Chapter 43:
                                                      {Kiwi}


~Brian and Nick~

   "Rehearsal! My favorite part!" Howie joked as he followed Nick and Brian into the arena where they were going to rehearse. "Yeah, D!" Nick laughed. Brian just smiled, he was still thinking about Mel and Val back at the hotel. He said a prayer to himself, "I know this is all being done for a reason, please let them work it out before the show."What was that Bri?" Howie asked. "Naw, the girls got into an argument that's all." Brian answered. "Cat fight!"AJ yelled from behind the trio of Backstreet Boys. "It's worse." Nick said softly. "What happened?" Howie probed them for answers. "You know how Mel and I have been trying to get married for a while now...." The others all nodded as Nick continued, "well, the other night, we were joking around and Val took it seriously, she thought we had gotten married without her and Bri...." Nick trailed off. "So... I proposed to Val last night and we got married." Brian picked up the story. "But now since Mel and I never were married, she's pissed at Val because they actually did." Nick finished the story. "Ahhh." AJ and Howie both said in sync. "Keep it down though, I don't want all this to be the focus of the rehearsal." Nick whispered to the guys as they walked into the rehearsal room with Fatima, Kevin and the dancers.

~In The Elevator~

  "Sorry, Charlie... for all your pain and your Misery. But your mother loved you more than any other mother could do"Valerie sang to herself as she sat in the corner of the elevator. Melly sat in the opposite. "What was that?" Mel snapped. "A song. Handsome Devil, called Sorry Charlie." Val snapped back. "Whatever." Mel responded. The girls then sat in silence for about another hour and a half before Val broke the silence. "Why'd you say you were married if you weren't?" "What?" Mel wasn't paying attention. "You told Ethan you were married. Why?" Valrepeated. "I wanted him to leave me alone." Melly answered in a simple sentence. "I'm sorry." Val whispered. "Apologizing won't help." Melly muttered. "Who said I was apologizing to you?" Val stared straight at her ex-bestfriend. "It'd be stupid to apologize to yourself, so you must be apologizing to me, right?" "Truth, I was apologizing to Brian! We're supposed to be at the show in ten minutes!" Val pointed to her watch. "Shit!" Mel jumped up and pounded against the door, punched all of the buttons and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Yeah, that'll work"Val mumbled to herself. "I don't see you doing anything helpful!" Melissa continued pound her fists at the elevatordoor. "Yeah, have you figured anything out with the stuck elevator situation?" Valerie said. "Who are you talking to?" Mel stopped to ask. "The front desk." Val whispered pointing to her cell phone. "You.... you had a cell this entire time?" "Yeah, so.... Oh! Yes, five minutes. Thank you so much sir." Val hung up. "If you listen closely there is someone prying open the door right now and we'll be out in five minutes." Val repeated the phone conversation toMelissa. "It's about damn time, that's all I have to say." Melly stood impatiently as the door to the elevator budged and then the elevator moved slowly down to the first floor. "Mel, can we get along just for the Boys.... just for tonight?" Val asked before Melly stepped out the door. "Please."She added. "No, we just won't fight. I don't know you, you don't know me." Melissa was still stuck up about the whole marriage that took place last night. "Fine......sorry." Val said. "Now who are you apologizing to?" Mel spun around. "What was that ma'am? I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't talking to you, because it seems we have never met." Val said walking right past Melissa, who was obviously disappointed that they didn't quite make up in the elevator.

~At The Show~

   "Yo Bri... did the girls show up yet?" Nick asked his best friend less then five minutes before the show was about to start. "I don't know. Billy was supposed to come back here and tell me as soon as they showed up. But I haven't seen him." Brian answered. "Showtime!" AJ said excitedly as he came up behind Nick and Brian. "J, have you seen the girls?" Nick asked worried. "Negative buddy!" AJ said. "Dammit, where are they?" Brian began to pace. "Hey guys! They're here!" Billy said out of breath as he ran up to Brian and Nick. "Thank God!" Brian said letting out a sigh of relief. "Now, it's showtime!" Nick smiled. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." The guys counted down. The lights on stage dimmed and the guys got into their places. ~After The Show~"Oh my gawd! Did you see Brian look right at me and smile?" On of the fans who was sitting directly next to Valerie asked her friend. Val simply smiled. "I know. And then, Nick, he blew a kiss to me! I know it was to me!" the fan's friend exclaimed. Once again, Val smiled, knowing Nick was directing it to Melissa who was sitting in front of both of the fans. Val began to walk around to the backstage door outside of the arena when someone behind her said her name, very loud. "VALERIE!" A squeal was heard. "It's really you!" She heard then a group of about 4 girls came runningup to her. "I can't believe I'm meeting Brian's wife!" One of the girls said. "Can we take a picture with you?" Anotherasked. "Sure." Val agreed politely, but was puzzled by them knowing about the wedding. "Payback!" Melly whispered as she walked past Val and the fans. "Hey girls, that's Nick's fiancée!" Val pointed to Melly. "So? We don't like her." The fans said. Val smiled once again and then excused herself from the girls so she could confront Mel about the rumors she spread. "Melissa Anne Stanford! How dare you?!" Val pulled Melissa's arm to turn her around to face her. "What did I do?" Melly acted innocent. "You know damn well what you did! You... you.... you told the press about this!" Val almost had tears in her eyes as she threw her hand up to point to her ring. "What does it matter anyway? It was going to come out sooner or later." Mel smiled her evil grin. "Later would have been better! I guess we're not ever going to be friends again!" Val screamed then stormed off.

~Brian and Nick backstage~

   "Brian! I need to talk to you!" Val announced as soon as she got inside the backstage door. "What is it hun?" Briasked stepping off to the side to talk with Val. "It's Mel! She told! She went to the press and told them about us!!"Val was now in tears. "It's all right Valerie. Don't worry. It's okay." Brian comforted her and glared at Melissa as she walked by. Nick sat at a table drinking some water. "Is the van here yet?" He asked Kevin. "Nope. Not yet." Kev answered. "Hey, what's this about Val and Bri?" Kev asked Nick. "Um, oh, I dunno." Nick still didn't want the entire world to know about the events that took place last night. "Yeah you do." Kev kept asking for answers. "B! Come here!" Nick avoided answering Kev a second time. "Explain cos!" Kev said to Brian and Val as they sat down at the table with the other guys. "Well, uh, okay.... it all started......" Brian trailed off.


                                        
~END OF CHAPTER 43~

                                         
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Chapter 44