Hanging up the phone after saying goodbye to Justin and promising to let him know when she would be arriving in Memphis, Jordan walked into the main area of the suite. April sat there with her laptop, checking her email and drinking a soda. Sitting down next to her friend, Jordan layed her head on the table and made a pitiful face.
"What can I do for you?" April asked amused, not even taking her eyes away from her computer screen.
Jordan's face erupted into a broad grin. "Get me a flight to Memphis?"
April looked down at her best friend. "I take it everything's smoothed over again? No more waves in the kiddie pool?" she teased, pulling up the homepage of the airline N Sync and Eternity flew on frequently.
The dark haired woman lifted her head and nodded emphatically. "Yes thank god. And I owe it all to you!" she said, moving quickly to squeeze April into a big hug. Sitting back down, she continued. "Seriously though, thank you for going to talk to JC and help me figure everything out. I really appreciate it..."
"That's what friends are for. Plus I get paid to make you happy so I was just doing my job...and what a tough one it is. Caring about someone so shallow and all..." April said slyly, glancing at Jordan out of the corner of her eye.
"Ugh! Well I love you too!" Jordan huffed before the two girls giggled simultanously at the joke.
April stopped her laughter and concentrated for a moment as she clicked furiously with her mouse and then paused to type something in rapidly on her laptop. "Bingo." she said proudly, writing down some information on a piece of paper lying nearby. "Your wish is my command. Memphis and your man await you." she chuckled, handing the paper to Jordan.
"Hey! What ya'll doin? Makin dinner plans without me or something?" Rachel interrupted as she sauntered out of her room within the suite and over to the table where the girls sat.
"Actually I'm heading back to Orlando in about 2 hours, and your sister just made plans to go get a piece in Memphis." April said playfully, dodging Jordan's hand as she reached out to swat her.
"No fair!" Rachel whined.
"What, you want a piece too?" April choked out, almost spitting out her soda all over her keyboard.
Rachel rolled her eyes, "No dork, I wanna know what the hell I'm supposed to do if you guys are leavin me!"
"You could just go home for the next few days? Chris and Joey are in Orlando still..." Jordan suggested.
Nodding, her sister agreed. "Aight, I suppose I could do that...April, my biznitch, find me a flight!" she ordered teasingly, pointing her index finger at the light haired woman sitting across from her.
April made a face at the blonde before diligently typing quickly into her computer, then writing more information down and handing the paper to Rachel. "There you go bossy. You fly out with me, so get ready cuz we've gotta leave in about 30 minutes."
The blonde nodded and bounded off to pack up her things as Jordan thanked April again and went to gather her belongings as well.
****
"Mmmpfph?"
"Um...hi?" Leigh laughed on the other end of the line.
"Leigh?" Lance mumbled, his deep voice resonating through the phone line.
"Yeah...did I wake you?"
Lance rolled over and looked at the clock, running his hand through his spiky hair. "Oh shit.." he mumbled, fumbling with the alarm as he tried to see the numbers through his bleary eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.
Lance sighed, "Oh nothin, I just missed my meeting. I'll just have to call and tell them I got in later than I planned or something. Anyways what's up?" he yawned.
Leigh continued timidly, "I got your message, you said you wanted to talk?"
"Oh yeah...um..." he began.
Leigh took a deep breath as Lance began telling her what she had been dreading, as well as expecting, for quite awhile.
"I really like you Leigh..." he said, sighing. "But right now things just aren't working for us. We are always missing each other's calls, our schedules are too hectic...I just can't be there for you like I want to. Things started at a bad time...our relationship didn't have time to develop before we got started with our tour and you were working on Eternity's album." Lance rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. "I just think we need to take a break...maybe indefinitely."
Leigh sat silent as Lance trailed off, unsure of what her reaction would be. She brushed a lone tear off of her cheek as she mustered a smile and spoke with a wavering voice. "I know that it's for the best...and I've been expecting this. I just didn't know the words would hurt so much..." she said quietly. "Good-bye Lance."
Lance said his own good-bye before they both clicked off their phones and he lay back down in the darkness of the hotel room, hoping in his heart that he had done the right thing.
*****
Justin made his way through the bustling Memphis airport, his brown curls protruding slightly out from under his black baseball cap. Wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and slightly baggy jeans, he looked like a typical college student except for the massive bodyguard he had walking protectively beside him.
Stopping momentarily to check the flight schedule on the television sets throughout the airport, he seemed oblivious to the people who couldn't help but stare. A small group of girls started toward him, giggling nervously as they clutched magazines and cameras. Lonnie started to stop them but Justin waved him away and greeted the girls with one of his patented Timberlake smiles.
"Can we get a quick picture Justin?"
"PLEASE?"
"OMG! You're like my favorite member of N Sync."
Justin nodded quickly before bending down slightly and making a silly grin for the camera as he stuck his head next to one of the girls. "Aight." he said, backing away after the flash went off.
"Just one more?"
"Can I get an autograph?"
Justin took the piece of paper and pen that the girl handed to him and scrawled his name as he shot Lonnie a glance.
"Alright girls, that's enough...Justin's got somewhere to be right now. I'm sorry." he said gruffly, guiding Justin away with his hand.
The babyfaced young man waved at the girls and flashed them another brilliant smile before continuing through the busy terminal. A small crowd had started to form after he had been approached by the girls and some brave fans were still following him as he walked through the airport, his head bent down slightly as he attempted the nearly impossible task of blending in with the crowd.
"You really shouldn't have agreed to a photo with those girls J." Lonnie teased, clapping a hand on Justin's broad shoulder as he laughed. "Now we've got a fan club forming behind us."
Justin looked up at his bodyguard and chuckled in reply. "I should be used to this stuff by now..." he finished before a piercing scream wafted down the terminal as a teenage girl realized who had just walked past her. He shook his head and spoke with an exagerrated twang, "But I just don't get it man."
The two men laughed as Lonnie gestured to their right, "Hey, here's our gate. Looks like we're right on time." the large man commented as he noticed passengers beginning to filter slowly into the waiting area.
Justin leaned his shoulder against the wall casually as he watched for Jordan, Lonnie "standing guard" behind him.
Moments later Jordan entered into the hectic waiting area and tucking her dark hair behind her ears, quickly pulled her sunglasses over her eyes out of habit. Glancing around, she squealed in surprise as Justin came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "You're a sight for sore eyes...God I've missed you!" he whispered happily before planting a kiss on her cheek.
Jordan smirked at Lonnie, who stood nearby. Lifting her sunglasses up so she could look into Justin's eyes, she turned her head slightly toward him. "Excuse me, do I know you?" she taunted.
"I take offense to that!" Justin kidded as he stepped back, laughing infectiously.
Jordan turned around quickly and threw her arms around him in return. "I've missed you so much!" Removing her arms around him long enough to gently draw his face toward her own, their lips were inches apart as Lonnie interrupted, clearing his throat.
"Ahem...um, you guys might want to finish up in the car." He said, gesturing to the wide eyed youths that stood nearby, their faces curious as they watched Justin and Jordan interact.
Justin turned his head slightly to face Lonnie, scrunching up his nose. "I'm doin somethin!" he huffed, putting a hand on his hip.
Lonnie guffawed loudly. "I see that J, but I don't really feel like taking on a bunch of rabid 12 year olds." he finished as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the small crowd.
Justin's face erupted into a broad smile and Jordan leaned her head against Justin's chest. "Right." she said, pulling away as Justin took ahold of her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. The couple walked with Lonnie to the baggage claim and gathered up Jordan's luggage before finally making their way to the parking garage. After Lonnie finished putting her luggage in the back of the M Class Mercedes, Jordan and Justin hopped in the backseat and sat close as Lonnie started the engine and drove out of the parking area.
"I'm so happy to see you..." Jordan said, her voice tinged with excitement as the vehicle made it's way down the busy Memphis freeway.
Justin scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I think we covered that part already...before our interruption." he kidded, looking pointedly at Lonnie who laughed from the driver's seat.
"Oh yeahhh.." Jordan grinned, her eyes sparkling as she reached a hand out to pull Justin toward her once more.
His licked his lips slightly as he shifted his gaze from her eyes, down to her lips, and up to her hazel eyes once more before closing his heavy lids and leaning into meet her. Their warm mouths came together in a hungry kiss as he pulled her in close to his muscular body. After what seemed like forever, they pulled apart, and smiled at one another before hugging each other tightly.
"Steaming up the windows in here guys. Sheesh!" Lonnie chided.
Jordan lay her head on Justin's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her tightly, and the pair laughed good-naturedly at Lonnie's teasing as the scenery continued to fly by in a blur.