****
Chris rubbed his eyes tiredly as he stepped out into the bright Florida sun. Slowly walking through the muggy heat, he made his way to the mailbox at the end of the driveway, pulling out a wad of envelopes and miscellanous items. Re-entering the house, he filed through the letters, tossing aside the ones addressed in child-like script to read through at a later time, and stopped on one addressed to "Fu-Masta". He laughed as he tore open the envelope to reveal a letter from Rachel, and his eyes skimmed over the contents as he scratched his chin thoughtfully.
Hey Shorty, just checkin to see how your weekend's going. New York City is kickin as usual, and way better than suffering through yet another fourth of July holiday in the smoldering pits of humidity hell known as Orlando. My hair can't handle all that moisture...I end up looking like Justin! Haha. Anyways I just wanted to write my favorite N Sync member and see what's shakin. Talk to you soon. Love, Rach.
He laughed as he finished the letter and laid it down on the table before heading down the hall to get in the shower.
****
The phone rang shrilly as a bronzed arm reached blindly to answer it, the owner of the arm seemingly buried under a mountain of covers. Dragging the phone into the cave of blankets, a muffled voice offered a greeting. "Hello?" Jordan said, moaning in slight pain as her own words pierced her aching head like sharp nails.
"Jordan?" a weak voice muttered back at her.
Jordan held a hand to her pounding head, "Yes?" she replied.
"How you feelin girl? Did JC get you home alright?" April asked quietly, mumbling through her own massive hangover.
Jordan winced in pain and she could hear her head pounding loudly in her ears as she struggled to think. Vaguely remembering leaving the club with JC, she racked her aching brain as she searched for any memory after exiting the club. "Yeah...I mean, I guess so. I'm here and I'm alive. That counts for something right?" she laughed slightly before discontinuing to do so because of the instantaneous pain that invaded her head. "By the way, why are you calling me...where the hell are you?" Jordan asked curiously.
April groaned, "Johnny called me at 8 am. He needed me to head over to the MTV Studios so I could set up a time for Eternity to make an appearance on TRL to talk about your upcoming album. You know, like kinda building it up as you're working on it." she explained. "I look like hell, I'm afraid I might yak on someone if I move in any one direction too quickly, and I'm supposed to fly out to Orlando this afternoon to have a meeting with Mo and Johnny before the boys head back out on tour after their long weekend." April sighed as she finished, wishing she hadn't drank so heavily the previous evening.
"Ugh, I'm sorry girl." Jordan mumbled in a muffled voice.
"Aight well I'll be back at the hotel sometime before my flight out at 3:00 to get my things, and I'll check in on you and Rach then okay?"
Jordan wasn't listening to her friend any longer, her mind had started to panic slightly as she was still unable to recall anything after leaving the club with JC. She tried to shove the fear out of her mind, but the hours that were missing from her memory, all that time left unaccounted for, worried her.
"Is that okay?" April asked, her voice concerned as she jolted Jordan out of her thought process.
"Huh? Oh, yeah that's fine. See ya later." she said quietly before setting the phone back on the receiver.
Still buried under the large comforter, Jordan closed her eyes and twisted her body in efforts to get more comfortable. Suddenly she stopped, and her eyes flew open as she reached over and flung back the covers, revealing her bare legs. Looking down with slight concern, Jordan realized she was half dressed, still in the strappy tank she had worn to the club but her lower half was covered only by her undergarments. Her eyes wide, she searched the room for the pants she had worn the previous night and saw them laying in a tired heap in the doorway of the room within the suite.
Scouring her memory, she closed her eyes once more and struggled to recall any detail about returning to the hotel. Sighing in frustration, she reached up to run her fingers through her snarled hair and noticed something brush against her bare arm. Glancing down, she moved her right hand toward her shoulder and quickly realized what had brushed against her. Her mind raced, and her eyes filled with tears as a hazy memory connected with her thoughts. Closing her eyes briefly, she vaguely recalled JC leaning over her as she lay in the hotel bed. Tears stained her cheeks as she remembered him carefully brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes before moving his face close to hers. Hanging her head in shame, she let the broken strap from her tank top slip easily through her fingers.
****
JC stepped out of the steam filled bathroom, rubbing a towel vigorously on his head. After getting dressed, he ran a bit of gel through his cropped brown hair and walked back into the bathroom to check his reflection. Brushing his teeth and shaving away the stubble on his chin, he finished getting ready for the day before bending down and retrieving his dirty clothes from the previous night off of the floor. Grabbing the dark denim jeans he had worn and turning to place them in his suitcase, he noticed a glittering object fall out of his pocket.
Bending down he squinted at it before carefully picking it up off the floor. Laying it across the palm of his hand, he gazed down at Jordan's delicate gold necklace as it glimmered back up at him. Recalling the time he had spent with Jordan in the early morning hours, he smirked as he noticed the broken portion of the chain, the clasp still closed tightly.
Making a decision, he walked purposefully into the main room of the suite and picking up the telephone, dialing carefully. A familiar female voice answered, her accent thick and friendly.
"Lynn? Hey it's JC. Can I speak to Justin please? Yeah, it's important." he said, grinning slyly as he looked back down at the jewelry he held in his hand.
****
Several hours later, the phone in the main area of the suite rang loudly, causing Rachel to groan in pain as she stumbled out of her room to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Hey Rachie, is Jordan around?" Justin cheerfully greeted her over the line.
Moaning slightly as her head pulsated angrily, she replied. "Yeah I think she's sleeping. Do you want me to wake her?"
Justin laughed at the pitiful tone of voice she used at the thought of motion, "What's wrong with you?"
"I feel like someone ripped off my head, did the Mexican Hat dance on it, and then repositioned it on my neck all wrong." she retorted dryly, "Now did you want me to get Jordan for you so you can stop harassing me and my hungover self?"
"Sure."
Rachel walked slowly over to the doorway of the room where Jordan slept, stepping over the pair of pants that lay forlornly on the floor with a quizzical look on her face. Reaching the bed, she folded back the covers just enough to reveal the face of a sleeping Jordan, and nudged her sister slightly.
"Go away." Jordan muttered, not even opening her eyes.
Rachel tried again, "It's Justin." She reached out for the phone on the bedside table, and lifting the phone off the receiver she held it toward Jordan.
Rolling away from the phone, her eyes still closed, Jordan mumbled, "Kiss my ass."
"It's Justin...on the phone for you." Rachel persisted.
Jordan silently raised her middle finger into the air at her sister before letting her hand flop back down onto the bed beside her.
"JORDAN, JUSTIN IS ON THE PHONE FOR YOU. GET THE HELL OUT OF BED!" Rachel screeched, frustrated. Grabbing her head as she winced in pain she felt it throb at her in return as Jordan sat up straight in bed, opening her eyes.
Shooting Rachel a confused glance, Jordan gingerly took the phone from her sister's hand. "Hello?"
"Hey you." Justin said warmly, his voice soothing to her throbbing head. Jordan lay back down in bed, trying to push out the thoughts that had invaded her mind while she had slept. Listening to Justin, she let herself concentrate on the conversation and push aside the worry she felt trapped deep inside her chest.
After Justin talked briefly about what he had been up to at home for the long holiday weekend while Jordan listened quietly, he paused momentarily before continuing.
"Rough night last night?" he asked, a hint of teasing in his voice.
"Yeah I guess you could say that."
Justin cleared his throat, "Is there something you want to tell me about it?" he inquired, a tinge of hurt and disappointment in his voice causing Jordan's heart to leap into her chest.
"No. What do you mean?" she replied, almost too quickly.
Justin sighed deeply, pausing for a moment before stating in a monotone voice. "Jordan, I've already talked to JC..." he trailed off. Shocked, Jordan's sat silent, her shaking hand releasing the phone which clattered to the floor as tears filled her eyes.