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I walked into my high school, slowly wishing I could be anywhere but here. My first thoughts were to go wait for Laura at our locker we shared. Hurriedly I made my way there. Melissa soon walked up to me. We had started to do a lot since…..
“Oh my gosh!” I gasped as memories from the summer flooded into my head. At times it was so hard to remember that Laura was gone, never to come back.
“How were your holidays?” Melissa questioned. She looked just as tortured as I felt about being back in school.
“They went really good.” I sighed already missing Nick, although I had seen him less then a week ago.
“That’s good.”
“Yeah. How were yours? Hopefully boyfriend’s little sisters were nice to you.”
“Yeah, Scott’s family was nice to me the whole time. Which Carter didn’t like you?”
“BJ, I thought she would since we’re close to the same age.”
“I know. Well, let’s get to class. The bell is about to ring.” She sighed.
I took one last glance behind me, hoping and wishing with all my heart to see Laura run to catch up with me. Just to see her would make school bearable. Nothing had ever been the same the entire year without her. I missed her so much.
“Okay class, we’ll do a lot during this semester. I’m going to issue your textbooks in just a minute.” My calculus teacher said. The only good thing about this last semester was that we got four brand new classes and never had to worry about last semester. But it was still going to be one long torturous school semester.
“Anne, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make it to your show later this month.” Nick apologized.
“What do you mean ‘ you can’t make it’?” I screamed. My school day had been long and stressful. I wasn’t in the mood for anymore bad news.
“I just went to go check the schedule to make sure I could still come and well…..”
“Well what?” I growled getting annoyed by his whining.
“They scheduled an interview and photo shoot for that entire day.” He sighed.
“What if I can’t came to your concert in a little bit later.” I questioned to test his answer.
“I would be disappointed.” He slowly replied, unsure of my mood.
“That’s it?! Not made or ready to cry and scream?”
“No. It’s just one concert.” Nick tried to reason and get himself out of danger.
“So, that’s all you see it as? One concert! I suppose that you see your life as more demanding and important than mine. That is since you can disappoint millions and I don’t posses that special power.”
“This interview and photo shoot is very important.”
“More important then me doing a performance that I’ll only do once? Giving my crown away that I won a year ago!?”
“No! I just can’t make it!”
“You just said it was! You would find a way to come if my life really meant something.”
“Anne! What is wrong with you today?” Nick exclaimed.
“Oh…so now you’re going to blame it all on me! Just like a guy, never able to take responsibilities for his actions.” I muttered.
“Never mind. Something IS wrong with you. Did you have a hard day at school?” Nick tried to comfort.
“Why would you care? You seem to think everything to do with your beloved Backstreet Boys is more important than me.”
“That’s not….”Nick started. But I hung up the phone. Seconds later it started ringing again. I listened as the answering machine picked up.
“Anne please! I know you’re there. Be reasonable! I would come if I could and you are more important then that interview. I just have to go! Sorry baby….I love you.” It clicked off.
“But you promised!” I yelled throwing a pillow from the couch at the now quiet machine. My tears soon flowed down my cheeks. I don’t know what this was making me so upset. Maybe all my stress had just built up and I couldn’t handle it anymore. “What is wrong with me?” I sobbed into the pillow. I was gripping. “Nick can’t help it, yet I think he shouldn’t have promised to begin with!”
“Are you okay?” Melissa asked me the next morning at school.
I didn’t answer. The entire night I had sat up crying, crying because Nick couldn’t come and for me loosing my cool. But my stubborn pride was getting in the way to apologize.
“Anne Johnson, answer me!”
“Why?” I spat back and walked off. This was none of her business, I tired convince myself. It was supposed to justify my rude comment, but it didn’t seem to be helping even the tiniest bit.
“Anne, are you okay?” Melissa asked again when she caught up with me.
“Not really. Just leave me alone!” I begging, yet I really didn’t want her to. I wanted her to beg me to tell her.
“Okay,” she responded.
“That’s all you’re going to say?” I screamed.
“Isn’t that what you want?”
“Yes! No!” I continued to scream. “I don’t know what I want right now.”
“Are you and Nick fighting?”
“Yes. The entire thing is my fault. I blew up at him for something he couldn’t help.” I sighed walking into my calculus class.
“It’ll work out. I know it will!” Melissa started. Her confidence would help me make it through all this. Maybe my stubborn pride would just vanish so I could apologize.
“Thanks Melissa, but I have a feeling it’s not going to be that easy.
The competition that I gave my crown away was at the end of this week. I was so busy during the week and my stress piled up on me even more. Nick never called the whole time and I never called him. I would almost rather he him yelling at me then not talk at all. This was torture. I couldn’t say anything because I hadn’t taken the time to call him.
I looked at myself in the mirror. I was backstage getting ready to do my duty onstage. I was wearing a gorgeous strapless, black dress that Nick had given me to wear on a formal occasion.
All of the other girls competing admired me and thought whatever I wore or did was the best. Plus they knew I was Nick Carter’s girlfriend and wanted to be on my good side for the hopes of meeting him.
“Anne! Opening position! Show starts in one minute!” The director called
I walked onstage and turned my back to the curtain. Within seconds I heard if being pulled up. Quiet music played through the speakers to set the calm relaxed mood. I stood onstage as all the contestants came on stage then went off one by one.
Once they were all finally done introducing themselves and gone to get ready for the next section, I walked up to the microphone.
“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the annual Miss Teen competition. As you know each lady you just saw will be competing to represent our county. Her job will be to present herself as a role model for all teens and younger kids.” I glanced off stage to see if I needed to buy anymore time. I didn’t. “Now we’re about to start the talent part. Please welcome contestant number one.”
“Nick, man! What are you doing?” AJ called as he saw Nick packing a small bag. They had just gotten through with this part of the photo shoot.
“I’m packing.” Nick shortly replied. He was very aggravated with Anne, but still felt like he should at least see her.
“I can see that!” AJ exclaimed. “But for what? Where are you going?”
“To see Anne.”
“But…you don’t need to go. We have a concert tomorrow and you’ll be so tired from all day and night.” AJ tried to reason with his band mate.
“True.”
“It’s not worth all the trouble and money to just fly down there and not even get there till almost morning.”
“Okay, okay AJ. You win! I won’t go. I’ll just be miserable the rest of the month till I see her again.” Nick sighed collapsing on the couch. He watched as AJ walked off satisfied with his accomplishment. “You sure don’t know me anymore, do you AJ?” Nick whispered to himself.
“And now, the person you have all bee awaiting her performance, Miss Anne Johnson!” The director announced enthusiastically.
I took one last glance down on my flowing white chiffon dress. The white was so pure it made it seem extremely bright. I was dancing in ballet shoes to keep from sticking to the stage.
Suddenly the first note to “I Need You Tonight” rang in my ears. I don’t know why I let Nick talk me into this song, especially since he wasn’t here. It wasn’t my all time favorite and everyone would think I’m completely obsessed with Nick.
My feet and body started doing the moves before my mind realized what was going on. As I continued to dance my mind went blank as Nick’s voice and face went though my head. I had to think of something fast! It felt like my body froze in that one spot for an eternity.
I felt someone reach out for my hand and start to dance with me. Soon my body joined in. A smile lit my face as my mind recognized it was Nick! We danced together till the song ended.
As I started taking my bow, I looked to my side for Nick. He wasn’t there! It then hit me that I had imagined the whole thing.
The audience continued to applaud and many stood to their feet, I still couldn’t quite grasp that I had only imagined Nick on stage with me. If felt so real! My body had frozen and wouldn’t have danced so soon if I hadn’t felt his hand, grab mine.
I walked off stage in a daze, not sure what was real anymore. Many congratulations were said to me as I passed by. I just smiled in thanks. My dressing room was empty so I hurried to change in privacy. As I changed, I banged my toe on a chair leg. That was when I realized this wasn’t a dream, but Nick onstage with me, had been.