A few weeks later I found myself in the car with my mom.

"Hello?" I answered my ringing cell phone.

"Annie! Hey, whats up?" A friend Ariel asked.

I smiled and looked out the car window. "Not much, Mom just picked me up from my shift volunteering at the children's hospital."

"Fun, what's you do today?"

"They let me work in the cheer guild taking toys around to sick kids in the cancer center. It was so sad but a ton of fun to see their faces light up." I explained. I loved cheering up sick kids.

"Yeah, I dunno if I could handle being around those poor sick kids. It'd make me cry for sure."She responded

"Annie, when we get home you have to get that paper typed up for school. You've been putting it off and now the due date is Monday." Mom cut in.

"Alright." i told her rolling my eyes a little.

"I'm serious Annie. You hear me? You can't do anything else till you finish that paper." Her accent was now strong. I hated how the small things upset her so greatly.

Someone needed to invent a real chill-pill for parents.

"Ok mom. I'll do it." My voice was slightly raised.

"Girl, your mom cracks me up." Ariel said making me laugh a little.

"I'm glad someone finds her amusing." I teased looking at mom.

"Hey!" She joked back gently smacking my leg.

I just laughed and stuck out MY tongue as WE turned onto their street.

"Tell her goodbye now Annie." My mom instructed.

"Annie, if you can e-mail me those pictures of the concert you promised." Ariel quickly said knowing I didn't have much more time.

I smiled, "Ok, bye."

"Bye Annie." With that she hung up just as the car came to it's final stop.

Mom got out of the car and I quickly followed suit. I wasn't thrilled about typing up a paper but I knew she had to. It was the only way to get mom off my case.

Reluctantly I trudged upstairs to the office and got on the computer. Mom strolled in and watched as I opened the word program and typed the title of the paper.

"Keep going." My mom said and left the room.

I typed a few lines then smiled as I heard her mother going down stairs. Quickly I opened up the internet and logged on MY e-mail as I allowed AIM to sign on.

I took no time to look and see who was on-line that I could chat with. Instead I went quickly to work e-mailing MY concert photos to Ariel.

As I hit send she clicked back over to work a little more on that stupid paper.

It was boring and, in my mind, dumb but I typed on. When I was nearly half fished a chat log popped up on the screen.

It was Nick.

"I've been on this whole time and you aint messaged me? What kinda fan are you?" He added a smiley with his tongue stuck out.

I smiled big and typed back, "One that is working on typing up some dumb paper for school."

"Oh, that's no fun but I guess it gets you off the hook." Was his reply.

"Yeah, not fun at all. What are you up to?"

"I had a scheduled on line chat with fans. Just finished."

As I began to reply he added, "I hate those things. Too much talking at one time. Then the fans gets mad cause I can't get to everyone's questions." A red face smiley was added.

"Guess it's a good thing I didn't message you then. You were busy being a backstreet boy."

"I'm always a backstreet boy. But..."

"But what?" I asked curious.

"I would have made time to talk to you."

It made me blush and I tried not to squeal. Collecting myself I typed, "Me? You'd make time to talk to me? Why?"

"I like talking to you. When I talk to you I almost feel normal."

mY face scrunched a bit. She didn't understand. She wasn't sure how to respond so I just simply typed, "I don't get it. How does talking to me make you almost feel normal?"

There was a pause that was way too long followed by my reply, "You're the first girl in a long time that isn't related to me that talks to me like I'm no one special. It's a really nice change."

"Wow." Was all I could come up with to say back.

"Between you and me, I love being a backstreet boy but sometimes, I can't help but miss who I was before all this fame. A someone lonely, no one living with my parents and sibling at a retirement home."

Quickly he added, "But I'm trusting you not to share that with anyone."

"I promise Nick and... I'm glad I can help you. I enjoy helping people."

"Thank you and that's nice. I just wish I could talk to you more often then the rare chance we're on-line together."

I thought for a moment. I wished the same thing but wasn't sure how to fix it.

"Why doesn't he just call you?" My little sister's voice was right behind her.

"Out!" I demanded.

MY sister rolled her eyes and left.

"That's a great thought tho sis." I softly said and typed, "You could always call me. Like just use *69 if you're worried about me having your number. I do have a cell so it's not like anyone but me would answer."

"I could do that. It'd be nice hearing your voice sometimes."

I smiled and cheered inwardly. I began to type her number in response when I heard, "Off that chat! Don't make me force you to write it by hand."

"It's Nick though." I protested.

"Sorry, school comes first." Mom ordered.

As my mom turned, sidetracked by my step-dad I finished sending my number then quickly said, "I gotta go, stupid school paper. Call me tho!"

He replied with a simple, "K, I will, get an A."

"Bye." I laughed.

"Later."