"Hello?" She asked out of breath.
"Hey, it's Nick."

Nick! Wow..
"Nick," she choked still trying to catch her breath.
"What were you doin' fore I called?" He snickered.
"Ohhh Nick!" She hissed. "I was dancin'. I've been so hyper, more than usual, it's weird."
"I can't imagine you bein' hyper," Nick chuckled switching ears. "Must be a blonde thing."
"I loved my present Nick. Thanks so much."
"You're very welcome. I loved your present too."
Nick laughed at memory of getting her second present in the mail. Brian had walked in with the strangest look on his face. He handed Nick the box and raised his eyebrows. "From Candice." Nick whispered smiling at Brian as he walked away.

"Did ya like um?" Candice grinned knowing he had probably eat them already.
"Yeah. I still don't get it though. Why would anyone need 5 bags of Heresy's Kisses?"
"Nick sometimes you can be so blonde! Well, I just figured you need one for everyday I'm not there. Did ya eat all of um already?" She couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Hey! Gimme more credit then that. I only had like 5 pieces." Nick laughed. "Now AJ on the other hand..."
"Nick!"
"What? Aj had like two bags! Naw I'm jokin' he only had 1 bag."
"Haha! Aj! Man I miss you guys so much. Don't forget to thank the other guys for me. That was probably the sweetest thing anyone could have done."
"Will do." Nick chuckled, their laughter began to die down. Nick thought back to the day he got her present. Her remember Brian walking away and then opening the box slowly expecting it to be another tie or some other gag gift, something from Spencers or something. He grinned at the bags of Candy and then dug into the box more to find a Justin Timberlake doll. He was howling with laughter as he pulled the doll out. He was dressed in a really small shirt that said BSB on it and then had a sign that said I love Nick on it. She had put pictures of himself on the box and a note inside. He couldn't hold back laughter at that memory. One of the truly great ones they had.

"I loved the doll too! Very creative."
"I do have my moments."
"Sure do."
"I meant the whole kiss thing, too," she whispered. He stopped talking after her last comment and she knew he was thinking really hard because she sat there and screamed his name and other profanities at him for almost five minutes.
"I hope so." He mumbled out of no where. He shook his head and laughed, "and no I'm not a jackass poo headed Justin lover."

Shit. He heard me. Oopps. "You heard?"

"I was thinking! Not dead!" He howled with more laughter mumbling something about how blonde she was.
"Hey! I didn't think ya could hear me," she said quietly.
"Like I said fore I was thinkin' not dead."
"Yeah, same thing." She said nonchalant then burst into laughter. "So I was thinkin' I could visit you on your birthday."
"Maybe." He began to get lost in his thoughts again.
"Too much of that is bad for your health Nicky Poo." She snickered flopping down in a lawn chair. She fell in love with her patio, she spent most of her time out there. She requested a home with a lake few, since she couldn't have the ocean, a lake was the next best thing. Something about water just seemed to calm her.

"I'm willing to take that risk."
"So Nicky Poo what are you thinkin' so hard bout?"
"What's with the Nicky Poo stuff? That nick name makes me gag."
"Oh! Sorry Nicky Poo."
"Everything."
"Huh?"
"I'm thinkin' bout everything."
"Oh. Deep eh?"
"Yeah. Not too serious though. I'll play video games all day after this to balance it out."
"Ok," she snickered.
Nick chuckled, "I'll call ya when I'm not thinkin'." Candice rolled off the chair she was laughing so hard.
"Ok Nick you do that! Buh bye."
"No I mean!"
Click.

Candice chuckled as she walked back into her house and sat the phone on her table as familiar lyrics floated through her house.
She stopped dead in her tracks as the second verse of I want it that way came on. With a sudden burst of energy she ran into the entertainment room. "Amanda!" She screamed pressing power on the CD player.

Amanda stood bewildered for a second then came back to reality. "What the hell was that for?" She hissed turning around quickly.
"It hurts too much Amanda. I'm sorry, but it does." She slumped down to the floor and sat down Indian style, tears began to fill her eyes.
"Candice! Babe, what's wrong?" Amanda asked sitting down in front of her friend sitting Indian style as well.
"Mandi it just hurts. Everytime I listen or just hear Millennium it physically hurts. Everything, oh hell anything that reminds me of the past year makes my heart ache. I want it that way is my favorite song, but it hurts so bad when I hear it."
"I'm so sorry Candice, I didn't know. I'm sorry." Candice let out a loud sob and covered her face with her hands knowing the tears were coming whether she wanted them to or not.

Amanda pulled her friend into her arms and rocked her back and forth. It made her heart break to see her friend in so much pain. She only hoped it was for the best in the end, that all this wouldn't turn out to be a mistake. She knew when Candice gave her heart, she gave her heart, body and soul. Amanda knew she couldn't do anything to help, the answer laid in one person's hand and that one person was hundreds of miles away.

"Hello?"
"Hey Candi Girl."
"Hey Nick," she whispered turning down her CD.
"What's wrong?"
"Nick I need to see you, I can fly up tonight, I'll leave in the morning. I just, I just."
"What? Why?"
"Do I have to have a reason for wanting to see my best friend?"
"Yes. Since we just two hours ago and you didn't say anything."
"Nick. Amanda was playin' Millennium and I heard it and it made me physically hurt. I hurt everywhere, but most of all my heart ached. I miss you." Nick didn't know what to say. He couldn't let her come and visit him, he was too busy. He thought up a quick plan.
"I'll make ya a deal k?"
She nodded then realized he couldn't see her so she whispered ok.

"You can come visit me on my birthday and then spend some time on tour with us. It's only a month or so away. You'll be fine til then right?" As much as Nick would have loved to have her with him, he couldn't. Plus he had his own little surprise for her on his birthday. He grinned.
"Deal." She mumbled softly.
"Want a song to tide ya over? Then I really gotta go."
"Naw you can go. Sorry for taking up your time, but just remember you called me Nickolas."
"I know. Sorry, but I'm really tired. I'll see ya January 28, bye."
"Bye Nick."

"Oh! Thanks so much Manda! Ohmigod!" Candice squealed hugging her best friend tightly. "This gift is by far the best one I've gotten!"
"I'm glad you like it," Amanda grinned. "Now mine!" She reached across the floor and picked up the smallest package in the pile of gifts in front of her. Slowly she opened the box and a smile lit up her face.
"Oh thank you! Thank you!" She jumped into her friends lap.
"Glad you like it."
"Love it!" Amanda looked up toward the sky and squealed bouncing in her friends lap. "THANKS SANTA!!" She screamed as Candice pushed her off her lap quickly.
"Amanda I'm sorry but you are WAY to insane to sit on lap and I'm not Santa sweety." Amanda pretended to pout and slowly crawled back to her spot on the floor. Candice burst out in laughed at her friends pathetic face. She knew that present would be perfect for Amanda, she had gotten it so long ago, Pat had helped her pick it out. She frowned at the thought.
"Oh Candice I do love it!" Amanda grinned over at her friend and made an outrages face and cackled.
"Way too twisted," Candice muttered under her breath. Just as Amanda was about to open her mouth to comment when the doorbell rang.