~~ on the phone ~~ "Hello?" "Hi, is Joanna there please?" "Yeah, who is it?" "It's Lorraine" "Which one?" "It's Lorraine Wightman, Matthew" (Matthew is Joanna's younger brother) "Oh, okay, I'll get her" "Okay, thanks" (in the distance) "Joanna!!!!! Phone!!! It's Lorraine Wightman!!!!" "I'll take it in the back room, Matt" "Hey Lorraine!" (Matthew clicks off) "Hey Jo, well, you said to phone when I got home, so here I am!" "You're home? Is Brian not with you anymore?" "Yeah, they're all here, hang on a minute" (talking to the guys) "Guys, say a big hi to Jo!" "Hi Jo!!!!!!!!" they all chorused. "Hi everyone!!!!!" called Joanna "Jo says a big hi back!" (talking to Joanna) "So, are you guys having fun then?" "Like you wouldn't believe!" "What do you mean?" "Well…" I told Joanna everything that had happened, well, she already knew about the whole elevator and losing Aaron things, so I told her about how B and I are going out (she went a bit quiet at that point, but in my excitement, I didn't notice), the fans outside the hotel, Laura the nurse, B catching me singing in the hospital, my little mini concert for the guys and Donna where the girls joined in, me falling on Nick when I was giving him a hug, the food challenge I set him (she had a giggle at that) B giving me the cold shoulder because of Nick hugging me, our talk in McDonalds, our talk in the park, Donna wanting to sign us girls (Jo was really shocked at that!!), me thinking my parents were gonna say no, me finding out that my parents had said yes, and the fact that I was now a fully fledged member of a girl group!! "You're joking me!!!" "No Jo, I'm completely, totally serious!!!" "Aaahhh!!!!!" we both screamed at the same time, which, on my end of the phone made the guys crack up. I just ignored them and carried on my conversation. "Isn't that just the coolest thing you've ever heard?!!" "The coolest!" "And seeing as I'm under 18, Donna will have to be my legal guardian, so that means…" "You're gonna tour with the Backstreet Boys!!!" Jo finished my sentence. "Aaahhh!!!!!" we both screamed again, sending all the people at my house into fits of hysterics. "What's that noise?" "Just the 12 people in my living room laughing at me 'cos I've just screamed twice - nothing major!!" "Well, if it's nothing major…" "When I go back in there they're gonna slag me so much!" "Poor you, well, when are you leaving to go on tour? Will I get another chance to see you before you go?" "We don't leave until the end of the summer holidays, the guys have a few weeks of very well-deserved holiday, and they're gonna be spending it here! Well, between here and Glasgow -their hotel is in Glasgow" "Do you realise how lucky you are?!" "Yup, I'm about to start on a really cool singing career, I've made three new friends - well, I already knew Lauren - I've finally been to a Backstreet Boys concert, and I have a fantastic boyfriend - at last!!!" "Yeah, I was wondering when you were gonna catch up with the rest of the world in that department!" "Hey, you can hardly talk!" "Yeah, I know…but still…" We talked for a few more minutes, then I realised that I'd been on the phone for half an hour, so I told Jo to call May, and I would call Lisa. I called Lisa, and she didn't believe a word I said, until I got the whole crowd to yell hi to her, then she believed me. ~~ on the phone to Lisa ~~ "You're really gonna tour with the Backstreet Boys??!" "Yup, ain't it cool?!" "The coolest!!" "Aaahhh!!" we screamed together, and this time the crowd at my house pretended to be me and screamed back - well, the guys and girls, c'mon, my parents and Donna have some adult-like bones in their bodies - which is more than can be said for the other 9!!! "What was that?!" "That was 9 of the 12 people in my living room trying to be funny - but it's not working!! " I said, getting louder with every word so they'd hear. "Will I see you again?" "Of course Lisa!! You're my best friend - like I'd ever leave without saying goodbye to you!! We don't leave until the end of the summer holidays anyway- that leaves plenty of time to hang out together!" "Good, I'd hate to not see you before you head off to fame and fortune - hey, can I have your autograph - I want to be the first!" "Sure!" "Cool" ~ in the background of Lisa's flat ~ "Lisa!!" I think it was her brother, Michael. "Lorraine, Michael wants me, I'd better go, talk to you later?" "You can count on it!! Hey, when I'm famous, I won't forget you!!" "Oh, how comforting!!" "I know!! Anyway, take care" "Okay, you too, bye" "Bye" ~~ off the phone to Lisa ~~ I walked back into the living room to be met with the guys and girls screaming at me. "Guys, that joke is sooo tired!!" It may have been tired, but I still laughed at them about it. "Just like me!" Nick said with a yawn in the corner. "Awwh!" said Lauren, giving him a hug. ~~Ring ring~~ came the sound of Donna's mobile phone. "I'll get that outside - the back garden I think!" she said with a laugh and walked outside. While she was gone, the rest of us watched MTV, and the News - MTV weekend edition came on. There was a bit about the BSB coming up, I had to get a tape! Where's My BSB tape?!!!!" I shouted, springing up from B's hug, running, or hopping I should say, in-between the other couples sitting on the floor and I got my BSB tape an stuck it in the VCR and started taping, much to the amusement to the 11 other people in my house. "You know Lorraine, you always said that you'd prefer to have the real thing rather than a TV programme" laughed my dad. "Yeah, but, once a fan, always a fan, right girls?!" "Oh yeah!!!" came the response from them all at once. Which made the guys laugh. "What, I'm sure if the situation was reversed, you guys would be the same…right guys…guys?" The guys just laughed even harder at my last statement. "Oh, thanks for the ego boost guys - much appreciated" "Anytime Rain!" "One thing, not funny AJ!" "Where did your sense of humour go?!" "I think it left when Donna went out to get her phone call" "Well, here she comes, let's see if she brought it back with her! Hey Donna, did you happen to see Rain's stray sense of humour while you were out there did you?!" "What are you talking about AJ? Never mind, I don't want to know, knowing you, It'll just be stupid!" "Gee, thanks!" "Anytime" "So who was on the phone?" asked Kev, breaking up the silly mood that was beginning to take over the whole group - well, Nick and B took it upon themselves to get up and start searching my living room for my sense of humour, getting everyone on a seat off it so they could check underneath the cushions, laughing hysterically as they did it - really, you'd think you would have grown up by 23 wouldn't you?! By that last comment, I don't think they found it! "That was Johnny…my husband and co-manager of the Backstreet Boys" she said the last part to my parents, they looked confused (as per usual!!), and the rest of us knew who he was - once a fan, always a fan, remember?! "What did he say?" "He is really excited about the girls being signed, and he wants them into the studio right away, there's a studio in Glasgow we can go to, it's near the hotel." "Oh my god!!!" I screamed to myself, but it wasn't that quiet, B heard me - he was now finished looking for my lost humour - looks like I'm done for now! "When do we leave?" I asked, calming down. "As soon as possible - we'll be away for about a week for this first session, and as we'll be getting up really early each day, I think it might be better if you stayed at the hotel with the rest of the guys, that goes for the rest of you girls too." "Well, I guess I'll go pack then…back in a few" and with that I left the room, taking the cordless phone up with me, I had to tell Lisa and Jo about this. ~~ on the phone to Jo ~~ (not the whole conversation - that'll take too long!) "Lorraine, do you realise how jealous I am of you?!" "I think I have a pretty good idea, you did look upset when I looked at you from the stage" "Yeah, well…I was…just promise me you'll look after Brian for me, and Nick for May" "It's all under control!" I said gently putting some clothes in my suitcase, but I did it a bit weirdly, 'cos I dropped the phone. "What was that?!" "Oh, I dropped the phone in my suitcase" "Suitcase?" "Oh, that's what I was phoning for! Donna Wright just got a phone call from Johnny Wright, saying that he's so excited about the group, that he wants us in the studio right away, I have to leave today, I'll be staying in the guys' hotel for the next week." "Oh my god!!!! Lorraine Jennifer Wightman, you are sooooooo lucky!!!" "You don't need to tell me twice!!!!" "Aaaahhhh!!!!" we screamed again, sending everyone in my house laughing again. "Everyone still laughing at you then?!" "Yup, but I'm used to people laughing at me! Anywho, I'm gonna call Lisa, then I gotta finish packing, but I won't see you before I go!!" "I can come over…" "Not a good idea mate" I interrupted her "Why not?" "Well, when we arrived, we met up with Claire Harlick on the pavement outside my house, we exchanged words, and now there's a group of about 25…" I was cut off by the screaming fans, I didn't know why though. "25 fans, and a whole bunch of photographers, so I'm not sure if we can get out!!" "Well, how will I see you?!" "Well, your house is on the way to Glasgow, we can stop in and see you on our way" "Okay, I'll be waiting!" "See you soon, take care" "You too, bye" "Bye" ~~ off the phone ~~ I ran downstairs to find out what was going on. "Okay, what was that screaming for people?!" (I do actually say things like that to my parents! - if my dad tells a joke I've heard before, I tell him "Dad, that joke is sooooo tired!" - the don't seem to mind, they know how much American TV I watch - if you've forgotten, I live in the UK - and the effect it has on me!!) "Those girls just screamed for me!" said my dad "Yeah right, you wish Peter Pan wannabe!" he's always trying to be young and cool - which extends to singing 'Everybody' and a song from my other fave band Boyzone, called 'No Matter What') "Actually, they did, the nets on your curtains were falling down and your dad went to fix them, and they all went mad!" explained B. "The things that happen this summer will never cease to amaze me!" "Are you finished packing yet?" "No mum, I'm almost done, I'll call Lisa while I do it…oh, that reminds me, I won't get to see Jo and Lisa until next week, can we stop off at their houses on the way to Glasgow?" "I see no reason why not" "Cool, thanks Donna, I'll go call and pack" "I'll help…to carry it downstairs obviously" said B "Yeah right!" added Nick, who then very quickly ducked away from Lauren who was getting ready to hit him again. "Now Nicholas, you know you deserve it, come on, get back here" "Awwh, fine, but only because I do actually deserve it" He sat back up and Lauren hit his head again - god, anyone would think he liked having Lauren hit him! Mind you, it could be because she doesn't hit as hard as Shay! (No offence Shay me old matey!) ~~ upstairs and on the phone ~~ "It's totally cool!!!!!" she let out a little scream after I said that (no-one was in her house at the time so she could), but B heard her and started laughing "B, don't laugh, it's not nice!" "Sorry" "What was that? Are you talking to yourself again Lorraine?!" "No, Brian heard you screaming, and he just laughed" "Brian Littrell heard me screaming? Oh my god, how embarrassed am I?!" "I can have a fairly good guess! Do you want to talk to him?" "Oh yeah!" "Here he is, I need to get my packing done anyway, no, don't scream again!" "Yes mother" I handed the phone to B with a laugh "Hey Lisa" "Umm…Hi Brian" "How are you doing?" "Obviously not as well as Lorraine!" Brian laughed at this, I looked at him 'cos I couldn't hear and he gave me a tell-you-later look. I went back to my packing. "Well, apart from the whole lift thing, are you okay after that?" "Lift? Oh, elevator, yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking, but we're not completely sure about Rain!" "Hey!! Watch it Mister, or I'll have to do a Lauren!" "Oh anything but that!" he said in mock terror "I'm done packing, be a dear and carry it downstairs, that's what you came up for anyway wasn't it?! I'll take the phone" "That's what you thought I came up here for, you are sooo naive Rain!!" Lisa heard this, an at first gasped, but then knew he was half joking, then laughed. Meanwhile, B had swept me up in his arms, I was enveloped in a big bear hug, his arms linked behind me, the phone in his hands still, and he started kissing me, first little pecks on the lips, then progressing into deeper kisses. Lisa began wondering what we were doing, and had to shout through the phone so we could hear her - well, we were a bit busy! "Hey, Lorraine!!??!! Earth to Lorraine !!!!!!" she shouted, good thing she was alone! "Okay, okay, I'm back, what did you want?!" "What were you doing?" "Umm, B was…um…helping me pack" "Lorraine, you just said you'd finished packing, you were kissing weren't you?!" "Might have been" "Lorraine Wightman, I can't believe you! You are sooooo lucky!" "That's what Jo said!" "Well, you are" "I'm still pinching myself to see if it's true!" Just to prove it I pinched my arm, and I didn't expect to pinch myself that hard and I yelped and dropped the phone (again!). "What are you doing?!" "I was pinching my arm, and I dropped the phone into my suitcase" "Suitcase?" "That's what Jo said too! Well, the thing is, Donna Wright, their manager, just got a phone call from Johnny Wright, her husband and co-manager of the BSB, and he's so excited about the group being signed, he wants us in the studio right away, there's a studio near the guys' hotel in Glasgow, so I'll need to stay in their hotel for the next week." "That's sooo cool!" "I know, but seeing as I won't see you for a week, is it okay if I come over and see you on the way to Jo's house, I'm seeing her before I go to Glasgow too?" "You'd better! I can get that autograph when you come here aswell!! And I can get the BSB's autographs! I'll have to find something they can sign!" "I've got to get this suitcase downstairs, no wait, B has to get it downstairs, so I'll be at your house half an hour to an hour okay?" "Okay" "See you soon, take care" "You too, bye" "Bye" ~~ off the phone ~~ "Hmmm…now, where were we?!" B said with that mischievous twinkle he has in his eyes. "Let me refresh your memory…" I said, returning the deep kiss he gave me a few minutes earlier. We were just getting into it when Nick came through the door, with my camera, you know he took a photo! "Huh?!" we said together when the flash went off "Ha, I knew it! B-Rok, you can never keep your hands off the girls!" "What?!!!" I said, pulling away from B, and giving his shocked face an even more shocked and evil glare. "He didn't tell you?!" "Of course I didn't, there was nothing to tell, Nick, when will you ever grow up?!" "Never, I'm like Tom, I never want to grow up, I'm another Peter Pan wannabe!" "Well, you could be, you've got the favourite colour right!" "B, what on earth is Nick talking about?" I was getting upset about this (does it show?!), B saw my face, the shocked, saddened expression and he just went weak "Awwh Rain, don't look like that! Honestly, there was no other girls" "No come on B-Rok, you know that's not true!" B shot him a look, but he didn't get it. "What about that girl in Sweden, oh, and Belgium, oh, the one in Paris was fine!" "What?!" I exclaimed, I was almost in tears, my eyes were welling up, finally Nick saw what he was doing, he knew he had to own up. "No Rain, I'm just joking, really, I was just playin' wit ya, there really were no other girls in those places." "Oh" I said, my legs just gave way then, I just fell to the floor and let the tears that were waiting there out onto the carpet. "Rain, why are you crying, I was only joking" "I'm just relieved, that's all" B sat beside me and gave me a hug. We were there for a couple of minutes, then I pulled myself together and stood up. "Right, maybe we should get this bad boy downstairs" "Okay, Nick you heard her, go downstairs!" "Ha ha, very funny Frick" They laughed together, and B took my suitcase downstairs, Nick stayed behind. "Rain, I'm sorry I messed with your head back then, it was stupid of me" "Don't worry abut it, just as long as it was a joke, there's no problem" "You really are an understanding person" "Well, I do try!" I laughed, and gave him a hug. He held me for a few minutes rather tight, kind of like hoe B would hug me, but I thought nothing of it (Not only am I very understanding, I'm also one of those people who will always give other the benefit of the doubt, others would call it being gullible, but hey, that's me!). He let me go and looked into my eyes, I saw a mischievous twinkle in his eye, but it wasn't his, it was B's, I backed away from him "Maybe we should get down…I mean, go downstairs!" I blushed at my little slip of the tongue. He blushed too, but smiled inwardly. "God she's fine when she blushes, B-Rok better realise he's got a great girl here" he thought to himself as we walked downstairs. "Right, shall we brave the masses now?" Donna asked us. "Seems like a good a time as any, the bodyguards are outside, they'll keep the girls off us, and stop them killing the girls!" laughed AJ. "Okay, let's go, Tom, Sheila, would you like to come with us?" Donna asked my parents "I don't think so, I think we have a bit of explaining to do to the neighbours, and now it looks like the police!" My dad said looking out of the window, and sure enough, there were three policemen outside with the body guards, the bodyguards were nearer to the limo for easy 'escape' "Well, I guess this is goodbye! - well, until next week that is!" "Yes, now you take care of yourself, behave, and watch out for that lift!" my mum joked - which is not a usual occurrence! I hugged my parents goodbye, while Nick took a couple more photos for my ever-increasing scrapbook. "Oh, that reminds me, I need to get my films developed! I've got to send copies to Theresa, from the hotel, and Laura from the hospital." "You'll have to wait until this is finished, there's two left" said Nick. He went to the window, carefully lifted up the netting and took one of the crowd outside, the flash made them turn round, they saw Nick and went crazy! They started to bang on the window, and I was getting scared - wow, this pop-star business is scary!! "Well, how about one with my new legal guardian?!" I said when Nick was at a safe distance from the window "Are you sure, I don't really like cameras!" "Come on, just the one?" I said, putting on a puppy-dog eyed look. "Oh, alright, just the one" We stood together in the middle of the living room while Nick took the photo, then my camera made the funny noise it always does when it rewinds to the beginning. After it had finished, I put it in it's case and we got ready to go outside, Kevin kindly offered to carry my case, seeing as he's the strongest and can run the fastest with suitcases (I'm sure they've had to test that theory at one point!).