"Nick...stop...tickling me!" I managed to say between laughs.
"Give me my keys then."
"No!" I pushed my arm farther beneath the covers on my bed, still holding onto the keys so I wouldn't lose them, or give in to Nick.
"Amanda! I have to go! I'm gonna be late!"
"Aren't we all?" I said, playing a little game with Nick, obviously winning.
"You know what? Forget it. You can have them." Nick stopped tickling me and I quickly used the time to brush my hair away from my face with my hands. I took a look at Nick's face, noticing he appeared to be upset.
"Nick, don't be like that. It was just a game. I'm sorry. Here, just go." I reached under my covers and pulled out his car keys.
"Here." I reached my hand out towards him, dangled the keys in front of his face, and finally dropped them in his lap. "Bye Nick." I got up and went into my bathroom to pretend I was busy fixing my hair.
"I don't want to go Amanda, but I have to." I felt Nick slide his arms around my waist from behind me. "I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me."
"Well don't be mad at me," I said looking at him in the mirror.
"I'm not mad. I love you still, and I will always." I let go of my hair and turned around to face him.
"I love you too." I leaned in for a kiss that I hoped would linger on my lips until the next time I saw him, which wouldn't be until the next day.
"I better get going." I nodded my head and held onto Nick's hand as we headed downstairs and out to his car.
"I'll call you when I get home. I'll let you know what happens!" I gave Nick a wide grin and pulled him closer by his shirt.
"Be good and remember I'll be bored without you."
"Me too." Nick's lips touched mine for a few seconds and then we parted so he could get in his car and leave.
"Bye," I said while waving to him as he drove away.
I sighed and headed to the stairs in front of the door. I already missed him.
Time was passing by, and the more time that passed, the closer the day got when Nick would be famous, and I would be without him. Each day that I would spend without him made me miss how it used to be incredulously. If it wasn't for my boost of encouragement to sing, he'd still be regular old Nick. And I know it sounds self-ish, but I wish I could take that day back.
Nick and the Backstreet Boys had finally gotten together and started looking for a record label to sign them. From what I heard, the group had five members, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, A.J. McLean, Kevin Richardson, and of course, Nick Carter. I hadn't met any of them yet, but I was hoping I would soon.
Nick and the guys were heading to a rehearsal with their manager, Donna Wright. They supposedly had to practice their dance moves and vocals, along with choosing a song to sing for their performances. They were close to releasing a single on an independent label, but hadn't yet chosen which song to release.
I had heard the guys perform for me over the phone, but never in person. They sounded really good, and I hoped with all of the practicing, they would be even better now than before.
I stopped daydreaming and sighed. What would I do now that he was gone? I decided to head back up to my room and start on my homework for English class.
I stopped reviewing my poem when the telephone's hum interrupted my thoughts.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hey girl," Courtney's voice sounded at the other end of the line. "What's up?"
"Not much. Just missing Nick." I sighed.
"Lovesick huh? It only gets worse."
"I know, believe me I know. It's worse each time he has to work and I know he's too busy to slip me a phone call. Not the usual work of a teenager."
"I can't believe he's going to be famous Amanda. That's just too weird, but too cute."
"I know! It's so cool though. I'll probably get to travel with them and everything. California, Maryland, Texas-"
"Vegas, New York, and that's just the U.S.! Maybe they'll make it big and get like to Canada and Europe too. But you can't always go with him, you'll miss too much school."
"Out of the U.S.?" I grabbed my purple nail polish and started painting my toe nails. "I doubt that." I picked up an old envelope and started waving it in front of my big toe. "Man, he's gonna have to get a tutor on the road. He won't be able to actually stay in school. He's already missed a few days, and they've barely done anything."
"I know. Maybe you should do something for him everytime he goes away for a long time. You know, do something so he won't cheat on you."
"Courtney! You're supposed to be positive here."
"Sorry. But think about it. Guys like cheesy stuff from girls. You know how we never do anything for them anymore," she said. "Hey, Amanda, I have to go. But I'll catch ya later. Maybe we can go to the mall or something."
"I can't," I said. "I have to wait by the phone in case he calls."
"Who? Oh yeah. Sorry I asked." Courtney and I shared to laugh and finally said our goodbyes.
I continued painting and drying my toe nails with the cheap polish I bought from the mall. What if she was right? What if they did make it out of the U.S? What would become of Nick and I then? I shook my head. It was better not to think too far ahead into the future. I'll just live my life as it is now, and let what is to come come. Nothing was 100% predictable, so I better not get myself too worked up now.
