As the train gained speed, Melissa thought about the past and what was bringing her back to Fairview. She was coming home because her father had died suddenly and she didn�t want her mother to be alone. The thought of coming back to Fairview scared her. She ran from this town that she called home over two years ago. The memories of what happened there were too painful for her to stay.
Growing up in Fairview was perfect, she had three close friends. Brian, Samantha, Nick, and Melissa were inseparable. They all remained close throughout high school. They were always there for one another. Out of her three friends, she felt closest to Nick. Nick�s mom and her mom were best friends since high school. When they had Nick and Melissa, they made sure the children got to know each other. A friendship grew between the two and wherever the one was, you were sure to find the other.
During freshmen year of high school, their friendship bloomed into something much more. They fell in love at least that is what she thought. She had loved Nick with every ounce of her being. They shared everything, she felt like she could tell him anything. She thought she had found the person she was meant to be with for the rest of her life. But that all changed on the day after their high school graduation. Brian was having a party at his house. The whole graduating class was there celebrating the night away.
After some time, Melissa went looking for Nick. He wasn�t anywhere downstairs, so she headed upstairs. She opened the door to Brian�s room and there she found Nick�in bed with a girl. She was frozen there, not able to move as tears came down her face. Finally once she could feel her legs, she ran down the stairs and out the front door. She could hear Nick yelling to her to stop and that he could explain, but all she could do was run. And that was what she did; she kept running�right out of Fairview. She moved to Chicago and stayed with her cousin. Melissa didn�t say goodbye to Samantha or Brian, the sooner she left the better.
Fairview held so many memories that her and Nick shared. Their first kiss in her backyard when they were ten, their first date at the drive-in, and the first time they made love. Nick�s parents were out of town and he had set up a romantic evening for the two of them. Candles lit, a fire burning, and a home cooked dinner. Neither of them had planned for it to go that far, but she never regretted it. Not till that night at Brian�s. He never really loved her; he couldn�t of to have slept with someone else. Melissa did remain close with Brian and Samantha and her parents. They came to visit her on numerous occasions, all of them wishing she could come back to Fairview. However, Fairview wasn�t her home anymore, Chicago was. She never thought she come back till she received the phone call that changed her life forever. Now she was on her way back to Fairview for the first time in two years.
�Miss, the train has stopped. We are at the station.�
Melissa snapped back to reality and smiled at the older gentleman. She gathered her luggage and exited the train. She looked around for her mother. She was supposed to meet her there, but Melissa didn�t see her anywhere.
�MEL!� She turned towards the voice and saw Brian.
�BRIAN!� She ran over to his waiting embrace. He looked so handsome. Brian was the boy next door type, blonde curly hair, baby blue eyes, amazing body. However, Melissa never saw that. To her, Brian was her sweet and hilarious friend; someone she knew could make her laugh when she was down. She was going to need him, especially now with her dad�s funeral and coming back to Fairview.
�How�s my Mel?� Brian asked with a bright smile.
�I�m good and you?�
�I�m good. Let me help you with that.� Brian grabbed her suitcase. �How was the train?�
�It was okay, gave me some time to think.�
�About?�
�My dad, my life in Fairview.�
�A lot of people have missed you.�
�I know, but I had my reasons for leaving. You know what those reasons were, Brian.� She wasn�t even in Fairview and her past had already caught up to her.
�Why are you picking me up? Where�s my mom?�
�She�s busy with funeral arrangements and she asked me to pick you up.�
�How�s she doing?� She stopped Brian so she could look into his eyes. His eyes never lied.
�She�s doing okay under the circumstances. Sam is with her.�
�Thank you so much for taking such good care of her for me.�
�She�s family Mel, that�s what you do for family.�
�I know she loves you and Sam like you two were hers.� Brian unlocked his car and placed her luggage in the trunk.
�You know Nick has been helping your mother too. I�m sure he would like a thank you too.�
Melissa smiled at Brian. �I wonder how long it would be before you brought him up.� They got into the car, and then pulled out of the parking lot.
�He misses you Mel.�
�He has a weird way of showing it.�
�Mel, that happened two years ago, can�t you let it go?�
�Brian, please I don�t want to talk about this.�
�Why not?�
�How about the fact that I just lost my father that I�m going back to Fairview to attend his funeral. Is that a good enough reason for why I don�t want to talk about Nick?�
Brian sighed and focused on the road. �I�m sorry Mel; it is none of my business.�
�No, I�m sorry Brian. I shouldn�t have snapped at you. I�m just under so much pressure.�
Brian rested his hand on hers. �You�ll get through this Mel. You�re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for.� She smiled and squeezed his hand.
�Home sweet home!� Brian said pulling into the driveway of Melissa�s childhood house.
�It looks different.� She stated getting out of the car.
�Yeah, your dad and mom were doing some renovations. Go in, I�ll bring in your suitcases.� He said digging into the trunk.
Slowly she made her way up the sidewalk. She glanced at the front yard, the yard where she and her friends would run around for hours just playing. Once she reached the front door, she took a deep breath and then opened it.
�Mom?�
�In here!� Her mother called from the kitchen. Melissa entered the newly tiled kitchen and received a hug from her mother.
�Hi baby.� She whispered as she held her daughter.
�Hi mom.� It was then that Melissa realized that they weren�t alone. As Brian had stated earlier, Samantha was there, but so was the last person she wanted to see. They broke apart just enough to see each others� faces.
�How are you?�
�I�m much better now that my little girl is home.�
Nick watched her as she talked to her mother. She had grown into this beautiful woman. In his eyes, she had always been a natural beauty. She hadn�t changed much. Her dark brown hair was still long, reaching below her shoulders, and she still had that magnificent smile. He remembered how his stomach did flips every time she smiled at him. His eyes couldn�t help but looking at her body. It looked amazing, lean and trim. He could tell she had taken good care of herself while she was gone. As she embraced her mother, a little bit of her flat stomach was exposed to him. Finally, his thoughts brought him back to the present.
�Really honey, I�m okay. Thanks to your friends. They have helped me so much. You have amazing friends.�
�Where do you want the suitcases, Mrs. Barnes?� Brian asked entering the kitchen.
�In Mel�s old room, I�ll help you. Mel, why don�t you catch up with Sam and Nick?� She said then followed Brian down the long hallway.
�Mel, give me a hug!� Samantha said wrapping her in a hug.
�How are you Sam?�
�I�m doing great. I�m so sorry about your dad.�
�Thanks.�
�How are you?�
Melissa sighed and then plastered on a fake smile. �I�m okay.� Samantha rubbed Melissa�s arm.
�How long are you staying?�
�As long as my mother needs me.� The phone started to ring.
�I�ll get it.� Samantha grabbed the cordless phone.
Nick couldn�t take his eyes off of her, he wanted to apologize for everything, but he knew this wasn�t the time.
Melissa could feel his eyes on her; she wasn�t ready to deal with him. She walked into the living room and glanced at the many photos on entertainment system. She picked up a family photo taken not too long before she graduated from high school. Melissa ran her finger over her father�s photo.
�Why did you lie?� Nick asked coming up behind her.
�Excuse me?� She asked facing him.
�You put on a fake smile and told Sam that you were fine, but you aren�t. Why did you lie?�
�I forgot how well you knew me.� Melissa stated placing the photo back on the entertainment stand.
�How well I know you, you haven�t changed Mel. You are still the same girl I fell in love with.�
Hearing Nick mention love, made her stomach uneasy. �You don�t know me Nick. I�m not that na�ve little girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. I�m smarter and stronger now, you have yourself to thank for that.�
�Mel.�
�Honey, I�m going over to your Aunt�s Rachel�s house. � Her mother interrupted as she entered the living room.
�Do you want me to come with you?�
�No, stay and catch up with your friends. I�ll be back in a couple of hours.� And with that she left.
�Brian, what happened?� Melissa asked walking over to him.
�She saw a photo of you and your dad from your senior prom. She got upset and then said she needed to leave.�
Melissa ran out of the door and down the sidewalk to catch up with her mother. However, she was gone by the time Melissa got outside.
�Damn it!� Melissa yelled.
�She�ll be okay, Mel. She just needs some time to herself.� Samantha stated wrapping her arms around Melissa�s shoulders.
�Yeah, let�s get you settled and then we can make some dinner.� Brian added as they walked back into the house with Nick following behind.
