«Oh Fuck. He knows now», I thought.
 
«I'm sorry, but it's just funny. I just can't picture you...you know...doing what you do» AJ said, sheepishly.
 
«Well, boys and girls, I'M gonna call it a night» Nick stormed out, looking at Aj and me.
 
I knew he didn't want to be out on the deck with moi. What if I asked him embarrassing questions or try to get in his pants again in front of AJ better yet, what if I told AJ about last year and Aj told Lauren? Nick made the wise choice of calling it a night. Though it left AJ wondering why Nick was leaving this early. I, on the other hand, was kind of glad.

Judy stopped sucking face with Mr whats-his-name. She had seen Nick walk out as if his ass was on fire and of course, she was looking at me as if I had done something. She grabbed my left forearm and said:

  «What did you say to make him this mad? You know fans are going to be pissed about this, right? Or wait...Did you do this so you'd be alooooone with AJ? I knew it!»She said, proudly.

  «Are you kidding me? Nick wasn't mad. I think nature called...maybe he needed to use the washroom. I don't know» I added.

  «We'll see about that»   Judy went back to her guy and I stayed on the deck, looking at the fans on the deck below ours. They were snapping pictures, drinking and waving posters at Aj. Aj grabbed the mike and started talking about his wedding and the Holidays. He went on and on for what felt like hours. I ordered two shots, which I downed quite fast. I glanced at my pink Swatch watch and decided to head to my room.

  «Calling it a night too?» Aj asked  

«Yes, I'm tired and well, I don't think my friend over there will be getting any sleep tonight. So might as well rest a little, that way, one of us can actually take pictures in the Bahamas tomorrow, while the other one sleeps in. I'll let you guess who's going to take pictures....» I smiled.

  «Alright, alright. I understand. I wont stay out here forever either. I doubt Nick is coming back. Either his eggwhite wrap went down nasty or he's gone back to Lauren. And he says I'm the one that's whipped. Is he your favorite? You must be pissed he left» Aj added, chuckling.

  «Kevin is. Hum, was» I told him. I figured I'd lie.  

«Aaw, then you've chosen the perfect year for the cruise!»  

«Yeah, I did, didn't I» I said, not sounding too convinced.  

«Well, good night and naughty dreams to you. Was nice meeting you!» Aj hugged me and I left. Pheeew.

  So I made my way back to our cabin. Some fans were in the hallway, taking pictures and admiring the art work on doors. Many had gone all out, decorating theirs. My gosh. We had the only door not decorated on our floor. Pretty embarrassing.  

«Oh, I thought the cruise was sold out" a girl said. 

«Isn't it?» her friend replied.  

«Can't be, there's a door here without decorations. So we know there's at least one cabin that'S not occupied» said the first one.

  «Unless...it belongs to one of the g uys! Oh my god! You think it could?» she told her friend.

  «Oh my god yes! could be! Oh how I'd just die to be next door to Nick»  

«Right, so you can hear him going at it all night with Lauren?»  

«You know, I read on a forum that she doesn't put out much..» the first one said.  

Not wanting them to know I was the proud owner of that cabin, I politly said HI, faked looking for my purse and went back to the elevators. Didn't know exactly where I was going so I pressed all the buttons. I had always wanted to do that. Since there were only 9 floors, it wouldn't be too long should somebody decide to join me. I got out, after a series of 'DINGs' and noticed a steak house. I looked through the glass doors and saw a killer Saeco Coffee machine.

«I could use caffeine» I thought. I went straight to the counter, and ordered myself a double espresso. I roamed around and decided on a spot. I sat down and leaned my head against the wall behind me.

  «Are you following me or something» I heard someone say.

  Nick...  

He was sitting 2 tables (booth) away from mine. I hadn't even seen anybody in the restaurant, let alone him.  

«I should ask you the same question. It's a steakhouse Nick. Aren't you a vegetarian or something?» I asked, a little bit shocked.  

«Exactly! You think fans would come and look for me in here? » Nick said.  

«Good point»  

«A lot of them are probably lined up in front of the gym, hoping to catch me sweating like a pig on an elliptical bike» he added. «Plus, my bodyguard got me coffee from this place earlier tonight, it's really great coffee».  

I lifted my cup and said «sure is».   He stood up, coffee in hand and said, pointing at the empty seat in front of me «can I ?»  

«Be my guest»   I couldn't look at him. My mind was focussing on my hand, which was playing with a coaster on the table. Making it spin. I didn't know how much he remembered from last year and I didn't want to talk about it to be honest.

  «So, enjoying your time on the boat so far ...?» he said, trying to remember my name.

  «Hannah» I said  

«Hannah. I knew it. Hannah. So once again your friend has ditched you to go 'his' room?

 «What? You know about Judy and (insert name here lol ) him?» I asked, intrigued.  

«Oh, everybody knows around here. He can't stop talking about 'the next time he gets to see her'. I just wasn't sure if she was your friend...I mean, if she was the one with you last year...Not that I didn't remember you, or her, I...Last summer, she came to a few NKOTBSB shows, and knew I had seen her somewhere...with someone...I just..." Nick tried to act cool, I could tell. 

«Don't worry about it. We didn't exchange numbers, I didn't try to find you, you didn't try to get a hold of me and honestly, you were history to me the next day» Take this, Carter! Huh, not really. I was just trying to sound cool too. Thank god for alcool, I was nrevous as hell

«Is that why you spent the following days in your cabin?» He asked  

«What? Oh, no. Food poisoning actually. Don't flatter yourself».

«Yeah, that's what your friend said the next day when she was with 'him'» Nick said.

«You want my opinion? I think you were just avoiding me. You did kick me out, remember? And I don't recall you feeling sick that night». he added

Bastard.  

Playing with the handle of my now empty mug and still avoiding eye contact i said , «Avoiding you? No. Avoiding your tall and physically imposing girlfriend, yes».  

«Imposing? You are about the same height ... and huh size » he added, a bit of laughter in his voice.

«Did you see the muscles on her arms? Come on...»I paused, « No, seriously Nick, she was really nice to me that night, after my ex dumped me, right in front of you guys .. on my phone. It would have been awkward if I had run into her the next day...she probably would have asked how I was doing and I doubted I could have lied».  

«I'm sure you would have been great at it» he looked down, playing with his own mug.   Was Nick Carter blushing? He had lost his famous cocky attitude. He even looked...shy!  

«So...Why are you here, at a steakhouse, at this hour ? You left the party over an hour ago Nick. »