*Meanwhile Outside The Bar*
"Nick I know how this looks but......"
"But what Brent?" Nick asked angrily. "What are you doing with Mandy after everything that happend? And what were you doing kissing her?"
"I don't know. We just kinda were hanging out. We didn't come here together or anything. We just were talking and partying together and I don't know," Brent tried to explain but he really didn't understand it himself.
"Well, whatever, she's your problem then, not mine. But don't expect me to be around you or her. You'll see, everything you tried to tell me about her is true. But hey, if your're that desperate to get laid, go ahead." Nick said and walked away.
On his way back inside Mandy tried to stop him. "Nicky listen," she said grabbing his arm. Nick jerked his arm away and gave her a disgusted look and walked away from her. Mandy looked at him with a look of shock and bitterness. Nick knew she was only with Brent to try and make him jealous. She still wanted him and he wanted nothing to do with her. He smiled when he saw McKenzie and all the pain he'd started to feel again over Mandy disappeared. He was so in love with her and she was in love with him. And her love was the way it should be. He leaned down and smiled as he whispered in her ear. "I wanna dance with you." There was no jealousy or wanting to make Mandy jealous. It was all out of his love for Mckenzie.
McKenzie giggled and smiled as she looked up at Nick. She saw so much tenderness and love in his eyes. "I would love to," she said holding out her hand.
Nick helped her up and led her to the dance floor. "We're staying," Nick called back over his shoulder and they disappeared into the crowd.
"I hope this doesn't turn into a disaster," Kevin said. Secretly he was relieved they were staying. That meant he might see Jen again.
"He seems ok," Brian said.
"It's not him that worries me. You know how Mandy is. I'm afraid she'll try and do something to McKenzie," Kevin said.
"Maybe we should go keep an eye on them. Wanna dance with me gorgeous?" AJ asked Shayla.
"Do you mind?" Shayla asked Brian.
"No not at all. Go ahead," Brian said. "But AJ, keep your grinding to a minimum please and watch the hands."
"Well that's not possible so how about if I promise not to enjoy it," AJ said devilishly.
"I'll make him behave I promise," Shayla said giving Brian a kiss. She and AJ bopped their way to the dance floor, catching up to Nick and McKenzie.
"I think I'm gonna go dance too," Howie said.
"Keep an eye on bone for me. Make sure he's not manhandling my girl," Brian said joking.
"Will do, see ya," Howie said. Once alone, Brian and Kevin started a conversation about Jen.
Howie found AJ and Shayla getting funky and really going at it on the dance floor. Howie was surprised and impressed at what a good dancer Shayla was. "Dang bone, I think ya finally found someone to keep up with you. She may even show you up," Howie joked with him. Howie moved in and started dancing with them, sandwiching Shayla between them, then after a while moved on to some girl he was watching. Nick and McKenzie were getting down too. Mandy looked on from the balcony section. She wasn't happy about how smitten Nick seemed to be with McKenzie. Even though they'd been broken up for a while, she couldn't believe he could just fall in love so fast. And with some nobody. Her blood boiled the more she thought about it and watched it.
The song "Amazed", by Lonestar began to play. Nick enveloped McKenzie in his arms and they began to dance, swaying softly to the music. AJ grabbed Shayla's hand and she spun into his arms laughing and talking as they danced. Howie started dancing with the girl Shayla had seen him dancing with when he left her and AJ. Mandy looked on thinking it was odd how AJ and Shayla seemed to be acting and dancing. They seemed a little too friendly is you asked her. You would've thought Shayla and AJ were together from watching them together. She saw Brian making his way to Shayla. He patted Nick on the shoulder and they smiled at each other. Mandy was confused by how ok Brian seemed to be with AJ and Shayla. He tapped AJ on the shoulder.
"I believe this our song," Brian said cutting in. AJ tipped his hand and put Shayla in Brian's arms. Shayla and Brian had decided they would make this their song. The first time they heard it after Shayla had told him she was amazed by him they looked at each other and just knew it was their song, and Brian sang it to her all the time.
"I love you so much," Shayla said as they danced close.
"I love you too," Brian said squeezing her tight.
McKenzie looked up at Nick and gave him a kiss. Nick happened to glance up towards the balcony and saw Mandy watching them. He could tell she was hatching some diabolical plan. He looked away and kissed McKenzie again, realizing how much better she was for him.
When the song ended they all made their way back to the table. AJ and Kevin had attracted a couple of fans and when Brian, Nick and Howie got there the fans were ecstatic. The bodyguards were hovering over them. The fans were however, disappointed to see Brian and Nick with their arms around Shayla and McKenzie. The guys spoke to the girls for a few minutes. Kevin had wanted to go find Jen and dance with her but the fans had detained him. The guys gave them autographs even though they were being a tad snotty to Shayla and McKenzie, then asked that they give them some privacy so as not to attract a crowd. But with their bodyguards next to them it was hard not to. A lot of people were beginning to notice them.
Brian and Nick slid into the booth next to Shayla and McKenzie. "Sorry about that. Sometimes they can be a little nasty to girlfriends," Nick said.
"Yeah, don't let it spoil our evening," Brian said.
"It's alright. It doesn't really bother me. But that does," McKenzie said pointing to Mandy walking towards them.
"Oh god, what does she want?" Shayla mumbled.
"Take a guess," AJ said. Kevin kicked him under the table. "Oww," AJ whined.
"Hi everybody," Mandy said standing at the end of the table.
"Hello," Kevin, Brian, AJ and Howie said.
"What do you want Mandy?" Nick asked.
"Nothing, I just wanted to say hi that's all," Mandy said. "Hi, I'm Mandy," she said to McKenzie and shayla.
"Yes we know," Shayla said. Brian put his arm around her and gave her a look like please don't start anything. Kevin chuckled. He liked Shayla's spunk. She and Brian were the same in a lot of ways but different in others. Brian would be nice and let things go, but Shayla was fiery and would stand her ground. Probably why she and AJ got along so well, they were both rebels and a little wild.
"Mandy this is McKenzie and Shayla Starks," Nick said pointing to them as he put his arm around McKenzie.
"Hi," McKenzie said. Shayla said nothing.
"Nice to meet you both. So you two are sisters?" Mandy asked.
"Yes we are," Shayla said sounding protective of McKenzie. Brian could feel the tension in her shoulder as he rubbed them.
"Well, I just wanted to say hi. I need to get back to my table. Brent is waiting for me," Mandy said rubbing it in. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around Nicky," she said sweetly as she walked away.
"Oh god please," Shayla said. "What a....."
"Shayla," Brian scolded cutting her off.
"Well, I don't like her. She's bad news," Shayla said.
"I have to go to the restroom," McKenzie said excusing herself.
"Are you ok baby?" Nick asked as she got up to leave.
"Yeah, I'll be right back," she said.
"Told you we should've gone some place else," Kevin said.
"I'm gonna go find some girls to dance with," AJ said. Howie decided to go with him.
"Oh man, I hope McKenzie's not upset," Nick said.
"I'm going to go check on her," Shayla said.
"Shayla, don't go confronting Mandy. Just leave it alone," Brian warned her. He knew Shayla could get riled up pretty easily and was afraid she'd go looking for Mandy. Shayla was fearless. He'd learned that the day she confronted the photographer in the yard.
"I won't, I'm just going to check on McKenzie," she told him.
"Shayla?" Brian questioned her.
"I promise and when I get back, you're going to dance with me," she said. Brian made a face. Getting him to dance was like pulling teeth. He only did it when he had to on stage.
Shayla walked into the restroom and found Mandy talking to McKenzie. "Look Mandy I don't want any trouble, just leave me alone," McKenzie was saying.
"Is there a problem here?" Shayla asked.
"No, not at all," Mandy said smirking. "I was just telling your sister what a good guy Nick is. I'd hate to see him get hurt by anyone who didn't truly appreciate him."
"Well I don't think there's any chance of that happening now that you're not around," McKenzie said. Shayla smiled proudly at her sister.
"Just who the hell do you think you are?" Mandy said raising her voice.
"I'm Nick's girlfriend. You remember what that is don't you. He loves me and I love him and don't you forget it," McKenzie said and stormed out of the bathroom.
Mandy glared at her in shock as she left. She looked at Shayla standing there with a smug look on her face. "I was just trying to be nice, god!" Mandy snapped.
"Mandy you wouldn't know what nice is if it came up and bit ya in the ass," Shayla said.
"What?!" Mandy asked stunned. "Ya know you looked a little too chummy with AJ out on that dance floor. Ya know Brian couldn't keep Leighanne satisfied either and she had to cheat on him too," Mandy spat at Shayla insinuating Shayla was cheating with AJ.
Shayla took the drink she was holding and threw it in Mandy's face. "Don't fuck with me Mandy. You'll regret it. You could never compare to my sister and the love Nick has for her so give it up. She turned on her heels and left, leaving Mandy soaked and in shock. There was another girl in the bathroom who had witnessed the whole incident.
"Aren't you Willa or Mandy, whatever your name is now, Nick Carter's old girlfriend?" the girl asked. "Was that other girl Nick's new girlfriend? She was so pretty."
"UUHHH!!" Mandy screamed and stormed out.
Shayla went back and slid into the booth next to Brian with Nick and McKenzie. They were shocked when they saw Mandy march up to Brent wet and angry. "Brent would you give me a ride home please?" she asked looking like she was about to cry. Brent glanced over at Nick and then back at a wet Mandy and got up and left with her.
Brian looked at Shayla and Nick looked at McKenzie. They were both just smiling. "So how about that dance?" Shayla asked Brian.
"You gonna tell me what happened?" Brian asked trying to sound frim and not laugh.
"I guess she just needed a lesson in manners," Shayla said. She and McKenzie looked at each other and laughed. Kevin burst out laughing, then stopped when Brian gave him a look. He smiled over at Shayla.
"What did you two do?" Nick asked.
They filled them in on what happened and how Mandy started it by confronting McKenzie. But McKenzie hadn't seen what happened between Mandy and Shayla and they all began laughing when Shayla told them.
"You go girl!" Kevin said high fiving her.
AJ and Howie came back to the booth laughing. "Hey we just saw Mandy leaving and she was all wet," AJ said.
"And some girls were talking about her getting into it with someone in the bathroom and getting told off and getting a drink thrown on her," Howie said. Brian looked at them with a disapproving look.
"Well I think it's funny as hell and I'd like to meet whoever put little miss snotty pants in her place," AJ said.
Shayla and McKenzie stood up and bowed and AJ and Howie started laughing. "Yeah at a girl," AJ said.
"Come on let's dance," Brian said pulling on Shayla's hand. "Before you get in more trouble."
"Yeah good idea," Nick said taking McKenzie's hand. "Come on guys you coming?"
They all made their way to the dance floor and Shayla and McKenzie danced with each of them. Shayla was about as good a ballroom dancer as Kevin and he spun her around the floor while the others watched in awe, and Brian smiled with pride that she was his girl. It looked as though these two had finally rid them of the trouble Mandy had caused them. Nick had a feeling however, that Mandy would be back for revenge.
Kevin found Jen and managed to get a dance with her but then she was getting ready to leave. Kevin was usually pretty good at reading people, but he couldn't tell if Jen liked him or not. He bugged everyone the whole way home as to whether or not he should call Jen and ask her to come to the party with him. There was a problem though. He wondered if it would cause problems with Kristin if he dated someone so soon. He still wondered if there was hope for them.