Chapter Three

(Back at the Dorm)…..”Just what was that all about?” Tiva asked, upset that we still hadn’t seen Matthew, and that Nick Carter had just spoken to me. “Tiva sit down and I’ll tell you.” I said while Joe went to take a shower. “Nick and I grew up together, before I met you in Florida, and we were best friends, that is until he left me for the Backstreet Boys.” I said with a slight disapproving tone in my voice. “Courtney why do you act like you hate him, I mean he seems like such a nice, wonderful, and lets not forget completely gorgeous guy.” Tiva said giggling. She stopped as soon as I shot her a glare. I smiled, “Tiv its not that I hate him, I still care deeply of him, but he never even ATTEMPTED to keep in touch.” “Oh, well I guess I’d be kinda be mad too if he never wrote or called me.” Tiva said with understanding. “Now do you see why I got so upset?” I asked her. “Yea, now I do.” She said. “Well, come on, lets go I want to go down to Sixth street. (That’s a bar strip (I don’t condone drinking till you’re of age) in Austin for those of you who don’t know) “Okay I said, just let me change and I’ll be down, you go ahead and get the car.” I replied walking into my room. A few minutes later Tiv, Joe, and I were boogying on the floor at one of the clubs, and we were having a blast. “Courtney have you been having fun?” Joe asked me. “Yea, I come here a lot just to chat and dance with my buds.” I said with a smile finally on my face. Just then someone bumped into me. “Oh, excuse me.” He said with his cute little accent. “Courtney?” He asked. “Yea, hi, you must be Brian.” I said. “Yea, Nick has told me so much about you, I’ve seen all the pictures of you two when you were little.” He said smiling. “Oh, how embarrassing!!” I said blushing. “NO, no, you were so cute, especially that pic of you two splashing each other in the pool.” He said laughing. “Oh I am sorry, this is my fiancée Leighanne.” He said pulling her to him, he had been dancing with her while talking to me, I had recognized her, and she was so much prettier in person. “Hi Courtney, how are you?” She asked putting her hand for me to shake it. “Oh hi, I knew I had seen you before.” I said laughing. “Most people do now that I am marrying this goof ball”, she said tickling Brian. Brian laughed, and said “Are you looking for Nick because he’s over by the bar sitting with AJ.” As soon as Tiva heard AJ’s name she rushed over to me, and introduced herself to Brian and Leighanne. “Hi, I’m Tiva Courtney’s best friend and this is Joe, my boyfriend, I thought I’d just heard AJ’s name.” She said giggling at Brian. “Um, yea you did, and he’s sittin with Nick.” Brian said laughing at Tiv. “Thanks.” She replied and pulled Joe over with her. “Well, I was going to say that I wasn’t looking for him, but he did tell me that he was looking for me, which hurt because he didn’t even have the time to call or write over the past seven years.” I said. Brian replied, “Well, he sure did think of you a lot. Even with his last girlfriend, Mandy, he was always talking about you, I think that’s one of the reasons that they broke up.” “Oh, I didn’t know that, well I might go say hi.” I said and said good bye to them, and slowly walked over to Nick and AJ, Tiva was already sitting with them, and Joe was looking slightly bored and withdrawn. But, you could hear her laughing at something AJ and Nick were telling her as I got closer. My heart began to race and I had wished I had just stayed at my dorm room. I stepped up onto the bar and touched Nick’s shoulder. He looked startled as he looked up. “Oh hey girl.” He said scooting over for me to sit down. “Hi.” I said meekly. “Guys, do you mind it too much if we were alone for a few minutes?” Nick asked looking over at AJ and Tiva and Joe. “No prob, Nicky…come on guys lets go and join Brok.” “Thanks, and don’t call me NICKY!!” Nick hollered over his shoulder. AJ laughed. “So…..” Nick said playing with his fork. “SO….” I said looking at him. “How have you been?” Nick asked, his voice sounded kinda husky probably from all the singing, it sounded so good too. “Okay, I’ve busy with school.” I said looking down my hands. “Yea, I like Austin, lots of pretty girls!!” Nick said slyly while grinning at me. I laughed. “Are you smiling??? Oh my lord, Courtney Kelly’s smiling!!” Nick said laughing at me. “Yea, I smile all the time.” I cried. “Look Coke, I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry for not staying in touch, I wanted to, but I didn’t think you wanted to because well, because I didn’t think you would be proud of me if I didn’t succeed, and when we did, I just got so busy.” Nick said reaching for my hand. “Nick..” I said pulling my hand back so he couldn’t hold it. “It still really really hurt me, I loved you, you were my best friend, and I think that you took me for granted, I would’ve always been proud of you, if you had failed and come back, I would’ve been extremely proud of you, I’m going to always be glad I knew you.” I said smiling slightly. “I’m sorry if I hurt you.” Nick said scooting closer and wrapping me in a hug. “I’m sorry too, sorry for not trying to give a chance to explain.” I said pulling him to me, I wrapped my arms around his neck and embraced him. Tears started to form, and I let a couple fall from my eyes, I tried to sniffle quietly but Nick heard and looked down at me. “What’s wrong?” he asked me quietly, wiping away my tears. “It’s just that I missed you so much!!” I said grabbing him again and giving him a long hug. “So, does this mean we’re friends again?” he asked stroking my hair. “No.” I said and he looked at me. “It means we’re BEST friends again.” I said smiling as I kissed him on the cheek. “Come on lets go join the others.” He said grabbing my hand. We danced the rest of the nite, and needless to say I never wanted that nite to end. 1