Chapter Six

JC scanned his mail that he had received from his mailbox. "Bill, bill, magazine-aha! What's this?" He held an envelope in his hand, which had his home address on it. He walked into the house carrying his bundle of mail. He placed the bundle down on the kitchen counter and ripped open his letter.

Dear JC, You're invited to my 17th birthday party. Hope you can come. It's going to be next Saturday at Sandy's beach, from 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Hope you can make it. Give me a call! -Michelle

A smile crept onto JC's lips. "Cool," he said to himself, putting the letter back in the envelope. Then it struck him. He couldn't go. Jana was going to be there. "I can't go," JC reminded himself. Maybe he would send Michelle a gift through the mail, but he knew he couldn't attend the party. JC paced around the family room, thinking. Actually, he really wanted to go. He wanted to talk to Jana, and Michelle was his friend.

The telephone rang. It startled him, and he picked up the phone. "Hello?" he said briskly into the phone.

"Do you know what time it is!" Gina's voice screamed into the phone. She was calling from the mall.

JC moved his ear away from the phone, annoyed. "Jeez, you don't have to yell," he told her.

"You're absolutely right, I don't. I've only been waiting for you since two," Gina told him sarcastically. "Hello! I don't have a ride home."

"I totally forgot!" JC responded. It had totally slipped his mind. He was supposed to pick up Gina from Stoneward Mall at two o'clock. It was almost two thirty. "I'm sorry, Gina. I'll be right over there."

"Hmph," snapped Gina. "Actually, don't bother. Justin is giving me a ride home."

"Justin?"

"Yeah, your neighbor?"

"Oh. What? Did you bump into him?"

"Yes," said Gina. "Now good-bye. I'll see you at home when I get there. Don't forget, we're going to a movie tonight."

"I didn't forget that," JC said defensively. Gina hung up on him. He hung up his telephone and sighed. He had so much on his mind these days. His encounter with Jana was bothering him. He couldn't get over it. Michelle's party was the perfect event for him to see Jana again.

"JC," Mrs. Chasez called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, mom?" JC called back, walking to the kitchen. He found her in the kitchen, putting down groceries. He kissed her lightly in the cheek. "Hi. I didn't hear you come in from the back door."

"Where is Gina?" asked Mrs. Chasez, taking out the items from her grocery bag. "And where's Lynn?"

"Um, Gina went to the mall-"

"By herself?" Mrs. Chasez said in alarm. "JC, you let her go by herself?"

"Mom, we had this huge argument over this," JC explained, blushing. "It was like she didn't want me to come for two reasons. One, she wouldn't be caught dead with me shopping, and two, she said it was a girly-girl thing." JC rolled his eyes at the last part. "I also did not want to be seen in those lingerie stores!" he added, helping his mother.

Mrs. Chasez laughed. "Well, I do hope she knows her way around the mall," she said. "Does she have a pager with her?"

"Cell phone," JC muttered. "She had to have a cell phone, Mom. I wanted to borrow it the other day, and she slapped my hand when I picked it up and said 'No!' like it was her life."

"JC, JC," said Mrs. Chasez, shaking her head with a smile. "She's a teenager."

"And I'm a guy," JC argued, having no idea why he was arguing for. "Anyway, that's not the point. What am I talking about?"

Mrs. Chasez mockingly put a hand on her son's forehead. "Are you on drugs, dear?" she asked him, trying not to smile.

"No!" JC exclaimed.

Mrs. Chasez let out her laughter. "Anyway, do you know where your Auntie Lynn is?"

"Yep," said JC, putting the egg carton inside the refrigerator. "She went out this morning with Dad," he told her. Just then the front door flung open, and Gina entered. She shut the door behind her and stormed into the kitchen.

"Hello, Auntie Karen," she said with a smile. Then she turned to JC. "And JC," she added.

"Hi," JC said evenly. He watched as she dug in her purse for something.

"I have something for you," Gina told him, as she searched her purse. "Aha!" she said as she tossed a medicine bottle at him. "That's for you."

She walked away from the kitchen. JC was confused. He read the label on the bottle. "Ginko biloba?" he shrieked, glaring at his Mom. "Gina!" he shouted, slamming the bottle down on the counter.

He saw his mother stifle a laugh. "Mom!" JC protested. "I am going to kill that girl, I swear."

"What do you think of this hairdo?" Jana asked Michelle as she held up a magazine. The page showed a brunette with cropped hair with several clips in her hair. Michelle squinted her eyes to see.

"Um, it looks cute," she replied, craning her neck as she sat on the floor. She and Jana were over at Jana's house, flipping through beauty magazines. Michelle was going to spend the night there. "What do you think of that one?"

Jana smirked when she saw the page Michelle was showing her. "It's nice," she replied, "if you're over fifty."

"I know," Michelle said with a laugh. "I don't believe this girl took a picture with her hair like this. It's looks so not good." She made a face. "This should be her 'before' look."

"Mm-hmm," Jana agreed. She sighed and lay back on her bed. It was only six o'clock. "Hey, Shelle? Would you want to go to the mall and get something to eat?"

"Mmm, sure," Michelle said. She looked at Jana, who looked a little tired. "But you look tired. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Oh, yes," said Jana. "I am dying for a taco at Pedro's!"

"Hehe," giggled Michelle. "So am I."

"So, why don't we go now?" Jana sat up. "We could go now, and come home early and rent a movie."

"Okay," said Michelle, standing up from the floor. She smoothed out her shirt. "Do you think we'll need to change?"

"Nah," Jana replied. Then she had second thoughts. What if she bumped into anyone she knew? What if she saw one of her friends there? She looked at herself in the mirror. "I look like sh-uh, crud," she said, making a face. She grabbed her eyeliner, which was on the counter. Then she reapplied it quickly.

"You and your makeup," Michelle teased. She applied lip-gloss on her lips.

"Just because you do not wear make up, you don't have to right to tease me!" Jana joked as she put on her blush. She looked at Michelle. "There," she said, giving Michelle a smile. "How do I look?"

"Like Bozo the Clown!" responded Michelle, laughing.

"Shut up. I do not!" cried Jana, looking back at the mirror. Michelle had been joking her. "Okay," said Jana, "let's go. Oh, wait." She picked up a plastic shopping bag that was lying on her bureau. "I have to return this shirt," she said, holding the bag.

"Okie dokie, Bozo." Jana shot Michelle a menacing look. "Salty, huh?" replied Michelle with a grin.

Jana rolled her eyes. "Let's just go," she said, hiding a smile.

Justin stepped into the mall with Gina and JC. "Well, we're here!" he said in his most cheery tone. Gina was wearing a baby-blue dress with a white floral pattern. She wore white chunky-heeled sandals and her hair was swept up into a bun. Her exotic eyes stood out that night. Wow, I must admit that Gina looks beautiful tonight, Justin thought, staring at her. She looked fresh.

Gina placed her hand on his arm. "We should get to the theater," she said softly, looking up at him. He nodded as she gave him a smile. "I can't believe I'm seeing a horror flick," she confessed to Justin. "I hate scary movies."

Justin chuckled. "Well, you always have your older cousin to grab onto," he told her.

"Or you," Gina added. She hooked her arm around his and they started walking.

Hmm, I thought that Justin was going out with Jana. He looks a little clingy with Gina! noted JC, eyeing the both of them. He put his hands in his pocket and walked along the side of them. He looked dateless. I must look like a dork or something. I don't have a date, and Justin and Gina are all over each other. JC frowned. "Well, we'd better hurry up." JC started walking faster. "Our movie is in ten minutes. I want to get good seats."

"Oh, JC," Gina protested, "don't worry. Stop being a worry wart and relax for a while."

Irritation crept up JC's spine. "I am not a worry wart," he said coolly. He couldn't stand Gina at this moment, cuddling up next to Justin. He was bound to break them apart.

They reached the theater and started paying for their tickets. "Oh, shoot!" JC said aloud. He had left his jacket in the car. "You guys, I have to run and get my jacket. I'll meet you inside." He started running.

"JC, take your time!" called Gina as she and Justin entered the theater.

JC whizzed past the stores. He definitely did not want to miss the movie. As he rushed out of the mall, he ran to the parking lot. "Okay, where did I park my car?" he said aloud, searching left and right. Then he spotted his car and jogged over to it. As he neared his car, he did a double take seeing the car next to his. "That car looks familiar," he said to himself.

Jana and Michelle walked into the air-conditioned mall. "Boy, it's freezing in here," Michelle said, hugging her body. She had a tank top on.

"Here," said Jana, giving her jacket. Michelle took it and thanked her. "I love long-sleeved shirts," Jana joked as they passed the stores.

"So, to Pedro's?" asked Michelle, slipping on the jacket.

"Yes," said Jana. They entered Pedro's, that had the aroma of fresh Mexican food. "Mmm, it smells so yummy in here."

"Totally," said Michelle. "Oh, too bad Lance isn't with us," she added. "I know he loves Mexican food."

"By the way," Jana said, as they got in the ordering line. "What's up with you and Lance?"

"What do you mean?" asked Michelle, clearly confused. She handed a tray to Jana.

"I mean that you two have been extremely close now-a-days," Jana told her. "It's like you two are going out, yet you're really not."

Michelle flushed pink. "Oh, um, well we've always been good friends," she countered. She looked away, afraid that Jana would see her face.

"Yeah…" Jana answered, unconvinced. "Oh, Michelle. Give it up. It's only obvious that you like him."

"I don't like him!" Michelle regained her composure. "He and I are just friends."

"Sure, sure," Jana teased. She knew her friend was even more embarrassed. "Quote friends."

"I don't like him, Jana." Michelle moved forward in the line. She started ordering from the lady at the cash register. "A number five, please." After they had both ordered and received their orders, they went to find a place to eat. After they had finished, both of them were stuffed. "Oh, I think I'm going to puke," wailed Michelle. She rest her hand over her stomach.

"Well, don't do it here," Jana responded, inching her chair away from her.

"What do you want to do now?" Michelle got up from her seat she held the tray. "Shopping or go home? Wait, don't you have to return something?"

"Oh, that's right. I do!" Jana stood up abruptly. She pushed her chair in. "Can I go get it really quick?" she asked Michelle, who was clearing up their table.

"Sure," said Michelle, walking to the trashcan.

Jana rushed off until she got into the parking lot. She breathed in the cold air. As she started walking towards her car, she saw a guy who looked familiar right next to her car. He was opening his car door and grabbing his jacket. As he lifted his head from the car, she froze. "JC," she said in a whisper. She was stuck. She scurried past him and to her car, hoping that he wouldn't take notice of her. She opened the trunk of her car with her car keys and lifted up the trunk door. As she looked for her shopping bag, she heard someone's footsteps behind her. She turned around slowly.

"Jana," said JC, looking remorseful. He stepped back as she grabbed her bag and slammed the trunk door shut.

"Hello, JC." Jana locked her trunk door and leaned against it. "How can I help you?" she replied sarcastically.

JC said nothing. "Can we please talk?" he finally said after gathering up his courage. She frowned and thought for a minute.

"Okay," she said. "But make it brief."

Oh, thank you God! thought JC. "How have you been?"

"Fine," Jana answered crossly. "Please don't tell me you wanted to have small-talk with me," she told him wearily. She started walking away.

"Wait!" JC stood in front of her, and she stopped.

"What?" she asked him. "I thought we were going to talk," JC objected. "Please don't leave just yet. I need to talk to you."

"Okay, what do you want to tell me?" Jana folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

"I should explain about Britney," JC said slowly, waiting for her reaction. Jana looked at the ground, saying nothing. "I don't love her."

"Oh, really?" Jana asked him sarcastically. "Then why did you fuck her, JC? You don't get it, do you? You lie and then try to cover it up! It doesn't work on me." Her nostrils flared and she felt like slapping him.

"I didn't do it with her!" JC said pleadingly. He looked into her eyes, which were ready to fill with tears. "Why don't you believe me, Jana?" he asked her softly, searching her face for some kind of sympathy.

Jana's hands dropped her plastic bag, and she picked it up quickly. "Look, I gotta go," she said flatly. "I can't ever trust you again," she told him, biting her lip. "It's just too painful." She looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry. I can't do this. Not after you broke my heart."

JC stepped out of her way, feeling grief-stricken. He felt responsible for hurting her. "I'm to blame," he said. "I am sorry, Jana. I truly mean this."

"You promised me lots of things," Jana said, hurt in her voice. "They meant nothing."

"Jana, please don't just leave me here like this," JC begged. "I said I'm sorry. I mean it."

Jana's body trembled. She felt sick. "I'll see you around," she told JC, before rushing off. She left JC standing there once more, feeling devastated.