Nick pulled into the airport. "Oh, man!" he said seeing a large crowd of fans, reporters and photographers. "You'll probably have to get used to this." A few body gaurds made it to his car. Nick and Kerri got out of the car and the gaurds sheilded them from the crowd. One reporter managed to grab Kerri's arm and pull her back. "Are you in a relationship with Nick Carter?" "Are you Nick Carter's girlfriend?" Reporters shouted at her.
"I am only a dancer for the tour. Actually, I'm not even a Backstreet Boys dancer, I'm a dancer for the opening act. I needed a ride to the airport, and Nick was nice enough to drive me. That's it, no big thing." Kerri said, thinking quickly. She didn't want any rumors about her or nick to get started. Kerri pulled away from the crowd and stepped into the airport. Setting down her bag, she joined the other dancers. Jess explained to her how the flights worked. The Backstreet Boys and the opening act sit in first class. All sixteen dancers, ten for the boys and 6 for the opening act, are spread out in coach. If they are seperated they don't attract much attention. Once the plane lands they wait until everyone else has left, then they exit the plane to the runway instead of the airport. Buses and limo's are set up and waiting to take them to the arena. Kerri listened in amazement to the precaustions they take.
"Except, today there is one small change in the routine." Nicks voice interupted. "You get to sit up in first class with me." He smiled at Kerri and she smiled back.
"You're going to spoil her!" Jess teased. "How come you never invite ME to sit in first class?"
"I don't like you, that's why." He joked.
Jess stuck out her bottom lip and tried to pout. She couldn't do it, she started laughing and turned to Kerri. "If you didn't know, I'm his sister's friend. I've know him a few years…" She turned to Nick smiling as she said, "unfortunatly."
"I know you? What's your name again?" He said, pretending to be confused. Kerri laughed, they are funny, she thought.
"Ok guys, let's go!" A man in a nice black suit yelled. Everyone picked up their bags and followed him. Nick grabbed Kerri's bag along with his own. She insisted she could handle it, but he just kept on walking. Kerri looked back at the crowd outside the airport. Who is that guy staring at me, she wondered. Isn't that Mark's friend, Jason, and why is he staring at me like that? Does he know what happened with Mark?
"Kerri!" Jess yelled, as she noticed her drop behind. Kerri tore her eyes from Jason and ran to catch up. Once they reached the plane all the dancers, except for Kerri, split up. First class was seated first, followed by coach. Kerri sat down next to Nick and looked back in the plane. Two young girls, about 15, boarded the plane. One looked into first class and grabbed her friend's hand. She pointed out Nick, her eyes wide. Kerri noticed the two girls, she put a finger to her lips to tell them not to make a scene. The girls nodded and continued to stare at her and Nick as they went to their seats. The curtain between first class and coach was pulled shut. A few minutes later the plane took off.
"Nick, a couple of girls noticed you when they got on the plane. I think they were fans because they seemed really happy to see you." Kerri informed Nick quietly. "Don't worry thought, they didn't make a big thing out of it and went to their seats. Maybe you and they guys could send back autographs for them? I mean, since they didn't blow your cover." She smiled at Nick. He nodded and grabbed two napkins and signed them.
"Hey guys…" Nick told them about the girls and had them sign the napkins also. When the flight attendant came by Kerri handed her the napkins, and after decribing the girls, asked her to take the autographs to them. Kerri peeked around the curtain as the flight attendant found the girls. They hugged the napkins joyfully and looked over to Kerri. They waved and mouthed 'thank you' to her. She smiled and waved back before pulling back the curtain. She turned to see Nick staring, grinning at her with that famous smile. He slid his arm around her and pulled her close. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulders. I feel as if I could stay here forever, she thought. Forever was too short, within a few hours the plane landed in New York.
Everyone exited the plane and meet outside on the runway. The Boys left seperatly in a limo, Kerri waved goodbye to Nick as the limo pulled away. She grabbed her bag and joined the opening act and their other dancers on the bus. Jess sat next to her and introduced her to the others.
"First, you will need to know the other dancers. This is Christina." She pointed out an average height girl with light auburn hair and brown eyes. "Then from left to right, Mike, John, and Tim." Mike was tall with brown hair and green eyes. He looked more like an athlete than a dancer. John was taller than Mike with brown hair and eyes and was very thin. Tim was short with blond hair and blue eyes. He was a bit chubby, and Kerri never would have guessed he was a dancer.
"Then there are...the singers." Jess said making a face and gagging. A cute boy with blond hair and green eyes tossed a pillow at her.
"I'm scared how Jess will intruce us. So, I will do it myself. I'm David, this is Nate, and this is Steve. Nate and Steve are brothers." They were both average heights with brown eyes. Steve had brown hair while Nate had spiky blond hair. "And you must be our new back up dancer."
"Yeah," Kerri replyed, "and my name Kerri." She said with a small wave.
"Nice to meet you Kerri." David said as he sat down on the edge of the couch next to her. "Time to get to know you. First question, are you taken'?" He asked grinning from one ear to another.
"No, I just broke up with my abusive boyfriend yesterday, as the police arrested him in my appartment." She said, trying to hint for him to back off. He didn't get the hint.
"Ok, so you are free." David said sliding down next to her.
"Yeah, she's free David, but you'll have a little competetion." Jess said, coming to her defense.
"Who might that be?" He asked, like it was no big deal.
"Nick Carter." Jess said, she couldn't help but smile as she said it. David flinched slightly, but he tried to play it off.
"Nick? He's got nothing over me." He said as he held his chin up high. This caused a burst of laughter from every other person on the bus, except for Kerri and David. She just shrugged her shoulders at him. He stood up and stalked to the back of the bus. The rest of the ride to the arena evryone chatted, asking Kerri questions and telling her what to expect for the rest of the tour.
A little while later they pulled up to the stadium. Fans ran along side the bus yelling. Everyone leaned out the windows and waved as fans snapped their pictures. They weren't the backstreet Boys, but the fans didn't seem to care.
"Does this always happen?" Kerri asked Tim laughing.
"Yeah, dude, their fans are crazy. Lots of them even know OUR names. In a week they will probably know you too." He said still leaning out the window. The bus pulled to a stop and one fan yelled to Tim, "Do you remember me?" He smiled at the fan and nodded yes.
"That girl has been to at least four concerts already, I think she travels as much as we do." He told Kerri.
"Hey Mary!" He yelled back to her, pulling out a pair of sunglasses and tossing them to her. "Like I promised, and Aj said hi." She put the sunglasses in her backpack and yelled thank you to him.
A few hours later Kerri was given her outfit to wear on stage. It was a pair of long baggy black pants, a blue haltar top, and a shimmer silver vest to go over the haltar top. Kerri dressed quickly and set out to find Nick. She spotted him coming out of his dressing room, in a metallic futuristic looking blue ensemble. He looked up and noticed her.
"Stunning," He said, checking her out, "and we match."
"Well, almost." She said straightning her vest. "I just wanted to come see you before the show started. As much as I'd love to stand here and talk to you, I can't."
Nick leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "Good luck, try not to think that it's your first time one stage."
Kerri gave him a nervous smile, before heading to the stage entrance with the others. Kerri took a deep breath as she made her way through the audience to the stage. She turned her head to the crowd and a person caught her antention. Oh no, she thought, how did he get here. Jason glared at Kerri from the audience. He must have caught another flight out here. Kerri shook her head as she took her postion behind John on stage, I can't think about this now.