To Love, Or Not to Love

Chapter 2

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snapped breaking the silence.

Nick swallowed deeply and lunged forward grabbed my wrist and said in a stern voice, "Paige Mara, do not tell Mom or Dad. Do you hear me?"

When I smelled his breath and felt his hand shanking rapidly, a tear slowly rolled down my cheek. All I could picture was what they were doing to themselves and their dance careers.

Mikey mumbled to Vinny, "I told you guys that this wasn't the right time or place. We're screwed."

Brooke stood there, biting her fingers, not saying a word. Though I could by the look on her face, that this wasn't her first time in this kind of situation. I turned to her asking if there was something she knew that I didn't. Her eyes widened as she spoke nervously, "No, nothing at all." Why did I find it hard to believe her?

I could feel the anger bulding up inside of me. The adrenaline was racing through my body. I tried, but I couldn't hold it in. "I cannot believe you all would do something so stupid! You guys are supposed to be role models for other kids and even the ones downstairs! What did you tell Jason, Thomas and Louis? What do they think your doing up here? God damn it! Why are you doing this to yourselves?" I exhaled relieving all my anger. I looked at each of them with a relentless spark in my eyes.

Vinny said, "You're such a bitch, we were just trying to have fun." He raised the blunt back into in mouth, inhaled, and blew out a cloud of smoke. I walked right up to him, looking him straight in his eyes and smacked him right across his face, leaving a slight, red, hand mark on his right cheek. He winced at the pain and grabbed his cheek.

I said with such fury, "Don't you ever call me a bitch."

I stormed into my house and Brooke followed closely behind me. Tears washed down my face. I was unable to even make it upstairs to my bedroom without breaking down. I ran into my room, crashing on my bed and shoving my face into my pillow. Brooke shut the door behind me and sat on the edge of the bed. She put her had on my back and whispered, "It's gonna be okay Paige. It's gonna be okay.

Later after Brooke had given up on trying to comfort me, she had fallen asleep on the floor and I still layed in my bed, sobbing. I decided to text Nick and just have more input on the situation.

To: Nick
From: Paige

Nick, I thought you were the twin brother that I could always trust. I always thought I could look up to you. Now because of you I'm crying myself to sleep.

I waited, and waited and I didn't recive a text back from him for a half hour. Finally my phone vibrated and I braced myself for the message to come. I unlocked it and look to see what he's excuse was.

To: Paige
From: Nick

Look Paige, We all make mistakes and I was just trying to have some fun with the guys. I'm still the same person. We will talk about tomorrow? Love you.

I couldn't tell if he was trying to apologize or not. But I guess it is better if we just figure it out in the morning because it has been one hell of a night. And on that note, I turned off my light and drifted into a deep sleep.

When I awoke the next morning, I looked at the clock to see that it was past noon already. Brooke was folding the blankets she had slept on and was putting them neatly back where she had found them. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and yawned. Brooke walked over to the side of the bed and said, "My mom texted me saying that I need to be home so thanks for having me." I gave her a hug, and she vanished out into the hallway.

I threw on some sweatpants over my spandex and threw my hair up into a messy bun. I took my phone of it's charger, put in in my pocket, and prepared for what my mother had to say about being home. I quietly walked downstairs to see Mikey and Jason walking out of our front door saying, "Thanks Mrs. Mara for having us." As they flashed her a genuine smile. Jason gracefully shut the door and the house was silent. I walked into my living room trying to act as if nothing was wrong. I sat down and turned the TV on to a re-run of Dance Moms. My mom walks in, obviously not happy. She snatched the remote and turn the TV off.

"Why did you come home last night?" She questioned me. "I've specifically told you I don't like you here when Nick has the boys over."

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell her the real reason. I had to think of something, fast.

"Brooke's parents were... drunk. And, It was getting really bad. We didn't know where to go so we just come here. We didn't even see the boys, we went straight to me room." I said lying through my teeth.

She paused and looked at me not knowing whether to believe me or not. She eventually said forcefully, "Give me your phone."

I reached into my pocket and catiously handed her my phone. She whipped it out of my hands. Then casually walked out of the living room like nothing had happened. "Well this sucks." I said under my breath. I decided that now was the time to talk to Nick about what happened since I had nothing else to do. I walked downstairs to see the basement totally trashed. That was so typical. I found a path to my brother's room and entered without even knocking. I found him laying on his bed watching TV.

"Can we talk now?" I said.

Nick turned off his TV and motioned me to come sit on his bed. I walked over there and nearly fell onto it. He pulled me into a tight hug and I felt tears rolling down my cheeks again. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "It was so stupid. I never should have done it. I didn't know what it would hurt the people I care about. I want to be a good role model for Jason and Thomas and Louis. I want to be someone that they can look up to and have kids say they want to be just like me when they are older. Im sorry Paige. Im so sorry."

I pulled out of his hug. Looking at him and seeing his sincere expression. I knew that he meant it. All I could think to say was, "It's okay. As long as you promise that you don't do it again."

He smiled and said with a warm smile, "I promise." We both laughed and Nick turned that TV back and we spent the day hanging out together.

After dinner, we both started to head back downstairs before my mom stopped us. "Wait you two, I need to talk to both of you."

We exchanged nervous glances and walked back into the kitchen and sat back down. Our mother looked as us with suspicion and said with an attitude, "I was looking through your phone Paige and found this text that you sent your brother last night, what is this all about?"