Holly Schelpe sat huddled behind Commonwealth Stadium with tears rolling down her cheeks. Hundreds of estatic teens were filing past, on their way to see the Backstreet Boys. Holly and her friends lined up at 7:30pm Monday to get good seats. The next morning Holly's mother, Shelly Schelpe, came by with the best news she had had in a long time. Holly had won Journal-sponsored backstage passes. "I started crying right there," Holly said. At that point they were tears of joy. Shelly was grateful her daughter finally had something special to look forwards to. Shelly has been struggling with cancer for about 10 years. In January she had her spleen removed and almost died. Holly has been trying to deal with her mothers weak condition.
The backstage passes were a beacon of light. At the last minute, the Backstreet Boys decided that they weren't going to meet any fans. Some said it was AJ's mother Denise, the publicist, who made the call. The Boys were too tired to say hello and sign an autograph. They weren't feeling well. Holly,15, and her friend Leanne Spradbrow,16, waited morosely while concert promoters tried to change the band member's minds. "They should care," Spradbrow said. "Kevin's dad died from cancer and he always talks about him. About how he wishes his dad would come back, how he would give up his career to see his dad again." From behind the stadium, they could hear the music starting up, muffled by screaming fans. "We're missing Aaron Carter," Spradbrow said. "They're all praying right now," Holly added. "Like they always do." "Smile Holly!" Shelly encouraged.
When she saw her daugther start to cry, tears welled up in her own eyes. She wiped them awayand managed a wan grin. Holly leaned over the wheelchair and they held each other for a moment. Finally someone came to lead them into the Stadium. Spradbrow tried to reassure her friend. "If we get to meet them , I'm gonna tell Brian to give you a hug." Holly was reluctant to say her feelings about the Backstreet Boys had changed. She focused her anger on Denise, and then blamed herself. "It's because I've got back luck." Just before they walked onto the field to the VIP area, they had a brief glimpse at celebrity. "It's Aaron Carter! It's him on that guy's back," Spradbow cried. They took quick photos while the 10-year old opening act smiled and waved. He seemed thrilled to see them. He even stuck out his tongue. But when the music started, the two dejected fans watched halfheartedly. They weren't screaming, they weren't dancing. The disappointment ran too deep.
