Chapter 5

Kaylie's POV

After sending Emily to the airport, we three drove back to Boulder and decided to stop by Spruce Juice.

I dialed Austin's number – which I knew off by heart – and waited for him to pick up. He picked up after the third ring and his voice sound groggy.

"Hey, babe. Are you guys up?"

"Gorgeous, you woke us all up," he replied and I could not hold in my laughter.

"Well, get up. We're waiting for you at Spruce Juice," I told him and didn't wait for an answer and hung up. I walked back to the table Lauren and Payson were sitting at with our smoothies.

"Is it just me or did you just hang up on Austin without saying "I love you" or anything along those lines?" Lauren joked.

"Whatever, Lo. He knows I love him anyways. And plus, they just woke up. They're getting ready," I told them and sat down.

We were all gossiping when someone kissed me on the cheeks. I jumped and nearly spilled my smoothie on myself. I turned around and began, "What the hell do you- oh. Austin, hey! Sorry about that, it kind of surprised me." I wrapped my hands around his neck and gave him a proper kiss. I broke away and sat back down and he sat next to me. I noticed that the other guys were also giving their girlfriends a good morning kiss.

"I just noticed, you all are wearing the same thing," Max clarified.

"Yeah, even Emily. We all decided to wear the same thing one last time with her. She left this morning, back to Vegas and Damon and Cassie," I explained.

"Yeah, that's the best thing she can do right now, be there for the both of them, you know?" Payson said.

"So you guys done?" Max impatiently questioned.

"Nearly, why?"

"We're going to the movies. Triple date," he replied.

"What, why? Since when?" I asked. The guys hated triple dates, and now they want to go on one? That's just…weird.

"Well, the last time we went on a triple date in Boulder, Sasha interrupted. So now, we're going on a triple date where Sasha wouldn't likely be hanging out at," Austin explained. We all nodded and quickly finished our drinks. The guys laced their fingers with their girlfriends and led them towards the three cars parked outside.

"Carter?" I heard Lauren utter. I stopped in my tracks and whipped my head around to look at Lauren and…Carter. There he was, in the flesh. Standing in front of Lauren. I saw Nicky tense.

"What do you want, Anderson?" Nicky said through gritted teeth.

"To come back to Boulder, Russo. Why are you hanging out with the girls and Austin's posse?"

Wow, nice comeback, "Carter, what are you doing here? Really?"

"I came back to take what was and still is mine," he told me.

Lauren's POV

Carter came back to take what was and still is his? Does he mean Kaylie? Get Kaylie back, still loves Kaylie and all things Kaylie? The world revolves around Kaylie. Maybe that's why there's a feeling in my stomach, it feels like jealousy. I'm jealous about her because everyone loves her. She has a family that loves her even though her parents spilt up. She has Austin Tucker who loves her to bits and is probably going to marry her one day soon; I know Nicky and I am a great couple, the 'Silver' couple; but is it enough? I always think that.

"Dude, if you're talking about Kaylie then you have no luck," Austin told him with a firm voice.

"Tucker and…posse. I'm not talking about lovely Kaylie here. I'm talking about the beautiful blonde here."

What? Did he mean me? I thought he would mean Kaylie. All things Kaylie. What is he up to? Does he want Nicky to hit his head like a baseball…it could even fly to Paris.

"Carter, what are you talking about? Blonde? Me?" I asked him.

"Who else, gorgeous?"

"Dude, that's my line to Kaylie and we all know that," Austin bragged.

"Dude, that's my girl."

Carter's POV

His girl? What? Like his girlfriend? That's impossible, Lauren is still in love with me. I know I left her to go to Denver and to be with Kelly but Lauren always will love me. I'm her first love and her first. Nothing will compete with a hottie like me.

"Your girl? Don't you mean me?"

"No. I don't, Anderson, I meant me."

"Lauren can choose herself can't she?" Kaylie asked.

"Alright people, Carter, where are you going to stay for your visit?"

"I'm not sure and visit? I might stay here for good if I like what I'm seeing and trust me, I like it alright."

I was hinting to Lauren. She looks good.

"So stay with us. At my Lake house, it will be awesome," Austin invited me.

"Sure. Shall we go?"

I took my bags and placed it in Austin's amazing car. Where did he get that? Maybe it was to impress Kaylie Cruz. Austin drove us to his lake house. I missed this place and all his wild parties. I wonder who lives here with him. The ride was awkward and silent. I used to date his girlfriend and cheated on her with Nicky's girl. I wonder if coming back here was a mistake. We got out and we headed to the living room. Austin smiled and was waiting for someone. Who? Nicky and Max walked in and I realized he was waiting for them.

"Why are you guys here?"

"Nicky and Max? They live here with me," Austin replied.

"Since?"

"Since forever, Anderson," Nicky answered in a cold voice.

"Guys, let's try to get along," Max suggested.

"Do people come and go as they please here?"

"Yeah, I guess I let friends stay here. Like Damon, Brad, you know," Austin explained.

"So I'm a friend?" I asked, "Never mind." Who the hell is Brad? Oh, whatever. Who cares?

Austin then gave me directions to the guest room. I walked upstairs and opened the door to the room I would stay in. It's big and it looks like a hotel room. I placed my bags down and took out my clothes. I opened the wardrobe and hang my clothes on to the hanger. I feel tired but I need to talk to Nicky about Lauren. I walked out and saw Nicky heading to his room, maybe talking by the door and stairs is fine too. He gave me a strange look, a look that probably says stay away from Lauren but I got to try to talk to him about it.

"Nicky, I know I might be a threat to you and Lauren but I have a great reasons."

"Reasons? What reasons are those?" he asked.

"Reasons like I'm still in love with Lauren and she probably still love me, too."

"She probably used to love you," he's denying it?

I don't know what to say to make Nicky see that I'm staying for Lauren and I'm going to apologize to her for leaving her. She will forgive me. I mean we love each other, right?

"Does Lauren really love you?"

"Love? Meaning?"

"Meaning love. Saying 'I love you,' of course you have. Right?"

"Actually, we didn't."

"Bad luck. She did to me, maybe next time."

I gave him a smirk and was about to walk away when Nicky grabbed my arm and told me, "I love Lauren no matter what you or anyone says. About the whole 'I love you' speech you just gave me, it's crap. She haven't said it yet but I love her with all my heart so you can carry your huge ass and ego out of our business."

He walked away without another word. I can see he loves Lauren but I do too. I can also see that Nicky won't let anything get in between them, but I think different. I walked in my room and went to bed. That's tomorrow problem.

Lauren's POV

We drove home from Spruce Juice to Kaylie's; Payson went home to help her mom clean the whole house. I wonder why she didn't use her endorsement money to get a helper. Would make life a hell of a lot easier. I couldn't stay alone tonight since my dad hasn't exactly been daddy dearest. I can't believe Carter came back for me. Still. We arrived and there's still nothing to talk about except Carter maybe. We headed up to Kaylie's room and we sat there on the bed. Kaylie was meaning to ask me something but she couldn't get herself to ask me.

So instead, I did, "What do you want to say?"

"Are you alright with Carter coming back, Lo?" she questioned.

"Alright? I'm way off that, like a mile away."

"It's going to be alright, everything will be okay," she encouraged.

"He's staying at Austin's and so is Nicky. They're probably going to kill each other like two hound dogs fighting over a huge delicious bone."

I giggled and quickly regained my composure, "Don't humor me, Lo. This is serious to you."

"I know it is. But I can't do anything about it. I can't make Nicky trust me with Carter. Old sparks can come back," I explained.

"Old sparks can go out. Someone needs to light it up to have sparks."

She had a point, "Nicky and I didn't even say the 3 words 'I love you' yet. But I did to Carter remember?"

"Don't remind me that either. But yes, I remember."

"Exactly my point. I haven't said it to Nicky."

"You will say it when the time is right."

"I know, Kay. Thanks for being here with me during Carter's comeback."

Today is really Carter's Comeback. And to answer my question before: is it enough? Nicky? Yes, it is enough for me. I love Nicky and I will tell him that when the time is right. All things Kaylie? Nope. Today was all things me.

Author's note: so here it is! chapter 5! honestly, who expected carter to come back? hahaha! hope you enjoyed it! please REVIEW! xx