On Sunday night, Elle and the other five members of the BSB were just finishing moving the boxes that Elle had packed out of the loft. By Tuesday morning, Elle, along with each one of her neighbors, had moved out. Because of this, Elle was living in a hotel until she could find another place to live. Just as Elle was opening her eyes, someone knocked on the door in the foyer.
"Just a second Nick," Elle yelled as she quickly got out of bed and ran to open the door.
"Good morning Elle. How are you doing?" Nick asked.
"Not so good. I don't know how I am going to get through today. What time is it?"
"It's 9:20." Nick said as he checked his watch. "What time would you like to get to the church?"
"The pastor said that I need to be there around 10, which leaves me no time whatsoever to get ready. Anyway, come in. I'll just be a minute."
Nick walked into the foyer and took off his coat. "This is some place you've got Els," Nick joked as he looked around. The carpet, which was about 20 years old, was faded and worn away in some parts of the floor. There was a couch and a chair on one end of the living room and a chipped glass coffee table at the other. The kitchen consisted of a sink and a one-burner stove. All in all, this hotel was a dump.
At 9:45, Elle walked into the living room and greeted Nick, who had made himself comfortable on the worn couch.
"You look great," Nick commented as he stood up, "are you ready?"
"I guess so." Elle said. Her voice was strained and Nick could tell that she was about to fall apart. Hand in hand, the two walked out to Nick's Durango and drove off.
The weather on that Tuesday morning fit the funeral perfectly. Sleet fell as Carrie's small casket was lowered into the ground. All of Carrie's friends, including Anna, were crying in disbelief. Not even Nicole or a hug from AJ could console Elle. She was devestated. When everyone else had left, Elle sat down by the covered grave and stared at the freshly cut marble headstone.
Finally, at around 2 o' clock, Elle decided to make the 40 minute walk home. Because her entire body was numb from the shock, Elle couldn't feel the cold around her. All that she knew was that Carrie was gone forever.
When Elle walked through the door of her hotel room, the ring of a telephone pierced her ears. Absently, Elle ran to the phone and picked it up on the fourth ring.
"Hello?" She said blankly.
"Elle! Where have you been? I have been trying to get a hold of you for hours," said a concerned voice on the other end. It was Nick.
"I stayed at the cemetery for a while after everyone else was gone. Is there anything that you need to talk about? I am really tired," Elle said.
"I just needed to see how you were doing. Remember Els, we are all here for you. I'll talk to you later."
"Thanks Nick," Elle yawned.
When he had hung up the phone, Nick was kicking himself for what he didn't have the guts to say. In two days, he and the rest of the Backstreet Boys would be leaving New York and returning to Florida to begin meeting about their next album, leaving Elle by herself, with no support system