Lets Get Together: Chapter 16
JC saw the divider between the tables of the bar and the rest of the club and made his way closer, seeing the top of her red head and the blonde seated next to her that he assumed was Lance. He stopped, taking a deep breath before putting his right foot in front of him to walk into the bar and talk to her. But, should he talk to her? What if she didn't want to talk to him? And… he could feel his palms begin to sweat and he wiped them on his pants before moving around an individual that was standing near him.
A few people cut him off and he had to stop from running directly into them before he could actually walk into the bar. He maneuvered the rest of the way through the people and entered the bar, sidling up towards the table, knowing this was either going to make or break him for the evening and perhaps the rest of his life.
"I don't want to hear it, Lance." Sam said, taking the drink from the waitress before handing over a five, waving to her to let her know to keep the change.
"Hear what?" He said, putting his elbows on the table as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was messed up from running her hands through her hair. Her blue eyes were twinkling but there was still a touch of sadness in them and that's why he was sitting here, trying to cheer her up.
"Hear about this drink."
"I wasn't going to say a word, but now that you mention it, are you sure you should be drinking that?"
"What are you now, my father?" She asked, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of the drink. She loved white russians, the way they smoothly slid down your throat, settling comfortably in your stomach. The taste always sweet, making one think of chocolate and sugar.
"No…it's just…." He frowned. "How many is that?"
She sighed loudly, before turning to him, feeling very vindictive that he was interrupting this moment. "It's number one, thank you."
"Oh…" Lance flushed, thinking that she'd had more than that over the course of the evening.
"Yeah, buddy, you're the one that's had the few Mike's already." She shook her head, looking down at her drink before smiling and taking another sip.
"What's wrong, Sam?" He asked, sliding an arm around her shoulders as she sipped her drink silently.
"I can't believe that happened is all." She said quietly, talking about JC's fight with his girlfriend.
"That he dumped her? We told you it was coming."
"I know, but as long as I've known him… well even as long as I've known about him, he's had a girlfriend and now…" She shook her head, not knowing how to finish the thought.
"And now he doesn't." Lance said softly, withdrawing his arm. "Sam…"
"I know what you're going to say. I shouldn't think like this. I shouldn't wonder. But… my heart is pounding so hard, Lance. My hands are sweating. I'm so nervous, I can't think straight. However, while that’s all happening my head is telling me that I'm stupid, why would he want me? I'm just Sam from the boonies. Everything she said is right. I'm just ordinary." She slumped down in her seat.
Lance grabbed her chin so that she'd look up at him. "Now you listen to me. You are not ordinary, you are not plain or whatever she said, you are not uncultured…. You are nothing of what she said. Do you understand me?"
Her eyes began to well with unshed tears. "But… I am uncultured. This is really the first place I've been to outside of Washington and…"
Lance sighed. "So you haven't traveled. You were going to school and couldn't afford it. You also have more education and culture in your small pinky than that woman had in her entire body, believe me."
She shook her head. "But I'm nothing special. I'm just me and… " She put her head down on the table. "And I'm a wreck. I tried so hard not to let what she said or her comments affect me but I couldn't help it. Everything she said struck a chord and now… I'm such a mess. And then they got into it on the floor and…" She took a deep breath. "I had to leave. I knew they were fighting about Brande and I, because we're not a part of your usual crowd, but I honestly didn't think it would come to that."
Lance smiled, trying not to chuckle at her ramblings. She really was upset. He lightly began to rub her back as she sniffled into the table. "Sam... you are special, no matter what you might think. We all saw it when we met you and still see it. That woman… she's the plain, unwanted person around here, not you. And JC and her fighting is almost an everyday occurrence, she always found something to pick at him about. You and Brande had nothing to with him ending it." Well not too much…
She looked up. "Are you sure? Cause I'm feeling really guilty here. He loved her so much, you could tell and for him to kick her out and…" She sighed. "I don't even know what I'm rambling about anymore."
"Good." Lance laughed. "Cause it wasn't making any sense to begin with, got it?" He asked her. "You're you and that's all that matters and believe me, we all love you because of that. Don't let one person get to you." He looked into her eyes, hoping that she believed him. "Are you hearing what I'm saying?" He wanted to close his eyes in case she caught the double meaning he'd just given or read it in his eyes, his heart completely stopping but when all she did was smile, his breathing grew easier and his heart started to beat again. She hadn't read into it. She still didn't know how he felt.
"Thanks, Lance." She smiled slightly before reaching out to give him a hug. They drew apart when a throat cleared beside them.
"Hi…" JC said, shifting his feet slightly, his hands in his back pockets as he looked over them, his eyes finally resting on Sam's face, not moving.
"I think…" Lance started, shifting towards the edge of the bench to get up, but was stopped by a set of nails in his arm. He looked back at her questioningly but stayed by what he saw on her face. She was utterly terrified at that exact moment. He looked back up at JC and shrugged. He honestly didn't know what to do.
JC didn't pay him any attention as he watched Sam shift under his gaze, trying to look anywhere but at him. Why hadn't he noticed the way that she was nervous around him before? The way she always played with her hair and when she did look at him, her eyes never wavered. She'd stood by him even when he was an ass and a friend when he needed her.
"Right." Lance muttered. He did not like his position at that moment at all. He knew he should leave them alone but he really didn't want to leave Sam when he could feel her hand trembling. This was the moment that had been building up between the two of them since they'd met and the polite thing for him to do was to disappear, let things happen the way they were supposed to but…
"Hey JC… don't forget to mention non-smoking and singing in the rain." Justin quipped, his head popping up behind Lance, in between Sam and him.
JC 's eyes widened when he saw Justin's curly hair. "Justin…" He said, motioning him to leave with his head, bringing him out of his daze quickly.
Sam reached over and grabbed his shoulder. "Justin…" She smiled brightly, too brightly. "Join us. Have a drink. Stay and chat. How are you?"
Justin raised an eyebrow, looking at Sam like she was nuts. "You okay there? Had a few too many maybe? You're acting weird."
Sam gritted her teeth, thanking everyone involved that Justin was a mischievous sort and had showed up when he had, even though the boy was too blunt and curious for his own good. He was going to be her savior if it killed her… or him if he kept asking her questions like that. "This is my first. Come sit." She motioned him around towards the table.
"I uh…" He looked around at everyone, wondering what was going on. JC and Sam should be talking, not having a group gossip session. JC was glaring at him, telling him to leave, while Lance just sat there, confusion written plainly across his face.
"Justin… man… you sure took off like a rabbit through that crowd. Then I got stopped but these two girls who wouldn't stop giggling and taking pictures of me, muttering something about some board and people being jealous. Anyway… " He looked at everyone who was staring at him. "What?"
"Guys…" JC started, his head jerking to the side, hoping that they'd get the hint.
"I have to go to the bathroom." Lance said quietly, trying to move again, only to be jerked back by the loop in his pants. "Or not."
Sam reached a hand up, trying to signal the waitress, who wasn't paying attention. "Hmmm…" She frowned, but her face cleared up by her next thought. "Why don't you guys have a seat, take a load off and tell me what you want and I'll go order it." She looked around expectantly, waiting for them to say something.
"I'll take a rum and coke, Sam." Justin grinned, daring anyone to reprimand him at that moment for drinking under-aged.
"Long Island." Joe said, shrugging, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to disappear either.
"Mike's." Lance muttered towards the table.
She nodded that she'd heard and tried not to look at JC. "Uh Josh?" She asked, quietly.
JC just stared at her as she climbed out of the booth to head towards the bar. She was absolutely beautiful and she'd just called him Josh. He wanted to grab her and kiss her but…
"Dude!" Joey said, waving a hand in front of his face, a slight smile across his face.
He shook his head, clearing away his thoughts. "What?"
"Sam asked what you wanted."
"Oh uh…" You. "Anything is fine." He muttered, before sliding into the booth, not knowing what to do.
She nodded, walking away to order their drinks. JC watched her walk away before turning back to his friends. "What are you doing here?"
Justin shrugged. "We just wanted to see how you were doing and make sure you were okay."
"Go away." He said through clenched teeth, watching Sam out of the corner of his eye to make sure she was still at the bar.
"But… our drinks." Joe said, looking at Sam.
"I'll pay you back or whatever. Just go." He said tiredly. He had to get them out of there or he'd never be able to talk to her.
"JC…" Lance said, not wanting to say this but knowing he should. Now wasn't the time, for either of them, no matter how opportune it might look. "Look…"
"I don't want to hear it, Lance." JC said, blowing him off. His mind made up to talk to her right them and there.
Lance's face darkened by his friend's casual dismissal of what he had to say. "No, you're going to hear it before she gets back."
"What?" JC asked, turning around to look at him when he felt Lance grip his arm.
"Now is not a good time. I know you're just figuring out how you feel about her and how she feels about you, but don't do it now. It's too fresh in everyone's minds and the last thing that girl needs is to have her face plastered on every magazine cover for being the reason that you publicly dumped your long time girlfriend. Are you hearing me?"
JC nodded with a sigh. "Yeah…"
"Good. Don't make your move or say anything just yet. Look at her. She's strung so tight, I'm really surprised she hasn't snapped yet. Just be careful. Please, for her sake."
JC watched his friend, advocating restraint on his part right then, while everyone else was telling him to go for it. He reached up to rub his forehead as he thought through what he was saying, but dropped his hand when another thought crossed his mind. "Are you telling me to back off because you want her back and think that you have a chance?" He asked before he could stop himself, wanting to kick himself when Lance's expression darkened even more.
"I should hit you for that. Think about her for once would you and not yourself. Remember last time you thought you had her figured out and thought that driving her away was for the best but all it did in the end was hurt both you and her. Then you thought you'd make it up to her by being friends since she was moving down here when all you wanted was a piece of her in your life because you'd thrown it away. You have no idea what all this roller coasting has done to her. Give it time, please. Let yourself be used to being without that woman and find who you are before trying to find out who she is. Cause honestly JC… I don't think you know who you are." Lance told him disgustedly, before walking off.
JC looked at Justin and Joe wide-eyed, not knowing what to say. "I…"
Justin shook his head. "Don't look at us. Lance is the closest one to her though, at least take some of what he said, seriously. He knows her better than anyone else. Although, I think some of what he said was said in anger. You kinda did cross the line on that last, comment, JC." He shrugged, before sliding into the booth, taking Lance's place.
JC looked at the tabletop and began to trace the pattern, absently. "I don't know what to do, guys."
Joe looked at the red head that was trying to juggle four drinks back to them, before turning back to his friend. "Do what your heart says to do. It won't lie." Don't do what I did and throw away the best possible thing that you could've had because of friends.
JC looked up and saw her juggling the drinks, almost spilling the bottle of Mike's and jumped up to help her. "Here, let me get that." He asked, reaching for the drinks in her right hand.
She was so intent on watching where she was going and not dropping the drinks that when he took the two drinks from her, she jumped spilling the one in front down his stomach, straight into his lap. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the growing wet spot before lifting her eyes to meet his. "I'm so sorry." She said quickly, rushing over to the table to drop off the drinks and grab a few napkins.
She hurried back, trying to mop off his shirt, avoiding his pants. "I didn't mean… oh man…"
Justin watched JC stand there with this complete blank look across his face as he stared down at himself and Sam who kept repeating that she was sorry while trying to clean him up. He shook his head, trying not to laugh, before he lost it. "That's what happens when you try and be a gentleman, JC. You get spilled on."
JC looked over, glaring. "Well, you sure weren't getting up to help."
"I'm not a gentleman." He grinned broadly.
Joe looked at the drinks and sighed. "Did you have to spill mine, Sam?"
Sam looked up, the napkin suspended above the band of JC's pants as she stared at Joey and Justin, one who was looking forlornly at his empty glass and the other who couldn't stop laughing. "Oh god…" She whispered. She looked up at JC, her face turning even whiter. "I'm so sorry…I'm…" She shoved the napkin into his hand, muttering something about this making her night complete and finding Lance before running off.
JC just stood there, looking at the growing stain, feeling the alcohol seeping into his clothes, the wetness against his skin. He started shaking his head, over and over, wondering if this night would ever end. "Damn…" He muttered, using the napkin to mop some more of it up before walking back to the table. "Well that went well." He said, flopping into the booth disgusted with himself.
"It's okay, JC." Justin snickered. "Now everyone will just think that not only did you loser your temper, but you can't control your bladder either."
"Shut it, J." He mumbled, grimacing as his wet pants bunched against him. He reached down to pull them away from his skin a bit before, growling and standing back up to see if he could mop some more back up.
Joe picked up his drink, putting it to his lips as he tried to drink the last few remaining drops that hadn't spilled onto JC, before putting the glass down. He looked over at his friend who was trying to air dry his pants and the bottom of his shirt by waving them around. "Why don't you go into the bathroom and use one of those dryers?" Joey told him, thumbing in the direction of the bathroom.
"Good idea, thanks Joe." JC said, before stalking off towards the men's room, hoping no one saw him and stopped to talk to him.
"Well that was fun." Justin grinned, while grabbing his drink.
Joey looked over at Justin's full glass and glared. Justin's glass stopped half way to his lips, as Justin looked at Joe.
"Too bad about your drink huh?"
Joey grinned evilly and grabbed Justin's own glass and began to down it.
Justin opened and shut his mouth rapidly, "Hey…hey now. That's my drink."
Joey placed the now empty glass on the table and smiled. "Was your drink. And it was good. Thanks for being a pal."
Justin stuck out his lower lip, "Great. I have no drink. I have no date…wait…Joe…where are our dates?"
Joey shrugged, "Don't know. Haven't seen them since they left to look for other men."
Justin pouted more, "Oh yeah, even better, I'm sober, and my date is looking for other men."
"Oh stop being a baby and come and dance with me."
Justin looked up to see Britney standing besides the table. "What?"
"Dance? You know, what people do out on the dance floor." Britney rolled her eyes, "Come on J. I like this song and I want to dance."
"Than drag your date out there. I don't want to…" Justin felt his arm being pulled out of the booth, and the rest of his body following. "Ok, ok. Dancing. I'm coming."
"Thank you." She smiled sweetly. Turning to Joey she grinned, "I'll be back in a bit."
Joey nodded as he watched Brit drag Justin onto the dance floor. He shook his head, and waved to the waitress. She looked at him and grinned, walking slowly over, her blond hair bouncing with each step, her hips swinging left to right. When she reached the table she bent over enough so he could look down the front of her low cut black button up blouse.
"Yes sir?" She breathed
"Can I get a Long Island please?"
The blond smiled and nodded, "One Long Island. Anything else?" She brought her hand to her chest, and passed it over her ample amount of cleavage showing.
Joey closed his eyes trying to ignore the spectacle infront of him. "No thanks Miss."
Her hand stopped moving and she straighted up. Smiling slighty she nodded, and walked briskly back to the bar.
"Joe?"
Joey stiffened at the sound of the voice. He turned slowly so he could look at her. She smiled and pushed back some of the loose hair that had fallen into her eyes. "Ummm, have you seen Britney. I kind of lost her when we were out on the floor."
Joey watched her fidget for a moment before nodding, "Yeah. She just drug J back out there."
"Oh." She frowned and looked out onto the dance floor. "Well…then….umm…"
Joey shut his eyes tightly. Invite her to sit down moron. You can't ignore her forever. After all, she's dating one of your best friends. He opened his eyes and caught her staring at him. He had to blink a few times, trying to ignore the feelings that was radiating out of her eyes. "Why don't you sit down and wait." He saw her look at the seat next to him and then back at him. She looked scared to death. Like she was afraid of him. Oh god. What did I do? "If you want to that is." He added.
She nodded slowly and sat down at the farthest corner of the booth. He watched her from the corner of his eye. She looked around at the people, her eyes darting from face to face, looking for a familiar face.
"Your drink sir?"
Joey tore his eyes from the small girl and looked up at the waitress. Since she had left she had unbottoned two more buttons and had re-done her hair. He shook his head nad dug into his wallet. He saw Brande watching him out of the corner of his eye and stopped, "Do you want something to drink?"
Brande shoo her head quickly, "No. It's ok. I'm fine."
He shrugged and found a ten, handing it to the waitress. "Keep the change."
"Thank you Sir. And…" She reached into her blouse and pulled out a piece of paper, "I get off at 2." She smiled seductively at him before turning and walking away. He looked down at the paper and started smiling. Lyn. 555-6437
"Does that usually happen?"
Joey turned to look at Brande who was watching the waitress walk to another table, her long legs sticking out of a short black skirt. She looked down at her own outfit and folded her arms over her chest. He laughed slightly and she turned to glare at him. "What do you find so funny?"
"You." He smiled. Her gaze narrowed further and he sighed, "I'm just wondering why you are getting so self conscious when it's obvious you are much more beautiful then she could ever be." Her eyes widened and he felt his heart speed up. I didn't just say that out loud did I?
"Do you really think so?" She whispered.
Good one Fatone. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Well, what now? I don't know, you got yourself into this. With no help from you. Hey, I can't help it if you don't listen to me. I told you go after her. I told you to forget the kid but…Great. I just hit on Justin's girlfriend. Idiot! So are you going to fix it? Yes, now shut up and let me think. He looked at her and was momentarily caught off guard. Her eyes looked directly into his, full of wonderment. "Of course I do." He whispered. She smiled and he shook his head hard, "I mean. Justin would say the same thing if he were here."
Brande closed her eyes. Justin. She'd forgotten all about him for a moment. Tell him. Tell him. She opened them to find Joey taking a sip of his drink. "Joey…"
"Yeah?"
"About Justin. And…well…that night and the next morning when…"
Joey shook his head, "Look. Let's not talk about it ok? That night was…a mistake." Liar. Shut up, he yelled at his conscious. "I knew you liked Justin, but…I did something I shouldn't have." He looked directly into her eyes, and was startled when he saw tears. Suddenly his heart gave a giant thud, and he scooted closer to her. "Brande? Are you alright? I'm sorry if I…"
Brande tried to swallow the lump in her throat managing to dislodge it for a moment, "No, Joey. You're right. It was a mistake."
Her admitting it should have made him feel better, he thought to himself. Then why does your heart feel like it's shattering. "Brande…I…" He began.
"There you are."
Brande and Joey looked up to see Justin and Britney standing by each other grinning. Justin smiled at Brande but frowned when he saw the tears in her eyes. "B? Is something wrong?"
Brande smiled, "No. It's fine." Another slow song started and she stood up, "Come on. I…I'd like to dance."
"Ok." Justin said, placing an arm around her waist. "We'll be back."
"Take your time." Britney said, watching the two walk out to the dance floor. She looked back at Joey who was also watching the two leave, but his eyes had only settled on one of them. She shook her head and sat down where Brande had been.
"I don't understand you men."
Joey blinked and looked at Britney, "What do you mean?"
"Well, JC liked Sam, he was miserable with his ex, but it still took him forever to figure it out." She explained.
Joey nodded, "That's Jace. He never gets things real fast." She continued staring at him and he shook his head at her, "What? Why are you looking at me that way?"
"It must be contagious."
Joey raised an eyebrow, "And why is that?"
"No reason." Britney said smiling, before she winked at him.
Joey sighed, and placed his head on the table, "Is it that obvious?"
"Joe, you talked about her non-stop all the way back to the hotel. How she looked, what she said…."
"I know. I'm sorry I wasn't paying any attention to you." He mumbled
Britney laughed and patted the top of his head, "No sweat. I just find it cute. You like her a lot. One problem… she's dating Justin though. Or at least I think they're dating…" She frowned, before shrugging. "Oh well…"
"Even if they aren't "dating", she doesn't like me Brit. Not like that." He said exasperatedly. "She likes the Kid. She made her decision a long time ago." He looked onto the dance floor and watched as Brande and Justin slow danced. "I just have to deal with it and move on. Justin's my friend…and…and…."
"And you're in love with Brande." Britney said knowingly.
Joey looked at her sadly, "Yeah. Funny how it works out sometimes huh?" He stared at his drink and sighed, "I'm going to get something a little stiffer." Joe looked at Britney, "Want something?"
"Just a coke." Joey nodded and slid out of the booth, heading towards the bar. Britney watched him go and sighed, "Poor thing." She looked back onto the floor and saw Justin and Brande dancing together. Justin had obviously said something to piss Brande off, because she was glaring at him, while he was laughing. They do make a cute couple, she thought. "Just not the right kind." She said aloud.
"Right kind of what?"
Britney turned to see Chris and Karen sliding into the booth next to her. "Couple. Justin and B."
Karen squinted out at the dance floor, "They do look kind of cute together." She shrugged and looked over at Britney, "So what's not right about them. Other than the fact that she likes Joey."
Britney laughed, "That would be it. She likes Joey. I couldn't put my finger on it but that's it, isn't it."
Chris and Karen both looked at her like she was nuts. "Of course, that's what it is. Except she doesn’t want to hurt Justin's feelings and what with Joe not doing anything about how he feels." Chris shrugged. "She does like Justin too, just not like Joe."
Britney nodded, glancing back out at the floor. "Why is it that you men are so screwed up in your love lives?" She asked, looking back at Chris.
Karen laughed. "It's because none of them know what they want and then when they do, they get so confused and end up not knowing what to do about it."
"That must be it." She said, grinning. She looked at Karen, eyes twinkling with suppressed mirth. "Think we should try and help? I mean seriously, what could it hurt since they've all managed to screw it up so well."
Karen looked at Chris who was grinning broadly. "Ummm, I don't know if I should get involved and from the look that's on Chris' face, I don't think he should either."
Britney laughed, throwing her head back. "Oh no, Chris is getting involved. We have to have someone to go behind enemy lines."
Chris rubbed his hands together, grinning broadly. "I'd be glad to help. I'm sick of the whining that's been going on around here."
Karen sighed. "Fine then… count me in until I leave tomorrow."
"Great." Britney said, looking back out onto the floor then back at the two of them. "But I think it's going to take some planning that won't be able to take place until after everyone gets home again. Karen, your conscience can rest easy. Chris and I will take it from here." She grinned at Chris before holding out her hand. "Deal?"
"Deal… Operation Get Joey with the right woman is underway."
The two shook and grinned, making Karen shudder with the evilness and conniving that oozed out of their smiles and expressions.
JC turned the dryer down towards his shirt and pants and sighed. Turning the machine on, he fanned the material under it, hoping this would make it dry faster than it was. "Stupid Chasez. You knew she was nervous and you just had to make it worse didn't you. Couldn't have waited. Had to go jerk the drinks out of her hand instead of ask for them. Moron." He muttered.
He looked up at the mirror that was above the dryer and sighed, looking at his reflection. "You really are a moron, aren't you?" He told himself, before banging his head against the wall.
"You know that really won't help you out. Plus it might do more damage then you want it to."
"Oh no, not you. Anyone but you." JC muttered, hearing Lance's voice as he walked into the bathroom.
"Hey… looks like you might need my help." He said, leaning against the wall, smiling at him.
"I thought you were mad at me."
Lance's joking expression changed to one of seriousness. "Look, I wanted to apologize for what I said. Things are… just… difficult for me, with everything. I mean… "He took a deep breath, trying to figure out to phrase it.
"You like her still." JC said quietly, reading the emotions that were crossing his friend's face.
Lance's eyes widened. "Don't tell her, please don't tell her." He said, beginning to panic. No one had noticed before now what his real feelings for Sam were.
"I'm not going to tell her." JC said, turning the dryer off. "Why would I?"
"I don't know." Lance said, putting his head in his hands. "I mean… she's… one of my best friends and… she likes another one of my best friends. I tried to steer her the other direction because you were with…"
"Lance. Let's not mention her, please." JC said, leaning back against the wall.
"Right. But anyway… then tonight… and I know how you feel about her as well and… I just don’t want either one of you to be hurt is all. Does that make sense?"
JC opened his eyes to look at Lance. "It makes perfect sense, man."
"So… " He asked, cocking his head to the side as he studied the older man. "What are you going to do?"
He shrugged, turning back to the dryer. "I'm going to take it one day at a time. Find out who I am and get to know her. See if she's really what I want."
"Are you just saying that because…" Lance trailed off, not knowing what JC was saying.
"What Lance? A good friend of mine gave me some really good advice and I'm going to take it for a change. Something wrong with that?"
Lance smiled, relieved that he wouldn't be cleaning up anymore messes that evening. "No, that’s fine. Are you going to try and talk to her tonight?"
JC sighed, fanning the material out again. "I don't know. I guess if the opportunity presents itself but… I really don't even know what I'd say."
"Right." He looked back at the door, before turning back to him. "Try saying hi and go from there. You never know what might happen." He sighed, before moving to leave.
"Lance…"
"Yeah…"
JC turned to look at his friend, one question burning in his mind. "If you like her so much, why are you doing this?"
"Because I want her to be happy." He said softly, before leaving the bathroom fully.
"Lance?"
Lance looked over to see Sam making her way through the crowd, much more relaxed after talking to him and then dancing with a few guys that had asked her, while he had gone in search of JC. "Yeah?"
"Where'd you go?"
"Had some business to take care of. You okay?"
She smiled. "I'm fine now, thanks."
"That’s good." He said, shoving his hands into his pants pockets, not really knowing what to say.
"Is something wrong?" She asked, frowning with concern.
He shook his head, bringing a hand up to cover his pretend yawn. "Just tired."
"That's why I was looking for you. Mike and everyone are loading up the limos to head back to the hotel. Did you know that it was almost five in the morning?" She asked, shocked at the time.
He laughed. "These parties always run late. We better get going then. Wouldn't want Mike mad at me for being late." He grinned, holding an arm out for her to take.
"Thanks. Yeah apparently, you and JC were the two left that needed to be rounded up. Do you know where he is?"
Lance wondered if he should tell her before kicking himself, knowing he should. "Bathroom. Drying off."
Sam flushed in embarrassment. "Oh, whoops. Maybe I should…"
"Sam, come on, let's go get in the car. You can apologize later." He said, steering her away.
"But…" She looked over her shoulder. "It's just the men's room. It's not like I haven't…"
"Sam…" He warned, looking down at her. "Plenty of time to apologize later."
She sighed. "I know, but…"
"What?" He said, stopping their forward momentum.
"I just feel the need to talk to him is all." She said softly. "I couldn't tell you why, I just need to."
Lance closed his eyes before releasing her arm. "Go then."
"What?"
"Sam, go. He wanted to talk to you anyway."
"Are you…."
"Go. I'll meet you in the car." He said, interrupting her, before disappearing into the crowd.
She sighed, knowing instinctively that she'd hurt him somehow, but didn't know how to make it any better. She shrugged off the feeling, before walking to the men's bathroom that Lance had come out of. She poked her head in, yelling out. "Everyone decent?"
JC's head jerked up from where it had been resting on the dryer, eyes wide. "Sam?"
She poked her head around the wall and smiled tentatively. "Yeah… I uh…"
"This is the men's room." He told her, wondering why she was in there.
"I know. Are you the only one…" She trailed off, gesturing around the room.
"Yeah." He said, still stunned.
She came all the way, picking at her skirt a little. "I just… look… about earlier."
"Don't worry about it. I startled you."
"But…"
He grinned, boyishly causing the breath to stop in her lungs. "It's fine. Really. No permanent damage was done."
She nodded, chewing on her lower lip a little, drawing his eyes to her mouth. "That wasn't everything I wanted to ask."
He frowned, his eyes jerking up to meet hers. "What?"
"About tonight… I mean way earlier…" She shifted from foot to foot. "You didn't have…"
He dropped his shirt and walked towards her, knowing what she was trying to say. "Sam… what she said…"
She closed her eyes and sighed, before opening them again. "You didn't have to break up with her because of Brande and I is all I wanted to say."
"She didn't know what she was talking about."
"Yeah… well…" She sighed, shrugging. "I'm just saying. We're no one. And she was…"
"She was a bitch that I should have gotten rid of a long time ago." He said, interrupting her, smiling slightly.
Her head jerked up at his words. "What?"
He laughed at her shocked expression. "I'm better off without her but thank you for your concern."
"Thank you for sticking up for us." She said softly, before smiling and turning to leave. "Oh… the limos are waiting, everyone's ready to go."
He nodded, watching her go, before turning to grab his jacket. He paused, then shook his head, grabbing his coat, and hurried after her. "Sam, wait…"
She stopped, turning to look at him, smiling at his rushed expression. "Yes…"
"Ummm…" He stopped in front of her, his mind erasing whatever he had been about to say.
"Josh, what was it?"
He shook his head, the it came back to him. "I just wanted to know…"
"Know what?" She asked, frowning.
"Are we…"
She leaned up on he tiptoes to kiss his cheek softly. "We're okay now, Josh. Everything's behind us now."
His eyes widened. "Are you…"
"I'm sure." She said, nodding before weaving her way through the crowd, leaving him standing here in complete shock. She'd forgiven him. Completely. Did that mean… He shook his head. It was time to move forward and see where his life would take him from here. If it was to her… so be it… in the meantime, he'd work on being himself and figuring out what he, Joshua Chasez, wanted from life. Not what JC Chasez wanted.
A few people cut him off and he had to stop from running directly into them before he could actually walk into the bar. He maneuvered the rest of the way through the people and entered the bar, sidling up towards the table, knowing this was either going to make or break him for the evening and perhaps the rest of his life.
"I don't want to hear it, Lance." Sam said, taking the drink from the waitress before handing over a five, waving to her to let her know to keep the change.
"Hear what?" He said, putting his elbows on the table as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was messed up from running her hands through her hair. Her blue eyes were twinkling but there was still a touch of sadness in them and that's why he was sitting here, trying to cheer her up.
"Hear about this drink."
"I wasn't going to say a word, but now that you mention it, are you sure you should be drinking that?"
"What are you now, my father?" She asked, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of the drink. She loved white russians, the way they smoothly slid down your throat, settling comfortably in your stomach. The taste always sweet, making one think of chocolate and sugar.
"No…it's just…." He frowned. "How many is that?"
She sighed loudly, before turning to him, feeling very vindictive that he was interrupting this moment. "It's number one, thank you."
"Oh…" Lance flushed, thinking that she'd had more than that over the course of the evening.
"Yeah, buddy, you're the one that's had the few Mike's already." She shook her head, looking down at her drink before smiling and taking another sip.
"What's wrong, Sam?" He asked, sliding an arm around her shoulders as she sipped her drink silently.
"I can't believe that happened is all." She said quietly, talking about JC's fight with his girlfriend.
"That he dumped her? We told you it was coming."
"I know, but as long as I've known him… well even as long as I've known about him, he's had a girlfriend and now…" She shook her head, not knowing how to finish the thought.
"And now he doesn't." Lance said softly, withdrawing his arm. "Sam…"
"I know what you're going to say. I shouldn't think like this. I shouldn't wonder. But… my heart is pounding so hard, Lance. My hands are sweating. I'm so nervous, I can't think straight. However, while that’s all happening my head is telling me that I'm stupid, why would he want me? I'm just Sam from the boonies. Everything she said is right. I'm just ordinary." She slumped down in her seat.
Lance grabbed her chin so that she'd look up at him. "Now you listen to me. You are not ordinary, you are not plain or whatever she said, you are not uncultured…. You are nothing of what she said. Do you understand me?"
Her eyes began to well with unshed tears. "But… I am uncultured. This is really the first place I've been to outside of Washington and…"
Lance sighed. "So you haven't traveled. You were going to school and couldn't afford it. You also have more education and culture in your small pinky than that woman had in her entire body, believe me."
She shook her head. "But I'm nothing special. I'm just me and… " She put her head down on the table. "And I'm a wreck. I tried so hard not to let what she said or her comments affect me but I couldn't help it. Everything she said struck a chord and now… I'm such a mess. And then they got into it on the floor and…" She took a deep breath. "I had to leave. I knew they were fighting about Brande and I, because we're not a part of your usual crowd, but I honestly didn't think it would come to that."
Lance smiled, trying not to chuckle at her ramblings. She really was upset. He lightly began to rub her back as she sniffled into the table. "Sam... you are special, no matter what you might think. We all saw it when we met you and still see it. That woman… she's the plain, unwanted person around here, not you. And JC and her fighting is almost an everyday occurrence, she always found something to pick at him about. You and Brande had nothing to with him ending it." Well not too much…
She looked up. "Are you sure? Cause I'm feeling really guilty here. He loved her so much, you could tell and for him to kick her out and…" She sighed. "I don't even know what I'm rambling about anymore."
"Good." Lance laughed. "Cause it wasn't making any sense to begin with, got it?" He asked her. "You're you and that's all that matters and believe me, we all love you because of that. Don't let one person get to you." He looked into her eyes, hoping that she believed him. "Are you hearing what I'm saying?" He wanted to close his eyes in case she caught the double meaning he'd just given or read it in his eyes, his heart completely stopping but when all she did was smile, his breathing grew easier and his heart started to beat again. She hadn't read into it. She still didn't know how he felt.
"Thanks, Lance." She smiled slightly before reaching out to give him a hug. They drew apart when a throat cleared beside them.
"Hi…" JC said, shifting his feet slightly, his hands in his back pockets as he looked over them, his eyes finally resting on Sam's face, not moving.
"I think…" Lance started, shifting towards the edge of the bench to get up, but was stopped by a set of nails in his arm. He looked back at her questioningly but stayed by what he saw on her face. She was utterly terrified at that exact moment. He looked back up at JC and shrugged. He honestly didn't know what to do.
JC didn't pay him any attention as he watched Sam shift under his gaze, trying to look anywhere but at him. Why hadn't he noticed the way that she was nervous around him before? The way she always played with her hair and when she did look at him, her eyes never wavered. She'd stood by him even when he was an ass and a friend when he needed her.
"Right." Lance muttered. He did not like his position at that moment at all. He knew he should leave them alone but he really didn't want to leave Sam when he could feel her hand trembling. This was the moment that had been building up between the two of them since they'd met and the polite thing for him to do was to disappear, let things happen the way they were supposed to but…
"Hey JC… don't forget to mention non-smoking and singing in the rain." Justin quipped, his head popping up behind Lance, in between Sam and him.
JC 's eyes widened when he saw Justin's curly hair. "Justin…" He said, motioning him to leave with his head, bringing him out of his daze quickly.
Sam reached over and grabbed his shoulder. "Justin…" She smiled brightly, too brightly. "Join us. Have a drink. Stay and chat. How are you?"
Justin raised an eyebrow, looking at Sam like she was nuts. "You okay there? Had a few too many maybe? You're acting weird."
Sam gritted her teeth, thanking everyone involved that Justin was a mischievous sort and had showed up when he had, even though the boy was too blunt and curious for his own good. He was going to be her savior if it killed her… or him if he kept asking her questions like that. "This is my first. Come sit." She motioned him around towards the table.
"I uh…" He looked around at everyone, wondering what was going on. JC and Sam should be talking, not having a group gossip session. JC was glaring at him, telling him to leave, while Lance just sat there, confusion written plainly across his face.
"Justin… man… you sure took off like a rabbit through that crowd. Then I got stopped but these two girls who wouldn't stop giggling and taking pictures of me, muttering something about some board and people being jealous. Anyway… " He looked at everyone who was staring at him. "What?"
"Guys…" JC started, his head jerking to the side, hoping that they'd get the hint.
"I have to go to the bathroom." Lance said quietly, trying to move again, only to be jerked back by the loop in his pants. "Or not."
Sam reached a hand up, trying to signal the waitress, who wasn't paying attention. "Hmmm…" She frowned, but her face cleared up by her next thought. "Why don't you guys have a seat, take a load off and tell me what you want and I'll go order it." She looked around expectantly, waiting for them to say something.
"I'll take a rum and coke, Sam." Justin grinned, daring anyone to reprimand him at that moment for drinking under-aged.
"Long Island." Joe said, shrugging, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to disappear either.
"Mike's." Lance muttered towards the table.
She nodded that she'd heard and tried not to look at JC. "Uh Josh?" She asked, quietly.
JC just stared at her as she climbed out of the booth to head towards the bar. She was absolutely beautiful and she'd just called him Josh. He wanted to grab her and kiss her but…
"Dude!" Joey said, waving a hand in front of his face, a slight smile across his face.
He shook his head, clearing away his thoughts. "What?"
"Sam asked what you wanted."
"Oh uh…" You. "Anything is fine." He muttered, before sliding into the booth, not knowing what to do.
She nodded, walking away to order their drinks. JC watched her walk away before turning back to his friends. "What are you doing here?"
Justin shrugged. "We just wanted to see how you were doing and make sure you were okay."
"Go away." He said through clenched teeth, watching Sam out of the corner of his eye to make sure she was still at the bar.
"But… our drinks." Joe said, looking at Sam.
"I'll pay you back or whatever. Just go." He said tiredly. He had to get them out of there or he'd never be able to talk to her.
"JC…" Lance said, not wanting to say this but knowing he should. Now wasn't the time, for either of them, no matter how opportune it might look. "Look…"
"I don't want to hear it, Lance." JC said, blowing him off. His mind made up to talk to her right them and there.
Lance's face darkened by his friend's casual dismissal of what he had to say. "No, you're going to hear it before she gets back."
"What?" JC asked, turning around to look at him when he felt Lance grip his arm.
"Now is not a good time. I know you're just figuring out how you feel about her and how she feels about you, but don't do it now. It's too fresh in everyone's minds and the last thing that girl needs is to have her face plastered on every magazine cover for being the reason that you publicly dumped your long time girlfriend. Are you hearing me?"
JC nodded with a sigh. "Yeah…"
"Good. Don't make your move or say anything just yet. Look at her. She's strung so tight, I'm really surprised she hasn't snapped yet. Just be careful. Please, for her sake."
JC watched his friend, advocating restraint on his part right then, while everyone else was telling him to go for it. He reached up to rub his forehead as he thought through what he was saying, but dropped his hand when another thought crossed his mind. "Are you telling me to back off because you want her back and think that you have a chance?" He asked before he could stop himself, wanting to kick himself when Lance's expression darkened even more.
"I should hit you for that. Think about her for once would you and not yourself. Remember last time you thought you had her figured out and thought that driving her away was for the best but all it did in the end was hurt both you and her. Then you thought you'd make it up to her by being friends since she was moving down here when all you wanted was a piece of her in your life because you'd thrown it away. You have no idea what all this roller coasting has done to her. Give it time, please. Let yourself be used to being without that woman and find who you are before trying to find out who she is. Cause honestly JC… I don't think you know who you are." Lance told him disgustedly, before walking off.
JC looked at Justin and Joe wide-eyed, not knowing what to say. "I…"
Justin shook his head. "Don't look at us. Lance is the closest one to her though, at least take some of what he said, seriously. He knows her better than anyone else. Although, I think some of what he said was said in anger. You kinda did cross the line on that last, comment, JC." He shrugged, before sliding into the booth, taking Lance's place.
JC looked at the tabletop and began to trace the pattern, absently. "I don't know what to do, guys."
Joe looked at the red head that was trying to juggle four drinks back to them, before turning back to his friend. "Do what your heart says to do. It won't lie." Don't do what I did and throw away the best possible thing that you could've had because of friends.
JC looked up and saw her juggling the drinks, almost spilling the bottle of Mike's and jumped up to help her. "Here, let me get that." He asked, reaching for the drinks in her right hand.
She was so intent on watching where she was going and not dropping the drinks that when he took the two drinks from her, she jumped spilling the one in front down his stomach, straight into his lap. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the growing wet spot before lifting her eyes to meet his. "I'm so sorry." She said quickly, rushing over to the table to drop off the drinks and grab a few napkins.
She hurried back, trying to mop off his shirt, avoiding his pants. "I didn't mean… oh man…"
Justin watched JC stand there with this complete blank look across his face as he stared down at himself and Sam who kept repeating that she was sorry while trying to clean him up. He shook his head, trying not to laugh, before he lost it. "That's what happens when you try and be a gentleman, JC. You get spilled on."
JC looked over, glaring. "Well, you sure weren't getting up to help."
"I'm not a gentleman." He grinned broadly.
Joe looked at the drinks and sighed. "Did you have to spill mine, Sam?"
Sam looked up, the napkin suspended above the band of JC's pants as she stared at Joey and Justin, one who was looking forlornly at his empty glass and the other who couldn't stop laughing. "Oh god…" She whispered. She looked up at JC, her face turning even whiter. "I'm so sorry…I'm…" She shoved the napkin into his hand, muttering something about this making her night complete and finding Lance before running off.
JC just stood there, looking at the growing stain, feeling the alcohol seeping into his clothes, the wetness against his skin. He started shaking his head, over and over, wondering if this night would ever end. "Damn…" He muttered, using the napkin to mop some more of it up before walking back to the table. "Well that went well." He said, flopping into the booth disgusted with himself.
"It's okay, JC." Justin snickered. "Now everyone will just think that not only did you loser your temper, but you can't control your bladder either."
"Shut it, J." He mumbled, grimacing as his wet pants bunched against him. He reached down to pull them away from his skin a bit before, growling and standing back up to see if he could mop some more back up.
Joe picked up his drink, putting it to his lips as he tried to drink the last few remaining drops that hadn't spilled onto JC, before putting the glass down. He looked over at his friend who was trying to air dry his pants and the bottom of his shirt by waving them around. "Why don't you go into the bathroom and use one of those dryers?" Joey told him, thumbing in the direction of the bathroom.
"Good idea, thanks Joe." JC said, before stalking off towards the men's room, hoping no one saw him and stopped to talk to him.
"Well that was fun." Justin grinned, while grabbing his drink.
Joey looked over at Justin's full glass and glared. Justin's glass stopped half way to his lips, as Justin looked at Joe.
"Too bad about your drink huh?"
Joey grinned evilly and grabbed Justin's own glass and began to down it.
Justin opened and shut his mouth rapidly, "Hey…hey now. That's my drink."
Joey placed the now empty glass on the table and smiled. "Was your drink. And it was good. Thanks for being a pal."
Justin stuck out his lower lip, "Great. I have no drink. I have no date…wait…Joe…where are our dates?"
Joey shrugged, "Don't know. Haven't seen them since they left to look for other men."
Justin pouted more, "Oh yeah, even better, I'm sober, and my date is looking for other men."
"Oh stop being a baby and come and dance with me."
Justin looked up to see Britney standing besides the table. "What?"
"Dance? You know, what people do out on the dance floor." Britney rolled her eyes, "Come on J. I like this song and I want to dance."
"Than drag your date out there. I don't want to…" Justin felt his arm being pulled out of the booth, and the rest of his body following. "Ok, ok. Dancing. I'm coming."
"Thank you." She smiled sweetly. Turning to Joey she grinned, "I'll be back in a bit."
Joey nodded as he watched Brit drag Justin onto the dance floor. He shook his head, and waved to the waitress. She looked at him and grinned, walking slowly over, her blond hair bouncing with each step, her hips swinging left to right. When she reached the table she bent over enough so he could look down the front of her low cut black button up blouse.
"Yes sir?" She breathed
"Can I get a Long Island please?"
The blond smiled and nodded, "One Long Island. Anything else?" She brought her hand to her chest, and passed it over her ample amount of cleavage showing.
Joey closed his eyes trying to ignore the spectacle infront of him. "No thanks Miss."
Her hand stopped moving and she straighted up. Smiling slighty she nodded, and walked briskly back to the bar.
"Joe?"
Joey stiffened at the sound of the voice. He turned slowly so he could look at her. She smiled and pushed back some of the loose hair that had fallen into her eyes. "Ummm, have you seen Britney. I kind of lost her when we were out on the floor."
Joey watched her fidget for a moment before nodding, "Yeah. She just drug J back out there."
"Oh." She frowned and looked out onto the dance floor. "Well…then….umm…"
Joey shut his eyes tightly. Invite her to sit down moron. You can't ignore her forever. After all, she's dating one of your best friends. He opened his eyes and caught her staring at him. He had to blink a few times, trying to ignore the feelings that was radiating out of her eyes. "Why don't you sit down and wait." He saw her look at the seat next to him and then back at him. She looked scared to death. Like she was afraid of him. Oh god. What did I do? "If you want to that is." He added.
She nodded slowly and sat down at the farthest corner of the booth. He watched her from the corner of his eye. She looked around at the people, her eyes darting from face to face, looking for a familiar face.
"Your drink sir?"
Joey tore his eyes from the small girl and looked up at the waitress. Since she had left she had unbottoned two more buttons and had re-done her hair. He shook his head nad dug into his wallet. He saw Brande watching him out of the corner of his eye and stopped, "Do you want something to drink?"
Brande shoo her head quickly, "No. It's ok. I'm fine."
He shrugged and found a ten, handing it to the waitress. "Keep the change."
"Thank you Sir. And…" She reached into her blouse and pulled out a piece of paper, "I get off at 2." She smiled seductively at him before turning and walking away. He looked down at the paper and started smiling. Lyn. 555-6437
"Does that usually happen?"
Joey turned to look at Brande who was watching the waitress walk to another table, her long legs sticking out of a short black skirt. She looked down at her own outfit and folded her arms over her chest. He laughed slightly and she turned to glare at him. "What do you find so funny?"
"You." He smiled. Her gaze narrowed further and he sighed, "I'm just wondering why you are getting so self conscious when it's obvious you are much more beautiful then she could ever be." Her eyes widened and he felt his heart speed up. I didn't just say that out loud did I?
"Do you really think so?" She whispered.
Good one Fatone. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Well, what now? I don't know, you got yourself into this. With no help from you. Hey, I can't help it if you don't listen to me. I told you go after her. I told you to forget the kid but…Great. I just hit on Justin's girlfriend. Idiot! So are you going to fix it? Yes, now shut up and let me think. He looked at her and was momentarily caught off guard. Her eyes looked directly into his, full of wonderment. "Of course I do." He whispered. She smiled and he shook his head hard, "I mean. Justin would say the same thing if he were here."
Brande closed her eyes. Justin. She'd forgotten all about him for a moment. Tell him. Tell him. She opened them to find Joey taking a sip of his drink. "Joey…"
"Yeah?"
"About Justin. And…well…that night and the next morning when…"
Joey shook his head, "Look. Let's not talk about it ok? That night was…a mistake." Liar. Shut up, he yelled at his conscious. "I knew you liked Justin, but…I did something I shouldn't have." He looked directly into her eyes, and was startled when he saw tears. Suddenly his heart gave a giant thud, and he scooted closer to her. "Brande? Are you alright? I'm sorry if I…"
Brande tried to swallow the lump in her throat managing to dislodge it for a moment, "No, Joey. You're right. It was a mistake."
Her admitting it should have made him feel better, he thought to himself. Then why does your heart feel like it's shattering. "Brande…I…" He began.
"There you are."
Brande and Joey looked up to see Justin and Britney standing by each other grinning. Justin smiled at Brande but frowned when he saw the tears in her eyes. "B? Is something wrong?"
Brande smiled, "No. It's fine." Another slow song started and she stood up, "Come on. I…I'd like to dance."
"Ok." Justin said, placing an arm around her waist. "We'll be back."
"Take your time." Britney said, watching the two walk out to the dance floor. She looked back at Joey who was also watching the two leave, but his eyes had only settled on one of them. She shook her head and sat down where Brande had been.
"I don't understand you men."
Joey blinked and looked at Britney, "What do you mean?"
"Well, JC liked Sam, he was miserable with his ex, but it still took him forever to figure it out." She explained.
Joey nodded, "That's Jace. He never gets things real fast." She continued staring at him and he shook his head at her, "What? Why are you looking at me that way?"
"It must be contagious."
Joey raised an eyebrow, "And why is that?"
"No reason." Britney said smiling, before she winked at him.
Joey sighed, and placed his head on the table, "Is it that obvious?"
"Joe, you talked about her non-stop all the way back to the hotel. How she looked, what she said…."
"I know. I'm sorry I wasn't paying any attention to you." He mumbled
Britney laughed and patted the top of his head, "No sweat. I just find it cute. You like her a lot. One problem… she's dating Justin though. Or at least I think they're dating…" She frowned, before shrugging. "Oh well…"
"Even if they aren't "dating", she doesn't like me Brit. Not like that." He said exasperatedly. "She likes the Kid. She made her decision a long time ago." He looked onto the dance floor and watched as Brande and Justin slow danced. "I just have to deal with it and move on. Justin's my friend…and…and…."
"And you're in love with Brande." Britney said knowingly.
Joey looked at her sadly, "Yeah. Funny how it works out sometimes huh?" He stared at his drink and sighed, "I'm going to get something a little stiffer." Joe looked at Britney, "Want something?"
"Just a coke." Joey nodded and slid out of the booth, heading towards the bar. Britney watched him go and sighed, "Poor thing." She looked back onto the floor and saw Justin and Brande dancing together. Justin had obviously said something to piss Brande off, because she was glaring at him, while he was laughing. They do make a cute couple, she thought. "Just not the right kind." She said aloud.
"Right kind of what?"
Britney turned to see Chris and Karen sliding into the booth next to her. "Couple. Justin and B."
Karen squinted out at the dance floor, "They do look kind of cute together." She shrugged and looked over at Britney, "So what's not right about them. Other than the fact that she likes Joey."
Britney laughed, "That would be it. She likes Joey. I couldn't put my finger on it but that's it, isn't it."
Chris and Karen both looked at her like she was nuts. "Of course, that's what it is. Except she doesn’t want to hurt Justin's feelings and what with Joe not doing anything about how he feels." Chris shrugged. "She does like Justin too, just not like Joe."
Britney nodded, glancing back out at the floor. "Why is it that you men are so screwed up in your love lives?" She asked, looking back at Chris.
Karen laughed. "It's because none of them know what they want and then when they do, they get so confused and end up not knowing what to do about it."
"That must be it." She said, grinning. She looked at Karen, eyes twinkling with suppressed mirth. "Think we should try and help? I mean seriously, what could it hurt since they've all managed to screw it up so well."
Karen looked at Chris who was grinning broadly. "Ummm, I don't know if I should get involved and from the look that's on Chris' face, I don't think he should either."
Britney laughed, throwing her head back. "Oh no, Chris is getting involved. We have to have someone to go behind enemy lines."
Chris rubbed his hands together, grinning broadly. "I'd be glad to help. I'm sick of the whining that's been going on around here."
Karen sighed. "Fine then… count me in until I leave tomorrow."
"Great." Britney said, looking back out onto the floor then back at the two of them. "But I think it's going to take some planning that won't be able to take place until after everyone gets home again. Karen, your conscience can rest easy. Chris and I will take it from here." She grinned at Chris before holding out her hand. "Deal?"
"Deal… Operation Get Joey with the right woman is underway."
The two shook and grinned, making Karen shudder with the evilness and conniving that oozed out of their smiles and expressions.
JC turned the dryer down towards his shirt and pants and sighed. Turning the machine on, he fanned the material under it, hoping this would make it dry faster than it was. "Stupid Chasez. You knew she was nervous and you just had to make it worse didn't you. Couldn't have waited. Had to go jerk the drinks out of her hand instead of ask for them. Moron." He muttered.
He looked up at the mirror that was above the dryer and sighed, looking at his reflection. "You really are a moron, aren't you?" He told himself, before banging his head against the wall.
"You know that really won't help you out. Plus it might do more damage then you want it to."
"Oh no, not you. Anyone but you." JC muttered, hearing Lance's voice as he walked into the bathroom.
"Hey… looks like you might need my help." He said, leaning against the wall, smiling at him.
"I thought you were mad at me."
Lance's joking expression changed to one of seriousness. "Look, I wanted to apologize for what I said. Things are… just… difficult for me, with everything. I mean… "He took a deep breath, trying to figure out to phrase it.
"You like her still." JC said quietly, reading the emotions that were crossing his friend's face.
Lance's eyes widened. "Don't tell her, please don't tell her." He said, beginning to panic. No one had noticed before now what his real feelings for Sam were.
"I'm not going to tell her." JC said, turning the dryer off. "Why would I?"
"I don't know." Lance said, putting his head in his hands. "I mean… she's… one of my best friends and… she likes another one of my best friends. I tried to steer her the other direction because you were with…"
"Lance. Let's not mention her, please." JC said, leaning back against the wall.
"Right. But anyway… then tonight… and I know how you feel about her as well and… I just don’t want either one of you to be hurt is all. Does that make sense?"
JC opened his eyes to look at Lance. "It makes perfect sense, man."
"So… " He asked, cocking his head to the side as he studied the older man. "What are you going to do?"
He shrugged, turning back to the dryer. "I'm going to take it one day at a time. Find out who I am and get to know her. See if she's really what I want."
"Are you just saying that because…" Lance trailed off, not knowing what JC was saying.
"What Lance? A good friend of mine gave me some really good advice and I'm going to take it for a change. Something wrong with that?"
Lance smiled, relieved that he wouldn't be cleaning up anymore messes that evening. "No, that’s fine. Are you going to try and talk to her tonight?"
JC sighed, fanning the material out again. "I don't know. I guess if the opportunity presents itself but… I really don't even know what I'd say."
"Right." He looked back at the door, before turning back to him. "Try saying hi and go from there. You never know what might happen." He sighed, before moving to leave.
"Lance…"
"Yeah…"
JC turned to look at his friend, one question burning in his mind. "If you like her so much, why are you doing this?"
"Because I want her to be happy." He said softly, before leaving the bathroom fully.
"Lance?"
Lance looked over to see Sam making her way through the crowd, much more relaxed after talking to him and then dancing with a few guys that had asked her, while he had gone in search of JC. "Yeah?"
"Where'd you go?"
"Had some business to take care of. You okay?"
She smiled. "I'm fine now, thanks."
"That’s good." He said, shoving his hands into his pants pockets, not really knowing what to say.
"Is something wrong?" She asked, frowning with concern.
He shook his head, bringing a hand up to cover his pretend yawn. "Just tired."
"That's why I was looking for you. Mike and everyone are loading up the limos to head back to the hotel. Did you know that it was almost five in the morning?" She asked, shocked at the time.
He laughed. "These parties always run late. We better get going then. Wouldn't want Mike mad at me for being late." He grinned, holding an arm out for her to take.
"Thanks. Yeah apparently, you and JC were the two left that needed to be rounded up. Do you know where he is?"
Lance wondered if he should tell her before kicking himself, knowing he should. "Bathroom. Drying off."
Sam flushed in embarrassment. "Oh, whoops. Maybe I should…"
"Sam, come on, let's go get in the car. You can apologize later." He said, steering her away.
"But…" She looked over her shoulder. "It's just the men's room. It's not like I haven't…"
"Sam…" He warned, looking down at her. "Plenty of time to apologize later."
She sighed. "I know, but…"
"What?" He said, stopping their forward momentum.
"I just feel the need to talk to him is all." She said softly. "I couldn't tell you why, I just need to."
Lance closed his eyes before releasing her arm. "Go then."
"What?"
"Sam, go. He wanted to talk to you anyway."
"Are you…."
"Go. I'll meet you in the car." He said, interrupting her, before disappearing into the crowd.
She sighed, knowing instinctively that she'd hurt him somehow, but didn't know how to make it any better. She shrugged off the feeling, before walking to the men's bathroom that Lance had come out of. She poked her head in, yelling out. "Everyone decent?"
JC's head jerked up from where it had been resting on the dryer, eyes wide. "Sam?"
She poked her head around the wall and smiled tentatively. "Yeah… I uh…"
"This is the men's room." He told her, wondering why she was in there.
"I know. Are you the only one…" She trailed off, gesturing around the room.
"Yeah." He said, still stunned.
She came all the way, picking at her skirt a little. "I just… look… about earlier."
"Don't worry about it. I startled you."
"But…"
He grinned, boyishly causing the breath to stop in her lungs. "It's fine. Really. No permanent damage was done."
She nodded, chewing on her lower lip a little, drawing his eyes to her mouth. "That wasn't everything I wanted to ask."
He frowned, his eyes jerking up to meet hers. "What?"
"About tonight… I mean way earlier…" She shifted from foot to foot. "You didn't have…"
He dropped his shirt and walked towards her, knowing what she was trying to say. "Sam… what she said…"
She closed her eyes and sighed, before opening them again. "You didn't have to break up with her because of Brande and I is all I wanted to say."
"She didn't know what she was talking about."
"Yeah… well…" She sighed, shrugging. "I'm just saying. We're no one. And she was…"
"She was a bitch that I should have gotten rid of a long time ago." He said, interrupting her, smiling slightly.
Her head jerked up at his words. "What?"
He laughed at her shocked expression. "I'm better off without her but thank you for your concern."
"Thank you for sticking up for us." She said softly, before smiling and turning to leave. "Oh… the limos are waiting, everyone's ready to go."
He nodded, watching her go, before turning to grab his jacket. He paused, then shook his head, grabbing his coat, and hurried after her. "Sam, wait…"
She stopped, turning to look at him, smiling at his rushed expression. "Yes…"
"Ummm…" He stopped in front of her, his mind erasing whatever he had been about to say.
"Josh, what was it?"
He shook his head, the it came back to him. "I just wanted to know…"
"Know what?" She asked, frowning.
"Are we…"
She leaned up on he tiptoes to kiss his cheek softly. "We're okay now, Josh. Everything's behind us now."
His eyes widened. "Are you…"
"I'm sure." She said, nodding before weaving her way through the crowd, leaving him standing here in complete shock. She'd forgiven him. Completely. Did that mean… He shook his head. It was time to move forward and see where his life would take him from here. If it was to her… so be it… in the meantime, he'd work on being himself and figuring out what he, Joshua Chasez, wanted from life. Not what JC Chasez wanted.