JC looks over at AJ who is staring at the pool table intently trying to figure out how to hit the stripped seven ball into the corner pocket. It wasn’t like it mattered if he missed it though. Even if he did miss it he was still going to win because that was just how bad JC was at playing pool.
“What ya thinking about?” AJ asks JC not looking up.
“What I’m gonna do when I leave here tomorrow.”
AJ sighs, “Yeah me too.”
“You ever wonder what’s going on out there about us?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like the jokes and everything.”
AJ shrugs, “I have a good idea about what’s being said about me. I don’t care though. I mean I knew it is going to come at it. The guys are more upset by it then I am though. Brotherly love what are you gonna do.”
“Yeah I wouldn’t know what that felt like though.”
AJ shakes his head and finally bends over to hit the white ball with his stick sending it across the table hitting the 8 ball and bouncing it off the wall so it hits the seven ball and knocks it in, “I win again.”
“What a surprise.”
“This is boring without Derek. I have no competition.”
“I’m sorry I’m not a worthy opponent.”
“Can I ask you a question and you have to promise not to get pissed at me though.”
“Ok.”
“What the hell is with all these songs starting out the same on Celebrity? I swear I thought I was listening to the same three songs over and over again.”
JC stares at AJ, “Haha.”
“I mean it. It’s just well…”
“Just say it AJ.”
“It’s completely stupid.”
“Thanks.”
“It wasn’t your idea was it?”
“No.”
“Good because then I be forced to hit you.”
Chase walks in and sits down in a chair looking at the table, “Are you even gonna bother hitting the 8 ball in?”
“Nah, it just takes more time,” AJ says, “I know I beat him anyway.”
“You ok Chase?” JC asks.
Chase shrugs, “I guess. Why?”
“We just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
AJ nods, “Yeah little man. Once we leave whose going to watch over you? Of course JC never really seemed to be watching you enough when he was chasing after Polly.”
Chase smiles slightly.
“Hey,” JC says.
“It’s the truth,” AJ says.
“Yeah, but still,” JC says.
“Whose coming to pick you guys up tomorrow?” Chase asks.
“My mom,” AJ says, “and Rachel of course.”
“I’m just leaving,” JC sighs.
AJ stares at him, “We’ll drive you back to the hotel then.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it.”
“Thanks man.”
“I can still call you guys right?” Chase asks.
“Sure I’m always on the phone anyway,” AJ says.
JC nods, “You have all our numbers, right?”
Chase nods.
“You’re set then,” AJ says, “Just make sure to call us when you’re going to get out.”
Chase nods again, “I’m gonna miss you guys. I mean it even though I got in a fight with you, JC. You guys and Derek have been the only people that have been in here to really be my friends. I mean people are nice to me and all, but they’re not my friends. They’re just there.”
AJ and JC both smile.
‘If it means anything to you you’re one of the few people to actually treat me like a person,” AJ says, “and not some kind of dollar sign.”
JC nods, “Hard to find too.”
Chase smiles again and nods, “You’re the only thing close to family I have.”
“Same here,” JC sighs, “Same here.”
AJ stands by the front of the center sitting on one of his big suitcases humming to himself waiting for his mom and Rachel to come. JC is standing next to him with his arms folded across his chest with his bags at his feet. Chase is sitting on the curb chewing on a piece of gum blowing a bubble every now and then.
“Car is coming,” Chase says looking down the road.
AJ stands up and looks down the road, “That’s them.”
JC drags his bags over to the curb as Chase stands up and dusts himself off as the car pulls up.
“Alex honey,” his mom smiles stepping out from the passengers seat and walking over him giving him a big hug.
“Hey mom,” AJ says hugging her back, “Can we give JC a ride back to the hotel.”
“Ask Rachel she’s driving,” she smiles.
AJ sticks his head in the window at smiles at Rachel, “What do say Ray Leigh give this man a ride back to the hotel.”
“Fine by me,” Rachel smiles, “That means your sitting in the back with him though Alex Jay.”
AJ smiles and pulls himself from out of the window, “I’m in the back with you,” he says to JC.
“Thanks man,” JC says, “Thanks Rachel.”
“No problem, hun,” Rachel says to him as they get in the car.
“We’ll talk to you later Chase,” AJ says through his open window from inside the car.
“Alright,” Chase says, “Good luck guys,” he says waving at the car as it drives off. Chase sighs as it turns the corner and he turns around walking back into the center.
Rachel pulls the car up to the hotel curb and gets out handing the keys to the valet parking as AJ and JC pull their bags out of the trunk. AJ’s mom walks around and takes one of his bags.
“Where are the guys?” AJ asks.
“Inside,” Rachel says hopping on his back.
“I guess I’ll see you later then man,” AJ says looking at JC.
“Yeah I guess so,” JC sighs, “I’ll see you then,” he says walking into the hotel lobby with his bags.
JC smiles as he sees Justin sitting on one of the hotel sofas in the lobby waiting for him and to his right of course was Vanessa.
“Hey man,” Justin smiles hugging JC, “You’re finally out. How’s it feel?”
“I don’t honestly know yet,” JC smiles, “Hey Vanessa.”
“Hey Josh,” she says as Justin puts an arm around her and kisses her head.
“You wanna go to your room then?” Justin asks JC.
“Yeah to drop off my stuff first then I wanna go get something to eat ok.”
“Ok that’s fine with me,” Justin says, “C’mon it’s joined to mine,” he says turning around and walking towards the elevators.
They go up to JC’s room drop off his bags throwing them in the doorway and walk back out of the room down to the restaurant in the hotel.
“The other guys are gonna come eat with us,” Justin says, “It wasn’t exactly my idea, but Johnny said it would be a good idea.
“Do you always listen to Johnny,” Vanessa mumbles as Justin looks at her.
JC could already Justin being with Vanessa was going to cause some serious problems in the group.
Justin frowns at Vanessa and pulls his arm from around her putting his hands into his pockets. JC looks at him and shakes his head there were going to be some serious problems resulting from this relationship. He starts walking a few steps a head of Justin and turns around when he hears Vanessa laugh slightly. He shakes his head and keeps walking as Justin continues to kiss her. There were defiantly going to be some serious issues dealing with that relationship.
Once the three of them get down to the restaurant JC takes a seat next to Justin and of course Justin sits next to Vanessa holding her hand and twisting a ring on her finger around. He looks when he sees Joey, Lance and Chris walk up to the table and puts an arm around Vanessa’s shoulder protectively. JC could already tell that Justin had probably been in one or more fights with the others about the Vanessa relationship.
“Hey JC,” Lance smiles sitting down next to him, “You ok?”
“Yeah dandy,” JC mutters as Lance frowns.
Chris stares at JC and shakes his head.
“Well what do you want to eat JC? It’s my treat,” Joey says.
“You guys are unbelievable,” JC laughs.
“What do you mean?” Lance asks.
“I’m in rehab for thirty grueling testing days and none of you bother to come and see or talk to me except Justin, but when I get out you act like nothing has happened. You act like I never almost died in a fucking hotel room. Can’t you at least acknowledge that it happened?”
“Can’t we drop the subject JC,” Chris says, “Let’s just try and get things back to normal.”
“No, we can’t because things will never be normal again. Hell were they ever normal for us? I had a problem and I dealt with it, but now I have to try and stay this way. We can’t go back to the way we were because you guys totally ignored my problem. I know you knew I was doing it and you did nothing. I’m not going to go back to that. I’m not gonna let that happen to Justin or me again.”
Justin stares at him and looks down at the table.
Lance, Joey and Chris stare at JC then at each other.
JC turns around in his chair as he feels something hit the back of his head and picks it up.
“Get out here McLean! I know you’re here somewhere. Even if you’re crawling on the floor or something,” JC says standing up and then scanning the room. He reaches onto the table and picks up a roll still searching. He hears a footstep behind him and spins around throwing the roll and hitting the person directly in the head. It was a great throw, but it wasn’t AJ. JC had only accomplished hitting Devon in the head and sending him falling to the floor in cover.
“That was a great shot,” AJ says laughing and holding his stomach standing behind a table, “Devon’s head like flew back, boom,” he says throwing his head back and throwing himself onto the floor, “Dev you ok?”
“I hate you so much,” Devon says getting up from the floor, “I have been assaulted by bread and you know why?”
“Because you insulted Brian again and God is punishing you?” AJ says laughing.
“Yes, I’m telling you every time I do it I get hurt,” Devon says walking over to AJ rubbing his head, “Hey Justin,” Devon nods at Justin walking past him and messes up Vanessa’s hair, “Where’s Nick?”
“On the floor laughing over there,” AJ points to the corner.
“C’mon Nick we’re gonna be late,” Devon says and Nick stands up wiping the tears form his eyes form laughing and walking over to them.
Nick opens his mouth to stay something, but Devon shoots him a look.
“Don’t even say it Carter. Don’t even try,” he says as the three of them walk past the table while Devon continues mumbling about how God loves Brian and hates him.
“That was an awesome shot,” AJ says slapping JC on the back walking by, “I’ll see ya around JC.”
“Yeah,” JC says shaking his head and sitting down again.
“What was that about?” Chris asks.
“He’s one of my friends now,” JC says, “Wait let me rephrase that. One of my BEST friends now. He’s helped me out more then you, Joey and Lance combined. You know what I’m going to go to sleep I’ll just get room service,” JC says getting up and walking out of the restaurant as the others stare at him.
JC looks up as someone knocks on his door that is connected to Justin’s room and he yells come in. He stares as Vanessa walks in and smiles at him.
“Welcome back I guess,” she says.
“How do you mean?”
“Back to your life and back to I dunno what are they calling our circle in the media the Clique I think it is.”
“Thanks,” JC says, “Is Justin doing ok?”
She nods smiling, “I really do care about him don’t worry about him. I won’t let him get hurt.”
JC nods, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear those words from you and not him. I wasn’t sure how you were acting in it, but he loves you.”
Vanessa smiles, “I know. I love him too.”
“He’s not doing any more stuff is he?”
“No, he said he would stop for me and the baby. He promised me.”
“How’s the baby?”
“Good, if it’s a boy we’re gonna call it Jackson and if it’s a girl Jezebel. He’s going to move in with me in Philadelphia too. We were looking at apartments earlier on line.”
“He’s serious about this then?”
“I hope so.”
“And your band seems to get along with him now.”
“They’re warmed up to him. Still a long way from being as close to him as they were to you, but it’s a start.”
JC smiles, “Good.”
“How was AJ?”
“He’s a character.”
“Of course he’s AJ.”
“He’s a lot of help though. I never imagined how helpful he was.”
“He is smart, but he doesn’t act like it.”
“Yeah I know.”
“How’s Polly?”
“Polly is Polly. I still love her, but it’s not going to happen and I know it. I wish it would, but it’s not.”
“You talking about me?” Justin asks walking in in his boxers with wet hair and a few beads of water still on his body.
“I would never do that,” Vanessa smiles.
Justin sits down on the bed next to JC and pulls Vanessa down next to him wrapping his arms around her, “We wanted to ask you something JC.”
“Yeah,” JC says.
“Will you be the godfather for our baby?” Justin asks.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” he smiles.
“Of course,” JC smiles.
“Great,” Justin smiles, “A perfect way to start off your new life.”
“Yeah,” JC smiles, “Yeah.”
