It was Monday morning. Another week was off to a bad start. Lance was on his way to chorus practice before class started. Although most weeks didn’t start off this way, this one did.

"Alright, let’s go," he said, running down the stairs and out the door. Diane quickly followed.

"So what’s on the agenda today?" Diane asked. She knew Lance’s schedule was a busy one. He usually had four or five commitments a day.

"Right after school, I have a voice lesson then a debate practice. After that, Stacey is picking me up and we’re going to watch the juniors basketball game," he informed his mom.

"Okay, what time will you be home then?"

"I'm not sure, about ten thirty or so."

"So you’ll do your homework after you get home?" Diane asked. She was a teacher and knew this importance of following through on commitments, but she also knew how important it was for him to keep up with his studies. Not that she ever had anything to worry about, Lance was always a straight A student and although only sixteen, he was already looking into universities and collages.

"Yep, I’ll do it then."

This was a very normal morning around the Bass house. Everyone in the family was always moving and had many commitments during the day. Although Lance didn’t know it yet, today was going to be an unusually exciting one…

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"Hey Leanne," Lance greeted.

"Hi Lance, how are you?" the girl asked. Leanne was Lance’s vocal coach.

"I'm fine and you?"

"Good. Let’s get started."

Lance agreed cheerfully.

"Oh wait, before we start, I have a question for you. Have you ever thought about moving to Florida?"

"Florida? Um, no. Why do you ask?"

"I got a call from one of my former students today; him and three other guys have started a singing group."

"So, what does that have to do with me?" Lance asked apprehensively.

"Well Justin-."

"Wait," Lance interrupted, "who’s Justin? Is he your former student?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Anyway, Justin called me for a reference. They need a bass voice in they’re group. I recommended you."

"What?" he questioned, "Why?"

"Because, I think you have a chance. They want you to come down and audition."

"I- I can’t move to Florida," Lance was obviously in a state of shock, "what about school and- and everything?"

"Well, I guess that’s a choice you’re going to have to make," she informed him, "because if you sing well with them, they’ll ask you to join the group and you’re going to have to move to Orlando."

"I can’t move, all my friends are here, my family’s here. My entire life is in this small town."

"Come on Lance, think of what this could do for you. Please, just think about it?"

"Sure but…."

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"Hey Lancy-poo!" his sister greeted him. She was there to pick Lance up from his voice lesson to take him to the game. "How was your day?"

"Stacey, how would you feel about me moving to Orlando?"

"Well I’d miss you bro, but why would you be moving to Orlando? Collage offer?"

"Uh, no. There’s a group of guys in Orlando starting a singing group and Leanne wants me to audition."

"Kind of far to go for a music group isn’t it?"

"Yeah I guess," Lance shrugged, "still, it sounds kind of cool."

"I didn’t know you wanted to sing, I thought you wanted to go to collage?"

"I do but-."

"But you want to give this a try?" she interrupted.

Lance nodded.

"Hey, do what makes you happy Lance, it’s your life. "

"Yeah but what will mom say?" Lance asked his sister, already picturing the look his mom would have on her face when she found out.

"The same thing I'm about to," Stacey continued, "go for it."

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"Mom, do you think I'm doing the right thing?" Lance asked a week later. He had decided to go down to Orlando and audition for the group. Him and his mom were on their way to the airport.

"Well it’s your choice but whatever you decide I'm behind you one hundred percent. You can still change your mind if you’re having second thoughts. Don’t feel pressured to do this."

"You know, I'm not sure if I really want to do this," he confessed.

"Yea or nay Lance, I need to know now."

"Nay," he finally said.

"Are you sure?" Diane asked her son, slowing the car down.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

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‘Ring, Ring’

"Hello?"

"Hi Leanne? It’s Lance."

"Lance! How are things going down in Orlando?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Uh, I decided not to go, I'm at home right now."

"What?" she shrieked, "why?"

"Because I didn’t feel like it was the right thing for me to do."

"Oh but Lance, you have so much talent, you can’t just give this up."

"Well I kind of already did."

"No you didn’t, I'm sure they still want you to audition," Leanne paused. "What’s really bothering you about this?" she questioned him.

"Nothing," Lance insisted.

"Lance," she interrupted, "I know you want to do this. Is it because you don’t know them?" she asked, knowing Lance had shy tendencies.

"Yes, well that part of it. I'm only sixteen, I’ll probably be the youngest one in the group."

"Lance, Justin is only fourteen."

"He is? So would I be the oldest one then?" Lance asked.

"No, I don’t think so. I didn’t get much info on the group itself but no, I don’t think you’d be the youngest. And from what Justin said they sound nice. I think you’d like them and I think you should give this a try. If you don’t like them, you can come home."

"Yeah, I guess you’re right," he confessed.

"So, will you give it another shot?" Leanne asked him again.

"Yeah, I guess so."

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"Okay Lance, you’re sure you want to do this?" Diane asked him. They were on their way to the airport for the second time that week.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright," she said, "no turning back, we’re here."

"Welcome aboard flight 426 to Orlando. This will be a direct flight…"

Lance ignored the attendant. He had heard the plane speech before while touring with his choir group some years before. Instead, he thought about the days to come in Florida. What he saw were four older guys who were stuck up from being on the beaches of Florida too long. All of a sudden, he didn’t want to do this again. It was to late though; the engines were starting up and before long, the plane was up in the air, no turning back.

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"Where do we go?" Lance asked his mom. The flight was over and they were fighting their way through the Orlando airport.

"We’re supposed to go to 136 Palmsun drive. There’s a warehouse where the group practices."

The two haled a cab and told the driver where to go. Before long, they found themselves in an industrial area. It looked fairly abandoned but since it was a Saturday, it was to be expected. As the cab stopped, Diane paid the driver and they got out, lugging their bags behind them.

"Which one is it?" Lance asked, looking around. "All of the buildings look the same."

"Number 136," Diane replied.

"136," he repeated, looking at all the numbers on the buildings. "There it is," he pointed to the warehouse second from the left. They were all large, square gray buildings made of large brick. He motioned for his mother to lead and he followed close behind. His shy side was starting to kick in. after reaching the door and trying to open it, they found that it was locked.

"Is this the right place?" Lance looked up. Sure enough the black rusted numbers read 136.

Just then, a young boy who looked about thirteen appeared on the other side of the door. He unlocked it and stuck his head outside.

"Lance Bass?" the boy guessed as he opened to door to let them in.

"That’s me and this is my mom Diane," he introduced timidly.

"Hi," the boy greeted, "I'm Justin, the one who called Leanne. Come on in, the others are inside."

Justin led Lance and his mother down the hall into a large room where they were met by three other men. It seemed to Lance that it was only the six of them in the building.

As they entered the room, Lance saw the other group mates. They weren’t what he expected at all. He expected four snobs who probably wouldn’t give him the time of day. Lance waited quietly until the strangers noticed him and his mother standing with Justin. Justin handled the introductions.

"Lance, Diane, this is Chris, J.C. and Joey." Everyone exchanged pleasant hellos as Lance sized them up. Chris was a short guy, with dark brown hair, cut short just to the top of his ears. J.C. was taller, and was dressed fairly nicely, considering where they were, in a pair of cargo pants and a striped button up shirt. Joey was a little on the strange side. Right away he noticed that he must be a superman fan, cause he was wearing a hat and a shirt with the logo on it and there was a necklace that hung around his neck that said "Super Joey" on it with the small Superman logo underneath that. His hair was brown, and gelled up so it would look spiked. Justin didn’t seem to fit with these guys. He was much younger, it was very obvious, Joey and J.C. looked like they were in their late teens maybe early twenties and Chris looked even older then that. Justin was one of the taller ones, but you could tell he was younger just by the way he acted. Both Justin and J.C. looked familiar but Lance couldn’t put his finger on it where he had seen them before.

"Why don’t we get started," J.C. suggested, rubbing his hands together.

Lance relaxed a bit. He could see this would be a relatively easy audition and the others seemed nice enough.

"Sure," Lance agreed.

"We figured that maybe we could all sing the national anthem together since it has a lot of vocal ranges and we can all sing it. That way we can get a feel for each other and how well we’ll sing with you."

"Sounds good," Lance agreed.

"You do know the national anthem, don’t you Lance?" Chris asked. He then started bouncing around the room singing the song in a loud, obnoxious tone, way off key.

Lance laughed uncomfortably. He was starting to tense up again. He wasn’t sure how to react to Chris’ show.

"Come on Chris, quit messing around," Joey scolded, "we have things to do."

Chris calmed himself down and a moment later, rejoined the guys to start.

"Alright, start on three. One, two three."

"Oh say can you see…."

As the five of the tried to harmonize, the figured out that it worked. Lance got a feel for the others voices and was amazed at how high Chris sang. He thought that Chris would be one of the lower singers but he was amazingly high. As each of them made eye contact, they realized that Lance’s bass voice was exactly what they needed to make it perfect.

Later that day, Lance was asked to join the group. He informed them that he would love to, but that he would have to think about it because of all that would change in his life. He would have to move, and leave all his friends and family behind in Mississippi.

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