PART III

3 months later.............

"Boo!"

Startled, Mia spun around to see who grabbed her from behind.

"You jerk! Justin, you scared the hell out of me!" She scolded, slapping his arm.

"Hehehe," Justin snickered. "You always freak out every time."

"Well, duh. I don't exactly get siked when you sneak up on me like that," Mia said sarcastically. "I'll get you back one day."

"Ha!" Justin mocked. "When's that gonna happen? Don't answer that, I will; Never." Justin countered, only joking. He leaped on Mia's bed ruining her perfectly folded clothes layed out on her bed.

"Justin!" Mia exclaimed. "My clothes! I just folded them!"

"Oh, my bad." He rolled onto his side. "What're you doin'? Planning a fast getaway?"

"No, but I wish." Totally exasperated from rearranging her cluttered closet, Mia took a break to breathe. She sat on the end of her bed.

"This isn't like you to stay home on a weekend, cleaning your closet. I called you many times today, but every time, your sister gave me some wack excuse why you couldn't come to the phone. So I wondered what the heck was up, and then I decided to see for myself. So here I am tryin' to figure you out, but lately I can't seem to anymore." Justin positioned himself beside Mia.

"That's what I've been tryin' to figure out myself for the last three hours, but I haven't been able to come up with a reasonable answer. Sorry about the phone thing. I didn't feel like talking on the anyone."

Justin pursed his thin lips. "Not even with me?" He knew what was bugging his best friend, but he didn't know how to approach the subject sensibly.

Mia sighed deeply. She rested her head on Justin's firm shoulder.

Justin felt a jolt of warmth rush through him. Sitting so close to her made him feel extremely nervous. Usually, he'd be plotting another prank to pull on her, but her warm touch froze him from head to toe.

"Justin, I am so glad you're such a good friend to me. You always comfort me even when you don't say anything. I'm sorry if I'm not as fun recently, it's just that I can't get over what happened between me and you know who." Mia laughed weakly. "God, I can't even say his name without wanting to cry."

Justin felt his heart ache seeing Mia so sad. "Ya know I'll always be here to listen to whatever it is you want to discuss."

Mia tilted her head up slightly, meeting Justin's blue eyes. She smiled gratefully. Completely silent and motionless, their eyes locked for a brief moment.

A feeling of urgency to kiss her consumed Justin's thoughts. He wanted to kiss her so badly, that he could mo longer hold it in. His hands shook, and his heart rate increased, thudding vigorously. Knowing it was not right to make a move on her, Justin felt a stabbing feeling in his heart.

"Just hold me, please," she whispered hoarsely, resting her head on his chest.

Justin swallowed the lump on his throat. He kissed her head, and surrounded her with his arms, not wanting to let go.

Two days later................

A knock at the door interrupted Jc's nap. He was taking a nap in his hotel room while his bandmates explored shopping centers of Beverly Hills. An hour ago, the band completed a sound check, and the guys were free for a few hours until their evening concert.

Jc sat up grumbling, annoyed at the timing. He hated being interrupted in his sleep. One of his favorite past times was sleeping. He slept and slept here and there whenever he had a chance to take time off from his hectic daily schedule.

"Yo, Jc! Get your ass up and freakin' open this door, man!" Chris cried, banging urgently on the door.

"I'm coming!" Jc barked. "But once I open that door, you better be ready to defend yourself cuz somebody's gonna get hurt."

Jc swung the door only to realize he opened the bathroom door. He laughed at his idiotic mistake. C

hris heard Jc laugh, and he realized that Jc probably opened the wrong door; Lord knows, it happened to him too more than a few times.

Jc opened the other door, this time it was the right one. Chris stood there looking exasperated and heat stroked.

"Finally!" Chris pushed past Jc, and leaped face down on the bed.

"Get off my bed!" Jc demanded, rubbing his groggy eyes.

"I forgot my key in my room so I can't get in."

"Go down to get a spare key then."

"I can't." "And why not?" Jc slumped on the couch desperately wanting to continue his sleep.

"Cuz........" Chris paused. "I sort of forgot my key four times all ready in one day. I don't want to borrow the spare key for the fifth time. That cute desk clerk chick will laugh at me."

"Chris, she'll laugh at you no matter what you do," Jc pointed out.

"Thanks for the boost of confidence. I needed that," Chris said dryly.

"Chris, go torture the other guys. Why always me?"

"I can't. They're off in lala land. Joey picked up a blond chick at a Tommy store. They're probably off necking somewhere. Lance? He's-----heck, I dont' know where the hell that dweeb is! Justin? Well, Justin kicked me out of his hotel room so I couldn't interrupt his serious conversation with--------" Chris stopped in mid-sentence after remembering that mentioning Mia's name infront of Jc wouldn't be a good idea.

Jc suddenly sat up. "Mia?"

"Yeah," Chris replied.

"How is she?"

"Well, from what I hear, she's four months pregnant with Justin's baby, which could lead to a possible marriage. Over all, she's great!"

Jc had to laugh at his clever joke even if it was ridiculous. He then aimed a throw pillow at Chris's head. "How is she really?"

"Who knows," Chris shrugged. "Go ask Justin, or better yet, call Mia yourself."

"Nah," Jc quietly said, sinking deeper into the couch. "She hates me, I know it."

"You bet she does! Man, if I was a girl and I got dumped by "the" irresistable Joshua Chasez, my heart would be in agony too," Chris cracked, melodramatically placing his hand over his chest and pretending to be in agony.

Jc didn't answer or cracked a smile.

Chris sat up and looked at Jc who was silently lying on the couch appearing depressed. He felt sorry for him, and he regretted reminding him of Mia. Why do I have to be such a loud mouth, Chris asked himself.

"Guess what?!"

Jc's and Chris's attention transfered to the intruder which happened to be Justin, who had just burst in without warning. Justin stood beaming. He had a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Yahoooo!" Justin screamed. "Mia said yes!" He jumped on top of Chris.

"What?" Chris asked, after shoving Justin off of him.

"Mia said yes! Mia said yes! Mia said yes! Mia said yes!" Justin kept on repeating.

"Said yes that you're an idiot?" Chris wise-cracked again.

Justin looked at Chris, then hugged him. "I love you, man!"

"Ah, I love you too?" Chris looked at Justin as if he was losing it.

"Justin," Jc said. "What do you mean she said yes?"

Justin turned his attention to Jc, who sat still on the couch with a worried expression. A mischievious smile crept up on Justin's face; He smelled victory..................

.............to be continued