WILDFIRE
By Aysia Anderson (a.k.a. Nikki)

Chapter Eight: Dirty Dancing

Camille flipped casually through the channels as she lay on Justin's couch in the den. He lay at her side with his head resting on her left breast and his arm draped over her stomach as he slept soundly. From what he had told her he hadn't gotten much sleep after their
date because a friend of his had had an emergency. He spent the remainder of the night and most of the morning talking to her over the phone trying to get her to calm down. His story was viable since there had been times in the past where he had stayed up at all hours
of the night until he felt as if Camille herself was stabilized. In some ways it was a serious character flaw because he didn't know how to refuse anyone his time.

Stopping on HBO, Camille set down the remote control on the coffee table and skimmed her fingertips over his arm that was wrapped around her. Over and over again she traced the outline of his cross tattoo before focusing in on the television screen. She hadn't seen Dirty Dancing in a long time and it was her favorite movie. Justin had told her before that he was lined up to make the sequel along with his ex-girlfriend, Britney Spears, but it had never panned out. She was glad that it hadn't because she felt that trying to make a sequel to a classic like that was forbidden. She had refused to go and see Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights for that sole reason even though she did want to see Diego Luna doing a little salsa.

Camille folded her right arm behind her head for better television viewing convenience and chewed the inside corner of her lips. She knew that it was only a matter of time before the whole left side of her body went numb under the weight of Justin's body. She hadn't been
able to feel her left arm for at least fifteen minutes but was so avid about not disturbing his rest that she had simply accepted the fact that the arm could need amputation in the near future.

Justin shifted unexpectedly and lifted his head up with a pout on his face. First he glanced at the screen to see Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey before turning his sheepish focus onto his new girlfriend. She raised an eyebrow at him as he stared at her but otherwise made no sudden movements. Justin made an irritated face before moving away from her to get up from the couch and make his disoriented way out of the den.

"Interesting," Camille rolled her eyes deciding not to ask questions and continued to watch her film. She was used to him being a silent asshole jerk-off when he woke up so she didn't let his actions faze her. Still, she couldn't help but to imagine how long it would take her to break him of the habit if their relationship ended up being long-term.

A few minutes later Justin reappeared in the doorway and dragged himself back over toward the couch. He gave her a look as if she didn't get out of his way he'd murder her but she simply returned the annoyed glance with one of her own. If there was anyone in the world crazy enough to compete with him and his habits it was Camille.

"Move," he ordered.

"Make me." she ignored him and continued watching her movie.

"Don't be a…"

"Don't be a what? Choose your words wisely."

Justin ran the tip of his tongue over the front of his teeth inside of his mouth. "Please?"

"Fine," Camille stood up and stretched. "Why don't you just go upstairs to bed, crabby pants?"

"Where are you going?" he questioned as she motioned to move around him.

"To go see about Nastassia. She's supposed to be recording a track for her album today."

"Isn't she in the studio for the next two weeks?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So go to the studio with her another day." Justin stated, still looking half dead, while gesturing for her to sit back down on the couch.

"Stay here while you're in asshole mode? Nah, I don't think so."

"I'm done being an asshole." he yawned while dropping down onto the couch himself and stretching out on his back. "I'm sorry. I apologize."

"I guess." Camille took a deep breath as he reached out for her waist and directed her over and on top of him.

"How many times have you watched this movie?" Justin asked as she rest her head on his chest and he moved up the fabric of her shirt to knead his fingers into her lower back.

"Enough times to quote every line."

"I wouldn't advise quoting today."

"'Nobody puts Baby into a corner.'" she quoted Patrick Swayze's character and giggled when Justin smacked her on the ass. "Ow! You actually meant that didn't you?"

Justin shifted under her so that he could direct her face to his with his right hand. "Why are you so adamant about messing with me today?"

"Because you're so cute when you're pissed off."

////

"Camille said that you were in the middle of recording your album? Would that be the Divergent Emulations album?" Gary inquired feeling that it was also necessary to work Nastassia's own story in with that of Camille and Justin's since she was such a key player in their every day lives. It was theorized by outsiders that if Nastassia hadn't been there throughout it all the pair would have gone their separate ways much sooner than they had.

"Yes, actually that was the album that I was recording at the time." the young woman responded with a smile. "It houses some of my best work."

"That album won you a few Grammy's of your own that following year, did it not?"

"I won Rap Album, Single of The Year, and Best Collaboration for a song that I did with Eve, The Diversion."

"Now how did you and Eve hook up for a track? There were rumors flying that the two of you were butting heads in the female MC world." the older man pushed for more information.

"The two of us met at a party and kind of had our face off. After that we decided to move things into the studio and see what we could do with that energy." Nastassia explained.

"The Diversion was the number one most requested song on the radio during that summer. You've said in previous interviews that the song was initially a song that you and Camille were going to do together?"

"Actually Camille was supposed to come in and record the hook for that song but she got caught up in this movie audition that everyone thought that she should go for. A few people thought that she was going to bust out a little rap or something on my album but the girl knows that she should stick to singing because she can't spit rhymes." she laughed. "She can write `em but she can't spit `em. The only raps that she could come at you with would be some of Lisa Lopes's old joints but that doesn't account for much."

"You weren't a fan of Left-Eye's lyrical prowess?"

"Oh, no! That's not what I meant! I mean that Camille has no standing when it comes to rapping because she can only kill you doing someone else's rapping. She would definitely have to take a backseat to Justin and let's admit, who really wants to hear him flow either?"

Gary couldn't stop himself from laughing. This was the most life and energy that Nastassia had presented to the cameras all afternoon. Her level of comfort had to be rising for her to suddenly be so care free. It relaxed the entire room completely.

"Phew, let me catch my breath here." He held up a hand to gather himself together. "Who wants to hear Justin rap?" he chuckled.

"Don't lie. You know you don't want to hear that crap. He is not Eminem."

Gary wiped away a tear from his eye. "That was the comment of the day."

"I've got you guys all of topic." Nastassia apologized with a clever grin. "Ask your next question. I'm sorry about that."

"No problem, no problem." he shook his head. "Okay, so you say that Camille missed out on being a part of the track with Eve because she received the opportunity for a movie role?"

////

"Looks like you've got mail here, Camille." Linda Henderson informed her daughter, taking a moment to embrace her at the door. "Did you tell the post office about the mailing change?"

"Yeah," Camille replied, closing the front door of her mother's home. It had taken her a while longer than expected to pry herself away from Justin. She vowed never to visit him before her mother again. She could see the habit of his maximizing her time causing issues in the future. "I went with Justin's friend Trace about a week and a half ago. Where's the mail?"

"Kitchen table." the older woman pointed to the other room. "Speaking of Justin…"

"Speaking of Justin?" Camille disappeared into the kitchen to collect her mail then returned to the front hall with her mother.

"How was your first date with him?"

"It was cool."

"Cool?" Linda's voice was asking for more details. She and her daughter had the type of relationship where they told each other everything even if it shouldn't have been shared. Camille's simply passing it off as nothing was highly questionable.

"He took me to his restaurant, CHI, and hired some traditional Japanese dancers for entertainment."

"I thought he was going to take you to MacDonald's!" she joked. "So did you kiss him?"

Camille smiled to herself while shuffling through her mail. "Nope. He doesn't kiss on the first date."

"Hopefully neither do you."

"All the things you'll never know, mom." She held up a large and weighted envelope in her hands and decided to sit down on the carpeted stairs leading to the second level of her mother's house. The envelope was begging for an investigation. "What is this?"

"So it wasn't weird being out on a romantic date with your best friend?" Linda continued her questioning as Camille ripped open the envelope. "You didn't get all grossed out with the dreamy stares and cuddling? There was cuddling, right?"

"It's from Charlie."

"Charlie?"

"Charlie Evans, my agent. It says here that DreamWorks is holding auditions for a dramatic comedy." she continued skimming the letter silently. "They want me to read for the part of Sofia Montgomery."

"A movie role? You just got signed to your recoding label a little over a year ago and you're already getting movie offers?"

"I'm not an actress!" Camille shook her head. "I'm not the world's best singer either but movies?"

"Well, you did a little acting in high school and during that whole semester of college that you took." Linda sat down with her daughter, taking the letter from her, and began reading over what her agent had written. "It wouldn't kill you to at least try out for the part. You weren't that bad at acting."

"I wasn't that bad?"

"No," her mother shook her head. "You were actually really good. I remember a few people coming up to me and telling me that you almost had them in tears."

"The key word there is almost." Camille sighed and began flipping through the script that the letter from her agent had accompanied. "This Sofia Montgomery character is on almost every page, mom. This is like a lead character here."

"Point being?"

"I can't carry a movie!"

"Camille, Jesus!" her mother stood up to her feet. "I'm so sick of you and this negative outlook of yours. When are you going to wake up and realize that you can do all of these things? You're a well-rounded girl with a lot of talent. If you weren't you wouldn't be where you are right now. Even when you were a child you just had this stage presence even when you were scared shitless."

Camille couldn't help but to laugh at her mother's words. "You know that you just said `shitless', right?"

"Camille?"

"I hear you, okay? I'm listening." she stood up with her mother and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll try out for the part."

"Why?"

"Because I want to prove to myself that I can do it."

Linda nodded her approval as Camille continued flipping through the script. "As long as you're not doing any nudity you'll be fine."

"Yeah," she paused three-quarters of the way through the script. "You think if I get the part they'll write out this scene with the JELL-O mold?"

/*/*/

If it hadn't been for Nicole tugging on her hand she wouldn't have been able to recognize the fact that she wasn't dreaming. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there staring at him while he stared back at her but it had to have been longer than the average.
Nicole tugged on her hand one more time and she shook herself out whatever she was in and looked down at her daughter.

"What?" Camille asked unsure of what else to say in that moment.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Nicole questioned with a worried look on her innocent young face.

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm fine. Why don't you go to your play room for a little while until mommy comes to get you?"

Nicole nodded though she was reluctant to go and scampered off with one last look in the direction of the person standing on the front step of their home. She had never seen that person up close and personal though but she did remember seeing pictures. She wondered
when her daddy would be home.

"I didn't mean to startle you but…" the man at the door started before Camille cut off his words.

"I haven't seen or heard from you since Justin and I got together and now all out of the blue you're just going to show up at my front door?" her voice was filled with disbelief. "David, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were alright, Camille." He started to explain himself. "I know you're going through a hard period right now and I just want you to know that you have a shoulder to lean on."

"A shoulder to lean on?" she folded her arms over her chest speculatively. "Where were you at a long time ago when I needed a shoulder to cry on? Where were you at when you decided that we should go our separate ways and see other people? I needed you then!"

"Try to understand, Camille, we were two different people with different wants and needs."

"Really? I don't think so, David. I think we wanted exactly the same things out of life. We both wanted marriage and children and that's exactly what we got…well, one of us."

"I got married too but things didn't work out the way that I had planned them." David took a deep breath. "I'm divorced now."

"I'm sorry to hear that but can you explain what exactly that has to do with me?"

"It doesn't have anything to do with you, okay? I just thought that since you're on the verge of divorce yourself that I could be there to help you through it." He offered his hand to her.

"How am I on the verge of divorce?" she stared at him quizzically. "I'm separated, okay? There are a lot of couples in America that get separated but never get divorced."

"That's true but…"

"That's true but what?"

"Camille, if I had done what that guy did to you, you would have drop kicked my ass so quickly without a second thought. Aren't you the same person that said no second chances?"

"Yes, that was me." Camille nodded her agreement, "So why are you here trying to get one when you know I don't give them?"

/*/*/

"Who in their right mind would offer you a movie role?" Nastassia cracked from the passenger's seat of Nelly's fire engine red Cadillac Escalade while Camille and Justin sat in the backseat fawning over each other. She would have commented on missing the good old days when they were just friends but it was honestly one in the same. They had only adopted the title to their actions.

"You get a script yet?" Camille shot back at her as Justin wrapped an arm around her and moved closer so that he could read her lines with her.

"I don't do movies, chump. I'm a rapper. I don't have to prove myself in any other genres for validation."

"Know what? I'm just going to let that slide because I don't feel like sparring with you tonight."

"What?" Nastassia turned to the backseat with a look of fear on her face. "Justin what the hell did you do to my friend?"

"Not a damn thing." he puckered his lips at the young rap star in the front seat that had had her usually curled hair pressed straight for the evening. "You know that I'm saving all of this good loving for you, Na$."

"Ugh!" she drew back. "I don't do white chocolate."

"You don't know what you're missing." he shrugged while turning to Camille and kissing her shoulder. She was still reading the script, completely engulfed in the words. "You think you want to try out for the part?"

"I don't know. It's really good writing though."

Justin nodded his agreement. He had only read a few pages with her but he liked what he had read. The screenwriter had a lot of voice. "I think you should do it."

"Yeah, you should, shorty." Nelly chimed in from the driver's seat. "Even if you massacre the movie you'll still have a fat check coming your way."

"Oh, your woman is already rubbing off on you with the snide remarks!" Camille smiled, smacking loudly on a piece of gum, intentionally driving her boyfriend crazy.

"That's strike three." Justin stared her down.

"Strike three?" Nastassia looked back at them once again. "Who died and made you warden?"

"Nastassia died." he threatened before making an obscene gesture at the young woman.

"Camille, you saw what your man just offered to do to me right?"

"He can do whatever he wants to do but he won't be kissing me after using his tongue like that."

"Let the perversions begin." Nelly directed his automobile into the driveway behind two other vehicles. The entire block was flooded with parked cars and party seekers migrating in and out of the blue tiled two-story home. As he cut the engine everyone made their way out of the truck.

"Happy New Year's Eve, buddies!" a highly intoxicated young man announced as he stumbled passed them with a group of friends over to a group that was standing in the front yard chuckling amongst themselves.

"Wow, I can't wait to get to that point of drinking." Camille stated sarcastically recalling when Justin had told her that he would teach her to drink like a man.

"I won't let you get that drunk." he promised, kissing her on the cheek, and lead the way into the house.

"The next thing you'll know is that he'll be offering to teach you how to inhale a blunt without getting that high." Nastassia whispered into her friend's ear jokingly as they followed along after the guys and into the crowded house belonging to the one and only Trace Ayala.

"For real?" Camille smirked, pretending to take a hit from her imaginary blunt and exhaling. "Shit, I'm good. I got that down already."

"Really?" Nastassia squinted at her as if she were tripping on a high. "Well don't be stingy, man, pass the blunt!"

Nelly looked back over his shoulder suspiciously at the two girls that were cracking themselves up. He wasn't sure what they were giggling about but he was sure that it was at the expense of either him or Justin. Their operation was cut-throat.

"Yo, yo, yo!" a dark haired man with a baseball cap cocked to the side walked up to Justin and shook his hand while hugging him briefly in a manly manner. "How's life been treating you partner? Haven't seen you in a while with all the working and," he shifted his eyes
behind his friend and onto Camille who was oblivious to the extra attention aimed at her as she spoke to Nastassia, "all the playing."

"I'm a busy guy, Trace." Justin laughed not really taking into account what his lifelong friend was implying. "Thought you said that after last year you weren't doing the party at your house anymore. They almost burned your house down, kid."

"Almost. I just started thinking about this honored tradition of ours and figured, what the hell, you only live once? I didn't think you would show though since you hadn't replied to the invitation over the phone."

"When have I ever replied to you over the phone, Trace?"
"Point taken." he grinned after taking notice to the fact that Nelly, Nastassia and Camille had disappeared into the masses off to do their own things. "So did you finally make things official with Camille?"

"Sort of. I think maybe she made things official with me." Justin began walking with his friend toward the kitchen and to the patio where a keg sat awaiting them.

"She would have had to." Trace cracked on him. "You're a little on the sweet side so she'd have to take the lead and wear the pants in the relationship."

"Don't get your ass kicked, man." Justin pointed a finger at him threateningly, collecting two plastic cups in his hand and draining the contents of the keg into them.

"Don't get so heated, metro-sexual. I know it's not easy being that pretty and straight at the same time."

"Ah-ha, ha!" Justin laughed suddenly before his face took on a stern glare. "Shut up."

Nastassia rolled her eyes, completely unimpressed, as she spied Nelly chatting with Eve on the opposite side of the living room from her. The blond rapper was smiling widely and every so often would touch her fingers to his arm. Could she be any more obvious that she wanted a piece of the St. Louis rapper? She could feel the blood in her veins boiling and her muscles growing tense.

"Something that you want to say?" Camille questioned with a grin while dancing with some nameless man at her friend's side.

"Not a damn thing." Nastassia folded her arms over her chest while pursing her lips together.

"Want me to kick her ass?"

"Why would I want you to do that?"

"Because she's all up on your man's nuts, why else?" Camille's eyes caught with Nastassia's whom looked like a deer in headlights. "You think I didn't know?"

She shook her head sadly. "We haven't been going together that long for me to get mad at this. He can do whatever it is that he wants to do."

"Bullshit." Camille disagreed, draping one arm around the shoulder of her dancing partner while still completely focused on her friend.

"Like you would go up to Justin cracking skulls because another woman was talking to him?"

"Depends on the circumstances. Talking is no problem, flirtation is no problem, but as close as Eve is up on Nelly right now? The bitch would be going down."

Nastassia decided to divert her eyes from the two and focus in on Camille and the dancer. "Did you know that Justin Timberlake is a violent man?"

"Excuse me?" the guy that had been dancing with Camille stood up straight and looked at the rapper completely confused.

"Don't be fooled by the clean and calm demeanor that he puts out to the public," she continued. "He doesn't play when it comes to his girlfriends. He went to jail once because this guy kept trying to thrust his dick on Camille at a club but because of who he was they
cleared his record."

"What happened to the guy?"

"Nobody really knows. Rumor has it that he dumped his body in a freshly packed grave at this old cemetery. They say he just waited for the right time, dug up the new grave, dropped the body inside, and recovered the thing. The grave was already dug up so no one would have expected it."

"Excuse me," the young man apologized to Camille before disappearing in the crowd to get away from her.

"That was foul, Na$." she shook her head at her friend disapprovingly. "That kid is going to have nightmares for the rest of his life."

"Serves him right. He was basically trying to dry hump your leg and you were too busy talking to even notice." Nastassia explained her motives.

"Yeah, whatever." Camille felt an arm slide around her collarbone with a beer in hand and leaned back into Justin. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself." he pressed his lips to her neck and handed her the cup of beer. "For you."

"Wow, thanks."

"No problem." Justin looked over at Nastassia and sighed. "So what are you going to do about Eve trying to jack your man?"

"What the hell?" she threw her arms up into the air. "Does the whole world know?"

"Pretty much." he smirked. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go handle this shit." Nastassia finally caved in and made her way across the room. Camille bit her bottom lip as she watched her friend sashay away in her long dark denim skirt, black leather boots, and lilac long-sleeved shirt. She looked harmless and
sweet. For Eve's sake, Camille hoped that she knew that looks could be deceiving.

"Yo, what's up?" Nastassia asked with an over exaggerated smile, wrapping her arms around Nelly from the side.

"Hey, Stassia." he gave her a half smile and nodded toward the woman that he had been talking to. "Y'all met before?"

"I haven't had the pleasure."

"Eve, this is my friend…"he cleared his throat feeling her eyes burning into him, "my girl, Nastassia. Nastassia, this is my friend Eve."

"Hm, nice to meet you." Eve extended her hand.

Justin's finger interweaved with Camille's as he led her out of the room. Holding her drink in her free hand she followed along after him quietly and down the hallway. The bathroom door to their left opened as they were passing and a guy and two girls exited adjusting their clothes. Camille made a face but said nothing as they passed them and Justin directed her inside.

"How sexy is this?" she asked, setting down her drink on the bathroom counter as he closed the door and locked it. "Take me to the mating room."

"I didn't ask you to drop your panties yet so don't go getting ahead of yourself." he sucked down some of his beer and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. It had been a long time since he had been in such a small and congested restroom. His own was huge.

"Aren't you the model of self-control?"

"If you're the model of lack of then I guess so." Justin commented, watching her hoist herself up and on top of the counter behind her. "You going to drink that or what?"

Camille shrugged her shoulders. "Is it going to give me a buzz?"

"It'll make you feel hot all over if you drink enough of it."

"I feel hot already." she wiggled her eyebrows at him as he drank down more beer. He smiled at her while drinking it and stood up.

"Quit fucking with me. You're not getting any lip action until midnight." he checked his watch, "and it's only ten now."

"I swear to God this should be the other way around," Camille finally lifted her cup of beer and downed some of it though the taste wasn't all that appealing. "You should be the one pursuing me and I should be telling you to slow it down."

"True."

"Well, I'm going to go back out here and find some hot guy to dance with."

"I'm not a hot guy now?"

"I mean a hot guy that's willing to make out with me." she stuck her tongue out at him as she slid off of the counter with her drink to stand up before him.

"Not even funny," Justin removed her cup from her hand and set it down with his own to the side of her.

Camille's heart was beating a mile a second as he took a step closer to her flattening their bodies up against one another. His hands slid over her sides and around her waist as he stared down into her eyes. She had forgotten how much taller he was than her until that moment. Without any effort he lifted her back up onto the counter a few inches away from their cups and took her lips into his own. Obviously he didn't need that much prodding to give in.

"Oh, fuck me!" Camille groaned inwardly at the sound of someone knocking on the bathroom door. "I'm taking a shit!"

"I've really got to pee, you guys!" a girl's voice returned to her and Camille pouted as Justin smirked at her and stepped away, gathering up his beer and heading to the door. Completely pissed off she grabbed her cup and followed suit.

"Thank you!" the small young woman screeched as she darted in around them and slammed the door.

"That's funny." Justin commented, drinking more beer on his way back to the living room.

"What the hell is funny about that?"

"You almost got me back there but almost doesn't count."

Camille rolled her eyes as they stepped back into the living room and came to a stop. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Nelly was standing with Trace in front of the DJ that had been hired for the evening and both Eve and Nastassia were standing a few feet away from them on either side looking about ready to kill each other. From the chatter in the room both Camille and Justin clued in that there was about to be a battle.

"Aight, so this is how this is going to go down." Trace announced. "We're going to do this straight guerilla style. The DJ is going to play a thirty-second beat and each beautiful young woman is going to get her chance to have her say on the microphone."

"Oh, great." Camille sighed and made her way closer to the mayhem. Justin followed along and came to stand on Nastassia's side with his girlfriend.

"Nelly would you bless the microphone?" Trace handed it over to the young rapper that did his thing before handing it back. "Coin toss. Eve's choice."

"Heads." she called, cracking her neck as if she were really getting geeked about this battle.

Nastassia stood calmly and waited for the side to be called. Trace flipped a coin into the air and then smacked it down onto his hand. He announced that it was tails and Nastassia's choice to go first or second. She handed the microphone over to Eve to start off and the DJ began spinning his records.

It only took one second for Eve to get started with her rhymes. She started off by talking about meeting up with Nelly to him going on and on about how fly she was and how Nastassia didn't have anything at all on her. She took it to the clothes saying that Nastassia was infringing on her style to even insinuating that her rhymes were not her own. By the time that she had finished saying what she had to say everyone was amped.

"Damn, she messed her up!" one of the partygoers shouted over the noise filling up the room.

Justin looked over at Camille whom had suddenly chugged down half of her cup of beer nervously. He didn't know if it was because Eve had been so ruthless with her friend or because she doubted Nastassia could come back from the disses. Either way it went there wasn't much hope from the sound of the audience.

"Hold up," she stepped over to her friend who was standing there completely unaffected and whispered something into her ear. Nastassia nodded and then Camille took a step back and out of the way. Trace handed Nastassia the microphone.

"What'd you just say to her?" Justin asked as the music started. She shook her head saying that it was nothing and then stood silent to watch the show.

Throughout Eve's entire presentation Nastassia had stood solidly, smiling every so often, but not showing any true emotion. Once the DJ had begun spinning the record on her turn though her calm demeanor transformed into something vicious. She immediately went to work tearing Eve down about her hair extensions, being beat up underneath her makeup, and being a sellout to the hardcore rap community. In her thirty-second rap she talked about Eve not having her own style and being unoriginal and if anyone was infringing on anyone else she was infringing off of Nastassia because her record sales had dropped.
Nelly was bobbing his head along to what his girl had to say proudly as her turn came to an end.

"Bitch, get your own gimmick and please get your own man?" Nastassia ended strongly and tossed the microphone back up to Trace. There was no question as to which young MC had won the match and there was no use in announcing it because the crowd already knew. Boldly Eve took the first steps up to Nastassia.

"That was raw." she complimented, holding her hand out. "You've got mad skills."

"Yeah, you too." Nastassia returned to her `usual' good natured self as Nelly approached them and slid his arms around her.

"We should collaborate on something one of these days."

"Actually, I'm in the process of recording my sophomore album right now. I'll give you my number and we can see what we can do?"

"That sounds hot. You mind if we talk about some stuff now?"

////

"Is it okay to ask who it was that won that MC battle?" Gary was wiggling in his seat excitedly. "Was it you or was it Eve?"

Nastassia shrugged elusively and said, "It was a draw," before staring into the camera and mouthing, "It was me!"

"Well the exact victor isn't the point, I suppose, but obviously it all panned out well because the two of you collaborated on a hit single."

"Exactly. It's one of those milestones, you know? It was the perfect time for the perfect song."

"Now, this party sounds like it was the main event. There were rap battles going on, fireworks, sparklers…were there any other shining moments that evening?"

"Camille is definitely going to kill me for this but I have to tell it." Nastassia prodded her long hair behind her ears with a mischievous grin. "Trace Ayala issued a karaoke throw down and of course our crazy selves had to be a part of it…"

////

"What song? What song?" Nastassia shuffled through the records that the DJ had brought along with him for the night as Justin, Nelly, and Trace sat down on the couch a few feet away from the turntables waiting for the show to begin. The other partygoers were in and out but there was enough space for something to be popped off. "I don't know these songs, Cam. They're all bubble gum."

"Let me see," she set down her cup by the side of the couch and approached her friend looking inside of the crate full of records. After treading through record after record she pulled out one with a sly grin and turned to her friend for approval.

"I only know the hook on that song so you'll be doing the verses alone."

"Na$!"

"Do that one though because it's the only one that I somewhat know. I'll come in with some adlibs or something."

"Fine, let's do this." Camille handed the record to the DJ whom laughed at the selection and in turn handed them two microphones. "What're you laughing about?"

"Y'all about to get this place jumping off a Britney Spears track?" the DJ set up the record to be spun.

"We could get the party jumping off with a polka joint, man. Don't doubt us." Nastassia joked right along with him. "Hit your announcement, dude."

"Yo!" the DJ did as told and spoke into his own microphone. "Right now we've got the lovely and talented ladies, Nastassia J. and Camille Henderson, performing a Britney Spears joint…" he paused to laugh again, "(I Got That) Boom Boom featuring The Ying Yang Twins."

"Ah-ha, you got jokes!" Nastassia eyed him, "play the record!"

As the music began the partygoers began to start dancing. Trace ditched out on his guys and found a girl to dance with while they remained parked on the couch. Nelly crossed his arms over his chest and Justin sat guzzling down his beer, both watching their girls intently.

Ying Yang Twins:
Shorty! She think she fine
Fine enough to blow your mind
Shorty! She think she bad
Get on the floor and shake that ass
[Repeat]

Camille slid out of the jean jacket and burgundy hooded jacket that she had been wearing over her white tank top and dropped it near the DJ's feet so she could be more liberated. She and Nastassia began moving instantly to the hard beat as if they were being controlled by the music. A few guys were already hooting and hollering and nothing had really happened yet.

Britney:
Yeah…This is for all those southern boys out there…Check this out

Camille brought the microphone up to her mouth and began to sing…

I see you looking my way
And I know that you have something to say
Watching every inch of my body
Like you wanted to play
(So here we go)

She began rolling her body seductively in front of the crowd `causing Justin to take notice. Her hand had slid over her side and gripped the hem of her shirt drawing it up above her navel while she moved. She was always a sexy performer but he hadn't realized how sexy until the close up view.

Boom, boom, boom
Why you look so sexy
Boom, boom, boom
Why you look so sexy

He bit his bottom lip and released it when he realized that she had turned to him. She continued moving, tapping her hand against her thigh, and winked at him. Justin set down his beer and leaned forward.

I begin to dance just a little bit to turn you on
(Yeah, I got that)

Camille turned away from him and began dancing with Nastassia as the chorus began.

I got that boom boom that you want
Watching me all night long
Hurry up before it's gone

The two girls sang together raising the temperature in the room steadily. There was a circle of men surrounding them within seconds. Being the first one to give in, Nelly stood up and made his way over to break up the party. He was quickly in the mix dancing between both girls suddenly man of the hour. He had no problems being the meat in the sandwich.

I got that boom boom that you want
I don't think you should wait
One minute may be too late

Camille bounced behind Nelly as she and Nastassia moved around him. She threw a glance over her shoulder at Justin who sighed inwardly and drug himself over. She smiled when she felt his arms go around her from the back. They moved together easily as if they were the same entity.

(woo hoo, woo hoo, woo hoo, hey-ee-ay-ee-ay)

Turning around to face Justin she continued into the next verse…

You have caught my eye and I wanted
To get to know you (you can do that)
Don't be shy I want you to come closer
So what you gonna do (so here we go)
Boom, boom, boom
Why you look so sexy
Boom, boom, boom
Why you look so sexy

Their hips met easily as they moved together. Without doubt he was a better dancer than her but she could hold her own. She had the upper hand at the moment. She was doing things to him that were driving him insane.

I got that boom boom that you want
Watching me all night long
Hurry up before it's gone
I got that boom boom that you want
I don't think you should wait
One minute may be too late
(woo hoo, woo hoo, woo hoo, hey-ee-ay-ee-ay)

Ying Yang Twins:
Shorty! She think she fine
Fine enough to blow your mind
Shorty! She think she bad
Get on the floor and shake that ass
[Repeat]

Nastassia shimmied over to her friend and took the microphone from her hand returning it to the DJ. They had accomplished their goal of getting the partygoers crunked over a Britney Spears song without breaking a sweat. Their job was done. The only thing left to do was to assault their men on the floor.

Twiddle-liddle-dee
Twiddle-liddle-dee
Twiddle-liddle-dee
Twiddle-liddle-dee
Shorty get on the floor and shake that ass for me

Camille draped an arm around Justin's shoulder and he wrapped one around her waist. Each had one leg between the other's as they danced suggestively. Camille closed her eyes and let the music control her. She didn't know what had happened to the rubber band that had been securing the long French braid down her back but she could feel the braid unraveling.

She naked, she's soaking wet
Strip tease like a motha****er, dripping sweat
Shorty got a little body that I can't forget
I ain't met a young lady outdid her yet
Britney Spears and the Ying Yang Twins
Heh, we done became friends
Might as well let the party begin
If you with it then join on in

Ying Yang Twins:
Shorty! She think she fine
Fine enough to blow your mind
Shorty! She think she bad
Get on the floor and shake that ass
[Repeat]

The couple-dance quickly became a group thing as the two girls found themselves between their guys. They merely turned to face each other and laugh as they all shook and shimmied together to the music. Slyly the two girls circled around each other and switched partners, Nastassia now dancing with Justin and Camille with Nelly.

I got that boom boom that you want
Watching me all night long
Hurry up before it's gone
I got that boom boom that you want
I don't think you should wait
One minute may be too late

The unspoken challenge had been issued as they all tried to out dance the other. No bars were held and hands were everywhere. Nastassia moved her ass expertly in Justin's hands as they faced each other. Nelly kept a strong grip on Camille's thigh wrapped around his waist as their pelvic bones grinded. The trust between the four was incredible. What happened on the dance floor stayed on the dance floor.

I got that boom boom that you want
Watching me all night long
Hurry up before it's gone
I got that boom boom that you want
I don't think you should wait
One minute may be too late

Boom boom, boom
Boy, you look so sexy
Boom boom, boom
Why you look so sexy
Boom boom, boom
Boy, you look so sexy
Boom, boom, boom
Why you look so sexy, yeah

////

"Was there a winner for the dance off?"

Nastassia laughed, throwing her head back at Gary's question. "It was all so perverted that you wouldn't want anyone to know who was really the victor in that competition. You've got this cat that is pretty much a trained dancer with three kids that grind on the dance floor almost religiously. It was just straight up and down raunchy."

Gary slid his hand over his face trying not to laugh again. "Let's just get to how this night ended because I don't think we're going to be able to air the details on national television."

"Parental Guidance is advised…"

////

Justin crossed in front of the fire engine red Cadillac Escalade and to the passenger's side to open the door for Camille. Nelly had let him borrow his truck to take her back home with the promise of coming back to Trace's house around three to pick him and Nastassia back up. Though she had been having the time of her life Camille didn't think that she was going to make the twelve o'clock mark. She was still pretty drained from rehearsals, the Grammy's, her first date with Justin, and meetings about her next music video. She was justified to want to take a little time to rest.

"You look tired as hell." Justin commented once opening her door and looking in at her. She was leaned back against the seat with heavy eyes.

"I feel tired as hell." she replied, listening to the song on the radio. "I like this."

"So you just want to sit out here for a minute before I make you go in the house and go to bed?"

Camille nodded, too tired to say anything else. Justin smiled at her and reached into the truck to turn up the radio. It was a good thing that she lived in an area where the houses were spread far apart because there could have been a noise violation. Easily he directed
her out of the car and onto her feet, closing the door behind her. The windows of the truck were down so the music was still blasting loud and clear.

"Did you have fun tonight?" he asked her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and leaned back against the truck.

"I had a blast." she answered, locking her own arms around his broad shoulders. "Especially dancing with Nelly." she couldn't help but to tease him. "The guy's got excellent control of the lower half of his body."

"I hear what you're saying. I'm an ass man and I'm not going to sit up here and front because Nastassia has a fatter ass than you and it's good. I liked having something to grip." Justin shot back at her, moving his hands from her waist to her ass.

"I thought you liked my ass." she pouted.

"I do." he used the same baby voice that she was using on him on her.

"I don't believe you because…" Camille's words were cut short by Justin's lips coming down over hers. For a long time they just stayed there, pressed together, not moving. It wasn't until the radio's DJ made a brief announcement did they continue.

"Hey, this is your late night disc jockey, Clay, and the time is now twelve o'clock, midnight. For all of you lovebirds still awake out there I'm going to throw you on a classic. The love theme from Romeo + Juliet, Kissing You by Des'ree…"

Justin removed his lips from Camille's only enough to shift upward and take her top lip into his. He could feel her arms that were around his shoulders loosen their grip and as he shifted to her bottom lip they slid down and her hands splayed out around his shoulders. Her heart was beating again his chest and his against hers. Their eyes closed slowly and he tilted his head to the side sliding his tongue between her lips and into her mouth.

Camille moved her left hand slightly in toward his neck, her thumb smoothing over his collarbone gently, as his tongue massaged her own. She could feel her stomach tightening with ever movement that he made and realized that it was worth waiting for this moment for them to share their first real kiss. The song was romantic, the stars were sparkling in the sky, and they were alone together with no one around for miles.

"Mm," Justin moaned into her mouth and moved back to catch his breath. He could barely breath and he wasn't sure if she had noticed him shaking. He didn't even know if he honestly cared.

Camille kept her eyes closed a moment longer as she felt him let go of her body and move away. She didn't recall ever being kissed the way that he had just kissed her and she had had quite a few make out partners in her young lifetime. When the car door opened she snapped back into reality and saw him standing there waiting for her.

"I can't have sex with you in the back of Nelly's truck, Justin." she stated clearly so that there was no question.

"I'm not asking you to have sex right now," he swallowed, "you're short as hell and it would be easier for me to kiss you sitting down without the neck cramp."

Without anymore convincing Camille strolled passed him and climbed into the back of the Escalade. A moment later Justin was inside with her and the kissing began all over again. His hands were in her hair and his lips were everywhere. She had never been fond of getting love marks on her neck but whatever he was doing was fine with her. She didn't stop him from trailing kisses over her jaw line, side of her neck, and even the bridge of her nose and collarbone.

It wasn't long before she found herself on her back with him on top of her but he was sticking to his word and keeping it PG-13. The only thing that went on besides kissing was the minimal groping and caressing. Justin lay over her, one hand massaging her side and the other lifting her face up closer to his own. As he stared into her eyes he felt the most wonderful feeling wash over him and in an attempt to share it with her he lowered his lips down over hers gently and for the following minutes afterward he did nothing but that…taking her lips into his own tenderly and holding her close.

After Effects?