"Hey, J, what's--"

Never once taking his eyes off the stage below, AJ waved Nick into silence. Seated in the lighting booth high above the amphitheater, AJ had been watching the rehearsal for the past hour. As usual, a local high school choir had been chosen to join them onstage for "The Perfect Fan". The lone Backstreet Boy on stage was Brian. The song was his baby, and he made it his job to work the choir and orchestra till everything was timed to perfection.

The school's music director was completely absorbed in the music, her wavy blond hair cascading around her face as she swayed to the beat. Conducting the singers, she was giving it her all and her face was radiantly beautiful.

"Damn, J," Nick whistled in appreciation. "They didn't make teachers like that when we were in school, did they?"

AJ paused, before answering softly, "Yeah, Nick they did. She was one of mine."

Kathryn Morrison was in her element. For as long as she remembered, she had wanted nothing more than to conduct and this concert was to be a special sort of homecoming for her. Seven years earlier, at the ripe old age of twenty, she had been assigned to this very same school for her college internship. Kathryn was one of the brightest and best that Florida State had to offer; a straight A student, she had graduated from high school on an early release program and began attending college at the age of sixteen.

While most of her friends were planning what to wear for homecoming and the prom, Kathryn was writing term papers and giving student recitals in the ivy-covered halls of FSU. Her final semester was spent student-teaching in a small high school in Palm Beach County. Barely older than the students she was in charge of, it had been exhilarating. She found the kids to be eager little sponges, soaking up every scrap of information she presented and then begging for more.

By far, her favorite class had been the show choir. A select group of twenty students were culled from the music department and trained in singing, theater and dance. To this day, only one student remained in her memory.

"No shit, man! Really?"

"Really."

Silence reigned.

"That's it? C'mon, J, there has to be more. What's the story?"

"No story, Nick. Ancient history." Pushing out of his chair, he patted Nick on the shoulder and disappeared into the underworld of the arena.

"Sure," Nick mumbled into the empty room. "Whatever you say." Shaking his head in disbelief, he returned his gaze to the scene below.