Chapter 12 is finally out! I'm sorry that it took so long but I went on holidays and I didn't bring a computer with me! Let's see, thank you to all those who've e-mailed me so far to let me know what you think of my story. I love getting each and every one of them, even if they have nasty things to say about my writing. Special thanks go out to Sher, Tim and Matt, just some of the friends that I've made from writing this story. Please e-mail me if you read this, please. shiningstar@oceanfree.net
This story is not factual in anyway and I even made up most of the characters. Those whom, I did not make up do not know that I've written this and I doubt that they'd approve if they knew! What I'm trying to say here is that this fiction and is not meant to imply anything about the sexuality's of the celebrities mentioned. If you're too young to read this then don't.
"So, how long have you wanted this for?" Asked Nick. I'd finally relented and brought him up to see my room.
"Wanted what?"
"A relationship like this, with me."
"I don't know. A while maybe."
"Not from the start?" Nick pouted.
"You're one to complain!" I said. "You didn't even know you were gay!"
"That's where I've got you though. I realised I was gay because I was attracted to you." He said.
"That is good." I mused. "I'm going to have to think of something better then that. When are you leaving here?"
"We have to check in at 5, so I'd say we'll be leaving here about half three."
"That only gives me..." I checked my watch. "2 hours to think of something." Nick leaned closer to me and I pulled away, again.
"You're still not comfortable with this, are you?" He said, sounding hurt.
"It's not you Nick. It's just... it's my first actual relationship, and definitely my first with a guy. It's going to take a little getting used to that's all."
"I think I understand. But it's the same for me. You're the first man I've been with." Said Nick.
"But you're older. I'm only seventeen Nick; you've been through a lot more. Millions of girls and guys are after you Nick. You've had time to go over that and get used to it; you've had a lot more things happen to you. I've lead a very sheltered life."
"But Fiachra, soon enough it's going to be the same for you. You'll have the screaming fans and the offers of sex, you're going to have to get used to it as well."
"I know all that, intellectually, but it's another thing for it to actually happen. I don't think it's going to sink in until I head into town one day and realise that I can't get back out!"
"Well, think about something else then. Another month or two and you're going to be on tour with us. And when that happens don't think that I'm going to be able to keep my hands off you!" Nick joked.
"Another month or two and I might have found somebody else." I joked back. He grabbed my hands.
"Promise me that you won't. Promise me that you won't go off with someone else."
"Nick, you should know that I'd never so something like that. But still, it's not the greatest place to start a relationship is it? We're not going to see each other for what, another month? Even then, we're on tour together for 2 and a half months and then it's bye bye Nick when you go off to America and I'm in school."
"I don't care about the problems. It's the same in any showbiz relationship. And they survive! I really want this Fiachra, let's just try it." Begged Nick.
"I was just saying it for you, in case you wanted to back out now." I said.
"Well I don't."
"Hi, I'm Matt and welcome to this special episode of Daily Edition. Special because we have none other then Fiachra O'Neill in studio with us, who I'm sure you all know got the number one spot last week. Fiachra, it's a pleasure."
"Thank you Matt." I said, not sure how this was supposed to go.
"Now, I believe that this is the first interview that you've done?" He said, knowing full well that it was.
"That's right."
"We hear that you're shy. Considering that, how can you bear to be here, knowing that 4 million people are watching you live?" He asked.
"At the moment I'm pretending that it's just you and me in here Matt." I joked.
"Ok. Well, first we're going to check out your single, and then we have you answering questions from the phones and that people have sent in." He turned to address the camera. "And here is that song that needs no introduction - 'Souls divided'."
"And we're off." Called someone from the back.
"So." Said Matt. "This is really your first time on television?"
"Yeah. How am I doing?" I asked.
"Not bad. From here you look at little nervous, but that doesn't come across on TV." Said Matt, comforting me.
"Thanks." I grinned, more comfortable now that I'd had a little chat with him. My flight had been delayed so I had only gotten to the studios half an hour before the show was due to start with hadn't left much time to meet up with the interviewer.
"Now then, it's the part of the show where I get to ask you questions Fiachra."
"Fire ahead." I said.
"I'm sorry about this one. But I've been deluged by e-mails all week about it. Britain's public want to know - are you dating Britney?"
I laughed. "No. I'm not dating Britney Spears. We're just friends, that's all. Besides, she's already got a boyfriend, remember?"
"How do you think Justin feels about all this?"
"He's just laughing it off, the same way that I am. He's secure in his relationship with Britney and he doesn't see any reason to feel threatened."
"So you've spoken to him?"
"Yeah, after the story featured in the tabloids here." I replied.
"Ok then. What's your connection to the Backstreet Boys?" I froze. He couldn't know about Nick and I. Could he? "We've been hearing your names connected together a lot."
"They got me my record deal. Without them, I wouldn't even be dreaming of doing what I'm doing now."
"So this wasn't something that you thought you'd ever be doing?"
"Nope."
"Then how did you meet them?"
"I was in the states to visit a friend and I missed my flight from New York to Washington. I bumped into Nick there, he offered me a ride on their tour bus and while I was on that they heard me sing a song that I'd written myself. Brian recorded what I sung without me knowing and he presented it to Jive records, they were very interested and things went from there."
"So you just started singing in front of them? I would have thought that you would have been intimidated, considering who it was that you were singing to."
"True. Brian stumbled across a notepad that I write songs into when he was looking for a CD in my bags, they all encouraged me to sing one and I finally relented."
"Brian recorded you singing? How did you feel about that?"
"I haven't actually given it much thought. I was told it in the context of - 'you're being offered a recording contract' and that over shadowed everything else."
"But not your school work. What is school like now that you're a star?"
"I haven't thought of myself as a star yet, but still, school isn't really all that different, only now there's a bodyguard standing outside the classroom door."
"So you've got no plans to leave school then?"
"None. I'm planning to complete school fully. I don't see the point in leaving." I said, shifting in my seat. Man those lights were hot.
"What about college?"
"I don't know. I've got another year left in school so I'll see how the music career works out before I make any choices."
"Fair enough. So, you've had a duet with Britney Spears, you've travelled on a tour bus with the Backstreet Boys and you speak with Justin Timberlake. But what kind of music are you in to?"
"I don't really have 'types' that I like. It's more about liking the song or the tune. I've got albums by Limp Bizkit, Eminem and the Backstreet Boys all sitting on the same CD rack at home."
"Despite what Eminem might think of you?"
"I don't know what Eminem thinks of me, and I doubt that he even has an opinion on me. I'd like him to like me, but in the end of the day, he doesn't know me so any opinion that he might have of me doesn't really make a difference to me."
"Would you want to meet him?"
"Of course I would. He's an incredible talent."
"Who else would you have aspirations of meeting?"
"I don't know really... I've never been the sort of fan that's had to meet the musician y'know. To me it's about the music."
"That's fairly ironic, don't you think, that you didn't really care to know the people behind the music and yet in the space of less then a month you've meet BSB, Britney and you've spoken to Justin Timberlake?"
I laughed. "Yeah, I guess it is really."
"You've had a number one single here and in the states. What do you plan to do now?" Asked Matt.
"Well, this afternoon I'm appearing on TRL." I joked.
"Glad to see you've got definite plans for the rest of the day, but after that?"
"Well, I'm in school until the end of this month, and then I'm going to be working on my debut album for a while so that hopefully we can release it in June, and in June I'm also supporting BSB on their European Tour."
"I was going to ask you about the album next. So you don't have a definite release date yet?"
"No. At the moment about half the album had been recorded but we've still got to decide on some of the other songs."
"Well, Fiachra, thank you for being with us today, but unfortunately we're out of time. It's been a pleasure and I hope you'll come back and visit us sometime soon."
"I'll make sure and do that Matt."
"Say hi to Carson for me will you?"
I grinned. "Sure." So that was one interview over with, and it hadn't n as bad as I thought it would have been so that's all right. I was actually almost looking forward to being on TRL, where it was going to be a lot different, a studio audience and people ringing in. I was expecting lots of questions about Britney.
A flight and a bit later and I was on American soil for the second time within a month. And this time everything was going according to schedule. I'd met the limo at the airport without being recognised. But then, I didn't think that I'd reached that level of public presence yet.
"Hi, I'm Carson. I'll be interviewing you later."
"Yeah, I figured that it would be you." I said. Carson had come into the dressing room to say hi.
"Oh did you?" He grinned. "You've already had one interview today?"
"Yes. Matt says hi by the way."
"Right! Anyway, this is going to be done differently." He said.
"Yeah, it's a phone in show isn't it?"
"It is and there's a studio audience aswell."
"So there's no control on the questions?" I asked.
"When people ring in they're asked what they're going to ask you and then they're put through. But every once in a while there is someone who'll get through the screening process and say something else. Is this about the Britney thing?"
"Not really. I'm just more a of a private person then anything else."
Carson laughed. "You're in the wrong business then!" He said.
"I guess."
"Listen, don't worry about it, every one's nervous before they go on TV, but I can't see there being any problems so just relax. I'll see you in about 15?"
"That's what I'm being told." I confirmed. They had fitted me with an earpiece in case they needed to tell me anything while I was live, and they were talking through it at the moment.
"Looking forward to meeting Justin?"
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"Didn't you know?" He said. "Justin Timberlake is making an appearance later on.
"No I didn't know." I said.
"Well, neither did we until yesterday when his manager gave us a call and said that he was available if we wanted to have him on."
"What a coincidence." I said, not believing the words that I was saying.
"Hi, I'm Carson Daly, and this is TRL!" He waited until the screams died down. Some people would scream for anything. I was backstage, watching on the monitors. "Now, today we've got two very special guests. Fiachra O'Neill, who I'm sure you all know from his stunning debut single with Britney Spears." More screams. "And a very special mistery guest!"
"But first, I've got an e-mail here from a James in New York State who says that he watches the show every day, never missed one and is always trying to ring in, but he never gets through. Well James, we've gotten your e-mail now, but you didn't request a song so we've picked one out for you. It's Usher's latest."
The monitors flicked over to a song by Usher and they all had a countdown on them so that we could see when the cameras would be turned back towards Carson. After another 10 minutes of song and chat I was being cued to go on.
"Welcome Fiachra, to TRL!" Shouted Carson, which was my cue to run into the studio.
"Thanks Carson." I said.
"Now then, this is your first appearance on American Television?"
"That's right."
"Well, let's see if we can make it one to remember! But first we're going to play 'Souls Divided'." For three and a bit minutes we stood around awkwardly as the video played and then launched into conversation.
"Amazing, every time I hear that song it gets me more and more." I blushed. "That's right!" Said Carson. "You're really shy, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."
"It's all right. I just don't handle complements very well, that's all." I said.
"Good, well, we've got our first caller on the line now and her name is Sandra. Sandra, have you got a question for Fiachra?"
"Hi Carson! Hi Fiachra! Ok, I was wondering, since you met the Backstreet Boys, do you still listen to their music, or would you listen to Britney's singing?"
"That's a good question Sandra." Said Carson. "Well Fiachra?"
"Oh, umm, I'd still listen to their music, but it's different now that I know them. You know, you see the videos and it's kind of weird seeing these people that you know singing and dancing around the place."
"Does that answer your question Sandra?" Asked Carson.
"Yeah thanks!"
"What video do you want to see?"
"I want to see the Backstreet Boys, Get Another Boyfriend."
"Ok then." We watched the video and then another caller rang through."
"Hi Fiachra! Ok, my question is this, because you're doing so well over here are you thinking about moving over at all?"
"I don't think so Paul. I've done just as well in Europe and I really love my own country so I've got no plans to leave Ireland!" I said. That question was typical of one of the things that I didn't like about America. The egotism they had about themselves. I dismissed it as we listened to O-Town.
"Right, now it's time to meet our mystery guest. Does anyone know who it could be? Do you Fiachra?"
"I think I might! Can I say?"
"Go ahead!" Shouted Carson, trying to get the crowd hyped up.
"I think it's... it's Justin Timberlake!" I shouted, getting caught up in the moment. When he heard his name Justin strolled out onto the stage to screams of surprise and delight from the studio audience.
"Hi Justin. Glad you could make it!" Said Carson once the crowd had calmed down enough for him to be audible over them.
"So am I!"
"We hadn't been expecting to see you here, any special reason why you came down?" Asked Carson.
"Well, I was in New York anyway and I wanted to see this other person who everyone is saying is going with my girl!" Replied Justin.
"That seems fair enough." Said Carson. "Here he is then, Fiachra, meet Justin, Justin, Fiachra." I turned to Justin and shook his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you finally Justin."
"And you Fiachra."
"Now that that's done, we've got someone on the phone who'd like to ask the two of you a question. Sher, what's your question?"
"Hi Fiachra! Hi Justin! I can't believe that you're on the programme together! I was gonna ask if you'd met Justin Fiachra, but I guess that you have now. Have you two spoken before and what did you say about this thing going on about Fiachra and Britney?" I blinked, did she really want to know what we said in that last conversation of ours, or would it shatter her world? Justin covered the question smoothly though.
"Well Sher, we spoke to each other as soon as this thing was in the paper, but it was just because our names had been connected like that. I know that Fiachra and Britney are just friends and that they didn't do anything together in Ireland so what do I have to worry about?"
And then I added. "I think that we'd all be in a lot of trouble if we went around listening to rumours the entire time, don't you Sher?"
"I guess." She laughed. "I love you guys! Bye!"
"Bye!" Said Justin and I. The show continued on like that for about another 20 minutes or so until Justin and I both said our goodbyes to Carson and the audience and disappeared backstage.
Once again, please e-mail me to let me know what you think of the story. shiningstar@oceanfree.net
Tim.