“Table for six please” Mike smiled widely at the hostess who was wearing an all black dress that clung to her skin tightly.

“Sure, follow me” she smiled back, keeping eye contact with Mike.

“Easy tiger” Jaime joked, grabbing Mike’s shoulder, “you can flirt later.”

Vic and Julie were standing close together. Vic held onto to Julie by her waist, the way he used to in high school. “You look amazing” His voice was low and quiet, ensuring that only Julie heard.

Julie could feel her heart race and the blood rush to her face. “Stop, we’re with friends.”

As the group walked to the table Vic’s excitement grew. Ever since admitting to himself how he really felt about Julie, it was impossible to get her off Vic’s mind. The table was large and round. The hostess placed a few menus on the table and told the group that their waiter would be around shortly.


"Can I get two Vodka Crans-" Julie said as soon as the waiter came back with his little notebook.

"Oh no you don't" Mike jumped in. "We may be in your city but you're out with us." He winked at Julie and smiled. "Can we get 6 shots of your finest tequila sir? "

The waiter gave the group a suspicious look and nodded. "Coming right up"

"Thank you" Julie laughed.

"Tequila? Really?" Fae asked, rolling her eyes.

"Its a Mexican thing..." Julie explained. "Its makes for looser lips and really bad hangovers."

"I recall you loving tequila in high school" Vic smirked at Julie

"I have no idea what you are talking about" Julie said looking away from Vic.

"Story time!" Jaime laughed from across the table.

"Please no!" Julie yelled covering her face with her hands.

"It was the cast party for the musical we were in" Vic started his story with a wide smile on his face.

"It was a non-actors, dancers and musicians kinda thing. We all agreed that after the cast dinner we were all going to go out to this bar because they hardly ask for ID. So during the dinner my best friend at the time - Dylan - and I kept trying to convince Julie to get drunk and show off her real dance moves. After 20 minutes of constant teasing we finally convinced her to come"

"And then I did go and they got me so fucking drunk off tequila" Julie interrupted Vic's story.

"But you kept going" Vic teased.

"And you left with Cassandra..." Julie's voice trailed off. She didn't mean to bring up the past but she couldn't help herself. She remembered exactly what it felt like to see someone she was falling for leave with someone else. Especially when she thought he was falling for her too.

"Good one Vic," Tony said, his voice low in a whisper. He looked up at Julie with sad and apologetic eyes. He half-smiled and Julie returned the gesture, knowing that Tony felt bad for her in that situation.

"You remember that part?" Vic asked shocked.

"Yeah but I drank so much after that everything else was a blur" Julie lied but covered it with a smile. She remembered everything about that night - regardless of how drunk she was.

It was Way back Wednesday so the DJ was only playing 80's, 90's and early 2000's dance music. Julie loved all of it: the lights, the music, the people, but mostly the alcohol. The musical had taken up so much of her time that Julie hardly had time to enjoy dancing. The alcohol allowed her to get loose and finally have fun when dancing.

From the middle of the dance floor Julie locked eyes with Vic who was leaning with his back to the bar. He had a beer in his hand and a smile on his lips. Julie didn't know if it was the lights, the alcohol or the atmosphere but her head and her heart both told her that tonight was the night she was finally going to have Vic. She pointed at him and curled her finger back. She added a small wink to ensure that Vic did as she commanded. He placed his beer on the bar and whispered to Dylan that he would be right back. Dylan looked at Julie dancing alone in the middle of the floor and knew exactly where Vic was going. Vic slowly walked toward Julie. He could feel his excitement building and growing with every step he took.

Julie grabbed hold of Vic's hand as soon and he got close to her. She pulled his body close to his and laughed. Their faces were barely touching but Vic wanted nothing more than to connect their lips and kiss her. Julie's mind was racing with what to do next. She wrapped her arms around Vic's neck and put his hands on her waist. She started dancing to the fast dance beat but quickly stopped when Vic didn't join her. She rested her forehead on Vic's and spoke slowly and softly.

"Are you okay?" She licked her bottom lip and gently bit on it. Julie heard Vic moan and she smiled.

"I'm great,” he whispered.

"I'm happy I decided to come. You know how much I love N*Sync" her voice still low.

"I'm very happy you came" Vic said and Julie felt his hands slowly make their way to her hips.

"You know that we're just standing right? People are looking at us weird" she giggled and looked around. The only people that were really looking were Dylan and Catherine who were talking to each other at the bar.

"Well I guess we better give them something to look at" Vic whispered and pulled Julie's hips and lips into his. He kissed her slowly at first but the kiss quickly became hungry and passionate.

Julie was taken back by the kiss but she didn't resist. She had wanted to kiss Vic since the first time meeting him outside the school. Now that he was kissing her she was happier than anyone else in the room. He felt one of Vic's hands trail their way up her back and into her hair. He grabbed her hair and pulled their faces closer together. Julie inhaled deeply, needing to get air before the kissing got deeper. Vic's tongue made his way into Julie's mouth and without hesitation, she allowed him.

Neither of them cared that their first kiss was in the middle of a dance floor. They absolutely did not care that people were looking at them.

"OKAY THEN!" Dylan yelled over the music. "That's enough from you two"

Vic and Julie pulled away from their kiss and looked at each other. Vic had smudges of Julie's lipstick on and around his lips. Julie looked like she hardly had any lipstick on and her hair was misplaced. They both laughed and stepped away from each other. Julie but her lip again and she saw a desperate look in Vic's eyes.

"Let's go finish our beer" Dylan said as he walked Vic back to the bar.

Catherine was soon at Julie's side. "Well..."

"Oh shut up" Julie laughed and walked to the bar.

"Was it as you dreamed?" Catherine mocked.

"Even better"

"Awe. You're even blushing"

Julie and Catherine ordered one round of tequila right after another. They both ran back onto the dance floor and just had fun. They sang the lyrics and even did the moves to the Macarena when it played.

"More shots" Catherine yelled to Julie and left to go to the bar. Julie looked around for Vic, not wanting to dance alone.

She found Vic sitting on a bar stool with one of the other dancers, Cassandra, on his lap. His hand was wrapped around her waist and she was laughing and throwing her head back. Julie stopped and stared. Twenty minutes ago it seemed like she was the only one in the room that mattered and now she felt like nothing. Julie felt small and tossed aside. Tears stung her eyes and she was too drunk to fight them away.

She bolted into the bathroom and into one of the open stalls. She sat on the toilet seat and cried. Julie didn't care about her make up or how dirty the seat might be. She didn't care about who heard her either. About 20 girls must have gone in and out of bathroom since she had been in there. She felt broken and rejected. As she cried she felt her lungs gets heavy.

"Fuck" she cursed as she sobbed.

"JULIE!" Catherine yelled knocking on the stall door. "Julie I know its you. Open the door"

Julie did as she was told and opened the door to let Catherine in.

"Oh honey you look terrible" Catherine said as she knelt in front of Julie.

"Thanks for the pep talk Cat" Julie laughed as she wiped her tears off her face.

"Gimme your coat check ticket, I'll get your purse and bring you your makeup bag. You go wash your face while I'm gone okay?" Catherine smiled as she spoke and kissed Julie's forehead.

Julie couldn't speak because she felt more tears coming so she just nodded and did as told. She splashed water on her face and looked at her reflection. Her hair was knotted and extremely out of place. Her eyes looked sunken in and dark. Her mascara and eyeliner had smudged and made her look like a raccoon.

Catherine came back and Julie told her what happened. Julie told her about the kiss and what she felt. She fought back the tears that were threating her as she told Catherine.

"I don't want to tell you this but I just saw Vic leave with Cassie..."


“The Austin is where Julie got her big break” Faith said after a few moments of awkward silence. “Every night they have a band or musician play.”

“Tonight, it’s you guys” Julie chimed in, snapping out of her memory.

“I’m sorry, what?” Tony asked, his voice full of surprise.

“When we were at home and Julie told me about who you guys were, I thought it would be a good idea for Julie to get in touch with your manger and have him bring your equipment here.” Faith spoke with a wide smile on her face the entire time. “I’m pretty great friends (with benefits) with the manager and he would love to have you guys play today.”

“So, whatta guys say?” Julie asked, looking directly at Vic.

“I’m in!” Jaime yelled, slamming his hands down on the table.

“As long as I have my drum kit, I’m good” Mike said,

“GREAT! So it’s settled!” Faith exclaimed without waiting for the answers from Tony or Vic. “I’ll go tell Stephen!”

Both of the girls got up and walked towards the back of the bar into the manager’s office. They linked arms as they walked, something that they have done since they were 13 years old.

“So Vic seems to have his hands all over you tonight” Faith said as she nudged Julie.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Julie’s voice was remorseful. “I’m trying to get him to calm down.”

“Oh don’t stop on my behalf”

Julie gave Faith a questioning look. “On ‘your’ behalf?”

“Vic may have his hands on you, but honey, Tony’s eyes have been on you” Fae laughed and rolled her eyes. She found it funny how Julie never knew the appeal she had on men sometimes.

The girls walked into Stephen’s office and Fae took her usual seat on Stephen’s lap. Fae told him that the boys agreed to play and that he should have his men start setting up now.

“But it’s so early” Stephen said, looking at the Rolex watch he loved to show off.

“I have a feeling it’s going to be a wicked night and the boys won’t be sober for much longer” Fae laughed and stood up from Stephen’s lap. “I’ll see you later” she said and she bent down to quickly peck Stephen on the lips.

As the girls walked back to the table Julie noticed that both Tony and Vic were looking at her. She hoped that her nerves didn’t show because she could feel blood rush to her face. Tony and Julie made eye contact and Tony’s lips parted into a wide smile. Julie couldn’t help but smile too – his smile was contagious. Instead of taking her seat beside Vic, Julie sat in Fae’s spot beside Tony. Julie did feel bad for ditching Vic but she couldn’t help but feel a connection to Tony. Besides, he left that night with Cassandra.

Notes

This chapter was so much fun to write because it brought me back to that day.

I'm really excited to post the next chapter because I have a lot in store.

Love yourself, love each other, love this band.
xoxo