"It’s gonna be fun, Hal." Nick told me as we left the hotel building.
"Okay, okay! Look, Nick, how’re we gonna get there?"
"I’m borrowing our tour manager’s car. He’s cool with it, he lent me the keys."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Get in!" I climbed into the passenger seat of the car we’d arrived at, and Nick drove us back to the venue.
"Hey! You guys! You made it!" Brian cried happily as we walked back into the venue building. The party was in full swing, the music was loud, and most people were already totally pissed!
"I managed to drag her away." Nick grinned at his buddy and gave him a high-five. "You ready to party?!" Nick asked me with a grin. I rolled my eyes.
"Yes." I grinned back at Nick, and he took my hand, leading me over to where everyone was dancing.
Nick and I danced on our own for like, two seconds, ‘cos we were then joined by Lisa, Jamie, Mack, and all the Backstreet Boys, who were hooked up with various girls from some of the British bands. Mack was dancing with a girl - I think she was from one of the British bands - her name was Clare.
The party was so much fun, the music was really good, and it was great to hang out with my brother and our new friends.
But then, as it got to around 2am, the music was slowed down, and some ballads were played. Everyone separated into couples, and Nick and I were just left standing on the dance floor, looking and feeling kinda sheepish.
"You wanna dance?" I asked him finally.
"Yeah, okay." I’d been to all the school dances, but this one was different. All the people were much older, some couples were already in serious relationships, and it was actually kinda romantic. I stepped closer to Nick, and he put his arms around my waist. I put my arms around his neck and we started to dance. After a few minutes we just cracked up.
"We don’t have to take this so seriously, Nick!" I told him, grinning. He grinned back and said,
"Man, that’s good!" We started to chat while we danced, and both of us relaxed. While some of the other couples kissed while they danced, Nick and I talked and laughed while we danced.
At around 3am, everyone started to drift off back to the hotel. I was actually sad that the party was over, although I knew there’d be other parties.
"You didn’t drink, did you?" I asked Nick as we made our way toward the exit. I didn’t want him to drive if he’d had any alcohol.
"No, I don’t really drink at all, but you know I only had coke."
"Oh yeah. ‘Kay then…back to the hotel!" We got in the car, Nick drove us back, and soon we were at the hotel. I walked with Nick to his room (which was next door to Jane and Aaron’s room). "Nick, do you think I should get Jerry from your mom’s room?"
"No, they’ll all be asleep. She’ll be okay there. Just come and get her in the morning."
"Okay then. See ya…uh…later!" I told him, laughing.
"Man, it’s already morning!" Nick realised as he walked into his room, shutting the door behind him. I made my way to my room and as soon as I made it through the door…I crashed on my bed, not even bothering to take off my shoes.
The next morning, someone banging heavily on my door woke me up. Looking and feeling shattered, I made my way to the door, yawning loudly as I opened it.
"What took you so long?!" Jerry asked me, her hands on her hips.
"I’m tired." I told her as I yawned. I looked up from the little girl standing before me and realised that she wasn’t alone. Nick and Aaron were also there - Nick looking as tired as me.
"Hey Hal." he greeted me through a yawn.
"Man, you two are terrible…what time did that party finish?" Aaron asked us, giving us both disapproving looks.
"Very early this morning." I told him. "You lot coming in?"
"Thanks, but we’re just dropping Jerry off. As it’s Saturday, Mom’s going back today, we’re gonna see her off. And then until Monday morning, you’re helping me take care of Aaron." Nick instructed me.
"Sure. Okay then, thank your mom again for me. I’ll see you guys later." Aaron and Jerry said goodbye, and then I closed the door.
"Hallie, you should take better care of yourself." Jerry told me, making me laugh.
"I’m fine, Jerry, don’t worry. It was just a one off party, I’m not going partying with Nick and the guys every night."
"I bet Nick wouldn’t mind if you did." Jerry replied, giving me a cheeky grin.
"What?" I was totally confused. I mean, c’mon, I’d just woken up from around five hours sleep.
"Don’t worry." Jerry giggled and walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
"Jerry honey, have you had breakfast yet?"
"I had breakfast hours ago." Jerry told me matter-of-factly.
"Okay, do you want anything else? I’m ordering myself breakfast through room service."
"Can I have a banana please?" Jerry asked me, a toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. Bananas are her favourite fruit. Her favourite food, actually, other than pizza.
"Sure."
Later that morning, I felt like I needed some fresh air, but Jerry wanted to watch a film being shown on TV. So I left her with Lisa (who Jerry absolutely adores) and went for a walk with Mack.
"Are you coping all right with Jerry?" Mack asked me.
"Yeah, sure I am, she’s not much trouble. But I wouldn’t mind if you took her off my hands once in a while."
"I will when we get some free time, I promise. I heard you’re helping Nick to look after Aaron this weekend, though."
"Yeah."
"Well Jamie and Lisa have offered to take Aaron and Jerry out for the day…they’re going to a water park tomorrow…it’d give you and Nick a bit of free time."
"Whaddya mean, ‘me and Nick’? Nick can do what he likes."
"I never said he couldn’t." A small smile was playing on Mack’s lips.
"I know, but it’s the way you paired off the two names, you know? We’re not a couple or anything."
"I know that, Hallie. I just thought that if both you and Nick had a free day, you’d probably spend it together."
"But what makes you think that?!" I was getting really annoyed.
"You’re spending most of your free time with him, that’s all. Look, I’m sorry I said anything."
"Hey, I’m sorry for being so snappy…I didn’t get to bed ‘till half three."
"You must’ve left the party quite a while after me then…I got back at around half two."
"Look, were you serious about Lisa and Jamie looking after Jerry and Aaron?" Mack nodded. "’Cos although Jerry’s been great…I could do with a day out, a bit of free time. I might head into Charlotte or something and do some shopping." My mood brightened at the idea of a kid-free shopping day.
"I’d want you to go with someone." Mack told me.
"What? Mack, I’m a big girl…"
"I don’t care, I promised Mom and Dad I’d take care of you, okay? I want you to go with someone."
"Fine. I’ll ask Nick if he’s busy…"
"See?!" Mack interrupted me.
"What?!"
"The first person you thought of was Nick. Now can you see why I assumed you’d spend the time together?"
"Point taken." I grumbled. "But you don’t think I wanna date him, do you?"
"Hmm…not really…but you’ve become such good friends…that’s why I assumed."
"Okay. I’m lucky to have made as good a friend as Nick…but I don’t wanna date him. Got it?"
"Got it." Mack smiled at me and gave me a hug. Then we ambled back toward the hotel.
That evening, me, Nick, Jerry and Aaron, all went over to Brian’s room to watch movies. The other Backstreet Boys were there, as were Kitsch and Lisa. Before we all went back to our separate rooms, Jamie and Lisa talked to Nick.
"Nick, Lisa and I are going to a water-park tomorrow, and we’d be more than happy to take Aaron. We’re already taking Jerry…we know she’d love to have a friend along."
"Wow, that’s really nice of you, thanks. Are you sure you can cope with them?"
"If you and Hallie can cope with them, I’m sure we can too."
"Cool, thanks guys. Hey Aaron…you wanna go to a water-park tomorrow with Jerry, Jamie and Lisa?"
"Yeah! You bet!" Nick grinned at Jamie and gave him a high-five.
"Nick?" I approached him as Jamie and Lisa walked over to Aaron and Jerry, to tell them a bit more about the water-park.
"Yeah?" he smiled at me and I smiled back.
"You wanna come shopping with me in the city tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sure. What time are you going?"
"As soon as I’ve seen Jerry off. That okay?"
"Yep. I’ll borrow Steve’s (tour manager) car again, I’ll meet you in the lobby?"
"Yeah, great. Thanks."
"See ya tomorrow." I fetched Jerry then and took the excited girl (she loves swimming, and couldn’t wait ‘till the next day, bless!) back to our room.
What A Weekend
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