* please review*

Robert felt bad avoiding her, and wanted to be with her, but he needed some time to think. He hated being away from her and lying to her but he needed time. He needed to figure out what was going on his head. Robert used to take nude shots for models. It used to calm him down and helped him to refocus. But when he started dating Paige, he stopped. He knew she would be uncomfortable with it, so he had stopped. He hadn't needed that to help him relax.

Yet here he was, taking photos of Amanda while she was naked. She was positioning herself in very sexual positions. After a while, he announced they were done and asked her if she wanted to look at the shots. She walked over to him, still completely naked. She pressed herself against his side while he started flipping through the pictures on the camera for her to see them. She slipped an arm around his shoulders as they looked at the pictures. Robert frowned and looked at her. She only smiled.

" You know, you and I could have a real good time together." Amanda said. " Your little girlfriend doesn't even have to know." She said as she ran her hand through his hair.

" What the fuck." Amanda and Robert heard. They both turned and saw a very shocked Paige standing in the doorway. Amanda pulled away and smiled.

" Shit." Robert said under his breath.

" Wow, you're her. You're the girl in his pictures." Amanda said. Robert closed his eyes and turned back around. Paige was glaring at his back. He put one hand on the back of his neck. Amanda quickly looked around and noticed the pictures of Paige were either missing or turned over. " Well your pictures used to be everywhere. I don't know where they are now."

" What is going on, Rob?" Paige asked. Robert took a deep breath and faced her.

" What does it look like I'm doing, Paige? I'm working." He said.

" I better get dressed." Amanda said before she walked towards his back room.

" Why she is naked and pressed up against you?" Paige asked. Robert looked down at his camera and shrugged as he pretended to be messing with it.

" I'm working. What do you want from me? You know what I do." He said.

" Why she is naked and pressed against you?" Paige snapped. Robert sighed and dropped his shoulders as he looked at her.

" Because I was going to fuck her, is that what you want to hear, Paige?" Robert asked.

" I want to hear the truth, Rob. What the hell is going on you, with us? What's happening to us?" She asked. Robert shook his head and started over to his work table, refusing to make her eyes.

" I don't know, honestly. I don't know. This isn't really my thing, you know?" Robert set his camera down and started looking through some proofs he had sitting out. His back was to Paige again.

" What isn't your thing?" Paige asked. She hadn't moved from her spot.

" This." Robert motioned behind him with his hand to her and him. " This, just you and me thing. I mean, it was fun for a while but I just don't think this is what I want." Paige's stomach dropped and she felt like she was going to throw up.

" It was fun for a while?" She echoed his words back to him.

Robert closed his eyes. This was the right thing to do. He'd only hurt her if he stayed with her. This way, she'd forgive him after a while and they could be friends again. If they started the I Love You's, they'd start to fight and he couldn't fight with her. If they fought and broke up, she'd hate him and he won't be able to take it. If they broke up now, they'd find their way back to each other as friends and he could handle that. He could be in love with her and be her friend. He had been doing that for years.

" Yeah. I mean, the sex was great." He said as he opened his eyes again. " I'd totally keep doing that with you if you wanted but this relationship thing just isn't what I want."

Paige appeared at his side suddenly. Robert looked at her and swallowed hard at the pain in her eyes. She frowned and tighten up her face right away. She slapped him so hard, Robert's cheek went red right away. The pain started so quickly he couldn't breath. Slowly he raised his hand to his cheek as he looked at her, completely stunned and taken back.

" NEVER talk to me again." Paige said softly before she turned and walked away from him.

XXXXXX

Robert walked slowly up to his apartment. He sighed as he took out the key. This is what he wanted, isn't it? He couldn't let them continue on. He couldn't let things go knowing what was coming. If they stayed together, and the I Love You's started, they would have just fallen apart and ended up hating each other. He knew that for a fact. Didn't he? He shook his head as the lock turned. Maybe things would have been different this time. Paige wasn't like his exs'. Maybe she wouldn't have lost her mind and started acting crazy. Maybe it wasn't too late. He could call her and tell her what had been going through his head. He could call her, tell her he was in love with her and that he was scared. She'd understand that, she was an understanding person. She'd ask him to come over, they'd talk, she'd reassure him she wouldn't flip out. She'd tell him she was in love with him and things would be fine. Robert smiled and started to dug his phone out as he opened the door.

" Get out." Nick greeted him.

" What?" Robert asked as he put his phone back into his pocket.

" Paige was here. She was dropping off your stuff and getting hers. She was hysterical. She said she found you with a naked girl. What the fuck, dude? I told you what was going to happen if you fucked her over but you didn't listen. You need to go." Nick said before he turned around and walked away.

" Wait! It's not like how it sounds." Robert said.

" I don't care. She was my friend first. Go stay with one of those whores you like to sleep with. Paige is a good girl, she didn't deserve this. Get your shit and get out!" Nick yelled before he slammed his door shut. Robert sighed and walked into his room. He called the one person he knew he could stay with, the one person who would listen to him. They may have broken up but Mena would hear him out. She would let him stay there until he figured things out.

XXXXXX

His messages started at eleven that night. Paige refused to answer his texts so he had started calling her. At first his messages were sober, but the more he left, the drunker she could tell he was getting. He called her until two in the morning, had completely filled up her voice mail. She cried every time she listened to them.

' Paige, it's Rob, call me, please. I can explain.'

' Paigy, please. It's me. I need to explain things to you.'

' Look, I'm just going to say it, I love you. Call me.'

' PAIGE! IT'S ROBERT! ANSWER YOUR PHONE,PLEASE!'

' Listen to me, it's Rob, it's Robert. Call me because I love you. I mean it, I love you and I'm sorry. I got scared and...'

' Stupid, fucking voicemail cut me off. Paige, it's Rob again. When I realized I was in love with you I got scared. I thought...'

' I thought you'd start getting crazy like Mena and Jenna did. I pulled away but I didn't cheat on you. I'd never cheat...'

' Stupid, fucking shit! Just call me back, please. It's Robert. I love you, Paige. It's Rob. Call me back.'

Mena came forward and placed a blanket over Robert after he passed out on her couch. She took his cell phone and set it on her coffee table then reached over him and took the rum bottom from him. She set that on the floor then stood up and sighed. She shook her head, he never did know what was good for him. Drinking and women weren't good for Robert, Paige, she was good for him.