Chapter 6: I've Been Thinking About You…
2 weeks later
December 3, 1999
Annie threw the door to her apartment opened and promptly eased her tired body on to her couch. "Thank God for Fridays…" she said drowsily.
It was nearly midnight, and work had been extremely strenuous that whole week. The web page for FuMan Skeeto was being completely redesigned, statistics had to be counted and traced, they were setting up for their first runway show--and Chris was unable to help with anything.
The lawsuit and court battle was becoming fiercer and fiercer and there was more media coverage than anyone would have imagined surrounding it. The guys were so caught up in all of that business that they rarely had time for anything else. Which basically meant double the responsibility for Annie.
The only thing she wanted to do at that moment was sleep until Monday.
The guys finally had that weekend off. Annie knew it was less to give them a break, as it was to prepare them for the trials to come. She could tell Chris was taking it hard, though he didn't admit it. He kept smiling every time he was around her, but Annie sensed that it was more for her sake. As if Chris was trying to protect her from worrying about him. Naturally, that made her even more worried.
His smiles seemed so forced, and it pained her to see her best friend, the beautiful, free spirit, so closed off and unhappy. Overall, she just needed…something. Some time to think, some time to have fun, some time to rest.
JC would be calling her the next day. He didn't seem as excited about their budding relationship as she was. Since that first date, they had been out three more times. Nothing serious, or even remotely serious had come of any of them. He was perfectly polite and funny and everything she knew he would be. But he rarely ever took the initiative and called her himself. It always took some finagling by her. It wouldn't last much longer; she'd had enough experience in the dating world to know that.
She'd tried to blame it on the stress he was under, but after a few days, it became painfully obvious that wasn't what it was. It hurt her because she really wanted it to work out with JC. All the time and effort she put into him had to be worth something.
Everything was so complicated and she didn't know what she was going to do. She had a continual headache, and all she wanted at this point was some sort of an absolute answer.
Were the guys going to lose their name? Were she and JC going to move past this…whatever it was they were stuck in? Was Chris ever going to be the same?
Those were the $64,000 questions, and she couldn't even begin to answer any one of them.
The next day, Annie opened her eyes and immediately shut them when they came in contact with the sun spilling through the windows. She had a cramp in her neck from falling asleep at an incredibly crooked angle on the couch. But she felt oddly refreshed and relaxed, despite her now contorted body.
She glanced at the watch on her wrist and snorted. It was ten minutes until noon. Twelve hours of sleep can do that to a person.
She slowly pealed herself off the couch and massaged the kinks out of her neck. She then shuffled her way into the kitchen and hazily began to make coffee in an attempt to wake up.
Five minutes later, the dark liquid was dripping noisily into the pot and Annie was almost completely awake. She trudged back into the living room and sat cross-legged on the couch. She switched the television on to the Weather Channel and sat back.
New York is having an extremely frigid winter. Keep your eyes out for some snowfall by about two 'o clock this afternoon. Remember to bundle up and try not to stay outside too…
Her concentration was averted when the phone began to ring obnoxiously from the kitchen. She walked over to where it was cradled on the hook. "Hello?"
"Hi honey. Did you just wake up?"
She smiled faintly and tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder while pouring her coffee. "Yeah, I did Mom. It was exactly what I needed, I think. How are you?"
"I'm alright. I'm calling to check up on you and Christopher. How is he doing? I've been trying to keep track of the situation…but its quite complicated."
Annie sighed deeply and nodded, "Well, you're right about that. I don't know how he's doing. He doesn't tell me Mom. He just constantly denies being affected by it at all."
"That's how he's always been, honey. I remember when you two were in fifth grade and Chris fell off the monkey bars and fractured his arm. He wouldn't cry until you were out of the room because he didn't want to upset you."
Annie winced at the memory of Chris' swollen arm and just as swollen eyes. "I remember that. I'm just so scared he's over his head and he's not going to go to anyone for help."
"Don't worry. He knows you're there, and he'll go to you when he needs to," her mother reassured her.
"I hope so," Annie paused a moment in thought, "You know, you seem awfully upbeat for someone who's worried about their surrogate son."
Annie could almost hear her mother smile on the line, "Well, if you must know…I'm going on a date tonight."
Annie had been sipping her coffee, but when she heard that, she choked on the sip she was taking and began coughing to unclog her lungs.
"Annie? Annabel?! Are you alright?" Her mother asked nervously.
She caught her breath and spoke in to the phone, "Mom, you're fifty-three. Are you even ALLOWED to date at that age?"
Her mother began giggling hysterically in response to her daughter's ridiculous statement, "Just wait until you're my age…"
"Well, come on, what's he like? Is he cute?"
"Oh, extremely. The first time I laid eyes on him, I thought he looked just like Richard Gere."
Annie whistled low in her throat and chuckled, "Well in that case, I don't blame you for going out with him. What's his name? How old is he?"
"His name is Robert, he's fifty-five and we met at the market. Frozen food section…"
Annie smiled at her mother's dreamy voice. "I'm happy for you, Mom. Go out! Have fun! You're only as old as you feel, right?"
Again, her mother began giggling, "Annabel, I'm NOT that old!"
"I know, I know. But you're my mother," she answered, "Alright mom, I hate to cut this short, but JC's supposed to call me soon. So I think that I'm going to let you go…" Annie said.
"How are you and JC doing?" Mrs. Benton asked.
Annie hesitated, "Ehhhh…"
"Tell me about it when we have more time…"
"Good idea, I'll see you later, Mom."
"Alright. I love you."
"I love you too…" Annie said and clicked the phone off.
The moment she pressed the off button, it began ringing again in her hand. She jumped before putting her hand over her heart. Then she turned it back on, fully expecting it to be JC. "Hey, JC?"
"I'll be whoever you want me to be baby," the voice on the other line breathed.
She shook her head playfully and acknowledged the person she was talking to. "Can't you ever answer me in a normal way SJ?"
"Now what's the fun in that?" SJ asked.
"Nothing if you're insane, I guess," Annie relented jokingly.
"What exactly are you implying?" SJ asked with mock indignation.
Annie simply laughed in response. SJ went on, "ANYWAY…I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me at the guys' townhouse. I haven't talked to you in years, girl."
Since the guys were being detained even longer than expected, Johnny had rented them all a townhouse to live in until they got back on the road or to Orlando where they all were currently residing.
"Umm…I don't know, JC is supposed to call me today…" Annie explained.
"He's RIGHT here Annie, I'll tell him you're coming over. You're not backing out on me again sweetheart. Especially if I'm going to be forced to spend the whole night with these five idiots."
Annie heard a loud protest in the background, which she immediately recognized as Joey's voice. "You've got to stop being so sweet to those guys SJ, you're going to give them all complexes…"
"Oh, they have complexes alright…Joey, if you want to keep your arms, you'll put that pillow down NOW…yeah, I didn't think so.
Annie smirked on the line. "Sooo…are you coming or what Annie?"
She sighed over-dramatically before responding, "I guess so. I want to see the guys on their last day off anyway."
"Yeah, that too," SJ said quietly, and Annie heard her voice take a distinctly sadder tone.
The mood suddenly turned melancholy. It was like they were mourning the loss of their friends.
Annie heard SJ sniff and swallow thickly on the other end. Beneath her tough exterior, SJ was a big softie, and Annie knew that seeing Lance so upset was tearing her up.
"I'll be there, S. What time?"
"Around five maybe?" Her voice remained dark.
"Sure."
There was a silence on the line.
She heard SJ talking to someone, "No, I'm fine…don't get him…don't…ohhh…"
Annie continued to listen with interest to what was happening across town. "Lance, I'm not upset…don't worry about me…really…I'm not…" her voice cracked loudly and she took a deep breath before finishing, "…upset."
A moment later, Lance's deep voice boomed through the phone, "She'll call you back Annie."
"Ok," she said, but she was talking to the dial tone.
Annie hung up the phone and shook her head sadly. She really felt for SJ, but in another way, she was jealous of her. She had someone that would hold her and comfort her when she was upset. Sure, she had Chris, but for some reason, it wasn't the same. And she couldn't talk to him about the pressure this was putting on her, because she knew him. He would try to push himself to do more to alleviate her stress instead of relinquishing his own.
The phone rang for the third time in fifteen minutes and Annie groaned. There was only one person who had that annoyingly perfect timing. "Hi Chris."
"Wow. You're psychic Mary," Chris said in awe.
"Something like that," she answered, "How's SJ?"
"What are you talking about? What's wrong with her?" He asked anxiously.
"You're not home, are you?" Annie asked, although she knew the answer.
"No, I was with Johnny signing some papers and stuff. I'm in my car now on my way back. What's wrong with SJ?" He reiterated.
"Nothing much, she just seemed a little out of it, that's all," Annie said, not wanting to get into the real reason SJ was so upset.
"Oh, ok. Well I'm sure she'll be fine."
"Yeah, she will be. What did you need, Chris?" Annie questioned.
"Ohhh…uhhh…ahem…nothing really. Just wanted to say hi, I guess," he paused a second, "Hi."
She smiled tenderly into the telephone, "Hiya Chris."
There was a long pause where neither said anything. Annie waited for him to get to the real point of their conversation. All of a sudden, Chris' voice broke through the silence, "Say something happy," he said.
"What?" She asked, surprised.
"Just…please…say something happy," he practically begged.
She frowned slightly at the desperation in her voice. She was suddenly very eager to know what the papers he had to sign for Johnny were about. She didn't ask though. She knew he was upset about something, but if he didn't want to tell her just then, she wouldn't push it. "Hmm…let's see…my mom's going on a date with a Richard Gere look alike, I finished ALL those statistics and I'm going to be hanging out with you today at your place. SJ invited me."
There was a moment of silence until Chris finally piped up, "Your mom is going on a DATE?"
Annie threw her hands up in the air, "That's what I said!"
Friday 5:16 PM
When she arrived at the rather lush looking townhouse, it had already snowed a good 2-3 inches and it was completely pitch black outside. Annie walked slowly to the entrance, relishing the feel of the cold air on her tired skin.
"Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful…" she sang under her breath as she reached the door. She rang the bell and was almost immediately accosted by a pair of hands pulling her roughly inside the house.
"Girl, you're gonna freeze out there!" The young man exclaimed loudly.
"I think I would have survived the extra couple of seconds it would have taken to walk through the door on my own…but thanks for your concern," Annie said sarcastically to the teenager she had grown oddly close to over the years she'd known him.
"Are you touching her in bad places again, Justin?" Chris called as he came from around the corner, "Hi Mary."
"Hey Chris. And why didn't YOU run to answer the door and save me from the cold?" Annie teased.
"I tried to, but the curly one knocked me down in his rush to get to you first. You know he's got a good five inches on me," Chris said, lowering his voice so he sounded conspiratorial, "…I think he has a thing for you."
"I always did like older woman," Justin chimed in, wiggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively.
"I don't think so, jailbait," Annie answered with a stern expression on her face that soon changed into a smile.
Justin's eyes widened and he placed a hand on his chest, "I am not jailbait."
She rolled her eyes and stood on her tiptoes to put her arm around his shoulders, "Close enough."
Just then, SJ came bounding through the dining room and threw her arms around Annie. "Thank God! Thank God you're here!" She looked her up and down before saying, "Take off that parka you're wearing. You look like an Eskimo."
"Yes sir, SJ sir," Annie said, attempting to salute SJ with her huge gloves covering her hands.
When Annie had removed her coat, SJ handed it to Justin who held it in his hand and looked at her strangely.
"Do I look like a coat rack to you?" He asked, still holding the jacket away from him.
"Boy, make yourself useful for once…go put that in the closet," SJ said commandingly. She didn't wait for a reply, but grabbed Annie's arm and pulled her into the living room.
"Hi everyone…" Annie said to the three men already in the room.
"Hey gorgeous!" Joey said brightly with that never-ending smile of his and jumped up to embrace her tightly.
JC was standing behind Joey, and when he let her go, JC stepped forward to take his place. "I was going to call you, but then SJ told me you were coming over already, so…"
She smiled and shook her head, "No big deal. I figured that anyway."
"Ok! I picked up some movies from the video store. They're in Lance's room. Come on with me and we can decide what you want to watch…" she led Annie into the direction of Lance's room. As she was leaving, she turned around to give the guys remaining in the living room a meaningful look.
When they were out of sight, Joey plopped down on the Lazy Boy chair and gave a Cheshire grin, "Phase one is complete. We actually GOT her here. Now the next step…"
Lance cut him off, "We're WAY ahead of you Joe. Justin should be doing that as we speak."
"Oh. Ok. Good."
JC sat quietly on his seat on the couch, not joining in the conversation. The other two men noticed this and exchanged a look with one another.
"JC? Are you alright man?" Lance asked.
JC looked up at the two men startled, "Hmmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."
Lance turned to Joey who simply shrugged his shoulders with a confused expression on his face.
Friday 5:31 PM
Annie and SJ bounded back into the living room to see all five of the guys idly flipping through television channels.
"We've decided what we want to watch!" Annie said enthusiastically.
"What?" Justin asked from the couch.
"It's A Wonderful Life," SJ answered, proudly displaying the video tape.
There were groans emitted from each of the men in the room.
"That is such a chick flick!" Justin complained in the whiny voice of an inconvenienced teenager.
"It's A Wonderful Life is NOT a chick flick!" Annie argued defensively, "It is one of the greatest movies of all time. Besides, it's December 3…only three weeks away from Christmas. Let's celebrate! Get into the Christmas mood!"
Annie adored Christmas. It was by far her favorite holiday. She loved the decorations and the happiness and good will that went along with it. She loved singing the Christmas carols, and generally started sometime shortly after Thanksgiving. Most of all, she loved getting to go home to her mother, and just spend time with her. They exchanged presents and ate cherry pie. Just the two of them. It was perfect.
Apparently, something Annie had said reminded Justin of a song, because all of sudden, the sound of him lamely attempting to say some random rap song reverberated throughout the room. He began gyrating wildly from his seat and deftly shot out a "gansta" hand sign as he got more and more into it.
The other guys watched Justin in amusement; occasionally cheering him on as he ate up the attention they gave him even then, in their living room. He put his hand over his mouth and began imitating a beat box.
Annie and SJ looked at each other and simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Finally, SJ piped up, "Hey! Hey! VANILLA…ICE! Yeah, shut the hell up so we can watch the movie."
Annie's hand went to cover her mouth in an attempt to mask her laughing. She couldn't hold it in, so she turned and buried her head in Chris' shoulder as her body shook with laughter. Chris patted her back as she continued to laugh at SJ's joke, which, for some reason, she found incredibly funny. Maybe because of the large amount of truth it contained.
SJ quickly popped the movie into the VCR and sat down between Annie and Lance to watch it.
Friday 7:47 PM
The first movie was over and Annie wiped her eyes gently at the conclusion. All those people banding together to help George. It got her every time.
"Here Lance. Can you take that one out and put this in?" SJ asked and handed him the next movie they wanted to watch.
Lance took it and looked at the label, "Ohh…Poetic Justice again? Steph, how many times do we have to watch this?"
"Until YOU know every word. Now put it in," SJ commanded.
"Well I, for one, can always get a little Janet action," Justin said from his position on the Lazy Boy chair.
Chris snickered as his head lifted from Annie's shoulder where he had been resting it. "You WISH you could get a little Janet action."
"Man, shut up! Why is everyone hatin' on me today?" Justin whined.
"Maybe because you use phrases like 'hatin' on' in our presence?" JC suggested helpfully.
"Whatever. Just start the damn movie," Justin said defensively as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Lance took out the movie they had watched and put in the newest movie. He turned around to go back to his seat on the couch. But when he saw SJ standing there, in a sweatshirt of his that he let her borrow and a pair of shorts, he placed his hands on his hips and cocked his head to get a better look at her.
When his body didn't move out of the way of the television, SJ looked up to see him staring at her. She raised an eyebrow curiously and waited for him to move. When he didn't, she gestured for him to say something. "What is it Lance?"
"Let's go to my room…" he said and smiled seductively.
Annie watched his display in amusement. She had to admit, though, that Lance did look very good standing in front of them in his dark blue sweater and light khaki pants.
SJ, however, simply rolled her eyes at his antics. "Lance! Not during this movie."
He sighed loudly, "You've seen it a thousand times, Steph. Don't you want to spend some quality time with your boyfriend?"
"Lance, I've seen YOU a thousand times. I just want to watch my favorite movie."
He stood there a while longer as he seemed to contemplate what she had said to him.
"Honey, your albino ass makes a better door than a window. Can you mope on the couch please?"
Lance shrugged his shoulders before giving her a teasing wink and going to sit across from SJ and next to Joey.
Annie thought it was finally over until she glanced at SJ and saw her valiantly trying to focus on the movie, but instead kept turning to sneak glances at Lance. He was too busy concentrating on the movie and had yet to notice the attention.
She continued looking over and then shaking her head as if trying to get her mind off of him. It seemed to Annie that SJ was pulled by some sort of magnetic force to the face of her boyfriend.
Annie once again felt that tug of jealousy against her heart, but she couldn't help the grin that lit up her face when SJ's eyes once again found their way back to him. This time, her large chocolate colored eyes focused in solely on his lips as his tongue peeked out to unconsciously wet them and then darted back inside his mouth. SJ's tongue then mimicked Lance's and Annie saw her swallow rather thickly. Her eyes didn't stray back to the television after that, but rather, stayed completely immersed in her memorization of the oblivious man on the couch.
She had yet to take her eyes off the texture and appeal of his now moistened lips, when she saw the corners curl up slowly into a wicked and mischievous grin. She immediately pulled her gaze up to meet his eyes and found them staring straight back at her with the same look of mischief his smile held.
The only other person in the room that had noticed this exchange was Chris who looked down at Annie and shook his head playfully. When they looked back at SJ, they found her already dark skin turning distinctly crimson as she pretended to be focused on the movie so she wouldn't have to look at Lance again.
Eventually though, her curiosity got the best of her and she tentatively turned to see what he was doing. What she saw was him openly staring straight at her, his green apple eyes burning holes through her. The look he was giving her was so blatantly sensual and seductive that Annie had to stop from getting up and jumping him herself.
Apparently SJ didn't have as much self-control, because a second after she saw that look in his eyes, she was out of her seat. She walked quickly to where Lance was sitting and stopped in front of him.
He met her eyes and smiled teasingly at her before asking, "Do you need something Steph?"
"Funny," SJ answered, and pulled him up to her by the collar of his shirt. She kissed him firmly on the lips she had been staring at just moments before and sighed with pleasure.
"But I thought you wanted to watch your movie?" He continued, keeping up his innocent act.
"Lance Bass! You CANNOT give me that look of…of…well you know the look you gave…" SJ began and then rolled her eyes. Annie loved the fact that Lance was the only person capable of making the mighty Stephanie Jane Wilkins tongue-tied.
"You can't give me that look and expect me to not do anything about it," SJ finished.
"What loo…" he tried to say, but was cut off by SJ's mouth meeting his own again tenderly.
When she broke the kiss, he leaned down until his lips were inches from her ear and whispered hoarsely, "Let's go…"
Friday 10:03 PM
The second movie had finally come to a conclusion and Lance and SJ had since returned to the living room. Though she tried to hide it, Annie could see the glow of happiness that now surrounded SJ.
Annie stretched her arms over her head and yawned loudly before declaring, "Ok guys. It's been fun, but I think I really should be getting home."
Chris' face immediately took on a deep pout and he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer to him. "Mary! It's only 10! You can't leave yet!"
"I know…but it's so dark and it's snowing really hard, so the roads are going to be slippery," Annie rationalized.
"Chris, let her go home. You want her to make it safely, don't you?" Lance asked, knowing that would shut him up.
"Of course I want her to be safe!" Chris retorted back and gave Lance an evil look.
Lance raised his hands in defense and widened his eyes. "I was just saying man…"
SJ slapped her hands on her thighs before getting up and holding out her hands to help Annie up. "Let's go get your coat girl."
She walked confidently to the closet with Annie tow.
When her jacket was on, she dug in her pocket for her car keys. She called out a simple good bye to all the guys and was about to walk out the door when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
"You know I want you safe, right?" Chris' pre-pubescent sounding voice asked in her ear.
She slapped her best friend's arm in disbelief. "Of course I know that Chris! Don't be stupid."
He untangled himself from around her and she turned to face him. "Just checking. Would it be really selfish if I said that I didn't want you to leave?"
"Nahhh…I'll stay if you want…it's not a big deal…" Annie said, but Chris could hear the reservations she had in her voice. She wasn't completely comfortable with the rest of the guys yet. Even after two years of being acquainted, they'd never really become…acquainted. Not in actual terms.
Chris knew from experience that she was incredibly sweet and loving, but she'd always had a hard time growing close to people. That was one reason why Chris was her best friend, SJ was as close as she'd ever gotten to a real girl friend, and Justin was slowly working his way past her defenses. They were all tremendously stubborn and almost never took no for an answer.
Chris had plenty of opportunities over the years to just give up and let them drift apart. When her self-confidence was low and she couldn't see just how beautiful she was, when she thought having a boy as a best friend was "weird", when she purposely egged him on just because she knew what would make him mad.
But imagining his life without her in it was like imagining summertime with no sun. It just wasn't the same. Everything would be too cold. Too emotionless.
"Chris?" Annie said, breaking him out of his thoughts, "Do you want me to stay?"
"No. No. You go home and get some sleep. I don't like the look of these circles under your eyes anyway," Chris said, gently running his fingers over the shadow-like marks surrounding her eye. He was making up an excuse while also voicing a real concern.
"Sure?" She asked uncertainly.
"Sure."
"Alright then. I'm gonna get going and I'll see you tomorrow, right?" She continued when Chris nodded in agreement, "And speaking of dark circles…you could use a little rest yourself."
"Yeah, yeah…"
She gave him one last smile before darting out of the house and into the blistering cold. The wind whipped around her while thick snowflakes showered over her whole body. She ran quickly to her car and unlocked in before practically diving inside to protect herself from the storm.
She fumbled with her key chain until finding the appropriate one to start the engine. She stuck it into the ignition and waited. And waited.
"Huh…" She mumbled before trying again.
Chris had moved into the kitchen to find himself something to drink. In the living room, SJ turned to Justin with a look of hurried determination in her eyes. "Did you…?"
Justin held up a hand to silence her. "In five…four…three…two…one…"
Just then, the doorbell rang and Justin grinned brightly.
"Sure guys…" Chris grumbled under his breath as he went to answer the door, "I'll see who it is. No, don't get up."
He threw the door opened and saw Annie standing on the other side. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he widened the entrance so she could walk in.
"My car won't start," she answered simply to his inquisitive stare.
"Well, why don't you take off your coat and come back in?" He suggested.
She nodded under the layers of clothes she was wearing and he chuckled. "You do look like an Eskimo."
He led her back into the living room where everyone else was staring at them with what they both thought was curiosity, but which was really triumph.
"My car won't start," Annie said again in explanation.
A chorus of sympathetic 'ohhs' and 'ahhs' rang out throughout the room.
"Well what do you want to do?" Chris asked before sitting down on the couch and patting the spot next to him for Annie to join him.
"I don't know…maybe call a tow truck…and a taxi," Annie supplied as she sat down.
"Its like 10:30 Annie. And there's a snow storm outside," JC rationalized, "Why don't you wait until tomorrow to do all that stuff?"
"I guess…but how am I supposed to get home?"
"I could drive you," Chris supplied helpfully.
"You can't take your car out of the garage in this weather, Chris," Joey said.
"Girl, why don't you stay over with us tonight?" SJ asked, "I was planning on staying here, I don't even have my car here. It'll be fun, like a slumber party or something."
Annie looked extremely caged as she glanced from SJ to Chris. "Uhh…that would be fine. You guys don't mind, do you?"
"I don't. And Lance doesn't," SJ answered.
"I do have a mind of my own, you know," Lance protested.
SJ patted his cheek patronizingly before responding, "You keep telling yourself that honey."
"I want you to stay Mary, but you already knew that," Chris added.
"I want you to stay."
Annie looked up sharply at JC who shrugged and ignored the glares his friends were giving him.
Annie felt a flutter in her stomach. She grinned and nodded her head, "Yeah, ok. I'll stay then."
JC matched her grin with one of his own, "Good."
"Ahem…come on then Mary. You can sleep in the spare room with SJ. I'll show you where it is."
As soon as the two were out of earshot, all eyes slowly shifted to JC.
"What?"
"What do you mean 'what'? What the hell was that?" SJ demanded.
"I got her to stay right? Isn't that what we wanted?" JC asked.
SJ looked poised to say something when Lance's hand clamped over her mouth. "Don't fight you two, ok? Whatever just happened, it worked in our favor, so let's go with it. Phase two is complete. Now on to number three, which is…"
"Divide and conquer," Justin finished with a devilish grin.
Friday 10:54 PM
"Annie, can I talk to you?" SJ asked, coming up behind the older woman.
"Hmmm?" Annie said, looking up from the magazine she had been reading, "Oh sure. About what?"
"Why don't we go to our room?" SJ suggested.
Annie gave her a strange look before slowly nodding her head. "Alright."
When they entered the room, Annie went to sit on the edge of the bed while SJ stood over her.
"What's up?" Annie questioned, trying to sound nonchalant, but she was very confused as to what SJ wanted to discuss.
"Are you feeling ok Annie?" She began, surprising Annie.
"Uhh…yeah. I'm feeling fine. Kind of tired, but other than that I'm fine."
"I don't mean physically, although if there is something bothering you in that area, I'd like to know about it. I'm talking about….emotionally," SJ explained.
Annie giggled a little out of nervousness. "I don't know where you're going with this S."
"With everything that's going on with you and Chris…"
"What's going on with me and Chris?" SJ asked, thinking perhaps she was referring to the lawsuit ordeal.
"The way things have been changing between you two."
"Changing? I don't…oh God S. This isn't one of those 'you two are meant to be together' speeches, is it? Because I'm only thinking about JC now," Annie said, finally catching on.
"I couldn't help but notice the way he's been acting like a jealous boyfriend lately when it comes to you and JC."
Annie laughed out loud at this and shook her head. "You're misunderstanding whatever it is you think you see. Chris was the one who helped me out with JC. He's not jealous of us!"
"I don't know, Annie. I've seen the way he's been looking at you when you aren't paying attention. They're the looks romance movies are made of. They're looks of longing Annie."
She shook her head even more vigorously in response to this. "He's being protective. That's the way he is."
SJ sighed and smiled a very sisterly smile. "Just think about what I said, ok?"
"Yeah, I will. But honestly, you don't know what you're talking about."
SJ didn't respond. She threw her one last smile and left the room. Annie sat on the bed shocked at the odd conversation she had endured. SJ always wanted you to get together with Chris. You shouldn't be surprised she said something like that.
Happy with her realization, she followed SJ's lead and walked out of the room.
She went into the living room and saw JC lounging on the floor in front of the TV. Taking a deep breath, she went over and sat down next to him. "Why are you sitting on the floor?"
He turned and shot her one of his warm and lazy grins that always got her heart pumping. "For a change of pace I guess."
She nodded again and smiled timidly back. "What are we watching?"
He scrunched his face and answered, "Not sure actually. Some syndicated show. There's a knight and a prince. I think."
"Sounds RIVETING…"
"Oh, it is. I'm on the edge of my seat," JC responded and they both cracked smiles before silently watching the badly choreographed fight sequence playing out on the TV.
Chris sat in the kitchen drinking a Sprite and watching the interaction between JC and Annie. They seem to be getting along really well. That's good.
"They seem to be getting along well…" Chris turned sharply to look at the man who just verbalized his thoughts.
Lance sat down across from him. "Yeah, it's cool. I couldn't have picked a better guy."
"JC is a good choice. But won't it be weird? With both of them being your good friends?"
"Nahhh….why should it?"
"You won't be able to hang out with her as much, and she'll be leaving you for your best friend. I just think it would a little uncomfortable, that's all."
Lance saw Chris flinch slightly when he mentioned not seeing Annie as much anymore. "Well, it's not like I've never had to compete with a boyfriend before. I've dated, she's dated. We've learned to live with it, and when the relationship ends, we're even tighter than we were before."
"Ok," Lance said, nodding in agreement, "But…uhh…what happens when the relationship DOESN'T end? What if she and C last? What are you two going to do then?"
"We'll get by. We always do," Chris pronounced confidently. His eyes then turned to where JC and Annie were on the floor in the living room. Annie was lying with a pillow under her head and her eyes closed, while JC was sitting next to her watching the television.
"No matter what, Mary and I are going to be friends. No matter what."
Saturday 3:13 AM
There were seven bodies sprawled around the living room. They had all fallen asleep early because of the extreme exhaustion each had from the week. Annie shifted and opened her eyes to look around the dark room from where she laid.
It took her a moment to remember where she was, but eventually it came to her. She was on the floor of the guys' living room…and she had never felt so protected in her life. She realized then that two arms were wrapped securely around her waist and her back was pressed against a hard body.
She felt so perfectly content being held in the dark, and she grinned brightly when she remembered that JC had been next her. Maybe there is hope for us if I feel like this when he holds me. She snuggled into her pillows and immediately fell back to sleep.
Across the room, the dark haired man smiled sadly at the couple illuminated by the light of the moon filtering in through the windows. He would miss her, of course. But if two people were meant to be together, there was nothing he could do about it.
He had to admit that the first time he'd seen them together in that hotel room in LA, he knew there was something between them. He knew she felt something for him. He didn't say anything. He didn't want to disturb what they had.
But then she came to him about bringing them together, and he knew he had to help. It had to be fate between them. She moved halfway across the country before they even met. That had to mean something. He had to let her go. As much as it hurt him, he had to do what he knew was best for Annie. He was her friend, and he saw plainly what she wanted. He had to let go. He fell asleep with that thought replaying over and over through his mind.
The arms around Annie tightened, and in her sleep, she smiled faintly. His face buried in her hair when he shifted restlessly in his slumber. Drawn unconsciously to him, Annie turned her body so that her head rested comfortably against his chest. The slow and steady beating of his heart in her ear lulled her deeper to sleep as his arms pressed her tighter still to him.
Saturday 12:09 PM
Annie's eyes slowly opened, the morning had come quicker than she would have liked. She had been sleeping quite soundly. Her body was still held securely to his chest. She sighed with happiness and nuzzled her head deeper into the cocoon of warmth they had created.
After a few minutes of lying like that, the hands that had been woven so intricately around her untangled themselves and he pulled away slightly.
JC must be awake.
He stretched and yawned loudly before uttering in confusion the word that would eventually turn her entire world upside down. "Mary?"
Annie froze in the position she had been lying in and let her eyes drift up his chest to his goatee surrounded by stumble and finally his inquisitive brown eyes and disheveled hair. "Chris? How…"
"I…I don't know. When I came back from the kitchen, you were asleep, so I put that blanket over you and sat down to watch TV. I guess I fell asleep and…maybe got cold or something. I really have no idea." Chris honestly did look as confused and shaken by this as she felt.
Both of them moved away quickly. They remained a foot apart, staring straight into the other's eyes, each trying to make sense of what had just happened.
The thought of JC's arms making her feel that safe and complete was a happy realization for Annie. But to get that feeling about Chris was puzzling to say the very least.
Chris still didn't understand how they ended up the way they did. He didn't understand why, even after his mind got out of the morning haze and he figured out who was in his arms, he still had to suppress the nearly uncontrollable urge to hold her tighter, run his fingers through her hair, caress her back and never let go. That wasn't supposed to happen. This was his little Mary. He was supposed to push her away and laugh at their humorous position and about how much ammunition it would give SJ.
He wasn't supposed to lie still and watch as she pressed herself closer to him, then pretend to wake up so that she didn't suspect he had prolonged moving just to continue holding her.
Their contemplation was interrupted as SJ bounded into the living room. "Hey! You two are finally awake!"
Annie turned to look at her and smiled as sincerely as she could. "Yeah, why didn't you wake us up sooner?"
She shrugged, "You two looked so comfortable and we knew that you were both in need of a good long rest, so we decided not to disturb you."
SJ stopped when she noticed the looks of uncertainty and nervousness that were etched across each of their faces and frowned. She felt awful that her friends were upset, even if it was for their own good.
"Anyway, I made some breakfast, so if you're interested, you can go in the kitchen and get it," SJ said with fake enthusiasm.
Annie stood up and stretched her arms over her head in an attempt to look natural and nonchalant. "No thanks. I think I should call a tow truck and be heading home."
"Ok…" SJ conceded.
Chris stood up then, "I think that I'm going to get some of whatever it is you made," he looked over at Annie, "I'll see you later then, right?"
"Sure, I'll…call you or something," Annie responded, though she knew she wouldn't be talking to him again that weekend.
"Come on, the telephone is over here," SJ said, leading Annie to the hook it was on.
As Annie was going to dial information to get the number, three of the four members of NSYNC appeared in front of her. "Yes?"
Justin took the phone of her grasp and said, "Why don't we try to get your car working before you go and waste all that money?"
Annie eyed him carefully before sighing in resignation. She could tell they wanted to display their masculinity by fixing her car. "You can try. But only quickly, because I have to get home. I have work to do," she lied.
"It'll only take him five minutes to realize he has no idea what he's doing," JC voice shot out
Annie turned around to see him standing behind them. "Hi JC."
He graced her with a beautiful, yet bittersweet smile. "Hi Annie."
"Yeah yeah, let's go," Justin ordered. They all put on their coats and headed out into the cold.
"Why don't you try to start the car?" Lance said.
Annie shrugged her shoulders and got into the car. She put the key into the ignition not expecting anything to happen. However, to her surprise, the car immediately began grumbling and rearing to life. Her eyes widened as she stared at her car in shock. "What the hell…?"
There was a knock on her window and she turned to see everyone staring at her with looks of obvious amusement on their faces. She got out of the car and put her hands on her hips. "I don't know why it's suddenly working. I swear it wouldn't start yesterday night."
"Uh huh," Joey said, his voice teasing and obviously unconvinced, "Are you sure you didn't just want to spend some quality time with us?"
She cracked a smile, but it quickly faded as she tried to rationalize what could have happened. "Did you turn the key when you put it in the ignition? That helps sometimes," Justin piped up from behind Joey.
"Shut up Justin, I know how to start my car," she stood in deep concentration for a few more seconds until the cold air started getting to her, "Well, whatever. It starts now. That's the important thing. I'm going to get going. Tell Chris I say bye."
She got in her car and started the ignition again, half expecting it not to work again. It did however, and she took off out of the driveway and down the street as the others went back into the house.
When they entered, the men immediately headed in different directions, each going to do their own thing while SJ stood looking at the door. She sensed when he was behind her.
"Are we doing the right thing?" She asked. She felt him come up behind her and run his hands down her bare arms until their fingers interlocked.
"Steph, this was all your idea in the first place, remember. You're the one that got me, JC and all the other guys to do it," Lance pointed out.
"I know, but did you see their faces? What if we're hurting them more than we're helping them?"
"We're not. He needs her Steph. Especially right now. He needs her like I needed you," Lance answered, saying the perfect thing to ease his girlfriend's worries.
"I know. I just hope this doesn't end up badly."
December 12, 1999
It had been a week since that incident and Chris and Annie had finally managed to get past it. They never discussed it, and both came up with logical excuses why all those feelings meant nothing. They both separately decided that the stress caused it and they shouldn't give it too much thought.
Annie was sitting at her desk when the phone beside her rang. She hastily picked it up, "Hello, Annabel Benton's office."
"Annie, hi sweetheart."
"Oh hey Mom. What's up?" Annie asked, immediately becoming suspicious. Her mother NEVER called her at work.
"I actually…I have something to ask you…" her nervousness swam over the phone and straight into Annie's ear.
"Go ahead…" she prodded.
"The thing is…Robert has been working at the pharmacy for 25 years, and for a Christmas bonus, they whole place pitched in to send him to the Bahamas for Christmas. And he wants me to go with. Now honey, you don't have to say yes. If you don't want me to go, tell me and I'll turn him down. I really don't mind."
Annie closed her eyes and absorbed this new information. Of course she wanted to spend Christmas with her mother. She'd been looking forward to it since...well since LAST Christmas. But she could hear in her mother's voice how much she wanted to away with Robert.
Rarely did she get to go out and have fun, and far be it for Annie to deny her of one now. As much as she wanted to make her stay, she knew her mother wouldn't be having any fun if she stayed home.
"Mom, you go. It's not like there won't be any more Christmases. We'll do it next year, and I'll come down to see you after you get back in. I'm sure Chris won't mind."
"Are you sure honey?" Her mother asked hopefully, "Are you absolutely certain? If you just say the word, I'll tell him no. You know I love being with you…"
Annie cut her off with a chuckle, "Don't worry! I know you feel horrible. But don't worry. I've always wanted to see Christmas in New York anyway. I hear its really beautiful."
"You don't have to stay there. You can go to visit Aunt Rita…" her mother suggested, but she knew Annie would decline. Annie was never particularly fond of her Aunt Rita. Hell, she was her sister, and she could barely stand her.
"No, I'll stay around here, maybe see Rockefeller Center. I'll have fun, and you'll have fun. When you get back we'll discuss our fun times."
"I'm sure Christopher would love to have you at his house for Christmas…"
"I don't think I want to bother him Mom. He's always helping me out with things like this. I don't want to be a nuisance," Annie admitted.
"Annabel! You've been a lot of things in that boy's life, but a nuisance was never one of them," her mother scolded.
"Exactly. And I don't intend to start now," Annie answered sensibly.
"Whatever you say dear. You'll see," her mother predicted cryptically.
"I really have to get back to work Mom so…"
"I know! I know! I shouldn't have called you now, I know how busy you are. I just didn't want to worry about this all day."
"It's alright. I'll see you later then," Annie said, ending their conversation.
"I'll call you tomorrow. I love you," her mother said sincerely.
"I love you too Mom. Good bye."
She hung up the phone and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She really didn't want to spend Christmas alone, but she meant what she said. She wouldn't bother Chris anymore than she had to. Christmas was a time to spend with your family. As much as she loved Chris and all of his relatives, she couldn't ask him to do that for her.
Annie opened her eyes and gasped when she saw a figure leaning against her doorframe. JC stepped forward then and smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I couldn't help but…stand here and listen to your conversation."
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Why don't you want to ask Chris? You know he won't mind. He'll probably want you there," JC said, ignoring her sarcastic comment
"I know he'll say that, and maybe he really will, but I don't want to do that to his whole family. It wouldn't be fair to ask them to make room for me," Annie said rather sadly.
JC crossed the room until he was standing in front of her desk. He couldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do, and he couldn't betray her by telling Chris what he'd heard. But he sure as hell couldn't let her be alone on Christmas day of all days.
"Come home with me then."
"What? JC, no. Come on, I couldn't do that to you either."
"Why not? I'd love to have you, and we always have way too much food left over anyway. Plus, my mother is bothering me about finally meeting you. Please come with me."
His mother knows who I am? After that one uncomfortable night at his house, they'd barely even spoken, and that had been two weeks earlier.
"I don't think so."
"Have you ever seen DC in the winter? Have you ever seen it period? It's beautiful, I know you'll love it there," JC argued.
Annie looked in his eyes and realized he wasn't going to back down from his argument until she agreed. "If you really don't mind…"
"Yes! Great!"
Annie laughed and shook her head. "Did you come here for a specific reason, JC?"
"I was in the neighborhood."
"Ahhhh…"
"I'll let you know all the details of when we're leaving and everything as soon as we get them, ok?" JC asked.
She nodded in agreement and he grinned. "I'm gonna go home then. I'll call you tonight or tomorrow then."
"I'll be waiting. Oh, and JC? Thanks a lot."
He waved his hand as if to wipe the thank you away. "It's my pleasure, really."
When he walked back in the house, he was greeted immediately by Chris.
"Hey man, where'd ya go?" He asked curiously.
JC swallowed and cringed. He's going to have to find out some way. You might as well tell him now.
"I stopped by Fu Man to talk to Annie, actually."
Chris raised his eyebrows and grinned deviously, "Oh really…and…"
"And…ahem…well, we decided that she's going to spend Christmas in DC with me." JC looked at Chris to gauge his reaction. His face was full of disbelief.
"No, that can't be right. She spends Christmas with her mother every year. Just her and her mother. I don't even get to see her then," he contradicted.
"Her mother's going somewhere for Christmas, so she didn't have anywhere else to go. I suggested she stay with me," JC explained.
Chris felt like he was punched in the stomach. In all his years of knowing Annie, he'd never had her over for Christmas, or even SEEN her on that day. It was a sacred day to her and her mother, and now JC was going to be spending it with her. It wasn't right. She should have gone to him, her best friend, about something as important as where to spend Christmas.
Why wouldn't she want to spend that day with him?