If I’m Not The One

Chapter 13

            For more than a month, Marissa avoided her sister at any and all cost.  She had not seen Thomas Wood, but she had broken off with Lance Bass.  In her opinion, if that relationship was approved by her sister, then she wanted nothing to do with it.  Marissa couldn’t understand how Cassandra could have gone from being engaged to Thomas to absolutely hating the man.  Every time she would ask Cassandra to make her understand, Cassandra said she had already told her everything.  Marissa couldn’t believe the things Cassandra had told her.  She refused to accept that Thomas was an abuser.  He had never shown her that side of him.  He was always kind, loving, and respectful when he had been around her.  Marissa firmly believed that Cassandra was fabricating everything in order to make Marissa want to be with Lance.  She knew that it was all a plot so that Cassandra could maintain her relationship with JC Chasez.  Marissa set her mind to the fact that she would not enter into any relationship sanctioned by her sister just so her sister could keep a relationship of her own.

            The ringing of the telephone startled Marissa out of her thoughts.  She reached across the couch to answer it.

            “Hey, kiddo!  How’s it going?”  Instantly she recognized the smooth voice of Thomas.

            “Thomas!  Where have you been?  I’ve been hoping you would call.”

            “Have you now?”  He responded without answering her question.

            “I figured that Cassandra had you completely mad at us, and we probably wouldn’t hear from you again.”

            “Marissa, don’t you know me better than that?  I’ve just been swamped under with work.  How are things on the home front?”

            “Well,” Marissa hesitated to answer truthfully.

            “Not so good, huh?”

            “Cassandra’s still being a bitch!  But, she’ll get over it.”

            “I hope so.  Is she still involved with that singer?”

            “Oh, yeah, maybe even more now than before.  He’s here all the time.”

            “Is that so?  Are they serious?”

            “I don’t know.  They seem to like each other.  You know she works for his record company, don’t you?”

            Thomas arched an eyebrow.  “No, I didn’t know that.  Where is that?”

            “Oh, at the WEG Management offices.  She’s a PR person for the group.  Hell, she doesn’t know a thing about PR.  I think JC just got her the job so he could keep an eye on her.”

            Drawing a deep breath, Thomas made a mental note to pay his dear friend a visit at her office.

            “He sounds kind of possessive.”

            “I don’t know if he’s possessive.  He just likes spending a lot of time with her.”

            “What about you, kiddo?  Are you still seeing his buddy?”

            Marissa hesitated.  She really hated herself for ignoring Lance.  She had really liked him and had thought they might have a chance at something.  But, her anger at her sister made her break it off with Lance.  She had simply told him she didn’t want to see him anymore.  She had offered no explanation.  She never said she was sorry.  She just told him not to call anymore.

            “No, Thomas.  I’m not.”

            Immediately an eyebrow arched.  “Really?  Why not?”

            “I don’t know.  I’m just pissed with Cassandra, so I broke it off with Lance.”

            “I don’t quite understand the thinking behind that one.”

            “Well, you know how it is.  She liked the idea of me dating Lance.  She encouraged me to go out with him.  Then when I said I wanted to go out with you, she turned all bitchy and told me there was no way I could do that.  So, I figured if I couldn’t go out with you, I wouldn’t go out with Lance.”

            “That sounds kind of childish, my dear.”

            “Hey!”  Marissa let the pout in her voice shine through.

            “Now, now, don’t get yourself upset.”  He said in a syrupy voice.  “How about we have lunch?”

            Marissa’s eyes opened wide.  “Really?”

            “Of course.  I’ll pick you up around eleven thirty.  Can you be ready?”

            “I’ll be ready.  Thanks, Thomas.”

            “See you then.”

            A smug smile crossed his face as he hung up the receiver.  It was time to start the wheels in motion.  He would get to Cassandra through her sister.  He knew there was nothing she wouldn’t do to protect Marissa.  So, if he had to hurt Marissa to get to Cassandra, that was a small price.  He needed to get to Cassandra.  He wanted one last shot at her.  In his gut he felt the time was right.

            A light tapping on her door caused Cassandra to raise her head from the paperwork staring at her from her desk.  Laying her pen down, she rose to her feet.

            “Come in.”

            The door opened to reveal her favorite man standing on the threshold.  “Hey, beautiful!  How are you?”

            Cassandra came from behind her desk and greeted JC with a hug.  “I’m great now.  It’s always good when one of my clients stops in to visit.”

            JC leaned back after placing a kiss on her neck.  “Client?  Is that what I am?”

            “Yes, Mr. Chasez.  Why do you ask?”  Cassandra asked coyly, a smile dancing in her eyes.

            “I think we may have to work on our relationship a bit.”

            A giggle escaped Cassandra.  “Why, whatever on earth could you be talking about?”

            “Certainly you don’t want me to show you now, do you?”

            “Of course not.  Perhaps we can work out the small details over a nice business dinner.  We have a few fine points to work out on that producing project you have signed on for.”

            For a moment, JC thought she was serious.  He dropped his hands that had been resting on her shoulders and stepped back from her.

            “Cassandra?  Why are you turning professional on me?”

            “I have a job to do, Mr. Chasez.  That’s what you and WEG are paying me for.”  She knew he had mistaken her playfulness for seriousness.  She was having too much fun to stop immediately.

            “You also have a life.”

            “Oh, and I do live it.”

            “What the hell is going on?”  Cassandra could sense he was actually becoming angry.

            “Nothing.  I’m just trying to get things in order for you.  It’s up to me to sell you to other performers out there, and sometimes it can be difficult when they all think about you as a member of a boy-band who sings pop music.  It’s not always easy to convince them that you have an edge to you.”

            He raised his hands in frustration.  Turning his back to her, he walked around her desk and sat down in her chair.

            “Then I don’t want to work with them.  Singing pop music is what got me where I am.  Being in a boy-band is how I gained my fame.  If they can’t respect that, then screw them!”  When Cassandra heard that, she knew she had pushed him just a little too far.

            “JC?”  She said his name softly as she approached the desk and leaned against it with her hands resting firmly on top of it.

            “What?”  He spat back at her.

            “I’m sorry.  I was just teasing.”

            He looked at her, a crease appearing between his eyebrows.

            “I’m really glad you stopped by to see me.  I was just having a little fun.  I thought you knew I was playing.”  Her voice was soft and her eyes were sad as she realized that he thought she meant what she had said.  She felt terrible that he hadn’t realized she was playing.

            He stood, came around the desk and took hold of her by the shoulders.

            “Fun?  You call that fun?  You were making me think that I had done something to piss you off and that you were strictly business?  That’s not fun, Cassandra.  That’s dangerous!”  He lowered his head and took her mouth in an almost punishing kiss.

            Willingly, she leaned into him and ran her hands up his chest until they circled his neck and met at the nape.  His tongue darted out to taste her lips and instinctively she opened her mouth.  He entered eagerly, and moved his hands down her back to cup the firmness of her backside.  He pulled her closer to him as he deepened the kiss.  She could feel his arousal pressing against her abdomen and knew he wanted her.  They were in her office and she knew this was not the place to partake of his special talents.  Slowly she pulled back and opened her eyes.

            “JC, not here.  This isn’t the place.”

            He cleared his throat as he straightened.  “You’re right. I’m sorry.

            “Oh, don’t be.  I’m truthfully thrilled, but I would rather be home, in private.”

            “Good idea!  Let’s take the afternoon off.”  He smiled his devilishly handsome smile at her.

            “Not today.  I’ve got tons to do.  But, if you’re offering, I’ll take a rain check.”

            “Okay.  But, tonight is when you have to cash in that rain check.  I can’t possibly wait any longer than that.  But, you do have to have lunch.  So, let’s you and me head out and get something to eat.”

            “JC, seriously, I have a lot to do.  I don’t have time for lunch.”

            “Nonsense!  Grab your purse.  We’ll go, get a sandwich and then I’ll bring you back so you can get your stuff done and we can meet up tonight.”

            “They should call you “one track mind”.”  Cassandra laughed as she went to the closet to grab her purse.

            “I pride myself on my ability to concentrate on important things.” 

            The restaurant was crowded when JC and Cassandra entered.  He approached the hostess, whispered something to her, and then stepped back to Cassandra.  Within seconds, they were being escorted to a table in the back.  They would be secluded but would be able to see the patrons around the restaurant without being noticed.

            “JC, how do you do that?”

            “It’s all in who you know, honey.  I just mention a name, and I get a seat.”

            “That’s not fair to all those who were waiting ahead of us.”

            “Hey, I had reservations.  How are they to know any different?”

            She shook her head in disbelief as the waitress appeared.  She took their beverage order and quickly disappeared into the throng of people.  Within mere minutes, she had returned, placed their drinks in front of them, taken their food order and disappeared again.

            Cassandra’s eyes roamed around the restaurant.  It amazed her that with so many people there, not one of them had recognized her table partner.  Of course, she was pleased, but found it utterly amazing.  Never did they go out and not have to fend off at least a handful of fans.  Today it felt different.  It was as if he were just an ordinary man doing the ordinary task of having lunch with a friend.

            She looked down at her hands.  The word friend echoed in her mind.  She wondered if that was all she was to him.  Cassandra knew they had shared several intimate moments, but he had never spoken of anything more than friendship.  She reveled in knowing that he was there for her when she needed him.  She enjoyed going to the clubs with him and his friends.  He had even escorted her to an awards show two weeks previous.  But, she had noted that they only held hands in public, in the chastest of ways, and he never kissed her publicly.  Yet, as in her office, when he did kiss her, it was powerful.  He could take her breath away with just the touch of his lips against hers. 

            “What are you thinking about?”  He broke into her thoughts.

            “Nothing.”  She responded as she looked up from her intertwined fingers.

            He scowled at her.  “That’s not true.  You have something going on in there,” he tapped his index finger against her forehead.  “I’m just wondering what it is.”

            “Its just work.  It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

            “Let me be the judge about that.  Share it with me, please.”

            She looked away from him.  How was she going to tell him that she was hoping for a deeper relationship with him?  How could she tell him that she wanted to be something more than a sex partner?  How could she let him know that she was ready to be there for him at any moment? 

After things had happened with Thomas, JC had let her know that he would give her time to get over the things that had happened with Thomas.  He had never pushed the issue with her.  He knew how traumatic things had been for her.  In his heart he believed that, with enough time, she would learn that they could have a relationship together without the shadow of Thomas hanging over them.

The waitress returned with their sandwiches and inquired if there was anything she could bring for them.  When they both answered that they were fine, she stepped away and allowed them to eat in peace.  Still no one in the restaurant recognized JC.

Taking the third bite of her sandwich, Cassandra noticed someone across the restaurant.  She dropped her sandwich.

“Cassandra?”

“Oh my God!”

“What is it?”

“Look!”  She said as she pointed across the room.

JC turned his gaze in the same direction.  He saw exactly what she saw.  Marissa was in a booth, with Thomas sitting across from her.  They were having lunch and laughing.  When JC turned his attention back to Cassandra, he found her hand trembling at her mouth.

“Cassandra, don’t do this to yourself.”

“I can’t help it, JC.  He’s with my little sister.  You know what he’s capable of.  What am I going to do?”  He noticed how her eyes misted over.

“First, don’t cry!  Don’t give in to that idiot.”

She swallowed hard.

“Second, we’re going to approach them, and find out what’s going on with them.”

She turned her gaze on him.  “What?  Oh, no!  I can’t do that.”

“We have to get it to end now.  Marissa is not safe with him.”

“If she sees me with you, she’ll think I just want her back with Lance.”

“Well, I don’t know about that, but I do know that Lance would like to see her again.”

“He would?”

JC nodded his head.  “Yep.  So, now our mission is to get rid of Thomas.”

“JC?”  Her voice was timid.

“Hmmm?”

“Let’s not confront them here.  It’s a public place and you don’t need anyone to see you getting in the middle of something like this.”

“Cassandra, I don’t care.  Marissa is my friend.  I don’t want him hurting her.”

“Let’s head back to the house.  We can confront them there.”

“Okay, let’s finish our lunch.  Then we will head off to the house.”

Sitting in the living room for nearly two hours, JC and Cassandra waited impatiently for Marissa and Thomas to return.  Cassandra paced the floor nervously as JC sat in the armchair perusing the newspaper that Cassandra had laying on the coffee table in front of the sofa.  She couldn’t understand what was taking so long for them to return to the house.

The car pulled into the driveway and Cassandra jumped up from the couch.

“JC, would you wait in the bedroom.  I have an idea.”

“Sure.  If that’s what you want.”

“It is.  I want to see exactly what he’s up to.  He won’t tell me a thing if he thinks you are here.  He won’t deal with you.”

JC nodded and left his chair.  He headed down the hall and went into Cassandra’s room.  The front door opened and Cassandra met them in the hallway.

“So, where have you two been?”  She practically demanded.

“Hello to you too, sis!”  Marissa answered with sarcasm.

“I asked where you’ve been?”

“If you must know, we went out for lunch.”

“Thomas, I told you to leave her alone.”

“Hey, Cassandra.  I asked and she accepted.  The last time I checked, this is a free country.  She can go out with me or anyone else she chooses to.  You don’t have the right to interfere with that.”

“I do when it comes to you.”

“Now, don’t be that way, Cassandra.  Marissa is a very good friend of mine.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with me taking a good friend out to lunch.  Even you couldn’t find fault with that.”

“Yes, I can.  Are you being honest with her, Thomas?  Have you told her some of the things you did to me?  I don’t think so.  You are leading her on with this illusion that you are some gift walking.  Well, get a life!  You are a total loser who only knows how to hurt people.”

He turned to look at Marissa.  “Sweetie, would you mind letting me talk to your sister for a minute?”

Marissa looked stunned.

“Please?”  He persisted.

“Alright, Thomas.  If that’s what you want.”

He nodded and Marissa moved past her sister, into the hallway and toward her room.  When they heard the door click shut, Thomas turned his attention back to Cassandra.  He had no idea that JC was in Cassandra’s room, listening to everything that was happening in the living room.

“Now, what is on your mind, Cassandra?”

“I want you to leave us alone!”

“Us?  I’m not bothering you.  I’m seeing your sister.  Is that a problem?”

“You know it is.”

“What do you intend to do about it?”

Cassandra drew a deep breath.  Thomas took a few steps to close the distance between them.  He stood directly in front of her, trying his hardest to intimidate her.  She felt it, but tried to maintain her self control.

“I asked you what you intend to do about it?” 

“I’m going to get a restraining order against you, Thomas.  You will not hurt her like you did me.  I won’t let you.”

“You aren’t going to be able to stop me.”  He was daring her to try.

“Don’t bet on it.”  Her voice was low.

He lowered his face to hers.  “Tell me, Cassandra.  Tell me how you intend to stop me.  I want to know.  You know there is only one way to get me to leave Marissa alone, don’t you?”

She shivered at his innuendo.  JC listened intently, though it was harder to hear them with their lowered voices.

“Are you willing to come back to me?”  Thomas asked bluntly.

JC heard the question.  He knew what Thomas’s game was.  He was worried if Cassandra was strong enough to resist.  He thought for a second about interrupting the conversation that was going on in the other room, but only rested his hand on the doorknob.  He held his ground.

“That question is not even open for discussion.”  Cassandra said coolly.

“Then, you leave me no other choice.  I can win her over in no time.  Then, I’ll have her exactly where I had you.  She will do my bidding just as you did once.”

“You are an absolute asshole!  I hate you so much!”

“I don’t really care.  You have basically just sealed her fate.  She cares about me, doesn’t believe you, and wants to be with me.  I’ve got her eating out of the palm of my hand.”

“Don’t do this, Thomas.  You don’t care a thing about her.  Leave her alone.  She’s young and innocent.  Stake you claim on someone else.”

“I have, but you aren’t cooperating.”

“Nor will I.”

“Then, I have no other choice.  To get to you, I will make her mine.”

Cassandra hesitated.  She met his cold stare dead on.  She had to protect her sister at any cost.  She knew the damage he could do to Marissa if she didn’t cooperate.  After a few moments, she hung her head and her shoulders slumped in defeat.  A sardonic smile crossed his face as Thomas realized that she was coming around.

“Are you offering me anything to reconsider my plan?”  He asked.  JC listened closely.

Cassandra forgot that JC was in the other room.  She raised her head up, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

Thomas brought up his hand and cupped her chin.  “Why the tears, my pretty?” 

JC heard his comment. His heart rate sped up.  He gripped the doorknob tighter.

“I hate you.”  Cassandra said with a vehemence she thought had left her.

“I really don’t care.  I just want you with me.  I want things the way they used to be.”

Cassandra shook her head.  “They’ll never be like that.  You’ve changed and because of that I’ve changed, too.  You ruined me and my life.”

“Well, the first thing you have to do is quit that stupid job working for WEG Management.”

Cassandra looked at him stunned as he released her chin.  “How did you know?”

“That doesn’t matter.  You are out of there today.  Then, you have to break it off with Chasez!  He will not be allowed around here anymore.  Not as a friend, not as anything!  Do you understand!  If he shows up, I’ll…”

“You’ll what?”  JC’s voice boomed from behind Thomas.  Cassandra’s eyes grew wide.

Thomas spun around to meet JC’s hard glare.  Marissa came out of her room and stood in the hallway, watching what was unfolding in front of her.

“What the hell are you doing here, Chasez?”

“That’s none of your damned business, Thomas!”

“Get out!”

“You don’t have the right to tell me that.  This is Cassandra’s house.  She invited me.”

“You are history!  Get out.”  Thomas shouted.

JC turned his eyes on Cassandra.  “Do you want me to leave?”

Thomas looked at Cassandra with an arched eyebrow and anger blazing in his eyes.

Cassandra only stared at JC.

“Tell him to get out!”  Thomas boomed at her.

She turned to look him.  “No.”  It was a whisper at first.

“What?”  Thomas asked.

Cassandra squared her shoulders, drawing strength from JC.

“No, Thomas.  I want you out of here!  Not JC.”

“You little bitch!”  He screamed at her. 

Without a warning he turned toward her and raised his hand, catching her across the face with a loud slap.  Marissa’s breath caught in her throat as the scene unfolded in front of her.  She watched as her sister grabbed the spot that Thomas had hit.  JC heard Marissa gasp, and turned to see her in the hallway.  He held out his hand, motioning her to stay where she was.  Cassandra looked up at Thomas, hatred showing in her brown eyes.

“I’m going to teach you a lesson.  If you don’t want Marissa to go through this, then you will get rid of Chasez and leave that job.”  He grabbed her by her shoulders and began shaking her.  Cassandra looked past his shoulders to see her sister standing frozen in the hallway, watching the events that were taking place. 

“Let go of me, Thomas!  Stop this now.”

“Oh, no!  You need to be taught a lesson.  You need to be taught respect.  I’ll show you who’s the boss around here.”

JC snuck up behind Thomas and roughly seized him by the shoulders.  He spun him around and drew back his fist, when he released the punch, it hit the other man right in the nose, knocking him to the floor.

“Now, who’s the boss?”  JC yelled.  “Get your sorry ass out of here, Wood!  Stay away from Cassandra and stay away from Marissa.  You are not wanted here anymore!”

Thomas looked up to see Marissa standing in the hallway.  The look on her face told him she had seen everything.  Without saying another word, he moved toward the door and left. 

JC rushed to Cassandra who was holding her face where he had slapped her. 

“Baby, are you alright?”

She reached out to him and he wrapped her in the safety of his arms.  She cried, but only for a short time.  Having JC there made her feel safe.  Marissa approached her sister slowly.

“Cassandra?”  She asked quietly.

Cassandra raised her head and looked at her sister.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t believe you.”

“It’s okay, Marissa.  Really.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“Not really.  I just had to make you see what he is really like.”

“I’m so sorry.  Please forgive me?”

Cassandra held out her arms to her sister as JC held Cassandra.  They pulled the younger girl into a hug for safety and security.  Cassandra kissed her sister’s head and whispered that everything would be all right.

“Someday, sis, we’ll both find someone who will love us and take care of us.  Thomas just isn’t that person.”

“I know.”  Marissa hesitated, then looked at JC.  “Do you think Lance would still go out with me, JC?”

He smiled.  “Of course he will.  I’ll call him later and have him stop by.  Is that okay?”

Marissa nodded.  “I think I’m going to go lay down for a bit.  You don’t mind, do you, sis?”

“Not at all, sweetie.  I’ll see you in a little while.”

Marissa walked away and went back to her room. Then JC looked down at Cassandra.

“What do you mean, ‘someday’?”  He asked.

“What?”

“You told her that someday you will find someone who will love you and take care of you.”

“Well, hopefully I will.”

JC looked hurt.  He was confused.  He thought she had felt that about him, but now she was saying she was still in search of love.

“Cassandra, what about us?”

She looked up at him helplessly.

“JC, you’re a big celebrity.  There isn’t any way this is going anywhere.”

“Why?  Don’t you want it to?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then exactly what are you saying?  I don’t think I understand.”

“I know I’m not the type you are looking for.”

He held up his hand in front of her face.  “Hold it right there!  You have no idea what type I’m looking for.”

She stared at him.

“Cassandra, I thought we had a relationship going.  I thought we were involved.  Now, you tell me you’re still looking.  I’m very confused.”

“JC, I know we’ve been great friends!”

“Friends?”  His voice cracked as he practically screamed the word at her.

“Is there more?”  She asked innocently.  “You only hold my hand in public.  We’ve never shared a kiss outside of the house or car.  There are no public displays of affection.  I just figured…”

“Well, baby, you figured wrong!  I’ve only held off because that’s what I thought you wanted.  Now that I know differently, you won’t be able to keep me off of you. I’m going public with my relationship with Cassandra Hamilton.  Johnny Wright can issue a statement this afternoon. He can tell the press this, JC Chasez of the popular music group *NSYNC has declared his love for a new young lady, Cassandra Hamilton.  She is not in the business, but they are very much in love.  How’s that?”

“JC!”

He pulled her into his embrace and covered her face with tiny butterfly kisses as she wrapped her arms around his lean torso.  At long last, it looked like Cassandra had found the happiness she had been looking for.  All that in the form of a man named JC Chasez!

b34;b35;b34;  “If I’m not the one you want, then who’s he?  Take your time to figure out, and you’ll see.  If I’m not the one you want then maybe, I’ll be the one you need.”  b34;b35;b34;

THE END!!!!!!