"Wake up you two, we're here." Suzie gently shakes us to wake us. We drag ourselves off the plane and to the baggage claim, its a couple hours earlier in Las Vegas than VA, so its still light out. We arrive at our hotel and we both shower before we got to sleep. Before I drift off to sleep I say "I can't believe this is happening." "Believe me dear, we're not in Kansas anymore" Missy replies before I drift off to sleep with sugar plums and Backstreet Boys dancing in my head. I wake the next morning to the phone ringing at 7 am, I answer the call, it is a wake up call, I figure Missy must have called while I was showering. So, I wake her up and we begin to get ready. We both shower again, and help each other with what we are going to wear. For me, we decided on a khaki cargo skirt, black shirt, black clunky heels, and my army jacket, I love my jacket, I've got it to remind me of my father's service in the army and I have a Navy and Coast Guard patch on each arm for my uncle and grandpa's service. Missy is going to wear a pair of jeans, black ankle boots and her pink YUM! shirt. Suzie knocks on the door and says "Time to go!" I open the door and she says "You look great!" "Thanks, but they better appreciate me wearing a skirt, I never wear them, so that means they're special." I realize Mike is standing behind her with camera on and everything. I wave hi to him and the camera. Missy walks up behind me and says "Ready!". I grab my back pack which contains an extra pair of jeans, normal shoes, Chap stick, never leave any where with out it, camera and my questions for the boys. We arrive at Planet Hollywood to hundreds of girls being blockaded by barriers. They were all screaming and chanting "BSB! BSB!" It was crazy. Suzie led Missy and I straight into the restaurant and told us to sit down at a table. "Missy, when we get in there, you'll sit next to me, while the interview is going on. You'll meet the boys after the questions. Ok? All right, you guys wait here and I'll go see if they are ready for us." Suzie tells us. Mike stayed with us to tape our pre-interview conversation. "So, Ms. Locks, " Missy says, pretending to talk into a microphone, "how do you feel? You're about to meet the world renowned Backstreet Boys." "To tell you the truth, I'm not nervous, but as soon as I see them, my hands will be shaking." I replied. Hey, good excuse to get them to hold your hands." She quipped. Suzie came back and motioned to follow her. We follow her through a door and down a hall when I hear yelling. "Mom, Nick says he's going to meet another obsessed fan. Is that true?" "Nick!" Mrs. Carter says. While Suzie knocks on the door. "Come in!" Mrs. Carter answers. The four of us, including Mike enter. "Hi guys, its so nice to finally meet you. Obsessed fan, huh, Nick?" I say. "Sorry 'bout that." he says, flashing me his thousand watt smile. "It's all right, I understand, have you been outside lately? Those people were a little obsessed with me, weren't they?" I joked. "Well, I guess we should do our introductions now. Hi, I'm Tanya," I say, extending my hand, which was trembling, "or Goldie, as my friends call me." Howie takes my hand and gently kisses it. "It's my pleasure. I'm Howie D." he replies. "Charmed, I'm sure." I smile. I extend my hand to the rest of the boys and shake it and state their names. "Right down to business." I say sitting down, when I realize Mrs. Carter and Aaron standing in the corner. "Oh!" I say jumping up, "I'm sorry." I walk over and shake her hand. "How do you do? I'm Tanya Rutherford." "It's nice to meet you. Don't mind Nick, he's a bit cranky because Aaron beat him on Playstation." She tells me. I laugh and turn and look at Nick. He's blushing. I turn back to Aaron. "So, this is the famous video game champ?" He smiles. "Yup!" Aaron replies. He crooks his finger and motions to come closer, I crouch a little bit. "He thinks he's really good, but he's really not." I laugh and say, "How 'bout you and I play a game later and you can show me your moves?" "Sure!" I give him a thumbs up "Cool!" I take my seat and Kevin says "Roll 'em." "All right, first question, nicknames favorite one and why?" "Now, I haven't heard that one before." Brian says. "My favorite nickname is B-Rok or Frack, B-Rok is for my love of basketball, and Frack because it makes me a well-known pair with my best friend Frick." I point to AJ. "Well, I only have one, Bone, so I have no choice." AJ quips. "No one has called you Rico Suave?" I ask. "Hey, I like that one. Call me that!" he says facing the camera. "Sure Rico, Howie?" "Sweet D. It kinds of announces my personality." Nick says "Sorry, Bri, but I have to go with Kaos, it definitely describes me!" All the rest of the boys nod vigorously. I smile, "Kevin?" "Train, it means if I want to achieve something, I go for it and nothing stops me" the eldest BSB answers. "Not Mr. Body Beautiful, or Pumpkin?" Brian asks. "Or Boo?" Nick chimes in. "You guys are weird" I say. "Oh, we know, believe you me, we know." AJ says. Next one, who is your role model? Musically or otherwise." Brian, he's my best friend, he has high morals and he knows what he wants in life, and he helps me with my problems, I just think he's great!" Nick answers. "I love you man!" Brian says, pretending to cry. He stops and says "My role model is Ghandi." I look at him inquisitively. "He stood up for what he believed in and didn't back down. He didn't even use violence to receive independence for an entire country." "That's cool" I say looking at him. "I'd have to say, musically Boys II Men are my role models. They have done well in what they love doing. I hope we're just like that." "AJ?" He looks around thinking. "Mr. Rogers." He states matter-of-factly. We all laugh. "No really, he wants to be everyone's friend and neighbor, and that's cool!" "Thats...that's...I don't know, but its something. Kevin?" "My father." He gets a real serious look on his face. "That's where I get my need to succeed. He always use to say 'If you're going to half-ass it, don't bother doing it'. I love him and respect him for that." I hold my hand out to comfort him. "That's a very good trait to have. I'm sure you're father was a great man." "He was." "I can't imagine how hard it is to lose someone so close. If I lost someone, I would become a hermit, even if I knew they would want me to live my life." "Its really hard at first, but with my family and friends helping me, it got easier and easier to live with." "All I can say is, I think he's your guardian angel, and he's so proud of your success. " Suzie starts pointing at her watch. "But, Suzie says we have to go on with this interview. Ok, now, I probably know the answer to this, but it's much more fun hearing it straight from your mouths. What do you guys look for in a girl, in one adjective, we need to hurry. Just go around the circle starting with Brian." "Fun-loving." "Understanding."(AJ) "Caring"(Howie) "Open minded"(Nick) "Good debater"(Kevin) "You mean, if she has opinion, state it and back it up with facts?" I ask. "Exactly." "Last question, Nick, you will like this one. If you could have any superhuman power for a day, what would it be?" "Ooh, ooh, me first" Nick says waving his hand. "I'd like to be able to change shape, you know change into things." "Howard? Ha, that sounds strange." I say. "Thanks, I'd like to be able to look into the future, or read people's minds, see what they really think." "Nifty, Kev?" "I'd like to be able to heal people." "Good choice. You could help the world a lot." "I'd like to be invisible, see if the world would carry on without me." answers AJ. "I'm sure it would, Alex. I'd like to be able to stop time. To just sit and relax, or have more time to get things done." Brian replies. "Ok, well, That's it. I'd like to thank you so much for letting me spend time with you guys. This has been so cool. And before we go, I'd like to introduce my buddy, Missy." Missy gets out of her seat and walks over to us. "Nice to meet you. I'm Missy." "Wait, I have to do this. Kevin and Nick can you come here for a sec. Missy, stand between them." Now, this is a funny site. Missy standing between two 6' and 6'1" frames, is too much. "See, Missy, your height is cool, you get more attention. Oh, well, we've got to go. But I have to say one thing. If you have a dream, go for it," I pause and look and the guys, "you never know, it just might come true. Oooh, Missy, Spice Girls say good bye." Missy totally understands while the rest of them look confused. She comes and stands beside me. "Girl Power!" we say in totally fake British accents, making peace signs. We, then, pretend we have guns in our hands and say "Fight the Smallpox!" Aaron, Mrs. Carter and the other guys crack up. Mike motions cut. "I don't even want to know." Suzie says shaking her head. Aaron jumps up off the floor and runs over to me. "Want to play now?" he asks. "Aaron, she is here to meet the Boys, give her a few minutes." Mrs. Carter scolds, gently of course. "Nah, that's ok, I have a little brother, I'll play for a little while, you guys don't mind?" I ask them. "We'll watch. We'll be cheerleaders!" Brian says with a kick. "Ummm yeah!" I give him a thumbs up. I pull up a chair next to Aaron, I, normally, would sit on the ground with him, but I'm wearing a skirt. While the rest of the group sits on the couch and floor around us. "So, what are we playing?" I ask Aaron. "We've got Diny Racing and Mario Racing." he informs me. "Oh, buddy gee, Mario all the way!" After we play for awhile and the others talk. Aaron tells Nick I am almost as bad as him. "Hey now, you watch yourself little man. I'm a lot better than Nick." I retort. "Oooh, Nick, them's fightin' words if I ever heard 'em!" Brian says, trying to coax Nick to fight back. "So, Tanya, are you ticklish?" Nick gets up off the couch. "No, no, no, you can't! It's not fair! Suzie! Where is the bathrooms?" "Down the hall. Why? " She asks, confused, she and Mike were sitting in the other corner, talking, not listening to our conversation. "Missy, run for it!" I yell. we both bolt for the door, but I grab my backpack on the way out. "Guys, get them!" Brian commands. Missy and I make it to the bathroom, before they catch us. I go into a stall and change into my pants and shoes. Missy stands by the door and teases the boys. "Ooooh, look at that, you can't come in here." she taunts. "Much better." I say as I come out of the stall. I grab a tissue and hand it to Missy. She opens the door a crack and waves the tissue outside. "Truce!" We give in. We open the door and walk out, cautiously, to the hallway empty. Missy starts down the hall toward the room, we were just in, so I follow her. Someone grabs me from behind, and I yelp. The person says "Never forget to check behind you." I turn around to see Nick, with AJ, Howie and Brian right behind him. "You changed." Nick observed. "Smooth, yeah, skirts are ok, but when you need to run, they just don't work." "Gotcha. Missy was telling us you, two were in a play last night, and Mikey in there, taped it." Howie interjects. "No." "But Missy said we could watch it." "No, no, no." I hide my face with my hands and shake my head. "Why not?" AJ inquires. "Because she thinks she sucks." Missy answers him. "Does she?" Nick asks. "Ok, she had the lead, wrote the story, and helped direct." Missy counts her reasons on here fingers. "She just thinks she can do better. Those damn perfectionists." "Love you too, Miss!" I say sarcastically. "How about, we watch it and be the judges?" Howie suggests. Nick and Missy have to practically drag me to the couch. She puts me between Nick and Kevin because they won't let me get up. I'm so embarrassed. I mean, I love doing what I do, and I thought everyone did a great job, but I hate watching myself. I watch the play, criticizing everything I do, in my head, of course. Thank God, its almost over, just the finale and curtain call. But during the finale, I notice something wrong. My mic is on, the sound crew decided I should go solo. "Missy...did you...?" She just smiles and shrugs. I cover my ears. I can't listen, I sound horrible, I'm about to cry, when it is finally over. "Tanya, wow, you are really talented." Kevin compliments me. "That wasn't supposed to happen," then I realize, "all those people heard me, oh geez!" "Your solo? Really? But you were so good!" AJ chimes in, enthusiastically. I shake my head and put my face in my hands. "We wouldn't say it if it wasn't true." Kevin lifts my head up, "Really." "She will sing by herself, only if she is joking, otherwise, she clams up and packs away the vocals." Missy informs them. Right then, a strange man pops his head in, and tells the guys they have to leave now. "Be right there, we'll see you guys at dinner later tonight, right?" I look at Suzie and she nods. "Wouldn't miss it!" I respond. "Just come backstage, after the concert, they will be expecting you." "Groovy!" We all hug and say good-bye and the boys leave. "They like you. If they didn't, that would be it." Suzie explains. "Cool." We have to wait a few more minutes before we leave, so the fans can thin out. We leave and head towards the concert hall.