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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This has not changed since the first time it was posted. I just guessed the next single ("The One") and when the video would come out. Pretty good huh?
The next morning at six sharp, there was a knock on my door. It was AJ. "You ready?" he asked me as I opened the door.
"Is Brian okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine."
"Yeah, I'm ready. Not awake, but I'm ready." I was wearing blue jeans and a Backstreet Boys tee shirt with Brian's Kentucky sweatshirt draped over my arm in case I got cold. If I was going to end up on MTV, I figured I'd better look the part of a fan, being I was one.
"Cool." We descended the stairs and headed to a waiting red Dodge Caravan. AJ held open the sliding side door for me. I stepped inside and he closed it before climbing in the passenger's seat of the car. I didn't even have a chance to sit down before I was bombarded with paper airplanes.
I bent down and picked up one of the airplanes. "What's the deal with the planes, guys?" I asked.
"Well, we heard that you hadn't been on a plane since you were three," Howie said, turning to look at me from the driver's seat.
"Oh we're taking a plane?"
"How else are we supposed to get to New York?" Nick asked sarcastically.
"Okay. But why are we in a minivan then?"
They all knew I was being silly because I wasn't quite awake. "Well how are we supposed to get to the airport?" Kevin asked from the bench seat in the back. Brian was sitting next to him staring out the window not saying anything.
"I dunno." I sat down in the bench seat next to Nick. After I put on my seatbelt, we drove to the Chico Municipal Airport.
Kevin leaned forward and said to me, "We're taking a small plane to Sacramento, then hopping in our jet and flying to New York."
"Why's your jet at Sacramento?"
"It's the only place close enough and large enough to hide it. Oh, here, put this on." He handed me an official Backstreet Boys lanyard with a pass attached to it.
"What's this for?"
"Well, you know how our fans are, right?"
"Uncontrollable, screaming masses of raging hormones?" I asked with a straight face.
"Pretty much, yeah. Well, the police are going to escort us from JFK to fifteen fifteen Broadway, where MTV's located. The pass is so they know you're with us."
"Okay." I slipped off my Chico State lanyard and put the Backstreet one on. I had to tie a knot in the red Backstreet lanyard because it was too long. I then took the Brian button off my Chico State one and attached it to the Backstreet one. We traveled the rest of the way in silence.
On the hour plane ride to Sacramento, I dozed off, but I could still hear what was going on.
"Is everything alright with you and Becca?" Nick asked Brian.
"Yeah, fine. Why?"
"Well, you've hardly spoken to her in three days."
"I know. What are we going to do about her when we get to New York?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the crowds are going to be all over us, and if they see her, she'll be mobbed. I don't want her hurt."
"Not a problem," AJ piped in. "We'll just surround her."
"Are you sure that's safe?" Brian asked.
"Our bodyguards are going to be around us, so she should be fine." I heard AJ respond before I fell into a deep dreamless sleep. The conversation that had just transpired seemed like a dream to me.
I slept right through landing at Sacramento and boarding the Boys' private jet. When I woke up, the five of them were just about right behind me discussing what they were going to do on the show.
"Shhh. She's waking up," I heard Howie say.
I stretched my arms over my head and yawned.
"Good morning, sunshine," Brian said to me, sliding into the seat beside mine.
"Morning."
"Look, I owe you an apology. I've been rude to you since you turned me down."
"No, Brian. I'm the one who owes you an apology. I should have told you why."
"You don't have to."
"Yes, I do." I told him the whole story. About the relationship, the lies, the stalking, the problems it caused and everything else I could remember. I cried throughout most of it, and through it all, Brian remained by my side, offering his shoulder to cry on or a hug of reassurance. By the time I finished telling him the story, we were about ready to land at JFK.
When we landed, we all glanced out the windows. There behind what looked like metal bike racks, were thousands of screaming girls. Some were holding signs, others posters, and still other were waving their CDs. The guys arranged themselves inside the plane how they would greet the fans. Kevin first, then Howie, then Brian, who had a death grip on my wrist. I was to follow Brian and Nick was following me. AJ was bringing up the rear. When the door opened and Kev stepped out, the screaming was all I could hear. I said a quick prayer for the Boys safety and for my own. As Kevin began descending the stairs, Howie stepped outside the safety of the jet. Brian walked out next with me right on his heels. I could hear the collective gasp of the fans when the saw me. No one knew who I was or why I was with "their" guys. Nick and AJ followed me and we were quickly ushered into a waiting limousine. There were patrol cars and motorcycle cops escorting us just to make sure the fans didn't get too daring.
When we arrived at fifteen fifteen Broadway, the new home of MTV, the fans had to be held back by the police while the Boys and I entered the building. The two guards at the front door let the Boys through, but stopped me.
"You can't go in there, miss," One of the guards said to me.
"But I'm with the band."
"Sure you are," said the other. "That's what they all say."
"BRIAN! KEVIN!" I yelled, hoping they would hear me. They didn't turn around. The screaming that was going on around me was too loud for them to make out a single voice. I had to yell louder than I ever had before. I kept yelling, but they didn't turn around. Finally, when they were about to turn a corner, Kevin noticed that he couldn't find me. He sprinted back to the security guards and took my hand.
"She's with us," he said, curtly.
"Sorry, Mr. Richardson. We didn't know."
"Well, pay more attention next time." Kevin and I hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. We were ushered into the "green" room to wait. I was shaking like a leaf as I sat down.
"What's wrong, Becca?" Nick asked me.
"I don't like crowds, especially large ones in a confined space," I admitted.
"Ochlophobic, huh?" Kevin commented.
"Yeah. Thank you for saving me."
He smiled. "You're welcome."
Carson Daly, the host of MTV's Total Request Live came in. "Hey guys, glad you could make it. They need you in make up." Carson turned and looked at me, asking, "And who do we have here?"
"She's a friend."
"Well, little lady, we have a special spot for you." He started to lead me out of the room. I was so in awe, I couldn't say anything.
"You be nice to her, Carson," I heard Brian call.
"Don't worry, she's in good hands." Once outside the door, he led me to this room with cameras and about a hundred fans all stomping their feet. "What's your name?"
"Becca," I said, "and I'm twenty. I'm not a little kid."
"Whoa, sorry about that. Here, put this bracelet on so we know you're part of the studio audience." He handed me one of those blue bracelet things that you always have to cut off later. I put it on my right wrist and found a spot next to a fan who was wearing a Backstreet Boys shirt and had a huge Brian button attached to it. She looked at me in Brian's sweatshirt. "Frick fan, huh?" she said, pointing to the button on the lanyard.
"Yeah, you too?"
"Yep."
All the fans became quiet as the director stepped in front of us.
"Now we all know you wanna see the Backstreet Boys, but you have to give it up for the host too, okay?"
We all yelled.
"Good. And when Carson tells you to be quiet so we can get on with the show, listen to him, ok?"
We yelled again.
"Alright, let's get on with the show."
We yelled and then quieted down. As soon as we quieted down, Carson Daly came out. We yelled again. He let us yell for a while and then we quieted down.
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