Calista pulled away. “How?”

Michelle looked at her thoughtfully. “I don’t know...you don’t want to tell either of them that your pregnant, right?”

Calista shook her head. “I couldn’t hurt AJ like that.”

Michelle looked away. “Callie...you’re sure...this isn’t some big joke is it?”

Calista glanced up at her. “Michelle...no...I’m sorry...I really am.”

Michelle wiped her eyes. “It’s alright...but...if we want to raise this child...we have to get out of Florida.”

Calista looked at her shocked. “What?” she asked in disbelief.

Michelle nodded. “We do...it’s the only way...it’s the only way Nick and AJ won’t find out.”

Calista sighed. “You’re right...but where are we going to go?”

Michelle shrugged. “I don’t know...oh god...this is awkward.”

Calista looked at her sympathetically. “I’m really sorry, Michelle...are you...are you going to break up with Nick?”

Michelle looked away. “Well...if we’re leaving Florida...and their going to be going on tour...we have to...Callie...it’s for the best...”

“For who?”

“For you...and AJ...and the baby...and Nick...”

“But not for you...”

Michelle smiled at her sadly. “It is best for me too...if Nick didn’t tell me about this...what else has he been keeping from me?”

Callie sighed. “So...what happens now?”

Michelle sighed. “I don’t know...act like nothing happened? Wait...I know what I’m going to do...”

“What?”

“I’ll check around...what colleges are available...we need to...go to school...have you told your mom?”

Calista shook her head.

“Tell her...she should know...”

Calista tried to smile. “Where are we going to go?”

Michelle shrugged. “I’m too upset and angry to think straight...just...don’t do anything...I’ll go and tell the guys to leave...then we’ll try and sort this out...”

Calista nodded. “Thanks Michelle...I can’t go through this alone.”

Michelle hugged her. “It’ll be ok.”

Calista sighed, knowing she had hurt Michelle terribly.

Michelle went outside. “Uhhh...guys...Callie has...a stomach flu...so...you guys should leave...before you catch it too.”

AJ got up. “Where is she?”he asked, walking past Michelle.

She grabbed the back of his shirt, and pushed him in the other direction, towards the door. “Uhhhh...Callie’s really sick...she doesn’t want you to get sick.”

AJ gave her a funny look. “Alright...tell her I’ll call her later.”

Michelle nodded, grateful that he was leaving. Nick waited ‘till he left, before getting up and wrapping his arms around Michelle. She pushed him away.

“What’s wrong?” he asked confused.

She forced a smile. “Nothing...why? Anyway...I think I’m coming down with what Callie has...you should go...or you’ll catch it too.”

He looked at her slyly. “I don’t care.”

She bit her lip to keep from crying. “Nick...just...I’ll call you tomorrow.”

He sighed, smiling. “Alright...that’ll have to do.”

He leaned over to kiss her, but she moved and he only got her cheek.

“Nick...you should go.”

He pouted at her. “Alright...see you tomorrow.”

She watched him get into his car and speed down the road, before collapsing in a fit of sobs. Calista sat down next to her.

“Michelle...are you ok?”

Michelle managed to calm down. “Yeah...I’ll be alright...we should start thinking about what we’re going to do.”

Calista nodded. “I know...”

3 hours and 50 phone calls later...

Michelle hung up the phone, satisfied. Calista looked at her expectantly.

“So?”

“Well, I said I’d fax the records to the administrators at UCSB and then we’ll see what happens...but...Santa Barbara is a good place to live...a good enviroment for a child...so we can move there even if we don’t get accepted. They’ll be other schools...anyway...so...we’ve got reservations at a hotel...we can stay there while we check out apartements or whatever...”

“When do we leave?” asked Calista softly.

Michelle swallowed hard. “A week.”

Calista looked at her. “Oh...Michelle...”

Michelle looked at her. “What?”

“I can’t tell AJ!” She choked.

Michelle hugged her. “Just break up with him.”

“I can’t...can you break up with Nick?”

Michelle started to cry. “I have to! It’s going to happen...so why mess with it?”

Then she glanced at Calista. “You’re going to hurt AJ so bad.”

“I know.”

“When are you going to tell him? That you guys have to break up?”

“Michelle...please...just tell him for me? It hurts too much.”

Michelle stared at her. “You want me to break my best friend’s heart?” she asked quietly.

Calista started to sob hysterically. “Please? I can’t! I just can’t!”

Michelle hugged her. “Alright...”

2 nights later...

Michelle and Calista were busy packing. Mostly everything was packed and ready to go. Now, it was just their clothes and personal items left. Michelle came across a picture of her and AJ when they were children. ‘God...everything was so easy back then...’

Calista interuppted her thoughts. “Michelle? I think Nick’s at the door.”

Michelle sighed and got up. She wasn’t looking forward to this. Then Calista turned to Michelle.

“Michelle? That night...when AJ was drunk...he said...the next day...he said that he didn’t know how he was wearing those clothes...”

Michelle giggled nervously. “Uhhhh...yeah...well, AJ wanted me to dress him, and he was acting stupid, so I did...and then he tried to...you know...”

Calista gasped. “Did you guys...?”

Michelle shook her head. “He was drunk...I wasn’t.”

Calista smiled sadly. “I wish I hadn’t been.”

Michelle reached over and hugged her again. “Don’t worry about it...we can get through this...I hope.”

Calista laughed, despite herself. “Me too...”

Michelle stood up. “I need to go...break up with Nick.”

Calista looked at her worriedly. “Is that what you want?”

Michelle turned away as tears came to her eyes. “No...I love him.”

Then she left the room.

~~~~

“Nick....uhhhh...let’s go for a walk.”

Nick gave her a strange look. “Are you crying?”

Michelle laughed uneasily. “No...why would you ask me something like that? I just want to talk to you...or whatever...”

Nick laughed. Michelle swallowed hard. “Uhhh...so let’s go, Nick.”

Nick grabbed his keys and 10 minutes later, they arrived at the beach.

“So...what’s wrong?”

Michelle sighed. “Nick...it’s not a good idea...uhhh...what I mean is...” she took a deep breath.

“Nick...we shouldn’t see each other anymore.”

Nick stared at her in disbelief. “WHAT? WHY?”

She looked at the ground, not sure of what to say. “I just think...it’s for the best.”

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

She stared up at him. “NO!”

He gave her a look and started walking away.

She grabbed him by the arm, angrily. “Listen to me, Nick Carter! You sleep with my best friend’s girlfriend, your best friend, and then you have the nerve to ask ME if I’m seeing someone else?!?”

Nick’s eyes widened. “How did you find out?” he asked hoarsely.

She looked at him sadly, all her anger gone. “It doesn’t matter...what does matter, is that I didn’t find out from you.”

There was a long silence. Then Nick spoke.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Tears fell down her cheeks. “But you did.” She whispered. “Nick...why didn’t you just tell me? I would have understood...”

He reached out to wipe her tears away, but she stepped away from him. “No...we’re moving...”

Nick looked at her confused. “But-”

Michelle shook her head at him. “Please. Let me finish. We...we’re moving out of Florida...”

“Are we going to keep in touch?” asked Nick tears forming in his blue eyes.

Michelle closed her eyes briefly. She shook her head. “We can’t...I’m sorry.”

Nick was staring at her. “Michelle...please...just...”

“Nick, don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“Michelle...” he whispered.

She looked up at him. Hurt was mirrored in his eyes. “No more tears, Nick...this is the way it has to be.”

He looked away. “Alright...”

“Can we go now?” she asked tears slipping down her cheeks.

“Sure...to Calista’s?”

“No...I need to talk to AJ.”

He nodded, and they drove to AJ’s house in silence. When they pulled into the driveway, Michelle turned to Nick.

“I’m not going to see you again...so I guess this is goodbye.”

He put his head in his hands. “Does it have to be?”

She started to cry. “Nick...”

Slowly, he reached over and hugged her. She whispered in his ear, “Close your eyes. Don’t open them ‘till I’m gone.”

He pulled away and looked at her. “I love you.” He muttered.

She nodded. “I love you...promise you won’t forget me?”

He held back his tears. “I promise...do you?”

“I could never forget you...Nick...I love you...now close your eyes.”

He did as she asked. She opened the car door, then against her better judgement, she leaned back in and kissed him on the lips. Then she was gone. Nick opened his eyes and watched her walk towards the front door. He watched her collapse into AJ’s arms sobbing when he answered the door. He watched her start to follow AJ inside. Then he saw her look back at him. She blew him a kiss, and closed the door. Nick put his head on the steering wheel and cried. After he had calmed down, he left, knowing that he had lost the only girl he had ever loved.

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

Michelle was sitting on AJ’s couch. He sat next to her. “So...want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I broke up with Nick.”

“Why?”

She looked into his brown eyes. Then she started to cry again. “AJ...me and Calista are moving.”

“Oh...where are you going?”

“No...you don’t understand...we’re going to..AJ, we’re moving to California.”

He stared at her. “What?”

“You heard me...Calista...she wanted me to give you this.”

Michelle handed him a letter, then she walked to the front door. AJ ran behind her. “Wait! What the hell’s going on?”

Michelle was crying hard. “AJ...”

He put his arms around her and hugged her. Then she stepped away. “Bye.”

She started to open the door, when he suddenly grabbed her by the arm. “Hold on! Why?”

She shrugged. “Read the letter...AJ...you’re my best friend.”

He hugged her tightly. “I love you, Michelle...do you guys have to do this? I thought she loved me!”

“She does...but right now...this is what has to be...don’t...she doesn’t want to hurt you more than she has to...so...you can’t call or see her...”

“But-”

She cut him off. “No...this is what has to be.”

She opened the door to leave, then she turned back to him. “AJ...I love you too.”

She walked outside and closed the door, sitting on the front steps. She was crying so hard, she didn’s see Brian pull up in his car and sit next to her.

“What happened?” he asked.

She looked at him. Seeing that she was really distraught, he helped her into the car and took her to his house.

He led her inside and handed her a glass of water.

She sat on the couch. He sat next to her.

“Care to tell me what’s going on?”

She started to cry and the whole story spilled out, about her birthday and Nick and Calista and what had happened. When she was done, Brian sat there, staring at her.

“Wow...so...you’re moving to California, huh?”

Michelle groaned in frustration. “Yeah...I know...”

Brian hugged her. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll be ok.”

She looked at him. “Will it?”

“Of course.”

She sighed. “I better get going...we have to leave in 2 days.”

He nodded, then he got a piece of paper and wrote down his cell phone number. “Keep in touch, alright?”

She agreed and hugged him. “Thanks Brian...for listening and everything.”

He laughed lightly. “Anytime, Michelle...make sure you stay in touch, alright?”

“Of course.”

He dropped her off at Calista’s house, and she turned to him. “Brian...promise me that Nick and AJ’ll never find out...about any of this?”

He nodded. “I promise.”

She waved goodbye to him and went into the house.

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

AJ looked down at the letter in his hand. Slowly, he opened the envelope and took the letter out. He unfolded it.

Dear AJ,

I know this is going to be hard for you...believe me, I know. It kills me to know that I am doing this to you, but this is for our future. I am so sorry to have to do this to you, but it’s because I love you. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you...I had to send Michelle, because I was too afraid. Don’t be mad at her...it’s not her fault. Maybe one day, we’ll see each other again. Until then, hold me in your heart, Calista

P.S. Never forget that I love you.

AJ read the letter through twice before understanding what she was saying. He lay back on his bed and started to cry.

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

Michelle walked inside. Calista ran to her. “Are you ok?”

Michelle sighed. “It went alright...anyway, are you packed? We have a lot to do...and stuff.”

Calista didn’t protest.

Michelle sighed again and sat down at the table. “Alright Callie...we’re staying at the Raddisson for 2 nights until the condo is ready.”

“Where is the condo?”

“Uhhh... La Collina Road, I think.”

“Oh...I got the school thing settled. UCSB said that they have night and day classes...so when...you know...it’ll work out.”

Michelle nodded. “Well...we better get some rest...we’re leaving soon.”

Calista didn’t argue. She knew that Michelle was upset, and she didn’t want to make it worse.

2 days later...

“Calista..we should go...”

Calista hugged her mother. “I love you mom.”

“I love you too, sweetheart...take care of yourself and the baby, and Michelle.”

Brian was taking them to the airport. The ride there was silent.

The sat on a bench, after checking in their luggage.

“Flight 981 to Santa Barbara, California, is now boarding at gate 26.”

Michelle stood up. “Time for us to go.”

Calista stood up and hugged Brian. “Thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Michelle hugged him too. “Thanks Bri...I’ll call you when we get there.”

He pulled away. “You better...keep in touch, ok?”

She nodded, and he watched them board the plane. Just then, AJ and Nick ran into the airport. Nick looked around frantically, before spotting Brian.

“Brian!”

Brian looked at them, shocked. “What the...how did you guys know?”

“Callie’s mom.” Answered Nick.

AJ glanced at the plane. “We’re too late, aren’t we?” he asked sadly.

Nick sighed. Him and AJ watched the plane take off, and with it, Calista and Michelle.