
Mags has led a troubled life. When her Mom sends her to live with her
Uncle Lou in Florida, she meets the Backstreet Boys. She is pulled through
and emotional roller coaster, with all the boys, and some friends.
It ends with an unexpected stop.
**TEASER**
"So Brad, how is heaven? Remember how in church we used to
whisper to each other about what it would be like? I know
you're up there, so tell me what it's like." I asked as tears
cascaded down my cheeks. "Down here is nothing like heaven.
You probably know. You're my guardian angel, right? I
mean every time I tried... I tried to do what you did. I heard
your voice saying 'No Linny. Don't do it. Everything will get
better. Don't be like me. I wasn't meant to be a role model.'
B. you were though. You were my role model, my brother, my
mother, my father, my best friend, my rock. You were
everything to me. You were always there for me. You
never cared when I tagged along. When Daddy left or Mom was
too high to help you always helped me. No matter what."
I ran my finger throught the grass, watching my tears hit my legs
and shorts and run off into the grass and seep down into Brad's
grave.
"Mom is better. A lot better. You leaving made her
better. She doesn't do drugs anymore. I hate to say this but I
would rather have mom be high than you be dead. Mom may be
better, but I'm not. It still hurts. It hurts like hell.
They all said the pain would go away. When? When, Brad,
when? It's been five years and it still hurts. Everyday,
I wake up and think 'How far are me and Brad gonna run today?'
Then I remember that your dead." I leaned back against the
headstone and felt the coldness of it through my yellow tank top
that said 'Bite me.' Tears were still falling from my eyes.
"I still run, you know? I do it for you. Remember when
you told me and Daddy you were going to win the gold medal in track
at the Olympics? Since you can't do it, I will. I'll
try. You deserve it. Everything you've done for. Guess
what? I got a scholarship to the University of Florida for
track. Just like you wanted to. Kylie got excepted too.
It'll be fun. Not as fun if you were here. I can't
believe I got in though." I heard a twig snap behind me, but I
ignored it.
"After everything, my grades slipped, along with my attitude. That's
what Mom says. That's why she sent me down here. First, it was
Grandma's two summers ago. She was too senile to do anything.
I walked all over her. Then again I walked all over everybody
if they'll let me right? Now, it's Uncle Lou. He's too
busy. So I got sent on tour with the Backstreet Boys. They
sing pop. Luckily I haven't been to a concert. I don't
think I could stand it." I couldn't stop my tears from coming.
I had been holding them in for 5 years.
"Does Jesus let you sing up there? Remember 'Amazing Grace'?
It was our song. 'Member when you put the rap, to it?
You let me sing with you. I still have the tape we recorded it
on. You know, the one you got your friend to put some dance
music to it? You said you did that so I could dance to it.
Me and Kylie made a dance up to it. I still remember it."
I heard another twig snap and again ignored it.
"I still have that diary. The one you gave me, the day
before... you know. I write in it a lot. I ran out of
pages, so I just stapled on a whole bunch of your stationary in.
I hope you don't mind I used it. You hated it anyway.
You wanted to throw it away, but Mom made you keep it. Mom
made us do a lot of things. Me more than you, though.
She was afraid of I would become a prostitute or something, I guess.
So she signed me up for ballet, tap, and every kind of dance and
voice lessons possible. Even gymnastics. You always
walked me there and waited for me because Mom was normally too high
to do it. Thank you so much, for everything. I mean it.
If it weren't for you I'd probably be doing drugs. 'Member
when you found out I had tried a cigarette? You didn't flip
out. You just didn't talk me to me. You would take me to
my lessons and everything, but you would not say anything. I
got so upset, and started crying and apologized. You, as
always, forgave me. Thank you so much. I love you so
much. I miss you so much, Brad. Why did you have to do
it?" I asked, crying harder than before. I heard another twig
snap. By this time it was getting on my nerves.
This
time I turned around.
"A.J.!" I screamed, not believing my eyes. I wiped my face
off, and jumped up. "What the hell is you f*cking problem? Why
the hell did you follow me?"
"Mags - " A.J. started. staring at me in shock.
"No! I don't want to hear your shit! Go to hell! Go to f*cking
hell!"
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