Four weeks had gone by quicker the Caitlin had intended. She had spent countless hours working with Fatimah. Caitlin had met with the costume designers, the hair and make-up artists. She even made a cover for her single "Release Your Heart." The video had already been shot prior to her being asked to open up for the Backstreet Boys, but since the release of her single she has been gaining popularity.
"Caitlin! Girl! We have to be in Orlando in 20 minutes!" Lynn screamed from down stairs.
"Ok! I'm coming." She yelled back.Caitlin was so excited that Lynn had agreed to accompany her on the tour with the guys. Lynn didn't mind at all. She had a secret crush on the "short southerner" as she always refered to him as. Lynn never bothered to learn his name, Caitlin always had to remind her he was Brian.
"Honey! You be good. Your father and I will be at the Tampa show when you come here! Are you sure your going to be all right, sweety?" Mrs. Mitchell asked.Caitlin picked up her two suitcases, her make-up bag, her shoe bag, and a carry on for the bus. She regained her balance.
"Mom! I'll be fine. You and dad don't have to worry about me. I love you both so much." Caitlin said.She hugged both her mother and her father. Lynn did the same. Then both girls hopped in a taxi and headed for Orlando. Their, they would be meeting the security, the band, and the guys. Also, they would be meeting JIVE management.
**************************************************************The taxi pulled up in the front of the JIVE building. Lynn and Caitlin were surprised to see only one enormous tour bus. They had assumed their would be two. One for Caitlin, and one for the boys.
"Hi Caitlin! Hello, your Lynn, right?" Donna asked. Lynn nodded her head."Hello! Why is their only one bus?" Caitlin asked.
Donna counted mentally in her head as only Kevin, A.J., and Howie borded the bus."Well, the other bus isn't working! We didn't want to postpone the first week of the tour. Besides, the guys bus has seven bunks. Thier is plenty of room!" Donna said cheerfully.
Caitlin just looked at Lynn, and Lynn just shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't expected to be sharing the bus with them for the whole tour."Should I take Caitlin on the bus, now?" Lynn asked.
Donna nodded. She quickly ran off to find the two missing boys. Nick and Brian. When she found them, they were both engaged in a heated game of basket-ball."Nick! Brian! You know I love you...but come on! Look at the time. We leave in 10 minutes." Donna said.
Both guys chugged their beverages, and then headed towards the bus. They new Caitlin was opening up for them, but they had no idea she was going to be sharing their bus with them. *****************************************"Hey Caitlin! How have you been?" Kevin asked.
"Hi Kevin! Pretty good. This is my friend Lynn! I needed an adult on tour with me, so she is pretty much the only thing I could find." She said sarcastically."Hi Lynn! I'm Kevin, nice to meet you!" He said.
"Nice to meet you too." She said."So! Fatimah tells us you have been dancing with her. She says your goood!" A.J. said.
Caitlin blushed of embarassement. She loved dancing, but never thought she was actually good at it."Thanks!" She said.
"Yeah! And we saw the cover to "Release Your Heart", looking good." Howie said sweetly."Awwww...guys! The compliments are so nice." Caitlin said.
Her conversation was interupted by Nick and Brian who were bickering over who won the game."I won!" Nick said.
"No way! I did." Brian said."I did." Nick said.
"No..I did!" Brian said."Shut-up Bri!...I..." Nick was cut off when he saw Caitlin and another girl on the bus.
"Caitlin! Hey..what are you doing on this bus?" Nick asked."Hi Nick! The bus I am supposed to be on doesn't work. I guess your stuck with me on tour." Caitlin said.
"Nah! Were not stuck with you. We are obligated to be in your presence. Mrs 'I've been taking lessons from Fatimah!" Nick said while nudging Caitlin's shoulder."God....everyone knows about that." She said laughing.
"Nick...Brian! This is my friend Lynn. She is gonna be on tour with me." Caitlin said.Brian looked at Lynn and his eyes lit up. She caught how his expression had changed, she immediatly began to blush. ***************************************************
They had been on the bus for about seven hours now. Their first destination was New York. They were going to be preforming at "Radio City Music Hall". Lynn had fallen asleep. Howie and A.J. were playing a game of cards, Kevin and Brian were watching Ace Ventura, and Nick had just recieved a phone call on his cell. Caitlin rested on the couch near the kitchen area, and Nick was sitting at the table. She closed her eyes and listened to the conversation."Hey Mandy! What's wrong?" Nick asked. His voice full of concern
"Who is Mandy?" Caitlin thought to herself."What do you mean you want to break it off?!" Nick said into the phone.
"Must be his girlfriend." Caitlin said to herself again."I just don't understand why you can't accept my career! This isn't fair Mandy! You go all over paris with your modeling, but you want to break off our relationship because I am touring. That is a little hypocritical. Don't ya think?" Nick said quietly.
He was obviously aware of the fact that Caitlin was resting on the couch."So It is over then, right?" Nick asked, his voice full of hurt.
Mandy must have hung up the phone, or said something quickly and disconnected. Because Nick was left staring at the phone. He was speechless."Should I say something? Should I talk to him, or better yet, be someone that he can come and talk to? I'll wait untill later tonight! I don't want him to think I listened in on his conversation, even though I kind of did." Caitlin thought to herself.
She left her eyes closed and pretended to fall asleep. Nick hadn't moved from the position he was in. She could still here his breathing.