WILDFIRE
By Aysia Anderson (a.k.a. Nikki)
Chapter Twelve: Public
Speculation
“Both Justin and Camille were finding phenomenal success during this point in
their lives together. In England Justin was receiving rave reviews for his
tour’s live performances and here in America Camille’s movie was getting a
tremendous amount of good press even though there was yet another month left
scheduled in it’s filming. Months after the release of her debut album CD’s
were still flying off of the shelves just as Justin’s album was peaking at the
top of the charts selling an astounding amount of records.” Gary summarized
the period of time expertly. “Now it was at this time that both Justin and
Camille participated in a number of interviews and talk shows that actually
jumpstarted the rumor mill about the character of their relationship.”
Lynn took a sip from the glass of ice water that had been provided for her
before setting about filling in the blanks. “Justin had a very pivotal
interview with a Deejay in London about his new material and the muse behind his
writing while here in America Camille was making a guest appearance on BET’s
106 & Park to debut her new video and discuss her movie.” she cleared her
throat. “I guess that you could say at that point the media began to really
become suspicious. They had been able to play off the Grammy Awards but being
pinned together for a second time brought about questions that they weren’t
exactly ready to answer…”
////
“I thought you were going to come and see me when you got a break from
filming?” Justin questioned into his cell phone as he stepped into the radio
station with his people on his way up to Studio B to conduct an interview with a
local deejay.
“That was the plan but then I got a call from Johnny.” Camille answered on
the other side of the world sitting in a makeup chair backstage. “Apparently
BET had been clamoring to get me to make a guest appearance on 106 & Park
and right now is the right time for me to do that. I can debut the video and
talk about the movie.”
“Ah, very good promotion.” Justin laughed as he and his body guards walked
into the elevator being transported to the fourth floor of the building.
“That’s what Johnny said. Besides, I’ve always wanted to meet Free.”
“What about AJ?”
“He’s just her sidekick.” she cracked. “So what do you think this deejay
guy is going to ask you?”
“Most likely the general questions about the tracks on my album, what’s been
going on with me in my down time, and who I’ve been seeing since Cameron.”
Justin took a stab at an answer. “I’m just going to tell them in my down
time I’ve been working at getting you knocked up. What do you think they’ll
say to that?”
“Don’t go ruining my virginal image, dude.” she laughed as the stage
manager entered the room to inform her that she would be on in the next fifteen
minutes. “Thank you.”
“Who are you talking to over there?”
“Stage director.” she answered.
“Oh. Well, you know they call me Trousersnake over here? If I told them I was
trying to get you pregnant they’d believe it. I’m a lady killer.”
“Justin, do you remember when I met you and told you that you had some good
game?”
“Yes, I remember that.” he smirked.
“Well I was lying.”
“Oh, cold!”
“Mm hmm.”
“We’ll finish this conversation later, woman. I have to go play innocent and
answer these questions in here.” He began his farewell as he walked down the
hallway with his entourage and came to stand in front of the door to Studio B.
“Call me when you’re done with the show because I would hate to call you
while you’re on camera. There’s no way you could explain that.”
“You sure about that? I could come up with some shit under pressure.”
“Don’t tempt me. I’ll talk to you later, baby.”
“Alright.”
“I love you.”
Camille’s lips turned into a smile. “Do you?”
“Take it how you want to take it.” he joked. “Say it back.”
“That’s not an obligation, J.”
“Fine, let me feel like an asshole for saying it!”
“Don’t you have to go do an interview?”
“Yeah, but…”
“Then goodbye! I love you too.” she hung up the phone quickly feeling her
skin grow hot. “What?” she answered when the phone started to ring again and
she lifted it to her ear.
“You mean it?”
“Justin!”
“No, do you mean it? You love me?”
“You did not just call me back for that.”
“You’ve never said it before.”
Camille could hear a voice in the background pleading with Justin to get off of
the phone so they could begin the interview. He was holding them back. There was
a schedule that they had to keep.
“Call me when you’re done with your interview, please?”
“We’re going to talk about this, Chamomile.”
“Okay, okay! Bye now, I have to go onstage!” she lied to get him off of the
phone.
“Alright. Bye.” Justin hung up the phone and followed Lonnie inside of the
small studio where the deejay sat with microphone and headset ready. “Sorry
about that. Family issue.” he apologized and took his seat.
“No problem.” the deejay assured him. “Are you ready to go live or do you
need a moment?”
“Nah, I’m straight. Whenever you’re ready.” Justin adjusted the
headphones over his ears and positioned himself in front of the microphone as
the song that the station had been playing faded out and the deejay began to
speak…
****
“In the studio today we have the newly reigning princess of R&B and
hip-hop with the number one single in the nation and record breaking debut
album,” Free, the blond haired African-American VJ of BET’s 106 & Park,
began her introduction as she and AJ stood to their feet in the middle of their
set, “the one and only…”
“Beautiful, sexy, innovative, finer than fine…” AJ added causing the guys
in the audience to hoot and holler their agreement and Free shook her head with
a smile.
“Thank you for your commentary, AJ. We’d like to introduce to the stage Ms.
Camille Henderson!”
Camille stepped out from behind stage in a pair of stilettos, jeans, and a
sundress that served as a top. The audience cheered excitedly as she smiled
widely and waved at them with her left hand while holding her microphone with
her right. The jittery nerves that she had had while sitting backstage
disappeared once she was greeted with the warm reception of the audience and she
had taken a moment out to embrace both Free and AJ before sitting down on the
comfortable couches that were a staple of their set.
“Wow, I can’t believe this is the first time that we’ve ever had you on
the show.” Free commented. “We’re happy to finally have you here.”
“I’m happy to be here. I’ve been wanting to meet you guys for a while
now.” Camille said as the audience went about cheering all over again at the
sound of her voice. “Hi, y’all!”
“The audience goes crazy for her!” AJ laughed from on the other side of
Free. “So, Camille, tell us a little bit of what it’s been like with all of
this sudden fame.”
“Fame definitely has it’s pluses and minuses like all careers do. I don’t
get to spend time with the people that are close to me as much as I’d like to
because I’m always working but on the plus side when I do get to see those
people it’s so much more meaningful.” she explained. “Of course I love
going out there and meeting the fans and signing autographs, getting to know the
people that listen to the things that I have to say. It’s really refreshing to
know that there are people out there that support you and are feeling the same
things that you’re feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
“You can’t deny that you like seeing yourself on the cover of magazines!
It’s hot getting recognized.”
“Oh, definitely, AJ. I always said that I never wanted a job where I had to
wear a name tag and that I wanted to be able to go outside and everyone would
know my name.”
“Everyone knows your name now, baby girl, especially with all of those
Grammy’s that you took home.”
“Ah! Can you believe that?” Camille giggled excitedly. “I never expected
anything like that. It was like a dream.”
‘That performance with Justin Timberlake, Camille.” Free shook her head with
a knowing look on her face. “Girl, every woman in the world would die to have
him grinding up against them and there you were onstage getting yours! What are
you doing that we aren’t?”
“Oh, my God.” Camille took a deep breath. “Justin and I have the same
manager and we’re close friends too so he came in and helped me out when I was
in a bind. That was all.”
“Now you were actually supposed to perform with Usher that night, right?”
“Yeah but that fell through.”
“Girl, I do like me some Usher but you definitely traded up.” Free threw
Camille a hi-five as AJ shook his head disapprovingly.
“Ah, here we go.” he made a disgusted face at the girl talk. “Let’s talk
about this video that you’re debuting today on the countdown.”
The crowd began to cheer again anticipating viewing the video that had been in
high demand since the single had been released to the radio. Camille waited for
them to settle down and tucked her hair behind her ears before beginning to
speak. “Um, this video was shot in The Bahamas with a little guest appearance
from one of my boys.” she swallowed unsure of what exactly to say. “From the
clips that I’ve seen of it there’s a very romantic vibe to it, very
dreamlike. I mean the lyrics really dictated the way that it was shot and what
happens scene-wise…I suck at explanations so we should all just watch it then
I’ll answer questions.”
Free bumped her playfully with her shoulder while smiling and then turned to the
cameras, “Yo, here we go with this hot new joint from Camille Henderson. You
want to introduce this?”
“Hey, this is my new video Can’t Be Your Friend so sit back, relax, and
enjoy the show.” Camille pointed to the camera and bit her bottom lip.
“Girl, you are a trip.” AJ commented before the studio began to play the
video and everyone turned to the screen to watch it for themselves.
It began with Camille dancing seductively in front of the cameras in her
designer burgundy and periwinkle 70’s inspired dress. She was ankle deep in in
water while the sun set in the background. There was a silhouette of a man
further down the beach but the focus was slightly skewed so that nothing about
him could be made out.
Let me tell you something from my heart
Let me get this out while I still have the chance
I didn’t mean to make things hard
Just didn’t expect to have to change my plans
A glimpse of both Justin’s and Camille’s eyes flashed across the screen
before shots of his hands sliding across her damp skin suggestively. It was far
hotter than expected.
Something in the way that you look at me
It’s like you’ve known me my whole life
And I know that no other could ever be
The one who will be your wife, oh
The first full shot of she and Justin together ripped across the screen causing
first a hush to fall upon the audience before the excited whispers ensued.
Camille put her fingertips to her lips. Something had told her to watch the
whole video before letting Johnny give it the go ahead. She had to have known
that he was going to put out something like this. She and Justin looked like
they were about to strip each other naked and do the damn thing on the beach.
Her mother was going to have her assassinated.
I’m in love with you right now
This love will never end
But I can’t just be your friend
We’ve got to give our all
Or is has to be nothing
‘Cause I can’t just be your friend…
****
“Now, Justin, let’s talk about what’s behind the lyrics of your songs on
this album.” The deejay pointed a pen at him as if he were going to get down
to the nitty-gritty. “This time you wrote a lot more with the use of metaphors
and there is a lot of reflection on past relationships and how they differ in
comparison to a possible new relationship?”
“Ah-ha!” Justin leaned back into his chair before sitting forward again to
the microphone. “I knew this question was going to come up.”
“So who is she?”
“Who is who?”
“We know there’s a girl, Justin. It’s all over this album and it’s all
over the way that you’ve been acting recently in public.”
“The way that I’ve been acting? How have I been acting?” Justin rose an
eyebrow inquisitively. “As far as I’ve noticed I’ve still been the same
guy so what are y’all seeing that I’m not? School me on me.”
The deejay shook his head with a laugh. “Seems that you’ve been quite a
homebody on your brief stay from the spotlight. No one has heard much about you
going to any clubs partying it up like you have in the past.”
“I’ve been writing for this album, visiting my family, taking some time out
for myself. Is that a sin?”
“Rumor has it that you’ve been linked to such femme fatales as Jessica Alba,
Nastassia J., and even white-hot rising star Camille Henderson.”
Justin sighed inwardly. “You can’t really believe everything that you hear
in the press. If you did you’d believe that I’ve dated about half of the
women in Hollywood already. I’ve only met Jessica Alba like one time and that
was on the red carpet. Both Nastassia and Camille are very close friends of mine
so being seen with them around town is a given.”
“Do I sense a little bit of uneasiness with this subject?”
This deejay was pushing all of his buttons as if it was part of his job. Justin
was struggling to keep his cool. “It’s just that every time that I’m
pictured with a woman she can’t just be my friend. She has to be something
more than that.”
“Speaking of Can’t Be My Friend, that song by Camille is tearing up the
charts here and recently the video was released here overseas.” the deejay
informed him. Justin had forgotten that a lot of the times they got new material
first before it was released in The United States. “I’ve seen it and
personally I think it’s cinematic gold and a lot of the scenes between you two
friends are very convincing.”
Justin swallowed down the lump in his throat and took a moment to breathe. He
could feel the blood in his veins boiling at an all time high. “It’s not
hard to make out with a beautiful woman.”
“So you do fancy her?”
“Well, what man doesn’t? She’s a nice looking and talented young woman.”
he explained. “Being more than friend with her at this point though would be a
little bit on the strange side though, you know? We’ve been friends for so
long that it would be like dating my kid sister.”
The deejay nodded though still unconvinced. “In an interview with Italian
Vogue Camille was asked about you and reportedly stated that the two of you have
something very special.”
“I read that article and she said that we had a very special friendship.”
Justin retorted. “Next question?”
****
Camille couldn’t feel her face as the video came to an end and the studio was
dead silent. She wondered what they were all thinking. Were the suspecting what
was really going on behind closed doors? Were they going to pat her on the back
or turn around and walk out on her? All of the questions that raced through her
head were soon suffocated by the sound of thunderous applause. She exhaled and
forced an uneasy smile as AJ sat in the audience ready to take on questions and
ask opinions of the video.
“Hey, my name is Martinique and I’m representing the ATL!” a young woman
with her hair braided back into cornrows announced proudly into the microphone.
“I just want to say, Camille, that your video with Justin Timberlake is
banging. The whole mood of it is beautiful and it really goes with the song.”
“Thank you.” Camille mouthed to her younger fan and sat intently as she
continued to speak.
“My question for you is where did you come up with the inspiration for the
song and the concept for the video? Also, was it about Justin?” the audience
around her laughed lightly. “Just ’cause y’all are friends and y’all
looked cozy in the video is all.”
“Well in all actuality I wrote that song a long time before I had even met
Justin and even before I had met my ex-boyfriend David. The song itself was kind
of me just sitting back and thinking to myself what would I say to someone that
I had been friends with for a while if I had those types of feelings for him
that wouldn’t just go away.” she explained. “It wasn’t really about
anyone. The concept from the video was pretty much born from the lyrics and the
music. It just sounded very romantic and exotic so I wanted to do something
intimate somewhere out on a beach.”
“Good call.” AJ agreed and moved on to the next fan with a question.
“Is it true that you used to date Usher?” a young man in a baseball hat and
jersey inquired.
“Ah! Um, Usher and I were kind of seeing each other for a minute there but
things didn’t work out. No hard feelings. We were just in different places at
the time.”
“Do you think you and Usher would ever get back together and maybe be a
serious item this time?”
“He is a very special man and I have a lot of respect for him but I have a
rule about dating exes. I don’t do it.” Camille shrugged. “My
great-grandfather always used to tell us that if you break up with someone
don’t ever go back because if you do you’ll remember why you left in the
first place.”
“That’s good advice.” Free nodded her head, tucking her leg beneath
herself. “I have a question myself here, girl. Now, seeing you and Justin
together like that onscreen has me wondering why the hell the two of you
aren’t seeing each other?”
Camille couldn’t help but to laugh as the agreement of everyone around her
resounded. “I don’t know, man. I was checking out the video for the first
time right here with you guys and was watching all of those little moments. It
was all acting but seeing it now it looked really hot.”
“Girl, y’all were on fire! Y’all got mad chemistry.”
“Yeah, maybe I should investigate that?”
“Definitely.” Free said seriously. “It may break AJ’s heart over there
but he’ll get over it. Who in the world wouldn’t agree with me saying that
the two of you would make a great looking couple?”
“Yo, Justin! If you’re watching the show right now you should call in and
make this thing official!” AJ issued a challenge to the cameras. “This is
now a public obligation. You are unofficially Camille Henderson’s love
slave!”
Camille nearly jumped out of her skin when her cellular phone began to ring.
Nervously she checked the digital screen and seemingly all the color drained
from her face. Free leaned over slightly to take a look herself and smiled
widely. “Yo, AJ? Looks like JT just called your bluff!”
The crowd was up and on their feet cheering excitedly. Camille sat stunned
unsure of what to say or do. As Free lifted the phone from her hand it felt as
if she were locked in a bad dream.
“Hey, Justin, this is Free from 106 & Park! You must have just heard
AJ’s challenge on TV!” the beautiful young woman spoke into the phone.
Justin was startled momentarily as he sat in the back of his tour bus expecting
to hear Camille’s voice. Quickly he turned on his TIVO connection and flipped
to BET. Quickly he rewound the show and heard what had been requested. Laughing
into the phone he sat back in his oversized bed and reported that that was the
reason for making his call and that he had forgotten the number to the studio
but had his assistant look up Camille’s number.
“So what are we going to do here, playboy?” AJ asked as the cameras came
back to focus in on him. “We’ve got this attractive young single woman here
just dying to go out with you.”
“I am so not dying to go out with him.” Camille shook her head completely
embarrassed by the situation.
“Baby girl knows that I got a little something for her.” Justin continued to
milk it for all it was worth. “I got paid for the video but I told her several
times I’d lay down on a beach with her and kiss her until her knees were weak
for free.”
“Oh, lord.” Free had to set down her microphone because she was laughing so
hard.
“Justin?” Camille set her microphone down as well and folded her arms over
her chest just to see what more he would add.
“Nah, but seriously, AJ, you think I wouldn’t call y’all up for an
opportunity to take her out? If I was in the States right now I’d roll over
there and let y’all document our first date.”
“Really? Where are you at right now?” AJ inquired.
“I’m actually overseas right now, man. I’m doing a promotional tour for my
latest release.”
“You know you have to come out here to the show to debut your video as
well?”
“No doubt.” Justin replied as he watched the features of his girlfriend on
his television screen. “Yo, baby girl?”
Camille eyes shifted from the floor to the camera as if she were staring
directly into his eyes. If he were actually there she would have smacked him
into the ground but luckily he was nowhere near her to meet his demise. She
loved him to death but as tense as she was to begin with his added flavor of
humor was not helping.
She lifted her microphone back from the couch cushion. “Yes, dear?”
“You’re still shooting your first movie, right?” he asked as if he
didn’t really know the answer.
“Yes, I’m just taking a little break to come out here today. Why do you
ask?”
“I was wondering if I got a weekend off or something if there was a
possibility that I could come out there to the set to see you?” Justin put his
sexy voice on her inspiring cheers from the audience. “What do you say? I’ll
take you out and show you a good time.”
“Only if AJ and Free come.”
Justin rolled his eyes though she couldn’t see it. “Not a problem. The two
of you down for that over there?”
“That’s not a problem for me.” Free shrugged her shoulders. “AJ?”
“Yo, just let us know the time and place and we’ll be there.”
/*/*/
Quickly Justin and Dre made their way inside of the old corner shop just off of
the highway as Lonnie waited patiently inside of the truck. The plan was to stop
at a Toys R’ Us but since the media knew that Justin was back in California
they altered that decision. Going somewhere discrete made a lot more sense then
going to one of the largest toy stores, being recognized, and causing a riot.
“You ever been here before?” Dre asked as Justin surveyed all of the antique
treasures all around them.
“No,” he shook his head while lifting a wooden doll to his eye level and
analyzing it.
“Don’t you think you’re daughter might want one of those dolls that she
can feed and then change it’s diaper after it craps its pants?” he cracked.
“My daughter is weird, man. She likes those porcelain dolls that you’re
never supposed to touch because they’re so fragile.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Justin set down the wooden doll and continued walking down the small
isle. “Nikki is such an old soul. When she was born she just looked around
like she had been here before. It was amazing.”
Dre turned back to look at his friend sadly. “You’re always going to be her
father even if things don’t work out between you and her mother.”
He closed his eyes and exhaled momentarily. “I just can’t believe that I
jeopardized everything in one night for no logical reason, you know? I love
Camille more than anything else in this world, Dre. She’s my air. Then
there’s my baby.” he shook his head. “There is this little life that was
created from this passionate and unbreakable love and then here I am, her
father, risking her entire world over what?”
“Justin?”
“No, it’s just…I never want Nicole to have to grow up the way that Camille
and I did. I don’t want her spending holidays with two different sets of
parents or having to be raised by only one of us and seeing the other every so
often. I don’t want that for my baby.”
“Neither does Camille.” Dre stated.
“At the same time, though, I don’t want Camille to stay with me if the only
reason is for Nicole. I don’t want our daughter to turn eighteen and see her
parents split up.”
“Justin, you’re thinking too far ahead, man. What you need to think about is
right now, this day. You hear a lot of the time that you should plan for the
future but tomorrow isn’t promised. You have to live everyday like it’s your
last and you have to make the most of it. If you and your wife can’t make
things work then that’s just the way it is but while you still have the
opportunity, man, get out there and embrace that. Do what you have to do.”
Justin soaked in the words that his friend and confidant had just told him and
continued on his hunt for his daughter’s perfect doll. In the middle of his
search he stumbled upon a small heart shaped box that had been hand crafted and
decorated. Lifting it from the shelf he upturned the top and smiled once hearing
the music begin to play. In the center of the box was a couple spinning round in
a circle dancing together. Carefully he closed the lid and placed it back on the
glass shelve from where it had been and continued on his way…
“It was really nice catching up with you.” David stated as he and Camille
embraced at the front door of her home. “I hope that we could see each other
again maybe under better circumstances.”
“That would be nice.” she smiled as he stepped out onto the front step and
took a deep breath.
“Remember to keep your head up and not compromise yourself but at the same
time don’t be in such a rush to say goodbye.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that sometimes you need to just sit back and listen even if all
you’re hearing is silence.” David explained while shoving his hands into his
pockets. “Sometimes people can say so much without saying anything at all.”
Camille nodded her head as Nicole danced around behind her in the front hallway.
She held on to the doorframe and looked out at this man that at one time had
been the center of her life. She still loved him though no one would ever know
that beside herself but she was no longer in love with him. Even if it wasn’t
that clear to see Camille had grown up since those days of trailing around after
David Banks and begging him to stay. They were two different people now.
Possibly, they always had been.
“Good luck, David!” she called as he started off down the walkway in route
to his car that was parked in the driveway of her home.
“Thanks, Cam!” he called back and waved. “Don’t forget what I said,
okay?”
“I won’t forget!”
David smiled, “Sometimes your heart should win out over your mind, hon. This
is it.”Which
path will she choose?