Chapter Eight
Two weeks later my phone rang while I was trying to study for a huge test on the nervous system. "Hello?" I snapped.
"Whoa, Osh- what's wrong?"
"Hey Lance. I'm sorry I snapped at you- I'm studying for a huge test and I'm really stressed." I said.
"Do you want me to let you go then?"
"No- I need a break anyway and I think you're just the person to relieve my stress," I said.
"Oh, well then- that can be arranged." I could hear a smile in Lance's voice. "So what are you studying for?"
"The nervous system," I replied, shutting my book. "But enough about that."
"Oh! I love this song!" Lance turned up the volume and I heard the faint music of a country song float to my ears.
"Lance, you know I hate country music!" I complained.
"I know baby, I know, but I can't help it�I don't know how you do what you do�" Lance sang.
"Give me one good reason why you feel the need to sing me this song."
"Cuz it's how I feel about you�I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you by my side forever and ever. Every little thing that you do Baby I'm amazed by you."
"Why do you do this to me?"
"Do what?"
"You're making me fall for you even more-"
"That's not bad, is it?"
"No, but if I fall for you too much then I can't enforce what I want, and it makes me smile and relax-"
"Oh no. What in the world am I thinking? Making you smile and relax? What's wrong with me?" Lance asked.
I laughed. "So what's up with you and the guys?"
"Hmm�not too much. Britney is pretty much stalking Justin. Poor guy."
"He needs a girlfriend to regulate," I said.
"Oh yeah. He'll find her somewhere, someday. Just like we met somewhere, a month and a half ago."
"I'm glad that we did. And I'm glad Britney isn't going after you."
"It's not her you have to worry about�it's the teenyboppers. Aaah!"
"I'm not worried. I trust you and most of them are under age, so�."
"Yeah, but thank God we even have fans. I mean if it weren't for them, we wouldn't even be here," Lance said gratefully. "And if it weren't for N Sync, we wouldn't have met. How's that for a scary thought?"
"It's pretty crazy," I agreed.
"Hehe, pretty soon you're gonna be getting teenyboppers of your own." Lance laughed.
"I doubt it."
"Oh. Come on. Aren't you booked on Leno or some show?" Lance asked.
"Oh gee, thanks for knowin my schedule. It's Donny and Marie," I said.
"Oh sorry. When are you on?"
"Um�I have no idea. I'd have to get back to you on that one."
"Well, tell me when you'll be one when you find out okay?"
"Of course." We talked about ten minutes more and then Lance had to go sleep and I had to study some more.
"Well, I will talk to you tomorrow okay?" Lance said. I could hear him stifling a yawn.
I yawned. "Okay. I love you."
"I love you too. Good luck on your test."
"Thanks. Okay, go to sleep now."
"Okay. Night, Osh."
"Night, Lance. Hang up the phone now."
"Okay, okay. Bye."
"Bye." I hung up and slowly opened my textbook again.
I woke up the next morning to a corner of my book digging into my head and Rainbow gently saying, "Happy birthday, Osh!"
"What?" I groggily said.
"Wake up- it's your birthday, Osh."
"It is?"
"Duuuh."
"Oh, it is!" I sat up. "Did I get anything from Lance?"
"Umm�no�"
"Oh."
"Oh come one, O- do you really think he's had time to do anything? It's still morning," Rainbow said. "Now get dressed, we're going to breakfast."
Twenty minutes later we were sitting at a table in The Kitchen Table, talking and laughing. A couple of out cast mates from Mad joined us and we discussed new skits and such with tons and tons of laughter.
All of a sudden, a pair of hands covered my eyes and five sweet voices began singing "Happy Birthday." When they were done, a deep voice said, "Happy birthday, Osh."
"Lance!" I exclaimed and turned around.
"That is correct! Tell her what she's won, Johnny!" Chris said.
"Thank you so much, you guys!" I replied. "This is so great!"
JC grinned as they all pulled up chairs and sat down. "You're welcome."
"No, no, no. Osh, you are so welcome," Justin said with a laugh.
I smiled. "Nicole, Phil- this is N Sync- Lance-"
"How are ya?"
"JC."
"Nice to meet you."
"Joey."
"Hi."
"Justin-"
"What's up?"
"and Chris."
"Greetings."
"Guys, this is Nicole and Phil from Mad TV," I said.
"I hope no fans recognize us," Chris said with a sigh. "We really need a break."
"Chris, you said yourself- at least we have fans, right?" Joey quoted.
Chris nodded. "Yeah. But none of us are in disguise�"
A blond girl ran up to the table. "Are you N Sync?"
The guys nervously looked at each other.
"And you guys are on Mad TV- Ocean and Rainbow, huh?" the girl said.
Before anyone could answer, Eddie ran up to the table. "Oh my gosh! I just saw Nick Carter and AJ from the Backstreet Boys!"
"Where?" the girl asked excitedly.
"Over there!" Eddie pointed to the door of the Men's restroom.
The girl ran over to the door and waited. Eddie calmly took a chair and sat down as Chris stared at Eddie in disbelief.
"What was that? The Backstreet Boys? You could've at least made it people who we get along with!" Chris exclaimed.
"Like who?" Eddie asked.
"98 Degrees," Joey replied.
"98 Degrees?" Eddie echoed. "They suck!"
"So does Backstreet!" Chris said.
"So do you!" Eddie exclaimed.
"Shut up, all three of you," Rainbow said.
"Sorry, mom," Joey replied.
Nicole and Phil looked a little bit alarmed.
"It's okay, you two. They're just joking around," I said as Lance put his arm around the back of my chair.
Nicole nodded. "Okay, I was beginning to think chairs were going to be flying through the air."
"Yeah, right. Chris can't even lift a chair over his head," Eddie said with a grin.
"Hey!" Chris protested.
"What? It's the truth," Eddie replied.
"I'll have you know that I can not only lift a chair over my head, but I can lift a fork over my head too," Chris boasted, holding a silver fork over his head.
Rainbow, Nicole, Phil and I politely clapped. People were beginning to strangely look at the table of people yelling about Backstreet Boys in the bathroom and raising forks and chairs over their heads.
"Tone it down a bit, will you guys?" Rainbow hissed. "You're scaring people."
"Sorry, mom," Joey whispered.
"And Joey, quit with the mom stuff," JC said.
"Sorry dad," Joey whispered with a grin.
When we left half an hour later, the girl was still standing by the men's room.