Kaylee Reid was playing with her dark brown hair and tapping her foot impatiently. She was nervous and her hazel eyes kept watching the ticking clock on the wall. Kaylee was waiting for her job interview to start and was anxious to get in the office room which so many men and women had already visited. She sighted and picked up a another magazine from the small table in front of her just when she heard her name called.

“Miss Reid?” A deep male voice asked from the office door. Kaylee smiled when she stood up and shook hands with the man.

“Hello,my name is Jonathan Hallet and I am going to do your interview today. Please come in.”

Kaylee followed Jonathan inside of the room and watched how he sat down. Following for his example she also sat down after handing her file to him. Kaylee sat there quietly and looked around the office while he went through some papers.

“So, Miss Reid…” Jonathan started but Kaylee interrupt him.

“Please, call me Kaylee. Miss Reid sounds so… Weird.” Kaylee said and gave him a warm smile.

“Okay then, Kaylee… I see that you have excellent recommendations here, great grades from school and… Oh, so you have graduated both Harvard and Yale? That’s incredible. So, tell me. Why did you want to qualify as a teacher?”

“It’s just something that I have always wanted. I remember being a little girl and trying to teach my big brother… I just wanted to do something from the children, they all have a change to go to school and I want to make sure that they also learn something.”

“Okay. Sounds good to me. Why you want to this job and what are your good sides according to this job?”

“Well, as you can see from some of the recommendations there this isn’t my first time that I would be teaching on the road. And I guess that I really want this job because it is also a change to me to remember how my childhood was like. I mean, my family used to travel a lot while I was younger and we never did stay at same place more than three weeks. So going in a regular school wasn’t a choice for us. That’s another good side of me, I guess. I know how hard it can be always just being on a road and trying to study there. That’s why I like to call myself more of child’s friend than a teacher. You need to make a connection with the kid you’re teaching. That’s how it all isn’t so bored and stuff like that. You really need make teaching a fun thing.”

“Allright.” Jonathan said and turned some pages of the file. “I really don’t what to ask… It seems like your file speaks for you.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” Kaylee asked nervously.

“Oh, it’s definitely a good thing. I think that Mr. and Mrs. Littrell will really consider you as a choice here. They let me and you know by Friday… Until then, it was nice to meet you and good luck.” Jonathan said and walked to the door and opened it to her.

“Thank you very much, have a nice week.” Kaylee said and walked out of the building.


***

It was now Wednesday afternoon and Kaylee had just came out of the shower she had take after her yoga class. She changed her clothes and locked her cabinet before heading towards her car. In the car she checked her messages and was suprised to have a call request from Jonathan Hallet. Dialing the number with shaking hands she hoper for the best. The phone beeped few times before someone answered.

“Jive Records Company, how can I help you?” A young female voice asked.

“Uhhmm,I was trying to reach Mr. Jonathan Hallet. I had a call request from him…”

“And your name is?”

“Kaylee, Kaylee Reid.”

“Okay, I’ll put you through to him. One second.”

“Thank you.” Kaylee waited and heard few beeps before the phone started to dial again.,

“Hello? Jonathan Hallet.”

“Hi Mr. Haller. This is Kaylee Reid speaking… You left me a call request?”

“Oh yes, hi Kaylee. I wanted to talk to you about the job interview we did on Monday…?”

“Yeah? What about it?”

“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Littrell have made their decision and… Well, congratulations. The place is yours.”

“Really?! Oh my God, thank you so much!”

“You welcome. And my best wishes for you. Can you come to the office in Friday? We need to make the contract and then you can also meet the young boy that you’ll be teaching.”

“Of course, just tell me what time and I’ll be there.”

Kaylee and Jonathan agreed the details for Friday afternoon and chatted for awhile before ending the call. Kaylee was so excited for this opportunity to work with the Littrell family. Hell, she was excited to get the road with the Backstreet Boys!

Kaylee opened up the cd-player in her car and put in the album she had just bought from the near shopping center. She smiled when the first song started to play and she heard male voices singing beautifully in harmony without any music. She started the engine just as the song changed and was surprised to hear so much energy in the song.

‘ Walking along the sky
Chasing a glimpse of you
Painting a world with stars I found inside your eyes
Up here above the haze
Everything looks so clear
Wondering what it would be like if you were here…’

Her listening session was interrupted by her cell phone ringing and she cursed her bad luck when she dropped the cell phone in the backseat floor. Swearing aloud she drove the car aside from the road and parked it there, turned around and started look out for the phone. Luckily she found it in record time and whoever the caller was, still kept ringing to her.

“Hello?” She asked breathless and rested her back to the seat.

“Lee? Did I call in a bad time… You sound like you just, well, had sex or something. Are you with that guy? The guy you met last weekend… Oh my Kaylee! Way to go girl!”

“Oh shut up Christy! You just scared the hell out of me when you called and I dropped the phone… And I didn’t slept with him! God, can’t you remember how he looked like…?”

“Yeah, yeah… Whatever. So what’s up? We haven’t talked since… Hmmh, let me see, yesterday morning? Have you heard anything about the job interview you went in Monday?”

“Nothing’s up. Just on my way back to home from the yoga class. And yeah, actually I had a call request in my phone today about the job…”

“So?! Did you got the job? When are you starting? Tell me everything!”

“Relax Christy…” Kaylee chuckled. “I was just going to tell you that I got the job when you interrupted me!”

“Oh my God! I’m so happy for you! So when are you starting?”

“Thank you. I’m going to meet them this Friday to agree some details. I guess I start when the tour starts… Don’t know yet, but I’m so freaking excited!”

“I bet you are! I know I would be… Being so close with him, gosh!”

“Yeah, but I don’t like him. I mean, he’s good looking and all but… I just like my boy better.”

“Of course you do, that’s why Nick is mine and AJ is yours, right?”

“Yeah. God, I feel like a little girl right now, talking about the Backstreet Boys as they really are our men. Besides, it’s not sure if I could even see him or anything. I mean, I am going to be teaching Baylee in the end. It’s not like he would be there too. Gosh, could you imagine him sitting there studying first grade math?” Kaylee laughed to herself when image of AJ sitting in front of the school table formed in her head.

She smiled when he raised his hand and wanted to ask something. “Yes Alex?”

“Miss, could you help me with this task, it is really hard…”

“Of course. So what seems to be the problem?”

“Well, if you could just sit down here next to me and I’ll tell you it.”

“Allright, let me see that book of yours. Biology? Hmmh, I thought we were studying math today…” Kaylee said and looked deep into AJs eyes.

“We were until I got bored and wanted to learn biology with you…” His deep voice caused shivers for her and she took a deep breathe before leaning towards him.

“And what did you wanted to learn, Mr. Mclean?” She asked and licked her lips seductively.

“Just how exactly a man should kiss a woman…” He answered and put his strong tattooed hands around Kaylee.

“You want me to show you?” Kaylee whispered and moaned when he pulled her close to him before they get lost in a deep passionate kiss. Their lips softly tasted each other and their tongues were exploring each others mouths. She moaned out of pleasure when his hand found another one of her boobs and started gently massage it…

“Hello?! Earth to Kaylee…Hon, you’re still there??”

“Huh?” Kaylee asked when she realized that someone called her name.

“You’re still there? What were you thinking? Oh wait, I don’t want to know your dirty dreams with Mr. AJ…”

“Oh sush now… It wasn’t that bad. So what did you say before I got lost in my dreams here.”

“Nothing important, just reminded you about hooking me and Mr. Carter up…”

“Of course, it’s a done deal. Your excited? I know how badly you want to see he and his little friend…”

“Shut up Lee! It’s not like you don’t want to see AJs little friend too…”

“Yeah, but I bet it isn’t so little… “

“Oh yeah? Big enough to satisfy you? So when I’m staying with Nick all I can hear form next room is bed creaking and you yelling ’Oh Alex, oh yeah… More, I want more. Oh god, I’m coming… Aleexxx!’”

“Yeah? What about you and Nick? Because I know in fact that you can’t be quiet in bed…”

“Okay. It’s a tie. We both won. Allright?”

“Okay. Hey, what if we see tonight? Make some food and drink some fine wine? We could make a plan how seductive our men…”

“Sounds good to me. Eight o’clock in your place?”

“Yeah, I’ll bring the food, bring you the wine.”

“Allright, see you later! Bye.”

“Bye.” Kaylee said and closed the phone.

She started the engine and continued her way smiling when another song started to play.

‘The first night that we met
I will never forget
Baby, you were a star
From that point in time
It was always you and I shining
So beautiful
When we're out with your friends
You treat me like I'm dead
It was like I'm invisible…’

Kaylee closed the cab door and waited for the driver to drove off before she started to cross the street. She had to avoid cars a time or two and was almost hit by a driver who was speeding. It was now Friday afternoon and Kaylee had spend almost the whole morning to get ready for the meeting where she was supposed to meet the Littrell family for the first time. She was so nervous that she had changed her outfit dozens of times before making up her mind. Now she was wearing a pair of dress pants and a top with jacket on it. She thought that she was decent looking with that outfit and her hair pulled back on a ponytail. Walking through a whirling door and the front lounge she realized that someone was just getting into the elevator and yelled after that person just when the close were closing up.

“Please hold the doors!” Kaylee ran to the elevator and was taken back when she realized who was in the elevator with her.

“Which floor?” Nick Carter asked.

“Ninth please… Thanks” Kaylee whispered and looked at his blue eyes in a disbelief when the elevators doors closed. She swallowed hard and took few steps away until her back touched the wall behind her. He just stood there and smiled to her before turning around to face the panel where the buttons were.

“Hey, we’re going to the same floor!” Nick said when he pushed the button and the elevator started its ride upstairs. They both stood there quietly and watched the numbers in the panel growing bigger and bigger when the elevator suddenly stopped its journey between the sixth and the seventh floor. All their hear was a loud bang and some creepy squeaking. It was like and old seesaw swinging and creaking in the wind, just like you see and hear in some old horror movies.

“Oh great!” Kaylee breathed and pushed the alarm button few times. “Why doesn’t this stupid button work?” She started to panic a little.

“Just relax and let me see… There you go.” Nick said when they heard the alarm go on. “It shouldn’t take too long to get us out of here.”

“Good. I have a claustrophobia. It tends to burst out now and then. Being in a elevator is the worst. I can be in a plane, bus or small cars and in trains too. Even in small closed rooms. But being in a elevator is the worst, I just can’t stand the cold metal around me, it drives me nuts. By the way, did you know that the name claustrophobia comes from the Latin word claustrum which means "a bolt” or ”a place shut in" and the Greek word phobos meaning "fear"? You didn’t? It’s okay, now you do. I can also teach you how to add the numbers up very fast…Or anything else you want to learn… I’m sorry, I am speaking too much and too fast now. I just better shut up.” Kaylee took a deep breathe and started to scream while banging the doors. ”Help! Anyone?! I need to get out of here! Help, please!!”

Next thing she knew was Nicks hands around her waist. He gently lifted her away from the door and put her down next to the back wall. She started to cry when Nick took her head between his hands and looked straight to her eyes.

“Relax, take a deep breathe and stop crying, you‘re going to be all right. Good girl.” Nick said when Kaylee took a really deep breathe before wiping the tears away. He stood up and kept his eyes in hers when he pushed the alarm button again. It was still calling loud and they both wondered why it took so long to come and get them out of there. Nick sat down next to Kaylee who pulled her legs close to her cheast.

“I’m Nick by the way. Nick Carter.” Nick said and held his hand out for her. She took it and they shook hands when Kaylee introduced herself.

“Kaylee. Kaylee Reid. And I know who you are…” She said and shyly smiled. She started to rock backward and forward while mumbling a song that Nick soon recognized.

“Know what? Every time I am scared I like to sing. It keeps me calm ,don’t know why but it just does. Do you mind if I sing with you?” Nick asked and started to sing softly with and to her.


’You see colors no one else can see
In every breath you hear a symphony
You understand me like nobody can
I feel like my soul unfolding like a flower blooming…
When this whole world gets too crazy
And there's nowhere left to go
I know you give me sanctuary
You're the only truth I know
You're the road back home…’

She smiled when he stopped and stood up when she heard a voice coming somewhere above from them.

”You heard that?” She asked from Nick.

”Heard what?” Nick asked after he had raised up from the floor.

”It sounded like someone called us. There, you heard it?” Kaylee asked excited.

”Yeah, I think I did!” He said and they both started to yell.

”Hello?! Anybody there? Were down here, trapped in the elevator!”

They heard a male speaking to some one.

”Hey Tom! I think there’s people trapped in there! I’m going down to found out if anybody’s hurt.” It took a while and then they hear a bang coming from the elevator roof.

”Hello? Anybody there?” The man asked.

”Yes! Were here!” Kaylee yelled and gave Nick a wide smile.

”Okay. Listen, my name is Carl and I’m going to help you guys out of there. I just need to know few things first, allright? How many there are of you? And is everybody okay?”

”Okay. There is two of us and physically we’re fine, it’ just that another one us has a claustrophobia. So can you get us out of here as fast as possible?” Nick asked.

”Sure. I need to climb back up to grab some tools but I’ll be right back, few more minutes and you both will get away from there. Just hang on!” The rescuer, Carl, said and left them to be alone for awhile. For Kaylee it felt like forever before he came back but in reality he had been gone just three minutes.

”Okay. Now listen carefully. I need to ask you guys back up to the back corner in right side of you. Turn around and cover up your faces.” They did just as he had ordered and Nick even took his jacket off and covered them up with it.

”You two ready there?” Carl asked and started to slowly weld the roof. It took about wife minutes him to make a hole up in the roof. When he had finished he kick the panel in put his head out of the hole. ”I’m finished you can come out now. Here is a safe cable, put it around your waist and I will pull you up.” He said when he dropped the cable down.

”Ladies first.” Nick said and Kaylee smiled while putting the cable around her waist. ”Okay, I’m ready!” She yelled to Carl who started to pull her up. It took only few seconds to get the elevator roof and out of the lift shaft. When she had took the cable off she was almost surrounded by people, both medical staff and just people who were curios to see the person who had been trapped in the elevator almost 30 minutes.

”Miss, you okay?” A female nurse asked her.

”Yes, just need a little space to breathe. Another than that I’m fine, thank you very much.”

”Another one coming up!” A man yelled somewhere in the crowd.

”Make a room!” The same nurse said while they took Nick to the spot where Kaylee was checked out.

”Wow. Nasty looking cut you have there… It wasn’t there when I left you.” Kaylee pointed out to Nicks hand which was bleeding.

”Yeah. I cut when they lift me up… I guess I am not so small as you are.” He smirked and turned around when he heard his name called.

”Nick! Yo dude! You okay?” AJ Mclean asked when he walked towards his friend. Kaylees cheek got red when she watch the friends talking to each other. She blushed even more when AJ caught her watching him and gave her a quick but warm smile. Kaylee turned around to gather all her stuff and turned around just to found out that AJ had already left his friend. Being disappointed at AJ leaving she was also ready to leave when Nick came to her.

”Well Kaylee, it was pleasure to meet you and spend some time with you down in the elevator. Hopefully we’ll meet again someday… Until then, goodbye.” Nick said and gave her a hug.

”Yeah. Bye!” Kaylee said and walked into the ladies room to wash up her face. Her make up was all smeared up but she didn’t care it too much. She cleaned it a bit, just to look okay again. After that she took a deep breathe and smiled to herself before walking out of the bathroom.

”Whoa!” She yelled while she was almost fall down by little blonde boy.

”I’m so sorry for that. Are you okay?” A red haired woman asked from her. ”Baylee Littrell! Get your little butt over here so we can go and find your uncles.”

”Yeah, I’m fine…” Kaylee said and smiled when she realized who the little boy was. ” So, you must be Mrs. Littrell? I am Kaylee Reid, I’ll be teaching Baylee.”

”Oh god, no!” The woman said and giggled. ”My name is Amanda, I’m Baylees babysitter. Mr. and Mrs. Littrell are in the office room… Right there.” Amanda said and pointed out the room.

”Oh,okay. Thank you. It was nice to meet you, Amanda.”

”You too Kaylee.”

Kaylee walked to office room door and gently knocked it.

”Excuse me? Mr. and Mrs. Littrell? I’m Kaylee Reid, I’ll be teaching your son…” She said when she found out the couple sitting in front of an office desk. Brian and Leighanna both stood up and shook hands with her.

”It’s nice to meet, Jonathan seems to be little late so we have to wait for him before making any contracts…” Brian said and smiled. ”But please, sit down all tell us about you and your day so far.”

Kaylee sat down and started to tell little things about her. She had born in Pierre, South Dakota but her family had soon moved to Des Moines, Iowa where she spend most of her childhood. When she was a teenager and almost finished high school they had moved to Concord, New Hampshire where her parents still lived. After she went to college and chose Harvard because it was close and because of its fame. After graduating from there she took postgraduate studies in Yale. And now she lived in LA and wanted to teach young kids. She also shared everything what had happened earlier that day in the elevator with Nick and how he had helped her to get over her panic attack.

”Wow. I’m just glad that you are okay.” Leighanne said and smiled to her. That’s when Jonathan walked in.

”Sorry I’m late, the elevator was broken and it took some time to fix it… I see that you guys get along fine, good. Well, let’s get straight to business. Brian, Leighanne. Here’s your part of the contract. It’s pretty much like the one you have with your nanny. Kaylee, here’s yours. Please read it through and let me know if there’s anything you are worried about. It’s had everything in it that we spoke yesterday on the phone…” Jonathan said and gave everybody their copy of the contract. Kaylee carefully read it through and let Jonathan know that she was happy with it and Brian and Leighanne agreed, so they signed it.

”Welcome to the family.” Brian said and smiled.

”Thank you.” Kaylee said and thought that this was going to be something big to her. All she hoped was little love from certain Backstreet Boy…

“Kaylee? Hello, hon you’re here?”

“I’m in the bedroom Christy! Just c’mon in!” Kaylee yelled while packing her last suitcase. All her stuff had already shipped to Brians and Leighannes house. She had agreed to spend time with the Littrells in their LA apartment before the tour hits the road. That’s how she would be able to get to know Baylee and also Amanda, who was already staying there, better. Finishing off her packing she returned to living room where her friend Christy waited her.

“Whoa!” Kaylee said when she saw her friend. “You changed your hair color!”

“Yeah, like it?” Christy asked while spinning around. Her long blonde hair sparkled with the sun.

“Yeah, you look amazing!” Kaylee said and hugged her friend. “Should I’ve done something to my hair? Maybe cut them a little…?” She wondered and took a piece of her hair into her hand.

“No! You look great the way you are! Never doubt that… And if some guy doesn’t like your hair he is not worth of you. Oooh, you’re worried that AJ would not notice you tonight? Don’t be, we are going to find you a outfit that blows his mind off”

“It’s not even sure if he will be there… Brian just said that they invited everybody and I assumed that meant AJ also… And when he told me to bring friend with me I thought you of course because of Nick.”

“And I really really appreciate it…” Christy said and smiled. “Now, what were you going to wear tonight?” She asked when they returned the bedroom.

“I was thinking just jeans and maybe some cute top… No?” Kaylee asked when she saw the look on her friends face.

“Why don’t you wear that cute green tunic that you bought from Bebes last week? And those white Bermuda shorts you found in the sale?” Christy asked while digging out of the clothes.

“It just a welcome party…”

“Yeah Lee, for you! Now get in the shower and I’ll help you to get ready…”

Kaylee went to the bathroom and started the shower. She was happy that her best friend had come to help her but she still felt weird about dressing up just because of AJ. But maybe that’s why she never had long relationships. She washed her hair and body before stepping out of the shower. She put a towel around her wet hair before pulling a rope around her body. Then she walked to the bedroom where Christy was waiting for her. Together they started to get ready for the party although Christy was all set ready when she had come to Kaylees place. She just finished her make up and started to help Kaylee to do her hair. They decided to leave her hair open and do some big but sexy curls. It took awhile but the finishing look was ‘amazing’ like Kaylee herself described it after seeing herself from the mirror. Soon enough it was their time to leave. They took Kaylees car and headed to their destination.

“Oh, why in the hell did I pack so much close in?” Kaylee asked from herself while carrying her suitcase to the front door where Christy was already standing. She softly knocked and it didn’t took long the door open.

“Wow…” Nick whispered when he had opened the door. “Kaylee? Is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me…” She answered while walking past him. “Christy, c’mon in. I am going to go and drop this off to my room. Meet me in the pool area?”

“I can help you with that…” Nick offered but all he got was a cold shoulder from her.

“Just show Christy where’s the pool area, plese…” She said before walking to upstairs and to her room where she would be staying for the couple of weeks. She put her suitcase in to the closet and left the room. Walking back to the downstairs she heard voices coming from the kitchen and made a decision to stop there. She walked in there just when Amanda, the babysitter, ran past her. Apparently she had forgot something in her room because few minutes later she came back.

“Hi Kaylee! Wow, you look nice today…” Amanda said and smiled.

“Thanks, so do you. So… Is everybody already here?”

“No, we’ll still waiting for Howie and his wife… And some of Brians and Leighannes friends are coming too. But c’mon, let’s go out!” She said and pulled Kaylee out to the pool area where Christy was talking to some guy. She spotted her friend and waved her hand to her. Kaylee smiled to her when Nick came to her and offered her a drink.

“Here, you must be thirsty… “ He said and offered her a bottle of beer.

“Thanks…” She thanked him and turned around to walk away when Nick stopped her.

“Kaylee, baby, wait…” He said and pulled her close to him. “I just wanted to say that I’m glad that you’ll be coming to the tour with us. You know, maybe we can spend time together then..?” He said and smirked.

“Hhhmmhh… I really don’t think so Nick. I’m sorry but I’m just not that into you…” She said, turned around and walked away to talk to Leighanne and Brian.

They chatted awhile before Kaylee was pulled away to meet some new people. She was introduced dozens of people but her eyes kept looking for AJ. Tired of talking to so many people she walked to the pool and sat down there. Kaylee noticed Nick and Christy talking and was glad to see her friend so happy. She started to think about her past and future when someone cleared his throat behind her. Kaylee turned around and was in shock to found that it had been AJ.

“Hi. Can I sit here with you? I am not a party person…” He explained when he saw the confused look on her face.

“Sure… My name is Kaylee.” She said and smiled to him.

“Nice to meet you Kaylee. I’m Alex.” He said and smiled. “So… Why are you sitting here all alone? I thought these were your welcome party?”

“Yeah, they are… Just didn’t feel like talking to people I don’t even know…”

“I feel the same. I was supposed to spend some time with Nick and talked about the tour… But as you can see his mouth is stuck to somewhere else.” He said and pointed out Nick kissing Christy.

“Yeah…”

“Do you mind me asking if you came here by yourself or..?”

“The girl kissing Nick is my friend.” Kaylee simply said and giggled.

“What?” AJ asked.

“Nothing…” Kaylee said and giggled again. “Sorry… Just remembered something funny.” She explained before bursting out to laugh. “Okay… This isn’t… Funny…” She said between laughs.

“Tell me, why are you laughing so much? I don’t mind it, you have a beautiful laugh… You laughing at me?” AJ asked in confuse.

“Oh god no!” Kaylee gasped and touched his arm. “I would never laugh to you… Not in purpose anyway.” She said and shyly smiled to him.

“Good.” He said and smiled back to her. They kept staring at each others eyes and to Kaylee it felt like the time had stopped. But the spell was broken by Nick who had jumped into the pool and pulled Christy there after him. They got all the water on them.

“Oh great…” Kaylee murmured when her clothes were all wet. “I need to go and change…”

“I’ll walk you in.” AJ said and helped her to stood up. “What? I need a towel to dry myself.” He said when he saw the smile on Kaylees face.

“Yeah right…” She said and smirked when they walked inside and to the upstairs. There AJ went into one of the bathrooms while Kaylee went into her room and changed her outfit. Now she was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white tank top.

“Kaylee, can I come in?” AJ asked behind the door.

“Oh… Sure, it’s open.” She said while drying her hair into a towel. AJ walked in there without wearing his t-shirt. Kaylee dropped the towel in the floor when she realized that AJs upper body was complete naked and that she could really see his abs.
“Oh.. Uh. Lost something in the bathroom?” She managed to ask while checking his body out.

“Yeah, my shirt is all wet… Need to talk to Brian and ask if he can give me a new one. Just wanted to make sure that you’re allright.”

“Oh, I’m perfect now…” She said and looked into his eyes.

“Okay then… I’m going to find Brian. Meet me in downstairs?” He asked before leaving the room.

“God! He’s hot!” Kaylee thought and walked into the kitchen and started to make some coffee.

“Hmmh, smells good…” AJ said when he walked into the kitchen wearing one of Brian’s shirts.

“You want a cup of it?”

“Sure.”

They sat down to the kitchen table and started to chat. Kaylee asked about the tour and how it was going to be and what to except. AJ in the another hand wanted to know if Kaylee only taught children or adults too.

“Well, mostly kids… But sometimes adults too… Why you asked?”

“Don’t know.. Just wanted to found it out..” He said and smirked.

“Your interesting in school? If you want to I can teach you…” Kaylee said and blushed when she remembered her nasty dream.

“I’ll take that as a promise…” AJ said. They kept sitting in the kitchen all night long and when it was time to AJ to leave Kaylee felt so bad.

“Well, good night then.” She said and smiled.

“Good night. I’ll see you in Friday, I guess?”

“Yeah. Friday.” Kaylee said and her smile grew bigger.

“Until Friday then…” AJ said and gave her a warm hug. “It was nice to spend time with you Kaylee…”

She just stood there without saying a word and watched how he walked to his car and drove off.

The Doorbell rang for the third time when Kaylee ran downstairs. She had been upstairs getting ready to leave for her daily jogging session. When she came downstairs she heard voices from kitchen and felt little pissed off because she had have ran downstairs in such a hurry.

“It’s fine! I got the door!” She yelled and opened up the door. Her eyes popped out when she realized it was Nick who had been ranging the doorbell.

“Hi.” She said and looked at him. “Uuhhm, Brian isn’t home right now… “ She simply said.

“Oh, okay… Well, I come by later then. Tell him that I dropped by.” Nick said and started to walk to his car.

“Nick, wait!” Kaylee said, closed the front door and ran after him. “Can we talk? Please?”

“Sure.” He said and stood next to his car.

“Listen… About Saturday night. I didn’t mean to be so cruel and cold to you. I think I was just so nervous about all the people there and didn’t really realize how I acted towards you and some other people. So, I’m sorry. I really appreciate all the help you gave in elevator last Friday, I think that without your help I wouldn’t be able to stay so calm. So thank you for that.” Kaylee said and shyly smiled.

“Well, you’re welcome. And I think I was little drunk Saturday night, so…”

“Oh. Okay. So are we ‘kay? I mean, are you okay with me coming to the tour with you?”

“Yes, we are just fine. Friends?” He asked and offered his hand to her. She took and shake it with a smile on her face.

“Friends. I tell Brian that you came by…”

“Thanks!” Nick said and climbed into his car and drove off. Kaylee watched while he took off and after that left for running.


***

“Hello?” Kaylee answered to her phone. She had been in the shower when she had heard her phone ringing and now her hair was dropping water into the floor.

“Kaylee? Hi, this is AJ…”

“Oh. Hi, how are you?” Kaylee asked in a surprise and smiled happily.

“I’m fine, thanks. You?”

“I’m allright. Just got out of the shower. I went jogging earlier today so..”

“You did? Wow, I can’t even remember the last time I was jogging… Maybe I should start jogging again, to come back in shape again. How was it for you?”

“It was pretty good. It makes me feel relaxed. And yeah, it does keep me in shape. But you, in the other hand… You don’t need to start jogging! You looked amazing what I remember from last Saturday…” Kaylee said and blushed.

“Oh yeah? So you were checking my body out then?” AJ asked and chuckled.

“Well, maybe I was… Maybe I wasn’t. But let’s face it. You and the guys have been working your asses out because of the tour. You can’t be out of shape!”

“Thank you, I guess. But anyways… I called you to ask if you wanted to hang out with me or something like that before Friday..?”

“Wow. Yeah, that sounds good to me. So what do you have in mind?”

“I was thinking that maybe you can some over here and I can make dinner to us. And maybe watch a movie or something. How does that sound to you?”

“Sounds perfect. So, when we are going to see each other then?” Kaylee asked nervously.

“How about Wednesday? I think I have the rest of the week free, so… What ever works for you.”

“Wednesday is fine. I am just hanging out here, basically doing nothing. “ Kaylee laughed a little.

“Okay, how about I come and pick you up around six then?” AJ asked.

“Sure, I’ll be waiting for it. So, I’ll see you on Wednesday then?”

“Yeah, till Wednesday then. It was nice talking to you.”

“It was? Good, I liked talking to you too…”

“Yeah? Why?”

“I don’t know. I just felt like it…” Kaylee said and smiled.

“Okay. Well I gotta go now… My mom is coming over and I wanted to surprise her with making some lunch. But like I said it was nice talking to you.”

“Aaww, that’s so sweet. And I’ll let you go then. See you in Wednesday, bye!”

“Bye.”

Kaylee sat down and smiled. She changed her clothes and went downstairs to found out that Brian and Leighanne had come back.
“Hey guys! How was your day?” She asked from Leighanne who was loading stuff into the fridge.

“It was perfect. Brian took me out to a restaurant where we had our first date… It was so sweet.”

“Hey, nothing but the best for my beautiful wife!” Brian said and gave Leighanne a kiss.

“That’s so sweet. I hope that I would find a man just like Brian some day. You two look so amazing together.” Kaylee said and smiled. She hoped that AJ would be the one for her. Then she remembered that Nick had came by earlier and mentioned it to Brian.

“Thanks for letting me know, Kaylee.” Brian said. “So how was it for you? To see him? I noticed that you two weren’t coming along in Saturday…”

“It was okay. I apologized and thanked him.. And well, we agreed to be friends.”

“That’s good. Really good, and I appreciate that you are ready to do that so we all could be happy on tour. There is nothing worst than unhappy Nickolas on tour.”

Kaylee chuckled and left the room, she went upstairs and thought that the tour would change her and maybe someone’s else life. At least she hoped for it.

It was a raining lightly when Kaylee opened up the curtains. She looked out and noticed that the sky was all dark and cloudy. ‘So much for the sun then’ she thought and left her room. While making her way downstairs she decided to give a call to Christy and ask her opinion of the outfit she was planning on wearing that night. When she arrived to the kitchen she found that Howie and Leigh were also there.

“Hello guys!” She said and hugged them both. “How are you?”
“We’re fine. How about you? I heard that you and Alex are going for a dinner tonight?” Howie said and smiled warmly.
“Oh… Yeah, he’s supposed to cook for me, I guess. And then after that we might watch a movie or something…”
“Well that sounds really nice. I’m glad that you two are getting along so well.” Leigh said.
“Yeah, me too…” Kaylee said and blushed. “Now if you excuse me, I’m leaving for my last yoga class. I’ll see you two not later than Friday. Bye!” She said and walked to her car.
She felt a little sad while driving because this was indeed going to be her last yoga class before the tour. On the other hand she was really excited about the tour and the teaching she would be doing there. In the previous night she had done some shopping and bought some school books for Baylee too. Kaylee hoped that Baylee would like them and that teaching him would be a fun experience. She smiled when she remembered something that he had said a few days earlier and realized that while thinking of her new family and friends she had drove past by her traffic route and therefore had to take a another route to the class. This route was a little bit longer but thankfully she wasn’t late and was able to enjoy the class before saying goodbye to her classmates and her teacher.
“So, you’re really leaving then?” Her yoga teacher, Maria, asked.
“Yeah, the family is leaving on Friday so….” Kaylee said and smiled. She knew very well that she wasn’t supposed to talk about the Littrell family at all, it was in the contract.
“You’re excited?” One of her classmates asked.
“Hell yeah! I mean, of course I am. This is something I’ve always loved to do, so why wouldn’t I be excited?”
“So, who are you teaching this time?” Maria asked.
“Maria, you know very well that I can’t tell you that…” Kaylee said and chuckled. “Maybe I’ll send you a postcard or something.”
“What? Wait! A Postcard?” Maria asked confused.
“Never Mind. I’m sorry but I really should be going now…”
“Of course. Have a nice time then honey!” They all hugged her and said their goodbyes to her.


“Oh c’mon! Answer the phone!” Kaylee said nervously. She was wearing her bathrobe and was trying to get a hold on of Christy. This was the fift time she was calling to her and still no answer. Usually she picked up the phone really fast and Kaylee was getting a little worried. The phone beeped and Christy’s voice mail went on.
“Christy! Pick up! I’m getting a little worried. Well, just call me as soon as you hear this and all the other messages I left you. I hope your allright. Oh, and I wanna know how your Saturday night continued with Mr. Carter…” Kaylee chuckled and continued. “But seriously, give me a call as soon as you hear this!”
She ended the call and let out a heavy breathe. She was really worried about her best friend, last time they talked were on Saturday before Christy left with Nick. Apparently they had been having a fun time because Kaylee remembered how hard it was to them keep their hand off from each other. And then she realized it. She ran downstairs and started to look out for Brian. She ran into the living room and almost bumped into Leighanne who was carrying an empty coffee mug.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry Leigh! I was looking for Brian and didn’t see you at all…”

“It’s allright. I’m okay. Brian is outside with Bay, but why are you looking at him ? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for AJ?”

“Yeah, I was getting ready but then I tried to call my friend and she wasn’t answering and now I need Brian to give me Nick’s number.” Kaylee mouthed all out and took a deep breath.

“Wait,wait. All I managed to understand was that you were getting ready and then..?”

“I tried to call my friend Christy, the one I brought with me on Saturday… Well, she isn’t answering her phone at all which is really unusual for her and I’m getting little worried about it. I haven’t talked with her since the weekend and… Well, I was hoping that maybe Nick would have heard of her or something. It’s worth of asking for it at least.”

“Nick? Why Nick would… Oh, Christy was the blonde girl who left with Nick? ” Leighanne asked and when Kaylee nodded her head she continued. “Let’s go out and Brian could give Nick a call. I’m sure your friend is all right.”
“Thanks Leighanne.” Kaylee hugged her before they walked to the patio.
“Honey! Come over here!” Leighanne yelled to her husband who was playing football with his son.
“Be right back Bay, your mom wants to talk to me. Practice that pass little man!” Brian said and ran to the girls. “What’s up?” He asked and tried to kiss Leighanne.
“Eeeeew, Brian you’re all sweaty!” She tried to push him away but Brian managed to give her a small kiss. “All right, you finished already? Kaylee and I need you to give Nick a call...”

They explained why and as soon as they had finished Brian got his phone out of his pocket and gave a call to Nick. They chatted for awhile and then they finished. He put his phone away and sadly shook his head.

“I am sorry Kaylee. He haven’t heard anything about Christy. Last time they had spoke was Sunday. Nick said that he had been trying to call her for few days now.”
Kaylee sat down and shook his head.“Oh Chritsy. Where are you and why aren’t you answering your phone?!”
“Have you talked to any of her other friends? What about her family?” Leighanne asked.
“I called some of her friends and her mom. They haven’t heard anything about her since Monday. Her mom said that Christy was talking about some job interview but that’s all. But they aren’t in good terms so I don’t know…” The doorbell rang and stopped her. “Oh no! It can’t be… What time is it?”
“5:30 pm. I am going to get the door.” Brian said and went inside.
“Do you think we should call the police and report her as missing person?” Kaylee asked and few tears escaped from her eyes.
“I think we should check her apartment first and make decisions after that. What do you say?”
“Yeah, that sounds like a plan. But AJ… I need to call to him.” Kaylee stood up and was walking inside when Brian came outside with none other than AJ.
“Kaylee! Hi!” He said and gave her a hug.
“Hi. I’m sorry.” That was all she said before she started to cry and ran inside.
“Did I do something wrong?” AJ asked confused.
Brian and Leighanne looked each other and sat AJ down. They told him all about Christy and how she wasn’t answering her phone. They also shared the information how worried Kaylee was about her friend and how worried they were about Kaylee. They talked for a while and agreed that Leighanne would go upstairs to check about Kaylee. Se gently knocked her door and went inside when she didn’t got any answer.

“Kaylee?” Leighanne sat down to the bed where Kaylee was crying. “Hey, come here…” She gently pulled Kaylee into her lap and hugged her. “Sssh. I promise we would do all we can to found Christy.”
“How about Brian and the boys? They have tour coming on?” Kaylee asked and sat up.
“Well, we talked about it if it is necessary Baylee and I would stay here with you and help you to find out what happened to Christy.”
“You think something have happened to her?” Kaylee asked.
“I don’t know. I pray for the God that she’s all right.” Leighanne said and smiled.
“Thank you. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why you and Brian are being so nice to me? I mean, we just met last Friday. You barely know me at all. And still you are ready to help me out. Why?”
“Well. We have learned to read people I guess. Like, we know from the first meeting if we can trust the person or not. And we both feel like you are something special and that you’re are going to be so good for us and Baylee to. Trust me, when you’re a mom or in this business you know these kind of things. Hope this made some sense to you, I’m not good at explaining things.”
“I think I kind of know what you mean. Thank you.” Kaylee smiled. “Oh, is AJ still downstrais?”
“Yeah,we told him about Christy and the situation. Hope that’s okay.”
“Yes. Thank you actually. Could please tell him that I would be down in 15 minutes. I mean, if he still wants to cook for me…” Kaylee said, blushed and vanished into the bathroom.
She was worried about her best friend but decided that tonight she would try not to stress about it and just enjoy herself. And if she wouldn’t call back before the morning she would drive to her house and check it out. And all that what would happened after that… Well, she would found it out tomorrow.

He opened the door for her and she stepped out of the car.

“Thank you.” Kaylee said and gave AJ a warm smile.

“You welcome. Here, let me get your purse and jacket. ” He said after they have entered the house from the front door and helped Kaylee to take off her white jacket.

Kaylee looked around in the big hall. The high ceiling and the warm colors on the walls made Kaylee felt like she was home again. AJ walked her into the big living room and she smiled when she noticed some familiar faces looking at her from photos hanging on the wall and sitting in the table. She walked over the fireplace and took one of the photos in her hand. There was AJ with the boys back in the day, looking so young and happy. She put it back and looked at a picture where a middle age woman with brown and red hair was smiling a warm smile. She took it and showed it to AJ.

“Is this your mom?” Kaylee asked and AJ nodded. “She is so pretty.”

Kaylee smiled and put the photo frame back on its own place. For a little time she just looked around asking question about AJs family and friends. AJ also asked about her past and Kaylee told him everything he wanted to know. They chatted for awhile before it was time to move to the next room. She followed him in the kitchen where he had already started cooking. Kaylee sat down and took a deep breath.

“Something smells really good!”

“Thank you. I am making some chicken and guacamole, hope that’s all right.”

“Yeah, sounds delicious! Do you need any help?”

“No, I am all right. You just sit tight there and let me take care of anything. Oh, I’m sorry! Would you like something to drink?” AJ asked and wipe his hands in the towel which was hanging by the sink.

“Nah, I’m just fine.” Kaylee answered and had to repeat herself few times before AJ believed her.

It took a while before AJ was finished the cooking and guided Kaylee outside to the patio, which was decorated whit lights and candles. There was also soft music playing in the background.

“Wow. Alex… This is… It’s just so beautiful, thank you.” Kaylee said in amazed while AJ helped her to sit down.

He poured some water in their glasses and served the food. Kaylee took a bite from the chicken and the taste of it filled her mouth. She felt like she was eating in a fancy restaurant or something. The chicken tasted excellent and the guacamole was amazing, Kaylee had never taste anything so good. But still, even she was really enjoying herself; she couldn’t stop thinking about Christy.

“Are you all right?” AJ asked when Kaylee was playing with her food.

“Yeah, just thinking about Christy. Sorry.”

“Oh, that’s all right. If I wouldn’t hear from my friends in days I would be worried too.”

“This isn’t her, you know? Usually she calls me three times in day! And now… I haven’t heard anything for four days. It makes me so worried about. After all she is one of my best friends. We’ve known each other like ten years now. ”

“I am sorry Kaylee. I really hope she is going to be all right. Maybe there is just a simple explanation why she hadn’t call you back… Maybe she had found a new boyfriend or something like that.”

“I don’t think so. I mean, she was with Nick last weekend. Although, it wouldn’t be the first time she changes man so quickly. I just hope she could use some common sense and call me back. Gosh! I am sorry AJ but I think I really should go to her apartment and check if she is okay. I really enjoyed the food and your company and all… I am just so worried.”

“All right. I’ll drive you there.”

“What? Wait, wait… You don’t have to do that. I can go by myself.”

“No. I insist. Please, just let me took you there and then back to Brians house…”

“Hmmhh… All right then. If you insist.”

“I’ll insist. Okay, let me clean the table first and then we should get going.”

AJ cleaned the table with a little help from Kaylee. After that he helped her to put her jacket back on and into the car. She thanked him and told where Christy lived. It took almost 20 minutes to drive there and during that time Kaylee became more nervous. She really hoped that her friend was all right.

“That’s the house!” Kaylee said and pointed it out to AJ.

“Looks likes there’s lights on. You wanna go inside?” AJ asked.

“Yeah. Umh, would come with me? Just in case…” Kaylee said and blushed. She didn’t want to do inside alone, she was afraid that she would found something horrible inside.

“All right. Let’s go.”
And they walked inside together. It was just as quiet as an empty cemetery when they entered the house. And what they found was rather shocking.

Kaylee opened her mouth but there was no voice. She just stood there and looked really confused, she was trying to understand what she had just seen. When they had walked in, the door had been unlocked and Kaylee had afraid the worst. But instead of founding her best friend body they found out that Christy was very well alive and lying on the floor, probably passed out of the alcohol and some random pills that were lying on the table. Kaylee just stood there while AJ knew exactly what to do. She just watched how her best friend lied there and how he tried to wake her up. It took awhile and little mouth to mouth breathing but she awaked. Feeling probably little peaky and confused, Christy sat there for awhile before running to the bathroom where AJ followed her but came back after a while.

“Kaylee?” AJs whispering seemed to bring Kaylee back to the reality.

“How is she?”


“I believe she’s just fine. But I did call the paramedics just in case, because we don’t what those pills are and how many she had taken before we came.”

“I… I’m glad that you came with me. I don’t what would I done without you. I just stood there and did nothing…”

“Hey, it’s all right. I know it’s hard… ”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. I should go check if the paramedics are outside…” And so he left.

“Christy Amanda Connor! Get your freaking ass here right now or I’m not going to take responsibility of what happens next! ” She was filled with anger and she wasn’t letting her friend get out of the hook just like that.

“Shut up Kaylee, you’re not my mom.” Christy said and entered the room wearing nothing but a white rope.

“Yeah, but I am supposed to be your best friend! I have called you like hundreds of times and…”

“I heard all those messages, okay! So just leave it there!”

“Hell no, I will! Don’t you realize how worried I have been?! And probably for a reason too! Gosh!”

“So what? This is my life, not yours!”

“Yeah? And you want to ruin your life with alcohol and not taking your medication? Don’t you realize that you have so much to lose..?”

“Like what? My family doesn’t talk to me… You’re going to be busy with teaching and all I have left is this emptiness.”

“That’s not true and you know that.”

“Right… Really, what’s left out there for me?”

“Christy, I don’t want to have this conversation with you again, please…”

“Why not? Are you afraid that you’re going to say something wrong and that I’m going to kill myself because of that? You’re so charade person Kaylee.”

“It’s not that… I love you Christy, and so does your family. Why can’t you see that?”

“Well maybe because you don’t know how I am feeling! My mom left when she found out about my condition, said that it reminded her too much about my dad. So did my sister and brother, they both said that they love me but hadn’t talked to me ever since… And you, I am still wondering why you’re here.”

“Because I care, Christy. And so does your family. I called your brother and he is on his way here…”

“What?! Why on earth you called to him?!”

“Like I said I was worried…”

“But still! Gosh, I hate you so much!” Christy said and began to cry. “Please, just leave…”

“No. I am not leaving…”

“Kay, please… I am begging you, just go! I’ll bet AJ is waiting for you that you two could finish what you started. ”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kaylee asked in anger.

“Oh shut up! I bet you two were already in the bedroom fucking each other when you started to feel guilty about me. Like you really cared… And you know, I’m kind of wondering why even wants to sleep with you. After all, you’re just an average girl Kaylee. There’s nothing special in you. Or maybe it’s because he’s so stupid and wants you to teach him some biology, hah! ”

“Now you listen to me carefully… Your insults aren’t going to work. I am staying. ”

“Hey…” AJ walked back inside with a young brunette woman. “The ambulance is here.”

“Good.” Kaylee said and stepped back.

The paramedics did their job, they measured her blood pressure and check her pupils. After few minutes they were ready and had decided to take Christy to the hospital just in case.

“We’re taking her to the California Hospital Center. Are you sure that you don’t anything about those pills?”

“We don’t know anything.” AJ answered.

“I… I… They can be her medication pills. She has this disease, I don’t know what’s called but she’s supposed to take some pills every day…” Kaylee said and started to cry. “I am sorry that I can’t help you more…”

“It’s all right. The doctor should be able to find her papers. Is there someone we should contact and tell about Christy? ”

“Yeah, her brother. Here’s his number…”

“Okay. Thank you. Good job for helping your friend.” The woman said and was about to leave but Kaylee yelled after her.

“Wait! Can I come with you?”

“Oh. I am sorry… Your friend didn’t want you to come with us. And I kind of have to respect her wishes. Sorry.”

“Oh,okay.” Kaylee stood there quietly and watched how the ambulance drove off.

She felt AJs warm arms around her. “C’mon. I’ll drive you there.”

“No. I don’t want to go there. I want to go to the beach.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“To the beach then.”

And so both went back to the car and in silence they drove together to the beach where Kaylee shared her feelings with him. He did his best to make her happier and listened how Kaylee told all her know about Christy’s disease.

“Sorry to hear that Kaylee.” AJ said and hugged her.

“It’s fine. I am used to it by now. But this time it was just so much more than usually. I don’t know if I can take it anymore…”

“Hey, don’t think about it right now. We’re on the beach, remember?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it funny?”

“What?”

“How comforting the sea can be.”

“Yeah, I don’t know. Nick would though, he loves the water.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Okay, time to go. It’s getting cold and I need to get you back to Brians house before he thinks that I kidnapped you or something.”

“Why would he think of that?” Kaylee asked and chuckled.

“Don’t know. But come on, let’s go.” AJ said and helped Kaylee up from the sand. “You wanna take a race to the car?”

“Sure!” Kaylee said and started to run.

“Hey! Not so fast!” AJ yelled after her and catch up. They both arrived to the car at the same time.

“That was fun.” Kaylee said and smiled. “Thank you Alex.”

“You welcome.”

And so, in the beautiful starlight the couple kissed for the first time.