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Chapter Eleven
Point of View: Krystal


Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and ever pining
Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth...

"Christmas carols? Really?"

I jumped about a foot outside of my own skin and clutched my heart. I'd been so into singing that I hadn't heard Nick come up behind me.

I was standing in the yard in my galoshes and a bikini, the sprinkler going, painting on a canvas I'd set up just at the very edge of the sprinkler's reach. I was getting wet across my back, but the canvas was only getting a minimal amount of mist; just enough to make the paint run a little bit. I had paint all down my arms. I was using my elbows today as my main medium.

"Singing them helps me feel colder," I answered. This seemed logical enough. I mean Christmas carols were sung at Christmas time, which was in winter, which is cooler than August, and I was hoping to trick my psyche into believing it wasn't blistering hot outside.

Nick stood there beside me. The sprinkler jutted its way in its arch and lowered over us, sending rain over our heads and soaking him. Nick looked up, followed the arch to its origin, and laughed. "You look like a five year old out here."

I grinned. "Sometimes you gotta get in touch with your inner child," I answered. I turned back to the canvas, dipped my elbow into the red paint and got back to work. I was painting the sunset.

"Elbows today, huh?" Nick asked, smiling.

"Yup, elbows." I paused and looked up at him. "I saw an article on the internet about a woman who does paintings with her breasts," I said, "I'd like to do that someday."

"You can paint me with your breasts anytime you want," Nick grinned sappily. I laughed and smiled up at him, then turned back to my elbow painting. Nick paused a moment. "Hey can you sing again?" he asked, "You have a pretty singing voice."

My cheeks turned red, "Nawh, you're just saying that."

"No really, it's great," Nick argued. He smiled, "Would I lie to you?" he asked.

I stared at him. “Most men do.”

“I’m not,” he said with a shrug. “Please? Just sing me something?”

“Will you sing with me?” I asked.

A smile spread across Nick’s face, “Yeah,” he answered, “Sure.”

“Okay then,” I cleared my throat.

Nick waited.

I looked him over, tried to gauge what song he would most likely be deeply annoyed by me singing. I’m not sure why, I just had one of those pain-in-the-ass streaks that’s always existed just below my surface. Get on my bad side and that pain-in-the-ass streak becomes the tendency of being the bitch-from-hell.

I’m doing this tonight
You’re probably gonna start a fight
I know this can’t be right
Hey baby c’mon…

Nick bit his lower lip and tried not to laugh.

I loved you endlessly
When you weren’t there for me
So now it’s time to leave and make it alone
I know that I can’t take no more
It ain’t no lie
I wanna see you out that door
Baby, bye-bye-bye

I smirked up at him. “You didn’t sing.”

“I don’t know that one,” he quipped.

“Uh huh,” I laughed. I turned back to my elbow painting. Nick stood there watching for a long moment. The sprinkler repeatedly soaked us, then went away, soaked us, then went away. An odd, funny little tension hung in the air.

After a long moment, Nick leaned close to my ear, and whisper-sang, “I don’t wanna be a fool for you, just another player in your game for two – you may hate me but it ain’t no lie, baby bye-bye-bye.” He stood upright and crossed his arms over his chest. “If you ever tell anyone that I sang that…”

I giggled, “What? Are you embarrassed?”

“They are the enemy!” he joked, eyes twinkling, “Singing NSYNC is like… like… Like, I dunno..It’s so horrible, there isn’t even a comparison…” Nick winked.

“Do you guys really hate each other?” I asked, smooshing blue paint onto my elbow.

“Not hate, no,” Nick answered, “But there’s a certain level of good healthy competition… y’know?”

“Mmhm, I get the idea you’re very competitive,” I said. Nick turned red. “I bet you’re a jealous man too.”

Nick shook his head, “Nawh… I’m about average.”

“Nothing else on you is average,” I muttered, glancing at his pants. In that department, the man was definitely loaded.

Nick smirked. “Hey, I wanna take you out tonght,” he said suddenly, “Can I take you out tonight?”

“To a club?” I asked hopefully.

“To a restaurant,” he answered.

“Then to a club?”

“We’ll see.”