Last Time . . .

            Soon enough, the rest of the Dream Masters came into the pool area. All went and jumped in the pool except for Vanessa. She was still fully clothed; she just went and sat on one of the chairs, and pulled out a minidisc player. Justin looked over at her and then pulled himself out of the pool. As he strolled over to her, he saw that she was watching him. He had to hide his smile because he knew that he looked good.

“Why aren’t you in the pool?” He asked, to which he didn’t get a response due to the MD player.

“What?” She asked loudly as she pulled off her headphones.

“Why aren’t you in the pool?” He asked again.

“Oh, I don’t know how to swim.” She said as she smiled.

He laughed then sat down next to her and they started talking.

This Time . . .

The next day.

“Good morning Dream Masters!” Chris said as he yelled down the hall. It was almost 8 in the morning and he thought it would be fun to get them up early and leave at about ten. But, surprisingly they all came out ready to go. Chris just stood there looking strangely at them.

“What?” Buffy asked.

“Well I thought you guys would still be asleep.” Chris said almost hurt that he didn’t get to wake them up.

“Oh, Buffster over here woke us up early cause she wants to go shopping.” Shawn said as he held out his thumb.

She gave Shawn an evil glare, then looked at Chris and smiled.

“So,” She said giddily, “Let’s get moving!” She said as she walked by Chris in a hurry.

“Well, you can go wait in the car, cause were not leaving here right now.” He said with a smile.

He might get to annoy one of them after all. She turned and looked at him shocked. Then smiled and said,

“Oh yeah DUH! The stores aren’t open yet.” Then she walked down the hall and down the stairs.

Chris looked back at the rest of the dream masters, and said,

“So, you all know what you need to get right? Tuxes, dresses, shoes, heels, purses, perhaps a hooker?”

Leo and Shawn laughed, then Chris smiled and told them that they were going to go shopping in about an hour, and that they should be ready.

            As the limos pulled up to one of the most expensive stores in the area, everyone that was around started staring at them as they pulled up. People passing on the street began to say,

“I wonder if someone famous is in there.” But they kept moving, since living in the capital, one was always running into someone important.

           Chris got out of the limo he was in and the others got out of theirs. The seven of them were standing in front of the store looking up at it in awe. They all seemed a little out of place and they felt it too. They weren’t dressed in anything but average clothes. The people around them that were going in and out of the store were dressed quite conservatively, and gave them dirty looks as they stood there staring into the window.

“Alright guys come here.” Chris pulled out 6 cards, and passed them out to everyone. “These credit cards are yours. Josh said they only have $20,000 on them. So he told me to tell you to spend wisely.”

“ONLY 20,000!” Leo said as he looked at the card.

“Yeah, that’s what I said. But have fun, and only buy stuff you are going to need for the party, please.” Chris said and then pointed to the store and said. “Knock yourselves out.”

Buffy made a mad dash for the store, with Vanessa and Sonia in tow, and Dom, Leo, and Sean followed with an uneasy look in their walk.

            Buffy and Vanessa looked up at the store from the inside. There were clothes everywhere. Not set up like Wal-Mart, and not as cheap.

“I’m home.” Buffy said as she looked around. The clothes were at the price tags of $2,000-$5,000. There were just display cases holding the dresses and tuxes and all of them were beautiful.

            They all started to walk around together, and look at the clothes. Chris was there, but not with them. As Buffy checked out one of the dresses, a short skinny bald man with a thin mustache came up to the group and smiled politely.

“May I help you?” He said nicely.

“Yes,” Buffy said as she smiled back at him, “I was just wondering if I could try this . . .” She began as he cut her off.

“I’m sorry Ma’am but I must tell you that I don’t think there is anything in this store that you can afford. Perhaps you would like to try, one of our smaller chains.” Buffy looked hurt and started to say that she wanted to buy the dress but he cut her off again. “Let’s take the field trip out side shall we?” As he put his hand in the small of her back and pushed her away from the dress and kicked all of them out of the store.

Chris was looking a small silver dress that he smiled at, he thought to himself,

“Dani would’ve loved this dress.” He started to think about the first time they’d saw each other after their first breakup and Fu-Man went bankrupt; it was just when things in NSYNC were getting tense; as they ventured out into demon slaying, and were working on the follow-up to Celebrity. He was taking a break from the long recording session, and went for a walk through the mall, dressed with the sunglasses and hat that had become accustomed to him when going out in public, he was hoping that no one would notice him. He didn’t think they would, considering he was the most unrecognized one of the group, but it was possible. He walked along the mall quietly, trying not to look at people and actually looking down at the floor. He figured that if he didn’t look at them they wouldn’t notice him. He continued to walk, only picking his head up when he saw something in a store window that interested him. Nothing pretty much caught his eye that day, and there wasn’t anything for him to really do, so he started to leave the mall. He still kept his head down and his eyes to the floor, and that’s when it happened. He bumped into someone and a very familiar sound of a splash was heard.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry.” He said to beautiful young lady whose white T-shirt was now soaked by a coke.

“No, no, I should have been watching where I was going. I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Chris, embarrassed and worried, without thinking quickly started to brush off her T-shirt, conveniently located in the middle of her chest. His hands quickly moved up and down her shirt trying to dry it off. He was shocked when she smacked his hand away.

“Excuse me!” She said smiling in disbelief.
“GOD! I’m so, so, so sorry. Oh God, I’m so sorry. I mean I didn’t mean to touch your tits, I mean breasts. I don’t even like breasts, well, I do, but not yours, I mean . . .” Chris calmed himself from talking quickly and looked her in her sunglass covered eyes, “I’m sorry.”

She started laughing, and looked away at his embarrassment, her stare then met back with his.
“Look . . .?” She said asking for his name to which he quickly told her.

“Chris.”

“Look, Chris, it’s not a big deal. It’s not everyday that some one grabs my tits, I mean breasts, I mean . . . yah know.” She said mocking him to which, he tried not to laugh but couldn’t help it.

“Oh sure, just add onto it . . .?” He said asking for her name.

“Dani.” She said as she stuck out her hand.

Chris smiled at her, getting a good look at her for the first time as she removed her glasses.

“Dani?” He said realizing who she was.

“That’s what I said . . .” She said smiling.

“It’s me . . . Chris!” He said pulling off his disguise.

“Chris?!” She said in disbelief.

“Wow . . . You look . . . So . . . So . . . wet . . .”

“Well, no thanks to you!”

“I’m kidding . . . I’m really sorry! How’ve you been? It’s been awhile!”

“About a year or so. . .”

“Wow . . . It seems like forever, yet still feels like yesterday!”

“I know what you mean . . .” She said as there was an awkward silence.

“So . . .”
”So . . . How are the guys?”

“Good . . . Josh and Jus are in the studio now arguing over a track, so the rest of us decided to take a break. How’re things with you?”

“Good . . . I was able to get enough money together to start my own clothing line, it’s doing good. It’s still exclusive in LA, but we’re hoping to launch it in New York within the next two months.”
”That’s great!”

“Yeah, see that dress in the window over there?” She said pointing to a store. “That was my first design, and our most popular sell.”
”Wow . . . that’s awesome!”

“Thanks . . . Well, it was nice seeing you . . .”

“You too . . .”

“I guess I’ll see you around then . . .” She said starting to walk away backwards.

“Hey, listen . . . Why don’t you let me make up for this . . . Rather embarrassing moment. Say dinner?”

“I dunno . . . With everything that . . .”
”Look, whatever happened in the past is over now . . . I never stopped caring for you . . . Come on, just think about it! That’s all I ask! You can get back to me!”

“I’ll have to think about it . . .”
”Is that leading to a yes?”

“Maybe.” She said with a smile, then turned around and walked off.

Chris smiled at her then yelled across the food court,

“Well, can I have your new number!?”

She turned and smiled to him.

“Maybe.”

He returned the smile and stood there looking at her as she left.

“Dani.” He said to himself.

For that whole week that they were in the studio, he went back to the mall on every break he had and watched for her. Just when he was about to give up, she walked into the food court. He smiled at her but she didn’t notice. Her and a friend walked up to a small Chinese take out booth and he walked up behind her.
“Yeah, can I just get a coke?” She said as she started to pull money out of her pocket.

“I’ll pay for that.” Chris said as he held out the money in front of her.

“Oh! I couldn’t let you do . . .” She looked at him and smiled.

“No, please. I spilt your last one.” He said as he paid for it.

She grabbed the coke, and sucked some through the straw and said,

“Well, thank you Chris.”

He smiled at her, and then started to walk away.

“Hey! Don’t you want my new number?”

He stopped and turned to her, then smiled and said.

“Maybe . . . But mine’s the same.”

Chris was broken from his daydream by an eerie feeling. It was like when he would talk to the guys telepathically, only it wasn’t them. It was someone who was actually in his dream.

“Chris . . .” Buffy said saddened.

Chris quickly looked around the store and saw a sad, pitiful site before him. The Dream Masters were outside looking at him through the glass. He frowned and walked out to them.

“What are you guys doing out here?” He asked.

“That dick head over there kicked us out. Treating us like we were poor little kids that didn’t belong there!” Vanessa said.

Chris put up his finger and lifted up his sleeve, pressing one of the buttons.

“Yeah, Josh? This is Chris. We got us a little problem down here.” Chris said, then told Josh what happened.

            About 10 minutes later Josh pulled up in 1956 Corvette, with sunglasses on that just barely covered his eyes. He was wearing a tight navy blue T-shirt and a pair of black slacks. He got out of the car and took his glasses off.

“Let’s play.” He said, to the Dream Masters as he walk passed them. As they walked in the store he stopped them and said, “Now, here’s what we are going to do. See this is a place where I come to shop at a lot, and they treat me like a god. So, it’s time I use my god like power here to someone’s advantage. Just follow my cue, and don’t come out until I say so. Mr. Kirkpatrick, please come with me.”

Chris smiled evilly and walked over to the counter with Josh where the man that kicked them out earlier was standing.

“Mr. Chasez, how lovely it is to see you today. And who is your friend?” He said politely looking at Chris.

“Oh, Bernard, this is my friend Chris. So, how are things going today.”

“Oh perfect Mr. Chasez, except about ten minutes ago, there was a group of hoodlums that came into the store, but I got rid of them right away!”

Chris and Josh let out snobby laughs, then looked at each other.

“Oh,” Josh said. “Hoodlums huh? They wouldn’t happen to be my friends here, would they?” Out walked the Dream Masters from behind Josh. They all looked at the stuck up salesman and smiled and waved.

Leo added an extra, “Hi, Bernard.” To make it more amusing.

“See Bernard, these hoodlums are guests of mine. I sent them here cause I thought that they would be treated well. Now, is that true, or should I take my money somewhere else?”

Bernard quickly went out of breath and looked over at the DM’s.

“Oh, I am terribly sorry Mr. Chasez, perhaps we can arrange for a discount of some kind. Let the young ladies see some of our more expensive dresses, and maybe treat them to lunch?”

“Thank you Bernard. You are so kind. I will stay here, and help the gentlemen. But Chris here needs a smaller tux for his son. Do you think you could have that done by tonight?”

“Well, um . . .” Bernard said looking around.

“Oh, that’s alright I can have someone else do it for me.” Josh said as he started to walk away.

“NO!” Bernard yelled almost jumping over the counter. “If . . . Chris . . . would tell me his son’s size I’m sure we can have it done.”

Three hours later, Chris got the right size for his son, only after changing it three times. The ladies got the best dresses in the house which were originally priced at around $50,000, but Bernard, out of the ‘kindness’ of his heart, dropped to a mere $10,000.

FoxGlove Manor

            Leo was pacing back and forth in front of Josh’s room. He was uneasy, and tried to knock several times, but didn’t want to disturb him. Josh, who was sitting in his room, could hear the pacing outside, and it was driving him insane. To a normal person it wouldn’t have been that big a deal, but to Josh’s ears it was a quite crushing sound. While trying to read up on the vampire that they still didn’t have any idea who he was, the sound made it impossible to concentrate.

“Leo, will you stop pacing in front of my door and get in here!” Josh yelled through the door.

There was a slight pause in the pacing and soon, the doorknob turned and Leo walked in.

“Can I help you with something?” Josh asked.

Leo swallowed hard, and Josh could faintly hear his heart start to beat faster.

“Um, Buffy said that she wants to dance with all of us at the party tonight, and I like her, I mean really like her. She is just so fine, and I want to dance with her, but . . .”

“You can’t dance.” Josh said as he looked at Leo and smiled.

“Exactly, and I saw you and your other friends dance on that huge computer thing in my room, and I was just wondering if uh . . . you could maybe . . . help?” Leo said taking a deep breath.

“Yeah, sure. It ain’t that hard.” Josh said as he stood up. “You do mean slow dancing right?” Leo nodded his head. Josh took a deep breath and then said. “Well, you have seen how they dance in movies right? Where the guy puts his hands and where a girl puts hers.”

Leo looked at him strangely, and Josh took that as a sign that he didn’t know.

“Alright come with me.” He said as he grabbed Leo by the arm and led him to the library where Joey was playing some new video game that Johnny brought.

“Joey, we need some help.”

Joey quickly looked up and there was a loud boom, he quickly looked back at the game and read what it said on the screen.

“Ha you’re dead mother fucker. Maybe you should grow some balls and let your dog lick them.” He said slowly, then looked at Josh and said. “Do you remember when these fuckin things just used to say, ‘Game over.’ And didn’t call you names?” Joey said raising his eyebrows.

“Look Joe, Leo here needs our help.”

“What’s he need? Sex? Drugs? Maybe a new car?” Joey said smiling.

“I can deal with that!” Leo said excitedly. “The sex part, I mean, and the car would be nice!”

Josh didn’t respond, he just said,

“Leo can’t dance, and I can’t really show him.”

“So . . . You need me to dance with him?” Joey asked smiling.

“Yup.” Josh said returning the smile.

The look on Leo’s face was of shock.

“I don’t wanna dance with no fuckin guy.” He said turning to Josh angrily.

There was a high pitch hum, and suddenly, a girl with black hair and a tight red dress on appeared and grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Then dance with a guy that looks like a girl.” He/She said.

Before the party

“I can’t believe I’m letting you do this to me.” Vanessa said as Buffy stood in front of her with some lipstick in her hand.

“Oh hush suga, you doin just fine by me. Anyway, you need to look good for Justin. Now let’s do your hair. Sonia!!! Bring me some hairspray.” Buffy commanded in her deep southern accent.

“So, why aren’t you doing your hair yet?” Vanessa asked.

“Cause unlike all of you I have to have the pearls going into my hair. Not that I mind it. Cause I figured out how to do it and all I have to do is rest the mask on my hair, and it will look fine.”

Sonia came running in with the hairspray in her hand and smiled at Vanessa.

“Anyway. I don’t want everyone to see what I’m going to look like. That’s why I got that killer dog over there protecting the door.” She said pointing to the small puppy lying in front of the door, and his master playing with its tail.

Vanessa smiled and Buffy and Sonia stood back in shock.

“Do that again!” Sonia said as her eyes widened.

“Do what?” Vanessa asked as the smile faded.

“That thing you just did. Smile again.”

“God you act like I never smile.” She said smiling normally, with no teeth.

“Not like that you don’t.” Buffy said then got a gleam in her eye. “I think Vanessa is in love.”

Vanessa stood up in shock.

“Please! It’s only been like three days. I haven’t even seen him that much.” She said as she walked around quickly. “Plus he isn’t even my type.”

Buffy and Sonia looked at each other and smiled.

“Notice how she knew who we were talking about right off the bat?” Sonia said gleaming.

“Yup, and did you notice the way she got really defensive.” Buffy added. “And, like hell he isn’t your type. For one he only smiles when he feels like it, and he always dresses in black, even his under shirts are black. And I think the brightest piece of clothing you got is that dress over there.” Buffy said pointing to the black dress hanging up next to the window, sparkling like glitter.

“Now get your butt over here and let me finish your hair!” Buffy commanded.

Vanessa walked over to her, sat down in the chair and said,

“I do not love him . . . Just his body.” Buffy let out a nice laugh, as did Sonia.

“Girl there is hope for you yet. And I can see why you love that body.” They all laughed and Vanessa looked at the mirror at herself and thought.

“I didn’t think I was this pretty.”

TBC . . .

[email protected]