Breanna stared at her calendar before ripping off the months of October and November. She looked at the pages in her hand, re-reading all the reminders she had written down for herself. "A lot of smeared ink." She commented to herself, referring to the crying she had done over the calendar. It seemed each date reminded her of something she and Howie had done together. "First time here" or "first time there". She finally crumpled up the pages and tossed them into the nearest waste basket but failed and ended up knocking over two different framed pictures of herself and Mitchell. She walked over to the pictures and picked them up, sighing. He was the perfect friend, could possibly be the perfect boyfriend...for some other guy. She laughed at her thoughts before becoming lightheaded. "Shit! I'm catching the flu like the rest of the crew." She said aloud as she walked out of the tour bus.
For the first time in a while she was starting to miss Eve. Breanna had taken Mitchell's advice and wrote down what needed to be fixed in her life. First thing she took care of was sending Eve home. Eve was 6 months pregnant by that time and at home fixing up the nursery with Kevin's help. The guys were back in Orlando recording their new album after a well-deserved four month vacation. She missed all of them terribly, most notably Howie who she hadn't seen since that night in London. "Stop beating yourself up over him!" She told herself as she walked alone in the venue she would be performing at later that night. It was the last stop on the European tour. The record company wanted a large European tour but a small US-Canadian tour. They wanted her back in the studio as soon as possible. Recording, promotion, touring, recording promotion, touring. The process of an artists life was explained by Howie numerous times but it never hit her how hard she would actually be working until she actually started touring. Her life was one big blur filled with small rays of light here and there when she met fans who were influenced by her music. To her, the only rewards of her job was making sad people happy and happy people happier. She didn't have the time to enjoy the money she was making nor did she have the time to enjoy the cities she was visiting. She wanted nothing more than to give up her job, become a song writer/producer, and to have Howie be apart of her life again. She felt her eyes weld with tears as she walked around the venue but they never fell. Someone quickly wiped them away. She looked up to see Mitchell standing in front of her, arms open. Breanna walked slowly into his arms and cried softly as Mitchell patted her head in comfort.
"Things will be as they once were, I promise." He whispered into her hair. In the distance paparazzi were standing around with their telephoto lenses taking pictures of the couple. Pictures that would be on the cover of every tabloid in Europe by the end of the week as they had been for the past two months.
"C'mon. Those pricks are out in full force today. Wouldn't want them to take pictures of you with your mascara smeared, would you?" He joked, causing Breanna to smile.
"Let's go talk. I want to know what's going on in that beautiful head of yours." He said, leading her by the hand backstage.
"Yo, killer party D! I'm glad to see you're doin' better!" AJ shouted over the music to Howie who was dancing with a beautiful red head in his cleared-out living room.
"Thanks man!" Howie shouted back giving AJ a large blissful smile.
"...oh, and she's FLY!" AJ added, pointing to the girl he secretly didn't approve of. He, along with the rest of the guys knew that Breanna and Howie were meant to be together but didn't say anything anymore to either one. They all knew talking to Breanna would cause her to scream and shout and even become violent with inanimate objects. Talking to Howie usually ended up with him sulking for weeks on end, not speaking to anyone. Brian and AJ gave up talking to either one. They decided that they would either end up together or they wouldn't. That was something Howie and Breanna had to figure out for themselves. After another few hours the girl he had been dancing with had to leave.
"AJ, keep an eye out. I'm gonna walk her out." AJ agreed and glared at the girl as she walked out of the house, holding Howie's hand.
"Why do I not feel welcomed around your friends?" Jannie asked Howie as she searched in her purse for her car keys.
"Long story and I don't feel like getting into all the details. Let's just say I was dating someone else and they all loved her." Howie mumbled. She nodded her head understanding every word he said.
"She must have been special."
"She was..." Howie said in a whisper.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"No, it's okay. It's in the past where she wants it." He stated angrily.
"Oh, so she broke it off. Ouch. I've been there before. I'm really sorry..." Howie nodded his head not wanting to talk about it any longer. "Well, listen, I had a great time tonight. Would you like to have dinner tomorrow?" She asked him searching his eyes for any sign of anything. Nothing. She noticed that he had been withdrawn all night, occasionally coming back to life when the song got faster.
"That sounds great..." He stated.
"...but?" She asked. He let out a nervous laugh.
"Yeah...but, we're gonna be in the studio all night tomorrow. Today was one of our days off."
"Okay, I understand. I'll see you around." Jannie was about to open her car door but Howie pulled her into his arms for a soft kiss.
"Yeah, I'll see you around." He agreed, giving her a small smile. Kevin stood near the window watching what was going on outside and exhaled deeply.
"He's moving on. Bree, you've taken too long." He stated. Brian overheard Kevin while walking around in a slight drunken stupor carrying two bottles of beer.
"Whoa! What's goin' on out there!?" Brian yelled. Kevin looked at Brian and cracked up laughing.
"Like old times, eh Brian?" Brian looked at Kevin for a moment, trying to see who was talking to him.
"Wait....hold on! Your face isn't spinning as fast. Yo, Kev! Wuzzup Cuz? Who's gettin' lucky outside?" Brian asked, almost losing his balance and his beer in the process.
"Hold up, Cuz!" Kevin laughed, grabbing a hold of Brian's arms to steady him.
"D's outside saying goodnight to his friend."
"Oh shit! Breanna's gonna kick his ass if he's suckin' her face, too!" Brian stated looking out the window trying to see Howie.
"No she's not." Howie stated. Brian jumped at the voice and turned quickly around, losing his balance entirely. Howie and Kevin both grabbed a hold of Brian. "No beer on my carpet, k?" Howie asked with a slight laugh.
"Where'd you come from? Last time I checked, D didn't have a twin." Brian stated, turning around to look out the window.
"Bri, it's me. I just came back in the house a minute ago." Howie tried to explain.
"Ohhh! What'd ya do? Fly in?" Brian said, laughing at his own corny joke.
"Yeah Bri, that's what I did. Just make sure he doesn't spill anything on the carpet." Howie told Kevin, walking away.
"What's up wid D? He's never a prick!" Brian stated in disbelief.
"A lot of things have changed Bri. Once you sober up, you'll remember." Kevin stated, laughing at Brian.
Breanna performed her last show for the next month. When she walked off the stage she was smiling fit to burst. Mitchell was on the side of the stage waiting to greet her with a kiss and an embrace. The local press was busy taking pictures and video of the happy couple. In the last two months, Breanna and Mitchell had graced the cover of almost all the big entertainment magazines as the "hip and sexy couple" of Hollywood. From what Kevin and Brian had told her, she knew it was hurting Howie deeply. She made sure the guys told him that she and Mitchell were only friends but as time went on, no one believed her anymore. Not even her own best friends, Eve and Natasha. She gave up on trying to convince them all and started concentrating on pretending to be the perfect "girlfriend".
After the last meet and greet Breanna was on a plane back to Orlando. Mitchell had to finish filming a movie in New York and left on a separate flight. On the plane ride she was awoken with a stomach ache and a fever. She glanced at Natasha who was asleep next to her on the plane. Natasha had been suffering from the flu for the past two weeks. She nudged Natasha in the arm to wake her up.
"Huh? Hey Bree...what's up?" She said sleepily.
"Did you have a stomach ache when he had the flu?" Natasha thought for a moment.
"Ya know what? I did. Got a fever, too?" She asked. Breanna shrugged,
"I'm not too sure." Natasha felt Breanna's forehead and smiled sympathetically.
"Sorry Hun, but you do. Looks like you're catching the flu. Two weeks after everyone else got it, I might add!" Natasha stated. Breanna sighed to herself.
"Great! That's all I need. At least the tours over." When the flight was over, the girls walked slowly off the plane to see Nick and Brian happily waiting for them. Natasha ran and threw herself into Nick's waiting arms while Breanna sluggishly walked towards Brian.
"Hey...you look like shit!" He teased, giving her a large hug.
"Don't get too close. I've caught the flu from Natasha." She said in a dead voice.
"Well, join the club. I mean, I don't have the flu but I got a nasty hangover from D's party last...um, from a party last night." Brian said, kicking himself.
"Nah it's okay Bri. You *can* mention D around me, ya know?" She jokingly asked. "At least he's getting on with his life."
"You going?" Brian asked Breanna as he drove her home.
"Going to Jive's party this weekend? Depends." She stated slowly, looking out the window.
"You want to stop off at D's house and pick up some of your things? He's not home right now." Brian asked. Breanna was going to be staying with Brian until she found another place of her own. All of her belongings were still at Howie's house.
"I want to, but I don't for two different, no, three different reasons." She stated.
"And those reasons would be?" He coaxed.
"First off, I'm coming down with the flu. Second, I might not want to leave once I get into the house. And lastly, I have no clue how I'm going to react once I get into the house." She replied.
"I'm here, ya know. I'm going with you. I'll help you pack up a few things then we'll leave, k?" She looked at Brian while he drove, staring at him.
"What?" He asked, taking his eyes off the road for a second to look back at her.
"I just realized how grateful I am to have a friend like you. That's all." Brian kept his eyes on the road as a shy smile appeared on his face.
"Me too. I love you, Bree." He stated in a friendly tone.
"Me too." She replied, staring out the window as the rain started to fall.
"So?" He asked.
"Yeah, might as well if he's not home. But call his place first to make sure before we get there." Breanna begged. Brian took out his cellphone and dialed Howie's number. On the 6th ring the answering machine picked up. Brian sighed as he listened to the message and left a quick message stating he just wanted to say hi. He hung up and looked at Breanna. She nodded her head in approval. Brian made a U-turn at the next light to head back in the direction of Howie's house.
"So, did he change the message yet?" Breanna asked.
"As of today he did." Brian said with confusion.
"Good." She replied in a deadpan voice. Her heart started to race when she saw the familiar street. Brian grabbed her hand and squeezed it, giving her a comforting smile. She took out her house keys and handed them to Brian. He opened the door and looked around at the empty house. He heard the TV and walked towards the living room while Breanna waiting in the hallway. After a minute he came walking back and shook his head.
"No one's here. He left the TV on." Brian grabbed Breanna's hand as they walked upstairs to the room she once shared with Howie. Once she entered the room she felt her stomach turn.
"I'll be back!" She shouted, running to the bathroom to get sick.
"Oh man! She's taking this hard." He sighed to himself.
"Who is?" A woman's voice questioned. Brian jumped, turning around to see a pretty redhead in the doorway.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
"I'm Jannie. I friend of Howie's." She offered. Brian glared at her before turning his attention back towards the bathroom door.
"Okay, I answered your question. Now answer mine. Who the hell are you?" She wasn't exactly friendly.
"I'm Brian. I'm one of Howie's best friends. What are you doing here? Howie's not home." He said.
"I could ask you the same question." She replied.
"I'm with a friend. She's just picking up some of her things." Brian replied. Jannie looked at him for a second before walking into the bedroom, sitting on the bed.
"Okay. Where is she?" Jannie finally asked, pulling out a cigarette.
"Please don't smoke that shit near me. I don't want to die from second-hand smoke." Jannie put the cigarette away, never taking her eyes off of Brian. Brian heard the toilet flush and turned around quickly, waiting for Breanna to emerge from the bathroom. When she did she was lost in a daze.
"Damn flu! I can't believe I'm sick. At least the tours over." She mumbled, walking straight into the walk-in closet. She never noticed Jannie sitting on the bed. Brian watched Breanna as she pulled outfits out of the closet, tossing them onto the floor.
"Need help?" He offered, feeling uncomfortable. He knew Jannie was still sitting on the bed. Once Breanna saw her, he wasn't sure what she would do.
"No, I'm okay. Just keep an eye out for D. I don't want to be here when he gets back."
Breanna found her portable stereo and plugged it in. She opened the lid and saw her favorite Lauren Christy CD. "Wow! I couldn't find this CD anywhere. I was going nuts on tour cause none of the shops in Europe had it." She stated happily. Brian smiled at her in response. She pushed play as the title track, "Breed" started to blast. Jannie sat on the bed listening to everything Breanna was saying. She assumed correctly that Breanna was the ex-girlfriend Howie spoke of the night before. Jannie automatically had a hatred for Breanna. Jealousy, one would call it. Breanna started to sing along loudly to the next song, "I Want What I Want" as Jannie continued to listen.
"She's got a great voice. Probably some wanna-be singer he met around here." Jannie explained to herself. After a few more minutes the phone rang. Breanna heard it off in the distance but didn't pay any attention. Brian leaned back out of the walk-in closet and saw Jannie answer the phone. He listened as she answered the phone.
"Hey Howie! Where are you? You have company." Jannie said in a unpleasant voice. "Your friend Brian is here with some woman. I didn't really see her. She's in your closet going through everything." Brian walked over to the bed and put his hand out, demanding the phone. Jannie handed the phone to Brian with an annoyed look on her face.
"She's there, isn't she?" Howie asked quietly.
"Yeah D, she's just picking up some of her stuff." Brian replied.
"How'd she react when she saw Jannie?"
"She hasn't seen her yet. She walked straight from the bathroom into the closet. I don't know how she's going to react." Brian replied.
"Shit..." Howie mumbled to himself. He laughed slightly when he heard Breanna singing in the background. "She loves that CD. How is she?" He asked.
"Sick. She's got the flu. She ran to the bathroom the minute we stepped in the door."
"Keep an eye on her, Bri. I gotta go! Tell Jannie I'll be back late tonight." Howie replied, hanging up the phone. Brian handed the phone back to Jannie and walked away.
"He'll be home late." He stated, walking back into the closet to help Breanna.
"That's about it!" She said, unplugging her stereo.
"Wait, Bree. Before we go out there..." Brian stated pointing to the bedroom, "there's someone home. It's not Howie but a friend of his. Try not to get upset, k?" He told her, looking into her eyes. She took in a deep breath and nodded her head. Brian zipped up two of her suitcases while she grabbed her pilot case to drag behind her. When she emerged from the closet she saw Jannie sitting on the bed reading a magazine. Jannie looked up at Breanna and quickly glanced back down at her magazine then she looked back up again.
"Holy shit! You're Shy Rose!" She exclaimed. Breanna smiled slightly, nodding her head.
"Shit, he's dating a fan of mine. This is a nice situation." She thought to herself. "And you are?" Breanna asked.
"Jannie. I'm a friend of Howie's. I'm kicking back here cause they're fixing a leak at my house." Jannie explained to Breanna.
"And you couldn't tell me that?" Brian asked, eyeing Jannie.
"Sorry! I've been getting the cold shoulder from all of Howie's friends." She stated. Breanna and Brian looked at each other and nodded,
"AJ". Breanna felt an uncomfortable silence and looked back at Brian.
"I'm really jetlagged."
"Yeah, let's get you home." Breanna looked at Jannie, watching Jannie give her the once over.
"Jannie, tell Howie I said hi, okay?" She smiled. Jannie nodded her head in response.
"It was nice meeting you!" Jannie shouted from the bed, not bothering to get up and walk them out.
"You too!"
"See you at the Jive party!" Jannie added. Breanna looked at Brian as they walked down the stairs, rolling her eyes.
"Breanna!" He whispered loudly with a laugh.
Once they got to Brian's house Breanna plopped down on the couch placing her feet on the coffee table. "Hey I just polished that!" She heard someone yell. Breanna turned her head to see Izabel standing next to the couch with a large smile on her face.
"Izzy!" Breanna shouted, jumping up to give her a huge hug. She almost knocked down Izabel in the process as Brian watched from upstairs, laughing.
"It's nice to see you, too!" Izabel replied. Breanna let go and took a step back almost falling.
"Bree! You okay?" Izabel asked with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fighting the flu. I hope I don't get any of you sick, especially Thomas." Breanna stated placing a hand on her stomach.
"No, we all just got over it, actually. Don't worry!" Breanna nodded her head and looked up the stairs at Brian.
"Show me my room, dammit!" She laughed.
"Yes sir!" He exclaimed as she walked up the stairs to follow him down the hall. He opened the guest room door and Breanna walked in. The room was covered with pictures all over the wall. Most of them had Breanna and Howie together. "Oh damn! Sorry, Bree." Brian stated when he realized what Breanna was looking at.
"It's okay Rok. I look at my old photo albums all the time." She replied. "If you don't mind I want to take a nap and then probably go shopping for something to wear to the party this weekend." Brian looked at her with a questioning face.
"You sure you'll be up to it? You'll probably have the full blown flu by then. Running to the bathroom every five minutes in heels isn't easy ya know?" He teased.
"You make it sound like you've done it before." She smiled at him.
"No, but I've woken up in heels and felt like throwing up." Brian said, referring to Las Vegas. Breanna burst into giggles and fell back in the bed laughing at the images she was conjuring.
"Was it that funny?" He asked with an embarrassed face.
"You never did see the video, did you?" He shook his head no.
"I have a feeling Howie is going to use it to blackmail you in the future." She continued to giggle. Brian looked at her laughing to himself.
"Well, I'll let you get some sleep. I hope you feel better soon."
As soon as he left the room Breanna crawled under the sheets. She tossed and turned thinking about her life and her friends. She realized that she was asked to perform at the party and agreed but she had no clue what to sing. She crawled out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. "I really do look like shit." She mumbled as she walked towards her suitcase. She threw a few outfits on the bed and decided to wear her old pair of lose fitting sweatpants. She tightened the drawstring and kept searching for a shirt. She found her Nike sportsbra and put it on. She piled her hair on top of her head and fastened it with a butterfly clip. "What is up with me and butterflies?" She laughed to herself when she realized she owned many butterfly related things. "They're beautiful without even trying and they're free to do what they wish. That's probably why I like them." She thought to herself. She looked herself over in the mirror happy with what she saw. She slipped on her sandals and walked over to her bed. She reached for the phone and dialed 7 digits. The other line kept ringing. "Damn him!" Breanna thought. Finally he picked up. "Nick!" Breanna shouted happily.
"Um, hey Bree! What's up?" He asked in a confused voice. Breanna and Nick hadn't spent any time together in almost a year.
"I need your help. Got a few days?" She asked.
"Oh no! What trouble did you get yourself into this time?" He joked.
"No seriously, Nick. I need your help. I trust your judgement more than anything." She replied. Nick was taken aback by her comment. Even though he was a little over a year younger than she was, she always treated him like he was a little brother and it annoyed him to no end.
"I might have a few days. That depends on what you need help with." He stated.
"Great! I'll be over in 15 minutes. You and Nat better be decent." She joked.
"Nat's at her parents house for the week. I'm totally free...and decent." He replied with a laugh.
"Okay, see ya in a bit. Oh one more thing. This is *just* between us, k?" He grumbled in response.
"Nick!?" She shouted.
"Oh alright, fine. Get your ass over here." She cooed happily and hung up the phone giggling. Nick could never figure her out...and he never planned on it.
Breanna walked down the stairs of Brian's house whistling to herself. She was glowing. She walked into the living room and quickly stopped whistling. Brian, Izabel, and Howie were in the living room talking in hushed voices. Howie's back was to Breanna. Brian was telling Howie something but saw Breanna and stopped in mid sentence.
"I thought you were going to take a nap." He replied. Howie turned to face Breanna. Their eyes locked but she quickly broke the gaze to stare at Brian.
"I was going to sleep but I forgot I had other plans. Hey D, how are you?" She asked with a smile on her face.
"I'm good. You?"
"Could be better. I think I'm catching the flu."
"If you're sick Bree, maybe you should stay home." Brian suggested.
"No I really need to go. If you need me I'll be at Nick's." Breanna started to walk out the door but realized that she didn't have a car. Her car was still at Howie's but it totally slipped her mind to pick it up while they were there.
"Brian, I need to borrow your car. I forgot to pick mine up." Breanna stated with a slight laugh.
"Actually Bree, I brought your car over." Howie stated.
"Oh okay. Then how are you going to get home?" She questioned.
"Girl, your mind is still in Europe." Brian joked. Howie and Izabel laughed. "I'll take him home." Brian answered. Breanna shook her head.
"Man, I have no clue *where* my mind is, but I do know that my body should be at Nick's house or he's gonna kick my ass. See you all later. Don't wait up!" Breanna grabbed her car keys off the coffee table in front of Howie.
"Thanks D!" She stated happily, giving him a kiss on the cheek to show her gratitude. She pranced out the door singing to herself. Brian looked at Howie in disbelief.
"Something is up with her! Why is she going to Nick's house of all people?" Brian asked. Howie looked at Brian in amazement.
"I could never figure her out."
Brian called Nick to see what was up with him and Breanna. "What's up, Frick?" Nick answered the phone.
"Damn caller ID." Brian joked.
"I gotta know who's callin' me so I know what calls to answer and what calls to ignore. I've got more important things to do than talk to people I don't like." Nick joked in an egotistical voice.
"So, why is Bree headed over to your place?" Brian asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah that. I don't know yet. She just told me to clear my plans for the next few days and to be decent." Nick joked.
"She's acting weird! She even kissed D on the cheek before leaving!" Brian stated.
"What!? Man, I bet he's happy. Even if it was only on the cheek. She's still showing some interest."
"Yeah anyway, once you find out what's goin' on give us a call. We want to know." Brian stated.
"Oh alright. She's here so I gotta go. Oh, I can't tell you anyway. She made me promise. See ya!" Nick laughed, hanging up the phone.
Breanna ran up the steps to Nick's door. Before she got a chance to knock Nick opened the door and pulled her in. He stared at her shocked face for a second but quickly pulled her to his body for a friendly hug. "How've you been?" He finally asked once he let her go.
"Like always...I've been better." She stated, walking around his house. She had never really been inside his house before. In the two and a half years she had known him she never spent any real time with him. They were always on two different wave lengths.
"Okay, I don't feel like wasting time. What's up with you? Why'd you want to see me?" He asked. She kept wondering around his house staring at the photos on the wall.
"I have to sing at the party this weekend." She stated. She didn't say anything more as she continued to walk around his house.
"...and?" He asked.
"Oh right. And, I want to sing a new song. Something totally different than what I normally sing. Something most Jive artists don't sing. Not R & B, not pop, not adult contemporary. Something different." She stated, not once looking at Nick. She was interested in his house. It was decorated in a very peaceful way. It reminded her of the ocean.
"Okay. What do I have to do with this?" He asked. He was confused and Breanna seemed very calm, very out of the ordinary. She finally stopped walking around the house and turned to face Nick. She stared at him and at every contour and line in his face. He was a very good looking guy but she had never noticed it.
"You have everything to do with it. You're the only one I know who has any interest in the type of music I want to do. I want you to help me write and produce the song. I want you for this project." She stated, turning around to continue her tour of the house. Nick continued to follow her around the house, thinking. Finally, it hit him. She was at that moment, one of the most popular singers in the world and she wanted him for her project. It was a wonderful opportunity to show the rest of the music world what he was capable of doing. He was tired of being known as the pretty boy who could whip anyone's ass when it came to singing. He wanted to show that he was a real artist who was capable of other things. "Okay. When do we start?" He finally asked. Breanna stopped to face Nick. She was wearing a smile from ear to ear. "Oh thank you, Nick! Thank you so much!" She shouted, throwing herself into his arms. He laughed at her.
They walked downstairs to his studio and sat down, not knowing where to begin. "Do you have any songs written? Any idea for music? Any idea of what *type* of music you want to do?" He asked. She laughed. He was all of a sudden completely professional. That was a side to Nick she had never seen. As far as she was concerned, he was a cute kid. In front of her stood a completely different man. Man. That's what he was and she had never noticed. She smiled at him while she continued to think. "What?" He asked, mystified by the expression on her face.
"I'm seeing a whole other Nick Carter!" She stated with a smile. He blushed and looked around his studio trying to avoid her eyes. He finally saw a music book that he had kept for years. He walked over to it and took it off the shelf where it had been sitting for months. He brought it over to Breanna and plopped it down on the table they were sitting at. "What is it?" She asked staring at the large notebook.
"It's a book I started, years ago." He smiled. She opened the book and flipped through it. The book was sectioned off by music type, and artists. "I started this book as a catalog, kind of anyway. I write down all the CDs I own, what type of music they are, and what mood each song represents." He stated. She found a section of the book and read everything over.
"Massive Attack: Teardrop. Depressing, moody, calming, mind altering." She read aloud. She looked at Nick and smiled. "That's the perfect description of that song. Every time I hear it I become depressed, but I also starting thinking of the impossible. It totally motivates me after a while but it keeps me calm." She stated. Nick nodded his head.
"I started this book cause I was bored on tour. Now when I get in a certain mood I flip through this to figure out what song I should listen to. See this song right here?" Nick pointed to the song "Gotta Get My Groove On" by Solid Harmonie. Breanna looked at the description and laughed.
"I've heard that song. Talk about some horny girls!" She joked.
"Hey, we toured with them and they're really nice. Anyway, they're no longer together." Nick stated with a small frown.
"I love that song." She smiled back at Nick. He laughed when he saw the evil twinkle in her eyes.
"Okay, what type of music do you want to create?" He asked, taking the book from Breanna and closing it to keep it from distracting her.
"Ever heard of Lauren Christy?" She asked him.
"I've heard of her. Don't know if I've heard her, though." Nick commented.
"Here." Breanna said as she handed Nick a CD. Nick looked down at the CD for a second before getting up to put it in the CD player. Once he hit play he looked at Breanna who was singing quietly to herself.
"I love the lyrics. I love the beat. I want to do something similar but in my own style with your help." He explained.
"In a week?" He asked her in disbelief.
"Yes, in a week." She nodded.
"Okay, here's what we gotta do. You have to call Brian and tell him that you'll see him on Friday. I have a feeling we'll be living down here for the next week. Next, we have to go through all the lyrics you've written. Then we have to find a type of music that goes with them, then we record the vocals. Then we get someone to help us put music to the vocals. I can do the drums and some keyboards but that's about it." He stated.
"I can get Brian to do some guitar." He added. She shook her head in disagreement.
"Okay, then what's your solution?"
"I can play, Nick. I've been playing since I was little but it was always a hobby. If I can play guitar I can also play bass. I know how to play the piano also." Nick did a double take when he looked at her. She laughed at the shocked expression on his face. "So, everything is fixed. We have everything ready. Let me go call Brian and I'll be back in a minute. Actually, I'll just drive back over there to pick up a few things to wear and to grab my laptop. It has all my lyrics on it." She stated.
"Okay, go now and then when you get back we'll order pizza and set up camp." He joked. Breanna was extremely happy. It seemed that music was the only thing that kept her going. She gave Nick a long peck and tight hug and took off running upstairs.
"See ya in a bit!" She screamed from the front door.
When Breanna got to Brian's house she noticed that there were a lot of cars in the driveway. She recognized AJ and Kevin's cars. "It's a party and I wasn't even invited!" She joked. She walked into the house and saw everyone, including Howie, in the living room.
"You weren't gone long." Brian shouted from the living room. Kevin got up from the couch and walked over to Breanna, giving her a large hug.
"I've missed talking to you. How've you been?" He questioned. Breanna sighed, throwing her arms into the air. Howie was staring at them and she knew it.
"I've been too busy to even think. Speaking of being busy, I gotta run. Be right back!" She stated as she took off towards the stairs. 15 minutes later she came running back down the stairs with her duffel bag and laptop. "Kevin, can you grab my suitcase off my bed and bring it out to my car?" She asked as she walked out the door. Brian and Howie looked at each other with a questioning expression. Something was definitely up with Breanna. Kevin shrugged his shoulders and went upstairs to grab her suitcase. She walked back into the house to talk with everyone for a moment. She walked into the living room where the guys were hanging out but quickly walked back out. She ran towards the bathroom and slammed the door.
"The flu." Brian explained to the rest of the guys. Breanna emerged five minutes later looking pale and ghastly. "Maybe you shouldn't go anywhere." Brian suggested.
"I've gotta leave, Bri. I'll be staying with Nick for the week. I'll be back before the party, k?" Brian looked at her, not knowing what to say.
"I'll call you tomorrow." She added, getting up off the end of the couch. She walked over to Brian and gave him a quick hug and kiss. She did the same to AJ and eventually Howie.
"I'll call you later to see how you're doing." She smiled to Howie. He stared back at her unable to comprehend what she meant. "Then again, maybe I shouldn't." She said to herself.
"No, call my cellphone." He stated. Breanna shrugged and walked out of Brian's house where Kevin was arranging her luggage in the trunk.
"Hey Train, I only brought three things." She joked.
"Yeah I know. I was just killing time out here waiting for you to come out so we could talk." He replied, giving her a small smile.
"So, what are you and Nick up to?" He asked, staring at her face trying to see what she was hiding.
"We're just hanging out, that's all." She replied, staring back at him.
"For a week, Bree?" He questioned again.
"Okay, I'm not going to tell you what we're up to but I will tell you that it's nothing sexual or anything remotely close to it." She stated with a sly grin on her face.
"I give up. I'm just going to have to wait, right?"
"YES! Trust me, k? Now, get out of my way." She teased.
"You forgot something." He stated. She looked at him, watching as the sun cast different shadows on his face.
"Come'ere!" He said pulling her in for a hug.
"Oh right! Thanks, Kev. Tell Eve that I love and miss her. I'll call you tomorrow to catch up on everything, k?"
"Sounds good to me! Have fun with Nick!" Kevin stated
as
Breanna got into her car and drove away.
Links to other sites on the Web
© 1997 crunkgrl62382@yahoo.com
Get your own Free Home Page