July 23, 2000

"Hey Leah, it's me, Josh! I wanted to let you know that I'll be doing a couple of shows in New York this week. I wanted to know if we could meet up sometime between Tuesday and Thursday? It seems like I haven't seen you in forever, and I've really missed you. So get back to me as soon as possible!" Leah listened to the message that JC left on her phone, as she left the recording studio. It had been six months since she had last seen her friend, and she could not wait to see him again.

Now at twenty-three and twenty-four years old, the two friends were very busy with their successful careers. JC, with his group Nsync were on tour promoting their second studio album (fourth overall) No Strings Attached, and Leah was preparing for the release of her third studio album So True. After the summer of '94, and the friends went their separate ways, both JC and Leah amicably decided that it was best they stay friends. Although they loved each other very much, it was hard to maintain a long distance relationship. There was no love lost, and they maintained their freindship the very best they could in this crazy business.

Leah smiled when she heard the message. She really did miss his voice. When she arrived home, she called JC on her home phone. It only took one ring for JC to answer. "Hello?" JC answered. He sounded tired.
"Hey Josh!" Leah replied, smiling.

"Leah, hey!" JC immediately perked up at the sound of his friend's voice, today had been a tiring day, and hearing the sound of Leah's voice had been the one true highlight of his day.

"So, I got your message."

"Great. So are you free at all this week?" JC asked, knowing that Leah was just as busy with her career as he was with his.

"Actually, I am. This is the only free week I'll have in a while! Starting next Monday I start promoting for the album." Leah explained.

"So I was wondering if we could hang out this Tuesday, while I'm in town." JC suggested.

"That sounds great, Josh." Leah replied, smiling.

"Good, so I have to go, but I'll call you as soon as I get to New York."

"Sounds good. Bye Josh."

"Bye Leah." JC rang off.

As JC hung up on his end, he leaned against his bed and sighed. "Was that Leah?" Justin asked, sitting on the bed across from JC in the hotel room they were sharing together.

"Yeah, I'm gonna meet up with her when we get to New York." JC stated matter of factly, turning his head to look at Justin.

"Does Bobbie know about this?" Justin asked, referring to JC's girlfriend.

"It doesn't matter if she knows or not, Leah and I are just friends." JC said defensively, now sitting up on his bed.

"Yeah, but that's not all you used to be!" Justin replied, getting up from his bed and walking into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Key word is used." JC put an emphasis on the word used. "We were just teenagers then, and it was just puppy love, but now we're all grown up and strictly platonic! And, I would never shut Leah out of my life just because I have girlfriend, she's one of my best friends. Besides, we don't feel that way about each other anymore, nothing's going to happen between us. Like I said, we're just friends." JC reiterated.

"Mmmhmm, sure, okay." Was all Justin said in response.

"Really, I'm not in love with her anymore!" JC said, trying to convince himself, more than he was trying to convince Justin.