CHAPTER TWO

Laurie's steps quickened as she walked onto the plane. People's eyes shot wide open as she walked past them.

"Oh my gosh, are you Laurie Tennant?" one girl asked.
 
Laurie smiled. "Yea, that's me. Do you want an autograph?" she asked.

The girl nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "You're my favorite singer," she commented. "I love your new album."

"Thanks," Laurie said, signing the piece of paper the girl had handed her. "Here you go."

"Thank you so much! Are you headed to do TRL today?"
 
"Yea. I had to catch a really early flight to get to New York in time," Laurie told her, looking at her watch, which read 5:17 a.m. She hated early wake-ups, but her fans were worth it.

"It was great to meet you," the girl said.

Laurie smiled and sat in her seat.

She arrived at TRL studios just in time. She sat down in the dressing room as the woman came in to put make up on. Her manager followed.
 
"There's been a small change in plans," he said, as though he was holding something back.

"What's up Jack?" Laurie said cheerily.
 
"It looks like Carson's sick. They have a celebrity host instead."
 
"Sweet. Who is it?" she asked.

Jack sighed. "Nick Carter."

Laurie sat frozen for a moment, taking in what he had just said. At every event that she and Nick attended since their break up three years ago, Laurie had avoided him. It wasn't that she was so angry with him that she couldn't stand his presence. It was just that she didn't trust herself around him.  "He's the only person they could find?" she said with a crack in her voice.

"I guess," Jack said.

Laurie wasn't about to back out of TRL just because her ex-boyfriend was hosting it, and he knew it. She was too stubborn to do that.

Laurie sat in the green room, watching the show on the TV. She'd turned it off at first, but an assistant had told her she should watch so she'd know what had gone on. So she tried to just listen, her face turned to the computer screen, but hearing Nick's voice again made her look at him against her will. Finally, it was time for her to come out.
 
"So please welcome Laurie Tennant," Nick said.

She shivered, hearing him say her name. She gained control and walked out with a smile on her face.

"Hi, how are you doing?" Nick asked.
 
Laurie gulped, and managed to say, "Fine, how about you?"

"Great," he said. "So about your new album, it's called 'What Was Lost'. You wrote most of the songs on the album, including the title track. Was it based on any real experience?" he asked, smiling.

You know what it was based on! she screamed in her own mind. She smiled. "Uh, yea, it was," she said, hoping that he'd get the clue and at the same time praying he wouldn't. Nick could be unpredictable with things like that. At one time, that had attracted her to him.

"Aw, well, I'm sorry to hear that," he said. He shifted a little bit, moving closer to her. He was playing it by ear, but he had a hunch that he was working her nerves. That's what he wanted. If she was mad at him, nothing could go on between them. "So are you going on tour this album or what?"

"I'm really not sure at this point. I'm  just trying to promote the album now, so we'll see," she said, acting like she didn't notice his comments or smiles. Inside though, her head was spinning. Every time he smiled, her heart melted.

"Taking care of business. That's my girl," Nick said. Laurie turned bright red.

"Well, you're at number two today. You're going to perform the song for us, right?" he asked.

Laurie nodded, and made her way to the small stage overlooking the crowd below. She picked up a guitar and threw the shoulder strap over her. Calm down. If you get too worked up you won't be able to concentrate, and then you can't play. Settle down, she thought.

Nick watched her walk over to the stage and get ready. He'd had a mental meltdown when he'd heard that he was hosting the same show that Laurie would be on. He'd been trying for three years to get over her. He'd tried everything: not going out with anyone, going out with everyone; nothing worked. He finally came to the conclusion that he was destined to love someone that he'd never have.

And it was all his fault.