"JC..."

After his name had left her mouth, the two continued to stare at one another for what felt like hours but really was only a few brief seconds.

What's he doing here?

Feeling more than confused at the moment, Melissa opened her mouth to ask her thought outloud, but was quickly cut off as JC began speaking at the same time.

"Mel-" "JC-"

After slightly laughing at the small incident, JC extended his hand out in front of him a little; mentally telling Melissa that she should go first.

If that's the way you want it. Melissa inwardly thought to herself, before quickly asking: "What are you doing here?"

Having known that she was probably going to ask him that question, caused JC to first clear his throat slightly--and look down at the floor between the two of them--before mentally trying to think of where he should start.

Probably from the beginning, dumbass.

"I...I wanted to apologize to you. I've been acting like a complete ass these last couple of weeks. And not only has it been very unprofessional of me, business wise, but it's also been very rude of me, personal wise. You didn't deserve any of that.....so I'm sorry."

Not wanting the slightly older male in front of her to see how shocked his apology had made her caused Melissa to quickly nod her head in understanding, before saying in a somewhat nonchalant tone of voice: "Apology accepted."

Even though he was somewhat surprised that she had accepted his apology so quickly, JC couldn't help but let out a huge sigh of relief before absentmindedly shoving his hands into his front side pockets. "Well, I guess I'd better be--"

"Tell me what's wrong!"

The words had slipped out of her mouth before Melissa could even stop them; surprising her and JC as well.

If I didn't make him mad before, then I defiently did now.

After a second of staring at one another in slight shock, JC let out a small chuckle before saying: "Theirs nothing wrong. I'm fine."

Even though she really didn't know the older man that well and he really didn't owe her any type of explanation, the fact that JC was now lying to her caused Melissa to roll her eyes in annoyance before softly replying, in a somewhat determined voice: "Anything that is said here, never leaves this room. You have my word."

After waiting a couple of seconds for any sign that JC would tell her what was going on, Melissa sighed slightly and began to open her mouth to say forget it. But interestingly enough before she could do so, JC began talking.

"A few weeks ago, before the guys and I went on vacation, I suspected my ex-girlfriend's boss was trying to put the moves on her. And after confronting her about it a couple of times, she got fed up with my accusations and said that I was just being an overprotective jealous boyfriend...which, as you could probably guess, started a huge fight between the two of us that lasted for weeks and ended up with us both walking out on one another during each argument."

After nodding her head in understanding, Melissa stayed completely silent as she watched JC get his words together.

"Well, uh, anyway I guess it was the day before we all came back from vacation when I dropped by her office unannounced--wanting to surprise her for lunch--but unfortunately was the one being surprised when I walked in on her boss trying to kiss her and her trying to pull away--immediately afterwards, telling him that she had a boyfriend, and that that was the last time she was going to tell him that; informing me that I had been right about my suspicions all along."

From the tone in his voice and the snide comments that he had been making towards everyone since she'd met him, Melissa could tell this story didn't conclude with a happy ending. "So, what happened?"

Without bothering to move his eyes away from the carpet floor, in front of them, JC shrugged slightly before saying: "She came over later that night acting like nothing had happened and I just snapped. I told her what I had seen in her office and asked her how the hell could she just look me in the eye and act like nothing was going on when her boss was pretty much sexually harassing her all along. And after taking in what I was saying and figuring out that there was no point in lying about it, she told me that the only reason she didn't tell me the truth before was because my insecurities had gotten to be so bad that I started stalking her..which obviously led to another fight."

Damn!

"So, I'm guessing after that you two broke up?"

After nodding his head in agreement, JC replied: "She said she couldn't deal with the fact that I didn't trust her anymore. And I told her that I couldn't deal with the fact that she was willing to keep dealing with his shit just because she was afraid of the repercussions of turning him in. She had no backbone."

Sounds like it.

Even though she knew she should just take what he was offering her, Melissa couldn't help but ask after a second: "So, what's changed since then?" Causing JC to smirk slightly before saying: "Everything."

"That night at the party before you came to find me, I had seen him kiss her and she hadn't pulled away, which I at first thought meant it was definetly over between us. But then when I got back to my hotel room that night, she was in there crying....and I don't know. We just had a moment together. She told me that it had gotten worse once we'd broken up and that her boss had practically threatened to fire her if she didn't atleast pretend to be his girlfriend and sleep with him."

Pervert.

"After that she told me she hadn't slept with him but had made him think that she would if he'd take her to our party as a date. She said she was hoping that she could atleast sneak away from him, for a second, and talk to me about it. But when she didn't get a chance to, she feigned sick and asked to be dropped back off at her hotel. Interestingly enough not making it there, because while in the limo, he tried to put the moves on her and Bobbie ended up punching him in the nose; losing her job but gaining the pleasure of seeing him literally in tears because of a broken nose."

"Good for her!" Melissa cheered, before she could stop herself; causing JC to chuckle a little in agreement. "So, I'm guessing by this new change in attitude that you two are back together?"

With a slight smile still on his face, JC replied: "No. Soon, but not right now. First, we just want to take things slowly and try to start over. You know, get rid of all of the insecurities and lack of communication we have with one another."

Feeling as if that was a good idea, Melissa smiled slightly before commenting that she hoped it worked out for them; inwardly adding to herself, afterwards, that if not for their sake then for hers.

Like the guys, I can only take so much of pissed off JC before I want to kill him myself.

With that thought in mind, Melissa smirked slightly to herself, before deciding that whereas she didn't mind talking to JC about his problems, she still wanted to talk to her manager about the performance she'd just done--and ask him if it was always going to be just as big of an emotional high as it was for her that night.

"So, where's Lance? He was supposed to meet me in here after the show."

After smiling slightly at the subject change, JC replied: "I told him that I wanted to talk to you in private for a minute or two, so him and Justin are out there by the V.I.P area, baby-sitting Joey and Chris, while signing autographs for miscellaneous fans...we should probably go out there and rescue them."

After slightly smirking in agreement, Melissa grabbed the towel--that Ryan had no doubt left for her--off her dressing room stand and quickly began wiping the small beads of sweat--that had came across her face during her performance--off of her forehead. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Smirking slightly, JC led Melissa out of her dressing room and then after almost a second of comfortable silence between the two, JC replied: "You know if I didn't say it before, I think Lance really knew what he was doing when he signed you. You impressed the hell out of me tonight."

Without even bothering to conceal her surprise and slight embarrassment at that comment, Melissa blushed slightly before replying weakly:

"Thanks...I'm glad you liked it."

April 7, 2000 (Los Angeles, CA)

Two weeks after her first performance, Melissa finally found herself starting to get the hang of juggling her tour schedule and recording her upcoming debut album at the same time--when FreeLance and Jive Records decided to throw one more curve-ball at her:

Photo shoots.

"So, when you get to the studio, Roy will probably be out front waiting for you. But if not then his secretary most definetly will be and she'll take you and Christina to where they've set up everything at....And, just so you know, I've already asked him how many photos he thinks he'll need of you and he said that because you're only scheduled to have eleven songs on your CD, he'll take about twenty of you: putting one of them on the front, one of them on the back, and then a couple of them on the inside of your CD's booklet cover. The rest will probably just be added to your website or be given to you, if you want them, that is."

After nodding her head in understanding, even though Lance couldn't see her, Melissa playfully stuck her tongue out at Christina who was crossing her eyes at her in amusement.

"Anyway, I guess since that about covers everything I needed to discuss with you today, I should let you go. But, before I do so, even though this might make me sound slightly repetitive, I still want to say that I am really sorry for not being able to come out there and help you out today. It's just with the tour coming up next month, it's becoming harder and harder to even think, let alone, try to fly out of Orlando every now and then to see how things are going with you. You know what I mean?"

Having heard the same thing from Chris and Justin, who had called the night before to wish her luck on her first photo shoot, Melissa moved her attention towards the window beside her, afterwards saying: "Yeah, I know what you mean...but it's really okay, Lance. I mean....you've done so much for me already: you put up with me when I literally screamed at you like a lunatic. You helped me make my dream of singing on stage, in front of a real audience, come true. And you even helped me through it when I had stage fright a couple of weeks ago. Compared to all of those things, this photo shoot is probably nothing but a breeze..and something that I wouldn't even do if Christina wasn't sitting here making me go."

After slightly laughing at her last comment and taking in what the younger woman was saying, Lance finally replied: "All right..I understand and promise never to apologize for my schedule ever again."

"Thank you." Melissa replied, afterwards letting Lance hear her mock sigh of relief. "Now, if you'll excuse me I think that's the studio up ahead, so I'm going to have to let you go."

While laughing once again, Lance replied: "All right, I can take a hint." Before saying his good-byes and hanging up with the petite brunette.

"You know, I wonder sometimes whose suppose to calm the other one down..me or him?"

After slightly laughing at the comment, Christina replied: "He's just trying to make sure he doesn't fail you as a manager and as a friend. I think it's sweet."

While placing her cellphone back into her purse, Melissa shrugged nonchalantly before replying: "I guess I'd think so to, if I was like you, and got to see another side of Lance, that wasn't so business like."

Even though she knew exactly what Melissa was talking about, Christina couldn't help but slyly smirk in amusement before letting out a comment, which caused Melissa to furrow her eyebrows in confusion.

"Well, like the quote says..you better be careful what you wish for, cause you just might get it."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing.." Christina retorted, innocently, before turning her attention back towards the window beside her; after a second mumbling: "Just an observation."

(A half-n-hour later)

"All right..the lighting is set, the green screen is up, and now the only thing I need to know is if that's the outfit you want to wear. If not, then my assistant and I would be more than willing to try and find you something else to put on."

Without even bothering to go back in the dressing room and look in the full screen mirror which Mr. Zipstein had made her model in front of a couple of minutes ago, Melissa politely began to decline. "I don't think that'll be necessary. I like this outfit. I think it suits me."

After taking another look at the bright red sweater and blue jean attire that the petite woman in front of him was wearing, Roy couldn't help but begin slightly nodding his head in agreement. Figuring by his earlier conversation with the woman and the few snippets of conversation that he'd heard between her and her friend, Christina, that the outfit she was wearing at the moment fitted her personality to a T.

It screams that even though she's a good looking girl, she still is down to earth and is very easy to talk to....kids are going to be eating up this CD left and right.

With that thought in mind, Roy quickly clapped his hands, getting the attention of the few people who were standing around him. And then after a second, he smiled slightly before replying that he thought it was time for the show to begin.

"Hmm, and I thought it had already started." Melissa quietly mumbled to herself, causing Christina who was standing beside her to giggle slightly.

"Aww, don't worry, this will be a piece of cake if you just go up there and pretend that your anywhere else but here."

"Gee, thanks." Melissa replied sarcastically, before making her way towards the green screen that Roy had sit up for her; all the while ignoring the small giggles that were coming out of Christina's mouth.

I'm going to get both her and Lance for this.

"All right, I want the first couple of photos of you to be kind of laid back. So, Melissa, if you could just take a seat on the floor in front of the green screen we can begin."

Figuring that those orders were simple enough, Melissa quickly got into the position that Mr. Zipstein had asked her to and then smiled slightly as the older man began taking the photos. This could be fun.

"Okay, lovely, now pout your lips seductively while inwardly saying cheese."

Or maybe not.

After posing in front of the camera for almost two and a half hours, Melissa couldn't help but sigh with relief when Roy finally called it a wrap.

Thank God!

"Melissa, you were great! I'd love to work with you again anyday....now, go get changed and meet me back here in ten minutes. I should have your pictures ready for you by then."

With that being said, Melissa watched as the photographer quickly walked away; nonchalantly shouting over his shoulder for someone to turn on the radio while he did so.

"Either I'm getting old or that man really needs to switch to decaf."

After slightly laughing at the comment, Melissa turned away from Roy's quickly fading away figure and hit Christina, who had said the comment, with an amused smirk. "Judging by the fact that I'm a few months older than you and don't consider myself to be old I definetly am going to have to say that it's the latter and that he also needs to lay off on the Xanax, if you know what I mean."

"Touche." Christina replied in amusement, before beginning to follow the petite woman towards her dressing room; interestingly enough stopping just as she got a few feet in front of it. "Melissa..."

With one hand on the sheet that separated the dressing room area from the rest of the room, Melissa turned her attention back towards Christina; who was staring at her with an amused smirk on her face. "What?"

After rolling her eyes at the older woman's obliviousness, Christina gently tugged on the brunette's ears causing Melissa to first look at the other woman in confusion before suddenly growing surprised.

"Oh my god...."

"Their playing your song.."

"On the radio." Melissa added, after a second; causing Christina to practically squeal before throwing her arms around the smaller woman.

"Oh my god, you did it, girl! You got yourself on the radio."

Too stunned to even move, Melissa could only let the other woman hug her as she listened in shock to the radio station's version of Take the rain away and then to the radio DJ's brief words afterwards.

"This is Jo-Jo Wright from 102.7's KIIS-FM and that was Melissa Alano with Take the rain away. Now, I usually don't like to express my opinion on some of these pop-artists that try and pretend to be singers. But if any of you guys out there saw Miss. Alano on Access Hollywood a couple of weeks ago. Or got the chance to see her perform last night at the Universal Amphitheater, then you guys will know what I mean when I say that that she-devil of a woman is on fire. I'm telling you, her debut single hit airwaves last night and it's been blowing up our request line for almost twenty-four hours. So, Melissa if you're still in Los Angeles and are listening out there, we at 102.7 would like to congratulate you for actually being a pretty kick ass singer. Rock on with your bad self."

I can't wait to call Sam and Lance.