“Alright people! That was great!” Fatima yelled as the music ended. Everyone collapsed on the floor, exhausted. It was the last day of rehearsal before the tour began. In two days, the whole crew would pack up and head for Europe.
Krista crawled over to Aj. “Take me home. NOW!”
Aj laughed as he picked her up and basically threw her over his shoulder. “If you need us, which I’m sure you won’t, we’ll be at my place not wanting to be bothered, if you know what I mean.”
“Too much info, Aj.” Brooke scolded, covering her ears.
“Same with us!” Brian grinned, grabbing Ang’s hand.
Katelin’s head shot up. “I thought you and I were hanging out tonight and watching movies? You know, like old times?”
Ang looked helplessly between her boyfriend and her best friend. “Well…uh….can’t we do that another night, Kate?”
Katelin shrugged and looked away, not wanting Ang to see the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. “It’s okay, Ang. Go hang out with your boyfriend or whatever.”
“Why don’t you come up to my house?” Nick, sensing the hurt in her voice, spoke up. “I was just going to hang out and relax by myself anyway. I’ll wait for you to shower and we’ll head on up to Tampa.”
Katelin’s eyes widened. Sure, she and Nick didn’t think of each other as the devil incarnate anymore but they didn’t really hang out one-on-one too often. Both wished they did more often though. Ever since Katelin had opened up to him about her mother, they both felt that they had this bond between each other. “Really? Are you sure?”
“Positive,” he smiled, ignoring the looks of the surprise on everyone else’s faces. “Now let’s get out of here.” She gathered her stuff and followed Nick out to his car.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Aj pulled up in front of his house and looked over at Krista who was asleep in the passenger seat. He gently shook her awake. “Baby, we’re here.”
Krista slowly stirred and opened her eyes. “I’m awake. I’m awake.” Opening their doors, they both climbed out of the car and made their way up to his front door. As soon as they were inside, they both collapsed on the couch. Aj pulled Krista into his lap and started kissing her neck. She angrily pushed him away and stood up. “Jesus, Aj. Is that all you think about?”
“I…I’m sorry,” he apologized, surprised and even a little bit hurt at her sudden outburst. “I didn’t think you’d be mad.”
“No. I’m sorry,” Her eyes softened. “It’s just that I’m really tired. Can we please just hang out tonight and watch tv or something?”
Aj pulled her back down on the couch and wrapped his arms around her. “Of course we can. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She grinned.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Brooke and Christine sat down at the Kevin’s kitchen table as Kevin and Howie ran around the kitchen trying to get dinner ready. “I can’t believe we’re trusting them to cook for us.” Brooke commented, purposely just loud enough so Howie could hear.
“I heard that!” He scowled at her. “I’ll have you know that I’m a very good cook. Right, Chris?” Christine didn’t say anything. He stomped his foot, angrily. “Right Christine?”
“Of course you are, honey,” She grinned. “Kevin, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about.”
Kev stopped whatever he was doing and glared at her. “Hey! I resent that You guys seem to forget that this is Kevin and Howie. Not those other three losers that we associate with from time to time.”
The girls giggled while Howie high-fived him. Kevin smiled. “Now get out of here. We’ll call you when everything’s ready.” He ushered the girls out onto the deck and shut the door.
Christine and Brook sat down on the deck chairs. Chris stared out into space. She seemed a million miles away. “What’s wrong?” Brooke asked, concerned.
Christine sighed. “It’s nothing.”
“It doesn’t seem like nothing,” Brooke prodded, skeptical that it was ‘nothing.’
“That’s just it,” Christine opened up, glad that she had someone to actually talk to about it. Granted, she had girlfriends. Especially being with Howie so long, she was around the other guy’s old girlfriends. But the only two that were around a significant amount of time were Leighanne and Mandy. She and Leigh were on completely different pages. Leigh, living the glamorous life of an actress and a pop star’s girlfriend. She reveled in the spotlight. Christine was more behind the scenes. She and Mandy…well…no one really got along with Mandy. She just didn’t feel like she had a lot in common with those girls. That’s why it was so great to have Brooke around. Finally, one of the guy’s found a girlfriend who actually had a head on her shoulders. “It’s Howie. We’ve been together for so long. Almost two years. I love him to death but it’s almost like we’re stuck. We’re not moving forward or anything.”
“What do you mean?” Brooke asked, genuinely concerned.
“Why hasn’t he proposed?” Christine cried. “God knows I’m ready. I’m not getting any younger.”
“Is that all?” Brooke smiled. “I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. He’s probably just waiting for the perfect time to do it.”
“I hope so.” Christine shrugged, not entirely convinced. Brooke gave her a reassuring hug.
“So when are you going to do it?” Kevin asked.
“When we’re in Paris,” Howie grinned. “I figured I’d do it there. Nice romantic setting. Maybe at the Eiffel Tower or something.”
“Sweet D,” Kevin chuckled. “Always the romantic.”
“Ang! Food’s here!” Brian called upstairs to his girlfriend as he shut the front door to his house. He carried the pizza into the kitchen and waited for her to come down so they could eat. Ang came down a few minutes later and the couple sat down at the table. “You look upset,” Brian commented on her appearance. “What’s wrong?”
“Am I a bad friend?” Ang asked, out of the blue.
“What are you talking about?” Brian questioned. “Of course you’re not.”
“I just feel like I’m ignoring Kate lately,” Ang told him. “I mean she’s connecting with Nick of all people. She hates him.”
Brian shook his head. It was like a broken record. ‘Kate this’ and ‘Kate that.’ He was sick of this conversation. And it wasn’t just Ang. Maybe Ang did worry too much but Brian felt like Kate just always made her feel like that. “Ang, you can’t always worry about her. I know that’s your job as her best friend but you have to save some time for yourself too. Kate’s a big girl. Besides she doesn’t hate Nick anymore because…” He trailed off, knowing that he had promised Nick he wouldn’t say anything about what Katelin had told him.
Ang narrowed her eyes at him. “Because what?”
“I wasn’t supposed to say anything,” Brian was going to try and make something up but he didn’t want to lie to his girlfriend. “But Katelin told Nick all about her mother. They’ve kind of been friends ever since.” Tears sprung to Ang’s eyes. She’d tried for years to get Kate to open up about her mother and Katelin never would. And she opened up to Nick of all people? “She told him?”
“Yeah. Why?” He asked, confused. “I thought you’d be happy that they were finally getting along.”
“I am,” Ang wiped her eyes. “I mean I’m glad that Katelin finally opened up to someone about it. I just wish it could’ve been me. She’s never even brought the subject up around me. I’m supposed to be her best friend. Instead she pours her heart out to a complete stranger. One she can’t even stand.”
Brian stood up and walked over to Ang. “Baby, I’m sure she’s just wanted to talk about with someone that wasn’t around when it happened. Someone on the outside.”
Ang shrugged. “I just feel like I barely even know her anymore.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Oh yeah, Carter! I win again!” Katelin cried as she threw the basketball at Nick and began jumping around his driveway in victory.
“Whatever,” Nick pouted. “I let you win.”
Kate stopped jumping and put her hands on her hips. “Three times? I don’t think so. Just admit it I’m better than you at basketball.” Nick didn’t say anything and went to reach for the water bottle she was holding. Katelin pulled it away. “Nuh-uh. Not until you admit it.”
“Fine,” Nick reluctantly admitted, dying of thirst. “You’re better at basketball than I am.”
She handed the bottle to him and then took off running to the beach. “That’s what I thought!”
Nick shook his head, laughing. “That girl has way too much energy.” He put the bottle down and followed her down to the beach. When he got there, he didn’t see her. All he saw were her clothes in a pile on the sand. Suddenly, he heard her call him. “Come on, Carter! It’s so nice in here!” Nick followed her voice and saw that she was out in the water. “Are you crazy?! It’s pitch black out here!”
“Don’t be such a baby,” she taunted him. “It’s fine. Just come in.” Nick groaned and stripped down to just his shorts. He threw his clothes next to Katelin’s and began wading out to where she was. Katelin rolled her eyes at how slow he was being. “Suck it up, Carter, and just dive in.”
Nick ignored her and kept up his snails pace. Suddenly he lost sight of her. “Kate?!” He called, frantically. “Kate! Where are you?!” Suddenly he felt two arms snake around his legs and pull him under. He came up sputtering and saw Katelin laughing hysterically at him. “Ha ha! Very funny! You better watch out. I’m much stronger than you.” Katelin stopped laughing and started to swim away but Nick caught her around the waist and pulled her back up against him. “Not so fast, Taylor. I will get you back for that.”
“Let me go, Carter!” She protested, squirming in his arms. Nick turned her around so she was facing him and was about to say something in return but stopped short when he realized how close their faces were. He stared into her eyes and all thoughts escaped his mind as he moved closer. His lips met hers and he kissed her, gently. Pulling away a few seconds later, he looked at her for some sort of reaction.