"How about I rephrase that. What are you still doing back here?"

"I gave Chris the scarf, said good-bye to the others and was leaving when you rushed out. Since there was no one else here I thought you might like some help so I buttoned your button and now I’m about to go back to the bus."

"So you’re not staying?"

Gina shook her head. "No, I’m not. I said I was spending the concert in the bus and that’s what I’m going to do. Last time I came I stood near the first row I had this little girl, must have been maybe half my age, tell me just how much she wanted to be "the wall" in your last video. Since my roommate likes you I’ve seen the video and understood what she was talking about. I remember you and a wall having a very intimate moment."

JC glanced at the door. "You know I’d love to stay and continue this interesting conversation but I’ve got work to do."

Gina watched JC run from the room. A minute later she heard him talk to the audience.

"How you all liking the concert so far?"

She twitched as JC’s question was met with fan screams.

"That’s what I thought. You know there’s one person that you know and care about that you just don’t know what to get them. You look around and can’t see anything they need but one thing. Here’s what I’ve found you get "For the Girl Who Has Everything."

Since this was one of her favorite songs the guys sang Gina decided to stay and listen. Even if the lead on this song is a jerk.

When he finished singing JC glanced at the side of the stage and saw Gina still standing there. An unfamiliar feeling washed over him. I can’t believe she’s still here. I bet she stayed to watch Justin. He shuddered. Everytime I see her I get this weird feeling. It’s like my eyes see her and my body tenses up. I can’t believe her negativity has such an effect on my body.

Gina saw JC glance at her and turned her back. She walked back to the bus with a smile on her face. She did not understand why she was so giddy. I must need sleep. First shaky hands and now I’m very giddy. I’ll go to bed early tonight. As she was pulling out her laptop Gina heard a ringing coming from her pocket. She took the phone out of her pocket and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Angelina."

Gina’s face fell. She looked at the calendar. They haven’t called since I’ve been here. I wonder what’s going on.

"Hi. Why are you calling?"

"Now is that any way to talk to your mother?"

Gina sighed. "Sorry, mom. How are you?"

"Your father and I are doing fine. I was just calling to tell you your cousin’s graduation party is next week and you’re expected to be there."

"Mom, I’m working. I can’t just tell them I need the day off and fly to go to a party. That’s not how it works when you work for other people."

"You could do anything you wanted if you worked for your father and me."

Here she goes trying the little guilt trip thing. When will she realize that I am not going into the family business? Anthony can do what he wants because he’s a guy but since I’m the daughter and the youngest I should just change my goals and go into the family business. Gina thought before she said anything else to her mother.

"Mom, I’m twenty-one years-old and just finished my junior year in college. I should be doing something in my future career instead of working for my parents."

"But this could be your future. There’s good money here and you make your hours."

"Is that all you think about, mom? Money? There are more important things in this world than money. The guys I’m with are proof of that. They have money but know that it’s only a piece of paper. And for your information I can make money in this business and in the end I want to work for myself. I’m doing what I want to do and nothing you can say is going to change my mind."

"I never thought of that, Gina. You are touring with a really popular group. Any sparks with one of them? They are making enough money now that if they spend it well they can support you for the rest of your life and you can live comfortably."

"Mom, since I can’t get you away from money being so important I’ll just answer your pointless questions and stop trying to get through to you. No, there are no sparks with any of them. I am friends with most of them but no sparks of any kind unless you count JC."

"You and this JC person have been getting along very well then?"

Gina laughed inwardly. "No, mom. We do have sparks but they are negatively charged. Every time we see each other we fight."

"Oh, I see. If you’re having some problems then you should come home. I know how a bad co-worker can be on your emotions."

Gina looked at the phone like it was crazy not her mother. "Mom, I’m having problems with one of the guys there are five here plus whoever else is part of the tour. I have gotten very close with one of the guys-"

"Is he husband material?"

"Mom!?!?!"

"How about at least boyfriend material?"

"Well he is boyfriend material but not for me. He’ll make some girl very happy but it won’t be me."

"Gina, you have to stop thinking like that. You will pass up many good guys if you think like that. Why do you insist on finding love at your age or even at all in this world?"

"Sorry if the way I run my life is too old fashioned for you. I’m sorry if I actually want to have love in my life."

"What are you talking about? You’ve been loved all your life."

"That’s right. Anthony’s always loved me."

"Angelina-"

The bus door opened and Gina could hear male voices outside. "Listen, mom. The guys just came back and I have to go. I’ll talk to you when you decide to call next month."

"All right, Gina. You win this time. Talk to you later and don’t forget about Talia’s graduation party."

Gina heard a click on the other line and screamed in frustration. "Oye, mother."

"What’s wrong, Gigi?" Justin put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"I just finished talking to my mother."

"And I take it the call didn’t go well."

"Not going well is an understatement. She called to notify me about my cousin’s graduation party next weekend and she actually expected me to be there. She doesn’t understand why I don’t work for her and my father. She thinks that money is everything and if I follow their footsteps it will be easy money and I should just go into the family business and chuck all my plans out the window." Gina sighed.

"So your mother thinks everything evolves around money and how much you have?"

Gina nodded. "Yup, and my father also. They don’t understand that I want to do what I’m doing and work for my money." She laughed and shook her head. "She even was pushing me to like one of you guys because of the money you’re making now can make life "comfortable" for me in the future. She told me not to overlook you just because I can’t see you as anything more than a friend. All she saw were dollar signs."

"I hate when people do that. Popular singer equals money and they overlook all the important stuff. They don’t even care about our well being. As long as we have money that’s all that matters."

"Well that’s my parents in a nutshell. Love means nothing, money equals everything. Enough of a Gina pity party. How was the concert?"

"It was as much of a euphoria as usual. I saw you on the side for a song or two."

"It was a song. I really like "For the Girl." It’s a great song. Even though JC is the lead."

"JC’s the lead on most of them."

"And who shares most of them?"

"Guilty as charged." Justin stood up and stretched.

Gina hooked her finger in one of Justin’s belt loops and stood up beside him. She yawned before she talked. "Well I think I’m going to go to bed."

"So soon? We just came back."

"I know but I think I need some sleep. My body’s messing with me and I don’t want to get sick again. Talking with my mom also did a number on me."

Justin nodded. "I understand. It sucks being sick on the road. Trust me."

"I’m going. Just wake me up when we get to the next hotel. If you stop at a gas station don’t bother with me. Just leave me be."

"Just leave you at the next gas station? We can do that."

"That’s not what I said, JC." Gina looked up at Justin. "Good night, youngin’."

Justin hugged her. "Good night, Gigi."

Justin and JC watched Gina walk out of the back lounge and sighed. They turned to look at each other.

"You like her, don’t you?"

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

Gina picked up a few things on her way to the bathroom. She was going to change but looked around and saw it useless to try to change in the small space when she’d have to get off the bus in a few hours. She finished in the bathroom and made her way to her bunk.

"Hey, Gina, what you doin’?"

Gina turned to see a hyper Joey dance her way. She laughed. "I was going to get some shut eye on our way to the next target."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Next target? Maybe you do need some sleep."

Gina nodded slowly. "Yeah, I do. Thanks for your opinion, Dr. Fatone."

"Anytime for a fellow Italian."

"So you wouldn’t do that for me?"

Joey looked past Gina and shook his head. "Nope. Only for another Italian, not an Irishman. Sorry, man."

Gina laughed and climbed into her bunk. As she was falling asleep she smiled as she heard voices sing "For the Girl Who Had Everything" right outside her bunk. With a very reluctant lead.

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

"What are you talking about? I could never think of Gigi that way. I like her but it doesn’t go past friendship."

JC looked at his friend skeptically. "Are you sure about that one, Justin? You and her have been getting very close lately. I was just wondering what the 411 was. She did stay to watch you on stage tonight."

Justin shook his head in disbelief. "JC, Gina and I are just good friends. That’s it. Both of us see it that way, and yes I know she agrees with me. I’m not just saying that. As for watching us she likes the song so she stayed. It had nothing to do with me."

"Whatever you say." JC turned around as their other groupmates started making their way into the back area.

Justin watched as JC kept his head turned toward the front of the bus a fraction of a second too long and thought, It had nothing to do with me but I have a strong feeling it had everything to do with you. Even though you and she would deny it to your dying day.

Joey walked in from talking to Gina. "Did you just say Gina really liked one of our songs?"

Justin turned to Joey. "Yeah. Her favorite is "For the Girl." Why?"

"Well she’s going to sleep so I thought maybe we could sing it to her."

Three faces brightened up at the idea.

"Joey, you are brilliant," Justin told his friend as he slapped him on the back.

Joey fixed his collar. "I know." He ducked as Justin went to punch his arm. "Come on you guys." Joey and Justin turned to walk to the bunk area.

"You guys have to do it without me. I’m going to stay here and watch some TV."

Chris grabbed a section of JC’s sleeve. "No, you’re not. You are the most important voice in this song and we cannot and will not do it without you."

"Then let’s not do it," JC pleaded.

The older man shook his head. "You are not getting out of this. Know that now so just come and sing. It’s not going to kill you."

JC sighed and followed his friends. He watched Justin count to three silently on his hand and began to sing.

"You drive a pretty car. You know how fine you are. Nobody needs to say it…"

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

Gina felt her shoulder being pushed.

"Come on. Get up."

Gina rolled over and tried to focus her eyes. First she focused on a pair of blue eyes peering through the curtain and smiled. "Hey, Justin. Are we there yet?"

The person on the other side grunted unhappily as she realized who it was.

"I’m not Justin. Your loverboy left without waking you up. Good thing I remembered you were here when I came back on the bus or you would have been stuck here all night."

JC’s arrogant tone was not missed by Gina. "Well thank you for remembering me, sir." Gina tried her best to curtsy in the narrow space between bunks.

"Come on, princess. I don’t want to keep everyone waiting."

Gina opened her mouth to respond but closed it again and thought better about what she was going to say. "JC, it’s late and we’re both tired so I think we should just end this little tiff right here. I know we could stand here for hours with nonsense banter, especially because we’re tired, so I just say we both close our mouths and go to our hotel rooms."

"I have never agreed more with something you have said before."

"You have never agreed with me before," Gina stated flatly as she gathered her stuff and made her way off the bus.

"Yes I have." Gina turned to look at JC. "Every time you want to skip out on a concert I’m always a hundred percent behind you."

"Let me put it this way for you, peasant boy. You have never agreed with me unless you get something out of it. Now I’m heading for the hotel." Gina stepped off the bus and looked back at the figure searching for something and finding it and blew her bangs up as she sighed.

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

"Hey, guys, what’s up?" Justin asked as he walked into the adjoining room the rest of the group was in.

"Right now I’m killing Joey and after that I’m moving onto Lance," Chris stated as he never took his eyes off his character on the television screen.

Ignoring the protests of Joey and Lance Justin looked for JC. "Where’s JC?"

"Bathroom."

"Has anyone seen Gina?"

Lance turned to Justin and shook his head. "Nope. Not since after we got back from the concert last night."

"Oh my god. Did we leave her on the bus?" Justin panicked.

The bathroom door opened and JC walked out. "Yeah, you did, but lucky for you I had to go back and woke her up. She’s probably in her room right now if you don’t believe me."

"I believe you woke her up but I might check on her just in case you decided to kill her or something." Before JC could reply Justin made his way down the hall to Gina’s door and knocked on it.

"Hold on a sec."

Justin waited patiently for the door to open. After a few seconds the door opened.

"Hey, Justin. Finally remember me?"

If Justin did not know better he would think she was upset but he heard the teasing in her voice.

"I’m really sorry about that, Gigi. I was just so tired and all I must have forgotten that you were sleeping. Can you forgive me?" Justin stuck out his bottom lip.

Gina laughed and reached to hug him. "How can I not forgive a face like that? Come on in."

Justin walked in the room and Gina closed the door behind him.

"So what are you doing? Working?" Justin waved to her open laptop.

"No," Gina picked up a glass of water from her bedside table. "I was seeing if someone was on and this guy who’s been after me for awhile somehow had my screen name and Imed me. I’ve been trying to get rid of him for about an hour."

"Want me to get rid of him for you?"

Gina raised her eyebrows at Justin’s evil smile. "Justin Timberlake, what is going on in that mind of yours? Or do I not want to know?"

Justin laughed at Gina’s weariness. "Nothing bad. Trust me. Just let me play with him a little bit. Please, mommy?" Justin pleaded.

"Go ahead, youngin’. Have a blast." Gina turned her computer on the bed and laid down next to Justin to read what he was going to write.

"Wait a second. Neither of these names is gigsucks."

"Very observant. I’m using my name I used at school."

"Senorita78?"

Gina nodded. "How’d you guess that was me? Don’t think my name could be studmuffin?"

"I don’t know. It was a toss up," Justin laughed. Senorita78. Where have I seen that name before?

"Now don’t be to bad to Dean."

"Dean? The guy you’ve been talking to me about from school?" Gina nodded. "This ought to be fun."

Gina laughed as Justin began to type and sway his body to the music of Gloria Estefan’s "Conga."

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

senorita78: back

studmuffin: who was it?

senorita78: one of the guys.

studmuffin: really. they show their true colors yet?

senorita78: what are you talking about?

studmuffin: come on. they can’t be as clean as they try to look.

senorita78: sure they have faults. everyone does. but they are genuinely nice guys.

studmuffin: i don’t know. some of them look ok, I guess but the youngest one looks a little snobby at times. he can’t decide between being a prep or a gangster

senorita78: justin?

studmuffin: if that’s his name. the one who bleaches his hair too much

senorita78: yeah that’s justin but he doesn’t do it too much. just as needed.

studmuffin: why are you defending him so much? got a little crush on the young one?

senorita78: crush? no. but last night…no i can’t tell you about that.

studmuffin: what happen? you two get very close? *wiggles eyebrows*

senorita78: i promised not to tell anyone about what happened. he did something really sweet and something really bad last night.

studmuffin: i don’t think i want to know.

senorita78: no, i don’t think you do. you might get jealous but then again you don’t have anything to be jealous over. you and I aren’t a couple.

studmuffin: not yet. tell jason he has some competition.

senorita78: will do. talking about them i bet one’s about to come over.

studmuffin: who? jason?

senorita78: it’s none of your business. it may be chris.

studmuffin: two of them? you are going after two of them?

senorita78: i’d never go after chris. he’s like a brother to me.

studmuffin: and jason?

senorita78: listen i really have to go.

senorita78: and my name’s justin not jason. bye bye, dean.

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

Justin shut down the program before Dean could respond. He turned to see Gina beside him laughing hysterically.

"Justin, you are bad."

Justin smiled widely. "Like it?"

"I must admit it was funny."

"I can’t believe he actually thought you’d go after two of us."

Gina nodded though her tears. "Yeah, and just think he applied for this job. Imagine if he had gotten it."

"He applied for your job? Oh geez. I wonder how long I would have been ‘Jason’?"

"If you really like that name I could call you that from now on."

"Nah, I think I’ll stick with Justin. It’s more original than Jason."

"Whatever you say,…Jason."

"You’re going to pay for that, missy." Justin began chasing Gina around the room.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Saved by the door." Gina walked to open the door and her smile subsided at the person in front of her.

"What are you guys doing in here? We can hear you all the way down the hall."

Gina and Justin pointed at each other.

"It’s his fault!"

"It’s her fault!"

JC shook his head. "I don’t care who’s fault it is. Just try to be quieter. And can you please turn that music down just a hair?"

"Sure, JC. I’ll do it right now." Justin walked towards the cd player but was stopped by Gina.

"Wait one more song, Justin."