brandon and lauren are dancing. "are you sure i shouldn't go find mellisa?" lauren asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. "lauren, i know you only want to help, but i think she needs to space and some time to think, okay?" brandon said. "i feel bad, brandon. i know she's hurting right now and she needs someone to be with her. trust me," lauren said. she stopped dancing and gave him a kiss before turning on her heel to find mellisa. she found her in the kitchen, crying on the counter. "mellisa, are you okay?" lauren asked pulling herself up beside her. "no," mellisa said, a whole new round of tears spilling over. "what happened, mellisa?" lauren asked rubbing her shoulders. "i don't know. i was just dancing and then brian came up and he was drunk and he tried to kiss me and stuff and i just didn't want to, but he wouldn't stop. jerrett pushed him away and i followed him into here and he said how i always play.. th-the victim and that i hurt him and now he's going to show me what it's like," mellisa said. "i'm so sorry, mellisa. i can't believe he would say that to you." "i can't either. lauren, i love him." mellisa felt tears welling up but she pushed them back. "he loves you too, baby girl, okay? i swear he does. he's just being a drunk idiot. i'm gonna beat him up," lauren said. mellisa smiled, "the thing is, i really think he feels that way. i just think that normally he's not brave enough to say it." lauren shook her head, "brian loves you, mellisa. if there is one thing in this world i know it's that he loves you." "that doesn't mean he can't get mad at me and get so angry with me that he won't be able to forgive me," mellisa said, tearing spilling over this time. "mellisa, brian's a strong man. you may have hurt him, but if you do everything you can to not hurt him anymore, he's gonna forgive you. he loves you too much to just let you go," lauren said. "what if he's sick of fighting for me? the last three years he's had to constantly fight to be the one i'm with and maybe he's sick of it. i can't believe i put him through all of this. i've hurt him so bad, lauren. now i just want to be with him and he's giving up on me." "well, maybe it's your turn to fight," lauren said. "i'm not as strong as him, lauren. i can't do this all the time," mellisa said. lauren grabbed mellisa's hand, "you're the strongest girl i know and you can do this, okay? you've just got to show him how much you care. it may take a while for him to come around, but just remember it took you three years to come around and he never gave up on you. don't give up on him, mellisa," lauren said. "you don't think it'll be three years, do you?" mellisa asked smiling. lauren laughed, "no. he can't resist you that long." mellisa smiled, "thanks, lauren." "that's what i'm here for," lauren said.