Chapter 4

"Nick? You in here?" Brian asked, walking into the male bathrooms.

"Brian, go away. You proved your point back there." A soft voice replied.

"Nick. I never meant for you to get upset. I know you still are hurt. But what are you doing with Serenity? Does she know about what had happened between you and Alex?" Brian inquired from his best friend. Nick let out a heavy sigh.

"Brian. How could you possibly know how I feel about Serenity or Alex? Alex and I had true love. The kind you can find in one person and only on person. We didn't want to make the choice we did, but we didn't have much of a say in anything. Of course I'm not over her. I was in love with her for 3 years. But it's over now. You know how beautiful she is; she probably has so many men to go out with. She probably moved on long ago. I'm a fool for staying hung up on her for so long. She probably doesn't even like me anymore. Notice that at all the after award parties, she is like the only one who ids never there. She probably doesn't want to see me. I still love her. I wish we could go back to being an unknown band with her as our opening act. Then we'll change everything about our relationship. I love her. I want her back more then you, or any, could ever imagine. Serenity is really nice and beautiful girl, but she could never take Alex's place. If Alex knew it was taking me 3 years to get over her, she'd probably laugh in my face. I know we promised each other that we'd love one another forever, but it's been 3 long years. My feelings could never be reciprocated." Nick whispered the last sentence. He tried to wipe the tears away before they fell, but had no succession.

Brian was taken aback. Never had he heard Nick spoke such powerful words.

"Wow, Nick. I never knew you felt that way about Alex. Why didn't you ever tell me you wanted to get back with her?" Brian asked.

"I don't know. I guess I thought that it would be easier to coup if I kept it a secret. Now that we are going to perform back to back, I most defiantly will have to see her in person, then I'll be nervous and ramble on about loving her and then she'll laugh in my face." Nick sighed and got up and began to walk away. Brian just stood there with his jaw slightly ajar.

The show had started and Alex, Linna, Melanie, Alice and Ebony were in their dressing room. Alice, Melanie and Ebony were all still excited to be on after the Backstreet Boys, especially Alice who had yet to stop talking about 'how hot Nick Carter is' and 'I wonder if he's hotter in person', not knowing about Alex's past with him. Linna was still trying to talk some confidence into her best friend.

"Um, Miss Sullivan. We need you and your dancers to come get ready to go on stage." A stagehand said, poking his head through the door.

"Thank you." Alex replied and the 5 of them walked out of the dressing room. The 5 stood back stage, holding hands and hoped the concert would run smoothly and no one would get injured.

"And, now. We all know and love her, please welcome…ALEX!!!!!!!" Lance Bass of *NSYNC yelled as the rest of his band mates walked off stage. The lights went down and Lance ran off. Alex, Linna, Melanie, Alice and Ebony took their places on stage, then the lights came on, and then the screaming followed. After the camera flashes subsided a little, the familiar sound of Alex's latest hit, 'When I Sleep' blared from the live band. The 5 of them began to dance along with Alex's voice. The song finished and after catching her breath for a few seconds while the crowd cheered, the music began to play her breakout single, 'I used to know you'. It wasn't as upbeat as her first one, but the crowds response intensified as the dance moves got harder and harder. Alex was enjoying every second of this, as she did every show, forgetting about Nick 3 lines into the first song. For the last song, the dancers left Alex alone on stage, and she proceeded to sing a lovely ballad she wrote, intitled 'I'll Love You Always'. No one knew that it was written about Nick. As she finish, the crowd roared with enthusiasm and cheered for a few moments. Alex stood at the front of the stage and bowed.

"Now, I would like you welcome the 5 awesome guys who got my career started, The Backstreet Boys!" Alex screamed, then ran off stage. As she ran off, Linna, Melanie, Alice and Ebony met her and they all went back up to the hotel to get ready for the party.