They were almost in the middle of the month of July Millie sat in her room dreading that the same day of Mason’s birthday her mother would be getting married. There was a wild knock at the door, Millie’s father opened to find a spunky Sarah smiling away at the door “Hello Mr. Nunez, I’m here to pick up Millie for the PARTE!” she continued to smile.

“Come in child. I haven’t seen you in so long. How did your mother let you out with so little clothes is beside me?” he sighed heavily as Sarah took a seat on the love seat all smiles “Let me get Millie, I’m glad your taking her out. She’s a mess” he headed down the hall and knocked softly on Millie’s door. “Honey…”

Sniffing away the tears and rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hands she looked in the mirror again “Come in dad” she looked away.

“Not again honey…you got to stop!” he gave her a big hug as he heard her ask ‘how long it would hurt’ against his chest “It’s going to hurt for quite a while…but it will slowly go away.” he caressed his daughters long hair “Listen…” he held her shoulders as he looked into her eyes “Just go with your half dressed friend and have some fun. Ok?” he raised his eyebrows and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Ok…” she kissed his cheek “Thanks dad” although her dad tried giving her strength she knew that he was falling apart himself. Sarah sat her long legs crossed, her short skirt riding up, “Come on…” Millie grabbed hold of Sarah’s hand and they busted through the door and into the car.

Nick ran around making sure everything was in order, the place was split into two different groups. All the heavy drinkers and the ones that liked to dance were inside the club. The ones that were into mingling and making out were huddled around a bond fire by the shore, others splashing in the cold water. He crashed into Kevin whom smiled at him.

“What’s up? You got that look on your face…” he backed away expecting a smack on the head or some type of insult.

Kevin smiled widely and patted Nick’s back “This place is amazing! You are growing up so fast…lately you’ve been the word of reason around here. I’m proud of you…” he pulled Nick in for an embrace.

Howie stumbled into them “Aw…a Kodak moment.” he smiled, then frowned.

“Howard Dwaine Dorough are you drunk? What the hell is happening to everyone?” he grabbed hold of singing Howie “tear…drops on my…guitar” he sang directing himself with his finger, holding a cup of liquor in his hand. Howie leaned against the wall, while Kevin and Nick nodded their heads. “Ok…last drink so enjoy it.” Kevin tried sounding firm.

“You…dooon’t understaaaand meee.” Howie slurred “I love her…my heart hurts…” he leaned his head against the wall, as the drink slipped out of his hand.

“I hope you enjoyed that” Kevin raised his bushy eyebrows “Lets get you some air.” the guys could see the pain in his eyes as he dragged himself outside Nick held onto Howie as they made way through the middle of the club. While Kevin took a seat next to Kristen who sat sipping on her coke.

Millie and Sarah laughed, the twosome had stopped by a liquor store and bought a bottle. Millie took the last gulp of Jack Daniels and let out a squeal “Let’s go…I’m ready!” she smiled, pulling down her rather short dress that Sarah had lent her. It was a plain dark purple strapless dress, with black pumps that she struggled to walk in and her hair was wild. The twosome danced around as they made way into the club, quickly they found Kristen and Kevin sitting down.

“Hi…Millie and Sarah how are you guys?” Kristen smiled widely, giving them a kiss each on the cheek, followed by Kevin. “Listen you two are coming to Mason‘s first birthday right?” Kristen smiled.

Millie smiled “Yeah of course…wouldn’t miss that cuties birthday” she cauht a warm glance from Kevin’s green eyes. She remembered seeing him in the kitchen working away in his cute apron. Looking at him all dressed up who would have known he was such a housewife.

“Thank you…see you guys around” She waved as Sarah pulled her towards the bar.

“Two kamikaze shots please…” she smiled flirtatiously at the bartender, while Millie just smiled. She was handed the shots and the two girls giggled as they counted down to guzzle them. “This is for men and their asshole ways…” Sarah giggled, as they clicked their shot glasses and gulped them.

“Wow…that was strong.” Millie shook her head, she felt the club spinning, while her arms and legs tingled with the alcohol making it’s way through her body. “If I don’t see either one of…” she stopped as her eyes met with AJ’s. “Let’s go” she pulled Sarah as she saw AJ pushing his way towards them.

“Millie wait!” she heard him say, suddenly Sarah came to a halt and turned around. “I just need to talk to you please.” he grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Please…”

“Sorry but I hate two see you two fighting…just talk to him ok” she gave her a pleading look “You guys are supposed to be getting married remember…just listen to him. I’ll be right there…if you need me!” she pointed and headed back to the bar.

Millie looked down at the floor “What do you want AJ? Didn’t you do enough…I thought we were friends. If you didn’t want to marry me then you should have had the balls to tell me, you didn’t have to send someone to do it for you.” she let out a groan “But it’s not all your fault anyways…” she began to walk out to the beach, he followed like a faithful dog.

“Millie I know I did something horrible, but the truth is that Howie isn’t to blame. He didn’t want to be part of it.” he rolled his eyes “Whatever happened between you two was because he wanted to…” he tried grabbing her hand but she pulled away “I was wrong…but I love you Millie. I realize that now and I want us to still get married.”

She looked at him confused “Love me like a friend right…you were going to call it off” she nodded her head “Don’t do this now…just because your…I don‘t know.”

Howie had washed his face, vomited everything in his stomach and was now drinking a bottle of water. He was slowly sobering up and in the process he had lost Nick and Kevin. He was standing against the wooden gate outside. His eyes scanned the whole place looking around to see if he could get a glimpse of Millie. Just as Nick stood next to him he looked up and saw Millie with AJ.

Millie locked eyes with Howie, all the anger and the pain came crashing back at her. “AJ you and I both know that you don’t love me. You wouldn’t have pawned me over to your best friend.” AJ looked at her startled. “Your fooling yourself.” She began to walk away.

AJ grabbed her arm and spun her around, brushing his lips against hers. To her own surprise she kissed him back, just as he began to wrap his arms around her waist he crashed down to the floor, Howie on top of him grabbing him by the shirt. “Get off me asshole…” AJ kept shouting, while Nick struggled to pull Howie off.

Millie tried pulling on Howie’s shirt, but kept losing her balance “Howie your going to hurt him stop it! You guys are supposed to be friends…”

Finally Nick succeeded pulling them apart. AJ and Howie huffed and puffed as they stared at each other, Millie to the side “What the fuck was that?” she yelled at Howie “I can kiss whom ever I want, you know. You have no say in it, neither one of you.” she walked away leaving the guys staring at each other.

“Wow she’s getting good…looks like now she’s playing both of you…” Nick laughed

Later on Millie was so drunk she stumbled around, the music was loud and people were dancing. “Leeets…daance” she slurred, walking hand in hand with Sarah to the dance floor. ‘Because of you’ by Ne-yo began to play. The two girls danced together moving their bodies slowly from side to side. Groping at each other like a regular couple. A guy took Millie by the hands and pushed her against him. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the warmth of his hands on her thighs and up and down her backside. The sexier she danced the more she exposed.

Howie breathed hard as he watched the random guy feeling on Millie, his hands roaming from her thighs up to her waist. He bit the inside of his lip with anger, he wanted to storm over grab her, hike her over his shoulder and take her home. She was making a scene, first she had kissed AJ and now she was grinding with some scumbag, who had his hands all over her.

“Calm down…man! She’s doing this on purpose.” Nick shook his head as they watched the guy place his hand under her skirt “Damn the girl is wearing red undies…ok go”

Howie stormed over just as she was hiking her leg around the man’s waist “Sorry man, this is my girl!” he stated taking Millie by the arm, she pulled away, but he gripped her tighter. “Stop your making a scene.” he stated firmly and escorted her outside “Since when Millie?” they stood in the parking lot, staring at each other. “I’m taking you home.”

“No! What do you care anyways…” she crossed her arms, the tears where accumulating in her eyes, and she was fighting them back as much as she could.

“Your acting like a slut, and I know your not!” he grabbed her hand and dragged her into the car, he struggled to put her seatbelt on as she fought him off. “Would you stop it!”

“Let me out, I can’t be near you.” she kept fighting him as she cried “Please…don’t…I want to go home…please” her body was weak from the alcohol and she finally stopped. He closed the door and as he made his way to his side of the car, she began to struggle again trying to find the seat belt. The car was spinning and her eyes were almost shut. “I don’t want to be near you…I can’t…” Her cries got louder, she covered her face and rested her head against the window as they drove off.

“Millie…” he muttered placing his hand on her leg, she quickly pushed it away “This isn’t easy for me either you know. I hate to see you cry. I miss you like crazy. I think about you day and night, even in my sleep.”

He pulled up to her driveway, she was surprised her fathers car was gone. Her stomach flipped a little knowing she wouldn’t make it into the house alone. Struggling she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door just to fall flat on her face. “Ouch” she giggled, taking Howie’s hand as he helped her up. He dragged her up the stairs as she began to sing “Dreeeew…no Hooowiiieee…looks at me…I fake a smile…so…he…wont see…” she began to cry again.

Howie smiled as he leaned her against the wall to unlock the door, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes “Drews an asshole…” she stated as she fell on her ass, he knew it really meant him. He sighed heavily helping her back up and making his way down the hall in the dark towards her room. He sat her on the bed, as he made his way to turn on the light she slowly slid off “I’m ok…” she smiled, struggling to get back up.

She stared at him standing against the door. His hair had grown out of his small Mohawk from the last time she had seen him, it was now a wavy and combed back. His eyes were narrow, and she could see the distress in his face. He wore dark blue jeans with a brown vest and a white shirt under. The more she stared at him, the bigger the aching in her body became. Her heart pounded so fast she had to rub her chest a little to bring it back to it‘s normal speed.

All she wanted was for him to hug her and tell her that it was ok, that she didn’t have to cry anymore, because he loved her, he really loved her. She closed her eyes, realizing she was asking for to much from the situation. “How about we get you to bed.” he questioned pulling the blankets from her bed. “Come on…” he patted the bed.

She slipped off the dress only standing in her undergarments, Howie cleared his throat as she came close to him. He had seen her before, but it was different, she was usually shy and now she was just standing there tempting him “Don’t you want to screw me…for old time sake” she pulled him onto her, both landing on the bed, Howie between her legs. “I already know it doesn’t mean anything…” she said breathing hard.

“No…” he stood up “Not like that…your drunk.”

She rolled her eyes “What’s the difference…what do you care? You don’t give a shit about me anyways.”

“I got to go” he stuffed his hands into his pockets “You don‘t remember kissing AJ tonight?” he said with force as he walked towards the door and turned to look at her.

“Yeah…he kissed me, he‘s gone crazy!” She rummaged her drawer and pulled out a shirt, she pulled it over her head and tussled with the holes.

Her lack of coordination made Howie smirk “Here…let me help you.” he helped her put it on and their eyes locked as her head slid through the hole. He ran his thumb over her cheek and leaned in, she closed her eyes expecting a kiss, but all he did was kiss her on her forehead. “You’re a mess”

“Stay with me…please” she laid on her bed and covered up as Howie hesitantly joined her, he sat against the headboard as she placed her head on his stomach. He turned off the light and only the glow of the moon came through the window. Millie held on to his waist tight, she didn’t want to ever let him go. The familiar warmth of his body and his scent made her break into low sobs that she tried hiding, but he knew she was crying by the way her body shook.

It broke his heart to see her in so much pain, pain that he had inflicted upon her. He racked his brain on how to fix it all, but so far there was no solution that came to mind. He placed one hand on her side as he felt her breath and caressed her hair with the other, occasionally wiping his own tears with his palms. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry” he kept repeating until her cries subsided and she slept still clutching his shirt. He continued to stroke her hair until sleep took over him, his eyes closing slowly.