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Jess had asked for time off around Thanksgiving because Stephen's movie was
premiering and she promised to go. She had some time before she had to be in LA so she went to see the guys. Deciding to surprise
them at their rehearsal for the tour. Jess had got Fatima's number from a friend at work and called her.
Fatima -
"Hello?"
Jess - "Hi. Now I'm probably going to sound crazy but please don't hang up."
Fatima - "Who is this?"
Jess - "I'm Jessica, I'm a friend...."
Fatima - "Oh you're the girl that works at MTV."
Jess - "Yeah.
How did you know that?"
Fatima - "Cause they've been talking about you girl. What are you doing?"
Jess - "Actually
I'm here in Florida and I wanted to surprise them."
Fatima - "That's cool. Where are you at I'll come pick you up."
She tells her and she's there in ten minutes. Jess actually wasn't staying that far from the arena. When they walked in the
guys were up on stage doing a sound check. "Okay guys I hope your ready to work your asses off today oh by the way this is
my new assistant. I believe you've met her before." Kevin is the first one to see Jess.
Kevin - "Hey! What are you
doing here?" He comes over and gives her a friendly hug. The rest follow.
Jess - "Nick told me to come down if I had
some time off. I figure with you guys getting ready to tour I wouldn't get a chance again for awhile so I took some time off."
Howie - "Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"
Jess - "I wanted to surprise you."
Nick - "Come
I've got bust a move in the back."
Fatima - "No Nick we've got to work."
Jess - "Don't let me distract you
I'll be here for awhile, okay."
Brian - "How long?"
Jess - "Till Tuesday before thanksgiving."
Brian
- "Well that gives us six days." She can't read what he's thinking. He seems happy yet sad to see her. They go back to rehearsal
and Jess sits on the side of the stage. She has a bad habit of viewing everything like she would film it. They have really
great moves and she loved watching them. They ran through As long as you love me three times then took a break. Brian ran
backstage and AJ came over to talk to Jess.
AJ - "So what's been up with you?"
Jess - "Not much. Just working,
you?"
AJ - "We've been recording a little and working on the tour."
Jess - "I didn't ask what the band was
doing I ask what you were doing?"
AJ - "Well I've been house shopping."
Jess - "That sounds fun. Find one
yet?"
AJ - "Not really I'm going again tomorrow want to come with? I could probably use a womans perspective."
Jess
- "Sure. You guys have off tomorrow."
AJ - "Yeah. Ugh, here comes Brian with his girlfriend." Jess looks at the girl,
well she's not really a girl she's a woman, and instantly feels ackward. She's taller then him with blonde hair and a graceful
walk. Jess is suddenly aware of her faded jean shorts, big tee shirt and old sneakers. Christine's hair is perfectly brushed
and arranged on her shoulders. Jess's in a messy twist with hair coming out all over. She brushes a stray strand behind my
ear as they got closer.
Brian - "Jessica this is Christine. Christine this is my friend Jessica." She looks Jess
over, sizing up the competation I guess. Then deciding she wasn't any she stuck her hand out.
Christine - "Hi
nice to meet you. Nick couldn't stop talking about you when they got back from New York."
Jess - "Nice to met you
too." Obviously Brian took Jess's advice and gave her a chance. He seemed like he was in love with her. Holding her hand and
everything. "So how long have you two been going out?"
Christine - "I met Brian when they were shooting their
As long as you love me video." I met him first then she thought, wait stop you gave him to her remember.
Jess
- "Oh really. That's cool." She couldn't think of anything else to say. Thankfully Fatima announced that the break was over
and it was time to get back to work.
Jess had such a headache. She had spent all day talking to Christine, who
is a very nice person but there just seemed to be something missing. Then it hit her, personality, just like AJ said. They
were worked the better part of the day, quitting around four. After which everyone went to a pizza place and Nick insisted
that Jess play Bust a move with him so she could see how good he had gotten. Jess let him beat her once and then trounced
him three more times before heading back to the hotel. AJ had made plans to pick her up at ten in the morning, and that was
going to come quick.
Jess - "I like this one." They had just walked into the entryway and already Jess was in
love with this house. This was the third and final house of the day. "Could you just imagine you could put a little table
right here. And look at all these windows. You wouldn't have to turn on any lights until it got dark."
The agent stayed
in the doorway letting AJ and Jess explore the house. It really was beautiful. There was a pool in the back and then a big
yard with a fence around it. There was a set of steps outside that lead up to a balcony out of the master bedroom. This was
by far her favorite. AJ seemed to really like it too. The clinched was the big bathroom.
For a guy AJ really liked his baths. They went back downstairs and AJ talked
to the real estate agent while Jess looked around the kitchen. They were shaking hands when she wandered back out.
AJ
- "I'll have my business manager get in touch with you. You ready?"
Jess - "Yeah." They get in his car and drive away.
"I really liked that one."
AJ - "yeah me too. I think you were good luck." Jess smiles and scrunchs her nose at him.
His cell rings. "Heelloo?...yeah she's still with me....okay, where....sounds good see you in 15. That was Brian."
Jess
- "What's up?"
AJ - "They're going have a cook out."
Jess - "Good, food I'm starved."
They pull up
to the house that Howie Kevin and Brian share. Everyone was out back. Brian and Nick are playing a friendly game of basketball. Christine
and some other girl are chatting on the deck. Kevin is playing master chef, with the apron and everything.
Kevin -
"Hey guys." He waves the spatula at them. Jess goes up to the deck and join the girls cause she figured that's what she should
do. The other girl up there is a pretty little brunette.
"Hi I'm Mary."
Jess - "Jessica, but people usually
call me Jess."
Mary - "Are you AJ"s date."
Jess - "AJ's date." SHe laughs. "No we're just friends."
Christine
- "You never know what might stem from friendship."
Jess - "No I don't think I could ever date any of them." Actually
if you need to know Christine I could have had your man but I said no, she added herself. Why am I being like that, she
seems like a nice person. I should take my own advice and get to know her.
Mary is going on about Howie who apparently
brought her. Jess liked her right away, she's seems really smart and funny.
Nick - "Hey Jess you ready to play or
are you going to sit and shoot the shit all day."
Jess - "Nick there is nothing I am worse at then playing basketball."
Nick - "Come on we need another person to play two on two."
Jess - "Okay fine."
Nick - "okay you and
Brian against me and AJ
Jess - "Now wait a minute we're the two shortest people. That doesn't seem fair."
AJ
- "You obviously haven't been watching B-Rok play."
Brian - "Don't worry we're going to kick their ass."
They
start playing. At first it seems like Nick and AJ are going to kick Jess and Brian's asses. Then Brian gets the ball and makes
three lay-ups. Jess basically just stands around; it seems like he is playing against the two of them. Things were going good
they where up by two points. Suddenly Brian went insane and threw Jess the ball. She looked down at it in her hands. Nick
started rushing her so she dribbled the ball waiting to pass it back to Brian. Don't ask what happened but some how Nick tripped
her. She fell to the ground and with him not far behind. Then she heard the pop. Nick got up and tried to help her.
Jess
- "Don't. I think I hurt my ankle." He looked down and it was already starting to swell.
Nick - "Kevin!" When ever
Nicks in trouble he yells for Kevin. Brian and AJ who are closer get there first.
AJ - "Can you move it?"
Jess
- "I don't think so."
AJ - "Come Rok help me get her up to the deck where she can sit down." They help her up, and
put and one of her arms around their shoulders. They slowly make their way to the steps when Kevin comes down from the deck.
Kevin - "Here let me." Without hesitating he picks Jess up like a baby and carries her up the stairs. Howie had come
back out with daiquiris for everyone.
Howie - "what happen?"
Jess - "Nick tripped me."
Nick - "It
was an accident. I'm so sorry Jessica."
Brian - "What were you doing she's a girl."
Nick - "I know I wasn't
thinking."
Jess - "Nick, it's okay I know you didn't mean to."
Howie - "Can you put any weight on it?"
Jess
- "I don't think so." She tries and pain shoots up her leg into her head. "Ouch!"
Kevin - "I think she needs to go
to the hospital."
Nick - "I did it I'll take her."
Brian - "You can't get her in by yourself I'll go with."
Christine
- "They do have wheelchairs. When he got there he could go fetch one of those or get a nurse that's what they are
suppose to do."
Nick - "yeah I don't want to make everyone leave."
Jess - "I'm sure the two of us can manage."
Chapter Eighteen
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