EVERYTIME

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Kay woke up to find herself alone, once again. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up on the couch that she had fallen asleep on. Kay noticed she was alone and that the movie they had been watching, was now over. She stood up in the darkness and wandered around her apartment, finally finding who she was looking for, in the kitchen.

“JC,” she whispered, quietly. Not for the sake of not waking someone, but because it was 4 in the morning and it felt as if everyone should be asleep. “What are you doing?”

JC turned around and his eyes softened at the sight of his girlfriend. “I have to leave, Kay. We’re doing a promotional tour in Europe for the next three weeks.”

** Was I awake, or was it just a dream?
I opened up my eyes, and you weren't with me.
And now you've said that you're leaving but you'll be home soon.
It's never easy bein' away from you. **

Kay didn’t know what to say. Her eyes began to mist. When she had first started going out with JC, he had just gotten home from a tour. They had spent three wonderful months together in their sunny home of Orlando, Florida.

When he had gone on tour that first time during their relationship, Kay had felt as if she were dying. She tried to be strong, for JC’s sake, but he knew each time he left, she retreated back into her shell. It hurt him to leave…he never wanted to leave her behind and he always felt like crying along with her. But those were the consequences of being in a chart topping music group.

Kay finally regained her voice. “When were you going to tell me?” she asked, shakily.

JC just wanted to hold her, but he was afraid he would lose control. Each time he left, it seemed to get harder for the both of them instead of easier like everyone had said it would. “I was going to tell you last night, baby, but you fell asleep during the movie and I didn’t have the heart to wake you; you looked so angelic. Then I fell asleep too.”

“You leave this morning?” she asked, her bottom lip, quivering.

JC nodded and tried to smile. “In about an hour. But it’s only for three weeks. I’ll be home before you know it.”

** One thought, boy, I'm all choked up.
There's something about you, I could never ever get enough.
It's the way that you move.
It's the smile on your face.
Breaks my heart in two everytime you go away. **

Kay couldn’t stand JC leaving again. She needed him here with her. All through her life, Kay had been dependent on no one. Her parents had both died when she was four and she had been in and out of foster homes until she turned 18. She went to the local community college and earned enough money to buy herself a small apartment. Her third year in college, she had met JC and everything had changed.

Now JC was the most essential thing in her life. His smile was her sunshine; his strength was her courage. She felt as if she could do anything if JC was by her side. So whenever he left, she felt lost…alone. Her friends tried to tell her that she relied too much on JC, but she knew what it really was…love.

“Do you want to come with me to the airport, Kay?” JC asked, softly. He finally wrapped his arms around his sad girlfriend.

She was about to say no, it was always the hardest watching the plane leave ground, but she finally decided she had to see him for as long as she could. Kay nodded and went into her room. She pulled her long strawberry blond hair up into a ponytail and slipped into some clean light blue track pants and a navy tank top.

Kay walked back into the kitchen, a small smile on her face. She didn’t want JC to see her cry. She knew it wasn’t his fault and she didn’t want him to feel worse than he already did.

When they arrived at the airport, the rest of the group was already there. There were no fans, being it was only 5 in the morning, so everyone was relieved about the last few minutes of peace to say goodbye to their families and loved ones.

Kay stood back as JC talked to his parents and kissed them goodbye. When there were five minutes left til boarding, he walked over to her. “Baby girl, I want you to be strong, ok?” he questioned. He reached for her hands and gently kissed the palm of each one. Kay pulled her hands out of his grasp and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I promise, JC,” she said, in a surprisingly steady voice. “I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”

“I know you will, love,” JC said, wrapping his arms around her as if she were his last lifeline. “I’ll miss you. I love you.”

As JC said this, he pulled away to look into her chocolate eyes. She willed herself not to cry and although her eyes filled with moisture, nothing dropped onto her flawless cheeks. “I love you too, JC,” she said.

** I always said I'd never cry over you.
But it's hard to hold back tears when your fears come true.
I'm sittin' here lonely just a-missin' you.
Baby, come home. **

JC leaned down to softly kiss her lips. Kay kiss back with every ounce of her being, which just made JC want to stay in the US even more. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. “Now I’ll be back in three weeks, so don’t go giving your heart to some other guy while I’m gone,” he teased, trying to get the smile he loved so much on Kay’s face.

He succeeded for a moment and his breath was taken away by Kay’s beauty when she smiled. Then she grew serious. “That could never happen, JC. I gave you my heart a long time ago. Whenever you leave…you take it with you.”

JC’s thumb rubbed against her cheekbone. “Well, that’s good because I’m leaving my heart here with you.”

“Yo JC!” Justin called out. “It’s time to get on the plane.”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” JC answered. He looked back at Kay. “You’re going to be ok.”

Kay smiled, knowing JC needed just as much reassurance as she did. “I know I am. So are you.” JC gave his girlfriend one last lingering kiss on her lips before turning and leaving. They had made a rule the first time JC had left. No turning back…it was too hard that way.

** Everytime you go away, my heart goes with you.
Everytime you go away, my heart's torn in two.
Is there something I can say?
Won't you change the plan to make?
'Cuz my heart can't stand the pain.
Everytime, everytime you go away. **

Kay’s eyes finally flooded as she saw her boyfriend’s retreating back disappear. She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and she looked up to see her close friend and Lance’s girlfriend, Jane. Jane smiled tenderly as tears flowed down her cheeks. “C’mon Kay. Let’s leave now.” Kay nodded and the two girls left the airport without turning back once.

Two weeks later, Kay was still having trouble sleeping. JC called her almost every night but they couldn’t talk long because of the long distance. Kay walked into her room and laid down on her bed. She closed her eyes and the first image that appeared was JC.

She reached out to the table by her bed and blindly felt for the button to her CD player. As she hit the switch, the CD player went off of pause and the sounds of JC’s voice and the lyrics to “Sailing” flowed through the room. Kay smiled as she imagined JC lying in bed next to her, whispering words in her ear, and just holding her. Those were the moments Kay cherished the most…when there were no fans around and it was just the two of them sharing their life together.

The phone rang and she immediately sat up, flipping the music off. She grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

His voice rang smooth and clear over the wires. “Hey baby girl.”

** Last night, I was sittin' up in my room.
I knew I should be sleeping, but instead I was thinking about you.
I can still hear your voice callin' out my name.
I just closed my eyes, and you're lying here next to me. **

It was the day before JC was supposed to get back and Kay was anxious. Anything someone did would set her into a frenzy. She was so worried, yet excited at the same time. Her boss sent her home early from work that day due to her frazzled state.

She pulled up in her driveway. She climbed out of her car and started up the stairs to her apartment. She had so many thoughts running through her head that she didn’t even see the guy leaning casually against the wall next to her room.

** I always said I'd never cry over you.
But it's hard to hold back tears when your fears come true.
I'm sittin' here lonely just a-missin' you.
Baby, come home... **

He cleared his throat which woke Kay out of her daze. She looked at the guy and blinked twice. Surely she was missing JC so much, she started to see him everywhere. When he grinned, Kay knew her heart wasn’t playing tricks on her. She threw herself into his arms and started placing kisses all over his face.

JC laughed. He was so glad to be back home. “Hey girlfriend. Did you miss me?” he asked, jokingly.

Kay detached herself from him. “Just a little,” she teased, grabbing his hand and pulling him into her apartment. “I’m so glad you’re back.” She wrapped her arms around him once they were inside the door.

“Me too. I came home a day early just for you, baby girl,” JC said, his eyes staring into hers. “But I have something to tell you.”

Kay’s heart fell instantly at his words. Whenever he said that, it usually meant he was leaving again. “What?”

“We’re going on a US tour in two months.”

Kay knew what his schedule was like when she started dating him, so it really wasn’t a big deal. Of course, when the time came around, it would be a big deal saying goodbye again. She thought about what she had been through this last time. And he had only been gone for three weeks, not three months!

** Come home, baby.
Missin' you when you go away.
Everytime you go away, I can't stand the pain.
I can't stand it.
I know, I know.
All them days will be perfect.
Someone stand the pain! **

Kay grew confused as JC grinned, whole-heartedly. “Well,” he explained, slowly. “it’s a summer tour and I was talking to Johnny. He said we could take a friend or two with us…”

It finally dawned on Kay. Her smile grew until she felt as if she were going to bust. Not only would she not have to say goodbye to JC, but she would be experiencing her first time on tour with him. She threw herself into his arms, laughing. “Oh my gosh! This is so exciting. I get to go on tour.”

JC laughed. “And here I thought you would be excited because you would be with me.”

** Everytime you go away, my heart goes with you.
Everytime you go away, my heart's torn in two.
Is there something I can say?
Won't you change the plan to make?
'Cuz my heart can't stand the pain.
Everytime, everytime you go away… **

Kay grinned. “Of course that’s why I’m excited…going on tour is just a plus.” She smiled, softly, her eyes full of love for JC. “This means everything to me, JC. Thank you.”

“Anytime,” he commented. “I couldn’t leave you behind again. My heart can only stand so much pain.”

Kay raised her lips to his. “Mine too,” she whispered, before their mouths came in contact and all talking ceased.

song used: "Everytime" -Tatyana Ali