"I thought you had big plans this summer?" Stacy carefully cut the circular chocolate cake in half. Her movements slow and steady. One cake became two and she set about doing the same to another chocolate cake in preparation for the icing to be applied. Then the cakes would be stacked back on top of each other so she could ice the outside. "Mom said you were gonna hang out with Lance. Something about a school project?"

"Yeah, I don't know," Rachel shrugged as she wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist. The kitchen was on the hot side with the ovens constantly running. She flipped the switch on the mixer and watched as the paddle sifted through the ingredients.

Classes ended two weeks ago. Summer had been completely welcomed. The last six weeks had been some of the hardest weeks she ever endured in school. Homework had become no joke. Papers had been ridiculous. She spent more time seeing the inside of the library as she studied and researched. Spent a lot of times in study groups preparing for finals.

"Something going on?" Stacy spared her sister a look. She was surprised when Rachel came back from college and stayed longer than to drop her things off. Something was going but Stacy couldn't figure out what. Conversations were weird with Rachel hardly talking about what was going on at school outside her classes. Stacy remembered the stories she'd tell when she came home on breaks. Not only the classes but the people. The events. The parties. Trips. She still talked to many of her college friends. A trip was already being planned for the following year with as many of her sorority sisters who could come. There hadn't been a mention of pledging for any sorority. At least none that Stacy could remember.

"No," Rachel said quickly. Too quickly judging by Stacy's look. She sighed. "I don't know."

Stacy sat the knife down and turned her attention to Rachel. "What's up?" She watched as Rachel fidgeted. "Come on spill, Rach."

"Okay..." She stayed silent for a few more minutes trying to work out what she wanted to tell her sister. If she could spill everything or just what she was going through now. "I think I messed up..."

"Okay," Stacy said slowly, frowning. There were so many directions she could take Rachel's words. Messed up could mean a multitude of things. "Messed up how?"

"I did something really stupid Stace."

"It's college Rachel. You're supposed to do stupid things," Stacy teased in an effort to lighten the mood. "I could write a book on the stupid things I did. Some Mom and Dad know about, but the majority they don't and never will. What did you do? Smoke weed? Get drunk? Cheat on a test? Pay someone to write a paper?"

"I had sex with JC."

Stacy's lips parted in shock. She stared at Rachel, her eyes unblinking. That had not been what she expected. Certainly explained why Rachel wasn't on tour with Lance. "Wow..." she breathed as she fought to pull her brain back on track. The last time she had seen the singer was a few weeks ago. Before embarking on tour Lance had invited everyone down for the weekend.

"I didn't expect ... I didn't know..." Rachel sighed and sat down on the stole Stacy used sometimes.

Stacy skirted the table and went to her sister. "What happened?" She hadn't be prepared for the story Rachel unleashed. The unrelenting teasing. Going to Lance's for spring break to ask JC to teach her how to have sex. Nope. Stacy hadn't been expecting it at all. "Wow Rachel... I don't even know what to say."

Rachel put her elbows on the table and buried her face in her palms. "I thought it would be easy..."

Stacy snorted. "Sex is anything but easy."

"I thought he'd just teach me and that would be that," Rachel explained. "He was only a friend."

"Having sex with friends makes everything complicated Rachel. Becomes messy. Most times you never get that friendship back." Stacy rubbed a comforting hand on Rachel's back. "Did your plan work? Did you take your newfound knowledge back to State and unleash it on some poor unsuspecting small town country boy?" She could only imagine what JC was able to teach her sister. Imagined that JC was well versed in the bedroom not that she had first hand knowledge on any of them. She was quite happy with Ford, her husband. She was smart enough to know the group, her brother included, didn't want for anything when it came to the bedroom.

Rachel shook her head.

"No?" Stacy asked confused. "What happened?"

"I tried. I did. I knew it had to be the right person. Someone who I knew would talk... so when he-he made a joke, instead of ignoring him, I pounced with my offer."

"And then?"

"I couldn't go through with it." She confessed. "We were in his room on the bed. I had my shirt off. He was kissing me and I... I don't know. I couldn't do it."

"Why not?"

"It wasn't him..." Rachel whispered, unable to meet Stacy's gaze.

"It wasn't... oh," Stacy nodded as the answer became clear. "You kept picturing JC?"

"He didn't kiss me the right way. He didn't touch me the same... He felt different. He smelled different..."

"Oh Rachel..." Stacy smiled softly.

"Oh Rachel what?" Rachel lifted her head to stare at Stacy. "What Stacy? What?"

"You like him."

"Of course I do. JC's a friend. I like them all."

"No," Stacy shook her head. "You like him like him."

"No..." Rachel groaned. She folded her arms on the table and put her head down. Stacy couldn't be right. She couldn't like JC in that way.

"Sorry Sister... It could only be a crush. A sexual attraction maybe. After spending the week with him he got under your skin. It's probably nothing..."

"It doesn't feel like nothing."

"What's it feel like?"

"Like I'm thirsty but can't get enough to drink." Rachel rubbed her face with her hands before meeting her sister's gaze. "Stacy, I don't know what to do. The teasing is worse because I didn't have sex with Dan. And now JC's on my mind. Constantly. It's driving me crazy. It's not like I can get away from him. Every one is always playing their music. Girls are always talking about them. Guys are always making fun of them. I see his name on my chat."

"Is that why you're not with them right now?"

"I can't stop thinking about it. I don't even know if I can face him. We haven't even spoken to each other since... since..."

"You knocked boots?" Stacy's grin broadened when Rachel groaned.

"It was so awkward afterward. I didn't know what to do. What do you do after?"

"Well... depends. If you have somewhere do be. Shower. Together preferably." She grinned remembering those moments with her husband when they tested the limits of the water heater. "Most times you cuddle together. I feel closest to Ford after we've made love. Laying together in each other's arms."

"We didn't have that kind of relationship to cuddle afterward..."

"Did you want to?"

Rachel nodded. "I wanted to stay..."

Stacy felt sorry for her sister. She looked wrecked. "Did JC want you to stay?" Rachel shrugged in answer. "I think you should find out. Stop hiding out here. Go."

*~*

"Rachel's on her way up."

"I didn't know she was here." Joey sent a weird look to JC when the older man coughed. "She just get here?"

Lance nodded. "Yeah. Flew out this morning." He shut his laptop down and stood. Most of the morning had been spent giving interviews. Tomorrow they were stopping by TRL to chat and perform. There was no rush. For the next three days they were in New York. They had three shows at the Giants stadium in New Jersey. "I'm gonna grab a pass from Melinda real quick."

"So..." Joey waited until the door latched behind Lance to speak. He turned his attention to JC who was laying diagonally across Lance's bed. His feet hanging off the edge near the top. A pillow clutched in his arms to rest his head on as he watched a movie on Lance's television. Joey leaned against the headboard, one legged crossed in front of him, the other hanging off the bed resting on the bed rail.

"So?" JC echoed purposefully not turning to look at Joey. Instead he kept his attention on the TV where Independence Day was playing. Will Smith was doing his best Top Gun imitation as he tried to fight off an alien space craft.

Joey rolled his eyes and kicked his leg out, knocking JC in the shoulder. "What was that little cough you did?"

"It was a cough Joey. Can't I cough now?" JC wrestled with himself. Rachel was on her way up. She would be coming in to Lance's room. He needed to quickly make the decision to leave or stay. He wanted to stay. He wanted to leave.

"Sure. But that wasn't a cough. That was a ‘I swallowed air too quickly because I was surprised at the mention of Rachel' cough."

"You're crazy." JC rolled off the bed and stood. He could just as easily watch the movie from his room. Where Joey wouldn't be. Where Rachel wouldn't be. He was only in Lance's room because he didn't want to be alone.

"Come on JC," Joey followed JC from Lance's room.

"Joey," JC groaned as he opened the door to his room and his bandmate followed him in. "Don't you have something to do? Someone else to annoy?"

"Nope." Joey grinned. "Chris and Justin are out. Lance is getting Rachel." He saw JC's steps falter when he mentioned her name. "You're it."

"Lucky me." JC muttered.

"Yup. Now come on, C." Joey took a seat at the edge of JC's bed. He stared at JC and dropped the teasing tone from his voice. "What's going on? Don't tell me nothing. There's been something going on for awhile now..." his eyes widened as his brain connected two very important pieces. The date when they all noticed a difference in JC and the man's reaction to hearing Rachel's name. "What happened between you and Rachel?"

"What? Nothing!" JC snatched the remote from the table next to the bed and turned the TV on. He quickly flipped through the channels.

"You can't lie for shit JC. You know that. Come on. Talk to me. What's going on?"

JC sighed. His shoulders slumped. He pressed the red button on the remote sending the TV into darkness. "Rachel was having a bad time at school. I helped her out when she was here on spring break..." ‘Helped her out? Is that what you're calling it?'

"What problems? Lance never mentioned anything."

"I don't think Lance knows."

Joey wasn't sure what alerted him, but he had a feeling JC wasn't talking about a regular school problem. "What did you do JC?"

"It doesn't matter." JC didn't want to break Rachel's confidence in him. He shouldn't even be telling Joey anything now. This was his issue to work out. He would deal with what he was feeling on his own.

"Yes it does. Whatever you did for her is obviously affecting you JC."

"I can't tell you Joey," JC turned around to look at his bandmate. "You already tease her enough."

"Hey," Joey tossed his hands up. "I just tease her. All in good fun. I don't mean anything by it. She knows that." He stared at JC. His confidence wavered the longer he stared. "She knows that right?"

JC sighed and rubbed his head. "I don't know. She was getting teased a lot. So much so that she was thinking about transferring schools."

"Whoa," Joey's eyed widened. "Okay. I didn't know that. Lance never said anything."

"I don't think Lance knows..."

"Okay... so what did you do for her?" Joey gave another sigh when JC didn't answer his question. He stood up from the bed and went to him. "JC, come on man, I'm worried. I know something is bothering you. I just want to help. I can't do that unless you talk to me. I can keep a secret..."

JC cocked an eyebrow at Joey.

"Important stuff," Joey amended. He did tend to blab when he was drunk. "I promise. I won't tell a soul."

JC stared at him a few moments longer before sighing. "Rachel wanted me to teach her how to have sex."

Joey's eyes widened. "No," he breathed. "No way. You're busting my balls." He started laughing. "Like I'd believe that." He slapped JC on the shoulder as he laughed. "Teach her how to have sex."

"Fine." JC brushed Joey's arm off. He clenched his teeth shut. His jaw ticked. "You can leave now Joey."

"JC..." Joey abruptly stopped laughing when JC walked away. His back rigid. His arms straight down at his sides. His hands clenched in to fists. He could feel the tension in the room. "JC wait..."

"You said you wanted to help. Obviously not. Just go." JC didn't turn around, just stared out the window over the New York City sky line. Below him, cars rushed by. The sidewalks filled with people.

"I do. I just..." Joey closed his eyes and took a breath. "Okay," he said when he opened them. "Tell me now JC. Please." He added when JC remained silent.

"The teasing was so bad she was thinking about changing schools. She thought if she learned how to have sex and then had sex with someone on campus, the rumors would stop."

"What rumors?" Joey asked.

JC didn't answer. He didn't want to embarrass Rachel any more. It was bad enough he told Joey what she asked of him. "I didn't want to... but..."

"You did." Joey added and watched as JC nodded. "Wow. Okay. This happen over spring break?" JC nodded again and Joey thought it made sense. JC had been scarce the week Rachel had been in town. He didn't think too much of it. Maybe he should have. "Then what happened?"

"Nothing. I taught her. Then she left."

"Okay. So basically a no strings affair. Sounds pretty good to me. I don't see the problem here." Joey continued to watch JC. He stood next to him at the window staring at his profile. His lips parted and a sense of knowing washed over him. "Ah," he nodded. "You wanted there to be strings."

"No. Yes. Maybe." JC sighed and shrugged before looking at Joey before back out the window. "I don't know."

"You definitely wanted something more. If not you wouldn't have let it get to you. It would be a one night stand and you'd move on."

"Well she doesn't. She was ready to leave after I flushed the condom."

"Ouch," Joey grimaced. "But maybe she didn't know."

"What?" JC turned to look at Joey.

"Maybe she didn't know what to do? She came to you to teach her... obviously that meant she wasn't experienced. Maybe she didn't know. She thought that's what happened afterward."

"Maybe..." JC looked back out the window.

"Maybe she didn't know she could have more..." He patted JC on the shoulder. "There's one piece of advice I can give you JC."

"What's that?"

"Talk to her. Find out if she's hot for teacher." Joey winked and grinned when JC rolled his eyes.

"Goodbye Joey."

Joey laughed and made his way to the door. "Another piece of advice. Do it before Justin asks her out because you know damn well he'd be all over teaching her everything he knows."

"Be a short class," JC quipped.

Joey's laughter followed him out into the hall. "What a dumbass..."