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As Bianca Parker walked down the long hallway, she began to notice that her calmness was very rapidly turning into nervousness. The butterflies in her stomach were terrible, and she felt as though she was going to throw up any second. "I can't do this," Bianca thought aloud.

"Oh yes you can and you're damn well going to," replied Brianna Chambers, Bianca's best friend.

Never before had Bianca felt so nervous. She had been through plenty of auditions, however, she had never auditioned for a major record label. She began thinking how she wanted to back out instead of risking it and being not only rejected, but also laughed at. That thought terrified Bianca the most.

"Look, you'll do a great job. In fact, I know you're gonna blow them away," Brianna said bringing Bianca back from her thoughts. "You're pure talent. Anyone can look at you and tell that," she said trying to reassure her best friend for the trillionth time.

"That's your opinion, not the opinion of those big-wigs sitting in that room waiting for me to show up. They probably said they wanted me to audition because they felt sorry for me," Bianca said half seriously and half for reassurance from Brianna.

"Fine! Bianca, you're right. They're just waiting so they can watch and then just reject you because they need to reject someone right now," Brianna replied loudly. "They needed to kill time so they decided to let you come and audition with now intentions of calling you back! It's just one big conspiracy centered on you."

"Brianna why did you say that? You know how I am about being rejected! I cannot believe you just said those things to me!" Bianca fought back her emotions.

"You know I wasn't serious. Just calm down and give them all you've got," Brianna said giving Bianca a hug.

*ONE HOUR LATER*

"I told you that you would do a great job and, damn it you refused to listen to me!" Brianna greeted her best friend oh-so-affectionately after her big audition.

"I know, I know," Bianca started to reply. "I was just so nervous. They want me to come back next week for the final round. They'll pick one opening act from the five acts they heard from today."

It had been Bianca's dream to tour with the Backstreet Boys and sing for Jive Records since the first time she heard a BSB song on the radio. Every time someone mentioned them or one of their songs the first comment out of her mouth would be "they have to be the five hottest guys in the world." Although Bianca didn't know much more about them, she knew they had the looks and the talent.

Brianna, on the other hand, was different. She wanted to be behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight. She just never wanted to have all the attention. She thought it was fine for Bianca, but not for her.

Bianca just wouldn't accept the fact that Brianna didn't want to help her start a duo. They would always end up arguing when one of them brought up the subject. "But Brianna, you know I can't do this alone. Besides, you can sing better than me. You need to forget about your fears and sing," Bianca would always say, trying to convince her best friend that she needed her help.

Brianna's only reply would be, "I'm not scared, I'm just not an attention hog." Brianna, however, was scared and was just too proud to admit that to anyone.

The two girls did finally meet an agreement. Brianna decided she would do Bianca's make-up and hair for her shows. "I still think you should sing with me," Bianca would say to bug Brianna every now and then.

That day, when Bianca said that, Brianna got irritated. "Bianca, we are not going into this again. I don't want you to be ill at me because I won't sing, but you know I can't get out there in front of people and perform. There has to be a little conceit in a performance, and I can't stand on a stage and say 'these hundreds and thousands of people are here for me to entertain them.' If you can do that, it's wonderful and I'm really happy for you. And no matter what you do, I will be 100 percent behind you all the way. But you have to understand that there are certain things that you have to do alone."

Bianca said nothing, but realized for the first time that Brianna was right.

*TWO WEEKS LATER*

"Why do we have to be here?" Nick asked as he and the other five guys walked to the van that was taking them to the Jive Records studio.

"For the millionth time, we have to be here to greet the newest member or members of Jive Records because they'll be touring with us this year," Brian answered his best friend.

"Well, who are we going to be greeting and congratulating? It would be nice to know if we are going to be touring with a guy or a girl. Maybe even more than one girl," A.J. said with a mischievous smile. "What are the chances of this group being female?"

"Well, considering the fact that they only had one guy audition last week, I'd say that the chances are pretty good. Unless they decide to put us through hell and make us tour with a guy," Howie replied not looking at A.J.'s reaction.

"All I can say is that I sure hope they find a fine girl. Who cares about touring with some guy? A chick would be more fun to hang out with, anyway." A.J. said looking at the other four with the same grin he had given them before.

*AT THE SAME TIME*

"Wish me luck."

"Girl, you know you don't need it," Brianna reassured Bianca as she waited to go into the office. "Besides, it's bad luck for me to say that."

"I hope you're right. I wonder where everybody else it? They're probably calling every-body to come in at different times, and the winner will probably be told to come last," Bianca answered her own question. "You know, I'm kinda nervous but not as bad as last week when I was at the final audition. I keep thinking I should be more nervous now because this is it. If I don't make it now, I don't make it at all. But I'm really not that nervous."

Just then Bianca heard her name over the loudspeaker in the lobby. "Okay, here goes nothing," she said standing up.

"No, you mean here goes everything," Brianna corrected her. That was just like Brianna to try her best to scare Bianca when she was under a great deal of pressure.

*20 MINUTES LATER*

As Brianna sat wondering what the hell was taking so long, she heard the entrance doors open. When she looked up, she saw five guys walking through the door. "Hmmm, they're pretty cute. I wonder how old they are?" she thought as she gave them a pleasant smile.

"Hi," the tall, dark-haired one said walking by. Brianna noticed how gorgeous he was.

The guys sat down waiting. They were all cute. The two shorter ones were sweeter looking. One had his long curly hair slicked back into a pony-tail and the other was slightly taller with short dirty blond curls. The skinny guy was kinda tall and he had blue hair. Brianna also noticed the numerous tattoos on his arms. The youngest one, holding a comic book, had straight, blonde locks that hung to his ears. He was cute in a boyish way but the last guy, the one who had greeted her, was the one she noticed the most. He had dark brown hair that was short and unkempt. The feature she noticed about him though was his eyes. He had the most beautiful green eyes and Brianna had never seen any eyes so intense.

"So are you here auditioning?" he asked breaking her thoughts. She began to blush when she realized she had been staring.

"Um, no. My best friend came last week for the finals and had to come back today," she answered him.

"So, your best friend is it a girl or a guy?" the blue-haired one asked her.

"A.J. don't start with that," green-eyes said turning to give him a serious look.

Just then, the door to the office opened and Bianca slowly emerged. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't crying either. She was obviously shocked, but whether it was good or bad was yet to be determined.

"Bianca, what happened? Did you get it? What's wrong? Please tell me!" Brianna said as Bianca sat down in a chair.

"Well, I don't really know. They gave me a bunch of papers to go over and sign. They said it was legal stuff. And then they told me to wait out her to meet the guys I'll be touring with. It all happened so fast..." she said not yet realizing the full meaning of those words.

"Well, guys, we can finally meet our opening act," Kevin said. "I'm Kevin. I realize you're Bianca, but you still haven't told me your name," he said turning to Brianna with a sexy smile.

"Brianna Chambers," she replied blushing once more.

As the guys walked over to greet Bianca, Kevin noticed Nick wasn't in attendance. He looked back at the couch and found him in the same spot still reading his comic book.

"Nick, come over and be social, or the ladies are gonna hate you," Brian said jokingly in an attempt to get his best friends attention.

When Nick didn't look up from his comic book, Kevin decided to take matters into his own hands. "Nick!" he yelled.

"What?" Nick yelled looking up from his comic book for the first time since they had been there.

"Come over here and be nice to the new talent," Kevin said managing to keep his temper under control.

"Fine," Nick said reluctantly as he stood up.

"Bianca, don't worry about him, he'll be fine, he's just a little sick," A.J. told her as Nick started over toward the group.

"Really? What's the matter with him?" she asked, looking at Nick then back to A.J.

"He has mad cow disease," A.J. said giving Bianca a smile that sent tingles down her spine. She stood admiring him as he talked to everyone else. He was someone that she never would have gone after before, but for some reason she was very attracted to him now. She had never met someone as mysterious and unpredictable as him and that's mainly why she liked him. Her thoughts were broken when Nick walked up.

"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Nick," he said looking down at the ground.

"I'm Bianca," she said smiling sweetly and trying unsuccessfully to see his face.

"Nick, I told her that she doesn't have to worry about your condition," A.J. told him lightly. He punched him in the arm out of playfulness.

"What condition?" Nick asked with a puzzled expression.

"The rather bad case of mad cow disease that you were diagnosed with last week," he replied with a smirk.

"That's really not funny, A.J. You really need a new past time. I do not have mad cow disease..." he said looking at Bianca for the first time. 'Wow,' he thought. 'She's beautiful.'

Nick studied her face carefully, taking in her every delicate feature. Her eyes were a warm ocean-blue that Nick could lose himself in and they were surrounded by long, midnight lashes. Her lips, slightly pursed, were cherry-red as if she had been biting them out of nervousness.

Her fair skin was glowing under the light and her hair gleamed in mahogany layers that fell just below her shoulders. Nick had to fight the urge to reach out and run his hands through Bianca's hair. He wanted to feel the soft strands glide through his fingers.

She was average height and slender; petite and healthy. With one look Nick could tell she was all girl. He couldn't find a trace of tomboy nature anywhere. Normally, he liked a girl to be sweet, but to be able to tumble with the guys, too. Someone he could rough-house with as well as be romantic to. Bianca looked like anything but the rough-and-tumble type and these totally feminine girls didn't usually interest Nick, but there was something about her that held his attention; almost like a magic bond.

"Umm, well, hmmm..." he stuttered losing all feeling in his body.

"Looks like Nick has a crush," A.J. said poking him in the side.

"No I don't!" he said blushing profusely.

"Well, we have to go, but you need to meet us here tomorrow at 12:30 Bianca," Kevin told her with a smile as their manager came out of his office. "Brianna, you need to come to," he said, looking at her with the same sexy smile as before. "We're gonna take you two to lunch and show you around the town."

"We'll be here at 12:30 on the dot," Brianna said with the sweetest smile she could produce.

"Bye, ladies," the guys said as they left the building.

When they were out of earshot Bianca let out the loudest scream she could. "I'm gonna be touring with the Backstreet Boys!!!" All Brianna could do was look on with amusement.

Walking out to her car she thought to herself, 'This is gonna be an experience I'll never forget!'