The next day Promise and Corrie sat down to study for their exam on Monday, when they heard a knock at the door.
Promise stood up, careful to save her place in the textbook and walked out to the front door. When she opened the door, a huge smile lit up her face as she saw Nick standing there.
"Toldya I'd be seeing you..." he said smiling softly.
She laughed and stepped aside, "Come on in, we were just studying."
They both walked into the living room. "Hey Corr," greeted Nick.
"Hey," she said as her eyes looked past him, hoping to see that AJ had come with him.
"AJ said he'll be by later," he said, when he saw her looking.
She shrugged and continued to flip through the pages of the book, "That's nice."
"Whatcha studying for?" asked Nick as he plopped down into the armchair.
"Bio--"
"Boring stuff," interrupted Corrie.
Promise gave her the evil eye, "Boring but important."
Corrie sighed and squirmed in her seat, "Let's go somewhere, I'm bored."
"We just started studying!!"
"Niiiiiccckkkk, make her stop studying so we can go somewhere!"
He laughed, "No way, I'm not gunna be the one to make her fail an exam."
"Pfft, then take a hike," whined Corrie, tossing a book at him.
He tossed it back, "Ouch, you don't gotta throw books at me, I can take a hint," he pouted playfully, "I know when I'm not wanted."
Promise glanced up from her notes and caught his adorable pout. "Awwww!"
Corrie faked a gag, "Mlah, get lost Carter you're such a distraction."
He laughed again and turned to the door. "Fine, I'm outta here, Bone and I'll be back tonight though, it's our last night here, so be ready for some fun."
He winked at Promise and then left them to study.
Corrie rolled her eyes and imitated his wink adding "Be ready for some fun" in her best Nick voice.
Promise exploded into a fit of giggles, "He does not sound like that!!"
* * *
"Where're we going?" asked Corrie as AJ drove the jeep through the streets.
"Secret," was all the two kept saying. Promise looked at Corrie quizically and Corrie shrugged.
"Alright ladies, we're here!"
AJ turned off the engine and hopped out of the jeep, opening Corrie's door for her.
As Nick did the same the girls looked at the building that they had pulled up in front of.
"Where are we?" Promise asked.
AJ laughed, "I thought you guys lived in this city!"
"We do, but it's not every day we go visiting abandoned buildings," Promise muttered.
Nick smiled and hooked arms with Promise, "Not an abandoned building, a club."
Corries eyes lit up as she heard Nick tell Promise where they were, "OooOoOoO!!! I knew I heard music!"
They walked around to the front of the club and Promise stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the huge line up to get in.
Nick laughed and tugged her forward, "Come on, we're goin to the front."
They finally made it to the front when they were stopped by the bouncer. "ID please," he said stonily.
AJ rolled his eyes and shoved his ID at the very, very large man.
He looked at him and passed him through, then Corrie and Nick, but he stopped at Promise.
"This real?"
She smiled faintly, "Yeah."
He looked her up and down, "You only look 19."
"Well I guess that'll come in handy when I'm 40, can I go in now?"
"Got any other photo ID?"
She groaned and dug through her purse until she found her drivers license, "Here."
He read it and finally waved her through.
She snatched her card and, in a huff, made her way into the club.
"What took so long?" asked Nick as he led her to the bar.
"Goddamn bouncer didn't think my ID was real."
Nick grinned at her, "Haha."
She rolled her eyes, "Haha," she mimicked.
He laughed and went to stand behind her, placing his hands in her shoulders. "Relax, we're here to have fun, not be bitchy."
She leaned her head back against his chest as she massaged her shoulders, "Well then you can buy me a drink."
"C'mon Bone, dance with me!" begged Corrie as she swayed her hips in front of him.
He forced himself to look away and took a gulp of his drink, "Later."
"Pleeeeeze, oh pleeze pleeze pleeze with sugar on top??"
He finished his drink and stood up, "Fine fine fine."
She smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him out onto the dance floor.
Suddenly the song was cut off and the DJ came on, "We've got a request here for a slow song, so here it is kids."
AJ started to walk off the dance floor when Corrie grabbed him arm and pulled him back, "You said you'd dance with me."
He shrugged nonchalantly and pulled her close to him.
She laid her head softly onto his shoulder and sighed deeply.
"AJ what's wrong with you?" she whispered into his ear.
"What do you mean what's wrong with me?" he asked, well aware of what she was talking about.
"Why did you kiss me like that at the end of the summer, if you didn't mean anything by it?"
"Who says I didn't?"
"You."
"No I didn't."
"Actions speak louder than words AJ."
He sighed, "I just don't want to end up ruining our friendship if something happened, but then didn't work out."
She lifted her head and looked at him, "Why wouldn't it work out?"
"We travel a lot, it's hard for this sort of this to work out, you know that."
"But there are ways to make it work, I could travel with you in the summer, and I'm almost done university."
"And then you get your degree and you become a lawyer, and then what?"
"And then we'll find other ways, we'll always find a way."
He smiled, "You've thought of everything?"
She smiled back, "Of course."
His smile faded and he leaned in for a long kiss.
"Awww, Nick, look!!!"
Nick looked up to where Promise was pointing and saw AJ and Corrie kissing.
"Hey, I told ya he'd realize that he had to make a move."
She nodded.
He looked at her and then smiled, "You wanna dance?"
She smiled back and they weaved their way onto the floor.
* * *
"Do you have to go?" pouted Corrie as she, AJ, Promise and Nick stood in the porch.
It was Sunday and the guys had to go back to Orlando.
He nodded and hugged her tightly, "Can you come with us?"
She shook her head regretfully. "Then you can walk me to the jeep."
They set off for the parking lot, leaving Promise and Nick to say goodbye.
Promise stood with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.
Nick laughed a little, "You don't look very happy."
"Why would I be?" she asked angrily, then shrugged, "I hate goodbyes."
She uncrossed her arms and they hugged.
"I'll call you as soon as we're settled into the tour."
She kept quiet, as she wondered if he really would, he was Nick Carter, after all, why would he bother to call her when he could have any other girl he wanted?
He pulled away from the hug and then took her head gently into his hands. "I promise I'll call you."
She nodded lightly, and then they kissed, their first kiss.
Corrie walked back into the apartment and smiled at them, "AJ's waiting, Nickolaus."
They cut off the kiss and sighed.
He gave Corrie a quick hug, "Good seein' you again Corr."
"You too Carter."
He glanced back at Promise, and grinned, then took off for the parking lot. Corrie shut the door and her and Promise went for the ice cream, feeling as though they had just went through a break up.
* * *
That Summer
* * *
The four had called back and forth for 3 months, and now the summer was here.
"Do you think they'll ask us to go with them on tour?" asked Corrie as they sat out on their balcony.
"I hope so, I'm really not looking forward to spending the summer with my parents."
Just then the phone rang and Corrie reached for the cordless which sat on the table beside her.
"Hello?" Promise glanced over at her and saw a smile creep across her face, "Hey baby!"
Promise sat up, "Where's Nick? I wanna talk to Nick!!!"
Corrie shushed her, implying it was an important call.
Finally she hung up and layed back down, ignoring the fact that Promise was ready to pounce on her with questions.
"WELL??"
Corrie shrugged and answered lightly, "We're going touring with them this summer..."
Promise jumped up and squealed, "Are you serious?!"
Corrie looked up and grinned, "Damn right!"
* * *
Promise sat nervously in her seat as the plane landed.
Corrie looked over at her and laughed, "Prom, calm down!"
"I can't! This'll be the first time I've seen Nick in months, what if he doesn't like me anymore?" Promise babbled and fiddled with her seat belt.
"If he didn't like you anymore then why did he invite you to spend two months with him?"
Finally getting the buckled undone, Promise shrugged, "I dunno. I'm also nervous about being in a strange place. I mean what if they forget to pick us up? We'll be stuck in the London airport with no idea where to go!"
Now Corrie was laughing uncontrollably, "Oh Promi! You're so cute. Come on, grab your bag."
Nick fidgited and shifted his weight from foot to foot as he and AJ waited for Promise and Corrie's plane to land.
Aj glanced at him, "Man, if you don't keep still I'm gunna kill you!"
Nick sighed, "Sorry, I'm just nervous about seeing Promise again."
"Why? What do you have to be nervous about?" AJ asked him, as he scanned the crowd for Corrie's dark hair.
Nick shrugged, "What if she doesn't like me anymore?"
AJ laughed, "Would she be coming all the way to London if she didn't like you anymore?"
Nick didn't answer but continued fidgiting nervously.
As they stepped into the crowded airport they immediatly began searching for the two familiar faces. They searched for about 15 minutes and as the crowd finally started to thin, Corrie caught site of AJ, with his wild red hair. She squealed and ran towards him, throwing herslef in his arms.
AJ was caught off guard as a girl suddenly flung herself into his arms. But as soon as he saw her dark hair he knew it was Corrie and hugged her back, relieved he wasn't being attacked by a crazed fan.
Promise picked up Corries bag, which she had left behind when she lunged at AJ, and made her way towards them.
Nick smiled as he saw Promise walking towards him.
They had gotten pretty close over the past three months, well, as close as two people can get when their only means on communication is over the phone.
He was snapped out of his thoughts on how close they were when he realized she was standing in front of him.
She had a slight smile on her face, and he knew by looking at her, she was as nervous as he was.
He took the luggage from her hands and set it down.
Now she was smiling as well and he kissed her softly.
"I didn't think I'd ever get to see you in person again," she mumbled looking up at him.
"Well here I am, eat your heart out."
* * *
"Guys, you remember Corrie," said AJ after they had arrived at the hotel, and stepped into Brians room, where everyone was hanging out. Everyone smiled warmly and greeted Corrie.
"And this is her best friend Promise," said AJ, gesturing towards the girl who held Nicks hand.
She smiled, "Hi everyone, nice to meet you."
They all replied with polite hellos.
Since no one else bothered to do more introductions then that, Brian smiled, "I'm Brian, this is my girlfriend Heather, that's Kevin, and over there is Howie."
"So what're the plans for tonight?" Nick asked as he and Promise sat down in an armchair.
After they discussed what they would do that night, they decided to have a minor party, with lots of junk food and music, so that they could get to know each other better.
* * *
"So, what do you think of her?" Heather asked Brian.
He shrugged a little, "I don't know her well enough to make any assumptions." She sat up on the bed and watched him as he gathered up his CD's for later that night.
"But what does your gut tell you right now?"
He laughed, "She seems pretty cool. I think she's really into Nick."
Heather looked a little skeptical, "How can she be? They only went out two times."
"But they've been talking on the phone for three months." "Well, we'll see tonight."
Brian sat down on the bed beside her, "Just because Willa hurt him, doesn't mean they all will."
"I know, but I just don't want him to take that chance."
He wrapped his arms around her and sighed, "Neither do I, but we can't protect him, he's a big boy. You know he hates when we act like his parents."
"We're his friends, we have a responsibility to make sure he doesn't walk into something that's bound to end horribly. And if I find out that's what's going to happen with Promise, then I'll be damned sure to make sure it doesn't," she said a little too aggresively.
He kissed her lightly, "Don't be so sure that's what will happen."
