Angela looked at Ross’ worried and confused face. “I’ll go check” Angela walked through the hotel corridors to the part where the groups bedrooms were.
She opened the door of the main-room and stepped in.
“Good morning gentlemen” she smiled.
“Hey Ange” Brian said without looking up from his newspaper.
“What seems to be the problem here?”
“We already told Ross that you better talk to the persons in question” Kevin snapped.
“OK.. where shall I start, according to you?”
“Uhmm.. Michelle. She pretty much started this whole thing. Anyway, Morgan’s room is crowded.. so you better talk to Michelle or Nick first”
Angela nodded “Thanks” she knocked on Michelle’s door friendly yet determined.
“Whoever you are, GO AWAY!!”
“Michelle, it’s Angela, please leave me in!”
“NO!!”
“OK, if that’s the way you wanna do it!” Angela took the phone.
“Yea, reception? Could you send somebody up with a key to room number 802?” she paused “One of the girls seems to have locked herself in.. OK thanks!”
“Yo Ange! Better ask for a key to Nick’s room too!” Brian shouted.
“Oh and the key to room 804 too?” she waited “Yes.. thank you, sorry for the trouble”
she hung up and sighed.
“Michelle, someone is coming up with the key to your room!”
“FINE! I DON’T CARE! I’M NOT GONNA TALK ANYWAY!!”
~~~5 minutes later~~~
“Hello, I heard you needed someone with access to the rooms?”
“Yes, just 2” Angela opened the door for a guy with a bunch of keys in his hand
“OK, which rooms?”
“802 and 804”
The man walked to Michelle’s door and opened it “Here you go ma’am!”
“Thank you! Brian, will you stay with Nick while I talk to Michelle?”
“Sure” Brian followed the guy.
“OK, done!” the guy opened Nick’s door and Brian walked in.
“Thank you very much” Kevin helped the guy out and gave him a tip.
***
“OK, now you listen to me young lady! I don’t care if you want to be the anti-social bitch all the time, but I thought this was what you wanted?! So you better start telling me what the fuck is wrong!!” Angela slammed the door close and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Michelle sat on her bed baffled, she had never seen Angela like this.. so mad.
“Start talking” Angela crossed her arms and waited.
“What.. what do you wanna hear?”
“I have no idea! All I know is that Ross asked me to check on you all and there are 3 very bad tempered guys in the main room.. I would like to know what happened in the few hours we left you 10 alone!”
“Well.. well.. you see..”
“Yes?!”
“I.. kinda.. am in a fight with Morgan”
“Why?”
“Well.. yesterday, we were all discussing” she stopped “No.. I have to go further back.. during the concert of the guys Morgan and I were backstage watching with the other girls.. Morgan and Nick were extremely.. intimate.. and so I asked her if she was serious or if she was just looking for another adventure.. well she got all offended and then later when we were in the bus we had a talk about ex boy -and girlfriends.. Morgan wasn’t there, but I said something like; that she had lots of boyfriends in the past and that she wasn’t really.. serious with any of them.. well, all hell broke loose after that. Apparently Morgan and Nick had a fight about that later on and now Morgan blames me and she’s mad at me.. so is everyone else” Michelle sighed “Maybe it was wrong of me to butt in..”
“Yes, maybe it was.. thanks for opening up to me.. I’m gonna check on the others now.. I’m sure it’ll all be OK” she patted in Michelle’s leg and left.
***
“What the hell is this?!!” Nick shouted when Brian walked in his room.
“Uhh.. well, I have to stay with you while Angela talks with Michelle, she’ll be here to talk with you too” Brian looked at his quite desperate and grumpy friend “Man.. this just shows how a girl can get to a guy”
Nick shrugged “Whatever”
“What’s happened to you Nick? Since when did you become AJ and AJ you?”
“What do you mean?!”
“Well, it’s usually AJ who’s pigheaded and grumpy and you who’s concerned and sensitive”
They sat there quietly until Angela entered the room.
“Thank you Brian, I’d like to talk to Nick in private now”
Brian got up and left.
“I don’t want to talk to you, I have nothing to say” Nick stared outside the window.
“Well, then just listen to what I have to say.. I don’t know what happened exactly, I only talked to Michelle yet.. I don’t care who’s mad at who and why, all I want is it to be solved by tonight!” she raised her voice “Now are you gonna tell me your side of the story, or shall I just take what the others have to say for the truth?!!”
“FINE!” he shouted and sighed deeply.
“OK.. well.. as you might have noticed, I have a slight crush on Morgan.. and she’s been weird since the beginning.. one moment she’s hot and willing and the other she’s telling me she doesn’t know what she feels yet.. yesterday it got clear that our Little Miss Perfect isn’t as perfect as she looks, but that she’s always playing with guys and never really serious about it.. well.. everybody is butting in now.. they’re all mad at me for believing Michelle, they’re all mad at Michelle for ‘lying’ and Morgan’s going for an Oscar for Best Dramatic Actress!”
“Dear, dear”
“Yea..”
“Thanks for you cooperation Nick” Angela got up again and left.
***
“Just thought you’d like to know that Angela is here to sort the whole case out” Brian said to Morgan and the other girls and AJ. “She probably wants to talk to you”
Morgan nodded and wiped some tears away.
“Right! Everybody out, I want to talk to Morgan ALONE!” Angela emerged behind Brian.
Summer, Becky, Alyssa and AJ got up from the bed and left the room after Brian.
Morgan and Angela watched as Alyssa closed the door behind the gang.
“So.. what happened sweetie?”
Morgan sniffed and blinked some tears away “I’m sure you already talked to Nick and Michelle”
“Yes, yes I did.. but I want to hear what you have to say too”
“Nick won’t listen to me!” she sobbed and buried her head in her moist handkerchief.
“Calm down Morgan, please.. just calm down”
After about a minute Morgan had controlled herself and stopped crying.
“OK.. now tell me what happened”
“Well.. you know how me and Nick are always goofing off and playing around and all”
“Yes”
“Well.. just when we were getting serious, Michelle had to tell him about my history on the guys-level! And now he thinks that I’m a slut and that I’m not in love with him! And he won’t listen to me!”
“Morgan, I don’t want to upset you more, but there was no certainty whatsoever to Nick, that the feeling he had for you was mutual”
“I know”
“So, you can’t blame him for listening to Michelle, he’s just a normal guy”
“Yes.. but, I just don’t understand why he won’t hear my side of it!”
“He’s hurt Morgan and upset”
“Really? He was real mean to everyone earlier”
“He still is, but he talked to me.. he’s very angry”
“I should have told him..”
“Yes..anything else?”
“I can’t understand why Michelle is suddenly butting in! She never judged me before and she never interfered in any of my relationships!”
“Maybe she’s jealous”
“Of what?!”
“Morgan.. you’re her younger cousin, you’re pretty, you’re sweet, you’re innocent and you’re a great artist.. Michelle on the other hand is less naive and more negative.. I think she might want the innocence you have. And let’s not forget that Nick is a very attractive guy!”
“But she’d never take Nick away from me! He’s not even her type! And she’s in love with.. someone else”
“She is??”
“Yes, well, that’s what she told me”
“Oh.. well, I’m sure it’ll work out eventually! Thanks dear. Now will you do me a favor? Stop sobbing and wash you face with some cold water, you have to look good.. you have an interview within an hour”
“OK”
***
“What does Angela think she’ll achieve with this interrogating?!” Summer said
“I dunno, but I’m glad she’s talking with them..” Becky sighed.
“D ya think she’ll wants to talk with us too?”
“Maybe”
“I feel sorry for Morgan.. I feel sorry for them all” Kevin shook his head.
“Morgan is crying non-stop..”
“This is going to be one long day”
“Yea”
***
Angela closed Morgan’s bedroom door and sank down on the nearest couch, sighing.
“Man” was all she said.
“Yea, you can say that again” AJ chuckled.
“Now, what do you all think of this situation?.. AJ?”
“I think Nick’s an ass and Michelle a bitch.. but I already thought Michelle was a bitch before.. so.. anyway, I take Morgan’s side.. it’s unfair what they’re doing to her”
“OK, who else thinks AJ is right?”
“I do!” Alyssa raised her hand.
“Why do you think that Lyss?” said Angela.
“Well.. for one thing; since when does Michelle suddenly care about Morgan’s love life?.. she never did before! And another thing; why won’t Nick even listen to what Morgan has to say? I can understand that he might believe some of the things that Michelle says, but if he really cares about Morgan, the way he says he does, he would at least hear her out!”
“Becky? What do you think?”
“I’m not against Nick, I know how he feels about Morgan and I understand that he feels very uncertain, especially now-“
“But Beck!-“ AJ interfered.
“No, let her talk AJ!” Angela warned.
“Especially now he heard such things from Michelle. Now I’m not gonna say I’m totally on Morgan’s side.. but I’m SO NOT on Michelle’s side either! I agree with Alyssa, why does she suddenly care about what we do with guys? She didn’t even knew that Morge wasn’t a virgin anymore!”
“Yea, she always thought of Becka and Candy as the sweet, prudish two, how come Morgan’s suddenly a whore?” Summer said.
“OK, and how do you guys feel about this whole affair?”
“Well, I for one, don’t understand why Nick is so determined and grumpy all of a sudden!”
“And?” Angela asked Brian.
“And, I don’t believe what Michelle says about Morgan”
“Howie?”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side.. I don’t know who to believe and who I should be mad at.. I want to stay as far away from this whole case as possible”
“Me too, I think they’re ALL acting extremely childish, this is NOT high school, this is a serious tour and I’d like to keep it that way!” Kevin added.
“OK, now I’ve heard everyone’s side of the story.. what do you say if I ask our 3 actors to join us so we can have a group-talk about this?”
“Do you think it would solve anything?”
“I don’t know, but it’s worth the risk right?”
“Yea”
“OK. I’ll ask them to come out, now please be nice and don’t shout at anyone until I have them all here and we can talk properly! Oh and can someone get Ross?”
“Yea, I’ll go get Ross” Summer got up.
Angela walked to Morgan’s room first.
***
KNOCK KNOCK!!
“Yea?”
“Morgan, could you come out please?”
She opened the door “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, but we’re having a group talk and I want you to be there”
“OK”
She stepped out of the room and into the main one.
“Hey Morgy, come sit here!” AJ motioned her to come sit next to him.
“No, no, I want them to sit alone!” Angela grabbed 3 chairs and put them down opposite of where the other 6 sat.
“Morgan, you can sit here” she pointed at the chair at the right.
“Now I’m gonna get Nick, promise me you won’t start calling him names and don’t start crying again Morgan!”
“Just don’t talk at all?” Kevin suggested.
“Right, that’s probably the best!” Angela walked up to Nick’s door.
***
KNOCK KNOCK!!
“Yea?!” Angela could hear that he was crying.
“Nick, can you come to the door please?”
“OK”
Wow, no struggle! Angela thought.
“What’s the matter?”
“Well, we’re having a group talk and I want you to be there too”
“OK” he closed his door and walked after Angela.
“You can sit down here, in the middle” she pointed at the chair next to Morgan.
He sighed and sat down, sniffing away his last tears.
Morgan quickly glanced over to him and nearly started crying again, she saw he had tearstained cheeks also.
In the meanwhile Ross had taken place too.
“OK, now I’m gonna get Michelle, remember what I said. I DON’T wanna hear one word!!”
***
KNOCK KNOCK!!
“WHAT?!!” Michelle shouted.
“Michelle, honey, it’s Angela, can you come out for a second, please?”
She sighed but stood up and walked to the door anyway. “What is it now?”
“We’re having a group talk and I want you to be there too”
“Why?”
“Because we are going to discuss what is happening between you and Morgan and Nick”
“I don’t feel like it”
“I know you don’t, but they all promised to hear everyone out, and else, how can you defend yourself?”
“All right, I’m coming already”
“You can sit here” Angela pointed at the last chair.
“Now that we are all here, I want to make clear once again, that we’re NOT going to judge anyone!! The reason why I’m having this meeting is because I want to give everyone a change to be heard, NO ONE is going to shout at someone OK?!!”
They all nodded obediently.
“Great, now I want you all to promise you’re not going to run away or shout or cry.. at least not now!”
“Yea, yea, we promise” AJ sighed.
“OK.. now who wants to start?”
Everybody looked at each other and away... no one really wanted to start.
“OK, shall I start by telling what I have heard?”
“OK”
“Well.. it started yesterday, when Michelle and Morgan were backstage watching the show. Apparently Morgan and Nick were more ‘intimate’ than usual and Michelle asked Morgan if she was serious with Nick or not.. am I right? Just nod yes or no” Angela said to the 3 ‘victims’ on the chairs.
The 2 girls nodded yes, Nick looked confused “I didn’t knew this happened” he said
“Well, it did” Morgan snapped.
Angela coughed, “If anyone has something to say, please raise your hand and don’t start talking all at once!”
Morgan raised her hand. “Yes Morgan?”
“That was why I was a bit upset and what I was supposed to tell you later on, remember?!”
she looked straight at Nick.
“Oh” he said.
“Can I continue?” Angela asked.
“Yes”
“OK, so Morgan felt offended and confused, tell me if I’m wrong Morgan”
“You’re not”
“K, well, later on you were all gathered in the tourbus, Morgan wasn’t there for some reason, and you were talking about former relationships. Michelle took the liberty of informing Nick about Morgan’s ex-boyfriends.”
Alyssa raised her hand “Nick asked about Morgan and I told him he should ask her himself, but Michelle interfered and started enumerating all Morgan’s former guys”
“WHAT?! YOU DID WHAT?!!” Morgan shouted.
“Morgan!!” Angela warned her.
“Sorry. I just didn’t know this, that’s all” Morgan snapped.
“Continuing, Morgan and Nick had a fight about the things that happened previously-“
Morgan raised her hand “Yea, I went to his room cuz I wanted to know what was going on and he suddenly yelled at me that he didn’t wanna be my ‘toy’ then I said that IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE!!” she looked past Nick at Michelle.
“Thanks for clearing that up.. well, then Michelle and Morgan had a fight I guess?”
They nodded yes.
“And now everybody is interfering and telling what he or she thinks of it”
“YES” Michelle and Nick said.
“Now, I talked to the others too and they all have their own ideas of who’s wrong and who’s right.. now I will give you all a chance to talk.. but promise me you won’t yell at anyone, just tell what you think shortly and properly..”
“OK”
“I think you are all behaving extremely childish and I don’t take anyone’s side.. I just want it to end SOON” Kevin said.
“I feel the same way as Kevin, I hope you work it out quickly and I don’t know who is right and who’s wrong, I believe you all” Howie added.
“Thanks D” Michelle smiled faintly.
“Brian? What do you think?”
“I personally think that Nick is being a stupid jackass.. I don’t believe one word Michelle is saying and I don’t want to get further involved, you solve it yourselves”
“Becky?”
“As I said before, I’m not on Morgan’s side, I’m not on Michelle’s side, I understand Nick’s feelings and I sure do hope this’ll be over soon so I can sleep peacefully.. I just don’t get why Michelle is suddenly so interested in Morgan’s love life”
“Summer?”
“I don’t want to be forced to take anyone’s side, though I feel the same way as Becky, when it comes down to Michelle, .. she never cared about any of our business with guys, why should she do so now?”
“Alyssa?”
“I’m definitely NOT on Michelle’s side.. I know we’re friends and we’re supposed to support each other, but I think she’s being mean and I hate mean people. Now about Nick, I don’t get why he won’t even listen to Morgan, how can he be so sure that Michelle is saying the truth when he hasn’t even heard what Morgan, the person in question, has to say?!”
“AJ? Now remember NO shouting!!”
“Michelle, she stays the bitch she was before, she’s nasty and cruel and I hate what she’s doing to her own cousin. Nick, he’s an ass”
Nick raised his hand “So what you’re all saying is that I’m stupid cuz I don’t listen to Morgan and Michelle is mean and you don’t get why she’s butting in on Morgan’s life.
And Morgan is the sad victim, the innocent, sweet one?!”
“If you wanna put it that way, yes” Alyssa nodded.
“OK, so do you have something to add Morgan?”
“Yea, actually, I do... I’m not gonna sit here and play the saint, I admit that I have been quite reckless with guys before, I just want to point out that Michelle never cared about it before, since she does the exact same thing with guys plus she fucks them. I am very shocked that my cousin and best friend is doing this... about Nick.. well, I know I haven’t been clear to you and all, I know it must be easy to believe Michelle, but please Nick, why won’t you hear me out?! I didn’t even liked those other guys-“
“That’s sick!” Nick said.
“I like you OK?! I care about you,.. I love you.. don’t tell me you don’t know I love you..”
she looked down at her hands and swallowed. “That’s what I wanted to say”
Everyone stared at Morgan.
“OK, thank you Morgan.. Michelle? Do you have anything to say?”
“Yea.. sure. Well, I can see why you’re all confused and maybe even why you’re mad.. maybe it was wrong of me to butt in, but I just felt that I had to protect Nick, or whatever..
I’m sorry you’re all so disappointed in me, Morgan, I’m sorry OK?!”
“Sorry isn’t good enough.. maybe it’ll work out between you and me.. but you ruined it between me and Nick! Look at him! He’s never gonna trust me again! And can you blame him, after all the things you told him?!” Morgan was at the verge of tears again “I can’t believe you Michelle, you knew this would happen.. why did you have to ruin it? And with the guy I really love” she almost whispered.
“Well, I love him too!” Michelle defended herself.
A big shock went through the people in the room.
“Man, this is turning more and more into a Jerry Springer Show!” Brian said.
“You love me?” Nick asked baffled.
“Yes, OK, I admit it, I care ‘bout you OK?”
Nick stood up from his chair and lifted Michelle up also. He looked her in the eyes and kissed her.
Morgan and all the others present in the room didn’t believe their eyes.
Morgan’s jaw dropped to the floor, she nearly choked in a sob and ran away crying.
“Well, this certainly wasn’t what we expected” Kevin said.
“Morgan!!” AJ ran after her.
“My God.. we should have never sent them on this tour” Ross mumbled.
“This isn’t how I hoped it to end” Angela sighed and sat down, “Back to where I started off”
Michelle and Nick were still kissing and a very astonished Becky, Summer, Alyssa watched in horror almost.
“What are we going to do now? The first interview is in 30 minutes.. Morgan is heartbroken, she’s not able to do an interview” said Becky.
***
He kissed Michelle, he actually KISSED Michelle! Morgan felt sick, very sick, she nearly choked in a sob and ran off as fast as she could. She ran straight into her own room and into the bathroom, she locked the door and kneeled down at the toilet. And then she felt vomit making it’s way up. She vomited it all out and cried.
“Morgan? are you OK?” AJ stood in front of her bathroom and heard her throwing up.
“Morgan??”
“I feel sick!” she cried.
“Lemme go get Angela!”
“NO!” she was able to shout.
***
“ANGELA!!!” AJ ran back into the main room, Michelle and Nick were STILL kissing.
“What? What is it?”
“Morgan is sick!”
“What?”
“She’s throwing up!” he looked at Nick and Michelle and suddenly something snapped.
“GOD YOU ARE NUTS!!” he shouted.
Finally they broke free. AJ stormed up to Nick and beat him straight across his right cheek.
“You are unbelievable! She is throwing up do you hear?!!”
Angela ran off to check on Morgan while Kevin, and Howie tried to stop AJ and Brian and Summer tried to stop Nick.
“IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!” Nick shouted.
“IT’S ALL OF MY BUSINESS!!”
“Guys, come on, stop it!!” Kevin said.
“She loves you God dammit!!!” AJ’s voice cracked as he nearly cried. “How can you do this to her?!!?”
“How can SHE do this to ME?!”
“Jesus Nick! The world doesn’t evolve around YOU!!”
Alyssa and Becky stood in between the two guys and there were 2 persons trying to stop each of them.
“Nick, he’s not worth it baby!” Michelle tried to talk him out of hitting AJ.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for so long!!” Nick shouted back at Michelle.
“Why? Because I took your girl?”
“Huh?!?” the girls said in unison
Suddenly an eerie silence spread in the room
“Shut up about Mary-Ann” Nick said in a scary calm voice.
“What’s the matter Nick? You still can’t get over the fact I fucked her before you did?!”
“I said shut up about Mary-Ann!”
***
“Morgan?”
Morgan opened the door for Angela.
“Are you OK?”
“Yea, I am now”
“Come back in girl, it’s getting very exciting, AJ punched Nick in the face.”
“He did?” she said in disbelieve.
They returned in the room just as Nick was telling AJ to shut up about Mary-Ann.
***
“What’s the matter Nick? Still can’t get over the fact that I fucked her before you did?”
“I said shut up about Mary-Ann!”
Morgan and Angela looked at each other in amazement.
“He didn’t tell any of you girls the real story about Mary-Ann huh?.. well, lemme tell you!
Mary-Ann was a pretty girl, she and Nick were boyfriend and girlfriend for a little while when we finally met her. Unfortunately for Nicky, Mary-Ann had special feelings for me!
Well, she told me that Nick didn’t want to have sex with her just yet, so she asked me if I would have sex with her instead.. of course I said no, what are friends for?? Well, one night I was just way too drunk and she was very willing.. so we did it...”
“AJ?!” Morgan shrieked astonished
“Are you OK Miss Morgan?”
“How could you? You’re no better than Michelle!”
“Sorry Miss Morgan, the world isn’t a perfect place.. and I’m not a perfect man, I made my mistakes, just like everyone else”
AJ and Nick were ‘released’ by the people that had held them back.
“So now you’ve decided to do the same thing back to AJ huh?” Michelle said to Nick.
“You hurt him by taking the girls he cares about”
“No, it’s not like that at all”
“Really?” Michelle and Morgan both said.
“Morgan, I’m so sorry” Michelle said.
“I know you are, just NEVER do it again!”
“I won’t” Michelle felt tears form in her eyes “Can you forgive me?”
“Yea” Morgan hugged her and the 2 girls started crying.
“I didn’t mean all those things I said”
“Me neither”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have butted in”
“Well, I’m glad you did” Morgan looked up at Nick “You make me sick.. you call me a slut and a whore and make me look like the one who uses people, while really you are the one who uses people!”
“Morgan, Nick is not like that at all.. believe me, he didn’t use you to get even with AJ.”
Brian said
“Really? I happen to think he did!” Alyssa said.
Now Brian and Alyssa started quarreling.
“You don’t even know Nick!”
“So?”
***
Summer sighed “What did we do to deserve this?” she rested her head on Kevin’s broad chest.
***
“Morgan, can you forgive me?” AJ asked.
“Yea, after all, I wasn’t there and nobody’s perfect”
***
“I’m confused” Becky said to Howie.
“So am I” he answered.
“So AJ fucked Nick’s girlfriend?”
“Yes, ex-girlfriend now”
“And he’s in love with Morgan”
“Yes.. so he believed Michelle when she told him about Morgan’s past and he was scared the same thing as with Mary-Ann would happen with Morgan”
“Yea, I guess.. Michelle obviously is in love with AJ, but she says she loves Nick.. why?”
“Maybe some sick way to get AJ.. like make him jealous”
“OK.. then Michelle and Nick kiss.. that makes Morgan sick and AJ furious.. so that’s how Nick got even with AJ.. AJ loves Michelle and it ticks him off that Nick gets her”
“So actually.. this whole case is getting even with one another and making each other jealous to get each other!” Howie was proud as he found the solution.
“So if they all admit they’re in love.. it’s solved!”
“Yea! Nick and Morgan both made mistakes, AJ and Michelle are both stubborn and try to make each other jealous!”
***
“That’s stupid Alyssa!” Brian shouted.. everyone had lost track of the fight, they probably didn’t even knew why they were fighting themselves.
“Don’t call me stupid! You’re the one that’s dumb!!”
“Fine! If that’s the way you feel, maybe we should breakup!”
“Fine! If that’s what you want!”
“Fine! I don’t care about you anyway!”
“Fine! I don’t care about you either!”
“Great, so we’re no longer a couple!”
“NO!”
“FINE!” they both shouted and left for their rooms.
***
“Hey AJ man, I’m sorry” Nick said.
“Yea, I’m sorry too.. I shouldn’t have said that about Mary-Ann”
“So we’re even?”
“Yea”
they shook hands and hugged each other.
“Morgan.. I’m real sorry I made you sick”
“Yea.. I’m sorry too..”
“So uhm.. we could like give it a try and see how it goes”
“Really?”
“Yea.. it’s worth the try right?”
“Yea”
“Yea.. so?”
“Nick, I love you!” she embraced him so fiercely he almost fell.
“I.. I love you too”
“You do?”
“Well yea.. you’re not that hard to love, ya know what I mean?”
“I guess”
“Come here” he was about to kiss her.
“Drink some water first!” Morgan turned her head away “You kissed my cousin”
“Oh, yea that’s right!”
Michelle and Nick looked at each other “EEEWWW!!!” they shouted in unison. They both ran to the nearest fridge and started drinking whatever they found.
“I’m glad they feel that way” AJ chuckled.
“Me too.. Nick honey? I think you drank enough now!”
she walked over to him and kissed him passionately.
Michelle stood next to AJ “I’m sorry AJ”
“For what?”
“For being so mean to Morgan.. I know you care about her”
“Yea.. she’s like my lil’sis”
“This has been a very weird day so far”
“It’s gonna get even weirder”
“What do you mean?”
“This..” he grabbed her waist and pulled her close “I love you, is it OK if I kiss you now?”
She nodded yes. Softly he started kissing Michelle and she went along.
***
Summer, Becky, Howie, Kevin, Ross and Angela sat down on the couch.. they looked at the 2 kissing couples and to each other.
“OK, I lost track again” Becky sighed.
“I’m not even gonna try and understand it anymore” Howie sighed too.
Kevin put an arm around Summer “Well, if everybody’s kissing..”
“Yea” Summer smiled “We still need to have a talk remember”
“Yea.. but I’m gonna kiss you now anyway” he bend closer and kissed her.
“Oh God! That just does it! Now I’m totally confused!” Becky looked at Summer and Kevin. “And Alyssa and Brian broke up!”
“This hour has been the weirdest 60 minutes in my life!” Howie said.
Ross and Angela looked at each other totally defeated “They have an interview in 10 minutes..” Ross murmured.
“Becky can you go get Alyssa while-“ Angela stopped as she discovered Becky was very busy kissing Howie.
“Ross.. I think we better go get Alyssa and Brian”
“Yes”
Angela placed 2 fingers in her mouth and whistled very high-pitched.
The 8 kissing people in the room stopped and looked up startled.
“HI! It’s very nice that you all found your feelings for each other BUT YOU HAVE AN INTERVIEW IN 10 MINUTES!!!! So cut it out!!!!” she shouted.
“Now sit down on the couches and don’t touch each other! While me and Ross go get Brian and Alyssa!”
“Oh.. they’re not here?!” Nick asked.
“No, they broke up doofus!”
“THEY DID?!!”
“Yea, while you were all busy exploring each others mouths, Alyssa and Brian had a fight and now they broke up!” Howie said.
***
“Alyssa? Can I come in?”
“Sure” she heard Alyssa sob.
Angela opened the door and poked her head in.
“Sweetie? I’m real sorry, but you have an interview in a few minutes”
“I know”
Angela saw Alyssa’s tearstained face and walked over to her “I’m sure he didn’t mean all the things he said”
“But he said them anyway”
“Yes, yes that’s true, but you said some pretty mean things too.. I’m sure you two are back together before you can say Brian!”
“He said he doesn’t love me”
“You said that too Alyssa”
“Yes.. but he meant it! I could see it in his eyes!”
“Dear, dear” Angela enveloped Alyssa in a hug and tried soothing her.
***
“Brian?”
“Yes”
“I’m sorry to barge in on you like this, but you have an interview in a few minutes” Ross stood in the doorway of Brian’s room.
“I know..”
“I’ll leave you now, but I presume you will be out in the main room soon?”
“Yes”
Brian sighed and waited until Ross had left the room. He stared outside the window and wondered what Alyssa was doing now. If turning back time was possible, he’d do it now.
But then again.. now he knew that Alyssa didn’t really love him..
***
Someone knocked on the main door.
Kevin got up and opened it
“Yes?” he said as he saw Randy, one of their bodyguards, stand in front of the door
“Mr. Richardson, sir, the press is waiting in the hotel’s congress room”
“Thank you Randy, we’ll be out in a few OK?”
“OK”
Kevin closed the door again and looked at Summer “We have to get going”
“Yea, I know”
He raised his voice and clapped in his hands to silence everyone “All right! Randy just told me that the press is waiting, so I guess we should be going, with or without Brian and Alyssa!!”
Just then Angela and Ross returned from the two rooms.
“He’ll be out in a few” Ross said.
“Alyssa too”
“Is it OK if we all head down already?” Howie asked.
“I don’t think that is such a good idea, if you all go down and Brian and Alyssa come later, they might suspect things” Ross said
“Oh, so we can’t tell them what happened?”
“I’d rather you didn’t” Angela said to Morgan.
“So we can’t tell we’re a couple?”
“That’s up to you, but this is about Alyssa and Brian and I doubt it they want this situation to go public”
“Yea, OK, you’re right”
“So how long do we have to wait?” Kevin asked rather impatiently.
“Not long” a voice behind him said. Everybody looked back at Brian who stood in front of his room.
“B-rok.. are you OK man?” Nick asked worriedly.
“I’m fine”
“I’ll go get Alyssa” Morgan said.
***
“Lyss?” she heard Morgan say
“Lyssie? Can I come in?”
“Sure” she didn’t move an inch on her bed.
Morgan stepped in “Lyss, we have interviews downstairs”
“I know.. I don’t feel like going”
Before Morgan could say something Alyssa got up “But I have to be there, I know Morge”
Morgan nodded and waited till Alyssa had put on some lipstick and was ready to go down.
***
Finally the two girls came out of the room and Morgan nodded ‘yes’
Alyssa looked at Brian and he looked back it was a cold harsh look they shot each other and right there and then Alyssa decided to never talk to Brian again.
She couldn’t get why she liked him in the first place anyway.
“Right, are we ALL ready now?” Ross asked to be sure
“Yes”
“Thank God!” Ross sighed of relief and walked out.
“Follow Ross people” Angela said.
They all stepped in an elevator and soon they were on they’re way down.
Some sort of uneasy silence spread in the elevator, caused by Brian and Alyssa. The others were trying to think of something to say that would take the tention away, but fortunately the elevator reached 1st floor and they walked to the congress room where the first interviewer was waiting.
***
Morgan looked at Nick and suddenly gasped for breath, she held him to a stop and called for Angela.
“What is it?” Angela asked, rather aggrivated as they were already running late.
“Look! AJ punched him in the face real bad!” she touched Nick’s cheek carefully, a swollen red spot went all the way from his cheekbones to his chin almost, for sure this would become a nice, big bruise.
“Oh my god!” Michelle saw it also
“Great! Just what we needed! Now what are we going to do?!?” Angela half shouted.
By now everybody had gathered around Nick to ‘admire’ his red, soon to be blue, cheek.
“Man, Nick, you bruise quickly!” AJ chuckled.
“Is it that bad? Where’s a mirror? I need a mirror!” Nick said.
“Here” Morgan sorted through her bag and took a little mirror out of it
“DAMN!” he cursed.
“Michelle, do you have foundation or something with you?” Morgan asked
“Of course!” she handed a small beauty case to Morgan.
“Poor baby” Morgan said as she softly kissed Nick’s cheek
a big smile appeared on Nick’s face “Hey AJ, you can beat me up more often, dude!”
Morgan slapped him playfully, but on the ‘wrong’ cheek, the one with the bruise-to-be.
“OW!” Nick shouted, a bit exaggerated.
“Don’t be such a softy Carter!” Michelle said
Morgan gently put some foundation/powder on Nick’s face and it covered the red spot nicely
“Now, let’s hope no one notices”
“Yea.. I’ll make up some story about walking against a door or something”
“Yea, I’d but that too, you’re such a cluts Nick!”
“Messy Marvin!” Brian teased.
“Ok stop it! We REALLY have to get in now!” Ross hurried them down the corridor.
***
Two interviewers and a photographer from “Seventeen” were waiting for the guys and girls, and more interviewers were waiting someplace else.
Ross opened the door and turned to the interviewers “The Backstreet Boys and Phantasia”
He let the 10 in and they all sat down somewhere. One interviewer sat down with the boys and one with Phantasia.
***
“Hi! My name is Jenny Dean” the reporter shook their hands eagerly.
“Hi, I’m Summer Cooper”
“Hi, I’m Alyssa Farrow”
“Becky Moore, nice to meet you!”
“Hello, I’m Morgan Sinclair”
“Hey, I’m Michelle Evans”
“So, girls, this is one of your very first interviews, right?”
“Yes, we had interviews yesterday also”
“I just have a couple of questions and then with the Q’s and A’s your personal profiles will be printed in the next Seventeen”
“Cool!”
“So are you ready?”
“Yea”
Jenny started the tape-recorder and asked away. The interview lasted a little over 30 minutes and she just asked regular stuff, like what they thought of the tour and how they got together, some questions about their music and future. And about relationships..
“So, for the record, are any of you dating?”
“Uhm, well..” Becky mumbled.
“I am sort of seeing a guy, but it’s in a very young ‘stage’ so nothing real serious yet”
“No marriage plans?!” Jenny laughed and the others with her.
“And what about the others?”
“It’s the same with me as with Becky” Summer answered.
“I don’t have a boyfriend” Alyssa said with a blank look on her face. A short silence fell, but then Michelle saved the day by quickly saying that she was dating a guy whom she was very much in love with.
“And Morgan?”
Morgan thought.. she and Nick didn’t make any plans about what they were going to say of the boyfriend-girlfriend question popped up. What if he’d say no and she yes?
She decided to keep it like Becky and Summer “Well, there’s a guy I’m in love with, but it’s the same as with Summer and Becka”
“Newfound love?” Jenny asked understandigly.
“Yea, something like that”
“Last thing you want to say?”
“We hope to see lots of people at the concerts!” Summer said.
“Yea! And vote for Phantasia as #1 on TRL when History comes out!” Michelle smiled.
“Love to all the fans”
“Like we have any!” Becky laughed.
“Thanks for this interview” Jenny stopped the recorder.
“You’re welcome!” Summer shook her hand
***
Just as Jenny had left, so did the other reporter who had interviewed the boys.
“Randy?”
“Yes Miss Morgan?”
“Can you have the next interviewers wait a few secs? I have something to discuss, something which they can’t hear”
“Of course Miss”
“What is it Morge?” AJ asked curious.
“Well, we didn’t really talk about what we’re gonna say if they ask about relationships and all.”
“Yea..that’s true”
“Yea and of course they’re all gonna aks about that, as usual” Howie rolled his eyes.
“So.. what are we going to say?”
“Me and Beck just said we were dating, but it was at a young stage” Summer said to Kevin.
“Yea, I said that too”
“And what if they ask if there’s romances between our groups?”
“Just say, no, not really.. it’s best, at least until things are more stable”
“OK, that’s all I wanted to ask” Morgan turned to Randy again “We’re ready now”
“OK Miss.. you can come in” Randy said to a reporter who was waiting outside.
~~~2 hours later~~~
“The Backstreet Boys and Phantasia are having a break now, they’ll be back in an hour to do more interviews!” Ross said to the people waiting.
Some people moaned and one reporter said something like stars have all the luck.
Alyssa overheard it and thought of how wrong the lady was.
“Come on boys and girls! We’re going to have some sort of a lunch in the Hotel’s restaurant.”
“Ross, don’t you think that’s being too much in the eyesight of the press?”
“Kevin, we have a whole ball room to ourselves, no press allowed”
“Oh..OK”
***
“I could use some food! I’m way hungry” Morgan complained.
“Yea me too” Nick said.
“How did your interviews go?”
“OK. And yours?”
“fine.. I got asked what my favorite color was 10 times”
“Ha! I got that question at least a million times!”
“Sometimes you can come across so cocky Nick” Morgan looked at him angrily.
“Sorry doll, can you forgive me?” he pouted and looked at Morgan with those incredible blue eyes
Morgan tried to hide her smile, but it was no use “OK, OK, you’re forgiven”
“I knew it!”
***
Brian walked way at the back.. he didn’t feel like company and he sure as hell didn’t want anyone asking him nosy questions, and he just knew they would, if he’d only be close enough.
He looked at Alyssa who was talking to Michelle. She seemed OK.. she even smiled when Michelle said something. “I’ll be over her before you know it!” he mumbled to himself.
***
Alyssa walked somewhere in the middle with Michelle. Michelle noticed how quiet and down Alyssa had been so she decided to talk about things that would cheer Lyss up.
“Hey Lyss, I was just thinking of how we used to play we were famous, ya know and I did Madonna!”
Alyssa started laughing as she thought back of Michelle’s moves as a 8 year old. And how people were always shocked and asking themselves what would ever become of Michelle Evans.
It actually made her forget about the thing that had been on her mind non-stop.. Brian.
After the break they had MORE interviews and a TV appearance. Then it was almost time to perform for the second time!
