Nick stared out ahead of him at the dumpster in the alley behind the club. Through the cold cement he was sitting on he could feel the beat of the music being blasted inside and couldn't help wince at the memory that just a few minuets ago he had been inside there basking in the glory of dancing with Kaylie. Now he was just sitting outside in the dark. Alone. Again. What's new? Nick muttered to himself. He'd come to the realization that life sucked. Thinking further into his thoughts, it occurred to him that it wasn't LIFE that sucked, obviously Brian's and his other friends were going fine, it was only HIS that sucked. Anger overwhelmed him as he all the recent things that had gone in his life flashed through his mind. Mandy, no Mandy, Mandy again, Kaylie, breaking up with Mandy, Brian and Kaylie, he and Kaylie, the fact that there WASN'T such a thing as he and Kaylie, his hand. In haste, he kicked the curb.
"Woah there killer!" A soft voice said behind him. Turning around he saw a someone standing in the darkened doorway of the backdoor to the club of which he'd snuck out of. She seemed to be petite, about the same size of Kaylie. Looking closer she appeared to have the same long blonde hair as well. As she neared him Nick quickly put a finger to his mouth to hush her in case she was a fan and decided to freak out. That was the last thing he could deal with.
"I'm not gonna freak out, calm down." She said quietly as she said down next to where he was previously sitting. Nick looked at her for a second and then joined her back on the cold pavement. "I just need some time alone, to clear my head ya know?" She said, staring straight ahead.
"Don't I." Nick muttered. "Life's been pretty shitty lately." He said quietly.
"Um, not to be rude or anything, but, you're Nick Carter right? I mean..." She said trailing off before she offered her hand. "Andrews, Taylor Andrews. Sorry, I didn't introduce myself and here I am being rude and all before you even know who I am. I mean, it's ok if I'm rude AFTER you know who I am, but definitely not before!" She joked awkwardly as Nick took her hand and shook it.
"Nick Carter, ya, that'd be me." He said softly, blushing a bit at the way she giggled in response.
"So, care to elaborate on the shitty life story? Cause if not, mine's pretty bad too, and I know we just met, but ya know, you could lend an ear and all." Taylor grinned. Nick looked at her for a moment and then opened his mouth to speak before closing it. Should I really tell her?? He thought to himself. She's a complete stranger! He glanced back over at her quickly out the corner of his eye and immediately decided. There was something about her that gave him a clam reassuring feeling.
"The business is rough, life, friends, and all. Lately anything I've touched has blown up in my face." He said quietly, dropping his head so he wouldn't have to look at her. Instead of overwhelming him with questions about the band and the normal questions, or making him feel like an ass by pointing out that he was a celebrity and complaining was pointless because so many others had it way worse off, she said nothing, but nodded her head.
"Ya, I understand. Well, I obviously don't understand, but I can imagine what it feels like. All that pressure to live up to something that you don't even know if you want to live up to. People telling you what to do and you can't get a word in edgewise..." She said trailing off. From the way she talked of it, Nick could tell she spoke from experience.
"You seem to um, know what you're talking about." He said softly, looking up at her with questioning eyes.
"Let's just say that I've been around the block. Life isn't easy for us normal people either." She joked swatting at him playfully, getting a famous lopsided grin out of the Carter. "Lemme guess...there's some girl problems in there too aren't there?" She asked knowingly. Nick looked up in surprise. "A ha! I knew it! You're bummed about life, yes, but then the girl gets mixed in there and everything gets screwed up! Us girls, we're special like that. Something about us, we've just got that power to mess with guy's heads and make em go crazy. It's kinda fun." She laughed as Nick smiled again.
"So you're tellin me you people do it on purpose? Evil I tell you, you're pure evil." He laughed in response.
"Well, not ALL of us are evil. Just a selected few. The others are just oblivious. So! Mr. Carter! Wanna tell Taylor about the lil girl problem you seem to be having?" She said softly looking into his blue eyes.
"Um, later, I'll tell you latter." He said as he stood up and offered Taylor his hand. "Right now, seeing that I'm not feeling AS sorry for myself, we're going to dance." He said as he led the two of them through the backdoor and back into the club.
"Is that a question or a statement sir?" Taylor giggled as they rounded the corner onto the dance floor.
"Statement. Definitely statement." He grinned.
Brian and Kaylie slowly moved to the music. Neither of them talked, but instead held each other. Halfway through the song Brian looked down at her and smiled.
"Ya know, if you'd have asked me yesterday if I was happy I would've said yes, but Kay, nothing could make me more happy than I am right now. Yesterday I was happy, but today I've got you, and, well, I've got my Kaylie." He said softly. Kaylie felt her eyes water and leaned in to kiss him quickly. Brian smiled and then put on a funny face and opened his mouth to say something.
"Shh..not now Bri. Don't ruin the moment." Kaylie giggled as she swatted his arm playfully and again began to sway with him to the song. Brian placed a soft kiss on her head and resumed to dancing.
AJ and Katie sat in the back of his car staring at each other, not saying a word. They drunk in each other's presence and were content for a while not to speak. For a while.
"We're going to have to go in there sooner or later. And if not today, we're going to have to see Kevin soon enough." Katie muttered as she twisted the diamond ring on her hand around. AJ listened to her but then noticed the ring and warning bells went off.
"What the hell is on your hand Katie." He said softly, staring at the ring that was on her left ring finger, the perfect place for a wedding ring. Katie looked up quickly and her eyes widened.
"AJ, really, it's not what you think!" She said quickly as she grabbed his hands. AJ's eyes darkened as memories flooded his head.
They sat alone inside the tour bus. What was normally a loud, happy place, seemed to have a dark cloud settling above it. AJ just stared at her hand as she stared back at him.
"Amanda." AJ said quietly, not really wanting to hear the answer. As he continued to stare at that ring, the ring he hadn't given to her, he reached in his pocket and held the case that contained the ring he had bought for her. The one he had spent months searching for. The perfect ring. The one that wrapped all of his love up inside it and proclaimed 'Bone and Poopy - Love Forever'. The ring that he'd spent so much time on and was obviously not wanted. "Amanda." He said a little harsher this time as she still didn't answer him.
"I love you J. I'm sorry." She said as she stood up and gently kissed his cheek before walking out the bus door and out of his life.
He shook his head quickly as if to wipe away the memory from his mind but still, in front of him, was the diamond ring on Katie's finger. True, technically they weren't even a couple, but this was just cruel. Some cruel, horrible, trick God was playing on him. To be on the receiving once was hard enough on his heart, twice, though the circumstances were different, would be unbearable. Pulling his hands back from where Katie held them he opened the door and climbed out.
"I'm sorry I ever met you Katie." He said darkly as he stood next to the door staring at her. Her chin trembled and hands shook as she stared back at him.
"AJ, really, it's not what it looks like!" She yelled as she fumbled about, trying to get out of the car.
"Fine, then it's not. Bye Katie." He said quietly as he looked at her one last time then walked away from his car and back into the club. Katie sunk back into the plush leather seats, dejected. She's barely known him for a few hours but something pulled at her heart when he walked away. As she looked down at the ring on her finger she quickly pulled it off and placed it in her purse.
"Some day this turned out to be." She muttered to herself as she quickly got out of the car as she had no reason to stay there. Walking back into the club she searched around the dancing bodies in search of AJ, but he was no where to be found.
Kevin sat down at the bar and signaled for the bartender.
"Rough night eh?" The burly man asked as he set down Kevin's drink. He mearly nodded in response, took a sip of the concoction in front of him, and laid his head in his arms, exasperated.
"Kevvy?" He heard a voice mumble as the person sat down in the stool next to him.
"What?" He groaned in response.
"You wanna take me home tonight?" She mumbled looking up.
"No." Kevin answered still laying down.
"Will you?" Katie mumbled, returning to her depressed state.
"Ya, course." He said and stood up, hugging her. "I just don't want ya gettin hurt babe. You've always been my gal." He said softly as Katie clung to him.
"Thanks. I'm not a little girl no more though Kev. I'm a big little girl now. Gotta make my own bad decisions." She grinned cheekily up at him.
"Even if I think they're bad?" He groaned resting his chin on her head.
"Yup. I'm all growed up now bubba." She laughed as they headed over to their table to retrieve their things before leaving.
As Nick and Taylor danced they began to learn things about one another, between the booty bumpin that was (LMAO! Genypher Jetski! BOOTY BUMPIN! OMG BECKY!! AMADA YOU! Sorry, Tannadoonah moment there all. Back to the story!) Nick couldn't put his finger on it, but for some reason he felt like he KNEW Taylor. He was pretty sure that he hadn't met her before, but that feeling, that nagging feeling, kept annoying him.
"You're not a fan are you?" He said furrowing his eyebrows as he placed his hands on her hips to slow her down a bit.
"Good God no! ME?! Liking POP?!" Taylor bust out straight faced and continued to dance. Nick felt his face redden.
"Riiight." He mumbled as he sunk back into his shell.
"Nick. Kidding? Ha ha funny funny? Joke. This is the time you're supposed to laugh??" Taylor giggled slightly as she realized her joke wasn't ALL to well recieved. "Ok, next time, no pop jokes, got it!" She joked.
"So there's going to be a next time?" Nick asked putting on THE Carter grin.
"I guess you're right. I mean, it totally depends on if I can deal. You're quite the handful Carter! And you STILL haven't had me fix you're problems!" She laughed shaking her head. "You're right! Man, I don't know if I can see you any longer!"
"Taylor, you are quite the handful aren't you!" He said laughing. Taylor playfully reached up and slapped his face and Nick's immediately darkened.
Is the same thing that makes me change my mind
Kinda hard to explain but girl I'll try
You need to sit down this may take a while
See this girl, she sorta looks just like you
She even smiles just the way you do
So innocent she seemed but I was fooled
I'm reminded when I look at you
Taylor just laughed and continued to move to the music as Nick studied her face more carefully. It was there. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it before.
You remind me of a girl
That I once knew
See her face whenever I look at you
Wouldn't believe all of the things she put me through
This is why I just can't get with you
There was the same long blonde hair, with a kind of windblown wave to it. And the eyes, they were the same shape, though Taylor's were a light blue. He shook his head slightly as memories of the past few weeks, months, came plowing back into his mind. Taylor frowned slightly at his reaction but continued to dance.
Thought she was the one for me
'Til I found out she was on her creep
Oh she was sexin everyone but me
This is why we could never be
Over and over again it happened. He'd catch her cheating and they'd break it off. But then she'd come back and he'd TAKE her back. Over and over again.
You remind me of a girl
That I once knew
See her face whenever I look at you
Wouldn't believe all of the things she put me through
This is why I just can't get with you
Then she started in on her comments. Nick you're getting too fat, why don't you get off the couch and go to the gym. Nick, I'm bored, when are you going to get me my record deal? Nick, only six year olds love you, you and that little boy band. Over and over again she'd put him down and he'd take it. Over and over again. And here Taylor just did the same...his POP music.
I know it's so unfair to you
That I relate her and the rest to you
Wish I knew how to separate the two
You remind me
You remind me of a girl
That I once knew
See her face whenever I look at you
Wouldn't believe all of the things she put me through
This is why I just can't get with you
And then it got worse. When he finally reached the point where he couldn't take it any longer and talked back to her, she'd loose it. The wrath of Willa would take over and he'd end up going to rehearsals bruised, saying that he'd again bumped into something. She kept him away from his friends, his family, his life. And here he was, with a girl who could double as his ex that ruined his life. Just that day he got rid of her, and here he was, with her twin.
Gotta let you go
"No." Nick mumbled and backed away from Taylor slowly. She stopped and tilted her head as if to ask what he was talking about. "I, I've got to go." He whispered and with that, turned and walked out of the club.
You remind me of a girl
That I once knew
See her face whenever I look at you
Wouldn't believe all of the things she put me through
This is why I just can't get with you
Taylor stood there, completely confused. When she heard her name called she turned and walked over to the table and sat down.
"I don't get it. What'd I do? We were having fun." She muttered as he took in her words and nodded his head in agreement, sympathetically.
"You're not some crazed fan are ya? He's not gonna kill me if I give you his address?" Howie smiled softly so his eyes crinkled at the edges.
"No, no crazed fan here." Taylor laughed quietly as she took the piece of paper. Then, as an afterthought she stood up and gave Howie a hug. "Thanks." She whispered in his ear.
"No problem. Just go help him, try to figure out what's wrong with him ok? The kid's been through a lot lately." He replied.
Brian and Kaylie wandered over to the table where Howie was sitting observing the people around him.
"You aren't dancing D?" Kaylie asked, wrinkling up her nose.
"Nope. Got tired, needed a drink." He joked wiggling his eyebrows. "I'm just thinking..." He trailed off.
"Well, Kay and I were too." Brian said proudly.
"We were, were we?" Kaylie joked, lightly jabbing him in the side. Howie laughed at their actions and waited for Brian to continue.
"Anyway! As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted-" He started before he saw the evil death glare Kaylie was giving him, " by the beautiful and caring Miss Kaylie..." He quickly said smiling when Kaylie gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"That's better Bri." She laughed.
"We were thinking we'd leave here and go over to my place? Just to wind down before tour? We won't be able to for months after next." Brian finished off remembering that he still had to ask Kaylie if she'd come on tour with him.
"Well, sounds good to me, but it seems that everyone else has left. Train took Katie home after AJ blew her off, and Nick freaked out so I sent the girl he was with after him." Howie said watching Kaylie's face. It seemed to dim a bit when he brought up Nick.
"Nick freaked out? Is he ok? Should we go find out? Who's this girl? You sent a FAN after him!? He's going to kill you D!" Kaylie spouted off as Howie watched her eyes, interested in what he saw. Brian put his arms around her waist and placed his head on her shoulder.
"I'm sure he's fine Kay. If anything, he'll get a little action and be in a better mood tomorrow." He joked. Kaylie rolled her eyes and shrugged off Brian.
"That's just wonderful." She muttered and Howie laughed at her reaction as Brian tried to pick up the pieces from the damage that he'd just done.
"Oh hun! I didn't mean that! I mean, I mean that, but I didn't mean it LIKE that!" He stumbled over his words eliciting a small smile out of Kaylie. "I mean, NICK may be like that, but I'm not at all! I mean, I'd just SLEEP with the girl!" He went on, making Howie bust out at what he'd just said. Kaylie stood there with her hands on her hips staring at him, obvious to anyone but Brian that she was finding his whole situation hilarious. Due to this Brian continued, realizing his NEW mistake. "Kaylie!! I didn't mean it like that! I mean, I'd NEVER sleep with you! Never!!" He sputtered out grabbing her hands.
"Well gee THANKS! It's like to know you're attracted to me!!" Kaylie said, playing along, causing Howie to crack up even further.
"NO! I didn't mean that! Damn! I'd sleep with you Kay! I'd sleep with you tonight! Hell! Look at you! I just mean...." He rambled on. At this point Kaylie couldn't hold her laughter in any longer and pulled Brian close to her.
"I know what you mean Bri. It's ok. You ready to go?" She said sweetly kissing his lips quickly before trying to hold in her laughter. Brian looked confused for a second and then just nodded his head.
"Ya. We'll find the others later. I gotta sit down, too much talking. You can drive." He muttered, dazed, as he handed Kaylie the keys to his car. Her eyes lit up and she ran for the door before Brian realized what he'd done.
"Kaylie! KAYLIE! COME BACK! GIVE ME MY KEYS!!" He shouted to her retreating back, hopelessly. Turning to Howie he grinned.
"Great ass eh?"
Howie laughed and followed Brian to the car where Kaylie sat proudly in the driver's seat, engine already started, and ready to put up a fight for the keys.
"Everyone's seat belts buckled?" Brian said warily as they settled into the car and Kaylie started down the street.
"Ya. Lord help us all." Howie joked from the backseat.
Katie quickly checked her surroundings as Kevin pulled up into her driveway.
"Thanks for taking me home Kev! Bye!" She yelped, jumping out of the car door. Kevin looked at her crazily and opened his door to walk her to her house.
"What're you doing?!" Katie asked quickly peeking in the window, seeing lights on.
"Walking you to your door. Why? Are you ok Katie?" He laughed as he reached the door and waited for her.
"Um, oh, ok." She said quietly, rummaging through her purse for her key, but before she could find it the door opened and there stood a little boy, no bigger than one.
"Ma ma!" He yelled, toddling over to Katie's leg and grabbing a hold. Kevin's eyes grew as big as saucers at what was playing out in front of him. Katie looked at him quickly and opened the door wider.
"Um, we need to talk." She muttered picking up the little boy and taking him inside, brushing past the grown man who stood there, obviously aware of what he'd done.
Nick sat on his couch. The lights were off. The TV was off. The whole house was silent and dark and that was the way Nick wanted it. Fit his mood perfectly. He wanted to be alone, which, it occurred to him, was good, because he was just about as alone as anyone could be. He leaned back on the couch and put his hands behind his head and propped his feet up on the other end. A single tear ran down his cheek as he thought of the days happenings, and what they meant.
"No one wants to be around me." He muttered, angrily wiping away the tear with the back of his hand. Then he heard it. It was quiet, as if the person on the other end of the door didn't know exactly what they wanted. Standing up he walked to the door and stood there, not saying a word.
"Nick. I know you're in there. You can't hide from me. I'm a girl remember, we're evil, we can find out where you live." She softly joked from behind the door and Nick found himself smiling slightly, and another tear run down his cheek because someone was there for him. Someone came to see if he was ok, even though she was almost a perfect stranger. A perfect stranger who I tried to blow off. Nick thought, still not moving to open the door. "Ok Nick. You've done it now. If you don't open this door right now and let me in I'm going to be forced to sing, and that is something I recommend no one, including me, ever have to put their ears through!" She joked again, waiting.
"All right. I wouldn't want to put myself through that horror." Nick laughed as he opened the door and say Taylor standing there. "What're you doing here?" He said softly as he led her inside.
"Nice place, beautiful view. You lived here long?" She asked as she walked around the living room, peeking out the windows to see the ocean below.
"Thanks. I've had it for about a year, but I don't get to see it much, touring and all." He mumbled. "You wanna see the place?" He asked, needing no answer when Taylor smiled broadly and grabbed his hand, dragging him off to explore the house.
"Man, Nick, this house is wonderful! It's a shame that you don't really get to stay here often." Taylor whispered as they both wandered down his hallways. "What's this one?" She said as she opened up a door and peeked in.
"That would be the studio. I had it put in, you know, for the few times I'm actually at home." He laughed as Taylor gingerly touched the control buttons, as if she would break something.
"Sing something!!" She said suddenly, her eyes as wide as her smile.
"Um, maybe later?" Nick said softly, shifting his eyes downcast. "Anyway! You've got to see the rest of the house!" He said happier.
"Well, but you promise me you'll sing something later?" She said smiling up at him. Nick smirked and placed a hand on her waist leading her out of the studio.
"Do you think I would ever deny a beautiful girl like you Taylor?" He joked. Taylor giggled and ran to the next room and peeked in.
"A ha! What every teenager wants to see: Nick Carter's bedroom. Actually I think they're more interested in the actual BED aspect of the room, but still..." Taylor smiled as she ran in and proceeded to hop onto the bed and jump up and down on it.
"What're you doing?!" Nick laughed at her appearance. She was so carefree, the total opposite of Nick.
"Having fun! You should try it some time! Come on!" She joked and grabbed Nick, pulling him onto his bed.
"You know, your room's like I imagined it. Just free, open and stuff. BUT, I'll have to admit, you surprised me." Taylor said as they actually sat down on the bed.
"Why's that? This is me, my room. It's about as close to me as you can get." Nick mused.
"Oh, so you're saying you like to wear lacy black bra and panty sets?" Taylor joked, pointing to the objects laying on a nearby chair. Nick's face immediately turned red.
"Cause I mean, if your fans pay tons to see you in concert, just IMAGINE the possibilities of seeing you in THAT! You surprise me Carter...really." She joked.
"Um, that would be Mandy's--" nick started.
"Mandy's. Yes that would be me, and those, along with most of the shit in this room, would be mine." Nick turned to see Many standing in the doorway of his room, hands on her hips, glaring at the two. "So, if you wouldn't mind getting off your ass, I'd like to get MY things and get the hell out of here." She spat out, yanking things out of drawers as she walked through the room.
"Um, Taylor, I think we'll be leaving right now." Nick said standing up and holding out his hand for Taylor to hold. When she did Nick smirked and looked at Mandy. "Um, when you're done, lock the door. Oh, and this time, don't take the TV. I really don't feel like replacing it again." And with that the two walked out the door.
"Wanna go over to one of the guys? Everyone else is probably over there anyway." Nick asked as they got into Nick's car.
"Fine by me. But don't think you're going to get out of this without telling me what's up." Taylor warned. Nick groaned.
"Ya, I know." He said while keeping his eyes on the street ahead.
"AND you owe me a song..." Taylor reminded him, smiling softly.
"Agh! You're just too much!" Nick laughed, feeling a lot better than he had in a long time.
"Ok, so she had a ring on. But she said it wasn't like it looked." AJ thought out loud as he drove around Kissimmee trying to sort things out.
"But she had a RING on. A freaking WEDDING ring." He fought with himself.
"But it's not like it looks AJ! Really!" He mimicked Katie.
"Agh!! I can't do this tonight! There's only one damned way to find out the truth." He muttered as he did a U-turn and headed back over to the direction of her house. There was no use in thinking about it, he need to DO something about it.
"It damned right better not be like it looks." AJ grunted as he drove on.
Feedback: twss2000@yahoo.com