The past two years flashed in her head. God the memories. She had just moved to Florida to attend college, not fall in love, but I guess no one plans to fall in love, do they? After meeting her neighbor, Nick, for the first time, she knew there was something special about him. Feelings she had never felt before suddenly arose in her heart and soul. He left shortly after they became friends, on the Millennium tour; Candice did tag along a little, learning about the whole Backstreet family. Nick's girlfriend at the time Amanda shortly became Candice's close friend. The daydream she had the first meeting her and Nick shared, still hung in the back of her head. It had been so real and vivid. So far none of that had occurred, but that did not mean it wouldn't. In 2000 Backstreet got some time off and recorded a new album, which was entitled Black and Blue. Candice was there for it all, many nights Nickolas and her would stay up and listened to the tracks. Nick did date around a little after his break off with Mandy. Amanda dated around too, of course.

Candice watched in amazement. Nick had to be the strongest person she had ever met. He was sweet and kind and amazingly humble. Sometimes, however, his faults did shine through more than his greatness. The way he hid his self from the world sometimes and never showed many real emotions, but always managed to have his heart broken. Each of these factors contributed to the numbness his felt toward love and nearly life itself.

Candice watched as Nick begun to move on with life after Mandy. She was his first real relationship. His first a lot of things, having traveled around the world, the young man still had a lot to learn. He purchased a new home in Florida and even got a new girlfriend just a couple short months after his official split with Amanda. Candice, of course, felt uncomfortable with his new girlfriend around, so she moved out of his home and in with Howard. After spending a few months at the Dorough's home, Candice decided she would rather live with her best friend again. Nick didn't mind at all, she was almost like his sister.

"Hey daydreamer wake up," Nick snapped his fingers in front of her face.
"Geeze Nickolas, you scared me," she hit him playfully on the leg.
"Oww!" He teased winking at her. Backstreet was a short and unwanted, well unexpected break. Alex had been growing more and more apart from the group and had admitted his alcoholism. Alex, who had been a very close friend of Candice, was now in rehab. Candice cried her eyes out when Nick had called her while she was in California.

He watched her as she slept; it was almost a nightly ritual. He would wake up in the milddle of the night and walk down the hall to her room and sit on the edge of her bed and just watch her sleep. Sleep for him had not been coming lately, he always worried about Alex and the group, and her. He always worried about her, if she was truly happy here, with and without him. How he loved just watching her in the moonlight, secretly wishing for her to awake and need to be in his arms, but always she continued to sleep. He watched with no avail. He was in love with her, he knew that much. He also knew he couldn't act on his feelings. He dated other girls, of course, he had too. She had never once managed to date any other guys. He worried about her too much these days. A smile spread across his face as the thought of her loving him back drifted into his head. He slowly climbed off her bed, trying his best to remain silent, and headed toward the door. "Nickolas," a voice whispered gently. He spun around quickly; she was sitting up rubbing her eyes. His eyes met hers and a sleepy smile spread across her face, this sent chills down his spine. "Sorry," he mumbled tiptoeing over to her bed.
"Nickolas, what are you doing in my room at," she paused and glanced over at her clock, "three in the morning?" He shrugged his shoulders and sat on the end of her bed.
"Just couldn't sleep," he smiled slightly back at her. She yawned and laid back down against her pillows. "I'm sorry Nickolas, but I do have school early tomorrow. You can sleep in here if you want." She finished with another yawn.
"Thanks," he smiled crawling close to her and kissing her cheek softly. He lay next to her and pulled the blankets up to his chin.

"You are a freakin' loser," she snorted.
"What--why?" he asked spinning around. She had walked in while he was dancing, he laughed a little. "Ok, I know. I can't dance." He lowered his head and felt her move next to him.
"Nickolas, I love your dancing. I think it's funny as hell to watch you shake that ass!" He smiled. That was what he loved about her. She was real. "But to Mariah Carey? C'mon Nickolas?! I mean Dreamlover? Pleeeaaasssse!" Nick's smile grew. All of his past girlfriends either dreamed of fame or something close to it, not that they didn't love him, though. He sighed. Candice wanted to be in business, advertising to be exact. He chuckled at the thought. "Are you laughing at yourself again?" Candice smiled at him, twisting her face into a wicked grin.
"Noo," he hissed. "I was thinkin' bout you."
"And I'm funny?" Candice raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, you should go to Aaron's concert with me tomorrow tonight." He looked down, knowing he had changed the subject.
"Nickolas," she started, knowing he always changed the subject when things started to look bad or become too serious for him. He never wanted to fully discuss anything. She clenched her fist, "God Carter." She muttered, wishing he was just another guy, but then she realized he wouldn't be the Nickolas she loved if he was just a normal guy. He would be something so different from the man before her.
"Daydreamer?" He whispered his voice sounded much like a little child's. His eyes met hers and suddenly all her frustration dissolved. Her heart began to melt. Gazing into his eyes was like looking into his soul, and something about that humbled her to the bones.
She smiled. "Yes, Nickolas," a smile grew on his face as well.
"Thank you," he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

Story Index
EOTR

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