REMEMBER to send feedback to the author, Jessica

» CHAPTER TWO: ANOTHER CHANCE «

About a week later, Crystal and Tory came by for dinner. After saying hi to Monica theY started telling Gwen some good news.

"Hey Gwen, guess what?" Crystal asked.

"What?"

"The Backstreet Boys are coming!" Tory exclaimed.

"C'mon Tor! I wanted to tell her" Crystal whined playfully.

"Sorry, so you wanna go?" Tory asked.

"Oh yeah, sure, I'll just make Monica disappear for the night," Gwen said sarcastically, shaking her head.

"Me no disappear!" Monica wailed.

"Don't worry baby, you're not going anywhere" Gwen soothed her and gave her her supper.

"What about your Mom?" Crystal asked.

"She stays at my Mom's all day while I work."

"Oh."

They all ate in silence for about 20 minutes. Then Tory spoke up.

"Gwen, do you want to go to the concert?"

"Yeah, I really do."

"Ok, then how about I get Monica a ticket?" Tory asked

"That would be great, thank you" Gwen replied.

"Then I will, I can't wait, this is going to be so much fun!"

It's two weeks later. Tory, Crystal, Gwen, and little Monica all waited to be let inside the concert. They all looked great, Tory and Crystal were made up to perfection. Tory's short ash blond hair fell straight to her chin. Her blue eyes laughed at the chaos around them. Her pale skin looked absolutely flawless. Crystal's dark blond hair was worn straight and to her shoulders. Her blue-gray eyes sparkled with excitement. Her face was peppered with freckles. Gwen felt like the ugly one of the group. In all the time it took to get Monica ready, she hadn't even had time to blow-dry her hair. So it fell in full, light brown waves to the middle of her back. Her big brown eyes marvelled at the scene around her. Her skin had a nice tan color to it. She thought even Monica looked better than her. With her baby fine hair and chubby cheeks. Her hair had her mothers color but her fathers graceful curls. Monica's eyes were big and green, just like her dads. Gwen couldn't look into them without seeing him, and sometimes that hurt a lot.

The concert was great. At the end, the very last song, each of the guys pulled a girl on stage. Howie decided to be different that night. Instead of choosing a screaming teenager , he choose baby Monica. And when she refused to go alone, Gwen was invited up too.

Howie started singing to Monica, but eventually ended up looking at Gwen. She looked right back into his gentle brown eyes. She saw something there, a light, a warmth that she never found in Monica's fathers eyes. And by the end of the song she was thoroughly lost in them. So lost in fact she didn't even know what song they were singing. At the end of the concert the girls got rushed backstage with the guys.

"So, I'm AJ....." AJ started saying.

"Um... excuse me, but I think we all now who you are," Gwen interrupted.

"OK,good point. So, who are you guys?" he asked.

"Well. I'm Gwen and this is Monica."

"Cool, you two sisters?" Brian asked.

"No," Gwen laughed.

"What's so funny?" Nick asked.

"Monica is my daughter."

"Your DAUGHTER!" Kevin exclaimed. He was off in the corner playing with Monica. The other 4 girls introduced themselves and were rushed off by bodyguards. The guys had asked Gwen to stay.

"Listen. My friends are waiting for me. Think you guys can hook it up?" Gwen asked

"Sure!" Howie said. "How many and what are their names?"

"Two, Crystal and Tory" she answered. Howie motioned to a guard and within 5 minutes the other 2 girls were with them.

"Wow," Tory said. "This reminds me off when we used to sing."

"You used to sing?" Brian asked.

"Yeah we almost had a record deal but..." Crystal said.

"I got pregnant," Gwen finished.

"You didn't get a deal 'cuz you got pregnant?" Kevin said

"Thats cold, man," AJ added.

"Hey, maybe we can get someone to give you a second chance," Nick offered.

"Really?" Crystal asked.

"Sure, we'll be here a few weeks. Call me and I'll see what we can do" Howie said, handing his number to Gwen.

"Yeah, and you can even take this little one with you" Kevin said, handing Gwen a sleeping Monica.

After the girls left, the Backstreet Boys climbed on the tour bus back to the hotel.

"Hey D, you don't care if those girls can sing, you just want to see Gwen again don't ya?" AJ asked.

"Maybe," Howie answered. "Careful man, she has a daughter. You can't be playing around with a single mother," AJ warned.

"I know man, I know," Howie replied.

¤ Chapter 3: The Waitress ¤
REMEMBER to send feedback to the author, Jessica