Chapter 1: Pure Luck
The local radio station in Melissa's hometown is the coolest! They play the best music and half of the requests they play are Backstreet Boys songs. So, over time, she became a big fan. So when she heard the DJ say that the Backstreet Boys had added two more dates to their 'Into The Millennium Tour', she was ecstatic!The DJ also mentioned that they were giving away three tickets to caller number 10.
Well, it was a good thing that she had the radio station on speed dial because she calls them all the time to request her favourite Backstreet Boys song 'No One Else Comes Close'. She decided to to give it a shot. When she finally got through, she discovered that she was caller number 10 and nearly fainted from excitement.The DJ then went on to tell her that the tickets would be in the mail within the next couple of days.
The tickets finally came in the mail and Melissa tore open the envelope and noticed that the seats weren't that close. In fact, they were in section 520 row 1 seats 6-8 at the SkyDome in Toronto. Well, their gonna hafta do! she told herself.
According to Mel and Manda, March 15 couldn't have come fast enough. They spent most of the March Break with Jenn and Jo. On the morning of the concert, Mel was sitting in her room watching the Backstreet Boys Egos and Icons special for the third time since it was aired on Much Music. She was waiting for Manda to come over. Mel sighed. She only had about 2-3 hours of sleep that night. She had spent most of the night talking to Manda on the phone or in the five girls private chat room. Their nicknames were: Meli_Ann, Mandi_Bear, Jo_Lizi, Jenni_Lyn and Kriss_Juliet. All night Manda and Mel were telling each other how much fun they were going to have the next night. Manda showed up around 7:00am instead of the 9:00am they had planned. The only reason why was because Mel wanted to talk about what they were going to do while they were up in Toronto for the five days.
After Mel's mom left for work at 8:30, Amanda jumped off the couch and popped in Backstreet Boys, Backstreet's Back and Millennium into Melissa's CD player and turned up the volume. They listened to that until Amanda suggested that they go to the YMCA to swim off the extra energy that they had. "That's a good idea," Mel said, "Maybe we should invite Jenn and Jo to come." "Yeah, maybe I should!" Manda replied as Mel picked up the phone to dial Jo's number.
...Ring...Ring... "Hello?" someone picked up on the other end.
"Hey, is Jo there?" Mel asked.
"In the flesh," Jo replied in a cheerful voice.
"Oh hey, Manda and I were just about to go to the 'Y'. Wanna come?" Mel asked.
"Ya, I'll go!" Jo said. "Ok, we'll come pick you up in ten, k?" Mel informed.
"Ok," Jo said before hanging up. Mel hung up and then passed the phone over to Manda. Manda dialed Jenn's number and waited.
...Ring...Ring... "Hello, Taylor Residence?" some one said as they answered the phone.
"Hi Mr. Taylor, is Jenn there?' Manda asked politely. Mr. Taylor replied,
"Yes she is. Hold on one moment." Seconds later Jenn picked up the phone.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hey you!" Manda greeted.
"Hey!" Jenn replied.
"I'm calling you because Mel, Jo and I are going to the 'Y' and we were wondering if you wanted to come," Manda explained.
"Sure!" Jenn exclaimed. Manda gave Mel the thumbs up sign.
"Ok, we'll be at your house in a few," she informed Jenn as they said their good-byes. The girls spent a couple of hours at the 'Y' and soon they were heading back to Jenn and Jo's houses.
"...Jo, just admit it. You're totally obsessed with Nick!" Jenn teased in the back seat. Jo looked at Jenn, who was sitting beside her.
"I don't think I'm obsessed but I will say he's hot!!" Jo said, "Fine, I'M OBSESSED WITH NICK CARTER OF THE BACKSTREEET BOYS!!" she yelled when Jenn gave her a doubtful look. This made everyone laugh.
"Geez Jo, I was only teasing. God, I didn't think you would take such a fit!" Jenn replied.
Manda turned around from her seat in the front. "You know Jenn, you shouldn't be talking about Jo being obsessed with Nick when you're obsessed with Mr. Kevin Richardson!" she teased.
"Ya well, at least I don't fantasize about AJ McLean all day long!" Jenn shot back.
Mel looked in the rear view mirror. "Hey, leave him out of this!!" she piped up.
"Fine," Jenn said. This was met with a moment of silence in the car.
"Man, I wonder why Kriss spends so much time with Mike. I mean, he is so not her type!" Jo said changing the subject.
Jenn nodded. "I don't know but, you're right. He's soo not her type!" she agreed.
Mel shrugged. "I don't know either but, they obviously must not find it that bad. They've been together for five years!" Mel said.
Manda gave a long whistle. "Wow, that long?" she asked in disbelief.
Mel nodded. "Ya, since Grade 7," she stated in an I-Know-Everything tone as they came up to Jo's house.
"Well, this is your stop Jo," Mel said as Jo started to get out of the car. "Oh, before you ask, we will take rolls upon rolls of pictures for you!" she added.
Jo smiled. "Ok, thanks you guys!" she said as she closed the door. Minutes later, they arrived at Jenn's house. Jenn wasn't looking forward to not having her best friends around for five whole days.
"I'm gonna miss you guys so much!" Jenn exclaimed.
Mel looked at Jenn sympathetically. "We're gonna miss hanging out with you guys too. You know, I still can't believe that I won and that the radio station is paying for the five days at a big hotel!" Mel said.
"Don't forget to call us, ok?" Jenn said. "
We'll call everyday! I promise," Mel reassured.
"Ok," Jenn said as she forced a smile upon her face.
"Jenn, you have our cell numbers, right?" Manda asked.
Jenn nodded. "Yeah, I'll call you guys too!" she said.
Mel nodded and then pointed to Jenn's house. "Well, this is your stop," she informed.
Manda smiled reassuringly at Jenn. "Don't worry, we will be back. They can't keep us away for too long. We do have that dreaded thing called school, you know," she said.
Jenn smiled back. "Manda, why do you have to be such a smartie pants?" she asked as they all laughed.
Jenn stepped out of the car and waved to her two friends. "'Bye," she called.
"Bye Jenn, we'll see you on Monday!" Mel and Manda yelled as Jenn waved again and watched as they drove off into the distance.
Amanda and Melissa arrived back at Mel's house around noon hour. Mel slumped on to the couch and turned on the TV. "Much Music is replaying BSB's Ego's and Icons," Mel yelled to Amanda, who was in the kitchen making them lunch.
"Hasn't that been on enough today? Don't get wrong or anything. I love them and all, it's just...They're gonna wear that out!" Amanda yelled back.
"Yeah, I know," Mel replied.
She felt that the more they heard their beautiful voices and saw them, the more they wouldn't be able to wait for Mel's mom to get off work at 2pm to shower and change. The three of them had already packed the night before so they wouldn't have to rush around to leave.
An hour and a half later, Manda asked, "What time is your mom suppose to get home?"
"Right now!" Mel's mom said as she came through the front door.
"OH MY GOD!!! You did that on purpose!" Mel laughed, "Mom, it's only 1:30, what are you doing home so early?"
"Well, I asked the boss if I could go a little early and she said yes, so her I am!" her mom smiled at them, "Well quick, get ready. I didn't leave early for us to be late!" Mel's mom ordered.
"Sorry mom," Mel said in a sarcastic apologetic tone.
Mel and Manda packed their bags in the trunk of her mom's Mercedes Benz. They brought a bunch of magazines, their disc mans, and laptops with them.
Take Me Back!