"wha..what are you talking about...?"

kevin sighed,"nick, she likes you. the way you like...or used to like her."

"no she doesnt. i mean, when we used to be friends...she was like my best friend. we told each other everything. then things all of a sudden changed."

aj rolled his eyes,"all of a sudden?"

nick nodded,"like...we left for our european tour in '98 and by the time we got back...she was like a different person. she couldnt stand to be around me."

"did you ever think maybe she wasnt the one that was a different person?" howie asked softly.

"what? you think it was my fault that we werent friends anymore?" nick asked in shock.

howie sighed,"all im trying to say is...we left...you didnt call her once nick. not one time the whole time we were in europe, how do you think that made her feel? i mean, i know she had amanda and faye who she loves to death but you were it nick. her BEST friend and suddenly you were gone...you werent the nicky carter that took care of her when she was sick or held her hands during the scary movies anymore, you were NICK CARTER: THE BACKSTREET BOY."

nick looked down trying to think of what to say. faye sighed,"im gonna go see if brian found her or not."

"no...no ill go...i need to apologize..." nick said.

"its gonna take more than an apology," amanda said, ready to lunge at him again.

nick sighed,"amanda...chill." he walked out of the room and out to the front door. he was about to open it when brian walked in carrying emma, both completely soaked. "whoa...is she okay?"

"what do you care?" brian asked carrying her upstairs to one of the guest rooms.

"i...i do care..." nick mumbled following them, determined to fix everything.

brian took her in one of the rooms and laid her down on the bed,"go and get some clothes from aj."

"no...wait..." emma said sitting up. "im gonna go home."

brian shook his head and brushed the wet hair out of her face,"your too upset and besides its raining too hard for you to go back out there."

emma sighed and laid back down.

"brian...can i talk to her...please...?"

emma rolled over and faced the wall. brian glared at him,"why...to upset her more?"

nick sighed,"no...i just...please brian..."

"..emma...?"

emma nodded her head slightly,"its okay, but come back in a few minutes okay?"

brian nodded and kissed her on the cheek, before leaving the room.

nick took a deep breath.

"just say what you have to say and leave please," emma said softly.

nick sighed,"emma what happened?"

she rolled over,"you changed nick. suddenly i wasnt good enough for you and all your girlfriends...the numerous mandys you dated. i mean, suddenly being just emma wasnt good enough anymore."

"...tha...thats not true..."

"its not? then please..tell me what YOU think happened."

he looked down at his hands silently. "i thought so..."

"no it wasnt that. i mean...i just thought...i dont know, i thought that maybe...we had been too close and now that i was gonna be gone alot more we should distance ourselves..."

"look me in the eye and tell me thats what you REALLY think."

nick looked up, made eye contact with her, then quickly looked away.

"i thought so...now the real reason."

nick sighed,"you really want the truth?"

she rolled her eyes,"no nick. lie to me some more please."

"okay okay...the truth..." he took a deep breath,"the truth is...i liked you emma. i still do...ive liked you since the day we met when you opened the front door and saved me from amanda kicking my butt again."

emma managed to crack a smile,"i did didnt i..." she stopped smiling,"but that still doesnt change the way you treated me for like the past year and the things you said about me tonight."

"emma...do you remember when we went out to dinner for my bday and the guys asked you to make the toast? you went on about what a superficial airhead i was and how much you couldnt stand to be around me...do you know how that made me feel?"

she looked down,"i guess weve both been pretty harsh for the same reason huh?...i mean...cause...i like you too...since the day we met."

"yeah, i know."

her head snapped up,"you do?"

"i mean...cause they told me downstairs."

she smirked,"you mean it took six people telling you before you finally realized it?"

"hey...i had to tell you personally so dont EVEN start on me."

"fine fine."

they sat there in silence for a few minutes. "so...like...is everything okay with us...?" nick asked.

she sighed,"well i mean, its gonna be a while before we get back to how we used to be but we can start all over...."

nick nodded,"okay...well if were gonna start all over im gonna do this right." he got up and walked out of the room closing the door behind him. a minute later he knocked with brian looking at him like he was crazy

emma raised an eyebrow and went to answer the door,"...hi..."

"hi, im your new neighbor nick and i just wanted to come by and say hi...and do you maybe want to go to movie tomorrow night...?"

emma blushed,"hi...im emma and..um...yeah..i guess we can do that..."

he smiled,"good...oh yeah," he grabbed brian and pulled him into the doorway with him. "this is my friend brian...he isnt usually dressed as a bunny though."

brian glared at him and pushed him off. "im not a bunny damnit! im a rabbit!" he yelled as he stomped downstairs.

nick laughed and emma glanced at him,"did you mean that?"

"what...? about brian not usually dressed as a bunny? yeah..usually he just wears a tshirt and je--"

emma laughed,"shut up...i mean about the date."

he nodded,"yeah, we have to start somewhere."