"I'm sorry," Lance said to Chris in a hushed voice. "My mom told me that she was here to visit me during vacation the second I stepped inside the house and there's really nothing I can do about it."
Chris looked back at Lance's younger cousin, who was too busy talking with JC to know that they were talking about her. "Well," he said as the boarded the plane. "I guess it'll just have to be okay then." He chuckled. "As long as she's not any trouble!"
"Don't worry," Lance assured his friend. "She might be a little loud sometimes, but so are we... I'm sure everyone will get along with her just fine."
Chris nodded as he walked down the isle, finally finding his seat. "To tell you the truth, Lance, I think we've got a bigger problem on our hands."
"Which would be..." Lance prompted, sitting down next to Chris.
Chris looked around carefully before leaning closer to Lance and speaking softly. "Joey."
"Joey?!"
"Shh!" Chris hushed, watching Dianna sit in a seat across the isle from Lance. "Didn't you see the way he acted when we told him we were going to Ireland? It was almost like he didn't want to go..."
As if the plane ride wasn't hard enough for Joey, actually walking out of the airport was a nightmare. Just seeing the green land of Ireland sent chills down his spine. Why had he ever agreed to go with? Was he crazy?
'Probably,' he answered his own thought.
He looked over at his friends and wondered how they could be so happy in such a country. He probably should have warned them and told Chris to forget about his stupid castle. But would they have believed him if he were to tell them the truth?
No.
Besides, he couldn't let them go by themselves. He cared too much to send them to Ireland without going with to watch out for everyone.
The Nsync guys, plus Dianna, traveled in two cabs to Chris' castle. Chris, Joey and JC rode in one while Lance, Justin and Dianna followed them in the other.
Chris held the map in his hand as they flew down the poorly kept roads. He leaned forward and was about to tell the driver where he wanted to go, when the man spoke.
"To the Kirkpatrick castle?"
Chris froze. "Yeah... how did you know?"
"It says so on the back of your map. I saw it in the rearview mirror."
"Oh..." he sank back into his seat. "So... can you tell me anything about it?"
To everyone's surprise, the driver let out a chuckle. "You'll just have to wait and see for yourselves."
Chris didn't like that answer, but he was in a strange country and was feeling a tad vulnerable in the new setting, so he didn't push it. He exchanged a glance with JC and they both shrugged.
Joey almost had a heart attack when the cab pulled up to the castle. There was something incredibly eerie about the place. It gave him the creeps and immediately, he wished that he had stayed home.
JC's eyes were wide as he stared at the huge castle. It was definitely a fixer-upper, but it was so big! He couldn't wait to get inside and see what Chris' great aunt had left behind. Everything about this place was so romantic. JC just wished that his girlfriend could have come with them. She would have loved it.
The cabs drove away after everyone had gotten out. They all stood in front of the door, just staring. The exterior looked as though it was falling apart, but it still stood. Green vines grew up the sides and over the doorway. Chris wondered if it would be safe inside. He didn't want the ceiling to collapse, burying his friends.
"Is this safe?" Justin wondered, as if he were reading Chris' thoughts.
"Well, my aunt lived here not too long ago. It should be. Shouldn't it?"
Joey shifted his weight to the other foot. "Maybe we should just go back home," he suggested, trying to hide the worry in his voice.
"No," Chris answered, grabbing onto a piece of the stone that surrounded the steps and placing his right foot on a step. "We've come this far... I'm not going back."
Justin stepped up next to him. "Chris is right. Let's go inside."
"What the hell..." Dianna muttered, stepping up next to Justin.
Soon, all of them except Joey stood on the steps, looking at the large majestic doors. Chris looked back at him. "Come on, Joey," he urged, grabbing Joey's shirt and pulling him up the steps.
JC and Lance pushed the doors open and a cloud of dust greeted them. After the dust had settled and everyone had finished coughing, they opened their eyes.
"Oh my-"
"God," Justin finished for Chris.
Joey was speechless, as was everyone else.
There, spread out as far as the wall on the other end of the long, majestic hallway were boxes. Staring at them on that far wall was a painting with a man on it that looked so familiar, that none of them could believe their eyes.
Justin walked over and put his hand on Chris' shoulder. "You sure you've never been here, pal?"
Everyone's eyes turned to look at Chris... awaiting his answer. Chris' eyes were glued on the painting, not believing what he saw. His jaw was hanging and he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
"Chris?" Lance said loudly, his voice echoing through the many rooms. "You've got some 'splainin' to do!" he said, doing his best Ricki Ricardo impression.
"Not funny." Joey frowned, looking back at the painting. He stepped around some boxes and the others followed him as they made their way closer to the painting.
Soon, they were all standing in front of it.
"It's... it's..." Chris stuttered, studying the painting more closely. "It's me."
Chapter 2
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