"I think we've got to go, they're cleaning everything up," AJ says pointing at the other tables.
"All right. Are we going shopping?" Howie asks looking at the others. Everybody nods yes.
"We've got to get our coats and stuff upstairs," Leighanne says to me.
"Can I see one of your rooms? I've never been in a hotel as luxury as this," I ask curious.
Luckily Nick heard it. "Sure, you can see my room. I'm sharing it with Aaron, so I guess it's a real mess, but that's not my fault," he says to me, with a fast look at Aaron, who puts out his tongue.
"Come on, we'll take the stairs. We're not as old as them, it's only the third floor and they're already taking the elevator," Nick grins.
I walk to the stairs with Nick and Aaron. They walk up the staircase with two steps at a time. I almost have to run!
"Jee, are you in a hurry?" I sigh at them.
"Ah, the little girl's legs aren't that long," Aaron teases.
I punch him, I wanted to do that for a long time.
"Auch," Aaron yels and Nick almost chokes, lauching really hard. Thank goodness, we're at the third floor. The others step out of the elevator at the same time we arrive.
Leighanne walks beside me and whispers: "Nick really likes you. Just keep on showing him that you like him too, because he's very insecure when he really likes a girl."
"Are you sure he likes me?" I whisper back quickly.
Leighanne nods, and Nick already beckoning at me.
"Hey, what were you two whispering about?" he asks curiously. Yeah, he'd want to know that.
"Girls talk," I smile at him. "Actually, she was saying something about you," I say with an itch in my stomach.
I hope Leighanne's right. Aaron's already in the room and Nick gives me precedence.
"Jee, that must be a really nice bed!" I say, pointing at the really big double bed.
"It's a pity you've got to share it with your brother," I say to Nick with a naughty look on my face. Nick blushes and quickly looks the other way. Yes! Aaron doesn't notice it, he's busy collecting his underwear.
"I didn't know a girl would come into this room," he apologizes.
"But they're all clean, don't worry," Aaron says, pointing at the underwear.
"Do you always throw all your underwear trough the room," I ask amused.
"Yes, if I can't find the right one for my pants," he answers a bit embarrassed.
"I thought only girls had that problem: find the right underwear that fits with the rest of your clothes and your bra," I grin.
"Does your underwear have to fit with your bra?" Aaron calls.
"Yes, of course. I don't want to imagine that one is red and the other is black, and that I meet a nice boy and we go kissing and things like that and he sees that they're not the same colour. I would be really embarrassed!" I explain, secretly looking at Nick.
"But you don't expect that every day, do you?" Aaron asks.
"It could happen every day. I wouldn't think of it that I didn't match them this morning!" I say with a new itch in my stomach. Would this be obvious enough for Nick? Yes, now he's clearly blushing.
"Hey Aaron, come over here," I hear Leighanne calling. Aaron leaves the room without noticing that Nick's blushing. Jee, Leighanne's timing is really good!
I fall down on the bed and say: "Jee, I'd love to spend a night in a bed like this."
Nick closes the door and says: "You get used to it, we spend a lot of nights in hotels like this. Usually I share the room with Brian, he's fun. But it's also a lot of fun to share it with Aaron. I can tease him really hard. But it would always be better to share it with someone else."
He sits down on the bed next to me, really close. "What did Leighanne say about me?" he asks close to me, looking very sweet at me.
Now it's my turn to blush hard. "She said, well, that, ehh, she said that you like me."
I don't dare looking at him any longer. I hope she was right.
"Do you like me?" he asks, still very close.
"Yes," I say really shy. Can my head turn much more red? I bet it looks terrible.
"I can see that," Nick smiles and he gently touches my cheek. I finally dare to look at him again. He's still looking very sweet at me and says: "I like you very much too."
Yes! That's what I wanted to hear. Now I really have butterflies in my stomach. I take his hand and say quietly: "Are you serious?"
"Yes, I've never said this to a girl before." He bends over to me and softly gives me a kiss on my mouth. He looks at me again, to see if it's all right with me.
I put my hand on his shoulder and kiss him back. He kisses really soft and sweet.
I open my mouth a little and we do French kissing. I put my arms around his neck and he puts his arms around my waist. He kisses fantastic. He's so soft and tender. His tongue gently circles around mine. He pulls me closer to him.
It's good we're sitting down, because he's so much taller than I am. This is so great!
Shit, I hear the door open. Frightened we both look at the door. It's Leighanne.
"Oh, I'm really sorry I'm disturbing you, but actually we are waiting for you. We'll see you downstairs." She closes the door again.
"I guess we've got to go now," Nick says and puts his arms around me again and gives me another kiss. "But can I have your phonenumber first? I'll give you my cellphone number," he says and gives me a kiss in my neck.
"Yes, of course," I whisper in his ear. We give eachother our phone numbers and leave the room after a short French kiss.
"I've got to go to the bathroom first," I say to Nick and walk to the ladies' toilets.
I hear Aaron running up the stairs while shouting: "Jee, what's taking you so long, we're waiting for almost 15 minutes!"
Chapter 10
Pfeeewwww, my legs are shaking. I'm sooo in love. I quickly go to the toilet. I put some nice, cold water on my wrists and my cheeks.
I go outside again and see that Nick and Aaron are waiting. Nick gives me a hand and our fingers intertwine. He has big, strong hands. I feel save the moment I'm with him.
Aaron sees it and calls: "Jee, what have you two been doing in that room. That's why Leighanne called me for something stupid!"
"This gives me only more rights to punch you!" I say and punch him on his arm with my left hand.
"Hey, this one is already softer than the one before," Aaron grins, "I hope Nick softened you."
"No, it's just because I'm right-handed," I say and give Nick my left hand and punch Aaron harder with my right hand. "Is that hard enough? I can do it harder, I've been practising on my little brother. He punches me really hard too, sometimes," I say, while we're starting to walk down the stairs.
Aaron runs past us and runs downstairs.
"They've been kissing!" we hear him call.
We give eachother another kiss before they can see us.
"I think I'm falling in love with you," Nick whispers in my ear.
"And I'm sure I'm falling in love with you," I whisper back at him.
We walk down the stairs.
"You see, they really have been kissing," Aaron points at us.
"It happens more often that people kiss, just look at Brian and Leighanne. They did a little bit more than kissing I should say," AJ tells Aaron and smiles at us.
Leighanne also smiles at us and we go outside. The two of us walk behind the others, so they don't look at us all the time. I ask the hotelporter where the Waterlooplein is, I can find the Dam myself. After he told us how to walk, we quickly follow the others, they'd already walked in front of us.
"We're outside less than five minutes and we already almost lost you!" Aaron calls when we've catched up with them.
"I just asked someone where to find the Waterlooplein. Just walk on," I say to the others, ignoring Aaron. And again he puts out his tongue at me.
"Keep your tongue inside, or I'll keep on punching you," I threaten Aaron.
"Hey Nick, I hope she won't say that to you, you'd be black and blue by the end of the day," Aaron teases, and quickly walks out of reach.
"Give them a little bit privacy," Kevin says and grabs Aarons arms.
I smile at Nick and he quickly gives me a kiss on my mouth. It's not very easy while walking, he's a lot taller than I am. Thank goodness I'm wearing high heels, that makes me a little bit taller.
At the Waterlooplein are lots of stands, really nice to look at. It's really crowded, especially with tourists, until now nobody has recognised the boys. But there are a couple of bodyguards walking with us. There are also two bodyguards walking behind us. Nick doesn't seem to mind.
He sees me looking at them and says: "I've gotten used to them, they're friends. Come on." He pulls me next to a stand.
"I've got to kiss you," he says and gives me an amorous look.
"Then what are you waiting for," I grin at him.
He gives me a fantastic French kiss. I start glowing inside and push myself against him.
"I'm definitely falling in love with you," he whispers in my ear and unbuttons his coat. That's a good idea, we're warm enough and than I can be even closer to him. I push myself against him again and kiss him, while softly touching his chest. He has such a great body! He lovingly touches my back. That gives me even more butterflies in my stomach. We do French kissing for quite a while. I've never felt this good, excited and happy.
"You're coming to the concert tonight, aren't you?" he asks.
"Yes, they promised me a place in the front row," I answer.
"Will you meet me again after the concert? My bodyguards know you now. What's your last name?" Nick asks while intertwining our fingers.
"I put it in your cellphone, but I think you can't pronounce it," I say with a little smile. He takes his phone out of his pocket. "Leengjendoon?"
"No, Langendoen," I correct.
"I'll tell the security to let you through," he says and kisses my hand.
"Thank you," I kiss him back.
"Oh, one thing, I'm not sure I will see you during the concert, there are so many screeming girls out there. But I'll definitely be thinking about you. So don't doubt at me when I don't look at you," he whispers in my ear.
"That's okay, but thanks for saying that," I whisper back and give him a kiss in his neck. He kisses me back and gives me another amazing French kiss. I wish this could last forever!
"Hey Nick," one of the bodyguards says and beckons at us.
"We've got to go back. One nice thing, as long as the bodyguards are around, Aaron won't catch us," Nick smiles. We walk to the others.
We're walking to a shopping-street together. And yes, there they're recognised. They're stormed by a couple of girls. Nick softly squeezes my hand and lets go of my hand to give the girls his autograph.
Leighanne quickly walks to me. "This is part of it, don't bother about it. Jee, you two are really in love, aren't you? I've never seen Nick like this before. Don't get jealous of all the female attention Nick gets. He's used to it, it doesn't do anything to him anymore."
"Okay, I'll try. Are you going to the concert tonight? Would you come with me, than I won't be alone," I ask her.
"Sure, I will do that," she smiles.
"Nick asked me to come to him after the concert," I tell her. "I'm so in love!"
"Look, they're finished. Come on," she says and pulls me back to the boys.
"I'm sorry, this is part of being famous, I'm afraid," Nick says and our fingers intertwine again. We go inside a department store and go directly to the jewelry.
"We love jewelry," Aaron callls at me. Okay, they've got enough money for it.
Nick shows me a really beautiful necklace, with a necklace for men that fits with it.
"Do you like this one?" he asks.
"It's really beautiful," I answer. He buys the two necklaces and has them wrapped up.
"I want to give it to you in private tonight," he whispers at me. I nod back at him and softly squeeze his hand.
"Hey Nick, isn't that something for the two of you?" Howie grins and points at the wedding rings.
"Oh, please don't," Aaron calls and stands before it. "I don't want to be family of her," he laughs and points at me.
I try to punch him again, and Nick says: "We'll get married when we want to, not when you want us to," and gently squeezes my hand again. I smile at him and he quickly gives me a kiss.
We walk further to the clothes department where the others are looking around a bit and try on some clothes. We patiently wait at the fitting-rooms to examine everything. I'm standing in his arms, once and a while he whispers something sweet in my ear.
I suddenly see a big mirror opposite to us and start to laugh. "Just look at that," I point, "nice looking couple are we. I'm a lot smaller than you, and I'm even wearing high heels. Figure what it looks like without shoes!"
"It really doesn't matter to me. It's not very practical that we differ that much in length, but I don't care. I only know I care about you and that I'm in love with you," he whispers.
I turn around to him and say: "And I'm in love with you," and give him a big kiss on his mouth. I turn around again and lean against him, while while our fingers intertwine around my waist.
"You've got really small hands," he says when our hands are on top of eachother.
"Yes, and my feet are even worse," I answer.
"Jee, I hadn't seen that. It makes my feet look really huge! I know mine are big, but yours are really small. What size do you have?"
"I don't know the American sizes, but the European size is 34. They don't have that size for women, only for children. It's really hard to find shoes," I grin.
"Aren't you ready yet, Aaron?" Brian calls at the fitting-room. "You've tried dozens of shirts now. Let's go and get something to drink," he beckons at us. "Let's eat a sandwich or something, we'll get a big dinner tonight."
Aaron's finally ready and we go to a nice-looking cafeteria, where we fit at one table all together.
"Don't you want to buy some shirts or something?" Aaron, who sits next to me, asks.
"No, I won't put you through that. I'm even worse than you are with shirts. But I've got something I would like to look for: shoes," I say to Aaron and grin at Nick, who grins back.
"Shoes? I would like to look for shoes too," Leighanne says.
"What size do you have?" I ask her, still grinning.
"I don't know European sizes, I'll just look. What are you grinning at?" she answers, "do they have strange shoes right here?"
"No, you'll see what's the matter," I grin at her.
Nick slides his hand over my back and I put my hand on his leg.
"Oh, man, I'm eating! Can't you stop touching eachother for a couple of minutes?" Aaron says, pretending to get sick.
"Shut up, or I'll touch you," I tease him back and put my hand on his knee.
"Hey, stop that! Do you see what she's doing Nick? Tell her to stop!" Aaron calls with a red head.
"I see it, maybe you'll stop now. I won't tell her to stop, she's my girl, not my dog or something!" Nick says and puts his arm around my shoulders.
The others are laughing and Leighanne puts up her thumb. "4-0 for Rachel," she says laughing.
"You're going to lose badly, Aaron," Brian says, "don't say things like that anymore. When Rachel doesn't have an answer, Nick will take over, I'm sure."
"But I can't watch them doing all that," Aaron calls.
"Than look the other way. We're not doing anything little children can't see. We're just being nice to eachother," Nick answers him.
"Ah, he's just being jealous, I can forgive him," I say and pat Aaron on his shoulder.
"Let's go and look for shoes, it's your day," Kevin says and gets up. We walk outside.
Chapter 11
Beep, beep, beep. Shit, my phone's ringing.
"This is Rachel."
"Hi, it's Karen. And how are you doing? Are they nice?"
"I'm involved with Nick. We already kissed eachother!" I tell her, grinning broadly.
"You're kidding!" she shouts in my ear.
"No, I'm serious. We're totally in love. We've exchanged phone numbers and after the concert tonight I'm going back to him!" I tell her and smile at Nick and softly squeeze his hand.
"I never expected that," Karen answers.
"You don't believe me, do you? Do you want to talk to him?" I say to her.
"Well, I always want to talk with a celebrity," she laughs.
"Nick, it's Karen, the girl who lives here. She wants to talk to you," I say and give him the phone.
"Hi, it's Nick."
Silence.
"Yes, I'm totally in love with Rachel."
Short silence.
"Yes, I'll tell her. Bye."
He hangs up and says: "She says to you: don't forget to take pictures. She wants to see them all. And she wishes us a lot of fun."
"Thanks. Oh, I wanted to ask her something. I have to call her back now," and I call her back again.
"Hi, this is Rachel again. I wanted to ask you something. Do you know where to find the Cinderella? You know, a shoeshop with small shoes."
Karen explains where to find it.
"Okay, thanks. Have a lot of fun with digging," I answer.
"You guys have a lot of fun with everything," Karen says.
"Thanks, that will be okay. Bye," I say and hang up the phone.
"Did you say Cinderella?" Aaron says surprised. "Who's called Cinderella? That's not a normal name!"
"Cinderella is a shoe shop. Don't you know the story of Cinderella?" I ask Aaron amused. He nods.
"Then why do you think a shoe shop is called Cinderella?" I ask him.
"I don't know. Do they sell lost shoes?" he says with a stupid grin on his face.
"No, she lost her shoe at midnight and they found her because she was the only one who fitted into that shoe. It was a really small shoe," I explain.
"So, they sell really small shoes," Aaron says and looks at my feet. "Yes, they seem very small," he adds.
"They also have normal shoes," I say to Leighanne, who also listened.
We arrive at the shoeshop. Together with Leighanne I examine the shoes and we try some.
"You're coming back to us after the concert, aren't you?" she asks.
I nod.
"Where are you planning to sleep? It will be passed midnight," she says.
I get a bit frightened.
"Jee, I haven't even thought about that," I answer.
"But I have. I think you can sleep with Howie in one room if that's okay with you," she adds.
"But I have to pick up some clothes and stuff at home," I say and think hard.
"Wait a sec," she says and beckons at Howie. "Howie, can Rachel sleep in your room tonight?"
"Sure, I won't bite," Howie smiles at me.
"What time do you have dinner? Maybe I can go home before dinner," I think aloud.
"How long does it take to go home and come back?" Leighanne asks.
"About two and a half hour I guess," I calculate.
"You'll be a little bit late for dinner, but that's okay," Leighanne says after looking at her watch. "We'll fix something."
Nick comes walking on.
"I hear you're staying over with us tonight," he smiles at me.
"Yes, at night I can still go from Amsterdam to Utrecht by train, but it's not very safe to do that alone. So I've got to go home and get some clothes and stuff. Leighanne thinks I'll be late for dinner. Where do you have dinner?" I ask and sit on his lap.
"In the Arena, where we perform tonight. After that we have about an hour and a half for clothing and make-up. I'll ask one of the bodyguards to stay in the hotel and wait for you. Than you can drop your stuff in Howie's room and come to the Arena. Is that okay?" Nick asks and gives me a kiss.
"Sure. But first I've got to try some of that boots. We didn't come here for nothing," I say and point at a shell with boots. "I hope my legs fit in there," I say and take a pair of very high boots. Thank goodness there's elastic along the whole zipper, because my calfs aren't very thin. They have pretty high heels too.
"Jee, they fit perfectly," I say when I've rolled back my legs and closed the boots. They're almost up until my knees.
I get up and walk to the mirror.
"They're really sexy!" Nick calls, "you should buy them."
"Is that your boyfriend?" the shop-girl asks and looks at Nick.
I nod.
"I didn't know he has a girlfriend. Is it a secret?" she asks curious.
"No, it's not since a long time. We haven't been discovered yet," I grin.
"Do you know what you've got to do to surprise him? With such boots you should wear a little black skirt and a white blouse. That's really sexy, than it also looks like you've much longer legs," she whispers.
I nod: "And to complete it a leather tie with it."
She nods enthousiastic. I take off the boots.
"I'll take these."
"What were you talking and grinning about?" Nick wants to know.
"Oh, she suggested something I should wear with it. You'll see some other time," I say.
Leighanne's also found a pair of shoes. We pay and go outside.
"I've got to go and catch my train," I say to Nick. "I'll see you at dinner."
He gives me another tender kiss. I really have to leave now. I carefully free myself and walk to the trainstation fast, after a last wave of my arm.
Chapter 12
I'm almost floating. This is sooo great. I have to tell someone.
I'll call Caroline. I hope she picks up the phone.
"This is Caroline."
"Hi, this is Rachel."
"Hey Rachel! And, tell me! How is it?" she yells in my ear.
"It's so great! I'm involved with Nick!" I say with a big smile.
"That's fantastic! Than we haven't been shopping for nothing for two days last week to find the right clothes. But tell me everything," she calls enthusiastic.
I tell her in short about the breakfast and everything that happened after that in the bedroom and the rest of the day.
Meanwhile I've arrived at the trainstation, thank goodness I'm right on time. The train's already there and I get in.
"Oh, yes, and now I've just bought a pair of really sexy boots," I go on and also tell her what the shop-girl said to me.
"Ooh, that indeed sounds really sexy. Can I go shopping with you again? I really need to see that!" she calls.
"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you," I answer laughing.
"But where are you now, that you've got the time to tell all this to me? Don't you have to be with Nick right now?" she asks.
"No, I'm in a train," and I further explain that I can sleep in Howie's room because he's the only one who doesn't share a room.
"But with who does Nick share a room? Not that you have to stay in his room, but still," she asks curious.
"With Aaron, you know, his little brother. He's also here. I already told you, didn't I?" I say, and start talking less loud.
Some people are gazing at me.
"Hey, why are you talking that quietly all of a sudden. I can hardly hear you. Oh, right, you're in a train," Caroline says, "they all hear you talking about famous names."
"Yeah, really famous," I laugh.
"Oh, this is fun, now everybody in the train is asking himself if you're indeed talking about the Backstreet Boys. I would like to see that faces," she laughs.
"Do I have to take a picture of it?" I grin while looking at all those staring faces. "I'm just kidding!" I quickly add.
"But how long are they staying here?" Caroline asks serious again.
"They're doing three concerts, so they're leaving Sunday afternoon again. Oh, than I have to call my parents! I'm only going to them at Sunday!" I call frightened.
"Ha, now everybody knows who you're talking about and that you're really good friends with them," Caroline calls happy.
"Oh, stop it! I don't like that at all," I call.
"I know that. You just go and call your parents. Than you can tell them everything," she jokes.
"I don't think I tell them everything. And I'll call them when I'm home or something, but definitely not now. I don't want everybody in this train to know everything about my life," I laugh.
"Well, have a lot of fun at the concert. I hope you can see something. Although you can already see them all day long," she adds.
"That'll be all right, I'm in the front row," I say.
"Oh, right, as Nick's girlfriend you'll get everything the way you want it," she grins.
"Ha ha, it's that I can'f throw anything at your head right now, but otherwise�" I threaten.
"Well, have a lot of fun and I'll talk to you another time. Bye!" Caroline ends the conversation.
"Okay, bye!" I say and hang up the phone.
A woman that sits in front of me says: "Well, it was pretty obvious who you were talking about! I won't tell my daughters that he has a girlfriend, they won't like it. Although you'll be in the popmagazines soon, I guess."
"I guess you're right, I don't think we can keep it a secret," I nod.
Thank goodness, we're almost there. The next time I'll think twice before I make a call like that in a train.
I'll think of what I've got to take with me. Clean trousers, underwear, toilet-articles. I hope me good shirts are clean. I think so.
We've arrived. I walk to the bus fast.
Finally, I'm home. Quickly call my parents and collect all my toilet-articles. My mother sounds a bit surprised and asks if he's serious.
She doesn't trust famous people a lot.
"They've got a girlfriend in every city," she says carefully. I explain that this is serious, and she's set at ease. My father has heard it and wants to speak to me too.
"You'll be careful, won't you?" he asks anxious.
"Yes, I can always take the night-train home," I assure him. "But I have to go now. Bye."
I hang up and walk to the bus fast.
Thank goodness it doesn't take very long and I catch the train back to Amsterdam. It's rush-hour and I have to stand in the train.
Beep, beep, beep. Shit, my phone again.
"This is Rachel."
"Hi, it's Nick. Where are you? I already miss you," he says very sweet.
"I'm in a train back to you. It's really crowded here. I'll see you within an hour," I quickly say.
"Oh, I understand. Love you, bye," he answers.
"Love you too, bye," I answer quietly. A couple of people are looking irritated at me. I pretend not to see them.
I can hardly wait 'til I see him again. I'm really looking forward to the concert. It's gonna be a gigantic show. And after that see Nick again. I don't hope they're totally exhausted after a concert, but I guess they are. And tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I'm gonna be with him too!
I've never been as happy as I am now. I've never been as in love as I am now. It's annoying that I have to stand in the train, and very uncomfortably too. I think I'll be tired too after the concert. It's gonna be a couple of hours of singing and jumping. It's really nice that Leighanne's coming too! I'm dreaming at the thought of Nick.
Hey, we're already in Amsterdam! That's fast. I quickly walk to the hotel. It's starting to get dark. Thank goodness it's close, I'm almost there.
Chapters 13 to 16
Home
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Chapter 5 to 8
Chapter 13 to 16
Chapter 17 to 20
Chapter 21 to 24
Chapter 25 to 28
Chapter 29 to 32