"Ally, are you OK?" Nick asks as I stare out the hotel room window, thinking.
"Huh?" I turn around, not having heard what he'd said.
"I just wanted to make sure you're alright." He looks at me with concern. "You've just seemed kinda out of it these last few days. Are you sure there's nothing bothering you?"
"No. I'm fine, really." I fake a smile. "Actually, I'm just going to go across the hall and talk with Carolyn, OK?"
"Yeah sure."
I smile to reassure him that I'm fine and give him a quick kiss before I leave.
I walk to the end of the hall and stand in front of Carolyn's door. I knock and take a deep breath. I can hear her undoing the locks and turning the nob. Once the door is open she just stares at me coldly.
"Can I talk to you?" I ask timidly.
She still doesn't say anything but opens the door wider and motions for me to come in.
"Listen Carolyn, I'm sorry for what I said - "
"How about if you let me talk first?" she interrupts abruptly.
"OK," I nod.
"You know, Ally, when I told you about how I missed A.J. I told you because you're my friend, one of my best as a matter of fact, and I really needed to talk to someone. So I told you about how I felt so that, maybe, I'd feel a bit better. I didn't tell you so that you would come up with a plan to get A.J. and I back together. And when you did come up with this plan, did I want to do it?" she asks as she paces back and forth in front of me.
"No," I answer quietly.
"That's right, I didn't. But I did do it because I did miss him and I trusted that you wouldn't put me in a bad situation. After we'd been on tour a couple of days, I realized that I didn't miss A.J. as a boyfriend but just as friend. Now, I would have thought that you of all people, being my best friend, would be happy that I was no longer chasing after my ex. But instead you flipped out and basically called me a slut for spending the night with Mike. I'm totally lossed at this point. I don't know why you freaked out, but I do know that it is not my fault." She crosses her arms and looks at me. "Your turn," she motions to me with one hand.
"You're right," I say, feeling kind of embarassed. "Everything you said was right. And I'm so sorry I acted like such an ass. I don't know why I freaked but I do know that I had no right to, and I'm sorry." I look at her with sincerity in my eyes and I can see her softening up. "Our friendship means a lot to me and I'll try never to do anything to hurt it or you again, if I can help it." I wait for a reaction.
She smiles and opens her arms to hug me.
"I'm sorry," I apologize again as we hug.
"It's OK. Just try not to act like a bitch around me again, OK?" she laughs.
"Deal."
The guys had spent the day doing two photo shoot and interview sessions. This time, however, Alissa, Carolyn and I had decided to just spend the day chilling at the hotel. We were now taking a dip in the indoor pool and the guys were just returning from their busy day. They had noticed us splashing around and had come in to the pool area to say hi.
"Hey baby," I say, swimming over to the side to give Nick a kiss.
"Hey," he smiles as he bends down next to the pool. "You're in a better mood."
"Yeah well, we all have our bad days right?" I smile and go back to my balancing act on a pool noodle.
Nick and Brian take a seat on chairs by the pool side to relax, while A.J, Howie and Kevin go upstairs to their rooms.
After a few minutes Nick interrupts Brian's nap. "Hey Brian?"
"Yeah?" Brian answers, keeping his eyes shut.
"Can I ask you something?" he asks, not sure if he should.
"Yeah man, what?"
"Umm, is there anything about marriage in our contract? Say, something about not being allowed to get married until a certain age?" he asks.
Brian opens his eyes and looks over at Nick with a smirk on his face. "Are you going to propose to Ally?"
"No, man. We're too young. I'm just curious," Nick lies nervously, not wanting to tell Brian about the attempted marriage.
"Oh." Brian closes his eyes again. "Nah, I don't think there's anything about marriage in the contract."
"Are you sure?" Nick asks, feeling a bit of anger as the thought of A.J. pops into his mind.
"No, I'm not sure," Brian laughs. "You better ask Howie if you want to know for sure. He's the married one."
Nick nods. "K. Thanks man," he says, getting up to go find Howie.
He goes up to our floor in the elevator and knocks on Howie's door.
"Hey. What's up?" Howie asks, opening the door to let Nick in.
"You know how you're married?" Nick says dumbly.
"Well, yeah..." Howie laughs.
"Well is there anything about marriage in the contract? Like something about not being able to get married until a certain age?" he asks, seeming a bit stressed.
"Nah, there's nothing like that in the contract. I doubt any of us would have signed something that controlled our personal lives so intensely," Howie says, sure of his answer.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, positive," Howie nods.
Nick shakes his head in disbelief. "Thanks," he says simply as he rushes out of the room.
He takes the elevator back down to the lobby and heads into the pool area. "Ally, can I talk to you?" he asks a bit angrily, breaking up the water fight Carolyn, Alissa and I were now forcing on Brian.
Everyone stops what they're doing and becomes silent, sensing the anger in Nick's voice.
I take a deep breath, worried that A.J. might have come clean about something. "Yeah, OK," I say as I climb out of the pool and follow him to the elevator.