BROTHERLY LOVE
By Sarah Wartman
PART SIXTEEN
“Yeah, actually I have,” Justin told me. “He’s got a surprise planned for you.”
“That’s what I hear. Am I gonna like it?”
“Like is an understatement Belle.”
“Cool,” I whispered.
“So, when do you have to go back to school?” Justin asked, getting off of the bed to get the movies he had brought.
“Sunday. But the shitty thing is I have a term paper due Tuesday, so I gotta work on it while I’m home.”
“That’s a bummer,” Justin said.
“Yeah, well, it’ll give me something to do and keep me half way sane while I’m here.”
“Yeah,” he answered, heading towards the door. “I’ll give you a call tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah, night Justin.”
“Night Isabelle.”
~*~*~*~
The next day, I just layed around and worked on my paper. I was being a bum, just wearing my flannel pants and a little t-shirt all day, not even bothering to do my hair or put my contacts in. I wanted to get my paper done so I could enjoy the rest of my break.
It was about nine that night when I heard Chris knock on my door.
“Come in,” I said, not even looking up from my computer.
“I’m leaving for our meeting. Just wanted to say bye,” he said.
I spun around and said, “I forgot you had a meeting. When will you be back?” I asked him.
“In a couple of hours,” he told me.
“Okay, have fun,” I said, turning back to my computer.
~*~*~*~
“Isabelle!”
I awoke to my name being screamed from downstairs. I had fallen asleep on my bed while reading something for my paper. Panicked, I stood up and walked into the hallway.
“What?” I asked as I ran down the stairs. I was greeted by five smiling faces standing in the front entrance. “What are you up to?” I asked them.
“We’re gonna go get some pizza. Come with us,” Lance told me.
I looked at the clock. It was almost one in the morning.
“You are aware what time it is, right?” I asked them.
“Look at who you’re talking to,” Joey responded. “That meeting was super long and we’re hungry.”
“You’re always hungry,” I reminded him.
“Come on Bella,” JC said, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Please?”
“Look at me!” I shrieked. “I’m wearing my pajamas.”
“Like we haven’t seen you in your pajamas before,” Justin said, grinning widely.
“Go change, we’ll wait for you,” Chris told me, smiling. I sighed and ran upstairs and changed into jeans and my adidas. It was pointless to argue with them. I redid my ponytail and raced downstairs.
“Alright you big idiots, let’s go,” I told them.
PART SEVENTEEN
“I need some shampoo, let’s go to the Super Walmart,” Chris said from the front seat of JC’s Jeep.
“Chris, it’s 2:30!” I whined in the backseat, squished between Lance and Justin.
“It’ll be open, it’s open twenty-four hours,” Joey told me.
“I know that, dip shit. But it’s so late!”
“Bitch and moan,” my brother mumbled and I slapped him upside the head.
~*~*~*~
“Toys!” Justin yelled in the deserted store. “Come on Belle, let’s go play with the toys!”
“I’m too old for this,” I muttered as I climbed onto Justin’s back and we raced toward the aisles of toys. Lance and JC slowly followed and after a while, all six of us were engrossed in the toys. Luckily, we hardly saw any other customers, so we were acting all kinds of crazy.
“So, when do I get my surprise?” I asked JC who was an aisle down. I was busy wrapping myself in the barbie dress up clothes. I wrapped a feather scarf around my neck and put a fake crown on top of my head.
“Are you busy Saturday?” I heard him yell.
“Nope!” I yelled, picking up a magic wand and wandered over to find him.
“Good, I’ll pick you up at seven then.”
“Awesome,” I said, kneeling down to watch him line up a bunch of racecars.
He looked up at me and smiled. “Seven in the morning, Isabelle.”
I stood up and laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope.”
“Geez,” I muttered as a bouncing ball sailed right past my head.
“Joey!” I shrieked and ran to find him.
~*~*~*~
I looked at the clock in the kitchen. 6:52. JC would be here any minute to get me. I wrote mom a quick note and left it on the refrigerator, saying I was with friends and wouldn’t be home til late. She probably wouldn’t even notice I was gone. I slipped out the front door and waited for JC to pull up. He did, and I ran out to his Jeep.
“So, where are we going so early?” I asked him, buckling my seat belt.
“You’ll see,” as JC leaned over and tied a blind fold over my eyes.
“What are you up to?” I asked, grinning.
“Nothing.”
~*~*~*~
JC untied the bandana around my eyes and I gasped. “Why are we at the airport?”
“Cause we’re flying.”
I looked at him and smirked. “Thanks genius.”
“You’re welcome. I’m taking you somewhere.”
“I figured as much,” I muttered and hopped out of the Jeep.
We didn’t have any luggage to check in, so we went straight to our gate and sat down.
“You gonna tell me yet?”
“Just wait,” he mumbled, leaning over to smile at me. Just as he said that, someone came over the speakers, announcing that flight 232 was boarding. The flight to New York City.
“Well, that’s us.” JC casually said, standing up.
“What!?” I shrieked.
PART EIGHTEEN
“New York?” I shrieked, jumping up.
“Yes,” he answered and chuckled.
“Oh JC,” I screamed and jumped into his arms. “You remembered,” I whispered.
“Oh course I did,” he whispered back. He pulled away and grinned at me. “Well, come on!” he exclaimed, grabbing my hand. “Let’s go.”
~*~*~*~
JC had planned it out perfectly. We got there just in time to eat lunch at a cute little place on Time’s Square. He always told me you’ve never pizza and cheesecake ‘til you’ve had it in New York. He was right.
We walked around Time’s Square some, telling me about Virgin Records and the MTV studios and all the other places he had been, amazing me with every story. He took me to see the Statue of Liberty and Chinatown and everywhere else I requested.
It was early evening and we had time to go one more place before we had to go back to the airport for our flight home. And, of course, I decided to go to the Empire State Building.
When we got up there, it was shockingly uncrowded. I walked about, gawking and taking pictures like a true tourist. I would point and gasp and JC would just laugh at me.
I was looking over the ledge, amazed at how high up we were when I felt a pair of hands slip around my waist and push me forward, giving me the feeling I was going to fall. I shrieked and turned around and found myself face-to-face with JC, just grinning.
“Not funny,” I told him, his face just inches from mine.
“Let’s get our picture taken,” he suggested, snatching my camera from my hands and handing it to the nearest person, asking if they would take a picture of us. JC wrapped his arms around me and layed his head on top of mine. I was still in shock and just smiled at the camera.
“What a cute couple you two make,” the lady said, snapping the picture.
“Oh, no, we’re not” I said while JC said, “Thanks” at the same time. I just looked up at him and smiled. The lady handed me my camera and I thanked her, putting it back into my backpack. I looked up to see JC smiling at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said and walked away, towards a deserted part of the railing.
“Liar,” I said, walking up next to him, looking out over the city.
“Well, did you like your surprise?” he asked me.
I looked over at him and smiled. “Of course I did. This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
He looked at me and smiled. “Good, I’m glad you liked it.”
We stared at each other a moment and JC quickly looked away, making me feel awkward and I walked down a bit and stood at the corner of the railing. I just leaned over and took a deep breath and sighed.
But, before I knew it, I felt JC’s arms wrap around my waist and I turned around, his face so close to mine. He looked deeply into my eyes, trying to figure out what I was thinking. Then I felt his lips gently press against mine.
JC pulled away from me and my eyelids fluttered open. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that?” he whispered.
“Do you know how long I’ve wanted you to do that?” I whispered back.
JC just grinned at me and brought his face back down towards mine.
PART NINETEEN
I closed the front door and smiled. This day had been everything I had hoped and more. JC had kissed me. On the plane home, we talked a long time and thought it best to take things slowly and not even tell Chris or anyone what was going on. Turns out, JC had liked me for a long time and I had no idea.
“Where have you been?” I heard Chris yell and felt my heart stop.
“With friends,” I muttered and ran upstairs quickly before he could question me any further.
~*~*~*~
The guys left the next day, as did I. I was packing when I heard a knock at my door and I hollered, “come in.”
I didn’t even look up from my bag, but I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and kisses my neck. I turned around and smiled.
“Hello to you too,” I told him before kissing him.
“I don’t want to leave,” JC whined, pulling me down on top of his lap. “I have wanted this for so long, and now that I have it, I have to leave it.”
“Oh Joshua, you’re depressing me. There are only two or three weeks until Christmas vacation and I know I’ll see you then.”
“I suppose you’re right Belle,” he told me as I stood up.
“I’m always right Josh.”
~*~*~*~
JC and I talked on a daily basis. My good friends Angela and Abby couldn’t wait to meet this mysterious man of my dreams. And for some odd reason, Zack suspected this was bound to happen eventually and was happy for me. I talked and thought about JC day and night. He was the last person I thought of when I went to sleep and the first person that slipped into my thoughts when I woke up.
The school year passed quickly and before I knew it, it was summer. I had decided to tag along for the remainder of their tour, which ended in June. JC and I did our best to hide our feelings, but it was so hard. Justin walked in on us kissing once, and we knew we couldn’t hide it anymore. But we had to, JC kept reminding me, and I knew he was right.
June turned to July and July to August. I was so unbelievably happy. JC and I had been dating for almost nine months and I couldn’t be happier. His birthday started creeping up on me and I had no idea what to get him. He had spoiled me a month before on my 21st birthday, lavishing me with gifts. But what could I give a guy that had everything?
I had decided on just a bunch of little things, but the biggest gift was not something he could unwrap. Well, in a way it was. It was the night before his birthday and we were sitting in his living room, watching a movie. It was going to take all my courage to give him this, but I knew I wanted to more than anything.
“Close your eyes,” I told JC, standing up.
“Okay,” he muttered and gently closed his eyes.
“No peeking,” I told him as I took off my jeans and shirt. I sat down, straddling him, just wearing my new black underwear and bra. “Open them,” I whispered in his ear.
He just sat there, in awe, smiling. I took his face and kissed him forcefully. I laid back and pulled him on top of me.
“You sure about this?” he whispered in my ear.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” I told him, pulling his lips down to mine again.
PART TWENTY
I was unbelievably sad I had to go back to school. But the guys were having a long, well-deserved break, so I knew I’d see them a lot more often, which made me happy.
I was reading some homework a few days before Labor Day weekend. JC was coming down for the whole weekend and I couldn’t wait. My roommates, Laura, Angela and Abby were going home for the three-day weekend, so we had the apartment all to ourselves. I was jarred from my thoughts by the telephone.
“Hello?”
“Hey doll face, whatcha up to?”
“Hey Justin. Nothing, just reading some homework. What about you?”
“Just got done talking to JC.”
I sat up quickly. “Oh really? How is he? What did he say?”
Justin laughed. “You really are a love-sick kitten. You two are too cute together. All he does is talk and think about you.”
I smiled. “Really?”
“Yes really Belle. Personally, I find it disgusting. You aren’t THAT great of a person, but you would never know that, they way he goes on about you,” Justin teased.
“Oh shut up Justy. You’re the only one who knows, right?” I asked him.
“Yeah, I think so. Your brother would flip if he knew.”
“No kidding. Oh well, I better get back to reading. Can’t wait to see you again Justin.”
“Me too. I’ll call you in a couple of days.”
“Sounds good. Bye”
“Bye”
I hung up the phone and smiled. Justin was such an awesome friend. I just knew these few days would take forever to get here.
~*~*~*~
Friday finally came. I had two classes in the morning and was free the rest of the day to pick up the house before JC arrived at five. I was blow drying my hair that morning and didn’t hear the front door open, or see the bathroom door open. I felt a pair of arms around my waist and screamed.
“JC, you little shit,” I exclaimed, almost dropping my blow dryer.
“Nice to see you too,” he told me, kissing me quickly on the lips.
“You just scared me,” I told him. “How did you get in here?”
“Kind of hard when you leave the door unlocked.”
I grinned. “I didn’t think you’d be here til this afternoon,” I told him, turning around to comb my hair. I got a good idea and turned back around suddenly. “You can come to classes with me!” I shrieked.
JC cringed. “College classes? Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Oh Josh, come on,” I exclaimed, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the bathroom. “Please? It would be so much fun. And you can experience college.”
“Isabelle, the last thing I feel like doing is getting mobbed by lots of girls today. I didn’t bring any bodyguards here with me.”
I grinned. “Thank God for that. But seriously, you won’t get recognized. Keep in mind, ninety percent of your fans haven’t even hit puberty yet. You won’t get recognized here, I promise.”
“You sure?” he asked, still hesitant. But by the small smile that had formed, I could tell he wanted to come with me.
I kissed him. “Yes, I’m sure,” I told him.
TO BE CONTINUED