"Alright...I'll be here...watching tv!" She replied. Michelle laughed slightly, thinking how funny it was that Mel took her showers at night. She giggled about how silly some of Mel's habits were...all the habits that she loved the most about her...they made Mel, Mel.
"Oh wait..Mel...do you mind if I call Brian while you're in the shower?"
Through the door, she shouted..."No, go ahead, tell him i said hello."
"Ok, thanks...hey do you want me to ask him anything about Nick? Ya know, get the scoop...put those reporting skills into action...i could try to..."
"No, Michelle...I...it's fine really...you don't have to do that. Unless you want to."
"I'll see what i can do...nobody knows a guy like his best friend."
"Just as long as it's not your main reason for calling him."
"No, not at all...i wanna hear that sweet voice of his. I'm beginning to always miss Brian's voice, and him, when he's not around."
"Ok...and Michelle..."
"Ya?"
"Thanks."
Michelle picked up the phone and dialed those seven digits that she had freshly memorized.
"Hello," came that familiar southern voice.
"Hey baby." Mich bubbled, smiling as she seductively wrapped the phone cord around her fingers.
***Outside Becca's Apartment***
It had begun to rain, his hair was matted to his forehead, his gel no longer holding, his hair flip no longer flipping. Kevin kept his head down as he stormed up the stairs in shelter of the rain, to Becca's 5th floor apartment. The rain had mixed with his tears blurring his vision, his eyes becoming a mess of confusion and pain. He thought back to seconds ago, while he sat in the car, hearing her harsh words...hearing his harsh words over and over, now he could never take them back. He had reached her door. He stopped and starred at it. Calming himself, preparing himself for what he was about to do, he took a deep breath. He wiped his face, his wet jacket not really drying his tear streaked face. He brushed his hair back. He rose his damp, cold hand to the door. He knocked, continuously waiting for an answer from within.
"Bec..please I'm sorry...open the door!"
Silence answered him.
"Becca..please...open the door...i know you're there....baby please!"
He banged on the door over and over. "BECCA!!!"
His pain overwhelmed his entire body, he sunk down to his knees, leaning on the door, his fists remained in contact with the door. He hung his pounding head down low, his tears flowing once again, his face growing hot. He whispered, "Becca, i love you...please let me see you. I'm sorry...baby..."
Slowly, the door opened, the light from inside illuminating the hurt that laid over his expression. She looked down at him. Her icy eyes melting with tears as she saw him, huddled by the door.
"Oh Kevin..."
She outstretched her hand to help him off his knees. They said nothing, instead she led him into the apartment. The warmth of her hand enveloped him, happy to be out of the rain, and in a place he could talk to his love that he had somehow lost along the way.
***At Brian's Apartment***
"Michelle...hey beautiful."
"Stop you're gonna make me blush!" she teased.
"That's good, cause i can see that cute blushing face right now in my mind. And I'm liking the mental picture." he laughed.
"What are you up to tonight?", Michelle asked now blushing and imagining his eyes crinkle up just as they always did when he laughed.
"Well, not much, just working on a new song. I dunno, since i met you, the lyrics just seem to flow out of me." he beamed, meaning every word of what he said.
"I know, every time i think of you, think of our kisses, i can think of a million words to describe them...pure poetry baby."
"I'm so glad you called, just hearing your voice, i'll be able to dream of you tonight. How about you...i hear that you and Mel had a little party without us?" he teased.
"Well, we might have had a little girl night party, by the way, Mel says hi, but you know my dreams will always belong to you."
Brian paused before answering that, he thought to himself, "How did i do this? What did i do to make her love me?"
"Bri..you still there?"
"Oh, ya..sorry Mich, just a little lost in thought, thought about you and me and how much i wish i could kiss you right now."
"Oh Brian, you always know just what to say."
"Well, ya know, I'm trying...plus i think i won your heart already so, its not to much trouble for me." he confessed, his voice starting to falter as he laughed.
She giggled, unsure of how a man this wonderful could love her, how could he make her laugh so easily. It was him, just him. They chatted (or should i say flirted) a while longer before Michelle asked him anything about Nick and Mel.
"Brian, I'm so excited for the Billboards. I can't wait to see you up there, getting those awards which you deserve so completely."
"How do you know we're gonna win?"
"Bri..hello..have you heard yourself sing???? Do you know what your voice sounds like?"Michelle desperate to show him how much his voice moved her. "It's the voice of an angel. When you combine your voice with all the unbelievable others, how can you NOT win????"
Slightly embarressed, but extremely flattered, he thanked her. Knowing he had found a women he could love forever.
"Yeah, the Billboards should be great, especially with you there with me." he said remembering last year when he took Karen, and how she played him for a fool.
Michelle thought now would be a perfect time to find out more about Nick's 'situation' and the show. But, Brian beat her to her worries and questions.
He began, "I can't believe that Mel isn't gonna be there with us. Nick feels just awful about not being able to take her. He didn't even know how to tell her. His heart was like breaking when he heard the disappointment in her voice. I mean, he wouldn't admit it to me, even though he is my best bud, ya know he didn't want me to see his pride all bent out of shape, but i could tell he was hurting."
"I know what you mean, Mel didn't want me to see that she was upset, but i could see it in her eyes, she was really looking forward to being there with him. But if Liz refuses to give her ticket back, what can he do? I'm sure Mel understands. I know her and i don't think she'd let that keep them apart."
"Well good, cause word around the ackstreets (hehe) is that Little Nicky is planning a special surprise for her that night just before the show. I've been sworn to secrecy, so i can't say anymore, but trust me she'll be surprised."
"You're just a man of mystery, aren't you Littrell?!?"
"Well, like i always say...always keep them guessing."
"Goodnight Brian, Can i see you tomorrow?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way. Just make sure I'm in your dreams."
"Always."
She hung up the phone, with visions of Brian dancing in her head. She was amazed at how quickly she was falling for this man. It was the first time she ever realized love could feel so right.
***AT Howie's Hotel Room***
The phone continued to ring, drowning out his worries, the agonizing tone blaring through his ears. He thought aloud, "Oh, Selena..pick up, please."
***In Sel's Room***
"Yeah Liz I know...i can't believe him..He actually asked you to give the Billboard ticket back?!?! Ugh, what a jerk...he actually asked you, and expected you to return it?"
"Yeah, can you imagine..all so he could take MELANIE. Ugh, I should have known something was going on between them. He always spent so much damn time with her. 'Just friends'...ya remind me never to believe that again!" Liz whined to Sel over the phone.
"Hey Liz..hang on a sec..i'm getting another call."
"Sure, I'll wait."
Sel clicked the flash button on her portable phone. "Hello...Hello..is anyone there?"
***Howie's Hotel***
Howie remained silent on the other end. He couldn't bring himself to speak. Just hearing her voice again made his heart tremble. God, how much he missed her.
***Sel's Room***
She closed her eyes, praying it was him, "Howie...is that you?" No reply, she heard his breath over the other line, it was him, she could feel it. But, before she could say anything more, the dial tone replaced his breath.
***Howie's Room***
He hung up the phone quickly. Her words circled in his head. "She must have been thinking of me. She could tell it was me. I know it...but i can't trust her, not yet. Sel, why did it have to be this way?" he mumbled aloud, but no one was there to reply, or to offer comfort.
***Sel's Room***
"Hey..sorry Liz. It must have been a wrong number." Sel lied, not wanting Liz to know that she was missing Howie so bad. She told herself that she was over him, but she couldn't seem to get his sweet face out of her mind. And these days, Liz was no help. All she did was go on and on about how awful Nick was to her. But she was her best friend, so she let it go, for now.
***Inside Becca's Newly furnished Apartment***
He began, his voice trembling..."Becca, oh baby..please let me explain. i was hurting, but that's no excuse cause i now you are too." She stopped him, put her finger to his lips to hush him.
"Wait Kevin, sit down...get dry. Then we'll talk." Her voice was icy, but then then she looked at him, his eyes as sad as a child's in pain, and by her last words, she was trembling too.
He took off his wet coat and hung it to dry. He sniffled, and she handed him a box of tissues that she had apparently almost finished. They sat on the sofa, afraid to get too close. Kevin looked at her and all he wanted to do was hold her.
She looked at him, "Kev, I'm sorry. i didn't mean what i said. I was just...i was"
"Bec...you have no reason to be apologizing to me. You just lost your baby and i'm the insensitive jerk that goes and yells at ya."
"No kev, we lost OUR baby. You're hurting too, and you're right, i should have told you i thought i might've been pregnant. I was just so scared Kev."
He couldn't help himself, the thought slipped into his mind, "So she did know," but he knew it was too hard to say. It was beyond that at this point. Right now, all that mattered was holding her and making everything alright again. He didn't care who said what, or who should have said this. All he wanted was her forgiveness, and for her to never be scared again.
Pulling her close for an embrace he wanted so badly, he whispered through her hair, "Oh Bec, it's ok...I'm sorry too. I didn't mean any of the things I said. You didn't know how i would react. You didn't know you lost the baby."
Pulling away, wanting to make sure he believed her, 'Kevin, look into my eyes. Honest, at first i thought i could be pregnant, but i was afraid and wasn't sure, so i didn't tell you. Then when i got my period, or thought i did..." she broke down, the tears flowing, not able to say that she miscarried aloud.
He cradled her in his strong arms,"it's ok..i know the rest. Baby, i understand. I had no right to accuse you of hiding it from me. You didn't know." His tears fell with hers, wanting to help her and grieve for his loss as well.
Her head rested on his shoulder, afraid to look up, afraid to let go for fear that he wouldn't be there when she opened her eyes.
And then as if on cue, he reminded her, "Hush, honey, it's ok. I'm here for you always. TRUST IN ME."
They remained in each others arms for the rest of the night. Kevin draped a blanket over their trembling bodies, the same blanket that had warmed them while they made love for the first time so many nights ago. He sighed, as he watched her drift into a restless sleep. He laid awake and watched her rhythmic breathing. He wondered to himself, "How could a love so full of life, be unable to create it?" as the thought drifted to his mind, his eyes closed and brought him into a dreamless sleep.
***In the Separate Apartments of NIck and Melanie***
Nick and Melanie both laid awake, thinking about each other. Nick thought about his secret surprise that he had planned for her. He knew it couldn't replace having to take Liz instead of her, but at least it would make her smile, and how he loved the see her smile. He promised to make it up to her on tour. He promised her that much.
Melanie laid awake as well, restless without sleep. She really wished not going wouldn't bother her, but she couldn't honestly say that not going didn't bother her. Actually, it wasn't so much as not going, but instead the fact that he was there with HER. That was what was troubling her. She knew that he wanted her, lusted for her...she saw it in his heart, in his eyes, but Liz could be overpowering. She was determined not to let Liz win him over, she wouldn't let him go, not now, not ever.
***At Anna's Apartment***
The partially dressed AJ bent over the sink, brushing his teeth for bed. He didn't hear Anna coming, the sound of the water covered her soft footsteps towards him. Dressed in a black lace nightie and robe, she crept towards him, and threw her arms around his bare chest (he was only in a pair of crimson red silk boxers). Pleasantly startled he spit the water left in his mouth from brushing. He felt her tongue glide ever so gently along the spine of his back. She was teasing him, and she new he liked it.
His mouth freshly cleaned, he licked his lips, anticipating the way she would feel within him. He turned around slowly, now seeing her face to face. She looked so amazingly beautiful. She was truly stunning. Her eyes shone in the deepest dark chocolate color, and he knew he had to have her. He picked up Anna's chin, placed his lips upon hers, and whirled his tongue to find only pure passion. She could taste his minty mouth on her own lips. He could feel his excitement rising, as he led her over to their bed. Never breaking their kiss, he laid her down.
Before continuing, Anna broke away from his sweet lips, smiling, "AJ...baby, you know i could never forget about tonight."
With that, he moved his lips over her collar bone, slowly kissing away her robe from her shoulders. She let his hands slip over the straps of her nightie. He loved the way she looked so sexy, yet so innocent. Her hands tangled in his blond-tipped hair, feeling pure ecstasy as his lips brushed over her entire body.
A few hours later, Anna and AJ lay awake giggling after a night of pure heated passion and love. He stroked her bare back, only half covered under the sheets. His head lay next to her on a pillow of white. She exhaled so peacefully, feeling safe with his arms caressing her. He looked at her pleasant expression, not wanting to tell her now, but knowing he would have to.
"Anna..." he said struggling for the right words.
"Ya 'J...what baby?" she murmured as his hands traveled lowered down the small of her back.
"I, well the band, has to leave on tour the morning after the Billboards." He waited for her reaction, hating to have to leave her again after returning home such a short time ago.
"What? You just got back!" Her face fell, her eyes welling with tears she refused to let fall.
"I know, they booked us for Europe. But, i don't want to leave you. I'd miss..I'd miss this too much. Miss holding you in my arms after we make love, miss talking to you, just miss you."
"Oh AJ...i wish you didn't have to go." She moaned as she squiggled closer to him under the covers.
He held her tighter, not wanting to let her go, "Neither do I, babe, neither do I. You're not mad, are you?"
"No, I'm just a bit shocked. Ya know 'J, it's not your normal pillow talk! But I love you, so it just has to be this way." She confessed as she pulled his bare body even closer to her own.