Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 09:48:43 CDT
From: CH
Subject: In The Groove pt. 2

  Britney couldn't concentrate on her choreography. She was frustrated about
it, and it showed. She threw everyone else off twice. After the second
mess-up, the choreographer came over and pulled her to the side. 'Yeah, like
I could tell him the truth,' Britney thought as she apologized. She made
herself concentrate on "the effort", as Nigel Dick had put it to her. She
was happy to be doing a show after this shoot; it would help ease some of
this tension she couldn't place. She looked at herself as she danced, noting
her hard nipples and heavy breathing pattern. It was almost as if she
couldn't control herself. 'But duh, Britney,' she told herself as she went
thru her routine perfectly. 'Guess who'll be at the show tomorrow? Jasmine.
Guess who's been at the last few shows? Jasmine. It won't get any better for
you,kid,'she thought, sighing under her own wailing voice blaring out of the
speakers.
"Okay, that's a great run-through, take 20!" the instructor said, patting
Britney on the back. She went over to get a bottle of water,and sat down on
the floor to watch Jasmine. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it all,
and wanted to take her time about it, yet and still......
  Britney recalled the moment when she first met Jas a few weeks ago:
*"Hi, everyone, this is Jasmine, our new dancer," the instructor said,
presenting her. Jasmine smiled shyly and said hello. The other dancers
welcomed her first, then Britney, who tried her best to make her feel
comfortable.*
  But Jasmine had never let her guard down completely,which perplexed a few
members of the entourage. When they were on the tour buses, they joked
around and had bull sessions on topics like art, movies, and relationships.
Britney noticed that she and Jas often laughed at the same things and shared
views on shopping and love. But, for the most part, Jasmine stayed in the
background, glowing only when she was onstage, and when she wasn't even
aware of it.
  Britney yearned for Jasmine when she was glowing. When she had that sexy,
intense, pouty, 1/2 asleep expression on her face. Jasmine would curl up and
listen to everyone wearing that expression, sometimes joining in. Britney
could not help but become quiet and study her from behind her shades. At
those times, she wanted to go over next to her and curl up around her. Why,
she wasn't quite sure. But she knew that Jasmine turned her on. And maybe
she turned Jasmine on, too. Justin was great, but this was something else,
something deeper. Britney thought about one enlightening conversation the
girls had had last week about media images of women. Jasmine had become very
vocal then: "I think women should feel beautiful about their fullness.
Sticks are for brooms!!!  Women need weight on them just like men do; we
need weight to remain healthy and bear children. Women with actual SHAPES
are beautiful to me, women like Jennifer Lopez, Tyra, and Britney Spears."
  Britney was surprised. "Wow, thanks Jasmine! I feel so strong now. It's
never been put to me like that before."
  "Well, it's the truth. You're welcome," Jasmine said sincerely. Jasmine
and Britney looked at each other for a minute, then Jasmine started talking
about guys. During the show that night, Britney shook everything that her
momma gave her proudly, smiling at Jasmine often. That night after the show,
in the hotel room, she touched herself all over, wanting to dial Jasmine's
extension so bad......
  But she hadn't, she'd kept her feelings below the surface,and still they
flowed like a current. How she wished she could swim in Jasmine's
current........

TBC....