The guys were in New York at the recording studio and Sunshine joined them. Sunshine had promised Bradley that she wouldn�t go anywhere while he went to Los Angeles, but broke that promise when she went up to New York to see the guys. She sat in the studio with the guys as they took a break. She looked at the guys, as Brian talked on the phone, Howard and Kevin were talking to the producers, Alexander messed around with the band and Nickolas sat next to her. They looked at each other and she grinned, as he coughed.
�You�re not sounding too good,� Sunshine said.
�I wonder why,� Nickolas said and she smiled. �If someone hadn�t kissed me while she was sick then I wouldn�t be getting sick right now.�
�Sorry,� Sunshine apologized and Nickolas smiled.
�So what�d Bradley say when he found out you were here?�
�He wasn�t too happy, but after I told him about this salesman coming to the condo every hour he understood. I really didn�t have anything to do anyway besides sit around and twiddle my thumbs. Plus he�ll be here today sometime, ya know, so it would�ve just been a waste to go out to Los Angeles when I would have to leave right away anyway.�
�True, true.� She sighed. �Why�d you come here instead of going home to see the girls and your family?�
Sunshine just looked at him a moment then said, �I guess I�m not really ready to see Josephine and Destiny. I know it�s been almost a month and if I went back I�d see them. I guess�I don�t know. Do you understand what I�m trying to say?�
�I think so. But why�d you forgive me? I�d think you�d forgive Josie and Des before me, that�s what I don�t understand.�
�Who said I forgave you completely? You hurt me a lot.�
�I�m sorry. I shouldn�t have said anything.�
�Just because I slept with you that night you told me you loved me doesn�t mean I forgave you.� He just looked at her and she sighed.
�How are you feeling health wise?�
�A little better.� She was glad he changed the subject. �Thanks for worrying about me.�
�No problem.�
They just sat there watching Alexander for a moment then Sunshine said, �Nick, I want you to do something for me.� Nickolas looked at her and she continued, �I want you to date other girls.� He looked at her a bit confused. �I know how much you�re in love with me and the thing is I don�t want you to waste another year waiting for me. I�m just not ready to confess my undying love for someone and settle down. I don�t want you pining after me when you know I�m not ready. Sometimes I get the feeling that you�re pressuring me to make a decision about who I�m going to spend the rest of my life with. That�s why I get mad at you at times. Yes I care very deeply for you, but I�m with Brad right now and I really care about him too.�
�That�s the last thing I want to do to you, Sweets. I love you too much.�
�I know.� She covered Nickolas� hand with her own, as Brian walked over.
�It�s great to see you two getting along,� Brian said.
�We�re slowly getting back on track,� Nickolas stated.
�That�s great,� Brian said smiling.
�If you�ll excuse me,� Sunshine said getting up. �I need to use the restroom and I told Bradley I would call him about this time.� She walked away and the two guys watched her walk out.
�Sunn�s a great girl,� Brian said.
�Yes she is,� Nickolas agreed. �Sometimes I wonder if she�s happy though.�
�She seems like she is,� Brian replied. �But she does seem to have her distant moments.� Nickolas nodded. �I think if something was wrong Brad would let us know. I mean we�re all friends, right.� Nickolas nodded. �And he knows how important Sunshine means to you.�
�I just want her to be happy whether it is with me or with someone else.�
�I know, Nick.�
�As long as she�s happy then I�m happy myself.�
�Did you tell her that?�
�No.�
�Maybe ya should.�
�I don�t want her to be more confused than she already is, ya know. I already confused her when I told her I was in love with her. I just don�t want to make things worse for her, ya know.�
�Yeah.�
�Maybe you should talk to Brad.�
�I don�t know.� He sighed. �She wants me to date other girls until she�s ready and not waste another year thinking of only her.�
�Maybe you should. She might feel a lot better knowing you�re not thinking of her 24/7.�
�It�s not that easy, ya know. Sunnie�s the first girl I ever truly loved and I see her almost everyday.�
�I understand, Nick, but you can�t let her control your life.� Nickolas just looked at him, as Kevin called them. �Let�s go sing and all that love you have for Sunn you can put it into the music.�
�Thanks, Bro.�
�No problem.� They got up and walked into the other room to continue recording.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Hey,� Bradley said, as the Boys got off the elevator.
�Hey, man,� Kevin said.
�Did any of you see Sunn?� Bradley asked. �She left a note at the desk saying she wasn�t going to be here.�
�Not since this afternoon at the studio,� Brian replied. �Didn�t she say where she was going?�
�Nope,� Bradley said. �She said she was going to be here in New York waiting.�
�She left me a note,� Nickolas said and they looked at him. �She�s taking my advice and going to PA to talk to the girls and make amends.�
�That�s a first,� Alexander snickered. �Someone taking your advice.�
�Well I must�ve said something right,� Nickolas said. �Because Sunnie never takes advice from me. I didn�t really give her advice actually. I just said how weird it was that she�d forgive me and not Josephine and Destiny considering they�re best friends.�
�She couldn�t have forgiven you completely,� Howard began, �because she didn�t me.�
�Sorry, Brad,� Alexander apologized for what he was ready to say, �but Nick�s the love of Sunn�s life so of course she�ll forgive him.�
�Well she didn�t,� Nickolas said. �Not completely anyway.�
�So she went to Pennsylvania,� Bradley said. �At least she didn�t go to Australia.�
�Didn�t she leave ya a note?� Kevin asked just as Bradley�s cell phone rang.
�Just this one,� Bradley said holding the paper up then answered his phone. He talked a few seconds on the phone then said, �Excuse me, it�s Sunn.�
He walked away then Alexander said, �I knew she�d call.�
�Whatever, Alex,� Nickolas said.
�Anyway,� Howard said, �I�m out of here. I�ll catch ya�ll later.�
�I�m with Howie,� Alexander said. �I�m going shopping.�
Both Howard and Alexander left and Kevin asked Nickolas, �How is it that Sunn left you a note telling you where she�s going and not her boyfriend?�
�I don�t know,� Nickolas replied. �She must not be that mad at me anymore. That�s the only thing I can think of.�
�She must not be if she left ya a note,� Brian said.
�We�re understanding each other now so things are cool between us somewhat,� Nickolas said. �She can�t stay mad at me forever and she knows that. And she also knows how sorry I am for pushing her away when she needed me the most. I hate myself enough for the both of us.�
�Good,� Brian said and Nickolas looked at him.
�Ya can�t make me feel any worse so don�t bother trying,� Nickolas said.
�I wasn�t going to,� Brian said. �I�ll just leave that to Kevin.�
�Thanks a lot,� Kevin said.
�I�ll see ya guys later,� Brian said walking away.
�So what kind of hold do you have over Sunshine?� Kevin questioned and Nickolas looked at him.
�What are you talking about?� Nickolas asked beginning to walk and Kevin followed him.
�You know exactly what I�m talking about,� Kevin stated.
�No I don�t,� Nickolas replied.
�Don�t give me that shit, Little Brother. You have something over her that makes her keep running back to you no matter what. So what is it?�
�Nothing.� Nickolas just smiled and walked out of the hotel.
CHAPTER 12
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