Chapter 1


16-year-old Elizabeth Namson sighed as she dropped the keys onto the passenger seat of her car, after repeatedly trying to turn the ignition. “Great!” she said to herself. “I’m in the ‘frickin middle of nowhere!”

Elizabeth was on the way to a dancing studio in Tampa, Florida. She had an audition with a woman named Fatima Robinson to become her assistant. Elizabeth had come all the way down from her home in Maryland to tryout, and she needed the gig for money for college. Her dance teacher had told her of the opportunity, and suggested she try out. Her father supported this. “He probably just wants to get rid of me,” Elizabeth had told her best friend Anna before she had left. Her workaholic father, Dave, spent most of his time either at work or at the bar, getting drunk, while Liz’s brother, Adam, was into drugs. Elizabeth’s mother had died when Elizabeth was 10, and her father had raised her. For the most part, she despised him for never being there, and she did not lead a very happy life. Her only escape was her dancing. She loved to dance, any kind, swing, jazz, tap, ballet, you name it, she did it. She loved to sing, too, but she never had enough money to take lessons. She spent all her money on dance, and when school let out for the summer, she didn’t have any left. That was why she was coming all the way down to Florida for (hopefully) the summer.

Elizabeth sighed and stepped out of the car. She was on a deserted road in the middle of a field, with no sign of human life in sight. Plus, the sun was beginning to set. She pulled her purse out of the car and started walking.

***

Liz had been walking for an hour. She started singing a song, one that she had just heard on the radio before her car died. She didn’t know who it was by, but she liked it. “Quit playing games with my heart,” she sang. She started dancing in the middle of the road, singing at the top of her lungs. After all, she hadn’t seen another car since she had started her journey. Then she stopped, a big goofy grin on her face. She sat down in the middle of the road to rest, and hunted through her purse for the stick of gum she KNEW was in there.

***

Jane Carter turned up the music in her car. She was on a long stretch of road where there was absolutely nothing, but she knew it well. She and her husband called it “The Barrens”. Suddenly, Jane put on the brakes. There was something sitting in the middle of the road. She pulled up beside it and realized that “it” was a person, a girl that looked about the same age as her son. “Hi,” Jane said as the girl turned to her. “My name’s Jane. You need a lift somewhere?”

The girl smiled. “Oh, yes, please. My car broke down a couple of miles down the road. I’m on my way to Tampa.”

“Hop on in,” Jane said, unlocking the doors. She was a very friendly looking woman, and Liz knew that she could trust her.

“My name’s Elizabeth Namson,” Elizabeth said as she put her seatbelt on.

Jane stuck out her hand. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Jane Carter. I live in the Tampa area. Just tell me where you need to go.”

Elizabeth blushed. “Oh, well, I’m not very sure of where I need to go. I was just planning to sleep in my car tonight and wing it from there.”

Jane laughed. “Oh, please, dear, there’s no need for that. You can come to my house and stay as long as you like. I’ve got 5 children, and I’m sure they’d love to have company.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Um, thank you very much!”

“Don’t worry about it. Now, you don’t sound like you’re from around here.”

“Oh, no, I’m from Baltimore. I’m down here for a job. I’m a dancer, and my teacher found an add for me to audition for someone down here. I didn’t have anything else to do with my summer, so I figured, why not?” she told Jane. “I left yesterday, and I just got down here. But then my car broke down, and there was NOWHERE where I could go to get help.”

“Well, thank heaven’s I found you. I was on my way home from my sister’s house,” Jane told her as she turned into a fancy neighborhood and pulled into a long winding driveway with a HUGE house at the end. “Well, this is it. It’s probably messy, because my oldest son Nick is home,” Jane said as she parked her car. “Come on in,” she said to Elizabeth, holding the door open to her.

Elizabeth stepped into the house. Just then, a girl that looked about 14 walked into the kitchen and called to her mom, “Mom? What are we having for dinner?”

“Ahh, the welcoming committee. BJ, this is Elizabeth. Her car was stalled, so she’s going to be staying with us tonight. Elizabeth, this is BJ, my eldest daughter. Now, Beej, I was thinking that Nick would decide what we are having for dinner tonight, and I’m sure he’ll want pizza. Be a sweetheart and go ask him for me, okay?” Jane told her daughter.

“Hi, Elizabeth, it’s nice to meet you. I’ll go find Nick and ask him what he wants for dinner, Mom. Then you can meet him, Elizabeth. He’s my older brother,” BJ said, and ran up the stairs to her brother’s room.

“Nick, Mom wants to know what you want for dinner,” BJ said as she opened the door to his room. As usual, he was asleep. “Ni-ick, come on, wake up,” she said, jumping on his bed.

Nick groaned and sat up. “I don’t care what we have for dinner. Now go away and leave me alone,” he said and laid back down, pulling the covers over his head.

BJ pulled the covers all the way off the bed. “Nick, Mom said that since you were home, you get to pick what we were having for dinner. And I’m hungry, so you’d better decide soon.”

Nick sighed and got out of bed, wearing only his boxers and a t-shirt. “Alright, alright, I’m gonna go downstairs now.”

“Wait!” BJ said as he stepped out the door. “I also came up to tell you that there’s a girl downstairs, and she looks about your age.”

“Yeah, right. Mom wouldn’t let any girls in,” Nick said.

“No, seriously. You might wanna put clothes on, or at least comb your hair,” BJ said, pointing to his blonde hair, which was all piled onto the side of his head.

“Whatever, BJ,” Nick said as he walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. He walked into the kitchen, still not fully awake.

“Hey, Mom,” he said as he walked over to the refrigerator. “How was Aunt Sally’s?” He took the milk carton out and drank directly from it.

“Nickolas Gene Carter! Stop that right now and get a glass!” Jane said as she turned to him. Elizabeth giggled when she saw him.

“Oh, sorry Mom,” Nick said as he went over to the cupboard and got a cup, not looking at her.

“Now, Elizabeth, as I was saying, tomorrow, I can take you to get your car, and then we can take you to-“ Jane was interrupted by her son, who was putting the milk away.

“Uh, mom? Who are you talking to? There’s no Elizabeth in this hou-“ Nick cut off when he saw the 16-year-old girl looking at him with a smile. His face turned bright red, and he had a milk moustache.

Elizabeth walked up to him. “Hi,” she said, sticking out her hand. “My name’s Elizabeth.”

Nick shook her hand, staring at her. “Um, I’m, um, Nick,” he said, stammering. He was mesmerized by her big blue-green eyes.

Jane came up behind Elizabeth. “I picked up Elizabeth on the way home. Her car was broken down, and I offered her a place to stay for the night. Didn’t BJ tell you she was here?”

“Um, yeah, she did,” Nick said. With that, he darted off to the bathroom to shower and get changed into some civilized clothes.

Elizabeth laughed as she watched him go. He had looked so funny when he saw her, his hair sticking in every which direction, the milk moustache, and his bright red face. “Well, he’s very animated,” she told Jane with a giggle.

Jane laughed. “Yes, he is. I’m sorry he looked so funny, but he was probably taking a nap and BJ woke him up. He usually sleeps a lot when he’s home,” she said.

“Um, I’m sorry to sound rude, but I was just wondering why he’s not home a lot. You’ve said it a couple of times, and I’m sort of confused,” Elizabeth said, looking embarrassed.

“Oh, dear, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize that you had no clue what I was talking about,” Jane said apologetically. “My son Nick is in a musical group called the Backstreet Boys. They are really popular in Europe, but not so much here. He’s always on tour with the group, so when he comes home, he likes to sleep and do normal stuff.”

Elizabeth looked slightly confused. “Oh. Well, that’s interesting. So I’m staying in the home of a huge popstar?”

Jane laughed. “Well, if you go to Europe, that’s true. But here at home, he’s just Nick.”

Elizabeth grinned. “That’s kewl,” she said.

Jane smiled at her and offered her something to drink. “Now, about tomorrow, just show me the add and I’ll drive you there.”

“Umm…” Liz said as she rummaged through her purse. “Ah hah, here it is. Now, the woman’s name is Fatima Robinson, and I’m supposed to go to Orlando. The studio is on 84th street. It’s very kind of you to-“

“Fatima Robinson? Is that the name you mentioned?” Jane said, looking at her in surprise.

“Yes, why? Do you know her?” Elizabeth said.

“Why, yes I do! She happens to be the Backstreet Boys’ choreographer. I knew she was looking for an assistant, but when you told me, it must have slipped my mind! That’s very odd!” Jane exclaimed.

“Wow! That is really weird,” Megan said. She was the one looking surprised now.

“What’s really weird?” Nick asked as he walked into the kitchen. After he had gone back upstairs, he had wet his hair in the sink and the blow-dried it slightly. He had put on a pair of khaki shorts and a blue and white plaid shirt. He walked over to Elizabeth. “Hi,” he said to her. “I’m Nick. Sorry about earlier, I had no idea you were down here.”

Elizabeth smiled at him. She thought he was seriously fine, now that he had cleaned himself up. “Hi. That’s okay, you couldn’t have known. And I’m Elizabeth Namson. Your mom picked me up on her way home because my car had stalled.”

“Yes, and it was a very odd thing that I happened to pick Elizabeth up. She’s from Maryland, and she came down here to audition for the part of a choreographers assistant,” Jane said, looking at her son.

“Really? You dance?” Nick asked Elizabeth. She nodded.

“Anyway,” Jane interrupted, “guess who the choreographer she’s auditioning for is?”

“Nuh-uh!” Nick exclaimed, looking at his mother. “Fatima?”

Jane nodded. “Well, let me go see what your brother and sisters are up to. Nick, offer Elizabeth something to drink, please, and if you decide on pizza for dinner, call for it.” With that, she walked out of the room.

Nick looked at Elizabeth. “Um, that’s really weird that you are gonna work with Fatima.”

“Well, I don’t know if I’ll be working with her. I mean, it’s just an audition,” Elizabeth told him, trying to think of something to do with her hands while she just stood there. She felt uncomfortable in this house without Jane there.

“Yeah, but I think she’ll hire you,” Nick said. “Want something to drink?”

“No thanks,” Elizabeth said, waving her hand at him.

Nick laughed. “You don’t have to be so worried, Elizabeth. I’m not going to bite you. Go ahead and have a seat.”

Elizabeth laughed. She sat at one in one of the chairs at the table. Nick took his glass of juice and sat opposite of her.

“So…” Nick said, feeling uncomfortable. He decided to get the hard part out of the way. “Did my mom tell you anything about me that seemed…oh, I don’t know, odd?”

Megan, knowing exactly what he was talking about, laughed and replied, “Well, she told me that you dance around the house naked sometimes, and that you bark at people as if you were a dog, but other than that, no.” Nick laughed. “Oh, but she DID mention that you were part of a pop group called the Backstreet Boys and I’m going to audition with your choreographer tomorrow, but I wouldn’t call that ODD…not really, at least.”

Nick smiled and looked down at his cup. He was amazed. Elizabeth had somehow taken a completely uncomfortable (but all too familiar) situation and put him at total ease. “Well, that’s kewl,” he said. “So, where are you from again?”

“Baltimore, Maryland.”

“How old are you?”

“16.”

“Oh, me too,” Nick replied. “Wait a sec…you’re only 16 and your parents let you drive all the way down here by yourself?”

“Well…it’s actually just my dad, and he doesn’t care much about what I do. My mom died when I was 10,” she said, looking down.

“Oh…I’m sorry,” Nick said softly, seeing the pain in her eyes. He was sorry he had asked such a stupid question. “Um…so, how long have you been dancing?”

Elizabeth looked back up at him and smiled. “About as long as you’ve been singing,” she said. Nick grinned. “Kewl.” He walked over to the sink and rinsed his glass out. “So…Elizabeth,” Nick said. He walked back over and sat down. He smiled, not knowing what to say.

“This is really weird,” Elizabeth said.

“I know!” Nick said, laughing. “Come on, I’ll take you on a tour of the house.” They went around, him showing her the rooms in the house, until they would back up in the kitchen. Once the formalities wore off, they started to get to know each other. They found Jane on the phone, and when she hung up, she looked at Nick sternly.

“You didn’t order dinner,” she said, a frown on her face.

Nick turned red. “Um, sorry Mom,” he said. “I kinda…forgot.”