As Long As You Love Me

1

I would have never imagined that this guy would be the love of my life, when I saw him for the first time entering the room. An eleven, maybe twelve years old boy with curly blond hair and clear blue eyes, who was holding his mom's hand, stood in front of us and was introduced by our producer as the new member of the Mickey Mouse Club "Justin".

I was 17 years old and was already about four years part of the cast. Kind of the big brother for the younger members and those, who came new to the show. Just as Justin did in that moment. He wasn't the only new member, we got this year. The show ran under the slogan "A show for kids from kids", which meant that the members, who turned 18 had to leave the show, because they became more or less adults. I knew this was going to be my last year at the show and I knew I was going to miss all of it. But I run off the topic.

The day before we already got introduced to most of the new members like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling and some more. Justin was the only one, who came one day after all the others, because of his mom's wish, as I came to know later. Everyone was looking at the little guy, who tried to hide behind his mom and didn't seem to be really happy about this situation. Actually that's not a big surprise. I guess everyone would be a little insecure, when everyone in the room stared at him.

I was the first one, who went toward the young boy with a slight smile on my face. "Hey Justin, I'm JC." I introduced myself to him, reaching out my hand for a handshake. I was surprised, when the insecure, little boy suddenly stepped out of his mom's shadow and shook my hand confidently. "Nice to meet you, JC. My name is Justin." he said with a Southern accent. I just couldn't help it. My smile got bigger and I wrapped my arm around him, just as I wanted to protect him. The chemistry was just right between us and from this moment I was kind of Justin's older brother. Seriously no one of the whole cast did ever see either Justin or me alone. It was almost like we were glued together.

For those, who don't know what the MMC (That's the shortcut for the Mickey Mouse Club) was all about, here's a short recap. The kids between twelve and seventeen years performed in front of the camera sketches, sang songs in front of a children's crowd or reported from some special events. We were kind of children's superstars back then and already had a fan base. Each of us, especially when we got older, mostly teenage girls started to get interested in us in another way, if you know what I mean. So every one of us got letters from our viewers and I can tell you there is a huge difference between those letters I got, when I started and those I got at the end of my time at the MMC. Some girls just had some weird fantasies and I really don't know why they needed to write them down in a letter. Maybe it was their definition of a love letter, but seriously. It is creepy to read how those girls try to stalk you or that they want to get a Baby with you. I mean, you don't even know those girls and neither do them.

Again I run off the topic. I could tell you about one of those days at the MMC or what we did, when our job was done, but actually this isn't really exciting, especially because all of us had to do schoolwork and either had a private teacher or used to visit the "MMC School". That was also more like getting taught by a private teacher. Except for the fact that you weren't completely alone, but with the other kids in your age. For example Justin's mom wanted him to get taught by a private teacher, but he wanted to spend more time with his friends, so he let me talk to his mom, until she gave her consent. The rest of the day and the weekends we spent our time with our families or friends. Nothing exciting as I mentioned before.

After that one year, when I had to leave the show anyways, it was cancelled. I don't know the exact reason anymore. Mostly because it wasn't relevant for me. My career at the MMC was over, no matter how the future of it looked like. But Justin was devastated, when he got the news. He was only one year at the Club and promised me to talk to the producer of the show, so they keep me at least one more year on. It wasn't my wish, but Justin's. And when I looked in those blue puppy eyes, I couldn't deny any of his wishes.

With tears in his eyes Justin ran on that day to my trailer I lived in. Not that I owned my own, but the Universal Studios provided them, so the cast is all the time in the near of the studio. And I guess it was cheaper to lend some trailers then pay Hotel rooms for a bunch of kids and their parents.

Loudly Justin knocked on the trailer's door with his fist and shouted out my name. The only reason, why not the whole studio heard it, was Justin's tears running done his face and made him sob.

Confused I opened the door and was shocked by Justin's looking. His eyes turned red, because he cried so much and his hands were shaking. He was totally out of it. Immediately I wrapped my arms around him and pressed him near to me. Still sobbing Justin buried his face into my shirt. "Did you know it?" he asked. I had problems to understand him, so I just stroked his curly hair and tried to comfort him a little by making this typical "Shhh..."-Sound.

After Justin calmed a little, he looked up to me and repeated his question from before.

"Yes J, I knew that." I answered with a sigh. I also knew that he would overreact the way he did in that moment.

"Why didn't you tell me?! I thought you were my friend!" Justin shouted angrily and tried to push me away from him. My grasp got stronger, so he couldn't go away from me as he wanted to. I just wanted to explain myself, before he runs away and maybe never talk to me again. "Let go of me!" Justin shouted and tried to escape, while his tears came back and ran over his face again.

"Hey little boy..." I tried again to calm him down a little.

"I'm not a little boy!" he yelled at me.

"Sorry, J. So if you are an adult, then you can sit down next to me on my bed and listen to me, before you judge me?"

At this moment Justin stopped his escaping attempts and nodded slightly. I released him out of my grip and closed the door of my trailer before I sat next to him. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and stroked it. "I didn't tell you, because I knew you would be sad. I know it since three months now. Do you think you would've had so much fun these last days, when you had known the next season is going to be cancelled?"

"I would've been prepared for it!"

"And sad. And you know I can't see you, when you are sad." I smiled and laid my face down on his head kissing his hair.

"C, I... I..."

"What's the matter, J?" I closed my eyes and pushed his smaller body a little closer to mine. Even if I only knew him for a year, I knew I would miss him really much.

"I'm afraid that we won't ever see us again..." he blubbered out and suddenly wrapped his arms around my chest. "I don't want to lose my best friend!"

"Hey?! Who do you think you are talking to?! Some idiot guy, who won't ever visit his little brother?!" I started pouting playfully.

A little smile sneaked on Justin's face. He hit me slightly and whispered: "No, you aren't."

"Thank you!" I answered theatrically and finally made Justin laugh. I whipped out the tears from his eyes and kissed his forehead. "You will always be in my heart and I will be in yours. And I promise I will visit you at least one time a year."

"But then for a month!"

"Two weeks." I started to bargain with the younger one next to me.

"Three weeks and four days."

"Two weeks and four days and basketball tickets."

"Deal!" I remember as it was yesterday. That grateful smile in Justin's face. Every time I think of it, I have to smile myself and wish I could go back to those easy times in my life, where I could settle things with a visit and some tickets.

"Whatsoever that 'I'll be always in yourheart'-thing sounds pretty gay." With these words Justin let go off me and ranlaughing out of my trailer, while I looked unbelieving after him. This littlebrat could be rude sometimes. But I still loved him the way he was. Even thoughI made something wrong in his upbringing.