April 22, 2000 (Phoenix, Arizona)

"So, did I tell you where Tony's taking me tomorrow night?"

Without bothering to open her eyes, Melissa sunk further down on the couch and replied: "No, but I get the feeling that you're about to."

"You know me too well!" Sam replied, with a hint of amusement in her voice. "But anyway, back to my gloating......tomorrow night while you're singing and dancing in front of millions of people, Tony and yours truly will be sweating it up at The Bombay club."

The Bombay club?

Before Melissa could even ask what that was, Sam quickly replied: "And for those of us who haven't been in New Orleans for almost two months: The Bombay club is a new hot spot that just opened up down the street from PJ's. It's supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Live entertainment. Free drinks. And did I mention...a different DJ every night."

After frowning slightly at the fact that someone had finally opened up a new club in New Orleans, just when she had gotten out of the small town, Melissa replied: "So, why am I just hearing about this now? I mean, I would've thought you'd have already scooped out the place and given me a full run down on it the first night it opened."

"Damn, you make me sound like such a gossip hound!" Sam replied, in a mock annoyed tone. But then after a second she added: "But you're right. I probably would've done just that....had I not just heard about the place yesterday from a girl at work."

Without bothering to hold it in, Melissa slightly giggled at her friend's comment. But then had to immediately control herself as a beep sounded over the phone; telling her someone was on the other line.

"Hold on."

Removing the phone from her ear, Melissa took a quick look at the caller ID screen and sighed slightly when she saw that it was Lance on the other line.

Business beats pleasure.

With that being her last thought, Melissa quickly brought the phone back to her ear and replied: "Sam, I got to go...it's Lance. Can I call you back later?"

Without so much as a pause, Sam quickly replied: "All right..but try and call me back tomorrow. I'm going to go find Tony and try to start my wifely duties early this evening."

After jokingly wincing at the comment, Melissa retorted: "Thanks for the image." Causing Sam to cackle slightly before replying: "You know you liked it."

A comment which caused Melissa to respond back with a slightly amused: "Whatever" before saying her good-byes and clicking over to the next line: "Hello...Lance?"

"Hey, you're there. I was just about to leave you a voice mail."

"But instead you get to talk to me in person...lucky you." Melissa retorted jokingly, causing Lance to slightly chuckle on the other end. "So, what's up?"

"Nothing really. I was just calling to see how everything was going out there with you."

After sitting up on the couch that had quickly became her favorite resting spot, Melissa waited until she had stretched a little before saying: "Everything's going as good as it possibly could get. We had a little setback earlier today when my microphone went out and the music to Blessed kept skipping. But besides that..their hasn't been anything that I really couldn't handle."

"That's good." Lance replied, with a slight hint of mischief in his voice. "But now I'm not too sure if my news for you is good news or bad news."

News?

While furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, Melissa replied: "Well, how about you tell me what it is and then I'll help you decide if it's good or bad."

After chuckling slightly, Lance replied: "Fair enough....the news is that: I just got off the phone with Giloh and he says that you and him have been working so hard on your album that he thinks that after tomorrow you'll have completed your very first CD two weeks ahead of schedule."

Barely able to contain her surprise, Melissa had to take a deep breath before saying: "What-what does this mean?"

Knowing that Melissa was just as excited as he was caused Lance to chuckle slightly before saying: "It means that in two weeks you'll be switching from the My reflection tour to our No Strings attached tour. And it also means that in a few weeks you'll be shooting your very first video."

My very first.....video?

Without even meaning to, Melissa let out a high pitched scream that caused Lance to outwardly cringe and her bodyguard Ryan to practically race onto the bus.

"Melissa...what's wrong?"

After slightly blushing in embarrassment, Melissa calmly replied: "My CD will be finished tomorrow. I'm switching tours in two weeks."

A comment which caused Ryan to dramatically roll his eyes in amusement before uttering a sarcastic Congratulations.

"Melissa..you still there?"

Without even bothering to watch as Ryan made his way back outside her bus, Melissa replied: "Yeah..sorry. Now, what were you saying before I blew out your ear drum?"

After chuckling slightly, Lance replied: "I was saying that even though your album may be finished tomorrow, the time your album comes out will defiantly depend on what Mr. Weiss thinks about it and also how soon you can complete your thank-you's."

Thank-you's?

Even though she really wasn't sure what Thank-you's Lance was talking about, Melissa quickly replied: "Oh..well, I just hope Mr. Weiss likes what he hears. Giloh and I have been really working hard on it these last couple of weeks."

Without even bothering to pause for a second, Lance responded back with: "I know..but hey, don't worry about it. Johnny and I have listened to almost every track on your CD so far. And not only do we love it. But we also know what Mr. Weiss likes and are almost one hundred percent positive that he's going to love what's on that album as well.....I promise you that."

After sighing slightly and replying back with: "I guess you're right." Melissa couldn't help but think to herself:

But that's easy enough for you to say..you already have two albums out.

A half-n-hour after getting off the phone with Lance, Melissa found herself en route to Christina's bus; journal in hand.

"Are you sure that Christina's in there?"

Without even bothering to think about it, Ryan replied: "I'm not saying that she is, but she should be. Her soundcheck ended about fifteen minutes ago. But for all I know, her and that little miniature Romeo of hers, could be out painting the town red by now."

After slightly laughing at the comment, Melissa directed a look of amusement her bodyguards way: "Do I detect a small hint of jealousy coming from your direction?"

"Ha! That'll be the day." Ryan sarcastically quipped, before stepping in front of Christina's bus and opening the door for the petite brunette. "I'll just wait out here for you."

"Oh, I just bet you will." Melissa jokingly replied, before throwing an I'm just kidding look over her shoulder and entering the slightly large vehicle. "Christina?"

"Back here!"

After following the sound of the woman's voice towards the back of the bus, Melissa couldn't help but grow slightly red as she walked up on Christina laid out on the back-seat of her bus--with her boyfriend Jorge literally underneath her. "Umm, should I come back at another time?"

Without even bothering to pay attention to her boyfriend's protest, Christina quickly stood up and replied: "No, you're fine. Jorge was just about to leave anyway."

"I was?" Jorge asked, with a slight hint of confusion in his voice. And after rolling her eyes at the older man's question, Christina replied: "Yes, you were. 'Cause I'm in no mood to put up with any whining tonight just because you got yelled at for being late for a fitting."

A comment which caused Jorge to quickly get off the couch and practically run off the bus; throwing over his shoulder that he'd see both ladies later, after the show.

"Do I even want to know?" Melissa asked, after taking a seat in the spot that Jorge had just got up from.

"No." Christina replied, with a slight hint of amusement in her voice. "But since I know you're curious, I'll tell you anyway.....a couple of weeks ago, after one of our soundchecks, Jorge and I were watching a movie. And I had asked him if he was positive that he didn't have to be anywhere. But of course, being a man and all, Jorgie was like: No...no..I don't have to be anywhere. I have everything under control. And do you know that not even a half-n-hour after the show that night, he was back on my bus complaining about how Alexis and Xan got mad at him for not showing up on time for their weekly fitting."

After slightly laughing at the information, Melissa asked: "So, what did you do?" Causing Christina to raise an eyebrow in amusement before saying: "I did what any normal woman would do....I withheld sex from him for a whole week."

While playfully rolling her eyes at Christina's comment, Melissa couldn't help but think to herself: I have to introduce her and Sam to one another. They'd probably sit down and compare notes for hours.

With that being her last thought, Melissa waited until she and the other woman had calmed down a little before looking down at the journal in her hands; bringing Christina's attention to it, as well.

"So, what's up? You having trouble writing a new song?"

Without even bothering to answer the question outloud, Melissa slightly shook her head no and replied: "Actually, I just got off the phone with Lance and he said that Giloh thinks my CD will be done tomorrow afternoon--"

"That's great!" Christina cut in, with a smile on her face. But then after noticing that Melissa was only wearing a small grin, she quickly added: "So, what's with the long face? I thought you'd be relived that all this trying to balance three things at once business was over."

Without even thinking about it, Melissa replied: "I am....it's just that Lance told me that the time my album would be coming out mostly depends on how fast I can finish my thank-you's. But the problem is, is that I don't even know what thank-you's he's talking about."

"Oh..well, why didn't you just say so." Christina replied, before standing up from the other end of the couch and taking a Whitney Houston CD out of her book-bag--afterwards handing the CD's booklet to the petite brunette. "Making the thank-you's is the easiest yet hardest part when coming out with an album."

After furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, Melissa took the booklet from the blonde and quickly flipped through it until she got to what she was looking for:

The thank-you's.

"So, all I have to do is thank these people?" Melissa asked, skimming through the list of names Whitney had mentioned. And after smiling slightly at the look of confusion on her friend's face, Christina replied: "No, that's just the people who she thanked.....basically when making a thank-you page, all you're really doing is thanking your family, your friends, and all the people who helped you write the album."

"Oh...well, that sounds easy enough." Melissa replied, closing the booklet in her hands. An action which caused Christina to nod her head slowly in agreement before taking the lone object back from her friend and replying: "It is..but that's until you start writing it. I mean, when I came out with my first CD, I wanted to thank everybody who played a part in helping me get a record deal--even the miscellaneous guy who held the door open for me when I walked into RCA that first day."

"Then why didn't you?"

After smiling once again at the obvious innocence in Melissa, Christina replied: "Because whoever came up with the idea of having booklets come with your CD, figured pictures were worth a thousand words; therefore giving everybody who made an album a small space limit to write their thank-you's in."

"Oh." Melissa replied, looking down at the journal in her hands. "I guess that means I should rethink thanking our fourth grade teacher then, huh?"

After slightly laughing at Melissa's comment, Christina replied: "Pretty much...but hey, if you need any help, just ask me. I'm sure I can think of a few people who wouldn't mind being listed in your thank-you's."

While ignoring the look of amusement on Christina's face, Melissa playfully rolled her eyes and replied: "Gee thanks."

A comment which caused Christina to cheerfully respond back with: "Don't mention it."

May 5, 2000 (New York, NY)

Since it was my last night on tour with her and her dancers, Christina decided to do something extra special for me last night and take us all out to a strip club.....god help us all if their were any reporters there posing as dancers.

"So, are you nervous?"

Without even bothering to turn her attention away from the journal in her hands, Melissa sarcastically replied: "No, but if you ask me that one more time I might get that way." Causing Lance to become slightly taken aback--until he noticed the younger woman was slightly smirking at him.

"Cute...very!"

"I thought so." Melissa replied--afterwards waiting until she had shut the book in her hands before turning her attention back towards her manager and replying: "You know Lance, you're going to have to calm down. I mean...this is just a small TV talk show, which I'm sure you've been on numerous times, so theirs really no reason for you or me to be nervous about it, right?"

What the..?

Even though Lance was more than confused at the moment, he quickly began to open his mouth to say: Exactly! But before he could do so, the realization of what Melissa had just said and the memory of who had said those exact same words to him a few years ago, caused the younger man to turn towards Mike; who was seated next to Melissa's bodyguard, with an innocent expression on his face. "All right..what did you do to her?"

Without even bothering to hide the small grin that was creeping across his face, Mike slowly replied: "I didn't do anything to her that I didn't do to you or the rest of the guys when you first started appearing on talk shows."

Oh my god.

After widening his eyes in disbelief, Lance replied: "You gave her a shot of Vodka?"

A question which caused Mike to smirk at him slightly before replying: "No. Ryan said she was up until three o'clock this morning worried about getting stage fright. So, I simply took it upon myself to pour a tablespoon of vodka into her water bottle..and within one hour, she is now sitting quietly beside you, worry free."

"I can't believe this!"

Turning his attention away from the two bodyguards, Lance shot Melissa a look of worry. But then as he noticed the slight trembling of her lower lip and the look of amusement in the brunette's green eyes, he couldn't help but immediately glare at the three in front of him. "I hate you all."

After letting out the laugh that she had desperately been trying to hold in, Melissa playfully bumped shoulders with her sulking manager and then quickly afterwards replied: "Aww, we were just messing with you, Lance. You know I had to get you back somehow for making me spend two hours with the famous Roy Zipstein. And this is the only way Mike knew how to do so without using Krazy glue or children's play-doh."

After smirking slightly at the comment and telling Melissa that their were no hard feelings between the two of them, Lance jokingly told his bodyguard that he was spending too much time with Chris. A comment which Mike would've probably agreed with; had one of the stage manager's who worked on the Rosie O'donnell show not come in; requesting Melissa's presence at the end of the stage.

"Well, here goes nothing." The suddenly shy brunette replied, afterwards slipping her journal back into her book-bag and handing it to her manager to hold. "Can you watch this for me?"

"Sure." Lance quickly replied, before taking the bag from Melissa's hand and hitting her with a small reassuring wink. "Just go out there and break a leg and it'll be here untouched when you get back."

"Thanks." Melissa replied, with a slight smile on her face, before turning around and making her way outside of the green room's door; the slightly blushing stage-manager following quickly behind in tow.

"Women!"

Without even bothering to ask Ryan what he meant by that comment, Lance turned his attention towards the television screen in the middle of the room; which was thankfully enough showing the three men what was going on outside the small room.

"Welcome back! Our next guest has been all over the Entertainment headlines for the last couple of months. Her debut single Take the rain away just hit stands a few weeks ago; selling more then two hundred copies the first day it came out, I might add. And by being friends with five of the hottest guys in America, she is the envy of every teenage girl in the world....ladies and gentleman, please put your hands together for Miss. Melissa Alano."

"Great intro!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

After rolling his eyes and slightly glaring at the playful commentary that the two bodyguards were starting, Lance turned his attention back towards the TV screen; which was showing Melissa being greeted by Rosie.

"Aren't you just the cutest little thing...? Now, sit down while I glare at you." Rosie playfully commented, causing Melissa to noticeably begin blushing slightly while sitting down in the red suede seat next to the talk show host. "I'm just kidding..but seriously, we need to get you a plate of food."

"Subtle..but straight to the point."

"That's why I like her."

After glaring once again at the amused bodyguards, Lance gave both men a quit it look; causing both Mike and Ryan to roll their eyes at the younger male before putting their hands up in surrender.

"Thank you!"

"Now, you just finished touring with Christina Aguilera. How was it working with the Genie in a bottle?"

After thinking about it for a second, Melissa replied: "It was defiantly an interesting experience. That was my very first time being on tour and my first time ever really spending more than a couple of hours with Christina since we were twelve. So, I guess you could say it was really a huge learning experience for me."

With a look of confusion on her face, Rosie slowly replied: "You two knew each other back then?" A question which caused Melissa to nod her head in agreement before replying: "Yeah. Before she joined the Mickey Mouse club, we lived next door to one another for about five years."

"Really..? I did not know that."

Neither did I. Lance quietly thought to himself, before turning his attention back towards the screen; inwardly reminding himself that their were still a lot of things that he didn't know about the brunette in front of him. Unfortunately.

"So, next week is the beginning of your tour with the guys from Nsync. And after interviewing them yesterday for about ten minutes, the only real question I want to ask you about them is: which ones your favorite?"

"Bad question, this one's an obvious."

"Yep, it's the person who helped her start her career."

Without even bothering to glare at the two men seated across from him, Lance kept his eyes glued to the television screen in front of him.

"I really never thought about it..I mean, to be honest, I've only spent a total of two weeks with the guys and that's really not enough time to establish a favorite. But I guess if I have to choose now, I'd have to say my favorite out of the five is my manager Lance."

"Even I could've told her that."

Having had more than enough of the playful commentary, Lance turned around to angrily scold the two bodyguards. But interestingly enough, before he could do so, he had to immediately stop himself as he realized that it wasn't one of the bodyguards who had said that last comment...but a female.

A female who he noticed was a close friend of his, once he turned around.

"Britney..what are you doing here?"

After waiting until she had closed the distance between her and Lance and given the older male a small hug, Britney replied: "You mean here in New York or here standing in front of you?" A question which caused Lance to shrug slightly before replying: "Both."

"Well, to make a long story short....Bryan called me last night and was complaining about how much he missed me. So, being the good sister that we all know I am, I decided to catch a red eye from L.A and take a cab all the way to his townhouse in Manhattan. Only to then find out that my lovely brother had to work today and wont be home until around seven. So, after practically yelling and furiously hanging up on the blockhead, I called Justin who told me that you were going to be in town until tomorrow and if I wanted to catch you now I would have to come down here where your protege was taping Rosie....so, I did and here I am."

Way to tell a short story.

After smirking slightly at his last thought, Lance slowly replied: "Well, I'm glad you're here..it'll give me a chance to properly introduce you to Melissa." A comment which caused Britney to reply: "Finally." And then afterwards cast a look towards the television screen; which was now showing that Rosie had gone to a quick commercial and would be back in a couple of seconds. "I've been wanting to meet this girl ever since Justin and her went to your album release party together."

"So have about five hundred other women." Ryan mumbled jokingly, causing Lance to raise a questioning eyebrow at him--but not get to ask what the older man meant by that comment as Rosie came back from commercial; ready to introduce Melissa for the second time.

"Welcome back...if you're just tuning in, you've missed fifty minutes of the best television money can buy--and will never be able to forgive yourself again. But if you've been sticking around for the entire show, you're in for a real treat because here performing her brand new hit single, "Take the Rain away" is the lovely Miss. Melissa Alano."

After practically screaming: "She's singing my song!" Britney quickly took a seat in the chair that Lance had once occupied and continued to stare at the television screen in front of her until Melissa had finished singing her debut single and was on her way back towards the green room.

This should be interesting. Lance inwardly thought to himself as Melissa stepped through the green room's doorframe and Britney quickly stood up; ready to be introduced to the petite brunette.

Unfortunately though, before that could even happen, Melissa--who hadn't yet noticed the blonde behind her manager--hesitantly asked: "So, what did you guys think?"

A question which caused her to slightly blush in embarrassment when Lance immediately replied: "You were great!"

"Thanks..I was kind of nervous but Miss. O'donnell is really nice."

"And really easy to talk to." Britney chimed in, causing Melissa to quickly turn her attention towards the blonde and blush slightly once again.

They could've atleast told me someone else was in here.

Taking the small silence that began after Britney's comment as a sign to jump in, Lance quickly introduced the two females to one another; causing Melissa to quickly shake the other woman's hand before replying: "It's a pleasure to meet you."

A comment which caused Britney to quickly respond back with: "Believe me when I say that the pleasure's all mine......you were really amazing out there and did an excellent job. I don't think I've ever sung that song better myself."

Even though Melissa was somewhat flattered by the comment, she couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows in confusion at the latter part of it; an action which--when seeing--caused Britney to quickly turn a pointed glare on Lance. "You guys didn't tell her, did you?"

Oops.

Without even bothering to lie to the woman in front of him, Lance reluctantly shook his head no, causing Melissa to stare at him in confusion while Britney rolled her eyes in amusement. "We-or better yet-I was going to...but I figured Justin might not of wanted me to after the lecture he gave me when finding out that was the song she wanted to do."

"Figures!" Britney sarcastically mumbled, before turning her attention back to the confused Melissa and saying. "You're probably confused as hell right now, aren't you?"

Without even bothering to lie about it, Melissa quickly nodded her head in agreement. An action which caused Britney to smile at her slightly before saying: "Well, if you and Lance don't have anywhere to be for a couple of hours, I wouldn't mind taking you guys out to lunch and explaining to you what secrets the guys have been keeping from you for the last couple of months--my treat."

This could be interesting.

With that thought in mind, Melissa quickly adverted her gaze towards Lance; silently telling him that she wanted to go but knew that the decision was really up to him.

"Well, I have a semi-lunch meeting in a half-n-hour so I can't go." Lance began, after staring down at his watch for a couple of seconds. "But as long as Melissa takes Ryan with her and makes it to the TRL studio by four, then she's free to do whatever she wants."

Not really wanting to go to lunch with a friend of Lance's without the older man being present caused Melissa to hesitantly reply: "Are you sure?"

A question which caused Lance to quickly nod his head in reassurance--while Britney chimed in that neither he or Melissa should worry--because if the two females got into any trouble while they were out they could just blame it on Melissa's manager.

A comment which caused Lance to inwardly think to himself:

What did I just get myself into?