"Thanks Dope." She said putting the clothe's back. Soon they pulled up to a house. AJ told her to get the change of clothes. She did and followed him in.
"Donna?" Her uncle said coming into the living room where she was sitting.
"Yeah?" She asked looking up from a magazine.
"I just got off the phone with the friend who was the agent. He told me there was a dance tryout tomorrow. They're suppose to be looking for dancer's to go out on tour with a singing group." He said.
"On tour? I don't know if I'd want to do that." She said.
"Well I told him that too, but he said that it was a very private rehearsal, and that it'd be a chance of a lifetime." He said.
"What's so special about it?" She asked.
"I don't know. All he told me was that if you wanted to do it, to mention his name to get into the tryout." She shrugged.
"Well, maybe." She said smiling. She spent the rest of the day cleaning up his house. Her Aunt Sandy had died three years ago, and he hadn't really spent much time on it keeping it clean. So when he got back from work, dinner was ready along with a clean house. It was the least she could do for him letting her stay there while she was looking for a job.
The next morning, she took the address he had given her. When she got to the building, there was a gaurd at the front. He asked her for ID.
"I was told by Sam James th--" She said before she was cut off and let inside. She walked in and saw about fifty other people, male and female in the room. They were stretching. She saw a woman taking name's and information. She walked up and gave her name, background info., address and telephone number.
"Um, I was wondering something." Donna said before leaving the woman.
"Yes?" She asked looking up.
"Well, I heard about the audition, but I didn't never find out who it was for." She said. The woman looked shocked.
"The Backstreet Boys." She said plainly.
"Oh." She said walking over to the side to get ready. It didn't start for another twenty minutes, so she stretched a little and went to the hall and sat against it. She lay her head between her knees and soon heard a voice.
"You ok?" A male's voice asked.
"Yeah. Just nervous." She said looking up. She saw a male with a hat and sunglasses despite being inside. He also wore a longsleeve black shirt buttoned and a pair of black kaki's. "You here to try out?" She asked looking at the wall.
"Um, no. I'm just here to observe." He said looking back.
"Oh, what do you do?" She asked interested.
"I'm in the singing group that's going on the tour." He replied.
"Oh. That's cool." She simply replied. She stood up and saw that he was a few inches taller than her. He glanced at her and noticed her necklace. The ring fell out from under her shirt when she got up.
He took his glasses off and glanced at the necklace clearer. He looked up at her face.
"Donna?" He asked squinting at her.
"Do I know you?" She asked.
"It's me. You don't recognise me." He said smiling.
"I'm sorry, but no." She said searching her memory. He then pulled out a sliver cross that was on a silver necklace.
"Oh my God, Dop--, AJ?" She said smiling.
"Hey girl. I missed you." He said giving her a hug.
"I can't believe this. I didn't know you were still singing." She said smiling.
"Yeah, you remember that boy Howie and Nick I was telling you about a few years ago?" He said. She nodded.
"Well, we stuck together and added two more guys from Kenntucky. We started it when I was around 15. That's kind of why I had to stop calling..." He said drifting off. "When'd you start dancing?" He asked smiling.
"Well, when we moved in with my grandmother, there wasn't anything to do, because I didn't know anyone up there. So I started jazz, tap, ballot...anything that had to do with me moving and dancing." She said.
"Well that's cool. I remember how you use to come to my dance recital's and how you would help me practice before it." He said thinking back to old memories. "Speaking of moving, when'd you get back here?" He asked shocked.
"Well, a few month's ago, I decided that I wanted to take hold of my career, and Florida was calling for me home." She replied. Soon she heard five minute's being called.
"Well, I'd better get ready." She said. "Wish me luck Dopey." She said smiling. He had missed his old nickname.
"Ok, but you can call me Bone too if you want also. It's a newer more me name, don't ya think." He said smiling.
"Yeah. I didn't even recognise you with your gotee and all. Look at those earings boy." She said joking."You've changed, but maybe for the better." She said winking. He smiled knowing she hadn't seen half of his suprises yet. She walked away to join the rest of the group.
AJ walked over to a seat and set down. He watched her walk over to a spot and start stretching. She had grown from the sweet innocent little girl he remembered, to a knock out. She had long light brown hair, and the most crystal blue eye's.
He had remembered many night's seeing them last when they were little. He smiled missing those day's as a child. She saw him starring and waved with a smiled.
Soon the choreographer arrived in and told them the moves she wanted performed. After a while the group of fifty turned into thirty, then twenty five, then twenty. Finally there were only fifteen people left. There were only five male's left who were officially on the list of male dancer's but ten women. They took a break, and Donna ran up to AJ.
"I might make it." She said smiling.
"You've come this far, you should, you're way better than those other girls." He said smiling back.
"Well, even being an understudy would be cool." She said knowing that there were only two of those, and they were only brought in under emergencies.
"Well, good luck." He said as they were called back in. Soon the final cut was made. A piece of paper reveiled the names. She went down the list slowly: Amy, Lisa, Brittany,Carrie,Dona! She had made it. She ran up to AJ smiling.
"I made it." She said quietly not wanting to disturb the one's who didn't.
"That's great. Who would have ever thought it? You're gonna be dancing for me." He said laughing. "Do you have a ride?" He asked as they walked out together.
"I was gonna catch a bus, but since you ask." She said smiling. He pointed to his Grey Ford Expedition. "Boy, you've been getting around." She said hopping in.
"Yup, it pay's to be me." He said sarcastically. "Hey, do you mind if we go by Mom's first?" He asked.
"No, I don't. I would love to see her." Donna said. "So, is your group pretty well known throughout America?" She asked stairing out the window. He looked over at her shocked.
"Um, yeah. We get around." He said chuckling a little to himself.
"That's good. I really did miss you AJ." She said smiling back over at him.
"I missed you too Donny." He said.
"So, does Mr. Popular have a girlfriend." She asked giggling.
"No, he doesn't. Does Ms. Priss have one?" He asked knowing she hated that nickname.
"Well let's see, there's Tom, Chris, Patrick..." She said glancing over at him. She laughed at his expresion. "No, I don't." She finally admitted toying around wtih him.
"You hungry? I'm hungry." He said looking around for somewhere to eat.
"You're not still obsessed over Mc---" She said stopping when she saw the restaraunt they were headed to. "Nevermind." She said.
"You hungry?" He asked before he drove completly up to the intercome.
"Yeah, now that you mention it. Get me a cheeseburger and a small diet coke." She said stairing at the board. He staired at her for a minute and then turned back the intercome.
"Can I take your order?" A voice said.
"I want a number six, iced tea, no lemon...and a...cheeseburger and a diet coke." He said. The total was told and he drove around. AJ stuffed the food down on the way back. He was done before Donna, and that's pretty fast considering what she had compared to what he had. As he pulled into their old neighborhood Donna smiled glancing at the old houses.
"I remember that's where Alice lived, and Tommy there." She said pointing. Soon he turned onto their old street. As they passed her old house she got quiet and watched it go by. There was a 'For Sale' sign in the front yard. After a minute AJ pulled his truck into his old driveway. His mother had a newer car parked in the front. He turned the truck off and hoped out. She smiled looking around at her childhood playground. She followed him in the front door.
"Mom" AJ yelled walking in.
"Yeah baby." She said walking in from the kitchen. Everything looked the same, except for the Backstreet Boy plaque's and awards that were scattered around.
She smiled to herself as she saw a picture of AJ, his mom, and herself backstage at the Snow White show.
Denise stopped when she saw Donna.
"Hi, and you are?" She asked walking up to Donna. Donna looked at AJ and smiled.
"Mom, you should know her." He said smiling.
She looked back at Donna and looked closer. She started shaking her head 'no', but Donna spoke.
"Hi Mom." She said smiling.
"Donna?" She said wide eyed. Donna shook her head 'yes'. They hugged. "Oh my, I didn't even recognise you. Look how you've grown. You're such a pretty thing. Isn't she a pretty girl." She said to AJ. AJ just grinned. "I always knew you'd be a pretty girl." She said looking back at her. "Well what are you doing back down here?" She asked stepping back.
Donna informed her of the same thing she had told AJ.
"She was at the audition for the dancer's who are going on tour with us. She made it Mom." He said proudly.
"Well isn't that a coincidence if I've ever heard one." She said putting her hands on her hips.
"Well, we can't stay long Mom, I'm taking her to see the guys." He said giving his mom a hug. Donna did the same and they left. As she got back in the truck she turned to AJ.
"Ahhem." She said clearing her throat pourposly. He turned her way. "Um, when were you gonna tell me where we were going?" She asked smiling.
"Well I thought you would like to, and...would you like to go home?" He asked.
"Nope, just wondering when you were gonna tell me." She said smiling.
"Ok then." He said starting the car and pulling out. They rode for a while.
"Where are you suppose to be meeting them at?" She asked.
"Well, we were all gonna meet up at Brian's, and then go bowling." He said glancing over. "Is that a problem?" He asked.
"Well, look what I'm wearing." She said showing her sweat's that she was still wearing from the audition.
"Oh. Well hold on then. What size do you wear?" He asked stairing at the road. She answered him and he pulled off into side road Belks. She glanced back at him.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Gonna buy you something to change into." He said parking.
"AJ, I can't let you do that." She said suprised.
"Why? Don't worry about it. I'll be right back." He said hopping out. She couldn't argue, so she just sat back. After around fifteen minute's he came back out holding a belks bag. He hopped in on his side and handed her the bag.
"Is this okay?" He asked starting up the truck. She pulled out Tommy jeans and a yellow Tommy girl small tee. She looked at him wide eyed.
"Thanks Dope." She said putting the clothe's back. Soon they pulled up to a house. AJ told her to get the change of clothes. She did and followed him in.
