Don’t go biting my head off.

What did you want me to do? He was my boyfriend, my everything. I was compelled to pick him and the Root beer float (my favorite) over Justin.

We were pretty mature for our age, huh? (Lynn makes us sound like an episode of Dawson’s Creek.) We were fourteen years old that year Justin came home with the big news.

Like my whole childhood, I remember every detail of that day. Instead of my Monday, Thursday, and Friday attire (cheerleading uniform) I wore dark blue jeans and a white top, on my feet I wore the brand new pair of Nikes, courtesy of Justin Timberlake.

I still remember the float that cost two dollars and eighty-five cents. (courtesy of Jeremy of course.)

We eventually left the local ice cream shop an hour later because we got a bit distracted. (Jeremy and I liked to kiss. A lot.)

Am I getting off subject?

Eventually I remember practically running home because I just knew that if Justin got there before we did, he wouldn’t be a happy camper. Putting those brand new tennis shoes to good use I ran to Justin’s, Jeremy followed closely behind and if I remember correctly he too had been wearing the gym shoes Justin had sent him as well.

When we got there, I wished I hadn’t rushed because the news we received when Justin was done sulking (over the fact that Jeremy and I were late), wasn’t anything I wanted to hear.

Sadly, Justin informed us that the Mickey Mouse Club show had been cancelled. Don’t hate me for saying this but I was so happy when he said that. Don’t hate me, let me finish.

I couldn’t remember ever being that happy. (except when he’d gotten ‘in’ the show, go figure.) my first thoughts were that I was going to have my three best friends back. Nothing could have had prepared me for what Justin told us next.

When he took us to his old room and told us the big news, I felt like it was Star Search/Mickey Mouse Club all over again. I couldn’t say anything, it was like someone had kicked me in the gut and I couldn’t get words out. I had no air. Just when I thought I had gained my best friend back, I had lost him again.

Unbeknownst to us, Justin had joined a boyband. I remember being confused as hell. A boyband? What the fuck? When had he done that? He never mentioned anything during phone conversations those last six months. I hadn’t noticed the lack of time he spent talking about the show. I figured he just didn’t want to talk about it because he liked hearing about our boring lives instead. I was so stupid. (Don’t go agreeing with that, just yet.)

Till this present time it still pisses me off that Justin had kept six months of his life secret from us. He’d finished the show and had gotten a record deal right under our nose and we were clueless. It hurt that he didn’t feel it was his duty, as our best friend, to let us in on his life. Especially since it was going to become a huge part of all our lives.

He eventually told us his reasons for not including us but even talking about it now pisses me off. But like I said he had pretty reasonable grounds.

So there I was, fourteen years old thinking I had my best friend back and my life would be back to normal and in reality I was losing him again. He was gone. Away from us. Away from America all together.

Oh and FYI the float was delicious.

***************

Baby, it’s you (Remix #2)

I was devastated that I no longer had a job and she’s talking about a fucking Root beer float? I’m so glad to hear that spending her stupid Tuesdays with Jeremy and having a Root beer float came first in her life. Someone should reevaluate his or her priorities. (Don’t you think?)

Okay so I admit that at that time I should have done that too. I should have talked to my friends. I should have told them that the show was cancelled. I should have told them that Jc contacted me and that I was in a ‘group’ and that I had gotten a record deal. I should have but I couldn’t.

At fourteen I had felt like a failure. I had to do the group thing on my own. I felt like my friends, my best friends, would be disappointed in me. I know now that it was stupid of me to feel that way because they were my friends. Still are. (Not necessarily all three of them, by the way.)

When Jc had approached me, I must admit that I was dying to call my friends and tell them the news. But honestly wouldn’t your friends laugh at you if you suddenly came home and told them that you were going to be the next New Kids on the Block? Would they support you from the door? Or would they laugh until they realize you were being serious?

When I was in Orlando I loved it. I loved being on the show, I loved being on the set, and I loved acting, singing and dancing. So when it was over I remember telling my mother that I didn’t want it to end, that was when I decided that I would do it forever. The Mickey Mouse Club had been a start for me.

Although I made all types of new friends in Orlando, (specially a certain girl, you know who I’m talking about.) I always felt like I was missing my REAL friends. The ones that were with me from before I was on TV.

Going home and being a normal fourteen year old? Or recording an album, going overseas on tour? You do the math. What would you have done?

I just have to take this opportunity to laugh. Yes, to laugh, because I had forgotten about the way Trace spoke of Jeremy. Meathead. That’s great. Have I mentioned how much I love that guy? I won’t get into why Trace has such animosity towards Jeremy because it’s just not my place.

As far as the tennis shoes I sent all three of them? I wanted to buy two pairs, my mother made me get the third pair. Life’s a bitch.

Oh, Amanda, please spare us from comments such as, “Jeremy and I liked to kiss. A lot.” I prefer not to hear that shit, thank you very much.

Trace just got here so I’m going to go watch some more of the game. Maybe we’ll be able to convince him to talk to you for a little bit. We’ll see, he’s not much into public speaking. I was surprised he talked during interviews for William Rast, when we first came out with it.