*Kelly*
“Whoa…that was pretty um…exciting??” I ventured referring to what had just happened between Howie and Theresa.
“Uh…yeah, definitely,” AJ said giving me a look like, ‘don’t say anything else about it’.
I just nodded and then yawned and looked at my watch.
“Ohmygoodness…is it that late already?!” I exclaimed sitting up a little from AJ’s warm embrace.
“Late?! Naw, girl!! It’s time to partay!!!” AJ smiled at me, taking my hand and helping me up.
I yawned again. “No, no, baby…it’s time to go to bed. I’ve gotta drive home tomorrow and I don’t wanna fall asleep.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Come on…I’ll walk you to your room,” he said grabbing my hand.
“Goodnight guys,” I waved to Brian, Kevin, Claudi, Vic, and Howie.
“Will you call me?” I interrupted the silence as we trudged down the long hallway.
“Of course baby. I’ll write and call as often as I can. I’ll even visit, if the chance comes up,” he smiled his gorgeous smile at me.
“Yeah, you’d better!! Or else…” I said evily.
“Or else what?” AJ said nonchalantly.
“Um…I don’t know yet exactly. But, it’ll be bad…” I replied, as we arrived at my door.
“Yeah, yeah…whatever,” he said as I leaned against my door.
He leaned against me, giving me a deep kiss and running his fingers through my hair.
“Can I keep your ring?” I said, turning it around my finger.
“Yeah, except, here…it’s on the wrong finger,” he said, slipping it off and placing it on the ring finger of my left hand.
“There, much better,” he said kissing me again.
“Why did you do that?” I asked curiously.
“Because it’s now officially a promise ring. Not like a promise to get married or anything, but that we’ll always love each other, no matter what comes between us. In this case, distance. I’ll see ya soon, ok?” he said turning to go.
I knew that he was trying to leave before he started to cry. He just didn’t want me to see him cry.
“AJ, it’s alright, you don’t have to hide it from me,” I said walking toward him.
He just turned around, grabbed me around the waist and buried his head into my neck. I could feel his warm, wet tears across my neck.
I wrapped my arms around him and cried too. I just couldn’t help it! I was going to miss him so much. The way he looked, the way his cologne smelled, the way he kissed me, the way he held me so tight, everything….
“I love you,” I said pulling a way a bit.
He smiled and wiped his eyes with the bottom of his sweater. “I love you, too. No go get some sleep.
I don’t want you to have an accident tomorrow.”
We kissed goodnight and then I went into my dark room and didn’t even bother to change clothes. I just plopped down onto the bed and cried into my pillow until I fell asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Gail*
Nick and I were sitting on the bed holding each other when Howie burst through the door.
“Oh, sorry guys! I’ll go…” he turned to leave.
“No, no, Howie. It’s alright…it’s getting pretty late. I should go anyway,” I said standing up, wiping the tears from my cheeks.
I looked at Nick and he was doing the same.
“Do you really have to go?” Nick pouted.
“Yeah, I should. It’s late and I’m pretty tired.”
“I wonder what she’ll decide…” we heard Howie mumbling to himself as he climbed into bed.
“Yo D, what are you talking about?!” Nick said, giving him a weird look.
“Oh, sorry…I was just talking to myself. See, I proposed to Theresa a little while ago and she didn’t give me an answer, exactly.”
Nick and I looked at his astonished and wide-eyed. “You did what?!” Nick exclaimed.
“Yeah, yeah…I proposed. I don’t think she’ll say yes, so nothing to worry about,” Howie said lying down on his pillow.
“Don’t worry man, it’ll all work out,” Nick reassured.
“Yeah, I’ll talk to her, Howie. Don’t worry.”
I kissed Nick goodnight and walked to my room to talk to Theresa as I promised.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Claudi*
“Yeah, I suppose I should be going to bed soon, too,” I said. “I’m awfully tired.”
“Aww…baby, don’t. I wanna spend some time with you,” Brain pleaded wrapping his strong arms around me, as we cuddled under a blanket on the couch.
“That’s sweet, but I need to go talk to Theresa. I think that would be the best thing for me to do right now.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Come on, I’ll walk ya to your room,” he sighed and helped me off the couch.
We walked in silence to my room. When we got there, Brian leaned over and gave me a big hug and a passionate kiss.
“I’ll see ya in the morning, ok?” he smiled, kissing me again.
“Alright, goodnight, sweetie.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Vic*
“Well, Kev, I guess that leaves just me and you, huh?” I smiled, looking around.
“Yeah, sure does. I don’t even feel like getting up and walking to my room,” I said lying my head down in his lap.
“So don’t. Just stay right here, then. I’ll stay with you.”
Kevin grabbed a blanket and tossed it on top of me and gently stroked my hair. He leaned over to give me a soft kiss on the cheek. “Love you…” he said. I smiled and closed my eyes.
I was lying there thinking how I could possibly love one man so much, when Kevin deep, sensuous voice starting singing:
“I’d go anywhere for you, anywhere you asked me to. I’d do anything for you, anything you want me to. I’d walk halfway around the world, for just one kiss from you. Far beyond the call of love…the sun, the stars, the moon…”
I smiled and drifted off into a deep sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Theresa*
What was I gonna do?? I couldn’t marry Howie.
Believe me, it’s not that I don’t want to, but could I?? I mean…could I deal with all the screaming fans after my husband? My husband…that sounds sorta weird.
I walked into my room to find Kelly, Gail, and Claudi and sitting in the middle of my bed, obviously talking about Howie and I because they got quiet as I walked into the room.
“What?!” I exclaimed.
“Oh, nothing, but um…have you decided anything yet?” Gail questioned excitedly.
“No, I haven’t,” I moped.
“Wouldn’t that be sooo cool?? You and Howie getting married? Theresa Dorough…oooh, I like it!” Kelly said with excitement and her big blue eyes staring at me with anticipation.
I sat up, feeling a little more excited. “Yes, actually it would!! He’s the kind of man I’ve always dreamt I would marry and that would be so cool planning the wedding and being his wife!”
“I know…you could pick out a wedding dress and we’ll get to be your bridesmaids!” Gail said, as we all laughed.
I laughed along and then started to get serious. “That all sounds wonderful and I do love Howie with all my heart, but how can I deal with his life? I mean, touring the world would be great, but not at their pace! Do you have any idea how many girls around the world would despise me??” I said.
“It doesn’t matter what they think. It only matters if you’re happy and with the man that you love,” Gail commented.
I sighed because I knew that she was right. What would I do without Howie in my life?
“Guys, I love Howie and all, but I did just meet him…” I said.
“Yeah, but you can’t get married right away anyway. The earliest would have to be this summer and I don’t think Howie’s intentions are to have a Vegas wedding!” Claudi laughed.
“Besides, long engagements are good, too. That way, you’re engaged, but you still get to decide if this is the best thing for you,” Kelly said.
“You’re exactly right! What’s the harm in getting engaged? Besides, I love Howie and really do want to spend the rest of my life with him!”
I was really excited by then, but we were all tired, so we all fell asleep, except me. I was filled with joy and excitement! I couldn’t wait to tell Howie, my future husband, the good news in the morning!!!
