Marissa brings back the drink order. Just as she gets her drink, Kaci gets a text message from Angela.
From: ANGELA
We here, come get us
11:14pm 4/25/03
*****
“Justin, Angela, Lucas and the Salvucci’s are here,” Kaci leans over and tells Tyler.
“Alright, let’s go get them,” Tyler says getting up.
“We’ll be right back,” Kaci says getting up with Tyler.
Kaci and Tyler go get Justin, Angela, Lucas, Staci and Jackie.
“What’s up bitch?” Angela says when she sees Kaci.
“Look at you, you little hoe!” Kaci says in return. “Hey!” Kaci says acknowledging Staci.
“Is Kory going to be able to make it?” Kaci asks Staci.
“I doubt it. We’re still hanging out Saturday, aren’t we?”
“I thought that was only because of me and Mike?”
“Aren’t you two joining us?”
“No!” Kaci says realizing Staci doesn’t know. “I get the feeling you don’t know!” Kaci says.
“Know what?”
“I broke up with Mike and he was fired from Clear Channel this morning! But if you and Kory want to come up to the house on Saturday then you are more than welcome to!”
“Alright, enough with the talking, time to get you all to VIP!” Tyler says.
Kaci, Tyler, Justin, Angela, Staci, Jackie and Lucas go inside and to their VIP room.
“Look who I found!” Kaci says.“Oh Kaley, this is Lucas and Jackie, they’re in my brother’s group,” Kaci says introducing Kaley to Jackie and Lucas. “And this is Jackie’s cousin and a good friend of mine, Staci.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Kaley says to the three.
Angela grabs Kaci and pulls her aside.
“Let’s go dance!”
“Later! I just want to chill with everyone for a little while! When everyone gets here, then we can,” Kaci says then goes back and sits on Jose’s lap.
“What did Angela want?” Jose asks Kaci.
“To go dance, but I told her we could later after everyone gets here.”
“Who’s left on the list?”
“Well, I don’t know if Kory and Val are going to make it, and I don’t really want those girls here, so the only one left is Krystal really.”
“Oh, Jackie’s girl?”
“What? Where’d you hear that? I mean, I know Krystal likes Jackie and Jackie likes her, but I don’t know anything about them being together!”
“Well, that’s what I heard!”
“Jackie!” Kaci says looking over at him.
Kaci gets up and goes and sits next to Jackie.
“Let’s talk,” Kaci says grabbing Jackie’s hand.
“About what?” Jackie says confused.
“Just come here,” Kaci says grabbing Jackie and getting up.
Kaci and Jackie go to a corner in VIP where they can talk.
“I heard a little rumor about you,” Kaci says to Jackie.
“And what would that rumor be?” Jackie asks Kaci, getting a little smirk on his face.
“That you have a girlfriend.”
“Alright, it’s true.”
“Is it Krystal?” asks Kaci.
“Where are you hearing this?” Jackie asks.
“Just tell me Jackie! Is it Krystal or not?”
“Who told you that it was Krystal?”
“Just tell me!” Kaci says getting impatient.
“Does it really matter?” Jackie asks.
“Yes it does Jackie! Now quit stalling! Tell me if I’m right and if I’m not then who!”
“Yeah, you’re right, but who told you?”
“Jose told me just now. So do you know when Krystal is going to be here?”
“No clue! I didn’t even know you had invited her!”
“Well, can you call her and see when she will be here? I never actually talked to her, I just left her a message.”
“Alright, but why can’t you call her?”
“Just do it and let me know! I’ll be hanging out with Jose and Nick and them.”
Kaci goes back and sits between Jose and Nick.
“Hey playa, where’d you go?” Nick asks Kaci.
“To talk to Jackie and find out where Krystal is!”
“Oh, got you,” Nick says kissing Kaci on the cheek.
“Hey, where’d my drink go?” Kaci asks when she realizes her drink is gone.
“Was it the rum and coke that was sitting right there?” Kaley asks Kaci.
“Yeah it was.”
“He stole it,” Kaley says pointing to Nick.
“No I didn’t!” Nick says with a smirk on his face.
“Quit lying! Now who’s gonna drive us home?”
“Fine, I’ll buy you another drink,” Nick says.
Kim and Kaley get up to let Nick out so he can go get Kaci another drink.
“What do you want?”
“What you drank!”
“Vodka and cranberry?”
“No! My rum and coke!”
Nick goes to the main bar to get Kaci her drink. While at the bar, Nick gets recognized.
“Hey Nick, can I take a picture with you?”
“Sure,” Nick says holding Kaci’s drink in one hand and putting his arm around the girl.
“Thanks Nick!”
Nick goes back to VIP and gives Kaci her drink.
“Okay, no more drinks for you from the bar!” Nick says as he hands Kaci her drink and sits back down next to her.
“What happened?”
“I’ll give you one guess.”
“Oh, you were recognized?” Kaci asks.
“Exactly. This girl looked like she was seventeen too!”
“Did she see you come back here?”
“I don’t know, but why would it matter?” Nick asks.
“You’re going to be watched all night so you and Kaley better watch your moves. Not to mention that we all do!”
“That sucks Jess! Couldn’t we just have done this at your guest house?”
“Why you complaining Carter?”
“No reason. But when are we leaving?”
“Whenever I decide we leave, so no complaining or else!” Kaci says smiling at Nick.
“Jose, can I talk to your girl for a minute?” Nick asks.
“Sure go ahead,” Jose says getting up to let Kaci and Nick out.
Nick and Kaci go over to where Kaci and Jackie went to talk.
“Can’t we just go back to your place?” Nick practically begs to Kaci.
“We’ll leave when I feel like it or when Jose feels like leaving because we were invited here by Tyler and it would be salty as hell if we get here, have a drink and then leave! You know if I did that to you on a tour you would be pissed! I’m not going to do that to anyone, let alone Tyler!”
“Fine!” Nick says walking away.
“Nick wait!” Kaci says.
“What?”
“You’re not mad at me, are you?”
“Yeah I am,” Nick says starting to walk away again.
“Nick,” Kaci says going after him.
Kaci follows Nick outside Monkey Club.
“Nick!” Kaci says trying to catch up with him.
Kaci finally catches up with Nick at his truck.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Get in and I’ll tell you.”
Kaci gets in the truck with Nick.
“So why you acting like this? What’s wrong?”
“You disappointed me Jess,” Nick says lighting a cigarette.
“Let me get one,” Kaci says.
“Since when do you smoke?” Nick asks Kaci, handing her a cigarette anyways.
“Since a while ago. See what happens when you leave!”
“A while ago? I haven’t been gone that long!”
“I know. I started and then quit and then started again around when you left and me and Jose broke up.”
“Oh, does your brother or family know?”
“No! And that’s the way it’s going to stay! Only you and Jose know,” Kaci says smoking her cigarette. “So why are you mad at me?” Kaci asks.
“Well, do you really want to know?”
“I do Nick! You’re one of my best and closest friends, I don’t want you mad at me!”
“Well, don’t get mad at me when I tell you this, alright?”
“Ugh Carter, just spit it out already!”
“Okay fine! I came back early for you because I got word of what happened.”
“Aww, that was really sweet of you Nick!”
“But I also came back wanting to be with you, but I see that I can’t have you.”
“Oh my god Nick!” Kaci says shocked.“So that’s why you’re mad at me? Because I’m with Jose?” Kaci asks finishing her cigarette.
“I wanted you Jess, I wanted you bad! I had this whole big surprise planned out and everything. I know it was your birthday and I wasn’t here and I’m always here for your birthday.”
“Nick, I had no idea! You know I would’ve loved to have you here!”
“So can we hang out, just me and you tomorrow for a belated birthday?”
“Of course Nick! I’ll just cancel the thing with Staci and Kory and have everyone come over another night.”
“What about Jose?”
“I’m sure he can find something to do.”
“So it’s a date then,” Nick says smiling.
“Okay, it’s a date. Hey, do you have your phone with you?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I need to talk to Jose real quick.”
“Oh, okay,” Nick says grabbing his phone. “Here,” he says handing his phone to Kaci.
Kaci gets out of Nick’s truck and calls Jose.
“Where are you guys at?” Jose asks answering his phone thinking its Nick.
“It’s me baby, I’m outside with Nick.”
“Oh, do I need to come get you?”
“No. Do you mind having Tyler drop you all off at my house?”
“Why?”
“I’m not feeling so well and Nick said he’d take me home. If Tyler wants, he can stay at the house tonight.”
"Hold on, let me see if that’s okay with him.”
Jose asks Tyler if he minds taking him, Kim and Kaley over to Kaci’s house. Tyler agrees after Jose says he can stay at Kaci’s house instead of coming all the way back to West Palm Beach.
“Jess, he said it was okay.”
“Alright cool. Babe, are you doing anything tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I gotta work at Ramada tomorrow, why?”
“Well, Nick wants to take me out for my birthday since he was in California then.”
“That’s cool.”
“Do you need a car to get to work tomorrow?”
“I was just going to use the Tahoe.”
“Baby, just use my truck! I’m not going to need it!”
“Well, if you insist. But go home and get some rest. Call me when you get there so I know you got there okay.”
“Alright, if you insist. I’ll call you when we get to the house. I love you!”
“I love you too. I’ll see you when we get home,” Jose says then hangs up.
Kaci hangs up and gets back in Nick’s truck.
“Alright, let’s leave,” Kaci says as she hands Nick’s phone back to him.
“What?”
“Let’s leave!”
“What about Kaley, Kim and Jose?”
“Tyler said he would take them back to the house. Now can we leave?”
“Where we going?” Nick asks confused.
“Back to my house. We can hang out in the guest house without any interruptions.”
“Sounds good to me,” Nick says starting the truck.
Nick and Kaci leave and head back to her house.On the way to Kaci’s house, her and Nick have various conversations, until the subject of relationships come up.
“So what’s the deal with you and Kaley?”
“I like her, but I’d much rather have you!”
“Aww Nick! I love you but I’m not going to leave Chino! I did that once before and it was the biggest mistake of my life! I think we should be friends and if and when the opportunity presents itself then maybe we could see how that works out, but until then you are my best friend and I love you dearly but I can’t be with you on the level you want me to!” Kaci says hoping Nick understands where she’s coming from.
“It’s okay Jess, I understand.”
“And you’re not mad at me still, are you?”
“I can never be mad at my li’l Jess! I just want what I can’t have, and you of all people know I always get what I want!” Nick says with a devilish grin on his face.
Chapter 19/Story Index/Chapter 21/E-mail Brittany