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"What are you doing here?" Kirsten asked snottily, not expecting to see her parents in her dorm room while she was standing there in just her robe. She covered herself up more by putting her arms around herself.

"Honey we miss you so we came to see you. We heard you were doing really well-you're still in the art history program, living in a dorm, and working at a restaurant."

"Good to know Hailey knows how to keep her mouth shut," she said as she grabbed some clothes to go change, "Hold on."

As she changed, she realized Sandy had left.

She got Lisa's attention and called her over in the bathroom, asking about where Sandy was.

"He excused himself. He thought you wanted to spend some time with your guests alone, and actually I agree with him so I'll see you later Kir."

Great. She was now left alone with her parents. Worst yet, Sandy had taken off. She hoped her parents didn't mention that they had no idea who he was. She came back out hesitantly, dreading the impending conversation.

"I thought you lived in an apartment," her father snapped.

"I did. I went to something I preferred better," she defensively replied.

"So much for being independent."

"Oh I am independent, want to know how independent I am? I came here with nothing…only a little money that I saved up on my own…I'm paying for college on my own. Everything in here I own. Everything I have accomplished is what I did for myself. You haven't supported me once and now its just driving you crazy that I'm succeeding on my own without you. You only came here hoping I'd be a mess."

"Kirsten honey…calm down," her mother said gently.

"So is that why you came? Tell me cause I really want to know."

"Honey your father and I haven't seen you in a long time and we wanted to see how you're doing."

"Maybe you mom, but not him."

"Honey that's not true. Back me up Caleb."

"Actually you're right Kirsten. I thought I'd come here and you'd be a mess. So you've made it this far. Let's see how far your degree gets you."

"Oh it'll take me far."

"Yeah we'll see…so who was that kid in here before? Did he sleep over? It's quite early for visitors, don't you think?" he asked sarcastically.

"You didn't say anything to him did you?"

"Would it matter if I did?"

"Dad, don't come here and try to ruin everything I have."

"Honey don't worry you're father just asked the boy who he was and the boy properly excused himself to go after that."

"Who did he say he was?"

"Umm..what was his name? San…"

"dy!" she answered for him seeing her father couldn't remember.

"Actually no, I believe it was Sanford. Who was that Kirsten? A boyfriend? I thought you were still talking to Jimmy, maybe thinking about making things work out."

"No dad, I don't talk to Jimmy. I haven't spoke to Jimmy since I left Newport. I'm not planning on making things work out with him because I found my true love…Sandy. Jimmy is a friend. Sandy is my boyfriend…my boyfriend who loves me and I love him. We've been together since December 23rd."

"Kirsten he's not your type."

"You don't know my type because you don't know me. You should get to know your daughter and what she wants before making accusations like that."

"Kirsten…" her mother warned.

"It's true. I spent my whole life doing things your way. Now I'm doing things my way. It's what I want, Dad, not what you want!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you Kirsten. I'm only looking out for you and I only want what is best for you-whether that be in school, work, or relationships. But fine, do what you want but don't expect me to be there for you when you come home crying."

"Caleb!" Kirsten's mother yelled. "Now let's all just stop arguing. It's not getting us anywhere! Why don't we all go out for breakfast and have a nice conversation about how you're doing in school, honey. Fill us in. Hailey tells us you're on the deans list."

"Mom, I don't know if today's a good day for that. You should have called before coming."

Her mother gave her an annoyed look and Kirsten apologized to her mother.

"Come on Kirsten, it'll be good for us. Right Caleb?"

Caleb just glanced at Kirsten, who was now sitting on the bed fidgeting with the covers, thinking that Sandy probably didn't want to talk to her right now after figuring out it was her parents whom she hadn't told about him, so she agreed to go to breakfast.

"Fine," she responded not looking up, "I'll go, but that's all I can do. I have plans later."

With that, the Nichols headed for breakfast to one of Caleb's favorite expensive restaurants. As Kirsten watched her parents twiddling their forks in their fancy omelets that had stuff in them she didn't even recognize, she shook her head, thinking how much she changed in the past two years. She used to be like that eating fancy foods. Today she ordered a simple bagel with cream cheese. Even that was too much for her today with how upset she was about all that had gone on. She was really worried about Sandy. After answering her parents questions about school and hearing her father's fresh remarks about her fashion and friends, she got up and excused herself, telling her parents that she would hitch a cab back to the dorm as she had plans and was running late. She had to get out of there. She couldn't bear to answer her father's demeaning questions while she had no idea where her boyfriend was. As their oldest daughter walked out, Mrs. Nichol sighed, saying to her husband "What's happened to our daughter. She's changed so much. I feel like we're losing her."

"There's nothing stopping her," Caleb responded glancing at his daughter, then going back to his omelet.

Sandy was upset. He knew right away from her father's clueless expression and in asking him to repeat his name again that Kirsten hadn't told her parents about him. He was hurt. The phone rang as he sat on his bed with his head in his hands. He knew it was her. He couldn't bring himself to answer the phone in fear of saying something he'd regret.

She hung up when the recorder came on. No answer. It wasn't a surprise. She started to cry as she thought over the day's events. She had no idea what to do. She was afraid Sandy wouldn't talk to her in person if she went over to his apartment, but she had to, she just had to try. She wasn't going to lose him over this.

Sandy was taken away from his daydreaming about what had happened by the sound of his friend, who was calling him from downstairs to tell him that Kirsten was at the door asking for him. He froze. He told those guys not to answer the door if she came. He got up and went downstairs, where he found a disheveled, red-eyed Kirsten at the door. He could tell she had been crying and was on the verge of starting to cry again. He was surprised since he had never seen Kirsten, his tough, defensive, girlfriend, ever cry.

"Can I come in?" she asked softly, trying to avoid eye contact.

Avoiding the question, he pushed himself outside and closed the door behind him.

"Listen Kirsten, I just want to ask you one question and I want you to tell me the truth. Did you tell your parents about us over break?"

She sighed and looked down. She knew that question was coming. She was afraid this was it, it was going to be over. The last few months that were her happiest of months were about to be turned upside down because as much as she defied her parents, she still hadn't told them about Sandy. She knew she had to be honest with him now, or else it could cause even bigger problems later, so she let it all out.

"No…I didn't. When you asked me back in January how it went when I told them I sort of avoided answering by saying that they disapproved of everything I do. Which is true, especially after today, but to answer your question no, I didn't. I can explain…"

"That's all I wanted to know," he said sadly.

"Let me explain…please…it's not what you think it is…whatever my dad said to you today is a total misunderstanding. It's my fault. Please…let me explain…" she said almost pleading and getting all emotional.

He acknowledged her plea and she explained, "It's just…I don't get along with my parents. Well with my mom I do, it's just my dad. When I visit them-which is at most twice a year-our conversations don't exactly flow nicely. My dad is constantly mocking me and degrading me and putting me down. He just wants me to fail so badly. I don't tell him about anything that I do. I just vaguely say things…like that I am studying art and have a part time job. I mean I was even pissed that my sister told him I worked at a restaurant. I just don't want him knowing anything about me…especially since you're so important to me…in the past he has tried to control a relationship of mine and I didn't want him to try and do that. He disagrees with everything I do so I knew he would cause a commotion…especially about a relationship considering he still thinks that me and Jimmy are…"

She froze. She didn't mean to let that slip out the way it sounded but she was in the middle of telling Sandy the whole truth. He looked more concerned at her.

"You and Jimmy are what?" he asked, urging her to continue.

"He just thought that we were still talking to each other even though we broke up over 2 years ago and I haven't talked to him since then. He really liked Jimmy and wanted us to get back together, again its what he wanted, not what I wanted. When we broke up my dad was pissed at me for not wanting to make it work out."

"So you still talk to him?"

"No, I told you I don't. The last time was before I left Newport to move here."

"But to make your dad happy you lied and said you still talk to him with hope of getting back together even though we're together?"

"No, Sandy, it's not like that. There was a lot going on when I lived back in Newport, this was the best way I could avoid any more problems then I already had. I just wanted to keep him quiet and get him off my back. Look I had to do what I had to do for a reason. And this was way before I met you that I told my dad this."

"Well I would have almost forgiven you right away if your story had ended before Jimmy came up."

"What?!"

"Look Kirsten…I understand that you don't get along with your dad, and I can maybe even understand why you didn't tell your parents about our relationship that early on, but not telling your dad that you don't talk to Jimmy anymore after we started dating? That's like telling him your still in a relationship with Jimmy."

"It is not. I told you already my dad just thought me and Jimmy still talked, not dated, and again, this was before I met you that I told him this. And besides, my dad found out today that I don't talk to him anymore."

"Oh its so good to hear you say that like that, Kirsten."

"What do you mean?"

"You're acting like telling your father you don't talk to Jimmy was a mistake."

"It wasn't. But I mean it's not easy when your parents who you haven't spoke to since break suddenly find out you live in a dorm through your little spy sister, then come here and surprise you and question every little thing you do and disapprove of everything. Then my dad finds out that I lied to him."

"I thought you didn't care."

"I don't. But it'd just be nice if my dad and I didn't fight for once. And it'd be nice if we didn't fight like this either."

"Hey I'm just trying to find out what's really going on here."

"And I told you. What do you not trust me or something?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just saying, you need to really think before you start lying to too many people or you're going to end up with no one. No family and no relationship."

"Thanks for the advice…it really makes me feel good about myself."

She was really on the verge of crying, so she quickly turned around and headed toward the car.

"No good bye?" he yelled, regretting that he said that last comment.

"You tell me if this is good bye," she barely was able to say as she got into the car and started crying hysterically with her head in her hands as Sandy watched from in front of the door.

"It's not…" he yelled but he didn't think she heard him with all the crying she was doing.

The next day was strange for both of them. Neither knew what to do.

Sandy was sitting in the cafeteria like usual. He was nervous thinking if Kirsten would meet him in there like they did every morning before classes since this was the first time they had a huge fight like this and woke up the next morning without having made-up already. He regretted some of the stuff he said to her last night and wanted to make it work out. He hoped Kirsten would come.

She did. She walked in late, looking like she hadn't gotten much sleep, wearing sweats, which was very unlike her.

She approached him hesitantly, saying "Hey."

"Good morning, don't you look like you're awake?" he said smiling a little.

"Yeah…I didn't get much sleep last night," she said brushing her hair out of her face.

"I could tell."

"Thanks."

"I'm just kidding with you because you never wear sweats."

"No I know…I look like crap right now. Umm…could we talk?"

"Of course."

She sat down next to him. She so badly wanted to be in his arms. She needed him. It had been a long day yesterday and she longed to spend alone time with Sandy.

"I want to explain everything clearly for you from start to finish. I know I only told you briefly about Jimmy but I'll explain it going way back to Newport for you if you want just so you know. I want you to trust me Sandy. I love you and I don't want to lose you."

"Kirsten- I love you. We had an argument and I'm sorry about getting all bent out of whack last night about Jimmy. It's just that…well…honestly I was a little hurt when you didn't tell your parents about us and then I found out that your father still thought you spoke to Jimmy. Hearing that just made me lose it. It just hurt me because our relationship means so much to me."

"I'm so sorry," she said leaning in to give him a hug as she said it. She was on the verge of tears again hearing Sandy say that. As they broke apart she continued, "I feel terrible for this whole thing. I was keeping our relationship separate from the one I have with my parents. I hadn't come clean with telling my dad the truth that I don't talk to Jimmy anymore and that I found my love when I moved to Berkeley. I ended up hurting you…my love…which is the last thing I want to do. I want you to know that I did tell my parents everything yesterday and proudly announced to them that we have been together since December 23rd. I also want to rectify the situation. Sandy, we haven't talked about what we plan on doing for summer break, so one of the things I was hoping you would agree to is coming with me to see my parents. That way I could formally introduce you to them and explain everything with both you and them in the same room."

"Yeah, we haven't talked about summer. I guess since there are only 3 weeks left of school we should."

"Yeah…and we have to talk about having a party for your graduation! It doesn't look like we have a lot of time now though, I've got to go to class."

"I know. Alright, so we'll talk later tonight then."

"Sounds good."

As she got up to go, he stood up with her. "I love you Kirsten."

"I love you too."

They hugged each other, and then briefly kissed on the lips

"Oh, and just for the record, you don't look like crap today, you look beautiful. Like always."

She smiled, then headed off to class, looking much more lively than when she walked in this morning. After she left, Sandy pondered over how he was going to tell her what his plans were for summer. It was especially hard since they just made up and she had just invited him over to her parents' house…

TBC

Preview for next chapter: Find out what Sandy's secret summer plans are that could again, cause tension between Sandy and Kirsten. How will Sandy's graduation go? What will their summer entail? How Sandy start his first year of law school and Kirsten start her junior year? Many dramatic, exciting, and happy events to come!