After breakfast, Michelle and Cally were clearing the dishes away. �Michelle...can I ask you something?�

�Sure...what?�

�Why did you seem so upset when AJ mentioned your birthday?�

Michelle looked at the floor. �Promise you won�t tell anyone.�

�Why? Ok...I promise.�

�Last year...� she swallowed. �Last year...Josh...he got drunk...he tried to make me take these drugs...I don�t know what they were...so I did...next thing I knew, I was in hospital for a drug overdose.�

�Oh...�

�Yeah...well...he doesn�t like me very much.�

�I�m sorry.�

Michelle shrugged. �But that happened last year...so...I�m just going to forget it.�

Calista nodded, not wanting to push her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�So...Nick...what exactly are we going to do for Michelle�s birthday party?�

Nick shrugged. �I don�t know...invite all her friends...I haven�t met many of them.�

AJ sighed. �We�re going to be here forever...she has more friends than I care to count!�

Nick laughed. �Sure AJ...�

AJ shook his head. �I�m not kidding! The girl has been asked out more times than I�ve asked girls out.�

Nick looked at him. �She must have been asked out everyday for 10 years then...�

AJ hit him. �Shut up!�

�So...has she had tons of boyfriends?�

AJ looked surprised at the question. �Not really...she said no to a lot of them...the players and stuff...I talked to a lot of them...�

�You did?�

�Of course! Why do you think she�s still a virgin...oops...at least was...�

Nick looked away blushing, but AJ didn�t see him. �I would love to get my hands on Josh! He�s terrorized her since she was 10 years old!�

Nick sighed and looked at the floor. AJ glanced at him. �You alright?�

Nick shrugged. �Not really...everytime I touch her she flinches and pulls away...I hate him for doing this to her.�

AJ nodded. �Especially to Michelle...she loves to hug people and all that shit...don�t get it...�

Nick laughed. �What should I get her for her birthday?�

AJ shrugged. �Beats me...I�m having a hard enough time thinking about what I should get her.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michelle was sitting next to Nick and they were watching tv. Calista and AJ were on the other couch.

Just then, the phone rang. Nick was closest, so he answered it.

�Hello?�

�Hi...is Michelle there?�

�Sure...who is this?�

�Her father.�

�Oh...hold on a sec.�

He handed the phone to Michelle. �Hello?�

�Sweetie? It�s dad.�

�Hi dad.�

�Are you alright?�

She took a deep breath. �Uhhh...how do you want me to answer that? I�m alive if that�s what you mean.�

�Sorry sweetheart...I just can�t believe Josh would do this.�

Michelle leaned against Nick and closed her eyes. He was glad that she was starting to feel more comfortable around him. �Yeah...well...I didn�t think he�d take it this far either.�

�Honey...I�ve talked it over with Sarah and we�ve agreed that it would be best if we sent you to live with your mother in New York.�

�WHAT?� Michelle�s eye flew open and she got off the couch. Everyone stared at her.

�We�re sending you to live with your mother.�

�Who I haven�t seen I was 5! How can you tell me this!?! I don�t want to live with her anyway!�

�But it�s for your own good...�

�I don�t care! I�m not going all the way there! Are you insane? She�s even worse than Josh!�

�Michelle...she�s changed a lot...she wants to see you...and I think...�

�Did you? I don�t want to live with her! She�s awful! She walked out, Dad! Do you remember? And I haven�t heard from her in almost 14 years!�

�She�s married now...she has her own family...�

�Dad, listen to me! I would rather die than live with her! I do not care if she has her own family, because as far as I�m concerned, I�m not a part of it.�

Her father sighed. �Are you sure? I just want you to be happy.�

Michelle glanced at Nick. He was staring at her intently. �I am happy, Dad.�

He laughed. �Oh...I see!�

�Uh huh...so...I don�t have to go?�

Her father paused. It was evident that he was thinking. �If they don�t find Josh before your birthday...then...yes, you do.�

�They so better find him.� She muttered.

�What?�

�Nothing...is that everything Dad?�

�Oh I see! You want to get rid of me!�

Michelle laughed. �No...well...�

He laughed too. �Alright sweetheart...I love you.�

�Love you too, Dad.�

�Bye.�

�Bye.�

Michelle hung up the phone and everyone looked at her expectantly. �Well?� asked Nick.

She shrugged. �If they don�t find Josh before my birthday, I�m getting shipped off to New York...which is pretty stupid, considering I�m not a little child.�

Calista sighed. �Who�s in New York?� she asked.

�The person who, by blood, is my mother.�

AJ laughed. �Still don�t like her?�

�Nope. And there is no way in hell I�m moving down there!�

Nick hugged her and they went back to watching tv.

A couple of hours later. Everone had fallen asleep. Nick woke up and noticed that Michelle was fidgeting. He shook her awake. She looked into his eyes, confusion appearing on her face. It was quickly replaced by a look of frustration and fear.

She hugged Nick tightly. �I see him everywhere. I can�t get away from him...his eyes...�

Nick sighed and hugged her back. Calista and AJ had woken up and were both listening. AJ held Calista tighter.

Michelle looked up at Nick with tears in her eyes. �Make it go away.�

Nick kissed her cheek and fought back tears as she leaned against him and fell asleep once more. He looked up at AJ and Calista. Calista had tears in her eyes and AJ was staring at the ceiling. Nick sighed and held Michelle tighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next day~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michelle was still asleep on the couch. Nick had woken up later on and called his parents, telling them where he was and not to worry. Calista and AJ were sitting at the table drinking coffee while Nick was on the phone.

Calista sighed.

�Baby...what�s wrong?�

Calista shrugged. �I dunno...anyway...this party should take Michelle�s mind off everything.�

AJ nodded. �It�ll be so cool! The girl loves to party!�

Nick glanced over at him. �So do you!� then he returned to his conversation.

Calista laughed. �Well...where�s it going to be?�

Nick got off the phone and sat down at the table. �How about that club on...what�s the name of it, AJ?�

AJ shrugged. �I don�t remember...but I know which one your talking about...yeah...that�s a good place...I think that would hold all of Michelle�s friends.�

Calista sipped her coffee. �How many does she have?�

�A lot! All the people from school...all the cheerleaders...all them and all the other people from her class.�

�Michelle was a cheerleader?� asked Nick.

AJ shook his head. �No, she was just friends with them...I can�t imagine why...some of them were nice though...�

Calista slapped him. �AJ! Watch it!�

He grinned at her sheepishly. �Sorry.�

Just then, Michelle walked into the kitchen. She sat down and put her head in her hands. �Good morning guys.�

Nick kissed her. �Sleep well?�

She shrugged. �Not really...but better than last night.�

No one knew what to say. Michelle sighed. �Look, you guys...this�ll blow over...so, let�s just please get on with our lives?�

Calista nodded. �Well, about your birthday...�

AJ cut her off. �It�s going to be a surprise...kind of...well not really, since you already know...but...it is now a surprise...so we�re not telling you anything.�

Michelle looked at him. �You always do that!�

�What?� he asked innocently.

�You always say that you know something, and then you won�t tell me!�

�I do not! I never do that!�

Michelle looked at Calista and they both burst out laughing. AJ glanced at Nick. He shrugged.

�Well...anyway...Michelle...go...into the other room and we�ll call you when we�re done.�

She laughed and got up. Then, she kissed Nick on the lips and went to watch tv, leaving the others to plan. Nick watched her go with a smile his face. AJ rolled his eyes.

�What is it Nicky boy?�

�She kissed me.� He replied dreamily.

AJ shook his head. �You 2 are going to make me very ill.�

Calista hit him playfully. �Shut up! Leave them alone, you wet blanket!�

AJ laughed and grabbed her arm. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. �Whatever you want.�

Giggling, she pulled away. �Let�s not get side-tracked yet. When we�re done...�

AJ smiled widely. �OK!!!�

They turned to Nick, managing to shake him out of his trance and started deciding what to do.