Siobhan shoved Mike completely out of the doorway and slammed the door as quickly as she could, spinning herself around to face JC. JC finally reached her with a puzzled expression on his face.
“Siobhan are you feeling ok?” he asked, studying her.
Siobhan was now breathing deeply with a flustered look on her face and a lopsided smile, as if she was hiding something. “Hm? Oh I’m fine, just checking for a paper...that’s all.”
“But I heard you talking to someone, someone was at the door,” JC said carefully, not wanting her to blow up on him.
Siobhan was so flustered, she wasn’t paying attention to what JC was really saying, all that was on her mind was a way to change the subject and get JC to forget what he THOUGHT he had saw or heard for that matter.
Siobhan held on to the door handle for awhile longer, holding it behind her back as she continued to flash a smile and try to act like nothing was wrong and nothing had happened. Siobhan finally made sure Mike had left, by waiting a good few more minutes.
“So...” Siobhan said breaking the silence between the two figures standing by the door. She pushed herself off the door, hoping and praying that JC wouldn’t go running out to investigate or Mike wouldn’t come running back in to just be an all around prick. “What do you want for breakfast?” she asked casually.
JC stood in the same position and stared at the door. Siobhan gently tugged his arm and motioned him towards the kitchen. JC stood for a moment longer, before reluctantly following Siobhan into her kitchen.
He sat down at the kitchen table and propped his elbow on the table, then resting his head comfortably on his hand. He continued to look deep in thought as Siobhan began shuffling around the kitchen, trying to think of something to say and also make a sorry attempt at preparing breakfast.
She got out some eggs that she had in the fridge for who god knows HOW long. She sniffed them lightly and flinched. She moved a few more things around in her fridge and decided on absolutely nothing. Siobhan stood up and tried to think quickly.
“Let’s go out to eat,” she finally spoke.
JC looked up, slightly confused. “Huh?”
“Well I guess I haven’t...I mean my parents haven’t gone--” she stuttered, catching her mistake.
“By the way,” JC said looking up. “I know this is probably inappropriate to ask, but didn’t you mom say she was going to go home?”
Siobhan nodded slowly, “Yes...”
“Well doesn’t she live here? Because she’s not here and why would she have needed a taxi when we were right there to take her to the same location?” JC asked, suddenly recognizing the loose pieces.
“Um...I...My mom...” Siobhan tried to begin. She sighed heavily and took a deep breath to contain herself.
“So who was that person at the door? It sounded like a guy,” JC said cautiously, knowing he was hitting close to home, since the well spoken Siobhan was stuttering and caught by her own words. “So who was it?” JC asked again, this time gaining more confidence of prying.
“It was my brother,” Siobhan blurted out quickly. She slapped her hand over her forehead, them moved it down to her mouth. “I can’t believe I just said that,” she mumbled to herself.
“Said what?” JC asked curiously, looking over at her, full attention focused on her.
“Admitted that he was my brother,” she laughed nervously. “You know the whole sibling rivalry thing.”
JC nodded and smiled slowly. “You should have invited him inside.”
Siobhan shook her head, “He’s shy and besides he needed to get back home to my mom...because she’s staying with him...” she lied as she went along.
JC thought for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and nodding, telling her he believed her. Siobhan let out a sigh of relief and smiled carefully.
“So how about going out to breakfast?” she asked again, trying once more to push the subject out of the picture.
JC sat for a moment longer before snapping out of her thoughts. “Huh? Oh sure, just let me change.”
Siobhan nodded and smiled, “Yeah I need to get into the shower too.”
JC smiled once and stood up to head for the door. When he reached it he turned around to face Siobhan, “I’m going to check in with everyone and change, but I’ll be back in about an hour is that ok?”
Siobhan smiled weakly and nodded, “Hurry back I’m beginning to get hungry and I might start chewing on my arm soon...” she joked lightly.
JC let out a small laugh and shook his head, opening the door. “I’ll try to hurry,” he replied behind his back. “See you in a few,” he called over his shoulder, shutting the door behind him.
Siobhan remained standing in the kitchen with a fake smile on her face until she was sure he was out of her apartment and well on his way outside. She blew out a deep breath and ran her fingers through her messy morning hair.
“This is getting too hard,” she muttered to herself, pushing herself off her kitchen counter and heading towards her room to get ready for the day.
“JC!” a voice called out loudly, echoing throughout the room. “Thank God you’ve returned to us!”
JC sighed and rolled his eyes, already recognizing the voice and shaking his head, continuing to go through his suitcase for clothes to change into. The shower was already running and the bathroom was getting hot and steamy from the hot water.
“What is it J, I need to get into the shower and change, then get back to--” he began, then caught himself.
“Get back to WHAT?” Justin asked, raising an eyebrow and lowering his head with an interested look on his face. “Or WHO for that matter...” he hinted with a small chuckle to himself.
“Nothing, never mind,” JC mumbled, trying to cover his mistake. “It’s no big deal but I do need to get out of here quickly.”
“What’s this, do you have a secret girlfriend your not telling me about?” Justin asked, getting curious. “I mean this sudden disappearance last night...sort of makes you think does it?”
“Not really,” JC replied nonchalantly.
“Well your not in my position, where YOUR the concerned roommate!” Justin exclaimed dramatically.
JC rolled his eyes, “Sometimes you make me wonder what really goes on in your head.”
Justin grinned in response, “Me too.” Justin walked over to JC, who finally found the clothes he wanted and was making his was into the bathroom. “Come on C just tell me her name!”
“There is no girl!” JC called over his shoulder.
“Liar!” Justin called back.
JC shrugged his shoulders, “Believe what you want!”
Justin’s shoulders fell and he kicked the carpet. “Damnit I hate it when he does that!”
JC walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him, letting himself be drowned in the steam from the heated water and the sound of the rushing water. Justin flopped down on the bed and sighed deeply to himself.
“Secrets, secrets are not fun...” he recited to himself slowly. He looked over to the shut bathroom door and twisted him mouth in thought. “So what are you hiding there JC?”
About an hour later JC was freshly showered and fully dressed. He smoothed out another crease in his shirt and knocked on the door of Siobhan’s apartment. He waited a few minutes until he heard footsteps heading for the door. A few seconds after that Siobhan swung open the door, looking better than she had before.
She smiled brightly and moved out of the way so JC could enter into the living room. He stepped in and shut the door behind him, watching Siobhan move gracefully around her apartment to gather her things so they could go.
She seemed to glide across the room elegantly and gently, swiftly placing things into her purse and flipping her hair nonchalantly behind her shoulder, just to have it fall back into her face all over again.
JC caught himself staring in almost awe at Siobhan’s figure and face. He shook his head and blushed to himself, silently scolding himself for staring. He shoved his hands in his pocket and rocked back and forth on his heels while waiting for her.
“Are we going out to eat this morning or should I just start chewing on MY arm?” JC asked, breaking the peaceful silence with his comment and a small chuckle.
Siobhan looked up from what she was doing and smiled in return. “Start chewing on your arm, that would just be interesting all around.” She threw one more thing into her purse and grabbed a jacket on her way over to where JC was standing. “I’m a woman, I need things.”
JC sighed and rolled his eyes playfully, “You women need TOO much just to go out to breakfast.”
Siobhan giggled lightly as JC took her jacket and helped her into it. Siobhan obliged into letting him help her and smiled when he rested his hands on her shoulder for a moment before taking one off to open the door for her.
She walked out, slinging her purse over her shoulder. She felt the need to be ladylike around JC for some reason. In incidents before she would have been more comfortable in a pair of jeans and a comfortable t-shirt, but whenever she got around him she felt the urge to get dressy with business suits, to try and almost impress him. Siobhan wasn’t sure for the reason all of these thoughts went through her head, because after all it was only JC, but she didn’t seem to be able to ignore them, that was for sure.
JC shut the door behind him and Siobhan reached over to jiggle the handle and make sure it was locked. When she was satisfied, they both began to walk down the hallway to the elevator. JC instinctively placed his hand on her mid back and almost guided her along. Siobhan got chills when he touched her back lightly, but also felt more relaxed than she had in awhile.
They made their way down to the car they were taking in complete, but comfortable silence. They both figured the two of them were just to tired to talk anyway, so they just kept it silent and nice.
Siobhan climbed into her car as JC climbed into the passengers seat. She started the car and revved up the engine, feeding the car gas. JC quickly buckled his seat belt and locked his door. Siobhan looked over at him curiously.
“Are you a little nervous to be driving with me?” she asked with a mischievous smile.
JC smiled sweetly and shook his head, “I’ve seen other people start their cars that way, that tells me how they drive.”
“And how would that be?” Siobhan asked, challenging him.
“Just fine,” JC replied with a little smile.
Siobhan nodded her head, “Good answer.”
With that, she backed out of her parking spot slowly, shifting gears and obeying all laws and safety hazards. Once she got out on the main road, she floored it. JC locked the door on his side and gripped the handle on the door, also holding his seat belt with the other hand to make sure it was still fastened.
Siobhan looked over at JC and chuckled to herself. “Your too funny,” she said to him, continuing to glance over at his scared and uneasy expression.
“You never drove like this the other times we went out to eat, is this just a morning thing?” he asked, checking his seat belt again.
Siobhan laughed, “Well I couldn’t let you think I was a reckless driver before, you might go running back and tell someone important, then I would get sued for something like ‘endangering a pop star's life’,” she finished, mimicking a reporters voice.
JC laughed.
“But now...oh now it’s all over,” she said with a grin. “Because you know more about me now, so I can drive the way I really want to and you won’t say anything about it...right?”
JC gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t think so...”
Siobhan stepped on the gas pedal, “Right...?” she asked again. Before JC could answer Siobhan spotted the sign she was looking for. “Oh my turn!” she called out, cutting around two lanes to fly off the exit she was heading for.
JC caught his breath in his throat and almost had a heart attack. Siobhan looked over at him and saw him clutching on the car for dear life. She laughed out loud and shook her head.
“Amateur, I’m sure Chris and Justin would be enjoying this,” she said, glancing over at JC to watch his reaction.
JC relaxed is grip and tried to loosen up a little. “I take offense to that, I can be fun when I want to be.”
Siobhan laughed as JC shot her a look. Her laughter died down and she bit her lip to stop the noise from escaping her mouth any more.
“I can be fun when I want to,” JC protested, getting even more offended.
Siobhan nodded her head, “I’m sure you can...” she trailed off. “Once a year,” she mumbled afterwards.
JC turned to look at her and released his grip from the locked car handle. “Once a year? You obviously haven’t been out with me have you?”
Siobhan shrugged, “I’m just simply stating that from the few months that I’ve known you, you haven’t cut loose.”
JC crossed his arms and shifted his body fully so he was facing her. “I do have fun, but the last months have been crazy for me, you know it’s not like I can get up and go anywhere I want, WHENEVER I want.”
Siobhan nodded.
“You don’t believe me do you?” he asked, studying her expression.
Siobhan’s face broke into a playful smile and she shook her head. “Sorry,” she said, trying to hold back her giggles coming. “You seem to be able to get out when you need to,” she commented.
JC raised an eyebrow, “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about you saying that you haven’t cut loose because you can’t leave whenever you want to go wherever you want, but as my sources tell me as of right now your where you want to be, WHEN you want to be...unless of course you don’t want to be here.”
JC opened his mouth to protest, then he thought about what he wanted to say for a minute. He leaned back in his seat and thought about everything. “Your right, I am here and I want to be here and of course more importantly, no one’s hovering over my shoulder.”
Siobhan nodded in agreement, “That’s just an observation though.”
JC looked over at her and she smiled, knowing he was giving her a look. “I’m glad you think your so witty and clever because...” he trailed off.
“Because what Mr. Chasez?” she asked sweetly.
“Because...your just lucky your cute while doing it or all hell would be let loose,” he finished, looking out the window in defeat.
Siobhan was thrown off by his last comment. It was probably something he said to everyone and he probably meant nothing by it, but when he had called her cute it definitely threw her off. It almost made her blush in a way and that led her to wonder why she was getting so excited over his casual comment, something was definitely wrong with her.
“Siobhan?” JC said, trying to catch her attention.
Siobhan broke out of her thoughts and looked around, forgetting where she was for a moment. She looked over to JC who was staring at her carefully with a curious look on his face. She smiled sheepishly and laughed lightly to play off her daze.
“Yeah?” she asked.
JC stared for a moment longer before letting his face break into a sly grin. “I said let me drive.”
Siobhan slowed down and almost came to a complete stop, “Excuse me?”
“I said LET ME DRIVE,” he said, raising his voice.
“I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME,” Siobhan replied, matching the volume of his voice.
JC chuckled and Siobhan rolled her eyes playfully. “Men...always thinking women can’t hear, we hear more than we should.”
“Well...” JC began.
“Well what?” Siobhan asked.
“You know what.”
“No I don’t, tell me,” she said with a grin. “In fact, speak up I can’t hear you!” she said loudly.
JC sighed and shook his head. Siobhan laughed.
“What?” she asked with a shrug. “Seriously...” she began, changing her facial expression. “About driving,” she started.
“Yeah...?” JC asked with a hint of hope in his voice.
“No,” Siobhan said bluntly.
She began laughing at her own amusing comment as JC’s mouth dropped open, with an offended look on his face. Siobhan began laughing harder at his expression and could barely concentrate on the road. She pulled over to the side of the road and parked the car. She couldn’t contain her laughter anymore, she burst into full fledged laughs mixed with different tones.
JC continued to watch her, trying to hold back his own smile breaking through his tough and stern look he was giving her. Finally he couldn’t resist but to laugh along with her. She looked so happy for the first time he had seen her since he met her.
Siobhan always seemed so locked up and miserable, while spitting on the rest of the world because she was fighting a war alone inside of herself. Now this was the first time she was laughing and letting all her happiness shine in her eyes and ring in her voice while she let out the little bit of hope left inside of her. Of course more importantly, JC caused that.
JC smiled to himself while letting himself join in with the bright laughter Siobhan was caught in. He couldn’t believe how well they had become aquainted in the past day, though he knew he still had awhile to go before they fully trusted to each other, but as of that moment, he just hoped that he’d get to that level with her.
“You...you...you should have seen that look on your face...” Siobhan managed to get out between loud laughs.
JC laughed and tried to change his face back to serious again, but didn’t succeed. “I couldn’t believe you just said no...it wasn’t even like ‘yeah maybe’ it was just a flat out, harsh may I add, NO...it threw me off.”
Siobhan continued to laughed, starting a new fit of laughter.
“Look at you!” JC exclaimed. “You had to pull over your laughing so hard!”
“Well if you had seen your face you would have done the same thing!” she protested.
“Nu-uh,” JC argued with a pout.
Siobhan pinched his cheek, “We’re not going to pout now are we?”
JC crossed his arms and jutted out his lip, “I don’t pout.”
Siobhan burst into giggles, “Oh really, then what do you call that?”
“Call what?” JC asked, acting oblivious.
Siobhan continued to giggle, “Oh whatever.”
Finally the laughter between them died down and silence fell upon them.
“So are you going to let me drive or what?” JC asked, breaking the silence.
“J are you going with us or are you going to just sit here all day and wallow in your own self pity that JC didn’t tell you about some mysterious girl?” a voice rang out, breaking Justin’s thoughts.
Justin looked up and cracked a small smile, “I just don’t understand why he wouldn’t tell me.”
“Have you ever thought of this...there really ISN’T a girl?”
Justin shook his head, “I know JC too well for him to be able to hide that from me.”
The person beside his bed rolled their eyes, “Maybe you don’t know him as well as you thought.”
Justin’s face fell and he almost looked like he could burst into tears. Well at least make someone else burst into tears, watching his facial expression drop to the point of pathetically hurt.
“I was just kidding,” the person said quickly, catching the look.
“D, I don’t know what to do, JC has me worried until all hours of the morning, then comes back for a whole half hour, then sneaks out again...it’s just not like him,” Justin said with a heavy sigh.
“Justin I think your worrying a little too much about JC, he’s a big boy and I think he’s capable of taking care of himself, don’t you?” Diana asked, sitting on the bed beside Justin.
Justin was laying on his stomach, letting his head hang part way off the edge of the bed. Diana sat down beside him and ran her hand through his head of bouncy curls.
“Don’t worry about it curly, JC will tell you when the time comes, but personally I already have a hunch of what he’s been up to.”
Justin’s head perked up and he rolled over to his back, facing Diana. “What?” he asked.
Diana shrugged, she looked out the window and remained silent.
“No come on you have to give me at least a little hint, please?”
“It’s not really my place to say what I think he’s been doing or where he’s been,” Diana said simply.
“Come on D...at least tell me what you think!” Justin protested, whimpering softly.
“Justin come on, no need to whimper or whine about this,” Diana said with a small grin.
Justin jutted out his lower lip and crossed his arms, “Please?”
“Ugh fine,” Diana gave in with an eye roll. “I think he’s been spending time with Siobhan.”
Justin thought about it for a moment before breaking into laughter. “What could possibly possess you to think that!?” he asked between muffled laughs.
Diana narrowed her eyebrows and sighed. “This is why I didn’t want to say anything, because of this reaction your giving me. You’d be surprised how oblivious you five are together, from the rest of the turning world around you, the reasons for that, I have no idea, but still it’s the truth.”
Diana stood up and began walking towards the door.
“No D don’t go just yet!” Justin called after her.
“I have things to do and places to go, not to mention people to see,” she said plainly, not turning around.
“I’m sorry for laughing,” Justin said in a low tone. “I just don’t think that’s possible, for JC and Siobhan to get along, even as friends, but definitely not romantically.”
“Oh it’s been destined since the first day they met, but no one picked it up except myself.”
“No way,” Justin said, shaking his head.
“Yes way,” Diana replied. “I’ll prove it to you.”
Justin stood up completely and raised an eyebrow, “Now you’ve caught my attention.”
“Good, let’s me know I haven’t lost my touch.”
“Give me two minutes to get changed and I’d like to see what your proving to me,” Justin said, running towards the bathroom and grabbing clothes on the way there.
The bathroom door slammed shut and the water for the shower began running seconds after that. Diana smiled to herself and sat back down on one of the beds. She crossed her legs and looked out the window again.
“Now how easy was it to find myself an accompliss?” she smiled to herself.
“Ok JC I think you’ve proved yourself...now slow down,” Siobhan said uneasily, gripping the locked door handle, harder.
JC smiled and swerved a left freely with a small chuckle to himself. “I like this living on the edge thing, it’s fun!”
Siobhan laughed nervously and looked at the lock for the tenth time in the past two minutes. “JC your acting like you’ve never had fun in your life...PLEASE slow down...”
“Come on Siobhan, as someone once told me, lighten up a little,” he said lightly with a small grin, sneaking a look to a very nervous Siobhan.
“Well when I meant lighten up, I meant roll your window down, not detach the top off the car...” Siobhan replied, eyes still glued on the road ahead of them. “Now SLOW DOWN!”
JC shook his head playfully, “Where do you want to go?” he asked.
“Home,” she said bluntly.
“Aw now come on Siobhan, your not going to ruin my fun while I’m just getting started now are you? That’s not nice,” he said crossing a lane and throwing the wheel right, causing the car to make a sharp turn. He laughed out loud as if he had just told a funny joke and he was the only one laughing.
“JC don’t make me grab that wheel and steer, taking your little joyride to a complete and utter STOP,” Siobhan threatened.
JC grinned devishly and shook his head, “Your not aloud, I’m still playing.”
“JC I think we both know you should be acting like an adult and not a little child right now, especially when your endangering the lives around you with the way your driving,” Siobhan said firmly with a small sigh.
JC continued to grin and swung one last left into a parking lot, pulling into a space with a sharp turn, then a foot slamming the brake pedal to bring them to a startling halt. Siobhan and JC both flung slightly forward, then were thrown back roughly.
“How about I drive when we go home?” Siobhan asked, relieved to be safely stopped. “Now get out of my car.”
JC unbuckled his seat belt and hopped out of the car happily. “That was fun.”
Siobhan rolled her eyes and carefully climbed out of the car, still unstable from the turns and circle’s they had performed. She walked over to JC and snatched the keys out of his hand, locking the car afterwards. She took one look at JC and shook her head, heading for the restaurant entrance.
“What?” he asked, holding his hands in the air. “What was that look for?”
Siobhan ignored him as she let the door shut behind her.
JC’s arms fell back to his sides and he grinned to himself, “She’s coming around...”
“Ok D, tell me why were here in some place we don’t know very well,” Justin said, looking around at the new settings.
Diana held up her hand up to stop him from talking and leaned in, letting her ear press against the door. “Shhh!” she hissed.
“What are you doing?” Justin asked, ignoring her hissing sounds. “Who’s apartment are we at? Where are we?” he asked all at once.
Diana motioned for him to stop talking as she strained to hear.
“Are they there?” a voice asked, startling Justin and Diana at the same time, causing them to both jump.
Diana swung around and found Chris grinning from ear to ear. She looked behind him and found Lance and Joey chuckling softly to themselves, then looking around the hallway for people to begin coming out of their rooms from the noise they were making.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Diana asked in a harsh whisper.
“Better question, what are YOU doing here?” Joey asked with a small grin.
Diana shrugged, “Just visiting,” she replied nonchalantly.
“Then why are you trying to eavesdrop?” Lance asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I wasn’t, I was just...” Diana trailed off. “Oh the hell with you all!” she exclaimed as they all broke into giggles, Justin joining them this time.
“Seriously...what are you guys doing here?” Justin asked, looking at his three band mates.
“We saw you two sneaking off and decided to follow you to confirm our suspicion that you two are secret lovers,” Chris said casually.
Diana rolled her eyes, “Not to mention we’re very illegal in all fifty states.”
All three laughed while Justin looked around with a half lost, half offended look on his face. He finally decided to laugh along with it.
“Ok so spill D, who’s apartment are we at and why?” Chris asked, getting in a business like tone.
Diana sighed and knew she had to tell them. “I was trying to prove something to Justin.”
“What?” Joey asked.
Diana looked both ways down the hall, when she was satisfied that no one was coming or listening she looked back at the four of them. “I think I know where Siobhan and JC have been...together.”
The three guys looked at each other, then back at Diana and Justin before breaking out into laughter.
“No seriously, who’s apartment are we at and why?” Chris asked again between laughs.
Diana sighed and looked over to Justin who shrugged in response. He grinned mildly and Diana shook her head.
“Your all alike, no wonder you tell everyone your like brothers,” she commented, rolling her eyes.
When she didn’t change her expression, the laughter began to die down. They all turned from laughing faces into serious expressions, then into just pure disbelief.
“No way,” Joey said shaking his head. “Are you sure?”
“I’m not positive, that’s why I’m here, to confirm my suspicions,” Diana said, motioning towards Siobhan’s door. “And I brought J here with me to keep my company but didn’t think I’d have three little stalkers follow me too.”
All three guys grinned in response.
Suddenly all five of them heard voices coming around the corner. They all panicked, recognizing the faint conversation being heard in the near distance. They frantically looked around for a hiding space and found nothing but a closet. Diana quickly opened the door to the closet, finding a very small place to fit herself in and jumped into it. The guys watched her jump into the closet and try to hide herself without helping them. They all looked at each other and dove for the closet, jumping in after Diana and pushing her farther in.
You could hear a faint “Oof,” from Diana and a small groan.
“Shhhh!” they all hissed as they slammed the door shut, trapping them in complete darkness except for the faint line of light coming from the bottom of the door. They heard the voices coming closer and identified them as Siobhan and JC’s.
The guys looked around at each other in slight confusion of the laughter and playfulness in each of their voices. They pressed their ears against the door to hear the conversation better, but instead ended up crashing all to the floor, causing an enormous racket in the small storage closet.
Siobhan looked up from her doorway, curious to where that loud crashing noise had just come from. She was about to ignore it when JC grabbed her arm gently. She looked up with a look of wonder and slight confusion as JC slowly guided her towards the closet. He crept up slowly, cautiously approaching the closet. He counted to three in his mind and swung open the door to find his four band mates along with Diana, tumbled and tangled at the bottom of the storage closet.
Siobhan and JC both gave surprised looks at the sight they were witnessing, then looked back at each other. They both realized what might have been possibly going on, then let their faces turn serious.
Chris looked up innocently, brushing dirt off his shirt and looking around. He grabbed a fresh towel and looked up at them sheepishly, “Need any fresh towels?” he asked with a grin.
Everyone in the closet turned to look at Chris at the same time. They then all grabbed their own towels and smacked Chris with them, “Shut up!” they exclaimed in unison.
