“Okay boys. Your mission, should you choose to accept it - well you don’t really have a choice - is to get this girl - “ Ann pointed at Rachel - “to fall in love with this guy.” She prodded the mirror again and the image of the three lads from the band came up. Ann pointed to the dark haired, blue eyed one - Mark. “And vice versa of course.”
The two lads nodded. “Doesn’t sound hard,” remarked Bry. “Now can we go back to those girls? They’re cute.” He grinned.
Ann paused, shot Bryan a glare which caused him to sit back, head down in his seat, and continued speaking. “There are some very strict rules that you will have to follow, though, so don’t get too excited. Rule 1 - you cannot let anyone, NOBODY AT ALL, know that you two are angels. Rule 2 - you can’t get too close to anyone mortal when you’re down there. There are some bonds that can survive death and beyond.”
Nicky nodded solemnly. “So basically what you’re saying is, that we can go on the pull, we just can’t bring them home right?” Ann rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. When you get down there, it’s going to be like you’ve already been officially in the band for a year. You will have had four number ones, and will be on your way to the studio where the girls work for an interview on their show. Your mission begins as soon as your find yourselves in the van with the other three lads. Everything you will need to know, you will know.”
She paused. Bryan rubbed his hands together slyly, and Nicky had a cheeky grin on his face.
“And don’t get up to anything too naughty. I’ll be watching you the entire time.”
The two lads groaned, but made no complaints thereafter. They were going to have a second chance at life, and they would get to live out their dream - temporary as it was - and that alone was enough.
“Guys? Are you ready?”
Bry and Nicky glanced at each other, took a couple of deep breaths, and nodded. Ann smiled.
“Great. Now you better achieve what I’ve told you to or I’ll jump off this cloud and kick both your asses personally. Comprende?” She smiled again and placed a shining silver key in the ignition of a large clear bubble. It burbled into life and Nicky and Bryan stepped in. They were now floating in a large bubble which was carefully molding itself to the shapes of their bodies*. Ann’s finger hovered above a large white button as she waved at the lads, who grinned nervously. Then she pressed it. Nicky let out a small cry as he felt a jerk behind his navel; Bryan laughed like a hyena from the tickling sensation; then they were gone. On their way back to earth.
Ann grimaced. “Fare thee well, mi amigos.”
“Bloody boyband… you notice how it’s always the biggest stars who are always late? When they start out they’re all punctuality and manners - but when they’re all famous, it’s all “oh well, holding up an entire studio shoot.. is my hair okay?” “
Rachel rolled her eyes as Fernby complained for the billionth time about the disgusting state of popstars today.
“God Fernby would you stop your bloody moaning?! You sound like my Grandad!”
Fernby pouted. “And you know if one of these lads is cute in the flesh then you’ll be eating your words as soon as you see “em.”
Fernby's mouth gaped indignantly. “I am not that shallow!”
“No.. no you’re not. You don’t think lads are instantly gorgeous on paper - you have to see them first. But if they are you just moan about them before you end up snogging them.” Fernby flicked Rachel’s ear, causing her to yell and retaliate in a similar fashion, sparking a full-out chase around the set of the girls” show, HotSeat. Steve, the director, yelled at them to sit down, and Priscilla the make-up girl was flitting round frantically waving various blushes and brushes at their perfectly made up faces. The chaos had increased by the time the latest and late interviewees - Westlife - arrived
in the studio, manager and security in tow.
“GIRLS!!!! Your guests are here, compose yourselves. You’re not in kindy anymore!!!” roared Steve.
Rachel poked her tongue out at Steve and Fernby scrunched up her nose.
“Yes Dad!”, she yelled before plopping down on the funky and comfy orange couch next to Rachel. The lads stood looking awkward in the middle of the set, while their entourage and various others fussed around them; the girls lounged comfortably on the couch, sorting out their cues and questions before getting up and walking over to the lads.
Rachel walked up to the lads, looked up from her papers and lost her
composure. She was looking at the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen in her life, and for an instant was lost in them.
Standing on either side of Mark, Nicky & Bryan shot a satisfactory glance at each other. Their targets” eyes had met; the mission was officially underway. But as soon as Nicky looked away and up at the girl standing next to her, the first major problem - although they didn’t know it - had been thrown in their path.