CHAPTER 2

Kya hopped out of her car and slowly crossed the street. She looked up at the huge building and smiled at the gigantic posters hanging on the front side. On one side of the building hung an enormous poster of Garth Brooks's new cd cover. On the other side hung the cover of the new Backstreet Boys cd. She smiled at two teenage girls staring longingly at Nick. She walked around to the side of the building, going in the main door at the back.

Kya was a cute girl. She was 18 years old. She had three shades of brown hair and the same large hazel-green eyes she had as a small child. Kya was very bubbly and she made friends easily. A stranger could tell this by how many people she waved to as she walked into the Virgin Megastore, the place where she worked.

"Hey Ky! Whatcha doing here today? Aren't you off?" A tall, stocky guy called out. He looked like a jock: he was muscular with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Hi Brendon! Yeah, I'm not here to work. I'm just picking up my paycheck so I can go out partying tonight." Kya said laughingly.

"Sounds like a good idea. Want a male to go with you and protect you?" Brendon asked, puffing his chest out like a body builder.

"Yeah sure," Kya teased. "Know where I can find a good one?" Brendon deflated. Kya laughed. "I'm just teasing, Brendon, but obviously you don't know a woman's power nowadays."

"Guess not? Want to tell me about it sometime?" he said.

"Maybe I will. It's about time men became informed." Kya said.

"Heaven help us if our Ky becomes an activist." Fred said, walking up and hearing the end of their conversation. Fred was a co-manager of this Virgin store in Orlando. He was about forty and he was like a father to all of the teens who were in his employ.

Kya turned and stuck her tongue out at him, then continued on her way to the back room. When she opened the door to the employees lounge, she saw her best friend, Nikki.

"Nikki! Ready to party tonight? I'm getting my paycheck now. I'm loaded." Kya said.

Nikki smiled. "Sure. I'm always ready to party." Nikki was a lot like her friend. She was friendly and outgoing. She had long black hair and almond shaped brown eyes. She was about 2 inches taller than her friend at 5'6". Kya was 5'4".

"OK. Let's go to a club tonight. We haven't done that in like, forever." Kya said. "Gimme a call when you get home from work, alright? I got to run now. My mom wants me to pick up some groceries on the way home. Bye!"

"Bye Kya!" Nikki called out as she turned back to her magazine.

"Bye guys!" Kya said to Fred, Brendon, and two other co-workers, Casey and Lisa, as she left. They just nodded back cuz they were loaded down with customers at the check out counter. She was at the door when Fred called out to her.

"Kya, wait!" he said. He handed the merchandise he was ringing up over to Lisa and ran over to where Kya was standing.

"Yeah?" Kya asked.

"Umm...you know about that singing group coming here for the signing tomorrow?" he asked her.

Kya nodded. She knew what he was talking about. Some new boy group was coming. They were supposed to be all the rage with the teens. She was glad that she wasn't working tomorrow. She had no desire to be pushed and scratched at by tons of screaming teenyboppers. Kya got a bad feeling about what Fred was about to say.

"Well...Aaron called in today. He's sick and he can't come tomorrow...so we're short one person." Fred smiled beggingly at Ky.

"But Fred! You said I wouldn't have to work tomorrow!" Kya said.

"I know, I know, but..."

"Fine." Kya said, giving in. "I'll do. But only cuz I'm such a good person."

"Thank you so much, Ky! You're a lifesaver!" Fred said.

"Yeah, yeah. As long as I get to be a cherry one." she grinned. She walked out of the store and left. She went and did her mother's grocery shopping and then went home. It was going to be a long day tomorrow. One Kya wasn't looking forward to.