LOVE WALKED THRU THE DOOR
CHAPTER 15
(August 8/ 2:30pm)
The buses finally arrived at the stadium an hour late since Justin wouldn't wake up on time. They had gotten back to the hotel by 3am because of the big after-party. Mostly because both Justin and Joey were fighting to see who could get the most phone numbers. Kaitlyn and Diane's bus got there right on time since they needed to set up. Also get ready for JC's big surprise birthday present.
"NO JOEY! MY TUTORS NUMBERS AREN'T COUNTED AS A POINT!" Justin argued while getting off the bus.
Kaitlyn walked over to them and laughed, "so who's the winner?"
"Of what?" Joey asked.
"The phone number contest you moron!" Justin shook his head.
"Oh yeah. Me of course. So, don't you think it would be an honor to give me your number too, Kaitlyn?" Joey grinned.
"Sure. 911." She playfully answered.
"What?" Joey asked confused.
"That's the number your going to have to call when I hurt you where the sun don't shine!" She said walking off in a fit of glory.
"So, Kaitlyn, are you sure this plan of yours is going to work?" Justin asked worried.
"Yes Justin. Everything has been checked and double checked. Lou has given his permission and JC will get the best birthday present ever. By the way, where is he?" She reassured him.
"He's still on the bus getting something." Justin pointed to the bus in the parking lot.
"Alright, thanks."
"No problem."
Kaitlyn walked over to the bus and got on. She didn't even recognize it anymore since it was just a big mess.
"JC? You in here?" She said walking through the clutter.
"I'm back here in the TV room. I'll be out in a sec." He called to her.
"Alright, I'll wait for you outside." She climbed off the bus and waited for him. Within a couple seconds, JC came down from the bus and gave Kaitlyn his usual morning hug.
"Good morning sweetheart."
"Good morning birthday boy!" She smiled.
JC blushed a little and looked back up at her, "you remembered?"
"Of course I did silly. Why don't you follow me. I have something for you." she took his hand and pulled him along to her bus.
They got on the bus and Kaitlyn pulled out a beautifully gift wrapped box.
"Kaitlyn, you shouldn't have." JC said as she handed him the present.
"Oh c'mon JC. Just open it."
"Alright." He unwrapped the box and opened it up, inside it was a leather Hard Rock Cafe jacket. "Kaitlyn, you didn't have to spend this much, on me."
Kaitlyn laughed and walked over to him, "I wanted to. Justin helped me pick it out. I figured you had the menu's already so, this was the next best thing.
"Well, thank you so much." He gave her a hug.
The two walked off and JC went to go put the jacket in his bunk. There was no use wearing a leather jacket in the middle of August.
"So do you really like it?" Kaitlyn asked again.
JC gave her a huge smile and answered, "Kaitlyn, you could've given me a rotten apple and I would be happy. It's the though that counts."
"Ok, so can I take the jacket back and just give you a rotten apple?" She asked jokingly.
"NO!" JC debated.
"Alright then. I'll make a bet with you. I'll race you to the stage and if I win, you give me back the jacket. You win, you keep it. Fair?" Kaitlyn said challenging him.
"Fair. One, two...." he was off.
Kaitlyn couldn't even catch up to him once she finally started running.
"CHEATER!" She called after him.
JC just turned around and ran backwards for a bit and waved. By the time Kaitlyn finally got to the stage, JC had already calmed down and was relaxing on one of the chairs.
"Your slow sweetheart." JC chuckled.
Kaitlyn gave him an evil look in between gasps for air, "very funny." She took a seat next to him and regained her composure. Joey suddenly jumped out from behind the curtain and had a giddy look on his face.
"What's wrong with you?" JC asked.
"You don't want to know." Justin said coming up behind him and shaking his head.
Kaitlyn had never seen Joey this hyper before. He almost looked like he was a druggie on way too much crack.
"Why?" Kaitlyn asked. She couldn't help but laugh.
"For starters, he's hyper because he just got out of a crowd of FEMALE fans that were swarming him like bees to honey." Chris answered, emphasizing the word 'female'.
"That was so cool." Joey said jumping up and down.
"Man, your hopping around like the Easter bunny ready to lay some eggs." JC said cracking up.
Kaitlyn was practically on the floor laughing her head off and Joey didn't seem to care for their little insults.
"If I didn't know better Joey, I would think you were a 12 year old boy going through puberty full blast." Kaitlyn joked.
Everyone was laughing so hard, and Kaitlyn had tears starting to form in her eyes from laughing so much. Diane came onto the stage and asked what all the commotion was about.
"Oh we're so sorry Diane. We were just laughing about something." Kaitlyn said regaining her composure.
"Oh I can see that. But anyways, you guys better get started with sound check. Lou might just waltz right in here any second and wonder why you guys aren't practicing." She kindly informed them.
"Yeah, she's right." JC said standing up and walking onto the stage.
"Oh and by the way JC, happy birthday." She said walking off.
"Thanks." He thanked her.
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(Dressing room, ten minutes to show time)
The guys were all huddled together along with many other members of the crew saying a prayer that they usually said before they went on stage. Once the group broke off, Kaitlyn went over to JC and hugged him.
"What was that for?" JC asked surprise.
Kaitlyn gave him a warm smile and said, "happy birthday JC. Don't forget to have fun out there."
JC hugged her back and walked off towards the stage. The other four went up to her and looked anxious.
"Are you sure everything is in place?" Justin asked worried.
"Everything is all set. Don't worry about it. Just do what we practiced at the hotel." She said hugging them and reassuring them.
The four of them headed out and Kaitlyn decided to get a good seat for all of this so instead of standing behind the curtain, she and Joey's brother Steve went out to the left side of the stage. They felt safe since Tony was right there guarding everything. The guys came out and did their little flying act, which put a scared look on Chris' face since he was afraid of heights. But seeing Kaitlyn on the sidelines made him feel a little better. They finished the song and grabbed some towels to cool down. Usually, this was the part where Lance would introduce the next song, but instead, he was introducing JC's birthday gift.
"Do you think he's going to like it Steve?" Kaitlyn said keeping her eyes on JC's confused face.
"He'll love it."
Lance took the microphone in his hand and waited for everyone to be quiet.
"Well, everyone, usually we would start singing the next song but right now, we have a special treat for all of you." Lance looked over to Chris to continue.
"As you all know, today is a very special day. It is JC's birthday. And we all have a gift for him, but we want you all to help us out."
JC was getting nervous at was about to happen, but he was very excited and happy that they had gone to so much trouble just to do this for him.
Justin continued, "JC, we all know you miss your family at home but we thought we might just bring home to you."
"So if everyone can help us out by watching the screen and singing happy birthday with us to JC, were sure he would love it."
The lights went low and a little filmstrip of JC appeared. Justin, Joey, Lance, and Chris began singing 'Happy Birthday' to JC while all the fans joined in. The band played the song very beautifully and the screen showed numerous pictures and home videos of JC growing up. At the end of the song, the four guys signaled the audience to be very quiet so they could here the end. It was a little video that JC's family put together. JC's eyes never left the screen until his mother blew him a kiss good-bye and his picture on the screen showed up with the heading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JC! FROM ALL OF US."
The entire crowd was so moved and excited all at the same time. JC had the biggest grin on his face. It went from ear to ear. The four guys hugged him and he looked over at Kaitlyn to see her smiling a smile just as big as his. Kaitlyn was happy that Steve also recorded it so they could watch it again later on.
"Thanks so much everyone. You don't know how much this means to me. From these brothers of mine to all of you fans. Thank you so much!" JC said waving to everyone. The screams were the loudest Kaitlyn had ever heard and she knew it was because of JC.
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During the rest of the concert, they all made it a point to go over to the side of the stage where Kaitlyn had been standing. JC and Justin mostly. Chris was having so much fun jumping up and down, Lance stood center stage for all the fans and Joey was too busy smiling and winking at every girl that held an "I LOVE JOEY" poster.
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(At the after party at the hotel)
Kaitlyn hadn't really seen JC since the concert, they all hurried to get to the buses since they were afraid that the crowd would go even more crazier than usual since it was JC's birthday.
"Justin, have you seen Kaitlyn?" He said scanning the large banquet hall for her.
"I think she's over by the drinks." He said pointing in the direction of the bar.
"Thanks. And Justin, thanks man for the whole concert thing." He said hugging him.
"No prob man. Thank Kaitlyn though, it was mostly her idea." He said smiling.
JC made his way over to the bar and saw Kaitlyn there. She was in a shimmering black dress.
"Hey Kaitlyn. You look beautiful." he said coming up next to her.
She turned and hugged him once she saw his face. "Oh, JC. Happy birthday."
"Thank you so much for everything. you didn't have to go through so much trouble for me." He said thanking her.
"No, it wasn't any trouble at all. I know how much you miss your family back home. I was only giving you what you wished for."
"You are truly an angel Kait." They hugged once more until Lou came up on the mini-stage and stepped up to the microphone.
"Well,in all my years, I have never known such a caring, fun, loving, dedicated, and talented man as the one I'm talking about. We all know who I'm talking about, Joshua Scott Chasez. Happy birthday JC. We love you."
JC and Kaitlyn walked up to the stage and watched as Justin and Lance got on.
"Well JC, it's been really great having you around. Your like a brother to me. Your always there for me and anyone else who needs help. Happy Birthday." Lance said then stepped back to let Justin talk.
"JC man, what could I say? Happy birthday. Ok, bye. Naw, I'm just playing. But really, I guess, hope all your dreams come true and that you have a great time being 22. It only happens once in your life."
Joey and Chris practically ran up on stage and they both seemed to be extremely hyper.
"HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOPE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FROM THE TWO OF US TO YOU!" They sang and clapped the whole way through the song. More and more people went up on stage and wished JC a happy birthday. An hour later, JC stepped up onto the stage and began:
"You all have been a second family to me. I love you all like family. Thank you so much to all of you for this party and for the concert. You cannot even begin to imagine how happy I am and how blessed I feel to have all of you. To the four guys who have made my dream possible, you guys are truly like brothers to me. To Lou and Johnny Wright, you have been like second fathers to me. To the whole crew, there's so many of you, I love you. But to the one person who made all of this happen for me, Kaitlyn, thank you so much. In such a short time you have become a real best friend to all of us. So I want us all to raise our glasses and truly thank Kaitlyn for all of this. Here's to you sweetheart.
They all raised their glasses and said "to Kaitlyn". Kaitlyn felt so loved. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel alone. She had those five wonderful guys to thank for that. She felt loved. It was truly a night she would never forget.
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