It's Friday - the day before Valentine's Day. Emily and Sarah are in
the mall, engaging in their all-favorite pastime - shopping. Sarah,
who is depressed because she and Nikolas won't be spending
Valentine's Day together, decides to be a sport and help Emily out with her date with Lucky.
"It is NOT a date", Emily says defiantly. "We're just friends and
we're spending Valentine's Day together because both of us are so pathetically lonely that we're trying to help each other out, you know...to keep each other company, that's ALL!"
Sarah smirks at Emily, watching her pitiful attempt at being upset.
"I'm sorry, Emily, it slipped. But an outing with two people who like
each other a lot and for which one of those said persons goes out
shopping for the past three hours for a certain "one dress"...I'm
sorry, but I call that a DATE!" They both look at each other and
burst out laughing.
Emily says, "Sarah, you can see right through me, I hope I'm not that
transparent around everyone else, especially Lucky".
Sarah looks at Emily, confused. "But why wouldn't you want Lucky to
know you're interested? I thought since you two were so close, it
wouldn't be that hard to admit?"
"That's just it", Emily says, "it's even harder to admit that, after
all this time, I feel different about him."
"You're really crazy about him, aren't you?" Sarah asks with a grin.
"Gosh, am I that obvious?" Emily asks, horrified.
Sarah reassures her. "Look, there's nothing wrong with falling for
your best friend. It happens all the time. Look, Em, don't feel so
weird about it. Just be yourself and I know it will all work out.
Remember, Lucky already likes you as a person and a best friend. It
wouldn't be hard for him to fall for you..."
"Oh, I don't know if that'll happen, Sarah" Emily says with a bit of
concern. "I was wondering a little earlier, you know...Lucky asked me
out since last week, but when we're around any of our friends, he
never mentions it. Do you think..."Emily lets her thoughts trail off.
"Think what, Em?" Sarah asks.
Emily continues. "...Do you think that Lucky is, well...embarrassed to
let anyone know that he's taking me out for Valentine's Day? I mean,
maybe he doesn't want anyone to get the wrong idea and think we're a
couple or anything..."
Sarah interrupts her. "Emily, you're really fantasizing here. What
makes you think Lucky would do something like that? Everyone sees you
two together all the time. What's the big deal now?"
"The big deal now is that he asked me out!" Emily says. "I mean, it's
different when it's your "best friend" who's an ex-alki and drug user,
friends', I...I don't know..."
Sarah shakes her head, "No, I don't think so Emily. I know Lucky...YOU
know Lucky. He would never do anything like that, he's not that
shallow."
"I hope not", Emily says, worried.
"Look, Em...don't worry so much, the last thing you need to do is
Emily a little more relaxed. "Sarah, I'm so glad you decided to come
shopping with me, I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know what
possessed me to wait 'til the last minute."
Sarah smiles. "Sure it's fine with me, it's not like I have any
preparations for tomorrow."
Emily sees Sarah's sorrowful expression. "I'm so sorry, Sarah, I wish
there was something I could do."
Sarah, trying to not spoil the mood, replies, "Oh, that's okay, you've
already tried to help as much as you could. Hey, this dress is
pretty..." Emily notices Sarah's feeble attempt at changing the
subject, but decides not to push the issue.
Just then, Emily turns to see the perfect dress, she walks over and
picks it up. It is a simple white angora dress, with long soft
sleeves and fitted bodice, which flows out into a beautiful
full-length skirt.
Sarah comes over as Emily is holding the dress up to herself. "Oh,
Em...that's gorgeous!"
Emily runs to the nearest mirror to get a better look. Lois' words
echo in her head again, "A simple white dress..."
"Yeah," Emily smiles to herself, "this is perfect!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lizzy stands outside of Wyndemere. She braces herself for what she is
about to do. She takes a deep breath and rings the bell.
Stefan and Katherine are in the sitting room, watching Nikolas as he
sits playing chess alone, brooding.
"I wish I could help him, he looks so alone." Katherine states,
turning to Stefan. "Is there anything that can be done? He's been like
this for way too long."
Stefan replies. "Katherine, I understand your concern, but Nikolas
refuses to seek any help. But you are right, it can't be good -
physically or emotionally - for him to be so bottled up." Stefan turns
as Lizzy storms into the room, followed by a frazzled Mrs. Landsbury.
"I'm sorry, Sir", Mrs. Landsbury says, "but she just barged in past
me, I tried to stop her..."
Stefan cuts her off, "That's quite alright, Mrs. Landsbury, I'll
handle this from here on".
Mrs. Landsbury casts Lizzy one last look and turns to leave. Lizzy
sees the look of reproach on Stefan's face and decides to make this
quick.
Lizzy starts in on Stefan. "Look, I'm not here to start any trouble, I
just want to talk to Nikolas for two minutes." Lizzy turns to Nikolas.
"Hey, Nikki what's up?"
Nikolas smiles in response, but before Lizzy could go on, Stefan cuts
in.
"Nikky? Are you referring to Nikolas? It would be most appreciated if
you would address Nikolas by his "full" name..."
Lizzy, looking at Stefan , replies. "I always call him Nikky, he's
never said anything about it. And if I'm not mistaken, he didn't
protest just now either."
Katherine, figuring she should break up this little mishap, walks
over to Stefan, putting her hand on his arm. "Stefan, that's what the
kids call him at school, it's just an endearing term..."
"Emily Quartermaine does not call him Nikky!" Stefan cuts Katherine
off.
Excuse me, Lizzy cuts in, "but I'm not Emily, okay?" Nor would I want
to be. She says to herself. She turns back to Nikolas. "Now as I was
saying before I was so rudely interrupted..." She turns to look at
Stefan and Katherine.
"Is there a possibility that 'Nikolas' and I could have some privacy?
I mean, if it's not too much trouble?
Stefan makes no move to leave. Katherine looks at Lizzy and speaks for
the both of them. "I think we should ask Nikolas if he wants us to
leave..."
Lizzy cuts Katherine off. "Look, whatever, I can say what I have to
say regardless." She turns back to Nikolas. "Listen, Nikky..." she
looks at Stefan and decides to correct herself. "...I mean, Ni-ko-las,
I know you've been through hell and back in the last few months and I
can really understand your position, but I think what you're doing to
Sarah is not right". Nikolas stands, with anger in his eyes, Lizzy
speaks before he can throw her out. "Just let me explain, okay?" He
sits. "Thank you," Lizzy says. "I didn't mean to come off like that, I
just know that you and Sarah, as sick as you two make me, you two love
each other and I think this treatment of Sarah has to stop!"
Stefan, deciding that "he's" heard enough, walks over to Lizzy. "How
dare you come into my home and berate my nephew? I do not think it is
your place..."
Lizzy angrily interrupts. "...and I don't think it's any of your
business!" Stefan looks appalled at her boldness. Lizzy decides she'd
better continue if she's going to make her point. "Look, all of you, I
just wanted to let Nikolas know that Sarah is sitting at home pinning
away for him while he's sitting here not knowing whether he wants to
even get therapy or not." Nikolas shoots her a glanre, Lizzy doesn't
back down. "Well, you can't expect to get better on your own, and
you're definitely not going to get better being cooped up in here!
Look, Nikolas, just do me this favor, okay? If you still love Sarah,
then please be man enough to let her know. If not, then let her go.
But you can't leave her waiting in the wings like this, it's not fair!
Do you know what Sarah is going to be doing for Valentine's Day
tomorrow? She's going to be home, instead of going out and enjoying
herself".
Lizzy stops, giving the guilt a chance to sink into Nikolas. As she
sees it's working, she continues. "Oh, and that's not it! Do you know
how many guys have asked Sarah out for Valentine's Day?" Nikolas looks
worried, Lizzy knows she has him where she wants him now. "Yeah,
that's right., Mr. Loverboy. You've been 'Missing in Action' so all
the other guys feel they have a shot at her. But you know what? She
turned them all down!. Why, you ask? Because she still has this silly
notion that you, even though you have a strange way of showing it, may
still be in love with her...and she still loves you, for some odd
reason. So listen, you'd better figure out what it is you want, don't
leave her out on a limb like this Nikolas, it's not right."
Seeing the sorrow in his eyes, she's wondering if she went too far.
Walking over closer to him so that Katherine and Stefan cannot hear
her, she whispers to him. "Nikolas, don't think I came over here to
hurt you. I didn't. I know it may seem unbelievable to hear me saying
this but, I can't take seeing Sarah hurt any more. I know I can't
stand her, but she's still my sister and I care about her. And believe
it or not, I care about you. Don't ruin the best thing you've ever
had," she eyes the chess game he was playing, she jumps the knight
with the king . Marveling at her move, Nikolas looks up at her, she
hands him the knight chess piece. "It's time to make your move,
Nikolas." With that, Lizzy turns and, walking up to Stefan, she
announces, "NOW I'm leaving!" Lizzy turns and walks out of Wyndemere
without so much as a backward glance.
Nikolas stands to leave, Stefan blocks him off. "Nikolas, apparently
Ms. Webber's visit has upset you. Understand that you don't have to
listen to anything she has said, you are very aware and capable of
making your own decisions..."
"STOP!" Nikolas screams. Not wanting to trust his speech any further,
he storms out of the room and upstairs.
Katherine comes over to Stefan to console him. "He'll be alright,
Stefan. Trust him, he'll make the right decision...his OWN decision."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emily and Sarah are leaving the fifteenth store they've been to,
weighed down with bags.
"Hey, you wanna stop and get something to eat before we leave?" Emily
asks.
"Oh please, yes..." Sarah replies, as she places her hand over her
forehead in distress, "I think I'm dying of starvation! "I've never
seen someone go in for one dress and end up with ten shopping bags."
"Well, you know, when you say you're shopping for a dress, you know
you need..."
"Fifty million other things to go with it!" Sarah chides in Just then
Sarah spots Lucky near the stairs with a few of his friends.
"Oh Emily, Sarah quips, "do you remember you said you wanted to know
if Lucky was trying to hide your date from his friends?"
Emily replies, "Yeah, so?"
"Well, I think you'll have a chance to find out right now" Sarah says
as she points out Lucky. "And don't say we're not going that way, the
food courts are downstairs, come on!"
"Sarah no," Emily whispers, "I don't want to put him on the spot. He's
with "the guys", he's not going to mention anything now for sure!"
"Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?" Sarah says as she pulls
Emily by the arm. "Come on!"
Emily follows Sarah reluctantly, making a mental note to remember to
kill Sarah as soon as they get downstairs. They approach Lucky and his
friends.
"Hey," Sarah says "What's up, Lucky? Hey guys"
They all exchange greetings. Lucky eyes Emily. "Hey, Em," he says,
grinning nervously, "How's it goin'?"
Emily looks at Lucky and, for the first time, she notices just how
incredibly gorgeous he is. She makes her observation, taking in his
deep blue eyes, his cute little nose, his full beautiful lips that
curled upward ever so slightly when he smiled at her...
"Em..." Lucky squints his eyes at her, puzzled, jokingly, "hey, are ya
with us?"
"He's so gorgeous..." Emily, then coming out of her trance, replies.
"Oh, hey Lucky, what's up?"
Sarah, noticing that Emily is verbally useless, takes over the
conversation. "So, what are you guys up to, just hanging around?"
"Yeah, we were just hanging out." Lucky replies. "I was actually just
on my way to my Dad's club. What are you guys here for, or need I
ask?" He eyes the bags suspiciously. "Whatcha got in there?" He
attempts to peek in the bags.
Emily snatches the bags back, almost brutally. "No!" she shrieks. When
she realizes the looks on everyone's faces, including Sarah's, she
decides she'd better bring it down a notch. Attempting to laugh it
off, Emily replies, "Never search a woman's bag, you'll never know
what you'll find."
Lucky looks at her, wondering what the strangeness is about, then
shrugging it off, he backs away with his hands raised in defeat.
"Okay, have it your way."
Sarah, realizing she has to come to the rescue again, pounces in the
conversation. "Hey, Em, we'd better get going..."
Emily, embarrassed beyond belief, wished she could just run into a
wall head first. She replies, "Yeah, we should go..." Emily stands
there, as if waiting for something. When Lucky makes no further
attempt at conversation, Emily, feigning cheer, smiles and says,
"Well, bye guys!" She turns to Lucky, trying to read his mind but
failing miserably, " See ya, Lucky!"
As Emily and Sarah are walking away, Lucky calls out, "Hey, Em?"
Emily turns around, "Yeah?"
Lucky, not wanting to look like a punk in front of his friends but
deciding this was worth it, calls out, "Do you remember what time I'm
picking you up tomorrow...you know, for our...you know, get-together?"
'I guess he's refusing to call it a date, too...' Emily thinks to
herself. She calls out with a smile, "7:30pm Sharp! I didn't forget."
Lucky smiles back, showing a little more tenderness than intended.
"Don't keep me waiting..."
Emily, noticing, responds, almost in a whisper. "I'll be ready." She
turns, following Sarah down the stairs.
Sarah turns to Emily when they're out of Lucky's sight. "It may just
be my imagination, but Lucky is just as spaced out as you over this
date - oh, excuse me - I mean "non-date"!
' I sure hope so...' Emily smiles as she thinks to herself.
Lucky stands there, in a haze with a half-grin spread across his face,
wondering when did Emily suddenly get so pretty. Lucky turns back to
his friends, puzzled by their stares. "What?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dara is back in from shopping. She's picked up a dress from Wyndam's.
'This is really going outside of my budget' Dara thought to herself
as she slipped the red dress from the department store shopping bag.
She smiled as the soft velvet draped itself over her soft curves.
She never thought she would have this opportunity again. Justus was
always so distant, so unsure of what he wanted. Well, in the past few
weeks he's been showing just what he wanted. The thought of a real
relationship made Dara jittery inside...the thought of a real
relationship with Justus made Dara down right giggly. 'You're acting
like a school girl' she scolded herself.
"Oh, so what?" She said out loud. Realizing she was talking out loud to
herself made her laugh. As she continued to admire the dress, the
phone rings.
She picks up the phone cheerily, "Hello?"
"Hi there!" Justus calls back. "Whatcha doing?"
Dara smiles into the telephone. "I was just about to try on my new
dress..."
"Ummm..." Justus teases. "Would you like some help?"
Dara laughs. "No, I've been dressing myself for years, I think I can
handle it."
"Oh, well...", Justus sighs. "I was just trying to be helpful, and
nosey."
"Well, you'll just have to wait until tomorrow night." Dara flirts.
"Oh," Justus replies. "You mean, you went shopping for our date
tomorrow night? I'm flattered."
"Well, actually...I'm really looking forward to it, Justus." Dara had,
in the past, tried to hide her true feelings for Justus, but since
getting another chance at a relationship, she figured why not let him
know how she really felt.
Justus, not believing that the stars are shining in his favor,
whispers in the phone, "So am I, Dara. I'm counting the hours..."
The sound of Justus' voice sent chills down her spine. "I'll be
waiting..." she says.
"7:00pm tomorrow night." Justus replies. " Bye, Dara..."
"Bye, Justus." Dara says, and hangs up. She looks at her dress again.
"Yes, tomorrow night..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~