She could feel all the blood drain from her face. �Aren�t you going to answer me sweetie?� Adam asked.
�How in hell did you get my number?� Melissa yelled into the phone. Nick rushed to her side.
�Mel, who is it?�
�Is that Nick, I bet it is. How did he handle the truth?�
�Go to hell!�
�Ahh, not well. You can always come back to me.�
�I�ll never come back to you!�
�I�m sure I can convince you otherwise, I have my ways.�
�I�m hanging up!�
�Oh I have a surprise for you. It�s on your front door steps.� After hearing that, Melissa rushed out of the room and down the stairs. Nick quickly followed her. Everyone watched as she walked outside. She looked around and spotted a large envelope leaning up against the house. She grabbed the envelope and then said, �What are you up to Adam?�
�Well you will just have to see. See you soon.� Melissa hung up her cell and walked back into the house with the envelope in her hand.
�Mel who was it?� Nick asked once she walked in.
�Adam, he told me he left something for me outside.� She showed everyone the envelope. She slowly opened it and pulled out its contents. Melissa gasped as she looked at the contents. The envelope contained multiple photos of Melissa at varies places. At school, her house, the club, at Julie�s and Jonathon�s, at work, and many other places.
�He has been watching me for months!� She yelled throwing the photos down. �This is why I can�t stay here Nick! As long as he is after me, all of you are in danger.�
�So what are you going to do Mel, go back home?� Nick asked. She didn�t answer him. �You aren�t going home, are you? You are going to run off somewhere.�
�I can�t go home; my parents have been through so much thanks to me. They would be better off if I stayed away.�
�Mel, you know your parents would be devastated if you disappeared. They want you safe and so do we.� Jonathon said.
�Adam wants this; he wants you to leave everyone that cares about you. He wants you to be alone and vulnerable. Don�t let him win Mel.� Brian walked over to her.
�Brian is right Mel. Besides you will be much safer here than out on your own. We can get security to watch the house, they won�t let Adam come anywhere near you.� Kevin added.
�I don�t know.�
�Mel, please I lost you once, I can�t lose you again.� Nick pleaded with her.
�Okay, I�ll stay, but you all have to promise me that all you will stay away from Adam. I couldn�t handle if anything happen to any of you.�
�We promise Mel. Alright it has been a long day and I think we should all get some rest.� Brian stated to everyone.
�Yeah that�s a good idea.� Kevin stood with Kristen next to him. �Congrats guys, sorry about the party.�
�Thanks Kevin.� Nick said as he and Kevin embraced.
�Night sweetie.� Kevin placed a kiss on Melissa�s cheek.
�Goodnight Kevin, Kristen.� Everyone followed Kevin�s and Kristen�s lead and headed to their rooms. Kevin and Kristen were staying in the guest bedroom in AJ�s beach house. While Brian and Leighanne stayed in the guest bedroom in Nick�s beach house.
Nick rolled over reaching for Melissa, but all he found was an empty space. A nervous thought entered his mind.
�Mel, Mel!�
�Over here.� He looked towards the direction he heard her voice. He slowly got out of bed and walked out to the balcony. She was sitting in the chair with her knees pulled up to her chest. Nick could tell she was deep in thought.
�What are you doing out here?� He asked pulling the other chair closer to her.
�I couldn�t sleep.�
�Are you worried about Adam? Of what he might do?�
�Yeah, I called my parents; I needed to know that they were okay.�
�Did you tell them about him being here?�
�No, they are safe as long as I�m away from them. I�m the one he�s after.�
�Mel, honey you don�t have to do this.�
�Do what?�
�Put up this front that you aren�t frightened about Adam being around. I saw your face when he walked into the room. Your face went pale, honey, you passed out.� Nick reached for her hand. �I love every piece of you. I love how when you smile your eyes get tiny; I love how when you get bored, you play with your hair, I even love your stubbornness, and I love how you act strong for everyone when you are so scared. You are doing that right now, but you don�t have to be strong Mel. Let me take care of you, lean on me.�
Melissa�s eyes started to water. �I have cried so much today, I�m getting so sick of it.�
�Angel.�
�Did I ever tell you that when my sister and I were younger, my mom told us that we should be these strong and independent women? She would always say, �Don�t ever let a man control who you are. You should always be in control of yourself.�
�No you never told me that.�
�She wanted her daughters to be strong. I could remember wanting to make her proud, so I promised myself I would never let a man hurt me. I guess I failed my mother.�
�No, you didn�t Mel. Your mother is so proud of you, so is your father. Do you remember when I met them for the first time?�
Melissa smiled remembering the memory. �I was so embarrassed when my dad asked what your intentions were.�
�I could see by the looks on your parents� faces that they were proud of you. When they needed you, you drop everything and helped them. You were there for your family and your parents know that. Don�t ever doubt how proud your parents are.�
�Nick, that�s what families do. They are there for one another when they need help.�
�Mel, you are the strongest person I know. But you put so much pressure on yourself that I�m surprise you haven�t snapped from it. Give yourself a break, talk to me. Tell me what you were thinking about out here.�
�I was thinking about after everything that had happened with my dad and Adam that I couldn�t sleep for days. Nights were the worse times for me. At least during the day, I could keep busy, but at night I was forced to keep replaying everything in my mind. Adam hitting me, trying to choke me, my dad�s accident, finding out Adam had something to do with it. After some time I did finally get some sleep, but I would wake up with nightmares. Nightmares that seemed so real that I could feel Adam�s arm around my neck.� Nick gently squeezed her hand, showing her support.
�It wasn�t till awhile ago that I finally slept peacefully.�
�When was this?�
She looked into his eyes. �The night we made love for the first time. Being in your arms, listening your heart beating, I never felt so safe.�
Nick pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple. �Come on, let�s try and get some rest.� He didn�t want to push her to tell him more, he was happy she confided in him a little. He leaded her back into the room and they crawled into bed. Nick wrapped his arms around her, as she rested her head on his chest. He softly played with her hair.
�Think about our life together, getting married, having children, growing old together. Don�t worry about anything else.�
�I love you Nick with all my heart.� She said looking up at him.
�I love you too Angel.�
