Thanks to Nick O. for the help :)
Leah glanced at Nick nervously as he stood at the counter, next to her, handing the cashier his credit card. She was so nervous, she could hardly believe she'd kept her breakfast down, so far. It wasn't only that she was standing in the presence of her favorite celebrity, that she was so close to her favorite man on the face of the earth... but what made it so terrifying was the fact that she was keeping a huge secret from him... one that if he found out, she'd be dead... or so she thought. In reality, while she was fearing that Nick would somehow discover her age, Nick was trying to think of ways to catch her in her lie... all in good fun, of course. He didn't know how to just come out and tell her that he'd known all along - that would just embarrass her all the more.
Nick smiled over at Leah as he retrieved his Visa from the young cashier. Leah was twiddling her fingers in front of herself as her eyes roamed the large fun-plex. His eyes twinkled in adoration for the younger girl... she was so cute, and seemed so sweet and polite. She'd make a good friend; Nick knew that already. Friend. A friend. He sighed.
This sucks, he thought, before deciding he should forget that fact and just have fun with her for the day.
"So what should we do first, Leah?" he noticed her blush as he said her name. He loved doing that to girls, and Leah made it all the more fun.
"Umm... I'm not sure..." Leah kept her eyes anywhere but on him.
This isn't me, Leah thought, wanting to scream that at him.
This wasn't her at all... It wasn't just that he thought she was 18 or 19 or so, when in reality she was 15... but she wasn't so quiet, so shy. She was actually a very outgoing, fun person, and she was acting as though she weren't!
Who says 18 year olds have to be shy? she thought, before turning to him and perking up.
Leah was about to suggest the go-carts or some arcade games, when she noticed Nick's eyes were glued to something across the room. Her eyes followed his gaze and came to rest on a movie showing that was not for people under 18. She'd never gone in it, of course, because she was 15, and she really didn't have the longing to do so anyway. Suddenly her stomach tightened in dread. Nick was going to take her.
Nick's wheels were turning inside his head. Not for people under 18. This was perfect... maybe they'd card her and she'd have to show ID, if she even had any, and that would prove she was 15! Then he could just act like he hadn't known in the first place, tell her it was okay with him and that they could still hang out, and all would be well!
"Hey, um, Leah... you ever been in there?" Nick cocked his head back towards the little booth, his eyes gleaming with mischief. This almost seemed too easy. Yet, kind of cruel.
Leah gulped. "No... I always thought it was inappropriate," she gave him a cocky smirk, her eyebrow raising slightly.
Okay, Leah, just make the guy feel bad and maybe he won't want to go in there anymore! she thought silently, though the gleam in his eyes only increased. Had she turned him on or something?! Oh, this is just great... Nice going, Lee. She stopped mentally bashing herself when she felt Nick's hand grip around her arm gently and pull her towards the booth.
Distraction, distraction! her brain screamed, and then she saw the gum-ball machine.
"Wait!" she pulled from Nick's grasp and reached into her purse to get her wallet out. "Gum... I need... gum."
She practically laughed at herself, Pathetic, absolutely pathetic.
Nick smirked, and then caught sight of the ID card, or maybe it was a driver's permit, but either way it was in a plastic slot on the outside of her wallet. Perfect. He watched her as she got a quarter and ended up with a blue gum-ball bigger than Texas, and when she realized she couldn't fit the whole thing in her mouth she bit off half and handed the other half to Nick.
Nick laughed as he received her gift and popped it into his mouth. "Ready now, Leah?"
Leah wanted to smack him for the look in his eyes, but before she could even think straight again, Nick was dragging her back towards the booth. He stopped at the worker standing in front of it and pulled out his driver's license. Nick noticed Leah had frozen next to him, and he figured she didn't even remember the fact that her wallet, with her ID card out there for the world to see, was still resting in her hands.
"You gonna let them card you, Leah?" Nick joked, looking over at her. He noticed her wide eyes and suddenly felt terrible about himself, but what could he do? Somehow he had to let her know that he knew her real age. Okay, but now, as he thought about it, as it was all actually happening, this situation suddenly seemed more embarrassing. Her getting carded, the worker standing there, telling them she was 15. How stupid.
How stupid can you be, Carter?! his mind screamed, but suddenly he realized Leah was saying something to him.
"...don't have my driver's license with me," was all he caught of her sentence, but it was enough.
Nick gulped.
Finish your plan, Carter.
"Um... I think it's right there, girl," he pointed to her wallet and Leah blushed as she turned her wallet over in her hands and gazed down at it.
Leah could feel her heart pumping oddly and her stomach churning. Was she going to throw up after all? Great, puke on Nick Carter... just great. She gulped as she felt tears form in her eyes, and slowly pulled her ID card out of the plastic slot. There was no way she was handing it to the fun-plex worker. It was all over anyway, wasn't it? She simply handed her card over to Nick and watched as his eyes scanned it slowly. She saw him gulp and felt like running, like just leaving. How humiliating. She was fifteen. Fifteen!! Here he was, twenty-one, and she was... fifteen. Humiliating.
"C'mmon, Leah," Nick grabbed her hand gently in his, not bothering to give the confused fun-plex worker an explanation, and guided her away from the booth. "C'mmon, let's go on the motion simulator."
They were silent the whole time they were in line and when they got to the front Nick let her pick the course that the ride would go on. They got inside, and the worker locked them in. While Nick buckled his seat belt he prayed Leah wasn't claustrophobic. She was being awfully quiet.
Suddenly Leah whispered quietly, "I'm sorry, Nick." Tears gushed to her eyes again, only this time they fell, without her consent.
"Oh, Leah... Don't cry, please. It's alright, I promise," Nick grabbed her hand in his again, and ran his thumb over her palm in a soothing motion.
She sighed, "I just feel so stupid."
"Please don't. You're not stupid, I promise. I understand, okay? And I'm still gonna hang out with you, 'cause you're cool. I don't care about your age," he smiled over at her, and he couldn't stop his heart from fluttering a bit when she smiled back. "You know, I think I'm gonna cry too."
"Why?" Leah's eyes looked into his with concern.
"'Cause I really wanted to go in that booth," he grinned at her.
Leah laughed, knowing he was just joking around with her. He was going to be a great friend to have. Friend. A friend.
