****
Rachel stood next to Chris and Leigh along the outside edge of the large area where everyone was dancing to the pulsating music that blared in their ears. Glancing casually around, Rachel looked for familiar faces as her brilliant blue eyes landed on two jubiliant individuals having the time of their life as their bodies moved in time to the music.
****
Mo looked up at Joey as her mouth broadened into a wide smile, "You looked really good tonight" the dark haired woman said fondly, recalling how handsome him and all the guys had looked in their formal wear.
"Thanks!" Joey said sincerely before continuing, "But I think part of it is thanks to Rachel," he mused.
Mo glanced back up at him sharply, piercing him with her intense gaze. "Why would you say that? You all looked so great, but I wouldn't give credit to anyone but your stylists and your parents for a fantastic outfit and the face to go with it."
Looking sheepish, Joey's shrugged and his eyes glazed over as he thought of Rachel earlier that night...
****
Joey stood backstage between Justin and Chris along with the rest of his groupmates and the girls of Eternity as they waited for Rosie O'Donnell to introduce them. A quick glance around showed that the five women in front of him were a bundle of nerves, as this was the first time they had presented at any award show. Leigh leaned over and whispered something to Jordan as Ashlee and Tressa fidgeted impatiently.
Nudging Joey, Chris wiggled his eyebrows before tapping a very antsy Rachel on the shoulder.
"What do you want Shorty?" she sneered, practically growling at the dark haired man.
"I just thought you might want to remove that 'Kick Me' sign from your back before we head out onstage." he said sweetly, batting his eyelashes at her.
Panic in her eyes, she looked toward Joey. "Is he serious?!?!" she said, her usually sultry voice becoming high pitched and her shortened breaths signaled just how uptight she was about going onstage.
His patented 'dancer face' look in position, Joey looked down slightly at the tall blonde and smiled. "No, he's kidding...just trying to make you nervous," he soothed, offering an outstretched hand toward her to hold.
Rachel sighed gratefully before erupting in a fit of nervous giggles, "Oh thank god." she replied grabbing Joey's hand eagerly, much to his surprise, before looking down at Chris. "I'll deal with you later".
.."And here to present for Best New Artist are my favorite boys in the world and those five lucky bitches that got to tour with them... I'm kidding, I love those girls. N Sync and Eternity." Rosie said as the music that was their cue to enter began to play. Plastering on smiles, the five women and five men started to walk onto the stage, Rachel giving Joey's hand a tight squeeze before releasing it as they entered the bright spotlight.
****
"Earth to Joey...come in Joey." a frustrated Mo said as she tried to bring Joey out of his daydream. When that failed her, she resorted to the obvious, "Hey, there's Rachel."
"Is she lookin?" Joey asked, snapping out of it. "Huh? Is she?!?"
Mo rolled her eyes, "Ya know Joey, I know we're just PRETENDING to like each other, but the least you could do is drag out some of that acting talent that I KNOW you have and DO A BETTER JOB!" Sighing, she humored him and holding a hand over her eyes as if she were a ship captain looking for dry land, she stopped and pointed. "By George I think she's spotted us," she stated in a fake British accent.
Joey's eyes danced with happiness as his red tipped head swiveled around toward the direction of Mo's pointer finger. Catching the blonde's eye, he smiled widely and waved, not noticing the disappointment showing blatantly in his dance partner's dark eyes.
****
Rachel's face flushed in slight embarassment and gave a gentle wave as Joey caught her looking at him and Mo dancing...well sort of dancing. The last few minutes, Mo had been dancing and Joey had been standing dumbly, a far off look in his chocolate colored eyes. 'He IS sort of cute...in like one of those homeless puppy sort of ways...but honestly...he's SO...Joey.' Shaking her head, her thoughts continued to tumble in her mind, 'Why am I thinking that anyways...he's obviously starting something with Mo', with that she grimaced, '...although I don't really know why she'd bother wasting her time on him', she thought to herself before dismissing it as quickly as it had come.
Turning back to her companions, which now had broadened to not only Chris and Leigh but also Lance, Steve, and a companion who introduced herself awkwardly as Heidi, Rach laughed along with the group as Chris immitated JC's lack of free-style dancing skills.
Steve's 'friend' snorted loudly with laughter, "Oh my god you guys are even funnier in person than you are on tv."
Chris stopped dancing for a moment to reply, "And you are dressed even more provacatively in person than you are when Steve tells us about one of his many slutty conquests!", earning another gale of laughter not only from his groupmates, but a very drunk Heidi who obviously didn't get the joke.
Steve wrapped his arm defensively around his air-headed companion before shooting a dirty look at Chris and walking off, mumbling something about the hotel. Rachel congratulated Chris on his ability to scare off not only Steve, but a wasted Heidi as well, before excusing herself to resume mingling amongst the other stars.
****
"Justin!" Jordan said, her cheeks flushed slightly from her hurrying through the tightly woven crowd. When he didn't hear her, she reached a slender arm out to tug the bouncy curls that protruded from his head.
Turning as he felt someone gently pull on his hair, Justin looked into Jordan's wide eyes as she stood there looking at him, her hands planted firmly on her hips. Holding his Heiniken beer up, he extended it toward her as a peace offering. Shaking her head, Jordan declined and her hazel eyes quickly glanced behind him as she searched the bar for Britney.
"Hey, I've been looking for you", Justin said, swigging out of his beer bottle and happily snagging Jordan's elbow with his free hand, pulling her gently toward him. Resisting his embrace, her eyes turned to steel.
"Really? That surprises me Justin, because I figured you were too engrossed in your enlightening conversation with Miss Star Spangled Jumpsuit to wonder where I was." she stated, referring to Britney's Grammy performance apparel.
Justin sighed deeply, "Jordan, I wanted to tell you something...we need to talk about that."
Jordan's gaze narrowed as she struggled to keep the tangled nerves that overwhelmed her to a minimum, "Okay...talk."
"It's well...Britney", he said, looking down sheepishly. Jordan drew in a sharp breath as if a linebacker had just rammed his helmet into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
"What?!?" she said, her vocal chords tight with fury. "Are you telling me that she asked you out or something and you accepted? Because if that's what you're telling me then you can take that Heiniken and shove it up your pathetic ass." she finished, too upset to notice the playful twinkle in Justin's eyes as her own dark eyes blazed with anger and her mind clouded with worry.