~~~~~~~~~~~~ March 2006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cat stared at her reflection. She had to leave in a few minutes to get ready for tonight, but she was delaying it for as long as possible. There was something she had to tell Justin and had hoped he and the others would arrive before she left. The guys had some concerts to do in LA, and were coming down to offer moral support. They were staying in the same suite as her; Cat had been renting the Hilton's largest suite ever since she came to LA, in November. It had eight rooms, so she told the guys they could stay with her.
Justin picked up his cell phone and walked into a back room. They were on the bus, traveling to LA. He called the jeweler's; he wanted to know if the ring was ready.
"Yes, Mr. Timberlake, it's ready. You can pick it up tomorrow," the head manager said.
"Thank you."
He walked back out into the lounge and sat down. He stared out a window, not seeing the passing scenery. Lance looked at him and asked what was up.
Justin looked at Lance, and shook his head. "Nothing. Just thinking about my girl." His eyes returned to the window.
"'Girl?" You're dating?" Lex asked.
Justin looked at her. "Yeah. Didn't I tell you before? I could have sworn Ii did."
"No, you didn't. Who is she?"
"I prefer to keep it a secret," Justin replied. glaring at Joey and JC. He knew Joey had told JC and had threatened both with death if they told.
Lex and Liz continue dot bother him about his girlfriend. He finally told them he would tell them in a few days, after he talked to his girlfriend.Cat walked into the lobby of the hotel. She walked up to the front desk. "Please give this to Justin Timberlake when he arrives," she told the manager.
"Yes, Ms. Hallbrooke. Good luck," the manager replied.
"Thank you." Cat smiled in happy anticipation. Now she had another reason why she wanted the Oscars her movie was nominated for. She was going to tell Justin something in front of the whole world.Lance was the one who picked up the keys. He always got the keys. The woman at the front desk blushed and handed him the keys. He turned to walk away.
The woman's voice stopped him.
"Mr. Bass," she called.
Lance turned around. "Yes?"
She handed him the note. "This is for Mr. Timberlake. It's from Ms. Hallbrooke."
Lance took the paper. "Thank you."
Walking up to the group, he handed everyone their keys. When he got to Justin's, he held up the note. "Should I give this to him, guys?"
"Who's it from?" Chris asked.
"Cat. But I don't think Justin deserves it. He hasn't told us who he's dating."
"Give it to him," Joey said. "just make him tell us what it says."
"No lance, you should read it aloud," Liz said.
"Okay." He opened it up. Cat had expected this and so was prepared. "'Justin your girlfriend has something planned,'" Lance read. "'Continue has planned tonight. Just don't forget.'" Everyone looked at Justin. "What?" Lex asked. "Is Cat trying to tell you something?"
"Yeah, that my girlfriend has something planned, and instead of talking to her all night, I have to do what I'd originally planned on doing." He was lying big time. He wouldn't have missed the Oscars for anything; but he had to make up some excuse for the letter.
"Which was...?" Liz asked.
"Watching the Oscars with you guys."
"That's all Cat was trying to tell you?" Chris asked. "I wanted scandalous." Everyone laughed and headed for their rooms. JC and Joey looked at each other. Something was up, with both Cat and Justin and they wanted to know what.
Once they'd gotten to their rooms and unpacked, everyone gathered in the front room to watch the Oscars. Cat's movie, Conquest, was kicking ass. Nominated for everything it could be nominated for, sixteen awards altogether, it was winning every one of them.
JC said, during LFO's performance of the song written for the movie, "We should have done that."
"I agree. But we we were touring," Justin replied.
The last award presented was for Best Picture. Cat's movie was up for that. It was sure to win.
James van der Beek and Jennifer Lopez were announcing the nominees. They showed clips of each movie.
Jennifer opened the envelope. "And the Oscar goes to...."
"Conquest," James said. He started to say the director, actors, actresses, and other information about ti, but the roar of the crowd was so loud, no one could hear; they already knew it any ways.
All the actors and actresses plied on stage. They ahd already given speeches, so they just said a few lines. Cat was last.
"Once again, I would like to thank all of my friends, my agent, everyone who helped with the movie, and last, I would like to thank me boyfriend for being so understanding. I love you, darling." They walked off stage.
Cat couldn't believe she'd done that; she'd just told Justin she loved him in front of lord knows how many people.
Chapter Thirteen