"So Neely," Nick piped, glancing at her. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
"Cool.. and do you live in New York?"
"No, actually. I'm here for college, then I'm moving to Pennsylvania."
"Oh really? That's cool. What're you studying?"
"Psychology."
"Awesome. I took a few classes of that, but I didn't like it. Ya know, incase this singing thing me and the guys have going on runs out."
Neely nodded in agreement. "It's always good to have back-up plans."
"Yeah. So..."
"When do ya'll leave?"
"Oooh, a southern accent," Nick teased. "We're leaving NYC in four days to go back to Florida and hit the studio again. The sixth album, can you believe it?"
Neely laughed. "That's cool...so maybe we all could get together and hang out or something."
"Maybe." Nick shrugged. Changing the subject, he asked, "So, where do you live?"
"Oh yeah, that's right," Neely giggled. "Oh shit, we passed it. Pull over and I'll get out and walk back."
"Nah, I'll turn around. Be sure and tell me this time."
"Yeah, I will. Unless I get caught up in something.." she murmured. Nick raised his eyebrows at her, shrugged, and turned around in a parking lot. "Okay, it's the dorm right there." Neely pointed, unhooking her seatbelt. Nick pulled into the campus and Neely opened her door. "Cool. Thanks so much Nick, you're a saint. So maybe I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, maybe. See you."
"Yeah, bye," Neely smiled, shutting the door as she walked off. Nick waited until she was in the building before sighing, putting the car in reverse, and getting the hell outta there. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Brian's cell's number.
"Aloha, how may I help you? And PLEASE remember to buckle your seatbelts."
"Damn AJ, you're so retarded."
"Oh. Hi Nick."
"Oh? Why do you sound so disappointed?"
"Because I don't wanna talk to you, you scare me," AJ sniffed. "Okay, so what's up?"
"Nothin'.. Drove Neely home, I'm comin' back to the house."
"Nick, it's not a house, it's a motel. Get the difference? Ho-ouse, mooo-tel. Howwwse. Motel. MO. TEL."
"Shut up dude! Put Bri on the phone."
"Why? Am I.. scaring you?"
"Yeah, actually you are," Nick joked. "Put Brian on the phone, AJ! Please?"
"Fine, fine. Just wait a frickin' second."
Nick waited impatiently as he heard clattering beside the phone, then someone picked up.
"Hey-lo?"
"AJ! Put Brian on the fuckin' phone!"
"Aww, Brian, Nicky said the f-word. Call his mommy and tell her, okay?-" pause, pause, pause - "Okay. Yup yup...no he doesn't wanna talk to you, he wants me. ME! Not you."
"BRIAN!" Nick yelled. There was some yelling then clattering, shouting, and slamming of doors.
"Okay, what's up Nick?" Brian breathed, laughing as AJ pounded on the door.
'Lemme in, you ass hole!' Nick heard. He shook his head. "Nothin'. Just wanted to run up my cell bill...ya know?"
Brian snorted. "You suck. What'd ya call for?"
"What're we doing, say, tomorrow?"
"I dunno, but AJ's gonna make plans."
"With who?"
"A girrrl...somebody he met at the signing."
"Oh reeeally? I wonder who it is. A lot of those chicks were.. can we say 'teenie-bopper'?"
"Yeah, exactly. Including Neely."
"No way, man. Neely's different, she's cool."
"No, Nick. Neely's trouble. And not only have I said that, so has Howie. She's not a good thing for you."
"Yeah right, Bri. You don't even know her."
"Neither do you!"
"But look at her! She's gorgeous! Blonde hair, green eyes...she's beautiful!"
"And how many gorgeous girls do you come across every-fuckin'-day who are teenies? My point exactly, Nicky-boy. Just stay away from her, all right?"
"Fuck you, Brian. See you later." Nick hit the 'end' button on the phone and tossed it on the seat before narrowing his eyebrows and gripping the stearing wheel. He sighed as he drove towards the hotel.
Since when does Brian know anything about girls? Speaking of girls, what the hell is Kevin's problem? He's so sad because him and his girlfriend are fighting, wah! That's something to really bawl about! I mean GEEZ, it's just a girl. He can have any girl he wants and he wants...what WAS her name? Danielle, I think. Well, why does he want her when he can get any girl that he wants? AJ...well I don't have a problem with him, for now. But Howie...why the hell is he telling Brian not to let me hang out with Neely? She's a really cool girl; how do they know anything about her? They don't, and they aren't gonna be fostering me anymore. Their 'little Nicky-boy' is running his own life now, Nick thought as he pulled into the parking lot and prepared to go buddy up with AJ for quite a while.
Chapter 6
