"BSB, WHAT TIME IS IT?"
    "IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO TO WORK, Y'ALL!"
    "WHAT KIND OF WORK?"
    "HARD WORK!"
 
    With that, the band rushed onstage to take their places behind the instruments.  Nick turned to me and I gave him a kiss.  "Break a leg" I told him.  He laughed and replied, "I sure hope I don't!"  Meanwhile, behind us, Brian was turning to Lindy to give her a long hug and kiss (Kayla had gone to the airport just before we'd left for the concert, so Howie was looking a little sad).   As Nick and I watched Brian and Lindy, I said to Nick, "They sure look serious, considering they've only been dating for a couple of months."  He wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear, "Sometimes you just know when you've found your true love."  I smiled and leaned against him.  Then we heard the music start outside, and Kevin yelled "Positions, guys!"  Nick gave me a quick peck on the cheek and rushed off to find his place.
 
    Soon we could hear the first bars of "Let's Have a Party" being sung.  Lindy, Denise and I headed for our seats to watch the concert.  We had a blast!  The energy in the room was amazing, and everyone caught the enthusiasm flowing from off of the stage.
 
    But what really touched my heart was when I noticed another girl in the front row.  She couldn't have been more than 6 years old.  She was wearing an oversized Backstreet Boys t-shirt, and she was waving her arms frantically at the stage.  At one point in the concert, I noticed her mother trying to get her attention, and when she finally did, she started moving her hands back and forth in wild patterns.  Then it dawned on me: the little girl was deaf.  As I continued to watch, I noticed that when she turned back to the stage, her eyes locked on Nick.  So the next time Nick's eyes met mine, I gestured discreetly to the little girl.  He nodded, and the next chance he got, he danced over to the girl, took her hand, and kissed it gently.  One by one, Kevin, AJ, Howie, and Brian followed suit.  The look of joy and adoration on the little girl's face was awesome.  I'll remember that for as long as I live.
 
    After the Boys did their 3 encores, Denise, Lindy and I left our seats to go backstage.  Lindy went over into the lounge area, while Denise and I tried to organize the people who had backstage passes.  I could hardly believe that I had been one of those crazy girls less than a year ago.  Now I was organizing them, working with the Backstreet Boys, and dating one of them!  It's amazing how much your life can change in such a short time.
 
    The backstage meeting with the fans went well, there were several screams and tears, but otherwise everything went smoothly.  After the fans left, we all went outside and piled into the van, exhausted and happy.  I sat with Nick's head in my lap, with my own head resting on the back of the seat.  As I sat back and relaxed, I could hear Lindy and Brian bidding each other a tearful good-bye in the back of the van.  My heart was breaking for them; I knew exactly how they felt, because I'd felt it when Nick had to leave me right after we'd started dating.  We would be on the road for a good 3 months, if not more.  I sighed heavily, and Nick lifted his head up and gave me a concerned look.  "What's wrong?"
 
    "I'm just thinking about how sad Brian and Lindy are right now.  I hated it when you had to leave me the first time, and now it's happening to them.  I don't like seeing my friends so unhappy."

    "You're beautiful, you know that?"
 
    I blushed furiously.  "Nick, that's a bit off topic!"
 
    "No, I mean it.  I think it's so great how you're always worrying about other people.  The only other person that I know who does that is my mom.  She's constantly worrying about everyone, but a lot of the time she forgets to worry about herself.  I think it's great...but you still need to worry about yourself sometimes.  Brian and Lindy will be just fine, trust me.  Let them deal with it, ok?  It's not that I don't care, but I think you've got enough to be flustered about right now.  Alright?"
 
    I looked down at him for a moment.  No one had ever told me that before, and it was nice to know that someone cared enough to tell me that.  What was the appropriate response to that moving speech?
 
    I took his face in my hands and gave him the only response I could come up with.  "I love you."
 

 
    ***Back at the hotel***

      "You guys wanna play some poker?" AJ asked.  Everyone except Brian and Lindy agreed to play, so they said goodnight and headed off to their rooms.   The rest of us sat down around a large table in AJ and Howie's room, and proceeded to play strip poker.  "I have to warn you guys, I've never played poker before." I glanced uneasily at the four of them.
 
    "That's alright, we'll be gentle."  AJ smirked at me.
 
    Fifteen minutes later, all four of them were down to their boxers, and all I'd taken off were my socks.  "Beginner's luck I guess." I shrugged.  AJ shot me a withering look.  "I think it's time to call it a night fellas.  We've got a busy day tomorrow, and Sam certainly doesn't need to see any of us in the buff."  Nick winked at me and gathered up the cards.  "Goodnight everyone" we called on our way out.  Nick grabbed his clothes and I grabbed my socks.  As we got into the hallway, Nick stopped me.
    "I want you to come into my room for a minute, I've got something I wanna show you."
 
    I started to fidget and I hesitated.  "Uh, honey, maybe that's not the best idea..."
 
    His eyes widened.  "Oh, no no, not that.  Trust me.  Totally innocent."
 
    I sighed.  "Alright, I'll come."
 
    He took my hand and led me into his room.  Then he made me sit on the bed, and he covered my eyes with a blindfold, making sure I wasn't going to peek.  I heard him moving around the room, opening and closing drawers and muttering to himself.  Finally, he came back over to me.  "You can take the blindfold off now."
 
    Willingly, I obeyed.  What I saw made me gasp in surprise.  There, kneeling in front of me, was Nick, holding a black velvet box.  As he opened it, it revealed a small gold band with a single diamond rising up in the middle.  Tears immediately sprang to my eyes.
 
    He cleared his throat nervously and began.  "Samantha, I realize that we haven't known each other for a very long time, and I hope that's not going to stand in our way.  Because the past few months have been the best of my life, and I owe that all to you.  You made me understand what true love was, and that there was someone, somewhere that could love me for me, and not just one-fifth of the group I happen to be a part of.  I don't want you to wait any longer, and I don't want you to ever step out of my life.  Samantha Jennifer McKinley, I want to spend forever with you.  Will you marry me?"

 Chapter Eighteen
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