Chapter Five
Kevin couldn't remember having ever heard a more horrifying story in his life. He stared at Randi as her shoulders shook as she sobbed. Kevin could remember the pain of loosing someone you love. It didn't really feel like it had been only 10 years since his own father had died of cancer. He remembered the shock of knowing you wouldn't see a loved one anymore. The tremendous sense of loss. The pain. Oh, God, the pain. How he remembered it even now! Kevin shook his head to clear it. Then he got up and went to sit next to Randi. "Com'ere, Randi" Kevin said, his voice rough with emotion. She turned slightly and Kevin wrapped his arms around her and let her cry as he rocked her.
Randi didn't think about what possessed her to accept Kevin's warm, comforting embrace. She just knew that he was a warm, caring, loving, understanding human being that was miraculously having a soothing affect on her. Randi looked up into his troubled green eyes as she sniffed and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "You know, don't you?" she asked in a whisper.
"Yeah" he admitted. "I do. My dad died."
"From what?" Randi asked. Pain ridden though she was, Randi was naturally curious. It helped her forget what was bothering her.
"Cancer" Kevin informed her, brushing a stray lock of Randi's fine, black hair out of her eyes.
"I'm sorry" Randi told him.
"So am I. He was a great man. But, at least with cancer, death is a prominent possibility. I was prepared for Dad to die. At least, partially. You had no idea...." he trailed off.
"Don't remind me" Randi whispered as she nestled her face against Kevin's chest. She opened her eyes to see Howie, AJ, Nick and Brian. They still wore shocked expressions. Brian and Howie though, like Kevin, seemed to have an understanding of what she was feeling.
For a long time, no one said a word. They watched the sideway traffic like their lives depended on knowing who was doing what and when. Nick was the first to notice a group of girls skating.
"Hats, guys" he called. "Girls approaching!" They all quickly scrambled to locate their hats. Randi watched in confusion. Why should a bunch of girls concern them?
Unfortunately, AJ forgot he was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Hat or no hat, he thought in disgust as the girls looked closer at him and began screaming. The tattoos were always a dead giveaway.
The guys stood up and talked with the girls for a few minutes. The guys pulled out their wallets to hand over pre-signed pictures of themselves, cause they didn't have pens and the girls didn't have paper.
Randi watched in confusion. Just who were these guys? Were they famous or something? Or was she just loosing it?
"Hi! I'm Caroline! Who are you?" a perky female voice asked, pulling Randi out of her thoughts.
"My name's Randi" she said cautiously.
"How do you know the Backstreet Boys?" another girl asked, coming up behind the first one, sounding suspicious.
"The who?" Randi asked, confused.
"The Backstreet Boys" the second girl said impatiently, pointing in the direction of Kevin, Howie, AJ, Nick and Brian.
"Who are the Backstreet Boys?" Randi asked.
"Only, like, the most famous, best pop group around!" the perky first girl informed Randi.
"You really don't know who they are?" the suspicious one asked.
"No! I swear! I just met them about an hour ago!" Randi said, exasperated. The girls left, deciding that Randi was no one of interest.
Kevin watched the girls leave. He broke away from the girls and came over to sit next to Randi. "You doing okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I guess" Randi told him, still watching the girls.
"What were those girls harassing you about?" Kevin teasingly asked.
"Why are those girls so interested in you guys?" Randi countered.
"We're a singing group. And I guess you could say we're kinda famous" Kevin admitted.
"If you're so famous, how come I've never heard of you?" Randi asked.
Kevin looked at her, shocked. "You mean to tell me you've never heard of the Backstreet Boys? This is a first." Kevin shook his head. "Anyway, I came to see if we could give you a ride anywhere. Now that we've been discovered, we're gonna hafta leave. And we don't want to leave you with a bad ankle."
Randi thought for a second. She didn't want to go back to her apartment. Her roommates Jen and Maple were super nosy. She didn't want to deal with them right now. Instead, she asked "Do you guys mind if I hang out with you this afternoon? Maybe I'm imposing here, but I don't want to go home..."
"Say no more. Of course you can go with us! We have a sound check in a few hours and a concert tonight, but other than that, we're totally free!" Kevin announced cheerfully.
Randi heard a snort of laughter from behind her. She turned around to see Nick and AJ. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"Kevin thinking that we're 'free'!" Nick laughed. Kevin just gave Nick and AJ a look. Still shaking their heads, they picked up their water bottles and headed for the Jeep.
"Sometimes I think they're more trouble than they're worth" Kevin joked. "Now, come on. It's time to go."
Randi stood on her good foot and allowed Kevin to slip his arm around her waist and help her walk towards the Jeep. With a little help from the guys, she hopped into the backseat and was quickly joined by AJ, Howie and Brian. Kevin and Nick rode up front. They soon were back at their hotel.