The chapter got away with me again and so I broke it up into two chapters. (If you're wondering why chapter nine really doesn't have much action in it. It's important though so read.) BTW...the plot is beginning.
(Wednesday, February 23, 2000. California.)
Justin stretched his long body out on the seat and turned to look out of the window to see the ground getting closer and closer as the airplane descended in preparation to land. It seemed like they had been out of the country forever and the first good look he saw of the mainland was like having a nice long cool drink after walking across a hot desert. This was his home and even though the sight wasn't as beautiful as the landing in Orlando would be…it was good enough for him at the moment.
This was going to be a huge night for everyone and the biggest regret he had was that their schedule hadn't allowed them to come in earlier for the festivities that surrounded the Grammy award show the night before. There had been parties and a lot of the hysteria that surrounded the biggest awards show ever to hit professional music making. They weren't big enough last year to attend or even participate in it and he had been jumping in his seat all week because he couldn't wait to get there. He wanted to see it all and experience it all because there would only ever be one first time at the Grammys. He was going to have the time of his life tonight whether he wanted to or not.
And he wanted to.
The only problem was that he had been fighting a cold for the past few days and he wasn't sure how much that was going to wear him out. The nurse who traveled with them had basically pumped into him as much orange juice as she possibly could but the symptoms had not lessened as far as he could tell. Sick or not, he was not going to let that slow him down. They probably weren't going to win anything but the mere fact that they were nominated blew him away. This was the show that he had always watched as a child and had always dreamed of attending. Now here he was and he belonged in this esteemed group of people who were going to parade through and strive to win that coveted trophy. He was not only invited and included…he was one of the participants.
He sniffled and looked down at the runway that was coming closer and closer, and he wondered what Lauren was doing at that moment. As early as it was in California she was probably getting ready to leave for class and was anxious to know what was going on. It was strange to realize on this trip overseas just how much she meant to him. She had always had a huge impact on his life and there wasn't a thing in the world he wouldn't do for her, but this trip caused him to think a lot and it caused him to think about what role she was going to have in his life now that they had grown up and matured. They weren't children anymore and life wasn't about who owned the most G.I Joe action figures. It was about relationships and it was about strengthening the ones that you need the most and throwing away the ones that wouldn't help you become the person you were destined to be.
Lauren was by far no child anymore and with every passing day he realized that fact more and more. She was no longer the little girl who used to try to bury him in the backyard sandbox, the little girl in elementary school who always slid her test over so he could see her answers if he needed to, or the girl who always managed to bring a little more food in her lunchbox every day just in case he was still hungry. She was a woman now and as of three days ago…she was nineteen and having an unexpected place in his life.
They had been on the phone every single day since he had left and that was always the highlight of his day. Even though he knew she was missing him and was torn up over the fact that she couldn't torture him in person…she always had a bright and cheerful tone to her voice and that made him feel like he was at home every time he heard it. SHE made him feel at home and there was no other woman in his life other than his mother who had that effect on him. It was too special to ignore and there were a few other things about her lately that he was finding hard to ignore but there was no way he would ever put a wall in their friendship. He couldn't risk exploring those confusing feelings right now because nothing would come of it other than to throw a wrench into their almost flawless engine of a friendship.
He broke away from his thoughts when a tissue was waved in front of his face. He took it and slowly turned to look at Miranda while he held the tissue up to his nose. "Is that a peace flag or are you being nice and mothering like JC taught you?"
She sneezed and coughed before answering. "How about yes to all of it?"
"So I see that JC has not only influenced you by bringing out your naughty and sarcastic side but he also managed to tap into your mothering side as well. Thanks for the tissue."
"Not a problem. Anyway my sarcastic side has always been there but I rarely let people see it. The tissue was a peace offering."
He raised an eyebrow at her over the piece of tissue. "Peace offering? Are you feeling guilty because you gave me this cold to begin with?"
She smiled at him with pleasure. "A peace offering in the way that I want a few moments rest without hearing you sniffle over there. You do realize that if you blow your nose there's nothing to sniffle."
"It's your fault."
"I didn't give you the cold Justin but if you want to believe that then go for it. We are the two sick ones who have been banished to the back of the plane while the rest of them are up there being young and healthy. Bastards." She sat there with her arms over her chest as the plane inched closer to the ground and then she turned back to him. "HOW do you know it was my cold that moved on to you? JC has been sick, Joey was sick for a few days, Lance is sneezing a little, and Chris…Chris was born sick I think."
Justin slid his hip down and got comfortable. "Because Miranda these germs have little tags on them. They're little creative writing germs and they have 'I want to write for a living' signs that they're holding up. I'm telling you these are writing germs and guess who the writer is around here."
"Ooookkkaaaayyyy. There has to be more going on inside of that head of yours other than the flu if you have a relationship going on with the germs making you sick."
He shrugged and fought not to smile. "If I become their friend and understand their plight then maybe they'll be nice and go back to their original host."
She nudged him with her elbow and laughed when he finally smiled. "You're just a joy to be around."
"Don't I know it."
"Have you talked to Lauren today?"
The plane bounced as the wheels finally touched the runway and he looked out the window to see their surroundings. "Not today. I told her last night when I called that it would be hard for me to call her today when we have the wardrobe fitting for tonight, we have rehearsals, the MTV pre-show thing, the Rosie pre-show thing, the show itself, and then the parties afterwards. This is going to be a long day and I have a headache already."
"I know what you mean."
He looked at her again and saw the sad expression on her face. "JC would take you tonight if he could. You know that right?"
"I know that, but it doesn't make it any easier. The good thing is that I managed to snag a media pass and so that will get me into the parties and stuff. At least we can party down there and not worry about who might think something or who might say something negative towards us. Now they'll just think that there's a really forward and horny newsgirl attacking JC and he's enjoying it."
He was surprised by that revelation. "So you're going to the parties? I didn't know that."
"Nobody knows that except for you guys and me. I'm sure that Tom would fly through the roof if he knew that I was going to that party with JC but as long as we keep quiet about it…JUSTIN…then we should be fine."
He held up both of his hands in surrender. "I'm not going to say one word because going against Tom makes this day totally worth it. I might not have a voice by tonight anyway."
She had thought long and hard about this and she was still unsure about whether or not she should tell him, but he had a right to know. "Justin, I know you and I aren't really close and we're not around each other that much but I wanted to thank you for welcoming me into the group with open arms."
He sneezed again and blew his nose. "Not a problem."
"I feel protective of each and every one of you and I would hate to see anything go wrong like it did before with JC and his…his…well you know." She looked across the plane and saw JC busy talking with Chris. "JC refuses to let me talk to him about Melinda and what happened because I think he sees it as a slap in the face every time it's brought up, but there's something very important about that whole mess and something that could involve you."
"ME? How could I be involved in that?"
This was not going to be easy and there was no real way to soften the blow. "Melinda didn't really do anything wrong. I mean yeah she wrote those things but it wasn't really her fault. She was forced to do it."
"Forced?"
"She was forced by Tom who was holding something over her head to MAKE her do it."
Justin's eyes widened and he stared at the empty seat in front of him while he tried to grasp the full meaning of what she was saying. "How…how could that happen?"
"I think you know very well how that could happen. Tom is a very dangerous man and he was out to prove some sick point to JC by tearing his world apart."
"How does this involve me Miranda?"
This was the part she was completely lost on how to break it to him gently. "I overheard him talking on the phone a while back and he mentioned a new project. He said that he was going to move on to something or someone else and…and…just how did he put this? If I hadn't had so much cold medicine then my head would be clearer. Ummm…"
Justin's eyebrows lowered in curiosity and in confusion as he watched her fight to figure out what to say. "Just say it."
"He's up to something and I think you might be somehow involved. I know that he's been giving you and Lauren a lot of trouble lately and I think he's up to something big. I don't know any more than that and my sensors could be off but PLEASE be careful."
"He doesn't scare me Mira and there's nothing he's going to be able to do to me or to Lauren. He's too much of a coward to try anything now that we have Jive on our side and he's too STUPID to think up anything good. That Melinda thing was a fluke and I'm sorry that an innocent person was blamed but Tom is out of commission. After our Snowed In trip I think he realized that he has NO say over what Lauren and I mean to each other."
Miranda sat back and looked at him curiously. She wasn't sure if it was the way he had said it, the sparkle in his eyes, or a combination of the both that made her wonder about the true nature of his relationship with Lauren. They were inseparable and she didn't know the first thing of what it was like to be best friends with Justin Timberlake for so long, but lately there was just something about them that was…different. Neither one of them might realize it, but it was there just the same and she was curious about when they would both admit it and do something about those feelings.
She sensed an explosion.
"All I'm asking is that you two be careful. You remember what happened between him and I, and I can only imagine what he has up his sleeve for you two. Sometimes he acts like he hates Lauren and I…" Her words were cut off when a strong hand grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the seat.
"Are you going to make out with your new boyfriend all day or are you going to exit the plane?"
She gave JC a dirty look and punched his arm. "It wasn't MY idea to banish the two sick people to the back of the plane. Did we treat you that way when YOU were sick?"
Justin stood up and stretched. "We didn't have the time. During that time his best friend was the toilet. Right JC?"
JC rolled his eyes and backed up quickly when Miranda started sneezing over and over. "Now look at what you did Justin. You made her have some kind of fit. Are you ok sweetie?"
She put a hand on his chest and pushed him out of the way so she could get by. "I'm fine but I think I'm becoming allergic to the egos around here. Excuse me. Oh wait…JC take this for me."
He took her hand to steady her as she walked by and then cringed when he looked down and saw her used tissue in his hand. He rolled his eyes and groaned at her but the only thing she did to acknowledge him was to giggle and look over her shoulder to grin devilishly at him.
She sneezed again and walked with Lance out of the plane. "Coming JC?"
"Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help there sweetheart." JC rolled his eyes again to look at Justin. "Thank heaven above that you aren't in love with anyone. I mean the kissing is nice, the snuggling is nice, the shoulder to cry on is nice, but…but…snot rags weren't exactly what I thought I would be dealing with when I lost my heart to that woman."
Justin slung is bag over his shoulder and started walking down the aisle. "Yeah well at least you're not alone."
"Sounds like you're itching for a girlfriend again. Just why DID you break up with Britney anyway?"
He shrugged and kept walking. "No time for it. She's an awesome girl and I enjoyed spending time with her, but a relationship over the telephone just won't work. I need more than that."
The stewardesses smiled brightly at the pair as they hopped off of the plane and walked into the skyway. They had both seen that look so many times that they were numb to it by now. JC was courteous to thank them for a great trip but Justin was too deep in thought to say anything.
"It's called rudeness Justin…look it up some time."
"Huh?"
"I know that you're young, you're high on life, and that you're just itching to get what all nineteen year old guys want."
Justin grinned evilly at him. "Miranda?"
JC stopped walking and gave him a dirty look. "Don't let your hormones even START to sway in that direction. You want a life and you want a girl…a woman that completes you. I guess if you really want to go for it you could go after Lauren and then…"
"What? What do you mean 'go after Lauren'? She's nothing more than a friend JC and I see her like a sister just like you do."
JC wasn't sure he bought that after the trip they had just taken and the lengths Justin had gone to talk to or do something special for Lauren. A guy just didn't do that for girls who were only "good friends." He knew Justin, he knew Lauren, and he knew this scenario all too well because he had seen that look before. He had seen it in Chris, he had seen it in Lance, and he had seen it in himself. It was the antsy, 'I can't help feeling this way, I hope see feels this way too' look. Justin was slowly but surely seeing Lauren as the beautiful woman she had become and nobody could blame him one bit. Lauren, while headstrong and scary at times, was a good catch.
"I'll drop the subject Justin and you need to smile because we're about to hit fan central."
Justin's shoulders slumped for a second before he picked them up, held his head high, plastered a smile on his face, and stepped out into the airport where flashes went off in his face from all directions and fans screamed his name.
He loved all of this…but at the same time he was starting to want much more.