This wasn’t the first time Chris was forced to bolt when it came to his fans. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t be the last, either. But he still found it incredible, ridiculous, and utterly humiliating to be running from a swarm of silly kids, and some silly adults besides.

Since it was impossible to escape through the main doors, Chris and his gang had to get out of the theater through a smaller side door. Even then, JC hollered, “Everybody split up! Go anywhere, hide anyplace! We’ll find each other later!” 

As Chris set out on his own, he heard Joey shout, “I wonder if this is how Shaggy and Scooby felt when the ghosts were after them!”

Even going their separate ways, all five guys found a considerable number of pursuers on their tails. Chris thanked his lucky stars that he was naturally quick on his feet—and the fact that he had been on the track team in high school certainly didn’t hurt.

At least this is one way to work off all that junk food!

Chris went wherever his feet took him, zipping around random corners and dodging more than one pedestrian. He tried to go in a direction that his followers couldn’t easily figure out, and he was also grateful for the waning daylight, which made his getaway all the easier.

Finally, when the screams died away and he could see no one coming after him when he glanced over his shoulder, he stopped. Just in time, too, since by then his lungs were on fire, his heart was set to burst from his chest, his legs were reduced to soggy noodles, and the sweat all but poured down his face and neck. As the man struggled to recover his breath, he noticed that he stood in front of a small coffee shop.

So he went in there to hide and rest for a while.

Only a handful of people were in there at that time, and if anyone noticed Chris Kirkpatrick’s presence, they made no sign of it. Just to be safe, however, Chris sat in one of the corner booths located way at the back. He all but collapsed into his seat and used some of the napkins from the little metal dispenser to dab his face and neck. When his heart slowed, his lungs cooled, and his breathing steadied, he buried his face in his hands and moaned, “Oh, this is nuts.”

It was times like these when he wished he and his band hadn’t made it quite so big. As a kid, he’d dreamed of fame and fortune, as anybody would.

But had he known that he would be this famous…

Why can’t I be a more normal, average person? Why can’t I go out and grab a burger, see a movie, or just walk down the street like anybody else?

Chris didn’t know how long he sat there in that tired, defeated position, but a familiar voice made him lower his hands and open his eyes.

What he saw made him sit up straighter, and his posture became cardboard-stiff.

Just a few feet ahead of him stood a young man with sandy-colored hair, a day or two’s worth of stubble, a very sour demeanor, and clothes that looked like they hadn’t seen an iron for ages. Chris recognized him as the guy who had knocked Jamie down at the theater.

As if that weren’t enough, the beautiful blonde girl the guy was speaking with (or arguing with) looked very much like—no, it was—but it couldn’t be—surely Chris had to be mistaken.

Allie?