"Matters of the Heart"
By: Becky
Chapter 9

Kevin started fixing the food about an hour later. He was grilling hamburgers, hotdogs, and a couple of steaks. They also had fruit and some salad and all kinds of drinks. Rebecca was sitting at the picnic table snacking on some grapes while Brian was joking around with AJ and Nick while Howie just watched and laughed joining in every now and then. Gina was standing at the grill with Kevin distracting him in every way possible, and Lauren was sunbathing in the pool on a float. Nick took a break to get something to drink and he sat at the table next to Rebecca. That was the last thing she expected him to do so she didn't really think to look at him until he tapped on her shoulder to get her attention.
"Hi," he said grabbing a grape out of the bowl and popping it into his mouth.
"Hi."
"Can I just apologize for the way I acted before?"
"There's no need for you to apologize, I understand."
"Well I was a really big jerk, and I don't want you to think that I'm always an asshole."
"I don't Nick, it's ok really."
"That's good… so do you think we could actually be friends with no hard feelings?"
"Yeah I think that's possible," she said with a smile.
"Good, now I gotta get back to kicking your boyfriend's butt." He flashed her one of his Carter smiles and ran away. He ran up, grabbed Brian from behind dropped him into the pool. The splash and ripple affect soaked Lauren and tipped over the float sending her face first into the water. "Uh oh," Nick said.
"You're in for it now," AJ said.
"CARTER!!" Lauren yelled when she came up.
"Brian did it not me!" Nick said backing away while she climbed out of the pool.
"Well you're the one who threw him in the pool therefore it's YOUR fault!"
"Bone control your girlfriend," Nick pleaded.
"No way man, you got yourself into this… plus I can't stop her anyway."
"Shit," Nick said running when she picked up the really big fork that Kevin had been using. He stood behind the picnic table to put something between them causing Rebecca to get up and not be in the middle of whatever was gonna happen. They went around the table a few times then Lauren climbed up on walked over it. Nick tried to run away but she jumped on his back causing him to fall on the ground. Everyone else just watched and laughed. "I'm sorry! Put the fork down! Please!"
"Why should I?"
"I said I was sorry! I'll never do it again I swear!!"
"Should I let him go?" she asked.
"Yeah… I think you've scared him enough. He's probably learned his lesson," AJ said walking over to them.
Lauren got up and let Nick stand up. "You're lucky I like you Carter, or you'd be in a lot of pain right now."
"I love you too Lauren," he said sarcastically then sat down at the table again.
Brian and Rebecca walked up and sat next to him. "You know, you're a lot bigger than her so why didn't you just like pick her up or something?" Brian asked with a huge grin on his face.
"Shut up Brian," Nick said.
"I'm just asking… I mean she is a girl…"
"Shut up Brian," Nick said again.
"Nick got beat up by a girl," Brian said laughing. Nick gave him a look, and Brian knew he had to run, seconds later there was another chase going on.
Not too long later, the food was ready. Kevin placed the plates of food onto the table and told everyone to dig in. He also said that if there was anything wrong with the food it was Gina's fault because she wouldn't behave herself while he was trying to grill. Everyone gathered together and sat at the table with four on each side. Brian sat in-between Rebecca and Nick of course, Howie sat on the other side of Nick, and the other four sat on the other side. Eating was a difficult task while laughing… a lot of almost choking went on. At one point Brian caught Nick off guard while he was drinking, and he cracked a joke, Nick laughed, and Nick's drink came out of his nose. Everyone laughed for a good twenty minutes after that. Gina, Lauren, and Rebecca moved away from the guys so that they could actually eat their food.
"So how did you meet Brian?" Gina asked Rebecca.
"Uh… we met on the beach and we started talking and just clicked."
"And…"
"And what?"
"Oh come on… we want details," Gina said.
"Well there's not much to say. We met and sat on the beach talking until about three in the morning. We walked back to his house and that was that. We've been together all the time ever since."
"Aww that's so sweet," Gina and Lauren said at the same time causing Rebecca to blush.
Everyone was at Kevin's for a couple more hours before anyone talked about leaving. Howie was the first to go because he had planned to spend the rest of the weekend with his family. The others were lounging around the living room talking. Rebecca and Brian got asked the most questions, and they were careful about how they answered. They weren't flat out lying, they just weren't telling the whole truth about certain things. Her parent's death came up when she was asked about her family, and everyone was quick to give condolences. Kevin was able to relate the most, telling her about how he lost his father to cancer. After about another hour Nick left to go back to his parents' house, but not before Brian assured him that they would talk soon. Not long after him, Brian and Rebecca decided to get going as well. She was almost falling asleep and Brian thought it best to get her home. She apologized, but the girls told her that there was no need for that. AJ and to put his two cents in and said that Kevin can make anyone fall asleep if he talks too much. Everyone laughed except for Kevin, of course, but he let that comment slide. Gina and Lauren made her promise that the three of them would get together and do something soon. She promised, thanked Kevin for letting her come, and then they left.
"Do you want to go to your house or mine?" Brian asked in the car.
"It really doesn't matter," Rebecca said surfing through the radio stations trying to find something decent to listen to.
"Gee you're a lot of help. I guess we can just go to my house for right now."
"Brian can I ask you a question?"
"You just did."
"Haha very funny, but seriously."
"Of course you can."
"Why didn't you mention anything about the band before?"
That question caught him by surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"You know what I mean… the Backstreet Boys… why didn't you say anything about it before?"
"I don't know. I didn't want it to be a factor or anything. Trust me the day we met the last thing I wanted to talk about was being famous. So you've known all along?"
"No, I didn't figure it out until this afternoon. I felt really stupid when I realized it too because it took me so long."
"Does the fact that I'm a singer matter? I mean, is it a factor in things between me and you?"
"No of course not. Why would it? I like you for you. I fell in love with Brian Littrell, not a Backstreet Boy."
What she said had shocked them both. She didn't mean to say it, it just kinda slipped out, and he didn't expect to hear it. "You fell in love with me?" he questioned sincerely, praying that she meant it.
"Yes I did…"
He took her hand in his and gave it a slight squeeze. "Good because I fell in love with you too… I would kiss you but seeing that I'm driving and everything, I don't think that would be a great idea."
"You're right, it wouldn't, but I'm gonna hold you to that kiss."
When they got to his house Brian saw Nick's Durango sitting in the driveway. "Um, would you mind if I went ahead and took you home? There are some things I need to take care of here…"
"No I don't mind at all. You do whatever you have to do."
Brian put the car in reverse and headed towards her house. He felt kinda bad for doing that, but he knew that she understood. He pulled into her drive way about ten minutes later. He went to turn off the car, but she stopped him.
"I can walk myself to the door, you go to Nick and take care of everything," she said getting out of the car.
"Thank you for being so understanding. I'll call you in the morning."
"You better," she said shutting the door, blowing him a kiss, then walking to her front door.

End of Chapter 9

Chapter 10
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Matters of the Heart Index
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