[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Chapter 4

“Excuse me,” Lori said as she lifted her head off of AJ’s shoulder. “Wait a minute.”

“Lori, look, it’s our problem not everyone else’s,” AJ replied. “I mean, no offense Nick, but
there is no reason why you should even get involved.”

“Well, I’m involved with Lori, so therefore what goes on in her life affects me too,” Nick said.

“He’s right, Alex,” Lori said stepping away from AJ. She walked over to Nick and he put his
arm around her and they left the back room. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“Well, that’s no problem,” Nick said.

“Oh and Nick,” Lori started. “Um, about this whole us involved thing, um, I don’t think I’m
ready for it yet because of obvious circumstances.”

“Oh okay, I mean, just take your time, it’s cool.” Nick gave her the famous Carter smile and
gave her a hug.

Lori hardly talked to AJ at all over the next couple of months. Every time he went to say
something to her she found a reason to leave the room. She managed to avoid him for
awhile until Christmas.

Lori and the rest of the Boys spent their Christmas Eve in a hotel room in Amsterdam. She
thought that it was kind of sad because she was extremely homesick and wanted to see her
parents.

She was in her room getting ready to go over to Brian and Nick’s room when there was a
knock on her door. She was actually happy because of the fact that she wasn’t spending
Christmas alone. She was donning a cute little Santa Clause outfit. A little red dress with
white fur around the hem of it and around the sleeves of it. She knew that she was going to
get teased for it by the guys but then again she didn’t care and this was how she was
celebrating Christmas.

She went over to the door and opened it. AJ had a rose in one hand and a present in the
other. “Don’t even try to kiss my ass, Alex. I’m still mad at you.” She walked away from the
door and he followed her inside the room.

“I’m not kissing your ass, Lori. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas,” AJ said handing her the
present and rose.

She looked at him suspiciously and then decided to just go ahead and take the present and
the rose. “Thank you Alex. I didn’t know that you were going to get me anything or else I
would have gotten you something.”
“I don’t need anything.” Alex replied. “So, you want to open now or tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow of course,” Lori said putting the present and the rose on the dresser. “Let’s go
to Nick and Brian’s room.” As they proceeded to walk out of the door into the hallway, they
found themselves underneath the mistle toe. “Hey, can’t break tradition.”

“I guess you’re right, but um, just don’t tell anyone.” AJ said.

“Okay,” Lori replied. AJ put his arms around her and kissed her.

“Wow,” Lori said after the kiss was over. “Talk about memories.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” AJ replied. “That’s it though. Nothing can come of it.”

“Alex, Nick and I are starting something, so I definitely don’t want to jeopardize it,” Lori
replied. She found it a little strange how he was being so defensive about the whole thing.
Then again she had that tingling in my stomach. A hint of how she felt in the past. She just
smiled at Alex and walked into Nick and Brian’s room.


The plane ride back to the US was crazy. It was a huge mess because it was hard trying to
get everyone ready to get on the plane. Brian and Nick disappeared for awhile and Lori had
to hunt them down. And for some reason people were coming to Lori like she knew where
Nick and Brian were. It was really annoying to her all morning. They were leaving Paris to go
to Orlando so there were a lot of people on the plane.

Lori was looking out of the window at the clouds below them when all of a sudden she felt
someone tap her shoulder. She turned to find Brian had taken Nick’s seat while Nick was
somewhere else.

“Hey, Brian,” she said. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” Brian said. “I get really nervous on planes and AJ’s asleep, so I figured I would
come bother you for awhile.”

“That’s fine with me. Where’s Nick anyway?” Lori asked.

“Have no clue,” Brian replied. “He might be over there bothering Howie and Kevin. They
are trying to write songs and Nick has to be in the middle of it like always.”

“Have you been writing anything lately?” Lori asked. She always wished she was that
talented. She had tried writing songs and they all turned out to be disasters.

“A little, but I can’t really do much while we are on tour,” Brian said. “So, was the tour okay
for you?”

“Oh yeah,” Lori replied. “I love it. It’s a lot of hard work though.”

“Yeah,” Brian said. “I agree.”

“You guys have a great stage show and I am truly honored to be a part of such a wonderful
production. I swear that it was destiny that brought me to you guys. I feel like I have known
you all forever.” Lori looked down at the book Brian was holding for a second before
returning her gaze to Brian’s face.

“We all feel the same about you, Lori. You’re family now. You’re stuck with all of us whether
you like it or not,” Brian finished.

“Are you crazy?!” They heard a voice from a couple of rows ahead of them. “Oh please, I’ve
had better sex on a roll of hay in a barn!” This female was screaming at someone and Lori
and Brian started laughing uncontrollably.

Then, suddenly, a face appeared from where the voice had been coming from. She was tall
and had long dark auburn hair. She was dressed in a business suit. “What are you guys
laughing at?”

Before Lori could speak, she saw this girl’s expression turn from anger to complete shock
and then to nervousness. She quickly turned around in her seat. Lori looked at Brian to ask
him what she thought she saw, but could see that Brian had the same exact look on his face.

“Brian, you and her have the same look on your faces. What’s going on? Do you know
her?” Lori asked.

All Brian could say was, “I got to find Kevin. He won’t believe this one.”