Chapter 2
"Can I use you bathroom? I really hafta pee!" He said, doing a little dance to show her he meant it.
"Yea sure, follow me." Ashley scolded herself for even thinking anything could happen. She led him upstairs and showed him to the bathroom.
"Thanks!" He eagerly walked in, and closed the door. Ashley shook her head of her previous thoughts, and threw her purse and sunglasses onto the table. She then went to her phone, and listened to her messages.
"Hey, it's Jake. Just seeing how you were, and how you car was holding up, love ya! Call me." Ashley smiled at her brother's protectiveness.
"Boyfriend?" She jumped as Justin approached her from behind.
"Huh? Oh! no....that was my brother..." She said laughing. Justin blushed.
"Sorry..." He lowered his head, so she wouldn't see his embarassment, but she had already caught it.
"No, that's ok. You had no idea. Well, I would like to thank you for the ride home. I really appreciate it, and for the lemonade. I owe you one..." She said, avoiding eye contact.
"No problem. Anytime. and here..." he handed her a piece of paper. "Call me when you get that check, so I can make sure everything went through ok. See ya." and with that. He left.
Ashley starred at the paper in her hand, and was about to open in when the phone rang. She jumped, but regained herself, and picked up the reciever,
"Hello?"
"Hey, Ash....It's Evan." Ashley sighed, she didn't feel like talking to Evan right now.
"Hey..." She had left any emotion out of her voice.
"I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have left you. I was just caught up in the moment...I mean, I hadn't seen Tyler in a long time." Evan tried to explain. Ashley scoffed at the remark.
"I thought you had a boyfriend..." She said, not caring about what Evan thought.
"Yea....Tyler..." Ashley could have smacked herself.
"Oh...." Was all she said.
"Anyway. I'm sorry...so, who took you home?"
"Oh, Justin. He was going by my house anyway, so he offered. No biggie." Ashley beamed at the sentence, she almost couldn't believe that she was saying it.
"Justin!" Evan almost screamed. "Do you mean to tell me that you went home with Justin Timberlake. Oh My Lord! So, what happened?" she pried.
"You'll never guess..."Ashley said with mock excitement. "Absoultly NOTHING!" She yelled a bit too loud.
"Oh...sorry I asked. Well I have to go."
"Evan! Wait, don't tell anyone about Justin, please!" Ashley pleaded, the last thing she needed was tabloids reading something along the lines of 'Pop Prince Justin Timberlake renders vallet services to a girl in Orlando...' She would be swamped with calls, and Justin swamped with questions.
"Fine, I swear on my Swiss bank account." And then Evan hung up. Ashley sighed, and went into her bedroom. She lied down on her bed, and starred up at the celing. Thoughts swam through her head. The fact that she had a casual acquantaince with Justin, and that Chris lived right next to her. She closed her eyes, and relished the memories she had acquired in the past few hours. Just then, the phone rang,
"Hello?" She said, without even opening her eyes.
"Did you forget me or something?" She could hear the playfulness in her brother's voice.
"Hey Jake. No, I didn't. I got about 10 minutes ago." She got up and walked into the kitchen.
"How's your car?" As much as he tried to hide it, the concern creeped into his voice.
"I haven't even tried to use it today. I went to the mall with Evan, and then caught a ride home. So It's been sitting in my driveway all day." She looked out her window at the white acura that her father had left her. She smiled at the memorie.
"Ash..this is for you." Her dad threw open his garage door, to reveal a brand new white Acura. Ashley squealed with delite.
"Daddy! Thank you so much!" She jumped up, and hugged him gentely.
"Well, since you're graduating, I thought you might like this better than the bus!" He smiled as his daughted beamed up at him.
"Hello? Earth to Ashley?" He brother yelled into the phone.
"Huh? Oh, sorry....I spaced." he sook herself back into reality.
"Yea you did..." He laughed at her. "So, do you want me to come check out your car?"
"Sure, I could use some company...." She answered.
"Alrighty, I need to bring Becky, becuase Mom and Jim went somewhere for the weekend."
"Sure, so you just want me to watch becky!" She laughed.
"Well...ok, so I do, but I still want to check out your car!" Ashley laughed again, they said their goodbyes, and hung up.
Jake reached Ashley's house about 30 minutes later. Ashley took Becky from him, and he got straight to working on her car. When he had tried to start it, it stalled, and wouldn't turn over. Ashley took Becky, and walked to the mailbox.
"Bills....Bills....what's this?" Ashley looked puzzled at a letter, then remembered it was probably the check from Justin. She took Becky back inside, and set her in the living room so she could open the letter.
"Oh My! Jake!" Ashley ran outside.
"Ouch! What!" He said, smacking his head on her car.
"Look..." SHe shoved the check into his face. Jake loked at it and whistled.
"$500 bucks. That's a bit much, don't you think?"
"Yea...i guess you're right." She sighed. She stuck her hand into her pocket, and felt something. Taking it out she realized it was the piece of paper that Justin had given her earyler. He slowly opened it to see a number staring blankly back at her.
"I'll be right back." She said, walking upstairs in a daze. She picked up the phone, and hesitated before dialing the numbers in her hand.
"Hello?" an impatient voice answered.
"Hey, is Justin there?" She said timidly. She had no idea why she was so scared.
"This is he...what's up?" He still seemed agitated.
"This is Ashley...I got your check." She stated.
"Oh! Hey Ash. You got it, good. Just making sure. Is it enough?" He sounded worried.
"More than enough! I didn't need any money Justin...really. I mean, 20 bucks would've worked." She started to relax a bit.
"No, really. I felt bad, I mean I also made you late to your parents..." He was going to say more, but didn't want to offend her.
"Well, thanks. I'll donate it to the daycare I work at, they can use it." She thought out loud.
"Great! Well, I have to go, and Chris says Hi...He wanted to know if you wanted to join us at a small get together we're having next Saturday?" Justin sounded rushed.
"Sure I-" He cut her off.
"Great, see you then. Wear you bathing suit." And he hung up.
---
The daycare loved Ashley for the donation, and she had been given the week off. She was happy, becuase she had some things she needed to do at home. She was worried about the so called "get together" that they were having at Chris' house. She didn't know it would be like. She had met Justin twice, and she still didn't feel all that comfortable being with him, and she had never met any of the other guys. She hated to admit it, but she was scared. She was sitting on her couch, totally wrapped in her thoughts, when the phone rang.
"Hello?" She said, still in a daze.
"Ashley? This is your mother. You didn't call last night, i was worried." He mother's voice rang over the line, and Ashley sighed.
"I'm fine mom. I was really busy last night. I was cleaning my appartment, I' sorry I forgot to call." She said, rubbing her temples to relieve the pain that was building up.
"Ok, well I wanted to ask if you could baby-sit for me. Jim and I are going out to celebrat our annivarsary, and Jake has to work."
"Sure.." She answered before she even thought about the question. She just wanted to get some sleep. It was late, and she was really tired.
"OK, I'll bring Becky over to your place Saturday." He mother didn't give her any time to change her mind. She knew her daughted all to well. "Well hunny, I have to go. I'll see you Saturday....Love you bye!" And she hung up. Ashley's mouth dropped, and she quickly closed it. She shook her head, to clear her mind, but it only made the headache worse.
"Saturday....what's so important about Saturday..." She thought aloud. She walked into her bathroom, still pondering, and brushed her teeth. She then walked into her room, and put on her pj's. She sat on the bed, still puzzled, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what was so special about Saturday.
"Saturday?....What's so-" She looked up at her wall, to see the smiling faces of *NSYNC on her poster. "Damnit! That's what was important. The Party...." She cursed herself for forgeting about it. "What am I going to do?" She thought.
She sat on her bed, pondering the thought. Over and over she tried to think of how to get out of it. She was doomed. She couldn't bring her baby sister to the party, and she wasn't sure if she even wanted to go.....what the hell was she thinking, of course she wanted to go. She threw herself onto her bed, and fell asleep with dreams of baby's and pools.
Saturday came all to quickly. She regreted not being able to go to the party, but the more she thought about it, the more she figured he was just doing it to be nice, and he didn't actually expect her to show up. She pushed the thought aside, and waited for her mother.
She sat outside on her balcony, and could hear music coming from Chris' direction. She so badly wanted to be there, but knew she couldn't let her mother down. As she thought this, her doorbell rang throught the empty house. She ran to grab it.
"Hey mom..." She said to the smiling figure of her mother. To anyone else, they wouldn't have known they we're related. Ashley's mother had straight balck hair, and dark brown eyes, while Ashley and Jake had curly blond hair (Which Ashley couldn't stand) and bright blue eyes. Ashley looked like her father, and everytime she looked at Jake, she could almost see her father.
"Hey dear. Thank you so much for babysitting. I hope you didn't have any wild parties to attend." She said with a laugh. Ashley laughed, but only at hte irony of the situation. Her mother handed Becky over to Ashley, along with everything she'd need, and gave both a quick kiss before hurrying down the stairs to the awaiting car.
Ashley was bored the rest of the day, and couldn't get the party olny happening about 200yrds away from her, out of her head. She watched as Beckt rolled around on the floor, trying to grab a rubber ball with her feet. She smiled at the little girls antics. Becky was so special to Ashley. She remembered being apprehensive at first, about her other having another child, but she remembered what her father had said.
"Doesn't it bother you that she's having another child?" Ashley asked, looking at her father.
"No. She's happy. She and I had problems Ash, you know that, and I know that. I couldn't make her happy anymore...he can. I don't regret anything that we've had. You and your brother mean the world to me, and I'm glad your mother and I had time to share that. She's happy, and I'm happy she's happy...." Ashley looked at her father as he said this. She smiled becuase he was sincere, and that made her happy to know he didn't regret anything.
Ashley was thrown from her day dream when there was a knock at the door. She picked up Becky, and rested her on her hip, then walked to the door. She opened it cautisouly, and almost dropped Becky when she saw who was standing there.
---
"Hi...." Ashley said slowly, she was still in shock.
"Hey...I'm sorry to barge in, but I was going over to Chris' and Justin said he invited you and they wanted me to check on my way over to see if you we're ok..." The girl said. Ashley cleared her throat.
"Yea, I'm sorry I couldn't come. I had to watch Becky..." Ashley still couldn't get over this.
"Is she yours?"
"Oh no! not at all...She's my little sister...I'm sorry. Hey would you like to come in for a sec? You don't have to stand outside." Ashley opened her screen door.
"Sure...I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself...I'm Britney..." Ashley switched Becky to her other hip, and shook hands with Britney.
"I'm Ashley..." She started.
"Oh, I know that...Justin's talked about you a lot. It's strange, but you left an impression on him girl..." Britney smiled, and Ashley couldn't tell if it was sincere, because she was wearing dark glasses, and Ashley couldn't see her eyes.
"You want anything to drink?" Ashley said, trying to figure out what to offer someone that was so famous.
"No thanks. I should get over to Chris', I havent' seen justin in about 2 weeks, so I'm anxious to see everyone. We'll be there for most of the afternoon, and I'm sure the guys will stay a while into the night, so come on by if you get a chance." She smiled, and Ashley felt that it was sincere. Ashley had no right to judge, because she didn;t know Brintey, she knew of her, but couldn't say that she was nice or mean, or anything else for that matter.
"OK, well, thanks for stopping by, and tell everyone that I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I'll try, but I doubt it. Thanks again." Ashley smiled as she showed Britney to the door, and watched her drive off in her VW Bug.
---
Ashley walked back into the house, and sighed. 'Oh My Lord! I'm star struck! First Justin, then Britney...wow! What next..Destiny's Child!' she laughed as she thought to herself. She checked her watch, and saw that it was getting late, and her Mother should be there soon. She put Becky on the couch to sleep, and went into the kitchen to get something to drink. She was lost in thought when she saw her brother's car drive in the driveway. She went and waited for him at the door, so he wouldn't wake Becky.
"Hey Jake!" SHe whispered.
"Hey..Becky asleep?" He asked, catching onto her whisper.
"Yea...you here to pick her up?" She asked as she led him into the livingroom.
"Yea." He leaned down, and picked up the baby, and cradled her in his arms. Ashley grabbed Becky's bags, and toys, and followed Jake out to his car.
"Hey, you'll never guess what happened today!" She said as Jake placed Becky into her car seat.
"What?" He said, yawning.
"Britney Spears came over!" SHe said, with a squeal.
"Woah! Don't get all 'teenyboppish' on me! Why?" He said, with a laugh.
"Chris had invited me to a party they we're having at his house today, and I hadn't shown up, so Justin had her stop over on her way to Chris'." Ashley smiled at the thought.
"Well, my sister, hanging with the stars. Of course, I wouldn't have picked *NSYNC and Britney...but hey, you take what you can get!" He nudged her playfully, and laughed at her antics. She raised her eye brow, and threw him a dirty look before hugging him, and saying goodbye. Ashley slowly walked up to her apartment, and checked the clock. It was about 10. She sighed and threw herslef onto the couch.
"I have no life! I really need a boyfriend...." She talked aloud to herself.
"Well, I'd be more than happy to help....but I think I'm a bit old..." She jumped as someone spoke to her.
"What!" She screamed as she turned around. Someone was standing outide her window.
"Hey...hey, clam down, don't get a teenyboppish on me here...It's Chris. You know, the old-fart of *NSYNC." He laughed as he walked over to the door.
"Oh my Lord! You scared the crap out of me!..." She walked to the door "come on in Chris. Sorry about screaming at you, I didn't know you we're there." She watched as he sauntered in, and looked around.
"Nice place you got here....I hope I didn't disturbe you or anything..." He said, blushing at the fact that he had just barged in.
"Thanks, and no you didn't. As you heard, I was comenting on my pittiful life." She giggled lightly, to cover her embarassment. "Come on in, sit down...do you want anything to drink?" She showed him to the living room.
"Actually, I was sent by the other stooges I call friends. They wanted to see if you were still up to coming over to join our little party. Most everyone left, It's just me and the other guys now. Well, minus Justin, he left with....ah...He...um..." Ashley tried to stiffle a giggle.
"It's ok, I think I get the picture...Sure, I'd love to come join you guys....but are you sure you want me there?" She twisted her hirt in her fingers, and looked at the floor.
"Hell ya!...I mean, yea....Justin has just told us so much about you-"
"Whatever he said, it was a lie." She cut him off.
"Well, from what I see he wasnt..." He mumbled under his breath.
"What was that?" Ashley asked.
"Nothing, nothing. Don't worry, he didn't say anything bad. We just wanted to get to know the person that managed to get money out of Justin, besides Britney...that sounded bad." He smirked at his comment.
"Yea, just a bit....well, I'd love to join you. Do I need to change?" She looked down at the short khaki shorts, and white halter top she was wearing. The tor rode a bit high, so there was a tiny swatch of skin visible.
"No, you look fine. I don't know if you'll want to swim, but your close enough to my house, you could just run over if you wanted." He said, leading her to the door.
Chris and Ashley walked towards CHris' house pretty much in slience. Ashley started humming a tune, and Chris looked at her.
"What song is that?" He asked as the started walking on his lawn.
"Oh, just some song I have stuck in my head. I don't know if you'd know it." She answered weakly.
"Don't be nervous Ash, we look worse than we really are....what song is it?" He said, slightly pushing her shoulder.
"UGH! You don't give up...it's an old Patsy Cline song, re-done by Garth Brooks It's-"
"Did you say Garth Brooks....oh, woah! Don't tell me you're some hick too..." He said smiling.
"No, I'm not, but I grew up listening to Garth, and most other country artists, plus rock, rap, hip-hop, you name it, I knew it." She smiled at the memories.
"But do you like it?"
"Like what?" She was puzzled by his question, and the look on her face showed it.
"Country music..." He said with a tone that sounded as if he were getting impatient.
"Yes, I do. Garth is my mother's favorite Country artist, so I grew up listening to that. My dad was a rock fan, Lynard Skynard, ZZ Top, Charlis Daniels Band, the list goes on..." She said.
"Wow, what a mix. What type of music did YOU listen to?"
"Um...I was young, so I didn't have a preference, but I listened to anything. I mean, I had two sisters, one was head over heels for New Kids, and the otehr liked rap, and hip-hop. I was the only 2nd grader who knew Dr.Dre songs..." She giggled as the walked up his front steps.
"Wow...New Kids On the Block?" He said, dumbfounded.
"Oh yea, I knew the dances, and the songs." She Broke out in the dance to 'The Right Stuff' right there on his steps. He just shook his head, and laughed.
"I think you're going to fit in quite nicely around here." He said, showing her through his house.
He led her through his huge house that was decorated in a gothic, blck rod-iron type style. He led her to a door the went downstairs. She could hear laughter as the decended the stairs.
"Hey!" Chris said jumping the last 5 steps, and falling onto the floor at the bottom. Ashley just climbed over him, and laughed as he held his stomach in mock pain.
"Hey there....you must be Ashley, and Justin wasn't kidding when he told us about you." Ashley felt someone's eyes look her up and down, and she turned to see Joey eying her as he crossed hte room to take her hand.
"OK, that's the second time I've heard that comment" she glanced at Chris "what the hell do y'all mean by 'Justin wasn't lying' thing?" She glared at the four men in the room, and waited for an answer.
"Lance, Guess what song Ashley was singing on the way here?" He said, hopping up off the floor, changing the subject, much the to relief of his 3 bandmates.
"Um...I don't know, what?" Lance said, catching on to the change in subject.
"Well, tell him Ash..." He pushed her toward a plush leather couch that was currently occupied by Lance and JC.
"It was 'Walking After Midnight' a Patsy Cline song, but it was re-done by Garth Brooks." As soon as she said that name, JC and Joey both groaned, and rolled their eyes. Lance's lit up, and he looked at her excitedly.
"You like Garth Brooks....wait a minute" his eyes narrowed suspiciously "you don't read teeny magazines, do you?"
"Not if I can help it....My mom was a Garth Brooks fan, I don't like him becuase you do, I was singing along to Garth way before *NSYNC was even a dream to y'all." She laughed as he visibly relaxed.
"That's awesome...you ever been to one of his shows?" Lance was really getting excoted, becuase there was another fan of country music, not just himself, but he didn't miss hte looks that he was being thrown by the other 3 meen in the room. He shrugged them off, and continued his conversation with Ashley.
Ashley had her respective conversations with each of the guys. Talking baout something different with each of them. Joey was excited to learn that she was into acting, and also did hte play Guys & Dolls, and she and JC talked music. Chris was bouncing off the walls, and she was hesitant to talk to him. She leaned into JC, and whispered.
"Is he always like that?" She glanced at Chris how was upside down on his head, attempting a head stand.
"Sadly enough, yes." He laughed as her eyes widened in shock. "You get used to it after about....well...so you never get used to it, but you learn to deal." He laughed again, as she hid her head in his hands.
"I have a question for you..."
"Shoot"
"This may sound bad, but why are you being so friendly towards me? I mean, that sounds really bad, but You don't even know me, and yet you invite me to a party, and start talking to me like you know me. Don't get me wrong, I've had a blast tonight, but even I don't invite a person over that my friend rear-ended." She asked JC, who just stared at her before answering.
"You left an impression on Justin. Rarely is he so impressed by someone he meets on the street. I have to admit that I was skeptical about meeting you, but now I see what he meant. You haven't treated us like we were famous, or freaked out. You acted as if we were normal..." He glanced at chris "most of us were normal. It's refreshing to meet a person intrested in us, not our status. But I'm glad you asked, and it was a very good question." He smiled at her, and Ashley felt at ease. She leaned back on the couch and thought.
"OK, now that we're being honest...what is it that Justin said about me...I mean the comment "he wasn't kidding'....what the hell does that mean?" She hoped JC would give her an answer.
"Well...Like I said, you impressed him, and at first it wasn't because the was you treated him." He looked her up and down. Really seeing her for the first time. She was beautiful. Not knock out georgeous, but she glowed with life. He had to admit when Justin said "man, she's a babe..." He had to agree. Ashley sighed in disgust.
"I should have known it was too good to be true...man, why do I have to be a "babe"?" She looked at JC who turned his head in embarassment. He cleared his throat.
"Ok, so it was very much like a guy for Justin to say that, but he said after he lookes at you, he talked to you, and you amazed him even more. And it's not like we invited you just becuase he said you we're a babe, we invited you becuase we wanted to get to know you, and..." He stopped when he realized what he was about to say, but Ashley finished his thought.
"and see for yourself. I have to admit, I thought maybe you all would be different., but my asumptions have now meen confirmed, all guys are the same." She shook her head. "I'm just glad we talked BEFORE i knew what he said, becuase then I would have really been mad, and never talked to any of you again!" She laughed as JC look bewildered.
"Um....I..."
"Relax, Jayce, I was joking. I'm glad I got to know you. And atleast Justin got to know me. and at least he's not at my house stalking me or something...." As soon as that was said, the door leading to the basement was opened. Justin came bounding down the stairs.
"Hey, Chris did you get a hold of Ashley, I was just at her house...." He stopped when he saw her on the couch looking rather red.
"Well, at least you we'rent home when he came to stalk you..." JC whispered into her ear, as Ashley groaned.
"Lord save me..." She whispered and started laughing.
Justin looked at the blushing Ashley and his laughing friend with a confused mannerism. He didn't know why, but he felt a bit jelous that they were sharing a private moment, and he wasn't included.
"Hey guys...what's so funny." He asked, walking over ans sitting next to Ashley on the couch. JC started to talk, but Ashley ounched him in the stomach.
"Nothin! Nothing at all....right JC?" She said firecly.
"Right..." He wheezed from the blow to his stomach. Ashley checked her watch and noticed the time.
"Well boys, it was really great meeting you, but I have to go, I have some things to do tomorrow. I hope to see you all later." She got up and made her way to the stairs. Everyone stood up and gave her a hug, JC was the last.
"I bet you he'll offer to take you home..." He whispered into her ear as he hugged her. Ashley rolled her eyes.
"Keep dreaming Chasez." She said with a smile. As she moved to the stairs she felt a hand on her arm.
"I'll walk you home." She heard Justin's smooth voice and a snicker from JC. She turned and glared at the laughing man.
"Shut up!" She said with a laugh. "Sure, c'mone Justin, let's go."
~*~
Ashley stood on her door step, facing a nervous Justin.
"Thanks for walking me home." She whispered. She felt the warmth of Justin's body as he stepped closer.
"Your welcome." His lips came dangerously close to Ashley's and she closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath on her face. She swallowed hard, but before she could speak, his lips covered hers.
Ashley staggered at the touch but soon gave in, feeling unknown emotions course through her body. A tingle went shooting down her spine as Justin placed a hand at the small of her back. Before things could escilate, he pulled away.
"Good night Ashley...sweet dreams." He stepped of the stairs and Ashley watched as he dissapeared into the darkness. She let out a sigh and touched her lips as she entered her appartment.
Chapter 3
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