“Are we there yet?” Anna turned to Jess and whined for about the hundredth time in the past two hours. Jess and Nick looked at each other and rolled their eyes, ignoring her. For the first half an hour they had asked her if it looked like they were there yet, but that hadn’t shut her up, so they had taken to ignoring her. Anna turned around in her seat and settled back, relishing the feeling of the wind rushing by her ears, and through her hair. They were driving down a deserted road, and hadn’t met a car going the other way for what seemed like forever. On either side of the road was dense forest, and Anna could smell the sweet smell of nature all around her. She saw a squirrel standing at the side of the road, and watched as he scuttled off into the undergrowth of the bush as he heard the car coming. She smiled and looked down at her watch. Just as she was thinking that maybe Nick had taken a wrong turn somewhere it was taking so long, he slowed the jeep down and pulled over to the side of the road.
“Finally, we’re here.” Anna said with relief as she pulled off her seat belt, threw open her door, and jumped out.
“Not quite.” Nick said jumping over the door and walking around to the back of the jeep.
“Where are we going?” Anna asked, looking around her and seeing nothing but trees and bush lining the road for miles in both directions.
“You’d think she’d have realised that we aren’t gonna tell her by now, wouldn’t you.” Jess said looking at Nick and following him around to the back of the jeep. They reached in and pulled out a picnic basket each and Nick pulled out a big bag.
“Oh you guys.” Anna said as she saw what they had.
“How long are we staying here for?”
“What does that mean?” Nick asked.
“Well, looks like you’ve got enough food to feed us for weeks there.” Anna laughed.
“Well, I didn’t know what you liked, so I got a bit of everything.” Nick said as he walked to-wards the bush.
“Now where are you going?” Anna asked as she ran to catch up with him.
“Where are we going, Where are you going, when will you give it up?” Jess said more to herself than anyone else. She picked up her picnic basket and followed.
“You’ll see.” Nick said. He walked up to a bush that looked the same as any other, until he pushed it aside to reveal a path through the trees.
“This is cool.” Jess said in her Beavis and Butthead voice as she stepped past Nick who was holding the bush for the girls. When he let it go, it was almost as if he had closed the door on the outside world. The path was quite overgrown and looked like it hadn’t been used for years, the sun shone intermittently through the trees, but it was still dark and damp. Nick lead the way, and the girls followed behind, negotiating their way over fallen logs and through undergrowth, at times it seemed like there was no path at all, and at others the path was as wide as a road.
“How did you know this was here Nick?” Anna asked as she walked behind him.
“My uncle used to take me and my cousin fishing out here when we were little, I haven’t been here for years, and it looks like no one else has either.” Nick said
They had been walking for about ten minutes when Anna saw a light about fifty yards away, and the path opened out into a field.
“Are we there yet?” Anna asked smiling at Nick as he stopped walking and turned around.
“Finally I get to say yes, we’re here.” Nick said returning her smile.
“Yah!” Anna exclaimed as she ran ahead of Nick. She stopped as she got to the edge of the for-est and looked ahead of her. There was a small field, behind it was a beautiful water fall, rushing down a cliff. The whole waterfall looked as though it was glowing, and she could she rainbows at the edges of the water, where the sun was shinning through, in front of the waterfall, was a pond edged with rocks, it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She turned around just as Nick and Jess caught up with her.
“Thank-you guys so much, it’s gorgeous.” She gushed as she hugged them both at the same time.
“Wow.” Jess said “This place is…wow.”
“Congratulations Nick.” Anna laughed “This is the first time I’ve ever seen Jess speechless.”
“Yeah, well. I try.” Nick said walking over by the pond and setting the basket and bag on the ground. He stood up and turned around to look at the girls, who were still standing at the edge of the forest, just staring. “Are you two coming or do I have to eat all of this food by myself?”
The girls followed him and sat down on the rug he had set out.
“This all looks so good Nick.” Anna said as he pulled a seemingly endless supply of food out of the two baskets. “Did you make all this?”
“Hell No!” Nick laughed “I bought it.”
“Well I guess it’s the thought that counts.” Jess said
“What so it doesn’t count that I just about bought the whole store out?” Nick asked raising his eyebrows and giving Jess a questioning look.
“Well,” Jess said, pouring herself a drink “you’re the big superstar. I’m sure you can afford it.” Nick didn’t seem to be terribly amused by this, and went quiet. An uncomfortable silence hung over the three, until Anna spoke up and changed the subject.
“You know, I’m still wondering who Dad’s bringing back with him.” Anna said looking down at the huge spread of food, trying to decide what to have first.
“When’s your Dad coming?” Nick looked up and asked.
“Tomorrow.” Anna replied, “I thought I told you that.”
“Nope.”
“I’ll bet it’s just some old guy he works with ho he wants to impress by showing him that he’s the big solo parent.” Jess said, pilling as much food onto her plate as she possibly could.
“Yeah, I dunno.” Anna mumbled, not really believing.
“Trust me, you have nothing to worry about.” Jess said contemplating whether or not there was any room on her plate for something else.
“You sure you’ve got enough there?” Nick asked laughing at the mountain on her plate.
“No no, I think you need some more.” Anna laughed as she went to reach for the pie in front of her, but Jess realised what she was up to.
“Hey man,” She said putting her hand on Anna’s arm and looking up at her seriously, “Don’t waste the food.”
Nick and Anna looked at each other, rolled their eyes, and laughed.
“Ugh, I feel so sick!” Jess groaned as she walked through Anna’s living room door and feel down onto the couch.
“Hmmm…Gee, I wonder why that is?” Nick said sarcastically as he and Anna followed her through the door.
“Yeah, maybe it’s coz you’re a Pig.” Anna said poking Jess hard in the stomach.
“Hey,” Jess cried pushing her arm away “Have a heart.”
“Is it my fault you ate more food than most people eat in a week in the space of three hours.” Anna asked as she walked over and sat next to Nick on the other couch.
“No, its his fault, for bringing to much food.” She pointed accusingly at Nick.
“Hey!” he said defensively “Don’t blame me, its not like I forced it down your throat.”
“Yeah, but Anna would have if I hadn’t of stopped her.” Jess interrupted, rolling over and clutching her stomach.
“Admit it,” Anna said, “It would have been funny.”
“Leave me alone, can’t you see I’m sick.” Jess whinged squirming.
“Does anyone want a drink?” Anna asked ignoring Jess and walking towards the kitchen.
“Don’t talk about food.” Jess moaned.
“Um.. I’m sorry I didn’t think I did.” Anna said as her and Nick laughed at Jess’s melodramatics.
“Food, Drink, same thing if you ask me.” Jess said.
“Hey Jess.” Anna said turning around. “You’re pathetic. Nick?”
“Love one.” Nick laughed.
When Anna walking back from the kitchen, Jess was slowly pulling herself up from the couch, with what looked to be a great deal of difficulty.
“Where are you going?” Anna asked handing Nick his coke and opening hers.
“To bed if you must know.” Jess said when she finally managed to pull her self up. “I feel like crap.”
“So you mentioned, but its my birthday,” Anna whined. “Lets go do something fun.”
“Okay, so I can barely get up off the couch and you wanna go out?” Jess asked.
“I’d just like to reiterate Anna’s previous statement, Jess you really are pathetic.” Nick said laughing.
“Yeah, Yeah. I’m so pathetic.”
“You said it.” Anna laughed.
“I’m might be pathetic but I’m also going to bed.” Jess said as she trudged out of the room. “Night guys.”
“Okay, someone mark the calendar please.” Anna turned to Nick and said “This is the first time Jess has ever gone to bed before me. Ever. When we were little we used to have competitions and I would always lose.”
“That girl is seriously nuts.” Nick remarked.
“Tell me about it.” Anna smiled. She took a sip of her coke and looked down at her hands. When she looked up, her eyes met Nick’s for the briefest of moments, and they both smiled. Anna looked away shyly, and he suddenly jumped up from the couch.
“Wait there.” He said quickly
“What… Where are you going now?” Anna asked half getting up.
“I’ll be back.” He replied al la Arnold Schwarzanegger, and ran out the door. She sat back down and shook her head. About two minuets later, he walked back in the door with a package under his arm.
“I got you something.” He said holding the package out for her.
“You didn’t have to do that Nick.” Anna said smiling “Today was enough.”
“Just take it.” He said pushing it towards her again.
“Okay, okay.” Anna said smiling and taking the package from him. She untied the red ribbon wrapped around it, and unfolded the paper.
“Oh Nick.” She said “This is great.” It was blank music sheets, maybe fifty of them, on recycled paper all monogrammed at the top with ‘Anna Marie Peters’.
“Aunt Lisa told me you write music as well as play.” Nick said. “And to make up for ruining yours the other day.”
“Well thanks, I love it.” She said, and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. As she pulled away, she felt his eyes once again looking softly into hers. Embarrassed, she looked down at the sheets and placed them on the coffee table. A silence fell over them for perhaps ten seconds, but to Anna it felt like an eternity.
“So are you exited about your Dad coming back?” Nick asked, his words cutting through the quiet room.
“Not really.” Anna said forlornly. “When he’s here he might as well not be. I mean, I never see him, he’s always working.”
“That’s too bad.” Nick said, genuinely sorry.
“Yeah.” Anna said quietly, her eyes wandering over to the bookshelf where the family photos sat.
“You really miss them don’t you.” Nick said, his eyes following her gaze.
“I guess.” Anna almost whispered pulling her feet up onto the edge of the couch and hugging her knees, closing herself off, physically as well as emotionally. She took a deep breath and somehow managed to maintain her composure. Time for a change of subject. “So… I’m dying to know, what’s it like being one of the worlds biggest pop stars?”
“I don’t know.” Nick replied trying not to smile. “I’d have to go and ask one.”
“I thought I was asking one.” Anna said relaxing again.
“Oh, you mean me.” he said pretending to be shocked.
“Well, I get to travel the world and do what I love everyday, so lets just say that it isn’t all bad.” he said briefly as he glanced around the room looking uncomfortable.
“You sound like you don’t want to talk about it.”
“Its not that really.” He replied, “It’s just that you seem to see me, not Nick Carter the Backstreet Boy. You don’t treat me any different than you would any one else, and I like that. And when you ask me things like that it makes me realise that sometimes, you don’t just see me.”
“I’m sorry.” Anna said “I didn’t realise you felt that way.”
“Thats okay, not many people do. I’m just glad you aren’t one of those people who get all fazed by the whole thing.” Nick said
“Yeah, that must be really weird having people screaming at you and stuff all the time.” Anna said
“Yeah, it’s crazy. I love it really, but it’s crazy.”
“You know when I was little, I always wanted to be a singer.” Anna said
“You don’t anymore?” He asked.
“No way.”
“So what changed your mind.”
“Well,” Anna said laughing, “I found out that I have the crappest singing voice ever. So I switched to piano.”
“You’ll have to sing for me sometime.” He laughed.
“Oh god no. I’d never put you through that.” They sat up for hours just talking, about nothing, but at the same time about every thing. She told him things about her life that she didn’t think she would ever tell anyone, not important things, but things that she never thought anyone would what to hear. But he did, he listened to everything she said, and she listened to everything he said. By 2 o’clock, he knew that she had once cut all her cousins hair off when she was sleeping because she had eaten all the chocolates Anna had been given for Christmas. She knew that he had fallen of his bike when he was six and his front tooth had been knocked out.
“What time is it?” Anna mumbled.
“Um, just after two.” Nick replied, looking at his watch.
“Uh, and I have to get up early in the morning to clean up for Dad.” She groaned as she sat up and ran her fingers through her hair.
“Do you want me to give you a hand before I go?” He asked standing up and brushing his clothes which were all wrinkled from sitting in the same position for so long.
“Nah, I can’t be bothered right now, but thanks anyway.” She said as she started walking him to the door.
“Well don’t say I didn’t offer.” He said following her to the front door. Anna opened the door and walked outside, wrapping her arms around herself in an effort to keep out the wind that had turned cold.
“Thanks for today,” she said smiling at him, “I had a really great time.”
“No probs.” He said opening the jeep door and half getting in. He turned back around to look at her “Call me tomorrow?”
“I was planning to.” She smiling turning away and walking back to the door.
“See ya birthday girl.” He called before pulling out of the driveway.
When she got upstairs she set her alarm for 9 o’clock, lay down in her bed and smiled. It was the first time she could remember since the accident she had gone to bed completely happy. She didn’t know what it was about Nick, but he made her feel more comfortable than anyone she had ever known. It was his eyes, every time he looked at her, all the barriers she normally put up were melted away. Every time she even thought about him, her stomach erupted in butterflies. She tossed and turned for hours trying to go to sleep but still unable to get him out of head.