I must have been exhausted because not only did I fall asleep early and after finishing some of my homework, I woke up to JC shaking me awake. "Jazz, wake up, we have to talk."
"What about?"
"I waited for you in the restaurant downstairs till midnight before coming up here to find you asleep."
"I came straight up here around 6 last night, ask Derek."
"I talked to him an hour ago to find out who you were with and when you got back. He said you were in here by six thirty and haven't left the room. He checked on you at nine and you were doing homework. He checked on you at 11 and you were asleep, your face in your books."
"I had dreams about Poe, Shakespeare and Emily Dickenson having tea together and talking about life, love and death."
He picks up a notebook and reads it. "You were writing essays on them."
I look at the book I was answering questions out of and know why. "Those are open ended questions on my analysis of these poems alone and vs each other." I point to my English book, directly at the question concerning Shakespeare, Poe, and Dickenson.
He grabs my book and looks at the question and my answer in my notebook. "Makes sense then. Back to why we need to talk-Derek told me you were mature and careful yesterday, but not who you spent the day with. He said that's your business to tell me. Who'd you spend the day with yesterday?"
"You promise not to get upset?" I know to get to the point, tell him the truth, and not piss him off. I know I'm gonna need to tread lightly between what happened a couple nights ago and yesterday.
"Yes." He crosses his arms, starting to get annoyed and protective.
"Nick, I was out with Nick. He flew from London to spend the day with me and his plane leaves around nine."
"Well, that explains why he's at this hotel alone and no security until this morning. Where did you go?"
"He took me to get stuffed waffles, a beautiful cove nearby, and then a small café for an early dinner, talking the whole time about music, life, family, friends, school, tours, and work."
"You still have about 15 minutes before he has to leave to catch his flight."
I look at JC like he's psychotic. "Are you saying I can spend it with him?"
He sighs and smiles. "Go before I change my mind."
"What room number?"
"473, go! I'm about to change my mind!" He teases me.
A huge smile crosses my face, reaching my eyes, I stand on the bed, jump off the bed and run out of the room, making sure to only stop to give JC a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." I run to Nick's room, knock on his door and impatiently wait for him to open it.
I hear shuffling in the room. "Who is it?"
"It's me, Nick. I came to spend a tiny bit of time with you."
He opens the door, looking tired, and lets me in. He hugs me like it's going to be forever before we see each other again. "I thought JC wouldn't let you see me before I left."
"Derek didn't tell him you were here, but he knew."
"I bumped into him and said hi in passing."
"It's barely over a week before we have more time to hang out."
"Eight days."
"You're counting?"
"Aren't you?"
"Yeah, but I'm not counting how many days until I finally go home. I'm counting how many days I have left to travel and enjoy other countries, squeezing as much fun as I can out of it." I smile.
He laughs. "You haven't been outside the States?"
"I've been to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Iowa. I just got to Orlando, FL. Five states and I can say I've been to Stockholm, Dublin, and four more places."
"I talked to Derek and he said that you'll get to see London, Sydney, Madrid, Paris and Frankfurt before you head home. He did say we are on the same flight because he spoke to Lance and the flight numbers match on our tickets."
"That's eight days from now?"
"Yeah, eight days from when my flight takes off today. I miss my brother, sisters and the rest of my family. I just wanna be back in Florida, be back home. We've been over here for too long."
After my fifteen minute visit with Nick, I hug him, watch him leave and head out to rehearsal with the guys, I talk to JC about Nick. He makes me laugh and gives me advice, having calmed down. "He was sweet."
"Just take your time, really know who he is before you do anything or jump into a relationship."
"He had a blanket to sit on and an extra jacket for me. He paid for dinner and we talked forever. Ask Derek about what we talked about."
"I trust you. Just don't rush into anything."
We climb in the van and he's driving. I lay on the far back seat with my head on Chris' leg (he treats me like his little sister). "Chris?"
"Yeah, Jazzaspazz?"
I'm beginning to think that the five of these über nerds need to come up with one damn nickname for me. "What would you say if I started seeing a guy who's almost a couple years older than me?"
"Depends. Does he care about you?"
"As far as I know, yes."
"Is he a good guy?"
"I think so."
"Does he treat you good?"
"What do you mean?"
"Talk to you, respect you, listen to you, spend time with you, make you feel good about yourself, make you smile and make you feel like you matter to someone."
"Yes, to all of it."
"I guess n-is he trying to get in your pants?"
"I don't think so."
"Does he make time for you?"
"He tries his best." My cell phone beeps right on cue. I look at the display and smile. "He's making it a point to make time right now to text me."
I read the text, smiling bigger than I thought I possibly could. 'Thinking of you. Miss you. -Tristan'
Chris being nosy as per his usual, reads the message as I do. "His name is 'Tristan'?"
"No, he knows I'm part Irish and knows I love the stories of star crossed lovers-Romeo & Juliet, Tristan & Isolde, Mark Anthony & Cleopatra," I say as I answer the text. 'Talking about you. Miss ya too. The guys-mainly Chris-are asking about you. -Isolde'
"Damn skippy we're asking about this guy!"
I laugh. "Just because I like him and think about him?"
"Well, you just turned 14 and dealing with alot. How old is this punk?"
"16."
"Lance, are you the one texting her?"
I watch his shoulders fall. "No."
"Do we know the little fucker?" Chris retorts, turning his attention back to me.
"You've met him."
"How recently?"
"In the past couple months."
"How many 16 year old guys have we met in the past couple months, JC?"
"Thousands."
"Damn. How'd we meet him?"
"Through Johnny."
"How many 16 year old dudes did we meet through Johnny?"
"Two-Sean Conlon and Nick Carter."
He looks at me, completely comfortable with my head on his leg. "So which one is it?"
I laugh, and when I can stop, answering his question with, "I'll never tell," in a sing-song voice.
Chris's eyes begin widening, probably trying to scare me and failing miserably because I'm laughing. "JC, make her tell us!" Chris whines.
JC laughs from the driver's seat. "She's going to tell us when she's good and ready, I've learned that. We're here. Let's get some rehearsal time in before we perform and fly to London on a late night flight tonight."
I text 'Tristan' a single question. 'How long till you leave there? -Isolde'
'Leave tomorrow night. -Tristan'
'Next stop is where you are. Late night flight tonight. -Isolde'
'That's good news. I have to rehearse around 1 till show time. Hang before then? -Tristan'
"Joshie?" I'm playing innocent as I jog up to JC so that I fall in step with him, pulling on his coat.
"Jazzbean?"
I laugh and he smiles at the ridiculous nickname he gave me. "Can I hang out with him tomorrow in London?"
"You mean 'Tristan'?"
"Yeah, the one I spent most of yesterday with."
"When to when?"
"Maybe six till noon?"
"Make sure your cell phone is on, take it with you and make sure to eat."
I throw my arms around his neck, smiling kinda goofy and hug him. "Thanks, Joshie!!!"
"I'm fine with it as long as I know. Try to check in every so often."
"Alright." I text 'Tristan' back. 'Daddy C says between 6a and noon. Have to have my cell on, make sure I eat breakfast and lunch, and check in a couple times. Does it work?'
'K & T said 2 & see if you can crash our rehearsal. The guys wanna meet you.'
I show JC and he nods. "Check in every couple hours."
'Daddy C said for me to check in every couple hours.'
'We can swing that. Thanks Daddy C! Means so much to me that you're trusting me!'
I show JC and he taps away, sending the text before handing me my cell back. "What did you send him?"
JC has that protective smirk. "You get hurt or lost, I beat the life out of him. I'll sic Justin and Chris on him, in reality."
"What are they, your freaking henchmen?"
"When it comes to you, Jazzbean, yes, they are my henchmen."
My cell beeps. 'Nothing will cause that to happen. K, D, B, T & J would kill me! I'd be dead 6 times over! I wanna live thanks!'
I show JC and he calls 'Tristan'. "Thanks. Can I talk to K?" A few seconds of silence as we get ready for rehearsal is quite deafening. "Hey, man. I just want to check if it's ok with you that Jazzy sticks with you guys? Tomorrow. Yes. No. She can check in from her cell by text or calling. Yes. Flight leaves here at ten tonight and we get there by midnight. Six in the morning. Ok, sure. I understand that. We're staying at the same hotel. Yes. No. I'll make sure of it. Hahaha. Sure, they can talk for a few." He holds my cell out to me. "Here talk to him while we wait for Darren."
"Thanks, Daddy C." I take my cell and start talking.
"Hey."
"How have you been, beautiful?"
"I've been good. Arranging meetings now, huh?"
"I miss you that much."
"You're a nerd, Icky."
"I'm your friend too."
"I know. Do you know what they talked about just now?"
"Not really because D wouldn't stop talking."
"Hunh. Wonder why. They set something up?"
"Who knows? It's Kevin."
"Ok, true. You know I can get it out of JC, but not till later."
"It's easier than getting it out of Kevin. Who do you bunk with?"
"JC."
"That's gonna make it easier."
"Yeah, he also talks in his sleep."
"It's like telling Howie a secret-wait till he falls asleep and talk to him, he'll tell you."
Darren walks in. "Talk later? Darren just walked in. Miss you."
"Ok. Yeah, we can talk later or at least text, we definitely get to spend all day together tomorrow. Miss you, too, beautiful."
"Yeah, works either way. Later."
"Bye."
I hang up and look at the guys. Darren, Chris, Joey, Justin, and Lance are looking at me funny. Chris is the first one to start in. "You call him 'Icky'?"
"Yes, because I know nosy ass people are listening in."
Justin's turn. "He's in London?"
Joey just has to know one thing. "How come JC gets to know and we don't?"
"Yes, he's in London right now and JC gets to know cuz he's Daddy C. Remember-he's my guardian out here? I'm molding him for fatherhood."
JC looks at me and laughs hysterically. "Hearing that makes me NOT want to have kids! Jazzbean, I love you but I'm not even thinking of kids of my own."
I laugh. "Last thing we all need is little Daddy Cs running around tell every one of their friends to go to bed cuz they got school in the morning."
The seven of us (not counting security, who showed up during the 'why session') start laughing. Derek's laughing the hardest. "I can see that happening too!"
JC smiles and mutters 'fuck you guys'. Darren calls our names and we stop to listen. "Let's get this done before the show. I understand why imagining little JCs running around telling your kids to go to bed because they've got school in the morning is funny, but keep in mind that the five of you have a performance to do tonight and we want to get it as close to perfect as we can. Jazz, you get Lance to focus and crank out the steps. Rehearse next to him."
"Ok, Darren." I fall into place and look at very anxious/nervous Lance. "James, you're gonna do unbelievably good."
"How do you know?"
"I have faith in you and I know how good you are when you really focus, when you try more than your best." I smile and give him a quick, reassuring hug. We kick up rehearsal and get through the routine so many times, I would hope we can do this in our fucking sleep. We got to rehearsal around 8:15 and it's going on 5:45, only stopping to eat at 9, 1 and now. Finally resting before the performance, backstage to boot.
After we eat, they have 2 hours before show time. I grab a pillow and put it on Lance's lap, knowing I need to talk to him. He's sitting on the love seat, I have my head on a pillow on his lap and my legs across the armrest. "James, I need to talk to you."
"Hmm?"
"Well, I do like you. You know that right?"
"Of course."
I know he's being terse for some reason, I have to find out why. "I know you think that I don't care about your feelings, but I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now."
"Do you like someone else?"
Talk about getting to the point. "Yes, but as a friend. I'm trying to figure alot out, I don't have time for a relationship or to date a guy. I have some unbelievably awesome friends. You fall under the best friend category and I tell you so much more than I do anyone else, even my friends back home. I like all of you guys in this room."
He looks at the security staff and the rest of *NSYNC before looking in my eyes again. "Ok. What do I mean to you?"
"You're my best friend, confidant, and completely irreplaceable. You're also my first kiss. You're the one person I can turn to at any time about anything and know you won't judge me because of what I mean to you."
"I guess I'm a little jealous."
"Listen, you'll be the first to know when and if I start dating cuz you won't blab to Daddy C or let it 'slip' out."
He smiles and scratches my head. "Deal. How's school going?"
I have my best friend back and smiling, talking with me like we used to. We talk about school, assignments, Tyler, Heather, family, friends back home, music, tour, and Nick taking me to see dolphins in Orlando. Lance tells me I have nothing to worry about cuz Nick's right. We talk for another hour and then they play hackey, pulling me in for fun. We spend almost the whole hour talking and playing hackey, blocking the hallway. "C'mon, Lance, you can get the hackey!" We cheer him on and high five him when he does get it. They run to the stage and I head back to the room we were in before, pulling out my homework and starting from where I left off. I fly through my English, history and science homework. I try to work on my math homework. Math sucks and I'm not good at it. Damn JC and Lance for being on stage! Math is the one subject that makes me wanna beat someone senseless. I'm only on the second day's worth of work when my cell phone rings, scaring the hell outta me.
I answer it, not bothering to look at the screen. "Hello?"
"Hi, are you Jazzy?"
"Yes, who are you?"
"Fatima."
"Who?"
She sighs, frustrated. "Fatima, I'm the choreographer for Nick and the boys."
"Oh, hi, 'Tima. What's up?"
"Kevin told me you're crashing rehearsal tomorrow."
"If that's ok, I'd love to join in."
"You'll help Nick?"
"Yeah, if that's what you want me to do."
"Then I guess I have no problem with it. We moved it back up to 1:15, in that case. Do you goof off when you know *NSYNC is supposed to rehearse?"
"No, they're supposed to be working and taking it serious to make sure their shows are awesome. Lance has the most difficulty with the steps and I mostly help him get them down."
"Good! Then you might be able to get Nick to focus!"
We laugh for a minute. "I'll try my best."
"Hold on a minute?"
"Sure." I start to wonder why I'm on hold and how she got my number. I hear Nick asking how they're doing on stage and she tells them they're doing awesomely.
I hear the next song start up and her grab her phone again. "Hello?"
"I'm still here. They're on stage?"
"Yes. Nick's worried about how well they're doing because I kind of used your visiting as a hypothetical carrot for him. I'm dangling that visit in front of him and telling him if he wants you to spend tomorrow with him, he has to do exceptionally good on stage tonight."
"Fatima, you're so evil."
"I have to be sometimes."
"I know. Oh, dammit."
"What?"
"I'm not very good at math and it's all I have left to do before going home."
"When is that?"
"Same day and flight as you and the boys."
"Oh, well, Nick said something about that."
"I'm gonna let you go so I can do what I can with my math homework."
"See you tomorrow."
"See ya then, 'Tima." I hang up and focus on my math until I get a massive headache.
My headache is in high gear when the boys finish their set and Lance comes in. "I have 45 seconds for you to stuff that in your bag, put it on your back and piggy back you to the bus." He helps me get my books and assignments in my bag, my bag on my back and me on his back before we run full speed to the bus with Derek right behind us.
I hear his walkie-talkie go off and it's Lynn asking if they found me. "ETA 20 seconds, Lynn."
Mike speaks to Derek on the walkie. "Jazz and Lance make it?"
"At the back end of the bus." We get to the door and Lance steps up into the bus, Derek talks into his walkie. "*NSYNC and Jazzy have left the building, we have six on the bus, we have six."
"Six on the bus," comes over the walkie a few times and security gives us clearance to drive the ten minutes to the airport. Wes and Derek are on the bus with a couple other bodyguards.
"What's the whole point of the walkies and saying that so many times?" I ask the five of them and Lynn without directing it at or to anyone in particular.
JC answers the question as best as he can, "You know how they do head counts before we leave the hotel, when we get on the bus, before we leave the bus, when we get where we're going, before we leave there, get on the bus, rehearsals, before performances, and all that?"
"Yeah."
"It's so they can make sure we all got on the bus safely."
"Oh. How long till we get to the airport?"
"A few minutes."
"No time for a nap? I have a massive headache from my math homework."
He chuckles. "If you don't wake up, one of us will give you a piggy back ride or carry you on the plane. Lynn and Derek do flight check ins."
I nod, grab a pillow and lay down with my head on JC's lap. Justin puts my legs across his lap. He takes my shoes off my feet and puts them in my book bag as he says, "It's my turn to piggy back her again?"
The other guys say if he wants to, he can. I fall asleep, knowing they're gonna make sure I stay with them. When I wake up, JC's leaning over me. "Jazzbean, we're in London."
I snap up, looking out the window. "It's dark." I make a face that expresses how upset I am about it. "Where are my bags?"
"The other guys and Lynn are getting them. Come on. We have to get off the plane." I follow him off the plane as he tells me some good news. "Nick is still awake. You have a room joined with mine. You two can visit as long as the door between our rooms stays open."
"Thanks and that's fair." I side hug JC.
"You're a good kid. How much homework do you have left?"
"Just math. I hate algebra. I bet it's God's way of mocking me."
He laughs as he squats down, allowing me to get a piggy back ride. "Good. I feel less guilty about letting you spend time with him tonight," he tells me, looking over his shoulder at me. He smiles. "Only Wes, Derek and myself know."
I smile back and kiss his cheek. "Thanks, Daddy C."
"You're welcome, Jazzbean."
He runs as he gives me the piggyback ride, making me giggle wildly and he imitates squealing car brakes as he stops by the luggage claim. "All my bags are near each other." I wrap my legs around his waist to keep from falling as I tighten my grip around his shoulders as best as I can. Wes and Derek smile and wink at me, causing me to smile dorkishly and nod in response. JC puts my bags and his on the luggage cart. He grabs the back of my thighs again and starts jumping and running around the airport to hear me giggle, having fun making memories. We play tag with Justin, Chris and Joey (I'm the only one playing it piggy back) while we wait for the van they're renting to show up. The five of us are having a blast, laughing and running around. Lance is shaking his head at our goofy way of amusing ourselves, smiling the whole time. I see the van pull up and the driver come inside, clearly looking for someone. "James, could that be our van?" I ask, pointing at the guy that had come out of the van.
He nods. "I'll go check with Lynn."
"Okity dokity, pokey!" I start giggling again when Justin and Chris tickle my sides. I'm in an awesome mood because my headache is gone and what JC set up for me.
Lance comes back over, announcing that it's our van and we should get packed into it. "Come on. The faster we get to the hotel and settled in, the faster we can go to bed."
At that, Justin jumps on the luggage cart while Chris and Joey get ready to push. Justin points to the van and says, "Van ahoy!" He has a smile on his face as he grips the bars on the cart and the other two push the cart, running toward the van.
JC looks at me over his shoulder and I nod letting him know he could run. He takes off at full speed to get to the van. "We gave you three a head start," he says tersely as we pass Justin, Joey and Chris.
Justin and Chris yell, "You're cheating! You have less weight!"
"You have more muscle power!" I yell back. "Inertia!" I giggle uncontrollably and kind of high pitched. We get in the van and the guys pack the bags in the way back before getting in themselves. We drive the half hour, I think it was that long, to the hotel and check in. We grab our own bags and settle in. I drop two of my bags by the bathroom and the third (my school bag) by my bed, sitting in the middle of it. I lay on my belly, only taking up half of it, pull my bag up, get my homework out and see JC opening the door between his room and mine. "Can you please help me with my math?"
"Sure," he says settling on my bed on his stomach to look at the assignment I'm working on. Wes knocks on the door frame twice, three times, once. I had left the hall door open to see who passed my room. JC smiles at me and gets up. "Put it away and take a break," he tells me as he leaves my room. I put it away and set the hotel alarm clock for 6:45a so we can hang out. He comes back in my room with Nick.
I run to Nick, hugging him as he gives me a bear hug and lifts me off the floor. "Missed you."
"Only got tonight and tomorrow. You have to be handed back to JC by 11 tomorrow night."
I smile the cheesiest smile ever. "More time to bond."
We laugh as he closes the door. He walks over to my bed, sits against the wall and invites me to sit in front of him. I sit in front of him, leaning back against the front of his body and resting my head on his chest. "Fatima said we did awesome, so she said we could have time together before we get some sleep."
"That's sweet of her."
He's looking down at my face and I'm looking up into his. We start talking about whatever comes across our minds, essentially bonding and building up a friendship.
Author's Chapter Notes:
*EDITED*
Chapter End Notes:
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