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It was a day before the scheduled wedding and nothing was right. Crystal still took up vacancy at her Aunt and Uncles home and still, through her confusion, refused to talk to Justin. He has come numerous times since she left and neither time did she come down to see him. She simply just asked for them to send him on his way.
Late afternoon brought a mutual friend to her door. Shelby. Crystal knew she was here to make peace for her brother, but with the simple confusion on her face as well, Crystal sensed this was about more than getting her back with Justin. Shelby sat at the small table in the garden as Crystal sat, not but three feet infront of her watching her and her nervous tapping of the table.
"Shelby? What's wrong?" Crystal asked. She looked at her and sighed.
"I've gotto be the most horrible person!" She crooned.
"Why would you ever say such a thing?"
"Cause this is all my fault and I feel terrible about it!" She cried.
"Shelby, what are you talking about?" Crystal asked, "Sweety, what happened between me and your brother had nothing to do with you."
"I know, but I could have prevented it." Shelby stated.
"What do you mean?" Crystal asked. "Did you know?"
"Yes... I mean no. I mean I knew what was going on and its not what you think."
"I'm confused Shelby. What are you trying to tell me?"
"Justin isn't cheating on you." She spoke softly. "For the last few weeks me and Jason have been plotting against Erica."
"What ever for?" Crystal asked.
"Cause she's obsessed with Justin."
"Obsessed?" Crystal asked. Shelby nodded.
"From the moment she met Justin, she's been trying to break you two up. She's crazy in love with him and there had been nothing she wouldn't do to tear you guys apart!"
"What do you mean?"
"Every problem that had caused a riff in your relationship, she's been behind it..."
"How so?"
"She was the one who was encouraging Peter to keep persuing you. She went over there more than twice a week the whole time you and Justin were together. During her wedding to Jason, she purposely invited Peter, and got him drunk. Then she preceded to convience him that you were madly in love with him and not Justin. I'm not sure if she expected the out come of that night to go as it did, but I wouldn't put it past her. She was always messing with Janes head as well, convincing her that she was better than Peter, that she didn't need him. And when she wouldn't take him back, that's when he started to blame it on you... and that's what Erica wanted. For him to take it out on you. And then... your miscarriage...." She paused, tears in her eyes.
"What about my miscarriage?" Crystal questioned, the apparent hurt already welling in her eyes.
"She had stolen a drug from the hospital where she had worked that short while as a nurse. And she slipped it in your drink the last night they were over for dinner. Its said if taken in large doses by pregnant woman.... it can cause a false labor... a miscarriage."
"No..." Crystal shook her head, "I don't care how much she wanted Justin, she would have never done that!"
"I didn't believe it at first either but I read the letters, Crystal. She despised you. She hated the fact that Justin loved you and hated it even more that you were having his baby."
"I don't understand how she could have done such a thing."
"She's sick, Crystal. She truely believes in her heart that her and Justin were meant to be together, and you. You're just the fling that she can't seem to get rid of. She's utterly obsessed." Shelby stated. Crystal looked up at her with tears in her eyes.
"He was telling me the truth?" She asked. Shelby nodded.
"Justin never ever cheated on you. He loves you too much for that."
"I don't understand, She's my best friend..." Tears began to fall from her eyes, "I mean... My baby?" Shelby nodded softly. "So you all knew?"
"Yes... but Jason and I were the only ones who knew about the miscarriage." She stated. "We never said anything cause we were trying to protect you. We didn't want you to know that your best friend was secretly plotting to ruin your life!" Shelby paused a moment, "There's another thing that I need to tell you. I mean, I know i've placed so much out there for you to handle, but I really need to talk about it." Crystal looked over at her.
"Is this about Troy?" Crystal questioned. Shelby shook her head.
"Jason and I were pretending to have an affair. He wanted to mess with her head until she justcouldn't take it anymore and confront him. In turn he would confront her aobut Justin. Last night the confrontations exploded through the house when she found our staged bedroom mess. Needless to say, Erica walked out." She paused. "I met Jason in his office to see how things went. We talked a bit, about everything we did. I was still upset that Troy hadn't written me back and he was upset about Erica, we just...." Crystal's eyes widened as she realized what she was trying to say to her.
"Oh, Shelby..." She crooned, "You didn't..."
"I didn't mean for it to happen. It just felt... great to be touched like that again. I just... I missed Troy so much." She cried. Crystal embraced her.
"Shh... its okay Shelby. Its okay."


Jason made his way through the house, looking for wherever Erica might be hiding from him. After a quick sweep of the first floor of thier home, he retreated to his office down the hall and there she sat. In the chair behind his desk, a witty smile on her face. He returned the smile.
"Why o why my darling wife do you look so happy today?" He questioned.
"I have my reasons..." She said gently. "What about you?"
"I just feel... so relieved that everything is out in the open now." Jason stated.
"Everything, huh?" She stated, "You never exactly told me, who your little fling was. Now, I wouldn't call that out in the open, would you?"
"What does it matter? You going to find some way to make thier life a living hell as well?" He questioned.
"No need, cause if she's sleeping with you, you've already done that for me." She smiled. Jason laughed lightly at her attempt to upset him.
"Say what you want, you won't wipe this smile off my face, love." He riffled through his desk and dropped some papers in front of her on the desk. "Went and seen my lawyer today and had these drawn up." Erica looked them over quickly. She looked up at him, anger in her eyes.
"Divorce papers?"
"Yep, it appears I have the choice not to spend my life waking up next to a whore." He smiled at her. She nodded and gave him a smirk.
"Rather wake up with Shelby instead?" She asked. He looked at her.
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"Come now, Jason. I know its the little harlot you've been fucking around with." She stated. "I mean, with the fashion of how Troy left, Not to mention she flaunted it every time she could."
"All that proves is she's a flirt and Troy left to finish school." Jason stated.
"Jason, I'm not ignorant." Erica laughed. "Did you actually think I really just left last night?" He looked up at her. "I saw everything. I heard everything. I saw her come in here, I heard the conversation, and then some..." She laughed lightly. "And to think... I didn't believe you had it in you to cheat on me!"
"You know, I thought the same of you as well. But I guess neither of really new each other, right?" He asked.
"I know enough Jason. I know that you're never going to beable to forgive yourself if what happened last night got out and about. I mean after all, she is justa little girl Jason." Erica stood and leaned in close to his ear. "And Justin? Imagine how broken he would be to find out that you took his sweet and innocent 17 year old sister and threw her ontop of this desk and did things that no man your age had the right to do!"
"Shut up!" Jason stated firmly. She laughed lightly.
"Oh, baby... that's something I don't know if I can do!" Erica began out the room, when Jason grabbed her firmly by the arm. He jerked her back toward him. An angry look in his eye.
"You say one word of this to anyone, especially Justin, you'll regret the day you married me!"
"Sweetheart, I already do!" She stated, "But i'll tell you what, you drop this stupid little divorce... and I just might forget it ever happened." Jason let go of her and for a moment wasn't sure what he should do. "I'll be around when you decide." She then left the room.
Jason knew that he would go completely mad if he had to stay married to Erica. But he also knew he's world would come crashing down even worse if anyone knew about Shelby.


A knock at the door disturbs Justin from his nap on the couch in the livingroom. His stress level was high and as a result his nights were restless. As he rose from the couch, Cedric answered the door. Not even a minute later, Cedric comes back to the livingroom and informs Justin that Mrs. Whenton is at the door. Justin looked up at him puzzled as to why she would even attempt to come over. He walked to the door and saw her standing there, head down, obviously upset and confused.
"Jane. What are you doing here?" He asked.
"I feel terrible."
"I'm not sure if I'm the one you should come, for at the moment I feel you deserve it." Justin replied.
"I don't blame you the slightest bit!" Jane stated. "I just. I need to apologize. I didnt' realize what was really going on and I jumped to conclusions. I should never have interfered."
"I completely agree with you!" Justin stated.
"I just... she sounded so sure of herself. Made it seem so believable. It wasn't til after I had spoken with Crystal that Peter had told me that she was lying, that she just wanted him to interfer, Break you up." She paused, "But I guess I beat him to it."
"Look Jane. I know you're a good woman, and I know you were just looking out for Crystal. I understand what you did seeing the kind of relationship you have with Peter. I completely adore you as a person, but I think because of Crystal and Peters past together, and if I want to ever keep a future with her, that you, as well as Peter, no longer have contact with us." Justin stated. Jane looked up at him with a soft nod.
"I understand completely." She spoke softly. "Peter, also, has decided that distancing us would only benefit both relationships. Infact, we plan to move further upstate in just a few days."
"Glad to see that Peter finally has a decent head on his shoulders."
"Yes, he appears to be quite decent indeed when he's not constantly drinking." she laughed lightly. "I'm sorry for all the trouble we've caused and I know deep in my heart that Crystal doesn't truely believe what she saw. She's just really confused. She'll come around."
"Yeah. I hope she does." Justin replied.
With that Justin said his final good byes to Jane and closed the door on that part of his life.


Crystal sits on the porch of her Uncle's home. Shelby had left about an hour ago and ever since, Crystal couldn't get anything she said out of her mind. There was just too much to take in. And just as the anger within her began to bubble through, Jason pulled up in the driveway. As Jason emerged from the car, Crystal made her way down the steps to him.
"Hey, we need to talk!" Jason called to her.
"Yes, I know!" She stated. He sensed the anger in her voice and stepped back a bit.
"What's wrong with you?" He questioned.
"What's wrong with me? Jason, what the hell has gotten into you?" She shouted.
"What do you mean?"
"Shelby was here no more than an hour ago, Jason! She told me everything..."
"So you already know its all a lie?" He asked. Crystal nodded.
"Then why aren't you running back to Justin?"
"Cause i'm not sure how I feel about everything yet, Jason." She confessed.
"The longer you wait the harder its going to be for you two to get through it."
"Believe me, Jason, I don't need marriage advice from you!" Crystal snapped.
"I know..." He said softly. "I told Erica this morning that I wanted a divorce."
"Oh believe me, Jason. I'm not talking about you leaving Erica... When I said Shelby told me everything, I mean EVERYTHING!" She shouted slightly. Jason sighed.
"All right. Just... calm down a moment, please."
"Calm down? Jason, she's only 17 years old!"
"I know, all right!" Jason shouted. "I didn't plan it, I didn't just wake up and say 'hey, tonight i'm going to sleep with my best friend's little sister!' It just happened!"
"Just happened?" Crystal asked. "Jason, you took advantage of her. She's still tore up inside about Troy and you knew with the way she was feeling she wouldn't say no to you. You knew!"
"What do you want me to say, Crystal?" Jason asked with a sigh. "It was a mistake. It happened and there's nothing I can do to change that."
"Oh, god, Jason. If Justin finds out...." She paused her words.
"Look, I can handle Justin, if or when he finds out. All right?" Jason asked.
"I'm so disappointed in you Jason. You really really messed up, big time. You should have never, ever touched her like that... It shouldn't have even crossed your mind to do so!" She scolded. Jason nodded.
"So, it wasn't all pretend after all...."
They turned around and saw someone standing in the driveway, a bag slung over his shoulder and a heart broken look on his face.
Troy.


Justin walks into his work with a low hung head and an uneasy way about him. He passed everyone up without a simple hello, and went straight into his office. As he looked up, he paused in the middle of the room, staring intensly at the person sitting at his desk.
"Well, don't you look happy to see me!" Peter spoke with a smile.
"What are you doing here Peter?" Justin asked with a sigh. Peter shrugged.
"Heard there was trouble in paradise and seeing as I'm not the cause of it, thought maybe I could help..."
"I don't need your help." Justin stated, "Infact, I think you're the last person I need to take help from."
"I know you don't like me, but I've been around, I could be useful."
"What do you want Peter?" Justin asked.
"I told you I want to help. I know I haven't been the most supportive of you and Crystal relationship, but I also don't want to see Erica ruin it." He stated.
"Well, I'm not even sure I want to fix it...."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, I've been with her for not even a year and so far, we've broken up three times over the stupidest of things. And that just tells me she's not serious about this relationship. That she's not ready to trust me and commit to me and frankly, I dont' want to spend forever with someone like that." He stated. Peter laughed lightly.
"Ok, so she's a little high mantainance at times. So what. All realationship have fights Justin. Lots of them one year and maybe none at all the next. And you'll never be able to change any of that. That's lfe. The question is, do you love her enough to put up with it?" Peter asked. Justin looked up at him and shrugged.
"I don't know...."
"That's bull shit and you know it!" Peter stated with a laugh, "I've never in my life seen you as in love as you are right now." He stood and headed toward the door, "So who's the one with the commitment issues now?" He smiled and then left the room, shutting the door behind him.


Shelby sits in front of the fire, laying over the rug on the floor, a depressed demeanor about her. She was completely lost in her thoughts when Cedric interrupted them.
"Shelby, there's someone here to see you!" He stated.
"To see me?" She questioned, then looked up to the door way as Troy made his way in. Cedric left them and Shelby rushed over to him, embracing him tightly. "Troy!" She exclaimed excitedly, She pulled back slightly and smiled at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I had been thinking about you nonstop since you sent that letter. I just had to come home, to see you, to talk to you." He voice was soft.
"I'm so glad your home."
"Shelby..." He began, "I need to know that its true, That everything you wrote me was true. I need to hear it straight from your lips that you never slept with him." Troy stated. Shelby looked at him, slightly taken back a few. At the time it was true, everything she said was true, but how could she stand here now, knowing what had happened last night, and lie straight to his face.
"Troy..." she began. He nodded and pulled away from her.
"I heard them talking about it, but you had told me it wasn't true.... and I believed you, I wanted to believe you so badly."
"When I wrote it, it was true. Every word." Shelby cried.
"And now?" He asked. She looked down slightly as tears began to fall.
"Troy, I'm so sorry... I never meant for it to happen, You have to believe me."
"But it did happen!" Troy shouted, "After you promised me it never would. I came back here cause I believed that. I believed that you loved me enough to stay true to that, but it appears your love for me wasn't as strong as you claimed it was."
"That's not fair, Troy! You left me!" She shouted through tears, "You never wrote back, you never said anything. What was I suppose to do! I didn't think you were ever coming back. I was upset, I needed to feel wanted!"
"So now its my fault?" Troy asked. "You were the one that slept with a married man, You were the one who cheated on me, You were the one! You can't blame me for this..." He headed to the door, "You only have yourself to blame..." He stated and then left the house. Shelby's tears began to fall faster and heavier as she herself became to heavy to stand, and dropped to the floor in tears.