"Can you take this suitcase please Liz?".

Liz took the large heavy suitcase from my arms and took it out to her car. I followed her out with a couple more bags.

I was leaving to fly to New York. To see Nick.

Since he had left a couple of months ago, I hadn't seen him. We had spoken on the phone and e mailed each other a lot but I hadn't seen him yet. Now I had a week off my tutoring so I was going to see Nick for a few days. I really missed him so I was ever so excited about seeing him.

I went up to my room to get a few last bits and pieces to take. I paused by the door at the painting of Nick, which I had gotten framed.

"See you soon Nick!" I said cheerfully to the painting.

I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of potato chips to eat on the way to the airport. I went through the pile of mail on the table and found that one was addressed to me.

Wondering who it was from, I opened it and read the letter.

"Mary-Anne!" I exclaimed. She had written to me! I hadn't heard from her since the day she had came over in tears saying she was moving away. In the letter she told me she had settled down somewhere in Europe and had found a lovely boyfriend. She said she was much happier and her parents had no idea she was there.

I smiled, glad to hear the good news. I had been worried about Mary-Anne and didn't know if she was safe. At eighteen, she was very young to go abroad alone.

I slipped the letter into my pocket and took my last few things out to the car.

"Ready?" Liz asked, starting the engine.

"Yup!" I said, sitting in the passenger seat and opening my bag of chips.

I sat impatiently through the journey, I couldn't wait to see Nick. I missed him! The past two months had been slow and lonely. I had hardly seen my mother, and Harmony next door had been away at school most of the time.

When we got to the airport, Liz helped me carry my bags in. When we got to departures, she left me to get the plane alone.

"Take care!" she said, waving.

"Will do!" I said back. "See you next week!".

I sat waiting to get the plane. I imagined what it would be like, spending a few days with Nick and the guys. We could play video games, listen to our new CDs... I couldn't wait.

My only worry was how Nick would be. I had seen him the day he went back and he still wasn't well. Mary-Anne leaving had effected him badly. I hoped he would be OK now.

"On stage in twenty minutes!".

"OK!" I shouted back, going into wardrobe to get my first stage outfit on.

It was the night of our first New York show of this leg of the tour. Although touring was tiring and wore me out, I still loved it. Going on stage was what I loved doing.

"When will Lila be here?" Brian asked me, sitting in the chair next to me.

"Anytime now, she said she'd come to the show tonight, I sent her a pass,". I was looking forwards to seeing Lila again. I missed us playing video games, her giving me advice... I generally missed Lila. She was such a good friend.

Our make-up artist came and did my make-up. From behind me I could hear a familiar voice talking with Brian.

"Lila!" I cried, although I couldn't move from my chair.

"Nick! great to see you again. You're looking well,".

"I'm feeling great," I told her.

My make-up was finished then so I took Lila into the next room. She saw Leighanne and they said hello to each other.

"I have to go on in ten minutes, but we have time for one game of Rally Car,".

Lila smiled, taking off her black jacket and sitting on the couch next to the TV where my Dreamcast was set up.

We had a couple of goes before I was interrupted by a member of the crew telling me I had to go on now.

"Go and watch from the pit," I told Lila as we went through.

"Sure, I'll sit with Leighanne," she replied. "I haven't seen you in concert yet... well I saw you in Europe last year but I'm sure this show will be better!".

"Nick! I'm back, wanna see my cute little dress?".

I looked up and rushing towards us was Sara. My new girlfriend.

Lila looked puzzled. "Hello," she said to Sara, then looking back at me.

"Oh introductions time!" I laughed. "Sara, this is Lila, my friend from Tampa. Lila, this is Sara, my girlfriend,".

Lila smiled at Sara. "Hi, pleased to meet you Sara,".

"So you're Lila," my girlfriend said. "Nick mentioned you before,".

"I gotta go onstage now, you girls go to the pit," I said, interrupting them. I gave Sara a quick kiss then rushed off to go on stage. I hoped they would get on well.

Hoped? Of course they would! Sara was the sweetest girl I knew, ever since she had turned up at our first show we had clicked. I had forgotten all about Mary-Anne now; Sara was the one. I was in love.

>>>>>

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