"Hey," Brian said when she was in front of them. "You're Lacey right?"
"Yeah," Lacey replied, as she sat down beside Keiki on the couch. "Nice
to meet you."
"Same here," Brian replied, smiling at her and Keiki. "Nick, you know
these two?"
"Yeah I do," Nick replied, as he stood up. "I'll be back." And he walked
away.
"Is he okay?" Keiki asked Brian, and Brian shrugged.
"He was fine just now," Brian replied, as he stood up. "I'll go see. See
you in a few." Brian followed Nick, to find him in the wardrobe room,
grabbing some chips to eat. Brian noticed he looked concerned and walked
over to him.
"B-Rok, what's up?" Nick asked him, as he grabbed more trips.
"Nick, what was that out there? Why were you so rude?" Brian asked him
honestly and Nick looked taken back.
"Was I rude? I don't know," Nick replied, throwing a chip in his mouth.
"Is there something wrong with Lacey because I'm sure Sandro will let
you be Keiki and I'll take Lacey," Brian suggested and Nick looked up.
"No, there's nothing wrong with Lacey," Nick answered. "Man, I'm just
concerned about her. I saw her run into the bathroom, tears streaming
down her face and I wanted to ask her what's wrong, but he wouldn't tell
me."
"Keiki told me that Lin and Bree have been giving her crap about her
weight," Brian told Nick and Nick looked at him.
"Are you serious?" Nick asked him and Brian nodded.
"So, I think she's just upset about that," Brian commented as
Mr.Alessandri yelled at them to come. "Coming." Brian and Nick walked
into the room to see Keiki and Lacey standing on outside of the room.
Lacey was leaning against the wall, looking scared, yet interested in
what was going on around her.
"See ya thanks," Nick told him and he walked over to Lacey. "Hey Lacey.
How are you now?"
"Hi, I'm cool, how are you?" Lacey replied smiling. Nick noticed when
she smiled, her whole face lit up and her eyes sparkled.
"I'm good," Nick replied as they sat down on the floor. "So, are you
nervous?"
"Yes," Lacey admitted. "I mean, this is all so new to me."
"It's really easy," Nick replied and he saw her relax a little. "So, do
you go to school?"
"Yes," Lacey answered, pushing her hair out of her face. "I'm a
university freshman."
"Really? What's your major?" Nick asked her.
"Elementary education," Lacey replied. "How about you? You want to go to
university?"
"Well, maybe," Nick replied honestly. "I mean, I don't really know what
I want to do with my life. Hopefully, the Backstreet Boys will last for
a while."
"I hope so too," Lacey said, as the director called for them.
"Okay you two, you have good chemistry as I can see," Mr.Alessandri told
them. "I want you to dance together under the mistletoe and keep
smiling, looking into each other's eyes."
"Okay," Lacey and Nick agreed, and they stepped into the limelight.
Everyone was watching them. They were the center of attenion now, and
Lacey closed her eyes. Nick felt her shaking.
"It's okay Lacey," Nick said to her softly. "Please don't be nervous."
"I'm okay," Lacey whispered back, as she relaxed a little. They danced
for about five takes, until Mr.Alessandri was satisfied with their
performance, and he said that it was a wrap, and he probably wouldn't
need her anymore. Lacey walked into the wardrobe room, and grabbed her
jeans and sweater that she had worn over.
"How did you do Lacey?" Cathy asked her as she walked towards the
dressing room.
"Okay, thanks for all your help Cathy, I really appreciate it," Lacey
commented and Cathy looked at her shocked.
"You are the first model to thank me for my help," Cathy said and Lacey
smiled at her. "You're welcome. Now get changed because I think Nick is
waiting for you."
"Yeah right he is," Lacey laughed. There was no way in the world that
Nick Carter would look at her unless he was forced to, just as he was
now. She changed and brought the clothes back to Cathy. She decided to
leave as quick as possible, before anyone saw her, so she could get back
to the dorm and tell Iesha all about her adventures.
"Bye Lacey," Cathy told her as she walked quickly out.
"Bye Cathy, thanks again," Lacey replied, as she practically ran towards
the door, when she heard someone call her name. She turned to see
Nichole, AJ, Brian, and Howie walking out of the room.
"Lacey, where are you going?" Nichole asked her as she walked into the
room.
"Well, I have to go home, I mean, actually I have nothing to do," Lacey
replied.
"Well, why don't you grab a bite to eat with us?" Brian suggested to her
and Lacey looked at them.
"Really?" Lacey smiled. "That would be awesome, but only if you want me
to."
"Of course we want you to," AJ said smiling at her. "So Nic, where shall
we go?"
"How about Planet Hollywood?" suggested Nichole.
"I love it there," Lacey said. "Hey, would it be okay if I asked my
roommate to meet us there?"
"Sure no problem," Howie replied. "Use my cell phone."
"Thanks," Lacey said, as she accepted the cell phone from him and dialed
her dorm phone.
"Hello?" Iesha said, as she answered.
"Iesha, what are you doing?" Lacey asked her.
"Studying, where are you? How was the video shoot?" Iesha said.
"Well, I'm on Howie's cell phone, and I was wondering if you wanted to
eet us at Planet Hollywood for some lunch," Lacey suggested to her and
Iesha all most fell off her bed.
"Howie Dorough? I don't believe ya Lace, prove it," Iesha said, knowing
Lacey didn't lie, but this was too farfetched.
"Hey, can you guys sing to prove to Iesha it's you," Lacey asked the
guys and they said sure. They sang a few bars, and she heard a shrill
scream from Iesha.
"Lacey, I'll be at Planet Hollywood in five," Iesha yelled and she
slammed down the phone.
"She's coming," Lacey commented and everyone smiled.
"Is Nick and Kevin coming?" Nichole asked the guys.
"Well, Lin is flirting with Nick," AJ noticed in the other room.
"Doesn't Nick see what a fake she is?" Nichole asked them and Lacey
turned to see Lin and Nick talking away. She looked away, and tried to
focus back on everyone else, when someone so mean, was talking it up
with Nick. The guys invited Nick, who unfortunately bought Lin with him
as well. She made sure to use the word fat or cow a lot, and Lacey
looked away. She focused on the traffic outside in the limo. They
arrived at Planet Hollywood as Lacey saw Iesha standing outside.
"Iesha, hey," Lacey yelled as Iesha smiled and she ran towards the limo.
"Hey girl, 'sup?" Iesha asked her. "Hi guys."
"Hey," Brian told her as she smiled widely.
"Hey Nick, how about you and I go somewhere by ourselves?" Lin
suggested, smirking at Lacey.
"Actually Lin, I would like to get to know Lacey and her friend a little
better," Nick replied.
"Nick, you can't hardly stomach going into a restaurant and watching a
pig eat? Come on, I'm trying to save you here," Lin said.
"Damn girl, can I kick your ass sooner or later?" Iesha asked her and
Nichole laughed.
"Shut up," Lin said and she glared at Iesha.
"Look ladies, why don't we all try to get along and Lin, stop your
rudeness," AJ told her.
"I have the perfect solution to our problem," Lacey said and she looked
at her feet. "I'm leaving now, so everyone will be happy, especially
Lin. Iesha, you can stay, I'll take a cab back." Lacey turned and walked
over to the road.
"Nice going Lin," Nichole snapped at her and Lin smirked.
"Lacey, come back," Iesha pleaded with her. "Nick go talk to her and
tell her to stay."
"Okay sure," Nick said, and he ran after her. "Lacey, can I talk to ya?"
Lacey stopped and she turned to face him. He saw tears streaked down her
face, and her eyes were the gateway to the most possible sadness he had
ever seen.
"It's okay Nick, you can go have dinner, I'm not stopping you," Lacey
commented and she sat down on an nearby bench.
"Lacey, can you tell me what's bothering you?" Nick pleaded with her.
"Nothing," Lacey lied and Nick looked at her. "Just look at me Nick. I
am fat and ugly. Lin is right, I didn't deserve to be in this video. I'm
sorry."
"Lacey, don't you dare listen to that witch," Nick told her. "Look, you
are not ugly. Besides, none of us look at that in a girl. I would never
date Lin. She's too nasty. You and Nichole, on the other hand, are
really nice. It's not what's on he outside that counts, and it's on
what's on the inside. We mean that honestly."
"Really Nick?" Lacey asked him, and Nick nodded, as he took a piece of
hair, and stuck it behind her ear. "Thanks. That means a lot to me."
"No problem, not we better get back there before they send out a search
party," Nick told her and Lacey nodded. They walked quickly into Planet
Hollywood, and into a private room offset from everything. Lacey walked
in to see everyone sitting beside each other, and there was too empty
seats near the back as Lacey sat beside Iesha and Nick sat beside Brian.
"So, Iesha, how do you and Lacey know each other?" Kevin asked Iesha.
"Well, Lace and I are room mates," Iesha replied as Lin rolled her eyes.
"We both go to university together."
"Oh really?" Kevin asked interested, as Lin laughed. She got up from the
table.
"Sorry to cut this short guys, but I see my boyfriend over there with
his sister," Lin said and she left and Nichole cheered.
"Thanks Gosh the witch left," commented Nichole and everyone nodded with
appreciation.
"Hello BSB's and their ladies," said the waiter who introduced himself
as Craig. "Anything to drink?" Everyone ordered their drinks as Iesha
and Lacey looked over the menu.
"So, how was that video shoot?" Iesha whispered to Lacey.
"Interesting," answered Lacey, as she read the menu. "Nick and I were
paired with each other. They all are such sweethearts."
"Yeah, I know," Iesha whispered back.
"Lacey, so, was this your first video shoot?" Howie asked her and Lacey
looked up from the menu.
"Yes actually," Lacey replied. "This was my first major gig. The first
were just catalogue shoots and stuff."
"Iesha, have you considered modeling?" Kevin asked her and Lacey noticed
how much Kevin seemed interested in Iesha. It was really cute because
Iesha had just broken up with her boyfriend of two months, even though
they had never been really serious. Lacey, on the other hand, has her
eyes set on the same guy since the beginning of the university semester.
His name was Christian McKinnley and Lacey thought he was the nicest and
sweetest guy she had ever laid eyes on.
"Actually, I would never want to be a model," Iesha answered honestly.
"I don't mean to offend Lacey or Nichole, but I think modeling is dumb
because it just gives people big heads and you think you are all that.
For example, the way that girl Lin acted. I would never want to end up
that way. Never ever."
"But, there are some of us who don't acquire big heads," Nichole
disagreed calmly. "But, it all depends on your age. I'm 21 and I've been
modeling since I was 18 and I have been very down-to-earth. It goes to
have other things going for you at the same time. For example, Lacey is
also going to College at the same time."
"I would never leave school to become a full time model," Lacey
admitted.
"So, do you three have boyfriends?" AJ wanted to know.
"Yes," Nichole answered first. "Travis and I are engaged actually."
"I'm happy for you beautiful," AJ commented and kissed her cheek.
Everyone congratulated her.
"I just broke up with my boyfriend," Iesha said and she made a face. "He
was a jerk anyway."
"How about you Lacey?" Brian asked her.
"Well, I don't, but there's a guy-," Lacey was cut off because she
didn't want to reveal her crush on Christian in front of the Backstreet
Boys.
"So, do you have girlfriends?" Iesha wanted to know.
"I do," Brian admitted. "I am very happy with her."
"So do I, sort of," AJ replied.
"I might," Howie said and as Nick and Kevin admitted they didn't.
"Well, I am glad you are all happy in your relationships," Nichole
commented as Craig brought over the drinks...