~ * 2 Months Later * ~
Nick walked from the grocery store, his shopping bags in hand. He couldn't believe his mother had talked him into going and buying her and his sisters women products. He flushed at the thought. He hated when she made him do that! As he walked towards his car, he twirled his car keys around in his hand, lazily. Stepping off the curb, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see somebody sitting on the curb, her head in her hands. That was odd... it was 11 o'clock at night, and it was dark, and there was hardly anybody around. It wasn't very safe for a young woman to be sitting out there by herself. He then saw her shoulders shaking. Was she crying?
He unlocked his car door quickly, and threw his shopping bags into the back-seat. Closing the door again, he tentatively walked to the girl, "Excuse me, miss?"
The girl looked up and it was then that Nick realized it was Rachel. Her jaw trembled, as her face flushed, and she hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"Rae??" he looked down at her, his eyes clouding, and his eyebrows scrunched together in concern. "What's wrong?" he sat down quickly.
For the past two months, they hadn't met to study any longer, and had hardly talked, but Nick, at this moment, felt a deep connection to this crying girl he used to hardly be able to stand.
For some reason, unknown even to herself, Rachel, without another thought, spilled her heart out to him, her voice trembling as she spoke, "I feel so alone, Nick. I haven't cried as much as I have in the last 2 months, as I have in my entire life," she scoffed, in spite of herself. "I'm so lonely, I feel like I have no one to talk to... my parents are hardly ever home, I know my mom loves me and all but I feel like the only thing she does is nag me to change and become a better person... why can't anybody see that this is ME? I'm not a psycho... I'm just Rae. And nobody seems to accept that. My brother just started talking to me, two months ago. It's pathetic really... we were so close as children... we had that whole twin connection thing going on... now it seems as though it's gone. I just don't know what to do. Do you know how much it hurt when my brother wouldn't even look at me, in front of his friends? Only since his friends shunned him, and he began to feel what it was like, has he started trying to mend our relationship, has he actually shown that he cares. I know I sound like I'm complaining - I should be grateful that I have him back in my life... and I forgive him, I really do... I mean, how can I not? He's my brother, my twin... I love him. But it hurts... all of it."
Nick watched her, with careful eyes, as she took a deep breath, needing air after all of the talking she'd done. He knew he didn't need to say anything... she'd just needed somebody to listen to her. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms securely around her and held her in a warm hug. She let a few more tears fall, and they landed on his shirt, temporarily darkening the fabric. After a few minutes, he let go of her and looked down at her, a caring expression on his face.
"C'mmon, Rae, I'll drive you home."
~ * ~
Zack pulled the door open quickly, letting Brittany inside the house. He hugged her quickly, "Hey, sweetie-pie."
Brittany smiled up at him, "Hey, Z baby... Oohh, the eyebrow piercing's new."
"Yup, you like??" he wiggled his eyebrows up and down to model off his new piercing that he'd gotten just 3 hours before.
"It matches with the earring," she laughed. "I don't like... I love."
Zack lowered his eyes to hers and smirked, "I can think of a few things I love, myself."
She blushed deeply and cast her gaze to the ground, before clearing her throat and looking back up at him, "Love you too, honey. Hey, check this out... you're not the only one who gets to show off new accessories."
Brittany lifted up her tank top, showing her new belly button ring.
Zack grinned, "Mmm, that oughta be fun to play with..."
She smacked his arm, before wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug, "I missed you."
He tightened his hold on her, "I missed you too." He suddenly laughed, "Do you realize how pathetic we sound? I saw you 4 hours ago."
She nodded, "I know... they were a hella long 4 hours though. C'mere... are your parents home?" she asked as she led him into the living room, walking backwards.
"Nuh uh."
"Is Rae?"
"Would it matter?"
"No," she laughed, before pulling him down onto the couch and kissing him.
Rachel and Nick suddenly walked into the house, talking adamantly, before they realized Rae's brother was making out with Brittany on the couch.
"Hey, Zack," Rae rolled her eyes, as she smirked at the blush on Brittany's cheeks.
Zack cleared his throat and straightened his clothing out, "Hey, R baby. 'Sup?"
She raised her eyebrows, "Nothing..."
"Hey, man," Zack greeted Nick, and Nick laughed in response, before looking at Brittany who merely glared at Nick's smug look.
"Yo, Zack, mom's gonna flip and you know it," Rachel gestured to his new piercing and grabbed Nick's arm, guiding him towards the kitchen so they could get something to drink.
Brittany turned her head to Zack, a mock baby expression on her face, "Oohh... Mommy gonna be upset, Zacky-poo?"
Zack growled at her playfully, "Shut up..." he knocked her back onto the couch, kissing her again.
She merely laughed.
