He shouldn't have been surprised to run into Howie. They were in the same business, lived in the same neighborhood, and two of their best friends had been living together for the past year and a half. However, when you're expecting a mop-top to be waiting for you at your table after your trip to the bathroom and you get a Latin Backstreet Boy you might be a little stunned.
"My Justin, how you've changed."
"I'm incognito, don't blow my cover."
"The girl in The Call video was more convincing." Chris had to duck the peanut that Howie pitched at him as he took his seat. "Hey man, what's up?"
"Nick and I saw you and Justin come in, but you had exited to the restroom by the time we made it over."
"Really. Where are Little Nicky and Justy?"
"Testing their NBA skills." Howie said pointing to the basketball shooting game in the corner.
"Millions of dollars, thousands of fans, and yet NBA dreams never die."
"Please do not touch the automobile."
Chris turned around in surprise at the voice and the hand on his shoulder. Howie's eyes were sparkling with merriment over Chris' reaction.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Justin dragged me here. Though it didn't take much convincing. These machines are beautiful." Chris said waving his arms at the car and boat show which surrounded them.
"Yeah, Nick made me come along with him. It seems that our friends have abandoned us for each other yet again."
They both looked over where the two young men were admiring a speed boat. Justin's hand was low on Nick's back as they spoke to each other. Chris noticed Nick's hand slip into the same position on Justin's back before he was distracted by a car question from Howie. Chris also noticed Howie's hand come to rest on his lower back.
Running into Howie at Lance and AJ's beach front house wasn't as surprising as it had been the previous two days. And Nick lived just two houses down.
Justin had called and told him that he had to come over to Lance's place. He say something about a barbeque before squealing (yes, squealing) and apparently dropping the phone which disconnected.
Chris grabbed his dog and got to Lance's a little over half an hour later, after stopping to buy a tub of potato salad.
AJ answered the door with a smile, taking the potato salad and directing Chris out on to the back porch.
Chris released Kariya from her leash. She immediately scurried down the back steps and out to the edge of the water. She barked at Justin who appeared to be trying to drown Nick. Chris watched her scamper back from an approaching wave. Nick pushed Justin over in to the water and ran out of the water, scooping up the little dog.
Chris was then distracted by a stream of water which hit him in the back of the head. Mouth open, Chris turned around to see a water pistol in Howie's hands and an evil grin on his mouth.
"Bang, you're wet." Howie said with a wink.
"You're about to be a hell of a lot wetter." Chris said with a yell he launched himself after Howie. Chris caught Howie about ten feet off the steps, boosted him over his shoulder, and shortly deposited him in the ocean water.
A couple of hours later, Chris found himself in the kitchen helping Lance clean up the kitchen while the other guys lounged on the back deck.
"I think Howie's stalking me." Chris said watching Lance closely for a reaction.
"Really, and why's that?" Lance asked rather disinterestedly as he continued to wash a bowl.
"He's everywhere that I go. Has AJ mentioned anything?"
"No, he hasn't."
"What about mental disorders? Has AJ said anything about Howie being mentally unstable?"
"I don't believe so, but I think that we may have to re-evaluate a certain member of our group concerning his mental stability."
"I'm perfectly sane. I'm not the stalker."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't think that Howie is stalking you either."
"What do you know? You're already under the influece of a Backstreet Boy. Oh My God! I bet AJ's just a plant, an inside man sent by Howie to spy on me."
"So Howie has some ellaborate TWO year plan to get you. Seems a little far fetched."
"So maybe AJ's a bad spy and it took him this long to get what Howie wanted. How do you know that AJ really even likes you?"
"Well, I got the distinct impression this morning that he really likes me, and trust me there was no talk of you, even if we had been capable of speech."
"Ha! Blinded by a Backstreet Boys charms. Well, that's not going to happen to me."
The next afternoon, Chris found himself at the grocery store.
"Hello Chris."
Chris looked up from the bag of dog food that he was putting in his cart, into warm brown eyes.
"Howie! What are you doing here?"
"Ahh...grocery shopping, just like you. Though I suppose this could be a happenin' place just to hang out at."
Chris rolled his eyes. "No, I mean on the pet supply aisle. You don't have any pets."
"Well, I was rolling by and I saw you so I decided to say hi. Wow, it's kind of crazy how we have seen each other now four days in a row. It had been like three months before that."
Chris' ears were caught by the word crazy. Exactly as he had been thinking, Howie was crazy.
"Yeah, funny that. Well, I've got to be going. See ya!"
Howie watch rather confused as Chris rushed away down the aisle. He shrugged as he continued on. "I always thought he was a bit crazy."
Dial seven digits, ring, ring.
"Hello?"
"Lance, man. I told you he was stalking me. I just ran into him at the grocery store."
"You live in the same neighborhood, chances are you shop at the same grocery store."
"But, he..."
"Chris, stop! Take a breath. Who else was with you the other times you ran into Howie?"
"Justin and Nick."
"Why were you at those places to begin with?"
"Because Justin got me to go with him."
"Uh Huh....."
"Oh My God! Justin's working with Howie. Et tu, Justin?"
"No, Justin has been dragging you around following Nick."
"Why would he do that? I'm not interested in Nick."
"Oh my goodness, and you went to college." Lance said in exasperation. "Justin wants to hook up with Nick."
"Oh yeah, then why wouldn't he just tell me?"
"Chris last time you tried to help Justin get a date you got him slugged by a guy only slightly smaller than Lonnie."
"Yeah, well."
"Think about it. The way Justin and Nick play together. Always finding ways to touch. They're clearly interested in each other."
"I've got to go."
"Chris,...."
Lance was cut off by the dial tone.
Knock, Knock.
"Hey, Chris. What are you doing here?"
"Do you think it would be weird if three-fifths of your group hooked up with three-fifths of my group?"
"What are you talking about? As far as I know only one-fifth is together, with the possibility of two-fifths."
"I just found out about Justin and Nick being into each other."
"I would have thought you knew."
"I was preoccupied with someone else. Would you like to go out to dinner?"
A smile broke out across Howie's face. "I think I'd really like that."
"So three-fifths isn't weird?"
"Not at all."
The End.
