PRESENT DAY

Justin

Hey y’all, it’s Justin. Before Alimera starts off the next half of our story, there’s something Joy and I want you to realize. The media will twist and turn everything, and honestly, you as my fans cannot believe everything they say about my personal life. Yes, I’ve been seen everywhere with Jessica Biel, but that’s just to cover up the truth. Joy and I—well, let’s just say we like our privacy. We’re still INSANELY happy and together, but Alimera will fill you in more later.

I also want to tell you that Joy and I feel so incredibly bad for Britney. We haven’t talked to her in so long and Joy has finally come to terms with the fact that she lost her sister four years ago when she married Kevin, and she won’t get her back until Britney realizes on her own that she needs professional help (for more than a few minutes!) We know why she’s this way though—it’s a sad story that Alimera has the unfortunate job of telling. By the time you get to the end, you’ll understand and feel bad for Britney too, because what she went through was tragic.

Anyway, like I said before, Joy and I are definitely living our happily ever after right now. I think Alimera is going to let us write all or part of the epilogue, so you’ll get to feel all warm and fuzzy. But as for the people around us, well, a lot has changed since 2000. So proceed with caution; this half of our story is not all sunshine. Thanks so much for reading!

New York City. Thursday September 7th, 2000

“Stop messing with your ring.�

Her older brother Bryan’s request snapped Joy’s gaze away from the window and she looked across the limo. “Huh?�

“You’re twisting your ring around your finger again. You’re still nervous,� Bryan answered with a chuckle.

Joy looked down at her hands, where the diamond engagement ring Justin had given her in Tahiti sparkled on her left ring finger. “I didn’t even know I was doing it again.�

Bryan sighed. “Maybe you should take it off. We’re almost at Radio City.� He put his hand up when Joy started to protest. “Yeah, I know, I know. You wish you didn’t have to take it off and on. You know the press would have a field day if they saw you with that on, and Julia would not be thrilled.�

“I could care less about Julia. I can’t wait until I can flash this in her face,� Joy grumbled as she pulled the ring off and placed it in her purse. She then gave Bryan a bored look, and smiled. “You know, I really don’t like this whole big brother routine; I liked being the oldest.�

“Big brothers are made to protect little sisters, and that’s what I’m doing. So chill out and go with the flow, little sister.�

The limo began slowing down as it approached Radio City Music Hall, and Joy watched as Bryan inched his way towards her. “Thanks for doing this with me Bryan. You just met me and already you’re protective.�

Bryan rubbed her back comfortingly. “Don’t worry. You’ve always been my sister, so why wouldn’t I love you right away?�

“Good point,� Joy replied with a giggle.

The limo stopped and Rob, Britney’s bodyguard, got out of the front seat and walked to the back. He opened the door and Bryan got out before holding his hand out for Joy. The moment she stepped out, the fans who had surrounded the area began screaming louder, and cameras went off all around her. She smiled and waved as Bryan led her down the red carpet. As she was walking, she adjusted the black dress she was wearing and flipped her half-crimped half-straight hair behind her, smiling the whole time. She continued to hear her sister’s name called all around her, and while she was happy she was able to fool everyone, she didn’t like that she couldn’t be herself. As she walked over to some reporters who had called out Britney’s name, she couldn’t help but thinking that she would rather be at home watching the awards on television.
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“I’m so glad I wore a sweater,� Justin said as they finally made it inside the music hall.

“You wore it because I told you to,� Lynn, his mother, said as she walked past him.

Danielle pulled Chris’ jacket off her shoulders before passing it back to him. “I can’t believe how cool it is out there! Summer isn’t even over yet.�

“At least we know Justin’s head will stay warm with that mop he has up there,� Joey said before laughing.

“Seriously, it needs to be cut,� JC added.

“I will cut it…soon,� Justin replied.

“Joy’s here, right?� Lance wondered, his voice low.

“Yeah, so is Bryan. We’re kinda coming out tonight,� Justin answered.

“Oh so tomorrow you two will be all over the tabloids, huh?� Joey said softly.

“Exactly,� Justin said with a sigh. “Britney herself is going to perform, though, and apparently her show is going to be insane.�

“What’s that supposed to mean?� Danielle asked.

Justin shrugged. “I have no idea.�

“I can’t believe you haven’t told anyone about this stupid deal Julia is making you three do, Justin,� Lynn whispered fiercely.

“Momma, please, not now,� Justin replied before hugging his mother and kissing her forehead.

An usher walked up to them then and led them down to their seats. Joy and Bryan were there already, and she was checking something out on her Palm Pilot when Justin sat down next to her. She wrapped her arm around his and continued looking through her Palm, and Justin looked up to see his mother sit down on his other side.

“What are you doing?� Justin asked Joy.

Joy sighed as she saw the flash of a camera go off in front of them. “Looking to see what I’m doing next week.�

“Hmm, there should be ‘Justin’ all across the board.�

“Be good!� Joy said with a giggle as she turned the thing off and placed it back in her clutch.

“Britney, can we take pictures of you with Justin and your brother?� a paparazzo asked her then.

Joy acquiesced, and she leaned closer to Justin. Flash. Then she leaned towards Bryan. Another flash.

“Thanks,� he said before continuing on.

The music hall began filling up quickly then, and before long, the show started. Shawn and Marlon Wayans were the hosts, and the show started out with Marlon mooning the audience. Since Britney was one of the first performers, Joy was called backstage soon afterwards. Felicia, Britney’s personal assistant, led her to the dressing room. Joy shut and locked the door, and Britney came out of the bathroom. Joy hugged her sister before going into the bathroom, where Britney had placed a television so she could see the show. Britney’s performance was extremely controversial; she went onstage wearing a black tuxedo and a fedora on her head. She sang a few bars of “Satisfaction� before tearing off the tuxedo and revealing a nude-colored outfit that left little to the imagination, and she sang her single “Oops! I Did it Again�. Joy was proud of her; it must have taken a lot of guts to go out there and do something like that. But the outfit might have been a bit much, and she knew it would make front page news in the morning. When Britney got back to the dressing room, again they changed places, and Joy sat down on the couch and waited for her cue to go out and present. She was presenting an award to Whitney Houston with Christina Aguilera, and when they saw each other they laughed because they were both wearing similar black dresses. They clasped hands as they walked out to the stage, and when their job was done, Joy was led backstage and then back out to the audience.

When the awards were over, Joy went back to the dressing room and changed into a black shirt that said “Control Freak� and matching black pants. The outfit displayed her newly pierced belly button and she had gotten Amy to paint a temporary tattoo of a fairy on her lower back to match Britney’s. From there they went to the after party, where Joy hung out almost the entire night with Lynn and Danielle, talking and drinking cocktails Lynn had bought for them all. Every once in a while Justin stole her or his mother away to dance, and Chris peeled away from the DJ booth to get Danielle off her butt too. They stayed out until two in the morning, when Mike finally told them they had to leave because the guys had a flight to catch in the morning.

When they got back to Joy’s apartment, Britney was up waiting for them. They talked to her for a bit before going to bed. As she waited for Justin to get out of the shower, Joy couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. She had a really nasty feeling that Julia was hatching another plan—and that scared her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
New York City. Friday September 8th, 2000

Joy stirred when she heard a knock on her door.

“Joy? It’s three in the afternoon! I know you’re not planning on staying in bed all day!� Ben yelled from the other side of the door.

Joy groaned inaudibly. She heard the door open.

“Joy? Are you in here?� Ben opened the door wider and surveyed the room. The blinds were still drawn, and it was extremely warm. What caught his eye next were Joy’s clothes strewn haphazardly all over the floor. His jaw tightened as the image of Justin peeling everything off her entered his head. His head cleared when he looked up and saw Joy on her bed. The sheets were in disarray, but she had most of the bottom sheet wrapped around her body. That didn’t help much, however, because he could easily tell that she was completely naked. He walked over to the bed and put the sheets back in order, covering her better. She stirred and groaned some more.

“What time did you say it was?� she asked.

Ben knelt next to her and tried to stop thinking about how sexy her voice just sounded. “Three pm.�

Joy opened her eyes and looked at him. “Are you serious? I slept that long?�

“Thirteen hours. You were pretty tired, huh?�

Joy wrapped the sheets tighter around herself as she sat up in the bed. Ben stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed. “God, last night was a lot of fun, but Justin didn’t want to party to end, I swear he kept me up until like 15 minutes before he had to leave.�

“Yeah, he looked dead to the world this morning. You definitely got more sleep than he did, I assure you,� Ben replied with a giggle.

Joy sighed. “I miss him already.�

Ben looked over at the ring on her finger. “I’m sure he misses you too.�

“At least I’m not here alone,� Joy said.

“You’re happy I’m here with you?�

“Yeah…because now you can go draw me a bath!�

Ben rolled his eyes as he got up from the bed. “Oh, that makes me feel special.�

“It should! Don’t you know that the person who drew Cleopatra’s bath was considered extremely lucky?�

“You are no Cleopatra!� Ben yelled from the bathroom.

Joy heard the water turn on. “That was mean!� Joy yelled back.

Ben walked out of the bathroom and laughed when he saw her standing up with the sheet around her and a huge pout on her face. He ran over to her and picked her up into his arms and walked her into the bathroom. He kissed her forehead when he had stopped in front of the bathtub. “I said that because Cleopatra has nothing on you,� he whispered.

Joy’s smile faded as she looked into his green eyes. “That’s a really sweet thing to say, Ben.�

Ben put her down and turned away from her. “No prob.� He closed his eyes as he heard the splash of her getting into the water. “I’m going to go put together a sandwich so you can eat, okay?�

“Don’t bother,� Joy replied.

Ben turned back around to face her. “What? Why?�

“Because we’re going out to dinner,� Joy answered. “Now let me take my bath.�

Ben laughed. “You’re amazing.�

“I know,� she said with a smile.

Joy sat in her tub for about twenty minutes. When she got out she combed through her closet for something to wear. She picked out a shirt from American Eagle and a pair of Seven jeans. Once dressed, she threw her wallet and her phone into a purse before grabbing a sweatshirt and sliding some flip flops on her feet and leaving her room. She flopped down the spiral staircase down to the sunroom, walked through it, up the three steps to the living room. There, she found Ben watching TV. “I’m ready when you are,� she announced.

“Finally! I was beginning to think you had fallen back asleep in your bathtub,� Ben said as he turned the TV off and got up off the couch.

“No way! I’m hungry,� Joy replied.

“So where are we going?� Ben asked her as he followed her out the door.

“I feel like going to the South Street Seaport…have you ever been there?� Joy wondered as she pressed the button for the elevator.

“No but I heard the Fulton Fish Market is right nearby and that’s a popular chef hangout.�

“Yeah, but today you’re not a chef. Today you’re going to have someone cook for you. And we have to shop a little bit too…I can’t just walk through a mall,� Joy said.

Ben let her into the elevator when the doors opened before walking in after her. “There’s a mall there too?�

Joy smiled. “You’ll see.�

They took the elevator down to the parking deck, where Joy had her BMW. They got in the car, and Joy made her way over to the Harlem River Drive. As she was driving, she called Dylan and let him know where she was going. He let her go but made her promise to call him immediately if anything went wrong. It took her about fifteen minutes to get down to the seaport and then another five to find parking. She made sure everything was safe and threw a hat over her head before they both made their way down the sidewalk.

The area was teeming with people. It was a Friday and it was warmer than the night before, so people were out indulging in the last warmth of the summer season. Ben popped into a bar and bought them both some drinks as they leisurely walked towards the seaport itself.

Joy took a sip of her wine cooler. “So Ben, how’s everything going with my sister?�

“Good, I guess. It’s hard sometimes because of her fame,� Ben replied. He then stopped walking and faced her. “Is there a particular reason why you didn’t tell me about this Julia woman and the stupid publicity stunt she has you, Justin, and Britney involved in?�

Joy looked at him, stunned. “How do you know about that?�

“So its true then?�

Joy turned away from him and took another sip from her drink. “Britney told you, of course.�

“It doesn’t matter who told me. I know, and I’m not too happy.�

“Why do you care?� Joy snapped.

“Why do I care? Because you’re my little sister, and I’ve grown to know you well enough that I’m pretty sure its killing you to pretend to be someone you’re not in front of other people,� Ben answered.

“Because she was going to separate me from Justin, Ben. This is the only way I could stay with him.�

“That’s bullshit and you know it.�

Joy sighed. “I don’t expect you to understand.�

“No, I guess I don’t,� Ben said before turning away from her again.

“It’s not permanent. As soon as we figure out a way to get around it, we’re ending it,� she called behind him.

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“Ben, please,� Joy pleaded as she walked up to him. “I don’t want to fight with you. If you know me as well as you say you do, please trust me. I don’t like having to do that but I am going to find a way out. Not just for me and Justin, but for you and Britney too.�

Ben sighed and turned around. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone off on you like that—it just frustrates me to see that someone is taking advantage of you and your feelings.�

Joy smiled up at him. “Thanks.�

Ben pulled her towards him, kissed her forehead, and pulled her farther into a hug. “How about some food now, shrimp?�

Joy pushed away from him, a shocked look on her face. “No you did not make fun of my height, Benjamin!�

“Ouch, the full name, I must be in trouble now,� he replied in a sarcastic tone.

“That wasn’t very nice.�

“Whatever, you’ll get over it. Where are we eating?�

Joy pointed past the dock. “In there.�

“Let’s go then.�

They walked inside the seaport and upstairs, where the Harbour Lights restaurant was. She had made a reservation earlier, so there was a table prepared for them right on the deck overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge.

“Wow, the view is amazing,� Ben whistled as they sat down.

“Yeah last time I was here with the guys Justin took me here; I fell in love instantly. And the food is so incredibly good,� Joy replied as she looked through the menu.

“It better be…I’m a fussy critic!� Ben answered.

“I’ll bet you are,� Joy said with a giggle.

Soon, the waiter came up to them, told them the specials, and also the wine list. They both ordered and Ben got them a bottle of wine to share. As they ate their food, they laughed together and talked about their relationships.

“When did you find out about your mom and my dad?� she wondered as she finished another glass of wine and reached for the bottle for a refill. They had finished their dinner and had no room for dessert, so they were just sipping wine and enjoying the view of the Brooklyn Bridge lit up in front of them.

“Hmm, I think she called me up at school and told me she had found someone new. I just didn’t know he came attached with two girls,� he replied with a chuckle.

“So sorry,� Joy said.

“No, don’t worry about it. I’ve always wanted siblings,� Ben answered. “How did you find out?�

Joy’s smile diminished as she put her wine glass. “Well, I got home the night after Valentine’s day this year and I found her moving her stuff into the house.�

Ben grimaced. “Wow, so David has a knack for keeping things from you.�

“Yeah, it started when Mom died,� Joy said. “He kept Nikki and I on Rosa Island when the funeral was going on and since then he’s pretty much kept all the big things from me. But as you can see, I always tend to find out.�

“That you do, and that should tell him something.� Ben picked up the wine bottle and tilted it downwards. “Well, there goes another bottle. How many was that? Three?�

Joy nodded. “I think I had double the glasses though. Not sure if I can drive us home.�

“Let’s go walk some of this off, and I’ll drive. You okay to give me directions?� Ben asked as he pulled her chair out and helped her out of it.

“Oh yeah, for sure.�

Ben wrapped his arm around her shoulder protectively. “Let’s go for a walk, little sister.�

“Lets.�

They walked out of the restaurant and over to the large lounging decks, where they started walking across slowly.

Joy sighed. “I like nights like these. The ones where its still summer but there’s a hint of fall in the air.�

“Yeah, I know what you mean.�

“So, are you ready for our mission tomorrow?� she asked him.

Ben groaned. “Do we really have to completely redo the guest rooms?�

“Have you seen what color the walls are? They’re like shit brown!� Joy exclaimed. “I don’t know who Justin hired as a designer but those rooms are gross.�

Ben laughed. “You’re a trip.�

“I’m serious!�

“I know you are.� He sighed. “Are you ready to go now, shrimp?�

“I guess.�

They walked out of the seaport, and walked towards where Joy had parked her car. She pulled her keys out of her pocket when they wee there, and passed them to Ben. She got into the passengers seat as he got in the drivers side. She directed back to the Harlem River Drive and then over to Central Park West, where her house was. They parked in the deck before getting in the elevator and taking it up to her floor. They separated to change but then congregated in the living room to watch a movie. Halfway through the movie, Joy’s phone rang. She answered it, and her face lit up and told Ben it was Justin.

“Do you want me to stop the movie?� Ben asked her as she got up.

“No, keep watching it, I’ll be back in a second,� she replied.

An hour and a half later, Joy meekly walked down the stairs to the living room, where she found Ben sound asleep with the TV off. She walked to the linen closet in the hallway by the guest bedrooms and pulled out a blanket before placing it gently on top of him. She then walked all around the house turning all the lights off before heading up to her own room, feeling bad for ditching Ben.

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Orlando, Florida. Sunday September 10th, 2000

“No, seriously man, that’s Janet Jackson!� Justin argued.

“Oh my God, no it is not Janet Jackson!� Trace retorted.

Justin, Britney, and Trace were on their way to the airport to pick Joy, Ben, and Dylan up. Justin was driving, Britney was in the front seat, and Trace was in the back. Britney was leafing through a magazine, and Justin and Trace were arguing over the song on the radio.

“Midget, seriously, don’t argue with me. I toured with Janet. Don’t challenge my skills!�

“Dude, shut up! I know what I’m talking about!�

“Okay, then who is this, genius?�

There was silence, and then Trace spoke again. “Whitney Houston.�

“Are you kidding me?� Justin asked as he looked at Trace through the rearview mirror. “Do you realize what you just said?"

“Wow, why does everyone care what I wore while performing at the VMA’s?� Britney interrupted. “God, Cher could go to the Oscars wearing nothing but I wear a nude colored outfit and the Earth stops spinning.�

The car got deathly silent.

Britney looked up at Justin, who was glancing over at her every few seconds with a blank look on his face. “What?� she asked him.

“What the hell are you talking about?�

“There’s an article in here criticizing that outfit I wore last Thursday,� Britney answered as she pointed to the magazine she had in her lap.

“You butted in with that?!� Trace exclaimed.

“Excuse me, but you two clowns were just arguing over a freaking Janet song! Get over it!�

Just then, the radio announcer confirmed Britney’s comment.

“Hah! Told you so, Trace.

“Yeah, whatever.�

“You’re just mad ‘cuz you lost, Midget,� Justin taunted.

“Justin, shut up!� Britney yelled. “Jeez!�

“Hey, you want to sit in the back with Trace?� Justin replied to her outburst.

“Its probably quieter back there with him than up here with you!�

Justin looked over at her again before bursting out laughing. “Wow, you have no idea how much I missed all the shits and giggles with you, Brit."

“Oh God, here we go,� Trace mumbled.

“The peanut gallery stays quiet in my car, thank you,� Justin said as he looked at his best friend in the rearview mirror again.

“Aww, Trace isn’t the peanut gallery,� Britney said as she unbuckled her seatbelt and crawled into the backseat next to Trace. “Here Trace, I’ll join you since Justin is being a big meanie. He can be our driver.�

Justin looked at them through his mirror again before concentrating on the road. As he heard conversation kick up between them, he thought about how happy he was now, with everything. *N SYNC’s album was doing phenomenally well, they had another one in the works, he had a fiancée that he adored, and Britney was a part of his life again. Before they were serious, they had been awesome friends and he had never realized how much of that aspect of their relationship he had missed. She was almost in his heart as much as Trace was. As he turned into the arrivals area of the airport, he smiled when he saw Joy’s tiny frame between Dylan’s and Ben’s. He pulled up right next to them and put the car in park before hopping out and helping Dylan put their suitcases in the back of his car. They piled in the car quickly and Justin sped off.

Justin dropped Dylan off at his house before driving the rest of them to his house, where the guys all gathered in Justin’s game room to play video games. Britney and Joy sat down together in the dining room after making themselves some lunch.

“I think I want to buy a house in LA,� Britney said through a mouthful of food.

“Do you know where?� Joy asked.

“I don’t know, maybe in the Hollywood Hills. But I want you and Justin to use it whenever you want.�

Joy put her drink down. “Are you sure?�

“Of course! You’ve let me stay over your house here and your house in New York, it’s only right that I return the favor.�

“Can we look with you then?�

Britney smiled. “I have an even better idea. You and Justin look for a house, and surprise me.�

“You’d let us do that? You trust us that much?�

“Yeah, I think it could be great,� she replied as she looked at her watch. “Wow, its getting late and I have to pass by the studio before going home. I think it’s time for me to pull my boyfriend away from the video games.�

Joy got up with her, and they both put their dishes in the sink before walking to the game room. They boys were there playing NBA 2000 on the Playstation. “Do you have anything on the agenda this week?�

Britney walked up to Ben and put her hands on his shoulders. “Um, I think I have to do an interview with Teen People or some magazine like that…you’re doing my music video, right?� Britney answered as she stroked Ben’s head.

“Yeah, I think it’s ‘Lucky’, right?�

“That’s my next single,� Britney said with a nod. Then she looked down at Ben. “We have to go; I promised my mom we’d be home for dinner and I still have to stop by the studio for a minute.�

“Okay,� Ben answered.

Joy launched herself into Justin’s arms and made herself comfortable on his lap as Britney and Ben said their goodbyes. Once they left, Trace also got up and announced that he was going to call Jenny on the phone.

“So now that we’re alone,� Justin said huskily in her ear, “you can tell me how it went in the city.�

“It was okay…I spent most of my time with Ben.�

“Weren’t you supposed to be fixing the shit brown guest rooms?� Justin asked.

“I did!�

“So how did you spend most of your time with Ben?�

“Um, its kinda hard not to spend time with the only other person in the house, Justin.�

Justin sighed and sat up. “Yeah, I know.�

Joy sat up as well. “What’s wrong?�

“You know how much Ben worries me,� he whispered.

“Oh God, Justin, not this again,� Joy said as she stood up from the couch.

“Well, tell me I don’t have a reason to worry! Tell me he’s completely over you,� Justin said as he watched her pace across his rug.

“Justin, I have no idea what you’re talking about. He has never told me he has feelings for me, and besides, he’s going out with my sister!�

“Joy, tell me you don’t see it. It’s in his eyes every time he looks at you! He loves you and he has ever since he laid eyes on you.�

“How can you be so sure?�

“Because I’m a guy, and I can see it!�

Joy sighed. “Ben is a really good friend of mine, not to mention my stepbrother, and I’m not going to stop talking to him just because you have this insane idea that he’s in love with me!�

“It’s not insane, I’m telling you…�

Joy stopped her pacing and looked at him. “Justin, just…DROP IT!� she yelled. She looked at his shocked face before continuing to pace, this time a hand on her head. “Jeez!�

“I’m sorry,� he said quietly.

“No, Justin, this is ridiculous. We’ve had this discussion before and you told me you wouldn’t bring it up again, but you did.�

“I know, I know…and that’s why I’m sorry.�

Joy said nothing.

“I just don’t want to lose you, Pinky. Ever.�

Joy looked over at him and her demeanor softened. She walked over to him and sat in his lap again, winding her arms around his neck. “You’ll never lose me, Stinky. I love you, remember?�

“I know,� he replied, his voice coming out muffled from within her shirt.

Trace walked back in the room then. “Yo, lovebirds, I’m going out to get something to eat, y’all wanna come?�

Justin looked up at Joy, and she smiled. “Yeah, Trace, we’ll come.�

“Okay, I’ll be out in the car waiting,� Trace replied.

Justin stood up with Joy in his arms before dropping kisses on her lips. “I love you too,� he whispered.

She just smiled before placing her head on his shoulder and allowing him to carry her out to the car.

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“I shouldn’t be too long,� Britney said as she parked her car. “Want to come in with me, or you want to wait out here?�

“I’ll wait here,� Ben replied.

“All right, I’ll leave the car running.� Britney got out and walked into the studios. She greeted the receptionist before taking the elevator to the third floor. When the doors opened, she came face to face with Julia. “Oh, look what the cat dragged in. The wicked bitch of the west.�

“Hello, Joy. Oh, no wait, you’re Britney. So sorry, got you two confused,� Julia retorted.

“I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer,� Britney replied.

“You just did sweetheart.�

Britney moved to walk around her. “Do you mind? I have to pick some paperwork up and Johnny is waiting for me.�

“Have you seen Justin today?� Julia asked her.

“As a matter of fact I did. And he called you all sorts of bad names before enjoying the company of his girlfriend,� Britney answered before finally getting around her and walking down the hallway.

“Tell them I say hello,� Julia called after her.

Britney lifted her hand up and flashed her the finger without stopping or turning around.

Julia giggled. “Keep it up, slut. You’ll be the first to go.�

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