"No Ashlyn we were just talking," Alanna said quickly before her friend could jump to conclusions.
"I'll just be leaving," JC said.
Ashlyn stepped away from the door to let him out. JC opened the door and was just about to step out of the bathroom when Ashlyn's voice stopped him.
"Oh JC?"
He turned. "Yes?"
"Just for future reference, the guys bathroom is next-door."
JC blushed and quickly left the room.
Ashlyn chuckled to herself. When the door closed she composed herself. "So...want to tell me what that was all about?"
"It's nothing Ashlyn. He wanted to talk and it's way too loud out there." She turned to look in the mirror and smoothed out her hair.
"So you decided to come hang out in the ladies room?" she asked in disbelief.
"Ash just leave it.” She turned to look at Ashlyn. “We had a misunderstanding, we worked things out and everything is fine now."
"Okay, okay. Don't get worked up about it.” She held her hands up defensively. “I believe you."
"So you've deserted Timberlake once again then?"
Ashlyn leant against the wall and grinned. "Got to keep the boy on his toes."
Alanna smiled back at her. "Do you like him?"
"Do I like Justin? As in romantically?"
"Yeah."
"We just flirt a lot Al. Sure he's cute, don't tell him that by the way, he'd get an even bigger head, but that's where it ends. I mean even if something did happen, this tour is going to be over soon and it's not like I'd ever see him is it?"
"Yeah you're right," she replied quietly. It would have been the same with JC. Nothing could have happened; they'd never see each other.
"You okay?"
"Huh?" Alanna looked up.
"You kinda spaced out there for a second."
"Just thinking. So how did you enjoy your birthday?"
"Have I told you what a great friend you are lately? I had the best time. I can't believe you did all this without me knowing."
"What can I say I'm good," she joked. "Come on let's go say goodbye to everyone."
~*~
(New York)
Alanna and Ashlyn were hanging out backstage in the guys' "toy room". It was late afternoon and they were watching MTV trying to pass a little time before they needed to get ready.
Tonight they were having an after party. Because they were in New York a lot of their friends from the music industry were attending. Not so much other musicians than people that helped with their album and people at the record company. Joey was also excited because a lot of his friends from Brooklyn were going to be there as well as some of his family.
"Alanna there are some people here to see you," one of the security team announced.
"There is?" she questioned, confused as to who would be there.
"Hi Alanna," somebody announced stepping into the doorway. The security guard left them to it.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Ashlyn yelled.
Everyone turned to look at Ashlyn, surprised by her sudden outburst. Alanna just stared at the visitor.
"What's going on?" Justin asked nervously.
The person in the doorway looked around the room at the expectant faces. "I'm Katie...Alanna's sister."
JC gasped knowing the significance of this. The others unaware as to what had happened still looked confused.
"I think you’d better go Katie," Ashlyn said coldly.
Justin, Joey, Chris and Lance looked at Ashlyn. They couldn't understand Ashlyn's attitude towards Alanna's sister.
Alanna remained silent and still. Katie cleared her throat. "Mom and dad talked to Lance. They figured seeing as you were in New York we should meet up. They got a couple of backstage passes off of him."
"A couple?" she spoke for the first time.
"Long time no see Alanna," a male voice announced.
Alanna froze. There stood Nathan behind her sister. Well it made a change than seeing him on top of her.
JC saw the look on Alanna's face then looked at the man at the door and put two and two together. He was suddenly filled with anger. Ashlyn was obviously feeling the same way. "Get the hell out now, both of you," she screamed. "What is your damn game? Haven't you hurt her enough already? Come back for a second blow?"
Alanna stood up and rested a hand on Ashlyn's shoulder. "It's okay Ash. I'll deal with this."
Ashlyn looked at Alanna questionably. Alanna just nodded at her signalling that she was sure. Alanna walked up to the pair of traitors.
"I missed you Alanna," Katie started.
Alanna's palm immediately connected with Katie's cheek. "Don't you dare," she whispered looking directly into her sisters eyes, eyes almost identical to her own.
"Alanna we need to talk," Nathan announced looking nervously at her.
Alanna's head snapped in his direction and she rolled her eyes. "Don't you start. Do you want some of what I gave her?"
"Can I help?" Ashlyn muttered from behind her. Just loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Alex," Alanna shouted. When her bodyguard appeared she turned to him. "Could you please see that these two leave the building and don't come back in?"
"It's okay we're going," Katie cut in. "Just remember Alanna, we're sisters and family should stick together."
Alanna shook her head sadly. "Too bad you figured that out too late." She slammed the door in her face.
"Alanna are you okay?" JC questioned. She looked up surprised at him being the first one to ask.
"Yeah I'm fine."
Ashlyn looked angry and JC concerned. The other four just looked downright confused. She figured she owed them an explanation but she couldn't go into detail with them. The only people she had ever been able to do that with were Ashlyn and JC. Look where confiding in JC had got her.
Alanna rubbed her eyes before bringing her arms to her side with a sigh. "As you now know that was my sister. The guy is Nathan…my ex-boyfriend.” She took a deep breath before revealing the final, yet most important piece of information. “He cheated on me with my sister. As you can tell I don't get on with her too well now."
"I'm so sorry," Lance said. Guilt covered his face.
"Why?" Alanna questioned.
Lance put his head in his hands. "I gave them the passes.” He looked up at her apologetically. “I should have asked you first."
Alanna smiled. "Lance it's okay, you didn't know. You have no reason to blame yourself for this. My parents don't even know what happened otherwise I doubt that they would have asked you. When they asked for the passes you had no reason to think anything was wrong."
"Are you sure you're okay Allie?" Justin asked.
"Yeah I will be. It was just a bit of a shock. I'll be fine though," she said sounding surer than she actually felt.
~*~
Alanna walked back to her dressing room, thoughts flooding her mind. She had never even thought about the possibility of seeing Katie and Nathan in New York. Of course she knew they were at college there but New York was a big place with a LOT of people. The odds that she would just bump into them had to be huge but never would she have dreamed they would turn up at the venue to see her. What had they been thinking?
Seeing Katie had been one thing. She thought she might be there to try and explain her way out of what had happened all those months ago. When Nathan had stepped up beside her though...she didn't know if it was anger, disbelief, hurt or a combination of the three.
Were Katie and Nathan together? Had they just come to rub her face in it? She was confused beyond belief. When she had slapped Katie it had been instinctively. When she told her that she had missed her it had been automatic. The truth was that she missed her sister too but that didn't take away the fact that it was Katie's fault in the first place. If she hadn't turned up with Nathan it probably wouldn't have been so bad. She may have even talked to her, listened to her explanation. Maybe they could have taken a step to putting it behind them. Of course she would never forget. Forgiveness would have been a long way in the future but Katie coming to her would have been a step in the right direction.
What Nathan had been doing there...well she had no idea at all. What the hell was he thinking? Did he honestly think they could be friends? With Katie it was different, she was family. Although betraying her maybe even worse because of the family connection there was no getting away from the fact that they had a blood tie. They shared the same parents. What lay ahead of them was years of family get-togethers not to mention the fact that when Katie was not in school and Alanna was off tour, they lived in the same house.
With Nathan there was no need for her to be civil. Nathan had been her boyfriend, he'd cheated on her, and they'd broken up, end of story. There was no possible reason why he should be in her life anymore.
It wasn't long until Christmas though and there was no doubt Katie would be there. She hadn't been home in the summer; there was no way their parents would accept her not being there. One thing was sure, today would not be the day where they worked things out between them. She would have to at least come to an agreement with her before Christmas, even if only for their parents and Ryan.
"Alanna?"
She was broken out of her thoughts.
"You okay? You should get ready, we're on soon and you still need to get your make-up done," Ashlyn reminded her.
"Yeah I'll be right out."
In actual fact she hadn't even realised she'd made it back to her dressing room let alone begin think about getting ready.
Alanna let out an exasperated breath. "The show must go on."
Chapter 20
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