Chapter 1: The News that Almost Killed Her

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

The only one that would ring the doorbell that many times in the morning would have to be the one and only Justin Timberlake. He was rocking back and forth on his toes as he continued to jab the doorbell with his finger, waiting for someone to open the door for him. He knew the only one home was his best friend and the fact that he was annoying her early on a Saturday was a lot of fun for him.

His grin got wider when he heard heavy footfalls move rapidly towards the door. He knew that he had pissed his best friend off, especially for waking her up at six am, but he had good news to tell her and he couldn’t wait for a reasonable hour.

“What the hell is your problem? Do you know what time is it? Obviously you don’t! It’s six fucking a.m. Get a fucking watch!” His best friend shouted at him once the door was open.

“You yelling at me so the whole neighborhood can hear you is practically making you a hypocrite,” Justin pointed out. “So can I come in? I have some really important news to tell you.”

“Fiiiine!” Justin smiled and stepped into the house. He knew all ready that she would let him in, she always let him in.

Mackenzie Desrosiers has been Justin’s best friend since day one. Although she’s French-Canadian, she grew up in Memphis, Tennessee a few doors down from him. They always played together and he even protected her from some bullies. When he decided to move to Orlando to pursue his entertainment business, she begged her father to move so they could stay together and so she could be pushed harder with her dancing. He finally caved in and the two families moved to Orlando, Justin went on to star in MMC while Mack continued with her dancing and competed in many festivals and competitions. Unlike Justin, Mack still attended school at the same time.

“Sit, sit! You’re going to be weak in the knees once I tell you my good news,” Justin said as he shoved Mack so she was sitting down on the couch. She pushed her black bangs out of her bright blue eyes and looked up at him, waiting for him to deliver the news.

“Ok, I’m sitting. Go ahead,” she said with a wave of her hand.

“You know how I’ve been working with the guys all the time?” Justin asked. Mack nodded. “Well, Lou Pearlman singed us to his label. It’s official! We’re an official group now!”

A smile slowly formed on Mack’s face as Justin let the words sink in. “JT, that’s so great!” She cheered.

“That’s not it. Our first official public performance is at Pleasure Island in October,” he continued.

“October? That’s only a month away,” she pointed out.

“I know, I know. That’s why Pearlman wants us–me and the guys–to move into one house together, at least until Pleasure Island. I mean, our Moms are going to come to make sure we don’t hurt ourselves or whatever,” he said with a wave of his hand. “We’re going to spend the entire time getting our vocals down, rehearsing our dancing, and promoting our appearance.”

“That’s–” Mack started.

“I’m still not done!” He jumped onto the couch next to her and grabbed her hands. “We needed someone to make the choreography for us.” If it were possible his smile got bigger. “So, I mentioned that I happened to know a girl who was an amazing dancer who could pick anything up easily and who can teach people any routine.”

“Wait, are you talking about me?” Mack asked.

“Yeah. Here’s the best part: Pearlman agreed! You’re our new choreographer!” Justin said as he started bouncing up and down on the cushion he was kneeling on. Mack sat, frozen, as she watched Justin bouncing. Suddenly it hit her and she started bouncing on her cushion, cheering with him.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Mack said over Justin’s cheers. “How can this be possible? Wouldn’t I have to sign a contract or something? And what about my Dad?”

“My Mom is talking to your Dad as we speak. She took him out for breakfast with Paul to explain everything. A contract is being made up today so you two can look over it and eventually agree to sign it,” he explained as he sat down, cross legged. “Oh and there’s a good chance that you’re going to have to move into the house too.” Mack gave him a look. “It’s a lot easier for us all to be there instead of having to move in between places to find time to rehearse. It makes sense,” he told her look.

“I don’t think my Dad’s going to go for me living in a house with a bunch of boys,” she said slowly. “And what about my schoolwork?”

“You’d have a separate room from the rest of us, obviously. Our Moms will be there too so it’s not like you’re the only girl there. You’re just the only teenage girl there,” he corrected. “And we’re not going to keep you locked up in the house; you can still go to school. Why are you being such a pessimist? I thought you’d be excited for this.”

“I am, I totally am,” she said as she grabbed his shoulders and lightly shook him. She dropped her arms. “It just sounds too good to be true.”

“That’s the same thing I thought when we started *NSYNC, but look what’s happening. We’ll go through this together, the good and the bad, like always,” he declared. “Promise?” He held out his pinkie.

“Promise,” she said as she hooked hers with his. “I’m going to be your choreographer,” she stated, more to herself than to him. “I’m going to be your choreographer?” Her eyes widened before they rolled back and she fell off of the couch and onto the floor with a loud thud.

“Mack?” Justin leaned over and peered at her face. “Uh, Mack? Hey, wake up!” He lightly slapped her cheek a couple of times before she came to. “Hey, sunshine! Are you all right?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her so she was sitting up.

She rubbed her head. “As good as I can feel when I almost suffered from a heart attack,” she mumbled in response. “Wow, I still can’t wrap my head around this. I’m going to call my Dad.” Justin nodded as she jumped up and went into the kitchen. Her hand was hovering above the phone right as it rang, causing her to jump.

“Did you say yes?”

“Did you agree to it?”

“Have you signed the contract yet?”

She pulled the phone away from her ear when three different voices yelled into the phone. Justin must’ve heard it from the living room. In the next second both of their ears was pressed next to the earpiece.

“One question at a time, guys,” Justin called over the noise, the smile returning to his face. “She agreed but she hasn’t signed the contract yet. Pearlman’s going to bring it over later so both she and her Dad can sign.”

Mack pulled the phone away from her ear once more as the guys on the other end cheered. The guys were JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and Chris Kirkpatrick, Justin’s other great friends and the members of their newly signed group *NSYNC. It wasn’t hard for them to come together; they all knew each other one way or another. Justin knew JC from MMC, Joey from random clubs around Orlando, and Chris from random shows. Justin knew of Lance because they shared the same vocal coach. It was basically a case of six degrees of separation that led to them getting together.

Mack was surprised that they were that excited for her to help them. Since she still went to school she didn’t see them as much as Justin did. She was either at her house, at school, or at the dance studio all day. Since she met them she’s only seen them a couple of times a month, she still didn’t even know them that well and she honestly couldn’t say that they were her friends, more like acquaintances.

“Don’t worry, you’ll like them,” Justin said as he hung up as if he read her mind. “They’re really cool.”

“If they’re friends with you, I doubt that.”

“Ha ha ha,” Justin laughed sarcastically and rolled his eyes.

----

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Mr. Desrosiers asked.

Mack sighed for about the fifth time in the past ten minutes as she set down my reading glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Couldn't he see that she really wanted to get it over with? She knew what she was getting herself into, she wasn't stupid.

They've been sitting at the restaurant for the past hour trying to get her contract signed. Justin, his mother Linda Harless, and his step-dad Paul were with them partly for support and partly to persuade them.

“Yes Dad, I’m sure,” Mack responded.

“What about school work? You are aware that if you sign this, as their choreographer that means if they ever have to do some traveling you’d have to go with them,” he pointed out. “If your grades fall–”

“They won’t,” Lou spoke up. “She’d still be attending school even though she’d be helping the boys with their choreography. If it does come down to her having to travel, we could work out a way to help her continue with her school work so she wouldn’t fall behind.”

“Please Dad,” Mack said as she fought an eye-roll. “We read over this contract three different times. My school work will be fine and I can dance all of the time. Can I sign now? Please?” She stared at him, not blinking, waiting for his response. He let out a slow breath through his nose and nodded. She beamed as the contract and a pen was slid his way. He paused to look over it once more, earning a sigh from his daughter, before he signed the contract. He put the pen down and slid it over to Mack, who signed it eagerly. As soon as she lifted the pen Lou took it from her and tucked it into his briefcase.

“If I end up regretting this–” Mack started in a warning tone.

“You won’t, trust me!” Justin said.