"Mandie knew it Justin...I guess she didn't tell you her and Brit used to be friends...she told her that she was using you," Cass said calmly.
"I can't believe I didn't believe her," he slammed his fist down on the couch, not hurting himself, "Too bad you can't beat your fist around with your damn hand."
"Shut the fuck up!" Cass yelled at him and turned her head away from him, but felt her heart beating even faster when she didn't look at him. 'How can I be in love with a heartless bastard?' she thought to herself.
"We were in love yesterday, how could this have happened?" Justin let his fingers sift through his curls as his head sunk onto them, "I knew it was coming when she said it, I just didn't believe it," Justin walked out of the room and down the hall to where the studio to TRL was. He quietly walked in and noticed how Carson was flirting uncontrollably with Mandie and she just laughed along with him thinking it was all a joke. But Justin knew better. This was no joke. Carson had talked to him earlier about using Cass to get closer to Mandie. That bastard, Justin thought. No one should use anyone.
Justin kept his tongue though, it would get him in deep shit. They saw Sir Elton walk out and past Carson and Carson suddenly turned his head to Justin, giving him an eye like "you better keep this a secret". Justin just nodded his head and didn't realize Cass was right behind him.
"What was that all about?" Cass asked in a bitchy tone.
"What was what about?" He asked as if he knew nothing.
"That Carson and you thing."
"What do you mean?... I was just saying hi to a friend that's all."
"Bullshit Justin what's going on?"
"Carson and Mandie have a tight friendship that's all and Carson said hi to me," Justin hated to lie to her, but he had to. No one was to know about Carson and Mandie, not even Lance.
Cass seemed to fall for the lie, kind of, "Well okay, Mandie never really told me her and Carson were friends..."
"Damnit, Cass, does she have to tell you every god damn thing?!?" Justin yelled at her.
"No, she just does okay?" Cass said a little fearfully as she put up her hurt hand, blocking herself from Justin's raised arm, threatening to hit her again.
"Sorry Cass, I'm just kinda upset."
"Because of Britney?"
"Uh huh...she told me to say on TRL that we were over but I don't think I will. It will just bring more publicity."
"That's true... hey if Carson and Mandie are just friends why is he hella flirting with her?"
"He's just like that," Justin replied, heading back over to the couch. Cass just sighed as she heard Mandie calling to Cass for her to come over. Cass looked back at Justin longingly and then walked over to meet the two.
"Hey Cass, I've been looking forward to meeting you," Carson stuck out his hand and Cass shook it, looking him in the eye, wondering why he was flirting with Mandie.
"Thank you for inviting me," Cass replied uneasily.
"You know what, its no problem... Mandie here was telling me how you guys met."
"Oh yah...can I steal her for a few?"
"Of course."
"Thank you," Cass drug Mandie over to the lobby, "First means first...Brit broke up with Justin."
"Figures. Why?"
"She said something about not enough publicity or something I dunno�"
"I knew it."
"But she told you so..."
"True."
Cass turned around and saw Justin talking to Carson "Now what's this with you and Carson?"
"What do you mean?" Mandie stared over at Carson.
"I mean, he's obviously trying to get fresh, what's up with you putting up with that?" Cass asked.
"He's not trying to get fresh with me! He's just being friendly, that's who he is, Cass," Mandie said angrily.
"I'd say differently," Cass sighed and looked over at Justin and Carson.
"Don't lie to me, you're trying to hit on her," Justin directed to Carson.
"So what? She's falling for it," Carson smiled.
"So what my ass! She's going to be Lance's girlfriend as soon as tonight."
"And as you can see Timberlake, I'm trying to prevent that from happening," he smiled again, looking over at Mandie and Cass.
"As Lance's BEST friend I cannot let you go through with this."
"And why is that?"
"Cuz Lance is already after her and it's not right to lure Cass here to get to Mandie�it's just plain wrong."
"Whatever ... I want Mandie and you can't handle that why not??"
"Carson, face it! Mandie's sprung over Lance and Lance is sprung over Mandie."
"If you even breathe a word of this to her, your career is over."
"How so?"
"I have ways," Carson smiled as Justin walked away and tapped Mandie on the shoulder.
"What's up?" Mandie turned around and Justin gave her a huge hug, "Okay, something is seriously up your ass, and it's a good thing."
"You're gonna be Lance's girl," he said in almost a threatening tone and then he thought 'whether Carson likes it or not'.
"Okay what do you mean by your little comment there, Justin?"
"Well um nothing," he gave her another hug but this time whispered into her ear, "Whatever you do...do not give into Carson ok?" he pulled back.
"Why?"
"Just don't."
"Okay, whatever you say, Curly," Mandie brushed a quick hand through his curls as they heard it was 5 minutes until the show. Cass and Justin went back over to the couch as they heard the crowd start to scream as Carson did his little "pre-show preview" and then it went back to normal. He went to chat with a few fans before the show started and Mandie quickly followed. Cass sat by Lance, smiling when she saw him, but was still afraid to even look at Justin.
"So are you busy tonight?" Lance asked Cass who was holding her hand in pain.
"What do you mean�I know you are."
"Umm... never mind."
"Whatever..."
"So what's up with Carson...he is very strange today."
"I don't know, maybe he smoked crack before he came on," Cass laughed.
"So seriously, what are you doing tonight?" Lance asked again.
"I already told you, you're going out, I'm staying at home and being bored, what about it?"
"Well Justin's not busy tonight either, maybe you guys could get together."
"Don't be hookin us up!" Justin yelled and turned around the other direction.
"Yeah, he couldn't stand to be near me for more than 10 minutes!" Cass yelled to Justin.
"Here we go again," Lance sighed and saw Carson come in and take Mandie's hand. He figured it was just time for her to go on. But then noticed the look Carson was giving him.
Lance had the biggest jaw drop of his life. Carson had this "ha ha, I've got your bitch" look as he took Mandie's hand and escorted her on the stage. Lance was now extremely jealous and extremely pissed.
"Don't make me hit you again!" Justin yelled at Cass.
"Oh I'm not afraid of you!" Cass yelled back and Lance tried to break them apart before one of them started actually hitting the other, forgetting his ordeal with Carson.
"Bring it on, bitch!" he started to swing his arm towards her and Lance caught it. He had had enough of their fighting and was about to say something about it.