Chapter 7
“I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell me Nick Carter was your ex boyfriend!” Darlene gushed as she and Hannah walked through the doors of yet another store. They’d spent all afternoon shopping for an elegant yet professional ensemble for Hannah to where when she caught sight of Nick for the first time since their separation months before. “I mean, I thought we were friends.”
“We are friends Darlene, I just didn’t want people to think of me as the estranged ex-girlfriend of Mr. Backstreet Boy. Besides, it probably would have made things a lot harder for me if all anyone did was ask me questions and questions about my ex.”
“No one would—“
“Oh yes they would,” Hannah nodded stopping before a rack of black cocktail dresses and flipping over the price tags to each of them. “Why do things have to be so expensive here?” she shook her head selecting a few to try on.
“Well won’t you tell me at least something about him? What was it like to date possibly the most sought after guy in the universe?”
“It was just like dating anyone else, except a heck of a lot harder, and prince charming turned out to be an ass hole,” she answered walking into a dressing room and slamming the door behind her in Darlene’s face. She knew it was a bad idea to bring her along, she didn’t even want to mention this to her but Melissa had left a message on the answering explaining all the flight arrangements and the nosey girl had listened to it.
“Come on, there had to be some perks! Did you at least get to meet the other guys,” she pried still from the other side of the door.
“Trust me, it was just like dating anyone else. They really are normal guys, if you get passed the fact that everyone knows who they are,” Hannah replied covering her mouth when she realized she’d spilled too much information.
“So you have met the others! Gosh, I’m so jealous, you have got to be the most lucky girl in the world.”
“Or the most cursed,” Hannah mumbled under her breath as she zipped up her dress and turned around in the mirror examining herself.
“So!” Darlene smacked her gum, “How’d the two of you meet?”
“Darlene I really don’t want to go into it…”
“Oh hush Hannah, we’re shopping. This is what you do when you go shopping, you talk about guys.”
“I met him at work, he came into the restaurant I was a waitress at one night. And he helped me through a lot of really hard things I was going through. Really that was it, once I got my life back together things ended, nothing more to it.”
“Well the two of you had sex didn’t you? Was he good? How big’s his dick?”
Hannah pulled the door open, banging it against the dressing room wall, with an angry expression on her face. “Would you just cut it out? I didn’t want to tell you in the first place, but you had to stick your nose in my business. I absolutely will not discuss my sex life with him, that’s none of your damn business!”
“Geez,” she stepped back holding her hands in the air, “It was just a question. Don’t have to fly off the handle about it.”
“Well goodness me, don’t you think that’s just a little bit personal? We barely do anything together and just because I used to date a celebrity we’re all the sudden best friends? Like you’d care who my ex was if you didn’t own all his albums.”
“You don’t have to be such a bitch about it. I was only trying to be nice, for your information I didn’t come shopping with you to find out all about your relationship with Nick. Sorry, but I am not that obsessed with Nick Carter! I came shopping with you, for you. I thought we could become better friends. Sheesh!”
She picked up on the genuine hurt behind Darlene’s voice and immediately regretted yelling at her, maybe she was overreacting a little. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get mad at you like that it’s just when it comes to me, Nick is a pretty touchy subject. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about him, it’s that I can’t. It really hurts still and I don’t want people to know about me being his little conquest cause that’s all I was. It’s sorta embarrassing.”
“Hey, that dress really looks good on you,” Darlene pointed to her. “I think we’ve found the one.”
“Oh yea,” Hannah laughed remembering the purpose behind their shopping spree, “It’s so expensive though.”
“Come on,” Darlene persuaded her, “Everyone needs a little black Gucci dress. Besides we’ve been shopping all day and this is the first dress we’ve seen that remotely looks good. For some reason all the designers chose to make their clothes barfy this season.”
Hannah laughed, “Is that even a word?”
“I don’t think so,” Darlene cracked up and soon the two entirely forgot about their argument.
Hannah changed back into her regular clothes and they made their way up to the cashier, “Now all we have to do is find some shoes to match and I’m set,” she said pulling out her credit card and handing it to the saleswoman.
“You should really make yourself over, I don’t know…maybe a haircut. Something entirely new to wow him and make him jealous,” Darlene suggested playing with Hannah’s hair, trying different styles as they waited for the woman to finish.
“That’s a really good idea! I might just have to do that,” she said. “You should too, we can have one of those fun girly days. Spend an afternoon in a salon, it’d be fun.” Although the thought of an all day spa treatment with Darlene was hardly enticing she needed to make up for the way she had snapped, she didn’t want Darlene to think she was a totally self-absorbed bitch.
“Yea,” she smiled, “That would be fun! We’ll definitely have to plan that.”
Hannah grabbed her bag from the salesclerk and they continued down Rodeo drive in search for the perfect shoes. After they’d settled on a pair the two had a bite to eat at a café and even stopped to see a movie before heading back to the dorm. Despite Darlene being your average flake she was pretty good company, and it made Hannah feel better to have someone to spend time with. It was a beautiful day and she was glad that she didn’t have to go shopping alone.
Days later the two followed through with their plans and went to a day spa. After hours of pampering Hannah nearly forgot why it was she was getting all this done in the first place. However, she didn’t entirely lose sight of the fact that all of this was to impress Nick. To make him regret leaving her, and show him that she’s the better woman. Since she’d accepted the job she’d spent little time with Zach but that night, being her last night before flying to New York, they had made plans to go dancing.
“Was that heaven or what?” Darlene sighed as the two stepped out into the warm sunshine after their day of relaxation.
“Close to it,” Hannah agreed starting towards their car. Because things were a lot more difficult with means of her own transportation Hannah had taken the liberty of shipping her car out to the west coast, which made things a lot easier. “Come on, I want go get back so I have plenty of time to get ready for tonight. I have a feeling that Zach is going above and beyond for my farewell,” she smirked waving Darlene towards the car.
Slipping into a silk dress she applied a small amount of make up to her tan skin and a touch of lip gloss before sitting down to catch a little bit of the evening news before Zach came by to pick her up. Flipping through the channels faces flashed by, all unimportant, until she came upon MTV. The channel was airing a music update about the Backstreet Boys’ world tour and showed footage of their fans who greatly anticipated the album's release and were already lining up outside the record stores. ‘So this is the hype I'll be covering,’ she nodded to herself considering the whole crazed fanatic thing a total joke and wondered why these girls go to such great efforts to humiliate themselves. ‘If only they knew what it was really like to date their precious teen idol.’
A knock at the door interrupted her and she flipped off the tv, straightening out her dress she made her way across the room. “Coming Zach,” she said. At the door she sighed before turning the knob.
“And what made you think it was me?” he asked holding something behind his back.
She cocked her head and toyed with her hair, “Oh lucky guess, and I assure you…really lucky,” she smiled reaching up to give him a small kiss.
“These,” he pulled out a bouquet of flowers, “Are for you. I hope you like orchids.”
“I love them, positively exquisite,” she thanked him and had him follow her down the hall to fill her vase with water. Dorm life was obviously not ideal in situations such as these, or any situation for that matter.
“Well my lady, are we ready to go out on the town,” he graced holding out his arm for her. She accepted it and the merry couple exited the building. He briskly ushered her into a horse-driven carriage that awaited out front. She squealed with excitement as it lurched forward, grasping on to him.
To follow was indeed a wonderful night of great food, fine music, and superb dancing. On the floor Hannah tried to remember the last time she had dance so well, it was with N--, oh well…nevermind. She fought the urge to invite him back to her dorm, to have him spend the night, and wake up wrapped in his arms, but she knew that it would only further things in the relationship for him. She wasn’t ready for the next step. So instead, as he dropped her off out front she gave him a simple kiss, thanked him for a wonderful evening, and turned to go inside.
“Wait,” he called out running up to her, “I want to tell you something. I know we barely know each other but I can’t help but feel like you’re the one for me Hannah. I look into your eyes and I see magic. Everything you do is with perfection, you have the grace of an angel. Hannah, I'm falling in love with you,” he took hold of her hand and gently kissed it.
Stunned, and unable to move, she just stood there as the silence did the work for her. He could see in her magical eyes that the words he’d so boldy said, the feelings he had for her, were not returned. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, I’m an idiot,” he lectured himself.
“No, don’t say that, you’re not an idiot,” she reassured him, “I wish that I could say the same thing to you Zach. I think you’re amazing and I have so much fun with you. But I’m not ready to say I love you, I’m just not there yet.”
“I understand, it’s alright. I’m sorry for being so forward.”
“Please don’t apologize. I’m glad that you were honest with me, you’ve made my day. Knowing that you feel that way about me makes me so happy, because I admire you so much. Maybe I’ll be able to say that to you someday, soon…but I can’t tonight.” He nodded looking at the ground, removing her hand from his. “Aww Zach,” she reached out and touched his face, “Please don’t be upset. Tonight was perfect, I can’t wait till I get back from New York and we can do it again. Don’t think that this means I want things to end.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like you have to do stuff with me,” he asked.
“Don’t even think it, I want to spend everyday with you. I enjoy your company so much, and I really like you a lot; I do. Hey, how about I call you while I’m in New York alright?”
“No, you don’t have to do that…you’ll be busy.”
“Probably,” she said, “But I want to call you. I want you to be my call good night, is that ok?”
“Yes,” he looked up at her and smiled his stunning smile. “That would mean a lot to me.”
“It means a lot to me too,” she hugged him tightly, “Thank you Zach. Tonight was my best night ever in Los Angeles, and I have you to thank for that.” Hugging him she looked at her empty wrist where months ago, after a similar evening with Nick, he had slipped on a golden bracelet. Memories of their time in Los Angeles came flooding back until she was suffocated. Shaking she broke away from Zach, “I better go, I still have some packing to do.”
“Are you alright?” he asked sensing a shift in her behavior.
“Yes,” she smiled, “I’m fine…never better. Thanks again,” she kissed him on the cheek and turned away. Once inside she pressed against the door catching her breath, ‘How am I going to do this?’ she asked herself starting up the stairs.
Chapter 8
Lost in the Rain Main
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