I sit in the spacious white room and tap my fingers against my pad. I’d do anything to have a sulky Nick sitting opposite me instead of three N'Sync guys. The other two are on either side of me, obviously determined to make me their sandwich filling. Forget the fact that there are two perfectly good empty chairs opposite. They are quite honestly boring interviewees. Full of the usual industry clichés. No, we’re not copying the Backstreet Boys. No, we’re not a boy band. No, we don’t have girlfriends. I decide to challenge that last one.
“No girlfriends?” I raise an eyebrow and look at ghetto boy sitting opposite me. “What’s Britney then?”
“Uh…” he stammers, turning red.
JC, who’s sat on my right, jumps in smoothly. “Just a friend. Of ALL of us.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” I mutter as I scrawl that comment down.
He smiles at me. “What was that?”
“Oh nothin’,” I smile back through gritted teeth.
Joey is sat on the other side of me. He gives me a look like he heard my comment and leans in conspiratorially. “I get you. But not of mine she ain’t.”
I giggle and then shut up as the other four look at me. I like Joey, what is he doing in this sad ass band?
“So, when’s the album out?” I get back to business and half an hour later, I’m done. Justin leaps up and races out of the room, yelling something about Britney and photos. I roll my eyes and stand up just before JC can lay his hand on my knee.
“Leavin’ so soon?” he pouts and bats his eyelashes. I fight back the urge to throw up and manage a smile.
“Sorry. I have to be someplace.”
“Shame,” he stands up and touches my arm heavily. “Maybe you could give me your number and MAYBE I could call you.”
I step out of his grasp and look him up and down coldly. “Don’t put yourself out.”
JC’s face flushes a deep red, obviously a guy who isn’t used to a girl saying no. He scowls at me. “Well, well, Miss I’m-all-that.”
Joey grimaces at JC’s back and steps round him to take my arm. “Let me show you out Jade.”
I smile gratefully. “Sure.”
We walk outside and he doesn’t let go of my arm.
“Sorry ‘bout JC. He’s ok really.”
I roll my eyes. “I just bet he is.”
Joey shrugs. “Sorry.”
We walk to my car in silence.
“Well, this is me. Thanks Joey.”
“No problem.” He starts to walk away as I climb into my car, but then comes back, blushing slightly. It’s cute. “Err, would you maybe… Dinner?”
I smile at him. He may be cute but my life was way too confused right now. “Sorry, Joey. I’m kinda with someone.” SOMEONE was just about right. But which one?
“Oh. Ok.”
“But thanks. I would’ve liked that.”
“Sure,” he grins at me. “Well, bye Jade,” he walks away.
“And I love this store, too. It’s one of my favourites,” Nick explains, dragging me into yet another shop in the enormous mall.
Rolling my eyes, I follow him inside. He has said that about the last ten stores. Suddenly remembering my meeting, I hesitantly look at my watch. Surprisingly, I still have twenty minutes to kill.
“Nick, can we get something to drink? I’m really thirsty.”
He puts down the sunglasses he’s been examining and looks at me. “Of course. What are you in the mood for?” he takes my arm and leads me out of the store to the food court.
“An icee, or sno-cone or something,” I decide.
“Then we have to go to Sno-cone Station, they have every flavour you can think of!” he says, excitedly and we rush over to Sno-cone Station. He is right. They have, at least, over 100 flavours. After carefully surveying each one, I decide on a Blue coconut. Nick looks at me as if I’m insane. “You can get that anywhere! Only here can you get a lime-mango/orange-pineapple/red cherry-twist!” Laughing, I shake my head.
“Fine, I’ll have whatever he just said,” I say, smiling to the salesman.
“And I’ll have the same,” Nick grins, and hands the man a ten.
“I’ll give you credit, this is pretty good,” I say, my mouth full of juicy ice.
“Well I should hope so, you have it all over your face!”
My eyes widen. “Oh my gosh! Do I really?”
He laughs, nodding, “Lemme get that for you.” He gently kisses the top of my nose, and licks the juice off of my chin, and bottom lip. After he pulls back, he starts cracking up again.
“What is it now?!” I ask, exasperated.
“Your chin is going to be permanently dyed red.”
“Are you serious?” I quickly grab the closest napkin holder to hold up to see my reflection.
While doing this I knock over both our sno-cones which sends them flying all over the couples sitting on either side of us. Nick and I both jump up so as not to get any on us, but in turn knock over the glass table which crashes onto the next one, and so on.
“Dominoes!” a little girl shouts, giggling cheerfully.
By the time five tables have crashed to the ground, glass is completely surrounding us and two security guards have come to see what caused the commotion.
“Run!” Nick yells, grabbing my hand as we jump over the chairs to get away from the guards.
“You there! Stop!” yells the guard on the left.
As we dash down the rows of tables, Nick trips and falls over a chair, taking me with him. His hat and glasses fall off, but there is no time to get them. We jump up and continue running.
“It’s Nick Carter!” yells a young girl in her teens, and more screams follow.
“Faster!” Nick yells. Now, we have at least half the mall chasing us. As we frantically search for the door we came in, Nick points out a familiar store. “That way! Let’s go!”
We speed off to the nearest exit and dash out to the car. In one swift move Nick unlocks the car and we jump inside relocking the doors. He slides the key in the ignition and starts the car.
“That was… fun,” I say, struggling to breathe, and my heart pounding.
“Get used to it,” he smiles, and turns down Tampa Blvd.
“Here we are,” Nick parks the car and we both head inside the office building.
Britney and Justin are already there, sat impatiently in a corner and standing when they see us.
“You are late!” Britney bitches, pointing at her thousand-dollar watch.
“No, actually we are five minutes early, see?” I hold my watch up to her face.
“Well, your watch is wrong!” she puts her hands on her hips as I slowly walk into the dark room, wasting time just to piss her off.
“Hello Justin, Britney,” greets Nick with a false smile.
The falseness is returned twofold. I found out later that ever since Nick had called up Britney and Justin on live radio, relations between the three have been decidedly frosty.
I pick out the negatives and pin them up over a light magnifier. Britney joins me and we look them over in silence. After carefully examining each photo, she chooses what she wants and its time to leave.
“Well, that was fun,” I mumble, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “So, what’s next?”
“Dinner, but we can’t go like this. I’ll drop you off at your house, and let you change. Then, I’ll go to my house and get ready, then I’ll come back and pick you up, okay?”
“Sure.”
I told Nick to pick me up in about an hour. That would give me time to shower and find something suitable enough for the restaurant Nick was taking me to. I walk into the bathroom and turn on the hot water. After the room starts steaming, I peel off my clothes and step into the tub, and all the while thinking about my date with Nick. This is what I want, isn’t it? Why in the world would I make that stupid comment about Brian? I don’t feel anything for him. If I do, I would have been jealous of Jade going out with him. Then I remember, I had been jealous. Even though Nick had already asked me, I couldn’t stand the thought of Jade and Brian being together. I really don’t feel like thinking about this, what I need to concentrate on is looking great for Nick. I step out of the shower, and wrap a fuzzy towel around me. This time, I head straight to Jade’s room for something to wear. I’m not big on dresses, but her closest is full of them.
“This,” I say to myself, taking out a long, blue, dress, “is perfect.” It has one strap over the left shoulder, and a triangle cut in the stomach that stretches around the side, and to the back. It’s just enough to show off my belly-ring, and the two Chinese symbol tattoos on the lower right side of my stomach. It has a big slit up the left side, and is covered in black Chinese dragon patterns. It’s my favourite of all time, and I often borrow it without permission. I slip it on, and then go to my room to find my black stilettos. I blow-dry my hair, and look around for chopsticks to hold it up. After taking a few glances in the mirror, I carefully analyse myself. All I need is a little makeup and I’m good to go.
As I’m putting on the final touches the doorbell rings, scaring me half to death.
“Shit!” I mutter while wiping off smeared lipstick. “I’m coming!” I throw open the door while trying to put on my favourite silver necklace, but my long nails keep slipping. My heart leaps to my throat as I give him the once-over. He drops his jaw for a moment, but quickly pulls it up into a wide smile. Grabbing my hand he spins me around.
“You look amazing,” he says, not taking his eyes away from me.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” I joke, and I’m not lying. He is wearing a black suit, with a white undershirt, which has a few buttons undone, and he looks quite uncomfortable. “Nick, if you want we can go somewhere a little less fancy,” I say, as he squirms around in his pants.
“No, it’s not that. I kind of need to use the bathroom real quick,” he says.
“Uh sure. I’ll show you where it is,” I lead him to it, and go back to the lounge. I sit down and wait for him. A few minutes later, he came back. He leans down and holds out his hand for me to take.
“Don’t worry, I washed my hands,” he teases, and I stand up giving him a playful shove in the chest.
“Can we go now?”
“Yeah, but if you touch me like that again I might have to go use the bathroom again.”
I roll my eyes and push him again. I smile at his forwardness and push all thoughts of Jade and Brian to the back of my head.