Valerie & Justin pulled away from each other quickly and turned around to see Nikki standing in the living room doorway.

"So this is what's really been going on between you two this whole time? You both actually had me fooled, but I guess the truth always catches up to you in the end, huh Val?" Nikki asked in a disgusted tone.

"I can explain it all, I swear," Valerie began, but Nikki interrupted her.

"Don't even waste your breath, I heard the whole conversation. You're not the same person I used to know anymore, you've changed. What happened to my real best friend? The one who'd never do this to anyone much less Lance, who if you haven't noticed, is head over heels in love with you and would do anything for you. I thought I knew you, but I guess not." She turned to leave the room, but Valerie ran after her, grabbing her arm so she couldn't walk away.

"Please, just listen to me."

Nikki whipped around to look at her with complete anger and disappointment in her eyes. "No, you got yourself into this mess and you're sure as hell gonna get yourself out of it. In fact, you're going to get yourself out of it right now, because you're going to tell Lance what's really been going on between you and Justin."

"I was going to tell him anyway, honestly Nikki."

"I'm sure you were, but it doesn't matter now cuz you're gonna tell him right now."

She grabbed Valerie's wrist and pulled her out of the room into the kitchen where everyone else was.

"Lance, Valerie has something she needs to tell you," she told Lance.

Lance looked up from the kitchen table where he sat with the others. He saw how distraught Valerie looked and how pissed Nikki was, and he began to fear the worst.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Um, Lance can I speak to you in the other room instead?" Valerie asked, not wanting to have to tell him this in front of all their friends.

"No, Valerie, you're going to tell him in front of everyone. I'm sure they already know, and if not it's time they found out also," Nikki commanded through clenched teeth.

"What's going on?" Lance asked, confused as ever now. Nikki never told Valerie what do like that, and why would Valerie want to talk to him in private but Nikki not let her?

Nikki elbowed Valerie in the ribs, so she spoke up, "I guess I might as well come out and say it. I never wanted to tell you this, or even have done this to you at all, but I did," she took a deep breath and swallowed hard, her throat dry and in knots because this was the hardest thing she's ever had to tell him. "Lance, I... I cheated on you with Justin."

Lance was too stunned to say a word. He couldn't believe what she had just told him, this couldn't be happening. He wished this would all just turn out to be one bad nightmare and he would wake up any minute now, but it wasn't. As soon as the others had heard Valerie drop the bomb on Lance, they knew it was their cue to exit. They quietly snuck out of the kitchen, leaving Valerie and Lance alone to talk.

A few minutes later as the shock wore off and grew into anger, Lance finally found hi voice and asked, "Why did you?"

Valerie shook her head, unable to look him in the eye as she answered, "I don't know. I mean, I thought I had started to have feeling for Justin, and things got so out of control that I finally just couldn't do anything about it."

"Are you still with him?"

"He broke things off with me the night you got here, because he said I had to choose between you and him and I couldn't leave you. Then tonight when you went into the kitchen after JC called for you, he apologized and asked for another chance. I tried to say no to him, I really did, Lance, but I just couldn't and that's when Nikki walked in and brought me out here to tell you." Lance got up from his seat, and began pacing around the kitchen. He stopped and looked at her suddenly, unable to control his anger, as he exclaimed, "I can't believe you, Val! Damnit, I trusted you with everything I had! You even gave me your word, I thought that's all I had to depend on!"

"Lance, I'm sorry!"

"Don't even say you're sorry, because if you truly were you would have never done this to me."

Valerie took a step closer to him, softening her tone, saying, "I am sorry, and I want nothing more than for things to be right again. I never meant for this to happen or to hurt you in anyway possible. You have to believe me, because I love you."

"Do you really? Or did you just tell Justin the same thing also?"

"How can you even ask me this, Lance? What, do you think I've been lying to you the 14 years I've known you?"

"Wouldn't pass me by, cuz you've sure as hell lied to me recently. So, why not then too?"

"But I didn't, and I'm not lying to you right now."

"It doesn't matter now, anyway, Val. I won't be able to ever look at you the same now, so whatever you say doesn't affect anything at this moment. I never thought you'd be the one to do this to me, ever. But, hey, we're all wrong about something once in our lives, right?"

"No, Lance, we can work through this, I promise. If we truly love each other, nothing else should matter! We can push past this, and I'll do everything I can to make things right again."

"Nothing you can do will ever make things right again, can't you see that? You say you truly love me, but how can you when you've cheated on me?"

Valerie was at a loss for words, she didn't know how to answer that question. Lance just nodded knowingly, and added, "That's what I thought."

Before Valerie could reply, there was a light knock on the kitchen door. Valerie and Lance turned to see Libby in the kitchen doorway, her cordless phone in hand.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Val you need to take this call, it's very important," she explained.

"I'll be in there in a minute, OK Lib?" Valerie told her.

Libby nodded and left the room. Valerie turned back to Lance, and asked, "I have to take this call, so can we please finish talking about this afterward?"

Lance shrugged, replying, "There's nothing really left to talk about."

"Yes, there is, cuz I don't want to just give up on us. Lance, I know we can work this out if we try hard enough. Please don't give up on me yet."

"Val, I still love you, nothing's ever going to change that, but right now I don't think I can still be with you. You're not the same person to me anymore, you've changed. I want to work things out, I honestly do, but I'm afraid your heart's just not in the same place as mine anymore."

"Atleast give me a chance to prove different. We'll never find out if it we can make this work unless we try, Lance, and what do we have to lose now?"

My sanity for one, he thought to himself. "Just take the call and I'll think about it, OK?"

"I'm taking that as a yes." She walked out of the kitchen and back into the kitchen. Libby and the others had been waiting in there to find out what had happened, but she wasn't ready to tell them yet, not until her and Lance figured things out first.

"Took you long enough," Libby told Valerie, handing her the phone.

"Who is it?" Val asked.

"Johnny Wright, he's a manager. He has a proposal he would like to run by with you."

Val nodded in understanding. "Thanks." She lifted the phone into her ear, asking into the receiver, "Hello, Mr. Wright? This is Valerie."

"Call me Johnny, Mr. Wright is too formal. How are you today, Valerie?"

"Very good," she lied completely, "and you?"

"Very good indeed. Listen, Valerie, I should just cut to the chase. I called you today about a new girl group I'm managing. After hearing your demo, I decided you'd be the best addition to the group. I would like you to audition in New York at my office in Jives Records this Friday if you're interested."

"Wow, thanks. I'm definitely interested in auditioning."

Johnny told her the details concerning the audition and gave her the directions to his office at Jive Records. After she hung up with him, Valerie called her mom and told her about the audition. She arranged a flight for herself and Nikki to New York for Thursday night. They would be meeting up with Valerie's mom at the New York airport and staying the night at the hotel closest to the Jive building and then afterward until they received word on if Valerie would be joining the group or not.

Valerie was ecstatic that she had gotten a call already after only a week and a 1/2, but soon the excitement wore off. When she first decided to make the demo Lance and her had made plans that if she got an audition with a record company or manager he'd go with her, but now it looked like he definitely wouldn't be going with her. She needed him there with her, though. He was the one that had been encouraging her this whole time to follow her dreams. If it hadn't been for him she would have never even made it this far, and now he wouldn't be there for her during the rest of the way.

Justin walked back into the living room a half an hour later to see Valerie sitting alone on the couch. She was just hanging up with her mom after telling her the whole story of the past month and a 1/2 and receiving the best motherly advice her mother could offer. Her mom was the only person Valerie thought she could turn to at that moment, and her reassuring words helped for a while, but soon the worry and fears of her and Lance not getting back together came back.

"Val?" Justin asked, getting her attention.

"Hey," she greeted him with a weak smile.

He walked over to the couch, sitting down next to her. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm not, I've basically fallen to pieces already."

"Look, Val, I'm really sorry this had to happen the way it has, and I feel it's all my fault. If you want me to go and tell Lance that it's all my fault I will, cuz it really is."

"No, Justin, it's OK. It's not your fault anyway, it's all mine. I shouldn't have let things get this far out of hand, and should've ended it all before it even started. I'm the one that should be sorry, and I truly am, because I've just ruined two great relationships with two great guys."

"I don't know if I'm that great, but I'll take it as a compliment."

Valerie was touched by his effort to make her feel better when he was hurting just as much inside over this all. She just wish she wasn't the one to be causing him pain like this, or Lance either.

"Can I ask you something, though?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Do you think if you and Lance hadn't been together that we might have stayed together?"

"Justin, you're really sweet, and I love you to death, but I think we're better off as friends like we were before. And as for if I hadn't been with Lance, I really don't know. I guess that's just something we'll never know."

"Yeah," Justin replied sadly.

"I'm sorry, J, I really am," Valerie said, almost in tears because she could see how much pain she was really causing him.

"Don't be."

"I still am no matter what, though. Are we still best friends?"

A small smile crept across his face, making Valerie smile as well as he answered sincerely, "Always."

Soon Wednesday night rolled around quicker than Valerie expected. She only had one more day left with her friends in Orlando before her and Nikki left for New York. Atleast she had one of her best friends with her along the way still. Libby and Nikki had set up a congratulations party for her since none of them except Nikki would see her after the auditions to congratulate her then if she made it into the group. The decorations were all set up, cake made with the usual congratulations message, and everyone was in the kitchen except Lance and Valerie, though.

"I told Val to be out here at 7 and it's already 7:30. This is bullshit, I'm gonna go talk to her," Libby informed the others, leaving the kitchen and walking down the hall to Valerie's room.

She lightly knocked on the door then let herself in. "Why aren't you out there?" she asked bluntly.

Valerie looked up at Libby, her face was tear stained and her eyes were red and puffy form crying. "Libby, I can't do this. I can't make it out there alone without Lance. He's the only reason I've gone this far. What am I going to do when he's not there by my side anymore? He won't even listen to me as is," she told Libby.

Libby sat down next to Valerie on the bed, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It's gonna be OK, Val. Just give me time to talk to him and we'll get this all straightened out. But no matter what you can't give up on your dreams. Get in there and fight for what makes you happy, even if you have to do it alone."

"The only dream I have left is to be with Lance again. I don't care if I never make it in the music business, all I want is him, Libby. And that's the most sincere statement I've ever made in my life."

"You listen to me, Val, OK? If you and Lance are truly meant to be, which you are, you'll both find your way back to each other. It may take years, or only a few days, but you two will be together in the end. Just believe in the love you two share, and that's all the hope you'll need."

"You really think that?"

"I know it."

"Thanks, Libby, you've always been good at making me feel better. I just hope you're right."

"I am right; you'll see. Now get out there! It's your party, and there's no more crying!"

Valerie gave her older cousin a warm hug then got up from the bed and walked out of the room to the kitchen. Libby sighed, looking at her reflection in the dresser mirror before her. This is gonna take a lot of effort to get Lance's stubborn ass to listen to me, she thought. She stood up, and walked out of the room, following in Valerie's footsteps to the kitchen.

"I'll be right back, you guys. I have to pick up some more soda and chips. Save me a piece of cake, alright J?" she told anyone who was listening.

"I can't promise that, Lib," Justin said, waving a plate with a large piece of chocolate cake on it.

Nikki picked up a piece of excess icing and threw it at him. "I'll make sure he doesn't eat it all, don't worry," she reassured her.

Libby smiled, mouthing 'thanks' to her. As she turned to leave out the side door of the kitchen, Justin threw a larger piece of icing at Nikki and JC and all hell broke loose. Libby just laughed, thanking the Lord she was already out of the house by then.

She started her way down the street towards Justin's house, only 2 houses away. She had lied to the others when she said she was going to the store, she was really going to Justin's to talk to Lance. What they don't know won't hurt them, she thought.

Reaching Justin's front door, she knocked and was greeted by Lance. Lynn had been at the party also so Lance had been left all by himself. "Hey," he greeted unenthusiastically.

"Aw, it can't be that bad," Libby said sympathetically as he let her inside.

"You're right, it's worse. And lemme guess, you came here to talk to me about Valerie?"

"Lance, you know how I hate lectures, so I'm not going to make this one. I just think you should really talk to her. You're not only losing a girlfriend from this, you're also losing your best friend and you know that."

"Yeah, I know," Lance replied, sitting down on the couch and gesturing for her to sit next to him.

She did as was told. Once she had sat down, she turned to face him on the couch and looked him straight in the eye as she said, "Do you realize that she's thinking about giving up singing cuz of what's happening between you two? She said you're the only reason she's gotten this far, and she's scared to death that she won't be able to make it without you."

"She said that?"

Libby nodded. "Why so surprised?"

"Music's been her life since she was able to sing, and it's been her dream to sing professionally for that long, too. I just never thought she'd want to give up because of me. She shouldn't either."

"Tell her that, not me, Lance."

"I can't."

"Why? Why can't you just sit down and talk to her? It doesn't have to be about what happened, just talk to her. It's been almost a full week and she's been crying nonstop the whole time you haven't been talking to her."

"She should've thought about this before she cheated on me, though, Lib."

"You know Val, she never thinks before she acts; and when she does act she does it with all her passion and heart put into it. I know that's one of the things you love most about her also. I know a lot about you two, Lance, and one of the things I also know is that the love you two both share is very unique and hard to find. It's the strongest kinda and is made to last forever. You can't just give up on your love because she made a stupid mistake. She said she was sorry and she truly meant it, that should be all you need to forgive her."

"I want to forgive her so badly, Lib, I really do! But every time I try to, I see a picture of her with Justin or something and it drives me crazy just thinking about them together."

"Lansten, what have we learned about jealousy in the past? It was your jealousy almost 2 months ago that brought them closer together," he opened his mouth to interrupt her, but she continued before her could. "I'm not trying to blame you for what's happened, I'm just saying you can't let jealousy get the best of you. Especially not now and when if you've experienced how bad jealousy can mess things up."

"Yeah, I know."

"You say you do, but what are you going to do about it then?"

"I guess I could talk to her, but I'm afraid that because I've ignored her so much the past week that she won't listen to what I have to say now."

"That's why you surprise her. Catch her off guard, and make her listen to you."

"And how do I do that?"

"OK, I've got an idea, but you've gotta listen very carefully and say not a word to anyone about it. You got me?"

"Yeah, whatever you have to say that will help, I'm all ears."

"Good, now hold on a minute while I make a call real quick."

"Alright."

Libby pulled out her cell phone from her coat pocket, and dialed the familiar Mississippi number. After 4 rings the other line picked up.

"Hello?" an older woman answered.

"Aunt Christine? It's me Libby. Lance and I have to ask you a favor..."

Valerie sat alone on Libby's back porch after the party was over. She was looking up at the Heavens, watching the stars and occasional airplane that would pass by when she took notice of a shooting star soaring across the sky. She quickly shut her eyes and wished the first thing that came to mind.

"Wish I may, wish I might, grant my wish on the first star I see tonight. Please, help Lance and I to work through this and hopefully stay together for as long as our love will last, but if not, please let him live a good life and find the right girl to make him happy forever," she whispered into the darkness.