Malia was sitting on the beach, her feet sinking into the sand the next day waiting for Trace and Mike to get back from the grocery store. Her not being home for two months had caused most of the food that she had spoil. The two guys decided to make a food run and as soon as they left, Malia snuck out the back door and onto the beach.
The sky was overcast and in the distance over the dark water, she could see the rain clouds building. A cool breeze was blowing and was chilly, but that was nothing compared to what she was feeling. "I figured you'd be out here."
She jumped at the voice and spun around to see her little brother, 16 year old Jacob. She got up and hugged him tightly, "I missed you."
"I missed you too Lia.."
"How did you know I was home?"
He smiled, "Mike called."
"Oh. They tell you?"
He nodded, "Yeah...I'm awfully sorry Malia.."
"Yeah..me too."
"Mom said I could go back with you...whenever you decide to re-join the tour."
"Really?"
Jacob nodded, "Yeah..if you..want me too...that is."
"Of course I do Jacob...I may need you..."
"Need..me?"
Malia smiled and took his hand, "I need someone that knows me inside and out because I have a feeling when I get back, everyone's going to hate me."
He led her back towards the condo and inside, "No one will hate you Malia.."
She sighed and sat down on the couch, "How did everything get this screwed up with my best friend?!"
"I don't know.."
"I mean..I love him SO much J..he's just so wonderful...and so sweet and caring and so much fun to be around. And one guy and my STUPID MANAGEER screwed everything UP!"
She began crying for the first time since everything happened and collapsed on the floor. Jacon knelt down beside her and hugged her to him. She was his older sister and usually she was the one to comfort him whenever something bad happened to him, and here he was being the one to comfort her.
He led her into her bedroom and she laid down, still crying a little.
He walked out to see Trace and Mike come in with arms full of groceries. "What happened?," Mike asked.
Jacob said, "I think she's giving up."
"What do you mean?"
"Today's the first time she cried?"
Trace nodded as he unloaded the bags onto the counter, "Yeah..she was just real quiet last night..real monotone."
"She's got to get back as soon as possible and get this resolved. I'll go back with her."
"Don't you have school little man?," Mike asked.
Jacob punched Mike in the arm, "Shut up. And no, I don't. It's Spring Break for me..mom said I could go back out with her."
Trace leaned against the counter, "I think the day after tomorrow she should go back.."
"Yeah."
"But will she want to?"
"She'll have too..she can't stay here forever."
Malia and Jacob stepped out of the terminal and into the Maryland airport. "Is Jeff meeting us?," Jacob asked.
"Yeah..he said he'd be here with a car."
"Okay."
They made their way to the baggage claim and waited for their bags. Malia spotted Jeff just as he caught her eye. He reached the two and hugged her, "How are you doing Lia?"
"I'm okay Jeff..how are you?"
"Been pretty boring without you around for a couple days. Hey Jacob, how are you? Spring break?"
Jacob nodded, "Yep..I have come to bug you all."
"Well come on, Malia, you have sound check at four and the concert is at 7:30, of course."
"Okay."
Once at the hotel, Malia and Jacob went into the room they would be sharing. She had yet to see any one of the Backstreet Boys, and really had no intentions on ever seeing them if she could help it.
After unpacking, they had to go to the venue for soundcheck. Jacob was walking around with Jeff when he ran into AJ and Nick. "Hey man! How are you?," AJ exclaimed.
"I'm good J, you?"
"Doin' good, doin' good. Can't complain much. What brings you here?"
Jacob glanced at his shoes, "Well...ummm--"
"She's back.," Nick said flatly.
Jacob nodded, "Umm..yeah."
Nick rolled his eyes and started to walk away, "I gotta go.."
Jacob and AJ shared a look before Jeff stepped in, "He is so screwing up."
"She is too though.," Jacob said.
"What do you mean by her?," AJ asked.
Jacob looked towards Nick's retreating figure, "She doesn't think he'll forgive her and she's giving up."
"Nick was pissed off that night..and we all couldn't figure out why, he wouldn't tell anyone. I don't think any of us had seen him that upset or angry..he got so drunk, we all had to practically carry him into his room. The next day, I went in to wake him up and he had THE worst hangover...and he told me what happened."
"She thinks you all will hate her."
"Why would we hate her? We all know what slime Jason and Bryan are..Nick's gotta realize Jason was trying to break them apart."
"Where are they at anyways?," Jacob asked as AJ followed him back towards Malia's dressing room.
"Jason left yesterday morning, as far as I know, to rejoin the Britney Spears tour. Bryan hasn't been seen too much lately. He's had to cover for Malia the last couple days and I don't think he's too excited about that fact. I don't think he planned on Malia leaving like she did."
"But she had too.."
"I know she did, and I would of done the same exact thing if I were in her shoes."
They entered the empty dressing room and Jacob sat down on the couch. "What could we do so they'd get back together?"
AJ shrugged, "I don't know..they're both stubborn as hell."
"True..."
"Maybe we should like, lock them in a room or something..," Jacob said half-serious half-joking.
AJ snapped his fingers in realization, "Holy shit! That is SO it!"
"What?"
"Lock them in a room! Tonight, there's an after-party at the hotel...I can get him up to my room, and you could get her to my room and we could just like lock them in there for a couple hours and BAM! They're back to be so sickening cute together we all want to throw up!"
Jacob smiled, "We're geniuses!"
"Of course! Now..I know Bri's room is connected to mine...soooo...you could get her in there and then kinda get her through the connecting door and lock it and I can sure as hell get Nick into my room.."
"Sounds like a plan."
"But Jaaacoobb..I really don't know what the point in going to Brian's room is going to accomplish.," Malia whined as Jacob pulled her down the hall.
"He said he had something of yours..come on."
"Why don't you just go get it for me? Duh."
"Come on Lia.."
"Ugh..whatever..all I want to do is SLEEP Jacob!"
"You will, you will, soon."
He unlocked Brian's room and led her in. The adjoining door was cracked open just a bit. Jacob walked into the room and acted like he was looking for something. Malia was by the connecting door, like planned. Jacob couldn't believe she was right by the door! He turned towards her and started to walk towards her. "Hey, open that door, I think that's the closet, maybe your shirt is in there."
She turned and opened the door, once it was opened enough for her to fit through, Jacob pushed her through. "HEY! JACOB ALLEN JACKSON!"
He pushed the door closed before she could get back up and push it back open and locked it. She pounded on it, "JACOB! I'M SO GOING TO KILL YOUR ASS! UGH! YOU SUCK SO BAD! LET ME OUT! NOW!!"
Jacob smiled to himself and let himself out of Brian's room. He ducked behind the corner just as AJ and Nick stepped out of the elevator. "Man, you have got to see this game I just got Nick, I mean it's awesome!"
"I thought we were going to stay at the party."
"Nah, those things get old after awhile."
Jacob watched as AJ did almost the same thing to Nick as he had done to his sister. Nick began pounding on the door, yelling at AJ to let him out. AJ smirked and turned to see Jacob, "It work?"
Jacob nodded, "Yep..she's pissed."
"Sounds like he is too..grrreeat."
"Come on, let's go party buddy."
Nick found his pounding was in vain and stopped before his knuckles began to bleed. He turned to see the one person he DIDN'T want to see. "Oh hell no."
"Aww damn! This is just GREAT!"
"You think I want to be in here with you??! Ha! Whatever!," He said crossing his arms in front of him.
"Well you think I want to be within 100 feet of you?! Yeah right!"
"They so planned this."
"Yep. And I swear, I'm going to kill them."
"Just..just...stay away from me.," He said sitting on the bed.
Malia slid towards the window, "Believe me, I will."
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