Date: 11 Jan 2001 15:10:14 MST From: Stephen Romanetz Subject: "On Tour With The Backstreet Boys" Disclaimer: This story is a work of complete fiction. It is not meant to imply ANYTHING about the members of The Backstreet Boys, or their sexuality. If you are offended by sexually erotic stories, or ar under-age, please refrain from reading this story. Note: If you are looking for sex throughout the story, please look elsewhere. There are sex scenes in this story, but the purpose of this story is to tell a story; a story with both high and low points. There is emotion involved in this story. So, once again, if you are looking for just sex, please look elsewhere. All songs mentioned in this work are copyrighted by me, and are the sole works of me. I encourage e-mail input from readers about their opinions on the story. Comments are welcomed. Hate mail will be trashed. ICQ#: 103503504 On Tour with the Backstreet Boys (Book I) Prelude Wednesday 13 April 2005 I sat down in my den to go over the paperwork before me. The UPS deliveryman had just brought the finished copy of what the publishing company had wanted. Now, they wanted me to read the finished copy and sign the attached paperwork before they would send it to press. You see, what I was proofreading was what would become my autobiography. I had made the decision of making my life story available, if the masses were interested in reading it. I began skimming thru the pages, not paying attention to the time. After what I thought was a few minutes, I glanced at the clock. Damn! I'd been hunched over my desk, going thru the sheaf of papers before me for over three hours! To top it all off, I hadn't recalled a single word I'd read. It was obvious my mind lay elsewhere. In less than two weeks I was meeting old friends; friends I still considered brothers. I glanced over at a silver-framed picture on the desk. Picking up the picture, I recalled the fond memory. There, my four closest friends and me were sitting on a stone wall. We were all inseparable. We were going to face the world head on, and we weren't going to take any of the world's crap either. Slowly, the fond memory faded, just as they all had over the years. Sighing, I placed the framed picture back on my desk. Resignedly, I turned my attention back to the soon-to-be-published manuscript. As I was about to start over, I got kissed on the cheek. "Is this your autobiography?" "Yes, it is. I'm about to go thru it." "Well, don't let me stop you. I'm going to take a shower and crawl into bed. Don't take too long. I don't like sleeping in a cold bed by myself." I smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be up soon." "You better be." He said, kissing my cheek again. He then left to go upstairs and take his shower. As much as I wanted to join him, I knew I had to give the final approval on the autobiography. Resignedly, I opened it to the introduction.... Introduction I was born in Gloucester, Virginia on 16 February 1977. My family may not have been rich, but we weren't poor by any means. I was my mother's youngest of four, and my father's only child. My brothers and sister were older than I, with my sister being the closest to me in age: fourteen years older. I pretty much lived a sheltered life. I went to public school because my parents couldn't afford private schooling. I longed to be an entertainer. I knew I could sing, but one thing got in my way: my weight. I had always been fat. No matter what I tried, I couldn't lose the weight. In the spring of my senior year, 1995, I read in the paper about auditions they were having for singers, dancers and actors for Busch Gardens. Since the park was only about 20minutes away, just outside of Williamsburg, I'd bought season passes for the park every year. I loved Busch Gardens. Every time I was there I felt free. A surge of energy coursed thru my veins. I decided then and there that Busch Gardens was where I wanted to work. The auditions were still three weeks away, so I knew what I had to do. I said a prayer to God to get me thru what I was about to do, then buckled down and put every ounce of fiber in my body into working-out and eating right. It was the most excruciating three weeks of my life. During those three weeks, I started smoking to curb my craving for food. I knew it was a bad habit, but it helped immensely in losing weight. By the time the auditions rolled around, I'd lost an amazing 20 pounds! I couldn't believe how successful I had been. I looked at myself in the mirror. Granted, I still needed to lose more weight, but I looked healthier then than I ever had before in my life. I drove over to Busch Gardens and parked my car in the employee lot. Following signs, I found my way to the auditions. As I walked up, my heart sank. There must have been over 300 people there! I looked down at my application and the piano sheet music in my hand. I turned around and started to leave when someone shouted. "Hey! The auditions are this way!" a male voice said. I turned around and saw a tall guy walking towards me. He was on the pale side, with red hair, green eyes, and freckles galore on his face and arms. He was wearing a white T-shirt and jean shorts. He was absolutely gorgeous. Gorgeous!?! Oh no, not these weird feelings again! Why can't I look at women like this?? This isn't normal. It's just a phase...but...how long have I been in this 'phase'? I must have been staring at him for a while, cause he cleared his throat. "Are you hear for the auditions?" he asked, looking at me. "Yes I am." I said. "You too?" "Yeah, I'm auditioning to be a dancer." The guy said. "What about you?" "I'm hoping to be a singer here." I replied, then remembered my manners. I extended my hand. "Stephen Brandt." The man extended his own and shook mine. "The name's Bryce. Bryce McClintock." Bryce showed me where to register and about the procedures of the audition. This was his first time auditioning as well, but he'd been here for 45 minutes already, so he knew what the deal was. We sat down and waited for our numbers to be called. We struck up a conversation. "So, are you from the area?" he asked. "Yeah, just across the Coleman Bridge in Gloucester." I replied. "You?" "I'm from Newport News." Bryce answered. "Graduated from Warwick High last year in fact." "Really?" I asked. "I graduate this year from Gloucester High." "That's cool." Bryce said, then noticed my sheet music. "What are you going to sing?" "Richard Marx's 'Right Here Waiting For You'." I replied. "That's a difficult piece." Bryce responded. "I hope you nail it." "So do I." I replied. "How about you? What piece are you going to dance to?" Bryce appeared to blush. He looked so cute! Cute!?! Stop it Steve! This isn't normal! "Promise not to laugh?" he asked. "Of course!" I quickly replied. He then leaned in close so only I could hear. "Vogue by Madonna." He replied. I stared wide-eyed at him. That piece was one of the most demanding pieces I'd ever heard if you were going to dance to it. I was about to ask him why he chose that piece when a person at the Judges' table called out. "Stephen Brandt!" "That's me, wish me luck." I said. "Good luck Stephen." Bryce replied. I took my sheet music over to the piano player and prepared myself. I was going over the words in my mind when I heard the head judge speak. "Whenever you're ready." She patiently said. I took a final deep breath, then nodded to the piano player. The music began and I sang my heart out. I put all the energy I had in my body into my vocal chords to belt out the ballad. I had my eyes closed the entire time, helping me concentrate on the song. Everything around me ceased to exist. The only things in my world at that moment were the sound of the piano and my voice. I rose to a crescendo, then grew silent as the music faded away. Once the last note was sung, I opened my eyes. The three Judges were looking at me. I glanced over to my side and saw that most of the people at the audition had stopped what they were doing to listen to my voice. I was embarrassed at the sight before me. Quickly, I nodded to the Judges, then bolted out of there for my car. I must have been that horrible for everyone to stop what they were doing and look at me! As I ran to my car, I blew past Bryce, nearly knocking him down. "Stephen! Wait!" he shouted to me. I refused to stop. I didn't want to hear from him how horrible I was. I jumped into my car, threw it into gear, and pealed out of the parking lot. As I sped down Route 17, my vision blurred; tears running from my eyes. I got home, ran to my room and threw myself into bed. I couldn't believe I made an ass out of myself in front of all those people. I began to cry. My crying continued until I fell asleep. The following week was hard for me at school. I was dejected at my embarrassing audition at Busch Gardens. Luckily, no one I knew from high school was at the auditions. I tried to put the whole sad affair behind me. When I got home from school that Friday, my mother was on the phone. When she saw me, she excitedly motioned me over. "It's the Entertainment Dept. at Busch Gardens dear." She said and handed me the phone. "Uh...hello?" I said. "Is this Stephen Brandt?" the woman on the other end of the line asked. "Yes it is." I replied. "Why do you ask?" "We just wanted to call to congratulate you Stephen." The woman said in a pleasant tone. "Congratulate me?" I asked. "Yes!" she quickly said. "Your audition was very impressive." I couldn't believe it. "D...does this mean I have a job there?" I tentatively asked. "You bet it does!" she excitedly replied. "You're going to be one of the featured singers in our 'Hats Off To Hollywood' show at the Magic Lantern Theatre. Do you know where that is?" "Yes I do." I calmly replied, still in shock. "Great." The lady said. "Can you make it to the first rehearsal? It's tomorrow morning at nine in front of the Magic Lantern Theatre. There will be someone at the guard station to sign you in." The realization finally set in. "Yes! I'll be there promptly at nine." "Great. Welcome to Busch Gardens Stephen." She said then hung up. I couldn't believe it. The following day, I showed up and, true to the woman's word, someone was waiting there at the guard station. I showed her my driver's license to verify who I was. She scanned her list of names, found my name, put a check mark by it and motioned me on. I felt giddy. I was going to be singing in a show at Busch Gardens! I rounded the final turn, coming upon the Magic Lantern Theatre. There were a group of about 12-15 other people there. Suddenly, my stomach did a flip. There, leaning up against the wall of the theatre, was none other than Bryce. Before I could say a word, he saw me and came running up. He shook my hand and thumped me on my back. "You made it!" he shouted. "You mean we're both in the same show?" I asked, surprised. "Hell yeah!" he excitedly said, then looked funny at me. "Why did you run off so abruptly at the audition?" I looked down. "Everyone was looking at me when I finished singing. Everyone must have thought I was funny to watch." "God no Stephen." Bryce said, patting my back. "They were listening to the best singer at the audition." I looked at him as he continued. "After you ran off, everyone was talking about how awesome your voice sounded." He finished. "Really?" I asked, still surprised. "Definitely." He quickly replied. At that moment the person in charge of the "Hats Off To Hollywood" show came out and started talking with everyone. Bryce and I stayed close. The first day of rehearsal was easy because I was able to spend it with Bryce. We soon became fast friends. At every rehearsal, Bryce and I stuck close to each other. We got to know the rest of the cast, but soon became inseparable; two peas in a pod. We hung out together all the time. A week before the park was scheduled to open, we were sitting at the McDonald's less than a mile from the park. We were having supper after a long rehearsal that day. After a couple minutes of silence, I decided to spark up a conversation. "So Bryce," I began, then tried to think of something. "Got a girlfriend?" He looked at me for a moment, then smiled. "I did, back at Warwick." He said. "We parted ways when she got accepted to a school up in New England." "What's her name?" I asked, before taking a drink of my Coke. "Rebecca." He said, sighing. "I haven't seen her since she left last August. I tried calling her during Christmas, but she said she was seeing a fellow student up there and hung up." I could tell Bryce was pretty emotional about her. I put my hand on his arm. "I'm sorry man." I replied, trying to comfort him. "Thanks for telling me. I know this will sound cliché^Â, but I'm here for you. That's what friends are for." He looked up at me, managing a smile. "Thanks Steve. I appreciate that." "Anytime." I replied. I went back to my food, glad that I could be there for Bryce. I didn't notice that while I ate, Bryce was still looking at me. After a couple of minutes, I looked up at him. He was smiling a big-ass grin. "What?" I laughed at his goofy expression. Bryce was just goofy in general. It was one of the things I liked about him. I no longer had feelings for him in a romantic way. It wasn't that I didn't find him attractive; I still did. It was because I thought of him as a good friend. "What about you?" he asked, still smiling his goofy smile. "Huh?" I asked, returning to the conversation. He leaned in close before continuing. "Do you have a boyfriend?" "No, I..." I began, then froze. What had just happened??? Did my best friend just ask me if I had a boyfriend!?! How did he know? What am I going to do? I sat there and began to shake. What must Bryce think of me? I couldn't stay there anymore. I bolted up and tried to make for the door. Before I could leave, Bryce shot his hand out, grabbing a hold of my arm. I looked down at him as if I was a deer caught in headlights. Bryce could see how scared I was. There was both pain and sympathy in his eyes. "Steve, please sit down." He calmly said. Still scared, I resumed my seat on the bench. I quickly buried my face in my hands and quietly cried. I felt Bryce's hand rest on my arm. "Steve? Stephen, look at me...please?" Bryce desperately asked. Wearily, I pulled my face out of my hands. My eyes were pink and puffy; tear streaks ran down my face. Bryce took my hand in his. "Steve, I don't care what your sexuality is. What I care about is being there for my friend." "R...r...really?" I cautiously asked. "YES!" he quickly answered. "I'm your friend and I'm always going to be your friend. No matter what!" He made a goofy face, which finally made me laugh. Once he saw me brighten up, he spoke again. "Can you do me a small favor?" he asked. "Sure Bryce. You name it." I said. "Say it." He simply responded. "Huh? Say what?" I asked, uncertain of what he was asking. "Say what you were afraid to tell me." Bryce said. I now knew what he was asking. I had to get up the guts to actually utter the words. "I'm...g...gay." I finally replied. "That's it!" he said. "Again!" "I'm gay." I replied, more sure of myself this time. "Excellent! The power of the spoken word my friend." Bryce enthusiastically replied, squeezing my hand. "How do you feel, now that that's off your chest." I sat there a moment, letting my feelings sink in. I looked across at Bryce, letting a smile cross my face. "I feel, relieved." I finally replied. "Great!" Bryce responded. "One thing..." I said. "What's that?" he asked. "How did you know?" I asked. Bryce smiled. "You just have this special quirk about you Steve." He said. "I also noticed that you hadn't paid any attention to the girls in our cast." I blushed. "Am I that easily readable?" "To me, yes." Bryce said, then continued. "To others, no." Before I could say something, Bryce interrupted me. "And don't worry Steve. I won't tell anyone." He said. "Thanks Bryce." I said, reaching over and giving him a hug. That day, I knew I'd found a friend for life. He realized I was gay, and didn't hold it against me. This guy was simply amazing. He was the shoulder I could lean on when I needed it. That summer I would need it... *** "What do you mean you're gay!?!" my father demanded. "It's not like I'm sleeping around." I said, getting scared. "Where did I go wrong?" my mother asked herself. "You did nothing wrong mom." I assured her. "SHE did nothing wrong." My father shouted, then pointed at me. "YOU did!" "What!?!" I asked, flabbergasted. "How dare you bring that wretched, evil lifestyle into this house!" he yelled. "I'm not bringing ANYTHING into this house!" I yelled back. "You're damn right!" he said, folding his arms across his chest. "Get out!" "What!?!" I incredulously asked. "Get out! We don't know you anymore." He said with determination. "I'm the same Stephen Brandt I always was. I'm your son!" I replied, my own determination faltering. "No!" he cut me off. "You WERE our son. From now on, you are a stranger to us." I stared, wide-eyed at my parents; trying to realize what was happening. "Mom?" I looked at her. She just started crying harder. "You're making Mrs. Brandt cry, sir." My father said to me, as if he had just met me for the first time. "I shall ask you one more time. Leave and never come back. To us, you are now only a stranger." I looked at first my father, then to my mother and back. My eyes welled up in tears. I walked backwards for the front door. When I found it, I flung the door open and raced out of the house; crying the entire way. I ran for over a mile down the dirt road from my house to the closest convenience store. I got on the pay phone and called Bryce. I told him everything that happened and where I was. Inside of thirty minutes, he pulled up in his gray 1987 Toyota Corolla. He jumped out and wrapped me in a hug, trying to console me after the reaction my parents, no, after the reaction Mr. And Mrs. Brandt gave me. That night, I stayed with Bryce in his apartment. The following day, he called U-Haul to rent a truck, and we went back to my former home. Making sure both my parents were at work, we dashed into the house. Like an episode out of Mission Impossible we raced inside and packed all my clothes and personal belongings. Bryce packed my books and magazines away while I ran to the garage to get a socket wrench. Upon returning, we began disassembling my captain's bed so we could take it downstairs. Two-and-a-half hours later, we had managed to get all of my worldly belongings out of my former room and into the U-Haul truck waiting downstairs. All that we left was the dresser. It had been my mother's so it stayed. Everything else, including my Lay-Z-Boy recliner, computer and television we took. I left a good-bye note on the floor, said good-bye to our family terrier Terry, then joined Bryce outside in the truck. Since my car was in my parents' name, I left that behind as well. >From that day on Bryce and I were both roommates and best friends. I was an emotional wreck at first, but after awhile, Bryce helped me accept it and adjust to my new life. Thankfully, my job at Busch Gardens didn't suffer. If anything, my singing actually improved. I dedicated my heart and soul into the love of my life: singing. About a month later, Busch Gardens threw a party for their employees. At the party Bryce and I met Eddie Sanchez. Eddie was a dancer in the Italian Pavilion show. He drove from Norfolk, a distance of over forty miles to get to work everyday. His mother had given him the middle name of Desidero, hoping one day he would have the success of another famous Desi: Desi Arnaz. The three of us hit it off immediately. We saw his show one time and saw his amazing dance moves. On that day, we gave him the nickname of "Dizzy". We invited Eddie over to our apartment several times to talk about work, our futures, and just to goof off. One time he came by, Eddie brought a friend from his neighborhood. Reggie Schoonover was an aspiring singer. Since he lived in a nice area of Norfolk, he attended Granby High. Unfortunately, being African-American, he tended not to fit in that well. Once we heard his amazing range, we knew that Eddie's bragging had been dead-on accurate. That night, we tossed around the idea of forming a group. It was all pipe dreams at this point, but as time passed, our dreams grew more and more in our minds. After the Halloween party at the end of the season, the four of us got together and set about making serious plans to form a music group. While each of us was fairly decent with a musical instrument: Bryce on the drums, Eddie and Reggie each on guitar, and myself on keyboards; we decided it would be better for us to focus our energies on our vocal abilities. For the remainder of the year and the beginning of 1996, we sang on street corners and karaoke bars. By the time the new season at Busch Gardens started, Bryce, Eddie and myself went back to work. Reggie was finishing his studies, planning to graduate that June. Eddie however still had one more year to go through. During a vacation that summer, I went to a Gay Rights rally in Washington, DC. There, I met Turkut Demirel. He was the son of diplomats at the Turkish embassy. We talked about hobbies, tastes in music, and what we liked to do in our spare time. When he revealed that he liked to sing, I asked him to sing something for me. After hearing him belt out Martin Page's "In The House Of Stone And Light", I knew he had to join our fledgling group. A couple months later, I got Turk to come down to Virginia and meet the other guys. I had him sing the same song for them. When he was done, I looked around to gauge the others' reactions. All of them were floored with his vocal talent. In just a couple months, he informed his parents that he was moving down to Virginia to start a music career. By September of that year, our line-up was complete. After the 1996 season at Busch Gardens ended, Eddie, Bryce and myself decided to leave Busch and focus our energies with Reggie and Turk on perfecting our group. We hung out and performed together all the time. When Eddie couldn't make it because of his senior year of high school, we would cancel a performance, rather than sing without him. We became a tight-knit group of friends. Reggie even commented one night that we were so close, we were like a wall of stone. At that moment, there was silence in the room, an Epiphany evident to us all. On that night, we became "Wall of Stone". We tried all different groups to emulate, from Boyz II Men to All-4-One. They all worked to a degree, but none was the perfect fit for us. In June of 1997, we finally found our inspiration: The Backstreet Boys. Their hit song "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" was all over the radio, especially on our favorite local station, Z104. We decided then and there that we would model Wall of Stone after The Backstreet Boys. We had no idea then how important that decision would become... Chapter One Friday 16 April 1999 The guys and me were excited to hear that the Backstreet Boys had chosen this weekend to put on their concert in our area. Their original concert had to be re-scheduled due to a freak snowstorm. We had, in fact, modeled our group "Wall of Stone" after them. We were regular performers at a local club called Danté's in Virginia Beach. We performed a couple original songs, but the crowds always requested us to perform our covers of Backstreet Boys songs. Even the dance moves were patterned after them. On that Friday night, the crowd was receptive as usual as we covered "We've Got It Goin' On". We did all the moves and received thunderous applause when we finished. As we were about to descend the stage, a guy in a business suit approached. He beckoned us over to him. "You guys were great up there!" he said, extending his hand. We each shook it in turn and introduced ourselves. "Who's the spokesperson for the group?" "We are." I waved to Bryce and myself. Bryce was our group's equivalent to the Backstreet Boys' Kevin, and sung his parts when we performed BSB songs. I normally sung Brian's parts and even wore a college ball cap turned backwards like him, except mine was the University of Virginia. "You want to sign us to a record deal, right?" Bryce asked. We all laughed. The guy in the suit laughed too, then continued. "Not quite, but close. I'm the manager of the Backstreet Boys." We all looked at him, seriously now. "Sir," I said. "I'm sorry if we're singing Backstreet Boys songs without permission. But we keep getting requests from the crowd to perform them." The BSB manager started laughing again. "No, you misunderstand." he said. "You guys perform the songs almost as well as they do themselves." All five of us quickly brightened up when we heard that. "The reason I came over to talk with you guys is this: How would you like to open for the Backstreet Boys?" "That's like a dream come true, if you're telling the truth." Reggie said. "You can rest assured of that." The BSB manager said. "I've got a limo waiting outside to take you guys to the amphitheater. What do you say?" Before any of us could say a word, Turk was already making for the exit. We all laughed and followed him outside. We got in the limo and pulled off. As we rode towards the amphitheater, David (the BSB manager), got to know each of us personally. Reggie was the wild one in the bunch. He was constantly changing his hair color and had the perfect range to sing AJ's parts. Turk sang Nick's parts perfectly. Lastly was Eddie. He supplied Howie's parts, and was the best dancer in the group. "So how old are you guys?" David asked. "22." I said. "20 here." Turk announced. "19." Eddie joined in. "23, the oldest." Bryce said. "What about you?" David said, looking at Reggie. "45." Reggie said, keeping a straight face. We all burst out laughing. Bryce regained his composure first. "He's 21, the middle child." Reggie simply nodded. Being the clown that he is, Reggie was always able to make us laugh, breaking any tension. The five of us talked with David throughout the drive. Finally, we pulled up to the stage entrance of the Virginia Beach Amphitheatre. David got out and motioned for us to follow him through the corridors leading to the main stage. "Are the Backstreet Boys here?" Turk asked anxiously. "No," David replied. "They're at the hotel resting." I could plainly see the disappointment on Turk's face. I knew how bad he wanted to meet Brian Littrell. Brian was his favorite BSBer, and the guy Turk had a serious crush on. Just then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped, then turned to see Bryce standing there. "Shit Bryce! Don't scare me like that!" I exclaimed. Bryce laughed, then said, "Sorry. I know you want to see Kevin just as bad as Turk wants to see Brian." He smiled and continued, "If we're lucky enough to actually open for the Boys tomorrow night, we might get to spend a few minutes talking to them." I brightened up at the prospect. Just then, we went through a final door and out onto the stage. The five of us were just in awe about actually being on stage at the Virginia Beach Amphitheatre. As we were meandering about, David called out to us from the front row. "Why don't you guys sing one of the Boys' songs?" "Which one?" Eddie asked. "Which ever one you want. The audio tech guys have the music to all the songs." "How about 'Anywhere For You'?" I said. "Great, let me just go tell the sound men." As David got up, Turk called out. "Wait, we can do it a cappella!" David looked back at us, smiling. "Okay. This I've got to see." He sat back down. The five of us got together to hum the right pitch. We got right into the song, harmonizing together. I'd go anywhere for you Anywhere you'd ask me to I'd do anything for you Anything you want me to... I could tell David was impressed by our harmonizing abilities. As Turk got into the main part of the song, I tried gauging David's reactions. He seemed to be enjoying it. We really put power into the song as we finished. Your love as far as I can see Is all I'm ever gonna need There's one thing for sure I know it's true Baby, I'd go anywhere for you. We finished the song and David jumped out of his seat applauding. He clapped so much it sounded like six of him out there. That was simply...INCREDIBLE!" he said. "I know the Boys are going to enjoy your opening act tomorrow night!" All of us thanked him. A voice behind David said, "We already do!" David spun around and the five of us peered out to see whom the voice belonged to. A shadow emerged into the light. It was Howie! As he stepped forward, Brian, Nick, Kevin and AJ appeared. I'd never fainted before in my life, but I almost did right there. I got weak in the knees and fell backwards. Luckily, Bryce was there to catch me. "See? What did I tell you?" He said into my ear. Not wanting to look more like an idiot than I already did, I regained my composure. I didn't need to worry about looking like an idiot though. I glanced over to see Turk clapping wildly. The guys walked up on stage, and we all shook hands. Howie turned back to David. "I knew you were looking for a local group to open for us, but I didn't know you wanted to replace us." I mustered up enough courage to speak. "We could never come close to replacing you guys." I meekly said to Howie. Reggie spoke up, "Speak for yourself Steve!" AJ was standing next to Reggie. "Hey David, I like this guy's attitude." He and Reggie started throwing fake punches at each other. All of us laughed cause AJ was able to break through Reg's attitude and get him to laugh. "Hey, how would you guys like to hang out with us back at our hotel?" Brian said to us. "Yeah! That would be like SO awesome!" Brian smiled over to Turk at his enthusiasm. I just covered my face with my hand as I whispered to Bryce. "Does he have to be so obvious! Why doesn't he just scream 'GAY'!" Bryce punched me in my shoulder. "You didn't help your case any by nearly fainting when Kevin walked out." "Oh my God! I did, didn't I?" I reach new shades of red with my blushing. We all descended the stage and made our way to the two limos. We couldn't all fit into one limo, so we split into two groups. Bryce, Reggie and Eddie got into the Boys' limo with Nick, AJ and Howie. My excitement quickly turned to fear when I realized I'd be in the same limo with Kevin. Turk, Brian and David joined us. The two limos sped off to the hotel the guys were staying at. Turk quickly started up a conversation with Brian as David talked with Kevin. I just stared out the window; my nerves had all gone to mush. David had gotten out some paperwork to go over, leaving Kevin without someone to talk to. He looked over and stared at me, trying to get my attention. Finally, he reached out and put his hand on my knee. I immediately jumped in shock, banging my head on the roof of the limo. Turk burst out laughing. Brian quickly joined him. "You all right Steve?" Kevin inquired. It took a moment for me to find the words. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just bumped my head. Just nerves I guess." "Nothing to be nervous about." Kevin assured me. "We're just two singing groups." "That's easy for you to say. You're the Backstreet Boys! We're just a local group." I said. "Well, you guys must be good, or David here wouldn't have offered you the chance to be the opening act at our concert." Kevin countered, then continued, "And I must say, we all agree with David. You guys were great." Brian and Turk had been listening in on the conversation. Brian nodded, "Yeah, that was the best version of 'Anywhere For You' I've heard. You guys are amazing a cappella!" The limo arrived at the hotel, and it became obvious we'd have a hard time entering. A throng of teenage girls started screaming when they saw the two limos pull up. AJ, Nick, Howie, Bryce, Eddie and Reggie got out of their limo. Kevin, Brian, David, Turk and myself then exited and we all made our way to the entrance. The Boys stopped to sign a couple autographs as the rest of us got through the entrance and waited in the lobby. One by one, the Boys got inside and we all took the two elevators up to their private floor. We exited at the same time and all piled into Howie's room. Bryce pulled me aside and asked, "So, how'd you and Turk like riding in the same limo with Kevin and Brian?" "It was pure hell." I commented. Bryce looked at me funny. "Why?" "Well, maybe its because I was a bundle of nerves the whole way." Bryce smiled at me. I quickly changed the subject. "What did you guys talk about in y'alls limo?" "Oh, this and that." Bryce said with a twinkle in his eye. I looked at him. "You're hiding something." "Who me?" he said with an exaggerated innocent look. "Why don't I believe you?" I said as we joined the others. After a couple minutes of idle chitchat, David got down to business. "Okay, you guys will be the opening act. You'll be up there about 15 minutes before the Boys come out. That will give you enough time for three songs. What do you want to perform? Unfortunately, you won't be able to sing any Backstreet Boys songs." AJ let Reggie have it. "Oooooh, BUSTED!" Reggie retorted, "Shaddup, we've got other songs!" "Yeah," I jumped in. "Since all of us, except Turk, are from Virginia, we can cover Blessid Union of Souls' 'O Virginia'." The guys nodded in agreement. Bryce added, "We've also got an original song, 'Deep Inside My Heart' that we could sing a cappella." "Great," David said. "Now if you just have a dance song to perform, that would be perfect." "I've got it!" Turk exclaimed. "We can do that 80's song, 'You Spin Me Right Round'!" He looked over to the rest of us. We looked at each other and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we've got the background music for both 'O Virginia' and `You Spin Me Right Round' at my place." I commented. "I know it's late Steve," David said. "But could you go get that music tonight? I think the Boys and I would like to hear it. I'll ride with you in the limo." "Okay." I said. "When we get there it might take me a few minutes to find the tape." Turk piped up. "I know exactly where it is. I'll go with you." With that settled, Turk, David and myself went down and got in the limo. We mainly BSed all the way to my apartment. When we pulled up, I told David we'd be right back. Turk and I went in and he quickly found the tape. I started for the door when Turk grabbed me by the arm. "So, what do you think of Kevin?" he asked. "He's a real nice guy, why?" I responded. "I think he LIKES you!" Turk said with a big grin on his smug face. "Turk, don't fool yourself. Kevin and Brian are as straight as..." "A 3-dollar bill?" Turk said, cutting me off. I laughed. "You never give up, do you?" We locked my apartment, and got back in the limo. We got back to the hotel and up to Howie's room. There was raucous laughter coming from inside. David knocked on the door. A chorus of "Shhhhhhhh's" came from inside as Howie opened the door. "Okay, guys!" I commented as the three of us walked in. "Just WHAT is so funny?" "Oh...nothing." Brian said averting his eyes from me. "Well then, we've got the tape." I said ignoring the scene. "Let's do 'Deep Inside My Heart' first." Turk and I walked over to the others as we hummed to find our pitch. The Boys sat around the room, ready to listen. David sat his cell-phone on top of his paperwork and turned to hear us. We found the right pitch, and started the song. Reggie: There's a place girl Where you can go That's filled with love For only you to know Turk: I'm sorry what the world's done To set you adrift on a sea of despair Girl I'm here to let you know I care And show you everything that's fun Me: Don't ever let yourself get down I'll always be there by your side Just wipe off your face that sad frown And join me on this magical ride Chorus: Deep inside my heart Is a place for you Deep Inside my heart Is a place you're due Don't feel the need to get depressed There's always one place you can rest Come and stay, don't ever depart Deep inside my heart Me: I know there's pain you feel right now Eddie: But I promise to take this solemn vow Bryce & Turk: I'll protect you, cradled in my arm All: Safe from all that can do you harm (Chorus)x2 All: Come and stay, don't ever depart Deep inside my heart When we sang the last note we received the biggest applause I'd ever heard. And it only came from six guys, not a crowded club. The Boys couldn't believe how powerful our song was. I looked over to Kevin and saw a tear run down his cheek, applauding as loud as the rest. Brian spoke up first. "Wow guys! I'm surprised a record label hasn't signed you yet! That song was really powerful." "Who wrote it?" Kevin asked. "I did." I replied. "Not only can you sing, but you're an excellent songwriter to boot!" David stood up and gathered his things. "That was great guys. I've got some paperwork to work through." We each shook his hand again. Bryce said to him, "Thanks again for giving us this opportunity." "My pleasure." David said. He turned to leave, then turned back around. "Oh, I almost forgot! I'll take you guys back to the club. I'm sure your cars are still there. Oh, and I'll need a number to be able to reach you guys tomorrow." He said. Bryce reached into his pocket and wrote down the number. "Here's the number to mine and Steve's apartment." He handed the sheet to David. "We can contact the other guys." "Thanks," David said. "Now let's get you back to the club." We said our good-byes to the guys and went down to get into the limo. In no time, we were back at Danté's. We said good-bye to David and went to get our vehicles. Reggie and Eddie got into Eddie's car. "We'll get a hold of you guys when we get the call." I said. "Okay. See ya!" Eddie said as they sped off. They shared an apartment in the Ghent section of Norfolk. Bryce and Turk climbed into my station wagon and we started down the road, in the opposite direction. Our apartment was near the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach. On our way, the three of us talked a blue streak about the amazing night we'd all had. We got to the apartment and collapsed onto a couple of chairs and the sofa. Inside of five minutes, Turk was asleep. I got the Afghan and covered him up. Bryce and I stepped outside and sat on the doorstep to talk. "I know Turk's 20 and all, but I still feel responsible for him, ya know?" I commented to Bryce as I lit a cigarette. He nodded. "Yeah, you convinced him to move down from DC to join the group, but he was a great addition Steve." I blew a couple smoke rings into the night air. I knew it was a bad habit, but I never found the right incentive to quit. The two of us sat there in silence for a few minutes. I knew there was something I wanted to ask, but for the life of me I couldn't remember what. Finally it came to me. I stubbed out the cigarette and turned to Bryce. "There's been something nagging me that I think you could shed some light on." "Oh? What's that?" Bryce asked. "What exactly did you guys talk about in the other limo?" Bryce smiled at me. "Do you really want to know?" "I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't." I said, in a voice bordering on exasperation. Bryce laughed. "OK. I guess I've kept you in suspense long enough..." ***Flashback to the limo ride*** As the guys rode to the hotel, Eddie commented, "I'll bet Steve and Turk are having the time of their lives right now." "Why is that?" Nick asked. Reggie put it bluntly. "Cause they're riding in a limo with their dream guys." Howie, AJ and Nick's eyes all got wide. Howie found his words first. "You mean Turk and Steve are both gay???" "Yeah." Bryce said. "Steve's my best friend. He was afraid to tell me he was gay, but I assured him I was okay with it. I felt honored that he would confide in me." He paused before continuing. "Turk's a great guy too. Don't believe everything you hear about gay guys being neat freaks though. Those two are a couple of the messiest people I know." The three BSBers sat there, looking at each other. Reggie quickly jumped in. "Look, I didn't care one way or the other about gays before, but Steve and Turk are good people. They're my 'brothers' and I support them." He said to them, then his expression hardened. "If you guys have a problem with their sexuality, then I've got a problem with you! As soon as we reach the hotel, we'll grab Steve and Turk and hail a cab back to the club." Nick, Howie and AJ sat there for a moment, then burst out into laughter. "Just what is so damn funny!?!" Reggie demanded. Nick found his words first. "While we were watching you guys sing 'Anything For You', they kept talking about Steve and Turk up there." Bryce, Reggie and Eddie weren't following. AJ picked up on this and clued them in. "B-Rok and Train are both gay." He simply said. This time, the three Wall of Stone guys sat there speechless. Nick spoke to Bryce. "Look Bryce," he began. "Brian's my best friend, just like Steve is yours. I don't care what his sexuality is. He's still Brian, my best friend." Howie then jumped in. "And Kevin's always been our 'big brother', always looking out for us. His being gay hasn't changed that." "Now for the $64,000 question." AJ said. "Who likes whom?" Bryce answered. "Just come by our apartment. You can see all the posters Steve has of Kevin, and all the pin-ups Turk has of Brian. "Well, well, well." AJ said, folding his arms across his chest. "Looks like we've got two perfect matches." Eddie jumped in. "I'll bet Turk's talking a mile a minute with Brian." Reggie piped up. "And Steve's probably a nervous wreck!" All six in the limo started laughing as they approached the hotel. ***Back to the doorstep of mine and Bryce's apartment*** "You little bitch!" I said, jabbing Bryce in the side. "Just WHEN where you planning on telling me?" Bryce started laughing. "Now." I joined him in his laughter. "Well, at least Kevin and Brian don't know." I lit another cigarette. Bryce started whistling and averted his eyes from me. I flashed him a worried look. "Oh my God! You didn't! You wouldn't!" I exclaimed. "I didn't tell Kevin and Brian." Bryce said. Relief washed over me, but was quickly shattered by Bryce's next sentence. "Howie told them." The cigarette dropped from my fingers... "What!?! I never saw him talk to them!" "When you and Turk came back here to get the tape, he let them in on the big news. That's why we were laughing when you knocked." ***Flashback to Howie's hotel room*** Everyone sat around the room talking to pass the time. Kevin and Brian tried to maintain conversations with everyone, but their attention was still distracted by the recent departure of Steve and Turk. The others soon noticed this and began laughing. "What's so funny?" Kevin asked everyone. "You and B-Rok, that's what." AJ replied to Kevin's query. "Huh?" Brian said, looking at AJ. Reggie then spoke up. "AJ told us about y'alls attraction to Steve and Turk." He said. Kevin and Brian's eyes bulged as their mouths fell open. Bryce quickly calmed them down. "It's cool guys. We don't care if y'all are gay." Eddie chimed in. "And don't worry, your secret is safe with us." Slowly, Brian and Kevin regained their composure. "Seriously," Brian said, swallowing to relieve his dry throat. "You guys are cool with Kev and I being gay?" "Of course!" Reggie answered for the group. "Just don't hit on me, but from the looks you guys gave, it's obvious you only have eyes for Steve and Turk." "Just don't tell them about us, okay?" Kevin asked. "We don't need them to know about us liking them." "Why not Train?" Howie asked. "Steve and Turk are both gay." "WHAT!?!" The Kentucky cousins said in unison. "That's right." Nick replied. "And unless we miss our guess, we've got two possible couples." "You mean..." Kevin began. "That's right Train." AJ said. "Steve has the hots for you, and Bri?" he then turned to Brian. "Turk's crazy about you." In a flash, the shocked looks on the cousins' faces turned from shock, to smiles that showed they were planning their next move. Everyone broke into uproarious laughter. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Howie said before going to answer the door... ***back to the doorstep outside*** I started shaking. Bryce put his arm around my shoulder to steady me. "Calm down Steve. It's going to be alright." Bryce said. I finally stopped shaking. "What am I going to do Bryce?" "Well, lets get some sleep, and see what happens tomorrow." I stubbed out the cigarette as the two of us went inside. We each went to our respective bedrooms. I lay awake in bed, contemplating what would happen the following day. Finally exhaustion overcame me, and I fell asleep.