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Nick


“So you kissed her and just left her there?” Nick could not believe what his friend just told him. “After you cried your eyes out over a letter from Sandra?” He passed the basketball to Brian who started to dribble it in place. “When did you become such a chick?”

Brian forcibly passed the ball back to Nick and jogged up under the basket. “I don't know what was going on in my head?”

“Did you call her, you know apologize?” Nick asked as he lobbed the ball at the basket.

Brian rebounded the ball and then made an easy shot from underneath. Nick took his silence as a 'no'. Nick stood as he watched Brian make several shots in silence; he knew the subject should be dropped. “Call her.”

Brian shrugged and started to wander towards the benches. “I will.” It was a statement of finality. Nick knew if he said anything more he would risk being abandoned at the courts again, even though he drove this time.

Nick took a few more shots at the basket before he spoke again. “I am getting together with Trina again after her shift ends.” He spoke nonchalantly hoping Brian would leave it casual and not make a big deal about it. After the crap he just gave him about Stephanie, he doubted it.

“What's this?” Carter found someone worthy of more than one date?” Brian asked before taking a drink of water.

Nick passed the ball back to him when he got back out on the court. “She has a timer,” he stated as if that was all there was to say regarding the matter of dating.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“She'll leave me as soon as she gets closer to zeroing out so she can be ready for her 'one'. Can't really date someone whose heart isn't in it.” Nick shrugged.

Whose heart wouldn't be in it Nick? Hers or yours? You don't exactly sound like you even want to give it a chance. You dwell too much on this whole timer thing.” Brian started to dribble around the court.

“Like you should talk,” Nick mumbled. “Did you hear about Howie?” He asked Brian, deflecting the conversation to another of their friend's issues.

“I just hope he doesn't get an infection from that timer parlor.” Brian cringed. “I do feel bad that he broke his own heart by doing it thought.”

Nick nodded in agreement. “We should get this game started,” Nick said as he noticed darker clouds moving in. “Before it rains.”

* * * * *

Nick leaned against the bars of the inside gate watching all the people enter. He pulled his ball cap further down on his face as he scanned their faces looking for Trina. He pulled out his cell phone to check the time. It was now forty-five minutes after they were supposed to meet and he was about to head out the exit when he saw the tiny blond girl jogging towards him.

“Nick,” She called out to him. “I am so sorry about being late. I would have called but I realized after I got in the car that I forgot to charge my battery and I didn't have my car charger. My piece of shit car stalled on me about ten minutes away. I finally got it started and made it here, doubt it will start up again so I can leave.” She held her hand out to him. “Are you ready to get this day underway finally?”

Nick found himself taking her hand and moving further in the park. “You aren't upset are you?” Trina asked when five minutes passed without a word from him.

“No, of course not.” It was not a complete lie, but not completely true either. He was not used to waiting for a girl. It'd been a while since he'd been on date, since his timer was implanted they were fewer and fewer, but most girls he went out with were eager to meet him and usually arrived before him. Maybe that was his problem, he thought briefly. He wasn't taking the time to meet someone with or without a timer that would treat him like a regular guy. Now, pleased with Trina's tardiness, Nick squeezed her hand and smiled at her.

“So what do you want to do first?” She asked him as she looked around at all the different rides. “Roller coaster, water ride, drop to your doom ride?” She looked up at him waiting for his answer.

“Let's get in line for the coaster,” He pulled her towards the line and only balked slightly when the sign said 'the wait from this point is one hour'.

“We can go somewhere else,” Trina must have seen his face.

“No, we are good here.” He squeezed her hand again before he started to feel like there were eyes on him. He tried to pull his ball cap down further, but it was to no avail.

“You ARE Nick Carter,” one of the girls standing in front of him started. “I can't believe my luck. I was just telling my friend that it would be awesome to run into you while I was out here visiting, and then, here you are.”

Nick realized how much the girl's voice carried when he saw other people turn their heads to see who she was talking to. “Keep your voice down,” He said. “Please.”

“Can I get a picture?” She asked, already moving people aside to reach Nick.

Nick looked at Trina who only smiled at him and moved away so that she would not be anywhere near the picture. “Sure,” He said. He really hoped this wouldn't happen all day, he wanted to spend a fun day with Trina. He stood still smiling a half smile for the camera.

“Thank you,” the girl squealed as she hugged Nick tightly. She moved back to her spot in line and continued to look back at him smiling from time to time.

“I'm sorry about that,” he said as they moved up in line.

Trina shook her head. “Please, I knew something like this would happen when we were out.” Even though she said she was cool with it, he noticed that some of the playfulness they had the first time they went out was gone.

Nick pulled her close to him so he could whisper to her. “Hey, I like spending time with you, I really hope this doesn't put a damper on things.”

“Nick, it's cool, really.” She patted his arm and shuffled forward with the line.

“Is this your girlfriend?” The girl in front of them was turned back facing them again. “When did you start dating her, I thought you were single. When I heard that your timer hadn't started yet, I've been saving my money so I can get implanted.” She beamed at Nick, he believe he could see every one of her teeth as she smiled at him.

“But we've already met.” Nick added, pointing out that the time told you when you met your one true love, if he already met her, she couldn't be it right?

“I heard of a couple that were dating, broke up, got timers, zeroed out and when their timers went off it was the next time they saw each other. They just weren't ready when they first were together.” The girl was now batting her eyelashes at him.

“Well, maybe then.” He smiled back.

“Are you dating her?” The fan asked again. “Because I noticed she has a timer and it's counting down. She's not the one for you, you know so you shouldn't be wasting your time.”

Nick's temper was beginning to grow, he was finding it hard to be amicable to this girl. Trina seemed to sense this about him and jumped in.

“No worries girl, we are just friends. We hang out commiserating over the troubles our timers bring.” The line moved forward slightly but Trina did not move, instead she grabbed Nick's hand. “Let's go somewhere else.”

“Thanks,” Nick said when they were walking away from the ride, the girl, thankfully did not follow. Her friend probably made her continue to wait.

“I only told her the truth,” Trina shrugged and started looking around for another ride.