Chapter 5

            The minutes passed quietly as Drew sat in the hotel lobby alone.  It was almost one the next morning, but he didn't feel like sleeping.  He felt as if this was the only way to escape the chaos that's been going on the past few hours.  A couple of people walked by, but they didn't bother to look at him.

            All Drew thought about was saying good-bye to Jen.  It was something he never wanted to do.  The thought of leaving her at a time she was most fragile made him feel extremely depressed.  He never wanted to hurt her feelings, but understood if he defied the others, he would be taking an enormous risk.  Everything seemed hopeless.

            "Why can't I be normal like everyone else?"  Drew asked himself.  "Why do I have to be popular?"

            "I don't know, but you chose to do this after you signed the contract," a voice said form behind him.  Drew turned around and saw Jeff standing behind him.

            "What are you doing here?" he asked.

            "I thought I would find you here.  Besides, I need to talk to you about Jen," Jeff answered.  "Sorry I overreacted when you told me you liked her.  I just haven't seen her in a long time and I hadn't realized how much she’d grown up while I was gone."

            "Hey, I understand.  You're still a little overprotective of your cousin."

            "I guess it's because I haven't been around to watch her grow up.  You can ask her out if you want.  I know you'll take good care of her," Jeff said, "or I'll have to kill you."

            "I promise I'll be good to her.  Thank you so much, Jeff.  This means a lot," Drew replied.  "So, I can ask her out, right?"

            "Yes, now shut up before I change my mind."

            "Thanks, bud!"  Drew exclaimed.  He got up and began walking out of the hotel.

            "Where are you going in the middle of the night?"  Jeff asked as he watched him leave.

            "I gotta do something.  I'll be back later."

An Hour Later at the Hospital

            Jen lay on her bed unable to fall asleep.  Her thoughts kept drifting back to her long chat with Drew.  She was almost unable to pay attention to what he was saying because of her deep gaze into his hazel eyes.  They reminded her of Dan's, but she never wanted to think about him ever again.  Drew seemed too sweet compared to what Jeff had told her.

            A couple of seconds later, Jen heard the door creek open.  She tried to make it look as if she were asleep, but kept one eye slightly open to see who had come in.  It was probably a nurse making her nightly rounds, then she saw a jacket, blue jeans, and messed up hair.  Jen knew it was someone else.  She opened her eye a little wider for a better look.

            In the pale white light, Jen could make out a man's body.  As he came closer to her bed, she could see his distinct facial features and strong muscles.  "Hi, Drew," Jen whispered into the darkness.

            Drew gave a small cry before catching himself.  "What are you doing up?"

            "Couldn't sleep," Jen simply replied.  She hoisted herself up higher onto the pillow so her neck brace wouldn't dig into her collar bone.

            "Me neither.  I just wanted to come down here and see you before I left, and I wanted to tell you something," Drew said.

            "Go ahead and tell me.  What's on your mind?" she asked.

            "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you ever since we first met.  That's why I wasn't able to sleep.  Ever since I laid eyes on you, I knew you'd be the perfect girl for me.  Spending that time with you just made everything seem to find into place perfectly.  I'm gonna skip the rest of this long, boring speech and get to the good part.  Will you go out with me and be my girlfriend when you're up to it?"  Drew questioned, pulling a small box out of his pocket.

            Jen could feel the tears well up in her eyes as he opened it to pull out a thin silver ring.  He slipped it around the middle finger of her right hand and kissed it gently.  "I'd love to," Jen wept softly.  Drew slowly bent down to give her a kiss when the nurse walked in.

            "Excuse me, sir, but you have to leave, now!" she said in a harsh tone.

            "I'll see you later.  I've gotta leave today, but I'll be back to say good-bye."  Drew took Jen's hand and kissed it again.  She reluctantly let go as he left the room.

            "Good night," Jen said.

            "Night, sweetheart," Drew replied.  He walked into the hallway and began to head for the parking lot.  Just as he was getting into his rental car, his cell phone began to ring.

            "Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?" he happily answered.      

            "Drew?  Have you gone crazy or something?" the person on the other end asked.

            "No, Nick.  If I had gone crazy, you could have the liberty of taking me to the mental institution," Drew said sarcastically.

            "Ha ha, funny.  Where the hell have you been all night?"

            "Out," he smartly retorted.

            "Well, while you've been out, all hell broke loose.  Our flight's been canceled because of incoming storms.  We've only got one chance to get out and that's now.  There's another jet for New York in half an hour.  If we hurry, we just might make it," Nick explained.

            "Wait, what?  You're saying we have to leave now?  I won't be able to say good-bye to Jen," Drew complained.

            "Too bad.  We need to be in New York today!  We're doing the Letterman show, then there's that MTV special.  We can't afford to miss this flight."

            "Oh, come on.  I promised Jen I'd say bye to her before I left.  I just can't break my promise," he replied.

            "Forget it Drew.  You can call her and tell her, just get your ass to the airport in 25 minutes.  We'll be waiting for you," Nick said before he hung up.

            Drew couldn't believe his ears.  He wasn't going to be able to say good-bye to Jen.  He thought about the consequences.  Jen would never forgive him.  He was more afraid of losing her than he was of getting killed by Jeff.  He actually loved Jen.