She didn�t know why she came here, something just pulled her here. Slowly she got out of her car and walked over to his tombstone. She sat down on the ground and ran her hand over his name. Mitchell Colin Barnes.
�Hi daddy, it�s Mel. I don�t know what to say. I miss you so much. I wish you were here. I just had this huge fight with Nick. I thought all the feelings that I had for him were gone, but every time I see him, they all come back. I want to hate him so much. He hurt me so badly; I couldn�t stop crying for days after I caught him. But he has been great since I lost you. He has been there when I needed someone. I�m so confused.�
�No, I haven�t heard from her Brian.� Nick stated. He had called him to see if Melissa had come home. Melissa hadn�t returned home and he was running out of places to look for her.
�No, don�t call her mother. If she comes home, just tell her Mel and I are out getting movies or something. Okay, bye.� Nick hung up his cell and sighed.
�Where is she? The night was going so well and then she saw that tape of her dad.�
�Her dad!� He knew where she was.
�Daddy, I don�t know what to do. I�m so worried about mom. I don�t know if she will get over losing you. She loves you so much, I love you so much!� She started to cry.
�None of this was supposed to happen. You weren�t supposed to die, I wasn�t supposed to leave town. Nothing is going the way it should.�
He pulled into the cemetery parking lot and let go of a breath he had been holding. He saw her car in the lonely parking. He got out of his car and started walking.
�I wish you were here. You always had a way of making me feel better. Who�s going to look out for me, who�s going to protect me?� Her tears were flowing freely now.
�Who�s going to love me?�
�I will.�
Melissa turned and saw Nick standing there.
�Go away Nick.� She said standing up.
�No Mel, you can push me away all you want, but I�m not going anywhere. You are stuck with me.�
�I don�t want you!�
�That doesn�t matter. I�m not going to leave you here all alone and upset.�
�Fine, then I�ll leave.� She headed towards the parking lot.
�I can�t let you leave.� He blocked her path.
�You can�t stop me Nick!� She moved around him, but he grabbed her wrist.
�LET ME GO!� She struggled to get free.
�I can�t.�
�Stop Nick, why do you care what happens to me?�
�Because I care about you Mel, more then you know!�
�That�s bullshit!� She yelled.
�Look at me!� She reluctantly looked at him.
�I care about you Mel. Let me help you, let me be your friend.� He pleaded with her. She looked into his blue eyes and just lost control. She collapsed in his arms and cried.
�It�s going to be okay.� He repeated over and over as he held her.
Once Melissa gained control of her emotions, Nick followed her home. He walked her to the front door.
�Are you okay?� He asked once they reached the porch.
�Yeah I am. Thanks for being there.�
�Anytime.�
�Mel, there you are! Hi Nick!� Mrs. Barnes said as she exited the house.
�Is everything okay?� She looked at Melissa, then to Nick and then back to Melissa.
�Everything�s fine, Mrs. Barnes. Mel and I were just talking.�
�Well, I�m glad to see you two can get pass your past. Nick, I�m having your parents over for dinner tomorrow and I like you to join us.�
�I don�t know Mrs. Barnes.�
�Mel will be there.�
�In that case, count me in.� Nick looked at Melissa and gave her a little smile.
�Great, be here around seven.�
�I�ll be here at seven. Goodnight Mrs. Barnes, goodnight Mel.� He smiled one last time and then left.
�I�m so glad that you are okay Mel.� Samantha said once they were alone in Melissa�s room.
�I�m sorry for storming out of here without telling you where I was going. I just needed some air.� Melissa said sitting down on her queen sized bed.
�Mel, you don�t need to apologize. I�m just glad that you�re okay.� She watched her best friend as she played with her necklace.
�Are you really okay?�
She smiled at Samantha.
�Under the circumstances, yes, I�m okay.�
�Are you missing your dad?�
�Yeah, I thought I was doing so well and then I saw him on that tape. My emotions got the best of me.�
�You can�t keep all of that buried inside of you, Mel.�
�I know, but I was trying to be strong for my mom. She needs me more then ever.�
�She does need you, but I know for a fact she wouldn�t be happy to know you�re so upset.�
�You didn�t tell her what happened, did you?�
Samantha sat beside her and touched her hand.
�No, she thinks you and Nick were out getting movies.�
Melissa sighed; her mother doesn�t need another thing to worry about.
�Thank you Sam.�
�Don�t thank me, its Nick who you should be thanking. It was his idea.�
�Okay, I�ll thank him tomorrow.�
�Excuse me? Do you have plans with Nick tomorrow?�
�Yes, but not the way you are thinking. My mom invited him and his parents over for dinner.�
Samantha started laughing.
�You, Nick, your mom, and the Carters, that will be interesting!�
�Thanks for your support!� Melissa playfully pushed her.
�I can�t believe you agreed to this.�
�I didn�t. My mom sprung it on me just now and invited Nick right in front of me.�
�What did Nick say?�
�At first he said he didn�t know, but then my mom mentioned I would be there and then he accepted.�
�That boy has it bad!� Samantha replied with a huge grin.
�What are you talking about?� Melissa asked looking at her confused.
�Mel, Nick still loves you.�
�Hey man!� Brian said as Nick entered the house they were living in.
�Hey.� Nick stated quickly as he entered his room.
�Did you get Mel home safely?�
�Yeah, her mother didn�t suspect anything. Hey, when does that flower place open in the morning?�
�You mean, Design Floral?� Brian asked sitting down on the dark blue couch and resting his feet on the coffee table in front of him.
�Yeah, do you know what time they open?� Nick yelled from his room.
�I think ten, why?�
�I need some bouquets.�
�What? For who?�
Nick walked back into the room and sat next to him.
�I have dinner plans at the Barnes� tomorrow.�
�That�s great man. Did Mel invite you over?�
�No, her mother did.�
�Oh I see what you are trying to do!�
�What is that suppose to mean?�
Brian sighed, knowing how Nick felt about Melissa, but also knowing how she felt about him. �Nick, flowers aren�t going to get Mel to forgive you.�
�I know Brian, but I just can�t give up the hope that there is a chance for her and me.�
�I understand completely Nick. What you two had was amazing, but��
�But what?�
�It�s what you had, as in the past. Look man I�m not trying to dash your hopes of reconciliation, but I want you to be realistic.�
�I can�t be realistic Brian. If I�m realistic then it means Mel will never forgive me and I�ll never see her again.�
�Nick, you have to let her go. Holding on to the past isn�t doing you any good.�
�I can�t let her go. I love her.�
�He�s not in love with me, Sam. He just feels guilty.�
�Sure, Mel whatever you say.�
�Sam, come on. Why would he be in love with me? He made it clear to me two years ago that our relationship meant nothing to him.�
�Do you ever think that he regrets what happen between you two? That he never meant to sleep with Paige?�
�Look I really don�t want to talk about this!� Melissa said standing up and walking over to her vanity.
�You never do. You do know that at some point in your life, you�ll have to talk to Nick about it.�
She turned and looked at Samantha scarily. �I know, but I�m not ready just yet.�
�I�m sorry Mel; I should mind my own business.�
�Don�t apologize, Sam. You�re right; I can�t keep running from my past. I need to face it, but only when I�m ready.�
�I know you love her, but her feelings have changed.�
Nick ran a hand through his hair, trying to hide his frustration. �So what do I do?�
�Keep doing what you are doing, just be there for her. Prove to her that you�ll be there.�
�I really messed up, didn�t I?�
�Honestly?�
�Yeah.�
�Yeah you did, but you�re trying to make up for it.�
�For all the good it does for me. Mel still looks at me like I�m a stranger. When she used to look at me, I could see in her eyes the love she had for me. But now all I see in her eyes are anger and disappointment.�
�I�m sorry Nick; I know that has to hurt.�
�Yes, it does. You know that day Mel and I went to the park, I saw the old Mel. I saw the way we were before this whole mess happened. I want that back and I won�t give up till I have it.� Nick stood up and walked to his room, shutting the door.
�Hey honey, did you and Sam have fun?� Melissa�s mother asked as she entered the kitchen, after shopping most of the day with Samantha.
�Yeah, I had fun. I also forgot what a power shopper Sam was. I think we hit five stores in one hour.� Melissa sat down her bags on the floor and joined her mother by the stove. �What are you cooking?�
�Your favorite, tuna casserole.� She dumped the noodles into the boiling water and then placed the lid over the bowl. "You better freshen up; the Carters will be here shortly. And put something nice on!�
�Yes, mom!� Melissa grabbed her bags and headed to her room. Within an hour, she had showered, changed, and did her hair and make-up.
She once again joined her mother in the kitchen. �Is this nice enough?�
Kathleen looked over her daughter�s outfit. Melissa was wearing a sheer seafoam green long sleeve top with a v-neck white shirt underneath it and a pair of dark faded jeans. �You look beautiful.�
�Thanks, do you need any help?�
�Yes, could you cut up the celery and mushrooms for the salad?� Melissa washed her hands and then started cutting a stick of celery.
�Mom, can I ask you something?�
�Of course you can.�
�Do you think I run from my problems?�
�Where did this come from?" She asked looking at her daughter.
�I just have been thinking about the past, you know, since dad died.�
�No, honey I don�t think you run from your problems. However, you are great at dodging them!� Kathleen said with a grin.
�Thanks mom!�
�Okay seriously, you don�t run, but you don�t face them either, honey. Like with Nick, I know he hurt you sweetie, but you haven�t dealt with what happened. You and Nick haven�t talked about it. I think if you did, you would have a completely different understanding about the whole situation.�
Melissa let the words sink in as she continued to cut the vegetables. Kathleen walked over to her daughter and grabbed her hands.
�Give Nick a chance Mel; he does really care about you.�
Melissa smiled at her and gave her hand a squeeze. �I�ll try.�
