PREVIOUSLY ON SUNRISE BAY …

*A cop showed up at the Jones’s family door promising to find the man who was stalking Eve and Carl’s daughter Melissa.

*The citizens of Sunrise Bay arrived at the annual New Years Ball event.

*Derek, Tara, Melissa, and Tom danced and had fun and tried to forget the worries that burdened their minds.

*Psycho Mason watched Tom and Melissa through the windows of the building where the Ball took place. He kept his sights on his sidekick, who was armed with a gun to shoot Tom Hetricke.

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I got to get over this. My family is messed up and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it!  Thinks Todd as he places his plate of macaroni and cheese onto the table. He begins to believe that he should have gone to the New Years Ball. Annie begged him to go but he decided that he’s content being alone tonight. He begins to dig into the macaroni and grimaces when he realizes that the noodles aren’t fully cooked. He decides that he’s too hungry to re-cook it and continues eating.

            Suddenly the phone jumps out like a sore thumb when his eyes fall upon it. Who the hell do you have to call, Todd? Besides Annie, the only slightest friend you have is Luke and he’s at the Ball with Annie. I think that Gabi is at the Ball as well…

He forces his mind to stop wondering through a list of thoughts and to focus on eating his food. He still has this nagging feeling to call someone, though.      

 After spending about ten minutes eating the entire pan of macaroni and cheese, Todd reaches for the phone. Suddenly the image of the person he has been aching to call surfaces in his mind: Elliot Ramsey from Hawaii . His brain relives the past and the time he spent knowing Elliot.

While his mind is at it, he quickly relives the four tumultuous years he lived in New York City as well. Living in the city was a turning point in his life. He had an amazing career opportunity to work at The New York Times. This is how he met Gabi. This is where he also met Alec Porter. He wishes he never laid his eyes upon this man. Alec was bad news all the way around and Todd got enamored with him. Why the hell did I ever let myself fall for someone like that? What is wrong with me? He was threatening to tell everyone I was gay but so what?? Why do I care what people think?!

Todd then externalizes his thoughts, "Jeez, you are such a damn wimp, Todd. Why don’t you just come clean with it?" Todd picks up his dirty plate and places it in the sink among the other dishes.

            He washes his hands and carries the phone into the living room. He sits on the couch. Now Elliot, he was an amazing guy. He had everything-- good looks, killer personality, and he was just plain cool all around. He stares at the phone’s number keys before dialing. He then wonders if it will be a bad idea. What if he’s moved on? I know he’s moved on. It’s been over a year ago. However, his fingers get a life of their own as they recall each digit with ease.

            One ring, two rings--"Hello?" It’s Elliot’s ever-so-familiar voice.

            Todd’s heart races, "Hi."

            "Who is this?"

            Todd swallows real hard. Maybe I should just tell him I got the wrong number and forget I ever did this.

            He never listens to his thought, "It’s me, Todd."

            "Todd? Oh, Todd! Wow. It’s just been so long. So why are you calling after all of this time?"
            Good question. Todd didn’t even consider this before making the rash decision to call Elliot. Was there even a concrete reason?

            "I wanted to talk to you. You know, see what you’ve been doing." Todd’s hands feel sweaty.

            "Well, at the moment I am having a kick-ass New Years party with all of my friends. Truthfully, I’m just shocked to hear from you. I thought I’d never hear your voice again."

 Suddenly Todd hears a scream coming from the background. "WHO’S ON THE PHONE? Tell them to hang up! COME AND PARTY, ELLIOT!"

            Todd knows that this is his queue to say goodbye. "Look, Elliot. I’ll just call another time. I’m sorry to interrupt your fun time."

            There is a slight pause at the other end. "Todd, this is all coming as a big surprise. I’m not quite sure why you are calling in the first place."

            "OK, I get it. You don’t want me to call again. OK. I can take a point. Well see you—"

            "—Wait, Todd! Don’t hang up. Jeez, you can be so damn stubborn sometimes. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you. It’s just I am taken aback. Don’t you understand? Also, I’ve been seeing someone for a while now. After we broke up, I—"

            "—Elliot, there’s something I have to get to. I’m sorry for interrupting your big New Years bash. See ya."

            "Ok. See ya later. Call back sometime so we can talk things out." Elliot’s tone sounds sincere.

            Todd gently states, "Goodbye"

He drops the phone to his side. What the hell is wrong with you? Of course Elliot has moved on. He doesn’t want anything to do with you.Suddenly he feels his body surging with emotions. No matter how hard he tries to hold them back, he feels tears coming full force. You’re never going to find someone else. Just face it…

"You’re hiding something from me and I want you to tell me what the hell it is!" Screams a skimpily-dressed Gabrielle Kane to Creg Jackson .She stands above Creg-- who is lying on the bed, wearing a perturbed look.

            "What makes you think I’m mad about something? Do you have a secret to hide?" Creg questions in a biting tone as he clenches his fist together.

            "What are you talking about? I never said you were mad about something, I asked if you were hiding something from me. Now what is it?" She crosses her arms. "You are definitely not getting any until you tell me what the heck it is."
            Creg’s mind flashes back to the phone call with his detective:

            Creg swallows hard and gets tense with anger. "That bitch."

            "There is nothing I am hiding from you! Now get in bed before I have to drag you in it!" Creg is not subtle with his demands. He’s very used to getting what he wants and having Gabi is exactly what he wants at the moment.

            "I don’t believe you. I know you are lying to me. You have been making comments here and there and acting like there’s some big secret you can’t tell me." Gabi states bitterly, arms still crossed.

            Just shut up! Isn’t it enough that you stole my damn money? No, I’m not telling you what I know. That would be way too damn easy. I know that you stealing that money has something to do with Todd. I’m going to find out all the dirt I can on that idiot and then I’ll get my revenge. Fuck being a good guy. I can’t stand it! Thinks Creg as his eyes flare with anger, "I’ll say this one more time, get in the damn bed!"

            Gabi pauses with a face of complete defiance. Her look suddenly grows different and she slowly crawls into bed, "You better be telling the truth. I’m not in the mood for lies."

            This makes Creg laugh on the inside. SHE’S sick of lies???!! Could it be any more laughable?!

            "Well the Ball is just as fun as it always is. Every year I know I am going to have a great time." Tara says as she dances along to the beat of a dance song that she can’t place the name or artist to. Melissa , Tom , and Derek are jamming along with them.

"Yeah, they always play some great dance music. Though they have no idea what true techno is. I used to go to a lot of dance clubs that played some damn good dance music." says Derek.

            "I never went to any dance club besides The Hangout but I guess I’ll take your word on it." Melissa enthusiastically responds as she playfully dances against Tara as the beat of the song goes on.

            "Could I get anyone some punch to fuel their energy?" questions Derek as he wipes his sweaty forehead.

            "Sure, grab me one Derek." Tara says.

            "Me, too." This is Melissa.

            Tom decides to join Derek to get the drinks and they head into the direction of the snack and punch table.

            Before Melissa and Tara get back into the groove of the music, Tara asks Melissa, "So do you think you’ve put the past behind you? Have you forgotten about that Mason and what he did to you?"

            Melissa pauses and then answers, "Tonight I’m just trying to keep that as the last thought I think. There is no need to relive the past so I’m trying my hardest to forget about it. It’s been causing too many arguments between me and Tom lately."

            "I understand that totally. You just want to forget about it. That’s what you should do. Just focus on your marriage and little Philip. He’s becoming such a big boy."

            "Yeah, Philip is so cute. It makes me so happy to know that Tom and I brought such a wonderful spirit into the world, you know? And you and Derek got baby Maci. Maci may not be your daughter by blood but I can see that you act as the proud mother of her."

            "Yeah at first it was hard to accept that it was Carly and Derek’s child but it didn’t take long for me to totally fall in love with  that baby and I didn’t care about who was her mother by blood. I owe it to Maci to act as her mother. God knows her real one can’t take care of her." Tara says sincerely.

            Derek and Tom interrupt their conversations by serving the drinks. "Here you go, ladies." Says Derek before giving Tara the punch and a quick kiss.

            Both Melissa and Tara look into the eyes of their men and realize how lucky they were to find such great people to share their life with. The men think that same thing as they look at their women.

            The two couples are too intent on looking at each other that they don’t notice the man staring from the distance. With a nod of his head, Mason motions to man inside that it is time to fire his shots and put his plan into action.

            The sidekick goes into a dark spot near the restrooms and pulls out his cell phone, "So are you ready for me to do this?"

"Blow his brains out." He hangs up the phone and gazes back to the spot where Tom, Melissa, Derek, and Tara are standing. He gazes on as his sidekick walks into the darkness and blends in. The assailant’s hand moves into the pocket of his jeans to pull out his 9 MM. He raises the small gun and makes his aim--straight towards Tom’s chest.

            He pulls the trigger and a big boom reverberates in the building. After that, screams ensue the ballroom and Tom drops to the ground leaving splatters of blood below him…

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