August 2006
Los Angeles
“What are we doing?” Michelle asked, sitting in the passenger seat of Alexis’s blue Volkswagen beetle.
“Shopping.” Alexis replied.
“I got that much, but why on a Tuesday at 11 a.m.?” Michelle replied.
Alexis grinned over at her sister. “Because it’s Tuesday at 11 a.m.!”
Michelle smirked. “I know, I literally just said that.”
Alexis giggled a bit. “Meaning, most people are at work or school so less chance of me being recognized AND because Josh’s birthday is coming up and I want to get him a present.”
Michelle grinned evilly. “Then we should go to Michael’s, not Target.”
“Why Michael’s?” Alexis asked making a face.
Michelle grinned more. “They sell ribbon at Michael’s…just buy a spool of ribbon, wrap yourself up in it…done!”
Alexis snorted then swatted at her sister. “Shut up!”
Michelle just laughed. “He’d love it!”
Alexis swatted at her sister more. “Probably, but NO! I’m not doing that.”
“So, then what are you getting him?” Michelle asked as they both stepped out of the car.
“I have no idea! He probably has everything he could ever want or need but I still want to get him SOMETIHNG. I just don’t know what. I was hoping I would see something that would inspire me.”
Michelle nodded. She understood. Shopping for someone like Josh wasn’t easy.
“Well, besides getting him a present do you have plans for his birthday?” Michelle asked as they entered Target.
Alexis nodded. “His birthday is exactly a week away. SO…Justin and the other guys are planning to take him out for Drinks, Appetizers and Dessert this Saturday. They are inviting some of his friends …and me. Then I am planning something just the two of us for his actual birthday.”
Michelle nodded and smiled. “Justin told me about that. I’m invited too.”
Alexis looked at her sister, smirked a bit and shook her head. “You and Justin, huh?”
Michelle blushed. “It’s completely casual. Nothing serious.”
Alexis laughed at this. “Which means you’re TOTALLY having sex with him.”
Michelle stopped, placed her hands on her hips and made a face at her sister. “Actually, NO! I’m not. He’s being a total gentleman.”
Alexis softened and smiled. “Good because I’d kick his ass if he wasn’t! I don’t care if he did bring “Sexy Back”! He hurts you and he’s toast.”
Michelle laughed. “You and April…always so protective of me. I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.”
Alexis nodded. “Oh, I know that you can but you’re my little sister and you will always be my little sister so I am always going to look out for you. It’s called being your big sister.”
Michelle cracked a smile and dropped her hands from her hips. “Thanks! What about you and Josh?”
Alexis blushed. “What about me and Josh?”
“Are the two of you …you know…”
Alexis grinned and bit her lip. “Maybe.”
Michelle laughed. “Maybe my ass! You TOTALLY are!”
“Once. We have once…so far.” Alexis replied blushing.
“And?” Michelle urged.
Alexis blushed more if possible. “AND OH MY GOD!”
Michelle busted up laughing. “I TOLD YOU! He’s a freak!”
Alexis shook her head and giggled. “It wasn’t like that…but…I will say the man DEFINITELY knows what he is doing.”
Michelle nodded. “Well, I would hope so, goodness knows he has had plenty of practice.”
Alexis smiled. “He said I would be the only one for as long as I wanted to be.”
Michelle smirked. “Smart man!”
“He has his moments.” Alexis giggled.
Michelle nodded. “Ok, so I know what I am getting him. We need to figure out what you’re getting him.”
Alexis stopped walking and looked at her sister. “What are you getting him?”
The look on Michelle’s face was evil, like she was plotting something but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she grinned and then motioned for her sister to follow.
They meandered their way through the store until they got to the men’s section at the back of the store. Alexis followed her sister to the back wall where the underwear were located and watched in disbelief as Michelle grabbed a package of white Fruit of the Loom underwear from a hook, then smiled with complete satisfaction.
Alexis raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh at her sister.
“You’re getting Josh “tighty whites” for his birthday? WHY are you getting Josh “tighty whites” for his birthday?”
Michelle grinned. “It’s in the *NSYNC Rider! Josh requests a new package of underwear and socks at every show, Fruit of the loom to be specific. He wears them once and then throws them away.”
Alexis laughed. “No, he does NOT!”
“He does! Ask Justin!”
Alexis couldn’t stop laughing.
“And you know this how?”
Michelle smirked. “It’s a well known *NSYNC fact!”
Alexis shook her head. “You’re such a brat!”
“I know!” Michelle teased.
Alexis giggled and shook her head a bit more. “Well, I’m not getting him underwear OR socks so we need to figure something else out.”
“We?! I don’t know what this “WE” business is you speak of, I already found my present.” Michelle teased.
“I could use your help, ok?” Alexis huffed.
Michelle giggled. “I’m kidding, of course, I will help you.”
They wandered the store for what seemed like forever but still weren’t having much luck in the gift department.
“WHY? Why does shopping for a guy have to be so difficult?” Alexis groaned as they stood near the media/electronics section at the back of the store.
“You know, he’d probably say the same thing about you.” Michelle snickered.
“I’m easy…”
Michelle made a face and Alexis swatted at her sister again.
“Not like that! UGH! You are annoying sometimes!”
Michelle softened a bit. She knew this was important to her sister but it was still fun to tease her.
“I know what you meant. I’m just giving you shit. Maybe you’re not finding anything because you weren’t meant to buy him something from a store. Maybe you were meant to give him something more meaningful…something that means something to both of you.”
Alexis stood quiet for a moment, deep in thought. Michelle had a point. It was then, as she was standing there in the Media section of Target that two things happened. First, she looked up at the giant televisions above her and her jaw dropped. There, on every screen was her face. It was the “Jar of Hearts” video!
“OH MY GOD!” Alexis gasped.
“What?” Michelle asked confused.
Alexis nodded to the screens above her.
Michelle looked up and grinned. “HELL YEAH! That’s my sister!”
“SHH! Not so loud! Do you want to make a scene?”
Michelle blushed. “Oh yeah, no, but that’s freaking BAD ASS!”
Alexis smiled then giggled a bit. “It is, isn’t it?”
It was then, as she was looking up at her face on the screen that the second thing happened. She got an idea.
She grabbed Michelle by the hand and started dragging her through the store to the Home Décor section.
“Where are we going?” Michelle asked as she hustled to keep up.
“I have an idea…I just hope I can find the original.”
“Original what?”
“Picture.”
“What picture?” Michelle asked confused.
They were now standing in the picture frame aisle. Alexis was examining the picture frames carefully, one by one, hoping to find the perfect frame for the picture she had in mind.
“What picture?” Michelle repeated.
Alexis smiled wistfully. “I have this picture…somewhere…in a box, I think. It’s a black and white photo of me and Josh. I don’t remember who took it, maybe April, maybe Dale or Tony but it’s the two of us. He’s trying to give me a piggy back ride and we are both laughing. It’s one of my favorite photos and I had completely forgotten about it until just now.”
Michelle beamed. “It sounds perfect.”
Alexis smiled and nodded. “It is. I just hope I can find it so I can get a copy made in time.”
Michelle nodded as she started to pick through the frames. “It’s a black and white photo?”
Alexis nodded.
“Then, you need a rustic frame…something like…something like this!” Michelle exclaimed as she pulled a weathered wood frame from the shelf.
It was light weathered wood with a silver band around the edges and it came in several different sizes.
Alexis grinned. “What size is that?”
“4 x 6” Michelle answered.
“Is there a 5 x 7?”
Michelle nodded and pulled the 5 x 7 from the shelf.
Alexis was all smiles. “Done! Now, I just have to find the photo!”
***
It was the day of JC’s birthday party. Justin and the other members of *NSYNC had reserved most of the patio at “Dama” a swanky Latin restaurant in LA’s fashion district. Alexis and Michelle would both be in attendance as well as the rest of *NSYNC and few of JC’s other close friends but no one Alexis or Michelle knew other than the group.
Alexis was slightly bummed. She had hoped that Tony and Dale would be there but Tony lived in Nashville now and Dale had returned to Dallas to be closer to his family.
“WOW!” JC breathed out as Alexis and Michelle entered the patio area.
Alexis was dressed in a pair of leopard print shorts and a black, ruffled silk tank top. She looked GORGEOUS!
“DAMN ladies!” Justin whistled as they approached.
Both girls blushed and giggled.
Alexis slid into the booth next to JC while Michelle sat between her and Justin leaving Joey, Chris and Lance on the ends. The other guests were sprinkled around the patio. *NSYNC security as well as Kenny were also mingling about, keeping tabs and keeping any would be overzealous fans at bay.
“MMM…Pretty Lady…you look…WOW…just WOW!” JC whispered in Alexis’s ear.
Alexis grinned and bit her lip then gave JC the once over. He was dressed in a pair of dark wash denim jeans and an orange, grey and white striped button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the top two buttons undone.
“You’re lookin’ mighty FINE there too Handsome.” Alexis whispered back.
“Are you checking me out?” JC asked grinning.
“Absolutely!” Alexis giggled.
“No arguments here.” JC replied before popping a kiss on her cheek.
Appetizers and drinks were served shortly after and for a while everyone just talked, mingled and enjoyed the California sun. It was the perfect August afternoon. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze and everyone was enjoying themselves.
About an hour and half into the party however, things started to take a dramatic turn.
The members of *NSYNC had only reserved half the patio, meaning the front half near the entrance was still open for other guests.
Alexis was casually sipping on a Pina Colada and listening to JC and the other guys of *NSYNC as they chatted about sports and music and the upcoming album. Alexis happened to look up at the entrance to the patio just as a waiter escorted two women out onto the patio. The first, was tall and blonde. She was dressed in a pair of distressed jeans and a flowy white top with her blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail. However, it was the second woman who grabbed her attention. She wasn’t as tall as the blonde but she wasn’t short either. She was dressed in a floral romper with a halter top and her long dark hair was pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head with whisps that fell down framing her face.
The woman turned slightly and as soon as Alexis caught her profile the Pina Colada she had just taken a sip of came shooting out her nose as she choked on her drink.
“WHAT THE FUCK!” Alexis exclaimed as she started to stand.
“What’s wrong?” JC asked worriedly.
Alexis didn’t answer the question she just scooted her way past Chris and Joey and headed for the other side of the patio.
“Excuse me gentlemen.” Alexis snarled through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Michelle followed Alexis’s trail with her eyes and nearly spit out her own drink when she realized what was happening.
“FUCK! Really?!” Michelle groaned as she started to stand to follow her sister.
“What’s going on?” Justin asked as the men all shot each other looks of confusion.
Michelle looked to Lonnie and Kenny who were standing next to the booth.
“You might want to prepare yourselves …I might actually need pass interference on this play.” Michelle said nodding to the other side of the patio.
“Why? Where are you going? What’s going on?” Kenny asked as everyone looked to the other side of the patio.
“Where am I going? Well…gentleman…I’m going to do what I’ve been doing for the past eight years…keep my SISTERS from killing each other!” Michelle snapped.
“Wait?! What?! April is here?! Where?!” JC sputtered, his jaw dropping to the floor.
Michelle smirked. “Floral jumper, 12:00.”
“That’s April?” Justin asked, his eyes wide.
She was pretty and she did have some of the same features as Michelle and Alexis, but she and Alexis were definitely NOT identical.
“I thought she lived in New York?” Lance asked.
“She does.” Michelle sighed.
“So, what’s she doing here?” Joey chimed in.
“No FUCKING clue! She never said a word to me about coming to LA.”
JC felt his blood run cold as he watched Alexis, and then Michelle head towards April. He hadn’t seen April in over eight years but it didn’t matter, the words she’d said were still fresh in his brain as if they had just happened.
***
“I’m sorry Josh, I can’t do this. I don’t love you anymore.”
“What?! Don’t say that! You don’t mean it!”
“I do mean it! I don’t love you! I don’t think I ever did!”
“Do you love him?”
“Him? Him who?”
“Whomever it is you’re cheating on me with?”
“You think I’m cheating on you?”
“I KNOW you are? I’ve known for a while.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you…I just…I just couldn’t be tied down. I can’t be with just one guy…not right now.”
“You could have told me that! You could have been honest with me!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t! Don’t you dare April! Don’t you dare try to apologize because you’re not sorry…you’re just sorry you got caught.”
***
The host had just walked away from the table. April and Amy had just sat down when Alexis appeared at the table. Her eyes were on fire and she was glaring down at her sister.
“What are YOU doing here?” Alexis spat out, her voice low.
“Well, “hello” to you too! If you must know I’m having lunch with my Publicist. What are you doing here?” April replied calmly.
Inside she was still reeling from shock. Of all the places she could have picked in LA to have lunch it had to be the one place that Alexis was at as well. She wasn’t at all ready to face her sister yet, she had hoped she would have time to mentally prepare herself for that interaction but here they were.
“I meant here in LA, we agreed …you would stay on the East coast and I would stay on the west.” Alexis shot back.
April had to fight a smile. “SO, when you go on tour…you’re going to just skip the whole East coast? I’m sure the label will LOVE that!”
“Wait?! Tour?! Label?! April, is this your sister?” Amy asked in disbelief.
However, now that she was taking the time to actually look at the women standing above them, she realized that it was, in fact, April’s twin; Alexis.
“Yup!” April replied smirking a bit.
Alexis ignored the other woman and glared down at her sister again.
“I’m going to ask you ONE more time, what are you doing here?”
April sighed. She knew where Alexis’s hatred of her came from, and to be honest, she didn’t blame her in the least.
“The truth?” April replied taking a breath.
“Are you even capable of telling the truth?” Alexis shot back.
April closed her eyes briefly and tried to calm herself. This was going to get ugly, she’d known that since the moment she’d stepped off the plane that morning. She just hadn’t expected it would happen at a restaurant in the heart of LA.
“I know it might be hard for you to believe, but actually, I am, and the truth is I came to LA to see YOU!”
April’s response took Alexis by surprise. She hadn’t expected that at all, but at the same time she wasn’t ready to believe that April didn’t have ulterior motives, not yet anyway.
“Me?! We’ve barely spoken in eight years and NOW you want to talk to me? Why?” Alexis snapped.
“Would you like to sit down?” April replied motioning to a chair.
“NO! You still haven’t told me why you’re here…in LA!” Alexis exclaimed.
“Yes, I did!” April snapped back as she started to stand.
People were starting to take notice. Meanwhile, Michelle had just appeared at the table.
“PLEASE! Please you two…don’t make a scene! We’re out in public, you’re both high profile now, it’s Josh’s birthday party…” Michelle pleaded quietly.
“JOSH?! Josh is here?!” April exclaimed as sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.
April’s eyes started to dart around the restaurant looking for Josh. She looked back towards where Alexis had come from and that was when she saw him, seated at a booth surrounded by the rest of *NSYNC, his eyes on her and wide with surprise.
“Leave him alone! Haven’t you hurt him enough already?” Alexis growled.
“I actually came here to apologize…to all of you!” April shot back.
“A bit too late for that, don’t you think?” Alexis smirked.
April was losing her patience quickly.
“LOOK!...”April shouted causing pretty much everyone on the patio to turn their heads.
Michelle groaned.
“NO! You look…both of you…” Michelle intervened.
The fire in her eyes told both Alexis and April to listen. Meanwhile, across the patio the members of *NSYNC as well as the other guests were straining to hear. JC felt like he was going to be sick. Just watching the three Moretti girls stand there, glaring at each other was enough to make him nauseous. Not to mention bring back memories from the past he’d tried for the last eight years to bury.
“I’m DONE! I am done being the referee in your “Celebrity death match” so here’s what is going to happen…April, you’re going to gather your purse and whatever other belongings you have with you and meet us outside in five minutes…” Michelle started.
“But…”April protested.
“But NOTHING, it’s not a suggestion! Alexis, you’re going to come with me and say “goodbye” to Josh and the others. Then, you and I are going to join April outside and the THREE of us are going back to the condo and NO ONE is leaving until you two air out your SHIT!”
“OH, HELL NO!” Alexis shot back through gritted teeth.
Michelle gave her sister a withering look. “I’m NOT negotiating, you’re coming!”
“The HELL I am!”
Michelle looked to Alexis, then back towards the opposite end of the patio where Kenny and Lonnie were poised to move. She gave Kenny a look and he nodded. He understood.
“Don’t make me call for back-up?” Michelle smirked nodding towards the two large men.
“You wouldn’t?!” Alexis asked in disbelief.
“Try me!” Michelle smirked.
“Fine! You can say “goodbye” to Josh for me, be sure to let him know this was your idea, not mine” Alexis sneered.
“Fine.” Michelle grumbled before turning on her heel.
Five pairs of eyes widened as Michelle approached the table. She did NOT look happy. Without saying a word, she grabbed her purse and pulled her wallet out. She undid the zipper then handed a debit card to Justin.
“Tequila! I need Tequila! Good, bad, I don’t care, but preferably more than one bottle.” Michelle explained quickly.
Justin raised an eyebrow. He was beyond curious. They all were.
“Umm…ok…sure…may I ask why?”
Michelle nodded back towards her sisters, who were still standing at the table, silently glaring at each other.
“Because I am SO OVER this SHIT! I’m locking the two of them in the house and not letting either of them out until they air out their baggage or kill each other…whichever comes first.” Michelle smirked.
Justin couldn’t help but chuckle. “Ok, so then the Tequila is for you?”
Michelle grinned. “Mostly, yes!”
“Gotcha!” Justin replied nodding.
“Why is April here?” JC managed to get out.
He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer but had decided he needed to ask anyway.
Michelle’s eyes softened as she looked back at him. She smiled and sighed a little.
“She says she is here to apologize to all of “us” which I am going to guess includes you, and well, I don’t think I need to tell you how we Moretti girls are once we put our minds to something. In other words, you might want to start preparing yourself now because I have a feeling that she’s not leaving LA until she’s had her say.” Michelle explained.
“Maybe I better get a bottle for us too.” Justin smirked.
Michelle nodded. “Go for it!”
Justin smiled and handed the card back to Michelle.
“No worries. I got this! I’ll bring you the good stuff…sounds like you’re going to need it.”
“Thanks.” Michelle replied cracking a smile.
Then she leaned in a planted a kiss on JC’s cheek and smiled as she pulled away.
“Happy birthday Josh! I’m sorry I am kidnapping Lexi but I PROMISE I will have her call you as soon as the dust settles.”
“You better.” JC said forcing a smile.
This was NOT at all how his birthday party was supposed to go. He didn’t like it.
“Oh yeah, before I forget, your presents from Lexi and I are in the bag underneath the table. You can open them whenever you like, you don’t have to wait until your actual birthday.”
“Thanks.”
Michelle nodded then turned to Lonnie and Kenny, directing her gaze towards Lonnie first.
“Do you think I could borrow you for a second? I think the two of them might need some motivation to leave and well, I’m not strong enough to drag them both, nor do I want to create an even bigger scene.”
Lonnie nodded. “Sure thing.”
Minutes later Michelle, Alexis, and April were piled into Michelle’s car headed back to the condo. No one was saying anything. Alexis and April both had their arms crossed and were currently staring at the window. Meanwhile, Michelle was trying to focus on the road.
Once they reached the condo Michelle followed both girls inside then locked the door behind them. She placed a chair behind the door then sat, blocking the exit.
“We have a back door.” Alexis smirked.
“We do, but I have your keys, remember? You had me put them in my purse at the party, so even if you left, you’d have to walk.”
“I could call Josh. He’d come get me.”
Michelle laughed. “You could, but I have your phone too.”
“Ok, maybe she can’t leave, but I can.” April shot back.
“You could try.” Michelle replied evilly.
“I could call Amy, she’d come get me.” April reasoned.
“I think your publicist knows better than to cross me, and besides, you were the one that said you came here to apologize. Not to mention the fact that I have Kenny watching the back and I GUARANTEE you’re not getting past him.”
“God! Are you always this infuriating?!” April huffed.
“Not always, just when necessary.”
“THIS is necessary?” April huffed.
“OH, THIS is 100% necessary! I’m DONE being the middle man! DONE! So …here is how this works, Alexis you’re going to go to your room and change into something comfortable. April, you can go to my room and borrow something of mine. Sweats, shorts, yoga pants, I don’t care! Then the two of you are going to come back in here and actually TALK to each other! Scream, yell, I really don’t care but you’re NOT leaving until this BULLSHIT between you is settled once and for all.”
“Bullshit?” Alexis snapped.
“It’s BULLSHIT! It’s been eight years, and yeah, I know Josh is back in the picture now and that complicates things but FUCK…enough is enough! Now go change, both of you!” Michelle snapped.
“Who are you? Mom?” April snickered.
“Nope! Just the sister that has had to put up with your SHIT and be the peace keeper for the past eight years and I’m OVER IT!”
10 minutes later both April and Alexis returned to the living room, both dressed in sweats and t-shirts. Michelle noticed that April had chosen an *NSYNC t-shirt from her stash and suddenly had to fight not to laugh. Whether April had done it on purpose or just grabbed a shirt without looking it definitely added to the experience.
A little over an hour later there was a knock at the door. Michelle suspected that it was Justin with the Tequila but was also praying it wasn’t JC. That was all she needed. April and Alexis hadn’t moved from their spots and neither had said a word. They just sat there, staring down at their hands, neither wanting to be the first to speak.
Michelle shook her head and stood from her chair in front of the door, unlocked the deadbolt and slipped outside but stayed in front of the door, blocking it.
It was Justin. He was standing on the front porch, with a canvas reusable shopping bag in his hand and a tentative smile on his face.
“Well, I don’t hear screaming. That’s a good sign.”
Michelle cracked a smile. “They aren’t talking, neither one of them.”
“It’s been over an hour.” Justin said in shock.
“We Morettis, we’re stubborn.”
“Apparently.” Justin chuckled.
“How is Josh?” Michelle asked sincerely.
Justin chuckled. “Umm…ok…brooding. We are all meeting up at my place. We didn’t think he should be left alone right now.”
Michelle nodded. “Smart thinking.”
“We have our moments.” Justin teased.
Michelle laughed. “Well, you are back together so there is that.”
Justin smiled and shook his head and handed Michelle the bag.
“Thanks for this.” Michelle replied taking the bag.
She peeked inside and her eyes widened. He’d gotten the GOOD stuff.
“Justin…you didn’t have to…”
Justin grinned. “Like I said, I got you! Based on the little bit I know about you and your sisters I figured the situation called for something better than Jose Cuervo.”
Michelle laughed. “Good point, but this is Espolon, isn’t it like $200 per bottle? I don’t have that kind of money.”
Justin grinned devilishly. “I’ll figure out a way for you to pay me back.”
Michelle blushed then giggled. “Get out of here!”
“Call me tomorrow?” Justin asked grinning.
Michelle nodded. “As soon as I can.”
Once back inside the house Michelle proceeded to the kitchen with the bag and then busied herself with searching for some shot glasses. After a few minutes spent digging through cupboards Michelle was able to find three shot glasses.
Smiling to herself she arranged everything on a tray, then carried the tray to the living room and set it down on the coffee table between her two sisters. Then, without saying a word she opened the Tequila bottle, poured three shots and then sat down on the carpet facing them.
“Fine, neither of you want to talk, maybe a little liquid courage will motivate you.” Michelle smirked before taking the first shot.
“No salt or limes?” Alexis asked making a face.
“This is the GOOD shit, we don’t need salt or limes with this.” Michelle replied.
April picked up the bottle to look at it more closely. She noticed the label and her eyes went wide.
“Espolon?! How did you get Espolon?” April asked.
“I have my ways.” Michelle smirked.
April grabbed her shot glass and downed it quickly then set it back down on the coffee table.
“I’m sorry!” She blurted out.
“Oh, NOW you’re sorry?!” Alexis snapped back before grabbing her own shot glass.
Alexis tossed the shot back then set her glass back down on the coffee table. Immediately, Michelle began to pour a 2nd round.
“I am! I am SO sorry Alexis! I had NO idea! If I had known…” April said before grabbing her 2nd shot.
Alexis’s green eyes darkened as she looked over at her twin.
“If you had known what?” Alexis snapped.
“That you were in love with Josh.” April shot back.
Both girls were now 2 shots down and grabbing for their third. Michelle, however, was already pouring her fourth.
“What makes you think I was in love with Josh?”
“OH, COME ON?! You’re STILL in love with Josh!” April yelled.
“And this matters to you now, why?”
Alexis was seething by this point.
“Why? YOU’RE MY SISTER! THAT’S WHY!”
“NO! I’M ONLY YOUR SISTER WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT FOR YOU!” Alexis screamed back.
“Is that really what you think?”
“Prove me wrong!” Alexis snapped.
April’s eyes narrowed and she started to stand. “GOD! YOU ARE INFURIATING!”
Meanwhile, Michelle sat back and just watched, shaking her head and smirking a bit. She’d been waiting for a blow up like this for eight years. FINALLY, they were getting somewhere.
“The feeling is mutual!”
“Look, I get it! You hate me! You hate me because I broke his heart. I hate me for that too. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t hate myself a little for what I did”
“GOOD!” Alexis snapped.
“Are you really this much of a BITCH?!” April replied.
“LOOK WHO’S TALKING?”
April just sighed and settled back down on the couch. Although this wasn’t how she had planned this would go this was exactly what she’d come to LA to do.
“I was selfish! I was only thinking about myself!”
“Keep going.” Alexis smirked.
April didn’t glorify Alexis’s remark with a reply, but she did keep talking. She needed to get it all out. That was why Michelle had locked them up in the first place.
“I was young, we all were. Too young to be in a relationship that serious. Regardless, I shouldn’t have cheated on him. That was wrong! I know that! I knew that then! What I didn’t know was how YOU felt about him, but I should have. As your SISTER I should have seen it.”
“How? How did you not know? He was my Best Friend! So were you!” Alexis whispered as tears started to well her in eyes.
“I know.” April whispered back.
The three girls sat quiet for several minutes. Both Alexis and April were on the verge of tears. There was still a lot that needed to be said.
“He told me he couldn’t look at me because my eyes reminded him of you.” Alexis said quietly.
April sucked in a breath. In the eight years of fighting Alexis had never once mentioned that.
“He said that?!” April exclaimed.
“Wait?! You didn’t know that?” Michelle chimed in.
“You did?!” April replied.
Michelle nodded.
April sighed heavily and shook her head.
“I know that “I’m sorry” doesn’t fix this. I know that I could say “I’m sorry” until my last breath and it still wouldn’t make up for what I did, but I am sorry. I am SO sorry Lexi. I shouldn’t have cheated on him. I shouldn’t have told him I didn’t love him. I did love him, on some level, just not the way you did or do. You do love him, don’t you?”
Alexis nodded but didn’t speak.
April cracked a smile. “Yeah, I kinda figured that out after watching your video.”
Alexis’s eyes widened. “You watched the video?”
This time, it was April that nodded.
“It’s beautiful, painful to watch, but beautiful and you look INCREDIBLE in that dress!”
Alexis smiled just a little. “It’s a GORGEOUS dress!”
“Did you know it was my design?” April asked curiously.
“Not at first. Not until I fell in love with it.”
“I can imagine how that went.” April smirked.
“I really wanted to HATE it, but I couldn’t, it was too perfect.”
April nodded. “I think on some level I made it with you in mind. Then, when I saw the video…you in MY dress…and the Josh look alike…you know, I broke my favorite coffee mug watching that video. You did that on purpose, didn’t you? The Josh look alike I mean.”
Alexis smirked. “Yes. I wrote the song the day I found out Josh was going to produce the album.”
“You wrote that in a day?!” April exclaimed.
Alexis smiled and nodded.
April smirked. “Well, I always knew you were talented, now so does everyone else.”
“Thanks. You’re pretty talented yourself.” Alexis replied.
April nodded. “I’m trying! Goodness knows it hasn’t been easy. Fashion is a very fickle industry.”
“So is music.” Alexis answered.
April laughed a little. “I can see that. Lucky for me, my designs have been getting a bit more attention lately. I think I have you to thank for that.”
“Me?!” Alexis replied confused.
April nodded. “Yes, YOU! The video, your album art work. YOU are the new BIG deal in music and people are starting to take notice of MY designs because YOU wore them. I could NEVER pay for that kind of publicity, not right now anyway. Which is the other reason I came here…”
“I KNEW IT! I knew you had some ulterior motive for coming here. SO, what is it? What do you want?” Alexis snapped.
Michelle groaned and fell back onto the floor. Just when she thought they were actually getting somewhere.
April nodded. “I know what you’re thinking and I don’t blame you in the least. I don’t. If it were me, I would be thinking the same thing, but believe me, it’s not like that.”
“Why should I believe you? Tell me, why should I listen to a word that comes out of your mouth?”
April nodded. “I get it! For the past eight years we’ve barely spoken for more than just a few minutes, and only then when absolutely necessary. You have every right to be skeptical. You have every right to NOT believe me. I don’t blame you in the least, but PLEASE just hear me out, then you can go back to hating me, if that’s what you want.”
Alexis huffed and blew a strand of hair out of her face.
“Fine! Talk!”
“I knew when I saw that video that it was time, time to start facing my mistakes, time to start taking responsibility for what I had done to the people I care about, but I didn’t know how. I knew I couldn’t just pick up the phone, but I also knew I couldn’t just show up here. I knew you would hang up on me or slam the door in my face and I would have been ok with that. I deserved it, but I knew I had to try. Then Amy came up with this CRAZY idea! I told her it wouldn’t work. I told her you would say “no.” I told her that there was no way either of you would agree to it because Alexis, YOU hate me and Michelle, YOU hate being put in the middle.”
April paused to catch her breath. She was taking a huge risk here, playing all her cards at once but it was either this way or not at all.
“Go on.” Alexis urged.
She would have been lying to herself if she didn’t admit she was at the very least curious as to what April was about to propose.
“Amy insisted I at least try. She told me to use it as an opportunity to get us talking. I told her it wouldn’t work, that you would just see it as an excuse to get you to do something for me, which I can see is exactly what’s happening, but I knew she was right. I knew that I had to at the very least try. Regardless of what you thought, or how you felt about me I had to TRY to make things right. So, yeah, there are two reasons for me being here, but the first, the MOST important one is because I want to TRY to fix things between us.”
“What’s the second?” Michelle asked cautiously.
Michelle knew that Alexis probably wanted to ask as well but probably couldn’t at the moment, so she asked for both of them.
“Amy thinks I should do a fashion show, here in LA…”
“AND?” Alexis urged with a smirk.
“And, she thinks the three of us should model my line.”
Alexis snorted loudly. “Oh, I bet she does!”
April smirked and shook her head. “I know what you’re thinking…that I am just asking you because it’s free publicity…and although that’s true that’s not really why I am asking.”
“SO, then why are you asking?” Alexis grumbled.
April cracked a smile. “Because you look AMAZING in my designs, because you are my SISTER, because if I am going to do this then I want people I KNOW I can count on, and because if you ask me, it’s about time the world found out the MORETTI girls are a force to be reckoned with, all three of us!”
“How did I get dragged into this? I’m not a model, or a singer?” Michelle laughed nervously.
“No! Maybe not, but you are also my SISTER and your body type is similar to Alexis and myself so I know you would ROCK my line.”
Alexis couldn’t help but laugh. Although she HATED admitting it, the idea had merit and she would love to see the look on Josh’s face when she, April and Michelle took to the runway. Justin’s too!
However, before Alexis agreed to anything, she had a few questions.
“Do you really want to fix the mess between us?”
April nodded. “I do. More than anything. I should have tried a LONG time ago.”
“So, you won’t disappear once the Fashion show is over?”
“Not unless you want me to.”
“Do you plan on fixing things with Josh too?”
April nodded again, this time a bit sadly. She really did feel awful about how much she’d hurt him.
“If he’ll let me. I wouldn’t blame him if he refused to even see me.”
“Are you going to try to get back with him?” Alexis asked, her voice wavering.
April’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.
“What?! NO! I would NEVER…he’s with the Moretti he’s meant to be with!”
The tears had started to stream down Alexis’s face and now that they’d started, she was powerless to stop them. She was crying the tears she’d been holding back for almost eight years.
“Do you really believe that?” Alexis whispered.
April nodded as her own tears started to fall.
“I do! GOD LEXI! I ABSOLUTELY do! If I had known then what I know now, how you felt about him, well, things might have turned out a lot differently!”
“You two are going to make me cry!” Michelle gushed.
“I’ll do it!” Alexis blurted out.
“Do what?” April asked confused.
“Your fashion show.”
“Me too!” Michelle replied, half giggling and half crying.
April shrieked. “Really?!”
Both girls nodded.
“But, you have to make it right with Josh first.” Alexis said seriously.
“DONE! Or, at least I’ll try!” April agreed.
“Tomorrow!” Alexis insisted.
“Tomorrow?! Why tomorrow?” April replied as she tried to swallow the lump that had just appeared in her throat.
“His actual birthday is on Tuesday and I have plans for us, and I will NOT have THIS hanging over my head. Talk to him tomorrow or go back to New York. Those are your options.”
April nodded. “Fair enough. I think it’s time we end this mess once and for all. Tomorrow it is.”
