Chapter 4: Come On Over Baby....
I heard the doorbell.
"Amanda, can you get that for me? I'm not quite ready." I said still apply my small amount of makeup.
"Sure," she replied.
"Hey Justin," Amanda replied opening the door for him.
"Hey." Justin said smiling. I gracefully went down the stairs in my 2 inch platform shoes...
"Ashley, wow you look hot!" Justin replied enthusiastically. I nearly burst out laughing.
"Let's go.." I said dragging him by the arm.
"Have fun you to, not too much.." Amanda said raising her eyebrows.
We drove to the RCA party, and I saw a lot of familiar faces.. including up and coming singer Christina Aguilera.
"Hi, I'm Christina." she said smiling happily.
"Ashley." I said.
"I hear you saw Justin as a kid, you've got to tell me about it." I said smiling slyly.
"Oh no, that's Ok... I'm sure Christina has better things to do." Justin said.
"No, I don't," Christina said laughing at Justin's panicked face.
"Yeah, that's right I do have something. I'll catch you later Ashley." Christina said and walked off.
"Justin, why couldn't I talk about your early stages?" I said biting my lip.
"Because..." he said smiling.
"Because what?" I said smiling at him.
"Because I don't want you to..." Justin said wrapping his arms around me and laughing.
"Oh really?" I said turning around to face him.
"Yeah, that's right." Justin replied his arms still around me. I stood looking at him....
"Ashley. It's so good to see you here." Lance said. I snapped out of whatever daydream I was in.
"Lance. oh it's so great to see you." I said happily giving him a long hug.
"How have you been?" I asked him curiously.
"Great! I've actually started a new company called Free Lance Entertainment.. it's a record label that signs-----" Lance said.
"Sorry Lansten, but I gotta steal her from you." Justin said pulling my arm away from Lance.
"Justin, I was talking to him." I said pouting at him.
"I know, but I wanted you with me." Justin said.
"You got jealous of me talking to Lance.. didn't you?" I said pointing my finger at him.
"Me. Jealous? That's not a word in Justin Timberlake's vocabulary." Justin said.
"You were." I said accusing him.
"Alright maybe a little. Besides, like they say, It's the bigger man who can admit that he's wrong.." Justin said.
"And I like being the bigger man.." he said laughing.
"Justin, that is the most nastiest thing I've heard all day." I said giving him a slap on the back.
"Yeah, well.." Justin started.
"Don't even," I said laughing.
Well, the whole scene itself was great, I still hadn't seen the rest of the Nsync guys but the night was still young.
~*~
"Hey AJ," Amanda said inviting AJ into my house.
"How's Brian taking the news about Ashley with Justin?" Amanda said.
"Depends on how you look at it." he said sitting down and pulling Amanda close.
"Which would be?" she asked smiling.
"He's actually talking on the phone with Leighanne." AJ said flipping Amanda's hair.
"Oh really?" she said.
"Oh, lord.. more drama for Ashley. Aren't you glad we're past that?" Amanda said.
"Yeah, I am Panda," AJ replied giving her a kiss.
~*~
While Justin went to look for record execs.. I found JC and his girlfriend Bobbi.
"JC..." I called out.
"Ashley! Man how are you?" JC said giving me a once over.
"Pretty good.. how about yourself.." I asked him taking a long good look at him.
"It's so great to see you." JC said giving me a hug.
"Likewise" I said. I noticed Christine's glare and I said...
"Hi, my name is Ashley and you are?" I said extending my hand toward hers.
"Christine.." she said deciding on whether she should hate me or like me. She choose the latter.
"So, who are you? And what connection do you have with my JC?" Christine asked me.
I raised my eyebrows on how blunt this girl was. I could see even the embarrassed look on JC's face.
"Christine.." he said ushering her to drop the matter.
"No, JC I want to know.." she said staring back at me. I gulped and took a breath for answering.
"Me and JC are good friends. That's it." I said not looking her in the eye, but instead meeting JC's.
"Why don't I believe you?" she said narrowing her eyes.
"That's all we are. I've got a great boyfriend of a year... whom I currently going out with." I insisted.
"Ashley, there you are..." Justin said coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.
"Oh, I see." Christine said. She walked up to Justin.
"Make sure she stays away from JC," she said before walking away. I looked at Justin and he looked at me.
"Ok," we said in unison. JC said goodbye and went to find his girlfriend.
"What was all that?" Justin said his body super close to mine.
"I have no idea. So where were you?" I asked him, dropping the whole matter.
"Talking to some record execs.. you know you can never be too friendly when people in the entertainment industry." Justin said.
"You know, Ashley you should try the entertainment industry, you've got the face and the body for it." Justin said looking at me appreciatively.
"No, that's Ok. I rather stick to either being a journalist, or a veterinarian." I said leaning on him.
"Oh really? You like animals?" Justin asked me.
"I love them... why?" he asked me.
"Oh no reason... just wondering.." Justin said as a huge smile emerged on that face of his.
We continued talking when I realized someone was behind Justin.
"Justin, there's someone who wants to talk to you." I replied pointing at the figure, which was hard to see over Justin's tall and muscular body.
~*~
AJ and Amanda had now invited over Kevin, and Howie, which their girlfriends greeted them when they stepped in the doorway.
"Where's Ashley?" Kevin asked Kristen.
"With Justin," she replied nonchalantly.
"So, where's Brian?" Kevin wondered.
"With Leighanne," Amanda called out and then went back to kissing AJ.
"Does anyone else see something wrong with this puzzle?" Kevin asked.
"Kev, he's 24.. he can fight his own battles." Howie said getting comfy with Claudia.
"I know, I know.." Kevin said sighing.
"I can make you forget about your problems," Kat said giving Kevin a kiss.
"What was I worried about again?" Kev asked jokingly.
The doorbell rang, and AJ opened the door to a frantic Brian and a casual Nick.
"Hey Brok.. we were just talking about you." AJ said sitting back down.
"Where's Jules?" Nick asked, the first comment out his mouth.
"Oh, I'm sorry Nick she went out." Kristen said.
"Oh okay.." he said sighing. He walked upstairs and sat down on my bed.
~*~
"Justin... it's Britney!" Britney exclaimed happily. I rolled my eyes but didn't comment.
"Hey Brit.. what's up?" he said now facing me, leaning against a wall, with me next to it. He put his hand up to my face, to brush out a few strands of hair that were carelessly out of place.
"Justin.. I like it when you're facing me. I can see those pretty blue eyes of yours." she said. I sighed.
"Justin, I'll let you talk to Britney.... I'll be right over there." I said.
"Nice outfit." I said looking at her outfit, she commonly wore when performing her song ".. Baby One More Time" at concerts.
"So, Brit. what is it?" Justin watching me as I watched him watch me sit down.
"I just came to ask.. if you're not doing anything..." Britney's voice went on.. but Justin had no recollection of what she was saying. To have a little fun, I blew kisses at him, and batting my eyelashes at him, everything you could do to distract someone.. I did.
"So, what about it?" Britney asked.
"What? Huh? Britney lets continue this later," Justin said rushing off to find where I was sitting.