“Okay, take off your shirt,” I tell Ryan, taking out my camera and setting on the tripod. He does as he’s told and throws it onto the floor behind me. “Okay, see this platform? Stand back there. Stand, kneel, sit…. Whatever.”
He stands up straight, feet shoulder width apart, crosses his arms, and bends his head forward. He looks up into the camera, a small grin playing at his face. Ugh, definitely a good actor. I take about twenty good close-ups, Jade interrupting me for a moment, but then I’m through with him.
“Shall I be back tomorrow to approve?” he asks, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head.
“Yeah, and I’m going to do the group shots tomorrow too. You can come around 1:00? Is that okay?”
“Fine by me. Until tomorrow,” he says, and exits the room.
“Golly, I can’t wait!” I whisper to myself, twirling my hair like a bimbo.
The Destiny’s Child video ends and the video for More Than That gets premiered. I watch it excitedly but the other guys can’t keep quiet.
“Ugh, that urban cowboy look is SO yuk,” says Heath.
“What’s that blonde one doing?!” exclaims Paul as Nick throws himself to the floor in the video. “He looks like a wannabe romantic lead!”
“The angelic-lookin’ one can’t stop throwing his hands out!” Joshua starts laughing.
“Angelic?!” I burst out laughing. I could just about cope with the urban cowboy and romantic lead comments but now I’m laughing hard at the thought of Brian being angelic. They all give me weird looks and my cell phone rings. I pull it out of my bag. “Hello,” I say breathlessly.
“You ok?” At the sound of Brian’s concerned voice, I burst out laughing again. “Ok, what’s the joke?”
“Oh nothin’. Really. You’re on MTV,” the other guys stare at me and then back at the TV screen, trying to work out which Backstreet Boy I’m talking to.
“We are? Oh, they premiered More Than That, right?”
“Yup. It looks good. So, how are you?”
“Missin’ you.”
“Aw, who won the golf yesterday?”
“Kevin. What you doin’?”
“I’m watching you on MTV while Ali takes pictures.”
“Who’s she takin’ pictures of?”
“Uh, oh hey I have to go. Ali needs me.”
“But I wanna talk to ya…”
“Sorry, gotta go.”
“Me and Nick are forming an abandoned boyfriends group.”
“Sounds good!” I giggle. “Bye.” I hang up before he can say anything else and put my phone away. The three guys stare at me. “Ok, what?”
“You KNOW the Backstreet Boys?” says Heath.
“Sure,” I shrug. “I’m writing their backstage book. And you’re right – Kev’s urban cowboy look is so bad, Nick thinks he’s Valentino in videos and Brian suffers from terminal hand throwing syndrome.”
They all stare at me for a second before bursting into laughter.
“Ok, Ryan’s done and gone,” Ali announces walking into the room. “I want Josh. Where is he?”
“Whupping Mark’s ass at pool,” I tell her with a giggle.
“Jade knows the Backstreet Boys,” says Heath.
“Big deal. So do I,” Ali grins. “They’re not fussy ‘bout who they associate with.”
“She’s their photographer,” I explain. “For the book.”
“They got taste,” Paul says, looking us both up and down with a grin.
“Plus, no window shopping,” says Joshua.
“I’m teased,” states Heath suggestively.
“Huh?” Ali looks confused as I start laughing. “Anyways, I guess seein’ as Josh is busy, I need one of you guys.”
“I volunteer,” says Joshua standing up. “Bring on the bright lights and the camera.” He follows Ali out of the room. “Ya think you could change Ryan’s pics? Just so that he looks weird? Maybe give him a coupla horns and a tail?” Ali laughs as they disappear into the studio.
“I want it thaaaaaaat way…” sings Heath as the video starts playing.
“But we…. Are… Two worlds apaaaaart…” Paul starts singing as well and I edge out of the room. Singers they are NOT. I chuckle to myself and sit on a wall outside, letting the sun warm my skin. I pull my phone out and dial Brian. Hearing Heath and Paul massacre his song had made me suddenly miss him.
“Hello, founding member of abandoned boyfriends’ club here.”
I laugh. “Hi sweetie.”
“Hi. You called me back.”
“Yeah, MTV decided to show I Want It That Way and I started missing you.”
“Ok,” he laughs.
“So, what are you up to?”
“Just hangin’ around waiting for Frack and AJ to quit arguing. We’re at the mall.”
“Hangin’ around?” I giggle.
“Yeah, yeah… Stop imaginin’ all that kinky stuff girl,” he laughs.
“Sorry.”
“What are you doin’?”
“Oh…hangin’ around…” I giggle. “Ali’s taking pictures and I’m bored.”
“Who’s she doing?”
“Bri, I can’t tell ya.”
“Why not? Big top secret?”
“Somethin’ like that,” I laugh.
“Ali doesn’t want Nick to know, huh?”
“Yup.”
“Well, I’m not Nick so tell me.”
“I can’t.”
“Aw c’mon Jade! It’s driving me crazy here. I’m not gonna tell Nick but I want to know who my girlfriend is hanging out with.”
“Well… Promise you won’t tell Nick?”
“Promise. Now tell me!”
“Ok… Ryan Phillippe…”
“Oh, right. I don’t think he’d bother Nick.”
“And Joshua Jackson…”
“Oh, I get it. Nick HATES that guy.”
“He’s ok actually,” I say. “And…”
“There’s more?! How many guys are there Jade?”
“Uh, six,” I’m starting to regret telling him. “Two more are coming tomorrow though.”
“EIGHT guys!” He sighs, “Well, at least it’s not like eight guys and you.” I don’t reply. “Jade? There ARE like stylists and make-up types and wardrobe people as well?”
“Uh, no.”
“What?!”
“Ali kinda forgot to book ‘em…”
“I just BET she did,” he mutters darkly.
“If you’re gonna be like that, I’m hanging up.”
“No, Jade. I trust ya. Really.… And I won’t tell Nick. He’d go postal on me.”
“Ok, thanks. So, the mall?”
“Yeah, I’m THAT desperate,” he laughs. “AJ almost freaked when I actually agreed to go with him.”
“I bet,” I giggle and look up as Heath and Paul conga outside towards me.
“Doin’ the conga! The coca-conga! Huh! Huh! The conga!” they sing as they reach me.
“What IS that?” Brian asks.
“THAT is Heath Ledger and Paul Walker massacring the Conga,” I giggle.
“Hey!” Heath stops in front of me. “No massacring going on here.”
“Is that the Backstreet Boy?” asks Paul, pointing to my phone.
“Yup,” I say and he grabs the phone.
“Hello Backstreet Boy! Which one are you?…. You are? The angelic one right?…. Well, we saw your videos and you LOOKED angelic…. I’m Paul Walker….. Varsity Blues?…. Yeah! That’s me. Jade didn’t have a CLUE. She still doesn’t actually,” he sticks his tongue out at me as I try to grab the phone back. “I’m just hangin’ with Heath waitin’ for Ali to finish Joshua Jackson. Jade is supposed to be entertaining us…. She IS? Ok, I’ll remember that one. Don’t think we have a net though,” he glances around the yard. “Oh yes, net! Thanks for that Brian…. Oh sure. Do you want her back?…. Ok, bye now,” he hands the phone back to me and nudges Heath, pointing to a basketball net on the side of the building. I roll my eyes and put the phone to my ear.
“Didya HAVE to get them started on the b-ball thing?”
“Sorry,” he laughs. “I just told him you’re good.”
“I’m good?” I fake emotion. “Oh, coming from B-Rok, I’m honoured.”
“Shadup!” he laughs. “Put all that I taught you into practice and kick their asses!”
“Yes Sergeant Cooper,” I laugh.
“Sergeant Cooper loves ya baby!” he yells. “Gotta go. AJ is threatening to buy me a bright pink shirt. Just think Pepto Bismal and you got it.”
I laugh. “Ok, bye sweetie. Love you,” I hang up and watch Heath and Paul dribbling a basketball. After a few minutes they notice me watching and Paul throws the ball over.
“C’mon Jade!”
I grin and stand up, bouncing the ball as I slowly walk over to them. “Be warned. I’ve spent the last seven months hanging out with TWO very basketball-mad guys… AND beaten them.”
“Give it your best shot,” taunts Heath.
“Ok,” I say coolly and shoot the ball. It hits the backboard and drops into the net. “Score,” I brush my hands together and saunter back to the wall. “I think I proved my point.”
“Ugh!” Heath says. “I hate you,” he laughs and shoots the ball. He misses pretty badly. “Damn! I’m goin’ to see if Ali’s ready for me yet.” He stomps inside and Paul comes over to join me with a grin.
“Sore loser,” he says dryly. I laugh and he smiles at me. “Pretty good shooting…for a girl.”
“Hey chauvinist boy, drag yourself back into the zeros!”
“Sorry,” he laughs. “So, is that Brian guy your boyfriend?”
“Who? Brian?” I ask, playing for time. I don’t know what to say. I mean, yeah Brian’s my guy and I love him but he’s not here. And I’m kinda enjoying all the attention I’m getting from these guys. If I tell Paul, I can kiss goodbye to all that.
“Yeah, Brian. The guy who called you?”
“Oh, him!” I laugh. “Nah. He’s just a good friend.” I half-close my eyes, expecting lightning to strike me dead any minute. It doesn’t.
“Cool,” he grins.