Okay, I'm going to be honest with you...

I have no idea what to write next.

I only planned up to the last chapter, so I'm just gonna go with whatever will get me to a new place.

This means that things MAY get a little boring, so don't expect too much,

but I plan on picking things up soon.

Please read and review anyways.

I LOVE YOU!

Nick's POV

"Holy shit!" she yelled. I cringed. I'd never heard her yell before. Not like this, anyway. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know," I replied honestly.

"Well, you must know something!"

I stared at Roseanne in my lap and sighed, my eyes closing in frustration. This was supposed to be the night when everything was okay and out in the open, so we could just talk alone. We were alone, and we were talking... but not about what I wanted.

"I promise, Olive," I pledged, looking her in the eyes. "I didn't ask her to come."

She sighed and the anger drained from her body. I watched her flushed face return to its normal color and her dark eyes lighten again. She came over and sat next to me and I fought the urge to pull her close and assure her that everything would be okay.

"I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm just so confused." She rested her head in her hands and I moved the guitar from my lap.

"Hey," I said softly, turning to face her. She looked up, her eyes tired and her mouth relaxing, and leaned her chin in her hand. "Look, I know you're upset. I am too, believe me. But right now we need to make a decision. Are we going to tell her?"

"Of course we're going to tell her," she replied, as if it were obvious. "We can't just keep it from her. But..." She trailed off, thinking again about what could go wrong with this.

"Olivia," I roused her from her thoughts and took her hand in mine. "We need to talk about it. About us."

"I know," she sighed. "I just..."

"Olivia." I stared into her eyes and squeezed her hand gently. "Please." She attempted a half smile, then nodded.

Skip a few days

Olivia's POV

I loved Selena, I really did. But sometimes, she just wouldn't shut up! But it was in a friendly, I-missed-you-so-much-lets-talk-about-every-detail-of-the-summer kind of way, so it just made me smile. She was currently in the middle of telling me about the guys in "The Scene."

"I mean, I've always been one of those girls who can just hang around guys as easily as other girls, but I feel really connected with them. They've become like family to me!"

"Well, that's good! It's good to surround yourself with good, loving friends like that."

She smiled easily and turned back to Taylor.

"Okay!" she was saying. "How about this?"

She tapped her pen on her notebook in a steady beat and then began to sing.

"She said,
I was seven and you were nine
I looked at you like the stars that shined
In the sky, the pretty lights..."

Selena and I clapped and nodded with huge smiles.

"That's awesome!"

"Beautiful!"

"I'm totally buying that CD!"

"Right?"

Taylor laughed and began to scribble a few more ideas, popping a piece of chocolate chip cookie into her mouth. The bells on the door rang as someone else entered the cafe and Selena glanced up.

"Wow," she whispered. "He's hot!" Taylor turned around and looked then turned back and started to giggle.

"Hell yeah!" she half whispered. I laughed at them and glanced back, towards the counter, and froze.

Selena's POV

She turned back to us quickly and stared at the table anxiously. I wondered if she was super shy. She bowed her head and I giggled.

"You're so cute," Taylor laughed. "All embarrassed and shy." Olivia bit her bottom lip in response and I poked her.

"He's coming over here!" I whispered.

"Hey," came a new, deeper voice.

The guy was freaking GORGEOUS! He had short, black hair, and a nicely toned body. He was well muscled, but not so much so that they were all popping out and looked gross. He had a dazzling white, crooked smile, and beautiful emerald eyes that sparkled with mischief. Something about the way he carried himself suggested that he had confidence, but wasn't necessarily cocky. He seemed to be walking over with purpose, and smiled at us as though he'd known us for a long time.

"Hi," I greeted him, cheerfully, but not eagerly.

"Hi," Taylor echoed, casually. Mr. Gorgeous pointed to the empty seat between us.

"Can I join you?" he asked. We shrugged.

"Sure," Taylor smiled.

Olivia kept her head down and remained silent throughout this.

"Lia," I said, elbowing her lightly. "Don't be rude."

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey," the guy replied. I stepped on Olivia's foot under the table.

Why was she being so weird?

"I'm sorry," Taylor picked up. "I didn't catch your name."

"Jared," he said, his eyes never leaving the top of Olivia's head.

"Cool name," I told him, with a smile. "I'm Selena."

"I recognized you," he admitted, holding out his hand. I shook it and he extended it to Taylor. "You're both more beautiful in person."

We smiled and flushed slightly pink. Taylor quickly moved on and gestured to Lia.

"This is-"

"Olivia," Jared finished for her. Our eyes widened and we looked at him inquiringly.

"How did you...?" I started. "Do you guys know each other?"

"Yeah, actually," he smiled. "We do."

Olivia's POV

"How?" Selena asked, worsening the situation.

"We dated recently," Jared grinned. I glared at the table. He was enjoying this.

"Oh! Really?" Taylor jumped in.

"Yup."

"Why didn't you ever say anything, Lia?" Selena asked, eager for details. I looked up and opened my mouth, but Jared cut me off.

"You know, Olive Cheeks never mentioned you guys either. Why is that?"

"Yes," Taylor laughed. "Tell us, 'Olive Cheeks.'"

My blood began to boil in my veins and my face flushed.

"Aw! She's blushing!" Selena giggled.

They didn't understand! This wasn't a happy reunion!

Of course, Jared was just sitting there, in all his swagger, smiling that stupid little lopsided smile of his.

After a few more seconds of the girls' giggling and his staring, I couldn't take it anymore.

I grabbed my empty cup and threw it away, put my nibbled at cookie into it's wrapper, and headed for the door.

"Lia, we're only teasing!" Selena called after me.

"C'mon! Have a sense of humor!" Taylor agreed. I ignored them and shoved the door open.

I stepped out onto the brick sidewalk and let the door fall shut behind me, bells ringing. I looked left and right quickly, trying to make it out of sight before the others could stop me. I already knew that they were packing up, goofy grins on their faces, and inviting Jared to dinner or something. I chose left and walked quickly and with purpose, my flip flops slapping my feet and the sidewalk.

Approximately fifteen strides later, the bells rang again and I knew Selena, Taylor, and Jared had just stepped out. They spotted me and yelled.

"Where are you going? The hotel's the other way!"

Leave it to me to pick the wrong direction to walk. Then again, maybe I could just wander around and hope that they won't find me, then find myself back at the hotel again by the next morning. Sure, let's go with that.

"Olivia! Come back!"

I could hear their own sandals behind me, and quickened my pace. I couldn't deal with all of this! First Nick, then Selena, now this? What the hell?

My phone beeped and rescued me from drowning in my own thoughts. Until I realized that the rope that was pulling me to safety was a noose.

I FOUND YOU

Week skip

Nick's POV

Since the first run in at the cafe, he just wouldn't leave her alone. And she wouldn't admit it, but I could tell that she was scared. I didn't know what of, but she was scared.

This guy pissed me off and he was constantly lurking around, making friends with all of the people around her. And when he wasn't physically there, we could feel him. It was as if his spirit was standing between us, keeping us apart.

Being the last week of the tour, and of Olivia's summer break, we were both busy. She was shopping for school supplies and catching herself up on any work she might have forgotten about over the summer, and I had CD signings, meet and greets, and several talk show appearances that I had to make. I bet you can guess how hard I had to try to keep a happy disposition.

Now, I'd never actually met the guy, but I didn't think I needed to. I already knew that I'd hate him.

Of course, Selena just adored him.

"He's so sweet!" she'd giggle. "And super funny! He's made my visits a little less lonely, you know, because you guys have been busy and all..."

There was one upside to all of this. Selena had completely forgotten about the song. Hopefully, it would stay that way, and if it didn't, she would just figure it out on her own. So, one problem is set aside. But now with this Jared character in the picture, Olivia was more distant than ever.

"Hey," I greeted her one day when I had the night off and she was finishing up another novel.

"Hey," she smiled. She'd mastered lying when she was very young, though she rarely did. It was just something she'd always been good at. Keeping a goddamn straight face.

"What are you reading?" I asked, making small talk and settling onto the love seat. She scanned the final page and closed the book.

"The Scarlett Letter."

"Good read?"

"Very." She stood and opened the mini fridge, then tossed me a can of Diet Coke. I smiled.

"What happened to drinking more water?"

"Dude, treat yourself once in a while." She glared at me playfully. "But if you tell Maya, you're dead."

"Hm... Yeah, I don't think I'd be okay with that." She smiled and came to sit next to me.

"So, I've been thinking," she started.

"Impressive," I teased. She smiled, rolling her eyes.

"No, seriously. You know, about us." I felt the muscles in my arms tense.

"Oh... And?"

"I'm not sure it's such a good idea."

"Oli-!"

"Let me finish," she said, raising her voice above mine and cutting me off. "I'm not sure it's a good idea right now. Maybe, after I'm done with high school, but not now."

"Why not?"

"We're both going to be busy. Me with school and homework and college applications and you with... well, whatever you'll be doing. I won't be able to travel to see you and it's not like you can just walk up to my door anytime. Don't you remember last year? We barely talked at all."

"But the-"

Her phone beeped and I stopped. She picked it up, sighing, and stared at the screen for a couple of seconds before pressing a button. I watched her eyes move as she read the message.

"I have to-"

"We're not finished," I told her. She nodded.

"I know. I promise we'll keep talking, but I have to go right now."

"Where? Why? What could be so important that you have to leave in the middle of our conversation?"

"I previously made arrangements and lost track of the time. I'm sorry. We'll talk later."

She stood and I stared at the spot where she'd been sitting. I felt her hesitate by the door and looked up.

"When's later?" I asked. "Because lately, later has been never."

"Nick..." I could hear in her voice that she was tired and sad. Well, so was I, and she wasn't making it any easier on me, either.

"No, Olivia. I'm tired. I'm tired of waiting and procrastinating. I'm tired of pushing everything before this conversation. I just need to know, okay?"

"Nick, I know that you really want to try this, and believe me, I do, too. So much. But I have to go right now. I'm not trying to procrastinate or put everything else before you. I honestly have to leave."

I searched her face and wondered if she was lying to me.

"You're quite the actress, Olivia," I said aloud. She stepped back, looking as if I'd slapped her.

"I wouldn't lie to you," she promised, then stalked out. I sat back and thought over what the hell I'd just said.

"Shit."

So, that's what I've got for now.

I hope to be updating on a weekly basis, if not more.

I was going to say this at the top, but I didn't want to bore you too badly with my babbling;

Happy (Late) Birthday Nick!

Review?