"Yep. I could eat a horse right now," Justin answered, kicking off his shoes and sitting on the couch next to Celeste.

"Sorry! No horse, but let's see what we've got," Beth answered, going into the kitchen to check the refrigerator. "hey, we still have some of your mom's spaghetti, Celeste!"

"Are you serious?" Celeste asked, happily jumping up from the couch and heading into the kitchen also.

"Man, I'm in the mood for cereal," Marie said sudden, getting up and also heading into the kitchen.

"C'mon guys," Beth said a moment later, popping her head in through the kitchen door and looking at the guys, "don't be shy, I know y'all are hungry."

"Ate Beth!" Karrie yelled happily, "mom said I could stay over, but I told her that you're taking me to Lolo's house tomorrow, is that okay?"

"yeah, sure," Beth answered, trying to talk with her mouth full of spaghetti.

"how come you have a Superman spoon and bowl?" Joey asked Marie, studying her cereal.

"Uhh, I don’t know," Marie lied.

"You like Superman too!" Joey answered, finally getting it. Beth and Ariel began to crack up.

"Okay, yeah I do." Marie muttered, going back to her cereal and ignoring Joey's triumphant look. Soon everyone had finished their food and were just talking. After seeing Karrie yawn repeatedly from the corner of her eye, Beth glanced at her watch.

"Maybe we should all get some sleep? My family's having a party tomorrow, if you guys want to come." Beth offered.

"Are you sure? I mean, if it's a family party and all maybe we shouldn't." Lance answered.

"Don't worry about it," Ariel answered, patting him on the shoulder, "we're going too. You guys can be our dates."

"I call Chris!" Tiana called loudly, giggling while Chris grinned.

"Lance is mine!" Ariel sang out, grinning knowingly at Celeste when her eyes widened, "Ooh, unless you want him Celeste?"

"I sure as heck do!" Celeste answered, causing Lance to blush while Ariel laughed.

"I call Superman here," Marie added shyly while Joey winked at her.

"I call Ariel!" Justin added, this time making Ariel blush.

"I guess that makes JC my date," Beth finally said.

"You make it sound as if it's a bad thing," JC said to her, pretending to be wounded.

"Of course it's not," She assured him, laughing.

"Justin!" Ariel yelled angrily through the bathroom door the next morning, "hurry up!" She pounded her fist on the door. She had been waiting for about ten minutes.

"Hold on!" Justin opened the door, a towel wrapped around his waist. "Must you be so demanding?" he joked as he went to his room.

"This is why I don’t like to share bathrooms!" Ariel said, raising her fists in the air as she went inside the bathroom.

Marie skipped happily out of her own room, looking quite awake. "Morning everyone!" She called into the hallway, and was answered by a series of groans and 'go away'. She knocked on Beth's door. "Beth? You up yet?" She asked. When Beth didn't answer, she opened the door and went inside. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of Beth, already dressed, wide awake sitting Indian style on her bed, flipping through the channels of her tv. "You're awake!" Marie spluttered, very surprised.

"I usually am when I'm not asleep." Beth answered dryly. "How does this look?" She asked Marie, gesturing to the set of black slacks and the white v-neck blouse she was wearing.

"Good," Marie answered. "I don't suppose your being up this early and dressed has anything to do with a certain handsome singer downstairs?" She teased. "Ouch! Okay, okay, I get the hint!" She said, laughing, after Beth launched one of her pillows at her.

"I'll get it!" Justin called out loudly when the doorbell rang. Besides Beth, he had been the first one to finish dressing. He walked up to the door and opened it, and eyed the Asian guy who was standing behind it.

"Um, hi." The guy greeted him, obviously surprised at seeing Justin there. "Are Beth and Celeste here?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"Kuya Rick!" Karrie yelled happily, bounding down the stairs. She was wearing a set of overalls and a tank top.

"Hey!" He gave her a hug.

"This is Beth's big brother, Justin." Karrie told Justin. "Rick, this is Justin. You know, from N Sync."

"Oh, yeah." Rick answered, extending his hand, "nice to meet you." Justin took his hand. He could tell that Rick was confused as to seeing him in his sister's house.

"Yeah. Everyone's still getting ready, but they should be done in about ten minutes."

"How about Ariel?" Rick asked, and Justin didn't like the way he asked about her eagerly.

"What about me?" Ariel asked, appearing next to Karrie. "Hey Rick!" She greeted him, smiling. They all went into the living room to wait for everyone else to finish getting ready. Joey, Lance, and Chris came down as soon as they got in there, having an argument over whether the chicken or the egg came first.

"I don’t even want to know how you guys get to these subjects," Ariel said dryly as JC entered the room.

"Hey guys," JC greeted everyone. He was wearing a dark blue checkered button down shirt over a pair of khakis.

Ariel whistled, "looking good, babe."

"Thanks." He winked at her. "Where is everyone else?" Ariel introduced them to Rick.

"Right here," Marie and Tiana both answered. Beth and Celeste came in right after them, smiling brightly when she saw her brother.

"Hey Kuya!" After a series of introductions and greetings, they all decided they were ready. "Are Mom and Dad going to be there?" Beth asked Rick as they headed out the front door.

"I think so. I haven't gone over to Lolo's house yet so I don’t know." Rick answered. "I'll just follow you guys in my car?"

"Sure." Beth answered as everyone got into her car.

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