All That Glitters


People always say that when something is too good to be true it probably is. But what if is it isn't? What if you landed in a place where all that glittered was gold? A place where dreams can come true. Then Again . . .
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Monday in Georgia . . .
Pyra is sitting at the last empty table in the dining hall of the hotel she's staying at which happens to be a booth. Dressed in grey sweat pants and a SMH t-shirt, her hair isn't even combed. Instead she is wearing a black fisherman's hat. She is waiting for her food when the waiter approaches her.
"Excuse me miss?"
"Yeah?" she says not looking up from her Sony Viao.
"Would it be all right if this gentleman sat with you? We seem to have an unusually large crowd today." Pyra doesn't bother to look up.
"Sure why not." When Pyra finally looks up the waiter is walking away and the guy is hiding behind a copy of the New York Times. She shrugs and resumes answering her e-mail. A few minutes later the waiter returns with both Pyra's food and a tray for the paper man. She shuts down the laptop which plays the opening to Crawling. The guy is still hiding behind the times drinking his morning coffee when Pyra pours syrup on her pancakes and uncovers her eyes by flipping up the flap of her hat. She takes a bite and when she looks up she almost chokes. Sitting there about to pour syrup on his own pancakes is Kevin Richardson.
"Are you okay?" Pyra forces the pancakes down with a gulp of orange juice and nods. Not sure what to say she turns back to her food, but ends up glancing up at him over and over. He either doesn't notice or ignores her.
Pyra looks up and looks past Kevin and sees a girl weaving her way towards the table wearing a white Backstreet shirt. "I don't think the CIA is that skilled."
"What"
"You've been spotted. Super fan heading right this way." Before Kevin can respond the girl arrives at the booth. She doesn't even look in Kevin's direction as she shoves a autograph book at Pyra.
"Can I get you autograph?" Again she almost chokes on her food as she shakes her head. "Why not?"Pyra raises her hand bandage and all. "Oh. Can I get a picture with you?" The fan turns to Kevin. “Uh, can you take it? You like press here when the light goes on." Pyra smiles for the photo.
“Nice shirt," Kevin says handing back the camera smiling.
"Don't make fun of me, my friend spilled soda on me now I'm stuck looking like a retard who likes the Backstreet Boys, while she tries to get into their hotel room."
"He's not making fun of you," Pyra says and points to the picture of Kevin on the shirt. She looks back and forth from her shirt to the now long haired Backstreet boy.
"Oh. Sorry, you guys music is my friends thing not mine."
"No problem.”
”Could you like sign my friends shirt?” the girl asks holding a sharpie out to Kevin. He takes the pen and signs the shirt and takes a picture with her. ”Lori is going to die when she hears this.” The girl says walking away.
”So that kind of thing happen to you often?”
“Getting more attention paid to me then to a Backstreet boy? Sure all the time.”
Kevin smiles, “the autograph you almost choked when she asked you.”
”She was wearing a BSB shirt and totally ignored you. Reason enough to choke.”
”Oh. Just out of curiosity. What do you do?”
”I’m a referee.”
”For what?”
”The WWF,” Pyra elaborates when Kevin seems confused, “you know wrestling of the immensely televised variety.”
”Oh. Violent occupation?” Pyra looks at her wrist which is still bandaged.
“Only sometimes. A lot less than some people think.”
”Is that an indication?” Kevin asks pointing at her wrist.
”No, that would be stupidity at its best. Stick me between guys close to seven feet and 300 pounds each trying to rip each other apart, I”m fine, add a short, red head with an inflated ego and I get a sprained wrist.”
”So a girl did that?”
”If you wanna call her that. Moving on I love Black and Blue.”
”We enjoyed making it. Which is your favorite?”
”Right this second, The Call.”
”That’s going to be our next single.”
“Cool, that should be an interesting video.”
”This is going to sound really bad, but do I know you from somewhere?”
”Front row at one too many concerts?”
”No, nothing like that, have we met before?”
“No. I wouldn’t forget that. Maybe you saw an episode of Raw or something.”
”Nick does watch it every once in a while. Not to pry but where are you from?”
”Not prying at all the big apple.”
”We were there last week,”Kevin says.
”Maybe we saw each other in passing or it could just be I have a clone”
”I’ll figure it out one day. So . . .”
”Pyra.”
”Pyra. I don’t think I've ever heard a name like that before."
"I’m one of a kind."
Pyra and Kevin keep on talking forgetting about their breakfast which is cold to the touch before Kevin sees AJ waving him over. “Excuse me a second." Kevin walks over to his band mate.
"Who's that?" AJ asks.
"Pyra, she’s really nice, we just met."
"So, you have her number yet?"
"Alex."
"No! Do it, now. Get to know each other better get out of that slump you’ve been in."
"Did you just come here to meddle in my love life?"
"No, did you forget the radio promotion?"
“I lost track of time," Kevin says turning back to Pyra.
"Go back there and get her number!"
"Sure why not?" Kevin walks over to Pyra. "Sorry it was Alex. Pyra would you like to go out to dinner with me?"
"I would but I'm going to be at work until probably 10 or 10:30."
"Oh. How about lunch?"
"Yeah okay I don't have to be ready until two."
"12:30 good for you?"
"Yes."
"I'll pick you up in your room. What's the number?"
"5-0-2." Kevin writes it down. "See you then." He walks back over to AJ who yanks the paper.
"This is only 3 numbers where's the rest?"
"Its her room number . . ." AJ whistles. "I'm going to pick her up for lunch. Lunch Alex!"
"Yeah what ever you say Kevin. I wanna meet her."
"I thought we were late?"
"It will only take a minute," AJ says as Kevin pulls him out of the dining hall.
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12:30 on the dot . . .
Knock knock
"Coming," Pyra takes another look at her self. Now in a red tank top and long sleeved black shirt, and black jeans. Her hair is still messy looking and she pulls the hat back on. She grabs the rooms key card and pulls open the door. "¡Hola!"
"Hello Pyra, this is for you," He says handing her a red rose.
"Thank you." He takes her hand and leads her to the elevator. He presses the button for the penthouse.
"I thought we would have lunch on the terrace. It has a wonderful view of Atlanta."
"Really? That nice." the elevator doors open and Pyra and Kevin land in the middle of a war. Nick is chasing AJ and Howie with a ketchup bottle as Brian follows behind with the mustard.
"Ha! Ha! You can not escape from the ketchup king." Nick sprays the ketchup just as Pyra and Kevin step off the elevator. Unfortunately they are between Nick and his targets. Both Pyra and Kevin are sprayed with ketchup as Brain catches up with Nick and sends Mustard flying. This time both Pyra and Kevin doge the mustard and it lands harmlessly on the floor.
"Uh, sorry. I didn't see you. I'm Nick," He says extending a hand.
"Pyra," Pyra shakes it and then takes the ketchup.
"I think I'll just hold on to this." Nick turns around. "Oh and Nick?" He turns around and Pyra sprays him full on with the ketchup. "It slipped. Really." Pyra says with a wicked smile as Nick takes the mustard from Brian. "You wouldn't."
"Of course not," Pyra turns to Kevin who points to Nick, Pyra turns spraying ketchup as Nick sprays mustard. The rest of Backstreet avoid the battle which ends when the bottles are empty.
"I'm out."
"Me too."
"Truce?"
"Truce," Pyra and Nick shake hands as Kevin re emerges with towels.
"Here," he says handing Nick a towel as Nick tries to hug him. "Get away from me!" Nick laughs as Kevin hands Pyra a towel. She wipes her face and hands then takes off the now mustard streaked black shirt.
"We should have switched the ketchup matches my outfit." Pyra says wiping her pants and giving up as the mustard just seeps deeper into her pants. She hands the towel back to Kevin. "Thanks anyway."
"Is it safe?" A voice calls.
"For now." Kevin says as Howie AJ and Brian come out of hiding. "Guys meet Pyra." Everyone shakes hands and avoids hugs.
"I think we should leave them alone," AJ says winking at Kevin.
"Excuse Alex Pyra."
"You should meet Mystic. Anyway I kinda want to see the view."
"Okay, come on," Kevin takes her hand and leads her outside. "See there's the arena we're playing at tomorrow."
"Oh, what time is it?"
"1:35."
"We fought for an hour? Uh oh."
"What's wrong?"
"I have to go. I have to shower and be ready to go by two. All with one hand."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry."
"Its okay we'll do it again another time. I'll take you back downstairs." Pyra nods as they walk out of the terrace and back to the elevator. Before Kevin can get on AJ calls him and makes a phone signal with his fingers. Kevin points to Nick and does the decapitation symbol with his finger. He climbs the elevator as Pyra presses 5. The elevator stops on the 7th floor and in steps Jason.
"¡Hola!"
"Hey Pyra. Do you smell something?"Jason asks. "Kinda like um . . ."
"Mustard?" Pyra asks.
"Yeah! Well anyway you're still leaving with me and Adam? I'm picking up the car now." The elevator stops at five.
"I don't know I have to shower and change. If I'm ready I'll be in the lobby at 2 other wise . . . Atlanta has a lovely bus system I'm told."
"Pyra."
"Oh I'm sorry, Kevin, Jason, Jason Kevin."
"Hey."
"Hello. Pyra I'll take you to work, since its kinda my fault, you have to change again."
"You don't look like Nick or like a easy squeeze bottle of mustard. But I'll take the ride."
"Okay, I'll see you upstairs, later." Kevin and Jason stay on the elevator.
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Pyra is waiting for the elevator in her third outfit change for the day. Now dressed in a long black skirt, combat boots and long sleeved black shirt with a red orange and yellow Chinese dragon on the front. She pulls in a roll away bag that holds all her proper refereeing attire and a change of clothes for the show. She goes to the elevator and presses the button for the penthouse. This time when the doors open everything is more subdued, it may have something to do with the two bodyguards outside the elevator. She is stopped by a guard.
"A little help here people."
“Pyra, your back." The guard lets her pass.
"Yeah and I’m unarmed," she says pointing to Nick who has headphones on.
"Kevin will be out in a minute, he's talking to AJ."
"Okay." Brian stands.
"Come sit, relax." Pyra walks over and Nick sees her for the first time, he waves and she waves back as she sits between Howie and Brain.
"So how are you?"
"Okay, you guys?"
"Fine."
"Good."
"So how did you meet Kevin?"
"I was having breakfast in a booth and there were like no seats left. The waiter asked if some guy could sit with me and I was like sure whatever."
"You didn't know it was Kevin?"
"I didn't look. My e-mail was more interesting. My best friend sent me pictures from somewhere in the Midwest trying to prove to me there was more than wheat and corn."
"What did she send?"
"He sent potatoes and cows." Pyra says laughing as she is joined by Brian and Howie.
"What's so funny?" Nick asks removing the headphones.
“Potatoes and cows," Pyra says between giggles. Nick looks at the three of them and shakes his head. Kevin and AJ come out of one of the many rooms.
"Pyra, how long have you been here?"
"Two, three minutes?"
"Ready to go?"
"Sure," Pyra stands. "See you guys around."
"Bye."
"Adios." She walks to the elevator and starts pulling the luggage.
"I'll get that for you."
"Thanks a lot." Kevin, Pyra, and the bigger guard go down to the parking level under the hotel and enter a waiting limo. "Okay."
"What is it?"
"I was expecting a rent-a-car for some strange reason." Kevin presses a button that puts him in contact with the driver and the guard who opted for the front seat.
"How long until we reach the arena?"
"Twenty minutes, sir," the driver replies.
"Thank you." He turns to Pyra, "are you hungry? I made sure there was food since you didn't get to have lunch."
"Yeah a little." Kevin opens a mini-fridge and Pyra picks a bowl of mixed fruits. "Thanks.¡" He hands her a fork, and after a few seconds of fork twirling in her left hand.
"Something wrong?" Kevin asks.
"Right handed, breakfast was the real hassle, I was pretty much eating with my fingers."
"I didn't even notice, but I have an idea, its a little weird."
"What? I can deal with a little weird."
"I could feed you."
"That's not weird, well maybe a little," Pyra hands Kevin the fruit and the fork. He barely gets near her with the fork when she starts giggling. He tries again and she is laughing harder. "I'm sorry that isn't going to work."
"Close your eyes," Kevin says determined to get Pyra to eat the piece watermelon. This time it works.
"Woo and it only took four tries," Pyra says after she swallows. Kevin is armed with another piece of fruit, she calmly closes her eyes but instead of fruit she gets a kiss.
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At the side of the arena . . .
The fans mob around the limo trying to figure who it is. There is total confusion when the guard steps out and clears them away from the door. He walks over to the door and opens it. Kevin steps out first and most of the guys are confused as the majority of girls in the crowd start screaming. He leans back into the limo and takes Pyra's luggage then she steps out.
"Sorry just me and a Backstreet Boy," A few guys move towards Pyra and a stopped in their tracks by the guard. "Dude chill, guys I'm like a cripple as long as you want a pic I'm good. But I can't write to save my life." She steps around the guard, "Excuse me."
She takes a total of three pictures in a matter of seconds. "I'm so loved, or is it the scary big guy?" She turns back to Kevin and sees the guard holding a flock of girls at bay as he stands besides the limo signing an autograph for a fan that made it past the guard. She ducks past the guard as the girl walks off. "I guess you'll be going now, thanks for the ride," she reaches up and gives him a quick kiss followed by a large amount of whistling.
"Your welcome. Pyra wait, I don't have your number."
"D'oh," Pyra looks around and her eyes settle on hr luggage bag she rips off one of the three airport tags she's collected since last week. "All major information. Enjoy."
"Thanks, is this like normal?" Kevin asks pointing as the fans run towards Adam and Jason who are just arriving.
"Yep, but they are totally harmless, unlike your fans. Those are some psychopaths. Which is why no one has bodyguards. Then again they could be their own body guard."
"Oh, well I'll let you get to work." Kevin gives Pyra a kiss then disappears in the limo with his bodyguard she watches as the limo drives off then trails behind the Adam and Jason fans and walks in behind them.
"I hate my life," Adam exclaims.
"Its not that bad," Jason says as Pyra walks closer.
"First I waited cause the last thing I want to be is rebound boy, then I planned to say something today. Then poof gone!"
"Adam?" He is so startled he almost jumps out of his skin.
"Pyra! Uh hi."
"Hello, I didn't know I was so stealthy. I'll beat a few drums next time."
"Um. . .You just surprised me that's all."
"I noticed lay off the caffeine huh?"
"So what's up with the limo?" Jason asks hoping to give Adam some hope.
"Kevin's thing. What did I expect getting a lift from a world famous pop star?"
"Is it serious?" Jason asks.
"Me and Kevin? I doubt I'll see him again. He said he'd call but I'm willing to hold my breath for about 3 seconds for that one."
"What if he did?" Adam asks, Pyra smiles but doesn't say anything. "I see."
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"You see you still have a chance as I see it you have until he calls. And what are the chances he does that today? By the time he does Pyra is attached to you."
"What if he does call? Today."
"He won't besides, it doesn't seem like she cares about him that much."
"I want a second opinion."
"Don't you trust me?"
"Pyra's weird, you don't know if she loves or hates you half the time."
"Are we still talking about what's his face."
"She stopped calling me Barbie, which I was never sure was an insult or not."
"I think it was both. But you want help that would mean telling other people, two other people."
"Who?" Jason looks at him funny.
"The two people Pyra tells everything, I'll give you a hint they date the Hardyz."
"Oh do we have to tell them? What if they tell Pyra?"
"They wouldn't, let's go this is for your own good. By the time you get around to saying anything Pyra will be married." They walk over to the woman's locker room.
Knock! Knock!
"Who is it?"
"Me Jason . . . and Adam we need to ask Mystic and Nausi something."
"Come in, everyone's decent except the cow no amount of clothes can make her human," Pyra says.
"Could they come out here? Its kinda private." Mystic and Nausi come out a minute later.
"What"s so important?"
"Do you know a famous singer by the name of Kevin?"
"Richardson?" When Adam and Jason give Mystic blank stares Nausi interjects.
"What does he look like?"
"Semi long black hair goatee type thing, about yea tall," Jason says.
"He's a Backstreet boy why?"
"Backstreet Boys, Pyra's favorite group?" Adam asks hoping the answer is no.
"Yeah and Kevin's her favorite member." Mystic replies as Adam shakes his head in defeat.
"Why?"
"I met him today," Jason says, "we were staying at the same hotel."
"Since when are you a Backstreet fan?"
"I'm not, its just that well, you see uh Pyra and then there's Adam and the limo and . . ."
"What the fudge does that mean?"
"Let me get to the point," Adam says. "Would Pyra go out with him?"
"That's like asking would Pyra wear black."
"I thought this was personal what on earth is personal about this?" Nausi asks as Jason glances at Adam.
"Oh. Oh! I see!¡" Mystic says smiling.
"Don't say anything to Pyra."
"No really? I was gonna set off some fireworks and have a few neon signs," Nausi says. "What are you waiting for? Your only competition dumped Pyra a while ago."
"He has bigger competition. The reason we asked about the Kevin guy was because he gave her a ride her and they seemed really friendly at the hotel, that and he kissed her before they left."
"Kevin and Pyra? I'm sorry Adam you have no hope unless he dives off a cliff and dies."
"Thanks Nausi."
"Hey Adam are you listening? Pyra said the chances of him calling are slim to none. Now or never." Jason knocks on the door.
"What?" Is the cow's manly response.
"I need to talk to Pyra," Adam says.
"One minute, I'm on the phone." Adam grimaces.
"Its probably JC, relax." Mystic says. A minute later Pyra walks out of the locker room grinning ear to ear.
"Why are you so happy? You and your black supremacist friends planning to kill us all?"
"Kevin wants to have breakfast again."
"Kevin who?" Mystic asks playing dumb.
"Name the only Kevin that makes me giddy."
"The only one is the Backstreet boy but you don’t know him."
"Yeah I do, and your Nick has good aim with a bottle of mustard."
"What?! What are you doing with my Nick?"
"Mystic chill, Kevin, the guy who was plastered on my walls. I could die now." Pyra says happily as Adam walks away with Jason. She looks at him go. “Did he not want to talk to me? That guy is so bipolar it isn’t funny. One minute its I need to talk you the next he want to be as far as humanly possible from me."
"How exactly did you have breakfast with Kevin?" Nausi asks suspiciously. “Are you making bomb threats again?”
”Well once upon a time a little cripple girl . . ."
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Pyra is sitting at a table reading a script for Raw with a smile on her face when Beth interrupts her train of thought. "Its nice to know the idea of Lita getting some revenge on you makes you happy."
"What? Oh, I don't care what the walking steak house does I'm on cloud nine."
"So you took your Valium today?" Pyra doesn't respond. "Snap out of it and pay attention!”
“Okay. okay, I'm attention paying. Speak."
"Okay this is the first time the audience learns Edge could care less about Pyra. Christian will be in the ring and Edge will choose Christian who really wasn't in danger instead of saving Pyra who is wounded."
“Why do you they bother to write these things? You tell us everything anyway."
"Its for people like you Pyra who are never paying attention."
"Hardy har har. You kill me really you do."
"Yeah now take your users and get out, Amy I need to talk to you in private." Adam who is sitting next to Pyra stands and waits for Pyra. She stands and almost falls over.
"Pyra you okay?" Beth asks.
"Stood up too fast?" She walks out of the room trailed by Adam and Jason. She walks past a snack table and doubles back.
"What did you eat today?"
"Half a pancake and some orange juice," Pyra says picking up finger sandwich. She eats four then picks up a bottle of water she hands it to Jason who is closer and her shakes his head.
"No thanks." Before Pyra can say anything Adam takes the bottle and opens it for her.
"Thank you, see Barbie gets it."
"Why didn't you eat anything?" Adam asks as Kane approaches from behind Adam and Jason.
"No time."
"Pyra you have to eat . . ."
"My health and blah blah blah. I get enough of that from him. Hi dad." Pyra says smiling.
"Enough of what?" Kane asks.
"She didn't eat today," Adam says as Pyra stuffs a sandwich into her mouth.
"Why not?"
"I'm eating. I'm eating, stop being a parent. Adam is replacing you just fine." Kane walks away but not before pulling her to the side.
"I like him, a lot more then the midget."
"Don't call him that, actually do. I wasn't allowed to wear heels because of him."
"So you guys just friends?"
"God! Go away dad and stick to hating!" Pyra says pushing him away.
"What did he say?" Jason asks.
"He likes you," Pyra says pointing to Adam. "He hated Chris with all the hatred I have for pink but you he likes."
"Is that a bad thing?" Pyra turns back to the table trying to decide what to eat next.
"Nope its too bad we're not dating, I have yet to have a boyfriend my dad likes." The expression on Adam's face would have anyone know he had it bad for Pyra who is about to turn around when Jason stomps on his foot.
"We'll see you later and eat something besides finger food," Jason says walking and forcing Adam along. Pyra waves goodbye. Once they are out of ear shot Adam attacks Jason.
"Why did you do that?!"
"You looked like a kid in the candy store, I mean you were almost drooling when Pyra said you two should go out."
"I was not."
"Trust me buddy even Pyra would have to had noticed it. She wouldn't need a neon sign."
"Shut up."
"Just pointing out the obvious. You guys are perfect for each other, you won't admit things and she won't notice."
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During the match where E&C are actually winning without cheating when the Cow runs down the ramp. Pyra glances at Edge who suddenly has to save Christian from a pin which he kicks out of at one. The cow instead of giving Pyra one of her imitation punches spears her and Pyra's head slams on the stairs and then on the floor. The cow starts stomping on her as Christian wins the match.
Edge finally comes to help Pyra pulling the cow away with ease then giving her the same spear she gave Pyra when she tries to fight him. She is rolling on the floor when Edge goes for his title. Christian indicates that Pyra is still lying there.
"Pyra isn't moving!" Michael Cole exclaims. Edge and Christian walk over to Pyra and kneel in front of her as Edge whispers.
"Pyra? Pyra? Get up say something." She doesn't move and he stands letting EMT's through. They have her on a stretcher and halfway up the ramp before she comes to.
"What the? What's going on?"
"You took a shot to the head you were out for a few minutes," Adam says as they head backstage.
"Every time that sub-human bitch comes near me I get hurt! Can someone remove the straps? I'm having bondage issues."
"Pyra you might have a concussion you were out cold for a while. Its for your own safety."
Pyra does have a concussion and spends the night in the hospital with no sleep. In the morning Adam goes to her hotel to retrieve her stuff and check her out since she has yet to be discharged. He is leaving with all of Pyra's stuff when Kevin approaches the room with some flowers and a bag.
"She's not here," Adam says coldly.
"Do I know you?"
"No but Pyra isn't here she's in the hospital."
"Is she okay?"
"She wouldn't be in the hospital if she was okay. She has a concussion."
"And she said it wasn't violent."
"It usually isn't her and Lita just don't mix."
"Short red head?"
"Yeah. How did you know?"
"She told me when I asked about her arm. Could you give Pyra these?" Adam takes the bag and the flowers as Kevin pulls a scrap of paper out of his pocket scribbles something and sticks it in the bag. "Thanks, goodbye." Kevin walks away and Adam is tempted to throw the bag away, but doesn't.
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At the hospital . . .
Pyra is finally released as Adam enters the hospital with the bag and flowers in hand. She looks at him surprised but smiling and he quickly says. "I saw your Kevin, he wanted me to give you this," He says handing her the flowers as Jason returns with two bagels, he is staring at Adam. "And this." Pyra opens the bag.
"My shirt!"
"Your what?!" Jason exclaims.
"I took it off after I fought with Nick because it was covered in mustard. I must have left it there." She looks in the bag and lifts out a scrap of paper. "Call me when you feel better," followed by his number. Pyra carefully places it back in the bag gives the bag and flowers back to Adam and takes the bagel from Jason. "You guys are so sweet and wonderful."
"Its the concussion talking," Jason says.
"Funny. I'm free to go so let's blow this sick house these places smell weird."
In the car Adam is driving and Pyra sits in the front seat when Jason dives in the back after opening the front door for her. Pyra turns on the radio and finds country station after country station.
"What the hell?" She finally finds a station playing learn to fly and she leans back.
"You like the Foo Fighters?"
"Everything I've heard by them. You?"
"One of my favorite groups."
"Cool." It turns out the station is a lot like Z100 because the next song they play is Show me the meaning of being lonely. "Backstreet rules."
"Which one is Kevin?"
"Wait," Pyra is calmly listening, "There he is."
"He sounds depressed," Jason says.
"Sad song, the video is so sad."
"Did you cry?" Jason asks teasing.
"Yeah right, me and tears don't mix. I don't cry."
“You're a girl . . ."
"Jason finish that sentence and I'll show you what kind of girl I am."
"You have a concussion you can't be threatening me."
"I'm a sociopath who didn't get any sleep. I like my sleep, and I'm not a morning person. I'm not threatening you I'm making a promise."
"Oh stop it, both of you. You can't possibly act this way all the way there."
"Yes I can," Pyra says smiling.
"Listen to the music Pyra. You do that well."
"Fine. Hey its commercials." Pyra looks back at Jason who is waving her CD player. She takes it from him and puts the cd in the car stereo. When a phone ringing starts Adam turns to Pyra. "The Call, literally."
"Who is this?" Jason asks.
"Backstreet Boys, Black and Blue." Jason covers his ears.
"Help! I'm trapped with a teeny bopper!"
"Pop enthusiast. You gave it to me."
"How was I supposed to know what you were listening to? I thought you liked good music."
"Adam's enjoying it."
"No comment."
"Please change Cd's, I¡'m begging you."
"Fine your whining is drowning them out anyway, Cd case please." Jason hands it over.
"Let's see now, Backstreet, Backstreet, More Backstreet, O-town, *Nsync, more *Nsync, 2Gether. . .
“Do you listen to anything besides that crap?” Jason asks.
“Its not crap, next up Blink 182, Slipknot, Disturbed, Green Day, Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit . . .”
“Play that, man you have some weird taste in music.”
“Just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it weird. So Adam what do you want to hear.”
“Limp Bizkit sounds good.” Pyra changes cd’s and there is peace the rest of the way to the arena.
Beth’s screams are heard throughout the hall as Pyra, Adam and Jason walk towards the room. “You call that being careful?! Are you trying to kill her?! I specifically tell you nothing special just a few punches. She’s not trained to take a fall like that, you could have put Pyra in a coma.”
“Hola! Coma girl in the flesh.” Pyra says walking in with Adam and Jason who sit down after Adam pulls out a chair for Pyra.
“How are you?”
“I’d be a lot better if I could get some sleep. Concussions are tricky like that.”
“We’re killing this Lita thing before it kills you. Everyone is in agreement but we’re not sure what to do yet so you’re still in the hospital, we just know you won’t attack Lita.”
“I would have to have lost my mind not to attack Lita. I want to rip out her lungs and feed them to her.”
“That’s a good idea, not the lungs part you losing your mind.”
“Uh yeah.”
“Amnesia Pyra.”
“Oh. Okay whatever. Pyra puts her head down and Adam taps her. “How much longer?”
“Long, get some coffee or something.” Pyra shakes her head.
“Pointless I can chug coffee and still be out cold two minutes later.”
“You can leave if you want. But you guys while you don’t have a match have some questions to answer. Especially Edge, who took his sweet time helping Pyra.”
ƒì ƒº„g 9 „gƒº ƒë
Thursday crack of noon in NYC . . .
Pyra stumbles down the stairs in flame Pj’s and see’s JC, Justin and Wade on the couch. She ignores them and goes to the kitchen.
“Feel better?” JC asks.
“The lack of sleep has been replaced by a headache, hello people who don’t live here.”
“Hi! Pyra!” Justin exclaims as Wade waves.
“What part of headache don’t you understand?” Pyra mutters as she pops two Advil and waves back. “Goodbye.” Pyra goes back up the stairs. And comes back down a few hours later, wearing beige cargo pants and a dark red long sleeved shirt.
“JC, Pyra stole your clothes,” Lance says smiling.
“Hey Lance.” Pyra says walking over and giving him a hug.
“Pyra are those my pants?” JC asks.
“Josh you’re not that thin. But your doll wears almost the same thing. Why are you sneaking people in here?”
“Action figure. We’re gonna record a song today and tomorrow maybe. Wade and Justin keep writing songs.”
“Oh aren’t you still two short?”
“They’re late, where you going?”
“Blading I would say join me but your occupied. See you in a while,” Pyra opens the closet door and sees the bag. “D’oh, I can’t believe I forgot about him!” Pyra turns the bag upside down and empties its contents. She picks up the scrap of paper and stuffs the shirt back into the bag. She picks up the phone and dials Kevin’s number. He picks up on the forth ring.
“Hello?”
“Hello, may I speak to Kevin?”
“Speaking. Who is this?”
“Pyra, how are you?”
“I should be asking you that. Your friend said you’re in the hospital.”
“I’m fine now that I’ve gotten some sleep, at home in my bed. Even if my house is over run with guys.”
“Why is your house over run?”
“There’s a recording studio in my basement and my roomie and his friends put it to good use.”
“You live with a guy?”
“No I call him a him for fun. Does that like bother you?”
“No, its your choice.”
“Good answer, where are you anyway?”
“The bus we’re on our way to a hotel. Its one of our last shows then we take a break and start all over again in the summer.”
“Cool,” the door bell rings and Pyra walks over looks in the peep hole. “Josh your boys are here.” She lets in Joey and Chris. “Sorry Kevin, some people were at the door,” Pyra says waving in Chris and Joey in giving each a hug. Pyra points down and they nod heading for the basement.
“Your roommate has a band?”
“Something like that. People call them a band. Tell me more about this break.”
“Well our last show promoting the cd is Friday in Florida. Then we pretty much do as we please, you know see our family, friends, relax, you know be normal.”
“Normal, I see.”
“How does your job work any way?”
“Monday’s and Tuesday’s we tape shows, Saturdays and Sundays are house shows and stuff but I rarely have to work at those. Perk of being one in an army of 30.”
“Oh.”
“You should just watch a show it would make more sense just don’t try and follow any plots or you’ll really get confused.”
“When are they?”
“Monday’s at 9, Thursday’s at 8, and Sunday at 7. Hold on a sec.” Pyra answers the door and let’s in Mystic who just walks past her/.
“Oh yeah hi Pyra,” Mystic says halfway between the door and the basement.
“Shouldn’t you be at work then?” Kevin asks.
“Oh no we tape Thursday’s and Sunday’s show on Tuesday.”
“I’ll watch it some time.”
“Sure, I should warn you, your in for some cheesy soap opera like drama and big guys in tights attacking each other and some girls in tights.”
“Will you be in tights?”
“Sorry, I’m either wearing what you saw me wearing or proper refereeing attire.”
“You said its like a soap opera so is there acting?”
“Oh yeah, almost everyone is friends backstage and pounding each other on camera.”
“What kind of acting do you do?”
“You know the guys you met at the hotel?”
“The blond ones?”
“Yep. Those are my partners in crime, total sweeties despite their vain shallow appearance on the show. I’m pretty much their tag along girl. I’m, place finger quotes here, attached to Adam, the one you gave the flowers to. Thank you for those by the way.”
“You’re welcome. Why finger quotes?”
“He’s using me. I’m probably using him, a match made in hell you could say. But stuff is going to change Monday so who knows. The writers want me as far away from the human wrecking ball as possible.”
“This is a whole lot more complicated than I thought.”
“Its like making a music video, lots of little details people wouldn’t believe existed for a four minute song.”
“I know what you mean. People are always asking what took three days? Do you guys travel?”
“Us . . .oh work. Yeah we’re a traveling freak show we kriss cross the 48 states and once a year I think we go to England for a Pay-Per-View.”
“I see you have no problem making fun of your self.”
“It happens when you have to allow a she beast to attack you when you know one swift kick to the solar plexus would take her down.”
“How do you know that?”
“I take kick boxing and Judo Fridays.”
“Why don’t you?”
“Rule one, don’t go against the script, and on the show Pyra has a big mouth and a bigger father to back it up with no strength or power of her own.”
“Are you anything like the Pyra on the show?”
“Well, I do have a big mouth when I have to but I like to believe I’m not as boy crazy. And I’m not Carrie in real life.”
“The movie?” Screaming starts in the background.
“The one and the same.”
“Pyra I have to go. We’re about to the whole dash into the hotel and there are a few hundred girls here.”
“I can hear the screaming, I’ll talk to you later.”
“I’ll call you. Bye.” Pyra turns off the phone and puts it away as JC comes up the stairs.
“So who was that?”
“Who?”
“On the phone you didn’t notice me at all, I was putting lucky out cause he was walking on the equipment. You were all happy and smiling. What’s his name?”
“Kevin.”
“Woo! Pyra has a boyfriend, named after her fruity Backdoor boy.”
“Shut up Josh.”
“Who has which Backstreet boy is gay on our computer?”
“I also have fries fries fries.” JC ignores her and tries to take seven bottles of water out of the fridge. Pyra takes 4 bottles. “Now isn’t that easy?” Pyra and JC go down the stairs and into the recording studio. It has all the basic equipment and the sound proof room with the mics. “Water?” Lance, Joey, Mystic and Wade each take a bottle as JC hands the others a bottle and keeps one for himself.
“So what does he look like?”
“He’s Kevin Richardson. Black hair blue eyes, you’ve seen his picture.”
“Fine don’t tell me.” Pyra shakes her head.
“Is he or isn’t he Kevin?” Pyra asks Mystic who nods. “Go sing, I don’t keep you here because you’re cute.”
“She said I’m cute. She wants something.”
“You and four other guys in the room and Justin.” Justin looks up at Pyra.
“That’s cold.” Pyra smiles.
“You know I’m playing.” JC finishes his water and get all serious.
“So we all set?”
“Yeah these words are hot,” Justin says. The four of them enter the adjoining room as JC does a few last minute checks to the equipment and walks in leaving Wade to work on it when they’re singing. Pyra knocks on the window she does the phone symbol. Everyone except JC pulls out a cell phone and exit to hand her the phones.
“Josh would kill you boys.” Pyra sits down next to Mystic and puts the phones between them.
“Wade what is the song called?”
“Selfish.” He says as JC signals him to start.
“Its about you, you are so totally selfish.”
“Shut up. You’re just mad cause JC’s mine.”
“Does he know about that?”
“Shh. . . . they’re starting.” They both are silent as *Nsync sings the refrain over and over until JC is finally happy with it. They move on to the end of the song, then Lance, Joey and Chris exit the booth as Justin and JC start singing the verses. With JC casting glances at Mystic throughout the song.
“Lord,” Pyra whispers.
“Shut up.” She says focusing on the song as Chris sits next to her and Joey sits on the floor leaning on the side of the couch. Lance is left standing and Pyra pulls him over to her. He pulls her out of the seat then pulls her on top of him.
“Go Lance.” Chris says as the scrolling marque starts flashing the word door bell. Pyra stands and climbs up the stairs. At the door is a delivery guy hidden behind a large bouquet of roses.
“Eh . . . Pyra?”
“Yeah.”
“These are for you,” He says handing over the roses, sign here please.
“I can’t,” Pyra says raising her hand.
“Someone has to sign for them.”
“Hold on one second,” Pyra walks over to the basement and pulls out the keyboard. Could someone anyone come up here for a second? Lance comes up the stairs a moment later.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need someone to sign for these she says holding the flowers.” Lance whistles and signs for the flowers and holds the door as the guy brings in three more bouquets.
“How is your hand?”
“It comes off Sunday. Then I can write again and stuff.”
“That’s a lot of flowers,” Lance says as the last bouquet is brought in.
“Cool those three came in vases. Now I just have to find something to put these in.”
“Don’t you have a vase?”
“I’m not a flower person but I think I have something,” Pyra hands Lance the flowers and takes a pitcher out of the cabinet pours some water in it as Lance takes the paper wrapping off the flowers.
“There’s a card,” Lance says and hands it over.
“Pyra, I’m glad you’re feeling better and I hope to see you soon. Kevin.”
“So who is he really?”
“Kevin Richardson why is that so hard to believe?”
“Your kidding!” Pyra shakes her head. “Don’t tell JC, they hate each other. That we have nothing against them personally is a bunch of B.S. when it comes to JC.”
“Why? You’re the one that hates everybody.”
“I don’t hate everyone. When we were trying to go to Jive, JC and I went to the offices the same day Backstreet was there. Kevin saw us and got pissed off, then when he found out why we were there, he started screaming about how we were a bunch of rip offs. So of course JC started screaming back and well you can guess.”
“I know, I don’t even joke that you guys are imitation Backstreet. Just that you guys are second best. Even if you do sound completely different. And you don’t hate everyone just people in other Boy Bands.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Nothing he doesn’t believe me and I’m gonna leave it at that. Are you sure he hates him?”
“Remember when we went to the club?”
“Yeah.”
“Kevin was there and he saw JC and it looked like WW III was going to start. I think if you weren’t hugging him he would have attacked him.”
“I remember one second he’s giving me water the next he’s all tense and he looks like he wants to kill something. Oh well so much for the belief that it was just the fans that were brewing the feud.” Pyra takes one of the roses of the makeshift vase and for the first time notices that some of the flowers are so dark they look black. “Maybe I should become a flower person.”She puts back the first flower and takes a dark one. They both head back down the stairs and sit on each other again. Mystic looks at her funny and Pyra points to JC.
After a long while, JC and Justin come out of the booth. “I think we got it, tomorrow We’ll have it all ready,” JC says as Justin pretends to collapse at Mystic’s feet.
“Help, water!”
“Dork,” JC says as he looks up at Mystic. “So what do you think?”
“It’s good. Really nice,” Mystic says.
“I really like the end,” Pyra says trying to ease the tension.
“What did I miss?” JC says indicating Pyra and Lance.
“I’m sorry to have you find out this way but I’ve been using you to get to Lance.” Lance laughs.
“What happened to your ¡¥Backstreet Boy’?”
“Nothing he’s still around. On tour I think.” Pyra says twirling the rose. “Either that or he’s coming to dinner to discuss a possible collaboration you know the smash hit of the century.”
“Ha. Ha. In your dreams.” JC turns to Chris and Joey and realizes they are both asleep. “Hey!”
“Huh what?” Joey says looking up.
“You’re done? Cool!” Chris says stretching.
“What have you two been doing?”
“We went out last night . . .”
“And came back this morning,” Lance says shaking his head.
“Tsk Tsk. You should be ashamed.” Pyra says.
“You do the same thing,” JC says.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about. So who wants food?” A cheer comes up out of the basement. “Alright, Josh you heard them go cook.”
“What? Why me?”
“Cause I said so.” JC looks at Pyra then picks up Justin cell phone, he quickly dials a number.
“Hello? Dominoes, yeah I would like two large pies one plain cheese one with pepperoni, some bread sticks and garlic knots, the address is . . .”
“That’s not cooking,” Pyra says after JC hangs up and drops Justin’s phone on his chest.
“Close enough,” JC says turning back to Wade and turning everything off. Everyone goes up stairs and waits for the pizza. Pyra sits on the couch and Justin and Lance sit on either side of her, Mystic sits in the chair, Wade and Joey sit on the love seat, JC stands behind the couch and Chris brings in a chair from the kitchen. Pyra turns on the TV which is on MTV, to her surprise they are playing a repeat of TRL, number 1 is Backstreet.
“Woo!” JC takes the remote away from Pyra before she can stop him and changes the channel and lands on BET. “Change the channel.”
“Pyra that is your channel,” Mystic says.
“BET is a pile of monkey crap.” JC changes the channel again and is on UPN.
“Hey look its Pyra,” JC says as they show the slam of the week starting where Edge pulled the cow away from Pyra.
“Ow! That had to hurt,” Justin exclaims as Edge is spearing the Cow. The door bell rings and JC puts the remote down a moment later they hear an ear piercing shriek. Everyone gets up and goes to the door where a girl in a Dominoes uniform is jumping up and down balancing the pizza and side orders at the same time.
“My God! “Nsync! wow! You guys are so cool! Oh my god!”
“Hi! Oh My God! You Have the Pizza!” Chris exclaims. “Come on in.”
“Really! Wow!” The girl walks in staring in awe at *Nsync. They give her autographs, take pictures with Pyra’s I-zone and sing part of drive myself crazy, her all time favorite track. She then has to leave but isn’t in so much awe that she forgets to charge them. At which time the guys devour the food.
“You take those five, I’ll take the little one,” Pyra says.
“Oh sorry,” the guys move aside to let Pyra and Mystic get slices.
ƒì ƒº„g 10 „gƒº ƒë
Monday . . .
“Pyra! Come with me,” Beth exclaims as Pyra barely has a foot inside the arena.
“My God! Let me walk in what is the rush?”
“We’ve made a decision, you won’t go back on air until tomorrow.”
“So I had to be here early to not work?”
“No, how attached are you to that hair style.”
“Say what?”
“And you don’t really like those clothes, right?”
“You’re scaring me.”
“Would you have a problem wearing certain clothes from now on?”
“Uh, what kind of clothes?”
“You’ll see, let me explain. While we were brainstorming I let in your idea and Vince loved it.”
“My what?” Pyra says confused.
“You now have amnesia.”
“What does that have to do with my clothes?”
“Edge and Christian, being the nice guys that they are take you in for a make over.”
“Why?”
“You can’t possibly expect the fans to see an innocent girl looking the way you do now do you?”
“Innocent?”
“The new Pyra doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. And she’s Edge and Christian’s servant and happy about it.”
“For how long?”
“We’ll see.”
“Why am I here today?”
“We had to make sure you would agree and we’re making you over. We have to measure you for clothes. . .”
“Medium, how hard is that?”
“Dye your hair, you’re nails, shoes the whole nine yards.”
“Rewind, dye my what?”
“The black and red doesn’t go with the new you.”
“Deal with it.”
“We could always shelf you with a neck injury, that was what we had if you didn’t agree because Amy doesn’t seem to know how to handle herself around you. Then we would hope to find a place for you in six months. Maybe send you to wrestling boot camp.”
“What color?”
“Nothing drastic just brown.”
“How about Black?”
“Brown, girls who love springtime and flowers don’t like black.”
“I’m going to gag.”
“Think of the alternative.”
“Mr. McMahon has nothing on you when it comes to getting people to do what you want. No pink.”
“What?”
“I will dye my hair, put on girly clothes with flowers on them, be at Adam and Jason’s beck and call, but I will not wear anything that remotely resembles pink.”
“But . . .”
“I’d go home right now and get a normal job as a shrink before I’d wear pink.”
“You can’t be serious. Pyra this isn’t a game. You aren’t the Rock . . .”
“Its one fucking color, that I have issues with, last time I checked there are millions of colors in the world.”
“What do you have against blue?”
“Nothing,” Pyra says smiling.
“I don’t know why I put up with you. And a shrink isn’t a normal job.”
“Its cause you love me.” Beth shakes her head. “Now what?”
“We found a salon/spa that will cater to our needs. You are going there now. Once you are done you will go to the local mall with Trish and I to pick out your new wardrobe.”
“Trish?”
“I need all the help I can get to get you to look like your not going to a funeral.”
“I don’t look like I’m going to a funeral.”
“Fine a Manson concert,” Beth says giving Pyra’s black jeans, and black shirt that says I’m not angry, I’m happiness challenged. “This is going to be a lot of work.”
“Hardy har har.”
Pyra goes through the transformation, with a lot of complaining. At the clothing store she tries to pick clothes she would be willing to be caught dead wearing but is out numbered by Trish and Beth.
ƒì ƒº„g 11 „gƒº ƒë
Tuesday . . .
Pyra walks into the arena wearing the fisherman’s hat again for different reasons. She is still dressed like herself as she pulls in her bag that has a change of clothes for the new Pyra.
“Nice hat,” Jeff says taking it off her head, he looks at her hair and whistles. “What happened to you?”
“Bite me Ana,” Pyra says taking her hat and walking away after putting it back on.
Pyra puts her stuff into the locker room which is being shared by all the women. Mystic and Nausi are nowhere to be found and she isn’t willing to talk to Terri, so she waves hello and walks out as the Cow walks in. Pyra gives the beast the look of death and keeps on walking. Pyra walks past the men’s locker room and doubles back. She knocks on the door.
“Yeah?”
“Barbie? Skipper?”
“Come in. Its us and some walls.” Pyra walks in. “What’s with the hat?” Adam asks.
“Bad hair.”
“We missed you yesterday,” Jason says. “Where’d did you go?”
“A spa and a mall.”
“Can we switch places? We got our buts kicked and lost our titles.”
“You do know what I have to do now right?”
“Yeah, all you’re missing is a little french maids outfit.”
“Die, Jason.”
“You can’t talk to me like that, you don’t know how to talk like that.” The door opens and Chris walks in with his stuff and is actually civil to Pyra. After greeting Adam and Jason.
“Hello Pyra.”
“Hi,” Pyra says pulling on her hat covering her eyes. “How are you?”
“Better than you I think. I saw you get slammed.”
“Cows and people don’t mix.” Chris smiles but doesn’t say anything. Pyra is about to say something when she jumps.
“What is wrong with you?” Jason asks starring at her. Pyra pulls out her cell phone.
“Vibrate bad. Hello?” The smile that shows up on Pyra’s face has Adam and Jason knowing who it is before she says another word. “Kevin!” Pyra says.
“I love the Backstreet Boys,” Jason says putting a hand to his chest and Adam has to laugh Pyra sticks her tongue out at Jason and walks out.
“I don’t get it,” Chris says.
“Pyra’s boyfriend is a Backstreet boy.”
“But . . .” Chris looks at Adam who has started taking things out if his bag. “Never mind.”
In the hall . . .
“Yeah, I got the flowers, they were nice, at least until Lucky started attacking them.”
“What’s Lucky?”
“A cat.”
“One of the reasons I called was to ask you, what channel are you on?”
“Thursday UPN at eight.”
“Oh I thought it was today.”
“Don’t watch it. Please!”
“Why not?”
“Its just embarrassing. I’ll give you a tape or something.”
“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.”
“Yes it can.”
“Now I have to see it.”
“Fine, be mean. I deserve an Oscar for this. Or at least a movie award.”
“What do you have to do?”
“I’m a happy amnesiac, who and I quote ¡¥loves springtime and flowers’.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“I prefer winter. They dyed my hair back to its natural color. I even had to buy a new wardrobe.”
“I don’t even know what color your hair was. You were always wearing that hat.”
“That was because my hair always looked bad. I’m so happy to have both hands again.”
“Your wrist is better?”
“As of Sunday.”
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
“What?”
“We’re going to be on Jay Leno on Friday.”
“So you’re coming up to New York?”
“Yes, I’m going to come up early, how does dinner Thursday sound?”
“Perfect.”
“I’ll pick you up at six.”
“Okay. Cool.”
“I can even meet your roommate.”
“He won’t be home,” Pyra quickly says.
“Oh well, another time then.”
“Sure.” Pyra says. “I have to go, duty calls.”
“Alright bye.”
ƒì ƒº„g 12 „gƒº ƒë
Backstage . . .
“I’m coming out. I will break the nose of anyone who laughs.” Pyra comes out and Adam pretty much goes gaga and Jason draws Pyra’s attention to him.
“Excuse me ma’am have you seen Pyra she’s this really evil man hating . . .” Pyra wacks him.
“You want to be deformed.” Adam finally puts his eyes back into his head.
“You look fine,” Adam says not even looking at Pyra.
“Uh huh, looking at me might make it more convincing.”
“Let’s go.” Jason says Impatiently.
“Pyra I’m ready for you, you guys go ahead. She needs the last part of her costume.” Pyra goes back into the room and they walk towards the stage.
“Wow.”
“Adam my friend you have it bad!”
“She looked like an Angel.”
“Pyra?” He looks at Adam who seems to be on another planet. “Earth to Adam. Hey! Remember me? We so have work to do.”
“I know, Its just that. . .”
“You’re crazy about her and she doesn’t even know it.”
Edge and Christian’s music hits as they walk down the ramp. “Coming all the way from reek city, Pyra!” Pyra’s music hits as the lights darken. You can barely see her as she steps into the ring. She is standing in front of Edge and Christian when the lights go up.
“What happened to Pyra?” Michael Cole asks.
“She looks great!”
Pyra is wearing a short baby blue dress with butterflies going up the side, her now brown hair is being held by silver butterfly clips and falls in curls down her back. Wearing heeled sandals that match the dress perfectly. She looks around the arena like she’s never seen anything like it.
“We decided to fix Pyra up a little,” Edge says smiling as Pyra walks around the ring looking at the fans. “She was more than happy to listen, weren’t you Pyra?” She turns smiles and nods.
“Why is Pyra acting like that?” Michael says suspiciously. “Edge and Christian Have done something to Pyra.” Pyra looks over to him and waves with a big smile on her face.
“Pyra is there something you want to say?” Pyra points to herself and Edge nods. She takes a step towards him than backs away shyly. He tells her to come on and hands her the mic.
“Um, hi!” Edge takes the mic.
“Thanks Pyra. Go stand over there. Yes that’s good girl.”
The Hardyz music hits and they are accompanied by the Cow. They walk to the ring and Edge directs Pyra to stand ringside. She does as she is told as the match gets ready to begin. Lita points to Pyra and Pyra waves happily. She is about to walk over to Lita when Christian yells. “Pyra stay there!” She does as she is told and watches the match. Cow keeps a close eye on the match and on Pyra. The match ends in a disqualification when Lita hurricanranna’s Christian when he tries to use a chair. Edge is twist of fated and swantoned.
Pyra crawls into the ring and is touching Edge when the Cow goes to stand over her. Pyra looks up at her and stands up. The Cow shoves her and Pyra takes a step back. The Cow starts screaming at Pyra and she moves back until she was covering her face standing in a corner. She pulls her hands away from her face which is tear streaked as the Cow aims to punch her. Pyra sink to the floor as she swings and The Cow misses, Pyra is covering her head and when she looks up Edge is standing there looking disgusted. He yanks her to her feet and has her walk backstage in front of him and Christian with tears streaming down her face all the way there.
Backstage . . .
Jason starts to laugh and Pyra punches him in the stomach and he doubles over. “Ow!” Adam stares at Pyra in shock as she walks away.
“Jason you okay?”
“She has one hell of a punch for such a tiny girl,” Jason says after catching his breath. “What is up with that? Pyra never really gets mad when I make fun of her.”
“I think she’s a little upset.”
“A little?!” Jason says.
About half an hour later . . .
Adam and Jason are ready to leave and looking for Pyra. They spot Kane and ask him. “Um, Have you seen Pyra?” Kane just points to a door down the hall and keeps walking. “Thanks.” They open the door and can hear Pyra’s Cd player blasting Break Stuff. The room is a workout room and dressed in street clothes Pyra is attacking the punching bag.
“Yeah like she needs to work on that,” Jason says as Pyra does a roundhouse kick on the bag. “Damn, I want to stay on that girls good side.”
“Pyra!” Adam yells at the top of his lungs and she stops and turns she pulls off the headphones and looks at Jason.
“Um, Sorry.”
“Didn’t hurt anyway.” Pyra gives him a yeah sure look. “So are you ready to leave or are you going to attack the bag some more?”
Pyra looks at the bag as if deciding wether or not to keep going. She turns off he Cd player and pulls her bag behind her. “Let’s go.”
“Don’t hit me but I have a question for you.” Adam says as thy enter the parking lot.
“What?” Pyra says calmly.
“How did you cry so much?”
“Onions and hot sauce.”
“What?”
“Beth couldn’t get me to cry so she took me to the kitchen chopped onions, and poured hot sauce and water in a bowl. Right before the match I drench my hands in the stuff. I almost started crying when I was holding the mic.”
“One more thing, why were you so mad?” Pyra doesn’t respond for a minute.
“I was in a dress, I was pretending to cry because of the Cow, Jason laughing kind of sent me back to second grade.”
“Second grade?”
“That thing you saw out there is pretty accurate. Except it would be a Catholic school uniform.”
“You are a Catholic school girl?” Jason asks surprised.
“Nine years. Why doesn’t it show?”
“I thought you were . . .I don’t know. Something else.”
“ Nah, Roman Catholic, and all that good stuff.”
“Oh . . .wait wait wait. What the hell happened?”
“Shut up.” Pyra says climbing in the front seat next to Adam as he starts the car and drives to the hotel.
ƒì ƒº„g 13 „gƒº ƒë
Thursday Morning . . .
Pyra is starting her day at about 11 Am. The fact that JC isn’t awake doesn’t surprise her, since they are both late risers. Pyra looks out the window as she pours the last of the milk into her cereal and the gray winter sky brings a smile to her face as she wishes for snow. It has been really cold in the city for the past few days and she hopes its a sign. She has breakfast and wonders why JC is still asleep. She knows he went to bed early the night before.
Pyra climbs the stairs and knocks on JC’s door. “Josh?” Pyra says pushing the door open a crack. “My eyes are covered.” Pyra says with a hand over her eyes. When all she hears is silence she uncovers her eyes and sees JC lying under the covers with his eyes closed. Pyra walks over to him and touches him. He opens his eyes.
“Morning.” He grumbles and sits up.
“Tired?”
“Not really, why?”
“Cause even you get up before Noon.”
“Oh. Okay,” JC looks at Pyra and shakes his head.
“What?”
“That hair its kinda hard to get used to. The stripes seem more normal.”
“Tell me about it,” Pyra says tugging at a curl. “But how long can it last?”
“Hey its not like it looks bad,” JC says.
“So, sleepyhead what you doing today?”
“I don’t know, but some breakfast would be nice,” He says smiling at Pyra.
“Fine, pretend like you don’t know how to cook.”
“Thanks. I’ll be down in a little while.”
Pyra leaves to let JC get read for the day and goes downstairs and makes him his favorite breakfast. She picks up the phone and dials Mystic’s and Nausi’s number. Mystic picks up.
“Hello there Pyra,” She says before Pyra says a word.
“Hola Mystic, I need your help.”
“What?”
“I need your help getting rid of Josh.”
“What?! You want to kill Joshua! It’s because he’s white. Isn’t it?”
“Mystic stop, I’m serious. Kevin wants to pick me up tonight and I prefer the night to start off happy, not with WW III.”
“Oh come on. They don’t really hate each other.”
“Backstreet and *Nsync are cool except for two members. Joshua Scott Chasez and Kevin Scott Richardson. I seem to be living with one and dating the other. I’ll tell them eventually. I’d just like to have a first date first.”
“Kevin’s middle name is Scott?”
“Mystic!”
“Okay I’ll help, when is he coming?”
“He said six.”
“I see. Okay I’ll take care of it. Let me talk to Joshie boy.”
“I think he’s still in the shower. Oh wait here he comes, hold on.” Pyra tosses the phone to JC, he and Mystic talk for a few minutes then he hangs up. He takes the plate of breakfast Pyra made for him and starts eating when the phone rings. He swallows and picks up.
“Hello,” he mumbles swallowing.
“Hello, May I speak to Pyra?”
“Uh huh, sure,” he gives the phone to Pyra who is loading the dishwasher.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Pyra its me Kevin.”
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing, I’m on the plane now. I wanted to tell you about tonight.”
“Cool, where are we going?”
“The restaurant we’re going to serves the best Itallian food this side of the Atlantic.”
“I see. So I guess you have my address and all that stuff.”
“Yes, but there are a couple things you should know about going out with me.”
“You’re a psychopath? No wait you can only make left turns. You’re acrophobic. You can’t eat anything pink. You’re a pyromaniac.” Kevin is laughing along with Pyra who is being stared at by JC, who walks over to the couch shaking his head. She shoves his plate into dishwasher as her laughter dies down.
“No, I’m serious. While Gino’s is a great restaurant, the paviorozzi stake the place out like the FBI. By the time we’re inside you would have been completely hounded.”
“The pink food thing was more important. A couple of freaks with camera’s? Just one question.”
“What?”
“Will they touch me? I have this thing about being grabbed where I kinda hit first, ask questions never.”
“No, they just shove camera’s in your face and ask ridiculous questions. It’s about thirty seconds of hell. After that its great. They can’t Get into Gino’s no matter how hard they try.”
“Don’t normal people go there?”
“I guess so, but mostly actors and musicians and what not.”
“Well, then they’ll just have to put up with me.”
“I’m glad, your okay with this. Oh and its black tie.”
“Well I guess I could borrow one of Josh’s suits.”
“How about a dress?”
“You’re no fun.”
“I guess I’ll see you at six.”
“Yeah okay bye.
5 PM. . .
Pyra is climbing the stairs as JC comes down. “Where you off to Josh?”
“Mystic’s, we’re going to hang out and stuff and she promised me spaghetti.”
“You’re after food?”
“And good company.”
“What am I?”
“You’re going out, with a guy who you refuse to tell me who he is. And don’t start with that Backstreet boy crap again.”
“But . . .”
“Bye Pyra,” JC says and Pyra can hear the annoyance in his voice.
“This better be worth it,” Pyra says as she opens her closet. She looks at the dresses, things she’s worn to award shows with JC and other special occasions. She finally chooses a black dress she wore to the AMA’s last year. Its top half is corset like with a slightly billowing skirt. She hopes its not too much as she goes down the stairs to choose shoes. She goes with the same black heeled shoes she wore with the dress the last time. She brushes her hair and puts on some silver jewelry, then sucks it up and gets into the dress. She is ready with five minutes to spare.
She grabs the velvet floor length dressy coat her mother (Trish!) got her. Puts her keys in the pocket and drapes it over the chair. Lucky jumps on top of it almost instantly.
“Cat!” Pyra lifts the cat up as the doorbell rings. She is still holding Lucky as she opens the door. “Hey Kevin,” She says as she puts the cat down and it pretty much mad dashes back into the warm house.
“You look amazing,” Kevin says giving her a quick kiss.
“So do you,” Pyra says giving his outfit the once over. He has what she likes to call the Regis look with a black suit dark blue shirt and matching silk tie and to top it off a coat much like hers.
“Ready?”
“Yeah let me grab my coat.” Pyra picks the cat off the coat again and locks the door and goes into the waiting limo. They arrive at the restaurant and Pyra realizes Kevin wasn’t kidding. It’s like the red carpet at an awards show when the arrive with cameras flashing as they quickly run into the restaurant which is a complete change. It is totally calm with people Pyra would love to accost for an autograph, like Ryan Philippe, who is eating with Reese a few feet away.
A middle aged man walks over to them and exclaims, “Kevin. It’s wonderful to see you again! And who is this lovely lady?”
“Pyra,” Kevin says and the man hugs her and gives her kisses on each cheek. Pyra is a little surprised but hugs him back. He claps his hands and a guy is waiting for their coats. They hand them over and someone else directs them to a table and gives them menus.
“I forgot to warn you about Gino, he’s very friendly when he meets a girl, any girl. He did the same thing to my mom.”
“Oh, it was a little surprising to be hugged like that.”
Pyra and Kevin have a great dinner which ends with them making out in the back of the limo on the way back to her house. Once there Kevin walks her up to her door.
“Do you want to come to the show tomorrow?”
“Um, sure, what time?”
“Its taped at 8, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to pick you up.”
“Where are you staying?”
“The trump.”
“Makes sense. I could just meet you there do you know when you’re leaving?”
“Seven.”
“I’ll be there at 6:45. Sound good?”
“Sounds great, I’ll leave a message at the desk. Goodnight.” He says giving her a kiss that has Pyra thinking. Its worth it.
Pyra walks inside and hangs up her coat kicks off her shoes and sits on the couch still in the dress. Pyra picks up her phone and dials Nausi’s and Mystic’s number again. This time Nausi picks up.
“What do you want you black supremacist?”
“I am not a . . . forget it.”
“Mystic told me how you tried to kill JC.”
“Whatever, he’s still there?”
“Yep, we just finish watching Smackdown, you know when your mama made you cry.”
“Shut up, that bitch isn’t my mother.”
“Sure, sure Pyra.”
“Bite me.” Nausi leaves the room and is alone in the kitchen with the phone.
“You know you’re gonna have to tell JC and have him know its true. You can’t just send him here every time you have a date.”
“I know, besides its not fair to either one. But is it my fault Josh won’t believe me?”
After talking to Nausi for a while Pyra hangs up and goes to the stereo. She puts in *Nsync and No Strings Attached. She falls asleep on the couch listening to *Nsync. JC comes home and hears the Cd halfway through digital get down. He turns it off and when he doesn’t hear Pyra’s complaints he looks over at the couch where she is asleep with a hand on the cat which also seems asleep. He wakes Pyra up who is still groggy.
“Wha . . .”
“Bed time Pyra,” JC says pulling her to her feet.
“No, we need to talk.” Pyra says slurring the words together as they climb the stairs.
“In the morning, you’re still asleep.”
“But . . .” JC opens the door to her room.
“In you go.” Pyra climbs into bed fully clothed and is asleep before JC leaves the room.
ƒì ƒº„g 14 „gƒº ƒë
The next morning Pyra goes down the stairs and notices Josh is nowhere to be found. She looks at the dry erase board that is on the refrigerator. It no loner says milk in Pyra handwriting instead it says out shopping in JC’s crooked handwriting.
“Cool.” Pyra decides to wait for JC to have breakfast. When JC walks in he slams the door and walks into the kitchen and slams the bags down on the counter.
“Josh?”
“How could you? Of all the people in the world?”
“Calm down, and explain.” He pulls a paper out of the bag and pretty much flings it at her. She turns it over and on the front page is her and Kevin running into Gino’s.
“I told you already,” Pyra says putting the paper down. “So what if you didn’t believe me.”
“Why on earth would you go out with such a jackass?”
“He is not a jackass he’s totally nice and sweet.”
“He’s a butt hole!”
“Why? Because he doesn’t like *Nsync?”
“He doesn’t respect the work we’ve done! We worked our asses off to get here and we still have to prove ourselves to people like him! He’s totally self righteous, pigheaded and rude!”
“He is not!”
“How can you be so naive? He’s a fake, you’ll be sorry when his true colors show.”
“Why are you acting like this? Why on earth do you care who I bring home.”
“No way! There is no way that bastard is setting foot in my house!”
“Your what?! I will bring anyone and I mean anyone I want to into this house and you can’t stop me! I’m dating a Backstreet Boy now deal with it! Its not gonna change because you don’t like it!”
“I’m not having this!”
“I don’t care. Its my decision not your’s, my own father can’t tell me what men to go out with don’t you dare!”
“So you’re choosing him over me?!”
“What?! Are you stupid? There was no choice to be made, he’s my boyfriend . . .”
“Fine! Its nice to know how much I matter!” JC says and storms off.
“And you’re my roommate,” Pyra mutters to the air. She puts the groceries away. She climbs the stairs and puts on a black hooded sweatshirt and black jeans. She picks up her Cd player which still has Significant Other in it pulls on her roller blades and leaves the house.
She returns about an hour later picks up her duffel bag and heads to her classes with out so much as a word to JC. Pyra comes home from the show completely miserable. She feels bad enough she is having her first real fight with JC and then at the show, she got stuck sitting next to some dirty old man that smelled like one too many cigarettes who kept coughing and hitting on her.
Saturday afternoon, JC is sitting in the living room in silence thinking about the fight he and Pyra had when the doorbell rings. He goes to the door where Mystic, Nausi, Shane and Shannon are standing with ice skates slung over their shoulders. Nausi gives him a once over.
“You forgot didn’t you?”
“Forgot?” He looks at the ice skates. “Oh! Yeah, I did.”
“Well come on, come on,” Nausi says.
“Where’s Pyra?” Mystic asks as they all walk in.
“The bat cave,” JC says annoyed as he closes the door. Mystic walks over to the stairs followed by Shane.
“Mystic, that’s a wall,” he says after Mystic knocks on the wall under the stairs. Pyra doesn’t answer and she lifts the latch and pulls open the door. “Cool.”
“Yeah, Nausi found it,” Mystic says as they walk in. Pyra is sitting at the computer with headphones as she IM’s someone. Shane picks up Pyra’s last oreo cookie as Mystic taps her on the shoulder. She turns around and looks at Mystic confused. “Did you forget about ice skating today?”
“To forget, I would have to have known,” Pyra says reaching for a cookie. When she finds nothing she gives Shane a dirty look.
“Didn’t Joshie tell you?”
“No. I’m gonna guess we’re supposed to leave now.”
“Really?” Shane says sarcastically.
“Cookie thief, I’m not in the mood. Could you turn this stuff off so I can change?”
“Yeah okay,” Mystic says taking Pyra’s seat as she leaves the room.
Everyone makes them selves comfortable as they wait for Pyra and JC who are ready in about ten minutes. “Finally!” Nausi exclaims ad Pyra comes down the stairs.
“Chill.” Pyra says and gets hit by Nausi. She opens the closet and takes out shoes and pulls out a pair of black skates from the back of the closet. “Now I’m done.”
At the ice skating rink, Mystic, Nausi, Shane, and Shannon are having fun like of most people at the rink. It takes them a while to realize that Pyra and JC are completely avoiding each other. At a place where few people are skating alone the stick out like sore thumbs. Mystic skates over to JC as Nausi skates over to Pyra.
“What the fudge is up with you and JC?”
“He’s became a jerk.”
“JC? That guy right there,” Nausi says pointing.
“No Jesus Christ. Yes him!” Pyra exclaims.
“Is this about that retard Kevin?”
“He is no a retard but yes. He’s mad at me for dating him.” Nausi’s face practically screams oh brother as she pulls Pyra to Mystic and JC.
“Are you hearing this?” Nausi asks Mystic.
“Crazy,” Mystic replies as Pyra and JC try to escape. Shane and Shannon skate up blocking their path.
“What’s going on?” Shannon asks.
“They’re mad at each other, for the dumbest reason I’ve ever heard.”
“What?”
“Because she’s dating a Backstreet Boy,” Mystic says pointing at Pyra.
“So what? Oh wait do you like Pyra?” Shane asks confused, someone really has to explain the whole boy band thing to him.
“What?! No! No. No way!” JC says waving his arms for emphasis.
“Thanks so much. Now that I’ve been insulted are we done?” Pyra says getting off the ice. JC puts a hand to his head as he regrets his last statement. JC looks over at Pyra who is pulling off her skates he gets off the ice and goes past her to the snack booth. The rest of them watch JC as he purchases a Vanilla ice cream cone with chocolate sprinkles.
“Why the fudge is he buying ice cream in Winter?” JC walks over to Pyra and puts the ice cream behind his back. He starts talking and talking and when Pyra finally looks up at him he produces the ice cream.
“I don’t get it,” Shannon says turning away from them as they hug.
“Pyra doesn’t like flowers or candy. Ice cream in the middle of winter and you got her heart,” Nausi explains.
“That is so weird,” Shannon says shaking his head as Pyra and JC come hand in back onto the ice.
“Ice cream Pyra?” Nausi says.
“What?” Pyra says taking another lick. “Josh got it for me.”
“So you guys are friends now?”
“Yeah, I can’t stay mad at a guy who knows me so well.”
ƒì ƒº„g 15 „gƒº ƒë
Two months later . . .
Pyra and Mystic are spending a couple days in Mexico while BSB is taping spring break. They have started hanging out with Brian’s wife, and AJ’s girlfriend who are also there in Mexico. (Notice how Howie is the only single one?)
“Aren’t you hot?” Leanne asks Pyra who is in black jeans and a red tank top while she is in a flower print dress.
“No, I’m kinda used to it.” AJ’s girlfriend returns with some drinks as they watch the guys tape Backstreet’s spring break videos, they are near the end of taping and talking about thongs when the thong song starts playing and they start dancing and all four girls bust out laughing when AJ and Nick start getting their ¡¥groove’ on.
After the taping AJ and Nick approach them first, “And what was so funny?” Nick asks. They all stand up and start imitating AJ and Nick exaggerating the horrible dance moves. “We’re great dancers.”
“Yeah, you and the one legged man,” Pyra says sitting down laughing.
“Pyra, you are so mean.”
“Its a gift.”
“Live Nick alone he dances fine,” Mystic says as Kevin comes over.
“It is so hot out here,” Kevin says fanning himself. “How can you stand it?” Pyra shrugs and hands him her fruit juice which he downs in one sip.
“You guys all done?” AJ’s girl asks.
“No we have to tape a promo thing for a show called becoming.”
“Becoming what?”
“The Backstreet Boys.”
“Cool.” Pyra says.
“They got these guys and they’re gonna do I want it that way with the fans and everything,” Howie says.
“Okay guys we’re ready for you.”
“Time to pay them bills,” Nick says smiling as they all walk back to the chairs.
As they are doing the promo Pyra’s phone rings and she walks off to the side to answer it. “Hello?”
“Hey Pyra its me.”
“Josh why are you harassing me?” Kevin walks over to her but she doesn’t see him. “Doesn’t leaving the country entitle me to some peace. Even roommates need space.” Kevin smiles and is waiting for her to finish.
“I killed Lucky.”
“What?!”
“Joking, just wanted to get your attention.”
“Joshua Scott Chasez! What is wrong with you?” Kevin almost chokes on his water and stalks off.
“Did you tell him yet?”
“You called me to ask me that?”
“No you just screamed my full name.”
“I haven’t heard any shrieks of rage so I think I’m cool.”
“You’re playing with fire.”
“Hey, I’m Pyra its a life style. I’ll do it eventually.”
“The reason I called is Lucky’s litter box, where did you put the kitty liter?”
“Kitty Litter? Its in the laundry room next to the bleach. You know laundry, that thing where normal people wash their clothes.”
“I wash my clothes, sometimes.”
“You buy new ones.” Pyra looks behind her and sees the camera men taking apart the camera’s and rolling up cables. “Dude, they’re done I’m gonna go. Remember next to the bleach.”
“Okay bye Pyra.”
Pyra walks towards Backstreet and Kevin has his back to her. She wraps her arms around him and he pulls them off. She steps back surprised and Kevin turns around. “Excuse us for a second,” Kevin tells the rest of them as they walk back to where they were taping. They are all eavesdropping which isn’t that hard since Kevin starts screaming.
“You liar! You think I’m an idiot don’t you?”
Pyra’s a little slow to catch on and elevate her voice. “What?”
“You must think I’m the biggest buffoon on the planet!”
“Huh?”
“Who was on the Damn phone Pyra!”
“Josh? My roommate?” Pyra says shaking her head.
“What’s his full name? What does he do for a living? Who’s trail did he follow for an easy ride?”
“Easy ride?”
“Hell yes! They did not have to go through what we went through they just came up from behind like a bunch of vultures picking up our scraps.”

“Are you following any of this,” Howie asks the rest of them.
“The only time Kevin talks like that he’s talking about *Nsync, but what could Pyra have to do with them?” Brian asks, Mystic remains silent as she and Nick exchange glances.
“Good point.” Howie responds.
“Shh, she’s saying something.” AJ’s girl hisses.

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Why are you going out with me? To spy for him! To let him know what our every move is so he can just keep sucking us dry?”
“Are you nuts?” Pyra says finally screaming. “Have you lost your ever loving mind? Is the sun getting to you?! Or were you always this retarded!”
“You’ve been lying to me for months. Why?” Pyra doesn’t respond. “Cat got your lying tongue? What else haven’t you told me? Is he really your roommate or are you screwing him too!” Pyra slaps Kevin and stalks off past all the eavesdroppers. The girls follow Pyra as the guys walk out to Kevin.
“Kevin, what’s going on?” Brian asks as Kevin rubs his jaw.
“Pyra’s been lying to me all this time.” He says as AJ returns from a nearby bar with ice in a napkin.
¡¥That my friend is going to leave one hell of a mark.”
“Lying about what?” Brian says trying to get to the bottom of the screaming match.
“Her roommate! Josh Its that bastard from *Nsync.”
“Why are you so upset? So what if he is?”
“So what?! Why wouldn’t she tell me the truth?”
“Kev, look around,” Nick says indicating his face and the staring crew.
“Yeah, Pyra never hid the fact that she was fan of ours, so every fan knows you hate *Nsync. I wouldn’t tell you either,” AJ says. “You really have to do something about hating *Nsync that much,” Howie says.
“Just get over it,” Nick says. “I did.”
“Kev man, Pyra is hot! She likes you, and for some strange reason she lives with JC. Big whoop, it could be worse.”
“What on earth could be worse?”
“Gold diggers, for one,” Howie says.
“So you all think I made a mistake?” Everyone nods including the crew. “So now what?”
“Begging,” AJ says.
“Yeah Begging,” Brian agrees.
“A lot of begging,” Nick says.
“A whole lot of begging,” Howie says. “And gifts, I mean you’re going to have to buy her a country to make up for it. You practically called her a slut.”
“What on earth is big enough to say I’m sorry for what I just did?”
“What kind of stuff does Pyra like?”
“Just get her flowers. Girls love flowers,” A camera guy says.
“No go. She finally told me to stop wasting my money she doesn’t like flowers, or those boxes of candy for future reference.”
“You’re doomed,” Nick says.
“Maybe our girls can help. Mystic is one of her best friends right?” AJ pulls out his cell phone and calls his girlfriend. “Hello, she’s what?! Keep her there we’re coming up.”
“What’s going on?”
“Pyra’s packing, she hasn’t said a word just throwing her stuff in her suit case,” AJ says.
“Great!”
“We’ll handle it, just stay here we’ll send the girls down to help you with the begging for forgiveness,” Brian says as the rest of them go into the hotel. They knock on the door and Leanne lets them in. Brian explains the situation and the girls go down stairs. Pyra looks at the four members of BSB and Brian breaks the ice.
“We all love Kev, but he can be an idiot sometimes.”
“And a Jerk,” Nick says.
“He needs anger management,” Howie says.
“Say something,” AJ says.
“I was enjoying the Kevin bashing.”
“Going somewhere?” Brian says pointing to the suit case
“It seemed like a good time to head home. You know to the enemy.”
“Some day Kevin might lose the chip. Who knows you might be the girl to do it.”
“I don’t think I could move a chip the size of Texas. You guys can sit down you know, I don’t bite.” Pyra says as the guys who were standing side by side by the door. They slowly move closer and AJ jumps on the bed sitting beside the suitcase. “See how easy that was.” The rest of the guys sit on the other bed.
“Why do you have two beds?” Nick asks.
“It came with the room,” Pyra says shoving the suit case to the floor behind her. “You guys are cool and all but, why are you here?”
“We want you to stay.”
“We love you!” AJ says grinning.
“What’s Kevin’s beef? I mean really. I get the whole not liking each other, but I’m sensing some impossible hatred. Do all of you feel so uh strongly?”
“Well, we don’t like them but Kevin takes it to a whole new level.”
“He’s crazy, man.” Nick says shaking his head and doing the crazy symbol.
“Don’t tell me that. He’s borderline psychotic, and paranoid. If you really want me to stay talk about happier things.”
“What do you think about spring break?”
“I feel over dressed at all times.”
“Well, if you wore a little less,” AJ says. “Even shorts!”
“I have shorts.”
“Do you wear them?”
“That’s a little more complicated.”
“We’re all wearing shorts, the other girls are in dresses you’re in full body armor.”
About an hour later Kevin and the girls return to the hotel. They can hear the stereo blasting Eminem and laughter from down the hall.
“What on earth?” Kevin says knocking on the door. When no one answers he knocks again.
“They can’t hear you,” Mystic says trying the nob. “The door is unlocked.” He pushes open the door and sees AJ Nick and Pyra standing on one of the beds dancing to Eminem as Brian shakes his head laughing. Howie is nowhere to be found as he steps in with the girls. Leanne turns off the stereo and all of them stop dancing.
“Pyra,” Kevin says in the silence and she turns towards him.
“What? Do you think I’m corrupting your friends now?”
“Pyra, I’m sorry.”
“Really? You’re sorry? Well I just have to forgive you don’t I? Drop dead.”
“Pyra, I made a mistake . . .a really big one, I over reacted.” The girls and the other guys leave the room as Pyra steps off the bed to face Kevin. She listens to him beg and plead on and off for twenty minutes, he even goes as far to insult himself for a while. Pyra paces covers her head with her pillow but he just keeps on going and going.
“Alright already. STOP!” Pyra says trying to get him to shut up with no success. “What do you want from me?!”
“You to hear me out.”
“I’ve heard every word. You droned on and on, I get it you’re sorry but please leave before my head explodes. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“Does this mean . . .”
“It means I’ll talk to you in the morning.” Kevin leaves.
“Amen.” Pyra flops onto the bed feeling exhausted and goes to bed despite the sunshine. In the morning Pyra accepts Kevin’s apology and he tells her they’re going to visit old Aztec temples. That and some jewelry are his sorry gift.
ƒì ƒº„g 16 „gƒº ƒë
Back at work, the Invasion has begun and little things like story lines need to take a back seat.
“Pyra this is your lucky day. Your going back to normal.”
“If I do the can can will anyone be upset?”
“Please don’t.”
“Why am I so lucky?”
“DDP. After getting abused by Nausi (She gave him a black eye and bruised shin) has decided to move on to the weaker daughter of destruction. Well at least that what he thinks. He’s gonna raise a little demon.”
“There’s a demon in me? Cool.”
“Exactly. So after today you can start looking like a weirdo again.” Beth looks at Pyra. “On camera at least.”
“So I can burn the dresses?”
“Keep 'em you look nice in them,” Adam says.
“Maybe. Why am I really being let off the hook?”
“We need a referee who can be blatant biased. And your the only referee besides Earl who talks and stuff. “
“Uh-huh. Whatever.”
With the camera’s rolling . . .
Edge, Christian, and Pyra arrive. Edge is carrying his and Pyra’s stuff. Into the arena. “JR isn’t it ironic that Edge has fallen for his own creation.”
“I feel for that poor girl, she has no idea what they’ve done to her.”
Pyra lingers behind because she sees a flower at the base of a tree. She walks over to the tree and when she reaches for the flower DDP grabs her from behind. She kicks and screams and her head slams into the tree. For a moment she’s still as DDP pulls her back. He head snaps up and she lets out a blood curdling yell. The flower she was bout to pick is the first to go up followed by the tree. Edge and Christian run out and get DDP and stomp on him for a while as Pyra watches.
“Are you okay? Pyra nods holding her head as Edge holds her up. The walk in and walk pass a mirror and Pyra stops dead in her tracks. She looks at her self in the mirror and is totally shocked, she looks at her out fit and looks ready to gag. “Pyra? Say Something.” She hugs Edge instead. “Its okay, that reekizoid is so gone.” He lets go and Pyra is holding her stomach. “Feel sick?”
Pyra nods and runs around the corner where she stands up straight and reveals Edges wallet. She opens it pulls out a platinum card and smiles.
“JR . . .Pyra . . .Pyra just robbed Edge.”
Tuesday . . .
DDP is talking in the ring about being made famous when the arena darkens and Down With the Sickness starts playing. When it reaches the line “There is no turning back now you’ve woken up the demon in me” The lights come up and Pyra is crouched on the turnbuckle in all her black and red glory wit a mic.
“Howdy.” when DDP moves towards her she puts out a hand and reveals a little fire ball. “Look don’t touch.” DDP steps back and the fire goes down. “It seems that I went on a little vacation and you were nice enough to bring me back. So like thanks. Now go away your face annoys me.” DDP looks ready to attack Pyra who smiles. “Oh Dad.” Kane’s music hits instantly as he comes running down the ramp. “Now what did you think would happen?” Pyra asks DDP who is mid choke slam. But wait there’s more.” Pyra waves her hand so that the bell rings signaling the start of a match. Some one from the outside hands Pyra a ref’s shirt. “Dad would be kind enough to rip his throat out.” The "match" is an all out DDP beating with it Undertaker coming out at Pyra’s request to get a few hits of his own.
Backstage . . .
Edge is watching the replay of what just happened shaking his head, he turns around and is face to face with Pyra. “Pyra! I can so explain . . .”
“Ticking me off is very bad for your health, some call it a fire hazard.” Christian comes up from behind them and is about to hit Pyra. “Don’t even bother.” Christian stops startled, then stands besides Edge. “You dress me up like your own personal Barbie. You messed with the hair, I mean you two must have a death wish.”
“We . . .”
“Shut up Christian,” Pyra and Edge say simultaneously. Pyra indicates for Edge to move closer and he does. When they are inches apart she grabs his face and kisses him.
“Now then, I would have put you guys on leashes, that would have been so funny.” They both stare at Pyra and she pulls out Edge’s wallet and a bill. “Here you go enjoy.”
“You’re not mad?” Christian asks as Edge looks at the bill in horror.
“Does getting you a shot at the WCW tag titles sound like I’m mad?”
“Don’t Undertaker and Kane have those?”
“Really? Then it shouldn’t be a cage match.”
“What?!”
“With me as the special referee?”
“Oh God!”
“No where near that ring.”
ƒì ƒº„g 17 „gƒº ƒë
The day of the VMA’s . . .
“Down with *Nsync, F8 forever,” Pyra chants as JC makes pancakes.
“You wish.”
“I know, we’re so going to kick your ass!”
“When did you start fantasizing this?”
“We will win best group video!”
“You might have a chance if we weren’t in the category,” JC says sitting down as they both start eating.
“Cocky!”
“Me? I’m not going, down with F8 am I?”
“I know that’s what your thinking we scare you.” JC starts laughing and Pyra sticks out her tongue out at him.
“This is too funny,” He says as the door bell rings. “I got it, Lance is picking me up for rehearsal.” he walks to the door. “Pyra!”
“What?”
“Its for you!” He says coming back to his food as Kevin walks in. She grabs a napkin wipes her mouth.
“I didn’t know. . .” JC keeps eating. “You love me,” Pyra whispers hugging JC.
“I’m fine, go before he gets any more green with envy.”
“Oh please,” Pyra says but lets go and walks over to Kevin and gives him a lot more than a hug.
“You look like Santa,” Pyra says pointing to the box under his arm.
“Its for you,” He says handing it over. Pyra sits on the couch and unties the ribbon and opens the box to reveal a gown. Its black with red flames climbing up from the waist. She lifts it out the box and sees that it has two slits up either side that must reach mid thigh.
“Thank you. It rocks!”
“I know, you have a dress already but would you wear this one tonight?”
“Yes!”
“I have to run, we still have some stuff to do before the show and concert. I’ll see you at the party.”
“Okay, us too rehearsal and stuff. Good luck.”
“You too!”
“Thank you.” Pyra says walking him to the door.
“Bye.”
At the show . . .
“And the winners of Best Group Video are F8 with Tell me Tell me Baby!” Jimmy Falon exclaims as the crowd erupts in cheers as the group who is sitting beside their running buddies, *Nsync, hugs them and goes to collect their award. They hug Jimmy and Kirsten who were presenting the award (Nausi hugged Jimmy! Woo!).
“We’d like to thank time,” Then more normal thanks you know God, the fans, JC.
And now . . . The post show . . .
MTV has a huge warehouse decorated and setup for the party. Unlike other years where people were just approached backstage. It has three levels and couches and bean bag chairs spread all over the place. They have camera’s set up to tape the party and an area cut off for interviews and pictures with the various artists. The party starts after the show with people showing up at random times throughout the night.
Pyra is standing on the second level looking down at the people below her when someone wraps their arm around her waist. She looks down and sees silver painted finger nails.
“Jacob! Hey.”
“Hey. Congratulations on you guys win.”
“Hey, I couldn’t of done it with out you. I so needed to destroy your home and beat that chick up.”
“Yeah well, you’re the only girl for me.”
“Woohoo! So where is the rest of O-Town?”
“Up there,” Jacob says pointing up to the third level. She looks up and sees Trevor and Mystic and waves.
“That’s Trevor,” Jacob shrugs.
“So I hear you have a boyfriend.”
“Yeah.”
“Who?”
“You don’t know? Man we need to talk more.”
“Psst, Pyra you should really stop that.” JC says pointing to Jacobs arms around her. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Why? You hate Jacob too now?”
“No but he does,” JC says pointing down to where Backstreet is walking around.
“Who cares about them, Howie and AJ are real cool,” Jacob says.
“Well I’m talking about Kevin, Pyra’s boyfriend.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?” Pyra asks.
“He’s a jerk, he had the nerve to say a group like ours is disgusting.” Jacob says letting go and walking away.
“Okay.” Pyra say stretching the word out.
“Doesn’t that tell you something?” JC asks.
“Don’t you start again,” Pyra says poking JC. “Go harass Mystic about hanging out with Trevor.”
“At least her boyfriend is nice and normal.”
“How do you hate Kevin and not Nick? Go away, shoo! Sleep it off drunk boy.”
“I’m not drunk. But you have been on something since January.”
“Hardy har har.” Pyra walks down the stairs towards Backstreet. They are talking amongst themselves when Pyra puts her arms around Kevin much like Jacob did to her.
“Pyra.” Kevin says and turns around to kiss her.
“Go Kevin!”
“I see tongue!”
“What is up with you guys?” Pyra asks.
“They aren’t getting any,” Brian says.
“I have a girl!”
“That poster on the bus doesn’t count Nick,” Kevin says smiling.
“Ooooh, that’s cold. You gonna take that?”
“No . . .”
“Pyra are you trying to cause trouble?”
“Yes, I want a good clean fight, let’s get it on!”
“Have you been watching too much Celebrity Death Match?” AJ asks.
“Yep, you guys so got killed twice!”
“By who?”
“The Beastie Boys and some other people.”
“*Nsync, I was watching too,” AJ says. “Its just clay. I don’t think we can form a Backstreet beast.”
“You find watching me die entertaining?”
“Yes.” Pyra and AJ say together.
“Don’t worry, I still love you,” Pyra says giving Kevin a hug.
“I love you too,” Kevin says kissing her again. When they come up for air the rest of BSB is gone.
“We scared them away.”
“Its okay, I prefer more one on one time,” Kevin says. Pyra whispers to Kevin. “We could leave now.”
“Woah, slow down. Remember that little section you passed? Interview ring a bell? I think they’d notice a missing Kevin.”
“Okay, so now what?”
“There are couches and those bean bag chairs everywhere, we can so get away with acting like teenagers.”
“Lead the way.” Pyra takes Kevin’s hand and spots a cluster of empty bean bag chairs. They are making out for a long while when Nausi’s voice is heard loud and clear over the music.
“Pyra, you freak! We have our interview now, stop sucking face.” Pyra turns her head and sees Nausi stand a few feet away looking annoyed.
“Yeah yeah,” Pyra gives Kevin one more kiss for good measure. Then stands and walks over to Nausi while fixing her hair. “Happy?”
“Come on,” Nausi says starting to walk away.
“You could say hi.”
“I told you I don’t like him.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” After the interview, Pyra opts for getting a drink after noticing Kevin has vanished from their perch. “One sprite with grenadine juice.”
“Coming right up.” The bartender hands her to drink and when she turns she sees JC.
“Sneak up on people, why don’t you curly.” Pyra says taking a sip of the bubbling red drink.
“What is that?”
“Taste it.” Pyra says handing him the cup.
“Hey its good, can I get one of these?”
“Sure,” The bartender says and makes him one. Pyra yawns.
“Tired?”
“A little.”
“Well you know you can leave . . .” Pyra shakes her head. “Why not?”
“Kevin.”
“Well he’s going now, and it looks like their almost done. He’ll take you home.”
“He’s not taking me home.”
“That jerk.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“What then?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Why wouldn’t I . . .yuck! That’s dirty!”
“Told you.”
“Bye Pyra.” Pyra grabs his arm so he can’t leave.
“Oh no you don’t. You have some explaining to do.”
“About what?”
“A little warning you gave me and Jacob.”
“What warning?” JC asks innocently.
“Okay fine pretend you didn’t do it. Thanks for nothing,” Pyra says and gives him a hug.
“You are not welcome,” JC says playing along. “So . . .” JC’s is pulled from behind and he loses his balance and falls to the floor.
“Josh, you okay?” JC nods as he stands dusting off his bright garb.
“He’s fine, let’s go,” Kevin says taking Pyra’s arm.
“Don’t touch me!”
“What is this?! Every time I turn around you’re all over him!”
“We’re friends, I hug my friends!”
“I’m not having this! Its going to end now!” Kevin says stomping his foot as a crowd forms at first it is just *Nsync, Backstreet and F8, but they are soon the center of the party with the music stopping moments later.
“Kevin, stop this!” Brian pleads.
“This is all on Pyra! She’s the one running around with that bastard!”
“The only bastard I see here is you! Are you wasted or something? How did you come up with this twisted idea?!”
“Its been right in front of my eyes the whole time!”
“You’ve flipped!”
“This ends here! Now!”
“What?!”
“Let’s go!” Kevin says reaching for Pyra again.
“No!” Pyra says backing away.
“Pyra I mean it its me or him!” Pyra looks like she’s been slapped.
“I’m not hearing this, you can’t be serious.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”
“So you want me to choose?! Unbelievable.”
“I’m waiting for an answer.”
“You want me to choose?! Then what?”
“You never talk to him again!” Pyra looks between JC and Kevin takes a deep breath and turns to JC.
“Joshua . . .I’m sorry,” Now JC is the one who looks like he’s been slapped, Kevin smiles in victory until he sees the look of pure hatred on Pyra’s face when she turns back to him. “Sorry, I didn’t believe you when you told me what a total Jackass Kevin is! You flaming pile of shit! Who the hell do you think you are?” Pyra yells shoving him. “Do you actually think you can have a say over what I do? You’re a deluded freak show. You stupid son of a Bitch! Get your ass back to whatever mental institution you escaped from because I sure as hell never want to have to put up with you again!”
“I can’t believe you’re choosing that, over me.”
“I’d choose rocks over you!”
“After everything I’ve done for you!”
“Like what? Insult me?! Try to run my life?!”
“That dress for one!” Pyra grabs the part of the dress formed by the slits on each side.
“This dress huh?” Pyra pulls and in one motion has ripped off the front of the dress. “You like it so much you wear it!” Pyra says throwing it at Kevin and taking off what’s left of the dress and throwing it a him too.
“Pyra! Are you fudging crazy?” Nausi screams. While others erupt in cheers as Kevin stares at the halves of the dress dumbfounded as Pyra shakes her head in disgust.
“How could you?!”
“Why are you still here?! Someone show this retard the door!” Kevin keeps staring at her. “I know this is the closest you’ll ever come to seeing me naked but have some dignity, Man!” Brain and Howie lead Kevin out as AJ follows casting glances at Pyra who remains standing there with her arms crossed as they leave. Nick is standing besides Mystic trying to figure out what to do when AJ comes back and grabs him.
“Let’s go!” He gives Mystic a kiss goodby as he is being dragged away.
“Bye!” JC is the first one to start clapping and the entire party follows in suit except for one person who is shaking her head at Pyra. “What Nausi?!”
“You’re fudging naked!” Pyra looks down at herself.
“Am not. Bra and panties, and shoes. So ha!”
“Put some clothes on!”
“And how would I do that?”
“You should have thought of that before you ripped your clothes off. You need to get yourself some clothes.”
“So you walk around with multiple outfits?”
“Well no but other people here do.”
“I’m 5' 10" who’s gonna give me clothes. Britney, I’m a midget, Spears?”
“Here,” JC says handing her his shirt.
“Josh now you’re naked.”
“Um, Pyra hi. I saw what happened and I do have an extra outfit.,” Mandy Moore says holding out a bag. “It was in my limo.”
“Um, thank you,” Pyra says taking the bag. “This is really nice of you.”
“Its nothing,” Mandy says. “I know how it is to be tall.”
“Thank you,” Pyra says giving her a hug.
“You going to keep it on this time?” Nausi asks after Mandy walks away as Pyra puts on the outfit which is a pair of leather pants and a black shirt.
“No, I’m going to run around in a table cloth.” Pyra starts looking around and her eyes settle on JC. “So when were you going to reveal all these buried feelings?” JC starts to laugh.
“Pyra, Have you and JC ever had a relationship?” MTV news asks.
“Of course, its call being best friends! I guess its a term Kevin is unfamiliar with.”
“So his accusations are completely unfounded?”
“That and retarded, you think he’d be upset about the guy I’m kissing every week on live TV. But no he goes after Josh what is that?” The reporter shrugs and Pyra walks to JC.
“Josh you have to say something.”
“Would this be a bad time to tell you I’m moving to Florida?” Pyra stares at JC. “I’m kidding, don’t look at me like that.”
“You . . .” The party starts back up in full effect and they start blasting F8, Just don’t tell me that. “Dance with me,” Pyra says pulling JC’s arm. “I thought you were tired?”
“I’m running on rage, and glee sleep went out the window.” Pyra says as they start dancing for the rest of the night. “Too good to be true,” Pyra mutters.
“What?” JC asks.
“Me and Kevin, too good to be true. Its like finding a mountain of fools gold. There’s that time when you plan to buy the planet then you try to cash it in and get laughed out the bank.”
“All that glitters isn’t gold kind of thing?”
“Yeah, I knew there was a reason I love silver.”
„^ The End „^