For his 22nd birthday, Justin decided to throw a party for himself at one of the current hot spots in LA. At first, he hadn’t planned on doing anything special this year. It wasn’t a big milestone birthday that he had to go all out for, but the idea was already in his head so he decided to just go forward with his plan. He needed a celebration to help decompress from all the stress he’d been under lately.
It was going to be a small affair. He wanted to be able to kick back and relax, not run around schmoozing with people he didn’t even know. The guest list he put together only consisted of family, close friends and his touring crew, which included Kiki. He wasn’t that much of an asshole to invite everyone, but her.
Kiki however, refused to go until Alex and Gina convinced her come at the last minute.
“Hello! Its open bar. Drinks are on him.” Gina tempted her and it worked.
“In that case, I’ll go. And I’m going to get completely trash tonight.” She would try her damnedest to personally run up his bar tab as high as her body allowed.
Kiki, Alex Gina and Tori arrive at the club together and were sent to VIP where the party was being thrown. At first they didn’t see any familiar face and they floated around until they spotted Trace and Sky standing by the bar talking.
Making their way towards the guys, Kiki thought to herself how funny it was that Trace was best friends with Justin yet she actually liked him. Same thing with Marty and they liked her as well. What was even more amusing was that instead of being mad at her when she insulted Justin, they were usually the first to start laughing their asses off at their friend’s expense. It made her like them even more.
Coming up behind Trace, she slung an arm over his shoulder. “Hi Tracey.” She cheesed as he groaned at her choice of nicknames.
“Hiya Kik.” He wrapped an arm around her to give her a hug. “Hey guys.” He and Sky clutched hands with Alex and gave hugs to Tori and Gina. “I’m surprised you came Kik.” He grinned knowingly. He figured she’d rather be caught dead than attended Justin’s party.
“And miss the free drinks? I think not.”
The female in a trio approaching the group called Kiki out. “Freeloader.”
Recognition came over Kiki, and she and Tami jumped into a hug.
“Alex.” Tami exclaimed and wrapped him up in a hug.
“What are you doing here?” He asked her. How did she get into this party and why didn’t she say anything about coming when they mentioned going?
“Well I came with my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Kiki and Alex asked at the same time.
“Guys this is Joey.” She pulled him to her side and both of their jaws dropped when Joey Fatone wrapped his arm around her waist. “This wasn’t the meeting I expected between you guys, but what the hell. Joe this is Kiki and Alex.”
“Hey it’s nice to finally meet you guys.”
He was smiling at them, but Kiki and Alex kept staring without saying a word.
“Finally?” Alex was the first to speak. “How long have you two been dating?”
Tami shrugged coyly. “About three months. I know I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t want to jinx it.” They had met while she was in NYC for a work conference and he was still in the cast of Rent. They clicked immediately.
“Wow.” Kiki had been silently studying the couple, especially Tami and she could tell her best friend was happy. And that was all that mattered. “Wow. Tami’s got a boyfriend. I’m so happy for you babe. It's nice to meet you too Joey.” She offered her hand for a shake and when he took it, she dug her nails into his skin.
“Ow.” He tried to pull his hand away, but she had a pretty good grip on him.
“Hurt her in anyway and we will kill you.” Alex stated with the same creepy smile Kiki was sporting as they stared him down.
“I understand.” And he did, he had a sister himself.
“Good then its nice to meet you too.” Kiki let go of one hand while Alex grabbed the other to shake.
As Joey was rubbing the ache out of his bruised hand, a deep laugh sounded from the person next to him. When Kiki saw him, once again her mouth fell open.
Joey chuckled at her expression, knowing from Tami that she would react this way when she met his friend. “Kiki this is my boy JC. C, this is Tami’s sister, Kiki.”
For the first time ever, Kiki was star stuck and acted like a twitchy teenybopper. “Wow I know I probably look like the biggest dork right now, gawking and everything. I usually don’t freak out like this “ but I don’t care.” She rambled with a big smile on her face. “Because I crushed on you big time back in the day.”
JC laughed. “Yeah Tami said I was the only one in the group that you actually liked.”
Joey started pouting. “You didn’t like me?”
“Well you came in second.” She shrugged. “Especially with the red tips. Loved that.” He winked at her and popped his collar.
When Kiki was done going ga-ga over JC, Alex introduced Tori and Gina, and Trace introduced Sky to the group. They chatted with everyone for awhile until Sky whisked Tori away to the dance floor and Gina went to find Ralphie. Trace also disappeared to do some prowling. The remaining five found and empty semicircular booth to settle at more comfortably and continued talking. Tami and Kiki left momentarily and came back, each with a rack of test tube shots. They did a couple of rounds, getting a good buzz going.
Next to leave was Alex. He took off to jump in between Tori and Gina when he saw them dancing together.
“Sometimes I question if he’s really gay. The way he gets all excited about being in the middle of a girl sandwich.” Tami contemplated as they watched Alex having a hella time getting freaked by two females.
“It’s vagina envy.” Joey and JC stuttered at Kiki’s statement before they each started laughing with her.
Tami watched her boyfriend and best friend having a good time together and she saw it as a good sign that they were getting along. “I told you she was crazy.” She told Joey.
Kiki definitely had a great personality and both Joey and JC were enjoying her company. The same could be said for Kiki. JC was just the complete package, he was hot of course, but he was also very nice and comical. She had been paying close attention to Joey specifically and he had a very cool, but sweet personality. It spoke volumes for his suitability for her best friend. He definitely had her approval already.
“Okay its time to take an alcohol break.” Kiki put her umpteenth empty test tube back on the rack. “And do some dancing.”
“Wait for me.” Tami threw back her last shot and caught up with her. “Guys come on.”
From across the room where he was chatting with some of his guests, Justin had been watching the exchange between his best friends and Kiki. And he couldn’t control the sneer on his face. She was running around his life charming everyone, winning over his mother and his closest friends, yet she treated him like shit. He couldn’t stand her.
The quartet was tearing it up on the dance floor as Kiki and JC danced together in front of Tami and Joey. Tami just shook her head at her friend and the mile long smile on her face.
She leaned over to speak in Kiki’s ear over the music. “You are such a dork.”
“I don’t care ‘cause I’m dance with JC.” They giggled and suddenly spun around each other, switching partners.
The party raged on throughout the night and despite their efforts, Kiki and Justin eventually ended up in the same vicinity together Now that they were among mutual friends. To keep the peace, they choose to ignored each other and enjoy themselves.
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The morning after, Kiki was awakened by her cell phone going off on her night stand. Slightly hungover and groggy, she answered it. It was Tami calling to invite her and Alex to come out the brunch with her and the guys. Kiki agreed even though Tami had warned her Justin would be there. She wasn’t about to let Justin Timberlake keep her from spending time with her friends, new and old. Getting off the phone she ran into the guest room to wake Alex.
“Alex. Are you up?” She flipped on the lights and the lump under the covers jerked.
“Turn the fuckin’ lights off!” He bellowed and she scrambled to do as he asked.
“Sorry.” She climbed into the bed and peeked under the covers. “Are you ok?”
“Hell no.” He moaned in pain and she put her hand in the little air pocket he made to make sure he didn’t have a fever.
“Going to eat with Tami and the guys is out for you huh?”
“Hell yes.”
“Ok. I’m gonna go get ready, but I’ll come and check up on you before I leave.” She put her head through the pocket and dropped a kiss on his forehead.
After a quick shower, she jumped in a tank and jeans, and threw her damp hair up into a sloppy bun. Back in Alex’s room, he had fallen back to sleep, but she woke him to make him take some aspirin and drink some water. Sufficiently medicated, he buried himself back under the covers and Kiki left him with instructions to call her if he needed anything.
She met up with Tami and the guys at Stella’s, a little diner they’d been going to since high school. The group was seated and recapped about last night as they looked through the menu. Kiki updated Tami on Alex’s current condition and despite her warning, she called his cell to check up on him. It didn’t take long for her and everyone at the table to realize her mistake.
The speaker phone wasn’t even on and everyone could hear him. “You know I’m not okay so don’t call my fuckin’ phone again!”
Poor Tami was left listening to the dial tone with a pout on her face.
“I told you.” Kiki hid her laugh by sipping on her coffee.
“Whatever.” She turned her attention back to her meal. “So do you miss Key yet?”
“Yes. I'm trying to stay away, but I’ve given into temptation a few times. And got caught.” Both times she was promptly kicked out by Kevin who told her to stay away because she had other things to focus on. The club wouldn’t burn down without her there. “Marissa won’t even tell me how my classes are doing until we're on the road so I can't interfere.” She pouted. She was missing her students the most, but one of the reasons she was doing this was to show them, particularly the younger ones, what they could accomplish with their own talents.
“Everything is fine and I can tell you that they miss you too.” Kiki beamed at that.
The others at the table had been listening to the two girls talking and JC asked. “So you own your own dance studio?”
“It’s actually a health club as well.” She proceeded to tell them about the club and how great of a staff she had for “holding it down” while she was touring.
Feeling jealous that Kiki was the center attention on his birthday weekend once again, Justin had to open his mouth and ruin the moment.
“So basically other people are doing all the work while you sit back, do nothing, and get all the money.”
Not surprised by his comment unlike everyone around them, Kiki calmly place her fork on her plate and put her folded hands on the table. “And this is coming from a grown man who has a team of people doing everything for him short of wiping his ass.”
All movement at the table froze except for the pairs of eyes shifting back and forth between the two like they were watching a tennis match. Justin and Kiki were staring daggers at each other, noses flaring, refusing to back down. The tension between them could be cut with a knife.
Tami took it upon herself to try and get things back in order before the situation escalated and they caused a scene. She excused herself from the table to go to the bathroom and dragged Kiki with her.
Once the girls were out of ear shot, all the guys turned on Justin.
“What the hell was that all about man?” JC asked. “Why would you say something like that to her?”
“That girl drives me fuckin’ crazy. I can’t stand it.”
JC and Joey were surprised at him. They’d never seen Justin so bothered by a person who hadn’t done anything wrong. But then again they didn’t know the whole story; they didn’t know why she drove him crazy. Luckily, Trace was there put Justin on blast.
“Stop lying J. You know damn well you’re feelin’ her. You’re just mad that she doesn’t take your shit and calls you on it.” Trace sat back, not the least bit intimidated by the glare Justin was throwing his way. He went on to tell them about the tongue lashing he got from Kiki followed by Lynn and they couldn’t help but be amused, much to Justin’s dislike. “Hell I wouldn’t be surprised it she likes you too.”
“What do you mean?” Irritation side tracked, Justin was now intrigued.
“Does it matter? If she is feelin’ you, you’ll never know ‘cos you keep on acting like a dick to her.”
“Whether that’s the case or not you need to get over it dude. Kiki is a nice girl. You’re missing out.” Joey added.
Stuck in his ways Justin didn’t want to hear what they were saying, even though in the back of his mind he knew they were right. To take the focus off of himself, he asked Joey what the deal was with Tami - was he finally putting up his pimp hat?
Joey surprised them all and said he was. He told them that there was something about Tami that was different from any other woman in his past, including Kelly who he almost married. She fit with him perfectly and because she wanted them to have a monogamous relationship, he was more than willing to end his player ways. He wasn’t willing to risk losing her when he loved her and he knew they had something special together.
Even though he was jaded about relationships, Justin wished his friend good luck.
Meanwhile in the bathroom, Tami was leaning against the sinks watching Kiki pace in front of her while she ranted about how she couldn’t stand Justin and how much of a “grade-A asshole” he was. Since she had joined the tour, Tami had heard more than a few of her rants about him, but now after witnessing it herself, she wasn’t sure the problem was simply Justin being a jerk. From what Joey had told her about him, he had his moments, but he was an all together good guy. So it didn’t add up. At least until she thought about it and it dawned on her - Justin liked Kiki. And by her reaction to his taunting, she would bet that Kiki liked him too. It was a classic case of playground flirtation - I like you, so I’m going to pick on you and I’m going to get you back ‘cause I like you too.
How sad, Tami thought. They really needed to get it together before they drove each other crazy.
She could have let her friend in on her theory, which she knew she was absolutely correct, but she’d just deny it. The best way to settle this would be for Kiki to -
“Just ignore him honey. Stop responding to him all together and he’ll eventually leave you alone.” She advised even though she was sure Justin would just resort to another tactic to get her attention, hopefully the right one this time.
“I know you're right, but it’s so hard to do that.” Kiki lamented.
Of course it’s hard to ignore the guy you have the hots for. “Just work on it. I’m sure things will change and you’ll feel better.” Finally hooking up with your crush would make anyone feel better.
“Yeah.” Kiki cracked a small smile and took a deep breath to collect herself. “I’ll try.” She walked over to the mirror to check her appearance. “Thanks Tams.”
The two girls shared a hug. “No problem.” Cause manipulating you was too easy. And it was something that needed to be done before they killed each other.
Confident she wouldn’t jump over the table and beat the crap out of Justin, Kiki took the lead exiting the bathroom and they returned to the table. Needless to say she and Justin stayed pretty quiet for the rest of the morning not wanted to provoke each other again. They both were starting to see that this little feud between them was getting old. Maybe they had gotten off on the wrong foot and maybe a second chance wouldn’t hurt.
