Rachel let out a baffled sigh as she hastily click away on her lap top. She was concentrating so hard on her paper that she didn't hear Brian come into the kitchen. He tenderly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on the cheek. Rachel stopped typing and rubbed her temples.
"This is so irritating," she groaned.
"Having difficulties?" Brian asked as he sat in the chair next to her.
"It's not really all that difficult. I'm just not in the mood to do this, but I need to get it done."
"Maybe you should take a break from it. Come back and finish it later."
"No, if I do that I'll never get back to it. I'll find a reason to procrastinate." Rachel drew in a deep breath as she looked at her partially finished paper. "I'm probably going to be up all night trying to write this stupid thing!"
Brian smiled and put his hand on her leg. "Want me to go get you a cappuccino? I don't mind."
Rachel smiled back at him. "Could you?"
"Sure, no problem. I'll go pick up a movie for me to watch and get you your cappuccino."
Rachel pursed her lips. "I'm sorry, I'm not being very good company tonight. I just really need to get this paper done."
"Don't worry about it. I just like being with you. Doesn't matter what you're doing as long as I'm with you."
"That's sweet," Rachel said as she put her hand on top of his.
Just then, they heard the front door open. Kristin appeared into the kitchen grinning from ear to ear. Rachel sucked in a breath and looked the other way.
"Hey guys!" she said cheerfully.
"Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you were going to spend some time with Nick," Rachel asked.
"I am. I just came back to grab some stuff. Nick wants me to stay with him for the next two days."
"How did you get here?" Brian asked curiously.
Kristin's smiled grew bigger as she held out Nick's keys. "He let me drive the Durango!"
Brian's mouth dropped. "Whoa, he let you drive his Durango?" Kristin nodded. "Nick Carter, my best friend, let someone other than him drive his Durango?"
"Yup!"
Brian laughed. "You've got him whipped. He never lets anyone drive that car."
Kristin laughed. "Well, I guess he trusts me. Besides, it‘s a nice ride."
"So, you're staying with him for the next couple of days?" Rachel asked, pretending she was bothered by Kristin‘s eagerness.
"Yeah, you don't mind, do you?"
"No, definitely not," Rachel said.
"Cool, I'm gonna start packing some stuff. Come with me."
"Why?" Rachel said getting out of her seat.
“Because I want to talk to you,” she said as she tugged on Rachel’s arm. “Get up.”
“Fine,” Rachel muttered.
"I'm gonna go get that movie and your cappuccino," Brian said. "I'll be back soon," he said then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Rachel smiled and looked over at Kristin who was grinning at her. "What?"
"Nothing except you two are adorable."
“Oh, don’t start,” Rachel said as she walked into Kristin’s room.
“What’s with you?”
Rachel sighed. “Nothing, I’m sorry, I’m just really stressed over my paper.”
“Understandable,” Kristin said as she pulled her bag out of her closet. "So, what do you and Brian have planned for the evening?"
"Nothing, really. I've got that big paper due on Monday, so I'm gonna be working on that all night. I feel bad because I'm leaving Brian with pretty much nothing to do. He doesn't seem to mind though."
"I think it's cute. Can you get my toothbrush and toothpaste out of my bathroom please?"
"Sure," Rachel said as she went to the bathroom. "Here you go," she said then handed them to Kristin.
"Thanks,“ she said as she took it from her. “So, how do you like being with Brian? Is it everything you always dreamed of?" she asked as she packed her clothes.
Rachel smiled and shook her head. "It‘s not big deal. Brian‘s a great guy. I‘m just happy to be with him."
Kristin smiled back. "I feel the same way about Nick."
“Oh, really?” Rachel asked with her right eyebrow raised.
“Yeah, he’s a great guy too.”
“I know that, silly, “ Rachel said with a chuckle. “But what is it about him that you like?”
“You mean, besides the fact that he’s absolutely adorable?“
“Yes.“
“I like that he can afford to actually be in a relationship.”
Rachel stared at her or a moment. “What does that mean?”
“Rach, you know me. I have expensive taste. I’m not the type of girl to go on a date to McDonald’s.”
“So, you’re saying you wouldn’t date him if he didn’t make all his money?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying.”
“It sure as hell sounded like it.”
Kristin sighed and angrily put the last of her clothes into the bag. “What is it with you lately? You’ve been on my case about Nick. Why do you care so much?”
“I just want to be sure you know what you’re doing. Nick’s a great guy. Don’t mess things up by being greedy.”
“You act like I’ve been asking him for money or going on shopping sprees. I’ve not done anything of those things.”
“Yet,” Rachel muttered.
“Let’s just drop this conversation before it gets ugly.”
“Fine.”
“So, Nick asked me to join him on tour.”
“I know, Brian told me.”
“Are you coming?”
“I don’t know,’ Rachel said with a shrug. “I’ve not really thought about it.”
“Why the hell not?”
“I’ve got class. I can’t just drop in the middle of a semester.”
“Girl, going on tour with the Backstreet Boys is a once in a lifetime thing. College…you can do that any day.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said.
“I’d miss you if you didn’t come.”
“What do you need me around for? You’ve got Nick,” Rachel said as she crossed her arms.
“So, that’s what it is.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re jealous because I’ve not been around.”
“Kristin--”
“Maybe I’ve been a little distracted with Nick, but you’re still number one to me,” Kristin said with a smile. “Don’t worry, you’re not being replaced.”
“Thanks,” she muttered.
"Well, I think I have everything. I'm gonna go ahead and go back to Nick's place," she said as she zipped her bag.
"Okay, have fun," Rachel said as she followed Kristin to the front door.
"Oh, I will," Kristin commented with a mischievous grin.
Brian came up behind Kristin from the stairs. "I'm back. Here's your cappuccino," he said as he handed the cup to Rachel.
"Thank you, sweetie," Rachel said then kissed him.
Brian smiled and wrapped around his arms around her waist and looked over at Kristin. "What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing," she said innocently. "I'm gonna go now. See you guys later."
"Yeah, go ahead, leave. And take Nick's Durango with you!" Brian joked.
Kristin laughed as she left the apartment, shutting the door behind her. He smiled and kissed Rachel on the cheek then opened the case to his movie.
"What movie did you rent?" Rachel asked as she sat on the couch.
"The Other Sister," he said as he popped it into the VCR.
"You rented a chick flick?" she asked in shock.
"Sure, why not? I'm not afraid to show my feminine side," Brian said with a grin then sat on the couch. "Aren't you gonna finish your paper?"
Rachel shook her head. "No, I'm gonna watch this movie with you and go back to it later. I'm too irritated to finish it right now."
“Anything I can do?”
“No,” Rachel said as she admired him.
She cupped her hand under his chin and kissed him full on the lips. Brian smiled and looked at her in suspicion.
“What was that for?”
“No reason,” she said innocently.
"Alrighty, then," Brian said as he put his arm around her shoulders.
The two of them cuddled together and watched the movie. When the movie was over, Rachel looked over at Brian who was fast asleep on the arm of the couch. She got up and grabbed a spare blanket from the linen closet and draped it over him. Rachel quietly walked back into the kitchen and sat at the table to finish her paper. After a couple of hours, she added the final touch before saving it to a disk. She skimmed the paper one last time, saved it, and shut off her lap top. She let out a yawn and realized how tired she actually was. Rachel looked at the clock and noticed it was almost three in the morning, she turned off the kitchen light and tip toed into the living room where Brian was still sleeping. She kissed him lightly on the forehead and turned off the lamp next to the couch. Rachel made sure the front door was locked then quietly crept to her room. She had just crawled into bed when she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. Rachel rolled over to find Brian laying next to her.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Rachel said in the middle of a yawn.
"No, but I woke up and you weren't there. I missed you," he said as he nuzzled her neck.
Rachel smiled and laid her head on his chest. "You were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to wake you," she said then yawned.
"Did you finish your paper?"
Rachel nodded sleepily. "Yeah, now I'm really tired. I just wanna sleep for a really long time."
Brian chuckled lightly and kissed her on the cheek. "Good night," he said as he held her close and snuggled under the covers.
"Night," Rachel said drowsily then drifted off to sleep.
