Untitled Howie Story
Looking across the room, she sat in shock. Not believing she was actually here. Finally!! And the one person she wanted to see wasn’t even there. As her gaze swept the room again, she felt the tears well up in her eyes. How could her luck be so good yet so bad at the same time??
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Carli got the best birthday gift from her parents this year. They had somehow gotten a meet and greet pass for the Backstreet Boys concert they knew that Carli was going to. These passes were very hard to obtain, and they had gotten them. Carli was ecstatic when she opened the envelope. She knew this was her one chance to meet him.
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She stood and was debating what to do when it happened. Carli already had seen and gotten the autographs of four of the five BSB. She was ready to just give up and leave. Then suddenly she felt someone tap her lightly on the shoulder. Unsure as to who would want her attention now, she turned hesitantly around to face the person who had tapped her. When she turned around, she nearly leaped out of her skin. Standing right in front of her was the one person she had hoped to see all night.
Howie seen her reaction and wasn’t quite sure how to read it. He decided that she was just excited to see him. He said hello to her. She asked him for his autograph and if he’d take a picture with her. He then asked if he could talk to her over on the side for a moment. Carli was a little unsure why he would come out of nowhere and ask to talk to her. But she followed him over to a quiet corner anyway.
He told her to relax, sensing her uneasiness. “I know this is going to sound very unusual to you but I have a request to make of you,” he said to her. Carli got a puzzled look on her face. “Uhh.. ok,” she replied. Howie then told her, “I have been watching you since you got here. You seem like a very nice person who wouldn’t try and attack us. I was wondering if you’d like to join us guys for a bit after the show is over?”
Not believing what she was hearing, she asked him to repeat what he had just said to her .He told her again and this time added, “We like to look for a fan or two at the meet and greets that we can talk to after the show. You know, try and get to know our fans better. We kind of watch people at these events and determine who we think would be the best person to get the special surprise. As I said, I have had my eye on you for a while and I chose you to be the person. Do you accept this offer?”
Carli thought he was nuts for even suggesting she may turn it down. “Are you crazy?? Of course I accept it!!” He then proceeded to tell her how it would take place. He told her to wait for him near the door to the room they were in now. That he would run up here and get her when it was safe. Realizing he hadn’t even asked her name, he asked her, “I’m sorry, but what is your name anyway?” and let out a small laugh. She laughed with him and said, “Carli!” He said, “OK Carli, I look forward to seeing you after the show!” He leaned in and kissed her lightly on her cheek and left her standing there. Carli stood watching after him and thought again how lucky she was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the Show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carli was very worn out from the performance. She danced and sang through the entire show. But nothing was stopping her from getting together with her Howie. Her Howie, she thought. If only that were true. She walked to where she was told to go and waited. She stood there for a full 15 minutes before she seen Kevin walking towards her. Her first thought was that Howie had changed his mind. She looked at him and said, “I thought that Howie was meeting me here?” Kevin knew right off that he found the right person. “He wanted to get in the shower real quick. He wanted to be presentable. He seems to be a little smitten with you!” Kevin informed her.
She knew her chin dropped to the floor with his last statement. That is something she only wished she would hear. And now it was happening.” Nah, I think you’re just imagining things!” she told him. Kev looked at her and told her, “Listen, Carli is it?” “Yes.” She replied. “I am with Howie almost every minute of every day. This is something we have all come to know about each other. When someone shows an interest in someone!” he said. Instead of standing there and discussing this with her he told her to follow him.
Carli walked beside him and wondered if what he said was true. Could there be any truth to it? She would have to try and find out for herself she determined. They walked around in the building for a bit before deciding it was safe to get to the tour bus. She followed him on the bus and she was shocked.
Sitting there waiting for her were the other four Backstreet Boys. And Howie was all showered and shaved. And he looked awesome sitting there. She looked from him to the other guys, then back to him before she looked at Kevin again. Kevin knew what she was thinking and said to her, “Trust me. If I know him, he’ll let you know it too!” Kevin said to them, “Well I found her and got her here in one piece.” They all including Carli let out a small laugh.
After talking and getting to know one another for a while, Howie told her he wanted to talk to her alone. Carli thought back to what Kevin had said to her. She smiled and told him to lead the way. They walked to the back of the bus and sat on one of the lower bunks. Howie again said to her, “I know this is going to be even stranger than the last time I told you it would be strange. But…,” he paused. “I actually picked you of all those people in that room for another reason. I chose you because I seen you and all I could think of was getting to know you myself. I didn’t care about you meeting the other guys. I wanted to know you!”
She sat there and was speechless. Finally she found her voice and said to him, “Oh my god!!” He right away assumed something was wrong. He jumped right in to add. “Listen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you or anything.” Carli put her hands on his (that he had laid on her knees). “Howie, you are the one person I had hoped would always say to me that he wanted to get to know me better. And you just granted one of my wishes!” Not knowing how else to end the situation. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.
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That was one birthday gift that she would never forget. That was the gift that led to her happy healthy relationship that then lead to a wonderful marriage. All she could do was silently thank her parents each and every day.
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