Are You Gonna Be There: Chapter 1
By: Michelle and Stephanie
© August 2000
"Michelle Jennifer, hurry up!" Stephanie called to her cousin. "We're already late and Johnny is not going to be happy!"
"I'm coming, Steph, chill out!" Michelle cried quickening her pace to catch up. The two girls entered the small Orlando dance studio and walked down a well-lit corridor.
"Where's Johnny?" Michelle looked around curiously.
"Mich, Steph! There you are!" Both girls turned quickly, to face Johnny Wright.
"Hey, Johnny, we're really sorry we're late," Steph began. "Some one," she shot an annoyed look at Michelle. "Woke up late and then couldn't find the clothes listing."
Michelle looked at her evilly. "Well, Steph, it's not like you're always Miss Punctuality!"
"It's all right, girls," Johnny smiled, attempting to hold back a laugh. "The guys are in rehearsal anyway. Rebekah's working them ragged."
"Rebekah's here?" Michelle questioned at the reference to her best friend and *N Sync's choreographer, Rebekah Holt.
Johnny nodded. "Yeah, and she's not too happy. The guys have a week left till the second leg of the tour starts and they aren't cooperating."
"Well," Stephanie said, "Let's give her a break."
"They're in the last studio on the right," Johnny replied with a point of his finger.
Michelle and Steph nodded and continued on their way down the hall. Michelle pushed open the door, peeking in.
"No, Lance, that's all wrong! Get your leg up higher and put a little more energy into it! You look like a dying chicken!"
"Rebekah," Lance Bass looked at his choreographer, frustration written all over his face. "I'm doing the best I can right now, ok?"
"Well then Lance, I guess you're best isn't good enough!" she snapped as she pulled her blonde hair back into a loose ponytail, her blue eyes, icy.
"Hey!" Michelle called sensing the tension in the room. She pushed her way through the door, followed by Steph.
"Michelle!" Rebekah squealed enveloping her friend in a hug, her mood did a sudden 360. "Hey, girl! Hey, Steph. What're you guys doing here?"
"Wardrobe for part 2 of *N Sync's NSA 2000 Tour," Michelle responded reading the heading off the sheet of paper she held in her hand.
"You're the wardrobe girls?" Justin Timberlake who was sprawled out on the red leather couch in the corner of the room questioned. He raised his eyebrow questioningly as he looked over Michelle taking in her appearance. Her shoulder length black hair framed her round face, and her brown eyes were friendly and warm. His eyes fell to her full, clear gloss-coated lips and lingered there for a moment. "Hmm… nice," he mumbled.
"So you've got a list of the prices and stuff?" JC Chasez inquired.
"Yeah," Steph handed him and the other guys each a stapled packet of paper with a complete list of the clothing items and prices.
"Guys, I'm heading out for today," Rebekah announced. "Be ready to work tomorrow, and Lance, if you don't get the leg thing right… there's gonna be hell to pay!" To Michelle and Stephanie she said, "I'll see you guys later. Mich, call me!"
"I will," Michelle promised. With that, Rebekah hoisted her stuffed duffel bag onto her shoulder and headed out of the studio.
"Eesh… look at these numbers!" Chris Kirkpatrick exclaimed reading over the list. "Damn… what happened to the days of K-Mart shopping and 'three for ten dollars' tee shirt things?"
"They're long gone, Chris," Justin grinned jokingly.
Joey Fatone responded, "They're fine with me. If the clothes are functional and everything's gonna work, I don't think the costs should be that big a deal."
"Yeah," JC agreed. "If this is what it costs, than it's what it costs."
"No," Lance stated. Everyone turned to him, surprised. "I'm sorry," Lance tossed the list back at Michelle. "You're going to hafta do better than this."
"How do you expect us to do that?" Michelle demanded placing her hands on her hips. "You told us what you wanted and this was the best we could come up with. Do you understand that half the things you guys want for this show have to be custom-made? And, that each custom made piece has to have at least two back ups?"
"I don't care," Lance barked. "These prices are insane, find a different designer or something!"
"Ok, guys, calm down," Stephanie began.
"Ok, listen, buddy. I don't care who you are and your snooty tone is very unappreciated! You hired me to do a job… that's what I'm doing!"
"No," Lance stared through her. "We hired you to do what we wanted and we want you to lower the prices!"
"We can't!"
"Uh, Lance," JC interjected. "The prices really aren't that big a deal…"
Lance glared at him. "I understand that, JC but there's more to this than just the prices now."
"What are you talking about?" Chris looked at his friend confused.
"We hired her to do a job… which means we hired her to do the things we tell her to do. This is our show who does she think she is waltzing in here with an attitude telling us…"
"Attitude?" Michelle shrieked. "Listen, hun, I had no attitude till you started getting all snippy! What kinda bug do you have up your butt?"
"A very large one!" Lance stated facetiously. "In fact, he's telling me that… oh, you're fired!"
"I'm fired?" Michelle looked at him with disbelief.
"Yes," Lance confirmed. "You are fired… want me to spell it out for ya?"
"No, that's perfectly all right. I heard you loud and clear!" Throwing her stack of papers into the air with an exasperated sigh, she stormed out of the studio mumbling under her breath.
Justin shook his head watching as she walked out. Getting up from his seat, he silently followed.
"Sorry," Steph looked at the four remaining guys. "She's normally not like that. She's just a little irritated." She glanced at Lance accusingly.
"She's a bitch is what she is," Lance scoffed.
**In the hall**
"Ugh, what a prick! He thinks just because he's famous he can be a jerk! I hate that guy," Michelle spoke aloud to no one in particular as she made her way up the hallway.
"Hey, wait!" She spun around quickly and found herself face to face with Justin. "Don't listen to him. He's just been having a bad day. Forget about it."
"I was just doing what I'm being paid to do." Michelle said with a sigh. "He didn't have to snap at me like that."
"I know," Justin flashed her a smile and put his arm around her shoulder. "Come on, what do you say we go back and talk about everything like calm rational adults?"
"I don't know," Michelle's voice was skeptical. "Is Lance capable of that?"
Justin let out a light chuckle, "I don't know, I guess we'll have to see."
**In the studio**
"Hey, Lance, don't say that," Joey defended Michelle. "She's not a bitch, you don't even know her."
"Nor do I care to," Lance huffed crossing his arms over his chest.
"What is your problem today, man?" JC inquired.
"Nothing," Lance grumbled.
"Riiiight," Chris remarked. "And you always make a jackass of yourself in front of people 'cause it's a fun thing to do!"
"Shut up, Chris."
"Com'on, Lance, what's going on?" Joey pressed.
"Lianne," he stated, a pissed off expression on his face.
"Lianne?" Steph looked confused.
"My cousin," Lance mumbled.
"What did she do this time?" Chris asked. All the guys knew what Lance's cousin was like, She was a pain in the ass, always wanting to borrow his things, stay at his house. She was a typical mooch. Whatever she could take from him, she would.
"Well," Lance dropped his head into his hands. "As you know, she's been staying with me 'cause she's doesn't want to go and get her own place…"
"Yeah," Chris had an expression of boredom on his face. "So that's what has you jumping down people's throats?"
"If you'd shut up for more than ten seconds, Chris maybe I could tell you!" Lance snapped.
"Sheesh," Chris leaned back against the couch. "All right!"
"Any way," Lance continued, "She took my new car out for a ride without asking…"
"The 4 Runner?" Chris interrupted yet again.
"No!" Lance glared at him. "The new one, the Rav 4. So, she takes out my car and goes for a lil spin with her boyfriend…"
"That's Jacob Underwood, right?" It was Joey's turn to interrupt.
"Yes!" Lance exclaimed. "Do you guys wanna hear the story or not?"
"Yeah… sorry," Joey mumbled looking down at his hands.
"She let's Jacob drive, but she's in the passenger's seat distracting him and wham! He crashes right into the back of a brand new black Jaguar."
"Oww…" JC made a pained face, imagining the incident.
"Yeah, oww," Lance said grimly. "But oh, it gets so much worse. My car is totaled, it looks like a dented tuna can, the Jag is wrecked and it's not just any Jaguar, it's Nick Carter's Jaguar!"
"Wow," Chris quipped, "Sucks to be you!"
"Thanks, Chris, I know I can always count on you for the support that I need, you're such a great friend!"
"No prob, Lance, ya know I'm there for ya pal!"
"Hey, Lance," Justin came back into the studio followed closely by Michelle. "Jacob Underwood is out in the hall lookin' for ya. He's got Lianne with him."
"Beautiful!" Lance yelled throwing his arms up in the air. "Could today get any worse?" With that, he stomped out to the hallway.