“I came as soon as I could!” Emma Diamond exclaimed as she burst through the door of Lainey’s apartment later that evening. Her wide brown eyes were filled with worry and concern, and her thick, curly golden hair pulled back in a ponytail, bouncing as she rushed in.
“Hey.” Lainey looked up from the magazine she was flipping through.
“Okay, so tell me all!” Emma dropped her purse onto the floor next to the wall and slid onto the sofa with her friend. “And I mean all! I tried calling you like a hundred times but you shut your phone off.” She pouted her full, round lips.
“I know...” Lainey giggled a little and tossed the magazine onto the coffee table, pulling her legs up and under her Indian style. “You were blowing up my phone and it was getting annoying.”
“Well if you had just answered and told me what was going on I would have stopped.” Emma retorted, grabbing a couch pillow and hugging it to her chest.
Lainey giggled. “Right, like I was going to go on about hitting AJ McLean, with him standing right next to me.” She playfully rolled her eyes.
“Oh shush!” Emma laughed and swatted at her with the pillow. “But seriously.....” her eyes went wide again and she set the pillow in her lap, brushing some stray hair from her face. “Tell me everything....hehehehe like, was he mad...did he yell...hehe, did he sweep ya off your feet and fuck ya in the back of his Benz?”
“No...” Lainey giggled, her face blushing slightly at that thought.
“Then what happened?” Emma bounced, causing the couch to wiggle a little. “Come on...don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Okay, okay...” Lainey laughed and shook her head. “So I hit him right....”
Emma nodded, already hanging onto her friend’s every word. “How did you hit him? Whose fault was it?”
“Well I rear ended him.....mine.” She answered retucking her legs and continuing with her story. “And he gets out and I was freaking out....even worse when I saw who it was.....” She sighed. “Can you believe I meet him because I smash into his car?” She shook her head. “I’m such an idiot.”
“Aww...” Emma giggled and pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them. “I’m sure he doesn’t think so.”
Lainey shrugged and continued with her story, enjoying her friend’s reaction as she relayed the events of her day. She told about his offer to get her car fixed, how he thought she was cute and sexy, how he flirted with her, how her car hadn’t been fixed...and finally ended with how he had taken her home; purposely leaving out that he was coming over the next day to run her on her errands.
After she’d finished, Emma just sat there, slowly shaking her head in disbelief. “Wow.....” she giggled lightly.
“I know, right.” Lainey couldn’t keep the grin that slipped over her face off. Not that she wanted to. She had met him....finally met him. And not just a shake your hand, offer a hug, sign an autograph meeting...no a real true, he’s not going to forget her, kind of meeting...or know she’s a fan.
“You’ve finally done it.” Emma stretched her legs out. “You finally met the man of your dreams.”
“Well....I wouldn’t say that....” Lainey started.
“Pfft, oh whatever....you know you dream about him and pine away for him, and kiss his poster each night before bed.” She smirked.
“So maybe I have had dreams and pined away...but I have never kissed his poster.” She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t even have a poster up.”
“Maybe not, but you got ‘em all in a box in your closet, don’t you?” Emma arched her brows.
“Yeah, well you have Mark McGrath posters.” She retorted.
“I never denied it.” Emma laughed. “And relax, Laines...I’m just teasing.”
“Sorry,” Lainey apologized. “You now I always get defensive about that kind of stuff.”
Emma nodded. “I know......and I’m sorry.” She stretched, giving a small yawn. “So when do you get your car back?”
“Uh...tomorrow or day after.” Lainey shrugged. “Better not take any longer than that.”
“What are you going to do about all your errands you were supposed to run tomorrow?” Emma blinked as if it’d suddenly dawned on her.
“Oh....um well...” Lainey wet her lips and picked at the couch cushion. “Funny you should bring that up....”
“Aww Laines, you know I’d drive ya around but tomorrow I have that meeting, and we’re really hoping to cinch the deal.” She pouted at her friend. Emma worked for a rather large law firm, as a paralegal. And the firm was currently in talks with a major recording company. The company signing with the firm meant big dollar signs for everyone.
“Oh, no it’s okay.” Lainey sent her a genuine grin. “Someone’s already offered to taxi me around.” She giggled a little. “Well, threatened to sleep outside my house if I didn’t agree to it.”
“Who?”
Lainey held back her squeal and tried to remain calm. “AJ.”
Emma just blinked at her.
Lainey giggled and nodded. “Yeah...hehehe, AJ McLean is taking me on my errands tomorrow.” She bounced on the couch and let the squeal out. “How fucking cool is that?!”
“You...you’re kidding right?” Emma stared at her incredulity.
Lainey just giggled and shook her head, squeaking out a ‘no’.
“Oh my God, that is so cool!” Emma lunged for her friend, pulling her in for a hug and bouncing with her.
“I know!” She returned the hug. “Now I have to find something to wear. How should I do my hair? Man, ooh I should wear my new cute sandals and paint my toes nails...” she began rambling off, her words spilling over themselves.
“Wow Lainey...” Emma moved back and leaned into the arm of the couch. “This is just like one of your fanfics.”
Lainey blushed and shrugged. “You know I don’t really write those anymore.”
“Who cares, it’s still like one.” Emma shrugged her words off. “You guys will go out tomorrow...and fall madly in love, then he’ll steal you away to some remote island where you will have hot, steamy sex all over.....and finally come back where you find out you’re carrying his love child....he’ll propose and you’ll have a huge elaborate wedding.” She smirked. “With moi, of course, as the maid of honor.”
“Ooh shut up, whatever. That is so not going to happen.” She rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh. “He does have a girlfriend.” She scowled.
“Oh, is he still going out with that Sarah bitch?” Emma slid off the couch and stretched out on the floor.
Lainey pouted. “God yes...that evil she devil.” She shivered. “Ugh!”
“Well maybe you’ll steal him away.”
“One can only hope.” She sighed wistfully. “But God, I can’t stand that girl. Everyone knows she’s using him!”
Emma shrugged. “They say love is blind.”
“It’s not love...she just has him under her evil mind control.”
“You don’t really think they’re in love?” She lifted a brow and tilted her head at her.
“Hell no....” Lainey shook her head. “She’s using him....but I can’t really figure out why he’s with her.” She tilted her head. “I think it’s cuz he seems the type of person that just wants to be loved and when someone comes along....he falls. Not that he really fell.....its brainwashing.” She explained.
Emma was silent for a moment. “Did you tell him all this?”
“Are you fucking crazy?!” Lainey grabbed the discarded pillow and hurled it at her. “As a matter of fact, he didn’t even mention a girlfriend or being attached.” she smirked. “Though he did ask if I was....”
“What do you suppose that means?” Emma laughed and caught the pillow, sticking her tongue out at her friend before tucking the pillow under her head.
“I don’t know...maybe that he doesn’t want her, and wants me.” She giggled then sighed and fell over sideways on the couch.
“Yeah well...one can always hope, right?” Emma teased.
Lainey just pouted at her. “Yeah well, why else would he have volunteered to spend all day driving me around?”
She shrugged. “Maybe cuz he felt bad.”
“I hit him...he had nothing to feel bad about.”
“Well then.....maybe.....maybe....” Emma bit her lip as she thought.
“Maybe he was entranced by my beauty and is drawn to me...” She giggled and sat back up. “Or he wanted to escape being with the she devil for the day. Which works too.”
Emma laughed and pulled herself into a sitting position. “You know what would be really funny....” she giggled.
“What?” Lainey carefully regarded her friend.
She giggled again and took a breath. “If you accidentally called her she devil in front of him.”
Lainey balked. “That would not be funny!” She searched for another object to throw at her friend, but was unsuccessful. So she just folded her arms. “I think I have more sense than that.”
“Oh I don’t know....” Emma shrugged casually. “You always call her she devil...it’d be an easy mistake.”
She humphed. “Well it won’t happen cuz I am not going to talk about her.”
This sent Emma into a fit of giggles. “Ooh what if he brings her up?” She laughed. “I can see you like just bristling....clenching your jaw but trying to smile and be all sweet.”
Lainey pouted. “You are so mean to me.”
“Aww......” Emma chuckled lowly. “I’m sorry...I won’t say anything anymore.”
“Well at least not about that stuff.”
Emma nodded. “Okay....so what do you wanna talk about?”
“What I’m going to wear tomorrow! Come on!” She leaped from the couch and grabbed her friend’s arm, pulling her down the hall behind her.
Emma just laughed and followed her friend. “Something that shouts out....’take me, AJ!’”
“Shut up!” Lainey giggled and burst into her room, yanking her closet doors open.
“Hm....no better yet, I think you should forgo the panties and bra, wear a tight white tank and some short shorts.”
“You can leave, ya know.” She scanned her wide array of clothes, trying to ignore her friend’s teasing.
“No I can’t...you need my help.” She fell onto the bed and giggled. “Okay, but I’ll behave.” Then she blinked. “Oooh I’m totally coming over tomorrow morning.”
“Oh no you’re not.” Lainey scowled at Emma, then began yanking clothes from the hangers, holding them up to herself, shaking her head and tossing them aside.
“Yes I am.” Emma began lightly bouncing up and down on the bed. “I want to meet this hottie.”
“You don’t think he’s hot and no you’re not.” She continued rummaging through her closet. “Ahhh, I have nothing to wear!”
“Girl, calm down....you have plenty of clothes.” Emma joined her at the closet and kicked through the pile on the floor.
“No I don’t...I have nothing to wear.” She sighed and fell down into her papazon chair, pouting.
“Lainey....” Emma sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Stop whining and pouting. You’re worse than a five year old.”
“Well I’m sorry.....but I just want to look really good for him tomorrow.”
“And you will...” Emma began sorting through the pile of clothes. “Trust me, Lainey. You’ll knock his socks off and have him saying....‘Sarah who?’.”
“I wish.” Lainey giggled a little as she watched her friend. “I wonder what she thinks about him doing this.”
“Eh, who cares.” Emma pulled out a dark print tee with New York written on it and tossed it at her. “Maybe they’ll fight about it and break up.”
“Maybe.....” She swung her legs in the chair and looked the shirt over. “This is cute.”
“And then he’ll be on the rebound tomorrow and you two can have your way with each other in the back of his BMW.” She tossed some low rising jeans with a black studded belt at her. “That’s what you’re wearing tomorrow.”
Lainey looked over the jeans, then the shirt again. “You think it’s cute enough? Hehehe man that’d be hot.”
Emma laughed and sank back down onto the bed. “Yes...wear it.” She scooted back until she was leaning against the wall. “And you’re always saying....he could easily seduce you.”
“That’s cuz he could.” She shivered at the thought. “All he has to do is look at me with those eyes of his...and I’m gone.....thud.” She giggled and sighed. “Man, those eyes in person are even more ooooh than the pictures. They don’t do him justice.” She leaned back in the chair, the clothes on her lap. “He is so beautiful, Emma. I mean utterly breathtaking.”
“Heh, maybe you can ask him to show you his lil stage technique.” She smirked and yawned again.
Lainey felt her cheeks redden. “Shut up! You know, for not being a fan, you sure know a lot about him.”
“That’s cuz I listen to your ass go on about it every day.” She lifted her brows. “You’ve been drooling over him for like.....five years now.”
“I know!” She giggled and gave another squeal. “And it’s finally paying off....cuz tomorrow....I GET TO SPEND THE DAY WITH HIM!” She shouted the words then jumped from the chair, tossing her clothes into it behind her and dancing around the room. “I get to....me...moi....yours truly!”
Emma laughed and watched her. “And I’m coming over, bright and early.”
“Emmmmmaaaaa....” Lainey sighed and fell down next to her friend, whining out her name. “You’re just going to embarrass me.”
“Laaaiineeyyyy....I will not.” she mimicked her friend’s pout.
“Yes you will.” She shifted and stretched out on her side, propping her head up with her hand. “You’ll say something about how I’m a fan or something about my cd’s or videos.”
“Gee I’m glad you have so much faith in me.” She retorted dryly.
“I’m sorry....” Lainey sighed and shifted. “I just....I just don’t want to embarrass myself in front of him....cuz he...well he’s AJ McLean.”
“I know...” Emma reached over and grabbed the stuffed penguin one of Lainey’s friends had won her at the fair. “But you have to remember...he’s just a regular guy. He puts his pants on the same way we all do. He farts and burps too. Heck, I’m sure he even scratches himself.”
“Ew...” Lainey made a face. “I don’t need those thoughts of him in my head. And I know...” she nodded. “He’s human too. I do know this...but he’s not normal. You can’t be famous and be normal...society and the media change that.”
“Okay, yeah...but he’s not a god by any means.” She made the penguin walk on the bed.
“I know.....” she stretched out onto her back and studied the ceiling. “But he’s still AJ McLean...the sexiest, hottest guy alive. The guy that has been my dream crush for years.” Then she giggled excitedly. “And I get to spend the day with him. What if I bore him?” She suddenly looked at her friend.
“You’re not going to bore him.”
“But what if I do?” She blinked her wide eyes.
“Did you bore him today?”
Lainey shook her head. “No.....not that I know of. God, what if I did?”
Emma sighed. “I doubt he’d have offered to spend all day tomorrow with you if you had bored him.”
“Oh...good point.” Then she blinked again. “What if we run out of things to talk about and it’s this uncomfortable silence? I hate those. They’re bad enough with guys I don’t fantasize about.”
“I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about.” Emma tossed the penguin aside and slid from the bed, stretching her back. “Don’t freak about it, okay...or you’ll be a nervous wreck. And then you’ll look like a complete idiot.”
“Yeah...” Lainey nodded and sat up. “I’ll be good...I can do this. It’ll be fun.” She grinned over at her friend. “And who knows...maybe he will fall in love with me.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hours after Emma had left; Lainey lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. The thoughts of what was to come that next day, swirled through her mind and it felt like there were a million butterflies in her stomach. She hoped she didn’t make a fool out of herself. That AJ would like her and at least enjoy himself. He had seemed to have had a good time at the diner while they waited for their cars. Hey, he had even flirted with her, that had to mean something. And...he could have just said sorry about her situation and left it at that...but no, he’d insisted on being the one to help her out. So did that mean he was interested in her...even if it was just a teensy tiny bit? A small grin formed over her face and she rolled onto her side, hugging her pillow. Hey, she’d take that.
Just then, the sharp shrill of the phone jolted her and Lainey jumped, sitting up straight. She grabbed the phone from the nightstand and clicked it on, quickly bringing it to her ear. Who would be calling her this late? “Hello?”
There was a short pause.
“Hello?” Lainey frowned and glanced to the digital alarm clock. The glowing green digits read 1:15.
“L...Lainey?” The voice spoke up, soft and hesitant.
Lainey reached over and flipped her lamp on, flooding the room with light and being forced to squint her eyes. “Who is this?”
“Hey...it’s um...it’s Caleb.”
“C...Caleb?” Her eyes grew wide as she felt her breath catch in her throat.
“Yeah....” He responded.
“What um....how um...why...who...” She stammered, not even sure what to say to him. “Wh...why are you calling me?” Quickly she sat up straight and tossed the covers from her legs. She had never thought she’d be hearing from Caleb again.
“Well I um...I...I’m back home.” His voice moved through the receiver. “And I know it’s late, but I’ve been lying here thinking about you and I just...I just...I had to hear your voice.” He spoke rushed, as if he was afraid she’d hang up on him.
But Lainey was too shocked at the moment to do that. She just gaped, not believing she was hearing Caleb on the other end of the phone. “You...you’re home?”
“Yeah...” he continued, in that rushed tone. “They let us go earlier than expected. I didn’t think it’d be for another few months...but here I am.”
She just nodded and ran a hand over her face. “Oh...” What was she supposed to say to that? He was the one that had left her. Broken her heart and left.
There was another pause. “Listen...I know I probably shouldn’t have called, but...” he took a breath. “I miss you, Lainey. I know we left things bad...but I couldn’t stop thinking about you. You were what kept me going.”
Her eyebrows rose and she shifted, leaning against the headboard of her bed. “I kept you going?”
“Yeah,” Caleb continued. “I loved you, Laines. And...and...I think I still do. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped.”
“Whoa...” she shook her head, not believing she was actually hearing this. “Caleb I...um...” Shit, how was she supposed to respond to that?
“I know...I know. It’s a lot to throw at you. And I’m sorry...but I want to see you again.” His voice was low and full of emotion.
“Um...I...I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Lainey shook her head.
“Why not?”
“Because Caleb, it’s been too long. And we’re both in different places in our lives and...and I don’t want to go back down that road.” She kept her voice even despite the sudden feelings that were flooding back through her.
Caleb sighed. “Lainey, I’m sorry if I hurt you. I was young...I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Look Caleb...” She shook her head. “It’s done and over with. Let’s just move on.”
“I don’t want to.” He persisted.
Lainey sighed and rubbed her eyes, knowing she had to say this...but not sure if it was entirely true. “I do...” she wet her lips. “I already have. Goodnight.” Then with another sigh and lowered the phone and shut it off.
Falling back onto her bed, she dropped the cordless onto the floor, bringing her hands up and rubbing her face. That had been a total shocker. Caleb was the last person on Earth that Lainey had ever expected to hear from. And he still loved her and wanted her back? Did he just expect she’d forget how he hurt her and run back into his arms?
Shaking her head, she pulled the covers back over her. It didn’t work that way. You don’t just forgive and forget and continue. She was over Caleb. So then why....did she have an uneasy feeling in her stomach just thinking that?
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks for the reviews. :)
