"So I see you've met Patty." Justin nervously sat down on the other side of Elizabeth, biting his lip and trying not to stare at her.
"Yes, I have. And now...I've met..." For some reason Liz started laughing and she couldn't stop.
"Man, what is so funny girl?"
She quieted her laughs for a second and gave him a good stare. "Just. All those times, I thought you were kinda strange. But, I had no idea you were in a freakin' BOY BAND!"
"Hey, it's a noble profession." He shrugged with a smug grin.
"I still like considering you as Britney's boy, better."
"Oh god. Listen, just be quiet for a minute."
"Yes captain, my captain." She saluted him and he rolled his eyes.
"Ok, ok. That's Lance, JC, Chris, and Joey." HE pointed to each member of Nsync.
"Hey guys, sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you earlier, I was kinda in shock." She smiled and waved at the guys, they all nodded.
"I think we have someone else that's in shock too." Patty smiled at the young girl, sitting in the chair just staring at the 5 guys who had busted up in the room.
"Yeah, Lisa was really excited about meeting all of you." Liz said, glancing at her niece but keeping her focus on Justin.
"Umm, you know what? Lance come walk with me."
"Why?" Lance looked up at his girlfriend who was now already at the door.
"Cause I want to."
"But I want to talk more with Elizabeth."
"NOW!"
"Yes, ma'am." Lance stood up and followed Patty, leaving the rest of the room in giggles.
"Uhh, hey Lisa you want me to show you around. I'll take ya up on stage and all that good stuff. We can even meet some of the opening acts."
"YEAH!!" Lisa jumped out of her chair and ran over to JC who was smiling down at the little girl.
"Come on Joey, Chris. Let's show Lisa around."
"Whatever." Chris shrugged and followed them out of the room.
"Nice meeting you Liz."
Elizabeth smiled at Joey. "You too."
"I'll bring her back in a little bit." JC called.
"kay..." She waited for the room to clear out and then she said, "Well that wasn't obvious."
Justin didn't even acknowledge her comment. He just stared at her, amazed that she was really in front of him. "Lizzie, I can't believe it's really you."
She turned her eyes to him and crinkled her nose up in worry. "You aren't going to get all daytime-drama on me are ya? We don't need any slow-mo running hugs toward each other or anything."
He just grinned, staring at her.
Liz felt very strange under his eyes. He was looking all over her face and then letting his eyes wander to the rest of her body. She cleared her throat trying to make his eyes stop their travels. "This is so weird because, just while we were in line to go meet...Nsync, I was thinking how I should have told "CurlyJay" that we should have met, because you said you were going to be in Maryland."
"See...if I was any other just regular Joe it might work. But I'm kinda in the spotlight, and even though you said you didn't like boybands, I didn't know how you would have reacted to meeting a...famous person. And when you just yawned, and rolled her eyes and looked like you didn't give a damn about who I was...I was so happy."
Her brown eyes widen and she giggled a little bit. "Well I'm glad to know that my un-enthusiasm made you smile."
"Speaking of smiles, here you are cracking on my big smile...and you have a rather bright one yourself."
"I never said I didn't." She corrected him.
Out of nowhere he blurted, "You are a lot prettier than I was expecting."
She slapped her forehead with her hand. "Oh god, this is worse than smiley face 'I like you' crap you pull."
"No, I mean. I was kinda expecting just an average looking girl."
"I am average."
Justin smiled and leaned into her a bit, making her feel just a tad bit uncomfortable. "No you aren't Lizzie. I'm not trying to hit on you, but you're hot, girl."
"Thanks. I guess." she shrugged.
He didn't know what else to say. It was so different them being in person talking. It was kinda scary. Being online you had the option to say, do, and pretend anything you wanted. You had the time to be able to think about what you could type. But now, all that had changed. "Yeah..so uhh..."
But she interrupted him. "OH MY GOD!! So when you asked me that time if I thought Justin Timberlake was hot you, you...you punk."
He shrugged, bringing an innocent look to his face. "What? I had to know!!"
"Ohh you did, did you?"
"Yeah. I wanted to know what cha thought about me."
She chuckled and mumbled. "I'm glad I didn't say what I thought."
"Which was..."
"That he was some cocky, homosexual, peroxide obsessed freak that was worshiped just because he was the only on in the group that was even NEAR the age as his fans."
"Ouch." He scooted a little bit away from her on the couch.
"But, ya know what? The good thing is, I was right in my assumptions!!"
He shook his head at her comment. "Anyways, so tell me stuff. Like, this is kinda weird not doing this on the computer. How are things with Clay and your dad and all of your sisters and stuff."
"Everything is getting-"
Chris popped his head in the doorway and interrupted her. "Hey guys. Listen I hate to break this up but we got this last minute interview with teen people we have to do."
"Now?" Justin cringed.
"Yeah. Now. Patty is taking Lisa around, but everyone else is already headed toward the meeting. And after that we have dinner and then we gotta get dressed."
"Oh, well. Where was Patty the last time you checked?" Justin asked.
Chris thought for a moment then spoke. "I think she was showing Lisa the bus."
"Ohh, ok. Well...I'll be there in a sec ok? Let me go find Lisa so Eliz is not alone." Chris nodded and left.
"Aww, how sweet." Elizabeth sarcastically said.
"Yeah, come on." Justin stood up and offered his hands to help her off the couch. Liz tried not to blush, but she couldn't help but think about how her hands felt in his. But she wouldn't let this happen to her now.
He had dropped one of her hands, but was connected to her by his other as they walked through the hallways towards outside. She looked down at where they were joined. "Justin, let go of my hand."
"Oh sorry." he mumbled and dropped her hand.
"Well, ya know. You have a girlfriend AND don't start macking on me. Remember? I'm the boss of this relationship. You're my bitch. You do as I say. If I wanna hold your hand, I'll hold it."
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Oh, yeah I forgot you weren't into those sort of touchy feely things."
"Ohh, I can get into them. I can get REALLY into them. But, just depends on who I'm with."
"Yeah, and you hate me." He bowed his head and pretended to pout.
She just chuckled and nudged him with her elbow. "No, I don't hate you anymore. Severely dislike? Yes. I just don't want Britney to start throwing punches."
"Why? Afraid you might hurt her." He laughed loudly.
"Oh, no. I can't fight. I'd just sit there and let her swing at me until I look like a smurf."
He narrowed his dark blue eyes like he was trying to figure her out. "I can't believe that. Elizabeth I think you would fight her, and possibly beat her."
"Aww heck nah. I'd let her beat the crap outta me. Then I would sue her little "hit me baby one more time" self for every dime she was worth. Hehe, I'm so sweet." She smiled smugly.
He sighed and led her to the large black bus. "That you are Lizzie."
--------
Lisa and Liz had sat with Patty in the VIP section of venue during the whole concert. It was a lot better than their original seats, which weren't all the way in the rafters, but close enough. Liz actually convinced herself to have a good time even though it really wasn't her music. They did have an entertaining stage show.
And she couldn't help to have her eyes fixated on one member the whole time. It was almost like a complete 180 from the guy she talked to online. The CurlyJay she knew was funny, a little slow at times, and rather submissive to her. But Justin, this guy dancing around on stage like he was born there, was sexy; nailing every note and dance move, and dominating the crowd like a lion tamer. One crack of his whip, which for the fans was his swiveling hips and he controlled them in the palm of his hand.
Her friend, buddy, listener "curlygay" was the teenage population's sex symbol. He was a celebrity, he was an entertainer, and he was somehow capturing Liz in that palm of his hand, with the other millions of girls out there.
And when Patty ushered them back stage and back after the concert and he was standing there talking with some people, water bottle in hand, towel around his neck, sweat-soaked white tank sticking to his skin, Elizabeth had to force all of her attention on her worn out niece so that she wouldn't stare.
-Do not turn into a teenie, do not turn into a teenie. - She scolded herself as Justin led Liz and Lisa back into the dressing room. JC was wondering around without his shirt on making Liz's eyes widened and Joey was lying on the couch talking on his cell phone.
"Umm, listen. We are in town all tomorrow. We head up to Philadelphia, Sunday. Would uhh, you wanna do something tomorrow?" Justin scratched his sweaty bleached curls and looked at her, preparing himself for the worst.
"Uh, yeah. Here let me give you my phone number and you can call me tomorrow morning. I think I need to get Lisa back." Elizabeth looked down at her niece.
"I'm tired annieliz." The girl said holding on to her aunt's waist fingering the arms of the sweater that had been tied around her.
"I know girly." Liz patted her back and Justin handed her a pen and slip of paper. She scribbled her number on it and handed it back.
Justin chuckled and held it to his chest, gushing. "Man, she really likes me. I got her number."
"Eh, dont..ugh. I'm too tired to think of a comeback." Liz shook her head and chuckled.
"Hey, Patty you wanna show Liz and Lisa the easy wait out. I'll be sure to call. What's too early?" He asked her, looking at the paper and then smiling at her.
"You call me before 8 on a Saturday and I will personally rip your ba...nevermind, just know that it will be painful, KAY?" She fake smiled, brightly.
"I'm just going to pretend that that's one of your sarcastic comments. KAY?" He mocked her.
"All right." She chuckled, walking over to where Patty was tiredly leaning again the doorway.
"See ya tomorrow Liz. Good meeting you Lisa." HE waved at the little girl and she waved back with an exhausted smile.
"Later CurlyGAY." Liz chuckled and ducked out of the room before he could counter-attack.