Hope looks over at Nick as the plane starts to bank for landing. He has his eyes closed and his hands are gripping the armrests. She grins and looks out of the window at the rapidly approaching tarmac. The plane touches down smoothly and taxis to a halt. Nick opens his eyes and looks at Hope with a wry grin. “Home safe, Hopeless love.” He chuckles and she stands up with a groan. She hitches her bag up onto her shoulder, ‘accidentally’ clipping Nick over the head.
“Owch!” He growls. She grins and moves past him, off the plane.
“I can’t BELIEVE you Hope!” Danni shakes her head at her giggling friend. “You beat up on Nick Carter?!”
“Well, he deserved it.”
“But NICK CARTER?! He’s like…mmmhmm.”
“I love your use of vocab Dan.” Danni laughs and swipes Hope with her book.
“Anyway, I prefer Brian to Nick so what’s it matter if I beat Nick up a lil here and there?” Hope grins.
Danni shakes her head again and puts a video on. The Boys appear on the TV, clasping their hearts in a rendition of I’ll Never Break Your Heart. Danni clasps her own heart dramatically, setting Hope off into fits of giggles. The camera moves in for an extreme close-up on Howie.
“Jeez, you can see up his NOSE.”
“Shaddup.”
“And what’s with the nervous twitch?”
“He’s winking.”
Hope giggles. “All that money and he can’t even get an eye appointment.”
Danni pinches her.
“Stop beatin’ on my Howie girl.” Danni sighs at the image of Howie on-screen. “If you wanna beat up on somebody, try the goof.” She points at floppy haired Nick who suddenly collapses to the floor, beating his heart.
Hope looks at her friend. “Nah, he’s doin’ that all by himself.” The girls giggle.
Hope watches her friend race off into the blue ocean and closes her eyes. She was grabbing a few moments of peace to top up her golden tan. A nearby thud and a shower of sand covers her body. She groans and opens her eyes. A grinning Nick is laid next to her in the sand.
“Howdy Hopeless love!”
“Arrgh.” She sits up. “You stalkin’ me or what?!” She tries to brush the sand off but just ends up spreading it more evenly over her skin. She glares at him and stands up.
He looks up her long tanned legs and grins. “Leavin’ already?”
“You just have that influence on me.” She turns round and races into the ocean to wash the sand off her body.
He grins and follows her, plunging into the warm blue water. He surfaces next to a very shocked Danni and splashes her.
“Wha..?” She looks at him. “Man, I was tryin’ to keep my hair dry.”
He grins. “Sorry I was tryin’ to get Hopeless.”
“Hopeless?” Danni grins. “You keep callin’ her that, you better book your own funeral.”
Nick chuckles as Hope leaps on him from behind, ducking him under the water. He comes back up spluttering. “Hey!”
“Never call me Hopeless again…”
“Oh but it’s such a great name.” She pushes him under again. He comes up spluttering. “Aww, Hopeless love…” She sighs and shoves him under again.
Danni laughs. “You have to let him back up, Hope.”
“Why?”
“Hmmm….because the Boys just wouldn’t be the same without his baby good looks.”
Hope pulls Nick back up and looks at his face. He grins at her. “Nuh.” He goes back under and Danni laughs.
“OK, I Need You Tonight…without Nick, your favourite song’d disappear.”
“Hmmm. Point.” She lets go of Nick and he comes spluttering to the surface.
“Quite finished the drowning thing Hopeless?”
She lunges for him again but he grabs her first and throws her over his shoulder into the water. She comes up coughing and Danni laughs.
“God you two kids!” Hope and Nick make eye contact and then lunge towards Danni. She sees them and screams. She swims towards the beach then stands up and races onto the sand, hotly pursued by Nick and Hope. Nick spots his friend walking towards them.
“HOWIE! Grab her!” Howie looks at the threesome racing towards him. Danni reaches him first and grabs him to cower behind. Nick and Hope run round a revolving Howie.
“Man, you’re makin’ me ill.” Howie groans and Danni races off towards the water again.
Nick manages to tackle her and she trips into the water with a huge splash.
“Resistance is futile.” Nick cackles and Howie looks at them all with a bemused smile on his face. Danni suddenly realises who she had just grabbed and spun round like a maniac and gasps. Hope grins at them all.
“Howie man, meet Hope Lestlov and…?” Danni stares at him and he splashes her with water.
“Oh…Danni Panini.”
Nick looks at her. “Yeah, what she said.”
Howie grins at Hope. “Hopeless love huh?”
She groans. “Don’t even GO there.”
Howie laughs and walks over to where Danni is still sat in the sand with the waves washing over her. He holds out his hand to her. “Sorry I couldn’t save you Danni.”
She smiles and allows him to help her up.
“Sorry I got you wet and made you ill.”
He grins. “What say we go get a cold drink?”
“Great.” He leads her off. She looks back at Hope and punches her fist in the air.
Hope laughs and sits next to Nick in the shallows of the ocean. “Fast mover isn’t he?”
“That’s our Howie.” Nick traces shapes with his finger in the wet sand. “So, live far?”
“About a ten minute walk.”
“That’s good. I’m about twenty minutes away.”
They sit in silence for a while then she stands up. He looks up at her. “I’d better make a move.”
“Oh, OK.”
She looks at him for a while and then gives him a little wave as she walks away. He watches her disappear from sight and splashes his hand down in frustration. He’d wanted to ask her so many things but the words had just stuck in his throat. Howie leaving them alone like that had just made it feel so pressured and cliched. He stands up and walks along the beach towards his towel.
Howie looks at the pretty dark-haired girl sitting opposite him and smiles. Nice, very nice.
“So Danni, where are you from originally?”
“Texas.”
“Why’d you leave?”
“Small town horror really.” She laughs. “I got tired of everyone knowing my business. I met Hope through the internet and we decided to throw in our lot together and move here.”
“Wow. Big move – Texas to Tampa.”
“Oh I don’t know, they both start with a T.”
He laughs. “And it worked out?”
“Big time. Hope’s my bestest friend now. And my job here is great.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a station researcher.”
“Radio?”
“Yep. It’s a great job. I meet a lot of interesting people.”
“Cool.” Howie smiles at her. “I’m glad you made the move.”
Danni skips into the lounge where Hope is glaring at her computer screen. She flops down next to Hope. Hope ignores her. Danni starts humming.
“OK, what?!” Danni stares at her and Hope takes a deep breath. “Sorry, bad day. How did it go?”
“Oh great!” Danni sighs happily. “Howie is SO great.”
“Seein’ him again?”
“I hope so. He took my number.”
Hope smiles at her. “Great.”
“And Nick?”
“What about him?” Danni raises her eyebrows at her. “Oh don’t look at me like that.” Danni shrugs and starts humming I Need You Tonight. “Only thing I need Nick to do is introduce me to Brian.” Hope glares at her computer screen. “Geez!”
“What?” Danni sits up and looks at the computer worriedly.
“They’ve only gone and married Brian off!”
Danni stares at Hope for a moment. “Oh, you and your fan fiction.” She closes her eyes.
“Oh, you’re kiddin’ me!” Danni ignores her friend’s outburst. “Poor Howie…”
Danni’s eyes open quickly and she grabs the laptop off Hope.
“What’d they do to my Howie?!”
Hope laughs.
The phone rings and Hope rolls over under her sheets with a groan. It keeps ringing. Finally, she grabs it. “What?!”
“Oh hey Hope.”
“What?!”
“Morning person huh?”
“Ahhh, shaddup. Who the hell calls at…” She looks at her clock. “Jeez! It’s 9am…I’m late!!” She leaps out of bed and starts getting dressed with the phone between her neck and shoulder.
“You should thank me for callin’ if I got you up.”
“Thanks.”
“How are ya then? Apart from late.”
“Tired. Cross…”
“Already knew all that.”
“Errr…who ARE you then?”
He laughs. “Oh sorry. It’s Howie Dorough. Nick’s friend?”
“Yeah, I know who you are.” She races out of her room and into the bathroom. Danni’s just coming out. “Catch!” She chucks the phone at Danni and slams the bathroom door shut.
“Errr…hello?”
“Danni?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s Howie.”
“Oh…Oh.”
“Yeah. I was talkin’ to Hope but she’s late…”
“Yeah.”
“But I rang for you.”
“Oh.”
“You late too?”
“Nope. I have the morning off.”
“Me too. Had breakfast yet?”
“Nup.”
Hope runs out of the bathroom into Danni. “Arggh….I’m late!” Her door slams and Danni giggles.
“That sounded like tornado Hope.”
“It was.”
He laughs. “So wanna meet for breakfast?”
“Sure. That’d be good.”
“I’ll come by and pick you up. Ten minutes OK?”
“Yup.” She hangs up and goes into her room.
Howie lifts his hand to knock on the door. It’s suddenly flung open and Howie just manages to stop himself from knocking on Hope’s breasts. Hope stares at him.
He stutters. “Ah sorry.”
“Ain’t nobody home there Howie. Try later.” She rushes past him and he blushes.
Danni appears in the doorway. “Hi. Shall we go?”
“Sure.” She shuts the door behind her and follows him to his car.
Hope turns the key in the engine for the third time. It fails to turn over. She groans and thumps the wheel. She gets out of the car and slams the door shut.
“Goddamned heap of junk!” She kicks it. “Bastard!”
Howie looks at Danni. She shrugs. “Car’s ‘bout as temperamental as she is in the mornings.”
Howie grins.
“Hey Hope. C’mon, I’ll give you a ride.”
“Ah thanks.” She kicks her car one last time and runs over to Howie’s car. “I’m gonna trade that piece of trash in at the weekend.”
Danni rolls her eyes and climbs into the back. “You ALWAYS say that Hope.”
“Yeah well this time I mean it.”
“So where do you work Hope?”
“Off the Boardwalk.”
“Ah, I know it. What do you do?”
“Features writer.”
“Cool.”
“Errr…not to be ungrateful or anythin’ but step on it.”
“Hey, I’m almost doin’ the max.”
“What’s with this almost crap?! Do it!” Howie looks across at her and sighs. He puts his foot down and she grins. A few minutes later he pulls up outside her building. She leans across and kisses his cheek quickly. “Thanks for saving my moody ass.” She gets out of the car and kisses Danni before running into the building. Danni climbs into the front seat.
Howie looks at her bemusedly.
“Anyone ever question her sanity?”
“All the time.” She smiles. “Thanks for doin’ that.”
“I kinda enjoyed it.” He grins and starts the car.
“You sure earned breakfast!”
Howie parks the car and turns to look at Danni.
“Thanks for breakfast Howie.”
“Thanks for coming.” He smiles at her and reaches for her hand. He holds it in his. “I like you Danni. Do you think maybe we could…” Danni leans forward and silences him with a soft kiss.
“I think we could y’know.” He smiles and kisses her deeply. “I wish I didn’t have to work.”
“Me too.” He kisses her again. “Doin’ anything tonight?”
“Nothin’ I can’t cancel.” She smiles. “Meet you at your place?”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Danni switches the light on and bounces up and down on Hope’s bed. Hope groans and pulls the sheets further over her head. Danni pulls them off her and giggles madly.
“What?! I’m tryin’ to sleep here!” Hope sticks her head under the pillows. Danni tickles her and wrestles the pillows away from her. “Jeez! Get the circus outta my room!”
“Oh I’m SO happy Hope!”
“Arggh.” Hope sits up and glares at her friend. “God, just tell me and leave me.”
Danni grins and cuddles the pillow.
“We had breakfast.”
“Yeah. I’m happy for ya.”
“And then we kissed in the car.”
“Whoa makin’ out in the car?! I ain’t done that since HIGH school!”
Danni hits her. “Hey, it was….mmmhmmm.”
“Jeez, there’s that great use of vocab again.”
“And then I went to his place when I finished work.”
“And ya made out some more huh?”
“We had a great meal.”
“Made out…”
“Watched a video.”
“Made out…”
“Made out…..”
Hope laughs. “Ahh, I’m happy for you Dan. Really.”
“Me too. He’s so great Hope.”
Howie grins at Nick over his coffee. “C’mon Frack, spill.”
Nick sighs. “You’re seein’ Danni huh?”
“Yeah. She’s great.”
“Do you think you could….” Nick stops and shakes his head. “Ahh, no matter.”
Howie watches him for a moment with a slight smile on his face. When Nick wanders off to find Brian, he pulls out his mobile phone.
“Hey Danni.”
“Howie! How are you?”
“Lookin’ forward to tonight.”
“Me too, sweetie.”
“Do you think you could bring Hope along?”
“Ahh, you gonna bring Nick?”
“Yep. He’s drivin’ me crazy tryin’ to ask if I could fix him up with her.”
Danni laughs. “Sure, no problem. I’ll drag her along.”
“Great honey. Later.” He hangs up.
“Whoa, classy place!” Hope looks at the penguin-outfitted waiters. “Sure you can afford this Danni?” Danni waves her off and looks anxiously round the restaurant from Howie and Nick. They appear in the doorway.
“Whoa, this place is SERIOUS buddy.” Nick self-consciously smoothes his hair down. Howie spots Danni and Hope sat at a table and make a beeline for them.
“Danni! Hope! What a surprise!” He kisses Danni and smiles at Hope.
“Gee Howie and Nick.” Hope shoots her friend a wry look. The guys sit down. A waiter comes over and gives them menus. Hope looks at hers, it’s all in French. She tries to remember what the French is for fish. Howie and Danni are holding hands and giggling behind their menu. Hope looks at Nick who looks as uncomfortable as she’s feeling. She leans over to him. “What’s fish in French?”
He shrugs. “I’m just tryin’ to avoid ordering anything remotely froggy or snaily.”
She giggles and glances over at Howie and Danni who are still ensconced behind their menu. “I know this great sandwich bar.”
“Are their menus in English?”
“Yup.”
“Let’s go.” He holds out his hand to her. She grins and takes it. “Errr, laters guys.” Howie and Danni look up just in time to see Nick and Hope sprinting out of the restaurant giggling.
“Looks promising.” Howie winks and she giggles.
Nick takes a huge bite out of his BLT sandwich. “Mmmm.”
“This beats French food hands down.”
Nick nods. “Hell yeah.” They finish their sandwiches and order coffees.
“It’s great about Danni and Howie isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Howie’s real happy.”
“Danni’s so happy she’s becoming annoying!”
Nick laughs. “I know what you mean there. Bri and Kev are the same with their girls.”
“Awww, are you the gooseberry?!”
“Yeah, me and AJ. But AJ manages to find some female company most nights!” He grins. “That’s why we call him Bone.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Hmmm.”
The owner of the sandwich bar recognises Hope and grabs a cap from under the counter. “Hey Hope, you left this last time.”
Hope takes the cap. “Thanks. I was wonderin’ where I left this.” She smiles at the owner and puts the cap on her head.
Nick gasps and points at her cap.
“Tampa Bay Buccaneers?!”
“Yeah. Great team, huh?”
“Man, you support them?!”
“Oh yeah! Of course.”
He grins at her and holds out his hand. “Perfect woman, good to meet ya.”
She laughs. “Well I gotta be SOMEBODY’s.”
He smiles. “C’mon let’s get outta here.” They leave the diner and walk down to the beach. The sun is beginning to set over the ocean and the ocean is calm. They take their shoes off and walk through the shallows. Hope suddenly starts giggling. “What?”
“I had a flashback to this interview you did about your perfect date.”
“Oh yeah…sea, sand, sunset…this is it.” He smiles at her and pulls her cap down. “And you’re my perfect woman.”
She laughs. “What if I’d supported the Miami Dolphins?”
“Oh don’t even SAY that!” He shudders. They walk in silence for a while. Nick stops and turns to face her. He wraps his arms round her and moves closer to kiss her. He bumps his head against her cap.
She laughs and takes it off. “Take two.”
He smiles and kisses her softly. She wraps her arms round his neck and drops the cap to pull him closer into her kiss. He feels the soft warmth of her tongue on his lips and moves his hands up her body to tangle in her long, soft hair. She kisses him softly and moves away to look at him. He pulls her back into arms and kisses her neck. She sighs and runs her fingers up his back. She opens her eyes and notices her cap floating off into the ocean. She laughs.
Nick looks at her. “Gee, didn’t think my seduction technique was THAT bad.”
She smiles and gestures out at the ocean. “Nick, my cap.” He looks and lets go of her to run splashing into the water. She watches him wade out to grab her cap. He comes back, half wet, and puts the water-filled cap back on her head. Seawater drips down her face and she laughs. Nick puts his arms round her again for a long kiss.
“As long as you love me, baybay…” Hope cha-chas into the lounge and comes face to face with Danni. “Hey Dan.”
“So, you left the restaurant in a hurry?”
“Err, yeah. We figured you guys’d like a bit of space.”
“Oh right. So where’d you go?”
“For a sandwich then on the beach.”
Danni looks at Hope’s wet hair and top. “Yeah, I can see that.”
“Hey!” She waves her cap at Danni. “Got my cap back.”
“Whoopee do yay.” Danni folds her arms and Hope flops down on the sofa. “Are you going to tell me?”
“What?” Danni groans and Hope laughs. “Ok, we had a great night.”
Danni sits down next to her. “That’s better. And?”
“He kissed me.”
“And?”
“I kissed him.”
“And?”
“We kissed each other. Geez Danni!”
“So he stayed true to that whole ‘And kiss her…and kiss her…and kiss her’ thing?!”
Hope laughs. “You could say that, yeah.”
Danni sighs and stretches out on the warm sand. She looks at Hope. “This is pure heaven Hopeless.”
“I know.” Hope smiles and closes her eyes. A shower of sand covers her legs and she sits up. Nick and Brian are standing in front of her grinning. She swallows her insult and smiles stupidly at Brian. God, he was even more gorgeous in the flesh. Danni sits up and smiles at her friend’s glazed expression.
Nick throws himself down next to Hope, thinking the glazed expression is for him.
“Hey Hopeless.”
“Hey Nicky.”
Brian holds his hand out to her. She takes it. “I’m Brian.”
“I know.” She giggles and then realises how schoolgirly she sounded and claps her hand over her mouth. Nick looks at her strangely and Danni tries not to giggle herself. Brian sits down next to Hope.
“I do that a lot too.” She gazes at him. “The silly voice thing.”
“I know.”
Danni grins. “We have the conversation mix.”
Brian nods. “Ah yes.” He looks at Hope. “So Nick says your name’s funny.”
“I know.”
Nick looks at her. “Hey, throw out the dictionary or what?”
“Sorry.”
Nick sighs and looks at Brian. “Her name IS funny.”
“My name’s Hope Lestlov.”
“Huh?” Brian looks confused.
She sighs. “Say it aloud Bri.”
“Hope Lestlov.”
“Now think about it.”
He thinks seriously for a while and Nick rolls his eyes towards the skies. Finally, “Oh! Hopeless love!”
Hope claps. “Yay.”
“Sorry, I’m tired.” He grins at her.
“So Danni, where’s Howie today?”
Danni smiles at Nick. “He’s shopping. It’s my birthday tomorrow.”
“Oh right. Happy birthday!”
“Thanks.”
Nick looks at Hope who’s deep in conversation with Brian and sighs. “She got a thing for him or what?”
“He’s her favourite Boy.” Danni notices Nick’s frown. “Before she met you of course.”
“Of course.”
“I like your name Hope.”
“Thanks Brian.” She smiles at him.
“Nick says you like the Buccaneers.”
“Oh yeah. BIG fan. You?”
“Oh, local Kentucky team. But the Bucs are cool too.” She grins.
Nick gets tired of watching her flirting with Brian and stands up. “I’m goin’ for a swim.” He goes.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure, a Mountain Dew.”
“Hey that’s my fave drink too.” He stands up.
“I know.” He grins at her and leaves. Danni glares at Hope. “What?”
“You know what. I can’t believe you flirted with Brian while Nick was here.”
“Oh it wasn’t serious Danni. Nick knows that!”
“Does he? Is that why he went for a swim?” Danni shakes her head ruefully at Hope and lies down again.
Hope looks out at the water and spots Nick floating on the water some way out. She watches him until Brian comes back with her drink. “Ah thanks but I’m gonna go for a swim.”
“Ah sure.” He watches her walk off towards the water and turns to Danni. “Fancy a Dew?” She smiles and sits up to talk to him.
Hope swims out to where Nick is floating. When she reaches him she lunges and dunks him under.
“Arrrgh!” He splutters at her. “Hopeless.”
“I know.” She pulls him close for a kiss. “Sorry.”
“So you have a thing for Bri?”
“Nuh!” She blushes slightly. “Who told you that?”
“Danni.” He grins and kisses her. “I don’t mind if you do…just ‘long as you’re with ME.”
“Happy birthday darlin’” Howie wraps his arms round Danni and kisses her deeply.
“Thank you honey.” He pulls a box out of his trousers and gives it to her. “Oh, Howie!” She smiles at him and opens it. Inside is a beautiful emerald necklace. She gasps and he takes it off her gently.
“Let me put it on for you.” She turns round and lifts up her long black hair as he fastens the chain round her neck. He kisses her neck gently. “Like it?”
“I love it.” She turns round to smile at him. “But you shouldn’t have spent that much money on me Howie.”
“You’re worth it. You make me happy.” He fingers her necklace gently. “And it matches your eyes perfectly.”
Hope looks at her watch and sighs. The bartender is starting to give her pitying looks. If Nick doesn’t turn up within 10 minutes she’ll have his ass for scraps. She signals a refill of her glass and the bartender obeys. Two guys come up behind her and one of them pinches her ass.
“Hey!” She spins round and comes face to face with a grinning AJ McLean. Nick is just behind him.
“Hey yourself honey.” He turns to Nick. “I know we’re here to meet ya girl but think I’ll just stick with this one.”
“Errr AJ buddy.”
“Yeah?”
“You just goosed my girl.”
“Huh?” AJ raises his shades and looks at Nick. “THIS is your girl?”
“Yup.”
“Damn you.” AJ groans and looks at Hope. He pushes his shades back and hauls himself up onto the barstool next to her.
“Hope, AJ.” Nick kisses her and sits on the stool on the other side.
“Good to meet you goose-boy.”
“The goosing was all mine” AJ signals to the bartender. “Gimme a Bud. Guys?”
“Bud’s fine.”
“Yup.” Nick starts fiddling with a beer mat. “Sorry we were late. Runnin’ on Backstreet time again.”
“S’OK, but another 10 and I’ve have been outta here.” Hope grins at him.
“You go girl.” AJ tips his purple leopard-skin hat at her.
She grabs it off him and giggles.
“What the hell died to make you THAT?!”
“Hey…it’s cool.” She shakes her head and pulls it down over his head. “Fake.”
“Whatever. Damn freaky though.”
Nick giggles and AJ shoots him a look. “Whaddya laughing at dough boy?” Nick takes a swig of his Bud and Hope wraps an arm round him.
“Hey, leave my Pillsbury man alone.” AJ grins.
Nick pouts. “You got this girlfriend thing all wrong Hopeless. You’re supposed to defend me not add to it.”
“Awww, maybe I’m not cut out to be your girlfriend then.”
Hope bounces into the lounge humming Larger Than Life. Danni’s sat on the sofa with a book.
“Hey birthday gal!”
“Hey yourself.”
“I got goosed by ghetto pimp.”
“Yeah?” Danni laughs. “How’s AJ these days then?”
“Just dandy.” She sighs and sits down. “How’d things go with Howie?” Danni grins and flicks her hair back. Hope dodges out of the way. “Hey, we’re not in a shampoo ad here y’know!” Danni groans and strokes her neck exaggeratedly. Hope finally notices the emerald necklace and squeals. “Jeez!”
“Finally.”
“Danni, it’s gorgeous.”
“I know. I was so shocked when he gave me it but he said I was worth it.” She blushes and Hope gives her a hug.
“You are, Dan.” She leans over the couch and picks up a box. “Happy birthday.”
“Aww thanks Hopeless.” Danni opens it. “Oh man…” She laughs. It’s full of BSB goodies – T-shirt, pen, eraser, ruler, notebook, poster book, stickers, lyrics, and CDs. “Thanks Hopeless.” She hugs her friend.
Hope chuckles. “I had to endure some seriously uncool looks.”
“I can imagine.” The doorbell rings and Hope jumps up to answer it. It’s Howie.
“Hey big spender.” Hope starts humming the tune as Howie follows her into the lounge.
“Hey yourself.”
Danni sees Howie and throws the box over the back of the couch. “Hey.”
He gives her a puzzled look. “Huh?”
“Ahh, nothin’ major. Just the severed limbs of the last guy to muck Dan around.” Howie stares at Hope. “I always get her gory stuff for her birthdays.”
“Ahh….anyone ever use the word scary around you?” He sits next to Danni.
“All the time.” She grins. Howie laughs.
“Just had to come and say goodnight honey.” He smiles at Danni and they start kissing.
Hope backs out of the room. “Well, I’ll be….errr….taking in the panoramic views of my car and our wheelie bin.” She heads outside and sits on the grass looking up at the moon. A few minutes later a car pulls up and Nick stumbles out.
“Heyy…it’s ma girl….go now…” He waves the car away and the driver moves on. He throws himself down next to Hope.
“Been drinking with ghetto pimp?”
“Yup…you left and he held me prisoner.”
“Awww…that must’ve been so hard.”
“Yup.” He lies down on the grass. “What you doin’ out here?”
“Howie’s here.”
“Ahh…avoidin’ the gooseberry rap huh?”
“Got it in one Einstein.”
“C’mon down here.” He pulls her down next to him and kisses her. “We can do a little anti-gooseberry thing here ourselves.” She giggles as he rolls her underneath him and kisses her deeply.
Howie wraps his arms round Danni and kisses her again. “I really gotta go.”
“I know.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Sure.” She kisses him and he backs out onto the lawn.
He falls over Hope and Nick.
“Wha…?!”
“Owch!” Nick and Hope sit up. Howie groans and sits up as well. Danni looks at them all and starts giggling.
“What kinda freaky crap you doin’ there?!”
Nick looks at Howie. “’Bout as freaky as what you guys were doin’.”
Hope stands up and brushes the grass off her clothes. “Hey, my grass…I can get as freaky as I like.” She pulls Nick up and Danni helps Howie up. “Am I allowed inside now?”
Danni blushes. “You always were.”
“Great.” She looks at Nick. “C’mon. You can crash out on my floor.”
“Oh joy.” He follows her inside.
Howie grins at Danni. “Well….’til tomorrow then.”
“Yup.” She kisses him and goes inside. Nick and Hope are in the kitchen looking in the fridge. “What you lookin’ for?” Danni pulls herself up to sit on the counter.
“Food.” Nick shoots her a look. “Did Howie fry your brain again?”
Hope straightens up. “Hey, leave my friend alone.”
“Aww c’mon…ya gotta admit Howie turns her to mush.”
“Hmm…point.” She grins at Danni.
“Hey…you can talk.”
Hope giggles and suddenly collapses to the floor. “I am mush.”
Nick chuckles and throws himself down on top of her to cover her with kisses. Danni looks at them both and shakes her head sadly. She jumps down off the counter and steps over them.
“Really…kids today.”