Chapter 7

I never thought I'd see the day where I hated Nick…but that
night I did. I hated him for what he said, what he did, everything.

"Hey Maranda we're all getting…" Krystal began.

"No," I said throwing the covers over my head.

"Listen I don't know what happened last night but we could…"

"Krys I don't want to talk about it," I said with a sigh, "Maybe later okay?"

"Okay, I'll get you something to eat while we're out,"
Krys said as their was a knock on the door.

"Hey ready to go?" A.J. asked.

"Yeah," Krystal said.

"What about Maranda?"

"NO!" I yelled.

"Um…Krys I'll meet you downstairs with the guys," A.J. said as
Krys shut the door. A.J. said aside me on the bed. "What happened?"

"Go away."

"Tell me what happened."

"Go away!"

"Maranda tell me!"

"Fine, Nick was drunk and said things, and just everything
that's happening, UGH I HATED HIM!" I screamed.

"PMS?" A.J. asked as my blanket flew off. I looked at him in the eye
angrily.

"What?"

"Well one minute you can't live a day without him and the next
you can't stand him, PMS or what?"

"Go away A.J. you're not helping!" I whined lying back down.

"You want to know something?" A.J. asked.

"No."

"Okay I won't…maybe I will…Nick hasn't said a word to anyone all day."

"So he could have a hangover."

"Maybe…I gotta go, you sure you don't want to come and eat?"

"NO!"

"Okay okay, bite my head off," he said as I sighed.

"I'm sorry A.J., I'm just in 'I hate everyone' mode," I said hugging him.

"Hey it's okay, I've had that plenty of times, I'll come up after breakfast
okay?"

"Okay," I said with a grin as I watched him shut the door.

Knowing how sweet A.J. was and how much of a bastard Nick was
I knew then I had a pretty stupid taste in men.

~*~*~*~

"You have to come!" A.J. whined as I shook my head.

"NO!"

"It will be the first concert of the tour, PLEASE?" A.J. pleaded.

"No A.J.," I shook my head.

"Hold on," he said angrily. He walked away for what seemed
to be forever. "Nick's here," he said as I smacked him.

"I don't want to see him!" I screamed.

"Hear me out Maranda," Nick said quietly. I almost had
sympathy for him…but then my brain kicked in
replacement of my heart.

"Fuck off," I said walking to my bed.

"I'm leaving, if I see fighting when I come back and you're still
not coming to the concert I'm going to beat both of you,"
A.J. said shutting the door.

"Maranda…" Nick began.

"Don't talk to me," I said angrily.

"I know I said some things I shouldn't have…"

"And best friends don't do that to each other," I said as I looked
down at my friendship bracelet Nick gave me, "take it and give
it to someone who cares."

I laid down on the bed and threw the covers over my head
balling like a baby. Next thing I knew Nick was aside me
on the bed.

"We've been having tons of problems lately, and I know, believe
me I know they are my fault. I didn't mean anything I said, you
know I have a awful temper," he explained as I threw the covers up.

"What the hell is there to have a temper about?" I asked. He looked
at me with hurt filled eyes, causing me to continue balling harder.
"I haven't done anything to you and you treat me so badly," I
cried. "You're supposed to be my best friend."

He reached out his hand to me and I pushed it away sadly. "I can't
be best friends with someone who hurts me like you do," I said
looking into his pain struck eyes.

"Maranda please I…"

"Get out," I said wiping my eyes.

"Don't do this please."

"Just go," I said pointing to the door. He walked over to the door
as he turned to see me I saw a tear forming at his eye.

"I'll be back, I have connections," he said shutting the door. I sat there
for a second, not believing what I had just done.
I had hatred for the person I loved…

"Oh God," I bawled.

~*~*~*~

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Backstreet Boys!" Lou yelled to the
crowd as Krystal and I clapped loudly. We got to see them from
backstage, I knew if I didn't go A.J. would be hurt, so I decided to
go. Surprisingly, Nick hadn't tried to talk to me the entire ride to the arena.

"Are you feeling better?" Krystal asked.

"I just broke Nick and my friendship, I feel great," I said sarcastically.

"That's what happened? Nick has been down all day," Krys said as we watched the guys.

"I bet."

"No he has! He hasn't said barely a word to anyone today."

"He's probably thinking of where he can find a new best friend," I said
folding my arms. As Nick sang 'All I Have To Give' he looked
over at us, like it meant something.

~*~*~*~

"Oh turn it up!" A.J. said in the car ride home from the arena.

"Usher?" I asked.

"Yeah!" A.J. said, "Reminds me of you and Nick don't you
think?" He whispered as I listened…

Before anything became between us you were like my best friend,
The one I used to run and talk to when me and my girl was having problems,
You used to say it'll be okay suggest those nice things that you do,
But when I go home at night and lay my head down all I seem to think about is you.

"We're back!" Brian said jumping off the van.

"Gee couldn't tell by the big hotel sign B," A.J. said
helping me off the van.

"That was harsh," Brian pouted.

"Aww, I love you man!" A.J. said hugging Brian happily.

"I'm so sorry, let's never fight again!" Brian said kissing A.J.'s
cheek as I glanced at Nick's gloomy face.

"Come on Maranda, a bubble bath will help you," Krystal said
waving bye to Nick and dragging me to our room.

~*~*~*~

"I'm going to go get a coke, need anything?" Krys asked as
I shook my head. I heard the door shut then reopen.

"Did you forget your money?" I asked opening the bathroom door as
Nick shut the door.

"What are you doing?" I asked holding onto my bath towel tight.

"I love you," he said as my jaw dropped.

"You what?"

"Let's not hide our feelings any longer," he said kissing me passionately….

"MARANDA!" A.J. yelled as I snapped out of my trance.

"Sorry," I said looking down at my bath towel.

"I will be right back, don't die on me," A.J. said shutting the door.
I changed into my Atlanta Braves cut off Jersey and my elastic
butthuggers and started brushing my wet hair.

"Maranda?" Nick asked at the door.

"Nick?" I asked standing up in awe.

"I really have to talk to you," Nick said shutting the door and standing in
front of me.

"I'm sorry I was so harsh on you," I said as he shook his head.

"It made me realize how mean I have been to you."

"You haven't really you just were telling me the truth about things."

"Not I wasn't," he said brushing my hair, "I love your hair."

"It's not Barbie?" I asked as we both laughed.

"Believe me it's not Barbie," he said with a smile.

"I'm sorry," I said as he nodded.

"I am too," he said hugging me hard as he lifted me off the
ground. "You have always been so tiny," he said as I laughed.
"Here," he said putting me down. "Take this back," he said handing
me my friendship bracelet.

"Best friends?" I asked.

"Best friends."

Index

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