"OK, let's look at the facts," I said to Brian that evening. We sat in his small kitchen at the table. In my hands I clutched a mug of herbal tea. "This morning you guys got that nasty letter in the mail." I continued slowly...wait a sec! Brian, how did the culprit know that Nick was staying at your apartment?"
Brian slapped his forehead, "of course! Whoever did it must be someone who knows us!"
I loved how Brian and I seemed to always be flowing along the same wavelegnth.
"Not just someone who knows you...someone who WORKS with you! Someone who knows that Nick was going to be staying here with you...they also knew that Nick was in the center of the dance routine...right underneath the disco ball!"
Brian nodded..."Man who would want the Nickster dead? He's harmless. Sure he bitches a little"
Brian caught my raised eyebrow, "ok he bitches a lot. But I still don't understand."
"Neither do I...that's why I'm determined to get to the bottom of it! Tomorrow after the shoot I'm going to ask around a bit. See if anyone saw anything out of the ordinary."
"Ask around about what?" Nick asked as he shut the front door behind him.
I bit my lip and met Brian's gaze. Neither of us had mentioned a word to Nick about the incident this afternoon not being accidental.
"About where you have been," Brian add-libbed.
"Hey, man thanks for lending me your keys," Nick said to Brian as he reached in his pocket to produce the keys. As he pulled his hand out an envelope decorated with hearts fell to the floor.
"And just who might this be from?" Brian teased.
Nick yanked the envelope away and muttered something barely audible.
"I can't hear you...your voice is trailing off..." Brian sang out.
"Lucy," Nick replied louder, turning crimson.
Puzzled, I had to ask who Lucy was. No doubt a lovestruck fan.
"You know the girl that Howie dances with?" Brian asked me.
I racked my brain until it brought up the image of a petite blonde. I nodded.
"She's had it on for me since she was in the "Everybody" video a few years ago. She has been in a lot of our videos."
"She's been asking Nick out ever since."
"I mean, no offense to her of nothing...but she's not my type. I don't think she's ANYONE's type!" Nick spat.
Brian looked sternly at Nick "I feel sorry for her." He shifted his gaze to me. "She's the kind of girl who makes up...uh... tall tales to get attention."
"Like what?" I asked.
"I'd prefer not to get into it...I'm sure you'll find out for yourself anyway."
"I wish she would get fired!" Nick said, sulking with his arms across his chest in the corner of the kitchen.
"Nick she's a good worker and you know it. It would be completly unethical to fire her."
"Well, she gives me the creeps."
"Me too," admitted Brian.
"Say Brian, did you ever buy that Royal Rumble game for your Playstation?" Nick asked.
"Sure did."
"Hey, Selena," Nick asked. "How are you at Sony Playstation?"
"Never even tried it, but I'm a fast learner."
"Then I hereby challenge you to a virtual wrestling match!"
"You're on...ptovided I can be Brett Hart...he rocks!"
" 'Rocks?'" Nick repeated.
I rolled my eyes "he's 'da bomb'!"
"Oh, why didn't you just say so?"
To my great surprise, Candy was just getting back when I stepped off the elevater at the hotel later that night...or rather earlier that morning.
We looked at eachother "where have you been?" We asked simultaneously.
"I think we have some talking to do!" I laughed.
After changing into our pajamas we settled on our beds accross from one another.
"Selena, I think I'm in love!"
"I knew it!" I said victoriously, "with Kevin!"
Candy nodded slyly, "I don't know if I know what I'm getting into. After all he's eight years older than I am.
I listened as Candy told me about her evening. They went to Pleasure Island for a couple of hours, and then headed to his apartment. There they 'talked" for a couple of hours.
"Oh come on..." I said knowingly. "You did more than that!"
She turned scarlett, "he told me that he wanted us to see only eachother. And then he kissed me--for like an hour!"
"Did you say yes?"
"You know what? I did. You know why? 'Cause he's a perfect gentleman. We've been seeing eachother off and on. Even before I got with Nick." Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the thought. "Speaking of which," she said pointedly. "What did you two do?"
"Well, we hung out a Brian's and then I beat the shit out of him at his wrestling game!"
"He must have been..."
"Pissed? To put it mildly yes he was a bit upset. He was all like " 'you have the better controller,' and 'your guy is stronger' " I couldn't help but laugh at the remembrence of it. I sighed.
"Ummmm...correct me if I'm wrong, but that wasn't exactly a lovestruck sigh was it?" Candy asked.
"Well...Oh God I'm sorry for spilling everything to you but my best friend Cate isn't here."
"But I am," Candy said simply.
I took a deep breath, "ok. Here's the deal. When I was sixteen years old I went
to Disney World. Well, at that time the Backstreet Boys weren't big. Hell, no one
hadn't evem heard of them. I hadn't even heard of them. They gave a small concert
in front of the Cinderella castle. The audience wasn't big, but that's what made it
so cool. It was intimate.
"Well, I remember listening to Nick sing 'Quite Playing Games. Since I was up front
he kept smiling and pointing at me. I went home and looked up on the Internet all I could
about the band...about him. I'm ashamed to admit it. I was obsessed with him. And you know
why?"
Candy shook her head.
"Because he was cute, that's why. God I feel so shallow. It was merely an infatuation. When I found out that they were coming to my school I freaked. I almost shit my pants. Then I met Nick. Of course there was that brief period of awe where I melted when I looked at him. But then we got to talking. And well... He reminds me of my brother. He likes video games, comic books, he likes Science Fiction movies. Candy, I grew up teasing my brother for being into the same stuff! When we get together I feel like I'm hanging out with one of my guy friends. I feel horrible for saying this, but now that I know the real Nick Carter I don't know if I could for the life of me date a guy like him!"
"wow," Candy said. "You know, don't feel bad. At least you can own up to it you know? By openly admitting that you wish you weren't feeling the way you do, your showing that you're NOT shallow."
"What am I going to wear tomorrow?" I groaned.
"Where are you going?"
"Tomorrow night Nick's taking me to Pleasure Island."
Candy groaned and whacked me with a pillow.
"But he's SO CUTE!" Whack! Right on the head again.
