moving excruciatingly slowly as the rain soaked her.

She stood wishing, praying, and desperately wanting to be with Nick. She wanted so badly to be wherever he was. Just to tell him that she was sorry. Sorry, scared and hurt.

�Jess! What are you doing? C�mon! Lila yelled flailing her arms wildly in front of Jessica. Grabbing Jessica�s arm, she pulled her towards the safety of the porch. �Jess! What were you thinking? You�re soaked!� Lila scolded rather harshly as she rang the doorbell impatiently.

The hard look upon Lila�s face softened immediately as she saw the distressed one upon Jessica�s face. �Don�t worry. He�ll be back Jess,� Lila promised as she wrapped her friend in a hug.

A puffy-eyed Elizabeth opened the door for them. Once she had calmed down, Brian had clued her in on the situation. She felt horrible that she hadn�t known about it sooner.

�Jess. Are you alright?� Elizabeth asked meeting Jessica�s eyes.

Jessica sighed inwardly. She was sick and tired of people fawning over her and telling her that it would be all right. What can they do about it? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was all her fault that Nick had left. It was because of her blatant disregard for Nick�s feelings that he was gone now.

Looking around, Jessica realized that she just wanted to be alone. Completely by herself to wallow in her own grief. She didn�t want any of their pity. She didn�t deserve it.

�Excuse me,� she whispered hoarsely breaking away from Lila and Elizabeth. Not knowing fully where she was headed, she trudged in the direction of the stairs shuffling her feet as she walked.

Elizabeth stepped forward to tell her to come back, but Lila held her back. �Leave her. Let her be alone for a while.� Elizabeth nodded in silent consent her heart going out to Jessica.

Jessica climbed the stairs painstakingly, her legs aching with every step. Each step seemed longer than the next to her. She made her way slowly down the dimly lit hallway and paused in front of Nick�s room.

Staring wistfully at the doorknob she grasped it, easing the door open slowly. Her eyes fell upon Nick�s rumpled bed sheets as she took in every little detail about his room. She walked slowly over to the bed sitting down carefully on the edge. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she rocked herself back and forth. Through her tears, she saw one of Nick�s basketball jersey�s lying on the other side of the bed. She reached over for it, caressing it gently against her face. The familiar sweet smell of Nick�s cologne washed over her. She breathed in his scent as she closed her eyes envisioning that he was right there next to her.

Until then, she had been so preoccupied, that she hadn�t even realized that she was soaking wet and shivering. Cold beads of water dripped from her hair onto the bed and now the jersey. Droplets of water trickled down her face, mixing with her tears. Without hesitation, she stripped out of her soggy clothes throwing them onto the floor as she lifted her arms through Nick�s oversized jersey.

As she pulled Nick�s jersey over her head, she gazed around Nick�s room forlornly. �Where are you Nick?� she said aloud as she slowly laid her head back and rested it against Nick�s pillow. Shaking, she pulled Nick�s wrinkled covers up around her chin. Staring at the walls she knew that there was no way she would be able to fall asleep. She was too scared. Scared of the images of Justin, which tormented her as she slept and scared just knowing that she had hurt Nick so badly that he had left her. She was in love with Nick and she was terrified that now it might be too late to tell him.

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