1

"Oh that's it I'm kicking your butt now." Nick mashed down on the button harder as he unleashed a viscous combo.

"Bring it on buddy." Juliet was pushing her buttons just as hard. She had her character flip over the other's head and applied the finishing moves. "And that would make me the winner."

Nick who has already standing almost threw his controller. "Damn you are good." He spoke into the headset.

"No you just suck." Juliet teased back.

"Dude let me tell you something if you were here instead of where ever you are I'd make you eat your words."

"Location wouldn't make a difference you'd still be getting your ass beat."

"That's it, rematch."

"Can't, I have to get to work."

"Are you going to be on later?"

"Maybe, later."

"Later man."

Juliet turned off her Xbox and giggled to herself. It amused her that everyone she played with on line thought she was a boy. But then she used the voice distorter so she didn't have to listen to them whine because they were losing to a girl. She signed off the game and shut down her system.

She didn't get home until after 12 that night, the restaurant was busier than normal and she was extremely tired. Out of pure habit she turn on her Xbox to see if any or her ‘friends' were on line. And she saw she had a friend invite and message from the guy she was paying earlier, FLFRACK. She accepted his invite and then noticed he was on line playing Halo 2. She texted him: Ready for the rematch?

Nick was tired and getting ready to quit for the night when he saw a message from Scooba Romeo asking him for a rematch. Nick sent a game invite and waited for Romeo to join him.

Juliet joined the game, "I can't believe you're still on?" She had forgotten to turn the voice distorter on.

Nick hesitated for a minute, "Well I did take a break a few hours ago. I didn't know you were a girl."

Juliet makes a face at herself. "Yeah I turn on the voice box because most people can't handle being beat by a girl. I just forgot to tonight."

"Hey I think it's cool you're a girl, I'm all for that equal rights and shit."

"You say that now, let's see what you think after I kick your ass."

They played for the next two hours. Finally Juliet just couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and she had to go. "Well Frack I got to go I am beat and can barely keep my eyes open."

"Okay, when are you going to be on again?"

"I'm not sure, do you play every day?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm sure I'll catch up with you again."

"Ok, good night."

"Night." She logged off and noticed he logged off right after her.

Over the next couple of weeks she would play with Nick almost every day. They played a wide variety of games together and he would always beat her at like the sports ones and she would totally kick his butt on the fighting ones.

Nick - "So I have to ask because we have been playing for a while, why Scooba Romeo?"

"Because my name's Juliet and I thought it would be clever."

"I get it. So do you have a Romeo?"

"Is that your way of asking if I have a boyfriend?"

"Maybe."

"Well first tell me your name Frack."

"It's Nick." He hesitated for the scream, it didn't come.

"No Nick I don't have a boyfriend. What about you, is there anyone yelling at you for spending hours on line every night?"

"Not anyone in like an official capacity, but I do like to date."

"Oh no, Are you one of those serial daters? Or are you just that much of a geek that no one wants you?" She has learned that she can joke around with him because he didn't delete her from his friends list after he found out she was a girl.

"No I'm not. But I could say the same about you. I mean you sound cute and everything, but you work nights and have no problem playing until 2 or 3 in the morning. What kind of life do you have?"

"You know you are right I am going to turn this off and go get a boyfriend right now. Thank you so much Nick."

"Hey now let's not get carried away."

Juliet signs off but leaves the Xbox on. Sure enough she gets a voice message from him. "Ok, Juliet you proved your point, will you sign back on now."

She signs back on, "I really wasn't trying to prove a point."

"Sure you weren't. So what do you want to play now?"

"I don't care you can pick."

"Okay. Hey have you seen any of the new trailers for the games they are going to show at E3?"

"Yeah, I don't like the look of the PS3, it's like too big."

"Yeah and they keep changing things around on it. I am more interested in the new games coming out."

"I would love to go to it."

"You want to?"

"Yeah right."

"No seriously you want to go?"

"I'd love to go but we can't get in. You have to be part of the gaming industry."

"If I can get the passes would you go?"

She hesitates, "You know if you are trying to ask me on a date don't you think see a movie would be a little easier?"

Nick smiles to himself. "If you were just any girl I would take you to a movie?"

"Ok now you are just trying to make me blush."

"Come on no strings attached it's not a date. I have wanted to go for a really long time and could never find anyone to go with me."

"Nick it is in CA. I'm not."

"Well where are you?"

"Louisiana."

"See you're not that far from me. We could make a road trip out of it."

"You're nuts!!! You don't even know me? I could be 400 pounds, and have bad hygiene."

"Hey I have bad hygiene, it's a document fact."

"Yeah that is how you are going to talk me into this. I don't even know why we are having this conversation because you can't get passes."

"See now I have to get them just to prove to you I can."

"Ok if you get the passes I will go with you but you are not going to get them."

>> 2

2

2 nights later, Juliet was playing Rumble Roses when Nick signed in.

"Hey Juliet."

"Hey Nick." She blushed just saying his name. It was really silly, to have crush on someone she didn't really know but she liked his voice and sense of humor.

"Turn off your distorter."

"Sorry is that better."

"Yeah, so you're going to have to tell me where you live."

"Why?"

"Because I got passes to E3."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"How?"

"I pulled some strings with some people."

"You did not get passes you are just messing with me."

"I would not joke about something like this. You don't believe me?"

"It's not that I don't believe you exactly, who did you get the passes from, are you sure they are good?"

"I'm sure. I'll forward you the email. What's your address?" She gives it to him. "Okay check it out."

She goes and turns on her monitor and logs into her account. "It'll be a minute my computer is in desperate need of an upgrade."

"Not a problem." She is quiet for a minute. "So how was work tonight?"

"It was okay, but sometimes I feel like if I see another hamburger I am going to throw up."

"You work at a restaurant?"

"Yeah it's my family's place. Okay I'm in. Oh my god I can't believe you got passes!"

"I told you I would."

"And you really want me to go with you?"

"Yeah of course."

She is a little hesitant. "Are you sure Nick I mean I know that we talked about it but if you want to take someone else I would understand?"

"Shut up I want you to come. It would be fun and we could get to know each other better. Can you get the time off of work?"

"I think so, I will have to check with my dad but it shouldn't be an issue. Why did you get 5?"

"In case you were uncomfortable and wanted to bring someone with you. A friend of mine suggested it."

"Good suggestion, that might make things go over a little easier with the family when I tell them I am running away with a complete stranger. Is your friend coming with as well?"

"Yeah, and the other one is just in case." He didn't want to tell her that the fifth one is for the security person he will have to bring.

"I still can't believe you got passes. Okay so what game do you want to play?"

"Rumble Roses is fine."

"Okay"

They play for about an hour and then Juliet has to go, but she promised to email him her address and stuff like that the following day.

Nick logged off and called up AJ. "Hey man what's up?"

AJ - "Same shit different day." AJ had broken up with yet another girlfriend about 2 weeks before. "Robyn came and got the rest of her stuff today."

Nick - "you ok?"

AJ - "I will be it just sucks man. I almost wished she would have done this a couple months ago when we were still on tour. I would have been easier than seeing her taking all of her stuff."

Nick - "Well at least its over and done with now and you can move on right?"

AJ - "Yeah I guess so." AJ absentmindedly rolled a pool ball across the table. "So what's up with you?"

Nick - "I got tickets for that thing in LA if you're still up to going with me?"

AJ - "That video game thing? Are you still talking to that girl on line?"

Nick - "It's not online it's over my 360."

AJ - "there's a difference?"

Nick - "There's a HUGE difference. You say online like I used a dating service or something. Come on, you got to come."

AJ - "I don't know Nick."

Nick - "What you have something better to do? Look AJ I know what you are going to do, you are going to sit around, feel sorry for yourself, jerk off, probably get a new tattoo, spend too much time in the sun, write some music and wallow in yourself pity for a while. Why don't you instead, get a bag packed and come cross country with me?"

AJ - "Is she bringing a friend because I really don't want to be a third wheel?"

Nick - "Probably she said it would go over better with her folks if she brought a friend."

AJ - "And you know that this girl is of age right, I'm not really into spending a week with a 16 year old groupie."

Nick - "She's not 16, she's 23 and she's not a groupie."

AJ - "So then you told her who you are?"

Nick - "No not exactly."

AJ - "You haven't told her at all have you. You just let her think you were able to magically come up with these tickets. Dude what are you going to do if she sees you and instantly like starts screaming and trying to rip your clothes off."

Nick - "you say that like it's a bad thing. Come on, I've rented an RV, I'll let you drive."

AJ had been wandering around his house while he talked to Nick and now he was in the bed room. Robyn's side of the closet was still open, the empty hangers dangling. "Ok, maybe it would do me good to get away for a little bit."

>> 3

3

Somehow Juliet was able to talk her parents into not completely freaking out that she was leaving for a week and half with a stranger. Yes Juliet was 23 and she did have her own little apartment but since she still worked at the family restaurant a lot of times it was like she was still in college if not high school. But she was excited and could not wait to tell her best friend, Makenna. She didn't know how much convincing she was going to do, Makenna could be really stubborn at time.

Juliet - "Mac you have to come with me."

Makenna - "I would be bored stiff."

Juliet - "Please you would be my absolute best friend in the whole world if you would come."

The girls had been friends since fate brought them together freshman year of college. Since that first day they were inseperatable on campus. A lot had changed since they graduated the previous year but their friendship was still strong.

During hurricane Katrina the company that Makenna worked for went belly up and lost everything. Juliet didn't even hesitate, she welcome her friend in with open arms and insisted that she stay with her. While Makenna was back down in New Orleans finding out if there was anything worth saving out of her apartment, Juliet found her a job DJing at a local club in Lafayette.

Makenna - "Unlike you who work for your parents I can't just take off. Rob counts on me."

Juliet - "But I cleared it with him already. He said you could go."

Makenna knows that she is going to end up going with but she likes to make Juliet crazy. "I don't know Jules, who is this guy again?"

Juliet - "Nick, the guy I met playing 360."

Makenna - "Nick what?"

Juliet answers without missing a beat. "Nick Carter." Makenna starts to laugh. "What's so funny?"

Makenna - "Only you would pick up a Backstreet Boy playing games."

Juliet - "What are you talking about?"

Makenna - "You honestly don't know." Juliet shakes her head. "Come here." Makenna sits in front of the computer. "Don't you remember Lizzie from across the hall, she had this guy all over her room and was always playing the music."

Juliet - "I didn't say I didn't know who the Backstreet Boys were I just want to know why you think Nick is one of them."

Makenna pulls up the official site. "And that is your date to E3." She brings up a full page picture of Nick.

Juliet - "Come Mac, I'm sure it's just a coincidence that's all. It can't be the same guy."

Makenna - "Wouldn't it funny if it was."

Juliet - "I am sure that that Nick Carter," She points at the screen. "Would not need to be finding girls on line."

Makenna - "Well you will just have to ask him if he is."

Juliet looks at the picture of Nick. "I am not asking him if he is this Nick."

"Why not?" she laughed still amused

Juliet - "Because it would be embarrassing. What if he's not and he laughs at me?"

Makenna - "What if he is?"

Juliet - "Well he obviously doesn't want to make a big deal out of it if he is." She reaches around her friend and closes the site. "Listen are you going to come with me?"

Makenna - "Of course, I'm not going to miss this."

A week later Nick and Juliet had hammered out the details. It took Nick and AJ about 12 hours to get from Florida to Lafayette. They weren't even out of Florida when AJ remembered why he was glad they all had separate buses on the road.

The whole way Nick was obsessing about Juliet. He was getting cold feet and AJ was having a blast teasing him nonstop. They finally pulled up in front of Juliet's apartment building at 8 that night. The plan was to stay over and then they would continue on in the morning. AJ parked the RV on the street and Nick just stood by the door.

AJ- "So, are you going to go up and knock or am I?"

Nick - "I'm going, just give me a minute."

AJ shakes his head laughing. "Come on man I got to piss let's go."

He opens the door and pushed Nick out. They walk up the steps to the third floor. They hear some music coming from that end of the hall. It's Shakira. "Well at least she doesn't have awful taste in music." AJ says as he raises his hand to knock. "I swear one scream and I'm running."

Nick - "She'll be cool trust me."

The music gets turned down and Juliet opens the door. Her first thought is I am going to kill Makenna. "Hi. Nick?"

"Yeah, Juliet?" She nods. "Nice to meet you." He holds out his hand.

She takes it, "you too."

They both have stupid grins on their face. After all the talk AJ did on the way there Nick wasn't sure what to expect but it wasn't the girl in front of him. She was average height, maybe 5' 6". Her dark hair was in a shoulder length bob and she had amazing green hazel eyes.

AJ cleared his throat. "Hi I'm AJ."

"Hi AJ." She takes her hand from Nick's and shakes AJ's. "Would you guys like to come in?"

AJ - "Thanks." He comes in. "Um, do you have a restroom I could use?"

Juliet - "Sure it's down the hall on the left." AJ leaves and her and Nick are standing there looking at each other. "Did you have a nice drive?"

Nick - "Yeah AJ drove most of the way. He doesn't like my driving."

Juliet - "That would explain the mad dash to the bathroom." They stand there in silence. "Would you like something to drink?"

Nick - "Sure, whatcha got?"

Juliet thankful to have something to do besides stand there looking stupid goes into the little kitchenette area and opens the fridge. "Well not too much. Since we were going to be gone for over a week I didn't go shopping. Um, some apple juice and some Heineken?"

Nick - "Beer's fine, thank you. So where is your friend Makenna?"

Juliet - "Work. She gets off at 2:30 so she will probably be sleeping most of tomorrow morning."

Nick - "Where does she work?"

Juliet - "A club down town."

AJ - "Did I hear someone say club?" AJ came back out. "Can we go?"

Juliet - "To the club? If you guys want to I guess so."

AJ - "Awesome, my ass hurts from all the driving I want to shake it."

Juliet - "Ok let me change quick."

Nick - "Is what we have on okay?" They are both just in jeans and tee shirts.

Juliet - "Yeah you will blend in fine. Unless you are looking to attract attention."

AJ - "No the less attention the better." Juliet leaves the room. "Dude she is really cute."

Nick - "Don't you get any ideas I saw her first."

AJ - "I'm not going to steal your girl Nicky, I'm just saying you lucked out that's all. She is not what I pictured."

Juliet comes out in low hip huggers and a tight tank with Tinkerbelle on it. "You guys ready."

They head down to her little Neon. The guys start to fight over who has to sit in the back. Finally it is decided that even though AJ is older, Nick's taller so he gets the front. Thankfully the drive to the cub is a short one.

Out of habit Juliet parks around back and they come in the back entrance. Rob, who owns the club, is standing in the kitchen and Juliet smacks his butt as she walks by.

Rob - "Hey little girl what are you doing here?"

Juliet - "Sneaking in to see Mac, where is she?"

Rob - "Up in the booth. Who's this?"

Juliet - "Oh Rod this is Nick and AJ." Hellos are exchanged. "Come on I'll introduce you to Makenna."

They make their way out into the main part of the club. AJ tries to stay in the shadows and not attract attention. It is not a huge club like he is used to. Only about a quarter or the club is a dance floor, the rest is pool tables and there is some kind of dart tournament going on as well. With some small tables mixed in. However the music is loud and they are currently playing the Pussycat Dolls. His eyes follow Juliet and Nick as they make their way through the crowd. He noticed that Nick is having trouble looking at anything but Juliet's ass as she walks.

He glances ahead of them to their destination and sees a petite girl in the sound booth. Juliet seems to tell Nick to wait there and goes up to the booth. AJ catches up with Nick. "Hey she said to wait here." AJ nodded and watched the two girls as Juliet pointed to them.

Makenna took one look at them and threw her head back and laughed. Her laughter carried over to where the boys were standing. Juliet turned bright red. The song was coming to an end and Makenna quickly started to mix in another song. AJ had heard this song a few times but never a dance version of it. Nick however seemed clueless. "What is this?"

A group of girls went screaming by them to the dance floor and started shaking their asses. "It's called Honkytonk Badonkey Donk. It's a country song."

Juliet was waving them over, but now it meant that the boys had to cross a crowded dance floor. Nick was able to make it through fine but AJ was dancing his way across and seemed to forget his destination half way. He was surrounded by asses all moving to the same rhythm and just had to stay out and dance with them.

Nick gets up to the booth, "sorry I seemed to have lost some one."

Makenna - "That's okay he doesn't seem to mind." In fact AJ had himself quite a harem. "I'm Makenna."

> "Nick, nice to meet you."

"You too, so Juliet didn't tell me who you were." She gives her friend a little bit of a devilish look.

"Well I kind of didn't tell her." He looks at Juliet. "Sorry I guess I should have."

Juliet - "That's okay I understand. But I am kind of curious what you would have done if I was some obsessed fan?"

Nick - "Well I'm not sure..." he runs his hand through his hair. "But something would have probably come up."

Makenna - "So should we rescue your friend?" She nods towards AJ.

Nick - "Trust me he's having fun." A waitress comes over and asks if they want something to drink. "Do you want something?" He asks the girls.

Makenna holds up her bottle of water. "I'm working but Juliet will have a fuzzy navel."

Juliet - "I will."

Makenna - "Yes you will."

Nick - "Okay 2 bottles of water, a fuzzy navel and jack and coke please." She leaves to get the drinks. "So Juliet says she all packed. Are you ready to go?"

Makenna - "Yeah, at first I didn't have to work tonight but the guy they got to cover for me broke his arm yesterday so I said that I would give him one more day to recoup. How long is it going to take us to get there?"

Nick - "It depends on how many stops we make. Probably some time on Monday but it opens on Wednesday so I gave us an extra day." The waitress comes back, Juliet gets her money out but Nick beat her to it. Makenna had her headphones back on.

Juliet - "I'll get the next round."

Nick - "sure you will." He winks at her, and sips his drink. "So did you both grow up here?"

Juliet - "I did but, Makenna grew up in Virginia."

Nick - "And you guys met in college?"

She nods, "we were roommates freshman year, sophomore year they tried to get us to switch roommates but we drove the other girls crazy and they were more than happy to switch back."

AJ finally made it over to them. "Sorry about that."

Juliet - "Hey it's fine I know the Anderson twins have great asses."

AJ - "I knew I liked you!" Nick hands him his water. "Thanks man. So are you going to dance with me?"

Juliet - "I am an awful dancer, I have no rhythm what so ever. Makenna was the dance major."

Makenna reaches over and shakes his hand. "How ya doing?"

AJ - "Good." He finally gets a better look at her. She was a cute girl too. She had two tone hair, blonde on top of a vibrant red, a tight white tee-shirt and a little blue cameo skirt with a pair of low blue converse sneakers on. "I've never quite heard that version before."

Makenna - "This place is a country bar during the week, so I kind of try to mix it up on the weekends." She had just started an older Nelly song.

AJ - "Oh shit, I love this song.." The Anderson twins come over and grab him for another dance.

Juliet - "You can go too if you want. This is my usually spot up her next to Mac."

Nick - "No that's okay, I'm fine."

Juliet - "You sure?"

Nick nods while drinking. "My plan is to get you drunk and see how bad of a dancer you really are."

Juliet - "trust me you don't"

The rest of the night goes rather well, AJ spends a lot of time on the dance floor when he needs a break he joins Makenna up in her booth and saves her from Juliet and Nick's endless video game debates. Around 2:30 they leave the club and head back to get some sleep before leaving in the morning. AJ and Nick sleep in the RV even thought the girls offered them the couch.



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>> 5

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>> 6




THE END