The light knocking on the door the next morning pulled Brynn out of her deep sleep. Entwined in Justin's arms, as carefully as she could, she pulled herself off the bed without disturbing him. She smiled as she stood up, noticing the way his lips were slightly parted and she could hear his breathing quicken before it deepened once again.
She opened the door slowly and quietly and smiled brightly when she saw Faith standing there. Faith smiled lightly, the biggest smile she could give right now. "I was gonna use my key but I didn't wanna intrude." She laughed quietly. Brynn smiled as she opened the door wider so Faith could see the sleeping Justin. Faith nodded with a sense of realization. "I'm gonna go grab some breakfast. Lance is still asleep too. You wanna come?? I need some advice." She said.
"Of course. Let me put on some jeans." She said, opening the door for Faith as she jogged to the bathroom to get changed. Faith took a seat on the edge of the unoccupied bed. She looked over at Justin, who still lay sleeping peacefully and sighed. "You got it easy kid." She whispered lightly.
Brynn walked back out of the bathroom and Faith smiled as she began to walk out of the room. Brynn placed a gentle kiss on Justin's forehead before following Faith out the door and closing it softly behind her. Looking down the hall to see where Faith had gone, she noticed Mike standing at the edge of the hall with Faith in his arms. "I'm sorry about that jerk kiddo." He said to her as he released her from his hug. Faith smiled, fighting to keep from thinking too much about the scene from the night before.
"What are you gonna do with yourself now??" JC asked himself quietly as he stared out into the morning. His eyes were heavy but he knew he couldn't sleep. He hadn't slept all night long, worried about how, when, where, and if he would be able to tell Faith how he felt. Right now he hated himself for doing this to himself, but he knew this feeling wasn't something he was going to be able to escape. He had watched her always run to Lance or Brynn when she was hurting, and it hurt him all that much more to wish it was his own arms she could feel better in, his own shoulder wet with her tears.
"Tell her." Joey walked into the room, startling JC. JC looked at him quickly before turning away. "I know. But you don't realize what that might mean." He said conclusively, not wanting to return to the unforgettable outbreak he'd experienced last night. It was at that moment that Justin walked into the room in his pajama pants and t-shirt. "Hey, you guys have a key to my room?? I gave mine to Faith and I think Faith and Brynn went down for breakfast." He said, looking from Joey to JC. The concern in JC's eyes was a dead give away that he wasn't over last night's rendition.
"Yo man. You gotta stop doin this to yourself." He said after he realized neither had a key. JC looked at his young friend helplessly. "A good friend once said to me what I'm about to say to you." He continued with a glint of mischieviousness in his eye. "Trust me on this one." He finished before he turned around and walked back out the door. JC looked at Joey with a slight smile at Justin's antic before he got up. "I'm gonna take a walk." He said before exiting the room leaving Joey behind. "Boy just do it." Joey said once JC had left the room.
Brynn and Faith took a seat down in the continental breakfast nook of the hotel. Faith immediately began talking. "Brynn, I don't know what to do. I've never been this confused in my whole life." She looked to her best friend for some advice she was always open to giving. Brynn looked Faith in the eye. "Faith." She inhaled deeply, dying inside to spill to her best friend what JC had spilled to her. ‘Nope, that's up to him.' She thought to herself depressingly. ‘And the man doesn't realize how little time he may have.'
JC walked through the hotel with his hands in his pockets, his mind somewhere else. His dark hair was still damp from a very early morning shower and his blue eyes were dimmed with emotion not even he could explain. He didn't seem to notice anyone or anything around him as he trodded along with heavy feet. Yet as he walked by the breakfast nook it was Faith that caught his eye. He stopped as he turned towards her and moved out of the way of the people moving their luggage behind him.
JC's lips turned up into a slight smile as he watched her lay out her guts to Brynn. The way she elaborated by moving her hands when she talked, the way her eyes looked at Brynn for some kind of answers. He wanted to run up to her and pull her passionately into a kiss, hold her till he couldn't anymore, make everything that ever hurt her go away. But what it looked like at that moment, it wasn't him who could do that. As far as he knew, she thought of him as JC and nothing more.
Brynn watched JC out of the corner of her eye and tried her hardest to keep herself from smiling. The way he concentrated on Faith so hard showed only pure love to her, but she felt as if she was the only one who could see it. Actually, she wasn't. Justin saw it, Joey saw it, Lance saw it. And even the oh-so-hyper Chris might have seen it. But the one person it mattered to didn't. Faith didn't see it.
Brynn watched as JC's hands intertwined with each other as he nervously wound them up. His lips kept curling up into that familiar smile and she couldn't help but giggle when he nibbled on his lip, the way she noticed he had been a lot lately. JC watched from afar as Faith continued to talk and Brynn offered suggestions that seemed to light up Faith's face. Whenever her face lit up like that, his did too. He would smile as she licked her lips and continued talking. Then, pulling himself from his gaze, he thought to himself. ‘This is gonna be hard.'
Faith avoided JC for the rest of the day. Though it killed her to know she herself was the one keeping her from him, she knew that if she saw him, she would breakdown inside again. Lance and Justin had explained to her what had happened with JC not letting them in the room, and though they didn't mention what they heard him yell, Faith knew that JC was upset with Travis. Plus she knew that she needed him more than ever right now and not being able to run to him hurt her even more. She couldn't let him see that, despite Brynn's desperate attempts to make her tell him how she felt.
Avoiding him wasn't all that hard because JC seemed to be sidetracked all day. Other than a reassuring hug in the morning, she hadn't said anything to him all day and he looked as if he had a ton of things on his mind at once. She smiled at the way his forehead creased with stress, and even though she wished he wouldn't be stressed, he looked cute when he was.
"Smuff, remember what we talked about?" Lance said, coming up behind her that night and grabbing her shoulder from behind as she worked to unlock the door to her and Brynn's room. Faith smiled and turned around to face him. "Yes Lance. And no, I will not arrange for you to beat him up in private." She smiled again before finally getting the door open. "I'd love to see it..... but well we'll see." She giggled. Lance pulled her into a goodnight hug before turning around and opening the door to his room. Faith looked down the hall to the hand-entwined couple that was headed her way. She smiled as Justin turned to Brynn before placing a hand around her waist and pulling her closer to him. He placed his lips gently on hers before she closed her eyes and the two became emerged in their own little world. Immediately Faith placed JC and herself in that world. ‘Damn it Faith. Just tell him.' She thought as she walked into the room and sprawled out on the bed. "I just can't." She said aloud as she suddenly saw a slender figure standing under the door frame. "Faith?" JC’s voice asked curiously.
Justin could feel Brynn’s fingers as they slowly massaged the hair at the nape of his neck and her soft lips against his. As he pulled back to look into her eyes she licked her lips. He leaned in for another kiss just as his cell phone rang in his pocket. "Damn," he said aloud causing Brynn to giggle. He reached for her hand and held it tightly massaging it with his thumb as he answered the phone, "S’up?" Brynn giggled again as he put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. When he suddenly froze and stopped walking she looked up at him and became very concerned when she saw the expression on his face.
"You have some nerve Travis. Some real nerve," he said coldly into the phone. Brynn released his hand and turned to stand in front of him. He put his arm around her waist protectively as his eyes clouded over with anger. He listened intently for a moment before very sternly and protectively saying, "Travis, you are not welcome around here anymore. YOU and Faith are NOT a couple. You never should’ve been a couple. I’m sorry that she ever met you, and I’m even sorrier that I was the one that introduced you to her. Now, you listen to me. I don’t want to EVER see you around here again. Nowhere around Faith...NOWHERE!! Got it?"
Brynn’s arms tightened around Justin as he rubbed her back gently. "No Travis. STAY AWAY FROM HER!," he spat out angrily causing Brynn to jump. He glanced down at her worried face and kissed her gently on the forehead. His forehead creased and his eyes glowed with anger. "Look man...you stay away and we have no problems. You start showing up places, and you WILL BE in jail. I don’t care how much of daddy’s money you have. LEAVE HER ALONE!!" He flipped the phone off and pulled Brynn into a tight hug.
"He’s never gonna leave her alone, is he," she whispered. He rubbed her back gently and kissed her cheek before answering, "Baby, I promise I won’t let him get to her again." She wrapped her arms tighter around him as he walked her to the door of her room. He kissed her softly and ran his hands through her hair. "If you need me for anything...even just a hug...I’m right over there," he whispered as he pointed to the door of his room. Brynn nodded her head and kissed him again softly before watching him turn around and walk to his room.
She sighed happily and smiled. "Those lips are deadly," she whispered to herself before reaching in her pocket for the key. ‘Damn Brynn. You never remember that thing’ she thought to herself before knocking softly on the door.
JC sat on the end of the bed obviously trying to make sense of the thoughts that were running wild in his head. ‘Faith just relax and breathe’ she thought to herself. She reached over and put her hand on top of his and the mere touch sent chills down her spine. She plastered on the fake smile that she had gotten so good at over the course of the last few days. ‘Do not cry’ she thought to herself over and over, ‘You can’t cry.’
JC turned to face her and took a deep breath. He took her hand in his and slowly massaged his thumb over it as he fought to get his words out. He looked up and their eyes locked. He had never felt such intensity come from one person’s eyes, but when he looked into hers he felt as if his knees would buckle. He took another deep breath before beginning on the conversation that he dreaded but knew had to be done. ‘God, please don’t let her laugh at me’ he thought to himself as he started to speak.
"Faith, I need to talk to you about something. Do you remember that girl that I was telling you about?" With those words Faith fought back tears again. ‘As if I’m not heartbroken enough’ she thought to herself. She nodded her head slowly fighting the lump forming in her throat, "Uh huh." He took another deep breath as he watched her expression change. "Well, you remember what I told you about how she doesn’t notice me and how I didn’t know what to do," he spoke softly holding onto her hands tightly.
Faith mustered up enough strength to reply with a simple, "Uh huh," before looking back down at her hand in his. He took another deep breath and reached over to lift her chin. He wanted her to look into his eyes when he told her. He wanted her to feel the passion that he had for her. He wanted her to see the love in his eyes. He could see the glisten of tears in them as he stared deeply into them. "Faith, that girl is..."
His words were interrupted by a knock on the door. Faith unable to contain her tears anymore jumped up off the bed to answer it. "Sorry, I forgot my room key again," Brynn chirped. She walked into the room and noticed JC sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. She instantly realized she had interrupted something. ‘Perfect timing Brynn’ she thought to herself.
Faith needed to find a way to get away from JC and his intense stare. She knew whoever this girl was, she was probably a very sweet and loving person. At least she better be if she was going to be with JC. Right now her own selfish heartache wouldn’t allow her to think that way. Right now what she wanted more than anything in the world was for JC to tell her that she was that girl, but as much as she wanted it she knew that JC would probably never think of her that way. She was just like his little sister. She watched as Brynn glanced around nervously before excusing herself to go get into her pajamas. "I should..uhh...go tell Lance goodnight. Make yourself...uh..just make yourself comfortable," she stuttered before making a bee line out the door.
"Smooth Jace...smooth," he said aloud to himself as he watched the door close behind her. He sat up to get off the bed and noticed her purse lying on the floor. Some of the contents had spilled out and he noticed a picture lying on top. He leaned over to pick it up and smiled when he saw what it was. He had never had so much fun as he did that night. It was the first show of the tour and Faith had made sure that it was special for everyone. "She’s amazing," he whispered just as Brynn came out of the bathroom.
"Whatcha got there?" Brynn asked. JC hadn’t realized Brynn had come into the room and her words caused him to jump. "Oh Jace, I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to scare you," she said walking towards him. "Whew girl...give a man a heart attack," he chuckled as he handed her the picture. Brynn smiled at the picture she held in her hands and looked down at JC. "She loves this picture. She carries it with her all the time," she said with a smile as he turned to walk towards her own bed.
JC’s eyes danced and his breathing quickened. "All the time," he asked as Brynn crawled under the covers. "ALL the time," she said as she snuggled down and turned to face him. "How many times have I told you to trust me on this. You have NOTHING to worry about. Just..." JC interrupted her words, "Yeah, I know...just do it."
The next few days were extremely awkward as Faith fought to run away from JC. She couldn’t allow herself to break again. The two shows in Phoenix had gone on without a hitch. Their next three shows were in California, and Travis was still nowhere to be found. Despite that fact Faith still remained distant. She was fighting a losing battle with her heart, and everyone knew it.
Lance had tried so hard to get her to just let it all out, but she just wouldn’t do it. She always had to be the strong one and be there for everyone else. What she didn’t seem to realize was that at some point or another she needed to let someone be there for her. JC seemed to be doing the same thing. He tried to act as if nothing was bothering him, but everyone could see it including Faith. Unfortunately, she thought that it was over this mystery girl she thought JC was in love with. Little did she know how right she was, only the mystery girl was her.
As they waited to be checked into the hotel Faith stared out the lobby doors at the beach outside. She walked out and stood on the balcony. She could feel the sea breeze on her face, smell the salt, and hear the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. She sighed as she watched a couple below share a gentle kiss before running to play in the water together. ‘Why do you do this to yourself Faith’ she thought to herself just as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
When she turned around she was surprised to see JC standing there. "You ok," he asked quietly. ‘Alright Faith...smile time’ she thought to herself as she plastered on the brightest smile she could muster up. "Yeah, I was just enjoying the view. It’s beautiful," she said as she turned to look out at the ocean again. JC never took his eyes off of her, the way her hair blew in the breeze, the way she smiled as she gazed out over the beach, the way her eyes danced as she took in everything around her, and the way she made him feel just being close to her. "Faith, I need to talk to you about something," he whispered watching as her eyes focused on him again. She nodded her head without saying a word.
"We have an interview with the radio station, sound check, meet and greet, and then the show tonight," Lance informed everyone. Chris chuckled as he flipped the back of Brynn’s hair, "That’s why we call him Scoop." Brynn giggled as she watched him run and jump on Joey’s back. "He’s too much, but I love him to death," Brynn whispered to Justin. Justin chuckled and picked up one of her bags. "Hey, you live in Cali. When do I get to visit your home turf?" Brynn’s shocked eyes found his and he raised an eyebrow at her. "You wanna see it?" she questioned. He smiled brightly at her and kissed her gently, "You betcha."
As they walked into the elevators Brynn and Lance watched Faith carefully. Although she wasn’t bursting into tears they could tell that something was bothering her again. As they stepped off the elevator Lance took Faith’s arm gently and led her down the hall to a window seat with a beautiful view of the ocean. When they sat down he took her hand in his and looked her right in the eyes. "Spill it." She looked deep into his green eyes and sighed, "Love sucks." He chuckled before putting an arm around her shoulders, "Faith, you are one of the greatest people that I know. You’re warm and loving, you give yourself to people and never ask anything in return, and you are generally pretty good at reading people."
When he stopped speaking she looked up at him and smiled. Before she could say anything he continued, "I said generally. When it comes to you, you are blind as a bat. You just can’t seem to find a way to believe that anyone has an interest in you and that I don’t understand." Faith’s forehead creased and she raised her eyebrow slightly before asking, "Lance, what the heck are you talking about?" He chuckled and hugged her to him, "See."
"Lance, we gotta go man. They want you guys at the station early to answer some questions before you go on the air," Lonnie’s voice interrupted their conversation. "Alright, let me get Faith’s bags in her room first then I’ll be right down," he said looking down at the bags on the floor beside them. "Alright man. The fans are lined up outside so I’ll leave Mike with you while we take everyone else down," Lonnie said turning to walk back down the hall as Faith and Lance gathered the bags and followed him.
Brynn watched JC carefully as he glanced towards the elevator every time it would open. They were all waiting for Faith and Lance in the lobby, but one of them seemed a little more eager than the others. Justin watched Brynn as she smiled when she saw JC’s face light up the instant Faith stepped off the elevator. As much as JC had been trying to avoid Faith for fear of rejection he couldn’t hide the happiness she brought to him. Justin put an arm around Brynn’s shoulder snapping her attention back to him. She giggled and laid her head against his chest as he pulled her closer. "Why won’t he just do it,"she asked.
"JC is a complicated creature, but honestly he’s more afraid of losing her than anything else. You know...JC likes to put up a front for everyone. He tries to be the strong one all the time, but honestly sometimes I wish he would just let someone be there for him. That’s another reason I think he needs Faith. They just...I don’t know...they compliment each other." Justin whispered as he held Brynn close. Brynn nodded her head against his chest as he spoke again. "We just gotta get them to see that."
"You’re on the air with *NSYNC. What’s your question," the dj spoke into the microphone. "Oh my God...ok...hi...oh my God...my name is Shelby and I wanted to know what surprises we can expect at the show tonight...oh my God...I love you Justin," the young girl chirped. Justin smiled before speaking softly into the microphone, "Well thank you Shelby. Actually, you can expect lots of surprises tonight. It wouldn’t be much fun if we told you though now would it?" The girl giggled on the line as Chris jumped in, "Oh oh...I’ll tell ya...see there’s this part where this thing happens and then we do this thing...oh oh...and then we dance...oh my gosh...then...WE SING!!" Everyone laughed at his antics and Lance threw a pencil at him.
Brynn and Faith watched from in front of the glass as the guys answered questions. Faith’s eyes seemed to always find their way to JC and she noticed that although he was trying his best to hide it he was missing his usual spunk. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted when Justin, Chris, and Joey ran up to the window. Justin and Joey smashed their faces against it while Chris took another approach and smashed his butt up against the window. Brynn pressed her lips to the window in front of Justin’s in a mock kiss. "Aww...they’re so cute," Chris cooed with his butt still pressed to the window. When Joey laughed he turned his head a little to see Faith with her hand pressed against the glass where his butt was. He smiled and winked as she locked eyes with him in a seductive stare.
The radio interview finally ended after the guys sang an acapella version of "Bye Bye Bye" that was enough to make Faith and Brynn have to grab onto each other to keep themselves upright. "I think I need CPR," Brynn laughed as the guys filed out of the room. Justin scooped her up in his arms and blew on her lips playfully, "Actually, I think we got the mouth to mouth part down." She giggled and slapped him playfully on his shoulder. Lance glanced to Faith as she looked from the happy couple to JC and sighed. ‘She’s got it bad’ he thought to himself as he took her arm and lead her out of the radio station and to the waiting limo.
You know what?? You have GOT to stop avoiding him." Brynn said to Faith with a serious tone in her voice as she looked over at Faith who sat on the bed staring at the window. Faith sighed and looked down at her hands that had felt so at home when they were in his. "I know, I just, I can't. When he talks about that girl it kills me to know that she's out there and not there for him." She said slowly, looking up at her friend who stood before her with a confused expression.
"What girl Faith?" Brynn asked slowly, realizing slowly that those two had confused each other more than Faith, Justin, and Chris had ever confused JC alone. "The girl who doesn't notice him, the one he wants to be with. He almost told me who she was and then luckily you came in because even a name to this ‘girl' would make me breakdown." She looked back up into the blue- green eyes who had now taken a seat next to her. "What's that look mean?" Faith chuckled at the odd look that had taken over Brynn's face after she didn't reply.
Brynn shook her head a bit. She hit her forehead with the heel of her hand as she realized what JC was in the room for a couple of nights before. ‘OH MY GOD Brynn you NUMSKULL.' She thought to herself. ‘He's told her about this girl and when he's about to tell her that it IS her, I interrupt.' The frown that played on Brynn's face triggered a confused look on Faith's.
Faith stared at Brynn for a moment then stood up. "But you're right. He's wanted to talk to me a bunch of times. Next time he asks I'm just gonna let him tell me who this girl is. That way, I can hunt her down." Faith giggled, lightening her mood.
Brynn watched Faith as her eyes brightened at the thought of protecting JC. She smiled and laughed at Faith's remark. ‘You won't have to look far.' She said to herself before following Faith out the door. Lonnie waited at the elevator for them and they headed down to the limo that would take them to the concert. "Where are the guys?" Brynn asked in confusion. "They just left a second ago." Lonnie answered as they reached the lobby. Faith frowned knowing she wouldn't be able to see JC before the show and she wanted to ask him if he still wanted to talk before she lost her nerve.
The concert was awesome that night, as usual. The open air seemed to give the guys more energy as they sang their hearts out in the huge football stadium. Brynn and Faith made their way backstage as Space Cowboy began.
Faith's eyes never left JC as she walked behind Brynn to the area where the stage coordinator waited to let them backstage. His chin dripped a drop of sweat before he turned and caught her eye. "Come and take a ride, take a Space RIDE, with the COWBOY Baby." The words from her mouth made her giggle as her knees buckled and he smiled brightly and turned back to the crowd.
Brynn turned around and laughed as Faith stood there frozen. Taking three steps backwards she grabbed Faith's arm and pulled her to the gate. "Let's go see the COWBOY shall we?" Brynn smiled as Faith looked like she was ready to melt. More than anything she wanted to see him but the thought still scared her. She took a deep breath and instead of thinking about the other girl, she concentrated on the big blue eyes that she had felt so deep in her soul and those deliberately picked words in which he'd smiled with.
Within 30 minutes the girls were sitting in the toy room waiting for the guys to join them after the concert. The last words of "Bye Bye Bye" rang through the building and Faith took a nervous breath as she realized soon the guys would be in. "Relax." Brynn said to Faith with a smile. "Come on. When you are about to see Justin, don't tell me you don't get excited." Faith said with a sideways look. A guilty smile lit up Brynn's face. "Okay okay. I'm excited." She laughed as she walked around the room grabbing each guy's jacket from the chairs and couch.
"Here." She said, sliding JC's jacket over to Faith. "A good conversation starter." She smiled as Faith took another deep breath. She picked up his jacket and ran her forefingers over the leather. Suddenly the thought of another girl holding him in her arms hit her again. The same unhappiness that had seemed to lift a little with his bright smile was back. Brynn walked over to her and put an arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll all work out." She said. She was dying to let everything JC had said go and make her best friend feel better, but she wouldn't lose his trust. Faith smiled slightly at Brynn before they got up and walked out of the toy room, headed towards the stage area, hoping to catch the guys on their way down.
Faith locked the door to her room behind her as she walked into the hallway and down the outside stairs. "Maybe a walk on the beach will clear up my mind." She said aloud as she stepped out onto the now chilly sand. She took off her sandals and let the sand fall between her toes as she walked. She didn't even notice Justin and Brynn sitting on the sand as she passed.
"They are making themselves so unhappy." Brynn said quietly to Justin, leaning against his chest and turning her head on his shoulder to look at him while keeping an eye on Faith. She smiled as his arms that were draped over her shoulders tightened and she relaxed against him. "It'll work out soon, I hope." He said as he kissed Brynn's cheek gently and watched Faith trod across the sand with her eyes out over the moonlit ocean.
Faith walked for awhile just letting her thoughts flow through her mind, something she hadn't done in awhile. Looking around she took a seat and wrapped her legs up in her arms letting her chin rest on her knees. She stared out across the ocean and breathed deeply only wishing she had JC's arms around her. As if on cue, she heard slow footsteps behind her. "Mind if I be your beach-sitting buddy for awhile?" JC's playful voice hid his nervousness as he walked up behind her with a goofy grin. Faith smiled brightly before turning and patting the ground beside her. "Take a seat buddy." She giggled as he sat down on the sand beside her and pulled up his own legs, letting them rest against his arms which he linked loosely around them.
"Gorgeous isn't it?" She asked him, looking over at her handsome friend that sat beside her. His concentration on the moonlit ocean made her smile. "That's an understatement." He said not taking his eyes off the ocean. Faith watched as the ocean seemed to dance in the reflection of his blue eyes and the moonlight bounced off of his recently licked lips. She looked down to his hands, for the first time noticing they were entwining with each other. She looked back up to his eyes and then back out at the ocean. Everything around her was perfect; him, the beach, the ocean. Just that one nagging feeling in them both was tearing them each apart.
It was then that Faith heard his sweet hum. The music was unbelievable, comforting and consoling all at once. She let it run through her ears and her mind, her heart and her soul before beginning to sing along to the familiar tune coming from his heart. "If I'm not the one you want... Then you'll see...... take your time to figure out..... and you'll see. If I'm not the one you want, then baby, I'll be the one you need." She sang along lightly and quietly, listening to her own words as they played in her mind.
JC turned to Faith as he continued to hum, watching her soft lips move as she sang along with the words that were so delicately applicable to how his heart felt. Communicating through music was what he had grown up with, and he figured that now maybe that was what he needed. He needed her.
Faith tilted her head slightly as she stopped singing and listened to the comforting music. Then, slowly turning her head toward JC, she gazed at his mesmerizing physique that had never seemed so outstanding. "Come and lay down beside me...." She hummed along with him unconsciously. When he stopped humming, her thoughts were drawn to his eyes when he turned to look at her and that intense stare was continued. "Faith, can I tell you something? Something I've needed to tell you for way too long." He asked, not breaking the gaze between them. Faith felt as if she wouldn't be able to contain herself from grabbing him in her arms, and had no idea that he was feeling the same way. "You can tell me anything JC." She said, staring deeper into his blue eyes.
"Hey Lonnie, have you seen Faith," Lance asked as he walked into the lobby. Lonnie nodded his head and pointed to the door, "She went out for a walk on the beach. She said she needed to clear her head." Lance looked at the door and then back to him, "Should I?" Lonnie shrugged his shoulders before answering, "JC just went out too." Lance’s eyes widened and he walked to the window to look out. There they were sitting together on the beach. Lance took a deep breath and looked up before softly whispering, "Please God."
She could hear the nervousness in his voice and she tried to lighten the mood. "JC, you have to breathe. If you’re gonna tell me just tell me." JC couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard her words. She had no idea what double meaning her words held. "You’ve been wanting to talk to me about a girl," she whispered trying her best to remain strong. JC’s eyes widened as she spoke and darted around trying to find some place to focus. "Jace?" she whispered placing her hand on his cheek.
Her mere touch was enough to make up his mind. If he was going to do this he was going to do it now. He reached up and placed his hand on hers pulling it down to hold in his own. As he mustered up as much courage as possible he massaged his thumb over her hand gently. When he couldn’t stall anymore he looked up and caught her concerned gaze. Her eyes were electric, the intensity that burned into him made him want to wrap his arms around her and never let her go. No one had ever looked at him that way...no one but her.
As each second passed by, Faith fought with the lump in her throat. ‘God, please help me. I can’t break down when he tells me’ she prayed silently. As she turned slightly to face him he cleared his throat. "Faith, I...uhh...well, I’ve been trying to talk to you about this girl," he spoke softly. She nodded her head as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Well, you know that I’m not one to just give my heart away easily, but this girl..." his words trailed off as he closed his eyes, "Faith, she’s stolen my heart. When I see her my heart races and I have to fight to breathe. With one look into her eyes, I go weak in the knees. Her smile just has the ability to light up any room."
The more he spoke the more her heart shattered, but she had to be there for him. He came to her trusting her as a friend and she was going to be that friend to him. She forced a smile as her eyes locked once again with his intense stare. "Faith, this girl is the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. She’s even in my dreams," his last sentence was barely above a whisper, "I’m afraid to tell her though."
Faith swallowed the lump in her throat and squeezed his hand again. "JC, I don’t know who this girl is and honestly that doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is that YOU are happy. You deserve someone that will let you be the you that we all know and love. Someone that knows you and cares about only that. Someone to hold you, someone to protect you, but most of all someone to love you. All of those things I said to you before were true. If this girl can’t see all the wonderful things in you that I see then I don’t want you with her. She doesn’t deserve someone as wonderful as you are."
He listened intently to her heartfelt words and could see the glisten of tears that had begun to well up in her eyes. He took a deep breath before speaking softly, "Faith, I think it’s time you know who this girl is." ‘Oh God here it comes’ she thought to herself as she fought with the tears that wouldn’t stop stinging the back of her eyes. She nodded her head slowly and swallowed hard as a smile lit up his face. He brushed away a stray hair from her forehead and locked his eyes with hers. ‘Come on JC. Just say it.’ he thought to himself.
He watched as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip and he couldn’t help but smile. She was so beautiful to him right at this moment. He just gazed at her lovingly as he watched her hair blowing in the breeze, the sparkle of the moonlight in her big blue eyes, and the way the moonlight seemed to dance on her smooth skin. He took another deep breath and said a silent prayer as the words finally came out. "Faith, that girl is...that girl is YOU."
He watched her face carefully and waited for some kind of reaction from her. When a tear slowly made its way down her cheek he thought he had made the wrong decision. Maybe she did think of him as just a friend, and maybe by confessing this he had just ruined everything. His eyes immediately fell away from her gaze as his doubts flooded him. When he felt her hand touch his cheek softly he looked up to find her smiling brightly through her tears. "She is me?" she questioned, "All this was about...ME?"
He smiled brightly at her and reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. "Faith, I don’t know how you feel about me. I don’t know if I made a mistake by telling you. I don’t know if you could ever look at me as anything other than a friend. All I do know is that my heart aches just for one chance to love you the way you deserve to be loved. I have spent every waking moment of this entire tour trying to figure out a way to tell you. I just hope that I haven’t ruined anything between us."
As another tear fell down her cheek he was somewhat shocked when she leaned towards him and kissed him softly. As she pulled back to look into his eyes he sighed happily. "JC, I have loved you from the moment I met you, and everyday I only love you more. I always thought you would never look at me as anything more than the little sister type. I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed for this very moment," she whispered as she gazed deeply into his eyes.
He opened his arms and she instantly went into them as a tear found its way down his cheek She breathed in the scent of his cologne as she held onto him tightly never wanting this moment to end. In that instant her world seemed to instantly click into place, all the pieces fit together perfectly. As he stroked her hair gently all the heartache that she had been battling drifted away. For the first time in a very long time she felt complete.
She lifted her head up to look into his eyes and was shocked to see the glimmer of tears as they slowly made their way down his cheeks. She smiled at him and kissed the tears from his eyes before pressing her lips to his. His hands explored her back as she slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. They kissed each other softly at first, but as the love the two of them had held back for so long finally released, their kisses grew deeper and more passionate. As she pulled back she placed a few tiny teasing kisses on his lips before resting her forehead against his.
"What took us so long?" she asked with a giggle. "I was just thinking the same thing," he whispered back as he kissed the end of her nose. She tossed her head back to look up at the night sky and noticed just how much more beautiful the world instantly became. As she glanced back down she noticed Justin and Brynn sitting up the beach for the first time. JC turned to follow her gaze before standing up and offering her his hand. She took it and he helped her up gently. He hugged her tightly before sliding his arm around her waist and leading her back up the beach.
Brynn hugged Faith tightly before turning towards JC with a knowing smile, "See..what’d I tell ya?" JC pulled her into a tight hug as he glanced over her shoulder at Faith. "Thank you Brynn," he whispered before placing his arm once again around Faith. Justin chuckled as he thought back to the turmoil that had gone on the last few days. "Faith, If you hadn’t said yes...I thought I was gonna have to kill JC." The four friends laughed together before turning to head inside of the hotel.
Brynn and Justin walked ahead, laughing and talking. Every once in a while Brynn would glance over her shoulder and smile brightly. Faith and JC had become so engrossed in their own little world that they didn’t notice anyone around them. They almost walked past the elevators, but Justin reached out and grabbed JC by the shoulder. Faith slowly slid her hand down and intertwined it with his as they stepped into the elevator. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the cool metal. As if on cue they both let out a sigh of relief and of happiness. Faith opened one eye and looked at JC before giggling. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms again as she rested her head on his chest.
Brynn and Justin watched the display between the two and smiled brightly. He pulled her closer to him and held her in his protective arms. "I told Lance they were cute," he whispered causing Brynn to giggle. "I haven’t seen either of them this happy in a very long time." Brynn looked up at him and kissed him softly before whispering, "I haven’t been this happy in a very long time either."
The elevator doors opened and JC led Faith back down the hall towards her room. They stood there looking at each other for a moment before either of them spoke. He loved the way she looked at him. She smiled brightly at him before wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing him gently. He kissed the top of her head and hugged her to him as he whispered, "Mmm...you feel so good." His words caused her to look up as a smile played on her lips. The expression on her face made him laugh, "What’s that look all about?" She smiled at him and laid her head back against his chest, "I can’t believe you just said that to ME. I feel like I’m dreaming, and to be honest I’m scared to wake up."
He lifted her head up to look into his eyes and kissed her with more passion then she had ever felt in one kiss. When he pulled back she had to fight to catch her breath. She placed her hand on his chest and a smile lit up her face when she felt his heartbeat...it was racing. "Can I walk you down to breakfast in the morning," he whispered just above her lips. She couldn’t choke out the words so she simply nodded her head. "Sweet dreams," he whispered so close to her lips that she could feel his bottom lip lightly brush over hers. He softly pressed his lips to hers before he walked backwards down the hall to his own room, not wanting to take his eyes off her. Faith watched him until he finally opened the door. She was surprised when he walked back to her and handed her the key, "Just in case you need me." She smiled brightly and nodded her head, "Sweet dreams Jace."
Two hours later Faith lay in bed unable to sleep. Not because of the thoughts that plagued her before, but because she was so happy she felt she would burst. She glanced over at the bed next to her where Brynn lay sleeping peacefully. For over a hour Brynn had to listen to her gush on and on about JC. She could tell that Brynn was just as happy as she was though. Now she just needed to talk to Lance. A smile lit up her face when she rolled over and noticed the key laying next to her on the bedside table. She slipped out of bed quietly and out the door. She glanced through the hallway and smiled as she turned the key over in her hands. ‘He said if I needed him. I need him to hold me,’ she thought to herself as she slid the key in the door.
JC lay in bed sleeping peacefully. He didn’t notice the door open or the figure that slid through it closing it softly behind them. His dreams were filled with her as they played happily on the beach. As she wrapped her arms around him it felt too real. He smiled brightly as his eyes fluttered open. When he felt an arm slide over his stomach he looked over to find Faith smiling brightly at him. "I hope you don’t mind, but I couldn’t sleep," she whispered. He pulled her into his arms and she laid her head comfortably on his chest as he stroked her hair. As she drifted off to sleep in his arms he sighed contentedly. This is what dreams were made of.
In the morning, Brynn woke up to the delicate sound of waves crashing on the beach and seagulls cawing through the breeze. She smiled as she threw off her covers and stood up. Glancing over to the bed beside her, she realized that Faith wasn't there. "Well I WONDER where she is." Brynn said sarcastically with a devious smile. With that she walked into the bathroom to get dressed for the day.
Fifteen minutes later a light knock sounded on her door. Walking quickly over to it she pulled it open slowly and a smile lit up her face when she saw Justin standing before her. His smile was enough to make her day okay, but she was even happier when he spoke. "Good morning Princess. May I accompany you to breakfast?" He asked with a silly medieval accent, turning out his arm so that she could slide hers into it. She looked at him with a smile for a few seconds. "Why certainly my Prince." She giggled as she grabbed her room key and slid her arm into his.
Faith awoke to JC's lips lightly grazing over her cheek. A smile immediately took over her face as she opened her eyes and turned to face him as his arm slid lightly over her stomach. "Good morning." He smiled at her as she propped herself up on an elbow and reached to hold his hand that was draped on her stomach. "Very good morning." She giggled, leaning in to lightly graze her lips over his. JC immediately gave her a puppy dog look. "Is that all I get?" He questioned with playfulness in his eyes. Faith laughed as she played with his fingers that were intertwined with hers and looked into his soft blue eyes. "That’s for me to know and you to find out." She played along before rolling over and standing up off of the bed. JC watched her teasing grin and a huge grin spread across his face as she walked from the bed and looked out into the sunlight. He got up off the bed and followed behind her.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he continued. "You wanna get some breakfast??" He asked. "Sure." She answered with a smile, knowing now that this was not a dream, it was a dream come true. She laid her hands on his that had linked in front of her stomach and relaxed against him before grabbing her room key and going to get dressed.
Downstairs in the breakfast area, Brynn laughed quickly before slapping a hand over her mouth. Despite her attempt to look innocent, she still bounced with laughter as the grape she tossed hit Justin in the nose. Immediately he picked up the grape with a look of astonishment and threw it back at her. She ducked quickly in her chair so that it missed her and almost hit a guy at another table. They both laughed as they turned back around quickly. "Don't make me break out into another food fight." Brynn played, pointing a finger at him as she intertwined the rest with his hand that rested on her thigh. Justin laughed. "Now THAT wasn't that bad of an experience was it??" He asked with sly grin. Brynn's own grin crept up on her face. "No, it SURE as heck wasn't." She giggled, remembering back to their kiss.
Right then, the doors opened up slowly and in stepped a smiling, hand in hand couple. Brynn glanced over at the door and did a double take. "I ALMOST didn't recognize them. Haven't seen either of them smile that big in SO long." Brynn laughed at her own "blond" moment. Justin looked over at Faith and JC who were headed their way and laughed. "It's almost TOO right to see them like that." He said as they got closer.
JC and Faith joined the two for the rest of breakfast. Talking and having a good time, Brynn kicked Faith under the table as JC mentioned something about when Faith came into his room the night before. Brynn raised an eyebrow with an accusing and playful look in her eye while Faith blushed furiously. Both giggling, they didn't seem to notice the one guy who stood outside the lobby window watching the four.
As the four got up and walked out of the breakfast area, Travis watched closely. He did not like the way JC was looking at Faith and the happiness that automatically glowed in hers when she caught his eye. He wanted to get to her alone, but with JC, Justin, and Brynn there, he knew he had no chance. He didn't want to have to face Justin and he knew Brynn would just back Justin up. And JC was a whole other story, but maybe he could scare him off...........
‘Now's my chance.' He thought as he watched Justin grab Brynn's hand and lead her out the back of the lobby to the beach. JC and Faith stood there gazing in the other's direction, Faith's small hands perfectly arranged in his. Their minds were one as they began to lean into each other, and neither heard his pounding footsteps approaching. Yet as Faith watched JC lean forward to kiss her, her joyous smile turned to fright as she saw a look she'd never seen before overcome JC's face. His eyes locked on something right behind her and it was then she felt the breathing down her back. Almost shuddering, Faith whipped around and glared into Travis' growling brown eyes. "You followed me from Texas to California!?" She yelled.
JC watched closely as Travis began to reach for Faith. "Uh-uh." JC said, pulling an arm around Faith's waist and stepping in front of her, placing a hand on Travis' chest. "Not this time buddy." JC continued with a determined and angered glare. Travis' eyes darted to JC as he stepped backwards and a strong fist came at him. Faith turned away laughing quietly as JC gave Travis the treatment he deserved.
"Sorry bout that Suga." JC said turning back around with satisfied eyes and a smile. Faith just stood awestruck at the tremendous power that came out of him. "Been wanting to do that for a LONG time." JC emphasized, linking his arms around her waist. Faith smiled boldly, unsure of how to answer. "I...you....how... Thank you!!" Faith laughed at her own stuttering but the next thing she knew JC had pulled her tighter. She closed her eyes as his soft lips parted and then touched hers lightly at first, then more boldly. She let him take over before he pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "That's not all you get." Faith giggled as she placed a hand behind his neck and pulled him so that their noses lightly touched. He grinned widely before tilting his head and once again placing his lips on hers. After a long passionate kiss, they pulled away. "Take that Travis." Faith said with a laugh as they headed towards the elevator.
"You wanna go for a swim?," Justin asked Brynn as she looked out over the ocean. Brynn not turning her attention away from the view shook her head. "That sounds like fun. You wanNAAAAAAAHHH!!!," she squealed as Justin picked her up and ran towards the water. "JUSTIN!!" She could hear him laughing in her ear just before the rush of ocean water hit her. She clutched onto him dragging him down into the water with her.
She felt his strong protective arms tighten around her waist as she came up. He brushed her wet hair out of her eyes as they both laughed. "I..can..NOT..believe you did that," Brynn sputtered as she spit the salty water out of her mouth. Justin laughed before pulling her close to him and kissing her softly. "Mmm...salty," he whispered just above her lips. She watched the water drip from his curls and she suddenly got an idea of her own. She giggled as she grabbed his head and dunked him under. She swam back towards the shore giggling as he came back up.
He looked around the water a moment before glancing towards her waving to him on the shore. "COME ON IN THE WATER'S FINE," he yelled to her. "FROM WHERE I'M STANDING THAT'S NOT ALL THAT'S FINE," she yelled back. He stood up out of the water and flexed his muscles as a grin spread slowly across his face. "WHY THANK YOU BABY!" She giggled as she watched him walk towards her out of the water. "Who said I was talking about you?" Brynn turned and glanced down the beach at the lifeguard who had just climbed up onto his chair.
Justin smiled evilly before sliding his wifebeater, that was now soaked, up and over his head. Brynn's eyes widened as she watched him slide it off and ring it out as the tiny water droplets slid down his chest. She watched his every movement as he came towards her. He ran up and wrapped his arms tightly around her before looking deep into her eyes. He stuck his bottom lip out into a playful pout, and she tried to fight the giggles that were threatening. He looked at her another moment and his forehead creased slightly. A smile lit up his face as he leaned in and enveloped her into a kiss. She could feel the tingles run down her spine as one of his hands found its way down her back and the other slid up into her wet hair.
"How about now?" he asked seductively. When he looked at the expression on her face he couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll take that as a yes," he said before leaning in to kiss her again softly. When he pulled back again she smiled up at him brightly, "OH YEAH!!" He laughed as he took her hand and led her back inside the hotel. "We gotta get cleaned up. If I remember correctly, I get a tour of your hometown."
JC held onto Faith protectively as the elevator climbed back up to their floor. "I can't believe you hit him. I mean I'm...whoa. You hit him," Faith said still shocked from the display just moments earlier. He chuckled as he pulled her closer to his chest, "He had it coming. Besides, you don't mess with my girl." At the sound of those words Faith sighed contentedly. 'It feels so good to hear him say that' she thought to herself.
As the elevator doors opened the couple stepped out hand in hand just as Lance walked out of his room. Faith smiled brightly when she saw the expression on his face. He glanced at each of their faces and then down to their intertwined hands and smiled. "All I have to say is it's about damn time," he said as he walked to Faith quickly and wrapped her in a hug. He looked over at JC and smiled, "We have to talk. I know you're one of my best friends but there are a few ground rules that I have to lay down." JC chuckled as he glanced down to the nervous look on Faith's face. He squeezed her hand before looking at Lance, "No problem buddy."
"You guys had breakfast yet?" Lance asked. He saw the look on Faith's face as she covered her mouth with her hand. "Uh..yeah, and so did Travis." With the mention of Travis, Lance's jaw tightened. JC looked at her and smiled as she continued, "He had a knuckle sandwich." Lance's eyes widened as he watched Faith look up to JC and giggle. He pointed to JC as his eyes widened, "You hit him?" JC nodded his head, "He had it comin' man." Lance slapped him on his shoulder and laughed, "JC, you da man!"
As the laughing ceased Faith looked to Lance, "So, what's my Froggy up to today?" Lance shrugged his shoulders as he put an arm around her. "I'll probably attempt to keep tabs on Joey and hit the beach today. You two gonna join us or do you have plans for today?" Faith looked over to JC and smiled before looking to Lance, "I'm gonna steal him for a few hours and then we'll come back and catch up with ya." Lance smiled at the twinkle in her eyes and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "You two behave yourselves. I'm gonna go grab some breakfast." He turned to walk down the hall as JC opened the door to his room.
Faith stepped in the room behind JC and looked around. "JC?" she called when she didn't see him inside. She stepped into the room and the door closed behind her. She turned to find JC smiling slyly behind her. He stepped towards her and slid his hands around her waist. "So, whatcha wanna do today? It feels weird to have the day off." She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, "Anything as long as you're there." He kissed her on top of the head before whispering softly, "Baby, I'm not going anywhere. I promise you don't ever have to worry about that." It was at that moment that Faith realized she had cried her last teardrop over the pain Travis caused. Her life was full of happiness once again, and true love that she had never known before.
"Alright, this is it," Brynn said as she opened the door to her LA apartment. Justin looked around and smiled, "I like it." Brynn smiled at him and led him over to the couch. "Make yourself comfy. Want a soda?," she said as she dropped her keys on the coffee table and headed towards the kitchen. He smiled at her and stood up to follow her. "So, when do I get the tour of the place?" She giggled and took his hand, "This is the kitchen. Bet ya never would've guessed that." He laughed as she reached in the refrigerator and tossed him a soda.
He popped the top and she took his hand leading back through the living room and down the hall. "This is the bathroom. Don't look cuz it's a wreck. Uhh...here's the bedroom..oh Lord, you can't see that cuz it's even worse." He laughed and pushed the door open. "Whoa girl, I thought my room was bad. I wish my mom could see this...then she would leave me alone." She pulled him out and quickly closed the door. "Told ya it was bad," she said giggling as she pushed him back up the hall.
She pushed him over to the couch and sat him down. "You make yourself comfy. I'm gonna grab some more clothes and stuff. I'll be right back and then we can go." While Brynn headed back to the bedroom Justin got up to look around. He walked over to look at the pictures that adorned the walls and table. There were several pictures of her and Faith, pictures of who he assumed were family members and friends, but one picture struck him. There was Brynn in her high school cheer uniform. "Wow," he said aloud to himself. He looked around a little more and smiled when he noticed her collection of *NSYNC cds. "I gotta say she's the best fan I've ever met."
A few minutes later Brynn walked in bag in hand. "Ya ready sweetie?" Justin glanced up at her from his position on the couch. "Yup, where to next?" She smiled at him and grabbed her keys off the table. "What else would you like to see?" He smiled at her and grabbed her by the waist and spun her around to face him. She looked up into his eyes and smiled as he leaned in to kiss her softly. "Mmm, what was that for?" she whispered as he pulled back to look at her. "Just cuz," he whispered as he smiled playfully at her. He took her hand and they headed back out the door.
As they headed out of the hotel to the waiting car Faith glanced around nervously. JC was with her, but she still secretly feared that Travis would be lurking somewhere. They stepped out with Dre to the waiting car and Faith grimaced when she thought she saw his lanky figure standing behind a row of fans. JC caught her nervous gaze and placed a hand in the small of her back. She glanced up at him and then back over to where she had been looking. She breathed a sigh of relief when the figure was gone. She slid in the seat next to JC and relaxed when she felt his arm slide around her protectively.
"Are you ok?" he asked in a very concerned tone. She laid her head over on his shoulder and placed her hand on his knee. "I'm fine I just thought...nevermind." His arm immediately tightened around her as he pulled her closer to him. She breathed in the deep scent of his cologne and smiled. "Him?" he asked. She nodded her head against his chest as he stroked her hair gently. He lifted her head up so that he could look into her eyes before whispering, "Listen to me ok? I promise you that I will not let him hurt you anymore. He messes with my girl and I'm gonna have to kick some tail."
His words caused her to giggle and he smiled down at her. "No more worries. Promise?" She smiled back at him and kissed the end of his nose, "I'll try, you know how I am." He shook his head and chuckled, "Well, you're right about that." His tone turned back serious as he looked deep into her eyes and placed a soft hand on her cheek, "I just want you to know that I am NOT him and I will do everything in my power to make up for all the hurt he put you through." She leaned in and kissed him gently as she ran her fingers up into his hair. He smiled at her as she pulled away, "I love it when you do that." She smiled and nibbled on her bottom lip as he beamed down at her.
"Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE the beach?" Lance said as he stepped out onto the beach with Chris and Joey. "Only about..hmm...400 times since we got here yesterday," Joey answered as he surveyed the beach, "WHOA! I'm with ya on that one Lansten...check her out." Lance turned in the direction of the beautiful blonde that was headed their way. Lance chuckled at his friend as he watched the girl walk past them. Joey turned his attention towards a group of college girls just ahead and Lance watched as the girl turned around and winked at him. "Oh, Lance loves California...and he loves the beaches of California even more," he said to himself as she walked on up the beach.
Joey walked over to lay his towel down next to the girls who all directed their attention towards him. When one asked him his name he went into the 'Fatone Flirt' mode. Chris immediately hit the waves as Lance spread his towel out and sat in the warm California sun. A few minutes later a smiling Joey walked back over to Lance. "Dude, guess what. There's a beach party tonight. Guess where we're gonna be," he said as he glanced back over his shoulder to the girls who all giggled in unison. "PARTAY!!" Joey yelled and started dancing. "Dude, please stop. Just don't ever do that again," Lance said laughing.
"Well, you saw it all. Now what?" Brynn asked as they walked back to the car. "Let's get somethin' to eat. I'm starved," Justin replied as he took Brynn's hand, "let's hit the mall." Brynn looked at Justin strangely, "Babe, you'll probably get mobbed." Justin smiled and pointed to Lonnie waiting by the car, "Baby, don't worry. That's what they're for."
About five minutes later they walked into the mall and headed directly for the food court. Justin ordered a full meal while Brynn decided on an ice cream cone. As Justin scarfed down his pasta he watched as Brynn enjoyed her ice cream. He chuckled when he noticed a tiny bit on the tip of her nose. She raised and eyebrow at him before asking, "What?" He looked at the napkins laying on the table in front of them and a sly smile spread across his face when he decided against them. He leaned over and kissed the end of her nose and gently pressed the tip of his tongue to it. Her eyes widened as he licked his lips and grinned, "Mmm."
He laughed at the expression on her face. "You..uhh..ok," she stuttered. He watched her as she ate the rest of her ice cream cone and couldn't help but smile as he watched her obvious fight with the thoughts in her head. 'If she's thinking what I'm thinking...whoa' he thought to himself as he finished his pasta.
"You know you really shouldn't let me have that much candy. I'm gonna be acting like Chris," Faith said looking up to JC as he paid the lady behind the register. "Gotta have snacks at the movie sweetie," he said sweetly. Faith glanced over his shoulder at Dre who was pacing around behind them. "That poor guy," Faith said aloud. JC turned his attention towards Dre and smiled, "Yeah, we put him through a lot. Good thing he loves us."
Faith helped JC carry the snacks as he linked his arm with hers. "You do want to see this movie right? Brynn mentioned that you wanted to see it the other day. The guys don't really go for these kinda movies, so I thought what better person to bring with me," JC asked as Dre walked up behind them. "Yup, I'm just surprised that somebody actually came with me," she said smiling brightly at him as they slid into their seats. Dre sat the next row over to give them a little privacy, but still where he could keep an eye on them.
Faith snuggled down in her chair close to JC and he wrapped his arm around her. "Whoa, just in time," he whispered as the previews ended and the movie began. Through the whole movie JC found it very difficult to keep his eyes off of her. The way her eyes reacted to the scenes of the movie, the feel of her warm body next to him, the soft scent of her perfume, and the way she nibbled on her twizzlers while she watched. He watched as her eyes teared up, and instantly wrapped his arm tighter around her as he lifted the arm rest up to let her snuggle closer.
A tear slowly made it's way down her cheek and he leaned over to gently kiss it away. She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest just above his heart. He held her tightly and reached his other hand up to place over hers, linking their fingers together. He sighed contentedly and smiled. The feel of her in his arms felt so right. He kissed the top of her head when she sniffled and hugged her tighter. As the movie ended and the lights turned on he looked at her wet cheeks. "That had to be the saddest thing I have ever seen," she whispered to him as he smiled and kissed her cheek softly. Dre met them at the end of the row to escort them back out to the car.
"Thank you for bringing me baby," she whispered as they slid back into the car. He smiled brightly at her and intertwined his hand with hers, "Sweetheart, there's no one I would rather be with." She laid her head over on his shoulder and sighed contentedly.
"Lance, you ready yet dude? Beach party, let's go, girls, beach, moonlight, girls, dancing, girls, wait...girls on the beach dancing in the moonlight. LANCE LET'S GO," Joey yelled as Chris sat laughing at him, "Dude, breathe. They will be there when we get there. Besides we're missing four members of the crew here." As if on cue there was a knock on the door. Chris opened it to find JC standing there smiling brightly at him. "Whoa, is that you JC," Chris asked jokingly. If it was possible JC only smiled brighter.
He stepped into the room and flopped down on the bed with a sigh. Lance stepped out of the bathroom in khaki shorts and an green flowered Hawaiian shirt that was covering a white wifebeater. "Hey Jace, when did you get back?" JC looked up from where he lay on the bed and smiled, "Um..about 30 minutes ago. I..well we.." Lance held up a hand and chuckled, "No Jace, don't go there." He looked around at his three friends and sat up on his elbows, "Where are you guys going?" Joey tapped his foot impatiently, "Beach party if Lance will hurry his slow ass up." Lance waved him off and reached for his room key, "You and Faith coming?" "Hmm...Faith, moonlight, beach, oh I'm there," JC said chuckling.
Lance shook his head as Joey and Chris walked out into the hall. Before joining them he turned back to JC, "Jace, be good to her man. She's special, and she's been through a lot with that asshole." JC smiled and looked back at his friend, "Lance, you know me man. I promise you that I will do everything I can to make her happy." Lance smiled at his friend and shook his head, "Good cuz I would hate to have to whoop your butt." JC chuckled as Lance closed the door behind him. "Travis is about to be a distant memory," he said aloud.
Faith was getting ready for the beach party in the room when Brynn came in. "Faith?" she called as she tossed her bag down on the chair. "Hey girl! I’m in the bathroom," she called back. Brynn stepped into the bathroom just as Faith clipped her perfectly curly hair back into a hair claw. "So, how was your day?" she asked as Brynn jumped up on the bathroom counter. Brynn smiled brightly at her friend before answering, "Perfect." Faith smiled at her friend and giggled, "That makes two of us and the night is about to get better. There’s a beach party girl. Think Justin, beach, and moonlight." Brynn’s eyes widened at her description and she giggled. "There’s smores too."
Faith twirled a curl around her finger as another thought hit her. "Have you ever watched people eat smores?" Brynn looked at her and giggled, "Yeah, why?" Faith’s smile widened as she spoke, "Think about every person you have ever seen eat a smore. What always happens?" Brynn’s forehead creased in thought as she looked at her friend, "Um..they usually end up with it all over their lips." The smile on Faith’s face told her she had it exactly right. "Oh yeah, I’M THERE!!" Brynn yelled jumping off the counter. Faith laughed as she watched her friend run to her bag. "Oh this is gonna be a night to remember," Faith whispered aloud to herself in the bathroom mirror.
"Hey, there’s that girl from earlier. Don’t look now Lansten, but I think she’s checkin you out dude," Joey said as they walked through the crowd of people that had gathered on the beach. Lance looked at her and smiled as she turned her head quickly. "Oh, she’s gonna play shy dude," Joey chuckled. Lance smiled, "She’s cute man." As Joey made his way into the crowd of girls, Lance walked over to the girl that sat alone away from the group. "Mind if I sit down?"
The girl looked up at him and smiled brightly before patting the sand next to her, "Sure...I could use the company." He smiled brightly at her causing her to flush slightly. "My name is Lance." She smiled and nodded her head, "Yeah, I know. My little sister is probably Chris’ biggest fan." Lance shook his head a little weary of her intentions now. "By the way, my name is Jenna," she whispered. He looked at the sad look in her eyes and his nerves calmed. "Are you ok," he asked as he touched her arm softly, "there’s a big party goin’ on over there and you’re way over here." She forced a smile and immediately looked back out over the ocean. "I kinda have a problem."
Lance looked back to the crowd and noticed a very happy dancing Joey. He looked back to her realizing she needed someone to talk to. "Well, I know we just met, but I’m a good listener." She smiled at him and shook her head, "Nah, I don’t wanna bother you. You should go have fun. A jerk like Travis shouldn’t keep us all from having fun." With the mention of his name Lance’s head jerked towards her. "What did you say?" She looked at him and raised and eyebrow, "The guy I was talking about, Travis." ‘Can’t be the same one’ he thought to himself. "You know Jenna, you might feel better if you talked it out," he said not sure if he wanted to know to help her or to help Faith. This guy was a creep and he knew it, but something told him he had to know.
As he listened to Jenna’s story he sat there in shock. He knew as soon as he heard the first sentence that it was the same man. The more she talked the more he realized it and the more angry he became. Travis’ one pleasure was making others miserable. When she finished her story he looked at her as she played with a handful of sand. "Jenna, what was Travis’ last name?" She seemed a little shocked at his question, but she was even more shocked when she saw the reaction her words got. "Parker...Travis Parker." Lance’s jaw tightened and he looked at her as his anger coursed through him. "Jenna, do me a huge favor and get as far away from him as you can." She looked at him curiously as he continued, "Let me tell you a little story about Travis Parker."
