August 22, 1998
Howie's birthday, he's 25 now. We're in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and they have 2 shows. They perform at 2:30 & again at 8p, Nick's gonna wanna sleep for a long ass time and as long as he appeases Fatima, he can sleep until the next performance or rehearsal. It won't be nearly enough, the next one is tomorrow and then the 25th if you don't count interviews. It's 7am and I'm up, laying in bed. Yes, I'm curled to his body and I would love to get up soon, but Nick won't let me go. "Nick, I have to pee." He releases me and I not only go to the bathroom, but also creep back into the room to grab clothes before getting in the shower.
I'm leaning against the wall, letting the cool water hit my sunburned back as I let the conditioner soak into my hair. "What happened to just going pee?" he teases.
"I need a shower and my sunburn I forgot I had hurts."
"Okay. Is there any hot water left, baby?"
I smile to myself. "Should be, it's kinda cool water I'm using for the burn." I turn it up a little and rinse out the conditioner when he gets in.
"Morning, Cassie."
"Morning, Ocean." I felt like calling him Ocean.
"How is that burn healing?" he asks me.
I turn toward him, showing him the sunburn on my back and look at him over my shoulder. "The rest isn't that bad cuz I've been using the coacoa butter on it and the front is starting to tan."
"Looks good back here," he tells me, running his fingers over it.
I face him and his lips crash into mine for a few moments, getting back under the water. I head into the bedroom and grab his clothes, putting them on the shelf. I lay on the bed in the air conditioned hotel room, falling asleep quickly and I know I've been exhausted.
I wake up to a familiar pair of lips and body on top of mine, gentle caresses pulling me from my deep slumber. "Mmm, Nick."
"Yeah, babe?"
"I love you."
"I love you more."
At the arena, I see Johnny coming out of an extra pre-show room and smirking. I don't like that look he has or that he's motioning something to Nick, hands covering my eyes in moments. "Stop it! I can't see!" I fearfully admit.
He puts his head beside mine, lips brushing the shell of my ear and chuckles. "I know that, baby. You'll be fine. You trust me, right?"
"Yes, I trust you. It's Johnny I don't."
"I planned this."
"And you didn't tell me?" I say with feigned surprise. He's very good at planning surprises and keeping secrets.
"It'd ruin the surprise," he reminds me, guiding the way to the whole thing and I hear a foot tapping on the other side of the door as his hands remain over my eyes.
"That foot tapping ruins it as well."
"I knew that would, but that's not the real surprise."
"It's been a few months, Tay," I force through my tears, hugging her tightly.
"Am I chopped liver?" Chris asks.
"Shut up, Old Man."
"Stop it, Chris," Tay tells him.
Aaron is on stage right now, Tay is a surprise for us both and Nick set it up all on his lonesome. Speaking of Nick, his hand touches my hip and gently pulls me to him in order to hold me. "Surprise, baby," he softly says.
I spin in his arms to face him, pressing my lips against his and my body follows. "Thanks, Nick," I coo, smiling with my arms flung around his neck.
"Anything to see you happy," he informs me, returning the grin.
"Nick, five minutes," Fatima warns him, essentially ending our moment and I recall that he's fairly renown at this point in time before sighing in defeat.
"Your fans call for your attention," I mutter.
"My baby will call for my attention when I get done until the next show."
"Or anything related to the work you do."
"I love you," he reminds me, pecking my lips and smiling. He slowly walks backwards and keeps hold of my right hand, kissing the back of it when we're arm's length away. I get that lovesick grin and he winks at me, exiting the room to go perform. I know I have 15 minutes to recover from this before Aaron comes in the room, he always showers after he performs.
I sit beside Chris and sigh happily. "You've been bitten by the bug," he comments. I look at him and try not to laugh at the funny face he just made at me, Tay already laughing.
Once I stop my laughter, I playfully shove him. "Tay and Aaron are smitten with each other as well," I inform him.
"I say she's too young to date."
"No," I giggle, "they like each other and Aaron doesn't want to let her go, that's why he's always calling her."
"Really now?" he asks, turning his black and white braided head toward her.
She blushes, quickly looking away from him and her hair falls to cover her face. "I really like him, too."
"They know they're too young to date, but keep in mind that I began seeing Alex when I was 12 or 13," I point out.
"When she shows how mature she is and mom and I agree she's of age and maturity, she can date him." Tay begins grinning like a goon. "But you have to remember not all boys are like Nick, so be careful."
"Tay's here? She's really here?" Aaron asks excitedly from across the room.
She smiles, nodding her head. "I can prove how 'real' we are, if you'd like," Chris offers Aaron.
"Try touring with him," I joke.
"Nah, I'd rather tour with Curly," he responds.
"Your loss."
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