Chapter 5


Megan sat in her hotel room hours later, Leighanne's words beating in her mind.

"How come I had no idea that she existed?”…“Nick didn’t want to tell you. I don’t know why, but he wouldn’t tell us.” Why would Nick care if he found out about his girlfriend? After all, they'd been best friends forever, and have had relationships before - why was this any different? Realizing that she wasn't getting anywhere, she lay back on her bed, and fell into a restless sleep, vowing to figure out her problems in the morning.

&&&

"Meggie…yoo-hoo…" Leighanne tried to no avail to attract the younger girls attention. The group of them was on route to a performance in London. Finally, she tossed a grape she'd been eating courtesy of the bus' fridge at Megan's head.

" Hey! What was that for?" Megan asked, turning around to face the elder woman, with a frown, rubbing the spot on her head.

"Girl, I've been trying to get your attention for the past twenty minutes, and you've been off in La-La Land," Leighanne explained

"Oh…Sorry...I was just thinking..."

"Ah. Penny for your thoughts?" she said, taking another grape, offering the bowl to Megan.

Taking one, she put it in her mouth, chewing it thoughtfully. "I don't know Leighanne, it's all so weird. Why would Nick care if I knew he had a girlfriend?"

"I'm not sure…to be honest, I've been thinking the same thing, but you know Nick. He's pretty unpredictable. Maybe he just figured that he'd lose you somehow, so instead of telling the truth, he kept it hidden. I'm not sure hon, you'll have to ask."

"I think I will." Almost as if on cue, Nick and Angie walked through the corridor, hand in hand.

"Leighanne! Hi there! Gosh, it's been so long, how have you been?" she asked, sweetly, looking lovingly into the eyes of the man above her.

"It's been good, Angie. Just keeping busy with work, I'm sure you know how that is." Leighanne said, politely. Though it was obvious by the look upon her face, her eyes half-interested, she didn't let on. Rudeness wasn't a trait she prided herself upon and was something the Megan admired very much in the elder girl.

"Well, that's good to hear. We'll have to get together and go shopping sometime! The shops here are great!"

"We shall."

"Nicky, let's go see the rest of the bus." With that, Angie tugged on his hand, and they returned the way they'd come, without a word to Megan.

Leighanne saw this and rolled her eyes, placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry Meg, I don't know what's up with her, but don't take it personal. She's a bit…interesting."

"It's okay Leigh – Leigh," she said, using her nickname for her, but deep down, she herself couldn't figure out why Angie didn't like her.

"Hello!" Brian said, coming up behind the two, putting his arms around Leighanne's neck in her sitting position, kissing her cheek. "How're my two favorite girls?"

Leighanne smiled, returning the show of affection, "Just talking about stuff."

"Stuff, huh? What kind of stuff?" He slid into the seat beside his girlfriend.

"Don't worry B-rok, nothing about you," Megan assured him, with a smile.

"Oh, and I thought I was important too!" He playfully pouted, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Oh yes, poor mistreated Brian Littrell."

"I am! I'm so unappreciated!" he whined.

"Ugh…right, whatever. Someone please shut him up," AJ said, walking down the hall, sitting down next to Megan, "he's loved. He's just fishing for compliments again."

"Am not."

"Are too," AJ protested. Leighanne looked at Megan and Megan looked at Leighanne, both cracking into fits of laughter.

"How old are you guys? 6?" Megan asked, between fits of giggles.

"Aww…Megan…I just turned 7 last week." AJ said, in a child's voice, swinging a brotherly arm around her shoulders, giving her a noogie.

"Ohh..." she nodded, sending the group into more laughter.

*)*(*

Nick watched the audience from behind the large curtain, his microphone securely fastened to his head, a sound pack on his belt, dressed in full concert garb.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" a familiar voice asked, sliding their arms around his waist from behind.

"Not much, just watching this crowd,” he informed Angie, turning to face her.

"Ohh…they're certainly an…energetic bunch." She said, the sounds of screams and yells filtering through the backstage area.

"That they are, but it makes it all the more fun,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose. "Thanks for coming with me Angie, I know what a sacrifice it was for you."

Angie had just been signed to a modeling company and had given up a few key photo shoots to accompany her famous boyfriend on the journey all over Europe. "No problem Nick," she said, though her voice seemed a bit occupied.

"Everything ok?" he questioned, pulling her away from him, looking her in the eyes.

"Huh? Oh yea, everything's fine.." she said, waving her hand dismissingly.

"Ya sure? ' Cause, ya know, I'm always here fo…" His voice was cut off by a single kiss on the lips,

"It's fine. Now go, your group is getting ready to warm up." Sure enough, the sounds of "Amen" and various number exercises could be heard from distance. Taking one last look, Nick bent down, and kissed her forehead, then jogged off towards the sound. As soon as Nick was out of earshot, Angie leaned against the brick wall behind her, pulling a locket out of her shirt, one she had kept hidden, and opened the casing, he photo of a man inside, a smile covering his lips, blue eyes shining. "Not much longer now Jordan, I promise." Kissing the locket, she closed it with a click and returned it to it's original spot, next to her heart, and away from Nick's eyes.

*)*(*

Megan rounded the corner, searching for the guys. She wanted to wish them luck before the show, and also give Nick a good luck charm, her good luck charm - a small basketball necklace her parents had bought her for her 17th birthday. It had helped her in the championship at her school, taking her team, the Ruskin Dolphins, to the top, and she thought it would help him too, she knowing of his stage fright. Walking the stage area, her eyes caught a woman, standing off in the corner, fumbling in her shirt for something. Hiding behind a corner, she recognized it as Angie. Megan watched as Angie kissed a locket, mumbled a few incomprehensible words, and returned the locket to her shirt with a sigh, rushing off again. "What was that all about?" Megan asked aloud.