Episode 18

*Nicholas and Cynthia found a house that was perfect for them and after an impressive tour, they decided to buy it.

*Amy got her friend Lacey to forgive her for inviting Jarrod Hetricke over without telling her about it.

*Todd was furious with his mother for making comments about how she was disgusted by gay people and kicked her out of his house. He also asked Luke to give him alone time, mainly not wanting the other man to see him about to cry. As soon as the two of them left, a distraught Gabi came over, fresh from her breakup with Creg.

*From inside the cabin, Melissa heard Mason fighting with a man outside. She took this chance to try and make an escape. While making an escape from the cabin, she heard a loud gunshot from outside. After opening the door, a pair of hands grabbed her by the shoulders.

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JACKSON MANSION, OUTSIDE IN A HOT TUB

The warm and bubbling waters of the hot tub massage and relax the four inhabitants in it–Cynthia, Nicholas, Jarrod, and his new friend Amy Slater. Outside of the tub, the cool Florida night dances around them. The four friends pay no attention to the slightly chilly air as they bask in the warmth and hold champagne glasses. Cynthia and Nicholas insisted on celebrating the purchase of the house.

Nicholas finishes his glass of champagne and turns to look at his girlfriend with a warm smile, "I just can’t stop thinking about this house. Seriously, we need to start packing and planning the moving process as soon as possible." He then gives her a gentle kiss on the lips.

Cynthia places her glass on a cup holder that is attached to the side of the hot tub, "Don’t worry, Nicholas! We will start the moving process, as you call it, tomorrow." She returns the favor and kisses her boyfriend’s lips.

Jarrod glances at Amy and then back at the two "lovebirds". "Awwwwwww, how cute! Do we need to give you two some privacy?! You could also choose from one of the thirty bedrooms inside the mansion if you didn’t want us around.." He has a mocking tone to his voice.

Cynthia playfully splashes Jarrod, "Ohh stop that." She then turns her gaze to Amy Slater, who has been rather quiet the whole time she’s been with them. Cynthia decides to start some conversation with the younger woman, "So, how long have you been in Sunrise Bay, Amy? Jarrod is rather quick at finding all the available woman in this town. I assume you haven’t been here that long."

Amy chooses to respond to the part about Jarrod first, "So are we a ladie’s man, I presume?"

Jarrod gives Cynthia a disapproving look about her comment and then returns his focus to Amy. Amy then just shakes her head with a smile and finishes answering Cynthia’s question, "No, I haven’t really been in Sunrise Bay that long. About 2 months actually. I moved here with my best friend and her son– who Jarrod here had the pleasure of meeting. It was quite an enjoyable introduction I must say." Amy flashes back to how Lacey was furious with finding a half-naked Jarrod greeting her in her bedroom.

"Ohh, and why was it enjoyable?" Cynthia questions as she scoots against Nicholas.

Jarrod holds his hand up and shakes his head, "We don’t really need to get into that story. Besides, it will bore you guys to tears. Though I must say that Lacey and her son Connor seem real cool."

Amy finishes the last drop of champagne and then crosses her arms, "Well you better have liked them. If things keep going well, you’ll be seeing a lot of them." Amy says with a suggestive tone as she looks Jarrod in the eyes. Amy always had a thing for eyes, and she can’t deny how irresistible she finds Jarrod’s eyes to be.

"Whoa, guys. Maybe you two are going to be needing that private room pretty soon!" laughs Nicholas as he acts as though he is going to leave the hot tub.

Jarrod and Amy laugh. Jarrod slowly moves closer to Amy and acts as though he is stretching. He rests his arm behind her neck on the outside of the hot tub. Amy notices this and gives him a wide smile.

Cynthia then breaks their "moment", "Amy, I almost forgot to say but I loved the outfit you were wearing when you first got here! You and I should make a date to go shopping together. I have a feeling that we have the same style and since you are pretty new to this town I could really show you the good spots to shop at. Who knows? I could have my daddy let me take the private plane for a real shopping trip."

Amy’s eyes light up with glee. "Private plane? Are you serious? Wow, yeah, that sounds really really cool. Thanks for liking my outfit by the way..."

"No problem! I meant it." smiles Cynthia as she reaches for her glass of champagne. I really like her. This could be promising...

TODD’S PLACE

"Why are you crying Gabi?" questions Todd as he crosses his arms.

She doesn’t answer him and instead buries her head into his chest. Her tears leave a wet mark on the white T-shirt that he is wearing. He slowly hugs her and he realizes how much of a comfort it is to have her so close to him. After the big argument with his mother just moments ago, he feels the need for human comfort.

"Todd, I just…I just can’t take it anymore! Creg and I are completely through!"

Todd now realizes exactly why she is so upset. "So what made you guys decide to break up? Come on, in. Tell me about it."

Gabi stops to wipe her eyes and nose and she walks slowly towards the couch. She pulls his hand and leads him to sit right next to her on the couch. "Todd, I just want you to hold me and I’ll tell you all about it."

He listens to her and she lies with her head upon his stomach as she begins to let everything out about her and Creg’s heated encounter earlier. Gabi is surprised at how close Todd seems to be allowing her to be and she loves it. Todd, you have to realize how much you truly mean to me. Nobody could ever compare to you...

Gabi scoots closer to him and leans into him. The feeling of his warm body against her own is already making her feel a little better about the whole situation, "Creg knows all about how I stole that money, Todd. Look, I don’t want him to harm you. You don’t know how much you truly mean to me."

Todd swallows. "How much do I mean to you?"

She lifts his right hand and places her left one within his and squeezes. "You mean the world to me, Todd."

Todd then clears his throat. "Uhhhh… do you want a Zima? I’m going to get myself one."

"Sure. That sounds great." Gabi replies faintly as she studies his hand.

"Well, you’re going to have to let go of my hand if you want me to get up to get them." Laughs Todd.

Gabi then lets out a slight smile, "Right." She then slowly takes her fingers from within his.

He rises from the couch swiftly and heads towards the fridge. He gives Gabi a slight look that she can’t quite interpret.

Maybe he’s started to realize how he truly feels for me. Thinks Gabi intently. I know that he’s in denial. He has to feel the same way about me.

Todd reaches into the fridge and grabs two bottles of Zima. He pauses in thought; I sure hope that Gabi isn’t getting the wrong idea about how close I held her. If she only knew the truth about me. Suddenly he gets an urge to completely come clean to her about being gay and the inspiration leaves him just as quickly as it came. No, I can’t risk it.

Todd never decided exactly what it was he’d be risking if he came clean and told someone the truth about his sexuality but he just always felt that he somehow would lose something in the process. He has lost enough in his life.

Todd heads toward Gabi and hands her one of the bottles. He decides to dive right back into the discussion of her breakup with Creg, "So don’t you think it’s a good thing that you got rid of him, Gabi? He always seemed to me that he was nothing but an arrogant bastard."

Gabi takes a big gulp of her Zima and then studies him. "Hmmm…I never knew that you had so many hard feelings towards Creg. But now that you put it that way: Yes, he is nothing but an arrogant bastard. I wish that someone would put him in his damn place. He thinks he’s God’s gift to women; Hell, he thinks he’s God’s gift to everyone!"

Todd lets out a small chuckle and then takes a healthy sip of his alcohol. "So is he planning on pressing any charges against you for stealing that money? Look, I don’t want you to get into deep shit for something I pressured you to do. If I could take back anything in my life, pressuring you to take that cash to pay off Alec would be the first thing I’d take back."

Todd can really feel the alcohol "doing its thing" and he likes the feeling. He wants reprieve from all of the depressing thoughts and happenings that seem to categorize his life anymore.

"Todd, I don’t hold that against you. I care for you and I wanted to help you out. Alec is a very dangerous guy and the last thing I would want is for something bad to happen to you."

"I thank you for that but…" Todd takes a big gulp and Gabi notices he looks distracted by something.

"But what?"

"Never mind. Look, just chug down your alcohol! Forget everything about tonight." He then starts laughing hysterically as he finishes off his bottle. He moves a little closer to Gabi and then looks her straight in the eyes. Gabi places her hand upon his upper leg. Something is going to happen between us tonight. Thinks Gabi contently. I just know it… She then smirks and takes yet another sip of the "magic liquid."

A huge crashing noise interrupts them from upstairs. Todd immediately bounces from the couch, "What in the hell was that?! I better go and check it out." He almost trips over the rug because his perception is getting blurry. However he manages to make it to the staircase.

"I'll come with you!" yells an eager Gabi as she follows him closely behind.

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF SUNRISE BAY, DEEP IN THE WOODS

Just as Melissa darts outside of the cabin, a pair of hands grabs her by the shoulders. She screams and turns around to be looking into the eyes of a stranger.

"Who in the hell are you?" She yells as she jumps back and out of his grip.

A drained and weary Zachary manages to say, "Look, I’m not going to hurt you if that’s what you’re scared of. I only came to these woods to run from the cops. I never knew that I’d…I’d…"

That’s when she sees it: Mason’s body lying in a pool of blood on the ground. She can’t help but keep her gaze locked on the gruesome sight for a few moments until she turns her head away. She realizes that Zachary is shaking all over.

"You saved me. I thank you for that." She extends her hand and brushes his face. "By the way, why were you running from the cops in the first place?"

He looks at his feet as though he’s filled to the top with guilt and embarrassed to admit to Melissa what he had done earlier. After a big sigh he replies, "I was real idiot and robbed a store in Roxford. I’m regretting it so bad now. But now look what I’ve done! I’ve committed murder!"

At the mention of "murder" Melissa gives Mason’s bloody body a quick glance. She then looks Zachary right in the eye, "You were defending yourself. You rescued me and saved yourself from getting killed. He had a gun and you didn’t. It wasn’t murder. It was self defense!" Suddenly Melissa seems to realize that she is free. Now she can go home and see Tom and her son again. She let’s out a huge smile as her heart beats in utter joy. Then there is something that seems to catch her eye that is lying over next to the cabin--it looks like a diary.

Zachary curiously watches as Melissa scurries over to the cabin and bends down to pick up the open diary.

"Oh my gosh! It’s Shayla’s diary!" Melissa declares as she skims through its pages. Keith is going to want to read this. It probably has her last words and thoughts before the day that she died.

"Who’s Shayla?" questions Zachary with a curious face.

Before Melissa can answer, the air is pierced with the loud sound of police sirens. Melissa quickly closes the diary and runs quickly through the trees towards the sounds. "I am free! Yes, I am free!" She happily yells as she meanders through the trees and brush.

Zachary can’t help but feel a bit proud for working up the courage to shoot Mason and rescue this woman in need. He then realizes that he hasn’t even exchanged names with her yet. He knows that it is only a matter of time before the cops get to him and take him away to jail.

He then yells, "What’s your name, by the way!? I’m Zachary!"

Melissa’s voice carries from the distance, "I’m Melissa! Thank you for saving me, Zachary!"

"No problem!" Zachary then finds himself chuckling at the whole situation and he doesn’t exactly know why. He just killed a man and is also running from getting caught by the police. How in the hell could he be chuckling about this?

Pretty soon, about 6 cops come emerging from the distance. Zachary decides that he is not going to even fight it and decides to take what he deserves. He can faintly hear Melissa in the distance explaining everything that just occurred and forcing it in the cop’s minds that Mason was killed out of self-defense.

He doesn't notice Mason's arm moving very slightly and eyes opening to the blurry sight and sound of police lights and sirens...

JACKSON MANSION

The four hurriedly run back into the mansion, all of them with towels draping them.

"That was g-g-great." says Amy as she pulls the towel around her tighter, while shivering.

The other three laugh at her shivering while Cynthia makes her way to the staircase and motions for Amy to follow her. "Follow me upstairs and you can pick out an outfit. It looks as though we wear the same size."

Amy picks up her pace while nodding. She can't help but absorb the beautiful mansion in. She is very fascinated by the Jackson family's lavish lifestyle.

"Wow, why would you and Nicholas want to move out of this place? It is so damn gourgeous!" Amy exclaims while slowly making her way to Cynthia's place at the stairs.

"I was wondering the same thing." It is the voice of a newly arrived Barbara. Her glance goes from the young woman she doesn't know over to her son who's standing by Jarrod.

Nicholas sighs and shakes his head. "Hello Mother. I'd like to introduce you to Amy Slater. She's a friend of Jarrod's." He decides to ignore his mother's statement and skip to the introduction.

Barbara nods her head slowly and forces a broad smile, "It's wonderful meeting you, Amy. I'm Barbara, Nicholas's mother."

Amy returrns the head nod, "It's nice meeting you as well." She picks up on the tense feeling between Barbara and Nicholas.

Cynthia motions with her hands for Amy to follow her upstairs to look for new outfit. Amy gets her drift and makes her way to Cynthia. The two then head upstairs quickly.

"So Nicholas, I hear you and Cynthia already found a house." says Barbara in a saddened tone.

"Yes, mother. We did. I would really like you to come with Cynthia and I to look at it tomorrow. It's a really nice place. I'm sure you will like it." Nicholas states this in a very positive manner in hopes to lessen his mother's meloncholy tone of voice when speaking of the situation.

Jarrod pretends to be very preoccupied with a painting that decorates the wall while the mother and son exchange words. His mind then drifts to thoughts of Amy and how cute he thinks she is.

Meanwhile, Barbara swallows before responding to Nicholas's offer to look at the house tomorrow, "Are you sure this is what you really want? I just can't see you being out on your own. You're my baby boy, hon. I love you so so much! You've got to understand why this is soo hard for me. Then there's Gary, he's been so distant lately..." Her voice drifts off.

Nicholas sighs, "Mother, I'm sorry that Gary has been so distant. That really isn't my problem. I know how much I mean to you and once again you are not looking at this situation logically! I am still going to see you and visit you all the time. I promise!" He decides that is all he wants to say. "Look, I'm going upstairs to change. Come on, Jarrod. Mother, I hope you take me up on that offer to see the house."

Jarrod pretends that he is snapping out of the painting's "spell" and follows his friend towards the staircase. He now has the towel draped over his left bare shoulder. He gives Barbara a slight smile before disappearing up the stairs with Nicholas.

Barbara gets lost in thought while her eyes stare at the painting.

TODD'S PLACE

"I really have no idea how my bookcase just fell down! How crazy is that?! Oh well, I'll just have taa clean it in theeee morning." laughs Todd, as he and Gabi make their way downstairs after checking to see what the loud noise was. He immediately returns his sights on the alcohol he left on the stand. As he makes his trek towards it, he miscalculates things and trips over the rug. He lands with a big thud stomach first on the ground.

"Oh my god, Todd! Are you OK?" yells a frantic Gabi as she bends down next to him.

He begins to laugh hysterically, "I've been better!"

Gabi rolls her eyes and joins in the laughing. "Man, Todd! That looked like a nasty fall. You worried me that you'd hurt yourself." She rubs her hand on his muscular arm.

Gabi looks into his face. She wants nothing more than to kiss him and have him hold her to make all the problems of her life just fall to the wayside.

Todd then reaches up and pats her on the shoulder. "Hey, don’t look so sad, Gabi. I hate seeing you upset. Screw Creg! Screw him and his piles of money!" Todd says this as he slowly rises from the ground. "Ouch, my back hurts a little."

"How about I give you a back massage then? That should help." says Gabi as she rises from the floor.

Todd reaches for his drink and finishes it off. He pauses as it hits him full force. Whoa, that really felt strong...

"C’mon just lay down carefully on your tummy on that couch there. I will try my best to make the back pains go away." An eager Gabi motions Todd towards it.

Todd pauses briefly in hesitation. However, the sound of a nice massage is too alluring to deny. He follows Gabi’s orders and proceeds to lie on his stomach.

Gabi gets up onto his back and finds a comfortable spot near the top of his buttocks before proceeding to massage his shoulders and back. Todd lets out a groan and she can sense that he’s definitely enjoying it. She continues before saying, "You know, this would be a lot easier to do if your shirt didn’t keep bunching up."

"Just take it off." Todd states bluntly.

Something definitely is going to happen between us tonight, thinks Gabi with delight as she proceeds to help Todd take the white shirt off. She then returns to the massage, this time on Todd’s bare skin.

Slowly leaning towards his neck, she decides to make a move and begins to kiss it while whispering, "Todd, you make everything wrong with me just go away. I care for you so much." After saying this, she continues to kiss around his neck.

He stiffens at first but then realizes he is oddly feeling into it. There seems to be a force pulling him towards Gabi. At this realization he slowly turns on his back to look into her face. He feels the force pulling Gabi’s face towards his own. They embrace in a passionate kiss. Electric seems to rush through the both of them as their tongues meet and intertwine. Todd reaches to pull off her shirt as the kissing continues...

THAT CONCLUDES THIS EPISODE OF SUNRISE BAY!

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