Amazingly enough once Alanna had got through the first line, which was slightly shaky; she lost herself in the music. It was if she was back home in her bedroom singing and dancing along to her CD's in front of the mirror, one of her well kept secrets. As the last note of the song faded away she was broken out of her trance-like state by clapping from down below. She looked down to see Lance and JC whooping and hollering with huge smile's on their faces. Alanna quickly shot a smile back and turned before they could see the blush rise on her cheeks.
"Damn Lance I didn't realise she was gonna be that good!" JC exclaimed.
"I know that girl has one heck of a voice on her doesn't she. I just hope she can make it through tonight okay," Lance thought out loud.
~*~
‘I can't believe I got through that’ was the only thing going through Alanna's mind as she walked backstage to her dressing room after her rehearsal. She had performed 3 songs out there to an audience of 3 people plus sound technicians.
"Just gotta times that by about 10,000 people and tonight will be a breeze. Who the hell am I kidding? I'm gonna fall flat on my face and never be able to show my face again. Either that or the fans are gonna beat me up and my face will be so mashed up I won't be able to leave the house…hotel room. Either way, this will be the last time I show myself in public," Alanna rambled on to herself.
"Alanna you rocked girl. Oh my goodness did you see JC and Lances' faces? Of course Lance knew how good you were but JC...man I think he probably thought you had some outgoing twin sister who you shoved up on stage. What's with the sad face?" asked Ashlyn.
"Ash that was only sound check? Do you have any idea how many people are gonna be there tonight? How many people are just gonna hate my guts for even being on the same stage that N Sync are later to walk out on? The only thing going in my favour at the moment is that I'm managed by Lance Bass and even then half of them are probably thinking that I'm sleeping with him," Alanna said exclaimed.
"You're sleeping with Lance? Woah go Lan..." Joey was cut off by a swift hand to the back of his head by JC.
"Joey! If Alanna is sleeping with Lance that is their business, not yours," JC said looking directly into Alanna's eyes.
"Oh no...we....no..that hasn't...it's...," Alanna flustered trying to find the right words as JC, Joey, Ashlyn and Lance who had just joined the group looked at her. Joey looked generally interested in what was going on in her sex life, Ashlyn was standing there trying not to laugh, Lance looked at her sympathetically before shooting Joey a look and finally she looked at JC. She found herself wanting to explain everything to him. That Lance and her had a working relationship only. She also detected something that she couldn't quite place in his eyes. She quickly ducked her head though to try and hide the furious blush that she could feel rising from her neck upwards. She wanted to crawl up and die at that very moment.
Lance saved her though by putting Joey straight. "Not that it is any business of yours what either Alanna or I get up to in our personal lives I will set the record straight to save Alanna any embarrassment. Alanna and me have a strictly business relationship but I also consider her a friend, nothing more Joey. Now leave the poor girl alone. She has enough on her plate today without you adding to it."
Joey looked up with at her with a look that wouldn't have been out of place on a small child that had just been caught disobeying house rules by their parent. "Sorry Alanna, will you please forgive me?"
Alanna couldn't help but smile at the pitiful sight of the grown man in front of her asking for her forgiveness. "It's okay Joey, all's forgiven and forgotten."
Joey surprised her by grabbing her into a bear hug, "welcome to the family Allie."
"Allie?" asked Alanna as Joey withdrew his arms from around her.
"Yeah I figured since you're part of this crazy family you needed a pet name," Joey reasoned.
"What about me? Can I have a name too or do I have to be welcomed into this family first?" Ashlyn inquired.
"Babe you can be a part of my life any day you want," Joey replied.
"JOEY!" everyone groaned as they headed towards their dressing rooms.
"What?" Joey asked. "What did I say...guys...hey wait for me."
~*~
Ashlyn followed Alanna into her dressing room and gasped when she saw a huge bouquet of flowers sitting on the table. "Al someone got you flowers. Quick come read the card, come read the card."
"Okay just calm down will you." Alanna opened up the card that was perched in between an assorted range of flowers. Alanna quickly read the card and smiled.
"Let me see," said Ashlyn as she grabbed the card out of Alanna's hand.
"Alanna, welcome to the tour," Ashlyn read out. "We hope you have fun and we're all looking forward to getting to know you better. Love Lance, JC, Justin, Joey and Chris. Kiss, kiss, kiss. Aww ain't that sweet. I bet us dancers haven't got flowers waiting for us back in our dressing room," Ashlyn teased.
Alanna poked her tongue out at her friend. "That's cos I'm special," she joked.
Ashlyn plopped down on the couch and put her feet up on the table in front of her. "Just make yourself at home Ashlyn," Alanna remarked sarcastically.
Ashlyn ignored her friend's sarcastic tone and smiled. "Thanks I will. Sooo...how are you holding up?"
"I'm trying to put it out of my mind," mumbled Alanna.
Ashlyn sighed, "there is only so long you can carry on doing that. Sooner or later you're gonna have to go out there and face your fears."
"What if I'm rejected Ash," Alanna whispered.
Ashlyn walked over to her friend and embraced her. "You need more self confidence. When are you going to learn how special you are? If I didn't think you could do this I would have never have slipped Lance that tape back at the club. One thing I did know was that you would never go about doing something about this yourself. You have no confidence in your singing. When are you going to believe that everyone isn't being polite when they tell you that your voice blows them away? You really think Lance would put so much into helping you with your career when he has so little free time as it is if he didn't think you were worth it? No I don't think so and you wouldn't have got the record deal either. Come on Al face it...you're good. 2 of the hottest people in the music industry just gave you a standing ovation for goodness sakes!"
Alanna finally cracked a smile and Ashlyn grinned back. "Come on girl, we're going to get us all made up and then you're going to go blow everyone in that arena away." Alanna laughed at her friend's enthusiasm as she was dragged off to wardrobe.
~*~
The nerves were back. Alanna wondered if this ever got any easier. The young singer along with her dancers stood in the wings waiting to be announced to the impatient crowd. Alanna had tried to occupy herself with calling family and getting last minute pointers from Lance. She was now moments from what was the biggest moment of her life so far. Alanna was suddenly grabbed by the wrist and pulled back. Her first instinct was to scream until the person revealed himself or herself. "It's okay it's just me. I wanted to wish you luck before you went out there," JC smiled.
JC had been absent earlier on when the other guys had paid a visit to her dressing room wishing her luck. "Thank you JC. Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
"Yeah I just wanted to remind you of our little talk earlier. Go out and have fun okay? Do this for yourself and as long as you give everything you can be proud of yourself," finished JC as he pulled Alanna into his embrace.
Alanna felt her arms automatically return the embrace, thankful for the comforting words JC had shared.
Alanna heard her name being announced in the background and with a quick smile at JC she ran out on stage.
~*~
20 minutes later Alanna left the stage. She felt like she was floating. She had done it and they had actually liked her if the applauding was anything to go by. When the first song had started she had been so worried because the fans had just stood and stared. She was finally able to relax a little after the song was met with cheering. During the slow number a few fans had sat down but Alanna wasn't too worried, at least she wasn't getting a bad reaction. She finished with the song that her and Lance were hoping would be the first single. It seemed to go down well with everyone, maybe because it had the same feel to it as a couple of the N Sync songs. By the time she exited the stage Alanna was both relieved that it was over but more surprisingly she was looking forward to when she could go and do it all again.
Alanna felt a familiar set of arms encircle her. She looked up into the smiling face of JC. "I knew you could do it!"
"You stayed to watch?" a shocked Alanna asked.
"Yeah, me and Lance did. He got dragged off to make-up though, he said to congratulate you and he'd see you later. You were amazing out there you know," JC told her.
"Thanks, I couldn't have done it without that talk you gave me," she replied shyly.
"That was nothing. You just needed a little pep talk. All that out there though, that was you and don't you forget it. Listen I need to go but I'll see you at the after party right?" asked JC.
"Erm yeah...I guess."
"Good. See you later then," JC said and then leant down and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.
The girl dancers stood and watched the whole scene before them. "I think someone has a crush," Rebekah whispered to Ashlyn.
"I think you may have a valid point there," Ashlyn returned as she looked at Alanna who stood rooted to the spot, staring with a shocked expression at the retreating form of JC Chasez.
Chapter 5
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