"Brian, who's her manager, you are me?" Dawn argued, losing patience.
"She's been throwing up all day, she can't perform!" Brian protested once again. He wasn't
about to let some woman make his girlfriend go up on stage sick as she was.
"She can't afford to bail at this point in her career" Dawn yelled "She'll live! She's gonna
have to put up with a lot worse later on..."
Brian gritted his teeth when Kevin put a calming hand on his shoulder "Bri, she'll be fine.
How many times have we had to this sort of thing, huh?"
Brian turned to face him with bitter eyes "Don't you remember how it felt?" he spewed
"But..."
"NO!" Brian objected angrily "They made me delay my heart surgery, remember? They
put my life on the line!"
"But I'm not!" Dawn rebuted sweetly "This isn't a life or death situation- it's a stomach
flue"
Brian threw his hands up in surrender. This argument was going nowhere and fast.
With out another word, he went to check up on Eli.
Dawn let out a sigh and was about to leave the room herself when she heard someone call her
back.
"Hi" Howie greeted.
"Hello Howie" Dawn said with as much enthusiasm as she could fake.
His brow narrowed. For the first time since they'd met, Dawn looked sloppy! Not only was her hair combed over most of her face, but she was also wearing sunglasses- indoor's! Despite the fact that half her face was concealed, Howie could still tell that she was wearing a lot more makeup than usual.
"How are you?"
Dawn smiled "Oh, I'm Ok. Just a little worn out after last night".
Worn from what, that she didn't say.
"Well that's good" Howie grinned back "Um, will you be touring with the girls?"
"Most of the time, yes"
"Well then, I guess I'll see you around. For now, we've gotta get ready for our show"
"Yeah" Dawn nodded. She watched as Howie slowly walked away and felt a sting in her
heart. She loved Eric, temper or no temper. But she couldn't deny the emotions that were now
forming towards this other man. Taking a deep breath, she made her way to
REFLECTION's dressing room to give the girls a well needed pep talk.
**Meanwhile**
"Michael Scalis"
"Here are your tickets" The 6 foot 2, 300 pound body guard said handing them to
the boy. "They come with backstage passes. There hasn't been a meet and greet
scheduled, but I suppose you should come back here at the end of the concert"
"Thanks"
"Mike, what did he say?" asked Annie, his older sister he had invited to the show.
"We've gotta come back here when it's over" Michael answered, already frustrated by the
sound of squealing teeny boppers.
Annie was very exited! Although she was 20 years old, she was still a huge Backstreet fan,
and she couldn't wait to see them perform. And who knew? Maybe if she'd get to meet
them, she'd actually have something interesting to write about for her journalism project.
"Was it Nick you met?" she asked as they finally took their seat in the front row.
"I met Laurel, Angel... or what ever her name is, and him" he scram over the noise.
Annie grinned "How was it?"
"He's a fucking dick!" he yelled back before sticking his tongue out at a "I love Nick Carter"
sign. "I can't believe you like that prick"
"I said he was hot" she scram in her defense "Maybe he was having a bad day when you met em'? "
Before Michael could reply, the lights went out and the crowd went into a frenzy.
"HELLO EVERYONE" a voice echoed through the speakers
"What's uuuup? We're REFLECTION, and this is our first single 'What I Need' "
The girls each took their designated spots on stage and began to sing and dance the same way they
had since the beginning of the tour.
"Someone to hold me tight..." Alyssa sang, spreading on some extra sex appeal in her voice, which only
made the male members of the audience hoot louder.
"All through the night" Laurel continued, taking over lead "What I need, what I want, what I need, what I
want is you..."
Michael smiled back "What a fox" he thought aloud.
Laurel spotted him, and sent him an acknowledging wave
"So baby, just say you'll be mine..."
**Meanwhile**
"Are you sure you're up to it?" Brian questioned for the hundredth time.
I smiled widely "Baby, I'll be fine."
"Ok" Brian whimpered, bowing his head.
I knew he was keeping something from me. I worried that he had found out about Nick
and I, but I doubted that could be possible. I felt so guilty for having done what I had. How
stupid could I be ? Brian was so loyal... how could I have ever doubted him? I
betrayed him. The one person who truly cared for me, and I betrayed him!
"Angel you're up!"
I bit my lip, prayed that my stomach would settle, and ran out on stage. For some odd
reason, I never had stage fright! If I did, it was the bare minimum. Maybe it was because I
had never aspirated to become a singer, and thus had no objectives to live up to. What ever the reason was, I appreciated it! I
loved to be on stage. The rush I would get from being up there was so intense that I wouldn't trade my life for it.
**Meanwhile**
REFLECTION had already performed, and were getting changed when they heard a
knock at the door.
"Come in!" Laurel yelled.
"Are you descent?" the voice replied.
Kristy laughed "Ya Kev, we just offered for you to walk in on us naked"
"Just checking" Kevin chuckled as he came in. He smiled broadly when he spotted Naila.
"Could I speak to you a second?"
Naila grinned "Yeah, sure" she said as she walked over to him "What's up?"
Kevin couldn't believe how shy this girl was making him! He was never shy, especially
not around women. Particularly not with beautiful ones.
"I was wondering, if you weren't busy, maybe after the show we could go to a club or
something?" Club?!CLUB! What the hell....
"I'd love to!" Naila chirped happily
"Great! Um, we're up next so.... but I guess I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, for sure"
Naila waved broadly before shutting the door behind herself.
"It's about damn time!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, you go girl!" Kristy shouted passing a high five "You've got a date with Kevin. Fine
assed, fine abbed, fine E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G Kevy Kev... Yum!"
"Real mature Kris" Naila laughed, whacking her over the head with her towel.
**Later**
"What the hell was wrong tonigth?" Kevin yelled as Brian and Nick shrugged. The show had
been terrible. No, no- pitiful! "Already that we were missing one member... but it was like you
two weren't there either!!!" he barked, taking a seat in their limo.
"Sorry" Nick mumbled.
"Sorry isn't good enough!!!" Kevin grunted. If he didn't have a date that night, he sure as
hell would have lectured them further.
"Brian man, it isn't like you to be so off"
"Hmm" he sighed. It wasn't like him for a lot of things. Cheating on his girlfriend was one
of them. What the hell was he going to do? He had to tell someone. Under normal circumstances, he would confide in Nick about this sort of thing; but they hadn't been close since he'd begun dating Eli, so he couldn't just come crawling back.... He hit his head "what a horrible ass I am" he thought angrily.
The second they arrived at the hotel, Brian walked into the elevator and patiently waited for the numbers to hit his floor. He started to rub his head, feeling the beginnings of a major headache
coming on from all the stress. He had so
much stuff on his mind that he thought it would explode!!
He knew that he had no choice but to confess, even if it would kill her to find out. Then again, the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. He loved her with all his heart and soul, and just wished that he could turn back time and change what he had done. Just as he was getting entirely engulfed in his thoughts, the doors to the elevator popped open.
He started walking toward his room when he saw Eli sitting in front of the door.
"Eli, I'm glad you're here. We need to talk" Brian said as he walked towards her.
I sat up. 'Come on Eli, you can do this', I thought to myself. Brian
pulled out his keys and started to unlock the door when I wrapped my arms around his neck
and started to kiss him.
"Eli what are you doing?" Brian exclaimed as he opened the door and backed away from me.
"Brian, what's the matter? Didn't you miss me?" I asked him seductively.
"Of course I missed you, its just that...I'm kinda not in the mood tonight. I'm kinda tired" Brian lied through his teeth.
The truth was that he wasn't tired at all, but wanted to get the turth out about Becca. Problem was, he wasn't sure how to do go about it just yet. He felt so guilty and it was killing him inside to turn away from her.
Plus, he began to wonder why her behavior was so off.
'Why is he being so distant? Does he know what happened between Nick and I?'...
I questioned myself. But I knew I had to do it tonight. Maybe then the guilt would dissapear.
"Come on Brian, you know you want to" I wooed as I swayed over to him and
started to give him a massage. I began to kiss him down the neck like I had started
outside the door.
"Eli, what are you trying to do?" Brian turned around and looked me straight in the eye.
As much as Brian wanted what she was hinting at, he knew that it was not the right
time with what was going on with him and the guilt that's was being carried on his
shoulders. Kissing her alone reminded him of what he had done the previous night.
"Don't you want me? Don't you love me?" I taunted in a baby voice as I went in for the kill.
I went up to him and gave him a forceful kiss. I began to
slip my tongue into his mouth when he pulled away and gave me a look that I've never
seen him give me before. He looked disgusted...
"Why are you acting like this Eli? Why are throwing yourself at me?"
Brian asked with a serious look on his face.
I looked at him and was asking myself the same question. What was I doing? I should
just tell him what happened. It would be better for the both of us in the long run. But
it would only break his heart, and that was last thing I would ever permit myself to do. I loved him too much to allow that to happen.
"I don't know what I'm doing Brian, I really don't. I...I have to go" and with that, I left
the room and ran to mine. I lay on my bed and cried for the rest of the night. I was so
ashamed of myself.
I slept with Nick and then actually threw myself at Brian. And to think, it was all out of guilt.
How could I do something like that? Especially to the two men I cared about most. All I
wanted to do was go back home with my brother
and sisters, where my life was normal and simple. All before this whole singing thing
happened and before I met Brian. Oh god... Brian!! What the hell was I going to do? What
would he think of me now? Would he ever forgive me?
**Still At The Apartment**
Brian sat in his room thinking about what had just occured.
"What was up with her?"
he wondered.
He just couldn't believe how fucked up his life had gotten in the last couple of days.
"Why couldn't Becca have left well enough alone?"
Brian tried to sleep, but it just wasn't working.
He just laid there and kept
asking himself the same question: 'what am I gonna do about Becca and Eli?'
Brian made a short prayer: "Please god don't let me lose Eli. She's the only thing
that matters to me. I love her so much" Brian slowly began to fall into a not so peaceful
sleep.
**Same Time**
After the concert, Michael and Annie had gone to meet up with REFLECTION and suggested to Laurel join them for a bite to eat.
"You girls were amazing" Annie complemented, taking a slice of cheese pizza from the steaming
dish "I was really impressed"
"Thank you" Laurel said shyly. She took the opportunity to glance at Michael. His
features reminded her a lot of Nick. The baby face, the blond hair and sparkling blue
eyes... Only he wasn't an ass hole like Nick was!
Annie took a bite out of her pizza "How old are you?"
"15"
"Wow!" Annie exclaimed "You have quite a powerful voice for someone your age.
Michael here is 17" she took a sip from her sprite and smiled "I'll be right back, nature
calls" and quickly slipped out of the booth leaving Michael and Laurel alone.
"So" Michael began "When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning" Laurel answered grimly.
Judging by her reaction, Michael realized that she was beginning to crush on him. He liked it "I'm going to
miss you" he said reaching out to caress her cheek with the back of his hand
Laurel's breath caught in her throat. She wasn't used to being flirted with in such a
manner. "Yeah" she managed to affirm, feebly.
"I like you..." he said moving his lips closer to hers until they would meet in a feather
light embrace.
A thousand thoughts passed through her mind as she felt his hand on the back of her head
pulling her in closer. When he finally let go, Annie was back and smiling goofily. Laurel
blushed "Come on tour with me".
**I believe that part of this Chapter was written by my former co-writer, Tamara Evans**
