*Kelly*
AJ was absolutely stunning! He had just shaved his goatee…it was still there, just very neatly shaved. I knew this because when he leaned down to kiss me, I felt his soft cheek against my own. AJ and I sat there for a minute talking about touring and fans and then me and school and where we’re both from. He was so easy to talk to, but AJ was more a man of action, than talking so he grabbed my hand and whispered into my ear, “May I have this dance?”
I smiled and blushed and replied, “Why of course you can, Mr. McLean.” I stood up and followed him to the middle of the dance floor. Soft music was playing and AJ took my hand into his and placed it over his heart while we gently swayed to the music. I sighed very contentedly.
“What baby? What is it?” AJ questioned startled.
“Oh nothing…I just feel so safe in your arms. That’s all.” I reached up and gave him a kiss on the lips. I then lay my head down on his shoulder and took in a deep breath of his cologne. He smelled sooo good! I just wanted him to hold me like this forever and never let go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Gail*
I can’t believe Nick didn’t show up! After all of this getting ready and excited and he’s not even here! What a waste! I walked out of the dining room onto the balcony outside. I had tears streaming down my cheeks because I felt so empty inside. Why didn’t he come? I just don’t understand.
I reached into my purse and pulled out a tissue and examined my streaked face in the mirror. I repaired it the best I could, but what difference did it make? Nick wasn’t there to see me!
I leaned over the balcony peering out into the beautiful snowy white land.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice said from behind me.
Startled I dropped my purse over the balcony and then turned around. It was Nick.
“Oh! Um…hi Nick!” I said looking at him and then back down over the balcony at the little green speck that was my purse lying in the snow.
“Hey Gail! I’m sorry I scared you, but first I want to apologize for not showing up for dinner,” he said, looking me straight in the eye.
“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” I said, not really meaning it.
“No, no, it’s not alright. Let me explain.”
“Okay, I’m listenin’….” I said crossing my arms defiantly and tapping my foot.
“Would you please stop looking at me like that? You remind me of my mother when I don’t clean my room!” he said, halfway smiling.
I laughed and then sat down on the patio chairs outside, listening to Nick intently.
He told me that he used to have a girlfriend, Dana, and he loved her very much and that they had just broken up about a week before this trip. I told him that I didn’t understand what any of this had to do with him not showing up for dinner. Nick said that he was so upset about the break up that he was afraid to get close to anyone else again.
“Yeah, but Nick, we can just be friends. I know the rest of the guys and my friends aren’t just friends, obviously, but we can be. I understand what you’re going through.” I leaned over and ran my fingers through his hair and placed my hand on top of his. “It’ll be okay…I promise.”
“No, Gail, that’s not going to work. When I saw you buying your Sprite today, it was like seeing an angel. You’re very beautiful, but I just can’t handle a relationship right now.”
“Oh…I see. Well, I’m sorry Nick. I don’t know what else to say. I want to be your friend, but you can’t seem to handle that. I’m sorry,” I said glancing away and getting up turning to leave.
“Gail, wait….” Nick said getting up coming after me, “I don’t want to lose you as a friend, either. C’mon…let’s go down and get your purse.” He hugged me and grabbed my hand and led me downstairs to search for my purse in the snow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Claudi*
Wow! That boy sure does eat a lot! I thought to myself while Brian was stuffing forkfuls of potatoes into his mouth and I sipped on my drink.
“Brian…what’s it like?” I asked curiously.
“What? The potatoes? Oh…they’re great! You want some? Here…” he tried stuffing some into my mouth.
“No stupid, not the potatoes!” I said laughing. “I mean…what’s it like being famous and knowing thousands of girls adore you?”
“Oh, that…” he said getting a little bit more quiet, still munching on dinner. “Well, it’s really fun, I suppose. I mean, I get to do what I love….sing and perform and make millions of people happy just by smiling,” he teased and smiled at me. “The screams from all the girls gets a little tiring and it’s really rough being away from your family all the time when you’re on tour and it’s hard to go to normal places, like say, McDonald’s without being recognized. All in all, it’s not really bad, though.”
“Oh, I see. I always thought it would be so cool to have thousands of people know who you were and faint at the sound of your voice,” I laughed.
“Yeah, I guess. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be, though. We’re on vacation now for the weekend and then we have to go back to the studio to work on the new album. We found this little lodge out here and thought it would be a good place to relax without too many interruptions,” Brian told me, while he finished his food and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“Alright, well enough about work! Let’s go do something, Brian. Who knows where Gail went and AJ and Kelly are over there in their own little world!” I said while we both glanced over at the adoring couple swaying on the dance floor, exchanging kisses.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Brian agreed. “Let’s get out of here and go do something!”
I wonder what he has in mind…..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Vic*
Kevin and I were sitting there quietly eating our dinner when we saw Brian and Claudi get up and leave.
“I wonder where those two are going?” Kevin asking, looking up from his plate.
“I dunno…maybe outside or something,” I said.
“Have I told you that you look great tonight, Vic?” Kevin said nonchalantly.
I blushed and smiled. “Thanks Kev, so do you.”
He smiled and questioned, “Vic, you’re really nice and sweet, but you seem a bit defensive or something. Do you want to talk about it?”
“What are you talking about? I’m not defensive, Kevin!” I said crossing my arms over my chest.
“See what I mean. It’s alright…I just thought you might want to talk about it.”
I sighed and started telling Kevin about Greg, about how he left me for another girl, about how he lied to me about her, about how he broke my heart, and about how I was afraid to get close to anyone else.
Kevin sat their patiently listening to my story and then I was finished and I just started to cry.
“Oh, Vic, please don’t cry. It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay,” Kevin said as he pulled me into his strong arms and rocked me.
I felt so safe in his arms. I knew at that moment he cared and would never hurt me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Theresa*
Howie and I couldn’t stop talking and laughing and smooching! He was the coolest guy I had ever met and it didn’t even cross my mind that he was part of one of the most popular bands in the world, the Backstreet Boys.
“Babe, do you want to go accompany AJ and Kelly on the dance floor?” Howie offered.
“Yeah, sure. Why not?” I said getting up, adjusting my red dress.
“You look really nice tonight, Theresa. That’s a beautiful dress,” Howie complimented.
“Thanks you look great, too, like always!” I said, giggling a little as he placed his arm around my waist and took my hand into his.
Kelly and AJ hadn’t even noticed that anyone had left the room or that anyone had joined them on the dance floor.
“I swear, please slap me if we ever get like that!” I laughed, looking over at Kelly and AJ.
Howie laughed and said, “Actually, I don’t think it would be such a bad idea.” At this he pulled me tightly against his chest and gave me a deep, sensual kiss.
