From what my mom told me, Jazzy has basically taken over my old room and Vikki has hardly been home since March. I've been in touch with her, but she tells Lance more than me and she's already finished middle school and is halfway through her work for her freshman year. "Jazz, how have you been doing with the work?"
"Good, I'm blowing through everything."
"Even math?"
"Yeah, it's geometry. I'm good at it."
She sounds distracted. "Is something on your mind?"
She laughs, probably shaking her head. "Homework, touring this summer with the Boys, going to your special things, their special things, and graduating in 11 months."
I smile, knowing I added that pressure on her already weighted mind. "Think of it like this, you're almost done with your freshman year."
"Hahahahaha! Fucker."
"Why do I hear a Backstreet Boys song in the background?"
"I'm at their rehearsal in the hall, easier to hear you."
"Oh." I guess it makes sense. "You still coming out the week of the 16th?"
"It's only a week away, so of course I am."
"When does your flight leave again?"
"In two days on the tenth at 4am. I'll be landing in Tokyo around 9a the eleventh, Tokyo time. I can't wait to see you guys, but I know I have to talk to James."
"What about?"
"A few personal things, nothing big."
"Find out why you two clicked yet?"
"No, not yet."
"That's starting to irk me, having no idea why."

She's quiet and I hear pencil (I think) scratching paper, signaling homework being done. That's why she is so distracted. "Not much I can do about that."
I hear a guy laugh and I don't recognize who it belongs to. "Where are you?"
"Tampa tonight and then back to your parents' in the morning. Been here for two days. Nick had them off," she informs me.
"You're still hanging out with him?"
"What's it matter to you?"
"Nothing." Her defensiveness causes me to back down. "Anyone else there?"
"No, of course not," she sarcastically remarks.
"If he had the past couple days off, why is he at rehearsal?"
"They wanted to rehearse last night, but I talked them out of it. They're doing it now and I'm almost done with the work for what would've been my third quarter work for my freshman year," she boasts.

I forgot to warn her that she's on speaker and Justin's hanging out in my room. "Fuck you," Justin tells her.
"I'm a virgin and plan to be that way when I turn 18," she is about to start a war. "After that, what happens just happens."
"Yeah, I doubt you'll wait that long, especially with how you are with him."
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"I know how you feel when it comes to him. You'd let him get it before Lance or me."
Oh, shit. "James knows I don't wanna risk our friendship and I made the same thing clear with your ass!" He's opened a can of worms and I have to try to shove the shut before he aggravates the situation.
I quickly take her off speaker and try to diffuse the problem. "Jazz, I'm sorry he said that."
"Not your fault," she replies, seething. "I cherish my friendships more than that, you know this."
"I know."
"You should've warned me that I was on speaker," she spat at me. I earned that one.
"You're right, I should've."
"Ok. Josh, I'll talk to you later."
She's still mad and about to hang up. "Just relax, please."
"I will. I'm going to Nick's and don't bother calling me. I'll only pick up for James when he's solo."
"I'll let him know."
"Bye."

"I'll let you cool off for a day. Bye." She hangs up and I shake my head. "Now she won't talk to anyone but Lance."
"She's hanging with the youngest Backstreet Boy and you're fine with it!"
"She's happy, so I don't mind. Justin, you seriously need to chill out."
"Have you seen how she acts around him? How she talks to him? How she wants to jump his bones?"
"She's 14 and I remember someone being the same way when it came to Britney at her age."
"That was different."
"How? She's known him for six months and they haven't done anything beyond hugs and falling asleep on each other."
"She's going to cross the line and we won't know until it's too late!"
"Justin! She's going to do as she pleases because it may be her way of lashing out and rebelling."
"Why are you so quick to defend her?"
"She's like a sister to me."
"She's one of my best friends, but I know how she is when it comes to him."
"Just back off. Talk, and I mean talk, to her about it."
"Fine, I will. Let's finish the movie so we can go to bed."
We finish watching the movie and he goes back to his room. I must have been exhausted because sleep took me quickly.
~~~~~

It's been a week and I didn't have to talk her down from her fear of flying. Maybe she got used to the idea of flying. I think back to the fight Justin and Jazz had, wondering why he's so sure about her being a certain way when it comes to Nick. Sure, I know she really likes him, flirts with him, has fallen asleep on him, and talks or texts him alot. She's been staying between his house and my parents' mainly, but I know she doesn't share a room with him or his brother. She said something about him and his brother bunking together when she's there. She talks more about school with me and Lance knows more than me when it comes to her. "JC, you paying attention?"
"What? I was just thinking."
"Since we have the day off, we were thinking we go out tonight."
"Our first interview is around noon, we have to grab Jazz around 9 tomorrow morning and we have to endure ten hours of interviews. Derek and Lonnie are rotating between us and her per her request five months ago," I inform the other four guys.
"Why does she get everything she wants?" Justin whines.
"Shut up, Curls," Lance snaps. "Maybe it's because she's not a bitch about it."

Whoa! Lance just swore! He hardly ever swears! "She's also a guest, Justin. She comes for a couple weeks here and there, goes home and visits us again a few months later. It makes it more bearable for her. We're practically family to her and you need to realize that she is closest to Lance. She tells you more than she does me."
"She tells Joey and Chris more than she does you," Justin informs me.
"It's things like where she goes and who she goes with," Joey indulges.
"Who does she go practically everywhere with?"
"Nick takes her where she wants, when she wants to," Chris informs us. Lance is the only sitting back, unfazed by this tidbit of information. Joey just gives a quick nod and shrugs his shoulders, knowing the same things as Chris is my best guess. 
Justin and I look at each other, our eyes wide with concern. Justin jumps out of his chair at the café, freaking out. "I told you! They're probably dating!"

Lance cocks his eyebrow and smirks, ready to laugh. He's as calm as he always has been. "Not yet, but if he asks I know she might seriously consider it."
Justin continues to blow a gasket over this as I try to get more information put of Lance. "Why would she do that?"
"He knows almost as much as I do. What she tells me is confidential and I'm not going to cross the line. I know what I can and can't talk about with you guys because she knows you and Justin can't keep the things Joey, Chris and I know to yourselves. Everything she's told those two, I knew first. Nick knows how she feels and respects her enough to not rush her. He may be 16, but he does want her to be with him and is waiting for her signal. They've gotten very close."
"How do you know?"
"He's called me a few times from her cell when she's in the shower. He confides in me sometimes. He's texted me from his cell."
"How can he text you from his phone if the number is in hers?"
"She's forgotten hers and had to text me from his. He feels almost the same about her as she feels about him. It's inevitable, no use trying to stop a relationship or a kiss or sex to happen between them. I know for a fact that neither of them are thinking about sex right now, they are more concerned about having a great friendship to fall back on if they do date each other and it doesn't work out."
"They are pretty much telling you that they're going to date regardless?"
"No matter what any of us have to say about it. She's 14 and he's 16, four of us know what might be on his mind. I'm more than sure that he's more concerned about her being alright than that."
"I don't know." Lance shrugs and joins the conversation with Joey and Chris, essentially ending ours. Justin continues to freak out, so I suggest we hit the mall and see if we can find anything we'd like there. 
~~~~~

Jazz lands in five minutes and I'm the only one awake. I watch her get her luggage and cooly walk over to me. She hugs me and she grew a couple inches. "How tall are you now?"
"Five feet and 3/4 inches."
Almost an inch. "I thought you got taller."
"I'm still vertically challenged."
I chuckle. "We love you anyway."
"I know, that's why I wanna hang with you guys."
"How goes the work?"
"I'm down to the last month and half worth of work."
"Why haven't you talked to me since the shit with Justin?"
"I had to cool off and I have, so just drop it," she says defensively.
"Alright." We get on the bus and she drops her bags on the couch again, running for the bunks.