Helplessly Aware

By Charlie burton

Chapter 6

JC, Justin, Lance, Chris and Joey all wandered off the plane and into Orlando International airport. The speaker over head crackled as a woman gave out information, potted plants stood stationary in the exclusive lounge and a few women in neatly pressed suit walked past holding clipboards and cell phones.

“Hi, welcome to Orlando International airport,” a lady burbled cheerfully, she had been stood talking to their chaperone for the past few minutes while the guys had doodled around. “We’ve got three limo’s arriving in about ten minutes, so if you’d like to have something to eat or drink there’s a bar just down through those doors,” she continued, pointing to a large arched doorway with its glass doors opened wide. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience.”

The chaperone thanked her and turned to the guys and the rest of the group. “So, anyone want food?”

“I’m comin’,” Lance’s smooth Southern accent came from behind Joey.

“Me too,” Joey added.

“Joe, can you get me a coke?” Chris asked. “I jus’ need to go to the bathroom.”

“Sure.”

Finally Lance, Joey and a couple of others all headed off through the arched doorway and Chris, Lonnie and Ruben wandered off in search of the restrooms.

Justin and JC sat down in two comfy chairs with Eric, Wes and Todd hanging around a little way away from them.

“Sheesh I’m tired,” Justin mumbled, rubbing a hand down over his face in an attempt to wake him up a little.

“You look it,” JC replied. “Hey, at least we’re back home, and they’re letting us have this weekend off to visit family before we’re back on schedule for shooting this new video. At least we’re shooting round here so we don’t feel too far away.”

“I can’t wait to see mom and Jonathan and the rest of the family again. It seems like such a long time since we’ve seen them.”

“Tell me about it.” JC sighed, his blue eyes sparkling as he gazed around the room. “Got a few shows at Disney too.”

“Yeah, but that’s okay, it feels like we’re on tour and I like touring. It’s just all this promotion and travelling from place to place that gets to me. Plus, we’re performing outside which is great. And we’re home!” he exclaimed. “I wonder how Gracie is?”

JC looked up at Justin, who was wearing a Tommy Sport T-shirt, a jacket and a pair of baggy Jeans, his hair covered by a white baseball cap. “I dunno. She’s got that art thing today, right?”

“Yeah. You ever seen her drawings?”

“I think I’ve seen a couple of watercolors she did of LA, but nothing else.”

“Next time she’s around, I’ll get her to do your portrait, she’s amazing when it comes to drawing people. Always has been since Junior High.”

“I can’t believe you’ve known her so long and you’re still really close friends. I’ve lost contact with most of my friends from Junior High and High school.”

“Aw well, it helps her mom and my mom being such good friends too, plus Meg works with us. Where is she by the way?”

“Who? Meg? I think she’s already headed off to sort out our clothes for the next week or so.”

Lonnie wandered over to Eric, Wes and Todd. They turned round to face Justin and JC. “You guys ready to come? The limos have arrived.”

Justin sighed.

“We’re moving,” JC replied, standing up and offering an arm out to Justin. He grabbed hold and JC pulled him to his feet.

“Moving,” Justin added.

Once they’d joined the rest of the group Justin and JC perked up, bouncy around as they slowly headed through the complexity of the exclusive lounges and bars, available only to VIP guests.

The guys were hanging around in their hotel room, Meg was in the room next door with all their clothes hung neatly on racks as she called them each in. Joey walked back into the room, jigging around in his slightly over-sized Superman jersey.

“Yo Chasez, you’re up next,” he whistled, slumping down into a beanbag and flicking the television on.

“Thanks,” JC replied, heading out of the room and into the one next door. “Hey Meg.”

She looked up from behind a clothes rail with Joey’s telltale Superman T-shirts and his baseball cap hanging on the end. Her blue eyes were lighter than Grace’s but the smile was identical, she had glasses perched on her nose, which accentuated her face, and her hair was pulled up into a casual ponytail. “Hi there, how you doing? Flight okay?”

JC grinned. “Yeah, it was okay actually. Curly’s a little tired though, I think he’s sad Grace couldn’t make it this evening as well.”

Meg moved round to JC’s rack on which she’d neatly hung a bunch of clothes. She smiled. “I bet he is. Those two are close beyond repair, I’ve never known a guy and girl get along as well as they do. So…what do you wanna wear tonight? Take your pick.”

“Aw jeez, I thought you were gonna help me out?!” JC protested, pushing the clothes apart.

“I suppose I can, what sort of thing are you looking for?”

“Er…something casual but that I haven’t worn a lot. I dunno, that’s not much help, huh?”

“No, that’s okay. How about these pants?” she enquired, holding up a pair of baggy red pants. “This top,” a white knit top, “and this jacket?” she finished, holding up one of his favourite black leather jacket along with the rest of the clothes.

“That seems great to me, and those Addidas sneakers. The comfy white ones with the small black stripes…”

“Yeah, I know the ones,” she said smiling, “I know you Mr Chasez. I know your taste after what is it, five years now?”

Again he saw Grace through her mother’s smile and he couldn’t help but feel all tight chested. “I guess so. Um, can you find those sunglasses with the blue lens’ too, if they were brought?”

“They were, I’ve just gotta find them. Don’t worry; all will be here for you this evening. Well, that’s you done. Could you send Lance in? And tell him now, not like in five minutes.”

With a small smile JC replied, “Sure” and left the room. “Lance? She wants you now, as in the literal meaning of the word…not ‘sometime soon’.”

Lance pulled a face at him and stood up. “I’m going,” he cooed. “Gonna go talk to your crushes mom…” He saw JC’s face and quickly dived out the door, slamming it behind him.

JC let out a cry of frustration and sat down at a table, pulling out a notebook from his bag that lay on the floor.

“What’s up Shazaam?” Joey asked. “He’s jus’ joking, don’t worry. Hehe, you two would make a pretty fly couple though, as long as Curly don’t hook ya one.”

“Very funny Joey,” JC replied, trying not to smile and tapping his pen against his lips.

“What about me?” Justin called, walking out of the bathroom where he’d been making sure his hair wasn’t too wild.

“Jus’ JC and Grace…” Chris threw in.

“There is no ‘me and Grace’,” JC insisted, continuing to write. “I dunno what you guys are all talking about, aren’t I allowed to be friends with the girl?”

“Yeah dudes, jus’ cuz they slept in the same bed the other night, doesn’t…” Justin saw JC’s expression and quickly added, “Joke, joke, man.”

“It betta be, besides, it wuz your idea.”

“I was tryin’ to fix you two up…”

JC looked at him dubiously. “Whatever.” He closed his notebook and tossed it into his bag. “I’m off to shoot some hoops if anyone’s wondering where I am.” He opened the door and wandered out of the room, stopping to tell Lonnie where he was headed and Wes joined him.

* * *

The spotlights blazed down on them, sweat shimmered on their skin, as they stood slightly breathless in front of their applauding audience. Moving from their finishing positions of the first single off their new album they all took a few breathers. JC glanced around the room, his eyes battling the blinding lights that focused themselves on his slim figure; he still couldn’t believe their success, especially with the new album. Justin was thanking people through his microphone and bouncing a little, his grin still fixed as he lapped up the enthusiasm from the crowd.

Backstage they mopped off their brows and gulped down chilled water that they were handed. Meg was there smiling at them, reminding a few of them of the void there was without Grace, the down-to-earth personality that allowed them all to come back to a normal everyday life – well, as much as they could. JC wrinkled up his face and sighed. Justin welcomed the cool water that caressed his throat and he licked his lips, appreciating every droplet of the pure liquid.

Meg had them quickly changed and well turned-out in their stylish and individual outfits. Chris, Joey and even Lance were buzzed for the night ahead, talking in a babble of words and bouncing around. Lance valued his private life, but socializing was something that he excelled at and he was ready to go seek out the businessmen of the party.

“Curly, wassup with you, man?” Chris exclaimed, slapping his friend on the shoulder. “Impeccable taste you got there,” he added.

Justin glanced down at his clothes, a pair of pinstripe black turn-ups, and a chic jacket over a casual boat neck top and blue-tinted sunglasses. He was clutching a bandana that he was considering swiping over his golden curls.

“Missing her, right?” Chris asked. He knew what was up with Justin, it was obvious and wished that Grace could have been there with them.

Justin crumpled up his nose with his baby blue eyes fixed at Chris, nodding a little. “Yeah.”

“The sunglasses give it away.”

It took Justin only a moment to realize what Chris was on about, the sunglasses had been a pair he’d bought out shopping with Grace on their last shopping spree together – boy they ruled retail therapy together: the terrible twosome. “Oh well.”

“Hey dude, forget the bandana, you know she’d want you to show off those curls, always has. We always knew it’d be Grace who’d persuade you to let ‘em grow. C’mon,” Chris pushed the young guy in front of him and out towards the party and dancing. Tonight, Justin looked even more like the High school kid he was.

Tara was surprisingly overwhelmed by *NSync’s performance, their strong voices and even more attractive faces had caught her up in a twister of awe. Even for her glitzy lifestyle. One guy in particular had her eye on the physical magnetism side of things, and she was confidently making her way towards him. She pursed her lips together briefly, wishing she’d checked her make-up and hair in the mirror before she’d approached him, but that was too late now.

Pushing her shoulders back and tossing a ringlet of curled ebony hair out of her face she touched him on the shoulder. “Joshua Chasez, right?”

JC turned around to face the stunning girl, smiling sweetly at her. “JC, call me JC,” he replied timidly. “And you are?”

“Tara Palmer.” He was even more gorgeous up-close-and-personal, she thought with a growl. “Great performance. You guys sure have some moves,” she said, trailing her eyes up his figure.

“Thanks. You were watching?”

“Wasn’t everyone? So, are you going to get me a drink, or not?”

JC smiled shyly. “Sure.” Once with their drinks they sat at a table and chatted a little, Tara batting her long silky lashes flirtatiously and sipping her drink carefully.

She’s the perfect lady, JC thought, watching her as the band filled the room with a sweet melody. Her fingers played on her glass, nails coated smoothly in a red to match her flawlessly applied lipstick. “Would you dance with me?”

Tara stood up. “I thought you were never going to ask,” she insisted, taking his hand as she led them out onto the dance floor.

“JC’s found himself a mistress of black magic,” Lance commented, sat next to Justin on a stool.

Justin glanced over to where JC and the dark haired princess were dancing in the crowds. “Hmm,” Justin replied.

“Aw cheer up dude, ya know if I tell Grace you moped around she’d kick your ass!”

Lance’s words unexpectedly brought a smile to Justin’s endearing lips, his eyes brightened and Lance thought he could almost see a rosy blush.

“Well, I wasn’t quite ready for the five-year-old boy expression. It’s that, or it’s sixteen-year-old guy who just got lucky.”

Justin punched him playfully on the shoulder and laughed. “She’d kick your ass if she knew you were putting us together like that.”

“Ya know that JC has or had a thing for her?” Lance questioned.

“I kinda figured. The way he looked at her. It was there to pick up on, Mr. Unobvious let his guard down a little.” Justin was pleased that JC felt something for her; she brought out a good side to JC, one that allowed him to completely free up and be himself.

“Looks like, he may have had a thing for her,” Lance motioned towards JC and the girl wrapped in his arms.

Justin followed his eyes and saw that JC was swept away into his personal la-la land. “Oh well. He’s such a workaholic, he needs a break sometimes.”

Lance cleared his throat and stared at Justin, look who’s talking.

“I’m not that bad,” Justin drawled.