Looking up, JC saw Justin standing a few feet away, an angry and jealous look on his boyish face as he stared at them. Smiling smugly, JC pulled the sobbing Jordan in closer as he bent his head slightly to whisper in her ear. Furious, Justin turned sharply and walked away as Jordan pulled back from JC's embrace, wiping her eyes.

"I'm so sorry.." she trailed off, looking up into JC's blue eyes.

"Sorry for what?" he questioned, gazing down at her.

"I'm sorry for bursting into tears like that! I'm sorry for being sorry! Hell, I don't even know what my deal is... or why I'm bothering you. I really should just talk to Justin and work things out that way.." Jordan said thoughtfully, obviously emotional.

"Are you sure? Maybe you should just give him some time..." JC protested gently.

Jordan shrugged before turning away from JC to look for Justin in the massive crowd.

***

"JOEY!!", Rachel screamed, imitating the fans downstairs and laughing as Eternity and N Sync made their way thru the halls of the luxurious hotel towards their suites.

"WOMAN...how can you possibly be so hyper?" Chris questioned.

Laughing, Ashlee nudged Tyler, who was walking next to her. "Ya know it's really bad when Chris asks how Rach can be so hyper."

Tyler smiled at the petite blonde as she looked up at him, her eyes glittering flirtatiously before she glanced behind her to make sure Tressa, who was walking silently alongside Justin, saw them.

Fuming with anger, Tressa looked up at Justin, whose expression was set in stone, his jaw clenched and unmoving. 'Wonder what his problem is', she thought, 'not like he even HAS any problems...Jordan's crazy about him. UGH! Why can't Ashlee just stay away from this ONE guy so someone else can have a chance?'

As the two groups continued making their way down the hall, Joey noticed Jordan lagging behind, a sad look on her delicate features. After glancing quickly at Rachel, Chris, and JC walking next to him, he slowed his pace slightly, falling in step with Jordan.

"Hey" Joey said, adjusting his backpack as he looked down at Jordan.

"Hey.." she trailed off slightly, her voice void of emotion.

"Sooo...what's goin on? You ok?" Joey asked, stopping in the middle of the hallway and pulling slightly on Jordan's left arm to make her stop as well.

Jordan shifted slightly as she looked up into the Italian's big brown eyes. "I'm alright, thanks." she frowned.

"Suuure you are. If you are alright, then I really DID run into a clothes rack back in LA. I'm serious, what's going on?" Joey prodded curiously, also trying to make Jordan crack a smile.

Jordan grinned slightly, "Why don't you tell me what's going on with you and my sister? You know she secretly likes you dontcha?" she said, changing the subject like an old pro.

Joey blushed slightly, avoiding Jordan's intense stare. "Um, no she doesn't."

"Then why has she been carrying around one of the pictures from Phoenix with her? Ya know that one where you are picking her up?? She stole that from the envelope when she thought no one was looking." Jordan said, shrugging. "Well, someone was looking."

"Whoa, I didn't know that.." Joey trailed off, trying to be nonchalant about it.

Jordan began walking down the hall again as she said over her shoulder, "There's a lot of things people don't know. Sometimes it's cuz they just don't bother to ask."

As she walked away, leaving Joey to ponder what she had just told him, she contemplated what she had just said. 'Maybe I should listen to my own advice once in awhile...man, I just need to get Justin alone and talk to him about this. Assuming is getting me no where.' she thought as she finally reached Eternity's room.

***

"Justin..?" JC said, pushing the door open the rest of the way and entering the room where Justin sat sprawled out on the bed, watching television.

"Yeah?" the curly blonde said absentmindedly, his attention focused on the tv. As JC walked toward him and sat down on the bed opposite where Justin was lounging, the blonde young man shot him a dirty look.

"I talked to Jordan." JC stated plainly, watching Justin's features tighten as he brought up their talk in the lobby.

"So I noticed." Justin said sharply, turning toward his groupmate, his eyes showing the hurt that he felt, his defined jaw locked in place.

JC sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair, frustrated. "Listen. Jordan is really confused right now. She doesn't know what or WHO she wants. Maybe you two should just chill for awhile, ya know...maybe give her some space dude. Back off...or something."

Justin stood, his temper flaring. "Please leave," he said bluntly, gesturing to the door. JC shrugged and rose to his feet before he walked out of the room, a smirk spreading across his chiseled features.

Justin's blue eyes filled slightly with tears as he tried to suppress his hurt and anger. Slamming the door, he turned before hitting the wall slightly in frustration with his open palm. 'I care for her so much...why doesn't she realize that?! I can't let her slip away!' he thought as tears flowed out of his eyes and stained his cheeks. Leaning his head against the doorframe, he tried to think rationally. 'Justin..' he told himself silently, 'if you care that much...let her go...there's nothing more you can do.'

***

Lance smiled at the dark haired beauty sitting across from him in the hotel lobby's coffee shop.

"Have you talked to Justin about what Jordan said on Leno? Like is he upset?" Leigh questioned, blushing under Lance's intense gaze.

"Huh?" he asked, turning red as he realized how obviously he had been staring. "What was that? I didn't hear the question.."

"Has Justin said anything about our Leno appearance?" she asked, tucking her silky hair behind her ears as she awaited an answer.

"Ohh! Um, no he's kept to himself since leaving Los Angeles...I think he's unsure of what to do about it...like what to say. I know he cares for her...but management..ya know that whole deal." he said calmly.

"Yeah. Jordan's been really upset about it. I think JC might have said something to her when we arrived." Leigh said, rising to her feet. "Well, it's late...I'm exhausted. You comin back upstairs?"

"Sure...I need to get to bed too anyways. Long day tomorrow. Ugh." Lance complained, but only half heartedly as he stood and began walking with Leigh back to the elevator.

The elevator door opened to reveal a silent hallway as the two stepped out and proceeded toward their rooms. Arriving at Eternity's suite door, Leigh stopped and smiled shyly at Lance. "Well here's my stop" she said quietly.

"Yeah..." Lance stated, unsure of what to say as he gazed at Leigh. "Well, sleep tight...I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night" Leigh said, a tinge of disappointment in her voice as she turned to key her entry into the suite. She was pushing the door open as she felt a slight touch on her bare shoulder.

"Leigh?"

"Yeah?" she said, turning to see what Lance wanted. As she turned, she felt Lance move in for a kiss, and she eagerly accepted it, butterflies flying freely in her stomach as their lips touched. Pulling away slightly, she smiled sweetly at the spikey haired blonde.

"Night" he said as he blushed and then turned to walk toward N Sync's suite.

Smiling to herself and glowing with happiness, Leigh pushed the door open the rest of the way and entered the dark suite.

***

"I hate Monday mornings." Jordan growled as she hit the alarm next to her bed. Pulling the large down comforter over her head to block out the intense sunlight from the glass balcony door, she burrowed back under the covers for a few more minutes. As she was drifting back into sleep, the phone rang shrilly, and her tanned hand emerged to grab the receiver. "Hello?" she said, her voice muffled by the mound of blankets.

"Hello?" a male voice said sternly. "Can I speak to Jordan?"

Sitting straight up in bed as she recognized Johnny's voice, Jordan replied. "Um..this is Jordan."

"I would like to meet with you in 15 minutes. Don't be late." he said before hanging up the phone.

Jordan hurriedly got in the shower, and got dressed as she threw her hair up into a ponytail. Grabbing her bottled water, she walked down the hall toward Johnny and Donna's suite, dreading the conversation that would insue once she arrived.

"Come on in Jordan...sit down." Johnny said after answering her tentative knock on the door. Sitting down on the plush couch across from Johnny, who settled comfortably in the easy chair, she sighed nervously as he began the 'talk'. "Jordan..." he said gruffly, "Whatever is going on between you and Justin is getting out of hand." he stated, his face seemingly set in stone.

***

"Hey...what's up?" Lance said, his voice concerned as he noticed Jordan's upset expression.

"I just got done talking to Johnny. Is Justin here?" she asked, her face red and tearstained.

Lance gestured toward the door to Justin's room, not saying a word as Jordan brushed past him and knocked gently on the door.

"Justin..." she began as he opened the door to her. As she began to talk, Justin turned from her for a moment. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes, not wanting to do what he knew that he had to do.

"Justin...look at me." Jordan said, her eyes pleading with him as he turned back towards her. "I don't know what is happening with me, us...everything...it's just like someone came along and turned it all upside down. I just got done talking to Johnny and I really need someone to talk to about what he said."

Justin took a deep breath and looked Jordan straight in her large hazel eyes before speaking to her. "Maybe you should talk to JC...seems you two have discussed quite a bit of stuff already." he said coldly before turning away from Jordan, who still stood in the doorway.

Jordan stood there, her stomach sinking quickly as Justin turned from her. She remained silent, almost frozen with shock at his reaction to her, before tears silently fell onto her cheeks. Wiping them away angrily, she walked away, leaving N Sync's suite quickly. Hearing Jordan slam the door to the suite, Justin shut his own door quietly as salty tears filled his eyes once more.

Chapter 35