�So, tell me about these friends of yours.� She said picking up the phone.
�You�re eager.� I said.
�Yeah I am. I wanna know!� Sandy exclaimed.
�Alright! Chill girl! Okay, we�re going to play a little game. Two of them go to my school.� I replied.
�Where does the other one go?� she asked.
�She goes to Princeton Prep.� I replied.
�So, the guy and the other girl go to your school meaning they have some sort of talent. What major?� she questioned.
�Both of them are in vocal. The girl who goes to Prep is a model.� I said enjoying the little game we were playing.
�Okay�� she said, beginning to put the pieces together.
�And they have two older siblings who live in Florida through one frequently visits New York. Oh, and their mom is a real bitch.� I added.
�Singers, a model and mom who�s a real bitch�oh my God! You�re friends with the youngest Carter kids!� she exclaimed
�Yup. I am. Pretty cool, huh?� I asked.
�Duh! Lucky duck!� she exclaimed.
�Well you almost got to interview Aaron for your magazine.� I reminded.
�You got to go in his room!� she pointed out.
�True. It�s a really nice room too.� I added.
�That�s nice. I�m glad you had fun. Hey, now that you�re friends with Aaron do you think you can get me an interview with him?� she asked, only half joking.
�Sure, no problem. I�d be more than happy to, even thought I don�t think his mother likes me very much.� I replied.
�Eh, she doesn�t like anyone. Trust me, its no loss.� She said.
�I know Sand. But I plan on spending a lot of time there so I want her to at least tolerate me.� I said.
�You do huh? You like him don�t you?� she asked.
�No! Why does everyone think that?� I wondered.
�I don�t know. I was just asking. But you�re seeing Brad still right?� she asked.
�Yeah. I�m still with Brad. Aaron and me are just friends. Besides, he�s working the Carter charm on an assortment of girls in TU.� I said.
�Of course. So, are you gonna hang with them tomorrow?� she questioned.
�I�m not sure. If I don�t, they�re probably gonna come to my house this weekend.� I replied.
�Cool. One time we�re all going to hang together.� She said.
�Of course! You�ll really like them.� I said.
�I bet. So, what else happened today?� she asked.
I told her about the rest of my day and we caught up on each other�s lives since we hadn�t talked in a long time. When I got off the phone with her, I called my friend Rachel. She is a huge Aaron fan.
�Hello?�
�Hey Rach, what up?� I asked.
�Not a thing. How was school?� she questioned.
�Oh my God, you would not believe who just transferred to my school from Florida!� I exclaimed.
�Who? Who?� she asked excitedly
�Leslie Carter�and a certain other sibling of hers.� I teased.
�You have to be shitting me! Aaron Carter goes to your school?� she questioned, in complete disbelief.
�Yeah! Dude, I went to his house today. And I was in his room!� I squealed.
�You lucky little bitch! I can�t fucking believe that you�re friends with Aaron Carter!� she cried.
�Well you better believe it sweetie cuz it�s true.� I replied.
�Tia must be shitting on herself.� She said.
�Oh definitely. She�s livid.� I said
�I bet. So what else happened?� she asked.
�Um, I met Angel.� I replied.
�That�s cool. Where does she go to school?� she asked.
�Princeton Prep.� I said.
�With Brad?� she questioned, her voice rising slightly.
�They�re not in the same grade but yes.� I said.
�Right. Anything else?� she prodded.
�I met the drunken bitch.� I said, referring to Jane Carter.
�Oh you poor, poor thing!� she cried.
�Yeah, and she hates my guts.� I replied.
�What do you expect? She was probably drunk.� She joked.
�True. But I was kind of surprised. I didn�t think she was an instant bitch. I thought it was more gradual.� I said.
�Yeah well, that happens. Maybe she sees you as a threat or something.� She suggested.
�You think so? I don�t see myself as a threat but I guess anything�s possible.� I said.
�Yes, that is true.� She replied.
�Look, dinner is ready. Will you be online later?� I asked.
�Of course. Talk to you later then.� She said.
�Later hun.� I said hanging up the phone.
The next few days, I only saw Aaron and Leslie at school and talked to Angel on the phone or online. I wanted to hang with them but my other friends demanded all my time. I got long lecture from Tia after our argument on the phone. She went on for like twenty minutes about how I should neglect my other friends just because I have new friends who are famous. How dare she accuse me of that?? Hello! Bitch!
So anyways, my mom said Aaron, Leslie and Angel could come over that weekend. And my parents were going to my sister�s house for the day to give us some privacy. I met them at the train station and we walked to my house. I live in a nice quiet neighborhood in a brownstone. We owned the whole building so I had my own floor.
�Well, this is my floor. What the Disney tour?� I joked.
�Sounds like fun.� Leslie replied.
�Okay. Ladies and well, Aaron, please keep your hands inside the ride at all times and hold all questions until the end. Enjoy your ride!� I said, mocking one of those cheesy tour guides.
We started with my living room, which has a futon, and big chairs, a television, stereo, and my computer. After the living room, we went into the kitchen. Next to the kitchen, I had a dining room type place with a table and four chairs. We walked down the hallway and it stopped in front of my bedroom door, carefully blocking it.
�Okay, before we enter the last room of the tour, I must ask that you do not make fun of the amount of posters on my walls. The room is clean for once.� I said.
�What? Is your room covered in posters of me?� Aaron asked.
�In your dreams maybe.� Angel teased. He just scowled at her.
I pushed my door open with my butt and ushered everyone in.
�Oh my gosh! Your room is so nice� Angel squealed
�Thanks! My mom told me to have it clean by last night. So I�ve been doing it all week. It was really dirty.� I said.
�Don�t feel bad, I hate to clean too.� Leslie replied.
Aaron sat on my bed and stared bouncing around on it.
�Dude, what are you doing?� I asked.
�Making sure your bed is comfortable.� Aaron replied smiling.
�Why does my bed need to be comfortable? Do you plan on sleeping in it anytime soon?� I asked.
�Maybe.� He beamed
�Oh great. Well, maybe you can all sleep over.� I suggested.
�Tonight? We can call and ask mom.� Leslie said.
�Well, let me call and ask my mom first.� I said picking up the phone.
�You have your own phone line?� Angel asked.
�Of course.� I said dialing my sister�s house.
I talked to my mom and she had no problem with them sleeping over. It would be awesome if their mom lets them stay. Leslie called and asked her mom if they could stay over. She agreed as long as she could talk to my mom. So we gave her my mom�s cell number and had her call. My mom called back and told us to go back into the city to their house to get clothes and stuff. Then she and my dad would meet us for dinner. I told her I�d call when we were leaving to go to the city.
�Yay! I�m glad you guys are sleeping over. This is gonna be fun!� I exclaimed.
�Definitely. Where�s your remote?� Aaron asked. I had a television, a VCR and a DVD player in my room and my living room. Angel and Leslie sat in chairs and I sat on my bed.
�Move over.� I said, pushing Aaron over so I could lie down. I put my pillow on his chest and got comfortable.
�Aww, you two look so cute.� Leslie teased as she flipped through the channels.
�Do you wanna watch a DVD or video?� I asked.
�What do you have?� Aaron asked.
�Check in the living room, they�re all in there.� I replied.
He got up and walked out. He returned minutes later with a video.
�You wanna watch �The Lion king�? Are you serious?� Angel mocked.
�Yes. I haven�t seen this movie in years.� He replied.
I got up and put it on. When it was over, I figured we should head into the city. We got ready and I called my mom right before we entered the train station. We got to their house pretty fast.
Leslie opened the door and called out �Anyone home?�
We walked into the living room and found their dad fast asleep on the couch. Angel shook him and he jumped.
�Hi Dad. We�re here to get our stuff. Where�s mom?� she asked.
�She went to the store.� He looked at me
�You must be Sa�iyda. It�s nice to finally meet you. These three talk about you so much I�d think you�ve known each other for years.� He said shaking my hand.
�Wow, I didn�t know I was so popular.� I laughed
�So your parents don�t mind that Aaron�s sleeping over?� Mr. Carter asked.
�Not at all. I�ve had my male friends sleep over before.� I replied.
�Great. Well I�ll let you go help the girls pack.� He said.
I walked upstairs to Leslie�s room, which is directly across from Angel�s room. I helped them get ready. Just as they were finishing, Jane came upstairs.
�Hey Mom. Thanks for letting us stay at Sa�iyda�s tonight.� Angel said happily.
�Don�t thank me, thank your father. I wouldn�t usually let my children spend the night at a stranger�s house.� She said snottily. I don�t know why this lady has it in for me. I never did anything to her to make her hate me but she does for some reason. Everything she says to me is a like a jab.
�I wouldn�t worry Mrs. Carter. My house is very safe. Nothing bad has ever happened in my neighborhood.� I assured.
�Yeah, its safe mom. Sa�iyda has her own apartment and everything.� Leslie said.
�Excuse me?� Jane exclaimed.
�Well my parents own the brownstone that we live in. So they gave me my own floor so I can have more privacy. They live right under me and my mom comes to my apartment all the time.� I said, cringing on the inside.
�Oh really? And what happens when your mother isn�t at your apartment?� she questioned.
I had the urge to say something sarcastic, but remembered that she already didn�t like me and kept my comment to myself.
�Nothing usually. Most of the time, I�m home alone so I watch TV or go on my computer.� I replied. My cell phone rang and my mom was calling to tell me that they were at the 68th Street train station.
�Well, I�d hate to break this up, but my parents are at the train station waiting for us.� I said, putting away my phone.
�Okay. I�m gonna go get Aaron then.� Angel said, grabbing her bag and running off.
I pulled a piece of paper and a pen out of my bag and wrote down the phone numbers to my apartment and my parents� apartment.
�The top number is my apartment and the other is my parents� apartment. Feel free to call either.� I said, handing Jane the paper. She took it and glared at me.
�Come on.� Leslie said, grabbing my arm and pulling me downstairs.
We all walked out of the house.
�Are you okay?� Aaron asked me, sounding worried
�Mom was picking on her for no reason again.� Leslie said before I could reply.
He turned like 12 shades of red and got really mad.
�Why does she keep doing this to you? First of all, it�s annoying and second of all, there is no reason for it!� he fumed.
I just stood there shocked. I�d never seen him so angry.
�Let�s just drop it okay?� I asked. Aaron looked like he was going to continue but he shut up.
I pretended it didn�t bother me but of course it did. Later that night after Leslie and Angel had fallen asleep, I brought the subject up again.
�Aaron?� I asked, rolling over. We were both sleeping on the futon.
�Yeah?� he replied, turning to face me.
�Why does your mom hate me so much?� I asked, on the verge of tears
�I don�t know. My guess is she thinks you�re only friends with us because I�m famous.� He replied. I started to cry when I heard him say that.
�You know that�s not true right?� I asked, sniffling softly.
�Of course I do. Don�t cry. There�s no need to let her upset you.� He said, wiping the tears off my cheek and then kissing my forehead.
�Thanks Aaron.� I said, wiping my eyes.
�Anytime. Why are you so close to the edge?� he asked, indicating how close I was to the end of the futon.
�I always sleep like this.� I replied
�Why? You can come closer you know.� He said, pulling me closer.
I rolled over so that my back was now facing his front. He wrapped his arms around me and laid his head on my shoulder.
The next month just zoomed by. So much was changing. I was becoming closer to Aaron after that night. We had also agreed to tutor each other. He was helping me with chemistry ever since I failed the first test and I was helping him with economics since he spent most of the period flirting with Alina. Well, that�s what Tia told me. Aaron swore that it was because Mr. Henry was so boring. I don�t know who I believed. But its like they say; the more thing change, the more they stay the same. Tia was still pissed even after I explained the whole tutoring situation about me and Aaron being so close. She wasn�t as upset about me being friends with Angel and Leslie since Leslie was in her math class. She still minded how much I saw them though.
Then, there�s Brad. Sure, he finally asked me to be his girlfriend and of course I said yes, but he still acted like he did before and I never saw him. That�s what leads me to Halloween. Every year at TU, we have a Halloween dance and you can bring someone from outside TU. I had asked Brad to go with me, but yet again he �had plans� and couldn�t go.
I spent most of the night hanging out and dancing with my friends. Things seemed to be going well. Tia was actually getting along with Leslie and Angel, which made me happy. Aaron was having fun with his girlfriend Alina. Yup, all of that flirting paid off. I was still kind of pissed that Brad snubbed me, but I was flirting with a whole bunch of guys to make myself feel better. Halfway through the dance, Aaron came over to me.
�Let�s dance.� He said.
�Won�t your girlfriend get mad?� I asked, sounding a bit snotty.
�No. She knows I don�t like you like that. And besides, you guys are good friends. No biggie.� He replied.
�Eh, I really don�t feel like dancing.� I said, walking away.
He stopped me. �Are you still upset about Brad standing you up?�
�No! I just don�t feel like dancing with you, okay?� I yelled.
�Fine! There�s no need to yell.�
�He�forget it, I�m not even gonna bother.�
�No, what?�
�Nothing, okay? Drop it.�
�Fine, don�t tell me. Keep acting like a bratty little bitch.�
�I will, you fucking asshole.�
We didn�t talk again until Thanksgiving. I still don�t know why we stayed angry that long. But, I still saw Angel and Leslie. They�d come over to my house usually but I�d go to their house if I knew he wasn�t going to be there. Thanksgiving was coming but I wasn�t feeling very thankful. I mean one of my best friends hated me because I was PMSing and kinda took it out on him. Hello! The guy has three sisters and a mother. You�d think he�d be a little more sympathetic.
But anyway, this Thanksgiving, everyone was coming to my house. The day before Leslie called me.
�What are you doing the day after Thanksgiving?� she asked.
�Uh, sleeping and eating leftovers. Why?� I replied.
�I want you to come over.� She said.
�Why?� I asked again.
She sighed. �Nick and BJ are here and I want you to meet them.�
�Sounds cool. Is Aaron gonna be there?� I asked nervously.
�Yeah. I don�t know why you two still aren�t speaking.� She said.
�Me either. I tried to apologize right after it happened but he ignored me. Trust me, I wanted to stay speaking because I needed the help with chem. I had to have Rimler tutor me so I didn�t fail the midterm.� I said.
�Yeah, I had to help him with economics. But you�ll come?� she asked hopefully
�Sure. What time do you want me to come over?� I replied.
�How�s two o�clock sound?�
�Decent. I gotta go though. My mom needs me.� I said.
�Yeah, I have to go too. Call you tomorrow okay?�
�Sounds fine. Talk to you then.
My mom was cool with me going over. I knew she would be. I decided to bake some cookies to bring over. I�ll do that tomorrow. After I helped my mom clean up and prepare things for dinner, I went into my room to write a song. I was still upset about Aaron not talking to me and now that I knew I was going to see him, I could make him a tape of it or something. I sat on my bed, got out my guitar, my music book and a pencil and began to write.
Thanksgiving was fun. My niece was making me laugh because she�s a big Aaron fan and made me show her all the pictures I had taken of us when we went out and let her ogle at all of this stuff. She wanted me to call him, but I made up some lame excuse about him being busy with his family. Now that I think of it, it was probably true. So, I wasn�t really lying.
After everyone left, I made three-dozen chocolate chip cookies and put my song on cd to give to Aaron. I wrote a note explaining what song was about and what I was thinking when I wrote it.
The next day I woke up feeling nervous. I don�t know why either, maybe because I was finally meeting Nick and BJ. I really hope they like me. It�s bad enough that their mother hated me; I didn�t want to hate me too. I wanted to make a good impression so I dressed nicely but comfortably. So, I wore jeans and a sweater with my sneakers. I wore my hair down with a bit of makeup. Nothing flashy. I looked in the mirror and was pleased with what I saw. I was finally ready to go. As I was leaving, my phone rang. It was Brad.
�Hey babe.�
�Brad? I�m getting ready to go out. Did you want something?�
�I was gonna see if you wanted to hang with me.�
�You could have called me a few days ago you know.�
�Well I�ve been busy. You understand.�
�Yeah, yeah. You�re always busy Brad.�
�I�m sorry. It�s football season.�
�And then, it�ll be basketball season. Then what?�
�I know I�m not being the best boyfriend right now, but I�ll make it up to you.�
�Promises, promises. But whatever, I have to go. I�ll call you when I get home.�
�Where are you going?�
�Aaron�s. Bye bye Brad.� And I hung up.
Man, that was kind of mean of me. But I�m sick of his bullshit! I want to break up with him but I think that would be too obvious so I won�t do it. I got the stuff and left my house. I called Leslie when I got off the train. When I got to the house, a girl I didn�t know answered the door. I assumed it was BJ.
�Hi! You must be Sa�iyda. I�m BJ.�
�Nice to meet you!�
�I�ve heard so much about you that I feel like I know you.�
�Same here. I hope they were all good things that you heard.�
�Well unless you ask my mom. Otherwise, it�s pretty nice. I think I�ll believe the good things.�
�Thanks. Your mom has it in for me.�
�My guess is that she sees how much time you guys spend together and she�s jealous.�
�Yeah, we are really close.�
Just then Leslie walked over.
�Uh, hello? I thought she kidnapped you.�
I laughed. �We were just chatting.�
�Come on! Angel�s waiting!� she dragged me into the living room.
I did a quick scan of the room. No sign of Jane, which was good for me. I saw Mr. Carter watching television. I waved to him and we exchanged causal conversation. He�s really cool; too bad his wife can�t be like that.
�Where�s Nick?� I asked. I was actually pretty eager to meet him.
�He must be in Aaron�s room.� Angel said.
�What�s in the bag?� Leslie asked.
�My famous chocolate chip cookies. I figured I�d bring some over.�
�That�s really cool of you. I�m going to go find Nick so you can meet him.� BJ said, walking off
Okay, she didn�t hate me. One more on my side. I knew I could get Nick to like me once he had one of my cookies. I told Leslie and Angel about Brad and they flipped about how clueless he was. Angel was dating Mike Campbell, my ex that I set her up with. Leslie was happily single no matter how much I tried to set her up with my decent, single male friends. A little while later, BJ and Nick appeared.
�I heard that there are cookies.� Nick said.
I handed him the tin. �Have one.�
�Thanks. Sa�iyda right?�
�Yup, that�s me. Nice to finally meet you.�
�Same here. You�re even prettier in person than in all the pictures I�ve seen.�
I smiled. �Why, thank you. How are the cookies?�
�Great. You like to bake?�
�It�s a skill I�ve worked on.�
We hung out and talked. Mr. Carter came over to try one of my cookies at Nick�s request. He told me that Mrs. Carter went upstate to visit some of her family. That put me at ease. I like this family for the most part. Even Nick, who keeps flirting with me no matter how many times I tell him I have a boyfriend. Though I was having a bunch of fun, there was something I needed to do.
I got up. �I�m gonna go see if Aaron wants any cookies.�
Leslie gave me a look. She�s so cute. I love how she worries about me. I gave her a reassuring look and went to his room.