December 31, 1998

“Brooke!” Kayleigh called from the living room of their apartment. “Are you ready to go yet? I told Nick we’d be there by now!”

“I’m coming,” Brooke replied from her bedroom. “Keep your pants on. It’s not going to hurt Blondie or anyone else if we’re a little late.”

Kayleigh sauntered into Brooke’s room and sat down on her bed. “Who are you primping for anyway? It’s just going to be the same people we always see.”

“Yeah, but have you noticed how fine AJ’s been looking lately?” Brooke remarked. “I mean, damn, he’s really grown up since we first met him.”

Kayleigh laughed. “God Brooke. He’s like an older brother.”

“To you, maybe, Leigh," Brooke scoffed. "But unlike you, I’m not as in with the Backstreet crowd as you are.”

“Shut up,” Kayleigh giggled. “You are too.”

“Whatever,” Brooke said. “I certainly cannot claim that Nick Carter is my very best friend. Are you sure that’s all it is, Leigh?”

Kayleigh rolled her eyes. “Yes. I’m very, very sure. Now are you ready yet?”

“Almost,” Brooke answered. “Just have to finish curling my hair. Anyway, Nick’s been looking pretty good, too, lately.”

“Don’t you dare,” Kayleigh warned. “I will not have my two best friends dating each other.”

“Why not, Kay?” Brooke asked, a slight smirk on her face. “Jealous?”

“No, I am not jealous,” she told her. “I just won’t be caught in the middle if anything happened. So keep your claws to yourself, Brooke.”

“Calm down,” Brooke said, laughing, as she put the curling iron down and grabbed her purse. “Nick’s not my type anyway. He’s too nice. He’s more your type. Aj, on the other hand. Now that’s more like it.”

Kayleigh followed her out of the apartment. “You’re such a slut, Brooke.”

“You’re just jealous because you’ve been tied down with the same boyfriend for, what, twenty years now?”

“Three, thank you very much. And I happen to be completely in love with him so, no, I am not in the least bit jealous.”

Brooke waited for Kayleigh to unlock her Jeep before she climbed into the passenger seat. “So where is lover-boy tonight? Not attached to your hip for once, I see.”

“He’s meeting us at Brian’s later,” Kayleigh answered. “Said he wouldn’t be caught dead at a Backstreet concert.” The two playfully bantered back and forth for the rest of the drive to Orlando. When they arrived at the Orlando Arena, they were quickly ushered past all of the screaming girls and into the backstage area where the guys and all of their friends were all hanging out.

“There you are!” AJ exclaimed as soon as he spotted them. “I thought Blondie was going to have a heart attack if you didn't get here soon. He thought you guys were laying in a ditch somewhere.”

“Nope,” Brooke said, smiling flirtatiously at AJ. “Kayleigh here was taking too long to get ready.”

“Me?!” Kayleigh exclaimed as they walked away from her.

“Took you long enough,” said an exasperated voice behind her. She spun around and saw Nick with his arms folded across his chest. “Well?” he asked. “Where were you?”

“Sorry dad,” she joked. “Brooke took too long to get ready. It’s not like I missed the show or anything.”

Nick’s face softened and he led her over to the couch. “You guys are coming to Brian’s later, aren’t you?”

Kayleigh nodded. “Of course. Wouldn’t want to miss ringing in the New Year with my very best friend.” She ruffled his hair. “Tyler’s meeting me there, though,” she added, tentatively.

Nick sighed. “He is?”

“I’m sorry, Nick,” Kayleigh answered. “I know how you feel about him. But it was the only way to make both of you, happy. I don’t get to see you very often and I want to spend time with you. But I also want to spend New Year’s Eve with him. He’s my boyfriend and I love him very much.”

Nick threw an arm around her shoulders. “I know you do, Kayles. I don’t care if he comes.”

“So where is she?” Kayleigh asked, expectantly.

“Who?" Nick asked, confused.

“Lauren,” Kayleigh answered. “I thought you said she was going to be here tonight.”

“She will,” Nick replied. “But not until right before the show starts. She’s flying in from New York. You’re gonna love her. She’s a lot like you.” Kayleigh smiled and she was about to reply but she was cut off by Angie, the Boys’ makeup artist. “Come on guys! Time to get pretty.” All of the guys groaned and reluctantly followed Angie out of the room.

Brooke and Kayleigh waited in the V.I.P. section of the Orlando Arena with Leighanne, Kristin, and Ashley, Howie’s new girlfriend, for the show to begin. Kayleigh glanced at her watch, noticing that the concert was about to start any minute and Lauren hadn’t arrived yet. She was about to make a comment to Brooke when she saw a fairly tall girl with long, dirty blond hair and brown eyes, timidly approach her. “Are you Kayleigh?” Kayleigh smiled comfortingly. “That’s me! And you must be Lauren.”

Lauren nodded. “Yep! Nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Kayleigh replied. “This is my friend, Brooke.” Brooke smiled warmly before her eyes returned to the stage, patiently waiting for the Boys to go on. “And you know the rest of the girls, don’t’ you?” Kayleigh asked, pointing towards Leighanne, Kristin, and Ashley.

“Yeah,” Lauren answered, visibly relaxed. The two girls got to know each other while they waited for Nick and the rest of the guys to appear on the stage.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Kayleigh glanced at her watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. It was 11:50pm and Tyler still hadn’t shown up. She had tried calling him everywhere she could think of and hadn’t gotten a hold of him. She sat down on the front steps of Brian’s house and waited.

‘Maybe he got lost.’ No, he’s been there thousands of times before. He has directions and the phone number. He would’ve called. He stood her up. Again. She hadn’t told anyone but it had happened before. A few times. Her two closest friends, Nick and Brooke, already disliked him. Both for different reasons but they still didn’t like him at all. It hurt her to think that they all couldn’t get along. She loved them all, though in different ways, and she hated always having to choose.

Kayleigh saw headlights approaching and sighed in relief, thinking that it would be him. But the tears, once again, slid down her cheeks as the car sped past the house. She heard the front door open behind her and quickly wiped her eyes.

“Kayles?” Nick said, softly, sitting down next to her.

“He’s not coming,” Kayleigh pointed out, never taking her eyes off of the road.

Nick tentatively put an arm around her. “I know, honey. He would have been here by now.”

“Please don’t say ‘I told you so,’ Nick,” Kayleigh pleaded, softly. “I don’t think that I could handle that right now.” Nick nodded slightly and sat there with her in silence.

“Why didn’t he come?” she finally whispered. Nick didn’t offer a response. The only one he had was one that Kayleigh didn’t need or want at the moment. “Why is he doing this to me? It’s New Years.”

“Why don’t you come inside, okay?” Nick suggested. “It’s almost midnight. Come ring in the New Year with all of your friends.”

“And watch everyone kiss their girlfriends or boyfriends at the stroke of midnight? No thank you,” Kayleigh scoffed. She turned to look at him. “You go ahead, though. I’m sure Lauren’s waiting for you.”

“Are you sure?” Nick questioned.

Kayleigh smiled, through her tears.

“Yeah. Go ahead. I’ll be out here.” Nick gave her a quick hug and then disappeared inside to be with his girlfriend for the midnight celebration.

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