Chapter Two: First Meeting



~ ONE MONTH LATER ~

Brian paced around the elevator, as he watched each floor tick over on the overhead counter. The elevator stopped as the doors opened onto the fifth floor of Orlando’s Hope Hospital. He breathed deeply and slowly, trying to gain his composure.
“Now or never Littrell” he announced holding the bunch of velvet red roses in front of him
He wandered down the polished halls, and stopped outside the room he heard the familiar voice drift out of. He watched silently as Faith tucked in a small boy.
“Brian, what are you doing here?” she smiled as she turned around to see him
“Well I was in the neighborhood” he shrugged handing her the flowers
“Oh baby, they’re beautiful” she gushed kissing him softly on the cheek
“Where’s Tess?” Brian inquired as the walked out into the hall
“Come on, she’d love to see you” Faith smiled. It was a miracle to most people that Tessa was still alive, they expected her to die around a year ago but she wasn’t going to let no, not just yet.

The strolled hand in hand into the brightly colored room. Tessa smiled up from the book she was reading as her frail hand waved a “hello”.
“It’s good to see you again angel” Brian whispered as he hugged her softly
“No, you’re the angel” Tessa grinned as Faith searched under the sink for a vase
Brian sat down on the chair beside the bed, and leaned over to Tessa’s ear.

“What are you two whispering about?” Faith questioned, getting quickly shafted with a flick of Tessa’s hand.
The exchange of hushed words and nods went on for only a few minutes before Tess announced, “You have my blessing” winking across at Faith.
“What was all that about?” Faith inquired placing her hands lazily on her hips. Brian slid from his chair and knelt down in front of Faith.
“I loved you since I saw you Faith, you’ve given me so much, and I want to have the chance to love you for a lifetime. Faith Carmen Traven, will you marry me?” he said softly, as his blue eyes delved into her soul
Faith choked back the words he spoke, as she stood in disbelief.
“I – I” she stammered
“Of course she will” Tessa announced laughing
Brian smiled as he looked up, waiting for her answer.
“Yes, yes I will”

~ 2 WEEKS LATER ~

Catherine strolled around the studio apartment, a cup of boiling coffee in her hands. It was Saturday morning, around 9:00 am, as per usual Jason was still asleep, crashed after a night of heavy drinking and partying. Catherine despised everything about him, he was arrogant, rude, disgusting, and annoying, but she’d sold everything she owned, given up everything she had to move to Florida, and a good-for-nothing as Jason may seem he served one purpose, he kept her off the streets of Florida. She made small amounts of money working on and off at Orlando’s main hospital, she was there to clean up messes and keep some sense of order around the place, nothing to extravagant, but it was all a slow process, she needed to find her feet in this world, then she’d find her life. She was sure he was waiting for her.
She flicked on the radio softly, the voice of the newscaster echoing through the speakers.
“And in entertainment news, we have a shocking announcement from one of the Pop Kings”
Catherine’s ears twitched as she walked in closer, determined to hear what was been said.
“Backstreet Boy, Brian Littrell has announced his engagement to his long time girlfriend Faith Traven –“
The words hit Catherine sharply and suddenly, the world around her disappeared as the newscaster taunted her in her head.
“No” she screamed as the mug fell from her hands shattering against the hard wooden floor.

~ ONE WEEK LATER ~

The news had spread rapidly of Brian’s engagement, and most people couldn’t be happier, there were some people who seemed put out by the thought, but all in all the response seemed to be fairly good.

“Okay so what about this one?” Marie inquired fingering across the soft silk of the white dress
“I dunno” Faith sighed screwing up her face “I’ll look like a marsh-mellow, it’s too poofy” she added with a smirk
“God girl, I still cant believe he asked you, god what I wouldn’t give to get the great loaf to commit to me” Marie smiled as she swept her hand through her silky brown hair.
“You’d be devastated” Faith grinned
“Excuse me?”
“You and Nick like the thought of being free, it gives you both a sense of adventure, you’d be miserable if you had the feeling of been tied down” Faith laughed

Catherine stood poised behind a rack of expensive wedding dressing study Faith with sharp intensity. It hadn’t taken her much to tract her down, it was amazing what you could find on the Internet these days.

Faith stood probably about 5 foot 4 inches, perhaps a little more with the heals she was wearing, her hair was partially wet, and hanging loosely around her shoulders like a dark silky coat. She was slim, and delicate, with soft features that were darkened only by the touch of the sun.

She slid up behind Faith, knocking her in the back of the shoulder, sending both Catherine’s and Faith’s bags falling to the ground.
“Oh, I'm so sorry” Catherine apologized quickly as she scooped up her own bag
“Oh no problem” Faith smiled, turning to face her, as she bent down to pick up her bag.
Catherine stood staring directly into Faith’s eyes, they were a sharp green color, framed with long luxurious eyelashes and perfectly sculptured eyebrows.
Catherine smiled slowly as she backed away. She’d accomplished what she’d gone there to do.
“The eyes are a window to the soul, they give away so much, and yet hide so much more……..through the eyes we meet challenges and we give them…..”

Faith watched the stranger leave, there was something cold about her, something she couldn’t quite place. The girl’s eyes perhaps, they were mesmerizing dark, and had a depth that seemed the scour into Faith’s own eyes.

~ LATER THAT NIGHT ~

Catherine turned the small red organizer page by page, taking in each bit of information that was written in plain blue ink. It had addresses, phone numbers, dates and times, everything she needed. She made notes of the important dates scribbling them on a piece of paper that sat on the table. She now knew everything she needed to.
“Too easy” she smiled as she slid down into the chair, smiling victoriously to herself.

~ THE NEXT DAY ~

“Are you sure you haven’t seen it?” Faith huffed as she threw the couch cushions across the room.
“I'm positive, are you sure you had it? You didn’t leave it at the hospital or anything?” Brian inquired as he flicked through a pile of papers that lay on the desk
“No, I had it yesterday, when I was with Marie” she sighed as she collapsed onto the floor “And it’s not anywhere, god how can you possibly loose a whole note book” she laughed quietly
“It’ll show up” Brian shrugged joining her on the floor
“You have to stop that” faith laughed slapping his hand
“Stop what?”
“Thinking everything will always work its way out, sometimes we’re not that lucky”
“It’s not luck”
“Okay then what is it?”
“Its faith” Brian grinned
“Tacky Littrell, very tacky” she smiled as she stood up
“Yeah but it gets you every time”

The echoing chime of the doorbell sounded through the house. Well it wasn’t exactly the doorbell, it was more like the gate bell, all visitors had to be bussed through, just another price to fame.
“Hello?” Faith mumbled into the intercom
It was a fresh Saturday morning, and neither Brian nor her were expecting visitors.
“Hi, um does a Miss Faith Traven live here?” a soft female voice questioned
“Um yeah, who’s this?” faith responded, she’d had the occasional fan wishing her good luck or whatever, she was just waiting for the day when someone cussed at her through the intercom, though she doubted anyone would have the guts to.
“This is Catherine Evans, you don’t know me, but I bumped into you yesterday, pretty literally actually, and anyway in the whole thing we dropped our bags, and well I'm terribly sorry but I must have picked up you diary or organizer or something, God I'm so sorry” Catherine raved as she pulled the book from her bag, not that anyone could see it, it was just a habit.
“Oh really? Oh my god, I’ve been going mad looking for, argh I’ll beep you through come on up” Faith announced sweetly, as she opened the gates

“Who’s that?” Brian called from the lounge
“Some girl that picked up my diary, I must have dropped it, long story” Faith called back as she saw the car approaching
“You know her?” Brian inquired walking into the foyer
“No” Faith shrugged
“You’re too trusting sometimes you know that?” Brian smiled softly as he lowered his voice “The world isn’t full of nice people like you”
“Cheese” Faith laughed as she patted his head

A knock on the door quickly cut the conversation. Faith opened the door to a smiling pair of pink lips.
“Catherine” she introduced herself, extending her hand
“Oh hi, Faith” Faith smiled shaking her hand
“Again I'm sorry, I don’t know how this happened, and I was going to ring you, but I was out this way, so here I am” Catherine raved as she caught a glimpse of Brian standing in the background
“Well thank you, that means a lot” Faith responded gratefully as she took the book from Catherine’s hands.
“She was going absolutely mad looking for it” Brian added as he stepped into the conversation “I'm her fiancé, Brian” he continued extending his hand, which Catherine, slowly shook
“No problem” she said softly as she released Brian’s hand.
That was the first meeting, and in Catherine’s mind, she’d already decided there would be many more. What Faith Traven had belonged to Catherine Evan’s and she was determined to get it.



Chapter 3
Contents

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