“Jade girl, come here,” Mark beckons me over to where he’s standing with Paul and Josh. “Ok, party status?”
“Joshua just rang my cell phone,” I tell them. “He’s in the house with lots of alcohol and ready-mix cake. I guess Heath’ll be joining him soon.”
“Yeah, he looks almost done,” says Paul glancing into the studio where Heath is posing for Ali. “I’ll go next and maybe I can make my mom’s cherry pie?”
“Cherry pie?!” Mark says excitedly. “Man, do it!”
“Ok!” Paul grins happily.
“I’ll get some balloons and stuff once I’m done,” offers Josh.
“Ok, so we’re all clear on what we’re doing?” says Mark. “Paul is on cherry pie duty, Heath is gonna help Joshua with cake mix, Josh is getting balloons and I’ll… Uh, WHAT am I doin’?”
“Make up some VERY alcoholic punch!” I tell him with a giggle.
“That’s it! I’m on punch duty. Jade, you just gotta keep Ali here until… Shall we say 6?” he looks around and the guys nod. “Yeah, 6.”
“Ok, I can do that,” I say as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck walk over to us.
“We’re ready for our pictures,” says Ben with a smile.
“Ali’s doing Heath I think,” I tell them.
“We only have an hour spare,” says Matt worriedly. “You think that’ll be ok?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“So, what do you do Jade?” asks Ben.
“I’m a writer. I’m just here to keep Ali company.”
“Oh right. What kind of writing do you do?”
“Mainly entertainment stuff,” I smile at them. “Say, are you guys doin’ anything tonight?”
“Gotta catch a plane to LA,” says Matt with a frown. “I HATE flying.”
“Aw, never mind. LA’s a cool place,” I say with a grin.
“Sure is!” chuckles Ben. “Why’d you ask?”
“Oh, it’s Ali’s birthday tonight and we’re throwing her a surprise party.”
“Really? Wow. I wish we could come,” groans Ben.
“Ok, I’m done!” Heath yells, joining us. “Is Joshua at your place now?”
“Yup, this is the address. Go join him. He has cake mix.”
“Cool,” Heath takes the card from me and shoves it in his pocket just as Ali joins us. “Well, it’s been good. I have to shoot. See ya tomorrow Ali!” He winks at me and races out of the door before Ali can say anything. She gives me a look and I shrug innocently.
“Ok, so what’d I interrupt?” she asks with a smile.
“Nothin’,” Mark says.
“Uh Ali, happy birthday,” says Matt with a sweet smile.
“Oh, thanks… Who told ya?”
“Jade,” he leans in to kiss her cheek. “Have a great day.”
“Yeah, ditto from me,” Ben kisses her as well.
“Thanks,” Ali smiles. “When do you have to leave?”
“Uh, about an hour. That ok?” asks Matt.
“Yeah, sure.”
“You wanna do me now?” asks Paul.
“Uh, ok. Matt and Ben, come on inside and I’ll do you straight after Paul.”
“Ok!” they agree and Ali turns to look at me and Josh suspiciously.
“Y’all looked pretty cosy just now,” says Ali, refusing to let go of her suspicions.
“We did?” says Josh innocently. “Nah.”
“C’mon Ali, I got things to do!” Paul takes hold of Ali’s hand and pulls her into the studios.
“Geez, sorry to keep ya,” she mutters sarcastically.
“She doesn’t suspect a thing!” gloats Josh and I laugh.
My cell rings and I pull it out.
“Sorry Josh,” I say and walk away from the guys a little. “Hello?”
“Hey Jade, it’s Justin. You’re in Tampa right?”
“Yup.”
“Could we meet?”
“Sure. When?”
“Now? I’m in my car and I could swing by and pick you up.”
“Uh,” I check my watch and realise I have two hours before I have to get Ali back home for her party. “Ok, but I don’t have long.”
“That’s ok. I don’t either. What’s the address?”
I give it him and arrange to wait for him out front in ten minutes. I switch my cell off and head into the studio to see Ali. She’s busy taking pictures of Paul and I walk over to her.
“Ali, is it ok if I leave for a bit? I’ll be back in time to clear up.”
“Uh, why? What’s going on?” she asks suspiciously.
“Justin wants to meet up quickly. I think he might’ve told Britney.”
“Really?! Ok, go,” she says. “But I expect to hear ALL about it later.”
“Thanks,” I grin and head outside to wait for Justin.
“JADE!” Justin squeals to a halt by me and jumps out of the car to give me a hug. “Lookin’ good!”
“Thanks J, you too,” I grin and he opens the car door for me. “Is it safe?” I tease. “You were totally burning rubber a minute ago!”
“Hey, I’m the BEST driver,” he exclaims and I climb into the car. “Hold on tight!” he laughs and we speed away from the building.
“Sheesh!” I exclaim as Justin skips an amber light.
“Oops!” he laughs and makes no attempt to slow down. “I have a coolbox in the trunk and I figured we could just stop off at the beach.”
“Sounds good,” I smile. “So, what are you doin’ back in Tampa?”
“We’re filming a video for Girlfriend with Nelly.”
“Nelly sings on Girlfriend?!”
“Yeah! We did a remix and he added a rap. It’s real cool I think.”
“You would,” I tease and he chuckles.
“You’ll just have to check it out for yourself then.”
“I think I just might,” I grin.
“Hey, why don’t you come down for the shoot? I might even be able to get you a part as an extra or something,” he suggests.
“I would LOVE that!” I exclaim. “I tried to get Brian to put me in their video for The Call but he refused,” I pout.
“He did? Aw,” Justin laughs. “I guess it would be too much like mixing work with play.”
“That’s what he said. When’s the shoot?”
“Tonight.”
“Aw!” I pull a face. “I can’t. It’s Ali’s birthday and some people are throwing her a surprise party. I said I’d take her there.”
“What time? Cos it’s gonna be a night shoot. We aren’t getting started until about 11 cos we’re filming at the drag track and it doesn’t close ‘til then.”
“Hm, maybe I can make it then. Can I bring Ali?”
“Sure. Everybody’s welcome as long as they’re female!” he laughs.
“She definitely fits that criteria.”
“Cool,” he grins and swings the car into a sandy road leading down to the beach. He parks and we climb out. Justin pulls out a red coolbox from the trunk and we walk down to sit on the white sandy beach. He opens the box and pulls out two bottles of Mountain Dew. I take mine and sip it gratefully.
“Thanks.”
“Cheers,” he taps his against mine and drinks. “Thanks for meeting me like this. I needed to get away from NSync for an hour or I woulda freaked.”
“I know the feeling,” I grin. “What’s been going on?”
“A LOT of choreography, rehearsals, sound checks, costume fittings… Blah, blah,” he tells me. “Our tour starts in a month so it’s gone pretty crazy.”
“Sounds it. How long is the tour?”
“Three months.”
“Ah, that’s nothing,” I giggle and he looks at me in shock. “Hey, you’re talking to the girl who has been on the never-ending Backstreet tour!”
“I forgot!” he laughs. “It has been on a long time already.”
“And we still got three months to go,” I groan.
“You could always leave early.”
“I could but I would miss Brian too much,” I admit.
“Cute,” he teases. “You guys are still ok then?”
“Yeah. More than ok,” I smile. “It’s good.”
“And you haven’t heard anything of that girl? Y’know, the one who came to the AMAs?”
“Farrah? Nup, not a word. Brian saw her afterwards and they talked and he told her he was with me now so he got some closure finally.”
“That’s cool. I, uh, told Britney.”
“And?”
“How I expected,” he grimaces. “She’s in Europe right now and I called her. I know, I know, I’m a total coward but I thought it would be easier.”
“And was it?”
“For me,” he admits. “She got real mad and hung up. Then she called me back and started crying. God, it was awful. I felt like saying anything to stop her crying but then I remembered what you said. I HAD to be honest, it’s better in the long-run.”
“So, that’s it?”
“Yup,” he nods. “And I’m already sleeping again. I was getting SO wound up about it.”
“She will be ok J.”
“I know she will. She always is,” he takes a long drink and then smiles brightly at me. “So, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Wha?!” I stare at him and he bursts out laughing.
“For the VIDEO!”
“Oh! You bastard,” I hit him lightly and laugh. “Maybe,” I say coyly.