+Chapter 1+
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Lucky arrived at the studio in Jive Records at quarter to nine. Britney wasn't there yet, so to keep herself occupied, she picked up the days newspaper, and began to read. She skipped through some articles, and read others. Nothing seemed to catch her eye until she reached the entertainment section. Her mouth opened in surprise, and her eyes almost popped out of her head.
"Lucky," Britney called, happily, as she entered the room Lucky was in.
"Brit, do you have anything you'd like to share with me?" Lucky asked, hiding the newspaper from Britney's view.
"Umm, no, nothing I can think of. Why? What's going on?" Britney asked, confused.
"Look," Lucky said, handing her the paper.
"'Pop Princess Britney Spears engaged to teen hearthrob Justin Timberlake'." Britney read the headline.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucky asked, somewhat hurt.
"Lucky, me and Justin aren't engaged!" she exclaimed. She quickly skimmed the article. "This is bullshit! All of it! Who started this?" she asked, angerly.
"I have no idea, Brit. What are you going to do about it?" Lucky asked, looking at the newspaper, which Britney had thrown on the table.
"Right now, there's really nothing I can do. But, when we're done here, I'm gonna try to get a hold of Justin, and maybe...hopefully, me and him will be able to clear this up," Britney said, running a hand through her hair. She was used to the rumors about her and Justin, but they had never gone so far. Lucky nodded her head, attempting to understand the situation as best as she could. "Anyways, let's go upstairs and record," Britney said, leading the way to the elevator. They both stood, waiting patiently as the elevator doors opened. They walked in, and just as the doors started to close, an urgent voice called out to them.
"Wait!!! Hold the elevator, please," the voice said. Nick Carter entered the elevator, quickly. "Oh, hey Britney." He hugged her, softly. "Ooh, congrats! I heard about you and Justin," he said, smiling.
"Oh God, we aren't really engaged, Nick. It's just a rumor. A stupid, dumb rumor," Britney said, annoyed with what was happening.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he apoligized, looking over at Lucky. "Who's your friend?"
"Oh, this is Lucky, my cousin," she introduced. "This is Nick Carter."
"Yeah," Lucky said. "I gathered that much." She shook his hand. She had heard he was very stuck on himself, and she wasn't about to give him any special attention, just because he was Nick Carter.
"Ok, so I'll see you ladies later," he said, getting off at his floor. He took one last look at Lucky, before the doors closed to take the girls up to their floor.
"Stupid prick," Lucky muttered to herself, glaring at the elevator doors, angerly.
"Who, Nick?" Britney asked her cousin, surprised and amazed, while pointing at the doors.
"Yeah, who else?" Lucky said, looking at Britney as if she had three heads.
"Nick is one of the nicest guys," Britney defended, somewhat ashamed her cousin would judge someone without getting to know them first.
"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," Lucky said, as both girls exited the elevator on the top floor.
"What do you mean 'when you see it'? He was just perfectly nice to you," Britney pointed out, opening the door to the studio.
"He's a creep," Lucky said, quietly.
"Why? Because, he was checking you out?" Britney practically screamed. "He is male!" She sat down, running a hand through her hair.
"Ok, whatever Brit, let's just drop it, please," Lucky said, not wanting to talk about Nick Carter for any longer.
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"Hey Dave, how's it goin'?" Nick said, slapping hands calmy, with the man who held Cassandra's fate in his hands.
"It's going," Dave said, calmly, almost sounding bored.
"So, what do you think about Cassandra?" Nick asked, almost afraid of the answer. Cassy had a nice voice, there just wasn't much 'umph' to it.
Dave looked over at Nick, a serious look on his face. "Take a seat, Nick," he said, grimly.
"Uh oh, this isn't good, is it?" Nick asked him, doing as Dave said, and taking a seat across from him.
"No. No Nick, it isn't. Ms. Wilson just doesn't have what we here at Jive want right now. I'm sorry," Dave apoligized, although he wasn't very sorry. Part of his job included having to let people go.
"I understand, Dave. Thanks anyways," Nick said, getting up, about to leave.
"Oh Nick, before you go..." Dave called, stopping him from leaving. Nick looked at him, a hopeful look on his face. "Sam wants to see you. He's upstairs, in the studio."
"Oh, alright Dave. Talk to ya later," Nick said, waving slightly, before leaving to head, upstairs.
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"Curly? Yo, Curly? JUSTIN!!!" Joey said, attempting to wake his slumbering friend.
"Wha? Huh? Joe? Whaddaya want?" Justin asked, sleepily, rubbing at his eyes. He sat up, resting on his arm, lazily.
"Get up, man. I definitely think you want to check out this morning's paper," Joey said, getting up to head back to their kitchen on their tour bus.
"What? Why?" Justin asked, totally confused as to what was going on.
"Just come and take a peek," Joey said, before leaving.
Justin groaned, both angerly and tiredly, before throwing off his covers, and stumbling lazily into their kitchen. "Alright now, what is so important?" he wondered, before sitting down at the table.
"Here," Chris said, throwing the paper to him.
Justin took it and had to let his eyesight adjust before seeing the bold print, clearly. "What the fuck?!?" he exclaimed, anger flowing through his body. "What don't these people get? Britney and I aren't together, we're not living together, and WE'RE NOT FUCKING ENGAGED!!!"
"So, what, umm, what are you going to do?" Lance asked, quietly, not wanting to make Justin any more angry.
"I'm calling Brit's cell," he said, grabbing his own cell. He quickly dialed her number. No one answered, so he left a message for her to call him back as soon as possible. His phone rang, almost as soon as he hung up. "Hello?" he asked, thinking it was Britney.
"Justin? What's this I hear about you proposing to Britney? How come you didn't tell me first? I'm your mother, don't you forget that, young man!" his mother screeched into the phone.
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