Friends Forever Chapter 3
Lacey Callahan pushed her strawberry blond hair back
from her face, as she looked out of her motel window and was amazed at
the snow that was transgressing down heavily upon the skyline of the
city of Toronto. Their were several cars careened off the streets, as
stranded motorists waited on abandoned vendor's corners, waiting for
some sign of CAA. She could also see two stalled GO trains, as
passengers sat in the train, some sleeping, some reading, and others
just wondering when they were going to be home for the holidays. Lacey
felt comfortable in her room, as she put on the Blue Jays jogging pants,
and her wool cardigan, as well as some other sports apparel, that she
had bought since she had none of wardrobe, or toiletries with her except
a brush, some make-up, and her deodorant.
"Hey Lacey, the pizza is here," AJ McLean knocked on her door, as
Lacey's stomach grumbled with hunger.
"Aweosme, coming," Lacey replied, as she opened her door, and followed
AJ down the Penthouse floor towards Nick's and Brian's room where they
had three pizzas waiting, freshly baked out of the oven.
"Do you like your room?" Howie asked her, as she and AJ entered the
room.
"It's great," Lacey replied, as she took a napkin and piece of pizza. "I
have a great view, and I looked outside to see the snow coming down
harshly. Have you heard anything about the flights?"
"Yeah, the news said that all flights are cancelled until further
notice," Kevin answered, as they watched Muchmusic.
"Wow, Iesha's stranded at the airport all alone," Lacey said, beginning
to worry about her best friend again. "Maybe I should call and make sure
she's okay."
"I don't think you'll get through," Donna Wright, the Backstreet Boys
manager, commented as she entered the room with some paperwork in her
hands. "I don't think that you will all be getting home tomorrow
afternoon. I'm sorry. American Airlines had cancelled all the flights,
so you probably won't be home until Sunday." Lacey felt bad for the
guys, because she knew they had just come off an European tour, to
shooting this Christmas video right away, and now they were unable to
get home to see their families.
"No problem Donna," Brian replied whole-heartedly. "We have lots of time
to get home."
"Okay, well I'm going to hit the sack," Donna said, as she took a
bottled water and a piece of pizza. "Don't tire Lacey out too much
guys."
"We won't," Nick promised and Donna left the room.
"This is pizza is good," Lacey said, as she took another bite and
glanced at the television screen, as Moist's video played.
"So, Lacey, was that your first video shoot today?" Brian asked her, as
Kevin and Howie excused themselves, saying they were tired, and wanted
to get lots of sleep.
"Yes it was," Lacey answered, as she finished off her pizza, and leaned
back on the comfortable couch. "I've done a few catalogue shoots, but
this was the first major gig that I have done. How about you all? Did
you have fun on the video shoot today?"
"Of course we did," AJ replied, as he took his third piece of pizza. "We
always have fun on our video shoots." His cell phone started ringing,
and Lacey got up.
"Well boys, I am going to go down to the lobby because I have an
incredible craving for an ice cream sundae," Lacey said, as she stood up
and they all looked at her as if she was crazy.
"Are you sane? I mean, it's below zero outside and you want to go and
eat ice cream?" Nick asked her and Lacey laughed.
"I love ice cream," Lacey replied smiling. "Come on guys! What else fun
are we supposed to do on a cold, December night when a snowstorm is
raging outside? We might as well enjoy it well it lasts!"
"As crazy as it sounds, the ice cream actually sounds good," Brian
commented, and he jumped up to join her.
"Well, I guess I'd better come," Nick replied, as he reluctantly stood
up. "Aaron and Angel would go in a second."
"Yeah, so would my younger sisters," Lacey smiled.
"How old are your sisters?" Nick asked her, as Brian went to ask AJ if
he wanted to go with them.
"Well, Rose is four and Emma is one year," Lacey answered smiling. "They
are so adorable. I miss them when I'm at school."
"Yeah, I miss my siblings as well," Nick commented, and Lacey saw the
loneliness he must feel on tour without his family.
"I would as well Nick if I was away as much as you," Lacey said softly.
"I guess I shouldn't complain."
"Bone's coming," Brian said, coming into the room. "I think I convinced
Howie to come to!"
"The more, the merrier," Lacey commented, as AJ and Howie came into the
room.
"Whose idea was this anyway?" Howie asked. Lacey smiled at him because
he looked half asleep.
"Lacey did," Nick replied. "Do you think I would think of something this
crazy?" They all looked at him and Nick looked away.
"Guilty Carter!" Lacey teased him, and he started chasing her down the
hall. They ran past many rooms, and Nick caught her quickly, causing
both of them to tumble to the floor. Unfortunately, Lacey went butt
first, and started laughing loudly, that loud hiccups escaped her mouth.
"Now, who's guilty?" Nick teased her back, as she laughed some more.
"You two are crazy!" AJ joked and Lacey smiled. "Okay, you two, we'd
better go downstairs before we start an earthquake or something."
"Definitely!" Brian agreed, but their was a goofy expression on his cute
face. "So, AJ, how's Amanda?"
"Great," replied AJ, as they stepped onto the elevator. "I miss her a
lot."
"I miss Leanne as well," Brian replied. "How about you Lace? Do you miss
Christian?"
"Not yet," Lacey answered, as a dreamy smile crept across her face.
"Actually, I barely know him!" They stepped off the elevator, as Lacey
noticed her worse nightmare standing in front of her. There stood her
evil nightmare that had made her highschool years, a living hell. It was
Bruce Weatherstone, standing proudly beside his friends, as he seemed to
be stranded in the Skydome Motel, after his car broke down. Lacey
remembered all the names he used to call her because of her weight, his
constant sexual remarks towards her, and the way he embarrassed her
every day in the cafeteria.
"What are you looking at Lacey?" Nick asked her, and she looked at him.
"Oh, I have to um-go to the washroom," Lacey said. "Go get a table and
I'll meet you in there." Lacey wanted to see what Bruce was going to say
to her now. She wondered if he had changed at all.
"Well, well, well, Larissa Callahan," Bruce smiled devilishly. "How
quaint we would here on such a night? You are looking as attractive as
an over-dosed pig as usual. How's the hamburgers?"
"Bruce, shut up," Lacey snapped at her.
"No baby, I want you and all your fat rolls," Bruce replied, grabbing
her arm.
"Leave me alone, you snake!" Lacey snapped at him, pushing his arm away.
"You may have bothered me in highschool, but there is no way you are
going to bother me now! I am much better then you!"
"Yeah right hoe," Bruce laughed meanly in her face. "I will always be
better then you."
"You think your ugly face and steriod-induced body will get you anywhere
in life?" Lacey replied angrily. "Or your half-brain that one half was
fried with drugs, and the other is just empty?" Bruce's face lit up with
anger, and he raised his hand, striking her hard across the face.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Bruce said, pushing her away, as
tears crept down Lacey's face. Meanwhile, AJ had hung near the front of
the restaurant with Howie because he sensed there just wasn't something
right with that guy. He looked away for a split second, only to see
Lacey grab her face, and run away from the guy in tears.
"Howie, did you see that?" AJ said to him. "I think they jerk just hit
Lacey!"
"Are you sure you aren't exaggerating things?" Howie asked him, ooking
in the direction where Lacey had last been, and he didn't see her
anywhere. He then saw her, standing near the elevators. "Go see if she's
okay."
"I'm going," AJ replied, and he walked over to her. The first thing he
saw was a huge red handmark on her face and tears streaming down her
once cheerful face. "Lacey, what happened hon?" Lacey looked into his
eyes and shook her head, implying that everything was fine.
"Lacey, I still want you baby!" Bruce yelled at her, and AJ turned to
him.
"Who is that freak show?" AJ asked Lacey, and she clicked the elevator
to go upstairs. The door opened, and Lacey went inside it, as AJ
followed her in. "Lacey, did he hit you?"
"N-no," she whispered, as she sobbed. "Everything's fine."
"Come on hon, tell me, please," AJ said softly, as tears streamed down
Lacey's face.
"He's a jerk! I hate him! I hate him AJ! I hate him!" Lacey shrieked, as
she choked on sobs. AJ wrappped his arms around her, as she sobbed
harder.
"It's okay Lace," he said softly. "You'll be okay." They stopped on the
penthouse floor, and they stepped off. He glanced at her face, and it
was turning a deep shade of purple. He looked over to see Kevin grabbing
a Coke from the machine and he stopped, as soon as he saw Lacey's face.
"What happened?" he wanted to know.
"Some jerk downstairs hit Lacey," AJ answered, as Lacey was shaking, and
she sat down on one of the couchs in the waiting room.
"Who? Did you report him?" Kevin wanted to know. "Are you okay Lacey?"
"No, it's not going to help," Lacey replied, shaking her head. "I'm just
going to bed." She stood up, and walked quickly towards her room, which
was near the elevators. She shut the door behind her, as AJ and Kevin
stood wondering what to do next.
"Did you see what happened AJ?" Kevin asked him. "No jerk should hitting
be a girl."
"I have no idea who he is," AJ said. "All I know is that Lacey hates
him." The elevator door opened to reveal Howie, Brian, and Nick. They
all looked concerned as they stepped off the elevator.
"What happened?" Brian asked, as soon as they were of the elevator.
"Where's Lacey?"
"Some guy hit her downstairs," AJ informed them.
"Who? What? When?" Nick asked quickly. "Is she okay? Where is she?"
"She's in her motel room," Kevin said. "I don't want to go in there."
"Someone knock and see if she's okay," Howie urgued them.
"Nick, you go," Brian volunteered him, and he slowly walked over to her
motel room, and knocked on the door.
"Lacey?" Nick asked, as he knocked on the door.
"Yes?" Lacey answered back, as she lay on her bed sobbing.
"Lacey, can I talk with you?" Nick asked her and he heard her walk over
to the door, and open it.
"Nick, I'm okay," Lacey informed him, and he saw the nasty scar on her
face, and knew she truly wasn't.
"Lacey, what happened?" Nick asked her, as he went into her motel room.
"Please tell us! We want to help you." Lacey walked out of her room to
see all the guys sitting in the livingroom. They all stared at her when
she came out, and she felt bad for avoiding them before. "I'm sorry,"
she said softly.
"Lacey, why are you apologizing to us?" AJ asked her and she shook her
head, as a whole new batch of tears flooded down her face. "Keep it all
inside it's going to help you much hun."
"I know," Lacey cried, as she sat down on the couch beside Howie, who
put his arm around her.
"Who is he Lacey? Tell us. We can help," Howie said softly.
"His name is Bruce and he's a jerk," Lacey began, wiping the tear away
from her face. "He tortured me in highschool and now he still is. I hate
him! He always makes me feel so ugly, so fat, so horrible."
"Bruce what?" Kevin wanted to know, picking up the phone by the
elevator.
"Bruce Weatherstone," Lacey answered. "Kevin, don't report him. Please
don't." He put down the phone.
"Lacey, want me to kick his butt?" AJ asked her, and she shook her head.
"No," Lacey answered. "Let's just forget about it. I shouldn't have aid
anything to him. It's partly my fault."
"Lacey, no matter what you said, nobody has a right to hit you," Brian
informed her, and Lacey looked around at them all. They all had genuine
concern for her in their eyes.
"Lacey, we just don't want to see you hurt," Nick said sitting on the
perch beside her on the couch.
"Thanks," Lacey replied, attempting a smile. "I appreciate it. Thanks."
She stood up, as she walked into her motel room, and shut the door
softly behind her.
"What are we going to do?" Nick asked, as Kevin picked up the phone.
"We are reporting him because this guy shouldn't get away with hitting
Lacey," Kevin said confidently, as he called the front desk.
"Hello?" the front desk clerk said. "How may I help you?"
"Hi, this is Kevin Richardson, and I want to report something to
security," Kevin said, sitting down on the coffee table.
"Yes Mr.Richarson? Are there fans bothering you?" the clerk asked.
"No, we have a friend up here visiting us," Kevin said. "She went
downstairs to get a bite to eat and a guy in the lobby hit her on the
face. Now, I don't know how you handle these cases, but I hope you
handle this one properly. Thanks. His name is Bruce Weatherstone and he
left a really bad scar on her face. Thanks." He hung up the phone, as
the guys
"Well, what do we do now?" AJ asked and they all looked around at one
another.
"Go to bed I guess," Brian replied. "I hope she's okay..."
***************************************************************
Lacey woke up the next morning, and looked outside
her window to see the snow falling harshly outside. She knew her father
wasn't going to risk going out in this weather to get her. She walked
over to the mirror, and saw her scar was now a nasty shade of purple.
She looked away, and went into the shower. She got out and threw on some
jeans and tied her hair back into a quick ponytail. She looked at the
clock, and decided to call her parents before she headed back to out to
get some breakfast.
"Hello?" Rose answered the phone happily.
"Hey Rose, it's Lacey," she said, as her little sister shrieked with
delight.
"Lacey! When are you coming home? I want you to help me build a snowman!
Please! Oh Please! Please!" Rose cried and Lacey laughed merrily at her
little sister.
"Okay Rose, I will be home as soon as I can," Lacey replied smiling. "Is
Dad or Mom there?"
"Yes! Hold on!" Rose shrieked, as her mom came on the phone.
"Hi Lacey," Mrs.Callahan said, as Emma gurgled away. "How are you this
morning?"
"Good Mom," Lacey answered. "How are you?"
"Okay, honey," Mrs.Callahan replied, as she shifted Emma on her hip.
"Your father can't come get you until the snow lets up. Iesha called and
she's okay. She is stranded at the airport with her father and is very
happy that you are the hotel. She asked how things were going."
"Oh great," Lacey commented. "I was worried about Iesha a lot." She
heard someone knock her door, as Emma started crying and Rose was
pestering her mom.
"I'd better go Lacey," Mrs.Callahan sighed. "I will call you when your
father can get you."
"Bye Mom," Lacey said, as she hung up the phone. She opened the door to
see Nick standing there by himself.
"Hey, how are ya this morning?" Nick asked her, as she let him come in,
closing the door behind him.
"I'm okay," Lacey replied, as she opened the bar and got out two orange
juices. "How are you? Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, I slept like a rock," Nick answered, sitting down on a chair.
"So, how's your face?"
"It's fine," Lacey replied quickly. "I just talked to my mom and Rose.
Rose was like, Lacey come home because I want to build a snowman. It was
so cute!"
"I remember those days," Nick nodded, as he saw Lacey sigh. "Lacey, I
know you are avoiding last night. Do you want to talk about it? The guys
and I would like to help you."
"There's nothing you can do Nick," Lacey replied, shaking her head. "I
have tried everything possible to make people stop making fun of me, but
there is always a Lin or a Bruce who want to laugh at people l
like me because we are fat. They don't even care what we have to offer
in intelligence, or creatively. No! It's just that if you are skinny,
you are wondeful, and if you are fat, you can't be successful in the
world. People's prejudices are just too harsh these days."
"Lacey, have you listened to yourself lately?" Nick asked her, and Lacey
was caught off guard.
"What? What do you mean?" Lacey said, looking at him.
"Lacey, you are talking as if all people care how you look in life,"
Nick said, sitting down beside her on the bed. "Look, when I was little,
I was no Romeo. I was a loser. I wasn't popular, and all the so-called
popular people laughed at me. I didn't give up though. I hated school
and look where I am now. All my dreams have come true, and I didn't care
what others think of me. You have to be determined, and not look at
those others."
"Nick, so many people say that to me," Lacey replied, as tears formed in
her eyes. "And I try so hard. Nobody seems to be able to want to give me
a fair chance."
"You think they don't," Nick commented. "Look Lacey. People today are so
self-centered. Many people just care about themselves, and they have no
time to worry about how someone else looks. The only people that do make
fun of others are those who don't feel confident about themselves. They
need someone as an escape of their own miseries, and they look towards
people who they think aren't as good as them."
"Nick, you have helped me a lot," Lacey said softly, wiping a tear from
her face. "You and the guys have accepted me and I am so greatful for
that." Nick smiled at her, and Lacey smiled back.
"Lacey, you are very cool to hang out with," Nick said and he remembered
back to the conversation the guys and him had had before they all went
to bed. "We were all pissed off that guy hit you. We were all ready to
beat him up."
"I know," Lacey said, smiling at him. "I sound pathetic, don't I?"
"No, you sound like a person who has been hurt," Nick answered, as they
heard another knock on the door. Lacey got up, and opened it to reveal
Brian and AJ standing there.
"Good morning," they said in unison. "How are you?"
"Hey guys, good and you?" Lacey replied, letting them pass into her
motel room.
"Fine," AJ answered, looking out her motel window. "I sort of hoped I
could have flown home to see Amanda today though."
"They said on CNN that the storm is supposed to last until tomorrow
night," Brian told them. "I want to go home as well."
"Well, are you up for some breakfast?" Nick asked them, as someone
knocked on the door. Brian opened it to reveal Howie and Kevin, both
looking already to start the day.
"Breakfast everyone?" Kevin asked them and everyone followed him towards
the elevator. They rode down to the main level, and accompanied by
bodyguards, they were led towards the restaurant called Windows. Lacey
turned to see Bruce sitting there with his friends, having breakfast.
"Hey look," AJ said. "It's the retard."
"Don't remind me," Lacey said, shaking her head. She walked right by
him, with her head held high, and he laughed when she walked by.
"Nice scar Callahan," Bruce laughed, and his buddys looked at Bruce as
if he was nuts.
"Weatherstone, I wouldn't be laughing," the one hissed. "Look who she's
with."
"Who cares who's she with?" Bruce replied, but when he saw the BSB's
bodyguards, he cringed.
"Bruce, kiss my ass," Lacey said to him, and Bruce snarled.
"Want me to hit you again?" Bruce threatened and Lacey glared at him.
"Man, you aren't going to be hitting anyone," AJ told him, as he glared
at him.
"You have no right hitting a woman you freak," Nick added and Bruce
stared at them.
"I can kick your butt too," Bruce said to Nick and Nick looked at him.
"Sure you can," Nick laughed at him. "There's ten of us and one of you."
"I suggest we run, now!" his friend commented and within seconds, they
were all out of there.
"Thanks guys!" Lacey told them. "I really appreciate it!"
"No problem," AJ said smiling at her. "What are friends for?" Lacey
smiled at them, as she turned to see Iesha walk through the door. She
almost ran into Bruce and his friends. She was with her father.
"Iesha!" Lacey cried and ran to hug her best friend. "I am so glad you
are okay! Hi Mr.Keshawn! How are you?"
"Hello Lacey," Mr.Keshawn replied smiling at her. "We're okay. We are
glad we made it here!"
"Iesha, how did you get there?" Lacey asked her.
"Well, I talked to your mom and she said you were staying here, so we
got a cab here," Iesha replied, as they walked over to the restaurant,
while Mr.Keshawn booked them a room for the night.
"A cab? How in the world did it get through the snow?" Lacey wanted to
know.
"Well, it only stalled like four times," Iesha laughed, as she waved at
the guys. "What happened to your face?"
"This guy hit me," Lacey answered. "Long story. Anyway, come and have
breakfast with us!"
"Sure, hey guys," Iesha said, smiling at them. "Long time, no see!"
"Hey Iesha," Kevin said smiling at her. "We are glad you made it here
safely."
"So am I!" Iesha commented, smiling. She sat down beside Kevin. "Aren't
you all flying out soon?"
"Not until tomorrow night," replied Brian, as he took a sip of his
coffee. "How was the airport last night?"
"Very uncomfortable," Iesha answered, taking off her coat. "My dad and I
had to sleep on the floor. I actually slept though!"
"Can I help you?" the waitress asked and everyone ordered their
breakfast.
"Iesha, I am going to get some sleep," Mr.Keshawn told her, after he was
introduced to everyone. "Here's your key."
"Dad, is it okay if I hang with Lacey and the guys?" Iesha asked him and
he said sure. They had a great breakfast, as Iesha and Kevin got to know
each other more, and Lacey joked around with the guys. She hadn't had
more fun in her life, then she had that night. After breakfast, AJ,
Howie, Brian, and Kevin decided they wanted to go work out, and Iesha
headed upstairs to get some sleep.
"So, it's just you and me," Nick said, as Lacey and him entered the
penthouse level. They said hello to Donna as she passed them, and
several other people. "What do you want to do?"
"How about a walk in the snow?" Lacey suggested, as she grabbed her
winter coat.
"Sounds fun," Nick said, and he got his jacket from his room. As they
about to enter the elevator, the power flickered off, leaving the only
light in the room, a small ray of sunshine from the outside...
Email: catpolo@mailexcite.com