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“Aiden Phillips did not ask you out?!”

“He did so! Heh, we’re going out Friday night.”

Lainey Emmerson gripped the phone tighter and blinked. “You are not!”

“Am too.” Her best friend since third grade giggled through the earpiece. “He’s picking me up at six.”

“Emma...” Lainey blinked rapidly, trying to register the new information. “This is some kind of joke, right?....” she paused momentarily. “I mean...even if he had asked you out, you’d say no, right?” She quickly checked her blind spot and switched into the right lane, moving between some cars.

Lainey could hear Emma’s sigh over the phone. “Lainey....”

She imagined she was rolling her eyes.

“I thought you were over him?”

“Well....I....I am...” she quickly defended herself. “Pfft, girl my crush was years ago.”

“So why would it bother you if we went out?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Sighing, she shut it again and slowed as the brake lights on the car ahead of her lit up. “Fine...go out with him.”

Emma was silent for a moment, and when she spoke her voice was quiet. “Lainey...does it really bother you that I go out with him?”

“No......” She sighed loudly and switched the phone to her left ear, steering with her right hand. “It just figures...ya know....all through high school I crush on him and then we get out and you start dating him.”

“I wouldn’t call this dating him.” Emma laughed. “It’s one date, Laines....and who knows, maybe I’ll think he’s a jerk.”

“Aiden is not a jerk.” She shook her head, brushing some strands of her blonde hair that had fallen out of its ponytail out of her eyes.

“People change, Laines.”

“Yeah....I know....” she blew a puff of air out from between her lips and flipped her turn signal on. “Okay, but let’s change the subject.” She moved her little two-door Honda Civic into the right turn lane. “What are you doing tonight?”

“Hanging out with you.” Emma replied, her voice brightening. “You decided if you wanna go out yet?”

“Hm.....not yet.” Lainey shook her head as she drove down the tree lined street. “I mean....yeah, it’d be fun but I dunno if I’m up for it. We’ve been out about every night this week.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Emma’s voice cracked slightly with the reception. “Well we can just stay home and watch movies....maybe do facials.”

Lainey nodded and switched the phone back to her right ear. “Or maybe we could just go see a movie. I’ve wanted to see The Mona Lisa Smile.”

“Ooh Paycheck sounds good too.”

“Ew.....” Lainey rolled her eyes and slowed for a stop sign. “Ben Affleck.”

“Yeah yeah....not a big fan.” She knew Emma was probably rolling her eyes as she said that. “Okay, so he’s not AJ McLean....but Laines, he is pretty hot.”

“You don’t even like AJ McLean....” Lainey scowled slightly, glancing down at the dash on the car radio.

“I said that for your benefit.” She explained. “You’re always dreaming about him.”

Lainey just rolled her own eyes. “I am not.” She reached over and flipped the radio on, keeping the volume low so she could hear her friend still.

“Oh whatever, girl....you know you want his body.” Emma giggled the sentence out. She always found it humorous, the secret obsession her friend harbored over the celebrity.

“Yeah....well you want Mark McGrath.” She retorted, hitting the button on the radio to change the stations.

“Who doesn’t? Laines...he’s hotttt.” She retorted, stressing the last word. “And he’s not a Backstreet Boy.”

“Hey!” Lainey frowned as she rounded a curve in the road. “There is nothing wrong with being a Backstreet Boy!” Her voice held a slight tone of displeasure.

Emma just giggled before taking a breath. “I know.....I know, I’m sorry. I’m just picking on you.” She laughed. “It’s just too easy sometimes, Laines.”

“Yeah...well....it’s not funny.” She flexed her fingers on the steering wheel and shifted in her seat. There were just some things she was sensitive about...and her secret crush was one of them. She didn’t know why, really. Maybe because everyone joked on her about it.

“Aww......” Emma pouted over the phone. “I’m sorry, Lainey...”

“No, it’s okay. I’m over it.” Lainey shrugged it off. “Okay, but seriously....what are we doing tonight?” She grabbed up the CD case from the passenger seat, and set it in her lap.

“I dunno yet.....maybe we just wait and see what we feel up to.”

“I guess we could.” She sighed and begin flipping through the CD’s, glancing down at them quickly at each page. “So you just going to come over to my place then?”

“Yeah...I suppose I could.” Emma’s voice breathed through the line. “But why don’t you come over to mine instead. Jessie’s gone to Tahoe to see her parents, so it’d be just us.”

“Well it’d be just us at my place too.” Lainey slipped the newest Nickelback CD out of the case.

“Yeah...yeah, you don’t have to rub it in about living by yourself, ya know.” Her friend teased over the line.

“Oh shush.” She giggled a little herself and hit the button for the CD player, ejecting the current disc. “But if you want me to come to yours....I can do that.” She shifted again, sliding the Nickelback on in, and sitting back in her seat.

“Yeah....come over to my place. We can go through Jessie’s movies and watch some. I swear, she has more movies than I can even begin to count.”

Lainey laughed lightly as she slowed the car, moving into a residential area. “Well, she’s your roommate.”

“Yeah, and I like her but she’s the biggest movie freak I have ever come across.” Emma explained.

“Alright....what time? Do you want me to bring the stuff for the facials?” Lainey checked the road, then glanced down to the case as she slipped the CD into it.

Suddenly a loud crunch filled the air as Lainey’s body was jolted forward then snapped back and her airbag whooshed out and into her face, cushioning her body from the steering wheel. She let out a shriek and slammed her foot on the break, her phone falling from her hand and skittering somewhere under the seats.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God....” She breathed out pushing the airbag aside as it slowly deflated, her car now at a complete stop. Rubbing her forehead, she slowly blinked and took in the sight before her. The blue crumpled hood of her Civic smashed up against the back of a nice, silver BMW.

“Fuck!” She cursed, gritting her teeth together and quickly unbuckling. Damnit, she’d rear ended somebody. Just great....perfect. But it didn’t look like the BMW was too badly damaged. Unlike her car. Her parents were going to kill her. “Shit!” She grabbed her purse and leaned over, trying to feel for her phone. Wait till Emma found out what had happened.

Her fingers enclosed around the small, silver phone and she pulled it out, lifting it to her ear. “Emma?”

.....ainey?! Oh my God, Lainey, what the hell was that? What happened?!” Emma’s voice rushed over the line, panicked.

“Uh....I hit someone.” She bit her lip and watched the car ahead of her.

“You what?!” Emma shrieked. “You were driving?!”

Lainey winced and held the phone back a little, her eyes still trained on the BMW, watching as the driver’s side door opened. “Um yeah...” She held her breath, praying some guy wasn’t going to jump out with a baseball bat and start bashing her head in.

“God, Lainey I can’t believe you were driving and talking on your phone at the same time.” Emma let out a loud sigh. “Are you okay? Who did you hit? Are they okay? Did you call the police?” She rattled off the questions at her.

“Uh....I think they’re getting out now.” She bit her lip and watched the figure step out of the car. “But um yeah....I...I’m okay. I wasn’t going that fast.”

“Good....but now you have to call the cops.” Emma instructed.

“Uh....I...I know.” Lainey rubbed her forehead, blinking as she watched the person head towards her car. Suddenly her eyes went wide and she gripped the phone tighter, sitting up straight. “Holy shit!”

“What....what?” Emma’s voice shot through the line.

“Oh my God...oh my God...oh my God.....Emma!” She squeaked out, feeling her chest starting to heave and a panic set in.

“What....what...Lainey what?” Emma was practically screaming over the line.

“Oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God....” Lainey rambled the words out. “Emma!” She exclaimed.

“What?!” Emma shouted.

Lainey bit her lip and let out another squeak as the person bent to her window, tapping on the glass. “I hit AJ McLean’s car....I hit AJ McLean’s car....” she lowered her voice, pushing herself back in the seat and sending sideways glances to the window.

There was a slight pause. “You....WHAT?!”

The knock came again on the window.

“Uh um....I gotta go.” She quickly breathed out, lowering the phone and flipping it shut. Holy shit....she had run into AJ McLean. AJ MCLEAN! Out of the millions of people in LA.....she had hit him. HIM! Taking a deep breath, and pushing the stray hair out of her face with shaking hands, she turned and slowly rolled down the window.

“Are you alright?” His chocolate eyes bore into hers, concern etching through them.

Lainey didn’t know if she would be able to speak. “I uh....I um....uh....yeah...” she finally managed out, just nodding her head.

“Are you sure?” He stepped back and reached for the handle, pulling the door open.

God, okay Lainey...you can do this. She silently lectured herself. You have to do this. “Uh....yeah, I’m okay.” She nodded again.

“You sure?” He questioned again, moving back and kneeling beside her. “Was that the police?”

“Uh....no....” She took a deep breath, letting out a small squeak as she inhaled his cologne. God, he smelled good. And his voice...oh Lord.

“Alright...well um...here....” He stood and gently grabbed her arm. “Let’s get you out.” Then he slowly helped ease her up and out of the car.

Lainey slid out and stumbled as her legs buckled. “Whoa....” Great, and make an ass out of yourself, why don’t you.

“Easy there....” He caught her and slid an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him.

Lainey felt the heat of his body move through hers and blinked, everything suddenly hitting her. With a groan she pushed herself away from him. “Oh my God...I am so sorry...I....I...” she glanced over to their cars, then back to him. “I’m sorry....I...I’ll pay for all the damages. God.....I’m such an idiot!” She smacked herself in the forehead.

AJ just watched her, tilting his head sideways and giving a low chuckle. “Hey now....no need to beat up on yourself. They’re just cars.” He reached up and adjusted the ball cap on his head.

“Yeah I....I....” she rubbed her face. “Shit...my parents are going to kill me.” And Emma’s going to laugh her ass off. She added silently. She was never going to live this one down. Wait till their other friends found out. “Great job, Lainey.” She scoffed at herself and shook her head.

“Well um...look.” AJ moved over to the cars and surveyed the damage. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“No?” She looked hopeful, moving beside him and taking in the crumpled fender and hood of her Civic and his slightly mangled back bumper. Okay, so it really wasn’t that bad, but it still wasn’t pretty.

He shook his head, sending her a sideways grin. “I got a good friend who fixes cars....he’ll shine mine back up in no time.”

“Well um...uh that’s great.” Lainey nodded and hugged herself, rubbing her arms. Maybe they should call the cops now. Get this over with so she could go hide in her room the rest of her life.

“Yeah....” AJ spoke slowly, stepping back and looking her over. “He uh....” he wet his lips as the corners of his mouth curved upwards. “He might be able to fix yours too.”

“Really?” She blinked and looked at him.

He nodded and tugged on his ball cap again, his eyes raking over her body. “Oh yeah....and it’d be a lot cheaper than going through your insurance company.” He shrugged casually. “We wouldn’t even have to call the cops.”

“It would....we wouldn’t?” She stared in shock at him. Lord, if he was telling the truth then God bless him. She really couldn’t afford another ticket...more points on her license...or higher insurance rates.

AJ chuckled then smirked, his deep eyes twinkling. “Look, you wanna get this done fast and easy?”

She nodded.

He wet his lips and grinned. “Aight...” he lifted his keys and jiggled them. “Then follow me.”

Lainey blinked. “Excuse me?”

He chuckled and nodded. “Yeah....I’ll lead ya over there.”

“But uh.....I need a car.”

He shrugged. “Shouldn’t take long....helluva lot shorter than going through your insurance.” He lifted a brow. “Cheaper too.”

She sighed and chewed her lower lip, weighing the choices. Finally she nodded. “Okay....alright.”

“Great....then just follow me....uh.....” He lifted a brow and tilted his head at her.

“Lainey.” She giggled a little at him. He looked so cute.

AJ chuckled. “Alright....then just follow me....Lainey.”

The way he said her name sent shivers racing up and down her spine. Quickly she glanced at her car. “Um....do you think it’s safe to drive?”

AJ pressed his lips together. “Hm.....” He moved back and looked her car over. “It should be....it’s just your fender and the hood a little bit. I don’t think the engine is damaged. You didn’t hit me that hard.”

Lainey just nodded, getting another waft of his cologne. Damn it should be illegal to smell that good.

“Okay, but let’s go.” He grinned at her, then studied her face. “You’re alright to drive...right?”

“Oh...um yeah.” She felt a blush rising on her face at having been caught in that moment.

“Great...okay then, follow me.” He smirked, then winked at her before heading back to the BMW and disappearing inside.

Lainey just watched him go, staring at the space. She quickly pinched herself.....nope not dreaming. And now she was going to follow him to his car guy and get her car fixed...hehe by the same guy that fixed his. Whooo, wait till she told Emma. Though she’d still laugh her ass off at her. But she didn’t care...she had met AJ McLean...and he’d winked at her.