Two hours later, darkness has replaced the dim dusk light. Jordan, Bev and Clare have joined us and our game of cards has long since been abandoned. We are now playing one of Becca's favorite games: Story Time. No, it's not an actual game. Basically, it's just her talking non-stop and telling embarrassing stories from the past.

At first I was terrified she would bring up the most horrible stories. Possibly referencing Nik's past drinking, his self mutilation, or the twisted love triangle the three of us used to live in. But she doesn't. Instead, she talks about the good times, only teasing here and there about how we used to refer to my flat chest as "the plains of Saskatchewan" and Nik's stomach to a "six pack of rolls".

Luckily, this crowd isn't the type to just sit there and listen. After three tales about Nik, Becca and I, the others are quick to jump in with their stories about me, about Nik, and about themselves. Bev and Clare describe Jordans reaction when they mentioned the idea of the three of them being in a relationship together and I nearly die of laughter and there are tears in my eyes.

This is good. This is exactly what Becca wanted; To get to know the people I have been hanging out with. I look around at the smiling faces surrounding me and a happiness fills me that I'm not expecting. New friends, a new best friend, Becca and Nik. Even Hayden is smiling and laughing along with everyone else. Whatever issues he has towards me seems to have fizzled out as the night goes on.

Or so I thought.

When the conversation takes a turn from stories with mild embarrassments to wildly inappropriate and slightly highlarious, Hayden makes his move. "Okay, okay," he hushes our laughter and all eyes turn to Hayden. His attention falls on Becca and he playfully directs his question to her. "What is the one story you think Haven wouldn't want you to tell?"

I watch as a mischievous look slides across her face; She bites her lip and turns her gaze to me, humming dramatically. This is my best friend of over eight years. She knows every single thing there is to know about me; She knows my boundaries and I know she won't say anything too terrible. But our versions of "terrible," widely differ. And I know she is still hurting over me lying to her, will she take this moment to get revenge?

"Let me see." She taps her lip as she thinks and my heart races in my chest. What story will she choose?

"Let me help you narrow it down, what's one story involving Nik that she wouldn't want you to tell?" Hayden's eyes are on me now, and the playful look he offered Becca is not being offered to me. He is coming for me. Why? I have no fucking clue.

"Hayden." Nik warns, and I feel him tense beside me. But I can't look at him. I am too busy analyzing Becca's every move. Her head cocks to the side and her eyes narrow as she looks to me and then over my shoulder to Nik. When she turns her gaze from us, I can see a glint in her eyes and I know that this isn't going to be good.

Becca crosses her legs and delicately lays her hands in her lap. Her eyes scan the group before us before settling on Hayden. "You know,... Hayden, is it?" Hayden nods. "Well, Hayden. There are too many stories to tell when it comes to these two." she laughs lightly and leans forward as if she is trying to make their conversation intimate, knowing full well that we can all hear her. "See, they have always been a little bit..." She trails off and twists her index finger around by the side of her head.

My instincts are telling me to attack. Pounce on her before she has the chance to completely drag my name through the mud. But as my throat tightens and my heart races, I find myself unable to move. I am forced to listen as my best friend prepares to expose the worst of me.

"But the thing is I've been watching you glare at my best friend every chance you get since the moment we got here. I'm not sure what she's done to piss you off, because..." She turns to me and shrugs, "I mean let's face it Haven you do have it in you to be quite the little bitch," her attention falls back to Hayden as she straightens her spine and flips her dark hair over her shoulder. "But if you think I am going to divulge anything about my best friend, especially when it comes to him, just to feed your pathetic curiosity, think again." She finishes dangerously.

And there she is. The Becca I have been praying would not come out has surfaced just at the right moment. This is my best friend. My bad ass, loyal as fuck best friend, and in this moment I couldn't be happier that she is here with me.

"Your kind of a dick, you know that, right?" Becca questions as Hayden stares blankly at her.

The others sit in silence, Clare and Bev pretend to eat out of an imaginary popcorn bowl. Jessica clutches Cal's arm so tightly her nails are sure to draw blood. Jordan shakes his head while Chase gently moves Jennie from his lap. The last person I look at is Nik, but he isn't looking at me, he is glaring at Hayden with fire in his eyes.

Does Hayden have a death wish? Why would he do this after he just made up with Nik? It's almost as if he is pushing Nik's buttons on purpose but why? And what the hell did I do to him? Why is he coming for me? I have only ever been nice to Hayden, I encouraged Nik to work things out with him. All I have done is enter his life and try to make his best friend happy. What's wrong with that?

"Neither of you should be here." Hayden spits as he gestures to Becca and I. "All your going to do is twist him back up and then leave us to clean up your fucking mess. If you had any idea what we have been through with him!" He jumps to his feet and is screaming at us now, his voice echoing into the night. "You destroyed him." He points a trembling finger at me and his expression is full of indignation. I lean back from him out of fear.

What the hell is going on?

"Hayden." Chase demands, but Hayden's attention is laser focused on me. The others stand, Cal places a hand on Hayden's chest and tries to push him back. Jessica grabs Becca and I by the hand and I am vaguely aware of her encouraging us to come inside because this isn't something we need to see. But it is. I need to see this. I need to hear this.

"From the moment you got here I knew you would be bad for him." I am frozen in place as Hayden continues his verbal assault against me. "Do you have any idea what you've done? He was out getting..."

"It's not your fucking place, dude!" Cal roars and shoves Hayden hard against the chest.

"Cal!" Jessica cries out and reaches to pull him back from Hayden. Jordan jumps into action, wrapping his arms around Jessica's waist, and hauling her out of harm's way. Bev and Clare back away immediately, clinging to each other fearfully.

With wild eyes, Hayden straightens up and steps forward, pressing his forehead against Cal's. "You know I'm right!" he fumes and then pushes Cal away from him.

Nik jumps to his feet, bumping me roughly in the process and causing me to hit Becca in the shoulder. She screeches indignantly and turns to glower at me as if it's my fault. "Get out of here, Hayden!" Nik booms and the sound sends a chill down my spine.

The last thing I ever wanted was for Nik and Hayden to fight again. I want to shrink into the couch and disappear. But, fueled by the fear of Nik attacking Hayden again, I step directly in front of Nik, placing one hand on his chest and another on his cheek. He looks right over the top of my head, keeping his fiery gaze on Hayden. I whisper for him to calm down but it's like I'm not even there.

"Chase, get him out of here." I hear Jennie plead from across the table, our eyes meet for only a moment and I can see fear and pity in them. She knows as well as I do that if Hayden says anything else, Nik is going to destroy him.

Chase steps between Cal and Hayden with his hands raised impartially. I can't hear the words he mumbles to Hayden but whatever they are, they seem to work. He backs away, his eyes fixed on Cal and then they he snaps his head towards Nik. "Good luck keeping it from her now." He spits, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Nik steps forward, but I push him back, wrapping my hand around his neck and pushing my body into his. "Let it go." I beg him. My face turns up to his, and I watch as his eyes follow Hayden until he is out of sight. The tension doesn't leave his body, in fact when he looks down into my wide eyes, his jaw tightens further and I can feel his heart quicken under my palm.

"Nik?" I breathe in an exhausted voice. "Just tell me what's going on."

"Why don't you just give him a minute, come inside with me?" Clare's high-pitched voice reaches my ears but I don't acknowledge it. I know she's just trying to get me away from him so he can formulate a lie to tell me. Well, I'm not falling for it.

"Why don't you all give us a minute?" I turn to face the small crowd around us and I am not surprised to find they are all staring at Nik and I as if we are the main attraction. Nobody acknowledges my request to be left alone with Nik and I wonder why his friends are so loyal to him?

"It's fine." Nik's words cut through the silence. "Just leave us alone."

At his words, they move. Jessica reaches for Cal, who wraps an arm around her shoulders and leads her towards the house; Bev, Clare and Jordan follow suit. Becca stares at Nik and I, not moving until Jennie grabs her by the hand and tugs gently to get her moving. I catch Becca's eye before she turns away, and I know she will prepare one hell of a speech for me after this debacle.

When everyone has filed into the house, and the patio door is slid shut, I drop my hands from Nik and step back. With a deep breath he runs his hands through his hair and sags onto the couch with his head in his hands. I remain standing, my arms folded across my chest and look down at him.

In this position, he looks weak and vulnerable. My instinct is to go to him, to comfort him but I can't, not if I want to get answers. And I want them. I want them so bad because it's the only way that Nik and I will ever be okay. Whatever it is, I can handle it. What I can't handle is not knowing.

"Nik." I press and my voice comes out wavering, not strong as I intended. "You have to tell me what you're keeping from me."

He scoffs. "Have to?" He lifts his face from his hands and his brown eyes are cold when they meet mine. "I don't have to do anything, Haven."

"If you want this to work, then yes, you do." I demand. "You know I'm not stupid right? Ever since we ran into Joey, things have been off with you. I know there's something going on, so just tell me so we can move past it."

He shakes his head and his expression grows dark. I watch as he struggles with himself. I can tell he is deciding if he should tell me. But he doesn't have a choice; This isn't something I can just let go. Not now that Hayden has made a huge production of it.

"Do you love me?" Nik asks, speaking to the ground.

"Of course I do." I respond instantly.

Nik is on his feet in a flash closing the distance between us. He presses our bodies together and brings his hands up to cup my face. My body reacts to him instantly. I am flushed with heat as my blood pumps through me furiously, sending my head spinning.

"Then let this go." He whispers in a pleading voice as his thumbs trail over my cheeks. There is a desperation in his voice and in his eyes that reaches into the recesses of my mind and I feel transported back in time. Here he is yet again, standing before me desperately pleading with me, and all I can do is stare back. I can't let this one go.

"Nik..." I begin, but he presses his lips firmly to mine and kisses me so passionately I forget where I am. I forget who I am.

All I can think of is his lips on mine and the taste of his tongue as he forces it into my mouth. His hands fall away from my face and find their way around my body, holding me as if he may never get the chance to again. When his hands sneak up my shirt and run along my bare skin, an explosion of shivers racks my body. I gasp at the sensation, parting our lips for only a moment, but a moment is all it takes to bring me back to the present.

He dips his head back to mine but I pull away and place my hand firmly on his chest, holding him back. His eyes flash to mine, a mix of passion and panic rest there and I have to look away before he sucks me back in.

"Please Haven." He begs and pulls me back against him.

I firmly grasp his wrists and push his hands off of me. Needing the physical distance between us, I take a large step back. He looks hurt, but in an instant his expression switches to anger. He grits his teeth in frustration and pulls on the ends of his hair.

"Fuck!" he yells into the night, the sound echoing around us. "That stupid motherfucker," he huffs as he paces back and forth in front of me.

"Seriously Nik, what could be so bad that you can't tell me the truth?" I try to sound reasonable, as if this can't be that big of a deal. But I know it must be, it must be a huge deal because all of his friends are protecting him and he is so worked up.

"You don't get it, Haven. If I tell you, I'll lose you. If I don't tell you, I'll lose you." He is frantic now, wildly gesturing and his eyes glowing with rage. "That fucking asshole just ruined everything, all because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. That fucking prick!" He screams, and his hand reaches under the table, flipping it into the air as if it weighs nothing. Cards rain down around us, and he swats them away in annoyance.

"You're scaring me." I whisper and take a step back from him.

"What?" He snaps and whips around to glare at me.

"You're scaring me!" I repeat and fold my arms across my chest.

Nik stares, his chest heaving. I stare back, and will myself not to be the one who looks away. As the rage fades from his expression, I can tell he regrets his actions, but he doesn't reach for me.

"You should go." he says flatly. "I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear, so you should just leave."

My mouth hangs open in a soft 'o' as I try to comprehend what he's telling me. He wants me to leave? He won't tell me the truth? As I stand frozen to the spot, attempting to formulate a response Nik pushes past me and pounds up the patio stairs. I turn and watch him wrench the sliding door open so hard the frame shakes.

"Jennie," he barks. "You should take Haven home." Nik doesn't even look back at me before disappearing inside.