“Is this your house baby?” he asks as he looks out of the taxi window at a white house.
“Yeah!” her eyes shine as the car stops and they climb out.
Brian looks at the house and grins. It looks like an idyllic childhood home with an expanse of green grass and an old wooden swing on the porch. He follows Jade to the door and waits as she knocks. He feels incredibly nervous. What if they don’t like him? After a few seconds, the door is opened by a woman with short blonde hair and a big smile. She immediately pulls Jade into her arms for a hug and then releases her to hold her hand out to Brian.
“Hello Brian, I’m Mary.”
“It’s good to meet you Mary,” he smiles and shakes her hand.
“You too Brian. Come inside,” she leads them through the house. “You must be pretty tired.”
“Yeah,” Jade smiles. “You didn’t have to wait up for us mom. A key under the pot woulda been fine.”
Mary laughs. “I ALWAYS have to wait up for you honey. I can’t sleep otherwise. Neither can your papa.” She walks into the lounge where Jade’s papa is watching TV. “Tony, this is Brian.”
“Oh, hello Brian,” Jade’s papa stands up to shake his hand. He is about as tall as Brian and very distinguished looking with greying dark hair and deep brown eyes. “It’s good to meet you at last.”
“You too Mr Greene.”
“Oh, call me Tony.”
“Thank you,” Brian smiles.
“Sit down,” says Mary. “I’ll make us all a hot chocolate before we go to bed.”
I sip my hot chocolate and watch Brian charm my mom and papa. He really is winning them over big style. My mom is completely under his spell – it’s funny to watch her. And my papa is really enthralled by Brian’s tales of the world of Backstreet. It kinda re-affirms my decision to marry Brian. I know it’s dumb, but if my parents had hated him it would’ve made me think twice about marrying him. Brian glances across at me and I smile. He returns the smile and my heart skips a beat. It never ceases to amaze me how weak he can make me feel with just one look – even after all this time. I can’t believe I almost let JC Chasez dazzle me.
“JOSHUA JACKSON!” I yell across the bar and the guy in question turns round quickly. He breaks into a wide grin when he sees me and runs over to pick me up in his arms.
“Alicia! My favourite photographer!” he exclaims and kisses my cheek as he puts me down. “You here alone?” he asks hopefully.
“I’m with Nick, AJ and Howie,” I tell him and he pulls a face.
“Still with blondie huh?”
“Yup,” I nod. “I know, it’s amazing he’s not dumped me yet.”
“You should dump HIM,” Joshua declares and then grabs my hand. “Well, tonight you are mine,” he tells me with a laugh, pulling me over to a free couch in the corner of the bar.
“I can live with that,” I giggle. The guy is incredibly cute.
“So, tell me what’s been happening lately.”
“Too much,” I roll my eyes.
“Give me the condensed version,” he laughs and sits back as I start to tell him all about Jade’s love triangle with Brian and JC.
“Where the hell is Ali?” Nick suddenly says, looking around the bar.
“Maybe she got lucky,” AJ says dryly and Nick shoots him a glare.
“That’s not funny.”
“You don’t trust her do ya?” AJ realises.
“I trust her!” Nick says.
“Yeah? Then why do you always need to know where she’s with?” AJ asks.
“I don’t!” Nick says and then sighs. “Ok, maybe I don’t trust her as much as I should. But do you blame me?!”
“No,” Howie shakes his head slowly. “I couldn’t have forgiven her the way you did.”
“What’s the big deal?!” AJ exclaims. “She’s never cheated on you. All that whore stuff was in the past. She’d stopped that by the time she met you.”
“What about Jay?” Nick reminds him.
“She never DID anything with him,” AJ tells him. “I believe her. And Jade told me Jay’s side of things and he says nothing happened as well.”
“But I’m just so scared that something WILL happen,” Nick confesses.
“With Jay?” asks a confused Howie.
“Not particularly him, but any guy. I mean, she’s real flirty and stuff,” Nick mutters. “And if she did cheat on me, it would be over. No second chances.”
“But if you love her…” Howie starts.
“I couldn’t love anybody that much,” Nick says quietly. “I’m not Brian. And she’s not Jade.”
“Whoa, hang on there,” AJ says. “You sayin’ that if Ali WAS Jade, you’d love her enough to forgive things?”
“No!” Nick finishes his beer and then sighs. “I don’t know. Probably.”
“Jeez,” AJ mutters.
“It’s not that I want JADE, I just want Ali to be more like her,” Nick tries to explain but ends up groaning. “That sounded better in my head.”
“I sure hope it did,” AJ mutters. “Ali is my cousin and she deserves for you to love her for bein’ her. If you can’t do that… You need to tell her.”
“I DO love her,” Nick says quietly.
“I would LOVE to date you,” Joshua tells me seriously. “I mean it Ali.”
“Well, thank you,” I smile and rest my head on his shoulder.
“And I’m sorry ‘bout propositioning ya before,” he says.
“Forgotten,” I tell him softly.
“Cool. So where’s Nick?”
“No clue. Probably gettin’ stalked or something.”
“What’s it like dating the most popular Boy?” he chuckles.
“Uh, ok,” I giggle. “I’m probably the most hated girl in America but it’s cool.”
“You’re not!”
“Well, Backstreet fans probably hate me,” I shrug. “But that’s cool. I used to hate Jordan Knight’s girlfriend when he was in New Kids.”
“You were a Blocker?!”
“Uh huh,” I nod and he laughs.
“Oh my God.”
“Hey, I was like ten!” I defend.
“But still…” he shakes his head.
“Ah, I bet you liked someone totally lame.”
“Madonna,” he says and I laugh.
“She was totally uncool back then!”
“But now?” he points out.
“Yeah, yeah…” I roll my eyes.
“Hey,” Nick walks over and I look up at him.
“Hey Nicky,” I grin and he looks annoyed at me calling him that in front of Joshua. “You ok?”
“Fine,” he folds his arms. “Hey Joshua,” he greets.
“Hey Nick. How are things?”
“Fine,” he repeats and looks at me. “We’re going now.”
“Ok,” I say and make no attempt to move.
“Ali, we’re leaving.”
“You mean, US? As in I’m supposed to leave now?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he nods. “AJ and Howie are by the door.”
“Good for them,” I say dryly. “Well, you guys can leave. I’m staying here.”
“You can’t. We came together and we’re leaving together,” he tells me firmly.
“Well, I’m doin’ ok sat here with Joshua. I’m not ready to leave!”
“So I see,” he mutters, eyeing up the way Joshua’s arm rests around my shoulders.
“Bye Nick,” I say.
“I’m not leaving without you.”
“Better get comfortable then,” I tell him and turn back to Joshua. “So, Josh…”
“Fine!” Nick interrupts angrily. “I need to talk to you about things but if you wanna stay here that’s fine. I’m leaving and if you aren’t with me, our relationship is over.”
“Whoa,” I stare at him and he walks away. “Fuck.”
“Wow, heavy,” Joshua mutters.
“Uh huh,” I say. I can’t believe Nick has just said that. He’s never given me an ultimatum like that before! I don’t know what to do. I want to stay here with Joshua just to show Nick that he can’t order me about but I’m scared about what might happen if I stay. I sigh heavily and stand up. “I’m sorry Joshua but I should go.”
“It’s ok,” he stands up and gives me a quick hug. “And Nick will be fine. He was just jealous.”
“Sure,” I smile and head towards the exit. I’m not too sure about it just being jealousy. He’s been jealous before but he’s never said anything like that. I find him climbing into a car. He pulls the door shut just as I reach him. He sees me and sits back, opening the door so I can climb inside. I sit by him. Howie is on the other side and AJ is in the front seat. The car starts moving and Howie and AJ get into a discussion about bandannas versus shades. Nick and I don’t say a single word.