CHICAGO, IL – HOTEL – MAR. 21TH, 2002 – THURSDAY

     Kirstin dropped her bags on the floor and collapsed on the huge king size bed. Ashley just watched her.

     “I can’t believe this hotel! It’s awesome! Look…” she grabbed a folder that was laying on the nightstand “They have a spa in here! With massages, bubble baths, mud baths. Mud bath! Wow!” Kirstin exclaimed all excited about this glamorous life she was just discovering. Ashley just looked at her with a big smile on his face “What?” Kirstin asked Ashley after placing the folder back on the nightstand.

     “Just looking at you all excited over little things like mud baths.” Ashley lay next to her on bed.

     “Oh, sorry if you’re used to such things as mud baths. But from where I come from, we don’t usually have mud baths at our services.” Kirstin turned, supported her head with her right hand and smirked at Ashley.

     “Well… you’re gonna get used to it pretty soon, because you’re traveling with me a lot more times now.”

     “Well, don’t mind if I do get used to mud baths.” Kirstin pecked him on the lips “What are you doing today?”

     “Hm… don’t actually know. I didn’t get our schedule yet. Could you wait here and I’ll go to Mike’s room to get it?”

     “Yeah, sure.”

     “Good. Be back in a sec.” Ashley pecked Kirstin on the lips and exited the room.

     After a while, Kirstin stretched and got up off the bed. She walked up to the window and pulled the curtains open. It was raining. And it was actually freezing outside.

     “That’s Chicago.” Kirstin sighed and shut the curtains.

     It was Kirstin’s first time in Chicago. She had never actually been to any other state besides California and New York. Now she was probably gonna see a lot of cities and states traveling with Ashley. O-Town was going on an almost one month preview-tour to promote their second album.

     Kirstin retreated to bed and got the remote control from the nightstand, turning the TV on. She stopped at a ‘Three’s Company’ rerun.

     “Hey, you’re never gonna believe it!” Ashley said as soon as he got inside the room.

     “What?” Kirstin sat up, intrigued.

     “We’re going to Redding in…” Ashley checked the schedule again “15 days!” Ashley looked up at Kirstin and didn’t see the enthusiasm he had in her.

     “Oh…” Kirstin lay down again.

     “Oh? Oh? That’s all you have to say? Don’t you know what this means?” Ashley sat beside her.

     “That we’re going back to our hometown? Yay!” Kirstin faked a smile.

     “Yeah, but… Not only are we gonna be back to our hometown, but…” Ashley frowned “Didn’t you get the letter?”

     “What letter? What are you talking about?” Kirstin frowned too.

     “From school!”

     “What school?”

     “Our school! Harbor High?” Ashley was surprised Kirstin hadn’t gotten the letter.

     “Why would Harbor send me a letter?” Kirstin still had no idea where Ashley was going.

     “Well, there’s gonna be this event. Charity Event. And everyone that graduated from 1995 to 2000 was invited. You really didn’t get the letter?”

     “No… well, they don’t have my New York address. Maybe my mum got it. But again, she’s moved to another house like… almost a year ago. So she probably didn’t get it either, because she didn’t say anything to me.”

     “Oh… I see… but… do you wanna go?”

     “I don’t know, Ash. See all those people again? Not exactly my idea of a fun night.”

     “Come on, Kirstin! It’s gonna be fun!” Ashley played with her hair.

     “Yeah, for you, maybe. Because now you're gonna show off to these people, show them you're a big pop star. But not me. They won’t even remember who I am. Unless we come together and then they will point out and say ‘Look! That girl is still glued to Ashley just like she was during highschool.’ No, thanks. I think I’ll pass.” Kirstin returned her gaze to the TV.

     “Come on, K. They won’t say that. You’re not being reasonable here.”

     “I’m not being reasonable?” Kirstin raised her eyebrows at Ashley “Come on, Ash, seriously. Who was I friends with? Just you and…” Kirstin turned to the TV again “Jared.”

     “See? There’s Jared! Don’t you wanna see Jared?” Ashley knew the answer to that question already.

     “Yeah, right.” Kirstin sighed. Jared was Kirstin’s friend for a while, but then he misunderstood Kirstin’s friendship and tried to kiss her one night. After that, Kirstin and Jared hadn’t actually maintained their friendship “And he’s probably a mad scientist now.”

     “Yeah…” Ashley smirked. Jared was kind of strange. Not a geek strange, just a really hard studier and really quiet “But, come on! We have to go! And if you do go, you’ll get to show off your new pop star boyfriend!” Ashley poked her side.

     “Stop it!” Kirstin asked, trying hard not to laugh “It’s not funny!” Ashley wouldn’t stop it and eventually she gave in, laughing a little “What’s this stupid charity event for anyway?”

     “I can’t really remember. It’s for underprivileged children and I think special children too. Harbor has a program for those kids now.”

     “Oh, really?”

     “Yeah. So…” Ashley poked Kirstin again “You’re going, right?”

     “Urgh…” Kirstin hit his hand “What choice do I have?”

     “None. So, you’re going! Great! It is gonna be so much fun.” Ashley kissed Kirstin’s cheek.

     “Yeah, right.” Kirstin just sighed and crossed her arms across her chest.

     “Listen, now, about today. We have a radio interview and that’s all. Tomorrow, we have a concert in a fair and a meet and greet afterwards and then we’re off to…” Ashley checked the schedule that was lying on the bed “Indianapolis. Oh, Dan’s gotta be thrilled.” Ashley grinned.

     “Why?” Kirstin asked.

     “His family is meeting him there.”

     “Oh, nice.” Kirstin grinned “It seems like a nice place. Indianapolis.”

     “It is. You’re gonna find out in two days.”

     “Two days? But you said we’re leaving tomorrow.” Kirstin frowned.

     “Yeah. But we’re going by bus, so that’ll take a while.”

     “Bus? Oh, God.” Kirstin rolled her eyes.

     “I know. You’ll probably get no sleep, but when we get to Indianapolis, you can sleep the entire day. Sorry.” Ashley said. He knew Kirstin had a back problem and sleeping in the bus wasn’t gonna be good for her back. But he couldn’t do anything about it.

     “That’s alright. I’ll manage. The important thing is that you’re here with me.” Kirstin pecked his lips “Ash, this is gonna be fun, right?”

     “Of course! I promise you that.”

     “Good. Because I need to… you know… get my mind off things right now and…” Kirstin got cut off by Ashley’s lips on her.

     “K, I’ll make sure your mind is off things. I don’t wanna see you hurt again. We’ve been through too much this last week and we don’t need that right now. I love you and I’ll take care of you. I know you won’t forget things that easy. And I’m getting used to your mood swings already.” Kirstin half-smiled and Ashley continued “So, don’t worry. When this tour is over, our lives are gonna be completely different. Promise you that.” Ashley smiled big into her eyes.

     “I believe you.” Kirstin smiled at his eyes too.