Chapter 1

"Why do I have to go today? Don't you know that I cannot possibly go back to that school today, mom?" sixteen year old BJ Carter asked her mother with tears in her eyes.

"Hon, it'll go over better if you just go and face the day. I know how hard this must be for you, after all Storm was your best friend. But you know what? never going back only makes you even more scared to go back later. Would Storm have wanted you to be afraid to go to school anymore, Beej?" Jane Carter asked gently.

"No, mom, I guess you're right. But I still miss her more than anything." BJ replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'll never forget her, no matter what. I better go get dressed. See ya later mom!" she said before rushing up the stairs to her room.

Jane reflected on the events of the past six months and felt tears come to her own eyes. Storm MacGannon had been like her fourth daughter, and she had been BJ's and Nick's best friend ever since grade school. Storm had been an amazing girl, sticking up for nick when people made fun of him in school and being there for BJ when he had gone on tour and she got lonely. She had even looked like BJ's twin and more like one of her own childrewn than being related to her own family. With her long blonde hair and startling dark brown eyes, Storm had earned the respect of the entire school, and had been star center on the soccer team.

But she had also had a great personality and some sides she had only shown to the Carter family, and Jane was grateful for it. Although BJ had been two years younger than herself, Storm had always cared for BJ ever since BJ had fallen off that tire swing and she had taken care of her. Jane fondly remembered all the times Storm had slept over and came over for dinner, and found that she was finallt at peace when it came to her death. Storm had died of a massive heart attack, one that was extremely unexpected as Storm had been an exceptionally fit and healthy teen girl until then.

"Mom, I'm ready! I'll see ya later!" BJ called as she grabbed her bag and lunch and sped out the door, just making it for the bus. Jane sighed with relief as she turned back to folding the laundry.She hoped fervently that BJ wouldn't be shunned at school simply because her best friend had died. She hoped very much.
*
On the bus, BJ mounted the steps uncertainly and plopped down in one of the front seats. The entire bus hushed when they saw her come up, and now they stared at her with sympathy and compassion mostly, others with disgust. BJ simply turned on her cd walkman and in minutes she was oblivious to the world, listening to the tinkling backstreet boys music.

*
After a long hard day of sympathetic students trying to console her and of some friends turning away from her, BJ exited the school from the front door and started walking across the lawn. A loud honking noise stopped her in her tracks. She turned sideways to see her older brother waving at her out the back window of the green jeep, and surprise surprise, the backstreet boys were with him. She smiled gratefully as she ran up to the jeep and got in the back with her brother, and found that she had to sit on his lap to ride safely.
"Hey there Beej! it's been a while, huh?" Brian asked her with a grin. BJ only half smiled.

"Yah, it has. It's nice to see you, Bri." she said quietly before looking out the window again. She turned around when Howie poked her on the shoulder.
"Hey girl, why the sad face?" he asked her softly.
"Ah, just a hard day, that's all. I'm just really bored." she said distractedly before looking out the window again.

"Beej, I'm seriously not getting ya. You're usually always so happy and carefree. Something must have happend while I was on tour that made you change moods. What happend? Did you and jaime break up? Aren't ya happy to see your brother?" Nick asked irritatedly.


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