Chapter 28






*Thursday morning*

"So, ready to visit some appartements?" Kevin asked when Stacey entered in the kitchen.

"Today????"

"Why not???"

"Are you sure you want to go? I mean..I can go myself or ask someone else to come with me... you've done enough..." she said surprised.

"I swear I'd really like to go... anyway, I have nothing else to do! Maybe I'll find a appartement for myself...who knows??" he giggled.

"What?!? Why would you want an appartement when you have this beautiful house???" she exclaimed.

"Because I know I'll feel really lonely in this huge house when you'll be gone.."

"Ooohh you'll miss me!" she laughed. "But it'd be great to check out some appartements with ya!"

"Good...are you ready?"

"Yeah let's go!" she said all smile.

Stacey and Kevin left and after ten minutes of driving, they arrived in front of a small building on a calm street surrounded by a few palms.

"Well at least the street is nice!" Stacey laughed. They walked in the building that included two little appartements. When they knocked at the door, a tall man answered.

"Welcome!" he said with a huge smile.

"Hi!" Stacey and Kevin replied.

"Come in!" he said opening the door wider. The two friends walked in and observed what was surrounding them. The walls of the small living room was paint light blue and all the other rooms were also paint with light colors. It was a cute little appartement and the view at the backyard was beautiful too. It was near the beach and not too far from downtown.

"Can I ask you why you want to move?...if it's not too personal..." Stacey asked.

"Don't worry, I never had any problem with this appartement! Everythings works fine and the old lady living downstairs is really nice. Actually, I'm moving with my girlfriend... we bought a house together!" the man said with sparkling eyes.

"How sweet!" Stacey replied.

"You're the one who is looking for an appartement?" he asked Stacey.

"That's right! It's the first I'm visiting but I really like it... "

"That's great!!" he replied all happy.

"Yeah but I can't tell you right now if it's really what I'm looking for ya know...I'll have to look at others... are you hurry to sell it??"

"Not really...we don't have our house yet but... the faster I sell it, the best it is!"

"Alright well I'll keep your number in mind and I'll give you some news!" Stacey said smiling.

"Perfect miss!" the man said.

"See ya !" Stacey smiled as Kevin and her walked out. "So what did you think about it? Look nice doesn't it?"

"Well...yeah it's nice!" Kevin replied not too convincing.

"Can I know what you think for real?" she laughed knowing he was lying.

"I don't know...I mean... it's nice but not as much as I thought.." . It was he's best reason to give her. The appartement was actually really great and there were no bad points to tell about it.

"Yes I know... and it's a little too small..." Stacey said. Kevin nodded, feeling happy she didn't like it. He didn't know why, he didn't want her to leave his house yet. They drove until they reached another appartement. They didn't stay in there really long because it was dirty and wasn't at all what Stacey wanted.

"Gosh... I wonder how they can live into this!" she exclaimed as they walked back at the car. "And have you seen how much they ask for it?"

"Yes it's unbelievable!!! If it would at least be clean... but look where it's located... they won't sell it really soon!" Kevin said.

All the afternoon they visited appartements and small houses in the neiborhood. There were a few ones really great. Three of them caught more Stacey's attention so she kept talking about them all to find the one she liked the best. She always wanted to have Kevin's opinion and he was amused by her excitement.

"Stop worrying about it! You're not pressed to move!" Kevin giggled. "Or maybe you just want to get away from me as fast as possible!!!"

"No no... please don't think that!" she said feeling bad. "I don't want to get away as fast as possible...it's only that I don't want to live in the streets when I'll come back!"

"I've told you you can come here if you want!" Kevin told her. "You'll have a month to find what you are really looking for. Don't buy an appartement that you don't even like!"

"I just don't want to be imposing!" she said for the thousand time.

"Stace!" Kevin replied with a little laugh. "You are not imposing! We have fun together no?"

"Yes! Of course! But... I don't know...I always feel like I'm a weight for you.." she said looking at her hands. Kevin laughed and reassured her.

"Don't worry!! I really like you being around...I swear!" he said looking at her in the eyes.

"Alright alright!!! But I'll try to find a appartement soon..." she started. Kevin looked at her like he was going to repeated everything he had say during the conversation. "but if I don't like any of them... I'll stay... " she continued with a smile.





*That same day*

Amber walked nervously to the door. She didn't know what she was gonna tell him... but she knew she had to talk to him and try to work things out. She loved him and she wanted to do the best that she could to have him back. She took a deep breath and pressed on the bell. After a few seconds that seems to be hours, Brian answered. His eyes froze when he saw who was at the door.

"What do you want?" he asked unhappy.

"Brian...can we talk..please?" she replied.

"Well you will talk because I don't have anything to say to you...." he said not letting her in.

"Brian...please..." she begged already feeling tears coming up. He didn't answer and walked in the house, letting the door open so she followed him to the living room and sat on the couch in front of the one he was sitting on.

"So... you're gonna tell me that you're sorry and you didn't want this to happen...and blablabla? I've already heard that..." he said.

"Well... what do you want me to say beside that? That yeah I wanted it to happen because you've been such a jerk with me?" she answered. "Yes you've been a jerk but I know it wasn't a good reason to sleep with Nick..."

Brian got chills at those three last words. He just couldn't handle to imagine them together...he couldn't even look at them now. Just to look at Amber sitting in front of him was so painful...

"You do what you want..." was the only answer he could give her.

"Come on Brian... I am really sorry and you know it!! And now that I know I'm not the first to have done it...I feel so bad... you can't imagine..." she sighed. Brian took some time to answer. He was surprised that she knew about Leighanne...

"Listen..I don't know how you learned this but I don't see the difference between you being the first or the second who cheated on me... you did it! That's enough!" he said raising a little his voice. "And what if you knew it before? You wouldn't have done it? That's stupid..."

"I... I..." she tried to say something but it wasn't coming out. All he was saying was actually the truth. "You're right..." she finally added looking down the floor.

"I know I am!! Look, I've been through this once and it was enough! Now you're coming to me and you're doing the same damn thing Leighanne did... you're saying the same thing... I know how it works now!" he shouted.

"But Leighanne let you go... I don't want to let you go...I love you..." she said with emotions. Brian didn't answer and looked straight in front of him. It was even more painful to hear her say this. He wanted to forgive her but he couldn't. His heart was too hurt. "Brian...I know what I did was wrong... I swear to God I would never do something like this again... "

"You've already told me something like this... and you broke your promise...I can't trust you anymore... I can't trust anyone because of you now..." he said sadly.

"Have you ever done something wrong in your life??? You're not perfect...I'm sure you already have done some mistakes!!!" she exclaimed.

"Yes I did... and it was to trust you..." he said looking her in the eyes. Amber felt like she has been shot by a gun. She stood up, walked to the door and then ran outside. She felt like she was going to throw up. She ran into Carly's car and bursted into tears. She started the car and drove until Carly's house, blind by the tears that were falling on her cheeks.





*Meanwhile*

Carly and Howie had decided to go back at Carly's house for dinner. She wanted him to meet the rest of her family but when she they arrived, everyone was gone. Carly found a note on the table that was saying her mother and sisters were at her grandfather's for a while.

"Oh that's too bad! I wanted you to meet them..." Carly pouted. "Well...they won't come back really late...if we stay here this you'll have the chance to see them!"

"Yeah why not? I'd really like to meet them!" Howie said smiling. "If they are all like Anna...it's probably really fun when they are around!"

"Oh no... they aren't like Anna at all!!! She's the devil of the family!! We're all the opposite of her..." she said sitting on her bed. "You certainly already noticed that I'm a real angel.." she added with a huge smile.

"Oh well... you're an angel who often have some devil's hours!" he laughed sitting beside her.

"Hey! I'm a real angel!!" she grinned.

"Nope...you're my little devil!" he said moving closer to her.

"Alright then..." she smiled before he kissed her. The kiss became more passionnate as they both caressed each other. Howie moved on the top of her and smiled as they looked into each other eyes. They didn't need to say a word. Howie smiled again and started kissing her neck and then got back to her lips. Suddently, Anna entered in the room.

"Hey Carly I..." she stopped when she saw what they were doing. "Oops sorry!" she said walking away. Carly and Howie immediatly stopped and broke apart not realizing what had just happened. They stayed there not talking for a while when they finally both bursted out laughing.

"Imagine if she would have come in 15 minutes later...Gosh!" Carly exclaimed still laughing.

"I hope she's not traumatised..." Howie laughed too.

"I don't think so! It's not the first time I'm with a boy in the house... But I'll go talk to her...I won't be long!" Carly said giving Howie a quick kiss.

"Alright!" Howie replied still giggling because of what just happened.

Carly knocked softly on the door of her sister's room.

"Come in!" Anna screamed.

"Anna...don't scream like that!" Carly said walking inside. She sat on her sister's bed and bursted out laughing again.

"What are you laughing at?" Anna asked.

"Oh nothing... don't worry for what happened... it was really funny" Carly giggled.

"Well I'm sorry...I hope I didn't interrupt anything..."

"Actually yes... " Carly laughed again what made Anna blushed. "But it's okay!"

"Okay..."

"But what are you doing here? You're not at Grampa's???"

"No...I didn't want to go..." Anna replied.

"Alright...do you know at what time mom and Leila will come back?"

"They told me around 5... Howie's gone?" Anna asked thinking that he probably decided to go after what had happened.

"No I'm here!" Howie smiled entering in the room.

"Oh hey!" Anna replied all smile.

"You're not too traumatised?" Howie asked trying not to laugh.

"She's alright!" Carly answered for her sister. "So we still have around an hour to wait for them to come back so...why don't we watch a movie?"

"Yeah good idea!"

"You don't want to finish what you've start??" Anna asked grinning.

"Nah...there's SOMEONE who kinda... stopped us ya know..." Carly grinned back. Anna blushed again and followed them in the living room.

"So how is Nick doing?" Anna asked when they all sat and opened the tv.

"Here we go again ...he's alright!" Carly sighed. Anna looked at Howie.

"I think he's alright...well..I didn't have news from him for a while... " Howie replied.

"Oh...he went to Canada joined his girlfriend?"

"I don't think so.." Howie said not wanting to say what happened between him and Amber and Brian.

After a few minutes of questions of Anna, Carly's mom and her sister Leila finally arrived.

"Hey Mommie!!!!!" Carly exclaimed. "I want you to meet Howie!"

"Hi Howie!" her mom answered smiling.

"Hi Mrs. it's nice to meet you!"

"And this is my sister Leila!"

"Hi Leila!! Nice to meet you too!"

"Hi!" Leila replied a little embarassed. They all sat at the table and started talking about things and others. Carly's family was pleased to meet Howie and were all looking to like him a lot. After a couple of minutes, someone knocked on the door.

"I'll go get it!" Carly said getting up and letting Howie with her mom and sisters who were all into a conversation about the Backstreet Boys. She ran to the door when she saw Amber standing outside.

"What happened???!?!?" she exclaimed when she saw her friend sobbing like she had never saw her.

"He hates me!" Amber sobbed.

"Ssshhh... let's go to my room and you'll explain to me what happened..." Carly said leading her to her room. "Here" she said giving her a box of tissues. "I'll be back shortly!". Carly walked back at the kitchen.

"Is everything alright?" Carly's mom asked. They had heard Amber sobbing and were all wondering what was wrong.

"Yeah hum...I'll be in my room... I'll try to make it fast!" she said giving Howie a sorry-to-leave-you-alone look. He smiled at her and she left and came back in her bedroom.

"Tell me what happened..." Carly asked rubbing Amber's back.

"He hates me... " she repeated.

"What did he say??"

"He said that the most wrong thing he did in his life was to trust me..." she said what made her cry even more.

"Poor girl..." Carly replied. She didn't know what to tell her.

"What am I gonna do? I love him..."

"He probably said that only because he was angry...don't worry..."

"No... you didn't see his eyes! They were filled with hate!" Amber said wiping her eyes.

"Well...can you blame him?" Carly asked. Amber turned around and looked at Carly.

"You're really thinking he's right?"

"Hum... well..you know... how would you react if he would have told you he've slept with me?"

Amber thought for a while. But she knew what her answer was.

"Of course I would have been hurt and angry... but..I love him so I would have forgive him..." Amber answered sure of herself.

"Well maybe he just need some time alone to think... " Carly said.

"Do you think what you're saying?"

"I can't tell you ...I mean...I know he's really hurt... but maybe he'll change his mind..."

"Or maybe he never loved me and will just forget about me now..." Amber started sobbing again.

"Is everything alright?" Howie asked worried to see Amber cry. "What's wrong?"

"Brian..." Carly sighed.

"Oh...I see..." Howie sat on the other side of Amber and rubbed her back. "Let him think Amber... let him take away his anger! He's still under the shock.. maybe it will take time but you have to wait...and then you'll see what to think about..."

"You really think he will forgive me someday?" Amber asked with hope.

"You know, you've hurt him really bad. What you did just brang back the sadness he felt when Leighanne broke up... you have to know that maybe it will take time...a lot of time.." Howie said trying to be the nicest as possible.

"a lot?"

"I have to be honest with you... maybe it will take time and maybe he'll never want you back..." he said sadly. "You have to admitt that what you did wasn't really fair...I mean...with Nick! Everyone knows they are the best friend of the whole world... He lost his faith into his friends now because of this... he'll have to get back confidence in the others...then we'll see.." Howie paused. "But don't lose hope!! But don't make you too much ideas either..."

"Alright... thank you!" she said hugging Carly and Howie. "I think I need some time alone too...I'll leave you two alone..." she added walking down the stairs to go in the basement where her room was. Carly and Howie walked back in the kitchen and continued talking with Carly's family.





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