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» CHAPTER THREE «

"I'm tired." AJ yawned as he stroked Kristin's hair.

"Me too!"

AJ and Kristin were at their home in Orlando, Florida. They were watching a horror movie which Kristin had rented the night before. Kristin and Julie had spent that night screaming and just having plain old fun. Something they hadn't done in a long time.

Kristin turned her head to face the TV and rested it on AJ's chest.

"I've already seen this movie, I don't want to see it again." Kristin said getting up to get a drink. "By the way, want anything to drink?"

"Well I haven't seen this movie, all we've gotten on the bus to watch were foreign movies..." AJ sat up to fix the pillows on the couch. "And no, thank you."

Kristin returned from the kitchen holding a wine glass filled with Kiwi-berry Kool-Aid. "Well fine, if it makes you happy... all though, I could think of better things to do." She turned to face the TV and witnessed yet another 'murder'. This time it was poor Drew Barrymore.

"Like what?" AJ asked, completely clue less to what Kristin was implying.

"Never mind!" she said getting up to go up the stairs. "I'm going to take a shower."

It hit AJ like a brick. "Oh... OH! Well then.. you aren't getting away THAT easily." He said also getting up. He then chased her up the stairs, into their room and slammed the door behind him.

----

Julie pressed the scan button on the radio searching for some good music. "Ugh, I can't get anything," she said.

"The reception is terrible here, you're going to have to wait until we get outside," Kevin said as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Hmm..." Julie opened the tape compartment between the two front seats.

"What?" Kevin asked peeking into the the tape compartment. He saw two sections divided into CD's and tapes. In the CD section he saw Christina Aguilera, Our Lady Peace, Joydrop, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Mary Mary, Brandy, Audio Adrenaline, Jessica Simpson, LFO, 98 Degrees, Rebecca St. James, Jaci Velasquez and Backstreet Boys. He smiled. If he had counted right she had all of the Backstreet Boys' CD's.

Julie found what she was looking for and closed the compartment. "I was just looking for the new album demo cd. I haven't heard it yet... we just go it yesterday!" she turned and placed the cd into the cd player without pushing it in. "You don't mind if I listen to this, do you?" she turned to face Kevin and smiled.

'Those eyes!' Kevin thought as he gazed into Julie's chocolate eyes, "Uh.. not at all. What do you sing anyway?"

"Pretty much anything, just no rock stuff." Julie pushed the cd into the player.

As the cd started there came a knocking from the window. There was Nick, only he wasn't alone. A tall blonde stood beside him.

Kevin turned to unlock the door and was surprised to see that the blonde was none other than Mandy Willaford.

Julie turned and was surprised to see the new visitor. She wasn't sure who it was so she just smiled.

"Kevin, move to the front seat." Mandy told Kevin.

Kevin did as he was told and then Nick and Mandy popped into the back seat.

Thinking that the girl hadn't noticed her smile, she turned and extended her hand. "Julie Andrews, nice to meet you..."

"Mandy. Mandy Willaford." Mandy didn't return the hand shake. She just crossed her arms.

Failing any attempts at friendliness, Julie relaxed and turned back to face the front of the van. She turned on the ignition and started to pull out from her parking space.

On the highway there was no interaction whatsoever. The only thing heard was the demo cd which Julie had popped in earlier. A dance song called 'Not Me' was playing.

"I don't need your words,
To get you to confirm.
The lack of faith you have in me,
Hold on tight and you will see...
Not me. Not me.
You'll see. Not me, not me."

Noticing the tension, and realizing that the song was in a vocal break, Kevin thought he'd break the ice. "Um... this is a cute song...." he turned to Julie for approval.

"Thanks." Julie said, as she kept her eyes on the road.

"I think it sounds like a Britney Spears' rip-off." Mandy said, sweetly.

Startled, Kevin turned to face Julie. Julie didn't even flinch. She kept her cool, and didn't show any emotion.

"If you want real music...." Mandy said turning to Nick and giving him a big smile. "you should listen to this," Mandy reached into her purse and pulled out a 'Willa Ford' cd.  She handed it to Julie.

Julie half glanced at it and tried not to laugh at the track listing. "Wow, this looks awesome." Julie looked into the rearview mirror and smiled. "I'll have to listen to it sometime. Right now though, I have to listen to this 'Britney Spears' rip-off so I can decide which songs won't make the album."

"If I were you, I'd dump them all." Mandy said, smiling again. "Oh and I live near here, so if you could drop me off..."

"Where?" Julie asked.

Mandy took of her seat belt and moved closer to the window. "Turn right here!" she yelled.

Julie made an abrupt turn onto 'Brankwood Rd.' and kept driving. "What's the number?"

"1892... that one right there."

Once again Julie had to make another abrupt turn.

Mandy opened the door and turned to face Nick. "I'll call you, k?" She smiled again, and closed the door. She walked up to the iron fence and punched a number into the security lock.

When Julie realized that Mandy had gone inside she let out a sigh of relief.

"That was just great!" Julie said sarcastically, then continued to mock Mandy. "If I were you, I'd dump them all! If I were her I'd kill myself," Julie said pulling out of the driveway.

¤ To Be Continued... ¤
REMEMBER to send feedback to the author, Julie