WARNING: This story is sexually-explicit, involving homosexuality. Do not continue if this will offend you. If accessing this story causes you to break local laws (village, town, city, county, province, state, or country, etc.), please leave now.
By continuing, you implicitly declare and affirm under penalties of perjury that you are not a minor or in the company of a minor and are entitled to have access to sexually-explicit material.
The content and opinions expressed in this story do not imply anything with regards to the sexual preference of any member of 98 Degrees or any other celebrities named herein. It is a work of fiction entirely.
OKAY! I'm back in action. It's been forever but life gets in the way of writing. Hopefully there are still some loyalists who want to know what's going to happen to Drew & Alex. Just to refresh your memeory, Alex was on his way to meet Drew in Hawaii. Look out, though, because things could get ugly. (And I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger.) LOL.
Jase: You've become family. Thank you for taking care of me. Let me do the same, little brother.
Take care and be good, Thack
Scene 125
I stretched and yawned, accidentally kicking Drew in the leg as I did it. There was a time when he and I spent nearly every night in bed together, but those days had passed. I had gotten used to sleeping alone again and had honestly forgotten he was there.
"Ouch," he said groggily.
"Sorry, honey."
I glanced over at the clock and saw it was just after 8am. It seemed late and then my mind flashed back to the present. Given the time change from the West Coast, it was actually pretty late to be asleep. I reached out and grabbed my cell phone, as I had grown accustomed to having with me at all times. I had inadvertently left it on vibrate mood and noticed that Jeff had called about an hour earlier but didn't leave a message. I was surprised, since I hadn't talked to Jeff since the video shoot. Sighing, I turned the ringer on and put down the phone. Turning, I looked at Drew, lying there with only the soft cotton sheet covering him.
The night before, we had begun kissing out on the balcony. Neither of us spoke because we both knew what was going to happen. Drew grabbed my hand and led me back into the living room. I could still feel the breeze from the open sliding glass door as he began to strip off my clothes. As each article came off, he would gently kiss me. He took his time and I could feel my cock start to rise. By the time I was starting there in only my boxers I was fully aroused.
Then it was my turn, but I had other ideas. I walked over to the stereo and flipped it on. Soft Hawaiian music filled the room. Knowing he'd follow, I walked into the master bedroom and lay down naked on the bed. Soon, Drew was hungrily giving me a blowjob and I was moaning softly.
Before I got too close to stop him, I gently pushed him off of me. He was still fully clothed, but I could see his hard dick through the linen pants.
"Take off your clothes," I commanded, feeling a bit silly saying it.
He complied and soon I was admiring his naked body. It had been such a long time since I had really looked at him. He had such a stunning physique. His muscles were so full and looked perfect on him. His abs looked almost fake they were so chiseled.
"Make love to me, Drew."
That was the only invitation he needed. He stepped into the other room and I heard him open his luggage. Returning with a small bottle of lube, he joined me on the bed. Moments later he was inside me and it was a feeling I had missed so much. By that point, we were both pretty primed so it didn't take long for either of us to cum. Afterwards, we laid there, his arms around me.
"Are we going to make this work?" he asked out of the blue.
"I hope so," I responded.
That had been our night. No other words had been said. We had showered and were soon asleep, his legs rubbing against mine.
"Are you getting up?"
"I guess so," I yawned, looking over into his sleepy eyes.
"Wake me up in a little bit."
"Okay."
I walked into the living room, closing the bedroom door. I found yesterday's boxers on the floor and put them on. Generally I'd have put on clean ones but I hadn't unpacked yet and figured that I would be showering in a couple of minutes anyway. I noticed the sheer curtains blowing in the gentle breeze since we had left the door to the balcony open. Not the most environmentally smart thing to do since the air conditioning was blowing full blast but sex had been on our minds.
I was about to close the door when I realized I hadn't even looked outside yet. I stepped out onto the balcony and the view took my breath away. Out in front of me was the vast Pacific Ocean. Off to the left of the hotel was a dark black field of lava. Looking back from the ocean, I could see exactly where the lava had flowed down from one of the two volcanoes that formed the island. It was awe inspiring to see. I made a mental note to take some pictures for Zane. I turned back and looked over the grounds of the hotel. Between the main building and the beach was a crystal blue swimming pool. Up the coast in the distance I could see more hotels built among the lava fields.
I stood there for what I guess to be about 15 minutes. It was such an amazing view. Then I yawned once again and wandered back inside. Seeing Drew's cell phone sitting out, I had remembered the call from Jeff. Rather than go back into the bedroom and disturb Drew, I grabbed the phone and dialed the number.
"What the fuck do you want?" was the answer.
"Huh?" I said.
"Shit!"
"Jeff?"
"Sorry," he said. "I thought you were..."
"You thought I was Drew? What the hell's going on, Jeff? Is it really that bad between you two?"
"What do you think?" he asked.
"Well, I'd guess that you saw Drew's number in your caller ID and decided to answer the phone like you did. And that means things aren't exactly how they should be. Justin had said that you and Drew weren't getting along but I didn't think it was this bad."
"Well, it is. And if you had been around you'd have seen it."
I stood there stunned. I wasn't really sure how to take Jeff's remark.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing," he quickly said.
I felt as though Jeff was reprimanding me for not being in Honolulu with the guys. Then it stuck me that maybe it was the fact that Jeff needed me and I wasn't there.
"I'm sorry," I said. "But if you needed me why didn't you say something?"
"Who said I needed you?" he threw back, defensive and hostile in the same breath.
"Hmmm."
"I never said I needed you, Alex."
"Okay," I said defensively. "I'm sorry."
"Forget it."
"So, why are you mad at Drew?"
"The usual," he said.
"And that is what?"
"You know."
"I do?" I asked, honestly unsure.
"Lea," he nearly yelled. "All week all he did was talk to her on the phone, Alex. How often did he talk to you? Every time I said something about it we would get into an argument."
"They're friends, Jeff. That's all. Drew and I have talked about it."
"Really? Just friends. I don't think you know the whole story, Alex. There's more to that friendship than either of them has been letting on."
"Listen, Jeff," I interrupted. "If this about your feelings for me then we need to talk about that."
"No! My feelings for you don't matter. You've made it perfectly clear about that, Alex."
"Don't say that. They do matter, Jeff. I'm just confused about what you feel."
"Friendship, Alex. Nothing more."
There was dead silence. I turned and walked out on the balcony and looked out at the ocean. In the distance I could hear the waves gently hitting the sand.
"But it's more than friendship," I said finally. "We both know that, even if neither of us want to admit it."
"Exactly."
"What?"
"That's my point," he said. "It's friendship but it's more, even if we both know it can't be. I'm straight, Alex. I know that for a fact but I have some sort of feelings for you. It makes things difficult and I'm praying that we can figure out how to deal with it. But before you say anything else consider the type of friendship that Drew and Lea have. They have the same sort of connection that we do. But, they have been together, Alex. They were engaged. They were in love. Can you honestly tell me that Drew is really over her? I don't think he is and until that relationship is really over I don't think you should see him. I don't want you to get hurt."
I stopped and let Jeff's logic sink in. It was true; Drew and Lea did have an undeniable connection. Maybe Jeff had a point.
"I'm not going to get hurt," I said, trying to reassure myself just as much as Jeff.
There really wasn't much else to say at that point. Neither of us was up for an argument, especially one where we were thousands of miles apart. We said our goodbyes and I hung up. I turned to go inside and saw Drew standing there, staring at me.
"Let me guess who that was," he said without emotion.
Scene 126
"Jeff," I said, trying to replay the conversation in my head, wondering what part of it Drew had heard.
"I figured."
"How much of that did you hear?" I asked.
"Just the goodbye. I wasn't eavesdropping."
"Sorry, honey. Didn't mean that."
"Is there something you didn't want me to hear?" he laughed, cocking one eyebrow.
"No. Just me arguing with Jeff about you," I lied. Truth be told, I was glad that Drew didn't hear me discussing Jeff's feelings towards me. I still wasn't ready for Drew to know about that.
"Well, he has told me in no uncertain terms that I don't deserve you and that I should let you go."
I sighed and lifted my arms up. Taking the cue, Drew walked over to me and let me hug him. He fell against my body and I did the best I could to wrap my arms around him. Although Jeff had just put new doubts into my head, I wasn't ready to give up on my love for Drew.
We showered and got dressed in our bathing suits and t- shirts, deciding to spend the day down at the beach. I hadn't really noticed the night before because of the light, but Drew had a pretty good tan going from his week in Honolulu. I figured I had some catching up to do. Before hitting the beach, we decided food was in order. Zane had told me that the suite was on the concierge floor so we wandered down the hall to find the lounge. Stepping inside we found a nicely appointed room with comfortable chairs and a spread of breakfast foods. It wasn't overly fancy, just very comfortable.
"Aloha kakahiaka!" said the woman inside. "That's good morning in Hawaiian."
She was a beautiful woman who appeared to be in her late 40's or early 50's. Her skin was bronzed from the sun and she had a youthful glow about her.
"I'm Alex and this is Drew."
"So nice to meet you," she said with a gracious smile. "My name is Yogi. Would you like some juice? Pineapple, mango, or orange?"
After telling her that we'd opt for trying out the mango, she disappeared into a small kitchen. Drew helped himself to the sliced fruit and pastries sitting out. Only then did he look out the window.
"Wow!" he exclaimed.
The lounge was facing a different direction from our suite. Out the windows was the vast lava field. It stretched on for miles and descended up into the foothills of the mountain. Here and there were pockets of green where the lava had missed for some unknown reason.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Yogi said, somewhat startling each of us.
"It is," I said.
"This is my island," she said with pride. "I grew up here. Have you been to any of the other islands?"
"I was just in Honolulu for the Pro-Bowl," Drew said. "But this is the first time Alex has been to Hawaii."
"Oh, my. I'm so sorry. I should have recognized you. You are Mr. Lachey. I am so embarrassed. My manager said you were visiting with us. Let me know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable."
"Don't be embarrassed, Yogi," he said with a sweet smile that instantly put her at ease. "I kind of enjoy just being a normal guy again. Please just treat me like anyone else. It's nice to be Drew for a change."
"Does it get hard? The celebrity part?" she asked with genuine curiosity.
"Sometimes," he said, looking right at me. I think that look may have clued her into our relationship but I could have been wrong.
"Like I said, this is my home. I grew up here. My father was Hawaiian and my mother was Portuguese. I've been to the other islands, of course, but never to the mainland. The Big Isle is special. Things are at a much slower pace here, compared to Honolulu. The landscape is different, too. Some people find it a bit cold, but I see strength in the lava fields. You'd be amazed at what can survive out there. Did you see any donkeys?"
"Excuse me?" I asked, turning away from the view to look at her.
She laughed. "Driving in from the airport did you see any wild donkeys?"
"You have wild donkeys here?" Drew laughed.
"We do," she smiled. "The paniolos, or cowboys as you call them, brought the donkeys here to help with the ranches and some escaped and live wild among the lava fields. Just be careful when you drive because they can pop out of nowhere."
"Yogi?" I asked. "It was so dark last night when we were driving in. What were the white pockets in the lava? Is that sand or something?"
"No, it's actually Hawaiian graffiti. People go down to the beach and collect white coral by the beach. Then they take them to the lava fields and spell out words. You'll see if far better when you're driving during the day. Technically, it's illegal to take the coral from the beach areas but it's not really something you'll end up in jail for."
We talked to her for about 30 minutes as we ate a light breakfast. She was so friendly, but at the same time she seemed to be very careful with her statements, as if she didn't want to overstep her bounds. Drew noticed it more than I did.
"You know, Yogi," he said finally, "you can ask me about the band, if you want. It's okay."
She laughed a cute, embarrassed smile. She said that she was, indeed, curious about the group. That resulted in another 30 minutes of questions for Drew. She asked very intelligent questions, not the, "Do you know so and so," that we usually get.
"We used to get many more celebrities," she confessed as we were leaving. "But there are bigger, more formal hotels up the coast now so it's not as often."
"Well," I said, "I think it's a beautiful resort. I feel right at home."
"Mahalo," she beamed.
"Come again."
"That's thank you in Hawaiian," Drew told me with a smug laugh, as if he'd lived there his entire life.
We bid Yogi goodbye and headed downstairs. The original plan was to go out to the beach but we opted for the pool instead. After setting up our lounge chairs, Drew ordered two virgin fruit concoctions. Since I had been up earlier, I made him be in charge of making sure neither of us fell asleep in the hot sun.
At about 4pm I felt sufficiently baked. A good many of those hours I had spent under an umbrella. Drew had been spotted twice and politely gave out a couple of autographs. During one of the incidents I saw a man who we later found out was the Recreation Manager approaching to make sure we weren't being disturbed. I waved him off since the other guests were being very polite. I also knew that as much as Drew denied it, he loved the attention. For a second, I wondered if that need for attention would ever end up hurting our relationship.
We had grabbed some sandwiches during lunch but we both were pretty hungry and ready for a big dinner. Deciding to go into Kona to go to a restaurant Yogi had suggested, we headed back upstairs to get cleaned up.
"I love you," he said, kissing me briefly just as the elevator doors closed. "I've been wanting to tell you that all day."
I blushed, unable to respond since the doors had already opened on the second floor to let more guests in. Once back in the room, Drew wrapped his arms around me and tried to kiss me again.
"You smell," I said as delicately at possible.
"Well, you're not fresh as a morning breeze yourself."
"I promise," I said, knowing what was on his mind, "when we get back from dinner tonight you can ravage me."
"Good to know," he said, laughing. "I'll pencil you in."
"I'd even go so far as to say to use ink."
"Really?" he said with a cocked eyebrow. He slapped my butt and disappeared into the bathroom.
It took us longer to get ready that we should have, although we both wanted to look our best.
"Oh, no!" Drew exclaimed when he saw what I was wearing.
"What?" I said, looking into the mirror at the slacks and polo shirt I had on.
"You're in Hawaii, you have to wear one of these."
Drew handed me a silk Hawaiian shirt. Sighing and laughing at the same time, I put the shirt on.
"I picked it out just for you."
"Aw," I said as I walked over and kissed him.
Finally ready, we headed down the hallway toward the elevators.
"Wait a minute," I said. "I forgot my cell phone."
"It's okay, baby. I have mine. Everyone knows we're together. If anyone really needs to talk to you tonight, they can call me."
"True," I acquiesced. I wasn't sure it was indeed true, since I knew Jeff wouldn't call Drew even if he did need me. But I figured one night out of communications with my world wouldn't kill me.
We headed off to Kona just as the sun was starting to set. For the first time in months, it felt right to be with Drew. It almost felt like our first date. Maybe there really was a chance at true happiness.
Scene 127
"Be on the lookout for the donkeys," Drew said to me, very serious.
I simply laughed and patted his leg. On the way into town, we got to see exactly what Yogi was talking about. Amongst the dark, black lava were hundreds of displays of white coral. There were symbols, names, and messages. I quickly pointed out the one that said, "N*Sync rules!" to Drew as we flew by at near 70 miles per hour.
"That is not funny," he responded.
"What's the official position?" I asked more to irritate him than anything. "98 Degrees is happy about the success of N*Sync, the Backstreet Boys, and whatever the latest boy band du jour from Lou Pearlman is this week."
"O-Town?" Drew piped in.
"Are they still with him?"
"I don't know. None of them are very cute so I never really followed what happened with them," Drew laughed.
"Nice, Lachey. You're becoming a true homo."
"Yes, you're teaching me well."
I simply sighed and continued driving us toward the small town of Kona. Aside from having the airport and being one of the two largest towns on the island, it was seemed very small. We were headed to the tourist area of town, where a collection of restaurants, shops, bars, and an occasional nightspot were centered along Alii drive. The street ran along the coast, with the restaurants crammed between the ocean and the passing cars. Each offered prime viewing of the water and the setting sun.
Yogi had given us the rundown on all the restaurants in the area. Of all of them, she recommended Roy's, which was located in a small shopping area across the street from our hotel. Drew had eaten at the Roy's location in Honolulu and raved to me about it. We had planned on dining there another night. In Kona, Yogi mentioned a couple of chain restaurants there were decent, including the Hard Rock Caf‚ and Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which was inspired by the movie "Forest Gump". Ultimately, however, we had decided on Jameson's by the Sea. Yogi warned us that the food was good but nothing spectacular. We would be paying for the live music and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.
We were greeted at the host stand by a young gentleman, probably nor more than 22 years old. Before either of us could speak, he asked us to follow him. We ended up walking through the tastefully appointed dining room outside onto the terrace. We were presented a table that was literally a stone's throw from the waves crashing against the seawall before.
"Mr. Lachey," he said as he handed Drew his menu. Handing me mine, he followed with, "For you Mr. Jackson. It's our privilege to have you here at Jameson's. Your server will be out shortly. In the meantime, can I offer either of you gentlemen a drink? We have excellent virgin drinks, Mr. Jackson. Or, of course I can bring a soft drink? And, Mr. Lachey, would you like something from the bar or will you be joining Mr. Jackson and sticking to the lighter side of the beverage world?"
I think both Drew and myself were a bit surprised. After a moment to collect my thoughts, I ordered a Coke and Drew did the same.
"That was kinda creepy," Drew said. "How did they know all of that? I mean, your alcoholism was in the tabloids but who would now that out here?"
"It was Yogi," I said with a smile. "You know I put on every rooming list we send in the request to remove alcohol from both our rooms. Yogi must have known that and put two and two together. Or, maybe she just knew I was in recovery. She made the reservation here, after all. I bet she explained everything."
"I think you're right. We're going to have to give her a big tip. She's awesome."
"She is," I agreed.
During dinner we talked about the upcoming tour and what had happened while I was in LA. I told Drew about the night Zane and I went out to dinner in West Hollywood and had a gay couple send a bottle of wine over to our table. We accepted as graciously as possible but stayed clear of them. I wasn't drinking the wine, of course, but Zane drank heartily and began wondering out loud if the couple was cruising us. Honestly, it hadn't crossed my mind but I think he was probably right. This couple probably was looking for a little recreational activity for the evening. I had never seen Zane without his shirt off but in my mind he was spectacular. For a split-second that night I let it cross my mind that there were other guys out there in the world. Of course, as I told Drew the story I conveniently left that part out.
"Did Zane go talk to them?" Drew asked.
"Nope."
"He should have," he replied. "He's a hot guy and I have the feeling it's been a long time since he's been with anyone. I don't know that for sure, but he's just so scared that he'll be outed. I'm a little surprised he went out with you like that."
"What does that mean?" I asked, feeling the jealous for some weird reason.
"Oh, just that he usually is careful about appearances. That's his job: to look out for all of us."
"It's not like we were at a gay bar, Drew!"
"I know," he said, rolling his eyes. "And watch the volume there, please."
"Sorry," I responded. "Is it ever going to get better?"
"If you're asking if I'm coming out anytime soon the answer is no. In fact, several people in management want me to make more appearances with Lea. Make it look like we're still together. 'Entertainment Tonight' was at the video shoot and they did a story on the two of us. Management saw it and said it would really help the image of the band, especially with Nick and Jess breaking up."
"I see."
I turned and looked out over the dark waters of the ocean. The waves were constantly crashing against the rocks below the deck. Most of the time, I seemed, I tended to forget Drew was famous. It was, however, a part of the relationship and I had known that from the beginning.
"Lea and I have been talking about it," he said quietly. "Since it would be good for the group."
"I see," I repeated.
I suddenly felt ill. The chicken I had been eating, which had been fairly good, began to turn against me. A few seconds later I began coughing, feeling as though I was going to be sick.
"Alex? Are you okay?"
I took a deep breath and looked right at Drew. The concern in his eyes was evident but there was a shadow of guilt lurking behind. Knowing that World War III was about to erupt and knowing that it couldn't happen there in the restaurant, I simply reached into my pocket and grabbed my wallet. Without words, I placed a $100 bill on the table, which more than covered the $60 tab.
"I will met you back at the hotel," I said with venom. "Don't try to follow me."
Without looking back I walked out of the restaurant, leaving Drew behind.
Scene 128
Not really sure where I was going, I left the restaurant and turned away from the main tourist strip. I could feel my blood beginning to boil. My stomach was upset and my head was spinning. Moments earlier, Drew had begun to tell me about a plan for him and Lea get back together. I wanted to believe it was just for show but sometime inside doubted that. The night before, Drew had offered to sever all contact with Lea, and yet the next day he was telling me about staged reconciliation.
"Alex!"
I turned and saw Drew running down the sidewalk towards me. I stopped dead in my tracks and glared at him as he approached.
"Stay away from me, Drew. You don't want me right now."
"But, Alex..."
"No! I will find a way back to the hotel on my own. Just go!" I fumed. "Oh, and you can forget about fucking me tonight."
"Where the hell did that come from?" he asked, totally bewildered. "Do you think that's what's on my mind right now?"
I glanced around and realized we were standing in front of some shops that were closed for the day. There was no one around so I let him have it.
"I think you're probably more interested in fucking her."
"What? Where is this coming from?"
"It seems like Jeff was right. You have been keeping things from me. How long have you and Lea been conspiring on this one?" I yelled. "If management is involved it must have been for quite some time. And you clearly did a good job of keeping it secret from Zane, too. He never would have stood for this crock of shit."
"Alex! It's not like that. I love you. And, yes, management has been very persuasive about getting me and Lea back together. Our image took a hit when Jess broke up with Nick. It's all about publicity, Alex. You know, even if you don't want to admit it. It's about us getting on 'TRL' and 'Entertainment Tonight'. It's about selling albums and promoting the tour. The very tour you've been working on for the last several months." He paused. "And before you get any ideas into your head, I love you. I do not want to be with Lea. I want you in my bed every night."
"How convenient," I replied.
Before either of us said another word, Drew's cell phone rang. He simply stared at me, obviously intending to just let it ring. I should have thought before moving, but my mind wasn't working too well at that point. I walked the two short steps towards him and reached into his pants pocket and grabbed the ringing phone. I knew who it was, but looked at the caller ID just to be 100% certain.
"How convenient," I repeated as I showed the phone with Lea's name on it to Drew.
"Answer it!" I commanded.
"No!"
"Answer the fucking phone, Drew!"
"No!" he screamed at me.
Without warning I threw the phone with all my strength straight into the sidewalk, shattering it to bits. The ringer stopped and there was nothing but the sound of our breathing and the surf off in the distance. I turned and walked away from Drew.
"Alex!"
"Not now!" I screamed back at him, taking off in a full- fledge run to get away from him, running across the street and down a small alley.
After about 100 yards I stopped running, feeling winded. My mind was racing. My boyfriend had just told me about a plan to publicly announce that he would be getting back together with his ex-fiance. In his words, it was about creating a buzz to sell record albums and concert tickets. In my mind, however, it was about him getting a back with his first love. I kept walking and at one point I realized I was crying. The tears had come and I didn't even realize it. Also, I had no clue where I was. Looking around I saw small houses on the beach side of the street and larger condos and apartments across the street. I sat down in the darkness and cried.
Scene 129
"Get in the Jeep."
I looked up and saw Drew parked in front of me. He was leaning across the passengers seat to get a better view of me. He had opened the passenger door, causing the interior lights to come on. Even from a distance I could tell he had been crying, too.
"Get in, Alex. I'm not going to leave you here."
"I'm fine," I lied. "Go. I'll be back later tonight."
"Later?" he responded. "Do you know what time it is? I've been driving around for about four hours. I'm not going to leave you here like this."
"Go!"
"No, I won't. We don't have to talk. I just won't leave you in a town you've never been in on an island that probably has about three taxicabs. If you don't want to discuss anything, that's fine. I just can't leave you here. Nick and Justin would have my head if I did. Not to mention what Jeff would do to me. I will sleep in the other bedroom in the suite tonight and I'll leave for LA tomorrow if that's what you want."
I glanced at my watch and saw that it was nearly midnight. Knowing Drew was right and that I shouldn't be in a strange town alone in the mood I was in, I stood up and got into the Jeep. He drove off into the night. We were waiting at one of the few stoplights in town, about to turn left onto the highway back to hotel when he spoke. He only said it once and I didn't respond.
"I'm so sorry, Alex."
I concentrated on the sound of the wheels hitting the highway and the wind blowing as we raced down the road at 70 miles per hour. Honestly, I felt as though I was in a state of shock. I wondered how much Jeff knew. Actually, I wondered how much Nick and Justin knew. Were they all in on the plan to publicly reunite Drew and Lea to help the group? As the miles ticked away, I began to cry once again. Everything in my life seemed out of balance. I glanced up through the open roof of the Jeep. The stars were blazing but without the moon it was ominously dark.
It was as I was reaching to brush away a tear that I saw the movement ahead of us on the road. Moments later I heard the screech of the tires as Drew slammed on the breaks. He turned the wheel and we began to skid. It all happened in an instant. I felt a jolt and realized in horror that the Jeep was no longer upright. The sound of crunching metal and breaking glass was unbelievably loud. I flew forward and felt a sharp pain before my world went completely black.
To be continued.
Author's Note: When I first started writing this story, it had a different name and I never intended it to be so long. It started out in Hawaii and ended right here, with the car crash. This last installment was supposed to be the ending, without the reader knowing what really happened. But, don't worry. I owe the characters more and I intend to continue. The funny thing about the internet is that I have no clue how many people are reading my story. I know of a few and that's why I do it. I take my style from the soap operas I love to watch. Hence, the dreaded cliffhanger. Hehe. The beauty of soap operas and serial fiction is that they don't need to be perfect. There are parts of my story I'm on thrilled with, but half the fun is writing and seeing where the characters end up. It's like real life. There are times I want to forget. There are times I wish I had made other decisions. But, in the end you can't rewrite history so why worry about it. See you in the next installment. - Thack