"So what do you guys do when your on tour for so long?" I asked them. Their eyes lit up as if they had been waiting me to ask them this question. " When we are not sleeping we read, talk, practice most of the time" Howie said smiling " sometimes if we have time we go sight seeing. Before our tour schedules used to be really hectic but now we fixed them so every once in a while we get to take in some of the sights" Nick said smiling, "we play a lot of video games too" "Speaking of which Nick" Aaron interjected " you owe me a rematch big bro". "Usually we have to wear disguises so we don't get mobbed by fans. I mean we love our fans a lot but sometimes we just need to be left alone you know.." said AJ "I can imagine" I responded.
" Boys we'll be there in 45 minutes all right?" The bus driver said from his seat ,I thought to myself that I would make it a point to get to know him too he seemed really nice. "I guess that means that we have to get dressed guys." Howie said "I'll start, we'll wear the black/purple right? that way we don't have to change for the show". "Sounds good my man.." AJ said. The two of them grabbed 2 bags from the luggage carrier in the back and went each into one of the two dressing rooms in the back. I realized that I hadn't planned for this and didn't have any black/purple to wear.
I suddenly turned to Mrs. Mclean. I must have looked stricken because she said to me "Don't worry your mom and I planned and got u clothes to match the guys' for occasions like this. There's a closet in the back with your name on the door. The guys don't even know about it. Her, Jane, and I went shopping together 2 weeks ago, its all part of the tour gig." She said smiling and reassuring me. She is such a sweet and intelligent woman. "Really..? Thanks" I said hugging her. Brian and Nick looked confused because they hadn't heard us, her and I laughed with amusement. They looked even more confused. "Don't worry its girl stuff" she said to them and we laughed again. AJ and Howie came out of the dressing rooms and put away their bags. They were wearing straight legged black jeans and shiny black long sleeved shirts. The shirts were really cool. Depending on the light they looked black, a deep purple, or a strange-ethereal almost- black purple. They sat back down in their seats. Both of them looked extremely attractive."I guess its our turn B-Rok" Kevin said "Sure is cuz." He answered. They got their own clothes and changed too. I don't remember but I must have gawked when the two of them walked out. They looked H.O.T.T. HOTT. Kevin had the first 3 buttons unbuttoned and you could see part of his chest. That man is the definition of attractive. Aaron was the next to change "Well I guess that means that u and I are left Nick.." I said smiling a bit nervously.
He got up from the couch and walked towards me. He stretched out his hand and I held it as I got up. "Come on this is your second step into the transformation." He said smiling and laughing. I felt really special with his arm around my shoulder and mine around his like two old friends. I found my closet, opened it, and inside I found a hanger with the shirt and jeans. I went into the locker room on the right. It wasn't big but big enough to comfortably move around. On the wall opposite the door was a mirror where you could see most of your body. I looked at the clothes that my mom, Jane, and Mrs. Mclean bought for me in conspiracy. I was so glad they did, but I dreaded that the clothes would not fit. I put on the jeans and blouse which looked identical to the one the guys wore but just with a female cut. The clothes fit as if they had been made especially for me by a tailor. I put my hair in a pony tail and walked out feeling a bit nervous at my appearance. When I stepped outside I found Nick dressed in his clothes waiting for me. We walked down the bus as if we were on a cat walk laughing all the way. "Here is miss Erika... sporting her new style.." Brian said mimicking the TV broadcasters. "She looks ravishing in her new style" AJ continued. Nick and I kept walking and when we reached the front of the bus did a catwalk turn and Aaron took over for Nick. The two of us went to the back of the bus, all the way mimicking the models in New York. We were all laughing hysterically. Finally we finished and sat back down exhausted from laughing. "If you guys keep it up my face is going to stay like this" I said laughing one more time.
"Ohhhh ten more minutes till we hit the mobs.." AJ said amusingly. "You guys want to do your own hair and make up for today?" Mrs.Mclean asked them. "We got it covered." Kevin said from one of the dressing rooms. The guys brushed their own hair, except AJ who put his dreadlocks up in a pony tail. Nick slicked his hair back and put on the non-prescription glasses he likes to sport. Howie and Kevin put mousse and spray in their hair, while Brian just styled it and put some mousse in it to make it stay. Aaron just brushed it. I wasn't surprised when they put on a little make up themselves. They just put on some almost invisible foundation to get an even skin color. They all put on chap stick. I fixed my pony tail and put on some hairspray to make it stay. I put on basic make up, some lipstic, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, and some glitter gel over the eyeshadow. We all looked ready to storm a fashion show. "10 more minutes you guys." Called the bus driver. "OK lets go over the basic schedule" Mrs. Mclean said. she looked very business like. We spent the next ten minutes going over the schedule. We would park in front of the book store and the seven of us would get off with the bodyguards. She exepcted there to be at lest 200 fans there. We would stop in front of the book store to get some pictures. We'd go inside and do some more pictures. Then we'd sit at the table, do some more pictures and they'd let the people in a few at the time. After an hour we'd do a photo shoot with some of the fans and the go to the second floor of the store to do the interview and then leave after about 45-60 minutes. "Allright boys we're here. If all goes to plans I'll be here in 2 1/2 hours waiting for you. I always have the radio if something happens. Good luck" Called the bus driver as he pulled up in front of the store.
As we came close to the store we started to hear high pitched screeching. We all went up to the front window and saw hundreds of girls standing in front of the store screaming and crying at our bus. Mrs. Mclean handed me a pin to put on. "Keep it on at all times and in case something happens the people will know our with us. ok?" She said to me in a real motherly voice. " I will, thank you" I put the pin on. "You guys ready?" Kevin asked smiling. "Here we go..." Howie said grabbing my arm and putting me between himself and AJ protectively. Aaron was being held just has protectively between nick and Brian. We climbed out of the bus single file and suddenly the screaming got even louder and went up about 3 pitches. We made our way slowly towards the door of the store. Aside from the boys own bodyguards - including two of Aaron's own- there were about 12-19 police men trying to control the crowd. The boys didn't stop to sign any autographs but the girls grabbed at their clothing. One of them tried to rip off my security pin. We finally made it to the front door. I looked at the crowd of people and it looked like a scene out of the Ten Commandments. "Allright boys look this way' said a camera man. The seven of us got in a huddle and I in the middle with Aaron in front of me. Then I got on the end next to Howie who put his arm around me like old comrades. We took two more pictures and went inside. The store was HUGE. In the far end was a wall with a gigantic picture of the boys dressed in white from their latest album. In front of it was a table with seven chairs and seven bottles of water. There was literally a box of permanent markers to one corner that the boys could easily reach. We had to walk the entire store to finally reach the table. There was a constant flickering of flashes. "Don't worry you get used to the flash after a while" Brian whispered to me as we walked. I felt like a nervous mass of Jello. Brian put his hands on my shoulders to reassure me and Aaron held my hand. We finally reached the table. I sat down at the inside end next to Nick and Brian who made me laugh by making faces. They weren't worried about looking foolish in front of the camera. The camera men took more pictures. I finally relaxed and my smile wasn't a facade but an true smile. The guys said some words about how glad they were to be there and I agreed.
They finally let the mass of screaming girls into the store. They had to be in line and could get their things signed by only one of the boys. I felt a bit awkward because I feared looking foolish just sitting there. The first girl went straight for Nick and gave me a really evil look. I had thought that most of the girls would have gone for Nick, but I wasn't surprised when it pretty much evened out. Nick must have noticed that I felt a bit awkward so when he had to do the next autograph he grabbed my hand and held my hand to do his signature. We wrote "With Love to Alesha, our greatest fan. Nick Carter and Erika Terrosa". I was afraid that Alesha was gonna have a fit but she was really good about it and started laughing. Because she was so nice about it Nick got his picture taken with her and so did all the other guys. She was completely ecstatic. The other girls looked green with envy. After the picture Alesha came over to me and said "Boy you are lucky I wish I could be in your shoes. I'm really happy for you though." I said "Thanks" and hugged and we got our picture taken together. I was surprised at how nice she was. The time flew by. Every once in a while Aaron would act all goofy and all the guys would join in setting the entire store into laughter.
About 45 minutes into the session Denise came up to me and said "Allright the interview is in 30 minutes but we need to go over some things plus I don't want you to get crushed by the mob again". We both laughed knowingly. I followed her up the stairs, all the time her and I were surrounded by two body-guards. We arrived at the store's second story and I found myself in the presence of a bout 5 professional video cameras, and about 100 photocameras and all the people that belonged to them. There were 7 barstools arranged in a semicircle in front of all this. Me and Denise sat at one end of the store away from the people. " OK now they are going to ask you tons of questions, but you only have to answer the ones you are comfortable with. Just be carefull in what you say and use the good judgement that I've seen you have. The guys will be up in 5 minutes and then there's gonna be an informal photo shoot, just for like 10 minutes, then you can all sit down. You and Aaron will sit in the middle with Nick on Aaron's left and Howie and Kevin next to him. You'll have Kevin and Brian to your right. So do you feel ready?...." " I guess I mean its not like I have a choice. I'll just picture all the cameramen in their underwear, although that might make it worse...hhaha" We both laughed, with a touch of nervousness in our voices.
Suddenly there was a great commotion coming from downstairs and girls started screaming again. One of the police guys came up the stairs and made sure none of the girls came in. Within a minute all five of the guys were up the stairs and on the second floor. They looked a bit stressed. I looked at their shirts and I could tell that girls had been pulling on them. They came over to Denise and me and AJ said "Lets do it mom" "Allright you guys know the drill.." she responded to him. The seven of us huddled together and the guys looked at me and said "Don't stress about this, its just like an english presentation. If they ask you personal questions just do your best, and be yourself all the time." they smiled vat me and I relaxed only a little bit. "Allright but if I faint one of you has to catch me" I said straining a smile. "OK lets go" Kevin whispered. We turned around put our arms around each other's shoulders and walked to the stools. Flashes went off as if it were New Year's Eve. I was blinded for a few seconds. I was still very tense. We did some different poses for the cameras, but the whole time being very dignified and not fooling around.
We finally got to the interview. I had butterflies in my stomach, my mouth dried up, and I could feel myself flush as the temperature of my body rise. That whole interview took about 45 minutes. I don't remember much of it, probably because I was so nervous. I remember being asked if my feelings and perceptions of the guys had changed, I don't remember what I said but it must have been funny because everyone laughed including the guys. Aaron was asked how he felt touring with his big brother and he made a funny remark. At one point Kevin was asked a question and all I remember about his answer is that it was very deep and profound. The camera flashes went off continuesly the entire time. After that I don't remember much, just being nervous and laughing a lot. The next thing I remember is finding myself sitting in the bus looking at Denise.