Date: Sat, 09 Mar 2002 19:29:58
From: Jeff Langdon <jeff_langdon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Westlife Romance - Chapter 60

Westlife Romance -- Chapter 60

"What?" Nicky asked with a confused expression on his face as the four lads
continued to stare at him.

"Who was that?" Shane asked.

"No one," Nicky answered half-heartedly.

"Hmmm, that was a pretty heated conversation for no one," Mark mused.  Nicky
shot him a glare and Mark's mouth clamped shut in an instant.

"So...what's on the schedule today?" Bryan asked, eager to change the subject.

"We have that photo shoot this afternoon, remember?" Kian answered
immediately.

"Oh yeah," Bryan answered dejectedly.  "Why do we have to go all the way out
there to shoot a few photos?" he asked dramatically.

"So what do we do this morning then?" Shane cut in, totally ignoring Bryan's
question.  "I don't want to sit around this place doing nothing..."

"Let's go shopping!" Nicky offered, a smile forming on his face at the
thought.

"Excellent idea!" Bryan joined in at once.

"No!" Mark protested.  "I'm NOT going shopping again with you three."

"Come on, Marky!!  It'll be fun!!" Bryan continued enthusiastically.

"Yeah right," Mark answered, rolling his eyes.  He could already see it in
his head...Nicky, Bryan, and Shane carrying bag and bag of clothing.  "I'll
stay right here...I'll meet you lads at the photo shoot."

"You sure?" Bryan asked one last time, putting on the most innocent face he
could possible make.

"Yes!" Mark answered quickly.  "Now get going!!!" Mark laughed as he pushed
the lads out the door.

"Okay, we'll see you at the photo shoot," Nicky said as he walked out the
door.

"Oh, and make sure you take Annette too, we need her to set up some stuff
there," Shane added.

"Okay, old man," Mark answered with mock impatience as he literally pushed
Shane out the door.

The ride to the mall was filled with awkward silence.  At first, Shane and
Kian did not notice but eventually they figured that something was wrong
between Nicky and Bryan.  Once at the mall, Shane was sure that something
wasn't right as Bryan walked several steps behind Nicky.

Shane walked up to Bryan and tapped him on his shoulder.  "Everything
alright?"

"Yeah...just fine," Bryan answered unconvincingly.

"Spill it, McFadden," Shane ordered, albeit in a gentle way.

"I messed up," Bryan answered softly, his gaze still on Nicky, who was
walking several steps ahead of him.

Shane didn't saying anything.  He offered a reassuring smile to Bryan,
waiting for him to continue.

"I thought he and Annette were...you know..."

"Cheating behind your back?" Shane finished for him.

Bryan merely nodded, realizing how foolish he was to think that.

"You know that Nicky wouldn't cheat on you," Shane reasoned.  "You know he's
not that type of person."

"I know...I don't even know why I doubted him.  And now he hates me," Bryan
answered, on the verge of tears.

Shane patted his friend on the shoulder.  "You know he doesn't hate you,
Bryan.  I don't think Nicky is capable of hating anyone, to tell you the
truth."  Shane waited for his words to sink in before continuing.
"Actually, you know what I think?"

"What?" Bryan asked half-heartedly.

"If my guess is correct, Nicky is probably angry at himself and probably
beating himself up over this whole thing."

"Why would he be angry at himself?" Bryan asked incredulously.  "I was the
one who accused him..."

Shane sighed.  "Believe me...Nix is great at finding reasons to put on the
blame on himself..."

For the rest of the shopping trip, Nicky avoided Bryan.  Though he put on
the façade that all was fine, no one was fooled by it.

Meanwhile...

"Remind me again, will you?  Why am I going to this photo shoot alone with
you?" Annette asked as Mark swerved the car to avoid yet another pothole.

"Because the rest of the lads went shopping," Mark answered, keeping his
eyes on the road.

"Right," Annette replied.  "Hey!!!!!!!" she yelled as the car swerved
dangerously close to the edge of the road.

"How am I supposed to drive if you keep screaming?" Mark asked.

"Do you have to swerve so much when you drive?  How did you even get your
licence?"  Mark ignored Annette's question and continued driving.  There was
silence in the car for the next while, until Annette spoke up again.  "We're
lost, aren't we?"

"Of course not," Mark answered quickly, but not convincingly.  After another
15 minutes, Mark finally conceded defeat.  "Okay, we're lost."

"Took you long enough to admit it," Annette answered.  "So now what are we
going to do?"

"Well, this place isn't that big.  We'll find our way out eventually."

"Didn't you bring a map?"

"I did...and I followed the map.  I don't understand how we could've got
lost!!"

The two drove on in silence when suddenly, Mark exclaimed.  "There it is!!"

"There what is?"

"The house!!"  Mark answered, pointing to a house in the distance.

"Finally..."   Just as Annette said that, the car ground to a halt.  "Now
what?"

Mark looked at Annette sheepishly.  "We're out of gas..."

...to be continued...