Chapter Five
Krista
ran off stage after their last performance of the tour. She was sad to see it end but excited to
start the new tour with Nsync in a few weeks.
“Krissie!” Someone yelled and Krista turned to see JC
standing there waving.
“Josh!” She yelled and ran over to him. She hugged him, “What are you doing
here? You never said that you were
coming to visit!”
He
pulled back a little, “I was in town so I dropped by. Your set was amazing!”
“Thanks,
you’re so sweet!” She said and Dan
passed by the couple,
“Krista
we’ve got to go. We have that photo
shoot and interview to do before we leave tonight.” He said coldly and Krista rolled her eyes at him,
“I
know Dan, I’ll be right there.” She
turned back to JC, “I’m sorry I can’t
stay longer.”
He
grinned at her with a shrug, “You’ve got a busy schedule, trust me I
understand.”
She
touched his arm gently, “I was hoping to have lunch or dinner or something.”
“Krista
we’ve got to go!” Pauley yelled and she
sighed,
“Okay,
I guess I have to go. It was great to
see you. Call me later and we can
talk.”
“I
will.” JC said hugging her one more
time before she ran off. He watched her
run off before deciding to leave. Just
as he took a step in the direction of his car, his phone rang, “Hello?”
“Hey
Josh!” Krista exclaimed, “Long time no
hear!” She laughed and he chuckled,
“Yeah,
I know.” He said and began to walk
towards his car, “Are you in the car?”
“Yeah,
I was by myself for once and figured that I would make use of the quiet and
give you a call because I really didn’t get to talk to you back at the arena.”
“Why
are you by yourself?”
“Because
my make up apparently takes twice as long as the guys, so I get to go straight
to the photo shoot, while the brats get to go back to the hotel for a little
break.”
“Ooo,
tough break Kris.”
“Tell
me about it. I have to even shower
there. Man, the things they never told
me I would have to do when I signed on for this job.” She teased lightly.
“Yeah,
I think it’s in that fine print of the contract.” He joked,
“Ugh,
I think I should have make up for photo shoots forbidden in my next
contract. I hate the make up they make
me wear.”
“I
hear you, it’s like two inches thick.”
He agreed,
“Oh
tell me about it. I feel like I’m
wearing a mask. You should see me when
the shoots are over. I bolt for the
nearest sink with soap and scrub my skin.
I am so not a make up girl. God
gave me good skin, why do they need to cover it up?”
“So
you can look beautiful to the world.”
He teased,
“Ugh,
no thank you. They can just air brush
it all, right?”
“There’s
only so much they can air brush.”
“I
guess that’s what the make up’s for, right?
To cover up what the airbrush can’t?
So that we all look like made up freaks together! This industry is so fucked up.” She laughed,
“I
feel the same way. The things they used
to make up do for photo shoots. I
remember that once they made up get covered in gold paint from head to toe, and
I mean head to toe, our hair, our nails, face, eyelids, everything. Man I think it took us weeks to get it all
off.”
“Oh,
man, I hope they never make us do that.
I’ll claim I’m allergic or something.
Please tell me you were young and stupid when you did that shoot and it
wasn’t like recently.” She teased,
“YEAH. I would never do anything like that
now. That was back when we didn’t have
control over anything we did. That was
when they told what we did and we did it.”
“That’s
suck Josh.”
“I
know, but it got me to where I am now, so in hindsight, I should be grateful.”
“That’s
a really great way to think of it.”
“Best
way to deal with things right?”
“Tell
me about it. Ooo, I’m going into the
studio soon. I hope I get to show the
guys the song we wrote. I think they’ll
really like it.”
“Have
you written any more recent ones?”
“Yeah,
I’ve been working out a couple of new songs.
You know fiddling around on my keyboard.”
“Oh,
let me hear some of it.”
She
was quiet for a second, “None of it’s recorded yet.”
“So,
just sing me one.” He said and Krista
began to laugh,
“You’ve
got to be kidding me!” She said still
laughing,
It
was JC’s turn to be quiet, he was confused on why her singing one of her songs
was funny. “No, I really want to hear the new songs that you’ve come up
with. Why is that funny?”
“Josh,
I can’t sing you the songs, because I can’t sing!” She exclaimed still giggling,
“What
do you mean you can’t sing? You sing
with the band.” He pointed out.
“No
I don’t, if you ever look I don’t have a mike near me. I may sing along to myself, but no one hears
it. I really can’t sing. I can’t carry a tune to save my life.”
JC
smiled to himself at her modesty, “It can’t be that bad. You’re a musician. In my experience, if you can play an instrument you can sing.”
Krista
sighed, “That’s because of the world you grew up in.”
JC
frowned, not liking the sound of that, “What do you mean?”
“Josh,
you grew up around the likes of Justin, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera,
Tony Lucca, Joey, and Janet Jackson to name just a few. They are all amazing performers and sing
like no one I know. That’s why everyone
you knew who played an instrument could sing too. Hell, if I grew up with people like that I’d think that too. But hey, in public schools like mine you
were lucky enough to have people know what an instrument WAS let alone be able
to sing as well.”
“I
didn’t always live at Disney when I was young you know. I went to public school too.” He said a little defensively,
Krista
soften her voice, not wanting to get into a fight with him. “I didn’t say
that. I know you went to public school
before you were on the Mickey Mouse Show.
I’m just saying that we had different experiences growing up.” She said a lot more gently and JC back down,
“Doesn’t
mean that you can’t sing.”
Krista
smirked to himself, “Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t. I swear, howling dogs sound better than I
do.”
JC
shook his head, “Kris, I think you’re being a little hard on yourself. I can’t imagine you’re that bad.”
“Oh
trust me, it is.”
JC
encouraged her, “Come on, try me. I’ll
tell you if you’re really bad. I don’t
think you really are.”
Krista
was being stubborn, “I’m not singing.
You can’t make me.”
“Yes
I can, I have my ways.” He teased,
“And
I can just hang up on you.” She
retorted and JC smiled at her threat.
“You
wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”
“You
keep asking me to sing and I will.” She
said and JC just imagined her wagging her head at him. Attitude filling up her presence.
“Ooo,
is that attitude I’m getting from Miss Journey?” He taunted her and Krista gave it right back to him.
“You’re
damn right it is, Chasez.”
JC
chuckled at her, “I’m still saying that you’re not that bad of a singer. I’ve heard really bad singers and you just
can’t be THAT bad.”
“Believe
it buddy.”
“Not
until you prove me wrong.” He smiled at
his play of reverse psychology,
“Well
then you’re just going to have to wonder because pulling that line on me will
not get me to sing for you. I suck, you
can ask the guys, they’ll tell you straight up that I suck. In fact they pay me NOT to sing. That’s how bad I am.”
“Not
going to believe you Kris, I just can’t until I have proof.” He teased,
“You’re
a pain in the ass and a stubborn OLD mule.”
Krista said, knowing that it would definitely push a button.
“Hey! I’m not old!” He said slightly offended,
“Okay,
old man.” She taunted, pushing it
farther to get him off the topic of her singing.
“I’m
not old! I’m only twenty-five! You’re just as old as I am!”
Now
it was Krista’s turn to be shocked, she didn’t look THAT old yet! “Uh uh, I’m
way younger than you are!”
“You
told me that you were twenty-four!” He
defended,
“I
so did not! I’m only twenty-two!” She exclaimed
“Twenty-Two? That’s like five years younger than me. That doesn’t make me old.”
“Okay,
Chasez.” She laughed and then sighed,
“Hey, I’d hate to cut this scintillating conversation short, but I have to got
get ready for my photo shoot.”
“I’m
not old.” JC replied and she laughed,
“No,
Josh you’re not old at all.” She said sarcastically to play with him,
“Don’t
patronize me Krissie.” He pouted,
“Fine,
you’re not old. Happy?” She said and he
groaned knowing that she wasn’t going to let up today.
“No,
but I’ll take it.” He teased back
making her laugh,
“Okay
Chasez, talk to you later.”
“Talk
to you later, Krissie. Bye.”
“Bye.” She said and hung up. JC looked into the rearview mirror of his
car,
“I
am NOT old.”