"well what do we do?" brian asked.

"do you have any flashlights or candles?" kevin asked.

"um...i think so..." aj said.

emma could just imagine amanda rolling her eyes at that minute,"kevin, theres candles in the upstairs bathroom and flashlights under the kitchen sink."

"okay, brian you come upstairs with me. nick and howie, you two go and get the flashlights," captain kevin said.

"what about me?" aj asked.

"um...you stay with the girls..."

"lord help us..." amanda mumbled.

howie kissed emma on the cheek,"ill be right back."

she nodded and made her way over to where aj, faye, and amanda were standing.

"you okay em?" amanda asked.

emma sighed,"for now."

"whats wrong?" aj asked.

"im scared of thunderstorms."

"aww...well ill protect you," he said putting his arm around her.

she managed to laugh,"thanks."

"im gonna go upstairs and change,"amanda said.

"its too dark up there. everyone just stay here," kevin said coming back into the room.

"emma come help me," brian said dropping some candles and matches on the table.

emma got up and went over to him,"help with what?"

"getting these stupid things that were SUPPOSED to be paws off my hands."

emma laughed and helped him pull them off.

"thanks, you want to help me light the candles?"

emma nodded and the two of them lit the candles while kevin lit the ones he had brought in.

"found the flashlights,"nick said coming in with howie, both with a flashlight in each hand.

"this is kind of cool..." aj said.

faye rolled her eyes and took one of the flashlights from nick,"can someone come with me? im gonna get some blankets."

"ill go," emma said.

she followed faye out into the hall and held the flashlight while faye got the blankets. "remember the first sleepover we had?" faye asked. she laughed,"this is kind of what happened then too..."

emma smiled and nodded,"that was the very first time i met the other guys."

*~*~*~*~*~*Five Years Earlier*~*~*~*~*~*

"hey em, your the first one here," nick said letting her in the house and taking her sleeping bag from her.

emma smiled and walked in,"thanks. i talked to amanda just before i came over here and she said she was still waiting for faye."

"oh okay. im gonna put your stuff in the living room k?"

"EMMA!!" aaron yelled. he ran into the room and hugged her.

emma laughed and picked him up,"hi sweetie."

nick rolled his eyes and went into the living room.

"wheres your mom?"

"in the kitchen getting pizzas. my friends are coming over too."

"oh really. have i ever met your friends?" she said going into the kitchen.

aaron thought hard,"um..."

jane laughed,"hi emma."

"hi mrs. ca...jane."

she smiled,"so aarons telling you about his friends?"

emma laughed and nodded. the doorbell rang and aaron jumped out of her arms. "ill get it!!!" he yelled running out of the kitchen.

"check who it is first," jane called after him.

nick came into the kitchen and kissed his mom on the cheek. she smiled,"when are the boys coming?"

"um...in about an hour."

"what boys?" amanda asked walking into the kitchen with faye and aaron.

"hi amanda. the other guys in the new group nicks in," jane said.

amanda kissed her on the cheek,"hi mom. hi emma."

emma smiled,"hi guys. so wait...we finally get to meet the others? are they cute?"

amanda rolled her eyes and faye nodded,"very. at least the two that ive met. i havent met...um...kevin or brian yet."

nick rolled his eyes,"anyways...hey mandy...i got a new game."

"okay, well lets go play. the sooner i kick your butt the better."

nick rolled his eyes and followed her into the living room.

emma glanced at the clock. "nick, its 10:30...i dont think your friends are coming..."

nick sighed,"i guess not."

she put her arm around him,"sweetie, its really windy out there. it probably isnt a good idea for them to be driving anyways."

"yeah, i guess your ri--" he was cut off by the doorbell. he smiled,"that must be them."

he left the room and returned a few minutes later with four very windswept boys.

"guys this is aj, howie, brian, and kevin. you guys these are my best friends amanda, emma, and faye. and you already know aaron."

"dude...your best friends are girls...? i need to hang out with you more..." aj said.

amanda popped him in his head.

"hey woman!"

"dont 'hey woman' me. you know my name aj."

aj made a face a rubbed his head. nick sat back down next to emma and smiled,"i knew they would come."

emma laughed and hugged him. he blushed and smiled,"what was that for?"

she shrugged,"just cause. and you looked so cu--" she said but stopped when the room went pitch black.

"nicky....?" aaron said his voice shaking.

"over here airboy."

aaron crawled over and climbed in nicks lap.

"well you guys...it looks like the wind finally got the power lines down..."kevin said.

"thanks for a blinding flash of the obvious," aj mumbled.

amanda rolled her eyes,"the house is completely dark and im stuck here with them..."

*~*~*~*~*~*Present Day*~*~*~*~*~*

"emma? hello~~~"

"oh sorry. you done?"

faye nodded. "k, lets go." she led the way back to the room and they handed out the blankets.

"so what should we do now?" kevin asked.

"um...we can tell ghost stories,"nick suggested.

emma rolled her eyes and sat next to brian,"your scared of the dark. or wait...is the grown up nick carter over that?"

"oh shut up emma. no one asked you for your opinion."

"like i need your permission to speak."

"bite me," nick snapped.

"im not desperate," emma snapped back.

brian covered her mouth with his hand and pulled her under the blanket with him.

"well...are you two done with that display of maturity?" kevin asked. the two of them ignored him and he rolled his eyes.

"well maybe we can play a game or something," howie suggested.

"what kind of games do you play in the dark?" faye asked.

"light as a feather, stiff as a board," emma said.

"hey, what about a ouija board...." brian said.

"i dont ha...i know what we can play...." aj said.

"oh lord...what?" amanda asked.

aj smirked,"truth or dare."


Chapter 3
Home