"Where's the camera?"
She looked up innocently. "What camera, Kevin?"
"You know what camera. Where is it?"
"Hey! They're talking about you." Michelle turned up the volume.
"... Since all flights into the Greater Chicago Area have been cancelled, the word is that Backstreet Boy, Kevin Richardson is currently unable to make his way here to the Windy City. Keep your dial right here on WCHC for future updates with me, your substitute DJ, Sara Wilson. Right now, in honor of their upcoming two concerts, we have the Backstreet Boys with "I'll Never Break Your Heart"..."
As Kevin's deep voice came drifting over the airways, Michelle turned it down, and smiled over at her traveling companion. "That was my friend, Sara!"
He climbed in the passenger seat after dropping his duffel bag in the back. "Two things. Why did she play the opening to this song? And I thought you said that she wasn't a DJ."
Michelle grinned and she looked over her shoulder as she drove down the ramp onto the highway again. "Well, we both hate it when the radio stations play this song and they don't even start it at the beginning, so whenever we get the chance, we play the entire song. And as for your second question, Sara isn't normally a DJ, but sometimes when someone doesn't show up, then she has to fill in."
"Does she know that I'm coming into town with you?"
"Nah, I thought that we could surprise her. If you don't mind." He shook his head.
"So, where's the camera?"
"You don't give up, do you?"
"Nope." Kevin grinned as he settled into the seat and started rummaging through his bag for some tapes. He pulled out a cassette and popped it in the stereo.
Michelle could recognize Kevin's voice, but the song was unfamiliar to her. "Is this one of the songs off the new album?"
"It might be, but I am not sure if I want to present it to the guys yet. I'm content with the music, it's just the lyrics that are bothering me."
"You mean that you wrote this, and the rest of the group haven't heard it yet?"
"Yeah," Kevin said as he paused the tape. "Michelle, would you listen to this and tell me what you think? Give me your honest professional opinion?"
"I don't know what I can do to help, but I'd be glad to listen." He rewound the tape and when he played it again, she really paid attention to it.
After hearing it three times, she pulled over at the next rest area. She grabbed her Walkman from her bag in the back and took the tape from the car stereo.
"Give me a few minutes. I'll be right back." And she walked off to sit at a picnic bench. Kevin used the facilities and after buying a few sodas, he found Michelle still sitting on the bench writing in a notebook. Without saying a word, he sat down across from her and waited until she was ready to speak.
Five minutes later, she clicked her Walkman off and removed her headphones. "I'm sorry I was so abrupt, but I wanted to give the song my full attention, and I couldn't do that, make notes, and drive at the same time."
Kevin smiled, "So you're not perfect, that's okay. What's the prognosis, doc?"
"Well, the melody is beautiful and the harmonies and counter-harmonies are stunning. You were right about the lyrics, though. The verses flow well, but the chorus seems choppy and doesn't go with the counter-harmony, especially right before the bridge..." She went on to discuss her thoughts on the song and when she was done, Kevin read over her suggestions.
A smile spread across his face as he finished reading the revised lyrics. His original idea was solid, but the new spin that her changes put on the song mesmerized him. Kevin looked up into Michelle's eyes and before she could blink, he jumped off the bench and swung her into his arms.
"Thank you so much, Michi! It's perfect now!"
She returned his embrace before stepping back. "Wow! And I thought that you were excited when I brought you your pants!" When she noticed his blush returning, she decided to let him off the spot for once. "I'm glad that I could help you, Kevin. It's nice to know that my degree won't go to waste."
"You're in college? What are you studying?"
"Music and lyric composition. I'm going to classes part-time while I am working at the station, and I graduate this winter. It's taken me forever, but I'm almost done. Only two more classes to go."
"That's wonderful..." Kevin started to speak, but Michelle happened to notice what the time was and led him over to the car. This time, Kevin slipped behind the wheel.
"Why don't you get some sleep? It's still another two hours until we get to Chicago," he suggested.
"Nah, I can sleep when we get there. I'd rather talk to you."
"Okay. What do you want to talk about?" She thought for a minute as he drove away from the rest area.
"How about we play Twenty Questions?"
"Like animal, vegetable, mineral Twenty Questions?"
"No, like Truth or Dare Twenty Questions." Kevin glanced over at her to see if she was serious. She was. "How do you play that?"
"We each get to ask the other person Twenty Questions, and they can be about anything. If the person doesn't want to answer the question, then they have to take a Dare."
"How are we supposed to take a Dare while we're in a moving vehicle?"
Michelle laughed, "That's what makes it more interesting!"
Kevin shook his head, "No, way! That's insane! I'd like to make it to the show in one piece, if you don't mind."
"Well, then do you have anything else in mind?"
It was his turn to smile devilishly. Michelle noticed his expression and immediately was on her guard. "What?"
"We can play Truth or Dare Twenty Questions, but instead of taking a Dare, let's make it like losing in strip poker."
Michelle gasped. "Are you serious?"
"I think it's only fair. I mean, you saw me in my boxers, so I think that I deserve a look." She hit his shoulder in protest. "What's the matter? You only have to take something off if you don't want to answer the question, so if you answer them all, you have nothing to worry about."
Michelle sat there silently as she thought about his offer. "Well, I wouldn't mind seeing you in your boxers again, so okay, I'm in."
"What makes you think that I won't answer the questions?"
She just grinned as she pulled out her notebook to keep score. "You've never played Twenty Questions with me before."
Kevin heard the devious tone in her voice, and wondered what he just got himself into.
