"Just give me a chance....and I know I'll make you understand..."
"Boy...I just can't help myself I'm falling in love with you..."
"...love...love..."
"Ok girls, it's looking good so far! Let's take it from the top once more." Darrin, their choreographer shouted above the music blaring out of the studio speakers.
"I think I am gonna kill someone after we are done with this...I have never had the urge so badly. We have done this dance 'from the top' five hundred freakin times already in the last 2 hours." Tressa complained, wiping the sweat off her face with a towel.
"We seem to be making a LITTLE progress at least though...right?" Leigh asked timidly as she took a sip from her waterbottle.
"Well besides the fact that I almost tripped over Ashlee's foot during that second to last dance sequence, I think things are moving along nicely." Rachel laughed, pushing her straight blond hair under her navy baseball hat.
"Alright girls...let's get going...we don't have all year to perfect this ya know. Eternity is supposed to perform this on TRL in three weeks. So let's get those buns in gear, alright?" Darrin interrupted the five girls. They all groaned, but got in their positions for the opening sequence as he began counting with the music. "Five, six...five, six, seven, eight..."
***
"Eternity is in the HOUSE!" Carson Daly said into the camera right before cutting away to a commercial.
The five girls walked out onto the TRL soundstage, ready to make their MTV debut. The VJ welcomed them all with a handshake, and directed them toward the portion of the stage where they would be performing. Jordan, standing in position, began nervously fiddling with her lavender top and the drawstring of her khaki cargo pants. She looked at Ashlee, who was next to her, and smiled. Ashlee was calm and collected as usual, waving to the expectant audience and flashing a bright smile.
"Ok, we're back, and the new girl group, Eternity, straight out of Orlando, is here to perform their new single 'Confessions of Love'! It's debuting today on TRL, was released in stores last week, and their self titled album will be out at the end of next month." Carson told the camera while the strains of 'Confessions of Love' began.
"You smile alot it makes me wonder what you're thinkin of..." Jordan and Rachel harmonized perfectly while all five of the girls danced in absolute synchronization.
The rest of the girls joined in, "Baby you're always on my mind..."
"Right now I want you here by my side..(here by my side)...until the end of ti-ime."
***
The last chords of the song faded out as Carson made his way over to the five beaming girls. They all waved to the audience, thanking them for the applause with their smiles. The camera panned the smiling, cheering audience as it faded away to a commercial.
"Ladies, that was great. When we come back on, we can just take questions from the audience, and kinda chat about your upcoming cd release ok?" Carson briefed them as the crew brought chairs for the five girls to sit on. The girls nodded quickly as the show resumed.
"Hey and welcome back to TRL. We have the hottest new thing to come out of Orlando, under the management of Transcon Records...which is the same management team that heads up the boyband sensations N Sync and C Note, as well as the sultry songstress Britney Spears. They just performed their first single, 'Confessions Of Love', Eternity is here!" Carson said, looking directly into the camera. "So first, we are gonna take some questions from the audience..."
"Hi, I was just wondering...Jordan...is it true that you are dating Justin Timberlake from N Sync? I heard that you were dating him, and just recently broke up with a boyfriend from home." a petite redhead pressed, staring straight in the brunette's hazel eyes.
*Pic of Justin and Jordan together popped up on the screen before cutting back to Jordan*
"Ohhh...so you're double timing...or is it two timing da boyz?!" Carson laughed.
"Actually no, Justin ...along with the other guys from N Sync are just our good friends...colleagues I guess you could say. There is nothing between us but friendship." Jordan said lightly, breezing through the answer to a question she had been drilled through a million times by Lou's media trainers.
"So do you guys ever fight?" a guy in the audience asked gently.
"Well...", Tressa's eyes flashed mischeviously. "I guess sometimes we do. But never about anything serious. We are pretty much close like sisters. Sometimes we fight about little things...like clothes."
After saying that out loud, Tressa frowned, remembering an incident a month ago. They had fought, and it was almost enough to break up the group. She had called Ashlee a "spoiled little rich girl", and it began a huge argument about how the other four girls didn't appreciate the backgrounds they came from. They didn't know how hard her life had been after her dad lost his job. Right then, Leigh noticed Tressa's frown, and gave her a nudge in the arm. Tressa looked at her sharply...and Leigh smiled, hoping Tressa would get the hint. Of course, she remembered Lou's words.."Never EVER lose the smile", and grinned back at audience member.
"What is it like working so closely with N Sync? Are they nice?" a blond girl that looked about 12 asked.
"They are hideous trolls that don't shower." Rachel said with a straight face. Jordan and Ashlee looked at each other in shock before almost falling off their chairs in laughter. Then Rachel busted out with a wide grin and said playfully, "Nah, I am just playin with ya. They are all really nice guys. We actually have become really close friends with them, and they invited us to join them on their fall tour."
"Yeah, we are all really excited about that...our first tour..with N Sync. What more could you possibly want?!" Ashlee said with bubbly enthusiasm.
"Ok, one more audience question.." Carson announced. He pointed to a tall male, about 18 years old in the back row.
"Are you guys virgins?" he boldly asked.
"Yes, we all are." Leigh stated steadily, not taking her eyes from the boy. After answering the question, she thought...man, Lou's media trainers sure did a great job. Who would have known I could lie so easily? I mean...God knows Ashlee is the furthest thing from a virgin.
"Alright, so ladies, tell us again when your self titled debut album comes out." Carson prodded, hurrying because of the lack of time.
"Well, it comes out next month, and it has a lot of really great songs on it." Leigh stated. "It has a ton of different stuff. Ballads, some R & B, some dance...all stuff that we HOPE you guys will enjoy!"
"Well, I am sure that won't be a problem, since Transcon puts subliminal messages into all their artists' songs so that the public will keep buying more. Are you girls sure he doesn't specialize in mind control of the American public?" Carson teased.
All the girls laughed gently at his joke. "What is mind control again?" Ashlee whispered to Jordan, who shot her a dirty look.
"Well, that is Total Request Live for June 1, 1999. Thanks to Eternity for coming here to perform for us, and they hope to see all of you guys at the signing they are having at Tower Records later this afternoon." Carson stated before ending the show.
***
Jordan slumped down in her chair and closed her large hazel eyes. "Ohmygod," she moaned. "Stop the insanity!"
They had just finished their signing at Tower Records. The minute they had gotten there, they noticed the hundreds of young girls and guys standing waiting to get their autograph. They spent almost 2 hours signing, talking, and smiling so much they felt like their faces would crack. Now, the girls sat in their hotel room, relaxing before they had to leave for Orlando that evening.
"I never want to see another one of our cd singles. It is too painful, cuz it reminds me of the MILLIONS of freakin autographs I wrote today." Ashlee rambled, mostly talking to herself. "I seriously don't know how the guys keep their sanity. We only have HALF the fans they do, and I am about to go off!"
Right then, a cell phone began ringing. All five of the girls sat there, not moving an inch...all too exhausted to reach for their bags. "FINE, I guess I will get it...since all of you lazy asses aren't moving," Leigh sighed as she reached over the edge of the bed and fumbled around inside the bag that was ringing. "Hello?"
On the other line, she heard laughing, and some muffled talking. "HELLO?!?" Leigh shouted into the phone, obviously annoyed at the caller. Jordan opened her eyes, and Tressa rolled over to see what the problem was.
"Good God girl...chill out." Tressa said calmly, staring at Leigh. "Just ask who it is...and if they don't answer, then hang up."
"Hello? Is anyone there? Who IS this?" Leigh questioned.
"Hey!!! How's it goin in NYC baybee?!" a male voice shouted into the phone.
"Chris is that you? What the HELL are you doing? Don't you know how tired we are right now?" Leigh asked the obnoxious 27 year old. "By the way, where ARE you guys?"
"We're right here!!" Chris yelled out as there was a knock on the hotel room door.
"OH for the love of tims...is that you guys?" Rachel said, grabbing the phone from Leigh, while jumping up to look in the peep hole. "Ahahahaha. Take a look at this guys!" She motioned toward the peep hole laughing.
The girls moaned and complained, but got up anyhow to look. They took turns looking through the peep hole, each turning away from the door with a wide grin.