Following breakfast, Allyson packed the last of her things and left them in JC’s room while they did some last-minute exploring. JC had finished his promo assignments, so he accompanied Allyson to the station where her train back to reality was waiting.

When they arrived, he hopped out quickly to help Allyson with her bags and to give her a tight hug.

“Thank you, again,” he whispered in her ear. “You saved this whole trip and made it so much better.” He kissed her on the cheek, and Allyson just hugged him closer.

“I’ll text you later,” she said as they released each other.

Back in DC, she texted JC as she dropped her bags on her bedroom floor. It was just about 9. Thank you for inviting me to visit.

You were the highlight of this promo :), he texted back about half an hour later. It was almost as if he couldn’t help but be a little flirty with her.

JC returned to Los Angeles the following day and had no plans of leaving California for work any time soon. As the months continued, JC and Allyson’s texts and calls began to fall back into their usual routine.

Neither of them had especially exciting news to share, besides milestones for the charity record from JC – within a couple weeks it was officially double-platinum – and funny coffee shop stories from Allyson. JC’s “scandal” had been eclipsed quickly by Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon engagement rumors, so the topic didn’t come up again, for which JC was grateful.

     After months of the same routine, one fall day, Allyson, upset over an assignment, texted JC, Im done with school.

Five minutes later, JC’s picture of him making a funny face at the zoo popped up on Allyson’s phone screen.

“What’s going on, Allie?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for you to stop everything and call. I’m just frustrated. I bombed that economics project I’ve been working on for the last few weeks. You know, the one I was telling you about?”

“Mhmm.”

“How am I supposed to try to be a businesswoman if I can’t get economics? It’s as basic as business gets.”

“Hey, hey,” starting to talk her off the metaphoric ledge. “One bad assignment isn’t reason to quit. Remember the end goal. And you don’t need to try to be a business woman. You will be a business woman and you’ll be a great one. You’ll be great at anything you choose to do next. I know you will.”

Allyson huffed a little on the other end of the line. “Thanks. One more year.”

“There will be other grades. Maybe this assignment wasn’t for you. And a grade on an assignment means nothing in the real world. Nothing in a classroom, no matter how good the classroom, can compare to real world results. I mean shoot, I only entered my first talent show on a dare. Now, my career is music.”

“Yeah but you won that talent show.”

“As a dancer, not a singer.”

JC couldn’t see, but Allyson was nodding her head. She understood his point. “OK.”

“Don’t give up on this.”

“I won’t.” He could hear the slight smile in her voice. “Thanks, Josh.”

“Hey, what are friends for?” he said as he started singing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” in an exaggerated way that still sounded better than most polished songs.

Later in the fall, early October, JC left for a two-week trip to London to visit friends, leaving him with just Facebook chat to avoid international charges on his phone. But when Allyson went to find his page, it was gone.

“What the hell?” she asked to the air in her empty room. After hitting refresh a few times and typing in the page again, same result. Just nothing.

It’s not like we’re together, she thought. It’s fine. He’s allowed to delete his page if he wants, she continued telling herself. “I just wish he’d told me,” she said as her inner monologue worked its way out of her mouth again.

As much as she told herself to not think about it and remind herself that they were just friends and nothing more, it didn’t upset her any less. She had gotten accustomed to seeing his name appear on her phone or computer with a call, text or Facebook message. Now that connection felt severed with him thousands of miles away and his phone turned off.

“Why do I feel this way?” she asked Shannon after a couple days of his page not reappearing.

“Because you love him,” Shannon asked without hesitation.

“Stop it. I’m serious. Why is it affecting me this much?”

“Are you seriously asking me that? Y’all talk almost as much as you and I do. It was comfortable. It was normal. Now that’s been disrupted.”

Allyson’s eyebrows arched up in realization as she nodded her head. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Are you sure you don’t want to go into psychology?”

“No thanks, but I might start charging you,” Shannon smirked. “The relationship advice I’ll give for free. Just admit that you love him.” Allyson gave her a look that made Shannon chuckle. “OK fine, I’ll stop for now. But for real, I’m sure it’s an international thing. Just don’t jump to conclusions until he gets back.”

“OK. I just don’t want to lose a friend.”

“I don’t think you are,” Shannon said with a reassuring smile. “Come on, lunch rush is about to start. And they all want pumpkin spice something. What is it with that?”

Allyson just laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

The next two weeks were some of the longest Allyson had experienced.

Then, almost as soon as the wheels of JC’s plane touched down on U.S. land, Allyson’s Facebook began pinging.

Hey, I’m going to be gone for a couple weeks, remember.

I’ll be back mid-October

I don’t think I’ll have steady internet where I’m going, but if I do I’ll check in. Ttyl

Allyson let out a long breath. There he was, motorcycle helmet and all.

It is good to see your face, she typed back. I couldn’t find your profile and thought you’d deleted your account.

Yeah, I sent those with bad connection, so I guess they didn’t go through. Then something happened to my settings when I had to flip my computer to UK internet. I’ve been getting messages left and right I missed from the last couple week. Sorry.

It’s OK. Glad to have my friend back. Chat later?

You got it.

Very quickly, the two got back into their routine again.

After the holidays, Allyson continued in school – much happier with her performance in her classes now – and in the shop, while JC continued working in the studio and traveled to New York again for Justin’s William Rast fashion show and attending various East Coast and West Coast red carpet events he was invited to.

Exciting news! Allyson sent JC. By now it was early spring 2009.

Im done in 30. Call then?

OK.

Almost exactly 30 minutes later, Allyson’s phone started buzzing on the kitchen table.

“Hey! What’s the big news?” JC asked.

“I’m coming to LA!” Allyson nearly screamed into the phone.

“Ah coming to my neck of the woods. Nice! When’s the trip?”

“July. My friend from high school lives out there now and invited me out, so I’ll be staying for a few days.”

“Oh sweet! It is nice here for summer break.”

“Well that’s the other exciting news,” Allyson said with a slight tease in her voice

“There’s more?”

“Mhmm. I talked with my adviser yesterday, and I’ll only have two things to complete after this semester, so they’re letting me finish them in May and June, so by June 30, I’ll be a master of business!”

“Oh, Allie! That’s fantastic! So we’ll be celebrating double when you’re here right?”

“If you want,” she said laughing.

“Yes, I want! You deserve it. I’ll show you – and your friend if she wants – all the best spots!”

“That sounds good to me! Wait, did you say celebrating double? What else is going on?”

“Yeah! We can’t forget your birthday.”

Allyson just smiled. She couldn’t believe he remembered her birthday. She hadn’t brought it up recently.

“If you insist,” she said.

“Oh I do! You only turn 30 once.”

“I can’t argue with that.”