When Nathan brought Emalia into his house, Bobby, Burke, Richard, and Eric were all watching television. Nathan gave them all a 'play along' look.
"Hey guys, look who's here! It's my girlfriend!" They were all a little confused but went along with it, hoping for an explaination later.
"Hi Emalia. Uh, what are you doing here?" asked Bobby.
"Um, my boyfriend brought me here," she said.
"Okay then," said Eric.
"I guess that it's nice to see you guys again, but it's really getting late. I kinda snuck out on the girls that were taking care of me," said Emalia.
"Yeah they're your friends too. I'll take you back to Cassandra's," said Bobby. The four of the guys were very baffled at Bobby offering to take Emalia to Cassandra's house.
"Okay then. I guess I'll see you Nathan," she timidly went over to him and kissed him on the cheek. Bobby and Emalia walked out of the door, and over to Cassandra's house. Back at the house, they hadn't even noticed that Emalia was gone, until they heard a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," said Cassandra. She opened the door, and saw Bobby and Emalia. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw Emalia walking down the street, and I offered to take her home," said Bobby.
"That's sweet of you, but I can take it from here."
"Look Cass, I'm really sorry about the other day. I didn't mean anything by it."
"It's okay, but I should take Emalia inside now." She took Emalia inside the house and snuck her upstairs into her room.
"So exactly why did you break up with Bobby?" asked Emalia.
"What? What did he say to you?"
"He didn't say anything to me. Just being with him just now made me wonder. He's so sweet."
"Yes he was," said Cassandra gazing out of the window.
"So you never exactly answered my question."
"Well I don't know. At first it was a match made in heaven. He was a diehard romantic, always kept me on the edge, and he always kept me wanting more. He had the softest touch, the most passionate kiss I've ever felt."
"So then why the hell would you break up?"
"Cause of his major attitude and short temper. I'm with Nick now. And when Nick wants to, he is just as powerful. Just between the two of us, if I had a choice to do it all over again with Bobby, I would."
"Hmm," mummbled Emalia. "Bobby would love to know about this!"
"Did you say something?" asked Cassandra.
"Huh? No."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me." Emalia nodded her head. Cassandra went downstairs, and with a new caution sat down next to Nick. She hadn't thought about that for a while. Changing the subject in her mind, she said, "You guys, I think Emalia has amnesia."
"What makes you say that?" asked Kevin.
"She acted like she didn't even know who we were."
"But she was just joking," said Nick.
"She may have only said that," said Cassandra. "She's upstairs now. I take it that she went walking because she came back with Bobby. That was who was at the door. She even asked me why we broke up. She said that he was sweet."
"But she hates Bobby!" said Mercedes.
"I know."
"How can you be sure that she has amnesia?" asked Kevin.
"I can't be," said Cassandra. "I mean I'm not, I- just come with me." Her and Kevin walked up the stairs. They stopped outside the door when they heard Emalia's voice talking from inside her room.
"That's exactly what she said......yeah I'm sure......I think there is a good chance...... I'll try......I'll see ya later......anytime." Cassandra and Kevin walked in.
"Who were you talking to?" asked Cassandra.
"Oh no one," said Emalia.
"We just came up here to see how you were feeling," said Kevin. He went over and kissed her forehead. She pulled away fast and put on a fake smile.
"Yeah I'm alright. I think I'm gonna take a nap for a while."
"Okay," said Cassandra and her and Kevin walked out of the room and closed the door.
"I think that you're being paranoid," said Kevin to Cassandra. "She couldn't have amnesia. I think that she's just tired."
"Maybe," said Cassandra and they walked downstairs. Inside Emalia's room, she was wiping her forehead.
"Eew! I have to get out of here!" She went over to the window, opened it, and climbed out and shut the window behind her.
When she reached the sidewalk, it took her about two minutes to reach Nathan's house. She banged on the door until Bobby let her in.
"Hey Emalia, didn't I just see you? What's wrong?" he asked.
"This guy, I think his name was Kevin, kissed me!" Emalia started, and Bobby thought to himself.
"She must really have amnesia! This is perfect." She walked in the house and saw someone she didn't know. "Oh I'm sorry Emalia this is Matthew," said Bobby.
"Nice to meet you," said Emalia.
"Same here," said Matthew.
After a while of talking, Emalia got up.
"It's late. I gotta get back to my so called house. Bobby, why don't you bring Matthew with you and come with me?" Bobby nodded and the three of them walked out the door.
"Emalia, I really appreciate you helping me get Cassandra back. I really love her and I've made some really big mistakes, I mean really big. I just need her back, especially from that Nick guy," said Bobby.
"Yeah, don't even think about it," said Emalia. They reached her house and Matt knocked on the door. "No don't-" but Mercedes opened the door.
"What are you doing outside? Why are with Bobby, and who is this?" she said.
"I needed some fresh air, I ran into Bobby, and this is Matthew." Before Mercedes could say anything, Emalia grabbed Bobby and Matt's hands and said, "Why don't you come in for a while?" She dragged the guys past Mercedes and into the kitchen. Cassandra just happened to be in there, and turned around. "I want you two to talk," said Emalia to Cassandra and Bobby.
"About what?" said Cassandra. Bobby went over to her and she tried to back up, but she was already against the counter.
"From the inside of my soul, I sincerely want you back. Give me one more chance, please. I'm so sorry for everything that I may have done to you. I was jealous. I am incredibly jealous."
"Bobby, I can't," said Cassandra looking away.
"Oh come on Cass, why not? He obviously really loves you," said Emalia. Cassandra looked back up at him.
"Cass, I'm dying without you. I'm sorry, please forgive me." He put his hands on her shoulders.
"Oh God. He's using that charm of his. I can't believe that I actually like his touch," Cassandra thought to herself.
"How did out perfect love go wrong? Can we ever go back?"
"But Bobby, I'm in love with Nick-"
"How bad? Like you were with me?"
"Bobby, don't do this. Please-"
"Don't you have anything left inside for me?"
"I don't know, maybe." How could she even say maybe? She wished he wasn't looking into her eyes so deeply.
"You can forget Nick. Learn to love me again. Whatever you think you need from Nick, I can give you much better." Cassandra felt her knees start to buckle underneath her. For her even to be questioning her love for Nick, was totally sickening. "Don't you want what we used to have?" She had to admit to herself that she wanted that feeling but from Nick and she got that, but she truly couldn't decide who she wanted that from more. He leaned over to kiss her, and it took all of her willpower to pull away. "Think about it." She only blankly stared at him for a second, then decided she needed to get away. She needed to abolish all thought about Bobby. She went into the living room, sat down next to Nick and rested on him. She threw her arms up around his neck and tried to think.
"What the hell was that?" Mercedes said to Bobby back in the kitchen.
"I'm making one last plea for her," said Bobby.
"You know she's with Nick now!"
"But I love her."
"You do not!"
"Oh how would you know? Come on Matt, let's go."
"Nice to meet you Matt," said Mercedes.
"Same here," said Matt. Bobby and Matt walked out the door. "You're friend Mercedes is pretty cute."
"She's not my friend, and she's okay."
Mercedes went down into the living room, and sat next to Brian, while Emalia went upstairs.
"What's wrong?" Brian asked Mercedes.
"Nothing," she said looking at Cassandra when she got up.
"I need some fresh air," said Cassandra and Nick followed her. She stopped him in front of the door. "We will be together forever, right Nick?" she teased him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and said,
"These arms will never let you down." Cassandra put her arms around his neck and kissed his lips softly.
"Hopefully neither will my man!" she said smiling. They walked outside and around the side of the house to the back of the fence.
"I promise you that I will love you forever," said Nick. She hoped that she was over Bobby when she said,
"I would hope so!" They smiled thoughtlessly as Cassandra gave Nick a light kiss, pulled out of his grip and headed towards the pool.
"Does thou leave me so unsatisfied?" She turned around him.
"Well Romeo, what would satisfy you?" She started to slowly walk over to him. Laughing softly he said,
"There is so much that could satisfy me."
"Well then, allow me to satisfy you."
"I would love for you to," he said as he put his arms around her and laid her down on the grass.
He gazed into her eyes and slowly placed his body on top of hers. He gradually pulled her tank top up over the top of her head. He dropped it on the ground next to them, and started to slip her shorts off. When he has succeeded, he dropped them on top of her tank top. Cassandra reached up to take off Nick's shirt, but he stopped her halfway and brought his hands up to the collar of his shirt. Within a second he whipped his shirt off and threw is in the pile. His mouth fell down on top of hers. He kissed her so hard, she felt like she would be pressed into the ground. They pulled apart breathing hard, their faces lingering near each other. Cassandra's fingers ran down along his stomach muscles until she reached his pants. She undid the button, and pulled down the zipper. They both sat up and he wiggled out of his jeans. She ran her fingertips along the elastic of his dark plaid boxers.
Nick put his arms around her, and slowly unclipped her bra. He slid his fingers up her back and up to her shoulders and slid the straps down with his fingers. He added her bra to the pile and bent his head down and kissed along her neck. He softly ran his hands down both sides of her, and slid them to the edge of her underwear. She found his mouth and kissed him, starting intense and building from there.
Her arms went wild along his upper body. As he kissed her deeper, she ran her fingers up to his hair and clenched her fists in it. He was about to take off her underwear when he heard his name.
"Nick!" a voice yelled from far behind them.
"Oh shit!" he said.
"Where's my bra?" said Cassandra.
"Who cares? Take my shirt!" They were almost done throwing their clothes on, when A.J. came into view.
"What were you-" He stopped when he noticed Cassandra wearing Nick's shirt and her bra laying on the ground behind them. "Sorry to ruin the moment, but everyone got worried and of course sent me to come and find you guys."
"That's okay. We should probably get back inside now," said Cassandra she replied and started towards the house.
"You forgetting something?" said A.J. pointing to Cassandra's bra.
"Der, shut up!" She grabbed it and she and Nick ran into the house and upstairs. Nicole looked over to them as they ran up the stairs. When they disappeared from view, Nicole turned to the group and said,
"I don't want to know." They all laughed.
"I'm really tired," said Cassandra. "I think that I used all of my energy outside." Nick smiled devilishly and laid down on her bed.
"Your bed is really comfortable. I don't want to get up."
"Do you mind if I just sleep in you shirt?" He shook his head. She took off her shorts and jumped into her bed, and he threw his pants on floor. She yawned and pulled the light pink comforter over the both of them. He put his arm over her and started to kiss her neck. "Nick come on, I'm tired. Nick-" but he persisted on kissing her neck. She turned over and kissed him once.
"I thought you were tired?" he asked her.
"Five minutes."
"I know where this is going," he said smiling.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Still smiling he started to kiss her. "Hey, but-what is that-supposed......to mean?" He kept kissing her.
"Oh nothing," he simply said.
When they finally stopped kissing, eleven minutes later, she said,
"Satisfied?"
"Very," he replied. He draped his arm over her, and they fell asleep.
When the guys had decided to leave, and the girls were getting ready for bed, Mercedes went into her room and didn't even notice Nick until Nicole entered the room.
"I thought all of guys left?" whispered Nicole.
"I guess not. Don't wake em up. They're so cute. Now I kinda wish I told Brian to say over."
"I know."
Back at the guys house, Brian was staring at the ring in his hand.
"Hey man nice ring!" said A.J.
"Thanks, I think it's an engagement ring."
"Cool, congrads!"
"I haven't asked her yet."
"Why not?"
"My reasoning is stupid."
"It's probably not stupid."
"Well I had a talk with Eric and he said that since so much has been going on, and the way her life has been, that I would just be wasting my time."
"You listen to Eric?" A.J. asked perplexed.
"He's known her longer than I have, and he knew her better. Ya know, being her ex-boyfriend and all."
"That's exactly what he is. An ex. An ex that wants her back, and who'd probably try everything to stop you." Brian knew A.J. was right, but he didn't want to admit it.
Later that night, Cassandra opened her eyes. She rolled over and looked at Nick as he was sleeping.
"I'm definitely over Bobby. I don't think there was anything to get over." She rolled back over and pulled Nick's arm over her tighter, and she fell right back asleep.
In the morning, Brian was the last one up at noon. He had gotten little to no sleep last night because he was thinking about was A.J. had said to him.
"He's right," Brian thought. "Well I guess I had better get up and take a shower already. I have a big day ahead of me."
When Brian had showered and had put the ring in his pocket, he headed over to Mercedes house. When he reached the door, he took a deep breath and walked inside. He didn't see anyone in the house. "Hello? Is anyone home?" he called.
"Yeah, hold on!" He heard Mercedes' voice. "Hey Brian, what's up?"
"Where is everyone?"
"They all went to the mall. They should be back any second."
"How come you didn't go?"
"I overslept and they left without me."
"Oh, that's not very nice."
"I don't care. I don't want to spend anymore money!" He laughed.
"Hey, Mercedes?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you remember when I was talking to you on the beach and Eric interrupted me?"
"Yeah."
"Well I want to finish what I started to say." He took her hands.
"Brian, you okay?"
"Yeah. Jeez this is harder than I thought."
"What is?"
"Ok, you know that I love you right?"
"Yeah, I love you too."
"I'm glad, that makes this a little easier."
"Brian, just spit it out!"
"Would you marry me?" Mercedes gasped and took a step back.
"I dunno Brian. I love you, I really do. But marriage, whoa. I don't know if I can get that attached to you right now."
"Huh?"
"Nevermind," she said as she turned around.
"So it's okay to fool around with me, but it would degrade you to be my wife?"
"Brian, I didn't say that!"
"Well then tell me what you did say!"
"Fine. I love you, more than I can say, but I can't get that attached to you right now. I mean, I'm already attached to you, but I can't let it get beyond that. Do you understand?"
"No, I don't. I don't understand how you can just play around with me like that!"
"Oh God Brian, give me a brake! That's not how it!"
"Then what is?"
"I love you, I just can't commit like that right now."
"Whatever," was the last thing that he said before walking out of the door. Just then, the whole group walked through the door.
"Hey guys, what's up? Nick, nice shirt," said Mercedes.
"Thanks. Hey where'd B-Rok storm off to?" said Nick.
"Don't know, don't care," said Mercedes.
"Why? What happened?" asked Cassandra, wide eyed.
"I can't believe him! He got mad because I said that I didn't want to be his wife."
"You what?" they all said together shocked.
"I told him that I didn't want to be that attached."
"I thought you loved Brian? Why would you say that?" Emalia asked.
"I do love him, I just don't know if I can take it. I don't want him to hurt me. I'm not sure."
"Brian? Our Brian?" asked Kevin. "Hurt anybody?"
"Yeah. Even Brian. Everytime that I've gotten that attached to someone, I've gotten get hurt. Why should I even bother?" Mercedes answered.
"Mercedes, why are you thinking like that?" said A.J. "Brian loves you. You are never going to fall in love with that kind of attitude."
"Good. Then I don't want to.""
"Oh, so that's what this is all about. You're afraid that you love Brian, and you don't know if he loves you back, and that your gonna get your heart broken," said Cassandra.
"That's not true!" Mercedes yelled.
"Cassandra's right. If that's why, then you are gonna screw up whatever you have with Brian," said Nick. "He love you like crazy!"
"Like crazy?" Mercedes asked Nick.
"Yes, he really loves you a lot. Please don't blow it, I can't take seeing him hurt."
"Nick, you don't understand. Just leave me alone!" she turned and walked out the door.
"We have to marry those two," said Cassandra to Nick. He just nodded his head in agreement.
Brian walked around the block. He was mad, but more hurt. He really loved Mercedes, really loved her. He was never been this much in love before, and he didn't know what rejection felt like. He knew that the way he felt about Mercedes was more than he had ever felt about anyone else. He walked past a few houses, until he came upon something he did not expect. There was Mercedes leaning against a tree.
"I see that you decided to take a walk to," Brian said to Mercedes smiling. Mercedes gave him a dirty look and walked away. "Come on Mercedes, talk to me!" he said grabbing her hand.
"What?" she growled at him.
"Look, I'm sorry. I said those things because I was angry."
"Angry about what? That you didn't get your own way?"
"In a way, I guess, I didn't want to lose you. I love you," Brian said and grabbed her hand tighter.
"Brian, you don't even have me like that."
"I know, that's just the thing. I want you and I can't have you." Mercedes could feel her heart breaking.
"Oh Brian," was all she could get out before he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her. Mercedes shivered as his lips touched hers. Mercedes pulled away before it got any more intense. "I can't do this Brian. I'm sorry, I just can't," she said and ran off. Brian felt his heart break, and he realised with that kiss, he truly did love her, and she did not love him as much, or she just didn't love him.
Mercedes ran as fast as she could to her house, in the door, and up the stairs to her room. She jumped on the bed and cried.
"What's wrong with her?" A.J. asked downstairs.
"All this over Brian," said Cassandra. "She is so in love."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"If Mercedes didn't care about Brian, then she wouldn't be so upset. In fact I have never seen her like this, I guess that she loves him a lot."
"Are you kidding? They haven't known each other that long."
"Mercedes has never been this upset about a guy before. She's had a lot of boyfriends, and I know she's cared before, but I don't think she ever really loved anyone, except for maybe Eric, and I think that she is afraid that if she loves Brian, she will get hurt, just like Eric hurt her."
"I'm going to go see how Brian is doing, if he's over at our house," said Nick.
"I'll come with you," said Cassandra, and her and Nick walked over to his house.
"Hey B-Rok, you home?" Nick called.
"Yeah, what?" he said from the couch in the living room.
"She's really upset," said Cassandra.
"And I'm not? I only got turned down by the girl that I love."
"Brian calm down. Listen to me okay?" said Cassandra. Brian shook his head.
"I need to talk to Mercedes," he said getting up.
"Brian, don't go messing around with what you don't have!" said Nick, but Brian was already gone. He knocked on the door at her house. Nicole answered the door.
"Oh hey Brian, what do you want?" Nicole asked as she opened the door.
"I need to talk to Mercedes," he said.
"I dunno if that is such a good idea, Brian."
"Please, it's important!" She saw a pleading look in his eyes and could n't help letting him in.
"Sure Brian, come on in."
"Thanks, is she in her room?"
"Yeah, you can go right up."
"Thanks Nicole," said Brian and walked out of the doorway and up the stairs.
When Mercedes heard a knock on her door, she sat up and said, "Come in!" The door opened, and there stood Brian. "Um, hi Brian. I think that I should go downstairs and help with dinner."
"You can't keep doing this! Not to me! Not after you have told me so many times that you love me!"
"What am I doing to you?" she practically yelled.
"Playing these games with my heart."
"You want me to quit playing games with your heart?" she asked.
"Yes!"
"Brian, that has to be the stupidest thing I ever heard!"
"Why?"
"It sounds like a song!" she answered him and walked out of the room and headed downstairs.
"Mercedes, I love you!" She stopped on the stair that she was on.
"Oh God," she said and turned around. He looked at her like she was crazy.
"I can't believe you!" he cried.
"Now what did I do?"
"I just told you I loved you and all you can say is, oh God? You used to say 'I love you' back!"
"What do you want me to say?"
"Hello! Maybe I love you back!"
"But I-"
"I know, you don't, it's okay. I understand," he interrupted her and passed her down the stairs and headed for the front door. She followed him outside.
"Brian listen to me. I didn't say that I didn't!"
"But you didn't say that you did."
"That's because I don't know how I feel."
"That's understandable," Brian said trying to hide the fact that this hurt him more than anything ever did. "I mean, considering the fact that you've only told me that you love me a million times!"
"Well it doesn't seem like you do understand. It's not that I don't want to love you, it's just, I don't know if I can love you the way that you want me to."
"Okay, now I really don't understand."
"I've been hurt, too many times, by too many people. One manly, Eric. I don't know if I can take that hurt again."
"You think I am going to hurt you?"
"That's just the thing. I don't know. I don't feel like you are going to , I feel like something is going to happen to us, something bad, and we will be ruined." He sat down on the front lawn, looking down at the grass.
"So you're gonna blow this great thing we could have, because you feel something is going to go wrong?"
"I know how it sounds, but that's what I feel." Mercedes looked down at Brian hopefully, but he just sat there.