“Okay, now we all know why we are here. We gave you your mission and you chose to accept it. That, I must say, was a stupid move on your part.” Chris paused his speech and grinned at the group. “So, I need everyone to pair off, and get your final assignments, and be on your ways. We have exactly one week to accomplish our goal. We will reconvene at this spot at 21 hundred hours.” Pause. “That’s 10 o’clock PM, Joey.” Chris explained to the confused looking man. “Now, pair off and get going!”
Chris and Terri had been fighting so much about the wedding, that before they knew it, Chris had to go back on tour in only two weeks. That left them one week to plan and hold a wedding, and one week for a honeymoon. The two had finally settled on a large wedding, to pacify Terri, with a small reception afterwards, so Chris could relax. Now, with the help of Justin, JC, Joey, Lance, Krysti, Jessica, Nicole, and Symone, they were going to pull this off or die trying.
Everyone else immediately paired off. JC and Nicole (with Adrienne), Joey and Jessica and Lance with Krysti. That left Justin and Symone, sitting on opposite ends of the room. They hadn’t spoken, or even seen each other since the bathroom incident. Now it was early August.
“Well, Sym, looks like you got left with Justin.” Krysti whispered.
“Can’t I go by myself?” Symone asked.
“With what transportation? A bike? Look you two, this feud is getting really old. Everyone is annoyed with you’re antics, so shut up and move on.” Terri exploded. She was certainly fed up with the pouting contest that Symone and Justin seemed to be having. Nothing they did since that fateful week had any heart in it. Not even basketball. Playing the sport just reminded them of the other and made them sad and angry. Three months split between the two of them was pure torture.
Symone pouted and walked over to where Justin was. “Look, here’s the deal. We do this, we don’t talk, we don’t look at each other, and we just work. Got it?” Symone instructed.
“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Both Justin’s pride and head still hurt from their last meeting. Everyone went his or her separate ways and Justin and Symone headed to Justin’s car.
“Where do we need to go first?” Justin asked, snapping his seat belt on.
“Printers to pick up the napkins and cards. 1945 Jay Drive.” Symone said, looking at the list. Justin drove in silence, and Symone stared out the window. She knew she was going to wind up be pared with him. It was obvious that the group were all pretty sick of them moping around, and had been plotting for weeks to get the two of them to talk, ever since the girls had come up to O-Town in early July. Lance and Krysti were getting to be a steady thing, and Symone thought it was cute. She knew Jess was going clubbing with Joey almost every night. Nicole and JC hung out, although Nicole insisted they were “just friends”. Chris and Terri, of course, had to do the final things like talk to the priest and get the honeymoon stuff in order. A week in Rome. Symone thought that was the most romantic part of the whole wedding.
They were still in silence, and it was driving Symone mad! She had to do something. Reaching forward, she flipped on the radio, and played with the controls until she found a song she liked. Justin gave her a look as she started singing along.
“MMMBop ba do be dop ba do wop do be dop ba do wop be do be dop ba dooo...”
“You like this...music?” It seemed as if Justin had to force the last work out.
Symone turned to him. “Yes, I do.” she replied. “Don’t you?” she asked, her voice dripping with sweetness.
Justin tried not to laugh. “Oh, yeah, I love listening to castrated boys sing fluffy pop songs.”
Symone looked at him, her eyes wide in disbelief. “Then how can you listen to yourself? At least Hanson plays their own instruments! And I think Chris can get higher than any of them can. Talk about castrated!” she retorted. “And Hanson don’t have to resort to cheesy dance moves and pelvic thrusts to keep their audience interested.”
“That’s because their only audience is a room full of girls who are so blind they can’t see Hanson’s ugly faces!” Justin said. Symone just cracked up.
“Justin, admit it, you lose. That was just one low blow.” she giggled.
“Oh, and the pelvic thrust crack was any higher?” He smiled for the first time.
“Okay, okay, I get the point. Now keep-driving Curly, you already missed the turn twice.” Justin reddened. He had gotten so into the argument, he had driven in circles.
“You do realize we were just talking, don’t you?” Symone asked casually.
“Uh, yeah. And, even more shocking is, we weren’t yelling, and we both have on appropriate attire.”
Symone laughed, remembering the last time she had seen him. And, boy, had she seen him. It took her almost 3 full days to realize that he had been naked in the bathtub, and when she had, she couldn’t get the image out of her mind. Actually, she still couldn’t.
“So, are we friends?” he asked, lightly.
She sighed. He still hadn’t apologized about the day at her house. Terri’s voice rang through her mind. ‘Everyone is annoyed with you’re antics, so shut up and move on!’ “Eh, only because there isn’t anyone else around for me to annoy.” Symone rubbed Justin’s fuzzy head. He brushed her hand off, catching it in his. Symone didn’t pull it away.
“My darling, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Justin said, smiling that smile that only he could pull off.
She smiled also, and pointed to the printing shop. “I think this is it, lets go…buddy!” Justin grinned in response and they both hopped out of the car.
“You have GOT to be kidding me Timberlake!” Symone yelled.
“No way, you are NOT turning this on me!” Justin retorted.
“Oh yes I am! You can not possibly think that…”
The waiter interrupted the dueling pair as he set their food down in front of them. “Here you go. If you need anything else, anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask. My name is Daniel,” he pointedly stated, while staring at Symone; or rather Symone’s chest.
“Yeah, you mentioned that 40 or 50 times.” Justin muttered. “Anyway, Symone, you actually think that ketchup is better than mustard?”
“Oh yeah! Think about it, you can put ketchup on almost anything, it’s the most popular condiment, and it’s much prettier than mustard.”
“What does being pretty have anything to do with it?” he asked, confused.
“I don’t know. But red is so much better than yellow. And, I mean, think of the color that it makes on white bread. Now THAT’S nasty!” Symone said, biting into her grilled cheese.
“OK, you have a point there. But, it mustard is the kinkier of the two.” Justin said.
“Huh?”
“Nevermind. Just remembering something Nick Carter told me once. Anyway, how is your sandwich?” Justin asked, hoping she wouldn’t press him to tell her the story.
Symone shrugged off the comment. “It’s good. You want a bite?” He nodded, and she leaned across the table with the triangle in hand.
Justin took a bite and grinned. “You’re right, that is good. You want some of my burger?”
“That’s OK. I’ve never liked them.” Justin raised his eyebrows in wonder. “I know, it’s weird, I’ve been told all my life.”
He smiled. “More for me.” Symone laughed. They looked into each other’s eyes for an all too brief second. Justin saw so much in that second. He couldn’t believe that they were getting along so well. It had seemed they were destined never to be friends. Nevertheless, he was glad that he could get to know Symone. And he thanked God that she had forgiven him for the day at her house. ‘Wait!’ his brain told him, ‘you never even apologized!’ “Uh, Symone?”
“Yeah?” she said, looking up from her plate.
“I…well, I just wanted to say…uh, well…I…”
“Oh, really? Very profound.” Symone said sarcastically, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
“Funny. No, what I wanted to say was…I’m really sorry about what happened…that day.”
Symone let out a breath she had been holding for 3 months. “Why did you say that Justin?”
“I have been asking myself that every minute of every day, and I still haven’t come up with an answer. But, I want you to know that I didn’t mean it. It just…flew out of my mouth before I could stop it. I know that is a crummy excuse, but…” Justin gave a half smile.
“Thanks J. I really needed to hear that.” Symone smiled at him as well. She felt as if a 2-ton weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was the ultimate resolution she needed. She reminded herself to thank Terri and Chris later. “Now we can be friends with no worries.”
“Yep. So, where to next?”
“Dress shop, I think,” she replied.
“I thought Terri already had her dress. It was her grandmother’s or something.” Justin asked.
“Yeah, she does. Actually, I have to try on my dress to make sure it doesn’t need any alterations.”
“Oh, OK. Let’s get going then.” Justin said, dropping the money for the check, and leaving before ‘My name is Daniel for the 500th time’ could come back. He put out his hand and helped Symone out of the booth. She straightened her baggy jeans and baby tee. They walked out to the car, and Symone got in the passenger’s side. Justin walked around the back, and couldn’t stop the grin on his face. He had a new friend, and no more guilt. He would have to thank Terri and Chris later.
