Come on baby will you pose for my camera?
Lookin' like a model, lookin' like a superstar
I so don’t wanna get up, Katelynn thought when she heard the alarm clock getting off. She didn’t sleep well last night. It wasn’t really unusual because of her nightmares but this night she didn’t dream of her mom. This night she dreamt of Nick, about what he had said, it just wouldn’t leave her mind. She hated the fact that he seemed to have some kind of control over her and meeting him backstage today would hardly help. She groaned. Just thinking about it made her sick. It can’t get any worse, can it?
Kate crawled out of her bed, shivering when she felt the cold hitting her. Stupid AC. She didn’t want anything else but a big, hot cup of coffee. She wouldn’t be able to make it trough the day without it.
“Good Morning”, Karyn grinned at her when she spotted her sister coming out of the bedroom. “Morning”, Kate mumbled back.
“Can you believe we are going backstage today? Oh my God, it’s like a dream come true. I can’t wait to go the venue. Can we go early? Pleeeeeaaase???”
Katelynn already felt her headache arriving. A dream come true? More like hell freezing over. “Sure.”
And here they were again - Standing in between hundreds of singing and screaming teenage girls. It was just a little after 2pm. The concert wouldn’t start before 8pm and yet these girls got their hopes up to catch just a small glimpse of ‘their’ boys before they took the stage.
Katelynn thought it was a little sad. Didn’t they have anything better to do then stand in front of a venue? She often wondered how someone could ‘fall’ for someone they didn’t even know. They left their hearts and money behind. And for what? Maybe it was to catch a smile, a wave, maybe even a hug. But was it worth all that? She had no clue and probably would never find out.
Karyn was talking a mile per minute, feeling good in her spot. Kate on the other hand felt out of place. She didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to be one of those girls. But no one would know that she wasn’t here on her own free will. How could they? There were girls her age or even older standing just next to her. She wondered when they would stop dreaming their impossible dream. None of them would ever get to them, really get to them. Maybe a chat or a photo here and there. But they would never get to know the real Boys behind their act. Kate was sure they loved their fans. But did they really touch their hearts and souls? Maybe some of them but she bet they could care less about the crazy fans. The fans who followed them around, sitting in the hotel lobby 24/7, wanting nothing else then to get in there pants. She shook her head. She couldn’t wait for the tour to be over. She wanted to go back to her normal life, real life. Because here in this very spot life felt surreal.
Lost in her thoughts time went by and it was going on 4pm. Time for their second sound check. Kate hoped it would go better then the last time. She would try to behave for the sake of Karyn. She didn’t need a mad sister and she didn’t want one either.
They got their wristbands from the same guy who threw them out the other day. He smiled at Karyn but gave Kate the evil eye. “I’ll be watching you today and you better don’t pull any shit”, he whispered in her ear. She had to bite her tongue to not throw something in his face. So instead she rolled her eyes, walking past him into the arena.
Just like the last time her sister was gone in a second, running to the stage. Katelynn decided to stay in the far end again. She didn’t want any attention drawn to her, and she sure as hell didn’t want to be in the middle of all these fans, pushing to get a little closer to there idols. So instead she went to some far back seats and sat down.
The guys were already on stage warming up. Nick spotted Karyn right away. He was happy that Kate allowed her to come again but was curious if she came as well. He looked up to search for her. It took him awhile to spot her in the far end but as he did he started to smile. An honest smile.
Kate saw it, too. It wasn’t a smirk like the last time. It came from the heart. And somehow it touched her and she couldn’t help but smile back a little. She tried to hide it by looking away but Nick saw it. Maybe we can become friends after all, he thought. He really wanted to make it up to her and today he would try anything to make her see it, too.
She felt someone sitting down next to her. She looked to her left just to see Marcus looking at her, smirking. She sighed and looked to the stage again. I guess he meant it when he said he would be watching me. She was a little pissed but didn’t say anything. Nick didn’t look very happy at the sight either, mouthing the words “I’m sorry” to her. At least she now knew that they cared for their fans. They wouldn’t take any risk letting someone in who might act disrespectful to them or themselves. It made her feel slightly better about Mr. Big next to her.
The boys sang their usual sound check songs and answered as many fan questions as possible before they went backstage. It only took a few minutes for the crowed to clear out leaving only Karyn and Katelynn behind.
“I would like to ask you to put these on”, Marcus handed them two backstage passes, “and then follow me please.”
“Here goes nothing”, whispered Kate. Karyn on the other hand appeared to be jumping out of her skin. She was excited, a permanent smile on her face. She was holding her camera tight, already snapping away. By the time they were back in the hotel she would probably have hundreds of pictures.
“Kevin, please be nice to them when they get here”, Nick pleaded with his older friend.
“Why Nick? Do you want me to be as nice to them as the older one was to us? You got to be kidding me. You can not be serious. Why are they here anyway?” Kevin hissed.
“You know, no one has a problem with them but you. They are here because I want them to be. If you don’t do it for me – do it for Karyn. She is the little one. Just a fan who has no clue about your god damn issues. Treat her like you would treat our other fans. You don’t like Kate? Fine. Then don’t. But fact is that I do. Deal with it or leave it because if you don’t I swear I will make this tour living hell for you.”
“Nick, don’t you think you are a little hard on Kevin? I mean he does have a point…,” Brian tried to calm his friend down.
“No Brian. He doesn’t. You know nothing. None of you. I was acting like an ass to her and I got what I deserved for it. What she did had nothing to do with anyone of you. It’s between her and me and I want you to leave it that way. Please…,” Nick nearly begged.
Kevin could only shake his head. “Fine. Whatever. Do what you want but don’t come running back to me when it doesn’t work out like you want it to.”
“I won’t,” Nick sighed. He really had enough of Kevin. I’m 25 years old dammit, not 5. Why can’t he let me make my own decisions? I will have to face the consequences not him. Argh.
Everyone got quite again when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Nick said, looking up.
“Okay here we are. What you see in this room stays in this room. Get it?” Marcus asked.
He really tries to scare us, Katelynn thought. Karyn could only stutter a “yes”. Kate rolled her eyes but shook her head yes, too. We might as well get done with it. I just hope Kar doesn’t faint or something, she laughed to herself, earning evil eyes from Mr. Big again.
“Okay, then go ahead and knock. Always remember that these five guys are human beings like every one of us is. So please don’t freak out.”
But Karyn didn’t hear that part anymore. She was already busy knocking on the door. She heard a quite ‘Come in’ before she opened the door.
It was her dream come true. AJ, Brian, Howie, Kevin and Nick. They were standing right in front of her. She let out a squeal making them smile.
Katelynn was the first to speak, sensing her sister was still too star struck to say anything. “Hey, my name is Katelynn and the speechless girl next to me is Karyn. Thanks for inviting us. It’s nice to meet you all,” she said putting on a smile, shaking their hands. Everyone of them greeted her with a warm smile, everyone but the tall black haired man. What’s his problem, she wondered. She shrugged it of stepping back again giving Karyn the time of her life. She took her time making her way over to Brian but before he knew it she was hugging him. Kate was a little embarrassed but Nick smiled at her shrugging his shoulders. Seems like they are used to it.
Karyn moved on until there was no one else to hug. She smiled a big smile asking them all kinds of questions. But they took their time answering her very patiently. Kate was amazed by seeing it unfold in front of her eyes and was glad to see her sister so happy. When someone deserved it, it was her. She went through so much. These guys were able to make her eyes sparkle again, it meant so much to her. Right at this moment Katelynn could do nothing more then to love these guys for having such an effect on her sister. Even Nick.
“Can I take a picture with you?” she heard Karyn ask them shyly, pulling her out of her thoughts again. I knew this would be coming, why am I even surprised?
“Sure,” AJ said smiling at her.
The camera was pushed into her hands, hopeful eyes asking her to take a few pictures. She could have at least said please. She shrugged it off, getting ready to make this moment unforgettable.
The boys lined up ushering Karyn in the middle. All six of them had bright smiles on their lips, ready for Kate to shoot the picture.
It didn’t take long for it to turn into a full photo session with the guys goofing off.
At the end they had individual pictures been taken. Each guy with Karyn and all of them with her. Some with silly faces and some with serious. Kate only shook her head knowing these pictures would be plastered all over her room the next month.
“Hey, why aren’t you in any picture?” Brian wondered.
Katelynn looked surprised.Her? Why should she be in one of these pictures? It’s not like this is my dream.
“Yeah, why aren’t you?” Nick laughed snatching the camera away from her, snapping a picture, blinding her with the flashlight.
He gave the camera to Karyn who was glad to get a break. She watched Nick pulling Kate in the middle of them all. She didn’t really feel happy about her spot and she could see it. But looking at her with puppy dog eyes seemed to help. She saw her rolling her eyes before she put on a smile. She knew it was a fake one but it was better than nothing.
Katelynn felt uncomfortable standing between Nick and Kevin. She sensed that Kevin couldn’t stand her, being careful to not even touch her. She looked at him with narrowed eyes before she heard someone whisper in her ear, “Don’t worry about him, he tends to be an ass once in a while.” Feeling Nicks breathe in her neck made her blush a crimson red. Suddenly she didn’t feel that strong at all anymore, but weak in the knees. She had to get away from him.
“Thank you so much for taking the time to meet us but I think it’s time for us to let you guys go. Relaxing a little more before going on stage tonight,” she said moving next to Karyn again. Karyn looked sad but nodded her head when she saw how uneasy Kate felt.
“Yes, thank you so much,” she said hugging them all again. “I had a great time and can’t wait to see you on stage later,” she smiled.
Kate wanted to thank them by shaking there hands again but Nick had other plans. He pulled her towards him, hugging her lightly. She felt him slipping her something in the hand before letting her go again. He smiled at her before sitting back on the couch again.
Kate said her goodbyes to the other four before taking Karyn’s hand pulling her out of the room.
“Oh my God Kate!!! Can you believe that just happened?” her sister started squealing again. She was way to hyper and Katelynn dreaded to spent the whole night with her acting this way. But she was curious about something else. She held the piece of paper tight in her hand, wanting to know what it said.
“Hey, let’s use the bathroom, okay? I feel like I am going to burst!” she tried to laugh it off.
Finally finding one she walked into a stall, locking the door and sitting down. She took her time unfolding the note actually scared about what she may find. Isn’t he done playing games by now?
Finally she was able to read what he wrote:
Meet you on top of the roof again after the concert?
She wasn’t sure what to think, wasn’t sure what to do. She folded the note again, putting it in her pocket.
I guess we have to wait and see. And with that she met her sister again, getting ready for another concert.
Lyrics by Justin Timberlake – “Pose”
