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"Four on three," Brian said dribbling the basket ball. We had found an empty park across the hotel to play.

"But there are eight of us," Howie said looking at Brian confused.

"Yeah well, it may as well be five on three,because we know your ball skills D," Nick said and Brian walked by and the two gave each other a high five.

"Funny," Howie grinned.

"So,it's me Howie, Amber, and Katie," Brian said. And I walked over to Nick, making our team be him, myself, A.J and Trishel.

Nick and Brian faced each other for the tip off and Howie tossed the ball up. Because of Nick's height advantage he was able to get the ball over to our side and I got the ball.

I was pretty good at the game, considering my older brother played for North Carolina University. When I wasn't in a gym working out, him and I would shoot the ball in the drive way all the time. I dribbled the ball and was able to make an easy lay up shot.

"Did you see that?!" Nick's mouth gaped open.

"Yeah sorry, did I mention my brother played on a college team?" I laughed and Howie now had the ball. He did his best to take it down the court but A.J was on him the entire time and was able to reach his lenghthy tatooed arm around and get it.

"Jay I'm open!" Nick yelled and A.J. chest passed the ball quickly. Nick got it and made a three point shot.

"Nice!" I said and gave Nick a high five. He grinned and playfully slapped my butt. I raised an eye brow and Nick only winked.

The game contiued to be fun for the next twenty minutes and we were all getting hot and tired. We were only playing until twenty one and it was basically a game between Brian and Nick. They were both equally good.

"Nineteen us, eighteen you! Bring it on!" Nick said getting in his boxed postion to block Brian.

Nick was able to get the ball from Brian, saw that I was open under the net and tossed it over his head to reach me. I took it into my hands, dribbled it a couple times and took a few quick steps to make a lay up shot. As I took my left step and brought my arm up to shoot; I felt a pair of hands tackle my waist and bring me down. I saw the flash of red hair and new it was Amber. I came down on my right leg and my knee popped as I hit the pavement.

"FOUL!" Howie said putting his hands up in the time out position.

"No shit Howie," A.J. said.

"You alright?" Nick asked reaching for my hand.

"I'm good," I lied and took his hand. I stood up and my knee groaned in pain. "Alright maybe not," I closed my eyes putting my hands on my hips and bending over.

"This isn't football ya know," Katie told Amber.

"It was an accident, jeeze I'm sorry if I'm competitive." She said in her snobbed voice and walked over to her sutff to get a drink.

"I'm fine, I'm going to just walk it out a little," I smiled and bit my lip as I began to walk around the court. "Finish the game so we win Nick!" I told him since he had began following me.

"We should go get some ice on that." Nick said looking down at my already swelling knee.

"It's an old injury, it's alright. Go!" I laughed and pushed him.

"Okay, next basket wins the game," Nick said going back over to the others. Nick and Brian were serious getting ready to end the game. A.J. had the ball but Brian got it from him, passed it to Katie who then passed it back to Brian and Brian shot and made the ball.

"We win!" Katie yelled and I saw how her and Howie wrapped their arms around each other.

I clapped my hands from the spot I had planted myself on the ground to watch.

"Not fair, we were down a player," Nick said in defense.

"Yeah but we had Howie so it didn't matter," Brian laughed.

"HEY!" Howie defended.

"Alright let's go back,I'm getting hungry," A.J said.

"And we need to pack to go to Kentucky!" Brian said and gathered his things. Nick walked over to me and knelt down.

"How is the knee?" He asked and gently ran his fingers over my knee cap.

"Better," I smiled and Nick helped me to my feet. We started walking back to the hotel and then Nick jumped in front of me. "May I help you with something?" I asked Nick.

"Get on my back, you're hurting."

"I'm fine, it's only a ten minute walk."

"Exactly, now get on, you're limping." I rolled my eyes and put arms around Nick's neck and jumped off my good leg.

"I'm going to give you a hernia."

"Please, you weigh like twenty pounds."

"Plus a hundred," I laughed and Nick brought me to the hotel. We got inside and began packing to head to our next stop. Kentucky.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~
“We’re here, in KENTUCKY!!” Brian shouted into my ear as I was reading a Nicholas Sparks book.

“Did we just enter the state?” I asked not looking up from my book.

“Yeah.”

“Then we have a good three hours ahead.”

“Always looking down on things!” Brian hit a pillow in my face and I stood up to hit up.

“Nope, you’re supposed to be off that knee for another two days!” I stuck my tongue out.

“Yeah yeah it’s fine.”

“That’s why you had to have me carry you out to the restaurant this afternoon.”

“I didn’t have a choice! You threw me over your shoulder Nick!”

The last three hours we continued to goof around and I attempted to read my book. Eventually we made it to the hotel and our busses parked in the back. Tired and sick of riding in a bus for almost 24 hours we all crawled out into the parking lot and into the hotel.

“Katie we’re rooming together!” I yelled back to her. She wasn’t paying attention because she and Howie were flirting. “Okay or you can room with HOWIE!?” I laughed as I limped over to my suitcase.

“I’ll get that, you shouldn’t be lifting.” Nick said taking my suitcase from my hand.

“It just rolls, I think I can pull.”

“You’re not supposed to be walking. We should’ve gotten you crutches.”

“No thanks.” I took the suit case from him started to pull. "You're over worrying."

“You leave me no choice. ROK!”

“You rang?” They gave each other kind of head nod, Nick took my upper body and Brian carried my legs.

“This is ridiculous!” Before I knew it, I was over Bubba’s shoulders being carried into the hotel. I had no escaping this one.

We got our room keys and made our way up to the sixth floor. Katie and I unpacked some of our things since we would be here for almost a week.

“So what’s going on with you and Nick?”

“What’s going on with you and Howie?”

“Nuh-uh. I asked you first.”

“I’m not sure. He makes me feel happy and good about myself. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. And he sees almost straight through me. I’m one of the most difficult people to read, not even a psychic can read me!”

“He cares for you. I see it in his eyes and the way he holds you. But what about Brian?” My head jerked up from my suitcase.

“What about Brian?”

“You two have become close in the past day. A little close for a man who is married with a child?”

“Friends. He makes me laugh, we like a lot of the same stuff.”

“Riight.”

“Okay Howie lover, what’s with you two? He had a girlfriend before we left for tour and then the day before she’s gone?”

“They weren’t serious. He said it wasn’t going to work…we’ve talked and we’re just taking things slow and having fun.”

“Good, I’m happy for the both of you.”

“Me too. Just don’t get yourself stuck…or hurt any more!”

“Promise. Hey why don’t you go down and meet everyone for dinner. I think they’re eating down the street at that steak house.”

“You not going?”

“I’m going to relax. It’s a bit of a walk for me anyway.”

“I’ll bring you back something.”

“Thanks.” Katie left the room and I finished putting my things away. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. “Ugh, see what happens when you don’t stick to your workout regiment?” I asked myself trying to flatten my stomach. Feeling sick, I laid on the floor and began doing crunches to the music on my Ipod. I didn’t hear the knock on the door, or Nick walk in.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I jumped a little when someone took my headphones off.

“Oh, hi Nick. You scared me.” I went back to doing crunches. “What’s up?”

“You’re scaring me. Get up.” He put his arms under me and put me up onto the bed.

“What? I was doing crunches.”

“You’re not coming to dinner?”

“I didn’t want to walk.”

“We could’ve been taken down.”

“Why aren’t you going?”

“Brian’s bringing me something back since we heard you weren’t coming, I had to see why. Now that I see, I’m scared.”

“About what?”

“You’re injured and working out. It’s okay to take a day off.”

“Not for me. It’s natural for me to just work out. I’ve had a million injuries and that’s never stopped me.”

“Hales, you told me we’d work together on this. I’ve been keeping my part.”

“I know and you look amazing. You’ve been working out and eating right. I’m proud of you babe.”

“And you look beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever told you that.” I dropped my head a little, he tilted it up with his index finger. “Beautiful.” Ours eyes met and our faces drew near, our lips almost touching. My cell rang and startled me back.

“Sorry.” I answered the phone. Stupid, why did I answer the phone? Too late now. “Hello?”

“Hailey James?”

“Yes?”

“Stay away from Nick.” Then there was a click.

“Hello? Hello?” I hung my phone up. Probably some fan who got my number some how.

“Who was it?”

“Wrong number I guess.” I don’t know why I didn’t tell Nick, it didn’t seem important at the time.

“Oh.” Nick continued to stare at me.

“Nick, I’m not doing anything bad.”

“You haven’t eaten yet today.”

“Katie is bringing something back. Hey let’s go down to the pool!” I stood up and went to find my swim suit. “Go get yours on!”

“HAILEY, you can’t ignore this. We promised.”

“I know what I’m doing Nick. Relax, it’s sweet you care and are concerned. It means a lot to me. Trust me.”

“Will you tell me if you think you’re slipping?”

“Yeah, now get your suit.” Nick walked out, not believing me but what could I do? I put my suit on, slipped on my sandals and threw a pair of shorts over my bottoms. Five minutes later Nick appeared with his suit on and a towel.

“Ready?” He asked.

“Yup. I stood up from the bed, a little too fast because my knee gave out. Nick gave me the eye. “I’m fine; I just need to go a little slower.” I did rather well with hiding the pain I was actually in and the fact of how nervous I was that I actually did blow my knee out again. With a blown ACL you can still walk, it just hurts and feels as though you knee wants to go every which way.

“If it’s still giving out on you tomorrow, we’re getting it looked at.”

“Yes sir!” I saluted like a soldier which made Nick smile. “Swimming is good for your joints anyway.” We went down to the pool. There was another couple and a family with a boy and girl swimming. Other then that, it was pretty dead. Nick jumped in first and I sat down on the ledge. He took me by my hips and pulled me in smoothly and gently.

“Your body is amazing.” I felt my cheeks blush and dunked Nick under water. He came up spitting water. “I give you a compliment and you drown me. Thanks.” I did it again.

“Anytime.” I kept my arms wrapped around Nick’s neck. “Let’s have a race!”

“You’ll probably still kick my ass with a bum knee.”

“Yeah.” We got to deep end of the pool side. “On your mark, get set—GO!” I pushed off the wall with my good leg and began swimming. I tried to kick both legs but it hurt too much. I used my arms the best I could but it was hard. Nick got ahead and won.

“You let me win.” He laughed.

“I wish. Next time I’ll get ya!” We swam for a bit longer and assumed the others would be back by now and got out.

“Here.” Nick wrapped a towel around me and I put my shoes on. “Okay?” He asked. I shook my head and we went back upstairs. When I got to my room, Katie and Howie were in the middle of a make out session.

“Sorry! Just getting dressed!” I took a pair of shorts and sweatshirt and went into the bathroom. Neither one looked up or acknowledged me. I got dressed, ran a brush through my hair and went back out to the couple still kissing. “How was dinner? That’s good, what did you get me?” Katie pointed her finger to the table on the side of my bed. “Thanks.” I opened the box; it was a chicken caesar salad without the dressing. “Okay, I’m leaving. I won’t come back for the night so you have the room!” They both lifted and arm and waved, never removing their lips. I laughed as I walked out into the hall. I walked down the hall to Nick’s room and knocked on the door. Nick answered still in his suit and on the phone.

“Well, I’m sure it’s nothing. Fans say things and send things all the time just to try to get close to us. I understand…yes. No, I haven’t had anything personally. She’s here right now.” Nick looked over at me on his bed. I was laying down flipping through the channels on TV. “Okay hold on—Hale’s have you received any letters or calls that are abnormal?”

“Huh?”

“Just have you?”

“Umm, actually today, someone told me to stay away from you and hung up. Why?”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Yes, she did. I don’t know hold on—did a number show up?”

“No, it came up as restricted on my cell. What’s going on?”

“No, no number, restricted. I’ll let you know. Thank you.” Nick closed his phone and shook his head. “You have to tell me when things like that happen.”

“I didn’t think it was a big deal, what’s going on?”

“The hotel received a rather large package for me. Because it looked suspicious our security opened it. There was a picture of us in it...I don’t know of what. I have to go down and check it out.”

“So what?”

“I don’t know? I’m going to get dressed and then head downstairs.” I nodded my head as Nick dissapereard into the bathroom. “Eat your dinner!” His head popped out and then back into the bathroom.

“Eat YOUR dinner!” I yelled and opened up my box and opened a set of a fork and knife. I took a few bites and Nick came out.

“I’ll be like ten minutes. Do you need anything?”

“A water?” Nick opened up the mini fridge and tossed me an Avion water bottle. “Thanks doll.”

I watched “Halloween” that was on TV and ate some of my dinner. An hour rolled around before Nick came back up.

“I thought you were kidnapped.” He didn’t laugh but got on his cell phone.

“Brian, you have a minute? I understand you want to go see your family but it’s important. Okay, be right over.” Nick hung up the phone and walked over to me. “Hon, I have to take care of a few things. Stay in here okay?”

“What’s going on? Everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine. I’ll get you an ice pack too, it’s been a while.”

“Nick are you sure?”

“Yes. Just relax. I’ll be back in a bit can you lock the door though for me?” I was worried now. Nick was doing a decent job hiding whatever was wrong but I could sense something was up.

“Sure.” I got up and walked with Nick to the door. “Nick?”

“I’ll explain when I get back, I’m sorry I didn’t want to worry you.” He kissed my cheek and left. I locked the door like he said.