CHAPTER 1
" Damn I love you!" whispered AJ in his sexiest voice into his microphone to the adoring crowd.
I couldn't resist smiling, just knowing he was talking about one of my best friends Louise. I could see her in the audience, staring into his eyes, she was in love with he but she couldn't tell him. Every time she tried someone would interrupt them. It was a pain being on tour, you would never get any privacy I knew that. I may as well tell you me now. My name is Jessica Mitchell and I am originally from Scotland I have two best friends one from Scotland and one from America. Louise is from Scotland and Erika is from Kentucky.
I moved from Edinburgh to Kentucky when my mother left my dad and me when I was 3 months and my dad was 16. We moved to America when I was 16. I met Erika on my first day and I also met two guys called Brian and Kevin. Brian lived next door to me. He walked me to school everyday, I quickly met Kevin and we started to go out. He was the sweetest guy in the world he always thought of me and wrote songs about me and let me read them. Then my dad dropped a bombshell, we would have to go back to Scotland, as my uncle was seriously ill.
Saying good bye to Erika was the hardest thing in the world apart from saying good bye to Kevin. In the end I just managed to whisper, "I love you no matter where you are or what you do, You will always be in my heart."
CHAPTER 2
As I gradually got used to life in Edinburgh, really boring compared with America. Louise became my best friend, I would tell her about Erika and Kevin, I would share the letters Erika would write to me. Kevin wrote only once saying it was too hard to write and he couldn't hurt himself or me anymore. The paper was tear-stained.
Erika used to tell me about him and what he was doing.
As soon as I finished High School I applied for a job at a new company called " The Firm."
I was a daunting thought but I knew I wanted to be in America with my friends.
It was a tearful goodbye but a happy one, I knew it was the start of my new life and a happy one. I could at last be with my Kevin.
The last thing I did was going to a soccer game and the announcer told the crowd that I was leaving and they all clapped. I left back in Edinburgh my wonderful dad, his wife (Anna) and my brothers and sisters.
CHAPTER 3
As I stepped off the plane after a long flight I was jet-lagged but I couldn't wait to see Erika, Kevin and Brian.
I ran through the arrivals lounge and then I heard, "Jesse, Jesse"
I spun round and saw Erika running towards me. Normally I would have run to see her but I searched and searched but Kevin wasn't there.
I tried to seem happy but I couldn't hide my tears. Erika had arranged to come with me to Orlando to help me get sorted out. She told me about Kevin and what he was doing now. I felt really hurt that he felt he couldn't tell me about his dream and how he was living it.
I had never heard of the Backstreet Boys, I was more into garage and rap.
The first thing Erika and me did was to go and find an apartment, she had decided to join me at "The Firm."
Our apartment was perfect, it had two big bedrooms and fashionable décor.
The day before starting work we decided to shopping all thanks my dad and his credit card. I bought about 30 outfits that would be essential for work and Erika about the same. As we shopped I told her all about Scotland and she told me what had happened in Kentucky.
The night before our jobs started instead of staying in and going to bed early we went out and got drunk.
CHAPTER 4
"Erika hurry up!"
As I yelled sitting in our car, Erika came running out a couple of minutes later. We were already late and we had such massive hangovers.
It took 30 minutes to get to "The Firm" headquarters and recording studios.
I couldn't wait to start my new job, it was the start of a new better life without Kevin.
Luckily they didn't mind us being late! Our first job was to get 5 tour buses ready for an up and coming tour. We didn't know who was going to be on the tour but it didn't really matter. We had a great time cleaning impossible as it may sound. There was a list of things for us to get so the next stop was the mall.
I really loved American supermarkets they were so different for British ones. The whole day was really fun and I felt much better and I started to forget about Kevin, very slowly.
Then came the moment I would never forget, we were called into the managers office and were told to pack ours bags because we were going on tour. That was the good part but next came the bad bit for me.
"Who with?" I asked. "The Backstreet Boys" he said excitedly. " You will be in charge of the guys, the backing band and a number of others. You will leave tomorrow, sorry its short notice but the guy who was taking the tour was head-hunted by another recording studio."
All I could say was "OK."
I was in shock but I knew that I couldn't give in. We went out for pizza and Erika kept trying to talk about the tour but I just said I would deal with it when I come to it.
What crossed my mind was that he would probably have a girlfriend, and will not be the same guy I fell in love with. The fame might have changed him.
I had also changed I could look after myself now and I had grown my hair and I also had a Scottish accent again, an accent I loved and would never give up again.
I tossed and turned all night and when I got up the next day my hair looked like a haystack.
I quickly packed my bags complete with pictures of Kevin and my family as a habit. When I realised I didn't bother to take them out my bag. Next I had a shower and decided to put on a new outfit.
Erika was already loading her stuff into the car when I dragged my case out. "It that all your taking?" She asked.
"Yeah I can buy things on tour." I replied. She started to drive.
I got more and more nervous at the thought of seeing Kevin again after 3 years.
As we drove through the gates of the studio my phone rang and it was my dad. He always seemed to know when I needed him, I wish he was here now I thought. He just said to be brave and don't take any crap from anyone.
I laughed just what I needed!
I greeted the security guards warmly and planned what I would say to the guys. The night before I had looked through all the pictures of me and Kevin together looking so happy. He was 3 years older than me but that didn't matter then but I seemed like an eternity now.
I climbed the stairs and saw a tall, dark, handsome guy talking to a pretty young girl then he kissed her!
The old me would have burst into tears but I just pushed passed them and told Kevin he would be late, the girl gave me a filthy look but I just smiled. I could see Kevin looking at me as if had seen me before, this made me feel better that he was over me.
CHAPTER 5
"Good morning, I'm Jessica or Jess if you want and I'm the tour manager and I'm here to get you anything you want OK but don't even bother trying to get me into bed or my colleague Erika. You are all on Bus 1 please go now and get your stuff organised. Any questions?"
"Are you Jessica Mitchell or Jesse?" asked Nick.
"Yes" I said confidently.
"Oh OK" he replied.
"Now go," I said and pointed to the door "Jesse baby" whispered Kevin as he went passed. I could see him remember all the good times we had but I was overcome by tears and ran outside pushed the blonde bimbo that he had been with out the way.
CHAPTER 6
I had finally re-gained control of myself and had packed my stuff on the bus. I had wanted to be in Bus 3 with Erika but was told to go on Bus 1. I carefully stuck up my pictures of my family and friend then I came to Kevin's. I put it under my pillow instead.
Nick came wandering through and asked if I wanted to play Nitendo and I said yes.
"Hahahahaha, now come on off with the trousers!" I laughed at Nick, he was down to just his boxers now but I remained fully clothed.
"You're the first girl to beat me Jesse." Said Nick.
"You may take my country but never my freedom!" I yelled, at which point there was a knock at the door. "Hi Erika, how you doing?"
"Can I sleep here tonight? The guys in my bus keep trying to get their tongues down my throat."
I couldn't help but laugh, "Sure thing."
"Nicky, what are you doing in just your boxers" asked Erika.
"We were playing Nintendo and Jesse kept winning."
"Oh OK" Erika replied.
"I'm off to have a shower, if you're interested," I said getting up.
"Oh I am, and can I talk to you?" said Kevin in a tone, which I knew all to well.
I got up to leave and Erika gave me a reassuring smile, I wandered into my bedroom as such, well more of a tiny room. I jumped up onto my bed and sat cross-legged on my bed with a teddy bear in between my legs. Kevin closed the door and sat on the end of my bed very near to where his picture was hidden under my pillow.
"Well, What is it?" I said trying to sound uninterested in what Kevin had to say.
"I'm so sorry" Kevin whispered as he grabbed my pillow and looked down to see him and me smiling back at him. His eyes welled up with tears and I could see the old Kevin I loved inside this guy sitting in front of me now. The old me would have cried with him and talked for hours but I just couldn't cry for him. I had no tears left inside me I had cried them all out years ago.
"I have to go now," I said not letting myself cry in front of him. I sat on the edge of the bath when I heard a sympathetic voice say, " Hi what trouble have you got yourself in to now?" It was Louise smiling back at me.
This time I cried, I had my two best friends and the guy I used to love but wasn't sure if I did now but all the signs were pointing to yes.
LATER THAT NIGHT
Erika, Louise and me sat around drinking Irn-Bru (a Scottish Fizzy Drink) that Louise had brought with her.
"I'm going to bed," said Louise yawning.
"Yeah so am I. Can I have your bed Jam?"
"Yeah I'll sleep here, night." At last I was alone, I got extra blankets out of the cupboard and made a makeshift bed on the sofa. I slowly drifted off to sleep as I felt a muscular arm around me, and a familiar kiss on my neck and my favourite voice and saying my favourite words "Night, Night Jess, I'll love you always and forever." But then instead of kissing me on the neck like he used to he carried on, " I wish you had known what it was like for me knowing you were so far away and I couldn't face hearing your voice only once a week or less. I wrote you 100's letters but never posted them, I was too painful thinking the next person to see those letter would be you, the only person I loved and the only one I wanted to spent the rest of my life with. I even asked you to marry me once, but I couldn't afford the postage!" He laughed a little. " Good night my love, I'll be the last person you see before falling asleep and the first one you see in the morning."
I don't know what he said next because he fell asleep and left me more confused than ever.
CHAPTER 7
I woke up to see a sexy body lying beside me and a warm breath on my neck. Even his slight snoring was sexy!
At this point I decided to phone my dad, to ask for advice.
"Hello," said a sleepy female voice.
"Hi Babe its Jess here go and get daddy." That was my half-sister Annabelle. I have two half brothers and two half sisters Annabelle (4), Kelly (14), Cameron (2) and Mark (16).
"Hello" said my dad in his very tired but happy voice, "what can I do for you?"
"Dad, I need some advice"
"That's a first! Only joking! Shoot?"
"Do you remember when we were living in Kentucky and do you remember Kevin?"
"The one with the funny haircut and was going to become a super-star and whisk you off and live happily ever after?" My dad had such a terrible sense of humour.
"This is serious,"
"So is sleep" he said solemnly.
" I met him for the first time in 3 years yesterday and he is in the band that I'm looking after, The Backstreet Boys. And last night while I was half sleeping he confessed that he loved me and wanted to marry me."
"I know," He said casually.
"How" I said shocked to say the least.
"Just before we left Kentucky asked me if he could have your hand in marriage, and I said if he made enough money he could, but he had to prove to me he could look after you just like I did."
"Thanks dad got to go bye phone you soon."
I showered and got changed in to shorts and a strappy top, as it was very hot outside.
"Hi Howie," I said
"Can I ask you a question?" said Howie as he did press-ups.
"Yeah, sure" I replied feeling happy after phoning home.
"What happened to your mom?"
The tears came again, "Well 3 months after I was born she left my dad to look after me he was 16, and a up and coming soccer star and he was left with a baby and he did it and this is how I turned out. She came round once when I was 4 she came round to our house, drunk and told me I was worthless and a waste of 9 months of her life and I would never become anything good.
And from then on I did my best at everything I could and all I need to do now is become famous and that will show her who is the worthless one and good for nothing! Anything else?"
"OK if you ever want to talk I'm here for you" said Howie he looked up at me with big puppy dog eyes, " anything."
LATER THAT DAY
"Five minutes then we will be there and then you have 5 interviews to do each then a sound check and a photo shoot and please manage to get the turns right and don't turn left in "Larger than Life."
"Yes, Jesse understood" they all said in unison. Jesse was their nickname for me.
Later that day I managed to get time off which wasn't usual as being tour manager I had to hear everyone's problems.
I decided to go and lie down as after last night I needed a rest. I was just getting to sleep on the sofa I heard 2 excited voices saying, "shh we mustn't get caught, If Jesse finds us we will be in deep trouble!"
"Come on it'll be fun! Honest now just lie down here and I'll just kiss you!"
This was the time for me to get up and leave. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't realise that this was a built in bed, I'll leave you in peace, OK I'll be doing something if you need me but it doesn't look like you need any help!"
I smile as I grabbed a sweater and hopped out of the bus to 2 astonished faces of Erika and Nick. I heard laughing as I closed the door then the blinds were drawn.
