I drop the car keys on the table and flop onto the sofa with a yawn. Alicia looks up from her magazine with a grin. We’re both 21 and met in a writing class at college in Atlanta. Alicia had moved there from Brooklyn and I am a native of Atlanta – even have the southern drawl. We had hit it off on sight, sharing the same bizarre sense of humour, and moved to Tampa four months ago. I’m a freelance writer and she works as a photographer. We’re total physical opposites. She’s a couple of inches taller than I am. I have long black hair, which always looks tousled and brown eyes, thanks to my Spanish father. Alicia has straight blonde hair and blue eyes. Our personalities are pretty different too. I tend to blow up at the slightest things whereas she is much calmer and relaxed. I guess we complement each other. Alicia puts her magazine down.
“Long day?”
“Yup,” I rub my eyes. “I had to interview this total dick.”
Ali raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?” I fill her in on the whole sorry affair and she laughs. “So I guess you won’t be joinin’ the Nick Carter fan club anytime soon?”
“You got that right,” I scowl and head off to fix myself a vodka and coke. “God Ali, the guy was just so arrogant.”
“Well you sure put him down.”
“He needed it Ali. How can AJ STAND him?”
Alicia shrugs. “I guess you just caught him on a bad day.”
“Well, I’m not aimin’ to catch him on any OTHER day.” I down my drink just as there’s a knock at the door. “I’ll go. I need a re-fill.” It’s AJ McLean. “Still wearin’ shades in the dark?”
“Yup.” He follows me inside. “Still bein’ sassy?”
I laugh. “You know it.” I pour my drink.
“Hey, fix me up one of those, sweets.”
I hand him his glass. “Ali’s through there.”
“’K.” He looks at me closely. “You ok? You look kinda tired.”
I shrug. “Long day.”
“Come here.” He puts his drink down and pulls me into his arms. “Promise to try not to goose ya.”
AJ is Ali’s cousin and he is the best person I know at giving hugs. They had lost touch for ages until we’d moved to Tampa. Now they are as close as brother and sister. I am pretty close to AJ too. Only in a different way. We have one of those flirty things going on, but neither of us wants to move it up a notch. Except AJ did have his phases…
“Damn, you smell good Jade,” his hands slip further below my waist and I step away from him with a giggle.
“Hey, you promised!”
“I promised to TRY, not to do.”
I laugh and head back into the lounge. “Whatever.”
“You KILL me.” He follows me and hugs Ali tightly before sitting down. “Hey Ali.”
“Hey cuz. What’s up?”
He shrugs. “Nothin’.”
I giggle. “Just tryin’ to goose me.”
Ali rolls her eyes. “So what’s new?”
AJ shrugs. “Hey, I’m a guy.”
“I’m just glad you respect the no-hitting-on-cousins rule.”
AJ chuckles. “Well, if I get desperate…”
Ali pretends to be insulted. “Gee THANKS. Oh, Jade had a run-in with one of your Boys earlier.”
AJ looks at me. “Yeah? Which one?”
“The blonde arrogant dumbass.”
He chuckles. “That would be Nick.”
I look at Ali. “See?! He knew who I meant right off. The guy doesn’t HAVE good days!”
AJ exchanges an amused look with Ali. “I’m guessin’ you guys didn’t exactly hit it off…”
Ali rolls her eyes. “Gee AJ, you’re just SO observant.”
He pulls a face at her and turns to me again. “So what’d Nicky do to ya?” I tell him and he laughs. “Oh that’s just him mouthing off.”
“So?! I apologised but he just got all sulky.” I down my drink. “I have NO time for that crap.”
AJ chuckles. “Sounds like you two are pretty similar.”
I glare at him. “We so are NOT!”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “Whatever.”
I sit there thinking about what AJ had said to Jade, about how they sounded similar. I could actually see them together, which was pretty pathetic because Nick is supposed to be my favourite Backstreet Boy. When we had met, Jade and I watched a Backstreet video and had basically ripped each guy to shreds. Even AJ – family loyalty means nothing to me! Then we had decided I would date Nick cos we’re both blonde and she would get with Howie so he could teach her bedroom Spanish. Shrugging it off, I watch Jade fight back.
“I can’t believe you even said that! I don’t even know how you can stand to be caught in public with that egotistical, self-indulgent, big headed, juvenile, and cynical asshole!” she retorts.
“Chill! Down girl! I’m sorry. On the real tip, he isn’t all bad. He can actually be enjoyable when he has his moments.”
“I was ten minutes late and he sat there all sulky for the entire interview, which he cut down to 20 minutes because he has ‘a life!’ Speaking of which, what did you guys do after he came back?”
AJ shrugs. “Well, we kind of went to play basketball.”
“What a jerk! He’s such a loser, too! I mean, I was griping him out about being all pissy and then he tries to insult me!”
AJ and I glance at each other, confused.
“Tried to insult you?” I speak up.
“Yes! He couldn’t even get it right! If you are going to insult Jade Greene, you should at least do it right!”
AJ and I stifle our giggles. No matter how many times we had heard Jade’s full name, it still made us laugh. Her parents had had a weird sense of humour. Particularly as there was nothing green about her.
AJ walks into the recording studio almost an hour late. He had ended up staying until 3am at the girls’ place last night. He had only gone to invite them to join him at an awards party the following week. After finding out that Britney Spears was going to be there, Ali had said no. She had a weird dislike for that girl. He figured it was jealousy. Jade had said no out of loyalty to Ali, much to AJ’s disgust. He had been hoping to take Jade out alone to the party. Ah well, at least he had got an invite to go over tonight for a video fest. Plenty of opportunity to snuggle up to a certain dark haired girl. He grins at the thought and sits down on a sofa. The other Boys are already there. Kevin and Howie are sat around a guitar going over a song. Nick and Brian have been playing basketball but quickly got bored because the room has nothing to use as a hoop. They pounce on AJ when he wanders in.
Brian nudges him. “Where you BEEN?”
AJ shrugs. “Around.”
Nick yawns. “Man, I’m SO bored. What you doin’ later?”
Brian thinks for a while. “Nothing planned. Why?”
“We should do something.” Nick’s eyes light up. “Go cruisin’ for girls!”
Brian rolls his eyes. “No way.”
“Aw, c’mon!” Nick pleads. “AJ?”
AJ shakes his head. “Nah, you’d cramp my style Nicky. Anyways, I have plans. Goin’ over to my cousin’s place for a movie.”
Brian raises an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, your cousin… The 21 year old GIRL we’ve never met?”
AJ chuckles. “You guys can come if you want. Her housemate’ll be there too.”
“Hmm,” Nick rubs his chin. “What do they look like?”
“Well, Ali’s my cousin and she’s got blonde hair and blue eyes. Very sweet. And Jade is her best friend – black hair, brown eyes and kinda sharp…” he grins. “My kinda girl.”
Nick grins happily. “I’m there.”
“Cool,” AJ nods with a smile. Brian and Nick would keep Ali company while he put his best moves on Jade.