-make it alright-
-chapter seventeen-

�Hey there,� said the pretty, blonde-haired Samantha Stonebraker. She took a seat on a bench next to Melissa. Sam leaned over Melissa�s shoulder. �What�cha reading?�

�I�m correcting Nick�s math homework,� Melissa explained. She took off her glasses to look at Samantha. �He�s really bad at it.�

Samantha took Melissa�s reading glasses in her hand, turning them over. The plastic rims were carmel-colored, off-setting Melissa�s reddish hair. �So how are things going with you and Carter this week?�

�Oh great,� Melissa said enthusiastically. �Yesterday, we played Marco Polo with all the Carter kids. But when Angel was Marco, we all jumped out of the pool, onto the patio. The poor girl was really confused. She kept hearing us say �Polo,� but couldn�t find us anywhere in the water. It was hilarious!�

�That�s nice,� Samantha nodded her head at the younger girl�s childish pranks. �But not quite what I was looking for.�

�What did you mean then?� Melissa asked. For as sharp as she was at academics, Melissa was a little sheltered when it came to picking up implications.

�I mean, have you guys hooked it up yet?�

�Nick and me? Hook it up?� Melissa couldn�t help but laugh. �That�s ridiculous. Wherever did�ya get that idea? I like Brent, not Nick.�

Samantha shrugged. �I just thought that maybe you�re feelings had shifted after being away for a couple of months.�

Melissa shook her head vigorously, her nose all scrunched up. �I can�t imagine anything ever happening between me and Nick.�

�Why not?� Samantha asked. After flinging her blonde hair out of her face, Samantha pointed about twenty yards away. The Boys were amidst a promotional photo shoot to accompany their debut album. �He�s not the same little boy who joined the group two years ago, you know.�

For the first time in a long time, Melissa really checked Nick out. At the moment, he was deviously plucking on Howie�s curls. Next to Nick stood Kevin. Melissa was surprised to note that the two were nearly the same height.

�He�s so scrawny,� Melissa criticized of her best friend. �I like boys with a little more meat on their bones.�

�Cut him some slack. The boy just grew a half a foot in a year! Give him a couple of month,� Samantha pleaded. �He�ll fill out.�

Melissa scanned her brain for another reason she and Nick wouldn�t work. �Nick doesn�t know how to talk about things. Not anything serious, at least.�

�But I hear you complain about your mothers all the time,� Samantha pointed out.

�That�s different,� Melissa explained. �Besides, that�s the only serious thing we talk about. The rest of the time, we just goof off. Nick can�t handle talking about serious stuff. He gets all�flustered.�

�I�ve seen him have a serious discussion,� argued Sam. �He and Brian do it all the tie. In fact, just last week I walked in on them discussing a book Nick had just finished reading.�

Melissa rolled her eyes. �Lemme guess, a comic book? Am I right?�

�Nope,� Samantha disagreed by shaking her head. �An actual book. With paragraphs and chapters. The whole bit.�

�I�ve never seen Nick pleasure read in my entire life,� Melissa said aloud. She continued on wondering, �How come Nick talks to Brian and not to me?�

�Have you ever tried to talk to him?� Samantha asked. Melissa was silent, as she took a moment to think back. She finally shook her head. �Maybe you should try.

�Listen,� Samantha continued. �The only reason I bring this up is because I think this group is about to blow up. These boys will be all over TV, with plenty of young, female fans. Nick may not have as much time for his childhood friends anymore. I just don�t want you to miss the chance to begin a great relationship.�

Samantha looked down at her watch. �Well, I gotta get back to the campus. I have a class in twenty minutes. But let me know how things between you and Nick go, alright?�

Melissa nodded her head, though she hardly heard Samantha�s last sentence. A million other thoughts cluttered her brain instead. In the six years she�d known Nick, Melissa had never thought of him in that way. But now that Samantha had planted the seed in her brain, Melissa couldn�t help but consider the possibility.

Melissa could still remember the first time she saw Nick at the dance studio, fumbling to make clean sounds with his tap shoes. Even at nine years old, there was no denying that Nick was quite a good-looking kid. But that didn�t mean that Melissa was attracted to him�or did it?

Melissa watched the photo shoot and silently reflected. Samantha�s right. There�s something about that boy. He�s so charismatic. It�s hard for anyone to take their eyes off of him.

Nick threw a wadded-up gum wrapper at the back of Kevin�s head, causing Melissa to smile. Boy, he�s going to get it. Kevin's gonna kill him. But Nick is pretty charming when he�s pulling pranks. All those goofy faces he makes, and the dumb things he says�they really are pretty cute.

But what am I thinking? Melissa sighed. This is Nick. My best friend. The boy that�s completely opposite every guy I�ve had a crush on. Nick�s so�Scandinavian. I like my men dark- like Brent or Johnny Depp. Heck, even Kevin. But not Nick.

But I can see how girls would like him. He is pretty cute- in that washed-out sort of way. His eyes are a really pretty color of blue. And he�s got this great smile. A thousand-watt smile. I know its clich�d, but it really does light up a room.

The photographer paused the photo shoot momentarily, while he switched lenses on his camera. Taking advantage of the break, a make-up artist rushed to Nick�s side. She handed him a tube of chapstick, which Nick applied graciously to his lips.

Why have I not noticed his lips before? Melissa asked herself. Oh my Lord. The shape, the color. They�re perfect. Gosh, I wonder if he�s a good kisser?

Ugh! What is wrong with me? Maybe I�m about to get my period. Yes, that�s it. I�m PMSing, so my hormones are out-of-wack. Because never in my right mind would I think of Nick in that way.

Satisfied with her new conclusion, Melissa put her glasses back on and returned to correcting Nick�s homework.

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