�Uh, Aaron, hey,� MyKenna said, as she ran into Aaron at the Tampa International airport. �What are you doing here?�
�Um, DJ, wanted me to pick ya up,� Aaron explained.
�Oh.�
�She said she called ya and told ya what happened and all�and that you were coming to town.�
�Yeah; I had to come back�for her ya know. She needs a friend.�
�Yeah she does.�
�She didn�t say where she was staying though.�
�I know where she is so don�t worry.�
�Alright.� Aaron went to put his sunglasses on when MyKenna stopped him. �What happened to you?�
�Huh?�
�Your face�well your eye.�
�Oh, uh, Nick kind of punched me yesterday.�
�Why?�
�Cause I said some things I shouldn�t have.�
�Like what?�
�Things.�
�What things?�
�Things like, he�s an ass and should go back to Mandah and that he doesn�t need someone like DJ and to forget about her ever going back to him.�
�I�d punch ya too.�
�He also said we�re no longer brothers either.�
�I�m sorry.�
�So am I. He just needs sometime to cool off and all. I mean he just cheated on DJ and she hates him.� He stuck his sunglasses on and they began walking.
�Yeah.� They started walking.
�Are you going to be going back to England?�
�Well technically this is my home and DJ needs me so I ain�t going anywhere.� They walked to the luggage carrier and MyKenna got her suitcases. Aaron took one from her and they continued walking. �So where�s DJ staying?�
�A hotel here in Tampa.�
�Oh. Why doesn�t she just stay with you guys?�
�Because of Nick. The first place Nick will go to look for her is our place and she doesn�t want to see him.�
�She�s going to have to face him sooner or later. I mean look at us; you saw me kissing your brother, but we came to terms with it and are speaking to each other.�
�Yeah, but it�s different with DJ and Nick; she walked in while he was banging some girl that wasn�t her.� MyKenna didn�t say anything. �If we were in that situation and I walked in on you and some other guy I wouldn�t be able to forgive you or anything. I�d be feeling the same way DJ is right now.�
�I guess so, but she can�t stay mad at him forever.�
�They just need a few days before they talk about what happened. Everyone knows they belong together and they�re crazy to deny that.�
�Right.�
�They�ll work it out sometime if not now.� MyKenna nodded. �They love each other and that love will win in the end.�
�You�re really positive about this.�
�Well they both deserve to be happy and they make each other happy. If worse comes to worse then we�ll just have to make a plan in getting them back together.�
�Right.� She rolled her eyes.
�I hate what my brother did to DJ, but I still love him. He�ll just have to learn from his mistake.�
�They both will.�
�Let�s go and I�ll take ya to DJ.� She nodded and they walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So what did she say?� Nickolas asked his mom, as she hung up the phone and she looked at him. �Where is she?�
�She didn�t say,� Jane said.
�I don�t believe that.�
�Then believe that she hates you.�
�I don�t believe that either.�
�You hurt her, Nick, and you can�t expect her to come running back and forgiving you right away. It�s going to take time.�
�But I know she still loves me and that loves going to bring her back.�
�Maybe it will, but it ain�t going to right now.� He left out a disgusted sigh.
�Where is she?�
�She didn�t say.�
�I got to talk to her.�
�Well I don�t know where she is.�
�I bet Aaron does.�
�Why do you say that?�
�Because they tell each other everything and when DJ and I have a fight she goes running to him.�
�You�ll never know if he knows or not.� Nickolas looked at her. �Just wait a few days and give DJ some time to cool off and calm down.�
�I couldn�t stand the past few hours let alone the next few days. I got to talk to her now.�
�But she doesn�t want to see you. She hates you, Nickolas.�
�I ain�t believing that.�
�Look around this room, Nick. She did this out of hatred towards you and not love.� Nickolas didn�t say anything. �You cheated on her and hurt her in the worst way and she just may never forgive you for that.�
�But we love each other, mom, and that�s going to win in the end.�
�For your sake I hope it does.�
�It will.�
�Then you have enough faith for all of us.�
�I will.� She just looked at him. �Yes I was an idiot and hurt the one woman I truly love and who loves me, but I have enough faith in our love to get through this. We love each other and we�re not going to let one stupid mistake I made get between us�well more than one mistake.�
�What do you mean?�
�Nothing�never mind. The point is that our love is going to conquer all and we�ll be together.�
�What if it doesn�t?�
�It will, alright,� Nickolas snapped and Jane just looked at him. �She�ll come around in a few days. When she saw me kissing MyKenna she came around in, like, two days and she will this time.�
�But it was more than a kiss this time,� MyKenna said and they looked. �You hurt her in the worst way possible and she hates you. Even I don�t have any idea on helping you to fix this.�
�What are you doing here?� Nickolas asked.
�DJ called me so I came,� MyKenna replied. �She needs a friend no thanks to you.�
�Well it�s good that you�re here for her,� Jane said.
�No,� Nickolas said. �I meant why are you here at my house?�
�To talk to you,� MyKenna said. �And besides I do still live here after all.�
�The only person I want to talk to right now is Kota,� Nickolas snapped.
�Well she doesn�t want to talk to you,� MyKenna said.
�Where is she?�
�Why? So you can go anger her more? I don�t think so. I came to��
�I don�t give a damn why you came.�
�Nickolas,� Jane said.
�She started this whole thing,� Nickolas said.
�And how the hell did I do that?� MyKenna questioned. �It takes two to seal a kiss and it ain�t my damn fault you cheated on your girlfriend. I wasn�t here pressuring you into it. You chose to do it yourself and ruin things between you and Dakota; not me. Maybe Aaron�s right; maybe it is your fault for what happened between me and your brother. I mean you could�ve easily stopped me when I kissed you yet you chose not to.�
�What do you mean?�
�Nothing�never mind. The point is that our love is going to conquer all and we�ll be together.�
�What if it doesn�t?�
�It will, alright,� Nickolas snapped and Jane just looked at him. �She�ll come around in a few days. When she saw me kissing MyKenna she came around in, like, two days and she will this time.�
�But it was more than a kiss this time,� MyKenna said and they looked. �You hurt her in the worst way possible and she hates you. Even I don�t have any idea on helping you to fix this.�
�What are you doing here?� Nickolas asked.
�DJ called me so I came,� MyKenna replied. �She needs a friend no thanks to you.�
�Well it�s good that you�re here for her,� Jane said.
�No,� Nickolas said. �I meant why are you here at my house?�
�To talk to you,� MyKenna said. �And besides I do still live here after all.�
�The only person I want to talk to right now is Kota,� Nickolas snapped.
�Well she doesn�t want to talk to you,� MyKenna said.
�Where is she?�
�Why? So you can go anger her more? I don�t think so. I came to��
�I don�t give a damn why you came.�
�Nickolas,� Jane said.
�She started this whole thing,� Nickolas said.
�And how the hell did I do that?� MyKenna questioned. �It takes two to seal a kiss and it ain�t my damn fault you cheated on your girlfriend. I wasn�t here pressuring you into it. You chose to do it yourself and ruin things between you and Dakota; not me. Maybe Aaron�s right; maybe it is your fault for what happened between me and your brother. I mean you could�ve easily stopped me when I kissed you yet you chose not to.�
�Mom, will you excuse us?� Nickolas asked grabbing MyKenna and dragging her outside and down to the beach.
�What?� MyKenna asked.
�What the hell are you doing?� Nickolas questioned.
�Something I should�ve done a long time ago.�
�And what�s that?�
�Telling DJ what really happened between her boyfriend and her best friend.�
�Don�t even think about it.�
�Why not? This isn�t the first time you betrayed her.�
�You and I were a mistake and we both know that.�
�But this Tiffany chick wasn�t?�
�I didn�t say that.�
�Then what are you saying?�
�DJ doesn�t need to know about us.�
�And why not?�
�Because she doesn�t.�
�So if she doesn�t need to know then neither does your brother. Is that what you�re saying?�
�Yes that�s what I�m saying.�
�And why shouldn�t they know about what happened between us?�
�All that happened was a mistake.�
�We slept together Nick and you just can�t erase that and act like it never happened. Believe me when I say that I already tried forgetting it, but whenever I talk to DJ and Aaron all I think about is how I betrayed them both. God, Nick, I love your brother and I love DJ like a sister and I betrayed them both and I don�t want to continue lying to them.�
�Then don�t. Tell them if ya want, but I�ll just deny it and make you look like some sex-obsessed slut after me.� She slapped him across the face.
�I will not stand around and let you ruin DJ�s life by this sick game you�re playing with her. I will not be a part of it.� She stormed off and Nickolas just stood there looking at her.
CHAPTER 23