[ Karie ]

You know those movies where you see people sitting and talking for hours at a time? You think they’re crazy because how on Earth could someone sit and talk for so long about the craziest things?

Yeah, I sat and talked to a Backstreet Boy until 2:30 a.m. until I finally decided I needed to go home and get four hours of sleep before I needed to get up and be at work. I don’t even remember what all we talked about. We weren’t drunk or anything, but we just talked until they closed the bar down and then we sat outside for a little bit, talking before I we shared a cab and I got out at my apartment and he left for his hotel.

It wasn’t what I expected when he e-mailed me. I figured we would sit, talk for a little bit, and then I would be on my merry little way only to never hear from him again.

I really should have known better.

“Karie,” I looked up to see Greg, my editor, in my office doorway, “Great piece on the Backstreet Boys today.”

“Thanks,” I smiled back and suddenly yawned. “Was it what you wanted?”

“That and more,” he laughed. “Did you stay out late last night or something singing at the bar?”

“Uh, you could say that,” I replied, not wanting my boss to know that I met up with one of the guys after the interview.

I grabbed today’s issue of the paper off of my desk and turned the B section to see a photo of the guys together with Kevin’s picture being torn off. The image looked so sad and made me think about Nick and how upset he seemed last night when we actually did discuss Kevin leaving the group.

“There’s gossip around the office,” Greg said, popping back into my doorway. Great. Gossip. I looked at him confused and he grinned. “Someone saw you out with Nick Carter last night.”

“We talked about music, that’s all,” I said, looking back down at the picture. “He’s a pretty cool guy. He’s thinking about getting a place here.”

“It’s nice seeing you talking to the opposite sex once in a while,” Greg said as he walked away. I glared at my doorway. I was confused. What the hell did he mean by that? Most of my friends were guys. Did he think I was a lesbian or something?

I am so far from being a lesbian.

I jumped from my thoughts, hearing the secretary announce that my mother was on line two, waiting for me.

“Hey Mama,” I said, picking up the phone. “What’s up?”

“Oh I’m so proud of you!” she exclaimed. I sighed, knowing this was about the article in today’s paper. “You are such a good writer. You write really good and you got to meet the Backstreet Boys! Why didn’t you tell me that Kevin left the group?!?”

“Sorry Mom, I was busy.”

“Did you get me an autograph?”

“Uh, no, I forgot –“

“Karie! I raised you better than that,” she said as I started laughing. “You could have at least thought of me and got me an autograph or something.”

“I’ll get you one, don’t worry,” I said as she became quiet. “What?”

“You’re gonna see them again? When? I want to come!”

“Mama, seriously,” I laughed. “I can get in touch with them and get you an autographed picture or something. Just chill.” My mother was the everlasting teenybopper. It was hideous. “I’ll come by for dinner tonight, okay?”

I told her that I loved her and hung up the phone only to see a small window pop up to tell me that I had a new e-mail. I clicked on the window which led me to my email.

Hey Karie,

I had a great time talking with you last night. I’m going to this songwriter’s round table thing tonight at this bird place… since you’re into that stuff, you want to go? Howie’s got plans with his girl and AJ doesn’t want to go. Brian well he’s praising Jesus or something.

Let me know

Nick

I looked around the office and back at my computer screen.

He had to be talking about the In the Round performances at the Bluebird Café, the place where all songwriter’s and singers long to perform at. I had only been there twice – both times to have lunch but never to see anybody perform.

I skipped over to the website to see when the performances started. Great, 6:30, which is usually when I go and eat dinner with my mother. I could invite Nick to go eat at my mother’s first but that would give her a heart attack and I really don’t think Nick wants to meet my mother.

I tapped my fingers on the desk, wondering what the hell to do.

Nick –

Sure, but which one? There’s one at 6:30 and again at 9:30. I promised my Mom I would eat dinner with her, so let me know which one, okay?

Hope you enjoyed the article today!

-K

I hit send and leaned back in my chair.

Really, what the hell was I getting myself into? A Backstreet Boy does not want a fat girlfriend. What the hell, girlfriend? I’m not even attracted to this guy. I looked down at the picture and sighed.

Fine, that’s a lie. He’s hot as hell.

[/Karie]

[Nick]

Karie Hamilton – A 2006 graduate of the University of Florida with a B.A. in Journalism and minors in Music Literature and Theory and Women Studies, Hamilton began writing at the Tennessean in the Fall of 2006 after moving to Nashville. In her free time she enjoys watching live performances, going to auto racing events and keeping up with the latest in celebrity gossip.

“Celebrity gossip,” AJ said as I looked at him. “I bet she knows everything about you and Miss P Thang,” he said as I closed the window to her newspaper site. “Oh, you’ve got an e-mail!”

“Let me see,” I said as I opened the e-mailing.

“She wants to know which show,” AJ said as I looked at him. “It’s the 9:30 one. That’s the one you reserved seats for.”

“Good,” I said as I hit reply on the e-mail.

“You can always go eat dinner with her Mom.”

“Screw you.”

“You like her, don’t you?” AJ laughed. I ignored him. “She’s too smart for you man, but hey, at least she’s from Florida.”

He patted me on the back and I began typing the e-mail.

Hey

It’s the 9:30 show. I figured 6:30 would be too early with you and your job and all. Want me to come by and meet you outside your place? Thanks for saying yes I didn’t want to go alone. That looks weird you know.

Nick

“Looks weird my ass,” AJ said as he patted me on the back again before standing up. “I’ve got to go tell the other guys,” he said, finally leaving me alone.

I didn’t want to go to this songwriters thing alone but someone told me about it today and it sounded cool. I mean, AJ’s right, I do like her but not in that guy likes girl kind of way, you know? She’s cool to hang out with and I mean, she’s not a dog. She wasn’t hit with the ugly stick or the branch or the whole damn tree. She’s actually pretty for a bigger girl. She’s not big, just, not the size 0 that I’m used to and she’s into this music thing like I am.

Plus, she’s funny as hell.

I don’t see what the big deal is. Yeah, she’s a journalist person and I usually don’t like those people but she’s different than the usual person who interviews us. She’s more real and that’s pretty damn cool.

You have mail!

I opened up my email and sighed.

Nick –

The roundtable at 9:30 p.m. is perfect! I’ll meet you in front of my apartment at 9 p.m. Just call me when you pull up and I’ll be sure to be ready so I can hop downstairs.

Thanks for inviting me!

-K

Mission accomplished.

[/Nick]