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Author's Chapter Notes:

Sorry it's taken so long! Here we go with the new story. I hope you'll all enjoy and continue along with Nick and Veronica (and me!) and find out what happens with them and their relationship. There's a lot I have planned for the both of them, so I hope you'll all stay tuned.

Thanks and enjoy!

Chapter 1

 

Veronica made her way inside and shut and locked the door, slumping against it heavily. It’d been a long flight and it was good to be home again. She was assaulted with the familiar scent of home and also with the overwhelming sense of loneliness that had only just set in the moment she stepped foot back inside her apartment.

She slowly made her way into her bedroom and her gaze was instantly drawn to her picture of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys over the head of her bed. A sad smile crossed her lips as she walked over to her bed, setting her bags down and flopping down heavily on the mattress.

It’d been a long and short past seven days, so many thoughts were running through her head, but one thought in particular seemed to keep coming up.

She missed Nick.

The whole thing was still very surreal in her mind and it’d all started with a letter. Almost two years ago, she’d written a letter to Nick Carter, never expecting any kind of response, but she’d gotten one. They’d communicated back and forth for a while before meeting when Nick surprised her with a visit on the day before her birthday. What conspired then was nothing short of a miracle. Here it was over a year and half later and she still couldn’t believe it.

Somehow their friendship had evolved into something more, something deeper, who would’ve thought? She was nothing more than a fan, a fan whose letter managed to end up in the hands of it’s intended. Veronica had been very lucky and she knew it, what made the whole thing even more bizarre, was the fact that they were now dating. The whole thing was crazy and didn’t make sense and she was still expecting to wake up and find it all a dream, so far it hadn’t happened though.

Sitting up, she leaned over and grabbed her bag, hefting it onto the bed next to her, unzipping it, preparing to start unpacking. Sighing heavily, she stared down at the bag for a moment before zipping it back up and pushing it off the bed and down to the floor. She couldn’t believe she was acting this way, she knew she should unpack, but she was just too depressed. Standing, she made her way out of her room, grabbing her cordless phone from the charger and walking over to the couch, slumping down as she dialed.

“Hello?”

“Hey Mom.”

“Veronica! You’re back!”

“Yeah.”

“So how was it?”

“It was great, I had a good time.”

“You don’t sound like it,” her Mom said.

“No no, I did, really.”

“But?”

“But nothing.”

“C’mon Veronica, this is me you’re talking to, I can tell something’s up. Did…I mean, are you guys still friends?”

Veronica smiled a bit, “Kind of.”

“Kind of? What’s that mean?”

“Well if you all being a couple friends, then yeah, we’re still friends.”

“A couple? A couple…wait you mean a couple? You guys are dating, like as in a couple?”

She chuckled, “Well yeah, that’s what being a couple means Mom.”

“Wow, are you serious? Aww Veronica I’m so happy for you!” Ginnie exclaimed.

“Thanks Mom,” Veronica responded.

“Uh Veronica? What’s wrong? You should be excited, happy, this is Nick Carter we’re talking about here, you have pictures of the guy all over your room,” Ginnie announced.

“I am excited, trust me, stunned is more like it but…”

“Uh oh, but what?”

“It’s nothing really, it’s stupid.”

“But what?” Ginnie prompted again.

“I dunno, I…I miss him is all.”

“Aww Veronica, why is that stupid?”

“Because it’s only been a few hours! If I’m like this already, how am I gonna deal with this relationship? Before it was ok ya know? We were friends, I had no ties to him, no nothing. Now that we’re dating, it’s at this whole other level.”

“Veronica…”

“No, forget it, just forget I said anything. I’m not gonna be like that ya know? I’m not gonna be all clingy and calling every fifteen minutes. I’m a mature adult, I’ve got my own life just like he has his. I’ve got my job and things I can do, it’s cool.”

“Veronica really…”

“It’s cool Mom, it’s fine. I’m gonna have to suck it up, I knew about this when I agreed to start dating him, I’m not gonna make him feel guilty or cause strain on this relationship already, I’m not gonna sabotage this.”

“Veronica will you let me talk please? You’re not being immature by missing him already. This isn’t the typical relationship, he’s not an hour from you, he’s in an entirely different state. It’s not like you can see him whenever you want, besides, you guys just spent a week together, your relationship is new, you don’t have time to settle into it and get comfortable and you’re already apart. It’s not going to be easy, you have every right to miss him.”

She sighed, resting her head back on the couch.

“I know Mom, I know. It’s just, it hurts to miss him, I really don’t want to…I mean…ugh, forget it.”

“I get what you’re saying, it was like that sometimes with your Father too, when he was over the road.”

“How’d you do it?”

“I dunno, in the beginning it was hard, but after a while I got used to it, I had to. Then again he was home every weekend and it wasn’t so bad. I dunno what it’s going to be like for you, it could be months before you see him, but it’s like you said, you do things to keep yourself busy.”

“Yeah…”

“And it’s not like you can’t talk on the phone or email and whatever right?”

“True.”

“Right, you’ll be fine, it’ll just take some adjusting, finding what works for you both. You have to be patient.”

“I know.”

“And tell him you miss him, I’m sure he’d like to hear that.”

“No way Mom! He’ll think I’m trying to make him feel guilty.”

“For what?”

“For ya know…suggesting us start going out.”

“He suggested it?”

“Yeah, he told me that he loves me and…”

“Whoa wait, he loves you? He said he loves you?” Ginnie said excitedly.

“Yeah, a couple nights ago. He took me out on the beach and drew my picture and then he told me and said he wanted to date me,” Veronica smiled, remembering that night.

“Aww Veronica! That’s so romantic!”

“Mo-om!”

“It is! You’re the one that’s into those romance novels, you can’t tell me you didn’t love that.”

“I did, I mean, of course I did, it was beautiful.”

“I knew it,” Ginnie laughed.

“Anyways Mom, yeah, I mean I kinda put up a bit of a fight cause I was nervous and all, but finally we agreed. I just don’t want him to feel like I’m complaining and that me missing him is his fault.”

“Veronica it’s no one’s fault when we miss someone, well usually it’s not. This is not anyone’s fault. You two live far away from each other, it’s only normal that you’d miss him. Don’t you think he misses you?”

“Probably not, I was just with him for a week, he’s probably glad to get his home back and get time to himself.”

Although he’d said opposite before she’d left, even telling her he wanted her to stay.

“I highly doubt that,” Ginnie reasoned.

“I dunno, but in any case, I don’t want to find out. I’m gonna play this cool.”

“Be careful Veronica, doesn’t matter that he’s famous, he’s a guy with feelings. You’re in a relationship, you both need to commit the time and effort for it. Don’t be so blasé about it. If this long distance relationship is going to work, you’re going to have to keep in touch Veronica.”

She wanted to, she wanted to so bad, but it didn’t feel right.

“I know Mom. Look I’m gonna let you go, gotta pick up my mail and hop in the shower.”

“Alright, do you think you can come by this week?”

“Sure, I’ll give you a call in a couple of days and we can set something up.”

A short time later Veronica hung up, hurrying out of her apartment and over to her neighbors. After thanking the woman, she made her way back in, sifting through the large stack, throwing out the junk mail and setting the important things aside. She made her way to the bottom of the pile, stilling when she saw what looked like a letter for her. She tore the envelope open and pulled the sheet of paper out.

Veronica,

I just wanted to write you to say that I don’t think we should really hang out anymore or have any contact with each other for the time being.

I realize that you’re in a odd situation at this time in your life and while you’re now surrounding yourself with certain people that you think are having some kind of positive impact on you, I feel differently. I refuse to associate myself with someone who has so little respect for themselves and would allow people to use them. I’m sorry if I wasn’t your idea of what a friend should be like. I thought I was being your friend by telling you what you failed to see or acknowledge.

It would seem that you would choose certain people over the people who’ve been there for you from the beginning. That said, until you realize what’s important and see the people around you for what and who they truly are, I would prefer that we no longer communicate.

When you’re ready to talk, you know where I am, until then…

Lynne

Veronica stared at the paper in awe, while she was hurt and disappointed, she also knew that Lynne was wrong. She was never the type to accept others opinions, and if people didn’t feel the same way she did, she tended to rebel and go on the immediate defensive. She should’ve expected this, but she hadn’t. She thought her and Lynne were close enough that she’d respect her feelings and choices.

Sighing, she slipped the note back into the envelope. As much as it hurt, she knew it was for the best.