We finally got out of the pool and I got towels out of the closet and tossed one to everyone. The guys each said "Thanks.." when they got one. My mom loved the fact that they are so polite. We were still out in the back cause my mom wouldn't let us in while we were wet. We all looked at each other and started laughing again. We tried to get ourselves towel dry but it didn't work. Good thing that the mid-day Florida sun is really hot or we would never have been dry. About 45 minutes later we were finally dry and we went inside for lunch. My mom made us 'empanadas' which are a type of Argentinian meat pies. I was surprised that none of the guys even looked skeptical when they first saw them. After all if you've never had them before they look a bit strange but they'r very good. AJ by himself ate 4, Kev 5, Bri 4, howie 5, and Nick scarfed down 6 of them. Man guys can really inhale food.
It was now 3:00 o'clock and we were running a bit late, we were suppossed to have left at 3:30. We had to make a 7:00 pM Miami show. Denise McLean(AJ's mom and their tour manager) was a bit worried that we'd be late. So The guys themselves loaded all my stuff (all of it) into the bus and I turned to my parents. This was going to be the first time that I would be without them for this long. My mom kind of cried and my dad repeated all his warnings to me (again for the umptheenth time, but this time in Spanish), AJ looked at him and told him not to worry that they were going to take care of me (in Spanish which quite surprised me). Nick whispered to me not to worry that their manager was going to fly my parents to a concert in 2 weeks so they could see me. I smiled at him in appreciation.
We finally loaded ourselves onto the bus. AJ wanted to take my dog, just kidding. "Don't worry Mr. and Mrs. Terrosa, we'll treat Erika like our little sister" Kevin said to them hanging out the door of the bus. 'Not if I can help it.' I thought to myself. We settled into the bus for the 1 1/2 hour bus ride. The bus was HUGE. It ws even bigger from the inside than the outside. It kind of looked like a super mega camper. Right after the bus drivers chair there were 7 seats arranged sort of like a living room (facing each other) with a table in the middle. All the seats were of a deep Navy blue fabric with specs of teal in it. Then there were 3 seats with the backs right against the right wall of the bus and the same on the left side. There were luggage compartments right above these chairs. Then there was like a huge couch with a table in front of it that could be lowered to make the couch into a bed. On the other side of the same area was a mini kitchen with fridge, stove and sink.
I plopped myself down on one of the six seats in the middle of the bus. Nick sat down on my left, Brian, and Howie across from me and Kevin and AJ were somewhere else. I was thinking at how incredible all this was and I must have spaced out because next thing I heard was Brian's Angelic voice "Earth to Erika come in (makes static noises),,,Earth to Erika over,,,). I realized that I was spaced out. "ughh.. sorry Brian could you say that again please?" " Yah I said is your boyfriend going to miss you?" " no because I don't have one. The guys at school are dorks. You can't have a decent conversation wit them unless its about wrestling or cars." "Well what do you do then?" Nick asked me as he turned completely around to look at me. "Let's see... I absolutely love to play volleyball. I was center starter for my school team three years in a row. I love going to the beach and I plan to become a Marine biologist. I just got my PADI certification, and I just had a major gallery opening last week for all the art that i've done over the last 2 year. That's the basic core of that which is Erika." "Very cool." was all that came out of Howie's mouth. "You're an artist?" asked me Nick. "Ya.. I only started 2 years ago, but it feels like its been in my soul ever since I could remember". "Do you have any with you?" Brian asked me and he seemed really enthusiastic about it. "Now now you guys we have to start warming up. Its only 5 but you remember what happenned last time" Kevin said from behind Nick. "Yes Sir.." Nick and Brian said as if they were saluting a military officer. I chuckled under my breath.
"What happenned?" I asked intently. AJ started "It was right before a show in 1996 in France. Nick and I had been chatting with the press and other people till about 45 minutes before the concert, so we only got 20 minutes of warmup while we were getting dressed. Right before we went on stage we tried to a-cappella 'Quit Playing Games and both our voices were gone. The show was delayed about 1/2 an hour and the guys had to do it without us. They told the audience we had gotten sick during the flight from jet lag. The were NOT a happy crowd. So now since then we strat warming up 2 hours before the concert." "Wow" I just sat there stunned. "On to lighter subjects." came Howie's voice from across the aisle. "What would you like us to start off with, me lady?" Howie looked at me with his velvety eyes and I was like "...ughh I don't know. I never thougt I would get to choose what I hear you guyssing. How about..Just to Be Close to You?" "Your wish is our command." They sang to me in unison. They were all standing around me while I sat in the seat. It was one rally comfortable seat, but then again it would have to be if they had to travel in this bus for months on end. "1...2..3.. Like a Flower to a tree..." They sang in a-cappella. Their voices were like the ethereal voices of angels in perfect harmony with one another. As I sat there I melted into my chair listening to them.
Mrs. McLean who had been sitting in the couch to my right said to me in a low voice so as not to disturb the boys" Every time I hear them I am amazed. Their voices always leave me dumbfounded". I turned and smiled at her. The boys had finished and I was in a daze. They all looked down at me and said 'what next?" "How about 'Everybody'?" "No sweat, my favorite!" exclaimed AJ. They began to sing again. Every now and then they'd stop to correct a harmony or make some changes. Thats how we spent the next hour. The bus came to a stop at what I figured was the back of the Miami Arena. It was 6:00, two hours before the concert. I peered out the window and noticed that there were already trucks there unloading musical equipment. We all got off the bus and Mrs. Mclean told me to go with her cause the boys had to change. I followed her, trying to stay out of everyone's way. About 30 minutes later, I saw the boys again. They were wearing the famous colored racing outfits.