JC was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of him, staring off into space. Julia saw him and walked into the room slowly. His appearance was much like Julia’s, his eyes were also red with bags under them. She didn’t want to bother him so she went to a cabinet to get a glass and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She sat at the counter of the island and flipped through a magazine sitting there, pretending to be interested in it, when all her attention was really focused on JC.
JC didn’t make any movements except to take a sip of coffee every few minutes and he didn’t even acknowledge Julia was even in the room. He continued to stare straight in front of him and his eyes looked dead. Julia snuck glances at him and an overwhelming guilt was starting to take over her whole body. She took a deep breath before standing up to put her glass in the sink. She walked over to the table cautiously and stood on the opposite side JC was sitting. “Are you okay, Josh?” she said softly.
He continued to stare forward for a few seconds before snapping back into reality, “Uh, yeah..I’m fine,” he stuttered before looking down to his coffee cup. “Okay, I don’t want to intrude but if you need anything or if you just want to talk...I’m here,” Julia whispered slowly. She started to walk towards the door when JC looked up at her with tears streaming down his face.
Julia couldn’t help but stare at him for a second before rushing to sit down next to him at the table. She held her arms out to him and he fell into them immediately. JC rested his head on her shoulder as he sobbed. He was holding onto her so tightly she almost couldn’t breathe. She just held onto him as tightly as she could as a few tears fell down her cheeks slowly.
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After JC cried longer and harder than it seemed he ever had in his whole life, he pulled out of Julia’s arms slowly. He rubbed his eyes and tried to dry the tears from his face, “I’m so sorry, Jules,” he said in a scratchy voice. “What are you apologizing for?” she asked. “I didn’t mean to get all emotional on you. I guess I just really needed to get that out,” he said taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes one last time. Julia grabbed his hand and rubbed it softly, “We all need to sometimes,” she whispered staring into his watery eyes.
“Do you want to tell me what this is all about?” Julia asked even though she already knew the answer. He leaned back on the chair as he still held onto Julia’s hand tightly, “Rey broke up with me last night,” he said with a deep sigh. Julia bit on her bottom lip nervously, “Why?” she asked trying to sound surprised. JC shook his head slowly, “Something I supposedly said in some interview, she said I called her a groupie. I denied it millions of times and I tried to reason with her but she wouldn’t believe me,” he said staring in front of him again.
Tears started forming in JC’s eyes again as he shook his head slowly, “I kept trying to explain...she wouldn’t...she wouldn’t believe me, Jules,” he said looking up to her sadly. The look on his face completely broke Julia’s heart and she knew this was all happening because of her. “Maybe she was just mad and she needs some time to cool off,” Julia suggested. “No, she said it was over for good,” JC said looking down to his coffee cup. “Well maybe she isn’t right for you, JC. Maybe this is all happening for a reason. I know that sounds bad but everything happens for a reason, and you just have to wait to see what the reason is,” Julia said trying to look on the bright side of the situation and make him feel a little better.
JC looked up to her and admired her trying to make him feel better and looking on the positive side of the situation. “Thanks, Jules,” he said squeezing her hand, “I didn’t really want to go to any of the guys with this,” he said looking down. Julia nodded slowly, “I understand. But you don’t need to thank me, Josh,” she replied. JC raised his head slightly and found it only a few inches from Julia’s. He inhaled sharply and shook his head slowly as he leaned back in his chair.
Julia noticed this and tried to cover up the awkward moment, “How about I skip class today and we just hang out? I could go rent us some movies or something. It would keep your mind off of everything for awhile,” she suggested. “No, Jules, you don’t have to skip your classes for me, I’ll be fine,” JC replied. “JC I want to skip my classes!” Julia insisted with a small laugh, “It’s just Algebra and Economics, I really wouldn’t mind missing them!” JC looked up at her and laughed slightly, “all right, if you say so. I’m gonna go take a shower, maybe I’ll feel a little better after that,” JC said standing up and Julia stood up next to him.
Julia nodded, “Yeah, that will help,” she agreed. JC leaned forward and kissed Julia’s forehead lightly, “Thanks again, Lil’ Jules,” he whispered before heading upstairs.
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Julia’s whole body had gone numb the second JC’s lips touched her skin. It was soft and it was extremely too quick, but it was heavenly to Julia. She tried not to analyze it too much as she looked through one of her drawers for something to wear. “It was just a brotherly thing. He was just thanking me,” she mumbled to herself as she searched for a sweatshirt she was looking for. She rolled her eyes at how ridiculous she was being as she headed to her bathroom to take a shower.
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Once Julia was out of the shower she got dressed in a pair of jeans and an old gray North Carolina sweatshirt Justin had left there awhile ago. She put half of her hair up in a ponytail and put on a little makeup. She went downstairs to see if JC was ready yet and she found him in the den watching Jerry Springer. “So this is what the amazing JC Chasez does in his free time?” Julia said with a small giggle as she stood behind the couch he was sitting on. “Hey, shh, this is a good one,” he said waving a hand at her.
She laughed lightly and admired him and she was glad he couldn’t notice because he was sitting in front of her. He was wearing black Adidas pants and a simple white t-shirt but to Julia he looked just as good in that as he would in an Armani suit. She tried to cover up the slight sigh that escaped her lips as she stared at him. She coughed lightly and JC turned around, “You okay?” he asked. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said with an embarrassed blush covering her face.
“I’m gonna go get us a few movies, okay?” Julia asked. “Yeah, that’s fine,” JC replied and turned around and grabbed her hand as she started to walk away. She looked down at him curiously as he held her hand tightly and looked up at her. She couldn’t help but notice he had a funny look on his face so her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He shook his head slowly and coughed lightly, “I um..just get some movies I’ll like, okay?” he said hoarsely. Julia continued to stare back at him with a confused expression, “Um, okay,” she replied before leaving.
*Chapter 10*
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