AJ fiddled absentmindly with his shirt while Tanya, his first long-term girlfriend since 1994, droned on and on about what to wear.

“Of course, my hair should go up? Or down? AJ?” She turned to him for comment.

“Tayn, your hair looks great every which way! You look beautiful, but I think it should go....up.” AJ said, exasperated.

“GREAT! Now, I’ll wear those....hmm....I don’t have a dress!”

“Yes you do, hun...” AJ said, reminding her gently, while trying not to blow up. “I bought you one LAST week. The one for $150? Remember?!”

“AJ, don’t raise your voice.” Tanya pouted, her bottom lips playfully sticking out. “BUT AJ, I want a new one... you don’t have to go shopping with me... but could you puh-lease lend me some....” AJ sighed silently as he knew what was coming...here it was...

“But AJ, babe, could I borrow your card? Your GOLD card, that is... I mean, we haven’t seen each other in....2 months. AND PLUS you missed my birthday-”

“But I bought you that CAR since I missed your birthday! And don’t get me started on your prom, I’m sorry I missed it, but I bought you a million roses! Plus I took you out to that 4 star-dinner, you wanted!!” AJ was by now, screaming his head off at her, while she stood there, shocked.

“Alright AJ! I just thought....” She trailed off, tearfully.

Guilt. That seems to be the one thing she was good at. “Fine, here’s my card...but don’t buy something to max out my cards like with your last dress, remember this is only a charity fund we’re attending. I’m going out.” He handed her his card and left.

“Thank you so much AJ! I LOVE YOU!” She called out after him and then gleefully went shopping, packing with her six friends.

“Your dad’s going to come home in, oh say, an hour or so. Aaron’s just signing some autographs at the bookstore, with my book coming-” Her eyes widen. “Oh yes! I forgot to tell you! You have a whole bunch of fan mails, I sorted them out for you, it took me about three ho-”

“Thanks mom. I’m sorta tired.” He leaned down to give her a kiss, because since last summer he had grown TALLER than his mom. “I’m gonna hang or something...”

“Okay, Nick. I’m gonna go to the agency department, see you in about an hour or so. If dad gets home, tell him I’m working and that dinner’s on the stove. Same for you, Nick.”

“Alright, ma.” He turned and went to his bed and fell fast asleep.

About 5 minutes later, he was off in a deep dream....until the phone rang.

After the 5th ring, the answering machine picked it up.

“Hey, this is Frick... are you home? Okay, if you’re not-“

Brian didn’t even finish his sentence when Nick picked up the phone. “Yeah?”

“Oh hey, Nick. If you were home, why didn’t you pick up the phone?”

“It’s a rule Kevin made me follow, he’s afraid some fan might call.”

“Oh, well, that’s Kevin... anyhow, I was wondering, do you wanna go to McDonald’s or something with me? All my buds either forgot about me or moved since we last been in the USA..”

“Sure, Frack....no wait, nevermind. I’m too beat.”

“Oh.” He sounded down. “Well...”

“Okay, nevermind, again. I can go.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Kay. Remember your sunglasses and hat in case-”

“Don’t worry Brian, no one knows who we are! We’re in United States now, not Europe anymore.”

“Oh, right...haha, I keep forgeting..”

“See you in 5, and it’s the McDonald’s near your house, right?”

“Right.”

“Stupid bitch, always gets her way...and my card.” He muttered silently to himself as he crossed the street, since she took his car, and went to McDonalds.

“Hi, a #6 menu please.” He said, his usual order.

“What to drink, sir?” The 17 year old asked, amusing him by calling him ‘sir’.

“Uh, lemonade, no ice.”

“Alright. Will that be all, sir?”

“Yeaah, I guess.”

“Alright, sir. Here’s your reciept.”

He paid her the cost in cash and went to the side to wait for his lunch.

Meanwhile, the girl in the back went up and had her order.

Finally, when his lunch came, he took it and was about to go to the farthest seat away but then he suddenly remembered that this was USA. NO ONE reconize him! He chose the nearest seat to the door, a move that was new to him.

Suddenly, two familiar guys came in, arguing playfully.

“No it wasn’t! And you know it!”

“It is too. And then Kev went outside and fell in that mess you made!”

“Oh yeah, duh.”

“Right, how blond ARE you?”

“Hey, Nick and Brian! Whatcha doing here?” AJ greeted the two.

“Hey Bone. We’re just ordering.” Nick answered. “Can we join you?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll order for us, what do you want, Nick?” Brian asked.

“Um.....I dunno, whatever you’re having.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep.”

Brian left to order, which meant AJ and Nick were left alone.

“Uh....how’s things going?” Nick asked.

“It sucks. Well, as in it sucks with Tanya, she’s been getting on my nerves lately. Sure, she’s blossom much, but she’s getting her head too caught up in fame..” AJ spilled out.

“Oh, wow.”

“And she took my card again.”

“Card?”

“Credit card, my GOLD credit card. I think she’ll max it out again.”

“Sheesh, so are you gonna break up with her?”

“Hell no, well....maybe... I mean... I don’t know! I’ve dated her for 3 years...I dunno. I hope not, well, no I’m not..” He said, more like trying to convince himself.

“I would, but then again I don’t have a girlfriend.” Nick answered, glum.

AJ was about to comment, but then Brian sat back down with two big macs.

“Hey, sup’ you two? You look like both your grannys died!”

“My granny’s ALREADY dead, dolt.” AJ reminded.

“Oh sorry, man.” Brian said sheepishly.

“It’s alright, I’m just mad about Tanya. I love her, or I thought I did, but now she’s just acting like a.... bitch.”

“Oh, well, I guess no one’s relationship is going well.”

“What do you mean?” Nick asked, concerned.

“Well, you know Leslie? Not Nick’s sis, but my girlfriend Leslie? I saw her kiss this one guy, so we broke up.”

“Oh, that’s bad.” AJ commented.

“No kidding, Einstein.” Brian retorted, feeling down himself.

“Oh god, we’re pitiful. We’re just around 20 and we act like old men complainin’ about our love lives...”

“Not me!” Nick piped up.

They all laughed. “Hey, let’s go to the mall. We’ll take Nick’s car, since he’s the only one who brought his car.” AJ suggested.

“Sure, but there is NO WAY in hell that you are going to drive my car, AJ.” Nick said quickly.

“Hey! That was going to be my next idea.”

“Sorry, but I’ve seen you drive. No wonder you flunked your driving test twice.”

AJ laughed. “That’s cos of all the stress!”

Brian laughed at his two friends. “Let’s go.”

AJ turned up the radio, the tune “Journey” was bursting out of Nick’s new mega-stereo in full blast. “What’s with all this kind of music?”

“Whaddaya mean? I like it.” Nick said, indignantly.

“I dunno...”

“Are you STILL glum about not driving AJ?”

“Uh...”

“You’re pitiful.”

Brian poked his head out from the back seat, since AJ argued to sit in the front. “Well, I’M glum about sitting in the back!”

AJ laughed and push Brian back in his seat. “Sit back and enjoy the ride, shorty.”

“Hey! That was uncalled for!” Brian said, sticking his head back out.

AJ smirked. “Uncalled for, yet true.”

“We’re here!” Nick announced.

AJ scrambled out of the car, until he remembered something. “Damnnit!”

“What?” Brian asked.

“I forgot! Tanya has my credit card!!”

“Ouch.” Nick said. “You can....use..my...I can’t believe I’m saying this....you can-”

“I CAN? I’ll pay you back, promise.” AJ pleaded.

“PROMSE? Like you PROMISED to give us back the t-shirts you borrowed from us??” Brian said.

“That’s different, this is concerning money.” AJ reminded then turned back to Nick. “So can I?”

“Yeah, sure. Just don’t shop to much.” Then he corrected himself. “Wait a minute! What am I talking about? You’re the guy that shops more than most woman!”

“Damn straight and proud of it.” AJ said, grinning. He put on his traditional purple-lense sunglasses and walked along the rest of the guys.

“Uh...AJ?”

“What, Nick?”

“Why are you wearing your glasses? No one will reconize us.”

“Yeah...I’m just use to them.”

“Oh yeah! You wear them to sleep too!” Nick exclaimed loudly.

“Yeah, but sheesh, I think there’s still that person in Africa who didn’t hear you!”

“Oops, sorry.”

“No prob, let’s go shop.”