Conflicts of Interest: A Justin Fanfiction Saga

Chapter One: Impressions

Disclaimer: I am not a member of 'N Sync, and I don't know them either. But this story is mine, and all characters and situations are pure fiction. Any similarities to actual incidents is purely coincidental. I own my characters, including Madeline, Jeffrey, Natalie, Jenna, Ron, Prof. Duarte and Nathan. Plagiarism is really bad.

Lying in your arms / So close together / Didn't know just what I had / Now I toss and turn / 'Cause I'm without you / How I'm missing you so bad

Where was my head / Where was my heart / Now I cry alone in the dark

I lie awake / I drive myself crazy / Drive myself crazy / Thinking of you / Made a mistake when I let you go baby / I drive myself crazy wanting you the way that I do

I was such a fool / I couldn't see it / Just how good you were to me / You confessed your love / Undying devotion / I confessed my need to be free / And now I'm left with all this pain / I've only got myself to blame, no

Why didn't I know it (How much I love you baby) / Why couldn't I show it (If I had only told you ) / When I had the chance / Oh I had the chance

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"You've got to be kidding me," J.C. Chasez groaned, throwing up his hands. "When?"

"This morning," Jeffrey Nettle replied, scratching his beard and tipping back in his office chair. "She went to bed last night, and when she woke up this morning, boom! Mono."

"But Jeanne was the best person," Chris Kirkpatrick protested, sitting down. "We have no other acting friends who are free."

"Does she have to be a friend?" the director asked.

"It would be nice," Joey Fatone said. "This is first video we're doing that has a substantial female presence, not to mention a romantic plotline. We cast a friend so it'd be easier on us, the press, and of course our little buddy here."

"Excuse me," said a voice behind them.

They turned to the young blond in warm-ups and polo shirt slumped in a chair, disappointed at the news. "Don't I get a say in this? I'm the one that's doing the romantic-hero stuff."

"All right, Justin," J.C. said, walking over to him. "What do you think?"

Eighteen-year-old Justin Timberlake looked up at his friends, his bandmates. Truthfully he'd been a little nervous about this video since its conception, and had been relieved when Jeanne, a childhood friend and actress his age, had agreed to star in it with him. It alleviated the stress and attention, having someone he was already comfortable with help him through his first on-screen romance - even if it was only for three minutes.

Justin had grinned to himself at the crestfallen look on teen-magazine reporters' faces when he'd tell them, "Oh yeah, the actress who plays my girlfriend is actually an old childhood buddy, so ..." No fodder for the press.

But now it looked as if he wouldn't get that privilege.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Madeline Lee milled around the lobby of the casting agency, restless after making small talk with the other extras. She needed to find the bathroom. She had enough time before their meeting with the wardrobe coordinator. Basically she'll tell us all to bring black dresses, she thought wryly as she turned down a corridor.

There was just one bathroom, and the door was locked. A fire-exit sign indicated a stairwell, so Madeline pattered up quietly, not knowing where it led. She found herself on some sort of executive floor, and made her way to the restroom. Again, the door was locked.