The Boys were scheduled to co-host Wango Tango and perform a new song; and Kristen [Richardson] and I had agreed to fill-in for two of Janet Jackson’s dancers at the
last minute (we were going to be there anyway) and we had a run through at the Rose Bowl in less than an hour.

     Nick’s going to Florida for two weeks … his plane leaves tonight at 11… and Alex is going back home…I still have to talk to Nick…it’s gonna be a long day. 

     I walked to the front door to make sure all of Alex and Nick’s stuff was ready so they could just grab it all and go without having to worry about anything. I looked at my watch.

     Kristen’s gonna be here in 10 minutes…better remind Alex he has to drive Nick….

     I ran up the stairs to Alex’s room and knocked on the door.

     “It’s open!”

     “Alex? Baby, I’m lea---”

     Before I could squeeze in another word, Alex scooped me up into his arms and kissed me softly, “Morning beautiful.”

     He held me tighter and I gasped,  “Bruise on…my back…” I choked. He put me down and I lifted my shirt to show him the bruise on my lower back.

     “Shit…what’d you do?” He softly ran his fingers over my back.

     “Nick,” I mumbled as I fixed my shirt. “He…ummm… he was… a little rough…the other night.”

     I watched Alex’s facial expression change at the mention of how the bruise formed and I suddenly remembered why I had gone in there in the first place.

     “Uhhh, Kristen’s gonna be here in like five minutes up ‘cause we have a run through with Janet. So, I just wanted to remind you that I’m taking the car so Nick has to drive
with you.”

     “Alright,” he huffed.

      “You’re so cute when you’re frustrated, Alexander,” I whispered, looping my fingers into his belt loops and pulling him against me. I watched his face again and it lit up this
time; his eyebrows rose as I rubbed his bare back and kissed his chest softly.

     “Tease,” he groaned as my tongue flicked his nipple. 
     
      “You’re just so tempting, baby…I can’t help myself,” I replied and my hands moved to his ass as he kissed me passionately. Our kisses deepened…soft sucks, teasing licks,
and small moans escaped our lips when suddenly, I heard the doorbell ring.

     “Damn you Kristen,” Alex mumbled as I pulled away and told him that with that, he’d last two more weeks. Alex was under the impression I wouldn’t talk to Nick until he got
back.

     “I’ll see you in a couple hours, okay?” I quickly stole another kiss; my cell phone began vibrating from my back pocket…Kristen was never a patient soul.

     “I love you, baby girl.” 

     “I love you too, baby.”

     Alex captured my lips again.

     “Alex…” I moaned in between kisses. “Baby, I have to go!”

     He finally let me go and I reminded him that their clothes for tonight and Nick’s bags were by the front door.

     “Can you do my favor?” I asked as I reached for the door.

     “Anything.”

     I smiled, “Can you wake Nick up – he was still sleeping when I got out of the shower – and I don’t want you guys to be late for your call time.”

     Alex nodded, “Drive safe, k?”

     “I will.”

      I walked out to the driveway to find Kristen sitting on the edge of her BMW.

     “You really shouldn’t sit on your new car,” I told her.

     “Chanel, girl, what the hell took you so fuckin’ long?”

     “Dude, it’s a long story…” I unlocked my Beatle convertible and threw my bag in the back seat.

     “Well, don’t think you’re gonna get away with it and not tell me!” 

     I laughed, “Okay, so, who’s gonna follow who?”

**That night, LAX**

     “I’m gonna miss you, baby,” Nick said softly, wrapping his arms around me.

     “Me too,” I said, looking into his eyes. They were full of love and sincerity…there was a mutual feeling in the air.

     “You okay?” His voice was so warm…tender.

      “Yeah,” I sighed. “I’ll miss you, sweetie.”

     Don’t be weak…you can do this…just let him down easy. You want this!

     “Chanel,” Nick’s voice was almost a whisper. “I have something to tell you.”

     Damn…he beat me to the punch…

     “I have something to tell you, too,” I said.

     “Okay, what?”

     “No…Nick you go first…you’re plane leaves in five minutes,” I told him as I looked at my watch.

     At least I can stall a little while longer…

     Nick sighed heavily, “Baby, when I come home…I…I don’t want you to be there.”

     “What?! W…why?”

     “Because,” I could hear the pain in his voice. “You need to be with AJ…he loves you…and…and you love him…and I…I need to let you go.”

     His voice had dropped to a whisper by the time he finished and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Tears began to rim my eyes and I tore away from his gaze. When I finally looked up, the tears were running down my face.

     “Nick…you do know I love you, right?” My voice broke and Nick cupped my face.

     “Sssh…I know baby, but you need to be with AJ…I saw the way you two were looking at each other today. And I want you to be happy. It’s time to let go, Chanel.” He kissed my lips softly, innocently as a new batch of tears began to fall. “I
will always love you, Chanel.”

     “Thank you, Nick. Thank you for loving me…thank you for taking care of me…and thank you…for letting me go.” He kissed me one last time and I watched him walk to the
terminal.

     “I love you,” he mouthed.

     “I love you,” I mouthed back.

     Then he was gone and the last three years of our lives were locked into the depths of our souls for all eternity.