Chapter Six

Nicole spent the rest of the afternoon back at the hotel in her room watching TV. She wasn't quite paying attention to the program, but to how much she already hated Kristin. She never felt so much against someone before and was contemplating if it was because she was dating Kevin or because she was such a bitch towards her. She believed it to be eighty-percent of the latter excuse. After ten more minutes, the percentage grew larger.

A slight knock came at the door. "Come on in," she harked, not moving from her position. She had left the lock out on the doorknob so it wouldn't shut.

AJ let himself in and looked at Nicole vegetating on her bed. She hardly acknowledged him. "So, you planning on getting ready anytime today?"

"Yeah, in a little while."

Another knock came at the door and AJ watched the doorway, seeing Kevin come in. "Kristin said you left a shirt in my room last night?" Nicole was wide eyed looking at him, becoming excited. She realized the comment had bothered Kristin enough to ask Kevin. "You didn't leave anything in my room."

"Oh, yeah I know," Nicole answered firmly with a slight smile.

Kevin was confused. "Ok. Well, I thought I would just let you know that I didn't have anything."

"Yeah, I know," she repeated in the same fashion.

Kevin looked over at AJ, shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the room.

AJ, too, was confused. "What was that about?"

"Just pissing off Kristin."

"Oh, because of what I told you?"

"Nah, I have my own reasons." She told AJ about Kristin's confrontation at the rehearsal. AJ laughed and couldn't wait to see what would happen later that night.

Once AJ left, Nicole got ready, knowing she only had about an hour and half. She was fairly low maintenance, but wanted to make sure she looked presentable to be in the company of the guys. It was a somewhat formal event as the guys were each wearing a black suit of their own style.

Nicole got butterflies in her stomach about the evening once she was all dressed and was ready to leave. She was nervous about whether she looked good enough to be with them. She became nervous she was too underdressed as she passed up an evening gown. The thought that she was overdressed now became her fixation. The last thought that entered her mind was what Kristin would wear.

The boys were to meet in the hallway before they headed to the theater. The first ones out were Brian and Nick, who were each wearing the customary black suit jackets with pants. Nick's jacket, however, was long and had an open neck line with no tie and a green shirt that had the first two buttons undone. In comparison, Brian's plain, yet handsome, tailored suit was offset by a silver tie. Howie came out wearing a nicely tailored suit that resembled a double-breasted jacket with a maroon suit shirt and tie. Kevin wore an equally handsome black suit that seemed much like Brian's, yet he had a plain black tie. AJ was the last one out wearing a black suit jacket that was designed to only be buttoned in the middle and showed off the dark gray V-neckline shirt he wore both above the buttons and below.

Nicole heard the voices growing outside her door that were followed by a few knocks. AJ and Brian were each calling for Nicole to join them in the hallway. The guys were out there with their own girlfriends, ready to go, and AJ was waiting for his "date". She asked for a few more moments and continued to look into the mirror. Realizing she looked the most formal she had ever been in her life, she felt very pleased with the look and was ready to enter the hallway.

She opened up the door slowly and the guys were all taken into their own conversations. She came into the hallway when the guys turned to see her. It was like she was at a party when the record scratches from the music and the entire room falls silent. Feeling the attention on her, she smiled, then curtsied, to show herself off to the boys. They looked from head to toe to see her dark gray, shiny ballroom skirt with a black long sleeve shirt that was partly spandex against her skin. The shirt was accented on the top half of her chest with a sheer black material and silver shines that crossed the barrier, vertically, between the sheerness and solid black fabric. Her hair, curled in loose ringlets, was half pulled back into a silver clip. She nearly felt like Cinderella at the ball.

Her Prince Charming, AJ, offered his arm and she took it. They walked down the hallway while the other guys stayed silent, in awe. He whispered to her, "You look beautiful."

She smiled bright at him, "Thank you very much. You look very handsome yourself." He smiled just as bright as she was, back at her. "Tonight's going to be fun, isn't it?"

He nodded his head and responded, "Oh yeah. Just remember one thing tonight. You're here to have fun, not to work." She nodded back and made a mock salute. They stopped at the elevators and waited. Looking back at the guys, who were still staring at Nicole, the "couple" began to laugh. He turned to her and fed her a compliment as he was smiling at her; "They're really missing out on something here." She returned his compliment with a smile and squeezed his arm where her hand lay.

Once they arrived at the theater, the red carpet was lined with celebrities like crazy. The boys took two separate limos for space. The first one pulled up with Nicole and AJ, Brian and Jackie, and Nick and Marie. Each of these ladies was the girlfriend. Each was dressed nicely in a cocktail dress of solid colors, baby blue and yellow, respectively. Flashes were going off like fireworks as first Brian exited the limosine guiding Jackie out and down the carpet. Nick was next with Marie. All four were smiling for the cameras and paused for a few seconds waiting for AJ and Nicole.

AJ stepped out first, adjusted a button on his jacket then leaned back into the limo. "You ready?"

She became nervous hearing all the shouts of young girls for these handsome men. She nodded as she took the hand he had extended to her. Once she stepped out, she was nearly blinded by the lights of the cameras. She took his arm as they walked down the carpet. The other limo was right behind and had emptied in the same fashion at the same time. All five couples walked towards the entrance in what seemed like a mob. They were all turning heads as they were bombarded with questions. "Is that your girlfriend Brian?" "Kevin, are you still with that girl?" "Who's with AJ tonight?"

The last question was the most common, while others accompanied. The boys did their best to be vague on any personal questions and each were able to express to different reporters how excited they were to be at the American Music Awards, and nominated.

AJ heard his name called by one of the last television crews at the end of the runway, "AJ! AJ!" He turned to look and saw it was some MTV people.

He stepped up to them, "Hey how's it going guys?" He always enjoyed being interviewed, especially by MTV. He mainly liked the interviews because he got to talk about himself. This time, he talked of a certain someone. They first asked what happened to his last girlfriend. He dismissed the question casually by explaining, "Things happen. People move on." They then asked who accompanied him. "This is our wonderful assistant, Nicole. Isn't she lovely tonight?" he asked as he showed her off by taking her hand above her head and twirling her like a ballerina. She really was like Cinderella now.

The questions were now if Nicole were his girlfriend. AJ danced around the questions and was still trying to talk about her. "She works hard for us so we can have nights like this." Nicole noticed a few of the guys already entering the theater. She realized they should be along with them and interrupted quietly to AJ, "I'm sorry, but we really need to get up there with the others."

"Ok." He turned to the interviewer, "Hey, it's always good to see you man," he commented as he shook the man's hand and guided her to follow the others. "What did I tell you?" She looked at him with a quizzed face. "Tonight, you have fun. Don't work. Let Jessica do that tonight." She smiled and rung her arm through his.

They all went to take their seats when Nicole realized she would be sitting by Kevin and Kristin. She looked at AJ with panic in her eyes just as Kevin was about to walk down the row, letting Kristin sit next to Nicole because AJ wanted an aisle seat. AJ grabbed onto Kevin's arm. "What's up?" Kevin asked.

AJ had grabbed the arm out of response to stop him, but couldn't think of anything to say. He blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Hair," he said as he reached by Kevin's shoulder swatting away at absent hair. Kevin threw a strange look at AJ and Nicole's way, then took a seat. AJ motioned for Nicole to take the next seat and she did.

She enjoyed the show watching all the celebrities and their performances. The guys had left for their performance and wore the outfits they wore in "I Want It That Way," when they had on the plain clothes and first walking around the airport. Kevin had changed his outfit however; wearing a dark blue wool jacket that was short compared to the long jacket from before. Nicole felt butterflies, the same as before, but good this time. She was thinking about their conversation from the night before and was beaming.

Kristin looked over seeing Nicole in delight. Deciding to ruin the mood, she leaned and took Nicole's attention away from the guy's performance. "Don't you and AJ just make the cutest little couple?" She gave a fake smile that quickly fell from her face. "So since you can't have Kevin, you're trying for AJ?" She began to return her tone to the harshness with which she had first addressed Nicole.

Nicole wasn't usually one for making up stories, but Kristin was the exception. Plus she wasn't making up a story; she was merely presenting it in a way to give a different story from the truth. She replied with a slight smile on her face, "Did you ask Kevin about my shirt?"

She saw Kristin's eyes flare with anger. "He said you never left anything in the room."

Nicole responded with a quizzed look, "Hmm. He came by earlier today to my room about it." She wasn't lying here.

"He did, did he?"

She responded in a matter of fact way, "Yeah, he did." Just then the performance was over and Nicole stood up giving her full attention and energy for applauding while Kristin was still seated. She slowly stood up to join the audience.

Later that night, back at the hotel, at the after party, AJ and Nicole were mingling with the other celebrities when they weren't on the dance floor. Much of the night's attention was on Nicole and AJ. They both enjoyed it. They returned to the table after a few drinks as Nicole was waiting for a refill that AJ was getting for her. She examined Kristin's long leopard pattern skirt and white sleeveless sweater that seemed trendy, yet greatly underdressed.

Nicole turned to Kevin and said, "Well, I think we've won." He was confused and asked what she was talking about. She answered, "Me and AJ." He had the same look on his face. "Best dressed." Just then AJ returned with her Amaretto stone sour drink. She grabbed the drink and continued swaying it towards Kristin's way. "Not to toot our own horns, but your girlfriend did request." She smiled at Kevin, tipped her glass to Kristin, then turned to AJ. You ready?"

AJ smiled back and took her away from the table. "Having fun are we?" She replied with a "uh huh" noise as she sipped from her glass. He took it out of her hand. "It's still early, pace yourself." She was tipsy after four drinks in under an hour. Many bad thoughts had graced her mind under her influenced state, mostly of Kristin, including spilling her drink on the white shirt. She decided that AJ was right, especially because so far she had impressed everyone, including AJ.

The night continued as it was earlier, yet with Nicole not taking another drink. She began to sober up within the next two hours. Her and AJ were mingling again and the questions started up about them being together. She was charming to all and made AJ especially entertained. Kevin had remained with Kristin by his side all night no matter what they were doing, eating, dancing or chatting up with other people. AJ stepped away to talk to some people he knew and Nicole noticed Kristin was leaving the room as she headed for the bathroom. Nicole headed back to the table and decided to be of some company. "Hello," she said with a bright, happy and genuine smile.

"It's you. The 'IT' girl of the night." She smiled again and curtsied. He chuckled. "The steal of tonight's show. Had I known you'd be so charming tonight, I would have asked for your company."

She was enjoying herself all night and had talked with everyone with the same tone, half sweet, and half flirtation. She kept that tone with Kevin, "Well, there's always next time."

He was taken to surprise by her tone and smiled interested. "Yes, yes there is."

"Are you having fun tonight?" He nodded in response, but she didn't believe he was entirely having a good time. "I'm sorry that you aren't having a good time." He looked down to his drink realizing she could read him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and gently rubbed. "I was very pleased with your outfit tonight." He looked up and at her. "The short jacket. I nearly died sitting in the audience when I saw you walk out in it."

He chuckled. "Yeah, it took a lot of talking to Jessica to get that done."

"Well I am glad it did get done. You looked great." She was speaking to him with a greater confidence than she had ever felt before. "You guys sounded great, too. I am so happy to have been here. I am really enjoying myself." The smile was permanently planted on her face until she looked past Kevin at the doorway and saw Kristin on her way back. Her face went back to the normally shy look. "I hope your night ends well. I'll see you later." She left his side to join the other guys as they were holding conversations on the other side of the room. When she found a place in the circle of people, she looked back at Kevin and saw Kristin bickering at him. She felt bad for him, mostly because she had been talking to him and that was what Kristin saw.

As the party began to die AJ came by the others. "I've got a few friends waiting for us upstairs." He had a sneaky smile and they wondered what he was talking about. "Jack and Daniel." They realized he was talking about drinking some more upstairs. The others were somewhat tired and a few denied the request, namely Kristin meaning Kevin too. He turned to Nicole, "You coming?"

She was entertaining the thought and looked at it as a chance to let the night continue. "You bet."

Brian and Jackie, as well as Nick and Marie said they would meet up in AJ's room in short time