Chapter 6 Rain and A Few Thunder-Boomers

***Nick’s Point Of View***

                The last fan we greeted was giving off this strange vibe. She didn’t look like any of the “usual” fans that came to meet and greets. (“Usual” being defined as wearing a BSB shirt from a previous tour, or one bought newly from the merchandise stand, or a shirt that they decorated themselves.) This girl was wearing an almost medieval looking dress that made her large breasts almost pop out of the top of the corset, and honestly it just made her look slutty. She was even sluttier than the two girls Rich claimed to be the “druggies”. Her hair was extremely long and the shiniest black I have ever seen. To be honest it looked fake or dyed too many times to be natural. She had dark green eyes that I didn’t want to stare into but I couldn’t help but look into them because I had never seen that color before. They just captured my eye and seemed to pull me into a trance. She was pretty, I’ll give her that, but she gave me this uneasy feeling as her hand slowly creped down my back while she was taking a picture with us. She didn’t seem thrilled to meet the rest of Backstreet but she was infatuated with me. Now each of us get our fair share of fans that prefer one Boy over the other and we don’t mind hearing ‘you’re my favorite’ but this girl was just plain creepy! I think the creepiest thing about her, besides her eyes that almost hypnotized me, was the feeling she gave off of knowing her from somewhere, like from a nightmare of mine, yet I’ve never met her before.

                “Are you alright man?” AJ asked before we walked on stage for the sound check party.

                I didn’t realize that I was staring at the black haired girl as she was walking to her seat in front of the stage. I shook my head and looked at AJ, “Yeah I’m fine I didn’t even know I was staring at her. I don’t know what it is about her but… she gives me this strange feeling.”

                “What type of strange feeling?” Howie nudged my elbow jokingly.

                “D come on, the only one who could make me feel that way is Kalie,” I knocked that thought out of his head, “She made me feel uncomfortable in a creped out way.”

                “She gave me the willies too Frack,” Brian said with a visible shiver as he walked toward the stage.

                “And that’s why we have bodyguards,” AJ added in.

                With that I followed Backstreet and we all jumped when we heard a loud crack of thunder.

***Kalie’s Point of View***

                BOOM!

                The Backstreet Dancers, Backstreet Buds, and I jumped when we heard the loud sound. We dancers just got our makeup finished and the loud noise interrupted our conversation.         

                “Was that thunder?” I looked around trying to keep my voice level.

                “It sounded like thunder,” Heather answered.

                Oh shit!, I thought to myself. I thought the weather was fine before.

                Then Jen the tour manager poked her head into the dressing room, “We are cancelling the sound check because the weather looks like it’s not going to hold up for the fans waiting outside. The Boys are all warmed up and ready to perform so we’re letting everyone in the arena now.”

                “Are there a lot of fans standing out there?” Tiffany asked.

                “Surprisingly not really, I guess they all stayed home when the weather reports turned for the worst. We should get everyone into their seats in less than half an hour. If that indicates how many people are standing out there.”

                “Oh wow that is a very small crowd!” Tiffany replied.

                “I guess Hurricane Irene has scared everyone away.”

                “But I thought New York was out of the hurricane belt,” I thought out loud nervously.

                “We haven’t had a really bad hurricane up here in about twenty years but the weather reports did say this one could go either way. Irene wants to stop by for a while it looks like,” Heather shrugged.

                “I doubt it’ll be anything but rain and a few thunder-boomers here and there,” Kelshie added in.

                My heart started to beat slightly faster. I tried to keep my composure. No one besides Nick knew how terrified I can be when it came to storms. Plus I didn’t want to look like an idiot being afraid of nothing but “rain and thunder-boomers” as Kelshie put it when everyone else around me shrugged off Hurricane Irene.           

                Another crack of thunder erupted unexpectedly which made each of us jump again. The Backstreet Buds laughed at each other’s reactions as they walked out of the room but I nearly froze. My hands started to shake slightly and I wanted to find Nick as soon as possible to calm me down.

***Nick’s Point of View***   

                When I heard the second loud crack of thunder reverberate through the bowels of the arena my mind immediately went to Kalie. She was probably nervous and probably started to shake while trying to hide her nerves from whoever she was with. I turned around to go back toward the dancers’ dressing room but Jen stood in my way.

                “Where are you going?” she asked. “You have a show to put on.”

                “I have to tell Kayl something.”

                “I’m sure it can wait until after the show if we even have one tonight.”

                “What do you mean?”

                “We just got all the people who are waiting outside into their seats before the rain started. We just watched the weather report and they’re saying the city might lose power.”

                “How many fans actually showed up?”

                “Fifty including Rich’s girlfriend and her friends.”

                “Wow. Now you know who the diehard fans are,” I chuckled. I tried to step around Jen but she placed her hand on my shoulder and pushed me back.

                “Go entertain those fifty diehards,” she said pointing a finger toward the stage, “We’re starting early.”

                There was no getting by the manager now. I headed back to the stage still worrying about my fiancé.

***Kalie’s Point Of View***

                I was just about to reach for my phone when the bodyguard Bruce knocked on the door.

                “Are you girls all dressed so I can open the door?  I have a surprise for Kalie,” his voice boomed from behind the closed door.

                “Yeah come on in,” I called back.

                He opened the door and in walked Michelle, Crystal, Chris and Dan.

                “I thought you guys were never going to show up!” I said relieved to see my best friends even though they too had no clue the storm was scaring me.    

                “We had to wait on line until Bruce recognized us and let us in before the rain came,” Crystal informed me.

                “Is it getting bad out there?” I asked hoping my voice didn’t give away my emotion.

                “There were a few strikes of lightning before we walked in the door. There was a lot of thunder too,” Chris answered.

                “There’s a possibility the entire city could lose power,” Dan added in.

                Oh great! As if the storm isn’t enough I might be in the dark, I thought then pushed down my nerves to ask, “How many fans were out there?”

                “About fifty I’d say,” Michelle replied. “So if we do lose power and Backstreet does an acoustic show we’ll be able to hear them as long as these fans are quiet.”

                Then Jen walked in with battery powered lanterns in her hands, “Here each of you take one just in case. We bought these this morning preparing for the storm.”

                I took the lantern from Jen and placed it on the table next to me and clasped my hands together to prevent them from shaking.

                “There is a generator here but we just have to find it. The manager is looking now. We’re starting the show shortly so get ready to hit the stage,” Jen said with a smile to me and the dancers.

                “Ok we’ll be ready in a few minutes,” Tiffany answered.

                Jen left and we dancers changed into our first costume of the night.

                “So I guess we should get to the standing area,” Michelle said.

                “Here I’ll show you guys a short cut so you can get a good standing spot and I’ll introduce you to DJ Lani’s girlfriend and her friends. But don’t mention DJ Lani because they’re not talking. Something happened when they were coming to the concert and Heather, Lani’s girlfriend, isn’t happy. Lani won’t say a word to her.”

                “Alright we won’t say a word,” Michelle answered.

                I showed them to the standing area and found The Backstreet Buds standing in the front row right in front of the DJ stand which marked the middle of the stage. There were barriers that pushed the crowd a few feet away from the edge of the stage. After the introductions Michelle, Crystal, Dan and Chris climbed over the guard rail and started making small talk with the Backstreet Buds. I stuck around to talk for a few minutes.  

                “Excuse me for one minute I have to use the bathroom,” Heather said politely.

                “Would you like company?” Kelshie asked half jokingly.

                “Nah I’m good. I’ll be back shortly.”

                “Oh don’t threaten us,” Kelshie stuck her tongue out at her best friend.

                Heather returned the favor and I chuckled at their display of friendly play fight.

                Crystal smiled and said, “I like The Backstreet Buds, they remind me of us!”

                I nodded my head in agreement then said, “Actually if you don’t mind I’ll join you Heather. I better hit the bathroom before the show starts.”

                “I don’t mind at all,” she answered as Dan helped her over the rail.         

                As we walked toward the bathroom I asked, “So do you think we’ll lose power tonight?”

                “It’s a possibility. But I have a feeling that if we do we’ll have enough light coming from the fans. Everyone out there has glow sticks. Hurricane Irene should pass over soon though. I’m actually surprised there is still a show on tonight.”

                “Backstreet is very committed to their fans, what can I say?” I shrugged and grinned.

                “Yeah they are the best. And they’re so down to earth and friendly and you are so lucky to be a part of the tour crew and even luckier to be Nick’s fiancé. And wow I’m sorry, it’s just that I’ve had a major crush on him for as long as I can remember,” Heather’s face became slightly red.

                “It’s ok. I hear that a lot,” I chuckled. “And you’re right I am lucky. He’s unbelievably generous and kind hearted and is always there for me, Nick’s just great.” I smiled looking down at my ring but then I realized that Heather hung her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to brag about him when you and Lani aren’t talking. That was rude of me.”

                “That’s ok. You have a right to brag about him. Trust me if I were you I would be bragging too.”

                A little while later as we both left the bathroom I said to Heather, “I have to go pick up my good luck charm from the dressing room, you know your way back right?”

                “Yeah I’m fine. Break a leg out there tonight if we still have power.”

                “Thanks! Enjoy the show! And Heather, I hope you and Lani fix whatever happened. His face would always light up whenever he talked about you. I don’t know Lani as well as you do but I have a feeling that he really loves you and things will work out soon.”

                The right side of her lips curved into a sad half smile and she answered, “Thanks Kalie. That means a lot.”

                From there we flashed one more smile at each other then headed our separate ways.