ch15

The next day at around noon…
The five guys are in their hotel room, getting ready for their mall concert and in-store signing that afternoon.
Frankie- Man, last night, that was great.
Greg- I know! And then us climbing up out of the sewer and the taxi ride home-
Chris- And sneaking into our rooms…that was classic.
Matt- Yeah. I am just glad Jesse didn’t keep that dumb rat.
Jesse smiles to himself as he bends down behind a bed and, lifting up the bed skirt, grins at a large shoe box.
There is a knock at the door. Greg answers it, and in walks Louie.
Louie- Hey boys…we’re about ready to go. You set?
Frankie- Yeah.
Chris- We just gotta get the girls.
Jesse- (walking past them out into the hallway) “Gotta get the girl, get the girl…”

***

An hour later, the guys are just going out on stage at a downtown mall, and the crowd is going absolutely nuts. Meagan, Anna, Melissa, Tory, and Amy are in the front row, pretending to be just fans.
The guys start off with “Let’s Get Funky Tonite” and show off some energetic dance moves.
“You turn me on…”
Amy- (yelling to be heard) I do?
Anna- (yelling back over the fans) I think that’s part of the song!
Amy- Right!
After the song, the guys talk to the crowd a bit before Greg introduces “Sugar Rush”.
“I get a high whenever you’re around…”
Amy- High on what?
Anna- It’s part of the song!
Amy- Right!
The next song, “Gotta Get the Girl”, is introduced by Jesse. The crowd screams as he walks around, touching hands and smiling.
Amy- Jesse! You cheater-
Meagan covers Amy’s mouth.
Meagan- Shut up!
Tory- He has to do this!
When the boys do “Someone to Hold Me Tonight” a few songs later, Chris hands out red roses to the fans…who all fight over them like savage animals.
Tory- CHRIS! I want one!
Melissa- Tory! He can’t hand them to you! He has to focus on the other fans too!
A couple songs later, during “Jennifer Goodbye”, Greg takes a fan on stage and “serenades” her.
Melissa- WHAT?! She’s like seven! Greg, you should have picked me!
Meagan- Remember…focusing on the other fans?!
Two songs later, during “Hooked On You”, Matt is doing his rap. He walks around, smiling and touching the fans’ hands.
Meagan- Ballinger, this is TORTURE!
Anna- Calm…
During “Dream On”, Frankie holds hands and smiles repetitively.
Anna- Frankie! You quit that!
Amy- Anna…he has too…remember?
A little while later, the boys finish “Feel the Rain” and walk off stage, waving and saying their good-byes.
Tory- What a dumb way to end a concert.
Melissa- Well…a wave is ok…it means more for us later.
Tory- Right.
Claudia comes on the stage, asking the crowd if they want more Dream Street. The crowd roars. “It Happens Every Time!” they chant.
The boys come back on stage, smiling, and take their positions to start their first single.
“Can you hear the music playin’?”
Amy- I’ve heard this! The younger girls did this song at competition!

***

Later, at the meet and greet…
The guys are seated at a long table, signing, smiling, hugging, kissing, and taking pictures willingly.
The five girls are seated a short distance behind the guys, talking and laughing.
A fat girl walks up to Greg (who is first of the guys) and asks for a hug.
Greg- Ok…(He makes a face as he stands up) Um…my arms don’t fit around you…
The girls hear and start to crack up.
Girl- Can you sign my picture? “To Nelda- My biggest fan”…
Greg- (muttering) Got that right.
Nelda- What was that, sweetie?
Greg- Nothing. A heh heh here ya go, there, Nelda.
Nelda moves on to Frankie.
Frankie- (flashes a smile) Hello, what is your name?
Nelda- Nelda and I’m a HUGE fan!
Frankie- (laughs) Right you are.
Nelda laughs, obviously not getting it and moves on to Matt once Frankie has signed the picture.
Nelda- Hey, Matt!
Matt- Hi…uh…
Nelda- NELDA!
Matt- Riiiight…well, Nelda, how are you?
Nelda- You know, livin’ large…
Matt- Damn right! (He signs the picture)
Nelda laughs again, and the girls are practically in tears.
Nelda- Can I have a hug.
Matt- Sure…(he stands up, fearing the worst, mumbling) I’m gonna be crushed!
Nelda- Huh?
Matt- Crush! Yes…gotta get some more Crush…it was just so excellent that I am taking it upon my self to…send Meagan to go get some!
Meagan- (stops laughing) What?
Nelda- (putting her hands on her hips) And who is this?
Meagan- His-
Matt- Sister.
Meagan glares at Matt, who looks back with pleading eyes.
Nelda- But you don’t have a sister. You have a fourteen-year-old brother named David.
Matt- What?! You don’t know that!
Nelda- Yes I do, silly…
Nelda moves on to Chris who looks up at her and smiles.
Chris- Hello there…my, are you fat.
Nelda- What??
Chris- Oh! Uh…PHAT! P-h-a-t…haha yes, sorry about that.
Nelda- Chris, you’re my fave member, I was wondering…could you pose for a pic?
Chris- Certainly…(he coughs)
Nelda- Ok…smile! (She leans over and kisses him on the cheek right as the flashes goes off)
Chris- Ah!
Nelda- PERFECT! Thanks, Chris! (She moves on to Jesse)
Jesse- (looking up, startled) HOLY…
Nelda- Hey, Jesse! Remember me?
Jesse- Uh…
Nelda- You and I chill on the wkends sometimes!
Jesse- Uh…the what?
Nelda- WKENDS! We went to the party at Joey’s!
Jesse- Wait…I remember you!
Nelda- YOU DO?!
Jesse- Yeah! I was mad at you because you ate all the food!
Nelda- Oh Jesse…you are so funny! (She snorts)

***

Later that night, the whole crew (Frankie, Matt, Greg, Chris, Jesse, Anna, Meagan, Amy, Tory, Melissa, Louie, Brian, Claudia, the McCartneys, the Raposos, and even the Ballingers- who have just come from David’s baseball tourney) arrive at Friday’s for dinner. At first, only the Raposos walk inside.
Hostess- Hello, and welcome to Friday’s!
Mrs. Raposo- Hello, thank you.
The hostess’s eyes get a little bigger as more and more of the group filter in through the entrance. She keeps starting to ask a question, when another one comes…and then another…
Hostess- Uh…how many…?
Mrs. Raposo- Twenty-five.
The hostess coughs.
Hostess- Ma’am, do you have a reservation?
Mrs. Raposo- Certainly! I placed it hours ago.
Hostess- Really…? Let me check the book…
The hostess walks around to the opposite side of the little podium thing and looks in the book as the group stands around, some more patiently than others.
Greg- (whispering to Frankie) What is the deal…?
Frankie- (whispering back) I don’t know…we should go to the Olive Garden. When you’re there, you’re family.
Greg and Frankie nod.
Jesse- (whining softly) I have to go to the bathroom…
Matt elbows him.
Jesse- Ah! Matt, don’t do that, you’ll pop my bladder!
Mrs. McCartney eyes Jesse, as Mrs. Ballinger looks at Matt.
Anna- (whispering to Amy) This place is cool.
Amy- (whispering back) Yeah…but I hope that bicycle doesn’t fall off the wall…that would hurt…
Tory and Melissa converse quietly.
Tory- That sign up there…geez, how old can they get?
Melissa- Tory, that’s the point. Friday’s displays vintage pieces of American culture from the past century and probably even before that…
Chris and David talk.
David- This place is just the best…I love the Ultimate Strawberry Daiquiri.
Chris- Uh…dude…?
David- Yeah, nonalcoholic, of course.
Chris- I like pina colodas.
David- Yeah, I know. Those are too fruity for me. I’m a hard-core kinda guy. You know…I am rough, tough, and buff.
Chris- You’re also related to Matt…so how can you be any of the above?
Matt- Hey!
David- Oh…(he turns his head at Matt and then whispers to Chris) You see…I’m like the good version of Matt. I am the Ballinger boy all the girls go for.
Matt- I don’t see girls lining up to meet you.
David- Well…Matt, the girls all want to meet me…but they feel that their only connection is through you. Kinda depressing…but hey, what can ya do? I am your loving, not-so-kid brother.
Matt- You are a foreign exchange student from Freakistan and I was hired to live with you.
David- (shaking his head) So cruel.
Tory- You two look exactly alike.
Matt and David- No we don’t.
David- In a good way?
Melissa- Yeah…I guess…?
David- Then yes. I do have a striking resemblance to Matthew.
Matt shakes his head.
Chris- Hey, cool…there’s a stoplight on the wall.
Frankie- (looking around excitedly) Stoplight?! Where?!
Meagan talks to an old man sitting on a bench.
Meagan- Yeah….so are you from New York?
Old man- What?
Meagan- NEW YORK. Are you from this area?
Old man- Oh, your name is Harriet? My granddaughter’s name is Harriet-
Meagan- No…
Old man- Yes, actually, it is.
Meagan- (rolling her eyes) So…do you like the Yankees?
Old man- Of course I’ve got my hankie…never know when a little piece of somethin’s hangin’ around up there-
Meagan- (making a face) OK! Thanks anyways…(she turns toward the rest of the group)
Hostess- (looks up from the book) What did you say your last name was? Dahoso?
Greg- RAPOSO.
Hostess- Right…well, Mrs. Rinaldo, I don’t see your name anywhere on here.
Greg- (under his breath) Maybe because it’s the wrong name, you dip.
Hostess- Sir, I am not a dip.
Greg- WHAT?! How did you hear that? You can’t even say our last name when we shout it in your ear!
The restaurant gets quiet as the hostess gasps.
Mrs. Raposo- Gregory!
Louie, Brian, and Claudia creep back out the door in humiliation.
Hostess- Why…I’ve never met a ruder child in all my life!
Mr. Raposo flashes a nervous smile as he leads the three girls outside as well.
The McCartneys decide to head outside too.
Greg- I am not a child! For the love of god, I am not a child!
Mr. and Mrs. Ballinger head over to the door. David stands with his arms crossed, clearly entertained.
Mrs. Ballinger- David…Matthew…come on.
Matthew- Oh…alright. Meagan, come on. Let’s go find a nice quiet room…(he raises his eyebrows)
Meagan- Why? We can’t watch the game in there.
Matt shakes his head as he, Meagan, and his dad leave.
Mrs. Ballinger- David…?
David- (not looking, but holding up his (index) finger) One sec, Mom.
Mrs. Ballinger- David Alowicious* Ballinger! Right now!
The other kids laugh quietly as David glares at his mom.
David- Don’t miss me too much.
He and his mom leave.
Greg- (staring at the hostess) Listen, lady. Today, I got hugged by a 500 pound-
Just then, Nelda walks in.
Nelda- Greg!
Greg- Oh Lord.
Chris, Jesse, and Frankie duck behind an open door.
Nelda walks casually up to Greg.
Nelda- So, how you doing?
Greg- (looking at her, forcing a smile) Chunky…er…hunky…
Nelda- (smiling) You are so right.
A waiter walks up to Nelda.
Waiter- Oh, hello, Nelda!
Greg- Um…they know ya here…?
Nelda- Oh...uh…I come here sometimes.
Waiter- We were expecting you. We’ve already prepared your three Quadruple Bacon Cheeseburgers with the Works and five pounds of our special fries. Even the Super-Extra-Humongously-Large Coke.
The door flies shut as the three refugees fall to the ground in hysterical laughter.
Greg too begins to crack up.
The four girls are laughing so loud, an old lady looks at them strangely.
Nelda lowers her head.
Waiter- Oh…you want four burgers like last night? We can do-
Nelda- No! (She runs out to the ladies’ room, as the ground shakes)
Hostess- I think you kids should leave.