�What�s going on?� Danielle asked stepping into the bathroom, as everyone looked.
�Nothing,� Sunshine said holding her towel up so it wouldn�t fall again.
�Then why�d you scream?� Howard asked.
�Nick scared me,� Sunshine replied and they all just looked at them. �I had my back turned and when I turned around I saw Nick, who I was least expecting.�
�That it?� Danielle asked.
�That�s it,� Sunshine and Nickolas said in unison.
�Alright,� Danielle said then turning around. �What are you all gawking at? The shows over now go.�
�I live for excitement,� Alexander said. �He most likely saw her sans clothes. Or in this case sans towel. You lucky dog, Nick.�
�Alright, Alex,� Venus said pushing him. �Let�s go, because you�ve seen enough.�
�Sorry about that, Sunn,� Josephine apologized. �I thought you were in your bedroom.� Sunshine and Nickolas just looked at each other.
�Howie, what are you still doing here?� Danielle yelled. �Go now!� Howard left and Danielle turned to Nickolas ready to say something, but Sunshine stopped her.
�You better not even be thinking about yelling at him, Danielle,� Sunshine warned. �He had no clue I was in here.�
�Alright I won�t,� Danielle said. �Don�t let it happen again. Now leave.�
�It�s my condo,� Sunshine said. �Not yours.�
�I just meant the bathroom,� Danielle said. �Josephine, get your boyfriend out of here.�
�C�mon, Nick,� Josephine said taking his hand. Nickolas glanced at Sunshine who quickly turned her head so he wouldn�t see the pain in her eyes. Josephine dragged Nickolas out of the bathroom and Danielle dragged Sunshine to the bedroom.
�Will you please tell me what that was all about?� Danielle questioned shutting the door.
�I did,� Sunshine said. �Nick walked in the bathroom while I was in there, scaring me.�
�Not that. When Nick looked at you, you looked away. What was that about?�
�Nothing.�
�Don�t lie to me, Sunshine.�
�How comes when it involves Nickolas I�m always lying?�
�Because you always do. You were lying when you said you�re not in love with him.�
Sunshine just looked at her, as there was a knock and she said, �Yeah.�
�It�s Kevin, may I come in?� he asked.
�Just a minute,� Sunshine said. She quickly got dressed then opened the door to leave Kevin in. �Hey, Kev.�
�Hey, Sunn,� Kevin said stepping in. Sunshine closed the door, as Kevin said, �Alex told me what happened.�
�No surprise there,� Sunshine said.
�As I was saying,� Danielle began, �there�s a reason you turned your head when Nick looked at you. What is it?�
�I told you nothing,� Sunshine replied.
�Liar,� Sunshine said. �Kevin, a little help here.�
�I�m not going to force it out of her,� Kevin said. �Even though she�ll feel much better if she got it out.�
�Fine I�ll tell ya,� Sunshine said.
�You�re good,� Danielle stated, as Kevin gave a little grin and sat beside her on the bed. �What�s bothering you, Sunn?�
�Why�d you look away from Nickolas?� Kevin asked.
Sunshine looked at them both. She didn�t say anything for a minute then she said, �I looked away from Nicky, because I didn�t want him to see the pain in my eyes when he was holding Jo�s hand.�
�But wasn�t it you who suggested he date other girls?� Kevin questioned a bit confused.
�Yeah,� Sunshine answered sitting on the bed. �But I didn�t think seeing him with another girl, especially my best girl friend, would hurt me so much.� She laid on her stomach and buried her face in her arms. �Am I wrong to feel this way?�
�Not at all,� Kevin said rubbing her back. �You wouldn�t be human then.�
�I�m feeling all the things Nick was feeling,� Sunshine said. �But why?�
�Because you�re in love with him,� Danielle said.
There was silence a moment then Sunshine lifted her head and looked at them both. She sat up and said, �I guess I do love him.�
�You guess,� Danielle repeated. �It�s either �I do love him� or �I don�t love him� not �I guess�.�
�There�s more than just him being with Josephine,� Kevin began, �that�s making you feel this way. Isn�t there?�
Sunshine just looked at him and Danielle asked, �Does it have to do with what we talked about the other day?�
�Kind of,� Sunshine said.
�You didn�t,� Kevin and Danielle said in unison.
Sunshine just gave them a little smirk, as Kevin and Danielle shook their heads and Sunshine said, �You act like it�s a big deal.�
�It is,� they said together and Kevin added, �Are you hurting because you two had...sex and he went out with Josephine?�
�No,� Sunshine said. �I�m hurting because I started going out with Bradley, hurting Nick.�
�Um�when did you two...� Danielle began, �what led up to it?�
Sunshine got off the bed and started, �Remember that day Alex had that big Bar-b-que the day after I got back?� Kevin and Danielle nodded. �And after I had that spat with Howie, I left.�
�You came to my place,� Kevin said.
�Yeah,� Sunshine said. �After I left, I went for a drive and found myself at Nick�s at the beach.� They looked at her. �Well, when I was there, Nick showed up before I had a chance to leave. We talked and I was ready to leave, but decided to stay until I knew Nick was all right.� Sunshine looked at them and continued, �We sat there in each other�s arms just holding each other, and it was so wonderful. I felt very safe in his arms, the whole��
�Sunshine,� Danielle said.
�Sorry,� Sunshine replied. �Anyway, as we sat there we gazed into each others eyes and began kissing. I stopped the kiss and just looked deep into Nick�s baby blues.� Danielle and Kevin looked at Sunshine interested, as she walked over to the window and looked out. �It�s weird, because when I looked into his eyes I realized how much I love him.�
�Wow,� Kevin and Danielle said. �Go on.�
Sunshine walked over to the nightstand with Kevin and Danielle still looking at her. She picked up a picture of her and Nickolas and said, �When I realized I love Nick I was ready to tell him, but I stopped myself and kissed him instead. He kissed me in return and then one thing led to another. That�s the real story of how I ended up spending the night at his house. We promised each other we wouldn�t say anything.� She sat down on the bed and laid back holding the picture to her chest. �So there�s the whole story of that night. Ok, not the whole whole story. I spared ya the real intimate details.�
�Sex on the beach,� Danielle said in dreamland. �How romantic. I hope I get a man that would like to do that.�
�Danielle, come back to earth please,� Kevin said then turning to Sunshine. �I kind of figured that the story of you getting to close to the water wasn�t true, but I wasn�t sure.�
�How�d ya know?� Sunshine asked.
�You were talking way too fast,� Kevin said. �It was like you were trying to get away from me.�
�I want a man that tells me he loves me,� Danielle began, �and then we go and make love on the beach.�
�Danielle!� Kevin and Sunshine yelled.
�What? Oh yes,� Danielle said. �He better of have used protection, because if not I�m going out there and killing him right now.�
�He did,� Sunshine lied. �Don�t worry. He has more respect for me than that.�
�I hope you knew what you were doing,� Danielle said. �And it wasn�t just an act of rebellion.�
�It wasn�t,� Sunshine said. �I must admit though, the next morning I regretted doing it.� Danielle and Kevin looked at her confused. �I didn�t regret it being with Nick, he was great, but the fact that I didn�t wait until I was married like I wanted to.�
�At least you can say your first time was with a Backstreet Boy,� Danielle snickered and Kevin looked at her. �Sorry.�
�I have a question,� Sunshine said. �How comes me having sex is, like, a sin, but when Destiny did it with Brian nobody lectured either of them?�
�Well, Sunn,� Danielle began, �Des did it before and it didn�t help then. Because she did it again.�
�Crieky,� Sunshine said sitting up. �Destiny�s a nymphomaniac. She could�ve had sex with Nicky.� She got up off the bed and walked to the door. �I need to find out.�
�Why?� Danielle asked.
�Because if they did then that means I would�ve had sex with someone my best friend slept with,� Sunshine replied. �And that�s just�ewwww�totally gross.� She opened the door and left the room.
�She�s mental,� Danielle said.
�Not that mental,� Kevin replied. �Nick is a good guy so it�s not like he�s going to ignore her afterwards.� Danielle nodded, as Sunshine walked back in. �That was quick.�
�Well he was getting ready to go into the bathroom,� Sunshine replied closing the door. �I asked him, he said no, and then I walked away.� She just stood there then said, �He is so cute. His smile and voice make my heart melt.� She sat between them on the bed. �When he kisses me and holds me in his arms I just melt.�
�Why don�t you just tell him you love him?� Kevin suggested.
�I can�t,� Sunshine said. �I�m not ready yet and I guess I kind of like playing hard to get with him.�
�For two years?� Danielle said, as Sunshine smiled.
�Then there�s Bradley,� Sunshine stated. �He�s just as great as Nicky is and I think I�m falling for him just the same.� They looked at her, as she sighed.
�What are you going to do?� Kevin asked and Sunshine just shrugged, as there was a knock and the door opened.
Destiny walked in and handed Sunshine the telephone saying, �It�s Brad.�
�Thanks,� Sunshine said taking the telephone. Destiny walked out and Sunshine looked at Danielle and Kevin who got up and left the room. She waited a couple seconds then put the telephone to her ear.
CHAPTER 15
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