Chapter Nine

Time passed, and Brian and the rest of the guys went on tour. I started teaching junior high physical education. I was still using the self-injectible morphine. I had to give myself double the dosage just to make it through the day. I hadn't told Dr. Williams about it because I knew if I did, she'd take me off the self-injections. I wasn't addicted; I just knew what I needed.

My students were very surprised the day I got a dozen roses from Brian. He had them delivered to my class. And the thing that surprised my students the most was how he had them signed: Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys. When my girls read that, they all wanted to know how I knew Brian. It was a mess. Then he had to make it worse.

It was the Monday after Christmas break. I was starting the basketball unit that day. It was first period, eight in the morning. I allowed my students to wear sweats over the PE clothes if it was cold. After I had taken roll, the students were sitting out on the basketball courts. I was dividing them up into teams of five, when I saw someone come around the corner. I thought it was the male PE teacher, but as he approached, I realized it was Brain. I wanted to die. I knew as soon as my students saw him; I wouldn't be able to get their attention back. I quickly read off the rest of the groups and told my students that we would be running drills for the first week and then they would get to play against each other the following week. "Everyone up and to the baseline. Line up in your teams," I called to my students. "Alright, we're doing baseline touches. For those of you who don't know what they are, you run to center court and back and then full court. Got it? And I wanna see some hustle." I blew my whistle and the girls started running. When all the girls had finished, I instructed them in the next drill. I turned around while they were working to see where Brian was. He was getting pretty close. Another few feet and someone would recognize him.

"Hey Lil' Rok, drills suck!" he yelled at me. I turned towards him with a look of desperation. Most of the girls turned to see who had spoken.

Suddenly someone recognized him. "Oh my God! It's Brian of the Backstreet Boys!" the girl squealed. In a nano-second, my entire class was a mass of screaming hormones. They all started to run towards Brian, but I stood in their way.

"Ah ah ah. I don't think so. Sit! Now!"

"But Miss Little," the all whined.

"No. Sit." There was a loud groan from my class as they all sank to the blacktop.

"Hey, Bre. Starting b-ball today, are we?"

I glared at him. "Yes, Brian."

"Have you shown these girls what a game is supposed to look like?"

"No." I eyed him and then turned my attention back to my class. "Class, this is Brian Littrell, but you already knew that. I'm sure they want to ask some questions, Bri, is that okay with you?"

"I dunno. It's your class. Is it okay with you?"

"We'll take a few. Jennifer," I said pointing to a little brunette in the middle of the group.

"How do you know Brian, Miss Little?"

"Brian and I went to school together. Denise?"

A red headed girl up front said, "What was that like?"

"Like you going to school with your friends. He was a normal guy."

"I still am," Brian said.

"Okay you still are. Stacy." I pointed to a blonde girl in the back.

"What are you doing here, Brian?"

"Oh, I came to visit Bri...I mean Miss Little," Brian answered.

"But don't you like to sleep in?" I teased.

"AJ set my alarm for three," he said flattly.

At the mention of AJ's name, the girls swooned. "Okay, enough questions. Let's get on with class girls."

I heard a bunch of "Do we have to's?" and "But Brian's here," but I ignored them.

"Aww, come on Lil' Rok. You know drills are boring," Brian said. "Let's show these girls what b-ball is supposed to look like. Play me."

"Bri, no." Brian grabbed a basketball and chest-passed it to me.

"I bet I could beat you," he said.

"No you can't." I said back, almost accepting his challenge.

"So come on then." I looked at my class and they cheered me on.

I sighed. "Alright. Half-court, one-on-one, no cheating." The girls moved to the sidelines as Brian and I walked to half court.

"I don't cheat," he said, holding up his hands.

"Yeah, you first pretty boy," I said passing the ball back to him. We played for a while, until the shower bell rang. I was beating him. "Okay, girls," I said, taking the ball from Brian, "head on in. If you change quick enough, maybe Brian will give you his autograph." I glanced at Brian and he nodded. I have never seen those girls run so fast in my life. And they were all dressed in their street clothes within three minutes. Brian signed his name to binders and tee shirts and somehow, someone had a camera, so there were pictures being taken.

After the bell rang for them to head to class, I led Brian up to my office. "Thank you so much for that," I said, slightly angry.

"What do you mean by that?" he said, sitting on the edge of my desk.

I reached into one of the drawers and pulled out a needle. "Usually I can wait until lunch," I said.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bre."

"It's okay. Fortunately for you, this is my prep-period. I don't have a class." I lifted my shirt and injected myself in the stomach.

"You doing anything after school today?" Brian asked.

"No, why?"

"Well, I haven't seen you in a while and we go on tour again in February."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I really wanna talk to you Briann."

"Okay, after school. Now I'll sneak you out through the gym so you don't get attacked." I led Brian out of my office and through the gymnasium. I got him to the sidewalk beyond the school without him being recognized or seen. "Now go home. Get some sleep. Get back at AJ, anything. Just go. I'll see you about four okay?"

"Sure thing." Brian then leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "I'll see you then."

To Chapter Ten