"I can't do this," I said, "I can't walk in there acting like nothing has happened in the last seven years."
"It's okay you don't have to. Just be calm about it," said my best friend Meg. 'I am about to walk into a room with the Backstreet Boys in it. I know most girls would be thrilled with it and would offer one of their kidneys for one of their tissues' I thought to myself. 'I've been a best friend to Brian Littrell for the last sixteen years. I was almost a girlfriend as well. I would have been if he didn't leave to pursue the stupid singing career with the Backstreet Boys,' I thought again.
I looked in the mirror, specifically at my necklace. It's a silver locket with our picture in it. I've never taken it off since he gave it to me. I guess it has always given me hope that one day he'll come back and everything would be normal again. I knew, but would never admit to myself, that it would never happen.
******************************************************
Flashback, sixteen years ago-
"Bye Mom! The bus is here," I yelled into the kitchen.
"Bye honey! Have a good day at preschool." She yelled back. When I walked onto the bus, almost all the seats were full. I spotted one next to a boy right in the front.
"Can I sit here?" I asked him.
"Sure, what's your name? Mine is Brian." He asked.
"Mine is Catie and I'm four." I responded. For the rest of the day we talked and played.
-Nine years later-
"Hi Catie!" said Brian's mom when I walked into their house. Since we've been over to each other's house so many times we never knock anymore, we just walk in.
"Hi! Mmmmmmm! What are you making?" I asked after the sweet aroma of food came to me.
"Cake," she said.
"Mmmmmm! Oh, wait, is Nick over?" I asked.
"Yup, he's in Brian's room with him." She said.
"Oh, man! He's going to eat all the cake!" I whined.
"Don't worry I'll save you a piece." She said.
"Oh, thanks!" I went up to Brian's room. He was sitting there playing Mariokart with Nick. 'Oh just like them' I thought to myself. "Hi you guys! What's up?" I asked.
"Nothing, but I'm kicking Nick's butt for once in Mariokart," Brian said.
"Hey Nick, guess what chicken butt," I asked.
"What?" he said.
"There's nice fresh cake downstairs!" I said like that wasn't a big deal.
"Where!?" Nick dropped the controller and ran downstairs.
"Now you won." I said.
"Yeah!" Brian yelled when he crossed the finish line.
"You said you had something to tell me, now what is it?" I asked.
"Well you know how I went to the talent search contest with Nick and my cousin Kevin?"
"Yeah duh!"
"Well we won and they want us to start a band."
"Well that's great," I ran over and hugged him.
"Well, not really."
"What!?"
"We have to go to Orlando for the summer to record our first song and if we make it big we get to tour."
"That's fine! When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow, but-"
"BRIAN LITTRELL WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ARE LEAVING TOMORROW TO GO TO ORLANDO FOR THE SUMMER? AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME THIS?" I had tears streaming down my face and I ran out of his house and ran home.
-Next day-
"Hon, open the door its Mom." said my Mom.
"I don't want to!" I yelled at her.
"Brian wants to say goodbye."
"Well I don't want to talk to him!"
"Well, he's here anyway."
"Well tell him to go home!"
"Catie, open up I want to talk to you," said Brian.
"Whatever," I wanted to talk to him on the inside but I didn't on the outside. Brian came in and sat on my bed. I had my face in the pillow so he couldn't see me. "Why are you here?" I asked.
"I wanted to say goodbye," He said.
"Well it doesn't help!" I said with my face in the pillow.
"Well I also came over to give you this." He pulled my face out of my pillow and handed me a small black velvet box.
"Oh great another box," I said jokingly. When I opened it, I saw a silver locket. On the front is was engraved saying 'Best Friends Forever 24-7' "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. I'll call you everyday as long as you promise to call me." He said.
"Okay I promise." I could barely talk. I had tears in my eyes and my throat felt like it was closed up.
"Oh look! It's a picture of us at Disney World!" I said.
"Yup, as long as you have this it will mean that we are best friends."
"When are you coming back?"
"As soon as I can." We hugged and he kissed me. I was somewhat surprised, but I kissed him back.