Molly was more than excited and happy as the plane touched ground. She gave Sarah, who sat right next to her, a wide grin that needed no further explanation.
"I haven't seen her this happy since that BSB thing happened", Sarah thought, but didn't mention it. She didn't want to ruin the moment for Molly. They had talked about Brian and Nick (and the other boys) over and over again and they were still sad, although all that had happened half a year ago! Sarah kinda got over Nick, but whenever she saw him on TV or heard the BSB's music she was reminded of him and that it made her sad. Molly was still mad at herself. One day she had simply stopped talking about Brian and the guys, but Sarah could tell it still hurt her to think of that time. But even so, she still listened to the BSB every day and watched their videos. "Kinda masochistic", Sarah thought, but if that was the way Molly wanted to deal with it, then so be it.
~~~~~
"MOLLY!" Molly turned around, while letting her baggage fall out of her hands. She recognized them immediately, as they ran towards her: Mandy and Araysa! They gave her a hearty welcome by embracing her in a big hug.
"Geez, I can't believe I'm actually here", Molly said, as they pulled away from each other. All three of them had that BIG smile plastered on their faces. Then Molly grabbed Sarah's arm, who had watched the scene, and pulled her next to her. "So, guys, this is Sarah!" Both Mandy and Araysa also hugged Sarah. Until now they only knew her from chatting with her and Molly a few times and from what Molly had told them.
If you haven't guessed by now - Molly and Sarah had flown to Minnesota/USA to visit Molly's best friends. Yes, they were her best friends now. In the last six months she had got to know Araysa and Mandy better and better and she just loved them. Soon they had talked about the idea of meeting either in Germany or in the States, so now that Sarah and Molly had finished school and passed all exams, they had decided to have a really great holiday - and for Molly there was nowhere else to go then finally meet her best friends in flesh and blood!
Sarah had relatives living in Minneapolis, so she liked the idea of spending her holidays in Minnesota. They, Sarah and Molly, would also live with her Sarah's aunt and uncle for the time of their stay. The Wolsburn's (Sarah's relatives) had agreed that Mandy and Araysa would pick up the girls from the airport and drive them home, where they would all have dinner together.
So the girls started chatting about how the flight has been, about the cute steward and what they would all be doing for the time of Molly's and Sarah's stay. It seemed as if two weeks wasn't enough time for all they had planned!
* * *
Two days later the four girls were out eating in a fancy restaurant ( - no, not McD.'s!). They used their first days together to get to know each other better and just talk and laugh for hours. Molly was happy that Mandy and Araysa got along with Sarah as well, although there was still a special connection between only Molly and "her girls", as Sarah had always called them since she had known about Araysa and Mandy.
That evening the topic BSB was also brought up. Mandy started it: "Umm, have you already heard about what'll be going on in Minneapolis soon?" Araysa gave Molly a nervous look. She and Mandy knew that Molly was afraid to see Brian again. Molly had stopped talking to Sarah about it, but she had still written to THEM about her feelings, probably because the Backstreet Boys have always been a topic between them, which certainly wouldn't change in the future. As Sarah and Molly shook their heads, Mandy continued: "Well, we've only heard about it the day you've arrived here... Otherwise we would've told you before. The BSB will do some promotion at local radio stations at the end of the week!" All eyes turned in Molly's direction.
She reacted calmer than they had expected. She swallowed the pasta she had in her mouth and said: "Oh! You wanna go? Check out the radio stations, I mean?! No problem, just do it. I'll spend my day with shopping or whatever!"
"You don't wanna go?" Araysa asked.
"Don't know...", Molly answered, looking down at the table.
"It could be a chance, ya know", Mandy said softly. "Molls, we know you wanna get it right. You said so, remember? This could be the chance you've been waiting for!"
Sarah listened interested to this conversation. It seemed as if Mandy and Araysa knew more than she did, which made her a bit jealous. She had known before that it would be hard coming here and sharing Molly's attention and her friendship with two girls she hardly knew. Sarah was still one of Molly's best friends, but maybe that was what annoyed her. ONE OF her best friends. She knew how important Mandy and Araysa had been for Molly when she hadn't even met them, and she was afraid of what would happen now that they had finally met each other. Not that that was the reason she had agreed to fly to Minnesota with her - she didn't wanna control Molly or keep an eye on what was going on. She couldn't change it anyway. Besides she knew that Molly didn't want her to feel left out, she didn't intentionally give her any reason to feel jealous. But Sarah did feel so. Maybe that's why her next words sounded harsh, though she didn't mean it like that: "She already had a chance, but she refused to take it."
All eyes turned to her now. Molly glared at her and Sarah was more than surprised when Araysa said: "You mean that Bravo Super Show thing?!"
In February, so three months after they had met the BSB, Sarah and Molly had been to a concert called the Bravo Super Show, where many different singers and bands performed. Aaron had also been part of the show and Sarah had suggested to meet Jane and Aaron in the Hyatt-Regency, where they stayed again. But Molly hadn't wanted to.
"It seems they really know everything about the `BSB incident´", Sarah thought.
"Well, why didn't YOU go then, if it was such a good chance?" Molly asked Sarah a little bit pissed. "I think it would've been worse talking to Jane about it first than calling Nick or Brian straight. It's a thing between them and us." Sarah didn't say anything. Molly breathed in deeply, then sighed. She took Sarah's hand on the table and said: "I'm sorry! You know I get very emotional about it. It's just..."
"It's ok", Sarah smiled. "That's what friends are for."
Molly looked at Araysa and Mandy: "Sorry, I didn't want to ruin the mood!"
"You didn't ruin anything", Mandy assured her.
"Hey", Araysa said, "when did we ever have anything but one hell of a good time?!"
They all laughed and the air was cleared from any bad emotions. They forgot that they still hadn't decided on whether to check out the radio stations in search of the BSB or not, but it was unnecessary anyway. Fate had already decided for them...
* * *
Howie sat down next to Brian, who seemed lost in a far away land. "B, are you ok?"
Brian forced a smile: "Yeah, I guess. I just can't stop thinking about her today...it would've been the second anniversary of us being together."
"When have you last seen Leighanne?"
"'Bout a month ago. She came to get the rest of her stuff."
Howie could tell how sad Brian was. It was almost two month ago that Brian had announced that he and Leighanne had broken up. The boys had all been shocked about the news, nobody had seen it coming - probably not even the couple itself. One day they had realized that their feelings had changed, Brian had said. Now the hard thing was to admit it to yourself and to learn how to let go. They had been together for so long, through good and hard times and neither Leighanne nor Brian could've imagined that the world would keep on turning without each other. But it did - they just had to face it.
"B, you don't need to do the radio stuff with us today. Take the day off, if you want to!"
"No, I want to get my mind off of it. Strange enough I have the feeling it's gonna be a good day today!" He smiled at Howie, who smiled back and nodded.
* * *
"Yo, Bone! Have you seen those fine ladies ahead?" Nick asked with a grin.
"Yeah, pretty cute...", AJ said lame. He sounded as if he was thinking of something else.
"Pretty cute?" Kevin asked laughing. "Ok, who are you and what have you done to AJ?"
Nick also laughed: "Yeah, tell us, where's the flirt master?!" Both he and Kevin were cracking up at their joke.
AJ gave them a queer look and retorted: "Wasn't it MY job to be the crazy one out of all of us?"
After Kevin and Nick managed to control their giggles, Nick asked unbelieving: "Man, you're not still thinking of that girl, are you?" When AJ didn't answer he laughed again and said: "Whoa, I'm VERY impressed, Bone! What has she done to your brain? Or should I say to your hormones?!"
Kevin patted AJ's back, saying: "Don't forget reality over chasing a dream! There is a girl waiting for you."
AJ looked up at Kevin and quietly said: "I know..." "But I don't know if it's right", he completed the sentence in his mind. The girl that Kevin was talking about was Amanda. AJ's and her relation wasn't very clear at the moment. It was a combination of friendship and love-story and both didn't know...no, AJ didn't know in which direction to head. Right now it was friendship.
Amanda had quit the band, she wasn't singing with Innosense anymore and was living in Orlando again. They had spend a lot of time together, while the boys had recorded their new album "Millenium" and practiced for their up-coming world tour, because they had been in Florida most of the time. But he had even taken Amanda with them to Sweden, when they had recorded there. AJ knew that she wanted to get back to where they had been, she wanted to be with him, like lovers. And he also knew he had hurt her. Every now and then they had kissed, had acted like a couple, had even had sex, but AJ couldn't go back to where it had ended. He didn't know if the reason really was his "mysterious lady", but fact was that he kept thinking of her, as crazy as it may seem.
"I just don't love her", AJ thought. "There's gotta be more to love than what I had with Amanda..." Probably he had realized it before because as the BSB had left home again to promote their new album and single "I Want It That Way" throughout the country, he had told Amanda not to wait for him.
* * *
"Geez - look at this car!" Araysa exclaimed, when Molly and Sarah arrived in Winona the next day to pick them up.
"Hey girls!" Molly yelled. Sarah stopped the car in front of Mandy and Araysa and said: "Jump in!"
"You didn't steal that car, did ya?" Mandy laughed.
"No, it's our little surprise for you", Sarah told them.
"I'd like to know what you consider big surprises then", Araysa stated.
Sarah had borrowed her uncle's car, a dark green VW Golf (a German car, if you don't know) convertible - a very cool car, for today. Mr. Wolsburn, or Mike as the four girls called him, had checked Sarah's driving ability before and when he was sure that his car was in good hands, he had no problem giving it to them. :o)
Sarah explained: "We want to thank you for being here with you and having such a great time, so we thought that, since we're spending the day in the Mall Of America, we'd get us a really cool car to drive through Minneapolis!" Then she quickly added laughing: "Not that your car isn't cool, Araysa!! But the sun's shining so beautiful that this convertible was just the right thing today!"
"You don't really think I could be mad 'bout that, do you? I'd trade my car for this one here any day!"
"Yeah, but you love your car anyways!" Mandy said.
Mandy and Araysa hopped in. The girls hugged and then they were off, heading towards Minneapolis and a fantastic day...
~~~~~
The Offspring's "Pretty fly" blared from the car stereo. The girls were singing along to it, having a good time. They were back in Minneapolis now, waiting for the traffic lights to change to green. Sarah and Araysa were drinking a Pepsi each, while Molly and Mandy were playing around with some Super Socers that Sarah had taken with them, so they could "cool each other off on this lovely hot day". They were laughing their butts off, still singing to "Pretty fly". Little did they know who sat in the van that stopped near them.
* * *
AJ was daydreaming, looking out of the opened window pane onto the crowded Minneapolis streets, when he suddenly caught sight of the girl of his dreams. When he had assured himself that she was no creation of his imagination, he yelled: "GUYS! There she is!" He grabbed Nick, who sat beside him, at his shoulder and pulled him over, so he could see the girls' car.
"Man, Brian - you won't believe that!" Nick exclaimed, sounding as excited as AJ.
When Brian quickly peered out to the street he truly couldn't believe his eyes. He leaned over Nick and AJ, popped his head out of the car and yelled: "Hey, Molly!"
The music blaring from the girls' stereo was so loud that she couldn't hear him. The lights then turned to green and the girls drove away.
Nick shouted over to their driver: "Follow that convertible! FAST!"
AJ was totally confused. "You know her?"
Neither Brian nor Nick reacted to his question because they were too excited and busy, making sure the girls wouldn't disappear out of sight.
Instead of them, Kevin explained to AJ: "Yeah, I remember - you didn't get to know the girls. We met them in Cologne, when we were..."
"Heck, Kev man!" AJ interrupted. "I know exactly where you've met them. That's her! I mean...you know, the girl I was always talking about!"
"You fell in love with Sarah? - Or Molly?"
"I don't know her name - and I didn't know that all of you seem to know her!" AJ couldn't believe what was going on. The guys knew her? And why were Brian and Nick so determined not to lose them? But it wasn't as if he'd mind that! That was probably the last chance to get to know her and he wouldn't let her get away this time.
"So which one is it, AJ? The brunette or the blonde?" Howie asked.
"First one!" AJ answered. Suddenly Nick, who had been talking to Brian and the driver, grinned: "Whoa, AJ - Molly?! She is that mysterious beautiful girl?"
"Molly..." Finally AJ knew her name.
"Beautiful she is, but she wasn't that mysterious to us, was she Frick?!"
"Red lights - whohoo!" Brian yelled. "Now we got 'em!"
This time the driver stopped the car next to the girls' and this time they noticed the boys. How wouldn't they...
"MOLLY! SARAH!" Nick and Brian shouted loudly.
All four girls turned around to them - exactly in that moment when Mandy pulled her Super Socer's trigger. Instead to Molly the jet of water was directed into Brian's face. He was so surprised that he fell back into the van, after his head had hit the car!
CHAOS-TIME! Mandy yelled "Oh no!", while Sarah happily shouted: "Nick!". Molly blurted out a stunned "Frick!" and Araysa said: "Gee, it's the BSB!" At the same time Nick smiled: "Unbelievable!", while Howie and Kevin were gasping for air from laughing so hard because of Brian's little "accident". AJ just kept looking at Molly.
"Where are you guys staying? Which hotel?" Nick questioned them quickly. If they lost them in traffic, they would at least know where to search for the girls.
"No hotel this time", Sarah answered. "But we're driving to the Mall of America right now! Where are you going?"
"Cool, we're going there, too!"
Brian's head appeared out of the car again. Mandy said: "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that!"
He smiled sweetly at her: "Don't worry, I'm fine!"
Mandy gave him a shy, but bright smile and blushed slightly.
The traffic lights changed to green. Before the boys' driver drove away, Brian quickly said: "Follow us, k?!"
Sarah gave him a thumbs up and did as he had told her. The girls were totally excited about what was happening. Mandy put her head on her hands and constantly repeated: "Oh no! Oh no! What have I done?"
Araysa laughed and hugged her.
Sarah said: "Hey Mandy! Nothing really happened!"
"What?" Mandy looked at her wide-eyed. "That was so embarrassing! I often dreamed about meeting the man of my dreams, but I never imagined anything like this! Ooh, Brian must think I'm...I'd better not think about what he thinks about me!"
"Mander! He doesn't think anything bad about you. Didn't you see him smiling so gorgeously at you?" Araysa tried to cheer her up.
Mandy suddenly had a wide smile on her face: "He was oh so wonderful! He looks much better than on pics ot TV!"
"Isn't this the craziest thing that ever happened?" Araysa exclaimed. Then she realized that Molly was way too quiet. "Molls? Everything alright?"
"Uh...no!" Her eyes were starring at the car in front of them. "Sarah? What the hell are we going to tell them?" she asked in disbelief.
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