Number 13! Unlucky for some, but hopefully not for me! Something 'interesting' happens in this chapter so I hope that you enjoy it! I don't really have too much that I want to write here, and no Tim, it's not because I'm depressed! I want to say thanks to all the normal people - Sher, Tim, Matt, and all the other's who've e-mailed me to let me know what they think of my stories. Thanks for the suggestions that you've sent it too. If you have anything that you want to say to me make sure that you send it to me - shiningstar@oceanfree.net. Other then that, I'm updating my other story 'Powers That Be' tonight too so go check that out!
I hate this bit - This story is fictional. Any of the characters that are not made up do not know that I'm writing this and it's not based on actual/real events in any way, shape or form. If you're too young then you shouldn't be reading this.
"You look different in person." Was the first thing that Justin said to me once we had both been de-miked and left alone.
"How so?" I asked.
"You're taller then I thought you'd be for one thing!"
"Thanks, I think."
"I guess it's just those high heels that Britney's wearing in the video!"
I laughed. "I guess, but its not like you're short or anything yourself."
"I was just saying man. That's all." He said, giving me one of those smiles for which he was so famous. He moved up to me and put out his hand for me to shake.
"Justin Randall Timberlake."
I took his hand and shook it firmly. "Fiachra Conor O'Neill, glad that we could finally meet."
"I know that we were introduced in the studio, but everything seems so fake there, doesn't it?" He said.
I laughed. "I know what you mean, with those lights shining down and everything..."
"You'll get used to the lights. Probably even to having an audience and people screaming your name, but I don't think I'll ever get used to how fake it can seem sometimes."
I was surprised by the vindication behind his words. But I was also getting quite uncomfortable about how close he was standing. We'd shook hands, but he hadn't moved back since then. I turned away to grab a towel, those light really had me sweating and it was starting to show on my face, despite the make-up.
"Yeah, they really make you sweat, don't they?" He said.
"I think I'll need to take a shower and all I did was stand there!" I exclaimed.
"They take getting used to." He said again. I looked at him and he didn't seem to have been affected by them, but then, he'd been out there for less time then I'd been. "I'm sure there's a shower in your dressing room, I'll wait for you here. Are you getting a flight straight back home?"
"I don't know, I think I've got a couple of hours, but I've got school tomorrow so I don't know."
"That's right!" He said. "I keep forgetting that you're only seventeen."
"How come everyone says that?" I asked, grinning. My older looks had helped me out on more then one occasion, getting into pubs and clubs for example.
"I think you know why!"
"True. Anyway, I'm going to have that shower and then I'll see you out here, ok?" I said.
"Ok." He confirmed.
I went off to have a shower. Just before stepping in I remembered something. I didn't have any spare clothes! And I really didn't want to wear the other ones again until they'd been washed. I wrapped a towel around myself and went in search of Justin, hoping that he'd have spare clothes. I opened the door and went out into the main room.
"I think you're going to have to wear more then that if you want to go out on the streets!" He said from behind me.
I turned around to him. "Funny, but I need a favour. Did you bring any spare clothes that I could use? I don't want to wear the other things again yet!" I asked. I could see him eyeing me up and trying to be subtle about it. I guess the time in PE that year hadn't been wasted, but it still made me feel uncomfortable.
He looked back up at my face and grinned. "Oh I don't know... you could always go down to the costume department and see if they've got anything there."
"I don't think so. Seriously, do you have anything that I could wear?" I asked.
"Sure thing, I brought spare. I'll go get them." He turned on his heel and walked off to another dressing room to get them. When he got back he tossed them to me and after thanking him I went back to have my shower.
"So, do you want to get something to eat?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm starving." I said. "Any suggestions?"
"Mc D's?"
"Sounds like an idea!" I said. "It's strange though..."
"What?"
"You don't really think of celebs like you eating in Mc Donald's, do you?" I said. I mean, it's true, you put them above you and then you think that they only eat it places where only they can afford.
"What do you mean, celebs like me? You're going to be eating there to!" He laughed. "And besides, we're well known for eating as much of the stuff as we can get!"
"How was I to know that? And besides, I don't really think of myself as a celebrity, it's kind of weird."
"You'll get used to it." He said, patting me on the back. "Can we go?"
"I don't see why not." We left the studios and walked a little of the way around Time Square before a thought struck me. "Justin?"
"Yeah?"
"What if you're." I corrected myself. "We're recognised?"
"Relax! We're not gonna be. No one in New York City looks at anyone else, and besides, what's the worst that can happen? You'll have to autograph something? Crisis."
"If you're sure..."
"I am. Now come on, I'm starving." We went into Mc Donald's and ordered, sitting down somewhere towards the back in one of the more secluded booths."
"Lesson Number One." He said. "On the streets people aren't going to look at you, but when you're sitting down somewhere or in a shop, that's when you'll get spotted, so always go as far to the back as you can and don't shout or talk too loud, nothing that's going to draw attention to you."
"I'll keep it in mind." I said dryly. But he missed the humour in my voice.
"Make sure you do." He paused. "Have you been told about any of this yet?"
"Any of what?" I said, picking up a packet of salt to put on my fries.
"Y'know, all the stuff on how to look after yourself and how to treat people who come up to you. Stuff like that."
"Nope." I said.
"You should have been." He said. I picked up on the concern in his voice and started paying full attention to him.
"I haven't needed it so far." I said. He was about to continue when a young girl, she couldn't have been more then 12, came up to the table shyly. I looked at her. She was blonde and blue eyed, like me, but she was wearing a pink dress with embroidered flowers on it. She was carrying a piece of paper that looked like it had just been torn from a notepad and behind her at a table close by I could see two proud parent looking on.
"Excuse me." She said in a timid voice.
"Yes?" I said gently, trying not to make her even more nervous then she already was.
"Emm, I want to say that I really love your song and that I think you're a really good singer and that I hope that you and Britney are really happy together." She said, rushing it out for fear that if she paused she wouldn't be able to say anymore.
"Thank you! But I'm not going out with Britney." I said. "He is." I pointed over at Justin.
She looked over at him and I could see the realisation dawn across her face. "Justin?"
Justin treated her to one of his smiles. "Hi."
She looked back at me. "Can I have your autograph?" She said. Pronouncing autograph oddly, like she'd just been told the word by her parents whom I could still see looking on. She thrust the piece of paper at me.
"Do you have a pen?" I asked, knowing that my own pockets were empty.
She looked crestfallen. "No. And Mummy and Daddy didn't have one."
"Lesson Number two." Said Justin, handing me a pen. "Always carry a pen with you."
I grinned as I look it from him. "What's your name?" I asked the little girl.
She smiled broadly. "Cailin." She said.
I wrote down a short greeting and then signed it. "Do you want Justin to sign it too?"
She flushed a bright red. "Yes please!"
Justin took the bit of paper and signed it too. The girl thanked both of us before going back to her parents to show them what she'd gotten.
"You handled that very well Fiachra."
It was my turn to blush. "Thanks."
"I mean it! You've really got a way with people. It's something to be proud of."
"So have you."
"Well, I guess you've got to, to make it in this business, that or you've got to have some psychological problems." He said. "Speaking of which, how are you mentally?"
"What?!" I said. What sort of a question was that?!
"Sorry, that came out really wrong, what I really meant to ask was - how are you coping with everything that's happened. With, y'know, everything that you've learnt about people since you met BSB."
I got the distinct feeling that he was talking about something specific. "If you're talking about what Britney said about you. I don't care, I already said that to you."
"Yeah I know. But." He looked around him uncomfortably. "Well, the thing is, Britney also told me what you told her. About... y'know."
I leant forward. "She told you that I was gay?" I was outraged but I managed to keep my voice down.
"You've no idea how upset she was when she came back to the States." He said, pleading her case. "She needed a shoulder to cry on so she told me what had happened. She'd really fallen for you, you know. And then she was really upset because she'd told both of us secrets that she shouldn't have told us."
"It explains why she hasn't rung me yet." I said, trying to absorb all that Justin had just said.
"Yeah. She hasn't forgiven herself for spilling the beans yet, I mean, she knows that I don't care that you know, but she thinks that you'll be really upset."
"Well... I guess I'll keep your secret if you'll keep mine." I said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Deal." He said, grinning. And then we shook on it. (Just as joke.)
"You gonna start on that food of yours anytime soon?" I asked, looking down at the tray of untouched food that Justin had in front of him. I was already finished my fries and only had my burger and milkshake to go. (It's the way I eat it. Don't question it!)
Justin looked down at it, almost surprised to see it there. "Yeah, I guess I should." He picked up his BigMac and took a bite out of it. "So, can I tell Britney that everything's cool?"
"Yeah, I just wish that she's told me herself what had happened, that's all." I said.
"Ugh, it's cold." Said Justin, making a face at the burger.
I laughed. "It's your own fault for leaving it so long."
"I know." He said. "Doesn't make it any better though."
We sat in silence for a couple of minutes while he ate the food that was rapidly cooling.
When he finished he asked. "What do you want to do now?"
"I don't know... I don't really have enough time to do anything. I've got to get back to the studios in the next hour."
"My hotel's pretty near. We could go there for a while." He said suggestively while brushing his leg against mine. "It would be really private."
Make sure and e-mail me! shiningstar@oceanfree.net.
Tim.