�Caitlin� guess who�s here?� My mom called out to me. My dad and I were playing outside, it was really hot and so he let the sprinklers run and I was having fun jumping through it. I was donned in the most popular style of the time. Alight pink sparkly bathing suit with a hot pink frill around my 3-year-old butt. My hair was drenched� well I was drenched all over and I had a few strands in my face as I turned when I heard my mom�s voice and I saw her with a small blond headed, blue eyed boy beside her. My best friend Nick.
�Nick!! Come play!!� I squealed with delight and he ran towards the sprinklers as well. He had on his shorts and shirt at the time but he jumped through the sprinklers anyway just to remove his wet clothes bearing his green swimming trunks. We played for a while until my dad cut off the sprinklers because it was time for him to start the barbecue. It was the typical first weekend of the month barbecue. Jamestown New York. Life was simple. I was content with my bestest friend jumping in the water sprinkler� I mean come on� when was the last time that made you happy? For as long as I could remember The Carter�s had lived across the street, Nick had always been my best friend and water had always been our most favorite element. I can�t imagine my life without him. That afternoon after everyone had eaten Nick and I was sitting on the edge of the sandbox, squishing our toes in the gooey mud.
�Caitlin� you want another hot dog?� My mom asked, and she held my attention for a moment longer as I shook my head no and turned back towards the mud when I was hit dead on with a mud pie� right in the face. Oh it was on!! Nick and I threw mud for a good 5 mins covering us and my mom and Mrs. Carter beside us. They thought it was amusing. We calmed down just as the fireworks started� what�s the 4th of July without fireworks? I turned to Nick to tell him he had mud in his hair when he kissed me. And a flash snapped. I pulled back with disgust and smacked him with another mud pie then ran to my daddy and hid. Boys were the evil opposites, boys had cooties and kisses were NOT allowed. �Ewww�� I remember that thought very clearly.
�Cait?� A voice called though I still stood facing the picture
�Caitlin?� It called again though my mind was elsewhere
�CAITLIN ANNE MEADOWS?! Are you with us?!� The light female voice practically yelled. I was back in the land of reality.
�What Toni? What?!� I asked slightly blushing as I remembered why I had been distracted.
�The Little Mermaid is about to start!!� She said as if I was about to miss the most important thing of my life.
The �us� was my friends Toni and Emily. The three of us were the best of buds at eight even though I still had Nick around he was always off playing with his guy friends.
�Oh..� I muttered before stuffing a handful of popcorn in my mouth and turning back to the TV. For the next Hour and a half the four girls would stare at the movie with complete interest. Little did I know how much that picture would effect my life, my relationships, and my world. It was adorable as my mom always referred to it. The picture of two 3 year olds sharing a moment in black and white, now hung in the living room on the mantle above the fireplace. Everyone who commented on it heard the story of my first kiss. It was Picture Perfect.
It was around 2:30 am and I woke up to hear small rocks tapping at my window.
�Cait?!� A male�s voice yelled in a whisper then was followed by more rocks.
�Cait� wake up!!� I heard his voice again and I groaned and rolled back over.
�Go away Nick� I mumbled to myself. Then another rock was thrown and with this one my windowpane shattered. I jumped out of bed and walked to the window wide-awake and I pushed the window open avoiding the glass. And I scowled at him.
�Smooth Carter� real smooth!! What do you want it�s 2:33 in the morning!?� I hollered in a whisper.
�Cait I�m sorry� I�ll pay for it� I think. Come down we need to talk!!� He said.
�What is wrong with you? Why can�t you sleep like the rest of us?� I said in a mad voice then I saw the look on his face and I knew it was time to talk.
�Oh Alright but only for a few minuets� I said grabbing my jacket and climbing down the vine hooked to the side of the house. I jumped the last few feet and turned to face him. I could see now how upset he was and he enveloped me into a hug. I hugged him gently and rubbed his back.
�What�s wrong Nick? Talk to me�� I said softly he lifted his head up and looked into my eyes.
�CAITLIN!!� I heard Nick yell as he ran into my room.
�What?!� I asked� why was it everyone had to yell my name?
�I made it!! I got the call back and they want me on the show!!� He said excitedly
�Wait� wait� You made it?!� He nodded his head yes
�YOU MADE IT!!� I screamed and hugged him. It was the day that he was told he had gotten the part in a local television show. Our families would gather into the living room watching the show. Nick of course refused to watch. I sat on the floor with my back against the couch cross-legged with a 4 year old Leslie in my lap. BJ sat beside me and Jane and Bob sat with my parents on the couch. Our eyes glued to the TV. Every day at 5:30 the show ended and our living room would burst out in applause and cheers. I remember one time having to push Nick out into the room to do a bow and he hated me for it.
I had lost him once already� when we were 6 his parents decided that New York wasn�t for them anymore and moved to Florida. And much to my great relief� they soon moved back. I remember that look and that night� dear lord please don�t let me lose him again.
�Cait�� He began �We�re moving.� He said with a sigh.
Tears filled my eyes. I knew it was going to happen but I didn�t know it would hurt that much.
�No�� Was all I could manage to whisper.
�In a month� He nodded
I was devastated. I was going to lose him again. That morning we talked until the sun rose and we fell asleep side by side leaning against the tree.
The next month we were inseparable, side by side all the time. We laughed� cried� hugged and left our fears and heartaches behind us. I mean what else can a 10-year-old do with all those emotions?
I was going to miss all of them, Jane was a second mother to me, Bob was always like a second dad, BJ and Leslie were the sisters I never had. I felt bad because I think I left Toni and Em out in the cold for those few weeks but I hoped that they understood.
-Moving day-
Nick and I retreated to our �spot� under the tree and sat in silence. No words could or needed to be said. I turned to him and looked into his eyes.
�Nick� sing to me.� I requested. It felt like it was like a death row last request. I knew I�d see him again but it wouldn�t be soon enough. He always had dreamed of stardom and was going to go through a lot in Florida. More than either one of us could have imagined. He slowly began to sing �Bridge over troubled waters to me as I closed my eyes and drifted back a few years.
�Mom?!� I called Mrs. Carter
�Hmm?� She answered as she stood at the sink washing dishes and swaying her hips to the music drifting from the radio. Nick and I had made up a little stage like thing out of the tree stump that sat in his backyard by the pool, it was complete we even cut a microphone out of cardboard. I turned off the radio and she gave me a questioning look and I pointed out the window where nick stood in plain view. She smiled.
�What�s all this about?� She asked.. I put my finger to my lips.
�Just listen�
Nick and I hugged once more before he climbed into the brown station wagon with his sisters beside him. I said my good-byes to Leslie who was too little to be thrilled or upset about the trip at the time and said goodbye to BJ who made me cry even more as she began to. My mom and Jane hugged and my dad and Bob shook hands and said their good-byes. It was hard on them too, Jane and my mom grew up together, they�d always been friends� kinda like nick and I. I miss him already!! I pressed my palm against the window as Bob and Jane climbed into the front seats and Nick pressed his hand against mine.
�I miss you� I mouthed
�I�ll miss you too!� he said though it sounded muffled through the window. I turned and buried my face in my mom�s side and sobbed. They drove away and I saw a solitary tear streak down Nick�s face. I ran inside and laid down on my bed and cried until there were no more tears to cry. Over the next few days Toni, and Em would come and try to cheer me up but it never lasted. I don�t know how I could have survived it without them. I hated to walk out the front door because I would be face to face with 10 years full of memories. And even thought the sandbox isn�t there anymore when I close my eyes I remember that 4th of July.
�RINNNNNNNNNNNNNNG� the annoying noise of the phone beside me brought me out of my thoughts. I picked it up and took the sucker out of my mouth.
�Caitlin here� I said
�Hey Sexy� where be you at?� Nicks voice called through the speaker of the cellular.
�I�m sitting here� sulking� talking to this big dork named Nick� I replied with a smile on my face happy it was him.
�Yeah I knew all that� hehe� but where is here?� He asked
�I�m at the house, Nick. It�s not like I have a life, where else would I be?� I replied
�That mean your at Toni�s?�
�Yup!� I giggled.
�Well hey I gotta jett� I�ll call you later �kay?� He said
�Yuppers� talk to you then. Bye!�
�Byeee!� He said before I heard a click then the dial tone and I pressed the off button on my phone. And grinned at Toni who just shook her head and laughed.
�I told you he wouldn�t find out!� I told her
�He called you didn�t he?� She retorted
�Doesn�t count, he always calls me!� I said
�Ugh� whatever.� She said exasperated
Today was the night of the senior prom, Nick was doing promotional stuff for Backstreet Boys and wouldn�t be able to make it. I guess the fact he wasn�t in school anymore could have had something to do with that too, But we made sure this would be a night he wouldn�t soon forget. Toni and I continued to get ready. I stood up and walked to the mirror.
�Final check� I muttered and looked at myself in the mirror, I was wearing a blue dress that just so happened to match nick�s eye�s perfectly and my hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with curled tendrils everywhere and two pieces of hair fell in my face framing my eyes. I was wearing some make-up but not a lot. The limo was supposed to pick us up at 7:00 which� oh shit.. is in 10 minuets. Toni and I quickly added final touches and ran outside just as the limo pulled up and we both climbed in.
�Hey sweets� Emily said as we climbed in and the limo pulled off.
�Hi..� Toni and I both said breathless, I looked her over as I slipped on my sandals.
�Wow� you look great!� I exclaimed and Emily blushed.
�Thanks so do you two!!� She said smiling brightly.
After light chit-chat the three girls arrived at the studio and Caitlin ran inside.
She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized Nick was standing with Brian by the coke machines. When Nick turned to place his change into the machine Caitlin jumped up and down to get Brian�s attention. When he saw her his eyes widened and he looked at his watch.
�Damn� he mouthed
Caitlin giggled and motioned for him to hurry up.
�Nick come�on make a selection it�s not like you�ve never had any of those drinks before.� Brian commented in a rush.
�What�s your rush all of a sudden rok?� Nick asked with a raised brow. Brian groaned and pushed the coke selection before Nick could say anything and grabbed his arm dragging him back into the office.
�B!! First I didn�t want coke and Second, I didn�t even get to grab it. What�s up with you?� He asked then Brian pushed him down into the chair and turned him against the wall. Nick sat in complete bewilderment.
�What the fuck rok?!� He said trying to get out of the corner
�Nick� just� shut up and sit there.� Brian said as he waved Cait inside.
�Nicky?� She called from the doorway
�Cait?!� He said
�Yup..� she replied tossing Brian the blindfold.
�Ahhh! Rok lemme outta here mah gurl is here!!� He said squirming.
�You�ll be out in a second� Brian said slipping the blindfold over his eyes. Then Brian pushed the chair away from the corner. �If you take the blindfold off I�m going to break off your fingers one by one Frack�
Brian warned as nick was reaching for the blindfold then quickly took his hand away. Cait walked to him and hugged him.
�Are you wearing perfume?� He asked above her.
�Yeah� lets go.� She said grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the exit.
Toni settled Nick into the limo while I ran back inside to talk to Brian.
�Brian� thank you sooo much I owe you. Hey listen you and the others are showing up later right?� I asked.
�Yeah we�ll be there� Brian replied grinning.
Around 8:00 Nick, Toni and I arrived at La Rue, it was a small concert hall mostly rented out to local bands but they�d done us a favor and let us have it for the night. Cait climbed out of the limo with the help of the driver, then Toni climbed out right after her and then they both helped Nick out and made their way inside. Cait opened the door and her eyes widened
�Wow they did an awesome job� she thought to herself. She then left Nick and Toni and made her way through the side hallway and found Brian, Aj, Howie and Kevin standing making small talk all decked out in Tuxedos. Brian and Kevin had dark blue cummerbunds, Aj and Howie wore the traditional black much to Aj�s dismay. He fought and fought with Cait because he wanted to wear a frilly lime green suit and she was set against it. They finally compromised and she bought him McDonalds.
�You guys look really good!� Cait said as she approached them. �You did an awesome job with the hall it look completely magical!!� She exclaimed.
�Thanks hunny�� Brian said handing her the extra tuxedo they had for Nick.
�Don�t hand it to me.. I�m not dressing him!!� she said and backed off.
�I�m not doing it!!� Howie said
�Count me out� Kevin added and Cait kissed Brian�s cheek.
�You�re the best� don�t have too much fun.� She said and winked at AJ.
This night wasn�t just for Nick. Cait turned and hurried back to her friends.
�Alright� we�re almost ready.� Caitlin led Nick towards the bathrooms where a pouting Brian was standing.
�Nick you can take off your blindfold for now� but put it back on before you come out or B�s offer still stands� Nicks grin quickly faded.
�I like my fingers thank you..� He said kissing his hand.
�Yeah you and a million girls� Cait giggled
�What?! Only a million?� He said in shock.
Caitlin shook her head and walked back to Toni. They both looked around for a moment.
�Really looks like a fairytale huh?� Toni commented
�My thoughts exactly.� Cait replied.
The building had been covered with a soft white cloth that hung from the ceiling and walls. There were candles everywhere and a silver disco ball spinning slowly gave the place a magnificent touch. They�d also managed to get a banner made that said �I�ve Had the Time of My Life ~ Prom 1997� Nick walked to Caitlin and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
�So tell me why my two favorite girls are in Orlando, why I�m wearing a tux and why Brian is threatening to break of my fingers.� Nick commented. Caitlin smiled and pulled his blindfold off and kissed his cheek.
�Surprise.�