"If he comes over..."
"Kick him off his own bus?"
"It's ours, hello! On the other hand, the girls wouldn't."
"They're so in it for the scandals."
"Definitely! So, spoken to Justin?"

I shook my head.

"Briefly, until Britney called." I rolled my eyes, and straight after, Kiara sighed happily.
"God answered my prayers, now that she's gone."
"So damn annoying!"

We stopped as Joey sat down, obviously making a pit stop with the other girls before saying hi to us.

"Ladies." Joey smiled, always making you feel welcome.
"Joey." we both said, me genuinely smiling, I don't know about Kiara. His attention was fully on Kiara now.
"Kiara, you okay? I heard you sprained your ankle a little."
"Go ahead, laugh."

I sighed. I think Joey was actually worried for her. This pair!

"I wasn't going to laugh. I was going to say 'I hope it gets better.'"
"I don't. I'm your dancer for the next show."
"Really?" he answered, delighted.
"It's been up for the past 3 days." Kiara quickly glanced at me.
"I've been really busy."

Kiara sighed loudly. I think she has given up.

"Kristen, Dianna, and Annalisia are all in the living room."
"I came to see you." Joey replied.

If that wasn't the nicest thing Joey has said to her, I don't know what is.

"Oh please!" she waved him off, making Joey shake his head, and all I can do is watch and listen.
"Kiara, you should really sort out your issues."

I was ready to cut in, as Kiara began to fume.

"Yeah Kiara, are you on. Jo, no worries. She's been snappy all week."
"Try all year." Joey muttered, getting up from the couch.
"Funny, Joey, isn't there somewhere else you should be? Like, buying a personality?" Kiara answered, standing up.
"We all know you went their first, and sold the place out. But wait, you should buy another! Neither one of them seem to work!" Joey retorted.

A huge smile formed on my lips. That was the funniest thing I had heard in a long time!

"Mo-fo didn't just go there!" Kiara replied.

"Jade, Justin wanted to talk to you before the buses started moving." Joey informed me.
"Tell him I'll be there in a second." I answered.
"Bye, ladies!" he waved.
"Bye, Joey." I answered.

"He doesn't half annoy me!" Kiara started, as soon as the door shut.
"Sometimes, I think you like him...Then I don't, but you really need to stop!"
"Jade, this is Kiki you're talking to. Steal some chocolate bars from Justin."
"Now?" I cried, shocked.
"You are going to see him." she reminded me.
"Oh yeah, I really will stop talking to him if he cuts me off again."
"Just be back in time before the buses leave."
"I will, honey."
"Wait! What were you and Justin talking about?"
"Mind your business"
"You two are the one with the freaky relationship."
"Am not!" I sounded like such a baby.
"Both your mums are such close friends that he calls his real mum 'mama', and your mama 'mum'. Same with you, but he forgets you, and you became a dancer."
"That's jumbled. And anyway, that's beside the point. That was ages ago!"
"Uh-huh." she gave me the look like 'that ain't gonna convince me.'
"Kiara, I have to go." I hugged her.
"Wearing that?"
"What's wrong?"
"If you're going for the 'Ja Rule' look."

I watched him carefully. He was being so nice, trying to put our friendship right.

"Yeah, sure." I nodded.
"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" he asked, walking to fridge.
"What you got?" I asked, following him.
"Usual, snacks, cold pizza..."
"You pick."

He glanced at me, looking quite nervous.

"Vanilla milkshake, Doritos, and Sam's chicken."

I smiled. Vanilla is my all time favourite.

"Sounds great to me." I smiled.
"Vanilla is still your favourite?"
"Yup, since we were 5."
"You're going to have to tell me what happened when I had a forgetting stage. We used to bathe with each other?"

I nodded. We bathed with each other for a very long time, and talking about it is making me blush.

"Please, don't remind me. I still have pictures!"

His head shot to me.

"You do? I can't remember." He said.
"We both changed. Went different ways."
"But our ways linked up."
"True, it did but we always have this conversation." I said, nodding.
"Okay. Anyway, you want to watch TV in the living room with the guys, or mine?"
"I don't mind." I answered, giving him the choice.

"Back, then we can catch up on old times."

I smiled, thinking about it. But, Kiara...

"Justin, when do the buses start going?"
"Soon, why?"
"I really have to stay with Kiara." I sighed, my smile wearing away.
"Okay, well..." he started going back.
"Don't worry. Just keep going down."
"Kiara." he repeated.
"I'll give her Joey, for good company"
"Joey? Are you sure? They've been down each others throats."
"Hopefully the buses will stop in the evening, otherwise I'm on the couch."
"Where are you two going?" Lance asked, coming out of his bunk.
"To munch." I laughed lightly, as his eyes widened at the amount of food.

We sat down on Justin's bed, as he turned the TV on.

"So, how you doing?" Justin asked me.
"Okay. I have to call Paul."
"Your boyfriend, right?"

I nodded.

"He's still my boyfriend."

"Do your legs hurt?" Justin asked, stretching out on the bed.
"Yes, Wade was cruel today!"

Justin laughed.

"How come the positions changed?" he asked.
"Because, in case Kiara still has a hurt ankle." I quickly made an excuse.
"They changed before."
"Oh, that swap. Angela was bitching about me being your dancer. She wants you all to herself. No biggie really."
"Well, would you like for me to massage your feet?"
"My feet?" I asked, pointing to them.
"Yeah. Showing some TLC to me very long friend."
"If you really want, go ahead."

"Umm... Jade." he stopped, looking up to me as the engines turned on.
"I know." I sat up, watching the buses start moving.

A couple of hours later...

"I have to stay and wait for the breaks."
"Jade, you're half asleep."
"Justin, Kiara!" I reminded him, yawning.
"She will understand."
"Where shall I sleep?"
"Maybe I'll lie on the floor."
"Put it like that, makes me the bad guy." I said.
"I don't want any trouble."
"There isn't any. I'm going to call Kiara, but Justin, we have slept in the same bed."
"I know."
"Good, I'm coming." I stumbled out of the room, still dog-tired. I put my hood up.

"Hello." Kiara answered her phone.
"Hi Kiara, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Seem kinda out of breath."
"I'm just laughing at Def Jam."
"Still watching it?"
"Yup. I'm in a snappy mood."
"Is that Joey with you?"
"Yeah, in fact I haven't breathed a bad word about the red head."
"Good. He staying over?"
"Unless the buses stop. I can't wait to get to a hotel!" Kiara answered.
"I know how you feel! I'm really sorry that I didn't make it over."
"Somehow, I knew you wouldn't, it being Justin."
"Sorry again. I'll call you later. Seems to me, you're going to be up a long time."
"Especially with these girls."
"Poor Kiki!"
"Anyway, Jade, holler at me later."
"Definitely! Night.'

I smiled, flipping my phone shut. I turned around to Justin, our bodies close. I stepped back, taking a big gulp.

"Sorry to scare you." he smiled, cheekily.
"It's okay. Why are you creeping up on me, anyway?"
"No reason. You going for a gangster look?"
"No, I'm not. Even Kiara said something like that. I'm only wearing sweat pants and a grey hoodie. Do I have to wear skirts?"
"Jade..." he laughed "the look suits you, and you hate wearing skirts in the cold."
"Thank you, J."
"You're welcome, Lil J. Trying to hide the curves? Guys taking an interest?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Technicians were talking about the dancers, and your name was mentioned a lot."
"I'm just a plain, old, simple dancer."
"You're far from plain. You have the cutest hazel eyes, light caramel skin, sweetest smile."

Man, he is still a charmer, and my cheeks are becoming very warm.

"Can you see me blushing?" I asked.
"Even though you are mixed race, I can see you blushing."

I laughed lightly

"Justin, can I check my emails?"
"Sure. My laptop is in my room."
"I wanna show you something." I led the way, setting up what I wanted to show him.
"What're you going on?" Justin asked, obviously confused.
"Showing you our past"
"You made a website about us?"
"I planned one day I was going to embarrass you. That was when we were teens."
"Oh, okay. Here it is."

"I'm a mouse?" Justin asked.
"You joined Mickey Mouse Club. Watch the video."
"That's you and me. Your 5th birthday." Justin pointed out.
"Uh-huh. Look, you're coming." I pointed to the small boy approaching the cake.

An hour later...

"Wait, go back."
"Omd, Justin, stop watching it."
"I can't, Jade, I hardly remember any of this. That's my first kiss. Why didn't you call?"
"You were a big, famous superstar and lil childhood sweetheart. You'd forget."
"Jade, you don't know how sorry I am!"
"Your eyes darting back and fourth at the clips has made you extremely happy. So, I'm guessing you wish you could remember this. This is just a sample. I have loads of videos." "When did we stop talking?" Justin asked.
"Mickey Mouse Club. After our first kiss. Well, not first kiss together, just our first kiss that meant so much."
"We made out?"
"You really must have lost your mind! Yes, we did. Practically all the time. We even argued with each other's mums to stop inviting the other one to sleep over, because it got awkward sleeping in the same bed. We knew each other's thoughts. We were best friends."
"Did I upset you?"
"Uh-huh. It upset me how you just forgot me."
"It wasn't intentionally!"
"I know. I still went around your house, but our paths never met."
"I promise, Jade, I won't ever leave you."
"It's okay, Justin. We gave our mums quite a shock, kissing like that. And you were my first love."
"And you were mine. So, this past year, you've kept this to yourself?"
"I had to. I couldn't bring up that I was your best friend. We would've tried to pick up where we left off."
"That was until my mum came and..."
"Introduced us." I finished, laughing.
"Kiara is gonna freak that I've told you everything!"
"She knew?"
"Yeah, she found out."
"Did we ever say the love word?"
"Meaningless at first, sine we could talk, but I think when we started dating it meant something."
"Oh, okay." Justin laid back on my shoulder, as I put the laptop away.
"Do you want anything from the kitchen?"
"Usual, hot chocolate."

I nodded
"Actually, I'll come" Justin said.

We both got off the bed, going to the kitchen.

"Justin!" I cried, as he tripped me up. I burst out laughing as I tripped up the small step to the kitchen, double tripping.
"Oh, sorry!" he laughed.

I looked for the light, turning it on.

"Omd!" I cried, as Chris screamed.
"Chris, it's me, Jade! Stop screaming." he stopped.
"You scream like a girl!"
"What's going on?" J.C asked, turning the lights on.
"Chris, why are you screaming?" Lance asked, worried, standing in just shorts. Oh what a sight! All these men in hardly anything!
"Jade!?" they all cried, with confused looks on their faces.
"Hey, guys!" I waved, noticing the awkwardness of me being on their bus.
"Well, goodnight!" Chris walked past me to his bunk, I quickly followed after.

Justin gave me something to wear, then he turned around to give me privacy.

"Done!" Justin swung around, looking at me. I smiled.
"J, I don't think Britney would like it if you stared at me like that!"
"Like what? I'm just looking." he smiled back, and we played cards on the bed.