Chapter three
 

     Juliana walked into her apartment in a state of confusion. What was she about to get into? She decided she needed to take a long bath before calling John and give him the news. She didn't know what to say or feel at that moment. She quickly got undressed and put on her bath towel and headed to the bathroom. She was feeling somewhat lame yet she felt this was her chance to make it somewhere past Jake's.

She sat in the tub and she went through the whole interview with Trace in her mind.

********flashback*********

"Okay so where do you need me?" Juls said looking at Trace seriously. He then pointed to a platform located in the center of the studio.

"So how long have you been modeling?" he asked as he pinned the bottom of her jean for a better fit.

"Well, can I be honest with you?"

"I don't expect any less." Trace said with a smile.

"I haven't done any professional jobs yet, but I've been doing fashion shows since I was a kid. I moved here from Pittsburgh over a year ago trying to start my career but I haven't had any luck other than some local department store ads. I go from agency to agency but I hadn't heard anything positive till of course now."

"Juliana, first of all these things take time or so I hear. Second of all, today will all be based on you. You have a major opportunity and Chris said that he needed and wanted you for this project."

"I guess I've learn this does take time and..." Juliana immediately looked down to where Trace was now making her shirt a little more fitted to her waist. "Who's Chris and how does he know me?" Juls asked in a shocked voice.

     She went through a list of the people she had met over the past year trying to remember which agency had a Chris. She came up with nothing.

"Ohh you've got to be kidding me? Chris Kirkpatrick? Nsync? Ever heard of them? If you haven't you must be living under a rock. Well preserved rocks because a beautiful face and body like yours don't just appear." Trace said shocked at the fact that she really had no clue Chris owned Fumanskeeto as he had told him.

"Oh my God, no way."

"No way what? Didn't Chris ever mention Fumanskeeto to you?"

"Fumanskeeto? I haven't had a conversation with him longer than ten minutes. And our conversation range from would you like another drink? Or what kind of salad dressing?" Juls was now shaking. She didn't know why she had a gut feeling that this was her one chance in life. I mean she barely knew Chris and she made it a point not to become to involved with the people she met that were celebrities. To her they were just more faces. Bigger tips.

"Yeah he did tell me that. But he sent me to you instead. Do you want to sit down now? I'll explain everything to you"

"Alright"

"Chris is basically my boss but I've known him since forever. I'm Justin's best friend, please tell me you know who Justin is?" he asked.

"Is that the one with the superman stuff?" Juls asked seriously.

"No that's Joey" Trace said laughing "wow you really don't know about them?"

"I don't know I guess not I'm not really into teen music much."

"Okay, first please don't say that around the crew when you meet them. they'll be on you like white on rice if you use the word teenie around them. But anyways that doesn't matter, we are here about you and what is about to be offered to you by Fumanskeeto. Nsync is planning on doing a fall / winter tour here in the states. So Chris decided he wanted to involve Fuman in it.  We discussed it and they decided that we should have a little Fuman fashion show before each concert as an opening act. No big extravagant stuff but it will help promote Fuman as well as Nsync. Alot of Fashion big wigs will be attenting the show. Atleast we hope and cross our fingers that they come. Which means more publicity. With me so far?"

"Yeah I think so."  Juls said looking at him.

"So we need a spokes model for Fuman and that's where you come in. Chris and I have been looking for months and no one really fit's the style we want for Fuman. That is until now of course."

"Yeah, but how did you find me?"

"Well Chris is known to be sneaky."

"He's a nice guy and I only know him from Jake's."

"Well he said he saw you last night and he called me right then and there from his cell phone and told me that you were still looking for a modeling job and that you would be perfect. What I didn't know was that he had called here and set up this appointment. Which is why you got that message at home."

"Oh wow I don't know what to say."

"How about you say yes? Its not only a modeling spot you'll get to travel with the guys and meet new people.Not to mention the pay. It's up in the 5 digits area."

"Wow. Is this an on the spot kind of job? Take it or leave it kind of thing?" Juls asked smiling yet nervous about what his answer would be. She needed time to think about this.

"I don't want to pressure you into anything, that's the least thing Chris or I want. We leave NYC on Tuesday so you may have till then to decide. If your answer is yes, I will explain in more detail what your spot will be. I don't like calling it a job because a job is something you have to do even if you don't like it. This should be fun not something you are forced to do, to pay your bills."

"Thank you, for giving me some time. This is hard but I will let you know before then what my decision will be"

"Alright cool. Thank you for not being one of those stuck up models I'm used to." he said laughing, "Chris was right, you are not only cute but a smart woman. Never jump into anything too quickly,"

"I guess I should get changed now," she said standing up. She hadn't realized how comfortable she was in the clothes while she sat there.

"Oh by the way the last two racks on the left are yours. Chris said thanks for letting the `bimbos' serve him. He said you'd know what I'm talking about. That guy is weird gotta love him though."

"Oh my God!! Are you serious? That's for me? Wow thanks. I can honestly say I've never worn anything so comfortable."

"Well I guess well be in touch then?"

"Yes definitely."

     Juliana couldn't take it anymore. She got out of the tub and headed for her bedroom walking past about 5 bags full of clothes sitting by the living room.

"Hey Johnny are you busy?" she asked over the phone.

"Well sweetie since I told ya you didn't have to come in tonight after the interview I now have an unexperienced waitress in your section" he said walking through the restaurant's kitchen. "Hold on a sec I'm going to the lounge."

"I told you I would have came in to work but you insisted." Juls said with a laugh

"Yeah right sure you did. So how did it go?"

"Well good news is I think I got it. The bad news is the job isn't here in NYC."

     John heart dropped. He felt as if he had been hit with a shovel right in his chest. He knew she would say those words to him sooner or later. He knew her time would come where she would be a professional model and she wouldn't be around anymore. Just the mere thought of that made him want to cry. He had been so attached to her ever since he first met her outside the subway station. He remembered how she sat on the bench frustrated and almost crying because she couldn't find any modeling jobs. That's when he approached her and had a whole conversation about careers and he had offered her a job immediately.

He had grown to love her and care for her since then and now he was falling for her.

"You there Johnny?" she asked.

"Oh yeah I'm here sorry Juls. So where is this job?"

"Well it's not a set place I'll be traveling a lot. Now don't laugh at me but you know Chris the guy that comes into Jake's from Nsync?"

"Yeah the one with the pretty blond?"

"Yeah well turns out that he has a fashion line called Fumanskeeto. He knew I was looking for modeling job from little conversations we've had at Jake's and so now he wants me to be his spokes model. What do you think?"

"OH no way?" he said laughing.

"I told you not to laugh damnit"  she said laughing herself.

"Okay I'm sorry, Juls but you are going to be modeling for Nsync? That's just weird. Is there anything those guys don't do?"

"Well I'm going to ignore your Nsync comments and just tell you that I have to answer by Tuesday and so I need some JOHNtheraphy." Juls said in a child like voice.

     John smiled. He knew what face she was making on the other end.

"Alright so will you come over tonight?"

"Of course sweetie I'll see you at midnight." he said before hanging up.

     Juliana knew it was going to be hard to leave him but she had her career to think about too and she knew he wouldn't ask her to stay and miss out. She went ahead and called her parents back in Pittsburgh. She knew her answer already and she'd known since Trace had asked her at the studio hours ago. She was about to take a big step in her life and where it would lead her she didn't know. This could be a chance of a lifetime. You never know.