It was the day after Carol had the examination. A.J. had just gotten home from rehearsal. The Backstreet Boys were going to tour the United States in three weeks. A.J. really didn't want to leave Carol alone, especially since Scott wasn't behind bars yet.
"I'm in the kitchen!" Carol yelled as she heard A.J. come in. A.J. walked in the kitchen to find Carol cooking.
"Whatcha cooking?" A.J. asked her.
"Spaghetti," Carol answered.
"I said you didn't have to cook. I was going to order out," A.J. said.
"I know but I wanted to thank you," she said.
"For what?" he asked.
"For everything. Letting me stay here. Helping me," Carol said.
"Carol," he started. "You don't have to thank me. No person deserves to be treated like you were. Especially you." Carol smiled.
"Okay, change of subject. Set the table," Carol said.
"Yes Ma'am!" A.J. said as he saluted her.
"Yeah whatever," Carol said as she laughed.
"This is really good spaghetti," A.J said as they ate dinner.
"Thank you," Carol said. "How was rehearsal and the meeting?" she asked.
"It was fine, but our photographer, Andre Csillag, is going to retire. So that means that we have to find a new photographer by the next week," A.J. said. He looked up from his spaghetti and saw Carol jumping up and down from her chair smiling. "What?" he asked.
"I got an idea!" she said. "I can be you guys' new photographer," Carol said.
"I don't know... " A.J. said.
"I took a photography major in college," she said.
"Fine you can come with me to rehearsal tomorrow. Just remember to bring some samples of your work," he said.
"Okay sure. I guess I can go to my old college and ask my teacher for them," Carol said as she smiled.
"Don't get your hopes up. We all have to agree on you as our photographer and Kevin is a real perfectionist. So you're going to have to convince him. Which won't be an easy job," he said.
"Sure whatever. If I don't get the job I can always work in the GAP," Carol said.
"You're kidding right?" A.J. said.
"No. I've worked there before," Carol said. "Do you think there's something wrong with that?"
"No, it's just that you seem so professional. I can imagine you as a photographer but not as someone folding shirts at the GAP," A.J. said as he tried not to laugh at the image in his mind of her folding shirts. Carol gave him a look and took the dishes into the kitchen. "Allow me," he said as he took the dishes from her.
"Are you sure?" she asked with doubt.
"Yes. Now go in the living room and watch a little TV," A.J. said.
"Okay," she said as she walked in the living room. Scott never took the dishes for me. He just sat around watching TV and drinking beer all day. Wake Up Carol! Not every guy is like Scott. Carol thought as she sat on A.J's couch. She was flipping the channels when she came across a channel with a guy who looked exactly like A.J. "A.J!" she yelled. "There's someone on TV that's looks a lot like you."
"Really?" A.J. said as he came into the living room with his hands all wet. "That is me. It is from our video 'Shape Of My Heart.' What is this? TRL?"
"I don't know. I guess," Carol said.
"And that was your number one video, Shape of My Heart by the Backstreet Boys, for the 61st time," the voice in the television said.
"It's a good song. I like it," Carol said.
"Why, thank you," he said.
"You know, I have to admit. When you first told me you were in a musical group, I thought you sang like really immature songs like that group, 'N Sync. But after hearing that song, I have to admit, I was wrong," she said.
"Wait. If you knew who 'N Sync was, how come you didn't know who the Backstreet Boys were?" he asked.
"I don't know. I have a nine-year-old cousin who listens to 'N Sync. I have no idea why she doesn't listen to you guys," Carol explained. "Anyway, can borrow your car tomorrow?"
"Why? You can always come with me when I go to rehearsal," A.J. said.
"But I need to get some of my photographs from my old college, and that's like an hour from here. I don't want you to be late," Carol said.
"Okay, you can borrow the other car," he said.
"Thank you. Even if I don't get the job," Carol said as she smiled