It was a long drive to the mall, but I didn't mind. I almost got through the whole cd. When I finally got to the mall, though, I noticed that there was alot more vehicles and hundreds of people outside, and a large bus. Shanelle didn't tell me that anything special was going on, so I didn't really think much of it. I pulled into the lot, but it took like fifteen minutes to find a spot. Then I quickly went into the mall, squeezing past tons of people. I was tempted to ask someone what was going on, but I didn't. It wasn't as crowded inside, because it was a huge mall. Then I started shopping. I brought lots of money, and figured I'd splurge and buy lots of stuff for me and my boys today.
*Three Hours Later*
It was almost 5pm when I actually looked at my watch. I couldn't believe I'd been there that long. I still hadn't even gotten to half the mall. That's how big it was. I thought it was little weird that I still hadn't gotten to a music store, I figured the mall would have quite a few. I really wanted to pick up the BSB's new single The Call.
Suddenly I looked up and saw a million, well not quite a million, screaming teenage girls. And, guess what store they were standing outside of? Sam Goody, the music store. I ran right over to see what the comotion was all about. I had no chance at getting in the store, I knew that. So I just tapped a calm-looking girl on the shoulder. She turned around to face me. She looked about 15 or 16-years-old.
"Uh, sorry, can I ask what's going on?" I asked her right away. She grinned.
"You seriously don't know?" she asked back. I shrugged.
"I'm new to Tampa..." I told her. She nodded.
"Oh, well, it's been the topic of conversation for two months now!" she replied.
"What is?" I asked again. I just really wanted to know.
"The Backstreet Boys are here, in the store, doing a meet n' greet. They've been here since noon... I've been here since 9am." she told me.
My smiled faded and I suddenly felt like I was going to faint. How could they be here, just a few feet away from me? I just wanted to scream to the world that I knew Nick Carter. Not just like I met him once before. I've known Nick since I was 13-years-old. He was 15. We were good friends. Both our families lived in Tampa, just down the street from each other. But Nick wasn't home much. No, he was travelling in Europe and Canada. He was a Backstreet Boy, and still is. But no one knew about my Nick in the USA. He wasn't famous here. We continued being "best friends". Well, we pretended to be. But it was just the next year, I was 14, and he was 16, when we started dating. Whenever he came home to Tampa, we never left each other's side. I loved those days. I was barely 16 when I got pregnant, by Nick. He was already 18, and the Backstreet Boys were quite popular in the States by then. He was "presurred" by his other band mates, his family and his management, to leave me, break up with me. So he did. I'm not sure that he wanted to, but he did. I moved back to Sanford, where my family lived, just hours away. My family helped my raise my twins, not their father. Nick has never seen them, and doesn't even know he has two wonderful, adorable twin boys, who look identical to him.
"The Backstreet Boys...?" I managed to get out, as the girl just stared at me.
"Yeah, isn't that awesome!? But they're only staying a little longer, so I might not get to meet them. But I took a few good pictures." she informed me.
"Oh... cool..." I was feeling very sick to my stomach at that point.
"Are you a fan?" she asked me, not leaving me alone.
"A fan?" I asked. "Um, yeah... sort of." I answered her question. No, I wasn't a fan. I was a single mother who would do anything to have a conversation with the man she used to love. The father of her children.
"Cool, so are you going to stay and wait? We might get in soon. It's been my dream to meet them for, like, forever." the girl told me. I forced a smile but replied,
"No, I really shouldn't. I gotta get home, actually."
"Oh..." she began, looking at me like I was crazy. "Ok... see ya, then." she finished.
"Yeah, thanks... see ya." I finished.
Quickly, but not quite running, I turned and took of in the direction of the exit. My mind was racing. I wanted to turn back. I wanted to go see him. But I couldn't. I couldn't give in. I didn't want to make a scene. So I kept walking away.
I got into my car slowly, wondering if I had made the right choice. I started the car, and left the parking lot. As soon as I was just minutes away, I wanted to go back again. But I resisted. I kept driving.
It was just after 6pm when I got home. But I just wanted to go to my room and cry. I wanted to pulled out a magazine and show my sons who their dad really was. I wanted to tell Shanelle my secrets. I went to Shanelle's apartment first. She knew right away something was wrong.
"What?" she asked immediately.
"N-nothing." I replied sadly. I couldn't look in her eyes. She'd know I was lying.
"Are you ok?" she asked again.
"No... not really. I just need to talk... to you." I told her, almost in a whisper.
"Of course..." she replied, hugging me. "Mackenzie!" she screamed to her boyfriend.
"What?" he called back from another room.
"Stay here with the boys, ok? Torrance and I are going to her apartment." Shanelle yelled again.
"Alright." he finished. Shanelle grinned, making me smile.
"Let's go." she replied, grabbing my arm.
She didn't know what was wrong. But she wanted to know. And I wanted to tell her.
