Chapter Two - Boy Crazy Bus Riders On the tour bus the next morning, Victoria was anxious and excited. She couldn't help thinking about how great things had gone last night . . . and how Donna had said they could stay on for the rest of the tour regardless of the incident with their ex-manager. Lara turned around in her seat to face Victoria. "Hey Tori!" She smiled, "Mind if I sit with you for a while?" Victoria laughed, "Of course not, you goof!" Lara smiled widely as she grabbed the seat next to her pal. "Have you checked out those guys?" She said raising her eyebrows. Vicky creased her eyebrows, "What guys worth checking out?" "The BOYS!" Lara said motioning to the back of the bus, where the Backstreet Boys were sitting. "The Backstreet Boys?" Victoria asked incredulously. "No, the front road boys," Lara said sarcastically, "Of course the Backstreet Boys! Now that I see them in real life - I mean - I can see why all those girls are in love with them!" Victoria sighed, "Boys! That's all you think about!" "I can definitely see you and Kevin as a couple . . ." Lara's voice trailed off. "Um - Kevin. He's the one with the big eyebrows, right?" Vicky asked her. "Yes! And according to my teen mag, you'd be perfect together!" Lara informed her. "A teen magazine? I can't believe you still read those things!" "I don't! Well . . . not usually . . . Do you want to see the article or not?" Tori sighed. "Why don't you just tell me about it?" "Okay, I'll get it!" Lara smiled, grabbing her back pack. Victoria sighed again - then smiled. "Okay this is why you two would be perfect together:" Lara began, "He's the mature one in the group - so are you, he loves horse back riding - so do you, he has goals in life - well duh of course you do too, he wants a family someday - so do you, you both like good conversation and romantic walks on the beach, and last but not least you are both much to serious for 26 yr olds!" "I'm not too serious and I'm 25!" Vicky informed her friend, "And you are acting like a skanky, boys crazy, immature, little, second grade bus rider!" "I take offense to that! I passed grade two AND I'm much taller than you are!" "What's he doing now?" "Kevin? He's reading" "He probably doesn't want to be disturbed . . ." "He's reading sheet music dear, of course he wants to be disturbed! Now go!" Lara commanded. With that, Lara pushed her friend out of the seat and towards the back of the bus. Lara gave herself a pat on the back. This was better than searching for treasure! She headed to where Alison was sitting. *** "Actually, Lara, that's exactly what it means!" Alison said exasperation. "No . . . It means that he's a normal guy! Just because he has a crush on that bimbo Gwen Stefani does not mean that he's not looking for a meaningful relationship or that you two wouldn't make a great couple! Besides, you're a lot like Gwen Stefani." "Thank you Ms. Matchmaker, but I am not a bimbo and neither is she!" Alison insisted. "Al - he's back there reading poetry! By - just guess!" "I don't know!" "Robert Browning! You're, like, most favorite poet guy!" "So what? A.J. is allowed to have good taste!" Alison replied. Actually, She thought to herself, I wouldn't mind some good poetry discussion. "Just go back and talk to him! It's better than talking to me isn't it?" Lara asked her friend. Alison smiled, "Okay!" And with that, she skipped off to the back of the bus. Lara smiled, she wondered if Cora was up for a boink fest yet. She stood up and looked around for her friend. She smiled as she saw that Cora and Nick were deep in a conversation . . . It was times like this Lara wished she had better lip reading skills. Did he just say that he thought he was a haskethall? No that doesn't make sense . . . She didn't see Howie or - Oh wait there he was. Talking with Grace. She was so nice. They'd probably make a cute couple too . . . A slightly familiar voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "Oh, what are you thinking about?" Brian Littrell asked her, "Got that smirk on your face!" Lara laughed. He had caught her completely off guard. "I um, was just thinking about - uh - how I can't wait to try out my new . . . contact lenses!" She finally spit out. "Oh, you wear contacts?" Brian asked. "No - I have 20/20-" "With Wawa Walters," Brian cut in. Lara laughed again. "Vision - actually!" She informed him. "The contacts are these little pictures that cover your Iris." "Oh those?" Brian wrinkled his nose, "But you have such pretty eyes . . . like emeralds . . ." Lara, blushed, she did that when someone complimented her. "Thank you," she smiled, looking into his clear, baby blues. "So do you . . . They're like the ocean." They were silent for a moment. "Do you like basketball?" He finally asked her. *** "You know, I was a bit worried about the whole manager drug thang - but you're a really great person! I know you'll fit in great with the rest of the crew," Nick told Cora. Cora laughed, "I hope so! They probably think I'm this messed up, drug addled, crazy person!" Nick took her hand. "Of course not! You seem really nice!" Cora smiled, "Thanks . . . I like you too." *** "Wow," Howie exclaimed, "You must be amazingly athletic!" Grace smiled, "You do have to be pretty strong, but in an actual situation you're on a bit of an adrenaline high so-" She stopped short and laughed. "What's so funny?" He asked. "Oh, I just don't usually talk about adrenaline while just getting to know someone . . ." She laughed. Howie laughed, then gave her a sly smile and raised his eyebrows. This only made them laugh more.