She stumbled out into the hallway, nerves carousing through her entire body and looked around. A few people were milling around but no one she recognized. She took a chance and walked down the hall. She saw one of the regular crew hands from the tour and stopped to say hi.

“Chris, what’s up?” she asked.

“Oh hey Reggie. Nothing much really, what you doing?”

“Trying to shake off the nerves. Couldn’t hang around in there for another three hours.” Regina replied.

“There’s a Meet and Greet, down the hall, anyone is welcome, might take your mind off a few things,” Chris replied.

“Um, I don’t know,” Regina replied. Between sitting in a room for three hours worrying about her upcoming performance and meeting new people, she’d have to take the new people.

“Okay, lead the way,” Regina replied with a smile. She followed him down the hall a little further and found a room with a little over twenty people or more.

“Reggie, get a drink, and calm down, you’ll be fine, bar’s that way,” Chris said patting her arm and pointing towards the bar.

“Thanks,” she replied.

“No problem, I got to go, have to fix up you guys’ set.” Chris waved and made his departure. Regina nodded and went to get herself a drink.

“Double shot of JD on the rocks please,” Regina asked the bartender.

“Coming right up,” he nodded.

“Living up to the image I see,” Regina turned at the voice.

“Excuse me?” she asked as she located the voice.

“You, JD, just right for a rapper I suppose, cute shirt though,” Regina didn’t know whether to snap at him or not. The bartender handed her drink to her and she turned back to him. “I didn’t catch your name,” Regina said looking him over. Tipped hat, black t-shirt, skull jewelry, black fingernails, sunglasses, why did he seem familiar?

“Didn’t say it, but I got to say, nice to meet you too Regina Contini,” that voice, now that was really familiar, more than the face.

“You know who I am?” Regina was still not comfortable with the fact that so many people knew who she was.

“How could I not? You and Eminem are the biggest couple since Justin and Britney,” now she knew who he was.

“Is that supposed to be an insult Alexander McLean?” Regina asked carefully, making her voice purposely ambiguous so he couldn’t say she was being a total bitch.

“Ah, so you and your rappers do keep up on the pop music scene, but I prefer to be called AJ,” he replied with a smile.

“Took me a minute, the sunglasses and the hat, though that is your signature style,” Regina took a sip of her drink. Right then the JD tasted so good that she felt some of her nerves leaking out of her body.

“So, you half as much a bitch as your boy is an asshole?” AJ asked.

“You know my guy?” Regina snapped.

“No.”

“Then don’t make assumptions.” They were both quiet for a moment.

“You know, I’m sure a pretty girl like you could get something better than what you got, you know, fucking the blond to get into the rap business,” AJ said after a minute.

“Ah, and you’d be the expert on that, right? Since you know me, know my guy and my life story, right?” Regina took another sip on her drink.

“Just stating the obvious. Meet him at club, fuck him, eventually you get where you want to be, right?” AJ asked as he removed his sunglasses.

“You always this uptight when you can’t drink at an event?” Regina snapped.

“So my first opinion of you was right, you did fuck him for the contract, didn’t you?” AJ replied calmly with a small grin.

“You know what, go to hell,” Regina replied as she walked out of the room, but he followed her.

She tried to ignore him but he was on her tail.

“What, you got nothing better to do?” she asked when she got back to the dressing room.

“What, gonna get your boyfriend to beat me up?” AJ asked with a glint in his eyes.

“Original,” Regina glared at him, opened the door and slammed it behind her. He knocked the second it was closed.

“What the fuck is your problem man?” Regina shouted coming out the door.

“You,” AJ replied.

“You know what, I’m getting sick of this. So, uh, let me see,” she threw the contents of her glass in his face, dropped the glass at his feet and said, “Now explain that to the rest of your little Backstreet Bitches.” She slammed the door shut again and flopped down on the couch.

“What the hell was that about?” Bizarre asked.

“Now I know why you hate boy bands,” Regina replied irritably.

“You not nervous any more?” Marshall asked.

“No, I’m just gonna kick AJ McLean’s ass the next time I see him, fucking asshole,” Regina snapped as she cracked her knuckles.

“Uh oh, what did the Backstreet Bitch say?” Proof asked as he watched her sit and stew.

“Said I fucked you to get into the business, called you an asshole, and asked if I was half as much a bitch as you were, that’s all, fucking ass,” Regina replied.

“He’s got a lot to say for being such a small man,” Bizarre replied.

“Want me to go kick his ass?” Proof asked.

“Just what he’d want. I’ll take care of it later, where the fuck is something to drink, wasted mine on the Backstreet Bastard,” Regina spat as she stood up.

“Still nervous?” Dre asked.

“I need something to fucking drink Dre, get off my back,” Regina replied as she started to pace again.

“Take it easy girl,” Kon laughed.

“If someone tells me to take it easy one more time I’m gonna,” Regina put a hand to her stomach.

“Lyric? You okay?” Marshall asked as he took a step towards her.

“Fuck, I’m gonna puke,” Regina said as she launched towards the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. They heard her gagging and Marshall went to the door and knocked.

“You okay babe?” he asked.

“Go away!” she called.

“Reggie?”

“I said go away!” he heard the lock click and stepped away.

“She’s just nervous, she’ll be fine,” Marshall replied, though he was more than a little nervous that maybe she wasn’t that okay. He’d make it a point though to talk to that motherfucker AJ and possibly beat the shit out of him.

“Reggie, come on, we’re on in twenty minutes!” Marshall called. No answer.

“Reggie, come on, I’m giving you five more minutes and you,” the door opened and she shoved out.

“I’m out, you satisfied?” she snapped as she resumed her pacing.

“Regina you don’t stop that, I’m gonna tie you to the damn sofa!” Bizarre finally said as he stood.

“I want this over!” she said annoyed, but didn’t stop her pacing.

“You gon’ be like this for every performance?” Marshall asked.

“You know, I think we got the perfect name for her now, cause who else threw up before their performance?” Kuniva asked.

“Ah no, no you don’t,” Regina begged.

“Yup, you know what it is,” Bizarre said throwing an arm around Regina’s shoulders.

“B. Rabbit!” They all called as Bizarre picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

“Great, I’m a fucking rabbit,” Regina laughed. There was a knock on the door.

“Yeah?” Dre asked as he answered the door.

“Eminem and Regina are on in five minutes,” the crewman said.

“All right, here you go guys, good luck, break your ass,” Dre said nodding to them.

“Regina, look at me,” Marshall said to her. She’d gone completely white.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re gonna go out there, completely choke, forget the words, puke on the stage, and totally fall on your ass, okay?” she broke out into a hearty laugh.

“I’m cool, lets do this thing,” she smiled.

“Yeah girl!” Bizarre shouted and picked her up in a bone-crushing hug. They each gave her a hug and went to grab seats in the audience while Regina and Marshall got their microphones.

“You ready for this?” Marshall asked as they stood behind the curtain, waiting to walk out on their cue.

“I hope so,” Regina said with a nervous grin. Marshall went forward and gave her a long soft kiss.

She smiled at him and heard the music begin to blare.

“Here we go, go for it Lyric,” Marshall whispered.

“After you baby boy.”