She blew out the candles, wishing for luck and success in the future, and hoping she got it. She sighed as AJ began to cut the cake for her. "I wish Hallie could be here, it's not the same without her."
Brian sighed also. "So do I. I miss her so much."
"I know Bri. She'll come back soon, I know it. I was talking to her yesterday and she said that she might be home soon. And I think she misses you just as much as you miss her," Ali said, putting a hand on her future cousin's shoulder.
The phone rang. Ali stood up and reached for the cordless phone. "Hello?"
"Hey Als! Happy birthday!" Hallie's voice shouted over some noise.
"Hey, thanks," she replied. Brian looked up and Ali mouthed It's Hallie. He hurried over to where Ali was standing and stuck his head near the phone so he could her her voice. "How're you doing? What's all that noise?"
"Oh, umm, I'm fine," Hallie said, covering her other ear with her hand to block out some noise. "I'm, well, I'm in a, umm, dance studio."
Brian looked at Ali questioningly and Ali waved him off with her hand. "Well, I guess Carson got you some auditions. Who're you with?"
Hallie looked across the room at Darren Henson, 'N Sync's choregrapher, who was trying to teach another dancer the steps to I Just Wanna Be With You. Hallie had gotten them down the second time he showed her them and was intitled to a break. "Is there anyone with you?" she asked.
Ali moved to the living room, shooing Brian away, pointing to the cake and mouthing Eat. "No, not anymore, I'm in the living room," she said, sitting on her bean bag chair. "What's up?" she asked.
"I'm with Darren Henson."
Ali knew Darren's choregraphy; he had done Jordan Knight's video for Give It To You and she had liked it. "Really? That is so great, I'm gonna tell Lily, I'm sure she'll wanna know, she loves his stuff," Ali said excitedly, standing up.
"No, don't!" Hallie said abruptly.
Ali sat back down. "Why?"
"Because Darren's working with me because I'm... learningthechoregraphyfor'NSync'snewtour," she said in one breath.
"Huh? Hall, what in the world dod you just say?"
Hallie sighed. "I'm learning the choregraphy for 'N Sync's new tour. I met up with JC at MTV and he offered the spot to me and I said yes. It's such a good opportunity for me and I've never been on a real tour before, espically with such a popular group." Hallie stopped babbling momentarily. "Als, are you listening to me?"
Ali sat staring into space. "Yeah, I'm listening. What do I tell the others? Brian misses you like crazy."
"I miss him too! I just need some more time, and being away from him is exactly what I need."
"Okay, I understand that, but what do I tell everyone? Do you want me to tell them you're touring with 'N Sync?"
"Not yet," she said warily. "I'll tell them eventally, I'm not leaving for about a week. As for Brian... I don't know. I'm still mad at him, but I do miss him." Darren called Hallie over to go over a few steps for I Want You Back, so Hallie said into her cell phone, "I gotta go, learning the dance for I Want You Back. Which reminds me, don't you like that song?"
Ali shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Where was she going with this? Ali could tell by the tone in her voice that she had an ulterior motive. "Umm, yeah, I like it," she said quickly. "I like a lot of their songs, actually. It's their teenybopper fans I don't like, why?"
"Oh, I was wondering if you wanted to come along for, like, two weeks."
"Umm, I don't know," Ali said, looking into the kitchen at Kevin and at the ring on her finger. She wanted to be with Kevin, but she wasn't sure what to do...
"Please?" Hallie interjected, interrupting Ali's thoughts. "I'm gonna be so bored all by myself. I have to be on JC's bus, those guys are gonna drive me nuts. Please please please?!?!?"
Ali sighed. "I guess so," she muttered. She never could resist Hallie's whine. "But I can't go for a week, I have those tests, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. But that's okay, I'll get everything worked out. I gotta go... okay Justin, fine... Justin says hi and that he can't wait to meet you. Stop the hormone rush, J! Jeez, these guys are crazy... Yes Joey, I mean you... Thank you sooooo much for coming with me, this is great! I gotta go, but I'll talk to you as soon as I figure out where we're gonna be a week into the tour. Bye!"
"Bye," Ali said, wondering how she was going to tell Kevin she wasn't going to be with him for an extra two weeks.