The five guys of *NSYNC headed into the WEG compound which was owned by Johnny. They sat in the spacious lounge and waited for their manager. It wasn't long before they heard him walk in, talking to someone. “Oh, they’ll love you. Don’t worry, Sweetie.”
The boys looked up to see a young woman being directed to one of the couches. She sat in-between JC and Chris, setting her crutch on the floor. They smiled genuinely and warm at her and she eased a bit. Before she could say or look at anyone else, Johnny spoke.
“Guys, this is Janine Ramsey, she’s my new assistant. Janine this is JC, Lance, Joey, Chris and of course Justin.” The boys offered hello’s and smiles; all except the youngest who just stared. The older man shot him a confused glance before continuing. “Now, she may be young but this girl is good. She’s very smart and organized. Being my assistant means she’ll be going on tour with us, learning what ya’ll do, going to meetings, maybe some PR work. Will that be a problem with anyone?”
Everyone said no and Justin paused. Joey kicked him and the leg which caused him to mutter a ‘no’.
“...Ok, then.” Johnny got up and smiled. “Miss Ramsey, get to know the boys and then meet me in my office. We’ll go over things.”
Soon it was just the six of them. Lance broke the silence a minute later. “So, Janine, where’re you from?”
“U-um, originally down south. I moved to K-k-kentucky a few years ago.”
“Aha! There’s that southern accent!” Chris cheered. “Now it’s even.” Meaning there were now three southern people in the group.
Everyone laughed, once again excluding Justin. Jane eyed him nonchalantly, wondering why he was so quiet. He obviously didn’t recognize her...
---
Justin flopped back on his bed in the hotel they were staying at. “I don't know, Trace! I just – she’s got brown hair, blue eyes. She just seems familiar and I don't know why.”
“Well, dude, she does sound familiar. Maybe you met her somewhere?”
“I had to have; I just don’t know from where...”
“Get to know her, you'll find out that way.”
A MONTH LATER, it seemed nothing had changed for Jane or the boys of *NSYNC. She’d gotten close to them and they treated her like a sister. They could all tell she liked Justin; there seemed to be something there. But he...just didn’t seem to like her. Not that she expected him too. Whether he remembered and forgave her or didn’t forgive her, she really wanted to try again.
“Don’t worry,” Joey had said. “Baby J just needs time to warm up to new people.”
One night, on the way to Buffalo NY, Jane sat in the small kitchenette and looked out the window as it rained. She was never one for storms so she curled tighter into the blanket. There were shuffled footsteps behind her and she jumped a little. Though it was dark she knew the voice. “Janine, you're up? Sorry. I thought everyone was sleeping.”
“I-I can leave if you-you want,” she answered. She didn’t want to leave, in many ways she wished she’d never left.
“No, no. I just came for something to drink.” Justin went to the mini-fridge and took out the milk. Before pouring himself a glass, he took the mug that sat in front of her.
She watched as he moved around, heating her hot cocoa, stirring it, and added mini marshmallows. Almost as if he always did it. She smiled softly as he handed it to her, making sure she had a good grip, before he let go. He sat across from her at the small table and looked out as well. A few moments later, Jane spoke. “It’s b-beau-beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Mhm, reminds me of when I was a kid.” She glanced at him curiously and before she could stop him, he continued. “I had this friend since before I could remember. We’d lay out on the back porch and just watch the stars. We’d stay there for hours, talking, sometimes not. And my parents would practically have to drag us inside before we totally fell asleep.” He paused as he stared at her.
“W-what?” she asked self-consciously.
“Huh? Oh, sorry, you just remind me of my friend...I miss her a lot...,” he ended on a whisper. “But that was a long time ago. You don’t want to hear about that.”
She was going to ask who but she unfortunately know whom he talked about. She avoided his gaze and changed the subject. “So, I heard yo-you got caught in the movie thea-theater the other day?”
Justin chuckled, bringing a smile to his companion’s face. “Yeah, yeah I did. Ya know, it was actually kind of funny.” He stood up and reached to a small cupboard above her head. He was so close she could feel his body heat; a once comforting feeling. Shaking her head, Jane listened as he continued. “So, after Amanda said my name, the girls behind us realized who I was. We high-tailed it out of there and I swear to you – do not get chased by a birthday party full of 11 year olds.”
“Amanda’s your gi-r-girlfriend, right?” she asked slowly. Now she felt out of place.
“Well... I don't know...we’ve been seeing each other for awhile now but I’m still thinking of how I feel, I guess you could say. I like her a lot but I don’t really know if it’s right. I mean tour life’s hard, ya know?” When she nodded, he paused. “Man, where are they? Ah here!”
She looked on confused as he sat back down, a package of Oreo’s in his hands. “The ultimate snack. You're never too old for Oreo cookies, Janine,” he smiled. He passed some to her and then dunked one of his own. “If you dip for seven seconds, it’s just perfect. Not too squishy where it completely gets mushed, but just enough to taste good.”
“Oh, is th-at your theory?” she mused as he acted like a kid. Like the little boy she knew...No! She wouldn't confuse herself. If she wanted to tell him the truth and have him recognize her, they had to build on the here and now.
“Yup,” he smiled. They continued on; talking about everything and anything. They discussed their lives, carefully avoiding how she was connected to him. She didn’t want to ruin this moment but she’d tell him soon.
Justin’s eyes began to droop and he knew he needed sleep for the work *NSYNC had tomorrow. Soundchecks, radio interviews, shows, etc. They’d be running around on dead feet if he didn’t get a couple hours. He looked to Jane and saw her curled in an uncomfortable position, figuring he should put her to bed too. A brief thought crossed his mind as he lifted her into his arms; this felt right with her head against his chest. But how? He barely knew this girl. But still he couldn’t shake the feeling.
Slipping Jane gently into her bunk, he carefully took off her brace and set it aside. He pulled the covers up, reached out to touch her face but quickly pulled back. “What is it about you that’s so familiar, Janine?” he whispered.
He then slipped beneath the covers in his own bunk, thoughts in his head as he drifted off. Unbeknownst to the three pairs of eyes watching them...
