Kristen spent the rest of the weekend with Shane in Sligo. He never let her out of his sight for a second. She tried her best to forget what had happened with Nicky, but it seemed like everywhere she looked, something reminded her of him.
��� Sunday night, they both headed back to Dublin. Westlife was leaving for a week of promotions in the UK on Monday morning, so Shane was going to spend the night at Kristen's.
��� "Why don't we go out and get a drink or something?" he suggested as they sat watching "Friends". Kristen wasn't in the mood but she agreed.
��� They headed down to a little pub near her flat. "Back For Good" came on. "Let's dance," Shane said and pulled Kristen out of her seat.
��� Shane's back was to the door when Nicky walked in. Kristen saw him, and panicked. "What's wrong?" Shane asked.
��� "Nothing," Kristen said. Then she kissed him on the lips.
��� "What was that for?" Shane asked.
��� "Because I felt like it," Kristen answered as Nicky walked out the door. It had the effect Kristen had wanted.
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��� Nicky had gone over to Kristen's to try to apologize to her for what had happened. When she wasn't there, he decided to get a drink. He'd seen the pub, and never expected to see Kristen there. He was hell-bent on making things right with her, then she had to go and kiss Shane. Well, they could have each other. Maybe these feelings he had towards Kristen were just the effects of being dumped. Maybe they were nothing at all. But they'd been around long before Georgina had broken his heart.
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��� "Do I have to go with you to the airport Shane?" Kristen whined the next morning. She wanted to see him off, but she dreaded facing Nicky.
��� "If you don't want to, I'll understand." Shane knew why she didn't want to go, and it hurt.
��� Kristen looked Shane in the eyes. They were so sad. She knew she had to go with him, for the sake of their friendship. After all he'd been there for her this weekend. The least she could do was face her demons and say goodbye to Shane at the airport. "No, I'll go. I have to see Nicky sooner or later, and the longer I wait, the worse it will be."
��� Shane smiled at her, and his eyes began to sparkle. "Thank you Kristen. I promise I won't let Nicky bother you."
��� "That's not what I'm afraid of Shane." Kristen sat down on the couch in her living room. "It's silly really, but I feel like he's going to think of me as a slut because of what I did."
��� Shane sat beside her and took her hand into his. "Don't ever say that about yourself Kris. You're not a slut; you're far from it. You made a mistake, so did he. If anyone is to blame, it's him."
��� "But I could have said no Shane, and I didn't. I just went right along with it." Kristen could feel the tears coming again.
��� "C'mon here," Shane said as he pulled her close to him. "You did nothing wrong Kris, nothing. You have to believe me."
��� "Why do you care so much about this Shane?" Kristen asked.
��� "Because you're my best friend Kris." Shane wanted to tell her he loved her too. He wished he could, but he knew it still wasn't the right time.
��� "You're my angel Shane. You're so sweet to me," Kristen said as she kissed him on the cheek. Then she laughed and wiped the tears form her face. "And I'm a blathering idiot. Look at me, I ruined my make-up."
��� Shane chuckled. "You look fine Kris."
��� She smiled at him. "You're just saying that to be nice. I'm gonna go fix my face, then we'll leave ok?"
��� "Sure," Shane answered. He watched her walk to the bathroom to touch up her make-up. She was so beautiful but she had no idea. He sighed and sat back on the couch. If only he could let her know how he really felt.
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��� "Krisssss-tennnnn!" Brian yelled as Shane and Kristen made there way to the gate with Shane's bag. He ran over, picked her up and gave her a huge bear hug, twirling her around.
��� "Hi Brian," she giggled as he sat her down.
��� "So, I hear that Shane has corrupted you into the world of horse shows?"
��� Shane rolled his eyes as Kristen explained, "Actually I was in Dublin during the show, so I missed it."
��� "Why were you in Dublin?" Brian had no clue what had happened.
��� "She was comforting a friend," Nicky said as he walked up. "Georgina and I broke up this weekend."
��� "Oh, sorry man," Brian said and gave Nicky a hug.
��� "Thanks Bri." Then he turned to Kristen and Shane. "How was Sligo?"
��� Kristen moved close to Shane and he put his arm over her shoulder and gave her a squeeze to let her know he was there. "It was fine Nicky," Shane said.
��� "That's good to hear. So, do you two have any announcements for us?" Nicky asked
��� "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Shane asked back.
��� "Well, you two are a couple now, right?" Kristen closed her eyes and wished she were somewhere, anywhere else.
��� "What are you talking about Nicky?" Shane had no clue where this was coming from. "I saw you two, last night, snogging in the pub. I'm not a moron Shane; I saw this coming for a while. Too bad she fucked me first, or have you two always been fuck buddies?"
��� Shane's jaw dropped. "Why you mother fucking asshole!" he yelled as he drove at Nicky, fist first. He grazed Nicky on the cheek as Nicky stepped away. Shane turned around and then landed a punch right on Nicky's jaw. "Don't ever talk about Kristen that way!"
��� Nicky held his hand up to his jaw as blood ran from his mouth. Brian just stood there, shocked. Nicky looked at the blood on his hand. "I thought you were my friend Shane."
��� "Yeah well, I thought you were mine too, but you blew that theory out of the water this weekend. You had no right sleeping with Kristen."
��� Nicky chuckled. "But she was more than willing Shane. You see, she actually fancies me, always has. You're nothing but her friend, her protector, and you know it."
��� Kristen wanted to die, right there. Shane turned and looked her in the eyes. "It's true isn't it? You have always fancied Nicky and not me."
��� "Shane, it's more complicated than that," she said. She reached out to touch his face but he moved away.
��� "Save it Kristen. And to think I was going to tell you this weekend how much I loved you. I'm glad I didn't." Then he walked off.
��� Nicky stood there smirking. "Hope you're happy now asshole!" Kristen yelled at him.
��� "What did I do besides tell the truth?"
��� "I hate you now!" Kristen said and stormed off to try to find Shane.
��� "What the fuck just happened here?" Kian asked as he and Mark walked up to the gate.
��� Brian shrugged his shoulders. "Shane punched Nicky cuz Nicky slept with Kristen."
��� "You did what?" Kian asked Nicky.
��� "I fucked her, she wanted it. I was drunk." Nicky didn't care what anybody thought anymore. Kristen hated him, and no one else's opinion mattered to him now.
��� "What about Georgina?" Kian asked.
��� "She left me Friday morning. Krissy came running to the rescue to comfort me. And let me tell you she is damn good at that."
��� Kian shook his head at Nicky. "You sick bastard. How could you do this to her?"
��� "Why is everybody blaming me? She could have said no."
�~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
��� Kristen found Shane, sitting on an empty bench, holding his face in his hands, crying. She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Shane, I'm sorry," she said as she sat beside him.
��� He looked up at her. "You never loved me did you?"
��� Kristen sighed and this time wiped his tears away. "I've loved you since the day I met you, but not the way you want me too. I'm sorry Shane, but I'm not sure if I could ever feel that way about you."
��� "I should have known. Why would a girl as perfect as you love a lad like me?"
��� "Shane," she took his face and turned it to face hers. "Any girl would be foolish to not love you. I certainly know I am."
��� "Then why can't you try Kris?"
��� "Because Shane, you can't make your heart love somebody. I learned that lesson the hard way."
��� "So you don't think you will ever change your mind?"
��� Kristen squeezed his hands. "I don't know. I don't know what my heart wants anymore."
��� "Well, if you ever do change your mind, I'll be waiting for you."
��� "Shane, you can't spend your whole life waiting for a love that might never be." Shane sighed. She was right, but his heart belonged to her, whether she wanted it or not.
��� "You're the one that said you can't make your heart love somebody. My heart won't ever love anyone else."
��� Kristen was tired of fighting with him. Shane could be so stubborn when he wanted to be. "Fine Shane, but someday you will move on."
��� "Yeah, the same way you've moved on from Nicky. You waited for him for years and look what he did to you when you finally got him."
��� "Don't you dare throw that back in my face Shane."
��� "I'm sorry," he said and hugged her. "I didn't mean it. Look, I need to get back before I get in trouble or miss my plane." They walked hand in hand back to the gate.
��� Nicky wanted to puke when he saw them. 'Shane might get the girl after all,' he thought to himself. It wasn't fair, but he had ruined his chances with Kristen all by himself.