"Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone? You're whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone. Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry? Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside? It's only half past the pint of oblivion. The hourglass on the table, the walk before the run. The breath before the kiss and the fear before the flames."

-P!nk, Glitter in the Air

Disclaimer: I don't (and never will) own House of Anubis.
Dedication: To Naza-Pazz for being such a kind and dedicated reviewer! You're reviews make me smile!
Pre-Note: The first person to find a quote in this chapter that's also a name of a chapter from another one of my stories gets the next dedication and major props from me! Also, keep in mind this is T rated for a reason!

I tried to block out the sun from my eyes as I sprawled myself out in a lounge chair. We were almost to Taormina and I have to say I was excited. Athens had been a bust, which sucked, because it rained the whole time. I seriously have no luck.

Fabian has been trying to prove to me that he loves me since I told him too. He came close yesterday actually…

"Nina!" Fabian shouts, "The day we met. You were wearing you UCL sweatshirt."

"So...?" I say.

"So, I remember what you wore the day we met. I analyzed you so hard that day because I loved you the second I saw you. I just hadn't realized it." He explained.

"Fabian, of course you remember the sweatshirt! You commented it on it because we were both wearing one!"

"Okay, that's fair." Fabian says, "But the day we got our schedules. You wore a jean skirt and yellow tank top with little flowers on the neckline. Your hair was tied up."

"Fabian," I mutter, stunned that he recited that without thinking, "I don't even remember what I wore that day! How do I know you're not lying?"

Fabian nodded, his expression sad and hurt, "You know Nina. I've done a lot of stupid shit. But I don't think I ever was a liar to you."

He turned and walked away before I could yell at him about lying to me about not having sex with Joy.

Later that night, I was fumbling through pictures on my phone. I came across one of me and Eddie, holding up our schedules. I was wearing a jean skirt and a yellow tank top with flowers on the neckline. My hair wasn't tied up but I had a hair tie on my wrist, proving that I must have taken it down.

Wow.

I sighed as I slipped my sunglasses over my eyes. He really was all I thought about all the sudden. I don't know why but, I really can't take my mind off him sometimes. And it annoys the crap out of me.

"Hey there, huge sunglasses." I hear from above me. I open my eyes and see Mick sitting in a chair next to me.

"Hey Mick," I say, sitting up a little, "Where's Amber?"

"She's still getting ready. She'll be a while though so she told me she'd meet me down here."

"Oh. Did you guys find wedding bands yet?" I ask.

"No not yet." Mick sighed, "But we liked these ones in a store on ship, they're nice and we like the style but they aren't the ones you know?"

"Kind of," I say, "Sort of like… almost perfect."

"Exactly," Mick smiles.

"Have you set a date yet?" I ask.

"Yeah, we're going to make it December 20th." Mick explains, "Amber already ordered the invites online and they're being shipped back to our apartment when we get back."

"December 20th?" I ask.

"Yeah, why?"

I smile, "That was my parent's wedding date."

"Really?" Mick asked, "Are they still married?"

I bite my lip, "They would be. They died when I was nine."

"Oh I'm sorry, Nina." Mick says, his voice filled with sympathy, but not pity.

"It's okay." I smile, "It was a long time ago."

Mick and I fall into a comfortable silence. We're both content with ourselves. For some reason my mind drifts to the ocean, keeping us afloat. I think of how it must feel - if it could feel at all. It keeps up as many things as it can and gives a home to so many fish and sea creatures. It really is the base of the world. The weight of the world is literally on its shoulders.

God, my mind is wandering off.

"Hey guys."

The voice breaks the silence Mick and I have fallen into.

"Hi Fabian," Mick says.

"This seat taken?" he asks Mick, gesturing to the chair to his right.

"Yeah, Amber's gonna take in when she comes down."

"This seats not taken," I say to him and he takes the seat next to me.

We both soon drift off slightly. Fabian's completely asleep but I'm in that place where you're just half asleep but totally out to the world. I see Mara take out her camera and snap a picture. I look with my eyes toward what she snapped. It's mine and Fabian's hands hanging off the chair, our fingers tangled together. I smile to myself and drift off completely.

I eye the tight black dress Amber has put me in warily. It's not like it's slutty but, it isn't really something someone like me can pull off. It's practically skin-tight and falls to mid-thigh, with spaghetti straps and a tiny V-shaped slit in the middle of the square shaped neckline.

"I don't know Amber…" I say.

"Shut up. You don't know anything. You're wearing it." Amber states.

I sigh and we head to dinner, wear the boys are already seated. Throughout the trip, the rooms were altered and all the couples had one to themselves. Leaving Fabian and I in alone in separate cabins.

Eventually, we were all settled at dinner laughing at something Alfie said.

"You know guys," I say, "We don't have much time left on the ship, especially since the canceled the trip to San Sebastian."

"I know." Amber sighed, "I don't wanna leave!"

"Amber. It's already the end of July! We'll all be back at UCL together in a month!" Jerome said.

"Yeah but, poor Patricia and Eddie! Eddie's going back to America, so they'll be apart! And Fabian's heading to his parent's house to take care of his sister!"

"What's wrong with Rosie?" my head snaps up.

"She's got mono; don't ask me how she got it." Fabian sighed.

"Aww poor Rosie." I say.

Fabian shrugs. "I'm gonna go start packing."

With that he's gone. I remember what Joy told me. I've been waiting for the right time to tell him forever. But now it's the right time. I leave the restaurant and knock on his door.

I think he just noticed the dress. His mouth dropped. I temporarily forget why I'm up here.

"Don't make fun." I say, "It was Amber's idea; I know I can't pull it off."

"You're so doubtful of yourself." Fabian tells me, "You look amazing." He pulls me in by the hand and we sit on his bed.

I shake my head, "I'm no blonde supermodel Fabian. I'm not pretty like they are."

"You're right," he sighs, "You're so much more beautiful. So beautiful, they can't compare to you."

I don't know if it was that moment, or moments later, that his hand found its way to the back of my neck. I don't know if it was him, or it was me, that leaned in. But I know for a fact that at some point in that period of time, his lips met mine.

"Nina," he breaks away from me, "We tried this before. What's different now?"

"I'm not mad at you for what happened at the gala anymore." I say, and lean back in again. He takes the lead, but doesn't leave me in the dark. He lets me take over sometimes, but I fall behind when I feel his hands on my arms. He backs me into a wall and shuts the lights and he blindly leaves a trail of kisses from my shoulder to my lips. My hands run frantically and hungrily through his messy hair.

Soon, we both need to sit and we make out way to the bed. His hands are rubbing over my shoulders and pushing my straps off them, letting them hang limp on my upper arm.

"I love you," I say through heavy breaths. I look up at his face, staring down from on top of me.

"I love you so much." He tells me, kissing my head. But I bring him in for more and I can't help but think.

This is gonna be an amazing night.

I wake up the next morning in his bed, wearing his oversized T-shirt. His eyes flutter open moments after mine do and he smiles, "Morning baby."

"Morning," I say and he kisses my lips lightly.

We lay in his bed, content with silence when I remember what I came here to tell him.

"Fabian." I say, "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

I take in a deep breath, "I met someone at the bar about two weeks ago. It was… Joy. And we talked for a while."

Fabian's face it suddenly cold as stone. "I can't believe you would do that to me."

"Oh stop being such a drama queen!" I shout, "I only gave her a chance to explain! Something you never did!"

"Why would you keep that from me?" he yells.

"I was waiting for the right time to tell you! I came to tell you last night but we got… distracted. And I know you never had sex with her! So you did lie!" I argue.

"So what Nina?" he yells, we're both standing up and screaming now.

"So what?" I ask, pushing his shoulders back, "I was always honest with you. And you lie to me. You made your break-up with her seem so much worse, when all she wanted was for you to understand her! She was your best friend and you let her down, just like you did to me."

I grab my dress and shoes, opening the door to his room, "I thought that this would be a new beginning Fabian."

"I could have been, if you hadn't spoken to her behind my back!" Fabian shouted, "You thought you hated me before? Well now the tables have turned. I hate you."

I drop the stuff in my hands. I close the door and run over to him, "No. Please don't say that." I cup his face in my hands, but he turns away from my grip, "I love you."

"Just go Nina."

And now you all hate me… Well, I'm sorry! I've been planning this chapter since I started writing the story. Same for the next few chaps. 'Till next time my lovely readers.