Seventeen: The guys found out very quickly the next morning that it would be a good idea to avoid Gina. She must not have slept at all because even Justin was cowering in fear and he hadn’t had his cereal yet. She mustered enough manners to say good-bye to Stacy and Sarah, making sure she had both of their phone numbers and addresses just in case Chris or JC lost them. She disappeared to the bus, threatening "severe bodily harm" to anyone who disturbed her.

  Sarah studied JC as he walked around the room once more to make sure he hadn’t left anything behind. At least he said he was making sure he hadn’t left anything. Both knew what the real reason was. Neither of them was looking forward to saying good-bye. "It’s so hard to believe I haven’t known you for years," Sarah said softly. "Huh?"

"Oh, I guess I was just thinking out loud. I was thinking about how it feels like I’ve known you forever."

He walked over and wrapped his arms securely around her. "Maybe you have," he said seriously. She sighed happily, thinking he was probably right. It was so right and so comfortable being with him . . . maybe there was something to it.

They were interrupted when Chris and Stacy walked through the open door. "Hate to interrupt, but we have to be on the bus in five minutes," Chris said. Sarah noticed his arm casually wrapped around her friend’s waist and she had to smile. She had a feeling they would have lots to talk about. They left again and Sarah looked at JC, unable to help the tears filling up her eyes.

"Sweetie, come here," he said, holding out his arms. She buried her face in his chest and he rested his cheek against her hair, closing his eyes in hope of shutting out the pain as easily. It didn’t work. "It won’t be so long," he whispered. "We’ll talk every day, and I’ll come back every break I get, and we’ll work out a way to get you out to see me, too. Sarah, please don’t cry." He sounded like he might cry himself so she mustered the strength and courage to force back the tears.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "This isn’t good-bye." She nodded, afraid that if she spoke the tears would overtake her again. "I’ll call you tonight," he said, his voice on the verge of breaking as well.   Chris and Stacy ducked around the corner and he kissed her quickly, a school-boy peck. Then he flushed a deep, adorable red. "You better call me, mister," Stacy said.

"Oh, I will, I will!" His face fell. "I think I’m gonna miss you, Stacy. Is that weird, me missing you after only a few hours?"

"No. At least I hope not, because I’m gonna miss you too." She offered him a wobbly smile, which he returned. He hugged her and kissed her again, a very chaste kiss, but it warmed her to her toes.

  The hardest part was saying good-bye in the hotel. The crowd of fans outside was huge so it wasn’t advisable that Stacy and Sarah be seen with them, for safety reasons. Sarah was standing by Stacy’s car, waiting for her friend to unlock the door. "You know buddy, I think we’re getting the raw end of the deal."

"Huh?"

"Think about it, all those fans who have no real connections to them are getting autographs and pictures and hugs and we have to leave through the proverbial back door."

"Stace, it’s for our own protection. Don’t you know what those girls would do if--"

"Sarah, not if they think we’re just crazed fans like they are."

"I already said good-bye once."

"Yeah, and you’re already utterly miserable. Come on, let’s go!" she ordered, grabbing Sarah’s hand and pulling her along. They wound through the crowd of fans on the sidewalk and Stacy pushed and jostled until they were pretty close to the front. It was only a minute or tow before the doors opened and they were deafened by the screams. Someone on the security team spotted Stacy and she winked at him just before she vaulted over the barricade screaming "CHRIS! I KNOW YOU DON’T KNOW ME BUT I LOVE YOU AND I WANNA HAVE YOUR BABY!"

Sarah couldn’t help it. She had already doubled over in laughter when Stacy jumped up and wrapped her arms and legs around Chris. The bodyguards made a big show of dragging her away but she was much less resistant than it seemed. She did turn and scream "JC, MY FRIEND WANTS AN AUTOGRAPH!" and pointed at Sarah before she disappeared around the corner where she collapsed in a fit of giggles. JC laughed and jumped at the chance. The guys spread out to give autographs and he made a beeline for where Sarah was standing. He signed the sleeve of her T-shirt since neither of them had anything else and he offered her a one-armed hug. When he moved on to the next girl, he shot her a special, secret smile. She felt warm all over and this time when she walked away and headed for Stacy’s car, it didn’t hurt nearly so much.

Stacy stood there waiting for her, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Glad to see you’re smiling this time," Stacy said and opened the door for her.

"Yeah. Thank you, Stacy."

"It was no problem. Actually, I rather enjoyed it. I got to grope Chris in front of a couple hundred teenage girls." She gave Sarah a quick hug and started the car. Sarah got home just in time to shower and get to work.

 

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