Chris's voice over powered Justin and JC as soon as the door had been shut. He was laughing at something and soon two other voices joined the laughter. Justin sighed deeply as JC and he walked into the room. All Justin wanted to do was go to his room, but unfortunately the only way to get to his room was through Chris and his laughing buddies.

"Hey man! Check this out!" Chris screamed directing the command to Justin and JC.

They turned their heads to Chris on the couch who was reaching for the bag of M&M's that lay on the table. Quickly and efficiently Chris stuck them in his nose. He lunged for a cup that was on the table and held it at arms distance from his nose. With one quick snort, the red and blue M&M's were propelled towards the cup. The red one made a clanking noise as it fell into the cup. The blue one continued on its journey, finding itself a nice place on the carpet. Laughter erupted from the couches as Chris crawled over to the Blue M&M to pick it up. JC cracked a smile, but Justin remained entirely frozen.

"J what's wrong? Don't you think that's hilarious?" Lance questioned between laughs, noticing Justin's tension.

"I've got things on my mind." "You want to talk about it?" Lance pressed starting to become serious.

"No." Justin snapped turning towards the stairs.

"Come on you can tell us." Chris said from the floor. Justin slowly turned back around as his eyes narrowed.

"You know what Chris? Why don't you take those M&M's and shove them up your ass? I said I don't... want to.... talk about it!" he said, stalling after each word as he gained up on loudness. With that Justin tore up the stairs, slamming his door behind him. Silence overcame the room as the four of them watched Justin's explosion. Finally Joey broke the dead silence.

"Well....somebody didn't have their cereal today..." he said timidly. All the guys turned to stare at him with eyes that drawn into his head. He just popped an M&M in his mouth and smiled.

After a few minutes of small talk and exchanging worried glances, the rest of the group decided they needed to get out of the house. Joey suggested a club, but was quickly out voted. No one was in the mood to party, but instead felt trapped in the house. Finally after millions of suggestions, the guys decided on going to a small coffee place that was near by.

"Do you think we should ask Justin if he wants to go?" Lance wondered out loud. Three quick "no's" rang through his ears. Lance shrugged, knowing that if any one tried to bother Justin he would blow up. Lance found a small pad of paper and scribbled a note to Justin and left it on the counter. JC slid his keys out of his pocket and jingled them as they walked out of the house into the cool autumn air. The street lights created a glow around the four people as they all piled into JC's jeep.

Chris, who sat in the front next to JC, reached for the knob on the radio. The familiar tunes of Christina Aguilera's "I Turn To You" filled the car. Everyone sat quiet as they listened to Christina belt out the words. JC couldn't help but turn his thoughts back to Vesteva. He started looking past everything that was going on now and looked at what he was getting himself into. Vesteva had to still be in high school. Here he was, 23, and going after a girl 5 years younger than him. What was his problem? No matter what he did though, the picture of her face kept coming back into his mind. He had to talk it out with someone. JC kept thinking as Christina's song faded out and a new one started.

"Hey! This song sounds familiar." Chris said sarcastically as their own song rang through the car. JC quickly flipped the station, sick of hearing himself sing. He was relieved when he saw the sign that said Starbucks come into view. He switched lanes and put on his turn signal. Finally, a place to talk.

Justin was laying in bed listening to Eminem when he heard the door slam. He figured everyone had left, which relieved him. All he wanted was to be totally alone. Slowly he crept downstairs, scared to make a noise even though he knew he was home alone. It was hard for him to adjust to a new house quickly, even if they weren't staying for a while. He reached the kitchen in search of food even though he just ate with Abby. Justin's eyes laid upon the note scribbled on a piece of paper in Lance's handwriting. Crumpling it up in his hand, he walked to the garbage can and disposed of it. Finally he went to the cabinet and grabbed a bowl in preparation to make himself some cereal.

As soon as he finished his bowl of Captain Crunch, Justin went back upstairs to his room. Quickly he turned back on his cd because it was too quiet in the house. Within seconds the tunes of 'The Real Slim Shady' filled the room. No matter what he did though, his thoughts kept finding their way to Abby. Justin couldn't get rid of the feeling inside that was chewing away at him. There were so many reasons not to like Abby and the fact that she was a smoker was even worse. The only problem was if there were those reasons than why couldn't he get her out of his mind. Justin pushed everything to the back of his mind and turned up his music. This was definitely not something he wanted to solve today.

JC sipped his coffee and let the hot liquid soothe his throat. His eyes glanced around the table, seeing three of his best friends staring back at him. Everyone seemed so distant from each other or at least JC felt distant from them. Chris was looking around the shop and when nothing seemed interesting to him, he decided to try to make conversation.

"So JC what's up with you today? And why was Justin so pissed off?" JC stared back at Chris without any idea where to start.

He knew that if he talked it out with the rest of the group he would feel better, so he started at the beginning. JC went through every detail beginning with the hospital and ending with finding Justin on Abby's porch. He also told them he didn't know what was wrong with Justin, but was sure he would come talk to them if he needed it. At least that's what JC hoped would happen. JC could almost see Chris, Lance, and Joey's brains working, trying to find a solution to the problem. He continued to sip his steaming coffee and waited for any type of response. Joey suddenly slammed his mug on the table.

"I got it." he announced with a smile on his face. Everyone directed their attention to him awaiting his solution. "No, no. I don't got it." Joey laughed after thinking it over. After a half an hour and three drinks later, the group finally decided that the only solution was to try to get Abby to talk to JC. It wouldn't hurt JC to try one more time, even if he got shot down the first time. They paid the bill and all climbed back into JC's Jeep. Tomorrow JC thought, he was going to talk to Abby.

With a tap on the shoulders, Vesteva's father tried to wake her up in the late afternoon the next day. He sat on the side of the bed as he watched his daughter try to awaken to the bright lights of the afternoon sunshine. She tossed back and forth, her head moving from side to side without a wince of her eyes opening. He saw the sweat that started to gather in the corner of her forehead. He placed both hands on her shoulders without saying a word, trying to calm her down a little. 'No..no..." were the words escaping from her mouth, slamming her fists against the pastel flowers sheets.

Letting out a soft whisper between his lips, he shook her harder so that she would wake. Eyes flashing immediately open, she laid on her back with a heavy pant. Vesteva closed her eyes slowly, knowing that what was happening was all in her dream. Her father glided his hand against her forehead, pushing her thick hair out of her face. The broken bed squeaked as he lifted himself off, leaving to go to the bathroom and get a wash rag for her face.

She turned her head to the side, giving her a wide glimpse of her room. She let in a sigh of relief but then let it all out while she stared at the scattered sheets that still remained on the floor. Tissues were laying , bordering the bed and the song that she had on the night before continued to play on repeat. Thinking to herself on what happened last night, the only conclusion drawn was that she must have fell asleep and Abby helped her to bed. The blankets and comforter were brought closely to her chest with pillows aligned along the wall and head board.

Hearing the sounds of her name being called from a few feet away, her sister came walking into the room, stopping right at the door frame. She held her hands close to her mouth while continuing to call 'Vessie'. The foot sounds of her father came from down the hall with the dripping rag in hand. He lifted his right leg, sending it flying over Lee Lee's head and landing back onto the carpet.

" By the way, you have a phone call downstairs waiting for you," he conveyed, placing the rag on her forehead.

She nodded in return, rubbing the rag around her forehead and then sitting up. Getting up, she through the still wet rag back onto her bed and walked over to the shy Lee. She giggled while Vesteva charged over to her with her arms held out, ready to grab her. When Lee turned around, Vesteva scooped her up under her arms and growled while she swung her legs back and forth. With delight, her sister screamed and laughed until they came to the top of the stairs. Vesteva saw the phone lying on the table near the bottom of the stairs. She placed Lee down and speeded down the stairs.

Lifting up the phone, approaching to hear the sound of Abby's voice at one in the afternoon, she cheerfully announced, "Hey Abby".

There was a light silence until the person on the other line spoke up, " Yeah, Vesteva, this is JC. Don't hang up!". Vesteva pulled the phone piece away from her ear and stared blankly at it for a second. She didn't have anything so say to him, plus she was embarrassed from last night. The sound of his voice rang with a continuous hello, wondering if she was still on the line. " Please, I just want to talk." he begged.

" Why the hell do you keep bothering me?" she said in a whisper, seeing her sister sitting on the bottom stair.

" You won't ever let me explain! You either run away or you ignore me, and I don't understand why you do. Can't we just get together this afternoon? Like at a McDonalds or something, you can bring-."

That was all that JC could spit out before he heard the smack of the phone and a dead line with the buzzing sound. He kept his cellular phone to his ear with his mouth kept straight open, his jaw dropped like he was catching flies. Rolling his eyes to the side, he then closed them and let out a deep sigh. Knowing that he can't get through to her, made him feel completely cold though full of anger. As soon as the tone of the woman came on the phone speaking 'If you would like to make a call, please hang up and try again' echoed through his ears in a repeating manner.

He growled out in a low tone, making the back of his throat vibrate as he slapped the talking piece over and closed. To the back of his bedroom wall, he slammed his head backwards, smacking his head purposely against the baby yellow colored wall. Indignation rushed over him, looking at his cell phone in his hand. He jerked his wrist back and whipped it across the room, making it shatter into pieces against the wall across from him. " Fuck." he whispered to himself, glaring at the black plastic and electronic pieces that were scrambled across the floor. Pounding his heel onto the floor, his then brought his legs closer to himself, resting his arms on his knees and breathing out a deep sigh.

Shaking his head, he tried to forget that this ever happened, that he never was at the hospital that day and never saw Vesteva. Tears never streamed his crystal blue eyes though he felt the tears in his heart.

Disrupting his tantrum and aloneness, there was a knock against the thin wood door that was placed next to him. JC knocked back twice slowly in a signal of theirs, telling the person on the other side that he didn't want to be bothered. The sound of Joey's voice was low while JC heard his disappear down the hall. Looking at the blue glowing clock that was settled above his bed, he slunk himself lower to the ground where his shoulder blades met the floor. Just staring in a daze, he looked up at the ceiling to watch as each fan blade spin around in a slow circle to the sound of a click, every time one blade hit the chain to turn the light on. It calmly composed him while he sat by himself, thinking about what he should do next.

The home the guys were staying in like a cabin, everything made out of a firm oak wood. There was a fireplace in the living room, put right in the center where the couches and chairs surround. Justin was relaxing on the couch with his back from the fireplace, and his long body stretched. His hand was placed in his curly hair, combing it in and out while he just laid there, concentrated on the show. His eyes were like frowns, with his forehead crinkled up and a straight face. A bowl of hot butter popcorn was next to him on the coffee table, sticking his hand in there without looking pulling out large handfuls.

Bouncing down the stairs with the creaks beneath his feet, Lance strutted into the living room wearing one of Justin's Abercrombie and Fitch shirts. He cuffed his hands around his waist, staring at Justin with one of those smiles that also makes someone happy. Justin didn't flinch at any of the movement that Lance just displayed, placing a piece of popcorn in his mouth while the audience laughed on the television sitcom. Lance then walked over to the table where he saw the bowl of popcorn, grabbing it and then nesting himself on a reclining leather chair.

Letting out a huff at the television, Justin reached over to grab some popcorn, smacking his knuckles against the wood. Bringing his attention away from the TV for once, he gaped over at Lance who was laughing away to the show. His blue eyes seemed a dense color.

" Yo, get your own bowl, foo!" He shouted, reaching behind him to rearrange the pillows for more back comfort.

Lance shifted his position, directing his eyes in Justin's direction with a smirk on his face. " You ass, you've been sitting there all day YET you won't even tell us what the hell is up with you. Either you tell me what your fuckin' problem is, OR," Lance said, sticking his point finger out, having it bounce at the word. " OR, no popcorn." Laughing quietly to himself, his low voice rattled, sounding a little itchy.

Justin just laid there as if he had no emotion, no feeling. Forgetting that Lance was even talking to him, he faced himself towards the television though rested his head against the pillow while closing his eyes. His body sunk into the cushions as his Adidas jogging pants slid across the cotton. The couch wasn't long enough for his body so he put his feet up against the arm rest, then tossed his body to the side away from Lance.

Not only was he angry at himself, but angry at the guys for not leaving him alone. Cluttered from the inside out, he was full of sorrow for himself because he had no idea what to think. In Justin's place, he always knew where he was heading, and that was in a straight direction. One girl had suddenly popped into his life, and just made a major impact on how people had looked at him. The words that came out of his mouth that one night was all but a misunderstanding, though he was the only one who saw it. Two different people from way different roads met, now they have to try to come up with some agreement because they are, and will meet again.

His feelings mixed whenever he thought about Abby. It was a compound of scintillating affection though a unpleasurable distance before of their individuality from their differences. Nothing could be explained, Justin didn't even know how to describe it. Now he has these first impressions running through her mind, and would never get through to her. Pushing it away, he though, why did it even matter if one person, one girl didn't adore him. His group, *NSYNC, was famous throughout the world and had most girls chanting his name whenever he appeared in public. One girl shouldn't matter if could have anybody he wants.

So deeply in his thoughts, he wasn't able to fall asleep like he wished. That way everyone would disappear for just a few minutes so he could get away from all the madness.

Lance watched him as he maneuvered his body many times, thinking to himself what was wrong. Even though it wasn't his place, Justin was his friend. Finishing the popcorn off and licking his fingers to complete it, he walked over to the kitchen finally realizing a note that Chris had written, magnetted to the refrigerator. It said that Joey and him had gone over to the hospital because it was their turn to put in the time and promotion with the kids. He placed the empty bowl on the counter and turned around to see JC coming out of a hallway where the den and bathroom were.

JC's body was tense, nervously moving in his usual energetic tone though had an edge to it that made him shake. Dark circles were formed under his eyes as he came out in a gray Hanes T-shirt with a pair of green khaki cargos, dragging against the floor. His Leo necklace bounced off his chest with ever breath he took. Shoving past Lance's shoulder, making him nudge to the side, he grabbed a glass from the cupboard above and get a glass of water from the sink.

" I'm going out, is the Jeep still here?" JC sang through the glass as he continued to scarf down the cold water. Lance shrugged in return, not mentioning that Chris and Joey left to go to the hospital. He wasn't sure anyway if they took the only car available now which is the rented Jeep.

As Lance tried answering him, he walked away without recognizing him and opened the front door, closing it with a slam. Turning to the right where there was a long driveway that circled in front of the home, there was no car that sat there. Trudging over to the garage, he crouched down low hearing both knees crack and lifted up the garage door with all his might. Peeking underneath it, there was no search for tires, just empty space with nothing stored.

He let go of the door and the chains rolled forward, making it hit the ground fiercely, blowing leaf and dust up into the air that circulated in the wind. Kicking the door as he grunted out with anger, he began to pace around in a circle. The wind that breathed on him chilled his body though he ignored the fact that he was hot inside. Walking to the side of the house he stared at the small lake where house winded around it though in a great distance apart. The lake was placed in the center where the grassy areas dove down on a hill. With his hands in fists, he jogged down the hill, where there was a small dock that reached around seven feet out into the lake. The boards cracked below his feet, placing his elbows on the hard wood railings.

He stared at the dirty water that was less than three feet away, watching as a fish flapped right at the surface. Trying to bring his head to a blank stare, he couldn't push anything away. JC came here for relaxation, trying to get away from the fame life, as if he was normal for once. Smiling at the thought of having his arms wrapped around his old girlfriend, how happy they were when they did have the time to be together. Combing his fingers through her long, straight brown hair and staring into her green eyes. He puts the blame on himself for everything that had happened in the past with her, but he wants it all back. The comfort, the knowing that he wasn't alone, and the love was all he asked for. The lying that broke his heart and the mistrust only made him a stronger person. Now, the girl that he's offering himself to doesn't even care about his existence.

Picking up a stick that was settled next to his arm, he ripped it into a dozen pieces and threw them into the lake. Maybe JC didn't know what he wanted, but maybe he was searching for all the wrong things. Only time would tell, but how long had he been waiting?