I sat nervously tapping my foot on the car’s floor. My thumb shoved into my mouth as I nibbled on the nail. I looked over slowly at JC who was humming to the melody coming from the radio, his left hand tapping on the steering wheel, his right hand on my thigh drawing circles with his thumb. I couldn’t understand how he was so calm. 

I put my hand on his and squeezed. He turned to look at me and smiled then resumed his humming. 

I stared out the window as the houses and buildings rushed by. We stopped at a light and I turned to JC again, finding him leaned over to my side with his lips puckered up. I chuckled lightly and leaned over to peck his lips. He smiled widely and returned his eyes to the road, as the light changed. 

I sighed loudly. 

“Would you stop freaking out silently over there and please tell me what’s bothering you?” he asked, without looking at me. 

I rolled my eyes. 

“Why aren’t YOU freaking out?” I asked, turning in my seat to face him. He chuckled softly without looking at me. “I am going to be all up in your space for the next 3 months, I don’t think we thought this through.” 

My mind raced to 6 months ago when I got my acceptance letter. 

I quickly grabbed the small envelope my roommate had laid down on the kitchen counter. My hands shaking, my heart pounding. I ran my fingers over the big lettering on top of it: Orlando Health Regional Medical Center. 

I quickly ripped the top off and retrieved a pack of pages, scrambling to unfold them. I let out a high pitched squeal as I silently read the first page:

“Ms. Erika Catalano,

It is our pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted to enroll in our Elective Rotation Program in Internal Medicine at Orlando Health Regional Medical Center starting in November 2002. 

Enclosed you will find all the details, including dates for orientation and paperwork that is needed of you.” 

My hands shaking I quickly picked up the phone to call JC. 

We pulled up into a huge driveway. I had never been to his house in Winter Park. JC didn’t even own a home last time I had been in Orlando. I was always very amazed at how everything had unfolded for JC. In the 5 years since I’d known him he had gone from a struggling artist to an international superstar, had made millions, had travelled the world and had broken every record. And still, remained a humble, down to earth, centered man. He really wasn’t any different than the guy I had met in Germany. Except he had gotten more handsome somehow. 

I, however, had changed a lot. But being with JC made me remember the teenager I was when I first fell in love with him. 

We walked up to a beautiful two-story French Chateau-style house as the front gate began closing. JC unlocked the front door and grabbed me by the hand pulling me into his home. 

“Welcome home for the next 3 months!” He said happily. I could feel the panic in my face again. 

“Babe,” he said, pulling me close to him. “Relax, it’s gonna be fine. I’m on hiatus, you’re gonna be so busy, and I’ll be here to spoil you rotten, ok?” He began walking backwards, softly pulling me out of the foyer and into a spacious living room, filled with sunlight coming into the room from the ceiling to floor windows that overlooked the patio, outside lounging area and pool. 

“Wow,” I said looking around. The room was very tastefully decorated. 

“You like?” he said almost in a whisper as his arms snaked around my waist, his lips brushing against my earlobe. 

I pressed my body tightly against his. “I like this,” I said seductively. His eyes lit up immediately. The blue in them always darkened a little when he was aroused and I loved seeing it. He quickly covered my mouth with his, enveloping me in a passionate kiss and shortly we found ourselves lying down on the bigger couch, piles of clothes on the floor. His hands and mouth exploring my body, my own hands roaming every square inch of his. 

As I laid with my back to his chest and his arms tight around my waist, I giggled. 

“Hmmm?” he hummed lazily with his nose in my hair. 

“I’m just thinking that if this is how you’re gonna be showing me every room in the house the tour is going to be just a tad long.” He laughed loudly with his whole body making me bounce as I joined in on the laughter. 

The next two weeks were like a dream. Other than an induction day I had all the time off and so did JC. He took his time showing me his favorite places. Favorite restaurants, favorite clubs and bars, favorite spots. I met some of his friends, spent a lot of time with his family. We spent every second together, except when he would go down into his studio. That was the one room in the house where I would not go in, unless he asked me to. He’d spend one or two hours a day there, sometimes he’d ask me to keep him company. I would sit on the leather couch and just watch him work. He’d strum on a guitar, or playfully play on the keyboard, hum a melody on the microphone. I have absolutely not one musical bone in my body but watching him create art was unbelievable.

 Justin would come over and go into the studio with him for hours. I would usually make myself scarce when he was over. 

I had the radio on as I scrambled around the kitchen making dinner. Vanessa Carlton’s A thousand miles was on and I was singing along to it as I minced some onion and garlic and threw them on the wok I had on the stove. 

I opened the fridge door to take out some more veggies to chop up and when I closed the door I found JC leaned over the wall, watching me. 

“Hi handsome, did Justin leave?” he nodded “hungry?”

He looked at me smiling, beaming. 

“Sure.” I kept on chopping and singing. He laughed loudly and walked over to me. wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his chin on my shoulder. 

“Watch the knife,” I said as I kept chopping. 

“Has anyone told you that you sing beautifully?” he asked me, nuzzling my neck. 

“Not really,” I said smiling. 

“Good, cause they’d be lying.” he said walking away from me chuckling. 

“Wow, you’re so mean,” I glared at him. “But totally right.” we laughed. 

“Not really fair though, you have a perfect ear and perfect pitch, so… not fair.” 

He laughed again. “True. But still, all wrong.” 

“So,” I said, he looked at me as he put a piece of pepper in his mouth. “Justin’s been over three times this week. What are you guys working on? A new album? Weren't you guys on hiatus?” He smirked. 

“We are,” I raised my eyebrows. “But he’s putting some solo stuff out and he wanted my opinion.” 

“So he’s the one who asked for time off? But he’s kept working? Only by himself?” I asked, not really expecting an answer.

“I guess.” was his reply. 

“And you’re collaborating on his solo record, then?”

“Not really, just helping him out with some lyrics and some melodies.”

“So you’re producing?” The knife was on the table. A hand on my hip. 

“Not really, he’s got his big time producers. Just helping a friend out.” 

I looked at him with raised eyebrows. 

“Don’t worry about it,” he said hopping down from the stool he had been sitting on and moving closer to me. “I’m just helping my brother out. He’s having some trouble with some of the words, and you know how words are always bouncing around my head anyway.” he put his hands on my hips and kissed my temple. 

“Ok,” I said, not really convinced. “Sounds weird to me, but I know nothing so, ok.” 

His lips travelled down my jawline to my chin, then found my lips. He claimed my mouth, parting my lips with his tongue. 

“You know everything babe.” he kissed me again, more deeply this time. “Especially hot to look fucking hot wearing an apron.” His hands went around me and pushed the chopping table further into the kitchen island. He undid the tie of the apron on the back of my neck, it fell down to my waist. Both his hands travelled from my waist to my ass as he grabbed at it and pulled me up onto the counter, positioning himself in between my legs, while he kept licking and biting my lips. I threw my head back and granted him access to my neck which he gladly started sucking on. My hands in his hair, tangling in his curls. 

“Wait, wait” I motioned to the stove so he broke our embrace and quickly turned it off. Coming back into my arms and hungrily kissing me. His hands now under my t-shirt, caressing my back as he swiftly unclasped my bra. 

“Since we christened the studio last night and now have had sex in every room of this house I think it’s fair if we restart the rounds, don’t you?” he asked just above a whisper. His hot breath against my ear made my body tremble. 

One hand now cupping one of my breasts under my shirt, the other starting to undo my pants. I pawed at his shirt, starting to unbutton it. My breathing ragged. 

When suddenly, “Hellooooo!” we heard from the living room. 

“Shit!” we both said. I jumped from the counter and stood behind JC desperately trying to re do my bra and running my hands over my hair which was a mess. 

JC quickly re buttoned his shirt and tried to adjust himself just as Trevor walked into the kitchen. 

“Oh shit,” he said, his face turning the brightest shade of red. “I’m sorry!” He burst out laughing. 

“Trev, what the fuck?” JC said half mad half laughing as he shielded me from his brother’s view as I recomposed myself. 

“Sorry bro, um, hey Keeks. I, um, just brought the car around.” he kept smirking trying to look away. 

“Yeah it’s all good. I’m gonna need my key back, it’s supposed to be for emergencies.” JC told him seriously, as he walked over him and embraced him in a hug. 

“Hey I knocked man, but I can see you were otherwise occupied,” he laughed again and walked over to me and kissed my cheek. 

“Well now that you’re here might as well stay for dinner,” I told him. “Wait, what car?”

“Well, you said you didn’t want to use any of my ‘fancy cars’,” JC said doing air quotes with his fingers, “and the vespa scares the hell out of you so I asked Trevor to lend us his Corolla since he’s not using it anyway,” JC said as he opened the fridge and took out 2 beers. Uncapping them and handing one over to Trevor and one for himself. 

“Really? Wow thanks Trev,” he flashed me a smile. 

“Yeah I don't really need it, with living on campus and all so sure, all yours, honey.”

I smiled and stared at the both of them as they settled on the stools and started conversing. They were so similar but so different. You could tell there was no blood relation but watching them they talked alike and used some of the same face expressions, it was obvious they were brothers. 

Finally play time was over and the time came to start my rotation at the hospital. My days started unfolding very differently than they had those 2 first weeks. 

I began my day at 5AM, usually having to stealthily move around the room so as to not wake JC up. A quick shower, threw on some scrubs and then downstairs to put some breakfast together, grab some coffee and out I was. 

After all those breakfasts in bed and morning loving it felt weird leaving JC alone in that big bed and it took all my self restraint to not stay with him those first few days. I was very excited to begin the rotation anyway, but the pull he had on me was so strong. 

The people at the hospital were very nice. From the nurses to the attendings, to my fellow med students. The atmosphere was very like any other hospital, we all were very hungry to learn. 

Our time would be divided between services. There was the ER, ICU, Intermediate care, Post Ops and specialties. The hours weren’t so bad for med students. 8 hours a day, one weekly 36 hour shift. But you were encouraged to stay and do more hours and most of us did. I did, even when it meant spending a lot of time away from JC. 

The friction started right away. Even before my rotation began actually. 

I was sitting in the breakfast nook going through the syllabus I had been emailed and crossing off subjects. 

JC walked in with his cell phone to his ear. “Yeah, uh-huh,” he said a couple times, as he settled a bunch of mail on the kitchen counter. He looked at me, smiled and blew me a kiss. I winked at him and went back to my papers. 

“Yes, ok, of course man. Yeah, yeah, yeah we’ll be there. Awesome. Send it over, I can’t wait. Love you, man. Bye.”

He went to the fridge to retrieve two bottles of water, then came over to me, uncapped one and handed it to me. 

“Thank you baby,” I said and puckered up. He leaned in, kissed me, then sat down in front of me. 

“So, you brought a bikini?” he asked, smiling. 

I looked at him frowning. “I’ve worn my bikini, in your pool. A couple of them” I said. He laughed. 

“I know I’m kidding. It’s just that we got invited to J’s album release party in LA and I was trying to be cute.” 

“Oh, ok. When?” 

“Next week, Thursday.” He said and drank from his bottle of water. I put down the paper I had been holding and bit my lip. 

“Um, babe?” he looked up at me. “I can’t go.” His eyes opened wider, slowly. 

“Why not? This is a huge deal for Justin, I can’t not go.” He said earnestly. 

“Sure. But I can’t go, I’ll have to work. I can’t just pick up and leave whenever I feel like it. I’ll get kicked out of the program.” 

“Oh,” he said. Obviously disappointed. “Sure, right, no, it’s ok. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried babe, I’m sorry but… you knew what I came here for.” He looked at me with an annoyed look in his eyes. 

“Yeah yeah, it’s cool. God forbid i think you came here to be with me.” He got up and started to walk out of the kitchen. 

“Jayce, wait. You’re being unfair. Of course I came here to be with you,” I was on my feet. “But I can’t drop everything just like that, especially to go to a party.” I reached for him and he took a step back. 

“Well you know, part of my job is going to parties and being seen and doing ridiculous shit like that. And I hate going stag.” 

“Well I’m sorry that I’m not like your other girlfriends that are just waiting around to be summoned and actually have something going for me.” I said a little more loudly than I had intended. 

The look on his face became blank. “Other girlfriends… wow, yeah, no,” he took a step back with both hands in the air, defensively. “I’ll go and um, I’ll try really hard to not fuck anyone accidentaly while I’m there, ok?” He turned on his feet and walked away from me.