Two weeks after Jade and Brian split up, AJ wanders into the tour catering room. Brian is sat at a table with Nick and Ali. AJ nods a greeting to them and heads straight for the food table. He grabs two cans of Pepsi and two candy bars before turning to leave again.
“Feelin’ hungry bro?” jokes Nick.
“Naw,” AJ grins. “Half’s for Jade. We’re gonna watch somethin’ on MTV before the sound check.”
“There’s a surprise,” mutters Brian darkly.
“Sorry?” AJ asks lightly and Brian looks up at him.
“It’s getting’ kinda hard to tell you and Jade apart these days. I mean, you’re always sniffing after her.”
“I’m just bein’ her friend,” AJ says, trying not to lose his temper.
“Oh really?!” Brian stands up and walks over to stand right in front of AJ. “A friend with fuck privileges?”
“What?!” AJ loses his temper and eyeballs Brian.
“Ya heard!” Brian yells, turning red as Ali and Nick jump up. “Everyone knows you’ve been tryin’ to get with Jade since day one! Well now ya got ya chance!”
“I AM just her friend! I’m YOUR friend too Brian,” AJ says, backing off slightly. “And even if I wanted to put the moves on her, I’d get nowhere cos she’s still in love with you.”
Brian stares at AJ, the anger leaving him as quickly as it had come. His body seems to deflate and he sits down heavily. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs.
“It’s ok,” AJ sighs and leaves the room.
Nick and Ali exchange relieved glances.
I sit down in the TV room and wait for AJ to get back with our snacks. I flick MTV on and watch the tail end of an Anastacia video. She’s singing about how one day in my life I am gonna get mine, well I think I already got it. I sigh tiredly and slouch down on the couch. I have spent the last two weeks avoiding Brian pretty much. He doesn’t even look at me these days and it hurts so much. AJ has been a lifesaver – always taking the time to be with me and keep me company. I guess he’s worried I’ll start drinking too much or something. Maybe he’s not so far off base there. I feel increasingly isolated from the rest of the tour. My cell rings and I answer, grateful for any distraction from my thoughts.
“Girl, what have you DONE to JC?” comes Justin’s voice.
“Well hello to you too Justin.”
“Sorry. Hi Jade, love ya, miss ya and all that. Well?”
“I’ve done nothin’ to JC,” I sigh.
“C’mon Jade, he told me that you guys kissed.”
“He did? Great,” I mutter.
“He didn’t want to,” he defends his friend. “I had to beat it outta him! He got back from taking you home after the shoot and he was all quiet. He’s been weird these past few weeks and I finally got it out of him this morning. The guy is crazy over you!”
“But I…”
“Yeah, I know. He told me that he knows you guys have no future. You bein’ with Brian and all but he still freaks over ya. Does Brian know?”
“That I kissed JC? Yeah, he knows.”
“Whoa…” Justin whistles lowly.
“And we’re not together anymore,” I confess wearily. “He asked me to marry him and I got scared so he left me. So I told him about JC and it made everything worse.”
“I’m not surprised!” he exclaims. “Jade, that was a pretty dumb move.”
“I couldn’t lie to him.”
“So, the thing with JC meant something to you?”
“I love Brian,” I avoid his question.
“That’s not an answer.”
“Ok, yeah, it did.”
“JC needs to know this stuff!”
“He doesn’t. It’s nothing to do with him!”
“It’s everything to do with him,” Justin responds fiercely.
“Just let it go Justin,” I whisper and he sighs.
“Where are you Jade?”
“In Philadelphia. I’m still on the tour but I’m thinking of leaving pretty soon,” I tell him just as AJ walks in with our snacks. “I’d better go. AJ just came in.”
“Oh. Ok. I’ll call you later,” Justin says. “You and me need a proper talk.”
“Ok J. Bye,” I hang up and look at AJ.
“Who was that?” he sits by me and hands me a Pepsi.
“Justin Timberlake.”
“Ah. You guys seem to have gotten pretty close,” he remarks.
“He’s a good guy,” I smile. “And at least he’s not one of Brian’s friends.”
“Hey, we’re ALL your friends too.”
“But Brian’s first,” I mutter.
“Not me,” he says. “I believe in equality.”
“Thanks AJ,” I smile. “For everything.”
The knock on my door comes again and I open my eyes. I roll over and check the clock, it’s 4am. I groan and throw the covers back, heading to the door and flinging it open. I stare at the man standing there and rub my eyes. JC smiles cautiously and I take him in slowly. He looks pretty exhausted. He has dark rims under his eyes and his hair is sticking up like crazy.
“JC?!” I mutter. “What are you doing HERE?!”
“Seeing you,” he states. “Can I come in or are we gonna stand here all night?”
“Uh, come in,” I say and he follows me inside. I shut the door and sit on the edge of the bed as he collapses on the couch with a sigh.
“Man, I needed this,” he says. “I’ve been on the go all night.”
“Really? Uh, what are you doing here?” I ask. “How did you find me?”
“It wasn’t hard. Justin said you were in Philadelphia with the Backstreet Boys so I just looked it up from the tour dates, called Jive and got the hotel name. Plus, the girl on the desk recognised me so getting your room number was child’s play,” he adds with a grin.
“Ok, that’s how but not why.”
“Is it true that you’ve split up with Brian?”
“Justin,” I say darkly.
“He only wanted to help,” JC says. “Don’t be mad at him.”
“I’ll reserve judgement until I talk to him,” I concede. “JC, I didn’t split up with Brian because of you. Actually, he dumped ME.”
“I wouldn’t want you to split up with him because of me,” he says. “I want you to be happy. And you told me before that he made you happy and that was ok with me. But now you’re not happy so…”
“So what? You thought you’d play knight in shining armour?”
“Naw, my suit’s a little rusty,” he jokes and I laugh. “It’s good to see you smile,” he murmurs.
“JC…” I start but he shushes me and walks over to sit by me.
“Jade, tomorrow is for talking this through. Ok?”
“Ok,” I nod. “You look pretty tired.”
“Thanks,” he laughs. “Could I get a hug?”
“Sure,” I smile and wrap my arms around him. I bury my head in his chest and his arms hold me tight. I can hear his heart beating slowly beneath my ear and I smile. It is good being with him again. After a few minutes, he pulls me back down onto the bed with him and I pull the covers over us both. He keeps his arms around me and I look up into his face. His eyes are open and he’s smiling. I smile back and he kisses my head softly before closing his eyes.