A Millennial Throwback Bash

Summary: The following is a ficlet, or what can probably qualify as a crack fic, to be quite honest, which was inspired by @drivenbyfantasy ‘s submission for Throwback Thursday. The gang throws MC a 90’s and early 2000’s themed birthday party. Enjoy!

Song Pairing Suggestion: Tearin’ Up My Heart by *NSYNC

When Kaitlyn and Abbie suggested that they throw a themed party for MC’s twenty-first birthday, she had thought it was the perfect idea. MC had never been shy about sharing her favorite music and pastimes with her friends, nostalgia from her childhood included. She had shared on their very first night together in the freshman suite that Britney Spears was her idol in the early 2000’s and that she still viewed her as a queen to this day, no matter what anybody else says. And so, throwing a millennial throwback bash in honor of her birthday seemed as fitting as it did fun.

She could hear the music coming faintly from the other side of her bedroom door already. She stood at the mirror, fixing a few strands of hair that didn’t seem to want to stay put. Looking over the length of her body, she assessed her Britney costume reminiscent of her ‘Slave 4 U’ music video, donning a fuschia bralette, a scarf tied around her arm, a clip on belly button piercing and skin tight, flare jeans with a pair of pink panties over them (Why? Who cares? It’s Britney). Finally, she applied a thin coat of lip gloss, nodded her head in approval and stepped out into the hallway.

“Damn!” yelled Kaitlyn emphatically the moment MC descended the staircase. “The birthday girl has arrived!” Calling out to the party-goers who had already arrived, she flashed a giant grin at her friend and walked over, dressed as Ashley Spinelli from Disney’s Recess.

Guests in their own costumes cheered from where they stood at the sight of her. MC felt a bit flush at being the center of attention, but she smiled widely and waved at her friends. She took a breath before walking down the last few steps and entering the living room.

“Do a spin so I can ogle you from every angle!” Kaitlyn pleaded, dragging her by the wrist.

MC giggled at her friend, blushing a little, but complied as she rotated around. “So, you like it?” she asked.

“Like it? You are Britney,” she nodded and raised her eyebrows.

“Well…no,” MC looked down and frowned at her midsection, tugging a bit at her top, “Britney shows a lot more skin. I did as much as my confidence could handle”.

Kaitlyn twisted her upper body around to grab two plastic cups off of the counter top. They were each filled with some sort of pink drink and had orange slices adorning their rims. She handed one off to MC, “Well, I think you look hot! Cheers to my hot best friend on her twenty-first birthday! Wooooo!” she exclaimed, extending her cup out.

MC let out a chuckle and clicked her cup against Kaitlyn’s. “Thanks! You look awesome, too!”

“Hey! I missed the first cheers?!” Just as she was lifting her drink to her lips, MC looked up to see Abbie running over from the next room, frowning and looking flustered. She was dressed as Lara Croft, the Tomb Raider. MC smiled brightly as she approached.

“The party waits for no one, Abbie,” Kaitlyn teased, handing Abbie a drink identical to the ones she had made for herself and MC. “But, don’t fret, ‘first’ is the key word. I’m sure there will be more. The night is young!”

“Abbie, you’re the hottest Tomb Raider I’ve ever seen! Has Tyler seen you in that, yet?” MC winked, lifting her pointer finger from around the cup to point it at Abbie.

Abbie rolled her eyes playfully. “He’s actually not here, yet, but I’m sure he’ll probably be more preoccupied with debating me on which adaptation my costume is from and who played Lara better”.

MC cocked her head, “He didn’t come with you?”

Abbie and Kaitlyn exchanged a knowing look. MC caught the slightest of smirks on her friends’ faces without the faintest clue as to why. Darting her eyes between them, she arched an eyebrow questioningly.

“Tyler and the guys are going to be fashionably late. We needed them to pick something up… last minute,” Abbie said, nodding slightly.

When MC moved her eyes to Kaitlyn, she offered a similar nod of the head. MC thought on their strange behavior for a second but then quickly decided not to question it. She shrugged and took a sip of her drink.

“So! I’m sure they’ll all be here soon enough. But, like I said, the party waits for no one, right? So why don’t you go ahead and enjoy yourself?” Kaitlyn encouraged her friend with a sweet smile, shooing her to go off and mingle.

MC and Abbie joined the rest of the party while Kaitlyn slid off to the side and adjusted the volume of the music. She selected a track that was upbeat, bobbing her head along as soon as it came through the speakers. The party guests appeared to be responding well.

A feeling of contentment spread a little smile across MC’s face as she scanned the setting and the people surrounding her. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling, colorful balloons floating and glitter scattered everywhere. Old music videos played on the TV screen. Glow sticks and glow necklaces were scattered on all of the tables and counters. All of her friends had showed, as well as some friends of those friends. Even TBD had been able to reunite for the weekend and enjoy each other’s company. Everyone were dressed in costumes of their favorite people from the 90’s and early 2000’s. From Power Rangers, to Mario and Luigi, to Mrs. Doubtfire, MC looked around and thought that everyone must have had a lot of fun being creative and bringing their childhoods (or preteens) back to life.

As she walked around, MC was given many, many birthday wishes. She was also given almost as many jello shots, which were neon in color and delicious in her mouth. MC had just started listening to Darren’s funny story about one of his coworkers when she noticed that the music had stopped. She looked around over people’s heads and found Kaitlyn standing in the doorway, trying to get everyone’s attention. Conversations began to hush down.

“Excuse me everyone!” Kaitlyn began, cupping a hand over her mouth for amplification, “At this time we would like to invite you all to move the party outside to the back yard. We’ve got a special treat waiting for you all!”

MC’s brows knitted together gently at Kaitlyn’s mention of a ‘special treat’ and she wondered what everyone had hidden up their sleeve that they had been keeping from her. Curious, she followed the rest of the crowd as they filed through the house and out into the yard.

The air was warm in the summer night as the sun began to sink lower in the sky. MC climbed carefully down the steps of the back porch and into the grass, in the space where she and her friends had hosted many a concert for TBD. People glanced around curiously as they muttered their ideas of what this big surprise might be. You heard a few people theorize that there would be a pony, and one or two others laughing at the idea of a stripper-gram.

MC shook her head as Kaitlyn walked by swiftly with her music equipment in hand. Her eyes followed Kaitlyn as she walked up to the stage that Zack had built for them, plugging her phone into the speakers and scrolling intently.

“Alright, you guys!”

Kaitlyn spoke into a microphone over the collective voices of the party. MC saw Becca shuffling around and politely moving people, positioning them to open up a large space in front of the stage.

“Without further ado, please enjoy the musical stylings of MC’s favorite boy band, *NSYNC!”

Kaitlyn swept her arm out and gestured for Abbie to open the gate that separated the back yard from the side of the house. MC’s eyes grew wide and blinked as she still hadn’t figured out what the heck was going on. Becca suddenly came up behind her, pushing her through the crowd to the front, almost sending her stumbling. MC could hear screams, cheering and laughter coming from the people behind her as ‘Tearin’ Up My Heart’ by *NSYNC bumped through the speakers.

Swinging her head around as fast as she could, MC’s gaze met what everyone else was screaming about. Jogging around the crowd towards the stage and waving were Zig, Zack, Tyler, James and Chris… dressed as the members of *NSYNC.

MC’s hand flew up to her forehead as she tilted back and released a belly laugh. The guys stood before her, and the entire party, dressed in matching outfits. They wore dark baggy pants held up by belts and crisp white tops. Some of them wore tight tank tops or t-shirts while others wore loosely fitted button downs. The five of them gathered in formation and, as she leaned a bit closer, she noticed their hair. They had drenched their heads in hair gel, spiking and sticking out in all different directions. Chris stood directly in front, and the tips of his hair were sprayed frosty blonde.

MC’s hand slid down from her forehead to her mouth. He was obviously Justin.

As five very different college boys began their choreographed dance in synchronization, some of the crowd were still doubling over in laughter or recording the performance with their phones, but many were singing along with the lyrics,

“Baby, I don’t understand just why we can’t be lovers…”

MC couldn’t help the big fat grin that was slapped across her face as she watched. She was betting that Zig had choreographed the dance and that Zack had planned the outfits. Everyone but Zig was struggling a bit to keep up, Tyler looking awkward, James looking goofy, Zack having trouble keeping a straight face, and Chris trying a little too hard to be Channing Tatum. They were awesome, she thought, and she couldn’t believe that they had put this all together just for her.

As the final chorus neared, someone pushed a folding chair through the crowd of jumping bodies until it was right under MC’s feet. Her knees buckled at the contact and she fell backward right into the seat, steadying herself carefully. When the music slowed, Chris, Hartfeld’s very own Justin Timberlake, broke away from his group and walked up to the birthday girl.

“Tearin’ up my heart and soul… We’re apart, I feel it, too…”

MC’s face flushed pink as Chris came nearer to her. He lip synced the words flawlessly (because, of course) as he pressed both hands to his chest, putting effort and emotion into every movement he made. The girls behind MC screamed wildly when Chris swung a leg over her lap, standing inches from her face. He danced over her and looked straight into her eyes before ripping the buttons of his white shirt open, revealing his tanned, chiseled chest. MC sank into the chair and hid her face in her hands, feeling her cheeks on fire instantly. He gyrated and ground against her lap for another few moments before doing a spin and leaving her with a wink.

MC sat motionless and speechless in the folding chair for about two minutes after the song had ended. She wasn’t sure she could physically or mentally process what she had just seen. People began to disperse and refill their drinks then, carrying on with the birthday celebration. Kaitlyn and the rest of TBD began to set up the stage as they had prepared a set of cover songs.

A few of the guys were receiving praise or mockery for the performance they had just given. Laughter could be heard all around, but MC didn’t see Chris anywhere. She made her way back inside to search for her favorite quarterback, who she found at the kitchen counter wiping sweat off of his head.

“Phew, popstar heart throb… not exactly what you’re cut out for, huh, Powell?” she teased, grinning when his eyes met hers.

Chris laughed. “What, you weren’t impressed?”

“…I’m not sure impressed is the word,” She paused, “Amazed… astonished… flabbergasted, maybe?”

Chris laughed some more, twisting the cap off of a liquor bottle. “You see… Zig might have the moves,” he winked, “but I’ve got the flair”.

MC giggled as she leaned over the counter to touch his hair. “And this?” She stopped, rubbing the sticky gel between her fingers, “This might be your best look, yet”.

Chris finished mixing two drinks and slid one toward MC as an offering. He leaned a bit closer to meet her where her face hung over the kitchen island. “I knew I could be the J.T. to your Britney,” he whispered, closing his lips over hers, and then drew softly back. “Mm, you look sexy, by the way”.

Just then, Tyler and James entered their space, being sure to announce themselves.

“Alright, Chris, I seriously need some alcohol after… that”, Tyler said, shaking his head. Chris chuckled and began pouring his friend a drink, as well.

James clapped a hand against Tyler’s back. “Way to step out of your comfort zone, man. You did good out there”.

Tyler just waved his comment away, trying to mentally erase his five minutes of boy band fame. “Oh, MC, happy birthday, by the way!”

“Thanks, you guys! I still can’t believe you went through all of this for me! Tyler, you must really love me!”

MC watched as Tyler grinned bashfully. She stepped a little closer to James, then, leaning in to speak to him at a lower volume,

“And I have to say… seeing you out there busting a move was the best birthday gift I think I’ve ever been given. In fact,” she leaned closer, almost whispering, “I wish you would’ve taken your shirt off”.

James stifled a laugh when MC winked at him dramatically. He took a generous gulp of the drink that Chris had just passed to him, swallowed, and then shrugged. “Hey… the night is young”.

MC, Chris and Tyler erupted in laughter at their friend who had just started dancing in place, lifting the hem of his shirt slightly. They all followed him out to the yard as TBD began to play.

Stopping in the doorway, MC took an easy breath and exhaled. Yup, best birthday ever.