“God Nick!! Are you going to order the whole menu??” I exclaimed to him as he continued ordering.

“And...I’d like nachos..” Nick added before sticking his tongue at me.

“Alrighty, here’s your extra large butter popcorn, nachos, cokes, corndogs, fizzy drink, and your ice cream. Am I missing anything? Okay..that will be... $37.11.” The clerk said with a satisfied smile.

“Okay..” Nick dug into his pockets and pulled out a crumpled 20 dollar bill. “Uh-oh...”

“Nick, what now??” Kevin asked exasperated.

“I only got 20 bucks.”

“Here, I got another $20.” I offered, but then Brian gently pushed my hands away.

“C’mon Missa, I’ll pay.. I mean we have a job and you’re still in college..”

“Uh...okay...you can pay..” I said slowly, afraid he was going to give me the save-up for college speech, which my mom gave me a thousand time before.

Wait a minute...

Since when does Brian care about my schoolwork?? That’s something Kevin would do...

I glance up at Kevin and gave him a told-you-Brian-was-different look, but obviously he didn’t understand my look, and raised his eyebrow.

I tugged at Nick’s arm. “C’mon!! The movie is starting!!”

“Sheesh, Missa!!” He said.

I slapped his arm. “Hey, only Bri can call me Missa!!”

Nick rolled his eyes, “Then what should I call you?”

“Either your majesty or your highness would do fine..” I said.

Nick, once again, rolled his eyes. “Do you always have to be so impatient??”

“And do you always have to be so obnoxious??” I retorted.

“Do you guys always have to fight?” Kevin asked and pulled me away from Nick.

“This is like our own Jerry Springer!” Brian exclaimed.

“Except minus the strippers.” AJ added.

Kevin rolled his eyes and went into the theater-room. (What do you call those things?)

The theater was still a bit bright (or at least bright for a movie theater) and we chose the farthest seat so that the fans might not see us, for the Backstreet Boys, that is.

“Um, guys, you’re smothering me...” I groaned as they all squished me in the middle.

“Most girls would be happy about that!” Nick said teasingly.

“Hey Missa, you can sit in the end here.” Brian said pointing to a chair next to him.

“Nah, that’s okay. I like the middle.” I said after a moment of considering.

I mean, Brian’s chair was at the way way end!

“Oh...okay..” Brian said, somewhat sad, and then glance back at the movie screen.

Kevin leaned in and whispered to me, “What are you, dense?”

I glance at him confused. “Whaddaya mean?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Don’t you KNOW what’s wrong with Brian?” Kevin asked, still whispering, although the theater was mostly empty.

“Um,....no! What am I suppose to be? A shrink?” I asked.

Kevin just shook his head and turned back to the commercials.

I tug at his arm. “Kevvy, what do you mean?”

He winced at the nickname but didn’t answer.

“Kevin!!” I whispered.

Then he excused himself from the rest of the guys, although no one was really paying any attention to him, and pulled me out in the hallway with him.

“What??” I ask. “Do you just love for me to die of suspense??”

“Look, you honestly don’t know?” Kevin asked me.

“Know what??” I replied, exasperated.

“Know what’s bothering Brian??”

“No, I don’t know! Or at least I don’t think I do...” I said slowly. Kevin was really starting to confuse me.

“The reason Brian is acting so weird is because he’s in love!!” Kevin said, irritated.

“In love?” I said skeptically. “With who??”

“WITH YOU!!” Kevin practically screamed.

“With ME???” I said, bewildered. “You gotta be kidding! I’m like his sister, his friend, his....his....younger mother...I dunno, I’m just me...” I babbled.

“Honestly, haven’t you noticed??” Kevin asked, more gently this time.

I stood there dumbfounded. “But I’m 5 years younger than him! Maybe you’re mistaken...” I decided to go back to my seat... after all the movie was starting.

Kevin followed me, not saying a word.

The five of us walked back to our car.

“Hey Missa, how’d you like the movie?” Brian asked casually.

“Um....it was okay....” I said awkwardly.

Great, now thanks to Kevin, I feel awkward with my BEST FRIEND!!

I decided to just blank out what Kevin had said and just act like Brian was just my best friend, I mean Brian likes ME? Pfft, that’d be like...weird!

My life’s already weird since college was just starting next week!

I didn’t want anything else making a big change.

Besides, Kevin might be wrong...

When we got into the car Brian jumped to the driver’s seat and Kevin went to the other front seat.

Nick and AJ jumped into the back along with me.

“Can we stop somewhere to eat?” Nick said.

“EAT?? After all that??” I asked, shocked.

Nick laughed, “Nah, I’m just playing.”

Brian glance at his rear-view mirror and looked at Nick through it. “So we’re not eating?”

Nick shook his head.

The car was silent for a while.

I ran my fingers absently through my hair and stared out the window.

“You know what?” Nick asked suddenly to me.

“Um, what?” I said.

“I’ve got these...um, uh...tickets to a...basketball game, and I was wondering....” He trailed off nervously.

I sat there confused. Was this a date? Although he DID ask it in front of 3 other guys, it sounded like a date.... but then again it was a b-ball game.... “Um...sure...” I said.

“For your birthday present.” Nick added quickly.

I looked wide-eye at Nick. “Really? Oh thanks! I didn’t think you guys would remember!”

Brian smiled, “What did you think that necklace was for?”

I searched my mind... necklace?

I suddenly remember about the necklace he gave me after the pasta... oh so that was what it was for!

AJ leaned in towards me, “As for you....Kevin, Howie, and I combined together and got you a present....”

“Really??” I said excited. I mean, more people, bigger present, right?

AJ laughed, “It starts with c and rhymes with star.....”

Kevin smiled, “Or did you already know? I mean, AJ has never known to kept any secret for that long....”

“IT’S A CAR???” I shrieked.

AJ rolled his eyes, “No, of course not, it’s a cat.” He said sarcastically.

I hugged AJ, (since he was closest to me) “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Nick snickered, “You might want to save the thank yous after you see the car.”

My hope died down a little. Knowing AJ, he had a pretty funky taste...... what if it was a really weird car?

AJ, probably reading my mind, assured me, “Don’t worry. Remember that car you wanted from that magazine? We got you it.”

My eyes grew as big as baseballs. “Really?? Omigod!”

Brian pulled into the driveway and opened the garage.

“Ta-da!!” Brian said pointing to a phat dark green car.

“Omigod, thank you so much!” I said hugging all of them and rushing over to my car.

AJ smiled, “The reason we’re giving your presents early is because we gotta go to New York on Wednesday and won’t be back for your birthday, plus you gotta go back to college and all....”

I hugged him. “Well, thanks! It’s probably the best present I ever got...” I turned to Brian. “That and that necklace! Thanks!”

I hugged him, too.

Then I hugged Nick. “Thanks, too!”

Nick hugged me back. “Getting carry away?”

“Yeah, this is probably the best present I ever had!”

Nick smiled. “Anyhow, tomorrow morning we’ll take you out. We could go on my boat, cos’ I know this really nice place we could just have a bar-b-que or something...”

“That’d be nice!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah..” Nick continued. “But anyhow, since my present was probably the cheapest...or maybe not...but anyhow, I could take you out to dinner.”

“Dinner? Like at McDonalds?” I joked.

“Nah..” Nick said, kind of blushing. “Like someplace really fancy.....or we don’t have to...”

“Yeah, that’d be nice.” I smiled.

“Wahooo Nick!!” AJ teased.

“Shut up, man. It’s her birthday present!” Nick said, now REALLY blushing.

“Well, I gotta sleep! Night!!” I said, walking up the stairs.

“Night!!”

Then they kissed me good-bye and left.