"I'm going to do it."

Nichole has the look of determination on her face, and there's the sound of it in her voice as well. She means what she says, at least for real this time.

"I'm going to ask him if he wants to be with me. Exclusively."

"It's about damn time!" Alicia laughs over the phone. "You stress out enough running your business. There's no need for you to stress out over your love life as well."

"You're right. I shouldn't have dragged things out for this long, but I just..." Nichole sighs, her hands gripping the steering wheel just a little tighter. "It was so nice in the beginning, what Ademar and I had... what we have. There were no rules. We had fun and did whatever we wanted, but now we're going on three months of seeing each other and I honestly don't feel like we're 'keeping it casual' anymore. Things are gradually changing between us, emotionally, and I know he feels it too."

"Which is why it's better that one of you step up and just ask the damn question already: what are we? Otherwise, you two are gonna continue tiptoeing around each other until the shit hits the fan and Ademar finds out about Taehyun or vice versa."

"Shit. I don't even what the fuck I'm going to do about Taehyun," Nichole replies. "When I finally tell Ademar how I feel, and if he tells me that he's down to be in a relationship with me, then I'm basically fucked with Taehyun. I don't want to gain Ademar only to turn around and lose Taehyun."

"Who do you like more?"

Nichole rolls her eyes at the question. "It's not as simple as that. The feelings that I have for both of them are... fuck, this whole thing is just way too complicated."

"And yet you're on your way to Ademar's place to ask him out instead of Taehyun," Alicia says. "There goes your answer right there."

"No. Even though I met Ademar first, it doesn't mean that my feelings for Taehyun aren't as strong," Nichole says. "But at the same time, I can't just blurt out the question—so how do you feel about being in a three-way relationship to either of them because, what the fuck, ya know? I'm not even sure if I could personally handle something like that."

"Well, it's like what Bonnie said in the group chat. You'll never know until you ask."

Nichole eventually ends the call after making it to Ademar's condo. She removes her phone from the cell phone mount on the dashboard – because safety first – and then exits the car. In no rush, she takes her time getting to Ademar's place because she's going over the speech in her head for what she wants to say to him when they're face to face.

This is a big moment for Nichole, asking someone out, because she hasn't felt like or thought about being tied down with someone ever since she left her crazy ex. In truth, Nichole thought she'd never be able to settle down with anyone after Kade, after he'd left her so broken and emotionally fragile. But then she met Ademar. And later on, she met Taehyun.

Ademar is the match that set her heart ablaze when it came to her wanting more out of the fling that began between them; Taehyun is the fan that continually fans the flames, preventing them from completely dying out. Nichole's heart is being torn in two because of the decision that needs to be made today. A decision that is long overdue.

Who should she choose if both isn't an option?

This is such high school shit. The fuck was I thinking trying to mess around with two men at once? This was bound to end badly... Nichole's mind races as she exits the elevator. Her attention is on her phone as she texts Ademar, notifying him of her arrival. It's no shocker that she ends up bumping into someone on the way to Ademar's door.

"Shit!" Nichole exclaims after dropping her phone. She hurriedly bends down to pick it up. "I'm so sorry. I should have been looking where I was goi..." Her words trail off after she looks up to see who it is that she bumped into. She immediately jumps to her feet upon recognizing his face. "T-Taehyun! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Me? What are you doing here?"

They stare at each other, both looking slightly panicked but mostly confused. As many times as Nichole has been over here to see Ademar, sometimes during the day and sometimes late at night, not once has she ever bumped into Taehyun. She isn't sure why this is happening, but she's not leaving without answers. Neither is Taehyun.

"I'm just here to... visit a friend," Nichole answers, and it's partly true. Ademar can be considered a friend. "Now your turn. Why are you here?"

"I live here." Taehyun chuckles, rubbing at the back of his neck with one hand; a nervous gesture. "I was on my way to check the mail downstairs when you bumped into me, or when we bumped into each other." He brings his other hand up to show off the cell phone he'd been holding. "I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going either."

"Ah, these damn phones. Such a distraction, right?" Nichole forces a smile. She's falling apart on the inside and she hopes to God that Taehyun doesn't notice. If Ademar were to come out and see her right now, and if Taehyun were to see her and Ademar together... maybe this is the moment when everything is set to blow up in her face. Sure as hell feels like it. "A-Anyway, I better get going. Don't wanna keep my friend waiting. I'll talk to you later?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Taehyun steps aside to let her pass and she practically runs down the hall. Taehyun looks down again and finds himself yelling for her seconds later because Nichole forgot to pick up her car keys that had fallen along with her phone. "Hey, Nichole! You forgot..." Taehyun watches as Nichole stops in front of Ademar's door. He answers on the second knock. He then pulls her in for a hug and a kiss; the type of kiss that friends don't typically exchange. "...your keys."

Ademar pulls her inside and shuts the door.

Taehyun feels his spirit shatter at the same time.

"Fuck, this is going to be awkward," Taehyun mutters while walking to Ademar's door. He sighs heavily before knocking. Ademar doesn't take long to answer. "Hey. Nichole forgot her keys."

"Oh... how might you know Nichole?"

"I really think you should ask her instead, Ademar." Taehyun glances over to the side, Nichole having popped into the frame to see why her name is being mentioned. She gasps upon seeing Taehyun. "You dropped your keys when you dropped your phone." He tosses them to her. "I'll be on my way now."

"Not so fast, Tae-Tae!" Ademar grabs Taehyun by the hand and pulls him into the apartment. He crosses his arms and then looks between him and Nichole. "How do you two know each other?"

Nichole stares at Taehyun and Ademar with a dumbfounded expression. "N-no, no, no! How the hell do you two know each other? Are you like... friends or something?"

"Or something," Ademar smirks, looking over at Taehyun fondly. "We used to be more than friends three months into my living here. Those were fun times weren't they, Tae-Tae?"

"Oh my God..." Taehyun groans, hiding his face with his hands. "I can't believe this is happening right now."

Nichole can do nothing but laugh, more so in shock rather than finding this moment humorous. "I think the three of us need to sit down and have a little chat."

Nichole has a lot of explaining to do, and so do her two lovers who obviously have a history with each other.