Australia - Nick Gets the Girl

Chapter One

Kevin’s POV

Three months is an awfully long time. Its sounds longer if you say it’s been 92 days. Or 2192 hours. Of course I only know this because Nick is a constant reminder of how long its been since we had seen Sam. It was frustrating. Here I was happy; very happy. But I couldn’t feel completely happy because I was constantly feeling guilty for feeling happy for myself.

I guess I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. The reason I’m so happy you ask? Well, I proposed to Danielle shortly after Sam left us. That wasn’t a prompt to get me to ask her though; I had been planning it for a while. But she had said yes. I was ecstatic.

But it was hard to be so happy; to spend my days smiling and planning an extravagant wedding with my fiancé when my brothers were moping around like someone had run over their puppy. I can assure you I haven’t seen Nick crack a smile in three months and that’s not an exaggeration in the slightest. I know what you’re thinking; “Nick’s the serious one.” And you’re right he is. But even serious Nick cracked a smile once and a while. And with Sam here is was practically every day. But since she decided to leave us so abruptly, Nick has been a lost cause. Not even Frankie could cheer him up. He had hung out with Maya once, hit the shops with Garbo a few times and come with me to help with my suit last week. Nothing would work.

When Nick and Joe told our parents what had happened in the past, they were shocked to say the very least. They were disappointed that they had lied to them this whole time. They divulged every little thing that happened. From Joe falling in the Sydney Harbour to midnight snacks; gallivanting around to underage dance clubs at night and their picnics in the park. He told them about the jealousy he felt when she was hanging with nick more, as well as the arguments with Nick and Sam. And even, after some coaxing, he confessed that he had broken his promise to them and to God and he had slept with Sam; not just once but three times. I was shocked when he admitted it; but not as shocked as my parents.

Nick followed Joe’s confessions with his own. Admitting that he had started having feelings for Sam all the way back last May in Australia. He told them about the secret little meetings, the day they hung out and how his feelings developed as it went along. He confessed each and every kiss they had shared; from the pecks on the cheek to the chaste ones on the lips. All of our jaws hit the ground when he told us about the heated make out session they an engaged in in Houston in the barn on her father’s land. Joe’s face had fallen faster than a watermelon being thrown from the top of a building.

I had kept my eyes trained on my parents the whole time; my mum’s face contorting one of complete disappointment after nick’s confession and my dad’s forming a frown. When I changed my gaze to Joe and then to Nick both were looking at the floor ashamed. From that day; the relationship with our parents changed; not dramatically but it changed. I could tell how upset they were with both of them.

Nick’s relationship with Joe was strained as well. I could see it. The brotherly bond and their friendship was going down the toilet. At first when Sam first left, Nick was Joe’s back bone, the person he relied on the most. They’d sit in mine and Joe’s bedroom for hours and just talk. Sometimes they went out to the tree house in the morning and didn’t come back to the house until dinner time. Occasionally, I’d hear them yelling at each other; Joe blaming Nick for Sam leaving or vice versa. Once in a while I saw a hug, or was invited into the conversation but I’d try to steer clear; only stepping in when big brother Kev was needed to break up the fight. Fists had only been used once; and I was the one who actually copped it.

About 3 weeks ago was when their relationship fell to bits completely. I walked up the stairs and caught the back end of one of their many arguments.

”You’re the one that slept with her, Joe!” Nick screamed. “Did you ever think that maybe she wasn’t ready for that? did you ever think that maybe she wanted to wait until marriage to do something like that?”

“Excuse me, Nick you have no idea what went down between me and Sam,” Joe spat back. “Did you ever think that maybe she came on to me?”

“well, no actually I didn’t,” Nick confessed. “But, isn’t it always the guy who takes the lead in something like that.”

“You wouldn’t know Nick,” Joe’s voice slipped into a lsy tone. “You’ve never done it before.”

“Yeah, because unlike you I have some self control,” Nick jeered. “And some self respect.”

“Do you think I threw myself at her or something?” Joe asked; his voice raised. “It was consensual sex, Nick. consensual. You make it sound like I raped her or something.”

“Joe. Think about it this way,” Nick calmed himself. “If you hadn't slept with Sam, do you still think she would have left?”

“We don’t know the reason she left,” Joe argued.

“I think I do,” I stepped into the room.

Both Nick and Joe turned to face me; faces turning red at being caught having such a stupid argument.

“Why do you think she left?” Joe asked me in a voice smaller then I thought he could manage.

“Don’t you see?” I shook my head. “She left because she didn’t want to hurt you guys anymore.”

“What?” Nick questioned; tilting his head slightly to the side.

“Look, Sam’s had words with me during her stay here,” I told them. “The feelings she has for Joe and the feelings she has for you Nick are pretty much the same. That’s why she left. She didn’t want to string either of you along anymore.”

“But leaving us hasn’t fixed anything,” Joe said; crossing his arms across his chest. “If anything, she’s made things worse.”

“I know,” I nodded. “But, in Sam’s mind, taking herself out of this whole messed up equation was the simplest way to deal with things. I guess she didn’t expect you two to be so petty and childish about the whole thing.”

“We aren’t being petty and childish,” Joe argued and I cocked an eyebrow at him. He frowned.

“I guess we are being pretty childish,” Nick sighed. “I just, I guess blaming Joe makes me feel better about myself; that I wasn’t the one that pushed her away.”

“Neither of you pushed her away,” I looked from Joe to Nick and back again. “She pulled herself away. Of course it’s not her fault either. The heart wants what the hearts wants. The way she chose to deal with it was wrong.”

“So what do we do now?” Joe asked me; uncrossing his arms.

“You two need to stop arguing with each other for a start and apologise,” I told them and they looked at each other.

“I am really sorry, Joe,” Nick told him softly. “I just, I miss her.”

“I’m sorry too,” Joe responded; stepping up and pulling Nick into a hug.

“I’m also sorry for something else, Joe,” Nick admitted.

“What’s that?” Joe stepped out of the hug.

“I'm sorry for falling in love with your girlfriend,” Nick confessed; his eyes cast to the ground.

Nick confessing that obviously didn’t help the situation. But they were at least back on speaking terms. This brings us to present day; right this second to be exact. Where am I exactly? In my car. Where am I driving to? Houston.

I needed to talk to Sam; both about inviting her to the wedding and to talk to her about my brothers. Only she could fix this; fix them.