�I can�t believe Sunn ain�t here yet,� Josephine said, as they all sat at Nickolas� house for his 23rd birthday. �She�d never miss Nick�s birthday.�
�She�ll be here,� Danielle said. �We made these plans days ago. She said she wouldn�t miss it no matter what happened.�
�I haven�t seen her for the past few days actually,� Destiny stated.
�Neither have I,� everyone else agreed.
�Do you know where she is, D?� Alexander asked. �She�s your girlfriend.�
�I haven�t seen her,� Howard answered. �The last I seen her was the other day at the condo. She won�t answer the phone or the door.�
�Why don�t you just unlock the door and go in,� Brian suggested. �It�s your condo.�
�But I gave it to Sunn,� Howard reminded him. �She has all the keys to it and the ownership papers. Plus she�s entitled to her privacy.�
�Then there must be a good reason she ain�t answering,� Nickolas said a bit worried. They all sat there a few more minutes waiting for Sunshine when there was a knock at the door.
�Maybe that�s Sunn,� Josephine said jumping up and bumping Nickolas, making him spill his drink and he got up himself. �I�ll get it.� Josephine went to answer the door, as Nickolas went upstairs. A couple seconds later Josephine returned. �Guess who decided to show up?� They looked and saw Sunshine in tow.
�Glad you could join us,� Kevin said.
�I can�t stay,� Sunshine said glaring at Howard. �I just came by to give Nick his gift.
�Why aren�t you staying?� Danielle asked, as everyone looked at her confused. �This was your idea.�
�Because I�m not,� Sunshine said. Howard knew the reason she wasn�t staying, but didn�t say anything. They all knew she wasn�t going to say why so didn�t bother asking.
�It kind of looks like you�re in a hurry,� Destiny began, �So Nick�s upstairs.�
�Thanks,� Sunshine said, as she walked away.
They watched, as Sunshine went upstairs and Josephine said, �She looks like shit ran over twice.�
�That was rude,� Danielle said. �But I have to agree.�
�Yeah,� the others agreed also.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sunshine found Nickolas in his room and stood outside watching him, as he changed his shirt. She waited a few seconds then knocked on the door and he looked.
�Sunnie.�
�Nick.� She stepped into the room and closed the door. �I came by to give you this.� She held out a white envelope and something wrapped in green paper.
�Sunnie, you look awful.� He walked over to her and wasn�t interested in what she was giving to him, but in the way she was looking. �It looks like you�ve been crying for days.�
�That�s because I was.� Nickolas took her in his arms. �But I don�t want any pity from anyone.�
�What happened?�
�Howie broke up with me the other day.� She threw his gift on the bed.
�I�m sorry.�
�Don�t be I�m not.� She left him go. �Maybe I deserved it for being the bitch I am. Don�t say I�m not, because I am. I�m really not upset over that, ya know. It�s just that I realized I shouldn�t have ended things between us and I hate myself for it. The way I treated you was wrong and that�s part of the reason I�m here.�
�What are you saying?�
�Well, I�ve been doing a lot of thinking the past few days and you�re right; I�m the liar.� Nickolas just looked at her. �I lied to myself and I lied to you of how I feel about you. I want to make things right between us. If it�s possible.�
�Sunnie�� She put her arms around him.
�I�m going away for awhile and I want something I can come back to.� She kissed him.
�Sunnie�� She continued kissing him and he tried to fight it. �You know how much I want to be with you, but�� She kept kissing him and he kissed her in return this time.
�I want you, Nicky. I want us to be together and I want a reason to come home.� She put her hands up the back of his shirt, as he kissed her again. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down and she pulled him down on top of her. �Make love to me tonight.� She pulled him closer and he slid a hand up her shirt, as they continued kissing. They kissed a few more minutes, but Nickolas stopped it and got up. �What�s wrong?�
�I can�t do this.�
�Why? I thought you wanted to be with me?� She got up.
�I did�I do.� He sighed. �But I can�t.� He looked at her.
�I don�t understand.�
�There are people downstairs.� They continued looking at each other.
�That�s not the reason. Don�t lie to me now, Nick.�
He took a deep breath and said, �Sweets, I�ve spent a whole year waiting for you and you never came back to me�� He lowered his head. �So I decided to move on.�
�What are you saying?� The tears filled her eyes.
�I�m seeing someone, Sweets, and you know her really well too.�
�Who is it? Dani? V? Des? Or even Jo?�
�It�s Des.�
�She told me she�d never go out with you, because of how I feel about you.�
�She asked me out.�
�Fuck�I feel like an idiot.� She took a deep breath to stop her crying. �Two rejections in three days. That�s a record for me.� She turned around to leave.
�Where are you going?�
�I�m not sure.� She walked out.
Nickolas looked at the envelope and box on the bed then walked out the door after Sunshine. �Sunnie!� She was already downstairs and he ran down after her. �Sunnie!�
�Sunn, what�s wrong?� Kevin asked.
Sunshine looked at Nick then at Destiny and then at the others and said, �Why does it matter to any of you what�s wrong with me? I never felt so betrayed in my life.� She walked out with everyone looking at her.
�Why the fuck didn�t you tell us you broke up with her?� Nickolas questioned Howard. �We then would�ve known why we didn�t see her.�
�You broke her heart,� Danielle said. �You inconsiderate prick.� She got up and walked out.
�It�s all my fault,� Josephine said. �If I didn�t tell you how I felt you two would still be together.� She got up and left also.
�It�s my fault she left,� Nickolas said. �Not anyone else�s.�
�Well, I�m going to go find Sunshine,� Venus said then gave Brian a kiss. �I�ll be back.�
�Wait, V,� Destiny said. �I�m going too.�
Nickolas grabbed Destiny�s arm and said, �I don�t think she really wants to see you right now.� She just looked at him. �I told her about us.�
�I think we all should go look for her,� Kevin stated. �She�s upset right now and could do something stupid.� They all nodded and walked out.
CHAPTER 53
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