"If my mother hadn't died and Brian shown up I'd probably be dead. Black Fear would have been sure to find me by now. But why does Brain have to be in a boy band? I will hate this. It's good I changed my age. Imagine living 4 years with a stuck up teen idol."
Meanwhile at the Orlando airport a very nervous Brian Littrell waited in a limousine with his cousin Kevin Richardson.
"What am I going to do" moaned Brian "I don't know a thing about 16 year old girls. I can't raise one!"
"Calm down" Kevin told him. " A 16 year old girl isn't going to need much raising. If your sister was 14 or something you would have a point, but a 16 year old girl can take care of herself."
"I suppose you are right," said Brian "But here I am taking in a sister I've never met. I don't what she is like. She doesn't know me. I didn't even learn I was adopted until a few hours ago!"
"Everything will be fine," said Kevin "Don't worry about it. Lonnie will be here with her any minute now"
Erin stepped into the airport terminal. Almost immediately she saw a sign reading Erin Logan. She made her way over to the sign. As she moved closer she saw a large African American man was holding it up.
"You're Brian?" she said in surprise.
"No, no," He laughed "I'm his bodyguard, Lonnie. You're Erin, I presume.
"Yeah."
"Lets go to the baggage claim to get your bags."
"Oh, my luggage is right here," said Erin pointing to her backpack.
"That's all you've got?" asked Lonnie.
"Yeah, is there a problem with that?" answered Erin belligerently.
"Oh no, no ma'am
As they walked to the plane Erin thought 'What a conceited pig my brother is. He sends his bodyguard to meet me instead of meeting me himself. I'll bet he doesn't want me.'
Lonnie opened the back door of the limo for Erin, then stepped into the front door and sat down next to the chauffeur. Brian looked at his sister and sized her up for a minute before speaking. He saw a girl of average height with long blond hair. She had a healthy tan and was quite slim. In fact, he realized, she looked underfed. She was too skinny and looked almost anorexic. Her eyes were green and as cold and hard as ice.
'No,' he thought, 'ice melts.' The words 'Eyes of stone observe the trends.' went through his mind. "Hello Erin" Brian said, " I'm Brian. This is my cousin, Kevin Richardson."
"Hi Erin" Kevin greeted her "Its nice to meet you." He gave her a warm smile. Erin returned neither. She just sat there sullenly.
Brian tried again. "Did you have a good flight?"
"It was okay." Kevin exchanged looks with Brian. It didn't seem as if this would be as easy as he had hoped. Erin remained in silence the whole way to her new home, speaking only when spoken to and barely that.
After what seemed like an eternity, the limo pulled up to a white house with a high fence around it. Erin could see cameras perched atop the fence every few yards. 'Gosh' she thought, 'he really must be rich.'
Brain and Kevin led the way into the house. The inside was not as grand as the outside. It looked more like a home. It was comfortably furnished and pictures adorned the walls. Most of the pictures were family photos. Pictures of Brian, another boy, a man, and a woman. This, Erin realized, must be Brian's adopted family. They walked into the kitchen. Brian sat down at the table and gave Kevin a look.
Kevin mumbled something about watching his favorite TV show and walked out. "Sit down." Brian said to Erin motioning to a chair. Erin remained standing. "Fine, don't sit down." he sighed. "Look, I know you're probably wondering why the big house and gates and all. The thing is I'm in a band called
"The Backstreet Boys, I know, I know." Erin interrupted him. "You're famous and rich and girls swoon over you."
"Well, I don't know if I'd put it that way, but that's basically the idea." Brian stopped as if waiting for Erin to say something. She was silent. "Um, I guess I'll take you to your room, but first there's something I need to tell you. I am scheduled to go on tour with the BSB tomorrow."
'Yes!' Erin thought, 'I can get away from you!'
"But," Brian continued "I managed to delay the trip one day. You'll have to tour with us. Basically we ride on a tour bus all day until we get to a concert venue. Then we get off, rehearse, give a concert, and drive to the next venue. You are in very close quarters and you have to do your best to get along with everyone."
Erin looked at him defiantly and then continued to stare straight ahead. "Why don't you get your luggage and I'll show you your room" said Brian after a long pause. Erin picked up her backpack.
"Fine, show me the place where I can be alone, where I can get away from you!" Brian looked stunned, but he led the way up the stairs into her room.
Erin's room was spacious with her own bathroom. It had large windows that overlooked a pool in the backs of the house. He walls were white with blue trim. Tucked into one corner was a double bed with a blue bedspread. In the other corner was a small desk with some empty bookshelves sitting next to it. Erin sat down on the bed and coldly told Brian, "You can leave now."
"I'll get your bags, are they in the trunk?"
"I brought my bag up" Erin replied.
"Is that all you luggage?" asked Brian with a frown, looking at the backpack.
"Yes!" Erin screamed "I'm not exactly rich! Now get out!!" Brian left the room. As soon as he did Erin laid on the bed and had a good cry. It was clear her life was not going to be easy here. "If Brain ever found out about X, Black Fear, and Erek, he'd kill me. I could get sent to jail for killing Erek." Erin said to herself. "What am I going to do?" With these thoughts running through her head Erin cried herself to sleep.
Brian and Kevin, meanwhile, were talking downstairs. "What am I gonna do, Kevin?" asked Brian "She hates me."
"Yeah," chuckled Kevin "She made that rather obvious."
"Its nothing to laugh about! Just the way she looks at me. Like she could murder me in my sleep."
"You're right," said Kevin more seriously. "She's going to be on tour with us for a year. She had better cut the attitude quick. The other guys won't put up with much of that.
"Maybe a few weeks on the road will cool her down," Brian thought out loud. "At least I hope it does."
"Yeah, me too. I am going home now." Kevin told him.
"Okay, I'll call ya tomorrow." Brain walked upstairs and knocked on Erin's door. There was no answer. He opened the door slowly. "Erin? I just wanted to tell you, dinner is His voice trailed off. Erin was fast asleep on her bed. Brian was tempted to take off her shoes and put a blanket over her, but he balked when he thought about how mad she would be. He noticed she didn't look half as fierce when she was sleeping. He quietly closed the door and walked downstairs.
