Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1999 04:33:34 EST
From: Brwydevil@aol.com
Subject: Boys Bands: Running Thoughts 10

        Hello and welcome to the tenth segment of my little story. A lot has
been building up in the past few chapters... and this one will be building on
them more! :) It would be nice to conclude the tension and the confusion with
one long chapter, but that's never the way that life goes. So, you will have
to develop with me. I hope that is acceptable! I wish to thank all of you who
read this and get something from it. Why else do we write if not to help
ourselves and others? The storyline mentioned is completely fictional and I
do not mean to insinuate anything about the celebrities involved. If they
ever get a copy of this, I am currently single and I like long walks late at
night. :) E-mail me with anything at BrwyDevil@aol.com. Kevin.


                     Running Thoughts Part Ten: "Almost Paradise"

    Lance and Kevin opened up the pizza box and watched the steam waft off
into the air. They were both very hungry and it had taken a long time for the
delivery boy to find the back entrance to Madison Square Garden.
    "I knew we should have just gone out for chinese food..." Lance commented
as he grabbed a paper plate and pulled a slice of pizza from the cardboard
box.
    "This is much better." Kevin ate a piece of pepperoni, "Besides, everyone
else is getting chinese food. It's much better to be different."
    They fell silent as they devoured the food in front of them. No one else
had come back inside yet. A bodyguard had been assigned to each group that
went out to eat. Kevin and Lance decided it would be best to stick around and
order in. They were getting along quite well- even though Kevin didn't think
he was going to enjoy this joint concert at all.
    "What would you like to drink, man?" Lance asked as he stood up.
    "That depends on which songs we're doing after lunch... I don't want to
kill my voice with anything carbonated." Kevin put his plate down and lifted
up a napkin. "I love Dr.Pepper but I think I am going to have to go with
water..."
    "Good choice." Lance walked over to a small refrigerator that was well
stocked in the dressing room. He lifted out a bottle of water and a bottle of
Sprite. He looked down at his soda and smiled. "I am in the mood for one of
these... so I just hope I don't belch in the middle of any of my numbers."
    "It's a gamble!" Kevin laughed, taking his water from Lance with a nod.
"I have a question for you..." he said after a few more bites. "Why is it
that we decided to stay here while the rest of the guys split up and left?"
    "What do you mean?"
    "I mean that we barely know each other and we're here together. Isn't
that a little odd?" Kevin took a sip of his water and put the cap back on.
    "Not really. We worked well together on the stage today. We can get to
know each other, can't we?"
    "Sure. Sure we can. But what's the point? After this weekend, we may
never see each other again."
    Lance sat back down and picked up his food. He thought for a moment and
shook his head. "Just because you meet someone once, doesn't mean you
shouldn't take advantage of learning about them. I am a friendly guy... maybe
I just like talking to new people."
    "Makes sense to me, I guess."
    "Besides, who's to say we'll never meet up again?" Lance sighed.
     Kevin tore apart a piece of his crust and ate it. He thought about what
Lance had just said. It was true that this was just a coincidental
happenstance. There was no reason to ever work with N'Sync. It was a one in a
million mistake made by the scheduling teams. After the concert, they could
never be together until some awards show where they would be seated far apart
from each other.
    Kevin started thinking about Nick and Justin. They were obviously
flirting with each other. During one of the numbers, they had chosen each
other as dance partners and pretty much forgot that anyone else was around
them. It was great to see both of them together. Even if it was a very
bizarre relationship they were starting. Kevin was a little jealous of their
luck. He didn't know if Justin was gay or not, but he did see all of the
signs to indicate it.
       ~What's going to happen when we have to separate those two?~ Kevin
thought to himself. He put down his water and stared out into space. ~What's
going to happen after tonight?~


==============================================================================
=================

       Chris put down his newspaper and moved his seat back as the old
waitress placed a plate down in front of him. He nodded to her and looked to
his food. He was not normally a fan of salad but he had decided to try some
today. He took a sip of coffee (which he recognized was not the best beverage
to go with a salad) and lifted the fork up from the table.
     "Eating alone?" Joey asked as he walked over to the table.
     "Hey, how did you find me?"
     "I was just passing by and I saw you at this table." Joey motioned at a
very large window behind Chris' seat. He pulled a chair over and sat down
across from his friend. "Salad?" he asked.
     "Yeah. I don't know why I ordered it. Have you eaten yet?" he asked as
he ate a forkful of lettuce.
     "I tried a hot dog from one of those vendors."
     "New York has a lot of those... how was it?" Chris asked.
     "Edible, I think. But I am not sure..." Joey smiled and put his elbows
up on the table. He looked very tired. "I don't think it was very filling."
     "Well, get something before we have to go back in. I don't want you
feinting from malnutrition..." Chris took another sip of his luke warm coffee
and grimaced. Joey signaled the waitress and leaned back in his chair. The
older lady teetered over to their table and smiled.
     "Can I get a bacon cheeseburger platter, please." he titled his head
slightly. She chomped down on her chewing gum and acknowledged his order
happily. When she was back in the kitchen, Joey scratched under his nose and
focused back on Chris. "So, how do you think this concert is going to go?"
    "That seems to be the big question... I really can't answer it. We're all
talented guys. We can either work well together or fail miserably. After
tonight, we'll see the results."
    "How about you, though? Are you ready to do this?"
    "I am confident. We haven't screwed up yet!" Chris ate some more lettuce.
    "I am just a little lost, I guess." Joey stretched his arms out behind
his head. "I know we are doing all of the same old stuff... but I don't feel
the same. I just have a feeling that something is going to go wrong."
    "Maybe you are just nervous about that letter from our stalker."
    "We've gotten those before. I am not too surprised that she is back- if
it is a she. I just think that working with those BackStreet Boys might not
go as smoothly as we are planning."
    "Well as usual, I am the optimist of the group." Chris sat back in the
chair. "I do not think you need to concern yourself with all of this stress
until we know for a fact that we're in trouble."
    "And when will we know that?"
    "As soon as the audience sees all ten of us on stage together."
    They both smiled. It was really just going to be another night. After
all, as soon as the concert was over, their stresses could dissolve. Did it
matter what the press had to say or whether or not columnists decided to
focus on it as a media event? Of course not. This was going to generate
excitement and experience. That was all that they needed. A change of pace. A
flourish of creativity. The aftermath wasn't on their mind. Yet.
    The food finally arrived and the meal proceeded in silence. Joey had
always been a strict follower of his mothers rules. "Never talk with your
mouth full." And since he was so hungry, his mouth was always full. Chris
continued looking down at the newspaper and finishing the ice cold coffee in
front of him. When the plates were wiped clean, they both leaned back in
their seats and smiled.
   "That's the kind of meal I always need." Joey said.
   "Too much beef will kill you. How many bacon cheeseburgers can you eat in
a week?" Chris clucked and scratched his chin.
   "Well, let's see... 7 days in a week... 21 meals all together... I guess
that's how many!"
   The little waitress made her way over and grinned down at them. She took
the pencil from behind her ear and tallied up their bill. She winked to Chris
and slid it across to him. "Thanks sweetheart." she chomped her gum.
   Chris opened the leather billfold and lifted the check out. A slip of
paper fell from behind the little booklet onto the table. Joey reached across
and lifted it up. He unfolded the worn piece of looseleaf to see darkened
letters in black magic marker.
    "You know I will be there." It said.

==============================================================================
==============

      It was a very quaint little chinese restaurant. The tablecloths were
bright red and silver candelabras lined the dark brown walls. Most of the
customers were well-dressed and very prestigious. The door opened and Nick
and Justin stepped in. They were in their best jeans and casual clothes as
the maitre'd approached them. Every head in the restaurant was turned.
    "Can I help you?" the manager asked. Many of the faces were very shocked
to see poorly dressed teenagers trying to get a table in a posh upscale place
such as this. Little did they know whom they were dealing with.
    "A table for two, please." Nick said in a very serious tone.
    "There is a dress code here." the little man snorted and put his hands
behind his back.
    "That's good to hear. But we're in a rush... I promise we won't bother
anyone with our lack of neckties." Nick responded softly. He wasn't
interested in causing a scene. He was just hungry and this seemed like a good
place to eat.
    "No, no sir. A tie isn't necessary. Perhaps a sports coat or suit
jacket." the maitre'd grinned halfheartedly.
    "Well, as you can see, we are not attired with that... so do you have a
menu we can look at? Maybe we'll just order it to go." Justin asked.
    "This is not a take-out establishment,son." There was great disdain in
his voice when he said that. "You can go down the block to some little place
if that's what you're looking for."
    "You don't want our business?" Nick raised his eyebrow.
    "We don't want to take away from anyone else's dining experience. I am
afraid you are disrupting our patrons and I must ask you to leave."
    There was a little bit of rustling amongst the people but that didn't
stop Nick. He had once worked as a busboy in a restaurant back at home in
Jamestown, NY and he knew what it was like to be looked down upon. Now he
felt it might be the right moment to lash out against the snobbish
upper-class. Not physically... but where it really hurt. In the wallet.
    "I suppose you're right." he raised his voice and grinned to Justin who
looked very surprised and uncomfortable. "I guess we don't deserve to sit in
here. I guess we ought to go find a little hole in the wall and scrounge
around for food." he started towards the exit. He heard a few laughs behind
him and he smiled slyly to himself. "And its a good thing I'm not famous, or
something... Or I'd spread the word to every fan of mine that this restaurant
should be boycotted." He spun back around and winked at Justin who was biting
his lower lip. "Oh wait... do I have that power anyway?" Nick looked down at
one of the menus by the front door. Ming Chou's Garden it said. "We'll just
have to wait and see. Enjoy your meal everyone." And they were outside in a
flash.

      "Where the hell do you get the balls to do that?" Justin giggled so
hard he nearly toppled over as they walked quickly down the avenue.
    "It's not balls, really. They were treating us like shit, so I stood up
for us."
    "That was the funniest thing ever."
    "Well, you haven't seen me naked yet." Nick chuckled. There was a slight
pause and they realized they weren't walking anymore. It had obviously been a
joke but it went a lot deeper than that. Justin grinned and looked back into
the amazing blue eyes that he could never get enough of.
    "Why would you be funny if you were naked?"
    "I was kidding. I didn't mean you would ever actually see me naked." Nick
was growing quite red and he looked away quickly. Justin darted his neck in
the direction of Nick's eyes and locked the gaze once more.
    "And why not?" Justin smiled. "I did tell you that my ex wasn't a woman.
Aren't you going to ask me anything about that? Or should I just shut up
right now?"
    "No. I know you don't like talking about your ex... your ex-boyfriend..."
he said slowly. "Is that right?"
    Justin made sure that the street was relatively deserted and he nodded.
"Yeah- that's the best way to put it."
     Nick felt his stomach tighten up. He refused to accept that he was
falling in love like this. Could it finally be happening for him? He felt a
sudden vibration in his pelvis and he shuddered. He didn't know that could
happen! Oh wait. It was only his beeper. He had set the timer and it was
going off. "We have 15 minutes to eat, Justin."
    They never broke eye contact. They never seemed to move on from here in
the conversation. They both wanted to- but they didn't know how. It wasn't
easy knowing how to say the right words. How to incorporate what they were
feeling. Justin slowly moved his hand over to where Nick's hand was and
grazed the back of it with his fingertips.
    "Let's go find a little pizza place." he said. "I know you like pizza
better than chinese food anyway."
    "How did you know that?" Nick started walking again and Justin quickly
caught up.
    "I have my ways."

==============================================================================
==============

      Screaming fans echoed across the Garden. The concert had finally
arrived. The unsuspecting fans weilded homemade oaktag signs praising N'Sync
and waved t-shirts and pictures of the group in their hands. They were
unaware that after the first number was completed, the BackStreet Boys were
going to make an appearance. Hopefully, they would enjoy that.
   Backstage, Justin looked in the lengthy mirror and fixed the hem of his
leather pants. He pulled them down over his shiny black shoes and smoothes
out the creases in his white shirt. So far, he was ready to go out there.
Everyone was a little nervous. There was a lot of variables involved. Joey
fixed his hair and leaned against the stage door. They were running behind
schedule as usual, but the concert would be starting at any moment.
   "You okay?" Lance asked Justin. He was wearing a dark red tank top and
loose-fitting black pants. He was already sweating.
   "Sure. I'm ready to be swooned over." Justin smiled. Everyone overheard
him and laughed either with him or at him, depending on their mood.
    There was now an explosion of applause and yelling as the announcer came
over the speakers and began to give instructions regarding emergency
procedures and what not. There was a slight lull and all of the members of
N'Sync lined up together and prepared to go out onto the stage. They grinned
at one another and nodded their luck around. The announcer screamed out their
names and introduced them to the stage.
    Chris pushed on the door and came running out, followed by the rest of
the group. The decibal level of the screaming reached a new height as they
were finally seen on the stage. The musicians waited a moment for the crowd
to settle down, but the crowd never did. It got louder.
   "Hello New York!" JC yelled into his microphone. The teenaged fans
screamed their replies and greetings back in one gigantic unison of sound.
The music picked up and their newest song slowly began to play. This silenced
much of the crowd since they had been anticipating this.
   It was a slow melody that wafted through the air and then a steady beat
was picked up by the drummer. Justin stepped forward and sang out to the
crowd:

  I said I'd do what I could do
  I said it all but all to who?
  The truth of this is never seen
   Not by those who count, I mean
   And what else can they want of me?
   I've done the deeds. I'm still not free.

    His melismatic tones caused sensational screams from the audience. The
speakers blasted all across the Garden as the five part harmony picked up and
the other four boys stopped doing their slow dance and sang:

   What now?  After all I have done
   What more? Nothing left but to run
   In this
   I've had the most I can take
   In time
   The remorse has to break...
    Why did this happen? How could we let it?
    There's nothing more
    But to go
    I must go

    Their voices carried into the dressing room where the BackStreet Boys
were intently listening on. Nick was standing right next to the door and
listening for Justin's voice. He smiled whenever he heard it. Another solo
began and Nick was pretty sure it was mot Justin this time.

    I said I'd do what I could do
    That limits passed and through
    You can't deny what's true
    Not now
    We have shared so much
    Not here
    At this point when we can touch
    Its hard to say farewell
    Its easy to hold on
    Its better not to move
    Its best to right the wrong

    The audience waited as each voice slowly filled itself in and the five
boys were crooning away together. The tempo remained steady and Justin walked
across the front of the stage and reached out to the adoring fans in the
first few rows. They nearly passed out as the song came to a sweet finish.

    And so
    The end is bittersweet
    We know
    We'll never be complete
    I said that when we begun-
    but what I could do....
    all I could do...
    was done.

    At the final chord, the screaming commensed and the 5 guys took their
bow. They were quite pleased that the song was a success. But knowing how
faithful their fans were, they would probably get an extreme ovation if they
sang TV commercials at each concert. Lance stepped forward and brought the
microphone up to his lips. He waited for the people to calm down a little bit.
     "Hey everyone! I'm happy we could be here with you all tonight! And
because we love each other so much... We got you a surprise." He explained.
There was another explosion of applause. Lance laughed and looked to his
friends behind him who were starting to look a little nervous- but it was
very subdued for the sake of the audience. "We have some friends backstage
that would like to join us up here for our concert."
    "That's right." Justin stepped up. "And we just wanted to make sure it
was all right with you first."
   The audience clapped louder and screamed longer. It was a shock that these
music groups weren't deaf after doing a show. Chris moved forward and was
about to speak when he stopped himself and looked to Lance for help. (He was
still unable to get out all the things he wanted to say... hopefully, that
would change with time.)
   "So, guys and gals... I want all of you to put your hands together for
some great friends of ours." Lance gestured for the stage door and paused for
intensity. "The BackStreet Boys!" He called out. The audience was so
surprised they didn't know how to react until they saw the other five boys
run onto the stage. It was nearly a chorus of "Oh My God!"
   No one was disappointed to see them with N'Sync. It was like two concerts
for the price of one. The screaming was earth-shattering. Well, almost.
Teenagers are never known for being refined. The BSB addressed the audience
with wide smiles on their faces.
   "We didn't know how you were going to react to this, to be honest!" Kevin
said to the crowd. "I hope it's all right if we do some songs for you
tonight."
    The masses were quite pleased. Together, the group of ten did "As Long As
You Love Me" and "Tearin' Up My Heart". There were then several numbers that
each group did by themselves and then a few pairings here and there. Justin
and Nick performed a great ballad that they had prepared at the spur of the
moment over the telephone the night before. Everyone was quite ecstatic.
    Time never seemed to slow down, even with the mellow songs. Before they
knew it, the concert was coming to a close. Their finale consisted of a
reprise of N'Syncs new number and "Larger Than Life". The audience never
ceased the clapping. When they finally made it off the stage, everyone
congratulated each other and breathed a sigh of relief. Jack was there to pat
them on the back when they entered the dressing room.
    "Now that didn't hurt, did it?" he grinned and clapped slowly for them.
    "Thanks for everything, Jack." Nick said. Everyone agreed and mentioned a
few words of thanks. They each found a chair or a corner and sat down. It was
very tiring but very rewarding.
    They were silent for quite some time. They had to wait for the audience
to clear out anyway. The limos were trapped behind mobs of people. The
preparation had been well worth it. Their expressions were positively
glowing. But there was something else in the air. Something less satisfying.
Since it was over, they had little reason to see each other anymore. They had
little reason to get involved in any more projects together. That thought
slowly sunk in. Justin looked up and found that Nick was already staring out
him with worry deep in his blue eyes.

==============================================================================
===============

   All right, so they did their concert. How is this going to affect their
lives or their fans? Is it important? I dunno. I'm just the writer. :)
Anyway... I just want to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of those who
celebrated. I had an awful experience of losing a beloved pet on Thursday
morning and it is something I will be incorporating into one of my next
segments. I thought I would prepare you! The "new N'Sync song" in this
chapter is actually one written by myself. Email me with comments or
criticisms or condolences or cliffnotes at BrwyDevil@aol.com. Kevin.