"No, Nic, I’m not going to slap you, honest," Nicole seemed to relax. Lily held up her Walkman. "Good song," she said. Nic shrugged.

"I thought so," she agreed.

"Doesn’t strike me as your type of music though," Lily said as they started to walk the grounds. Lily had to admit the grounds of the mansion were beautiful, immaculate even. But not homey, it was obviously for show, not for children to play in. Lily wondered how lonely and sad Nic’s childhood was.

"I listen to whatever sounds good," Nic responded.

"Is that how you really feel, the song, I mean?"

"Yeah, trapped sometimes, like Superman is in his part. I was hoping you’d understand what I was trying to say," Nicole explained. Lily nodded.

"I did. I’m sorry you feel that way," Lily apologized. Nic shrugged.

"Don’t be, you didn’t put me there. I did, my family did. Anyway, so, what do you want to talk about, besides the song I mean?" she asked although she knew the answer.

"Why did you kiss me?" Lily asked point blank. (Gotta love the girl’s bluntness) Nicole thought with a smile.

"Because I like you," Nicole responded just as directly. (Why lie?) Lily stopped in her tracks.

"You like me?" she asked in shock. Nicole stopped walking as well and faced the stunned brunette.

"Yes, why does that shock you? That I have emotions at all or that they’re directed at you?"

"Both," Lily answered honestly. Nic nodded. (OK, that was expected) Nic thought.

"Well, I have emotions, I’ve just been very well trained on how to hide them deep inside. If no one knows you have them then no one can hurt you with them," she explained to the still stunned Latina. "And I have felt something for you for a long time I just didn’t know what to do with it."

"Why now? Why now when you know I have feelings for Sam?" Lily asked quietly. Nicole shrugged.

"I’m tired of playing my part, Lily. And I know you care for Sam and I know I can never BE Sam. Not that I want to," she trailed off about to insult Sam out of habit but caught the dirty look from her companion and thought better of it.