Chapter Twenty-Nine

When Jess woke up the next morning the first thing she thought of was some one has got to turn their bass down. Then she realized it was the throbbing in her head making that noise. She looked around the sun was coming in one of the windows to torture her eyes. She made her way downstairs. AJ is eating a bowl of cereal and watching Jerry Springer. She plopped down on the couch next to him.

AJ - "Good morning."

Jess - "What time is it?"

AJ - "ten thirty. Frosted Flakes?"

Jess - "I'll pass. I thinking I'm going back to bed."

AJ - "Actually you might want to get a shower we're leaving at noon."

Jess - "Can't I meet you guys there?"

AJ - "You might not be able to get backstage. Security's really tight because we're taping this."

Jess - "Fine I'll take a shower." She doesn't move. "Maybe you should give me a push." He puts frosted flakes in her hair. "AJ what are you doing?"

AJ - "Now you have to get a shower. Go, they're getting ready to fight."

So she takes a shower and gets dressed. She puts on jeans and a tee shirt that was her dad's in the seventies. She once again put her hair in a ponytail. Then goes down and eats some toast while AJ gets ready. They leave and she borrows a pair of AJ's sunglasses, it's not like he doesn't have enough. When they get to the arena she's glad she came with him. It's mad crazy already. She went inside while AJ signed some autographs. No one else was there so she waited in the hallway for AJ. A guard was questioning her when AJ finally came around the corner.

AJ - "its okay Bruce she's with me."

Bruce - "Sure thing Mr. McLean."

AJ - "Come on you can lay down in the dressing room." He shows her to the couch and she goes back to sleep.

"Wake up. Jess come on wake up." She opens her eyes and Nick is about three inches from her face.

Nick - "Hello."

Jess - "Hello." She gets up and stretches. "What time is it?"

Nick - "About five. You've been snoring."

Jess - "Sorry."

Brian - "don't be you've inspired a song." He starts singing. "Baby please wake up cause I can't sleep you're snoring's so loud that even the dog can't sleep." She throws a couch cushion at him.

Jess - "It wasn't that bad."

Brian - "Who's got the tape?" She looks at him with big eyes. "I'm kidding. Jeez calm down. We're getting something to eat are you coming."

Jess - "Yeah it'll help me wake up." They go to another room where the food's set up. Jess gets in line behind Kevin. "Hey Kev."

Kevin - "Oh it's sleeping beauty how are you feeling?"

Jess - "Okay just hungry. What is that?"

Kevin - "Don't know but my mom always try it you might like it so, I will try."

Jess - "You're braver then me. If it's not recognizable it's not going in this mouth." She gets a cheeseburger and a salad. "Where's Loren?"

Kevin - "Where else on the phone with her agent."

Jess - "Did he get her that audition?"

Kevin - "Don't know." He walks away.

Jess shrugs her shoulders and joins Nick and Tina, who seems to always be around. She hasn't decided yet if she likes Tina. She doesn't talk much. Jess is also not sure if she likes sharing Nick. It was kind of nice him always asking her to play a game with him. Jess always wanted a little brother.

Jess - "So Nick did you bring your game?"

Nick - "Actually I brought my N64, you up for some baseball."

Jess - "Sure. I'm not really good at the sport games but you pretty easy to beat."

Nick - "Eat fast it's time for you to go down."

So they play games until it's time for the concert to start. Their opening act was a girl named Britney Spears. She had been on the show a few weeks ago and Jess was curious what her act was like so she went to watch. It was good she only did four songs and got the crowd pumped for the BSB. Britney came off stage and noticed Jess.

Brit - "Hey you're that lady from MTV."

Jess - "Yeah Jessica. How are you? I love your show."

Brit - "Thanks. Um what are you doing down here?"

Jess - "I came to see the show."

Brit - "Oh I thought you were working."

Jess - "No just having fun."

Brit - "Oh okay I've gotta go. Do you think you can stop by my dressing room later I want to ask your opinion on something?"

Jess - "okay."

This is a little weird but she seems nice enough. They start setting the stage up for the guys and Jess could hear the crowd start chanting Backstreet Boys. She notices them go behind the platform and stand on little elevators. And then the show is on. During their solos Jess decided to sneak to Britney's dressing room to see what she wanted.

Jess - "Hello?"

Brit - "Oh hi come in. Thanks so much for coming."

Jess - "No problem, so what's up?"

Brit - "Um I need to ask your advice about a business matter."

Jess - "I don't know that much about the music business."

Brit - "That's okay I just figured that you would be honest with me. I'm going to try not to offend you but you're young right."

Jess - "I'm 23. Britney what's going on?"

Brit - "My management is trying to push this wholesome image on me and it's just so not me. I don't know what to do." Jess can tell that this is a big decision for her.

Jess - "well if it's something you don't want to do then don't do it."

Brit - "But do you think it'll hurt my sales. You know what sells and what doesn't."

Jess - "I don't think it will make a difference either way. When you came on TRL you were very conservative, which looks good. But then in your video you've got the shirt tied up and the catholic school girl skirt. People seem to be responding to both." She sits next to her. "I think kids today mostly want honesty. So just be yourself, that's my advice."

Brit - "Thanks. I'm sorry to take you away from the show."

Jess - "That's okay it's being taped I'm sure I'll see it again."

Brit - "Yeah well I've got a party to go to."

Jess - "Okay have fun. Um here's my phone number if you ever need anything call me 'kay."

Brit - "Yeah thanks."

Jess heads back to the stage. They are in the middle of 'As long as you love me.' She stands on the other side of a curtain, as loud as it is she can still hear Christine talking to Tina.

Christine - "And I see she went back to her boy apparel after that super slut outfit she was wearing last night. I guess she was trying to get laid or something."

Tina - "She doesn't seem that bad."

Christine - "Don't let her fool you with that I'm just their friend act. Watch Nick don't leave them alone."

Tina - "I think if something was going to happen between them it would have already."

Christine - "I'm just trying to warn you. She's got them all wrapped around her little finger. When her grandmother had a stroke she called Brian crying and he ran right to her. Well I put a stop to that. And Loren's not much better. She's from rich family in Scotland. I don't know what Kevin sees in her, she's so obviously using him for his fame. Did you know she's got a little boy? He's over in Scotland while she's here with Kevin. It would surprise me if she didn't know who the kid's father was." That did it; Jess ripped the curtain away and glared at Christine.

Jess - "You bitch." She punches her. Jess has never fought any one in her life but some where in the back of her head she hears her dad saying if you fight some one punch them don't do that girlie slapping thing. Christine falls down and holds her face. "Don't you ever talking about my family!"

She grabs Jess's leg and trips her. That's it it's a full out catfight. There's hair pulling and biting. Howie looks over and sees them wrestling with each other. They are doing the chair dance and he just sits there. Kevin sees him looking off stage.

Kevin - "Oh shit." That got everyone's attention, but they some how finished the song. Tina is just standing there not knowing what to do. Some one finally grabs Jess and pulls them apart. They're still kicking and screaming insults at each other. Some one takes Jess outside and leaves her there. Christine told them she was a crazy fan that got on stage and attacked her. Donna is holding a bag of ice on Christine's eye. The guys now done with the show come running to the dressing room.

Brian - "What the hell happened?" She is playing up the victim. She is crying and holding on to him.

Christine - "I have no idea. Tina and I were talking and then she punched me."

Loren - "What did you say to her?"

Christine - "Nothing Tina and I were talking and next thing I knew she punched me." She looks at Tina. Who doesn't say anything she just looks at the floor.

Brian - "Well what were you two talking about?"

Christine - "I was telling her how we met." Loren is staring at Tina, who suddenly finds the floor very interesting.

Kevin - "I highly doubt she would have hit you for no reason."

Christine - "Are you saying I'm lying?"

AJ - "Some one better go find Jess."

Brian - "okay."

Christine - "No don't go please. She's crazy, baby please stay with me."

Brian - "Alright, calm down."

Loren - "She's not crazy."

Howie - "I'll go." After questioning some people he finds Jess sitting on the curb crying. He looks around quick doesn't see any fans so he comes out. "Jessica?"

Jess - "Hi. Is she okay?"

Howie - "Yeah. You gave her a pretty good shiner but she'll live."

Jess - "I have never been so angry in my life. I've never hated some one so much that I hit them."

Howie - "What happened?"

Jess - "She was talking shit about me and my family. She didn't know I was there. I was going to leave but its all gated back here and I can't get out."

Howie - "I'll get you home."

Jess - "What did she say happened?"

Howie - "It doesn't matter."

Jess - "Yes it does."

Howie - "She said she was talking to Tina about how she and Brian met and you attacked her."

Jess - "Don't tell him what I told you."

Howie - "Jessica."

Jess - "No Howie. I'm done if he can't see through her lies then that's it. I don't even want him as a friend. I'll still talk to you guys but I won't watch him get sucked in by her."

Howie - "okay, stay here I'll get changed and take you home."

Jess - "Thanks." He's only gone about ten minutes.

Howie - "Come on I borrowed Donna's car."

They drive in silence listening to the radio. Then the DJ started a countdown, which's when Jess remembers about it being New Year's Eve.

Jess - "Oh Howie, I'm sorry I made you miss the party!"

Howie - "Don't worry about it I've been to plenty if New Year's Eve parties. Missing this one won't kill me."

Jess - "You're a good friend Howie."

Howie - "hey it comes naturally."

Jess - "Can you keep a secret?"

Howie - "Sure."

Jess - "I love Brian."

Howie - "You're secret is not that secret."

Jess - "I was going to tell him tonight. I was going to ask him to start the New Year with me."

Howie - "That's a secret."

Jess - "Don't tell him." Against his better judgment he agrees. "Thanks Howie you really are great."

When they get to AJ's, he hangs out for a little bit and they have their own party. Howie tells her about growing up in the Miami and Jess tells him about growing up in New York. Her flight's in the early after noon. She doesn't even bother to wake AJ up when she leaves. She just leaves him a quick note thanking him and telling him to call her.