Ok,so I hope this answers everyone's questions about Stephen... and HA! told you it wasn't over yet.

He should have known. He should have known that it was a trick, a ploy, a play on words. It had all been too easy… too unbelievable. That he would meet the girl of his dreams, a girl who actually seemed to get him when no one else did. The girl who made him laugh and kept his curiosity blooming. But everything… it was a lie… it was all a lie. She lied to him. When had it all started? When had she started pretending?

Maybe things would have been better if he had never agreed to go to that party. A party that he never ever actually wanted to attend. I mean… who wants to go to a party when you don't know anyone. But no, what had Marcus said?

"Come on, man! I promise you! You won't regret it! This is the last party before school starts! You might even meet someone!"

So against his better judgment he actually went. He remembered standing next to his only friend there talking to some guys who Marcus claimed were "just about the only people worth talking to!" And it really hadn't been that bad. The people he had meant seemed sort of alright… the music wasn't horrible… there was no drinking… no fights… the girls there weren't bad looking. He'd actually been looking around, scoping the room out…when there was a sudden nudge on his shoulder. He turned around and saw HER.

This amazingly flawless, blue-eyed girl with long auburn hair… and she was talking to HIM. Stephen Allen. Too tall, golden eyed boy with honey colored hair that was in serious need of a haircut. It was kind of alluring, the way she leaned in super close and whispered lightly in his ear.

"Please pretend you know me"

Why? Was Stephen's first thought. He never got a chance to ask though. Stephen looked up and marching towards them was this other guy… her boyfriend… ex-boyfriend. Once he figured out exactly what was going on… He decided that it was sort of flattering. This meant that this girl… (whoever she was) thought he looked good enough to make another guy jealous. The fact that she just walked up to Stephen like she had told him told him that wasn't doubtful or afraid.

She seemed so funny, confident, sweet… They talked that night… and he made her laugh. That was the key. That meant that she was actually enjoyed being with him. And then she just HAPPENED to be going to the same school he'd just started at? Some call that a coincidence but not him. It was pure destiny.

Things were just falling into place. She breaks up with a long time boyfriend just as he's moving into town. They run into each other at a random party that both just happened to be attending. She could have walked up to any guy there and any of them would be lucky to have her. But she didn't pick any guy. She picked him.

Him.

Stephen Allen.

That meant something.

It had to.

There was no way it couldn't mean anything.

Then a full week after that moment, and the party and that girl were the last thing in his mind. Stephen was talking to a few of Marcus' friends, running his fingers through his freshly cut hair. Just hanging out in between class… When the warning bell rung and they all said their goodbyes. Stephen turned to look up… and there she was. The girl from the party…

He had forgotten but… she had said she went to this school, hadn't she? And now there she was... Looking somehow even more beautiful in the dim yellow school lighting that hung overhead… He just stared at her for a while, leaning up against a locker casually,struggling to look anything but a complete dork, and waiting for her to notice him.

And then she did…

She looked angry. No, that was the wrong word. She was furious. One hand on her hip as she marched over to him… He smirked, her name traveling from his lips.

"Do I know you or something?!" She exclaimed.

Her head even did that little swivel, head bob when she said it.

It was cute.

She was so different than any of the other girl he had known at his old school. She seemed interesting. Like she could tell you a million different stories about the wild things she'd done. Not that she was wild, wild. But just out of the ordinary... she enticed and pulled him in like a fish on a line.

He reminded her of the party and her eyes instantly lit up. Those bright blue eyes that were so wide they could have held the entire solar system in them. They talked for a little while… teasing each other a little. The chemistry was incredible… or was that just him?

In the end he was the one who ended the conversation after exchanging a few words. He was attracted to her… that was obvious… but he didn't want it to become too obvious. He wanted to keep that aura of mystery around him to keep her wondering. He wanted her to think about him.

Things kind of sped up after that. They hung out after school all the time. He told her about himself and was dying to know about her. Wanting to know if they really did have anything in common… If there could ever be a chance they could be more than friends. And by now that's all they were… friends.

Sometimes he caught her staring at him in the middle of class or looking at him strangely when he spoke to her. He liked the fact that she just looked at him.

He loved talking to her. He wanted her to talk about everything with him. He wanted her to know that he was a good guy. That she could count on him. Even if they did just stay friends… he liked her. And even if she didn't like him… like that… it was alright.

She was smart and funny… and her smile could brighten any room. She liked to pick on and tease him… taunting Stephen about the silliest of the things. She steered away from anything bad that happened to her. When he brought up certain subjects she'd change the topic, cleverly maneuvering away from anything that seemed a bit too touchy. If he really wanted to know he'd have to push… like why she called her mom Ms. Miller… or anything about her past boyfriend… but he didn't really want to do that either.

But then she told him everything (or so he thought).

She trusted him.

That's what it meant. He finally gained her trust. He held the little secrets she gave him in his palm like he was cradling an egg.

And then when he thought the time was right he asked her. He had already made clear his feelings to her. And they did hang out all the time… and talk on the phone whenever they were apart… but… it wasn't official.

So he asked her.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

It sounded lame when he said it… and yeah… he was a little old fashion. But she didn't seem to mind. Stephen thought for a moment… that was it. That was when he decided that he loved her. She was amazing.

And they had so many more amazing times after that.

But now…

Now his heart was literately hurting… his breathing was heavy and his hands were trembling. He couldn't catch his breath… Whispers and thoughts kept echoing through his mind. Stephen kept trying to figure it out somehow. How did it all go wrong? What he do that he shouldn't have?

There must have been something that he did… there was no way she could have really just… done this to him without a good reason. This was his fault. Everything was his fault. She was leaving because of him. He'd made a mistake.

He'd always thought of her and never made a selfish move. He gave her all the attention and affection he knew she so rightly deserved. She was so beautiful. So amazing… So breathtaking… He didn't want to mess it up. He didn't want her to ever look at him and see that he wasn't the best thing out there for her. So he tried everything… and never gave up…

And then she said it. He didn't think she would. She's not the type… ya know? But she said it. So he immediately said it back, before he lost his nerve. He loved her. He loved her. Everything about her… Who wouldn't? She made him laugh and smile… she frustrated the heck out him… but even that part was cute… he told her everything and she didn't keep any secrets from him. Not then anyway… he didn't think. Maybe- what if- was she lying? Even then?

The thought caused him to tremble. What if she had really been playing him all this time? Had nothing… none of this… meant a thing… But… it didn't make sense… that night they sat in his car after he pulled up to her house. Their conversation had long ago, ended and now the two just sat… He remembered stroking her hair and kissing her lightly on the lips. And she said she loved him. She'd said it before but it was like this time it held more meaning… he looked into her eyes and could have sworn…

But it was all a lie?

Why had she kept leading him on like that then? If she had no intent on actually being with him… why hadn't she just got back together with her boyfriend from the start? Why hadn't she told him the truth? If she had told him with the get go what was up then maybe… maybe things would have turned out different.

Why hadn't she just told him?

He was so angry. So frustrated. He wanted to scream… to yell… he had to throw something… He never got angry. He wasn't used to this kind of feeling… Things were always pretty simply with him. He never had to get angry. Anger was uncontrollable. It was a rush of evil emotions… frustration… How would getting mad change anything? If he showed that he was angry… if he grabbed something and threw it… if he shouted at her… would she suddenly understand what she'd done? Would she suddenly understand the pain she was causing him?

No. He didn't think she would.

He didn't think she even cared anymore…

How they come to this? They were supposed to be in love. Was it all a game?

He got up every morning, a huge smile on his face as the thought of simply seeing her crossed his mind. It was like the sun was always shining even on a cloudy day. Like nothing bad could ever happen. Like everything would be alright… as long as they had each other. He treasured everything they did together. And he thought… she did… to… But now he couldn't help but ask.

Did she ever care?

It felt like he just took a hard punch straight to the gut. Now he knew exactly what the expression 'stabbed in the back' came from… because that's… the only way he could describe what she did. He loved her… that's what made it hard. She was like a brilliant gem shinning through a cluster of broken stones. Her voice was like a songbird's, delicate and beautiful. Her smile was sunshine on its own… She was irreplaceable. And he loved her.

How could he have been so blind for so long?

The times they'd drift into silence should have been his first hint. The way she'd look at him like she was gathering the courage to tell him something. The way her mouth would open and then shut like a fish in water. The way that whenever the conversation drifted to Alvin the mood would suddenly change. She'd either be enraged or suddenly quiet like she was trying to hide something. He brushed it all off like soot from his pants. She was still broken up about Alvin… talking about him caused too much pain… the reasons for her actions… the excuses he made up for her took up all the space making no room for questions. Questions he should have insisted on asking.

None of this should have been surprising.

When she stood their explaining her betrayal, coming forth with all the lies that had plagued her for weeks… he wasn't sure what to say. So he didn't say anything at all… instead he let her finish dishing out exactly what had been bothering her for so long.

It had been hard for her. He got that. If he thought about it really hard… If he struggled to look at it from her point of view... Then… it must have been hard for her. She seemed to feel at least relatively sorry about the whole thing… maybe she hadn't meant for it to come this far. And she'd come forth… finally being honest with him. He guessed that had to count for something.

Right?

Even if it didn't make him feel any better…

"I'm sorry, Stephen" She whispered. "I'm so sorry."

He'd been around her long enough to know when she meant it. Or did he? Maybe that had all been an act on its own. Maybe she made up all these stories about her family so he would feel like she was telling him something special… but in truth it was all lies.

Had it all been lies?

The question echoed in his mind for fourteen impossible seconds before he managed to say something to her.

"Yeah, me too…"

And he was. But was he really sorry he'd ever met her? If everything… all of it… really had been a lie then… yeah… maybe he was. He couldn't help but think that Brittany could have been any other girl at that party. She could have been a friend from his old school. She could have been a cute, new girl who just like him had just moved into the neighborhood. She could have been quirky, enthusiastic vegetarian who encouraged him to "Save the Whales".

She could have been anyone.

But she wasn't.

"Do you hate me?"

He was tempted to say that he did. But… looking back… remembering everything. Like walking down an empty beach; with the sun cooking his blonde hair, waves lapping against the shore, and finding his hand in hers. He could hear her screen door slam as she hurried out to meet him . He could see her fixing her hair in his side-view mirror as they drove down the road, softly humming a sweet song that caused a smile to cross his lips. He could hear her voice whispered in his ear through the receiver of his cell phone, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't wake her sisters.

"I could never hate you, Brittany." He assured her.

"Even if I wanted to…" Stephen murmured seemingly to himself.

Brittany waited a moment, her thoughts lingering on his final words. She blinked at him. "Do… you want to?" Brittany asked.

"It sure would make things easier if I did…" Stephen said.

Brittany smiled sadly, her blue eyes wide and careful. "For the record," Brittany said. "I do love you Stephen."

She thought her words would be comforting but Stephen's features were instantly shadowed as if a dark cloud had crossed over them . His frown deepened, his eyes looking unbearably sad.

"For once…" his voice came out in a coarse whisper. "I'd like you to look me in the eyes… and tell me the truth."

Brittany's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She wanted to reach out to him. To somehow comfort him… but… she was the reason he was hurting in the first place.

"That's not a lie." She protested. "I do-"

"You have a funny way of showing it." Stephen interrupted. "I just want to know… what did I do? What did I not do? If you felt- if you liked… if you wanted him back… all you had to do was say so. If you missed him all you had to do was say something. If you felt this strongly… you could have just said something!"

"I tried!" Brittany cried.

"Well you should have tried harder." Stephen said. "You should have tried harder."

"I'm confused. I do… I like him but… Stephen…" Brittany murmured. "I love you."

"Please stop saying that." He whispered.

"I'm so sorry." Brittany said. "Can't we just… go back?"

He turned away from her. "You don't even know what you want to go back to" Stephen said.

"Can't we-"

"Do you even think about how your actions affect other people?" He asked her. "At all?"

Brittany opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it. Did she? Had she really thought all this out like she thought she had?

"I get… that you were confused. I get that. Poor you, right?" Stephen said. "I mean… here comes this guy who you've known all your life… And you know there's still something there… But you don't know if it's enough to go on. You don't know if you want to risk it. Then there's me. The new guy… a new chance… You didn't know what to do. But Brittany… there's always a choice. You always have a choice. And instead of telling each of us the truth... you lied to me… making me think that we had something; and led him along, making him think he had a chance… You strung us both up and once we were entangled in your web… you cut the strings… Did you ever think… for even a moment… about how I felt… how he felt?"

Brittany didn't answer him. But if she could take a wild guess… she'd say her silence told him everything he needed to know.

No, she hadn't once thought that she'd really be hurting Alvin. It never occurred to her.

No, she didn't think that lying to Stephen would really be that bad… she thought she was protecting him…

No, she never really even considered actually telling them the truth… until now.

And now…

"I'm so sorry, Stephen."

"I love you, Brittany." Stephen whispered. "And I always will…"

His hand reached out to touch her cheek, his fingers trailing down to her chin before abruntly falling.

"So… I'm going to be there for you whenever you need me… no matter what." Stephen continued.

Brittany felt a lump rise in her throat. She opened her mouth to say what she knew was coming, "But?"

"But," Stephen said. "I can't be around you for awhile."

Brittany blinked. Something inside told her that she deserved this. That she should have seen it coming. But all the same… the blow wasn't any easier to take. And it hurt… maybe twice as hard as she thought it would.

He didn't say anything else so she didn't either. Brittany closed her eyes. Was she really making the right choice? Or maybe… it wasn't her choice to make anymore. And as much as she was hurting… she could only imagine what must have been running through Stephen's mind at the moment.

Another voice constantly shouted out against this…

Stephen doesn't get angry…

Stephen doesn't get upset…

Stephen's never sad…

It won't last long…

"I have to go. Goodbye, Brittany..." Stephen finally whispered. He took a careful step away from her before turning back up the sidewalk. Half way through, Stephen stopped. " If you need me… I'm still here…"

Questions, comments?

Predictions!!!

send them to me!!! This isn't the end of the story. PROMISE.