They continued walking a few moments not saying anything then Destiny asked, �What�s the real reason you asked me out?�
�I want to get to know you better,� Howard replied. �The girls give you such high praises so I decided to risk it.� Destiny looked at him and grinned. �Why�d you say yes?�
�I didn�t want to be rude and no one else asked me out.� They laughed. �And you�re a really sweet guy.�
�Thank you. You�re a really sweet girl.�
�Stop you�re making me blush.� They laughed.
�Tonight�s been great.�
�Yes it has.� They walked a moment more until they reached Destiny�s building. �Well, here we are. Thanks for walking me.�
�May I walk you up?�
�If you really want to.�
�I do.�
�Then let�s go. I have to get up early for work.� Howard opened the door and left Destiny inside. They walked up to the fourth floor to her apartment. They walked to the end of the hall and stood outside the apartment. �So.� They looked at each other and Howard leaned in and kissed her. She kissed him in return a moment then pulled away. �I�ll see ya tomorrow.�
�Definitely.� Destiny smiled and unlocked her door. She looked at Howard and he watched her open the door and go inside. He waited a moment then walked away.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So this is fun,� Josephine said and Nickolas looked at her.
�What is?� Nickolas asked confused.
�Just sitting here with you and being in your arms,� Josephine stated with a smile. �I couldn�t ask for anything else.� He nodded not sure what to say. �I�m actually glad Sunshine went with Brad tonight.�
�Why?�
�Because then we wouldn�t be able to be like this. Ya know, be all sweet to each other. She would be having a problem with it and reminding us that this is her place and if I want to live here I have to follow the rules and shit. She can be so�I can�t think of that word I�m looking for.�
�Well this is her place and we should have respect no matter what. I mean would you want to come home and see your roommate and their other half all over each other in your place?�
�Well no.�
�Alright then. You might not like Sunnie�s rules, but you should at least respect her and those rules since she�s giving you a place to live.� Josephine just rolled her eyes and shook her head. �I�m being serious. I think I know Sunnie pretty well to know that if you don�t obey her house rules she�ll kick ya out on your ass and then where will ya live?�
�With you.�
Nickolas looked at her. �I don�t think so.�
�Why not? I am your girlfriend.�
�I already lived with a girlfriend and it was hell. I ain�t living with another girl unless it�s my sisters or mother or unless I get married.� Josephine just looked at him. �And the latter ain�t happening anytime in the near future.� What a lie that was. Once I get that ring Sunnie�s going to be the one that I�ll be moving in with and no one else. He smiled at the thought and Josephine looked at him closely.
�What are you smiling at?�
�Nothing.�
�Don�t give me nothing. I ain�t that stupid. You�re thinking about me aren�t ya?�
�Uh�yeah.� He smiled at her and she kissed him.
�Sunn�s not going to kick me out for getting freaky with my boyfriend. She ain�t that cruel.�
�She is full of surprises anymore.�
�But she�s not going to kick out her best friend.�
�I wouldn�t hold my breath on that one. I think that if you piss her off enough she�ll do it and not have any regrets. I�d be careful of what I say and do if I were you.�
�I�ve known Sunn longer than you have and know her better than you do. She�d never be that cruel and kick someone out.�
�You already pissed her off once, Jo.�
�When?�
�When you told D you were still in love with him and he broke up with her because of it.�
�That was how long? That�s ancient history.�
�After that I�m surprised she left you move in with her.�
�She loves me what can I say.� She smiled, but Nickolas wasn�t amused. �What does it matter? She left you back in her life after you went out with Des and that was a promise Des broke.�
�She loves me what can I say.� He smiled this time and Josephine shook her head.
�Sunn needs someone like Brad.�
�Why do you say that?�
�So he can get her mind off you and then I don�t have to worry about her trying to steal you from me. Brad will be good for her.�
�Yeah; if you say so.�
�I know so.� She smiled and Nickolas gave a little weak grin and thought about what Sunshine and Bradley were doing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sunshine sat by the pool and watched, as Bradley climbed out. She smiled, as the water dripped off him, and she said, �Mmm, Bradley, you�re looking�doable.� She continued smiling, as Bradley looked at her and got his towel. �Just being honest.�
�I know,� Bradley said wiping off his face and Sunshine got up.
�Did ya have a nice swim?�
�Yeah; it was relaxing.� She nodded. �It would�ve been better if you joined me.�
�You know I don�t swim.�
�Who said we had to swim?� She looked at him and he grinned. �So�dinner was nice.�
�Yes it was. Teryl seems nice.�
�Yeah she does.�
�She�s sweet�normal�Rich could use a girl like her instead of the ones that are into the whole Hollywood scene, ya know.�
�Yeah.� Sunshine played with the candle on the table and Bradley walked over to her. �What about us, Sunn?� She looked at him.
�You ended it because of Nick, remember? I didn�t want it to end, but you chose what happened for the both of us.� She looked back at the candle.
�And I made a mistake.� She looked at him again. �I want us to give it another shot.�
�Is that why you asked me to dinner?�
�Yeah and I missed hanging with you.� She sighed and looked back at the candle. �What do ya say? Do ya want to give it another go?�
�I don�t know, B.� She rubbed her face with her hands and sighed disgustedly. �I just spent, like, a week and a half in Europe with Nick and then I come home to this�to you. I just�I asked Nick to marry me in Europe and he turned me down. He tells everyone he loves me, but he turns me down. After my complete humiliation I don�t know what I want anymore. I�ll probably be happier single and right now that�s what I want. I don�t want to have to answer to anyone of where I�m going, why I�m going, what I�m doing, or why I�m doing it. I just don�t want that hassle right now. I don�t need that hassle. I love you, Brad, but right now I don�t want to be with anyone.� He just looked at her. �At least with someone that knows me inside out like you and Nick do. I�ve been going back and forth with you and Nick and I want something different. I�ll love the both of you no matter what, but it�s not what I want at the moment. I need to find out who I really am and what I really want. I can�t keep going back and forth and pulling you both along. It�s not fair to either one of you.�
�Sunnie��
�I�m sorry, Brad, but that�s how I feel right now. Dani and I had a long talk the other day and she got me thinking�a lot. I just�I�m young yet and�it�s�she said I run away from things that are going to turn out good and that I�m afraid of commitment.� Bradley looked at her. �I don�t know if she was talking about you and me or me and Nick or what. If I was afraid of commitment I wouldn�t have asked Nick to marry me.�
�Why did you ask him to marry you?� She looked at him and shrugged. She did love him, but in all honesty she really didn�t know why she asked him. �Sunnie.�
�I don�t know.� She sat down and Bradley sat beside her. �Ya know, the only thing I�m afraid of is spending my life alone. I don�t want that loneliness, ya know, so I guess that�s why I did it. That fear of living alone and without love got the better of me and it scared the shit out of me.�
�You�re not going to spend your life alone.� She didn�t say anything and refolded the towel beside her. She did it repeatedly until Bradley took it from her and she looked at him.
�What?�
�What�s going on? And don�t say nothing either.�
She waited a moment before saying, �I�m going to have to end up hurting someone and I don�t want to do that. I don�t want to go through breaking someone�s heart, because I won�t be able to forgive myself. And I know what it feels like.�
�Why don�t we just forget about that tonight and finish the night without any worriment and heartaches and whatever else is going on with you? It�s a beautiful night so let�s enjoy it like we used to.� She looked at him and managed a smile.
�I guess I can do that.�
�Good.� She hugged him and he gladly returned the hug.
�Thank you, B.�
�You�re welcome, but for what?�
�Just being here.�
�It�s nothing. I�ll always be here.�
�That�s what I wanted to hear.�
CHAPTER 12
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