| "Morning." They all greeted simultaneously, before departing to the salon. All except Justin, who slowed until he was standing in front of her, making her knees tremble with anticipation. "How'd you sleep?" Licking his lips to purposefully draw her attention, he liked the reaction he was getting. She, on the other hand, did not. He was her boss, and having sexual feelings for her boss did not fit her plan. "Good, you?" She started for the salon, hoping with the other guys around he wouldn't come on to her. "Very good." Adding an enticing facial expression to the very proved to highten the response he was enjoying. "So what will it be today?" She addressed the other members, hoping the old out of sight out of mind trick would work, for Justin was now positioned behind her. "Will you do my hair?" JC fake begged on the floor before her, causing her to smile, his desired reaction. "No I will not, Joey what do you want today?" She joked as she motioned for JC to get into the chair. "You are a fiesty one," JC passed her before turning back to add. "I like that in a woman." Feeling her face get hot from the blush, she quickly busied herself, trying to get his hair exactly the way she wanted it. When she was satisfied with how it looked, she dismissed him from the chair, hoping he would also leave the room. One hormonal popstar at a time was all she could deal with, and she could already feel Justin's eyes burning into her back. "So you ready for your first backstage experience?" Joey asked as he climbed into the chair. "What do you mean experience?" "Well, you will be backstage for the costume changes, right?" JC joined Justin where he was sitting across the room, oblivious to the fact his flirting had upset his almost brother. "I don't have to actually be in the room when you change right?" Jaden watched Joey's face in the mirror, looking for any hint of a joke. "Well, I think we would all like it if you were. So you could tell us how it's supposed to look, and how we get them on." Chris, who had been uncommonly quiet all morning, chose that exact moment to pull his initiation prank on Jaden. Soaking her from head to toe with a hose built into the hairwash section, he giggled with pleasure as she screamed in surprise. "CHRIS!!!" Soon, he was making a quick getaway, jumping past her out stretched arms and into the hallway. Leaving Jaden behind, soaked, and planning revenge. The four guys who remained tried not to laugh as she excused herself for a quick change, then returned in pajama bottoms and a tank top. "How was the shower?" Justin quirked his head to examine her for any signs of anger, as far as he could tell, she had enjoyed the experience. And he was right, Chris soaking her had made her a slight bit mad at first, but reflecting on it, she knew it meant he felt comfortable with her, which was exactly the way she wanted them to feel. "Now I know why you were short a stylist mid tour." She joked as she motioned for Joey to return to the chair he had been in. "Our old stylist could have used a cold shower, but Chris didn't bother to try." Joey informed her, raising his eyebrows at Justin in the mirror. "Ahh, she had the hots for Justin, huh?" Jaden commented without looking up from her work. "No he had the hots for Justin." JC emphasized, nudging Justin jokingly in the arm with his elbow. Jaden held her bottom lip in between her teeth, trying not to let the laughter escape. She could only imagine a man hitting on the Justin Timberlake, every woman's fantasy. Finishing with Joey, she turned for the next volunteer, finding Justin was not very happy about being poked fun at. "I'm sorry Justin, it's just," she paused to find the word. "Hilarious?" She half asked JC, who she had given her attention to, for fear Justin's cold glare would make her laugh. JC chose the perfect moment to begin laughing, causing Jaden to laugh with him, and Justin's mood to sour more. Seeing JC and Jaden laughing together, at his expense was just too much, he had to do something, and throwing a fit seemed to be the first thing to come to mind. "Look," he stood, looking down at Jaden, who had stopped laughing the moment she heard his tone. "I don't know who you think you are, but I am your boss, and I can have you fired. I suggest you do your job, and leave my personal life alone." He stormed from the room, leaving Jaden to do only one thing, hope that he would reconsider and apologize. "Well, I guess it's your turn." Lance knew she didn't want to talk about it, he could see it in her eyes, which were about to let lose tears. "No, I can do my hair myself, I just came to hang out. Well, I am going to go, see ya backstage." Lance informed her, leaving her and JC alone. JC excused himself then kissed her cheek on his way out, while trying to figure out where Justin would be. She busied herself with picking out outfits, and taking them to the designated room backstage, then stocking the room with water, for quick refreshment for the guys. Twenty minutes before the guys would show up to dress, Johnny entered the room, and immediately she knew that someone had told him about the confrontation. "Hey, how are the guys treating you?" He tried to pull the information from her. "Just fine." She lied hoping he would drop the subject and move on to more important matters. "I heard about Justin, and I am sure he didn't mean it." "No, he was right, I just need to be more professional, at least with him." She gave her best fake smile, knowing that fighting with the boss did not make a good impression. Luckily, Johnny knew her, and knew that it was not normal for her to butt heads. She had no worry that her job was in jeopardy, just her satisfaction level. Her problem with Justin was something she would drive herself crazy with, not something someone else would use against her, as far as she could tell. "Look, you do whatever you think is right, but if you want I can transfer you to another tour. Anytime you think you may want to, the offer stands. Don't put yourself through hell to impress me, I know this is uncharacteristic, but sometimes thats the way things go, you can't get along with everyone. I'll talk to you more later, the guys will be here soon." He dipped down to kiss her cheek, before turning to leave her with her thoughts. Not one thought of leaving entered her head, she would see this through to the end if it drove her crazy, there was no way she would be a failure. Instead, she thought of ways to rekindle the relationship her and Justin had shared before, or at least a friendship without the flirting. At least now JC was the only real threat, as far as flirting went. The other guys were playful, but in a whole other manner, a friendly manner. "Hey Girl." JC greeted as he plopped onto the couch, still sweaty from rehearsal. She tossed him a towel to wipe his face, then turned her back to him to get the costumes in order. "Hello Mr. Chasez, ready for tonight?" "Call me JC, and yes I am. Why the formalities?" He tossed the towel into a hamper near her feet, causing her to jump at the noise. "I've decided I need to be more professional with ya'll." She popped her neck, readying herself for the first contact she would have with Justin since the episode in the salon that morning. "This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain someone throwing a fit this morning would it?" She handed him his clothes and dodged his eyes, trying not to let him read her. "No, just a revolution, if you will." She checked her watch, then went to the hallway for a moments peace before the rest of the men showed up. |
| Chapter Five |