Okay, the schedule of shows does NOT correspond with the NSA tour that is going on this summer (2000) and Brit's tour. It may be close but parts will be different. This may make the story not as realistic but that's why its called FICTION. Just follow me on this one please : )
The week went by with only a few minor problems. Liz had left early in the day to finish packing for her week on the road. The girls were scheduled to do five shows around Florida with the guys.
Their first came the night of the Orlando show and everything went smoothly. Liz was very impressed by the girls and knew they would be a hit once their album came out in stores. Their songs were catchy and the girls just had THAT look about them. They were ready for the challenge and awaited it to come.
Once the show was over, the guys threw another party but Liz chose to sit that one out. They begged, even got the girls to beg a little but Liz just didn't feel like going. She had to get a good night's sleep if she was going to survive the next week with the girls…and guys. Although they would be going their separate ways during the day, Justin and Lance had informed Liz that she would be greeted each night by their smiling faces so she better get use to it.
She only prayed for the strength to fight them off.
(On the Road)
Laughter was heard coming from the back of bus. The lounge where the guys would 'just chill' at was converted into Gossip Central by the three young persons inside. The guys were heading towards their next destination…Ft.Lauderdale, and had a stowaway with them – well, sort of. Elizabeth had 'accidentally' forgotten to get back on the girls' bus when they made their last stop. She was really in no mood to deal with the goings-on of her designated bus and wanted to spend some time with the guys.
The conversation inside the room included many jokes that only two of them got. Liz listened intently as the guys cracked jokes, talked about their childhood, and what Liz would be experiencing being on the road with them – well, on the road with the girls. She was suppose to be with them right now but Liz enjoyed her new friends more.
The girls were a lot of fun to be around…most of the time. With them, they would talk about their relationships, or lack there of. Liz didn't want to hear about how Jenny and Trace were SO happy together or how Nikki had a secret crush on Jeremy but didn't want him to know about it. It wasn't that she was being mean or anything but for the last few weeks, she was able to get to know the girls a lot better and that was ALL they had to say. One of the main reasons she didn't want to hear about it was the fact that she didn't have anything to contribute to the conversation. She was in a rut – a major rut when it came to the male specimen.
Although Liz was attractive, she hid herself behind those darn glasses all the time and had her long blonde-highlighted hair up in either a ponytail or a clip. She dressed conservative for someone so young but she took her job very seriously. She didn't want to appear unprofessional in anyone's eyes, especially Lynn's. She had to look the part of an assistant but was finding that being around the girls all the time, their fashion sense was rubbing off on her. She chose to hide that from the others for the time being. She had packed several new outfits that MAYBE she would show off later in the week.
One thing that had Liz confused, more than her growing love for clothes, was the fact that spending time with the guys was ENJOYABLE for her.
She knew that Lynn was Justin's mother and figured she would run into him and the guys on occasion when she accepted the job in the first place. But the possibility of Innosense coming along with the guys for a few shows was something she didn't bargain for. She wasn't complaining though. She had found that they were a very interesting group of men.
JC was the sweetheart of the group. He did indeed sleep a lot but when he was up, he could charm the pants off anyone. He schmoozed the most and would talk to everyone around when they went places. He was genuinely interested in what people had to say and think.
Chris was just as hilarious as she expected. He would come up with the most idiotic sayings that only a few people got…not even all the guys knew what he was talking about most of the time. He kept Liz on her toes and alert most of the time. He had even started Liz's downward spiral from designated nerd to social butterfly. At the party last week, Chris and Joey had 'asked' Liz to dance with them and even with her refusal, they ignored it and had her loosening up in no time. Liz spent most of the night making a fool of herself but for some reason, she didn't mind.
That was until she returned back to Orlando and the guys threw another party. She knew what was to happen so she stayed away. That much fun in a span of a week was a little too much for her partake in. Joey had been the hardest to turn down in his request for her to come to the party.
Joey was a big softy. He had such a kind and generous heart. Liz loved being near him. He could always make her smile. His presence alone was enough for her. She found that whenever she felt that what she was doing was too overwhelming, he would come up to her and make her feel worthy of it all. She busted her butt to get where she was and had such enormous goals for herself but sometimes felt that she wouldn't make it. Joey made her see that she needed to take one day at a time but keep her goals in sight…but still have fun along the way. She adored him for that.
Lance was a mystery to Liz. He was the one for whom she found herself lost to his charms. His deep voice and southern hospitality drew her in but there was a different side to him, too. He would be quite and reserved one minute but the next, he would be making her laugh and playing practical jokes on the guys. It was like watching a toned-down version of Jekyl and Hyde. He wasn't mean in any way, just confusing. Liz never knew what mood he would be in or the way he would react towards a situation. She kept a close eye on him all the time.
Lastly, there was Justin. Now Liz knew the most about him. His mother talked about Justin a lot, along with the girls. In fact, they talked about the guys every chance they got, but that was a different story all together.
With Justin, Liz found a dear friend. She really enjoyed spending time with him. He was like a brother she never had. He looked after her and she loved him for it. She knew she took life a little TOO seriously at times but she had to remember her ultimate goals. Cutting up, making a fool of herself, even living life carelessly was not in her schedule but Justin tried his hardest to have them included. He bugged the crap out of her and at times, she fired back on him but mostly just let him say whatever he wanted to. She just humored him. She did not intend to do what he wanted her to do in the first place. : )
Just like right now. After the guys told her about their lives, Justin wanted to convince Liz to drop the 'nerd' look she had going and let loose. She was laughing too hard at them to even listen to what they had to say.
"Girl, I'm telling you, drop the glasses and clips. Let you hair down. Get contacts. Throw those God-awful suits out the door and have fun. You look like you are going on forty-two not twenty-two." Justin said as he threw a pillow in Liz's direction.
She caught in right before it hit her in the head. "Boy, you better be glad I have good hands or you would be hurtin' right now."
Justin couldn't help himself. "Ooooo, hurt me Ebby. Please, hurt me."
She returned the pillow to him by flinging it across the small room. This time, he dodged and the pillow hit the Playstation that Lance was playing on.
"Hey, I'm not even in this conversation so unless you guys really want a beating, I'd stop now." He heard oooo's and ahhh's from them and simply rolled his eyes then returned them to the small screen in front of him. "You guys are idiots, you know that?"
Suddenly, Lance felt a hand smack the back of his head. He turned sharply and found a devilish smile across the face of one Justin Timberlake. Liz sat on the other couch trying to hide her own smile and giggles with her hand.
Lance jumped up from his spot on the floor and pounced on Justin. The two wrestled around on the couch before Justin was pushed onto the floor. He looked up at Lance, who had a triumphant grin on his face as he spread his legs out on the couch, refusing to move them for Justin.
He looked over to Liz and replaced his shocked expression with one of pure evil. "HELL NO! You are not going to wrestle me out of my spot on the couch." She said as she pulled her legs to her side and smiled innocently to him. She patted the spot beside her, inviting him to sit down.
His smile turned to one of kindness and he gladly accepted her offer. On his way to the couch, he gave Lance a smirk but he refused to acknowledge the look. Lance simply picked up a magazine and began thumbing through it.
Justin was about to pounce him again, but this time, Liz stopped him. He turned his head and she shook hers back and forth to tell him 'no'. He relented and simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'll get him back later." He whispered then smiled brightly to his couch companion.
"Uh, Justin, what's with the cheesy smile?" Liz asked, a little worried about what he was up to. Justin placed his hand over his heart and batted his eyelashes at her as if to say 'who me?' "Yes you."
He let out a sigh and slumped down on the couch. "I give up. You've got me. I am up to something. Gees, nothing gets by you does it?"
She wasn't buying this at all. "Justin, just come clean, what's up?" She said as she folded her arms over her chest and awaited his answer.
"Sheesh, I was just giving you a hard time." He didn't get any relief from her so he tried again. "Fine, for real this time. Hey I was wondering something." He said as he eyed Lance a second before asking his question. "We told you all about us but you haven't spilled the beans on your fascinating life yet. Soooo…"
Liz shifted nervously but never took her eyes off him. "Soooo what? You want to know about my life?" He nodded his head. She saw Lance lower the corner of his magazine so Liz could see him agreeing with Justin. "And I thought the girls were nosey, damn."
"Oh come on. Its not like you're a felon or something…You aren't are you?" Lance asked as he put the magazine down and sat up with curiosity.
Liz rolled her eyes at the two. "No, I'm not a felon. Really, my life isn't near as fascinating as yours. I grew up right outside Indianapolis. I have three sisters, two dogs, my mom's an investment broker and my dad is a football coach back in Indiana. I attend the University of Maryland where I found out from a friend about this job opening for the summer. I got a call from Lynn, and realized I would be working with your mom, Justin. I…" She stopped talking when she looked at him. She became angry and eventually felt flames escape her head when she noticed Lance had the same blank stare on his face as Justin did. They were both making snoring noises. "I told you my life was boring but come on guys."
Justin was the first to speak. He stretched his back out and yawned. "Oh, I'm sorry. Were you talking?" She shot him a look that went right through his body. "Kidding. Only kidding. Come on Ebby, we already knew that junk. I'm talking about the JUICY stuff. You know, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll."
Liz softened her face when she realized that she had already informed the guys about her upbringing. She told Justin about it when he drove her home one night. She gave him a crooked smile at the memory. She snapped out of it before her mind wandered too far back.
"Hello, Ebby, are you still with us?" Justin said as he waved a hand in front of her face.
She shook her head and started giggling. "Sorry about that, just spaced out for a sec." She continued to look between the two and knew she was cornered. They weren't giving up on their search for inside info on her. She laughed to herself. 'They ARE worse then the girls.' "Okay you guys want the JUICY stuff?" She saw two very enthusiastic heads bob up and down. "Fine but I have to warn you, my love life was and never will be JUICY."
"Oh, I'm sure you've got something worth talking about so spill it." Both Justin and Liz sharply turned their heads and looked at Lance. He was being very forward and that surprised them.
'I guess Hyde is out right now.' Liz thought to herself.
She got herself comfortable on the couch then took a deep breath before beginning the short history of her love life. "Well, I only have two guys that are worth mentioning. The others sucked BIG time. I don't even want to think about them."
"Just get on with it. I'm not getting any younger over here." Lance interrupted.
'Yep, Hyde is definitely out today.' She thought as she rolled her eyes at Lance. She turned her attention to Justin who was watching her every move. "I can see that YOU want to hear me out, so…" She saw Justin laugh at Lance then return his eyes to her. He motioned her to continue.
"Well, this guy I met in high school was one of those guys that introduced me to the world. He was much older than I was and I enjoyed the fun of it all. He was the guy I rebelled against my family with."
Justin and Lance exchanged looks between the two. "Yeah, I know, I don't seem like the rebellious type right? Well, I had my phase okay." She smiled at the two. They were just too cute right now. "Anyway, he was the 'bad' boy every girl wanted. He dropped out of school when he was a junior. My mom and dad flipped when I told them that we were going to go away for the summer together. They grounded me for three months as an attempt to get me to stay home. I ended up running away from them and joining my 25 year-old boyfriend on a cross-country trip of this great land of ours."
Again, she noticed the looks the guys were giving each other and her. "Guys, let me let you in on a little tid-bit about women…we always have to go out with ONE bad boy in our life. There's just something sexy about them. I really can't explain it. Knowing that this guy drove my parents insane, only made me more crazy about him. But that quickly changed."
Justin asked her how so. She pulled her knees up to her chest to get more comfortable on the couch before picking the story back up. "Well, I was never the type to do drugs or drink but one day when I was out with him…I think we were in Texas or something. Anyway, we went to a party that some guys were throwing and the police showed up. We were all arrested and I had to call my parents to come get me. Luckily, I was underage and hadn't consumed anything so they let me go. When my parents got me home, we had a heart-to-heart and worked things out. I told them I was screaming for attention. Being the youngest sucked for me. My older sisters left me at home and my parents weren't around much. After that night, they started to devote more time for me and I straightened up...well, I should say that my father devoted more time for me. My mom has always been too busy for anything but her work, so my dad and I got a lot closer. I guess I consider him as one of my best friends. I can tell him anything and he always listens. He never questions anything I do…that is until last week…but never mind."
When it looked as though Liz wouldn't continue, Justin was the first to say something. "I'm afraid to ask about the second guy."
Liz just laughed. "He was the total opposite, don't worry. His name's Bill and he was such a sweetheart. I have never been treated better in my life…and it drove me crazy."
Lance gave her a strange look. "I don't get it. How'd he drive you crazy if he was so nice."
"You just answered it…he was TOO nice. He read my thoughts and gave me everything I wanted. He was so loving but to the point of being too clingy. He never raised his voice to me, never argued with me, always put me before anything else."
"And that's a BAD thing?" Justin interrupted.
"You have NO idea." He motioned her to continue again. "He smothered me to the point that I was slowly going insane. I loved the attention he gave me but enough was enough. I just need something different…something more, I guess from a relationship."
Lance put his legs up on the coffee table and crossed his ankles before asking his next question. "Okay, you don't go for bad boys anymore and the nice ones are out, so what are you looking for in a guy?"
Liz turned her head to the side to ponder that for a moment. She hadn't really thought about that before. She closed her eyes a second when the image came into her mind. "Well, I guess I'm looking for someone to sweep me off my feet…"
"But I thought you said you didn't want a nice guy." Justin asked as he eyed her carefully.
"Justin, it has nothing to do with being nice or bad, but how I feel about the guy. Bill never questioned anything I did. In his eyes, I was perfect and that really bothered me. I want someone who isn't afraid of telling me how it is. Someone who will let me know that I am acting like a fool, being a jerk, something. I just want SOME kind reaction out of a guy instead of a simple smile. Also, I want someone who makes my insides melt."
She closed her eyes again smiled. "You know when just the mere thought of that someone makes your heart beat faster, your pulse race. And when you're near them, all your senses are aroused. Your breathing stops, your mouth dries out and the only medicine your body can handle is the feel of that person's lips on your own. At the same time, those lips are what knock you over. It's hard to explain but I want someone who can go beyond the physical and reach inside me with just one look. See the real me that lies within. Knows what I'm all about. How I feel…and who isn't afraid touch my body or my soul."
She kept her eyes shut while she got lost in the thoughts that ran through her mind. She didn't notice that the other two occupants of the small room, had closed their own eyes too and were thinking of their own special person.
"It's strange to say this but I want someone to just reach out, grab me, and…" Her hand reached in front of her and she grasped the air as though it was someone's shirt then brought it towards her body.
Justin opened his eyes and looked over at her waiting for her to continue. "And what?" He finally got out.
She smiled at his eagerness but didn't open her eyes. A face was appearing before her in her mind and she felt her temperature rise at the thought of him. "And plant a big one on me. I mean a BIG one. A kiss that reaches to the depths of my soul, makes my toes curl and…" She began giggling when she said the last part. "Rocks…my…world."
Justin and Lance both opened their eyes and saw the smile that spread across her face. She was laughing at her own words and the guys found that they couldn't hold their laughter back either.
"I don't ask for much, huh?" She said as she opened her eyes.
Lance calmed down and spoke first. "All I can say is DAMN…it got hot in here all of a sudden."
This only caused another round of laughter from the group. Liz tried her best to calm her giggles but it was no use. She had just told the guys her fantasy and it actually felt good to talk about. She knew she felt comfortable enough around them to be open now and she didn't hold back. It didn't matter if they laughed at her or not. The person she longed to find was in her heart, she knew without a doubt. Finding him would happen and anyone who didn't believe her…well…could go straight to…
"Hello, is everything okay in here?" JC asked as he opened the door and stuck his head inside.
Three sets of eyes made their way to the door. Liz was the first to speak. "Yeah, we were just talking about stuff."
"Damn good stuff." Lance said as the other two busted out laughing again.
JC rolled his eyes at the group. "Well, we're almost to the hotel so you guys need to come up front in a minute so we can get out of here in one piece." He turned to leave but looked back over his shoulder. "Oh and Lizzy…" She sat straight up and stared at him. "Lynn called a minute ago and said she wants you to stay on the bus until we get off. She said you knew what she meant."
Liz looked down at the magazine Lance had laid out a few minutes ago. She thought about what Lynn meant, then it hit her. "Um, yeah, thanks JC, I know what she's talking about."
JC closed the door behind him and Lance began picking up the Playstation games and put them away. Justin turned his attention to Liz. "What was JC talking about? What did my mom mean by that?"
Liz just smiled at him. "Oh it's nothing really. It's just something we discussed earlier that's all. Come on, lets help Lance so you guys won't be late getting out of here."
She got off the couch and approached Lance. She started cleaning up the place and refused to look at Justin. She knew his eyes were on her, she could feel them on the back of her head. What he didn't know couldn't hurt him. Her and Lynn had talked about the way she was to act out on the road. She had to remain professional and it wouldn't look good to have Lynn's newest employee getting off the 'N sync bus instead of her own. Rumors would surely surface and with the group only going to a few shows, she hoped the number of them would be minimum.
Every time Innosense was around the guys of 'N sync, things were said. From Justin hooking back up with Veronica, to JC's ability of not getting over Nikki these stories and more were always surfacing. The guys just shrugged them off. They were use to them by now but the girls weren't. It really hurt them when the press or fans would assume the worse about them just because they could be linked to a member in the group. It wasn't fair in Liz's mind that the girls should suffer because of the guys' status, but she had no say in it. She couldn't convince a million fans that they were all JUST friends and nothing more. Too many people wanted…even NEEDED something to talk about because they were bored with them being so nice. Goodness never makes a believable story. Throw in a few late night parties, a member from each group spending time together and BAM, you've got yourself major gossip for weeks.
Liz wanted no part in causing any more gossip about the groups so she stayed on board the bus until all the guys were off. The bus soon parked around the back so their bags could be loaded off easier and taken up to their rooms. That was where Liz found Lynn waiting for her when she finally made it out.
"Hey, I hope you aren't too upset with me for tagging along with the guys. I know I should have been with you but since we are leaving in a few days, I thought I would make the most of it and get to know them better. Was I stepping over any boundaries by doing that?" Liz asked as she approached Lynn who stood by the back entrance.
A smile spread across her face slowly. "No you didn't step over any boundaries. In fact, I'm glad you got to spend time with the guys. They are really remarkable men but you do need to be careful, remember?"
Liz stood right beside Lynn and watched the hotel staff help the guards load the bags onto big carts. "Yeah I remember and thank you. Now, what happened while I was away? Anything I need to know about?"
Lynn put her arm around Liz and the two began walking inside the building. "Oh, just the same old stuff."
"Nikki's still hung up on Jeremy?" Liz interrupted. Both women began giggling. "They are so predictable aren't they?"
Lynn just laughed harder. "You have no idea. Let's go, we have to check in and then we're heading out to the venue for sound check in a couple of hours." The two made their way over to the front desk and while Lynn made sure everything was set, Liz looked around to see if any of the guys or girls were there. "They all made it to their floors, we just didn't have a room for everyone yet." Lynn said as she came up to Liz, holding a handful of key cards. "Let's get these up to them so they can relax for awhile."
The two went up to the floor they were staying on and handed out all the key cards to the girls. Since there were an odd number of them, Liz would be sharing a room with Jenny. She didn't mind because all the girls were sweethearts to be around. She just hoped that Jenny and Trace wouldn't talk on the phone ALL night. She laughed at the thought of it.