Westlife Romance - Part 49
"You...you're still here..." Kian stammered. Deep down, he was ecstatic that Nicky decided against leaving, but still, he was in shock.
"Yeah...I never boarded that flight," Nicky explained, still unsure as to how the other lads would react. "I'm so sorry about everything..."
"Don't be silly," Mark continued. "It's awesome that you've finally decided to stay...Westlife needs you...we need you, Nix..." He walked over to Nicky and pulled him into a hug.
As Mark released Nicky from his embrace, Kian walked up and also hugged Nicky. Both lads were so overcome with emotion that neither of them noticed Bryan glaring at Kian.
Of all the lads, Shane had the most muted response. While the others did not attach much significance to Shane's cool reception, Nicky was much more sensitive. He could sense that something wasn't right, but he couldn't pinpoint the actual cause of Shane's attitude.
Breakfast was one of the most relaxed in recent memory. With the exception of an awfully quiet Shane, everyone else seemed more or less back to their former selves. Of course, no one noticed Bryan's occasional glares at Kian.
As there was nothing planned for the morning, the lads retreated to their rooms after breakfast to catch up on some more rest before heading to another photo shoot in the afternoon.
"Hey, Bryan?" Nicky called out as they walked towards their room.
"What is it?" Bryan asked as he smiled at Nicky. He couldn't help it. Every time he looked at the love of his life, a smile would form on his face. He had not felt so happy, so complete, in such a long time.
"I'm gonna go talk to Shane for a bit. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Of course," Bryan laughed. "You don't have to report your every move to me, you know..."
Nicky kissed Bryan on the forehead. "I know...I didn't want to just leave you here without telling you..."
Bryan was touched by the consideration that Nicky was showing him. For the first time in his life, he felt special. He felt cherished.
Shane stared at the ceiling, a million thoughts going through his mind. He was happy that Nicky decided to stay, but at the same time, he didn't know how he could face his band mate day in and day out with all the secrets that he was hiding.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He trudged to the door and opened it without even checking to see who it was. He was surprised and caught off guard when he saw Nicky standing in front of him. "Uh...Nicky...what are you doing here?" he stammered.
Nicky's heart sank as he heard Shane's words. It was obvious that Shane didn't want to see him. He only wished he knew why Shane was acting so cold towards him. "Can we talk, Shane?"
"I suppose," Shane answered softly. His mind was racing. "What did Nicky want?" he thought. "Did he find out about my betrayal? My lies?"
Nicky walked in slowly and sat down on Shane's bed. The younger boy followed and sat in the chair across from the bed. Neither lad said a word.
"Shane," Nicky finally began, "I just want to say how sorry I am for the way I've treated you the last while. I'm so sorry."
Nicky's apology only served to make Shane feel even more guilty. "It's okay, Nix. No worries..."
"You sure?" Nicky asked, uncertain if Shane really meant what he said.
"Of course. Don't worry about it..."
"Shane...please tell me what's wrong," Nicky continued. "You seem so...distant..."
"It's nothing," Shane answered, avoiding Nicky's eyes.
Nicky wasn't satisfied. He got on his knees and knelt by Shane's feet. "Please tell me what I did wrong, Shane?" Nicky pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion. Shane was one of his best friends, and this distance that has developed between them was killing him. "I need to know, Shane...I need to make amends for my wrongs. Please..."
Shane's heart was aching, caused by Nicky's outpouring of emotion. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't handle keeping it inside anymore. "It's not you, Nix," he finally admitted. "It's me..."
Nicky was puzzled. He had no idea what Shane was talking about. All he could do was look to Shane for elaboration.
"Nicky...this is very difficult for me..." Shane continued, as tears began to fall. "I haven't been completely honest with you..."
"It's okay, Shane...if you don't want to talk about it now, we don't have to." Nicky had no intention of making Shane cry, and seeing the tears fall made Nicky relent in his questioning.
"No," Shane said with determination. "I need to say it now." He only hoped that once the truth was out, he would not have lost one of his best friends.
Taking a deep breath, Shane continued. "Nicky...the truth is that...I had known all along that Kian was...was...cheating on you..."
As Shane looked at Nicky in the eyes, all he could see was a look of shock and disbelief...
...to be continued....