But now I was sitting in my chair while people walked past me and Stephanie. I had insisted that she stay with me so that she could meet him, too. She hadn't wanted to intrude on our "moment" which I thought was really silly. She was the real fan, anyway.
After everyone cleared out of our section we sat down and waited
for the whole place to clear out. A security guard came up to us and said,
"Excuse me, girls, but it's time to leave."
"Wait, sir," I said, "I have this." I showed him the rose and the
writing on the card.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Don't worry, you can stay."
"Thanks" I said. He walked away.
When the place cleared up we were still sitting in our seats.
"Maybe he stood us up." I suggested
"No way! He'd never do that." Then, more quietly, she said, "Look!
Here he comes." She was looking behind me.
"Steph, please stay calm and don't embarass me." I said. She took a
few deep breaths
I turned around to see Nick walking over to us. He had changed his
clothes to baggy jeans and a big Nike t-shirt, as well as a "Miami Dolphins
Football" Baseball cap. He waved when he saw that I had seen him. I walked
to meet him, with Steph following close behind.
When we finally met in the middle of an isleway we stood in awkward
silence for a second, until I stuck out my hand and said, "Lucy Diamonds"
He smiled at me. "Nick Carter" He said, and we shook hands. I had been
looking at the ground until I looked up at him (He was so tall!) just then
and said "..and this speechless girl behind me is my friend Stephanie
Newstor."
"Hi Steph" he said. She did a little wave.
"Hello." she said. She was blushing.
"So, I said, "I like that first song you did."
"'Let's have a party'?" He asked. I nodded. "So do I but the
producers and them didn't, so they didn't put it on the North American
version of our first CD. It's a big hit overseas, though."
"Really? I'd never know the difference. I kind of haven't bought
any of your stuff."
"Oh..." He became uncomfortable "...How come?"
"Well, over where we are, you guys aren't exactly popular. Steph
won our tickets and I didn't really even want to come. But I realized that
I liked all the songs I heard on stage, cuz you guys have some awesome
talent. I'm glad I came. I guess I let peer pressure get the best of me,
huh?"
"I'm glad you came, too. Thanks," He said, "Listen, do you guys
want to come hang out with us? The guys are probably wondering what
happened to me."
"Well.." I looked at Steph. Her expression gave me my answer. "We'd
be honored."
"Come with me." He said and put his hand on my shoulder as he
walked past me. I followed him, and Steph came up beside me. She mouthed
the words "Oh my god." "I know." I mouthed back. I walked up beside him. We
went behind the stage in a hallway and then into a rather large windowless
room, with four guys and a few other people in it, as well as a bunch of
rec-room stuff.
"Okay," Nick said, quietly, "The guy yapping on his cell-phone over
there is Howie. See where the two are playing pool? The one that keeps
missing the cue ball and cursing is AJ and the one holding a cue and
laughing at him is Kevin." He brought us over to where a light brown haired
guy was playing nintendo. "And this is Brian." Brian turned around and then
stood up.
"Hey, Nick, where've you been? I wanted to play a game with you."
He gestured to the TV screen.
"As if you'd win" Nick teased and nudged him playfully in the ribs.
Brian laughed at him.
"Nick, Aaron can beat you!" he said.
"Yeah, well, Aaron's a good player." Nick seemed embarassed.
"Oh, and who are the lovely ladies?" Brian seemed to just notice
Steph and I for the first time.
"This is Lucy and this is Steph." He explained. "I was talking to
them back in the Arena."
"Nick is always looking for a girl to pick up," Brian joked, "But I
believe you girls are the first ones that will put up with him.
"Hey!" Nick exclaimed."What is this, the official attack Nick night?"
"Nick, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" I asked. Steph shot
me a quizzical look.
"Sure," We walked to an empty corner of the room."Shoot", he said
"Um, Steph really likes um, oh, what's his name?" I tried to
remember the concert "Howie, that's it. It would make her so happy if she
could talk to him."
"No problem!" he said. "Just wait here a sec." He went to talk to
Howie, who was now finished with his cell phone. Nick whispered something
to him and he nodded. Nick walked back to me as I watched Howie walk
towards Steph. I wouldn't miss this for the world. Steph had been chatting
politely with Brian, until, of course, she saw Howie. He said hi, she said
nothing, only blushed. He asked her name, she replied, and it went on from
there. She looked at me and smiled very brightly, and then didn't seem to
stop smiling.
"Hey, Nick," I said, changing the object of my attention.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you so much."
"As I said, no problem. Really!"
"Yeah, I know, but this is so great, seeing Steph so happy and all.
The smile on her face is priceless."
"Aren't you happy, too?" Nick asked.
"Yes, I'm so happy for her."
"No, I mean, for yourself?" He said quieter, concerned.
"Of course" I smiled, as if to prove my point.
"Lucy, I just realized I know, like, nothing about you." Nick
changed the subject somewhat, and I was relieved he did.
"Well, then, my full name's Lucy Skye Diamond, I like most kinds of
music. I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada with my older sister Bessie,
and...I like puppies and ice cream, but not together. You?"
Nick laughed. "Okay, my turn." he said, "I'm six-foot-three. My
full name is Nickolas Gene Carter, I like all music. I live on the road
with my adopted brothers and in Orlando, Florida with my rather large faily
that I would prefer not to list at the moment, and I, too, like puppies,
ice cream, and video games. But not together."
"Very good." I said. "Cute." That was the tuth. Nick was adorable.
"Hey, why are you guys hanging out around here, anyway? Don't you go to
some fancy hotel to spend the night?"
"I have no Idea why we're still here. Actually, I didn't even think
of it.--Hey AJ!" he called. AJ moseyed on over to us.
"Hey, Nick. Aren't you going to introduce me?" AJ looked at me.
"AJ, Lucy Diamond. Lucy, AJ McClean." Nick said.
"So, what can I do for you?" AJ asked.
"How come we haven't gone back to the hotel yet?" Asked Nick.
"Geez, you don't know?"
"No" We both replied in unison.
"There's a big storm goin' on out there. The Limo drivers can't see
through the rain. We're stuck in here until it clears up." AJ sighed. "And
I was supposed to meet someone."
"Oh, bummer," said Nick. "But then, how come I haven't heard any
thunder?" Just then a loud crack of thunder was heard by everyone in the room.
"Nick, you coused it!" I said, laughing.
"Hey, c'mon man, wasn't me!" Nick put his hands up in front of his
face in mock defense. He was laughing a bit, too. "So now what?" He asked me.
"I'll tell you now what!" called Kevin fom over at the pool table,
"It's time for AJ to come finish the game!"
"No way, man." AJ said back to him, "I know you can beat my butt
any time."
"So, too bad! Come on, I'll go easy on you."
"Oh, alright," he said, then turned back to us, "Sorry, people, I'd
love to stay and chat, but I have to go get my ass whipped." Nick and I
laughed at him. AJ walked back to the pool table.
"So, NOW what?" I asked.
"Well, we'll be waiting a while, so we might as well get
comfortable." Nick said and sat down on the floor. I sat beside him. "I say
we play a game." He decided.
"Really? What?" I was a little surprised.
Nick thought for a while. "How about twenty questions?" He suggested.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah," he said. You ask first."
"I suck at this game" I said.
"Oh, come on. I'll bet you don't."
"Fine then, Is it green?"
"No," he answered, "At least I hope not."
"Nick Carter, are you thinking of something raunchy?" I gave him a
playful shove.
"No!" he laughed.
"Alright, then, is it living?"
"Yes."
"Is it an animal"
"No." he stifled a giggle.
"Is it a person?"
"Yes."
"Is it a guy?"
"No."
"Is 'she' in this room?"
He grinned. "Yes."
I looked around the room. Steph and I were the only females there.
"Is it Steph?"
"No"
"Well, that makes it easy.......me?"
"Uh-huh" I could feel myself blush.
"I have another game. Lay down."
"What?" he asked, surprised.
"No, silly, don't be so perverse."
"I wasn't thinking-"
"Nick, in order to play the game you need to do what I asked.
Please." I said. Nick lay down on his back on the nicely carpeted floor.
"What's this game called?" he asked
"It's called.....pillow."
"And how do you play?"
"Well," I began, "You lay down on the floor and make like a pillow
because I'm really tired because it's been a busy night." At that I plopped
my head down on his chest and cuddled up beside him.
"Ooof!" he joked, "Wow, you must have a really heavy head, cuz-"
"Oh, hush" I gave him a soft little bop on the tummy.
"Ooof again!" he said. I didn't answer, I just smiled and closed my
eyes. This WAS turning out to be a great night. I heard mor loud thunder
and jumped a little. After a while I felt him put his arm around me. He
must have thought I was sleeping. "I really like this game." I heard him
whisper. I soon fell asleep.