"She means nothing, Ang."

"Huh?"

"Tiffany, I know you were thinking about it, I know you wanted to ask about it but it's a long story and I don't want to talk about it here."

"OK. I'm going to see if Crystal needs help."

I walked out onto the pooldeck leaving Nick by himself inside, alone.

"Ang what's the matter?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Are you sure?"

I shook my head. "NO but I'll be ok." I laughed.

"OK Whatever you say Ang."

"Pool's ready." I heard Nick's voice and him, Brad and Anthony walked outside.

"Hey ladies."

"Hey it's about time you guys got here." Brad came over, leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Nick gave me a weird look but I turned away from his eyes that glared right through me.

"Guys the pool is awaiting your company....I think it's lonely."

"Sure Crystal, I'm just going to put my bag in your room." She nodded her head and Brad Anthony and Nick followed. The door didn't close and Nick followed me thinking I didn't see him.

"What is it Nick?"

"Nothing I just didn't know what I was going to do out there all by myself."

"Babe you need to socilize. People are going to start talking and you'll ruin my reputation."

I giggled and he put on this goofy little look.

"So you wanted to help me put my bag in Crystal's room?"

"Yeah." We walked down the hall into Crystal's room

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you come up here to ask about Brad?" I heard the front door open and Dustin called through the house.

"Hello?"

"They're all outside Dusty!"

"K thanks Angie! HEY where are you?"

"Upstairs! I'll be right down."

"OK! Oh look who's here? It's Brad. Now please don't get all hott and heavey on him infonrt of us all!"

"Go outside!" He laughed and I heard the patio door slam

"Don't give me that look Nick."

"What look? I'm not giving you a look!"

"I'll tell my story when you tell me yours."

I walked downstairs and Nick followed, complaining about how he didnt give me a look, but he did.

"Hey what took you two so long?"

"Dustin if you really don't want me to beat the crap out of you than you'll shut up."

"OK, your so violent Ang."

"Only with you Sugarplum."

"Thanks." I s'owly took my tank top off when I thought no one was looking and slipped out of my shorts I guess I was caught because Anothony, Brad and Dustin's jaws dropped and Brian came over to me and was over exggerating pretending to be drooling, Nick jsut stood there quietly. Brian picked me up and twirled me around and without any noticed jumped into the pool bringing me with him. I should have expected that from him. I came to the surface of the water Brian was sitting on the edge of the pool laughing, like everyone else, except Nick who, had all of a sudden become very shy. I swam over to Brian and held onto the edge of the pool.

I whispered very softly to him, "Is Nick ok? He's acting sorta strange. Is he like stage sick?"

I giggled and Brian smiled.

"No I don't think so. He missed you alot though. He talked about you for endless hours after concerts."

I smiled to myself. "Oh"

Without another word to be said I yanked onto Brian's legs sending him straight to the bottom of the pool. I laughed and lookd over at Nick ho was sitting on a deck chair. I smiled at him and waved. He waved back than looked at the ground. I felt someone blowing on the back of my neck. Brad grabbed my waist breaking my eye contact with Nick, bringing my eyes to his. I giggeled

"Yes?"

"Nothing I just wanted to look at you your face." I smiled.

"Oh that's all?"

"Yeah I think so." He softly gave me a small kiss and spun me around and held my waist. I observed everyone. Barbara and Crystal were talking on the pool steps. I noticed Barbara snagging looks at Nick, trying to get his attention. It wasn't working he was looking at me, every now an then, with the saddest eyes in the world! I tried pulling myself away from Brad but he kept a strong grip on my waist.

"C'mon babe, lemme go." He turned me around and rolled his eyes.

"Before you leave me you gotta gimme a kiss." I gave him a short simple kiss and noticed Nick sitting on the edge of the pool, by himself. Crystal had been in the kitchen on the phone an returned with a big grin on her face.

"AJ's stoppping by." She walked over to the side of the pool where Brian and Barbara and Dustin had been talking. I started swimming over to Nick. He was staring and the water. I came up between his legs and spit water in his face. He smiled but it quickly faded.

"What's the matter Nickers? You don't seem like yourself."

"It's just... I guess I have...I'm just not feeling like myself right now."

"Are you ok?" I heard the patio door open and AJ walked through. I noticed Crystal's eyes brighten, she always had a thing for him I guess. He quickly busied him self sitting on the deck chair talking to everyone else.

"Do you wanna go back to my place and just bum out on the couch and watch movies or something?"

"No I don't want you to have to leave."

"Nick I can't have fun if your feeling bad, it makes be feel bad to see you unhappy. Besides I'm getting bored."

"Are you sure?" I smiled.

"Of course I'm sure." And I was I didn't want anything to lead into anything with Brad.

"Let me get by bag and we can go."

He got up and helped me out and gave me a towel

"I'll get your bag."

"Ok Thanks." He disappeared into the house. "OK Guys we're gonna get going. Three hours with you people is more than enough."

"Thanks Ang we love you too."

Brian got up to give me a hug good-bye and said he'd walk me out to my car. Brad on the other hand was very unhappy.

"Why are you leaving? Are you upset about something?"

"No I'm not upset I just want to go home."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"NO I don't. I'm fine beside Ni-"

"Here's you back Angie" Nick gave me my bag and got in the front seat of my car.

"Thanks Nick. See Nick's coming home with me, OK? Good Night and good bye!" I laughed. He gave me a kiss good bye and gave Nick a nasty look. I pulled out of the drive-way and Nick gave me the 'look' again. I just laughed.

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