Chapter 1

As much as she hated it, Macy was revealed when he finished, sloppily pulling out. She groaned at the sight of blood between her legs. Her thighs burned and her breasts ached from his roaming hands. Scrambling up, Macy began getting dressed, looking over to see, surprisingly, Nick asleep. She almost felt bad for him as her eyes rested for a minute on his angelic face. "Oh, Nick," Macy breathed, her heart breaking for the boy who had lost his way. Her eyes flashed across the bloody sheets. As much as she tried to hate him, it was no use. She loved him. She loved who he used to be. Macy was pulling on her jeans when his hand suddenly gripped hers. Shaking, Macy looked down at him. His sparkling, deep orbs stared back at her.

"Please, don't go."

Macy wanted more than anything to snatch her hand back. She wanted to laugh in his face and call him horrible, horrible names. It wasn't possible. She sighed, raking her fingers through her hair. Macy snapped the buttons on her pants and tried ignoring him. He reminded her of a little brother. Hell, he reminded her of HER little brother. Needing love and comfort when he felt alone. "Mace, please don't leave." His voice was so weak, so tiny. A tear ran down her cheek. She tried so very hard to act cold towards him as he had moments before. Macy kneeled down beside him, holding his hand, looking him in the eye. She could see he sobered up a bit, but not enough to realize the damage he'd done. Nick squeezed her hand. "I need you right now, Macy. I have no one but you. You're all I have left," he whispered, tears threatening to spill.

Macy didn't try to hold hers back. It was true. She was all he had left. His brothers had married and moved away long ago, leaving him, and the band, behind. His parents were killed in a burglary. She stroked his head gently, almost coming to a smile when he fought sleepiness. He must have thought she'd leave as soon as he was asleep.

She wouldn't.

Macy knew he needed her more than anything. He couldn't go to his other friends. She snorted. What other friends? Nick Lucas didn't really have friends. He had an entourage. No one actually cared about him. Shit, no one even cared about his grief over his parents. Naturally, Nick turned to alcohol. And alcohol turned on him. If only he'd come to her, Macy thought, staring as he finally gave up to sleep. If only he'd thought back to her. They had a pretty bad break-up, sure. When she found her best friend, Stella, in his car at night, it was not a happy time for her OR Joe, who happened to be dating Stella at that time. Where was Stella, these days? Macy sighed, yet again combing her hair with her fingers. After that, they'd all lost touch. Macy had banished Stella and Nick from her life. And since Joe and Kevin were his brothers, she tried forgetting them too. How could she be friends with them and not see Nick? Even though Macy wasn't involved in their life anymore, she still had to listen to the gossip around her. She knew Joe and Stella had broken up, even though they tried to fix their relationship. Stella had gotten pregnant and moved. A year later, Kevin got married and moved with their daughter to Tokyo.

Joe. Macy shook her head, crossing the room quietly and closing the bathroom door behind her. Joe was so lost. He was like Nick is now, only worse. He did drugs, he drank beer whenever, and he almost never attended school. Right now, Macy could concur, Joe would be dead. If it wasn't for Demi, he'd be lost. She smiled, remembering how day by day the rock star returned to himself. And when they discovered Demi was pregnant, they happily had gotten married and moved to start a family. What I wouldn't give, Macy thought, stepping into a hot bath, to talk to them again. She scooted down, sighing at the soothing heat that loosened her muscles.

Macy heard a strangled cough, cringing. The coughing stopped and his peaceful snoring replaced the horrid noise.

If only he'd come to her…