"I can't tell you." Nick said, a grin on his face, from the chair he was sitting on.
"Please?"
"Nope. It's a surprise."
"Nick, we start the tour tomorrow. If she doesn't know what she is doing on the tour then how is she suppose to explain it to anyone who asks her why she is there?" Kevin said. "And you know that everyone is going to ask them questions. They are fresh meat."
"Thanks Kev. That made me feel just great about myself." Megan started. "I feel really really cheap right now."
"You know what I mean, Meg. You are someone new for them to question, someone new, who might give them dirt on us. We love ya and care about you, but all the reporters and fans are gonna see is another oportunity to get information, and to make up stories about why you are suddnely on the tour."
"Yeah sure." She turned back to Nick. "Anyway. You heard the man, how am I suppose to tell anyone why I'm on tour if I don't know why I'm on tour?"
"Fine! Geez, woman!" Megan rolled her eyes and waited for him to continue. "I talked to the tour manager and she said that since you are majoring in photo and journalism, that you can take pictures of us while we are doing our shows and also, if you want, you can help with the web page, you know, articals and stories and stuff like that, so that the fans know whats going on with the tour."
"Don't you mean, how you guys are surviving the tour. Sometimes I swear it amazes me that you are all alive and intact."
"Meg, do you want the job or not?" Nick asked.
"No Nick, I don't think I want a job that includes four of my favorite things; music, photography, internet and the five of you. Yeah I want the job!"
Nick smiled. "Ok, now that we have that settled, do we want to go over bus assignments now, or wait for Muzic?" Kevin said.
"I say we go over everything now, and I can tell Muz about it when she gets back."
"OK." Kevin grabbed a packet of papers and started going through the tour information. "Nick, your stuff is going to be on bus #3. So is yours Brian. AJ, you Howie and I are on # 2. I don't know how that happened but we have to live with it. Meg, you are gonna be on the bus with Nick and Brian, and while she is here, Fatima will be on the bus as well. Muzic is going to be on the bus with AJ, Howie and I. Durring the day there will one member of security for every person on the bus. At night, if we have to sleep on the busses, there will only be one, two at the most. Everyone got that so far?"
Everyone looked at Megan. "I got it. I haven't spent that much time around Nick. Yet."
"OK, that's good to hear. Moving right along. Everynight we will be getting the schedual for the next day. Plan accordingly. Tomorrow morning, Meg, you are gonna get set up with the computer and everything, so that you can start updating the page and stuff like that. When we have photoshoots you are going to come with us and take some pictures, but your main photo job will be at night. You have a pretty easy day job."
"I can deal with that. Will Muzic and get to see each other a lot?"
"I'm not sure. Since you aren't on the same bus, probably not as much as you would like, but I think that you two will see enough of each other. I know that you are going to see enough of Nick and Brian to make you never think ever seeing any of us ever again , but I think that you will figure that one out on your own."
"Thanks Kev, I needed that." Nick got up from where he was sitting and walked over the the mini bar in Kevin's room. "For that, I'm stealing your Sprite."
"Knock yourself out." Kevin said and then continued, under his breath. "Please."
Nick heard him, and walked over towards Megan. "Meggie, they don't love me." He said, sticking out his bottom lip and turning on the sad, puppy dog eyes.
"Aww." Megan said, from the bed that she was sitting on. "Come here, honey. It's ok, I love ya."
"OK then." Nick said, ploping down on the bed next to her and putting his head in her lap. "You don't mind do you?"
"You don't mind, do you?" Justin asked the day that Muzic was sick. They watched TV for hours, with his head in her lap, while she played with the tiny curls that covered his head.
Megan snaped herself out of her flashback before Nick suspected anything. "Not at all, Babe." She smiled at the grin on his face and started fingering his newly cut, not so recently bleached hair.
"So, what else do you want to know?"
"The Grammys are coming up soon. Are we going and what's gonna happen?"
"Well, we are gonna proform, so yes, we are going. We aren't sure what is going to happen, but we are pretty sure that Leighanne and Kristen are coming for a few days to be at the awards."
"That's cool."
"Yup. You and Muzic might want to start looking for outfits whenever you have the time." AJ said.
"OK, guys, you have to let Muzic and I help you dress, because lets just say that you've been scaring people recently."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you've been scaring people lately. Just trust me, OK?"
Brian looked at Kevin, and then at Howie. "Should we trust the short one?"
"I guess, we have no reason not to. I mean, why would she want to make us look stupid?" Howie answered.
"You guys don't need me and Muzic to help you with that, you can do that on your own." Megan said.
"Thanks, Megs, love you too." AJ said.
"I know you do."
"Shhh, don't tell Muzic. Or Nick for that matter."
"Um... Bone, I'm right here." Nick retorted.
"Oh, yeah, sorry."
"And everyone says I'm a blond."
Megan laughed. "Babes, reality check: You are a blond."
"You know what I mean."
Megan smiled and bent down to give him a quick kiss. "Oh will you two get a room?" AJ said.
"Hey, we aren't the ones that started making out in the middle of the airport. And it doesn't take a locksmith to seperate up either." Nick defended himself and Megan. "Besides, we've all seen you and Muzic. It's not a pretty sight."
"No kidding." Megan said.
"Um... guys... I think that's something else that we need to talk about. The open affection thing." Kevin started. "I hate to break it to you, but after tomorrow you two probably wont be doing much more of... that." He gestured to the pair sprawled out on the bed. "You are going to have to be a lot more careful once people find out about the girls. Especially you, Meg."
"What do you mean, especially me? What's wrong?"
"There's nothing wrong, Meg." Brian started, deciding that it was going to be easier for him to explain it to her then Kevin. "It's just that well, as much as the rest of us don't want to admit it, Nick is the most popular Backstreet Boy. He seems to be the one that the younger girls go after. And a lot of them are't gonna be happy if they see anyone with Blondie. There are some mean girls out there and they are going to do anything to make you look bad, to both the press and the other fans."
Megan looked down at Nick for help, but all he could do was nod in agreement to what Brian was saying. "It's the truth. Leighanne and Kristen went through it. They will get used to you eventually, but it may take a while."
"What about Muzic?"
"She's going to have to be careful too, but since she is a dancer, they probably will leave her alone. You are just kind of here for the ride, and to help out with the web site and stuff like that."
"Well, I guess that it’s something that I’m gonna have to live with."
