Michelle Colback toyed with the strap on her Armani dress. It was long and black, and she absolutely loved it. She couldn’t wait for the MTV awards. She would be leaving for it in about an hour. She was presenting an award, and since it was the music awards and not the movie awards, she wasn’t nominated for anything. This is going to be so much more fun than the Academy Awards, she thought. The stress she felt during the show leading up to when the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award was announced was unbelievable. She was glad she wouldn’t be going through that tonight. It was just going to be fun and… laid back. When it was over, she’d go par-tay at a post party. It would be awesome.

“Michelle!” a voice called.

“Yes?”

It was her mom, who was in the bathroom of the hotel room.

“Come see.”

Michelle was bringing her mom to the awards, because she never got to see her enough. And her mom wanted to meet Carson Daly, too.

After winning an Academy Award a few months earlier for “Best Supporting Actress”, Michelle felt wonderful. She was in the process of filming a new movie, one she was very proud of, and she had snagged awards at the Golden Globes, the People’s Choice Awards, and the MTV Movie Awards. Now she was known as Multi-Award Winner Michelle Colback.

“When is the limo coming?” Michelle’s mom asked.

“Soon,” Michelle replied.

Michelle’s mom had raised her and her little brother, Eric, alone. Michelle’s father had abandoned her family when she was 3 years old and Eric was 1. It was her mother who had encouraged Michelle to follow her dreams of acting. Even when her mom was struggling to pay the rent, she spent valuable gas money bringing Michelle to and from auditions. Michelle’s big break came when she was 14. She landed a role on the soap opera, “Days of Our Lives”, and had stayed on it until she was 19. She hadn’t begun movies until then. Because she’d been involved with acting for so long, she had never had time for a boyfriend; the only kisses she had received or given were on-screen ones. One might be surprised by that, and Michelle was ashamed to admit it. But she wasn’t about to run out and kiss the next sleazeball she found just to have kissed someone. She didn’t care if she never got married.

About a half-hour later, the limo driver came up to their hotel room to get them.

“I’m so excited!” Michelle’s mom said, smiling. Michelle smiled back.

The two women climbed into the limo and were on their way to the Lakeside Center, which was where the awards ceremony was being held.

The limo drove up to the center, which was where many other limos were parking. There was a special entryway that led to the red carpet, and Michelle prepared to answer lots of questions from the likes of Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, and the MTV News crew. She didn’t mind it though; she loved it.

The limo driver helped Michelle and her mother out of the limo, and immediately cameras started flashing.

“Here we go,” Michelle said to her mother, smiling.

“So,” Kurt Loder said. “Who’s with you guys tonight?”

“Just family, and special friends,” Kevin said, smiling.

Kurt smiled coyly. “I see. So, can you guys shed any light on what will happen in your performance tonight?”

“Well, it will be special, but we want to keep our fans in suspense,” Howie said.

“So, tell me, is there any one of the awards that you really want to win?” Kurt asked.

“Well, we got Viewer’s Choice last year, and that’s a really special award to win, so we’d like to win that, but we have some stiff competition, so, who knows? If we don’t win anything, we’re still going to have performing, and then at the post-parties later on,” AJ said.

“Well, thanks for taking the time to talk with me, guys. Good luck later on,” Kurt said.

“You’re welcome,” they all said.

As they walked away, AJ muttered, “You know he hates us.”

“Oh, yeah, he hates us. Still, he has to be nice for the cameras,” Kevin said.

“Let’s head on inside,” Brian said. They met their dates/family at the front and went inside, found their seats.

After they had settled in, Kevin grimaced. “They sat us next to ‘N Sync! Jeez, you’d think they’d get enough pleasure out of making it seem like we hate each other on TV, then they sit us next to them! They must think something interesting will happen.”

AJ put his arm around Amanda. “I wonder what Chris will do when he sees us.” Chris Kirkpatrick was a former boyfriend of Amanda’s.

“Just be cordial and polite, like you always are with them,” Kevin’s mom, Ann, said.

“We will,” Kevin assured her.

Gretchen smiled politely as JC linked his arm through hers. They followed the rest of ‘N Sync to the red carpet, and were immediately stopped by John Norris of MTV News.

“So, who are you guys here with?”

Justin Timberlake raised up his hands. “I’m solo.” Lance Bass was solo as well.

Chris Kirkpatrick nodded towards his date. “This is my date, Danielle.” *(Note: Not Fishel)*

Joey Fatone’s date was a girl named Marie.

“I believe you know of my date,” JC said to John.

“Oh, yes, of course. You look very nice, Gretchen.”

“Thank you,” Gretchen said. She was wearing a silver, Donna Karan dress.

After talking to a few more reporters, each one surprised that Gretchen was with JC, the group headed inside.

“We’re supposed to be in row 15… seats… there they are. Wait… are those the Backstreet Boys??!” Lance asked.

“Sure are.”

“Oh my…”

“Let’s go over there.”

They headed over there, and got to their seats.

“Hello, Howie,” Chris said, avoiding eye contact with AJ or Amanda.

“Hey, bro, what’s up?” Howie replied.

The 10 guys exchanged handshakes and hellos, and they all settled in.

The order of the Backstreet Boys and company from the aisle in was Howie, Kevin, Kevin’s mom, Brian, Leighanne, AJ, Amanda, Nick’s sister Leslie, Nick. Instead of sitting buy Nick, JC let Gretchen go in first, so that she was seated by him. Then the order was Gretchen, JC, Chris, Danielle, Justin, Lance, Joey, and Marie.

“Hi,” Nick said to Gretchen.

She smiled. “Hi.” She glanced into his blue eyes for a second, and then looked away. She felt kind of warm, all of a sudden…

The host, Ben Stiller, was a lot less controversial than the previous host, Chris Rock was. And he was friends with the Backstreet Boys, so he didn’t make any mean remarks about them.

“And now,” Ben said, finishing his monologue, “to present the first award of ‘Best Dance Video’, here is a girl who knows a little bit about dancing herself. Reigning pop diva, Britney Spears!”

“I am so, like, excited to be presenting this award, because, um, I’m a dancer myself. So, um, anyway, I couldn’t be nominated because, um, I’m in the middle of uh… a new album, so uh… I didn’t have a video out in, um, enough time. So… here are the nominees!” Britney said.

The video came on, and the nominees were announced.

“Christina Aguilera. Ricky Martin. Gretchen Jones. Jennifer Lopez.”

JC patted Gretchen’s hand as Britney opened the envelope containing the winner’s name.

“And the winner is… Gretchen Jones!!”

Gretchen’s heart stopped for a second, and she smiled and stood up. JC gave her a quick hug, and all of ‘N Sync and Backstreet Boys patted her on her back and clapped for her. She walked up to the stage, smiling widely.

When she go to the microphone, she took a deep breath. “Wow, uh… I really, really didn’t expect this, but I want to thank first and foremost, Jesus Christ, my Savior, who just gets me through every day. I also want to thank my family, I know they’re watching at home. I love you guys. I have to thank my manager, John Harrell, and my choreographer, Andie, who makes me work, and who should really be getting this award. And to all my wonderful, wonderful fans, I love you so much. I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you.”

The audience applauded as she walked offstage, and she was faced with a bunch more flashing cameras. Britney followed behind her, and shook her hand.

“Congrats. I’m glad you won it instead of… other people.”

Christina, Gretchen thought.

“Thank you.”

In the audience, the Backstreet Boys raved.

“She is so great,” Howie said. “Such a cute girl. How old is she? 17? 18?”

“I think she’s 18. She has a really good voice. Competition to Christina Aguilera’s, I think,” Kevin said.

Nick nodded in agreement. “She’s beautiful.” He glanced sideways at JC to make sure he hadn’t heard. He hadn’t.

It was time for Michelle to go backstage to get ready to present an award. When the show stopped for a commercial break, she went on back, using her VIP pass to get access. She was going to be presenting the ‘Best Group In a Video’ award with Chris Klein.

A woman did a quick run-through/reminder with them about what they had to do, and then Michelle and Chris waited for their names to be announced.

“And now,” said Ben Stiller, “to present our next award are two equally good-looking hotties who I wanna get to know better. Well, the female one anyway. *crowd laughs quietly* Chris Klein, and the lovely, Michelle Colback.”

Michelle rolled her eyes playfully at Ben. He was a friend. They had been in a movie together once.

Chris escorted Michelle to the podium, and she began reading the teleprompter.

“The next 4 nominees are all groups that have been around for awhile, and have paid their dues.”

“One makes us feel like a… ‘freak on a leash’…” Chris said.

“One told us that ‘they wanted us back’…” Michelle said.

“Another was fed up with their ‘bills, bills, bills’…” Chris said.

“And the last one first let us know who they were by demanding we ‘quit playing games with their hearts’…” Michelle finished.

“Here are the nominees.”

“Korn. ‘N Sync. Destiny’s Child. Backstreet Boys.”

“And the winners are… Korn!” Chris said.

The Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync clapped graciously, though AJ was a little miffed that they had lost in that category.

An hour later, Gretchen had won the other award she was nominated for, ‘Best Female Vocal in a Video’, and had presented the an award to the Backstreet Boys for ‘Best Video’ for “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely.” The Backstreet Boys performed a medley of all their hit singles from ‘Quit Playing Games’ to ‘The One.’ ‘N Sync had performed ‘It’s Gonna Be Me’ and had won an award for the ‘Best Dressed’ category. It was almost time for Gretchen’s performance.

She tried to calm her nerves before she went on.

Carson Daly was announcing her.

“For our next performance, it’s a girl that has already won two awards tonight. She has one heck of a voice, and she’s taken the TRL world by storm. I personally have all her dance moves down pat from watching that video so many times. *crowd laughs* For your entertainment pleasure, Gretchen Jones.”

The band started playing the music, and Gretchen forgot about her nerves.

She sang and she and her dancers danced, and she felt home.

Nick watched her from the audience, and he was enchanted.

When the show ended, everyone headed for their limos, deciding which parties to go to.

“We can stop at Christina Aguilera’s party just down the street,” Kevin suggested.

“After we drop off Leslie and my mom at the hotel, that is.”

“Yeah, and maybe go to the Entertainment Tonight party,” Brian said.

So, they dropped off Leslie and Kevin’s mom, and headed for Christina Aguilera’s party. The guests included the likes of 98 Degrees, Jessica Simpson, Fred Durst, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, and Puff Daddy.

AJ and Amanda immediately went off and danced, Leighanne and Brian wen to mingle with other celebs, and Kevin, Nick, and Howie talked to some people from MTV News.

2 hours later, they were all ready to go to the Entertainment Tonight party.

10 minutes later, she was still holding the full glass, and she was just about to go throw it away when a male voice said from behind her, “You gonna drink that?”

She turned around. It was Nick Carter, smiling.

“Oh…” she laughed. “I don’t think so. I’m not even legally old enough to drink.”

“Me either, but… so… congratulations on your awards,” Nick said.

“Thanks. You too. The video that you guys won for is really awesome. I loved it,” Gretchen said.

“Thanks.” Just as Nick said that, a drunk guy ran into him.

“Do you wanna go… sit down?” Nick asked.

“Sure.”

1 hour later

“So you and JC are like, on a blind date?” Nick clarified.

“Yep. My manager thinks he was doing me a favor, but I didn’t want a date,” Gretchen said.

“Why not?”

“Too complicated.”

“I just got out of a relationship, so I didn’t want a date either. I brought my sister,” Nick said.

“Yeah I saw her. That was sweet.”

Nick blushed. He had never blushed with a girl before.

“So you’re really nice,” Gretchen said.

“Um, what causes you to say that?” Nick asked.

“It’s just that a lot of celebrities I talk to are stuck on themselves, and I guess I just assumed you might be, since you’re this big heartthrob and all. I’m glad I was wrong.”

“Well, thanks. You’re nice, and uh… I expected you to be nice, so… I’m glad I was right.”

They laughed.

Just then, a photographer from a magazine came over to them. “Mind if I take a picture?”

“No, go ahead,” Gretchen and Nick said.

Nick and Gretchen smiled as the flash went off.

“This one will be going in ‘Star Tracks’,” the photographer told them.

“Oh, so you’re from PEOPLE magazine?” Gretchen asked.

“Yep. Thanks for the picture.”

“Where are you going after tonight?” Nick asked.

“Back to Los Angeles for a month to record some more of my new album. Then I have to go to London for a charity concert in November. I have a hectic schedule,” she said.

“Yeah, so do we… but I feel kind of sorry for you, because you’re by yourself all the time. I have the guys. You get lonely on the road?” Nick asked.

“Finally, someone who understands! Yes, I get lonely,” Gretchen said. “All the time.”

AJ had had too much to drink. He felt kind of woozy. He wasn’t completely drunk, but he was getting there. Amanda was still dancing, but he had stopped to get something to drink. Not alcohol… he didn’t need anymore of that. Coke, if he could find any.

For a minute his vision blurred, but he kept on walking… straight into a girl.

“Ow!” a female voice cried as he kicked her in the shin…hard.

“Oh… I am so sorry,” AJ said as he sobered up. To his horror, it was the beautiful actress, Michelle Colback.

“Are you drunk?!” she exclaimed. “My foot’s swelling! I can’t believe this! What an idiot!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’ll go find you some ice.”

“No, just go away,” she said, sitting down, holding her shin.

“It’s not going to get any better if you don’t put some ice on it or something.”

“Just GO AWAY!” she yelled.

“Look, princess, I’m going to feel guilty if I don’t at least attempt to help you, so sit here while I go find you some ice. Understand?” AJ said, coldly.

She sighed in resignation.

“Good, I’ll be right back,” he said. He sighed. What a pill she was!