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Then and Now Chapter 9 Brian rolled over in bed and picked up his ringing mickey mouse phone. "Heylo?" "Brok is that you?" A female voice asked on the other end. "Yes its B, Ang is that you?" "Guilty as charged." Brian sat up in bed and turned his light on. His watch told him it was very early Sunday morning. Too early to be getting phone calls. "Why ya calling Ang?" Ang smiled. "So concerned! I was bored and I saw my cell and I knew you were home so I thought I'd call." Brian relaxed and leaned back against his pillows. Ang was one of his ex-girlfriends and now his closest friend, besides Nick and the guys. She was spending the summer at her cabin in Kentucky. "How's life up in the big K?" Ang laughed. "Bored, lonely. Why didn't you talk me out of this?" Brian smiled. "Because you wouldn't let me. To quote you 'two months alone will be great'" Ang made a face. "Two weeks alone have been hell, which brings me to why I called. Can you come up?" "When?" "Now? Tomorrow? This week? I need people B, I'm gonna go nuts." "People, you want me to invite the others?" Ang stretched out in her bed. "Well there is another cabin beside mine that's empty. You guys could take that one and us girls could take this one>" Brian sighed and leaned back against his pillow. "Yeah ok I'll call around tomorrow and see who can come." "Good cuz B, I need some peeps to hang around with." "You just miss me!" he teased. "That I do." Ang laughed. "And no ego yet either, man you never cease to amaze me." "I know the wonder that is me. Ok Ang I'll call you back tomorrow and let you know ok?" "Great, night B." "Night Ang." Brian hung his phone up and laid back down, now this was a good idea. He smiled and rolled over in bed, falling back asleep instantly.Lis walked through the living room and answered the door, they'd been at the Carter house for nearly three weeks by then and she had finally settled in. All the kids were in the back in the pool while the parents went out on the boat. She opened the door to see Aimee and Brok standing there. "Hey guys. Nick's in the back." "Good we'll go see him after we see you." Aimee said, leading Lis over to the couch. "What's up you two?" Lis asked, flopping down on the couch and looking them over. Brian grinned. "Well a friend of mine, a very very good friend, anyways she's up in Kentucky staying at a cabin for the summer and she invited the whole gang up." "So your all going?" Lis asked, wondering what B was getting at. "Yep we're all going, us, the guys, you and Han." Aimee said excitedly. "We're going where?" Nick asked, walking into the room in his swimming trunks. Lis looked up and stared at him, Aimee caught her staring and laughed, causing Lis to turn red. "Up to see Ang. She's lonely and invited the whole group. Us guys are in the cabin next to her, the girls stay with her. The place is huge so everyone can have their own space." "That doesn't sound like a cabin." Nick remarked, sitting down on the floor across from them. "Can you seriously see Ang roughing it?" Aimee joked. Brian laughed. "No, that's why its a cabin not a tent. So you two in?" Lis and Nick looked at each other, the past three weeks they'd become semi friends. "Lis?" "Nick?" He grinned. "Us two are in, I'm betting Han is in." "Han's in what?" Hannah asked, walking into the room. "Cabin in Kentucky. We're going to stay with a friend of ours. Everyone's invited." "Cabin? No parents, just us? Oh count me in!" Han answered with a grin, causing everyone to crack up laughing. ~2 days later~ "So we've got suitcases, coolers, people..." Nick said, putting the last bag in the back of his Durango. "And the driver." Brian said, handing Nick the last cooler of drinks. "And me!" Nick said, slamming the lid. He looked around his driveway to see Kevin standing near his Jeep which was as full as Nick's. "Train you ready to head out?" Nick yelled. Kevin looked up from rearranging suitcases. "Yeah in about 5." The news that they were almost ready to leave caused everyone to start running around, trying to make sure they had everything and taking last trips into the house for last minute snacks or reading material. Nick saw Lis sitting on the grass talking to Han. He watched the way she moved when she talked, a smile spread across his face when he heard her laugh. Aimee walked up behind Nick, she tapped him on his shoulder. "Huh? Oh hey Aim you scared me." Nick said, turning around to face her. "Snapped you out of your daze is more like it. Ok Frack, have a little talk with her and just tell her your interested." Nick shook his head. "She loves her boyfriend. I can't interfere." Aimee crossed her arms in front of her and sighed.. "You are such a wacko. Nick she hasn't mentioned Boyd once this week, not once. Did she call and tell him about the trip? No. Why? Hmmm I'd say I'm looking at the reason." "Aim your nuts girl." Nick turned around to make sure the back was locked when he caught Lis looking at him. He smiled and she waved. Aimee leaned over his shoulder. "What was that you said again?" she said before she walked away. Brian flopped down on the grass next to the girls. Nina was sorting through her cd collection, she was officially in charge of the music for Kevin's group. Jenn was checking her totebag, while talking to Han about the car ride. Lis sat there in silence, absentmindedly braiding a strand of hair. "So Lis, whats up?" Brian asked, opening his bottled water. Lis looked at him startled, she hadn't even realized he was there. "Nothing really." "You look a thousand miles away. Something wrong?" Everyone had become pretty close in the last few weeks, but he noticed Lis still tried to keep her distance from Nick. Lis sighed. Should she tell him? "I uh called Boyd last night," she looked at him, his blue eyes met hers, "I think he's seeing someone else." Brian's eyes went wide. "What? Nah your nuts, Lis." "B, I called and I heard a girl in the background and he was acting funny." "Man I'm sorry Lis, I knew how much you loved him and all." Lis sighed and put her sunglasses on. "Yep that I did. I feel so foolish, I should have figured we'd never last this separation." Brian wrapped his arm around her. "Its not your fault Lis, thinks happen for a reason." She nodded. "We ready to go yet?" she asked, seeing Nick walk in her direction. Nick smiled at her. "Aren't you a little anxious to get going?" "I never was the patient type." Lis answered, getting up. "I'd say we have time for one quick bathroom break if anyone needs it then we're outta here." Nick answered. She nodded and disappeared inside the house. Nick sat down next to B. "Uhm B, is something going on?" Brian looked at his friend. "I don't think so." Nick sighed. "I think she's acting funny." "That's Lis, always acting a little odd." Brian joked, "I'm gonna go grab a quick snack." Nick nodded and watched his friend disappear. He looked around, seeing everyone else grabbing whatever they needed with them and heading for the vehicles and decided to go wait in the Durango. Next: Chapter 10 |