Chapter
Twenty-Three
The
next morning, Larson stretched and walked down the hall to Chris’ room. She knocked before entering,
“Good morning.” He said
rubbing his eyes sleepily, and sitting up in bed slowly.
She stood in the doorway, “Good morning, I didn’t mean to wake you
yet again.”
“No problem Doc. Pop a
squat.” He said patting the bed space
next to him.
Larson crawled up on to the bed and sighed, “Thanks for
everything. I really appreciate
it.” She said and Chris shrugged,
“I figure I’d owe you for when you get my kids in school.” He joked and she laughed,
“I guess.” She replied and
then they both were quiet for a moment,
“So, you wanna talk about it?”
He asked and she sighed again,
“I feel so betrayed and used.”
“By who?”
“JC and Mel.” Larson
replied sadly, the two people she held closest to her heart.
“Okay, I’ll bite, why?”
Larson sighed again, before she began to explain, “Because he was
an asshole and Mel took his side over me.
I mean, I’ve been best friends with Mel for over a decade now and she
goes and takes his side because he’s fucking JC of Nsync. And the fucking sick part about this whole
situation is that he’s fucking using her.
He’s such a scum bag.” She shook
her head in disgust.
Chris nodded, knowing both sides of the situation, “Alright, so
basically you’re pissed about their little plan to get you and C together-”
Larson’s head shot up in shock, “Their plan? No it was just JC’s.”
Chris shook his head, “Nope, it was actually Mel’s idea.”
She sat back on her hands, “What?
This is more sick and twisted than I thought.”
Chris gave her a sympathetic smile, “Not so much. See JC came to Mel asking how to get to you
because he liked you.” Larson tried to
interrupt, but Chris held up his finger, “So Mel came up with this whole plan
to make you jealous and make you fight for JC.
They didn’t want to hurt anyone else in the process so Mel volunteered
for the position, since she didn’t like JC.
But on a side note, JC was against everything from the start. He just wanted to lay it on the line for
you. Mel convinced him other wise. The whole plan kind of blew up in their
faces when everything went down.” Chris
finished and Larson sat there letting everything sink in.
“So it was Mel’s idea for JC to lead her on?” She asked
cautiously.
Chris nodded, “Yup.”
“And this was all to get me and JC together?”
Chris nodded some more, “Yup.”
“Man, what a mess.” She
sighed, flopping back into the bed.
“I’ll say.” Chris smirked,
“So taking into account our conversation from before and now this, does it
change your mind about things?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed
and stared at the ceiling.
Chris flopped down next to her, “Well you wanted C and now he’s
free and wants you. It’s not rocket
science Doc.”
“No, rocket science is easier to understand.” She said and flipped on her side to face
Chris, “It’s just with everything
that’s happened. God, everything I said
to them…” She buried her face in one of his pillows and screamed.
Chris just laughed, “They both care for you and I have a feeling
that they’re both feeling bad about what they did. I’ll lay odds that they’ll both be pretty forgiving. You do still like Jace, right?”
Larson removed her face from the pillow and laid against it, “I
don’t know. I hated him so much till
five minutes ago and the residual feelings are still there.”
“Go spend time with him and find out.” Chris suggested,
“Maybe I will.” She
sighed.
Chris ruffled her hair, “Everything’s going to work out Doc.”
“I’m glad you’re so sure.”
“Well, one of us has to be.” He grinned at her, “Obviously you’re
not, so I’ll take this time.”
She grinned up at him, “Thanks Chris.”
“You’re welcome Doc.”
Later that day Larson walked into her apartment and Mel rushed up
to her, “L? Thank God! You’re okay!”
She shrugged, “Yeah, I’m okay, I guess.”
“L, you gotta believe me that I wasn’t back stabbing you with
JC. It was all my idea.” Mel rushed out afraid that Larson would
interrupt him.
Larson brushed it off, “Mel, don’t worry about it. Chris helped me straighten things out a
bit.”
Mel was shocked, Chris was not the one who straightened things
out. “Chris? As in Chris Kirkpatrick?”
Larson nodded, “Yeah, he can be a really great listener when he
wants to be. Or he’s just had lots of
practice with me.” She laughed,
Mel raised an eyebrow at her best friend, “So you talked with
Chris and everything was okay?”
“Yeah, I should stay over there more often. Things just become so much clearer and he
just gives the best hugs.” She smiled
with a slight shrug.
Mel gave her a skeptical look, “You stayed at Chris’ last night?”
Larson raised an eyebrow at her, “Yeah, did you expect me to stay
on the street?”
Mel twisted her mouth to the side, “Actually I hoped that you
would come home.”
“No offense, but I didn’t want to come home last night.”
“Larson, I’m really sorry, I didn’t think-”
“And that’s different from any other time?” She teased making Mel smile, “I’m sorry for
not listening. I was a bit irrational.”
“You’re not mad at me?”
“Only if you’re not mad at me.”
Larson smiled and Mel hugged her,
“Not at all!” She said and
the girls laughed together, “God I hate fighting.”
“Me, too, especially with you.”
“I agree.” Mel laughed and
then pulled away, “Oh I have to call JC, he was worried sick last night.”
“You know what? I need to
talk to him so I’ll save you the hassle and just go and see him.”
“Okay, you know he had-”
“Mel?” Larson said,
“Okay, shutting it.” She
said raising her hands in surrender, “See you later.”
Larson rang JC’s doorbell and a few
seconds later the door flew open,
“Larson, I’m sorry, I-”
“Hey JC, it’s nice to see you too. Can I come in?” She
interrupted his apology and JC stood there stunned for a moment before he
opened the door wider for her,
“Yeah, come on in.” He
replied slowly and she walked in. As he
closed it behind her, Larson turned to take a closer look at him,
“You haven’t showered yet, did I wake you?”
The completely confused and bewildered JC stuttered, “Uh, no, not
really I-”
“I haven’t showered either, so we’re even.” She smirked and he just looked completely
confused, “Can I have a glass of water?
I’m really parched.”
“What? Oh yeah, come on in
the kitchen.” He said and she followed
him in there. Quickly he pulled out a
bottle of water for her from the fridge and handed it to her.
“Thank you.” She said and
took a sip from it.
“I’m really glad to know you’re okay. I was really worried when no one knew where you were last
night.” He confessed quietly and she
just smiled,
“Keeping tabs on me, JC?”
She teased, “Next thing I know you’ll be fitting me with a radio
collar.” She joked but JC didn’t laugh,
he was just confused. “Wow, you really
need some sleep. You’re a zombie
today.” She laughed, “Come on.” Larson said taking his hand and leading him
up to his bedroom. JC simply followed,
dumbstruck. Once they were in JC’s
room, Larson pulled down the covers and pushed him in. “In you go big boy.” She said and pulled the covers up tucking
him in. Larson dropped a kiss on his
forehead, “Good night, JC. I’ll let
myself out.” She pulled away but JC
stopped her and pulled her back down to him.
Larson looked at him, “What?” He
didn’t reply, but he just smiled as he pulled her down to kiss him. Larson deftly moved her face away,
“No.” She whispered and saw JC’s
disappointed face,
“Why? I’m confused.” He finally said and she smiled,
“You haven’t brushed your teeth yet, ew.” She made a face and he smiled,
“Good point. Wait
here.” He said and hopped out of
bed. He ran into the bathroom and
Larson laughed as she heard him brushing his teeth.
JC came out of the bathroom, “Okay, my teeth are brushed L.” He said but she wasn’t in the room. “Larson?”
He called out and walked out of his room. “Larson!” He called out again
as he searched his house. Finally, he
found her out on the balcony.
“Hey.” He said as he walked out
on it.
Larson didn’t turn around, “This view is amazing. This has to be my favorite place in this
house.” She said and he came up next to
her,
“I agree, it was probably the main reason I bought the house. Well that and the fact that it’s in LA and
Justin was nearby.” She looked over her
shoulder at him,
“I’d buy a house to live near Justin any day.” She laughed and then they were silent for a
few moments.
“L,” JC broke the silence, “I’m really sorry about
everything.”
Larson sighed and turned to face him, leaning her hip on the
balcony, “I know, I could tell just by looking at you.” She said sincerely, “Because, you Mr. Chasez
are VERY sorry looking.” She teased
with a smile and he cracked a smile as well.
“Only because I was worried over you.” He said and she was silent again. Larson turned back and concentrated on the view as thoughts
tumbled over themselves in her head.
“What are you thinking Larson?”
He asked gently when she was quiet for too long,
“Lots of things.” She
replied with a shrug,
“Could one of those things be me?” He asked hopefully,
“A lot these things deal with you.” She said still staring off the balcony and let out a deep breath.
“Are they good or bad thoughts?”
He asked gently.
“Both and neither.” She
paused before looking at him, “I’m not easy.”
She confessed and he cracked a smile,
“If I wanted easy, I would have picked up a hooker on Sunset
Boulevard.” He teased and she laughed,
“Point taken.”
“So?”
“This feels right, but I may need some time.”
“Meaning?” He asked and
she turned towards him,
“I don’t know. This whole
thing is so complicated.”
“How about I uncomplicate them?”
He said and kissed her. The kiss
quickly swept her off her feet. JC
pulled away and raised an eyebrow at her.
“That was a good start.”
She smirked and JC went to kiss her again but she stopped him with a
hand over his mouth, “Whoa, puppy.
Trying to make out with me won’t make me stay.” She told him honestly as she removed her
hand and then smiled, “It’s a good try, but-” JC cut her off with another
kiss. This time Larson simply gave in
until he pulled away,
“I’ve decided that you talk too much.” He said with a smile and she grinned back,
“Guess you’re gonna have to shut me up then, huh?”
“I
guess I will and I have a feeling that I’m really going to enjoy it. ”
THE END!