Chapter 1

All of the Boys’s girlfriends had chosen this particular morning to bring up long, painful subjects to argue about with their significant others.

Staightening his shirt to make sure that it looked just right, Brian covered the mouthpiece to his cell phone and yelled out, “God, you guys, come on! Argue with them some other time! Y’all have 20 minutes to get your asses ready and get outta here! You don’t have time for this! Y’all aren’t even dressed yet!”

He was met with a glare from Kevin, an impatient waving-off from Nick, a shout from Howie that he was nearly ready, and complete oblivion from AJ.

“Great,” he muttered. “We’re never gonna make it in time.”

“Really, I don’t know why I waste my breath,” he continued to himself. “They never listen anyway.”

And so the battles continued. This was a daily occurrence, just usually not so bad. Brian suddenly became aware that his fiancee was babbling angrily in his ear.

“Sorry baby, I’m back,” he said.

“What?!” Leighanne screeched. “You mean to tell me that you haven’t been paying a bit of attention to what I’ve been saying for the past few minutes?!”

“I’m sorry Leigh! I had to tell the guys to get ready. We only have 17 minutes until we have to leave this hotel and go to meet our new choreographer and start workin’ on our performance for the Video Music Awards,” he said apologetically.

“I waste more breath on you that you never listen to, Brian Littrell!” she raved.

“I do listen, Leigh,” Brian tried to argue.

“No, you don’t! I swear, you have got to be…”

Brian unconciously started to tune her voice out. He looked down at his watch and saw that they only had 15 minutes left to get ready. So he decided to take some serious action.

“Leigh, baby, I know you’re upset, but I really gotta go. I’ll call you back later. I’m hanging up now and turning my cell phone off. I love you,” he said mechanically.

With Leighanne still rambling on furiously, he clicked the phone off and marched over to AJ, tapping on his shoulder. AJ just turned his back to Brian, annoyed. So Brian grabbed his cell phone and began speaking.

He could hear Amanda yelling angrily at AJ and he cut into her sentence.

“Amanda, look darlin’, I know you’re upset and I don’t know what about, but AJ really has to get ready to go and there’s only about 15 minutes for him to do that in. Yes, he’ll call you back later. I hope you feel better, honey,” he crooned sweetly into the phone with a sugar-coated voice.

AJ, meanwhile, was sputtering in shock. Brian clicked off his cell phone and handed it back to him.

“Get dressed and get ready to go,” Brian ordered him. “You have 15 minutes.”

Still angry, AJ glared at him and stomped off to get ready.

Brian now walked over to Kevin and instead of being polite, just snatched his phone from his hand.

“Hey Kris, how ya doin’? Awe, you sound upset. Are you okay? Good, I’m glad to hear that. Well, Kevin has to go and get ready to work on our performance for the VMA’s so he’ll call you back and you two can continue this later, okay? Okay sweetie, I love you, too. Bye now,” Brian said in the same charming, sweet voice, trying to evade Kevin’s snatches.

With that, he switched off the phone and, with a smile, dropped the phone onto Kevin’s bed, calling over his shoulder, “You have 15 minutes to get ready to go.”

Kevin balled up his fists and punched a pillow. Brian had a lotta nerve.

Deciding to use the previous method on Nick, he walked into the next room and heard Nick yelling angrily at Mandy. Mandy was yelling back so loudly that Brian could hear her when he walked in the door.

“You have no right to tell me what I can and can’t do! You’re not my fucking momma! I don’t give a shit…” Nick yelled, not even seeing Brian coming.

Suddenly, Brian reached up and yanked the cell phone away from Nick’s ear. Mandy was very loudly cussing up a storm at Nick. Brian interrupted in that extremely sugar-coated voice that he had down so well.

“Mandy? Hey there, Lil’ Panda. Calm down, now. I’m not Nick, don’t yell at me. Look babe, I don’t know what you two are fighting about, and I don’t think I want to, but we’ve really gotta go in like 10 minutes to work on the VMA’s and Nick is still standing here in his boxers. He really needs to get ready and you know how long he takes. Yeah, I’ll have him call you back later, sugar. I know that y’all need to work this out, but you understand showbiz. Okay hun, love ya too. Bye.”

Nick glared at Brian with his mouth open. Brian just smiled and handed his cell phone back to him with the order, “Get ready…now! You got 10 minutes.”

Orlando, FL Oh, Brian had a lot of nerve. Hanging up on his own fiancee. Well, Leighanne thought. I suppose a little getting even wouldn’t hurt. And it’d cheer me up so much. She pouted her lips and picked up her cell phone, quickly dialing the number she knew so well. On the 3rd ring, he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Chris?” Leighanne asked sweetly.

“Leigh?” he replied, his voice softening.

“Yeah, how are you?” she asked.

“I’m great, sweet thang. Even better now that you called,” Chris answered.

In the background, Leighanne could hear someone yell out, “Who ya talkin’ to?”

She grinned and said, “Tell Josh hi for me.”

“Leigh says hi, JC,” Chris repeated.

The cell phone was then snatched from Chris.

“Wassup Leighanne?” JC yelled.

“Sup Josh?” she laughed.

“Nuttin’ much!” he replied.

“LEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!” another voice yelled, hyperly.

And again the cell phone was taken.

“Leigh!! Leigh-Leigh!” Justin yelled.

“Justy!!!! What’s goin’ on?” she yelled back.

“Nada, what are you up to girl?” Justin asked. “That jerk of a fiancee treatin you bad again? You callin Chris to get you some sugar? Why don’t you ever call me to get some booty, huh?”

“Jeez, full of questions aren’t we?” Leighanne demanded.

“Yeah, so?” he replied.

Leighanne laughed, “Yeah, Brian hung up on me again. ‘Business calling’ or some shit like that. And yeah, I’m callin’ Chris to get some sugar. Just like I’ve been doing for the past 5 years. And why don’t I call you for booty? Because you’re like 12 years younger than me, Jus!”

“So?!” he replied indignantly.

“So that’s a lotta difference!” Leighanne told him.

She could hear JC and Chris in the background yelling at Justin, demanding that he give them back the phone.

Then Chris managed to obtain his cell phone again.

“Leighanne? Are you still there?” he asked, exasperated.

“Yes, I’m still here,” she laughed.

“So, do you wanna get together?” Chris asked shyly.

“That is why I called, sweets. When?” she asked, voice sugar-sweet.

“How about I have a limo waiting outside your door in 2 hours to take you to the airport? And then have a flight waiting for you to Los Angeles? And we can meet up here?” Chris suggested.

“That sounds great!” Leighanne replied. “I’ll see you then.”

“Okay babe, see ya then. Love ya. Bye!” Chris said happily.

“Love ya too,” Leighanne replied.

New York City, NY

Finally, all the Boys were ready to go. Brian herded them all up and headed down to the lobby to meet their waiting limo.

They all climbed in the limo and were off to a private gym to practice and meet their new choreographer.

I hope she’s nice, Brian thought to himself. I wonder what she looks like, what kind of person she is. They really haven’t told us much about her. Geez, I hope Leigh’s not too mad at me for hanging up on her. She just never knows when to stop and when I have to go, I have to go.

God, Nick thought to himself angrily, raking a hand through his messy blonde hair.This damn choreographer better be nice. I’m not in the mood today. I can’t believe Brian took my phone from me. And hung up with Mandy! And then that whole bullshit with Mandy. Who does she think she is? She can’t control me. Why am I even with her still? Why do I put up with this? I don’t really love her. I just don’t want it all over the damn tabloids…again! Christ, screw it. I’m breaking it off…for good this time.

What was Amanda bitching at me about this time? AJ wondered. I was hardly even paying attention. And then Brian came in and hung up with her. Like I couldn’t have done that myself! There’s something up with her. Something’s going on that she’s not telling me. Oh well, I don’t care. I hope this choreographer bitch is nice or I’m gonna have to go off.

Damn you, Brian, Kevin cursed at his cousin silently. Why’d you have to go butt in with Kristin? Now she’s gonna be mad and bitch at me even more. Fuck, I’m so sick of her bitching. She’s pissed cuz we’re going to see a damn choreographer to work with her on a performance! Christ, what’s next, is she gonna not let me go on tour anymore or be in Backstreet? Fuck that…I wonder if this is gonna really work out for much longer. She’s so controlling…I hope we get there soon and get this day over with already.

Jeez, you can tell they’re all mad, Howie thought to himself. Their girlfriends all treat them like shit. But at least they have girlfriends. Damn, I don’t even have one. That really sucks. But I’m being treated good…by no one.

The limo arrived at a huge, secured building. The Boys slowly got out of the limo and, with Brian in the lead and the rest trailing behind, walked into the gym.

Once they got inside, they were directed down several hallways to a large gym where their choreographer and dancers were already waiting.

Brian cringed at the announcement. They were late and he was sure the others wouldn’t be too happy.

So much for a good first impression, he thought.

“Great, you guys. We’re late. I know the rest of you don’t care, but Howie and I actually like making good impressions!” Brian chastised loudly.

“Christ, Brian!” AJ exploded. “Why are you so damn worried about making a good impression on the bitch?!”

“Because I know that we’ll be working with her for a while, AJ, and I’d like to make that an easy thing to do!” Brian snapped back.

Both moved towards each other, looking a little more than angry.

Kevin stepped between them and pushed them apart.

“Okay y’all, that’s enough. AJ, you need to shut your cocky mouth and keep your bad mood to your damn self. Brian, quit getting on everyone’s case,” Kevin said.

Brian pulled away and continued walking, but things were still tense. Luckily, they arrived at the gym.

They walked in as a group, but it was obvious that something was separating them all from each other.

The first thing Brian’s eyes landed on was the beautiful young black woman that had the air of authority about her.

Beautiful woman, Brian thought. But more AJ’s type. Too bad.

Howie took in her beauty and appreciated it, but reached the same conclusion that Brian had.

The remaining three were too wrapped up in their problems to really notice.

She had a curvy, extremely fit body with muscles rippling everywhere. Her long light brown hair fell almost to her waist in tiny braids. Her brown eyes sparkled mischieviously.

She was clothed in an all-white outfit—shorts and a fitted tanktop—that set off her light brown skin and accentuated her long, long legs.

“You’re late!” someone screamed out across the huge gym.

“Sorry, traffic!” Brian explained apologetically, squinting his eyes, trying to see who it was that had spoken.

“Riiiight, Littrell,” another voice replied.

Who is that? Their voices sound so familiar… Brian thought.

Nick reacted to the second voice, his head raising up and his blazing blue eyes searching anxiously for its owner.

It couldn’t be…could it? Nick thought.

“Stelle?” Brian called out.

At the same time, Nick called out, “Lett?”

“Wassup!” the two girls screamed, running across the gym to meet their friends.

Nick rushed forward to meet Scarlett halfway.

She ran until she was close enough to take a bounding leap into Nick’s arms. He caught her, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck. He quickly put his arms around his best friend to hold her up.

They spun around crazily for a few moments, grinning at each other. Then they hugged each other tightly and she squeezed her legs around his waist until he protested with an indignant ‘Ow! Lett, that hurts!’

“What’s this? Nick Carter is developing stomach muscles? My God, miracles do exist!! Praise the Lawd!” Scarlett teased him.

He dropped her, but she caught herself and landed on both feet, laughing.

Meanwhile, Brian had run across the gym before Estelle could hardly move. They met in a huge hug and exchanged kisses on the cheek.

“Oh my God, Estelle! It’s been too long girl!” Brian said.

“I know Bri! And we’re supposed to be ‘best friends’!” she teased.

“Awe, you know I love ya. I really do, but you know how showbiz is,” he said.

“Always busy, always running, always doing something, that’s for sure. It sure is hard being best friends with a Backstreet Boy!” Estelle replied.

“Well, it’s even harder being best friends with a Sugar Girl!” he teased her back.

“Oh shut up, you!” Estelle laughed.

Brian put his arm around his best friend’s tiny waist and she mimicked his actions.

They walked across the gym to Scarlett and Nick, watching Scarlett take a punch and miss horribly as Nick dodged her, laughing tauntingtly.

“Nickers!!!!!” she shrieked shrilly, using a childhood nickname he hated.

She had dubbed him that after watching him wolf down 6 Snickers bars in a row back when they were about 15.

“Lettie!!!” he returned with her hated nickname.

“Aight Carter! Lett is bad enough and I let you get away with that, but Lettie? I don’t think so!!!” she ran towards him and tackled him, knocking both of them to the floor in a tangled mess.

Brian and Estelle reached their friends and helped them up.

“What’s up Estelle?” Nick asked, hugging the tiny blonde.

“Not much Nick, you?” she replied.

“Heya Scarlett,” Brian twanged.

“Sup Rok?” she asked, flipping her tangle of red curls out of her face to hug him.

“Nada,” he returned. “What are you guys doin here?”

“We have rehearsal right after yours, so we thought we’d come a little early to see our so-called best friends,” she said, glaring at Nick on the last part.

He just shrugged and grinned his most charming smile.

“Your smiles don’t work on me…don’t you know that yet?” she asked him.

Ebony stood to the side, watching the playful exchange between the four, smiling.

Brian looked over at her and turned slightly red, realizing that he had become wrapped up in Estelle and Scarlett and forgotten to introduce himself.

He strode over to her and shook her hand.

“Wow, some grip there!” he exclaimed with a charming grin. “I’m Brian and I’m so sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier, but I got wrapped up in my friends. I haven’t had the chance to see them for a really long time.”

“That’s quite all right,” she replied with a smile. “I’m Ebony Holbrook and it’s nice to finally meet you, Brian.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” he replied.

“I hope you’re ready to work hard,” she called over her shoulder, with a wink.

Beautiful eyes, body, smile…and nice. I like this girl, Brian thought.

Out loud he said, “Always!”

She shook Howie’s hand next and he, too, smiled sweetly at her.

“I’m Howie and I’m probably the last Boy you’ll meet that’s in a good mood,” he warned her.

“Ebony Holbrook and why is that?” she asked.

“Oh, all the others have been fighting with their girlfriends. They’re none too happy,” he replied.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she smiled and moved on.

“Hello, I’m Ebony,” she said to Kevin, sticking her hand out.

“Kevin Richardson. Glad to meet you,” he replied sullenly, shaking her hand.

“Whatever’s bothering you, I hope you feel better,” she said sincerely and smiled.

Kevin looked at her and smiled slightly in thanks.

Finally, she reached AJ. She could tell that he was extremely pissed.

“Hello, I’m Ebony Holbrook,” she said cautiously.

“AJ McLean,” he replied cockily.

“Nice to meet you. Are you ready to get to work?” she asked.

“Yeah. Believe me, the pleasure’s all yours, hun. And what are you wearing? It looks hideous on you,” AJ replied snottily with a sneer.

Ebony could already feel her temper flaring.

“You could at least be a little more polite about it!” she snapped, voice rising.

“It’s just the truth! It makes you look trashi…er,” AJ snapped back, looking her up and down while making his comments.

“Yeah, and since when do you know so much about fashion, Mr. McLean?” she asked. “Go look in the mirror before you talk about trashy!”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” AJ asked loudly.

“Obviously the biggest asshole in the Backstreet Boys!” she yelled.

By this time, they were chest-to-chest and yelling in each other’s faces.

Nick and Brian ran to intercept because AJ was getting the look he got when he was going to hit somebody and they really didn’t want that to happen.

AJ pulled back his hand as if to hit her and she did the same, eyes flashing angrily.

They stood there for a couple seconds glaring at each other hatefully before Nick and Brian reached them.

Nick quickly shoved them apart and stepped between them.

Brian put his hand on Ebony’s shoulder and asked her if she was okay.

“Just a little hurt pride, but I’m fine,” she assured him, walking away.

“Are you sure?” Brian called after her.

She nodded.

“Stay outta it, Carter,” AJ snarled. “This doesn’t involve you.”

“You just made it involve me when you went to hit her,” Nick snapped, shoving AJ back pretty hard. “What the hell’s your problem?”

“For real, man. You don’t hit girls,” Brian interjected.

“Would you rather me hit you instead?” AJ glared at Brian, his voice raising. “We can pick this back up if you want.”

Brian stepped up anxiously.

“Gladly,” he growled, his voice low and soft, a sure sign of how angry he was.

AJ smiled savagely as he and Brian circled each other, glaring the entire time.

“No!” Nick yelled. “This isn’t gonna go down like this!”