~*A Few Weeks Later*~
Jackee sat down on the couch with AJ and sighed loudly.
"Is something wrong?" AJ asked.
"How'd you guess?" Jackee asked, rolling her eyes.
"What's the matter?" AJ asked.
"Nothing," Jackee lied. "I'm fine." She turned her attention back to the TV.
"No you're not…tell me what is wrong," AJ said. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.
"It's kind of stupid if you think about it, really…" Jackee began. "I'm upset about the fans…your fans…"
"What about them?"
"I just can't handle them…I went online the other day I found a ton of hate sites out there about me, all by fans of you…and somehow they all found out my email address and have been sending me hate mail," Jackee complained.
"There's nothing to worry about…they don't really mean it," AJ said comfortingly.
"Nothing to worry about?!" Jackee shouted. "I've got crowds of girls following me around everywhere I go, shouting at me, and you don't think I should worry?"
"Jax, calm down…" AJ said in a reassuring tone. "Everything is going to be fine…"
"I just don't know if I can take it anymore," Jackee said angrily. "They're just so bitter and angry…"
"What are you saying Jackee?" AJ asked slowly.
"I can't take this…it's all too much for me," Jackee said quietly.
"Are you saying that you're thinking about breaking up with me because of what my fans have said?" AJ asked in shock.
Jackee nodded her head slowly.
AJ took Jackee in his arms, looking directly into her eyes. "I can't believe you would ever think of doing that…I love you Jackee…and it doesn't matter what they think…it doesn't matter what anyone thinks. You're my world…I don't know what I would do without you," AJ said sincerely.
"You mean that?" Jackee asked softly, a small smile creeping across her face.
"Of course I do…The fans are just jealous… and I know that once the fans get to know you they'll love you," AJ said with a smile.
Jackee smiled and kissed AJ.
"All better now?" AJ asked in a joking manner.
"Yup!" Jackee said happily.
"Great…so, how about we go out someplace to eat?" AJ suggested.
"Anywhere but McDonald's," Jackee groaned.
AJ laughed, "No, not McDonald's…but I know this great place right by the water…"
"Say no more…" Jackee said with a grin. "I'll leave a note for Em and we'll go right away." Jackee stood up and ran out to the kitchen to leave Em a note.
~*At The Same Time*~
Brian and Em walked through the mall, hand in hand, looking in the store windows as they passed them.
"Oh my gosh!" A teenage girl screeched. "It's Brian Littrell!" The girl and two of her friends came running over to Brian and Em.
"Like, oh my gosh! I am your biggest fan!" One girl said excitedly to Brian.
Brian looked at Em and she rolled her eyes. Brian had all he could do to keep from laughing. "Really? Thanks a lot."
"Can I have your autograph?" The third girl asked.
"Sure," Brian said politely.
The girl searched frantically through her pockets for a piece of paper and finally handed a store receipt to Brian along with a pen.
"What's your name?" Brian asked. The girl told him and he quickly signed an autograph for her as well as her two friends. The first girl ran into a nearby store and purchased a disposable camera while the others asked Brian questions, completely ignoring Emily.
Brian took a few photographs with the girls and then chatted with them for a couple more minutes.
"Is that your girlfriend?" The first girl asked in a snotty tone.
"Yes, this is my girlfriend, Emily," Brian said proudly. He smiled and squeezed Em's hand reassuringly. Em said hello to the girls as politely as possible, but only one of them was even the slightest bit nice to her and tried to get to know her.
"It was really nice meeting all of you," Brian said with a smile. "But we've got to be going." Brian said goodbye to the girls and they snapped a few quick pictures before leaving.
"Did you see that girl he was with?" The first girl said once she was about 20 feet from Brian and Em.
"Yeah, what a little slut! Did you see the way she was hanging on Brian?! Shoving the fact that she has Bri and we don't right in our faces," The second girl said as they walked off.
"I don't know…" The third began. "She seemed okay." "Why do they all hate me so much?" Em asked miserably as she sat down on a bench.
Brian took a seat next to Em, "They don't hate you…they're just jealous."
"I can't take this anymore!" Em said angrily, standing up from the bench.
"What are you talking about?" Brian asked helplessly.
"I can't do this anymore, Bri! I'm sick of having all these people hate me just because I'm your girlfriend!" Em yelled.
"Em, sweetie, calm down…" Brian reached out and tried to embrace Em comfortingly, but she pulled away.
"I need to get out of here," Em said quietly.
"Okay, let's go…" Brian said calmly.
"I need to be alone, Brian…I'm sorry…" Em shrugged her shoulders and headed for the mall exit, leaving Brian standing there helplessly.
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Chapter 15
Backstreet Zoo