[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
“How are you feeling today?” Stacy asked as she caught up with Valerie.

“I am better,” Valerie lied giving her a smile.

Stacy pretended to smile back but she actually felt a little worried for the sudden color loss Valerie had. “Well brace yourself because guess who is here? Mrs. Bates, well she doesn’t like us to call her that, its Betty to all of us…” Stacy said rolling her eyes. “You sure you’re feeling better?”

“Yeah I’m fine,” Valerie said now a little more worried about having to be in the same building as Russell’s wife. “Well I’ll just stay in the third floor today so I won’t bump into her,” Valerie said now getting impatient at the elevators.

Stacy laughed and then gave Valerie a sympathetic smile, “Betty is really great friends with Dr. Sander’s. As well as the fact that Betty Bates is a Pediatrician.”

“Fuck,” Valerie mumbled now finally realizing she had to force herself to meet her. Not that she really cared it was just the fact that she would have the urge to tell her what kind of husband she had. In the process she would put herself in a big mess since…well she had been involved with him at some point. She cringed as her head was flooded with those memories.

*********

“Yes mom,” AJ said into his phone as he parked. “No I am fine and excited to get back on tour.”

“Ok well I will see you in a few days then. I love you.” Denise said as she heard her son’s voice.

“Yes in few days…Love you too,” AJ said walking into the studio with three wonderings eyes stared at his entry. “What?” he asked them as he put his cell phone away.

“Nothing really we were just wondering if today you would be in a better mood. Apparently your not,” Nick said rolling his eyes.

AJ cleared his throat, “Sorry I didn’t mean to snap at you all I was in a shitty mood the other day. It won’t happen today…my mom says hi to you all.”

“So is she coming after all?” Howie asked.

“Yes she will be here in a few days.” AJ confirmed as he fidgeted with the recording equipment.

************

“Actually I can’t,” Valerie lied as she looked into the warmest eyes she ever met aside from AJ’s. Betty was so nice and it only made her feel guiltier. She had to keep reminding herself she had been victim too.

“Well maybe tomorrow or someday this week…before I head back out. I just love that you are so well grounded and that you have chosen to major with helping children. Russell was right about you, you are a head strong woman,” Betty told Valerie as she smiled at her.

“He shouldn’t lie,” Valerie said in a fake smile. She wondered why he would even mention her for. “I have to go but it was nice to meet you Dr. Bates.” Valerie said no longer standing being there. She left before she could tell her anything else.

As she finally made it out of the hospital she wished she could go to AJ and have him console her. But she couldn’t she had rejected him, when she really didn’t want that all. “Fuck Valerie when will you grab the bull by its horns and do something good for yourself?” she reprimanded herself.

“Wait!” Stacy screamed as she ran toward Valerie.

“Yes,” Valerie asked Stacy as she stopped.

“Want to join me tonight? Some of my friends and I are going to this nice club…” Stacy asked Valerie with a hopeful smile.

“Yeah that sounds nice,” Valerie said realizing that she had agreed to something she really didn’t want. Maybe though she could get rid of some of the pain and emptiness she felt.

“Great so here is my number call me and I’ll drive by to pick you up, at eight ok?” Stacy said giving her a genuine smile.

“See you then,” Valerie said as she saw Stacy head back to the hospital. “Great,” she muttered as she began her walk to her apartment.

**********

Valerie stared at the red numbers on her watch that taunted her from the lamp stand beside her bed. She was supposed to be getting ready to go out with Stacy yet she did not move from the bed. “Argh…” she mumbled as she forced herself up from the bed. She knew she was pushing her body to the extreme, when she felt the light headiness hit her as she stood up.

“I guess I should eat a salad tonight,” she told herself as she went to her restroom to find the scale. First she had to see if she had lost some weight. “Ugh just three pounds?” Valerie said in frustration looking at herself on the mirror. She did not recognize herself at all.

She rummaged through her closet to find something she felt comfortable and presentable for the night. “This red top is nice and it hides my belly,” she told herself as she got ready. It was actually harder than she had thought, making herself go out. Maybe if it was AJ taking her out it would’ve been different. She was surprised by her face expression with just thought of AJ.

AJ had done something to her and she was letting her fears tear that apart. Maybe she had overreacted? Maybe he was right, why was she being so guarded about a relationship with him? When she was younger that’s all she dreamed of, AJ seeing her as more than Sandy’s little sister and Becky’s friend. What she would’ve done then to get his attention like Becky had back then.

*******
Half an hour later here she was sitting beside Stacy in her Honda civic, “So how many friends did you say we were meeting up with again?” Valerie asked biting her lip.

“Just a few more, don’t worry they are great and they know I am bringing a friend.” Stacy gave Valerie a smile, “So what kind of music do you like Val?”

“I don’t have a preference I just listen to whatever fits my mood at the time,” Valerie said finally trying to feel a little more at ease.

“Ok cool so what mood are you in now?” Stacy said giving her another smile.

“I am a little nervous so no Rock please it won’t help but you can put anything want on.” Valerie said as she finally looked at Stacy and realized that she was pretty. Very slim and what she wore accentuated her…she definitely looked better than in her scrubs.

“Ok… well then lets just talk,” Stacy said looking ahead and hitting the breaks as the street light turned red. “I mean I know your one heck of good learner and that you like your job…but what else is there to Valerie Mendez?” she asked.

“Not much really except the obvious I am a nerd. I hate seafood and any weird food I’ve never heard of. I hate to try new food; I like what I already know. But besides that I have nothing interesting to tell you…” Valerie said shrugging.

“Oh come on Valerie…how about a boyfriend or girlfriend?” Stacy said giving her a curious look.

“I’ve had two boyfriends in my entire existence and one I don’t think counts cause it was only a childish thing. For the other I don’t really like to talk about him…how about you Stacy tell me a little about you,” Valerie said trying to change the conversation.

“Ok well I guess I should say it now in case you want to freak out…I am in a relationship right now and I guess you could say I have found my soul mate. She is wonderful and you will see why when you meet her today.” Stacy turned to see the reaction on Valerie’s face but saw nothing but a smile on her face. “You’re not going to freak out on me?” she asked.

“No… why should I?” Valerie asked arching her brow at her, “Love can be found in different ways and who am I to judge. If she makes you happy that’s what matters…but can I say something?” Valerie asked.

“Yeah sure what is it?” Stacy asked smiling at her.

“You don’t look…you know gay.” Valerie said turning slightly red.

Stacy laughed and then she looked at Valerie, “Thanks I guess. I like women Valerie but I also like style and I think I look damn good as a woman.”

“Sorry if I insulted you I was just curious.” Valerie said feeling a little bad for her comment.

“Oh no you didn’t…now lets see where should we park?” Stacy said as she entered the Parking lot down town.

**********

Valerie was enjoying her night and now here they were waiting to be seated in a fancy restaurant. “So after here where are we going,” Valerie asked Stacy.

“Well Josh wants us to go to some club a few blocks from here,” Stacy said smiling at Valerie. “You ok? I mean if you are ready to go home I can take you.”

“Yeah Val we can take you home and then join Josh,” Madison repeated to Valerie.

“I’ll see but I wouldn’t want to ruin your night though,” Valerie said looking at them both. She was a little exhausted after there adventure today. She liked Stacy and Madison; they were a cute couple now that she knew they were a couple.

“It won’t ruin anything,” Stacy assured her just as they were called to be seated.

“Now Valerie…just to let you know this restaurant sometimes tends to have celebrities dinning so stay on the look out,” Josh said as he began to roam the restaurant.

“Oh yeah we forgot to warn Val about Josh,” Samantha chimed as she slapped Josh on the arm playfully. “Valerie Josh is a Celebrity stalker…well not really but if he sees one he will do what it takes to get an autograph.”

“Not all celebrities Sam,” Josh corrected. “Just the ones I like.”

“Which do you not like?” Matt the last of the group finally said. “I’ve never seen you not like a celebrity.”

Valerie was laughing by then and was glad she had not shared anything about knowing certain famous guys to Stacy earlier. “There is no shame in that Josh,” Valerie told him smiling.

“See she gets me,” Josh said putting his arm around Valerie. “You’re my new best friend,” he told her sticking his tongue out to Samantha.

*******

“So,” Chris said trying to make conversation with AJ as they entered the busy restaurant.

“So what?” AJ asked knowing exactly what Chris wanted to hear. “Nick and his girl should be here soon and I don’t want to talk about this right now Chris. Let’s just have a nice dinner ok?”

“Fine…” Chris said as he asked for a table. “For four,” he told the young lady that attended him.

“Here comes Nick now,” AJ said as he saw him enter the restaurant with Melissa in tow.

“Chris how are you doing man?” Nick said shaking Chris hand. “This is Melissa,” he said pointing to her as he presented her to Chris.

“Your table is ready,” AJ heard the young lady from earlier say as she appeared again.

“Thanks,” AJ said smiling at her and began to follow her toward there table. Once seated he did acknowledge Melissa and Nick with a smile and then he began to scan the menu, he barely heard what Nick was telling Chris. He was getting good at ignoring what he didn’t want to hear. He froze as he heard a voice he recognized and finally he looked up from his menu toward the voice. “Val?” he whispered as he recognized her.

“I’ll have a coke,” he told the waiter not taking his gaze from the table across where Valerie sat. She looked like she was having fun, it pained him because that meant he was the only regretting his stupid decision from a week ago. But he had to stop staring so he forced himself to look back at the menu, only glancing a few times.

******

“Oh my god,” Josh said putting his glass down and pointing to another table. “I believe I have spotted someone famous,” he whispered toward Samantha who followed his gaze.

“Who?” she asked squinting to see well even with her glasses on.

“Nicholas Gene Carter, the most handsome man of the boy band era,” Josh gushed blushing a little.

Valerie turned her gaze then to see if maybe Josh was wrong but no there sat Nick with Melissa, Chris and AJ. “Who did you say?” Valerie asked not because she hadn't seen him it was more for reassurance. But she was only looking at AJ who seemed extra concentrated on the menu.

“Nick Carter,” Josh said sighing, “I used to dream of him all the time. Awe the boy band era was such a wonderful time in my life…I must get his autograph.”

“I think you should wait it seems they barely arrived,” Valerie said a little too nervous. “Or even better I can get it for you…” she knew it wasn’t a good idea but maybe it was the only way to finally go up and apologize to AJ. They needed to talk…because she had been miserable all this week with out him by her side. Just talk and see where that lead, he wasn’t going to look for her he had made that clear so this was the best opportunity she knew that.

“What do you mean are you a fan?” Josh asked smugly.

“Err not exactly,” Valerie said taking a big gulp of her wine and standing up before her bravery faltered. “Just wait and see,” Valerie said winking at Josh. It took her a little longer than normal to get to the table but it was just because she had done it on purpose. “Well look who I have found? Oh Nick please can I have your autograph?” Valerie said acting like a star struck fan.

Nick looked up smiling as he recognized who it was, “Vals anything for you…” Nick said winking at her and standing to give her a hug.

“Really anything?” Valerie asked arching her eyebrow.

“Yes well except for a date I am taken at the moment,” he said with a smirk on his face.

“Oh of course not you’re not my type anyway Mr. Carter it’s more of a favor…but first.” She said looking at Chris and then Melissa, “I need to finish saying hello,” she kissed Chris on the cheek and then Melissa. Finally she stared at AJ who still seemed to be more interested in the menu, “Have you decided what you want yet?” she asked him.

AJ finally looked up but said nothing he just gave her a small smile. He was going to go back to looking at the menu but he couldn’t so he sighed and answered. “No not really maybe you could suggest something for me? Or wait let me guess…you would recommend me a salad?” his smile widen.