Jess was pleasantly surprised to be the first one ready for the group photos.  She found a couch and relaxed while she waited for the guys.  She was glad when Justin appeared first.  

"Hey," she smiled as she patted the couch, "cm'ere."

Justin obliged and sat beside her.  "Hey, yourself, mama," he threw her a sassy grin while watching out of the corner of his eye to how she was reacting to his flirting.

Jess giggled and patted his arm.  "Oh, Justin, what would I do without you to boost my ego?"  She didn't give him a chance to answer.  "Are you free any time today?"

"I've always got time for a beautiful woman like yourself," he chuckled, clearly enjoying messing with her.  

Jess weighed her options and decided that two could play at that game.  She leaned towards him, placing one hand on his chest, and looking up into his eyes.  "Oh, Justin," she cooed, "do you mean it?"

He pulled back abruptly and sputtered.  "No!  I mean, yes!  I mean--damnit woman!" Jess fell into him, she was laughing so hard.  When he realized he had been set up, Justin couldn't help but join in the laughter.

Jess regained self control and sat up slowly, wiping away a tear.  "I'm sorry, Justin, but you so asked for that!"

"Hmph," he pouted, making sure to cross his arms over his chest and turn his head away from her.  "I don't think you're really sorry."

She shrugged, "Meh, you're probably right, but I'm still wondering if you have any time free today."

He looked at her.  "For you?"  She nodded.  "Yeah, sure, you know I always have time for you.  Did you want to do anything in particular?"

She shook her head, "Nope, just talk."

"Oh.  OK."  He was quiet for a moment.  "Is it about yesterday?"

"Yeah."  She wouldn't meet his eyes.

Justin nodded slowly.  "OK.  We'll talk later.  How about after the show?  We can hammer out details later."

"OK.  Thanks."

Justin gave her a squeeze.  "Don't thank me, Jess.  Friends make time for each other.  You know that."

The rest of the guys came trickling out of wardrobe and before she was completely ready, Jess found herself in the middle of a photo shoot.

First they did some group shots, with everyone dressed in jeans and tee shirts.  All six were very laid back and they just got to be themselves.  Jess felt a bit like she was playing Twister while she was following the photographer's jumbled directions.  

"OK, now put your right hand on Justin's left shoulder.  Lean your head on Joey's shoulder and look towards Lance.  Your right foot should go in front of  Chris's and your left hand holds JC's and make it all look natural."  As if!   Who did they think she was?  Gumby?

Jess took a deep breath, shook off  her frustration and tried to go with the flow.  She made it through group photos and moved on to the paired photos, first with Justin.  She was supposed to be "one of the guys", a look very easy for her to pull off since it was her true nature.  They were dressed as if at a football game, cheering for their hometown team.  They had fun making up silly cheers and their own version of the touchdown dance.  But Jess drew the line when he wanted to chest bump with her.

Next it was JC's turn.  He was dolled up in a suit and she wore a little black dress that she never would have chosen, but actually looked good in.  They were posed as if they were on a date in fancy restaurant.  First they were stealing glances at each other from behind their menus, then the photographer had JC ask Jess to dance.  The two tried not to crack each other up as they posed and all in all, Jess was relieved to be finished and able to dress down again.  

When they were finished, Jess and JC joined the rest of the guys for a quick lunch.  Jess was rushed off before she even finished her sandwich, so she took it with her to sit in the makeup chair.  Had she been paying more attention to how Joey was dressed, she might not have been as surprised as she was when she was handed a very small outfit to put on.  

"Uh, what's this?" she asked in bewilderment, holding the hanger, which had a couple of small scraps of fabric, away from her body..

"What do you mean?" asked the stylist, "It's your clubbing outfit."

Jess's mouth fell open.  She blinked once.  She blinked again.  "Laaaaance!" she hollered.

Lance came running when he heard her yell.  "What's the matter?" he asked.  

Jess still hadn't found her voice.  She just nodded towards the outfit that was still dangling from the hanger.

"What's that?" he was just as perplexed.  

The stylist shrugged.  "Her outfit. She and Joey are doing a club scene.  We're going for total slut here."

Jess's mouth opened and closed a couple times in quick succession.  The words were there, but somehow, she just couldn't get them out.  Lance noticed her distress and moved between Jess and the stylist, lest she explode.

"Would you excuse us?" he asked quickly and didn't wait for an answer.  He propelled Jess by her elbow away from her dressing area.  Lance found a couch and sat her down on it.

"I am not wearing that, Lance," she said quietly, when her voice finally surfaced again.

"No, you're not," he agreed, his teeth clenched together as he too tried to keep his anger in check. 

"Let me go talk with a few people and I'll be back."

Lance was getting out of the seat, when Chris came barrelling into the area.  

"There's my girl," he said with a smile which suddenly turned into a frown.  "What's that?  You're not going to wear that, are you?"

Lance shook his head, reached over and took the hanger from Jess.  "Chris, I'm dealing with it.  Sit here and keep your girl company."

Chris sat beside Jess and casually stretched his arm along the back of the couch.  "What on earth were they thinking when they chose that?" he asked.

 "I'm not sure," she answered, "but they have another think coming if they think I'm going to wear it."

"Don't worry, Lance will set them straight," he smiled.  "How has your day been going?"

"OK, I guess.  I could use one of these makeup artists to come with me every day-talk about magicians.  I didn't even feel tired anymore by the time they got the circles under my eyes covered up."

He laughed.  "Yeah, I hate to admit how much of a difference it makes for me too.  Oh well.  How are you doing though?"

"I'm fine, Chris."

"Really?  I mean I know you told us some really serious stuff last night and I, well, I'm worried about you."

She sighed.  "Chris, there's nothing to worry about.  I'm the same girl I was before I told you everything, it's just that now you know."

He reached out to touch her arm.  "I know.  It's just now I'm noticing things and wondering if you're..."

"If I'm what, Chris?  If I'm screwed up?  I've always been screwed up.  If I'm scared?  Sometimes, yes.  If I'm ever going to be OK?  Well, that one I can't really give you a definite answer on.  Maybe one day, but I'm not counting on it."

He sat back, disappointment evident in his features.  "Why are you always so negative about yourself?  Why do you put yourself down?"

She smirked half-heartedly.  "Because if I say it, nobody can say anything worse about me than I've said myself.  And because if I expect the worst, I'll never be disappointed."

"You know, I think that's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard!"

"What?" she was startled into looking directly at him.

He was about to answer when Lance came into the room.  "OK.  It's settled," he smiled.  "No slutty outfit for you, Jess.  They've decided to go with a tastefully short skirt and a sexy blouse-sexy, not slutty.  OK?"  He reached a hand out to her.

Jess accepted Lance's assistance to get up.  "You walking me back?"

Lance nodded, "Yeah.  I want to make sure you're OK with the new outfit."

"OK," she agreed as they walked back to her dressing room.

Chris sat on the couch, stewing.  He didn't even notice JC's presence until he sat down beside him.  

"Hey, Chris, what's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, ah, nothing.  Nothing's wrong." He nodded, trying to convince himself.

"Hmm," JC responded.  "It sure doesn't look like nothing's wrong.  And I'm willing to bet it has something to do with my stubborn best friend and the fact that she has been distancing herself from both of us."

Chris smirked, "Think that would be a pretty safe bet, do you?"

"Yeah," JC nodded.  "You know me.  I don't just throw my money away.  If you want to talk about it..."

"I'd love to.  I just don't know where to start."  Chris paused and JC didn't fill in the silence.  He knew Chris would continue when he was ready.  "C, I don't know what to do.  She's so negative about herself and the future, and she's...I don't know, it's like she's trying to push me away."  Chris shook his head in defeat.

"She is," JC agreed.  "It's her defence mechanism.  Why do you think she hasn't had a boyfriend since then?  She pushes guys away because she's afraid of being hurt."

"I get that, but what I don't get is that it feels like some sort of test.  It's like she's pushing to see what I'm going to do and how I'm going to react."

JC laughed.  "You have her figured out man.  That's exactly what she's doing.  You know what to do, right?"

"Besides turning her over my knee and telling her to stop acting like a spoiled brat?"  Chris thought for a couple of minutes.  "I have an idea or two, but whether they'll work or not is another story."

JC patted his friend on the shoulder as he got up.  "Do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Don't give up on her."

Chris shook his head, "That'll never happen."

JC nodded his thanks and left Chris to his pondering.