�So you mean he just left yesterday without an explanation?� Bradley asked, as he and Sunshine sat out on the terrace at the condo after she told him the events of the day before after he left. �That doesn�t sound like Nick. None of it does.�
Sunshine got up and walked over to the banister and looked out to the ocean. She took a deep breath and said, �He really hurt me last night. I just want to know what I did wrong, because I don�t know.�
�I�m sure it�s nothing and he�ll come around.�
�That�s what Brian and Kevin said. It�s not that I�m worried, because I�m not. Ok that�s a lie. I am worried. I just�I don�t know. I�m feeling so many emotions right now. I�m hurt. I�m angry. I�m sad. I�m in love. It�s just so confusing.�
�Well it shouldn�t be.� He joined her at the banister. �You and Nick belong together. Everyone knows that.�
�I have a bad feeling though, B.�
�About what?�
�That�s just it. I�m not sure.�
�Don�t worry about it. Everything�s going to be fine.�
�I know. It�s just that Nick never acted this way before towards me.�
�Just call him and tell him how much you love him.�
�I did call him. I called him all last night and all this morning. He won�t even return my calls. I even went to see him and he wasn�t home.�
�It�s probably nothing.�
�You guys are probably right. I�m just overreacting. He�ll come by today and everything will be the way it was before.�
�That�s the spirit.�
�Are you hungry?�
�Actually I have to go meet Rich and Devin.�
�Alright; I�ll see ya later then.�
�Definitely.� They went inside and he gave her a hug before he left.
Sunshine looked at the clock as the door opened. She looked hoping it was Nickolas and saw Josephine and Howard instead. She just stood there and wondered if Nickolas was ever going to show up. She picked up the phone and dialed Nickolas� number. She left it ring ten times, but no one answered. She put the phone down and started walking to the kitchen. She stopped when the phone rang and looked at Josephine, as she picked it up. Josephine just shook her head and walked away. Sunshine looked at Howard and he walked over to her.
�Did you talk to him yet?� Howard asked.
�No,� Sunshine replied. �He won�t return my calls and he wasn�t home when I went down yesterday. I stayed the night and he never showed. Aaron hasn�t even seen him. I just got back this afternoon and calling him nonstop.�
�He�ll come around soon. I know he will, because he really loves you. You�re meant to be together.�
�This coming from the guy who�s still in love with me. Can my life get more screwed up than it already is?�
�Don�t get use to it.� Sunshine only looked at him. �When I told Kevin I was still in love with you I had no intentions of trying to get you back. I still don�t, because you�re very much in love with Nick. I want you to know hat there�s no hard feelings between us.�
�I�m glad you realize how much I love Nick and how much I want to be with him, but why can�t you tell Josie? She�s your girlfriend and you�re supposed to be honest with her. I don�t want you, Howie. I really never wanted you and I know I will never want you now or in the future.�
�I plan on telling Josie, but when I do tell her neither you nor me will win her trust again.�
�I don�t understand.� Howard told her about the conversation they had after she left yesterday. After Howard was done, Sunshine just looked at him. �Damn, but that�s not really my fault.�
�That�s one of the reasons I don�t want to tell her, because she�ll go after you and I don�t want that. It�s not your fault.�
�Damn right it ain�t. But you�re going to tell her?�
�I�ll tell her the truth. She deserves that much if not all my love.�
�It includes everything, D; from you admitting you still love me to kissing me. She needs to hear the whole truth.�
�I�m going to tell her the whole truth.�
�Good; if you�ll excuse me. I need to start dinner.� She walked away and Howard just stood there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josephine stood in the hallway with tears in her eyes. She overheard everything Howard and Sunshine had said. She didn�t want to believe any of it, but what she heard was actually said. Sunshine was supposed to be her best friend and Howard was supposed to be her soul mate. They were both just a big joke. She never felt so betrayed.
She stood there a minute then began to think. This is what Sunshine felt when she broke her and Howard up. And what she felt when Destiny went out with Nickolas. It was her turn to get heartbroken. She couldn�t blame Sunshine, but she was going to. She was going to because she was so beautiful.
She didn�t want them to see her upset so she went to the bathroom and washed up. She put on a smile and walked back out to the parlor. She walked over to Howard, as he smiled at her.
�That took awhile,� Howard said.
�They wouldn�t shut up,� Josephine lied.
�Who was it?�
�A friend from back home. Where�s Sunn?�
�Oh, um�in the kitchen making dinner.�
�Why ain�t you helping? You love to help.�
�She wants to be alone. Even thought she didn�t say it you can tell by her face. She thinks she did something to Nick.�
�The only thing she did was fall in love with him the moment she saw him. There�s nothing wrong with that.�
�Not a thing.� Josephine kissed him.
�Hey guys,� Sunshine interrupted. �Dinner will be done in twenty minutes.�
�What is it?� Josephine asked.
�Chicken stir fry and a salad.�
�Sounds good.� Sunshine went back the hall and Josephine looked at Howard. �Then we can have desert.�
�Maybe,� Howard teased. �If you eat all your dinner.�
She smiled and said, �I love you.�
�I love you.� He didn�t take a second to think about it. Hearing those words made a part of Josephine happy again and she kissed him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
An hour and a half later, Sunshine was in the kitchen putting the dishes in the dishwasher and thinking about Nickolas. He didn�t show up for dinner as planned and she started to worry more. The fear of something bad happening to him started taking over him and it made her nervous. She picked up a glass and noticed that she was really shaky. She carefully put the glass in the dishwasher so not to drop it.
She looked at her watch and realized it�s been twenty-four hours since she last saw Nickolas. Where was he? Did something bad happen to him? Did he skip town like she once did? So many things going through her mind. None of which had answers. She was beginning to fear the worse.
She reached for the phone just as she heard Howard say, �Hey, Nick. Sunn�s going to be happy to see you.� Sunshine looked out to the parlor and saw Nickolas standing there. �She�s in the kitchen.�
Nickolas didn�t have a chance to get to the kitchen, as Sunshine came running out. She jumped into Nickolas� arms and kissed him. �Oh, Nicky,� Sunshine said. �I was starting to think something bad happened to you.�
�I�m fine, Sunnie,� Nickolas assured her, as she hugged him.
�I love you! I love you! I love you! I�ll say it every second until I die.� She kissed him again.
�Where have you been?� Josephine asked. �I was waiting for her to take a plunge from the balcony.�
Sunshine released herself from Nickolas, as he said, �Can you guys leave us? Please? I want to talk to Sunnie in private.�
�Sure,� Howard said winking and smiling. �We were heading out anyway.�
�We�ll see ya later,� Sunshine said, as they went out the door. �I called you and called you. I even went to the house. Where were you?�
�Around,� Nickolas said. �Sit.�
�What�s wrong?� She looked at him worried. �Don�t lie to me either.� They sat side by side on the sofa and Nickolas just looked at her. �What is it?�
�I was thinking for the past twenty-four hours, but first I want to apologize for the way I acted towards you yesterday. It was wrong and I�m sorry.�
�Hey, don�t worry about it, Baby. All that matters is that you�re with me again.�
�That�s just it, Sweets; I�ve been thinking about us.� Sunshine looked at him interested. �The thing is�oh man.� He took a deep breath. �I never realized how hard this was going to be. It�s hard because I love you and I don�t want to hurt you. I just need to find the right words.�
�What are you trying to say, Nicky? What is it?�
�Sweets, believe me when I say I really deeply with all my heart body and soul love you.�
�I do; you know that.�
�It�s just that�damn I can�t do this. I can�t hurt you.�
�You already are.� Nickolas looked at her, as she said those words. She looked at him as so many bad ideas went through her mind. She wiped her tear filled eyes and said, �There�s a bunch of ideas going through my mind right now. None of them are good. So what I need from you right now is to tell me which one it is. You need to be honest with me. Just tell me.�
Nickolas looked at her then took her face in his hands. He looked into her eyes and then kissed her. She kissed him in return and he felt her tears and it made him sick. After the kiss they just looked at each other and Nickolas wiped away her tears. Nickolas took another deep breath and said, �All the apologies in the universe can�t express how deeply sorry I am right now. I really thought about this and made up my mind. I�m not doing this to hurt you. Truth is I�ll be just as hurt, but�� Sunshine waited patiently as she took his hands in hers. �But I can�t�I�m sorry, but I can�t marry you.� Sunshine left his hands go and just sat there in silence. �I know it�s not what you want to hear, but its how I�m feeling. I�m sorry.�
�Oh.� She got up calmly and stopped the tears from coming, as she walked away from him. She kept her back towards him, while saying, �For a minute there I thought you were going to say you fucked some slutty whore.�
�Sunnie.� He got up and started walking towards her, as she picked up a picture.
�Don�t�please tell me you�re not serious.� She turned around and Nickolas saw the tears in her eyes.
�I�m sorry, but I am.�
�Nicky.� She looked at him then at the picture. He started towards her, but she stopped him by throwing the picture. It missed him and hit the wall. �You prick! Don�t come near me! You know how much I love you and want to be with you, but you have to ruin it!�
�I�m sorry. I do love you.�
�But why? Why break my heart yet again?�
�I can�t explain it.�
�You can, but you just don�t want to. Just leave please, because I hate you right now. Don�t come back either.� She was in complete tears. Nickolas stood there a moment, hating himself, and then slowly started towards the door. Sunshine looked at her hand and started taking her engagement ring off. �And take this fucking stupid cheap-ass ring with ya!� Nickolas turned around just as she threw the ring at him. He caught it and just looked at her. �I swear you�ll regret this day. Get the hell out of my house!� Nickolas did as she wished and she picked up a candle jar and threw it at the door.
CHAPTER 9
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