Blythe struggled with her book bag and tried to get her keys out of her running pants pocket. Just when the key for the deadbolt was almost in the whole set of keys fell to the floor. "Crap," she muttered as she dropped everything in her hands and bent to pick up the key chain. She unlocked and opened her door and ran to the phone, which was now on its third ring. "Hello?"

"What is going on over there, Blye? You're out of breath."

"Well, Waders, had I not been struggling to get into the apartment to get the phone I might not be out of breath." She took a deep breath. "There we go. Much better. What's up roomie? How's Orlando?"

"Hot." There was a muted sound on his side of the line. "Sorry. During the break Justin and I were working on a song and he had a question. Now where were we?"

"You were telling me why you were calling."

"Oh...well...I just wanted to say hi. I thought you'd be home from your dance class by now so I thought I could catch you."

"You just caught me. We were assigned songs to choreograph and I wanted to request a different song."

"Why? You can make up a dance to any song. I know you can. What's so bad about this song?"

"Nothing..."

"Blye, I know there's more than 'nothing' wrong. Care to tell me what's wrong now?"

"Well, it's just that it hits a little close to home. This song." Blythe straightened her school supplies on the kitchen table. She hoped he wouldn't ask why it hit close to home for her. She held her breath until he spoke again.

"So why does the song hit close to home? Don't worry I'm in a room alone so no one is listening to me."

"It's personal."

"Too personal to tell me, your best friend and roommate?"

"I never said you were my best friend."

"Anyway," he said after a brief pause. "Please tell me why you can't do this song. Can you at least tell me the name of the song?"

"Wade, the title will give it all away, so, no, I can't give you the name of the song."

"Please, please, please, with a cherry on top?"

Blythe could imagine his face with a ridiculous pleading look on it. He gave it to her whenever she was determined to keep something from him. Unfortunately, he gave a pretty good puppy dog face and usually won. She closed her eyes and smiled at the image still in her mind.

"Pleading won't work, Wade."

"How about a bribe?"

"What do you have to bribe me with? You know I'm an instant gratification person. I need you to give me something now and since you're in Florida I don't foresee this happening." She sat at the table, opening the mail. "You got another credit card offer. Want it?"

"Nope. Anyway I do have something to offer. I can tell you about the girl Justin set me up with."

Blythe froze at his words. "Girl? Set up? As in date?"

He laughed. "Yes, I went out on a date. It went pretty well too. She's nice, brunette, good figure..."

"All you've ever looked for in a woman. I get it." She sighed and continued to sort through the mail. "So what was her name?"

"Robin."

"So she's a bird," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing. So you going to see her again?"

"Maybe, but I'm hardly down here so I don't know." He sat at the table in the conference room and fiddled with a pen.

"Well, you're going to be down there for a few more days. Why not have some fun? You never know. She could be the future Mrs. Wade J. Robson." Blythe's insides tightened at her own words.

"Nah. Plus, who wants to be tied down right now? Only if I feel something special will I do that." He slid a piece of paper in front of himself and started doodling.

"No sparks?"

"Not really. She's a good kisser though. Maybe I will see her again..."

"God, Waders, sometimes you tell me too much. I do not need such information as the quality of their kissing style. And if you ever go into even more detail I will have to hurt you."

Wade laughed and looked at the paper in front of him. He sighed at what he drew, then crumpled up the paper. The ball flew directly into to garbage can.

"Don't worry. I won't. Robin's nice and maybe I will follow your advice. I'll give her a call later to see if she wants to do anything."

"Cool." Blythe took a CD out of her bag and brought it to the stereo. She laid it on the shelf and picked up the picture next to it. "So are you coming home before going back on the road?"

"I was trying to but it doesn't look like it. We have to majorly redo a song. Speaking of songs...now that I told you about my date do you have something to share with me?"

"Like what?" She placed the picture frame back on the shelf.

"Like what song you were trying to get rid of and why."

"But I never agreed to the bribe. You gave that information willingly."

"Damn, girl, just tell me already. Soon Chris will be here to tell me it's time to head back to his place. Please, just tell me." He involuntarily stuck his lower lip out because he always did that when they were in person.

"Okay," she screamed, "I'll tell you."

"He he. Goody. Now give me the goods."

Blythe sat on the couch and sighed. "It is Mandy Moore's 'Crush' that I was trying to get rid of. Figure the rest out for yourself."

"So...you have a crush on someone. So what?" He sat up in his chair.

"Well, it's just that I know he doesn't feel the same way so why make myself think about it more than I already do?" She bit her bottom lip.

"How do you know he doesn't like you? Have you asked him or has he told you he hasn't?" He stood to pace. "Who would be crazy enough to turn you down?"

"Umm...no I haven't pursued it. But we're friends and I just know he doesn't feel anything for me but friendship."

"If you say so." Wade looked up as Chris walked into the room. "Listen, Blye, I've got to go. Chris is here. Talk to you later?"

"I thought you were going to call Robin about going out later?"

"I was talking about later as in sometime after now. Maybe even tomorrow." Wade walked after Chris. I know I'm forgetting something.

"Whatever. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Wade," she forced out before he made a remark back.

Blythe hung up the phone and placed in on the coffee table.

"Might as well get this over with," she told herself as she slid the CD into the player and listened to the lyrics of the song.

Blythe turned the music off and shook her head. She needed more time between her conversation with Wade and hearing the song before she could concentrate. The conversation brought the situation directly in front of her face. Now she could see his face, feel his smile and hear his laugh.

~~~~~~

Wade sat and placed his head on Chris' kitchen table. They had just finished a full day of rehearsing and on breaks he and Justin had been working on a song. His mind was just about as exhausted as his body. The conversation with Blythe was an added stress in his mind. Why should he care that she had a crush?

And why did he doodle her name while they were on the phone? It must have been since they were talking that he wrote her name and the various nicknames he had for her. Even if the last time he had put her first name with his last.

~~~~~~

She now had the song on repeat. After the third time she stood and stared picturing the choreography in her head. As the song repeated she let the beat overtake over thoughts and let her body move. It took a couple of times before she started really getting into moves she liked and began stopping and repeating sections of the song. Her mind had blocked out all outside sound and she didn’t hear the door open.

”Damn, that boy was right. You’re an amazing dancer.”

Blythe froze at the female voice. She ran to turn the CD off before wiping her face and looking at the tall blonde inside her door. ”Britney Spears?”

”Yup.” Britney tossed a bag on the couch. “And if you’re talking about Wade, he doesn’t know how you feel but he does feel the same way.”

”Huh? Wade?” Blythe shook her head a few times. “First question. What are you doing here?”

”Wade didn’t tell you?” Britney tilted her head to the side in confusion.

”No…what was Wade supposed to tell me?”

”Only that he’s letting me stay in his room for a week while I’m in town. He didn’t tell you that? When was the last time you two talked?”

”We just talked about,” Blythe looked at the clock, “an hour ago and he made no mention about you. But don’t you have a place in New York?”

”Yeah, I do,” Britney sat on the couch, “but my brother’s been staying there and he has a few friends spending some time there and being alone in an apartment with four guys isn’t my idea of a good time. I was complaining about it to Wade and he offered his place.”

”Nice of him to ask me.”

”Oh, I’m sorry. I can go to my place…”

”No, that’s all right.” The younger girl sat next to the singer. “I grew up with a few brothers and I know how it is being stuck with a few of them that are close friends. I don’t wish that on any woman.”

Britney laughed and watched the girl’s face as she smiled widely. The girl’s cheeks were still slightly blushed from dancing and the smile crossing her features rose into her eyes. Britney remembered the fluidity of her movements.

”So why has Wade been hiding a talented dancer like yourself from us?”

Blythe stood up and looked at a picture of her and Wade sitting on a shelf. “He hasn’t been hiding me. What makes you say that?”

”Aside from the fact that he boasts about you everyday and yet every time we ask to meet this girl he talks about he always says you’re so busy.” Britney turned the younger female’s face to herself. “No one’s that busy to meet close friends of a close friend.”

Blythe looked down and blushed. “Well…I…”

~~~~~~

”Yo, Wade!”

Wade turned his head and saw Lance’s head in the bedroom doorway. He smiled as Lance made a face and walked completely into the room.

”What do you want, Lance?”

”Well,” the blonde started, “I was wondering when you were going to go pick up your date. You were supposed to pick her up twenty minutes ago.”

”Really?” Wade’s eyes widened and he quickly checked his watch. “Damn. Thanks, man, my mind must be somewhere else.”

Wade ran around the room grabbing his watch and wallet before heading out the door. Lance shook his head in amusement and went to the bed to look at the pictures Wade had been staring at. He smiled widely as he saw a blonde sitting on a rock with Wade, both laughing hysterically.

”Somewhere else or on someone else?” Lance took both pictures off the bed and headed to the kitchen. “Hey, Chris, I think we have a picture of Wade’s roommate here.”

”Where?” the older man asked.

”Here.” Lance put the pictures on the table and pointed to them as he leaned over the back of Chris’ chair.

”Hmm… This is the famous Blythe. She’s pretty.”

"Yeah, and wouldn't you know it she's got a secret admirer." Lance walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a gallon of milk.

Chris' eyebrows raised. "Really? And who might we be talking about?"

"The guy who just left almost a half hour late for a date because he was staring at certain pictures." Lance pointed to the pictures on the table before drinking from the glass he just filled. "Get it now?"

Chris smiled slowly. "Yeah, I do. Wait a minute. Isn't Britney at Wade's?"

"You're right." Lance put his glass down and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "Let's see how her trip to New York is going."

"Lance, you sound so innocent. What would the fans think?"

Lance shrugged as he put the phone to his ear.

”Hello, this is Britney’s phone. Leave a message and she might get back to you if she feels like you’re worth it. If this is any member of *N SYNC, especially Lance, we don’t want any. And if this is Lance please lose this number- you’re really not worth it.”

Lance laughed. “Having fun with your Caller ID again, Brit?”

”What’s the fun of the feature if you don’t use it to your full advantage?”

”That can be true.” Lance sat beside Chris. “So, how’s your trip to New York so far? Met anyone interesting yet?”

”Cut to the chase, Bass. You want to know about Blythe.”

”And…”

Britney blew at her bangs and looked around the empty living room. “And she’s everything Wade should have in a girl. I haven’t been here long, but she seems really nice. Did he ever tell you how good a dancer she is?”

”No…is she?”

”She’s amazing, Lance. When I came in she was dancing to a song she has to choreograph for dance class and it was amazing. The music was just flowing through her.”

”Hmm. I wonder why Wade never told us about this. He said she could dance but the way you’re talking about it she’s amazing.”

Britney stretched out on the couch. “She is, Lance. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

”Wow. Anyway I did have a point to this call.”

”Oh really, Lance? I thought it was to find out about Blythe.”

”It was, but I want more info than what you’re giving me.”

”Uh-oh,” Britney started, “what else do you want to know?”

”Well, it’s only fair because I am his friend…we are his friends…”

Britney sighed. “Whose house are you at, Lance?”

”Chris’.”

”Figures,” she muttered. “No what is it that you want to know?”

”Well, umm, it seems like the feelings may be a little more than friendly on Wade’s end and we were-“

”Calling to see if there were any like that here?”

”Exactly.”

”I think there might be. She hasn’t opened up much, but, then again, I just got here.”

”Well, then work your Britney charm and get the info.”

”I was planning on doing it-“ she stopped as the front door opened. “Listen, hun, I’ve got to go.”

”Blythe just walk back in the room?”

”Yup. I’ll call you back tomorrow to see how things are progressing.”

”Sounds fine to me. By the way, Wade was almost a half hour late picking up his date tonight because he was looking at pictures of him and Blythe.”

”Aww, how sweet,” she crooned. “I’ll talk to you later.”

”Bye, Brit.”

”Bye bye bye.” Britney laughed and hung up before Lance could say anything back. She looked up as the younger woman put the bags of food on the counter in the small kitchen. She stood and walked to the doorway. “Need help with anything?”

“No, that’s okay,” Blythe snapped as she quickly put the food away. She slammed a jar of peanut butter on the counter. “Why are guys so confusing?”

”Are we talking about Wade now?” Britney unconsciously backed up a step from Blythe’s glare. “Okay. We’re talking about guys in general.”

”Thank you.”

”No problem. Now what’s confusing you?”

Blythe sighed and put down the cereal box she was putting away. “It’s just that I always seem to ones with tragic flaws.”

”Huh?”

“Well something always seems to be in the way. It’s usually that they smoke and sometimes they even dip. Now that’s disgusting.”

”Me and about a dozen of my friends will second that,” Britney added. “What else?”

”Or they just don’t like me like I do them.”

Britney sat in a kitchen chair and pulled her legs under her. “And you’re sure they don’t like you like they do them?”

Blythe nodded.

”And you know this by asking them?”

”Most of them.” Blythe looked away, afraid of Britney’s next question.

”Have you asked the current guy?”

Blythe let out a slow breath, thankful Britney didn’t say anyone’s name. “No, I haven’t.”

”Why haven’t you?”

”Because,” Blythe sat across from Britney, “I just know he doesn’t’ feel the same way.”

”How do you know if you haven’t asked him?”

”I just do.”

Britney could tell she was going to get no more out of Blythe. She stood up and stretched. “So when do you need the choreography done by?”

”I need an idea for tomorrow afternoon.”

”How about this? You go work on it and I’ll cook. If you’re anything like Wade you want it done now so you can practice it.”

”You’re right. I would like to get working on this as soon as possible.” Blythe stood up. “You know how to cook?”

Britney laughed. “I may be a celebrity but my momma did teach me how to cook.”

”All right.” Blythe waved to her and left the kitchen.

Britney shook her head sadly as the younger woman left the kitchen. As she was opening a package of chicken she heard the strands of “Crush” through the doorway. She looked into the living room and smiled as Blythe took a picture off the shelf and stared at it longingly.

~~~~~~

Wade yawned for the fifth time in about five minutes.

”Wade, if you’re tired we don’t have to stay.”

Wade looked at his date and smiled slightly. Robin was a really nice girl, but for some reason he couldn’t concentrate on her. He wouldn’t let himself acknowledge who he was thinking about. He shook his head to get out of his daze. “I’m sorry, Robin. I was fine earlier and now I just can’t keep my mouth from yawning.”

”That’s okay, Wade.” Robin stood up and extended her arm. “It was nice going out on these few dates with you, Wade.”

Wade stared at his date. Was she telling him she never wanted to see him again? At least as a date. This was new to him. There were usually a few more dates just to be nice before they broke it off with each other. He sighed and realized she was smarter than that. She knew something was on his mind. She knew he wasn’t thinking about her. She knew he wanted to be somewhere else. He nodded and shook her hand. “It was nice spending time with you too.” He laid money on the table to cover their bill. “I’m sorry about this, Robin. You are a really nice girl and all…”

”Don’t worry about it, Wade. We both knew this would never be anything serious. Even though this looks bad I’m glad Justin set us up. You are a great guy, Wade, just not for me. As you know I’m not the one for you.”

”When you’re right you’re right.” Wade grabbed her hand as they left the coffee shop. He kissed the back of her hand when they approached his car. “I did have a great time with you.”

”And me you.”

Wade drove Robin home, giving her a quick kiss before she left the car. He watched her enter her house and sighed. This had to stop happening. He shook his head and drove back to Chris’ house. He quietly closed the front door behind him and slowly made his way to the guest room he was using. He got ready for bed and crawled under the covers. He shivered.

“Damn, Chris has the A/C up high tonight.”

Wade shifted to his side and reached for the picture sitting on the bedside table. He fingered the outline of Blythe’s body and sighed. He didn’t need to think of this right now. He put the picture back and turned over. He groaned as another picture of him and Blythe stared back at him from the other bedside table. How had these pictures been set so no matter which side he faced he saw her? He remembered leaving them on the bed. He sat up straight.

”No. No. No. Tell me Lance did not snoop.”

Wade fell back with a sigh as another thought hit him.