I've been impatiently waiting to go back home and that'd be today. "You still need me to talk you down from freaking out just before a flight?"
"Um, yeah, kinda. It has to deal with heights!"
"Jazz, you need to get over this, it's getting old and it's how we do most of our traveling."
"Other than bus!"
"Why are you so scared of heights?"
"My cousins used to hang me upside down when I was like 3 as high as they could and threatened to drop me on my head," I inform him, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry that your cousins were assholes, but come on."
"JOSHUA!!! I could use your support right now," I whine.
"I'm sorry," he says, fighting back laughter.
"Gaaaaaahhhhhhh! Stop laughing! I am gonna deck you when you see me again," I hiss over the phone to him.
"Don't you mean you're going to deck me when you see me again?"
"No, I want you to see it coming, meaning I want you to see me before I deck you."
"Sensitive, aren't we?"
"Assholish, aren't we?"
"Ok, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed at that. You do need to get used to it though, it is how we do alot of traveling between places. You seemed fine when you weren't alone."
"I was distracted by whoever I was flying with," I honestly admit.
"Ok, we will work on it. So, how's the homework coming along?"
"Well, I have three math assignments left to finish in the next three weeks."
"Good, I'm proud of you. How upset is Tyler?"
"Not at all because I've been helping him."
"That's cool. When does the flight leave?"
"A couple m-"

"Flight 219 to Orlando, Florida. All passengers begin boarding."
"That's you. You'll be fine, you'll land safe, and you're calling me when you land. Hear from you soon, Baby J."
"O-ok," I nervously agree. I board the plane and put my headphones on. I listen to Boyz II Men's 'II' during the whole flight from when I sat down and buckled up until the stewardess said we could get off the plane. I find my luggage and head for Roy and Karen. 
It's only 9:43 in the morning, meaning Tyler and Heather were in school. I would be staying at the Chasezs' until Friday, when AJ would pick me up from here to go to his house for the weekend. We would be driving to Tampa on Monday morning so that Nick and his family spend time together. 

I hug them both. "I missed you."
"We missed you too," Karen says.
Roy grabs my two small bags and smiles. "You packed light, I see."
"Yeah, I did this time." The reason I barely stay home is that Ma is always gone, she had gotten a second job while I was in Orlando for the five weeks between Europe and home. She wants to put extra money away to pay for my college, so I let her live vicariously through me for now. I'm not even sure I want to go to college, I might just want to tour between the Boys and the guys to see the world. "I have to call Josh," I tell them. They nod and I dial the familiar number.

"Hello?"
"I hope you know that I hate when you're right sometimes."
"Oh, well. At least you're alright."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
"I'll let the other four guys know you landed safe and sound in Orlando. Make sure to call them tonight."
"I'm sure your parents would be happy to remind me to call the five of you."
They nod in response. "I have no doubt they would be," he teases before allowing himself to chuckle.
"Thanks for the pep talk," I admit.
"You're welcome. You'll get better at flying, eventually."
"Talk to you later tonight."
"Bye."

I call Nick and it rings four times. "Uhn?"
"Mornin', sleepy Icky."
"Morning, beautiful Jazzabee."
"I'm in Orlando."
"Cool. We can hang out later. Can you call me around 11? I'll get up and we can go somewhere. We have today off," he willingly indulges to me.
"Ok, do you have anything in mind?"
"A couple things."
"I missed you."
"Missed you too."
"Talk to you in an hour."
"Yeah."
"Later."
"Later." 

I hang up, a smile on my lips. "You seem happier since talking to that 'Icky' kid," Roy observes.
"Yeah, he makes me smile," I divulge.
"When do we meet him?"
"Friday, I hope. Unless he wants to meet up today."
"We are taking care of you."
"I know. I'll see if he'll meet you today."

We get back to the Chasez house and I bring my two bags in Josh's old room (mwahahahahahahahaha!) before letting Karen know that I'd be in the hammock. "You need to relax, I swear the couple weeks you spent following the boys around has affected your life."
"I graduate from middle school with Tyler in three weeks, so I guess so."
"You are over ambitious and out of your mind motivated," she calls after me.
"I learned it from your oldest!" I yell back.
I climb in the hammock and Justin texts me. 'Whatcha doing?'
'Just laying in the Chasezs' backyard on the hammock'
'I miss talking to you'
'Same here' Should I rephrase that? Nah!
'You miss talking to yourself? Haha'
'No, to you guys, smarty pants'
'Awww. How long have you been back?'
'About two hours.'
'You ever go home?'
'Not really, Ma's only there long enough to shower and sleep.'
'Where do you stay?'
'Between the Boys' houses, the Chasez house and Bev's'
'That's why Chris' baby sister says Zee'
'Yeah, she calls me Zee'
'What about Nick?'
I smile and shake my head. 'What about him?'
'Anything new?'
'No, still friends'
'Oh, that's cool'
'J-Dog, you're cool, sweet and funny...but not happening'
'Worth a try. Hahaha. I hate interview days'
'I do too'
'I miss hearing your laugh' I scroll through the contacts, highlight Justin's name and press 'send'. Three rings. "Thanks for keeping your word."

"You said you miss hearin' my laugh, make me laugh," I barter.
He recalls the whole Globe Theatre incident and I crack up. "I miss being able to hear you laugh."
"I miss your corny jokes."
"I miss hearing you bitch at me about being hungry." Obviously, I'm not going to be allowed to forget that.
"I miss telling jokes that confuse Josh."
"We still do that, wishing you could be here."
"You're so sweet," I pretend to swoon.
"It comes naturally."
We laugh and he says he has to go because they have to go on tv for another interview. "I miss you guys."
"We miss you too. Don't go being a stranger."
"I won't. Later."
"Bye."

I hang up and begin swinging in the hammock, making sure to set the alarm on my phone for 10:55a so I can wake Nick at 11. I had a feeling that I would fall asleep, you probably know how bad jet lag can be. My phone scared the shit outta me when the alarm went off. I yawn and stretch, trying not to fall out of the hammock while doing it. I look around and smile, thinking of what Nick and I could do today. "Mmm?"
"Morning, Icky."
"It's 'leven?"
"Yeah. "
I hear him yawn and groan, most likely stretching out. "Is there anyway I can convince you to give me a few more minutes of sleep?"
"Nuh uh. Uppa uppa up, Nick. You said you had an idea of what we could do together today."
"Oh, I did?" he asks, teasingly.
"Nickolas, can you get up, please? I wanna hang out with my friend from Tampa who came back to the Sunshine State a couple months ago."
"I wonder who you could mean? I wanna hang with my friend who just came back from Mississippi this morning," he says, going along with the game.
"I mean you and I just came back from Mississippi this morning," I tell him, yawning.
"Sounds like you need to get over some jet lag."
"Jet lag, smet smag! I wanna hang out with you." 
"Alright, alright, I'm getting up. Give me twenty minutes to shower and leave. What's the address I'm picking you up?"
I ramble off the address as if it were my own, without a second thought. "How long until you get here?"
"Hold on a sec?"
"Sure."
"AJ, could I borrow the car?"
"Fuck it up, I fuck you up," AJ warns.
"I won't, thanks. Within half an hour."
"Um..."
"What's up?"
"Can you stop in to meet Josh's parents?"
"For a few minutes, yeah."
"Thanks."
"No biggie."

I hang up, run in the house and call out for Karen and Roy. "What do you need, sweetie?"
"Nick said he'd stop in for a few to meet you," I tell her excitedly.
"That's probably because he likes you."
"Why does everyone say that?"
"Might be because everyone sees it."
"I don't know if he likes me more than a friend."
"Even if you're not sure of it, people around you two can tell how much he likes you."
"I think everyone that does see it or know, like Josh and Nick, are talking in tongues. Why do boys talk in code?"
"To confuse us, Jazz."
"Ugh!"
"We also talk in code."
"How come I don't know any of it?"
"Because you haven't learned any from the girls you spend time with and talk to."

I groan and roll my eyes, heading for the hammock again. I'm so frustrated by people that talk in code around me because I don't understand what they're saying or what they mean or even what they're talking about! My cell beeps and a text comes in from Nick. 'Can you wait out front and let me know what you're wearing?'
'Sure. I'm wearing a Buccaneers jersey and dark blue flare jeans. Wearing black, silver and blue Reeboks.'
'I have AJ's black Ford Explorer'
'What year?'
'A 93, I think'
I think for a minute and remember what a 93 Ford Explorer looks like as I head to sit in the front yard. 'I'm out front and waiting for you to get here so we can go hang out'

I sit down, leaning back on my hands and relaxing in the sun. I enjoy the time I sit out front and wait for him to get here. I get lost in my thoughts about what he may have planned. "Hey, beautiful," I hear beside me.
I look to my right and there's Nick, sitting with his legs pulled to his body with his arms resting on them. "Hey, you." A smile takes over my mouth.
"You said something about meeting your friend's parents. Ready when you are."
He stands up and reaches out to help me up. I lead him into the Chasezs' house, pulling him by his hand. "Karen! Roy! Nick's here!" I call out, giddy about them meeting him. They're like my parents and I love them.
He smiles at my enthusiasm. "Chill out, I'm sure we can talk or something."
"Jazzy, what is so excit-" Karen began to ask before seeing Nick. "I see why you're so giddy. Is this Nick?"
"Yes, Karen, this is Nick. Nick this is Josh's mom, Karen."
"Nice to meet you. Josh as in JC?"
"Yeah, as in Daddy C."
"Karen, would you mind if we hung out in the backyard?" he asked, being polite.
"Not at all. She'll show you her favorite spot in our yard. When you want to take her out, let me know."
"I will make sure to. Thanks."

I walk out the sliding glass doors and guide him to the hammock. I lay across it and he lays back on it, I let him push it because he's taller. "This is where I was when I talked to you on the phone for the first time," I tell him, remembering our first conversation.
"Is that why you always lay in the hammock at my house after we swim?"
"Kinda. It's part of it. It's also so relaxing."
"I get it."
"Reminds me of back home."
"I still haven't gotten used to the accent yet."
"I'm tryin to not have the twang," I admit.
"I think it's kinda cute."
"I don't like it."
"I mean it's cute, I like it and it's how I can tell it's you when I don't look at the caller ID." We laugh at the last part of his thought.
"Like this morning?"
"Yeah, both times this morning." We swing in the hammock as we talk about the past month and laugh. "Now you know and it probably explains your immediate connection with him."
"It does, but do me a humungo favor?"
"What's that?"
"Tell nobody, not even Aaron."
"Done deal."
"Can we go to the beach or something?"
"Yeah, we can. Let's go find Karen and let her know we're heading out." 
We locate Karen and inform her that we were heading to a nearby beach. "Check in in a couple hours, ok?"
I smile and hug her. "I will, Karen."

We get into AJ's SUV and head for the beach after grabbing my beach bag. We talked the whole time there, including one subject I didn't want to talk about-my dad. "Why is it only you and your mom?"
"I don't wanna talk about that."
"Will you ever tell me?"
"Possibly, but not yet."
He sighs. "My brother and sisters miss you."
"I know, I've been talking to them everyday. They know I miss them too. The tour starts in a month."
"Aaron is beyond excited."
"You have to be too."
"Considering that you're cleared to go on tour, once you finish the work for next year."
"Which will be this week."
"Awesome! Just to forewarn you-AJ will tease us."
"I figured that much," I groan.
"He's hell bent on the idea of us getting together in the next few weeks."
"The bet. Good god, I say they should just give up on it."
"You don't think you'd ever give me a chance?"
"I don't know. I'm just scared to date and have a serious relationship. I have no idea how to deal with this kinda thing," I confess, looking at him.

We pull up to the beach and grab our bags from the back seat, heading for the water. We drop our things in the sand, having already stuck our phones in the bag. We dive under and splash each other, Nick instigating the water fights every time without fail. He leans against a post, pulls me into his arms under the dock and our eyes lock. I quickly look at the sand under our feet, scared. He places a knuckle under my chin and I look at him, unsure of what might happen. We've been talking for almost four months and have gotten to know each other pretty well. He places a gentle kiss on my lips and pulls away, blushing. "Sorry."
"Don't be."
"Well, I should've asked first, I think."
"Let's not tell anyone and not talk about it," I blurt out.
"Ok," he agrees.

He guides me to the water's edge and flicks water at me, quickly erasing the emotions, confusion and memory for the time being. We continue having fun until our stomachs are screaming their equivalent of 'feed me, Seymour' at us. We go to a stand and order some fried dough, soda and hot dogs. I check in a handful of times with Karen and Roy, have a blast and get home around nine. Nick and I are sunburned, red as lobsters, laughing. "Thanks, Icky."
"As long as you had fun, I'm glad we hung out."
"It was a blast and my curfew is in fifteen minutes, so," I hug him,"I'll see you tomorrow. What time should I be ready?"
"Howie says seven."
"See you and AJ around seven. Night."
A smirk takes its place on his lips and I wonder what he could be thinking. "See ya in the morning. Night."

I hug him one more time and go inside. I pull out my cell phone, after informing Karen that I'm home and safe, and play eenie meeni minni mo with five very frequently called numbers. "Hello?"
"I think he might be one of my firsts, James."