*Author’s Note: The main character’s name is pronounced Chev-on, for future preference on nicknames
Siobhan twirled around in her swivel chair and gazed out the window at the astounding view of L.A. She stared at the city lights as they started to light up and the night crept upon everyone while the real life began.
She twirled back around and tapped her pencil on her desk in thought. She chewed the end of the pencil and her face twisted in disgust of the taste of eraser she just swallowed. She dropped the pencil on her desk and placed her fingers on the computer keys. She paused for a brief moment, then proceeded into tapping away rapidly.
“Si? You in here?” a voice asked, peeking their head into the room.
Siobhan didn’t respond. She continued to tap away at her computer and didn’t even look up.
“Hey your majesty, I’m talking to you,” a man said, entering the room and strolling over to her desk.
Siobhan looked up in annoyance and over at the man standing in front her desk by now. “Whaaaat?” she whined.
“Well if you just acknowledged me in the first place, I wouldn’t have interrupted your little brainstorm.”
She rolled her eyes and pushed herself away from her computer. She spun halfway around to face the guy and leaned back in her chair, propping her feet up on her desk.
“What do you want?” she asked, folding her hands and placing them comfortably on her stomach.
“I hope you don’t treat all your clients this way,” the man replied, sitting down in a seat across from her.
“Nope, just you,” she smiled sweetly.
“Thanks,” he replied sarcastically. “I have a new project for you.”
“What is it?” she asked, obviously bored. “Don’t tell me it’s another assignment to go and dig deep in the depths of the food in the local high school’s cafeteria.”
He shook his head, “It’s better than that.”
“Well come on, I don’t have all day, I have to finish this article,” she rushed.
“Patience, ye of little faith,” he said calmly. He adjusted his tie and leaned back in his seat. “I have an undercover story I want you to...UN COVER,” he said with a small laugh, amused by his own lame joke.
Siobhan rolled her eyes, “Your so queer sometimes Mike, I could swear your gay.”
Mike looked up offended and shot her a look, “You KNOW I’m not gay, so why even question the possibility?”
She sighed, “It’s called a joke Mike, let’s get on with the conversation.”
He cleared his throat and continued to take his time with explaining his little mission he had for her. “Well I was looking through all the assignments and deciding what one’s to hand out to who, when something caught my eye.” He paused and looked over at Siobhan, waiting for any sort of response.
She yawned.
“Anyway, I thought this would be the perfect job for you and if you do this job well, then we can both be praised until the day we retire,” he said casually.
Siobhan stopped mid yawn and looked over at him, suddenly interested. “What is it?” she asked, curious now.
Mike laughed, “Now I got your attention.”
She leaned forward in her seat, dropping her feet and legs to the floor. She edged into her desk and looked at Mike with a raised eyebrow.
“Tell me,” she urged, getting interested.
“Well as you know, *N SYNC is the hot topic for all magazines and newspapers these days,” he began.
Siobhan rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair again, “Don’t tell me I have to go follow a dumb, immature boy band around and find out what makes them ‘In Sync’,” she said, making quotation marks with her hands. “That’s so queer.”
“You have a fond liking for that word don’t you?” Mike asked, looking at her.
She rolled her eyes and blew a big bubble with her gum. “Whatever, I’m not doing it.”
“You haven’t let me finish,” he said patiently. “The paper wants us to do some in depth article on the boy group, but the only problem is, everyone else out there is doing one too. All the other magazine and newspapers that we run against will get the same information, the only difference between our paper and theirs is gonna be different format and new quotes.”
“So?”
“SO...I thought maybe we would get a little more IN DEPTH with the guys and see what we can dig up,” he said with a hint of slyness in his voice.
Siobhan cracked her gum loudly and Mike flinched from the loud noise.
“Stop doing that!” he said.
She ignored him and spun her chair around to look out the window again. “So how do you plan on getting into their personal lives? Just walking up to them and saying ‘Hi I’m a reporter and I’d like to know everything about you so I can publish it for all the public to see.’? I don’t know, but I have a hunch they won’t respond like you’d like them to.”
Mike chuckled at her sarcasm, “That’s what I love about you Si, you always know how to make me smile with your smart ass attitude.”
Siobhan rolled her eyes.
“Since I thought about that and I know they won’t tell ME their personal lives, I decided to think of a better way to get into their lives and that’s where YOU come in.”
Siobhan cracked her gum and waited for him to continue.
“How would you like to play actress for a few months?” Mike asked mischievously.
“Actress?” she asked.
Mike nodded his head, but knew she couldn’t see him since she had the back of her chair facing him.
“After racking my brains out I finally thought up of way to get IN DEPTH with *N SYNC,” he said with a small chuckle.
“You really need to break your habit of those corny jokes you crack all the time,” she said in response.
Mike sighed, “Just work with me here Si, all right?”
“Whatever, what’s your plan?” she said, brushing off his annoyed tone.
“I pulled a few strings and I got a job lined up for the new web site writer, she has to talk to the guys, get to know them on a more personal note, and more importantly travel and spend all her time with them.” Siobhan didn’t have a response so Mike continued, “So I got the job lined up, now all I need is YOU to take the job.
“You set me up for a job that I didn’t even know about!?” she asked, not turning around.
“Well I THOUGHT you’d be interested, but if you can’t handle it, then I’ll just find someone else--” he said, standing up to head for the door
“Wait!” she called out.
He paused and a smile crept across his face. He turned back around to face her again, “Yes?”
Siobhan finally spun back around and placed her hands on her desk. “Never tell ME, I can’t handle an assignment you dish out.”
Mike smiled smugly and looked at her. He crossed his arms over his chest, “So, what’s it gonna be?”
Siobhan stared back at him blankly. After a long silence a smile twitched at the corners of her mouth, “You know I always love a challenge.”
Justin bounded into the conference room with a huge grin spread across his face. He bounced over to JC and grabbed his shoulders, “Do you know how great life is!?” he asked loudly.
JC laughed from his friend’s hyperness, “No, tell me, HOW great is life?”
“It’s spectacular! Amazing! Wonderful! Life is good!” he exclaimed.
“And why is it all of these things?” JC asked, watching his friend with amusement.
“Because were going on tour soon, everything is going right, and we’re getting someone to replace Melinda.”
JC’s face fell, “Why are we getting someone to replace Melinda?”
“She’s quitting,” Justin shrugged. “Not saying I want her to leave, but I heard the new girl we’re getting is cute and closer to my age!”
JC narrowed his eyebrows in thought, “She’s quitting? Why?”
Justin shrugged again, “Something about getting married this summer and wanting to start a family, I wasn’t really paying attention because they told me a new, cuter, girl was coming in to replace her.
JC raised an eyebrow, “You make me wonder sometimes.”
Justin grinned slyly, “I make EVERYONE wonder, ALL the time.”
JC laughed. “So when do we get to meet this new girl?” he asked.
“Soon, since the tour starts in about two weeks, she’s coming in shortly so we get used to her being around us, not that we’re not used to everyone ELSE being in our lives,” Justin said with a sigh. “But anyway, then she’ll be coming with us, she's even gotten a new office, you should see it! It’s nice!”
“You already checked it out?” JC asked.
Justin nodded his head, “I had to...so I knew where this girl was going be staying when she starts working here.”
“And they say Joey’s the flirty one,” JC commented with a small laugh.
“Yeah I think they got us all mixed up,” Justin grinned. “I bet Joey’s the sporty one, Lance’s is the crazy one, your the shy one, and Chris is the serious one.”
JC laughed at that thought. “Wouldn’t that be something?”
Justin laughed and nodded his head. “THAT would be the day.” He bounced once more and nudged JC’s arm repetitively, “You want to go check out her new office?”
JC hesitated and finally sighed, “All right Curly, if it amuses you THAT much, I’ll go.”
Justin smiled excitedly and pulled JC out of his chair. “It does.”
Siobhan looked around her decent sized apartment and tried to remember if she was forgetting anything. She couldn’t believe she had to move to boring old Orlando for this assignment. Mike had found an apartment for her, located closely to the record company for her convenience. All she had to do was pack up her things and move into her new place for a few months. She wasn’t really going to be staying there for more than two weeks because once the tour started, then ended and she had all the information she needed, she was out.
A knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts and she climbed over the few boxes she had laying in her living room. She swung open the door and found Mike standing there, leaning again the door frame with one hand up for support and the other tucked into his pants pocket.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” she said, turning back around and leaving the door wide open. “And in an ugly suit,” she added with a smirk.
Mike looked down at his suit and back over at her, “I like this suit.”
Siobhan shrugged her shoulders, “Then wear it.”
“I am.”
“Your quick aren’t you?”
Mike sighed and rolled his eyes, “Is there ever a moment in your life when your NOT sarcastic?”
Siobhan tapped her finger on her chin in thought, “Nope!”
“I figured,” he mumbled, entering her apartment.
He shut the door behind him and looked around at all the boxes stacked up around her living room.
“Your only going for a few months,” he said, opening the flap to a nearby box.
“Don’t touch my stuff and I KNOW that, but I need to feel part of L.A. with me,” she said, shoving her last items into a half empty box.
Mike flipped the flap down and walked over to the couch, climbing over the boxes in the process.
“You don’t need to take ALL of L.A. with you, can’t you just find a post card or something?”
Siobhan ignored him and cracked her gum. “No, it has to SEEM like L.A. in my new apartment in dreary old Orlando.”
“Whatever you say,” he mumbled in response.
“Your not going to be living there, so stop criticizing me about it,” she said in an annoyed tone.
She stood up and brushed herself off. She looked around at the boxes and made sure she labeled them so she knew what was in each of them.
“Are you sure those moving people are going to get my things safely to my apartment?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
Mike nodded, “I paid them extra to be EXTRA careful.”
Siobhan shrugged and nodded, satisfied. “When are they coming?”
Mike checked his watch and tapped it lightly. “Soon.”
“Well I need to get to the airport,” she said, slinging her purse on her shoulder. “Are you taking me or what?”
Mike nodded his head and stood up, following her to the door.
“A little help here,” she said, pointing down to her suitcase.
“Did you even PACK anything?” he asked, looking at the dinky looking bag.
“Yes,” she said in a huff. “I packed what I needed.”
“Si, you have to seem professional, ACTRESS remember?”
Siobhan rolled her eyes, “Right whatever, I’ll buy clothes when I get there.”
“No need to do that, I knew you were going to do this so I already took the liberty in buying you new clothes,” he said, picking up her small suitcase.
“How can you buy clothes for me?” she asked.
“Easy, I know you relatively well and your sizes, so I got you a few decent looking outfits to wear for when you start working there,” he replied casually. He walked out of the door and said over his shoulder, “The clothes are in the car, we’ll just put them in your suitcase when we get to the airport, lord knows you have the room in this thing for it.”
Siobhan looked out the small plane window and rubbed her eyes. She stretched and turned back to her lap top computer screen in front of her. She wasn’t really sure WHY she was willingly giving up almost three months of her life to move to Orlando and act like an innocent woman who just wants to get to know the members of *N SYNC on a public note. It was mainly for the challenge of acting like someone else and the rush of being undercover and digging into people’s personal lives that everyone was DYING to know.
Siobhan smiled satisfied, knowing she was going to get dirt on these squeaky clean guys and expose their pretty little faces to the public, the right way, HER way. This was her mission and she wasn’t going to stop until she completed it.
But before she could start, she had to find out some information on these ‘fab five’ guys and see what their personalities were like. So she decided since she had a long plane ride she’d pull out her laptop and find some sites on them, checking their official site first.
Her eyes scanned the screen and she read intently, chewing noisily on her gum. She blew a big bubble and cracked it loudly so that she even jumped from surprise. She glanced around and caught the looks of annoyance on the other passengers’ faces. She rolled her eyes and shrugged, shoving the rest of her gum into her mouth and chewing again loudly.
“What goody goodies,” she muttered to herself. “Lance Bass, the shy one of the group, favorite color vivid red and blue, likes to ride horses in his spare time and loves his family dearly,” she read out loud with fake innocence dripping off her voice. “Oh please, if that’s not a momma’s boy tell me what is,” she mumbled.
Her mouse moved to the next person and she clicked on it, waiting for the screen to show up.
“Excuse me miss?” a flight attendant asked politely.
“Yes?” Siobhan asked, looking up from her computer screen.
“Would you like a drink?”
Siobhan hesitated and finally responded, “No not right now, maybe later.”
The flight attendant nodded her head and continued down the isle to the next person.
Siobhan looked back down at her screen and noticed the next person had shown up. She chewed on her gum obnoxiously and read aloud again in the same voice she had used before.
“Justin Timberlake, favorite color baby blue, likes playing basketball and shopping in his spare time also loves music passionately,” she read. “Look at his hair, it looks like a brillow pad, what electric socket did he stick HIS finger into?”
She laughed to herself and shook her head. She clicked on the next person and scanned the information. “Joey Fatone, loves clubbing and flirting in his spare time and was influenced musically by his father who sang in a group called the ‘Orions’.” She cracked her gum. “Whoopy-de-doo,” she said unenthusiastically. “What happened to his hair? He looks like he tripped and fell into a bucket of red hair dye.”
She clicked again. “Chris Kirkpatrick, the crazy one of the group, favor color silver, likes to spin records and has turn tables in his house, loves Taco Bell,” she read in a low tone. “Taco Bell? How many stories have I heard about THAT place and their food!?” She shook her head in disgust and looked at his picture. “You know what...I’m not even going to comment on him.”
She clicked on the last biography and waited for it to show up. The picture was taking a long time to download and she tapped on the side of her keyboard impatiently.
“Come on,” she mumbled, annoyed. Come on you stupid computer, you stu--”
Siobhan looked at the set of eyes that were downloaded, if she was standing up she would have had to sit down. The rest of his face was downloading slowly, piece by piece, almost as if knowing she wanted to see the rest of it and her computer was just torturing her for pure amusement. Siobhan watched at the rest of the mysterious face appear.
The rest of the picture revealed a gorgeous face. His eyes seemed to jump out at her, while the structure of his face screamed masculinity. He had a square jaw with a strong cheek bone structure. His lips looked plush and inviting to any girl that caught a glimpse of them.
Siobhan let her breath out and stared, gaping at the picture in pure awe. She finally snapped herself out of her thoughts and read over his biography, actually WANTING to know something about him.
“Joshua Chasez, also known as JC,” she read out loud. “Likes to sleep in his spare time and loves Chinese food, is very close to his family and is extremely passionate about his music.”
Siobhan leaned back in her seat and continued to stare at JC’s picture. “Well maybe this assignment isn’t going to be so bad after all.”
(The Next Monday)
“Who’s this new girl Justin mentioned?” JC asked, leaning in towards the table.
Mr. Collins looked up, “She’s replacing Melinda for the upcoming tour.”
“I know that, but who is she?” he asked.
“Her name is Siobhan Westing and she’s from L.A.,” Mr. Collins replied. “Someone she knows mentioned the job to her and she said she wanted to take it, she's more than qualified and we needed someone on quick notice since Melinda left suddenly and we haven’t gotten a chance to look around for someone to replace her.”
JC leaned back in his chair and nodded his head, “I see, is she attractive?”
Mr. Collins looked up in slight surprise, “I thought you’d be the LEAST like Justin on the concerns of her look.”
JC blushed, “Justin’s been talking very highly of her appearance, I was just wondering if he was right or he just has bad taste.”
Mr. Collins laughed and took of his glasses, “Well you’ll have to see for yourself because we ARE all meeting her today in about...” he trailed off, looking down at his watch. “Fifteen minutes to be exact.”
“Is that why were all called here for a meeting?” JC asked.
Mr. Collins nodded his head, “She’s going to be around you a lot so I thought a formal meeting would be good for your guys and her as well.”
JC nodded in response and remained quiet to let Mr. Collins finish his paperwork he was working on. Justin, Joey, and Chris came bouncing into the room, full of energy and high on life. Lance came strolling in after them and took a seat beside JC. He mumbled a small greeting and looked over at the other three guys bouncing off the walls. Justin, Joey, and Chris finally took their seats, but not without wiggling around in them.
“We’re meeting the hot girl today?” Joey asked, looking at Mr. Collins.
“NO, we’re meeting Siobhan Westing today, the woman to replace Melinda,” Mr. Collins answered without looking up.
“Yeah the hot girl, right J?” Joey asked, turning to look at Justin.
Justin nodded enthusiastically, “Admit it Mr. C, that girl WAS good looking in the picture.”
Mr. Collins looked up from his work, “I don’t see why they had to send a picture with her resume, looks don’t count with her job.”
“But their an advantage on our part,” Justin grinned.
Mr. Collins sighed and shook his head, looking back down at his paper work.
Siobhan walked down the long carpeted hallway, dressed in a navy blue business suit and her hair wrapped up and neatly clipped. She cracked her gum and rolled her eyes to what Mike was saying on the phone.
“I know Mike, you’ve only told me for the past HOUR what to act like, give it a rest,” she said in a annoyed tone. “I’ll be fine.”
“Si, you can’t screw this up, do you hear me? You CAN’T,” he said in a stern tone.
“Yes daddy,” she said in a mocking voice.
“Si, stop being childish and SPIT OUT THAT GUM!”
Siobhan rolled her eyes, “Why?” she whined.
“Because your being PROFESSIONAL Siobhan and THAT Siobhan doesn’t chew gum like a four year old!” Mike exclaimed.
“You really do sound like my father,” she said with a sigh.
“Come on Si, pull through for me ok?” he pleaded.
“Yeah yeah yeah, I got everything under control, but I’m never going to forgive you for buying me these clothes, their the most UN comfortable things in the world!” she complained. “I hate business suits, you KNOW that.”
“Si, I couldn’t let you walk into that conference room with ratty old jeans and any T-shirt you could dig out of your suitcase,” he sighed, exasperated.
“Why not?”
“Because that’s not--”
“Professional,” she finished for him. “I’m starting to notice a pattern here.”
“GOOD, maybe you’ll pick up on it then.”
Siobhan sighed with annoyance, “All right chief, I’m here and I have to get off the phone.”
“All right Si, good luck and remember--”
“Be professional, ALL RIGHT Mike, I GOT IT,” she said with an attitude.
“And spit out your gum!”
Siobhan hung up on him and slipped her cell phone in her purse. She looked around and found a nearby trash can. She threw her gum into it, not wanting to spit it out. She fixed her suit for the last time and pulled her shoulders back. She lifted her head high and took a deep breath, knocking on the door.
“Come in,” someone answered.
She took another deep breath and opened the door to enter, suddenly transforming.
All five guys and Mr. Collins looked up to see Siobhan walk in. She had dark hair that was wrapped and placed on top of her head in a clip. She had a business suit of a tight skirt and jacket that matched. She had long legs and heels to match the navy blue color of her suit. She smiled in a friendly manner and waved shyly.
“Miss Westing I presume?” Mr. Collins asked, standing up to greet her.
Siobhan nodded her head, “Yes.”
“I’m Mr. Collins, President of JIVE records and these are the five guys you’ll be spending your summer with,” he said, holding out his hand.
Siobhan smiled sweetly and took his hand, shaking it, then looking over at the five guys looking at her.
“Hey guys,” she said in a soft tone.
The first one to respond was Lance, he stood up and walked over to her. “Hello Miss Westing, my name is Lance, it’s very nice to meet you,” he said in a polite manner.
“Thank you and it’s nice to meet you too,” she replied.
“Please have a seat,” he offered.
She smiled and sat down beside JC, thanking Lance again.
“I’m Justin,” Justin jumped in, leaning across the table to shake her hand.
Siobhan took his and shook it lightly. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Joey!” Joey said, reaching across the table.
“I’m Chris, how you doin’?” he asked with an Italian accent.
Siobhan looked confused, “I didn’t think you were Italian.”
Chris grinned, “I’m not.”
“We just watched a few Italian movies and Chris thinks he’s cool trying to sound like them,” Justin explained.
“Oh,” Siobhan said, nodding her head slowly.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to find JC smiling at her. She caught her breath in her throat when she realized she was face to face with the man she had seen in the picture during the place ride to Orlando.
“I’m JC,” he said, holding out his hand.
Siobhan looked at his face structures and almost forgot she was in the room with five other people. The picture she saw before did him no justice, compared to the way he looked in real life.
“Nice-nice to meet you,” she stuttered slightly, taking his hand.
His grip was strong and held her hand firmly, giving it a good shake. Siobhan continued to stare before breaking herself out of her gaze. She scolded herself for staring so intently and turned back around to face the other guys.
“So your the famous guys that drive teenage girls through their hormonal stages,” she said, crossing her legs in a lady like manner.
They nodded their heads with a grin, “Something like that.”
“Well it’s honor to finally meet all of you and I have to say, I’m looking forward to working with you this summer,” she said, smiling sweetly.
Their faces lit up and they nodded their heads in agreement, “Us too, you’ll fit in just fine.”
Siobhan blushed and nodded her head, “I hope so.”
“I’m telling you Mike, this job is going to be SO easy, their so trustworthy it’s sickening,” Siobhan said, twirling around in her new office chair.
“That’s great, but don’t be careless and blow your cover,” he said in reply.
“I won’t, stop doubting me,” she muttered. “The only problem I MIGHT have, is finding some dirt on them to hurt them with, their the squeakiest clean boys I’ve ever met, they even wash behind their ears.”
Mike let out a small laugh, “No one can be PERFECT.”
“Well I’ll find something,” she said, pulling her gum out and wrapping it around her finger. “The harder it is, all the more challenge for me.”
“I liked her,” Justin commented.
The other four guys nodded in agreement.
“That’s good to hear, after all she’ll be with you all the time on tour,” Mr. Collins said.
Justin grinned, “I like THAT thought too.”
Joey nodded his head in agreement and laughed. “She’s looked goooooooood!”
Mr. Collins sighed and shook his head, “One day your realize that looks aren’t everything.”
“And until then...we’ll check out all girls!” Chris jumped in.
All three guys laughed in response.
“Whatever suits you best,” Mr. Collins replied.
“Well Mr. C, hate to disappoint you and all, but we have work to do,” Justin said, standing up. “We have to finish practicing our dance routine for the tour.”
Mr. Collins looked up and nodded his head, “All right and remember, if you run in Siobhan make sure you make her feel at home, the sooner she gets settle and comfortable, the easier it’ll be for her on tour.”
“Oh we’ll make her feel at home,” Justin grinned.
“Not TOO much at home,” Mr. Collins warned.
“Don’t take all the fun out of it,” Justin pouted.
“I’m sure I didn’t even take a small fraction out of it, but please be respectful,” he replied.
“Our momma’s raised us well, we know how to be gentlemen,” Justin protested.
“I know, so show that side of you instead of...” he trailed off looking at Justin’s grin. “Instead of the ‘other’ you.”
Justin grinned, “You have nothing to worry about.”
The other four guys were already heading towards the door to head down to the dance studio. Justin turned around and flashed another smile at Mr. Collins. Chris hopped on his back and they tumbled out into the hallway, wrestling around. Joey jumped into it and Lance and JC walked out on their own pace.
“Bye Mr. Collins,” JC said with a small wave.
Mr. Collins waved, not looking up. When he had left and the door was shut, he took off his glasses and sighed in thought. “I hope that girl knows what she got herself into.”
