"Alissa! Are you listening to me?" There was silence on the phone line. "Alissa! The Backstreet Boys are on TV again, aren't they?" Still there was no response. "Dammit! I'm your best friend, listen to me!" Carrie couldn't help but whine. She sat, saying nothing listening to her best friend breathe, then suddenly she got an idea.

"Alissa, you will never in a million years believe who I saw at the mall yesterday." Carrie heard a mumbling on the other end of the line. Taking to mean that Alissa was paying attention, at least partially, she went on. "Nick Carter!"

Carrie heard the audible gasp from the other end of the phone line. "What?" Alissa shrieked. "You didn't tell me! Oh my gawd!" Carrie giggled.

"PSYCH! I just wanted your attention. You are so totally obsessed.! It's not even funny anymore."

"Oh HELLO, miss Lance-is-soooo-hot! Like you're not obsessed with *NSync."

"No way. I can still have a conversation with my best friend even if they are on TV at the same time."

"Maybe you're just not as devoted as me." Alissa wanted to stick out her tongue at her friend but it was useless over the phone.

"Translation: I'm not as obsessed as you are. You know technically we shouldn't even get along anymore." Alissa giggled at that. They'd known each other practically since birth. To think that their choice of favorite musical group could tear them apart when living on opposite coasts for the past three years couldn't, was funny.

"I know, because you have absolutely no taste in music. Or men for that matter."

"Give it up, sister. Justin is a GOD, compared to that flabby ass Nick. Do I need any further comparisons?"

"How dare you even compare Pube Boy to Nicky!" Both girls convulsed into childish giggles. Their Backstreet/ *NSync arguments were a much needed stress relief and both of them looked forward to having them.

"Anyways, " Carrie began when she had caught her breath, "how's the job hunt going?" Alissa sighed loudly, and Carrie knew her well enough to know that she was chewing on her lip while she thought.

"Well, I have a couple interviews. One of them looks really cool. Some little clothing and graphic design company that's decided they need an actual PR rep. I think it's my best shot so far. Run by a bunch of under thirties."

"Sounds really cool. What's the company called?"

"Um, FuMan. . . something. I can look it up, somewhere." Carrie's curiosity was peaked.

"What kind of clothes, 'Liss?" Every question led Carrie closer to the conclusion that she somehow already knew she'd reach.

"I d'know." Alissa shrugged although she knew Carrie couldn't see her. "Never really asked. Why?"

"Just curious. Know anything else about it?"

"Mm, not much. The CEO is really busy. Lives on the east coast and travels a lot, so he probably won't be at my interview." Carrie grinned to herself as she listened, knowing that she knew something that Alissa didn't.

"Coo-el! Best of luck!"

"Thanks." Alissa wondered at the sudden excitement in her friend's voice but she didn't get a chance to ask.

"Well, �Liss, I gotta go. Business awaits. Talk to you soon, kay?"

"Sure. Take care."

"You too." Carrie quickly hung up the phone and sat wondering how her Backstreet Boys obsessed best friend was going to deal with interviewing for a job with Chris Kirkpatrick's company.

Alissa straightened her skirt and shuffled her feet trying to calm herself down. She usually didn't get nervous about interviews but this time she couldn't calm the swarm of butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach. She took a deep breath and strode purposefully through the door.

"May I help you?"

"Um, yes. I'm Alissa Maxwell. I. . ."

"You're here for the interview. Pretty important, Mr. CEO is here. Right this way." Alissa took another deep breath to center herself before stepping through the doorway. She was momentarily surprised to see the youthful faces of the two men and woman that greeted her. She had know they were young but she still wasn't used to the idea.

"Hi, I'm Alissa Maxwell."

"Hey, Alissa, take a seat," one of the men spoke from his seat at the end of one of two sofas in the room. He motioned to another sofa and Alissa glanced around the room before she carefully sat down. "Basically, we called you because we really liked your resume and we just want to make sure that you'll fit in with the rest of us. Okay?"

Alissa nodded meekly. This was the strangest interview she'd ever had. And the guy talking to her seemed so familiar, but she couldn't figure out why.

"First thing, you can't be quiet. None of us are. You have to make your opinions known. Alright?" Alissa nodded again, and then realized , as a smirk spread across the face of the guy asking the question, that she wasn't proving her point.

"I can definitely make myself known. Most of my college teachers thought I was too opinionated." Alissa nearly blushed as she realized what she was saying.

"Great! Had us worried for a second there, with the nodding. Second, we make skater clothes so it's all casual around here. Even though that skirt," Alissa did blush as she felt his gaze scan her outfit, "is very nice, we can't have you being more professional than the rest of us. That's just not right."

"Wonderful! I hate skirts." Alissa couldn't believe her luck. A job in the field that she wanted, where she got to be comfortable. It was almost too perfect.

"Alright, anything you need to know?" Alissa thought for only a second.

"Your names might be nice." The guy looked quickly between the other two in the room.

"This is Danielle," he motioned to the woman, "and this is Dave. You'll have to get to know Ryan too, but he's not here." Alissa smiled at them and then looked back at their obvious leader, anticipating him continuing the introductions with his own. He looked momentarily surprised, then extended his hand. "I'm Chris. The company is my baby."

They discussed the rest of the details of Alissa joining the company and then she stood up to leave. As she reached the outer door, Chris called to her.

"Alissa, you dropped your keys." He held them up to show her, and then his eyes narrowed and he made a face. Alissa blushed, seeing him looking at her BSB keychain, thinking how immature that must seem. "THAT, " he pointed to the keychain, "is blasphemy." He opened a drawer nearby, and pulled something out of it "What you really need is one of these." He placed another keychain in her hand. She glanced at it, reading the *NSync label across the top, and realization struck her.

"Ohmigawd. I feel like such a loser right now." Although she was trying not to look at him, Alissa could hear Chris chuckling.

"So, you're a Backstreet fan. I guess we've got some work to do with you after all. See you Monday."

Alissa looked up quickly as he walked away. She had been sure, somewhere in her mind, that his reaction to her keychain was going to spell the end of her job. Realizing everything was fine, she glanced at the new keychain in her hand and walked out the door, humming �Tearin' Up My Heart' and wondering how Carrie was going to react.

Alissa felt a strange pang of guilt as she walked into her apartment and past the Millennium poster that hung on the wall. She turned to face the five familiar faces looking out at her. "I am NOT a traitor," she said out loud. She knew that if anyone could see her she would seem neurotic, but she was alone in her own apartment, so she continued talking.

"Just because I agree to work for the guy does NOT mean that I like *NSync." Alisa shivered involuntarily at the thought. "I need money, so that I can buy more of YOUR stuff." She turned to walk away and then quickly spun back. "Stop staring at me, Nickolas! I am NOT a traitor." Then she laughed and rolled her eyes at her own behavior. Maybe Carrie was right, she was obsessed. She'd never admit that to Carrie though.

"OHMIGAWD!" Alissa smacked herself in the forehead. "Carrie! I have to call and tell her who I'm working for. She's going to flip." Alissa went to the phone and punched the blinking message button to check who had called before she talked to Carrie.

"Hey �Liss, I just got home and wondered how your interview with Chris Kirkpatrick went. Ciao!" Alissa picked up the receiver and dialed, before coming to the realization that she hadn't told Carrie who her interview was for.

"Hello?"

"You are SUCH a bitch. You knew who I was interviewing for and you didn't tell me. I want to strangle you." Carrie laughed at her friend's mock annoyance.

"Give it up �Liss. I just happened to put all the pieces together. So how was it? Was he there? Was he cute?" Carrie knew she'd have to prod her friend for the details that she wanted, but she wanted to start off slow.

"Yes, he was there. But NO he wasn't cute. EW!" Alissa paused, wondering if she should tell the keychain story. "He saw my Backstreet keychain though and still gave me the job, so he's cool. I think he's trying to plan to convert me into an Nstink fan." Alissa wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"How bad could that be? You can join the land of those of us who already know the joy of *NSync. Hey, maybe you'll get free stuff."

"Ew, I don't want *NSync stuff." Alissa knew she sounded like a little kid.

"Well then you know where to send it." Carrie knew she'd get any *NSync stuff that Alissa decided that she didn't want. They were forever sending packages to each other filled with Backstreet or *NSync merchandise finds, whichever the case may be. "So, when do you start? And when do you think your best friend could come visit and meet your new employer?" Alissa couldn't help but laugh at how obvious Carrie was.

"Well, I start Monday, and I thought your favorite was Lance. Why in the world would you want to meet Chris?"

"Chris is one step closer to meeting Lance, goofball. If I knew Howie, you'd still want to meet him, even though you're in love with, um, what's his name again? Oh ya, Brian."

"Ya, ya. I get it. Whenever you want to visit, you know you're always welcome in my house. You just can't bring any of that *NSync crap with you. And you'll have to deal with the Boys on the walls, y'know. You might not be able to handle it. It's pretty intense. And you know I can't guarantee that when you visit, Chris will be around. You probably know his schedule better than I ever will." Carrie whooped loudly.

"Woohoo! I'm meeting my guys. Thank gawd for best friends."

"Good lord, woman. Calm down. You're only POSSIBLY meeting ONE of them. And he's really not that exciting." Carrie was still giggling excitedly, and Alissa knew she wasn't listening. "You SO owe me!"

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