The doorbell rang to the store, signaling the cashier that another customer had come in. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was about 3:15, which meant that a rush of kids would come in soon. The kids were the best customers of The General Store because they were so eager to get away from school and fill their stomachs with junk food.

“But Trace, I don’t like Root Beer,” nine-year-old Mack grumbled as she followed two brown haired boys around the store. One had curly hair that fell over his forehead and the other had straight short hair.

“That’s too bad ‘cause that’s all yer gettin’, Little Girl,” ten-year-old Trace Ayala replied to the nine-year-old girl who huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“And stop calling me ‘Little Girl’ I’m not that much younger than you.”

“Try a year,” Trace said, flicking her forehead.

“Oh Trace, leave her alone,” ten-year-old Justin Timberlake said as he lightly hit Trace on the shoulder. “I’ll get you an Orange Cream Soda, ok Mack? Save us a table, will ya?”

“Thanks Just. At least someone is nice around here.” Mack stuck her tongue out at Trace and he returned the gesture before turning and running across the store to the table. Even though there really wasn’t a point, they were the first kids of the day to get to the General Store so there were plenty of tables to choose from.

Trace and Justin couldn’t help but laugh as Mack yelled at a guy for getting in her way when really she was the one who had run into him. She was pretty small for a nine-year-old (which is how she got dubbed ‘Little Girl’ by Trace) but she never hesitated to stand up for herself and take on a guy twice her size. She played sports with the guys of the neighborhood and they treated her like a little sister; they thought she was fun to have around even though she was a girl. Sometimes they gave her a hard time about her being a girl and her size, like Trace, but it was only because that’s what guys are supposed to do to their ‘little sister’.

And if anyone dared to take that privilege too far Mack knew that Trace and Justin would always have her back and protect her. Every kid in the neighborhood knew that if they messed with her, they messed with them. Justin, Trace, and Mack, also known as the Three Musketeers to the parents, have been best friends since they were born. You couldn’t find one without the others; it’s always been that way and will always be that way.

They’ve been friends since they were born. They lived down the street from each other and their mothers were best friends so they hung out all of the time when they grew up. Mack was the youngest out of the three of them, about seven months by Justin, and almost a year by Trace. She hated being the youngest, the guys loved to remind her, but she made up for it by being the most reckless and fun-loving. Even though they get on each other’s nerves sometimes, they vowed to stay friends forever, no matter where their lives took them, and they promised to be in each other’s lives for the rest of it. And so far they were doing a good job at keeping that promise.

“Hi Mr. Goodacre,” Justin greeted the cashier cheerfully as Trace waved.

“How many times do I have to tell you boys that you can call me Michael?” the cashier asked with a smile. “After all you’ve come in every day since you could walk. I’m actually surprised you boys have any money left.”

Trace and Justin chuckled. “Thanks Mr. Goodacre, buy my Momma said it’s polite to refer to you properly,” Justin replied. “I’d like a Root Beer float and an Orange Cream Soda, please,” he ordered as he placed his money on the counter.

“I’d like a Root Beer float too and I’d also like a few gummy worms as well,” Trace added, putting his money down on the counter next to Justin’s.

“Coming right up boys.” Mr. Goodacre scooped their money into his hands, put it into the cash register, and moved into the back room to get their orders.

“Do you want to play basketball later?” Trace asked, taking a piece of candy out of the jar on the counter.

“You heard what my Momma said. We have to go right home and do homework,” Justin replied, shaking his head.

“Man, how you gonna be a basketball star if you don’t ever practice?” Trace demanded.

Justin shrugged. “If that don’t work I’ll just become a super star instead.” He grinned and turned towards the window. “Yup. One day my name will be on that sign.” He pointed to the sign that was in the distance on the edge of Shelby Forest that had random news bulletins on it. “And then everyone will know where I came from.”

“Keep dreaming, Super Star,” Trace said with an eyeroll.

Justin punched Trace on the shoulder. “You don’t think I can do it? Come on man, you’re supposed to be my best friend.”

“I am your best friend, man,” Trace replied. “I’m just saying don’t get your hopes up. Stars aint made over night.”

Justin grinned. "Just watch me."

“Traaaaaaaace. Come ooooooon,” Mack, now eleven, begged as she spun the black and white ball in her hands. “Play with me for a little bit. Pleeeeeeeeeease?” She leaned over the back of the couch so her head was hovering next to Trace’s. The twelve-year-old looked up from the magazine he was reading and turned his head slightly so he was looking at her. “I’m bored. Play with me.”

“Later,” he insisted.

She huffed. “I always play basketball with you guys. Why won’t you play soccer with me? Come on, it’ll make time go by faster and J will be home before you know it.”

Trace sighed heavily and closed the magazine with a loud snap! He tilted his head back so he was looking at her and immediately flinched. She was pouting at him. He groaned. He hated her pout, he could never resist her pout and it was obvious she knew it because she used it on him a lot to get her way. He sighed heavily again and she grinned, bouncing on her toes. “You can’t say I don’t do nothing fer ya, Little Girl.”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Mack stopped on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You’re the best!”

“Yeah yeah.” Trace took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. “Why don’t you just play with Rachel?” he asked, following her out the front door.

Mack shrugged and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Rachel and I don’t get along.”

“Why not? She’s J’s cousin and your best friend.”

“I know, we’re just…too different. She likes clothes and make up and…and boys.”

Trace laughed as she made a face. “What’s wrong with boys? I’m a boy,” he said, nudging her.

She looked at him and said, grinning teasingly, “Barely.”

Trace slapped his hand on his chest. “Ouch, Mackie, that hurt.”

She stuck out her tongue before putting the ball on the ground. Trace backed up a couple of paces before she kicked it to him. He kicked it back and they started passing the ball back and forth, slowly getting more and more into the game, trying to kick it hard enough so the other wouldn’t get to it in time. Trace kicked harder than Mack did but she was able to get to the ball faster.

Trace kicked once more and the ball went sailing over her head, flying a great distance before it finally hit the ground and bounced towards the road. “Trace, you chowderhead!” Mack huffed before running to get it as it continued to roll.

“Sorry,” he called after her, running with her. “Race you there!” He took off, laughing, easily passing her.

“Hey! That’s not fair!” She shouted, urging her legs to carry her faster. Soon the two were merely running around the yard, arms spread as if they could fly, Mack’s braided pigtails lightly slapping against her back, their laughter blending in with the chirps of the birds. She ran towards the road, itching to kick the soccer ball around again, but didn’t pay attention. She jumped back when she heard the sound of squealing tires and shifting gravel reached her eyes.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you to look both ways before you cross the street, honey?”

Mack lifted her head once the voice reached her ears. She sucked in her breath as Lynn Harless closed the driver’s door and smiled at her. Mack switched her attention to Justin, now twelve, who had jumped out of the passenger seat and closed the small distance between the two. “Justin! You’re back!”

She laughed as he picked her up and spun her around, grinning widely. When she felt herself getting dizzy she tapped his shoulders and he immediately set her down, holding onto her arm as she waited for the dizziness to pass. She was smiling so big dimples were carved into her cheeks.

“J, man!” Trace held out his hand. Justin slapped it and the two did some sort of handshake before stepping close to each other and hugging, well, if you call slapping each other’s backs a hug. “Can’t believe you’re back. It’s about time, dude. How was Florida?”

“Warm,” Justin replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’m glad to be back,” he admitted. “There was something about the place that was too…spacious? I can’t explain it.” He ran a hand through his curls. “It’s not as close knit as it is here. Sure, everyone’s nice to each other but they’re not a close-knit community like it is here and I missed it.”

“What about us?” Mack demanded, glancing at Trace. “Didn’t you miss us?”

Justin chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Of course I did, Squirt.” She made a face and ran her hands through her hair until she smoothed it back into place. He paused and squinted. He held his hand up, pressing the side against the top of her head, before moving it to himself. “Did you grow?” He questioned.

“A bit, yeah,” she replied.

“You finally grew a bit and I missed it?” he pressed a palm against his cheek in fake shock. “This should go down in history.”

“Ha ha, Timberlake. Did you stick your finger in a socket or is a poodle living on your head?” She questioned, picking up the black and white ball that was by her foot.

Justin frowned. She knew he was sensitive about his curls; he’s been teased about it for years and being in Orlando made him forget about it for a bit. In fact, it was part of the reason why he had gotten a call back for the MMC in the first place.

“Don’t be rude,” Trace said, lightly slapping the back of her head. She grumbled something under her breath, spinning the soccer ball in her hands. The trio looked up and Mack groaned when she heard her mother calling for her from her house.

“Awww, but you just got back,” she whined, turning her bright blue eyes to Justin.

“Don’t worry, Mackie, we have plenty of time to catch up. Come over after dinner, ok?” He squeezed her tight and kissed her forehead before lightly pushing her towards the direction of her house. The two boys watched as she put the soccer ball down and dribbled it the entire way to her home, abandoning it in the front yard before disappearing into the house.

“Before you do anything, Justin, you need to take your stuff to your room,” Lynn said before Justin could run off.

“But Momma,” Justin whined.

“It’s ok, man, I can help you,” Trace offered. Justin smiled his thanks and led Trace to the back of the car. He helped Justin carry some bags across the vast yard and to the Harless home. He couldn’t ignore the anxious waves that were radiating off of Justin like heat in a cold room. Justin was strangely quiet as Trace helped his friend unpack his things and put them in their respected places.

“Hey,” Justin spoke up suddenly, causing Trace to jump. “You want to go to the pond?”

Trace knew then and there that something was wrong. The pond was their thinking spot; they only went there if they wanted to think, if they had gotten into a fight with their parents, or if they had to tell the others something important. Trace studied Justin’s face to try and find the answer himself but his face was surprisingly blank. “Sure.”

“Cool, I’ll just tell my mom and Paul.” Trace followed Justin out of his room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen where Lynn and Paul were talking quietly. “Momma, Trace and I are going to the pond. We’ll be back in ten minutes, ok?’

“Ok, but if you’ve even a minute late I won’t hesitate to come and get you myself,” Lynn warned while Justin made a face. Sometimes the neighborhood boys went to the pond. Justin didn’t want his mother to embarrass him by calling out his name and dragging him away.

“Ok, Momma, ten minutes. C’mon T.”

The boys dashed out of the house and ran across the yard, following the path that would lead them to the pond. A smile formed on Trace’s face as he remembered the many times they ran through the woods when they were younger, playing hide ‘n’ seek, pretending to be hunting mythological creatures, playing flashlight tag, the highlights of their childhood.

They finally reached the pond and settled down at the edge of the dock. They rolled their pants up to their knees and took off their socks and shoes, gently kicking their feet back and forth in the water, feeling the water move in between their toes.

“How’d the audition go?” Trace finally asked the question that was on his mind.

“Good I think,” Justin replied. “I met a guy named Ryan while I was waiting for my turn to audition. He’s pretty funny. He’s from Canada and he taught me a new way to roll snowballs so they have a better chance of hitting their target.”

“Doesn’t it have something to do with how you throw it or what type of snow is used or something like that?” Trace questioned.

Justin shrugged. “Either way it will make snowball fights more interesting.”

Trace grunted. “Yeah, if we ever get snow around here this year.”

“Yeah.” Silence stretched between the two as they searched for something to say. Justin was finally the one who broke it. “As I said the audition went good. I guess they really liked my singing and dancing.”

“Yeah, ‘cause we all know you can’t act,” Trace chuckled.

Justin smiled a bit. “I do need some work on that part, but…”he hesitated. “I guess it was enough because…they gave me the job.” He looked at Trace.

“What?” Trace asked. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be on the next season of the MMC,” Justin replied.

“That’s so great!” Trace grinned but it slipped when Justin slowly shook his head and avoided Trace’s gaze. “What’s wrong? I thought you wanted this. I thought you wanted to prove me wrong, which you have, by the way.”

“I know, I do want this, that’s not the problem,” Justin replied, running a hand through his hair.

“Well, what is the problem?”

“The show is in Orlando, T.”

“I know that.”

“I can’t keep flying back and forth between here and Florida to be on the show.”

Trace’s eyes slowly lost their shine. “So that means…?”

Justin sighed. “I…I have to move…to Orlando,” he finally choked out.

Trace’s mouth fell open. “Wha….what?”

“It’s the only way I can be on the show. With the format they have there’s a new episode every day and that means I’d have to learn a new song, learn a new dance, and memorize my lines in a pressed amount of time as well as get my school work done. There’s just no way I can go back and forth every day. I have to move to get this part and… I really want it.” He lowered his head. “I just don’t want to leave you guys.”

Trace put a hand on Justin’s shoulder. “I get it, man. I don’t want to hold you back doing what you love. I’ll still be here when you come back and I’ll come down and visit as much as possible.”

“You’re fine with it?” Justin asked in suspicion.

“Well, it’ll be weird not having you here to help make fun of Mack or help me with school and stuff but yeah, I’m fine with it.” He shrugged. “Have you told her yet?”

“No, not yet. I was afraid she’d be mad at me.”

“You got that right. She’d think you’re breaking the pact or something, but you can’t blame her for thinking that.”

“No, I guess I can’t. But if she doesn’t want me to go then I’ll stay.”

Trace shook his head. “Don’t even think about it. You’re not giving this up. I’ll talk to her about it, I’ll get her to understand.”

“Thanks, T.”

“Well, to put it lightly, this sucks,” Trace commented. “But we’ll always be buds, right?”

“Of course!” Justin lifted his head. “That’s never going to change. I won’t ever change, you can count on it.”

“Cool.” Trace looked at his watch. “We should get going if you don’t want your momma to come and look for you.”

“You go ahead, I’ll stay here a bit longer.”

“Ok. See ya, man.”

“See ya.” Justin looked out at the surface of the pond again. He pulled his feet out of the water and pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them. He buried his face in his elbow and let out a shaky breath, wondering how something that was so great turned into a bittersweet moment.

March 1993

“Please don’t look at me like that,” Justin begged as he struggled to close the lid of his suitcase. He stopped bouncing and pushed his curls out of his face, looking up at the angry look on the face of the girl standing across from him. “I don’t get why you’re so upset.”

Mack had come over to help him pack but she was still sulking over the fact that he had gotten a job as a Mousketeer on the popular Disney show The Mickey Mouse Club. The problem was that he and his mother, Lynn, had to move to Orlando just to be on the show. They would leave in the next two days and he wanted to spend as much time with his friend as possible, even if that meant recruiting her to help him pack.

She rolled her eyes and huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She slowly shook her head, her jet black hair lightly brushing against her shoulders. “You’re leaving Trace and me behind, that’s why,” she replied. “You’re going to go off and become a star and forget about us.” She looked down and lightly kicked at the ground with her shoe, refusing to look him in the eye.

“You know that would never happen,” the curly haired boy denied as he focused his attention on his suitcase once more. He gave her a pleading look when it didn’t close. She sat down on the suitcase with him and reached over, snapping the latches shut. “Thank you.” He slid off the suitcase and took a last sweep of his room. His eyes rested on the girl who was still pouting. “Mackenzie, come on, don’t look at me like that. Please?”

“I hate this, Justin,” she finally spoke up. “I hate you leaving us, our home.”

“But I’m leaving to follow my dream,” he replied, taking her hands in his and looking her in the eye. “You know I’d take you with me if I could.”

“So take me with you,” she replied. “J, we made a pact, remember? We’d do everything together or not at all.”

“Try convincing our parents, then,” Justin replied in a somewhat joking tone. “Mack?” He questioned, noticing the look in her eye. “Don’t!” He warned.

“They’ll do it,” she replied, nodding. Her crystal blue eyes were wide and shining with excitement. “I can convince them, I know I can. We can move anywhere with Mom’s and Dad’s jobs. They’ll probably need a photographer down there; at least they might need another one. And Mom can help with people planning their vacations away from Disney. It’s perfect!”

“Mackie, I don’t think your parents will just randomly leave Shelby Forest just because you want to come with me,” Justin said slowly, reading her face just in case she was going to blow up at him.

“Do you…not want me to go?” She asked quietly, lowering her head.

“No! That’s not it, at all!” Justin replied. How could she think that?  They were friends, best friends. She’s the first one he runs to when he gets a good grade on a test. She, and Trace, were the first ones he went to when he found out he got the job. “It’s just…what about school? Your education?” She shrugged. “You’re willing to leave everything just for me?” She nodded. He pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. “You’re the best friend ever, you know that?”

“I try,” she joked. When he pulled away she frowned. “My parents have let me do a lot of things so I could be with you. Like the time they worked extra days to get enough money to send me to camp with you and Trace. They might do this, it’s a slight chance, but it could happen.” She let out a breath. “I want to try anyway. If I can’t convince them…then we can still write and I’ll visit as much as possible…” She broke down and started crying.

Justin wrapped his arms around her and gently rocked her, stroking her hair. He hated seeing her like this, so fragile and vulnerable. It only wanted him to do everything he could to make things better, but what could he do in this situation? Yes, it was true that she had convinced her parents to let her go to camp one year when they didn’t have the money, but this was different on a large scale. This meant that her family would have to pack up and move to a new city, just to make their daughter happy. Although he wished that they could do it, he doubts they would.

“Don’t cry, Baby Girl,” he said as he held her face in his hands. “We’ll think of something. I promise.” She nodded and he smiled, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. “C’mon, lets’ see if dinner’s ready.” He took her hand, leading her out of his bedroom, following the smell that was wafting from the kitchen. “Hey Momma, how much longer until dinner is ready? Mack can stay, right?”

“Of course she can, the more the merrier. Trace is coming over too,” Lynn replied, wiping her hands on the apron that was tied around her waist. “Dinner will be ready shortly. Justin, if you’d set the table with plates and cups that would be greatly appreciated. Mackenzie, you can set the table with napkins and silverware.”

“Yes ma’am,” the two chorused before doing as they were told. Lynn watched as the two children moved down the table as if in an assembly line: Justin would put the cups and plates down and Mack would quickly follow with the folded napkin and silverware. They were together, heads close as they whispered back and forth. Their whispers would be broken with a few seconds of giggling before whispering again.

Lynn couldn’t help but smile at the spectacle before her. She didn’t want to break the two up, but they were leaving for Orlando in two days. She could still feel the tears drying on her face when she overheard their conversation. She wanted to do something about it so she wouldn’t have to suffer seeing her only son hurting from the distance but what could she do? She couldn’t just convince her friends to pack up and move with them, could she? She paused and looked out the window and down the street. Making up her mind she grabbed the phone and pressed 2 on speed dial.

“Hello, Charlotte?”

~*~*~*~

“Tag, you’re it!” Trace shouted as he ran past Mack and slapped her arm hard. He and Justin, laughing, took off running towards the creek that was in the wooded area of the Harless backyard.

“Hey! That’s not fair!” Mack’s whine was muted by the wind rushing past Justin’s and Trace’s ears. The two boys continued laughing as they ran away from the smaller girl, running as fast as they could to reach the creek before they could tag her.

She was a faster runner than them but they, being a little taller, had longer legs and could cover more ground so they easily left her behind. They finally reached the creek, cheeks flushed, doubled over and panting. They moved over to the few large rocks that were by the creek and sat down, waiting for their friend to arrive.

“Orlando will be cool,” Trace finally spoke up, picking up a rock and throwing it into the creek. Justin merely nodded and threw a rock in himself. “Disney World is the best. You can probably get in for free, now.”

“Yeah,” Justin muttered. ‘That would be fun but not without you and Mack there.’ He picked up another rock and threw it, aiming to skip it. It bounced twice before disappearing under the surface. Justin cleared his throat. “I…I don’t really…” he lost his voice as he tried to get the words out.

“I know, man,” Trace replied, his southern drawl suddenly thicker. “I know. I’m going to miss you too. I’ll visit as much as possible as long as you do the same.” He held out his hand.

“Deal, man,” Justin said as he shook his friend’s hand. “It’s just…please take care of Mack while I’m gone.” He stared at the rushing water in the creek instead of looking at Trace, but he could fee Trace’s eyes on his cheek. “I know she hates when we look out for her, so be subtle about it. And give me updates as much as possible.”

“Will do.” Trace nodded.

Justin looked up and grinned. “And don’t make fun of her height, T. She’s been super sensitive about it lately.”

“It’s probably because of PMS,” Trace replied. Justin gave him a confused look. “What? You don’t know what that is?” Justin shook his head as Trace chuckled. “Ok, come here.” Justin leaned over and Trace cupped his hands over his friend’s ears, whispering. Justin’s eyes slowly widened as Trace’s grin got bigger. “It’s no big deal, though. My momma says it happens to every girl. I know from my sister not to make a big deal about it, yet I learned the hard way. So don’t mention it.”

“I won’t!” Justin said as he made a face. He turned his head when he heard a twig snap and smiled when Mack walked over to them. Her eyes were flashing annoyance and she was breathing heavily.

“You…” she panted, pointing at both of them. “Suck,” she finally got out, letting out a big breath of air. She climbed onto the rock and squeezed in between Justin and Trace. “This sucks.” The boys didn’t have to ask to know what she was referring to.

“We’ll get through this, like always,” Trace said as he put an arm around her shoulders. He gave it a squeeze and joke, “We’re the Three Musketeers, remember? Distance isn’t going to change that.”

“Did J tell you about our plan?” Mack asked, looking him in the eye. He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. Justin tugged at a loose thread on the end of his shirt as Mack explained it to him. Trace’s eyebrows slowly lowered the more Mack kept talking until his face was void of any expression at all. “T? You ok?” She asked.

He dropped his arm from her shoulders and stood abruptly. “Yeah, M. I’m fine.” He turned as if he had heard something. “I better get going. I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

“Wait. Aren’t you going to stay for dinner?” Justin asked.

“I’m not in the mood. I’m just going to go home.” Before Justin or Mack could utter a word Trace turned and ran off, dodging trees and disappearing into the woods.

“What…? I don’t get it. What’s wrong with him?” Mack asked, looking at Justin with wide eyes.

Justin bit his lip. It was obvious that Trace was jealous of his relationship with Mack. All three of them were best friends but Mack and Justin just seemed to be closer and Trace has always been jealous of it. He would laugh it off whenever Justin tried to talk to him about it or he would flat out deny it. As the years passed Justin slowly started to suspect Trace was only acting that way because he had a crush on Mack. Trace laughed that off, of course, and said that everything was fine. But Justin knew, deep down in his gut, that everything wasn’t fine and that he moving to Orlando was only making it worse.

“I don’t know…” Justin finally replied.

“I’ll talk to him later.” Mack slid off the rock. “Your momma’s calling. Let’s go.” She waited for Justin to get off the rock before shouting “Race ya!” and took off running.

“Cheater!” Justin shouted before chasing after her.

~*~*~*~

Knots started to get tied in Justin’s stomach. All throughout dinner Lynn and her husband, Paul, constantly gave looks to each other across the table. Justin and Mack questioned them about it but they kept denying it. As soon as dinner was over they got the two kids to join them in the living room. Lynn and Paul were sitting on the coffee table, which was the biggest sign to Justin that they had something important to say because neither Lynn nor Paul allowed him to even put his feet up on the coffee table.

“Mom, can you please say what’s on your mind? You’re starting to scare me,” Justin spoke up.

“Justin, you have nothing to worry about,” Paul re-assured him.

“So why won’t you two say anything?” Mack demanded, somewhat rudely. Justin elbowed her hard in the side and widened his eyes, silently telling her to respect his parents. She nodded and, once he turned away, rolled her eyes.

“Did someone die?” Justin asked quickly.

“No, no one died honey,” Lynn replied, chuckling.

“Then please tell me, whatever it is, tell me. You’re scaring the living daylights out of me,” Justin begged.

“Ok, ok.” Lynn paused for dramatic effect. “I overheard your conversation earlier today.” Justin and Mack gave her blank looks. “About you two not wanting to be apart. About how you, Mackenzie, wished you could come to Orlando with us.”

“Ohhhhh,” the two muttered in unison.

“Okay, so what does that have to do with anything?” Justin asked, still confused.

“Well, I called Mackenzie’s mom and talked to her about what I heard,” Lynn replied, studying their faces. Mack had sat up straighter while Justin kept his attention on her. It took all she had to keep a smile off of her face as she delivered the news. “I had a long talk with them. They understood how you two don’t want to be apart yet they didn’t want to uproot Mackenzie when the school year was almost over.” She paused.

“Momma?”  Justin asked, his hopeful voice barely above a whisper.

“It took a lot, but both Charlotte and Philippe agreed that moving to Orlando would be a change of pace for them. They’re willing–” Lynn was cut-off by Justin and Mack jumping off of the couch, cheering. They grabbed each other and hugged as they continued to jump up and down, cheering their heads off the entire time. Paul and Lynn chuckled at their celebration.

“I can’t believe it!” Justin shouted in Mack’s face.

“Me neither!” Mack shouted back. She let go of Justin and threw her arms around Lynn’s neck. “Thanks so much for convincing them, Momma Lynn!” She cried out. Mack stepped back and her smile fell from her face. “Wait, there has to be a catch.”

“There is,” Paul Harless finally spoke up. “You have to be tutored the rest of your school year and then you will be enrolled in a Jr. High School in Orlando. Justin, you’re going to get a tutor through the people at the show so you don’t have to worry about falling behind on your work either.”

“I can’t believe I’m really going with you,” Mack mumbled before jumping and grabbing her arm. “Ow! What the heck was that for?” She demanded, rubbing her arm where Justin pinched her.

“Just helping you know that it isn’t a dream,” he replied. His smile fell from his face. “We have to tell Trace and I don’t know how he’ll handle both of his friends leaving.”

“He’s going to have to deal with it eventually, but let’s call him up,” Mack replied.

“Not yet. We have to celebrate,” Paul replied, smiling at the two. Just then the doorbell rang. He went to get it as Lynn waved the two into the kitchen. A few seconds later Mack’s mother and father came into the kitchen carrying a large cake. Mack immediately rushed over to them and hugged them, thanking them over and over again as they chuckled.

“What made you consider leaving, Mrs. Desrosiers?” Justin asked as he stared intently at the chocolate cake that they were cutting.

“Philippe was saying that he wanted a new backdrop and was thinking of quitting his job here to find another one,” Charlotte replied. “He’s actually been thinking about it for a while and was waiting until he got a great opportunity before he told Mackenzie about it. This just came at the right time.”

Justin and Mack took their plates of cake into the living room to watch TV as the adults talked and laughed in the kitchen. Justin was eating his cake with a big smile on his face. It faded instantly when he saw the distant look in Mack’s eyes. “What is it?” Justin asked.

“Trace. He won’t be happy,” she replied. Justin shoved another forkful of cake into his mouth. He got why she was upset but did she have to talk about him so much? This was technically their moment.

Justin swallowed and said, “I know, girl, but what can we do? I know for a fact we can’t get him to come with us. We’ll just have to keep in touch with him as much as possible.”

“I guess.” She shrugged and shoved her cake into her mouth. Justin knew she was still upset because she was eating the cake as if it was the last thing on the planet and she hated chocolate cake.

“Bright side: we were able to get our parents to let us stick together like we wanted,” Justin said as he grinned.

“Right.” Mack nodded and finally smiled.

Chapter 4: Welcome to the Land of Talent

Joshua “JC” Chasez stepped out of his car and smiled up at the studio that held the set where The Mickey Mouse Club was taped. The seventeen-year-old could easily call The Mickey Mouse Club his home. It was where he first met others that held his same passion for singing, dancing and, for some, acting. It was where he first got really good friends that he knew he could trust and didn’t want to be friends with him because he was famous. It was the place where he felt really happy, deliriously happy, for the first time in years.

JC couldn’t believe that he’s been on the show for two years; it still felt like a dream to him. He could remember every little detail of the day he found out he was selected to be part of the Mickey Mouse Club. It was about a week after his audition. He was back home in Bowie, Maryland when his mother, Karen, got the phone call. He was watching TV with his brother, Tyler, and his sister, Heather, when she walked in and gave him the good news. Once the news sunk in he jumped out of his seat, ran out the front door, and ran up and down the street yelling “I’m going to Disney World!” He didn’t stop until his father, Roy, came home at least fifteen minutes later.

He took in a breath through his nose, the smell of the area rushing back to him. He closed the door behind him and locked it, hooking his backpack over his shoulder, his ID swinging around his neck as he walked towards the building. He was halfway across the parking lot when he heard someone shouting his name.

“JC! Hey man!” JC turned and grinned. Tony Lucca, one of his best friends, was running in his direction, his backpack slapping against his back as he ran across the parking lot. Once Tony was close enough to his friend he slowed to a walk and held out his hand. “Long time no see!”

“I know, man,” JC replied, slapping his friend’s hand before pulling him into a hug. “Summer’s been pretty hectic but I’m ready for the new season.”

“Did you hear? Everything’s getting revamped and we’re getting some new kids on cast,” Tony said as the two walked towards the side door.

JC was the least bit surprised. Since he started on the show its appearance has changed slightly with each season. He also knew it would only be a matter of time until they brought new kids on set. He was excited to work with a new batch of talent but at the same time he didn’t want any new kids around. I mean, they were doing fine all by themselves. He shrugged it off, knowing it was all a part of the show and that they should get used to it.

“Tony! JC!”

“Hey Rhona!”

As soon as they set foot into familiar territory the older teens easily fell into pace with the others. They collected in groups in the office of the MMC producers, talking and laughing, telling each other about their summer experiences and how excited they were for the new season.

“Have any of you heard about any of the new kids?” Dale asked, tossing a ball into the air and catching it as it came back down.

“No, but I heard an audition tape for one girl,” Jennifer McGill replied. “I think her name was Christi or something? Anyway, she has an amazingly strong voice. I think she’s only twelve? Maybe thirteen. Anyway, like I said, her voice is so good. It doesn’t surprise me that they brought her in.”

“How’d you hear about her?” JC questioned.

“I passed by some offices on my way here and heard the staff talking about some new talent and they played some audition tapes.”

JC nodded and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. It was no surprise that the staff on the MMC set would pick only best of the best, what was good for the show but a hindrance for everyone else. With new talent, that meant that the staff would want to put the new kids in more sketches, showcasing their talent, while the older kids would be pushed into the background.

“Relax man, you know the staff is fair about who they pick,” Tony said, nudging JC’s arm as if he could read his friend’s mind.

JC nodded. All of their heads turned towards the door when Matt Casella, the MMC casting director, came into the room with a large smile on his face. He was greeted with “hey” or “what’s up, Matt?” by the cast.

“Welcome back, everyone. I hope you had a great break,” Mr. Casella addressed the group.

“Matt, just do us all a favor and tell us the reason you came here, man,” Dale said with a chuckle. “Don’t beat around the bush.”

“Yeah man. You take days to get to the point,” Tony agreed, smiling. “We all ready know why you gathered us here.”

Matt Casella laughed but got to the point. “As you all know we’re going to start a new season of MMC and that means we need new talent. That means–”

“We’re going to have a bunch of little people swarming the place!?” Dale interrupted. Automatically groans and whines were heard from the rest of the cast as Matt Casella looked at them all. He waited patiently for them to quiet down before continuing.

“Now you all know what it was like being new on the show,” Matt Casella said once they were quiet and gave them his undivided attention. “You all know how scary it can be for the new kids. They’re going to look up to you and I want you guys to be there for them and be eager to help them out if they have any questions. Actually, a few of us have gotten together and we came up with the idea of having a…social gathering so to speak in one of the large conference rooms. Music, food, everything will be provided, you just have to show up with a positive attitude. Also we’ll give you guys your schedule for the first few days of shooting.” He looked at his watch. “That’s all I really wanted to say. You guys can hang around here or go home and come back later if you want. Just stay out of trouble.”

They all jumped up and headed out the doors. While some opted to go back to their temporary homes (apartments) others decided to stay around the set to see what they have changed. JC, Tony, and Dale immediately went to the front part of the stage and were floored.

“Wow. When they said they were going to change some things they meant it,” Tony muttered, peering hard through his glasses.

“It’s like a modern, kidized SNL, I’m down with it,” JC said as he scratched the back of his neck. “I felt weird with the way it was before. Not that I hated it but…”

“It was childish, I know what you mean, man,” Dale agreed. He paused and let out a sigh. “What do you think the new kids are going to be like?”

“Annoying,” Tony replied with a shrug. “They always bring in a new crop of little ones. They’re questions are so annoying.”

“Don’t forget you were one of them,” JC pointed out.

“Hey, I wasn’t that young when I first came. Remember, that was only two years ago, unless you’ve conveniently forgot.”

“No I didn’t, back then I was in my prime. I had girls fawning all over me,” JC said with a grin.

“You still do man. I saw a line of chicks waiting outside to meet you,” Dale said lightly punching him on the shoulder.

“Yeah, but they just want to meet JC the actor, they don’t want to meet the real me. That’s what I want in a girl, someone who looks over the fact that I’m on a popular TV show,” JC said as he kicked the ground and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Don’t they have to at least look good too?” Tony asked with a teasing grin.

“Oh yeah, she has to be able to take my breath away in one look,” JC said with a grin, turning his head in the direction of the door that suddenly open. It felt like he had just gotten hit in the gut when the girl walked through the door. She glanced in their direction, smiled a bit, and followed Matt Casellas.

“Like that?” Dale asked.

“Yes, like that,” JC breathed.

Chapter 5: MMC

“Hey Momma, where are my shoes?” Justin asked as he rushed around the small apartment, looking under the kitchen table.  His mind was all over the place that morning. It was his first day on the show and nervous jitters were bouncing around inside him. He barely got any sleep because of his excitement; he ended up staying up late talking to Lynn about what songs he could possibly do on the show. More times than not he had to pinch himself to let him know that it wasn’t a dream. “Momma?”

“Justin, they’re by the door sweetie, and don’t yell. You don’t want to wake up the neighbors,” Lynn replied, drying a dish and chuckling.

“Sorry,” he apologized, rushing over to his shoes and pulling them onto his feet. He then started pacing and Lynn laughed again.

“Justin, why don’t you watch TV or something? You don’t have to be there until 11,” she told him.

“I can’t sit still, Momma,” Justin replied “Can I see the Desrosiers?” He begged, lifting his eyebrows.

“Of course, but don’t be long. You’ll need to leave before you know it.” She winked and he smiled, rushing out the front door. He ran down the hall and went down a floor, running to the room that he knew his best friend was occupying until they officially got their new house.

He knocked on the door a few times and rocked back and forth on his heels as he waited for the door to open. He beamed when Mack opened the door. “What’s with the face?” He laughed, walking past her and into the apartment.

“School,” she grumbled, going to the kitchen. She reached up on her tiptoes and barely managed to open a cupboard to get a bowl.”Turns out Mom and Dad actually found a school for me to attend earlier than expected. Today’s my first day.”

“Ouch,” he made a face and took the cereal she had in her hands and got his own bowl, pouring it before she even got a chance. He ignored her glare as he got milk from the refrigerator and poured it over his Cap’n Crunch, making sure to dunk every single piece before lifting the spoon to his mouth.

“Go ahead take my food, I don’t care,” Mack said sarcastically.

“Thanks,” Justin said with a full mouth and then continued chewing.

“Mouth closed, man!”

He stuck out his tongue, rapidly chewed, and swallowed. “School will be fine. You’ll see. You’ll make a bunch of new friends before you know it.” She didn’t say anything, just looked at him through squinted eyes. “What?” He asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Your optimism really irks me,” she replied, shoving a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. Her cheeks practically bulged as she tried to chew the huge glob of food.

Justin laughed. “You look like a frog. Ribbit, ribbit!” Since she couldn’t speak she let her middle finger do the talking and he let out a fake gasp. “Tsk, tsk. What would your mother say if she saw that, young lady?” he asked mockingly.

“Not like she’d care. She has eyes for Dad and that’s all she sees.” She huffed and rolled her eyes. She sighed and poked at her cereal, holding her head up with her palm.

His eyebrows knitted together and he pushed his bowl away. “Ok. What’s with the ‘tude?” She shrugged. “Come on, I know something’s wrong. Tell me.”

“It’s nothing,” she replied. “I just kinda miss Trace, that’s all.”

“Kinda?” Justin teased.

“I miss him but not that much,” Mack said with a face.

Justin was about to speak again when he heard a knock on the door. Mack jumped up and rushed to the door, greeting Lynn enthusiastically once it was opened all the way. “Sweetie, it’s time to leave for your first day,” Lynn told him.

“Aww. All ready?” Mack groaned, looking at the clock. “I have to wait for the bus by myself?” She pouted.

“As soon as I get back here I’ll tell you all about my day. Have fun for me, ok? I want to hear only good things,” Justin instructed, wrapping his arms around the smaller girl who buried her face into his shoulder. “Do me a favor, try to wait at least one day before you blow up at people, ok?”

“What if they have it coming?” Mack asked innocently. Justin sighed and shook his head. “See ya, Poodle.”

“Back at cha, Smalls.” He gave her a squeeze and a parting smile before following his mother out the door. Every step he took in the direction of the car more energy bounced around inside of him. He didn’t know how to release it until it came out as a sort of verbal diarrhea. He talked non-stop about which Mousketeer he wanted to work with the most (Matt Morris), which one he thought had the best singing voice (Marc Worden), and which one made him laugh the most (Jennifer McGill).

He was as perky as could be in the car, walking across the parking lot, and setting foot into the studio. But as soon as he had to say goodbye to his mother and the door closed leaving him at the “party” he wanted to puke.

He saw a bunch of kids running around, talking, laughing, playing ping-pong, listening to music, dancing. However, what bothered him was that he hadn’t found anyone that looked remotely close to his age. A few girls were sitting off, talking and giggling; probably catching up from the school year since MMC filmed in the summer.

Justin, biting his lip, hesitated by the door. He didn’t know who to talk to first or if they would even like him. He was about to turn and run away, beg his mom to take him back home, when the door opened quickly. He backed up and fell over his feet to avoid being based in the nose as three guys—two Caucasian, one African-American—walked in through the door, laughing.

“Sorry man, I didn’t see you there,” the tallest said with a bright white smile and a hand sticking into Justin’s face.

“It’s ok,” Justin mumbled, taking the hand and allowing the guy to pull him to his feet.

“Oh, you’re one of the new kids here,” the tall guy noted with a smile. Justin could only nod. He suddenly recognized who he was talking to: Tony Lucca, Dale Godboldo, and Josh “JC” Chasez. To say he was star struck was an understatement. He suddenly lost his voice as well as any function of his brain. It suddenly hit him that he was actually there on set with everyone that he’s been watching on TV. “You’re going to love it here. Everyone gets along great and we always make every day a party.”

“Wow, way to sound like a tour guide, Josh,” the African-American said with an eye roll as the other guy laughed and punched him on the shoulder.

“Josh” laughed a little as well and shrugged. “Hey man, if you ever need anything you can always come to me, ok?” He lightly punched Justin on the shoulder and mentioned for the others to follow him.

Justin looked down at his shoes and then looked at the guys who were walking away. Before he knew it he was calling for “Josh” to come back. He paused, looked over his shoulder, said something to his friends, and walked back over to the Curly haired boy, a playful smile on his face. “JC,” he stated.

“What?” Justin blinked in confusion.

He laughed. “My name’s Josh, but here I go by JC.” He stuck out his hand, “JC Chasez.” Justin hesitantly reached out of his hand. JC laughed again. “I’m not going to pull you into a headlock or anything.”

Justin finally grasped his hand and gave it a hard shake. “Justin. Justin Timberlake.”

JC’s eyebrows rose. “Timberlake? Interesting name. No one will forget that.” He dropped Justin’s hand. “See you later, Justin.”