Emma Sarver walked through the glass door of the store front her friend and she rented for their graphic design offices.  The space was empty in the front except for a desk where their part-time secretary sat and framed prints of some of the designs they had done.

She walked past the wall and into the main office, which was really just an open space with four computer stations and a large conference table.

Emma and her friend Bryan Taylor had opened 479design a year after they had graduated from college.  The 479 represented the area code in which they lived, that of northwest Arkansas, specifically Springdale.

Emma set her messenger bag on the already cluttered conference table before plopping down in the chair at her computer.  She turned the Mac on.

“Bryan?” Emma asked. She knew he was there because the front door was unlocked when she showed up.

“Back here!” He yelled.  She heard him swear and then one of the printer drawers or one of the compartments slamming shut. “The damn printer is acting up again.” Bryan came around the corner of the back room and made his way to his computer. “I’ve got to call the service.”

“Maybe we should consider getting a new one,” Emma responded and clicked on iTunes to get some music going in the place.

“We’ll have to see if we can afford it,” Bryan sighed.  479design was still small and growing.  The two of them mostly created Web sites and publications for some local companies, and various merchandise for bands and artists.

“We need to get the portfolio done for Gotee today,” Emma said.  She was headed to Nashville in a couple of days to meet with representatives from Gotee Records, which was now an independent record label for Christian bands and artists.  Bryan and she were trying to pick up Gotee’s business so that they could grow their own.

“Definitely,” Bryan answered.  He started to move the chair back and forth.  “Let’s use what we’ve done for The Wedding and The Goodnight Fight.”

Emma nodded and stood up from her chair.  She walked to the table where in one of the piles were the latest designs for both of those bands.  She also pulled out some older files from the cabinets nearby. 

Bryan got up also and moved some stuff off of the conference table so they could spread out and look through what they had. 

*  *  *

“These are great,” Joey Elwood said flipping through the portfolio that Emma and Bryan had put together a couple days before.  Joey was the co-founder and president of Gotee Records. 

“Thanks,” Emma said.  “I can also pull up the Web sites we have done for The Wedding and some local companies in northwest Arkansas.”

“That would be great,” Joey said.  “I can turn on this computer and we can put it up on the screen.”  Joey turned to the computer set up on the little table behind him and started it up. 

Emma continued to explain the different projects and any meanings each may have had, and when the computer was up, she took him to a few different sites to show him what she and Bryan were capable of doing.

“I’m really impressed,” Joey said.  “I have to discuss it with a few other people here, but I think you guys are exactly what we want for our new look and giving each of our artists new looks as well.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Emma said.  They talked for a few more minutes before their meeting wrapped up.

“So do you have any more plans for your time in Nashville?”  Joey asked.

“Oh, I’m going to The Almost show tonight,” Emma answered.

“Have you seen them before?” he asked.

“Yeah, Trevor, my brother, he’s toured with them and I went on that tour,” Emma replied.  She followed him out to the front of the offices.  “So it’ll be fun to see them again.  They don’t know I’m coming.”

“Well have fun,” Joey said.  “It was great meeting you.  I am definitely going to get in touch with you soon about starting on some projects.”

“That sounds great,” Emma smiled and shook his hand. “Talk to you soon.”

*  *  *

“Do you mind?”  Emma turned her head away from the stage when she heard the man’s voice. He had his hand resting on the back of the chair at the table she was at.

“Not at all,” Emma smiled, not even flinching when she recognized who it was and after all he wasn’t on her list of ‘good’ music.  However, she was a little shocked when he didn’t move the chair to another location, but sat at the table with her.  Emma turned back to the stage and watched the members of the band finish tuning their guitars and testing the sound.  She could feel his eyes on her.

“So, uh … have you heard this band before?”  He startled Emma out of her concentration on the stage.

“Yeah,” Emma said, “The Almost, they’re great.”  She paused and figured she might as well introduce herself, “I’m Emma Sarver.”  Emma held out her hand.

“Justin,” he reached out and shook her hand.  She was cute.  Not his usual type, but the punk image fit her well and he wasn’t finding anything wrong with it. 

“What brings you to this venue?”  She asked, “I know this can’t be your typical place of entertainment.”

“Something different,” Justin shrugged.  “I thought I might try out something new.”

“You’re in for a treat then,” Emma smiled.  She picked up her drink and finished it off.

“Would you like another drink?” Justin asked just as the lights turned off.

“No thanks!”  Emma had to yell over the crowd noise. 

Justin smiled and turned his attention toward the stage.  He could hear Emma yelling along with the crowd when the five band members walked out onto the stage.  Justin could feel the drums moving through the building and his body as soon as the drummer took his place.

Emma started bouncing her feet to the beat and once the crowd really started moving, she couldn’t sit there.  Emma stood up, and Justin turned to look at her.

“I have to go down!” Emma yelled.  He looked confused.  She leaned over and yelled in his ear, “Floor!  Come with?”

He shrugged and stood up with his drink in his hand.  Emma took his drink out of his hand and set it down knowing that if he carried it down there it would end up all over his jeans and shirt.  She grabbed his hand.

Justin was shocked by the gesture, but followed her down the stairs and into the crowd.  He definitely wasn’t worried about getting into trouble in the crowd even with the few confused looks being thrown in his direction.  Once Emma settled on a spot, he wasn’t sure what to expect from her next especially with the rest of the crowd pushing and jumping up and down along with the beat. 

Emma didn’t hesitate to join in.

She looked over at him when she realized he wasn’t getting into it.  Emma looked at him like ‘Are you just going to stand there?’

Justin shrugged.  Emma shook her head and went back to bouncing up and down.  He should have had more to drink.  After the first couple of songs though, he loosened up and got into the music more, and he even joined in with Emma’s movements.

“What did you think?” Emma turned toward Justin when the set had ended and people started to move toward the exit.  They stayed in place.

“Good,” he answered with a nod.  His ears were ringing.  She brushed her sweaty bangs out of her eyes as she looked up at him. 

“I’m going to go talk to Aaron,” she smiled. “Do you want to meet him?”

“Uh, sure,” Justin shrugged and followed her across the floor that was littered with empty cups and colored flyers. 

As they neared the stage Emma yelled, “Aaron!” 

Aaron turned quickly from his conversation with the drummer and grinned through his shoulder-length red hair, which covered his eyes, when he recognized her.

“Emma!” Aaron yelled back as he took a few steps toward the edge of the stage and jumped down in front of her and Justin.  He wrapped his arms around her in a hug and she returned it.  “What are you doing in Nashville?”

“Ah, work.  But I heard you guys were playing and couldn’t resist.”  Emma grinned as he kept his arm around her shoulder.  “You guys really need to come to Arkansas more.”

“I know, I know.”  Aaron responded.  “So what did you think?”

“Brilliant, as always.  I don’t expect anything less,” Emma answered honestly and then turned her head to look at Justin.  “This is Justin Timberlake.”

“Oh, hey.  I’m Aaron Gillespie” Aaron removed his arm from around Emma’s shoulder to shake his hand.  “First time at our show?”

“Yeah.  It was really good.”  Justin responded, “Do you guys have any CDs out?”

“Sure do,” Aaron answered.  “I’ll go grab one.  Excuse me.”  He smiled toward Emma and walked away.

“So …”  Justin turned toward Emma as if he were looking for an explanation to the interaction he had just witnessed.

“My brother, Trevor, is in a band called The Wedding, and they have toured with Underoath, which is the band Aaron plays drums for.  I went on that tour to help out, and Aaron’s one of my best friends.”  She explained just as Aaron came back with a CD for Justin.  He handed it to him.

“Thanks.  How much?”  Justin asked reaching for the wallet in his pocket.

“Don’t worry about it,” Aaron waved him off.

“No, no.  I want to pay for it,” he opened up his wallet and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill.

“Well thanks,”  Aaron accepted the money and stuck it in his pocket.  “How’s Trev?  I haven’t heard from him in a while.”

“He’s good.  They’re on break right now, so he’s at home, but they’ve got a tour with Emery and RED coming up, and then back to the studio.”  Emma answered.  “I’ll make him call you.”

“Sounds like a plan.”  Aaron nodded.  “I gotta get back to packing up, we’re gonna get some food, are you going to hang around?”

“Sure,” Emma answered.  Always eager to hang out with Aaron and the rest of the group.  She wasn’t sure what Justin was going to do, not that it mattered anyway.  Aaron walked back to the edge of the stage where he pulled himself up.

Emma turned to Justin and smiled.

“Well I’m going to go.  I’ve got a busy day tomorrow,” Justin said.  “Could I get your phone number though?” 

“Yeah,” Emma didn’t hesitate.  She walked over to the stage and picked up a set list that was still sitting there.  “Aaron, do you have a marker?”  Aaron was wrapping up the cord that went from his amp to guitar.  He stopped and pulled out the black marker that was in his back pocket.  “Thanks.”

Emma jotted down her cell phone number and e-mail address before handing the sheet of paper to him.  Justin took it and folded it up to stick it in his pocket.

“I will be talking to you soon then.”  He grinned.  “It was fun hanging out with you.”

“Same here.  Nice to meet you Justin,” Emma smiled too.  “Have a good night.”

“You too,” Justin responded.  “Bye.”  He waved and then turned to walk out of the venue.

“So what was that?” Aaron asked Emma when he was out of ear shot. 

“I don’t know,” Emma shrugged.  “I was sitting at a table in the back and he just sat down next to me.  He seems nice enough though.  Not what I would expect.”

“Just be careful,” Aaron said.

“I know.  Leave the big brother gig to Trevor,” Emma said.

“Even though he’s the little brother,” Aaron asked.

“Even though,” Emma nodded as she placed her hands on the stage and pulled herself up.  “What can I do?”

“Help Kenny with the drum kit,” Aaron answered.  Emma walked over to where the band’s drummer, Kenny Bozich, was packing up his drums.  She spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Aaron and the guys in the band.  

*  *  *

“Hello,” Emma answered her cell phone.

“Hi, is this Emma?” A male voice asked.  It sounded familiar to her, but she wasn’t quite sure who it was.

“Yes,” Emma said.  “Who’s this?” She sat down on the couch in her living room.  For once on a weekend it was just her and her dog, Brody, at home.

“This is Justin … from the uh, show last weekend.”  He sounded awkward and hated that.

“Oh hey,” Emma smiled into the phone.  “How are you?”

“Not bad,” he smiled too.  “A little busy, but that’s nothing new.”

“Tell me about it,” Emma yawned.  “‘Scuse me.  The company, I run with a friend of mine, we just got a good contract, so it has been a little crazy.”

479design had picked up Gotee Records as a client a few days after she had returned from Nashville.  So Bryan and she flew back out there with contracts and to discuss the new projects further.  It was good for the business to get to the point where they wanted to go with it.

“So what do you do?”  Justin asked.

“I am a graphic designer.  I create a lot of merchandise for bands, which is what the contract is for, and I do some Web and publication design as well for the bands and some businesses in the area,” she explained.  “It’s fun.  I’d ask what you do, but it’s hard not to know that.  Even when you don’t pay attention to that stuff, like myself.”

Justin laughed.  They talked for another hour before Justin had to head out for dinner with friends.  He promised to call her soon.