*Disclaimer - I do not own any of the members of 'N Sync, nor would I ever want to. The pressure of it all would surely make me crack *LOL*. They are taken care of by their respective owners. I do, however, own all fictitious characters (such as Mike, Sage, Tristan, etc.) that help make this story. All events in this story are fictional - and true to life's is purely coincidence and absolutely unintentional.

*Plagiarism is a no-no folks and against the law, so please don't.

"Oh for God's sake Justin, you can't choose an essay based on the solitary fact that this poor disillusioned girl is infatuated with your sorry excuse for a pop teen idol's ass!" Michaela Costeo snapped angrily from her desk as she rested her head in her hands. This essay contest was going to be the death of her, that is if she didn't kill the guys first.

"Why not?" Justin Timberlake, youngest member of the newest, hottest singing sensation to hit the USA since the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block, inquired slapping the side of the couch.

"Ten bucks says World War Three is about to happen." Chris Kirkpatrick, the oldest member at 27, whispered loud enough for Lance Bass, Joe Fatone, and JC Chasez to hear.

"I'm in." Joe whispered back reaching into his pocket.

"I like her. I think her essay was really good!" Justin complained defending himself.

Mike sighed and started rummaging through the desk drawers. "I know I have it in here somewhere."

"Have what?" Lance inquired the look of ill concealed humor on his face.

"Cheese. Cheese for that... that kid's whine!" she exploded jumping to her feet in one fluid motion. She walked briskly to where Justin sat and grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt to haul him up to his feet. Though he towered a good foot over her head, she glared up at him, her eyes shooting venom.

"You listen to me Justin Randall Timberlake, I could care less that you are one of the youngest heart throbs this country has seen in a longtime. I also don't care that you have a hundred adoring fans who think you look absolutely sexy in a damn wife beater, not that I disagree! What I do care about is that you are making my job, not to mention my life, a living hell! This essay contest was your idea, the group's and yours, Justin. I'm the one who has to read over nine hundred essays a week, then somehow find three, count 'em, three essays that stand out the most. I don't mind because that's my job. I love my job. I think you guys are great, but you are sorely testing me right now. Its bad enough that you guys asked me to chaperone these three girls. But I will not, do you hear me? Will not , under any circumstances, play older sister and surrogate mother to a bunch of over sexed, over crazed, and all around hormonal 12 year-olds who think you're God's gift to women! Forget it! You guys don't pay me enough to put up with that kind of humiliation!" Mike stormed pushing Justin away from her.

Joe sighed and handed a ten dollar bill over to Chris. "I should have known." he muttered.

"It was your idea too, Mike." Lance reminded quietly.

"I know. But I never expected this. I never thought Justin would want this girl who says, and I quote: 'I would love to go on tour with 'N Sync for the summer. I am 16 years old, 5'9", 110 pounds, long golden hair, with a cup size of 38C'. I mean, come on. This wasn't supposed to be a fashion show. This was a contest of writing skills. This is absurd." she sighed shaking her head. She should have known this was going to be more work than it was actually worth. She should have turned down the job two years ago when it fell into her lap. But she had been the sucker and stayed. Part of her scorned herself, the other part rejoiced in her decision to stay.

"She does have a point guys. Maybe we should just keep reading." JC commented, throwing his two-cents worth into the pot.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed throwing her hands into the air.

"I'm tired of reading, besides, I found one of the three essays I think should win." Justin grumbled folding his arms over his chest.

"Justin, grow up, man. You know she has a valid point. Take your loss and act like a man. You never know, the excellent writers just may have some looks that shouldn't go overlooked." Chris laughed at Justin. Justin shot the older man a glare that would have killed a lesser man, but Chris just laughed it off as he climbed to his feet. "I'm getting too old for this late night stuff."

"You're getting too old, period." Joe laughed as he too, got to his feet. "I'm hungry."

"Joe, you're always hungry. We're gonna go bankrupt before we actually make money, and all because of your stomach!" JC joked as he slipped on his jacket. Justin remained pouting on the over-stuffed couch, clutching the infamous essay. It was all Mike could do to keep from giggling at the sight. Big, bad Justin Timberlake was pitching a fit and pouting because he couldn't get his way. Maybe she would relent just a little bit and let him find another knock-out that actually had something to say.

"I am not always hungry, besides, I'm a growing boy." Joe defended as he grabbed the basketball that was kept in the closet for the sole reason of giving the guys something to do during their time at the 'N Sync fan club based in Orlando, Florida.

"Yeah, you're growing alright. Out instead of up!" Chris cracked rubbing Joe's head as he took off for the court out in back of the building.

"Come on Justin, we're gonna need your expertise out there on the court." Lance smiled as he pulled on his fleece jacket. Justin looked at him for a moment then got to his feet and followed Lance out the door.

"You know, you're the only person I've known to have enough guts to stick it to Justin the way you always do." he commented ruefully.

"Well, I don't think he's all that, so I'll always be the first to knock him down a couple of pegs when the need arises. I'd do it for any one of you. Fame does some nasty things to people, and I don't particularly want to see that happen to you guys. Call me a sentimental fool." Mike shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I don't know about the sentimental part, but I don't think you're a fool. Sometimes we all need to be taken down a rung or two on the ladder. Even you Miss Michaela Costeo." JC laughed leaning against the doorframe.

"Far be it from me to proclaim perfection on my part. I'm far from it, and don't I know that well. I just know not to get too high and mighty about the things that I do. Its get really high, really fast and the fall is likely to kill me. And don't call me by my full name Mr. Joshua Scott Chasez." Mike grinned sitting on the couch, pulling her legs under her.

"We're gonna go shoot some hoops, are you going to join us?" JC inquired as he pushed himself away from the doorframe.

"Are you daft ?! Its almost midnight! Sides, I don't play basketball. I never could. I have no athletic talent in the game, so no, but thank you for asking. I wouldn't want to disgrace myself in front of the God of B-ball." she giggled as JC walked over to her.

"You know, there's a funny thing about stubbornness, it never lets me take no for an answer. You need a break. When was the last time you had a little bit of fun?"

"Is this a trick question?"

"No," JC laughed.

"Damn. I was afraid of that. This doesn't include writing papers for my classes, does it?" Mike asked, not really wanting to know the answer. JC shook his head holding out his hand to her. Mike glanced down at his hand then back up to his face.

"You're not going to let me say no, are you?"

"Nope. There's another funny thing about this."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"Five people and organized sports don't really work well with one another. We always end up needing a sixth person. So, what do ya say?"

"Fine. Lets go." she groaned taking his hand and letting him pull her up from the couch.

*************************

Chris, Joe and Justin were practicing their shots on the illuminated court while Lance talked with a pretty girl who had wandered by. JC and Mike surveyed the scene in front of them.

"Chris and Justin are the Captains. Choose your teams wisely, and make it fair, huh?" Joe called loudly as he retrieved the ball that had bounced off into the brush. Chris smiled devilishly as he thought for a moment. Justin took out a quarter from his jeans pocket.

"Heads or tails?" he asked as the quarter was tossed into the air.

"Heads!" Chris exclaimed loudly. Justin slapped the quarter on the back of his left hand, then lifted his fingers for Chris to see.

"Heads it is. I pick. Who do I pick? Nobody here but me has got any kind of game. Guess I'll pick JC." Chris grinned.

"Funny. Hysterical. You should have answered your first calling in life." JC remarked as he walked over to Chris.

"I know, but lucky me ended up with you four bums." Chris shrugged laughing.

"I want Lance." Justin said.

"So that's the inside edition." Mike muttered under her breath causing Joe to burst out in a fit of laughter. She glanced over at Joe with a grin.

"I always knew there was something going on between the two of them." she shrugged as Justin threw the ball at her. She dodged it quickly and smiled sweetly at the younger man.

"Joey, come on down! The price is right!" Chris yelled making everyone groan. Joe jogged over to where JC and Chris stood.

"Well, I guess that leaves me with the Psycho Chick." Justin smiled.

"That's Miss Psycho Chick to you, pal." Mike retorted as she tossed the ball to Justin. The game started off quickly with Chris's team in the lead by four points. Mike was having difficulty maneuvering anything because every single one of the guys had a good chunk of height above her, so no matter what she tried for, it was always blocked.

"You guys don't play fair! I should cut you all off at the knees then make you play!" Mike whined as yet another attempt at a lay-up was blocked by JC.

"You weren't kidding when you said you couldn't play, were you?" JC laughed as he held the ball too high for her to reach. She just glared at him and shoved him playfully.

"Awe Mike, come on. You're giving us a bad name!" a familiar voice yelled from the side lines. Mike looked over and smiled at her good friend Ashley.

"I can't help it, these guys cheat. They all have height on their side!" Mike called to her as she grabbed Joe around the waist to keep him from getting any closer to the hoop.

"Man, are the mosquitoes getting big this year, or what?" Joe questioned stopping for a moment, then taking off again. Joe made an easy lay-up as Mike, who was off balance as it was, toppled backward onto the cement with a loud 'umph'. Justin grinned as he recovered the ball.

"Keep smiling pip-squeak, we'll see who gets the last laugh." she nodded as everyone laughed at the sight she made sprawled out on the cement, propping herself up with her hands. Ashley walked over to her shaking her head.

"No comments from the peanut gallery." she warned her friend as Ashley held her hand out to help her up.

"I'm not gonna say a word." Ashley laughed shaking her head.

"Thanks for helping me up. At least SOME people have the common courtesy to help a lady up!" Mike said raising her voice so all the men could hear.

"What lady? I don't see a lady." Justin retorted looking around.

"Oh, you mean Lance disappeared again?" Mike questioned, an evil gleam in her eyes.

"Mike, that was a bit harsh." JC scolded trying not to laugh as Lance appeared from nowhere.

"You die now!" he warned as he stepped closer to her.

"Now Lance, you know I was kidding. I didn't mean anything by it." Mike giggled as she slowly stepped away from him.

"Run." Lance replied smiling. Mike took off at a dead run, looking for someone to hide behind. Chris and Joe made themselves scarce by going over to sit with Ashley, leaving Justin and JC her only hope for protection. She looked pleadingly over at Justin who just shook his head watching Lance stalk her.

"You rat!" she cried as she veered off to hide behind JC. She grabbed JC around the shoulders and forced him in between Lance and herself.

"Oh no. I'm not getting in the middle of this one. You're on your own." JC laughed ducking out of the way.

"Traitor!" she hissed as Lance slowly advanced on her.

"You asked for it Mike. Now pay back is a bitch. You of all people should know that." Lance grinned grabbing her by the arms.

"Okay, okay. I give. I'm sorry." Mike laughed as Lance started to tickle her. "Come on, man! I hate being tickled! This is so unfair! Aaaahhhh! Stop!"

"Uncle?"

"Nope!"

"Come on, say it! Uncle!"

"No way pretty boy!"

"I'm not gonna stop til you say it!"

"I wouldn't give you the pleasure!"

"Mike, give it up! You know he's gonna win!" JC called from the sidelines.

"JC, why don't you bite me!"

"Listen to JC. Say uncle!"

"When monkeys fly out of my butt, Lanceten!"

"If you say so, but I would think that might hurt."

"Don't be a wise ass."

"Nope. Not me. That's your department!"

"Stop already!"

"Not til you say that one little word." Lance shook his head as he kept on tickling Mike, who was rolling on the ground by now, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

"No way PooFoo!"

"Now you're really asking for it, aren't you?" he questioned as he tickled more and more.

"Okay! Okay! Uncle! I give! Uncle already!" Mike cried out, unable to take anymore of the torture. Lance smiled as he stood up again. Mike groaned rolling onto her side, trying to catch her breath.

"You guys are all traitors. You knew he was behind me and you didn't warn me. Some friends you are!" Mike exclaimed as she sat up.

"And miss the best show I've seen in a while? Not on your life!" JC laughed as he walked over to her.

"Get away from me Chavez! I don't even want you near me!" Mike yelled trying to keep a serious face, but dissolved into laughter before JC could say anything else.

"Lance, I think you made her loose the last marble. Congratulations. We've been trying to get this done for two years now." JC commented as he took Mike's hand and helped her up.

*************************

Joe sat down next to Ashley on the bench and groaned. "I wish these people weren't night owls sometimes."

"You're one to talk Joe." Ashley snorted shaking her head.

"And just what was that supposed to mean?" Joe demanded a small smile forming his lips.

"Joe, you are the biggest night owl of the bunch. You love to go clubbing and you love to date. You're always out whenever you get the chance. So don't give me that look." Ashley laughed shaking her head.

"Alright, you got me there. How've you been Ash? I missed you while we were on tour."

"Yeah? Funny thing the telephone is. It lets you talk to the people you most want to talk to. Makes you almost feel as if you're in the same room talking face to face. My phone never rang once while you were gone. At least not when the call was from you." Ashley sighed shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay, I deserved that. I'm sorry I didn't call. You know tours are always so busy that we never know if we're coming or going."

"But you always seem to know when to be on the bus or when to be on the plane." she retorted angrily. Joe sighed and shook his head. Ashley was one hell of a woman. He'd give her that much, but she also confused him like nothing else could. One minute she was as sweet as sugar. The next minute she was filled with vinegar. Sometimes he would catch a signal saying that she was interested, and other times he caught a signal that basically said if you touch me, you'll loose the jewels. He couldn't figure her out, and right about now, he was tired of trying.

"Okay, next time I'll call you." Joe amended trying to make peace.

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" Ashley asked looking over at the man who had totally, utterly, and completely captured her heart unwillingly.

"Women! I give up!" Joe exclaimed jumping to his feet, then he walked over to where Justin, JC and Mike were standing.

"Does someone have it bad for our boy Joe?" Chris asked from behind Ashley.

"I don't know what you're talking about Chris." Ashley countered folding her arms across her chest.

"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that, and maybe someday you just might believe it." Chris replied sitting down next to her. "He likes you."

"How can you tell?" Ashley snorted shaking her head.

"Well, for one, he doesn't flirt with you the way he would with a person he doesn't know. Its more subtle, if you can believe that. That's how I know its genuine." Chris shrugged tiredly.

"Why am I having trouble believing that?" Ashley asked rolling her eyes heavenward as she pulled her jacket tighter around her body.

"I don't know, but its true." Chris sighed looking over at her. "I've known Joe for a long time now. He only acts this way when he really likes a lady. Sure, he flirts all the time, but with you, its just a different kind of flirting. He means it with you."

Ashley looked over at him as if he really had gone crazy. "Look at him Chris. Just look at him! And you're telling me that its different with me? I don't think so." she exclaimed gesturing toward Joe who was currently talking, flirting and laughing with a couple of fans that had wandered onto the basketball court.

"He's a lady's man, there's never been a doubt about that. Those girls over there have temporary control over his yes and his and attention. Hell, most of that comes with our job. But I think you may have a permanent hold on part of his heart." Chris nodded.

"I do believe you've gone mental, Junior." Ashley snorted shaking her head.

"I might have, but those girls out there have nothin' on you and you know that Senior." Chris agreed.

"You are totally out of your mind. And blind to boot! They have the looks, the wardrobe, not to mention the body." Ashley grumbled folding her arms across her chest as she glared at the two women from the bench.

"Like I said, maybe I have completely lost it," Chris laughed. "But all I'm saying is think about it. Just a little thought and see what you come up with. You never know, you might like what you find out."

Ashley sighed as Chris stood up and headed over to the others in the group. She did give it some thought. A lot of thought, actually. Joe was never far from her mind, no matter what she seemed to be doing at the time. He always managed to thrust himself into her thoughts, dreams, and even her waking hours. She could already say that she had fallen for the lug, but she knew that he wouldn't feel the same. That much had been evident throughout the past year and a half. Ashley, snap out of it girl. You know that nothing good will ever come of these wayward thoughts, so just cut it , she scolded herself mentally. This was beginning to be way too much.

**

Joe looked down at the pavement as he dribbled the basketball, getting ready to make a shot as his mind traveled elsewhere. He didn't know what to make of anything about Ashley anymore. She reminded him about everything he missed in New York. The attitude, the quick whit, the subtly sarcastic humor. Everything. If he didn't know any better, he would have proclaimed himself in love. He shuddered at the thought. Being in love would change his whole life around, and not for the better , he thought to himself. He wouldn't be allowed to flirt with all the ladies now. But would that be so bad? Joe shook his head then looked up at the basket. He aimed carefully then took his shot. The ball bounced off the rim and veered off to the left. Joe sprinted to catch up with it before it disappeared totally from view.

As soon as he caught the ball again, he made his way back over to the basket. JC walked over to him. Without saying a word, the two started taking turns trying to sink the ball.

"You want to talk about it?" JC finally asked his friend as he took a shot. Swish.

"There's really nothing to talk about." Joe shrugged as he dribbled. The ball made loud noises on the ground, filling the air so he wouldn't have to talk.

"Alright." JC nodded waiting for his turn. Joe took his shot. The ball bounced on the rim twice then finally sunk into the basket. JC grabbed the ball and dribbled for a few seconds before taking another shot.

"I don't get why women are so difficult all the time." Joe said suddenly.

JC smiled nodding. "Women are a strange, yet a beautiful species. Men and women will never understand one another. Its just not possible."

Joe sighed as he dribbled the ball from one hand to the other. "All this she's mad at me then she loves me stuff is going to drive me insane."

"Wait a second, I didn't know you were dating someone."

"I'm not. But I've noticed through my experiences and everyone else's that women cause more trouble than they're worth half the time." Joe grumbled.

"Don't say that Joe. You are the epitome of the Lady's Man, you'll give the rest of us complexes." JC laughed as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm serious JC. There's this one girl. She's absolutely aggravating. And the stupid thing is, I can't stop thinking about her." Joe ground out as he tossed the basketball to the hoop. It bounced off the rim and came back.

"Joe, women are always going to be confusing and aggravating for many reasons. You just have to remember that we're just as confusing and aggravating to them." JC stated as he took the ball from Joe.

"Now that is the most profound statement I have ever heard come out of the male specie's mouth." Mike said in an awestruck voice as she approached the two men. JC smiled over at her and shook his head.

"Mike, you're a girl, right?" Joe asked, a hopeful look starting to gleam in his eye.

Mike looked down at herself then back up at Joe. "I was the last time I checked. What do you need explaining?" she laughed taking the ball from JC and making a shot herself. The ball bounced off the rim and tipped inside to make a basket.

"Well, there's this girl and she keeps sending out mixed signals. I can't tell if I'm coming or going. I have no clue as to how to deal with this whole thing." Joe sighed as he leaned against the brick wall behind the basket.

"Ah, women problems. What kind of mixed signals?" Mike nodded raising an eyebrow.

"One minutes she's really happy to see me and can't seem to stop smiling, and the next she acts like she doesn't want to be near me and can't stand the sight of my face." Joe complained closing his eyes.

"It sounds to me like this girl, whoever she is, has it bad for you. Most girls act like that when they feel threatened by something unfamiliar. Though we experience love, it still scares us, so we do our best to push prospective loves away. You don't get hurt that way." Mike shrugged giving Joe a sympathetic look. Love, lust and the like were always hard to understand, no matter how much you knew about the subject, you always ended up making yourself look like an ass.

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