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GOTCHA! Chapter 2
I couldn't believe this. I shut off my VCR and put in their latest album, Millennium, cranked it as loud as it would go and ran to my room to start packing clothes. I had to take only my best. Then it hit me. I had to take some time off of work. I may need only two days, but if this was going to happen I may have to quit. I decided to speak with my boss in the morning. Let him know what was going on. I may not need his job anymore. Roughly an hour later, my phone rang again. I jumped down the hallway, grabbed the phone and then turned the stereo off. "Hello." I said with great enthusiasm. "Erin, it's AJ." "Hey, what's up." I replied as though he was my best friend. "I just wanted you to know, that there will be a ticket waiting for you at the customer service desk at your airport. You leave at 7:00am your time. Get to Toronto at 12:00 noon their time. There will be a limo waiting for you. I think that one of our guards will pick you up. He will have a sign. You will stay with us for three days. By then we should have an answer and we will let you know what is going to happen." AJ explained to me. "Sounds fantastic. I will be there with bells on. Is there anything that I should for sure bring? Other than the normal things that I will need?" I asked wondering what the plan was for those three days. "Just what you think you need. Listen, I have to go, we'll see you in a few days." He finished and then hung up. Again I jumped around my living room. The next few days went by in a total blur. My boss was very understanding when I told him what had happened. He agreed to give me a couple of days off for the trip to Toronto and then we would see after the guys had decided what they were going to do. I was running around town like a crazy woman. Making sure that I had everything that I would need. I had drawn up a sort of outline of something to present to the guys. I wanted to seem professional about this. I didn't think that the time would ever arrive to leave for the airport. I had my best friend drive me, she was as excited about this as I was. By the time that I arrived in Toronto, I was a nervous wreck. I was doing just fine the whole week, but once I heard that landing gear go down, that was it. I lost it. I had never met a celebrity in my life and it didn't help matters that I lusted after all five of them. My hands were shaking, my heart was beating a mile a minute, I had to get things under control before I met them. AJ was true to his word, there was a
guard waiting for me when I got off the plane. He helped me with my bag
and then directed me to the limo. I was a little taken aback by the
courtesy that he was showing. Opening doors and the whole bit. When I
climbed into the limo, I found that my hand had landed right on AJ. "Duh, AJ, who else would it be?" Howie laughed. He turned to me and smiled, my heart dropped to my feet. "Hi, I'm Howie D." he said reaching his hand out to me. When I gave him my hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. No wonder they nicknamed him "Sweet D." So much for control, "Yeah
..." I breathed. I looked around the limo and found that all the
guys had come to greet me. "Nick, Brian, Kevin and I have already
met AJ." I laughed hoping to make it sound as though I knew what I
was doing. "Erin." Was all Nick said. I was a little disappointed Nick didn't take my hand, but then AJ reached for it. Forcing me to look in his eyes, one of those rare moments he wasn't wearing sunglasses. His eyes went right through me. "And I am very pleased to meet you. It is nice to put a face to the name now." AJ added. "Well guys, I have to say that I am surprised you all came. I was expecting to have to make small talk with the driver." I laughed again. I hoped that they couldn't tell how nervous I was. "What's up first on the agenda?" "Well, we are going to get to know you a little, then ask you some questions about what you have planned. We are going to the rehearsal right now. You are welcome to join us, unless you want to head to the hotel and get some rest or something." AJ explained. "I would love to go to a rehearsal. I have always wanted to see one of those." I admitted. I was still in shock. I wanted to stick my head out the sunroof and scream to the world that I was in a limo, alone, with five of the most wanted guys in the music industry. "Actually, I have a confession to make. I have never seen you in concert before." "How come?" Howie asked with interest. "When you first came to my hometown, I wasn't a fan. I was a little miffed when I saw that you had only three Canadian dates this time. None of which were close to me by the way." I explained with a laugh. "So, Erin, what made you want to do this?" Nick asked "Well, way back when the New Kids were around, I was a huge fan." I started. I looked over at AJ, "I think I put this in my letter. I always wondered what really went on behind the scenes. I mean, not everything is peaches and cream. There had to be fights and what not. That was what I wanted to know. I was watching your All Access video. Where you gave a behind the scenes look at Everybody." They all nodded. "It was at the part when you were shooting As Long As You Love Me and Nick was sleeping in the motor home. It just flew into my head. That is what I want to see. Things like that. What goes on when you don't realize that there are cameras around." "So you want the dirt?" Kevin asked I smiled in his direction, "Basically. I want to see what you guys look like when you sleep. And what you sleep in, wouldn't be too bad." I added with a mischievous grin. The guys all looked around at each other and smiled. "Well, it sounds like it would be a fantastic video. When would you want to do it?" Brian wondered. "I think as soon as possible. I mean, with the new album and the new tour, the timing couldn't have been better. I would have to clean up a few things at home before I could really start, but as soon as possible." I said. "Well, we will talk it over amongst ourselves, our management and then we will let you know for sure. " Kevin finished. "Now, let's get to know you. If you are going to follow me around with a video camera, I want to know a little about you." As the guys fired questions at me, my mind raced in a million different directions. I was sitting comfortably beside AJ, who had his arm around the back of the seat. I felt very relaxed, knowing that his arm was there. I answered all of their questions with what I hoped was grace and dignity and yet not giving too much of myself away, so soon after meeting them. An hour after we left the airport we arrived at the stadium. There were fans and reporters every where. I wasn't prepared for that. I had forgotten what vultures the press can be. Nick, Howie and Brian got out of the limo first. I followed and then AJ and Kevin were last. The second that the press realized that I was not one of them, they sprang into action. Yelling a thousand questions, trying their hardest to get a picture. Wanting to know who I was and what I was doing with the Backstreet Boys. AJ and Howie instantly came to my
defense, shielding me from the cameras. Nick and Brian went to answer a
few questions, while Kevin went to get the door. They were going to come
out later and sign some autographs and what not for the fans. Right now,
it seemed as though their main concern was to get me inside, quickly. I nodded my head, "Yeah. I had forgotten about the press. I remember what they were like with the New Kids. They can be quite over whelming." "That they can be." Howie laughed.
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