| One Boy, One Girl |
| 8:45pm At the Hilton Hotel�s olympic size swimming pool. Britney�s POV Tania, Charissa (my two female dancers), Kirsten, Sarah (two of Nsync�s dancers), Keri and I all make our way down to the pool in our robes with our bathing suits under them. Wade, T.J. (two of my dancers), Lance and Joey are already in the pool. Chris is standing at the edge of the pool and turns as we walk past him towards the lounge chairs. �Hey ladies� those robes are comin� off right?� He says and smirks as Justin and J.C. laugh from behind us as we walk alongside the pool towards the chairs. �Only if you put yours back on�� Charissa quips and smirks at him before placing her hand on his bare chest and nudging him back. Chris flails his arms to catch his balance, but fails and falls backwards into the pool. He shoots up back out of the water and starts splashing us. We scamper away from him. I kick off my sandals and place them next to Justin�s by the lounge chairs on the side of the pool. The girls and I slide out of our robes, the guys all stop to stare at us in our bikinis and I roll my eyes. Charissa and Kirsten dive in first. JC sneaks up behind Keri and grabs her, slowly edging her towards the pool. �No! JC, no! Don�t you dare!� Keri shrieks and JC laughs. He picks her up and falls into the pool with her. I start to giggle as she splashes him when they surface. �So, ya gonna get in or what?� Justin whispers into my ear from behind me and an immediate smile appears on my face. �Well I like to ease my way in, ya know, get properly adjusted to the temperature�� I say. �Oh, is that so?� He jokes and I can feel his hands slowly move around my waste. My heart starts to flutter, I want to lean back into him and just stay in his arms� That is until he scoops me up in his arms. �Well, let me just help speed up that process.� He says and lifts me up, carrying me in his arms. �Justin! Don�t!� I squeal as I cling to his neck. �Why not? All the cool kids are doing it.� He says and chuckles. �Do it!� I hear Joey yell from the pool. �Justin! Do it and you�ll be sorry.� I giggle and flail legs in the air. �Oh really?� He says and steps up to the edge of the pool. �Well I�m willing to take that chance.� I hold on tight as Justin leaps into the pool with me in his arms. I pop up to the surface first, when he comes up for air a few seconds after me but I push his head back down under. Everyone starts splashing everyone. Justin starts to tickle my sides from under water, I start laughing hard and try to kick him away. He comes back up for air and gently pushes my head under water after I take a deep breath. Under water I push his body backwards so that I�m above him and can come up for air. When he comes back up his body is about 3 inches away from mine. We are still getting splashed from everyone around us and we�re both laughing. The water is deep and I can�t touch the bottom, I hold on to his shoulders to stay above water. �Lets get a game of Horse and Rider started!� Chris says as the splashing dies down. �Horse and Rider?� Lance asks and we all look to Chris. �You know� where the ladies get on the fellas� shoulders and fight to the death!!!� He quips. Lance starts to laugh. �Oh okay, howa bout we just settle for knocking the other girl into the water.� �That will also work�� Chris says and swims over to Charissa, motioning for her to get on his shoulders. Everyone pairs up, Lance and Sarah, Joey and Tania, TJ and Kirsten, and of coarse JC and Keri. I�m still holding on to Justin when Wade brushes my shoulder form behind me. �Hey Brit, wanna ride me?� He laughs, I smile awkwardly at him and subconsciously pull myself a little closer to Justin. �Oh� If you want to um� with him�� Justin mumbles to me when I glance at him. I smile and turn back to Wade. �Actually Justin and I are teamed up this time. Sorry.� I say to Wade who nods his head and swims away. �That is if you thing you can handle me on your shoulders.� I say and move around to his back. �Are you saying you think I�m weak�� �No, I meant-� �Just get on.� He interrupts as he takes a breath and submerges himself underwater. I maneuver my legs around his shoulders and balance myself as he stands up and lifts me up out of the water. �Wade, your referee dude.� Joey says and Wade forces a small smile. We get the game started, and about 20 minutes in Justin and I are kicking butt! We took out Keri and JC, Joey and Tania, and TJ and Kirsten. Only Lance and Sarah remain. �Alright Brit, you can totally take her!� Justin says as he squeezes my leg gently. Lance slowly walks toward Justin and Sarah and I lock hands above them. We struggle for a few seconds, with smiles on our faces. She pushes me back and I know I�m going to fall, but Justin lifts up his hands and I grab them. He quickly moves backwards and pulls me forward so that I regain my balance. Then Justin charges, or moves as fast as he can underwater, toward Lance. I push Sarah�s shoulders and she fails her arms, trying to get balanced. Justin takes another step forward and I push her again, this time she falls back into the water with a splash. �Whoooo!� I scream in victory. �Yea!!!!� Just yells and starts laughing. He crouches back into the water so that I can climb off his shoulders into the water. �Reigning champs right here!� Justin yells and throws both his hands in the air. I slap both his hands then pounce on him, pushing him back into the water. I start giggling as he wraps his arms around my waste. I hug him back, running my hand up his bare back. �Alright! New game!� Joey announces and I pull back from Justin to look at him. �Marco Polo!� Keri yells. �Oooh, I love that game.� Sarah adds. �Great, then your �It�, close your eyes and count to 20.� Chris adds as we all scatter around the pool. �Marco!� Sarah yells. �Polo!� We all yell back in unison. After Sarah finds TJ, he�s it, then Wade, then Joey. We play for about 20 minutes, everyone is having fun. �Marco!� Joey yells. As everyone yells Polo, Justin slowly climbs out of the pool in attempt to run around and jump in on the other side of Joey. Joey is silent and hears someone climbing out of the pool. �Fish out of water!� Joey yell sand Justin freezes. �Damn.� He mutters and jumps back into the pool as Joey opens his eyes to look at his caught fish. �Marco!� Justin yells. Justin�s it for a few minutes and can�t seem to get anyone. He slowly finds his way to my small corner of the pool that I had been hiding in. I think about swimming away quickly but I�m scared he�d hear me and be able to grab me quicker then I can swim. My opportunity is lost when he slowly starts closing in on me. I try to whisper �Polo� as quietly as possible but he�s so close now I know he can hear me. He�s less than a foot away from me now. �Polo.� I say quietly and grin because I know he can hear me clearly. There�s no way of getting out of this. �Marco.� He says in a husky tone. With his eyes still closed Justin slides his hands around my waste and my heart starts pounding. I gently reach my hands up around his neck, and lean in slowly. I search every feature of is face, trying to read it. Justin moves his hands up my back and sends chills down my spine. I close my eyes as my lips inch closer and closer to his. I get all lightheaded as I feel his breath against my lips, I know the moment is coming, and then� �POLO!!!� About 20 people yell out in unison. Justin and I instantly pull apart, snapping our eyes open. I feel a pang in my heart because his eyes linger on mine for more than a second, maybe even a minute. It's like the two of us are stuck in each other's gaze. �POLO!!!� We hear again, and snap us out of our trance. �Has Justin drowned?!?! Where are you dude?� Chris half jokes from the across the pool. �I uh� MARCO!� He yells and slowly backs away from me. �POLO!!!� With that he turned around and swam away. Leaving me there, completely in shock at what had almost happened. I can�t believe we almost kissed. What kind of person am I to have almost kissed someone the day after I broke up with my boyfriend!? A horrible person� Wait, I�m not the terrible person, Reg cheated on me. He probably doesn�t even care that we broke up� I don�t either, I hope that bastard is happy with that little tramp. Besides, Justin is so� Justin. I mean, yea, okay, he�s cute� really cute, and funny� he can always make me laugh no matter what kinda mood I�m in, and he�s sweet� definitely the sweetest guy I�ve ever known, and smart, and talented, and� What was my point again? Ugh. This just can�t happen� Can it? I mean, do I like him like him? Wait, the question should be, have I ever stopped like liking him�? And the answer would be� no. But that doesn�t matter, I�m sure he can�t still like me. I mean, it�s been 4 years. But what about that almost kiss? That almost kiss definitely gave me butterflies. And I don�t get butterflies very often, except when I�m with him, he�s always had that effect on me, ever since I was 11. �Yo! Brit! You comin� or what?� JC�s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I look up and everyone is getting out of the pool. �Uh�� I stare at him blankly. �Us. Cold. Jacuzzi. Now�� He states each words simply. �Yea. I�m freezing my butt of in hear. This �heated� pool could definitely use some more heat.� I say as I swim to the latter on the side of the pool and climb out. I take a seat in the hot tub across from Justin, who is busy laughing at something Joey said. The Jacuzzi area is lit much better than the pool. This is the first time I�ve seen Justin without a shirt on clearly, he is definitely built�well. I blush a little and peel my eyes off him. Wade, one of my new dancers is sitting next to him and I can�t help notice where his eyes fall� lets just say there a little south of my eyes. I sink down into the water uncomfortably. Justin looks up and locks his eyes on mine, I smile awkwardly and turn my attention to Chris as he speaks. �So guys� and ladies,� he says and smiles at Charissa. �I purpose a game of truth or dare.� �Oh that game is so much fun!� Charissa looks at Chris and rolls her eyes. �When I was 13�� She says sarcastically. �Ha-ha. If you don�t want to play that�s fine, but we still get to dare you.� �No way! Fine, fine. I�ll play. And I go first. Chris truth or dare?� She says with an evil grin on her face. �Truth.� He says. �Wimp.� JC shoots. �Okay, out of the people in this hot tub who are you most attracted to?� �Aside from Joey that is�� Justin jokes and everyone laughs. �Of coarse, of coarse. Well um� I hate to boost your ego like this, seeing as it is already way too big, but� you.� Chris answers looking at Charissa. �Oh.� Charissa says and smiles almost shyly as she and Chris glance at eachother. �Alright, my turn. Britney truth or dare?� Wade says. �Do you even have to ask? It�s always truth, she�s such a scaredy cat�� Justin teases me playfully. I raise my eyebrows at him, pretending to be shocked by his comment. �Dare.� I cock my head to the side and smile at Justin. He raises his eyebrow and smirks back at me. �Uh� okay.� Wade says with a twisted smile. �I dare you to jump into the pool� naked.� His eyes bore into mine, I start to feel very uncomfortable under his gaze. �Hey! No. No form of nudity is allowed for minors! That includes myself and Brit.� Justin says quickly. I silently thank him for being so protective. �What?! Since when? Who made up that rule!?� Wade whines. �Since now, and I did.� Justin says sternly. �Okay. Okay. New person. JC.� Joey says putting a stop the arguing and turns to JC who has his arm slumped around Keri�s shoulder. �Truth or dare.� �Uh� Dare.� JC says with a cocky grin. �Wait! I never got to dare someone.� Wade points out. �Keri truth or dare?� He says briskly. �Wait, Wait Wait! I never got my dare!� Chris says loudly. �And I got one that I know will appease both of you two�� He says with an evil grin and turns his attention to JC and Keri. �You two, have to jump in the pool and trade bathing suits under water! Then jump out and model them for us.� As he finishes everyone is the tub hoots at Chris�s good idea. �No way you perv! I�m not going topless!� Keri giggles at Chris. �We�ll give you a t shirt. Besides, this dare�s main purpose is to allow us all an opportunity to laugh at JC in a bikini.� She laughs and says, �I�m in.� �Uh, I don�t know�� JC says hesitantly. �Aw, come on baby. I know your dyeing to show off those sexy legs.� Keri chokes out in between giggles and squeezes JC�s thigh. JC�s cheeks turn red as everyone laughs. �C�mon man! You can�t back down now�� Lance urges. �Yea� okay, okay.� JC says and everyone cheers. He and Keri both hop out of the hot tub and walk over to the pool, which is about 20 feet away. The jump in, and half the people in the hot tub all stand up to get a better look. The spot next to me, where Chris had been, is freed up so Justin slowly glides across the tub and sits next to me. I smile shyly at him and he bows his head, staring into the water. �Brit, about before� in the pool, I-� He starts to say quietly before cut off by the cheers coming from everyone in the Jacuzzi with us. I look up to see JC and Keri bashfully stepping out of the pool. Keri is sporting JC�s board shorts and a dark T-shirt. And JC� well he�s wearing Keri�s skimpy bikini top and bottom. We all immediately burst into laughter. Keri is laughing along silently and JC looks like he�s about to die. �Yeah, yeah. Can we change back now?!� JC pleads as he tries to hide his um� package with his hands from the rest of us. �No way man. You gotta do �your little thang on the catwalk�.�� Chris sings and looks around at the rest of us. ��I�m a model you know what I mean��� He continues to sing. The rest of us catch on and start to sing along. �And I do my little turn on the catwalk Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah I shake my little touche on the catwalk� JC takes a deep breath, and slowly follows Keri on a little strut past the Jacuzzi once and back as we all continue to half sing, half laugh. �I'm too sexy for my too sexy for my too sexy for my 'Cos I'm a model you know what I mean And I do my little turn on the catwalk Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah I shake my little touche on the catwalk� Then we all erupt in hoots and laughter as JC quickly runs to the robe shelves and wraps one around himself. Keri follows behind him and grabs one herself. �I have to go drown myself in mortification�� JC yells to us and he stalks away. �Don�t wait up kids, we�ll see you all tomorrow!� Keri giggles and grabs JC�s hand as they head back to the hotel. �Chris, that was definitely one of the greatest dare�s of all time, as of now, you are reigning dare champion!� Justin declares and we all agree. �You guys I�m getting all pruney�� Tania says. �Same here, I think I�ve had enough hot tub antics for tonight.� Charissa adds. �Yea, we better head up.� Lance says as we all start to stand up. �While we all still have our dignity� unlike JC�� Justin chuckles. We all climb out of the Jacuzzi and walk over to the towel shelves. I stand behind Joey waiting to squeeze in and grab a towel. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Wade�s eyes are groping my body. This is ridiculous, that boy needs to get himself a woman and fast. I cross my arms across my chest and shuffle around, trying to keep warm and hide from Wade�s prying eyes. People continue to grab towels in front of me as I shiver in the cold night�s air. Justin reaches over my head and grabs two towels. He wraps one around my shoulders and we move back a bit, giving everyone else room to grab a towel. �Thanks.� I say and smile up at him. I�m thankful for the towel and for blocking Wade�s view. �I didn�t want you to freeze, I could tell you weren�t gonna be able to reach those towels Shorty.� He says as a grin spreads across his face. �I am not short!� I say as we walk over to the lounge chairs. �Oh no� Coarse not, your just vertically challenged.� He says and I start to giggle. �Well I�m scared of heights anyway�� I say and nudge him in the side. We stop at the chairs where our stuff is. Justin towels off his well-defined chest and runs the towel over his messy curls. I do the same and flip my hair. I toss the wet towel on a chair and step into my sandals. When I turn around, Justin steps up from behind me and helps me put my robe on. �I could reach the robe ya know �� I say sarcastically and giggle. �I know.� He says and smiles that crooked smile of his that I love and I can feel my cheeks flush. He slips his robe on and we follow everyone else towards the hotel doors. All of us girls go back to the hotel room together. Sarah, Kirsten and Charissa are glued to the mirror brushing the tangles out of their hair. While Tania is changing in the bathroom. �What do you guys think of Justin?� I subconsciously say out loud from one of the beds. �Don�t worry Brit, we know he�s off limits.� Kirsten says and jumps on the bed next to the one I�m sitting on. �What do you mean �off limits�?� I say and turn to her. �She means, we know you guys have a thing.� Sarah says looking at me through the mirror. �A thing?� I raise my eyebrows and smile. �Like� a connection.� Kirsten continues. �A loooooove connection.� Charissa says and we all giggle. �So you think he likes me?� I say trying to sound casual and continue to brush my tangled wet hair. �Are you kidding? Duh, girl that boy is totally into you!� Charissa says and sits on the other side of the bed. �It�s so obvious. He�s got it bad.� Kirsten says. I smile to myself as they all giggle. Tania walks out of the bathroom, dressed the same as all of us, in sweats and a t shirt. �You like him too don�t you?� Tania says, who obviously had been listening to our convo from the other side of the door. �Yes! Yes! Yes!� My head screams. �I just broke up with my boyfriend!� I say as if they were crazy to even consider that and giggle. I struggle with whether or not I should tell them about how he almost kissed me, or I almost kissed him� whatever. �Oh, sorry� What was the problem?� Tania lowers her voice. �Well there were a lot� I guess the main one was that I just wasn�t in love with him, I never was, and towards the end I didn�t even really like him that much�� �Well good! Then you are over him-� Kirsten starts to say. �Because you were never under him.� Sarah interrupts and I roll my eyes. �And now you can move under Justin.� Charissa says and we all burst into laughter. �Shut. Up!� I choke out after I stop laughing and grab the pillow off the bed and slug her over the head. �Hey!� Charissa squeals. She grabs a pillow from behind her but as she is about to hit me with it Tania throws a pillow at her head, knocking her back down onto the bed. I start laughing loudly right before Kirsten hits me in the back with a pillow. We continue on with our pillow fight until we are exhausted and fall asleep watching Molly Ringwald movies. They fall asleep with thoughts of 16 Candles, Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, but all I can think about is Justin and the proximity our lips were just a few hours before. |
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