After the show Marie, Claire and Lacey stayed behind and waited for the stadium to clear out a little. Then Steve came back out of the hallway. He pulled the girls backstage where they found N’ Sync in white muscle shirts, sweat dripping from their faces.
"They show was great." – Lacey
"Thanks. Look we’ll go change and meet ya out back. Steve will take you. You can park back there too." – JC
"Ok." – Claire
"Sounds good. See you guys later." – Steve. Steve walked with Claire and the others to her car. The security helped them through the crowd. They waited for the guys in the back. Before long the guys arrived.
"Ok let’s get going." – Chris
"Who’s coming in the limo with me?" Justin announced.
"ME!" – Marie
"Alright! Let’s jam!" – Justin
"Claire I’ll go with Marie and see you at home." – Lacey
"Ok, so I’m going by myself?" – Claire
"No, I’ll go with you." – Lance
"Oh, ok then. Lacey can tell you guys where to go and I’ll see you later Marie." – Claire
"So Long sistah!" – Marie. Justin laughed and followed Marie into the car. All exchanged their farewells and parted. ‘Damn Lance, I wanted to go with Claire – "JC. Lance followed Claire to her car. It was a red something.
"Nice car." – Lance
"Thanks. It took me forever to be able to pay for it. Bet you don’t run in to too many of those problems," Claire said smiling.
"Nope not really," Lance admitted. Claire started the car and began to pull away from the parking area. Lance slipped on a baseball hat and some sunglasses.
"The sun’s not out you know." – Claire
"I know. I just don’t want to be mobbed." – Lance
"Ohh. Don’t you think it’s kind of obvious? I mean it’s almost 11 o’clock and you’re wearing sunglasses." – Claire
"You’d be surprised." – Lance. Claire smiled and giggled slightly.
"Yes sir." The security guard directed the cars to one side and Claire drove threw.
"That was easy." Claire said turning on to the freeway. Lance chuckled, then it fell silent. Claire turned on the radio. It was the swing station.
"You listen to swing?" – Lance
"Yea, ever since the 8th grade." – Claire
"Really?" – Lance
"Yea." – Claire. It fell silent once more. Lance removed the hat and the glasses and say back in the chair. He closed he eyes to rest for a minute. Claire looked over and smiled. After 20 minutes Lance spoke again.
"So where did you go to high school?" – Lance
"I went to Orangedale in San Gabriel." – Claire
"His name was-" Lance was cut off.
"Oh look we’re here." – Claire. When they got there the others had already arrived.
"I’ll take Marie in." – Claire
"Ok." – Claire
"Bye Justin, my homie- hehe." – Marie
"Later kid." Justin laughed and hugged Marie.
"Bye Chris, JC, and Joey." Marie hugged each of them. "Thanks Steve." - Marie
"No Problem." – Steve. She hugged him as well. Claire walked Marie to the house while Lacey waited the others.
"There need to be more kids like her." – Steve
"Yup," Justin said still looking in the direction they had left. Five minutes later Claire appeared.
"Ok let’s get rolling." – Justin. Joey laughed and everyone got into the limo. They pulled up in front of a club called Galaxy. It was sci-fi related.
"Wow, this is cool." – Claire. JC looked at Claire who was staring at the sign. He smiled, ’Wonder if she likes Star Wars.’ – JC
"Let’s go." – Chris
"Yehaw!"- Justin. Everyone laughed and followed Justin and Chris into the club. They found a table.
"Alright let’s boogie." Justin grabbed Lacey’s wrist and dragged her on to the dance floor. Joey followed.
"Claire you coming?" – Chris
"No, I’ll be out in a bit." – Claire
"Ok." – Chris disappeared in the crowd. Claire sat down at the table. JC took a chair and slid it next it hers. Lance glared at JC who didn’t notice. Lance took a seat across the table.
"So Claire, do you work or ---?" – JC
"I’m the head photography organizer for a teenybopper magazine. I decide which pictures to used for posters and I write minor articles." – Claire
,p>"Really? I’m surprised. I don’t recall meeting you." – JC
"I don’t interview the stars my boss Elane Hammon does and I write the articles she assigns." – Claire
"Oh, I’ve met her before. " – JC. A waitress walked up to the table.
"Can I get you guys anything to drink?" – Waitress. JC looked at Claire then at the waitress.
"I’ll have a beer." – JC
"Same." – Lance
"And you miss?" – Waitress
"Water please." – Claire. JC and Lance looked at Claire with dumbstruck looks. Then the waitress left. Claire was beginning to feel a little weird.
"What?" – Claire
"You don’t drink?" – Lance
"Never in my life." – Claire
"Really? No wine or anything on special occasions?" – Lance
"Never." – Claire. The waitress came back with their drinks. Lance sipped his and JC pushed his aside. Lance coughed as put his drink on the table. Lacey popped out of the crowd. She came to table and looked at the beers on the table. She turned to Claire who shrugged her shoulders.
"Uh, Lance? Will you dance with me?"- Lacey
"Sure." – Lance. ‘How come you can’t ask JC?’ – Lance followed Lacey to the dance floor. Claire turned to JC.
"You guys don’t really drink do you?" – Claire. JC smiled sheepishly and shook his head.
"No." – JC
"I didn’t think so." – Claire
"I just thought-" – JC
"It’s ok. I know," Claire smiled." So um, you want to dance now?" – Claire
"Sure." – JC. As soon as they got on to the dance floor the music changed. It was a slow song. ‘Oh lordy,’ – Claire. JC put his arms around her waist and Claire put her arms around his neck. JC grinned at Claire and Claire blushed slightly. Lance glared at them from across the room. He was dancing with Lacey. It’s not that he didn’t like Lacey, it’s just that he liked Claire. After another hour of dancing it was time to leave. They drove the girls home.
"We’ll call tomorrow and do something." – Justin
"But I thought you guys were on tour?" – Claire
"This was out last show. And we are going to shoot out next music video here plus our film so we’ll be around." – Lance
"Oh, ok then." – Claire
"Good night." JC hugged Claire. He didn’t let go. Claire had to pull away.
"Bye." – Claire. They all exchanged their good-byes and drove away. Claire and Lacey were still standing outside.
"Geez Claire did you forget you had a boyfriend?" – Lacey
"What? I didn’t do anything." – Claire
"Haha JC and Lance were hanging all over you." – Lacey
"Well you can have them. I don’t want any trouble." – Claire. Lacey drove home in her car that she left at Claire’s house. Claire drove home to her apartment.