Maddie

"Hey, Mads," my aunt, who is also Nick's mom, said as she opened her front door. I assume she was using the bathroom or just simply upstairs, because it took her a second. "I heard about what happened, how are you baby?" I shrugged, "living" I answered, "somehow." My aunt smiled sheepishly.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you planning on doing about his burial? Nick said you wanted him to just stay in Tibet. Are you sure you want that?" I shook my head, "I don't want that," I admitted, "I guess a moment of weakness; panic and absolute sadness, made me decide that previously. Luckily though, I changed my mind in time. I was able to get a church for this Saturday at 12pm."

"Oh!" my aunt said with surprise, "well then okay. I'll be there!" I smiled, "great! I wanted to like, get a head count. I know Nick will be there for sure, but will your husband be there as well?" My aunt made a face that I couldn't decode.

"I'm positive he will be," she stated after a moment of awkward staring at one another. "But, if there's seating arrangements or anything, could you make sure we don't sit near one another?" I was taken back, because what the hell? Nick's parents were like Nova and Aubrey, just without the gay and the high school bickering. They could never leave one another alone.

"Sh-sure" I replied, forcing a smile. "No problem auntie. I just wanted to come by to tell you that information, pass it on please!"

Nova

"Correct me if I'm wrong" Aubrey began, as she greeted me in the living room, "but you have classes today. No?" I shrugged. "Wanted to be with you."

Aubrey did a light giggle. "Nova," she said, "I understand you're like, trying to redeem yourself, and trust me I appreciate it more than you'll ever know, but school is still important."

"Aubrey, I don't wanna go to school" I admitted, to which Aubrey folded her arms, though her facial expression wasn't that of an angry or even upset person. In fact, she simply looked concerned.

"Okay," she quietly let out, "you don't have today. Take a break, rest, play with Pepper. Go back when you feel that you're ready to." I shook my head.

"I mean I wanna drop out." Aubrey's mouth dropped, but not in a dramatic way. "Huh? May I ask why?" she asked, "because if it's about Rico, you can always switch that class you know."

"We're multimillionaires" I groaned, "what do I really need school for Aubrey? I don't even know what I wanna do, I'm just studying some shit because I got to." Aubrey looked into the distance, clearly thinking. "You have a point" she sighed, with her eyes back on me, "but inheritance and settlement money always runs out fast. We're banking on that 32 million, but have no other income. Eventually it'll be nothing."

"So why don't we do something we like?" I asked my wife, "like, modeling!" Aubrey smiled, "I'll look into that babe" she assured me, "but until then, think long and hard about this dropping out shit. We've been through it this year, but don't let one bad year dictate the rest of your life." I nodded, "of course."

Aubrey

As I left the living room, I thought about the words that I had just said to Nova. "Don't let one bad year dictate the rest of your life," I thought, "right."

Almost as if I'd been a newly dead woman with just 7 minutes of brain activity left, I began having flashbacks. Really vivid flashbacks.

The first day of senior year: "Hi, I'm Nova, I used to go to Westend high, but I moved here after my parents divorced."

The night Nova and I kissed for the first time: "Hi Aubrey, have you met Jason's mom yet?"

When Nova admitted that she wasn't fond of Rosalina: "You like girls, not me."

When I brought Nova's mom into her dressing room moments before our wedding: "Are you here for one last quickie as girlfriends?"

I hadn't even realized that tears were rolling down my face until my brain naturally forced a sniffle out of my nose. Though a part of me wanted to, just to spite Nova, I knew I couldn't go through with this whole divorce idea. I wasn't just "in love" with Nova anymore, she was a part of me now. A part of me that I wasn't willing to take the risk of losing.

But alongside Nova, I knew that I also needed to make things right with Nick. Will things be exactly the same again? Probably not, but Nick wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and well, he forgive me a lot last year. I guess it's time I return the favor.

***

"Hi Aubrey," May said, entering my car. "May I ask why we had to meet here and not at your home?" I chuckled, "I wanted to talk to you, about Nova."

"What's up?" May asked, "she cheating again?"

"Not even close" I answered, "I think I wanna call off the divorce." May's face beamed.

"Oh my gosh Aubrey!" she exclaimed, sounding genuine. "That's amazing! What made you decide that?" I shrugged, "I'd be more at a loss without her than I would be with her" I voiced, "and this time, I'm not just talking financially."

"I feel you," May said, "100 percent. I love Lewis and though this pains me, I'll be miserable without him." I nodded, "you two seemed pretty good though" I honestly said, "from what I've seen at least."

"Define pretty good" May chuckled, and I chuckled as well simply because I didn't really know how else to react. "I've learned that some things can never be the same again. You either accept it for what it now is, or let it go." I sighed at May's words, "I wanna agree with that statement" I began, "but I hate change. I fear that I might not handle this one well."

"You already are," May reminded me, "you just haven't taken notice of it. From the moment you found out about Nick and Nova, you have handled this as best you could." I smiled, but felt a tinge of shame. I slapped Nova, which was absolutely shitty. I stressed her out so much that she miscarried. I wasn't as good and perfect as May was painting me out to be, but I couldn't tell her that. I just had to carry those secrets with me for who knows how long.

Nick

"So my mom told you to sit my dad elsewhere?" I asked Madison, "are you gonna do it?"

"Yeah," Maddie answered, "I have to."

I sighed and looked down at the table, "I knew something was going on" I said, "I fucking knew it."

"Nick, why don't you just ask her what's going on?" Maddie suggested. "She's your mom, and you guys are wild close to one another. Just try to ease her into telling you, you know?"

"I'll try" I assured my cousin, "but that's a conversation for a different day. Right now, we need to figure out the rest of these seats. Put our group together but make sure I'm not next Nova or Aubrey. Aubrey still has a vendetta against me, and Nova being next to me might just tick Aubrey off."

"Not my place," Maddie said as she shuffled around service papers, "but I think you should apologize to both Nova and Aubrey. You doing this whole 'I'm gonna stay out of this' thing that you're doing isn't helping your case Nick. Whether you like it or not, both Aubrey and Nova will be around. Y'all just need to bury that hatchet and move on."

I nodded, though I didn't say anything. Maddie was right, I needed to talk to both Nova and Aubrey, though I have already spoken to Aubrey, which Maddie was literally there for. I love and care about both girls, though it may not seem like it.