His mother told him to wait a second so she could find out when eh would be back.
"Well actually, I was gonna spend the night.",he explained as his younger brother Aaron came running towards Nick.
"Nicky, I want to go too!" he cried.
Nick picked his brother up. "Sorry kid. You gotta stay here and play with Angel. Okay?"
"Okay honey, I'll see you tomorrow then." Mrs. Carter said fixing his jacket.
"Ma please!" he whined, trying to pull away. "Gotta go. Love you, bye." he said as he walked out the door. Nick had payed for the car himself not to mention the new house he just bought for his parents. He was seventeen now and had his license in driving and scuba diving. He got rid of the old hair cut, which was one length all around his head. He changed it to a part in the middle with a length up to his ears.
Brian was outside shootin' hoops, as usual, when Nick pulled up. He would have loved to have a picture of Brian's face as he pulled up in the corvette. "Oh my God Frack! How in the world did you manage this?"
Nick laughed then said. "My mom let me use the money we made finally so I got this with it." he explained. "You wanna go for a ride?" he asked.
"Well, I have to pick up Mick and Dani in an hour at the airport. Why don’t you drive we'll pick them up together." Brian suggested.
Nick remembered what had happened last time he talked to Dani. He suddently felt really uncomfortable."I can't see her yet."
"Oh come on Frack. She probably forgot the whole thing by now. Its has been almost a year now." Brian reassured him.
"I know. I just feel really bad still. Ya know?" Brian understood so he offered to drive and Nick could wait at the apartement or something.
"No, I changed my mind. Whats the difference if I see her at the airport or here. She probably has a boyfriend now anyway." Nick said as he unlocked his car.
The sun was out and it was a scorching 98 degrees out. Being in an airport didn’t help matters any. Mick and Dani had just been on a plane for three and a half hours and they were tired and hungry.
"Okay Dani, there is your bag. Let's go.",her sister said.
"Hey Michelle. Did you pack enough crap?" Dani teased.
"Let's just wait here for B-Rok." Mick said.
"I'm hungry. Give me money, I'll get you somethin' too" Dani said as she held out her hand waiting for the cash.
Michelle waited there with the bags as Danielle went to the hot pretzel stand. When suddenly someone came up from behind her and covered her eyes. "Guess who?" the person said.
"Dammit B-Rok!" she cried. "You scared the hell out of me!" she said while pushing him. She then hugged him then Nick.
"I hope this isn't all your stuff Mick?" Nick asked.
"No fool, Dani went to get us some food. She should be back soon." she explained.
"Umm, I'll start taking your things to the car. "Nick said in no hurry to see Danielle.
Brian saw D coming around the corner and ran up to her and hugged her.
"What's up Dani kid?" he shouted.
"Hello, I have food in my hands.".she said with a smile.
They both walked back to where Mick was standing with the bags.
"Wow Danielle, you're a regular woman over here. Let's see you chopped off your hair and got a new style of clothing." Brian said looking her up and down in amazement.
Michelle had also changed a bit. Her hair was alos shorter and she looked more mature. They both changed a lot and not just a slight change. It was a noticable change. As they waited Dani and Mick told Brian about their plane ride and how they were freaks near them and all. Just then, Nick came through the doors, ready to grab some more bags, when he spotted the girls. Nick dropped his keys in shock as he stared down Danielle from top to bottom. Oh my god what puberty could do he thought to himself. Finally, he picked up his keys in embarrasement and walked over to them. "Hey Frack you a dropped somethng back there. Is something wrong?" Brian teased knowing exactly what happened.
"Sorry, I'm alittle clumsy sometimes. That’s why they call me Kaos right. You know how it is." he replied, trying to play it cool. "Hey Dani." he said in embarrasement as he reached down to pick up her bags."Let me get these for ya." he offered.
"I can handle it." she said coldly then picked up both bags and walked towards the door.
Nick laughed to himself, then looked at Brian and Mick who were trying to hold back their laughter. He then looked up and shook his head. "It's gonna be a long two weeks isnt it?" he said looking at Mick.
"Sure is nickykid. Hope you're up to it.",she said with a smile then started walking out with B-Rok. The car ride to Brian's apartment was a little uncomfortable for Nick. He knew Dani was acting this way just to get back at him for what happened last summer and boy was it working.
"Are you guys gonna stay with your grandparents or what?" Brian asked trying to start up a conversation. "Of course. Where else would we stay?" Mick asked. Brian turned around to the backseat where th two were sitting. "You could sleep over at my apartement once in a while. I mean not in my bed, but on the couch bed. We could like stay up late and party." he exclaimed.
"You mean a slumber party?" Dani teased.
"No way! Men don’t do slumber parties." Nick answered.
"Like I said, it’s a slumber party." Dani rudely added then looked out the window.
Brian and Mick looked at each other in shock.
"Okay." Nick said under his breath. He couldn’t believe the way she was acting. "Hey maybe we should turn the heat on. It’s a little cold in here." Nick said as he glanced back in the rear view mirror.
Danielle was upset about what he said as if she had no right to act and feel this way.
About then minutes later, Nick pulled into the driveway. Brian quickly got out and offered his hand to help Mick get out of the car, being that it was a two door. Nick did the same, but Danielle didn’t except. "I got it." she said then struggled to get out of the car.
Nick just rolled his eyes in frustration and went to open the trunk. Brian quickly picked up Mick's luggage and headed for the door. Nick then picked Danielle's bags and she tried to take them from him. "Um, I can carry them." she said.
"Come on Dani, I have them. Just let me take them for you.",he pleaded.
Brian looked back over and didn’t see them coming. "Hey guys. Is everything alright?"
Nick stuck his head out from behind the trunk."Yeah, just give us a minute Frick."
"We don’t need a minute. Just give me my bags so I can go inside." she said as she attempted to pick them up.
Nick couldn’t take it anymore. They needed to talk now. Right now. He grabbed her shoulders. "Dani will you stop?" he yelled as he looked deep into her eyes.
As much as she tried to resist, she liked the way his hands felt on he shoulders.
"I'll let you go, if you talk to me. Will you?",he begged.
She nodded and Nick released her. After he closed the trunk he took the bags from her. "I'm just gonna bring these in the house and I'm comin' right back. Don’t go anywhere?",he said as he picked up her luggage and headed for the house.
It was a cool night in Orlando and Danielle could hear the breeze whistle through the trees as she nervously awaited Nick's return. Nick was hot last summer, but now he was gonna fall for this again, she told herself. Just then Nick came out of the house.
"Here." he said handing her one of his Backstreet Boys jacket.
"Thanks. It is kinda chilly out here." she claimed.
"Wow! You spoke to me without a sarcastic remark. I can;t believe it." he laughed.
Danielle punched him on the arm, trying not to laugh. "So do you want to go for a walk or a drive?" Nick asked.
"I'd rather just walk." she said as she put on the jacket.
"It looks good on you D." he said with a smile.
"Well it is a little big. Maybe you should have got me children's size?" she teased.
Nick looked so ashamed as he thought back what he had said to her last summer. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said.",he apologized as he began to walk down the street. "I was just a kid myself you know?"
She still looked angry to him, but at least now she was listening to him. " I was just bustin' your chops Nick. I forgive you." she said staring down at the sidewalk.
"What?",he asked in disbelief."You're lying.",he said then stopped walking.
"How can you be so sure?" she asked.
"'Cause you didn't look me in the eye.",he said. She was confused.
"Remember the first day we met and I asked you if you liked Howie's cooking?"
Dani laughed as she remembered it like it was yesturday. "I told you I loved it."
"Yeah, you hardly touched it." he explained. "You didn’t look me in the eye when you said that and that’s how I know you are lying now."
Danielle was in shock that Nick had remembered something so small like that. Whatever feelings she had for him last summer were coming back whether she wanted them to or not.
"Are we okay now?" he asked with sincerity.
"Sure." she said looking at the ground again.
He then lifted his hand and placed it under her chin and raised her head just enough so that they were face to face. "Look at me Dani and tell me the truth. No more lies okay? I really want us to start over and be friends." he said softly to her.
All she could think of was what he was doing to her. His blonde hair gently blowing in the cool breeze and his soft hands holding her chin up. Up until now she'd been holding a grudge, but now it was over. For some reason she believed him and she had truly forgiven him. Looking him straight in the eyes she nodded. "Yes. We're friends again."
Chapter Fourteen
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