Chapter 5: You're A Rock Star…
Annie sat at the breakfast table nervously clicking her fingernails together…clickclickclick.
"Stop that," Chris said while eyeing her hands.
She didn't even acknowledge that he had spoken as she continued staring straight past him. Clickclickclick.
Chris laughed a little and then repeated somberly, "No Mary, I'm serious. Stop it."
Still she ignored him, tapping her fingers incessantly together in an uneven rhythm. Finally, when Chris thought he was going to crack, he reached over and grabbed her hand. "Do it one more time, Mary, and I'm ripping these babies off." With that he released his grip on her fingers.
She stared at him in shock for a moment before responding, "Geez…why are you so morbid? All you had to do was ask."
Chris threw his hands up in the air and let his head fall to the table. "You're driving me CRAZY!"
Annie sighed deeply and shook her head, "I know. I KNOW. I'm just so worried about tonight."
Chris lifted his head off of the table and responded, "Your date isn't for," he stopped briefly to check his watch, "12 hours. Relax and try not to think about it."
Annie guffawed loudly and everyone in the restaurant turned to look at them. Chris instinctively raised his menu to cover his face. "Relax. Oh sure, that's easy for you to say. You're not in my position. This is what I've been waiting for the last TWO YEARS Chris. If you put that into perspective, 12 hours is NOT a lot of time."
"You have to keep yourself occupied until tonight, that's all," he reasoned.
"Occupied. Right. Good. What do you suggest?"
Chris thought about this for a moment before answering, "Well, when it's the night before the guys and I go on tour, we usually go out to club or something. Anything to calm our nerves."
Annie shook her head miserably, "There aren't many clubs open and running at 8 AM, and even if there were, I'm going to a club on my date tonight."
"I know that. I was the one who suggested it remember? Oh, and speaking of that….here." Chris rummaged around in his pocket a moment before producing a small newspaper clipping.
Annie took it out of his hand and stared at it. "What is this, Chris?"
"That, my little Mary, is the jazz club that you and JC will be attending," Chris answered sensibly.
Annie's eyebrows knitted in confusion. She had totally forgotten that she didn't actually know of a jazz club when she invited JC out, she had so many other things on her mind. Leave it Chris to smooth out all the small details of their plans…like where they were going to go. "Thanks." She took a moment to read the ad before sticking it in the pocket of her cargo pants.
"You need to help me, Chris. Give me some pointers for tonight," Annie said before taking a nervous bite out of her toast.
"Don't drink coffee, because you know how you get. Don't pretend to know more than you actually do about jazz, because you're bound to get caught. Enjoy yourself. That's really that I can think of."
"Ahh! You are no help at all! I need the good stuff…specifics. Work with me here!" Annie wailed desperately.
Chris nodded, "Ok, you know what, I have an idea. Before your date tonight, we can go to that club, switch the saltshaker on the table with one that's bugged. Then you can wear an ear piece, and that way, every time JC even attempts to talk to you, I can just tell you what to say."
Annie's eyes narrowed at the sarcasm dripping from Chris' voice and she snared. "All I'm asking for here is a little help. A push in the right direction, but I guess that's too much to ask from you."
"I'm not even going to respond to that, because I think you may have gone slightly tipsy. Now, before I give you a good slap to snap you out of it, can you at least attempt to be the real Mary? Or Annie. Or whatever."
Annie sighed deeply and shrugged, "I'll see what I can do."
"There ya go! That's the optimistic Mary I've come to know and love," Chris answered.
Annie fought the urge to stick her tongue out when she realized she would be acting as immaturely as Chris was. "Let's get outta here."
"Alright. We'll pay the bill and then go back to your place," he agreed while raising his hand to get the waitresses attention.
Annie paid the check in full and they headed back to her apartment.
As they were walking in, the phone in her living room began ringing and she rushed into the room to grab it.
"Hello?" She asked breathlessly.
"Annie…dahhhling…you and me tonight at the Boom Boom Room. Make me the happiest person on earth," the smooth voice on the other end answered.
Annie chuckled and shook her head playfully, "But honey, what would Lance say?"
"Who cares about that Southern pansy? Just tell me you'll be there."
"I've never even heard of the Boom Boom Room…" Annie said. Chris was casually sitting on the couch, waiting for her to get off the phone, but when she said that, his head whipped around to face her.
"Yeah I know. I made it up," SJ replied honestly, "Anyway, what's up?"
Annie shrugged her shoulders though she knew SJ couldn't see her, "Nothing really. I just got back from breakfast with Chris…"
SJ cut her off before she could continue, and Annie could hear the mischief dripping from her voice, "Get some action last night, Annie?"
"If I told you once, I've told you…WAY TOO many times. We're not together," Annie said, accentuating every word.
Chris grinned and shouted from where he was sitting, "Hi SJ!"
"Chris says hi SJ," Annie told her.
"You tell him I said that he'd better get a hint about you two before some other guy comes and sweeps you off your feet…if that's even possible at this point. Tell him that if he was the college graduate he pretends to be, he'd get off his dead ass and finally kiss you like you've never been kissed before," SJ finished and gave the gum she was chewing a deliberate snap.
"She says 'hi' Chris," Annie said, completely ignoring everything SJ had just said.
"Anyway, the reason I was calling you to begin with. You want to come over today? Chill in my wicked pad…eat ice cream and licorice. Get fat. I'll even rent any movie you want as long as I get Poetic Justice, because you know that's my favorite."
Annie couldn't help the feeling of guilt that overcame her when she had to turn SJ down. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm going to a jazz club with JC tonight." She hoped she sounded nonchalant.
Annie could tell she was confused, "JC? Since when are you chummy with ol' Napoleon?"
"I thought Chris was Napoleon," Annie said and she saw him raise his eyebrows at her in interest.
"No no, girl. JC is Napoleon because he's French and he has that whole power trip thing working for him. Now Chris has a Napoleon COMPLEX, which is what you're probably confused by."
Annie laughed and shook her head at the antics of the crazy woman on the phone, "Napoleon, Napoleon complex, what's the difference?"
When she said that, she noticed Chris grimace and guessed that SJ had used that term once or twice straight to his face. She wasn't really the shy type.
SJ sighed loudly into the phone, "Allllright. I guess I'll have to put up with Lance for the night then. Damn my luck."
"Oh yeah," Annie began sarcastically, "I'm sure you're devastated at the thought of spending the day with the man you love."
"Shhh! Don't say that too loud, someone might hear you!" SJ hissed before chuckling. "I'll let you get back to whatever you and Chris were doing." SJ's voice held a tone of mischief when she said that.
"We were doing friendly things," Annie answered the elusive accusation.
"If that's what you kids are calling it nowadays…" SJ replied in mock confusion.
"You're impossible! I'm hanging up the phone now, SJ. Good bye. Have fun with Lance."
"I always do," she responded before hanging up the phone.
Annie put the phone back on the hook and shook her head in amusement. That girl was a roller coaster when if came to admitting her feelings about her boyfriend. Annie was dying to know the specifics of how those two polar opposites got together.
She certainly knew how they stayed together. Lance had an incredible hold over SJ. She knew the young woman would never admit it, but everyone saw the truth. And they could also see that the feelings were obviously reciprocated by the blonde bass.
There was an undeniable heat between them. Even after eight months of being a couple, the room still became hotter when the two of them were in it together.
"What did S-Dawg want?" Chris asked Annie, pulling her out of her thoughts.
She raised her eyebrows. "S-Dawg?"
"Yeah. That sounds like a name that would annoy her, doesn't it? Get her back for saying I have a Napoleon complex…" Chris promised.
The way that Chris said that with such indignation suddenly struck Annie as amazingly funny for some reason. She closed her eyes so she didn't have to look at him, because she knew she wouldn't be able to keep a straight face.
"Mary? What is it?" Chris questioned curiously.
That did it. Try as she might, Annie couldn't stop the gasp that passed over her lips or the hysterical laughter that flowed through her whole body and finally out of her mouth. Maybe it was the stress that made her act so deliriously, but at that moment, the thought of Chris with a Napoleon complex was the funniest thing she could ever remember hearing. She couldn't help also thinking that the statement held a good amount of truth, which of course made it that much funnier.
Chris put his hands on his hips and watched Annie's eyes begin to tear from the giggles emanating from her. His face was contorted into a deep scowl, but his eyes betrayed the amusement he felt with the whole situation.
"And exactly why are you laughing little Mary?"
That only caused Annie to laugh harder. She was bent over, her eyes were in little slits and her hands were clutching her stomach.
"Mary, if you don't stop laughing at me right now, I'll give you something to laugh about…" he warned menacingly.
Annie continued shaking with the impact of her breathless laughter, and it took a moment for Chris' words to pass through the haze that clouded her brain. When they did, Annie's hysteria quickly faded and she took a few deep breathes before looking up at Chris.
"Don't you dare…" Annie said upon seeing the evil and devilish smile that was etched across his features.
"Don't I dare what?" He asked in mock confusion before taking a step towards her. Annie instinctively widened the distance between them and Chris' grin grew even brighter.
After over fifteen years of friendship, Chris knew good and well Annie's aversion towards tickling. He'd used that knowledge to his advantage several times over the years as a coercion technique, and Annie had never grown immune to it.
"Now Chris…we're both adults here, I think we've outgrown this childish behavior," she continued backing away from Chris and she had her hands held in front of her as protection. "Please, come on, I'm sorry. Uhhhh…you don't have a Napoleon complex?" When she felt her legs hit something, she turned around briefly to see what it was.
Chris took that opportunity to ungracefully scope her up and dump her on the couch she had bumped in to. Annie gasped in surprise when he threw one leg over her whole body to straddle her. He leveled himself so he wasn't placing too much pressure on her legs and tapped his chin thoughtfully.
Annie made a valiant effort to break free from where he was holding her, but he was too strong for her.
"Chris!! Let me go!" She begged desperately.
He smiled wickedly and shook his head, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort. "Don't think so sweetheart. Now, where should we start?"
"Nooo! Please!"
He ignored her pleading and continued to contemplate. "How about right…here…" He brought his hands down and mercilessly dug his fingers into her sides.
Her eyes went wide and her giggles came out in loud, torturous gasps as she squirmed defiantly beneath him while her hands went up to hit his shoulders and chest in defense.
He rolled his eyes playfully and quickly gathered both of her hands up with one of his and held them over her head as his other hand continued tickling her. A groan could be heard in between breaths when he did that.
Suddenly, he stopped to let her catch her breath. After a minute, he wiggled the fingers of his free hand menacingly and Annie moaned. "Not again, Chris. I've had enough…"
"Excuse me? You said I had a Napoleon complex! You deserve far more than I'm giving you now."
"I didn't say you had a Napoleon complex," Annie argued.
"But you didn't deny it, and that's just as bad."
"You don't have a Napoleon complex," she told him.
He clicked his tongue and shook his head condescendingly, "That's too little too late there Mary. Now where else were you…" his eyes lit up when he remembered, "Ahhh…yes."
He brought the hand holding hers down so her hands were resting within his on her stomach and reached his other hand back until he came to the tender skin on the back of her knee. He began kneading it lightly, then quicker as she yelped helplessly.
After several more minutes of the sweet abuse, Annie finally managed to wrench one hand free from Chris' grasp and this time, she used all her strength to push him off her and onto the ground. He gave a very feminine sounding scream when he realized what she did and she laughed whiling hoping over his form and running away from him.
She didn't get very far before she felt Chris' arms wrap around her waist from behind and pull her back. She kicked and fought until it finally threw him off and he lost his balance. A moment later, she landed on the carpeting with him chuckling on top of her.
His face was mere centimeters from hers and they breathed heavily in and out, their breath mingled dizzily. He gazed at her a moment, both having stopped their attacks on one another, and gently brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face.
"Are you ok?" He whispered, their close proximity not calling for anything louder.
She nodded her head slightly to reassure him. He ran his eyes slowly over her features once more before smiling tenderly and closing the space between them to kiss her forehead.
He jumped up off of her and extended his hand to help her up. "Truce?"
She accepted his hand and allowed her to pull her up before agreeing, "Yeah, yeah. Truce."
"What time is it?" Chris asked after dusting himself off.
"It is…10 AM. Oh my God, it's 10 AM. Oh no," Annie was abruptly brought back to reality when she remembered her date. The butterflies in her stomach gathered half out of anticipation and half out of dread, because she just KNEW she was going to do something to screw that night with JC up.
"Ok, ok. That was my fault, I shouldn't have asked you the time. Relax Mary, geez, would you breathe?" Chris was beginning to worry about his friend. He's never known her to get so out of control about anything the way she did when she thought of JC. That was one of the reasons he was trying so hard to get them together.
"I'm breathing. I'm breathing. Chris! I'm breathing!"
"Alright!" He threw his hands up in surrender, "I believe you. Sheesh."
Annie began jogging in place as she shook her hands out in front of her. "I'm better. Just got a little carried away there…" Annie took a deep breath to clear her thoughts and then nodded her head. "I'm gonna go take a shower."
Annie was headed for the bathroom when she felt Chris grab her shirt from behind and yank her back. "I don't think so, Mary. If you take a shower, then you're going to style your hair, then you're going to do your make-up and the next thing you know, you're going to waste the whole day analyzing and examining every outfit and color of lipstick you own. Wait until about five to take a shower…it will be better, I promise."
"But Chris, you have to understand. Right now, I feel so crazy and not in control of the situation I'm in. If I plan and get ready, I'll be doing something, you know? I'll be taking control in the only way I know how to at this point. I can't just sit back and watch TV or something when in the back of my mind…"
"RELAX Mary, girlfriend you need to calm down. Forget about your impending doom…"
"Funny you should put it that way…"
"…And concentrate on calming down," Chris finished.
"And how do you want me to do that?" Annie asked in exasperation.
"Come here," Chris said.
"Wha…"
"I said…come…here…." Chris grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. He shimmied her up and down before letting go of her to turn on the radio.
She laughed, shook her head and responded, "I don't think this is going to work…"
The radio was on the modern rock station Annie had on the last time she was listening to it. He was bopping his head up and down to the beat of the music as he approached her. She smiled and let him drag her into the middle of the living room.
"An oldie but a goodie," Chris commented on the song playing.
"This song isn't old…" Annie argued.
"In music years its ancient."
"Ahhh…music years, is that like dog years?"
"Yeah, except cuter…" Chris answered.
"Uhhh…ok."
They danced around her living room, Chris completely forgetting his years of training and letting loose in a series of exaggerated moves that would have made Joey blush. It was all for Annie's amusement, and she ate it up.
"...Hey now, you're an all-star
Get your game on, go play
Hey now, you're a rockstar
Get the show on, get paid..."
Chris grabbed Annie's hand and twirled her to him. "Who does it feel dancing to this song with a real live rock star?"
Annie scoffed loudly and said, "Please Chris, you're not a rock star."
He froze and looked at her like she'd gone insane, "What are you talking about? I am to a rock star."
"You're a popstar, there's a difference."
"There's no difference," he argued.
Annie sighed loudly before explaining, "Chris, rock star implies glamour, enough women to qualify as a brothel, and trashed hotel rooms…and even before you say it, that one time you and Joey had that water fight with the Super soakers doesn't count as 'trashing'."
She waited for him to digest this information, then went on, "Now the term pop star is usually said in connection with teenyboppers, pelvic thrusts and lunch boxes. Not exactly the same thing."
"You have a point, but our new album is going to change that. No Strings Attached will be off the hook…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. But its not like you're going to change the meaning of your songs. Its still going to be happy and fluffy and just what the fans want. Not that I can blame you or anything…"
"But JC's writing this song…I don't know…Digital something…it's going to be different. You'll see," Chris defended himself.
Annie grinned disbelievingly and said, "Yeah, ok. I'll believe it when I see it."
"Enough talking now! Let's dance." He waved his hands in the air and cocked his hips back and forth swiftly in what looked suspiciously like a Ricky Martin impersonation, which was impressively off beat with the song.
Annie crossed her arms over her chest and smirked as she watched him make a fool of himself in the middle of her apartment. He hadn't changed a bit since he hit stardom, not around her anyway.
The ringing of the phone could barely be made out over the loud music, but Annie heard it. She walked quickly into the kitchen and picked it up, "Hello?" She answered brightly.
"Hey…Annie?"
Annie recognized his voice immediately, "JC?"
"Yeah, ok good. I didn't know if this was the right number."
Annie smiled and answered, "It's me."
"I was wondering when you wanted…hey, what's going on there?"
She groaned loudly. The butterflies in her stomach felt as if they were hitting some major organs, but she had to ignore that feeling. If she couldn't talk to him on the phone, then she certainly couldn't get through a whole date with him.
"That would be Chris playing with my CD player. Hold on, I'll tell him to turn it down," she walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room.
"Chris! Turn the radio off, I'm on the phone," she shouted over the sounds of Matchbox 20.
"What?" He answered sarcastically, "I can't hear you! The music's too loud!"
"Oh, you're so funny." She walked over to the CD player and pressed the power button. Chris looked poised to turn it back on, so she pointed a finger at him menacingly.
"Touch it and die little man."
The sounds of JC laughing over the line could be heard and she smiled. "JC? Sorry about that."
Chris' face immediately lit up when she mentioned his name. He walked next to her and attempted to listen to her conversation, but Annie pushed him off of her and moved away.
She continued talking on the couch. "Yeah, eight 'o clock is still fine with me. If you want to pick me up, that's fine…yeah that's the building….4B…Ok, I'll see you then. Bye."
She hung up the phone and a smug smile appeared on her face. The initial nauseating nervousness she felt was eased after her talk with JC. He was so polite and easy to talk to.
"Well I talked to JC."
"I noticed."
"And I didn't say anything stupid."
"Very good."
"I think I'm going to be ok tonight."
"I already knew you were going to be fine."
"Let's watch some TV then," she said while repositioning herself as comfortably as she could on the couch. Chris smiled slightly and gave a single nod of his head before stuffing his hands in his pockets and joining her on the couch.
They attempted to watch a Real World marathon, but could only sit through two hours before giving up and turning on a random movie on Showtime.
At one that afternoon, Annie cooked a pizza for them to eat and while they flipped between Jenny Jones, Jerry Springer and CSPAN, which was almost as hostile as the Ku Klux Klan members on the talk shows.
Annie glanced at her watch and then at Chris, whose eyes were glazed over from staring at the television for such a long period of time. "Chris, it's five 'o clock, I'm taking a shower now."
He looked at her quickly before refocusing on the TV, "Now's fine. Go primp."
She shot up out of her seat and practically dove for the bathroom, thinking off-handedly on the way there that she really didn't have to wait for his permission.
She allowed herself a long and luxurious shower, taking her time and letting the warm water relax her remaining nerves.
When she finished her shower, she wrapped her towel around her head and pulled her robe on. She then went into her bedroom and began deciding on what clothes to wear. Hmm…what clothes do I have are jazz cluby? She laughed at herself for thinking in such a Chris-like manner.
After much internal debate, just as Chris had anticipated, Annie chose to wear a long black tube top with a small black button down shirt over it, but kept opened. Her pants were a deep lavender and a pair of comfortable black shoes completed the ensemble. Her hair was loose, but she curled it to frame her face. She decided to wear a minimal amount of make-up, and when she was finished, she was pleasantly surprised with the way the simple outfit worked for her.
She stepped out of the room and looked expectantly at Chris for confirmation on the clothes she'd chosen.
When he saw her open her bedroom door, he stood up. As she exited the room, he felt his breath catch in his throat. She looked simple yet stylish, and her personality shined through the articles of clothing adorning her body.
He grinned widely at her when the initial shock wore off. "You look great, Mary. Stunning even. JC's not gonna know what hit him."
Her smile matched his as she briefly curtsied before going back to her place on the couch. A look at her watch a moment later told her that it was nearly 7:45. She looked at Chris, still watching some sports event intently and cleared her throat. "Umm…Chris? It's almost 7:45…"
"Yup, almost the big moment."
She shook her head. He didn't get it. "Don't you think it will seem a little weird if JC comes and you're here waiting with me?"
This time, Chris turned from the TV to look at her. "Oh, I see how it is." He clicked off the television and stood up. "I know when to take a hint, I'm leaving."
"Don't whine Chris, you know I hate that."
"Alright…I was just kidding anyway. Let me grab my coat." He walked to the chair where he'd thrown his jacket and picked it up. Pushing his arms through it, he made his way to the door.
As he was about to leave, he turned back to Annie and said, "Aww…Mary. I feel like I'm sending my first born off to college or something. Go get 'em tiger."
"Oh please leave."
She locked the door behind him and went back to sit on her couch and wait for JC. Exactly 15 minutes later, the buzzer sounded to indicate that JC was downstairs. She grabbed her purse, took one last look in the mirror and headed out.
The jazz club was nice. Annie was relieved, because she really didn't know if it was going to end up being some beatnik gathering ground.
But it was nice. Cozy. It was dimly lit and crowded with a good amount of people, all of who seemed to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the place. In the front of the club, there was a small stage.
JC and Annie hadn't really talked; Annie should have known they wouldn't have much to say. So they simply sat in silence, occupying themselves with watching the pianist on stage.
"He's really talented," JC commented.
"Yeah. I wonder if Nate is appreciating it as much as we are," Annie said, referring to the bodyguard that had accompanied them to the club and that was now sitting several tables away. He was drinking a mochachino, which Annie found oddly humorous.
"Soo…" JC began and Annie turned her attention to him, "How's Chris?"
Annie stared at him a minute. Why does he want to talk about Chris? Then she figured it out. It was a safe topic, something that they had in common.
"He's alright. Annoying as usual, if not more so. Which is pretty scary," Annie answered.
"Yeah, its probably this whole lawsuit thing. Everyone's really shaken up about it."
Annie smiled at JC. Ever the sensible one. Chris would rather have a root canal than admit anything was bothering him. He rarely ever allowed anyone to see his raw emotions, and when he did it was done out of pure desperation. Annie was his closest friend and she could only pinpoint two times since that whole thing started that he'd ever really complained.
"Yeah, he won't admit to it, but I'm a little worried," Annie confessed.
"I am too. For him and for Justin. They're the most…" JC trailed off when he couldn't think of the right word.
"Unstable?" Annie supplied helpfully.
JC chuckled and nodded his head, "Yeah, something like that."
"Well, at least you don't have to worry about Lance. SJ's got that taken care of."
"Yeah, thank God for SJ. She was a Godsend is Lance's life. She appeared at just the right time, and she's helped keep him sane ever since."
Annie raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you implying that Lance was insane without her?"
"It was pretty crazy for a while there…but that's not really my story to tell."
Annie nodded her head in complete understanding. "Don't worry about it."
He gave her a confident grin, "I won't."
The car ride home back to Annie's apartment was comfortable. She felt a lot more at ease around him than she thought she would. He knew how to keep a conversation going, and seemed very easy-going.
"Do you want me to walk you up to your door?" JC asked when they finally arrived.
Annie wanted to kiss him right there for being such a gentleman, but she simply shook her head. "You don't have to."
"Nahh…I want to," he countered, before holding the door opened for her to enter the complex.
"Well alright then."
They rode the elevator to the fourth floor, and when they came to her door she turned to him. Now or never she thought.
"You know, this was nice. Just the two of us going out. We should do it again sometime." She held her breath and waited for him to respond.
He looked at her strangely a moment before giving a hesitant grin. "Yeah, that would be nice."
"Ok. I'm gonna go. I'll see you later, JC."
"Good night." He bent down and kissed her cheek lightly. She smiled at him and unlocked her door.
As he was turning to leave, he heard her shout a surprised, "Chris!"
He spun around to see Chris sitting in her living room, reading a book."
He looked up in alarm when he she yelled his name, but when he saw her, he threw her an easy grin. "Oh hey Mary, back so soon?"
"What the hell are you doing here, Chris?" She demanded, placing a hand over her heart.
"I got bored at home, so I decided to wait here until you got back," he eyed her closely before asking, "You're not mad, are you?"
She sighed while shaking her head. "No, I'm not mad. You just scared me."
"Hey C," Chris called to JC who was still standing by the door, "How was the club?"
"It was nice. Good entertainment," he answered. "Ok, I'm going to go, so I'll see you tomorrow Chris. And Annie, I'll see you later."
Annie smiled and nodded as he walked out of the apartment, a smug smile playing on his lips. It's so obvious.