Backstreet Callings

"Daily Herald…" Another voice came onto the other end of the phone.
"Hello, my name is Leighanne Wallace. I need to speak with the editor…"
"Umm…ma'am I'm sorry we can't do that…if you could just tell me what it is you needed then I could help…" The receptionist began but Leighanne quickly interrupted her.
"Michael Jones, the editor. Tell him, I'm on the phone….Leighanne Wallace…he'll take the call…" Leighanne said confidently.

"Hey Brian man, we've got 10 minutes…" AJ said as Howie and Brian returned to the dressing room.
"I can read my watch AJ…" Brian said testily.
"Yeah? Well read this, over 40 million people are going to be watching tonight man…..don't fuck this up for us…" AJ said his eyes piercing Brian's in a steady gaze.
"What? Kirstie been in your ear too AJ? Nice to see old friendships die hard…" Brian said shaking his head.
"No, Kirstie hasn't got shit to do with this. We all know what you're going through man…..cause we feel it too, this has affected us as well…..but for the next two hours we've gotta be the professionals that we're supposed to be and just do our job. And then after that we can go back to our screwball lives…..got it?" AJ said firmly, his glare still not shifting from Brian's crystal blue eyes.
"Got it…." Brian replied quieter.

Nick who had been watching this display standing around uncomfortably with the others stepped forward.
"Come on guys….lets not fight…." He pleaded.
"Woah….big call coming from little Nicky .."
"I'm gonna woop your ass Kevin" Howie broke into a grin.
The others laughed slightly, and even Brian broke out in a grin.
"What are you laughing at AJ….how many time you threatened to quit now?" Kevin poked AJ playfully in the chest.
"I could never quit……you guys are my family. We've been through too much man….seen too much fine booty too….over our years and journeys…." AJ raised his eyebrows grinning.
"Ahh…but even the famous Bone has settled down…..none of that game anymore boy…." Howie put his arm affectionately around AJ.
"No wonder I smoke…" AJ replied dryly.

"Come on guys…..lets do this for each other tonight alright? Fuck everyone else because at the end of the day…..if the 5 of us are together…the legend of Backstreet won't go quietly into the night….hell no…" Nick said putting his hand in the middle of the group.
"To Backstreet!" AJ yelled, putting his hand over Nicks, the others following.
"BACKSTREET!!" They yelled in unison, drawing strength and love from each other when they all needed it most.

"Backstreet anyone?" Cassidy asked as she flipped through the channels to find the boys live in concert.
"Urgh…turn it off…" Becca turned her head painfully.
"Come on Bec….you know you love him…." Kirstie squeezed her hand gently.
"Yeah I do….but it’s a bit of a problem when he doesn't love me isn't it…" Becca replied sadly.
"That's bullshit right there! I believe the quote was….'I've just fucked up the best thing I've got going for me…'" Cassidy pointed out.
"He said that?" Becca's eyes widened just slightly.
"Yes he did….I believe that was after…no before he told Kirstie to go fuck herself…." Cassidy said with a slight grin.
"He what!!" Becca gasped.
"Its alright….I said it first…." Kirstie giggled slightly.
"Oh well that's alright then.…urgh!" Becca buried her head in a pillow with a hint of a smile on her face.
"Backstreet it is!" Cassidy said gleefully finally finding the channel and turning it up.
Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Umm…Come in…." Kirstie turned surprised.
Another knock.
"I'll get it then…" Kirstie said confused.
She opened the door and there were three nurses with their hands full with a large cardboard box each.
"Ohh…here let me help you…" Kirstie said taking a box, it was surprisingly heavy.

"These are all for Miss Fong….." The first nurse said puffing slightly as the other nurses entered the room and put the boxes down beside the bed.

"What are they??" Cassidy said intrigued as she walked over to them.

"Mail run today…." The last nurse to exit the room said before the closed door behind her.

"Mail?? What the…." Becca said as she tried to peer over the side of the bed.
Cassidy quickly ripped open a box.
"Oh my god!!!" She said as she pulled a handful of envelopes and small packages out.
"Open one…" Becca said quickly, her eyes wide in amazement.
"Ok.." Cassidy giggled and quickly ripped the envelope open and began to read aloud.

Dear Rebecca (or do you like Becca better?)

"Oh how cute…" Kirstie giggled.
"Shh.." Becca waved her away with a grin.

My Name is Krystal and I am 11 years old. I go to Felt Valley Elementary School. The Backstreet Boys are my favourite band and I have a horse called Sandy.

I heard that you were sick and I really hope this gets to you.
No one really knows what's wrong, but there's been some pretty wild rumors on the net so I just wanted to send you this letter to tell you to get well really quick.

My Nanna is really sick at the moment so I know how it can make people sad. And I don't want Brian to be sad because you're sick, because I love him too and I want him to be happy. Because you seem to make him so happy!

Well I know that you'll probably never read this, but anyway. You're in my prayers and please get better.
Backstreet Pride Alive
Krystal

"Ohhh….how sweet!" Becca gushed as Cassidy handed her the letter to read for herself.
"I can't get over how nice some people are in this world you know…" Kirstie said shaking her head while she silently read another letter, similar to the first.
"I can't get over how hot Nick is looking in this concert….you know…" Cassidy smiled her famous cheeky smile as Becca and Kirstie rolled their eyes laughing.

Beth Porter bounced down one of the busy corridors of the Daily Herald, the newspaper where she worked. 18 years old and full of life, Beth loved her job as the entertainment columnist for the paper and couldn't think of anything she'd rather be doing at the point in….

"Beth!" She cranky receptionist that no one really liked barked her name.
"Yes?" Beth smiled brightly at her.
"Go tell Mr Jones that there's an American woman on the phone who won't take no for an answer….says she knows him…..here's the name…" The receptionist handed a yellow post it with a scribbled name on the face.
"Ok…" Beth agreed and began to walk to the editors office.

Halfway there Beth looked at the post it interested.
"Leighanne Wallace…." She said aloud. Her brain ticked over for a minute as a feeling of familiarity washed over her.
"Leighanne Wallace….American woman…. It couldn't be…" Beth bit her lip excitedly.

Beth Porter had been a Backstreet Boys fan since she was 13 years old. She had followed their careers since day one, and had covered 3 of their shows for the Daily Herald. She had requested, but never scored an interview.

"Oh my god it wouldn't be….would it…" Beth wondered aloud as she came to the door of Michael Jones, the editor.

"Well I guess we'll see…." Beth whispered as she knocked and slowly opened the door.

"Umm…hello, what can I do for you…uhh..uhh…sorry its just slipped my…." A large man in a suit looked up as Beth closed the door behind her.
"Beth…its Beth Mr Jones….I'm the entertainment reporter…." Beth replied a little annoyed.
"Ahh..yes yes, Beth, what's up?" He put on his cheesy grin that gave Beth the creeps.
"I was just sent up from reception to tell you that a Leighanne Wallace called and wants to speak with you urgently.
Michael Jones froze momentarily, his trademark grin falling slightly.
"Ahh….did she say for any matter in particular?" He regained his com
posure quickly.
"No sorry…." Beth said, confused at his peculiar expression. "Thankyou, I'll get back to her straight away…" The editor replied and picked up the phone.
"No problem…" Beth said casually and walked out of the office.

"I wonder if we've got an interview with THE Leighanne Wallace…" Beth thought excitedly to herself as she walked down the corridor again.
She looked around at the office space, at all the people working in their little cubicles, a dull roar of voices and phones ringing as background noise.
She spotted a spare office square and looked at the phone guiltily.
"I really shouldn't…."
"What if it is her though…"
"No one'll know…" Beth hurried over to the cubicle and quickly picked up the phone pressing the 3 way on the editors phone line. Her eyes widened as she listened to the conversation.

"Leighanne our transaction is done…." Michael's voice said trembling slightly.
"I just wanted to reassure myself of our deal Michael…..I didn't expect Becca to nearly die on us…and now that the little twerp's got the sympathy vote going….Brian is getting more and more soft. He doesn't believe she did it….and is obviously going to investigate a little further in the matter…." Leighanne said through gritted teeth.
"There's no way that it can be traced to you Leighanne, Becca's name is all over the transaction of the tape you gave us….Brian is as good as yours…." Michael said laughing softly.
"Unfortunately things didn't go according to plan in that department….and he just can't see what he's doing to himself Michael….what is wrong with me! What has she got that I don't!" Leighanne said frustratedly.
"Nothing Leighanne, I think you're a wonderful woman…..Brian will see that he doesn't need Becca soon…" Michael soothed, knowing that if he upset Leighanne, it could mean less money for him out of this more than shady deal that had been struck between them.
"I don't think that he's going to! I honestly don't…..and he's going to pay…" Leighanne said bitterly.
"Umm…Leighanne? What do you mean…" Michael said worriedly.
"I want you to run the story…." Leighanne said firmly.
"You what!" Michael gasped.
"You heard me…..run the godamn story, I know you made a copy of that tape…" Leighanne said calmly.
"Leighanne we'd be sued for millions….it'd be huge….it'd bring their careers crashing down…" Michael spluttered.
"That's what insurance is for! And wouldn't it be worth it?? This is the scoop of the year! Everyone thinks those pricks are the most innocent choir boys in the world! Perfect! Well this would show them wouldn't it? Alcohol abuse, threesomes, stripshows…..god it couldn't get more perfect if the devil himself had sent it to you!" Leighanne said excitedly.
"Leighanne! You can't….we can't…it was just in fun that stuff….on the tape…" Michael was sweating nervously.
"Yeah, but the rest of the world doesn't know that anyway? Oh please, do not tell me the trashiest tabloid editor in history is growing a conscience on me! Jesus Christ! Brian has to go down for what he did to me….and I want Becca's reputation to go down with it…." Leighanne said determinedly.
"Leighanne…." Michael began.
"Another 50,000 to run it by Christmas……" Leighanne offered.
Michael paused. Finally he sighed in defeat.
"Alright….I'll do it…" He conceded.
"Thankyou….now was that so hard? Your check will be in the mail…." Leighanne smiled evilly as she hung up the phone.

Beth quickly slammed down the phone and looked around her nervously. She breathed deeply trying to steady her nerves after what she just had heard.

"I need to stop this…..I can't believe this! I need to tell the boys…I need to tell someone! But how??" Beth screamed to herself as she grabbed her bag and quickly raced back to her office.