Saving Grace

"John and I kissed!" I blurted as soon as Linnely shut the bedroom door behind her. Her aquamarine eyes flew open wide. "I kissed him back and I have a boyfriend already! And I'm fucking pregnant!"

Her hands flew to my mouth, shutting me up. "Dude, the guys are right downstairs, do you want them to hear?"

I shook my head before her hands fell back to her sides. "I- uh- told Bree about everything too. She wasn't mad. I'm sure she'll tell Jay."

"That's... good? I guess..."

"I kissed John though! I-I feel like a hoe!"

"Sweetheart, did you like it?"

I threw my hands up in the air. "I don't know! I'm really confused! Nick and I just got back together and I'm already kissing another boy- it's worse than t-that; it's Nick's best friend!"

Linnely rested her hands on my shoulders firmly, looking straight into my eyes. "DID YOU LIKE IT?"

My panic was clearly on my face. "I did! But I like Nick yet too!"

"I have never, ever been in a situation like this before but as my daddy always told me when I wanted two things at once, 'You can't ride two horses with one ass'." Her southern drawl leaked though as she quoted her father. I studied her skeptically. "I know, it sounds stupid and wrong but it's true. You have to make a decision, Lia."

I had convinced myself that Nick was my choice but when I was around John I felt a lot of temptations that I hadn't before.

I nodded in understanding. "Got a tampon?" Linnely asked.

I studied her for a moment before nodding to my suitcase that I had packed full of my bathroom items. She picked one out before walking to the door. "I'm sorry if I'm not much help but at least I tried," she said as we walked back down stairs.

"Thanks."

"No problem," she said as we entered the living room. I stood in the doorway and watched as she strolled across the room, tossing the feminine product at Garrett's chest before plopping down on her boyfriend's lap.

Garrett's brow furrowed in confusion as he picked up the tiny package from his lap. His face turned disgusted as he realized what it was and allowed it to fall to the floor by his feet. "That's disgusting, Linnely!" he cried, kicking it away with the toe of his shoe.

Kennedy laughed a little, suddenly behind me. I jumped a little but he didn't seem to notice. "Garrett gets freaked out by those kinds of things," he said, making sure that I understood.

"I thought you might have needed one, so I brought it down," Linnely said with a smile as she looked to her friend.

I smiled a little before leaning on the door frame, crossing my arms over my chest as I thought over things though I already knew what I had to do.

-----

Folding my clothes up and stacking them as neat as possible in my suitcases, I ignored the ringing from my cell phone as Nick tried calling yet again.

I'd tried sleeping but I found it nearly impossible. Bree was still in the hospital, John and I weren't talking much and Shane and Ross were too busy trying to take their minds off of their mother's failing health to notice anything.

"Are you leaving?" John's voice echoed through the room.

I turned to see him leaning in the doorway, his face void of any emotion. I nodded before turning back to my suitcases. "Yeah," I sighed. "I-uh- told Bree everything. She wasn't upset at all."

"YOU TOLD HER!? WHEN!?"

"Yesterday. I can't keep living this- this lie. I'm sorry, John. I just can't do this."

"That's not why you're leaving though, is it?" he asked.

I shook my head, not willing to lie to him. "I have a boyfriend to think a-about, John. I'm starting a family now and I have a house and career yet too."

"It's about that kiss," he stated.

I licked my lips and nodded my head. "I'm sorry." My voice was barely a whisper. "You have Marissa and I have Nick. There's nothing between us."

"It's not like that with Marissa and me." I studied him for a long beat. What was he trying to say, exactly? "If there's nothing between us then why are you running away?"

I could hear my heart pound in my ears as I realized what he was trying to get through to me.

John O'Callaghan had some sort of feelings toward me.

My phone blared once again, snapping me out of my frozen state.

I turned back to the bed and dismissed Nick's call before stuffing it in my purse. I hurriedly zipped up my bags and picked them up before shoving pass John to leave. "Amelia, I like you!"

"I can't do this!" I called over my shoulder as I walked down the stairs. "You and I- it's not- we just can't." I knew he was following me.

His hand fell to my shoulder as I reached the foyer and he spun me around to face him. "I like you, Amelia. What if you and Nick weren't meant to be together? It seems to me that your relationship isn't the greatest one in the world..."

"He's your best friend, John! Jesus Christ! You should be on his side!"

I vaguely heard the phone ring in the background but its sudden stop told me that either Ross or Shane had answered it.

"I'm pregnant John, with Nicholas's child. Why would you want to be with me?"

His green orbs were serious. "Because, you're-"

"Mom's not doing too well anymore," Ross's voice cut in. We both froze and turned to look at the boy. "Dad says we should go up there now before..." he trailed off and a sad silence filled the room.”Just, go get the car, I'll go find Shane."

We nodded in agreement before I looked back to John. I dropped my cases to the floor, signaling that I would be staying a little longer than I had intended to as of this morning.

This was for Bree; I was staying for her sake: for her and for her family's sake.