It had been weeks after her best friend broke the news to her about the upcoming concert. Georgia still couldn't believe she missed NSYNC's No Strings Attached tour announcement on MTV. Like, how? She was always watching the top charts waiting for their "Bye, Bye, Bye" to be played. Though it was leaked on AOL before, she was waiting for the final announcement.
Hmmm, maybe it's because I was preoccupied with all these graduation things, she thought, and the college applications you have to send, she talked to herself as she lay on her bed full of pillows and stuffed toys, reminding her of what needs to be done first so that her parents would let her go to the concert with Jovie and the latter's elder brother, Frank. Her parents will allow her to go under some conditions and that includes: no absences, not even tardy until the final week of class (she's always late on first period) and college applications must be sent before graduation. So easy. Yeah, especially the tardiness!
She walked across her room and turned on her computer, decided to finally finish the essay for her History class and to edit her applications that were still on draft. She raised and stretched her arms, took a deep breath, and cheered herself, "Let's finish this today, Georgieee!" Halfway through her essay, she heard their phone rang downstairs, "ringgg, ringgg, ringgg."
"Georgie, get the phone!" her mom from the other room yelled. "I'm on my ess--", she wanted to reason out but stopped mid-sentence. She must be super cool, nice, and extra obedient these days if she wants to get her hands on those concert tickets. "OH, of course!" she mumbled under her breath while running down the stairs.
"Hell--" she was gasping for air due to running as she picked up the receiver of the telephone that was hanging on their wall but was immediately interrupted by the voice on the other line. "Georgie!"
"Jovie?!" Georgia exclaimed. "Why are you calling from here and not on my cellular phone? You know I had to run down here just to get this phone call while I'm doing my essay, which is one of my mom's conditions for me to get a ticket" and let out a sigh of exasperation.
"I'm sorry, I ran out of minutes, so need to call from the phone", Jovie answered.
"Huh? Who you've been calling?" most of the time, Georgia is clueless as to what's keeping Jovie busy. They are childhood best friends, but Jovie still surprises her with her actions at times.
"I've been calling radio stations and MTV to request their song, you freak" Jovie replied with a peal of laughter. She found it cute that her best friend, who despises boys will go the extra mile just for the five guys. They were both giggling when Jovie said, "So here's the thing, tickets will go out on sale next week, first week of May and it is thought to be sold out in minutes. Also, we need to secure plane tickets to New York by June and then hotel accommodation after. You think we can make that?"
"We will", Georgia responded firmly, making sure that her words would be marked. Although, she really wasn't sure how. What with the airfare tickets and hotel accommodation being pricey enough, concert tickets is fairly costly as well. And for them, as high school students, it is ceiling-high. "Right," Jovie replied, sounding unsure of her best friend's affirmation. If they will rely solely on their parent's money, it wouldn't be so much of a problem, but they both wanted to chip in for some of the costings.
By dinner, she was able to print her essay and secure it in her expanded folder so she wouldn't forget to bring it tomorrow, Monday morning. "How's your application going?" her father asked while picking up a pork chop from the serving plate. They were all seated at their dining table, except for her youngest brother who was already done and now playing in the living room. She was seated next to her Mother and across her two younger sisters; one toying her food and the other savoring it.
"I'm done sending three applications a while ago. Hopefully, the results will come back good before graduation." Georgia responded politely, thinking of a way on how to tell her father she needed extra money for the plane ticket and accommodation, aside from the concert tickets. She already talked to her Mom about it before her Father arrived home and was told to ask her Father if he can still provide for the plane tickets or she'll have to work her ass off with babysitting to come up with such an amount. Georgia grew in an affluent family, her Father used to work as a seafarer and now owns a construction company while her Mom works part-time in the City Office as a clerk. Georgia and her siblings are all being well provided for, most of the time, it is even more than enough. But, Georgia finds it kind of embarrassing to ask for such a big amount like this, especially knowing that they will be spending a big chunk of money on college tuition.
"Dad?" she started while looking at her Mom sideways, her mom giving her a push. Her Father looked up at her from eating his rice and viand, "I may have to spend more, I-I mean, I need a plane ticket to New York and accommodation for me to go to the concert!" she blurted it out fast. There I said it. Please, please, Dad. Help your baby out! , she was begging and screaming inside her mind while waiting for her Father to answer.
Her Dad creased his forehead while having a bite and chewing his food, He then gave Georgia a look, and stared at her before saying, "Okay, but make sure we'll be receiving positive results from your College applications, all on me by then." Georgia let out a scream and stood up to hug his Father and kissed both of her parents. "Thank you, Mom and Dad. I promise I'll be babysitting Amir until he's high school!" she added jokingly. Her parents laughed at her joke.
"I wanna go too!" her 10-year-old sister Gia who also loves listening to the boyband and developing a baby crush on JC chimed in. "Oh, maybe next time when you grow up a little. For now, I'll just send your kisses to JC. So, give me smackeroos! " she planted kisses on her sister's cheeks which made her sister ran from her. Their house is a little messy at times because of her younger siblings and they may have a huge age gap but, it didn't stop her from goofing around with them every day.
Monday gone by quickly. Luckily for her, she was able to submit her essay on time. Both she and Jovie had no more school obligations to comply at all except, of course, their college applications. She was met by Jovie at the entrance of their school, who was waiting there for her and they both walked home under the warm winds of April Spring. Their houses were just a few blocks away from each other and a walking distance from Seattle High. They always both enjoy their short walk home rather than having Jovie's brother to come fetch them up and give them a ride home.
"I'm going to miss this when we go to College", Georgia said in a sad, low voice as they turned to a curb near Jovie's Victorian house.
Jovie looked at her, almost grinning, "You're not gonna cry right now, are you?" then eyed her. "You silly, there's a huge chance we will be in the same University or College! We're gonna be in the same program as well and even if we don't, we still get to go home every school break. Then there's AOl or we will always ring each other up!", Jovie said, consoling her. This is always what it is like between the both of them. They were friends and have been inseparable since 2nd Grade.
"Oh, I don't know. It's not gonna be the same without having you around school or at class. Who's gonna put me into daydream whenever I want to be with Justin in the middle of having lunch in the cafeteria?", Georgia replied jokingly and they both let out a chuckle.
Tuesday night, she was staring blankly at her computer screen, waiting for it to Ding! and for a chat to pop up. Fifteen minutes passed. and another thirty minutes, no, nothing, no chat at all. She decided to put NSYNC's disc in her portable discman and I Want You Back started blaring from its speaker. She proceeded to have her night shower as the music continued to fill her room. Why hasn't he chatted for like 2 weeks already? He's not even online. Okay, why would I even care? He's just someone I've been chatting with for like quite some time. Like I don't really know him personally, duh! Georgia convinced herself as she was scrubbing her arms under the shower. But deep inside her, she was really wondering as to what had happened to the guy she met at the NSYNC AOL group chat and had been having late-night conversations over chat the past weeks before she got busy with school and got occupied with the upcoming concert.
Before she changed into night pyjamas, she checked her computer screen one last time but to no avail. The poor guy's chat status says AWAY. "'kay, done waiting. I won't initiate it either. Night to you!", she told her computer, as if the guy was just right there in front of her and she was talking to him. She grumpily tucked herself into bed and immediately fell asleep.
In her dreams, she was lounged on her cozy chair, in front of her computer, having a great time and busily chatting with the guy. The next thing she knew, she was with Justin inside a stadium, whispering inaudible words to each other...
