Chapter 3

A few days passed with no progress happening between Lance and Vickie. She avoided talking to him even though he tried his best to talk to her only to be hastily brushed off coldly. Jessica and Justin were worried about them they hadn't seen their friends go this long without speaking to one another.

'J, what do you think we should do?' Jessica asked the two sat on the lounge room with the TV on in the background. Justin looked up from texting on his phone he stared at her with a blank expression.

'Sorry what did you say?' he asked Jessica laughed quietly she rolled her eyes and sighed.

'Gee don't you ever listen to what I say?' she remarked he smirked.

'Sorry.'

'Who were you texting?' she asked.

'Oh just the others, I wanted to see if they were interested in getting together and we can arrange a day out as a group.' He replied she laughed.

'And we don't already do it nearly all the time.' She said he stuck his tongue out at her.

'You know what I mean, if we go somewhere that we've been before then my hope is that it'll bring back some nice memories for them.' He explained.

'Yeah well that is good but how do you propose we convince Vick to come along? She barely talks to him and even doesn't like being around us.' Jessica remarked.

'I'm still working on it.' He said, hearing footsteps from the stairs Jessica and Justin turned around to look; Vickie had come down the stairs dressed looking ready to head out.

'Hey Vick.' They said she glanced at them she just nodded.

'I'll see you guys later,' she replied going towards the door Jessica and Justin glanced at each other.

'Hang on Vick!' He called jumping up from the couch and raced over to the font door she had the door held open.

'I was just thinking we're getting everyone together for a day out this afternoon if we can get it arranged.' He said.

'Oh ok that's nice.' She said.

'Didn't you want to come with us?' he asked hopeful she glanced at him seeing the look on his face.

'No not really but thanks for the offer,' she answered she headed out and closed the door he slouched his shoulders disappointed he turned and returned to the lounge.

'No luck?' Jessica asked he shook his head.

'No she is avoiding everyone now not just Lance.' He said.

'So what do we do now?'

'I honestly don't know it sees the more we try the less likely she is to respond.'

'So then maybe we just leave things and let her come to us?' Jessica suggested.

'You think that would work?' he asked.

'It would be worth a try I think, she is probably sick of everyone pestering her every day and trying to keep her involved. I know she always likes to be left alone a lot of the time so maybe we let her have her way.' She reasoned.

'Ok we'll go with that and see what happens. The second Vick notices we aren't hassling her anymore she'll think something is wrong and then she can come and approach us.' He replied.

'Exactly.'

Vickie drove her car into the city she had a lot of errands to run today to get ready for the new load of work she had coming up after receiving the heads up from Johnny yesterday. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to continue her work with the band with much more after this she just wasn't sure what to do if she quit. Her phone rang just then she quickly grabbed it from her pocket looking at the screen and the same unknown international number flashed up.

'Who the hell is this?'

Tentatively she pressed the answer button.

'Hello?'

'How's my little angel.'

Her face went white her jaw hung open she knew the voice she knew she did.

'There is only one person allowed to call me by that name!' she exclaimed she heard laughing from the other end.

'I will give you a guess.'

Her brain fought hard to remember she was drawing blanks.

'Can I have a clue?'

'We've had more than one meeting in private.'

'Oh my god Mark!' Gee it's been ages!' she exclaimed he laughed.

'How are you and how are the lads?'

'Good very good as are the lads.' He said.

'How about you?'

'Yeah I'm fine just the same as always.' She said.

'So did you have time to meet up?' he asked she frowned.

'Meet up? But you aren't here are you?' she asked.

'Actually we are, all of us are here.' He replied her eyes widen.

'When did you get in?'

'Last night.' He answered.

'Hang on a second! You guys have flown in from Ireland arrived last night and don't tell me until now?' she said her voice rising a little higher with her annoyance.

'Mark you know I hate it when you keep thing from me,' she added making them both laugh.

'Sorry we didn't do it on purpose we just wanted to keep it a secret.' He said.

'Ok so tell me where you're staying and I'll come by then we can all catch up.' She replied.

'Great! Ok we're staying at the Sheraton in the city.'

'Awesome I know where that is I won't be long.'

'See you soon.'

Vickie started up her car again and ignoring the nerves feelings stirring in her stomach she put the car into drive and headed off to the hotel.

Once her car was parked in the underground car park of the Sheraton she double-checked her appearance took in a deep breath got out of the car and mad her way to lift. I am just going to see my friends nothing more than that so there is no need to get too far ahead. She thought. Whatever had happened between her and Mark was done she couldn't change it and they have moved on. The lift stopped at the hotel lobby level the door slid open and she stepped out the hotel very class yet modes enough to have a variety of occupants coming to stay regularly. The polished marble floors were of a gray/stone color showing peoples' reflections clearly and it extended around the hotel lobby. She walked towards the reception area keeping her eyes out for someone familiar.

'Vick!' somebody shouted she quickly turned around and seconds later she engulfed in a hug from a brown-haired girl.

'Nicole, hey I didn't know you had come with the lads too.' She said both surprised and happy to see her friend.

'Well like duh! I wasn't going to miss out on a trip to the US.'

'Besides don't you remember the other day when you rang me and I said we were getting on a plane?'

Vickie burrowed her eyebrows together she tried to recall the conversation.

'Oh my god! So you guys were on your way here anyway.' She replied.

'Yup. We'd stopped over in London for a few hours before we got the connecting flight.' Nicole said.

'So hang on let me get this straight—' though before Vickie could get any further she heard more voices calling for her and when she turned around to have a look the familiar faces of Shane, Kian and Nicky came into view.

'Lads hi! So good to see you all here.' She answered hugging each of them in turn she paused for moment.

'Where's Mark?' she asked suddenly worried he had decided not to come and see her Kian laughed.

'He is coming still getting ready though we did tell him to hurry up.' He answered she smiled.

'Yeah I remember he is always the last one to make an appearance,' Vickie said.

'Anyway girl come on so tell us what has been happening in your life since we last you,' Nicky said.

'Oh you know just the same old stuff working hard. Both Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC have heaps and heaps of stuff to do coming up and Johnny's got me doing all the PR work as well.' She said.

'So is it true what we have heard about *NSYNC then?' Shane asked she frowned not understanding his question.

'What is it you've heard?'

'Well apparently they are taking this whole year off now for some TV show thing.' He said he shrugged his shoulders she nodded.

'Right, right yes we got approached by the head of MTV in early January, with reality TV shows on the rise they wanted to make something that was both fun and relevant so they asked Johnny if one of his bands were interested.' She explained.

'He said he was but he wanted to know the exact details like what was involved and stuff like that. So the studio went and created a script, we haven't seen it yet, although the producers are talking about doing it off the cuff to see how it goes first before deciding what script would suit.'

'What is it going to be about though?' Nicole asked.

'I don't know they didn't want to give it away so soon I think they were worried we would turn it down or something. Johnny wants us to go and see him later tonight because he's apparently got more details so I may find out more then.' Vickie answered.

'Anyway how did you find out about it?' she asked Nicole and the lads exchanged looks with one another Vickie knew something was going on.

'Louis wants us to be in it.' Nicky replied her eyes widened.

'You're being serious aren't you?' she said.

'Yep he told us last week and now we're here.' Shane added.

'That is pretty cool.' She said though in her head she began to stress a little; if Westlife and *NSYNC were working together there could be a lot of problems for her to face.

'Hang on but *NSYNC are taking the year off to do this so does that mean Louis and Simon have agreed to the same for you?' she asked.

'We don't know officially, he just wants us to do the meeting and then make the final decision when they hear back from us.' Shane answered.

'Vick, did you want to go and get Mark? We're all starving and need food.' Shane replied Nicole rolled her eyes pinching him in the side he screwed up his face causing the others to laugh.

'You and food Shane you're as bad as Bryan, he was always whining about wanting to stop for food.' She answered.

'Yeah well if you want me to work then feed me.' He said.

'Ok yeah come on.' She said.

'We'll meet you in the restaurant.' Kian replied he and Nicky followed Nicole and Shane to the hotel's restaurant.

'We're staying on level 4, and he's in room 403.' Nicky called back. Vickie waited until the group had gone she let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair.

'Well here we go.' She mumbled, heading to the lift she waited for it to arrive and when it did she pressed the button for the 4th level. She tapped her foot on the floor impatiently, quietly wishing she hadn't been given the job of going to get Mark, whenever they were left alone things happened. Her thoughts were interrupted when the lift stopped on the 4th level the doors opened and she was greeted by a long empty corridor and walking out the wall opposite provided a guide of which room started in which direction, finding the one she wanted she briskly walked down the corridor. Vickie stopped outside of Mark's room once she found it she went to knock on the door but hesitated.

Flashback…

Vickie felt a soft hand caress her cheek; smiling softly she opened her eyes to fix her gaze on the gorgeous dark-haired young man beside her.

"Morning." Mark whispered smiling. He leaned over and kissed her lightly. She grinned back bringing her hand to his face.

"Hi." They went quiet, just staring at one another silently.

"What are we going to do about this Mark?" she asked.

"I don't know Vickie, I just don't know. I just think…well. We really can't tell anyone about this," he answered.

"I feel horrible Mark and it hasn't got anything to do with you. I've gone and done something that is likely to ruin my time with Lance." Vickie said.

"Then don't tell him." Mark reasoned. She stared at him in absolute shock.

"Wh…are you crazy? He's still my boyfriend and I can't not tell him anything," She protested. Mark propped himself onto his elbows still looking at her.

"So you want to tell him about us? How we just 'ended' up sleeping together for no reason? You know it's not true. I know that you know we've got something." He said.

"Don't remind me, and don't you be forgetting you're the first too." Vic answered quietly her eyes dropping.

End

Vickie shook her head she didn't need to be bringing those memories back especially now she swallowed had another deep breath and knocked on the door.

'Who is it?' Mark yelled out.

'Mark it is just me.' She replied.

'Ok just a second Vick!'

She moved away from the door a little bit secretly hoping he wouldn't come out any time soon she was still struggling to get her head around the thought of being around him and the lads. She was going to have to keep her wits about her if she had any hope of getting through this time. The door suddenly flew open she spun around almost startled, Mark stood in the doorway one hand resting on the back of the door his eyes fixed on her she shifted on her feet slightly uncomfortable.

'Erm…Mark?' She said.

'Oh! I-sorry Vick.' He answered smiling.

'Its good to see you again,'

'Yeah you too.'

The two of them continued to stare at one another unsure of the next step Vickie diverted her eyes to the wall while Mark just continued to smile.

'Ok so—um—are you ready? The others have probably started to eat they couldn't control themselves,' she replied he laughed.

'That doesn't surprise me at all; ok just give me a second I got to grab my shoes. You an come in if you like.' He answered she shook her head.

'I don't think that is such a good idea,' she said Mark stopped and turned around a quizzical look on his face seeing the concern on her face he then understood.

'Sure I won't be a second.' Mark closed his door Vickie let out a sigh she leaned against the wall and rubbed her face.

'What am I going to do? I didn't think it would be this hard,' she said.

'What's that?' Vickie's head shot up quickly caught off guard.

'N…nothing was just you know talking out loud.' She said.

'Oh right ok then I just thought you were talking to someone else.' Mark replied giving her a cheeky grin she stuck her tongue out.

'How would that be possible when there is nobody else here except for you, oh and the four walls too!' She said poking him he just pretended to sigh out loud and roll his eyes to the ceiling but took everything in his stride the two walked down the corridor to the lift.

'Would you stop that?' Mark said seeing Vickie constantly shuffling on her feet and being fidgety.

'Stop what?'

'Moving around every damn second. Do you know how annoying it is?' he huffed folding his arms across his chest she laughed.

'Well sorry Mr. sensitive,' she said the lift arrived shortly they got in and headed down to the lobby, and when they walked into the hotel restaurant they immediately saw where the others were seated and hungrily digging into their mean.

'Typical.' Vickie mumbled.

'Come on let's grab something from the buffet before we go and join them,' Mark suggested he lead the way she just followed.

Once they were fed and Shane had stopped his complaining the group decided to pass a bit of time before the meeting started with a game of billiards. Vickie didn't say much throughout the games she just watched them play her mind elsewhere worried about the potential having both groups in the one meeting and just how much of a disaster it could turn out to be especially for her. Her thoughts were shortly interrupted hearing a phone ringing she quickly looked around the room Nicky just grinned seeing the confused faces.

'Sorry.' He said picking up his phone.

'Hello? Oh hi Mr. Wright.' He said Vickie stared at Nicky wide-eyed she didn't want anybody to know where she was she just hoped he wouldn't give it away.

'Yes we'll be able to find it. Sure an hour sounds good, great we will see soon.' Nicky replied he ended the phone call and turned around.

'So what's the story?' Kian asked.

'He wants us to meet him at his office in a hour,' Nicky said.

'Just you guys?' Vickie asked.

'Yeah.'

'Ok give me a second.' She stepped out of the room into the corridor and resting her back against the wall she typed out a message to Jessica and just a few seconds later her phone beeped receiving the reply.

Yeh we got invited 2.

He said 2 b there in

An hr

'Well great that is just fantastic,' Vickie said she had hoped to delay the meet up between Westlife and *NSYNC for a bit until she could find a way dealing with it. Even though Mark knew of her and Lance he had completely disregarded it and only thought of himself, however if Lance found out about what went on he would be far more angry than he already was with her; although he had nothing to say because she knew, thanks to her friends he had been far from innocent while she was away. The door to the games room opened Vickie quickly turned her head, she sighed quietly in relief as Nicole came out of the room.

'You ok there?' she asked.

'Yeah…I guess go. Just been a few things on my mind,' Vickie answered.

'Come on then,' Nicole said linking her arms through Vickie's and leading her away from the games room.

'It's time you and I caught up properly.'

'We'll leave the boys to their games.' She added.