Isabelle gave Lotti one last hug. “Promise to keep in touch?” She asked her one last time.
“Promise,” Lotti grinned. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll catch back up with you guys later on in the tour. You never know.” She winked. “Have an amazing time traveling with them. They’re fun guys.” She smiled.
“Thanks,” Isabelle grinned and waved goodbye as they separated.
“Beautiful!” She heard that familiar voice call from the backstage area. A heavy sigh fell from her lips as she turned towards the voice. Sure enough, it was Brady.
“Hey,” she tried to grin as she finished boxing up the remaining items that didn’t sell. “I’ll be right over.” She finished taping off the boxes and turned towards the guys loading them onto trucks. “Thanks guys.” She smiled and headed backstage to meet up with everyone.
“Hey! There she is,” Brady beamed. He was talking to AJ and Brian. “We’re all going to meet up on AJ’s bus and travel to the hotel together. We’re gonna just kinda celebrate the end of the first show.” He winked and kissed her cheek. “Meet you there?”
He never wanted to wait for her or walk her to the buses. He was always dealing with something more important. It was frustrating for Isabelle to deal with. “Yeah, sure.” She mumbled. He didn’t even seem to notice the change in her tone. He hurried to meet up with Marcus as AJ stood and watched her. She gave him a small smile.
“You need to talk to him,” AJ muttered softly and pulled a cigarette from his back pocket. “You can’t keep living like this.”
“Living like what?” Isabelle folded her arms across her chest, intrigued as to how he could tell there was something wrong.
“Don’t bull shit me, Isabelle,” he winked with a chuckle. “I can see right through you. I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty shocked Brady can’t. What’s with this guy, anyway? Why does he think he has to be so proper and perfect around you?”
Isabelle shrugged and sighed heavily. She never really realized why he acted the way he did. “I’ve never seen any other side of him…so I’m assuming it’s just him.” She muttered and looked back at AJ’s bus. “Look, I appreciate you confronting me or whatever…but I should really get to our bus and get his stuff, then head over. I’ll see you in a minute.” She ended the conversation with that. She hurried onto their bus and quickly grabbed the folder, and then hurried off. As she was walking up to AJ’s bus, she ran into Nick for the first time since the show had ended.
“Hey,” he smirked as he ran his fingers through his damp hair. “I saw you during the show. What’d you think?” He asked. Isabelle wasn’t sure if he had noticed how completely fascinated she was with him. She was hoping he hadn’t seen how she had stared at him during the entire performance.
She casually tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded with a grin. “It was great! I was glad I got to sneak away from the merchandise table to see one song performed. You guys are even better in person.” She beamed. It was the truth. She had never expected the show to be that great.
Nick chuckled. “Thanks,” he grinned. He licked his lips and looked her over, hoping she couldn’t read right through him. She had on a skin tight black t-shirt with their name across her chest. Dangling around her neck was her ID to get backstage at the shows with her name and their pictures on it. And the way her jeans hugged every curve on her lower half, Nick was practically drooling. Her long dark hair swept over her shoulders as she loosened the tie holding it back. “So are you joining us while we go over how the show went and stuff?” He asked nonchalantly.
“Yeah, I hope that’s okay,” she bit her bottom lip. “Brady asked me to grab something for him and bring it along, so I’m assuming I’m riding over with you, too.” She laughed softly.
Before either of them could say anything, Brady popped his head around the corner of the bus. “There you are! I thought you had gotten lost or something.” He winked. “You coming?”
“Yeah,” Isabelle called back. Nick walked over towards the bus, as well, and held his arm out politely in front of him to lead Isabelle on the bus. “Thanks.” She giggled softly, her cheeks turning a crimson color. Why did this man have such an effect on her?
“Isabelle, nice job today,” Johnny Wright congratulated with a grin. “Boys, as you know, I’m flying back to the states for a few weeks until you guys head over there. Brady will be here the entire time, as well as security and Isabelle. Is there anything you want me to check over before I leave?” He asked as he wrote down some notes for Brady to follow. Isabelle took a seat quietly on the couch next to Brady.
“How was the show?” Brian chuckled. Isabelle assumed that was probably something they talked about at these meetings.
“Ha!” Johnny chuckled and stopped writing for a minute. “Sorry guys, I completely forgot to start with the important stuff. I was really impressed during the show. Vocals were incredible and I think you did fine harmonizing.” He beamed. “I was a little worried without Kev being here…but you really pulled it off. And the fans went nuts. Just go over the choreography a bit once you get to the hotel. Maybe go over it once tonight and then again tomorrow before the show after your vocals.” He instructed. The guys all nodded and then Brady piped in.
“Are there any other venues you need me to contact?” He asked as he prepared to take notes.
“Not quite yet. I’ll be in touch with you through e-mail, though, and we’ll get it all squared away as the US tour comes closer,” Johnny answered. “In fact, do you want to join me in the limo? I wanna talk over some other events with you.” Johnny glanced down at the calendar in his hand.
Nick glanced over at Isabelle to see her reaction. She swallowed hard and played with her fingers in her lap. He could tell she wasn’t happy with this at all. “Yeah, that should be fine. Beautiful, you stay here and keep the boys company.” Brady winked and kissed her cheek. “I’ll meet up with you at the hotel.”
Without saying a word, Isabelle nodded and glanced out the window as he walked away. As soon as he was off the bus with Johnny, she made her way to the back of the bus where there was a couch in a lone room for some privacy. Nick licked his lips and glanced at the other guys. Brian and Howie were on the phone with their significant others and AJ was about to start up a game of Halo 3. “I’ll be back.” Nick muttered and followed her steps. He knocked politely on the wall outside the room and pulled back the curtain. “Hey.” He smiled. He saw the sadness in her eyes and walked in, closing the curtain behind him. “You okay?” He asked. He sat down beside her on the couch, but kept a comfortable distance.
Nick didn’t think she’d open up to him. After all, they had already determined it wasn’t any of his business. Isabelle was even a bit surprised when she decided to open her mouth. “I just don’t get it. Is it something I’m doing wrong? Does he just not understand the fact that I need more out of a relationship and I’m tired of being this person he walks around with like a trophy or something…I feel like something he’s won over.” The tears pooling in her big brown eyes were out of anger more so than sadness. “I just don’t understand.”
“It’s not you,” Nick reassured her and placed his hand on hers in a friendly gesture. “I don’t think…” he wanted to say that he didn’t think she and Brady were meant for each other. Brady didn’t deserve someone like her. Hell, Nick was beginning to wonder whether or not he deserved someone like her. She was different. He was usually into the beautiful girls for one thing and one thing only – sex. Now Isabelle had walked into his life and she was beautiful. Not only was she beautiful on the outside but she had this unique inside that consisted of someone with feelings. Someone with beautiful feelings. Nick wasn’t sure he could get too close to that. That wasn’t exactly his style. “I don’t think Brady realizes you feel this way.” He said simply.
“You’re probably right,” Isabelle muttered and wiped under her eyes hastily. “I’m sorry to drag you into all of this, Nick.” She sighed with a small smile. “I know Brady’s your friend. I shouldn’t complain about him like this to you.”
“It’s not a problem, Izzie, I promise,” he said without realizing exactly what he was saying. He saw a frown crease her brow slightly and he replayed his words in his head. “Oh…sorry. I do that a lot…when I get to know someone I just automatically form nicknames for them. Sorry.” He chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. You’re such a fucking idiot, Carter. She probably thinks you’re retarded, he reprimanded himself in his head.
“No!” Her frown was quickly replaced with a grin and she placed her hand on his, this time, to reassure him it wasn’t a problem. “It’s just weird that you called me that.” She said, and then decided to explain when she saw his curious expression. “My dad calls me Izzie all the time. Most of my friends back home do, too. Brady has never decided to pick up with it, so whenever I introduce myself to his friends, I usually just tell them to call me Isabelle.” She explained. Nick nodded and allowed the heat to drain from his cheeks. “I like it.” She beamed.
“Good, then from now on, you’re Izzie,” he winked.
“Good,” Isabelle surprised him and reached over to give him a hug. “Too bad I can’t really come up with a nickname for you.” She pulled away and looked as if she was in deep thought. “I could call you—“
Nick quickly cut her off. “Don’t say Nicky.” He laughed.
“Damn,” Isabelle giggled. “How’d you do that?”
Nick wanted to say that he was starting to see they had this bond growing that was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He wanted to tell her that he’d love to get to know her better and that he thought there might be something for them in the future. But instead he decided to go with the simple statement, “Hah, everyone calls me that.” Oh, he wanted to tell her so badly how he really felt. But he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to.
Author's Chapter Notes:
This is an interesting chapter =] Keep the reviews coming and I'll try to update more soon. I'm leaving campus tomorrow for Thanksgiving break, so hopefully that'll open up a bit of more time to update and continue to write.
