It was around five when her mother woke her up. She gave her a quick kiss on her forehead and told her that Leehola was in the living room, playing with her dolls. Vessie gave her mother a rub on the hand as she slipped it from out of reach. People always said that her mother and her looked distinctly alike, from the way that they smile to how they each have small calves.

Vesteva walked shakily into the living room as she rubbed her forehead, noticing that she already blew away half of her weekend. When weekends came she always felt like it was time to hide out, to take time second by second. It wasn't far from when she would be sitting again in that hard school chair at her desk in English, waiting for that same boy to pull some other joke so she can be humiliated for the rest of the day. Or some person coming straight up to her face and saying 'I hate you'.

She sat down on the couch as Lee came over to her with a Barbie doll, wanting her to play. She took the doll with a sigh though looking at Lee's face just brought a smile to her face. Right now though, she could have been getting ready to go out with Abby, a nice evening out is what she needed. Then right after that she would walk over to the school and cheer for her crush to win the game, chanting Dukes with her fellow schoolmates. This was her life though and she had to deal with it. She pushed herself onto the floor, sitting cross style while she made the skinny, blonde hair doll walk over to Lee's, mumbling a few words for conversation with it. Lee smiled and took out some plastic toys to go along with the dolls, at least one out of the two were happy.

While Abby put on the final touches to her foundation make up, she thought about how tonight was going to go. Either tonight was going to end up in a nice argument as the two of them bickered about the price, or with a nice settlement and they never had to see each other again. They both suited Abby fine, both ending happily, thinking positively that she never loses a battle.

She wore a very casual wardrobe of a regular T-shirt with a blue denim jacket over. Her hair was blow dried and she pulled the top half back in a simple pony tail. Grabbing her small purse with her checkbook in it, she was ready to leave her house within minutes.

The day was beautiful out compared to the repugnant day that they had yesterday, never ending rain. The trees had no leaves anymore while the colorful leaves laid scrambled across the yards. Halloween decorations were still up at houses, fake spider webs put over the front bushes along with headstones and dead bodies. The light breeze was a cool one while Abby walked down the short neighborhood streets to the downtown of their city where she would meet Justin Timberlake. It wasn't that far, just right behind the high school sat a busy main road where stores, theaters and hotels stretched along the street. At night, white Christmas lights hung in the windows along with colorful light bulbs outside the store. It was a sight to see on summer days, staying out there when the day is long until around nine o'clock when the sun finally feels like falling down and the water fountain springs out colors along with water.

Just passing by the school where the stadium lights had just turned on, the football teams warming up while people began to gather on the stands with painted faces and signs. She wished that Vesteva could just enjoy herself once in life and go to some kind of school activity. People would get to know the true her better and she wouldn't have to be so scared or so melancholy.

When she arrived at the Hilton Hotel, cars were crowding the parking lot, also with the valet parking that was being taken place right in front of the glass turning door. She stepped up onto the curb as she let out a sigh and whispered 'here we go'. It wasn't her first time in the hotel before. The restaurant has gotten superb ratings for their prices and the meals tasted just great.

She peered around the hotel as she people watched, seeing not that many families together but many couples. She saw to the left to the dim lighted restaurant that had an underwater theme to it all. Fish tanks were spread throughout the large area against the walls and as you go up the three stairs to the other level. Abby walked over to the host and was about to say Justin's name until he saw him waving his hand from the upper level. He wasn't seated down, just standing by the wall as he signaled her to come up. She lead herself up the short stairs and was greeted by Justin with a friendly smile and him wearing a North Carolina baseball cap.

" I didn't think you would show," he said with a laugh.

" Ooh," Abby dragged out, looking at the tables around her instead of at him. She then noticed that the area was in the non smoking and she would have to live deprived of them for an hour or so. She clenched her teeth together hoping that she brought at least some gum to calm the nerve.

He began to lead her to a table but it wasn't a table set for two, but for four. There were already two guys, also wearing baseball caps, sitting at the table when they reached it, them both gazing their eyes up at the two of them. One of them looked familiar though the name escaped her mind. She sat down and Justin introduced them, to the right, JC Chasez, and to the left of her, Chris Kirkpatrick.

"They had no plans so I hope you don't mind them joining us."

It was a little too late for him to be asking Abby now since she was already there. She shook her head from side to side, not really minding that they had company. She offered Vesteva to come anyway. She put her napkin in her lap right away as the waitress appeared to take meal orders already.

"Wow, I haven't even opened the menu yet. You know, I'll just start with a drink. I'll have a Dr. Pepper if there's any available here." Abby stated.

The guys turned down the orders, waiting for Abby to get settled first so they could start at the same time. Everyone just sat there in silence to begin with. Abby didn't even know any of these people and they had their friends here with to relieve the pressure. She felt as if all three pairs of eyes were on her as she stared down at her menu. Every few seconds she would look up, to see that their eyes were always wondering somewhere else except for Justin's. She caught him looking a few times though quickly looked off into the distance when she caught him. She just smiled to herself, flattered but annoyed.

The waitress came around once again, this time taking the food orders from the four of them. They each ordered a large meal except for Abby. She just ordered a Caesar salad and ate a couple bread rolls that were put out. She never ate much lately even though her figure was as perfect as any model walking the streets in New York.

" And, why are you all here in Elm Heights?" Abby asked as she took a sip of her water, wanting to know some background information before they began the money discussion.

"We are in a traveling circus and we are making a pit stop before heading to Chicago," Chris said seriously, raising his eyebrows as he grabbed for a wheat roll. Abby rolled her eyes back and forth, not knowing what to believe. All of their faces were all serious as they looked at each other until they began to giggle. " You actually believe me?"

" I don't know what to believe, I don't know you," Abby let out with a slight laugh. " But seriously, I have this feeling like I've seen you guys before, or know you."

"Yeah, dat's not surprising. We are actually in a band. I can't believe you haven't,-"

"What do you play?" Abby interrupted curiously. The guys stared at each other as they looked up from their dinner salads.

"We don't play instruments, we are a vocal group and we, well, dance, *NSYNC." JC continued explaining while making the quotations with his fingers when he said *NSYNC.

Abby looked at each guy with a strange eye, looking at them carefully. The group was known to her but she didn't have any detail on what they exactly looked like, or their names. She stuck to the alternative bands and the R&B music, such as Creed and Joe. Having no time between work and keeping payments on the house, there was never time for herself anymore. It was as if she was staring at a bunch of strangers though their faces were known completely throughout the world. The guys smiled as Abby shook her head back and forth. With all the money that they had and all the fame, the car is going to cost an incredible amount of money. She stayed silent while looking at the bare table cloth in amazement though in wonder from where this dinner is going to take her now. She's not only sitting with the guy who's car she crashed into and friends, but the famous guy who's car she crashed into and his famous friends.

During the rest of that entree no one talked. Abby was embarrassed about not even recognizing one of the largest groups in the world who even just recently released a new c.d. The waitress brought the main course serving chicken for Justin, fish for JC, steak for Chris and Abby's Caesar salad. Out of the blue, JC started to speak up.

"You know your friend Vesteva?" he popped out as he started cutting his fish into small pieces. Abby quietly nodded as she ate the olives that were on the side first. She looked up and saw JC directing his full attention on her. " Is she the quiet type and shy? Or does she just not like my company?"

" I thought I came here to discuss the car payments?" Abby laughed off as she started back down to her salad. Justin accompanied her as he gave an eye up to JC and he just smiled.

"That's the reason you came, not me." JC answered back.

"Hey man, I came for neither, I was just starving. Who's Vesteva?" Chris butted in. Everyone snickered at the little remark as Chris dove his fork into a piece of steak, dipping it in barbecue sauce and then in his mouth with a grin.

"Vesteva Hartner, a friend of mine. She's just...well, careful I guess. She's not very convivial around others, sensitive. Okay, I've talked to much now." Abby answered.

He kept a steady face the whole time, breathing and absorbing all the information that he could pick up from her. Vesteva was like a large mystery that he wanted to solve, a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces, or ones that you can't fit together. Opening his mouth before he even tasted his food, he gradually asked another question about how Vesteva was, or if she said anything about him when they returned home yesterday. His interest in Vesteva was driving Abby crazy, answering questions about her instead of what she actually came for, to get this money problem solved. She slammed her fork into her dish, staring at JC with her crystal blue eyes while her short blonde hair hung in her face.

"You know what? I hardly know you but I already know that you are annoying the hell out of me. Why don't you just go and ask her these questions yourself? She lives less than two blocks away from me. It's 31 Valley Side Road. If you remember the directions to my house, you are bound to find it. I think that it's either you leave, or I am." Abby instructed, beginning with an attitude but loosening up nearing the end.

JC sat back straight in his chair while he stared into his plate in a complete daze. He was shot at with a threat, and he didn't want to disappoint Justin. He wasn't sure about what to do, the girl barely knew him and he would just suddenly appear at her front doorsteps. Vesteva would get the wrong message of his arrival if she didn't recognize him at first. The probabilities of her completely ignoring him and not saying hello would probably be slim, and he couldn't stop this feeling that was inside of him. Ever since he saw her looking into the room when he was in the kids hospital, he knew that she was different. In what ways he wasn't certain of yet but that's what he wanted to find out.

Less than a month ago he was involved with a girl while they were on tour. She was an old friend from Maryland and they had a complete trust with each other when the friendship developed into something romantic. The days became long and the tour never stopped. Having no one there to comfort his girlfriend in her times of grief, when she felt loneliness and seeking a partner to fill that hole. The only thing she could do was see someone else on the side and kept it a secret from him until word spread around. Not only was the trust broken but instead of him ending the relationship with a hurt heart, she flat out said it in his face. Keeping distance from the rest of the group during this healing time, he tried to rebuild himself into something he wanted to be, then they came to Chicago.

Still in pain, he ached for that longing of a girl to wrap his arms around, to be there for like he wasn't for the other. Instead of standing in 'what if', he took his chances.

" You know what? I'm going to take you up on that. Just tell them to wrap it up and I'll be back shortly to pick you up when your done, or maybe sooner," He said.

He put his hand in his pocket, hearing the jiggling of the keys next to each other, then standing up. JC raised his eyebrows as he put his brown leather coat over his shoulders and his baseball cap back on. Everyone watched him as he got up with such an outlook on what he was doing. Either he did it now or it will never happen, instead of going through his life with that ' what if' on his mind.

" Now about the money...," Abby dragged.