"Alright, see ya later," Brian called.
"What time are the guys gonna be here?" Jill asked.
"Around six or six thirty," Leigh Anne placed her hand out flat, palm down, and wiggled it side to side, as if to say it was iffy when they would be there. "Can you help me set things up?"
"Sure, I'll be home by five," Jill nodded, then turned and jogged to the car Brian had given her, a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, clad only in short Lycra exercise shorts and a sports bra.
Jill grinned as she parked and got out of the car, pacing back and forth a few times to warm up before stretching. She loved to run, probably more than anything else, except designing new lines for her company. Those were her two passions, they just made her feel better. Taking off down the trail, Jill let her mind wander. This was exactly what she needed. She wanted to know what was going on with AJ, in a way, but in a way she didn't. Because if he didn't want her to know, she didn't think she needed to. But she was worried about him, he hadn't been sleeping right. It was obvious by the dark circles underneath his eyes that the make-up artist complained so often about.
The only question in her mind was what kept him up at night, making him toss and turn until it was physically impossible for his eyes to stay open any longer. She knew that was what he did, because Amanda had mentioned it earlier, curious as to whether any of the other guys ever did that.
"No," Jill said aloud, running a bit faster. She tended to do that - run faster when she thought harder. She got so distracted she would be running full-tilt and never even realize it until she was completely exhausted.
That was the story of her life. Never realizing she was going all-out until she couldn't move another muscle. Forty-five minutes later Jill was almost exhausted, so she stopped by a bench and downed her water bottle before stretching out.
"Hey, I saw you running. You're pretty good, you do that much?" A vaguely familiar voice floated to Jill.
Jill nodded. "When I need to think. But thanks," She turned and was shocked to find herself face-to-face with Justin Timberlake.
"No problem," Justin shrugged. "I wish I could run like that."
"It takes a lot of practice," Jill admitted. "I worked really hard at it in elementary and middle school, but I slacked off a little in high school. I'm trying to pick it up again."
"Well, good luck. How was your birthday?" Justin grinned his crooked grin at Jill and she found herself smiling back at him.
"Tiring," Jill admitted, but then she laughed. "But it was definitely worth it."
Justin nodded. "Sorry we left in a hurry, but, uh..."
Jill grinned. "You and Tonya didn't have an easy time of your break-up."
"How'd you know we were dating?" Justin looked surprised. "No one knew but us, our parents, and the guys, and her best friend."
"Her best friend," Jill shrugged.
"She told you? Tonya said she could keep her mouth shut," Justin moaned, eyes rolling skyward.
"I can. I didn't tell anyone but myself, I promise," Jill smiled at the young singer sitting on the bench in front of her.
"You're...You're Tonya's best friend?" Justin's eyes popped open and he stared at her. "So, you like...You know...?"
"Why you broke up? Yeah."
"And you don't hate me?"
"You had your reasons. They may seem stupid to me or Tonya, but they were perfectly good reasons for you."
"It seemed stupid to you?" Justin asked, watching as Jill sat on the ground and stretched out some more.
"Well...Yeah," Jill nodded apologetically. "You broke up with her because you thought Britney might like you."
"I dunno, I thought I liked Britney, I was wrong," Justin sighed, then shrugged. "I don't think Tonya and I were for each other, though."
"I don't think Tonya thought so, either," Jill admitted.
"Why was she going out with me then?" Justin asked sharply, looking up.
"Sometimes," Jill smiled to herself. "Sometimes it is."
Justin smiled. "Maybe timing is right sometimes. Maybe we could see each other again?"
Jill shrugged. "Maybe. I've got to get goin', Leigh needs help getting ready for the guys tonight, they're coming over."
"You have a boyfriend?" Justin raised his eyebrows.
"No," Jill looked at him funny. "The guys are coming over."
Justin raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Ok. See ya."
Jill smiled to herself as she drove home, arriving as AJ was climbing out of his car.
"What are you grinnin' about, Shorty?" Kevin asked as she and AJ walked in the front door.
"She saw Fro Boy," AJ said mischieviously.
Howie raised an eyebrow. "The same Fro Boy that left in a hurry from your party?"
AJ nodded. "The same Fro Boy." AJ grinned down at Jill. "I wonder what he could have wanted."
"He just commented on my running," Jill said, giving AJ an impatient glare, wondering how he knew until she remembered he had to drive by the park to get there from his house.
"Hey, Daddy, I think Fro Boy's gonna make a move on your little girl," AJ cackled, running through the house.
Brian looked thoughtful, pensive almost, as he stared at the blonde teenager in front of him. He smiled softly, a secretive half-smile, and shook his head. "He just knows a good thing when he sees it."
Kevin shrugged. "Go beat up AJ. Help her out, Squirt."
"Yeah!" Amandah grabbed Jill's hand and tugged her down the hall towards AJ's cackling laugh.
Jill and Amandah snuck up quietly behind AJ, and at the moment Amandah's arms encircled AJ's ankles, Jill jumped on his back, dropping him like a sack of Idaho potatoes.
Kevin and Brian, who had been silent, straining to hear the attack, burst into laughter at Jill's war-cry and AJ's girly squeal.
Kevin turned to Brian once the squeals, shrieks, and insults had died down. "Bri, what do you really think about Fro Boy coming onto Jill?"
Brian sighed. "That we're gonna have to stop calling him 'Fro Boy' and start calling him 'Justin'."
Kevin looked shocked.
"At least to his face," Brian grinned mischieviously and ran off to end up shoving Claudia into the pool.
"Do you like Justin?" AJ asked after Amandah had run off to push an unsuspecting Nick into the pool.
Jill shrugged. "I don't know."
"Are you guys gonna...date? Or anything?" AJ yawned and stretched out on the grass, his head in Jill's lap.
"Who knows what the future holds?" Jill shrugged.