Chapter 2
Ashley rolled over and her arm fell across Justin's sleeping figure. She smiled at the memorie of the night they shared. A romantic moonlite dinner, and star gazing while holding eachother. It was perfect, and she wished it wasn't over, but it was. Now it was back to reality. Back to the arguments about never seeing eachother, and back to feeling guilty about everything.
She closed her eyes and held onto the few seconds of peace before leaning over Justin, giving him a light kiss, and getting out of bed. She took a quick shower, and slipped into some dance clothes. She checked the clock and was relieved to see she had a few minutes to herself before having to leave. Ashley quietly tiptoed downstairs and into the huge kitchen that Justin insisted he needed, although it was rarley used. She made herself a cup of coffee, and sat down at the table.
After finishing her coffee, and collecting her thoughts, she placed the cup in the sink and grabbed her bag. She scrawled a quick note to Justin, even though it wasn't necessairy, and then left.
~*~
Ashley walked into the Jive studio at around 10. She went down to studio five where she was meeting Britney Spears and Wade Robson. Wade had left her a voice mail telling her to come in early becuase he hadn't had the chance to finish the dance with Britney, and she needed to learn what he had done so she could be in the video.
"Hey Ashley! How are you girl?" She was greeted by a cheerful Britney that loked as though she had had a few to many cups of coffee. Ashley smiled and responed.
"I'm good Brit. A bit run down, but I'll be ok. Hey, after we finish today, I need to talk to you. I need some help with a Christmas present I want to get Justin and the guys, will you stay for a bit?"
"Aw Ash, I'd love to, but after this I need to go to a different studio to cast dancers for my tour. How about I talk to you durring the lunch break, we'll have about 45 minutes." Britney talked as the two girls stretched out.
"Oh, that sounds fine. I'll need to talk to Wade and Joey's brother Steve too, so I'll grab them and we'll just eat together."
"What are you getting them?" Britney asked as she sat in a split on the floor.
"Oh...you'll see." And that was all she could say before Wade was on the floor rounding up the dancers and getting everyone ready for a gruling day of dancing.
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Ashley walked with Britney down the hallway to the lunc room. Platters of sandwiches and foods lay spread across great wodden tables. Buckets of drinks sit at the ends, and people formed lines to get their mid-day meal.
"Wow, look at all the food!" Ashley heard one of the dancers coment behind them.
"They think it's all for me, but actually Jive had a meeting today with some corporation, so this is for them, we just get left overs." Britney giggled into Ashley's ear as she put some salad and a sandwich on her plate. She looked over at Ashley and noticed, and not for the first time, how quiet she was being.
"Ash? are you ok?" She asked as the two sat down at an empty table at the back of the room.
"Yea...I just have a lot on my mind, that's all. I'l get over it." Her response was dull and not very convincing.
"Ash, whatever it is, I'm sure it'll get better. Just think, one more week, and you're off for a month. I'm sure Justin has something up his sleeve for Christmas, and you can relax together. I know Johnny gave the guys about 2-3 weeks off too." Britney tried to cheer Ashley up, and felt a little better when she saw a slight smile cross the young girls features.
"Thanks Brit, I needed that. So anyway...I want your help on the guys' presents. I want to take home movies, concert specials, anything, and make one big video. Sort of like a "remember the times..." Type thing. So they can have those memories with them forever." Ashley rattled off her different ideas and the two girls were soon joined by Steve, Joey's brother, and Wade.
After the lunch break they went back to dancing. They had finished the number and Wade was explaining to Ashley about how things were going to go for the video shoot. He gave her the plane tickets and Ashley said goodbye to everyone as she headed out the door on her way back home.
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When Ashley walked into the house, she was surprised to find it empty. She walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the table.
Jules, had to go out for a few things, and Johnny called a meeting.
I'll be back around 5:30. I love you.
Justin
Ashley smiled as an idea popped into her head. She quickly went upstairs and changed, then ran back into the kitchen to start dinner. She decided it might be nice for her to give Justin something, and she knew how he missed home cooked meals.
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Justin sat in the conference room anxiously tapping his foot up and down. To his left were JC and Joey, and Lance and Chris were on his right. Johnny had called the meeting, and now her was no where to be found. Justin sighed and looked at his watch again, the hands looked as if they hadn't moved.
"Justin, man, chill out will you?" JC put his hand firmly on Justin's knee to stop the tapping, but as soon as he did, the right leg started up.
"Sorry man." Justin apologized as JC slapped him across the back of the head. "I just have his gut feeling that something bad's going to happen."
Before anyone could respond, Johnny walked through the doors with a firm expression on his face. All five men watched as Johnny shuffled through some papers, and sat down. His eyes fell across each guy, resting on Justin the longest.
"I just got out from a meeting with Mr.Stevens, and some other heads of the Jive label. They informed me of a new policy." He handed out papers to each of them and then continued. "I'm sorry to say, but it seems that they've made a new 'rule' that no one under the employment of Jive can date any of the artists." He stopped and looked at Justin to se if what he said was registering.
"What does that mean?" Lance asked.
"Well it means....it means that we'll have to..." He stamered, not cure of where to go with the sentence.
"Spit it out man." Justin said as he looked at the man infront of him.
"I'm sorry Justin, but Ashley can't work for Jive anymore. She'll finish the video with Britney, and then she'll no longer be apart of the Jive team."
"What the Hell?! You mean that just because she's dating me, that she can't work for this company? That's bullshit and you know it!" Justin roared as he stood, knocking the chair he was sitting in over.
"I know Justin, it sucks, but there's nothing we can do about it. Now I suggest you calm down so you can tell Ashley yourself because it'll be eayser hearing it from you." Johnny rationalized as Justin fumed. His face was read and his mouth was set in a straight line.
"I'm going home, and I'm taking next week off. I'm going to New York with Ashley." Justin spat out as he walked to the door. No one tried to stop him as they watched him walk out. If they had learned anything about Justin, it was never try and tell him what to do when he was mad.
Chapter 3
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