Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 12:29:25 CDT
From: CH
Subject: Into The Groove 18
"Okay, so what time does "Entertainment Tonight" come on?" Julie,
Jasmine's sister, asked as she walked into the Hall family's living room,
Healthy Choice dinner in hand.
"Um, in a few minutes. They say it's breaking news about "Barbie"
Spears, and Jasmine is on tour with her, so I thought we should watch. To
just make sure she's okay," Porsha,Jasmine's mother, said, scanning the
Prevue channel.
"When was the last time she called?" Julie asked, noting her mother's
semi-crazed expression.
"Last month sometime. I really hope this works out for her, this
dance thing.I don't support her. She never went to college...what if she
twists something, or breaks her back.....that would be it..." Jas's mom
trailed off.
Jasmine's father, Marc, joined the family in the den, wondering why
they weren't watching the 49ers game, as had been planned. He frowned when
he realised they were watching "Entertainment Tonight".
"What are we watching this for?"
"Because they said they had something to announce about Britney
Spears. Maybe she died or something."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jasmine stood outside the hotel in Sweden, in the phone booth. They
were in Sweden to record for Britney's upcoming album. She searched her messy
purse for her calling card, the rain pelting the booth. For some reason, she
felt lonely for her family, even though they didn't really understand or
appreciate her existense. But she needed very badly to feel some sort of
connection. They HAD been there with her through her bad times; they had
caused most of them. Finally, she found the card, and went through the
motions of placing the call. The auto-operator announced "It is 7:00 where
you are calling." A wave of fear trickled through her body. Her family made
her so nervous sometimes. Ring......Ring.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Goddamnit! Who knocked me off the computer NOW?" Bridgette, Jasmine's
baby sister, said. " I was in the middle of a good
fanfic....uh....nevermind...." She picked up the phone quickly. "Hello?"
"Uh, Bridgette?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"Jasmine! You should know my voice! I know yours! Why did it take you
so long to pick up? Did you guys just get back in?" Jas asked, strangely
longing to be at her cozy home....used-to-be-home.
"No, everyone's right here. I was online, reading this good
story.They're in the den watching....something, the game i think. Do you want
to speak to mom?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Okay, hold on. Moooooooooommmm............Jassssssssss." Bridgette
drew out, running the phone over to her mom on the couch.
"Hello?"
"Mom?"
"Jasmine! I was just thinking about you! We're watching "E.T."
..they're talking about Britney right now....."
Jasmine gulped, wondering what they were saying about her.
"Jasmine, you're on tv! Do you see yourself? You're holding hands
with......Britney....."
"Huh? I am? I'm in Sweden.... Oh, my....." Jas said, realising what
her family was seeing.
"JASMINE IS WHAT???OMG.... JASMINE IS GAY!!!!" Julie yelled, her
fork falling out of her mouth. Her father leaped from his ez-chair.
" Jasmine?"
"Is Jasmine on the phone right now? Oh My God, let me speak to
her." Julie demanded. Her mother held her back.
Bridgette waited in the den for the conversation to end so she
could get back online. 'Jasmine's gay, whoop-de-doo' she thought.
"I'm still here."
"Is it true, baby? And Britney too?" her father asked, getting on
an extension.
Julie was in the corner, complaining and crying hysterically: "On
top of everything else, she's gay. What a weirdo I have for a sister. And she
can't just be gay in Las Vegas. No, she has to be flaming for the whole damn
world to see, with that stiff pop star." She wiped the tears from her eyes,
but they continued to run.
"Yes, it's true. It's true, valid.We love each other. That's why
I......called," she forced out.
The phone disconnected.
Jasmine pursed her lips, closing her eyes tight to hold her
feelings in until she got back to the Waldorf. Alex, her fellow dancer,
studied her from his hotel room window, feeling bad for her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Britney stared into Max Martin's face as he scribbled on the paper that
she'd been singing from. She watched him draw through words, add on, and
erase over and over.
This was the 4th and,hopefully, final song they were recording from
Sweden. From there, the rest would be done at the Hit Factory in New York. So
far, they'd done "..Oops", "Stronger" and "Lucky". Out of them all, she
loved " "Lucky" the best. Max really had a way of digging into her soul and
finding lyrics that reached out to her. But this song in particular that they
were recording, was not up to her par. They were just messing around with
this one, it was an alternate for a B-side for a single.
"Okay....here.....let's try this one now."
Britney grinned, got up, and went into the booth.
She sighed, and began.
"Hit me baby cause sometimes you drive me crazy.........." she tossed
the paper down.
She screamed in frustration.
"Max, is this a joke? You're kidding, right??? Right?"
"Britney, this is how Johnny wants it."
"Johnny who?"
"Your manager? Remember?" He began laughing.
"I don't think so! But yeah, how could I forget him?"
She smiled.
"Look, i was just trying to cheer you up. I mean, you've been hitting
the songs fantastic, and that makes for.......how you say...... good song.
But you haven't smiled once. I don't want you to turn into a machine."
"Max, I have a song that I wrote that I'd like to do acapella for you."
"Okay, shoot B."
She went over to her purse and got the song out she'd printed off the
disk. She'd just written it last night in the tub.
(Author's note. I wrote this.)
Desire
By: Britney Spears
1.
I see you grooving in the club
And I can tell you ain't no scrub...
So darlin please look this way
Cause I just really wanna say...
Chorus:
Please,please light my fire
It's all about sexual desire
Girl, I'm getting damn tired
Being alone with this desire......
2.
I know where we can be alone
Just follow me to my private home
Go up the stairs,unplug the phone
Turn down the sheets, cause girl it's on....
Chorus:
Please,Please light my fire
It's all about sexual desire
Girl, I'm getting damn tired
Being alone with this desire.
Bridge:
I'm not into wasting time
With this hectic life of mine
So it's about time to start this rhyme
Come out from behind
Yourself and let's get to the grind
Girl....
Chorus until end..
Britney sang her heart out until the end. When she was done, she felt
releived.
Max was staring at her.
"What did you think, Max?"
"Britney, that's a very...mature song. Um....are you singing "girl"
instead of "boy"?"
"Yes, I am."
"What prompted you to write this song?"
"Oh, I was just fooling around last night, and it just came out."
"Oh. What about the girl part?"
Britney felt as if everyone had beat her sexuality to death. She
sighed and explained that she was bi.
"Oh, I see," Max said. "Well,I like the song. We can work with it,
see what we can change around....."
Britney cleared her throat. "What do you mean, change? The content?"
"I mean the rhyme meter."
"Oh, okay!" Britney sat up straight. She also had some other song
ideas, but those she would present in New York next week.......
"Britney, you have visitors."
"Dad?" she asked, shocked. "Omg...Brian.....mom..."
TBC....