Chpater Seventeen

Lexi woke up at 10:30AM on Monday and was in the studio by noon. Today she was going to begin learning the last fast song for her album. After this, all that was left was her duet with JC. Lexi learned the song at a normal pace, and even recorded a little bit so they could hear what it sounded like and so she could listen to it and change it later. By about 2:30 she was on her way home to begin the moving procedure.

The two movers got there at around three, and it only took them about half an hour to disassemble her bed set and load it in the small moving truck. Lexi loaded the all the things that didn’t need to be put in the moving truck into the trunk of her car, and by 4:15 Lexi’s old room was empty.

As Lexi left with the movers she gave Jen and Nicki hugs, but they weren’t sad because they that they would be seeing a lot of each other, especially since there was only about 10 miles between their houses.

The entire moving process was over by 7 o’clock in the evening. By this time her bed and dressers were set up in her new bedroom, the furniture her parents had shipped to her were in their proper places, she had hung up most of her clothes, and her new plates were being washed in the dishwasher. Lexi had even managed to get her computer hooked up with its connection to the Internet. She was set, but once she sat down in her new living room and turned on the TV, she realized that she was famished. Just then, her doorbell rang. She tiredly got up to answer it.

“Josh! Hey!” she said as she invited him inside.

“I come bearing pizza and soda,” he said gallantly.

“You have got to stop reading my mind like that. I was just about to order one.”

Over the next hour or so, Lexi and JC discussed the accounts of their day. They both secretly thought that the ‘almost kissing’ incident would cause uneasiness between them, but it was almost as if it had never happened.

“So you said that you’re staying her for Christmas, right?” JC asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Well, I talked to my parents today, and we were wondering if you’d like to come up to Maryland and spend Christmas with us.”

Lexi stared at him, speechless. Why would he invite her to a family gathering like Christmas? JC continued talking.

“We’d leave on the 22nd and come back on the 29th. That way we’ll be back in time for Justin’s New Year’s Eve party.” JC looked at Lexi with thoughtfulness. “Look, I know it’s kinda strange for me to ask you this, but I consider you one of my best friends. I would ask Justin, Lance, or any of the other guys the same thing…so why not you?”

Lexi finally spoke. “I really appreciate you asking, but I can’t do that. Christmas is a time for family and…”

“…Christmas is a time for loved ones, Lexi, and I definitely put you in that category. Please at least think about it, ok?”

“Ok. I’ll think about it.”

About an hour later, JC was leaving to go home.

“I’ll see ya tomorrow at the studio.”

“Will do. Bye, Josh.”

“Lata.”

Lexi closed the door after Josh, then, after a few seconds she opened the door and jogged toward his Jeep that he was backing up. He rolled down the window as she approached it.

“Ya know what? You only live once. I’ve love to go with you to Maryland.”

JC looked at her as if he were the happiest man on earth. “Really?”

“Yeah. Carpe diem, right?”

“Absolutely. I’ll call you with the details later this week.”

“Great. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Lexi went to her front doorstep and waved as JC drove off. She closed the door and leaned against it as she closed her eyes. Please, God, let this all work out. Please…