<<<<-
At least I was surrounded by Marc and Toby to share smart-ass comments with under my breath.
*
Twenty feet away.
A few steps more and I�ll be able to talk to her again.
To touch her. Make sure she�s real.
Breathe Carter.
*
After a particular air-headed big-breasted girl clad in a skimpy Backstreet Boys tank top despite the January weather had passed by, ordering a piece of every Ryan Cabrera merchandise we had, I reeled in my platform boots.
*
Shit.
I averted my eyes as a girl in a slutty BSB tank top walked by, clearing eying but not recognizing me.
*
I�m about to pass out. Why am I about to pass out?
I felt Toby grab my arm.
*
I hesitated when I saw Toby grab hold of her upper arm as she swayed a little.
She�s pale.
Do they not see that?
What�s going on?
*
�Kar? You okay?�
No need to worry him. Just a vertigo phase. Right?
*
At the counter, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down while refraining from jumping over the counter and kissing her until she couldn�t breathe. Until either of us couldn�t breathe.
And I can hold my breath for a long time.
Why am I nervous?
Maybe because you�ve been dreaming about this moment during all your spare time for the past six months?
*
�Fine. Just got dizzy for a second.�
Trying to gain focus in my eyes, I stared at the counter top, where a twenty-dollar bill slid across my line of sight.
*
She kept staring at the counter.
Please look up baby. Before my heart explodes.
Toby looked up first, saw me, his jaw dropping as his hand slipped from her arm.
I don�t think that was a good idea. She began to sway again, her hands gripping the counter for support.
Come on. Stop being a wuss, Nick. Say something!
*
�Two cds please.�
A low voice.
Quiet.
Or timid.
One of the good fans. The nice ones. The ones that don�t scream.
Like I have much room to talk. I�m going to be screaming like mad tonight for Nick. And the other guys.
Dizzy. Eyesight going black.
I�m gonna pass out, people. Does nobody see that?
I can�t see. I need to sit down. I need to breathe. My head is about to explode.
*
Now the other guy is staring at me. Did she see me coming? Is that why she won�t look up?
*
Without even looking up at the customer, I slipped the money into the cashbox and instinctively grabbed two of Ryan�s new cds, the cds with my songs on them.
Nick�s song is on there.
*
Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up. Look up.
*
�Kar�?�
Marc�s voice came from the far end of a tunnel as the blood rushed through my ears.
What the HELL is going on? It feels like every particle of electricity in Dallas has decided to use me as its own personal conductor.
With the cds in one shaky hand, I looked up, ready to give a standard fake smile and thank you to whatever teenaged girl met my eye.
*
When did the world start going in slow motion?
*
My eyes went up� and up. Until they met with a pair of crystalline eyes behind wire rimmed glasses.
Under a blue baseball cap with blonde wisps of hair peeking out from underneath.
*
She looked at me, her face nearly translucent, then blinked a couple of times.
Say something. Please god, Kara, say something.
*
I felt the cds slip from my hands before I could register what was happening.
Nick.
In front of me.
Looking scared.
Making my head explode.
And then darkness.
One