| Joey came running toward her at a speed that convinced her he wouldn't be able to stop, causing her to instinctively take a few steps back, to compinsate for the room it would take him to halt. When his arms flew open she knew he didn't plan on stopping, and closed her eyes to wait for the impact. His arms wrapped around her and he took a few more steps to catch his balance, bringing her with him. "I missed you!" He playfully gushed, blush forming in her cheeks when she noticed Lance, Chris, and JC watching the whole scene. "Hello Mr. Fatone, Mr. Bass, Mr. Kirkpatrick." She nodded her head to each of them, and retreated into the room, hoping to hide the blush until it chose to leave her cheeks thier normal color. "Hello Ms., what is your last name?" Chris inquired, realizing he hadn't ever heard it. "Doesn't matter, we are calling her Jaden, and she is calling us by our first names, correct Jaden?" Lance informed, almost shocking Jaden that he had spoken so many words at once. She had learned right away Lance was quiet, but not in an arrogant matter. "Whatever you prefer." She pulled each of thier outfits from the shelf and handed them to the men, hoping they would agree with her sense of style. JC had changed into his outift, but had not given her his opinion of what she had chosen. "Where's Justin?" Joey asked to no one in general, more to anyone who knew the answer. "Right here." Justin entered the room, looking exhausted, and not the least bit in a better mood than before. "Here you go Mr. Timberlake." Jaden handed him his clothes and winced when he looked over them in a disintrested manner. She turned her head in embarrassment as she realized all the men were starting to change. She looked through the rack of clothes until she was sure they would be finished then turned to them, satisfied with her sense of timing. "Anyone need thier hair done?" She looked around at the room of sweaty men, and knew they all would. Surprisingly, they all said no. "It'll just get messed up anyways." Lance explained. "Ok, then I just want to put a little bit of powder on ya'll to absorb at least some of the sweat." Chris volunteered to be first, jumping into the chair infront of her and laying his head back to give her complete access. "Jaden," Justin purposefully emphasized, but she wasn't sure if it was to tell her he was her boss, or to tell her to call him Justin as well. To be on the safe side she would continue to call him Mr. Timberlake until he told her to do otherwise. "Could you do me next? I have some stuff to do before I take stage." "Of course, Mr. Timberlake." She looked at all the men in the mirror, noticing thier uneasiness. "I would also appreciate it if you would all come by when you had an extra moment, so I can measure each of you." Each of them nodded thier heads in agreement and she was relieved when Justin had no arguements for her request. When all the men had been powdered, and ventured out into the arena, she slipped away to her trailer to quickly grab her journal, promising herself to add her entry to the diary she had on floppy disc whenever possible. She curled up on the couch in the changing room, pen in hand, to put her adventures of the day on paper. Five minutes before the guys were due for a change, she slipped the journal beneath a stack of magazines, hoping the men wouldn't find it. For the rest of the night she wrote while the men were away, then hid it while she quickly handed out costumes, and powdered the men. When the last costume change had been completed, she gathered her things, as well as the mens dirty clothes, and returned to her trailer. Keeping her promise, she sat down infront of her computer, to recount the days events once again, as she transfered her hand written recount unto disc. Halfway through the entry, Justin burst into her trailer, without knocking. Fearful he had found something else wrong with her preformance, she stood to brace herself for another harsh comment. "Can I help you, Mr. Timberlake?" She took a few more steps back, to distance herself from the man she saw as a threat to her self esteem. But he was also going to help her self esteem in the long run, she knew she could do this job, and if she could do it for Justin, it was all the better. "You wanted me to come by to get measured." His bored tone was one she had never heard before, so she rushed to get a measure, pen, and paper. Convinced that the quicker she got his measurements done, the better. "Could you please spread your arms, sir?" He obliged and she quickly measured and recorded her findings, trying to put off measuring his inseam, she next did his waist. Soon she had nothing else to measure except his inseam, and she bent down to do the uncomfortable task. "Is that all?" Justin asked, fearful she would answer by calling him sir, or Mr. Timberlake. It had been silly of him to insist on a professional relationship when that was the last thing he wanted, and he knew it. "Yes, sir." She cast her eyes toward the floor, hoping something would seem more interesting than his face, or at least to convince him that something down there was worth her attention. "Well, then I'll see you in the morning." "Will ya'll need ya'lls hair done then, sir? I mean ya'll have a day off, and I was hoping I could get some shopping and laundry done." A look of panic crossed her face, she should not have doubted him, he was her boss. "But it is perfectly fine if you do, Mr. Timberlake." Quickly adding an apologetic toned ending, she hoped he would leave soon, he made her twice as nervous as the professional as he had as the flirt. "No, you're right, I forgot we had a day off. Would you like some company tomorrow?" He watched her eyes glimmer with the hope that he would apologize, and knew he couldn't give in. "I could send John with you, I have no plans for the day." He twisted the sword in the wound he had set earlier, and she thought about Johnny's offer for one brief moment. "No thanks, I like to do my shopping alone, sir." She knew he had gotten the underlying put down, and turned to dismiss him, without having to look in his hurt eyes. "Now if you have no other businesss, I would appreciate it if you left, it is past working hours, and I would like to get some things done, Mr. Timberlake." She heard his breath catch in his throat as his own plan for professionalism was used against him, then his footsteps told her he was heading for the door. She let out a sigh of relief as he closed the door, then fell onto the couch, allowing herself to mope for a second. How had a perfectly fine business relationship soured so quickly? Outside Justin leaned against her trailer pondering the same thing, when JC happened upon him on his way to get his measurements taken. "Measurements?" JC asked, letting his presence be known, for Justin had his hands over his eyes, obviously deep in thought. "Yeah." "So what's wrong?" JC was certain Justin was rethinking his rudeness that morning, but wasn't going to push the subject upon him. When he was ready to talk about it, JC was sure he would come to him. "Just a headache, I better get some sleep." He took a couple of steps away then turned back to add, "If you need anything tomorrow, be sure to tell her, she is planning on shopping." "Thanks, how about you, what are you doing tomorrow?" "No idea, maybe I'll just sit around, and enjoy some down time, you know?" "Yeah, I think I'll see if Jaden would like some company." "No, I already offered to have John go with her." Justin said before turning away, to avoid the disappointment of his friend. |
| Chapter Six |