Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 12:01:27 EST
From: Papito6187@aol.com
Subject: Rob & Lance 40

WHAT UP!!!!! Yeah, I know . . . it's been awhile. But come on, I got madd
shit goin on and I haven't had time to post! Can you forgive me? Please?
<gives puppy dog look> THANK YOU!!! But seriously, thanks to all of you who
emailed me encouraging me to get off my ass and post! So, without any
further ado, ON WITH . . . OH WAIT! Before I forget! This chapter (and the
one after this one) brings back my mystery writer. He actually sent me this
(the part that's bein used) a LONG time ago, even before the whole Lance in
the hospital chaps. So part of this chapter and the one after this, was
co-written by my friend, the mystery writer! So let me know what you think,
and what you think he wrote! Now . . . ON WITH THE SHOW!!!


Last time . . .


As soon as I shut down my laptop, I went downstairs to meet Stephanie, the
winner of the contest. When I got out of the elevator, I saw her back, she
was signing something over at the front desk. When she turned around, her
hair was covering her face so I didn't see it at first. The security people
brought her over to me along with Alexis.

"Rob this is Stephanie, the contest winner and your date for tonight!"
Alexis said.

"Hey!" I said, "Long flight?"

She looked up at me and cleared the long dirty blonde hair away from her
face and said,

"Don't you hey me Rob!" She said as I got a surprised expression on my face
partly because of what she said, soon becoming from seeing her face.

"Oh my god!" I said realizing for the first time who she was. "STEPH!!" I
said pulling her into a bear hug.


This time . . .


"HEY!!" She said excited to see me, "Surprise!"

"You're the winner?!?"

"Yup! Never expected that, did you?"

"Oh my god! I'm so glad to see you!"

"I know!"

"You two know each other?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, we used to be neighbors!" I said.

"Oh, ok, then I'll leave you two to catch up then. Just remember that you
gotta be at the venue by 6!"

"Ok, don't worry about it!"

"And if you wanna get some shopping done, you should get your stuff sent up
to your room and get going now."

"I'll do that, thanks!" Stephanie said.

"How's your mom?" I asked.

"She's good! What about yours?"

"Good, good. I haven't talked to her in awhile, but I'm gonna go see her
soon."

"Oh! Before I forget!" She said, immediately followed by a hit on my
shoulder.

"OW! What was that for?!"

"FOR NOT CALLING ME AND TELLING ME ALL THIS!"

"I'm SOOOOOOOO sorry! I lost your phone number and u didn't have AOL
anymore!"

"Well I just got it back like this month. BUT STILL!"

"You know I didn't do it on purpose!"

"I know . . . I just miss hitting you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah . . . no matter how famous I get, I'll never be able to
escape a beating from you!"

"That's right!"

"Oh my god! I still can't believe this! And look at you! You look so
different!"

"Yup, I've changed a lot!"

"You lost weight, you got taller, blonde streaks, damn girl. you went and
got all sexy on me!"

"Shut up!"

"Oh . . . you're gonna die when I tell you who we're sitting next to!"

"Let me guess . . . N Sync?"

"Nope . . . even better . . . well, for you anyway . . ."

"Don't tell me . . ."

"Yup!"

"Oh my god!"

"Yup!"

"You're lying!"

"Nope!"

"The Backstreet Boys?!?"

"The one and only!"

"Oh my god!"

"So, you gotta make sure you pick out something EXTRA sexy to wear tonight,
cause if you really want Nick to notice you, you're gonna have to look
good!"

"So where're we goin?"

"Wherever you want!"

"Can we go to Rodeo Drive?!"

"Sure!"

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!"

"Don't thank me, thank Z100."

"I get to pick out anything I want?"

"Anything!"

"YES!"

"And thank you!"

"For what?"

"For making this easier! I'm glad that it was you who won! It gave me a
chance to see you again, it made the whole contest less awkward, and I
don't have to worry about pleasing a fan. You don't know how worried I was
about that. I really wasn't looking forward to some teenie freakin out
cause she was meeting me."

"Well in that case, you're very welcome!"

We started laughing and then started to catch up on our lives and talk
about old times.  Stephanie was my next door neighbor for 4 years, when I
was living with my parents.  She had moved to Florida, then moved back to
New York, but to Long Island. We kept in touch for awhile, but then she
moved again to somewhere else in Long Island and I eventually lost her
phone number when I moved. I had always been meaning to ask somebody that
would know, but just never got around to it. She was three years younger
than I was and was turning 17 in October. She had gotten taller since the
last time I had seen her. She was now around 5' 7'', she had brownish
blonde hair, with blonde highlights, she was Italian, she had blue-green
eyes and a few freckles on her cheeks.  She had turned into a beautiful
woman, and I was amazed at how she looked.  After our little shopping
spree, she wound up with a lot of clothes, not too expensive, but they cost
a pretty penny. She picked out a great dress for the awards and we had a
blast finding it. We just had a really good time, it was just like before
we lost touch. And to tell you the truth, this was really the first time
we'd hung out and actually did something. I made it a point to get her
number and email addy before anything, before I forgot. We got back to our
hotel around a quarter to 5. All I had to do was freshen up and get
changed, AGAIN! She went up to her room, got settled in and showered,
changed, and did her make up and hair. The venue wasn't that far from the
hotel, so it wasn't a problem getting there. As I walked down the red
carpet with my date, I waved hello to my fans, took pictures and got
interviewed. After getting by everybody, we were inside the venue and on
our way to our seats. I didn't see the guys, and I decided not to look for
them yet. When we got to our seats, we saw that our neighbors weren't there
yet. We took this time to talk about how she wanted Nick and that she hoped
the he sat next to her so she could flirt with him.

"Well here's your chance, cause here they come!" I said.

"OH MY GOD!!! How do I look? Do you think he's gonna . . ." She started to
say.

"Shut up, here they come!"

I waited for them to recognize me before I said anything, one because I
didn't know if they wanted to be bothered by someone who was so closely
tied to N Sync, and two cause I just got a phone call from Lance.

"Hey baby!" He said.

"Hey! Where are you?" I asked.

"I'm at my seat. I can see you!"

"Where are you? I don't see you!"

"Don't worry about it. Your neighbors just walked in and are on their way
to their seats beside you."

"Cool . . . anything I should know before I meet them?"

"Um . . . if any of them tries anything, I'm gonna kick their ass!"

"Ok, I'll be sure to let them know."

"You look hot tonight by the way!"

"Thanks, I didn't see you though . . . Stand up so I can see you!"

"Ok. You can't miss me . . . I'm not that far away from you."

"WHOA! WHAT THE HELL! A gold jacket? Oooookay!! How very flamboyant!"

"Really?"

"Um . . . yeah not a very good way to convince everyone you're straight
babe!"

"I don't care."

"Ok, but anyway, I gotta go, they're here, and I gotta stop Stephanie
before she rapes Nick!"

"Stephanie?"

"Oh, yeah . . . My date. Turns out she's my old neighbor! I'll introduce
you later! Bye!"

"Bye . . ." He said hearing the dial tone.

"Ok, time to put your tongue back IN your mouth now Steph!" I said turning
to her as she was being all teenie like over Nick. "Sorry bout that, she's
kind of a fan . . . More of a fan of yours than she is of mine!" I said
nudging her on her shoulder.

"OW! Dumb ass! What'd you do that for!?"

"It's ok, really!" Nick said looking at me for the first time. "Hey, you're
Rob right?"

"Yup, that is I!" I said getting up. "Good to meet you!"

"Yeah, I picked up your album recently, wanted to see who was giving us
some competition!" AJ said laughing. "I like it! Something different!"

"Thanks! Your new album is phat too! Blows the first one out of the water!"

"Well, as you know, I'm Nick, this is AJ, that's Howie, that's Brian and
that's Kevin. Good to meet you!" Nick said making introductions.

"Same here!" I decided not to mention anything about meeting them before in
New York, especially since it had to do with me being with N Sync, wasn't
too sure about the two group's history with each other but I didn't wanna
pour salt on any old wounds.

We made more small talk with each other and just as the lights flashed,
letting us know that the show was about to start, we got relaxed in out
seats and focused on the stage.

	I was excited, even though I wasn't up for anything, this was my
first awards show. I was even more excited to be presenting an award that
might be going to the guys. The time came for me to go backstage to get
ready to present. I was presenting with some chick from a WB show whose
name I can't remember, I think she was from Dawson's Creek or
something. Anyways, I was excited being up there, and almost messed up in
reading my lines, but didn't. As they went to the clips of the artists,
they brought out five awards. It was then that I knew they won. I tried to
hold my excitement in until I read the name, and surprisingly, it worked!

"And the winner is . . ." I said ripping open the envelope, "N
SYNC!!!!!!!!!!!!"

As the crowed started to cheer, the guys got up and came on stage. I ran up
to them and gave them all hugs and shared in their joy. After their
acceptance speech (which I was mentioned in), we went back stage and again,
I gave them all hugs and congratulated them.

"So, has any of them tried something on you?" Lance asked.

"No. We haven't really talked much since the start of the show. They're
pretty cool though, from what I've noticed."

"That's cause..." Justin began.

"Never mind that." JC interrupted, "We gotta get back to our seats."

That left some tension on the subject of the Backstreet Boys. After
returning to our separate seats, I got looks from each of the Boys when
going back to sit down. I noticed Brian whisper something to Kevin and then
saw him get a sudden look of knowledge. I figured that it was then that
they remembered me from New York. Oh well, nobody mentioned anything, so I
just went on my way with watching the show. When they guys came on and did
"Sailing" and started to fly out over the crowd, the Boys each got a look
of shock and anger on their faces. I didn't say anything to them, I just
paid attention to my friends doing their thing up on stage.

	After the show, I said goodbye to the Boys and met up with the
guys. I introduced Stephanie to them and she was happy to meet them. I
tried to convince her to come to the after party with us, but she didn't
want to go. She said that she was gonna go back to her hotel and go to
sleep. She had a flight early the next morning. I told her that if I didn't
get to say goodbye to her, that I'd call her when I got back to New
York. After saying goodbye, the guys and I went to one of many after
parties that were going on. The subject of the Boys didn't come up once
cause none of us wanted to talk about them.  We had a good time and stayed
out till like 4AM. We went back to our separate hotels, cause I had to
pack. Lance insisted on going back with me, but I made him go back with the
guys.

 	The meeting for the concert at Jay's graduation went well. I didn't
go see Jay when I was in NY cause I didn't want him asking any questions. I
informed the guys about the progress on the concert and we're all looking
forward to it. Melissa finished school and is already on her way back to
NY. Jay still has no idea. He's excited about graduation, and he wants to
take Justin to the prom, but he's settling on some chick who he's been
friends with for awhile. He said that he got me a birthday present, and
that he'd give it to me next time he saw me. I told him that I wasn't sure
if I would be able to make it to his graduation, but I'd try my hardest. He
in turn said that I'd better be there or he'd kick my ass and keep my
present. I saw my mom and dad, but only for a little while cause I had to
get going. The funniest thing was that when I called Jay, I was on my way
to the airport from my parent's house.

 	Atlanta went well and here we are, back on the road. The guys just
finished shooting some thing for MTV, called "All Access" where they go
behind the scenes of the show. That meant, that Lance and I couldn't be
together, but that didn't matter cause I had a couple of interviews from
some teenie magazine while they were shooting. This leg of the tour is
different. I've been upgraded from an opening act, to co-headliner. We
added some stuff that would involve me in their set, including a Jackson's
number, sort of similar to the Jackson 5 number they did in the 60's skit,
except without the hippy- gear. In it, we do a medley of two songs, "Can
you feel it" and "Dancing Machine". That number is really fun, I love
"Dancing machine" cause it's one of my all time favorite Jackson's songs,
and also cause I love doin the robot. We also added "Come and get my love",
the song that I sang with them that's on my album. That's the most fun
cause I get to sing with my friends and do some kick ass dance moves.

 	I talked to Ricky online the other night. He's getting his life in
order, finally! He broke up with his girlfriend and is now single. He moved
to the city and got a studio apartment not too far from mine
. . . Jay's. He got a better job and is now head of security for a law
firm. He's getting paid more money and has better benefits. That all being
how he was able to get a studio apartment in the city. My parents were
telling me something about that, but didn't get full into detail. They're
really proud of him, as am I! I was looking forward to seeing him when I
was in NY, but he had to take care of some things and he couldn't make it
to dinner.

	Justin can't take holding back the secret from Jay. It's hilarious
to see him on the phone with him, cause when Jay starts talkin about prom
and wanting to go with Justin, Justin gets this really sad look on his
face, a puppy-dog look sort of. I've had to stop him from saying anything a
few times, so have the other guys. It's even funnier when that happens,
cause when he gets off the phone, he starts bitchin about it all. We just
laugh at him and piss him off more.

	I've been spending most of my nights on my tour bus. We had to cut
down my dancers from 10, to 6. There was just not enough room on the bus,
and tour for them all.  The dance roster was now like this:

Kim, 19

Julie, 20

Lauren, 22

Mike, 22

Dave, 19

Tommy, 21

It was for the best that we cut down the roster, cause there were some
attitude problems with the others that didn't make the cut. The girl group
that Kim was in had broken up and they were fighting. One of the male
dancers, whose name I won't say, was badmouthing me saying that I spent
more time with Lance and the guys than with them.  Now, at first I wouldn't
have kicked him off, cause he was right to a certain extent, but he was
also harassing Kim and wasn't getting along with any of the others. I was
really sad to let go of the other guy, cause he was really cool and was a
kick ass dancer. I told him that once I got on my own tour, that I'd try
and get him back, and he said that if I could, cool, but if I couldn't, not
to worry about it, just as long as I kept in touch.

	My back up singers are all still here, and all of us (dancers
included) are becoming more of a family. I'm lucky, they don't mind when I
spend time with Lance, as long as I don't neglect them, and Lance doesn't
mind when I spend time with them, as long as I don't neglect him. The guys
don't care cause they see me everyday and I make it a point to spend some
time with each of them here and there.

	Here it is, one more week until Jay's graduation. He still doesn't
know! Damn I'm good! We've been working really hard on the tour, it's not
as easy as it looks, but it's still cool. The plan for next week is that
after the students get their diploma, the principal's going to introduce me
and I'm going to make a speech. After that, I'm going to be doing a song
with the chorus, they picked "The perfect fan" by BSB, I like the song, but
the guys weren't too thrilled. I still haven't found out what the beef
between them is, I've been meaning to, but haven't had the chance. After I
sing that song with them, I'm gonna do some more songs of mine. The guys
are gonna come out during one of my songs as supposed back up singers, then
reveal themselves. It's gonna be cool!


 	This was it.  It was finally here; the day Jay had worked for, for
so long, graduation day.  But where were the people that he cared most
about, us?

"Where are they? Why hasn't he at least called?" Jay wondered aloud.

"You know Rob would be here if he could," Linda, his mom told him from the
front passenger seat.

"What?" Jay asked, brought back to the present.

"Rob would be here if he could Jay." Linda repeated. "His parents said he
and the others had a concert yesterday, but he'd try to get here if he
could."

"Actually I meant Justin," Jay thought to himself then said, "Yeah, I know
they're busy, but I figured he'd at least call."

"Maybe he can't get to a phone . . . " Linda suggested.

"He has a cell mom," Jay said, rolling his eyes, "Guess that wasn't fair,
at least she's trying to cheer me up," he thought.

They finally reached the auditorium where the graduation was going to be
held this year.  At first Jay had thought that it was strange that they had
moved it from the usual venue.  Venue . . . there it was again, our
influence coming out, it wasn't "the place" anymore, now it was "the
venue."  He had hoped, though, that the change of location and the later
time would give me time to get there.  Jay knew that the others would
probably not be able to get away, but I had promised to be there, and I was
not one to break a promise.

"You got everything?" Linda asked as he left the car to join the rest of
his classmates.

"Yeah, I guess I'll see y'all later!" Jay said as he turned and ran to join
a group of his friends.

The school staff had the students all lined up as they waited impatiently
for the ceremony to begin.  "Pomp and Circumstance" finally started to play
and they began to file into the auditorium in columns of two.  As Jay
entered, he scanned the audience for any sign of his friends and family.
He finally found them near the center of the right- hand section of seats.
His parents and sister Lisa were there of course and he spotted my parents,
Ricky, and Melissa, but still no sign of me.

"Oh, well," he thought, "I guess I knew it was too much to hope for. At
least the plan's still on for Melissa and me to join them on the road next
week . . . I hope anyway."

"Hey Jay! Pick up the pace man. You're throwin' off the line!" Angela said
from behind him.

Jay snapped himself out of his thoughts and went to sit down with the rest
of the graduates. As he started to sit down, he noticed the other group of
people wearing robes in the front of the auditorium.

"That looks like the chorus," he thought to himself, "I wonder why they're
here, they didn't mention anything about it at practice last week."

The ceremonies may have been unusually short since the planned speaker was
forced to cancel his appearance, but they were still as boring as ever. Jay
had wondered why they hadn't scheduled someone else to speak, but was glad
in the end for the short ceremony. The only real highlight was when they
finally got their diplomas. Jay couldn't help but laugh as Lisa, Melissa
and Ricky, loudly cheered as he got his diploma. He had still kept looking
into the audience, straining to see if I had been able to get there. He
again found his parents and mine, but still no sign of me. When the
diplomas were all given out, their tassels were flipped and they were
officially graduated and everything, the principal once again stepped up to
the podium; everyone figured that it was to dismiss them all, but instead
he had a surprise for them.

"Graduates . . . parents . . . fellow alumni, and guests," the principal
began, "as you're all aware our original speaker, Colonel David Cruz, was
suddenly called to duty overseas and unfortunately could not be with us
tonight. He sends his profound regrets and wishes the class of 1999 the
best of luck. We were extremely fortunate, however, to manage to get
another of our alumni to fill in for him."

"Aw fuck!" Jay thought to himself, "I just want to get home and see if Rob
or Justin called. I know they're busy, but Rob promised he was going to
come and I know that he would have at least called if he wasn't gonna make
it, Justin too!"

"This young man is one of our more recent graduates who has moved on to an
already growing popularity in the recording industry," the principal said.

"Huh?" Jay said more to himself than anyone.

"Oh my god!" Angela said, "Is it Rob?" she asked Jay with excitement.

Jay could only manage a shrug and say,

"I dunno."

"May I present Mr. Roberto Rodriguez!"

"Oh, shit! That little prick!" Jay said as he laughed.

He turned to look at his mom and found my parents grinning from ear to ear
and Melissa and Ricky about to die laughing.


TBC . . .

Ok, ok, ok . . . DON'T HURT ME! I know a lot of you HATE the cliff hangers,
but come on, would your imagination be as active if I didn't put them in?
I'll try and have the next part out soon, maybe next weekend (if I get a
lot of email <HINT> <HINT>). So until then, BYE!!!