Chapter 10
(One week later)
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. I heard someone at the front door. "Ann, could you get that?" I called.
"Why can't you?" she asked.
"I just got out of the shower!" I exclaimed. I heard the front door open.
"Alyssa, it's for you!" I heard my aunt call.
"Can't they wait just a minute?" I asked.
"I don't know, they seem like they really want to talk to you!"
"Alright," I sighed. "I'll be there in a sec." I put on my fluffy white robe and tightly tied the sash around my waist. I hurriedly ran a brush through my hair, then unlocked the door and stepped into the living room. "What's so important that-" I then stared at the five men sitting on the couch.
"Hey Alyssa!" Chris greeted.
"Hey guys!" I said, sitting down on the couch across from them. "Sorry for my attire!"
"It's just fine," Justin said with a grin.
I rolled my eyes. "What's going on?" I wondered.
"We just found out that we're going to be interviewed on TV!" Joey exclaimed.
"And you wanted to tell me this because why?" I asked, confused.
"When Joey said we?" JC explained, "he meant us and you."
Silence filled the room for a moment. "You mean I'm gonna be on a talk-show?" I asked, astonished.
"Yeah," Chris answered. "The Rosie O'Donnell Show!"
"When?" I asked.
"Tomorrow at noon," Lance informed me.
Silence once again fell upon us. "Well?" JC asked.
"Okay." I heard the guys sigh a breath of relief.
"We'll be by to pick you up at eleven," JC said, hugging me. I then hugged each one of the guys and then went to my room to change.
I undid the sash around my waist and was about to drop the robe when I heard a low whistle. "Would you care to turn around for me, miss?"
Quickly tying my sash back, I turned around and saw Justin. "What are you doing in here?" I asked him.
"I think I got a little lost," he chuckled.
"Well, I'l be happy to show you the door," I said, clutching my robe at the top.
"Actually, I think I did find the right door."
"What do you mean?" I asked. I took a step backwards, then he took a step towards me. "Justin, please get out of my room!" I ordered.
"What's the rush?" he asked. "Is there something you'd like to say?" I shook my head. "I understand," he said. "Words just don't describe the love you feel, does it?" He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. "Well then, is there something you'd like to do?"
"Justin Randall Timberlake," I said. "Get out of this room right now or I'll call the cops!"
He looked at me wide-eyed. "Jeez , Alyssa," he said, releasing me. "Is that all you can say?"
"GET OUT!" I nearly screamed.
"Fine!" he said, closing the door behind him.
"I HATE MEN!" I said to myself.
* * * * *
I climbed out of my bed. After stretching, I walked into the kitchen where my aunt was sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal. She greeted me with a smile. "You hungry?" she asked.
"No," I said, truthfully.
"Butterflies in your stomach?"
"No, I'm just not hungry," I answered.
"Your mom would be so proud of you!" Ann said.
"Thanks," I said, staring down at the table. "Well, I better go get ready!"
"Good luck!" she wished as I disappeared into the hall.
* * * * *
"We are here with Nsync and Alyssa Monson!" Rosie announced. The five men and I sat on stools. "So, how are you guys doing?"
"Pretty good," Chris answered.
"We'd like to welcome Alyssa Monson, this is your first time here, correct?"
"Yes," I replied.
"So, how did you guys meet each other?"
We exchanged glances. "Well, we actually kinda met two ways," Joey said.
"Tell us about them."
"Well, the first time we met her was when we stopped her from a huge fight," Chris said.
"Delayed it, not stopped it!" I reminded them.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," she said. "They stopped you from a fight?"
"As I said before, they just delayed it. We fought the day after."
"Did you win?" she asked me.
"Heck yeah!" I said, smiling.
"Anyway," Joey said. "The second time we met her was when we were doing auditions."
"So you did auditions to see who would perform with you guys?" They nodded their heads. "What did they have to do?"
"Well, first of all, they had to sign-up on a sheet then we asked them a couple of questions, they sang a song, and we judged them on that."
"How did you feel when you found out you won, Alyssa?"
The guys and I laughed. "She was pissed!" Justin said.
"She kept insisting that she didn't sign herself up!"
"I DIDN'T sign myself up!" I insisted. "It was Matt!"
"Whatever," Chris laughed.
"Who's Matt?" Rosie asked.
"He's the kid I beat up," I explained.
"Well, we're going to have a commercial break and then we'll be right back, so don't go away!" Rosie announced.
After we were off the air, JC turned to me. "So, how you holding up?" he asked me.
"So far, so good!" I said.
"That's good."
The cameraman was holding up five fingers, then four, three, two?"Welcome back ladies and gentlemen!" Rosie greeted. "We are here with Nsync and Alyssa Monson!" The audience cheered. "We have a question here from Amanda Snow and she asks 'during the concert, I noticed that JC had his arm around Alyssa. Is there anything going on between those two?'"
"No," I said with a chuckle. "He's just a friend, which actually surprises me!"
"It surprises you that JC's JUST your friend or that he's your friend?" she asked.
"That he's my friend," I laughed.
"And why's that?"
"I hate men!" I said with a chuckle.
"You hate men?" Rosie repeated.
"She does!" Chris agreed.
"So...do you like girls?"
"I'm not homosexual if that's what you're meaning." Then I looked at her. "No offense!"
There was some laughter from the audience. "Does the audience have any questions they'd like to ask?" she wondered.
She called on a blonde-haired lady. "Alyssa, do you have a least favorite member of Nsync?"
"Yes I do," I said, truthfully. The guys looked at me with wide, questioning eyes.
"Which guy don't you like?" the girl asked me.
"I'm not going to say."
Seeing that I wasn't going to say anything more on the subject, Rosie called on another lady. "Why don't you like that person?" A black-haired girl asked.
"So far, I haven't gotten a very good impression from him."
There was a second of silence, then a red-haired girl asked, "Who's your favorite member of Nsync, then?"
The guys looked at me. "If I had to choose one, it'd probably be JC." I heard JC breath a sigh of relief.
"JC?" Rosie repeated. "Why him?"
"Well, I love all of the guys-"
"Except for the one you hate," Rosie interrupted.
"Yeah," I chuckled. "Anyway, they're all nice to me and everything, but JC seems the nicest. No offense, guys."
"None taken," they said in unison.
"So, Alyssa, where did you learn to do sign language?" A brown-haired girl asked.
"From my mother," I answered.
"Your mother?" I nodded. "What was she, deaf?" Rosie laughed.
I could feel the tears start to form in my eyes. "No, she taught me because she babysat a girl who was deaf."
"Oh." Rosie turned to the audience. "Does anybody else want to ask someone anything?"
Rosie called on another girl with red hair. "Alyssa, where did you buy that outift!?!"
"JC Penny," I chuckled, looking down at my leather pants and tight-fitting shirt.
"JC, which member of Nsync is your least favorite?" a black-haired girl asked.
He chuckled. "I don't really have a least favorite. They're all like my brothers."
"Well, time's up," Rosie announced. "We'd like to thank Nsync and Alyssa for joining us today!"
"It was our pleasure," we all said together.
* * * * *
We sat in the limo. Everyone was staring at me. "Who don't you like?" Lance asked. When I remained silent, he asked, "Is it me?"
Pretty soon, all the guys were asking, "Is it me?"
"Listen, it's no big deal," I muttered.
"No big deal?" Justin cried. "You basically told the whole world you don't like one of us!" I remained quiet, staring out the window.
* * * * *
We pulled up at a McDonald's and got out of the limo. "What would you like, Alyssa?" Lance asked.
"Just a chocolate shake, please," I said. I walked over to an empty table and sat down. A few minutes later, JC joined me.
"So," he said. "Which guy is it?"
"You promise not to tell?" I asked and he nodded in agreement. I slid next to him and leaned over. "Justin," I whispered in his ear.
"That's a first!" JC said with a laugh, then looked at me. "Why don't you like him?"
"He's done a couple of things that-"
"What kind of things?" I looked down at the table. "Has he ever-"
"Hey guys!" Chris said as they came over with the food. "What ya guys talkin?about?"
"Who she doesn't like," JC answered.
The guys looked at him. "Who is it!?!" Justin asked.
"I'm sworn to secrecy," he said, holding up his hands in defense.
"C, please give us a hint!" Lance pleaded.
"He has a vowel in his name."
"That's helpful!" Chris exclaimed. "How many vowels does he have in his name?"
"Two," I said after taking a sip of my shake.
* * * * *
We were back in the limo and it was silent. We pulled onto my street. I saw lights flashing up ahead, and then I saw flames. As we got closer, I saw my bug parked in the driveway of the burning house. "Ann!" I exclaimed.
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