Brian just walked around the block about four times. I don't know what to do, he thought to himself. I love her, I don't want to lose her. I love her, but why didn't she tell me sooner? Why did I have to find out from eavesdropping on Cassie. She should have told me. I want to meet him.
No I don't.
Yes I do.
Shut up, Brian. Clear your head. Stop fighting with yourself!
I'm not!
Yes you are!
Grr!
"She told you, huh?" someone said behind Brian.
Brian turned to see Nicole. "Yeah. I don't know what to do."
"Whatever you do, just understand how hard it was for her to tell you. She cares so much what you think. She loves you."
"Thanks. I have to go talk to her." Brian began to sprint home. He wasn't that far away so it only took him a minute. "Mercedes?" he called. "Mercedes?"
"Brian?" Mercedes asked coming to the door. "Are you all right?"
"I love you! I can't lose you. We will work through this."
"I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. I do want one thing though."
"What? Anything!" Mercedes said, her heart pounding.
"I want to meet him."
Mercedes' heart sank.
Emalia came in from the kitchen at the guys' with a box of cookies and sat down next to Kevin who was watching television.
"Hey," Kevin uttered. "Ooh, chocolate chip. My favorite! Do you mind?" he asked reaching his hand over towards the box.
"Um, I don't think so," Emalia said. "Get your own, loser!" She laughed as she pulled the box away and took a cookie for herself.
"All right, I will get my own then!" Kevin reached over and tickled Emalia. She twisted and turned until her face was bright red, but she didn't let go of the box. She stood up, picked up a pillow, whacked Kevin upside the head with it and ran. Kevin chased her back into the kitchen where he caught her. He threw her over his shoulder as if he were Tarzan and she were Jane as she screamed with laughter, and ran her back into the living room where they had left the cookies and the television. Kevin lowered her to the couch and sat down next to her. He slowly moved his hands around her and gradually glided his hands under her clothes and onto her skin. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled away and then made his way back to their original position, only this time their lips met, binding them together.
Suddenly, A.J. and Cassandra walked in.
"Hello!" A.J. said covering his eyes. "That is so gross." A.J. made a face of disgust.
"Get over it A.J. You and Isabella are always getting jiggy with it!" Cassandra said bluntly. "Here, let's sit down on the other couch." She walked over and sat down and A.J. sat down next to her.
"What were they talking about?" A.J. asked her.
"Well, I am not sure they were talking before that."
"Let's think positively, Cassie."
"Well you never know."
"I guess not. Ten bucks says when they finish their business, they will argue over the television."
"Okay, you're on. I say the will fight over the cookies."
"Okay, but ten bucks isn't worth much when you're dead."
"So? Ten dollars is ten dollars!" Cassandra smiled. "Oh, they're pulling apart."
Kevin pulled away and slipped his hands away. "So, can I have some cookies now?" Kevin asked with a puppy face.
"Um...no," Emalia said and began to laugh.
"Oh come on..."
"Nope."
"Please?"
"Okay, fine." Emalia picked up the box then looked at Kevin again. "I changed my mind. No."
"Pay up, A.J.," Cassandra demanded.
"Sorry. As I plunged the knife into my chest, I forgot to grab my wallet in case I lost a bet when I died," A.J. said sarcastically.
"Well, too bad. Mental note: A.J. owes you ten dollars."
"Great. I finally get away from taxes and I am already back in debt!"
"Well, what can I say?"
"Nothing. Just don't say anything." They turned back towards Emalia and Kevin. They had started watching television and were now sharing the cookies. "Wow, they are boring."
"Well, it is Emalia..." Cassandra shrugged. "Must I say anything else?"
"I guess not. So...what's new?"
"Well, I'm dead. Oh, wow, that's it," Cassandra jested. "While on the subject, what made you drive that knife into your chest anyway?"
"The thought of being with Izzy again. I knew what I felt was true love and that this love was the symbol of eternity. So I knew we were meant to be together and I just speeded up the process."
"Oh, so how did you get from the couch to the closet?"
"You know what? I don't know. Suicides start off somewhere else then you enter the spiritual world. When I got back, you were trying to take my pulse. From my hair. That was so funny! Isabella and I were laughing so hard!"
"Oh, yeah, it was hilarious. Especially when I fainted."
"Sorry. Hey, at least you had Nick there to take care of you."
"I know." She smiled. "So what was it like?"
"What was what like?"
"Seeing Isabella again."
"It was like nothing I had ever felt before. The overwhelming joy that she brings me. Overtime, I see her like I was meeting her for the first time. I remember the first time I saw her. As soon as I walked into the room, I knew we were one. I don't know what it was, but it was like no one else could see her there but me. I feel as though...no one can see her, ever, the way I see her. She is my heavenly spirit, by beloved, my soul."
"Wow, that is so beautiful!"
"Well, what can I say," A.J. said, blushing. "I know that's how you feel about Nick."
"Yeah. He is my angel."
"That's so cute. But anyway, what ever happened to Lucy's body?"
"Excuse me?"
"I just thought of that."
"I don't know. That's a good question. The police must have taken it."
"Yeah, but I don't think that the police put her head-"
"Stop right there! Thank you very much!"
"Then who was it?" A.J. asked.
"I didn't do it. I went outside."
"And I went up stairs and Nick...Nick..."
Cassandra gasped. "Nick stayed inside and downstairs to call the police."
"Then...Nick-"
"No, no, no. He wouldn't," Cassandra babbled.
"No, we are just paranoid."
"Yeah, well he was the only one there, but what does that mean?"
"Nothing," A.J. said. "Nothing at all."
Suddenly, Nick walked into the living room with Isabella. "Hey Cassie, baby," Nick said. "What's the matter? You look like you have seen a ghost!" Nick laughed and kissed her cheek. "What are you scared of?"
"That you are going to kill-I mean fall...fall in love with A.J. Yeah A.J." Isabella started laughing hysterically as she made her way over behind A.J. and kneeled behind the couch with her arms around his neck. He kissed her arm lightly and brushed it with his fingertips. A.J. flashed a glare at Cassandra as she stood up and winked at him. "Okay, A.J. I'll go get you that...that..."
"My McDonald's meal?"
"Oh, yes. Your McDonald's meal now. Bye guys, see you later." Cassandra walked away quickly.
"What's up with her?" Nick asked sitting down next to A.J.
A.J. shot up. "Isabella, I'm horny. Let's go. Later Nick."
"Yeah, bye." A.J. picked Isabella up and carried her up into her bedroom. "Jeez, I'm tired. Let's sleep." A.J. laid her down on the bed and laid down next to her.
"Are you feeling all right? Whatever happened to the 'Isabella I'm horny' act?"
"I changed my mind, that's all."
Isabella began to brush his hair with her fingers as she stared straight into his eyes, seeing right into him. A.J. felt chills run down his spine but he did not want to say anything until he talked to Cassandra first. "What's the matter, baby?" she asked.
"I have had a long day. That's all."
"Oh. Well I can fix that." She smiled and leaned over and kissed him on the lips. She reached her hands over and let them wander and found themselves in his pants. A feeling of lust came over him and he slipped his hands under her shirt. She pulled away to remove her shirt and then ripped off his. He brushed his fingers through her hair and passionately kissed her over and over. Isabella quickly snapped off her bra and shook off her skirt. She began to undo A.J.'s pants when, instead, he pulled them off himself. A.J. sank down and kissed her stomach and continued down.
"You what?" Mercedes asked Brian.
"I said that I want to meet him."
"But...you can't."
"Why not? Technically, isn't he my step-son?"
"I-I guess so but-"
"So I want to meet him."
"Damn it, Brian! Don't you get it?" she screamed. She was confused and very angry with all of this. "This is hard enough on me as it is!"
Brian was shocked. "What do you mean?"
A tear slipped down Mercedes' face. "They told me that they never wanted me to see Chase again and that they could take care of him better because they were a little older than seventeen."
"Oh my God, that's a terrible thing to say."
"But they're right. They're right! His life is much more luxurious now than it ever could be. They live in a mansion in a rich town and...I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"But-"
"No!" She paused. "I'm sorry. I'm going to go check on Charity."
Brian didn't say anything as she stood up. She briefly looked at him and then he watched her leave.
When A.J. finally pulled away he asked, "Hungry?"
"Only for you," Isabella replied, lying motionless. A.J. leaned over and kissed her, allowing his tongue to continue to pace through her mouth. He got up and walked out of the room. He came back a second later in a robe carrying another robe, a bottle of champagne, and two glasses in his hands. He handed Isabella the robe. While she put on the robe he began to pour the champagne. "What shall we drink to?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to A.J.
"To us and eternity."
"Here, here." They tapped their glasses and drank their champagne. Isabella smiled and stood up. "We are going to get dressed and then we are going to watch over Coreene for awhile. And then we have to find something to do for the rest of the night."
"Okay. Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do we have to find something to do for the rest of the night? Why can't we hang out with Nick and Cassie?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you. Did I?"
"Tell me what?"
"Nick is planning something for Cassie tonight."
"What?"
"I dunno but I know that it involves the beach."
"Ah," A.J. said nodding his head. "Well, let's go find Coreene. By the way, why are we watching Coreene?"
"Because she's my sister!"
"Oh. That's a...good reason."
Isabella rolled her eyes and picked up her clothes.