�AJ helped me and how did I repay him?� I thought. �Flight 409 to Orlando has been delayed due to severe weather conditions. We�ll keep you informed on the departure of the flight. Thank you for your patience.� After hearing this, I sighed. �I need to get to him soon.� I mumbled to myself.
I picked up my cell phone and called the hospital.
�Hello, University Hospital, may I help you?� a lady asked.
�Hi, can you connect me to AJ McLean�s room?� I asked.
�McLean�McLean�I�m sorry we have no one registered under that name.� She said.
�Well try Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore.� I said.
�Excuse me?� she asked confused.
�Those are his favorite movies�he�s probably under one of those.� I said starting to cry.
�Ma�am I know who you�re looking for, but he�s unconscious and no one is allowed in his room.� She said.
�Can I please speak to his mother?� I asked.
�What�s your name?� she asked.
�Miranda Leoni.�
�Hold on one second.� She said.
A few minutes passed and a man�s voice picked up the phone.
�Hello?� a familiar voice answered.
�Nick? It�s Randi.� I said.
�Hey, how are you?�Stupid question right?�Well where are you?� he asked.
�I�m at the airport. My flight is delayed. How come you got on the phone?� I asked.
�AJ�s mom is sleeping.� He said.
�I�m scared Nick.� I said.
�I am too�just keep praying okay?�
�I will�I hope I get there soon.� I said.
�I hope so too.�
�Bye Nick.� I said hanging up.
I walked over to the stand and bought a drink. I sat down again and closed my eyes.

~*~

�I can�t believe you�re going to be on �Saturday Night Live�!� I said excited. �I know!� AJ said just as excited. �I want you to know how proud I am of you. I really am. You deserve it.� I said as AJ put his arm around me. �Thanks�I think I�m going to put dreadlocks in my hair for the show!� he said grinning. I laughed. �Changing your hair again? Why don�t you just get another tattoo while you�re at it?� I asked as his eyes lit up. �Oh no!� I said laughing. �Maybe on Spring Break�oh I can�t wait�I hear it�s pretty wild�girls everywhere!� he said grinning devilishly. �You�re such a slut!� I laughed. �You know it baby!�
We became silent for a second after our laughter died down. �Hey did you find a prom date yet?� he asked. �Well, I had a few people in mind, but I don�t really know them that well.� I said. �Well, how about one of us Backstreet Boys?� he asked hinting. �Yeah, Nick is my age.� I said laughing. AJ made a pissed off look. �Come on, do you really want to go to the prom with me?� I asked. �Hello! Yeah, of course!� AJ said. �Okay�Alex, will you be my date to my senior prom?� I asked. �Hell yeah!� he said as we both laughed and hugged.

~*~

�Excuse me, do you have change for a dollar?� a man asked me. I dug in my purse and grabbed my wallet. I handed him the change and saw my prom picture inside of my wallet. I still had it in there after all of this time.

~*~

I was talking on the phone to AJ, as I was getting ready for the prom. �I�m so excited!� I said. �Yeah, me too.� AJ said. �So how are things with Amanda?� I asked. �Great! We said �I love you� to each other for the first time the other day.� He said and I could tell he was smiling. �Really?� I asked happily. �That�s great AJ. I like Amanda a lot. She�s sweet.� I said. �Good. She likes you too�She�s coming to your house today to see us off at the prom.� AJ said. �Good. We�ll I�m going to finish getting ready.� I said.
After I was all ready, people started showing up at my house. AJ was the last to show of course. He was actually wearing a traditional tuxedo. I was shocked. He looked really good. He took one look at me and grinned. �You�re so beautiful.� He said as I blushed. AJ always knew how to make a girl feel special, especially me. Amanda came over to me and hugged me.
AJ and I got in the limo and went off to the prom. A few people kept coming up to us because they recognized AJ. He was the highlight of every girl�s evening, and a nightmare for all the guys, but oh well.
AJ and I were the first one�s on the dance floor. The song �Angel� by Aerosmith came on. �Are you having fun?� AJ asked. �Yeah, thanks for coming. I don�t think I would have had as much fun with anyone else.� I said as AJ smiled. �Why not?� he asked. �Because you�re the only guy I know this well and the only one I know that I love.� I said as AJ looked at me. �Oh I didn�t mean it like that.� I stuttered realizing how that must have sounded. He just stared at me and looked from my eyes to my lips. He leaned in and we kissed. In the past thirteen years that we�ve known each other, that was the first time we ever crossed the line from friendship to something more. We parted and looked at each other for a second.
Someone calling our names to take our prom picture interrupted our gaze. We stood in front of the backdrop. AJ wrapped his arms around my waist and we both smiled from ear to ear. I know it was the best kiss I�ve ever had and I think AJ agreed with me. We never talked about that kiss ever again. We were too afraid of ruining our relationship. What we had was bigger than friendship; it was bigger than love even. It was something that no one could explain.

~*~

I stared at the picture a little longer. I�ll always remember that day. �Flight 409 will be boarding in five minutes�Flight 409�boarding in five minutes.� I grabbed my purse and walked to the gate. I handed the attendant my ticket and walked toward the plane. I found a seat in coach and sat down. The plane took off and I lounged my seat back.

~*~

One day after college, I went to AJ�s new house that he shared with Amanda. I loved his house so much. When he was home I came over everyday and when he wasn�t home I�d come over to use his pool and feed his dogs. When I walked inside, AJ was lying on the couch. He looked a little upset.
Yo J! What�s up?� I asked sitting next to him. �I saw my father today.� He said glumly as I looked at him. �I found his address on something for my mom. I don�t know why but I went to see him.� He said, as his eyes got watery. �What happened?� I asked. �There was Backstreet crap all over the walls�and he hugged me. He introduced me to his girlfriend�we talked a little.� He said a little blandly. �So are you happy about it?� I asked. He shook his head. �I don�t know what to feel. I feel like he�s forcing it on me. But what am I going to do? He�s still my dad, but I can�t just jump into a relationship with him.� He said sadly with a hint of anger in his voice. �I understand how you feel. Don�t force yourself okay? Don�t let him be in control. Just give it time.� I said. �Yeah, you�re right.� AJ said sitting up and cracking a smile.
�Where�s Amanda?� I asked. �Ah, we had a little fight.� AJ said. �About?� �Marriage.� He said as my eyes bugged out of my head. �What?� I exclaimed. �All I said was �oh one day when we�re married� and she freaked!� he said. I shook my head in amazement. Even though I think Amanda is nice, I felt that they broke up way too much.
�Is this going to lead to another breakup for you guys?� I asked. He shrugged. �You should talk�at least I�m consistent.� He said. �What are you talking about?� I asked. �Well at least I stay with the same person longer than a month!� AJ said laughing. �Hey don�t start with me.� I said. �Hmm�let�s see, in the past year there�s been Rob�that lasted two weeks�and Mike�that was what a week?� he asked. �A week and a half.� I said correcting him. He nodded. �Oh and let�s not forget Dave who lasted two whole days!� AJ laughed. I had to laugh too. �What are you afraid of?� �I�m not afraid. I mean I just haven�t found someone I care about enough. And I saw what you went through with Melissa.� I said purposely. �Marisa.� AJ corrected me. �Whatever.� I laughed. �I don�t want to stay with someone that long and go through all that trouble unless I know he�s worth it.� I said pleased with my answer. �Well I guess that�s good then.� He smiled. �See your problem is that you never find someone who feels the way you do at the time you do.� I said as he laughed. �You know, you�re right.� AJ said. �Of course I am.�

~*~

�Excuse me Miss?� the flight attendant asked me. �Can I get you anything?� she asked. �No thank you.� I said as she walked off. I glanced out the window as I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see a lady smiling at me. She was really beautiful. �Hi, I couldn�t help noticing your pendant.� She said. I looked down and held it in my hand. �Was it a gift?� she asked. �Yes.� I said. �It�s beautiful�he must be something special.� She said. �He is�he�s the most beautiful man I�ve ever known.� I said as she smiled. �Are you going to see him?� she asked. I nodded my head. �I�m Angela by the way.� She said holding out her hand. I shook it. �My name�s Miranda.� I said. �You may find this strange, but I�m a sucker for romance�please tell me about him.� Angela asked. She had such a kind face so I began to speak my heart out about AJ.
�He�s unlike any other person�he�s so unique�some people think he�s weird, but really he�s as normal and down-to-earth as you can get�that�s what makes him so unique. He�s got so much fire and passion in him�he can do anything he wants�he�s got a heart of gold. And his sense of humor can always put a smile on your face. Oh and his eyes�they�re the type of eyes that take you in and won�t let you go�once you look into them you�ll see them at night as you dream�I never gotten so lost�and his beautiful smile�it has so many expressions�it could look like an irresistible grin with a little bit of devil or like an angel�and when it�s a frown�it breaks your heart, you�d do anything to see him smile again�and open those eyes with his beautiful long lashes�and his voice�it sends shivers up my spine�just to hear him say my name�how I wish I could hear him say it to me right now�� I rambled on now in tears.
Angela kissed her finger and placed it on my forehead. It eased my pain for a second. �Forever is a reason for tragedy now�that will lead you together.� She said as I looked at her confused. �Why don�t you get some sleep?� Angela suggested. I put my head back on my seat and closed my eyes. I felt a breeze and opened my eyes only to realize that Angela was gone. I closed my eyes again.

~*~

�Randi, are you ready?� AJ called as I walked out of the hotel in a baby blue dress made by Versace. �Wow. You look great!� AJ said. �Thanks�now tell me again why I�m your date to the biggest award show of the year and not Amanda?� I asked. �Miranda�we broke up, so please can we just have fun tonight?� he asked. I rolled my eyes. �I�m sorry�it�s just this back and forth thing!� I said as he just sighed. �Is Nick�s girlfriend going to be there?� I asked. �No�why?� he asked. �No reason.� I said as he eyed me. �What?� I asked. �You have a thing for Nick, don�t you?� he asked. I laughed at him. �You know, I always had a feeling�I can�t believe you never told me!� AJ said walking a little ahead of me. �AJ, I do not!� I said. He stopped walking and just looked at me. �Okay�so he�s good-looking, but I think all of you are!� I said as he continued walking.
Howie walked over to me. �Hey, what�s wrong with AJ?� he asked. �He thinks I have a thing for Nick.� I said as Howie laughed. �He�s so blind.� Howie said walking away. What was that supposed to mean? I got in the limo and AJ hardly looked at me. When we arrived at the Grammy Awards, pictures were being taken at every angle. �AJ, why are you mad at me?� I whispered as cameras flashed. �He�s jealous of Nick.� Howie whispered as he laughed. �You told him?� AJ exclaimed. �Not exactly.� I said. �And I�m not mad because you like Nick�I�m mad because you lied to me.� He said. �AJ, I don�t like Nick. So I didn�t lie to you.� I said as we sat down inside.
AJ didn�t talk to me the whole show and the rest of the guys weren�t helping much. Nick somehow found out about it, but knew the truth. So just to get AJ upset he�d wink at me. The other guys kept making comments, even Brian was. They were being so immature.
They all left me with Leighanne and Kristin because they had to go perform. It was one of the best performances I have ever seen. I�m sure that impressed the industry. They actually performed again with Elton John later in the show also. When the guys came back to their seats, I hugged them all. AJ actually hugged me back.
At the after party for the show, I walked over to AJ. �Can we go back to the hotel? I want to talk.� I said as AJ nodded. We got back to the hotel and went to AJ�s room. �I really don�t like the way you were acting tonight.� I said. �And how was I acting?� AJ asked. �Like a jealous boyfriend!� I said. �I wasn�t jealous I�m upset that you lied.� AJ said. �I didn�t lie! I don�t have a thing for Nick!� I yelled. �Well it seems like lately you�ve been trying to get a boyfriend and I think you�re after Nick�what do you want him to be your first?� he asked as I looked at him confused. �What? AJ, Nick never crossed my mind�yeah, and maybe I am tired of being a virgin!� I said upset. �So what are you going to do? Give it up to the first guy that comes along?� he asked. �No�I want to give it to you.� I mumbled. AJ�s eyes bugged out. �Excuse me�did I just hear you right Randi?� AJ asked. �You know you did.� I said embarrassed. �Why?� he asked. �Because you�re the only guy I feel this comfortable around.� I said. �But don�t you think this would ruin that?� he asked. �Maybe�I don�t know.� I said rubbing my temples. AJ walked closer to me and wrapped his arms around me. I started to kiss his neck as he pulled away. �Randi, please don�t.� he said. �You�re right.� I said as I walked out of his room.
The next day, I knocked on AJ�s door. There was no answer so I walked in to find AJ kissing Amanda. They both turned to me. �Hi Randi!� Amanda said as I tried to smile. �I�ll leave you two alone.� I said walking out and closing the door. I was so confused. I went into my room and cried and then I realized that I had to get out of there. I packed my things and took a limo to the airport. I ran into Brian on the way out and told him I was going home.
As I was waiting to board the plane, once again I heard my name being yelled over the crowded airport. At first I thought I was hearing things, I turned and saw AJ. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt so no one would recognize him. He ran over to me and hugged me. �Are you okay?� he asked. �Yeah, I�ll be fine. I hope you and Amanda make it work this time.� I said smiling. �Do you know how special you are?� I asked. �Yeah.� I said with a giggle. �I don�t want anything to change�� AJ said looking me in the eyes. �It hasn�t.� I said. �Good because I can�t live without you.� He said hugging me.

~*~

I woke up from my sleep and thought about the memory that just played through my mind. I remember how emotional I was at that time. I also remembered how I decided to get over that situation.

On to Part 3
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