In the kitchen grabbing some lunch before Brenda was picking up Michelle, the house phone rang, Nick’s cell.
“Take it the place hasn’t burnt down. That’s good.” Nick joked when Michelle answered the phone.
“Haha funny! I have lived in a house on my own you know.” Michelle laughed.
“Man that was so long ago. Anyway, how are ya?” Nick asked.
“Yeah alright. Just grabbing some lunch before Brenda picks me up in a bit and go into the studio.” Michelle replied.
“Wait up...Brenda picks you up. Where’s my car?” Nick panicked.
“Geesh Nick! What do you take me for? I worked til midnight, Brenda didn’t want me driving home in ANY car.” Michelle replied.
“Midnight! You been up all that time. Over 24 hours! Shell ya worse than us!” Nick told her.
“A girl’s gotta do what she gotta do.” Michelle laughed.
“Man I feel bad for suggesting the all nighter.” Nick apologised.
“Don’t know what your talking about. You slept through most of it.” She laughed.
“Miss me?” He asked.
“Sure am. How are you and the guys?” Michelle replied.
“Stuffed as hell. Had turbulence across the Atlantic, that was fun. Brian didn’t think so.” Nick said.
“Aw, poor Bri.” Michelle replied.
“Don’t poor Bri. Should be poor me! I was sitting next to him and almost barfed on me!” Nick laughed.
“Aww, poor you but poor Bri. Poor guy.”Michelle answered.
“Yeah typical, feel more for the little guy.” Nick laughed.
“Hey, I gotta get going, Bren just pulled up. I’ll catch ya later alright. Have a good show or whatever is happening, whatever the time is over there.” Michelle said.
“Back at ya.” Nick replied and they got off the phone.
Back at the studio, Michelle worked with Chris, going over the routine, suggesting a few things differently to what Chris had in mind. All this physical work out, for Michelle at times got the better of her but venting out every so often, Chris helping her calm down and giving her advice on how to handle things. She took on his advice, something that when she spent time with the guys and their choreographer they never told her about. She just assumed that Michelle wouldn’t need one.
“Shell. What’s wrong?” Chris asked after Michelle stumbled after a dance move that she knew she should have been able to do.
“I’m just not that great with the dancing. I never thought that I would need to know dancing in my singing and stuff.” Michelle replied, stressed.
“It does take a while to get the hang of things and all. Say, didn’t Brenda say you were linked to Backstreet Boys?” Chris asked as he turned off the music, walking over to Michelle who was sitting down, her head face down, hands supporting her head.
“Yeah, I’m best friends with Nick. Why?” Michelle replied.
“You got their music here?” Chris asked.
“I can get it, in my office.” Michelle replied looking up at Chris.
“Go get it.” He said to her. In a few minutes, Michelle returned with her iPod and connecting speakers.
“Ok, let’s do this.” Chris said getting the ‘Everybody’ track. They danced a few times to it and Chris could see that Michelle knew the guys moves but not master her own.
“I got an idea. With some things we could take something out and enhance that with your dance.” Chris suggested putting her song back on, and working on a few ideas, Michelle looking on. After a few minutes, Chris came up with the perfect idea. Michelle and Chris worked with the new moves and she got the confidence to dance to it. “That’s better, much better!” Chris encouraged her applauding. It was about 8pm when they called it a day.
Michelle got home about 9pm after stopping off along the way and getting some groceries in that was needed for cooking dinner. After she finished cooking, eating dinner, putting everything away, it was midnight before she finally settled down and was able to relax for the night, in bed. As she was turning off the light, her phone rang.
“Evening you.” Nick said when she answered.
“Morning, its midnight here.” Michelle replied.
“Yeah same here, 8am. Ugh!” Nick groaned.
“Don’t blame me. You were the rang that rang me.” She laughed.
“I had to get you at a good time to call ya. 8am here.” Nick moaned, laying in bed, rubbing his spare hand on his face to wake up.
“Is it raining in London?” Michelle asked.
“I don’t know and I don’t wanna know.” He replied.
“How was the show last night?” Michelle asked.
“Good. Just like the other shows. How you been?” Nick replied rolling to the side of the bed that had a bottle of water and grabbed a sip.
“Yeah good. Wish I had all your guys genes and could dance. I’m a klutz.” Michelle laughed snuggling down in bed.
“Dancing? You dancing in your vid?” Nick asked.
“Yeah, had a shit of a day with it, dancing and all but Chris, the choreographer worked out a few things and I got it. Video gets done Friday. 24 hours and then fly out straight afterwards.” Michelle replied.
“The pressure of being one of us.” Nick laughed.
“Yeah, thanks!” Michelle said.
“Anytime. I miss ya so damn much.” Nick confessed.
“Me too, and all you guys as well. How’s AJ been with ya all?” Michelle asked.
“He’s been alright. Just don’t mention anything of what happened and it’s all god. And when it comes to press and all, Jen made it known that no one questions about relationships of any kind. You and AJ have just gone your separate ways but still friends...technically, that’s still true.” Nick replied.
“Mmm true. At least there is no tension between you all. I didn’t want that.” Michelle commented.
“Even if it were, it’s ok.” Nick told her as he got out of bed and turned on the TV.
“I still don’t like it.” Michelle said.
“Hey, Shell it’s alright. I swear there is nothing going on and all.” Nick assured her.
“Ok, ok.” Michelle replied.
“I gotta get going, some morning TV stuff. Love you.” Nick said.
“Love you too.” Michelle replied.
Back at the dance studio in the morning, Brenda came in with the dancers from So You Think You Can Dance for the first day of rehearsing. Chris and Michelle showed the dance to them with Chris showing the crew what they would be doing and then the people who were going to be doing some solo dancing mixed in with the group. Michelle thought she wouldn’t be staying to watch them but it turned out she did and she was glad. She was able to improve her dancing and the rehearsing for the video.
In between breaks Michelle found out that Danny had found a location in the suburbs of Los Angeles and from what Michelle saw, she liked it. She felt comfortable for the video shoot now. She was looking forward to it now.
Back home that night, early, Michelle began to start packing her back for when the tour would start for concerts in Canada so she wouldn’t be doing things at the last minute like Nick did. That was a disaster.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thinking of changing title...any suggestions???
