What Are The Odds?

CHAPTER 1

5 years ago

The teacher called loudly, "Class, we have a new student. This is," He checked the card the boy had handed him, "Joshua Chasez." The entire class looked up at him with the exception of one, a girl that had her head lying on the vacant desk behind her. Several girls attempted to draw his gaze with flirtatious smiles. Joshua just waited patiently for the teacher to tell him where to sit. The teacher, Mr. Fisher, said, "Take the seat behind Catalina. She's the one who insists on sleeping through homeroom." Joshua nodded and walked down the isle of seats and took the seat behind the girl, who's head was still on his desk. Joshua fidgeted uncomfortably but couldn't find it in him to ask her to move. She said without opening her eyes at all, "You know, if this is bothering you, all you have to do is ask me to move my head." He smiled, "No, it's fine. Really." She sighed and lifted her head. She then turned to look at him and her heart stopped momentarily. Regaining her composure, she said, "I'm Catalina Martinez. You're Joshua Chasez, right?" He continued to stare at the beautiful girl in front of him. She had long caramel colored hair and caramel colored eyes. She waved an impatient hand in front of his face, "Hello!" He shook his head and said, "Huh?" She laughed, "I'm Catalina, they call me Caramel. You're Joshua Chasez, right?" He nodded and smiled, "It's obvious why they call you Caramel." She smiled, "Oh, then tell me why they call me Caramel, Joshua." She shuddered unnoticeably as she pronounced his name. "They call you that because your hair and eyes are the color of caramel." She shook her head, "Good guess, but actually, it's because when I was 13, I went through a phase where I only ate caramel for a month. I gained 10 pounds." She smiled at the thought. He laughed. "All right then, I'll call you Caramel. You can call me Josh." She shuddered again, more noticeably this time. He noticed and asked, "What is it? Are you all right?" Concern seeped into his voice. She nodded, "it's just, I can't stand the name Josh or Joshua for that matter." His eyebrows raised and he asked, "Why?" She whispered confidentially, "My ex-stepfather's name was Joshua." He asked, "So?" She lifted the sleeve of her shirt to show a mass of long white scars crisscrossing across her forearm. "That's why." His mouth formed an 'O' and he nodded, "Then what are you going to call me?" She thought for a moment and asked, "What's you're middle name?" "Scott," He said. "Why?" She mumbled, "JS. Hmm, doesn't sound right. I'd call you Chasez, but that'd sound weird too." She smiled at a new thought. "I know! I know exactly what I'll call you!" He asked, "Well, don't leave me hanging here, what?" "JC." She said, smiling. "I'll call you JC." He smiled, "JC, I like that. All right then, Caramel."

The bell rang and she stood up. For the first time he noticed what she was wearing, a flannel over a wife beater and black jeans. She asked, "What class do you have first." He glanced at his schedule, "My elective, music composition." She nodded, "Awesome class. You get to write music and lyrics and Mr. Smythe is great. I have it next too. Come on, I'll show you where it is."

In music composition, Caramel explained the class to JC, "You see, we're each supposed to work with a partner to write lyrics to a song and music too. I'm glad you're here, I've been working by myself." She smiled at him and he smiled back, at little nervously. She explained, "There are only 10 people who qualified for this class, including you. So each pair gets control of a soundproof room for the class. We get control of the instruments and everything else. This is our little 'studio.' All Mr. Smythe does is check up on us, one pair a day."

She led him over to the keyboards and asked, "Do you play?" He nodded, "Yeah. Do you?" She nodded. She sat down and said, "You see, I started already. Here I'll play what I have done." She sat down behind a keyboard and started to play and sing.

"I lie awake

I drive myself crazy

I drive myself crazy

Thinking of you

Made a mistake,

When I let you go baby

I drive myself crazy,

Wanting you the way that I do."

She looked up and smiled at the awe on his handsome face.
"Yes, I can sing. Shocking isn't it."
He smiled, "It's pretty. But you might want to change the melody. Scoot over."
She moved over and he played a melody, similar to hers but a little smoother. She smiled, "Yeah, I like that." He smiled eagerly and said, "The part you wrote would make a great chorus. Now we just need a few verses and figure out how to change the melody when needed." She laughed, "You get into this, huh?" He smiled and nodded. "I love this stuff." "Yeah, it's a lot of fun. I'd love to do it professionally. Write, I mean. I couldn't sing if my life depended on it." He looked at her strangely, "It was you singing a minute ago right? If it was, you were amazing. You have such a pretty voice." Caramel brushed off the comment with a laugh and said, "So, any ideas on the rest of the song." He said, "You have no idea how many."

In the cafeteria, JC looked around for a friendly face, particularly the friendly face of Catalina Martinez. He saw her, sitting at a table with other people like her. Boys in leather jackets and jeans, girls dressed exactly like her in flannels and such. She wasn't wearing her flannel now and he could see a tattoo of a heart with a rose wrapped around it on her upper arm. She looked up and saw him. She motioned to an empty seat beside her. He smiled and started across the cafeteria. He was pulled into a seat before he could get to her though. He looked at her and smiled helplessly. She nodded and turned back to her friends. He looked to his assailant and saw it was a boy he recognized from his 3rd period English class. "Hey." He said carefully. He scanned his memory for a name. "Tommy, right? Tommy Roberts?" He nodded and said, "You can't sit with Catalina Martinez." JC asked, "Well, why? She's my friend." Tommy practically choked, "Friend? Uh-uh, you can't be friends with a motor head like her?" JC asked impatiently, "Well, why not?" Tommy sighed, "Because she's a loser. She's a reject. She's everything everyone in this school frowns upon. You seem cool enough. You can't hang around with street trash like her." JC shot up and grabbed his tray. "Watch me." He walked over to Catalina and sat down next to her.

1 year later

JC asked, "You-you're moving?" Catalina nodded solemnly. "Yeah. To Florida. Can you believe it? Orlando." She bit her lip, "I don't want to go." He said quickly, "I don't want you to." She smiled, "You've been my best friend for a year, it seems like forever. I'll miss you." He bit his lip and asked, "When are you leaving?" She said sadly, "Well, tomorrow."
"Excuse me? Tomorrow as in the day after today?" She nodded. "I've been putting off telling you." He snickered, "What else should I expect from Caramel?" She smiled, "Nothing and you know it." She looked away, "I don't think you should come by tomorrow." His head shot up. "What, why?" She mumbled, "To painful. Let's say good-bye now. Please." He nodded, "I'll write, you know. If you write me." Averting her eyes, she said, "Yeah." She looked at him, "You can keep the song. You'll sing it one day. I know you will." JC said, "You could to." She nodded, "Yeah, but I want you to have it. It's as much yours as mine." She stood up, "I'm not very emotional but I think a hug would be appropriate." They hugged. "Goodbye, JC." He shook his head, "Nope, not good-bye. See you in the future." She swung her head to the side. "Yeah, see you in the future. I'll be seeing you, JC." Catalina walked away from her best friend, in reality, her only friend.

CHAPTER 2

Present

Jennifer Adams called, "Catalina, you ready yet?" Catalina looked up at the sound of her best friend's voice. Catalina had changed quite a bit. She wore skirts now, though sometimes switched back to her old ways when hanging with her guy friends. No one called her Caramel anymore, not since she had moved to Orlando. Not since JC. Of course she knew who JC was now. He was somebody. He was the C in 'N SYNC. He was…

"Catalina!" Jenny's voice broke her from her thoughts. Grabbing her purse she rushed downstairs. She and Jenny had to get to the Virgin Megastore before their boss threw another hissy fit and fired them. She just thanked God she wasn't working tomorrow, when 'N SYNC would be there for a signing. She would never, ever see JC again, not if she could help it. Fortunately though, she couldn't.

As Jenny and Catalina parked the car, Catalina noticed a long line of girls in front of the store. "Uh, Jenny. Is there something going on today that I don't know about." Jenny said casually, "Oh, didn't you know? They switched that signing thing today." Catalina shot Jenny a pained look as she said, "I hate you." Jenny smiled, "You love me."

As they walked into the store, their boss, Leslie said cheerfully, "Jenny, Cat, come meet they guys from 'N SYNC." Catalina said, "Soon, Leslie. I have, uh, some stuff to do in the stockroom." She scurried in there quickly.

Leslie shrugged, "Jenny, come here." Jenny walked over to Leslie and the 5 guys.

"Jenny, this is Chris, Justin, Joey, Lance and JC." Jenny smiled, "Nice to meet y'all, of course." They smiled and nodded. JC had a far-off look in his eyes. Jenny hid a smile. He had the same look in his eyes that Catalina so often got. Leslie said, "I suppose we should open." She went to unlock to doors. Jenny said, "Where are your guards?" Joey shrugged, "Somewhere. Why, will we need them?" Jenny laughed loudly and JC, wise as always said, "We've done this before, you know how these girls can get." Jenny walked away as the first girl approached them.

About 5 hours later, Jenny walked into the stockroom and sat down next to Catalina, "Man, I am dead on my feet." Catalina said, "Yeah, I'm wiped. I've managed to organize the entire stockroom."

Jenny looked around. The normally disorganized stockroom was perfect. Jenny laughed, "You're terribly nervous he'll see you, huh?" Catalina nodded and went to reorganize some boxes. Jenny said, "Why don't you want to see him, Catalina." Catalina wiped sweat off her face with a bandana. "He doesn't want to see me." Jenny said, "And how do you know that?" Catalina looked at her, "He was my best friend, right. Well, I must've wrote him a hundred letters. Not once though, did he write me. Not once." Jenny said, "I'm so sorry. That must've hurt a lot." Catalina nodded, "You have no idea."

Leslie popped her head in, "I need one of you out here ASAP." She ducked back out.Jenny rubbed her sore temples, "I can't go out there again. My head is pounding." Catalina nodded, "I'll go." Jenny snapped her eyes open, "I don't want you to have to see that jerk after what he did to you." Catalina smiled, "Then he won't see me." She quickly swept up her hair and tied her blue and white bandana over it. Slipping on her mirrored sunglasses she said, "Good thing I just wore jeans and a tank top or this'd look really weird." Jenny laughed, "He won't recognize you. I know I wouldn't." She smiled and said, "That's what I'm hoping for."

Catalina stepped out into the main part of the store. "Jesus, I'm not sure whether I entered the Twilight Zone or San Diego Zoo." Hearing an all to familiar laugh and turned around. JC stood there, a glass of water in his hand. Catalina disguised her voice and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be signing stuff?" He shrugged. Catalina almost laughed and said, 'Typical JC.' She was supposed to be mad at him but seeing him was making it hard. He said, "We're getting ready to sing, actually. But there are a few problems so I'm taking a break." Catalina's eyes bulged behind her sunglasses, "You? Mr. Responsible? Mr. Surrogate Father?" She laughed. He looked at her oddly. She smiled, "Yeah, uh, well, I'll be leaving now." She turned to walk away and he saw the thin, faintly visible white scars across her left forearm and the back of her hand. Shaking his head in disbelief, JC turned and walked away.

Leslie was wringing her hands in worry. Catalina asked, "Is something wrong, Leslie?" Leslie nodded, "The keyboard player never showed up and JC's hands are too tired so he can't play. They can't sing the song without they keyboard part." Catalina sighed, "I can play it."

Catalina sighed, "I can't believe I'm doing this." Lance Bass turned to her and smiled, "It's alright. You'll do fine." Catalina shook her head, "I meant that I can't believe I'm playing this song." She honestly hadn't known that JC had turned the song they wrote into a 5-part harmony. She shrugged and started to play the melody, the melody she knew by heart. Chris started to sing and it took all of Catalina's willpower not to sing along with him out of habit if not anything else.

After the song, Catalina slipped off the stage. Sweat had poured onto her sunglasses and she took them off and wiped them on her shirt. Someone said, "You play good, girl."

Not paying attention, she looked up and said, "Yeah thanks." Looking up, she saw JC's blue eyes. She quickly slipped her glasses back on. He asked, "Caramel?" She pretended to be confused. She tilted her head to her side and said, "Sorry, wrong person." She turned away and he saw the tattoo on her right arm. Catching her hand, he pulled her back. He tugged off her bandana and sunglasses. He nodded, "Yep, Caramel." She shook her head, "Not anymore. Excuse me." She walked back into the stockroom.

Jenny looked at her and said, "Oh no, what's wrong?" Catalina sighed, "Life sucks." Jenny rubbed her hands against her sore temples, "He saw you, huh?" Catalina nodded. Jenny said, "Why don't you just leave, then you'll never have to see him again." Catalina lay down on a large wooden crate. "No, I can't. I can't leave you here by yourself. You have a migraine." Jenny shrugged. "Maybe you should just go and face him." Catalina sighed, "I know. Just let me rest a minute." Jenny nodded and said, "Well, the teenyboppers have all cleared out now, so I'll just go clean up. Make sure you come out." Catalina said, "I will. I promise."

"And she just ran into the stockroom." JC finished. He was pacing in front of his friends, explaining what had happened. Lance shrugged, "I guess she didn't want to see you for one reason or another." Justin cracked, "And who can blame her?" 4 male heads turned to look at him with annoyance. He raised his hands in defense, "It was a joke, guys." JC swung his head around and saw a blonde walk out of the stockroom. He went over to her and asked, "Hey, is Caramel still in there?" Jenny scowled at him, "Yeah, Catalina will be out in a minute." JC asked, "Catalina? She's never gone by her real name."

Jenny tilted her head to the side, "You'd know that wasn't true if you'd taken the time to pay attention to the letters she wrote you." JC pulled out the one he kept in his pocket and read it for the millionth time, " 'They all call me Catalina here. I hate it. I'd still rather be Caramel. I hope people will at least call me Cat. Catalina. What a dumb name.'"

Catalina asked, "You keep it with you?" JC looked past Jenny and saw her. He went over to hug her but she put up a hand to stop him. Her mouth scowled but her eyes smiled faintly. She held up a copy of their CD that she had found in the stockroom. "You didn't give me credit for the song." She smiled at him. He hugged her as if he never wanted to let her go. She saw his 4 friends looking at them. "Um, JC. I missed you too but you can let me go now." He released her, "Sorry. Why are you mad at me?" She motioned with her head at the letter he still held. "That's why. I wrote you. You never wrote me." JC blushed, "Well, um, I can explain that." Catalina rolled her eyes and waited, but the explanation never came. Catalina sighed, "I thought so. Listen, I just want to clean up and leave." JC pleaded, "At least come meet my friends." Gazing over at the 4 men pretending they weren't looking she smiled, "Alright. Just once and then I'll go back to my average life and forget I once had an inconsiderate friend named JC."

She and JC walked over to his friends. "Guys, this is Caramel-uh, Catalina Martinez." She nodded and forced a smile. "Well, you're Justin, of course." She said to the curly blonde. "And you're Chris. You're hair is an easy tip-off." She sighed and said in a high voice, "Everywhere I go, people talk about my hair. It isn't my fault, ok? It grows this way!" She snickered, "I wasn't insulting you, I think it's cool." Chris smiled and relaxed. She moved on to Lance, "You're Lance." She moved on to Joey and saw him staring at her. She smiled uneasily, "You're Joey." He said immediately, "You're beautiful." She laughed loudly, "You're a flirt." She took a step back, "Nice meeting you. Excuse me."

She walked back over to Jenny and helped her clean up. Halfway through she said, "You're sick, Jenny. Go on home. I can handle it." Jenny glared at JC, "You sure?" Catalina nodded, "I can handle the idiot brigade, OK?" Jenny laughed at the description and said, "I'll grab my purse and catch a cab." Catalina shook her head. She pulled the keys to her old beat up Chevy out of her pocket. "Drive home, I'll catch a cab." Jenny hesitated and Catalina said, "The Death Trap will get you home fine. Go." Jenny sighed, "OK, but if anything happens, you tell me so I can kill someone." Catalina rolled her eyes, "You sound like my brother." Jenny grinned, "No I don't, your brother wouldn't care." Catalina smiled, "Leave, now!" Jenny shrugged and left, not noticing when Joey stole a fascinated glance at her. Catalina did noticed and she almost laughed, if Joey acted on what Catalina saw in his eyes, Jenny would try to kill him. She probably could too. Chuckling softly, Catalina went back to work.

CHAPTER 3

Catalina continued to clean up, easily maneuvering around the guys, who were goofing off and laughing incessantly. Catalina reached on her tiptoes to try and reach a torn banner. She sighed in resignation and yelled, "Fine! Stay up there!" She blushed, remembering 5 guys were there with her. Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around, prepared for teasing about it. She looked into a pair of blue eyes and said, "Fine, tease me about it. I'm insane, I know. Just get it over with."

Justin grinned, "I was just going to ask if you wanted some help." Catalina sighed and stepped aside, "Yeah, be my guest." Justin pulled the banner down effortlessly. Catalina rolled her eyes, "Sure it's easy if you're 6 feet tall." Justin laughed and asked, "Do you need anymore help?" Catalina shook her head and smiled, "Thanks but no." She went on with her work but Justin followed, "Why are you mad at JC." Catalina didn't even look up, "He's an inconsiderate, uncaring jerk." Justin said, "Yeah, we know. But we like him anyway." Catalina hid a smile. "Yeah, but he didn't go 5 years without writing to you and he didn't take all the credit for a song you helped write, did he?" Justin shook his head, "I can't say he did. What song did you help write?" Catalina said, "The one y'all sang today. That's why I was able to play it." Justin's eyes widened, "You helped write that? Wow. Cool." Catalina said, "That's one way to put it." She continued to pick up trash, her arms getting full. "Here let me help." Catalina gratefully dumped some of the trash into his arms. "Thanks."

He continued to help her clean and they talked the whole time. After they finished Justin said, "I'd like to see you again, if it's alright." Catalina just grinned, "I'm older than you, you know." Justin shrugged, "Nothing wrong with us being friends, is there?" Catalina said, "I suppose not. Me and 4 of my friends are playing basketball tomorrow, we could use a 6th so we don't have to alternate. You want to come?" He smiled, "Yeah, sure." "Cool, just let me call my friend, make sure it's ok. You have a phone?" He handed her his cell phone. She dialed and said, "Yo, D. it's C. Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, it OK if I bring a friend to the game tomorrow?" She listened for a second and then asked Justin, "You can play right?" He rolled his eyes, "Uh, yeah." "Yeah, D. Nah, I'm sure B., P. and K. will be fine with it. I only asked you 'cause you're bitchy about everything." She listened again and laughed. "You are too. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, D." She handed him his phone and said, "Well, you're in." Justin just asked, "Don't you people have names." Catalina shrugged, "You see, me and the guys started hanging out for 2 reasons. We lived on the same block and we all hated are first names. D is Darren, B is Bartholomew, P. is Peter, and K is Kenneth. You will definitely be known as J, I bet."Justin shrugged uneasily and smiled. "Fine with me." Catalina glanced at her watch. She called, "I'm kicking y'all out now! I have to leave! Every one of you out!" Justin asked, "You need a ride?" Glancing at JC, who was looking at her, she shook her head. "No thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." Shooing the guys out the door, she smiled lazily. Seeing JC had been a disaster, but at least one good thing happened. A new friend was always a good thing. She muttered to herself, "That's all Justin is, a new friend. He's only 18, for God's sake."

On the ride home, JC said in what he hoped was a casual voice, "You got awfully friendly with Caramel in there, Justin." Justin arched his eyebrows, "Caramel? Oh, Catalina. Yeah," He said casually, "She's nice. I'm gonna play some basketball with her and her friends tomorrow." Lance said carefully, "I hope you aren't falling for her, Justin." Justin forced an amused laugh, "Please! She's just a friend, besides she's 21." Slumping against the seat he sighed quietly, "21."

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