"Marinnnnna" Nick whined. "What?" "I don’t know what to do" "What’s new" "I’m serious Mar, I love Steph…but I also love Jessica, but we’ve been friends forever and I don’t want to risk losing our relationship if it doesn’t work…and then there’s Lyn" "Lyn? Who’s Lyn? Isn’t Joey goin out with a Lyn?" "No, I mean…Lyndsey" he said picking up a handful of sand and letting it run through his fingers. "Wait…who’s Lyndsey?" "Oh. Just forget it. I’m really torn between Steph and Jess" "Well I don’t know what to tell ya little man, you and Stephanie have been separated for a few months now, do you want to get back with her…or move on?" "I don’t know." he said with a confused look on his face. "Here let me give you a hug." "Ok." he said moving closer and letting her arms wrap around his body, "I needed that." "I know."
The rest of the guys were already there when Joey and Lyn walked into the studio. "Hey guys." "Hey Joe, hey Lyn." "Hiya." Lyn said. Justin ducked when she said this. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Well you said ‘Hiya’ so I ducked, thought you were going to some of that karate on me." "You’re such a ditz Justin, you should have kept your hair blonde, it would have fit you better." "Yea don’t ya know…she only does that to me." Joey chimed in. Everyone laughed at this. "Well…there was that one time…" "oooooooooohhh, she’s bustin on you." JC teased. "I know she’s only kidding." Joey said, giving her a kiss. "Ohhhhhhhh, I love this song." Rose said, turning up the radio. "I drive myself crazy alright" Howie said, "Don’t they get on your nerves just a little?" "No, I think they are good, you don’t think so?" "They’re ok…I guess…but they’re our competition." "True, you guys are so much better than them." "Thanks sweetie." "Sure babe." "Well the guys will be coming soon, we better ready." "Yea." she agreed. Ten minutes later Brian, Jillian, and Tyke got there. "Hey guys!" they said as they came around back. "Hi." "Oh, How, AJ said that Amber couldn’t make it so he’s bringing his friend Kelly." "Oh alright" "Is Nick coming?" Jill asked, "I know he was upset earlier today." "I doubt he’ll come…he’s spending the day with Marina." "Oh ok, what about Kev?" she asked. "He and Jen had plans already, so they won’t be coming either." "So all we’re waiting for is J and Kel?" "Si senorita." "Hello, hello, hello" AJ shouted as he entered the yard. "And here they are now." Howie said. "Hey you two." Brian exclaimed. "Hi y’all" said Kelly. "Ok, let’s get the dogs on the grill." Howie said putting on his apron. "NO!" Brian screamed grabbing his dog, "Not Tyke!" "The hot dogs." Howie said laughing. "You don’t think that Tyke is hot?" he pouted. "Let’s not go there." AJ said, "I don’t swing that way."
Lou was supposed to arrive at the studio at 1 and it was 12:30 now, so the guys had some time to just chill. Lyn and Joey were sitting on the love seat in the conference room, having what they thought was a private conversation. "Do you mind?" Joey said, realizing Justin’s presence. "Oh sorry." Justin said, coming out of his daze, "I didn’t mean to eavesdrop." "Sure whatever, can you take a hike now?" Lyn asked annoyed that he was staring at her. "Nobody likes me." he mumbled to himself as he walked away from the couple. He went outside only to find JC, Lance, Chris, and his best friend Cassidy all playing b-ball. "Hey guys, can I play?" "Sorry Justy, but we already got the game goin." Cassidy explained. "Fine." "Just go play with yourself Justin." Chris joked. "Fine I will then, it’s better than playin with you people…wait, no, I’ll call Becky." "Why are you telling us…like we care." Lance said as Justin went inside again to call his girlfriend. "Excuse me…can I use the phone?" he asked the receptionist. "Yes, it’s in the conference room" ‘Oh great’ he said to himself, "Can’t this place hook me up with a cell phone?" "I’m sorry Mr. Timberlake, that’s not in your contract." "Screw this, I’m outta here" "Mr. Timberlake, you have a recording session, you can’t just leave." "Oh yea…I’ll just go use the phone now." he said pointing to the door of the conference room. "You again." Joey said, when Justin walked in. "Shut up fag, I gotta use the phone." "Well I gotta go to the bathroom." "I thought I saw a fire hydrant down the street." Justin explained as Joey left to find the bathroom. "For once, you actually said somethin funny." Lyn said laughing. "Thanks." he gloated. He went over to the phone and dialed Rebecca’s number. At that moment, something came over Lyn. She got up off of the love seat and walked over to where Justin was standing. She lifted his chin up with her finger, and looked deep into his blue eyes. "Justin…" she whispered. She leaned closer and touched her lips to his. "Lyn…" Justin whispered between kisses. "Shhh." she said, parting her lips and letting Justin’s tongue explore her mouth. On the other end of the phone, which was now hanging by Justin’s side, Rebecca’s answering machine picked up and was now recording. "Lyn, we shouldn’t be doing this." he managed to get out. She moved away a little. "I want you Justin, you know I’m not happy with Joey, don’t you want me?" "More than anything." he admitted. They heard Joey whistling as he came down the hallway. "Justin, not a word to Joey about this." Lyn whispered as she walked back to her spot on the couch. "My lips are sealed." he said hanging up the phone, not realizing that their whole "conversation" would soon be heard by his girlfriend.
"So tell me about this Lyndsey girl." Marina said to Nick while he was building a sand castle. "Well what do you want to know?" Nick asked nervously. "Where and when did you meet her, what’s she like, stuff like that" "Oh, I met her at that tornado benefit concert we did with ‘N Sync back in September. She’s really nice, and beautiful, and funny, and amazing, God I miss her, but we’re better off just as friends." "Awww, Nicky’s in love." "No, I’m over her." he said with a sigh, "I think…" "Don’t worry you’ll find someone." "Yea…" Nick stood up to admire his masterpiece. "Boo!" Jessica shouted as she jumped on Nick’s back. "Hey girl!" he exclaimed. She slid off of his back, "That’s some sand castle NC" "Thanks." "Hey you two wanna play some Frisbee?" Jessica asked taking it out of her bag. "You two can play." Nick said, "I’ll just watch." As the girls played, Nick contemplated his and Jessica’s relationship. As the afternoon turned to dusk, Nick had made a decision about his future, he just had to muster up enough courage to ask her.