"Britney, are you listening to me?" Johnny asked me as he finally finished his lecture.

"Uh, yeah, yeah." I said as I snapped out of my daydream.

"Do you two realize that if this kind of stuff keeps happening, then Justin and Tonya going public will have to be postponed?" Ok he is mad now, he hates it whenever his plan is interfered.

Silence.

"Never mind, anyway as I was saying Britney you don�t need to be linked to Justin right now, do you know how many of the *Nsync fans will despise you even if it is only rumors because they all think that their idol is made for them." Johnny is now pacing in front of us.

This is gonna be endless, boy am I wish that Larry is the one giving me this lecture, at least he won�t just start rambling. And I think there is no way that Justin and I can be together now, when Johnny said about him and Tonya going public might have to be postponed it was his chance, but he didn�t say anything, maybe he never felt anything for me. Maybe he was just overwhelmed by the fact that we actually met again like he said we would.


*flashback

I was looking around the set that I have shared with people who I consider my family for the past two years, I remember it is always filled with laughter and jokes, but today that is not the case, it was tears and good-byes this morning, and now it is all quiet after everybody went back to where they are. I am gonna miss them all, because from now on, I probably never will see them again.

Especially one person.

"I thought you already left." I turned around as he interrupted my thoughts.

"I just wanted to see this place one last time, you know to some people, it might just be a set. But to us it is like a hang out, we had so much fun here." I said as tears starts to fill my eyes, I never knew what it is like to be taken away from the people you love until that day.

"I know, it is crazy how most people think what we were doing was working, but it never seemed like it was, because it was so fun, and it was so surreal how much fun you can have with these people." Justin said as he walked closer to me.

"I guess this is good-bye for us too," I said something that we both avoided to bring up for the past few days, but I know I have to do it now because time is running out.

"No it is not, we will each other again, I can feel it, I just know. It is more like see you later." He looked me in the eye, I knew he was serious and he meant what he said, but it just didn�t seem possible.

"Yeah, maybe." Even though I said it, but I didn�t mean it because I have already accepted the truth that we were gonna be apart forever.

"Britney we will see each other again, I can feel it." He said before he lean down and quickly kissed me on the lips. Oh have I mentioned that we were a couple on MMC, we didn�t exactly broke up after the show was cancelled, we just said that we would keep in touch, and we can see other people.

I remember that day after I left the set, I cried the whole way back to Louisiana, and a few months after that, I was pretty much the same. My family tried their hardest to cheer me up, but they always just get disappointed. Justin and I kept in touch for about a year and half, then he joined *Nsync, and got really busy, so we lost touch, but I was ok then because my boyfriend took up a lot of my time so I didn�t think about him much. Don�t get me wrong, I missed him, but I wasn�t as upset as when I first came home.

When I got my record deal, Reg wasn�t happy for me, in fact, he told me not to do it, I know what an asshole. It was during that time where I wished that Justin was there with me, but I was kidding myself, I thought, somehow it made me miss him more and more as I drafted apart from Reg. A few months after that wasn�t all that interesting, except Reg and I fought more and more until we just don�t want to talk to each other anymore. And well you know the rest.

*End of flashback


"Ok, you two are dismissed now." Johnny said as he realize that I am just not gonna listen to him going on and on about how bad it is to have the tabloids run those reports.

"About time," I said as I started to walk out of the door. As we walked near an empty conference room, I suddenly felt a hand grabbed me, I wasn�t startled, because I know that touch.

Before I could say anything I felt our lips pressed together, no matter how angry I am at him, I can never resist his kisses, so I gave in�


That afternoon�

Still Britney�s POV


Oh. My. God. You will not believe who just showed up at the compound, it�s Reg, that asshole, he just showed up out of blue all of sudden. Everything is working against me right now, I can�t even think straight. Why in world is he here, I don�t even want to talk to him, let alone see him. We just got into another fight, he is trying to get me to quit again! Can you believe it, why can�t I just have a boyfriend who will support me through everything that I do, this is what I wanted ever since I was a little girl and he knows that.

"Britney I am telling you, you will not make it, it might seem like you have a good start right now, but a lot people out there are more talented than you. You will not make it in the long run. For heaven�s sake, you haven�t even finished high school yet, doing these home schooling programs will not be good for you." Reg yelled on top of his lungs.

"What is your problem, this is what I always wanted and I now I am finally getting it, why can�t you just be supportive!" I screamed at him on the top of my lungs, " I am a seventeen year old, treat me like one, not a little baby!"

" Well you sure aren�t acting like one, most girls in Kentwood have already decided to go to a college, get a degree, and find a job, a real job, what you are doing is not a real job." Reg tried to convince me.

"How dare you! This is what I choose to do with my life, you have no say in it, if this is how you plan on spending your time here, I suggest you book yourself on the next plane back to Kentwood." I said as I began to walk back upstairs, I wanted so bad to slap him, but my mom taught me better.

"Brit is everything ok?" Chris asked me as I bumped into him on the hallway.

"I don�t know, my boyfriend wants me to quit, and I am not even sure if he is completely wrong, maybe I should just live a normal life for once. This is a very big risk I am taking." I said as I begin to cry.

"Britney I can�t tell you what to do about this, this is your decision and you decision only, don�t let Reg or and anybody influence you. If you want to do it, I have to tell you, you have to work harder than you ever had, and if you don�t want to do it, it is your choice, we will respect it, but we will miss you terribly. And the other advice I can give you is to fellow your heart, if you made a decision, and your heart is telling you another thing, then you made a wrong decision, and don�t think of the possibilities or the future, because you never know what is gonna happen tomorrow." Chris said in his brotherly tone.

"Thanks, Chris, I needed that." I said as I dried my tears. I know there is only one thing for me to do now.


Chapter 6