Chapter 5

This is crazy!!

Kamylle was jiggling her leg up and down as Drake learned his way around the stage that he’d be performing on in a couple of weeks.  It seemed like just yesterday that she met Johnny, ran into Justin Timberlake of all people, and found out that she was going to be spending the better part of her summer in Europe.  Wait, that was yesterday!  Everything was moving so fast and she couldn’t believe that all that was happening to her, it just seemed so surreal. 

“Kamylle!”  Her head shot up when she heard someone shout her name.

“Are you ok?  I’ve called your name like 5 times,” Drake said with a smile.

“Yeah sorry, my mind is running a million miles a minute.  I’m just trying to organize…no, wrap my mind around our schedule for the rest of the summer.”

“You and I both,” he replied with another one of his signature side smiles.  Kamylle couldn’t help but to return the gesture.

“So what’s on the schedule after this, Ms. McCool?” he asked in a playful tone.

“You have an interview for Teen People and Johnny wants a track list and a rough mix of your set for the concert by tonight, but don’t worry I’m recording your rehearsal so that’s taken care of.”

“Wow.  You are really on top of your game.”

“Thanks, I try.”

“Ok, so does food fit into this schedule anywhere?  I mean, I know it’s only noon, but I can feel my stomach growling and I’m thinking that it’s about that time…”  Kamylle chuckled.

“You and your food!  I swear it’s a miracle you stay as small as you do with all the food you consume!”  She’d only known him for a day she already knew his eating habits and was jealous.  She wished she had half of his metabolism; this guy ate two huge stuffed burritos the night before with a soda and still had enough room in his stomach for a Gotta Have It ice cream from the Coldstone Creamery up the street from Chipotle. 

“You don’t have to be at the People interview until 3 so you have time to eat.”

“We have time to eat,” he said, correcting her.

“Is this going to become an everyday thing for us?” Kamylle asked with a slight grin.

“Maybe…you don’t mind do you?”

“Not at all; I was taught to never turn down free food!”  Both of them laughed after her statement.

“You crack me up girl!” Drake exclaimed, placing a hand on her knee.  Kamylle was caught off guard by the gesture and slowly looked up at him with a small smile.

“Well thank you,” she began, “You’re quite funny yourself.”

“I try, I try,” he replied, bowing playfully.  They laughed once more and he extended a hand to help her out of her seat.  They walked around the huge studio area in silence, getting accustomed to the ‘mock’ stage for another twenty minutes until Drake’s stomach growled noisily.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you were hungry!”

“I told you.  How about lunch?”

“Sure,” she began, “I’ll drive.”

“Are you sure?  My car’s right outside and we’d be back in no time.”

“You haven’t seen my baby have you?” Kamylle asked, leading the way out to the parking lot and to her truck.

“Wow, this is beautiful.”

“Thank you.  This is my baby, Blue.”

“You really are a Texas girl at heart.”

“And not ashamed of it,” Kamylle replied, stepping through the drivers door that Drake was holding open for her.  Once they were both settled in and on the road the question about their destination.

“How does Jack in a Crack sound?”

“Huh?” Drake asked, confused.

“You’ll see when we get there.”

~*~

On any other off day Justin wouldn’t leave his house unless it was on fire, but today he found himself walking into one of the many rehearsal studios Jive Records had for the artists.  He was on a mission and decided that he wasn’t going to go back home until he completed that mission.

~*~

“Now I understand why you call it ‘Jack in a Crack’,” Drake said, looking up at the red and white colored restaurant as he and Kamylle walked back to her truck.

“I told you that their bacon and cheddar potato wedges are like crack!” she replied, smiling.

“Yeah they are!  I haven’t eaten here in forever, but I may have to come back more often.”

“The only bad thing about this restaurant, is that it gives me the ‘itis’ after I get finished eating.”

“The ‘itis’?” Drake questioned.

“Yeah, the ‘itis’.  You know, like when you get sleepy after eating a big meal like at Thanksgiving,” Kamylle explained with a smile.

“You crack me up girl,” Drake laughed. 

“Well thank you; I’ve now accomplished my ultimate goal in life,” she replied sarcastically.  She pulled out of the parking lot and before long they were back at the studio to finish going over his run through.  They walked in and immediately heard Drake’s single ‘Replacement Girl’ playing.  He shot a confused look at Kamylle and they hurried their pace to see who was playing the music.  Both were surprised when they saw Justin standing next to the mixing booth with his sidekick in hand.

“Hey Drake, this song is the shit,” he said when Drake and Kamylle came into view.

“Thanks man,” Drake replied with a slight grin.

“No problem.  I had an off day and wanted to come down and listen to some of your music.  You know that you’re gonna be opening for me this summer right?”

“Yeah, Johnny called and told me last night.  Thank you for the opportunity man,” Drake answered, giving Justin a manly handshake. 

“Have you met Kamylle?  She’ll be joining us on the tour as well.”

“Yeah, we ran into each other yesterday at the office,” Justin replied, making Kamylle blush slightly.

“So how do you fit into this whole picture?  I mean, since you’re going overseas to tour with us and all,” Justin asked her.

“I’m basically Drake’s shadow this summer.  Apparently Johnny assigns all interns as personal assistants.”

“No, you’re a rare case,” Justin assured her, “Most of them are paper pushers in the office.  So I guess that means you’re special,” he said with that signature Timberlake smile.  Kamylle melted on the spot.

“I guess you could say that,” she replied with a slight chuckle.

“I can’t believe you used an off day to come up here and listen to my music,” Drake said, sensing the mild flirtation going on between Kamylle and Justin and wanting to change the subject.

“I mean, with your schedule they’re probably few and far between.  I could’ve just sent you some tracks.”

“I love live music,” Justin stated plainly, “I actually came down here to catch you in the act, but when I came in your mixer said that you were out on a lunch break and that you’d be back in a bit.  I mean, I don’t wanna intrude or anything, but do you mind if I sit in on the rest of your session?”

“Not at all,” Drake replied, “I only have another half hour here and then we’re off to a magazine interview.”

“That’s fine.  I didn’t want to keep you.”

“Don’t worry about it, we have time,” Drake said, shooting a smile at Kamylle.  She returned the gesture before taking a seat to finish listening to Drake’s set.  Justin took a seat next to her and she couldn’t help but to notice how good he looked in his jeans and black cardigan over his white button down.  She didn’t know who styled him, or if anyone did it all, but whoever was responsible for this look was definitely getting a Christmas gift from her this year.  This boy looked hot!  But she was sure that he could probably make any look hot.  This was the guy who pulled off the blond curly afro and cornrows.  Justin looked over and caught Kamylle giving him a once over and smiled. 

Dammit!  I’m caught!

Kamylle smiled back and straightened her body in her seat and tried to focus on the rest of Drake’s set.  She listened while he went through ‘Don’t U Have a Man’ and ‘Going in for Life’ before he signaled for his mixer that the session was over.  He turned off the mic and walked over to the board.

“How did it sound?” he asked.  When he got the standard two thumbs up he walked over to Justin and Kamylle.

“Is that a wrap?” Kamylle asked.  Drake nodded. 

“Yep, we’re finished with this for today.  We have to come back tomorrow though; tweak up the little things Johnny wants me to.”

“Well as far as I’m concerned everything sounds great.  You have this talent with rhymes, man.  I mean, you have an extensive vocabulary and the way you flow is crazy!” Justin complimented.

“Thanks man.  That’s quite a compliment coming from you,” Drake responded.

“Well I hate to cut you guys short, but Drake, you have to be across town in 30 minutes,” Kamylle said in a playful tone.  Both men laughed.

“Alright, well it was great meeting you and thanks for letting me listen in today,” Justin told Drake.

“No problem, anytime man, anytime.”

“And it was great running into you again, Kamylle.”

“You too,” she replied with a smile.