Summer looked herself up and down in the full-length mirror. She twirled around and looked over her shoulder, inspecting the back.
Lance had said it wasn’t a formal affair. “Think MTV or something,” he had vaguely replied when she’d asked what the dress code was. Guys were just such a help when guiding a girl in what to wear. Those things didn’t seem as important to them though.
“Woohoo, Britney beat your heart out,” she joked to her reflection. The leather hipster flares and one of a kind halter top, designed and made by her best friend, looked surprisingly good with her tan and carefully applied make-up. She’d applied more eye make-up than usual but she thought what the hell, if Christina could do it then why couldn’t she?
It wasn’t what you wore; it was how you wore it and the attitude that went along with it.
Her hair was lightly curled. She’d parted it at the side and it was held in place by a diamond-studded clip, fake of course. “Hey, maybe after a couple of dates with Lance I’ll get a real one,” she mused to herself.
Satisfied with her appearance she picked up her small purse and left the room. She walked through the house and spotted her 14 year old sister, Vanessa, watching MTV.
“Hey, tell mom and dad I’ve gone out. I’m not sure when I’ll be back so don’t wait up. See ya!”
Vanessa pulled herself up into a sitting position on the sofa. “Hey, where are you going all dressed up?”
“Out,” Summer answered simply. She couldn’t stop the small chuckle escaping as she closed the door, imagining the look on Vanessa’s face if she appeared on TV that night and on the arm of her second favourite guy in the world, Justin, of course, being number one.
She waited at the end of her driveway for the cab she’d ordered to take her to the hotel. Right on time it pulled up in front of her house. She instructed the driver on where to go, making small talk with him on the way to the hotel.
So she was going to this awards show Lance. Was she crazy? Maybe. Something about him intrigued her; he was so different to what she’d expected. His public image may have been somewhat true but from the time they had spent together she knew there was more to him.
They’d spent 3 hours just talking about nonsense. She’d seen the tension slowly drift away as they chatted over hot chocolate and cookies which he’d later purchased.
At the hotel she gave her name at the door. There were a bunch of fans, not just *NSYNC fans either, stationed out front and the hotel had positioned their own security at the door. Lance had ensured that her name was put down on the list of guests, good thing too because otherwise there was no way she was getting in. As soon as she showed some ID she was let through.
She took the elevator up to the eleventh floor, checking her lipgloss in the mirrored walls as she waited.
The doors opened and she was soon met by a large man. Actually she recognised him from the restaurant. She saw him looking at her carefully, probably trying to put a name to a face and figure out where he’d seen her before.
She approached him first. “Hey, I’m here to meet Lance.”
He looked at her sceptically and she rolled her eyes. “I know, I know, you probably hear that about fifty times a day. I’m Summer Walker.” Her continued to stare at her. “Do you have some list or something like they do downstairs? Apparently I should be on there.”
Sure enough he was passed a clipboard by another man. “Summer Walker you say?”
“Mmhmm.” She tapped her foot impatiently, the ridiculously high shoes not making a sound on the carpeted hall.
“So you are,” he said when he spotted her name scribbled at the bottom of the list.
He put his hand in his pocket and produced a pass, holding it out for her. “Keep this on you at all times,” he warned.
“What? You mean I can’t go downstairs and give it to one of those girls in the street?”
He looked horrified and she burst out laughing. “Relax big guy, I’m kidding. Jeez you people are uptight.” No wonder Lance needed to get out for a while.
He regarded her disapprovingly as he waved the pass in front of her. “They’re down the hall, last door on the right.”
“Thank you,” she grinned as she snatched the pass out of his hand.
She knocked on the door and looked down the hall as she waited. It was empty bar the two guards.
When the door opened she turned back with a smile. She was faced with none other than the “Teen Queen” herself.
“Hi,” Britney said warily.
“Hey,” Summer said, not at all phased by the girl in front of her.
Britney looked uncomfortable. “Um can I help you?”
“Who is it Brit?” Justin appeared in the doorway. “Hey don’t I know you?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not really.” Taking his order and serving him his starter and main course didn’t constitute knowing him.
“You look kinda familiar,” he continued. He scrunched his nose up in thought while studying her face.
Summer felt like she was being dissected.
Lance’s face appeared over Britney’s shoulder. “Hey, you’re here,” he smiled.
“You invited her?” Justin asked Lance.
His surprised tone didn’t wash well with Lance. “Yeah I invited her. You got a problem with that?”
“Wait a minute.” Something had clicked in Justin’s head. “You’re the girl from the restaurant aren’t you?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“What the hell Lance? First you go psycho on us and lose her her job and now you’re taking her out?”
“I repeat, do you have a problem with that?”
Justin didn’t look too pleased but he didn’t say anything.
Lance reached a hand over Britney and Justin. Summer took his hand and squeezed past the couple with an apologetic grin that did not seem as sincere as it could have been.
Lance led her through the room, various people glancing their way as she followed him into yet another room. This time they were alone, in a bedroom no less.
“Sorry about that,” he said as he stepped in front of a mirror, twisting his hair.
She sat down on the bed and watched him. “It was fine, they didn’t seem too happy with you though, has Lance been a bad boy again?” she teased.
He chuckled, that deep hearty sound making her smile. “Something like that.”
“Uh oh what have you done this time?”
“They’re still stuck on the last time.”
She scrunched her nose. “Really?”
He met her gaze in the mirror. “Yup, seems it’s so out of character for me.” He rolled his eyes.
She watched him continue to play with his hair. “Don’t you have someone to do that for you?”
He dropped his arms to his sides with a sigh. “Yeah usually, but I was off trying to make a point when the hair and make-up lady was here.”
“A point about what?” she asked as he turned around to face her.
“Johnny was ragging on me for the thousandth time,” he exaggerated, “about the other night. I stormed off telling him I was an adult and could do what I want when I want. He called after me to tell me that the wardrobe and hair team would be up in a matter of minutes.”
“And?”
“And I told him I was 22 years old, I could dress myself and do my own hair.” He turned back to the mirror and pulled a face at his reflection. “Obviously I can’t.”
She laughed. “Come over here.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Just get your butt over here and bring that gunk with you,” she said motioning to the pot of hair gel on the dresser.
He followed orders and plopped down between her legs, leaning back against the bed. She scooped a generous amount of gel into her hands, rubbing it between her fingers before running them through his hair.
His head tipped back slightly as she massaged his scalp before spiking the dark blonde hair slightly.
“There, all done.”
“Don’t stop,” he groaned playfully. “That felt good.”
“Tough luck sucker, you have an awards show to go to.”
“Ugh,” he grumbled, “don’t remind me.”
“You don’t like them?” she asked as he continued lean back between her legs, his head rested on her right thigh.
“They’re okay,” he mumbled. “There’s just so many of them and you have to put on happy smiley faces all night even when you don’t feel like it.”
“I figure they’re only going to be as good or boring as you make them.”
“Huh?”
“You can make situations fun you know, even when they seem boring as hell.”
“How?”
“I’ll teach you later.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that.”
“Lance the cars are here.” The door flew open and Justin frowned when he saw the position the two of them were in.
“Don’t you know how to knock?”
“Sorry, I’ve never needed to before,” he said, eyeing Summer.
“Well learn…quick.” Justin continued to stand there until Lance finally spoke again. “We’ll be right out.”
Justin nodded before leaving, not fully shutting the door behind him.
Summer leant forward, resting her arms on his shoulders. “I don’t think he likes me.”
He laughed. “I’m sure you’ll survive.”
Chapter 4
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