It wasn’t until their last day in New York that the guys saw Sophie again. This time it was only very briefly as she was walking with William down one of the hallways of Jive.
“Absolutely not Sophia, I won’t discuss it further.” He growled at her before noticing the guys. Sophie said something under her breath and ducked into a doorway before William could possibly introduce her. The guys were visibly disappointed, but William ignored their expressions and asked them when they were leaving for Orlando.
“Well, we’ve got a trip to Japan…” Justin started.
“And we’ll be in L.A. for awhile…” JC interjected.
“But we have to be back in Orlando by mid-April so we can rehearse for the tour.” Lance filled in, never missing a beat.
“Ah, of course.” William nodded. Then he seemed to get an idea. “Tell me boys… do you have your crew already?”
“Well,” Lance spoke up, “I suppose we do, you’d really have to ask Johnny.”
“Why do you ask?” Chris asked before JC elbowed him in the ribs.
“Oh, just asking.” William said. He was a horrible liar. “Well, have a nice stay in New York, and in Japan. Now there’s somewhere I’ve never been. I should really go sometime.”
“Oh you should sir.” Lance nodded.
“We’ll tell you all about it when we get back.” Joey laughed.
“You do that.” William laughed as he clapped Joey on the back. “Well, I have a meeting that’s waiting on me. I’ll be in touch with you boys.”
“Bye.” They chorused as he walked away. When he was safely out of earshot Justin spoke up.
“If I don’t find out who that girl is I’m going to go nuts.”
“I wanna know why he cares about our crew.” Lance said.
“I’d like to know why he was angry with her.” JC said as they all began walking again.
“I wonder if she’d give me her number.” Joey said in an overly serious tone before looking at Justin and giggling. They all turned to Chris to see what he was thinking about.
“Shoes are good.” He said, and nodded once. They all laughed at him, but stopped abruptly when they heard another voice join theirs. It was light, slightly silvery, and completely female. They turned quickly, and saw Sophie again. Her feet were crossed over each other, and her long, muscular legs were sheathed in fitted black pants. Graceful hands rested on her hips, where a red scoop-neck shirt was bunched up ever so slightly, so that it revealed a stripe of tanned flesh at her waist. A lightweight black sweatshirt was tied around her shoulders, and a silver teardrop charm hung at her throat. Framing her strikingly beautiful face were silky dark curls that had slipped from the intricate knot at the back of her head. Rosebud lips pulled back in a smile and those great pools of darkness that were her eyes, sparkled.
“I don’t know about shoes, but I think boybands are pretty good.” She said, and then winked at them before turning down a corridor and disappearing from sight. The guys blinked, each one of them asking himself if what he’d just seen was real.
“Guys? …. Hey!” A voice yelled down the hallway. The guys each turned, a confused look on their faces, to see Dre. “Time to go Studs.” He laughed at them.
“Did you see that?” Chris asked.
“Man, I’m still seein it.” Joey laughed. “WHO IS THAT GIRL?” Justin yelled, throwing his head back.
“I’m sure we’ll find out sometime.” Lance said shaking his head and moving with the others towards Dre.
“Leave it to Lance.” JC laughed and patted his friend’s shoulders. “He’ll find out.”
“Yeah, well, he better.” Justin stammered and pointed a finger at Lance. “And when you do… you call me, you hear? Me, not Joey, me.”
“Ego trip much?” JC mumbled, but Justin heard him anyway and jumped on his back.
“What chu say scrub?” He said, giving JC the noogie of a lifetime.
“Hello? Am I standing here for my health?” Dre yelled again. The guys laughed and jogged the rest of the way down the hallway, still thinking about the mysterious Sophie.