“So it goes 1, 2, 3 and 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8” Darren told them, doing a different foot movement with each count.

It was almost 3 in the afternoon, and they were only half way through their rehearsal.  They had gotten up early, and started dancing at 9:00am, taking a while to get to know the choreographer. Darren was the name.

The boys seemed to literally be dripping of sweat. They had been there for 9 hours, and so far they had only gotten a couple dances down pact. They were still stumbling on the ‘Just Wanna Be With You’ routine.

Chris put his hands on his knees and bent over. “I am getting too old for all this dancing”

Darren laughed “Just wait till I show you the routine for ‘You Got It’” he chuckled

JC took off his red baseball cap and ran his hands through his moist hair. “Rehearsals man. I forgot how intense they were”

“Tell me about it” Justin said with a small white towel around the back of his neck. “I’m loving it though. Just like how it was when we first started out, except we’re not in some hot, old warehouse stifling”

“Yea. This guy’s good. Really good” JC said, watching Darren go over a couple steps with Lance

“Hell yea. He’s fun, but intense. Knows his stuff”

JC nodded, walking over to the table where their bottled water and cell phones rested. He flipped open his phone, disappointed he hadn’t seen any text messages or missed calls.

“Dude, she knows you’re at rehearsal. She isn’t going to call you now” Justin said, rolling his eyes

“It doesn’t hurt to check” JC mumbled

“You’ve been checking all damn day!” Justin laughed. “Dude leave her alone!”

“He’s checking for calls again?” Joey asked chuckling, coming up from behind them

“Yea” Justin answered

“Man you’re pathetic” Joey said

“Yea I know” JC said sighing. “I just kind of miss her, that’s all”

“Yea, but you’re working right now, so get your mind set back into dancing” Justin reminded him, hiding a smile

“Actually, I’m putting you guys on break” Darren called out. “Lunch is here”

JC turned back to Justin. “What’d he order?”

“Well, I have sandwiches for Joey, Darren and Lance, McDonalds for Chris, chicken salad for Justin and a new tube of strawberry lip gloss for JC to go through” a voice spoke up behind him, giggling

JC spun around and broke out in a grin, throwing his arms around their visitor.

“Hey!” he said, lifting her a couple inches off the ground.

“Well hello to you too” she replied 

“What are you doing here?” he asked, placing her back on the ground.

“I brought lunch” she said happily. “I called Johnny and he said I could come over here around this time, when you guys were on break”

JC turned around to face Justin, Joey, Chris and now Lance, who had joined them.

“You knew she was coming?” he asked

“Yup” Justin said, while the others nodded

“And you didn’t tell me?!”

“It was more entertaining for us to see you check your phone every half hour and see nothing”

JC blushed while Liz laughed, taking his hand into hers. “Aww, I thought you knew I was going to come. Plus I didn’t want to distract you from rehearsing”

“Well I’m just glad I got to see you today” JC said, lowering his head to kiss her, but he was interrupted.

“Ahem” Chris said clearing his throat rather loudly, while giving the couple an impatient smile, his eyebrows raised.

Liz sighed, smiling and reached for the large brown paper bag on the ground, next to her feet.

“Enjoy” she said, handing Chris the food.

She then reached down for four clear plastic boxes with the food and sandwiches and gave them to Justin and Lance. She handed Joey the drinks.

“And you’re welcome”

“Thanks Liz!” they all replied in unison, walking away to start their lunch.

JC smiled . “Thanks for coming over here… And for bringing food”

“No problem. I wanted to see the dance studio, and I went on a lunch break anyway”

“Speaking of lunch,” JC said, “Where’s mine?”

She grinned. “Lower your head and you’ll find out” she said winking, tying her hands around the back of his neck

He grinned and put his hands on her waist. Lowering his head, his lips made contact with hers as his tongue found hers, keeping the two of them in place for a matter of almost eight seconds before JC pulled away slowly.

“How was that?” Liz asked

“Tasty” he said, chuckling. “I like strawberry”

“Good” she said happily.

“But seriously, I’m starving” he said, successfully keeping a straight face. “Where’s my food?”

Liz laughed as she bent down to pick up the last clear box and gave it to him, shoving it gently in his abdomen.

“Here!” she said, still laughing.

“Thanks” he told her kissing her cheek.

“Sure” she said nodding.

“When do you have to get back to the office?”

“Hmm” she said looking at her watch. “About another 25 minutes or so”

“Great!” he said, taking her hand and pulling her down to sit with him cross-legged, right there on the floor.

“Josh, you know your friends are sitting right over there” she said, nodding toward where to guys were assembled and spread out on the other side of the dance studio.

He shrugged. “Yea, but at the end of the day I end up going home to live with them, plus get up the next morning to work with them, then do it all over again the day after that. I’m taking the time I can get with you while I could”

“Well in that case” she started. “Tell me how it’s been going today”

He opened the lid off the box and bit into one of the chicken sandwiches. “It’s great actually. Still stumbling, but we’re getting there”

“I can’t wait for the concert” she said, with a smile

“Me too” he said, swallowing. “Hey, you’ll have to watch from the side of the stage with the security guards though. That okay with you?”

“Yea, that’s fine. I wouldn’t want to get trampled by the hundreds of screaming girls coming out to see you anyways, now would I?” she teased

“Yea, but I’d only have my eye on one” he winked

“Aw, look who’s being cheesy” she laughed

He shrugged with a small smile. “Did you even have lunch yet?”

“I had a donut” she said simply

He frowned and handed her the box with the remaining four sandwiches. “Eat” he commanded

“Don’t you need food for your energy?”

“If I get too full I’m not even going to be able to dance, so you’d be helping me out anyways”

“Are you sure?”

“Hey, you bought it!”

She smiled, and took one out and placed the box in the middle of the two of them.

“Does this count as our date?” she asked smiling

“Of course not!” he said a little loudly, brushing off some of the crumbs from off his lap. “This could be our pre-date warm up, but not our date. Not here in a dance studio on a Monday afternoon sitting on a floor eating sandwiches while I’m all sweaty” 

“I say we count this as a date, just in case we don’t get to have an official one for a while”

“Hey” he said. “I told you I’d take you out on a date. A real one”

“And I told you you’d have to adapt to your schedule before you try promising things like that”

“I’m starting to see the stubborn side to you” he mumbled, then looked up at her and tilted his head. “It’s kind of sexy”

She rolled her eyes at him, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. “Finish the sandwiches” she said

He chuckled while they sat in comfortable silence for a few more minutes to eat.

“I think I should get going Josh” she said to him, dusting off the bread crumbs from her clothes and taking a sip of water

 “Yea, I think we’re supposed to start up again in a while” he said getting up from off the floor to stand over her.

She grinned and put out her hands to him.

He held them and pulled her up from off the ground with such force that when she got up, their chests were almost touching.

“You’re strong” she commended

He chuckled. “Thanks”

She smiled up at him.

“Am I seeing you again tomorrow?” he asked softly

“I don’t know” she sighed. “Probably not. Maybe on Sunday, after you shoot the promo”

“So I have to rely on text messages and phone calls for the rest of the week?”

“Looks like it”

He frowned

“Hey, I don’t see what you’re putting about. With the schedule you have, you should be happy you’ll even get time to message me”

“I told ya I’d make time”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up to him.

“I’m glad I got to see you today Lizzie” he said, softly pressing his lips on her forehead

“Me too Josh”

“Hey, how about I take you out on Sunday?” he suggested

“Won’t you be tired? You’d have rehearsals the next day”

“Okay, one, no I won’t be too tired. Two, we are going out. And three, I am never showing you my schedule again”

She laughed. “Okay” she agreed softly

“Really?” he beamed

“Yea”

“Yes!” he cheered under his breath. “I’ll talk to you tonight then?”

She nodded. “I got to go now Josh”

“Yea, alright” he said chuckling. “Thanks for coming… And for, feeding us”

“Any time” she smiled “Talk to you tonight?”

“Definitely” he nodded

“Bye” she said planting one on his lower lip.

“Bye” he said

“Later guys!” she called out to the other members, waving

“Bye Liz!” they responded, waving to her

She smiled. “Talk to you later Josh”

“Bye Lizzie” he said, giving her a small wave before she disappeared out the door.

He smiled and walked over to the corner where the 4 guys and Darren were still sitting, munching on the remains of their food.

“You’re girlfriend’s cute” Darren said, with a smile

JC grinned. “I know”

“Chris. Drive” JC said, throwing him the keys as they neared their vehicle.

It was almost 8:30pm, and rehearsals were finally done for the day. They’d been able to get through the first couple songs, and ended the day after they had finally successfully completed the ‘I Just Wanna Be With You’ number, and how they planned to start off the show. Now, hours later, JC just wanted nothing more than to go home, collapse on his bed, and willingly let sleep consume his body. The last thing he wanted to do now was drive.

“No way man” Chris said, throwing the keys back. “It’s all you tonight”

JC sighed. “Joey? Lance?” he asked, hopeful

They both shook their heads as they approached the car, now opening the doors, sliding into the leather interior.

JC frowned and turned to his last option, who seemed to be the only one with the slightest bit of energy left. “Justin? Please?”

“As much as I love it when you guys let me drive the car, I think I’m going to pass on this one”

JC sighed, getting into the driver’s seat. “I swear, the day we start making some real money we’re hiring a fucking driver” he muttered under his breath

“Watch your language Josh” Chris said teasingly, strapping on his seatbelt.

JC shot him a glare and reversed out the parking lot, only to come across traffic a few away. “Damn it!” he said, resting his head against the wheel.

The guys in the back groaned while Chris muttered a curse, and plugged in his headphones to the mp3 he carried around.

JC sighed, and pulled out his phone when he felt a vibration ripple through the pocket of his pants.

He smiled softly at the screen. It was the only thing that woke him up a little, and there really wasn’t anything left for him to do but wait patiently in the car waiting for the traffic to ease up.

Nope. Stuck in traffic. I’m exhausted

-Aw, I’m sorry. Weird, traffic on a Monday night.

I know right. What’d you up to?

-I was listening to your album. HAHA

He chuckled. Haha again?!

-Hey, I get good music, plus I get to hear your voice. Doesn’t get better than that

Yea, it really doesn’t. LOL Just kidding.

-LOL So, rehearsals went okay after I left?

Yea, it was great! But I’m so tired!

 -Good luck surviving the next week then. Ready to cancel Sunday?

Hell no! Jeez, I say I’m tired the first day of the week and you already want to cancel a date 6 days away!

-Well I’m sorry! Just trying to be considerate hereI know, but I keep my promises.

-I’m sure you do

Wear a dress

-What?? LOL

Wear a dress Sunday. I’m taking you to dinner at 7. Anywhere you want

-How about I wear the dress, you pick me up, and you just take me anywhere you want for dinner

He looked up, noticing the cars in front of him were actually moving.

Alright. Hey, looks like traffic is easing up a bit. Woo

-Good, but you shouldn’t be texting while you’re driving so I’ll talk to you tomorrow?

Yea! Thanks Lizzie. :)  

-Enjoy your night!

You too.

He stuck his phone back into his pocket, and continued on the road.

“You like being in a relationship don’t you?” Chris asked, out of the blue.

“Why do you ask?”

Chris shrugged. “I don’t know. You just seem happiest when you’re doing three things”

“And they are?”

“One, when you’re sleeping in”

JC chuckled. “True”

“Two, when you’re on stage”

“Also true” he said nodding slowly.

“And three, when you’re with someone”

He smiled. “Yea, I guess”

“We’re happy for you Jace, but you know what our schedule is like. It’s hard keeping someone around in the kind of gig we got. Is Liz ready for what could happen to your relationship if NSYNC blew up?”

“I know what could happen, but you’re thinking way ahead of time. We just started going out, and I’m not going to scare her away with a warning that I’m never going to have time for her”

“Okay, I get it” Chris said, leaning his head back against the seat. “But still, I’m happy for you”

“Thanks”

“Hey C?” Justin spoke up from the back

“What?”

“Whatever did happen with Allison, after… You know”

JC’s grip on the wheel tightened briefly, and then became relaxed. “I don’t know” he said softly.

“What’d you do with the ring?” Joey asked

“I pawned it” he said simply. “Best eleven thousand bucks I ever got back”

He noticed the incredulous looks on the faces of his friends in the rear view mirror. “That’s why you save boys” he chuckled

The rest of the week hadn’t been much different from the first day, except for the TV interviews they had done and the promo they shoot yesterday. NSYNC was finally getting some TV publicity, and as much as the boys loved it, they were exhausted. On the second day off of their schedule, while the other guys stayed at home and battled each other on the new video games Chris had bought, JC was busy putting on cologne and frosting the tips of his hair after buttoning the white satin shirt he had bought a few days earlier.

“Ohh, dressy” Lance said, when JC joined them in the living room

“Jeez are you planning to stifle her in the car or something?” Chris gagged. “Why the hell are you wearing so much cologne for?”

“I want to smell nice. Something besides sweat for once” JC defended himself. “And the cologne’s Justin’s anyways”

“Hey!” Justin said.

JC chuckled. “So, do I look okay?” he held his arms out, away from his sides.

“Like a gorgeous beast” Chris cracked out

The other guys burst out laughing, JC included. He picked up a pillow and threw it at Chris, but he ducked and the cushion ended up hitting Joey.

“Hey!” Joey said through a mouthful of chips. “Watch the food”

“Scrub” Lance remarked, causing the pillow to be thrown his way resulting in about four pillows flying around the area.

“Okay, I’m out! Don’t hurt any of the furniture” JC said loud enough to get them to hear him above the yelling that had started.

“Have fun!” Justin said, pounding down on Lance with an orange cushion.

“We have rehearsals again in the morning so don’t be out late!” Chris said, mocking all the times he and Joey wanted to go out but JC kept reminding them of the events they had the next day.

JC chuckled and ensured he had his keys, wallet and cell phone in his pocket before he left.

“Later guys” he said, before slamming the door. He could hear the yelling from out on the porch, and shook his head. “Am I the only sane one in this group?” he asked himself chuckling as he approached the car.

“You like?”

“Yea I like. Especially because the shoes are mine” Emma said, walking into the room giggling.

“I want to look nice. These were the only pair of shoes we had that went with this outfit”

“As long as I get to borrow that dress sometime, you can take whatever you want”

“So you like?” Liz asked hopeful

“Yea, you look awesome!”

Liz smiled, and let out a soft smile of relief. “Great”

“Are you nervous or something?”

“I don’t think I’m nervous, just kind of… Excited slash nervous”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure” Liz said, actually thinking about the concept. “We’ve never been on a date, in public before”

“Well you look great, and be sure to at least take a picture. You know what, better yet! When he picks you up, invite him inside!”

“Why?” Liz asked

“I want to see what he’s wearing, duh! And I want to predict what your kids will look like in the future”

“Emma!” Liz exclaimed

“What?! He’s hot, you’re gorgeous… It’s a match made in heaven”

“I wonder how I ever became friends with you in the first place sometimes” Liz said, laughter and amazement in her voice.

Emma grinned and shrugged. Just then, the sound of the doorbell ringing sounded throughout the house.

“I think it’s him” Liz said, excitedly.

“Well c’mon!” Emma said, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her out the bedroom door and down the stairs.

“You’re going to make me fall in these heels!”

Emma giggled, as they neared the bottom steps.

“Okay, how do I look?”

“For the third or fourth time, you look great!”

The doorbell sounded again.

Liz took a breath and turned around to open the door. When she did, she probably didn’t notice that JC’s jaw had kind of hit the concrete below him in the same way he probably hadn’t noticed that her eyes had bulged out of her head.

“Lizzie, you look… Fantastic” JC said, managing to find his voice as he studied the skin tight purple strapless she wore, with the black strappy heels she had on. He loved the way each strand of her hair had its own way of falling past her shoulders, and how the end pieces at the front curved up as they were still a little moist. He especially loved that she didn’t have to put on much makeup to try to look nice. To him, her beauty from within glowed naturally.

“Well uh, thank you” she said, giving him a smile. “You look great as well, if I do say so myself”

She just loved the little stubble he had left along his jaw line, and the twinkle in his sea blue eyes kept her eyes locked onto his. The white shirt and black pants he wore went together well with her purple attire. God, he smelled so good.

Emma poked her head from behind Liz’s shoulders, and flashed JC a smile. “Hey Josh!”

“Hey Em” he replied politely, with a smile.

Keeping her grin and her eyes on JC, she spoke softly to Liz, barely moving her lips.

“Damn, your kids are going to be freakin’ gorgeous!”

“Emma!” Liz hissed

JC blushed, and gave a little chuckle breaking the eye contact. “Okay, then” he said with a smile

“You ready?” Liz asked, with an apologetic smile

“Yea, ready when you are” he replied.

“Great” she said, stepping out the door frame to join him on the porch. Her being 5”9 in the heels agreed with his 5”11 height. “I’ll see you later Em” she said

“Adios” Emma said, with a smile

“Okay, uh…” JC started. “Let’s go” he said, taking her hand into his

“Great” she said with a smile.

As they walked out to where JC had the car, he spoke softly to her. “Nice dress”

“Thought you’d like it” she smiled