Chapter One

Justin knocked on Mr. Steven’s office door and waited impatiently for him to answer. He was already in a hurry, and after a long day of working in the studio all he wanted to do was go home and fall into bed. He was walking out the door, when JC stopped him and told him Mr. Stevens wanted to see him He had know idea what this was about, but he wanted to get it over with so he could go home.
“Come in,” his voice muffled through the door.
Justin turned the knob and poked his curly head in. “Wanted to see me?”
Mr. Stevens smiled. “Yes, Justin...come in. Glad you could make it.”
“Not a problem,” he said as he walked across the plush carpet and sat in the stiff wooden chair in front of him. He has sat in this chair many of times, and till to this day it’s still uncomfortable as hell. “Sooo...what’s this about?” He asked as he shifted in the chair.
He sighed as he folded his hands on the table. Uh-oh, Justin thought. That was definitely not a good sign. “Mr. Stevens, is there something wrong? Is everything okay with the gu.....”
“Everyone is fine,” he assured him and then cleared his throat as he leaned over the table and looked at him. “Justin, have you ever heard of Gavin?”
“Gavin? Of course, he’s the new guy in the business. He has a couple of good songs out, right?”
“Right,” he said with a nod. “Even though he is new in this business, his popularity is rising big time.”
“Does he have an album yet?”
He shook his head. “No, he does not. He’s confused with what record company to commit, to. He’s torn between us and another one.”
“Which one?”
“A certain company you use to belong to.”
“Oh, that’s not good,” he said with a shake of his head. “Does he NOT read the paper?”
Mr. Stevens chuckled. “Oh, he knows about it, and he pretty much has decided to come with us, in fact I KNOW he wants to be with us.”
Justin shifted again. “Well, uh...that’s great, but...what does this have to do with me?”
He looked at him sternly. “Everything,” he said bluntly.
“Everything?” He repeated. “What do you mean???”
He sighed. “He’s going to sign with us under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I hate to have to put this kind of pressure on you, man, but.....”
“But what? Mr. Stevens, I’ll help you if you want me to. You have treated us like family here and everyone deserves that. What do I have to do?”
Mr. Stevens studied the young boy, who was waiting for him to answer. He was a good kid, always stepping up to the plate if there was anything that needed to be done. “You have to spend 24 hours with his niece.”
Justin froze, not quite sure he heard him correctly and then started busting out laughing. “Ha ha, very funny....Who put you up to this?"
“Justin, I’m not....”
“Chris right? Chris put you up to this, didn’t he?”
“Justin, I’m not kidding.”
Justin stopped laughing and stared at his serious face. He shook his head in confusion. “I’m sorry, but it sounded like you said....”
“You heard me right, Justin,” he said with a sigh. “Gavin is talented and overall a good guy, but he’s not stupid. He’s....”
“Blackmailing you,” Justin finished. “And using his niece to do it.”
“Well, supposedly she’s a fan and.....”
“I don’t care if she’s a freakin fanatic,” Justin said as he got up and paced the room. “This is NOT how business is done...I mean granted I’m still learning and Lance is more of the business person, but I’m not stupid...I mean....”
“Justin, Justin,” Mr. Stevens said as he stood up and walked around the desk towards him. He stopped pacing and folded his arms across his chest and waited for him to speak. “I know this is wrong of me to even ask you, but Gavin was....well, very persistent. Come sit down, I’ll tell you the whole story.”
Justin resisted at first, not moving an inch, but when he saw the plea in his boss’s eyes, he gave in and sat down. “Gavin had a brother...an older brother, and as children they were very close. However, as they grew up, they became very different. Gavin was more of a rebel, wanted to do things his way. All he cared about was his music. That was his number one passion, which I’m sure you understand.”
Justin just replied by nodding his head. The older man sighed and then continued. “Anyway, Jack...that’s his brother...married and had Misty...that’s the girl you’ll be spending 24 hours with.” Justin looked up from the floor and glared at him. “I...uh...that is if you agree to do this.”
“IF is the keyword here,” he said and then looked back at the floor. “Continue.”
“Well, last year, just when things were going good for Gavin..career wise that is....his brother and his wife were killed in a plane crash.”
Justin looked back up at him and kept staring at him, waiting for him to go on. “So, Gavin had to take care of Misty. According to Gavin, they are not very close, and he personally doesn’t know how to show he cares, so he tries his best by giving her things, like a car, money, jewelry....”
“A date with a popstar,” Justin added to the list.
Mr. Stevens paused and looked at his hard face. The boy was not happy, and he didn’t blame him one bit. “Justin, if you don’t want to do this I’ll understand, but....”
“I DON’T,” Justin said forcefully.
Mr. Stevens sighed. He couldn’t force him to do it, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. “I’ll pay you anything you want, I’ll make it worthwhile, if you would just agree to....”
“Mr. Stevens, I don’t want to do this,” he said quietly. “But....But if Gavin means that much to you, I....” He cursed under his breath. I’m going to regret this, dammit, I just know it. “I’ll do it.”
“You...You will?” He asked excitingly. “Oh, Justin...I owe you big. I’ll pay you, I promise.”
“Mr. Stevens....I don’t want your money, I can survive 24 hours with a fan.”
“You don’t want any money?” He asked in shock.
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t need your money, Mr. Stevens...let’s just.....call it a favor, okay?”
“Justin, I appreciate this,” he said as they both stood up. “More than you know.”
“Yeah,” he said as they walked to the door. “So...when does this 24 hours of hell begin?”
He grinned. “You’re flying out tomorrow to L.A after the photo shoot and then you start at 10 o'clock the next morning.”
Justin put on a fake smile. “Can’t wait!”

Two days later, Justin sat in the back of the limo and rode in silence all the way to Misty McCullum’s house. He tore his sunglasses and peered out the window as the limo made it’s way up the long drive. It was a circular drive and in the heart of the circle sat a stone fountain, with three level pools, that trinkled down the sides. Colorful flowers trailed the lines of the driveway that led to the three story red bricked house.
Justin whistled in amazement. “Gavin doesn’t waste time,” he mumbled as the limo pulled to a stop. He looked at his watch and then noticed it was two minutes till ten. The 24 hours of hell begin in two minutes, he said to himself as he put his sunglasses back on.
The door opened and he stepped out of the limo and studied the house with his hands on his hips. It was an impressive house and you could tell a lot of money was put into it. But he also garunteed there was no love within these walls. The thought of that almost made him sad. He shook his head as he finally made his way up the stony steps.
He’d be nice, he assured himself. He’d wear his million dollar smile and be sweet to the girl, and then afterwards he’d forget all about this day and the girl. He knocked on the door and lifted his jeans over his hips as he waited. He could totally picture her. Long blonde hair, perfect smile, cheesy, snobby, the list went on.
When the door opened, Justin smiled quickly at the old man dressed in a suit. “Yes, I’m..”
“Mr. Timberlake, I know,” he said. “Miss McCullum will be....”
“I’m here Al,” she said from behind him.
“Ah, your purse, Miss,” he said as he smiled warmly at her.
She grabbed it. “Al...It’s Misty.” She then kissed his wrinkled cheek. She smiled warmly at him and when she looked at Justin, her smile faded. “You ready?” She asked annoyingly.
Justin looked at her strangely. “Uh...yeah, sure.”
“Bye Al,” she said as she walked past him and then past Justin.
Justin looked at Al and then ran after her. “Uh, Misty...wait.”
She rolled her eyes and turned to him. “Yes?”
“I....I’m confused here,” he said as he studied her. She was nothing like he thought she would be. Her long blonde hair was instead black, and instead of dressing prissy and sophisticated, she had on a pair of jeans with a black tanktop. Her eyes were hidden, so he didn’t know the color and she was smacking a piece of gum as she waited for him to speak. “Um...I don’t get this, I mean.....”
“You don’t get what?” She asked rudely. “That I don’t want to be here anymore than you do?”
His brows lifted. “You don’t??”
She sighed. “Not really. I guess THE Justin Timberlake isn’t use to that, is he?”
“Ex...Excuse me?” He asked, shocked by her rudeness.
“Oh, I’m sorry...allow me to make you feel better,” she said as she tore off her sunglasses to reveal the bluest eyes he had ever seen. “Oh...my...God....I actually am going to spend a day with Justin Timberlake!”
He rolled his eyes. “Knock it off.”
She grabbed his arms and squeezed them. “No, you don’t understand. You are like my idol...I mean I kiss your poster every night before I go to bed.”
He shrugged off her hands and scowled at her smug face. “Well, aren’t you a bitch.”
The corner of her mouth lifted. “Maybe,” she said with a shrug. “But then again your an egotistical ass, so we can’t all be perfect.”
Anger built through him as he stepped closer to her and enjoyed the way she tensed at his closeness. “You don’t know shit about me, so I suggest you keep your mouth shut.”
She yawned. “That’s nice...so can we go now. I’d like to get this over with.”
He shook his head. “I don’t get this...if you don’t want to be here, why did ask your uncle to....”
“I never asked him to do anything,” she said as she slipped on her sunglasses. “He thinks I wanted to.”
“Okay so....your not a fan?”
She sighed. “Jeez, my uncle catches me singing to ONE of your songs and that automatically makes me a fan.”
“So your not?”
“My uncle doesn’t know shit about me, okay? If I was singing to Blink 182, you would be Travis right now.”

He started to laugh, but when he saw her face he cleared his throat. “Sorry....not funny. So, if you don’t want to be here, and I don’t want to be here....why don’t we just end it.”
“I can’t,” she said as she shifted.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to hurt Uncle Gavin’s feelings,” she said as she looked away.
Justin studied her. She may be a bitch and may say bad things about her uncle, but they are some feelings there. “Sooo, were stuck with each other for the next 24 hours.”
“Pretty much,” she mumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Well then,” he said as he let out his arm towards the limo. “Let’s get this day over with.”
She gave him a cheesy smile. “Finally...we agree on something.”
Justin gave her the same smile and then rolled his eyes after she past him. “Lord give me strength,” he mumbled and then followed her.
The door slammed once he was in and Misty was sitting on the far left of the limo. Her legs were crossed and her body was turned completely away from him. “So...”
“So how much did they pay you?” She asked all of the sudden.
“Excuse me?”
She turned to him. “How much? I sure as hell know your not here on your own will.”
“You got that right,” he mumbled as he looked out the window.
Misty studied his profile and couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. His face was structured well and he had just shaved probably, because she couldn’t see one stubble on his cheek. Even though his lips in a pout, she could tell that they were soft....and very kissable.
“Didn’t your mom ever teach you about staring,” Justin said as he looked at her. At the mention of her Mom, he heart melt and her eyes turned sad. Justin cursed softly. “Misty....I’m...I’m sorry, I.....”
“Forget it,” she said as she took her sunglasses off her head and slipped them on. “So where are we going?”
He wanted to say something else. Another apology...anything, but he decided it would be best to let it go. He felt sorry for her, but after this day, he was never going to see her again. He looked at his watch..only 23 hours and 45 minutes to go. "Well, have you eaten?"
"No," she said as she put a hand to her empty belly. It's been growling like a hungry bear.
"Me either," he said as he shifted in his seat. "How bout some breakfast....we'll hit the best place in town?"
"I don't feel like going anywhere fancy," she mumbled.
He rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm don't either...I'm talking about McDonalds."
She looked at him sharply. "McDonalds? You like McDonalds?"
"Is that so hard to believe?" he asked. "I know the whole damn menu thank you."
The corner of her mouth lifted. Wasn't exactly a smile, but it was good enough. "What's the #3?"
He sighed. "Breakfast or lunch?"
"Lunch."
"Quarter pounder with cheese," he said with a grin. "That was an easy one."
Her smile widened a little. "I could go for McD's."
"Cool," he said and then pushed a button. "Hey, George my man?"
"Yes, Curly?" the middle aged black man said up front.
"To the arch please," he said with a grin.
"Surprise, surprise," he said with a chuckle.
Justin just laughed as he let go of the button. "We're gonna drive through in a limo?" he heard her ask.
Justin looked at her. "Sure, why not? We do it all the time."
She rolled her eyes and shifted her body away from him. "Whatever," she said with a sigh.
"Whatever," Justin mimicked softly and rolled his eyes.
"What?" she asked sharply.
"Nothing," he replied sweetly. "Nothing at all."