By the next morning, the foundation had been poured and the walls for the first floor were going up. It was pretty amazing what all could get done in a day, with the help of many others. It seemed like more people than ever had showed up to help out for this build.

                Lena glanced around at everything groggily. She hadn’t gotten all that much sleep, as being alone on the bus still kind of creeped her out. And not wanting to seem like a baby, she hadn’t asked Paul to stay with her on the bus. She hadn’t even bothered to call Ty again, as she had done the previous night. She refused to admit she was chicken. She’d lived on the streets before, so surely a bus she was locked safely in overnight was nothing to fear.

                “Morning, love,” Ed smiled at her, as he came to stand next to her. “Beautiful sight, ain’t it? Most of them were up all night constructing it.”

                “Mm…that’s nice,” Lena mumbled, rubbing some more sleep from her eyes. She didn’t dare mention that she too had been building stuff late into the night. She’d snuck off the bus and into her tent to do so, knowing that with all the noise everyone else was making, no one would hear her. So, this was the other reason she was so tired this morning.

                “Tired love?” Ed asked, as he watched her yawn for a third time. “What time did you get to bed?”

                “Mm…Oh, I don’t know,” Lena answered after a long moment. “I collapsed on the couch and that was the end of it.”

                Well, least that part was true – she had pretty much collapsed on the couch and been asleep moments later. She just didn’t dare mention that, that hadn’t happened until almost four in the morning – it was now seven and she was more than exhausted.

                Ed chuckled. “You never have been a morning person, have you?”

                “Nah,” Lena replied. “I’d rather stay up late and sleep in.”

                “Which must be hard to do when you’ve school and houses to build,” Ed stated, winking at her.

                Lena giggled a little bit. “Sure… if you say so.”

                Ed shook his head at her. “So how are your designs coming along, love?”

                “They’re coming along nicely,” Lena smiled up at him. “I’m starting to think I ought to design some of it for myself.”

                “I’m sure Ty would let you if you were to ask,” Ed told her, knowing Ty would be more than happy to let her design her own furniture. “You know he’s all for building things.”

                Lena shrugged. “Eh. Maybe if I feel like asking after this, I will. But for now, I guess it’s back to work. I’ve still more things I need to build if I’m to pull this room off.”

                “Did you at least have breakfast this morning, love?”

                “Of course I did,” Lena lied. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Ed shook his head. “That girl is going to find herself in a world of trouble if Paulie or Ty finds out she’s been lying.”

            Lena reached her tent and closed the one flap behind her, in order to conceal not only her designs, but herself as well. She glanced around at everything she’d built thus far, and sighed heavily. She’d still two beds to make, fabrics to pick out, and wallpaper to design. The next four days were going to be extremely long, but she just couldn’t screw this up. She’d always begged Ty and them to let her build more than just tables and other small items; and now that she was being given the chance she did not want to mess it all up. It meant way too much to her, for her to just stop working on it – even if sleep and meals were of necessity. But, they also cut into her building time, and she needed to get things done. 

                “Hmm…where to start….” Lena wondered eyeing her plans some. “The night tables are done, and so is the desk and chairs.”

                She glanced over at the desk she’d built out of BSB CD cases and a wooden structure to ensure it stayed standing. She’d spent most the night lining up the CD case legs just right and gluing them all together – finally finishing the desk at four that morning, which was when she’d finally gone to bed. She’d made sure the titles of each CD faced outward, so the girls could read them if they felt like. She had hit up every CD place she could think of the day before just to find all those cases for actual albums and the singles. Some were repeated more than once, but she’d made sure there was a methodic pattern to it all.

                As for the chairs, she’d made them normal like, but had put the BSB logo on the backs on each chair, so the theme was still there. And the two chair seats were both two different colours. One seat was blue and green, and the other was purple and yellow – the Backstreet Boys’ favourite colours.

                “Well, guess I can start on the beds, then figure the wallpaper and bedding out later. Out of the two, I think the beds are more important,” she reasoned, stifling a yawn. “I know I love my bed, when I get to sleep in it.”

                She grabbed up some tools, then paused again. “Okay, so now how do I design these things?” She sighed heavily. “I think it’s back to the drawing board again. I need an idea before I even start cutting wood.”

                As she sat there staring at her plans, her cell phone rang. She grinned when she saw her best friend’s number scrawl across the screen.

                “Abigail! Hi!” Lena chirped into her phone happily. “What’s up?”

                “Not much. Just felt like calling my best friend, is all,” Abigail replied. “I haven’t heard from you in a few days and was getting worried.”

                “Oh! Sorry! I forgot to text you and tell you the great news!” Lena exclaimed. “Ty’s letting me host the show!”

                “Wow! Really?” Abigail said, sounding excited for her best friend. “Why’d he finally give in to your request?”

                “Because he had to go away to L.A. this week,” Lena giggled. “So I’m in charge and everyone has to do as I say.”

                “Even Paulie?”

                “Well, technically Paulie’s in charge of me,” Lena answered, rolling her eyes as she did so. “But for the most part, he has to do what I say, since I’m team leader.”

                “And you’ve managed to stay out of trouble so far?” Abigail commented. “Wow! I’m surprised.”

                “So am I, to be honest,” Lena confided. “But I think it’s only because this means so much to me. Well, that and the fact the family is full of Backstreet Boys fans. I’m designing a Backstreet room for two of the girls. They’re going to love it! I just know it!”

                “Of course they are!” Abigail enthused. “You design the greatest things ever!”

                “Yeah, maybe,” Lena shrugged. “But they’ll definitely love it because I’ve incorporated BSB into everything!”

                “Really? Man, I’m wishing it were my room you were designing and I haven’t even seen the finished results yet!” Abigail stated. “I bet everything looks amazing!”

                “I’ll send you pictures once everything’s done. You’ll get the first viewing,” Lena promised. “Though, I’m really not supposed to show anybody. But, it’s you. I know I can trust you to keep ‘em secret until the show airs.”

                “Yay! I get the first viewing!” Abigail cheered. “I love having special privileges!”

                  Lena laughed. “Only because I love you girl. I might not even show Ty the finished results. Maybe I’ll make him wait until the show airs for him to see just how awesome I was as team leader and designer.”

                Abigail giggled. “Yeah, that’ll teach him to let you design bigger and better things. No more measly little night tables for you!”

                “Oh, once you see the ones I’ve designed for this room, you’ll be begging me to make you one, trust me,” Lena stated. “I might just make one for myself.”

                “So, what’re you going to work on next?” Abigail questioned.

                “Well, I was going to start on the beds,” Lena answered. “But then I realized I’d no idea as to just how I wanted them to look. I was sitting here staring at the drawing board when you called.”

                “Ooh! Let’s brainstorm together! This way we can say we both helped!” Abigail offered.

                “I’m all for that,” Lena agreed. “Because I’m officially stumped.”

                “What if you make collages on the headboards and footboards,” Abigail suggested. “I was going to do that with mine at one point.”

                “Ooh. Sounds good!” Lena nodded, though her friend couldn’t see her nodding. “And what if we make them canopy beds, and we make the poles leading up to the canopies covered in song titles!”

                “Cute!” Abigail exclaimed. “Sounds like a whole lot of work though.”

                “Nah. I think the only question would be, do I carve the titles into the posts or do I print them up and wrap them around the posts.”

                “Wouldn’t it take too long for you to carve the song titles into eight bed posts?” Abigail reasoned. “You’ve only four more days to get everything done, Lena. Plus you need sleep, meals, and camera time.”

                “Don’t worry so much,” Lena told her friend. “I can manage it all. I’m super, super girl, yanno.”

                “Please don’t start singing that Hannah Montana song now,” Abigail laughed. “I think the workers would question your sanity then.”

                “Only if I were to sing it while wearing a cape,” Lena smirked. “Which actually sounds like a whole lot of fun. Hmm. Maybe I’ll do that later, just to bug Paulie.”

                “Why do I always end up giving your crazy ideas,” Abigail groaned. “Just don’t get yourself into any trouble, okay?”

                “I promise to try not to end up in trouble for anything,” Lena promised. “But, I can’t control Paulie’s moods.”

                “Just don’t irritate him then,” Abigail pointed out. “You know he hates to be irritated.”

                “Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” Lena answered. “Look, I gotta go. I’ve lots to get done before the family comes home.”

                “Have fun!” Abigail told her. “Stay safe and out of trouble too!”

                “Fun is what defines the job of team leader,” Lena said happily. “Nothing beats being team leader of a huge project.”

                “Bye girlie,” Abigail said, giggling some. “Love you.”

                “Love you more,” Lena insisted, then quickly hung up her phone, only to have a text ring through moments later. She laughed at reading the No, I love you more message from her friend. “I love our usual argument.”

                Soon as she’d tucked her phone safely back into her tool belt, she began drawing up her plans for the beds straight away. Thanks to Abigail’s phone call, she was even more excited about designing the beds, than she’d previously been – as if that were even possible.

~~~~~

                “Hey Ed, have you seen Lena at all this morning?” Paul asked, as he came off their signature bus. “She’s not on the bus, and I thought for sure I’d have to wake her up this morning.”

                “She’s already off in her tent doing her thing,” Ed replied. “I saw her when I arrived a half hour ago. Haven’t seen her since though, so I’m assuming she’s still in there.”

                “Thanks,” Paul said, heading off in the direction of Lena’s tent. “I’m going to go check on how she’s doing.”

                Ed nodded in response. “I hope he doesn’t realize the young lass probably never slept long last night. If so, I don’t think I want to be here for the fireworks that are bound to blow.”

                 “Knock, knock,” Paul said, as he entered the tent that had been set up for Lena to build in. “How you holding up in here?”

                “Paulie! Would you quit sneaking up on me like that!?” Lena exclaimed, after having just about jumped three feet in the air. “You’re lucky I wasn’t using power tools!”

                “You’re lucky you’re not using them without your hard hat and goggles,” Paul replied, pointing to the two objects lying on the table next to her plans. “You know to wear the hard hat at all times, Lena.”

                “I don’t think anything is going to come flying all the way over here to my tent, Paulie,” Lena replied. “Besides, I haven’t even started to build anything yet today, so chill will you?”

                “So, anyways, how’s everything coming along?” Paul wanted to know. “You think you’ll be finished everything by the time we get the house done?”

                “Yup, I think so,” Lena smiled. “I’m just about to start in on the beds, now that I’ve a plan.”

                “Do I get to see this plan?” Paul asked. “You promised to show me everything first, before you started building.”

                “No, you don’t get to see them,” Lena answered. “Ty doesn’t show anyone his plans, so I don’t see why I have to show anyone.”

                “Because Ty at least gets people to help him out,” Paul stated. “So far, you’ve done everything alone.”

                “And have half of it done,” Lena pointed out. “All that’s left is the beds, fabrics, and wallpaper.”

                “And whatever else it is you decide to add to the room,” Paul replied. “I know you and your obsession Lena. You always tend to go a tad over board with it.”

                “Would you have a little faith already?” Lena snapped slightly. “I mean, damn!”

                “You’ll watch your tone and language, missy,” Paul remarked, delivering a swift smack to her jean-clad behind. “I’m not going to warn you again.”

                Lena yelped, her one hand rubbing her bottom, while she cast him a cold glare. “I would like very much for you to leave, please,” she spoke in an even tone.

                “And I’m not leaving until I’ve been shown some plans, Lena Marie.”

                Lena grabbed her blueprints up angrily, practically throwing them at the older man before her. “Here, happy?!”

                She yelped again, as his hand once more came in contact with her behind.

                “Don’t make me get your attitude adjuster, young lady,” Paul warned. “You’re treading on very thin ice right now.”

                Lena scowled, rubbing her backside, as Paul looked over her plans. So much for her being in a good mood today. He just always had to go and ruin everything by having little faith, didn’t he? Well, damn him!

                “These look a little complicated, Kiddo,” Paul told her, handing the plans back. “We’ve only four days left to get everything done and in the house. How do you plan on getting everything carved into eight bedposts?”

                “Very carefully,” Lena answered, trying her hardest not to lose her cool. “Just trust that I have good judgment, alright? I’m not as stupid as everyone seems to think. Am I not doing a good enough job as team leader or something?”

                “For being team leader, when was the last time you went around to see how everyone else was doing?” Paul demanded. “A good team leader checks in with their team every now and again.”

                Lena could feel her face growing hot, as she began to feel flustered and embarrassed. He’d a point there. She had forgotten to take the time to check in with everyone else, as she was so caught up in her own projects.

                “Now, if you’re going to work on anything or wander around the site, humor me and put your hard hat on,” Paul insisted. “And try to keep your cool today, will you? I know you want to do a good job, but you can’t go around with an attitude and expect everyone to respect you.”

                Paul smiled at her some. “If you need me for anything, I’ll be in my tent working on my designs.”

                Lena watched him leave, relieved when he finally exited her tent. She wasn’t sure whether to cry or be furious with him. Here she’d thought she was doing a good job as team leader, but, apparently not.