December 22, 2003

I feel a little weird writing in here considering I hadn’t done so in a long time. I have to say that today wasn’t the best one of my life. Baby’s stupid tail almost gave me a heart attack. Running off like some idiot untrained dog. She knew better but I guess I couldn’t blame her. I’d probably want to get away from me too. The up side of Baby’s little adventure was my encounter with a beautiful little girl. Her hair was the color of sun-scorned wheat and her eyes; oh I had never seen eyes like that in my entire life. They were deep blue pools and I found myself getting lost in them. I was compelled to just stare at her eyes the whole time. She was also surprisingly sweet. I expected her to be spoiled; fearing she may have heard she was pretty too often, but she was completely the opposite. Who ever had raised her, whom I guessed her grandmother, was doing very well in the manners department. I wished we had had more time to talk. I found her company…enjoyable. And that’s a lot coming from me. Anyway I have to report back to Thomas “the editor from hell” tomorrow morning to discuss a big project he has for me.


Nichelle



She woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly refreshed even with the annoying shrill of the telephone evading her wonderful dreams. With a disinterested sigh she picked up the receiver knowing who it was on the other end.

“Are you still asleep? If you were any kind of a real journalist you would be up at the ass crack of dawn looking for a story to put in Billboard.” Rolling her eyes she ignored the same remark he always used to greet her.

“Yea well if you were any kind of an editor you’d quite wasting my time and tell me about this big scoop you’ve landed.”

“One word, Justin.”

“Oh wow thanks Thomas. Justin. That gives me a huge clue to what you’re talking about. There are a lot of Justin’s. Justin Simoni; photographer extraordinaire, Justin Guarini; American Idol guy, Justin McRoberts; Christian Rock star and Justin…”

“Timberlake. For god sake, do you ever stop talking? It’s rumored that he’s in your area as we speak, probably visiting dear old mom.”

“Ok…that’s all fine and good but I’m a music critic. So unless he’s recorded a boot-leg version of 'Oops I did it again…' you’re out of luck here Thomas, sorry.” She started to hang up the phone when she heard the word that made her hands go clammy at the mere imagination of it.

“What did you say?” Maybe she had heard him wrong.

“You heard me. You’re being reassigned for right now. Harris thinks that with this little vacation you decided to take you wouldn’t be covering much ‘music’ news so why not stick to the human interest pieces?” She could have sworn she heard him snicker. She could almost picture him strolling nonchanlantly into Harris’s office planting the bug in his ear.

“You piece of slime! You did this on purpose! I should shove a six inch heel so far up your…”

“Now, now there Nicky-poo. Unless that six inch heel belongs to Justin Timberlake you won’t be putting it anywhere. You've got 2 months, later babe” And with one toxic hoot of laughter she was yelling at the dial tone.

Slamming down the earpiece she paced her room.

How could he do this? Why? Oh the first chance I get I’m teaching Baby to attack! That ass-hole! Bastard! I should go down there right now and…

The light bulb of an idea shone so bright she could have sworn she needed sunglasses to reflect the glare.

“Oh yea I’m gonna give those bitches the story of the century alright. I’m gonna get deeper then any ones ever been.” she picked up Baby in a gesture that had the little dog whimpering in freight. She stared into the big brown eyes of the puppy as she spoke.

“We’re gonna give them their big story baby! Oh yes. That jack-ass Thomas will regret crossing Nichelle R. Channing.” Her smile was as sinister as her thoughts of strangling Thomas after this was all over. Thoroughly satisfied with Thomas's demise she picked up the phone and made some calls.

 
*********


The Z100 Jingle Ball after party was in full swing. Glasses clang together in toasts to the show going off without a hitch. The murmur of small talk of potential collaborations between artists was drowned out by sounds of Jason Mraz. Justin put on a cautious smile fearing if he didn’t the tabloids would have his face splashed all over the morning paper with the headline:


 
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: CRYING HIMSELF A RIVER?



His expert sense had made him aware that had to be ready at all times for the up roar of paparazzi. They could charge at any moment, he thought.

He grinned to himself as the thought of a National Geographic documentary played in his mind. They were like vultures but he had been in the business long enough to be alert and know when things were getting unbearable.

Taking a sip of his champagne he thought about the only constant thing in his life. The fans weren’t always going to be there. The music, which was very important, he decided, wouldn’t always be there either. But his family would.

She would.

“Bored out of your mind too?” A voice from behind asked. He could smell Elizabeth Arden’s Sunflower take over his senses. He drifted on the scent until he laid eyes on the woman the alluring perfume belonged.

Her beauty took his breath away. Her strapless tan dress accented her ebony colored eyes and left her shoulders and back bare, except for the twinges of hair that had fallen from her French Twist. The single strand of diamonds around her neck dipped down into her cleavage and swell of her breast. The small studs in her ears winked under the dimly lit room as she shifted her head to stare at him. Her face was unpainted aside from the discreet gloss of her lips and the light gold eye shadow she wore.

“Umm, I’m sorry. What did you say?” His voice cracked.

She smiled and took a seat next to him. “I asked if you were bored here too. I’ve been here for about an hour now and, no offense but the sounds of the Mraz kid and his acoustic make me wish I were comatose.”

“Oh yeah.” he laughed nervously. Come on Justin, what’s wrong with you. You never have trouble talking to the ladies. Get it together man!

She ordered a Cosmopolitan from the bartender in a smooth sultry voice; one that had Justin gripping the makeshift vinyl on the barstool. “You preformed didn’t you? I really like that Pharell guy, he’s hot.” She took a sip of her drink. “And you were looking pretty damn good yourself.” She winked letting her lips curve slightly as she placed a hand lightly on his thigh, which in return had Justin flinching at the contact.

He hadn’t really considered how long it had been since he’d been with anyone until this woman had sauntered over without a care in the world, making him wish he knew what she looked liked without the extravagant dress. He hadn’t even gotten her name and she was making him feel like he was sitting in a steam room.

She caught on to the fact that he was more then a little uncomfortable with her forwardness, which added to the satisfaction of seducing him, she thought with a slow grin.

The blooming smile fell as he shifted to answer his vibrating cell phone. “Hello?” He held up a finger indicating he’d only be a minute before leaving her to her thoughts. Taking out her note pad she jotted down a few notes.


Justin Timberlake is shyer than I expected him to be. My initial thought was that he’d be drooling all over my boobs and trying to get out on the dance floor so he could grope me. But on the contrary I'm the one with the upper hand.


That doesn’t mean he wont be the one in charge by the end of the night, she thought placing her note pad back into her purse when a figure caught her prevail vision.

“Welcome back.” She licked her lips.

“Sorry about that. My…mom. You know how it is. Mom’s worried about her baby.” She nodded as if she understood. My parents were always away, she concluded sadly. Pushing the memory away she decided to live in the moment and at the moment that included a good-looking Justin Timberlake.

“So…are you gonna dance with me or just sit there looking good?” She lifted a suggestive eyebrow and stood up pulling him with her.

“I don’t know if it’s such a good idea.” He stammered. Flashes were already going off and he was being led by a beautiful women, so why not enjoy it he thought. It would be in the papers by the next morning anyway.

He was utterly lost in her eyes. They held warmth he hadn’t realized was missing in him until then. It struck him that the last time he’d seen eyes like hers were in…Mira. Her smell was almost identical to hers, Elizabeth Arden’s ‘Sunflower.’ Her body fit so perfectly against his he almost forgot there were people dancing next to them completely. He was so fixed on her it didn’t even register to him that he hadn’t even gotten her name or that she was anyone but his Mira. He snapped back when her name was inches away from breaking the silence between them.

“I can’t do this.” He stepped away from her cautiously. She had felt the way his body tensed suddenly.

“I’m sorry. Did I do something?” She asked fearing she might miss her chances at getting close to him.

“No no. It’s not you. I just have to go. I’m sorry. thanks for the dance though.” He kissed her lightly on the cheek before disappearing in to the crowd in search of his bodyguards. Standing in the middle of the dance floor she decided she would go back to her hotel and go over the nights events, in an attempt to see where she had gone wrong.

“Let’s hope you don’t make the same mistake tomorrow.” She rolled her eyes and disappeared into the crowed as well.
 

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