Mayra felt like she was on cloud nine, but she knew how to hide it well and stay calm. She’s been in close proximity of him before, having been to a few *NSYNC concerts here and there over the past two years, but never in her wildest dreams did she actually think she’d be on a date with JC Chasez of *NSYNC.
Well, it wasn’t really a date. She was just showing him around Atlanta. That’s all.
She blinked when he waved a hand in her face and blushed at being caught not paying attention to what he had been saying. She couldn’t help it, it was his damn gorgeous blue eyes that made her brain turn to mush.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” She asked.
“I asked why women from Georgia are referred to as Georgia Peaches. It’s never made sense to me,” He repeated, sticking his spoon in the ice cream dish. That they were sharing.
She looked up at the awning above her head as she thought. “To be honest I don’t even know. I always thought it was because we’re southern and us southerners are known to be hospitable.” She shrugged.
“Too bad the whole world’s not on the same mind frame,” he sighed. “The world would be a better place, don’t you think? No wars. No fighting. Everyone would accept each other.”
“Only in a perfect world, I guess.”
He made a face. “Even then the world would be a scary place.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “How so?”
“What if…randomly everyone in the world became nice to each other, more hospitable. Say tomorrow, for instance. A lot of people would be without jobs. Policemen, army men, the air force. They’re here to protect us, right?” She nodded. “If everyone was nice, there were no wars or anything they’d be out of jobs. There’d be a surge of over population at some jobs and then some other people would lose theirs to accommodate the space. Then it would be a large group of people unemployed and that snowball would only get bigger and bigger.” He paused and added, “In theory.” Then he let out a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I always get off on weird tangents like that.”
“No, it’s ok. It’s hard to find someone to have an intelligent conversation with,” Mayra replied.
“Ignorant people at college?” JC questioned.
“You could say that. Let me put it this way, sometimes I wonder how many times their parents dropped them.” Mayra smiled when JC burst out laughing. She loved the way his eyes crinkled in the corners and his eyes shone when he laughed.
Once JC’s laughter subsided he cleared his throat. “Can I ask you a question?”
She nodded and folded her hands in her lap. “Go ahead.”
“You’re a fan, right?”
She nodded again. “A big one, in fact.”
“So…why haven’t you asked for an autograph or something?”
A small smirk came to her face. “Because I know that you guys are actual people and must be bothered by it sometimes.” She tucked her hair behind her ear again and lightly slapped herself on the hand under the table for her nervous habit. “The other fans, the young ones especially, I don’t believe they grasp the fact that you’re actually people, not exhibits at a petting zoo or something. I’m a fan of yours because I love the place where your music comes from and that you’re real.”
JC leaned back in his seat, hands clasped behind his head and Mayra could see the outline of his stomach muscles through the pull of his shirt. “I have to say that’s the most refreshing thing I’ve heard in a while.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. I also have to say this was the best fan encounter I’ve been through in a long time.”
She frowned. “I hope you don’t only think of me as a fan.”
“Of course not, I think of you as a person who just so happens to like the music I make, which is what I live for so it’s all good.” He then chuckled.
Is he laughing at me? “What?”
“It’s just…if Justin hadn’t convinced me to come out here I would’ve never had the best night of my life.”
She blushed at the comment but then something in the back of her head ignited a thought. “Wait a minute, you’re here with Justin?”
“Yes. Well, I was. That’s the ‘friend’ that left me. I didn’t want to say his name in case you were one of those rabid fans that try to get a piece of our DNA or something. I’m glad you’re not.”
“And he dragged you here?” Mayra demanded.
“Well, in a way. He said he wanted me to meet a friend he’s been talking to the past two years,” JC replied, sitting straight up, a look of concern in his eyes. “Why?”
A sudden look of realization came to her face. “Oh, that little…voy a conseguir su vez que la veo de nuevo. No me importa si la veo con todas las sonrisas que hará que se lo coma por tratar de sacar algo como esto!” She rattled off.
“Um…what?” JC asked, tilting his head like a curious puppy.
Awww! “We’ve been set up,” Mayra told him. The confused look didn’t drop her face. “Really, it’s not a coincidence that we were both there and we both lost our friends at that club. It’s a set up. Mack—my friend—knows that I got over a bad break up a few months ago.” She shook her head. “Que el pequeño demonio!” A sudden evil look crossed her features.
“What?” JC asked.
“I have an idea to get back at them if you’re willing to go along with it,” Mayra replied.
JC leaned forward. “I’m listening.”
She shivered when his warm breath grazed her lips.
-----
“Ouch!” Mack grunted when the corner of the door dug into her spine. “Do you mind?”
“What the hell are doing on the floor?” Mayra asked, pushing the door open further once Mack rolled out of the way. She closed the door and, with her free hand, tosed her heles into the corner of the room.
“Better question, what the hell are you doing coming back at—“ Mack paused and looked at her watch “—three freaking am!?”
Mayra shrugged. “I was out with someone.”
“Someone who?”
Mayra looked at her pointedly. “You know who. You set me up with Justin, who actually is Justin TImberlake whom you never told me about, missy.”
“Don’t turn this around on me,” Mack said, getting to her knees. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Except keep a huge secret from me and ditch me.”
“Ok, the secret part was a bad idea but i didn’t ditch you,” Mack said with an eyeroll. “You’re being over dramatic. It’s not like JC would’ve raped you or anything.” She shuffled over to her friend and smiled. “So what’d you do? DId you have fun?”
“Yeah, i did,” Mayra said nonchalantly as she changed into her pajamas. “But i’m tired, i’m going to get some sleep.”
“What? That’s all i get?” Mack demadned.
“Yup,” Mayra said simply, getting under the covers. “Goodnight.” She turned out the light and rolled onto her side.
“I don’t even get any details at all?” Mack’s response was silence. “Mayra, you don’t go to sleep that fast!” Once again her response was silence. “Bitch,” Mack uttered, albeit in a joking tone.
Mayra wanted to reply “back at cha” for what her friend did, but really she knew she should be thanking her friend. She had fun and she got to know a really sweet guy who wanted to keep in touch with her. She smiled in the dark and snuggled deeper under the covers, still feeling the way his arms was wrapped around her in a hug. Damn that guy can give good hugs. Then her smile got a bit wider.
He’s a pretty damn good kisser as well.
