Inhaling dreamily, Dawn filled her lungs to capacity with the intoxicating aroma of her
boyfriends skin. It was such a blissful moment; so rare; so indescribable.
If only life could always be this wonderful, she thought, her head still resting on his firm
chest as her fingers gently pinched at the flesh around his navel.
She could feel his muscles tension as he slowly began to wake
"Good morning" he smiled, placing a soft kiss on the top of her kiwi scented hair.
"Mmmm" Dawn moaned, snuggling herself closer to him "How did you sleep?" she
asked, her eyes closing as she felt his arm come over her.
He yawned "Very well, thank you".
Her body began to tingle as the tips of his fingers gently grazed her smooth skin
"Good" she sighed happily.
They both lay in serenity with but each other in mind until their peaceful moment
came to a halt due to an untimely telephone ring.
"Great" Dawn coaffed, reaching out to the night table on which her cell had been
lounging on. "Miller"
"Having fun?" an obscure voice questioned.
Dawn sat up abruptly "Who are you?" she yelled, knowing by now what this was leading
to "What do you want from me?"
Howie looked at her with confusion. What the hell was going on?
"Stop calling me..."; but before the phrase could leave her mouth, the person had hung
up- once again.
"What's going on?" Howie asked, placing an arm around her trembling body "Why are you
shaking?"
Attempting to cover her fear stained face, Dawn turned her head, using her golden locks
as a shield "Nothing" she said firmly, quickly stepping out of bed and storming into the
bathroom "Nothing Howie"
As the door slammed shut, Dawn slid down against the wall, landing in a devastated heap
on the cold linoleum floor. What was she to do?
**Meanwhile**
"What do you mean 'It's crap'? Why is it crap?"
"Because Annie" Mr. Lee explained "It's evident that this so called 'Fallow Up' of yours is
fraud. Stretching the truth can be done, but making up an entire sham-article and
expecting it to end up in a credible news paper is just absurd"
Annie pinched her sinuses out of frustration "But they have no way of knowing whether
it's the truth or not"
"You have no source, or even a picture, which means no proof. I don't know what you
think good journalism is, but what you sent me is not it. I'm truly disappointed in you
Miss Scalis" Mr. Lee said disgracefully "Sell it to the tabloids!!" and hung up.
"Shit!" Annie cursed, kicking the wall with all her might. What was she going to do now?
She had nothing. And she knew that what her boss really meant by "Sell it to the tabloids"
was just another way of telling her that if she didn't send him anything of quality soon,
she'd be out of a job.
Peering bitterly down at her monitor, she opened the file which held her latest project and
deleted it. She was back to zero.
**A Little Later**
Sleepily, Nick dragged his legs down the empty hall to the elevator. These past few days
had been so incredibly tedious, he could barely wait for his bruises to begin to fade so that
he could finally be out in public again! It didn't help that he didn't have anyone left to talk
too either- Eli left early morning for her video shoot, and REFLECTION had Regis &
Kathie Lee.
"Life bites!" he grumbled as doors slid open.
To his utter surprise, the elevator wasn't empty. He gulped as he now stood face-to-face
with someone he would have rather not crossed paths with for a while. He looked to the
floor. Should he go in or should he wait for the next one?...
Before he had the time to make up his mind, the elevator started to close. It was about to
shut completely- but didn't; courtesy of Adidas's white sneakers.
Taking a deep breath, he walked in "Thanks" he said nervously.
He didn't get a response. Not that he expected one...
Crap! Should he say anything? Here goes nothing:
"Sorry about you and Eli"
Out of the corner of his eye, Brian snuck a peek at him. He still looked pretty banged up.
Never having beaten up someone before, he had no idea about the amount of shame that
would come with the territory. "Yeah" he said quietly.
Okay... Now what? "Back home soon huh!?" he laughed weakly "It's about time!"
"Yeah..." Brian answered with a small chuckle. It was about time...
Moments later, the doors slid open once again, and as both grown men stepped forth, they
were faced with quite a dilemma: Either each going their separate ways, leaving years of
friendship, and even brotherhood behind or- the other more difficult way.
He didn't give it long. With a heavy sigh, Nick turned his heals and walked away.
"Wait!"
As Nick turned back, Brian swallowed his pride and knew he was making the right
decision "Wanna shoot some hoops?"
Nick smiled "Sure"
**Same Time**
"That was REFLECTION, and boy, don't they sound great" Regis said with very little
intonation.
"Yeah" Kathie Lee agreed flashing the girls a toothy grin "Tell us a little more about
yourselves."
Alyssa's stomach jarred. Could they be any more phony? "Well, what would you like to
know?" she asked giddily while indirectly mocking them.
Naila and Kristy both shot her a furious glare.
Kathie Lee stupidly laughed it off "Oh, you're so cute!!!" she gushed "Where did you get
your name from? Reflection... that's kinda insignificant"
"No, it's kinda not" Alyssa replied defensively.
Naila almost leaped out her chair "What Lyss meant by that" she explained praying that
she'd keep her mouth shut for once in your life "Is that it is very significant"
"Narcissism actually" Laurel began "It has to deal with narcissism. It's our way of
ridiculing those who are so incredibly self-involved and in love with their own
Reflection's..."
"That they can't see the bottom line" Kristy broke in.
Regis eyed her co-worked "And what would that be?" he queried
"That the world doesn't revolve around you" Alyssa answered.
Kathie Lee grinned again "Wonderful" she said absentmindedly, anxious to get the
program over with "On tomorrow's show, David Dukovny, Courtney Cox and Irish boy
band WestLife..." her voice drifted as the girls were just as soon wisked off stage.
"So much for glamour" Kristy thought bitterly.
**~~**
Not in a particularly good mood, Alyssa trailed away from her friends to check out the
studio for herself. "Damn things" she cursed as she jerked off the wires that had been
placed on her. "Stupid bloody little..."
"Do you always talk to yourself?"
Alyssa quickly spun around, her face still flushed from frustration "And if I did?" she said
coldly to the young man standing just inches from her.
"I'd send you to a shrink" he laughed. Her expression remained icy. 'If looks could kill' he
thought to himself as he extended his arm for a formal handshake "You're Alyssa, right?!"
She eyed him oddly as he still held her grip. He looked strangely familiar for someone she'd
never seen before "Have we met?" she asked, her eyes probing his.
"Nope, but I'm sure you know who I am. Everyone does" he flaunted shamelessly "The
name's J.C"
"Oh yes!" she grinned as it finally clicked "The nsync guy"
He smiled, opening his arms widely "Yup! Thatsa me!"
Before either of them could open their mouths again, charging footsteps could be heard
"Lyss!!!!" Laurel hollered as she rapidly approached her friend.
"Naila has been looki.... Oh hello!". She greeted friendely.
"S'up?" J.C replied coolly.
Laurel rolled her eyes. She recognized him. The 'Not as ugly and as stupid as the others'
nsync member. Still, she was left unimpressed "Alyssa" she repeated "Naila's gonna have
your head if you don't leave right now!" she said urgently.
"Yeah, I'll be right there" she answered through gritted teeth, pushing her away "Just give
me a sec"
Laurel shrugged "Hey, it's your head!" and left.
Alyssa turned back to apologize "Sorry 'bout that" she chuckled.
J.C smiled at her again. She was so fucking hot "Here's my number" he said handing her a
card.
"Thanks"
"No problem" he winked.
She nodded and started back down the hall when she heard him call her back.
"Oh Alyssa"
"Yes?"
"Call me!"
She grinned "Ok"
"I mean it!!" He said with a serious face, yet a playful tone, his thumb and index finger in
a sly gun position.
"I will" she laughed as she happily skipped away.
**Later**
"Whoa- nice shot!" Nick complimented accidentally as he watched the ball swish
perfectly through the net.
Brian cough back his ball and painfully looked at his friend. Although they had been
playing for hours, this was the first time any of them had spoken throughout the match.
He still looked like the same 12 year old dork he enjoyed beating at Nintendo- the same
little kid who'd been a little brother to him for so long; The same person he'd always been
proud to call his best friend... So close before, and now... just look! They scarcely knew
each other any more. They had betrayed each others trust and worse- broken their vow to
never let a single soul come between their cherished friendship. It was horrible!
"I'm sorry Frick"
Nick was stupefied. Why was he sorry? "No man, I'm the one who's sorry!" he said as he
approached him "My being drunk was no excuse for what I did with your girl"
"You're right!" Brian shot back angrily, soon recalling exactly why he had kicked his ass.
Nick looked to the brown court shamefully.
"But I shouldn't have done what I did" Brian admitted quietly "There's no excusing it.
And now, I lost Felicity forever"
"Yeah but..."
"Are we just going to continue adding to our long list of blamage, or are we going to
settle this?" Brian said desperately "We're all at fault. Period"
Nick nodded.
"So... are we cool?" Brian questioned feebly.
"Yeah" Nick responded with a small smile "We're cool"
Seeing how their "quarrel" was now over with, Nick politely excused himself from his
friend. He was on the right track for a change, and he wanted it to stay that way.
As he walked by the hotel's pastry shop, he suddenly got hit by a very strong craving for a
slice of Oreo cheese cake; so in he went.
He paid contentedly, and was about to take a seat at an empty table when he noticed a
familiar face. Seeing as he was in a good mood, he did not hesitate going up to her.
"Hi, Annie?!" he said with a hint of incertitude in his voice "That is your name, right?"
Annie, who had abandoned her work load an hour ago for a brake, looked up from her
coffee with a choked expression "Yeah, that's me".
'Oh my god!' she thought 'He knows my name!'.
"I hope I'm not botherin' you or somethin', but I saw that you were alone so..."
"No-no. Please. Sit" she said with a huge grin.
Nick obeyed, and pulled out his chair "Not too bored yet?" he joked taking his first hardy
bight from his tasty treat.
"Oh no" she giggled "Non-stop action!"
"I know what you mean" Nick began, his voice slightly muffled by his mouthful of cake
"Action packed"
Annie huffed "Yeah, but it does get a little lonely"
"That too. Life on the road always comes with sacrifices. And generally, solitude makes it
to the top of the list" Nick explained.
Annie didn't answer. Only continued gazing at the replica of Monet's 'Watterlillies' which
hung directly behind Nick's head.
Wiping some of the cream residue from his lips, he began to watch her. She was very
pretty, with delicate features and soft brown eyes. Just the way he liked em'. But she also
looked very depressed- which he could completely relate to.
"I think it was really cool of you to come out here for your brother" he tried to cheer "It
takes a real selfless person to do something like that"
"Thanks" Annie said, trying to force a smile.
As Nick rambled on, she began to feel worse and worse about what she had done to him. To all
of them. So cough up in her own cocoon of guilt, she wasn't even able to appreciate the
conversation The Nick Carter was having with her. The same guy she'd had a thing for
so long... She sighed. What a bitch she had been- and now, it was payback time.
**That Evening**
Having nothing else to do, A.J dragged his feet boredely down the quiet hall. He had so
many things on his mind; he had no clue where to begin. 'Why does everything always
have to be so damn complicated?' he thought bitterly. Especially love. Why couldn't it
ever be simple?
"O god, you're such a dumbass" Alyssa laughed as she tumbled down the corridor,
slouching on J.C. She'd called him the second she returned to her hotel. They'd just gotten
back from the movies, and he was telling her about the time he and the other guys had
dressed up as women to escape from some hysterical fans when they both came across a
very disturbed looking A.J.
Alyssa smiled "Hey Aje"
A.J frowned when he saw who she was with. Out of all the asses she could date, she had
to pick the cream of the crop.
"Yo McLean" J.C hollered, even though he was only a foot away from him "I guess there
is an advantage to being a Backstreeter after all- you get to tour with the finest chicks in
the business"
"Yeah" A.J said unenthusiastically "It's a fucking privilege". He shot Lyss a glare from
behind his shoulder. He never expected her to let herself be spoken about that way.
Alyssa wasn't blind. She noticed the hint of jealousy in A.J's eyes and felt elevated by it.
This was great! "Well Aje" she said taking J.C by the hand and pulling him to her room
"I'll see you later"
"Well that was a hoot, wasn't it?" J.C joked, taking the liberty of jumping down on her bed
"He had that 'deer in the headlights' look when he saw me with you..."
"Whatever" Alyssa shrugged, hopping down next to him "I haven't had this much fun in a
looong time"
J.C put an arm around her as she friendely snuggled into his chest "They don't call me the
fun machine for nothing!" and grinned.
He liked her. He liked her a lot. But not the way he had expected to. She was one of the
coolest people he'd ever met, and the fact that she was a woman, who treated him like a
person and not a superstar took away all the sexual tension. They both knew they were
made for each other. Made to be very good friends- but nothing more.
**~~**
Taking a glass off the counter, A.J stomped over to the wall which separated his room
from Alyssa's. He didn't like the way the nsync shit treated her, so he convinced himself
this was for her own good. Putting the glass against the wall, he pressed his ear to it and
covered the other with his free hand.
"12?! You were 12!"
**~~**
"Yup!" J.C said proudly.
"Man" said Lyss, standing up to get a soda from the mini-bar "I wouldn't have imagined
the Mickey Mouse Club to be such a naughty place for little kids to be"
Catching the can she tossed in mid-air, he went on with his story "There was more sex
going on there than at the Playboy mansion. I was actually one of the last to lose my
virginity in the cast and..."
"Shhh!"
J.C's brow arched "I thought you wanted to know..."
"Shut up!" Alyssa said crawling next to him, placing a hand over his mouth. "I think I
hear something"
"What?"
Her ears pricked when she heard the scratching again. Pressing herself to the wall, she
listen attentively.
"Fuck, I can't make them out" she heard a rusky voice complain.
A small grin crept on her lips as she realized what it was.
"What's with that look?" J.C asked as she removed her hand from his mouth.
She motioned him closer "I think someone's ease dropping"
"Really?!"
She nodded happily and proceeded to whisper her plan to him.
**Other Side**
'C'mon' A.J grumbled, losing patience. They hadn't been speaking for at least a minute.
But then it came.
"Oooooooo J.C!" Alyssa's voice pierced across "Oh god, yessss"
A.J moved closer. He just couldn't believe they were already getting it on.
**~~**
Alyssa tried not to laugh as she and J.C pushed the bed hard into the wall.
"Oh ya baby, work it!" she cried as they both rhythmically began to pound it against the
wall "Oooooh-ohhhhhh yeah"
She then gave him the signal.
"Damn J.C you're so gooood"
**~~**
"I can't believe those two" A.J said angrily, still listening to the loud thumps and even
stronger moans.
He jumped when he heard a knock at the door.
"Shit" he cursed, putting down his glass and stomping to the door.
He flung it open, and his face grew pale "Iehhohhi"
"Don't bother!" J.C laughed hysterically, reaching out to his shoulder for support.
Alyssa soon came up behind him "Had you fooled, didn't we?" she smiled, "Oooohh god
yesss baby, fuck me harder"
"Just call her Fakeorgasma" J.C mocked.
"B-I don't know what you're talking about" A.J tried to fool "I was just, umm, reading
and..."
"Sure" J.C said, rolling his eyes. He had a smart assed comment on the tip of his tongue,
but left it out. The situation was perfect as is.
Alyssa's eyes twinkled with satisfaction "Okay, I think you get it, right?! NO MORE
EASE DROPING!"
For the first time in a long time, A.J turned as red as a stop sign "I wasn't...."
"Agh!!!!" Alyssa moaned in frustration "You're hopeless" and stormed back to her room,
dragging J.C with her.
Never being more embarrassed in his life, A.J turned back and slammed the door. He
couldn't believe what they had just done to him. Fooled him into thinking they were
having sex.... and why did the concept bother him so anyway?
Before he could finish his thoughts, the phone rang.
**~~**
"5...4...3...2...1... I'm sure he's back at it" Lyss laughed leaving her room again "I'll be
back in a second J.C, I just wanna insure our privacy."
She knocked on his door. He didn't answer
"A.J..." she yelled playfully "I know what you're doing."
Still no answer.
Turning the handle, she trotted in "A.J you're pathetic. You've gotta start minding your
own busi...."
She froze dead in her tracks, and her sentence, when she caught a glimpse of him.
A look of shear horror was plastered all over his immobile face, his hand still clutching
on to the receiver.
"A.J?" Alyssa said worriedly approaching him "What's wrong?"
There was a short pause "Amanda"
She scrunched her face, trying to find an answer "What about Amanda, A.J?"
His head turned, his dazed eyes meeting hers "She's back".
