“Yeah, yeah!” I snap as Jade bangs on my door.
I am SO pissed off with her for the damn surprise party. I know it’s dumb. I should be happy she cares enough to do that stuff but I just hate my birthdays. I’m kinda looking forward to the NSync video shoot. I can pretend to be somebody else for a few hours – flirt like hell and enjoy myself and then it won’t be my birthday anymore. I brush a hair off of my black denim pants and pull down my dark green Cougars’ top. I grab a long denim jacket and apply some more lipstick before walking into the kitchen. Jade is finishing off a piece of cake and I reach past her for my car keys.
“I’ll drive,” I tell her, flicking my blonde hair out of my jacket collar.
“Ok,” she shrugs and follows me out to the car.
We both climb in and I drive away. Jade turns on the radio and skips through the stations until she finds a song she likes then she turns it up and bops her head to the beat. As she sings loudly to the chorus I recognise it as Answer The Phone by Sugar Ray.
“Answer the phone, I know that you’re home,” sings Jade. “I wanna get you alone, and do it again, do it again!”
I concentrate on driving and around forty minutes later we pull up at the drag track. A big security cordon stops us and I wind down the window to talk to him.
“Hi, we’re here for the video shoot,” I smile flirtily.
“Name?”
“Alicia McNamara,” I supply and he checks the list.
“Nup, you’re not down.”
“Aw, c’mon…” I wheedle.
“Sorry, if you ain’t down you ain’t comin’ through.”
“It’ll be under my name,” Jade leans over to talk to him. “Jade Greene.”
He starts to check the list and finds her name about halfway down. He flashes her a big smile and waves us through. “You can park at the bottom.”
“Thanks,” Jade smiles and sits back up as I drive away. “Justin doesn’t know your name.”
“Sorry, I forgot you’re his new girlfriend,” I say sarkily.
“Oh just shut up Alicia,” she mutters and looks out of the window.
I pull a face at the back of her head and park the car next to a red BMW. We both climb out and I follow Jade over to a guy in a bright yellow SECURITY jacket. I figure I need to stay with her until we get inside the shoot, seeing as she’s miss popular right now.
“Hi, my name’s Jade Greene. I was wonderin’ if you could tell me where to go?”
“Sure,” he grins at her. “Walk to the end of that dirt track, take a left and you’re there.”
“Thanks. Have they started yet?”
“Nup, they’re just getting all set up,” he tells her and we follow his directions.
Seconds later, we find video shoot. It looks pretty cool actually. There are huge lights set up around five cars and a sandy dust track. It looks real funky and people are standing around dressed in denims and vest tops. I’m glad I chose the clothes I did cos I fit right in. We walk down onto the set.
“Wow,” Jade mutters. “This rocks.”
“Uh huh,” I admit, not willing to get all chatty with her just yet.
“I guess we should find Justin and see what’s goin’ on,” Jade says and we both look around for Justin. I spot him talking with Lance and several girls.
“Over there,” I point him out and we head over.
“Hey J,” Jade greets and he turns round.
“JADE!” he laughs and picks her up in a big hug.
“I only saw you a few hours ago,” she laughs as he puts her back down.
“I know but I thought you weren’t coming,” he pouts.
“Sorry, the party ran over. This is Ali,” she introduces me and we smile politely at each other.
“You look kinda familiar,” he admits.
“Yeah, I’m the photographer who wanted to shoot you nude,” I remind him dryly and he blushes.
“Oh my GOD!” he laughs and holds his hand out for me to shake. “Respect girl. You sure had me going that day!”
“I know,” I giggle and shake his hand.
“You know JC too right?” he remembers and I nod. “Pretty well huh?” he adds with a smirk.
“Well… Kinda,” I giggle.
“He knew her boyfriend YEARS ago. That’s all,” Jade ruins my act and I shoot her a glare which she ignores. “So, what should we do?”
“We gotta pick out our girlfriends,” Justin slips an arm around her and walks her over to where a group of girls are standing. I follow them, pulling as many faces as I can at her back. “So you go stand here and maybe you’ll get lucky,” he laughs as he lets go of Jade.
“Why, thanks,” she giggles and I roll my eyes.
“You too Ali,” he says and I stand by Jade. I look around as Justin heads off to join the other NSyncers and some older men who I guess are the director and producer. There are around thirty girls and twenty guys standing around. Nelly is standing behind NSync with a woman adding some make-up to his eyes. He’s squirming like crazy and I giggle.
I watch Justin talking with the other NSyncers and blush slightly as he points back at me and the others all look over. Joey and JC walk over to me and I smile brightly. I like Joey but I’m really not sure about JC. He had come across as real arrogant when I had first met him but maybe he was just having a bad day.
“Hey Jade!” Joey grins and gives me a quick hug. “It’s been way too long.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “How’re you doing? You look good.”
“Thanks. You do too – as always,” he winks and I laugh. “And I’m just great. This shoot is gonna rock!"
“Of course,” I laugh.
“Hey JC, you remember Jade?” Joey introduces me and JC shakes my hand.
“Uh, you look familiar…” he starts.
“She should do. You totally hit on her last time ya met,” Joey says gleefully. “Only she turned you down and you got pissed.”
“I did?” JC blushes as we both nod. “Well, I’m sorry Jade.”
“It’s ok,” I tell him with a smile.
“You would still turn me down huh?” he asks a little hopefully and I giggle.
“Yup, I have a boyfriend.”
“Figures,” he pulls a face.
“My words exactly,” Joey agrees.
“Well hi JC,” Ali purrs and we all look at her. JC recognises her at once and goes a deep red.
“Alicia,” he says curtly.
“Don’t I get a hug?”
“No,” he says and walks away.
“Wow, sorry, I guess mr rude came out to play after all,” says Joey. “I’ll give ya a hug!” he gives her a quick hug and she giggles. “I’m Joey.”
“I’m Ali.”
“Good to meet ya. You guys friends?”
“Usually,” I say dryly.
“We share an apartment,” Ali smiles.
“Cool. You need a guy to share with you both,” Joey grins.
“JOEEEEEEY!” yells Chris.
“I guess they want me,” Joey grins and heads off.
“Leave JC alone, ok?” I tell her.
“Why?” she glares at me.
“Because he seems a nice enough guy and it’s not his fault you were a…”
“Whore?” she finishes calmly.
“Not the word I was gonna use but yeah.”
“But he told everybody about me,” she says quietly.
“He probably thought he was protecting them from you. I mean, he didn’t know you’ve changed.”
“I’ve changed huh?” she asks dryly. “Good to know.”
I give up on talking to her and run my fingers through my hair just as the five NSyncers, Nelly and an older guy walk over to us all.
“Hi y’all and welcome to the Girlfriend video,” says the older guy. “My name’s Bruce Robson and I’m the director. What’s gonna happen here is we need to film individual guy scenes so each of these guys is gonna pick out a girl to film with. Ok?”
“YEAH!” we all yell and he laughs.
“Such enthusiasm… Ok guys, go.”
“I get first pickings cos I’m guest artist,” Nelly chuckles and walks along the line until he gets to a girl with pretty wild curly hair. “And I pick you girl.”
“Thanks,” she giggles.
“C’mon,” he takes her hand and they walk to one side. “This is kinda like Dismissed but with a way bigger choice,” he comments.
“It IS man! You are SO dismissed,” Justin laughs as JC walks forward. “Hey, it’s my turn!”
“Too slow dude,” JC grins and stops in front of me. “Hey Jade, be my girlfriend just for tonight?”
“HEY!” Justin yells. “She was gonna be MY girlfriend.”
I look at JC and laugh. He really is pretty cute with his blue eyes and pouty lips. Plus I really dig the unshaven, just-rolled-outta-bed look that he’s working tonight. I take JC’s outstretched hand and look at Justin, “Too slow Curly.”
“Curly?!” Justin splutters as I walk to the side with JC. “Ok, NOW it is my turn,” he grumps and walks along the line before stopping at a girl with hair more curly than his. “Hey, do you let people call you curly?” he asks her.
“No way!” she laughs.
“Ok, wanna be my girl?” he grins and she nods.
“I’m goin’ next,” says Lance walking up to Ali. “And I pick Ali.”
“Why, thanks,” she flutters her eyelashes and he laughs. “I’m honoured you remembered my name.”
“Of course. You made me laugh on that photo shoot. Especially the fig leaves thing with Curly over there!” he adds and they both laugh as Justin pulls a face. They join us on the side as Joey picks a blonde girl and Chris a Chinese girl.
“Ok, the rest of you get to go grab a coffee and chill out a while,” yells Bruce before walking over to our little group. “I need to film one-on-one scenes here. Justin and…?”
“Sadie,” says the girl.
“Sadie can go first. It’s just basically face shots right now. Come over here,” he orders and they follow him over to a wide lens camera.