February 12, 2010

[Piper]

Nearly two weeks had passed since Nick and Scarlett had left the country, and a week had passed since me and Dylan had been busy preparing for shooting the movie. We now had a location, and a date, and we had to be in Georgia in a couple more weeks. It meant that we were going to be crazy busy, reading lines in a warehouse, being fitted for clothes and making sure we were ready to be in character on the first day of filming.

It meant that I hadn't really had a chance to talk to either Nick and Scarlett since they'd left. We'd all been playing voicemail tag, and it was getting old. I needed to talk to my best friends, especially Scarlett.

Please tell me you are free right now?

I was sat at my table in the kitchen, my laptop open. I'd been responding to a few emails, and surfing the internet to pass time. Dylan was out being fitted for the movie, and I was hoping Scarlett was free to skype.

Actually, I am. What's up?

I smiled, quickly texting her back.

Skype. Now.

I made sure I was logged in, and waited until Scarlett's username popped up saying she was online before selecting video call on her profile. She answered after a few seconds, and I couldn't help but chuckle at her as her video kicked in.

She was clearly wearing one of Nick's hoodies. Her hair was scraped up on top of her head in a messy bun, and she looked tired.

"Wow, you look like shit."

Scarlett pulled a face at me. "Yea, well... it's been a quiet afternoon."

I snorted, smiling at her. "So, how is tour life?"

"Eh." She shrugged. "It's pretty hectic. Nick's always busy. We've barely had a chance to write any, but we had the day off today. Nick has a show tonight but it had no soundcheck, so we stayed in."

"Oh, I see why you look like shit..." I chuckled. "Boom chicka wow wooooow!" I laughed as Scarlett blushed. "So, you have done it then..."

"Is this why you called me? To get details?"

"No... but its fun to tease you."

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "If you must know, yes, we have. And that is all I'm saying on that matter." She leaned closer to the screen. "Red lipstick?"

I shrugged. "I was trying something new. Dylan mentioned that he found red lipstick sexy."

"Ooh. How are things with Dylan?"

I smiled to myself. "Great."

"Just... great?" Scarlett gave me a small smile.

"Ok, its... amazing. He's amazing. I don't even know why I waited so long to get into a relationship." I looked at Scarlett, who studied me for a moment.

"But?"

"But?" I frowned.

"I heard a but there."

I bit my lip before sighing. "Ok, ok... but... is it normal to feel overwhelmed at times?"

"What do you mean?"

I leaned back in my chair and ran my hand through my hair. "Well, sometimes he's so full on... the kissing, the touching... the things he says. Don't get me wrong, I love it... but it sometimes feels like its too much at times."

"What does he say?"

"That I'm his, and he loves me."

"Woah!" Scarlett looked at me wide eyed. "He's told you he loves you?"

I nodded.

"What did you say back to that? I bet you freaked."

I sighed. "I told him I loved him too."

Scarletts jaw dropped, and she just stared at me in shock for a few moments before shaking her head. "And do you?"

"I think so, yea."

"You think so? Girl, talk to me. You shouldn't tell him that if you aren't sure. I mean Nick hasn't said it to me yet, and I'm totally cool with that." She gave me a small smile. "So, tell me whats going through your mind."

I stayed quiet a moment, not even sure where to begin. I had so many queries, but I wasn't sure Scarlett would want to hear. It was weird now that she was dating Nick, because some of my thoughts involved him. "Well..." I sighed, looking at her. "... I don't know if you'd be the right person for these thoughts, Scar." I said softly, making her lean closer.

"Why the hell not?" She stared at me a moment before nodding. "Nick?"

"Hmmm."

Scarlett sighed. "We're best friends... and unless you are about to tell me you're in love with Nick or something, I guess I can hear what you have to say."

"Really? And I'm not in love with him. I'll save that for you." I gave her a small smile, feeling greatful that she would listen despite some of it being about Nick.

"Yea, just... don't be gross."

I snickered. "I'll try not to." I took a sip of my coffee before talking. "Ok, so the longest standing thing I ever had before being serious with Dylan was with Nick. Sure, we weren't in a commited relationship, and there wasn't strong feelings there, but we kinda had something that obviously worked. And Scar, this with Dylan is so different that it kinda freaks me out. Sometimes I don't know what to say, or act when he says things. Like..." I trailed off, chuckling. "...like a few nights back, he was being kinda frisky, and I know its wrong, but when he... ya know..." I felt myself blush, "...fucked me..." I whispered, feeling a little stupid. "... well, I couldn't help but compare a little. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't like how it was with Nick. I'm not saying I want Nick, it's just... it's hard. Some women compare exes, and Nick's really the only person I can kinda compare to." I looked at Scarlett, who kinda looked awkward. "Shit, I'm so horrible, aren't I?" I covered my face with my hand and groaned.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

"Well, I mean, you've had sex plenty of times, but just not with the same guy so much as you have with Nick or well, now with Dylan," I said as she moved her hands from her face. "Do... you.. like that sort of thing?"

"Yeah... I mean, sometimes, yeah... not all the time..."

"Then tell him not to be all porno... I mean... do you like it more with Nick?" I asked as Piper stared at the camera, just as if she was looking straight at me.

"I've never been in love... does it make it different?" she asked. "You love Nick... was it different than with Ryan or well, AJ?" I sighed and looked down at the keyboard of my laptop.

"Yeah, it's a lot different," I said, almost feeling like I was 15 again and telling her about my first time. "It's not just sex. I guess being with someone you love feels different than just randomly sleeping with someone. Maybe that's what's different about it, Piper. Maybe you do love him," I said, looking back at the screen.

"Maybe it is... it's just, I guess I'm not used to someone feeling that way about me," she said, moving closer to the camera. "So... are you gonna tell me about Nick?"

"I think you know..."

"Come on, humor me... it's awkward, but come on... everything going good?" she asked as I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, it's awesome," I said, looking down and trying not to blush. "I just... I hope it doesn't mess up with us working together, you know?" I said, looking back at the screen. "The writing stuff. I just... I hope it makes it better."

"As long as you don't write a song called, ‘Thor'," she said as I glared at the screen. "He's big. Dylan's not as big, but he knows..."

"Oh my god," I practically yelled, placing my hands over the camera as she cracked up laughing. "When are you going to be able to come over and visit?" I said, moving my hands. "Soon?" She nodded. "Good. We have the next three days off and we're heading to a studio to work on his album. So I might be a little scarce, but I have my cell."

"Okay... be good, don't do anything I would do," she said as I rolled my eyes, telling her I loved her before closing out of Skype.

I ran my hands over my face, thinking about the things that she said. It was awkward talking to her about sex with Nick, knowing that she knew him that way a lot better than I did. But I couldn't really talk to my other best friend about it... because he was the one I was talking about. And I felt awkward talking about it on Skype or the phone.

I'm not sure why being on tour is having this effect on me this time because I've been on it with Nick plenty of times. Maybe it's just because before we weren't together. We weren't in a relationship. I wasn't falling asleep in his arms or waking up halfway on top of him.

Maybe it was the birth control pills that I had gotten from some doctor when he first arrived in Belgium. They got my records from my doctor in L.A. and prescribed me some. The last thing I wanted was to get knocked up, but I had a feeling they were making me feel bad again.

WOOOOOOO!

My ears perked up, hearing Nick's voice echo as he walked up on the bus. I could hear him walking as he headed towards the back where I was sitting and had a big smile on his face.

"Free for three whole days!" he exclaimed, his hair still wet from the shower as he sat down next to me. "Let's go on a trip."

"Nick, I'm here to work," I said as he started to pout. "If you're ever going to put this album out, we need to work."

"But tomorrow is Valentine's Day," he whispered, wiggling his eyebrows. "Our first, by the way, together. I'll postpone the studio time tomorrow and we can have a day to ourselves, just us. We can write some and just.... get frisky and be all romantic." I just stared at him as he batted his eyelashes. "Come on. For me..."

Why couldn't I tell him no?

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

The house was too quiet as I played around on the internet. Boredom had set in, and I was waiting for the moment Dylan came back so I'd at least be amused by something.

I decided to fly to go through all the latest gossip sites and see what was going on. I hit up Perez Hiltons gossip site, despite not liking him, he always posted the latest gossip. And yes, even though I was a celebrity myself, I still liked to see what was going on.

Finding myself on the third article down, holding hands with Dylan in a photograph that Perez had decided to draw on, circling our hands, was not what I expected to see.

"Fuck..." I muttered, scanning the article quickly. Me and Dylan hadn't really discussed being public yet, and here we were... being public. I bit my lip and minimized the page before leaning back in my chair.

Was I ready to go public? I wasn't really sure. It kinda scared me, people knowing about my private life. I barely knew about my private life, why would I want other people talking about it?

I jumped when there was a knock at my front door, and stood up with a sigh before walking over to it and answering. Seeing Dylan standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers and smiling. "Hey..." I walked back inside as he followed me.

"You ok?"

I shrugged, looking at him. "How was the fitting?"

"It was good! Here, these are for you." He held out the flowers, making me smile as I took them.

No one had ever brought me flowers before. I smelled them before moving closer to him and giving him a kiss. "Thank you, these are beautiful."

"Only the best for my girl." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me against him. "How was your day?"

I shrugged, still smelling the flowers. "I spoke to Scarlett. She was on Nick's bus. I'm thinking of flying over to see them before we start filming."

"Oh, when?"

We walked into the kitchen, and I put the flowers in the sink before trying to find a vase. "Next week maybe? I haven't decided yet."

"Well, I can see if I'm free too and we can go together."

I stood up from where I'd been bent down looking in a cupboard and looked at him. "You don't need to do that."

He glanced at me and frowned a little. "You don't want me there?"

"It's not that..." I walked over to him, taking his hand. "...its just a tradition we've always done. The three of us hanging out and stuff..."

"So why can't I be there?" He looked irritated, and I all of a sudden felt like a huge bitch.

"I'm sorry, you're right, I'll ask them if they don't mind."

He nodded, but moved away and sat in the seat I'd been sat in all afternoon. I turned around, going on a hunt for a vase, and jumped when Dylan spoke.

"What the hell is this?!"

I stood back up, and sighed when I saw him looking at my laptop.

The pictures. Shit.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

After I agreed to finally taking the next day off, Nick finally agreed to not taking yet another trip and just stay in Stockholm where we were going anyway to work on his album. It wasn't a long drive to the hotel and there were already some fans outside waiting for Nick. How they knew he'd be here, I had no idea. The other guys were going to the next town or either doing their own thing since we had days off.

I went ahead as Nick went to take some pictures and checked us into the room and waited by the elevators until he finally came back in with a weird look on his face and walked quickly to the elevators.

"What's that look for?"

"They know."

"They know what?" I asked as he looked around for our luggage. "The guy already took it to the room."

"They know about us," he knew as I glared at him. "Someone saw us kiss and got video of it and it's going around online."

"Well, you're not 16 anymore," I snorted as Nick glared at me. "What?!"

"They've never been bad to you and Piper because it's always been apparent that there's nothing going on with us like that..."

"Yeah, well, I'm the same person," I said as we stepped off the elevator and I looked around to where our room was and I saw the suite at the end of the hallway. "Come on..."

I kept hearing Nick mumbling about something as we reached the suite and I opened the door, seeing our luggage sitting off to the side and looked back at Nick. "Seriously, I'm the same person..."

"I just don't want..."

"Yeah, I've dealt with these chicks for almost as long as I've known you, I can handle them. Hell, in a way, I am one of them. I love me some Nick Carter," I said as he finally cracked a smile. "Listen, you got what you wanted. We're taking tomorrow off and just chilling here... no studio. We can lay in bed and we can write and eat and do whatever we wanna do..." I said, walking up to him. "What did you say to them when they said that about the kissing thing?"

"I... I didn't really say anything except that I was surprised there was video," he shrugged. "They know you. They know you've worked with me on my music. On Backstreet's last two albums. They know you're one of my best friends... I just... I acted shocked that there was video."

"Look at you growing up," I said, patting his chest. "Not denying a girlfriend rumor! You're starting to act your age!"

"I can also show you some other stuff that a 30-year-old man can do..." he said, his voice trailing off as I put my finger on his lips. "What?" he mumbled.

"That leads me to something I wanted to ask about...." I said as he looked at me questionably.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

"When were you going to show me these?"

I signed, watching as Dylan looked at the pictures of us on Perez Hilton's page. "Well, the right conversation hadn't exactly come up yet."

"But... its us!" He waved his hands at the screen, sitting back in my chair. "I didn't even see these get taken."

I shook my head, not really knowing what to say. He was still staring at the screen, analysing the pictures.

"We look good."

"We do?" I slowly walked over to him, watching him look at the pictures.

"Sure, You don't think so?" He looked at me, frowning a little.

I pulled the nearest chair closer to him before sitting down. "I do, I just... I didn't know how you'd take it. I mean, it's not like we discussed going public." I shrugged. "I mean we're still quite new... if that makes any sense."

He nodded slowly before closing the laptop lid. "Well, I'm ok with it."

I wanted to ask him if he was sure, but he was smiling, looking very sure of himself. I smiled, taking his hand in mine and linking our fingers together. "Then I am, too."

"Well, that's sorted then." He stood up, pulling me to my feet. "Shall we put those flowers in water?" He let go of my hand and walked across to where I'd been looking for a vase, leaving me standing there watching.

I don't know what had made me think he'd be mad about those pictures, and it bothered me, being that he seemed more than OK with them.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

"What?" Nick asked as I walked over to pull one of my bags to the bedroom in the suite. "What?"

"So... like I was thinking," I said, lifting the bag up on a chair and unzipped it. "Why haven't you fucked me?"

"‘Scuse me?"

"Well, you know, there's a difference between fucking and having sex or making love and we've been together, like this for like, what, two and a half weeks now?" I asked as he nodded. "That's all you and Piper did really was fuck and have sex...."

"Oh God..."

"No, Piper and I got into this discussion about the difference because she was talking about Dylan and I just... I realized that we've just taken it kind of slow the handful of times we've done it..." I said, trying to figure out what to say. "Do you not want to fuck me?"

"Do you want to be fucked?"

"I've been fucked before."

"I don't want to hear about that!" Nick squealed, almost making me want to laugh. "I just think of you more than just a fuck or release, you know?"

"But Piper's your other best friend and...."

"Seriously, the Piper thing was totally different than this," he said and I could tell he was getting annoyed. "I have never had feelings for her. For the first part of our friendship, she was always younger than us and I always looked at her like that until, yeah, about the time that stuff started happening."

"You... had feelings for me before?" I asked as he sighed. "You said that about the second girl..."

"I always wanted to ask you out, like on a date, or to be my girlfriend or whatever, but they kept telling me that I couldn't have a girlfriend and all I could have was these random girls and I didn't want you to be that," he explained. "That's why I was so pissed when you told me about Justin because I would have given anything for that to have been me but it's like everything I was being told, I couldn't and I hate myself because you went and did that because you thought it would make me want you like that..."

I just felt like I wanted to cry. I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I pretty much couldn't hold it back and could feel my eyes welling up.

"Listen, I'm sure we'll do that... fucking thing... sometimes on tour, that's all you've got time for," he said as I tried not to laugh. "And when we do, your mind will be blown. But I like this... it's... it's different for me. It's a good different."

"I like it, too," I smiled but the smile on his face disappeared. "What?"

"Why's Piper talking about Dylan like that? Did he hurt her?" he asked as I shook my head. "You sure?"

"It was just girl talk, that's all," I smiled as he nodded and put his hands on the side of my face, cupping my cheeks.

"Okay, then, let's go to bed and rest because we have a long day of absolutely nothing tomorrow," he said, kissing me quickly on the lips. "By the way, it's also a no clothes day," he said before moving his hands and quickly taking his t-shirt off.

Oh boy.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

"So, Europe...."

I turned my head from where I was laying on the couch watching TV to look at Dylan. He was sat on the other side of the couch from me, my feet in his lap as he rested his laptop on my legs. "What about it?"

He nodded at the laptop screen. "There's flights here for day after tomorrow... where will they be?"

"Who?" I frowned, looking at him.

"Nick and Scarlett."

"OH!" I shrugged. "I don't know, I'd need to check their schedule, and really... you don't have to come."

He sighed. "I want to."

I bit my lip. "But..."

"But you don't want me there." He turned away from me, sighing.

"It's not that. I just... I want some time with my friends. You have to understand that things are going to get crazy with us, what with filming, and dating. We're going to be in each others pockets constantly for the next few months. I don't want to ruin what we've got."

"How will us going to Europe together ruin that?" He shut the laptop lid, pushing my legs off his lap so he could get up and put the laptop down on the table. I pulled my legs up under me and watched him a moment before sighing.

"This is all too new for me. I've never done the whole relationship thing. It's always been me and my friends, and I don't want to lose that."

"You'll be the third wheel, though. They'll be off together and then they'll be you. Alone." He glanced at me before shaking his head. "Unless you are ashamed of me."

"What? Seriously, Dylan. I am not. I just want to spend some time with my friends. And I won't be a third wheel, and if I am... I am friends with the rest of the band too. It won't be the end of the world."

"Hmmm." He hummed, shoving his hands in his jeans pocket and pulling out his keys. "I'm gonna go..."

"What? No, stay..." I stood up, walking over to him. "It's Valentines Day tomorrow... don't leave like this." I went to wrap my arms around him, but he stepped back.

"I need to go home, Sorry." He leaned forward, and placed a quick kiss on my cheek. "I'll call you."

I watched him leave, shaking my head as he shut my front door behind him. "Sure..." I muttered, turning around and walking back over to the couch, picking up the laptop on the way.

Might as well find out where they'll be and book my ticket.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

"We shouldn't have had cake right after the first time we did it, because now every time we're together, I want cake," Nick whispered as we laid there in bed and I tried not to laugh. "It's like I cum, and then I want cake."

"That's great, Nick."

"I'm joking, but cake sounds good..."

"Too late for cake," I whispered I snuggled under the cover and looked over at him. "You know, I'm kind of glad nothing ever happened before now."

"I probably would have fucked us up."

"You were fucked up," I said as I snuggled closer to him. "Hell, I was even fucked up some. Piper was fucked up. We were all just fucked up."

"If I'd ever hurt you, I don't know if I could have forgiven myself," he whispered. "I hope I don't. That's what freaked me out when you told me. I never really expected it... I never suspected it."

"I tried to hide it so that no one knows... but I guess it shows..."

"Shut up."

"When we go into the studio, I want to take it seriously though," I said as he nodded. "I mean it, just like we used to. We still write some kick ass songs together."

"We should do a duet album together," Nick said as I snorted. "No seriously... you need to do more singing stuff, Scarlett. Maybe we can do a duet on the album. Like a love song... I love your voice. You don't get the credit you deserve because you're going to be a huge star one day. It's gonna happen. I mean.. you're like this hidden treasure within Nashville and L.A., but it's gonna happen."

"I'm happy writing songs, Nick," I said, rolling over and resting my hand and chin on his chest. "It makes me happy to see other people sing what I say. It makes me happy to see you sing what I write, especially since almost everything I've written has been about you."

"I feel like we're just a bunch of lovey goo now or something," he said as I smiled. "If it's okay with you, we have this interview in a few days and if they bring up the other guys relationships and stuff, can I mention us?"

"You mean, make it official?"

"Yeah..."

"Why do it in a interview?" I asked as I reached over to get his phone off the nightstand and handed it to him. "Tweet," I said, handing him the phone.

I jumped out of bed, grabbing a pair of panties and a t-shirt and climbed back in bed, looking to see him going through his pictures.

"Howie took this one of us on stage two days ago during soundcheck when you got on stage," Nick said, opening a picture of me with my guitar that Nick singing next to me. "He text it to me."

"Use that one...."

"Okay," he smiled as I watched him type something out on his phone and I watched him look at me quickly before handing me his phone. I looked to see a new tweet from him, with the picture below it.

After almost 17 years, I can finally call @ScarlettJacksonMusic my girlfriend. Bout damn time. #BestSingerSongwriterEver #BFFS #GIRLFRIEEEEEND

"Damn... " I said, handing him his phone back. "It's official now, isn't it?"

"Already getting replies..." Nick said as I closed my eyes tightly and he started reading them. "oh my god best news ever.... about time..... did this not happen already? does this mean Scarlett's songs are about Nick now?.... I always knew that would end up happening they're too good together."

"They're all good..." I said as I looked over at Nick and smiled. "That's a good sign. Just wait ‘til your mother finds out."

"And yours."

"Maybe they can go to lunch together," I said as Nick cracked up laughing, tossing his phone at the foot of the bed and I cuddled back up to him.

His mother never liked me, while his father thought I was a good influence on him. My mother thought Nick was my ticket to being famous after the Backstreet Boys hit it big, but after he got involved in drugs and partying, she became adamant that I stop talking to him. Instead, I've pretty much cut off all contact with them, just like Nick had with his parents.

Which was fine. It had always been him, me and Piper against the world. That's the way it was going to stay.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

3am, and I really couldn't sleep. I'd booked my ticket to Europe, leaving the next day and meeting them the day after in Stockholm. I was excited to see them, and get away, but I still felt uneasy about how things had gone with Dylan earlier.

Plus, seeing Nick announce that he and Scarlett were together kinda made me feel a little more sad. Me and Dylan should've been doing that also, but instead he'd left upset at me.

I'd texted Scar and Nick, telling them my flight info, and Nick had told me he'd have someone meet me at the airport. In actual fact I'd been surprised he'd answered and not Scar, but then the awkwardness was gone now, and they were together no doubt, so why would they both reply?

I wanted badly to text Dylan, but what would I say? Technically, I hadn't done anything wrong. I was honest, and he just simply didn't like it. But of course, I was new to this whole relationship thing. I didn't know if how I was being was right, or if I was simply fucking this all up.

ping!

I jumped, hearing that I had a text and reached over to the pillow beside me, picking up my blackberry. My stomach dipped when I saw Dylan's name come up, and bit my lip as I read his message.

I'm sorry for how I acted before, I'm an ass. Forgive me?

I felt the weight fall off my shoulders reading his message, and smiled a little as I hurriedly typed a reply.

Of course. Please don't feel like I don't want you to come with me, I just need a little break. Come back over? It's lonely without you...

You'll miss me when you're gone?

I smiled wider.

I miss you now

I waited for his message back, and it was almost instant.

Good thing I'm outside your house then

I smiled wider, throwing the covers back and jumping out my bed, skipping through the house and unlocking the door. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I'm sorry..."

"Shhh. Don't worry about it." He smiled at me, puckering his lips a little making me lean down and kiss him softly as he walked us inside and shut the door behind him.

[/Piper]