Alex tore thru her closet trying to find something to wear. She had over a dozen different shirts strung out over her bed. Her sister Jasmine walked in, "Can I use your phone? Jason's on the house one and he won't get off."
"Only if you give me some advice. What should I wear?"
"Wear jeans and a mini-T. It works for everything."
"You're right."
She started to go thru her closet again trying to find a pair of jeans.
"So, can I use your phone?"
"Yeah sure."
Jasmine picked up the phone and made herself comfortable on the bed. If Alex hadn't been so busy she would have done things a little different, like she would have said no. She glanced at the clock she, she had 25 minutes. With that she ran into the bathroom to change and do something with her hair.
at 3 t'll she heard a car, grabbed her bag and ran downstairs. She glanced out the window and told herself to breathe. He was walking up the sidewalk to her front door. He knocked and Alex waited a minute to open as not to seem like she had been waiting. She opened the door, he was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a ball cap.
"Hey, I'm not late am I?"
Alex looked at her watch, "Nope, early in fact."
"Oh good. You ready to go?"
"Yep." With that she followed him to the truck. She expected for him to go around to the driver’s side but he didn't. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. Alex just stood there looking at him.
"You have got to be kidding."
"What?"
"I didn't know guys remembered how to do that."
"You'd be surprised." he said with a evil grin.
Alex climbed in and tried not to scream. This could not be happening she thought. I'm going to wake up any minute, I know it. Nick was in the truck then and Alex told herself to calm down.
"How has your day been?" He asked starting the engine and backing out of her driveway.
"fine."
Their conversation continued on the light side as they drove to the mall. When they had gotten to the mall and Nick parked he said, "Wait just a minute." With that he got out and ran around to her side and opened the door. "You surprised?"
Alex laughed, "very."
"Well, I wouldn't want you to fall on your face. My lil sister tripped one time and took a nose dive."
Alex laughed, "No she didn't."
"Yes, she did."
They walked into the mall. They had only been there for a minute when all of a sudden 4 girls showed up out of no where.
"OMIGOD!! It's Nick Carter!! Can I have your autograph?! asked the short blond one.
Nick gave a weak smile and glanced at Alex. She just smiled at the girl’s excitement.
Nick signed a receipt for the blond one and handed it back, as soon as he handed it back a red haired girl pushed her friend out of the way, "Will you marry me?!?" Alex had been pushed aside but watched the whole thing, now she just looked at Nick
Nick just looked at her, "Well, I don't know how my girlfriend would feel about that." he signed the piece of paper she had handed him, but didn't catch the look on Alex's face. He talked to the girls for a minute before excusing himself. He put his arm around Alex and guided her away from the girls.
"I was hoping I could get thru one day without that happening."
Alex didn't say anything but just nodded. If Nick had known Alex well at all he would know something was wrong, but he was oblivious and continued to talk and look into the store windows. When Alex couldn't take it any longer she asked Nick if they could sit down for a minute.
"Nick, I'm honest, about everything, and I have to ask you because I'm not sure, How would you classify 'us'? I mean are we just friends? A fling? What are we? I heard you tell that girl that you had a girlfriend. If this is coming between you and someone else maybe I should just go home, or maybe I'm just taking this completely the wrong way. Alex sat there with her heart in her eyes and waited for Nick to reply. If he said he had a girlfriend back home she hoped she wouldn't cry, she never cried, but with Nick she had experienced emotions she never had before. If he said they were just friends she would be crushed, but she told herself whatever he said would go. SO, she sat and waited for his reply, and watched the emotions run across his face.
Nick just looked at her for a long time, "Alex..I, well, I don't know myself. I don't have a girlfriend, when I was talking to that girl I was referring to you. When they know you’re with someone they tend to leave you alone..."
Alex took that as almost a slap across the face. She had been relieved that he didn't have a girlfriend, and then hurt that he had just used her.
"...I would really like to be more than friends. I mean when I told that girl that I had a girlfriend was because I was hoping that's what I could..well, refer to you as." Nick sat there and looked at her. He couldn't believe he had just said that, but it was true. He had only met her a few days before, but he couldn't explain how much he liked her, liked being around her, and liked the way she made him smile.
"Are you like asking me to go out with you?"
"Well, yeah. I was going to ask you a little later, but you know 'no time like the present'. So, what do ya think?"
"Well, as much as I really like you Nick.."
Alex watched as Nick looked like someone had slapped him.
"...that I would have to defiantly say...yes."
Nick looked at her for a minute as if it took the words a several seconds to sink in.
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Well, then. Now that we have that all straightened out, let's get some shopping done shall me?"
"Like I'm gonna say no."
They started walking down the mall again, after passing a few stores Alex felt Nick take her hand and lace his fingers with hers. She looked up at him, he looked so cute and she could call him HER BOYFRIEND! Just then her thoughts were scattered by Nick pulling her into a store.
"Hey, they have new beanie babies. I have almost all of these. Hey! I don't have this one! He picked up the ty-dyed bunny."
"You don't? I think it's one of the new ones. I got it like a month ago."
"You buy beanie babies too?"
"Yep."
"I didn't think anyone else my age did that."
"Maybe they don't. I'm not your age remember."
Nick stopped, "How old are you?"
"15."
"15!!" Nick almost screamed in her face
Alex laughed, "No, I'm 18. I told you that."
Nick grabbed his chest, "You about gave me a heart attack."
"Why? What's wrong with 15?"
"It's against the law that's what!"
"Hey, I don't have this one." Alex said picking up the fusa Millennium bear.
"You want it."
"Yeah, I'm gonna get it."
"Let me get it for you."
"No that's okay I got it."
"But, I want to get it for you. It is the Millennium bear after all and our album is named after it."
"I’ll let you get it for me, but you have to let me get you the bunny."
Nick knew he was on the losing side of the argument," Okay, I guess. Man, you sure are stubborn."
"I know, it took you a long time to figure that out. You know what they say 'take's one to call one'."
"Are you calling me stubborn?" Nick asked with a mocking expression
"Yep, you got it."
With that she walked off with the bunny. Nick followed her holding her bear. They paid for the beanies and thanked each other. They continued walking thru the mall. Their next stop : Armani Exchange.
Alex looked thru the racks, "Hey, why don't ya try these on?" She asked holding up a pair of leather pants.
"I don't think so. Well, if you will try this on." He held up a black dress.
"Ahh..no. I hate dresses."
"well, I hate tight leather pants."
"Plleeeaassseeee Nicky." She took a chance using the nickname, but she batted her eyes and smiled.
"Ahh, okay." Nick said defeated
Alex laughed, "sucker."
"but you still have to try on the dress."
"All right, if I have to." She picked up a couple of shirts she wanted to try on and headed into the dressing room.
After a minute she heard Nick, "Are you done yet?"
Alex looked down at the dress, "yeah, I guess."
Alex walked out, "where are you?"
"You really want me to come out there in these?"
"Come on at least open the door."
Nick pushed opened the door and Alex tried to keep a straight face because she had no idea what to expect. She about fell over when she did see him, he looked GOOD
"what's wrong? Do they look that bad?"
"Um, no, they look good...really good."
"So, can I peal them off now?"
"Yep, now I have something to dream about." Alex said with a smile.
Nick looked at her and then noticed the dress, "WOW, you look GREAT."
Alex smiled, "thank you. Now, peal those off, if you can."
"That's what I’m afraid of."
She closed the door and then went back into her dressing room to change.
*******************************************************
"Do you wanna go get something to eat?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Pizza sound good."
"sure."
They walked to the car and Nick helped her put all the bags in the back. He went around and opened her door for her. Alex stopped before getting in, and turned towards him.
"Nick, thank you for today."
Nick looked at her for a minute and then leaned down and kissed her. Alex was surprised at first but then found herself kissing him back. He slipped his arms around her until finally, Alex pulled back and laughed
"you have to let a girl breath."
"Sorry." He still had his arms around her waist and didn't let go, he leaned down and smelled her hair
"your hair smells good."
Alex smiled and tucked it behind her ear. Nick let go of her and helped her into the truck. Alex's head was swimming and she tried to pull herself back to reality. Nick got in and started the engine, and Alex scooted over next to him. He looked at her and grinned
"I’m hungry."
Alex looked at him and then playfully punched him in the arm, "born hungry, stay hungry, die hungry...."
