I rolled my eyes. "Why in the world can't you watch TV in your room Kate?"

She barely turned around, but I saw her shrugging. "I thought I'd keep you company."

"I don't need company darling. I'm very good by myself. I was trying to read, you know."

She chuckled, then elbowed Nick on the ribs. I didn't get an answer.

"What about you Nick, what's your excuse?"

He just shrugged. "Kate said we could watch TV here, so we came."

Nice, long and explicit explanation. Exactly what I needed.

I looked down at my book, the lines seeming to extend it's invisible hand, trying to reach out for me. The book was rather scary, and even though I was never very fond of staying awake all through the night, my hands clutching the cover tightly, I just like reading King's books.

But one can not concentrate when two people are watching a rather loud movie in the same room.

I rolled my eyes once again and gave up on my book.

"Sorry Stephen," I muttered as I placed the black bookmark and left the book over my nightstand, "but right now, I'd rather watch TV."

I crawled over to the edge of the bed, lying down on my stomach. I had Kate to my right, sitting on the floor and her back against the end of the bed, and Nick to my left, legs crossed and in a very similar position.

"It's good you reconsidered," Kate said as she turned around and gave me a peck on the cheek.

Nick picked up the remote and started zapping. He paused on one channel and I tried to see what it was.

There were teeny tiny words on the bottom of the screen, but I couldn't tell them apart.

"How in god's name do they expect us to read if the words are so little?"

Kate turned around, a frown on her face. "You can't read what it says there?"

I shook my head. "Of course I can't. It's too small."

"No, it isn't," Nick said, turning as well. "Well, it is small, but not that small."

I snorted, standing up and walking over to the TV set. I sat in front of it and tilted my head to the side. "See, now I can see them." It was some kind of quick news and when my eyes traveled to the right bottom corner of the screen, I realized it was MTV. "Uh, MTV."

"You didn't know it was MTV."

"I hadn't seen the logo."

"The same way you didn't see my earrings," Kate said with a slow tone, her mind seeming to try to put both things together.

She stood up in one quick motion, walking over to the living room and leaving us in the middle of the bedroom, quick consternated.

"What was that?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea." I stood up and followed her into the living room. She was looking for something on the coffee table.

"What?"

But she didn't answer; she just picked up a magazine, looked at me and walked a couple of feet closer. "Can you read it?"

I squinted my eyes, barely reading the title of the magazine. "It's People magazine, so what?"

She shook her head. "No, not the title, the headlines."

I titled my head to the side. All I could see where this rather round shapes in red and yellow. "No, you're too far away."

"You Nick?"

I turned to look at Nick, who was as lost as I felt. "Huh?"

"Read it."

Her tone was serious enough that Nick knew not to mess with it. "Cameron Diaz talks about her relationships. A new diet of the summer and... how to know if you and your partner are compatible?" Nick frowned. "Is that true?"

Kate bit down her bottom lip, rather preoccupied.

"Kate, what's wrong?"

"Are you sure you can't read it Matt?"

I tried once again and all I could see were red shapes. "Nope. It's too far. Maybe Nick can, but I--"

"I think you need glasses."

"What?" I walked towards her, a frown on my face. I didn't want to think that I had been pondering exactly the same thing only days ago. I chuckle. "Kate, I think you're--"

"I'm not over reacting, so don't say that." She was rather pissed, and I had no idea what I had done for her to get mad. "I really think you should get your eyes checked."

"I see fine."

But she just shook her head. "No, you can't read the magazine--"

"It was too far away!" Isn't denial grand?

"-- you didn't see my earrings --"

"They were behind the lamp!"

"-- and you couldn't read the subtitles." Kate crossed her arms on her chest and her eyes turned a little bit darker. She was set, I could see that. She was set and there was no way in hell I'd be able to get away from this.

But that didn't mean I wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Kate, I see perfectly fine."

"Well," Nick said slowly, seeming reluctant to enter the conversation. "You do spend a lot of time in front of the computer."

"So?"

"The screen is bad for the eyes Matt," Nick said, shrugging sadly, "just like TV."

"I don't watch TV too close, I know that."

"Yes, but the screen it's like this," Nick said, placing his hand about a feet from his face, "away from you, and that's pretty close."

"I see perfectly fine."

"No, Matt, I don't think you do," Kate added. She let out a soft sigh. "You told me last month that you had to sit on the second row because you couldn't see what the teacher wrote."

"He writes too little, and his handwriting sucks. You can't tell one word apart from the other."

"Or maybe that's just you."

I took in a deep breath and tried to calm down. I didn't want to have my eyes check because I was sure I was seeing fine.

"Look, I use glasses and it's cool."

I turned to look at Nick with a raise eyebrow. "You do?"

He nodded. "Yep. Reading glasses." He searched his pocket for a moment before getting out a pair of gray oval glasses. "See?"

"How come we haven't seen you wear them?"

"Maybe because he doesn't read," Kate suggested with a small smile.

Nick glared at her and placed his glasses back in his pants pocket. "No, I just don't wear them much. I need them for like... meetings and stuff, when I have to read documents or just read for long periods of time. Maybe you'll use it once in a while too."

"Nah, I don't think so," she said, walking towards me and looking right in my eyes. It was very disturbing, so I looked away.

"Stop it."

"He doesn't see from far," she said, still looking at me. "I think you're shortsighted."

I rolled my eyes.

"Grandma used glasses too, remember?"

I thought about it for a second, then nodded.

"And your father, and your mom was using contacts..."

I didn't need her to continue. The odds of me needing glasses were too great to even bet. Thinking back, I realized that was probably why my head had been hurting so much lately, and why I got dizzy that time at the concert.

I remember reading in a book, in one of the many books of my many bibliographies for the past two years, that eye pressure causes headaches and dizziness after a quick movement. Well, that was an answer.

But glasses...

I let out a long sigh. "Oh, god, I don't wanna wear glasses."

Kate smiled apologetically at me, and hugged me. "Sorry dear, but I think you might have."

"Are you getting your eyes checked?"

I nodded at Nick's question. "Yeah, in a couple of days, when I have my cast take out, I'll see if I can see an optometrist."

Kate kissed my neck. "I don't think it'll be that bad."

"You're doing it with me," I told her. "Lylian wears glasses and Richard does to. You're doing--"

"No."

"You are. Either that or I don't go."

She sighed and I had her answer.

*****

I didn't get to talk with Kevin until that night -- the boys had been doing promos all day long.

I was pulling down the covers when Kevin walked out of the bedroom in only his sweat pants. His hair was still damp from the shower he had just taken and his chest had droplets of water making their way down. He looked really sexy.

I grinned at him, picking up my cell and placing it on the charger.

"I wanted to talk with you."

Kevin's words took my by surprise and I turned around to look at him. "What about?"

He shrugged and I saw his shoulders tensed, his back stiff.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing," he said with a small smile as he kissed me on the lips. "Really."

"You don't look so calm, you know."

He let out a long sigh, shrugging. "Yeah, I know."

"Then what is it?"

He didn't say anything, just took off his watch, placed it on the nightstand and pulled down his side of the covers.

I tried to imagine what it could be, and could only come up with one answer. "Look, if it has to do with the group and you don't wanna tell me, then that's alright."

He chuckled, getting on the bed and I followed his lead.

He shook his head, laying down on his left while I did on my right. He looked at me for a moment, then started running his fingers through my hair. His right hand moved down to caress my cheek and I smiled softly at him.

"It's nothing I can't tell you, that's why I wanted to talk to you."

"Then what is it?" He just smiled at me, his eyes staring at something at my side, around my ear, and I thought he was trying to put his words together. "Whatever it is, I can take it, you know?"

He let out a sigh through his nostrils, and then looked straight at me. "I know you do, what makes you say that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I thought maybe you were worried I couldn't take it. I can. I can take whatever it is you have to tell me."

"I know that Matt," he said softly, bringing my face closer as his hand moved to my neck. He kissed me tenderly, then passionately, and I melted in the kiss.

"I love you," he told me after we parted, and I answered back, "I love you too."

"It's just that..."

Nothing good ever comes up with an continuance like that.

"What?"

He was still trying to find a way to say the words. And I was starting to worry.

"I've been thinking..." Kevin let out a long sigh and looked at me. "I want to tell my mother about... well, me and us."

"You wanna come out to your mother?"

He nodded. "It's been too long... I've been putting it off for so long, I guess I was deluding myself into thinking that maybe I wouldn't have to tell her after all. But that's not it. I have to tell her."

"Alright..." I said slowly, trying to think of something to say, of a way to support him. "That's good. I'm... here, if you need me, that is."

He smiled tenderly. "I'll always need you."

I smiled back and a word, a tiny word that was very sarcastic most of the time, told me that Kevin was corny. I tried not to listen.

"I want to tell her alone, if you don't mind."

I shrugged. "How can I mind? I think it's better if you do it that way. I mean... you give her time to get used to the idea, to talk to you."

Besides, I wasn't really looking forward to Kevin coming out to his mother with me by his side. That was inappropriate. It was disrespectful. And I couldn't stop feeling slightly afraid of his mother's reaction.

"I wanna fly over there, so when we hit Lexington in a week, she already knows about me... about you, and we can visit her."

I smiled tightly. I wasn't looking forward to that. "Sure."

He kissed me softly. "Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank Kevin."

"Still..." He smiled, caressing my cheek once again. "I can fly over there the day after tomorrow. I'll have to pull an all nighter, but that's alright."

"You can't go during the day?"

"We don't have anything the morning after, only an interview after lunch, so that gives me enough time to talk with her."

I wasn't about to contradict him. If anyone knew his mother, it was he. If he thought a couple of hours was enough, then it was enough.

"We don't have a concert that night, only a record signing in the afternoon. So I can take the six pm flight, arrive there around seven. I'll stay through the night and be back around two. That okay?"

I didn't understand why he was asking me. "Sure, that's great."

He leaned over and kissed me. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know."

Since we had been talking about private issue, I figured I couldn't find a better moment to tell him about my little epiphany.

"Oh, I didn't tell you."

"What?"

My hand moved to his hairline, picking up a droplet of water that was about to fall onto the bed. I chuckled slightly. "You're gonna get sick one of these days, you know?"

"No, I'm not."

Now it was him who sounded childish. I shrugged. "If you say so..."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "What were you gonna tell me?"

"Oh, it's just that this morning, Kate, Nick and I were watching TV, and I couldn't read the subtitles very well."

I saw Kevin frowning, and I didn't know whether to find it endearing, or patronizing.

"The thing is, Kate got all psyched about it and started picking up things so I try and read them. She think I might have some problems with my eyes."

"What type of problems?"

Right now, I was leaning towards endearing. "Well, nothing mayor, I'm sure. It's not like we know what we're talking about, we're just guessing. But I can't see really good from distance, so maybe I have myopia."

Kevin sat down on the bed, his face serious and he was looking at me with a look that seemed to propose to go the doctor right now.

I tended half endearing, half patronizing.

"But... we went to the doctor a month ago about your cast, wouldn't they have gotten it the?"

"No, that had nothing to do with my eyes. They did x-rays on my wrist. There was no way they could have even know if I have myopia."

"But you don't know?"

"No, I don't, but genetics tells me that my odds are ten to one that I actually have myopia."

"Why?"

"Well, both my parents use glasses; they can't see from far. My grandmother was the same. I don't know about my grandfather, I guess I never asked that question, but I think three people close related is more than enough."

Kevin tilted his head to the side, biting his lower lip. He took my hands in his and his thumb started caressing the inside of my wrist. "When are you gonna check it out?"

"In a couple of days, when I go to have the cast taken off, I'll go see the optometrist."

Kevin nodded slightly, seeming to consider the timing. I was sure he was dying to suggest that I go earlier. I'm glad he didn't. The night, so far had been relax and peaceful, I didn't want that to get ruined.

"That's it?"

I nodded. His word could have been taken wrongly, but I understood that he meant that if that was all I had to comment.

"Yep. That and Nick and Kate came to bother me this morning."

Kevin chuckled softly, kissing me. "Oh, really?"

I nodded. "I was trying to read, but they were watching TV, so I had to forget about the book."

"What are you reading?"

"I haven't told you?" I waited long enough for Kevin to shake his head. That was weird; almost everybody knew what I was reading. Even Sophie, one of the girls that had joined us on tour, had known. "This book of Stephen King, Cujo."

"Sounds... peculiar."

I shrugged. "It's good so far."

I was gonna add something, tell him the first couple of scenes that still gave me the creeps whenever I thought about, when he yawned.

"I guess you're tired."

Kevin shrugged, kissing me once again. "I'm beat."

"That's okay." I leaned over and planted a kiss on his lips. "Good night."

"Night poppet."

I turned around, lying on my left side. I felt the bed shifting under Kevin's weight, and minutes later I felt his arm around my chest, sliding down to the curve between my torso and my hips.

I felt his breath against the back of my neck, making me giggled slightly as I wrinkled my nose.

He placed another kiss on my neck, then over to my shoulder and then in the middle of my back.

"I love you," he whispered sleepily.

I grinned softly. "Love you too," I muttered. Barely a minute afterwards, I felt his breathing evening, heralding he had fallen asleep. I smiled softly as I closed my eyes. Moments later I followed him.

*****

Time was good. Hell, life was good to me.

I took a long swing of the coke I held in my hand as I smiled. Another hour and I'd be ready to leave for the hospital and have my cast taken off.

God, life was great.

Kevin was changing as I sat on the bed, my book in my lap while I tried to read, even if it was a little bit.

The boys had an interview and a photo shoot, nothing out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, Kate and I had decided to take advantage of the three hours in between and go to the hospital.

"I wish I could go with you," Kevin said for the forth time in the last hour -- and it was only ten am. He had repeated the same thing about fifteen times the day before after I told him about our plans.

I smiled softly at him, trying to look reassuring. "Don't worry, Kate and I can go."

"I wanted to go with you."

That much I had gathered in the past thirty hours. "I don't mind."

"I wanted to talk to the doctor, see if it healed properly."

"I'm sure he'd tell us."

"You are going to go the optometrist, right?"

I nodded, even though he was taking clothes out of his suitcases. The boys took the longest to the change -- ever. "Yes, right after my arm is free."

"Make sure they check you thoroughly."

"Certainly."

"If you do have myopia, then see if you can ask for glasses right away. I don't think it's safe for you to be without them if you indeed need them."

I almost rolled my eyes. "Of course."

"Do you think it's anything else?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so, even though I couldn't really tell you?"

"Aren't you--- know?"

His words were muffled as he put on the shirt, but I understood them perfectly. "I've gone through the eye section, but I don't have experience in treatment. Besides, I'd need the equipment."

"Oh."

Well, at least his questions had ended. Regarding my health, he was rather... thorough, to say the least. It was endearing, charming and loving, but too much could suffocate anyone.

When he was done changing, he turned around and looked at me. "What do you think?"

For the past month, every time he had an interview and he changed in the bedroom, he'd turn around and ask me from my opinion. I knew he didn't have to do it, if anything he had better taste than I did, but the fact that my opinion matter to him meant a lot to me.

I grinned from ear to ear as I looked at him. He was wearing dark green cargo pants with brown shoes. A green shirt with no logo whatsoever and a thin green button up shirt over it, completely unbuttoned. He looked stunning.

"You look gorgeous," I said with a small blush. I always blushed when I gave him a compliment.

He smiled back at me, walked over to the bed and crawled on top as he kissed me on the lips. My book fell to the bed and I surrounded to the kiss.

"I love you," he told me as he nuzzled my neck.

I caressed his cheek and repeated the endearment.

The sound of the front door opening made Kevin stand up and walk towards the door. He paused on the threshold, turned around and blew me a kiss.

I grinned at the sentiment.

When he walked out of the room, I picked up my disregarded book and search for the page I had stopped in. Finding it, I placed the bookmark and left after him.

I had been correct in my assumptions. The boys were starting to arrive. Brian was already there, along with Howie. Alex and Amanda arrived just as I walked towards the couch and sat down. Howie was zapping through the channels, and I tried to see if there was something interesting to tell him to stop. I saw a glimpse of something I thought I recognized and asked to get back.

I chuckled as Howie grimaced, looking at his persona in the video, all dressed in white.

Kevin started singing and I grinned proudly. The scene lasted five seconds as Alex took over the song.

"Now that you saw your boy, can I change it?"

I nodded, rather taken back by the reference. Usually, the comment was directed the other way around. I've been called 'Kevin's boy' far too many times to forget it.

"Nick's running late," Howie said in between changing channels.

"I know."

"He better get here in..." he checked his watch, "the next ten minutes before Kevin goes for him."

I laughed at the image. "You think he'd be pissed?"

"Nick's been lucky, so far he hasn't been that late for anything. But once it happen, because it'll sure as hell happen within the next week, you'll see just how angry Kevin can get."

Somehow, that reminded me of Kevin's harsh words at CJ regarding the PDAs when the girls were on tour. I thought about it for a minute. I had totally forgotten to ask Nick about it. I was considering asking Howie about it when the door opened to reveal Nick dressed blue and gray, looking rather good, and Kate with an annoyed look on her face.

I didn't want to ask what it had been this time.

Kevin gave Nick a serious look, which the blond decided to ignore, before saying, "lets get going."

"You're going to the hospital, right?"

I nodded at Alex's question. "Yep."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

I shrugged at Amanda. "You don't have to, you know? Kate is coming with me."

"I thought Lindsey was gonna call you?"

Amanda frowned at Alex's reminder, the let out a long sigh. "I can tell her to call later, or I can call her when I come back."

"She won't be pleased."

"Don't worry," I told Amanda as I squeezed her shoulder. "We'll be fine."

She gave me a small smile, shrugging as she did so. "I hope your arm is fine now."

"Thanks."

"I wish I could go with you."

Not only did I recognize the voice, but also the phrase was already carved in my mind not to know who it was. "Don't worry Kevin, really."

"I really hope I could go with you."

I let out a long sigh. This wasn't the first time we had talked about. Kevin had even been considering missing the interview so he could come with me. I had told him that that was really unnecessary, that I'd be fine with Kate.

"I know," I told him once again, "but I'll be fine."

"You are picking us up, right?"

I nodded. We had compromised that Kate and I would pick the boys up at the photo studio after my consult. "Yep. I should be there in two hours, tops."

Kevin kissed me on the lips softly, his hand caressing my cheek, then murmured a soft "love you" as he pulled away.

"I love you too," I told him, feeling the words in my heart.

With one last glance at my way, Kevin said, "lets go."

The boys started walking towards the door when I caught up with Kate, placing my arm around her shoulders. "What is it?"

She knew what I was talking about. Shaking her head, she whispered into my ear, "I'll tell you later."

That was enough for me. When we stepped into the hallway, I saw the boys straightening their poise. I smiled tenderly when Kevin gave me a quick glanced. Their security joined us in the hallway and we made our way into the elevator and out the hotel.

The guys took their van, as supposed, while Kate and I hailed a cap. Kevin had offered to give us a ride, but I didn't think it'd be wise, in case someone saw the guys leaving us at the hospital.

When Kate started telling me about her small fight with Nick, the trip to the hospital passed in a blur.

*****

Our trip to the hospital had been enlightening, to say the least.

On the bright side, my arm was healed, which gave me a sense of relief I hadn't felt since I saw my finals online.

The doctor had recommended no extensive effort for the next two weeks; that was no problem, since I wasn't doing much for the rest of the summer.

Barely thirty minutes later, bad news had arrived. As suspected by both Kate and me, I had myopia.

When the doctor asked me to sit on the chair and looked at the Optometric screen, words in black on the white background, I could barely see the first four lines -- and the average was the first eight.

He reasoned it was due to prolong exposure to the computer. Well, that would only mean I'd be half blind by the time I reached thirty, because there was no way in hell I was going to give up on my computer.

Kate had the examination as well, and even though she was going to need glasses as well, she wasn't half as bad as I was. I had 0.75 on my right eye and 1.25 on my left eye. Kate had 0.25 and 0.50 respectively.

She wasn't on my good books at the moment.

She wanted to go and get myself some glasses right away, but I figured I'd been fine for God knows how long without glasses, so I'd get them when I found one I liked. That only meant Kate and I would have to go shopping sometime during next week. That thrilled her to no end.

That done; we arrived at the photo studio right on schedule. Kevin had guessed they wouldn't be done before one. It was a little after twelve.

I opened the door for Kate and we walked into the building, my hand on the low of her back as I guided her. The receptionist looked at us funny. I frowned suddenly and I felt Kate stiffening under my hand.

"Good afternoon," she said, rather serious and with a tone that didn't seem polite at all. "Who are you looking for?"

"Branch's studio. It's in the fourth floor, right?"

The woman smiled tightly and I could see she was dying to kick us out. Well, she had another thing coming. Kevin had made sure we'd be able to enter.

"I'm sorry, but you can't enter without an appointment."

"We should be in your visitor's list. I'm Matt Caldwell and she's Kate Astadourian..." I read the nametag. "Patricia."

She barely gave her computer screen a look when she turned to glare at us. "You aren't on the list. I'll have to ask you to leave."

I frowned.

"What?"

Take took the words from my mouth.

"There must be a mistake, because I was assured that we'd be on the list."

"Well, then the mistake isn't from my part. Neither of you are on the list nor I can't let you in without a pass. So, please, leave before I have to call Security."

Kate stiffened, frowning. "Check your list one more time. We're there."

She stood up, placing both hands on the counter. "You are not. I won't ask you again. Leave right now before I call security."

Kate took a step closer to the woman, obviously to tell her a piece of her mind, but I placed a hand on her arm, restraining her.

She turned around, shooting daggers at me.

"Lets go. We'll find what's wrong in a second."

Kate bit her lower lip before nodding. She glared at the woman, then swirled around and we both left the building.

The second the glass doors were closed after us, I got my cell out, pressing Speed Dial Four as Kevin's name appeared on the liquid screen.

"That bitch! How dare she--?"

I squeezed her shoulder to call her attention. "Calm down."

"I won't calm down. And what's the matter with Kevin not letting them know we'd be coming."

"I don't--" But I didn't finish the sentence when I heard someone pick up on the other side of the line.

"Matt?"

I frowned. That wasn't Kevin. "Who is that?"

I heard a chuckle. "Matt, it's Howie. Kevin's in session right now. He asked me to hold his phone in case you called. Good thinking, don't ya think?"

"Yeah," I said softly. "How did you know it was me?" He couldn't have recognized my voice, right?

Howie chuckled again. "He's got you in memory. Your name appeared on the screen, so..."

"Oh." Idiot me.

Kate glared at me. "Hurry," she muttered.

"Howie--"

"Oh boy," he said.

"What?"

"Kevin is looking at me really funny."

"Funny, funny how?"

"Well, funny like glaring at me funny." Howie chuckled. "I think he thinks I'm hitting on you."

This time, I laughed. Kate raised an eyebrow. I waved it off. "How can he

think that?"

"I have no idea, but he's really glaring at me right now, you know?" He paused, and then chuckled.

"What?"

"The photographer it's telling him to move, to look better. I guess glaring isn't high in their good shots."

"I'm sure."

"Well, if he thinks I'm hitting on you, then I better do, don't ya think?"

I lifted both eyebrows in surprise. "Really? I don't think you're my type Howard."

He chuckled. "Well, not only that but I'm sure Kevin would kick my ass a week from Sunday if I ever did hit on you, not that you're my type either."

"I know D, don't worry. You're more into... females than me, aren't you?"

"You've got that right." He chuckled again. "He's coming, he's coming, he's glaring at me and he's coming."

"Oh, Howie, how can you say that?" I laughed seductively. "Howie, please... are you--?"

"Matt!"

That was Kevin, yelling in whispers, but yelling nonetheless. "Oh, Kevin, darling, it's you. I didn't know--" I said, sounding as guiltily as I could muster, biting back the laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure you didn't."

"No, sweetheart, I mean it, I didn't know it was you."

"Howard," I heard Kevin yelling on the other side of the line and I had to pull the phone away from my ear if I didn't want to end up deaf. "If you did something, I swear to god!"

"Kevin, chill," I told him, hopping he'd hear me over the commotion over there. I heard things moving, then Howie yelping. "Kevin!"

"It's okay," he said, even though he seemed to say it to himself, "I'll find him later. He has to get back with us."

"Would you chill down Kevin, it's not like we did anything."

"I know," Kevin said, and I could hear the smile on his face. "I just wanted to make an statement."

I rolled my eyes. "Paranoid."

Kate slapped me on the arm, motioning for me to hurry.

He chuckled. "So, what is it?" He asked, his voice softening and I loved the tone he took with me.

"Nothing, really."

She slapped again, and this time it really did hurt because she hit me with her ring. I turned around and looked at her. "Wait, will ya?"

"What?"

"Nothing," I told Kevin, "I wasn't talking with you, I was talking with Kate. She's crazy." She meant to hit me once again, but I slid to the side. "Anyhow, the thing is, we're in front of the building."

"Right now?"

"Yep. Right now. But we can't get it. The receptionist told us we aren't in the visitors lists and she'd rather let us die and hear us out, so, could you--"

"I'll call front desk right now. Don't worry, it won't take more than a minute. Just wait there, okay?"

"Sure, no hurry."

I saw Kate rolling her eyes at my comment.

"Okay, wait two minutes and then enter again. It'll be sorted out by then."

"Thanks."

I almost heard him smiling. "It's nothing. Hmm..."

I knew Kevin couldn't say it, so I did it for him. "I love you too."

"See ya in a minute. Bye."

"Okie dokie. Bye."

I hung up and gave Kate the sum up of what had happened in the past two minutes. She was laughing rather loud when I told her about Kevin thinking Howie was hitting on me and I pretending it to be true.

"Idiot.'

"I thought you, of all people, would find it funny."

She seemed to think about it. "Well, yeah, but still."

We turned to look at the receptionist right as she picked up the phone.

"Do you think that's Kevin?"

I couldn't be sure; it had only passed three minutes. I shrugged. "Lets see."

We walked inside and the woman was glaring at us once again, but this time it seemed like she was doing it from her insides out. That look of utter hatred she was giving us could only mean that had been Kevin.

"Good afternoon," I said as politely as I could muster while presumption threatened to spill from me. We're going to Branch's studio."

The woman nodded, not even needing to see her list. Yep. It had been Kevin. "Of course," she said with smile so tight, pulling her cheeks so hard, I thought she might give herself an aneurysm from the effort. "Forth floor."

"Thanks," I told her, extended my arm to Kate and we walked towards the elevator.

"Bitch," Kate said, not low at all.

"Hey, she can hear you."

"That's my point, you know."

I rolled my eyes as we stepped into the elevator. When we arrived at the studio, Kate and I could just part our lips in awe.

People were coming and going, the boys scattered around the room. Brian was getting his picture taken on the side. Alex and Nick, side by side, were before a white background.

Kevin walked towards us. He smiled tenderly at me. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself."

Suddenly, totally out of the blue, I felt like back at high school. He was grinning at me from ear to ear, a soft blush on his cheeks, and something told me I had a very similar look on my face.

Kate coughed, and Kevin blinked before turning to see her. "It's good you're both here."

"Sure it is," Kate muttered under her breath and I just laughed. She was feeling a little neglected.

She shrugged nonchalantly while Kevin frowned. I waved it off dismissively.

Green eyes lowered towards my left arms. "Hey, I can see your arm."

I glared at him. "Very funny."

"Can you wiggle your fingers?"

I did as he asked. "My wrist it's still sore and the doctor told me not to push it."

"That's good to know."

"Like we're actually doing something," Kate said with a sarcastic smile. "We're just vegging here."

"Vegging?"

Kate nodded. "You know, being a vegetable."

Kevin rolled his eyes, and then frowned for a second. "Oh, right, what about your eyes?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? I'm gonna need glasses."

Kevin gave me a small smile, before turning to see where the guys were. "I wish we could talk more, but..."

"It's okay."

"I don't think we'll be done before half an hour."

I shrugged. "Don't worry, we can wait."

"Sure?"

"Sure," I waved him over to where the boys were standing. "Go, have your picture taken. We'll be fine here."

"Okay, take whatever you want from the table." With another sweet smile, he was off.

"Well, that's good to know," Kate said as we walked towards the food table on the side of the wall. "I'm starving."

I got a coke and a small sandwich while Kate picked two sandwiches and stole sips from my coke. We sat by the side, looking at the boys from time to time.