Katie pulled out a blue AE shirt and a pair of jean shorts and grabbed black sandals. �Ali!� Ali poked her head from the bathroom door. �Yeah?�
�Come with us, please?� Katie begged. Ali sighed. �Oh, Katie, I don�t know�� �Please?� Katie asked pleadingly. �Only if Justin can come too.� Katie nodded. �Fine.�
�Ok.� Katie put her hair half-up and grabbed her purse. �Meet ya outside.�
�K.� Katie walked out the same time as JC. She saw him. �Hey.�
�Goin� out?� She nodded. �Yeah�� He nodded. �Have fun.�
�What about you?� He shrugged. �I�m gonna go see some friends.� She forced a smile. �You have fun, too.� He looked down. �Yeah.� Ali came out. �Ready now. Hey, JC, wanna come?� He shook his head. �No thanks. I�m gonna go see friends.� She nodded. �Oh, well, ok!� She knocked on Justin�s door. Justin walked out. �I�m coming.� He wrapped his arm around her waist. �Let�s go.�
�You guys go on ahead.� Said Katie. Ali looks at her. �Sure?� Katie nodded and they walked off. �JC, look, I�� He held up a hand. �No, K, it�s cool, alright.� She sighed. �I just want things to be ok.�
�They are.� She shrugged. �If you say so. I gotta go. Bye.� She walked off hastily. He sighed, but took the stairs. Katie joined Ali, Justin, Matt, Josh and Jackie. �Are we ready?� Justin looked at them. �Where ya�ll wanna go?�
�No clubs please.� Katie said with a smile. �Hey, wait. Christina�s tonight- I thought we were gonna go�� Ali said. Justin nodded, remembering. �That�s right, I forgot that was tonight. Let�s go.� Katie looked at her 3 other friends. �Is that ok?� Matt smiled. �Yeah.� He put his arm on the small of her back. �Let�s go.� Katie looked at her cousin. �Hey, Just. Can we walk?� He nodded. �Yeah, it�s not too far.� They started walking. Jackie looked at her friend. �So, how�s the tour going?�
�It�s good.� Katie said honestly. Justin grinned. �The audience loves her.� Josh laughed. �As do the people back home. �Wishing on you� gets a lot of airplay.� Katie beamed. �Actually I wrote another song. I was hoping one of ya�ll could take me to the studio?� Justin smiled. �Sure. You should probably talk to JC- he�s the studio-guy.� Katie nodded. �I�ll keep that in mind.� Ali could sense this was not a topic Katie wished to elaborate on, so she changed the subject. �So Jackie, Josh, when did ya�ll start goin� out?� Jackie smiles. �Couple months ago.� Josh nods. �Yep.� He smiled at her. Katie shook her head. �And the way they fight, you�d think they were an old married couple.� Jackie nodded. �That�s us.� Ali laughed. �Cute.�
�So, ya�ll two together?� He asked referring to Ali and Justin. Justin beamed, then smiled at her. �I�d think so.� Ali smiled up at him, then rested her head on his shoulder. Jackie laughed. �We�ll take that as a yes!� Matt nudged Katie. �Hey, you ok?� She looked at him. �Huh?�
�I was just seein� if you were ok�� She smiled. �Oh, ah, I�m fine.� He smiled. �Good.� They reached the amphitheatre and Justin pulled out a cap and shades. �Don�t exactly wanna get recognized. C�mon, we get in back.� He flashed his VIP pass. The guard cleared them and let them pass. Matt looked at his girlfriend, who�s been oddly quiet. �Hey, K, you sure have been quiet. You�re always talking.� She looked at him. �I guess I�m a bit out of it. Long ride. Um, so where you guys stayin�?�
�Bout 10 min. from ya�ll.� Matt said smiling. She smiled. �That�s great.� Justin noticed his cousin didn�t have her usual cheerfulness, that well-known spunky flair as usual. �Hey, K. �Movie�s don�t make psycho�s, movie�s make psycho�s more creative.�� She grinned. �Billy Loomis. Scream.� He laughed. �Ya still got it.� She smiled. �Yep.� All of a sudden an excited Christina Aguilera came running up. �Justin! Hey!� She said smiling. Justin grinned. �Hey, gal.� Christina looked at Katie and gasped. �Omigosh! Katie! It�s been so long!� She gave her a big hug. �You recognized me?� Christina laughed. �It�s your eyes. You have the same sparkly blue eyes and I knew right off, plus you�re with Justin, so I took a wild guess.� Katie smiled.
�I can�t wait to see you up there! I can never forget how you belted out Whitney Houston�s �I Have Nothing�. Christina laughed. �It all seems so long ago- I even remember when me, you, Justin, JC and Brit had the whole itching powder thing.� Katie covered her mouth. �Omigosh! I remember!� Justin laughed. �Me and JC still bring that up.� Christina laughed. �Well guys, I gotta go, enjoy the show , I luv u guys!� She waved and ran off. �Still so nice. She always was.� Katie replied, smiling. Justin nodded. �Yup. Let�s go get some seats.� They walked off and found their seats. Destiny�s Child comes on starting off with Bills, Bills, Bills. Katie turned to Justin. �Thanks.� He smiled. �You�re my cuz.� Matt put his arms around her waist. �Havin� fun?� She smiled. �Yeah, I am.�
�Miss me?� She leaned her head back. �I did.� He kissed her cheek. �Good.� The concert ends a while later and Katie has become very hyper. �That was awesome!� Ali nodded. �I know!� Justin held his stomach. �I don�t know bout ya�ll, but I�m hungry!� Jackie nodded, eagerly. �Ooh! Me too!�
�So, where we gonna eat?� Josh asked. They all turned to look at Justin. He shrugged. �What are ya�ll in the mood for?�
�Pizza.� Jackie grinned. �Tacos.� Ali said, smiling. Josh scrunched his face. �Italian.� Matt sighed. �I agree with Ali. Mexican.� Katie shook her head. �I vote on Chinese.� Justin looked worn-out just from hearing them. �Uh�� They all started laughing. Matt touched Katie�s shoulder. �Hey, I never knew you liked Chinese.� She shrugged. �I do now.� Justin raised his eyebrows. �JC take you?� She nodded. �Ahh, yeah.� Ali saw her friend, struggling and interrupted. �Well, I�m still hungry, so enough chat.� Katie smiled gratefully at her. Justin thought for a minute. �How bout Planet Hollywood? We won�t get hassled there and they got some good stuff. It�s not far.� They agreed and go on walking and talking.
(10-20 min. later)
Katie smiled. �Yay, we�re finally here.� Ali nodded. �Finally.� They walked in and got a table, when Justin heard his name being called and looked around. �J!� Justin sees JC and waves. �Hey! C! Sup, man? Wow! Weird findin� you here!� JC agreed. �Really, dude.�
�Who ya here with?� Justin asked, curiously. �Mel and Brandon, you?� Justin took a deep breath. �Well, let�s see. Ali, Jackie, Josh, Matt and Katie.� JC nodded. �Ohh. Katie have fun at the concert?� Justin shrugged. �Yeah, but� nevermind.� JC shook his head. �No, what?� Justin sighed. �She seems out of it.� JC looked down. �Oh.�
Just then, Katie walked up in search of Justin. �Hey, Justin, what are� oh, hey JC.� He nodded. �Hi.� She uncomfortably looked back. �Um, I�m gonna go back.� She turned around and ran smack into Matt. �Whoa!� He steadied her. �In a rush?� She shook her head and walked back to the table. Matt gave her a funny look, but followed. Justin looked at his friend closely. �What happened between you two?� JC pretended to be confused. �Nothing, why?� Justin rolled his eyes. �Oh, drop the act JC. I�ll ask again. What is going on between you and my cousin?! Spill it.� JC sighed miserably and lowered his voice. �Look, I kissed her, no big, she doesn�t want me, she wants him. End of story.� Justin shook his head. �The way she�s been acting, I believe otherwise. Bye.� He walked off leaving him, sadly watching after him.
Fifteen