Anna sits down by the window after Nick requested for it. It seems like the man feels uncomfortable in his seat, considering that he’s a big man and the leg room is not enough for him. “Are you alright?” she asks.

Nick looked at her and nodded. “I’m fine.” He extended his other leg out in the walkway. He noticed her taking out a notebook and a pen. “Where’s your palm pilot?”

“It ran out of battery. Besides, I can’t open it on this flight. It might just disrupt the plane signals.” Anna discreetly yawned. “Excuse me.”

“Have you had any sleep?”

She answered him with a negative shake of her head. “I came home late just in time that my boss called for my travel set-up. If some girls were envy at this job that I had, they can take this from me just for this weekend. I’m tired.” She tried to smile in hopes of getting some in return. Unfortunately, none came. She wondered how much it would cost to make one Nick Carter smile at her. “Did you sleep?” she asks him.

“A little,” Nick replied, “I wouldn’t trade my job for anything else, even for just a while. I love this, despite the tiresome activities and anything that goes along with it.” He arranged his sunglasses and ran his hand through his dark blonde hair. He rested his head against the seat and pouted.

Anna got the chance to see the wonderful curve of his lips. When he turned to her, she instantly looked away. “So, I learned that all of you loved the time off and going off to places like these, what are your favorite beach getaway?” she started asking.

Nick studied this woman beneath his sunglasses. He caught her staring at his lips. He hides his smile. Now, he’s more curious…



~~~



“That’s just so beautiful. I wished the pictures captured will be developed soon,” Nick heard Kristin telling them after they’ve gone through scuba diving in a nearby site in the island.

“We can ask for our copies and have it framed.” Kevin told his wife. The group continued to walk towards the cottages intended for them. Intin and Anna are right when they presented El Hombre Island to them. It was like being in the Caribbean Islands, only better. Most of the guests were foreign nationals who preferred the island more than any other beautiful beaches and diving sites in the world. It’s a world-class travel hotspot that not everyone knew of. But Nick wanted it that way. It preserves the purity of the island from unwanted exposures of the outside world may bring: overcrowding, the pollution and industrialization.

Nick stopped by the small hut that stored the diving gears they used. He also took the liberty in taking off his wetsuit and when done, only a pair of shorts was left in him. He walked off towards his own cottage. That’s when he spotted Anna alone in a gazebo. It looked as if she transferred her office to the beach. He saw a laptop in front of her, two high-tech cameras, some electronic box, a little portable printer and her palm pilot that she’s currently attending to. He decided to get near her.

“Have you had any rest?”

Anna almost jumped in surprise. “I took a rest after we got here.” She placed down her palm gadget and attended to her laptop. Nick noticed that she’s editing some photos and writing an article at the same time.

“Like how many hours of rest?”

“I had two enough hours.” Anna muttered as she focused on what’s in her screen. “How’s the day? Did you have fun?” She takes time to look at him and saw him nodded in reply. There was silence after that. Nick watched her work for a while.

“What happened between you and Faye?” His question caught her unprepared. Nick thought this is the time to ask her questions. When they visited Faye’s wake after the concert taping, he had a feeling that things were unsettled between Anna and Faye. He is curious and he doesn’t know why he bothers to make it his business to find out about it. Maybe because after he settled things with his siblings and having a revitalized relationship with them, he wanted the same with Faye and Anna although the former is already dead.

“It’s none of your business, Nick.”

“I know.” Another silence. “The common thing that I noticed with you and your sister is that you’re both low-profiled. You don’t act as if you’re daughters of a famous senator in your country.” Nick continued.

“We don’t need publicity for ourselves.” Anna muttered. Nick didn’t comment on that. He watched as she picks up her camera and began adjusting the lens and staring at its small screen. She turned to him then. “I wondered how much it will cost me just to see you smile.” She told him.

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Will you please smile for me?”

“Why?”

Anna stared at him. Why? She didn’t know what came to her but she just suddenly had this urge to take a picture of him smiling. He seemed reserved and distant and she wanted to see the boy in him, in which Intin has been telling her about. She is curious to see the fun-loving and carefree person that the BSB fans have informed her before the concert. “Should there always be a reason why?” she asked him back.

“I’m not in the mood to smile.” Nick stood up and went back to his cottage. Anna shakes her head. She decided to go back to what she’s previously doing before Nick came along. Actually, it’s more like she wanted to go back to being her normal self before the Backstreet Boys came along. She’s happy with the way her life is turning out to be. She stopped what she’s doing and stared at the group picture in front of her. She knew that these Boys somehow changed her life and the youngest among them is trying his best to penetrate into her life for reasons she doesn’t know. She just feels that something’s up with that guy.



~~~



“What’s up with Nick?” Leighanne asked her husband while she watched from the window. She saw Nick stopped over to where Anna is before he went back to his cottage. She saw the intense and curious look in Nick’s eyes when he sat with Anna.

“What do you mean?” Brian stood beside his wife and looked to where Nick is. “J said Nick’s curious about Anna because she’s Faye’s sister. It seems like there’s some family drama going on in their family including a sibling rivalry.”

“But it’s no longer Nick’s business.” Leighanne raised an eyebrow.

“I can’t understand it either, Leigh.” They watched as the two stared at each for a while and then, Anna gets one of the cameras and faced Nick. She said something in which Nick shakes his head in reply. “Something’s up with Nick and I can’t understand it.” Brian said. “I need to talk with that guy.”