September 9, 1999
MTV VMAs
I've spent the past few days with the Boys, rehearsing and the nights alone with Nick.
I'm wearing an ankle length sea blue sequin dress and silver heels, my hair swept to the side. The dress is Chanel, detailed and beautiful. It has open stitches on the right side from just below my armpit down to my thigh, covering my hip. We're on the way to the award show and I'm nervous, but not over the performances. I'm nervous about walking down the Red Carpet, this is still all so new to me and I'm worried that I'll trip.
"Baby, you'll be fine, calm down," Nick assures me, holding me in his lap during the limo ride.
"What if I trip?"
"You'll do great."
"What will the media say when they see I'm on your arm? What about Caylei? My guys? Josh, what about my brother? What will James say? Oh, shit, I-I-I can't do this," I say as I stumble through my disorganized thoughts.
"You are my girlfriend, fuck everyone else," he quickly theorizes, explaining his POV.
"What does it matter what they all think?" AJ asks, eyeing me like I need a padded room.
"Bad publicity," I blurt out.
"Jazz, you're over analyzing everything," Kevin observes as the limo stops.
"Five minutes," the driver calls beck to us.
"I'm so nervous and I'm wearing 5" heels! That's no bueno! It's an epic fail sauce waiting to happen," I ramble, burying my face in my hands.
"You'll do fine, baby. Am I right, guys?" Nick tries to assure me sweetly.
They all agree with him and they talk me down to semi calm as we pull up to the event. We exit and get to John Norris and he stops us. "Can we do a quick interview?" The five of them allow it and I know I just have to stand next to Nick with my mouth shut until reasonable points. "This is John Norris for MTV. We're here at the 1999 VMAs," he begins, continuing with their award information as I zone out. "So I understand you're already working on your next album?"
Kevin raises his mic. "Yes, we have some tracks in place, but aren't sure if we will use them."
"These lovely ladies must be your dates."
Nick beams, threading his fingers in mine and bringing the back of my hand to his lips to kiss it. "This is my Jazzy, Leighanne is with Brian, Kevin brought Kristin, Howie is lonely and dateless, and AJ brought Amanda," Nick explains.
I smile and wave at the camera, John shaking our hands right after. "Are you seeing anyone?"
"Yes, we are together," he answers, hugging me to his side and kissing me sweetly with his knuckle under my chin.
"Graim thu, Nickolas," I whisper.
"What did she say?" John asks.
"Bedroom talk," he teases.
"Liar," AJ coughs. "Oh, sorry." He smiles at Nick. "Said 'I love you'," translates while coughing.
I elbow him in the side as I'm poked on either side of my body from behind. I jump and let out a short, shrieking giggle, spinning around to see the culprit. I throw my arms around the 6 foot, curly blonde haired, blue eyed 18 year old's waist. I refuse to jump because I don't want to bust my ass before the 2 performances I'm in tonight. "Justin! Where are the others?" I question, one hand on my hip.
"Oh, they're old, they'll be here in a few seconds." He spots the Boys and greets them to kill off bad publicity, greeting John Norris after.
It dawns on him that Justin had referred James, Josh, Joey and Chris 'old'. "You called the rest of *NSYNC old?" he asks, eliciting chuckles from Justin and I.
Josh playfully yanks my hair as James rests his hand on my lower back. "Hey, took ya fogies long enough," I tease, smirking as I smooth my hair.
"Are you insinuating we're old?" Josh inquires.
"Just a little," I joke.
"Chris! Joey! She's calling us old!" he yells, pointing in my direction.
Before I could greet them, Joey has me in a bear hug and Chris is tickling me mercilessly, making me giggle uncontrollably. "C'mon, put her down," James tells them, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah. Hey, youngin'," Chris greets me.
"Shrimp," Joey announces, resting his arm on my head.
I push his arm off and smile. "Look! It's Phat One and Old Man Lucky!" I intro them.
"If I'm so old, you're replacing me," Chris says, smiling.
"I'd have to use the nickname 'Jazzers' for it to work."
Howie and James begin talking business; Chris and Brian begin jabbering about the differences between having brothers vs sisters; Kevin and Josh start to compare the guys in their groups; Joey and AJ are talking about their projects; Nick and Justin are comparing notes on me. "It seems you girls are the odd ones out," John observes.
"We deal with this all the time," Amanda explains.
"We've gotten accustomed to it," Leighann adds.
I weave my fingers between his, gaining his attention. "Sorry, baby. What's up?"
"I have some catchin up to do with these jokers."
"Alright, see you inside," he says with a passing glare in his eyes at Justin. He places a sweet kiss on my lips.
I stand back as my guys do their interview with John and I hear him redirect live feed over to Serena, announcing she's interviewing Caylei, Wade and Fatima.
Once the cameras go off and we are told they're all set, I find Josh and James on either side of me and Justin behind me, hands on my hips. I laugh at my brother's face. Chris and Joey are in front of me, acting like 'security'. Justin leans down, his mouth near my ear and his hand covers the space between the side of his mouth and the side of my face by my ear. "Wonder what the media will claim?"
I chortle as we start heading inside, the three of them keeping me upright because I'm laughing so hard. "What's it matter what they say? We know the truth," I remind him more than the other four.
"Jazz!" a voice calls out, one I haven't heard since May, we've both been busier than we had anticipated.
I turn around to be hugged by a woman wearing a tiger print dress. "Hey, girl," I greet her.
She pulls back and gives me a warning glance, expressing her disdain. "I told you not to do that, you'll just end up hurt."
"Dana, there's a method to my madness. I have my hidden agenda, too. I'm not as innocent as the media may claim," I tell her.
Her eyebrow quickly shows her curiosity about the matter. I text her the explanation and a couple details. "Damn, girl! That's just plain twisted, not to mention wrong! Hope it's worth it."
"More than you know," I admit, grinning evilly to emphasize the text.
"You lost your damn mind."
"You just now realized that?" I joke.
"No, I knew it 2 years ago, but this confirmed it," she quips.
I find Justin to be the only one beside me, confused because the other four had gone to mingle with some other people.
"There you two are!" a man shouts, tall and dark in an all jean outfit.
She and I look at each other, smiles appearing. "Beats to 'Ruff Ryders' Anthem'?" I ask, prompting her to nod.
We turn around to face him, vocalizing the beats to the song. He smiles and hangs his head, shaking it in disbelief. "Just gotta bust my balls, huh?"
Aaliyah and I look at each other and sharing a quick giggle, answering him with a quick 'yeap'. "Makes you smile," I point out.
"Yeah, yeah. That boybander you call your man is looking for you and we need to get seated."
"Thanks for getting me for Mr. Needy," I quip.
Justin jumps in on the laughter, bidding each of us adieu. "See you later, X. Call me later tonight or tomorrow, Jazz."
"Will do, if I don't catch you at the after party."
"You'll be with the Boys?"
"No, my guys."
I didn't pay much attention to the awards, I was more so focused on the stage hands zipping around for the performers and presenters and getting them backstage. A female stage hand taps my shoulder. "Are you Jazzy Chasez?" she whispers near my ear. I nod and follow her to my changing room. I quickly change and get into place, talking to Britney's dancer, TJ.
"Sup, Jazz," he greets as I take my place.
"Hey, Teej. Nice outfit," I joke.
"Brit picked it," he tells me, pinching the shirt front and pulling on it.
"At least mine is street safe," I quip.
He chortles, a stage hand coming behind the curtain. "30 seconds!"
"Get ready to rock it," I tell him, making devil horns and sticking my tongue out. I look at my guys and smile. Justin scrunches up his face, flipping his top lip up. James gives me the thumbs up, a dorkish grin on his lips. Josh, Joey and Chris make faces at me, which I reciprocate and we share a quick laugh.
"…*NSYNC and Britney Spears!" the presenters announce and we get into the performance.
Brit's up first, so we do her intro thing and I wanted to burst out laughing, but knew I couldn't.
"*NSYNC, you may get down."
We jump on the desks and march on them, before hopping down and seriously getting into the routine. We do amazingly well and I don my dress again, sitting next to Nick again within ten minutes after it's done.
Almost too soon, I'm heading backstage again and it's with the Boys this time. I look at the outfit and my jaw drops. "This is not for real," I growl.
"Sorry, sister, but it's what management wants," AJ informs me.
"I'm killing Johnny," I announce.
"Just get it on, bladass," AJ snips.
I grumble and growl as I change, not at all pleased about it. It's another, well, awesome performance!
Highlights are too many to list, but it was a great night.
After party time! I catch up with Justin and Brit, pretending to bump into his side alerts him of my presence. "Hey, shortie."
I curl my finger for him to come closer. "James?"
"Over by Danielle," he tells me, pointing in the general direction.
I spot him and laugh. I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around him. "Who's she?" Danielle inquires, jokingly.
"Girl, don't play me like that!" I joke back, letting him go and hugging her. "Checking on the curly one, the nerd and the daddy."
"So, I hear you'll be spending the next week or so with them?"
"Yup. Gotta mingle!" I turn to James. "James, Josh?"
He smiles and points me to him, turning back to Danielle. "She's the nuttiest ball of energy I know," he taunts as I walk off.
I see Dragon Bitch with him. "Put it away! My virgin eyes!" I playfully shout as I near my brother.
"Shut up," he growls as soon as I'm close enough to hear.
"Love ya, bro."
"Love you, too. Where are you going, Bobbi?"
"To the ladies' room."
I watch her walk away, rolling my eyes at the money hungry prima donna's attitude toward me. Fuck her, I will get him to see light before all the hard earned money he has and will ever have is gone because she blew it all. "What now?" he asks, turning to me.
"She loves your money, not you. Also, I'm leaving with you guys in the AM, here's my hotel info."
"Wake up call?"
"Most annoying one you guys can think of."
"Got it. Staying with him for the night?"
"Yes, then I'm trapped in a bus for a week and a half with my dorks," I say with a smile.
"Then 2 1/2 months with them," he says, growling the last word and I know it's mainly because of Nick.
"Stop it, you sound like angry puppy," I reply, bumping his side.
"Puppy? No, I'm a very angry older and protective brother who's ready to beat the shit out of that specific fucker."
I roll my eyes and hug him, his arms dropping around me. He hugs me tightly and takes in the scent of my hair. "Freak, smelling my hair. I'll be fine and I tell you more than I used to," I remind him, smiling against his shirt.
"Just let me know what happens and if you need me to step in."
"I will, you're my brother."
"Get out of here before I give you a noogie."
"And risk ruining my awesome look?" I joke.
He rolls his eyes and I walk away, looking for Aaliyah. I spot her mingling with Eve and Missy. "Can I be the ghost up in here?"
They chuckle and I jump into the conversation. "So, I'm working on my next album and have a couple tracks laid down already," Aaliyah informs us.
"Yeah? Can't wait to hear it," I say.
"What about you, Jazz?" Missy asks.
"Dancing back up for the Boys, writing and producing. Not much," I cooly tell them.
"Bullshit," Missy says. "You'll be in videos for others and other acts are trying to book you for their tours."
"Girl, you're rocking it!"
"I suppose."
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