--chapter one - page four--

"So what's the meaning of this meeting, Nick?" Kevin asked. They were sitting around a conference room in management's main office: the Boys, their managers. They all knew Nick had been troubled recently, and the fact that he called a meeting scared everyone in the room. Nick never called meetings, so that day's gathering had to be serious.

"I...uh..." He looked around at the faces in the room. Kevin, Brian, Howie and AJ. Faces he knew so well, had known for so long. He knew they were worried. It had been bad enough when he'd gotten arrested- a situation that could easily be solved with a little plea bargaining. This would be much different. This was a decision they'd all have to live with for the rest of their lives.

"You're not going to believe this guys, but-" he began uneasily. "I'm going to be a father."

No one moved. Not even flinched. "I'm not kidding, guys."

"You're not even dating anyone," Brian was the first to speak. Good ol' Brother Brian.

"It was supposed to be a one night sort-of-thing...didn't really work out according to plan." Nick said it lightly, hoping they'd take it as a joke.

"How could you let this happen?!?" Kevin yelled. That's what Nick was waiting for. It just took the eldest Backstreet Boy a few minutes to get warmed up.

"It was in Marathon...she was on Spring Break..."

"Did you use a condom?" Kevin demanded. Nick changed his eye focus, suddenly becoming entranced by a knick in the table.

"Nick!" All the Boys yelled it at the same time.

"We didn't have any...she was on the pill." Nick tried to explain.

"I can't believe you were so irresponsible!" Kevin raved. He'd gotten out of his seat and was pacing back and forth. "You're lucky she's just pregnant, Nick. You could have gotten AIDS!"

"It was a mistake, I realize that." Nick sat up a little straighter, playing the part of a grown-up. "But she's decided to keep the baby, and I want to be involved in raising it."

"You, raise a baby. That's ridiculous. You can't even dress yourself, with all those fugly shirts you walk around in." Kevin was so angry he was being irrational. Thank God Nick had gone with the conservative, responsible dress again today. He'd been so tired that morning he almost threw on one of the fugly orange shirts Kevin described.

"Kevin, sit down." Howie ordered, deeming it time to intervene as the group peacemaker. "Yes, Nick is a stupid retard to have sex without a condom."

Ouch, Nick thought to himself. But Howie normally made sense in these types of situations, and Nick was curious to hear his point. "But we should be proud of him for taking responsibility for this baby. A lot of men wouldn't do that."

Nick beamed. Leave it to Howie to find the good in a situation. He looked to Kevin's face for a reaction, but there was none. Stone cold, like a steel plate.

"Howie's right," Irving spoke up. He'd just recently become one of the Boys' managers, and Nick wasn't sure how to feel about him yet. "We shouldn't get angry at Nick. He's doing the right thing by taking a part in this baby's life."

"Thank you Irv, thanks Howie." Nick said.

"And furthermore," Irving had that glazed look in his eyes. From ten years of dealing with managers, Nick knew that look well. He was deep in thought, trying to figure out how he was going to spin the situation to the press. "This might be good press for the new album."

"How on Earth is Nick having a child out of wedlock GOOD press?" Kevin wondered aloud. Everyone else in the room was thinking the same thing, Nick included.

"Think about it," Irving got to his feet and began to pace, just like Kevin a few minutes earlier. "This album is a big step for all of you. You're showing the world that you've grown up. Kevin and Brian, you're old married men now, and AJ is sober and engaged. You've got a new, more mature sound. Nick having a baby will only add to that new, more adult image. He's given up the reckless trouble of his youth to settle down and raise a child."

"I guess that could work," Kevin speculated slowly, still thinking over the possibilities.

"I don't think so," Nick was the one to object this time. "I said I'm going to raise a baby- I never said anything about settling down."

"We've got to make it appear that way, Nick." Irving explained. "Most people think Joey Fatone got a groupie pregnant, since they never see the mother of his child on TV. We've got to take a different approach. Show that you're very much in love with this girl."

"I barely know her!" Nick objected, standing up. The entire room shot him a look. He sat down, upset. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he pouted. "There's no way in hell I'm marrying her."

"You don't have to," Irving insisted. "It'll be a new-age relationship, for the 21st century. Devoted and loving girlfriend and boyfriend happily raising their child out of wedlock. As long as we make sure we spin you in the light of a responsible boyfriend and father, this could work."

"I don't know if she'd agree to that. Pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend?" Nick ran his hand through his hair. "But I guess she'll have to."

"We'll need to meet with her, Nick. Where is she?" Irving asked.

"She's sitting outside."

"Go get her."

"MALU!" Nick hollered, not moving from his chair.

"Nick!" Kevin warned.

"Fine, fine. I'm getting up." Nick mumbled. But he didn't have to. The door flew open, and there stood Malu. She wore an un-hemmed denim mini skirt and a white Adidas track jacket. Calf-high white boot with spiked heels. Hair in pigtails. Nick cringed. They'd fought over her hair on the way over. It made her look younger, he insisted. But she was stubborn, and didn't let him get his way.

"Come in," Howie greeted her. "Have a seat."

She took a seat next to Nick. He hardly glanced at her. Meanwhile, everyone else in the room was carefully scrutinizing Malu through narrowed eyes. She waved uncomfortably. Since Nick obviously wasn’t going to introduce her, she took the responsibility on herself. "Hey there. I'm the one-night stand."

"Fuck, are you even legal?" Kevin asked.

"Kevin!" Howie and Brian exclaimed at the same time. They couldn't believe how mean their band mate was to this seemingly innocent young girl.

"Well, are you?" Irving reiterated. He didn't want to be mean, but it was a valid question.

"Yes. I'll be nineteen in two months, thank you very much." She slouched a little lower in her chair. She hadn't expected to get verbally attacked. She didn't need this- she'd be yelled at enough from her own parents.

"And you're sure its Nick?" Irving began the first of many questions running through his head.

Malu nodded. "Positive."

"Have you been to the doctor?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

"Okay, that's the first thing we'll do." Irving said. He began to right notes on the legal pad in front of him: a running list of things to do. "We'll have them run a paternity test, too. Not that I don't trust you, we just have to be sure."

Malu looked at Nick. He nodded, as if in agreement. "Okay, sounds good."

"Let's talk about you, Malu. Nick said you met at Spring Break. I take it then, you're a college student?"

"Just finished freshmen year at UC Berkeley."

He nodded. "Good school. What are you planning on doing about it next year?"

A sad look crossed Malu's pretty face. "Drop out, I guess. I was at school on an athletic scholarship. I can't play volleyball when I'm pregnant, and I can't afford to go to school otherwise."

"You didn't tell me that," Nick looked at Malu with a concerned face. He suddenly felt so awful for her- having to give up a scholarship and a chance to study at a prestigious university.

"There's a lot about me that you don't know," Malu shot back icily.

"What do you think about traveling, Malu?" Irving broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Traveling?" The question threw her. It wasn't what she was expecting to be asked. "Traveling is cool, I guess. I've never really been outside of California, except for Spring Break in the Keys."

Her first time out of Cali and she spends it getting pregnant and throwing up for three days straight, Nick realized. Not the dream vacation she'd had in mind. Life's a bitch, ain't it?

"How'd you like to travel the world with the Backstreet Boys, Malu?"

"What are you getting at?" The poor girl was entirely confused, and skeptical.

"We need you to play the part of Nick's doting girlfriend. Go on tour, make appearances at awards shows, the occasional interview with Rolling Stone or MTV."

"But I'm not Nick's girlfriend. What we had- that was just a one-night stand between the two of us. Just because we're going to raise this baby together doesn't mean we're going to be together." Malu explained.

"And we know that," Irving agreed. "But why does anyone else need to know it? As far as the press knows, you two met at Spring Break, fell in love at first sight, and are now raising a baby together."

Malu was still confused, Nick could tell. He could hardly blame her, he was almost in the same position himself. But years in the entertainment industry gave Nick a little more incite into the mind’s of his managers. Both he and Malu would be giving up a large chunk of their single freedom by pretending to be dating. But as expecting parents, Nick doubted either of them would have much time to date as it was. Nick’s greatest problem was getting Malu to see things his way.

He took her hand in his, trying to explain things to her gently. "It wouldn't be that bad, Malu, really. Four-star hotels, first-class airline tickets. Seeing the entire world. And all the clothes you could possibly dream of."

He knew how to peak a girl's interest. Malu’s head jerked up, a giddy smile across her face. "Clothes?"

"I love this hip-hop look you have going," Irving interjected quickly. "And it totally works, since Backstreet's new album has a lot of soul influence in it. We'd just class you up a bit. Baby Phat, J. Lo, Tommy Hilfiger..."

It definitely sounded enticing. A lot nicer then the cheap clothes she bought at swap meets and trashy stores on the Venice Beach strand. And getting out of California definitely sounded tempting. She hadn't told her parents about the baby yet, but she knew how upset they'd be with her. They'd make her life a living hell. But if she didn't have to live with them...

She looked at Nick. He was annoying, there was no doubt about that. The short amount of time they'd spent together made them realize they had nothing in common. But he meant well, and was offering her the opportunity of the lifetime. Besides, what else was she going to do? A pregnant college dropout, sitting around her parents’ apartment all day, munching on Cheetos and watching soaps. Yeah, she’d have to pretend to have a boyfriend when she really didn’t, but Malu hardly expected herself to attract a lot of guys with a baby on the way.

She shrugged. "What the hell- I'm in."

...to be continued...
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