At ten past noon, Allison pulled into the parking lot of a local bagel shop just outside of Orlando, Florida. She was to meet her friend Jess there for lunch in twenty minutes. Since she was early, Allison decided she would quickly clean up some of the clutter in her car. After graduating from college earlier in the summer, she found that she was beginning to have more time in her life, so she was able to do things like clean up her car and rekindle old friendships.

She finished straightening out the glove compartment and got out of the car to find a plastic bag from her trunk for the garbage she found. After she put her trash in the bag, she grabbed the only thing in the trunk, a cardboard box, and took it back to the front seat with her. The small box was where she put everything to get it out of the way and make room for groceries or whatever else she might have back there. She set the box on the seat next to her and took the bag to the trash near the door to the New York Bagel Cafe. She dropped the bag in the barrel and looked in through the window. She did not see Jess so she went back to her car.

The box lay before her, daring her to explore its contents; so she did. An old jacket covered it, so she pulled that off the top. Most of the items near the top were fairly large and quickly removed. For instance, she found a few old magazines, a coffee mug, and some of her notes from her classes. Next she pulled out a flashlight, then a cassette tape. It was unlabeled, but she immeadiately knew what it was. Kevin, a friend she had had for a couple yeas, had formed a band with some local boys and his cousin. They made demos in hopes of landing themselves a record deal, but they hadn't had any luck yet. The tape she held in her hand was one of the demos.

If I were an emotional person, this would probably bring a tear to my eye, she laughed to herself. Good thing I'm not.

She stuffed everything else back in the box, but she held on to the tape. She looked around the parking lot for Jess's car. When she didn't see it, she checked her watch and realized she had only killed ten minutes.

The Florida heat and, mainly, the humidity were beginning to catch up with her and she was starting to sweat. She turned the car back on and switched the air conditioning to its highest setting. She sat back in her seat and felt the cool air gently blowing against her, but quickly grew bored and somewhat impatient. Allison decided she would listen to the tape Kevin had given her a few months ago. She pushed it into the tape deck and immeadiately began to smile.

They all had such beautiful voices but Kevin's stood out to her because of his deep, sexy tone. Just hearing it made her picture his face. He was a very attractive man. In Allison's mind, they were perfect for each other in every way. They were just one year apart in age and got along very well. His dark, mysterious appearance offset her light, angelic features. Whenever they hung out together, people would always tell them how "cute" they were, how the two of them were "picture perfect", and ask if they had any kids because they must be "little darlings". Kevin always accepted the compliments and Allison would blush. She had wanted him the way everyone thought they ought to be, as girlfriend and boyfriend, since her first time meeting him before he even joined the Backstreet Boys, but she was too shy to suggest anything. Since then, they had both started dating other people. She would gladly have gotten out of her relationship if it meant she could be with him, but the problem was his girlfriend. She knew nothing would ever happen between the two of them becuase she didn't Kevin would ever break up with Madison. Something about her convinced Allison that Kevin would end up marrying her.

Her thoughts were broken as a car pulled into the parking space across from her. She looked up and was it was Jess. As quickly as possible, she turned off the car and ran to greet her friend.

"Jess!" she exclaimed. "How have you been?"

"Great! But it's been so long since we've seen each other!" Jess responded eagerly as they hugged each other.

"I know, it has been. But now that college is finally done, you can move back here."

They continued to talk as they started to walk towards the small restaurant.

"So, Allison, are you and Kevin you and Kevin yet?"

"Yeah every night in my dreams," she laughed. "No, but, Jess, I really, really, really wish."

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

"Besides being cursed with the shy gene, there's the overlooked fact that I'm seeing someone."

"Oh yeah, you told me about that awhile ago. I assumed you two broke up two weeks later."

"And why is that?"

"Because you never mentioned him again. You don't really like him, do you?"

"I don't know. It's not really that I don't like him it's just that I want Kevin so bad."

"Dump him and go for Kevin."

"It's not that simple."

"How come?"

"Kevin's going out with this girl and I think he's going to pop her the big question soon. Besides, I can't dump Zach."

"Why not?"

"He's Kevin's best friend and Kevin set us up."

"You're so difficult!"