“Backstreet's back, alright!!” the crowd sang along with Kevin, Howie, Nick, AJ and Brian as they danced.
AJ had spotted Melissa and her friends, making sure to give them a little wave as he worked the stage. He'd laughed earlier at her meeting Brian, going speechless for a few moments as her mouth and brain seemed to have a lapse in connecting.
“Happens all the time,” AJ told her smoothly as she blushed profusely, embarrassed at herself. He'd thought it was endearing. She hung out with the guys of NSYNC and flipped out at B-Rok. Of course after five minutes they were laughing about something stupid as her friend Rachel took a picture of them.
“I'm next,” he announced, sliding into where Brian had been, pulling Melissa close to him. “You excited?” he whispered, giving her a smile.
“Yeah. A little nervous...not been on a date with anyone in..a long time,” she confessed, smiling when Rachel told them to. “Or I should say, someone different.”
AJ just nodded, letting that comment go before grabbing Rachel's phone. “Get over there with Nicky C.” He smiled wide at Rachel and Nick who were shoved together for some pictures before Holly got pictures with Kevin. Then they had some group pictures before they went to get ready for the concert and the girls left to find their seats.
Now came the part of the show he loved. He was breathing heavy, his heart pounding after dancing through a couple fast numbers. The arena rocked, the fans were screaming and shouting. His ears were ringing. This was great! "How are you doin' Los Angeles!" He grinned as the fans grew louder. "We have some special ladies in the house tonight," he continued.
"Well now, AJ," Nick cut in, grinning. "All the ladies out there are special!"
"Very true, Nicky," AJ agreed. "But these three... these three aren't your typical fans. Would you believe one of them is dating a member from NSYNC?" AJ laughed as boos rang out.
"You're gonna get her hurt, man," Brian said, coming over to stand next to AJ.
"What are they doing?" Rachel whispered to Melissa as the five guys walked to stand in the section of the stage they sat in front of.
"I don't know, but I have a feeling I'm not gonna like it." Melissa whispered back she was beginning to feel as if everyone in the arena was looking at them.
"One is a sister of a member of NSYNC," Kevin continued, smiling as boos continued to ring out. "And she nearly cried when meeting B-Rok over here."
"Think she forgot her name," AJ interrupted. "Look she's blushing." When he pointed toward Melissa, the camera that projected on the big screen behind the stage turned and centered in on the three women.
Melissa could definitely feel the stares from the girls around them. Even in the noise, she could hear the whispers from the girls as they recognized her and Rachel. "I'm gonna kill him. AJ... all of them them."
"Right there with ya, Sister," Rachel whispered back, sending a smile to the girls around them.
"The other is a world class chef right here in Los Angeles," Howie added. "So we thought we'd bring them up on stage,"
"And embarrass them some more," AJ laughed.
"Along with a couple more of you beautiful girls," Howie continuing on as if AJ never spoke.
"He's dead. So dead," Melissa muttered as a security guard led them around the barrier and up on stage as the band started the intro to a song.
"Fucking dead," Rachel whispered imagining all the videos and pictures being taking of her right now. She watched as the guys produced stools.
"Come here Melissa," AJ said grinning, patting the wooden stool.
"You are dead," Melissa whispered. Her face aflame. She couldn't raise her head to look out into the sea of people. Her stomach rolled and she felt sick. 'Wouldn't that be fantastic?' She thought. 'If I get sick and throw up all over the stage and AJ. Though it would serve him right...'
"Oh Rachel," Nick sing-songed, crooking his finger in her direction.
"You're kidding me," Rachel said and walked toward Nick allowing him to take her hand as she sat on the stool. She felt a blush cross her face when he kissed her hand.
"Careful Nicky," Howie said as he led Holly to a stool. "Lance won't take too kindly to you hitting on his girlfriend."
'Or JC,' Rachel thought trying to imagine what JC will say when he finds out about this little stunt. 'And Joey,' she added looking to her left at her best friend.
Melissa's leg bounced as she waited for whatever was going to happen, happen. She was sitting on a stool with AJ behind her. She was on the end and she couldn't help but thinking how that mirrored Joey. Joey was usually on this end of the group. She quickly shook her head, ridding herself of those thoughts. She was on the end. On the stool next to her was a girl she didn't know. The girl was literally crying. The tears were streaming down her face and Melissa thought she was liable to pass out at any moment. She prided herself on not being that bad. Behind the hyperventilating girl was Brian. So Melissa couldn't think the girl was overreacting too much. After all, she was sure she looked exactly like that before the concert.
Next to the hyperventilating girl was Rachel with Nick behind her. Melissa smirked wondering what was going through her best friend's head. She watched as Rachel seemed relaxed as she laughed at something Nick had said. She even saw Rachel give a little wave to the crowd. She wished she could be as relaxed as her but Melissa felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She didn't do the onstage stuff. No, her brother got all that. She was happy to stand in the shadows and watch all the girls cry over him.
After Rachel there was another girl but Melissa was too far away to see if the girl was hyperventilating number two or not. But she could see Kevin standing behind her. She smiled when that meant Holly was on the end with Howie.
Rachel's smiled wider when she heard AJ first, looking at her friend out of the corner of her eye.
“From the first day that I saw your smiling face, honey I knew that we would be together forever,” AJ sang, taking Melissa's hand as she blushed.
“When I asked you out, you said no but I found out, darlin' that you'd been hurt. You thought that you'd never love again...” Brian's voice floated across the stage.
Melissa swallowed hard at the song. She couldn't look out at the crowd. She hated being in the spotlight, but was being a good sport about it. Suddenly, she wished she hadn't worn Joey's hat. It hadn't mattered before, but now it felt like a bullseye. And she knew there would be pictures. Her eyes caught Rachel and she smiled wide, bigger still as she watched Holly and Howie. This was completely insane.
The noise was deafening when the song came to the end and the guys all hugged the girls. AJ kissed Melissa's cheek. “See you later, babe,” he whispered, giving her a grin and messing with her hat. The crowd had seen the kiss and went even more crazy.
“Kiss her,” came chants and Melissa buried her head in her hands.
Rachel looked over at Holly and made a 'yikes' face. This was quickly getting out of control. She'd admit that the guys from NSYNC did some crazy stuff on stage, bordering on insane, but her friend was caught in it. They were already marked for all the gossip columns and all the phones now took pictures you could send off.
“Do you think Mel here should kiss Bone?” Nick asked, throwing an arm around Melissa, pulling her back to AJ as she was trying to get away.
“Nicky. I'm all hot and sweaty...nothin' sexy here,” his gravelly voice said as girls screamed their disagreement.
“Just kiss him so we can sing,” Brian said, cheering when Melissa finally nodded.
Melissa knew it had to be over fast. She wanted off the stage. “You have to get back to work,” she told AJ as he pulled her close. The kiss was over dramatic for effect and she played her part, kissing him back.
“This can't be good,” Holly half yelled as camera flashes went off everywhere.
Rachel nodded and watched her friend get off the stage. When she took her friend's hand, it was shaking and she pulled Melissa to her. “If you want to leave, we will.”
“No,” Melissa replied, blowing a breath out, wiping a stray tear away. “We're having fun right?” she asked them both.
“You look pale,” Holly pointed out, looking concerned. “Sit and drink something,” she suggested as Melissa sat and sipped on the Coke she'd bought. It made her feel better, laughing at her friends who were singing along with an upbeat song. She was glad they'd come, watching AJ wink at the crowd. He was a charmer much like Joey was. Melissa couldn't help it, wondering momentarily what he was doing.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Joey checked his phone again and looked at the time. He raised an eyebrow when Kristen's name popped up and the phone rang. “Hey,” he said, smiling a little, “How are you? Everything okay?”
“I'm great, Joey. I have a surprise for you,” Kristen said, coming around the corner from where the hotel was, seeing him standing outside. “Look to your left.”
Joey did as he was told and his mouth dropped open and he went to his wife. “I thought you weren't supposed to fly...” he said, looking concerned, his hand going to her stomach protectively.
“We're fine. I had another week anyway,” she gave him a soft kiss, watching him study her. “You're happy to see me right?” Kristen grinned wider when Joey pulled her to him.
“Very happy,” he whispered. He pulled back, his hands on her shoulders. “I've been a mess Kris. I haven't been the husband I should have and I'm...I'm sorry. Forgive me?”
The tears came, which Kristen blamed on hormones. She was glad she could do this for his benefit. “Of course, Joey. You had a lot of stuff going on...the movie, touring, a family. We'll be just fine. I promise,” her mouth curved up into a smile as she kissed him. “Love you.”
“I love you too.” It wasn't the same. Joey realized it wouldn't ever be, but he had to be fine with it.
This was his life now. Kristen and the baby were his life. What he had with Melissa was in the past. There was nothing he could do to change it.
He led her into the hotel lobby, making small talk as they went up to his room. “We have an hour until we roll out. And I have the bus to myself,” he raised an eyebrow at her.
“Mr. Fatone, you're a bad man,” Kristen purred, running a hand over his scruffy cheek.
“That's what I've been told,” Joey said cheekily as he opened the door.
*^*^*^*^*^*^
Kristen and Joey were already settled on the bus by the time Holly and Rachel pulled up in Melissa's Mustang to drop Rachel off. The two girls got out singing 'I Want It That Way' loudly as the guys all yelled and booed.
“Yo chicas, that song sucks ass,” Justin said, coming to get Rachel's bags, slinging one over his shoulder. “Have fun? Where's my Melly?” he asked, not really figuring she went on the date. And what the hell are you wearing?" He asked finally getting a look at the t-shirts the girls adorned.
"Appropriate concert attire," Rachel grinned looking down at her shirt. "You don't like it?"
"How come you never wear my face to our concerts?"
"No one likes your face," Chris yelled as he stood beside Holly.
“She's became a Backstreet groupie,” Holly told him. “Mel and AJ left after the concert to go out clubbing.” She screamed when Chris picked her up and spun her around and put her down, running off and then coming back.
“No shit?” Justin raised an eyebrow. “This seems to be moving fast.”
“Whatever, Timberdork,” Rachel said, pulling Lance to her. “Cause my love is all I have to give,” she sang as he rolled his eyes, dancing with her. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course. Always,” Lance told her, listening to how hoarse she was. “You've never been hoarse after one of our concerts. Should I be jealous?” he grinned as she wrapped her arms around him.
“No. It's just..different,” Rachel told him, swallowing, hoping she'd feel better after a few hours. “Did you miss me?”
“We all missed you,” JC told her, giving her a wink. “Lance cried for an hour and we had to sing him stupid songs to cheer him up. Justin pouted because there was no one to aggravate besides Joey. And he's a chump.”
“So it was fun right?” Chris asked Holly as she hummed a different song. Joining in singing way off key for the rest of the chorus.
“It was awesome or we both wouldn't sound hoarse and our ears ringing. You sound like you're in a tunnel,” Holly told him. “I mean, it's the freaking Backstreet Boys. We were in the front row!”
"Nick Carter sang to me!" Rachel shrieked trying to do her best imitation of one of the teenagers in the crowds. The effect was ruined when her voice cracked and she coughed. "I am never washing this hand again!"
Holly giggled. "He touched more than that! You'll never shower again."
Rachel sighed dreamily, "I feel faint," she pressed the back of her hand to her forehead leaning back against Lance. "Nick was so hot," she coughed feeling the words tickle her throat. She covered her mouth and coughed harder, feeling Lance tightened his hold on her.
"You can tell which one of us screamed the loudest," Holly said dryly watching Rachel. "It was so awesome to be up on stage and having them sing to us. Of course, I was embarrassed as hell at first, but now it was so cool."
“And if that wasn't enough, that kiss on stage was...hot,” Rachel remarked, fanning herself as she looked towards JC. She could tell when he registered the words. His eyes narrowed as he stared at her.
The noise level got louder as four men started yelling all of them saying something different.
“What the fuck? Who kissed who?” Justin exclaimed.
“It better not have been you, Rachel,” Lance said, giving her a look.
"You jealous?" Rachel's voice cut out missing the first syllable in 'jealous'. She spoke to Lance, but her eyes drifted to sneak a peek at JC.
"Over Carter?" Lance rolled his eyes. "Please."
"Details ladies," Justin spoke up.
It was Holly and Rachel's turn to roll their eyes as the four guys gathered closer to hear the details. "Worse than old ladies at the beauty parlor."
"No kidding," Holly laughed. "So it happened like this," she started and began telling the story of how they ended up on stage as the Backstreet Boys sang 'I'll Never Break Your Heart'. "When the song was over, I gave Howie a hug and we walk across the stage. Rachel and Nick were hugged and were laughing when we get there. Then we turn and..."
"There's AJ giving Mel a kiss on the cheek..."
"A kiss on the cheek!" Justin bursts. "That's not a real kiss. I've kissed plenty of fans on the cheek."
"If you wouldn't have interrupted," Holly says giving Justin a look. Justin blushed and looked down like he'd reprimanded.
"The crowd started chanting 'kiss her, kiss her'," Rachel said, her voice cracking.
"Stop talking," Lance spoke in her ear.
"Easier said then done," she said, but only certain syllables came out. She caught JC's worried look and sent him a small smile. She couldn't believe she lost her voice at the concert. She didn't recall really screaming that loud but she did sing along with every song. But she had done that at all the NSYNC concerts and never lost her voice before. It was strange.
"So the crowd was chanting," Chris spoke up, he was antsy waiting to hear the story.
"AJ kissed her cheek and messed with the hat Mel was wearing," Holly didn't miss the exchanged glances between the guys. "And the crowd goes nuts yelling at him to kiss her. Mel was so embarrassed. She tried to get out of it. But in the end, AJ laid this over dramatic kiss on her, much to the crowds delight."
"This won't be good," JC muttered, running a hand through his hair. There was no telling how many pictures of the kiss will pop up onto the Internet. There would be no hiding it from Joey, especially if one of the rag magazines got a hold of one of the prints.
"Wait until Joey hears this," Chris sighs.
No one had heard the bus door open and Joey and Kristen come out.
“We having a block party we weren't informed of?” Joey asked, watching them all still and try and look somewhere else than at him and Kristen. “Have fun, girls?” he asked, watching them nod as he pulled away from Kristen to grab a cigarette. “Where's hop-a-long?” he said once he was far enough away from his wife to say it in a whisper. “And what was I supposed to not hear?”
“Apparently Mel got kissed. On stage,” Chris explained as the rest of them glared at him. “It was just some stupid concert thing,” he covered quickly.
"Yeah," Rachel spoke up despite Lance's orders not to talk. "I got kissed on stage too." She hoped to bring the attention off of Melissa's kiss to hers.
"What?" Joey asked staring at his friend's, none of whom could look at him.
“Oh. I saw a picture,” Kristen spoke up, forcing herself not to smirk. “It hardly looked like it was just some concert thing. It was one of those where you have no doubt both parties were enjoying it.”
Joey inhaled nicotine and held it in his lungs until he felt lightheaded and then exhaled, watching the smoke dissipate into the air. “Good,” he said, watching the group look like he'd gone crazy.
“Dude, he's finally lost it,” Justin whispered to JC, watching Joey methodically light another cigarette and inhale it.
“See?” Kristen had it saved on her phone from where she'd been sent the picture by her sister, shoving it in Joey's face. She smiled when he blanched and pushed the phone back at her.
“No one wants to see that shit at a concert,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Glad you had fun,” he said louder to Holly and Rachel.
“You got a smoke, Joe?” Justin asked, lighting up when Joey handed him one. “You're gonna smoke half a pack, dawg.”
“It's a long bus ride til we stop again. I got a carton.”
“It's still nasty,” Kristen informed them both, getting back on the bus. Her work was done.She smiled to herself remembering the look on Joey's face when she showed him the picture. It was better than she thought it would be.
Rachel stood in Lance's embrace not sure what to say, pretty sure that nothing could be said. The air around them turned tense and awkward. One minute they'd been goofing off and having fun one minute and the next... She sighed. "Mel...she didn't want this. She tried to get out of it. It was for show," she told him quietly. Her throat burned and it hurt to talk. She wasn't certain if Lance could even understand when her words came out cracked and broken.
"I'm sure it was," he replied. It wasn't that Lance didn't like AJ; he was just more worried about his sister. He didn't want her to just jump into a relationship, especially after what occurred last night. He wasn't sure what song and dance Joey and his sister were doing; he didn't want to get involved. He didn't want her to get hurt, but at the same time, he couldn't stop her either. She was old enough to make her own decisions. He gave Rachel and smile and squeezed her arm reassuringly. "It'll all work out. You know that."
Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel saw Holly and Chris hugging, then Holly and JC. She went over to bid her goodbyes. The party was over. "It was a blast," she told the brunette as they hugged. "We'll definitely have to do it again."
"How about an NSYNC concert this time?" Chris said. "We put on a better show."
"Not sure even the amazing and talented NSYNC could upstage this," Holly winked at Rachel. "Don't worry. I'll take care of Mel..make sure she doesn't get too wild and crazy. Rest your voice."
Rachel gave her a mock salute as Holly climbed into Melissa's mustang. Holly honked the horn and waved out the window as she drove away.
"I'm gonna miss you!" Chris grabbed Rachel into a tight hug, he faked sobbed. "First you ride with JC and now Justin, I'm beginning to think you don't like me."
"Awww," Rachel hugged the older man back. Her eyes met JC's over Chris's shoulder and she smiled softly at him. "I love you," her eyes never wavered from JC's.
"Let's run away together!" Chris pulled back gripping Rachel's hands. "It will be just you and me. You'll have to change that shirt though."
"You had me until the shirt." Rachel laughed, playfully pushing him away. "Sorry Chris." She heard the buses come to life behind her. It was time to roll out. "You'll have to cheer Chris up," she smiled up JC. "I broke his heart."
"I'll let him kick my ass in playstation," JC grinned hearing Chris's whoop, pulling Rachel into a quick hug. "I love you."
"Don't worry," she whispered after she told him she loved him. "Nick doesn't have anything on you." It was hard to pull away from JC, but she knew they couldn't hold onto one another.
JC's smile widened hearing the news. "Go rest your voice."
"You and Chris behave."
“I'm a perfect example of model behavior,” Chris said, looking hurt.
“Yeah and I'm St. Justin, patron saint of Bullshit.” The younger man punched Chris in the shoulder and looked between JC and Rachel. He knew something was there, but didn't say anything. “You better not pull off the hanky panky shit on my bus,” Justin told Rachel as he threw an arm around her.
"I'm gonna reenact the entire concert for your benefit Justin," she teased leaning into him. "Everybody! Rock your body!" She covered her mouth as she coughed.
Justin laughed, "No singing for you tonight, Chica." He said as they climbed onto the bus.
Lance shook his head watching as Rachel climbed up on the bus with his friend. He raised his hand sending a wave to JC and Chris. "Later," he said as they climbed up into the bus and he climbed onto his. He groaned hearing Justin and Rachel singing a bad rendition of 'Larger than Life'. This was gonna be a long trip.
*^*^*^*^*^*
“This is different than clubbing,” Melissa told AJ as she looked around at the nice restaurant they were at. The lighting was low and they were seated in a semi private booth. She saw a few curious glances their way, but thankfully no one interrupted. The concert alone was gonna be enough to raise eyebrows and garner whispers. She gave him a smile as she sipped her drink he'd ordered her. There was a lot of rum in it from the taste and it made her relax just a bit. Clubbing the night before was different than dinner. And Melissa wasn't sure what to say so instead she just studied her menu intently.
“Are you always this quiet?” AJ asked, pulling her menu down a little and giving her a smile. “Or is it just because I'm used to women talking my ear off?” he took a long drink of his beer, studying her.
“Probably the second. And I just...” she shrugged, not sure of what to say that didn't involve Joey somehow. Melissa stared at the hat now sitting beside her, fiddling with it. She wished she would have left it at home. It seemed like a good idea to wear it tonight but now it was a glaring reminder of something that wasn't hers anymore. “I'm not good at this. It's been a long time since I've been on a date that didn't involve..." her words tampered off. She didn't want to speak his name out loud. "It's not going to work,” she told him softly, apologizing.
"Hey," AJ moved around the booth so he was sitting closer to her and took her hand. "I don't expect you to come back to the hotel," he gave Melissa a small smile. "You were cool last night; what happened?" He stared at her a minute before stiffening. He dropped her hand. "You weren't playing me for his sake were you? Trying to make him jealous?"
"What?" Melissa asked stupidly. She stared at AJ seeing the hint of anger rising in his brown eyes. "No, I would never... I'm not that kind of girl. I enjoyed talking with you last night and hanging out."
"Then why are you so nervous tonight?" AJ asked breathing slowly as he tried to let go of the anger that had risen sharply at the thought of being played. He had been in this business for awhile now; he might have been naive and green around the edges when the group first started, but now he was a pro. He could spot a woman who was trying to play him a mile away. He didn't like thinking that Melissa had slipped under his radar.
"Probably because this is a date and last night wasn't," Melissa said truthfully. "Last night we just ran into each other. There was no expectations. We were just two people having fun."
"Why can't we be two people having fun tonight? Why do we have to put a title to what we're doing?"
Melissa stared down at their hands, still entwined on the table and thought about AJ's words. He was right. Why can't they just be two people having fun? Why did she have to label it? She sent him a smile and when he smiled back she felt herself finally begin to relax. "You remembering seeing the group pictures of NSYNC and Justin with the horrible bleach dye job?"
"Yeah," AJ laughed. "We made fun of him for weeks. We wondered what kind of bet he lost."
"Well," Melissa grinned, settling in. "It started like this."
*~*
AJ was roaring with laughter as Melissa finished telling him about a practical joke from the No Strings Attached tour that left Chris hanging upside down in the middle of the stage. "And they left him there?" He sat back against the booth laughing.
"Turned the lights out and everything," Melissa wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Her stomach cramped from laughing so much. "The best part was he assumed one of the guys did it."
"And they didn't?"
Melissa shook her head. "No, Rachel did. There was a couple weeks there where he just constantly picked on her; jokes, pranks, just being flat out irritating. She finally got fed up."
"And strung him up. Oh shit, that's awesome."
Melissa's cheeks hurt from grinning so much. Their dishes, void of food, sat before them. She could barely remember eating the meal, but she must have because when the waitress came by asking if they wanted dessert, her stomach protested. Even though they turned down dessert, they got refills on their drinks. They sat in silence waiting while the waitress cleared some of their dishes away.
"Tell me something about you that doesn't have to do with anything recent."
"Okay, wow," Melissa said, leaning back to think. "My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. And the best one that wasn't recent was when I was sixteen. Rachel invited me to have it with her family so we flew up to The Hamptons to have it with the hoity-toity Weatherly's. The kind of dinner that was served in a formal dining room. You didn't serve yourselves, you were served. Wine was sipped and you better not eat with the wrong fork."
"Did you?"
"Are you kidding me? I never ate with the right utensil," Melissa rolled her eyes. "A fork is a fork is a fork. I can eat my salad with the same fork I eat my turkey with! I remember one dinner I had there, not Thanksgiving, but another every day meal. It was the same kind of deal. You sit in the formal dining room and no one talked. How can you eat dinner without talking? I couldn't take it. I had to talk. I was school age at the time, I can't remember, fourteen or something like that, it was before that Thanksgiving dinner. Well the silence was getting to me. So I started talking about the Friday in school."
AJ knew the story had to be good when Melissa started laughing before she could even begin to tell it.
"Oh God, Rachel's grandfather, the Emperor of the Weatherly fortune..."
"Emperor?" AJ snorted.
"He can probably purchase a country just from the cash he carries on him."
"You're kidding?"
Melissa shook her head. "Probably. He's a tight ass."
The words caused AJ to laugh again. His date had just called one of the richest men in the country a tight ass. The laughter didn't stop as Melissa spun a story about health class, girl's periods, boners and condoms. "You're making this shit up?"
"Swear to God," Melissa crossed herself. "I thought Rachel's grandfather was going to have a heart attack. Rachel's parents were staring at me in shock. Rachel had her nails dug so tight in my thigh to get me to shut my mouth that I have the scars to show. So back to the Thanksgiving dinner..."
"What story did you tell this time?" AJ asked, taking a drink of his beer.
"No story," Melissa said. "It's my favorite because all my life I lived in Mississippi and then Florida. Here I was up north in November. It snowed so much that year! It was the first time I had ever gotten to see snow up close like that. I was able to go outside and play in it. We built snowmen, had snowball fights. I called Lance to rub it in, tell him every detail. He was so jealous. It's silly, but it's one of the best weekends ever."
"It's not silly," AJ told her truthfully. "It tells me that you value the small things in life that other people, especially people we are surrounded by, take for granted day after day."
"I'm just one of those girls who thinks holidays and birthdays are important. Friendship and laughter. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Rachel in my life. And Holly has became vastly important as well in such a short amount of time. We're laughing together, crying together. We always have a good time. Those moments are important to me. I'm the sort of girl who will start singing in the middle of the mall or in the aisle at a store. I send goofy cards for birthdays."
"You sound pretty amazing. Sort of too good to be true."
Melissa laughed softly. "I'm also the kind of girl who is better at running away from things when I can't handle them. Which is why I'm in California, on the other side of the country from my family. I could have probably gone further - Hawaii or Alaska. I may like the snow, but Alaska's just too damn ridiculous."
"And Hawaii?"
Melissa blinked. "You know, now that I think about it, I should have chosen Hawaii. Least there isn't bumper to bumper traffic every single time I want to go out. There isn't six lane high ways and people who drive like the beach is going to disappear if they don't get there in a hurry. The very first week out here, Rachel and I wound up in an accident," she motioned toward her foot, still encased in a walking boot. "This is a hang up. I should have taken it as a sign to pack up and head back to Florida, but..."
"Here you are," AJ nodded in understanding. "You're only human, Mel. We all have our own demons to deal with. Some more than others. The woman who raised me - other than my mother, passed away earlier this year. It sucked. It still sucks. I still find myself when something great happens to me or the group, wanting to pick up the phone and call her. Then I remember that she's not there anymore and it's like I've just lost her all over again. If I didn't have those guys and the music, I'd be so fucked up," he confessed. "So in a way, we need each other. I need a friend. Someone to call at three in the morning when I can't wind down."
"Sure why not; I mean what else do I have to do at three in the morning besides sleep," Melissa teased.
"Sleep is overrated," AJ replied. "Best things happen at night," he grinned when Melissa blushed. He signed the credit card receipt and scooted from the booth. Just like throughout most of the dinner, her hand slipped into his. "So," he said as they walked from the restaurant. "How did you like the show?"
"It was great! I like that there was a lot of ballads. NSYNC has a much faster show. High octane, more dancing. You do some of both. It's two completely different shows, you can't compare them really," Melissa told him as they walked down the sidewalk in the night as the conversation spun off onto other topics. For the first time in a long time, she was having fun with guy. 'Maybe this is what life is life after Joey,' she thought, trying not to be sad at the thought. He had a life and now she had to find hers.
“So tell me something about you... Do you really like some of those god awful hats you wear?” she asked after they had walked in silence for a few moments. “Okay, they aren't all god awful..but the bright yellow hat with the red feather in it for the Tiger Beat magazine,” Melissa made a face as AJ shook his head.
“Some of them are just for the photo shoots. You know that,” AJ chided her. “Some of the clothes are awesome. I do have a lot of hats. And sunglasses, of course,” he chuckled. “I could buy out a shoe store if the mood strikes me.”
“So could Rachel, but I doubt you and her wear the same size shoes. I like shopping...just not on a professional level. I have some high end clothing, a lot of it for going out with my brother or whatever. I don't sit at my place in a Vera Wang dress and Jimmy Choos while I watch tv.”
“That's funny to think about. Might be an interesting photo shoot,” AJ told her, chuckling at what she'd said. He could tell she wasn't one of those girls who dressed up, just from what she'd worn to the concert. It didn't bother him. He wasn't into women who wanted drama, he had enough of that just day to day. “Sometimes I hate the job part of what I do,” he said after a moment. “Not the fans or the music, just the bullshit.”
“There's a lot of it,” Melissa remarked as they turned around to head back to where the car was parked. “Although there is one thing that makes it better.” She gave him a grin.
“What's that?” he asked, curious to know what she was going to say.
“That no one came make decisions for you, but you.”
“How'd you get so smart, babe?” AJ pulled Melissa close so he could wrap an arm around her.
“That's easy. I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once.”
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
'You still awake?' the text asked, making Joey's phone vibrate across the table where he sat watching an episode of “The Twilight Zone”.
'Yeah, why?' he replied to Justin, sighing heavily. His mouth twitched, wanting some nicotine. He'd wanted another cigarette since a couple hours ago when Kristen had announced she was going to sleep. If he'd truly been by himself on the bus, he'd have the back window open and smoked.
'No reason.' Joey rolled his eyes. Justin had to be bored if he was texting at almost two in the morning. He put his phone face down and on silent. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. He'd talked to Kristen for a while, but all the thoughts on his mind weren't the things coming out of his mouth. Now that he was alone, he could let his mind wander and try to figure out his feelings.
The picture of AJ kissing Melissa had shocked him. He knew part of what Kristen had said hadn't been true. His friend had changed, but not that much. Melissa was still Mel and she wouldn't be all over a guy like that in front of that many people. Not unless it was just for fun. A frown came to Joey's mouth and he ran a hand through his hair. It still pissed him off. His hat was on her head. Like a slap in the face.
As much as Joey told himself his thinking wasn't going that way, it did. There wasn't anyone to tell him he couldn't and his heart wouldn't listen to his brain. If..if they had gotten married, where would they be now? He could picture it in his mind. His 'alternate' life. Joey's mind took flight and he could picture Melissa and him making love every night, trying to make a baby. Doing nothing on the days off, being silly and in love. They could have been pregnant already and Joey rubbed his eyes hard. This was the last time, he told himself. Melissa had moved on. He was happy for her, he supposed. Joey had to be happy for her. What good did it do to be jealous? His heart ached at the thought of getting the invitation to a wedding. He knew how it felt now. Not about her getting married, but the other side of the coin. That he couldn't have what he wanted. That Melissa put aside what she wanted for him when he needed her the most on a day that should have been happy. She let him go because she loved him. Part of Joey was selfish. He'd wanted to keep her for himself, even if he wasn't with her.
His thoughts jumbled up then. Of Kristen and their baby. He was excited for that part, of being a father. Joey was glad to be married to the mother of his child. It was the right thing to do, not wanting the child to think they were a mistake of some sort, since he believed kids were a blessing. And he and Kristen both needed time to work out everything for themselves. He'd give himself a hundred and ten percent to this marriage. And while that thought came, he shook his head slightly. No matter what other man Melissa had in her life, she was still someone he cared about. And if a hair on her head was messed with, they better pray that God came to get them before he found out about it. Joey consoled himself with that thinking since the rest of the guys felt that way. Lance's little sister was family.
Joey's eyes caught the television and he smirked before turning off the television. “Dirty Dancing” was playing the opening credits. “I've had the fucking time of my life,” he half sang in the darkness, making his way to his bunk. It was then he thought about his phone and gave it the finger. Justin could bitch at him tomorrow.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
'Don't call, can't talk' Rachel texted JC, frowning. Her voice was gone. Lance had babied her, making some hot tea with lemon and honey and finding some cough drops with menthol to help numb her throat. She'd felt hot and achy some and didn't want to lay there with Lance in his bunk. Justin had actually chilled out after the bus got rolling, watching some tv before going to bed. Lance was playing nurse and then Rachel made him go to sleep. She'd changed into her pajamas and climbed in the bunk with him and got hot.
'And I'm not there to take care of you. Damn.'
Rachel smiled at JC's words, picturing him frowning at the phone aggravated that he was stuck with Chris and not with her. 'It's okay, C. I love you. You need sleep.'
'I love you. You aren't sleeping either'' came the reply.
'I don't have anything to do later but find a doctor's office. I feel like shit.'
Rachel sighed when her phone rang, seeing JC's name come up on caller ID. She hit send, smiling at JC's voice telling her not to talk.
“I just had to call and tell you that I love you. Chris's got his headphones on and they're loud as hell,” he said. “I wish you weren't feeling bad but I think next time you aren't allowed out with Mel and Holly. They corrupted you with that evil music and now you can't talk.”
Rachel wanted to laugh. She could hear the teasing in Josh's voice and shook her head.
“But now that you can't talk, I can tell you whatever I want and you can't interrupt,” JC sat in the recliner in the back and flopped down. He was beyond tired but he wanted to talk to Rachel. “I love you and I have to say that last night and this morning was amazing. And I think you're amazing. And since you can't argue with me and tell me to stop, I must say that you are beautiful and funny as well. I love the way I feel when I'm with you and the fact that you make everyday a better one than the last. And I can't wait until I can tell everyone that, Rachel,” JC's voice trailed off, hearing her sniffle. “And now that I made you cry, I'm saying goodnight. Love you, Rach.” He hung up and leaned his head back on the chair. His phone buzzed and he looked at it.
'I love you and you so earned brownie points. And there are so many things I want to say back, but not in text. I will see you tomorrow. Get some sleep so you don't act like a complete troll. ;)'
JC snorted. He didn't act that bad he decided, shaking his head. He replied with a goodnight and let his mind wander as he drifted off, not moving to his bunk. He smiled as Rachel came to the front of his thoughts. Josh wanted her there, could picture her curled up in his arms. Most of all, he wanted to be taking care of her while she was sick. He knew Lance cared for Rachel, knew that his friend would take care of her fine. However, much like after he'd heard she had a wreck in California, JC knew he wouldn't be fine until he saw Rachel later.
Author's Chapter Notes:
End part of this chapter. Enjoy. Review!!!
Story Tags: joey
