~~later that day~~
The doorbell rang and Gwen quickly rushed to answer it. She opened the door to see Nick standing there.
"Hello," she said, as he walked in.
"Wassup Gwennie," he said. AJ walked in.
"Hey man, what's up?" AJ said.
"I think I left my wallet here a couple nights ago when we all ordered Chinese," Nick said. Gwen rushed into the kitchen and came back out with a leather wallet.
"Oh thank God, I was afraid some fan took it," Nick said. "But I only had fifty bucks," he said.
"Sixty actually," AJ said, laughing. Nick gave him a look and AJ stopped laughing. "What's up your ass?" AJ grumbled under his breath. Upstairs, they heard a door open and close.
"Who's that?" Nick asked.
"Oh, that's my sister. She's staying her for a while," Gwen said. Nick nodded.
"Well, I'm gonna jet. I'll see you guys tomorrow," Nick said, letting himself out. Nick walked out to his car and drove off. Upstairs, Ashleigh heard a car and looked out the window. She saw a blond haired guy get in his Durango and rive off. She shrugged and went downstairs.
~~Wednesday~~
It was the day everyone was leaving for tour. Gwen took a quick flight home to make sure she had everything and leave on notice for her jobs. She had to quit bar tending but since she was being a fashion director, the Gap was giving her a paid vacation. Gwen failed to mention the fact she wasn't coming back. Ashleigh was coming on tour with them for a while, so AJ drove the three of them to their practice hall where they would load up into the buses. They got to the arena and AJ hid the keys in his car for Illianna to pick it up later. The girls grabbed their luggage and lugged it into the arena. They collapsed with their bags. Howie walked in.
"Hey ladies," he smiled, "damn.. you guys bring enough?!" Howie asked, laughing at all their luggage.
''Hey, we aren't exactly light packers," Gwen defended herself and Ashleigh.
"That's nothing!" Brian said, nearly falling when he put down all of Leighanne's bags he was carrying. He had two huge suitcases in each hand, a bag around his shoulder, a back pack and a small bag around his neck. Everyone cracked up as Leighanne walked up behind him carrying a small purse.
"Well, there is one more person who beat us all...trust me," Gwen said. And on cue, AJ came in dragging a huge duffle bag that could easily fit a person. He sat that down and ran back out. He came back in with two extra suitcases, his backpack and a smaller duffle. Everyone started laughing.
"Yep, Bone gets the record again this year," Howie laughed. Kevin and Kristin soon came in along with the band, dancers and set crew.
"Where's Nick?" Leighanne asked.
"He's not feeling good, so he went straight onto the bus to sleep," Howie said. There was a total of three buses. The first one was for the BSB and their girls. The second was for their backup dancers and opening act Aaron Carter and his crew. And the third for the band and the crew. Everyone left to load the buses and settle down. Gwen picked up her luggage and looked for Ashleigh. She spotted her talking to some of the dancers.
"Hey Gwen, I'm going to ride their bus for awhile and then meet up with ya'll later," Ashleigh said. Gwen agreed and loaded her bus with AJ.
The bus ride began and it was going to be relatively short since their opening show was only 3 hours away. Brian, Leighanne, Howie and Kristin were in the entertainment room deciding on a movie, Kevin was talking to their driver, Nick and Gwen were asleep in their separate bunks and AJ was up in the 'kitchen' talking to two members of their band who came on their bus to catch up with the guys since last tour.
"So, AJ, who's the new girl?" Tommy asked.
"Her name is Gwen. She's my girlfriend," AJ said.
"I figured that much," he laughed, ''living with her yet?"
"No, not yet," he said.
"How long have you been with her?" Joe, the other guy, asked.
"Almost 4 months," he said.
"And you aren't living with her yet?!" Tommy laughed. AJ was getting annoyed. "That's a record for you AJ. You usually have girls in your sack after the third date," he joked.
"Nah man, it's not like that," AJ said.
"What?!" Joe said. They all knew how AJ was before Gwen.
"She's a virgin and I respect her," AJ told them. Tommy and Joe looked at each other and then at AJ in silence. Then the two burst out in laughter.
"Shit, that's a good one man," Tommy said.
"Hey, I'm serious," AJ said, getting defensive. They saw how he was actually serious and quickly shut up.
"Sorry man. I guess we can count you out on clubbing now," Joe said.
"What do you mean? We love going clubbing," AJ said.
"Well, we all know you work it with girls on the dance floor. Where would you go afterwards?" Tommy asked. AJ was now getting pissed.
"Look, will you fuckin drop it? I really love Gwen and I won't let you talk like this," AJ said.
"Sorry man, don't take it personally," Joe said. "It's just not like you to stop having fun." What Joe said caught AJ off guard. They were right. Waiting for Gwen was worth every minute to AJ but what Joe just said really made him think. He was a guy, he needed 'fun' like that with girls. Tommy snapped his finger to get AJ out of his daze.
"You okay man?" Tommy asked. AJ nodded and stood up and left for the back of the bus. He walked down the bunk hall and lightly knocked on Gwen's bunk. He peaked in the curtain and saw her sound asleep. His heart melt and he climbed in next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep next to her with a lot on his mind.
~~opening night~~
Gwen was running around making touch ups on all the guys clothes and the dancers outfits. In a week she came up with three new sets of outfits for the guys to wear and she ran around franticly making sure they looked perfect. They opened the show in black leather pants, blue designed shirts and leather jackets. AJ ran up to her.
"Hey babe, will you tie this?" he asked, holding out his blue bandana. She looked at it.
"Hmm...hold up," she said. She ran into the dressing room and came out with a handful of jewels and glue. She glued some gems on the bandana to make it sparkle. She waved it in the air to dry it off and tied it around his head.
"Wow baby, thanks," he said, kissing her.
"Are you nervous?" she asked.
"Nah..." AJ smiled. She hugged him.
"Where's Ash? I haven't seen her around," AJ asked.
"She's out in the crowd watching," Gwen said. AJ nodded and kissed his girlfriend.
"A couple of the guys want to go out after the show...wanna go?" he asked, hoping she'd say yes.
"Sure," she said. Kevin gathered everyone to a huge circle. They prayed, and got pumped up for the show.
"Good luck," Gwen smiled, smacking AJ's butt. He whirled around, shocked.
"Watch it Matthews," he laughed, mocking her for when he did that to her. She laughed and the guys got rushed to go on.
~~~~
The guys had just finished singing "The Call" and Ashleigh was cheering along with the crowd. She was watching the guys from up front with her pass and loved their show. It was really making her feel better. Sure Maddy and Olivia had their CD and Ashleigh would sometimes listen, but seeing them live was totally different. She was never really a big fan but was soon becoming one. Howie introduced their next song and they began singing. They started singing "More Than That" and Ashleigh listened closely to the lyrics.
"I've seen that you've been crying, you can't hide it in the light, what's the use in you denying what you had was wrong..." Ashleigh's breath was taken away. This song perfectly described her.
"I will love you more than that, I will say the words then take them back, don't give loneliness a chance, baby listen to me when I say, I will love you more than that," the guys sang. She suddenly felt tears flow to her eyes. It was the most perfect and beautiful song she had ever heard. The tears began to run slowly down her cheek and she quickly wiped them away.
~~
Nick was scanning the audience as he sang. Kevin always told Nick to pick a girl in the crowd and just sing to her. He looked at all the faces and soon came across a girl crying. She was standing up front and by herself. His breath was taken away when he saw her face. He almost couldn't sing his next line. He walked closer to the edge of the stage and watched the girl. She looked up at him feeling his stare, and they made eye contact. His heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw her crying. He had always seen fans crying when they sang just out of pure star struck. But she wasn't crying because she was seeing the Backstreet Boys in concert, she was crying because something was bothering her. But what was it? He had to find out.
~~~~~~~~
