|
The next morning I was awakened by a knock on the door. I hauled myself out of bed and stumbled across the room. I peaked into the peephole to see Lance freshly showered standing right outside the door.
I ran a hand through my tussled hair and pulled the door open.
When Lance saw me he raised one eyebrow. I looked down, realizing that I was wearing Justin’s shirt. I blushed in spite of the innocence of the situation.
“Hey Lance,” I greeted him.
“Hey, is Justin awake yet?” he asked. “We’re suppose to have a group meeting in fifteen minutes.”
I was suddenly wide-awake. “What?” I glanced across the room at the clock with the light up didgets. It was six AM. The wake up call was supposed to wake us up half an hour ago.
“I didn’t even hear the wake up call!” I exclaimed.
“It’s more than likely that Justin got it and went back to sleep,” Lance said, knowingly. “He does it at least twice a week.”
I laughed as I shut the door. I flipped on the light.
Justin groaned.
“Wake up, sleepyhead!” I told him. I shook his shoulder.
He rolled over.
I waited a moment before shaking him again. “Listen, Justin you have to wake up. We slept in.”
Justin’s eyes slowly opened, then he sat up so quickly that I had to jump back to avoid being hit by a flying limb as he jumped out of bed, exclaiming, “Not again!”
I watched as he ran around, gathering clothing and his shampoo. It was strange to see him like this. He was no longer Justin Timberlake the pop star. He was Justin Timberlake the normal guy who slept in late. So far he had been so put together, so God damn perfect. Now, with his golden curls in a wild bird’s nest on top of his head, and his face a picture of panic as he mumbled something about how JC was going to kill him he seemed more human. He had faults just like everyone else.
Of course he does! I chastened myself as I quickly changed my clothes. I didn’t know where I had gotten the idea that Justin was so perfect.
I shook my head as I heard the shower flip off. I didn’t have time to think about it right now.
I piled my wavy black hair onto my head in a lazy bun, ignoring the few wisps that always escaped, no matter how hard I tried to suppress them. I tossed Justin’s shirt into my bag, writing myself a mental note to wash it when I did my laundry. I dabbed on some lip-gloss, the only make-up I had time for, before scrambling to get everything together.
Justin emerged from the bathroom a moment later. His curls were wet, but perfectly tousled. His clothing was his usually, sporty/preppy style. His outward appearance showed nothing of the harried young man that had disappeared into the bathroom only ten minutes earlier.
“Ha, three minutes to spare,” he said as he zipped up his suitcase.
I shook my head. As I slung my backpack over one shoulder. “I hear this is a regular occurrence.”
Justin smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, well, I just hate to have to wake up early.”
I shrugged. “Who does?” I asked as we dragged our suitcases out into the hallway.
Justin smiled. “I think Lance really gets a kick out of it.”
“You know I hate it just as much as you Curly.” Lance materialized beside me.
“No wonder you know everything Scoop, the way you sneak around,” Justin commented.
Lance mumbled something as we headed into the room where the other three members of the group, plus their manager, Johnny were waiting for us, but I was too busy feeling uneasy as Chris and Joey stopped talking as I entered the room to hear it. I tried to ignore their scowls as I set my suitcase next to Justin’s in the pile.
“Okay guys.” Johnny put his hands up to silence all the conversations going around the room. “I have your agenda for the day.”
I quickly pulled out my notebook, ignoring the glare I received from Chris. I began to take notes in short hand on their busy schedule.
“First, this morning you have an autograph session, then you are going on to a radio interview, next you have a mini-concert in a near by park,” Johnny began. “Then you’ll have to go straight to the venue for sound checks and such. Any questions?”
“Yeah, do we get lunch?” Joey asked.
There was a chorus of groans and laughter from his group mates. Chris smacked him lightly upside the head. “Of course we get lunch, doofus!”
“Are you guys ready?” Johnny asked, glancing down at his watch. “It’s time to move out.”
“Now the real fun begins,” Justin told me as we all headed out the door.
Fifteen minutes later, the guys were seated around a table, blue felt tip Sharpies in hand. I could see the girls outside, straining to get inside, while bodyguards held them back.
As soon as the door was open, girls of all ages charged forward, clutching various 'N Sync memorabilia in their hot little hands. I busied myself taking pictures of the guys as they smiled and doled out hugs to adoring fans. When my role was done I interviewed a few of the fans as they got done talking to the group.
When the last autograph had been signed, the boys were ushered back to the tour bus where they waved at the girls who covered the sidewalk, hoping to get a glimpse of them. I was amazed at how many girls were there. They lined the sidewalk so thickly that it made it impossible for anyone to pass. Cars that passed look in wonder at the crowd, wondering what or who could cause such a crowd. I myself had to admit it was the largest crowd I’ve ever seen outside of Hollywood.
Or at least I thought so until the bus pulled up in front of the radio station. The group jumped up and down, holding signs and screaming at the top of their lungs when the bus came into view. The group waved and smiled again.
After the radio show it was on to the concert, where we were greeted by another throng of screaming girls. I couldn’t believe that this was a day in the life of these guys.
When the concert was over, we headed over to the venue. Before the sound check we all went down to the cafeteria for lunch.
After loading my plate with food, I approached the table where the group sat slowly. I took a seat at the end of the table next to Lance, hoping I wouldn’t be noticed. No such luck.
The moment I joined the table Chris immediately halted his chatter. Instead, he looked down into his food, stabbing at a tomato on his plate. I was tempted to just get up and leave, but my stubborn pride wouldn’t allow me to acknowledge his snubs. Instead, I tilted my chin up defiantly as I took a bite of my salad.
Lance did his best to draw out the two men that still seemed set against my presence and eventually they did go back to their conversations, which, of course, I wasn’t a part of.
About half-way through lunch a teenaged boy, who was working as a busboy, sauntered by muttering, “N’suck.”
Chris looked up angrily. “I hate it when they do that,” he fumed. “They don’t have to like our music, but they shouldn’t just assume that we’re bad people.”
“Yeah, don’t you hate it when people hate you because of what you do instead of what who you are?” I asked pointedly.
The irony of my words didn’t escape Chris, who looked down at his food with a scowl.
Justin smiled encouragingly at me. I managed a weak smile in return.
I knew I wasn’t anymore welcome than before, despite my words. From the daggers Joey was shooting me with his eyes I predicted that it would be a long way coming.
“So, Gwen.” JC moved smoothly onto the next topic. “Where are you from?”
“Los Angeles,” I answered. “I attend UCLA.”
“Really? You’re still in school?” Lance asked.
“Yeah, I’m just an intern for Teen,” I said, warming to the attention. “I think agreeing to take this job will guarantee me a position after school though.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, why did they give such a big assignment to an intern?" JC asked. “That isn’t usual is it?”
I didn’t know how to answer that question. “My boss, Derek, told me that I was the only one who was free to move around this much. Since I was an intern there last summer, they trusted me enough to take the job.”
“Whoa, hold up,” Justin spoke up. “I thought you were only a freshman.”
“No, I’m a junior.”
“But, you’re only eighteen,” Justin pointed out.
“I started kindergarten a year early,” I explained.
“That would still only make you a sophomore,” Lance said.
I glanced around the table. I had all their attention. Even Chris’s and Joey’s, though they pretended to be more interested in their food. “I also skipped the fourth grade,” I admitted.
“So, we have a genius on our hands,” Justin teased.
“Hardly.” I blushed and the bubbles in my stomach began to circulate again.
“A toast to our genius!” Lance proclaimed with a goofy smile.
Justin and JC raised their coke cans to clink with Lance’s and I felt me face flush a deeper shade of red.
“Stop guys, you’re embarrassing me!” I exclaimed, pushing Lance’s arm down. “Really, it’s not a big deal.”
“Well, how does it feel to have your privacy invaded?” Chris demanded. I could tell that he thought that he had made a great point.
I felt my anger rise. My eyes narrowed into slits. I had done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment. I was just doing my job.
“You know if I was you, I’d be nicer to me,” I informed him, casually taking a sip of my juice.
“And why is that?” he asked with a smirk.
I smiled sweetly. “I work for the magazine, darling,” I said. “I just might expose you for the spoiled brat you are.”
All five of the band members looked shocked at my statement. Chris’s mouth hung open stupidly for a moment at my comment.
“Is that a threat?” Chris choked out.
“You can take it anyway you want to.” I stood, clutching my tray so hard that my knuckles were turning white. “Excuse me.” I fled before they saw how much their words actually effected me.
As soon as I was out of the cafeteria doors my spine crumpled and I broke into a run. I bumped into a blonde woman, but continued on without an apology. I didn’t stop running until I reached an empty lounge.
It was then that I let my tears slip down my cheeks in a silent parade. I was so caught up in my thoughts as I gazed out the window that I didn’t even notice Justin until he was right behind me.
When I felt his hand on my shoulder I jumped. I tried to wipe my eyes before he saw them, but it was too late.
“Hey, don’t let them get to you,” Justin said softly “They aren’t worth crying about.”
“I’m not crying,” I lied, knowing that he wouldn’t buy it. “I got something in my eye.”
“Both of them?” His voice was teasing but gentle.
I exhaled sharply. “Yes, both of them,” I snapped.
“There’s nothing wrong with crying,” Justin said softly.
I was silent, not sure how to reply. I couldn’t help but be uneasy in his presence. He was just so overwhelming.
“What are you doing?” I asked as he turned me to face him.
“Listen to me,” he said. “Don’t worry about them.”
I looked down. “I’m such a ninny,” I said. “I guess I’m just not used to people not liking me.” I let out a thin laugh.
“No, there’s nothing wrong with you,” Justin told me, tinting my face so that I was looking him in the eye. “Lance and JC like you. I like you.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“Chris and Joey just need to grow up.” Justin’s eyes darkened.
I pulled back from him. I had gotten a hold of myself. I felt foolish for letting myself get carried away like that. I never cried.
Never cry; never sigh, I reminded myself as I wiped the remaining traces of my tears away.
|