CHAPTER ONE

~ Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful ~

A week and half later, Allie, Nick and AJ sat in the car rental place in Detroit, Michigan, while AJ and Nick argued over a which car to rent.

"I want to get a green Jeep." Nick whined, stubbornly.

"I want a black Expedition." AJ contradicted, putting his hands on his hips, and facing Nick.

"Jeep."

"Expedition"

"Jeep"

"Expedition"

"Jeep"

"Expedition"

"Jeep"

"Expedition"

"Jeep"

"Expedition"

"Shut up!" Allie interrupted, rubbing her head. She had just spent six long hours on a plane, and although she was totally excited about seeing her father her patience was running low. She just wanted to get a car, go to the hotel, and find her father "We are a green Expedition, okay?"

"Where is Kevin when you need him?" Nick grumbled, pouting, as Allie walked up to the front desk to rent the car. "You always get your way."

"You are really starting to get on my nerves." AJ retorted, glaring at Nick.

"Well, your a pain in the ass." Nick shot back.

"Real original come back there, buddy."

" You two are acting like children." Allie pointed out, as she came back to them. She knew from when Nick would fly her out, when they were touring, both guys got extremely cranky, bratty and childish when they didn't have enough sleep, and that was certainly the case at the moment. "Let's go."

Slowly Nick and AJ got out of their seats, and followed Allie out of the rental place, to where the car was already waiting out front. As Nick and Allie got up front and AJ got in the back, AJ asked, "Allie can we please go back to the hotel and just sleep?"

"Yeah, please?" Nick echoed, leaning his head on her shoulder.
 
Allie laughed. She felt almost giddy. Nothing could bring her down. "I think this is the first time I think you have actually wanted to go to bed before midnight." She teased, turning the car on and driving out of the parking lot. "Nick where are the directions?"

"Here." Nick yawned, pulling the directions to the hotel out of his pocket.

~+~+~+~+~

The next morning Allie stood in the large hotel bathroom, applying her make up, while both guys still slept. It was about 9:30 in the morning and she knew she had no chance on getting them up. Never had she known them to get up before 10 o'clock at the earliest, and even if they did get up early than that they still didn't function until noon. She was nervous, but happy at the same time. First they needed to go to the adoption center, so they could verify it was her father. Then they would call him, tell him that she was there and wanted to meet him, and if he agreed, she would talk to him and set up a place to meet.

She would talk to her birth father.

Sure she still loved both her adoptive parents, but ever since she had known about being adopted, she always felt like something was missing. Maybe if she met him what ever would be missing would be fulfilled. She had already decided on what he looked like. He was tall -- about 6 foot -- and had blonde hair and blue eyes like her. She wondered, though, if he had forgotten about her, or if he remembered her but didn't want to meet her. Quickly she pushed that thought out of her head. She didn't need any negative vibes.
 
"Al?" Nick asked, opening the door slightly, and nearly scaring Allie half to death.

"It's a miracle. Your awake before noon." Allie kidded, putting down her lipstick and checking her reflection in the mirror to make sure she looked all right.

"Very funny." Nick retorted, stepping into the bathroom. "AJ's awake too." He walked over to her, put his arms around her waist, and leaned down to give her a kiss, but she stopped him.

"Whoa, Nick." She cried, moving out of his grasp and handing him the toothpaste. "You have some major morning breath, honey."

Nick's face turned slightly red, as he took the toothpaste. "It's not like you don't get it." He grumbled, grabbing his tooth brush and brushing his teeth.

"Not as bad as that." She giggled, kissing him on the cheek and walking out of the bathroom, to find AJ laying on the couch in the middle of the huge two bedroom suite they had rented. "I'm surprised your up."

"Yeah, well when you go to bed at 6:30, you really should get up after about fifteen hours of sleep, you know." He replied. "I'm calling room service. Do you want anything?"

"No, I kinda wanted to go to that cute little diner across the street." Allie replied, plopping down on the couch next to AJ. When they had gotten to the hotel, Allie had noticed a quaint little diner, that she didn't expect to see in Detroit.

"I hope your not going like that." AJ responded, with a smile, looking at the capri sweatpants and her orange Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful shirt.

"No." she answered, pinching him lightly.

"Isn't that....uh, Luci's shirt?" AJ inquired, avoiding Allie's eyes.

Allie looked at him stunned. "Um, no. She got it for me, and used to wear it." She told him. "Are you almost ready to go? I wanted to get there kinda early."

"Yeah. I'll go in the bathroom, when Nick's done." AJ stated, as Allie stood up and walked to her and Nick's bedroom.

Luci was a touchy subject for both of them. About a year ago, AJ told Allie that he really didn't believe Luci was dead and that he was going to find her, but Allie didn't like it and flipped out on him. It was just that he had missed her so much, but didn't show it. Keeping up the facade was beginning to get harder and easier at the same time.

It was all so confusing.