“Huh?”
“We have to get up now or we’re going to be late. School, remember?”
Justin sat straight up. “Oh, yeah.”
“You go wake everyone else up and I’m going to take a shower.”
“Ok.” I got up and took a shower. I got dressed then packed the rest of my stuff. When I got out everyone else was up and dressed. They were eating in the kitchen.
“Didn’t any of you take showers?”
“No, we’re just going to go back to sleep on the bus. It’s at least a two-day drive to New York. We have plenty of time to shower,” Justin said.
“I’m going to skip classes today and tomorrow so I have plenty of time to shower too,” Bri said.
“So I’m the only one who actually going to do anything in the next 2 days?”
“Yup, sounds like it,” JC said.
“Well that’s just not fair.”
“Are you all packed?” Justin asked.
“Yup. All ready to go.” I couldn’t look at him.
“Why don’t we start loading things on the bus,” Joey said. We all grabbed our bags and headed down to the bus. After all our stuff was on the bus we headed out. We were a little early, but that was ok. It gave us plenty of time.
All too soon we were at my school. I hugged all of the guys except Justin. Then I hugged Bri. I started crying. “Soph, don’t cry. You’re going to ruin your make-up.” I laughed a little. “Don’t worry. We are going to stay in touch. You have my number. Call me tonight. Ok?”
“OK. I will.” I said one last goodbye to everyone. Justin and I got off the bus hand in hand. As we walked off I felt all the people in the parking lot staring at me. As we walked into the building, I saw Brooke standing at her locker with Devin. As we walked by she stared wide-eyed at us. Justin squeezed my hand and smiled at me. As we walked down the hall I could feel everyone staring at Justin and me. We walked to my locker. “You have to promise you won’t laugh when you see the inside of my locker.”
“Why? What’s in there?”
“Just promise you won’t laugh.”
“Ok. I promise.” I opened my locker and took my books out. Justin looked in my locker. I could see him smiling trying not to laugh.
“Don’t do it. You promised.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just ironic.”
“I admit it. I was obsessed with him, with all of you.”
“Well now that you know us, are we what you thought we’d be?”
“Even better.” Just then the bell rang. “Well that’s me,” I said sadly.
“I’ll walk with you. What do you have?”
“Choir.”
“Really? That’s pretty cool. You know what? I’ve never heard you sing.”
“You don’t want to. Your ears will bleed.”
“I doubt that.” We walked down the music hallway. We walked into the choir area and all the people already in there stared at us. “Well I should probably let you get to class now.”
“I want you to meet my music teacher. That is if you have time.”
“Yeah. Let’s meet her.” I knocked on the door. A few seconds later she answered.
“Hi. Can we talk for a minute?”
“Yeah, come in.” I followed her in and pulled Justin behind me.
“Miss Caston, I would like you to meet Justin. Justin, this is my music teacher Miss Caston.”
“Nice to meet you, Justin. You’re that young boy in that music group aren’t you?”
“Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I have an idea. Justin, would you mind singing for our group today? We need some inspiration. I think you might be just what we need.”
Justin looked at me. I could tell he wanted to do it. I nodded my head. “I’d love too. The other guys are outside in the bus. I can get them to sing too if you want.”
“That would be great. Sophie, you can go with him. Just hurry back.”
“Ok. We’ll be right back,” I said. I laid my books down, grabbed Justin’s hand, and pulled him towards the door. We went out to the bus. “Hi, guys. I’m back. My music teacher would like to know if you could sing for our class. It’ll only take like 20 minutes.”
“Why not,” JC said.
“Ok. Let’s go.” Bri walked beside me as we headed into the school.
“This is really weird. I haven’t been back here forever.”
“Bri, it’s only been 2 years.”
“I know, but it seems like a long time.” We finally got to the choir area. The 6 of us stood in the back as Miss Caston started class.
“Good morning. Today we have some special guests. They’ve come to sing for you. I would like to present to you NSYNC.” Everyone looked shocked and stunned as the guys walked to the front of the room.
“What would you guys like to hear?” Justin asked.
“I Want You Back,” someone yelled. The guys did it and everyone applauded. They sang a few more.
“One more then we really need to be going,” JC said. Justin whispered something to JC and JC nodded.
“What’s he up to?” I asked.
“I have no idea,” Bri asked.
Justin walked up to a shy girl sitting in the back of the room. He whispered something to her, took her hand, and brought her to the front of the room. They started singing GMHSALMTOY to her. I smiled at how wonderful my boyfriend was. Miss Caston walked up to them. “Thanks for singing for us today.”
“It was our pleasure,” Justin said. I walked out into the hallway with them.
“I guess this is goodbye,” I said sadly.
“I’ll call you later,” Justin said. Then he hugged me.
“Ok. I’ll be waiting by the phone. Bri, I’ll call you after school.”
“Ok.” We hugged. They started to walk away.
“Justin, wait a minute.” He walked back to me. “When you get on the bus look in the side pocket of your bag.”
Justin looked at me confused. “Ok. I will.” He hugged and kissed me quickly. Then he left. I walked back into the classroom.
As soon as Justin got on the bus he went to his bunk looking in his bag. He pulled out a ring. He took it out and looked at it closely. There was an inscription on the inside. It said: SS+JT-4-EVER. Justin smiled and slipped it on his right hand. He wanted to put it on his left, but then people would ask questions he couldn’t answer. He walked to the back of the bus where everyone else was. He walked in and sat down next to Chris. JC and Bri were sitting on the couch across from them tickling each other. Seeing them together suddenly made Justin very sad.
Chris saw Justin looking at JC and Bri. “Don’t worry. You’re going to see her again. And you can call her every night.”
“I know, but I still miss her.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just look at that ring on your finger and think of all the wonderful times you two have shared.”
Justin looked up at Chris. “How did you know?”
“Well this morning before you dropped her off you didn’t have it, now you do. I just put tow and two together. Am I right?”
Justin looked down at the ring. “Yeah. She is great. I love her so much. Do you want to know a secret?”
“Yeah.”
“That scares me. I’ve never felt this way about anyone in this short of time. Heck, I’ve never felt this way about anyone before period.”
“Don’t worry, Curly. It was meant to happen.” Justin didn’t answer. He just sat there staring at JC and Bri.
It took about an hour and a half to get to Bri’s apartment. She hugged all the guys, except JC and said goodbye. JC walked her up to her apartment. She let him in. “Nice apartment.”
“It’s not much, but it’s enough for me.” They stood in an awkward silence. “I suppose you should get going. I wouldn’t want you to be late because of me.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll call you later.”
“Ok.” JC kissed her softly on the lips. Then he left.
I walked around in a dreamy state for the rest of the day. Every room I walked into I heard people whispering. I figured it was about my connection with NSYNC. I didn’t care. That was until 3rd block. A girl named Lindsay, who hates me, came up to me. “So I heard you know NSYNC?”
“Yeah.” I tried to walk around her, but she stepped in front of me.
“Can I ask how you know them?”
“We’re friends.”
“Why would they want to be friends with you?”
“Lindsay I’m leaving now.”
“I think you need to answer my question. I personally think you paid them to come here. I don’t know if it was with money or something else.” I was shocked. Lindsay had this sickening smile on her face. I turned around and walked away. I spent the rest of the day in a daze. After school Jessica, a friend of mine came up to me.
“Sophie, is it true?”
“What?”
“Did you pay NSYNC to come here this morning?”
“NO! Why would I do that?”
“It’s just what everyone is saying.”
“Jess, you know me, out of everyone you should be the one to know I wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m sorry. It was stupid.”
“I can’t believe everyone is saying that and believing it. Have I ever done anything to prove that I am like that?”
“No, Soph. Never. People always want something to talk about. By next week no one will even remember any of this.”
“I hope you’re right. Well I have to go. I’ll see ya at play practice.”
“Ok. Bye.” I got in my car that my parents had dropped off and drove home. When I got there I called Bri. She wasn’t home or wasn’t answering her phone. I started on some homework and before I knew it, it was time to go to play practice. Getting into my character took my mind off what everyone was saying. When I got home, my mom told me Justin had called.
“When?”
“About an hour after you left.”
“Did he want me to call him back?”
“No. He said he’d call you tomorrow.”
“Ok.” I sadly took a shower and went to bed. I didn’t sleep very well. I had bad dreams about the guys and people at school.
For the next three weeks I was so busy with the play, school, the flag corp, and my job at the nursing home, that I didn’t get a chance to talk to Justin. He called everyday, but I was always gone. Justin was starting to worry.
“I’m worried about her,” Justin said to JC.
“Bri says she hasn’t talked to her in 3 weeks either. I guess she’ really really busy.”
“I’m afraid she’s avoiding me or something.”
“Justin, I’m sure she’s not. Try calling her again.”
“What’s the point. She won’t be there.”
“Just try.” JC left to call Bri. Justin looked at his phone sitting on the couch beside him.
“Why not,” he said to himself. He picked up the phone and dialed my number. My mom answered. “Hello, Mrs. Saintjohn.”
“Hello, Justin.”
“By any chance is Sophie there?”
“Yeah. I’ll go get her.” Justin was happy.
“Hello?” I said weakly.
“Sophie, is that you?”
“Yeah. How are you, Justin?”
“I’m ok. How are you? You sound worn out.”
“Actually I’m sick. I think it’s the flu. I guess this is my bodies way of telling me to slow down.”
“Soph, I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok. This way I get to talk to you. How are you doing?”
“I’m better now. We’ve had a show every night for the past 2 weeks. I’m pretty beat, but we get 3 days off after tomorrow.”
“Lucky you. You get a 3 day weekend. That’s good. You sound tired."
“I know. I can’t wait. I am tired, but I'm better now that I get to talk to you.” We talked for 3 hours catching up on the last 3 weeks.
A day later on Friday I was feeling a little better, but I decided to stay home and rest. At about 10:00 Bri called.
“Hello?”
“May I speak to Sophie?”
“This is her.”
“Hi, Soph. How are you feeling?”
“Better. How did you know I was sick.”
“I talk to JC yesterday.”
“Oh. How are you two doing?”
“Good. But it doesn’t feel like we’re going out. It seems like we’re just good friends.”
“Don’t worry. I know JC and when you two are together again he’ll make it seem like you’re together. Trust me.”
“I hope so.” I started laughing. “You know what I mean. Stop being perverted.”
“You know me. That’s the only way I can be.”
“I know.”
“Hey I just got a brilliant idea.”
“Don’t hurt yourself. You know what thinking does to you.”
“Oh, shut up. What are you doing this weekend?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“You don’t have to work?”
“No, they hired a new person so I won’t be working as much.”
“Cool. Do you want to stay with me this weekend? It will be just me and you.”
“Where are your parents and brother?”
“My parents left early this morning on vacation. My brother is staying with a friend all weekend.”
“Cool. Let me pack a bag and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“Ok. Bye.”
“Bye.” Bri hung up and went to pack. She packed her bag, grabbed her keys, and headed for the door. She opened her door and there stood JC. Bri stood there shocked.
“Hi, Bri,” JC said. Bri couldn’t say anything. She just stood there and stared at him. “What? Do I have something on my face?”
Bri laughed. “No. I’m just shocked to see you here. I thought you were in New Jersey.”
“Well can I come in? I’ll explain everything to you.” JC noticed the bag in her hands. “Or are you going somewhere?”
“I’m going to spend the weekend with Sophie actually.”
“That’s perfect. Justin’s in the car and that’s where we’re headed next.”
“Well lets get going.”
“Ok.” JC took her bag. Bri shut and locked her door. When they got to the car, Bri saw Justin, all six feet of him, squeezed into the backseat of the Ford Temp they had rented.
“What’s with Justin?” Bri asked.
“He didn’t get any sleep at all last night. He was so excited because he gets to see Bri today that he couldn’t sleep. Then he zonked out on the plane this morning and has been sleeping ever since we got in the car.”
Bri smiled. JC was putting her bag into the trunk. “What about you? How did you sleep last night?”
“I didn’t get a wink. All I could think about was your beautiful face.” He lightly caressed her cheek. They looked into each other’s eyes. Then he kissed her. It was full of passion and longing. JC pulled back. He closed the trunk and they got in the car. Once they pulled out of the parking lot JC grabbed Bri’s hand. They held hands all the way to my house.
When I heard the knock on the door I knew it was Bri. “Come in!” I yelled. I heard the door open and close. “I’m in the kitchen. Come on in.” I was making sandwiches. “Bri, I hope you’re hungry. We’ve got enough food here to feed an army.” When she didn’t answer or come into the kitchen, I went to find her. “Bri, where are you?” I walked into the living room and stopped dead in my tracks. Standing there with Bri was JC and a very tired looking Justin. I smiled at him. His curls were sticking out in all different directions.
He smiled and waked over to me. I hugged him. “I missed you,” he whispered into my ear.
“I missed you too.”
We pulled apart and he asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Better. I think the flu is all gone. By the way, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in New Jersey?”
“I told you I had 3 days off. I couldn’t think of anywhere I would rather be than right here with you.”
“Justin, that’s so sweet!” I hugged him again.
“How sweet!” JC said jokingly.
“I think it is,” Bri said.
“I do too. I was just kidding,” JC said. He took Bri in his arms and kissed her.
Justin cleared his throat to get JC and Bri’s attention. When they pried themselves apart he asked, “So what do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. How about we just hang out,” I said.
“Ok. What do you want to do tonight?” JC asked.
“How about we go out to dinner or something quiet like that,” I said.
Everyone was quiet for a minute thinking. “Honey?” Justin said.
“Yeah?”
“Wasn’t that dance you wanted to go to tonight?”
“Uh…Yeah but I’m sure you don’t want to go to a stupid high school dance. The quiet dinner sounds better.”
“No. Actually I’ve never been to a high school dance. It would be a new experience.”
“Justin, believe me you’re not missing much.”
“Babe, it will be something I’ll experience for the first time. Please?”
I looked into his pleading eyes and knew I couldn’t say no. “Ok.”
“Is it formal?”
“No. But there’s an underlying dress code. Everyone dresses up. Not formal and fancy, just nice clothes.”
“Ok. What time is it?”
“The dance starts at 8:00.”
“Then we can still go to dinner before the dance.”
“Sounds good.” Justin put his arm around me as we sat down on the couch. I smuggled in close to him. I looked over at Bri, who was sitting on the floor. JC was lying down with his head in her lap. They had turned on the TV. Bri gave me a strange look, but I shrugged it off. We had been watching TV for about half an hour when I noticed Justin had fallen asleep. I could tell by his breathing. I slowly and gently slipped out from underneath his arm. I went to the kitchen and saw the sandwiches I made earlier. I threw them away and started over again. About 5 minutes later Justin walked in rubbing his eyes. He hugged me from behind.
“I thought you were asleep.”
“JC, woke me up.”
“Why did he do that?”
“Because I told him to. I didn’t get much sleep last night and I don’t want to sleep when I could be spending time with you.”
“But you’re tired. You need your sleep.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve gone on less sleep than this.”
“Ok, whatever. Are you hungry?”
“Actually I am.”
“What kind of sandwich do you want? Turkey or ham?”
“Whichever. Just let me grab this one right here.” He took the sandwich I was making for myself and took a bite.
“Hey, that one was mine.” He swallowed.
“I’m sorry. Here have a bite.” He held the sandwich up to my mouth. I took a bite and swallowed it. He got an evil grin on his face.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking but don’t.”
“Don’t what? I wasn’t thinking anything.”
“Sure you weren’t.” I backed up to the counter. “Let’s get these sandwiches in there.” I picked up the tray with sandwiches on it. We went back to the living room. I gave Bri and JC their sandwiches. Justin kept trying to feed me the sandwich he stole, but I wouldn’t let him. “Are you two just going to hang out here tonight?”
“Yeah, I think so. What time are you going to get back?” Bri asked.
“Well the dance is supposed to get over at midnight, but we’ll probably leave early.”
“Do you want us to wait up for you?” JC asked.
“No, Daddy. I think we’ll be fine,” Justin said in a kids voice. Everyone laughed.
“Do you know what sounds really good right now?” I asked.
“What’s that?” Justin asked with a grin on his face.
“A nap. Bri, you know where the guestroom is. Feel free to use it. I’m going to take a nap.” I looked at Justin. “Care to join me?”
“I’d love to.” We went to my room. I layed down. Justin just stood there.
“Are you going to sleep standing up?”
“I was just thinking about what your parents would think about this.”
“Well, I’m 17 and have a good head on my shoulders. Plus they’re not here and what they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
Justin lay down beside me. He put his arm around me. Within half an hour we were both contently sleeping.
To Be Continued…