"So, he stood you up again?" Faith asked as she pulled the brush through her long hair.
"Yes! Can you believe it?" Destiny replied.
"Well, did he at least have a good excuse?"
"Yeah, he did," she admitted. "He was going through some demos for the new album with some other guys whom he said were extremely slow."
"Well, see? It's not like he just brushed you off."
"I know, and I did have a fill-in, or 'replacement' as he called himself. It's just that I'd really been looking forward to some time alone with Nick. Something's been bothering him lately, and I wanted to try to find out what it is," she finished as she stood in front of Faith's bathroom mirror to check her own hair.
"I'm sure it's nothing. Probably just stress," Faith offered.
"I hope you're right."
"Of course I am," she winked. "Stop worrying over nothing. Now tell me about this 'replacement'. Anyone I know?"
"Actually, yes," Destiny smiled. "It was AJ."
"AJ?" she asked, a shocked look on her face. "AJ McLean?"
"Yep. That's the one," she joked.
"Was Serena with him?"
"No. Amazingly he was alone."
"Really? Not even a shock collar on?" Faith cracked.
"Nope. He must've figured out how to get it off," Destiny popped back.
"Well, wonders never cease."
"He did have his cell phone, though," Des added.
Faith just nodded her head. "Of course he did," she started. "She has to have some way of keeping tabs on him. How many times did it ring?"
"Just once, but that was enough."
"Really? What happened? Tell me about it. How did she react when she found out he was with you?" Faith asked.
Destiny began to explain the conversation to her as they headed out the door to begin their day of shopping.
"He had asked me about Nick and how things were going with him. When I said something about being frustrated with him cancelling on me so often and trying to handle his hectic schedule, he went into this speech about how it takes a special type of woman to be able to deal with it. He said that's the reason most of them have had very few long-term relationships. I was just about to ask him if that was why he put up with Serena's crap when his phone rang," she explained.
"Let me guess," Faith chuckled. "Miss Congeniality, herself?"
"How'd you ever guess??" Destiny joked, and then went on to tell her what AJ's phone conversation had consisted of.
"So, what did he say to your question?" Faith asked her after she had finished. "You DID get to ask, didn't you?"
"Yes I did. And I was shocked at his answer. He obviously does not see her the way we all do. When I suggested that she is controlling, he said she is just a little 'bossy' sometimes."
"Bossy?!?" Faith exclaimed. "Bossy doesn't even begin to cover it, and if she isn't controlling, why'd he have to lie and say he was there alone?"
"That's what I asked," Destiny started. "He said he lied to avoid an argument. So I pointed out that not only is she controlling, she is very jealous as well. His response was 'Aren't we all?' He just doesn't see it."
"Well," Faith said, shaking her head. "I guess love IS blind."
"Not just blind," Des smiled. "It must be deaf and dumb, too."
They were both laughing when a car horn interrupted them. They looked over to see Graycie and Maddie in the black SUV next to them. In the passenger seat, Maddie rolled the window down, leaned her head out the window, and called for them to pull over.
"Where are you guys going?" Graycie asked after they'd all pulled into a nearby parking lot.
"We are on a shopping expedition. So, we are mall-bound," Destiny laughed.
"Really?" Maddie asked. "Us, too!"
"Cool!" Faith exclaimed. "Why don't we make it a foursome, then?"
"Yeah," Destiny answered.
"Ok. Sounds good to me," Graycie added. "But....," she finished, looking toward Maddie.
"Oh yeah. I forgot we promised we'd go by and pick Serena up," she stated. "She's shopping for the honeymoon."
Taking in a deep breath after thinking about it a minute, Destiny said, "That's fine. We could still all go together. We should all fit in my car."
"We'd have more room in my SUV," Graycie offered. "That is, if everyone is okay with Serena going."
They all agreed and headed off to pick her up. Maybe I've been too quick to judge her, Destiny thought. Maybe today will give me the chance to really get to know her. But, she couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, girls," Serena smiled as she climbed in.
So far, so good, Destiny thought.
Looking around, Serena added, "Do you think the mall can handle all five of us at one time?"
"Maybe we should call ahead and warn them," Faith laughed.
"No. Don't do that!" Destiny said. "They might lock the doors then!"
"So, where are all the guys?" Serena asked over the chuckles. "Alex left with Howie earlier to go work on some songs."
"Yeah. With those two together, though, there is never any telling what they might get into," Faith added with a smile.
"I think Kevin and Brian were supposed to be meeting them, weren't they?" Maddie asked, turning to Graycie.
"Yeah. I think so."
"That's where Nick said he'd be, too," Destiny stated.
"Sounds like they all conspired to come up with a cover story and they are actually somewhere else goofing off," Faith added.
"So true," they all agreed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once inside the mall, the girls hit nearly every store. Destiny couldn't help but notice how well Serena seemed to get along with everyone. Maybe she'd just had a bad day when I met her before, she thought, trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.
As they made their way towards the lingerie shop to help Serena choose something for the honeymoon, Faith kept having the eeriest feeling they were being followed. She'd turn around every few feet, but didn't see anything unusual. Just before they came to the shop, she came to a dead stop and turned her head. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the 'reasons' for those eerie feelings she'd been having. The other girls were clearly confused as she stood there smiling to herself.
"What's wrong?" Destiny asked.
Faith didn't answer, just took a few more steps forward.
"What is it? Why are you acting so strangely?" Graycie asked.
Finally, as they were entering the large boutique, she stopped once again and explained.
"Don't look now," she started, "but I believe we have some admirers following us."
Of course, immediately, the girls looked around to see who she was talking about.
"Where? I don't see anyone," Graycie said, turning in a complete circle to look around her.
"I don't either," Maddie added.
"I told you not to look. Of course you don't see them. They're trying to be sneaky and not let us see them. You have to be quick."
"Well, who is it?" Destiny asked. "Do you know them?"
Before Faith could answer, Destiny saw the top of a blonde head on the other side of a stand in the middle aisle of the area. As the head moved to the side, part of the person's face came into her view.
"It's Nick!" she exclaimed.
"Shhhh....," Faith whispered. "Yes, it's Nick.... and Howie.... and Brian.... and Kevin.... and AJ."
"What?!?" Serena exclaimed.
"Shhh.....," Faith repeated. "I don't think they know we are on to them. I thought we might mess with them a little."
"Ooooh.... what you got in mind?" Graycie asked, an evil sneer on her face.
"Since there are plenty of clothing racks and things for them to hide behind, I feel sure they will follow us into the shop. In the back are private dressing rooms. Why don't we give them a little show?" she finished with an evil grin of her own.
Usually, Faith was the more conservative one, so this shocked the others.
"I love it," Graycie laughed.
"Let's do it," Destiny agreed.
"They're gonna shit!" Maddie smiled.
Everyone had agreed except Serena. The other four girls were watching her, waiting for an answer.
"Hell, why not?" she kinda half laughed, though she didn't seem overly excited.
They decided to go towards the back of the shop, drawing the guys in. Every now and then they'd get a glimpse of them trying to hide.
"They think they are so slick," Destiny whispered to Faith.
"I know. That's what makes it so funny."
After each of them had chosen the jaw dropping outfit they planned to model, they slowly made their way back to the dressing area, giving the guys time to follow. The dressing rooms themselves were private, but right outside of them was an open, common area with full length wall mirrors. The guys would be able to see that area. THAT was where they'd get their 'show'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hiding behind a couple of clothing racks, the guys watched the girls entering the dressing rooms. Nick was trying to discreetly peep through a rack of negligees when he felt an elbow in his ribs.
"Damn it, AJ. What is it?" he whispered.
"Man, do you really think they're gonna come out of there in those outfits?"
"Of course they are. Women do this kind of shit all the time when we aren't around."
"But, did you see those outfits they had? Do you actually think they're gonna parade around out here dressed in those?"
"AJ, man, go back to your rack of teddies and drool like Kevin's doing."
AJ had just made it back to his hiding place when they heard the first dressing room door unlock. As the door opened, they all held their breath, waiting to see who it was. In a deep blue matching bra and thong set with matching thigh high stockings on, out walked Maddie. Everyone could hear the groan from Kevin as he watched from behind the rack of clothing. She slowly walked over to the mirrors, examining herself from all sides.
"I don't know, girls. What do you think? Would Kevin like this?" she asked.
Under his breath, Kevin was whispering over and over, "Say yes, please say yes. Kevin would love it."
Over the top of one of the dressing rooms came Graycie's head. Her eyes scanned the barely there outfit Maddie was modeling. Finally she spoke.
"I don't know," she shook her head. "I've never really pictured Kevin as the type to go for thongs. You might ought to get something that covers up a little more."
"What??!!??" Kevin exclaimed.
Elbowing him in the ribs, Brian shushed him. "Man, you're gonna get us caught if you don't shutup."
While Kevin continued to pout, the other guys waited to see who would be next. After what seemed an eternity to them, another dressing room door opened. This time, wearing a conservative, yet utterly sexy white negligee with a lace wrap, out came Faith. AJ looked over at Howie as she trapsed around toward the mirrors.
"My God," he whispered with a smile. He wasn't used to seeing her dressed in anything like that. He had to admit she looked incredible.
As she twirled in front of the mirror, asking the advice of the others, he silently prayed she'd buy the outfit.
"I don't know, girls. This really just isn't me," she said, shaking her head and walking off.
What?!? Howie thought. Is she crazy??
As he held his head in his hands, suffering the same disappointment as Kevin, the other three guys waited to see which one of them would be the next victim.
Another door opening, and another pair of legs stepping out of a dressing room. In a red see through fishnet type top and matching panties, out strutted Graycie.
Brian's jaw almost hit the floor. Graycie was another one of those that most people considered to be a good girl. Now, here she was, almost naked, prancing around in the color of sin. But he liked it; hell, he loved it. As his 'approval' continued to grow, he watched as she turned in the mirror to check out her backside.
"Girls, does this make my ass look big?" she asked.
Faith stood back and looked for a minute, and finally answered.
"Just a little. You might want to get something that isn't see through," she stated.
"No!" Brian whispered. "See through is good!"
He, too, joined the ranks of the broken hearted, joining Howie and Kevin.
That left Nick and AJ. They both held their breath as they heard the next door unlock.
Their eyes followed the path of the long slender legs covered with fishnet thigh highs, up to the jade green teddy, and on up to the big blue eyes of Destiny's. There was so little fabric there, she was hanging out everywhere - but in all the right places, they had to admit. Utterly sexy, still tasteful. Nick looked over at AJ, whose mouth was wide open, and smacked him in the back of the head.
"That's MINE!" he whispered.
Turning back to watch her, Nick was speechless. This was the closest to naked he had seen her. He never realized just exactly what he was missing. As she pranced around, he felt as though he couldn't take anymore. That's when she really put his silence to the test.
Destiny propped her leg upon a stool and pretended to pull her stocking up, bending just enough to show Nick the thong back to the teddy. Everyone could hear his breath catch in his throat.
"What do you think girls?" she asked. "Is it too much for the first time? Should I wait a while on this one?"
"I think you should," Maddie answered. "Make him wait for the really good stuff."
"What the hell?" Nick cursed under his breath.
As Destiny walked toward her dressing room, the lock on the final one opened. AJ watched intently as Serena trapsed out, dressed in a very low cut black negligee. He swallowed hard as she paraded toward the mirrors. She turned slightly to view the back.
"Is this exotic enough for the honeymoon?" she asked.
"I don't know," Destiny said. "I believe we could find something a little more breath taking."
"You're right," Serena agreed, though she didn't smile. "He is very kinky. Though, it really doesn't matter what I wear, he is only interested in getting laid anyway. He's just a dog."
With that, she turned and went back to her dressing room. Her statement floored the other girls, as well as AJ. Knowing that he was there, Destiny couldn't help but feel so badly for him. What the hell was her problem? she thought. Why does she insist on treating him like shit? And why does he continue to put up with it? It was clear to Destiny that he should do something about it. But how to convince him of that? she wondered.