January 1, 2010

[Scarlett]

There I was, standing there kissing Nick until we both backed away from it and Nick had the same look on his face that he had when he found out that girls had a period, a look of confusion and slightly disgusted I think. It looked like a disgusted look.

"What the fuck...."

"Happy new year," I said as I rushed away from him and through the dance floor, then back over to the bar. I tried to get the bartender's attention when I felt Nick walk back up next to me, glaring at me. "Hey! I want something to drink!"

"No you don't, you don't need anything else," Nick laughed. "Come on."

"You're laughing?!"

"You're drunk."

"Go back to what you were looking at before the kiss," I said as I sighed. "I'm going home."

"I drove here!"

"I can take a cab!" I called out as I started to walk out of the party, almost stumbling over my own feet again. I turned to look back to see Piper still on the dance floor with that same guy and Nick was still at the bar. I started looking through my little clutch to realize I didn't bring any money with me and didn't have any credit cards on me.

So I couldn't take a cab. I forgot to put them in this purse that matched my dress.

I slowly started to make my way back to the bar, not wanting to say anything to Nick until I heard him laugh.

"Come back for more kisses?"

"I don't have any cash or credit cards on me...."

"Come on, I'm not trashed, I can drive," Nick said as he looked back out at the dance floor. "Seems like Piper's busy anyway, doesn't it?"

"Why does it bother you?"

"It doesn't, come on," he said as grabbed my arm, leading me out of the party. We made our way to the elevator and I stood there watching him as he pressed the button to the parking deck. "So why'd you kiss me?"

"It was midnight."

"We've all been together before at midnight and you never have."

"Yeah, well, Piper's always there," I muttered as Nick looked at me quickly. Then I realized what I said. Then I realized what he was thinking.

"Wait..."

"I'm ready to go home," I said as the doors opened to the elevator and I quickly started to walk out.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

First thing I realized as I woke up is that I wasn't in my own bed, but in Scarlett's Guest room. I didn't remember coming back, but I obviously had at some point, and passed out on the bed still in my dress. I sat up, brushing my hair off my face and glanced at the time.

It was already lunch time, and at the realization that I was hungry I climbed off the bed and walked out the room. The house was quiet as I headed downstairs, but the kitchen wasn't empty when I walked in.

Nick was sat at the table, a mug of coffee sat before him. He glanced at me as I walked in, but didn't say anything. I walked over to the coffee machine and poured myself some before sitting at the table across from him.

"Hey..."

"Mmm hmm..." Nick hummed, lifting his mug of coffee and sipping it. I looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"What's wrong with you?"

He sat his mug back down. "Nuttin..."

"Bullshit. You won't even look at me." I leaned closer, trying to get his eye contact. "In fact, after you fucked me in the office last night you disregarded me like I was some kind of hoe, so I should be ignoring you."

He looked at me, his eyes looking almost angry. "I did not..."

"You did..." I sat back, glaring at him. "...So what's your problem?"

Nick folded his arms across his chest and looked away, sighing. I didn't think he would speak, so I pushed my chair back and stood up, picking my mug of coffee up, but as I did he looked back at me.

"So, you fucked him too last night, huh?"

I frowned, looking at him. "What the fuck? Who?"

"Oh, there was more than one?"

I physically stepped back in shock. "What are you implying, Nick?"

He shrugged. "You..."

"NO! What are you implying? We have never been a thing, Nick! It was always a ‘bit of fun', as you say. So, what the fuck are you going on about?"

Nick stood up. "You fuck me, then go off and fuck someone else!"

"I NEVER FUCKED ANYONE ELSE!" I shouted, glaring at him. "And I certainly am never fucking you again!" I slammed my coffee cup down before storming out the room.

Nick Carter could go fuck himself.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

I sat there in my bed, my covers up to my chest as I looked around. I didn't want to go outside. In fact, my door was locked. All I remembered was kissing Nick and him bringing me home and asking me if he was the one that I wrote songs about and then I just locked myself in my room.

I didn't know if he was still down there or not.

But the knock at my door made me jump out of my skin.

Scarlett, it's me...

I sighed, thankful that it was Piper and not Nick. Maybe he had left. I climbed out of bed and walked over to my bedroom door, opening it up to see her rush in. I shut and locked the door and climbed back over to my bed. I was still in my red dress, which was now in a mess.

"You look paranoid as fuck," Piper said as I glared at her. "What?"

"I kissed Nick..."

"WHAT?!"

"I saw you kiss Dylan."

"Apparently you and everybody else, but what the fuck, you kissed Nick?!" Piper asked, staring at me. "Is that why he's in such a pissy mood?"

"Oh no, he's still here?" I asked as I put my hands over my face. "And he's pissed. Oh my God..."

"No, he's pissed at me because he thinks I fucked Dylan and I didn't. He dropped me off here last night because it was closer to the party," Piper said, climbing on the bed. "You kissed Nick? Why? I mean..."

"I was kind of drunk and I just felt it. And he kissed me back I think after the shock wore off and I just sobered up and freaked out and he kept trying to ask me if the songs I wrote about were about him..." I said, my voice trailing off. "I'm going to ruin everything."

"God, I feel horrible," Piper sighed, looking away. "You.. you walked in on us and now I get it. You have a crush on him."

I just shook my head.

"What?"

"It's no crush. It's never been a crush," I whispered, looking down. "I've just been sitting by, thinking maybe one day he'll feel the same way and he never will. I kissed him because he was staring at you and Dylan kissing."

Scarlett....

"She's in the bathroom asshole!" Piper yelled as I cringed.

We all need to talk. All three of us.

"We can't right now..." I finally said as he knocked on the door. "Please..."

"I'll go," Piper said as I shook my head. "No... I've got it," Piper said as she walked over to the door and opened it up quickly and slipped through. I saw him quickly staring into the door before it shut again.

I really ruining everything and I hated that.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

"Are you just out to fuck all our friendships up?!" I hissed at Nick as I walked past, making sure the door was closed behind me. I turned back to look at him as he slowly turned around.

"Me? What about you?"

I frowned. "What about me? I'm not fucking one friend then kissing the other in the same night!"

"Dude, she kissed me!"

"Don't kiss her again!" I gave him a warning glare before leaning against the wall and sighing.

"Piper, I didn't plan on kissing her. She wasn't who I wanted to kiss at midnight, ok. It wasn't her..." He looked at me a moment before looking away, and that's when it hit me.

"Me? You wanted to kiss me?" I couldn't help it, I laughed. "Nick... You're kidding me, right?"

He looked at me a moment before shrugging. "I just thought..." He trailed off. "Forget it."

"Nick, we were friends first, and I will always love you as a friend, but that is it. Jesus, if I'd know you were crushing or something I would of stopped this ages ago."

He looked at me. "Piper, I'm not crushing. I just didn't expect to see you kiss some guy you barely know."

I studied him a moment, before sighing in relief. "Oh, thank god for that! And really? Don't you know me at all? Look, I'm not happy with you right now, with that shit you pulled downstairs, but you need to talk to Scarlett. It's fucked with her head... You kissing her and brushing it off and whatever... Just, be nice." I glared at him before moving away from the wall. "I need to go home and shower. I have a date tonight..." I went to walk away when Nick grabbed my arm.

"What do you mean be nice?"

I glanced at him. "Just go talk to her Carter. Don't hurt her!"

I walked away, leaving him looking confused.

Hell, I was a little fucked up over it. He had sex with me, then kissed Scar in the same night.

Weird as fuck.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

I walked out of the bathroom after taking a shower and try to sober up a little. I was pretty sure I was still a little drunk or maybe that's what a real hangover felt like. I didn't know if Piper was gone or not, but I looked outside the window to see Nick's car wasn't out there.

I made sure my robe was tied and opened the bedroom door to see Nick standing there and I jumped.

"Your car is gone."

"Piper took it to go home. I'll get it back later," he said as I went to shut the door back and he rushed up to it and stopped me. "We should probably talk."

"I was drunk. I never get drunk. Just ignore it and let me get dressed," I said, shaking my head. "Mistake."

"Then why did Piper just tell me to be nice to you?" he asked as he walked into my bedroom and I sighed. "Why'd you kiss me?"

"Why'd you kiss me back?" I asked as he shrugged. "Because it was the polite thing to do?"

"I just felt like it, but still why did you kiss me, Scarlett?" he asked. "That's not who you are... get drunk and kiss me? ME? All the time we've spent together, all the years we've known one another, you've never really dated anybody seriously and you kiss me?!"

I just stood there, staring at him. I crossed my arms over my chest, my hair was dripping wet and I suddenly got cold.

"Why?"

"Because I saw you staring at Piper and Dylan kissing and..."

"It was just shocking because she doesn't even know the guy, you know?" Nick said as he looked at me. "Am I the person that you like that I know because I know myself so that would make sense..."

I kept staring at him, wondering if I should just say something, but I didn't want to ruin things more than they already were.

"Nick... this..." I started to say, my voice stuttering a little.

"It was about me, wasn't it? That song," he said as I looked down. "What were the lyrics? Something about shouldn't a light go on and you memorizing him for so long? Oh and the crying part. I don't fucking cry."

"Yes!" I finally yelled, causing him to jump. "It's all about you. They're all about you! Even the shit we've written together. And no, I've never had a real serious relationship because I'm stupid and I love you and I'm an idiot who feels that way while you go... get jealous... over," I started to say, trying not to get upset. "So I kissed you finally and it was a mistake."

"I know you love me. I love you, too," he said as I shook my head.

"I love you," I said, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Just, go. Take my scooter. Just go. The keys are in the kitchen. I'll get it back later."

"I don't know whether I should stay or leave," Nick said as I looked at him to see the confused look on his face. He rested his hands on top of his head, his t-shirt that he had was short and his stomach was showing a little. "I... you're in love with me? Is that what you're saying?" I nodded slowly. "Fuck."

"Just... go, please, go think, go not freak me out because I'm scared you're going to hate me now," I said as he dropped his hands to his side. "Just go get some air and I'm sorry."

"I could never hate you, Scarlett," he sighed. "I just... have so much going on in my head right now. You're my best friend... we're closer than Piper and I, you know? The shit we talk about... writing, music, everything." I nodded. "I'll take the scooter and bring it back later."

"Okay," I whispered as he took a few steps forward and stopped. Then he took a few steps over and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly. I just stood there, burying my face in his shoulder wanting to cry more, but I didn't.

"We'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay," I said as he backed away from the hug and I watched him walk out of my bedroom and I fell back on my bed, putting my hands over my eyes.

I felt like I was free of this secret that I had pretty much held for almost 17 years.

[/Scarlett]

[Nick]

What kind of shit have I gotten myself into with my two best friends? I've been fucking one and get slightly jealous that she's kissing some other guy at midnight on New Year's Eve and then the other, the one that is really like my other half, loves me? Like... loves me? All of these songs we've written over the years, is about me?

What. The. Fuck?

I drove around on Scarlett's Barbie pink moped, probably looking like a complete gay ass idiot, all the way across Los Angeles to the only place I could really think of going - AJ McLean's house. Because AJ has been in some fucked up relationships when it comes to female friends.

Whenever I had girl problems before, I would just go to Piper or Scarlett. But now, the problem is them.

"I saw you on TMZ this morning," AJ said as he opened the door and I stared at him. "You Piper and Scarlett going to that Hollywood party. They were lookin' fucking fly, man," he said as I walked into his house and looked around his foyer. Thankfully it sounded like he was alone and his girlfriend Rochelle wasn't around.

"I'm in trouble," I said as he snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like big trouble."

"Who's knocked up?"

"Nobody thank God," I muttered, running my fingers through my hair. "I've... I think I'm fucking up my relationships with Pip and Scar. Like... Piper and I have been fucking each other on the side for years man, like... just fuck buddies kind of unless one of us is in a relationship."

"Can I get in on that?" AJ asked as I rolled my eyes and walked towards the living room.

"That's all it really is... and Scarlett caught her going down on me the other day and just caused this thing. She got upset and so Piper and I said we'd stop it because you know, besides you guys, they're my family," I said, sitting down on the sofa.

"You fucking your sister..."

"Dude, it's not like that, you know that," I made a face. "And last night, she kissed that Dylan Hutton guy that's gonna be in her next movie..."

"Holy fuck, Dylan Hutton is hot as hell," AJ exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "If I was gay, I'd so tap that."

"Yeah, well he's not gay and they kissed at midnight at that party and I just like glared at them because Piper's not like that, she doesn't just go kiss random people like that, especially people she works with..."

"She wouldn't kiss me..."

"And then Scarlett kisses me..."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"

"And I'm standing there all what the fuck for a second until I kiss her back and it was awesome," I sighed, standing back up and looked down at AJ who was sitting in his recliner. "I just thought she was drunk and she was kind of tipsy, but then she tells me this morning she loves me."

"This is better than ‘Desperate Housewives'," AJ hissed.

"Like those songs she writes that I record or she records or other people record, their about me," I said, staring at AJ. "She's in love with me and has just been waiting for the opportunity or something to come up, I don't know. I've never seen her so terrified of talking to me this morning."

"And?"

"I don't know what to do," I said, looking at AJ. "Tell me what to do."

AJ just sat there for a minute, rubbing the palms of his hands on his jeans before standing up and looking at me.

"You're a fucking idiot..."

"I know."

"Everybody could tell that Scarlett has had a thing for you since you were kids. Hell, I remember the first time I met her and could tell she just looked at you with puppy dog eyes," AJ said as I looked away. "You need to stop the fucking around with Piper. That's not cool."

"I think it's over... It should have been a long time ago, I think, but... I don't like that Dylan guy," I said as AJ rolled his eyes. "He's sleezy."

"Is this the protective best friend Nick or the he might be fucking with my fuck buddy Nick talking?"

"Both maybe?"

"You say they are the only family you have besides us really? Then don't fuck it up, Carter. Go out to the beach and sit and think. I love me some Scarlett, and Piper's a fucking hoot, so you better not fuck them over or I'll kick your ass," AJ said as I sighed again. "You're almost 30, Carter. Time to grow up."

[/Nick]

[Piper]

"I told him..."

I glanced down at my cell phone. "You what?"

"I told Nick everything."

"And?" I turned back to the mirror, finishing off applying my mascara. "Did he freak out?"

"Define freak out?"

I chuckled. "Eye bug out his head, face go red kinda freak out?"

"No..."

"No?" I put the mascara wand down and picked my cell up, taking it off speakerphone and putting it against my ear.

"Not at all. He was surprised, and he figured out about the songs. I think I freaked out more than anything. He did hug me though before leaving..."

I walked over to my bed, looking at the outfit I'd picked out for my date. "That's because he cares, Scar. Where is he now?"

"He went to think. And... I kinda need to stop thinking. So, a date?"

I smiled, sitting on the bed. "Yep."

"Dylan Hutton?"

"Who else?"

Scarlett was silent for a moment, making me roll my eyes.

"Don't tell me you think me and Nick are going on a date? Come on, Scar. That's done and over with. He's my friend, that's it." I picked up the dress and smiled. "Plus, I like Dylan..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think you would.. especially after I asked you guys to stop. I just, I guess I wanted to make sure."

I sighed quietly, thinking back to the night before. "I promise you, Scar. No more. I'm over that. And I have a good feeling about Dylan." I smiled softly as Scarlett started getting excited for me, and it was then it dawned on me.

I needed to talk to Nick again, make things right again, despite how he'd pissed me off, and then I needed to get the both of them together and talking.

But first, my date. I couldn't wait!

[/Piper]

[Flashback - September 16, 1995]

 

[Nick]

"Nick," I heard as I looked around, only to see one of our managers walking towards us. I looked at my watch to see that it was almost four in the afternoon and that meant one thing - they were almost here. "Nick, your friends are pulling up outside."

"Awesome!" I exclaimed, jumping off of the sofa in the meeting room that we had booked to rehearse in.

"You got friends comin'?" AJ asked as I nodded and smiled.

"It's my two friends I met when I auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club. They were on there," I said. "Scarlett and Piper."

"Shit, the blonde and redhead girl?" he asked. "You bangin' one of them?"

"Dude..."

"Oh come on, you think about it," he laughed as I rolled my eyes. "Wait are these the two you send letters to all the time?"

"Well, I only really write Scarlett but yeah," I said as AJ's eyes moved over and I turned around to see them walking through the door with Scarlett's mother behind them. "You're here!"

"Oh my God you've gotten so tall!" Piper laughed as I hugged her and then hugged Scarlett. "I guess puberty hit?"

"Shut up, Piper," Scarlett said as she looked around and then looked at AJ. "You must be Alex."

"Yes I am," AJ said, shaking her hand and then kissing the top of it. I just shoved him away, causing him to laugh. "So what are you girls doing up here?"

"Nick invited us to come see the little show you guys are doing," Piper said as I looked at Scarlett as she stood there, wide-eyed looking around. "Scarlett's Mom is going to take me to an audition in the morning."

"Mouse Club is dead so..." Scarlett said as she looked at me and I smiled weakly. She had already told me her plan. She wanted to be a singer and wasn't into the acting thing like Piper. "I have to finish school first."

"Well I don't," Piper chuckled. "Who needs school when you can be famous?" she asked as I looked at her and then AJ.

She had a point. We just had to get famous first.

[/Nick]

[/Flashback]