Katelyn’s POV

“JC-FUCKING-CHASEZ! TALK TO ME, DAMMIT!” The screeching voice pierced my ears, as I winced, and I rolled my eyes.

“Mother of fucking God, somebody shut that bitch up.” I said out loud, calmly, as Justin grabbed a pillow, and put it over his head, crashing onto his bunk. 

“I’M NOT FUCKING LEAVING UNTIL YOU TALK TO ME!” Rachel screamed outside, slamming, and punching, and kicking at the bus door.

JC came out of the back, and peeked out the curtains, and inched back, as Rachel’s screams and yells got louder. JC pulled his head into Dave’s area. “Dave, would you mind moving the bus elsewhere. Pleeeaase?”

I heard Dave shuffle, and then sit up in his driver’s seat, “Seriously, JC; I’d expect this ditch-and-run thing from Joey, not you, man.” 

“Hey!” Joey yelled, in response.

“I’m sorry, but the girl doesn’t give up!” JC whined back, ignoring Joey, as Dave started the bus, and slowly pulled it away, and Lance looked out the window, and I joined him. 

Rachel’s figure got smaller, and when we were away from her enough, Lance yelled out, “You can speed!” 

“She’s trying to run after, but she’s not gonna catch up,” I added, snickering. 

“Ugh.” JC let out, letting himself crash down on Chris’ bed. 

For almost two weeks, since the day I had made the call, Rachel began annoying the shit out of JC, and quite literally stalking him. She had actually managed to succeed in finding out the guys’ exact tour dates (I guess she finally learned how to use the damn internet), and flying around to the locations. She called, and called, and then JC changed his number, altogether, but he couldn’t change the dates. So we had to help him out a little. And I willingly did – not because I caused it in the first place, but because I fucking hated Rachel.

From what I knew, JC had tried to talk to her, and tell her that it was over between the two of them, and he didn’t want to be with her, anymore, and all this lovely stuff, but she refused to believe it. 

“How much more of this?” Chris asked, grinning – he had enjoyed every encounter JC had, had with Rachel, thus far, and it was obvious. 

“I don’t know.” JC mumbled back, “I want her gone, and disappeared.” 

“So do I.” Justin agreed. 

My phone began ringing in my pocket, and I grabbed it out, putting it to my ear as soon as I hit ‘Answer’. 

“Hello?”

“Yo, *NSYNC takes you out on the road with them, and you forget everyone back here?” 

“Matt?” I asked, beginning to grin. 

“Yeah, it’s Matt – who the fuck else would it be?”

I laughed, lightly, and shook my head, “How you been?” 

“Now you ask? A month late?”

“I’m sorry – I had a lot of stuff to do.”

“Sure, sure. Anyways, since you asked: I’ve been good, how are you doing?” And his voice suddenly got extremely sweet, and gentle. I loved this side of him because he didn’t show it so often.

“I’ve been good, too.” I replied back, nodding, absent-mindedly, as Justin’s eyes fixated on me, and he watched. The others stared at the small television near the top of the bus.

“You like touring with the pop band? How’re they treating you?”

“It’s actually nothing compared to the entire tour you took me on a while back, to be honest. But in the aspects of pop, it’s just fucking phenomenal. Did you see the special they aired on HBO?” 

“Yeah, it looks fantastic. Give them the best from me, okay?” 

“I will.” I licked my lips, “How are Gavin and Derek? And Valary?” 

“Good, good, and happily pregnant,” he laughed. 

“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” I replied back, and then a silence settled onto us, and it wasn’t awkward, but it was there, and I broke it, by speaking up, “I miss you guys.” 

I looked down when I said that because I could feel almost everyone’s eyes on me now. I looked up for a split second, and I was right, all except JC, however. 

“Awe, baby girl, we miss you, too.” 

“You better,” I responded, jokingly, as the back of my eyes stung, and tears began gathering. I hopped down from Lance’s bunk, and made my way to the back of the bus. “I got really used to being around you, and the kids, and Valary. I just miss it, is all.” 

“Well, you’re welcome back, anytime – it’s your house, too.” 

After a few more minutes, I hung up the phone, feeling vulnerable, and suddenly homesick. Matt was the only family I knew, and he was my half-brother, at that. And his kids adored me, almost as much as I adored them back. And I missed being around the only family I had in the entire world. Well, blood family, anyway. 

A tear cascaded down my cheek, and a sob escaped my lips, “Fuck.” I wiped at it, as two arms enveloped me in a giant bear hug. 

“Cheer up, sunny!” Chris’ voice filled my ears, and then another pair of arms joined him, and encased me. 

“Bitch, it’s PopOdyssey, not SobOdyssey.” Justin drawled, while, yet again, two more pairs of arms joined the others, and I almost felt suffocated, but I laughed as all four of them began to sing. 

“We love you, you love us, we’re a happy family. With a great big kiss—” 

“Ew, no!” I yelled out, as all four of them puckered up, and ended up with some part of my face. 

“—and a hug from me to you—!”

“Guys!” I protested, when they squeezed me harder than they already were. 

“Won’t you say, you love us, too?” 

“I LOVE YOU!” I yelled, trying to untangle myself from them, “Now, let go, please!” 

They did, and then crowded around me: Justin and Chris on either side of me on the couch with Lance and Joey behind me. 

“Bitch, that song better have made you cheer up.” Justin smirked, and I smacked his arm. 

“Quit calling me a bitch!” 

“Okay, fine, jeez!” He shot back, and then calmed down, “Are you okay, though?” 

I nodded, “I’m fine; it was just nostalgia.” 

“You’re happy here, with us, right?” Chris asked then, and I nodded, again.

“Of course I am.” 

“Better be.” Joey let out, and then pinched me.

“Yeah, who needs your macho, rockstar brother, when you have us?” Lance snorted, “We’re much more fun because we have no muscle.” 

“Talk about yourself.” Justin shot, snapping his arm up, and trying to flex, “Look at dis!” 

“You’re so fucking weird.” I told him, giving him a questioning look. 

“You’re all fucking weird.” JC’s voice came back from out of the hallway. 

“SHUT UP, CHASEZ!” I yelled back, along with four other voices. 

“NO ONE LOVES YOU—!” Joey added. 

“NOT EVEN YOUR MOM!” Lance added, as JC walked into the room. 

“What the fuck ever.” He muttered, before going on, “Get your asses up – we have a fucking interview to get to.” 

“WHAT?” Four voices yelled out, each turning their head to him, as I watched them all. JC began explaining that they had to record an interview with Rosie about their current tour, and it was in four hours, so they all might as well get ready, now. 

As I studied them, it dawned on me, more, and more, than ever before, that JC was the leader. And I didn’t mean in singing, and dancing, at all – I meant as in organizing, getting them together, helping them down from their highs (both bad, and good). I had noticed since I first got to know the band, collectively, instead of knowing just Joey and Justin, that even Chris went to JC for any help. It was like the guy was their mentor, and everyone’s best friend. 

“So, we good?” JC held up his thumbs, looking at all of the boys, and they all nodded back, except for Chris. 

“But all of our clothes aren’t on this bus; they’re with the bus that left for the next concert tour.” 

“What do you mean?” JC asked, immediately. 

Chris gulped, “Uhm… When I was helping with the stuff that would go to the next concert venue, I uhm, told the guy to take all our bags and stuff…” 

“Chris!” They all yelled, as I giggled, at how pissed all of them were, and how “in sync” they had gotten. 

All of them turned to glare at me, “Not funny!” 

“Kinda is,” I smirked, “I mean, you could all go in your pj’s and the coats you guys have. Or the dirty smelly clothes from last nights concert.” I shrugged. 

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Lance asked, seriously. 

I pretended to think about it, and then nodded, “Yup.” 

JC rolled his eyes, and then smacked Chris, “That’s for being a dumbass.” Chris glared at JC, but the glare went unnoticed because JC glanced down at his wrist, “So, it’s three – if we move, now, we can probably sneak into some store, and get something.” 

“I hate shopping!” Justin whined. 

“I love shopping!” I declared, eagerly, getting up, “C’mon! Now, I’m excited!” I held out my hands for Justin to take, which he did, and then I helped pull him up.

“Oh, great.” JC rolled his eyes once more, and sighed. “I’mna go tell Dave the plan.”

“Isn’t this awesome?” I asked the rest, smiling, “We get to go shop for your guys’ clothes, and if we’re lucky a few couple hundred fans will run after you!” I beamed. “This is gonna be so much fun!” I let out, grinning, as they looked at me, sullenly, and then turned and glared at Chris.

“OOOH! Let’s go in there!” I pulled at Chris and Lance’s arms, directing them towards another, fancy, expensive men’s store, and the other three followed. So far, an hour into this, Chris had found a yo-yo with his face on it, and the others nothing.

“Look at this!” I grinned, as I pulled a full male suit out off a rack, and shoved it to Joey, “Go try it!” 

“But I’m tired to pulling my clothes on and off!” 

“Heh!” Justin let out, smirking, “You wouldn’t be saying that if you was gettin’ some puss– Ow!” 

“Behave yourself.” JC told Justin, holding a finger up. 

“You behave yourself!” Justin huffed, walking off to the other end of the store, “Fucking jackass.” 

“You don’t have to be so mean,” I said, calmly,  as I looked at other clothes, while JC walked behind me. 

“I’m just extremely pissed off at Chris, okay?” 

“So? It was a mistake.” I shrugged, and then took another suit off of a rack, and turned around, to thrust it at him, “You might as well enjoy the time you all are spending, together, now.” 

He rolled his eyes, and looked down at what I had given him. 

“Go try it on.” 

“But—” My finger came down on his lips, shutting him up.

“Just shut the fuck up for once, and listen to me.”

JC smirked, and puckered his lips up against my finger, before letting his tongue fall out, and run along the length of it. I was way too shocked to even pull my hand back, but when his mouth, and his tongue wrapped around my index finger, I yanked my hand away, and pushed at him.

"Fucking weirdo." I shook my head, feeling extremely hot and bothered. I wiped my hand on my pants, and glared at him, "Will you please go try that on?" He obliged, still smirking like an ass, and walked away to do as I had wanted him to.

What the fuck was that...?

“You like?” A voice asked from my left, pulling me out of my thoughts, and making me turn to see Chris in a bright orange tuxedo, reminding me of the one that Jim Carrey had worn in Dumb and Dumber. Chris should have been Dumbest.

“Ew, go take that off.” I made a face, and Chris frowned. 

“But I like it.” 

“Let me help you find something else,” I rolled my eyes, and led Chris away, “Honestly, I think you should go with some really nice t-shirt—” 

“I had three FuMan Skeeto shirts in my suitcase—” 

I ignored him, “And some great jeans – simple, of course – and like a pleasant coat, or jacket-type thing, preferably leather. Yeah, we gotta get you shit like that!” I grabbed his collar and rushed him over toward the cashier so we could find the things I had wanted. Right then, I smacked into someone’s chest, ending up flailing back a bit, but Chris held onto me. 

When I looked up, my eyes fell into a clear blue that I was completely familiar with, and had been since I was five. 

“Jimmy?” I asked, a smile beginning to light up my face, I grinned at the man, now. “Oh my God, it’s you!” I smacked his arm, and he nodded.

“I thought I heard you – you’re always so loud.” He scratched the scruff he had on his chin, “You gonna hug me, or not?” 

I let go of Chris, and wrapped my arms around the plus six foot man, holding onto his stick-thin figure, smiling a lot. 

“I missed you.” 

“I missed you, too.”

When we both pulled away, I turned to Chris, “Chris, this is Matt’s best friend, and drummer for his group, Jimmy.” 

Chris smiled, and then nodded, “Great to meet you.”

“Same, dude.” Jimmy looked around then, and yelled, “BRIAN! Get your ass here!”

Chris and I both looked to where Jimmy’s eyes were fixated, and saw a man turn around. He had a bandana wrapped around his head, and a fedora placed strategically on top of that. Huge designer shades covered his face, but I noticed he had a goatee-type thing going on under his chin. He walked over, not rushing, and grinned at Jimmy, “’Sup?”

“This is Matt’s sister – gosh, honestly, I can’t believe you guys are meeting, now, after Matt has known Brian for years, now.” Jimmy shook his head, “But, yeah, this is Kate; Kate, this is Brian. He plays lead guitar for the band.”

Brian pulled his sunglasses off, and I almost gasped at how fucking gorgeous the man was – his chocolate brown eyes were truly something else, and the smirk on his lip was completely adorable, and he had this type of attitude around him that seemed to draw me in, as he held out his hand, “Nice to meet you, finally – Matt has endless stories about you.”

My face turned red, and I shook his hand, smiling, “Hopefully none of them are embarrassing.”

“Nope, but we got to see you butt naked in the bathtub at four.” He grinned at me, and my face probably turned five times redder than it was because Jimmy and Brian laughed, and Brian shook his head, “I’m just kidding.”

“By the look on her face, you’d think she was about ready to murder Matt,” Chris joked, as Jimmy nodded. In that moment, Justin, Joey, and Lance decided to join us all, and I had to introduce them, but Jimmy interrupted.

“We’re from Avenged Sevenfold – Kate’s brother’s band, Jimmy,” he gestured then at Brian, “Brian. And you guys are *NSYNC. I really only know Justin, but the rest of you guys are SYNC.” He laughed then, “Matt told us you were touring with them,” he informed me, and I nodded, and then pointed at Justin.

“Well, you know Justin, but this is Joey, and this is Lance. I dunno where JC is.” I shrugged.

“There’s five of you?” Brian asked, looking at the group, and they nodded.

“Yup, but piss-off left.” Justin let out, obviously still pissed at JC for earlier.

“Who you callin’ piss-off, Timberlake?” JC’s voice asked from behind, as he appeared with the suit I had given him, over his arm.

“Whaterr, bro.” Justin muttered, and walked away.

“I’m JC,” he decided to introduce himself, “And we all have to get leaving soon. Like, now.” He looked at Chris, Joey, and Lance. And then me. “You, too, if you want.”

“Uhm…” I looked up at Jimmy, and then back to JC, “Coming.”

“‘Kay, you’ll probably be sitting in the audience, then. Or backstage.”

“Kate can come with us, right, Bri?” Jimmy turned to Brian, who nodded, “Yeah, cool, man.” And then Jimmy looked back at JC, “If that’s cool with you.”

“Why are you asking him; he doesn’t own me.” I let out, irritated. “I’m going with them, Jimmy; I promised Justin I would be there.”

“Mind if we accompany along then?” Jimmy asked, looking around at the group, who all turned to JC.

“Sure, whatever. Invite your whole family – I don’t give a fuck.” JC turned around, and walked away.

“Asshole.” I rolled my eyes, and then smiled at both Jimmy and Brian, “You guys can come – you know where Rosie’s studio is, right?”

“Yeah, bitch, we know where that is.” Jimmy sung, and then nodded, “We’ll be there.”

“‘Kay, see you then.” I hugged Jimmy, again, and kissed his cheek, and gave a smile to Brian, “Bye.”

They said their goodbyes, and Lance, Joey, Chris, and I, walked away then.

“So, how do you know those guys?”

“Matt’s band – Jimmy plays drums for them, and Brian’s guitarist. I know Zacky, too, from the group, but I don’t know much about the last band member, really. And I only just met Brian.”

“Well, they look scary.” Chris let out.

“Of course they would to you!” I cooed, stopping in my tracks, and pinching Chris’ cheeks. “Both were soooo much taller than you, and plus they had all these muscles, and tattoos – so frightening!”

“Will you stop terrorizing Chris, and help these morons find something to wear for tonight?” JC shot at me, and I gave him the finger, not even bothering to look at the guy.

We stayed at the store for about a half hour more, until Chris found what I wanted him to wear, and he eventually ended up liking, Joey found something similar, but he went with capri pants, and Lance, Justin and JC decided they would all wear some jeans, and grab some random shirt.

When we got out of the store, Justin decided to tell us he needed shoes, so we roamed around, trying to find a shoe store, until we landed on a store where… Let’s admit, dspite the fact that they sold shoes for both men and women, only frilly dresses covered the window of the shop.

“I’m not going in there!” Justin huffed, and I laughed.

“C’mon, we’re getting you shoes! Not a dress!”

“I don’t care.” 

“Fine, then let everyone see on national TV, that you have one disgusting, rundown sneakers.”

“Fiiiiine.” Justin let out, and ran into the store, making the rest of us laugh as we followed in. Justin grabbed at shoes, trying to find something he liked, and his size, fast. The others tried to help put the shoes he didn’t want back.

I stood in front of them, with JC by my side, amused.

“All this for Rosie.” I smiled, talking mostly to myself.

“Well, haven’t you seen how much the woman seems to be in love with us, but Justin, especially?” JC asked, smirking, “She acts like her son is pretty mad about us, but when I met him he didn’t even seem to know who we were.”

I laughed at that, and looked at him, “I’m sure she’s just trying to make it seem like someone out of her family likes you guys.”

JC rolled his eyes, playfully, “Ha, ha.” Our eyes turned back to the other four, and then JC let out a deep breath, “If you’re actually coming with us, what’re you wearing?”

“Uhm, clothes?” I responded back, not even looking at him. He had, though, in fact, turned all the way to look at me.

“In these?” He pointed at me, and I looked at the pin-striped jeans, and tank top I had on.

“No, but I have some back in the bus.”

“Are you sure?” JC asked, a smirk laced with his voice.

“Yeah…” I looked back at him, “Why?”

“When Chris said all the luggage, and bags, he meant all the luggage and bags. Including yours, and Dave’s, and all that.”

“What?” I furiously turned back to Chris, “Seriously?”

JC nodded, “Yup,” and then looked around, “Might as well find something here.”

“Fuck…” I sighed, “Maybe I can tell Justin I won’t be going, and go hang out with Jim and Brian, instead…”

“Who? And why would you do that?”

“The two guys you were so rude to,” I snapped at him, and he flung back a little, “And because I don’t want to spend any more money than I already have to.”

“C’mon, let’s just go look,” JC grabbed my hand, and directed me towards the dresses, and women’s area, anyway.

“JC, I swear—”

“What size are you?”

“I don’t need—”

“You look around Rachel’s size – let’s try here!” He pulled me towards another section.

“JC, listen to m—”

“What color do you like?” He asked, grinning, holding up a pale pink, summer dress.

“No—” But he threw it at me, any ways.

“Euch! Topless dresses are something you should honestly consider—” He threw me two dresses, and then grinned, walking past me, “At least you don’t have man-shoulders, like Britney.”

I looked at the dresses in my arms, and then back up at him, as he put four more dresses onto the pile, and with his hands still on top of the stack, he looked into my eyes, smirking, “Go try them on.”

“JC,” I started, calmly, “I don’t wanna buy any of this, I’m okay—”

“Sure, whatever, now, go.” He pushed me towards the stalls, and then into it, pulling the curtain over, before saying, “And I wanna see you in all of them?”

What the hell just happened to him?

“Oh my God…” I muttered to myself, as I stared at his “picks”.

I tried each and every one of them on, and pushed the curtain over for him to see, and we both ended up with two we actually liked, and had to break the tie, somehow.

“You know… This one seems a little frilly,” I complained, looking at the red, knee-length summer dress I had on, and JC shook his head.

“I like that one,” he reached behind me, into the stall, and pulled out the yellow with the leather belt around the waist, and held it up, “Yellow’s a great color, and I like this one, but I don’t think it’s for you.” He scrunched his nose at me, and I rolled my eyes.

“Then we’re going with this?” I looked down at the dress, again, and biting my lip. It seemed really fucking expensive.

“How’s everything over here?” One of the employees walked over, smiling, looking at both JC and I, “That looks fantastic on you,” she commented, looking at the red dress.

I smiled, “Thanks.”

“So, are we getting anything?” She asked, and then JC.

“Yup, we’re going with this.” He pointed to the dress I had on, and I shook my head.

“No, JC—”

“Yes.” His eyes glared into mine, “We are.” He then turned back to the woman, and grinned at her, “We want it.”

“Alright, then,” she smiled, “If you could just change out of this one, and we’ll have another ready for you at the front. Just let me check the size,” she walked over, and inspected the dress, and then took a look at the tag, “Alright. It’ll just be a moment.”

“Thank you,” JC called out, after her, as she walked away. He then turned to me, smiling, as if nothing had happened. “You okay? You look a little off…”

I glared, “No, are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you acting so weird, lately? One second, you’re a complete asshole, and the next, you’re being kind, and then the third time, you’re fucking staring me down when I refuse to get a dress that my body will be wearing!” I hissed, and he rolled his eyes.

“Calm down.”

“Whatever.” I stepped back into the booth, not even bothering to pull the curtains over. I pushed the dress off my body, angrily, and grabbed my pants, pulling them up over my legs, “Stop staring at me,” I shot, feeling his eyes, and then not, as I pulled my shirt over me. I slid my feet into my shoes, and walked past him, “I swear to God, as soon as I get out of Rosie’s, I’m coming to return it, and getting my money back.”

“Who said you were paying for it?” JC shot behind me, running up to me. 

I turned and looked at him, “It’s my dress, I’m paying for it.”

“Lemme buy it for you.” 

“As a fucking pity present? Or what? Because I slept with you?” I jabbed my finger into his chest, and his eyes grew little wider. 

“Whoa, whoa… No.” He shook his head, “No, no, no, no, no. I swear, that’s not why.” 

“Then why?” I asked, mouth set in a firm line. 

“I just…” He scratched the back of his head, “I know I’ve been an asshole in the past, and even like…when we…you know? Did it?” He asked, and continued, “I want you to know that I didn’t mean to blow you off the way I did, I’m just… I wanna say sorry.” 

I gulped, and then cleared my throat, “You’re so fucking bipolar – I don’t even see how Rachel stood all of this, even though she was the gold digger.” I walked away from him, and he muttered something. 

“I wasn’t like this with her.” 

I heard him, but I turned around, and asked, “What?” anyways. 

He shook his, and jogged up to me, smiling, “Nothing,” and with that, he left my side to go over to the counter.

And they say being a rock star is the easy life…