Tuesday night at colorguard practice, I was arguing with our captain, Mary, about our talent show/fundraiser. Megan and Dana were working on a new routine for Chico High's colorguard, of which Dana was a member, and Jen was warming up because she had just gotten there.

Mary was my height with short dark hair. Just because we were the same height didn't mean we saw eye to eye on anything. "Mary, you gotta let us do 'Larger than Life'."

"No I don't. When you grow up and get your own guard you can do Backstreet Boys," she answered. She always gave me that excuse.

I rolled my eyes. "We're not asking you to perform it with us, just help us choreograph it."

"But that would mean I would have to listen to it."

"Yeah so?"

"I don't want to listen to it!"

Just then there was a loud clattering sound; Jen had dropped her flag. It wasn't a big deal, but it was the sound that followed that made all of us turn and look. An unfamiliar voice had said, "Watch out!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Jen said.

Five men probably all in their twenties and varying in height just waved as if to say "no problem." I turned back to arguing with Mary but out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of one of the young men talking to Jen. I noticed that he had dusty blonde hair and blue eyes. All five men were dressed casually. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but Jen was laughing, so it couldn't be bad.

"Look Mary," I said, "we already have most of it choreographed. We just need a little help."

She sighed, giving in. "Well, let me see what you guys got."

"Hey, Jen," I called. "Mary wants to see what we have for 'Larger than Life'."

Jen turned away from the young men and said, "You mean she's going to let us do it?"

"I dunno. But maybe if we show her..."

"Okay." Jen walked over to me. "Oh yeah, those guys over there," she cocked her head in the direction of the men, "are looking for a calling center."

"Lemme go talk to them. Get the hats and the chairs okay?" I walked over to five young men. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yeah," the dusty blonde, blue eyed one said. "We're looking for the calling center." He had a Southern accent that reminded me of the young man I had spoken to on Saturday. He and the rest of his compadres were wearing blue jeans and various shirts. His was a plain blue tee shirt.

"Well, my name's Becca and I work for the calling center. Are you supposed to meet with Allen or something?"

"Uh, actually, I'm supposed to meet with you."

At that point, it dawned on me who they were. "Oh my..." I gasped. "Excuse me." I ran inside the theatre where Jen was getting the folding chairs and hats. "Jen, do you realize that you were talking to the Backstreet Boys?"

"I was?"

"Yeah." We both screamed, jumping up and down, the noise echoing through the quiet theatre. I took several deep breaths before I stepped outside with Jen right on my heels. "Brian, so it really was you that I talked to on Saturday?" I said, trying to sound calm.

"Yes," he said, shyly.

"I'm so sorry for doubting you. Could you guys stick around for a moment?"

"What for?" Howie asked.

Jen replied, "We're working on a routine to 'Larger than Life' and we would love to have your input."

Howie, Nick, AJ, and Brian all looked at Kevin, as if to ask for permission. Kevin looked at the four guys and then at us and said, "Sure, we'll stick around." Kevin was in black jeans and a navy blue short sleeved button up dress shirt. Nick was wearing faded blue jeans and a faded orange Hawaiian shirt.

I put in the "Millennium" CD and hit play. Jen and I then scrambled to get into position. We performed the moves we had, which took us through the second verse. I held up my hand and said, "Just wait. We haven't figured this part out yet." When the song got to the bridge we started dancing again. After the chorus, we stopped again and I said, "Now that's all we have."

AJ turned to Howie and whispered something. Howie nodded and told the other three. When the game of telephone was over, AJ turned to Jen and I and said, "If you're trying to use the moves in the video, we can help you with that." AJ was wearing black jeans, a white tank top and a black button down shirt that hung open over the tank top. His hair was blonde and he wore a black baseball cap backward and sunglasses.

I turned to Jen, my eyes wide with amazement. "Really?" Jen asked. This was too unbelievable to be happening. Not only were the Backstreet Boys standing in front of me, but they were also offering to help us with our routine.

"Of course," Brian said. "So are you both Backstreet fans?"

"Yeah?" Jen said.

"Well, it looks like we have to help our fans then," Brian said, looking directly at me. "When's the performance?"

"Next week," Mary said. She hadn't said a word in quite a while.

"Well, then we'd better get cracking."

We put the music on again and watched the Boys go at it. When they were done Jen and I decided that we didn't want to do their exact routine to the song. We liked ours; we just wanted some of their moves. Shortly after the Boys finished the routine, Mary declared that practice was over. She told Jen that it was her day to take the equipment down to the locker and told her the combination, again. Howie and Nick followed Jen while I entertained the other three. When they came back, we started working again. We worked on the routine until eight that night and finally decided to call it quits. Kevin, AJ and Nick decided to go back to the place they were staying at. Howie and Brian wanted to stay and talk.

After the other three left, I said to Brian, "I really am sorry for doubting you."

"It's okay," he said. "But I guess I proved it to you, right?"

"I was only joking when I told you to come find me. I didn't think you'd actually do it."

"Well, I had to prove it to you, being you are one of my fans and you didn't believe me."

I ducked my head, avoiding his eyes.

"Hey B-Rok, tell 'em about our idea," Howie called to Brian. Howie was wearing a deep purple dress shirt and dark blue jeans.

"Oh yeah. We had this idea. You two really have it down nicely, but the first two lines in the second verse aren't really working."

"Uh huh," I said.

"And we were thinking that maybe you two could use a little help."

"And who would we get to help us?" Jen asked sarcastically.

"Why us of course," said Howie, pointing to himself. "We could make it a quartet instead of a duo."

"But what about your fans? Don't you guys have a concert or something else to do?"

"Nah, we took some time off."

"So, like, how would that change the choreography?" I inquired.

"It wouldn't, yet." Brain pulled up one of our folding chairs and sat down. "As the routine is now, the only thing that would change is the formation, which wouldn't be a bad thing."

"Agreed."

"And then, we could make the routine just a little more sexy."

"Like how?"

Brian stood up and said, "Come here." I went over and stood near him. "You know that move you do to 'looking at the crowd and I see your body sway, come on'?"

"Yeah."

"Do that for me."

I thrust my right arm and then my left in front of me, crossing them at the wrists. I then brought both my hands up to the sides of my head. I held the position a beat. As I was doing this, Brian walked around behind me. When I swayed my hips from left to right, Brian put his hands on my hips, as if to help me. If I had died then, I would have died a very happy person.

Jen was sitting with Howie watching us. After a few more times of messing with the moves, Jen spoke up. "Excuse me," she said, interrupting our dancing. "This is a public place. There are hotels for that kind of thing, you know." Howie rolled his eyes and Brian slowly unwrapped his arms from around me. "Let's see that...interesting combination to music, Romeo and Juliet." She put on the song and watched us yet again.

Brian and I waited for the appropriate beat and then repeated the move. "I like it," said Howie. "But I'm getting kind of tired. We were dragged out of our beds to come on this road trip all because Brian wanted to prove a point. And I had wanted to catch up on my sleep on this vacation," he said, yawning and winking at Brian.

"Well, where are you staying at? I can take you back," Jen said.

"Bidwell Bed and Breakfast. Security's tight, but secretive. We don't want anyone to know that we're here."

"Not a problem."

"You coming, Bri?"

"Nah, I think I'm gonna stay here and work with Becca a little bit longer. If that's okay with you?" he said as he turned to me.

"It's fine with me. I have a car."

"Alright, see you back at the B and B Rok."

"Sure thing, D."

Jen and Howie turned a corner and were out of sight. That left Brian and myself alone, together.

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