Chapter Three ~ Setting the Rules
"Ash, man, can you believe this place?" Jacob smirked as he looked from the pool to the hot tub and back to the pool.
"We, my boys, are living in heaven for the next little while. Everything we've ever dreamed about is coming true," Paul added as Ashley joined him and Trevor in the pool.
"Where's Ikaika?" Ashley asked noticing that one of the guys was missing.
"He didn't want to come out," Jacob shrugged. "He misses Hawaii and his girlfriend. He's already phoned her three times today, so thats probably what he's doing right now."
"Yeah, well I miss my mom and my sister too, but I'm not gonna be on the phone with them every hour of every waking day."
"He's different from the rest of us Ash. I can see it in his eyes already he doesn't want this like the rest of us do."
"Then why is he here?" Ashley asked confused with exactly what Jacob was trying to say.
"I don't know yet. I'm still working on trying to figure him out."
"So Angel," Paul changed the subject. "When is that sister of yours going to come down here and grace us with her presence?"
"I have to talk to Lou about that. Do you think he'd let her stay here with us, and would you guys mind her being here?"
"I'd personally share my room with her," Jacob laughed thinking back to the picture that he had seen.
"Well, I'd personally share my bed with her," Paul offered.
"What about Carrah Paul?" Trevor reminded of the girlfriend. "I don't have a girlie so you know I have more of a chance," he laughed. "But then again, there is always that Rachel girl. She's one hot chicky!"
"I noticed her first," Erik interrupted. "I was the first one at the house and the first one she talked to."
"Whoa chill boy," Trevor was shocked with how Erik was reacting. "Her or Ash's sister will do me just fine!"
"Guys, do you think Lou would let my sister live with us down here if I make the band?"
"Whoa, Angel-Man, why would you want that?"
"My step-father and her don't get along. He doesn't agree with me being down here, and he doesn't want me to be part of O-Town."
"What's that got to do with your sister?" Paul asked.
"She's taking the brunt of it all. He's taking everything out on her and I don't like the way he treats her. I know for a fact he can get violent when he gets mad."
"I'm sure if you explained the situation Lou wouldn't have a problem with it," Jacob assured. "Talk to him tomorrow, but right now I'm going to bed. If that Rachel girl is true to her word and is here at 7:30, I want to be rested and ready to go!"
Everyone agreed that it was getting late and that they should call it a night if they wanted to make a good first impression on Lou and be rested up for the next days occurences. Rachel arrived the next morning at 7:30 on the dot, and the only ones up were Ashley and Jacob, both of whom had hopped out of bed just recently judging by their facial expressions and messy hair.
"Come on guys, get up and moving," Rachel yelled loudly so that everyone could hear. "Mark will be here in about 1/2 an hour and he doesn't take kindly to having to wait for people to get ready."
"We didn't sleep last night," Paul whined as he made his way out to the kitchen.
"And why is that Mr. Martin? Did y'all stay up to late getting to know each other?"
"No! We all stayed up late listening to Ikaika talk to his girlfriend and then SNORE!!"
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that the arrangements here aren't suitable for you sleeping prefrences, but you have to get used to it!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Paul mumbled as he entered the bathroom to start getting ready.
Around 7:50 Mark showed up at the house to pick up the boys to take them to Trans-Continental Headquarters to meet with Lou Pearlman, their new best friend. When he found that the boys weren't completely ready he told them they had 10 minutes and if they weren't in the van he was leaving without them.
They arrived at Trans-Con around 8:15 and were sent into a large room down at the end of the hall where they were to wait for Lou to arrive. When he did, about 20 minutes later, he started going over some of the rules with them.
"Alright guys I know that y'all think your down here to have a good time, but your also down here to work and hopefully make it into the next big boyband. We aren't here to set thousands of rules and deny you any kind of a normal life, but there are a few regulations that you must follow, all of which are of common sense.
1. You all are allowed to have visitors, as I'm sure that some of you have girlfriends, but please refrain from any extreme signs of affection as you are being videotaped at all times.
2. You are to be in the house by midnight unless you are out with Mark and or myself or someone else that is directly involved with O-Town.
3. When you are in public you are not to act like crazy people, or pretend to be bigshots. You have an image to protect, and you acting like a bunch of baboons isn't going to help it any.
4. Don't be late for your appointments. When you are expected to be somewhere at a certain time that is where you will be until you have been dismissed.
5. NO drinking,drugs, or smoking. This all goes back to the image you have to protect.
Guys this isn't a lot to ask from you. Please try to abide to the rules. If we need more, which I'm sure we won't, then I together with Mark and Rachel will sit down and discuss what other ground rules need to be made. Please, if you need anything feel free to contact me at anytime. I'm always here to listen to you guys, and I want to know what's going on in your lives."
Lou dismissed the boys from the meeting and they all walked silently out to the van thinking about what had been said as Mark drove them back to their new home.