Sunshine and Nickolas got everyone together at Brian�s house at his and Danielle�s request. No one knew why they were there since Danielle and Brian were out of town and Nickolas and Sunshine didn�t say anything to spoil the surprise. They just left them go on guessing and waited for Brian and Danielle to show up. Sunshine and Nickolas sat in the kitchen while everyone else hung outside.
Sunshine stopped her pacing and sat beside Nickolas at the table beside Nickolas. They looked at each other and she said, �What if Dani figures out something is wrong with me? What should I do?�
�I highly doubt she�ll notice, because she�ll be concentrating on their little reception,� Nickolas replied. �And if she does you�re an excellent actress. Just act your way around it and she�ll never suspect a thing.�
�I don�t think I can keep pretending nothing�s wrong. I�m afraid someone�s going to find out.�
�Like I said before, we�ll worry about that when the time comes. If they find out it�ll because of all your worrying.�
�I�m sorry. I just don�t think�I�m just scared that�s all.�
�You�ll be fine tonight. I promise.� She kissed him and Nickolas just looked at her.
�What?� He touched the side of her face. �What?�
�I was just wondering if when you kiss me; do you feel anything? Is the passion there?� Sunshine only looked at him not knowing what to say. �It�s not, is it?�
�Nicky, I feel a little passion when we kiss. It�s just not all there. It�s not going to stop me from kissing you. You just need to give me time.�
�What happened?�
�I don�t know. I think I just made myself stop enjoying what we shared after we went to Vegas. I was afraid it was over and then you learned my secret.�
�It�s not going to end between us. We�re going to be together for life.�
�You�re just going to have to help me.�
�That won�t be a problem.� He smiled and took his hand up and down her arm. Sunshine looked at him and smiled also, as he kissed her. �Just tell me what I need to do.�
�Just what you�re doing now.�
�Hey, guys,� Brian interrupted and Sunshine quickly put on her sunglasses.
�Hey,� Nickolas said getting up. �How was Spain?�
�Beautiful,� Danielle said. �You have to go.�
�Nicky already has our honeymoon spot picked out,� Sunshine said softly. �But he won�t say where.� She got up and gave Danielle a hug. �Welcome home, Mrs. Littrell.�
�Thank you,� Danielle said. �What�s with the shades? Trying to be Alex?�
�Just a case of pink eye,� Sunshine lied. She walked over to Brian and as they put their arms around each other, Sunshine just froze. They looked at her confused, as she just stared at Brian.
�Sunn, are you all right?� Brian asked.
�Huh?� Sunshine said. �I�m fine. Welcome home.� She quickly hugged him and walked over to Nickolas. She put her arm around him and started to bite her nails.
�She�s just not feeling well,� Nickolas lied putting his arm around her. �But everyone�s here and waiting patiently.�
�You didn�t say anything, did you?� Danielle asked.
�Of course not,� Nickolas said. �We kept busy so they wouldn�t ask any questions.�
�I think it�s time then,� Brian said. �Let everyone know we�re married.�
�I agree,� Danielle said. �Coming guys?�
�In a minute,� Nickolas said and Danielle and Brian walked out. Nickolas looked at Sunshine and asked, �What�s wrong, Sweets?�
�Nothing,� Sunshine lied. �Is it time for my medicine?�
�Not until you go to bed.�
�Oh.�
�What�s bothering you?�
�I�m fine, Baby.� She grinned. �Let�s just have a fun time tonight.� She left him go and started walking to the door. Nickolas just watched her and turned around. �Coming?�
�Yeah.� He walked over to her and they went outside hand-in-hand. Nickolas and Sunshine stood on the porch with Danielle and Brian, as everyone else stared at them.
�Dani and I have some very big news,� Brian said.
�You�re getting married!� Alexander yelled.
�We are married,� Danielle said, as she and Brian showed their wedding bands.
�When did this happen?� Destiny questioned.
�November 5, 2005,� Brian said. �We went to Spain for our honeymoon. Nick and Sunn knew, because they went to Vegas with us.�
�Did you guys get married too?� Howard asked.
�No,� Nickolas said. �Not until May.�
�Congratulations,� Kevin said walking up to them. �Best of luck.� He hugged them both. �Venus and I are getting married.�
�Congratulations,� Brian said. �When?�
�April 29,� Venus replied. �Will you be a bridesmaid, Dani?�
�Um�there�s something else,� Danielle said and everyone just looked at them. �In June, Brian and I are going to have a baby.�
�You go, Rok!� Alexander yelled cheering and everyone laughed at him.
�Pig,� Destiny said walking away and over to Danielle. �Just ignore him. Congrats.� She hugged Danielle and for the next fifteen minutes everyone congratulated them on their nuptials and pregnancy.
When everyone was done congratulating them they all sat down and began eating. Nickolas and Sunshine sat at a table with Kevin and Venus and they looked at the small amount of food on Sunshine�s plate. No one said anything and just ate their food. Nickolas looked at Sunshine about ten minutes later and noticed she hardly ate anything.
Nickolas looked at his fianc�e again, as she stared at her plate, and said, �Sunnie, you hardly touched your food. Are you ok?�
�I�m fine,� Sunshine lied.
�Why aren�t you eating?� Kevin questioned.
�I�m not really hungry.�
�You have to eat, Sunn,� Kevin stated. �And not one little tiny bite.�
�I just�� Sunshine began, but didn�t finish.
�What?� Nickolas asked.
�Nothing; and don�t harass me about it either.�
�Ok,� Venus said. �But will you eat.� Sunshine only looked at her. �Sunn, you hardly eat anymore; we all took notice. Are you ok?�
�I said I�m fine.�
�We even noticed how skinny you�re getting,� Kevin pointed out, but Sunshine said nothing, as she looked at Kevin and Venus. �Are you anorexic?�
�No; of course not. I just haven�t been hungry.�
�Aren�t you feeling well?� Sunshine just looked at him not knowing what to say. She then looked at Nickolas, as Kevin said, �If you�re not feeling well you should go to the doctor.�
�I�m fine, Kevin.� She turned her head. She rested her head on Nickolas� arm and looked at the other guests. Nickolas rubbed her one arm, as she spied Brian. She just looked at him, as she said, �I�m just stressed. I just have a lot to do.� Brian looked her way and she quickly looked back at the others.
�Are you depressed about anything?� Venus questioned. �I saw a��
�No; I�m not depressed.� Nickolas looked at her. �Excuse me.� She got up and Nickolas watched her go inside. Nickolas stopped eating and thought about what to do.�
�Sunn�s not fine, is she?� Venus questioned and Nickolas looked at her. �She�s been like this for the past two weeks. I want the truth, Nick. I want to know what�s wrong with Sunn and I want to know now.�
�Sunnie�s fine,� Nickolas said.
�Bullshit!� Venus yelled and slammed her fist down on the table and everyone looked. �Something�s wrong with her and I�ll be damned if I let you leave here without finding out what it is! So are you going to tell me?� Nickolas just looked at her and they noticed everyone looked at them. �Well?�
�Venus, calm down,� Kevin said.
�Not until I get an answer. Sunn doesn�t walk around looking the way she does for no reason. What is wrong with her, Nickolas? I want an answer and I want it now.�
�Sunnie�s�� Nickolas began, but interrupted.
�You�re not going to get one, Venus,� Sunshine replied from the porch and everyone looked. Nickolas quickly got up and walked over to her. �I�m handling this myself and don�t need anyone�s help, but Nick�s.�
�I�m just�� Venus said.
�I don�t care. This is a part of my life not yours. I just wish you people would mind your own fucking business for once. You guys always knew what was happening with me, but this time you�re not going to. You don�t need to know and I don�t want you to. I just wanted to have a normal happy day without people asking me what�s wrong. I can�t even have peace. This party is for Danielle and Brian and not to worry about me. I wanted to stay the whole night, but I can�t because you ruined it for me.�
�Sunn, you don�t need to leave,� Kevin said, as Brian got up and walked over to Sunshine and Nickolas.
�He�s right, Sunn,� Brian said. �I promise no one�s going to say anything.� He touched her arm. �It�ll be fine.�
�Don�t touch me!� Sunshine snapped and pushing Brian�s hand away.
�Sunnie,� Nickolas said. �You can stay.�
�No, you don�t understand,� Sunshine replied. �I just can�t stay. I have to leave.� Nickolas just looked at her. �Brian, I�m sorry. Danielle, I�m sorry, but I have to go.� Sunshine walked inside and everyone stayed silent for a few moments. They went back to their talking and Nickolas and Brian stood on the porch.
�Nick, if you know�� Brian started.
�No, Brian,� Nickolas said. �I can�t tell you. I made a promise to Sunnie and I�m not breaking it. I hurt her once and I swore I�d never do it again.�
�We just want to help, Nick,� Kevin said joining them.
�I know, but Sunnie only wants my help. I�m the only one who can help her. I�m sorry, Brian, but I have to get Sunnie out of here.�
�Do what you have to do,� Brian said. �Just get her better.�
�Maybe the four of us can get together later on; to make up for this.�
�Yeah, whatever. You just worry about Sunn for now. Get out of here.�
�We�ll catch ya later,� Kevin said and Nickolas went to find Sunshine.
�How long has Sunn been like this?�
�For the past two weeks. The girls noticed it right away, but the rest of us just thought she wasn�t feeling well.
�It must be something serious.�
�I know. I hate to admit it, but a part of me thinks its drugs.�
�Kevin��
�I know it�s wrong to say, because of the way Sunshine feels about drugs, but she wears sunglasses to hide her eyes. She even forgets the littlest things.�
�We may never know, Kev.� They stayed silent and looked at all the guests. �I really didn�t want to come back to a problem like this, with your girlfriend flipping out on my best friend or my best friend�s girlfriend flipping out on me.�
�It�s a tough world, Brian.�
�You can say that again.� They just looked at each other.
�I�m going to go finish eating.�
�Same here.� They walked back to their tables.
CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 20
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