Justin returned to the VIP room and plopped down on the couch. He popped open another bottle of Grey Goose and took another swig. He seethed with anger as he was reminded that the poor little pop star is not supposed to be interested in sistas. "I guess I just can't get a break," he thought to himself. "Even when I like someone, there's always something." Lauryn walked into the VIP room and walked around half-passed out groupies and drunk members of NSYNC, plus others. There she saw Justin looking pissed off as he drank straight from a bottle of liquor , like it was juice. "Justin?" She called his name to see if he would respond. Justin slowly placed his bottle on the table in front of him and looked into her eyes. "Yes," he quietly responded. Her dismissal of him stung him to his very core and brought back a lot of feelings that he thought he had gotten over. Lauryn played with her purse strap as she looked back at Justin's face. "I didn't appreciate what you just did. You embarrassed me. Did you think that was some joke?" She said in a serious , yet calm tone. Justin stared her dead in her face. "Embarrassed how? I didn't think I was making a joke. I was however, trying to give you what you wanted."

She had her right hand on her hip and leaned on her left leg, showing it through the spilt. Her eyes flashed as she stepped up some more. "I didn't ask you to give me what I wanted. If I wanted to get it trust me, I could." Justin rolled his tongue over his teeth. "Ok point taken. Anything else?" His attention shifted momentarily as he watched two groupies make out with one of their body guards. He grabbed his bottle again and took another drink. Lauryn opened her purse and pulled out a clip and pulled up her hair as she continued to talk. "Yeah, I do have one more thing to say." She then put her purse on her shoulder before she finished talking. "You can sit there and like our music, and clothes and even try to be friends with blacks, but don't think that a sista wants to be with you just because little girls like your music and think you're cute." Lauryn then turned around and started to walk back toward the door. Justin scoffed and rolled his eyes as he watched her walk away. "Of course, everything is about me so called wanting to be black. Never mind that music is music. Your friends are your friends. It's not about just color or trying to get in where you fit in. And if a sista only wants to be with me because she likes my music and thinks I'm cute, then that's not the woman I am looking for. I want a woman with depth who has independent thought and who can appreciate me and my thoughts and views.

Lauryn stopped and turned around to look him in his eyes. They held a look of frustration and tiredness, probably from people like her always giving him grief and trouble about this she guessed. She walked back up to him and stood there, intrigued by his look and wanted to know more. Justin held his arms in the air, "What? Whatcha got next? I've pretty much heard it all this point. Do you also want to tell me that I am just being who I am so I can sell records, and that I'm not real?" Lauryn shook her neck a bit, “Well, yeah. I guess that thought came across me and some of my friends minds."She shrugged as she brushed back a few strands of hair that escaped her clip.

"So, what made you think that I could be that kind of woman?" Justin thought quietly before he spoke, he was trying to figure out why he really was attracted to her and what made her so different. "When I first saw you I was initially attracted to you because you are a beautiful woman. I knew you were different just in the way that you spoke to me and how you treated me. I'm used to fawning and you didn't. I liked that. You didn't seem concerned with the celebrity status, like most people are." Lauryn couldn't believe he was attracted to her cause she was over him. She could say one thing about Justin Timberlake, he was not the usual guy she'd come across. Justin started to rub his chin, "I may be well known but I am still human and no one likes to be rejected. When you're rejected doesn't that just make you want that thing, that much more? I thought at least I would try and see what would happen. It was cool you were dealing with me like you would anyone else." Lauryn’s eyes widened. Even though I was was rude?"

Justin nodded his head. "I see that's how you are. You are just being you. I saw all different types of men come up to you through out the night and you sent them packing. At the time I didn't think it was a race thing. I thought it was being selective of who you spend your time with." Lauryn shook her head in agreement, “I guess, if you say so. Well, I'll be a better person and apologize to you. " She said as she took a look a round the room. "Well, I've grown up around people who aid that's not a cool thing. Now, my friend Alexia, she doesn't care about race." Justin nodded his head, "She sounds like a cool person. It takes a lot of strength to be that way when other people aren't too cool with that." Lauryn licked her lips as she concentrated on that thought, before speaking. "Yeah, I guess she does. I think I'm gonna go dance I hear a song I like. Again , I apologize." She quickly walked out and went to the bar to put her purse back there as the dj slowed things down by playing “Somewhere , Someday.” Justin left the VIP room and headed back to the dance floor. He watched Lauryn from a distance.

Lauryn blended in the crowd of people as she swayed to the music that surrounded her from all sides. She saw Alexia talking to JC Chasez across the room. She turned away, closed her eyes trying to remember that she was by herself, by choice. As Justin continued to watch her, he wanted to take her in his arms and hold her tightly and make her see that color shouldn't matter. He wanted to be brave but given all the other times she rebuffed him, he didn't want to take a chance on someone who couldn't do the same for him. He slid into a nearby booth and continued to admire her from afar. Lauryn danced to until the song faded and she got thirsty .She couldn't remember if she was thirsty from the dancing or Justin Timberlake and his, voice, and touch and the words he had told her. Words which were so true, but she was to stubborn to admit it. She thanked Alexia's cousin for the coke and felt a tap on her shoulder.

Alexia seemed to glow as she spoke, "So girlie, girl. Are you hungry? Ready to blow this popsicle stand?" Lauryn was a bit disappointed that Justin didn't come to find her, but she was happy to see her friend. "You know it girl!" She smiled. "Let's get out of here. I don't wanna see a club for a long, long time." She said as the grabbed the purses and said goodbye to Alexis' cousin. "Uh, Lauryn? Do you mind if I bring along a few guests. He and his friend are cool. Well he is, I haven't met his friend yet." Alexia shifted her weight from one foot to the other reverting to her childlike nature. Lauryn halted in mid-step as they got closer to the door. She breathed a heavy sigh as she faced her friend. "Is this a booty call, that they friend has to tag along on? Cause, I'm not in the mood or shaper to babysit anyone." Alexia tagged her on the arm. C'mon now, you know I am not about the booty call. I am my sister's keeper and I would never leave you alone with someone you don't know or but you in a dangerous situation. We will be in a public place." Lauryn looked sternly at her friend, pointing her finger. "Okay. But I'm gonna be me . That means I 'm gonna change the music and to what I like and do what I normally do in my car? Deal? No objections." She said as she pulled out her keys. "I'm gonna go warm up my car. I'll meet you out there with these people."

Alexia grinned, "I wouldn't expect anything less." She hugged Lauryn tightly and switched her way back on the dance floor to get her new friend. As Alexia made her way to JC she grabbed his arm. "Are you ready to go? My friend is cool about you and your friend coming along." "Sure." He turned to see Justin and wave him to come on. They both followed Alexia outside Alexia looked over to Justin, "I see that JC is not about the business of introductions so let me introduce myself to you. I'm Alexia." She extended a hand to them as they walked through the parking lot. "Wait." Justin said looking at Alexia as he shook her hand. "Are you the Alexia that is friends with a woman named Lauryn?" Alexia looked a bit surprised and grinned uncomfortably at his sudden eagerness. "Uh, yeah. I have a friend named Lauryn." Lauryn tightened her eyes and glanced over at JC. Justin grinned at her and JC. "Does she know that we are the two people that’s tagging along with you?" JC looked at his friend and cocked an eyebrow up. "Justin, why are acting crazy?" Justin blew the situation off. "Don't worry, C. I'll explain it to you later." Alexia shook her head, "No. Should we cancel this thing. Are we about to have a brawl WWE style in this place?"

Justin sighed, "I don't think so, but she may trip when she sees me." He said as they came up to the car. Alexia turned to JC, "Maybe we should do this another time. This situation is not sounding too good." Justin pressed on, "No, she needs this. Plus its too late she sees us." Lauryn's eyes got wide as she hit her head against the steering wheel. “Good thoughts, Laur!” She thought. She then reached for the volume knob and turned up her cd player. The sounds of Barry White's 'I’m Everything', blasted through the speakers. Alexia bent over the passenger side and tapped her on the arm. "A story would be quite nice about now. I'm told you and Justin Timberlake know each other. "What's up with that?" Alexia lowered her voice and looked behind her to see the guys still waiting outside of the vehicle. "Just in case you didn't know Lauryn, Justin is white." she remarked jokingly. Lauryn breathed and forced a grin. "We met and introduced him to the old me , you once met." Alexia almost fell out. "Oh Lawrd! Bless his little ole hart. And he still wanted to come along. Lordy be, Lordy be." She looked behind her again and grinned at JC. She wiggled her hips a bit and started laughing. Alexia turned her attention back to Lauryn, "Really girl are you cool with this, if not. They can take themselves back to the hotel. My girl comes first."

JC leaned in to Justin and guessed what happened. "Let me guess. She wasn't charmed by your multicultural and diverse way of life?" He chuckled at his old friend. Lauryn sighed as she turned down the volume some. "No , it's okay. I'm sure we are all hungry and I did apologize. So get in everyone."