Free Boy Band by Jacqueline Smith

honest, this is all his fault.  But I can’t say I mind being left alone on the balcony with him, overlooking the magnificent glow of the lights of New York City.  
    Even if my pants are cold and soaking wet.   
    “I really am sorry, Mel,” Sam apologizes again.  This time he really does sound sincere.  Though he is still kind of giggling.  “Are you okay?”  
    “I’m fine,” I say.  To be totally honest, I’m still laughing too.  And shivering slightly.  He notices.  
    “Here,” he says, slipping his jacket off and tossing it over me.  It’s warm and leather and it smells like him.  I love it.  
    I also love just being out here with him, almost to the point where I’m wishing Oliver wasn’t coming back.  Part of it was because I love being alone with Sam no matter what, but I especially love being alone with him here, in this city.  There’s something about New York.  I can’t explain it.  It’s less of a place and more of an experience.  To see it and to hear it is all to feel it.  It’s the feeling of adventure and being away from home and being totally free.  The city lives and breathes and thrives and its energy stays with you long after you leave it.  
    It’s a place to lose yourself and, I realize looking into Sam’s smiling face, it’s a place to dream.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 7
     
     
     
    “Baby, I just wanna dance with you
    Take you in my arms and make you mine
    You know I’ve never seen your eyes so blue
    And I never knew that this could feel so right
    You tell me that the world is calling you
    Well, baby it can wait while
    I just wanna dance with you.”
     
    Song: “Dance With You”
    Artist: The Kind of September 
    From the Album : The Kind of September
     
    From the very beginning, the guys have wanted their fans to know that they come first. One of the ways they ensure that is by staying as connected to them as possible.  During their very first tour, they started doing these monthly question and answer sessions on YouTube.  As their career advanced and their lives got more and more hectic, however, they were only able to get the videos out a few times a year.    
    Today, they’ve got a little extra down time so they decided to film a new video from our hotel.  One of the things I admire most about the guys is that even when they have free time, they’re using it to work, write music, or connect with their fans.  
    They’re arranged around a couch with a fantastic view of New York City behind them and they’ve all got huge grins on their faces.  This is the kind of thing that they really love, partly because it reminds them of when they were first starting out.  They still love everything about what they do, but the crazy schedules and constantly being in the public eye does take a toll.  They’re also a lot more relaxed and free to be themselves in this setting than they usually are in interviews. 
    “Alright, let’s get this show on the road!” Sam exclaims, clapping his hands together.  “Mel, are we recording?”  
    Oh yeah, they’ve asked me to film.  
    “Almost.  Is everyone ready?” I ask them.  I get five variations of yes and two thumbs up.  “Then we are rolling in three, two, one...”  I give them a nod as I press record.
    “Hello, Internet!” Sam greets their future viewers with a cheerful wave.  
    “Greetings, earthlings,” Jesse says in a weird nasal voice which I guess is meant to sound like an alien.  Every once in a while, he decides he wants to try to be funny.  Between you and me, he’s better as the sexy bad boy.
    “What’s up, what’s up, everyone?” Josh grins.  “We are here in New York City, as you can see behind us.”  All five guys turn around to look at the city.  “And we wanted to bring back something that we