Chapter 3
Justin couldn’t help let his eyes wander to her during rehearsals. She bustled around checking the stage, talking to the crew, and even when Tim told her to chill out and have some fun, he noticed she was having trouble completely letting go. What she didn’t have a problem with was getting along with people which was strange because Melinda had told him only 15 minutes earlier that she is having a really hard time getting her to open up. He turned to look at her again during a break and was surprised to see her flirting with one of the crew guys. He was even more surprised to feel jealous of the man. He shook his head as if to rid her of his mind but he soon found himself staring at her again.
“Get a grip Justin!” he growled to himself.
“Hmmm… I knew you pop stars were a little psycho...” Brianna grinned at him as he lifted his head in embarrassment.
“Yeah… Just talking to myself.”
“That’s ok, just as long as you don’t start answering.” She sat down next to him and casually leaned back. “Um… Well, everyone’s tellin’ me I’m not having enough fun. Are you guys ever the ‘all work and no play makes Nsync better than BSB’ I got on my other tours?”
“Oh yeah, but you need to mix it up a little to keep things… interesting.” She didn’t miss the fact that the statement had more than one meaning, or the hungry look he was sending her. Feeling a little uneasy, she stood up.
“Uh… Sounds fun.”
“Oh it is.”
She cleared her throat. “I need to get some… water.”
“Me too. How bout I come with you?”
“Um… Ok.” He stood up to follow her. Brianna sent a confused look to Melinda who looked about as baffled as she was. She shrugged.
Justin threw her a water bottle and Brianna caught it with ease. He smiled slyly.
“So you like to play, right?”
Her eyes widened and she coughed on her water. “What?”
“Basketball.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said, obviously relieved. She silently cursed herself for reading too deep into his words.
“Wanna play with me, Chris, and JC after the rehearsal? I played Chris yesterday and beat him bad so he demanded a rematch with JC but he put me with Lance and God knows I love the guy, but he can’t shoot for shit.”
Brianna laughed. “Ok, I have to stay here until at least eight for the explosives anyway.”
“Us too. We actually don’t have to but who would miss that?” He chuckled and looked back at the guys who were watching him behind Brianna. He sent them a warning look and they all laughed and walked away. Brianna looked behind her but the guys were talking normally. She looked at Justin strangely but he continued like nothing happened. “And we have like an hour in between because our choreographer needs to leave early today.”
“Wait, hold on! Why is he leaving?”
“What do you mean?”
“He needs to be here! He needs to make sure that the explosives aren’t to near to you guys and that you all won’t get hurt!”
He was a little shocked not only by her outburst but how the way she talked changed so dramatically. “Don’t worry, we don’t check out the stuff on the stage until tomorrow. This is just the fireworks and stuff; we wanna make sure they fit with the songs and stuff.”
She sighed in relief and ran her hand through her straight, long brown hair. “Thank God! I was gettin’ really freaked out for a sec there.” He was even more perplexed when she went back to her normal speaking voice.
“Um… ok.”
“What?”
“You just… never mind. Do you wanna play with us or what?”
“Yeah. That sounds great. I’m gonna get goin’. Talk to ya later.”
“Ok… Later.” She walked away from him and he found himself staring at her backside as she retreated again. He couldn’t help but smiling seeing her hips move back and forth. There was nothing he loved better than a girl with curves. Chris smacked him on the back of the head and he was startled out of his dream world.
“Oh you better start running old man!”
Justin dribbled the ball between his legs as they waited for Brianna to get out to the courts. He took a long shot and it went in with ease. Chris rolled his eyes and got the rebound, taking a lay-up.
“Joey and Lance already said they don’t want to play,” JC said as he took the ball from Chris.
“So?” Justin challenged.
“Well,” Chris began, “Where is this surprise partner you’re playing with… or is it your ego?”
Justin smirked. “Although I can still beat you both down without a partner, I do have one coming.” As if on cue, Brianna jogged out to the makeshift court that was set up outside of the venue. She was wearing a light purple muscle tank top with low riding black sports pants with two purple lines matching her top running up each leg. Her hair was pulled into a loose pony tailed secured low on her head.
“Hey guys.”
Chris’s mouth dropped when he saw her. “You’re playing with… her?”
“Ya act like I’m an alien or somethin’.”
JC examined her. “But you’re a… girl!”
She put her hand on his shoulder and spoke to him as if he was a child. “Yes JC, I am a girl…” she said saying the last word slowly.
He blushed. “Yeah… but…”
“But what?”
“Girls can’t play basketball!” Chris joined in.
She gave him a dirty look. “I resent that.” She went over to Justin. “I’m playing with you right?”
“Yup.”
“Wait!” Chris shouted.
“What now?”
“But girls can’t play!”
She walked over to him and got up in his face with fake aggression. “I’m startin’ to think you’re getting’ scared.” She popped the bubble gum in his face again like she had before. He lowered his eyebrows and seemed to be in deep thought. She tapped his head. “I can tell thinkin’ is a little troublesome for ya ain’t it?” She smiled and walked back to Justin. Chris still hadn’t moved. “Are we playin’ or what?”
He shook his head out of his daze and smiled at her. “You are going down… sista’!”
“Let’s just see about that Chris.”
“Bring it on Brianna.”
“It’s already been broughten Christopher,” she smirked.
Chris laughed. “Let’s get it on!”
45 minutes later, Chris was lying on the cold cement spread eagle. Brianna stepped over at him and kicked him lightly. His eyes opened slowly.
“Girls can’t play, huh?” She high-fived Justin as he purposely walked over him and to the crowd of people who had gathered to watch them. JC and Chris had been no competition for herself and Justin, they had beaten them bad. Melinda came up to her.
“I had no idea you could play like that!”
Brianna shrugged and walked with her into the darkness. The lights around the venue had kept it lit while they played and she had no idea that it had gotten dark so fast.
The group headed over to where the explosives would begin, after Brianna and Justin rubbed their win in Chris and JC’s faces a little more. She had lost Justin on her way over and she stood leaning against the wall while the other guys sat down in the grass. She saw Justin walk past her but he turned around and gave her a strange look.
“You can sit with us you know.”
She bit her lip but eventually followed him over. They had set up a few blankets and everyone was settled in. She smiled at Melinda as she sat down. JC was leaning back, his hands behind him to hold him up. Melinda had her head on his chest, her arms curled up between them. Brianna wasn’t surprised that Chris and Joey couldn’t stay still and were running around talking to people. Lance was sitting a little bit away from them talking with some guy Brianna didn’t know. She was shocked when Justin sat down next to her and casually held her hand in his, rubbing in softly as he stared up into the sky. He sighed deeply and stretched his long body out on the grass.
“I didn’t know you were so good,” Justin said.
Brianna was glad he couldn’t see her blush in the dark. “Thanks. You’re pretty awesome yourself.”
“We make a great team.”
“We sure do.”
Justin let go of her hand and scooted closer to her, looking her over appreciatively. Brianna shifted uncomfortably and she was glad when he averted his eyes. He took her hand again and he traced his finger over the lines on her palm. The gesture confused the hell out of her but she just dismissed it as him having some strange obsession with hands. Her eyes squeezed shut as dirty thoughts ran through her mind. He chuckled.
“Are you ok?”
“Oh just peachy keen,” she answered through clenched teeth.
He smiled and gently laid her hand on her leg, making sure his own hand trailed across her thigh as it returned to its owner. They were silent for a long time before Brianna suddenly burst out.
“Why?!” Justin, JC, and Melinda’s heads all shot in her direction. Lance even gave her a sideways glance from where he was sitting.
“What are you talking about?”
“You guys! Why are you hanging out with me?” she screamed. Justin noticed her grammar change again.
“Brianna, are you ok?”
“I’m fine! It’s you all I’m worried about,” she said matter-of-factly. The other three exchanged glances.
“What?” they asked in unison.
Brianna sighed and hung her head. “You all probably think I’m nuts right?” When no one answered she laughed and smiled at them. “I’m sorry, I’m a little paranoid. Especially lately. But yeah, I’m just not used to people being so nice to me when I just knew you all for a few weeks and Justin only a few… hours.” She considered her last statement in her head and it freaked her out even more. “I figured you all would have these groups already, you know? Like ‘we’ve been friends for years, we’re happy the way we are, and we don’t need you’. I know you don’t need me so I was just thinking that… maybe you were just… I don’t know…” She sighed again in frustration.
Justin smiled at her through his confusion and put his hand carefully on hers. She stared at it but didn’t pull away. “I like you Brianna. And I’m not going to tell you that I’m not attracted to you either.” He paused to let his eyes roam over the full length of her body before continuing. “But we’re going to be around you 24/7 for the next two months. Basically, we make friends with everyone fast, we need to and it makes everyone’s job easier when it comes down to getting the work done. I don’t know what it was like on your other tours but here, we’re just…” He looked over at Melinda and JC, “friendly I guess.” He smirked. “And the fact that you can kick everyone’s ass in basketball helps too.”
She smiled. “You should see me in tennis. You’d all be beggin’ for mercy but the time I’d be done with ya’.” They all laughed a little and the uneasiness was lifted. Brianna was still a little embarrassed but at least she now knew that their intentions were good. The fireworks started and she couldn’t help looking over to her new group of friends as the bright colors lit up their faces. Justin’s hand slid across his leg and onto hers. His fingers linked with her own. She was resistant at first but then squeezed back slightly. He smiled at her then turned back to watch the fireworks.
Morning of First Concert
Biloxi, Mississippi
The next two weeks went by quickly for all of them, too quickly. The guys were ready to take the stage and start touring and she could tell they were getting antsy to get on the road again. Their departure had to one of the saddest thing she had ever experienced in her life. She had no idea how they could say goodbye to their family and friends like that all the time. Silently staring out the window on her new bus, she watched them try to look brave in front of everyone. Her family, unfortunately, was thousands of miles away in Chicago.
She was extremely happy with her bus assignment. Her and Melinda were sharing a bus all by themselves because of the odd number of girls. The only other females on the trip were all in makeup and wardrobe and they were all on one bus. They had wanted to split them up evenly on the buses but Melinda had convinced the ‘powers that be’ to let just Brianna and herself use this bus because of their lack of privacy. She said it was all for work purposes so that they could have peace and quiet. And of course, so JC had a place to escape to when the other guys were getting to him.
They arrived in Mississippi but were off schedule so they went straight to the venue while the crew brought their luggage to the hotel. Brianna, Melinda, the guys, and the rest of the crew were at the stadium trying to get everything ready for the concert that night.
Brianna was a little upset that she was missing the guys’ first sound check but there was a security crisis that needed her attention. She walked quickly out of the stadium, writing carefully in her clipboard. She lifted her head sharply when she heard Justin scream. A big heavy set man was holding him by his shirt against the wall.
“Oh… My… God… I knew we had a security problem but this… This is SO not my job…”
Justin smiled when he heard her gasp and he kicked the man lightly in the knee. The man dropped him on his feet and he stumbled a little before he regained his balance. He laughed at Brianna’s shocked face and flipped her hair as he walked by.
“Chill out Bri… He can’t hurt the Hulk!” he screamed back at him.
“Yeah, you just wait curly!”
“Um… Justin?” she asked.
“Hmmm…?”
“Shouldn’t ya be at sound check?”
He glanced at his watch. “Uh oh…”
She smiled. “You better hurry.”
“Thanks!” He ran off.
“Hey Justin!” she called to his retreating form. “Who am I supposed to-“ She groaned when he ran to the stage and out of her site. Turning around, she bumped into a large, hard surface. She looked up at the man staring at her with a smile on his face. “C-Can I he- he- help you?” she stuttered.
His smile widened when he saw the fear on her face. He took a step back to put some distance between them and reached out to shake her hand.
“I’m Rob, I guard boy wonder over there,” he said, nodding to Justin who was now getting scolded by a few people. Brianna looked through the window and couldn’t help but giggle at his innocent face.
“Nice to meet ya Rob.”
“And it’s a pleasure to meet you… Brianna?”
She blushed. “Yeah, sorry. Brianna.”
“Right. Ok, basically security is two men short.”
“And…?”
“And we need to know if we should get two more people or just one. Interviews are already set up down the hall although I just found out. I defiantly have one guard that I knew for a while but we could really use one more than that. The only problem is we won’t know him.”
She thought carefully and when her eyes landed on the five guys goofing around on stage, she nodded slowly. “Yeah… Yeah, I’d be more comfortable with another one around.”
“Alright. Let’s go then.”
“Where?”
“To the interviews.”
“For what?”
He looked at her carefully. “Are you a natural brunette?”
That got her even more confused. “Yeah… But what does that have to do with security?”
He rolled his eyes and gently led her down the hall. “You’re worse than Justin,” he grumbled. She looked longingly back at the stage. “Don’t worry,” he assured. “We’ll be back before the concert starts.”
Two hours later, Rob, Brianna, and Melinda were still sitting in the conference room, staring blankly at one of the people who were being interviewed for one of Nsync’s security team members.
He was maybe all of 5 feet tall, with thick glasses, and probably weighed less than she did. He sniffled and rubbed his nose with a tissue before explaining his ‘experience’ in an extremely annoying and nasally voice.
Brianna groaned after he left the room. “Rob are you trying to bore me to death?” He ran a hand over his face. “This… is… ridiculous…” Melinda giggled and looked over the very small pile of the potential candidate’s pictures.
“Wow, what a choice we have here. I’m sure the guys would be overjoyed in seeing who will be guarding their bodies while thousands of screaming girls are attacking them in the mall.”
Rob smiled. “I can just imagine their faces when we give them their choices.”
“We do have one more person left,” Brianna tried.
“Why bother?”
She shrugged. “Why not?”
“Send him in…” Rob mumbled. A tall, heavy set man with beefy arms and a strong jaw walked in. He looked to be in maybe his early 30’s, maybe even younger and was defiantly built with what they were looking for. Rob’s eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Bingo…”
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