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A/N: As you can see, I haven't updated this in a long while...almost 2 years...due to severe writers block. I got some ideas though over the weekend so i believe that I'll be able to finish it. It is one of my very first stories...and my writing style has changed over the last 2 years. Please read and review!


Chapter Eleven

Once in Indianapolis, A.J. ran to his assigned room, way ahead of Howie, unlocking the door and going inside without a word. He let the door slam behind him, flopping on to the bed. The others were going out to dinner. He’d decided to stay back, saying that he did not feel good, faking an ill stomach. The events from earlier that morning were still on his mind. The man who’d claimed to be Zaina’s past boyfriend stuck out in his mind. It was obvious that the two other girls had called him to come out. It was obvious that they’d had ulterior motives. He felt that its was even obvious that they were trying to sabotage the Boys friendship and relationship with her.

“Bitches,” A.J. muttered under his breath, wishing that they’d have just gone back home instead of intruding in upon something that had previously been so good for so long, up until their arrival.


He scowled, remembering the time he’d almost told Zaina that he had feelings for her. Then they’d been interrupted right before he’d gotten the words out in the open. Ever since then he’d never had the nerve to tell Zaina again, and he regretted it. They had an amazingly close friendship and flirted all of the time. A.J. feared though that if he asked her for more, that it would ruin that because she didn’t feel the same way. Years ago when he was going to ask, he’d had confidence that she did. Now though, AJ just wasn’t sure. The confusion drove him crazy, and hearing the words that his Zania had almost been engaged to the man who’d come to see his long lost love made him feel intimidated for some reason. Even though Zania had no interest what-so-ever in him, AJ felt jealousy boiling within his very soul because Alex had in fact dated the girl...for a very long time. He felt as if he was losing his territory, competing for it in a sense...and he needed to protect it to keep it or win the battle for her that really wasn’t even there..

With a sad sigh, AJ felt sad and at loss for everything. Had Kevin interrupting them right before he was going to ask her that very special question that could have changed both of their lives. Maybe he wasn’t meant to be with the gorgeous Zania, who’d stolen his heart for the l
ong run. Possibly, Kevin coming to the door at that exact moment looking for him, before he could finish his question, had been God trying to save him from humiliation and a rejection that would have been too hard for his heart to handle. AJ honestly didn’t know. The fact of the matter was though, he didn’t have the courage to ask her again. Flirting with each other was about all that the two had going for them for the moment well in to the future at least.

“God, I’d do absolutely anything to have her,” AJ mumbled in complete misery, covering his face with his hands to muffle out his voice, “Absolutely anything.”

And that was the truth too. It wasn’t just her intense beauty that attracted him to her. It was her personality. She was fun loving with a kind spirit. She had a slightly wild side to her, which matched his own when the time was right, only coming out when she was in a feisty mood, ready to get her groove on. She was so much more than just a pretty face. He respected her in every way, fantasizing about what it would be like to see her naked and do intimate things with, loving her with all that was in him, but would never actually take advantage of her without her complete permission and willingness to take their relationship to the next level. Only then would he feel right about them actually taking things to that sort of level.

But then AJ was brought back to reality. He honestly didn’t think that he would ever have to worry about that. The chances of him and Zania actually being together were about as likely as him turning to country music.

“Yee haw,” AJ muttered at the thought of that, knowing that the day that happened, he would have had to of lost his mind. There was no way in hell he ever thought he could sing country music, therefore, Zania and him were out of the question if his analogy were to be proved true. It just wasn’t meant to be, which caused him a deep inner depression, “Nothing ever turns out right for me anymore.”

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“Too bad AJ isn’t here tonight,” Darcy stated as she took a sip of a draft beer, looking around the table to read the others expressions, hoping she could get a feel for what they were thinking...something she was usually pretty good at. She swallowed the mouthful of the alcoholic beverage, savoring the taste, “Ahhh, love finally being twenty-one.”

Zania just glared at the girl, wondering just why she was so interested in AJ’s whereabouts, or rather, his not being present. She seemed a little too interested in the man, whom Zania considered to be hers. All five of the men were hers, however AJ was different. AJ was special. She had feelings for him that she just couldn’t deny if confronted with the situation, however since nobody had ever asked, she’d kept it all secret, hidden deep within the furthest corner of her heart.

“Hopefully he’ll be feeling better by morning,” Kevin nodded in response to her observation, “Should be...” his voice trailed off, thinking back to how odd their friend had been acting all day. Ever since that morning in fact, AJ had been withdrawn and distant, letting every little thing that had happened slip right by him.

“Definitely not the same without him here,” Zania commented, eyeing Darcy evenly, hoping she caught the drift that AJ was definitely off limits. Especially off limits to her or Bianca, if they were getting any smooth ideas to try and pursue anything, “He always adds character to everything with his humor and charm.”

“But we have Nicky for that,” Brian exclaimed, jokingly shoving the blonde, “Only ten times more entertaining.”

Everybody laughed, including Nick after sticking his tongue out at Brian. It was obvious to Bianca and Darcy just how close these men really were. They’d had a pretty good guess from watching them on stage, TV and reading interviews, but up close and in person, it just sealed it all together perfectly, proving all of their assumptions true. Bianca was startled by a rather sexy chuckle, automatically knowing where it was coming from.

Bianca looked over at Kevin, catching him looking over at her. She bowed her head, blushing slightly before looking back up. He smiled at her, which caused her heart to melt just a little as she smiled right back at him. God, how she could fall for this man. She could very easily fall for him, as he was everything she stood for plus more. But then she snapped out of her daze, her smile fading as she shook her head and looking away sharply, still seeing him just a little out of the corner of her eye.

He’s married Bianca scolded herself, remembering the small, very important fact, He’s a married man...stop it. She was soon distracted again by some more good natured teasing directed towards Nick, the blonde trying to defend himself.

“I’m not that bad,” Nick argued, a slight blush creeping up on his cheeks.

“Oh yes, Mr. Norway is in Sweden and...” Howie teasted


“Okay, okay,” Nick interrupted so that he couldn’t point out any more of his past blunders, “Got the point.”

“Well, at least Nicky’s not the only one who needs a geography lesson,” Darcy brought up, “Sexy AJ McLean, if I recall, made a comment about Cape Town, South America...when in all reality, it is in South Africa.”

“And then Kevin called him a DILDO!” Howie, Nick and Brian all said in unison.

This caused a round of laugher from everybody except for Zania. Even Kevin was smirking, remembering the incident. That day had been quite some fun...that was for sure. They always knew how to joke around with one another without being cruel and heartless. It was a quality that had bonded them so closely in the first place. Remembering the past always seemed to make the bond just a little bit tighter yet.

Zania, however, was ignoring all of the teasing and fun, her eyes shooting daggers at Darcy. There she went again, mentioning her AJ, even calling him sexy. This was proof that the blonde girl saw something in AJ that was a little more than Zania would have liked. Darcy had a crush on him, and that certainly could not be acted upon. She certainly could not let this woman dig her evil claws in to the man. She needed to make sure of that, keeping a very close eye on the woman.

“I’ve got a feeling that we’re going to have a blast with this!” Darcy grinned after another few moments of harassing good-naturedly, “I feel so at home already..like I’ve known you all for years.”

“Ditto,” Bianca agreed, “Tonight has been so much fun...and I’m sure this is just a small preview of how things are around here.”

Not if I’ve got anything to do with it Zania thought wickedly as the Boys assured her that things were just getting started, her plot to get rid of them already forming in her mind If I have anything to do with it, this will be the worst time of your lives, you blood sucking rodents...I can guarantee you that.

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Bianca let out a long, wide-mouthed yawn as soon as she entered her hotel room. It was now one in the morning, and she was exhausted. Visions of her being in her long, baggy tee-shirt, tucked away under the covers, drifting off in to dreamland. That seemed really appealing to her, the more that she thought about it, and she found herself slipping in to one of the shirts the Boys had bought her to get her through until she was able to sneak away and get some of her own things from home.


Darcy, Zania and the Boys were still down at the restaurant. She’d felt bad for leaving, but she wasn’t quite used to staying up past midnight and could feel herself losing the battle to stay awake, knowing it would be in the best interest for herself and everybody else if she retreated back to her room before somebody had to carry her back. Then again, being carried back by certain people might not be such a bad thing...

Shaking her head, Bianca rid her head of those thoughts. She was just overly tired, in desperate need of sleep to refuel her body, and obviously her mind too in to thinking more clearly. Yes, she definitely needed some rest...

Just as she was about to slip in to bed though, a knock came from the other side of the door. Ignoring it, she continued to get underneath the covers, the pillow welcoming her head almost immediately. She let out a happy sigh, closing her eyes, ready to fall in to a deep slumber that not even a bomb going off could wake her from until later on. The knock came again though, causing Bianca to sit up quickly, highly annoyed. Grumbling to herself, she got out of bed, trudging over to the door, ready to scream at whomever was on the other side. She had a high suspicion that it was Darcy, and the girl had forgotten her room key. Upon reaching the door, she had already cursed up a storm, hoping that it was loud enough so that the person could sense her displeasure of their presence. When she opened it though, the person there was the last that she’d ever expected to see.

“Um...did I catch you at a bad time?”

Bianca just stared, humiliated that she’d lost her temper when it had been Kevin there all along. There he stood though, looking confused and uncomfortable, looking as if he wondered if he should leave, or possibly the look said that he wanted to bolt away from her, as far as he could get. Not that she would blame him.

“Uh, no...not at all...” Bianca smiled nervously, then looked down, seeing that she was only wearing the t-shirt still, which barely covered the top of her thighs. She blushed, sliding sideways to try and hide behind the door to cover herself more, “Sorry...I um...ah...what are you doing here?” she asked.

Kevin shrugged, “Decided to get to sleep too...everyone else is still downstairs...” his voice trailed off, “Just thought I’d check up on ya before I went to my own room.”

Bianca smiled nervously, her heart hammering in her chest, “Oh,” she relied awkwardly, unsure of why he cared. The thought struck her that maybe Kevin had intentionally followed her back, but she quickly shook it off as nonsense, “I’m doing fine,” she answered after a long pause, her voice trailing off. She knew that there was something else Kevin wanted by the way he was lingering in the doorway, “Do you, um, want to come in?”


Kevin nodded and Bianca opened the door wider, letting him step inside. Her eyes darted around for something to cover her lower half with, finding nothing in view. Sighing, Bianca figured that there was nothing she could do unless she wanted to make a scene, drawing attention to herself. She worried of making herself look like an idiot in front of this man, knowing that if she did, he wouldn’t forget so easily. She was, after all, going to be spending every day with him for many months to come now.

“So, what’s up?” Bianca asked lamely

Kevin shrugged, “Not too much...just adapting to all of this drama from the past couple of days,” he laughed softly, “It’s been a lot to take in.”

Bianca bowed her head in shame, automatically feeling it was her fault. She always thought everything was her fault. She wondered if Kevin was trying to hint at her to try and convince Darcy, the stubborn one, for them to just pack up and leave. He knew how against it Zania was, and Zania was close to him. Of course he would favor her, and would probably do anything to make her happy. All of the guys would. She could see how much they all adored her and cared for her.

“I’m sorry...” Bianca whispered, her voice trailing off, “We..I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”

“No, you didn’t!” Kevin was quick to interject, “Not at all. I invited you...and the invitation still stands. I promise,” he shot her a heart stopping smile, “Zania is just feeling a bit...insecure, I believe. She’ll learn to live with the change. I know she will.”

Bianca sighed. She hoped that Kevin was right, and even in the back of her mind, she felt that she was still at fault for her old friend being angry and cold...bitter. Looking up in to his green eyes though, she could tell that he was sincere and meant the words that he said. Bianca still felt guilty though. Their presence making Zania withdrawn was stressing Kevin. She didn’t want him to stress...

“I hope you’re sure...” her voice trailed off, “It’s an amazing opportunity...I never in a million years thought we’d ever find her alive...nor we’d ever meet you guys...or she’d be with you...” her stuttering continued for a moment, “It’s all so surreal...like I’m living some sort of dream and I am going to wake up.”

“It’s real...”Kevin murmured, feeling his heart flutter in his chest, telling him the real reason he’d insisted they come with them. He gulped. Even in just a long t-shirt, the girl looked so incredibly cute. The way her brown eyes sparkled made his body tingle, the perfect curve of her soft lips caused him to break out in to a cold sweat, knowing he couldn’t resist any longer, “Just like this is real.”

Leaning in, Kevin kissed her softly. Taken by surprise, Bianca resisted at first, but soon found herself welcoming them, even kissing him back...something she’d only dreamed of doing. Then the sudden thought struck her, as she pulled away, breaking the magical spell that had been cast between them.

“We can’t do this...” she said quietly, “You’re married...I...you...I can’t allow this to happen when you’re married to somebody else...it’s not right...it’s..”

Kevin silenced her by gently pressing a finger against her lips. He smiled at her, and she stared back confused. His heart was pounding so wildly, and he knew that Bianca’s matched. Nervously, Kevin opened his mouth to speak knowing that he had to reveal himself to her. The truth of his life that nobody but the Boys and his family knew.

“There’s something I need to tell you, Bianca...” he mumbled softly before leaning in to kiss her again.