| There were so many things going through Natalie�s mind. Number one: She had a song to write. Natalie absolutely loved her song. Being a writer, both when dealing with song or prose, she knew you had to be a perfectionist. And that she was. She had honed down every single song she had ever written to the best it could be, and still she wasn�t completely content with them. But this song. This was different. She�d written it in just an hour and barely changed any of it. It was still missing a chorus and the endings to each verse, but she loved it, even still. But it killed her that she just couldn�t find the right words to finish it. Number two: She was supposed to perform a song, that still wasn�t finished, in less than two weeks. She knew she would never be able to get to the Crest and play her song and say she was Natalie Harris. That was out of the question. The only conclusion she had yet was to somehow ditch the concert next Friday and play at the Crest as Britney Spears. But, then again, that was mostly out of the question also� The final thing Natalie kept thinking about was bugging her the most, though, at the moment, didn�t seem as important as the first two. But it was always in her head since the subject was always in front of her. Number three: Justin or Lance. She�d only been on the road with the whole gang for a wild and tiring two performances, the third quickly coming up that night. But somehow, she�d managed to decipher the mysteries of every single important person around, and most of all, Justin and Lance. Justin really was a wonderful guy. He was sweet and funny and romantic and almost unbearably sexy. But Lance was something else. He was sweet and funny, too. Definitely not as sexy as Justin, but adorable in the cutest way possible. But there was something else about him too. Natalie couldn�t quite put her finger on it, but it was for sure good, and Justin for sure didn�t have it. All she could conclude on this problem was summarized in one never-ending mantra that she continued to repeat to herself every time the dilemma between choosing came up. Britney Spears is dating Justin, but Natalie Harris isn�t. Natalie giggled to herself. It was terrible and stupid and cheesy, but in the end, it was true. The whole situation was immensely confusing, especially her first night, back home in Seattle. It had been fun with Lance then. He reminded her of Nathan, but more on the boyfriend-ly side than the brotherly. Natalie could barely separate the countless times she and Nathan had had food fights. Justin was fun and so sweet and romantic. He�d come into her room after Lance had left and they�d watched a movie and done other things she couldn�t remember (probably thanks to that little boost in Lance�s hot chocolate) and she woke up with Justin�s arms protectively around her, his face buried in her hair. It had been weird, but nice, too. Natalie groaned, frustrated. JC laughed next to her. �Was that you grunting or your stomach?� �Oh, no,� she mumbled, standing up from her seat next to him. �I�m not hungry. I�ll grab a muffin later or something�� Her mind definitely was not on eating at that moment. She strolled down the hallways, a faraway look in her eyes, and she replied to no one that spoke to her along her way. She was only set on reaching her destination. In the end, Natalie was behind a tall thick black curtain which she struggled through but, finally, she wiggled her way under it to find herself on the half-finished stage set. She made her way to a pile of instruments and at the very bottom found her jackpot. Natalie tugged at a sea green electric guitar and a pastel pink one and dragged their cords to the edge of the stage at the center. The green one was a bass guitar, she noticed, and she gently tossed it aside. She examined the pink electric guitar with loving awe. Adjusting a few strings, she laughed. �Just like Mark Hoppus�,� she whispered, nostalgically. �But not so deep.� <Author�s Note: For those of you lost in your pop fantasies, Mark Hoppus is one-third and bassist of the band Blink 182.> Natalie dangled her legs over the edge of the stage and rested the guitar on her thigh. �Might sound a little weird but�� she said to herself, picking the first song she could think of besides her own that still lacked a chorus. �Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road,� she sang softly to herself, her fingers cleverly guiding the pick along the strings, �Time grabs you by the wrist/directs you where to go/So make the best of this test/and don�t ask why/It�s not a question/but a lesson learned in time/It�s something unpredictable/but in the end/it�s right/I hope you had the time of your life/ �So take the photographs/and still frames in your mind/Hang it on a shelf/in good health and good time/Tattoos of memories/and dead skin on trial/For what it�s worth/It was worth all the while.� Natalie strummed a few fancy adlibbed chords between the second verse and the chorus before finishing the song off in a whisper. �It�s something unpredictable/but in the end it�s right-� �I hope you had the time of your life,� a voice finished for her. Natalie nearly hit the ceiling and she frantically looked around for the person who was watching her. Her eyes darted to the right corner of the stage on the floor and noticed Lance leaning against a big speaker. His hands were in his pockets and he sent a half smile up to her. �Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me,� Natalie gulped, her hand on her chest. �Glad to be of service,� he replied, heaving himself onto the stage. He scooted his way over to her and stopped only when their legs were side to side and touching. This made Natalie jump once more. It was one thing kissing Justin and sleeping in the same bed with Justin and kissing Justin and kissing Justin� but it was something else when Lance touched her. He gave her a funny look. �What�s wrong?� She shook her head. �Nothing, nothing,� she reassured. Lance pulled the guitar away from her grasp and studied it thoughtfully. �Didn�t know you played the guitar,� he mumbled, taking the pick and strumming a soft F chord. �Didn�t know you played the guitar,� she repeated, eyes widening. He turned to her seriously. �I don�t.� �Who was that playing my favorite song ever?� The two on the stage looked up at the voice. Joey was walking down the aisle towards them. �Since when did you start playing the guitar?� he asked loudly to Lance. �I didn�t play it,� he shouted back. Joey took a seat in the center fourth row. �Little Miss Britney over here was playing it.� Joey lifted his eyebrows, impressed. �Guitar? Hmm, I didn�t-� �Huh? Who plays the guitar?� All three in the venue stared over at their new guest. Justin came strolling down the aisle on the other side of the place and glanced at what he thought had been empty. Natalie wasn�t sure if she was the only one who noticed, but when Justin�s eyes darted at her and Lance, the look in his eyes wasn�t as curious as the tone in his voice. It was� angry. �Lance plays the guitar?� Justin snorted, taking a seat next to Joey. Lance frowned slightly and handed the guitar to Natalie. She looked down at it and pretended it was just her and it, until Justin spoke up again. �You play the guitar, Pinky?� he asked, incredulously. Natalie looked down, slightly embarrassed. Oh yeah, they thought she was Britney, huh. �Yeah,� she said, softly, �I do.� �And she�s good!� Joey commented, brightly. Lance must have noticed Justin�s death glares because Natalie felt him softly inch away from her side. Natalie didn�t see it that time, but only caught Justin doubtfully saying, �Play something for me!� Natalie shrugged. �I don�t know what to play.� �Play anything,� Justin prodded, his arms crossed at his chest. He had a smirk on his cute little face, as if he had no doubt in his mind that she couldn�t do it. �Play �Time of Your Life� again!� Joey suggested, his eyes bright. �Have you ever written anything?� Justin asked. Natalie wasn�t sure why he was acting like this. Normally he was really sweet and caring and always stood up and was behind her, or at least behind Britney, all the way with everything she did. But at that moment it was different. It was like he was saying that he wrote the songs and he had the talent and, well, Britney didn�t. Natalie wasn�t quite sure if Britney had the talent, but she sure as hell had it. How come all of a sudden it was like he was trying to prove her wrong? �Actually,� she spoke up, looking him harshly in the eye, �I have.� �So play it,� he instructed. He leaned back in his seat, his arms still crossed. Natalie wasn�t sure if she saw it or heard it, but she thought she had seen him mumble to himself about this being good. Natalie picked the strings a few times beginning the song she was dreading. �Turn it inside out so I can see,� she sung, �The part of you that�s drifting-� �What are you guys doing?� The concentrated concentration on Natalie�s song was interrupted by a curious and upset voice coming from the back area. Michelle appeared from behind the curtain. �What are you all doing here?� she asked. Natalie watched as she glared at Justin, barely glanced at Joey or Lance, and then fell upon her with the Gaze of Death. �Is that my guitar?� she asked. �Well, I don�t know,� Natalie replied, coldly. What was this girl�s problem? Why couldn�t they just be friggin� friends? They were the only girls on the tour, after all. And if it was her guitar, can�t she at least let a fellow musician borrow the damn thing? �I thought it was so I started messing around with it and retuning your strings, even though no one thinks I even know how to do that, and for the sole reason of pissing you THE HELL OFF.� There was an angry silence until Joey interrupted, commenting, �Well, I thought you played an acoustic guitar anywa, Shelly.� �It�s Michelle, Joey,� she corrected. �Alright, sorry.� There was a long and awkward pause. �But, yeah I do play the acoustic guitar,� Michelle finally said, sheepishly, �It�s not mine. I just heard the guitar. Thought you got the cord to your personal tanning booth mixed up with the guitar amps and sat on it or something.� Natalie groaned. She really wanted to be friends with this girl but Michelle just wouldn�t give her the damn chance! She wasn�t going to put up with this. Not now. Natalie stood up and angrily hopped off the stage. Her knee made a popping noise. �Ow!� she screamed. Lance hopped down from the stage and Justin rushed over to her side. Joey followed behind, but Michelle stayed in one place. �Fuck!� Natalie wailed. Justin came and knelt down by her leg, kissing her knee softly. Natalie smiled down at him and he looked lovingly up at her. She turned her head to Lance. His arms were crossed in an annoyed kind of way and he stared at her blankly. �You okay?� �Yeah, I�m good,� she groaned. �You sure?� Joey asked. She nodded and leaned down kissing Justin softly on the side of the mouth. �I�ll see y�all later,� she called over her shoulder, hobbling out of sight. |