"Think we should go after her?" I mumbled, after an uncomfortable silence between me and Brian.

"No, leave her alone.  She's absolutely right… we did spring this on her so suddenly."

"Man, I can't believe you slept with her.  That hurts."

"Well now you know how I feel, when I found out about you guys, Nick."

"Yeah, but you didn't walk in on us.  I actually had to see you guys in bed, ouch." I muttered.

"Well you shouldn't of walked in then, Nick." he snapped.

"Hey Brian?" I asked, ignoring his sudden anger.

"What?"

"Nothing's gonna be the same anymore, is it?"

"Between us?"

I nodded.

"Nope." he said, sadly.

"Thought so." I mumbled.

I slowly got up to leave…

"Where are you going?" he asked, curiously.

"Back to my room."

"Col's in there."

"Well, I have to get in there eventually.  Later."

"Bye Nick."

Colleen's View

I had stopped crying, but I could feel the tears coming again.  All these thoughts kept streaming through my head… Nick?  Brian?  If I choose Nick, Brian will get hurt.  If I choose Brian, Nick will get hurt.  Who do I love?  Nick?  Brian? 

"Col!  Can I please come in?" I heard Nick shout, from outside.

I slowly opened the door, and saw Nick's hurt face staring back at me.

"Hey." he mumbled, as I closed the door behind him.

"Hello." I replied, weakly.  I was hurting both of them so much.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking a seat next to me on the couch.

"Nope, I feel horrible.  How can I feel alright when I know I'm hurting the two most important people in my life?" I replied, bursting into tears.

He wrapped me in a hug, as I cried on his shoulder. 

"I just don't wanna hurt you guys anymore, Nick." I sobbed.

"We'll be fine Col… just don't be so hard on yourself."

"I'm so stupid.  I should've never started anything with either of you.  Then we would've all been friends, and none of this would've happened.  You know your friendship with Brian is never gonna be the same.  And no matter who I choose, the other one's gonna get hurt, and I can't live with that feeling Nick."

"What are you saying, Col?"

"I have to leave…"  I saw his eyes widen, as he gave me a strange look.

"What do you mean, 'leave'?" 

"I'm thinking of moving back to Kentucky… I miss it there."

"Colleen!  You can't do that, please, don't do that.  We can work this out, you don't have to leave." he pleaded, his eyes filling up with tears.

"Nick, I can't choose between you two.  I can't continue hurting you and Brian… I love you both too much.  The only way I'll be able to stop causing you guys pain, is if I leave."

"I'm begging you Col, don't leave.  If you think that leaving is gonna change anything, then your completely wrong.  If we don't have you in our lives, we're gonna end up getting hurt even more.  Please don't go back to Kentucky, because I need you here."

"I need to leave Nick.  Please understand." I mumbled.

"No, I can't understand.  You can't run away from your problems."

"Maybe I can't, but I'm gonna try."

And with that, Nick stormed out of the room.  I started to cry, once again. 

AJ's View

"AJ, let me in, now!" Nick shouted, as I flung open the door. 

"What's wrong Nicky?" Sophia asked, coming from behind me.

"Col wants to move back to Kentucky.  She wants to leave all of us behind, so she won't hurt me and B anymore.  What the fuck is that about?" he shrieked, as his eyes began to water.

"She wants to leave?  Oh my God, she can't leave." Sophia mumbled, grabbing my hand.

"I know, but she's set on it… I don't know how to change her mind." Nick said, sadly.

"Let her go…" I said, softly.

"What?  Are you insane AJ!" Sophia and Nick shouted in unison.

"Listen, she has a right to make her own decisions, and if she wants to leave… let her.  We can't hold her back from what she really wants to do.  We have to respect her decision.  Of course we're gonna miss her like crazy, especially you and Brian… but we know where her family lives… we can hunt her down."

"AJ's right." Sophia smiled, "We have to let her go."

"Maybe you guys are able to do that, but I can't.  I'm out of here."  Nick shouted, walking back to his room.

Nick's View

"Colleen!  Where are you?!" I yelled, walking into the kitchen.

She walked into the room, carrying her luggage. 

"Where are you going?" I asked, angrily.

"I'm flying back to Florida.  I'm gonna keep my house there, but I'm gonna move back to Kentucky, like I said."

"No you're not!" I shouted.

"Nick, you can't stop me.  My flight leaves tomorrow morning.  By the end of this month, I'll be back home in Kentucky."

"Don't do this Col." I pleaded.

"What's going on?  Why are your bags out here?" Brian asked, walking into the room.

"Col's leaving." I said, under my breath.

"Why?  We still have one more day here in New York."

"No, Brian, she's going back to Kentucky.  She's running away from us."  I replied.

"What?  You can't do that Colleen, we need you here with us."

"I'm sorry guys." she mumbled, sadly.

"Atleast stay one more night.  We need to try and convince you to stay."

"Alright Nick, I'll stay tonight."

"Well I'm staying over tonight.  What time is it?"  Brian asked.

"It's 8:30 p.m.  Yeah, we can have a little sleepover like we used to… back in the day."  I smiled.

Hmmm, we had all night to convince Colleen to stay.  Hopefully, she would listen.

Colleen's View

Nick and Brian were asleep on the couch.  They had spent hours begging me to stay, and I kept telling them I wouldn't.  I can't stay here with them, because if I do that, they will keep on getting hurt. 

I put the note I had written to them, on the kitchen table. 

"I love you Nick." I whispered, kissing him softly on the cheek.

"And I love you too Bri." I added, giving him a light kiss on his forehead.

My tears fell rapidly, as I took one last look at them, before closing the door behind me.  I stood, staring at the closed door, wondering if what I was doing, was right. 

As I sat on the plane, that would take me back to Florida, I thought of all the good memories I'd had with Brian and Nick.  Brian had made high school so enjoyable, and Nick had always made me smile.  I'll never forget the time me, Nick, and Brian, did our own version of Say What Karaoke.  We took turns performing, and being the judge.  We had so much fun that day.  I felt the tears beginning to fall again, as I quickly wiped them away.  This was for the best…

Brian's View

My eyes slowly opened, as I glanced over at Nick, sleeping like a baby.  I looked over to where Colleen was sleeping, and noticed she wasn't there.

"Col?  Where are you?" I asked, looking around the hotel room for her.  I couldn't find her anywhere, and her stuff was completely gone.  I sat myself down at the kitchen, noticing a note addressed to me and Nick…

Brian and Nick,

I'm sorry I left while you guys were sleeping, but I was afraid that if I waited until morning came, I'd never be able to leave.  Right now I'm on a plane, Florida-bound.  I'm gonna pack all my belongings, and take the next flight out to Kentucky.  I'm gonna live with my parents until I'm settled.  Please don't follow me to Kentucky… I really think it's best for all of us, if you guys keep your distance from me.  I love you both too much, to hurt you.

Brian-  I've known you for 10 years… and I'm never gonna forget the day we met.  Mrs. Larson's sixth grade classroom.  I was seven years old, you were twelve.  How I managed to befriend a twelve year old… I'll never know.  I thank God that I met you, or else I never would've survived high school!  We were unstoppable, and there was nothing we couldn't do when we were together.  We have so many memories, it would take me years to name them all!  I'll never forget our water gun fight, through the halls of Tate's Creek High School.  Or the time you told your mom you were sleeping over my house, and I told my mom I was sleeping over your house… and instead we went clubbing.  We knew we were gonna get caught… and we did!  Grounded for 2 weeks!  As I sit here, writing this letter, I'm smiling because we've had such good times together, and crying because it's all ending.  I'll keep this promise ring on, until the day I die, because I'll never find a better friend than you.  No matter what happeneds, you'll always be in my heart, and those many years of friendship will never be forgotten.  Littrell and Forrester forever, and don't you forget it B. 

Nick-  Hmmm, it seems like I've known you forever, even though it's only been 7 years.  I 'm sitting here, trying to think back to the day we first met… all I remember is us hitting it off from the start.  I'll never forget our long walks on the beach… I can picture it now:  us walking, hand-in-hand, talking about crap!  Then there was that horrible period of time you were dating Mandy.  I was upset because you focused all of your attention on her, and our friendship was going down the drain.  But then you dumped her, and all was well again, haha.  We've had so much fun together.  Remember the time we were out on your boat, and I tried pushing you into the water?  You grabbed my arm, and dragged me down with you.  Which would've been fine, if there hadn't been about a thousand jellyfish in the water that day!  We had rashes all up our arms and legs because of those stupid things.  Or who could forget the time when I beat you 16 times in a row at Mario Kart?  You were so mad, haha.  I could always count on you to make me laugh.  You would do some crazy stuff, when I was upset, or make some funny face, when I was trying to be serious… thank you for that.  You've been the greatest friend, anyone could ask for, and I'll always love you.  Remember:  Pink and Green power!  Haha.  (We were crazy!) 

Could you guys do me a favor, and tell everyone I love them, and I'm sorry I had to leave?  I love you guys so much, words can't even describe.  My only regret was that it had to end this way.  Never forget the memories we shared and you guys keep making music, and keep being the great people that you are.  I'm gonna miss you guys.  I hope that one day, both of you meet the girl of your dreams.  Remember Brian, when you meet her… you'll "just know."  Hey Nick… whenever I step foot in a bathtub, I'm gonna think of you, haha.  Never forget:  we are the 3 musketeers…