The Story of Us (Book 1 of "The Story of Us" Series) [Completed]

Chapter 17 - Better Than Revenge

[Harley]

August 2003 was probably one of the weirdest months of my life. 

After being dumped by Nick in July, I went on my first date, a blind date, with Tom Brady of all people. I had an awesome time with him. He was nice, shared some of the same interest as me and most importantly, he wasn't Nick. He was older, more sophisticated and mature. And he was a damn good kisser that first night we went out. I ended up going out with him two more times. 

The first time was in Boston, when I went to meet a contest winner. The second time was when the Patriots came to Atlanta for a pre-season game with the Atlanta Falcons so he was in Atlanta the day before the game. 

We went out to eat, sat and talked for a while and then we ended up going back to his hotel. While nothing happened, something almost came close to happening. The next night I went to the game with my father who was in town visiting. 

My Dad loved Tom from the moment he met him. 

"This is the kind of boy you need to be with," my Dad told me while we were sitting in a private box seat watching the game. 

After the game, my father headed back to the house and I hung out with Tom at the hotel bar with a few of the other players, playing pool and hanging fun since they were celebrating their win. Tom and I ended up going back to his hotel room. We started making out, clothes started coming off, lips everywhere and I was really about to have sex with Tom Brady until I said someone else's name – Nick's. 

That was pretty much the end of my short relationship with Tom Brady. 

I was embarrassed, so embarrassed, but I took it as a sign that I wasn't ready for that part of a relationship. 

Deep down, and as much as I hated it, I still loved Nick. And my father was very disappointed when I told him that Tom and I probably wouldn't be seeing anymore of one another. I didn't have time for another relationship anyway, or at least that's what I thought. 

While my album was finished, the photos had been shot and a music video for the first single was being set up, I was starting work on my first movie, a comedy with Ashton Kutcher. Granted I wasn't the lead female character, but I was the second lead actress. If I had won an Oscar for it, it would have been Best Supporting Actress.

 I had always crushed on Ashton, seeing him on "That 70's Show" or in "Dude, Where's My Car?" but meeting him was a whole other experience. 

Our first day on the set of the movie, in New York, was amazing. We instantly clicked and I knew that making this movie was going to be the time of my life. 

Then I realized I was getting a little crush on him, especially when we decided we were going to go to the VMA's together. But I didn't have time to worry about a crush. I was getting ready for the VMA's where I was going to perform a song that hadn't been heard by anyone else except the producer and my label. It was going to either be a performance that was going to make me or break me – I wasn't sure which yet. 

I was scared, petrified and ready to run and hide in Norway or something, but I knew I had to do it. Then I found out that the director and production company for the movie didn't want Ashton and I to attend the awards together, even though he was introducing my performance.... 

The performance of a song that was going to make Nick Carter so mad that he would probably want to kill me. 

[/Harley]

[September 2003] 

"Nick, you're going to love the MTV VMA Awards," Paris smiled as she and Nick rode in the back of the limo, feet away from where they would be getting out to walk the red carpet.