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GOTCHA! Chapter 3
The next couple of hours were spent watching the guys rehearse for the show that night. Occasionally one of them would come down and sit with me, getting to know me on a one to one basis. It was great. I was having the time of my life. It seemed now that I was leaning more toward falling in love with AJ the performer. There was just something about him that was drawing me to him. Thoughts of what I would try to capture on tape were running through my head. I was going to have to lay down some ground rules with the guys. I had grabbed a pen and a pad of paper and was writing down my ideas. I became so engrossed in it that I hadn't noticed that the guys were done and had gathered around me. "Talk with each of them about sex? You really want to do that?" Nick asked turning a little red. Since Nick was the youngest, I figured that he had yet to encounter his first experience. I snapped my head up and flipped the
pad over. I didn't want them to see what I had planned. I wanted
everything to be completely spontaneous. I could feel myself turn red.
"Uhm ... Yeah. I think some of the older fans would like to know
these kinds of things. I know I certainly do." I stammered. The guys said that they were going to go outside and greet some of the fans. I was welcome to come with them or go straight to the limo. After asking if the press was still out there, I opted to go right to the limo. The guys gathered around me and escorted me to the limo. The press jumped the second the door opened. They hadn't managed to get a picture of me yet. I collapsed in the limo and waited for the guys to finish, making more notes. If I was going to be given the opportunity to do this, it was going to be awesome. The guys joined me about an hour later. I had used almost the whole pad of paper writing down things that I wanted to talk about and capture on video. When the door opened the press swooped down, trying to get a picture of me. "Don't you guys ever get tired of that?" I asked. "Of what, the fans or the press?" Howie asked sitting beside me. " Both." AJ sat on the other side of me answered, "The fans no. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here." This was one thing that I found interesting. "Now okay, I haven't been hired for this yet, so answer honestly. That is one thing that all celebrities say, if it wasn't for the fans. But come on. Young, screaming girls. That has to get old and a little tiresome?" All the guys looked at one another and then nodded their heads. "It does." Kevin said. "Sometimes, you just want to be alone, with some peace and quite, but you can't. The fans need your attention. The press always wants your time. They don't realize how valuable it is." "So then, would you ever give it up?" I wondered. "I don't think so. I mean, we all
love performing. Some day we will leave it, but not for a very long
time." Nick answered. "Erin, wake up." I heard from somewhere. I was in a deep sleep and could hear someone calling at me, but I didn't recognize the voice. "Erin, it's time to go." "Time to go where?" I asked in my sleep. "We have to go to the concert." they answered. I opened my eyes, what the hell was going on? I looked up and saw AJ standing over me. "What the fuck?" I said bolting up. I was dreaming. "We need to get going, you are coming to the show right?" He asked helping me up. It took me a minute to remember what was going on. I was in Toronto, with the Backstreet Boys. I was this close to doing that video I had thought about. This wasn't a dream. "Oh, shit. I just need a second to freshen up." I mumbled as I made my way to the bathroom. I grabbed my toothbrush and started to brush my teeth as AJ followed me. "Why, you look great." He said quietly. I looked over at him and saw something in his eyes. "I just feel kind of icky. I'll just be a second. Sorry about this." "No problem. They can't start the show without us." He laughed. I laughed as well, "No I guess they can't. But I don't want to be the one responsible for making you late the first time that I am here." A miracle happened and I was ready in five minutes. AJ escorted me downstairs where the other guys were waiting, meeting with fans. We hopped into the limo and took off for the stadium. By the time that we got there, the guys had me laughing so hard I was crying. This was something else that I wanted to get on video. All the fans knew that Nick and Brian were hams, but they had no idea of how much. We managed to get into the building without the press getting to us. The guys were taken to the change room, I followed. There was so much activity going on that I got lost. I started to walk around the stadium, looking for a sign of someone I knew. Considering that I had only met the guys, there wasn't much hope for me. I had made my way down onto the floor, but since I had no ticket, no backstage pass or anything that would connect me with the group, I was turned away. I however was getting very nervous, I didn't like the feeling that I had no control. I started to argue with the guard. "Listen, I belong back there. I am not just some crazed fan that wants to get back stage." I said trying to remain calm. "Too bad. You have no ID, no one recognizes you, no dice. Now just go back to your seat. The boys are busy they don't want to be bothered by you!" the guard replied very rudely. I felt myself starting to lose what little control I had left, "Look, the reason that no one recognizes me is that I haven't met any of them yet. I have only met the guys. I flew in this morning. There wasn't time. I have to get back stage. I am sure that they are looking for me." I stated. The guard and I fought back and forth for several minutes. I was getting very upset and angry. The guard just as much. He had more important things to do than argue with me. It wasn't until I saw Howie out of the corner of my eye that I relaxed. "Howie!" I yelled. Howie looked over at our direction, a smile came to his lips and he ran over. "Erin, we have been looking all over for you. Where did you go?" He asked. I looked at the guard and with the look that I had, he immediately opened the gate and let me through. "Apology accepted." Was all I said as I walked away with Howie. "That guy was a fool. Nothing I said would get him to let me pass." "Well, we should have given you a card at the hotel. Sorry about that. Here you can have this one." he replied giving me a card with a rope attached to it. I quickly hung it around my neck, "That's okay. I am back now and that is all that matters to me. So is it always this crazy before a show?" "Sometimes more. Come on, AJ is worried. We better let him know that you are okay, he is convinced that you have been accosted." Howie laughed "He is?" I asked not sure that I heard him right. First the remark at the hotel and now this. What was going on? We made it back to the guys dressing room, as luck would have it, just as AJ was pulling his pants' up. "Perfect timing. Nice." I commented as I looked AJ right in the eyes. "I aim to please." He laughed. Once he was all dressed, he came and sat over by me, "What happened to you?" As I explained what happened the others gathered around to hear my tale. Before I knew it, their manager was telling them that it was time to go on stage. AJ grabbed my hand and pulled me out with them. Just as he was about to run up on stage, he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. What the hell? I thought.
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