Chapter 24

Back at home Amy was sitting on the couch playing her gameboy while Bobby watched basketball on the TV. Earlier when she got home after she chucked her bag into her room, she found Bobby downstairs in the office talking on the phone. Trying not to eavesdrop she waved at him before going to the lounge room and curled up on the couch, flicking on the TV she watched some cartoons before Bobby joined her in the lounge room.

“Hey darling how was the sleepover?” Bobby asked sitting down in his chair.

Amy looked over at him and grinned “It was a lot of fun. We didn’t drink too much, all of us feeling fine today”

Bobby nodded “Good girl, thank you for being honest with me too”

“Well it’s better that I am because if something went wrong and I had to call you, there would be lots of yelling and explaining to do as well as other people getting into trouble” she said smiling.

Bobby chuckled “So did anything else happen last night?”

Amy blushed and Bobby started laughing “What happened?”

Looking at her uncle she said “We played some games, I had to do a dare, Nick and Mandy finally got together, I met a girl and we got it on”

“Hold on here… what was this dare?” Bobby asked cocking his eyebrow.

Biting her lip Amy mumbled “I had to kiss everyone at the table”

“How many people was this?”

“10”

“You kissed 10 people? Guys and girls?”

“Everyone” Amy said with an knowing look.

Bobby looked at the TV for a moment then said “Oh right. So I take it you and Nick shared another kiss?”

“Yeah. Plus Mandy and BJ”

Bobby closed his eyes and laughed “I see. So Nick’s got a girlfriend, how are you taking it?”

“I wanted them together in the first place”

“Well darling, look at how close you and Nick are, especially on tour. What happens if Mandy comes along?”

Amy frowned “I assume I’ll spend time with her when Nick’s busy and time when they’re together”

“Mandy won’t get jealous of you taking up time with Nick?”

Amy frowned and thought about his comment and said “I honestly don’t know. Sometimes she says something and I don’t know if it’s a jab at me because of my history with Nick or if it’s just Mandy”

“Well just be careful darling, sometimes girls can get very bitchy when the green eyed monster emerges” Bobby said folding his arms.

Amy twitched her mouth “I don’t see the point though, Nick and I will never have anything more than friendship and she knows that” she said shaking her head.

“Does Nick pay extra attention to you?”

Frowning Amy said “No I don’t think so, why?”

“Mandy’s bitchy side might only come out while Nick’s paying more attention to you than her”

Sighing Amy sat there watching the TV thinking and said “Bobby, would it be ok if Nick can sleep over tonight, if it’s ok with his mum as well?”

Bobby looked over shocked at her and said “Why do you want Nick to stay the night? He’ll be here tomorrow or are you hoping for some time together before tomorrow morning?”

“Nick knows”

Bobby’s eyebrows shot up “He knows? For how long?”

Amy winced and said “When he caught me in bed with a girl”

“Oh” Bobby said looking around the room then turned to his niece “Were you clothed?”

Amy blushed again “Not exactly…. Nick caught us… uh fooling around”

“Hmm” Bobby said looking at his hands “Well if it’s ok with Jane then yes”

Amy nodded and got up getting the phone and dialled Nick’s number. It rang for awhile when someone finally answered in a rushed voice “Hello?”

“Hi Mrs Carter, is Nick available?”

“Yes he is, is that you Amy?”

“Yep”

“Ok I’ll go get him” and she covered the phone and walked out of the room. Amy could hear her knocking then muffled voices and scrambling for the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey Nick”

“I thought Mum was lying when she said you were on the phone”

“Nope it’s me. Listen, I don’t know how your mum will take it but do you think she’ll let you crash here tonight instead of coming in the morning?”

Nick was quiet for a long time then he asked “You did just ask if I want to sleep at your house?”

“Yep”

“Oh ok. I can ask her though she’ll want to speak to Bobby I reckon”

“That’s fine, now go ask”

Nick covered the phone as he went in search of his mum. Finally finding her he asked her if he could stay. Amy tried to listen to what Mrs Carter was saying when her voice came onto the line.

“Amy, can I speak to your uncle please?”

“Sure” and she ran into the lounge room and passed Bobby the phone “It’s Mrs Carter”

Bobby nodded and took the phone “Hello Jane” he said. He nodded a few times agreeing with her and said “Believe me Jane, there will not be any problems like that around here. After tomorrow you’ll find out why, besides they’re still too young for that sort of thing and I always keep an eye on everything”

Bobby listened to Jane for awhile longer and said “Ok Jane, I’ll see you later” and he hung up.

Amy watched her uncle place the phone on the coffee table and waited for him to say something. Getting impatient she said “So?”

“He’s allowed to stay the night and Jane asked me a few questions about tomorrow’s meeting” Bobby said.

“What did she ask?”

“What you wanted to tell everyone? She apparently asked Nick the other day and he said he didn’t know, just that it was a big deal”

Amy slumped in her seat and said “I never thought about Jane finding out about it. Do you think she’ll get funny about me hanging out with BJ? I always wondered about her thoughts of Nick and myself”

Bobby nodded “She’s brought that up with me a few times, since you two became close. We’ll just have to take one thing at a time or when it’s thrown at us”

Amy nodded and the phone rang, she grabbed it answering “Hello”

“Hey did you just get a bunch of questions thrown at you too?” Nick asked.

Amy laughed and said “No because I’m honest with uncle Bobby. But we did talk about how your mum’s gonna take the news tomorrow and instead of worrying about the two of us, it will be worrying about BJ around me”

Nick groaned “I’d like to say she wouldn’t do that but I honestly don’t know”

“So when are you coming over?”

“Now, mum’s picking up BJ after dropping me off” Nick said.

“Alright see ya then” and she hung up.

Amy put the phone back on the table and picked up her gameboy and laid down on the lounge playing. Bobby smirked at her and went back to watching the TV. It was quiet in the house until Bobby asked Amy a question.

“What were you going to talk to me about? You mentioned it had to do with something to do with tomorrow, another subject you were gonna bring up”

Amy stared at her screen as she paused the game and turned over looking at Bobby and said “I haven’t actually thought about it thoroughly, it was just something I thought might need to be brought up sometime soon” when Bobby didn’t say anything she continued “I was wondering about if I should start planning to go to a school around here?”

Bobby’s eyes widened “You want to go to a school and not go on tour with us?”

“Well when you say it like that, no. I just thought since the guys are getting more popular, they’ll be a lot busier and that means you’ll be busier and I might be getting in the road and a young girl hanging around a lot of guys doesn’t look good for the group, especially when the guys have to look single”

Bobby sighed and said “Who told you that bullshit?”

“No one, I overheard Lou a awhile ago. He wants the guys to appear single and me being around at concerts and on the bus could make the guys lose fans”

Bobby frowned and said “Do you want to stay on tour with us?”

Amy smiled “You know I do but I just couldn’t help thinking that I was getting on everyone’s nerves”

“Well we’ll bring it up tomorrow”

Amy nodded and stood up as the doorbell rang “Can you get that I gotta pee”

“Like I needed to know”

Amy raced upstairs to use the toilet and when she came back down Bobby and Jane were talking. Nick was sitting on the lounge watching them anxiously. Walking in the room everyone turned towards her and she said “Hi Mrs Carter”

“Hello Amy, I was just talking to Bobby here and suggested that you should come over to our place tomorrow night for dinner, would you like that?”

Amy looked at her uncle who shrugged leaving it up to her to answer. Looking back to Jane, Amy said “Mrs Carter, I don’t know if you’ll want me to come over tomorrow after you find out what the meeting is about”

“Please call me Jane. How about you tell me what the meeting is about?”

Amy paled and wrung her hands and said “OK. Do you mind if we talk in the kitchen privately?”

Jane nodded and followed Amy into the kitchen. They sat at the table and Amy said “I know you’ve been wary of me since I join uncle Bobby on the tour, especially with Nick and our relationship. The fact is all Nick and I are ever going to have is a friendship, nothing more. He’s my best friend and even though we have shared a kiss, I’ve realised something only recently and decided to tell everyone. Nick will be upset, though hopefully not as much as I predict. You might be worried about my friendship with BJ after I tell you this but believe me when I say nothing like that has ever or will ever go on”

Jane stared at Amy nervously and anxiously said “Well spit it out Amy”

Amy sighed and looked at Jane and said “I’m a lesbian”

Jane froze, her eyes unblinking and appeared to have stopped breathing. Amy grimaced and said “Mrs Carter? Are you ok? Do you want a drink?”

Jane nodded slightly and Amy jumped up getting a glass of water. Passing the glass to Jane, Amy sat down as Jane drank most of the glass then said “So your gay?”

“Yes”

“That’s why you don’t feel anything for Nick?”

Amy frowned “Well obviously, Nick’s not a girl”

“But Bobbie Jean is and you’ve spent time alone with my daughter. Do you have feelings for her?”

“No. I have no feelings for any of your children, Mrs Carter”

“It’s Jane please” Jane snapped and sighed “So nothing will happen between you and BJ?”

Amy smirked and said “BJ’s not gay, Jane. She actually likes one of Nick’s friends. Like Mandy and Nick like each other, though Nick just told me before that they’re together now”

“Are you happy about that?” Jane asked cocking an eye at Amy.

“Of course. I kept nudging Nick in the direction of Mandy, I didn’t want Nick to feel insecure when he finds out I’m gay and not give Mandy a chance because he’s upset”

Jane finally smiled for the first time and said “Well, as long as my children aren’t hurt, which I can’t really see you doing that then we’ll have no problems”

“Thanks Jane” Amy said standing up.

Jane nodded and stood up “I need to go pick up BJ” and they walked back into the other room where Nick and Bobby stopped talking “Nick, ring me tomorrow when you want to be picked up”

“Ok mum” Nick said.

Jane said goodbye to Bobby and left. Bobby and Nick looked over at Amy who fell to the floor as Jane closed the front door and walked away. Nick cracked up laughing and knelt next to her “Did she give you the 3rd degree?”

“All the way up to the 10th degree” Amy groaned as she laid there.

Nick smirked and said “Does she know?” as he looked down at her.

Looking up at Nick she nodded “Yeah, I explained everything. She’s putting up a front but I think she still had doubts about me. Then again I think she always has from the way she was asking questions, since she first met me” she said shrugging her shoulders looking towards the ceiling.

Nick watched her then sighed “I’ve thought that as well. Don’t worry about her, she’ll get over it soon enough” and stood up holding out his hands for hers.

She looked back at Nick and reached out to his hands and he pulled her up “Alright. Come on let’s go play Nintendo” and dragged him to her room.

Letting go of his hand as they reached her room she pushed open the door and switched on the TV. Going over to her wardrobe she opened it and grabbed her Nintendo and some games and controllers. Nick grabbed them off her and set them down while she grabbed cords and started plugging them in.

The Nintendo system turned on and they sat down grabbing a controller each and played Super Mario Bros. Nick chose Luigi and Amy chose Mario. They were both watching each other play, mocking when the other lost or distracting one another to win.

While Amy was playing her turn, Nick looked around the room and stopped on a picture beside Amy’s bed. He leaned over and grabbed it sitting back. His eyes scanned over the picture taking in the couple and small girl, frowning he looked over at Amy then back at the couple. He wanted to ask so many questions but never had the guts to ask and bring up hurtful memories.

Amy noticed Nick holding something and turned slightly to look, when she saw him holding her picture of her parents and herself, only taken a couple of weeks before the accident, she paused the game and said “I still can’t work out who I look more like”

Nick jumped glancing up at her and said “I’m sorry, I saw it and…”

“It’s ok. You never asked about any of them, or what happened. I’m thankful for that but if your curious about them you can ask. I’ll try my best to answer most of the questions or at least the ones I know”

Nick looked at her for a long time before glancing back at the picture and asked “How did it happen?”

“How did they die?”

“Yeah” Nick asked nervously.

Amy sighed and tossed the controller away. Standing up she picked up her smokes, taking one and lit it and sat on her bed opening her window. She sat back and patted the bed next to her for Nick to join her. He climbed up next to her and waited for her to talk.

“Dad was driving, Mum was next to him while I was in the back in the middle. We were coming back from the movies and dinner. It was getting really dark and you could see lightning flashing many times in the distance. Mum was telling Dad to drive carefully as rain started pouring down. I remember watching the windscreen wipers going back and forth, kinda like a pendulum and noticed tiny hail hitting the window” she said taking a drag before she continued.

“The rain fell harder, the wind had picked up and you could hear the hail clinking on the car as we drove. We saw a lot of people rushing into their houses or to their cars to make it home. I looked out the window to my right and saw a bright flash of lightning that was closer than before. Dad said we must be heading closer to the storm. We were only a block from our house when lightning hit the front of the car. Mum screamed as Dad tried to control the car” she took another drag as she sniffled “We ended up spinning on the road and were hit by a gas tanker head on. The tanker tipped over and skidded along the road about 5 metres away. Our car rolled about 3 times before crashing into the front of the tanker. Dad was trying to move and noticed Mum wasn’t breathing. He unbuckled his belt and reached over to her saying her name over and over again. He finally realised she was already dead once he moved her hair away from her neck. It had broken during the crash and she died instantly. Dad turned towards me and tried to reach me but he couldn’t fit through the seat. He told me not to move and that help will be coming soon” Amy said sniffling more and put out her smoke.

Nick said “You don’t have to tell me anymore. It’s making you upset”

“It’s ok, I need to get it out”

Nick nodded and held her hand as she started talking again “I was laying down on the back seat when it happened. We heard the sirens coming closer and closer. Dad turned back around and said we were gonna be rescued. That’s when lightning hit the tanker and it exploded. Our car was thrown in the air and landed further down the road at an intersection. I couldn’t hear anything from the explosion and my eyes hurt. I was calling out to dad but couldn’t hear him. The car was getting hot and I was sweating from the heat and started feeling sick and faint then the next thing I know I’m getting pulled from the car through the side where they ripped open the door. As they were taking me away I saw the car on fire and started screaming for mum and dad and I must have passed out. The next thing I saw were the white walls of my hospital room. I had been unconscious for about 3 days the doctor told me once the nurse found me awake and ran to get him. Bobby rushed into the room not long after and he started crying as he hugged me. The doctor told me I was lucky nothing seriously happened to me, he actually said it was a miracle to survive through so much and all I got were some bruises and cuts from broken glass from the shattered window. I then asked Bobby about Mum and Dad and he sat down on the chair next to my bed and held my hand as he told me they didn’t make it. It took me a week before I could stop crying. I was hooked up to IV’s because I wasn’t eating or drinking. 3 weeks after I had woken up I was released into Bobby’s care. Everything mum and dad owned were mine and Bobby was my caregiver. Bobby moved into mum and dad’s house and sold his place. It was about a week and a half when Bobby told me about a job he was offered and asked if I was ok with him taking it. I said yes and a few days later he said we were joining a band on their tour and he was gonna be a bodyguard for one of the members. The next day we flew over to meet up with the band and you know the rest from there”

Nick pulled her against him and hugged her “I have no idea what to say so I’m just going to hug you and tell you I’m so sorry and I wish things were different”

Amy rubbed her cheek against his chest and said “But if it was different we wouldn’t have met”

Nick smiled and said “I’m sure I’m nothing compared to having your parents back”

Amy nodded “I know but your still something and that’s enough. I have a feeling that something big is gonna happen and your gonna need me and I’ll need you in the future, so we have to be there for one another”

“Your something for me too. I’ll always be here for you” Nick said hugging her tighter.

Amy looked up at him and said “Nothing will come between us?”

“Nothing”

“Not even a girl?”

Nick laughed and kissed her brow “Not if I saw her first. Seriously no, nothing will stop me for being with you”

Amy laid back against his chest and felt warm tears fill her eyes. Knowing Nick would be there always made her happier than she had in ages. Nick frowned and looked down feeling his shirt get wet.

“Are you crying?”

“No… yes”

Nick sat her up and looked into her eyes “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s just happy tears. I feel better for talking about my parents and you were the one I’ve been waiting to talk to and you just make me happy knowing I can always count on you”

Nick smiled and cupped her face and kissed her brow “Always and forever” he said thinking of a song that made him think of her.

Knocking at the door surprised them. It opened and Bobby came in.

“Is everything alright?” he asked glancing between the two of them.

Amy nodded and wiped her eyes “Yep, just telling Nick about mum and dad and the accident”

Bobby’s face grew sad and he nodded “Ok. I just came to ask you want you’s want for dinner?”

Nick shrugged and Amy got up off the bed saying “Is there any frozen pizza left?”

Bobby shook his head and she said “You ate it all?”

“What do you mean I ate it all? I only had one and that was the other day when you went to the shop with BJ”

Amy sighed “Dammit. Come on lets go have a look and see” and she left the room heading for the kitchen.

Bobby watched her leave and turned to Nick “How was she? When she was telling you that is”

Nick scrunched up his nose and said “I think it hurt to talk about it but once she spoke about it all, she felt better”

“Did she cry?”

Nick shook his head “No, just sniffled like she was trying to stop herself”

Bobby frowned and said “Why was she crying when I came in?”

Nick smiled and said “It was happy tears, she said. We’re gonna look out for one another, no matter what happens”

Bobby stared at Nick and stepped closer “I can see how much this is really hurting you, your putting up a great front for her but I don’t want you to put to much into getting close to her especially since your gonna get hurt in the long run” Bobby said sadly.

Nick frowned and said “What with what she just told me about her parents?”

“No Nick, your feelings for her. I know you still like her a lot and Amy will never return them, you know this now. Don’t do anything rash or stupid because she doesn’t want to hurt you”

Nick blushed slightly looking down at his hands and nodded “I know. Sometimes it’s hard or times it’s just like normal with us and I forget all about my feelings for her. It’s just something I will have to get used to”

Bobby nodded and patted Nick on the shoulder as they walked out of the room “Good man, I have to say though, if she were straight I know I’d prefer her with you than anyone else I knew”

Nick blushed brighter making Bobby laugh as they walked into the kitchen. They saw Amy looking in the cupboards, moving things and talking to herself. Slamming the door shut she turned as saw the guys standing there watching her.

“There’s nothing for dinner, looks like we might have to get take out” she said walking over to her uncle, pouting at him.

Bobby stared at her face then laughed “Darling, you know one of these days I won’t fall for no pouty crap”

Amy grinned and hugged him “I know, that’s why I have to use them all up now”

Bobby smirked and said “Come on we’ll got for a drive”

They all got into the car and Bobby drove towards town where most takeaway shops were. Amy was asking Nick what he felt like and Nick shrugged again.

“Well if you don’t want anything then you can go without” she said turning back around as Bobby pulled up to a stop parking the car.

Nick sat forward and said “I’ll eat whatever you guys order”

Amy nodded “Great. Uncle Bobby what do you feel like?”

“I’m torn between fried chicken or pizza. What about you?”

“Mmm that sounds good, lets get that”

Bobby cocked an eye at her and said “You want pizza and fried chicken?”

“Yep, a couple of slices of pizza and a plate full of chicken. Oh yum… oh and coke” she said pouting again at him.

Nick and Bobby laughed at her as they got out. Bobby went to order pizza while Nick and Amy went to get a bucket of fried chicken. Waiting in line to be served Amy stood there tapping her foot as she listened to the guy in front of her order.

Nick being taller than Amy, rested his arm on her shoulder as he stood next to her. Rolling her eyes she ducked her shoulder and moved away making Nick stumble but caught himself. Standing up he shot her a look and folded his arms waiting for her to move up and order as the guy in front of them left.

Amy made her order then turned to Nick “So what did your mum ask you on the drive over?”

Nick glanced at her, his lip twitching slightly then said “Not much. Just wondering why you asked me to stay over, was there anything going on with us, that sort of thing” looking away looking a little pink in the cheeks.

Amy gave him a look then paid for the chicken. They turned around and left and Amy said “Your mum thought something was going on between us. Haven’t you told her about Mandy yet?”

Nick stared at the footpath as they headed back to the car “I know, she was always asking me if anything had happened between us or like last year when she was touring with us, she kept a close eye on both of us. I sort of told her about Mandy and I on the way over, kind of clarifying that nothing will happen”

Amy stopped in front of the car still holding the chicken and watched him look around at everything except at her “What’s Mandy gonna say when she finds out you stayed the night?”

Nick glanced up at her and shrugged “I don’t know. How would she know?”

“Your mum picked BJ up after dropping you off and might have mentioned just dropping you off at my place when she got BJ” Amy said then sighed looking in the pizza shop for Bobby “She won’t get pissed at me will she?”

“Nah, she’ll be fine” Nick said but Amy thought she might have seen uncertainty in his eyes for a second before he looked away.

Bobby finally came out and unlocked the doors to let them in. Driving back Bobby glanced at Amy who was clutching the bucket of chicken then in the rear view looking at Nick who was glancing at Amy then back out the window. Shrugging to himself he pulled into the driveway and got out with Nick and Amy following behind him.

Amy put the bucket on the coffee table and went to get plates and cans of drink for all of them. Coming back in she sat on the floor and grabbed a piece of pizza and stripped the topping of and slowly ate it. Bobby watched her with curiosity. Nick had just taken a huge bite and looked at Bobby then at Amy who was picking apart a drumstick and putting the chicken bits on her bare slice of pizza.

“Darling what are you doing?”

Amy looked up and saw both of them watching her and sheepishly smiled “Putting chicken on my pizza”

“But why?”

Amy sat there stumped at the question and shrugged “Because it tastes good”

Bobby rolled his eyes and continued to eat his pizza but started laughing and choked on his food when he saw Nick starting to rip his topping off as well. Amy rushed over and whacked him on the back a couple of times and gave him his drink to clear his throat.

Taking a deep breath he smiled at Amy “Thanks darling”

Amy grinned and sat down noticing Nick eating his pizza with chicken on top and said “What do you think? Good huh?”

Nick swallowed the bite and said “Man that’s awesome” and took another bite.

Amy and Bobby chuckled then they all ate quietly until the phone rang. Bobby looked at Amy and she sighed “I’ll get it” she said in a bored voice.

She jumped up and went into the kitchen and grabbed the phone “Hello”

“Can I talk to Nick?”

Amy pulled the phone away and stared at it. Turning around heading back into the lounge room she said into the phone “What? No Hi how you going?”

Amy heard Mandy sigh and said “Hi Amy, can I talk to Nick now please?”

“Fine” and she threw the phone at Nick “Mandy” then mumbled under her breath “Sounds like she’s PMSing”

Bobby snickered as Nick picked up the phone “Hey Mandy”

Amy sat down and took a bite of her pizza and glanced at Nick as he listened to Mandy talk. She frowned when Nick still was listening by the time she finished her slice and glanced at Bobby who looked at her and smirked.

Nick picked up his pizza and ate the rest while he sat back listening then said “It’s nothing. Just hanging out. Yes I’m staying over” he winced and glanced at Amy who cocked an eyebrow at him “Mandy, come on. Nothing’s gonna happen….. Unless all of a sudden I grow a vagina”

Amy cracked up laughing loud and Nick pulled the phone away fast and they could hear her yelling. Nick waited until it was quiet and said “Mandy, calm down. I was kidding, you know I can’t grow a vagina” he sighed and said “Mandy I’m hanging up now, I’ll talk to you later… I don’t know when… no I’ll be here for awhile tomorrow… yeah whatever bye” and he hung up and groaned throwing the phone on the couch.

Amy took a sip and said “What’s Mandy’s problem?”

Nick looked at her with a defeated face “It seems she has a problem with me staying here”

Amy sat back surprised and looked at Bobby who said “Why would that be a problem? You two are best friends, she knows this. I’m telling you that girl will be a problem a lot more in the future”

Nick sighed and said “She’s just going to have to get used to it then. If she’s gonna be like this every time Amy and I hang out or hell some other girl that I’m talking to, it’s never going to work”

Amy patted his knee as she got up “It’ll work out Nick. She just needs some time to cool down and think things through” she said grabbing the plates and cleaned up.

Taking it all into the kitchen she thought about her doubts, that everything would be ok with Mandy and Nick. She quickly washed up the plates and went back into the lounge and said “You wanna continue playing the Nintendo?”

Nick smiled and said “Definitely, I need to get Mandy off my mind and playing Mario will do that”

“You mean Luigi” Amy said and kissed Bobby’s cheek as she ran out of the room with Nick hot on her tail.