“Justin!!!! What are you doin’ here?” the young woman said. When all else couldn’t get any worse, this young woman knew Justin somehow.
“Micah, we were having a wonderful dinner,” Justin said.Micah wasn’t on Justin’s best friend’s list, then again she wasn’t on anyone’s buddy list. She had been going out with JC for a while. She started dating him months after the group got big. The guys found out she was trying to screw everything up for JC and ruin their career.
*Flashback*
“Micah?” Justin asked, “What are you doing in here?”
Stunned at seeing Justin there, Micah said, “Well.... Ummmm.... You see…..”
Justin looked at what was in her hand, their contract. “What are you doing with those????” Justin yelled. At that point JC was walking past the door and went to see what was happening. Justin was hovering over Micah trying to get the contracts.
“Justin, what are you doing to my girl?” JC asked yelling.
“JC, she has our contracts in her hand. I told you something was up with her, you didn’t believe me, now do you? I bet she’s going to do something with them!” Justin said getting aggravated.
“Micah, what are you doing with our contracts?” JC said trying not to believe Justin. He really loved Micah and now everything Justin has said about her is making sense.
“I can’t lie to you JC. I was told to take your contracts and destroy them somehow, so that you would be out of the business because you don’t have legal contracts,” Micah said. “I found it easier to get closer to you so I could get them.” JC was crushed, the one girl he had started to love with all his heart was using him to ruin his music career. Micah continued, “JC, I didn’t plan on hurting you.”
“The hell you didn’t,” JC exclaimed, “I poured my heart and soul out to you, thinking you were the one, and you end up using me? Justin couldn’t say anything at that moment so he just sat there looking at a side of JC he had never seen before.
“JC, I’m sorry.” Micah said tearing up.
“No, don’t, just leave, I don’t ever want to see you again....,” He trailed off, “Go off to Washington or wherever you’re going and don’t come back.”
“JC, man I’m sorry!” Justin said trying to comfort JC.
“Nah, Justin it’s ok, I’ll live. It’ll just take a while for another woman to grace my presence with the kind heart that I thought was in Micah.” JC noted.
*End Flashback*
At the sound of Micah’s name, JC immediately left the room. Kristina saw this and ran after him. Audrey and the rest of the guys just started at Justin and Micah. Micah ran closer to Justin to give him a hello hug when Justin backed away. “Justin, what’s wrong?” Micah asked puzzled.
“Micah, just cuz we haven’t seen each other in three years since the incident, doesn’t mean you could get all chummy with us,” Justin said raising his voice. “You almost ruined us and now you think we’re friends?”
He was getting tense about her being there. Lance saw this and approached the two. “Micah, please what do you want? Haven’t you done enough damage? We’ve been fine without you. Now what do you want?” Lance asked.
Feeling that the guys would never forgive her, she continued on, “I just needed some directions to the O-town Mall, that’s all.”
“Ok good. It’s down the road on 5th Street, can’t miss it. Now leave please so that JC can come back!” Lance said getting as tense as Justin.
“Bye guys,” Micah added. None of the guys responded, they just stared her down. Audrey didn’t know what was happening so she just stayed out.
*Meanwhile*
“For what?”
“For following me and being concerned,” JC said softly. “That was really nice of you.”
“No prob. I’m just glad it wasn’t the food, cuz I ate all of mine! And if that was the reason, boy would I be in trouble.” she said cheerfully. JC smiled again and it made Kristina feel much better.
“Ya know you’re really cute when you’re trying to cheer people up!” JC said not knowing if it were a compliment or something more.
Blushing she said, “Well Ummm ..... thanks I guess. I don’t get that everyday, but thank you!”
“Don’t mention it.” Being the gentleman that he is, he took her arm and both walked back out to the dinner table.
Lance and Joey were talking amongest themselves. “Look at how cute those two look,” Joey began. “Do you think they’ll get together?”
“I dunno man. I mean after the whole Micah thing,” Lance noted.
“Yeah well you have a point, but look how fast Kristina got him back out here. It takes us hours and what, they were gone for ten minutes?”
“Well maybe you are right, Joey, they do look like the couple type ..... we’ll just have to wait a few years to do anything about it.”
Confused at Lance’s remark, began questioning again. “What do ya mean we’ll have to wait a few years?”
“Well Kristina’s only 16.” Lance pointed out.
“Oh yeah, I forgot I guess. Don’t worry we’ll make sure we’re all still friends in a couple years.”
So with that all said the seven resumed their dinner. Everything else beyond that point ran perfectly. Dinner was completed and what they had planned was to hit O-Town and venture off. Chris called for the limo and in ten minutes they were off. It was 10:30 and everyone had different things they wanted to do.
“Coffee shop?”
“Nope.”
“Park?”
“Ummmmmm .... No,” Joey said.
“Oh how ‘bout we all go to that club over by the studio?” Lance said.
“Yeah,” Chris said, “That would be fun!”
“But ......” Audrey blurted out, “What about Kris? We can’t just leave her all alone.” They all stared at Kristina to find her leaning on the side of the seat. Audrey attempted to move but stopped when she saw JC moving Kristina so that she was resting her head on his shoulder. Audrey thanked JC silently, seeing this he nodded his head.
“Well isn’t your apartment on the way cuz we can drop her off, and you four can go on your own,” JC said.
“Four?” they questioned.
“Yeah, I’ll stay with, cuz I’m not up to clubbing right now,” Justin added.
“Well I don’t see a problem with that,” Audrey said. “So yeah that’ll be okay. She’s spending the night anyway so I might as well bring her to my place.”
“Alrite then it’s settled. Let’s go over to her house first,” Joey said. Joey signaled the driver towards Audrey’s house and in a few minutes arrived at her apartment. The guys didn’t want to wake Kristina so JC carried her inside, luckily the elevator was repaired so it wasn’t too much trouble for JC. They reached her apartment and waited for Audrey to open the door. Once inside, Audrey showed JC and Justin the ropes of her apartment and soon after left.
“Do you think the three of them will be ok?” Audrey asked.
“Aud, yes, of course they will be. Kris is in good hands,” Lance said.
“Okay then let’s go.” The four piled into the car and were on their way to the club.
Kristina woke up an hour later to find herself staring at the ceiling. “What? Where am I?” Kristina murmured. She got up from the bed and looked around. “I must be at Aud’s cuz these clothes I’m wearing are hers. I wonder where they could have all gone, and without me the nerve. I guess I can look on the bright side, they didn’t wake me up.”
She giggled to herself and walked out to get something to eat. She had stopped dead in her tracks when she saw that Justin and JC were there with her. The two guys turned around to see Kristina standing there.
“G’morning, sunshine. Well good evening,” Justin exclaimed. “How was your rest? Good I hope.” Kristina was speechless and just let Justin continue on. “Well, you fell alseep in the limo and without noticing, we all decided to go clubbing. Aud mentioned that you weren’t exactly legal to get in, so JC offered to stay here with you til they got back, and as for me being here, well I wasn’t up to clubbing so I stayed with.”
“Ummmm .... thanks I guess.” Kristina knew that was a stupid response, but just went with it. She pointed her way to the kitchen with JC following her. He wanted to thank her again for what happened at the restaurant. “What do I want, pop tarts, cookies, cereal, ice cream?” Kristina said aloud.
“Ice cream? Ohhhh that sound’s good,” Justin and JC said from behind her.
“Oh my god, don’t do that!” Kristina said after jumping onto the table.
“Sorry but we heard ice cream and ran over,” Justin said.
“Ok well the bowls are up there, spoons in the top drawer, let’s dig in.” The three sat in a circle around the table and began eating and conversing.
“So Kris, tell us more about yourself,” JC said.
“Well, I’m 16, probably the most outgoing, hyper-active person you’ll ever meet, then again you have Chris.” Justin and JC couldn’t help but laugh at her remark. “Let’s see, it may be hard to believe after the previous description, but I’m a very quite person. But once someone opens me up I can get pretty loud, let’s put it that way. I dunno if that’s all you want to know. My life isn’t all that great.” she said looking down.
“Enlighten us. Maybe talking about it will help,” Justin persisted.
“Well I’m not sure,” Kris said hesitantly. “Ok I guess, just promise me you won’t take any pity what-so-ever.” Justin and JC nodded. “Ok. Well as far back as I can remember I’ve been living in foster homes, here and there around Orlando. What I was told is my mom died when I was born and my dad soon died when I was two of a broken heart. He loved my mother very much and loved me too but he had to give me up for reasons I don’t know. Well, when I was six years old, my foster parents got me a baby-sitter, Audrey. She was my first and only baby-sitter. She taught me everything, since my foster parents were off with their own kids. After the allowed time to keep me as a foster kid, I was moved to a new home. Those parents also gave me a baby-sitter and I cleverly changed the number to Audrey’s so that I’ll be with her again. She was the only person I felt safe with and the only person who I knew loved me.” She stopped and looked up from her ice cream seeing the concern in both Justin and JC’s eyes. Kristina continued on, “So when I was 12, the agency put me in a permanent foster home. I was lucky that it was down the street from Audrey’s old apartment. Everyday after school, I would go over to her apartment and stay there, sometimes over night. Audrey never minded me staying. For the past four years since my placement, Audrey’s been there for me. She’s the only one who really cares about me. Now what’s happening is Audrey’s trying to get full custody of me and be my guardian. I want that so much. We’ve been to court once already and the judge said the next one is to decide where I’m going. He’s judging based on my care in the past four years. The next hearing is in a couple weeks. I haven’t told anyone of this. The only people who know are my foster parents, my teachers, Audrey and now you two, so I’d like if you not tell the others just yet.”
All Kristina could do now was stare at her melted ice cream. Justin was speechless, as was JC, neither of them knew what to say. JC thought of something and said, “Listen, Kris I’ll support you through this as will Justin. Look one the bright side, if you do live with Aud, that’ll just give us more reason to come over.” Hoping that would cheer her up. He continued, “Along with us coming over, you won’t just have Audrey to confide in, you’ll have five more annoying, but caring people to talk to.” Kristina couldn’t help but laugh at JC’s efforts.
Justin cut in, “Well I don’t know about me being annoying, but we do care about our friends and you’re a new friend. But I guess he’s right, we can get annoying.”
~*~ At the Club ~*~
Audrey was dancing the night away. She hadn’t one worry in the world. She danced a bit with Joey and Lance but awkwardly enough spent most of it with Chris. Just then, her favorite song, “Back at One” came on. “May I have this dance?” Lance asked.
“Of course,” she replied taking his hand. Audrey was in her own little world again. Lance had noticed that she was a little quiet and tried to start new conversation.
“So .....how ‘bout them Yankees,” he said trying to get something out of her.
“Yankees huh? I know you could have some up with something more clever than that. So, Lance, how’s life? Any girlfriends?” She knew that would have to get them talking.
“Girlfriends? Nah I just got finished with a relationship. It didn’t go so well. I found out that she only wanted me because I’m in NSYNC and she thought she could get connections through me. Ya know what I mean?” She understood completely. When she went to college, she dated Steve, a guy who only wanted her for her inteligence. Somehow she always ended up doing his work along with her own. Her friends told her to break up with him but somehow, he managed to sweep her off her feet. This went on for about seven months. Audrey finally broke it up after she over heard him talking to friends. She loved him and he was just using her. “Audrey??? Are you okay?? Was it something I said?” Lance saw tears coming to her eyes as she remembered her college years. Audrey couldn’t help herself. She ran from Lance and out the club. Lance ran over to Joey and Chris, who saw the whole thing, and ran out after her. Audrey kept running to no where in particular, she just needed out. All the pain she felt was too much for her and it was coming back to her that night.
Chris finally spotted her twenty minutes later walking through the nearby park. He stood there watching her trying to figure out what was wrong. Lance’s explanation wasn’t clear to him. Just then rain started to fall. “Of all nights, mother nature had to pick this one to shed her tears.” Chris said. Audrey looked up to see Chris, not knowing what to do she ran into his arms and started crying. Chris, still wanting an explanation, just held her. “It’s ok hunnie, everything’s going to be okay.” Chris said rocking her gently while in the rain.
Why???? Why is Chris doing this??? He cares, for me? Since when??? Okay, okay that sounds dumb, but I’ve only known him for a little while. Audrey tightened her grip on Chris and buried her face into his shirt. She felt safe in his arms. He didn’t even question me, “Everything’s going to be okay.” That’s what I heard him say. For only knowing him for a whole day, I feel safer with him than I have been in a long time. Why is that???? I won’t allow this at all, but something about this moment seems right. Like he was here when I really needed him. How could I get enough courage to thank him for this? Her tears began to fade bit by bit. Chris continued holding her. He kissed her forehead and held her closed. The only thing he could think of to cheer her up is to sing to her. After much thought he sang one of their older songs.
Here and now
Is the way I’ll live
I’m afraid of one life gift
And often times in life
I couldn’t see a difference
And they nor enjoy
Nor sun or rain
It just seems the same
But I won’t leave you
Whether I ambition
But I am going to make it .....
Here and Now
Sung by: Nsync
Audrey looked up to see Chris staring up at her. He stopped singing when he saw the look she was giving him, that she was going to be fine. She stood taller and kissed him on the cheek, leaving a stunned Chris in the rain while she ran to the limo.
“Ok she’s gone. Ummmm ..... where did JC and Kristina go?” Justin asked. Just as he finished his question in walked the two. “Ok never mind.”
To Be Continued…..