Los Angeles
February 2004

Amanda watched as he carried the box, containing her cds, across the room to the stack of boxes by the door. She couldn’t believe that it was already the night before the move. Taking the scene of their apartment in one last time, she made her way toward the patio. Placing her bottled water on the patio table, she took a seat on the patio chairs that would be left behind. On her Sidekick she ended the text conversation she was having with her best friend, while looking down over the city lights of Los Angeles.

“Who are you talking to?” Jeremy asked , taking a seat opposite of her, a beer in his hand.

“Justin.” she responded, placing the pink device on the table.

“I should have figured that.” Jeremy said before drinking from his cold beer.

“What’s your problem today?” Amanda asked annoyed, taking her water and drinking as well.

“I don’t have a problem, babe.”

“Sure seems like it. You’re really fucking bitchy today.”

“Don’t curse, Amanda. It’s not attractive.”

“You’re the one not being attractive. You’ve been grouchy since this morning.”

“I’m not grouchy.” Jeremy shrugged.

“Yeah you are.”

“No I’m not. If you would have taken a break from talking to Justin all day on that thing.” he said referring to the device on the table. “You’d notice that I’ve been fine.”

“What’s the problem with the Sidekick, now?” Amanda asked. “I always talk to Justin on it, when he’s in the studio.”

“My point exactly.” Jeremy said with a shrug. “I’m really surprised you haven’t invited him into our bedroom, while we have sex. Since it’s all about Justin.”

“That’s really vulgar, Jeremy.” Amanda sneered. “And a really shitty thing to say. You have a problem with Justin now too?”

“I don’t like the fact that he has gotten the idea of recoding an album in your head. That’s for sure. But I don’t have a problem with Justin, no. At least not yet.”

“I told you that I’m not doing the album thing and I meant it. So don’t throw that in my face or the guys’ faces either. And what do you mean by yet? Are you planning on having a problem with Justin anytime soon?

“I can always sense one brewing.”

“Do you sense my blood boiling right now?” she asked with a raised brow.

“A little yes.” Jeremy chuckled.

“Now, you’re laughing. Are you bi-polar? Unbelievable.”

“It’s just funny to watch you getting all worked up over anything negative said about Justin, or even Trace. Yet, I’ve never seen you be like this once, over anyone else.”

“You’re bating.”

“No, just stating a fact. I’m just messing with you, babe.” Jeremy said standing, placing his arms around her shoulder, before placing a kiss on her forehead. “Say what’s up to him for me.”

“He’s in the studio. He’s busy right now.” Amanda said drinking her water. “What’s going on, Jeremy? You’ve been moody for the past month. Are you still not over the Justin thing?”

“Nothing’s up, babe. Everything is fine.” Jeremy said as he took her hand and led her back to his chair.

“What’s up?” Amanda asked taking the customary seat on his lap.

“Nothing.”

“There is something.” Amanda insisted. “Are you nervous about work?”

“Work is fine. I already know everyone I’m gonna be working with. Everything is fine, babe.”

“Are you sure? Cause every chance you get to snap at me or make a smart comment, you take it.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.”

“Do you not want to transfer to Atlanta?”

“Of course I do. I wanted to move.”

“So then why are you so grouchy?”

“I just have a lot of work, babe. I’ve been going back and forth to Atlanta for almost a year. I’m just a bit drained but everything should be cool now that we’ll be in Atlanta and I don’t have to travel so much.” Jeremy explained.

“I’ll take that for now but I’m not promising I’ll stop asking.” Amanda said placing a kiss on his stubbly cheek.

“Are you going to be okay in Atlanta?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Justin and Trace won’t be around.” Jeremy stated.

“You and I have always lived a distance from them. It’s not that much difference, now that we’ll be in Atlanta.”

“We’ve always been in the same state, babe.” Jeremy said. “We’re moving all the way across the United States.”

“I know where Atlanta is, Owens.” Amanda chuckled. “but Justin and Trace will be back in Orlando in a week, they plan on staying for a while. I thought they told you that.”

“I don’t speak to Trace much, and I haven’t spoken to Justin since I found out about, you know.” Jeremy said with a grunt. “So they’ll be in Florida?”

“I guess, Justin said he needed a change of scenery for a while. You know how he is.”

“Florida is very close to Atlanta.” Jeremy stated.

“I’m glad you know your geography, babe. They should be around a lot more than if they stayed here.”

“Great.’ Jeremy said.

“Isn’t it?” Amanda asked. “Do you want to go out to eat or do you want to order in?”

“We can go out. Go put some shoes on, we can go get pizza and maybe catch a movie.”

“Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Owens?” Amanda asked playfully.

“I sure am.” Jeremy said with a kiss to her lips.

“Well then of course, I accept.” she said getting up from his lap. “Five minutes.”

“Okay.” Jeremy said as he watched her jean covered behind walk into their apartment. “Some shit never changes.”

----------------

June 2004
Atlanta, Georgia
ESPN Offices

Amanda rolled her eyes at the receptionist one last time before heading in the direction that she was given. Having to sit in the lobby for half an hour, while the receptionist chatted away on her phone, wasn’t what she had in mind. Her plans were to surprise her boyfriend with her early arrival back home.

It was Monday afternoon and she’d come straight from the airport. Having spent the week in Shelby Forest, visiting her family, she hadn’t had much sleep. But she wanted to see him before going home and passing out. To her annoyance the receptionist had informed her that she was on her lunch break and that Mr. Owens was out to lunch as well. She’d sat there waiting for a while before asking the rude receptionist which office belonged to her boyfriend.

She was ashamed that it had been months since Jeremy had been working there and it was the first time she’d come to his office. As she entered the office, she was immediately impressed. It was a very nice looking office, with windows lining two quarters of the room. Taking a seat on his enormous leather chair, she looked around his spacious desk. A picture of his mother caught her eye first, making her cringe. There were three pictures of her on the desk, making her roll her eyes although a smile on her face. One of the pictures on the far end of the table was of the four of them. It was a picture taken by Britney on the night of her twenty-first birthday, she couldn’t help the grin that took over her lips. Scrunching her nose at the other events that followed that year, she stood from the chair. Walking over to the far wall, she began scanning the pictures there.

Her eyes landed on a picture, the center of one of the shelves, and her jaw hit the floor.

“What the fuck!!” she said as the door to the office opened and two people walked in, laughter rang from both of them. Neither one noticed her standing there, staring in awe.

The woman across the room from her, noticed her first. Noticing the woman’s stance and seriousness, Jeremy turned and saw his girlfriend.

“Hey, you’re back.” Jeremy said, shock evident as he walked over to Amanda, embracing her in a hug, she didn’t return. “I wasn’t expecting you until alter tonight, babe.”

“Clearly.” Amanda said shrugging off his embrace. “Let me guess. You were going to tell me about her tonight, right?”

“It’s really good to see you, Amanda. It’s been a really long time.” the woman said with a smile, that twelve years later, still looked the same.

“Wish I could say the same.” Amanda shrugged turning to face away from the woman to face Jeremy. “Refresh my memory here, Owens. When did you mention you worked with cheer-whore? I can’t recall.”

“That’s a bit uncalled for, Amanda. Don’t you think?” Jeremy asked.

“I’m going back to my office. I’ll see you later, J.” the woman said opening the office door.

“You do that.” Amanda snapped as she watched the woman walk out. “J? She calls you, J?”

“You’re over reacting, Amanda.” Jeremy said taking a seat.

“I’m not over anything. I just find it a bit odd that you haven’t mentioned that you worked with Jessica.”

“You’re being really mature right now.”

“You’re full of shit.”

“Amanda, listen to yourself. You’re acting like a jealous wife right now.”

“Jealous? More like bullshitted. No one can give you what I give you, Jeremy. You and I both know that, so there’s nothing to be jealous about.” Amanda spat. “Should I be jealous?”

“Are you really asking me that question right now? The person who hasn’t been home for a week because she’s on vacation with her male friend. Are you questioning me?”

“You know another thing that’s funny is how every time we have a discussion about anything, you always bring up Justin. Get over the whole ‘Justin Timberlake got me a job’ kick, Jeremy. Plus, I’m not the one lying here.”

“That’s your problem right there, Amanda. You’re so goddamn blind.” Jeremy sneered.

“Oh well excuse me, I’m the one that didn’t tell myself that you worked with one of the women I most disliked in the world.”

“She doesn’t like you very much either, still.”

“Oh so you’ve found the time to have a conversation about me?”

“You’re making a big deal about nothing.”

“How long have you worked with her?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know.”

“It doesn’t matter, Amanda. Let it go, okay?” Jeremy said walking over to her on the other side of his desk. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it before. I didn’t find the fact relevant.”

“How long?”

“A few months. She transferred here from the office in Tennessee.” Jeremy said pulling her by the waist toward him as he leaned on his desk.

“A few months? Does that include the months you interned here while we were in Virginia?”

“Yes.” Jeremy said trying to distract her by kissing her neck. “I’ve missed you.”

“You’ve been working with her all this time and you didn’t once mention it.”

“Amanda please, you know when we’re at home we don’t talk about work. When would I have mentioned it? We’re always with Justin and Trace, or hanging out with them.” he said continuing his trail of kisses on her neck. “It’s not a big deal.”

“That woman has been after you since we were twelve, Jeremy. You don’t find it a coincidence that she now works for ESPN?”

“A lot of people we know from back home, work here, babe. Why are you still hung up on that? It was over ten years ago.” Jeremy said as his hands stopped on her behind with a squeeze. “I don’t want anything that she’s offering. I have you, I always have.”

“So she’s offering?”

“You’re twisting my words, babe.” Jeremy said kissing her pouty lips. “There’s nothing to worry yourself about, okay?”

“No, I’m not okay.”

“It’s nice to know you care once in a while.” he said hugging her.

“I always care, Jeremy.” Amanda said, this time hugging him back. “Can you go home? Or do you have a lot of work?”

“I have a lot of work.” Jeremy said kissing her lips. “But my girl is home, so it can wait.”

“Good.” Amanda said as she walked over to the shelves, took the picture of Jeremy, Jessica and Dan Marino and threw it in the wastebasket.

“That’s Dan Marino, Amanda.”

“I haven’t had sex in eight days, Jeremy.” she stated with a raised brow.

“Good point.’ Jeremy said. “Let’s go home.”

------------

November 2004
Shelby Forest

Four friends sat quietly watching a big yellow moving truck, across the street. Three of them were thinking they were having a bad case of dejavu. The other was absentmindely-making patterns on the girls’ jean clad thigh.

“That’s so weird.’ She said to the others.

“Go talk to him, Manda.” Trace chuckled.

“You go talk to him, dirtball.” She retorted with a smile as they recounted that day, seventeen years earlier. “Why do I have to go? It’s a boy. You’re supposed to talk to him first.”

“You lost, Amanda. You gotta do it.” Justin said with a chuckle as he to remembered the day, long ago.

“What are you guys talking about?” Jeremy inquired.

“Don’t you remember being across the street?” Trace asked him.

“Yeah. I never actually heard you guys talk about that though.” Jeremy said. “You had to talk to me on a bet?”

“It was rock, paper, scissor actually.” Amanda laughed.

“I never knew that.” Jeremy shrugged. “Aren’t you glad you did, though?”

“Nope.” Trace said to receive a smack on the top of his head, as he sat on the stop step of the porch at her reach from Jeremy’s lap.

“That seems so long, yet like yesterday as I look across the street at that truck.” Justin said reminiscing. “Everything was so normal then.”

“I still can’t get over the fact that my parents sold that house to move back to New York. I’ll never go into that house again.” Jeremy said as he watched the movers across the street.

“I still don’t understand why your parents didn’t leave the house to you. I mean they could take vacations here, they didn’t have to sell it. They’re gonna miss that house when New York becomes overbearing.” Amanda said.

“Did you ever find the sex tapes of Mr. Meyer and Mrs. Meyer’s niece, in that house?” Trace asked Jeremy as he sipped his beer.

“I think that was just a rumor.” Jeremy chuckled.

“Remember that hole we put in your attic, Owens? Lifting up the floor boards, looking for those tapes.” Justin laughed.

“You guys were ten, perverts!!” Amanda said with a laugh.

“My parents were so angry.” Jeremy remembered. “I couldn’t come outside with you guys for two days.”

“Classic, good times.” Trace said.

“Speaking of classic moments. Remember when Mr. Richards fell into the pool, during the pep rally? Oh my god, that was hysterical.”

“Ohh shit, I forgot about that. That was funny. Although Jeremy getting humped by the pig, at the carnival, was funnier.” Trace laughed even harder.

“That was crazy, the fucking thing just kept following me around all day.” Jeremy said while the rest of his friends laughed hysterically.

“I wasn’t here then.” Justin said.

“We told you about it, though.” Amanda said.

“Yeah.” Justin said sadly.

“You were doing better things, J.” Trace said comforting.

“I wish I would have been there though.” Justin said.

“It wasn’t that funny, man.” Jeremy offered.

“Yeah it was.” Amanda chuckled causing everyone to laugh with her. “Sorry, babe.”

“We better go get ready.” Jeremy said after a few more funny memories were shared.

“Six o’clock, right?” Amanda asked Trace.

“Yeah.”

“Did you get what I asked you to get?” Justin asked Amanda as she stood from Jeremy’s lap and walked down the steps.

“Yeah, it should be ready.” Amanda said.

“You still not telling me what you got me?” Trace asked his best friend.

“What all three of us got you.” Amanda corrected.

“Whatever.” Trace said. “You guys are cornballs.”

“And you’re a twenty five year old baby.” Jeremy said. “You’ll get the stuff later, after dinner.”

“This shit better be good.” Trace warned.

“You’ll like it.” Justin added.

“Yup.” Amanda said. “We better go already.”

“I don’t see why you guys are staying across town in a hotel when you could have stayed home.” Justin said as the couple stood in front of the house.

“I don’t have a home anymore, remember?” Jeremy said hiking his thumb over to the yellow truck across the street.

“Tio Juan wasn’t feeling the bed sharing thing, homeboy.” Amanda giggled.

“God forbid, you sleep in separate beds for a night or two.” Justin said sarcastically.

“I wouldn’t want to loose her in someone else’s bed.” Jeremy said with a smile toward Justin.

“Oh please.” Amanda chuckled.

“Eww.” Trace said.

“You’re lucky it’s your birthday, cousin of mine.” Amanda laughed. “See you guys at six.”

“Bye.” Justin waved with the hand that held his beer.

“Don’t be late.” Trace said as the couple walked toward one of Justin’s Escalades, that they were using for the weekend.

“Just one day. That’s all I ask for.” Justin said after the couple drove away. “One day where my heart isn’t ripped to shreds, at the mere sight of them.”

“You know he’s not going to back off her, right? You have to tell her, J.” Trace said after a while.

“Right, T. How do you think the start of that conversation should go? Hey Amanda, guess what? I love you. And I’ve loved you, your entire life.” Justin laughed bitterly. “And then when she stops laughing at me, to my face, I can tell her it’s not a joke.”

“I think you’re underestimating how she feels about you, Justin.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

“And how do you know that, T?”

“I just do.” Trace said. “When have I ever steered you wrong?”

“You can’t stand, Jeremy so you’re being biased. Besides this is completely different.” Justin said. “Jeremy is a friend of mine too and I can’t do that to him.”

“Oh but he can make comments like he just did? Fuck that, J.” Trace shrugged. “You need to stop crying like a bitch. You’re either going to tell her how you feel or not.”

“Whatever.”

“Now, it’s my birthday today, so let’s stop being a couple of bitches, sitting on the porch talking about love.”

“You’re the bitch, clown.” Justin chuckled.

“You’re losing your pimp appeal, dude.” Trace said walking toward his house next door.

“Your cousin is to blame, birthday queen.” Justin laughed as he walked into his house.