At 5:45 the the next morning, Kari and I threw all our bags into a rented car Donna had decided to send for us and we headed towards the hotel.
"Hello girls," Donna greeted us as we got out of the car. "Are you ready for 3 months on the road?"
"Totally!" Kari said enthusiastically.
"Yeah!" I said with a forced smile.
"Alright good. Now you girls will be on the same bus as the guys because we ran out of room on the band bus." Kari's smile got even wider than before. "Come on, I'll show you around."
We had to be quiet because the guys were sleeping in the bunks, so after Donna had given the the grand tour and left Kari and I sat in the kitchenette and talked.
“How can you not be like, totally excited?” Kari asked.
“What are you talking about? I’m excited.”
“Yeah, whatever. I’ve known you for like, ever Amy. I can tell when you’re not happy.”
“I’m happy but I’m still a bit scared. What if the guys are ignorant assholes and then we’re stuck with them for 3 whole months?”
“Trust me Aim, they are so not assholes. I’m like, an awesome judge of character!” I smiled to make her think that I felt better, but the truth was I didn’t.
A little while later the bus started and we were on our way to Charlotte. Kari and I were watching TV the the living room area. Little did we know that the Backstreet Boys were watching us from behind the wall.
“Damn,” AJ whispered, afraid that we would hear him. “Those girls are fine!”
“Maybe, but what are they doing in our tour bus?” Kevin questioned.
“Obsessed fans?” Nick suggested.
“Probably not,” Howie said. “Let’s just go talk to them.”
Brian shrugged. “Works for me.”
“Hi!” Nick said brightly as he and the guys came out into the open. “I’m Nick, and this is AJ, Brian, Howie, and Kevin, but you probably already knew that.”
“Hi!” Kari replied. “I’m Kari Larkins and this is my best friend Amy Jonstone.”
“Well it’s nice to meet you two,” AJ said with a flirting smile. “So Kari, tell us about yourself.” As the guys hung on Kari’s every word I slipped away to the kitchenette.
“This always happens,” I said bitterly to myself. “Everyone always loves Kari and pays no attention to me.”
“Amy?” someone asked. I looked up and saw Howie.
“Oh, hi,” I said.
“Why aren’t you out there with everyone else?” he asked.
“Because you guys are too busy drooling over Kari. No one was talking to me, so I figured I’d come in here and wallow in self-pity.”
“But why?” Howie asked. “I think you’re very pretty.”
“Thanks Howie.”
He smiled. “No problem. Anyway I bet you that at least one of the guys likes you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. In fact, I’ll find out from them later and if I’m wrong, which I know I won’t be, I’ll owe you something.”
“Like what?”
“You’ll see,” he said, his big brown eyes sparkling. “Now are you going to talk to the rest of guys?”
“Sure.”
Howie and I walked into the living room together. “Hey guys,” he said. “Look who’s back.”
“It’s nice of you to join us,” Brian teased. “Now that we know all about Kari, why don’t you tell us about yourself?”
“Well, okay. My name is Amy Marie Jonstone, I’m 18 years old, and I’m originally from Miami, Florida but Kari and I moved to Orlando so we can be closer to Florida State where we’re going in the fall. I have a 10 year old sister named Regina who loves Aaron Carter and and a 16 year old sister named Samantha who also loves you guys.”
“Okay now for some nosy questions,” AJ announced. “Do either of you girls have boyfriends?”
“No,” we said in unison.
“How far have you gone with a guy?” AJ asked.
“AJ!” Kevin said, smacking his arm. “That’s a bit personal don’t you think?”
“I really don’t want to answer that one,” I mumbled.
“I will! The farthest I’ve gone is making out. I believe in waiting for the right person for anything else,” Kari replied matter-of-factly.
“Okay, I’m satisfied with your answers,” AJ said. “For now of course.”
“Maybe you’re done AJ, but now I have a question for you,” I said with a mischievous smile. “You guys are always saying you don’t have girlfriends, but do you really?”
“I do,” Kevin said after some hesitation. “Her name is Rachel.”
“So do I,” Howie admitted. “Her name is Kayla.”
“What about you guys?” Kari asked AJ, Brian, and Nick.
“I’m not, but I’m definitely looking,” AJ said.
“Me too,” Brian and Nick said in unison.
We all talked for a little while longer and then Kari, Brian, and AJ left to take a nap and Kevin and Howie left to work on a new song. It was just me and Nick.
“Were you serious when you said you didn’t have a boyfriend?” Nick asked.
“Yeah. Why would I lie about something dumb like that?”
“I don’t know. It just seemed like a pretty girl like you would have a boyfriend.”
I snorted. “Yeah right.”
“What do you mean by that?”
I sighed. “Whenever I’m with Kari and we met a cute guy, they always go for her and not me. Whether you realized it or not, you and the other guys totally blew me off before for Kari. I’m not beautiful at all, I’m not even cute.”
Nick looked at me skeptically. “You honestly think that?”
“Of course I do! Look at Kari, she’s got pretty brown hair, gorgeous green eyes, a bigger chest!”
“A big chest isn’t everything Amy. And to tell you the truth, I honestly think you’re beautiful.”
“Stop patronizing me! I can see where you’re going with this, you’re just trying to make the ugly girl feel better. I hate to tell you this but it’s not working!” With that I got up and stormed away, leaving Nick and all of my self-esteem behind.