Chapter Twelve

The guys entertained Nicole and Maggie for little over an hour. They all decided to go out for some food, seeing as no one ate dinner and it was after 8pm. Nicole asked that they stop by the hotel first because she knew they would end up somewhere else and wanted to call her parents before it was too late. They were all walking to the parking lot towards the cars when Nick teased Nicole,

"Aw, gotta cawl Mommy and Daddy before you go sleepy?"

Nicole swatted the back of his head. "Hey!" AJ called out, "We may need him later."

"And what do you guys have planned that you’ll need him?" Maggie asked grinning.

AJ went over by Maggie and was walking in stride with her. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Nicole called to him from where she was walking alongside Kevin, "AJ, stop harassing my friends." Maggie shot her friend a look that read, "Let him! Let him!" Nicole chuckled to herself.

The guys looked at the two friends wondering what the joke was. Nicole just shook her head and threw an arm around Maggie's neck. She whispered into her ear. "Don't worry dear, I'll work on that."

Nicole entered her hotel room with Maggie right behind. Maggie laid out on the bed and sighed, "I can't believe they were just singing to us."

"Oh no dear, they sing to me all the time. They were just showing off to you." Nicole smiled brightly as she dialed her home number. She spoke into the phone, "What's up nerd?"

Maggie knew Jason had answered the phone. "Yeah, I'm at my hotel. Is Mom or Dad there? ... No I just wanna sit here and listen to you call for them. Of course I wanna talk to them." She sighed and saw Maggie smile and mouth her brother's name. She nodded back and responded to the same voice again. "What do you mean you're not coming to dinner?"

Nicole was actually close to her brother, but they play fought all the time calling each other names. She wanted to see him, even though she knew his girlfriend, Lynn, would be coming to dinner. This made two girlfriends of people she knew that she disliked. "Jason, that's no excuse. Like you have to bring her." She thought of the fact that she would prefer the girlfriend to not show up. "Come on. You are unbelievable. ... Yeah, try to make this one up. I won't be in town again for months. ... Jay, I'm working for a reason. Why don't you come visit me here then another day before I leave?"

Nicole then spoke words she never thought she would as she heard her brother say Lynn couldn’t come the other days. "Then don't bring her! Come by yourself. I didn't ask her to come to dinner anyway." 'Oh my god!' she thought as she cupped her mouth with her free hand. 'What did I just say.'

Maggie knew how much Nicole loathed Jason's girlfriend, but Nicole was still nice to her face and put up with it for his benefit. Maggie couldn't believe either what Nicole had just said.

The voice on the other end was loud enough for Maggie to hear. "What did you just say?"

"Look, forget it. Just put Mom on the phone." While there was a lull, awaiting her Mom to get the phone, Nicole turned to Maggie; "This is exactly why I hate calling him."

Her mom got on the phone. "Hi Nickie!" Her mother's voice was very soothing to her. Although she hated being called Nickie, the voice was like hot chocolate on a cold, lonely day.

"Hi Mumma. How are ya? ... I'm good. The flight was good and the hotel is stacked. ... I mean it's wonderful. ... Yeah, I know, four years of college down the drain." She was looking to change the subject to dinner because she didn't want to keep everyone waiting long. "Hey, for dinner, I was thinking, do you wanna come out here. ... I don't know, but we're by the Rosemont, so there's plenty of restaurants here. ... You know I will not call it that. ... Mom, I'm not being childish, it's called being reminiscent." Nicole looked over at Maggie again and mouthed the words, 'All State Arena' with an attitude and an eye roll. She covered up the phone's receiver, "My mom says hi."

"Tell her I said hello!"

"Yeah, she says hello right back. ... Why don't you guys just come out here and then we'll figure it out. Worse comes to worse, we eat here. ... Here's the Hilton. ... Nothing but the best for my Boys. ... Okay, not my Boys. But, THE Boys. Is that better? ... You're welcome." During the whole conversation Nicole's eyes were shining brightly and her cheeks were beaming. She was beginning to really miss her mom and all the talks they had.

"Yeah, so just meet us here. ... Mom, Maggie's here, that's who else. ... No, no Backstreet Boys are coming to dinner." Maggie mouthed the words, 'Oh, come on. Bring 'em!" Nicole said loudly and firmly, "No!" Which was heard by her mom. "No, not you mom. No, sorry. I was talking to Maggie. ... No, Mom, none of the boys are in here. Look, I gotta go now. ... Yeah, I'm sure. We're going to get some food. ... Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow. ... Yeah, the Hilton by Rosemont. ... It's the Rosemont and that's it. ... Okay, I love you too. Buhbye."

She hung up the phone and Maggie made awing noises. "How cute. Your Mumma."

"Quit it. Let's hit the road."

Nicole grabbed for her purse when Maggie noticed the flashing light on the phone. "Message?"

"What?" Nicole looked at the phone, "What the-" and wondered when someone called. Must have been when she was on the phone with her mother, but she wondered who would have called. She called the front desk to retrieve her message and nearly dropped the receiver as her face dropped.

She spoke flatly. "Oh, okay. Thank you." She hung up the phone.

"What's wrong. Who was it?" Maggie was worried. She had almost never seen a face like this on her friend in all the time she knew her.

Nicole sat down on the edge of the bed and spoke softly. "Did you tell Scott I was in town?"

Maggie's eyes opened widely and her eyebrows rose high on her forehead with curiosity and wonder. "I mentioned I'd see you this week. Was that him?"

Nicole nodded her head slowly. "Uh huh." She spoke extremely slowly, "He- wants- to- see- me-."

Maggie asked when and she responded that he was staying in the same hotel and wanted her to call when she got in. He had just called moments ago. "What do I do?"

"Call him."

"No, I can't."

"Then don't and let’s go." She got up tugging at her friend who stayed motionless on the bed.

"No, I can't not call back."

"Then call him." Nicole began to shake her head and speak when Maggie interrupted. "Okay! You have to do one or the other. Now pick." Nicole sat silent. "Alright. Then I'll pick."

There was no response.

"You leave me no choice Nic." She picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. "Hi, can I have the room for Scott Marvell? ... Thank you." Once the rings came on she handed it to Nicole. "I'll be outside if you need me." She left the room, thinking about the bluff she just tried to make. She was certain Nicole would have snapped out of the 'trance' and know what she wanted.

Out in the hallway were the guys waiting for the ladies. They asked about Nicole and Maggie tried not to answer. She didn't know if anyone knew, besides the little information AJ got earlier that day during their ride. She told them Nicole might not be coming out for a little while, knowing if she weren't going to talk to Scott; she'd be out in a few moments. But, she also knew, if she was going to talk to him, it would be quite some time before she came out. The guys became restless and complained about timing and how hungry they were.

"Would you all calm down. Dang, you'd think you were always pampered. Oh, that's right you are." She spoke spitefully but still smiled. The tone was in defense of Nicole, but the smile was for AJ.

They all stood out in the hallway for about five or ten more minutes when AJ piped in, "What in God's name of slow moving women, is she doing in there?" Maggie was beginning to wonder herself but was bothered by AJ's comment. She grabbed him by his elbow and dragged him around the corner of the hallway. "WHAT?!"

She breathed deeply, so as not to be loud, or upset with him. "Remember Scott?" She didn't want to tell any of the guys, but figured since he already heard the name at least, she could tell him.

And she needed to give a reason to someone for Nicole's absence. He nodded in response.

"Okay, well he's in this hotel and called her."

"Like, now? This hotel?"

"Yeah Einstein. Well, he called when she was on the phone with her mom and left a message. So she's calling him back. That is what in 'God's name of slow moving women,' that she is doing in there."

He chuckled once she restated his line. "So you had to rough me up to tell me this?"

"Who else was I to tell? Besides, I heard you like it rough," Maggie gave him a little eyebrow raise.

He returned the look with a variation, a crooked smile. She laughed and swung at his arm. "Come on, let's go." She knocked on the door and called to her friend to answer the door.

It barely got cracked, but Maggie could see Nicole holding onto the phone still. "Just go without me," she spoke softly holding the handset away from her mouth.

Maggie figured this would happen, but still was in shock. "You're not gonna eat?"

"Nah. If I get hungry, I'll order something in."

"Or he will," Maggie said referring to Scott.

Nicole rolled her eyes, "Just go," then shut the door.

Maggie turned to the guys who were all trying to figure out the situation, but only AJ had an idea.

"Food and sights it is." She decided it would be fun being the guy's tour guide, even though she'd been down the streets many a times with Nicole. As they walked down the hall, she pulled on AJ's arm to draw him back from the group. "Just don't say anything to the others about this?" she asked sympathetically

He nodded and smiled with care. "She's great. I wouldn't want anything to go bad for her." Maggie began to wonder how much AJ liked Nicole. Apparently, AJ could read her mind. "Don't worry."

He threw his arm around her neck. He already knew Maggie liked him, and was beginning to think he would have fun hanging out with her. "I'm cheering for Kevin and Kristin to break up." They both laughed and joined the guys for the night out.