"Sorry JC, I'd stay, but I really should go," I said, turning my head down so he couldn't see my watery, tear-filled eyes. I didn't need his pity. I tried to pull away, but he didn't let my arm go. "JC, let go." I said firmly, but he only loosened his grip to a gentler one.
	"I'm sorry." he said simply.
	"Sorry for what?" I asked, still refusing to look at him.
	"That he hurt you." JC looked at me, an odd softness creeping into his gaze.
	"Yeah, well, that makes two of us." I said, still refusing to soften. If I was angry then I wouldn't cry. If I didn't cry, all things would be better. "Look, I just need to go, to be gone, I can't be here. I don't fit in here." With that I pulled my arm from JC's grasp and began to walk down the walkway and out to the sidewalk, looking for the limo that brought us. I hesitated for a moment, but as I heard JC's footsteps behind me I sighed and walked down the sidewalk, past the hotel, and twards the beach beyond it. I wanted to be away, just away. I dunno, maybe I needed to go home. Maybe if I called Mom up crying I could manage to let her let me go stay with Mo, or Jaimey, or both of them! Or maybe Mom would let me stay in the loft if either of them stayed with me. I just didn't want to be here right now. I didn't need to see A.J., or Nick, or Justin, or JC, or anyone right now. As I hit the sand I reached down, tugged off my shoes, and continued twards the warm looking water. I sat down on a huge dune not too far from the water's edge. I didn't care about ruining the dress or getting sand all over myself. I just needed peace. I was still holding tears and sobs, and I hoped to keep it that way until I got back to Gran's, or better yet- back home.
	"Mandy?" Someone behind me called softly. I stared out at the ocean not turning around. I already knew who it was.
	"What Nick?" I asked, exasperated.
	"Come on, let me and Abby take you home." He walked up to me and reached out a hand to pull me up. 
	I didn't look at him. "No, you go on. I'll get home on my own."
	"Don't be difficult Mandy. I understand A.J. was a jerk, and I'm sorry, but if I DON'T get you home, Carol will be up my ass about being irresponsible and all that crap." he said honestly.
	I looked up at him. "Alright, alright." I took his hand and he helped me to my feet. " God forbid I get you in trouble." I said under my breath.
	We climbed into Nick's black BMW, Abby in front, and me behind her. She didn't say anything, but gave me a sympathetic smile. As we pulled into the cul de sac, and Abby and I got out, Abby finaly spoke, breaking the odd silence.
	"I'm gonna go in with Mandy and get my stuff, okay?" she said, poking her head in the window.
	"Alrighty." Nick replied, settling down in the car's plush seats. He yawned. The caffeine was wearing off for him too.
	Abby followed me inside and up the stairs, not saying a word. As we got into my room, and she picked up her things, she spoke. "Mandy, are you okay?" she asked finally.
	"No." I replied honestly.
	"I'm sorry he's being this way, and if I didn't love him so much, I swear to you I'd pound his head in. I don't know why he still cares so much for her Mandy, I honestly don't. They drive each other SO damn crazy! One day they'll be fine, no fighting, nothing. The next- nothing but yelling and fighting. It's so hot/cold with them. I've told him time and time again Randi and he are not meant for each other any longer, but he won't listen. I dunno, I think somewhere he seriously believes that if he loves her enough, that things will be okay. I wish it was that easy." she said with a sigh. She piled all of her things back into her bag.
	"Well it's not, and he knew damn well he still had feelings for her, yet he said he wanted a relationship with me. I know he cares for me, that much is obvious, and he shows he cares for me. But then he turns around and does something stupid. This is strike two Sis, I can't let him strike out, it would make me even more miserable. So I'm just gonna keep on liking him from afar, till he figures out that I'm the one he needs to be with, not Randi. Maybe- hopefully, by then I'll still be around. I dunno, maybe after awhile we can be friends; I always wanna be there for him, cause I feel as if we're so right for each other, that we have some sort of deep connection. But I also have to watch out for myself, I can't let him to continue to trample all over me like this. It's not good for either of us." I said, pulling the chopsticks out of my hair and letting it fall in reddish waves to my shoulders. I sighed and sat down on the corner of my bed.
	"Yeah, I understand that." Abby said assuringly. "I will be over around 3 tomorrow. We'll talk, okay hun?" Abby said, zipping her bag closed.
	I nodded. "Alrighty."
	She got up and walked over to me, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. I hugged her back. "It'll work out, somehow. Okay?" she told me.
	"I hope so." I said, wiping a few errant tears from my cheeks.
	"Aww don't cry!" Abby said gently.
	"I can't help it," I said as a few more slid down my cheeks.
	Abby hugged me again. "Hang in there hun. I lubbles you!!" she said with a smile.
	I walked her to the door. She walked out, got into the car with Nick, and I closed the door.
	I walked back up to my room and crawled out of the dress. I hung it up and climbed into some comfy boxers and a tee-shirt. I then shut off the lights and fell asleep.
Meanwhile....
	
	"I cannot believe you acted so lame," Brian started as he sat down in a chair in the apartment he and Howie shared. A.J. sighed from the couch.
	"Brian, you're not helping man," A.J. said, sliding his hand under his sunglasses to rub his tired eyes.
	"Well dammit, it's true! Mandy is nothing but a sweet girl, and you went and acted like an ass!" Brian said, supressing a yawn. He didn't know exactly why he was being to mean to A.J., but he figured somone had to say what they all were thinking.
	"Okay okay! I fucked up, alright!? You happy?!" A.J. cried, throwing his hands into the air.
	"No, but I'm not the one you need to be making happy right now. Mandy is. Did you see her rush out? She was nearly in tears. Then JC tried to stop her and she about busted out right then and there! I sent Nick and Abby after her." Brian said, glancing up at Howie as he appeared in comfier clothes and sat down in anoher chair, directly across from him.
	"No, I didn't see her leave, if I had I would have stopped her." A.J. replied, settling down into the couch sleepily. It was nearly 3 AM. He figured he would probally stay over at Frick and D's and go home in the morning. He didn't feel like driving all the way to his new home in Kissimee right now. He had just bought the damned house, and now it seemed like he was never spending time in it!!
	"You didn't see her leave because you were too busy worrying about Randi and her dramatics." Howie put in calmly. A.J. shot him a look, and Howie shot it right back. "Oh come on! You cannot expect me to believe you really thought Randi was really crying!" Howie laughed.
	"Actually, I did think she was crying." A.J. said seriously. "And she's not dramatic." he put in after a moment.
	"You really think she was crying?" Brian asked. But he didn't wait for an answer and went on. "You saw her flirting with JC, you cannot honestly expect me to believe that she was hurting. She's doing it to you again man. She's pulling out the tears, and boo-hooing, and making you feel bad, and you're falling for it, and basicly ready to go crawling back to her all over again. She's playing you Bone." Brian said seriuously.
	"I am not gonna go back to her!" A.J. defended, though he knew Brian was right. He was just to stubborn to admit it.
	"Then explain to me why you were paying her more attention than Mandy, who honestly cares for you?" Brian countered.
	"Cause... Cause... Cause I'm an ass, okay?" A.J. admitted.
	"Good, now you're learning." Brian said with a smile. A.J. shot him an evil look. Brian just shrugged it off and laughed.
	"But Randi honestly cares for me too." A.J. said finally.
	"Are you sure about that?" Howie asked, tired of being silent.
	A.J. looked at him.
	"Cause I'm not," Howie continued. He saw the look A.J. was giving him, and explained. "Think about it man, You're THE A.J. McLean. You drive a phat car, you suddenly have all this money to spend. You just bout a huge mansion, you've got a great career, you're famous, and loved by millions of girls all over the world. Now tell me- what kind of girl who is given the chance to date a guy like this would give it up?" he asked.
	"Not any girl." Brian answered for him.
	"Right. But I think Randi honsetly loved you in the begining, so let's get to the point. Do you know of any girl who would willingly give up a guy like that, for any reason?" Howie asked.
	"Not a one." A.J. said quietly.
	"Now I don't know for sure, but I suspect that's what Randi's motives for staying are. You ask any fan, 'If you were dating A.J., would you ever break up with him?' and I promise you almost all of them would say 'No.', which is basic human nature." Howie said, knowing his point hit home with his reluctant friend.
	"Mandy on the other hand-" Brian started.
	"Has no idea who I am really. I mean she knows I'm famous, but not really HOW famous, and in the begining she had no idea I had money, she's not a fan really, and she likes me for who I am, not what." A.J. finished. "God I was such an ass!" he realized, putting his head in his hands. "What the hell am I gonna do? I so screwed this up!!" he cried, getting angry at himself.
	"Well whatever you do, it has to wait until morning. It's almost 4 in the damned morning. Do you see what I do for you man?" Brian asked, standing and streaching.
	"Yeah. I hope you appreciate this shit." Howie added over his shoulder as he walked down the hall to his room. With that he slipped inside and closed the door.
	"I 'preciate it." A.J. said to Brian. He went and stole a pillow and a blanket from the closet.
	"Good." Brian said. "But more than anything, just make sure you fix it." With that, he stumbled sleepily down the hall and into his room.
	A.J. turned off the living room lights and watched the moonlight flood into the room through the huge windows. He had to admit, Brian and Howie had a pretty tight apartment. He lay down on the couch, but he couldn't sleep. He was too busy concocting a romantic scheme....