“You nervous?” Darren asked, as he and a girl walked towards the last studio in the hallway.
The girl shrugged. “A little, I guess. I mean, this is my first big gig, really. It’s kind of gratified.”
Darren gave a small laugh and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. These are the most normal down to earth people you’ll ever meet in this kind of business. Maybe if you were working with the Backstreet Boys, I’d caution you, but you’ll have nothing to worry about. Trust me.” Darren pushed open the studio door to hear a loud male scream.
“Damnit, Chris! Get your butt off of my head! I can’t breathe,” exclaimed the curly haired man on the floor.
“What was that, J? I can’t hear you? You want me to put ALL of my weight on you? Well, if you insist…” The guy who apparently suffocating the other guy increased pressure omitting another, even louder, scream.
Darren shook his head. “I swear to you, they were normal when I left 10 minutes ago. God only knows what’s happened between then and now.
The girl chuckled. “It’s ok. I have six older brothers back in Mississippi. This feels strangely like home.”
A tall, skinnier brown haired guy snuck up to the pair who were wrestling on the floor with a bottle of water in his hand. He gave Darren an evil smile, uncapped the bottle, and then proceeded to pour all of its contents on the two of them.
“JC!” they exclaimed angrily.
“Nu-uh-uh, you guys. We have company,” JC replied happily. He bounded up to the girl who was standing next to Darren. “Hi there. I’m JC. The normal one.”
The girl shook his outstretched hand and smiled. “I’m Danny. And you guys are terribly amusing.”
“Danny was going to help Wade and I with the tour chorography this year, but Chris and Justin might have just scared her away,” Darren replied.
Danny laughed. “Trust me, I’ve seen worse in my lifetime.”
“Wow she’s like fem-Wade or something. What’s with all these youngins’ you keep on dropping on us, Darren? I’m an old man. I can’t handle all this youth.” The dark haired guy threw his arm around Danny. “I’m Chris, by the way, and the infant whose butt I was kicking is Justin.”
“Hey! You got lucky and caught me off guard,” Justin protested. “I want a re-match!”
JC cocked his head. “Actually, I can recall what happen, J, and Chris did kind of beat you.”
“Shut-up. I’ve had enough of your snarky tone, Jace. After I get through with Chris, I’m coming after you,” Justin replied poking a finger at JC.
“Bring it on,” JC said, stepping up to his younger band-mate.
“Oh, it’s already been brought, yo!” Justin said rolling his neck.
JC charged forward and tackled Justin to the floor. “Eat water, pretty face!”
Darren rolled his eyes and turned to Chris. “Where’s Joey and Lance? They know we scheduled rehearsal today.”
“Apparently, Joey got mucho drunk last night and Lance left to go get him and to make sure he didn’t hurt himself,” Chris replied, taking a swig of his water. “That’s more than I would have done. I’d let him suffer.”
The door to the studio opened and this time a blond haired man dragged in another dark haired man in on his shoulder.
“Why is it so bright? Can’t morning be dark for once?” the dark haired man groaned.
Chris came up to him and patted his shoulder. “Joey, Joey, Joey, how many times do I have to tell you? No more drinking after your 10th belly shot,” he said shaking his head. “Now look at yourself.”
“But Chris you should have seen her. This hot little red head in this hot little red dress? I just couldn’t say no,” Joey replied, rubbing his bloodshot eyes.
Danny squinted her eyes at the blond haired guy with the green eyes. They looked eerily familiar… “Lance? Lance Bass?”
Lance froze at the sound of her voice and dropped Joey. “Danny Carmichael?”
Joey groaned. “Thanks a lot, Lance. A little help here, please?”
Danny rushed up to Lance and gave him a hug. “Lance! I haven’t seen you in five years! Oh my god, I had not idea they were talking about you.”
“Danny? What are you doing here? It’s great to see you!” Lance exclaimed with a smile as returned the hug.
Chris looked at Lance and Danny. “Obviously, you two know each other, right?”
Danny turned to Darren. “I used to be in Attaché with Lance back in Mississippi. I’ve known him for years!”
Lance blushed. “Correction, Danny tried to teach me those dorky dance steps that I never used to be able to do.”
“Correction, that you still can’t do,” Joey piped up from his position on the floor.
“Quiet you, or I’ll shine a flashlight in your eyes,” Lance replied snarkily. He turned back to Danny. “I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“And doing choreography no less,” Danny mused. “I’m going to help Darren and Wade out with the tour this year. Small world, huh?”
“Congratulations, Dan! Who knew we’d both leave Mississippi on similar paths?”
Chris threw his arms around the both of them. “And the both of you so non-inbred. You should be very proud of yourselves.”
The studio door opened once again and this time a tall dark haired girl with green eyes appeared with three McDonalds bags in her hands. She rolled her eyes at the sight of JC and Justin who were rolling across the floor smacking each other. “Are the children fighting again? Figures. They act more like dogs than grown men most of the time.”
“Melissa?” Justin asked, pausing his struggle with JC.
JC took the opportunity and flipped Justin over pinning him to the ground. He jumped up triumphantly and sniffed. “Ooh, coffee! Decaf?” he asked Melissa. She nodded and he grabbed the bag on her right eagerly, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
Melissa thrust a bag towards Chris with a frown. “Here. Though you’ll have to pay for the look of crazy they gave me when I asked for thirty packets of sugar in the orange juice."
“Well, it’s their own fault for not making things sweet enough. And don’t get me started on their coffee. Taste’s like piss,” Chris grumbled taking the bag.
“You remembered!” Justin exclaimed, rushing over to throw his arms around her.
Melissa scowled. “How could I forget with the thirty what-not messages you left me? I hope you’re happy now, Mr. Selfish.” Melissa finally noticed Danny on her right and turned towards her. “How rude of me. I’m Melissa, Justin’s friend. Or slave driver. Or bitch. Use anyone you like, though I think the last two are far more fitting.”
Justin pouted. “Don’t act like that now. You know I care, Lissa.” Justin dug inside the remaining McDonalds bag and frowned. “Hey, where’s my egg McMuffin?”
“Oh, let me thank you Melissa. You’re the greatest thing since slice bread, Melissa. I mean, I only called you about 50 million times on your cell phone to remind you about the same thing over and over again and I only pissed off your Calculus teacher twice. Ok three times. Oh and never mind the fact that you’re missing Art class right now because my stupid popstar friends and I had the morning munchies. I’m sure Dr. Lindley will understand. Oh wait, no she won’t,” Melissa replied sarcastically, shying away from Justin.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a case of Midol on you, would you Danny?” Justin asked jokingly.
Melissa’s green eyes narrowed. “I think someone’s looking for a slap. Not just a regular slap. One of those Real World slaps, that reverberates around the world and my face will be on the cover of trashy tabloids because of it.”
“I think she’s trying to tell us something, guys,” Justin said nodding.
“Please, don’t bring us into this. She scratches and I bleed easily,” JC replied from his eating position on the floor.
“Justin. Look at my face. Look at it. Run,” Melissa said.
Justin scanned her eyes for traces of anger and began to back away. “You’re so mean in the morning. Or maybe it’s just that time of the month.”
Melissa lunged for him and Justin slid out of the way, running out the door. “I’m going to kill you Timberlake!” she yelled, chasing after of him.
“Fine, everybody abuse the beautiful one,” Justin yelled tauntingly down the hallway.
Danny raised an eyebrow. “Are they always like that?”
Chris sighed. “Welcome to my world, sister.”
"Lissa?"
"Hmm?" Melissa asked, concentrating on the figure she was drawing on paper.
"Can you rub my head?"
Melissa sighed and put down her sketchbook. "Sure."
Justin happily jumped on top of the bed and laid his head in her lap.
"Some model you turned out to be. How am I supposed to finish my final project when you can't keep still for 5 minutes? I swear you're acting somewhat like Chris today." She carefully rubbed his head in slow circles.
"Sure, whatever you say," Justin murmured with his eyes closed.
Melissa stopped rubbing his head and looked at him carefully and smiled. "Oh yeah, I remember when ever I do rub your head you melt like Jell-O." She continued the circular motion.
"I swear your fingers are like magic. Whatever you're doing up there don't stop." He sighed and inhaled deeply and shifted his body. "Did anyone tell you that you smell like roses?"
"Okay? Roses? Nope can't say that I've had the pleasure."
"Well you do. You smell like roses and baby powder."
Melissa smiled. "I remember when we were in kindergarten I used to drag you off from the playground and make you go pick flowers with me. And then I would stick them in your hair and call you the flower prince. And I was the flower princess. And we ruled over the land of flowers."
"Daisies were your favorite. But you always like to pick roses. Yellow roses. And then I used to make you wreaths of them and put them in your hair. And then you would call me sappy." He chuckled softly as he closed his eyes.
"I remember that day I got so pissed at you for bringing little Suzy Barrows to our spot. I didn't talk to you for a whole day. Then you gave me that crazy toothy grin of yours and a daisy and I wasn't mad at you anymore. You’ve always used that smile of yours to get yourself out of trouble." Melissa stared at him again. "No way. You better keep those eyes open, mister. You're not going to fall asleep on me again! You are way too heavy. And I need to finish my project."
"But you’re so comfortable. Like a big, comfy, couch." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Let me lie here for just a second, please?" He pouted at her insistently.
"Why do I even bother sometimes? FINE, you can sleep here. We can just call it a night. I doubt I can get anything useful out of you anyway. But tomorrow your curly butt is mine. No excuses. I have to turn in my final project before next Friday."
He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks."
She turned off the light in reply and slipped under the blankets. She sighed in comfort when she felt Justin's arms wrap around her waist bringing them closer together. She always felt safe when she was in his arms. He always radiated a comforting kind of warmth that she always missed when he was on tour. But not this year. After she turned in her final, she was free until September. She could spend all her time with Justin and she could even come on the tour. It was a little surprise that she hadn't told Justin about.
Justin stared at Melissa, her beautiful green eyes laden heavy with sleep. "You know I was just playing with you this morning. I didn't mean to make you miss your classes. I know how you are about them. I really am sorry."
Melissa didn't open her eyes. "I know Justin. You were just being your evil little self. I'm not mad at you. Even though I should be."
“But we’re even now. You caught up with me in the hallway and twisted my arm until I begged for mercy.”
Melissa chuckled softly. “That’s because you’re a wimp Timberlake.”
He gave a small sigh. "Goodnight Liss."
Melissa rubbed his arm gently. "Goodnight Just."