CHAPTER TWENTY SIX-“I Got You Babe”

 

Brian quickly made his way back upstairs.  I followed behind him, but he was fuming.  I had never seen him this angry.  I knew he had a quick temper, but he rarely showed it.  It took a lot to get him going.  His face was turning a reddish color, as if he’d been holding his breath for a while.  He slammed his hand against the elevator button, but he didn’t even bother waiting for it.  He headed for the stairs, taking practically two steps at a time.  I had to run to keep up with him.

 

“Brian, calm down.”  I called out to him but he didn’t, he just kept going.  Finally, we made it up the flight of stairs; mind you we were located on the seventh floor.  He opened the door to our floor.  He swung the door open so hard, that it made a loud BANG when it hit the back wall.  It would have swung back and hit me if Brian wouldn’t have noticed his own strength, and held it back before it came near me.

 

He made his way down the corridor that led to Randy’s room. 

 

“Brian what are you going to do?” I asked him, but he kept walking as if he didn’t hear me.

 

“Brian?” again, he just kept going.

 

“BRIAN!  Would you stop for a minute and tell me what’s going on!”

 

He did stop and turned to face me.  He was breathing hard, his usual bright, blue eyes seemed darker, and his nostrils were flaring.  “I’m sorry.  I just need to find something out.  How did it leak out?”

 

“What you need to do is calm down.  Brian, so what if they know. Who cares if…”

 

“Belle…” he said beginning to tell me what it was that had him so wound up.  “I’ll explain it all to you later.  Just wait for me back in the room.  I’ll be there in a few.”  I could tell he really wanted me to follow his instructions, though I still couldn’t see why he was so enraged. He was looking at me, waiting to see what I would do.

 

“Ok, I’ll go back.”  I said turning around and walking towards his door.

 

“Thank you,” I heard him call after me, before he headed back down the corridor to their managers room.

 

When I got to his door, I turned the knob.  When the door wouldn’t open, I realized it was locked, and headed back to my own room.

 

Lina was sitting down at the round, wooden table when I walked in.  Yvonne was with her.   They had some albums, photo albums opened at the table they were looking into.

 

“Great, you came back.”  Lina said when she saw me come in.

 

“Hey guys,” I said casually.  “What’s going on?”

 

“Come here.” She said, waving me in with her hand.  “We are trying to pick out an outfit for tomorrows shoot.”

 

“Oh, you have a photo shoot tomorrow?”  I asked.

 

“Yeah, remember…oh, no wait.  You weren’t around when we found out about it.”  She told me.  Was there a hint of sarcasm in there, or had I just imagined it.

 

“Well, who’s the shoot with?”

 

“Rolling Stone Magazine.”  She said carelessly.

 

“Oh wow, when did you get the spot?” I asked her.  I knew that Yvonne had been trying to get Lina into that mag, but they were already completely booked till next fall. 

 

“Yvonne managed to call them up right when someone else had cancelled to show up for their shoot, this was like two weeks ago.

 

“Cool, so what are you doing now?”

 

“Picking an outfit for the shoot.”

 

“Are you going to be on the cover?”  I asked her taking a seat at the table.

 

“No, I think Nsync’s gonna be on the cover.  But I’ll be a feature.”  She said with a smile.  “They are running an interview and a shoot, bright and early tomorrow morning.”  She said faking a sigh.

 

“What about this one?”  Yvonne said, pointing to a soft pink, heather dress. 

 

“No, I think we should try something more laidback.  How about this.”  Lina said showing us the picture of the white halter-top, with the silver sequenced skirt.

 

“That’s not bad.”  Yvonne said getting up.  “Keep looking, I have to make a couple of calls.”  And with that she excused herself from the hotel room.

 

Lina kept submissively flipping through the album before asking me, “So, what have you been up to lately?”

 

“Nothing really, why?”  I asked.  She wasn’t staring at me; she kept flipping through the pages.

 

“No reason.  I mean, you just haven’t been around lately.  That’s all.”

 

“What do you mean?  I’m always here.”  I told her, beginning to get agitated by the accusing tone in her voice.

 

“Well, yeah.  But lately it seems like your preoccupied with other things.”

 

“Like, what other things?”

 

“I dunno?  Other things.” She said pensively.  Still she didn’t look up from the album.

 

I got up from the chair, and headed for the bed.

 

“Don’t get me wrong. It’s totally ok.  I know it gets boring just sitting here doing nothing.”  She said.

 

“Yeah it does.” I reminded her.

 

“It’s just that you’ve kept to yourself lately.”

 

I stared at her astoundingly, as she said that without warning.  “What do you mean by that?”

 

“Well, don’t get all defensive.  It’s no big deal, I’m just saying, you’re not around as much anymore.”

 

“We live in a tour bus together, Lina.  We share a hotel room…I’m always around!”

 

“Ok.”  She said, a bit too casually. “Why are you getting so upset about this?”

 

“I’M NOT!” I yelled obviously upset.

 

“Ok” again casually.  That was beginning to get on my nerves.

 

“What’s your problem anyways, Lina?  I mean it’s not like YOU are always around.  And it’s not like YOU don’t keep to yourself about things!”  I yelled at her, I couldn’t figure out why I was so angry all of a sudden with her, but I was.

 

“Ok, what’s eating you?  I was just making an observation!  I don’t care what you do or WHOM you’ve been doing it with!” She yelled back, getting up from the chair and walking to the small fridge to get herself a coke.  “And by the way, I’m just looking out for you.  Like you’ve done for me so many times.”

 

I stared at her for a second.  Did she know too?  “Oh God, I have a headache.” I said brining my hand to my head, and reclining on the bed.  She couldn’t possibly know unless someone told her.  Kristin wouldn’t and Howie swore he wasn’t going to.  Then again, how did those reporters find out that Brian was engaged?   Did they know about me too?  “Ugh!”  I said out loud as these thoughts were beginning to get to me.

 

“There’s aspirin over that cabinet right there.”  She said pointing to the one over the sink.

 

“Thanks.”  I said getting up to fetch it.  I poured myself a glass of water, and took two pills out of the bottle.  I took the aspirins, and then went back to the bed, and lay down.  I don’t know if it was the pills, or everything that went on this morning, but I was feeling drowsy.   I closed my eyes and wondered if Brian knew to find me here.  I wanted to know if he was ok, and what had happened with this morning.  Maybe I should just go back and wait outside his room. Or maybe he was already there…

 

The next think I knew, I felt the bed sink as if someone else had sat down on it.  I must have fallen asleep, because I had trouble opening my heavy eyelids, and my body felt overly tired. Before I could think to move, I realized that the person beside me wasn’t Lina.

 

“Brian!” I said surprised to see him, as I focused my blurry vision. “What are you doing here?”  I asked him and then quickly looked around to see if Lina was in here with us.  When I didn’t see her, I asked.  “Was it all a dream?”

 

Brian ironically laughed. “I wish.”  He said.

 

I sat up on the bed, and as soon as I moved my head I felt the strong headache coming back, a sure sign that I had not been dreaming.  I brought my hands to my head as if trying to imprison the pounding ruckus that plagued inside with the palm of my hands.  “Brian, do me a favor and pass me the aspirin on top of the counter, right there.”

 

He did as I asked him, and brought me a glass of water as well.  Again, I took to pills and laid my head back down on the bed.  “Ugh! My head is killing me.”  I whined.  “It’s been hurting since this morning.”  I told him.

 

He sat back down next to me.  “Well maybe it was all the commotion from earlier today.  Which, by the way I want to explain.  I know I went on my little rampage, and left you out in the dark about it...”

 

“No, it’s ok.  I understood you were angry that those reporters had just approached you the way they did.  Really it’s alright.”

 

He sighed, and laid his head on my stomach.  “Actually, Belle, the reporters I am use to.  It’s what they were asking me, that got me so upset.  I mean I just couldn’t figure out how it had leaked out. It’s definitely not something they were expecting, and I know for sure, because I gave specific orders, that news about the engagement should not be broadcast until I had said it to be so, myself.”

 

I ran my fingers through his soft, mousy, hair.  It was still auburn, but his dirty blonde roots, were beginning to show.  I played with it, twirling it over and in between my fingers.  I almost laughed at how I remembered saying one time in high school, that I just couldn’t see myself dating a bald man.  But as I lay there, twirling his thin hair and combing it to the side, revealing signs of a receding hairline, it didn’t make me see him any less perfect.  Just more real.

 

“Brian, so what did Randy say about it?” I asked him.  Curious about what had gone on between the two this morning.

 

He sighed.  “He said he has no idea how it got out.  But he also said there are a million possibilities.”

 

“Well, that is true.  Maybe the press was just going by a rumor, they’d heard.”  I said.

 

“They sure knew which Backstreet Boy to come after with their questions.”

 

“Well maybe it was all just coincidental.”  I tried to validate.  “Maybe they just got to you first.”

 

He just sighed and shook his head as if to get his mind clear of all the thoughts that were aggravating him.  “I think your headache’s contagious, Belle.  I feel one coming on.”

 

“I’ve had it since this morning.”  Then changing the subject I asked.  “Where is Angelina?”

 

“Well, everyone went out to eat dinner Angelina let me in right before they left.”  He told me.  “Are you hungry?”  He said as he got up from the bed.

 

“Actually,” I said having to think about it.  “I’m starving.  I haven’t eaten anything all day.”

 

“Well, Belle, that could be the reason for your headache.”

 

“Ugh! You’re right.  With everything that went on this morning it must have skipped my mind.”

 

“C’mon.”  He said taking my hand and pulling me up from the bed.

 

We went to the small Italian restaurant that was directly under the hotel.  It must have been the fact that I was hungry, because after I had something to eat, my headache was gone.  After dinner, we decided to join the rest of the guys.  They were across the street at a bar.  Of course we had to be escorted there, though the reporters had already left.

 

“Karaoke Night?”  I said, reading the blinking light outside the bar.  We both laughed as we went in.

 

The bar was just that, a bar.  It was pretentiously small.  There was a bar lined up across the left side, and a miniature stage directly across from it.  We immediately saw the guys, cuz they were the biggest crowd at one table.  Brian got a drink coke from the bar, and a pitcher of beer to bring over to the table.  The one already there looked half empty.  As we made our way towards them, there was a guy up on stage with a mic. He was reading from a screen the words to Eminem’s, “The Real Slim Shady”.

 

“Cuz I’m Slim Shady, yes I’m the real Shady.  All you other Slim Shady’s are just e-mma-tay-ting.  So won’t the real Slim Shady please stand up, please stand up, please stand up.”

 

Everyone thought it was hilarious because he was way off beat and he had what seemed to be a British accent when he sang.

 

“Hey!”  Nick said when he saw us.

 

Brian handed me the drinks and I set them on the table as he grabbed two chairs that weren’t being used by a nearby table.

 

“This guy is too funny!”  Kevin told us.  “Before this he did  ‘Forgot About Dre’ and ‘Guilty Conscience’.  He’s like on an Eminem overdrive.”

 

“Naw,” AJ put in.  “He just looks like he’s had a bit too much to, you know…” then he brought his hand to his mouth like he had a drink in it.

 

The small crowd in the bar must have started getting tired of this guy’s renditions, cuz they were beginning to boo him as yet he began to sing another Eminem song.

 

“Someone needs to get this guy off the stage!”  Nick yelled, getting the crowd even louder.

 

“Be right back.”  AJ said, getting up from the table, but before doing so he took another shot from his glass.

 

Lina moved over and sat on AJ’s seat, so she could be next to me.  “How’s your head?” she asked.

 

“Better now.”  I told her as she smiled at me, leaning her head against mine, letting me know that our little confrontation from this morning was squashed.

 

One of the bartenders came out and took the mic away from the guy as he reluctantly got off the stage.  “Well that was enough of that.”  He said.  Everybody cheered.  “Ok, give it up for our next brave fool!”  He shouted, making us laugh as we applauded.

 

“Oh God!” Lina said as she raised her head.  We looked at each other and laughed, as AJ stepped onto the stage.

 

“YEAH!”  Nick and the other guys bellowed, as they coaxed AJ on.

 

AJ put up his hands instructing the crowd to be silent.  A familiar opening began to play, as AJ sang, “American Woman”

 

Of course AJ went all out, as he was showing off; funny thing was he got less of a commotion than the guy before him.  “Tough room,” AJ joked into the mic.

 

“Encore!”  Nick yelled getting up from his seat.  We cheered AJ on as he went over and told the person behind the booth what song to put on next.  He moved to the rear of the stage, and turned around giving his back to us.  We saw him fumble with the shirt he was wearing.  And then the music came on.  We almost dropped out of our seats as he began, “Oh baby, baby.”  He sang coming forward on the stage.  He had his shirt tied in a knot, revealing his robust abdomen.

 

“You go, DAWG!”  Nick yelled.

 

“Oh baby, baby, how was I supposed to know?  That something wasn’t right here.”  He was even doing some of the dance moves.  “Oh pretty, baby, I shouldn’t have let you go.  And now you’re outta sight, yeah.  Show me…to be…oh because.”  He had to look at the teleprompter to see the words because he didn’t know it at times.  He got down from the stage, and seductively started walking towards Nick.  “My loneliness is killing me, and I.  I must confess I still believe…still believe.”  He sang as he ran his fingers through Nick’s already messy styled hair.  Even the people by the bar who were witnessing this were laughing.  Some were even summoning him by whistling. 

 

“Yo, man, get off.”  Nick said nervously pushing AJ’s playful hand away.  “You’re causing a scene.  People are gonna start talking”

 

AJ just winked at him and continued, as he was entertaining the entire room.  “When I’m not with you, I lose my mind.  Give me a sign…Hit Me Baby One More Time”

 

He didn’t get to finish the entire song, because he had us laughing so hard, that soon he started to laugh too. 

 

“That was funny, AJ, real funny, man” Nick said sarcastically as AJ came back down to the table. 

 

“Ok, who’s next?”  AJ asked looking at us.  No one really budged. I for starters wasn’t really interested in making a fool of myself. 

 

“Give it here.”  Kevin said getting up, and reaching for the mic.

 

“Aight, go Kev.”  AJ said handing it to him and taking a seat.

 

Kevin walked back to the booth deciding which song to ask them to play.  Once he did, he took center stage, and began.  “I’ve heard people say that, too much of anything is not good for you baby.  But I don’t know about that.  Cuz as many times as we loved and we shared love and we made love, it doesn’t seem like it’s enough.  It’s just not enough baby, its just not enough.” 

 

This time Nick literally fell off his chair with laughter, as Kevin began to sing, “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe” by Barry White.  But he actually sounded good; I mean, of course Kevin had the voice for it.  There were some who clapping along with him, and there was even one lady who yelled out “He’s got the voice of Barry, with the body of a god!”

 

“Well his ego just went up a notch!”  Howie joked.

 

“Great, like we needed that.”  Nick added, sitting back in the chair.

 

“Hey, Isa, c’mon Kristin and I have an idea.”  Lina said.

 

“What?”  I asked.

 

“Let’s go up there and sing a BSB song.” She said grabbing my hand.

 

“Huh, no way.  I’m not going up there.” I said snatching my hand back from her.

 

“Oh c’mon.  It’ll be fun.  It’s not like you can’t carry a tune.”  She said trying to convince me.

 

“No.”  I said shaking my head. She was right, I could carry a tune but there was no way she was getting me up on that stage, in front of all these…well ok there weren’t that many people here, but I just wasn’t the get up on a stage in front of anybody and make a fool of myself type.  “Lina, no.”  I repeated when she kept insisting.

 

“Fine.”  Lina said, as her and Kristen went up to the booth and asked them to play a BSB song. 

 

They had planned to sing either “I Want It That Way” or “All I have To Give”, but the only one they had was “Everybody”.  They were even going along with the dance routine.

 

“Alright!”  Our table kept cheering every time they sang “Backstreet’s Back.”  Yeah, it was cheesy, but we were having so much fun.  Even Howie went up there, and got the crowd going in a interpretation of “Shake Your Bon-Bon”

 

Finally, they were not going to let me leave without getting on that stage.

 

“You gotta do it, Isabelle.  We all did.”  Nick testified.

 

“So.  I don’t have to.” 

 

“C’mon, Isa.  Just go up there.  It’s not that bad.  And you’ll have fun.”  Lina coaxed.

 

“Yeah, there’s no pressure.  It’s just fun.”  AJ added.

 

“No pressure?”  I said sarcastically.

 

“You know what I mean.”

 

I did know but I just did not want to get up there.

 

“C’mon, Belle.”  Brian began.  “I’ll go with you.”

 

“See, you can do a duet with, Brian.”  Nick said.  “Just get up there, cuz we aren’t leaving till you do.”

 

“Yeah, go on.  Don’t be shy.”  A random stranger at the table next to us said.

 

“Oh my God, c’mon guys.”  I begged, but Nick, Lina, and AJ weren’t taking no.

 

“C’mon.”  Brian said taking me by the hand.  We got a second mic from the booth as Brian chose what song we would do.  Coincidentally, the only song they had as a duet was the Sonny and Cher classic. 

 

I couldn’t believe I was doing this, but I looked into the monitor, and began.  “They say we’re young and we don’t know won’t find out till we grow.”

 

“Well I don’t know if all that’s true cause you got me and baby I got you. Babe…” Brian sang into his mic. 

 

“I got you babe, I got you, babe.” We sang together.  He wasn’t singing like he did on stage. He wasn’t trying to out do me.

 

“They say our love won’t pay the rent, before it’s earned our money’s always spent” I sang leading him into. 

 

“I guess that’s so, we don’t have a plot but at least I’m sure of all the things we got.”

 

“Babe, I got you babe, I got you, Babe.”

 

“I got flowers in the spring I got you, you wear my ring” He sang to me, a big smile on his face, as he wouldn’t let his blue eyes wonder from mine

“And when I’m sad, you’re a clown and if I get scared you’re always around. So let them say your hair’s too long cuz I don’t care, with you I can’t do wrong.”  I couldn’t help but laugh.  I felt so cheesy.

 

“Then put your little hand in mine there ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb.”

 

“Babe, I got you babe, I got you, Babe.”

 

“I got you to hold my hand,” he sang.  He was already holding my hand.  Since he had dragged me to sing up here with him.  He hadn’t let me go.

”I got you to understand.”

”I got you to walk with me”

”I got you to talk with me.”  I sang as we threw off to each other. 

 

“I got you to kiss goodnight.”

 

“I got you to hold me tight “

”I got you I won’t let go.” 

 

”I got you who loves me so.”

”I got you, babe” We ended, as I tried my best to harmonize with Brian’s heavenly voice.  If anyone didn’t know before, they could have probably been able to notice that there was a romantic connection between us, just by the passion in our voices. 

 

The crowd applauded.  And everyone at our table stood up, giving us a standing ovation.  I smiled over at Brian, and he hugged me, kissing me lightly on the cheek, seeing it as one of the few opportunity to show me any form of public affection.

 

The next morning, I woke up to Lina throwing something on my bed.  I wiped away the sleep from my eyes, as a picked up the newspaper that lay on my bed.

 

“Look at the front cover.”  Lina said.

 

I took a look at the cover, and I felt completely awake, as I read the front page.  Backstreet Boy Becomes A Man.  The very first line of the article said it all.  24-year-old Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boy plans to wed this coming fall.

 

I looked back up at Lina.  This really wasn’t news to me, at least not after what happened yesterday.  But that wasn’t what she was talking about.

 

“Look at the picture, Isabelle.”  She said.

 

I looked back down at the picture of Brian on the cover, but something I had not realized before stood out.  I was shocked.

 

 

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