"I dunno. So you can impress your little cousin by being the 'big strong man'?" Nick offered, looking up from the drawing pad he was focusing on.
"What? did you just call me his 'little cousin'?" Brian asked, mocking offense, and turning away for a moment from the conversation he was having with one of Kevin's friends, Jake.
"I think he was referring to his other little cousin." AJ McLean interjected, nodding to the eighteen year old girl sitting next to Howie Dorough at one of the picnic talbes set up in Nick's back yard. "Although, you make a great little cousin, too, Rok."
"Gee, thanks." Brian anwered dryly, then he looked back down at his watch. "She's late." He muttered under his breath, wondering if Aimee had changed her mind, and decided that she didn't want to see him again, after all.
"Hey, Bri!" Tara Anna, Kevin's 'little cousin', stood up, and waved Brian over to her. "A blue Neon just pulled up, is that the girl you're waiting for?" Brian leaned over the porch railing a little, and craned his neck to see around the house. Aimee was stepping out of her car, followed by Jennie, who Brian didn't know well, but he did know that she and Aimee were extremely close.
"Yeah, it is." Brian answered, trying to sound noncholant. "Hey! Aimee!" He called, raising hus voice. "We're back here! Come one around!"
She heard his familiar voice, and she and Jennie started walking in to the yard, where twenty or thirty of Nick's friends were clumped together, laughing and eating handfuls of the chip and crackers that he had layed out on the tables as appetizers. "Hey Bri!" Aimee chirped, as she approached him. "What's up?"
He smiled at her, at a loss for anything to say. Luckily for him, Tara Anna jumped in. "You must be Aimee. I'm Tara Anna." She said, extending her hand. "Kevin's cousin. I'm staying with him for a few weeks."
"So you're Bri's cousin, too, then?" Aimee asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Tara Anna shook her head. "Nope. Just Kev's. We're realated through the other side of our family."
Aimee nodded, and started to respond, but she was interupted by a elbow in her side. "Oof!" She groaned, and shot Jennie a glare. "What was that for?" She snapped, but Jennie just motioned over to the other side of the yard.
"Oh. My. God. Aimee, look at that guy. Is he not the best looking guy you've ever seen in your entire life?" She squeaked, her green eyes locked on the top of Nick's head, as he was bent over the sketch pad. "Look at him!" She clapped her hands. "Wow. Who is that?"
"Obvoiusly you're not a Backstreet fan." Brian interjected, and Jennie blushed, not realizing that she'd spoken so loudly.
"Uh, well, not really. . ." She stumbled over the words, not wanting to offend Brian.
He smiled, and waved it off with a flick of his hand. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, that's Nick. Carter. It's his barbeque."
"Oh." Jennie looked over at him again. "He looks kinda lonely. Maybe I should go over and keep him company." She said, giving Aimee a little grin. "See you in a while, babe."
Aimee waved, and turned back to Brian. Tara Anna had drifted off into the crowd somewhere, and they were standing alone. "Hi." He said akwardly.
"Hi." Aimee answered, then laughed. "I think we already said that."
"Yeah. I think so too." Brian was beginning to feel a bit more at ease around her, now that they had spent more time together. Still, he didn't have anything to say that he didn't feel made him sound like a dork. He looked around the yard, and let his eyes rest on the swimming pool
After a minute, Aimee followed hisgaze, and when she saw where it landed, she backed up a few steps, and her eyes widened. "NO! No, no, no! No way!" She held her hands up in front of her face, and stepped farther back. "No! Not again! I'm wearing white!"
Brian, just grinned, and took another step towards her. "Deja vu?" He mused, smiling slightly. "Remember the last time it was just us, and a pool?"
Aimee laughed, and with out warning, Brian grabbed her around the waist and swung her over his shoulder. Aimee screamed, and kicked at him, but Brian just kept walking towards the pool. "Brian! Put! Me! Down!" She screamed.
"I don't think so." He said, laughing as he reached the pool. By now, everyone was looking at them, and Aimee was bright red with laughter, as was Brian. "On three. One. . . Three!" He cried suddenly, and threw her head first into the swimming pool.
Aimee's blond head sunk into the water, then bobbed back up, her mouth spitting out water, and her eyes blinking wildly. "Oh my God! Brian! That was so not cool!" She dog paddled over to the edge of the pool, and leaned on the side. "Aren't you even gonna help me out?" She snapped, trying unsuccessfully to scramble over the edge of the pool.
"No! I'm not stupid! I know you'll jsut pull me in there with you!" Brian cried, laughing harder than he had in a long time.
"Dude, you're mean." Nick stepped forward (everyone was gathered around the pool), and extended his hand down to Aimee. She smiled, and grabbed his hand. Without warning, she gave it a tug, and Nick came tumbling into the pool.