Date: 11 Jan 2001 15:10:14 MST
From: Stephen Romanetz <number1_bsb_fan_4ever@usa.net>
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.