Chapter 12- After the show (is the after party)

     After confetti was thrown and rice was scattered throughout the streets, Melody and JC climbed into their limo, and the bridesmaids and grooms climbed into our seperate limo. Justin being the "gentleman" that he is, sat next to me.

     "Brooke, hun, you are a piece of work," he chuckled, his blue eyes dancing with laughter.

     "What?" I asked, trying to pretend I had no idea where he was going to go with this.

     "You crying over JC," he smirked, the corners of his lips turning into a grin.

     "Me crying over JC? Bullshit.  How many times do I have to tell you, Justin? I am so over him," I lied.

     "And how many times do I have to tell you that you are a liar?" he retorted.

    "Whatever. For your information I was crying because I was...uh...er... happy for Melody. Yeah. So there," I lied again, and tried scooting away from Justin.

     "Yeah. Right. You happy for Melody. Right." he rolled his eyes.

     "No...seriously-"I started.

      "No I totally believe you Brookey baby," he laughed, putting his arm around my shoulder. Although I knew he didn't mean a word he said.

     I flung his arm off me. "Get the fuck off!"

     I must've said that pretty loud, because the rest of the guys of *NSYNC turned around, their eyes huge in confusion.

     "Uh...hi...," I stuttered, my face hot with embarrasment.

     Justin turned and smiled at the rest of the guys. "I don't believe you guys have officially met Brooke, have you?" Justin asked.

    "Actually...no," Chris shook his head.

     Chris was a short guy with beady brown eyes. He had a short little goatee, and for some reason, looked out of place with his tuxedo on.

    "Well, hi I'm Brooke," I introduced myself.

     "Well aren't you a pretty lil thing?" Lance asked, amused.

     I blushed. The guys of *NSYNC were telling me that I am pretty. Me. Brooke O'Neil.

  I mean that's not news or anything, though.

     "Aw... why thanks," I replied, modestly.

     "You know, we've heard a lot about you," Joey pointed out.

     "Really?" I asked suspiciously, casting a glance over at Justin.

     "Yeah. JC always talks about you," Joey replied.

     I was shocked. JC talking about me?

     "Yeah. He always talked about how you were his kid friend from Maryland, and that you always look out for Mel," Chris announced, his  brown eyes looking into my green ones.

    "Oh." I said, my heart drooping in disappointment. I was hoping...

     Well...

     I don't know.

     "We're here!" Lance gasped.

     I looked out of the limousine window and was amazed at what stood before me.

     It was a fancy country club overlooking an ocean. Below was a beach where you could see the moonlight cast light over the curling tides. It was beautiful. Breath-taking. Radiant.

    "Damn. JC got a nice place," Chris whistled.

     "I wonder how much this cost," Joey wondered, scratching his head.

    "A fortune, most likely."

     We all exited the limo and shuddered at a breeze that passed.

     The building was not only beautiful on the outside, but in the inside, too.

     We sat down, and lucky me, I got to sit next to Justin.

     Whoopee.

     "And now, Mr. and Mrs. JC Chasez will have their first dance together as husband and wife," a voice announced from somewhere I couldn't pin-point.

     Melody walked gracefully to JC and JC bowed down to her. She giggled, and made a curtsy, and was soon in his arms.

     I looked over at Justin, and was shocked to see he wasn't there. Actually, none of the guys were there.

     Suddenly, a smooth voice filled the room.

When the visions around you

bring tears to your eyes

     The bells of recognition rang in my head. Oh. They were singing This I Promise You. That is so sweet.

     Melody once told me that he had once brought her on-stage at an *NSYNC concert. You know, when they pick random people out of the audience and serenaded them? Well, Melody was lucky. JC and the rest of the guys serenaded her with This I Promise You, and the rest with her and JC was history.

     Lucky bitch.

     I looked around me, and realized that I was alone. Not just because I was the only one at my table, but in life. Alone. All by myself. Trapped in a world of darkness with no light, and before me stood JC and Melody, so happy just to be in each other's presence. I wish I could have that.

     I sighed and took a swig of my champagne.

     A pang of jealousy surged through my body, and I tried to fight it, I really did. Melody's a nice girl, I kept reminding myself, over and over again.

     But...

     I couldn't help but to hate her.

     Loathe her.

     Abhor her.

     Because JC is supposed to be mine.

     I'm supposed to be the one who lazily rests her head on his shoulder. I am the one who is supposed to love him.

    Me.

     Not her.

     After the song ended, everyone went back to their seats, cake was passed out, and of course, Melody and JC fed each other.

    Justin took his fork and knocked it to his champagne glass.

     "Everybody! I have a toast to make!"

     The room quieted into a silent hush.

    Justin turned his attention toward JC.

    "Now, first, I would like to thank Melody and JC for letting me come to this beautiful occasion."

    The room filled with applause, in agreement with Justin.

    "I am especially honored to be JC's best man. I have known JC ever since...heck maybe since I was around eleven on the Mickey Mouse Club. We became tight during *NSYNC, and he showed my teenage punk ass self-"

     The crowd laughed.

     "-to be respectable and a loving human being. He showed me that there was more to life than pretty girls, money, and fame...although it is pretty nice if I would say so myself."

      The crowd laughed again, and I rolled my eyes. With the way they were laughing, you would've thought that he was Dave Chapelle or something.

     "Well anyway, I wish Melody and JC many more happy years together."

    The crowd clapped, and Justin leaned over to my ear and whispered, "Even though some of us don't."

     I looked at him angrily and ignored him.

    He whispered something again, "Don't act like you didn't hear me either. You'll never have him Brooke, never. He's gone."

    I lost it.

     Who is he to tell me I would never have him?

     Acting on the adrenaline rushing in my body, I picked up my sliver of cake and-

     -threw it in his face.

     He looked up at me, cake smeared all over his face.

    And you know what he did?

     He laughed!

     He fucking laughed!

    And then he picked up a piece of cake-

      -and smeared it all over my face!

      I looked at the everybody else, and back at Justin's face, and then back into everybody else's wide eyes, and-

      I started to laugh, too! This was a fucking crazy situation. Here I was at a wedding, JC Chasez's wedding to be exact, and I'm smearing cake all of Justin Timberlake's face. Justin Timberlake, the guy most girls would rather die than ever disrespect.

      The crowd looked to Melody to see what her response would be.

       She looked hesitant for one moment before taking the rest of her piece of cake and smashing it into JC's face.

      And that's how it all happened.

      The big food fight.

     It was fun, all in good nature, and it lasted for a good ten minutes.

      Well that was wasted time in getting my makeup done.

     At least this wedding will be memorable.

     The paparazzi will have fun with this one.

     After the crowd settled, and cake was scattered everywhere, Melody announced that she was going to throw the bouquet.

     All the girls gathered toward Melody while I stayed put.

     Melody threw it in the air, and by reasons I can't figure out, it magically landed in my arms.

     I shrieked and threw it to the floor.

     Hell, I don't want to get married next.

     And I won't.

     This I promise you.

     ~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

      At the end of the reception, JC picked up Melody in his arms, and carried her to the limo.

    They waved their hands out the window, and drove off into the darkness to start their future lives together, starting with their honeymoon in some tropical Island I've never heard off.

   I stood there, alone again, and the depth of Justin's word's sank in.

     "You'll never have him Brooke. He's gone."

     Maybe he was right. He's gone. And...he might never be mine.