"Fine then!" Mikayla Watson said, annoyed, releasing the popcorn as her cousin Taylor raised her arms triumphantly in the air. "I'll have some ice cream then," She said, evilly, pulling out a small carton of Haagen-Dazs as Taylor groaned and begged her for some. Both were up for the same reason: to see their boyfriends.
"I can't believe we missed them on the live performance today," Mikayla said with a sigh, switching the channel to MTV.
"I guess." Taylor answered with a shrug, looking a little bit sad.
"Tay, you aren't still angry with Justin about not being able to make it this weekend, are you?" Mikayla asked gently, knowing the answer was probably yes.
"Of course I am. I haven't seen him in a month, I miss him like crazy!" Taylor said, shifting her thoughts to Justin and then grinning, "but I'm not angry as in 'I'll never talk to him again' angry."
"Oh." Mikayla said, turning her attention back to the television.
"Don't tell me that you didn't feel even a little bit sad that JC couldn't make it." Taylor commented.
"I do," Mikayla said with a sigh, thinking of JC. "But he's busy, so am I." In fact, he'd been so busy he hadn't called her in the past week, she thought glumly.
"Shh! They're on!" Taylor hissed, looking at the tv. "Man, JC looks scruffy." She commented, laughing.
"So?" Mikayla asked in mock defiance, "at least my boyfriend cuts his hair when it starts to look like an afro." She laughed when Taylor launched a throw pillow at her. She glanced back at the television, studying JC's face. He looked happy, she noted, a small smile touching her lips as she watched him grin as Chris cracked a joke on Lance.
"The No Strings Attached album sales went right through the roof," Carson was saying, "how does that make you guys feel to be so successful?"
"It feels great," JC answered, and Mikayla sighed dreamily at hearing his voice, "it's an honor to be loved by so many people out there, it's a bit overwhelming sometimes."
"Yeah, despite the stardom and success, there isn't much room for a private life," Carson said, sympathetically.
"Exactly," Lance answered, "But we thank God for all the fans we have, and we have nothing to complain about, this is exactly what we all wanted to do."
JC felt giddy inside, but he restrained himself from bouncing off of the walls on live television. And besides, Mika might see me and think something's wrong, he thought, glancing at Carson again as he introduced the number five video. Tomorrow I'll be on a flight to California, He thought. The tour was winding to an end, and he was glad. The rest of the conversation, even the performance, flew by and he had a happy lilt in his walk as he and the other members of N Sync were quickly escorted to their limo.
"Do you think it was a good idea not telling them we're going to be there?" Lance asked doubtfully after the limo had taken off. He'd also met a girl in San Jose, Elisa, at Taylor's friend's party. The two of them had become extremely close, and he felt like he was on the verge of asking her to be his girlfriend.
"Of course it is," Justin insisted, "imagine the looks on their faces when they see us!" Previously, they really couldn't have come, due to some charity performance they were obligated to do, but the performance had been changed to an earlier date, leaving them with a free vacation.
"Man, I’m hungry." Joey complained, rubbing his stomach.
"Me too." Chris agreed.
"We ate just before we went to TRL." JC pointed out.
"Yeah, but we're growing children!" Chris retorted, "Bobby, to the nearest McDonalds!" He called out to their limo driver.
Mikayla was concentrating on the seating chart for that night's banquet when her phone rang in her office. Ever since the success of the Make A Wish Foundation charity banquet at The Gardens, the restaurant that Mikayla and her brother Danny owned, there was always a steady stream of organizations and private parties that wanted to book The Gardens for their party.
"Hello?" She asked, a bit distracted.
"Mikayla?" She grinned when she heard Brian Littrell's voice, with its dominant Southern accent.
"Hey, Brian!" She greeted him. Ever since they had met at the MAWF banquet, they had become quick friends. They communicated mainly through email, though there was an occasional phone call here and there.
"Hey, guess where I am?" He asked her.
"Uhh, I don't know. Where?"
"You have to guess," Brian said teasingly.
"Okay," Mikayla answered, "New York?"
"Nope."
"Orlando?"
"Nope."
"San Jose?"
"Yep."
"Really?" She asked, feeling excited, "where?"
"Well, right now I’m sitting in a limo outside The Gardens, but I wanted to make sure it was safe for me to come in." Brian answered.
"Come on in!" She said, placing down the phone and heading out to the front of the restaurant to greet her friend. Brian was standing in the restaurant lobby, a wide grin on his face.
"Hey," he greeted her, giving her a hug. "How's everything?"
"Great," She said, smiling. "And you?"
"I've been doing great. How's JC?"
"Busy! You of all people should know how it is," She teased. Brian chuckled.
"Yeah, us boybands are all alike, eh?" He said sarcastically while she smirked.
"Oh yeah. You want something to eat?" She asked him.
"No that's okay," He said, seeming a bit disappointed about not being able to eat there, "I have a soundcheck in half an hour, so I don't have much time to eat and I'd rather just talk to you." They both sat down at one of the tables that were hidden from the rest of the tables.
"What brings you to San Jose?" She asked him, curious.
"Well, we're having a concert here, and since I was here I figured I'd drop by to visit," He answered, "and you and Taylor got tickets to it if you want to come." He offered.
"That'd be great!" She answered. After all, since JC and the rest of the guys weren't coming this weekend, she and Taylor didn't have much to do.
"Okay," He answered, pulling out two tickets and backstage passes out of his pocket and handing them to her. "I'll see you tonight? I'll pick you and Taylor up at seven?" He asked.
"Yeah. See you Brian!"