�Sugar? Aren�t those our seats?� Melissa asked Nick hopefully.

Nick looked down at their tickets in his right hand, then at the overhead bins on the airplane. He compared the two sets of numbers, before nodding approvingly. �6A and B. That�s them.�

�Thank the Lord,� Said a relieved Melissa. She dropped her allotted two carry-on bags in the aisle. �I thought my arms were about to separate from their sockets.�

�No kidding,� Nick observed. He shoved his small black backpack into the overhead compartment. �Your bags weigh a ton. We�re only going to be in New York a couple of days after the VMAs. What on Earth was so important that you just had to bring?�

�Honestly, I don�t know.� Melissa admitted.

�You don�t know?� Nick questioned. �How could you not know what�s in your bags?�

�Phillip packed �em,� Melissa explained.

�Why�d you go and let a dumb thing like that happen? Knowing Phillip, he probably packed you�re entire wardrobe, plus dozens of new outfits.� Said Nick. With Melissa�s help, he crammed her navy blue plaid luggage into the overhead bin.

�I didn�t really have a choice in the matter. I woke up this morning and all my bags were packed for me,� Melissa explained.

�You mind if I take the aisle seat?� Nick changed subjects momentarily. �That way, I can have more leg room.�

�Not a problem,� said Melissa. She darted past Nick and sat down in the leather chair by the window.

Nick sat down next, letting his long legs stretch into the aisle way. �Have you ever notice that Phillip treats you like his own personal doll? He dresses you and does your hair. And now he�s even packing your bags. Next thing you know, he�ll be bathing you!�

�Aww, sugar! You know you�re the only one I let bathe me,� Melissa said affectionately. Blushing, Nick looked around to see if anyone was watching. He always got a little tense when it came to public displays of affection.

�I know Phillip treats me like a my-size Barbie,� Melissa drew back Nick�s attention. �I don�t think he got to play with dolls much as a child, so he�s acting out now. But I don�t mind too much. He�s a nice guy and he means well. Plus, he�s letting me stay in his house on fairly cheap rent.�

�It just seems to me that�s the same kind of thing your mom used to do to you.� Nick looked to Melissa for her reaction to his statement.

He can be so articulate and observant when we�re alone together, Melissa realized. So why does he always wind up sounding like such an idiot on TV?

Melissa shook her head. �I know it looks that way. And I can understand why. But there is a difference. With Phillip, I know that deep down there, he does what he does with my best interests at heart. With my mama, I always felt as though she pushed me to do things she regretted never accomplishing in her own life.�

Nick reached out and took Melissa�s hand within his own. It was his way of showing Melissa he understood, without having to vocalize it. That was something Nick still struggled with- verbalizing his feelings.

�Welcome to flight 870, direct to New York. We�ll be leaving the runway in just a few minutes, so flight attendants, please prepare the aircraft for take-off.� Announced the pilot over the P.A. system. Nick�s grasp of Melissa�s hand grew tighter. A single droplet of sweat fell down his now flushed face.

�You alright, sugar?� Melissa asked. He face had grown heavy with concern.

�I hate this part,� was all Nick could manage to spit out.

�So you really are afraid of flying?� Melissa asked. �I�d read that before. But I always thought it was something BOP had made up to make you look vulnerable and cute.�

�It�s not that I�m afraid of flying�its just that I don�t like take-offs. Or landings. Or turbulence, re-cycled air, plane food, and lack of leg room.�

Nearby, Melissa was trying to hold back her laughter. �Aww, sugar�you really are vulnerable and cute!�

�Its not funny!� Nick whined like a little boy. �I really don�t like take-offs!�

Realizing that he was serious, Melissa put on her straight face. �I�m sorry, sugar. What can I do to help you out?�

A devilish grin broke through Nick�s once-worried face. �Could you come with me to the bathroom?�

�You going to throw up?� Asked a concerned Melissa. �Because there�s a barf bag right here in this pocket.�

�No, nothing like that,� Nick said quickly. He leaned closer to Melissa to whisper, �I was hoping you could help me relieve some of this stress��

�Oh, eww!� Exclaimed Melissa. She dropped Nick�s hand. �Here I am, trying to be supportive. And you want us to join the Mile High Club! No, you want me to join the club. I�m sure you�re already a member.�

�Well, actually-� Nick began.

�Don�t go there!� Melissa interrupted. �I don�t want to hear your answer!�

The plane moved onto the runway, gathering speed for take-off. Nick�s joking mood was forgotten, as he made another reach for Melissa�s hand.

�Poor baby. I can�t remember the last time I saw you this bent out of shape,� Melissa cooed. She lifted the armrest between her seat and Nick�s. She patted her empty lap. �C�mere, sugar.�

Nick obliged, lying his head down on Melissa�s lap. She was dressed in a pair of well-worn bootcut jeans. The denim had been washed so many times that it felt soft against Nick�s cheek. Growing more comfortable in the position, Nick bent his legs at the hips and knees, curling them upon his first-class chair.

Instinctively, Melissa ran her hands through Nick�s short blond locks. Appearance-wise, Melissa loved when Nick gelled up his hair for a spiky effect. But there was something simple and comforting about the natural, product-free texture he wore that day.

Looking down at Nick, Melissa couldn�t help but smile. Like millions of other girls across the world, Melissa knew Nick�s face with absolute familiarity. He has such beautiful eyebrows, Melissa recalled thinking a thousand times before. They�re the perfect shape- no plucking required. I�d kill to have eyebrows like that.

With his eyes closed, Nick�s hand flew to his ear. Sensing his discomfort, Melissa reached for her purse. She returned holding out a package of Juicy Fruit. �Take two of these. It�ll help relieve the popping.�

Opening his eyes, Nick did as he was told. He chewed silently for a few minutes, until the gum became more pliable. Smiling weakly, Nick reached up to stroke Melissa�s cheek. �You always know just what to do to make me feel better.�

�Well, someone has to take care of you,� Melissa explained her motives. �Because I know you can�t do it yourself.�

�Well, if it has to be someone, I�m glad that someone is you.� Nick said sincerely.

�Aww, thanks sugar.� Melissa bent down to kiss Nick softly on the lips. Pulling back, Melissa reached her arm down to Nick�s tummy, massaging it in circles. �You feeling better now?�

�Much,� Nick agreed.

�Good,� said Melissa. She bent over to rummage through her purse once again. When she resurfaced, she was holding a well-used journal. Its cardboard cover was covered in stickers and glitter after hours of decorating. �Because now that you�re stuck on this plane with me for the next five hours, I�m going to force you to confront the past.�

Nick sat upright. �Oh no! You didn�t bring shit from our memory boxes, did you?�

�Of course I did, sugar. Because I know you can�t escape me on a plane.� Nick groaned in response. �I know you don�t like getting all sentimental, but sometimes its good for you.�

�Do I have a say in the matter?� Nick asked.

�Nope,� said Melissa, as she shook her head.

�Alright,� Nick agreed, grudgingly giving in. He wrapped his arms around Melissa�s waist, pilling her body closed to his own. He took the journal in his hands, examining it. �What is this, a diary or something?�

�My journal from 9th grade.� Melissa explained.

His eyes growing wide, Nick opened the journal and began to flip through it. �Man, I would have killed to had my hands on this when I was 15.�

Melissa snatched the journal out of Nick�s hot hand. �Here- let me read some of it to you.�

Wetting her fingers in her mouth, Melissa began to thumb through the cr�me-colored pages. She cleared her throat. �Okay, here we go.�

September 14, 1994

I�m finally starting to get used to life in Houston again. It�s been so long since I�ve been here, I forgot how different it is from Florida. The funny thing is, I miss Florida more than I ever thought I would�

But that�s not to say that things are all that bad here. For instance, at school we just got paired up with partners in pas des deux class. My partner is this guy, Jorge. I never would have imagined myself being friends with someone like Jorge. Growing up a Catholic girl in the South, I�d never met a kid my age that was out-of-the-closet. But now I�m glad that I have. Jorge is so different than my other friends. I relate to him on an entirely different level. I�ve never had a friend that I could talk with about how cute that Scott Wolf is. The only real girlfriend I have is BJ, but she�s two years younger then me.

So Jorge is my closest friend in Texas. But we�re just getting to know each other, and it�s hard. He doesn�t fully understand my obsession with MMC, or know what I order at Denny�s. I guess I�m getting a little homesick for Tampa. I miss flirting with Brent, or comparing whose more is more controlling with Nick.

�Ooh! That�s me! Nick interrupted, suddenly engaged in rehashing the past. �Skip to another part with me in it.�

�Okay, okay�� Melissa agreed. She skipped through her handwritten scrawl. �I have to skip ahead a couple of months. Most of that fall�s entries were about preparing for the school�s Christmas performance.

�Oh- here we go!�

March 8, 1995

Guess what? I�m going home! God, I can�t believe I just referred to Florida as home. Up until a year ago, I spent my entire life in Tampa making sure everyone knew I was a Texan. But now that I�m back in Houston, I can�t wait to get back to Florida. Ironic, huh?

I think I�m getting ahead of myself here. Let me rewind. Mama and Daddy gave me permission to go to Florida for Spring Break, all by myself! Isn�t that exciting? The only bad part is that Brent�s Spring Break doesn�t correspond with mine. So he�ll be in school the entire time I�m there. But Nick won�t (I�m going to stay at the Carter�s house). So I get to come with him to recording sessions and photo shoots and whatever Backstreet stuff he has to do.

Speaking of the Backstreet Boys, I got the worst news from AJ. I can�t believe I forgot to tell you. The Mickey Mouse Club is cancelled! Isn�t that the most awful news? I don�t know how my life will go on. Worst of all, that weasel AJ had been living in the same apartment building as Britney from MMC, and never told me! Can you believe that?!? Anyway- that�s how he knows the show is cancelled, because Britney is moving back to Mississippi, or where it is that she�s from.

�God, I�d completely forgotten about that Spring Break,� Nick interrupted.

�It was fun, wasn�t it?� Melissa smiled at Nick.

�I just remember how happy I was to have you all to myself that week. No Brent.� Nick recalled. He wrapped an arm around Melissa�s shoulders. Both were smiling as they snuggled close together. �Kinda like now.�

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