~ Chapter 5 ~
Loreto and Shae-Lyn sat in the VIP section, front row at the Belguim Expo watching their idols strut their stuff on stage. Shae-Lyn was bouncing up and down in her seat. She couldn't believe that she was here. Loreto, on the other hand, had grown quiet after the first 20 minutes of the show. "What's wrong, Lo?" Shae-Lyn yelled, trying to be heard above the screams emitting from the fans around her.
"Something's wrong with Kev," she stated, a look of consternation lining her face.
"You've just figured this out?" Shae-Lyn joked, laughing.
"Im serious Shae. He's messed up four times already. Did you see what he did during QPG? It's not like Kevin to miss his steps. Especially ones he's been dancing to since 1995. And he forgot his lines in Show Me the Meaning. Nick had to remind him."
"I know. But it's a new song. Stop cross-examining every move he makes and watch the others for a bit."
Loreto shook her head. "I just wanna know what's up with him. I hope he's not sick."
"You really got it bad!"
"Like you don't?!?" Loreto shot back, blushing.
"Well, yea, but I'm not so obvious."
After the show, Loreto, who still hadn't told Shae anything, dragged her through a door and down a hallway. "Where the hell are we going?" Shae demanded.
"Restrooms."
"They aren't this way. We have to go back to where...."
Loreto cut her off. "These are special restrooms the guests with VIP tickets can use. They won't be full of hysterical fans."
"Cool."
Loreto pushed open a door before Shae could read the lettering that said "VIP Lounge." There were a bunch of people standing around. A woman with red hair came over to them.
"This isn't the restroom," Shae said to Loreto, eying the woman with suspicion. She looked familiar.
"Hello," she said, smiling at the two girls. "Which one of you is Loreto?"
"I am," Loreto said, holding out her hand.
The woman shook her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Denise McLean."
Shae-Lyn almost choked on her chewing gum. No wonder she looked familiar. This was AJ's mom.
Loreto grabbed Shae's arm, propelling her forward. "This is my best-friend Shae-Lyn. She'll be travelling with me."
Denise shook Shae-Lyn's hand, smiling at the girl's clearly stunned expression. She had a feeling that Loreto had not told her friend everything.
The door opened and Kevin, AJ, and Howie walked into the room. Loreto and Shae-Lyn stared at them. Denise told them she would be back with the boys once Brian and Nick, who were still being interviewed, got there. Shae-Lyn grabbed Loreto's arm and pushed her into the hallway. Not the same hallway they had been in before. "When were you planning on telling me about this? And how does Denise know your name?!" she demanded, half-angry, half-elated.
"It was a surprise."
"I'll say! I almost crapped my pants when they walked in."
Loreto burst out laughing. "There's more."
"Put it this way, not only do you get to meet Mr. Carter, but you get to spend the next three months with him."
"WHAT???" Shae-Lyn screeched, grinning like a fool. "Are you serious? How? Who? Why?"
"You forgot where." Loreto said, laughing.
"Shut up and tell me what you're talking about."
"Well, I wasn't exactly honest with you about my job. I'm not working for Finkelstein & Finkelstein. I'm working for The Firm as their on the road Marketing Specialist. Which means that I get to tour with the BSBs."
"Oh my God! You little imp! You actually had me believing that cockamamie story that you told me. And all this time you got a job with the BSBs and you kept it from me. You're good."
Loreto grinned, patting herself. "I know."
Shae-Lyn stood quietly for a minute. "Lo?"
"What?"
"I'm going to crap my pants. I can't believe that I get to spend three months with Nick Carter. I need to scream or something. I'm so nervous, I'm shaking. Thank God I took some Immodium AD before we left for the concert."
"Only you Shae. Just calm down. He ain't Kevin after all."
"Thank God for small favors," Shae said, laughing.
"You should be thanking me for bringing you with me and not insulting the greatest male speciman alive."
"Speciman of what?" Shae asked, as the door opened. Denise motioned for them to come back in. "Brian and Nicky are here now."
Shae went white. "Oh God. This is it."
Loreto took her arm as they entered the room. Shae spotted Nick right away. He was half-sitting, half-lying on the couch, eyes closed. "Oh God I wanna jump him," Shae whispered to Loreto.
"No you don't. They might arrest you," she whispered back.
"Boys, I want you to meet two very special young ladies," Denise announced as the guys came over to her. Nick opened his eyes and sat up. "This is Loreto Perez. She is the one I was telling you about that will working with you throughout this tour and hopefully into the next one." The guys smiled at her. Howie embraced her. "Welcome to the BSB family," he said warmly.
"And this other young lady is her friend Shae-Lyn. Sorry, I didn't get your last name?"
"Scott."
"Shae-Lyn Scott. She'll be travelling with us, too. Try and behave yourselves around them." Denise warned, giving them the evil eye.
"We're good boys," AJ said, laughing.
"Where y'all from?" Brian asked.
"Im from Mississauga, Ontario. That's right outside Toronto."
She looked at Shae, who was pretending not to stare at Nick. "And my friend here, who seems to have misplaced her vocal chords since she saw Nick, is from Montreal." Shae-Lyn went red as the guys chuckled. Nick didn't even look at them.
"Gotta love Canada!" AJ exclaimed.
"As long as you're not getting hurt," Loreto commented.
"He just does that so he can go clubbing and not have to do the show," Howie cracked.
"Yea, that's right. I get my foot run over by a 1000 ton van so I can go club-hopping. Hopping being the key word."
Shae-Lyn laughed. "I saw that on TV. You looked like you were in major pain. I felt bad for you."
"Thanks," AJ said.
Loreto looked from Nick to Shae. "Shae, weren't you telling me that Nick got hurt at the Molson Centre in early 98?"
Nick looked up at them for the first time. He hadn't been listening or paying attention. "Me?" he said, looking at Shae.
Shae-Lyn swallowed nervously. "I heard that you slipped on the wet floor and hurt your back."
He stared at her for a few seconds, not saying anything. Shae looked away as his eyes bore into hers. Then he said, "I did. Hurt like hell. But I lived. For a while anyway," he mumbled the last part and only Shae heard him. He stood up, looking at Denise. "Look, I'm tired. Can we go back to the hotel now?"
"Yes. We can go," she said. "Now that the fans have cleared out."
"So Nicky. Which one of 'em do you want?" Howie asked, punching him playfully in the arm.
"What?" Nick asked.
"Loreto or Shae-Lyn. Which one?"
"Neither." Nick answered flatly.
"Well, Shae seems to have it bad for you. She kept staring at you. On the way here, she would sneak peeks at you from the corner of her eyes."
"And you know this because?"
"I was staring at her," Howie confessed. "She's pretty cute."
"Then you can have her. She doesn't interest me at all."
"Why not?"
"She's fat."
"Nick! Don't be an ass. She's not that big." Howie defended her.
"She is so. Besides, I'm not looking for a girlfriend."
"If it was Angel, you wouldn't be saying this."
"Don't talk about her!" Nick shouted.
"You know something, bro? You're an idiot. You've been living inside that shell of yours for over a year now, dreaming of some woman that you've never met, let alone know anything about. If you think that she's gonna come back to you, think again. If she's even real. But I'll go with the majority on this one. It was all in your head. So move on and get a life for heaven sakes!"
"F**K YOU!" Nick yelled, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.
He stomped down the hall, no idea where he was going. He turned the corner towards the elevators and crashed head on into someone. "Sorry," he mumbled, looking down and realizing who it was.
"It's ok," Shae said, smiling. "Where are you going?"
He rolled his eyes. Great. What was he gonna do now?
|
