Rehearsals got under way the following week in New York. They were being held there because Fatima was working with another choreographer there. This way Katlein could still attend school. Once she was out for the summer, in early May, the entire group packed it up and headed to Orlando to finish up before the tour began in Europe at the beginning of June.
AJ and Katelin had developed a sort of brother/sister relationship. He was the only one of them that she actually felt she could trust. The other guys seemed a lot less willing to “side with the enemy,” as Nick so eloquently put it.
AJ and Krista’s smoldering relationship continued strong. They both had such crazy personalities that they were absolutely perfect for each other. Their latest adventure: Matching tattoos on their left shoulder blades. They were constantly together, making everyone around them aware of how in love they were and how they could barely keep their hands off each other.
Ang and Brian had finally gotten together. It had taken a while, but they both finally realized that they couldn’t deny the attraction any longer. Brian had been hesitant having just broken up with his longtime girlfriend weeks before he met Ang. But he had just been drawn to Ang. And he couldn’t fight it any longer.
Everyone was waiting for Howie to finally ask Christine to marry him. Even he was surprised that he hadn’t done it yet. He had been waiting for the perfect time and he just hadn’t come across it yet. He was lucky she hadn’t even found the ring yet.
Kevin and Brooke had been flirting with the idea of jumping into a relationship. They hung out all of the time and any stranger would have thought that they had been in love for years. But there had been nothing physical yet. And Brooke was beginning to wonder if Kevin Richardson was as slow with commitment as he was with everything else he did.
The mutual dislike between Nick and Katelin was still going strong. Despised each other was probably a better phrase to describe their feelings for the other. Ever since that night at the club, Katelin only spoke to Nick when it was absolutely necessary. After he had made that remark about her mother, she could barely stand the sight of him. She couldn’t believe how much of an asshole he was. Nick had felt guilty about saying it but the guilt wasn’t as strong as his hatred for her so he felt no need to apologize.
It was hard not to notice that Ang and Katelin’s friendship was on the rocks. Ang spent every waking moment with Brian and Nick was usually around them too. Katelin didn’t want to be within 10 feet of Nick, unless they were dancing, so she spent most of her time with AJ, Krista, and Tyler.
**********************************
“Alright everyone,” Fatima clapped her hands together. “We’re done for the day. Wardrobe fittings Monday morning. 10am sharp for the guys and noon for the girls. I’ll see you then!” Everyone groaned under their breath and started packing up.
“Barbeque Sunday at 4 at my house,” Nick announced, getting the attention of the group. “My parents are in town and they really want to meet everyone.”
“Of couse, Nick,” Ang smiled. “We’ll be there.”
“Yeah right,” Katelin mumbled under her breath, drawing an elbow in the side from Ang.
“Girls night tonight,” Brooke reminded the rest of the girls. “Be there or be square.”
“Yes ma’am!” Krista saluted. Brooke stuck her tongue out at her and then went to go say goodbye to Kevin. Everyone said their goodbyes and then went their separate ways.
**At the girls’ rented beach house** .
Brooke paid the pizza man and ran in the living room with the pizza. “Alright! Food’s here!” She placed the pizza on the table and the rest of them dove for it. “Savages,” she chuckled, grabbing herself a piece and sitting down with the rest of the girls. It wasn’t long before the tour gossiping began.
“So, Kris,” Alyssa spoke up. “Tell us what’s going with AJ?”
“He’s great,” Krista grinned. “I’ve never been with a guy like him before. He’s so unbelievably sweet to me, I can’t even describe it.”
“Same with me and Brian,” Ang smiled dreamily. “He’s such a sweetheart. I really couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend.”
“So, Lyss, what about you and Steve?” Katelin questioned, wiggling her eyebrows. “Wanna admit that you guys are together yet?”
“We are not!” Alyssa scoffed.
“Lyssa has a boyfriend! Lyssa has a boyfriend!” Kate began chanting like a five-year-old causing the rest of the girls to start laughing
Alyssa put her hands over Kate’s mouth to shut her up. “I’ll admit I’m together with Steve when you admit that you’re head-over-heels in love with Nick.”
Everyone else’s eyes widened, surprised that Alyssa was the first one to voice the observations of everyone else in the group. “You’re kidding right?” Kate shrieked. “Ew! Bad mental picture!”
“You two do seem to spend a lot of energy hating each other,” Brooke laughed.
Ang turned to her best friend. “Exactly what is it that you hate about him anyway? He seems like a nice guy to me.”
“You would know,” Kate snapped, tossing a glare in Ang’s direction. “You and Brian spend every waking minute with him.” Ang stuck her tongue out at her. Katelin continued. “He’s just icky. Icky Nicky.” The rest of the girls giggled at Kate’s description of Nick.
Krista turned to Katelin. “Come on, Kate. Don’t you think he’s even the slightest bit cute? The crystal blue eyes? The silky blond hair?”
Katelin remained silent. Ang giggled lightly. “Yes she does. She told me that the first time she saw him.”
Katelin scowled at the memory of the first time she met Nick. “Yeah, until he dumped a bottle of kool-aid on my shirt and then tried to blame it on me.” Ang rolled her eyes and the conversation turned to Brooke and Kevin while Katelin sat and pondered what it was that she really did hate about Nick Carter.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“So, Howie, when are you going to pop the question to Chrissy?” Brian asked as he walked into his living room, opening a beer.
“You’ll see,” Howie grinned. “It won’t be long.”
“Howie’s getting married! Howie’s getting married!” Nick chanted, jumping around the room.
Kevin smacked him upside the head. “Grow up Nick!”
“No wonder Nicky’s got no game,” AJ snickered.
“Hey!” Nick whined, rubbing the back of his now-sore head. “I do too!”
“Oh yeah,” AJ laughed. “Girls are banging down your door. And I mean the one’s over the age of 14.” Nick frowned but didn’t say anything. Aj narrowed his eyes at him, an idea suddenly springing into his head. “I’ll bet you a thousand dollars that you can’t get a girl by the time we get back from Europe.”
“I’m not playing your stupid games, Bone,” Nick retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“What?” AJ chuckled. “You scared, Nicky?”
“I want to get in on this one,” Howie jumped in.
Nick’s head shot up. “Thanks a lot, D!” Glad to know his friends believed in him.
“I have faith in you man,” Brian told his best friend, patting him on the back. “I’d bet on you any day.”
“Whatever,” Nick grumbled.
“So what do you say Nicky?” AJ asked, trying to get everyone’s attention again. “Do we have a deal?”
“I’ll get a girl by the time we get back,” Nick bet, staring at AJ straight in the eye. “And you’ll owe me two thousand.”
“Why two?” AJ questioned, puzzled. The original bet had been one thousand.
“Because I said so!” Nick replied, smugly, and fully confident in his abilities.
“Fine,” AJ agreed. “But I get to pick the girl.”
“Hell no,” Nick shook his head, frantically. He shivered imagining the chick that AJ would come up with. Leather, chains, tattoos. No way. “I do not trust you one bit.”
“Calm down, Nicky,” AJ rolled his eyes. “I’ll pick a good one. I promise.” He smirked, another great idea popping into his head. “And I know of just the perfect one.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask,” Nick’s skepticism was readily apparent. “Who?”
“Katelin Taylor,” AJ grinned, obviously proud of his selection. The room erupted in laughter.
“You’re kidding right?” Nick asked, his eyes wide. “No way in hell.”
“Fine,” AJ shrugged. “Then pay up.”
“Come on, Aj,” Nick whined. The chains, leather, and tattoos didn’t sound all that bad now. Anything would’ve been better than Kate. “I can’t even stand to be in the same room with her. Anyone else. Please.” Aj held his hand out for Nick to pay up. Nick shoved it away and started walking out of the room, groaning. “Fine. I’ll do it. But don’t expect me to fall in love with her or anything!”