The overwhelming feeling of oncoming tears nearly knocked him over. He'd never felt such an enormous amount of pressure on his shoulders before, and in his 33 years, he most definitely had his share of spotlight, but absolutely nothing felt this intimidating. Staring up at the star-studded night sky as he stood on the shores of Cancun, Mexico, he tried to regain composure. He chewed on his bottom lip and shut his eyes tightly, willing the lump lodged deep in his throat to disappear.

When he opened them again, his eyes were set on two women standing ten feet in front of him. One looked just as fragile as he felt, her wavy locks of hair swaying in the sea breeze, one foot shifting her weight to the other. The other woman stood to her left, back stiff and straight as she smiled brightly. Her hair was swept into a loose bun and her teeth were dazzling white as she stared back at the man in front of her. If the sandy beach were to open up right now and swallow him whole, he would be eternally grateful. But in reality, he had to leap.

This could be romantic, he thought with bitterness as the gentle wind surrounded him and the two women in its carefree, tropical embrace. This was supposed to be romantic. But nothing is going according to plan, as it rarely does. So he fumbled with the small velvet box in his pocket and cleared his throat. 

Spring 2009

JC Chasez was not a scandalous individual. He did not even have a publicist on his payroll like most celebrities.  He didn't need to pay someone to conjure up a story in order to save his ass after blurting a politically incorrect phrase and starting a war of words that he couldn't finish, nor did he need someone to release a statement to "respect his privacy" after a sloppy break-up. No, JC liked keeping his distance from all the hoop-la created by a hungry market for gossip. He'd rather just relax and spend the money he's worked hard for, invest a little bit, and at the end of the day, come home and drink a beer with close friends and family. 

Having been in the 'biz' for over 10 years, JC had long since run the course of determining who his true friends and family were. And because he just about had it all figured out, he had learned to keep himself as elusive as possible when he wasn't busy doing what he loved, which was making good music and promoting projects he really believed in. And in being the elusive-type, he wasn't an easy man to get in touch with.  

In order to get statements from, book a gig with, or even to have him call in a morning radio show for an interview with JC, there were hoops to jump through and holes to crawl out of. It's not because he wanted to be an asshole, but it takes determination to stay out of the public eye.

It's easy to get sucked into meaningless drama. JC couldn't believe how many people were pining for his opinion when someone he had once been in a singing group with had come out of the closet 2 years ago. Why the statements of he and his other band mates for Lance Bass' coming out fiasco were so sought out, will always be beyond JC's understanding. But it was one of the reasons he valued the privacy he was allotted the majority of the time. 

So imagine his surprise when JC came home to a less than desirable offer made by his girlfriend of one year. He had been minding his business, coming home after taping the premiere episode of America's Best Dance Crew, and in the middle of his oven-roasted turkey sub, Liz Sharp sucker-punched him with his worst nightmare. 

"Liz, please tell me you're kidding!" An incredulous look appeared on JC's face as he lowered his hand that held his sandwich. A simple sandwich from the Subway that was built right inside the neighborhood of his simple suburban community that he ordered about three times a week. When Liz didn't crack a smile to indicate she was just playing a cruel joke, he threw his sandwich on his plate and rose from his seat at the kitchen table. "You've got to be kidding me.  A reality show? About finding love?  No, way Liz, that's the last thing I need."  

"Jace, listen, please," Liz pleaded with JC as he broke into a brisk walk out of the kitchen and into the living room.  She caught up in time to see him furiously grab the remote to his enormous flat screen and punch the mute button. "It's just an idea me and the team were throwing around...” 

JC waved his arms around in frenzy as if he were signaling for help, interrupting her. "First of all, it's not going to happen. Second, why would you, my girlfriend, want me to star in a show where a dozen women compete for my 'love'?" He used angry quotations as if his red face wasn't proof enough of how unhappy he was with Liz. To anyone looking in from the outside, JC is sure they would've thought he was over-reacting. But to him, the very thought of privacy invasion of the first degree like starring in a reality TV show catapulted him directly into a state of panic. "Liz, just drop it okay? Stop throwing this idea around with your team or even that pretty little head of yours."  

Liz wasn't about to give up that easy. She put both of her palms onto JC's shoulders and pushed him down onto the black leather couch. "Listen Jace—it’s simple. We put you in a big mansion surrounded by at least 15 girls, most of them professional actresses, and at the end you get a free trip to some place exotic and bam, it's over! You've seen the shows before!"  

"Yeah," JC rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "I've seen those shows. Shows about finding love featuring washed-up musicians or annoying old actors. Those shows are dimes a dozen and so are the lames who want to star in them, Liz. Go ask one of them."

He tried to get up but Liz quickly straddled him, determined to make him see her point. "I'm not calling you washed-up.  I'm not even saying you're in desperate need of exposure. I mean come on, you're freaking JC Chasez!" Her round and youthful eyes searched JC's own bright pair of blues for some sign of agreement. "You’re a talented and extremely handsome man; you’re a catch. I'm just saying that this is an opportunity to yes, promote you, but also to finally put my career in motion!"  She bit her lip and back-tracked. "I don't mean to make it seem like I'm using you..."  

"But aren't you?" JC demanded, unable to meet her gaze.  

"Well in a way, yes," Liz said quietly, and then quickly added, "But it's only because this is a chance for me to do what I've always wanted--produce my own show." She grew impatient when JC finally looked at her like she'd grown another head. "Baby, this is my dream!"  

JC rolled his eyes and lightly pushed his girlfriend's petite body off of him as he stood to pace. "Liz, it's not my thing. The idea of over a dozen women kissing on me may sound nice in prospect, but you've seen those types of shows right? They scream 'washed-up and desperate for exposure'. Everyone who participates in those things are just complete train wrecks!" He ran an exasperated hand through his jet black waves of hair before switching gears. "And again, what the hell are you thinking? You're my girlfriend! Why would you want messy chicks groping on me in front of a camera every day?"  

It was Liz's turn to roll her eyes. "Baby, I'm not some sick pervert, okay?" she said, lifting herself off of the couch.  She felt him watching her as she started to pace, her hands wringing together as she tried to put her idea into a more desirable presentation. "I'll be the producer and I won't let the situation get out of hand." She idly twirled her blonde hair, a nervous habit as JC has come to recognize, and continued to push. "And we love each other, and I'm completely comfortable enough to look the other way when..."  

JC cut her off again at the thought of her 'looking the other way'.  "Liz…no, okay? Just forget it! It's disgusting and it goes against everything I stand for."  

Liz let a whine escape her perky pink lips and clamped her palms together in a begging manner. "Jace, please, everything is scripted! Seriously, I don't expect you to go and sleep with the contestants, but this is my first big shot at producing a show with a major cable network. Yes reality TV is trashy and especially reality shows of this nature. Yes, I am even a little disgusted with myself for having even brought this up to you. But you know, the VH1 team is letting me call all of the shots, scripting, casting, and producing. But only..."  

"Only if I do it," JC mumbled. He had made his way back to the kitchen and he leaned against the marble bar top to balance himself.  "Why me? God, Liz, this is the last thing I need."  He turned and faced his beautiful girlfriend in front of him. Half of him was confused, hurt even, at the fact that the woman he has loved for almost 2 years was willing to throw him into a pack of wild fame-seeking women for a shot at finding "love" with the pop star that is JC Chasez.  The other half of him was pissed and insulted.  He couldn't help but feel like a slab of meat on the chopping block just to help his girlfriend get ahead in the television business. But as Liz sulked on her way back to the living room and looked sadly at the muted pictures that flashed on the TV, he felt a tug of guilt.  She's been in the rat race for years now, just trying to make a name for herself in the business as a capable producer in Hollywood. JC had seen Liz dragged through the mud and resort to getting fast food and walking the dogs of script editors like an unpaid intern just for the hope of getting noticed, all to no avail.  

He knew that if she couldn't produce the pop star that VH1 wanted for their newest reality show, another chance to make it wouldn't come around anytime soon. That's the hardest part about success in this business, JC thought as he trudged his way back to Liz, joining her on the couch. It's hard to know which doors of opportunity to open and when you should just leave some closed. Placing one hand on her thigh he exhaled loudly. He also knew that it probably wasn't very easy for her to just provide her boyfriend for the taking. Wincing, he asked, "Everyone gets an STD test, right?"  

"JC!" Liz screeched in excitement, straddling him again and covering his face and neck with kisses. "Baby, I love you so much! I swear, I owe you big time!"

"No," JC corrected her. "You owe me huge." He pushed her gently to the side and stood in front of her. "And you must run everything by me first, I mean it. I want the last word on everything." He watched as she nodded her head quickly, agreeing to his demands. He paused for a moment before asking why VH1 wanted him in the first place.  

"Well, they didn't exactly ask for you," Liz started, chewing on her bottom lip as JC eyed her suspiciously. "But when I mentioned you, they were all for it."  

"I can't believe you sacrificed me to them."  Liz stood up and made a puppy-dog face, embracing JC. "Believe me, Jace. If I had access to any other sexy and eligible bachelor, I would've mentioned them first. But I just know you, and I feel like we can really make this work. It's a script to follow. You just have to bust out those acting chops and when we wrap up shooting at the end of three months, we'll take full advantage of that exotic getaway, just you and me." She ran her hands up JC's hard chest, around his shoulders and finally linked her fingers around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. "It'll be fun."  She lingered at his lips for another moment as she felt his body ease up and give into her kiss. "You know I'm going to be banking it when we started getting sponsored. God, this is going to be it."  

"I can't believe I'm doing this," JC said quietly into his girlfriend's neck as he hugged her back. "My mom's going to kill me."   

Ella Lopez quietly unlocked the front door to her mom's house and whistled for her apple head Chihuahua Max to greet her. Ella's eyes widened in mock excitement as Max did an entire body shake and appeared in front of his master. "My baby!" It never got old coming home to her dog when he acted everyday as though they'd been apart for years. He wagged his chocolate brown tail and jumped up and down a dozen times every time Ella walked through the door after work, and who would get tired of having someone to come home to that was just as happy to see you as the day before? Lifting Max off the floor and covering him in kisses, Ella found herself extremely relieved to be home for about a full minute before putting him down and allowing reality to sink in. She'd lost her job.

"Hola, mi hija," Ella's mother trudged into the kitchen where Ella was sifting through the mail on the counter. She lifted her hand slowly to mess with the rollers in her salt-and-pepper hair.  "Why are you home so early? I thought your shift didn't end until two in the morning?"

"I'm done, mom," Ella replied softly, hoping not to have this conversation with her mother again. She sighed and quickly glanced at her mother's confused face before kissing her cheek and retrieving Max. "I'm going to bed, love you." She retreated to her room before her mom could say another word and made a mental note to apologize to her for being short in the morning.

Making her way to the private bathroom adjacent to her bedroom to brush her teeth, Ella couldn't help but feel low. Not only because she'd lost her job waitressing at the restaurant tonight, but because that was the second job this month she'd been let go from. She pulled her wavy caramel-colored locks of hair into a loose bun at the nape of her neck and stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Ella had become her own worst nightmare; the 23 year-old college drop out with a history of job-hopping and lack of commitment. But she'd already given herself enough shit for the night, so she rolled her light hazel eyes and shut off the light. Max had already found a spot of comfort at the foot of Ella's bed as she settled under her covers and switched on her television, hoping a little trashy reality TV would numb her brain to sleep.

After a few minutes of channel surfing, her eyes were as heavy as her thoughts. She needed a new game plan that would get her out of California once and for all. And in the morning, she'd begin working on said plan.

The advertisement was already half-way through when Ella switched the channel to VH1. "So if you're 21 years old and up, visit VH1.com for more information to compete for the love of JC Chasez!" The excited male voice on the commercial did nothing to excite Ella, so she turned off the television and brought Max to her chest, her eyes settling in the dark. Her brain struggled to put a face to the familiar name JC Chasez but she soon succumbed to sleep, abandoning all thoughts of another washed-up pop star with a reality show.  

When JC was eight years-old, a pudgy girl from Mrs. Turner's second grade classroom gave him two choices.

“You can kiss me on my lips, or you can kiss me on my hand,” she said, promptly hiding her hands behind her baby blue corduroy pants. Little JC watched in horror as Cindy LaRue puckered her lips so tightly that the fine skin around her mouth turned pale white.

Being eight years-old meant that he didn’t have to try to be polite or be mindful of Cindy’s feelings. He shuddered and exclaimed, “No!” before kicking her right in the gut and booking it to the monkey bars. Kissing Cindy anywhere would be the very last thing he needed or wanted—at eight years-old, anyway. 

Now in his 30's, JC Chasez was pretty mindful of other people's feelings. He had learned to smile and ask for seconds after Liz spent hours in the kitchen preparing a disaster for dinner, and he had learned to encourage her in her career aspirations, no matter how cut-throat and demeaning he felt her job was. Now as he drank his Sprite and watched his good friend and former band mate Justin Timberlake draw a pros-and-cons list on a whiteboard in front of him, JC couldn't help but think maybe he'd just agreed to doing a reality TV show for Liz's benefit because he was trying to be mindful of her feelings. He couldn't decide whether or not to go through with his agreement with his girlfriend, and that's why Justin was there.

"Okay," Justin mumbled, studying his chicken scratch and twisted the cap back on his dry erase marker. "We've been over this for about 2 hours, and there's still more pros then cons."

"Boobs isn't a pro," JC argued then back-tracked when Justin gave him a sideways glance. "Well, of course boobs are nice, Justin, but you can't just write the word 'boobs' under pro. I need substance. I don't think I can go through with this if I don't have at least a little bit of dignity in my reasoning for agreeing to this."

Justin slapped his open palm over the first word under his 'pro' list and rubbed out 'boobs' while sighing loudly. "Are you sure they want you for this show? You've got to be the most boring person on earth." He grabbed a handful of chips on the coffee table and collapsed on the couch next to JC.

"That's what I'm saying!" JC jumped up and threw his hands in the air before letting them rest on his hips. He paced, clearly in agony that he was stuck between two very hard places. Grabbing a handful of chips and shoving them into his mouth, he inwardly read the whiteboard again.

Pros: Making out (and maybe more) with a dozen women, having chicks adore me, living stress-free in a mansion for three months, 24-hour booze cruise, exposure.

Cons: Some girls will be crazy, possibility for some sort of liver failure or STD, possible jealous GF, unwanted exposure.

Turning around to face his friend, JC swallowed hard. "Would you do it?"

"Hmm," Justin hummed and paused for a moment. "Now? No. I wouldn't do it. But I guess in a few years if I was a little hard up for work or a girlfriend, sure."

JC's eyes widened and he knew he'd asked the wrong guy for input. "I'm not hard up for work or a girlfriend—I’ve got both."

"True," Justin offered before adding, "but can't I live vicariously through you? Please do it, Jace. Please?"

"How am I going to tell Liz that I've changed my mind?" JC's palms began to get sweaty and he gulped down some more Sprite. "Sure, it could be fun for awhile but I can't shake the feeling that I'll just be thought of as a huge joke if I go through with this, J. I can't do it." 

"Since when do you care what other people think?" Justin asked.

"I don't," JC insisted. "But come on, when you watch these shows, what's the first thing you think?"

"How jealous I am of the guy who gets a different piece every night."

JC let a laugh escape and rolled his eyes. "This coming from the guy who actually does get a different piece every night—whether or not he has a girlfriend." Justin raised his glass of soda as if he were making a toast in acknowledgement of the accusation, and let JC continue. "I am not going to lie, okay -- it's definitely appealing. But I really care about Liz and it's a little weird she's encouraging me to actually cheat on her."

"Eh," Justin put his glass down and stopped JC. "Would you really classify it as cheating if she's telling you to do it? I bet it's a sick fantasy of hers."

"It's totally not like that."

"Why can't there be more Liz's in this city?" Justin thought aloud, ignoring JC. He rose from his chair and turned his confused comrade to face the whiteboard he had set up in the living room. "Come on, dude. It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There's always going to be critics, okay? Whether you do a reality show or not, people are going to think of you what they will, but your friends know you."

"You're going to make me cry."

"Shut up." Justin slapped JC's back and sat back down on the couch. "So are you going to do it or not?"

JC crossed his arms and sighed, studying the pros and cons before him.

Ella applied fresh gloss, using the rear-view mirror to make sure the rest of her make up was still in tact. She honked the horn two more times before her best friend Jennifer finally walked out of her front door and appeared on her porch. Rolling down the window of her old Ford Taurus, Ella groaned loudly. "Bitch, hurry up."

"Oh, you look nice," Jennifer complimented her friend of twelve years as she slid into the passenger seat. "I didn't think you were going to audition, too."

"I'm not," Ella said flatly. "I have an interview after this."

"Ah, I see," Jennifer primped her hair with her hands then dug in her purse for a cigarette. "Roll down the windows, please; I want to smoke."

"Don't smoke in here--I hate the way the stink lingers after you get out."

"My, my," Jennifer dropped her bag on the floor of the car and crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you interviewing for a parole officer position today, Miss Lopez?" She straightened her cleavage that her black dress with white flower print accentuated.

"Sorry," Ella rolled down Jennifer's window using the automatic switch on her door. "I'm just in a horrible mood having to drive to my fifth interview this week. Lame. Give me one of those." She took a Camel from Jennifer's pack and waited for her to light it. 

"Well, you should skip the interview and come with me to this open cast call," Jennifer shrugged, lighting Ella's cigarette and then her own. She smirked as Ella coughed and sputtered after one drag. "Thought you quit?"

"I've never quit anything in my life," Ella smiled and continued to inhale as she drove down the interstate that would lead to Jennifer's casting event. She had woken up this morning in a foul mood after realizing she would be using the last couple gallons of gas she had left in her car to drive all the way across town for a job she wasn't exactly hyped up about, but what choice did she have? It was a full-time job looking for an actual job. She sighed and quickly glanced over at Jennifer as she continued to primp herself for another audition for a chance to be on TV. It wasn't exactly out of the ordinary for girls their age who lived in L.A. with rocking bodies (Jennifer was perfect in Ella's opinion) to try and flaunt it for a little taste of fame. And that was Jennifer's job--strutting. "So what exactly are you auditioning for?"

"Well," Jennifer tossed the finished cigarette out the open window and fished in her purse again for a mint. "It's a reality show."

Ella threw her head back and laughed. "Another one?"

"Yeah, but I won't have to shit in a hole in the forest for this one," Jennifer said, joining in on Ella's melodious laugh. "It's a competition for the love of JC Chasez."

Ella snorted. "I saw the ad for that one the other night." She signaled then merged to the right when she saw her exit coming up. "He's from 'NSYNC, huh? Yeah, sorry Jenn, but he came out of the closet a couple of years ago."

"Uh," Jenn pointed in the air with her index finger. "That was Lance Bass. Get it straight." She smiled and rolled up her window so she could turn on the AC. "Anyway, I don't care. I'm just going for the booze and on a prayer that Justin Timberlake will show up."

"Wow," Ella giggled and took the Main Street exit off the highway. "Now that's a reality show I'd sign up for. Competing for the love of Justin Timberlake—the relevant one from that old boy band."

"Hey, now," Jenn interrupted. "I seem to remember a certain 15 year-old girl practicing her married name all over her book covers in high school." She cupped her chin in her hand in mock concentration as Ella acted coy. "Mrs. Ella Chasez, was it?"

"I'm not saying he wasn't the hottest one," Ella defended herself. "I'm just saying what has he done since the band? Nothing as successful as Justin Timberlake, that's for sure." The girls continued to laugh as Ella came to a stop in the parking lot of the event arena in the downtown neighborhood of the city she's lived in her entire life. Los Angeles had definitely lost it's magic, and although she slightly judged all the women for having hopes as high as marrying a celebrity, she couldn't blame them for wanting a change.

She looked around at all the women hurrying from their cars and down the path to an entrance where she was sure the line was around the entire building when suddenly she pressed the gas and began to search the parking lot for an open space.

"Uh," Jenn leaned back in her seat, startled by Ella's sudden change of pace. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to park my car, and then I'm going to audition with you."

"Really?" Jenn clapped her hands together. "Do you know how awesome it would be to live in the same house together?" She took out two cigarettes from the Camel pack as Ella finally found a spot and parked the car. She handed one to her friend. "Here. Oh, Christ--I'm so excited!" After the two women got out and lit their cigarettes, Jenn studied Ella's square face framed delicately by her caramel-colored waves of hair that suddenly turned serious. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ella insisted, but she had begun to tremble from a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "I just really don't want to go to that interview today. I'm tired of waitressing because with that's all I seem to be qualified for. I'm tired of being let go for my lack of commitment and I'm tired of disappointing my mom and my family because I can't just stay put and keep a damn job." She threw the cigarette butt to the ground and stomped on it with her strappy sandal. "I just want something different. If I make it in there," she pointed at the arena, "I might have a chance at getting out of here."

Jenn nodded and took Ella's hand. "There's a really big chance neither of us is going to get picked. I've been to these things before, and there are no limits to what some of the women will do for a shot. But I don't see the harm in trying. If this is what you want to do, you should go for it."

"Why not?" Ella shrugged and followed Jenn to the entrance, not even slightly convinced that she would have a shot at trying to compete for the love of JC Chasez. 

It seemed as though they had been in that boardroom all day before Liz finally presented JC and two representatives from the network with a DVD that was going to make or break her. JC watched as his girlfriend trembled visibly beside him, opening and closing the case of the video as Liz's co-producer Mike wrapped up his presentation.  

"And now Liz Sharp from our production firm, the mastermind behind 'The Perfect Duet', is going to take the floor."

Just hearing the freshly baked name of JC's new reality show made his eyes roll so hard he was giving himself a headache. 'The Perfect Duet with JC Chasez' was Liz's idea. He thought it was extremely cheesy, but it was the only title he was able to stomach after hours of brainstorming names for his show. He was grateful that Liz stayed true to her word and welcomed all of JC's input. Knowing he was at least in control of some part of this circus gave JC a small sense of power that he needed in order to go through with this. He rubbed Liz's back and gave her a small encouraging smile.

She smiled back and cleared her throat before rising from her seat. "Thanks, Mike." Liz's green eyes swept the room and she lifted the same DVD she had been fidgeting with for an hour into the air. "On this DVD, I have the 15 women who we've narrowed down to bring onto the show. We've conducted background checks and health check-ups as well as standard STD testing for the safety of our star and the contestants, and of course for legal purposes." She loaded the disc onto the PC and turned the large computer monitor to face towards her audience.

For the next 20 minutes, JC watched as girl after girl appeared on the screen, answering the same array of questions: 'Why do you want to meet JC Chasez?' 'Have you ever been on TV before?' 'What makes you unique?'  He had to admit that the situation was finally taking a turn into interesting territory. Almost every girl had worn their skimpiest outfit, and while one or two had no business wearing halter tops and cut-off shorts, JC heard himself laughing along with the reps from the network and even Mike and Liz.

A girl named Tonya brought her guitar and answered nearly every question in a singing voice, which JC hoped she wouldn't continue to do when he met her. Then a girl named Sandra did an interpretive dance to a beat JC didn't recognize when she was asked what made her unique.

When the tape was finally done, JC watched Liz and Mike iron out some last minute details before getting the green light from the VH1 reps. Liz clapped her hands together and told JC to stand up while everyone joined in, celebrating the new project that had finally come together. JC smiled and nodded approvingly at his girlfriend as she mouthed 'thank you' about ten times in a row. 

Ella apologized to Jenn about three times a minute on the drive home.

"Jenn, you know this wasn't--"

"Yeah," Jenn waved her manicured fingers in the air dismissively and continued to stare out the window. "I know you didn't do anything on purpose. And I'm not mad at you, so shut up about it already."

Ella wanted to press the matter more but she figured she was only making things worse. She felt as low as dirt for having gotten the gig Jenn had been looking forward to. But if she was only feeling half guilty, the other half Ella felt was complete and utter shock. How had she gotten past those hundreds of women, including someone as gorgeous as her best friend, and landed a spot on a reality show? Could she actually go through with it? Ella was driving mindlessly and was somewhat startled when she heard Jenn open her door quickly as she came to a stop in her driveway. "Jenn..."

"Look," Jenn interrupted and finally looked Ella in the eye for the first time in what seemed like hours. "Please, just stop apologizing. I don't blame you for anything. Whatever, this isn't my first rejection. Just call me later okay?"

"Jenn," Ella said before the passenger door slammed in her face and stopped her short. She didn't follow Jenn as she took the steps two at a time up to her front door of her apartment then slide inside, leaving Ella completely alone. "Wow." She shifted into reverse and started slowly toward her house, just a few blocks away. When she parked in her own garage, she didn't make a move to turn off the engine. She glanced at the backseat where she had laid a huge manila folder filled with preliminary paperwork, waivers to for background checks and tests, and finally a packet of numbers and schedules for the next two months before shooting began. It was like she had found a job. In fact, the people who auditioned her made it clear that this was a job. Ella rested her forehead against her steering wheel and exhaled loudly. "What the fuck am I doing?"

It took about 2 hours to cook the steaks to perfection. JC preferred rare, but he knew Liz hated the sight of the bloody juices gushing from the sizzling meat on his plate. So he cooked both strips well done. He walked around his kitchen, taking four bottles from his wine cabinet so he could taste test and determine which bottle fit the mood for the night. He couldn't keep himself still. Tonight was the last night he and Liz would be alone before shooting began for 'The Perfect Duet', and JC would be lying if he said he wasn't having doubts still.  He had finally talked himself into the fact that he might even have some fun during the show, but his main concern was losing Liz. 

After he buttered the rolls and placed them in the oven, he set his timer on the counter for 10 minutes. He finally took a deep breath and leaned against the kitchen sink. Tonight was going to be the night he had to ask Liz where this relationship was going. The past few months had not been a walk in the park. They were fighting more, spending less time together, all for the sake of the show and the fact that Liz was the mastermind behind everything, she was completely unavailable. 

Before she had presented the project to him, JC had been ready to ask Liz to move in with him. Now he felt like they were back at square one in the dating game. Phone tag wasn't fun in high school, and it isn't fun now either. He knew he was still in love with Liz, but he needed to know where they stood going into production for the show. It was important to him that his relationship would last.

Outside the sun was gently setting into the horizon and although the air was still thick with heat, with the sun no longer glaring on the surface of the earth, the gentle breeze gave the atmosphere a freshness that JC could appreciate.  He had just completed setting the table on the back porch when he heard Liz's heels clicking against his marble floor. "Out here, baby," he called then lit the last candle. He caught the flash of Liz's platinum blonde hair as she stopped in the door way and let out a low gasp.  He grinned and looked up. "You like?"

"I love!" Liz exclaimed, her hands going straight for her chest. "Honey, you're the best." She hurried over to the table and let her hands run through JC's hair as he embraced her. "What's the occasion?" She sat in her seat when JC pulled out her chair and placed her purse on the floor near her feet.

"Just that it's our last night together before we begin shooting," JC shrugged then took his place in the chair across from his girlfriend. "I don't foresee very many times to be alone in the next few months." He poured him and Liz some more wine before setting the bottle of Merlot back down on the white linen tablecloth. "How's your steak, baby?"

"Delicious," Liz purred and bit down on more of her food before smiling at JC.

He was taken aback by her gorgeous smile, that was for sure. JC was completely enamored with Liz, almost to a fault. With her contagious laughter and perfect physique, she'd always been capable of getting JC to bend toward her will with a bat of an eyelash or flick of her wrist. But Liz was never deceitful; in fact, JC figured it was all to better him. And all he wanted was to please her because she was always doing things for him, too. 

But tonight, something was missing. He felt as though Liz wasn't one hundred percent there at the romantic dinner set-up he had constructed on his back patio for them. There were soft, twinkling lights pinned up against the brick walls and candles that gave the atmosphere a special something. As their conversation grew dull and the insects began to buzz around the food, JC suddenly felt dumb as he remembered all the effort he put into making his patio look like a stupid chick flick. Liz was distracted on the final night they had alone together before the crazy schedule that 'The Perfect Duet' demanded. JC frowned when her phone rang from within her purse and she began to fidget in her seat. That fucking phone has been ringing non-stop for the last two months. 

"Why don't you answer your phone, and I'm gonna take a walk."

"What?" Liz lowered her fork and nervously glanced at JC. "What do you mean 'take a walk'?"

JC wiped his mouth with his napkin and bit back a smart-ass remark that he knew would get him into more trouble than he was willing to deal with tonight. "I hope you enjoyed your food, hun. Go inside and relax, I'm gonna walk and be back in an hour, tops. I promise." He kissed Liz on her cheek and turned his back before she could protest. Soon he was out of his front door and heading towards the trail made specifically in his neighborhood for joggers and bikers inside a small wooded area. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the first person who came to mind.

"Yep?" Justin answered his phone after JC was expecting the voicemail to pick up.

"Hey."

"Heeeey."

"I leave tomorrow to start shooting."

"Yeah," Justin smiled and turned down his TV. He was spread out on his couch and doing one of his favorite things: nothing. "So are you all ready? Did you pack your toothbrush and clean undies?"

"Yeah," JC laughed and broke a small twig from a tree branch that was in his way. "Honestly, though, J...I'm not sure this is such a..."

"Here we go..."

JC clicked his tongue in annoyance and continued. "I don't think Liz and I are going to make it."

"You haven't done anything yet," Justin argued.

"It's not so much as the other women," JC said. He looked over his shoulder and saw a biker riding behind him, leaning into his bike and narrowly missing JC on the path. "It's the fact she's let this whole thing just go to her head and we haven't even begun to shoot." He summarized Liz's whacky behavior over the past couple months for Justin in more detail, explaining how she was hardly ever home and she'd constantly bail on him for last minute meetings with VH1 or her production team. She even went back on her word to include JC in everything as she very recently let go of some girls that had landed spots on the show and brought in some wild cards to, in her words, "keep it interesting" for JC. They had more fights and less quality time together and there'd been times where JC was ready to walk away from the show and his relationship.

But Liz was a force that kept pulling him back, in regards to business and pleasure. Since the night he met her, Elizabeth Sharp was a blonde bombshell, with big round eyes that could blink JC into a frenzy. She could be the one, he had convinced himself very early on in the relationship. But, they were the model couple of opposite attraction; she was a firecracker that was happy to be center-of-attention and constantly on the move, while JC was a self-proclaimed homebody who appreciated spotlight for what it was since he'd had so much of it, but preferred not to stay in it for too long. When Liz had relayed information about her career aspirations to JC, there was definitely a red flag. Fresh out of college, Hollywood-hungry, hot-shot wannabe's were dangerous.

"Hey," Justin said suddenly. "Is it true that Joey's going to make an appearance on the show?"

JC smirked at Justin's tone of voice. "Yes. Why, are you jealous?"

"A little," Justin admitted. "I told Liz I'd free my schedule because I want to be there for you, man."

"Yeah, you want to be there for me alright...to test out the girls, huh?"

"Anything for my B.F.F."

"Ha!" JC began to walk back to his house, suddenly feeling a little better and even optimistic. Joey Fatone, another former band mate and dear friend of JC's, was on board for a two-episode appearance later in the season. "I can't believe I'm gonna do it. I'm actually kind of excited."

"Good, and you should be." Justin yawned and stretched. "Fixing to call it a night, buddy. So, like I said, just have fun. And as far as Liz goes...she's the one who signed you up. I say make the best of the situation and grab some tits while you can."

"Thanks, I think." JC said his goodbyes to Justin then hung the phone up just as he reached his front porch. He was still wearing his black slacks and black, button-down shirt but had rolled up the sleeves since the new summer air was definitely taking it's heated toll in California. He locked his door behind him and walked to the back patio to see if all the candles had been blown out.  He locked up the house and put on the alarm, suddenly feeling fatigued as he walked slowly up the stairs. JC knew he had to have that heart-to-heart with Liz before they made their way to his home for the next couple months. He didn't want to lose her, but he definitely needed to know where they stood. Finally making it to the top of the staircase, JC was met with the scent of newly lit lavender candles and heard the clinking of a wine bottle touching a glass. Turning the corner and entering his bedroom, he was met by quite a sight.

"Hey," Liz said, smiling softly. She stood at the foot of JC's bed, wearing only black stilettos and her black, lacey bra. Her blonde hair fell gracefully over her eyes and flowed down her shoulders where the length of her waves met the top of her breasts. "I've missed you." She poured the last of the Merlot into a glass and walked over to JC, meeting him at the doorway he stood frozen in. "Now, fuck me."

JC whistled and felt his erection press against his slacks that were quickly removed by Liz before he could protest, as if he were protesting at all. Soon, he cupped Liz's firm rear, pressed her exposed body to his and began to kiss her deeply. Out of breath and hungry for more, he carried her to the bed, forgetting all the pros and cons of their relationship, the show, or anything else that didn't matter. All that mattered was pleasing his girlfriend, and that was enough for him.

Ella frowned as she stood over her giant red suitcase and internally skimmed down her mental checklist. This was probably the fiftieth time in her 23 years on earth that she'd ever packed up and moved somewhere. Packing had almost become an art to her, a way of life. But tonight she was unsure. In her case, there were enough clothes to last several lifetimes, and all her cosmetics were tucked safely in the front zipper compartment of the bag. "What the hell am I missing?"

As if he were replying, Ella's dog Max entered her bedroom and let out a low whine. "Aw," Ella cooed as she turned and bent over to retrieve the chocolate-colored pup. "You can't come with me, baby, remember? Mama's just going away for a little while to make us some money. Will you ever forgive me?" Max pondered the thought then licked Ella's mouth, causing her to cringe and laugh. "I will miss you. But you're going to have a great time with Grandma." She set down her furry companion and caught sight of her cell phone that sat on top of her nightstand springing to life. The vibration caused the phone to fall to the floor and Ella sighed as she picked it up and pressed 'talk'.  "Hello?"

"You busy?"

Ella's eyes widened. "Jenn?"

"Hey," Jenn said softly.

"Um, hey," Ella mumbled. She looked at Max as he sniffed through her still open suitcase on her bed. After she swatted at him gently, he grabbed a pair of her pink cotton underwear with his teeth, settled into a corner of the bed, and began to nibble. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Jenn sighed. "I don't want this to be awkward, so can we skip the long, drawn-out apologies and go straight to the way it used to be?"

"Hmm," Ella grinned on her end of the line, yanking her underwear away from Max and pointed her finger at him sternly when he growled in protest. "I guess we could do that. But first--where the hell have you been?"

"Oh, here and there," Jenn replied in a sing-song voice. "I'm actually just getting home from a music video shoot." 

"Oh, yeah?" Ella sat on her bed, genuinely interested. She was near tears at the sound of her best friend's voice. Since the day of the audition where Ella won the spot on 'The Perfect Duet', Jenn had completely disappeared, never replying to Ella's e-mails or texts and never returning calls. When she drove by Jenn's apartment, it was always dark and uninviting. She was more than willing to just forget their spat and catch up on everything they'd missed.

"Yeah," Jenn replied. "Don't laugh, but I was just an extra in a Jonas Brothers video." She rolled her eyes when Ella laughed anyway. "I played a very excited fan. It was cool, they made me look like I was fifteen." After a few more moments of laughing and joking, Jenn informed Ella that she'd auditioned for a very small part in an upcoming indie flick and that if she got it, she'd only be within blocks of the mansion Ella would be living in while filming her show. "So, when do you leave? I was afraid I'd miss you before you left."

"Tomorrow actually," Ella sighed into her cell phone. She stared at Max as he slept peacefully on top of the pile of clothes in her open suitcase and felt a sudden tug of sadness. "Hey, why don't you come over? I need help packing."

"I’ll call a cab and be there in fifteen."

Liz rolled away from JC and let the sheets around her apply cool pressure to her hot and perspiring body. She sighed and smiled in content, her gaze lingering on her boyfriend's naked body next to her. "Baby, that was amazing," she said breathlessly.

JC hummed in agreement and he let his wondering hands rub the curves of Liz's side. "I'm going to miss this." Making love to his girlfriend was still electrifying to JC. She took control, and he liked that--a lot. As he watched her slip in and out of a sex-induced sleep, he thought about all the other women he'd be introduced to in the next couple days. Was he going to sleep with any of them? Was it even up to him anymore?

In meetings with production, they'd adamantly expressed that JC would need to inform them first before any trysts were to occur.  His girlfriend was calling the shots now. They'd been over it before--she directed JC to keep an open mind just like a natural bachelor, and promote a level of freedom that the single life provided. Invoke the persona that the audience was ready to watch. He could kiss the girls or cop a feel here and there. While that seemed like any guy's dream, JC couldn't help but feel that behaving in such a manner would blow up in his face.

However, JC was a guy. And deep down inside, like Justin said, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity being presented to him. He was only human. JC watched Liz breathe deeply, finally asleep, and then he wasn't sure he was ready to be what the audience wanted. He sighed and rolled over, facing a bare wall in his bedroom as he tried to situate his thoughts.

He remembered who he was before Liz came along. He was the natural bachelor; he had little regard for the women he'd run through every weekend (and sometimes very successful weekdays) because he was always looking for the next best thing. Then he thought he found it with Liz. But now that all of this was happening, he wasn't so sure.  JC's last thought after awhile of reminiscing about the good ol' days was the last thing he felt he needed--finding true love with someone that wasn't Liz.

Ella was a sobbing mess by the time she had let go of Max and kissed her mom goodbye. She hopped in her car and nearly peeled out her already balding tires as she pulled onto the neighborhood streets, heading for Jenn’s apartment. She took in all the familiar stores and streets and mentally scolded herself for acting so dramatic. She was literally going 45 minutes away to Malibu. It was like a mini-vacation. Ella had finally gotten it together before she saw Jenn jog down the stairs and to the car, then she lost it again.

“G’morning, doll,” Jenn opened the door and cheerfully greeted her crying friend. When she heard the sobs escape Ella, her cheery grin went away and she slid into the passenger seat, immediately taking Ella’s shaking hands into her own. “What is wrong?”

“I’m so nervous!” Ella choked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Damnit! And I’m fucking up my make-up.” She pulled down the visor and looked in the mirror, then let out another sob. “I look like shit!”

“Geez,” Jenn pulled out some Kleenex from her purse and began to dab at Ella’s face. “Pull it together, sister. This is not cute.”  After another minute of letting her cry it out, Jenn patted Ella’s knee. “Okay, what’s wrong with you? You were excited last night, you know? Ready for a change and such. What happened?”

“Nothing,” Ella insisted and took a deep breath.  “Well, it started off as just a small, nervous feeling in my gut. But then everything just went wrong. My blow dryer short-circuited so I had to use my mom’s busted one, then my outfit didn’t seem to fit me right, and so on.” She gazed down to her skinny-jeans that made her gasp for breath when she sat down, so she had to unbutton them. The silk, purple top that hugged her flattered her curves had a deodorant stain and she spilled hot sauce on it this morning when trying to cook herself breakfast. Her hair was straight but it was doing the frizz thing and Ella flat out felt uncomfortable in her own tanned skin. “And if I don’t take off these heels I’m going to fall and break my ankle.”

“You look amazing,” Jenn assured her, grabbing the tail of Ella’s blouse and began to rub it together with another section of the fabric, making the deodorant stain disappear almost instantly. Ella’s eyes lit up, amazed.  “It’s the oldest trick in the book.”

“Thanks.”

 “And I can’t see where the sauce fell on your shirt, so don’t point it out because only you can tell it’s there.” She strained her neck to see Ella’s shoes and nodded in approval. “Yeah, those shoes are hot. If you fall, baby you’ll look good on the way down.”

Ella grinned and blew her nose again. “I’m still just trying to register why I, an unemployed loser from L.A., was picked to be on TV. When I get there they’ll probably ask me to hold the microphone behind the scenes while all the hot girls get camera time.”  She took a deep breath and shook her head. “Should I really go through with this? What if, by some sense of insanity, the guy shows interest in me? What do I say to him? What can we even talk about? How I used to obsess about him when I was in high school?”

“That reminds me!” Jenn interrupted as she reached into her back jean pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of notebook paper that looked worn and yellowed. “I found this last night when I got home while going through my old yearbook.”  She handed it to Ella and stifled a giggle as she unfolded it and her jaw dropped. “Remember that?”

Ella groaned and felt a blush crawl up her neck as she read the old note dated on January 14th, 2000. It was a long letter to Jenn about the trivial things teenage girls write notes about, but it was signed Ella Chasez.  “Wow.”

“Yeah,” Jenn nodded and laughed. “Wow. You can keep that. Just don’t let JC see it.”  After another fit of laughter, Jenn cleared her throat and became serious. “Look, all these shows are pretty much the same. They’ve got everything pretty much scripted, except your real personality. Some people look like complete idiots when we watch them because that’s what they are.” She found Ella’s hand and squeezed it tight. “But that’s not who you are. You’re an awesome friend, someone I can really count on. And yeah, you’ve wondered off your path a time or two, but you’re human. A compassionate, beautiful and intelligent person. A catch. And I think anyone, even a celebrity on a cheesy dating show, can see that about you. Just be Ella.” She smirked and added, “Lopez. Just be Ella Lopez. Not Ella Chasez.”

“Just be me,” Ella smiled and after a moment she shifted the car into drive. “Take it or leave it.”

 7 weeks earlier

Liz Sharp sat at the long wooden table and shuffled some paperwork into a large manila folder labeled 'Day 2'. On her left sat Mike Hopper, her sidekick and co-producer of 'The Pefect Duet' and on her right sat Roger Billups, a talent agent with a mediocre rap sheet of low-budget actors and reality show alumni. They sat in a cramped room with a three-man camera crew perched on stools in the corner. The recording equipment was directly across from the black tarp background beneath the spotlights where the women would answer questions asked by the three executives and were told they were being taped.

"Just a few more, boys," Liz snapped her gum and rubbed the back of her neck to smooth out her taut muscles. It'd been a long day already, and though she was for the most part still excited about the project, she was glad they were wrapping up the auditions. It had by far been the most exhausting part of the production.

She shook her head while remembering some of the crazy bitches that had come in yesterday and today. A man dressed up as a woman. A lady who had brought in her newborn and paused the audition so she could breast feed. Liz had to remind herself that it was illegal to beat the shit out of people, even people like the mother who were willing to leave her baby behind for months to be on a reality show.  It made her think twice about what she was doing sometimes, the kind of position she was putting her boyfriend in. In fact, many would say she was insane for dangling JC Chasez on a string like meat in a lion's den just to make a name for herself. It honestly didn't help her sleep well at night. But Liz Sharp was driven. She craved this. And JC could appreciate that. Or he seemed to. Their mutual understanding was all that mattered to Liz.

"Okay," Mike ran a hand through his bright red hair and rubbed his pale face with both hands. "Well then bring on the next one."

Roger picked up the receiver of their desk phone and advised whoever was on the other line to let in another girl. Picking up a pen, he scratched down a name on the notepad and passed it to Liz. "There's about a handful left outside," he said after hanging up the phone. "We've only got a spot left though, but I'd like to interview them all just to see if I can take any back to the agency."

"Fair enough," Liz nodded and read the name on the notepad aloud. "Ella Lopez?" She rolled back in her leather chair and opened the file cabinet beneath the desk, pulling out a drawer full of manila folders filed away alphabetically. When she couldn't find Ella Lopez's folder with her pre-written application she looked at Roger. "I didn't think we were still taking walk-ins after day one?"

"Me neither," Roger shrugged. He moved to pick up the phone but stopped when the door opened and in walked a young woman who looked as though she couldn't have been a day over 18. "Are you Ella Lopez?"

The girl coughed into her closed fist and nodded, looking terribly uncomfortable and not alone in thinking she might be in the wrong place. "Are these the auditions for the reality show?"

"Yes, honey," Mike smiled warmly. "But did you fill out the paperwork?"

"Yeah," Ella coughed again, the tips of her ears turning bright red. "The lady at the desk outside said I'd just have to fill this application out." She dropped the papers on the desk right in front of Liz without meeting anyone's eyes.

Liz smiled and asked Ella to stand in front of the black tarp. She motioned with her neck to the camera crew who'd taken interest in talking about last week's Raiders game. "Guys, let's get this rolling." They snapped back to the task at hand and one of the camera guys came out and put his hands on Ella's shoulders.

"Stand here," he commanded, rotating her stiff body to turn toward the camera. She nodded nervously and coughed again. Liz had a feeling it was a nervous habit. She took notes as Ella fidgeted and waited to be interviewed. She was a tall thing, probably right under the 6-foot tall mark. Her long, layered hair was dark brown with light blonde highlights that didn't look like they were paid for at a salon. Liz's head cocked to the left as she continued to study this hazel-eyed woman in front of her. She saw Mike and Roger staring at her very flattering curves as the camera man moved her around. If it weren't for the awkward way she wrapped her arms around her slim waist and slouched forward in self-consciousness, Ella would be the likes of a supermodel. This both intrigued and irritated Liz in ways she couldn't put her finger on just yet.

The camera man had finally given up on trying to straighten Ella's posture and returned to the corner where he signaled to Liz that they were rolling. When no one spoke, she turned to Mike and elbowed him in his rib when she saw he was too busy staring at Ella to start the interview. "Hi, Miss Lopez, my name is Liz Sharp. I'm the producer of the show and these are my colleagues Mike Hopper, who's also my co-producer, and Roger Billups of Show Stopper Entertainment, one of L.A.'s most prestigious talent scouting agencies." The three executives looked on as Ella nodded politely and remained silent. Liz had half-expected her start coming out of her shell when she mentioned Roger's talent agency, but she saw nothing.

"So," Roger began. "Have you ever had any acting lessons before, baby?"

"No," Ella shook her head and pondered the thought. "This is a reality show audition, right?"

Liz scoffed loudly.

"I can't act," Ella looked confused.

"And we don't expect you to," Mike smiled as Liz suppressed a yawn.

"So Ella," Mike continued, sensing Liz's sudden hostility. "Tell us about yourself." This girl had no spark. She was gorgeous, but if she wanted a chance, at this point, she'd have to pull a rabbit out of her ass.

The wheels in Ella's head seemed to start turning. She dropped her arms at her side and stood up straighter, looking Mike in the eye. "I'm 23 years-old and I've lived in L.A. my entire life. I'm a waitress sometimes and other times I'm looking for opportunities not to be a waitress. Which...brings me here."

"Would you say you're a drifter?" Mike asked, preparing to write down Ella's answer.

"Yeah," she nodded, smoothing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I get antsy if I stay in one place too long."

"So you're a commitment-phobe?" Liz suggested. She studied Ella's face as a very thin sheet of sweat formed on the young girl's forehead.

"No," Ella protested, her brow furrowed together as she suddenly remembered she was auditioning for a show about falling in love. "Well, when it comes to relationships, no. I just like to keep my life exciting." She realized Liz made her nervous. Her green eyes bore down on Ella in a way that made her feel less then able, and that really didn't sit well with her for some reason.

Roger picked up the opportunity to talk about Ella's love life. "Are you single, honey? A beautiful girl like you? You've gotta be taken." Liz's eyebrow rose. She knew mild flirtation and witty remarks were part of the process to get the girls talking, but she knew Roger was also taking this opportunity to hit on the poor girl.

"Single. Definitely single," Ella smiled for the first time since she walked in the room.

"When was your last meaningful relationship?"

"Oh," Ella calculated in her head. "It had to be about 3 years ago. His name was Ray, and we had been together since our freshman year in high school." Ella watched all three of the interviewers scribble down notes. "We were talking marriage, kids, the whole-nine yards. But after high school and no college offers, Ray had a bad drug habit and got a kick out of shoving me into walls, so that ended. Badly." A sour taste formed in Ella's mouth and swallowed hard; she wasn't sure why she had spilled so much so quickly.

Mike and Roger nodded sympathetically as Liz sat in the middle, stone-faced.

"But I'm past that and I came out a stronger person," Ella continued, trying to ignore Liz's stare. "I came here hoping maybe I could find a love that will fit me. A caring man who understands me and a man who I can see the world with."

"A man with money?" Liz quipped. Not even she could put a finger on why this child rubbed her the wrong way.

"I don't mean I'm a gold digger," Ella protested. Liz could tell she was rubbing Ella the same way. "I just want someone I can be myself with, and I’ve got a lot of living to do."

"Of course," Mike agreed, bumping his toe into Liz's ankle. "Well, as you know, JC is a world-famous entertainer. He has sold millions of records with 'Nsync and still is very active in the music business today. We just want to make sure that, for his safety, the girls we bring in are here for love." 

"I understand," Ella folded her arms across her chest. "And that is why I'm here." In all honesty, Ella wasn't sure why she was there. She felt out of place and her flaws felt magnified under the bright light. Roger, who was studying her like she was the centerfold of a magazine, was beginning to give her the creeps, and she knew Mike was full of shit about the whole love thing. Anyone could see these 'reality shows' were anything but real. And most of all, she was beyond irritated with the uptight beauty queen sitting between the two men in front of her. Liz was looking at Ella like a bug that needed to be exterminated. And months from now, Ella would remember this moment, almost in spite of the total stranger Liz Sharp was to her, as the reason she told the lie that got her the spot on 'The Perfect Duet'. "I'm here for the love of JC Chasez. And I can't wait to prove it to him." 

After a few more minutes of talking about what the show would entail: physical and mental competitions and co-habitating with almost 20 other women as well as JC, the three interviewers asked for a few minutes of privacy to deliberate. Ella excused herself and stepped outside of the room. She found a bare wall to lean against in the empty hallway. She felt light-headed and anxious. To the left were a pair of metal doors and a bright red exit sign above them. Knowing her car was parked only a couple yards away, Ella thought about running. Just like any other situation where she was uncomfortable, she could run away and not look back.

But an image of Liz Sharp appeared in her mind. That woman almost seemed to want to run Ella out of there, making side-remarks about any answers she'd give and rolling her eyes every chance she got. And whenever Mike had mentioned JC, Ella caught the way Liz suddenly became very taught and high-strung, as if mentioning the star of the show plucked her jealousy chord.

So running away would not be an option, Ella decided. She wouldn't let a woman who was nearly a foot shorter than her break her down. Even with her platinum blonde hair and perfectly tanned skin that made her look more like a runner-up for Miss California then a hack-job TV producer. No, she wouldn't intimidate Ella. And just as she had mentally toughened her skin, Ella turned back into jello when Roger stuck his head out of the door and grinned widely. "We're ready for you, girl." She followed him back in with a timid smile, not knowing what to expect when she stepped back under the spotlights.

As Mike gave Ella a standard "welcome aboard" greeting and quickly went through her schedule for the next two months, Liz sunk deeper into her chair. For fifteen minutes she tried to convince Mike that Ella had no character, she was like a lump on a log, but Mike and Roger had their minds made up. Roger babbled on about how her "legs went on for days" and Mike even had the nerve to say that he thought JC would "appreciate how down-to-earth she seems."

"Wow, that seems very insightful," Liz nodded sarcastically. "Being that you're JC's girlfriend and you know what he likes." She rolled her eyes as Mike clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Look," he tried another angle. "All I'm saying is we've got about our share of actresses, our share of bimbos, and our share of trouble-starters in the house. I really think that we can take this girl, our hometown girl, all the way."

"I'm thinking dramatic finish," Roger added, mirroring Mike's enthusiasm. "It's Ella and another girl, Jace chooses the other girl, America is outraged, and bam -- spinoff."

Mike pointed at Roger and gave Liz an incredulous look. "Exactly. She just needs some coaching, and she'll be America's reality sweetheart in no time."

And Liz knew then and there it wasn't just up to her. She had to bend and be flexible for the good of the show. Ella was now joining the cast and would be competing for a chance to win JC's "love".

In moments like this, Liz would reassure herself that it was just a show and that no one was really walking away with her boyfriend at the end of this circus besides her. And Liz was always right.

Day One.

JC opened his front door to see his driver and security guard Ace standing on his porch. "Hey, guys," he greeted them with a yawn. "Sorry about that."

"I feel your pain," Ace laughed and shook JC's hand. "This is Jerry, the driver."

"Hello, Mr. JC," Jerry said with a thick Spanish accent. "Your bags?"

"Hey, man," JC smiled gratefully and pointed at a couple suitcases waiting on the marble tile of his foyer. "I just have a few things that I’m taking, but me and the big guy will help you out." He motioned toward Ace, a large and menacing figure who'd been JC's friend and bodyguard for about 6 years now. He was great for appearances of course, with his tough exterior and Italian accent that made him seem like a muscle for the mob, but JC knew when he wasn't his bodyguard, Ace couldn't squash a roach without feeling bad.

"So are you ready?" Ace asked JC after he locked up his house and walked down the steps to the running limo.

"Are you?" JC challenged. "In case you forgot, you're stuck in the mansion with me, too."

"Oh, I'm just heartbroken," Ace rolled his eyes. JC laughed at his friend, getting a kick out of his accent; when Ace said heartbroken it sounded like 'haht-broken.'

"I'm gonna be living with a bunch of gorgeous girls in a big house and I'll be on TV," Ace continued as Jerry finished putting the bags in the trunk and they all piled into the car. "I'm freakin' overjoyed. Why the hell aren't you over the moon?"

"I am, man," JC tried his best to smile and hide his anxiety. "So is Sonia 'overjoyed', too?"

The mention of Ace's wife was enough to wipe the goofy grin off his face. "She's freakin' ecstatic. Yeah, real funny, Boss." He gave JC a playful shove as they continued to chatter about the grief Sonia had been giving Ace for months since she found out where his job was taking him next.

A short time later, Jerry had slowed into a gated community and buzzed in at the call box right in front of the entrance.

"Well, well, well," Ace cocked his head to out of the open limo window to get a better view of the houses in the neighborhood. "Check out these digs. They're like ten times bigger than your shack, Boss."

"Hmm," JC put down the Sports Illustrated magazine and lowered his sunglasses in time to see the large mansion at the end of a dead end street. When Jerry pulled into the driveway, JC's stomach began to flip incessantly. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"What?" Ace whipped his head around and prepared to deflect anything that JC might throw up.

Before JC could elaborate a shrill ring and buzzing from his pocket interrupted him. He grabbed his iPhone from his pocket and saw Liz's face on the screen. He cleared his throat and answered. "Hey, babe."

"Hello, Mr. Chasez, how are you feeling this morning?" The cold hint of professionalism in her voice gave JC the feeling she was in front of the camera crew or the cast of girls, or both. They had discussed the fact that they could not give off any indication of their relationship once the show began to tape in fear that the reputation (and Liz's career) could be tarnished. No one knew, except for the VH1 team and Mike, the co-producer, that JC and Liz were together. Or used to be. JC just couldn't be sure anymore. He sighed into the receiver and decided that for the show, it was time to let go and get into character. "I'm doing well, Miss Sharp. We just arrived at the house."

"Great," Liz replied. "Glad you're there. Well, make yourself at home. The cast will not be arriving until the late afternoon--I want to say around four?" She got the nod of approval from Mike and a few other people from VH1 who were going over the script for episode one. "I have two assistants waiting for you in the house and they'll show you where your room is and whatnot. Please feel free get unpacked and we look forward to seeing you at the house later tonight."

"Thanks Miss Sharp. I'll see you later."

"Thank you, Mr. Chasez, and again, thank you so much for the opportunity. We can't wait to see how this pans out."

"Me, too," JC sighed and hung up. He looked at Ace who was giving him a questioning look. "It's show time."

"Alright, roll call, ladies," Mike Hopper stood on the stage in an auditorium filled with the cast and crew of 'The Perfect Duet'. He raised his arm with the hand that held a roster and peered down at the crowd.  "Please, ladies, take your seat and when your name is called, let me know you're here." After the first few names were called, the auditorium finally quieted down so Mike could continue. "Tonya Kurt?"

"She's stuck in traffic," a crew member from the back of the room called. "She'll be here in 15."

"Ah," Mike clicked his tongue. "Very well." He smiled as he read the next name on the list. "Miss Ella Lopez?" He heard the familiar cough before he saw a slim arm rise in the background.

"Here," Ella cleared her throat and turned pink as more than a dozen pair of eyes set upon her.

"Great," Mike winked and continued with the rest of the role call while Ella's stare returned to her feet. She would've killed for her cell phone at the moment to keep her hands busy instead tearing apart her cuticles in anxiety, but the cast was required leave their cameras and cell phones at home. She'd saw a fiery woman named Lauren with intense red hair get her iPhone confiscated and throw a fit that not many women her age could pull off. But a few girls came to her side and calmed her down, reminding her that in a few hours she'd be face-to-face with JC.

Just thinking about the man she would also come up close and personal with later on that day made Ella's stomach do flips. She was curious to see what he'd be like: pompous, maybe? Hollywood hot-shot that couldn't wait to have 20 women fawning over him? Or would he be romantic and tender, crooning in a silk robe for the women at a grand piano that sat in the huge living area that the mansion was sure to have? Regardless if he were corny or an asshole, Ella maintained a stern understanding with herself that she would not stoop to slutting herself out for attention, like so many of the women on these shows are known for.

"Hey," a whisper interrupted her thoughts. "What's up? I'm Tonya." A gorgeous woman with skin the color of milk chocolate slid into the open seat next to Ella. She held out her manicured fingers to shake Ella's hand.

"Ella," she'd managed to stutter. She mentally kicked herself for staring at the woman, but it was hard not to. Tonya was straight out of Vogue magazine. She had on a short denim skirt that only made her long, dancer-like legs look fit and flawless. Her slim torso fit perfectly into a pink, sleeveless top that matched her rose colored pumps.

"Nice to meet you," Tonya smoothed her silky, straight black hair behind her ear and crossed her arms over her chest. "Did I miss anything?"

"No," Ella shook her head and tore her gaze away from the woman who could pass for Zoe Saldana's twin. "Just the role call. Traffic was bad, huh?"

"Between you and me," Tonya giggled and lowered her voice. "I was having a breakdown in the car before I finally got out."

Ella's mouth dropped open. "Really? Why?"

"I just don't know how right I am for this, you know? I mean, I've loved JC Chasez since I was like 12. I've followed 'Nsync their whole career. What's a famous guy like him going to find in me?"

Ella swallowed hard and tried to process what she had just heard. "Are you kidding me?" She met Tonya's eyes. "You make the rest of us look like we were hit by an ugly truck on the way over here."

"Shut up!" Tonya covered her mouth as she laughed. "You're crazy, Ella. I like you."

"Because I just complimented you?"

"Yes," Tonya joked and they both laughed. "But also 'cause you seem like the realest chick here. And don't be comparing yourself to these other women in the looks department. Girl, you look like you just stepped out of a Victoria's Secret ad, look at you."

Ella relaxed a little, willing herself not to get embarrassed. "Now, you're the one who's crazy. But, thanks. I was a mess this morning, too. My best friend had to practically kick me out of the car because I was begging to go back home."

"Well, now we're both here, and how about we put these little insecurities to the side so we can send all these other bimbos home and get our man?"

Ella nodded and laughed some more before the roll-call was finally over and it was time to go over some more protocol. She was relieved to have just met Tonya, being that all the other girls had already formed their cliques or were just too weird to talk to.

An hour or so later, Tonya, Ella and all the other girls were participating in a short ice breaker when Mike walked back into the auditorium with a group of other people wearing VH1 shirts following him. One woman in a baby blue Polo came into view and Ella's eyes narrowed when she remembered who she was. If looks could kill, Liz Sharp would've dropped dead and cold at that moment and Ella was embarrassed to see that Tonya noticed her mood change. "What the hell was that?" she asked as they headed back to their seats.

"What?" Ella asked nonchalantly.

"You were giving that blonde lady the stank eye, I saw you. Who is that?"

Before Ella could explain, Liz took the stage and cleared her throat playfully into the microphone. "Hey, ladies. I am Liz, as you all remember, and I am the producer of 'The Perfect Duet'." She paused to nod gratefully at the small round of applause. "Thank you. Well, I just got the 'OK' from the crew at the mansion that we're all set and ready to go! Everyone grab your bags and head to the bus." More cheering ensued as Liz smiled and clapped.

Tonya extended the handle on her rolling suitcase and waited for Ella to pick up her duffle bag. "What's with the eyes, hmm?" The pair had made their way to the bus and settled a few rows up from the very back row of seats before Ella finally confessed.

"Well, Liz was one of the people who were at my audition for the show," Ella began, keeping her voice low. "She was a total bitch to me, too. She kept rolling her eyes at my answers and accusing me of being a gold digger."

"Really?" Tonya asked, surprised. "She seemed nice enough when I met her, but I didn't have to audition."

"What?" Ella asked, confused. She thought everyone auditioned for a spot on the show.

Tonya nodded and opened her mouth to say something else when she was interrupted by a hard shove to her shoulder. They turned to see a heavy-set woman who looked to be in her late 30's trying to squeeze her way down the isle of the bus to a seat behind them. "Excuse you?"

The woman turned lazily to Tonya and blinked with little interest. "What?" She had bright blue eye shadow, extremely teased blonde hair and smelled of cigarettes, giving Ella the impression that this woman might drive a Harley and frequently hang around truck stops.

"What?" Tonya's nostrils flared slightly. "You shoved me with your big ass, that's what. So excuse you." If Tonya didn't have such a deadly serious look on her face, Ella would've erupted into laughter at her boldness. She watched the chubby woman roll her big eyes and continue on her journey to the back without so much as a grunt to acknowledge Tonya's accusation. That seemed to be enough for her when she turned around to Ella and clicked her tongue. "Can you believe it? The day isn't even over yet and I'm already getting into fights." She lowered her voice and added, "Big Bertha sure is gonna give us a run for our money. Once JC sees her, he'll probably send us all home."

Ella couldn't hold back her laugh anymore and held her sides as Tonya joined in.  The bus engine roared to life and all of the woman continued to chatter noisily as they headed toward the mansion. The excitement finally began to settle in Ella's body as she imagined what her life would entail for the next few months, or even for the rest of the day. She thought about how JC would look when they got there, and really hoped he turned out ot be a nice guy. It’d be a shame for someone so good-looking to be a complete asshole. Her thoughts were bursting with the possibilities, so much so that she forgot how odd it was that Tonya said she didn't have to audition to be on the show.

JC counted to ten before stepping out of the limo and emerging into the sunshine. Lifting his aviator sunglasses and looking around, he saw a huge white tent in the front yard of the mansion that was covering about a dozen people who were messing with their camera equipment.

"Hey, Boss," Ace tapped JC on the shoulder. "Me and Jerry will get your stuff; go on inside and take a look around."

JC nodded gratefully and pulled his sunglasses back down to cover his worried eyes. His heart was pounding as he crossed the drive way and made it up the steps to the large building he was calling home for the next few months. The front double doors were already open and he stepped inside, his Nike's squeaking on the tile floor. "Hello?" he called, unsure what to do next. He scratched his flat stomach through his black t-shirt and looked down at his jeans. He felt a little under dressed.

"Mr. Chasez!" a high-pitched male voice rang throughout the foyer of the mansion as a short, young man in a VH1 t-shirt made his way to JC. "You've arrived! I'm so glad you're here. My name is Rex and I'm one of Liz's assistants." Rex extended his hand to JC, who took it quickly and exchanged greetings.

"Please," he smiled easily. "Call me JC. Nice to meet you, too."

"Great, JC," Rex held a clipboard in his hands and checked something off that JC couldn't see. "Please, follow me to your room so we can drop your stuff off and give you a tour of the vicinity."

"Oh," JC patted his chest like he lost something. "My bags, my stuff...my bodyguard is bringing it in."

"That's okay," Rex gently wrapped his hand around JC's wrist and pulled him toward the staircase. "Gina, Liz's other assistant, will show them where to put your stuff." He led JC up the stairs and down a long hallway with wooden floors and maroon wallpaper. Every few feet there was a giant statue or golden-framed painting on the wall. JC felt like he couldn't touch anything and it made him uncomfortable. He also noticed the wooden doors that were closed shut--the girls' rooms, no doubt. The decor wasn't out of bad taste, but it wasn't his, either. His attention turned to Rex as they arrived at another pair of massive doors at the very end of the hallway.

"Welcome to your home," Rex smiled brightly, using a finger to push up his glasses before opening the doors for them both. "Go on in and take a look, JC."

The first thing JC saw was the massive king-sized bed with dark blue comforters and what looked to be about ten pillows around the bed frame. Now this was his taste, and he knew he'd have Liz to thank for such a comfortable looking place to sleep. He looked at Rex with a faint smile on his face and waited for another nod of approval from the assistant before walking around and taking everything in. In the corner, a giant flat screen TV was perched on the west wall and an enormous couch, the same color blue as his bed comforter, sat against the east wall. The nightstands on either side of his bed were lined with scented candles. JC picked one up and sniffed it; lavender. He immediately thought of the wild night he shared with Liz just 24 hours ago. JC knew that provoking those intimate thoughts of her was Liz’s intention and he smiled.

"The only thing missing is a computer, and Liz actually wanted to apologize for that being that nobody in the house is allowed to have regular internet or cell phone access. Just to keep the show under wraps until we're done filming." Rex checked his watch and allowed JC to roam around a bit more before clearing his throat. "Well now I'd like to take you around the house to show you everything else we have to offer. Please, follow me JC."

Directly in front of JC’s bed was a massive floor-to-ceiling window that had a view of what seemed like the entire city. Any worries or troubles he was fixated with before had suddenly left him as he glanced at his bed one last time before closing the bedroom doors and followed Rex down the hall. His stomach fluttered at the thought of sharing that humongous bed with another woman, er, women.

Yeah, JC thought as Rex babbled on about all the amenities available to him, such as 24-hour catering and wait staff. I could get used to this.

Liz and her Blackberry were one in the same. One could not go somewhere without the other. Her whole life was in the smart phone, from her day-to-day schedule to her grocery list. She sat in the back of her limo as it drove to the mansion and retrieved her Blackberry from her purse when it rang, signaling a text. It was Rex letting her know that JC was in love with the mansion was now preparing for the girls' arrival. She texted him back quickly, thanking him and letting him know she'd be there any minute.  As soon as she sent that text, an icon appeared at the top of the screen, indicating another text. She opened it and smiled. It wasn't from Rex, but it was a text she'd been waiting to read all day.

"What are you sneering at?" Mike, who sat across from her in the limo, asked.

"Nothing," Liz blinked, feigning innocence.

"Right," Mike rolled his eyes. Liz had been his business partner for about 2 years now. He knew she was a force to be reckoned with when anyone tried to get in the way of what she wanted. Some people were just built to be ruthless like that. But he enjoyed working with her because her drive and dedication were unmatched by anyone else he'd ever met in this business. So when she pitched the idea of having her boyfriend star in a reality show with other women fighting for his love and affection, Mike was anything but surprised. It was so Liz. "Hey, we're here." He clapped his hands together and opened the door when the limo came to a halt. "Let's go, kid."

Liz tucked her phone into her purse and grinned as she followed Mike out of the limo. Right on cue, the bus filled with the cast pulled up right behind her car. She cut quickly across the large front lawn to the camera crew who were up and ready underneath their tent. "Okay, guys," she shouted to the crew of men who were fixing the bleachers where the twenty women would be standing in the opening shot. "The ladies are here, let's go. Finish up the set, make it stable; don't want any injuries on the first day."

"Yes ma'am," they grunted simultaneously as they worked quickly to finish the large stage-like set. 

The bus finally parked in the driveway and made an exhausted screech as it shifted into park. Liz walked to the doors and signaled for the driver to let her in. She walked up the steps and waved her arms around at the chattering women who were now all on the side of the bus that faced the mansion, their faces pressed against the window in excitement. "Ladies! Welcome to your new home!" Liz paused for the clapping and cheering then continued. "Okay, please stay seated while we call you all one by one to come and get set up for the opening shot. Remember the basics please: no one look or talk directly into the camera. It is what we call the ..."

"...fourth wall!" The women finished the sentence they had heard all morning.

"Exactly," Liz grinned. "Yes, just pay no attention to the cameras and act natural. Also, remember our zero tolerance for violence, no outside food or drinks, and don't forget, you're here for JC Chasez."

More cheering left Liz satisfied as she turned to exit the bus. Before she could take another step, she caught a familiar gaze and recognized one of the women she had auditioned months ago. How could she forget Ella Lopez? The rock in her shoe. Liz had finally come to terms with what bothered her so much about Ella, and it was that she was a knockout. Liz wasn’t ashamed to admit that Ella had a few qualities that she felt threatened by, like the whole wide-eyed, look-at-me, I’m-a-good-girl routine. It was endearing. And she was good-looking, almost to a fault. JC was definitely going to like her. Fortunately, as far as Liz was concerned, Ella wouldn't be a problem for much longer.

When JC was a kid, he used to think the worst form of torture was walking by a candy store everyday after school but never having the money to go inside and buy anything. He'd place both of his palms on the glass of the store and peer inside as the candy man carefully put the chocolate bars and lollipops on display.

Well now, JC was a grown man, but he went right back to that place, that form of torture, when he found himself in front of the candy store of twenty women standing before him. There were candies of every age, size and color staring right back at him like he was a tasty treat himself. He couldn't help but grin like fool when he heard the cheering and screaming that exploded when he walked out of the mansion and down the steps to begin the opening scene of 'The Perfect Duet'.  He saw Ace standing to the side, grinning widely himself, and he took his place next to him, waving at the women as they got louder.

Cleavage, high heels and mini-skirts...oh my.

Ignoring the cameras jammed into his face came natural to JC, but one thing he couldn't help but notice was that Liz was standing right behind the camera crew, following their every move and barking directions over the loud cheering. But this is what she wanted, JC reminded himself, and it was show time. He looked back at Ace, gave him a quick pat on his back, and began the opening lines to the script he had to rehearse today.

"Wow," he began, talking softly. He knew the women probably couldn't hear him since they were still clapping, but JC remembered the mic clipped onto the inside of his black silk tie was there so he wouldn’t have to shout. "Welcome to 'The Perfect Duet'!"

"JC, I LOVE YOU!" a redhead from the group of women shrieked while bouncing up and down.

"Thank you, thanks," JC motioned with this arms for the women to quiet down. "Man, thank you so much for being here, ladies. I'm JC Chasez, and I’m looking for love. I mean, I love what I do, and I love the business I’m in, but it’s definitely taken me down some hard roads with lots of fake women, and I’m just ready to settle down and find the one." More cheering erupted before he could finish. He waited for a second started again. “And this is my good friend Ace.” He motioned to the big man to his right and watched the women in front of him look Ace up and down. “He’s also my bodyguard, here to protect me and you guys, if need be.”

“Hi, Aaaace,” a few women purred, causing Ace to smile so widely it looked like he had strained something.

JC laughed and began again. “Let me just say, you all are just stunning, look at you!" Cat calls and whooping, and he continued. "Really guys, thanks a lot and I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know every single one of you tonight. We've got the house set up for a mixer, a little bit of wining and dining, you know." He flashed a cheesy grin. "So why don't you guys run up and pick your rooms, relax and get ready to party tonight?"

"I want to party with you, baby," the same redhead pointed a finger seductively at JC.

"Oh," JC brought his hand to his chest and returned the redhead's sultry stare. "I'm looking forward to that." He motioned for them all to come down from the bleachers and enter the house, shaking their hands as they walked by him. "Man, y'all are going to kill me," he joked as he stared at the parade of women strut their stuff.

He noticed a tall, Latina woman with sharp hazel eyes, caramel colored hair, and curves that made him bite his lower lip as she passed by him with a shy look on her face. "Wow, hi," he said and gave a small wave, suddenly feeling stupid. He watched as she walked inside, the pair of dark denim jeans hugging her backside so perfectly he thought she'd had them painted on. "Y'all are going to kill me," JC repeated as the cameras followed him inside the house.