Chapter 11

"Justin Justin wake up." Jess said "Huh? What? Oh hey baby." Justin said as he rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong? Is there something the matter?" he said as he sat up. "No breakfast is ready." She said as she took his hand. She pulled him up and dragged him to the bathroom. "Cmon hurry up Justin. Wash your face and brush your teeth." She said as stood in the doorway. Justin groaned. "Jess I really wanna sleep." "Justin." She said. "Ok ok" he said. After he was done they both walked into the kitchen hand in hand. "Woah did I miss something?" Joey said. "Shut up Joey." Justin grumbled. "Oh my baaaad I forgot no speaking to the lord almighty Justin before the apple jacks." He said. "Justin? You want milk with your cereal sweetie?" Jess asked. "Sure thing babe." Justin said in a suddenly cheery voice. Joey looked at him and rolled his eyes. Jess gave him his cereal and milk and sat down next to him with a muffin and orange juice. All during breakfast they wouldn't stop staring at each other. JC watched as the two headed for the back room to "watch tv". "Hmm should I ask out Benish?" he thought to himself. He turned and saw her at the sink helping Chris with the dishes. He wanted to ask her out so badly but he didn't know how to approach her. He decided to keep things cool. She wasn't mad and she seemed to have forgotten about Jenny. The telephone's ringing broke JC's train of thought. "Hello?" Benish answered the phone in a cheery and upbeat voice. "Umm yea he's here. Who's speaking?" she asked. "Oh um ok hold on a sec." She said her face suddenly changing expression. She handed the phone over to JC with a somber look upon her face. He immediately knew who had called. "Hello? Jenny? Hey" JC answered. "Umm nothin. Yea that's cool. Who? Oh she's um on tour with us yea she's a friend Jen." He said. Benish had a look of pain on her face. She could feel the redness and heat crawling up her face and settle on her cheeks. She threw the dish cloth she was holding down on the floor and stormed out of the kitchen. JC didn't know whether he should go after her. After all he had missed Jenny's voice. Part of JC wanted to stay on the phone with Jenny but the other part wanted to hang up, forget about Jenny and run after Benish. Benish ran till she got to her bunk and she stopped. She could feel a knot forming in her throat and it got tighter by the second almost choking her. She fought to keep the tears back. "I am not gonna cry." She told herself. She heard someone approaching her. She turned to find JC standing there with a look of desperation and confusion on his face. Suddenly her sorrow turned to anger. She grabbed for her suitcase and started to toss all her belongings into it. She mumbled to herself as she threw everything in. "I refuse to be made fool of. He's gonna have to find someone else to humiliate." She mumbled on. All this time JC stood there only capable of staring with his mouth open. He heard what she had said. He realized what a huge mistake he had made. She looked around to see if she had left anything. Satisfied she took her belongings to the front of the bus. She walked to the back room and knocked on the door. "Can I come in please." She said She went in and closed and locked the door behind her. JC just stood there wondering what just happened. ********************** Benish walked into the back room calm and collected. She closed and locked the door silently. She leaned against the door as she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "B what's wrong?" Jess said as she got up and walked towards her. That's all it took for Benish. She started sobbing and told Jess and Justin what had happened. "I'm leaving. I can't live like this Jess it hurts too much." She said over her crying. "B you can't leave it won't be the same. You know that." Jess said. "Yea you can't leave because of him. Forget him." Justin said. "Can you forget Jess? Can you forget Justin?" she asked the both of them "No I didn't think so." She said as she got up. She took a few tissues and wiped her face. Justin left the room. A few moments later he came in and gave her a glass of water. "Thanks Justin." She said "No prob B. don't leave please." He said with a silly face. "Justin. Go outside for a sec please." Jess said. "Sure ok" he said. Justin got up and left. "Benish look at me. You can't leave. You know you wanna stay. Plus I need you here it won't be the same without you and you know that." She said she put her arm around her friend. "But Jess.." Benish began to say. She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Justin came in. "Ummm guess what? We got a new dancer I think he's one of Britney's dancers I dunno anyway there's no more room on the other bus so he'll be staying with us. Come out and meet him." He said Benish got up and fixed herself. She went out with Jess to the sitting area of the bus. There stood a tall man about 20 years old with short blond hair spiked up with gel. He had sparkling blue eyes and pink lips. He was tan, slim yet built. He had on a blue sleeveless fitted shirt and khaki pants. Benish suddenly forgot JC was even there. "Well what do we have here?" the man said as he approached her. He looked her up and down and smiled with approval. "Jake, why didn't you mention that there would be lovely ladies as well?" He said quietly. Jake, the guys' manager laughed. "Allow me to introduce myself+I'm Todd. And you are?" he asked Jess. "I'm Jessica but you can call me Jess." She said with a smile. "And you?" he asked Benish. "Umm Benish but you can call me Bebe if you want." She replied quietly. "I'm Todd" he replied. "Nice to meet you Todd." She said as she stuck her hand out to shake his hand. "Believe me the pleasure is all mine." He said as he took her hand and kissed it lightly. Benish felt his lips linger on her hand as his breath gently rolled across her hand. She turned bright red and he released her hand. "Well I guess I'll take your bags back." Jess said quietly with a snicker. "So Jess where's your bunk?" he asked. "Oh its ... back there" she said. "Hey watch it Mr. Smooth she's taken? but her friend's not." He said a he put his arm around Jess. "Oh is she really?" Todd said with more interest and he turned to look at her. "Yea its true? I guess I just have bad luck when it comes to guys." She said as she looked right at JC. All this time JC stared with amazement as Todd quickly moved in on her. He used slick pick up lines and in a matter of moments her had her in the palm of his hands. He watched as he sweettalked her? just what she needed in her moment of despair. He could tell she was over him the instant she saw Todd. Jess took her bags to the back and Justin went with her. JC was glaring at Todd as he followed her to the back of the bus. JC went behind them to see what was going on. He looked inside the back room and found Todd sitting next to Benish on the couch. He was staring at her intently with his cool blue eyes and appeared to hang on her every word. "Hey what are you doing?" Justin said as JC jumped. "Hey what do you want?" he said angrily. "Leave her alone man, you made the mistake now live with it." He said as he left. "I'll make it right" JC said to himself as he continued to watch the two talking.
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"So tell me more? how long have you been on tour with them?" Todd asked. "Um actually we just got on the bus about 3 days ago." She answered. "Oh really? Hmm you know I thought you and JC had a thing going." He said. "What made you think that?" she said. "Umm well I guess I can tell with your body language. Like how he got all tense when I was talking to you. And how he was ready to jump me when I kissed your hand." Todd said with a smile. "Ugh screw him. He's an asshole. I hate him." She said with sudden anger. "Whoa what'd I miss?" he said with confusion. Benish told him the whole story about Jenny and JC and what had happened. "Wow ok he's an ass." Todd said. "Yea tell me about it." She said as she sighed. "You know, you can still have fun without JC. There are other guys out in the world. In fact I don't think you have to look too far for an interested guy." He said with a sly smile. She turned red and she felt that familiar heat crawling up her face. The kind of feeling she used to have when JC flirted with her. "You know its too bad JC did what he did. He missed out on a great girl." Todd said. "Todd stop you're embarrassing me!" she said "How about I take the bunk next to yours? you wouldn't mind right?" he said. "No ofcourse not." She said with a wide smile knowing this would kill JC. "Great. We are gonna have a lot of fun on this tour." He said with a smile. JC stood outside the door listening to the conversation. He had tears in his eyes. "She hates me" He realized. He was so upset. He listened to how Todd said the "right" things to Benish. He knew the game Todd was playing. " He's just using her." He whispered to himself. "What just like you did?" Justin said. "What do you want Justin?" JC muttered. "I want you to give her privacy. She likes Todd? big shit. You deserve it!" Justin said as he grabbed JC's arm and pulled him away from the door.

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