| Chapter Seventeen |
| "We're finally here! Oh my god I can't believe tomorrow is the Backstreet Boys concert!" "Oh my god! Vanessa, Nick is going to be like....so hot!" "I know!" "My Dad gave me fifty dollars for T-shirts! But I would give it all up to just get a hug from Nick!" "Could you imagine..." The girls continued to babble on as Nick sunk lower in his seat. He pulled his hat lower over his eyes and hoped to God he wouldn’t be noticed. To his surprise, the two girls walked right past him, having absolutely no idea that their idol was only several feet away from them. He let out a sigh of relief. Normally, he woudn’t have minded if the girls had seen him but he didn't want to be recognized today. He would have to deal with screams and shouts and hugs and cameras flashing and all that stuff for six months. Today he just wanted to take it easy, but taking it easy wasn't in the cards. Two days ago Charlene had informed them that Crystal had been accepted as events coordinator and for some reason unknown to him Charlene had decided that he would be the one to greet Crystal at the airport, with a bodyguard of course. He had never been so nervous in his life. This was real now. It wasn't going to be some random five minute encounter with her like it had been in Germany. She was going to be on the road with him for six months, and he didn't even want to think of how to even begin to tell her who he really was or why she thought he looked so familiar to her. It wasn't from some picture in a magazine, that was for sure. When he had found her that day at the side of the road, she had been unconscious. But as he sat by her side, waiting for the ambulance to arrive, she had opened her eyes for a brief moment, looked at him, muttered something he couldnt understand, and passed out again. He had wanted to give the police his name, he really did. But he figured it would cause the press to have a field day and he was sure Crystal was going to have enough of that to deal with anyway, so he layed low. He had actually almost forgotten about the whole thing until he saw her on the news that day. It snapped him back into the past. And it had absolutely weirded him out when they were at the same hotel together and when he found out she was working for NSYNC, the group they had been opening up for. It scared him. Was there some kind of hidden message there? Was fate trying to keep them together? No. It would never happen anyway. He was sure she had a boyfriend. She was beautiful. Why on earth would she be single? They were probably just going to be good friends. There was no doubt in his mind. "Planes here." Billy, his bodyguard said tiredly as people started to walk off the plane and into the terminal. Nick swallowed nervously as he stood up from his seat. Then he saw her. She was amazing. Perfect smile. Perfect body. Just perfect. He waved at her nervously and was surprised as she happily waved back. "Hey Carter." she said warmly as reached the spot where he stood. "Hey Crys'. Ya ready?" Nick smiled. "As ready as I can be. Oh here, I gotcha a little something. It's not much. Just a little good luck on the tour kinda thing." She tried to hide her smile as she pulled out the brown paper bag out of her backpack and handed it to Nick. Nick pulled the object out of the bag,which turned out to be a bar of deodorant, and looked confused as Billy and Crystal proceeded to burst out laughing. "Brian put you up to this didn't he?" Nick smiled. "Oh no, I just remember being told that you smell so..." Her comment only made Billy laugh harder. "She's gonna fit right in," he gasped between fits of laughter. "Shut up man. Thanks Crys'." Nick shook his head. Crystal punched him in the arm. "Lighten up Carter. From what I heard I better be prepared." "Oww...and prepared for what?" Nick questioned as they walked through the airport on the way to the exit. "Oh come on...supposedly you’re the biggest practical joker out of the group." Crystal gave him a knowing look. "Who told you that?" "Brian." "And when did you talk to Brian?" "Somehow he got a hold of my phone number and we've been talking the past couple of nights. He told me all about you." Nick gave her a confused look. "All about me?" "About all the crazy things you guys have pulled. It was actually pretty amusing to listen to." Crystal giggled. "Remind me to smack him later. I hope he didn't give you a bad impression of me." Nick sighed. Crystal rolled her eyes. "Of course not! Why are you so nervous Carter...I'm not going to bite." Nick let out a nervous laugh. She had no idea. ******************* "So have you talked to Crystal at all?" JC asked. He and Justin were sitting in their hotel room together, eating a light dinner before they had to leave for that nights performance. "Last night for a couple of minutes. She's really busy. She’s up over her head with screaming fans. Everybody knows her by name now. She's the "backstage girl"." Justin chuckled. "What about that Nick dude. Did she say anything about him?" JC looked at his friend with worried eyes. "No, actually she didn't talk about the group much. I'm not worried Jace...nothings going to happen. We love each other." he smiled. "Just be careful J. I love Crystal, she's a great girl. But she's already caused you so much stress already. I dont want you to have to go through it all again." "You worry way to much man...nothing is going to happen." Justin smiled and shook his head as he crumpled up his garbage and threw it in the wastebasket. "Two points!" JC looked at his friend skeptically. He didn't know what was going on in Justin's mind. But he knew that if his girlfriend was going on tour with some guy she felt "weird" around as Justin had described it to him, he definently would be worried about it. This relationship was going straight to Justin's head. How did he know what was going to happen? He was so blinded by love he didnt stop and think about what could happen. This guy could take total advantage of the fact that Crystal was away from her boyfriend. He could try to make a move on her and she could fall for him. He had seen it happen plenty of times before to people he knew, and he knew if it happened to Justin it would totally destroy him. He almost wished Justin and Crystal had never decided to have a relationship, things would be easier that way. Justin wouldn’t have to lie to girls that tried to dance with him at the clubs they went to and tell them he wasn't there to dance, since no one could know he had a girlfriend. He could live, and have fun. Instead he was tied down to her. Why did he always do that to himself? When it came to Crystal McKay his well being came second. And as much as he liked Crystal, he was really starting to dislike her at the same time, and it wasn't really her fault. She had fallen in love too. But she was supposed to be smarter that that. She was alot more mature that Justin. As far as he was concerned, this whole relationship that Justin had with Crystal was too rushed, and if he was smart he would get out of it as soon as he realized something was going wrong. They had to give each other more options before they decided to commit. ************* "Did you tell her the sock story?" Brian asked Nick as they sat around the table surrounded by the rest of the group and Crystal, eating a light dinner before they went onstage. "Sock story?" Crystal chuckled, giving Brian a confused look. "What sock story?" "No Brian, we are not telling her the sock story." Nick rolled his eyes. "No! I want to hear it. Any story that has to do with socks must be interesting if its coming from you guys." She laughed. "Aww man, yes the sock story! Tell her Brian! I sware to god girl, your gonna have to change your panties after you hear this one!" AJ said between fits of laughter. Howies coke almost flew out through his nose. "AJ!" Kevin exclaimed. "We don't need to discuss Crystals panties." "Sorry Crystal." AJ said very unconvincingly and moved a little closer to her. "Kevin's a little sexually frustrated, if you know what I mean." he spoke softly in her ear. Crystal's mouth gaped open. She was at a loss for words. "I'm giving you three seconds to run Alex." Kevin said calmly. "Come on old man, you know you can't catch me." AJ laughed. "One..." AJ rolled his eyes. "Two..." Kevin rose up out of his chair. "Oh shit." AJ gasped and made a run for it, with Kevin hot on his heels. It was a hilarious site to see. The four left at the table laughed so hard and so long they thought their sides were going to split. "Don't worry Carter, you'll have another opportunity to tell me the sock story." Crystal said, toning down her laughter. "I'm not telling you the sock story..." Nick shook his head, wiping the tears from laughing so hard out of his eyes. "No way." "One way or the other you'll tell me Carter...I have ways of making people talk." she smiled mischeviously. A gleam of playfulness entered Nicks eyes. "And what ways would those be?" "You'll have to wait and see, and if I really cant get it out of you, then I'm sure Brian here will be more than willing to inform me." Crystal cackled. "He wouldn't." Nick folded his arms across his chest. "Right Brian?" "Ummm...he would." Brian smiled "Jackass...alright Crystal, I'll tell you. But only if you do something for me." Nick grinned. "Do I even want to know?" Crystal winced. "Just ask her Nick...Jesus. He's been planning this out all week." Howie sighed. Nicks mouth gaped open. He was so embarrassed. "Ok...now I'm curious. What is it Nick?" Crystal looked at him intently, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. After a long moment of hesitation he finally got the words out. "Go to dinner with me tomorrow night." Crystal gasped. I have a boyfriend. That's what you say Crystal. I have a boyfriend and I cant, her mind warned her. "Alright," her emotions spoke before her mind could stop her. Shit....now what have you done?, her mind screamed back at her. |