“Leslie!”
“What?”
”Who’s Tyler Chasez?”
“A guy.” Leslie replied from the balcony.
“Well, he called. So call him back. I was on the other line, so I told him you would call back later.”
Leslie nodded and began to turn around to go back into her room.
“Hey! What’s the matter?” Her stepbrother, Damien, asked. “It’s Christmas day! You know, the happiest time of the year!”
“Nothing’s wrong.” She lied.
Damien shrugged and then went into the bathroom to take a shower before breakfast was served and presents were opened.
Knock Knock
“Come in.” Leslie was sitting on her bed holding her dog, Fred.
“Breakfasts ready.” Craig, her adoptive brother and Damien’s best friend, said entering her room.
“K.”
”Merry Christmas.”
What’s so merry about it? She thought to herself. “Yeah, Merry Christmas.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nope.”
“You sure?”
Leslie nodded and put on a fake smile.
“Go on down. I’ll be there in a second.”
Craig nodded and then headed downstairs.
Leslie picked up her phone and began to dial. Just as she was about to hang up someone answered the phone.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Mrs. Chasez.” She tried sounding cheerful.
“Leslie! Hi! It's so nice to hear from you!”
“Mom,” JC began. “I’ll take it in my room.”
“What can I do for you on this joyous holiday?”
“Um…I was wondering if TJ was home?”
“TJ?” JC stopped dead in his tracks as his mother said those two letters. “Sure, he’s home. Hold on one minute, Leslie.”
“Okay.”
“Here he is.”
“Bye.”
“Talk to you later sweetie.”
“Leslie, hey!”
“Hi.”
“Merry Christmas.”
“Same to you. My brother said you called.” Leslie commented.
“Yeah, I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and see how everything was going with you.”
“Oh, well, I’m fine.” She said knowing she was lying.
“That’s great.”
“And you?”
“I’m doin’ pretty good.”
”That’s nice to hear.”
There was a brief silence.
“So, how’s JC?” Leslie blurted out.
“Umm… He’s okay I guess.”
“Oh.” Leslie paused. “So, is he talking to you yet?”
“Not really.”
“I’m sorry.”
“He’ll get over it sooner or later.”
“I guess so.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
“It sure doesn’t sound that way.”
“I’m just tired.” Leslie quickly spat out.
“Okay. Now would you like to try telling me the truth?”
Leslie laid down on her new king size bed that she had received for Christmas.
“It’s just that I miss him terribly.” She picked up a picture of herself and JC from a party that had taken place sometime ago.
“Who?”
“JC. It’s Christmas Day and it’s bad enough that we’re not together. But on top of that he’s mad at me.” A tear fell from Leslie’s eyes.
TJ sighed. Even though he and Leslie ended long ago and his brother was going out with her… He couldn’t help having a little crush on her,
“Tyler, I miss him so much. I love him so much. I- I-
I don’t know. It’s like when we’re apart during the day he’s all I can think about. And at night he’s all I dream about. Being away from him now, while he’s upset,” She paused. “It’s- I don’t know. But I just can’t stop thinking about him. And I really wish I could because every moment I think about his blue eyes or the sound of his voice… My heart seems to hurt worse.” Leslie began to sob at this point.
“TJ!” His father bellowed.
“Coming!” He said covering the phone’s mouthpiece. He entered the living room where his family sat.
“Breakfast is ready.”
JC and Mr. Chasez walked into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry but I’ve got to go.” Tyler told as he stood in the entrance to the kitchen.
“K.” She said in-between tears.
“Hey, don’t cry Leslie. It’s Christmas. Enjoy it.”
“I’ll try. Bye.”
“Bye.”
“Promise you won’t tell JC or anyone else what I told you?”
“Yeah, I promise.”
“Tyler?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime. Bye.”
TJ sighed as he sat down at the kitchen table.
“Is everything alright with Leslie?” Their mother asked.
“Yeah.”
“But didn’t you just tell her not to cry?”
“Mom, she’ll be fine. She’s a strong girl.” TJ glared at JC, who sat expressionless and silent. How can he be such a jerk to such a great girl? He started to eat his meal. I wonder if he knows how much she loves him. TJ wanted to tell JC everything that Leslie had told him, but he had made a promise and he wasn’t about to break it.
2 Days Later
“May I please speak to Leslie?”
“I’m sorry. You just missed her.”
“Where’d she go?” JC asked Craig.
“Um… Out with an old friend.”
“You mind telling me who?”
“Who are you?”
“A friend, sort of.”
“A guy named Shawn.”
“A guy?”
“Yeah, that’s what I just said.”
“Thanks. Bye.”
“Bye.
“Leslie. Some guy called you about three hours ago.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. Said he was your friend, sort of. And kept asking all these questions.”
“Oh.” Leslie walked upstairs and into her study. I wonder who called. She thought as she sat in front of her computer. She signed on-line and pulled up a blank mail page. She then typed in JC’s email address and then stared blankly at the screen. She had so much to say to him, so many things he needed to know. She began to write, but just couldn’t go through with sending the letter. I can’t do this.
4 Days Later
It was now the first day back on tour. Nicole and Lance still pretended to hate each other. The guys and Leslie believed it and Justin never spilled the beans.
At the end of the day, after dinner, everyone except Lance, Leslie, and Nicole were in the front of the lounge hanging out. Leslie was in her bunk, staring at the ceiling. While, Lance and Nicole were in the back room.
“You know we have a dinner party tomorrow night.” Lance informed Nicole.
“Yeah, I know. What should I wear?”
“Something nice.”
“I know exactly what to wear! Wait here!”
“Ok.”
Nicole ran out of the room, got the outfit, changed into it, and then walked back into the backroom, closing the door behind her.
“Well?”
“No way! You’re not wearing that!” Lance hollered.
Nicole was wearing a short, form fitted red skirt that showed of her thin legs. The black halter-top she was sporting came just above her belly button. She also had on a pair of black strappy high-heeled shoes and a delicate silver chain.
“What’s wrong with it? Doesn’t it look good?” Nicole asked, slightly scared. She had never dressed like that in her whole life. She had actually mustered up enough courage to do so this time.
“No. It looks great! Too great! This is a classy affair. Guys are going to be all over you because you like a slut! Nothing but an easy lay!” Lance told her.
The whole group heard shouting in the backroom, so they gathered around the door listening to the argument.
Tears began to form in her eyes. “I hate you! You’re a selfish, pig-headed, stubborn ass! I’ve never dressed like this before! I was always too scared! So when I finally find that courage to wear this, all to impress YOU, you insult me and call me a slut!”
“Okay. Now I want to see what she’s wearing,” Joey said.
“Shut up, Joey,” Leslie demanded.
“Sorry.”
“Nicole.”
She turned her back to him and folded her arms across her chest, still crying.
“Nicole,” he went up to her and wrapped hi arms around her waist from behind. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that it was to impress me. I like you just the way you are. Don’t be mad at me. Please.”
”You called me a slut!” she shot back bitterly.
“I beg to differ! I said you looked like one.”
“Same difference!” She pulled out of his grasp. “I’m not a slut. I’m still a virgin. Thank you!”
“You are?” He was in a momentary shock.
“Yes.” She answered quietly. “You shouldn't commit an act of true love until you’re in love.”
“That’s a good point.”
“I still hate you!”
“Then why are you my girlfriend?”
“Because I wanted to be. I’ve seen that sweet, caring side of you. That’s the man I fell for. Not this mean selfish pig-headed side I see so much!”
“Well you’re a bitchy, moody, virgin, slut-wannabe!”
“I hate you! I hate you! And I hate you some more!”
“Yeah? Well the feeling is completely mutual,” he shouted getting in her face. Their eyes locked for a few seconds. “I hate you,” he said softly.
“I hate you, too,” Her voice was even gentler then his had been.
“I’m gonna kiss you now.”
“I’m not going to stop you.”
He pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.
Chris, who had a hand on the door, fell backwards and the door opened to reveal everyone sitting at the doorway.
“Uh…heh, heh… Hi,” Chris chuckled nervously.
“What were you guys doing?” Lance asked.
“I think the appropriate question is what were YOU guys doing?”
“Fighting. We do it all the time… If you hadn’t noticed.”
“Over what this time?” JC asked. Though he knew very well what they had been arguing over.
“As if you didn’t know. We were fighting over that.” he pointed to Nicole.
“Over Nicole?”
“NO! Her outfit!”
“Oh.”
“I see absolutely nothing wrong with her outfit,” Joey commented wrapping his arm around her waist.
“Get the hell off of her!”
“Why?”
“Because she’s
“Girlfriend?”
“That’s right.”
“Since?”
“Christmas Day.” Justin piped in.
“You knew and didn’t tell us?” Chris was shocked.
“They wouldn’t let me.
”Well why didn’t they tell us then?”
“Surprise?” Nicole and Lance said together.