Brian walks into the arena backstage area. He grabs himself a plate of food and a can of Sprite before joining Nick on the couch.
“So, what’d she say?” asks Nick in his best attempt at a casual tone.
“If you mean Ali, I don’t know,” Brian replies. “I called Jade but she couldn’t give me an answer without talking to Ali. So I don’t know.”
“Ah, Jade’ll do it.”
“She won’t. Not without Ali,” Brian takes a bite out of his toast. “And I will hold you personally responsible if she turns us down.”
“Me?!” Nick pouts at him.
“Yeah you.”
“I just got off the phone with management,” Kevin says walking into wardrobe where the other four guys are in various states of undress. “They are totally into the whole book idea. By the end of the call, they were almost convincing me they’d thought of it first.”
“Figures,” chuckles Howie. “Ya think yellow is my colour?” He models a bright yellow jacket.
“They got it in a brighter shade bro?” deadpans Kevin, shielding his eyes from the glare.
“A simple no woulda done me,” Howie mutters, pulling the jacket off.
“So, heard back from Jade yet?” Kevin heads over to Brian.
“Not about the book thing. She’s gotta talk to Ali first.”
“What’s the hold-up?”
“She’s in Vegas on the Britney Spears tour until tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah. Bein’ a dancer right?” Kevin chuckles. “I’d pay good money to see that.”
“Me too,” Nick chimes in. “Bet she tripped Britney at least once all ready.”
Brian laughs. “Probably. Probably stole the show too…”
“Oh jeez, Bri’s gettin’ all goofy on us again,” AJ rolls his eyes.
“Jade BETTER come on this tour,” says Nick. “Save us from the goofiness.”
“But then we gotta deal with the cuteness,” says Howie.
“True. Which is worse?” asks Nick.
“Well the goofiness made him step on my foot last night during More Than That,” remembers Kevin with a grimace.
“Hey, you fucked up the move!” Brian complains, coming back from his Jade-induced daydream.
“I SO did not! Your foot moved into my space,” Kevin draws an imaginary box around him. “See? My space.”
Brian throws a hat at him. “My hat.”
The phone rings just as I get inside the apartment. I make a dive for it and pick up.
“Hello?”
“Whoa, you been running?” chuckles Jade.
“Kinda,” I laugh and sit down. “I just got in from my latest job. I had to shoot BBMak.”
“How were they?”
“Pretty cool. And they had KILLER accents,” I sigh happily at the memory of their English accents.
“I bet,” Jade giggles. “You’ve been working hard lately.”
“Yeah, well I don’t like hangin’ out on my own. The conversation’s predictable,” I joke and Jade laughs. “So how’s Bitchney?”
“Oh, I like her Ali. I keep tellin’ ya that!”
“She your new best bud huh?” I say.
“Never,” Jade laughs. “But she’s fun to be with.”
“Well…much as I love hearin’ from ya Jade, what do ya want?”
“Why do I have to want something?” she asks. “Can’t I just call my best bud for a chat anymore?”
“Uh no, I know you too well. You have this tone to your voice which just SCREAMS ya wanna ask me a favour.”
“Ugh, I hate you!” she whines and I laugh. “Ok, but it’s not a favour. It’s more a career boost thing.”
“Yeah?” I say warily.
“Ok, I’ve been asked to do a behind-the-scenes tour book. Will you do the pictures?”
“Depends who the pictures are of.”
“Ali,” she groans.
“The Backstreet Boys right? No friggin’ WAY Jade!”
“C’mon Ali! It’ll be great for our profiles.”
“Fuck our profiles. I’m not about to spend time in the company of Mr I-Hate-Your-Guts. I’m not THAT sadistic.”
“He doesn’t hate you Ali!”
“Well, whatever. You do it but I’m not.”
“You HAVE to Ali! The guys want us as a team and there’s no way I’m working without you. Don’t throw this chance away.” She sighs heavily, “Look, I gotta go. I’ll be home in two days. We’ll talk about it then.”
I hang up the phone without another word and settle back into the couch with a groan.