Mandy was soon back, and the girls spent the rest of the time talking, but this time not about the boys. Instead they talked about each other. About how happy they were to finally come together in the flesh and that all of them felt it had only brought them even closer than they had been before. Soon it was time to hit the road again - after all Molly had promised Sarah that they would meet up with her and Kaylee at the Wolsburn's house late this afternoon.
In the car Molly remembered that she wanted to tell Araysa something: "Race? About Sarah..."
"Yeah?" Araysa kept paying attention to the traffic, but also listened carefully.
"Well... I just think that..." Molly stopped again and sighed. "I'm going to sound like such a bitch now", she said, a little angry at herself.
"Why? What is it?" Mandy asked from the backseat.
"I think you should keep an eye on her, while she's around Nick", Molly finally stated. "I know I sound horrible, 'cause she's my friend and all, but...she's just acting really strange when she's around him. I don't know what she's up to, probably my little speech worked and she won't try anything, but she could also make a move on him. So..." She sighed. "I feel awful for saying that, but I had to."
"Do you really think she'd try to get between us?" Araysa asked. "Of course I don't know Sarah that well and although I was jealous of her yesterday, she seems to be a nice person. I can't imagine she'll make a move. Not when she'll hear that Nick and I are a couple and..." She suddenly stopped. "Are we?" she then asked. "Are we a couple?"
"I'd say so", Mandy grinned. "From what Nick said in the interview before, I think it's up to you. So if you want you two to be a couple, then you are!"
"Yeah", Molly agreed. "He didn't make it official, 'cause it would really be a little early for that. But he wants it." Then she scoffed: "At least he didn't deny you."
They changed the subject again, trying to distract Molly from her thoughts about AJ. It hardly worked, but this whole issue would have to be solved later...
~~~~~
Kaylee and Sarah arrived only minutes later at the Wolsburn's, where they were greeted by the other three girls.
When Molly saw them coming in with shopping bags, she grinned: "Wasn't that supposed to be a sight-seeing tour across Minnesota?"
"What? I always thought sight-seeing tours ARE shopping tours!" Kaylee joked.
"Well then, show us what you got there in your bags!"
Kaylee and Sarah did as they were told and showed the others the stuff they had bought that day. Although no word about the boys was said and everyone acted normal, the tension between Sarah and Araysa, mostly caused by Sarah, could be felt in the room.
Molly was finally sick of avoiding the subject "Backstreet Boys", so she asked: "Hey, Kaylee, I still haven't heard what exactly you and Howie were up to last night. What did ya do?"
"Talk?!" Kaylee said grinning. As the others looked at her expectantly, she asked: "What? Do you wanna hear in detail everything we talked about? Well, I'm sorry, but I haven't memorized it all!"
The others just giggled, but Molly decided to get to the point: "You know" - she couldn't stop grinning - "I just had the feeling that Howie likes you a lot. So...did he say anything that would prove me right?"
Kaylee sighed and smiled: "Actually yes, but..." - the girls cheered - "before you go all ballistics now - I told him I don't wanna go out with him." Silence. "Yeah, I know what you think: a Backstreet Boy asks her out and she says no, is she totally nuts?! But..."
"It's not a Backstreet Boy thing", Mandy chimed in. "Even if Howie wasn't in the band, I'd say any girl would definitely miss something if she doesn't go out with him. He's such a nice guy."
"Exactly that is my problem", Kaylee explained. "If he was no Backstreet Boy I would've gladly said yes, but not only does he live MILES away, but he's overall a celebrity who's touring the world and has girls hanging all over him. That's everything I'm not looking for."
The girls understood her point and they all fell silent for a minute, before they heard Molly murmur: "But damn - you'd look so good as a couple!" Everyone, including Kaylee, laughed and then decided to get something to eat.
"Hey, Kaos! Did Araysa call you by now?" AJ asked, walking into Nick's room.
"No", Nick answered, his disappointment obvious in his voice and face. "She knew about the interview, so I didn't worry that she didn't call earlier, but she knows I'm back for two hours already..." He gave AJ a questioning look: "She's going to call, isn't she?"
"You should know better than I", AJ replied. "All I'M worried about is that Molly won't show up. Or that she WILL show up and spit in my face!"
"Huh?" Nick was confused, then he remembered: "Oh, because of the interview!"
"Man, I should've thought of something better to say or not say anything at all. I'm usually the diplomatic one... Oh, hell, it's too late now." He turned to leave the room again, but before added: "As soon as Race has called, let me know, k?! No, - better please tell her to tell Molly to call me! Alright?"
"Will do, Bone!" Nick promised. He smiled at the fact that AJ called Araysa by her nickname already. Everything in him felt as if the Boys had known the girls half an eternity. And it sure felt good.
He couldn't wait to see Araysa again!
"Race?" Araysa looked up at Kaylee, who obviously wanted to ask her something. "I'm just curious, but...aren't you gonna see Nick today?" She smiled.
"Actually, I just wanted to ask you guys if we should get going - I assume you're all coming to the hotel with me?!" Araysa answered.
"Yeah, I'm going", Molly said, "I wanna see Brian!" She stressed 'Brian', which caused Kaylee and Sarah to give her a confused look. Molly pretended not to notice it and just looked at Mandy expectantly.
"Sure, I'm with ya", Mandy said.
"Count me in, of course!" Sarah agreed.
All heads turned to Kaylee now, who shook her head: "Nah, I'll pass. But tell the guys I said Hello."
"Oh, come on, Kaylee", Sarah said. "You're going too!" The other girls nodded. They really wanted her there, she was so nice and fun to be around.
"No, really, I don't want Howie to feel awkward around me or something. But you guys go and have fun!"
"Kay", Molly started, with her hands at her hips, but a smile on her face, "don't tell me you've got anything better to do. When did you last get the chance to hang around not only one or two, but around FIVE nice, funny, good-looking and nuts guys? And besides, Howie likes you and he's a big guy, he won't sit around you with a red head all night because you turned him down! So pretty please - come with us!"
"Yeah", Araysa said, "he won't mind having you around."
Kaylee looked like she thought about it, but didn't say a word, so Molly tried again. She clasped her hands, gave Kaylee the puppy-dog-eyes and whined: "Please! You don't even have to see Howie - you can hang out with Alex, so I don't have to!"
"What's up with you and AJ all of a sudden?" Sarah asked.
"You didn't listen to the interview today, huh?" Molly asked. Sarah shook her head. "Well, f**k the guy - all he did was just totally deny my existence", she answered dryly. "Not that I expected him to declare his love for me or something, but when the DJ asked if there was ANYbody, you know, a girl he could POSSIBLY like, the jerk just gave a serious 'No'! So what, I don't give a damn!"
Kaylee tried not to chuckle, but Molly heard her and turned around to her. "You know", Kaylee said, "considering the fact that you don't care, you sound extremely pissed. Just admit it, you like the bastard!" She grinned.
Molly made a frown, before beginning to laugh. "Oh man, I feel really young now. Teenybopper young! The big girl's giving me a lesson in love here!" Her grin and her eyes told Kaylee that she was joking and that she wasn't angry at all. "And yeah, I like him. But I also know that this won't work. Still it was kinda hard to hear him say that he doesn't even consider giving us a chance. But in the end I think he's right. I shouldn't even think about it."
"Ugh, shut up, Molls", Araysa spoke up. "Talk to the jerk before you go all crazy, will you?! You don't know how he feels about you, so ask him. It was just a stupid radio interview - he's not going to give away all of his personal life and feelings there!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" Molly replied, playfully kicking Araysa's leg. Araysa, who was sitting next to her, also playfully elbowed her side.
They started giggling, keeping their little "fight" up for a few seconds, until Mandy said: "Yeah, he won't give away his secrets - he's not as stupid as Nick!" She started laughing, already preparing to defend herself from the pillow that came flying across the room towards her, of course thrown by Araysa. Everyone started laughing.
Molly was once again grateful for having the girls around her and in her life. They always found a way to keep her smiling and make her laugh, no matter what crap was going on or how bad she felt. They made everything better.
Araysa went to call Nick to tell him that they would be on their way to the hotel. As soon as she had finished the call, they got up and left.
~~~~~
Despite the fun the girls just had, they couldn't convince Kaylee to come with them. Instead she drove home, after promising the girls to have lunch with them tomorrow. Just as she had entered the house, her mom called her from the kitchen.
"Hey, mom", she greeted her as she joined her. Then she noticed the bouquet of sunflowers on the table. "Wow", she said, smelling at one of the flowers, "did dad give you those?"
"No", her mom said with a grin. "They were delivered for you!"
"For me?" Kaylee was more than surprised. She picked up the card that was attached to the flowers and read:
Dear Kaylee,
I couldn't wait a few years to call, so instead
I thought you'd like these flowers.
That's my way to say I like you still, but I respect
your wish to just be friends. That's fine with me.
I'd love to be "just" your friend! I'll call you soon!
Love, Howie
"Mom?! I'm going out again, it might get late!" Kaylee said, grabbing her jacket and keys again.
Her mom just smiled as Kaylee rushed out of the house. She figured that Howie had sent the flowers and was quite pleased, to say the least. She liked that young man a lot.
Kaylee started giggling, as she started the engine of her car. "What the heck", she told herself, "I really don't have anything better to do!" She didn't want to miss all the fun, now that things between Howie and her were clear. So she drove the shortest way to the "Hyatt" that she knew...
When Araysa came out of Brian's room, where she had left Molly, Mandy and Sarah with Brian, she met AJ in the hall.
"Hey, Race!" he greeted her surprised.
She smiled: "Hey, AJ! What's up?"
"Nothing much", he said, shrugging his shoulders. Then he noticed that she had come out of Brian's room. "Did you come...alone?"
Of course she knew exactly what he wanted to know: "Molly's in there with Brian. But you better not join them now." He gave her a nervous, worried and questioning look that said he wasn't about to give up on Molly. Realizing it, Araysa smiled and said: "I'm sure she'll come to see you later, just wait in your room - or wherever she can find you!"
"I screwed up with the interview, huh?" he asked sadly.
"Don't worry, just leave this to Brian right now. You can explain later!" She proceeded to walk over to Nick's room, but turned around to him again: "AJ?"
"Yeah?"
"You better have a good explanation, otherwise I promise she won't be the only one kicking your butt badly!"
He just nodded and both went their ways.
~~~~~
In Brian's room Molly sat opposite of Brian, her arms crossed in front of her chest. It wasn't the negative, "f**k me" kind of arm-crossing (?! *lol*), she was rather holding on to herself for support, preparing herself to hear either type of news, good or bad.
Araysa had just left to see Nick, while Sarah and Mandy sat on the couch in the room. Molly didn't mind having them hear what Brian could tell her about the "interview incident". They were her best friends, they would know sooner or later anyway.
"Did he tell you anything?" Molly asked Brian. "About what happened yesterday? Or how he feels about it?"
"Yeah, he did", Brian answered.
"Do I wanna know?" Molly asked calmly. Brian's smile that followed made her feel a little better.
"Let's get to the point", Brian then said. "We're talking 'bout the things he said in the interview today, right?" Molly nodded. Mandy and Sarah couldn't help but smile at each other, being surprised to see Brian serious for once. "Well, I think it would be the best if you talked to AJ about it bef-"
"Brian!" Molly interrupted. "I'm not gonna make a fool out of myself, I wanna know where I stand."
"You have nothing to worry about. Let him explain why he said that, but please don't think he doesn't care about you. You already mean a lot, I could tell that much!" When Molly didn't look quite convinced, he smiled: "Hey, come on - you're gonna believe your B-Rok, right? No lies anymore, remember?!" When a little smile appeared on her face, he grinned: "See, you believe me. You wouldn't have come to me and asked, if you didn't!"
Molly began to chuckle and said: "Yeah, alright, I believe you." She stood up: "I think I'm gonna go and clear things up!"
Sarah also stood up and said: "I'll see if I can find Howie, he might need some company now that Kaylee isn't here!" She winked at Mandy, knowing that she would love some time alone with Brian. Mandy's eyes lit up immediately and she smiled gratefully at Sarah.
"Oh, Brian", Molly said, remembering something.
"What?" he asked, also standing up with the two girls.
Suddenly Molly hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for what YOU said in the interview!" They smiled at each other, then the girls left, leaving Brian and Mandy alone.
Back to chapter 13, part II
On to chapter 14, part II
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