October 31st, 2000. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
“Happy Halloween Ginabella!” Sharlene called out, jumping on Gina’s bed.
Gina opened one eye and stared evilly at her friend while yanking the covers a bit higher. She closed her eye and turned onto her side, willing Sharlene to go away before speaking.
“Come ON girl, get up! It’s going to be a glooooorious day, and I have loaded my camera with fresh film for this dance off you’re having with the boy wonder.”
“Go. Away.”
“Nope, sorry, not happening. Its time to get up, you need to get ready to head on out to sound check. Be glad I'm not Eric in here jumping on your bed,” Sharlene continued.
“You are way too happy in the morning,” Gina growled, pushing her off the bed and slowly pulling the sheets off of her tired body. She sat up and blinked a few times, trying to focus on the TV across the room.
Sharlene shook her head and patted down some of Gina’s crazy curls. “You are way too grumpy in the morning, ya crab ass.”
Gina shoved Sharlene’s hand out of the way and stood up, making her way to the bathroom. She closed the door and started the shower while Sharlene went about the room grabbing some key items she would need for the day. She knew that once Gina woke up, she would want to chat about the dance-off.
“Sharrrrrshyyyyyyyyy…” Sharlene heard Gina call from the bathroom, not more than five seconds after she had entered.
“Giiiiiiiiinnaaaaaaa…”
“What song do you think Wade J. is going to pick?”
Sharlene chuckled to herself; she knew the girl way too well. “Um, I wouldn’t have a clue. You’re the singer, you should know.”
Gina grumbled something unintelligible and shut the shower off. Soon after she emerged in a pair of dark gray loose-fitting dance pants and an orange baby tee with ‘California Girl’ scribbled across the front in glitter. A towel was wrapped around her head keeping her wet hair at bay, and her face was scrunched up in concentration.
“I hope it’s a hip hop song, or even some kind of rap type joint where we’ll have to bust out some badass moves…no way Justin has me beaten there,” she said, grabbing a can of mousse and flipping her head over, pulling the towel off and styling her hair.
“What if he picked something like, r&b smooth-ish?”
“That would work too, I’m gonna win anyway. Don’t you think?”
Sharlene rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Dude, you know I'm rooting for you. I know you are an awesome dancer, but so is he. Have you seen him MOVE?”
Gina snorted and waved her hand in dismissal. “Please, why would I WANT to see him move? I watch the other guys when I watch them perform.”
“Bullshit.”
“Whatever with YOU!”
“You mean to tell me you’ve never watched Justin, like when he was singing or beat boxing on stage alone??”
“OK maybe then. But still.”
Sharlene smiled to herself knowingly. She was going to prove to Gina that she liked Justin…no matter how hardheaded her best friend was. There was no way Gina could dislike him that much; she talked about him whenever the two were alone. Yes, she normally talked about him in the negative sense, but hate was a strong word with strong feelings attached to it, and there was no way that she hated him. In all honesty, Sharlene thought that Gina was almost in awe of him, but didn’t know how to react to her own feelings.
Her and JC had gone out to dinner to discuss their friends in detail. JC thought much in the same way as Sharlene about the whole Justin/Gina situation, and was more than willing to try to remedy it. JC, in getting to know Gina over the past several months, felt that she was a person that would challenge Justin in every aspect-and that was just what he needed. They both knew that they wouldn’t be able to force the two together, but gently nudging them in each other’s general vicinity would help greatly.
Gina was ready quickly after that, and they joined Eric outside the room and made their way over to the venue for the days events.
Wade was putting the finishing touches on the routine he had come up with for Gina and Justin in the rehearsal room in the back of the venue. He didn’t have the music on, because he knew the two would be lurking and trying to get an edge on each other. He had resorted to singing the song in his head and dancing out the steps.
He had to admit, the routine was difficult. He knew he would be putting both to the test, but at the same time he knew that they would pull it off without a hitch and dancing it side by side together would look amazing.
Wade shook his head as he thought about Gina and Justin. Sparks flew whenever they were around, and he wished he could be there to see their faces when they realized that they were totally sprung on each other. The way they bickered was comical, and most of the time it was over the most idiotic things. A few days back they were arguing over which shoe was better, Nike or Adidas. He chuckled to himself as the door to the room opened up slowly.
“Hey Wade…” Justin said as he made his way into the room.
Wade cocked his head and looked at Justin with a pointed look. “Hello Justin.”
“What are you up to?”
“Last minute things, nothing to worry about,” Wade answered vaguely. Justin sauntered over to the stereo and popped open the CD player, hoping to find a CD in there to give him a clue as to what he would be dancing to. He rolled his eyes when he noticed nothing was in there.
“Nice try, Justin. You think I would have that music out in the open for either you or Gina to stumble upon?”
Just as Wade had mentioned Gina’s name, her and Rachel made their way into the rehearsal room. Both guys turned to look at them, and Justin’s eyes narrowed once he noticed who it was.
“Nice try Gina. Wade doesn’t have the music in here,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Figures YOU would come in here looking for it. I know you need to cheat to beat me. I just came with Rachel because she had to ask Wade a question about one of our routines,” Gina explained with a bitchy smile on her face.
Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed loudly; the two were an absolute pain. Rachel thought Gina gave Justin a hard time over every little thing, and that wasn’t fair. She acted like a princess around him, and was upset that he wasn’t into her like every other male. Justin did his fair share of digs towards Gina, but Rachel had always had a soft spot for Justin so she dismissed it.
“Whatever. Wade, we’ll start this thing in like, twenty minutes. On the stage.” Justin then looked towards Gina and walked up to her. “You Miss Thang…bring it,” he finished and sauntered out of the rehearsal room. Gina waved her hand at him in disgust and spun on her heel, walking out of the room not moments later.
“Those two are a piece of work,” Wade commented as he walked to his bag and pulled the CD out of it. Rachel watched and started laughing.
“Don’t I know it. I grew up with her.”
“You have the camera?”
“Check.”
“Full roll of film?”
“Check,” Sharlene answered as she showed JC her camera. He smiled evilly and looked up at Justin pacing on stage.
Chris walked out into the floor seats and stopped, looking up at Justin. He shook his head and back tracked, making his way up onto the stage.
“Justin, you’re gonna wear a hole in that stage ya know.”
Justin stopped walking and looked up, noticing his older friend approaching him. He then shrugged and waited for Chris to reach him.
“Tell me something,” Chris asked.
“Shoot.”
“What is this competition really about?”
“Huh?!?” Surely Chris wasn’t siding with Gina on this dancing issue.
“Why are you doing this? You both know you can dance extremely well. Is it a battle of who’s better or is it something else? What are you trying to prove here Justin?”
Justin stared at Chris with his hands on his hips, his mouth wide open. “What am I trying to prove? Chris, come ON. We’re dancing. She’s got an attitude, thinking she’s the best at everything, and I'm going to prove her wrong.”
“She thinks she’s the best at everything…why does that sound VAGUELY familiar? You two have more in common than you think. Want to know what I think?”
“Not especially, but I know you’re going to tell me,” Justin sighed.
“You’re damn right I will. I think that you’re trying so hard to prove that you really don’t like her because....” Chris then leaned in close to Justin to whisper his final words.
“I think you’re scared of how much you DO like her.”
Justin’s eyes widened in shock. Chris smiled sweetly at him and turned to walk off the stage, leaving his younger friend speechless.
Not soon after, Gina walked out onto the stage, a look of determination set on her stunning features. Chris passed Gina and smiled brightly at her, and her face shifted as she returned it quickly. She saw Justin looking at Chris incredulously and raised an eyebrow, silently wondering what the two were discussing. She didn’t have very much time to ponder because Wade sauntered across the stage towards the two.
Both Justin and Gina straightened up and the rest of the group in the audience turned their attention to the stage. Sharlene had the camera poised and ready, and couldn’t help but take a picture of the two. They were definitely a sight, Gina clad in her outfit from the hotel and Justin in a pair of mesh shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt.
Wade slipped an unmarked CD into a portable stereo he had carried out with him and stuck the remote in his pocket, walking towards the middle of the stage where Gina and Justin were waiting.
“OK…you two SO owe me for this. I stayed up for hours trying to come up with a routine to this song. Just like you said, first verse and chorus. Get ready to bust a move.”
Justin glanced at Gina and began to get angry at her cavalier attitude. She was standing there like it was just another day and it made him mad. He tried to appear cool, calm, and collected so she wouldn’t think he was nervous or concentrating extremely hard. He knew he was going to win.
JC watched his younger friend and shook his head. Justin wore his emotions on his sleeve; JC knew he was riled up. He smiled wide and nudged Sharlene, who glanced up at Justin and then over to Gina. Sharlene knew Gina too well; the nonchalant exterior she was portraying was a front.
“Let’s do this then…play it Mr. DJ,” Gina laughed, shaking her head from side to side, loosening up.
Wade pushed play and stood still, allowing everyone to hear the song once through to just get a feel of it. He winked out into the audience at the rest of the group as the beginning of a very familiar song started.
“You make me sick
I want you and I’m hating it
Got me lit like a candlestick
Get too hot when you touch the tip, I’m feelin it, I gotta get a grip
And it’s, driving me crazy baby don’t you quit
Can’t get enough of it
You got me goin’ again
Baby, you got me goin’ again
You make me sick”
Gina looked at Wade in shock, and then over at Justin who was looking at Wade in much the same way. She tried to cover it up quickly and rolled her eyes, bouncing her head up and down trying to think of what Wade had planned. She couldn’t BELIEVE he picked this song.
Chris smiled wide from his seat and pointed at Wade like he was the man. He couldn’t have picked a better song if he TRIED. The reaction from the rest of the group in the audience was much like Chris’; they would try their hardest to prove to the two on stage that they really DIDN’T hate each other.
Justin shook off his initial reaction; all he wanted was Wade to dance the routine so he could learn it. He didn’t want to listen to the words or the little messages everyone was trying to send him. He had his own opinions and that was that.
The song was the only one on the CD, so when it started to repeat Wade stepped up and began counting off the steps, jumping into the routine while everyone watched. Gina and Justin were concentrating, watching his footwork with intent and trying to emulate moves as he completed them.
The routine was amazing, and both Justin and Gina knew that it would be a great workout for them. Wade broke it down and began teaching it in groups of eight counts, and then they would practice it until they had each part remembered somewhat. Then they moved on to the next sequence. It continued in that manner for about forty-five minutes, and even crewmembers stopped what they were doing to watch the two learn and practice the choreography.
Once Wade felt that the two had a good grasp on the routine, he gave them each a CD so they could practice by themselves for a half hour. The two grabbed it eagerly and were off to their dressing rooms, ready to perfect what they’d learned so they could beat the other. The group of friends and band mates began talking eagerly as the pair left.
“Wade rocks so hard right now…AWESOME WADE!” Joey called out and Wade laughed.
“This is gonna be great, just because they’ll want to beat each other so badly,” Chris added with an evil smile.
“Does anyone wanna change who they’ve picked to win?”
“No way JC, Gina’s gonna rock it.”
“I don’t know Chris, Justin looked determined,” Lance countered.
“I got my girl on this one,” Sharlene said, shaking her head and picturing Gina in her dressing room dancing her ass off, perfecting her moves.
“Gina…always the center of attention. Lord, there’s no reason for this dance-off that she started. She’s got to be the best at everything, damn,” Rachel said in an almost disgusted tone.
“Justin is no better. They’re just both stubborn. At least it gives us a chance to laugh at them,” Chris responded, brushing off Rachel’s comment.
The discussion died down relatively quickly as both Justin and Gina reclaimed their positions on stage, with confident looks gracing their faces. Wade was sitting by the stereo and watched how they found their spots on the stage and just waited, knowing he would hit the music at any moment.
Gina was trying to bottle her nerves as her adrenaline rushed through her body. She knew the routine cold, she could do it in her sleep at the moment. Her heart was pounding and she knew that in just a few minutes, she would be dancing circles around Justin. However, the tiniest part of her was nervous that he would beat her. She’d never admit it, though. Unbeknownst to everyone, she had watched him dance, practically every night, not that she would admit THAT either. He could move, and she really just wanted to sit back and watch him dance this routine. It would send any girl’s hormones into overdrive, no matter how much they did or did not like him.
Hearing the opening chords to the music, Gina shook herself out of her trance and positioned her body, getting ready to hit her steps. Justin did the same, and managed to sneak a tiny glance over in Gina’s direction. As soon as the chorus began the two began dancing the intense choreography, sneaking glances at each other to see how they were doing.
Everyone else watched the two with dire interest; they were phenomenal together on stage. Their stage presence forced everyone in the general vicinity to stop and watch, totally entranced. It was hard to determine who was better; they both were flawless. Sharlene was snapping pictures frantically; they would surely be moments to remember. Especially when the two finally get together and look at them laughing at their idiotic actions, she thought to herself smugly.
They both stopped at the same time while Wade cut the music. Justin glanced over at Gina and quickly looked her over, his eyes sweeping down her frame. She wasn’t the least bit out of breath, and it impressed him. More than it should have. He then brought his hands to rest on his hips and looked out at his friends in the crowd.
“So? I won right?”
Gina rolled her eyes and snorted. “Please youngin’. I so rocked you. Right?”
“Give us a chance to converse and come to a decision,” Chris answered in a snooty voice, then turned to his friends and began laughing.
It seemed like hours for Gina and Justin, who were waiting impatiently on stage, sneaking glances at each other. Wade sat silently at the edge of the stage, taking everything in. They had both danced extremely well, and part of him wished they could throw it in the show so the audience could see it. It would be an interesting twist.
“OK we’ve decided…” Sharlene said, standing up from her seat.
“I KNEW IT! I won!” Gina called out, jumping up and down a few times and clapping her hands. Justin’s eyes widened and he shook his head in confusion.
“You did NOT!” he called out, grabbing her arm and stilling her.
Electricity shot through her arm where his hand rested, and she stopped moving entirely. Her eyes made their way to his and she just stared at him.
Justin felt the same electricity shoot through his hand and his eyes raised to meet hers in utter disbelief. They quickly pulled away from each other and Gina fiddled with the bottom of her shirt while Justin cleared his throat and forced words out of it.
“So??”
Sharlene raised an eyebrow and then glanced at JC who was trying to cover his smiling face. She regained her composure and announced their final verdict.
“Well, the tribal council has decided. It was a tie.”
“WHAT?!” the two exclaimed at the same time.
“You heard it right. You guys are both amazing, and we’re all jealous,” Sharlene replied, smiling brightly. Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed. She chose Justin, but that wasn’t what the group had decided.
“There cant be a tie!” Gina whined, throwing her hands down to her sides.
“I agree!” Justin added, running a hand through his curls.
“Well, you aren’t the judges, are you? Justin, pal, I do suggest you spend more time watching Gina on stage though, damn! Work those hips girl!” Joey said, wiggling his eyebrows. Gina busted out laughing, shaking her head and trying to hide her blush. Justin looked out at Joey and sighed, then glanced over at Gina.
Maybe he would watch her tonight…just to see what all the fuss was about.
**"You Make Me Sick"--Pink, 'Can't Take Me Home' 1999, 2000 LaFace Records**
