Chapter One: Boys Will Be Boys
I
tried to hide it so that no one knows
But I guess it shows
When you look into my eyes
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now landing. Please remain seated until the plane has come to a complete stop. Welcome to Orlando."
Rylee stretched and grumbled to herself. "’Please remain seated’...Why do they always tell you to remain seated when we’re moving one mile an hour on the ground? But when we’re flying at thousands of miles per hour in the air, they tell you ‘ Feel free to move about the cabin’. Oh the irony of it all!" As Rylee started to gather all her things, her mind flashed back to a conversation she had with her roommate Jessica, a month before. It was right after Brian had proposed the idea of a two-month visit to Florida for Rylee’s vacation, and Rylee had been discussing the idea with Jessica.
"Are you sure about this, Ry? I mean you just got over the guy, and you’re gonna spend two months with him? I don’t know if that’s such a good idea."
"Jess, how many times do I have to tell you? I didn’t get over Brian, cuz I never had a reason to get over Brian. It wasn’t like that!"
"Sure, you were just totally in love with him! You talked about him constantly, with this goofy little smile on your face. You talked to him constantly, again with the goofy little smile. And you’re telling me you didn’t like him? Deny it all you want, girl, cuz I know the truth!"
"Since when did you become the expert on my life?"
"Look, Ry, I’m not trying to run your life or anything, I’m just saying…plus I’m not the only one who thinks so."
"What? Who else have you been talking to?"
"Oh just, people!" Jess replied breezily.
"Who, Jess?"
"Well, me of course, and your sister." Jessica proceeded to name almost all of their close friends and family, including Rylee’s parents. " Oh and Nick too! I think he said the other guys think so, too…"
"You talked to Nick about this? Arrghh! Jess!"
Jessica played innocent and replied, "What? It’s not like it was a national secret or anything! Admit it, you like him! And you want him!"
Rylee sighed and gave in when she saw Jessica’s determined expression. "It doesn’t matter, Jess. We’re just best friends, no matter what."
After much, pleading from her friends, and much deliberation on her own part, she finally admitted that there was a possibility and a potential for her and Brian beyond that of best friends. She sighed, as she began to walk down the airplane aisle. This was not a good time to start entertaining high school attractions. Maybe after she talked to the guys….
She walked into the airport terminal, glancing around for a familiar face. Seeing none, she was disappointed and was about to continue to the baggage claim, when two airport security guards crossed her view.
"Are you Rylee Kwan?" one of them demanded in a gruff voice. Rylee was surprised and paused as she found her voice and told the man that she was indeed Rylee Kwan. "Will you please come with us, Miss Kwan." the other stated, not really as a question, but a command.
Stunned, Rylee followed the two guards, wondering all the while what she had done and what was wrong. Suddenly the guards stopped and motioned for her to enter what seemed to be a small office. "Just wait in here, please." And with that both guards turned on their heels and left. Rylee swallowed thickly and slowly, cautiously opened the door. As she stepped inside the room, she was immediately engulfed by two blue clad arms. Before she had time to react in surprise, the arms loosened and she was looking into a pair of smiling blue eyes.
"Geez, Rok! What the heck was that for? You didn’t have to force me to come here! I did want to spend my summer in Orlando. Even if it means I have to stay with you guys!" She smiled up at Brian, as he pretended to be hurt. "Ha! Serves you right, the way you scared me! Seriously why did you do that? You totally scared the crap out of me!" She pretended to be angry with him, but inside her heart, the picture of Brian, even in a blue sweatshirt and jeans, made for some serious eye candy. Her heart lifted a little, but she quickly controlled her emotions, as she glared at him.
Brian laughed at her expression. He noticed how her clear brown eyes seemed to sparkle more brightly, but thought nothing of it and replied, "What? No hi? Yeah it’s real great to see you too, Angel! Besides, " he continued, trying to defend himself, "It was Nick’s idea!" He pointed to a corner of the office, where Nick had stood silently, grinning at their reunion.
Rylee’s eyes lit up as she ran over to Nick and gave him a quick hug. "Nicky! I didn’t even see you here! Wow, that must have been the longest time you’ve ever had to stay silent!"
"Thanks, Ry. I feel the love, and after all the trouble I went through planning your little surprise!" Nick replied dryly.
"Aww! I’m kidding, Nicky! Thanks, it was a sweet and wonderful gesture. Now can we go get my luggage?" With that, she started to walk out the door. Following behind her, Nick gave Brian a self-satisfied grin.
Trailing behind her, Brian complained, "Hey! How come I get a ‘what the heck was that for" and Nick gets a ‘It was a sweet and wonderful gesture? What’s that about?"
Nick flashed him a trademark Carter smile as Rylee called over her shoulder, "Hey, ya know, don’t take it to personally or anything Bri, but, Nicky’s just cuter than you!"
Nick’s grin got even bigger. "Aww man! You hear that, Brian? I’m cuter than you are!" He finished in a singsong voice.
"Shut up, Nick! How old are you anyways? You know she’s just trying to be nice to you." Brian retorted sarcastically.
Nick stuck his tongue out at Brian and quickly ran to catch up with Rylee and slug his arm around her shoulder.
Brian rolled his eyes as he followed them. But in reality, he couldn’t have been happier to have all his best friends with him in the same place.
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I
loved you from a distance
Thought I couldn’t reach that far
Can’t believe how close we are
"Ah! Home sweet home!" Brian exclaimed throwing open the door to his and Nick’s house. Rylee and Nick trailed behind him. The clack of little paws on the wood floor echoed through the hall, softly at first, then louder. Suddenly, a little ball of energy and fur shot across the room and into Brian’s arms.
"Tyke!" Rylee exclaimed. She set down her bag and walked over to the Chihuahua Brian was holding. "Does he still remember me?" she asked, as she held out her hand. Tyke sniffed her hand, then licked it and gave a little bark. Rylee laughed as she took him from Brian.
Tyke wiggled around a little, wagging his tail, then licked her face. She laughed again, then turned to Brian. "Why is Tyke here? I thought Leighanne was keeping him, since you guys…you know…" she trailed off.
Brian smiled innocently. "Yeah, but I’m just keeping him until Leigh’s wedding."
"WHAT?!?! Leigh’s getting married?!?! Are you serious?!?! When?!?! To who?!?!" Rylee was shocked.
Both Nick and Brian laughed at all her questions. "Yes, she’s getting married; yes, I’m serious; three weeks from now; a doctor named Matthew Taylor, one of her old friends." Brian answered all in one sentence.
Rylee calmed down a little as the shock wore off. "In three weeks? Wow! Isn’t that kinda quick?"
Brian started carrying Rylee’s luggage into one of the guest rooms, and answered over his shoulder. "Not really, the date has been set for months."
Still holding Tyke, Rylee followed him. "For months? And you’re just now telling me?"
"Sorry, Angel, I thought I told you. No wait, I thought Nick told you."
"Me?" Nick replied. "No, I thought you told her."
They both set her stuff down and plopped down on the bed, with innocent grins on their faces. "Sorry" they both replied at the same time.
Rylee glared at them. "Yeah right." she mumbled. "Are you guys going?"
"Yeah" they both replied again at the same time. Then they looked at each other, and started cracking up. Rylee rolled her eyes, and shook her head at Tyke. Brian stopped laughing, and commented simply, "So are you."
"I am? I mean, she invited me?" Rylee questioned.
"Duh!" Nick replied. "She was gonna send you an invitation, so she, but we told her we’d take care of it.
"Yeah, thanks guys," she responded dryly. "You really took care of it." She sat down on the bed, next to the both of them, and placed Tyke on the light blue comforter. He turned around a couple times, then curled into a ball next to her side. Rylee looked up and asked, "So what are we doing tonight? Am I gonna see the rest of the guys?"
"Oh yeah," Brian remembered. "We were planning on having dinner with them and some of our friends tonight. We’re gonna leave at around six, so you can take a nap or something, if you want." He continued as he and Nick got up and headed into the hall.
Rylee yawned. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." She stretched out on the bed, next to Tyke. Then she sat up. " Wait a minute, what friends?" she called out to the guys.
"Just some friends!" they both called back to her at the same time.
Rylee could hear them laughing again at their timing as they walked away. She lay back down and said to Tyke, "Boys!"
Two hours later, as she stretched and uncurled her body, Rylee smiled as she remembered where she was.
Coming off the bed, she went in search of the guys. She turned the corner into the living room and stopped short at the sight she saw. "Figures." She muttered. Brian and Nick were seated on the couch, engrossed in one of Nick’s Playstation games. "Hey guys?"
"Oh hey, Ry, you’re up." Brian responded without taking his eyes off the screen. " Oh, I’ve got you now, Nick!"
"You wish, Rok! Oh…Oh…HA! Now I’ve got you! Dang! I’m good!"
Rylee waited patiently while they continued their discourse. When they calmed down, she asked, "Do I have to look nice for dinner?"
This time Nick answered without looking up. "What are you talking about, Ry? You always look nice!"
Rylee smiled and was about to reply, when Brian laughed. "Hey!" he exclaimed as Rylee stepped in front of him and blocked his view of the screen. He craned his neck to try and see around her, but was met with little success.
"Rylee! Move!" But Rylee stood her ground until, Brian gave up and paused the game.
"Thank you…now, what do I have to wear?" Rylee questioned.
Brian sighed, "It doesn’t really matter Ry, but it’s kinda a nice restaurant, so…I dunno. We’re just going like this." He gestured down to his and Nick’s clothing. Rylee eyed both of them, scrutinizing their appearance, while the two of them went back to their game. Nick was dressed in khakis and a pale green, button up shirt, which he left open. She smiled at Nick’s boyish appearance, and swung her eyes to Brian, who was dressed similarly. Her smile widened as she watched his features become more and more animated as he battled Nick. His eyes sparkled with excitement, enhanced by the deep blue of his plaid shirt. The slight curl of his hair moved as he bobbed and weaved, moving as he kept pace with his video game character. She sighed inwardly, happy to be in Orlando. That was the trouble with having a famous best friend. You didn’t get to see them that often, and telephone conversations and e-mails just weren’t the same. That’s why this trip meant so much. She stood there, just watching him for a minute before she left the room to get dressed for dinner.
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