Part 14
“I look like mini Timberlake.” Alex muttered to herself, grimacing as she looked into the mirror in her hotel room. The only thing that differentiated her from him was the glasses she always wore.
She was wearing a dark green and black zebra print shirt, it was supposed to be tight but hung loosely on her slim frame. Black leather pants accompanied the top and Alex was finding it hard to believe that this outfit was somehow better than her regular gear. It didn’t look horrible and Justin had incredibly gotten the right pants size, so it fitted pretty well but it still wasn’t her thing.
A knock on the door, made her check her watch. It was exactly midnight. “One sec.” She shoved her feet in the trendy black shoes that had also accompanied the outfit, grabbed her wallet and opened the door to see Justin and Joey standing outside.
Joey took one look at her and burst out laughing. “Who did that to you?”
Alex glared at him, before pointing at Justin. “That jerk.”
Justin shrugged. “I didn’t make you wear it. I didn’t put a gun to your head. And what’s the deal? It looks a lot better than what you usually wear.”
“Of course you’d feel that way, you’re almost wearing the same thing.” Joey pointed out as he looked over Justin’s outfit, which consisted of black leather pants and a red shirt with the first three buttons loose.
“Whatever. Let’s go! We’ve got places to go and women to meet.” Justin gave them a toothy grin before turning to leave the room.
“Where’s everyone else?” Alex asked as they walked down the hall to the elevator.
“Waiting in the lounge for us.” Justin commented.
Once they got downstairs they headed to the lounge and found a number of people waiting for them. All of the guys were there, as well as two bodyguards but Vella was no where to be seen.
JC looked her over and smiled. “Alex you look—“
“Stupid, I know.” She said before he could finish the sentence.
“Actually I was going to say you look great. Zebra print might be a little much on you but you look good, man. The girls are going to be all over you tonight.” JC said before giving her a wink and turning away.
Alex hoped none of the guys could see the blush rapidly spreading over her face. Why did he have to say things like that to her? It just made it harder for her to stem her attraction to him. And it was attraction she realized that now.
She’d never really felt that kind of interest for any boy before – not the kind that made you want to grab and kiss him and never stop. But she felt that for JC. She felt that need to be around him, to touch him, to be with him and the new feelings both scared and excited her.
“Hey C, where’s Vella?” Joey asked.
JC frowned. “She suddenly got a bad migraine and went to bed.”
“That’s too bad. But the good news is it’s boys night.” Joey grinned wickedly.
JC shook his head but smiled. And Alex smiled to herself. She hadn’t been in the mood to deal with Vella tonight.
“All right, people. Let’s get on with.” Justin said clapping his hands together. “I’m single and ready to mingle.”
“How soon they forget their girlfriends.” Lance mumbled behind Justin as they all walked out to the awaiting vehicles that would take them to Paga.
Justin turned around. “I heard that and I resent it. I haven’t forgotten Britney – it’s just that – well. We have an understanding.” He turned back around and hopped into one of the SUV’s.
“Understanding?” Alex whispered to Lance.
Lance shrugged. “They’re messed up. Always fucking around with each other’s heads. Don’t even try to make sense of that relationship.”
Alex nodded before stepping into the second car with him.
They were soon on their way. Alex’s eyes stayed fixated on the window as she watched the bright lights and people rushing beyond the glass.
It didn’t take them very long to get to the club. They all got out of their cars and walked up the entrance of Paga. Alex looked up at the club Justin had been raving about all day and frowned. It didn’t look all that impressive. The people surrounding the building were dressed fashionably but the appearance of the club itself was nothing to write home about. It was a drab, grey brick, box shaped building and it didn’t look like a club. Not that Alex would really know but she’d always imagined clubs to be a little more glamorous.
The guys went to the front of the line and the bouncer waved them all in. Once inside the club Alex couldn’t believe her eyes. The drab exterior of the club had not prepared her for the absolute beauty of the interior and the energy of the room.
It was large and only one floor, but a few levels separated the dance floor from the bar and the lounge area. It was dark but was richly decorated with dark blues, golds, and reds. It had a high ceiling and an overhanging balcony. The bar was roomy with icy blue and white back panels and it was across from a circular lounge area, which was a level lower. The dance floor was bright and big with loud pulsing music and Alex found herself wanting to go on it.
The guys walked casually across the room and climbed the stairs that led to the balcony. Once up there Alex was surprised. It was a completely different lounge area. It housed rich golden walls, wooden floors, tapered candles, burgundy chairs, cube shaped tables and a bar at the back. It was a mixture of wood, velvet and leather and with all the warm colours it was a very inviting and sensual room.
“This is the VIP room,” Lance said to Alex as she continued to gaze around the room. There were a number of other people in the room, probably rich socialites and celebrities, Alex thought indifferently. She wasn’t a person that really cared about celebrities mainly because she wasn’t really up on the whole pop culture thing and didn’t know who a lot of the celebrities out there were. Although the guys had been informing her of what was in and stuff, so she wasn’t as clueless as she had been before.
She smiled at Lance before walking over to the railing of the balcony and peering at the people on the floor below. She could see Justin, who had taken a quick glance around the VIP room before bouncing back downstairs with a bodyguard following close behind, make his way up to the bar. She turned around and saw that Lance and Joey were lounging at a table that overlooked the floor and JC and Chris were getting drinks at the end bar.
She went over to Lance and Joey and sat on an adjacent seat. Joey and Lance seemed to be arguing.
“Come on, Lance. Don’t be such a priss!”
Lance shook his head.” No, man.”
“Why not? It’ll be fun.”
“No.”
“You’re such a punk, Bass. Come on! Once.”
“Dude, I’m not dancing. So stop asking.”
Alex snorted and rolled her eyes. The things these guys argued over were always ridiculously infantile.
“Still trying to talk Lance into getting on the floor, Joe?” Chris asked as he came over juggling a few bottles in his hands. JC followed close behind his hands similarly occupied.
Joey nodded before grabbing a bottle of Corona from JC.
“Just get him liquored up and he’ll be up for anything.” JC said and laughed when Lance tried to smack him on the back of the head and missed.
Chris, still standing, turned to Alex. “Hey, what do you want?” He looked at the two remaining bottles of alcohol on the table. “Beer or beer?”
“Um. Well, uh. I don’t drink.” Alex said uncomfortably. She’d never had a drop of alcohol in her life.
“Well there’s a first time for everything.” Chris twisted the cap off the bottle and handed it over to Alex. Alex grasped the bottle with both hands and looked at it as if it was an object she’d never seen before. She looked up and to see Chris watching her expectantly. She shrugged and took a swig of the bitter liquid. Chris gave her two thumbs up before turning back to the other guys. And Alex had to physically stop herself from gagging. It was absolutely disgusting.
“What are y’all still doing up here? The party’s downstairs.” Justin said as he came into the room.
Joey got up. “I was just about to come down.” He chugged his drink before putting the empty bottle on the table.
“Me too,” Chris said walking over to Justin.
”Lance and I are going to stay up here,” JC said easily.
Justin nodded and turned to Alex. “Are you coming or staying?”
Alex was really itching to get on the dance floor, so she nodded and followed the three men downstairs.
…
As soon as they got below Joey went directly to the dance floor. Chris headed to the bar to get another drink and Justin followed.
Alex stood alone for a second not knowing what to do before she shrugged and went up on the dance floor. It might be the beer she was still gripping in her hand or the fact that she had been masquerading as a guy for weeks now, but she suddenly felt the need to let loose.
She hopped onto the dance floor and started dancing to a hip-hop song. Alex had a natural rhythm and found herself moving to the music alongside Joey. Joey grinned at her before turning back to one of the girls he was dancing with.
Alex didn’t know how many songs she danced through or drinks she’d been giving – it had only been two so far – by the guys who kept leaving to hang at the lounge but by the time she stopped dancing two hours had already passed by.
She waved over to JC and Lance who had moved out of the VIP room to the seats at the bar and laughed when they grinned back. She turned around to look for the others and suddenly felt really dizzy. She went very still so that the room would stop spinning and laughed again because it was funny, she wasn’t sure what exactly but something was. She tried to turn around to get off the dance floor but felt dizzy again and grasped the arm of a person dancing beside her to still herself once more.
The girl smiled at her. “Are you ok?”
Alex grinned. “Perfect - just perfect. Couldsyou direct me to the bar?”
The girl shook her head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Come on let’s go sit over at one of the couches.”
Alex didn’t see any reason to disagree and held onto the girl as they moved over to a couch.
The girl ordered water and gave it to Alex. “Drink this. It’ll help you feel better.”
“But I feel fine. Fine.”
“Ok, well just drink it anyway.”
Alex shrugged and gulped down the icy cold water.
The girl moved closer to Alex and smiled. “You’re really cute. What’s your name?”
“Alex. You?” Alex was too tipsy to discern the girls flirtations.
“Marissa. So what do you do, Alex?”
“I play in Nsync’s band.”
Marissa smiled in satisfaction. She had seen Alex with the Nsync guys but wasn’t sure if they were friends or not. Apparently they were. If she played sweet to this Alex guy, she might be able to get closer to Justin. She was getting tired of her boyfriend and she knew she could charm Justin if only she could get the chance to meet him.
She moved closer to Alex and brushed Alex’s hair with her fingertips. She leaned over and whispered in Alex’s ear. “So..tell me more about yourself and your job and Nsync.”
Alex turned to Marissa and looked at her oddly. What in the world was this girl doing? Didn’t she realize that Alex wasn’t a dude? Besides Alex was drunk not stupid.
“Can you not. do that.” Alex asked, shifting away from Marissa.
“Oh come on, honey.” Marissa inched her already short skirt higher before snuggling up to Alex and moving her hands over Alex’s stomach.
“Whoa dude. Whatchadoin’?” Sparks of clarity started to strike through the fuzziness of Alex’s brain. This was not cool. She needed to get to the guys – this girl was out of control. The things people did to get close to the guys was kind of pathetic. She tried to push Marissa away but the girl kept grasping at Alex’s hand.
“Get your fucking hands off of my girl!” A low growl came from above them. Alex paused from struggling with Marissa to look at the beefy man standing menacingly in front of them. He grasped Alex by the shoulders and dragged her up.
“You piece of shit!” The man snarled before lifting his fist to strike her.
Swiftly images of Alex’s father flashed through her mind and she almost crumpled before the man even touched her.
Suddenly she was out of the man’s grasp and she was up against one of the walls peering at JC who was now facing the man. She was trembling as she watched the two men square off. They were the same height but JC was much leaner than the man and Alex didn’t think JC could win the fight.
“Stay the fuck away from him,” JC said coolly.
“What are you gonna do about it pretty boy?” The man said walking up to JC menacingly.
Alex saw JC’s jaw clench. His mouth tighten. His blue eyes go icy and cold. She’d never seen him look like this before. His whole countenance frightened her.
The guys noticing the change in JC knew they needed to get him out of there immediately. JC never fought. He hated fighting it was against everything he stood for. But when he had that feral look in his eyes, he would and could do damage.
The guys waved away their bodyguards. They would handle this.
They all walked over to the scene. Justin standing in front of JC while Joey and Lance tried to calm him down and Chris talked to the guy. “Look dude. This is all a misunderstanding. We don’t want this to get ugly now do we?” Chris asked his brow arched.
“You think I’m scared of you piece of shits?” The guy sneered.
By this time a crowd had formed around them and were watching intently. Chris sighed, this was exactly what he had been trying to avoid. Bad publicity wasn’t something the group needed, especially right now in the middle of their tour. But this guy was really asking for it.
So Chris did the only thing he could do, before anyone could move his fist had made direct contact with the guys face. The guy stumbled back at the impact of the punch, tripped over his feet and fell over.
The music was still pumping but the crowd surrounding them was silent, shocked at what they had just seen. Suddenly someone clapped and then the whole room was clapping and shouting enthusiastically.
Chris grinned and clasped his hands over his head. “Thank you! Thank you!”
He turned back to the guys a smile on his face for the viewers but his voice completely serious. “Let’s get out of here now!”
He grabbed Alex’s arm and dragged her out of the club, the other guys and their bodyguards following close behind.
He dragged her into the first car, Joey and a bodyguard hopped in also and they drove off. The car ride was ridden in silence. Chris’s face was grim and Joey was too tired to talk. Alex just felt like an idiot. And it hadn’t even been her fault.
The whole experience had sobered her up but she wished she was still drunk so she could be oblivious to the depressing atmosphere.
She shivered thinking about the man who had triggered memories of her father and their fight in her head. She didn’t want to think about him or that fight she just wanted to forget about everything. She never wanted to see JC like that again either. She wondered how he was.
Both cars got to the hotel at the same time and they all walked inside. Alex noticed that JC was walking a little behind her. He looked tired.
The guys were still somber as they stood in the elevator.
“Well at least she was cute,” Joey said finally breaking the silence.
Alex’s brows rose. Chris snorted. Justin and Lance looked at each other before snickering to themselves. JC remained silent.
“Oh bite me. I didn’t ask her to come on to me. I didn’t want her to come on to me. Besides, she wanted your butts not mine.” Alex said in annoyance.
“Ooh bitter is not a good colour on you dude. Anyway, you should be grateful I saved your ass,” Chris said while flexing his arm.
Alex rolled her eyes. “Bitter. Yeah right. I was never interested in the first place. And JC could have taken him.”
Alex closed her mouth and looked over at JC. Maybe she wasn’t as sober as she thought she was. That was a stupid thing to say.
The guys went silent again.
“You should have let me take him.” JC said softly as the elevator stopped on Joey and Lance’s floor.
Joey and Lance reluctantly said good night and left the elevator.
“Maybe I should have. But that look in your eyes, C. You would have torn him apart and ended up getting torn apart yourself.”
“Maybe,” JC shrugged.
“JC, I’m sorry.” Alex didn’t know what she was apologizing for but it just felt like the right thing to do.
JC turned to her and smiled for the first time since the whole fight. “Don’t be sorry, baby face. It wasn’t your fault. I just didn’t want to see you hurt.” He patted her cheek and rested his hand there for a few seconds. And something in his eyes changed. They turned a warmer blue and Alex didn’t know how to react to it. The elevator door opened and the warmth of his hand left her face and he got off with Justin and Chris following.
“Night Alex.” They said.
“Night…” She managed to get out before the elevator door closed.