Time Will Pass You By
Time Will Pass You By
Here is the first installment of a story that I have decided to put up on here. I hope that you'll enjoy it. Please, don't hesitate to give me some feedback at KylieMinogue@cwcom.net
DISCLAIMER: This story bears no relation to the sexuality of any members of N Sync or any other celebrity portrayed within. I will take no responsibility for anyone reading this underage - please make sure your town/ state/ country laws allow you to be reading this. This story is meant for mature people who can make their own decisions about what they read. If love between members of the same sex makes you uncomfortable, please don't continue reading.
This time, I made myself famous :) I thought some excellent plot-lines could come from that. The relationship will have developed by the fourth or fifth chapter (Not installment, this is installment one but it goes up to chapter three), because I can never wait for it to grow when I am reading other stories.
CHAPTER 1: "Where's The Party?"
I walked off the stage, drained but happy. I always loved performing, and now that I was famous, I got to do it every night. My 2002 promotional tour in the US was just kicking off, the first show had just finished last night in New York to an amazing audience and response. I knew I should have performed "Shocked", it was perfect. Since it was my first US number 1, I knew it drove the crowd wild. I always got a buzz out of it.
"Great night out there," said my manager, "They're really loving it out there tonight"
"Yeah, Freddie, but there was a lot of feedback during "Love Will Always Be On Your Side", and I'm getting pissed at it." I answered back, feeling slightly annoyed that I couldn't give my best during that song.
"Well, it'll be alright... don't worry about it," he replied, "I'll have Dave sort it out."
"You know, for a guy who controls most of the sound checking he's not very knowledgeable about it all. I mean... I don't know anything, but he should." I knew Dave did a hard job, but at the end of the day he was paid a lot of money, and he had to do it correctly.
"Are you in the studio tomorrow?" Freddie asked, I winced slightly, "Yes. And the worst part is that I've never really met 'N Sync before. I don't know what to expect. I mean, will they be professional?"
"Well, they've been in this business since the mid-nineties. I'm sure they are. I know Joshua Chasez from the group writes and produces." He reassured me, guessing that I was getting my "Pop-Star Ego" on again.
"I know *he* works hard. I just hope they all like the song enough to want to record it properly. It would make me so upset if they didn't like it. I spent a long time writing this one..." I stated, before running off for something to eat and an after-show party. Although I was drained, I always loved parties. Besides, if I were to record tomorrow, I'd want to block it out today. Recording was the one boring thing about stardom. I loved shooting videos - I was vain enough to enjoy it, plus I loved coming up with concepts. I loved photo-shoots, I liked being controversial. I wasn't too bad, but let's just say I learnt a lot from Madonna. When I came out as being bisexual, it only furthered my career. Now boys and girls could fantasize about me. I could be in gay, straight and female magazines. I had more coverage than ever before. I'd not had a public relationship, just rumours of me and members of male and female pop-groups (I still laugh to this day about the one concerning myself and a certain Miss Aguilera - I've never met her to this day)
Not only was I recording in the studio tomorrow, but I was coming up with a concept for the video for my latest single, "Deceived" - I was in a dark mood - I wanted something pretty dark but also something that wouldn't confuse the "teens" That's what pissed me off the most. All pop-groups have to cater for teenagers but does that mean ultra-choreographed dance moves and loud Max Martin songs? I sure as hell didn't want that. That was another reason I didn't really like 'N Sync. Their name was pretty tacky, their songs were too ("Tearin' Up My Heart - note absence of "g" in "tearin'" and their most recent US number 1 "I'll Find A Way") to name just two. Mind you, their vocal harmonies were fantastic. "Adrift" would be the perfect Christmas number 1 with their vocals and their cute faces in the video. And that wasn't the only reason I had asked 'N Sync. They were all fairly cute, and each one of them, from what I had seen on TV, had the ability to turn gay at any given moment with overly-emphasized hand gestures and other stereotypically gay actions. Especially that Lance Bass, sometimes even Justin Timberlake. But I didn't think they were that nice. However, getting involved with one could be a great way to promote myself.
CHAPTER 2: "Just Like A Dream - You Are Not What You Seem"
"This is Lance, this is Justin, this is JC, and this is Joey. I'm Chris" said a happy voice through an even happier smile, "Thanks for asking us to record a song with you. It's great to finally meet the man behind "Shocked""
I made an attempt at a friendly laugh and reciprocated the thought with, "It's great to meet the guys behind "Tearing Up My Heart"" I said, emphasizing the "g" in a private joke to myself.
"So, no offence, but how come you chose to duet with us?" asked an unsure Justin, "I mean, you're pretty controversial and I would have thought, a bit of a snob" I saw Chris flash him a look as well as JC smiling slightly.
"Yes, I am controversial. Yes I can be a snob and I chose you guys because you have killer vocals. I thought you were the only ones who could do the parts I wrote justice." I answered, in full honesty, "Besides, the video will be shot with all of us naked so you'll finally get in on the whole controversy act." As soon as the words had left my mouth, I noticed Lance look a little shocked, "I'm joking by the way." I finished.
"We knew," laughed JC, "Although, don't try and get us to shoot a video like your "Keep With Me" video. That was a little *too* arty. What with you being dead throughout and all!" I laughed when he said that and thought about the video. I wrote the song which was a soft, chilling ballad about insanity in love and I decided to create the video as someone without a heart, frozen in a world full of snow and thunder... in the video I had played a dead man, frozen from head to toe. It had earned an MTV award for best video, so I was proud of it.
"He looked good with it though." Stated Lance, "I never saw someone frozen looking quite as perky as you had" I took a moment to study Lance. He was definitely the most effeminate. His beautifully plucked eyebrows arched when he joked, his hair was perfectly dyed (or highlighted) a feminine shade of blonde. Even now, he was wearing a little make-up, and he was wearing some fine, light, pastel coloured clothes. Dragging myself out of my mind, I thanked Lance jokingly and went on to go through the basics of the song and the harmonies. I played them the demo, which they loved, and we set about discussing interpretations of lines and so on. I didn't realise it up until that point, but I had actually been having fun in the studio. That was pretty unusual for me. WE managed to get a few vocal tracks down but nothing serious and by seven o'clock it was turning dark outside and we decided to call it a day.
"Maybe we could go out for something to eat," suggested Lance, "I'm hungry for sure." That statement was met by a chorus of agreement. We all made our way, in my limo, to a nice restaurant which wouldn't be full of fans and which would offer a nice private booth for us to chat in. We got a fairly decent table and sat down, chatting as we did so.
"So, when is your new album due?" asked Joey, casually, "I hear you've done some work on it already?"
"Well, to be honest, I had written a few tracks a long time before my first album was finished." This was met by crazy looks, so I decided to elaborate, "I wrote two albums when I was 18 - I was *that* bored. However, once I went over all the songs, I realised 50% was good and 50% was bad. I combined the good and bad and made one album. Songs like "Secrets" and "Love Will Always Be On Your Side" were meant for album number two."
"Wow. You must love to write!" Exclaimed Justin, "Maybe you'd like to contribute a song to our fourth album? Well, our fourth proper studio album. We don't count the Christmas albums."
"Well, as much as I would love to guys, I don't have the time." I answered, "I'm always working on my second album, plus the movie I'm going to be in. Besides, "Adrift" should make a good gap-filler for both of us. You're in-between albums right now and I am too. I don't mean to sound awful but what with our combined popularity, we should be doing pretty well. I'd guess US top five and UK number 1."
"You're too professional!" laughed Lance, "You always know what you're talking about. Let's talk about... I don't know... other things!" As he said this, his eyes lit up as though he was really quite interested in what I was going to say. I decided to start and hope that they would interrupt me. Just as I was about to begin, the waitress came and took our orders, giving me more time to think about what I was going to say. When she'd gone I was still none the wiser on what I should talk about.
"So, you're bisexual right?" asked JC. It quite made me laugh the way it was an unsure question. I'd been the most talked about figure on television in the past few months, because of that topic. You'd have had to have lived in Mongolia to not have known about it.
"Yup. And darn proud of it!" I laughed, prompting much the same from everyone else. It seemed the guys were really comfortable with it, which was what I was hoping for, I decided against asking the guys whether or not they had any secrets to share with me.
"So, coming off that subject," started Justin, "You're signed to 'Maverick', right?"
"Yup. It's a great company. You're given a lot of artistic freedom."
"Well that's good, especially for someone like you," laughed Chris, "You seem to like having 'artistic freedom'" Once again, it was another stab at my 'controversial' ways.
"Okay, can we leave it there please!" I laughed, hoping that the whole conversation over dinner was not going to be about music. I talked enough about my career in interviews. Luckily, the waitress returned with our food and the only sound that could be heard was the ravenous chewing and swallowing of food. And I mean ravenous... if anyone saw these guys eat, they'd never call any of them effeminate again. Looking at my watch, I realised it was getting on for ten. I knew I'd better get back to my hotel room. I had a lot more work on tomorrow, I had a major photo shoot, and I wouldn't be seeing 'N Sync for at least three more weeks. I had to fly back to my house in the UK, in Surrey to do some publicity and photo-shoots in the UK. Then I was to go to London to do some re-recording for remixes to "Deceived" - just a re-recording of the vocals because we were going to release a really dark and evil mix of it.
"Well, I have to be going now," I commented, standing up as I did so, "I've got a photo shoot at one tomorrow and I'd like to get some beauty sleep"
"Hell, no, you're not going!" laughed Justin, "We're going to the club 'In Vogue' and you gotta come!" As he said this, he grabbed my arm and dragged me back down to the table. I contemplated going, so much so, that I decided that I would. Hell, there are such things as make-up artists, right?
"Okay, but I leave before 1AM" I stated, "I *need* a little sleep! I don't want to end up looking like Joey now, do I" With that, most of the group laughed except Joey, but after I flashed him a smile, he also started to giggle.
CHAPTER 3 - "Beautiful Stranger"
"Scoop... ya gotsta be quicker than that," laughed Justin, mocking Lance getting out of the understated black car extremely slowly.
"My hair will look bad if I let it mess up on the way out of the car," he retorted, "Not everyone can pull off the afro like you can Justin"
"I do not have an Afro!" he shouted back, although everyone tended to be in agreement with Lance.
"The music sounds good from out here," stated JC from the parking lot, "But what is this song?"
"Stupid dumbass," laughed Joey, "It's Britney's 'Always Find The Time' - we did not get that drunk on the way here!"
"Oh yes we did," I slurred, clutching my half-empty bottle of Vodka, "Well, let me jus' say... oh yes *I* did..." I was playing it up a little, but I always loved getting drunk. You could have so much fun! You lost all your inhibitions.
"Oh dear, who let Jonathan have the Vodka!" laughed Lance, "You look very attractive with that 'eyes-half-closed' look!" With that, I composed myself a little and admitted I had been playing it up - I hated getting to the point where I felt sick so I decided I'd drunk enough. JC was looking a little drunk, having drunk about a quarter of my Vodka in the space of five minutes. Everyone else was just getting to that 'drunk point' apart from Lance who looked a little stiff and embarrassed.
"Lance sweetie," I said, "We gotsta get you a drink"
As we walked into the club we realised it was just full enough without being crowded. The lights were low and the strobe was in full force - immediately I dragged Lance to the bar and ordered a double Vodka and Lime for him.
"Trust me," I slurred, "You'll really love it"
"You sure?" he asked, looking a little unsure.
"Yes! Yes damnit! Down it in one!" I shouted, and, to my surprise, he did as I said. I ordered him another one and he did the same. By this time, it looked as if the drink was already working as he started dancing a little and coming out of his shell. As we made our way to the dance floor we saw Joey and Chris dancing freestyle together, and Justin chatting up a girl in a dark corner. I dragged Lance onto the dance floor with Joey and Chris which immediately led Joey to attempt a slurred cheer - I noticed at least 4 empty glasses and we'd only been there about ten minutes.
"Where is JC?" I asked, scanning the room, realising he was nowhere to be seen.
"Ummm... I don't know!" said Joey, dancing his way over to me. We started joking around, dancing quite closely and sexually. I always did things like this, and it seemed Joey was much the same. Suddenly, I realised I needed to do something I hadn't done for a few days, as I had been recording and was told not to. I pulled out a packet of cigarettes and started to light one. I offered them around; Chris nodded his head in a no gesture, Joey, of course, immediately took one and grabbed my lighter and lit it. I offered one to Lance, and, to my surprise, he took one. I realised I may have got him a little too drunk
"Does Lance ever drink?" I asked Joey
"Nope. This is his first time" He replied, still smoking and dancing
"Shit!!!" I laughed, "He's smoking will you believe?"
Joey laughed and continued dancing, I went to sit down on a sofa just a short walk from the dance floor when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was JC.
"Aren't you going to offer me one?" He asked, putting a look on his face which suggested he was hurt. I offered him one and he took it, and I reached for my lighter and lit it for him.
"Where were you?" I asked, "I was looking for you everywhere!"
"I went to the bar. I've had a few drinks" He laughed
"A few?" I asked, hoping he meant a few
"Just five or six. I don't remember," he stated, before coming to sit next to me on the couch. "Hey, is that Lance smoking over there?"
"Yup!" I laughed, "I couldn't believe it either!"
We chatted for a little while longer, I ordered another drink and once it and my cigarette were finished I made my way to the dance floor again. They were playing an excellent remix of Christina Aguilera's single, "Lost In That World Of Yours" and I just thought it was excellent. In fact, I had thought Christina was pretty excellent. Both herself and Britney had really proved themselves as singers and songwriters in the past two years and they deserved all the credit they got. I decided to dance with Joey for a while, he was fun to dance with, but when I saw Lance dancing hopelessly I decided to dance along with him, just so he'd look a little better. I really enjoyed seeing Lance in high spirits and in full swing, I don't think I'd seen him this loose around me. I was glad he could relax around me, I had been a little worried that he was going to be too reserved for my liking, but it turned out, he knew how to have fun...
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All the songs I quoted throughout the story have actually been written. I love writing music and one day you may be hearing them on the radio (Ya, I wish)
Well, mail me at KylieMinogue@cwcom.net and let me know what you think!