Kayla rolled over in her bed and looked at the small calendar she had hanging up on the wall in her bunk. It read July 2nd. She couldnt believe they had been on tour for almost a month. She also groaned, realizing what it would be in two days. Her 22nd birthday was on July 4th and she was trying her best to keep that fact a secret. Of course, Chel knew about it, but she had been sworn to secrecy. Kayla had told her how she didnt want anybody making a fuss over her, especially AJ. I'll tell him the night of my birthday, she thought, that way he cant be mad. She laughed and pulled herself out of the bunk.
What Kayla didnt know was that at that very moment, Chel was on the guys bus. She had spent the night with Nick and was now having an important discussion with AJ. Chel laughed, thinking to herself, if Kayla finds out I told him, I am so dead. She had just told AJ about Kayla's birthday and the party plans that she had. AJ got a sly smile on his face and told her that he was glad she told him and that he had a few plans of his own. He looked at her saying, "Lets go tell the guys." Chel noted the sparkle in his eyes and laughed, watching her plans set into motion.
Two days later, Kayla awoke to the sound of the stereo blasting a Backstreet Boys song. "UGH!", she groaned, "Dont I get tortured enough with this every day? Cant a girl just get some sleep?" She jumped down and went to turn it off. After turning it off, she walked back to her bed. She was glad that she didnt have to perform that night, since they had just performed the last four nights in a row. All Im gonna do is just lay here and do nothing, she thought as climbed back beneath her covers. After what seemed like only a couple of minutes, she heard Chel calling to her. "Kay! Come on, you need to get up. Its after eleven, you just cant spend the whole day in bed." Burying her head in her pillow, Kayla's muffled yell came out, "Watch me!"
Kayla felt Chel grab her arm and pull and she knew that she wasnt gonna be able to get back to sleep. "Alright alright, Im up." She looked at Chel, who had a huge grin on her face. "Why are you so happy?" Kayla watched as her friend just shook her head. "No reason, really. By the way, happy birthday!" She told her friend, pulling her into a hug.
"You didnt tell anyone, did you?" Kayla asked, eyeing Chel suspiciously. She knew that her friend had a record with secrets, but when Chel shook her head. Kayla believed her. "Thanks. Alight, Im gonna get changed. By then we should be at the hotel. Since I got the day off, i figured we could take in some sight seeing. Sound like a good plan?" Kayla had wanted to make the day as normal as she possibly could. Chel nodded and Kayla still sensed that her friend was hiding something. Shrugging it off, she walked to the back of the bus. "Ill be out in a few!"
Kayla decided on a pair of denim cutoffs and a short white shirt that simply read "brat". Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she grabbed her purse and walked towards the front of the bus. As she walked, she realized that the bus had stopped. We must be at the hotel, she thought. Kayla didnt see Chel on the bus and figured she had already gone to the hotel. She ran off the bus and still didnt see anybody.
"OK, this is strange." She muttered to nobody. She saw that all of the buses had parked and where there should have been a bunch of people milling around, she saw nobody. Kayla really didnt know what to do and decided to get herself into the hotel. At least I will be where im supposed to be, she thought. Still wondering where everybody was, she walked into the hotel. As soon as she was through the doors, she felt a pair of strong hands grab her from behind. Before she could turn around, a blindfold was quickly placed over her eyes.
"What the hell?" She yelled as about fifty different thoughts and emotions ran through her mind. Mainly at the moment she was scared and pissed. She felt herself being led back outside, the breeze hitting her face. "What the Hell is going on?" She yelled again, wanting to know where she was going and who she was with. After a few seconds, she heard a familiar voice. "Baby, Its only me." Kayla breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of AJs voice. No longer scared, she focused on being pissed. Blindly, she reached out to smack him. "Take off the blind fold right now!!!!" She heard him laugh and again attempted to hit him, smiling when she heard him say, "Ouch!" "AJ, take it off! NOW!" She heard he was still laughing, then he said, "In a minute. Just follow me."
"Like I have a choice." She growled at him. It wasnt his fault, she knew, and she thought about how dead Chel was gonna be as soon as she got back to the hotel. After walking for about ten minutes, they stopped walking. She felt AJ fumbling with the blindfold and it dropped to the ground. Kayla looked at where they were and gasped. In front of her was what looked like a rock ledge, only smaller and she also saw a small waterfall. It was beautiful. She looked down and laid out on the ground was a small picnic. she looked at AJ, who was holding a bouquet of daisies and yellow roses, which were Kaylas favorite flowers.
"How did you? This is so....Oh AJ." She went to him and he enveloped her into a hug. "You never fail to amaze me. This is beautiful beyond words. I dont know what to say." She was stopped by AJ placing his finger on her lips. "Dont say anything. Just know this....there is nothing that i wont do for you. I love you Kayla." He stopped and she saw a smile on his lips. "Now, lets eat! Im starved." Kayla laughed and sat down next to him. Looking down at the food in front of her, she laughed again.. "What? No McDonalds?" She watched as AJ pulled something from the picnic basket he had next to him, she stifled a giggle when she saw the familiar mickey Ds bag.
"Oh God, you are so bad." She told him, laughing. "Nothing but the best for my girl."He told her as they pushed aside the hotel food to make room for their McDonalds lunches. Soon, they were finished eating and in the middle of a game of "throw-your-french-fries-at-the-one-you-are-with". Kayla looked over at AJ and saw that he had more than one french fry in his hair. Laughing still, she moved closer to him and began to take the french fries out of his hair.
As she was de-french frying AJ, Kayla watched as he pulled a small, flat gift wrapped box from the picnic basket. As he held it out for her to take, Kayla just looked at him. "AJ, youve done so much already. I couldnt...." He stopped her by saying, "Would you just take it?" He laughed and mockingly rolled his eyes at her. She took the box from him and she felt his eyes on her as she opened it. There was a small card, which came out first. She opened it and read:
"with every smile, every breath i take,
my love burns, my heart is at stake,
seeing you fills me with desire,
a wanting, a needing, a passionate fire,
my only fear is being alone,
being with you, true love is shown.
I love you with all my heart. This is only the first of many birthdays we will share together.
Love Always,
AJ"
Kayla looked at him. "You wrote that? Thats beautiful." All he did was nod, then point to the unopened box still in her hands. She looked at it and saw it was a velvet navy blue box. She reached for the clasp, and lifted the top of the box. She gasped as she picked up the necklace. It was silver and had a couple of different charms on it. The first was obvious, it was a small silver bone. The second charm was a small silver heart. "Turn it over." AJ instructed her. She did as he told her and she saw that it was inscribed. "We've Got Tonight.....Kayla + AJ Forever"
She looked at AJ, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked back at the necklace, seeing the last charm. It was a small key. Slightly confused, she looked at AJ. "Its the key to my heart. Theres nobody else that i want to have that." Kayla still felt the tears in her eyes and then felt them as they fell down her face. Stop it Kayla, she thought, you never cry. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she asked AJ,"Will you put it on me?"
As he took the necklace from her and began to put it on her, he noticed her tears. "Baby, please dont cry." Seeing his concern through what was left of her tears, she told him, "Im sorry. Im just happy. I dont know what to say." She felt an electric shock run through her whole body as his hands were still on her neck. As soon as the necklace was on her, AJ tilted Kaylas head towards his and leaned towards her.
Kayla closed her eyes and waited. She felt AJs lips on hers and lost herself in his kiss. She opened her eyes, looking deep into his eyes. She felt them drawing her deeper and deeper into his soul. As they continued kissing, Kayla felt like she never wanted it to end. Unfortunately, it did. She looked at him. "Why did you stop?" He gave her his killer smile, then told her, "We have to get back. Seems like Im not the only person who has plans for you."
Kayla glanced at her watch, not believing it was almost three in the afternoon. "Wow." She stood up and started to help AJ clean up. When he saw what she was doing, he help out his hand to stop her. "Would you stop? Its your birthday. You avoid all possible work on your birthday. Geez, dont you know anything?" She laughed when she saw the sparkle in his eyes and the mock look of shock. "Yes sir, Mr. McLean, sir!" He threw an abandoned french fry at her as she watched him gather up the plates. "Dork!" She yelled as she stuck out her tongue.
When he was finished, he took her hand and led her back to the hotel. Kayla was surprised to see that their beautiful paradise was right behind the hotel. They walked into the lobby and AJ led her to a private room. Kayla noticed that he was making a big production of opening the door. "AJ? Why are you being so loud?" He just shook his head and led her into the room, which Kayla saw was pitch black inside.
"SURPRISE!!!!" Kayla couldnt believe what she saw. Everybody from the tour was in the room. Kevin and Paula, Lisa and Brian, and in the far corner, she spotted Chel and Nick. She started towards them, telling AJ she would be right back. When Chel saw her coming, she hid behind Nick. "Help me!" She told him laughing. Nick looked up as Kayla approached them. He gave her a huge smile. "Hey birthday girl. Whats up?" He asked innocently. Kayla cleared her throat. "Nick, step aside please. Wouldnt want you to get hurt." Nick looked behind him at Chel, "Shes scary when shes pissed!" He stepped to the side, letting Chel be seen.
~Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Kayla, happy birthday to you~~
Kayla looked from Chel to the commotion. She saw Tommy and Dennis wheeling out a huge cake. "Oh my god. You guys!! I cant believe you did all this!!" She looked back at Chel and mouthed the words thank you. Chel breathed a sigh of relief and knew that they would be talking later that night. Kayla felt an arm slide around her waist. "Make a wish baby." She looked at AJ, then down at the cake. At this moment in time, there was only one thing to wish for. Closing her eyes, she blew out the candles.
After everybody was finishing off the last bites of the cake, Kayla heard Brian yell, "Hey AJ?? Did she get her birthday spankins yet?" Kayla whipped her head around, laughing. "NO he did not, and if he knows whats good for him, he wont try it right now." Brian continued laughing. "On that note, i think you need to open my gift first." He shoved a box at her. She looked at the box, half afraid to open it. She noticed that Brian and Nick were exchanging glances as she opened the box. Looking into the opened box, she felt herself turning red. She looked at Brian, who was laughing hysterically. She could hear Lisa yelling at him, "Brian, how could you?" He looked right at Kayla and said, "Save those for later." Kayla looked back into the box, not believing that she was looking at a pair of hand cuffs. She looked at AJ, who just winked at her.
Kayla went through the rest of the presents. A bunch of Nirvana cds from Nick, a watch from Kevin, a cell phone from Howie, Chel had gotten her the old import Backstreet Boys cds, she got various clothes gifts from the girls, and a package from her mother. She still couldnt believe how great the day had been even as the party ended a few hours later.
AJ walked Kayla to the hotel room that she was gonna share with Chel. At her door, she turned to look at AJ. "I want to thank you for everything. You made this day perfect for me." He pulled her into a hug, then he kissed her. "Anything for you. Rest up, weve got a show tomorrow. Love you!" Kayla yelled back, "Love you more. Night!" As he was walking to his room, he turned and blew her a kiss, "Night Kayla!"
Kayla walked into the room and saw it was empty. Knowing better, she called out, "Alright Miss I-wont-keep-a-secret, I know you are in here!" She watched as Chel walked out of the bathroom, looking down at the floor. "Im sorry, Kay. You know how hard it is to keep things like that to myself. And admit it, you had a good time didnt you?" Kayla nodded and began to tell her about what AJ had done for her earlier. Without even realizing it, they stayed up and talked well into the night. Both of them were barely sleeping when the sun came creeping into view.
Get your own Free Home Page