Chapter 3
From the very first moment Maria had brought Arianna and Bryce to their “apartment”, the two knew that it would definitely take some getting used to. Instead of the normal surroundings of large rooms and beautiful scenery, they were to put up with living in this tiny dump. There were 2 extremely small bedrooms, 1 tiny bathroom (with only a shower head and no tub), and a small kitchen/living room. There wasn’t even a barrier between the two rooms! First, you’re in the kitchen. After you took a few steps, BAM! You’re now in the living room! All together, the apartment was about the size of Arianna’s bedroom at her home. Oh yes, this was definitely a change.
“Umm, Bryce, can you tell me again why this place is so fucking small?” Arianna asked, raising her voice as she finished. She was in her room unpacking the little amount of clothes she was able to bring.
“Because, Ri,” Bryce began as he entered the room. Before continuing, he set his Cuban Maria voice to imitate the way she sounded. “We need to get right into our roles. We can’t play poor siblings if we have lived in luxury all our lives.”
The blond, who had lightened her hair to change her appearance a bit, put her last pair of pants in the drawer and slammed it shut. “Well, I don’t plan on living her a very long time, so Maria can take this whole living like poor people thing and shove it up her ass. I mean, my room doesn’t even have a closet!”
Laughing, Bryce gave his sister a playful nuggie. “I don’t think it’s the place you want to get out of, I think it’s the guy we’re after. I saw your face when Maria showed us the picture. You wanted to run down the street and jump him.”
“Oh, hey Bryce, I have something in here for you,” Arianna reached into her suitcase, pretended to grab something in her hand, and pulled her hand back out with her middle finger stuck in the air. Bryce just chuckled and left the room to finish unpacking.
Even though she did hate this dump she was placed in, Arianna did love the man she was after. He was only two years older than she, extremely good looking, and not to mention a good singer. She absolutely loved a man who could sing. Then there was also the obvious factor- sex. He was one of those guys who, just by looking at him, you could tell he was great in bed. That’s something Arianna was definitely looking forward to.
Hopefully, they would be able to begin their job by next week. All they had to wait for was their man to hit a club. Then Bryce began. Maria said that under normal circumstances, he goes out once a week. How she had figured out this information, Arianna didn’t ask. All she needed to know now was that he was gorgeous, rich, and single. That was her motivation, and exactly what she would be thinking each day she had to live in this dump.
After setting up the last of the little trinkets she brought, Arianna headed for Bryce’s room next door. At least he would be here. If he hadn’t come, then she would have left as soon as she found out this is where she would be living. Sure, it may have made her sound extremely botchy and spoiled, but that’s just the way it was for her. She knew for a fact that life would never draw her a card like this, so she didn’t worry at all. Others may live like this everyday, but not her. Well, at least not in this lifetime.
She found Bryce sleeping soundly in his bed, just like the lazy bum he had always been. But, lazy or not, Bryce had a right to be tired. They arrived in California at 11:00 last night, then Maria kept them up all night with the guys story. After they discussed the parts they would be playing, Maria had taken them to their apartment, which was located about 10 minutes away from her big, beautiful house. By the time they had gotten rid of Maria, it was 4:00 am. Now that they were all unpacked, it was 7:00 am. Though she hadn’t eaten, Arianna was more tired than anything. So, following her brother’s actions, she headed for her room and fell asleep.
<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
Those kids. Thanks god she was here, or else it would have taken them forever to get started. Maria knew it was crucial that she be extra nice to JC over the next few days. Knowing that he enjoyed her cooking, she had baked a special batch of cookies for him. Now all she had to do was walk them right over. He only lived 2 mansions down.
After fixing her appearance a bit, Maria set out to bring the unexpected cookie surprise As she walked the journey over to his home, Maria set her mind to the correct frame. JC and all those living in California knew her as Sophia, an Old Italian widow who inherited from her late husband, who was a pediatrician and owned his own practice. So, now, instead of being Maria, she was Sophia.
After a 10-minute walk, she finally reached the front door. JC did not have a long driveway, like some other homes on the block. From the outside, his house was absolutely beautiful. The frame was white paneling, and the shutters were painted white as well. A gardener beautifully trimmed the lawn, since she hardly saw JC outside of the house. She never even saw his swim in the large in-ground pool he had outback. And though she had never seen the entire house interior, she was convinced that it was absolutely beautiful.
She ran the doorbell, and in less than a minute, JC had answered. “Hello, Sophia! What brings you to my door?”
Holding up the cookie plate, she smiled brightly. “I’ve brought you some cookies, dear.”
“Oh, Sophia, thank you!” JC took the plate and opened the door a bit. “Come on in.”
Stepping inside, she entered the home. “Well, thank you darling. I’m afraid I can’t stay for to long. I am just stopping by to check up on you.”
JC set the plate down in the kitchen and joined her in the main foyer. “Checking up on me? What do you mean?”
Standing kind of slouched, Maria folded her hands in front of her and slightly sighed. “Well, dear, I don’t want you to think I am a Nosy-Rosie or anything. I mean, I’m not exactly young anymore and it’s just natural that I watch everyone-“
“Sophia, it’s alright. I don’t mind. Heck, I’ve had millions of girls doing it for years. I am used to it by now.”
“Well, JC,” Maria began, standing short next to his tall structure. “I just noticed that ever since you and Alecia had broken up, you haven’t been out much. A nice young, talented and handsome man like you should have another nice girl here.”
"Well, Sophia, I'm afraid most women these days only see me as a gold mine for money. Other than that, they look down on me because I am a fallen popstar." JC sighed, yawning. "These days I really need to feel a bond of trust before I can move to that next level."
"Oh, darling, I know you will find somebody special. But, I must be going." Maria walked towards the door waith JC. "Promise me that you will go out and have some fun tonight? I'd hate to see you end up lonley like me."
Grinning at her obvious concern, JC nodded. "I think I may head out tonight. It's been a while."
"Have a nice time, JC." Maria smiled and shut the door behind her.
JC had always been grateful of his choice of home, and neighbors liek Sophia made it even better. Though he thought living without Alecia would be painfull, it actually felt nice. It would have felt alot nicer if he had some ladies in and out of their once in a while. Alecia may have beena heartbreak, but she was also an awakening. Now was the time, like his elderly friend had stated, time for him to go out again.
As he walked up the stairs in the main foyer, his eyes glanced at the clock placed in the hallway over the awning of the bathroom. It was only 3:00 pm, which meant he had plaenty of time before the club opened. yawning, he headed for his lonley master bedroom in order tot ake a nap.
<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
That night, JC sat at the bar. It was near closing time, and he had not found one female he had any interest in. Sure, he may have danced with some chicks, but none of them gave off the right vibe. So, he sat at the bar, sipping a soda (hey, he did have to drive home you know) and about ready to leave for the night.
As he set his half empty glass on the wooden bar counter, a force from behind sent him flying forwards. Just in time, JC caught his glass from spilling all over him. Sighing in relife that his clothes were not harmed, JC sat down. The person who bumped his stepped up.
"Dude, I am so sorry," it was a guy around his age, who looked a little more than totally wasted. His blond hair was a bit flattened because of the humidty in the club, and his entire apperance made him look as if he had jumped out of the pages of an Abercrombie catalog. "Did I mess anything of yours? Cuz, dude, I can make up for it."
"Naw, mand, its all good. Everything is okay." JC assured, standing to meet the stranger's height. To be nice, and maybe even save a life, JC asked, "You don't plan on driving, do you?"
Shooting straight up from his slouched position, the guy pulled at his blond hair. "Shit!! I'm not driving, but fuck. I was supposed to call my sister, like, already."
Seeing that this guy was totally wasted and helpless, JC put a hand in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Ignoring the two messages on his voicemail, he got ready to type in the digits. "What is the number?"
"555-0271," he blurted out. JC typed it and began to give the phone over to him. "dude, can you talk to her? I know it's alot but if she hears me this wasted she'll make me fucking roadkill."
"Sure, man." Though it was an odd request, JC didn't mind. He too had been in the position of drunk time 3 and not wanting to be in too much trouble. And, though this was definitley not ideal ,maybe he could even gain a new friend out of this situation. "Whats your name by the way? I'm JC."
"Toby- Toby Higgins. My sister's name is Harmony," he mumbled as he sat down. JC noticed his head resting on the table as he hit the send button. Pulling the phone away from his ear, he signaled for the bartender to get the drunk man a coffee to try and calm the hangover that was on the way. As the bartender walked away with JC's money to pay for the drink, JC brought the phone back to his ear.
"Listen you fuck... I've said hello 3 fucking times and if you don't answer me..."
Scared and surprised at the same time, JC answered, "Hello, is this Harmony? Harmony Higgins?"
"No... I mean," she sounded a bit hesitant at first. Yet, when she continued she was more certain. "Yes, this is Harmony. Who is this?"
"Umm, this is JC," he replied, feeling like a total idiot. Yet, it was him who had told Toby he would talk, so thats what he did. "You don't know me, but I am at the club Tidal Wave with your brother Toby. I am just sending the message that he needs to be picked up."
There was a heavy sigh on the other end, and in the club the music stopped. It was now officially closing time. The female on the other end used a low voice, but clear enough that JC could make it out over the departing crowd. "Thanks for calling me. Can he wait like 15 to 20 minutes?"
Looking around again, JC saw that the stragglers were being asked to leave. Knowing he and Toby were to be next, he tried to hirry the conversation a bit. "Yeah, that will be fine. It's closing time now but I will hang outside with him until you come."
"Thanks, I'll get there as soon as I can."
Without even saying goodybe, JC heard a click on the other end. Seeing the bartender trying to tell an almost passed out Toby to leave, JC headed over to his seat. With the assistacne of JC pulling him up by the arm, Toby stood. Shakily, the two walked together to the door. In a few minutes time, they were the only two outside, and becoming a bit more acquainted.
"So, how long have you been living in LA?" JC asked. The had previously brushed upon the NSync topic, and Toby hadn't asked that much about it. This delighted JC, for it wasn't a topic he liked to discuss.
"My sister used to live in a town in New York, and we moved out here last year when out parents died in a car accident," Toby sighed. Jc could already tell this wasn't an easy topic for him to discuss. But, Toby continued anyway. "We thought this would be a land of oppurtunity. Yet, we're barely surviving. Harmony used to be fat, but she is so skinny now because we had to struggle for food."
"So you guys live together?" JC asked, trying not to dwell so much on the down side of it. Hopefully, the fact that he lived with his sister wasn't depressing to him.
"Yeah, and I am glad to have her. Harmony is my very best friend in the entire world. She is really my only friend around here." Again, JC felt sympathy for him. LA was a tough place to make friends. "No girlfriend either, which is way depressing for me."
"Yeah, single sure does suck," JC mumbled in reply. This guys looked like a total lady killer, one the girls drooled over. Which, in JC's mind, proved how awful the world was today. Love was a total illusion. Most girls were after money, and that is why Alecia had wanted him. One of Toby's last girls may have left when they realized that he didn't have that much money. Yet, JC didn't ask him about it. He knew for a fact that would be too much.
Just as JC finished his though, and old Dodge Neon pulled up to the parking lot. Out emerged one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen in his life. The fact that he had a soft spot for blonds like her didn't matter, for just her presence was absolutley beautiful. Her slim body dashed toward JC, and it felt like a dream sequence. Just as she edged nearer to JC, she turned in Toby's direction. Immediatley, she hugged him and sighed.
"You stupid asshole," he heard her whisper. "You promised me you wouldn't drink tonight."
With a low head, Toby apologized and headed to the car. Running her fingers through her hair, she looked at JC. "I am so sorry if he put a damper on your plans."
"No, it's cool. I'm glad I could help him out," JC replied. "I'm JC, by the way."
"Harmony Higgins," they shook hands, though they both already knew eachother's names. "I really want to thank you, though. I don't even want to know how he would have gotten home if you hadn't called me."
"Again, it was no problem," he grinned.
Looking at her brother in the car, she frowned. "Well, I guess I should take him home now. Hopefully we'll see you around sometime. If I do, remind me that we both owe you big time."
Mentally, JC made a note to remember that. He would make an effort to see her again, her brother as well. So, after saying good-bye, he headed home in his flashy car. All night, the vision of the beautiful Harmony danced in his head.
<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
Chapter 4
Love Is Such A Crime
Home
Feedback