Summer and Forever

Kevin didn't call back for another three days. Bertranna could see the misery on my face when she came to visit me in the store. She didn't even say hello, just pulled me into a fierce hug.

I let her hug me and limply stood there, focusing on a random point in the room so as not to cry.

"He'll get hell from Nicky, don't worry."

I laughed a hollow laugh. "No i don't want you to tell Nick anything about me okay? Just...I want you to be happy okay?"

"I cant be happy when you're not! Even your dog is depressed being around you!"

It was true. Locky had been walkling with his tail down for too long now. I sighed and rubbed my eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm going to call him tonight."

"Good, girl."

She gave me an encouraging wink and then sauntered off to meet some other friends she had. I finished my shift and went straight home where I saw Denise sitting at the ktichen table, staring at her fingers intensely.

"Denise?" She looked up and i saw red rims around her eyes. "What's wrong?"

I felt the hollow sickness in my stomach begin to take hold. "Sarai...I know he must have had a good reason." She said in a desperate plea to me.

I couldn't respond. I could only stand there to hear the news. "Please don't leave my boy? You make him so happy. I don't know why..."

She burst into tears and stood up to pull me into a hug. She held me tightly but i didn't reciprocate.

"What's wrong?" I asked in monotone.

"Honey you haven't been eating well, you're sleeping sporadically...I'm worried about you."

"What's wrong Denise?"

"Joe didn't mean to let this happen you know? He thought she really liked him. And she's a pretty girl...i mean its hard for a boy to resist a pretty girl." Her eyes were pleading with me to understand something i had no idea about.

"Tell me." I said flatly. She pulled me over to a television and turned it on where E was playing out again. It was a taped piece that she had wanted to show me.

It showed Kevin Jonas... MY Kevin Jonas kissing a girl just outside his hotel and then inviting her back inside. Her hands were all over him and the girl's tongue was definitely in his mouth.

She turned her face so that the camera caught it and my throat closed over. It was Ingrid.

"Okay." I said calmly. "Its ok." I don't know who i was trying to convince.

"Sarai listen to me. My boy never does anything without a good reason-"

"I'll give you your reason. She's prettier then me, sexier then me and better then me."

Tears spilled over and i wrenched my arm from Denise's grip. My feet felt like lead as i tripped over them running from the room. Once i got to the stairs I suddenly stopped.

A sharp pain knifed through my heart. I fell to the floor clutching my chest. My breathing became laboured and i choked as another knifed pain stabbed through me.

Denise's screams faded into the background and darkness enveloped me in its comforting arms.