Ok, I know most of my friends and family are still in the States, but who in the FUCK who call me at this ungodly hour? I reach for my cell phone and pick it up, not expecting to get some surprising news. Before I can even say a word, I hear, "I think I REALLY  like Nick!"

"One-WHAT?!?!?!?! Two, it's almost 3 in the morning." I sit up in my bed slowly, gradually waking up. I won't be able to fall back asleep easily after this phone call. If I could just figure out why this voice is familiar.

"I really, really, really like Nick." The voice is calmer, slightly more composed. The voice... Jazzy.

"What do you mean by 'like'?"

"Like how I like James, but 50 times more."

"Are you seeing him?" I swear she didn't plan on dating till high school. Then again she told Chris six months from now. The female population can be completely confusing.

"No, we haven't even met or spent any time face to face, getting to know each other, better than we are yet." I try not to focus on her grammar mistakes.

"When do they go back to Orlando?" I move to the lounge room at the back of our tour bus.

"February 18. He said something about meeting this group named, um, what did he say they called themselves?, NTINK-"

She has a horrible memory unless it comes to phone numbers and addresses. "*NSYNC?" I'm aware about this meeting and know about it.

"Yeah, that's it." Should I tell her that it's me and the guys? No, not yet.

"I've heard of them."

"Tell those guys I said hi and to be nice to Nick and his friends." Talk about shock value. Then again, we didn't tell her. We didn't think it mattered. She knows we're in a band and that we're touring Europe. The bare essentials about the situation.

I bite my tongue. "If we meet them, I will make sure to tell *NSYNC to play nice with the Backstreet Boys." I quickly say before catching what I said. We haven't told her that Nick is a Backstreet Boy. She hasn't been told alot. She's also in the US, not Europe, she doesn't know yet.

"What?"

"I'll make sure to tell *NSYNC to be nice."

"Thanks. I think it's supposed to happen in two weeks."

She might catch on if one of the others tell her about that. I have to make sure the other guys don't tell her we ARE *NSYNC. Time to tell her a half truth. "We have a meeting that day too. It's a casual one." Can she tell I'm holding information back?

"Hey, I gotta get some sleep. Talk to you tomorrow. I'll try to call on the way home from school."

"Alright. Good night, Jazz."

"Night, Josh."

We hang up and I start to pace in the back of the bus, cell phone in hand. "FUCK! Alright, I can't tell Lance about her feelings for Nick. I have to tell them not to say a word about us having to meet the Backstreet Boys. They're not dumb and neither is she." I sit on one of the couches, thinking. I get up to grab a notebook and pen from my bag before going back into the lounge. "It's just a matter of time before she really sits down and pieces it together." I start writing down what I should and shouldn't tell who. I finish writing down what I should tell the guys and Jazzy before I drift back to sleep.

"Jace. JC. JC!" I snap awake and sit upright. I look at who was screaming in my ear.

"What, Lance?"

"I was wondering what this was about?" He holds up the notebook and the list of what to talk about with the guys facing me.

"Oh, we need to have a meeting to decide on what to tell Jazz about our meeting with the Backstreet Boys."

"Why?"
"Nick told her about the meeting with us in two weeks. We didn't tell her what we call ourselves. She doesn't know Nick is part of the Backstreet Boys. She knows about the meeting." She also likes Nick more than she does you, but I can't tell you that. It would destroy you. We need you to focus.

"Oh. We just tell her it was a meeting with management or tell her the truth. We know that when we get back to the States, our cover will be blown anyway."

"Should we tell her before or after?"

"Depends on who tells her."

"Who's the best one of us to tell her?"

"She jokes with Chris, so she'd never think he's serious. Joey already said he's not saying anything about it first. Justin, he gets nervous talking to her on the phone. Doesn't make sense because he can talk to her in person perfectly fine. That leaves us. She takes you seriously."

"She listens to you more."

"She takes what you say to heart."

"She's more understanding when you tell her things like this."

"She looks up to you."
"She likes you." Just not as much as she likes Nick.

"She respects you."

"She tells you more."

"She trusts you."

"She kissed you."
"You're like her family."

"So aren't Joey, Chris and Justin."

"Every time I try to call her, I get scared and nervous."

"You're better at slightly altering the truth."

"How do you suggest I do that?"

"Tell her that the name we use, we just picked it."

"No way. I can't do that to her. I can't lie to her."

"It's not lying, per se. Lance, just tell her."

"Why can't you?"

"I-I-Just tell her, Lance."

"No way."

Justin walks in, stretching. He looks at us, staring at each other from across the tour bus lounge. He turns to leave the lounge, looking confused, and shrugs before leaving. He's probably getting his daily fix of Cap'n Crunch before he says anything, like every morning. We all know NOT to utter a word to him before he has his fucking cereal. "Come on. We always deadlock when it comes to telling her something like this. I don't want to her to feel betrayed but I also don't want her to take advantage of us. I want to tell her but I don't want her to feel like she doesn't matter once we become known."

"It's exactly why we need to tell her-she's gonna feel like we don't trust her. We know that's not why, but that's how she's gonna feel if we don't." Lance drags his hand down his face, clearly becoming frustrated. He leans forward, putting his elbows on his legs above his knees, and his head in his hands. "Double edge swords suck."

"You know how she thinks."

"You can read her emotions."

"You can tell what she's feeling by the way she talks. I can only tell when she's right in front of me."

"You have more patience."

"When it comes to the other three guys, usually. I'm not sure if I have the same patience with a teen girl."

"I'm sure you do."

"She's emotionally attached to you. She's been emotionally open to you the most since you two kissed."

"She tells you all her fears."

"She tells you what she really feels,emotionally,than she tells any of us."

"She confides in you about more than she does any of us."

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose, leaning forward and put my elbows on my thighs. "Fuck! We need to stop deadlocking. Someone's got to tell her."

Justin comes back to the lounge again. "Deadlocking about what and tell who what?"

I look at him, annoyed. "Nick told Jazz about our meeting with the Backstreet Boys in two weeks. We have to tell her WE ARE *NSYNC." I go into detail about what Lance and  I have just finished talking about concerning the matter at hand.

Justin smiles. "That's easy-I'll tell her."

"You get nervous trying to talk to her on the phone."

"Oh, yeah." He admits it, sheepishly. We hear the door to the lounge open and look at Andi. We watch her sit in the corner of the bench-type couch between Justin and Lance.She looks at us. "What's up?"

Justin plays on this invitation. "You'd say you love us, right?"

"Most days, yeah."

"You'd be willing to do us a favor, a HUGE favor?"

"Depending on what the favor is, I might."

"Telling Jazz something before somebody else does."

"Your shoes sizes?" She quips back at Justin.

"No, the name of our group."

Andi's jaw drops and her eyes bug out. "NO FUCKING WAY! You're on your own! That's your problem! I'm barely beginning to earn her trust and I'm not going to betray her trust. No way, not happening, uh-huh!"

Time for Lance to play his card. "You'd be betraying her if you didn't tell her."

"No, YOU GUYS would. I can say I didn't know until she did. Not MY problem." She pointed out as she stabbed at the air in our directions. All five of us could have told told her before leaving Orlando and had plenty of opportunities. I hate when Andi's right.

Now is when I step in and ask her what's on my mind. "If you won't tell her for us, then maybe you'll help us break the deadlock over who should tell her and how." I keep my eyes focused on her face.

"Let me think about that." She gets up and heads for the front of the bus.

After the three of us watch her leave the lounge, I look at Justin and Lance. "Did she just say to let her think and leave us out to dry?"

Lance is as shocked as I am. "I, uh, yeah, I'm pretty sure she just did."

Justin just mutters 'fucking bitch' and folds his arms over his chest. "She always does this. Now she's gonna take her sweet time figuring it out."

I look back at the door and hope for Lynn to come back here. I need a mom's advice, more like a mom who KNOWS Jazz better than all six of us combined. I look at the clock on my cell phone, then my watch. My cell phone had the time for Germany and my watch had the time for Orlando. My watch says it's 5:30 and my cell reads that it's 11:30. Six hour difference. Lance's cell rings. "Do I tell her now?"

I look at him. "Is that her?"

"Yeah."

"No, not yet."
He answers it. "Hey, Jazz Bear." I hear that pet name he has for her and try not to laugh. He glares at me. "Oh, not too much. Just talking about our second show. Yeah, I feel like that sometimes. I understand. I get my diploma next spring. If I can finish school and do what I do for a living, I'm sure you can handle whatever comes your way. Our meeting? Oh, it's just with management and some other people that they work with. Uh, JC's sleeping still. That was Justin that was about to laugh. Sure, you can talk to Justin. Of course." He covers the mouth piece and looks at Justin. He talks through clenched teeth. "She wants to talk to you. Tell her nothing, Timberlake, or I tell Lynn what you told me before leaving Orlando."

Justin's face goes from trying not to laugh to very pissed off. "You wouldn't dare."

"Tempt me and you'll find out." Justin takes Lance's cell phone and plays along, putting on a false happiness in his face. "Hey, Jazz. I was laughing at his nickname for you. Just management and some other members from the label. Just dinner. Nothing major. It's about two, two and a half weeks away. Yeah close to my and Joey's birthdays. Probably just to celebrate our birthdays. Hahaha, most likely. Of course you can, Jazz Muffin." Lance's turn to try not to laugh and Justin flips him off, mouthing 'fuck you'. I'm paying attention to what he's telling her. "Sure, you know it. Miss you too. Alright, talk to you then. Yeah, I'll stay up. Anything you might wanna talk about, something that's on your mind? That's it? You can tell me. Yeah, I promise. Ok, talk to you then. Bye." He hangs up. "You're an a-" Lynn walks in, looking at Justin with warning eyes. "Apple." Is that the best he could think of?

Lance quickly jumps up, grabbing his cell phone from Justin and leads Lynn out of the lounge. He's probably going to get her opinion on the situation. Justin turns the TV on and puts it on MTV. Our video for 'I Want You Back' made it to number 2 yesterday. It's the video that we're at a space station. We go to film our video for the European release of 'Tearin Up My Heart' in almost three weeks. It's release date is a month after Jazz's birthday. Shit. We need to tell her before we release the first single in the States. I'm sure she watches MTV and VH1. She'll probably watch the video and recognize us. She knows what we look like. We have until November, unless she finds out before that. It's already eating away at me because we didn't tell her. "Justin, do you think we should have told her to begin with?"

"I wanted to, but something told me not to. I had the feeling that you'd tear me a new one. I don't feel like pissing you off all the time, just sometimes."

I roll my eyes as I realize that Chris has been sitting across the lounge from me. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Since about a couple minutes ago, near the end of our video. Told who what to begin with?"

"Jazzy about us being *NSYNC."

"I thought about it. Doesn't she realize that Nick is in the Backstreet Boys?"

"No. I can't even get the nerve up to tell her that, nevermind telling her we're *NSYNC."

Chris sits back. "Nick will probably tell her in the next month or two or she's gonna figure him and us out."

"We're aware of this. When do they put their first single out in the States?"
"I don't know. That's Lance's department and why we call him 'Scoop', remember?"

I get up and look for Lance, finding him at what we call a table. He's thinking about something. "Lance, I have a question."
He snaps his head toward my voice and back into reality. "What's that?"

"When do the Backstreet Boys release their first single in the States?"

"June 10. It could be released as early as May."

"When do we release 'I Want You Back' in the States with the new video?"

"November 8. Why does it matter?"

"Unless MTV, back in the States, starts putting pictures of us up and talking about us, Jazz is going to recognize us. Of course she's going to recognize Nick first. Who's to say that she won't pick up a magazine with an article and picture of us in it? Or Nick and the other Backstreet Boys? She's intelligent and I want to tell her before she finds out any other way. She needs to know who we are, straight from us."

"JC, just stop. She's probably going to ask as soon as she catches wind. Maybe we should see if her mom would let her come on tour with us during February vacation?"

"When is that?"

"I think she said it was from the seventh till the 16th. I can text her and double check."

"Please?"

I see Lance pull out his cell phone and quickly text Jazz. "Yeah, it's the 8th till the 16th. We can fly her out to us from Orlando to where we are. I think we're in Sweden then." He flips through the notebook beside him. "Yeah, Stockholm. Then we go from there to Ireland, the UK, Spain, and Berlin."

"In 8 days?"

"Yes, in 8 days. Nine, sorry. We leave Stockholm the day she'd be flying out to us. She'd be meeting us in Dublin."

"She's Irish! We'll tell her we have a special brithday present, but it's going to be late."

"That I can do, but after we deal with her mom and getting her a passport."

"I can have my mom help hers out with the passport while Lynn and I talk to her mom about letting her come alone to Dublin."

"Sounds like a plan. Now to hope her mom goes along with it."

"Can you call Johnny and clear it with him and ask him to tell Nick to shut his trap about us? Including the meeting."

He picks up his cell phone and calls someone. "Johnny, I know. Look, it's important. Yes, it concerns the Backstreet Boys. No, just one of them. Nick Carter. One thing does concern us and directly connects him to us. He's talking to this girl we've become close to, almost family. Jazzy. Yeah, that's the one. She did stay with us in Orlando for the last five days we were there. Yeah, we forgot to mention that about us to her. He shouldn't be talking about the meeting with her. We were thinking you could help bring her to us in Dublin. Fly her out February 7th, at night and she'll meet us in Dublin, VIP treatment. Yes, she'll stay with us until the 14th or 15th. Up to her mom. Yes, her mom is Vikki. Ok, thank you. I will call you back later with her mom's decision. Thanks." He hangs up and he smiles. "Johnny said to get her mom's consent and to have one of us fly there, preferably you, have her sign a consent form for her to come. We have to surprise her. We have to play along with her mom's demands. It's a two way deal. I'm going to talk to Lynn about this. Johnny's going to get it done with Vikki and bring it to us, for us and Lynn to sign it."

I nod, praying our plan goes off without a hitch. I look at my cell phone. It's going on two in the afternoon here. That means it's going on 8 in the morning in Orlando. Her mom went in at seven. Tyler and Jazz do go to the same school, I found that out from Vikki. I start to bite my thumb nail, an old nervous habit, just not biting it off. I have her mom's work number and I know her mom said to call if anything came up. This was important, but not enough to call her at work. I pick up my cell phone and scroll through my contacts, down to my parents' house number. I take a deep breath and push 'send'. It rings once, twice, three, four-

"Hello?"

"Mom."

"What's wrong?"

"Just wanted to ask for your help."

"With what, sweetie?"

"Something for Jazzy."

"Anything for her."

"Thanks, mom. Would you be willing to help Vikki get a passport for Jazzy?"

"Why?"

"So we can let her know who we are on stage and in magazines. We haven't told her yet. VIP treatment and everything."

"Did you clear it with Johnny?"

"He said as long as Vikki signs an agreement saying she can come and the stipulations."

"What dates would she be flying?"

"The night of February 7th to Dublin, stay with us on tour until the 14th or 15th. Her mom will choose the date she has to be back. Most likely the 14th because she's going to have some serious jetlag."

"I will talk to her mom tonight. Do you need to come to sign the stipulation?"

"Only I do. The rest of the guys will most likely be on conference call during it. I will be having them sign it before I head to the States to sign it."

"Johnny will be meeting with her mom before this goes into motion?"

"I think so. He's going to need one of our parents there and Lynn will probably be on the phone while it's being worked out."

"Alright. I'll talk to her tonight. I'll have your brother keep Jazzy company here and I'll talk to her mom."

"Thanks, mom. You're the best. Jazzy can't know anything because it's a late birthday present."

"Ok. Anything else, sweetie?"

"I love and miss everyone."

"We love and miss you, the boys and Andi very much too."

Lance and I relax, watching the other three jump around in excitement about our show tonight. "Can someone put Tupac's 'I Get Around' on? I'm feeling like having a little vocal practice and fun." We end up singing, dancing and goofing off for the rest of the ride, even through dinner. We sing all types of music and just relax. I know Jazz is going to love her birthday present. We pull up to the arena, get in a quick rehearsal on the stage and get ready to perform. I know Jazz gets home around 3:15, unless she stays after to get some books or something. She should call by ten my time zone, which is four Orlando time.

~~~

We did great tonight and I haven't told Justin, Chris or Joey. I know Chris and Justin would let it slip. I know I'm about ready to fall asleep but I know Jazzy's gonna call to update me. She's like a little sister to me and I want to make sure she's ok. Heather is 18 and no matter what I say, she's going to be her own person. Tyler is a good kid, too, but I know he's trying to look out for Jazz's safety. It's almost 10:15 and she still hasn't called. I start to doze off when my cell phone rings. I look at it and it's Jazz. "Hey, kid."

"Kid?"

"You're younger than me."

"Yeah, and?"

"How's your day going, Jazz Bean?"

"Good. Wait, what did you just call me?"

"Jazz Bean."

"You just came up with it."

"Yes, I did."

"I like it. Ma told me I have plans from February 7th till the 16th. She's letting me take the following week off. She says I'll be spending it with you guys."

"I hope she didn't ruin it."
"No, she wouldn't tell me anything more."

"You ever wanted to travel?"

"Yeah, who doesn't?"

"Well, you'll get to do a little of that."

"Really? Where to?"

"I don't know, Lance planned it with Johnny and Lynn. I told you all I know."

"Bummer. Not even a clue?"

"Green grass."

"That's all he gave as a clue?"

"Yeah, that's it. I can't figure it out either." A smile creeps across my face. I can just imagine her face when she reads the tickets.

"Are you playin?"
"Nope. Lance said it'd mean alot to you."
"Whatever. Josh?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for being there."

"It's part of looking out for my friends and family."

"I so suck at math."

"Read me the problem." I grab a notebook and a pencil. I help her with her homework. She wasn't kidding when she said she wasn't good at math. PEMDAS helps in algebra, but she's only in her first year of it. Next year, she'll be ready. She tells me about her first day and that she's learning about dolphins on her own time. Somehow she's going to make sure to take care of the baby-sitting course she's going to miss being out here with us. Or will she be done by then? "Jazz, when do you wrap up your baby-sitting courses?"

"February 16. I have the option of staying after school to make them up. That professor is there at the high school next door until almost 6, every school night."

"Oh? That's cool."
"Yeah, she's pretty laid back about it. It's 8 hours total. I can try to get ahead by the time February vacation comes around."
"Bring your work with you. We can help you."

"Who's good at what?"

We talk about school work, who's good at what subjects and her baby-sitting course. "How long will it take to make up the 8 hours you're going to miss while you're out here?"

"If I stay after school an hour four days a week, about two school weeks."

"Wow. How long will it take if you did that for the whole course? To get your hours in for your certification?"

"Um, an hour, five days a week, it would take me four weeks."

"Four days a week, an hour for each?"

"Five weeks."

"Four weeks, would be what date?"

"February 1st."

"Five weeks?"

"February 8th."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm actually starting that after school tomorrow. I set it up already. I'd rather stay after school than use up a Saturday."

I laugh. "True. So, what date will you be done?"

"Lemme check." I hear her flipping through a notebook or calender. "February 7th. Perfection." She laughs. "Irony."

"Yes, it's ironic."

"What time is it out there?"

"Almost 2 in the morning."

"Dammit. I have to go home and eat. Tyler, can you walk me home? Thanks."

"What time is it there, Jazz?"

"Going on 8. I have yet to eat cuz I wanted to finish my homework and I just now finished."

"Ok, I'll let my brother get you home. Tell him to call and let me know he got back safe. Where are mom and dad?"

"They're with my mom. They should be back by the time 'Ler and I get to my house. I'll call or text you so you know I got home fine."

"Ok."

Jazz calls me back about half an hour later. "Hey. Your parents are right here." She's next to my parents' car. I hear the engine and Tyler getting in. 

"Let me talk to mom for a minute."

Mom takes her cell. "Josh?"

"Is the agreement set up?"

"Yes."

"Does Vikki have a copy?"

"Yes."

"Johnny has seven copies, right?"

"Yes."

"He's flying out by the 20th so we can look it over?"

"Yes."

"So, did you get her passport applicartion in?"

"Yes."

"Still a seven business day wait?"

"Of course."

"Did you get the tickets?"

"It's all set. She's flying out the 5th and will be there until the 17th. She lands the 6th, red fish meatballs." 

"Stockholm. I'll be flying out there the 29th, early morning and have to fly back the next day." 

"Ok. We'll see you the 29th. Bye, sweetie."

"Mom, one more question."
"Ok, ask."

"Is Jazz still confused?"
"Very."

"I love you, mom."
"I love you too."

Jazz gets her cell back, hugs my mom and dad before they leave, and asks one question. "What was that about?"

"You'll find out. Please put your mom on."

"Josh."
"Samantha."

I can imagine her cringing. "Don't call me by that name, Joshua."

"Put your mom on."

I hear her walking up her walkway, close her front door and tell Vikki that I want to talk to her. "Yes, Josh?"

"Yes or no answers so she doesn't know what we're talking about."

"Ok."
"Passport application done?"

"Yes."

"Seven business days."
"Yes."
"Flies out the 5th, lands the 6th in Stockholm."

"Yes."
"Flies from Paris the 17th back to Orlando."

"Yes."

"Do you have the tickets?"

"No."
"Are my parents holding them?"

"Yes."

"She's still confused?"
"Yes."

"Is my brother confused?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Thanks for letting her come to Europe, Vikki."

"You're welcome. I know why you're doing this. Your mom told me on the way to meet Johnny."

"I have to show Jazz who we are on stage and in the public eye. Just in case she sees or hears anything concerning the group."

"Name."
"*NSYNC."

"Ok. What's my part?"

"Try to keep her too busy to watch MTV, VH1 and any music or news related shows until after she gets back."

"Will do."

"Let me talk to Jazz, please."

I hear her tell Jazz to take the phone, heat up some left overs from the night before, and then head to bed. "You're not funny anymore."

"Not trying to be." I laugh.

"You seem to think you're funny."

"It's a birthday present and Lance took the phone when your mom and mine answered."
"Ok."

"Sleep tight."

"Night." She's going to love it.