I acted shy and hung back behind Beth and Candice but under my shell, I was screaming and my insides were going crazy with excitement.

Before us was Hanson. Everything was in slow motion. First they shook Candice's hand - of course, she was the most attractive of the three of us. Ooor, it might be, because she was she was closest to them?! Next was Beth.

Beth was definitely not hiding her excitement - her grin was getting so wide the corners were practically poking out the sides of her face.

Finally they shook my hand. Isaac was first. His hand looked like a giant's compared to mine. He shook it firmly. Taylor was next, his hand was rather cold. It gave me shivers. I didn't let it show, of course! Last was Zac. His hand felt kind of sweaty. (As you have probably already noticed, I am a very observant person.)

I don't know why, but I didn't look at their faces when they were introducing themselves.

I knew the three of them were probably wondering why I was with Candice and Beth. You see, they (Candice and Beth) just came off the stage where they performed (sang) a few songs, all written by me. (We were at Tulsa's Mayfest)

Now I know you are genuinely confused, lemme explain. You see, we are in a band called 'Fragrance'. I know what your thinking, and I agree with you but, Candice thought of that name, of course. I have no choice in that kind of thing. Personally, I think it is a crappy, wussy name for a band.

I don't sing with them - but that is kinda hard to explain.

Beth was my friend even before my parents left me and I became an orphan. Candice isn't really my friend but much more of Beth's friend. Candice suggested to start a band.

Beth persuaded Candice into letting me into her band. Candice said she didn't want me to sing with them (she thinks that I'll probably ruin her perfect reputation) but she'll let me into the band if I write their songs for them - that's how I began writing lyrics.

Then, my parents deserted me and Candice disliked me and the idea of me in her band even more.

I guess they are sort of using me but I don't mind because the band's the most important thing in my life. This is because the school, middle of the year, holidays are about to commence and I will be bored out of my brain.

I suppose I should let you know now that my self esteem is pretty low.

If your wondering how I know about Hanson, it is because I get magazines every fortnight. Even though i am an orphan, I usually manage to fork up roughly $3 every fortnight. I give it to Beth's uncle, who owns a mini newsagent and he gives me a magazine. If I don't have enough (money) he'll give me discounts - because I am Beth's friend and she asks him to for me. She's a real pal.

I don't have many friends, only Beth. I am not including Candice as my friend.

At the present time, Hanson were congratulating Beth and Candice on their performance.

Zac, from what I read is the most 'bold' (*A.N. Not hair wise. hehe. Ok, I know that one is spelt bad. Oh well.*) asked me, " Are you in the band too, or just a friend?"

I felt hot and didn't know what to say. They wouldn't understand. All of this whizzed through my head rapidly and finally I decided to tell them the truth.

Candice looked embarrassed already. I smiled slightly and said "I am in the band." Candice looked away.

Taylor pushed further and asked, " How come you didn't sing?" Candice's head whizzed back to face me.

Even though I spotted a flame igniting, I also saw fright and pleading. She put on her perfect, 'honest' and 'innocent' smile and turned to Taylor. She falsely stated, " She has a sore throat today." ( She didn't want them to know she and Beth were singing the songs I wrote.) Candice even sugar coated it by pretending to give me sympathy.

Beth looked at Candice weirdly. It was hard to notice but I have known her for all these years that I could tell easily.

I frowned at Candice. Ike, Tay and Zac noticed even though it was only meant for Candice to see. I said quietly, " No, I don't sing in the band."

The Hansons looked genuinely confused. I was about to continue but suddenly Candice grabbed Taylor's and Zac's hands and said, " Let's go eat something at the special backstage snack table." Before they could comment she dragged them off. Isaac shrugged and walked after them. Beth and I eyed each other. I knew we were both thinking the same thing: typical Candice.

Despite all that, we still followed them. After all this time, my insides were still ecstatic. When we caught up to Candice, Isaac, Taylor and Zachary, they were devouring chocolate crackles.

I took a deep breath, which was just for the sake of it - if you excluded the part that Hanson was standing in front of me. It must have been loud because Zac turned to me and asked, "Are you ok?" I quickly nodded while staring at my shoes. He just shrugged and turned his attention back to what Candice was saying - which was something about singing.

I accidentally let a giggle escape, but luckily this time, no one noticed it. I pressed my lips together to suppress any further laughter. I will tell you, now, that I have a very unusual sense of humour and once I start - when no one else is laughing or when I am not supposed to laugh - I can never stop!

Beth looked at me and saw my face go red. She too started laughing. Beth can never laugh silently and she sounds like a drunk hyena when she starts. Fortunately, unlike me, Beth only finds things funny for a few seconds then she will stop - but during those few seconds of her laughter, the Hanson brothers looked at her questioningly while Candice kept blabbering on. I guess she was used to Beth's sudden bursts of laughter.

As I had mentally predicted, Beth stopped laughing and Ike, Tay and Zac turned their attention back to Candice.

I guessed that her perfect charm, was already doing wonders on these three famous brothers. From her paper cup, Candice was simultaneously sipping Pepsi. I felt my tummy grumble so I went around Candice to get some food. Her back was towards me when I popped a corn chip into my mouth.

When I looked up, I heard all five of them laughing at something. That was when Candice walked backwards and stumbled over me. Her pepsi flew out of her cup and landed on me. Luckily I was wearing a loose tee shirt.

Candice practically screamed, "Gabrielle!!" (No one calls me Gabrielle unless I done something wrong - people usually call me Gabbi.)

I jump two miles in the air. One mile from the cold soda, suddenly drenching me from head to toe and the other from Candice screaming 'Gabrielle' right into my ear.

While I was soaked, Ike, Tay, Zac and Beth all had looks of shock on their faces. I wasn't dumb enough to expect an apology, but still, I hadn't expected her to scream at me. She yelled, "Why did you do that?!! Man I can't believe my luck today!!"

I replied quietly, "Excuse me, but your the one who walks into me, and I am the one covered in soda." I didn't say it harshly nor half the volume she did, but mentally I wanted to strangle her!

She looked dumbfounded for a millisecond, then her eyes - in my opinion - turned evil again. She said, or rather ordered, "You look a disgrace! Get into that bathroom and fix yourself up!" With that, she pushed me towards the rest room door.

I looked back and frowned at what I saw, for, the four of them had turned their attention back to Candice. As I walked into the rest room I heard Candice say, " Gabbi can be so inconsiderate sometimes..."

I was speechless! I couldn't believe what she said. Who did she think she was? I mean she bumped into me, spilt her Pepsi on me - including in my hair, then she blamed it on me and scolded me like she was my mother! On top of it all, she embarrassed me in front of three of my idols. The whole thing was actually her fault! I was furious but kept my anger inside of me.

In less than five minutes, I went from a dry and giggling person to a wet, sticky, furious and embarrassed one that didn't deserve it. I am not trying to receive sympathy from anyone, but it is the truth.

After about two minutes, I calmed myself. I looked in the mirror and saw an absolute monster. Actually it was me but it looked like I came out of a garbage can.

There wasn't much I could do about my shirt. Luckily it was black and you couldn't tell that it was wet, as easily. I washed my face and took out my hair lackey. I am not the kind of person who carries around a brush in their bag - I don't even have a bag! That is more of a Candice thing to do. I did the best I could by coming my hair with my fingers. It was all sticky so I put some water in it.

I looked at the finished product in the mirror. It wasn't much of an improvement, but it would have to do. I looked at my watch, and saw that I had taken about four minutes. I took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom.

Expecting to be greeted by the four of them watching Candice do her flirt procedure, I was genuinely shocked. There was not a person in sight. The room was empty. Even the food table looked lonely. It took me another couple of seconds to figure out that they had deserted me. I felt terrible, like I had nobody, like there was nobody to trust - I felt so strongly about this because, I've experienced it before, many times. I felt like crying, but I knew I wouldn't. I didn't even cry when my parents abandon me. The situations are sort of the same but that was much worse.

I sat down on the cold, hard bench and thought. I could go and look for them....? If Hanson performed way later in the day then they could have left the Mayfest carnival altogether. but if they didn't leave, the backstage rooms aren't very big and I could probably find them if I tried....but I didn't want to be some place where I wasn't wanted.

I listened carefully, and heard laughing. A comedian was probably performing at the moment. Just then some people came in. No. It wasn't Hanson or Beth or Candice. It was a little girl and her mother.

I didn't stare at them because I didn't want to be rude, but out of the corner of my eyes, I saw that the little girl was very cute. I tried to keep myself amused by fiddling with my watch.