“There’s some guy on the phone and he says it important that he talks to you,” Justin said.
“Ok, tell him to hold on a second.” She wondered who it could be. No one knew where she was but her parents and they wouldn’t tell anyone. She got out of bed and went to the phone. “Hello?”
“Is this Carly?” the guy asked.
“Yes it is.”
“Please hold on one second.” This is so weird. Who could it be? She was about to hang up when she heard, “Hello, Angel?”
“Carter? Hey, what’s up?”
“Not much. I want to ask you something.”
“How did you get my number?”
“I called Transcon. Since I work for them they gave me NSYNC’s hotel number. But I didn’t think I should probably call them so I had one of my bodyguards call.”
“Smart thinking, Carter.”
“Thanks. Anyway, I wanted to ask you if you would come to the sound check and concert tonight.”
“Carter, I would love to, but I don’t know if I can get away tonight. Joey was waiting up for me when I got home last night. He started yelling at me, telling me I should have come in sooner or called. I’m like forget you I’m going to bed. He said that I couldn’t walk out on this conversation and I said why not he walked out on me earlier. Then I went to bed.”
“You go girl! I would love for you to be there but I know that you probably can’t. I’ll give you the address just in case.” He gave her the address. “Now you know Angel if we don’t see each other today I’m going to have to see you tomorrow. I have a great idea. NSYNC has a concert tomorrow right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well I could come after they go on and leave before they get off. They will never notice me. I know. I never notice people offstage when I’m performing.”
“Ok, Carter. Sounds good. I will still try for tonight but I’m not sure.”
“Ok. I’ll leave a backstage pass for you at the ticket box so if you do come you can get backstage.”
“Ok. Carter I’ll see you tonight or tomorrow.”
“Ok, Angel. Bye.”
“Bye.” Carly hung up the phone and stared dreamily off into space.
“Who’s Carter?” Joey asked. He had walked in on the end of her conversation.
Carly jumped and turned around. When she saw whom it was she glared at him. “None of your business whatsoever.” She walked past him towards the kitchen where she could see the other guys eating breakfast. Joey followed her. She sat down in between Justin and JC.
“Carly, it is my business. So tell me who he is.”
Carly tensed up. She slowly stood up and walked over to Joey. She stared him in the eye for a few seconds then she slapped him hard across the face. “Joey he’s none of your damn business. And please stay the hell out of my personal life.” Then she walked away leaving 5 stunned guys.
“Joey what was that about?” JC asked. Joey still stunned from her slapping him just stood there. “Joey?”
“What? Oh, I walked in on the end of her conversation and I asked who she was talking to.”
“God, Joey. You deserve what you got. It really was none of your business,” Justin said.
“And why is it not my business. She’s my cousin and while she’s here she’s my responsibility. Why don’t I have the right to ask her who she’s talking to?”
“Cause Joey since she’s been here you’ve treated her like crap,” Justin said. Then he got up and walked out of the room towards Carly’s room. She came out just as he was about to open the door and ran into him. He looked at her and asked, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going out. I’m going to meet a friend at noon but I can’t wait till then to leave.”
“I understand but you don’t have to go alone. JC and I are going shopping today and if you wait for half an hour we can go with you.”
“That’s a great offer Justin, but I can’t. Just tell everyone I’m sorry but I had to leave. Tell Joey not to wait up for me again because I’ll probably be late again.”
“Wait a minute. He waited up for you last night?”
“Yup then preceeded to yell at me because I was coming in so late. He was acting like my father.”
“Man, he needs to grow up.”
“Yeah I know but I have to go. I’ll see you later.”
“Ok. Bye.”
“And Justin?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for being my friend.” She gave him a hug and left.
“You’re welcome,” he said after her.
Chris came up to him and said, “Who’s your friend?”
“What?”
“Well you just said you’re welcome to no one so I figured you had an imaginary friend or something.”
Justin punched him in the arm and said, “Shut up.”
“So where’s Carly?”
“She left. She said she had to meet a friend plus she couldn’t stand being here anymore.”
“Who could blame her with Joey.”
“Not me. Hey do you want to go shopping with me and JC?”
“Sure, let’s go.”
Carly walked out of the hotel. She was debating with herself on whether to go to his hotel or not. She finally decided to go since she had no where else to go. She walked all the way across town to his hotel. As she went in she started to get nervous. She thought for the first time that maybe she wouldn’t be able to get up to his room or something but she did. Didn’t even see anyone that looked like security. Then the thought accrued to her that maybe they weren’t there but she knocked on the door anyway. She was relieved when Brian answered the door. He looked shocked to see her.
“Hi. You’re Brain right?”
“Yep that’s me. If you don’t mind me being rude, what are you doing here?”
“I came here on a chance to see Nick. Would he be available.”
“Yeah, he’s going to be surprised to see you. He’s been talking about you all morning.” Carly blushed. “Come in. Just have a seat on the couch while I got get him.”
“Ok. Thanks.” Brian walked into a room she was guessing was Nicks. Nick was lying on his bed trying to get some sleep before sound check.
“Nick, someone’s here to see you.”
“Tell them to go away. I’m sleeping.”
“I really think you want to see this person.”
“Come on Brian, can’t you see I’m trying to get some sleep.”
“Her name begins with a C.” And with that he left. Nick immediately got up and walked out to the main room. He was shocked when he saw Carly.
“Angel, what are you doing here?”
She got up and gave him a hug. “Well Carter, I came to see you.”
“I didn’t think you were going to be able to get away.”
“Well, Joey walked in on the end of our conversation. He heard me call you Carter. Fortuantely it didn’t click and he asked who Carter was. I’m like it’s none of your business. But he wouldn’t let it go so I slapped him and left. I told Justin to tell him I was going to see a friend and not to wait up because I’d be home late. Do you mind if I hang with you today?”
“No, not at all. In fact I’d love it.”
“I was hoping you would say that. I didn’t know where I was going to go if you said I couldn’t.”
“Now why would I not want to hang with you today after that wonderful night we had last night?”
Carly smiled. “I don’t know. So what’s the plan for the day?”
“Well we don’t really have anything to do until sound check at 5:00. What do you want to do?”
“Well we probably can’t go anywhere without you being noticed can we?”
“Probably not.”
“And if we’re seen together it will somehow get back to the guys. So how about we just hang out here?”
“Sounds good. By the way, when do you plan on telling those guys about us?”
“Well what exactly is us?”
“Well I don’t know yet.”
“Neither do I. So we should probably wait till we figure that out.”
“Yeah I guess you’re right. Let’s go to my room and watch some TV or something.”
“Sounds good.” Nick and Carly watched TV all afternoon. When Brain came in to get Nick he found Nick lying in his bed with Carly in his arms. They had fallen asleep since both of them had had a long night. Brian walked up to Nick and shook him a little trying to wake him up. “What?”
“Nick it’s 4:30. We need to be heading to the venue.”
“Ok. I’ll be out in a second.” Brian left and Nick tried to get up without waking up Carly.
“Are you leaving me?” Carly asked.
“You just looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you up.”
“Well I’m awake now so lets go.”
“Ok.” They got up and went out to the main room where everyone was. Carly went over to the window. She gasped when she saw what was outside. There were TV cameras everywhere. There were girls screaming everywhere.
“Carter, come here for a sec.” Carly said.
As Nick walked away from the guys AJ whispered, “Carter?” The other guys just shook their heads.
Nick walked up to Carly and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and laid his chin on her shoulder. “What do ya need, Angel?”
“Look at all those cameras and screaming fans. If I walk out there with you I’ll get put on TV where the guys will definitely see me and then I’ll be ripped to shreds by those crazy fans.”
“Well we wouldn’t want that now would we?”
Carly softly elbowed him in the side. “Not funny at all, Carter.”
“Why don’t you go out first and walk a couple of blocks up to the gas station and we’ll pick you up there.”
“Ok sounds good.” Carly turned around still in his arms. She kissed him lightly on the lips then walked away. She walked down to the front entrance. When she looked out the doors she got really nervous. There were TV people everywhere. She finally got up the nerve to walk out. As soon as she walked out the door cameras started to flash and girls started to scream. The cameras stopped flashing and the girls stopped screaming when then noticed it wasn’t the Backstreet Boys. She was relieved when she got out past the crowd and down the block. She went down 4 blocks to the gas station and waited. About 15 minutes later a huge bus pulled up. A big black guy got off and walked up to her.
“Are you Carly?”
“Yes.”
“Come with me please.”
“Ok.” They walked on the bus to the back where all the members of the Backstreet Boys were sitting. Carly just stood there since there wasn’t a seat open and she didn’t want to sit on the floor because she was wearing a skirt. Nick noticed her just standing there and motioned for her to come to him. He was sitting beside Brain. She walked over and stood in front of him. He put his hands on her hips and set her down on his lap. She buried her head in his neck and started laughing uncontrollably. When she finally stopped laughing she looked up to see everyone staring at her. She blushed the deepest red.
“What’s so funny?” Brian asked.
“Oh nothing.”
“All that laughing you just did wasn’t nothing,” AJ said.
“No really it wasn’t anything.”
“Come on tell us,” Kevin said.
“Really guys it was nothing. Just me being my weird self.”
“Yeah right. You were probably laughing at us or something like that,” Howie said.
“Yup, you’re right,” Carly said laughing. All the guys just stared at her shocked. “I was KIDDING!” They sat stunned for a minute before they all broke out laughing. Nick was happy; the girl he liked got along with his friends. He was afraid that they wouldn’t get along because of the NSYNC thing.
NSYNC’S HOTEL ROOM…
“Hello?” Lance said answering the telephone.
“Lance, is that you?” Lou asked.
“Yeah. What’s up Lou?”
“I need you to come down to the venue site. I have some papers I need to give you guys, but only you can come.”
“Why?”
“BSB is here doing sound check for their concert tonight.”
“Oh. Cool, I’ll get to talk to Kevin.” Even though NSYNC and Backstreet Boys didn’t really get along Lance and Kevin were really good friends. No one could figure out why but they were.
“Ok. I’ll see you in 30 minutes.”
“Ok. Bye.” Lance went to find Joey. He found him sitting on a balcony just staring off into space. “Joey, I have to go talk to Lou. I’ll be back later.” When Joey didn’t answer Lance tried again. When again he didn’t answer Lance shook him and he finally woke up.
“What?”
“Well like I’ve said two times already I have to go talk to Lou. I’ll be back later.”
“Ok. Bye.”
“Bye.”
To Be Continued…