“No, Kevin, wait,” Danica shouted, “DON’T!”
She laughed as he sprayed her with the water hose. They were washing her Rav 4 in the driveway of his mother’s house.
“Quit that you two!” Ann shouted from the doorway.
“Sorry, mom!” Kevin said, and sprayed Dani again.
“Kevin…” Ann warned.
“He laughed, “Sorry!” he repeated.
--------------------------------------------Later--------------------------------------------
“Time to go!” Ann called from downstairs.
“Be there in a minute!” Kevin said from the bathroom.
Danica rushed up the stairs and opened the door of the bathroom.
“Why are you bothering to do your hair? You’re just going to go to sleep on the plane and mess it up again.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll go now. I wouldn’t want to miss the flight. Besides, I’m done.”
They were on their way to California so that Ann could take Danica’s parents to the Backstreet Boys concert in San Francisco.
“It’s about time,” Ann said, annoyed with how long it took her son to get ready.
“Sorry mom.”
“ ‘Sorry mom,’ “ Danica imitated him, “Is that all you ever say?”
“Quit teasing me, Dani.”
“She’s right, Kevin. You always seem to be saying that.”
“MOM! You’re taking her side!”
Ann smiled warmly. Ever since Kevin had started dating Danica, he seemed a lot happier and more fun to be around.
They got into Ann’s new car (the Mercedes Kevin bought her), and went to the airport. (Tim was going to pick up Ann’s car when he came in from Kentucky to watch the house.)
They arrived at 6:45 p.m. and were checked in by 7:00. A few people stopped Kevin for an autograph, a picture, or just to show their support. Embarrassed with all the attention, Kevin put on his favorite baseball cap.
When they boarded the plane, Danica and Kevin simultaneously kissed their fists and hit the side of the plane. Ann laughed at her son and his girlfriend. Though Kevin loved to fly, he always did that, it was tradition. Danica just hated to fly.
The flight attendant that showed them to their seats recognized Kevin and chattered until it was time for liftoff. When she returned, they were all already asleep. They slept all the way to California. When they landed, the talkative flight attendant gave Kevin a slip of paper asking him to give it to A.J. He promised he would and put it in his pocket.
They met Danica’s parents, Sandra and Michael, at the gate. Though it was the first time they met, Sandra and Ann fell into conversation almost as if they were old friends.
When they got to the car, Sandra noticed Danica’s eyes drooping and said, “Before you go to sleep, I have a small surprise for you.”
“What is it mom?” she asked sleepily.
“Angie and Lori are at the house waiting for you to get there.”
Danica’s eyes popped open and she looked at her mother.
“Seriously? Lori Brockman and Angie Corgan are at the house?”
Danica hadn’t seen her best friends in weeks. She had been with Kevin, Howie, and Fatima training to be Fatima’s assistant.
She couldn’t sleep the rest of the trip. When they arrived, Angie and Lori ran out of the house to hug their friend. Kevin just stood back and watched, amused.
They walked inside, chattering away, each carrying bags. Kevin put Dani’s bags in the apartment over the garage and went to the bathroom to fix his hair.
It was soon time for Kevin and Danica to go. (Fatima called and asked Dani to fill in for her because she was ill.) Lori and Angie decided to come along. Lori wanted to come because Brian would be there, and Angie wanted to come because she wanted to get a head start taking pictures of the guys before the concert – (she’s a photographer).
Brian and Lori spent the first five minutes hugging each other and talking about what had happened in the month they’d been apart.
“Come on, you two. Brian, we’ve got work to do,” Howie said, pulling Brian out of Lori’s arms.
Brian broke free of Howie’s grasp and gave Lori one last kiss before sound check and practice.
During sound check, Danica changed from her jeans to her favorite blue and white Adidas pants. Fatima had given her specific instructions to change into comfortable clothing and make sure the guys knew the choreography to the new songs.
During practice, Lori went to hang out with Ann while Angie took pictures of Danica leading the Boys in the new dances. She caught A.J. trying to sneak away from practice and Danica getting on to him.
When practice was finally over, Angie sighed with relief, it was harder than she thought to be the Backstreet Boys’ photographer.
“Hit the showers, guys. You have two hours before the show starts. We don’t want you sweaty and gross before the show even starts,” Denise McLean said across the room to the guys.
“Mom! We don’t need you yelling at us! We’re going!” A.J. said.
While they showered, Ann, Denise, Danica, Angie, Lori, and Sandra all sat around and talked.
Nick emerged from the showers first. His hair was perfectly in place and he was already dressed for the opening song, “That’s the way I like it.” Danica was the only one to notice Nick approaching, but didn’t say anything. He snuck up behind Angie and poked her in her side, making her jump three feet in the air, screaming.
“Nick! I hate being tickled!” she yelled, “Why do you always do that?”
“I don’t know,” he answered, “I guess it’s because I know you hate it.”
Angie let out an exasperated sigh. Nick was always messing with her.
“Kids,” she muttered.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Oh, nothing. I was just about to tell Ann how much I enjoy the company of children.”
Now it was Nick’s turn to get agitated. Even though Angie was only three years older than him, she always teased him about him age. It was “guaranteed to piss him off,” according to A.J. So she would use the tactic whenever she deemed necessary.
“Angie, I think – “ Nick began.
“Nick!” she cut him off. It’s rude to interrupt your elders. Dani was talking.”
“Dani’s only two years older than me!”
“She’s still your elder,: she looked over at the group of girls and smiled. They knew what was coming. Nick would shout and throw a fit and then storm off to go talk to Jane or Aaron.
“Angie! I deserve some respect! I’m not a little kid! I’m – “
She cut him off, “19 years old and almost a grown man…We’ve heard it already, Nick. Now go play.”
Nick uttered a groan and walked away. He only walked about 10 yards and turned to shout, “Hey, Angie! Wanna play Mortal Kombat?”
“Not now, Nick. I don’t feel like kicking your ass.”
Nick laughed at her and began to cluck like a chicken.
“Fine then, don’t play…CHICKEN!!!”
Angie got up out of her chair and bolted to attack Nick. No one called her “chicken” and got away with it. They ran to the room that Nick had turned into his makeshift game room. They turned on Mortal Kombat 4 – Angie’s favorite game – and bean to play. After 20 minutes, Angie still hadn’t won a game.
“Are you ready to give up, Angie?” Nick taunted.
“Never!”
The next round, Angie picked Sonya Blade instead of Sub-Zero.
“That’s a change.”
“Yeah. I like Sonya though.”
“I was under the impression that Sub-Zero was you favorite.”
“Nah. That was the prelims. This is it, Nick. Time to get real.”
The round started and, with surprising speed, Angie beat Nick.
“Flawless victory,” the announcer said, taunting Nick.
“That was luck. I’ll beat you next the next round and finish you off in the tie-breaker."
Angie rolled her eyes, “Watch and learn, boy.”
In the second round, Angie wiped the floor with Nick. She performed the “kiss of death” fatality. Once again, the voice came from the screen, “Fatality, flawless victory.”
Nick jumped off the floor.
“DAMNIT!’ he shouted, “HOW THE HELL DID YOU BEAT ME? I’VE WON FOR THE LAST 20 FUCKING MINUTES!”
“Nick, watch your mouth and calm down. What did you think I was doing with Sub-Zero? I was learning your technique. You’re very predictable.”
“Wha- Angie, I never would’ve thought. You’re a hustler!”
Angie smiled, “ I told you I’d kick your ass.”
Brain raced into the room.
“Nick, what’s wrong? I heard screaming.”
“Nothing…Hey Bri, did you know that Angie here is a hustler? She beat me in Mortal Kombat.” There was a twinge of bitterness in his voice.
“Nick, shut up. You’ve lost to Aaron before and he’s 11.”
“Yeah, but he’s had more practice – I think.”
Brian laughed as Angie and Nick re-began their argument.
“You cheated!”
“Did not! You just suck!”
“Nick!” Brian interrupted, “Just kiss her already! You know you want to!”
They stopped arguing immediately and turned to look at Brian, who just smiled. There was an awkward silence and Nick turned to walk out of the room. Brian, using Nick’s technique, began to cluck like a chicken.
Nick turned, slowly, on his heels, “Brian, DON’T call me a chicken.”
“Who’s calling you anything? I’m just telling Angie what you are.”
Nick walked over to Angie. He leaned down to her. He kissed her so softly that Brian burst out laughing.
“What?” Nick asked.
“You call THAT a kiss?”
Now Nick was more determined than ever to prove that he was no chicken. He put his arms around Angie so she couldn’t run from him. He (again) leaned down to kiss her. She opened her mouth only slightly, but he took that as an invitation to explore inside. Nick was definitely proving he was no chicken. Brian pried them apart, breaking the intense kiss.
“Uh…Nick. We’ve got five minutes before we go on stage. Let’s go.”
They walked out of the room and Angie was in a daze. She heard the music cue and Nick singing the opening lines.
“Somebody told me that you’re not…”
She left the room to talk to Danica and Lori.
Chapter 2