"HURRY UP!" J EXCLAIMS, MOVING THE GUYS ALONG. "WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME. HE PACES THE FLOOR IMPATIENTLY BEFORE BELLOWING, "BRIAN, WHATTHE DEVIL ARE YOU UP TO?!"

"PAGE 5." HE REPLIES, NOT LOOKING UP FROM THE MADMOISELLE MAGAZINE HE'S INSPECTING.

"NICK, WILL YOU PLEASE GET A MOVE ON!" J RUSHES, LOOKING OVER AT NICK,WHO STARES GLUMLY AT HIS REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR.

"MY HAIR, IS SOOOO WRONG." HE WHINES, RUNNING HIS FINGERS THROUGH IT. J JUST COVERS HIS FACE WITH HIS HANDS, THEN CONTINUES.

"A.J., ARE YOU ALMOST DONE?"

"HE JUST NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE GREASE PAINT MR. WRIGHT AND HE'LL BE READY." DIANA ANSWERS, SMEARING THE GOOP ON TO HIS FOREHEAD.

J NODS AND MOVES TO THE NEXT GUY. "KEVIN, HOW ARE YOU COMING?"

"I THINK WE'RE ALMOST DONE." HE ASSURES WITH A SMILE. J WATCHES AS BOTH BRENDA AND LAURA WORK IN HASTE TO MAKE KEVIN'S HAIR JUST PERFECT. J LOOKS AROUND FOR A SEC AND ASKS, "WHERE'S HOWIE?"

"I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM FOR AWHILE, J." BRIAN ANSWERS, FINALLY PUTTING DOWN THE MAGAZINE. HE GETS UP AND GLANCES AROUND FOR HIS LOST BANDMATE. "WAIT, DID YOU HEAR THAT?" HE ASKS, STEPPING PAST J INTO THE HALL.

J FOLLOWS AND REPLIES FLATLY, "NO....... I DIDN'T HEAR A THING."

"SOMEBODY............." HOWIE CALLS FROM WITHIN THE COSTUME CLOSET. "ANYBODY.............HELP............"

"OKAY BOYS, IT'S TIME!" J YELLS, RETURNING THROUGH THE DOOR OF THEMAKE-UP STUDIO. HE LOOKS AROUND AND INSTANTLY ROLLS HIS EYES. "OK, GUYS, LET'S GET A MOVE ON!" HE BELLOWS. A.J., BRIAN, AND DIANA STOP THEIR BURPING CONTEST AND GET THEIR THINGS TOGETHER. BRENDA AND LAURA STILL WORK WITH A VENGEANCE ON KEVIN'S HAIR, AND NICK'S STILL IN THE PROCESS OF PERFECTING HIS.

"WHERE IS HOWIE?!" NO ONE ANSWERS.

AS THE GUYS CONTINUE TO GET READY TO GO ON, THE INTERCOM ECHOES IN THE BACKGROUND, "ASSISTANCE NEEDED IN STUDIO D AREA. POSSIBLY ANOTHER EMPLOYEE LOCKED IN THE COSTUME CLOSET."

"I SWEAR, THE IDIOTS ALLOWED INTO THIS STUDIO....."J COMPLAINS, STILL WAITING IN THE DOORWAY.

"WHO WON OUR CONTEST?" DIANA ASKS, GRABBING HER PURSE.

"I THINK BRIAN DID." ESTHER REPLIES, JOINING THEM.

"THOUGH I WILL ADMIT, YOU PUT UP QUITE A CHALLENGE." BRIAN ADDS,TAKING A QUICK LOOK AT HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR BEFORE HEADING TO THE DOOR. HE PUTS HIS ARM AROUND ESTHER'S WAIST AND WHIMPERS, "WHAT? NO VICTORY KISS?"

"OH, IT MUST HAVE SLIPPED MY MIND." ESTHER SAYS WITH A SMILE. SHE LEANS AND GIVES HIM A QUICK PECK ON THE LIPS.

J WATCHES, INFURIATED, AND CLEARS HIS THROAT. "KEVIN, DO YOU HAVE THE NOTICE I GAVE YOU YESTERDAY FOR MS. RAMON?"

WITH THE MENTION OF HER NAME, ESTHER LOOKS UP.

LAURA GIVES KEVIN A WARY LOOK AS HE REPLIES "YES." HE LOOKS UP AT THE GIRLS AND ASKS, "DONE?"

"UH, YEAH." LAURA STUTTERS, STEPPING AWAY FROM KEVIN.

BRENDA, WHOSTILL HAS THE BLOW DRYER ON, STEPS BACK TOWARDS NICK, WHO STILL STANDS INFRONT OF THE MIRROR.

"PERFECT." NICK SAYS WITH A SMILE, FINALLY PERFECTING HIS HAIR UP TO HIS STANDARDS. HE RUNS THE COMB THROUGH HIS HAIR ONE MORE TIME AND SMIRKS AT THE MIRROR. BUT WHEN BRENDA STEPS BACK WITH THE BLOW DRYER, HIS HAIR IS IMMEDIATELY BLOWN OVER HIS FACE. "NO!!!" NICK CRIES FROM UNDER THE MASS OF BLONDE HAIR.

"HERE'S THE NOTICE, SIR." KEVIN MURMURS, HANDING THE ENVELOPE FROM HIS POCKET TO J.

J GLANCES AT IT THEN HANDS IT TO ESTHER, WITHOUT UTTERINGA WORD. HIS EXPRESSION IS STONE COLD.

"I EXPECT YOU ALL DOWN IN THE STUDIO IN 5 MINUTES." HE ORDERS, GLARING AT ESTHER, "I'M GOING TO GO LOCATE HOWIE." HE SNORTS BEFORE HE DEPARTS.

IT'S COMPLETELY SILENT AS ESTHER CAREFULLY RIPS OPEN THE ENVELOPE AND PULLSOUT THE NOTICE. LAURA AND KEVIN BOTH HOLD THEIR BREATH AS THEY WATCH ESTHER READ THE LETTER. SUDDENLY, HER FACE GROWS WHITE AND HER EYES GLAZE OVER WITH TEARS.

BRIAN IS INSTANTLY BY HER SIDE. "ESTHER? WHAT'S WRONG?" DIANA ASKS, GROWING CONCERNED. "THEY'RE MAKING ME LEAVE." SHE WHISPERS, HOLDING BACK HER TEARS. "DUE TO THE INCIDENT WITH B-BRIAN..." THE TEARS SPILL OVER ON TO HER CHEEKS AS SHE CONTINUES, "THEY'RE MAKING ME STOP TOURING WITH YOU." SHE LOOKS AT EACH ONE OF THE GUYS, THE LETTER PINCHED TIGHTLY BETWEEN HER FINGERS.

"THEY CAN'T!" BRENDA EXCLAIMS, TAKING THE NOTICE FROM ESTHER ANDLOOKING IT OVER. IT READS:

"THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE; DANCES TO BE CHOREOGRAPHED, AGREEMENTS TO BE SIGNED; DEADLINES TO MEET; COSTUME DESIGNS TO BE DISCUSSED. YOU HAVE A JOB. WE'RE A GROUP. THEY CAN'T MAKE YOU LEAVE. RIGHT?'" SHE ASKS,

LOOKING HOPEFULLY AT EACH OF THE GUYS. THE EXPRESSIONS ON THEIR FACESTELL IT ALL AND SHE FALLS SILENT.

"THEY'RE MAKING ME LEAVE...." ESTHER REPEATS SOFTLY IN DISBELIEF. SLOWLY, A WAIL ESCAPES HER MOUTH AND SHE HUGS BRIAN FOR SUPPORT. THROUGH GULP SOF AIR SHE BAWLS, "IN...S-SEVEN MORE D-DAYS, I'M-I'M LEAVING THE GROUP. I'M LEAVING THE BACKSTREET BOYS..."