Gina leaned back on the couch in the back area. "I know, Lisa. We haven’t verbally talked since we left school. We’ve e-mailed and imed each other but never actually talked. It’s great to hear a friendly voice. Especially a female one."

"Things not going so well with your mother still?"

"Not going well is an understatement. She’s still mad at me for missing Talia’s graduation party a few weeks ago. She doesn’t understand why I’m doing what I’m doing."

"Money’s still a big issue then."

"Yup and since I don’t want to make it in the family business, and of course I won’t make any money if I’m not working there, I should attach myself to one of the guys and have them support me throughout my life and live comfortably." Gina groaned in frustration.

"So you’re not getting along with your mother and you tour with a group of guys so I’m guessing that I’m the only other female you get to talk to."

"Well, there are a few other women on tour but I don’t spend much time with them. They work on the shows themselves and since I don’t attend many I don’t interact with them. And there is one other female I’ve talked to but it’s only on the phone and I don’t like talking to her."

"Who?"

"JC’s girlfriend."

"Oh, sounds like a fun time to me."

Gina rolled her eyes. "Trust me it is. I just love being told about how great her boyfriend is, stressing that he is her boyfriend, and telling me how insignificant I am to her and to him. I have a question. If I’m so insignificant then why does she spend so much time telling him about me?"

"She does?"

"Yup. I’m all they talk about. Of course she has to point out everything I do wrong. Last week a phone rang and I didn’t know who’s it was so I picked it up. Well it ended up to be JC’s and his brother wanted to talk to me after I told him that JC was sleeping so we talked. To make a long story short, Heidi called and when she found out I was using his phone she had to tell him. She left out one detail though."

"And that was?"

"That I was talking to TJ. JC yelled at me for using his phone to make personal calls when I have my own."

"Did he calm down after you told him what really happened and that you were actually on the phone with his brother?"

"A little bit. I think he was more mad at Heidi for what she said. I think he’s tired of her jealous little games. She sheds me in the worst possible light in his eyes. Not that I could possibly get any farther away from the positive side, or him on my positive side, but she embellishes everything."

"Why do you care so much about their relationship? I know you don’t like what she says about you, but why do you care how their relationship is? Unless, of course, you have a thing for JC."

"Me have a thing for JC? You’re starting to sound like Justin. Why does everyone think I’m falling for him? He can’t stand me and I can’t stand him. It’s as simple as that."

Lisa smiled. "So I’m not the only one saying that. Maybe there is some truth there then."

"Lisa, roomie, there is absolutely no truth to that statement. I can’t stand the scrawny conceited jerk."

"Next topic. When are you going to be in the area? We have to get together then."

"Stop stalling. You want to meet the guys. Especially your beloved JC."

The door to the lounge opened. "You answering my phone again? Give it to me." JC grabbed the phone out of Gina’s hand and raised it to his ear. "I’m sorry about that, baby. I know you don’t like talking to her."

"Actually, sweetie, I don’t mind talking to her. I did room with her for the past two years and will be next year."

JC looked at Gina in confusion. His expression turned to anger as she burst into a fit of laughter. "Who is this?"

"My name’s Lisa. I’m Gina’s roommate from school. Nice to meet you JC. You called me baby. You got a girlfriend, JC?"

"No, I don’t have a girlfriend. It’s too tough with my schedule to have a serious relationship. I don’t want to put anyone in that position. I have no time to stay dedicated to a woman."

"Hey, JC."

JC turned to the voice who called him. "Yeah, Justin?"

Justin held up his hand and pointed to the phone in it. "Phone. It’s Heidi."

A look of guilt crossed JC’s face. He hoped Heidi had not heard what he just said. "Thanks." He handed Gina back her phone and grabbed his. "Hey, Heidi," he spoke into the phone as he left the area.

"Hey, Lisa, I’m back. Sorry for the interruption." She looked at Justin who was turning to leave. "Don’t go, J. Are you doing anything now?" She paused as he shook his head. "Wait a minute."

"It’s okay, Gigi. Now I can say I’ve talked to JC Chasez."

"Well you can now add Justin Timberlake to that list. I have to work. A bunch of ideas just hit me. I’ll talk to you later, Lisa. Bye."

"Bye, Gina. I’ll e-mail you later. Now give me Justin."

Gina laughed. "Patience, my dear friend, patience. Here he is." Gina handed the phone to Justin and left the area.

"Hi, Lisa. I guess you know who I am."

"Yup. No introductions needed. Justin, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Are you alone where you are?"

Justin furrowed his brow in confusion. "May I ask why you want to know that?"

"I want to talk to you about the Gina and JC situation. The real situation."

"Oh that." Justin laughed. "Well Lance is here but he’s helping me on that so let me close the door and we’ll talk about our good friend, Gigi."

"Okay."

Justin closed the door and sat on a couch. "What do you know?"

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Hey, JC baby. Just wanted to call and say hi and I missed you."

JC switched ears and sat on his bunk. "I miss you too, Heidi."

"What was that I heard you say before you picked up the phone? You have no time to stay dedicated to a woman? What did you mean by that?"

"I was talking to one of Gina’s friends. Sh-"

"Why were you talking to one of Gina’s friends?"

"I came in the back and heard Gina say something about a beloved JC rather sarcastically so I thought it was you so I picked up the phone but it was her."

"So she asked you right off if you had a girlfriend?"

"Since I thought it was you I called her baby thinki-"

"You called her baby?"

JC was getting tired of Heidi’s outrageous questions and sighed. "I thought it was you so that’s what I called her, thinking it was you. If I knew it was her I would have never picked up the phone."

"I still don’t like the idea of her asking you if you had a girlfriend. She sounds just as rude as Gina. I hope you didn’t have to talk to her long. Speaking of Gina, has she done anything really bad since we last talked?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. She still finds something wrong in everything I do, feels the need to tell me about it and then it escalates into a full-blown argument. Then the cycle starts again."

"I really don’t like her being on tour with you. I think it was a bad idea putting a female on a bus full of guys."

Especially if one of the guys is your boyfriend that you seem not to trust as much as you tell him you do, JC thought to himself as Heidi continued to complain about Gina. JC climbed out of his bunk and grabbed his laptop. He made his way to the booth and set up his computer across from Gina.

"Where is she?"

JC glanced up. "She’s right across the table from me. I’m setting my computer up."

"She use your phone since that last time?"

"No, but I have a question. Why didn’t you tell me she was on the phone with Tyler who had called for me?"

"I didn’t know, JC. I just assumed she was using it for personal reasons just to spite you. I swear."

"She told me you knew."

"Now you’re taking her side over mine, your girlfriend. What’s happening to you?"

"Nothing’s happening to me. I’m still the same JC but you’re not the same Heidi that you used to be. You changed as soon as you heard about Gina yet you tell me you trust me. Let me tell you I can just feel the love."

Gina, who had been listening to the conversation since first hearing her name, stopped what she was doing and looked at JC in surprise. JC’s fighting with Heidi? He must finally see her real side. It’s about time. Damn he can be so stupid and blind.

"JC! I trust you. I just don’t trust the little slut."

"Heidi, that was uncalled for. I know you two don’t get along but names that harsh aren’t necessary."

Justin walked into the area. "Here’s your phone, Gina. Lisa’s really nice. Can’t wait to meet her."

"She’s really nice. I’m sure you’ll like her. She’s dying to meet you all. Especially JC."

"So she has a thing for our JC over here?" Justin sat down next to JC and slung his arm around his shoulders. "I don’t see it."

Gina laughed as JC removed Justin’s hand.

"Please. I’m on the phone here."

"Is that Justin I hear?"

"Yeah, unfortunately it is."

"Can I talk to him?"

JC sighed. "I guess." He pulled the phone away from his ear. "Here, Justin, Heidi wants to talk to you."

"She wants to talk to me?"

JC nodded.

"Why?"

"I don’t know but just talk to her."

Justin threw his hands up. "Touchy are we?" Justin took the phone from JC. "Hey, Heidi. What’s up?"

"Justin can you go somewhere private? I want to talk to you about something serious."

"Sure. Let me go to my bunk." Justin excused himself from the area and climbed into his bunk. "So what’s up?"

"Justin, I want you to be truthful with me. What’s really going on between JC and Gina?"

Justin smiled and laid down. "Well…"

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

JC watched as Justin left the room and muttered, "I can’t believe her."

"What? Afraid Miss Perfect isn’t so perfect anymore?"

"I don’t want to hear it, Gina."

"You never want to hear it."

"How about this? I want to hear it even less then ever right now. Got it?"

A bunk curtain opened right behind JC. They both looked up to see bright orange hair poke out.

"Before this battle of words gets anywhere else I’m going to ask you guys to keep this one quiet. We’re trying to sleep."

"Amen," another voice added from another bunk.

JC looked at Gina. "Are we really that loud?"

"Yes!" screamed four different voices in various bunks.

"Sorry, guys. JC and I don’t mean to be loud. It just happens. We’ll be quiet."

"Yeah, sorry, guys. We’ll be better. I promise."

"Promises, promises," Joey muttered as he closed his curtain.

Gina looked at JC and shrugged. "I never knew we were that loud."

"Me neither," JC replied as he logged onto the Internet. He glanced up to see what Gina was doing and gave her an evil grin.

"What are you planning, JC?"

"Oh, nothing." He laughed to himself as he typed in her screen name and pressed enter.

Gina noticed a message box appear on her screen. I wonder who that is? She looked at the name of the sender. "JC!!"

"Shh! You promised to be quiet."

"I never said the word promised. That was JC but I’ll be quiet." She threw JC a nasty look and began to type.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

gigisucks: real creative way to continue fighting with me. never thought you cared so much.

heidislove: always for you. i thought it was a good way to continue what we had going without bothering the others.

gigisucks: i have a question for you

heidislove: what?

gigisucks: are you going to keep this screen name after you and heidi break up?

heidislove: heidi and i are not going to break up. whatever gave you that idea?

gigisucks: well, you two have been fighting a lot lately and i figured you finally realized who she was and would drop her. unless she thought there was no way to keep you in her webs and she dropped you like a hot potato and went on to the next big star. maybe a.j. from the backstreet boys or something…

heidislove: i’m shocked. you know the name of one of bsb.

gigisucks: who?

heidislove: backstreet boys- bsb

gigisucks: whatever. so how long do you think you and heidi will last? i say not long.

heidislove: why do you care? i thought you couldn’t stand her.

gigisucks: i do. almost as much as i can’t stand you.

heidislove: don’t worry. the feeling’s mutual.

gigisucks: you can’t stand her almost as much as you can’t stand yourself?

heidislove: you know that’s not what I meant.

gigisucks: oh. so you can’t stand her almost as much as you can’t stand me?

heidislove: exactly

heidislove: stop laughing. tricking me isn’t funny. especially about that.

gigisucks: yeah it is. i’m finding it hilarious.

heidislove: if you don’t stop you’re going to get yelled at by one of the sleeping people.

gigisucks: all right, all right. i’ll stop. before we get ourselves into more trouble i’m going to sign on under my other name and if someone is on i’m going to stop this convo.

heidislove: thanks for reminding me why I signed on. same goes for me.

gigisucks: your cyber lover? i can’t believe she’s still talking to you. i thought for sure that when she wasn’t talking to you she had dumped your sorry butt.

heidislove: no she wouldn’t do that. she’s not like you. your cyber romeo still around?

gigisucks: that’s who i was looking for and it seems like i’ve found him. he’s found me too. He just wrote me. i’m out.

heidislove: see ya, wouldn’t want to be ya

gigisucks: i know. that would mean hating yourself and i wouldn’t want to add that to your problems.

heidislove: whatever. i’ve got someone who actually is decent on here so adios.

gigisucks: ciao

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

sleepygoof: hey girl.

senorita78: hey. can you wait a sec? i have someone on and need to get rid of him.

sleepygoof: no prob. actually i need to do the same thing.

senorita78: brb

sleepygoof: me too

senorita78: i’m back

sleepygoof: me too. so how’s things going?

senorita78: all right. if you count just having another run in with that guy all right.

sleepygoof: ooh, poor senorita. you all right?

senorita78: i will be. if it wasn’t for him this job would be the best.

sleepygoof: i wish you wouldn’t be so secretive about the job. you always praise it but never tell me what it is.

senorita78: as if you’re any better. the entertainment industry is huge. that means anything from being a famous singer to being a roadie. i know what you do.

slepygoof: what?

senorita78: you’re a singer and have millions of fans hanging all over you.

sleepygoof: a singer? me? i like to sing and dance but i don't know about professionally. how about you? can't you give me a hint?

senorita78: all right. i will.

sleepygoof: YES!!!

senorita78: i'm in the entertainment industry

sleepygoof: now i'm starting to think you're the world famous singer.

senorita78: no such luck. i know some but i'm very far away from the spotlight.

sleepygoof: i know some too.

senorita78: how's thing with your gf doing?

sleepygoof: *sigh* worse. i don't know how much longer we'll last.

senorita78: what happened now?

sleepygoof: well, she just called and acted all jealous again. i've been listening ot her long enought to know she's jealous of my co-worker and

senorita78: and?

sleepygoof: i know she doesn't trust me. i mean even if she doesn't trust my co-worker she should trust me not to break my loyalties to her just bc some other woman is trying to get me. she doesn't trust me staying true to her.

senorita78: and how long have i been telling you that?

sleepygoof: oh, shut up.

senorita78: my lips are sealed about the topic.

sleepygoof: thank you

senorita78: but not my fingers. i told you so, i told you so.

sleepygoof: i wonder why i even talk to you.

senorita78: bc your days are so much brighter with me in them.

sleepygoof: *sighs* alas you are correct. my days are so dreary without you in them.

senorita78: and your co-worker

sleepygoof: what?

senorita78: do you ever notice that she's all you seem to talk about. even when you talk about your gf you talk about her. maybe you're falling for her.

sleepygoof: that impossible. i'm in love with someone else.

senorita78: who?

sleepygoof: forget it. this convo is going nowhere. how about you and your co-worker? any sparks behind the barbs?

senorita78: changing the subject are we? no there aren't any sparks flying. some people think there are but there are none. i kinda like someone also.

sleepygoof: who? the italian?

senorita78: haha you're so funny.

sleepygoof: i know, i know.

senorita78: listen i've got to get going

sleepygoof: i need to go

senorita78: damn boy. i wanted to be the one who left.

sleepygoof: then go. i'm not stopping you.

senorita78: ok. then i'll go.

sleepygoof: adios senorita

senorita78: ciao.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

JC and Gina shut their computer off. Neither giving a second thought to how both of them finished their conversations at the same time. They were getting ready for bed when a phone rang and JC groaned.

Gina turned her head. "Who's is that?"

JC put his laptop on the table and reached for his phone. "It's mine. From looking on the caller id I see it's my brother. I wish I didn't have to talk to him or I'd be in my bunk by now." He pressed the send button and reluctantly put the phone up to his ear. "Hi, TJ."

"Hey, bro. What's up?"

"Me since you called."

"Uh-oh. Did I wake you up? I'm sorry if I did."

"No, you didn't wake me up. I just shut off the computer and was going to bed."

"On the computer, huh? Talking to your Spanish chick?"

"She has a name."

"What is it?"

"Its-"

"Hey, JC, I'm trying to get some sleep here. I would appreciate it if you'd take your call somewhere else."

JC groaned. "Yes, ma’am. Whatever you say, ma’am."

"Is that Gina I hear?"

"Yes, it is."

"Tell her I say hi."

As JC passed Gina’s bunk he poked her side. "My brother says hi."

"Ow, you didn’t have to do that. JC. Tell him I say hi back."

"Will, do." JC entered the back area and closed the door. "Now back to the question at hand. My ‘Spanish chick’, as you so delicately call her, has a name."

"Aren’t you going to tell me Gina says hi back?"

JC sat down. "Oh yeah. Tyler, Gina says hi."

"Thanks, bro. I feel the excitement in your voice. You two still fighting?"

"Constantly." JC stretched his legs on the couch and rubbed his temples.

"I never thought this would happen."

"What?"

"My brother would have three girls after him."

"TJ, I have millions of girls after me."

"But not three girls you’re close to."

"I know one, Heidi. Who else are you talking about?"

"Your Spanish chick and Gina."

"First of all Gina and I are so far away from liking each other its not funny. Secondly, senorita78 and I only talk on the computer. We don’t really know each other."

"Does she know a lot about you, the person?"

"Yeah. We talk about anything in our lives."

"Except jobs?"

JC nodded to himself. "Except jobs."

"But she knows about everything else in your life, including Heidi and Gina?"

"Yeah, except we never use names."

"I constitute that as knowing each other. You tell each other basically everything in your lives. Right?" When he was met with silence Tyler know his brother's answer. "And who says the little brother never knows anything?"

"Me. It’s getting late so lets just discuss why you’re really calling."

"Good idea. When are you getting into New York City?"

"Well, we’re supposed to be there about ten in the morning. Give or take a few hours."

"How about I get there about two hours before we’re supposed to go out? Then you can have time to settle in and it gives me time to make the trek from home."

"Good idea. Listen it’s really late and I need sleep. I’ll see you in a few days."

"Okay. Tell me this though. Who are you going to be dreaming about? Gina, your Spanish chick or Heidi? I doubt it’s going to be the last one though. Not when you have two other, and nicer, girls in your life."

"Bye, Tyler."

"Aren’t you going to answer me?"

"I’m hanging up now."

"Okay, okay, I get the hint. Bye, bro. See you in a few days."

"Adios."

JC hung up the phone and sighed. Why does everyone think Gina and I like each other? Isn’t it obvious that we can’t stand to be near each other? At least we both know that. Who cares what everybody else thinks? Boy, I must be tired if I’m discussing this with myself.

JC changed and crawled into bed. Soon he was fast asleep with thoughts of three females on his mind. One who he desperately wanted to leave.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Come on, Gina. We’re going to be late."

Gina rushed around her hotel room. "I can’t believe you talked me into this, youngin’."

"Don’t tell me you never wanted to be famous." Justin took Gina’s wallet she gave him to hold.

"Famous is one thing. All little kids want to be famous. But being on a sound stage with dozens of hormone filled teenagers who just know that one day they’re going to marry one of you guys. Most of them after either you or JC. You I can see," she patted his cheek, "but JC? If they only knew the real him."

"Enough on him. Come on, we have to get going."

"Oh, fun. A room full of girls who will cry if your video isn’t number one."

"Oh, you’ll have fun. I’m sure you’ll find it all very amusing."

"Amusing, yeah," Gina replied sarcastically as Justin pulled her out of her room.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Now to the question I know is on everyone’s minds. Do you have girlfriends?"

Gina had to turn away to hide her laughter as all the girls around her sat straighter to hear the answer. If only they knew the truth.

As predetermined Justin answered the question first. "Nope, we’re all single. But we date right, JC?"

JC did not hear his friend’s question because he was fixated on Gina. As soon as the question was asked his eyes shot to her for a reaction. When he saw she was about to laugh he shot her a stern look in hopes of stopping her. It only made her face turn redder in amusement.

"JC, you here? Hello?"