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Chapter 18 Miss America

The next morning after finding out that I had no school or work and Nick decided not to go into the studio, we went out to breakfast together. I also wanted to tell Nick how I had been feeling lately and I had the perfect chance until she walked in.

Breakfast was going smoothly and I could have sworn that Nick was flirting with me. I was just about to confess to him when Miss America herself walked into Nick’s life.

It was early morning in a small café, who would’ve ever known she would be there. She wore this skimpy little dress and her hips swayed when she walked. It was like she was walking down the cat walk at some fashion show. I, in ripped jeans and a red tank top, looked like a tom boy compared to her. I was trying to tell Nick what I was going to say to him but his jaw dropped when Paris walked into the room.  He was put in a trance by her beauty and I couldn’t get his attention.

She sashayed up to our table and Nick swallowed a lump of shock down his throat. I lowered my head and jabbed my fork into my French toast.

“Hi Nick.”

“Hey… hey Paris. What are you d-doing here?” Nick stammered.

“I come here a lot. But keep it a secret. The paparazzi don’t know about this place. Are you doing anything tonight?” her voice irritated me to no end. The sickening sweetness and seductiveness made me want to puke.

“I’ve got nothing going on.”

“Good. Do you want to go out on that date you promised me? You pick the time and the place?”

“Yeah. How about I pick you up at 7:30 and we’ll go out to dinner somewhere then go clubbing?”

“Perfect. I can’t wait! Here’s my number and the address of where I’m staying. I’ll see you tonight Nicky.” She winked at him before she turned for the door.

“Alright then.”  Nick eyed her ass as she walked out the door. I felt like I was just invisible sitting there.

Looks like you will never be able to tell him after all Kalie.

“Hello! Earth to Nick!” I waved my hand in front of his face and he shook his head. “Liked your little trip to outer space there Carter?” I said sarcastically and annoyed.

He just smiled widely and exclaimed to me in a whisper so the people around us couldn’t hear, “I’ve got a date with Paris Hilton tonight!”

“I know. I was sitting right here,” I answered half heartedly. “As if you would have noticed,” I whispered under my breath.

“Can you believe it?! Me! A date with Paris Hilton! I can’t believe it!”

I let out an annoyed sigh. At least Nick noticed that. He looked up from the piece of napkin Paris handed him and questioned, “What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong?! Paris friggin Hilton just ruined my chance to tell you how I feel about you! That’s what’s wrong! I wanted to scream to him but I answered coolly, “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. So when did you promise her to take her out on a date? I didn’t even know you had actually met her before.”

“Oh it was a while ago. I thought I told you. She was the one who wanted to meet me in the first place so she called my people and we met each other. I promised her that I would take her out sometime and it kind of slipped my mind when I started dating Amanda. But look! I’ve got her address and I’m taking her out on a date! Tonight!”

“Where are you going with her?” I asked coldly.

Nick didn’t pick up my attitude as he said happily, “I’m going to take her to Waterloo’s. The one we always used to go to. Near the Backstreet Market.”

“Oh.” Pretty much everyone in our school would hang out in Waterloo’s and the Backstreet Market. All five members of BSB met there so they named themselves after it. The Backstreet Market was basically a row of shops and restaurants that was off the beaten path so it was a safe place for kids and teens to hang out without their parents.    

“I’m so excited! I can’t wait!”

I rolled my eyes. “You ready to go home?”

“If you are.”

On the way home Nick kept singing, “I’ve got a date with Paris, I’ve got a date with Paris!” over and over again.

After a complete minute of him repeating those words I finally snapped, “Nick! Please stop! I get that you’re going out with Paris!”

“Sorry. I’m just so excited!”

“I know! But please just stop. I’m getting a headache from you repeating it over and over again.”

“I’m sorry Kay. I’ll stop.”

He stopped for the rest of the ride home but he continued when we got in the house. He was in his room trying to figure out what to wear for later but I could still hear him singing that damn little song he made up.

Please stop! I screamed in my head.  Do you want me to cry Nick!?

I was about to knock on his door to tell him to tone down the singing when he switched songs.

“I’ve just seen a face

I can’t forget the time or place

That we’d just met

She’s just the girl for me

And I want all the world to see we’ve met

Falling yes I have fallen

And she keeps calling me back again

Falling yes I am falling

And she keeps calling me back again.”

I was about to rip my hair out! I was right there when they set up that date and I didn’t need to be hearing him boast about it. He didn’t know but he was rubbing it in my face and it was really starting to get to me. I had to get away. I had to get away from my own house and away from Nick.

As I was thinking about where to go then my cell phone rang.

“Hey baby! I finally got leave!”

“Ryan! That’s awesome! Would you mind if we go out somewhere now that you have leave?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing. How about we go to the park where we had our first date? It is our anniversary after all.”

“Oh shit Ryan! I totally forgot!”

“It’s alright baby. To be honest I forgot too until I looked at my calendar.”

“When will you be home?”

“In about a half hour.”

“Ok I’ll be ready by then.”

“Alright babe, I love you.”

“I love you too Ryan.”

Ryan was the perfect gentleman that day. It was beautiful just walking around the park with him and he was being the boy I feel in love with. That day was perfect and I was happy having a relaxing day with my boyfriend after it seemed like I haven’t seen him in years. We acted like we hadn’t seen each other in that long. It was really nice to have that time with him.

Then Ryan had to go back to the academy so he dropped me off at my empty house. But I wasn’t lonely for long because Crystal invited me to sleep over. Well really she invited me and Michelle over for dinner and a movie which in Crystal talk meant sleep over.

“Kalie! I knew you were going to bring your overnight bag! She’s staying Mich!” Crystal exclaimed as she opened the door.

“Yes girlies I am staying. I would have been calling you guys anyway because I would have been alone tonight.”

“What do you mean honey?” Michelle handed me a slice of pizza.

“I’m guessing today at the café didn’t go as planned did it?” Crystal winced.

“Not at all like I planned. I was just about to tell him when Miss America walked in and put him in a trance that I couldn’t get him out of.”

“Miss America as in blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect body, dressed in slutty clothes type?”said Michelle.

 “You hit the nail on the head with the description but I mean the Miss America.”

“You don’t mean?” gasped Crystal.

“Yes. I do mean Paris Hilton, Miss America herself.”

My best friends gasped.

“Why is she in our part of town?” Michelle asked. “Why is she in our state?”

“I don’t know and really I don’t care but she and Nick are going out on a date tonight and I’m never going to tell Nick how I feel about him.”

“Awe baby! I’m so sorry!” Crystal hugged me.

“But I’m ok.” My best friends looked at me. “Because Ryan had leave today and we went to the park where we had our first date. Today’s our anniversary.”

“How was he?” Michelle asked.

“His normal self. It was really nice.”

“Then,” Michelle continued, “why are you not spending the night together? Especially being the night of your anniversary?”

“He had to go back to the academy.”

“Oh,” was the final word said from both of my girlies about the Ryan subject.

The night was wasted away painting each other’s nails, braiding each other’s hair, pigging out on snacks, and watching movies. It was like we were kids again having an old fashioned sleep over. Crystal pulled out all her year books from elementary school all the way up to our senior year of high school and all the scrap books we made together. All of our wonderful memories came flooding back to us as we flipped the pages of the books. My friends kept my mind off of Nick and Ryan and we all didn’t have anything to do the next day. We planned on spending the day together and thank god it was a Saturday and I wasn’t needed at the dance studio. I didn’t want to leave my friends sides but I had to go home so I could do some house work.

I walked in the door after Nick. He was in the same clothes that he had left in the night before.

“Did you just get in?”

He smirked and answered, “Yeah. I did actually.”

Oh great. He stayed the night with her on the first date. There is no chance in me telling him now.

“So I’m guessing you two had fun?”

“We had a lot of fun,” he chuckled. That damn smile couldn’t be wiped from his face. “Where are you coming home from?”

“I spent the night at Crystal’s with Mich.”

“How was it?”

“A lot of fun. And a really big trip down memory lane. Tally pulled out her yearbooks and scrapbooks. We were laughing so hard at our school pictures. You should have been there. You would have been busting your gut.”

“Do you have your yearbooks?”

“Yeah I do but I don’t have time to get them out now. We’re going to Mich’s. You’ll see the yearbooks on New Year’s though. It’s been our tradition to look at them ever since we graduated.”

“Ok cool. I have to go clean up anyway. I’m taking Paris to the studio with me and then we’re going to the mall. I’ll see you tonight?”

“I think so. I’m not sure yet if I’m staying at Mich’s or not.”

“Ok well call me when you make up your mind. Hopefully see you later Kay.”

“Later Nick.” We hugged and went our separate ways.

That night I made it home before Nick. I peeked out of my bedroom window and watched as he paraded into the house whistling. My heart sank. I knew why Nick was so happy. Anybody could have figured it out. I mean come on; she’s flippin Paris Hilton and Nick’s well… a guy after all.

I flopped face first on my bed and cried. I was so confused. After that day with Ryan and I in the park, things were looking good between him and I and I was looking forward to more times like that but on the other hand I was having feelings for my best friend and neither guy knew about it.  

I guess my friends are wrong. I would never be able to tell Nick how I feel.