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» CHAPTER TWELVE «

The next day, Nick slept late dreaming about Lauren. It was a great dream. It turned out exactly the way he wanted tonight to. He told her he loved her, she said it back, they kissed and made love for the first time together. It was so realistic and so perfect that Nick wasn’t surprised to wake up with his sheets a bit damp. (Kind of gross, but)

Nick was sure that the dream was a good omen of things to come. Suddenly he couldn’t wait for tonight.

Smiling, Nick looked over on the other bed at Brian. He was also smiling in his sleep. Who knows what his crazy best friend was dreaming about. He was probably imagining that he beat a troll doll at basketball.

Nick laughed to himself at the thought. Just another sign of happiness to come his way.

AJ McLean started the day with his arms wrapped lovingly around Jessica. She stirred a little in her blissful sleep, and smiled. AJ hoped that she was dreaming about him. ‘Cuz all AJ dreamed about was her. Ever since Jessica came along...it was like this piece of him that had been missing fit again. And it felt so right..everything. The feel of her in his arms, the touch of her lips on his, the way their bodies connected together every time they made love.

AJ’s gaze drifted to her finger and he noticed the promise ring. He folded his hand around hers and the rings touched. He could’ve sworn a spark flew. Just like the sparks that had flown between them the very first second they had ever touched. AJ was totally convinced that fate was trying to tell him something.

And that was a message that AJ could definitely live with.

Jessica Tucker was in a deep sleep. She always had extremely vivid dreams, and the sweetest dream unfolded in her mind, almost like she was watching it as a play. In fact, she was. There was a stage and everything. Jessica was the only one in the audience, so the show was obviously for her. The curtains parted and there was a wedding scene, as perfect as anything. Jessica couldn’t make out the bride or the groom though. Suddenly the minister spoke, and the sudden realization hit Jessica of who it was. The groom turned around and Jessica gasped.

It was AJ! Jessica was really anxious to see who the bride was now. But through the whole wedding she couldn’t see her face. She watched AJ pledge his undying love to the woman. She saw the huge engagement ring on her finger. Jessica was getting jealous now, she just had to know who the woman was.

Then she saw something else shiny on her hand. A platinum promise ring, she realized. She nearly jumped for joy when she figured out it was her. But she wondered why she was watching it and why she wasn’t living it.

Lauren woke up early, for lack of sleep. She tossed and turned all night about her feelings for Nick. She thought about the way he made her feel when he touched her. Thought about the way she thought she would die if he didn’t kiss her when they were so close. Lauren also thought about the way she felt complete now. And every moment she wasn’t with Nick, she wanted to be in his arms. If she lost him, she-didn’t even want to think about it.

"I love him," she realized. "I wouldn’t know how to go through the day if he wasn’t with me." This gave Lauren a little burst of confidence, saying her feelings aloud. "He has to know how I feel about him. It would be like...like lying or something and I could never do that to Nick," she thought.

She went into the hotel bathroom and stared at her early-morning reflection in the mirror. She didn’t have circles under her eyes, thank goodness. Examining closely, she noticed she had a clear complexion. Her curly blond hair was a few inches shorter, about shoulder-length now. The green in her eyes shown bright, they glowed when she was truly happy. Lauren smiled, in spite of herself.

"Maybe Nick’s right. Maybe heaven is in the eyes. If so, then Nick’s truly an angel," she whispered to no one. "MY angel."

Nick finally dragged his butt out of bed and headed into the hotel bathroom. He washed his face, ran a comb through his unruly but sexy blond hair, and stared at his reflection in the mirror. As soon as he got dressed he would head over to Lauren’s room.

He threw on a gray Nike shirt, some black windsuit pants, and a cap. That morning the boys had an early rehearsal, then the rest of the day (until the concert that night) was theirs.

Nick glanced one more time into the mirror, and smiled in spite of himself. He couldn’t wait for tonight after the show. That’s when him and Lauren...celebrated. He tiptoed in the hotel room, where Brian was still sleeping. Suddenly he jumped on Brian’s bed and sat on him.

"WAKE UP FRICK!" he announced. Brian quickly sat up, cursing Nick. Nick just laughed and went across the hall to Lauren’s room.

¤ Chapter 13 ¤
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