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“Distant Faces”


**~Chapter Three: Just Another Day

It was really great to lie back and let the morning sun wake me up. Its been a while since I had the chance to wake up at whatever time I felt like before rushing off to do something for the press, media, tour, rehearsals, conference or fans. But today, yes today was my day off. In fact since our recent tour just let up, I’m back in my house living it up in California. I like the idea of lying back and catching up on some sleep, I mean who doesn’t.

The warm air outside filters through the open slide glass door I left ajar last night from my balcony. I hear the soft meowing of my black and white cat Federline as he runs into my room hopping up on the counter. He was a stray cat Nick found when we all came back to California last night and he insisted I name the poor thing that name. Heh, I’m sure there’s a joke within it, you get the idea.

The cat’s slick fur glistened in the early sun rays as he paws at me indicting he wanted food. I honestly wanted to shove the cat away but I’m in a nice mood, so he’s lucky. Sitting up, I toss the cool crisp covers aside, getting up from the bed as I pad my way over to the bathroom. After freshening up, I start to make my way down the hallway feeling the cat’s tail encircle my ankles.

I don’t know why I offered to take the feline in, none of the other guys were eager to take him and I really didn’t want another animal since I’m barely home at times. But cats can adapt, I’ll figure something out.

I almost trip over the large cat before me as I head to the exclusively designed kitchen. It’s amazing what money can get you. Every little thing I ever wanted as a child I can afford now. But most of my money is saved up. Isn’t it weird? Normally people would go out and spend it. But I have different plans for the money set aside. I want to be able to save up for my future family, to be able to get whatever my child wants that I never had. And most of all to provide for my girl: my princess.

I stroll into the kitchen, tugging on my boxers as I see a note she left behind. She went out for groceries. Heh the last time I did that I was tackled by girls over a can of Spaghetti O’s, ok well it was more they wanted to touch me than the can but you get the drift. Federline starts biting my ankle softly as if rushing me to open the food already. I don’t know if I even had any cat food at the moment but I started my search, opening every dark mahogany cabinet around the kitchen I have until I spot a bag of dry cat food in one. Grabbing it, I flip on the radio as I go in search of a plate or something to feed the cat that was now biting my leg as if it was a piece of ham.

I fling the cat off me gently as I pour the food into a glass plate, setting it down before him. The cat leaps to the plate immediately devouring the food. “Damn…hungry little pussy you are.”

Stretching my arms overhead I hear the soft cracking of my limbs letting the sleep finally ease its way out of my body. Finding some eggs, I decide to make a sandwich and I busily work at finding the ingredients, the news humming softly in the background. While I was padding down the omelet after fighting in how to make it, I eat lost in thought, the news murmuring in the background. The sound of the phone in the hallway blinks me out of my thoughts and I munch on the omelet, Federline gazing at me as if he too wanted some of the food.

“Bad cat. Its mine.” I manage to eat the last bite, shoving it in my mouth as I answer the phone: “Eyro.” I mumble chewing on my food as snickering is heard on the other line.

“Haha bro got your mouth full I see.” I hear Nick’s playful voice on the other line snicker. “Swallow.” He cracks up as I roll my eyes finishing the sandwich.

I smile, swallowing as I lean on the wall: “Heh…shut up. What is it?”

“Hey you swallowed.” Nick snickers. “Kevin just finished calling me. Thought you might wanna take interest in the news recently.”

“Eh why? Pearlman starting up with us again?”

“Oh no no screw him. This is something that I think you might want to take interest in if anything.” Nick states excitedly, gripping the phone in his hands.

“Uh you gonna tell me or should I just take a wild guess.” I scratch my head covering up a yawn.

“Dude just turn it on to ABC real quick, they’re covering a prison issue and I think you might wanna check it out.”

I exhale, rolling my eyes as I walk into one of the many rooms the house has, this one my study hall quickly turning on the television to the channel. “Uh ok what am I suppose to look at?”

“Shh just watch man.” Nick grins, drumming his fingers on the table.

I have no idea what Nick is thinking, but I plop on the leather office seat, gazing at the plasma screen flashing images of an upstate prison somewhere in the Eastern side of the country. I was about to turn off the tv ready to tell Nick to go bother A.J. or someone else when I blink and stand up gazing at the screen. I take a few more steps closer to the screen cause I thought I was imagining things. In the background of the reporter talking about the lack of health care within the prison setting, I see a group of prisoners sitting at a table playing cards. One of them stood out.

“Hey D…D you there? You watching? Howieeeeeeeeeeeee say something man you there?” Nick frowns, gazing at his nails.

I blink managing to whisper out: “I’m here…”

“Heh…you see the guy in the back right? Doesn’t he look a lot like you?”

“Big time. That’s a bit freaky.” I run a hand through my hair stunned by the minor revelation. “Well, there goes my twin.”

“They always say someone has another person out there in this world that looks just like them.” Nick taps his free hand on a counter amused.

“Well ain’t that something. And who are they Nick?”

“Huh? I don’t know but they always say that though.”

“Right but I mean who are they?” I grin knowing this was going to confused the man quickly.

“They the people. You know…they.” Nick shrugs, gazing at his tv set as I hear him cracking his knuckles nervously.

“Uh huh…that’s what I thought. They heh.” I smirk hearing Nick getting annoyed on the other end.

“Hey! Wait…you were picking on me!” Nick frowns as I start to snicker easily amused with him.

“Haha.” I watch the screen gazing at the group of men in the background, one of them staring at the camera as I blink. That face. I know that face. It’s my face and it was staring into the camera, almost as if he knew, that other me, that other face knew I could be watching. Getting a sudden eerie feeling, I shut off the tv walking out of the room as Nick starts to ramble on about something a girl did to him the other day.

I was barely listening at this point, the whole image from the television remained implanted in my mind while I shuffle to the den hearing the front door knock. “Uh look, Nick I gotta let you go, someone’s at my door.”

“Who’s at your door?! Dude you have a freaking gate and alarm security set miles off the house.” Nick blurts out annoyed about the idea of me hanging up on him.

“Yeah you’re right, its probably one of the security or someone, prob the maid. Anyway I’ll talk to you later ok.”

“Eh…yeah yeah I get it. I’m gonna go find a girl. Gimme a name, maybe I can in search for a girl with the name just for kicks.”

Raising my eyebrows, I look up to the ceiling wondering if God was having a good time at Nick’s expense and I smirk: “Uh I don’t know. Uhhh, Amanda? Amy? Amara? I don’t know. I gotta answer the door. Bye.” I hang up, tossing the cordless phone aside, opening the front door to see Kevin there.

“Morning.” I grab a robe putting it on, letting him in. Kevin keeps eyeing me oddly as he pets Federline who was now content purring like crazy. “What’s with the visit? I thought you were tired of seeing me from all the touring.” I smirk, locking the door behind Kevin who strolls over to the sofa lying back.

“Nothing much…I was bored. Kristen is out shopping and Brian is too busy with his family at the moment. So I came to see you.”

“Why not Alex?” I take a seat across from him, propping my legs up on the glass coffee table.

“Heh, look at the time. You know he’s not up at this time. Its too early for him.”

“Its ten thirty in the morning its not early.”

Kevin snorts: “This is Alex we’re talking about.”

I feel a smirk cross my face as I eye him: “Yeah, heh. So what’s with the visit?”

Kevin tosses me a newspaper as it lands on my lap with a plop. I accommodate myself on the couch, picking up the newspaper flipping through it.

“Page A8 under Investigation prison extortion.” He settles back on the sofa as Federline pounces on him curling up on his lap.

Raising my eyebrows I turn there and shrugs: “What about it?”

“Look at the picture. Do you see the guy in the back standing up on the bleachers? He’s right near the reporter.”

“Ohhhh…” I blink, seeing my face there wondering what the media will think of me now after seeing this. “Nick just finished calling me about it to see the news.”

“And what do you think?”

“What do you mean? There’s someone out there that looks like me. It doesn’t mean anything. That’s him, I’m me.” I simply ended the topic. The more we talked about it, the antsier I was getting. So what there happens to be someone that just happens to look like you. They’re them and have their own lives.

Kevin shifts and smirks: “Heard that other guy in the back is pretty famous among there. He got caught trafficking illegal possessions of weapons. Guns of all kind I think.”

“Oh…ok.” For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why Kevin even cared or considered telling me about this.

“Kev its not that big of a deal. The media won’t look at that. I don’t have to worry about them coming to me harassing me for it.”

Kevin sits up, pushing the large cat off him: “You’re right. I don’t have to worry about you. Thank God too and you’re not Nick so its ok.”

I smirk, “I’m gonna call him over I feel bad. He wants company and his friends are a little crazy for him.”

“We can do a guy night or something later on. Or maybe a nice dinner that doesn’t involve Brian getting into the kitchen.” Kevin grins as I let out a snicker.

“Sounds good then.” I smile, tossing the newspaper aside as the conversation topic jumped to something milder and entertaining.
~*~

Brian’s laughter flooded the hallways as Nick tumbles back from his seat at the sound of someone passing gas.

“Egh dude that’s nasty! I’m eating here!” A.J. retorts, frowning at the scent.

“What did you eat before getting here Rock?” Nick smirks, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“I’m telling you my wife makes this amazing meal and I couldn’t offer to pass it up.”

“Ok what part of we’re having a dinner party did you not get?” A.J. slurps up a noodle grinning.

“Hey I can eat at both places, I’m a man, I can sustain both meals.” Brian grins cheekily looking over at me. “Hey D good food, I know you didn’t make it yourself so did your girlfriend help out?”

I smile remaining quiet: “Actually I ordered out.”

“What?! Ah come on! We could have met at some restaurant if it wasn’t home cooked.” A.J. tosses his rolled up napkin at me as I dodge and duck to my left avoiding it.

Kevin smiles: “Man that sucks. Here I was going to congratulate you on the nice meal and its not even yours.”

“Its mine…I paid for it.” I smile getting a few playful boos and snickers. “Oh what? Come on.” I smirk, seeing Brian messing around with the stereo in my living room as a single from Janet Jackson blast out causing the others to crack up.

“Nice one D. You and Miss Janet, it’s too late man. She’s with that Jermaine guy you should have made your move back then.” A.J. laughs hard, holding his stomach.

I sit back snickering as the guys get up and dance around jokily to “I Get Lonely.” It was a nice ending to the free day I had and I couldn’t wait to fully enjoy the rest of what my vacation had to offer. Cause before I know it I’ll be back on tour and I’d kick myself if I didn’t go out and do things when I had the chance.
~**~


**~To Be Continued…~**