Sarah was first to wake up the next morning. She looked at Molly and wondered how they had managed to fall asleep that night!
All of last night's excitement came back again, as soon as she had opened her eyes. Her heart began beating faster as the memories hit her. She lay down onto her pillow again, closed her eyes and reminisced...
~~~~~
Howie was showing Molly some Salsa moves, when Nick gently took
Sarah's hand and led her to the dance floor. The DJ played Jennifer
Paige's "Crush". Throughout the entire song Nick was looking straight
into her eyes and Sarah wasn't able to tear her eyes away from his.
Nick came closer, putting his arm around her waist, sending shivers up
and down her spine. Oh how she wanted him to kiss her! But when the
song ended he pulled away from her again. Still everytime he touched
her she believed to feel some tension between them. He danced with
Sarah most of the time and when he wasn't dancing, they were talking at
the bar. Sarah could hardly control her feelings. Nick was just too
hot, especially when he...
~~~~~
"Sarah? Are you awake?"
Sarah opened her eyes again. "Molly, I'm in love. Definitely!"
"Geez, I'll have a hard time cheering you up the next weeks, huh?" Molly hoped that Sarah wasn't too serious about what she had just said.
"Maybe you won't have to cheer me up..." Sarah sat up in bed, her eyes were dancing when she asked Molly: "Don't you think Nick likes me, too?!"
Molly took a deep breat. "Sarah, he sure likes you, but..." How could she explain this to Sarah without hurting her? Molly remembered a certain conversation she had had with Brian last night...
~~~~~
Molly was sitting with Kevin and Brian at the bar, when Brian asked:
"What's up, Molls?" They already called each other by their nicknames.
"You're so silent suddenly!"
She turned her head to look at him, away from the dance floor, where
she had watched Nick and Sarah. "I was just thinking that- ...What am I
doing here? Sarah would kill me if I talked to you 'bout that!"
"She doesn't need to know..."
"Well, I know I shouldn't be doing this, but since you're Nick's
friend and I really wanna get this clear, I guess I have no choice
other than ask you!" She was once again amazed about how much she
already trusted him. She opened up to Brian so easily - she had never
experienced that before and it wasn't usual for her.
"What is it?" Brian questioned.
"Although we know you guys for only a short while, Sarah already
feels that she likes Nick - a lot! And now I hope that she doesn't
expect too much, you know. I mean, they're getting along very well, we
can all see that" - she glanced to the dancefloor - "but... I'm afraid
she misunderstands Nick's behavior. But I can't really tell because I
don't know Nick. What do YOU think?"
"You mean, if he feels the same way about her?" Molly nodded.
"Unfortunately I have to tell you that I don't think so. But maybe I'm
wrong. It's just that Nick is usually shy with girls he likes - very
shy - and this" - he pointed to the dance floor, where Nick and Sarah
were grinding and laughing - "isn't Nick being shy!"
~~~~~
"Whether he likes you or not - he's leaving tomorrow! And I don't think a long-distance relationship is what he's searching for." Molly could see that Sarah was hurt by her words. "Look, I don't mean to hurt you. I'm just trying to be realistic. I know you don't wanna hear that now, but Sarah - that's how it is. You only got to know each other a few hours ago and..."
"Enough", Sarah said sadly. "I know you're right, but don't tell me, k? Yes, it hurts!" They hugged each other and Molly felt her eyes fill with tears, too, as the first teardrops ran down Sarah's face.
That was Molly: she couldn't stand seeing anybody cry, she usually joined that somebody right away. She would cry with her biggest enemy. But often enough she cried lonely tears with only herself.
"What time is it?" Sarah suddenly asked.
"9:30. Whoa, we didn't get much sleep!" They had been back in the hotel at 3:00am this night/morning and the boys had suggested to have a drink before going to bed. So they had talked for another hour at the hotel bar. They had been all alone there, with permission to use the bar, so Kevin had surprised the girls with some fantastic drinks. Back in their room it took the girls another hour to fall asleep because they couldn't stop talking about their wonderful night with the four guys!
"Then we have enough time to get ready for breakfast - well, brunch really", Sarah said. They had arranged to meet the BSB in the restaurant today to have brunch together.
"Do you think AJ will be there?" Molly asked.
"No, I don't think so", Sarah replied. The expression on Molly's face said: shock! "The others won't let him go. They'll tell him they have a private date and he has to stay on their floor. Yeah..."
"ARGH! You..." Molly threw a pillow at Sarah. "Why do you always gotta play your nasty tricks on me?!" She laughed. "And why do I always fall for it?"
Sarah laughed and a loud and funny pillow fight broke out in their room, after she threw the pillow back at Molly. They kept it on for a while, throwing the pillows to every corner of the room and running around laughing. It was a miracle they didn't damage anything! The fight ended with Sarah getting into the bathroom and screaming: "I'm the winner!"
"Yeah, in your dreams!" Molly yelled and - of course - threw a pillow at her, but it only hit the door that Sarah quickly closed. Molly fell onto her bed again, while Sarah was under the shower. Molly was sure that Nick was still on Sarah's mind (What else?! AJ was on her mind 24/7 and she had never even met him!), but at least she was happy again. For the moment...
The phone rang. Molly rolled over to the other side of the bed, where the phone was and answered it.
"Hey Molly, it's Kevin!"
"Oh, hey Kev! What's up?"
"Bad news..."
"What?"
"We have to cancel our brunch, I'm sorry!"
"Business, huh?"
"Right. Maybe we can have dinner together, would that be ok?"
Molly laughed 'cause Kevin sounded really sorry and she thought that was so cute. "Sure, Kevin!"
"But I can't promise..."
"It's alright, don't worry!"
"I'll call you then or leave a message at the reception, k?"
"Yeah, fine. Have fun, whatever you gotta do today! bye - and tell the others we said 'Hi'!"
"I sure will, bye Molly!"
After they had finished the conversation Molly walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Sarah?"
Sarah had already stopped showering. She opened the door and smiled: "Don't you just love underfloor heating?!"
"Yeah, I do. Just wanted to tell you that you can take your time - no brunch with the guys!" She told Sarah about the phone call and sarcastically added: "I'm never gonna meet AJ McLean. I guess I have to live with the fact that THAT's destiny."
"You will, and I wanna see Nick on this lovely morning, so..." Sarah got kinda hectic all of a sudden. "Did Kevin say when they would leave?"
"No."
"Then get ready fast!" She quickly put on her clothes and then realized that Molly didn't budge, wondering what was going on. "Come on, get under the shower!"
"What queer plans have come to your brain NOW?"
"We'll try to meet them down in the lobby before they go. ...Just to say Hi!"
"Am I the fan or you? Whoa, I've created a monster!"
Sarah turned around to her with a playful nasty smile: "I have a pillow here!"
"I'm under the shower!!"
* * *
"Bone, you should've been in the club with us - you missed a good party!" Nick and Howie leaned against the doorframe of AJ's room, watching him dance across the room to one of his many R&B CDs. He seemed in a better mood than yesterday.
They had taken AJ by surprise. He hadn't seen them. He turned around to them and smild. "Oh, hey guys! So you had fun? Cool, but I just didn't feel like dancing yesterday."
Nick walked over to him, imitating AJ's dance moves and laughed: "But you feel like it today? Well, my man, I'm glad you didn't come with us - you would've chased away all the chicks with your so-called dancing!"
AJ playfully hit Nick in the stomach and then they faked a wrestling fight.
"Did you hear that, D.? Our little Frackster is talking 'bout chicks!" AJ yelled into Howie's direction, while trying to pin Nick onto the floor. He kept on kidding Nick, who was giggling all the time: "I thought you've been to a club, not a hen coop!" AJ laughed.
Nick managed to get out of AJ's grip and suddenly they had kicked each other to the floor. Donna came along and said: "Enough guys! It's time to go in a few minutes!"
"Yes, ma'am!" the three answered in unison.
AJ helped Nick get up. "So how many phone numbers did you get, huh?"
Howie giggled: "He only danced with ONE girl all night!" AJ and Howie laughed.
"Did li'l Nicky fall in love?" AJ teased Nick.
"Nick and Sarah - sounds like a cute couple", Howie said. "Isn't there a movie called like that?"
"That's 'Jack & Sarah', dumbass!" Nick replied, then he turned serious. "Sarah's nice and all that, but...no romantic feelings. She's just a cool girl, a friend. Both of them, of course." AJ glanced at Howie and Nick with an enquiring look. Nick sighed: "I already told you 'bout them! The two girls who took us to the club. Oh well, right, you didn't listen anyway..."
"Yeah, you still didn't tell us what you dreamed about then", Howie said grinning.
"A girl...", AJ answered.
"Ooh-hoo! Do we know her?"
"I don't even know her myself!"
"Huh?" Nick and Howie looked slightly confused.
"I didn't get to talk to her", AJ explained. "Every time I see her she just disappears."
"Mmmh, a mysterious lady!" Howie commented.
"Or maybe just imagination", Nick said laughing and, after AJ glared at him, took off running down the hall, followed by his friends.
* * *
Nick and Kevin went to the reception desk, before they drove away to do another interview and photo shooting. Both wanted to leave a message: Nick for his mom, who would arrive with his little brother Aaron at the hotel soon, and Kevin for Sarah and Molly.
When Kevin had finished writing his message he waited for Nick, then suddenly exclaimed: "HEY! Look who's arrived!" It was Denise Mclean.
"Hello, boys!" Denise gave them a hug. "Where are the others?"
"Waiting for us", Nick said grinning. "We have some work to do!"
"As always. So none of you has time to have breakfast with me?" Denise asked.
"Unfortunately not. We gotta hurry up, sorry, Denise! But of course we'll tell your little baby boy you've arrived!" Kevin was talking about AJ. Denise only laughed.
"Look who's there!" Nick said, pointing towards the elevator...
* * *
"There they are", Sarah told Molly as they stepped out of the elevator.
"That's AJ's mom with them", Molly informed surprised.
Nick waved them over and the girls didn't hesitate to join them. "May I introduce you", Nick said. "Girls, this is Denise - the coolest mom besides my own! She's AJ's mom by the way. Denise, these nice ladies here are Sarah and Molly." Then he added: "You don't have to be nice - they're not fans!" He was only joking of course.
"I just left a message for you", Kevin told the girls. "We'll be back in about three hours, but I still don't know if we can have dinner together."
Sarah gave him a queer look: "Don't you think it would be a little too early for dinner anyway?"
Kevin smiled: "Yeah, but I can at least call you when we're back!" He turned to Nick: "We gotta go, Frack!" The boys hugged Sarah and Molly, gave Denise a kiss on the cheek and disappeared.
"Have you already eaten breakfast?" Denise asked. The girls shook their heads. "Then why don't we eat together?" she suggested. "I'm starving!"
"If you don't mind", Sarah answered.
"Not at all", Denise smiled.
Molly couldn't believe her luck. She would be having breakfast with the mother of the most fantastic guy wandering on this planet! Was that cool or what?! :o)
After they had ordered food, Denise asked: "So how do you like the boys?"
"They are wonderful", Sarah stated.
"Well", Molly said blushing slightly, "as far as we know them they are wonderful... We didn't get to know your son though!"
"You haven't met AJ yet? Oh!"
"You sound disappointed", Sarah said smiling.
"I was just surprised. When Nick had spotted you in the hall before, Kevin had told me that the guys have been to a club with you. I thought AJ was with you." Then she asked: "Will you be at the Charity-concert tonight?"
"No, we don't have tickets. We only read about it in the papers, but little did we know we'd meet someone who will perform there. In fact, if the boys hadn't told us we wouldn't even know who they are", Sarah answered.
Molly wished for a big hole to open up in the ground underneath her and let her disappear. Her wish didn't come true, so instead she kicked Sarah's leg under the table. Sarah looked at her angrily, not knowing why Molly had done so. Denise didn't notice any of it.
"It may sound big-headed", Denise said, "but it's quite unusual - especially here in Germany - that the boys don't get recognized. I bet they like being around you!" She laughed. "Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back." She stood up from the table, heading to the rest room.
"What was that?" Sarah said. "You kicked me!"
"You deserved it! `If the boys hadn't told us we wouldn't even know who they areŽ", Molly said mimicking Sarah's voice.
"WHAT?!"
"Did you have to say that - TO AJ'S MOM?! I've had enough of the lies. And she didn't know about anything..."
"Calm down, Molls! I didn't say anything wrong - your mother-in-law likes us!"
"MY MOTHER-IN...!?! Oh, shut up, Sarah!"
"I'm sorry. Really! Will you forgive me?"
Molly sighed: "Sure, as always!" The girls grinned at each other.
The waitress brought the ordered food and arranged everything on the table. Denise came back just as she was finished. She sat down again, saying: "Oh, wonderful. I didn't eat on the plane, my stomach was kinda nervous for some reason, so I can really use some food now."
Molly started asking Denise stuff like why she had come to Germany and soon the three of them were having a good laugh. Molly and Sarah couldn't believe how natural and nice Denise was. She had only known them for less than an hour, but she talked to them so openly and relaxed as if she knew them much longer.
Suddenly they heard a ring. "Oops, that's mine", Denise commented and pulled a cell phone out of her handbag. The two girls could only follow her side of the conversation, but the first sentence told them, who Denise was talking to: "Oh, hey Jane!....So you've arrived? Great!....I'm not too far, you just gotta come down again....Having breakfast with some very nice friends of the boys....yeah, sure!....Alright, see ya!" She put the cell phone away and told the girls: "Now you're gonna meet the coolest mom besides myself, to qoute Nick! His mom will join us, together with Nick's little brother."
"Aaron?" Sarah asked grinning.
"Yeah." Denise looked at her surprised. "You do know Aaron?"
Molly gave Sarah a "that's-exactly-what-I-meant" look. Sarah answered: "Well, no, but Nick told me about his sisters and brother - and if I remember correctly he only has one brother, which would be Aaron." Molly rolled her eyes. This sounded like a damn excuse for something. She begged to god Denise wouldn't get suspicious about it. Molly feared Denise could have that mother's instinct (mothers always know when something's wrong or you are lying) or just female intuition that would tell her something was going on. Something she shouldn't know about. Or maybe Molly was just going crazy... who wouldn't understand?! The past 24 hours had been an emotional roller coaster ride!
Fortunately they changed the subject. It didn't take Jane and Aaron too long to come down and join them for breakfast. They introduced each other and it was soon obvious that Jane was as gorgeous as Denise. They really were cool moms! They began questioning the girls about if they worked or still went to school (both still went to school, but only for another five months 'til they had to take their final exams), what their favorite classes were, what they wanted to do after school...and so on! The girls willingly answered the questions 'cause they also got answers to their questions in return. They avoided asking too much about the BSB but they still heard some funny stories about them. Not at last because Aaron really liked to tell some embarrassing stories about Nick.
* * *
Later that same day the girls were on their way to the BSB's floor to meet the boys again to have lunch in one of their rooms. The butterflies in Molly's stomach were back again. Would she finally get to meet AJ?
"Seems the only thing we do today is eat", Sarah said. "Oh dear, I don't even know if I can swallow anything while being around Nick. All I can do is drown in his eyes..." Then Sarah realized that Molly wasn't listening at all, so she raised her voice a little bit: "Earth to Molly! Hey, come back from outta space!"
"Huh?"
"Are you ever listening to me, Molls?"
"Only about important things - which means: No, never!" Molly joked.
Sarah playfully punched her. "Oh, alright, I'll remember that!"
"I'm sorry, it's just..."
"AJ", Sarah interrupted. Of course she knew what Molly was thinking of. "Hey girl, don't worry. There's no reason to be nervous."
"To hear that out of your mouth is ridiculous - you're shaking just speaking of Nick."
"I can't help it. I'm in love!"
Molly just laughed under her breath, but again she was worried that Sarah was about to be heart-broken, which would certainly happen if her feelings were for real. "But you're right", she changed the subject, "I shouldn't be nervous. I mean, I'm alright being around the others, so why wouldn't I be around him. There's no difference...apart from this pair of oh so beautiful eyes and this voice and...! Gee, he's so hot - snowmen melt by just mentioning his name!" Sarah broke out into laughter and couldn't stop. Molly also laughed, which took away some of her nervousness. You never know what will happen, but she was ready for whatever (or WHOever) was about to come her way.
The girls had used the stairway to get onto the band's floor and at the door Jeff, a bodyguard, waited to bring them to the room the others were in. The girls would've known anyway because there was laughter and music coming from the room and the door stood wide open.
"Guess it's really true", Molly laughed. "The Backstreet Party don't stop!"
Jeff smiled at her: "Yeah, almost true! We're having a good laugh most of the time, but you also have the hard days."
"Hey ladies", Howie yelled as soon as he saw them. Sarah and Molly were greeted by a whole lot of Hey's and Hello's from everybody - everybody except AJ. The other boys were there, also Denise, Jane and Aaron, Donna, Angie, Fatima, but no AJ! Molly didn't give up hope thinking he might come later. But her hope was soon proved wrong. After the girls had sat down and had been introduced to the people they hadn't already met, Kevin said:
"You still won't get to meet our freak!" He laughed.
"I guess he'll regret being away", Brian added with a grin.
"Why would he?" Molly asked.
"AJ's a flirt", Kevin explained, "and when he'll finally meet you he'll know what he's missed!"
"Oooh!" Sarah and Molly exclaimed. "Now that was sweet!" Molly said.
Then she heard Nick and Howie whisper behind her. Nick asked: "Where is Bone?"
"He met Amanda for dinner at the girls' hotel", Howie answered. Molly knew that AJ had a girlfriend, Amanda Latona who was in the girl-group called Innosense, but she didn't know they had broken up that's why the rest of Howie's and Nick's conversation confused her.
"He's with Amanda now? Oh!"
"OH what?"
"I thought he maybe wouldn't want to meet her. He was so strange lately, thought she was the reason."
"Bone's always strange, no need to worry", Howie said grinning. "And even if it was because of her then they'd have to talk anyway. They're still friends, you know."
"Yeah. I'm glad they can manage that!" With this the conversation ended.
When everybody had their food and drinks they all sat down on the floor in a round. Aaron sat down next to Molly and said: "Don't forget the lesson!"
"I won't forget", she replied. "I've promised!"
Nick gave them an irritated look. "What are you guys talkin' about? And how do you know each other?"
Molly leaned towards Aaron and secretly, but loud enough for Nick to hear, said: "You're right - either he's gone half deaf or he doesn't listen!" She referred to one of the embarrassing stories Aaron had told them this morning.
They laughed at Nick, who asked: "Oh come on, what's going on between you two? AC? Molly??"
"Well, Mr. Carter", Molly began, "seems you didn't listen before when your mom told everyone that we already met this morning and had breakfast together."
"And what was that about me being deaf?"
"Oh - never mind." Aaron laughed, while Molly tried to hold back laughter.
"Okaaay. What lesson are you talking about?" Molly couldn't hold it in anymore. The look on Nick's face was just too funny. "I'm glad you two get along so well." He smiled. It was really cute to see Molly and Aaron like that. Nick was surprised how much Molly treated Aaron like a friend, like there was not the big age difference between them.
Aaron then answered his last question: "Molly and me are going to play Nintendo together."
"You like playing Nintendo?" Nick asked Molly.
"I've only tried a few times", she replied. "That's why he'll give me a lesson."
Nick laughed: "Hey, AC, shouldn't the big master, the Nintendo king, give her a lesson?"
Aaron put his tongue out, but Molly just put her arm around him and said: "Well, Nicky" - she stressed the Nicky - "he will!"
"Oh great, now I know who's side you are on", Nick retorted, while the other two gave each other a high five. Then they all laughed together.
Denise suddenly stood up and said: "Girls, we have a little surprise for you." Molly and Sarah looked at each other more than surprised. "Since you told me you have no tickets for the show tonight I managed to get some for you - if you want them?!"
"Oh Denise..." Molly was at a loss for words, smiling from ear to ear.
"Sure, we'd love to come", Sarah said happily. "Then we'll finally get to see if you guys are good at what you're doing." Sarah didn't forget to play her act. Molly's smile died a little. Those stupid lies... She felt so bad. These people were so very nice, friendly and loveable. She decided to tell them sooner or later that she had lied about not knowing them. At least she would tell Brian. She knew that he could be, if he wasn't already, a special friend, although they had only met. She had to be honest, he deserved it. All of them did.
"Unfortunately I couldn't get you backstage tickets", Denise added. "I'm really sorry, but as you know the boys are not the only ones to perform there, that's why the organizers are very strict about it." She handed Sarah her ticket.
Molly stood up when Denise walked over to her. She took the ticket and said: "You don't have to be sorry. We're more than happy just getting to enjoy the show. We didn't expect anything and there you are - being so wonderful to do that for us. I mean, we're practically strangers..." She didn't know what else to say. She just gave Denise a warm and happy smile.
"Girl, you're gorgeous", Denise laughed and hugged Molly.
"Thank you - for everything!" Molly said.
"Thank you for giving birth to such a wonderful guy", she thought, which made her giggle under her breath. At least she was going to see AJ on stage...
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