“Ha, like we’d ever get the easy way.” Misty threw a pillow at Mellie’s head, missing slightly but
smacking Skeeto in the face as she stepped onto the bus.
“What, we’ve been here for 2 minutes and already we have to start the pillow fight. I thought we
knocked enough sense into our heads the last tour.”
“Aw, you’re just jealous that you didn’t get to throw the first punch.” Sugar was following close
behind, laughing as she watched the pillow hit her best friend.
“Ya know Sug, that’s exactly it.” Skeeto turned around to playfully punch Sugar in the arm, only
to loose her balance and fall forward onto her knees. The whole bus burst into laughter, which
caused two heads to peak up the stairs.
“Hey, are you thinking of having fun without us.” Joey stepped up, so he could get a better look
at the interior of the bus.
“We weren’t thinking about it, we were actually doing it.” Skeeto looked up at Joey, from her
position on the floor. He looked down and laughed at her, extending a helping hand. She grabbed
it, and he pulled her back onto her feet.
“Yeah, well next time include me. I could get used to pillow fights with five girls.” Joey’s grin
grew brighter as he embraced Mellie in a big bear hug. “Actually I could just get used to this. Its
so good to have you five back on tour with us.”
“I’m glad you’re happy about it, some of us would care to differ though.” Skeeto placed her
belongings on the bunk she’d be using for the three month tour.
“You can’t tell me, that you and Justin are still not speaking to each other.” Chris swept Skittles
off of her feet, holding her in his arms, before moving in to kiss her softly.
“I can tell you that we aren’t. Besides that, he’s to busy paying attention to Veronica to even
notice that I’m alive, so see there is nothing to worry about now.” Skeeto pulled herself up into
her bunk, peeking her head out one last time. “It’s better this way though, I’m happy, he’s happy,
what else would either of us want.” She ducked back behind the curtain.
“For them to be together.” Joey mumbled under his breath, just loud enough for the remaining
people to hear. They all laughed quietly, climbing off the bus to mingle before they pulled
out.
“Girls, you need to focus, or else you’ll never be ready for tomorrow night.” Mike was trying
desperately to get Mystical comfortable with being on the stage, but they were too busy watching
the boys of Nsync run up and down the isles. “Lets try this one more time.” With a long sigh,
Mike pushed the button, and Mystical’s first single, played over the huge speakers that hung
above their heads.
Skeeto and Sugar stood by the side of the stage. They watched as the other girl group struggled
to get their moves right, but watched as they laughed and stopped every time Nsync did
something even remotely funny.
“Maybe we should tape their eyes shut, that might help.” Skeeto pulled on her headphones,
turning the volume up loudly. Sugar laughed quietly, walking back into wardrobe to help Skittles
and Misty pick out tomorrow’s outfits.
“Look at her, she thinks she’s all that.” Veronica pointed a bony finger at the young girl swaying
quietly to her own tune.
“She’s not that bad, you should talk to her.” Gwen picked up a bottle of water, and look a long
drink. “At least she knows what to do when in front of thousands of people.”
“What are you getting at?” Nikki threw a nasty glare in Gwen’s direction.
“I don’t mean anything by it, other then tomorrow is our first live show, and right now we are
struggling like crazy.” Gwen backed away, hoping to move from Nikki’s stare.
“Okay.” Nikki threw a towel over her head, and proceeded to wipe the sweat from her
forehead.
“Let’s wrap this up, we’ll work on it later tonight.” Mike put the girls dat away, and pulled out
Krazy’s.
“Mike, we need to practice, just give us another go around.” McKayla pleaded with the older
man.
“I’m sorry girls, but its Krazy’s turn, so you must get off the stage.” Mike forced himself not to
smile as he made the girls get off the stage, but if this first practice was any indication of what was
to come, he wasn’t going to enjoy this tour.
“It’s so not fair, they get all the attention.” Nikki begin to storm off the stage, but stopped when
Mike’s harsh voice halted her.
“They have been in this business longer then you four, and they take their music seriously, unlike
what I’ve seen from you today. As far as I’m concerned, they can have all the attention.”
Nikki stared at him astonished that someone would talk to her in such a way. She turned on her
heel, stomping down the stairs and out of sight.
Behind Mike, Skittles and Mellie tried hard to contain their laughter, but as soon as the girls of
Mystical were out of sight, laughter rang through the venue. Skeeto had missed what happened,
so when she removed her headphones, to be greeted by joyous laughter.
“Alright, what did I miss?” She climbed the stairs, to sit on the stage.
“Mike slamming Mystical, you should have heard him, it was great.” Sugar sat next to Skeeto,
and begin to stretch her legs.
“Any slamming of those girls, is worth a good laugh.” Skeeto put her head down, feeling her back
begin to loosen up.
“You know, its just not nice to pick on people who are so much less then you.” Chris’s happy and
smiling face appeared at the edge of the stage.
“Well ya know, sometimes its just to easy.” Skeeto stuck her tongue out at Chris, as he rushed
over to tickle her. “Chris that is so not fair, get off. Stop.” Skeeto started laughing, and the more
Chris tickled, the harder she giggled.
Justin who had just entered the venue, heard the chuckles, and glanced up onto the stage. He saw
his friend hanging out with the girls he no longer could be close to. The fact that Chris was
tickling the one girl that still held his heart, tugged at him. He closed his eyes, to push the image
back out of his thoughts. He could her scream and giggle, and knew that she was overjoyed. She
was back on tour, where she belonged, and where he knew she was happiest. He only wished he
was part of her life once again. As his mind wandered further into his memories, he felt a pair of
arms encircle his waist, he turned to see the smiling face of Veronica.
“Hi Veronica, I watched you practice, not bad.” He politely stepped out of her embrace, placing a
strong hand on her arm.
“Thank you. Did you happen to hear what Mike said to Nikki about us?” He watched Veronica’s
eyes look him up and down, and that made him uncomfortable, but he made a point not to show
it.
“No, I missed that, what did he say?” Justin sat down in one of the chairs, so Veronica would stop
staring at him.
“Basically that Krazy was better then us.” Justin looked up at her, and saw the truth in her eyes,
but he couldn’t help the feeling of glee that bubbled in his stomach.
“That wasn’t very nice of him.” Justin hide the smile that tried to creep onto his lips.
“You’ve got that right.” Veronica sat down on the floor next to his feet, and begin to rub her
hand up and down his leg. He flinched, but she didn’t seem to notice, and after a minute or two,
he had to admit it felt good to have a female touch him again.
Skeeto spun around as Joey held one of her hands. She was enjoying herself so much, that is until
she happened to get a glimpse of Justin sitting next to Veronica, and her hands were all over him.
She dropped a hold of Joey’s hand, and her mouth opened slightly. She didn’t realize how much
it hurt to see him with another girl. Joey looked at her mystified to her sudden behavior, he tried
to take her hand again, but she pushed him away, and walked off the stage, as she left, he caught a
slight look at what had changed Skeeto’s light hearted attitude. He fumed at Justin, and grabbed
Chris’ attention, before heading down the stairs, towards the rows and rows of empty chairs.
“Justin, can I talk to you for a minute.” Before Joey allowed Justin to answer, he grabbed his arm
and pulled him back down the isle.
“Yo Joe, what are you doing?” Justin tried to jerk his arm out of Joey’s grasp, but Joey held on
firmly. When they were out of Veronica’s hearing range, Joey let into Justin.
“What do you think you were doing with her?” His voice full of rage, and anger.
Justin looked oddly at Joey, wondering where all this was coming from. “We were talking man,
isn’t that allowed.?”
“Yes, talking is allowed, but that doesn’t require hands, does it?”
Veronica’s hand on his leg flooded his mind, and he turned a bright shade of red. “Oh, you saw
that. It sort of happened, and it felt nice to have a girl touch me in a way of love again.”
“I’m not the only one that saw it Justin.” Joey’s eyes suddenly filled with sadness, and Justin
instantly knew who else had seen.
“What did she do?” Justin tried to look around Joey, up to the stage now empty.
“She ran off, what do you think she did?” Joey’s voice once again became angry.
“Joey, she’s the one that cut me off, what does she expect, me to stick around forever.” Justin’s
eyes stared at the floor, afraid to look Joey in the face.
“Justin she just wants you back, you know that, but she’s scared.”
“Scared of what? I don’t understand that part.”
“Who knows, but you can see it in her face.”
“All I want is to have her back, but she won’t let me in. I’ve tried.” Justin clasped his hands
together in front of him, closing his eyes, forcing the tears back.
Joey placed a reassuring hand on his younger friend, knowing how hard young love was to deal
with. “You’re just gonna have to keep trying, even though it will be difficult.”
“I know Joey, but Veronica is showing so much interest in me, I like that.”
“If you go for her, she’ll use you man, and you’ll hurt Sara.”
“I know, I know.” Justin sighed, not knowing what to do, he was torn between two things he
really wanted. Love and the one he loved.
