Romance In France

Chapter 4

Before noon, the group of four came back, exhausted from just looking in bookstores. Jamy and Trisha had one bag each, Ashley had two, and Becky had four. Most of the items in the bags weren't even books; they were mostly paper cups they couldn't bare to throw away or little knick-knacks they found in the stores. The girls stashed the loot in their respective suit rooms, then had lunch in the restaurant downstairs. After lunch, the group was talking and laughing loudly as they entered the lobby. Even more deserted than before, there was only the black-haired girl from before, the occasional tourist coming in and out of the glass doors, and the receptionist at the desk. Becky took a look at the girl again and decided to get acquainted with her.

She slyly sauntered over, and pretended that she was reading a magazine. Her companions looked at her like she had gone mad. Not wanting to startle or scare her away, she casually said, "Hi. My name is Becky. I'm staying at this hotel. What's your name?"

At first she didn't answer. Her face turned a vibrant shade of red as she lowered the magazine that was covering her face. The black hair Becky had noticed earlier was about shoulder length, and her eyes were blue with a ring of yellow around the pupil. She had the legs of a tennis player, and looked like she would stand just a little shorter than Becky. She was wearing a pair of blue jean shorts and a yellow tank top.

"Um, hi. I'm Nikkie. I have been wanting to talk to you since I saw you this morning, but I didn't know how to approach you," Nikkie said with a thick French accent. Becky's brow furrowed and she cocked her head to one side.

"Are you staying here?" Becky asked, very confused. She had put the decoy magazine by now, and was sitting Indian-style the chair next to her. "Cause you sound like a native."

"Yeah I'm staying here, but I live in France. I live in a little town called Chargé. I just came down here for the summer," Nikkie replied, getting less and less shy. "I'd really like to get to know you and your friends. I'm not that shy after you get to know me," she added, a note of worry in her voice. She acted like Becky was going to reject her because she was shy at first.

"Sure. You want to come meet my friends over there?" Becky asked pointing to her friends who had been staring at the pair. They quickly hid behind a few magazines. "They're not as bad as they look. Honest!"

"Sure."

The two walked over, and Becky introduced everyone.

Putting and arm around her shoulder Becky said, "Guys, this is Nikkie. She lives in Chargé, France. Nikkie, this is Trisha, Jamy, and Ashley." They all shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. A light bulb suddenly went off in Jamy's head.

"Hey, Nikkie. Want to come shopping with us? It gets a little boring when all you do is shop with the same people," Jamy commented, looking over and Trisha and Becky. Becky stuck out her tongue and Trish slapped Jamy playfully on the arm. "But seriously, do you want to come?"

Nikkie considered for a moment before yelling a loud and exuberant, "Yes!"

The group of five went to their rooms, and discovered they were all on the same floor. Of course, they had to change into better shopping clothes. Becky just changed my ponytail holder. Trisha came out or her room wearing a black leather mini-skirt and a white and red striped spaghetti strap shirt. Jamy wore a long green skirt and a baby blue tube top. Nikkie wore a pink dress that reached down to her knees, and Ashley wore a neon orange tube top and khaki Capris.

As the friends set out for downtown Pairs on the bus, Ashley yelled, "Look out Pairs, cause here we come!"

* * *

An hour later, the quartet had shopped at 11 different stores, and had bought something from each. They were pooped, so the girls searched for the perfect place to rest their tired feet. Eventually, Nikkie found a group of fountains where a stage was set up for some afternoon entertainment, which happened to be karioke. There was a prize of five hundred American dollars to the winner, and they needed the money, so the girls decided to stop by and try it. Nikkie asked the person in charge if they could give it a try. The small, round man replied in French, and Nikkie nodded her head to verify that he said yes. Our girls were after the next act, and had about one minute to prepare.

"We are going to perform this one song in French. Everyone knows the lyrics, but the title escapes me now. I hope you guys don't mind. I mean, we're in France, and…well, you get the picture," Becky said excitedly. Jamy and Trisha groaned while Ashley threw her head back in exasperation. Nikkie just rolled her eyes. "What? I thought it'd be cute." Becky frowned at them, and they slapped me playfully.

The manager came up to Nikkie and said, "Un minute!" She nodded, and the look on her face told them that they didn't have a lot of time. In fact, they had one minute.

Becky said hurriedly, "You guys know your dance moves? Good. We are going to win that prize." Determinedly, the girls stepped onto the small stage.

* * *

Chris Kirkpatrick stared longingly out of the tinted bus windows, bored out of his mind. He and four of his friends were finally on break from their four-month tour. He, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass made up the hit pop sensation 'N Sync, and all were tired and more than ready for the three month break they were about to embark on. Chris finally voiced his thoughts. "I'm bored. Let's go do some shopping. Maybe there'll be some hot babes." Joey shook his head.

"No. Let's go to the Riviera. There's bound to be some hot chicks there," he replied, shrugging his shoulders in earnest. JC sighed melodramatically and cocked his head to the side.

"Tony! All you care about is hot chicks! I have an even better idea. Let's grab some food!" JC exclaimed. The rest of them nodded their heads in agreement. James told the driver to stop the bus, it pulled over, and 'N Sync got out in their disguises.

* * *

"Oh, my God, do you think we're ready?" Becky asked nervously as they stepped up to the microphones to spotty applause. Trisha looked at the small round man, and he nodded as he put in the CD. The crowd wasn't very vast; it was only the occasional tourist and some locals on lunch break. Attention to the ladies was sparse, as most of them were either talking or eating.

"You're the one who got us into this, and now you think we can't do it?" Trisha hissed quietly as she took the mic off the stand. The rest of them followed suit and simultaneously stood the microphone stands at the back of the stage. Becky just shrugged her shoulders.

"Shut up, we have to start now."

They started, and the music flowed like a river from their mouths. They were caught up in the rhythm, engulfed in the words, wrapped up in the dance. A crowd started to gather slowly, signaling their talent. The music floated on the air over the nearby streets and reached some unsuspecting ears.

* * *

"Do you guys hear that?" Lance asked as he strained to hear the beautiful voices coming from somewhere in front of him. Catching occasional words and phrases from the beautiful, up-beat song, he staggered toward it. JC concurred, and he cocked his head toward the sound. They all had a knack for hearing good sounds, as they had all been in the music business for quite some time. The voices were musically correct; all were on key, with the music, and JC could even recognize the different voices: two soprano, an alto, a lower one, and even a lower one, although he wouldn't quite classify the last two as either bass or tenor. Maybe alto two.

"Yeah, I do. And there's a crowd forming. Let's go check it out," JC replied as they took off towards the sound. They stalked up a stairway to a balcony that overlooked the small karioke stage. Finally glimpsing the owners of the wonderful voices, they were taken aback.

* * *

The girls were singing with all the passion in their souls. For Becky, it was hard not to sing with everything she had. Trisha, Jamy, and she had always loved to sing along to CDs and to make up little songs on their way to class or work. All of their fun and games were paying off. Becky smiled to herself as they went into the chorus and executed flawless dance more after dance move.

Dancing was another one of their passions. Trisha and Jamy had once taken professional dance classes. Since Becky didn't have the time to be spending taking classes, her best friends taught her everything they had learned after class. Making up dances to pop songs was one of their favorite pastimes, and had been since they began having an interest in music. Now it was for more than fun; it was for money.

* * *

'N Sync had now gotten a great view of the mysterious singers. They were mesmerized at how full they sounded. The sound that drifted out of the large speakers floated into their expert ears as they watched the five ladies on the stage move gracefully back and forth. Needless to say, these young ladies had caught the attention of five of the most sought-after young men on the planet.

"My God. Have I died?" Joey asked rhetorically as he almost drooled over the beautiful ladies. "Cause those five are certainly angels." The others nodded in silent agreement.

"They're talented too," James, said almost too mesmerized to speak. "I wonder who they are?"

* * *

The group finished the song to tumultuous applause. The audience had grown noticeably larger since the beginning, and their attention was all but rapturously captured. They bowed, and exited the stage at a running gait. Becky felt so good; singing her heart out had done a number on her mood. As the competition came to a close, Jamy looked out into the crowd. Glancing up towards an overhanging balcony, Jamy pointed out a group of men talking to each other. Our mouths dropped open in surprise.

"Oh, my Lord they're hot," Becky said, referring to the men, almost drooling. "What are a bunch of hunks like that doing here? Shouldn't they be in a photo shoot for some underwear ads?" Jamy and Trisha laughed.

"You said it girl," Ashley said, her eyes still lingering on the men. Just then, the small man stepped up to the mic to award the winner with the money. He called out the group's names, and they graciously accepted the large amount of money. Ashley started to make a long acceptance speech, but Jamy and Trisha dragged her off before she got too far into it.

They disappeared off stage (congratulated by other contestants), grabbed their stuff, and headed out again to go shopping, all the while fawning over both the guys and the money.

The men they saw kept invading Becky's thoughts. There was something familiar about their handsome faces, but yet she couldn't place them. She knew deep down inside she wanted to see them again, and she would get her wish that night.

"Can you believe what happened? They really liked us! And we won!" Becky kept saying all the way back to the hotel. She just couldn't get over the fact that hundreds of people liked their singing. She wasn't used to being rewarded for doing something she loved. "We sounded so professional. Oh, my God! I can't believe we actually did that!" Ashley turned to Faith, grabbed her by the shoulders, and shook the woman as hard as possible without hurting her.

"Get over it! I'd rather be hung up on those guys that were staring at us. They were hotter than hell!" Ashley exclaimed, letting go of Becky's shoulders. Ashley collapsed on the couch and asked, "Well, what do you want to do tonight guys? Want to go to clubbing?" She started running her hand excitedly through her hair as the rest of us considered the possibility.

"Sure," Nikkie answered for the rest of them, and they all went into their respective rooms to change into more appropriate clubbing clothing.

* * *

"Can you believe how hot those girls were?" Lance said quietly over and over again. He couldn't get over how good-looking they were, or how talented they were. "They were angels sent from above."

"Get over them, Lance! We'll probably never see them again, so there's no use in fantasizing. Ok guys. To help get those girls off Lance's mind, we are going to go clubbing tonight. There's bound to be more hot chicks there that he could hook up with," Joey said. Justin nodded, his blonde curls shaking lightly. He was under age, but somehow always got in.

"Sure," JC replied, and they went to go change into their disguises.

* * *

An hour had passed, and the group of girls was all ready to go to the desired club, called Crystal in English. Unknown to them, it was one of the hottest karaoke clubs in the Paris area. They had picked the name out of the phone book. Trisha was wearing a dark red slip dress that contrasted with her dark blue eyes and black pumps. Jamy was wearing a black mini-dress and strappy pumps. Ashley was wearing black leather pants and a pink leather tube top that surprisingly went well with the auburn curls cascading down her back. Nikkie was wearing a green leather skirt and an orange tube top. Becky was wearing a pair of wide-leg jeans and a green baby-t, and my hair was down. She considered this dressy, and Becky didn't get dressed up very often. To her, getting pampered was something that just wasted time. Time that she could spend reading, practicing softball, or just lounging.

"Let's go you guys!" Ashley yelled from the elevator. Holding the door with one hand, she was trying to put her make-up on with the other. There were two other well-dressed men in the elevator, and they looked like they were getting annoyed at the young woman's actions. The girls hurried into the elevator, out of the lobby (the men also had to go there), and out into the parking lot, where they all took Becky's car to the desired club.

When they arrived, the ground was pulsing with the music from inside, although it stopped as soon as we got out of the car. Oh great. It must be karaoke night, Becky thought with a snicker. They hurried excitedly to the line that had formed at the mouth of the club, and waited for the bouncer's approval. He let them in from the back of the line, and we rushed to take a seat. To our surprise, the club was jam-packed. Wow. A lot of people must like karioke, Becky thought as a couple got up to sing a song in French.

* * *

The guys were all dressed up and ready to go. After stepping out of the hotel and into the parking lot, they just caught a glimpse of a forest green Explorer zooming away, music blasting out of the large vehicle. James followed the car with his eyes, wondering all the while who they were. They hopped into Justin's blood red Mercedes Benz and drove to the club with a French name they couldn't pronounce or translate. The only language they could speak even close to fluently was Spanish, and that, obviously, was not the language of the city. The ground by the club wasn't pulsating like it should have at a normal American club, so they knew something was up. The bouncer led them in through the back and to a table in a dark and musty corner. They ordered drinks, and looked up at the stage just in time to see a familiar face step onto it.

* * *

"No way! I just did this a few hours ago! I don't want to do this again!" Becky hissed into Trisha's ears. As she dragged me up to the large stage. "I'm only doing this because you dared me too! You know that right? I'm going to stop playing truth or dare with you guys!"

They were making Becky perform again. She would perform with a group of people, but alone? No way! The thought had never crossed her mind in all her years on earth. Faith was only doing this because Ashley had dared her too, and she accepted any and all dares. She was going to perform 'On My Own,' the song from the hit musical Les Misarables. Of course, that wasn't her choice; all Ashley's.

"Only for you!" Becky hissed as the music started. They just giggled and pointed at her as the audience watched on. The audience mainly consisted of couples bored of the pulsating music and booze of face-paced nightclubs. Becky closed her eyes as the music pulsated through her being. Feeling the rhythm of the music, she started to sing in the most beautiful alto voice. The words floated out of her mouth just as naturally and gracefully as water down a waterfall. Onlookers stared on in approval.

* * *

"Oh, my God, it's her!" Lance hissed as he punched Justin in the arm. "It's her! One of the girls from the stage! And Joey thought we'd never see her again! He was wrong! I knew he would be wrong! I just knew it!"

"Oh, my gosh it is her," Justin whispered. The chance of seeing those five exact girls again was smaller than finding a bug in your cereal every day for 10 years. "If she's here, then maybe her friends are here! You guys, look! It's that girl from earlier today! And she's going to sing again!" He slapped Joey and JC, who were involved in a deep conversation involving their next album. Joey immediately looked up at the word 'girl'. JC looked at Justin, then the stage. His eyes widened, and his head started to whip around, trying to find the rest of the attractive young women.

"Then hush up Curly! We'd like to hear!" Chris exclaimed as the music started.

* * *

Becky had never sung alone in front of a large crowd of people before. The beginning was rocky to say the least, but she sunk into the feeling of the music, and what the words in the song meant. The blaring music enveloped her being, and she sang from her soul. The words touched Becky's heart, and she truly knew what it was to be on her own. Finishing the song, she handed the mic back to the man, and stepped off the stage to applause. Walking back to the table, Becky thought about the reason she was on her own. Her friends' words jarred her from my thoughts.

"Wow, you can sing well," Nikkie said quietly and everyone else nodded. Becky got the same elated feeling from earlier that day again. Her insides swelled with pride at the simple compliment.

"Thanks, Nikkie," Becky said, taking her seat at the table with a flourishing bow. "Oh, and I did it," Becky added triumphantly.

"You sure did," Ashley nodded as she took a sip of her strawberry daiquiri. They sat back to enjoy the next performance, a drunken Frenchman who was going to sing 'Man, I Feel Like A Woman' by Shania Twain.

* * *

"Oh my Lord, I think I'm in love," Lance said to himself as Becky walked off the stage. "She's beautiful, talented, and probably smart. But I bet she already has a boyfriend. Why wouldn't she? I bet she's even married, has three kids, and a house in Pennsylvania. At least, she deserves to." He stared off into space for a moment, not noticing his friends' silence.

The other men just stared at him. Snapping back to reality, Lance pulled his lips off of his straw, noticing his friend's stares.

"Oops, did I just say that out loud?" Lance asked and they finally broke into fits of laughter. His blushing was evident even in the dark corner as the guys slapped him on the back and made googly eyes at him. His face suddenly turned sour as he added, "But isn't that probably true? I have absolutely no chance." He felt dejected and rejected, even though the woman of his affections knew nothing about him.

Justin cocked his head to the left, considering the possibilities. "Who knows, Scoop. Maybe you do," he retorted as he glanced over at the beautiful young lady laughing with her friends. "Maybe you do."

Chapter 5

The girls left the club at midnight because they wanted to spend the next day working on the house. As they were walking out, Becky noticed a group of men staring at them as they left. With closer inspection, she discovered that they were the same men they had noticed at the karaoke stage earlier that day. They were looking at them, engaged in fake conversation, and as the bouncer let them out, Ashley waved seductively.

Throughout the trip back to the hotel, Becky thought about the man in the picture again and what she would do if he were still alive. Just thinking about him and what he had meant to her brought back salty tears to her eyes and her heart to her throat. He had meant too much for words to describe; the only thing that could was the beating of her heart when she had been around him.

When they arrived at the hotel, Becky was full-blown crying. Running to the room through a veil of tears, Becky grabbed the picture, and threw herself on the bed.

"Why did you have to leave?" she cried between tears. Hick coughing, Becky smudged her thumb over the lips of the handsome man, wishing it were her lips instead. She flipped over on her back and hugged the picture to her bosom, her puffy eyes staring at the beige ceiling, finding no comfort in the criss-crossing cracks in it. Becky didn't want to talk to anyone; just to wallow in her all the benefits self-pity has to offer.

Ashley, Nikkie, Trisha, and Jamy ran through the lobby and up the stairs anxiously, not wanting to wait for the elevator. None of them knew what was wrong with Becky. But in the back of Trisha's mind, she thought she might have known the reason all along. That night at the club reminded her of when Trisha, her boyfriend, Becky, and....That's it! Trisha thought. That's why she's acting this way!

The three friends burst into Jamy, Trisha, and Becky's suit and followed Becky's pained cries to her room. Trisha and Jamy ran anxiously to her side to comfort her. Trisha had told Jamy in a strained whispered what she thought ailed Becky. They alone knew what was wrong, what had gone on in the past, but even they had no solution to the problem that plagued Becky's being.

Ashley and Nikkie just hovered by the doorway, knowing nothing of the meaning of Becky's cry-fest. Trisha clutched Becky's head in a tight grasp and Jamy rubbed her friends' back soothingly while Becky cried a river of tears.

After her best friends had gotten her to calm down a bit, Ashley came over, sat next to Becky and asked, "What's wrong? I've never seen you act like this before." Becky, too choked up with emotion to speak, just pointed at Trisha and she told them the whole story, pausing at appropriate places for clarification questions and gasps from Ashley. After the story ended, most everyone was in tears while Becky had calmed down, although her eyes were still red and puffy. They ordered up some Chunky Monkey ice cream, and they talked the night away.

* * *

The next day, Lance was already showered and dressed by the time Justin and JC got up. "Come on you two! We have a full day ahead of us! Let's get going!" he urged his comrades as they rolled over in their beds. JC mumbled something about an insane asylum before drifting back off to sleep. Suddenly, Joey and Chris bounded into the door, looking as hyper and energetic as the night before.

"Come one, guys! I just saw a hot chick leaving! If we hurry, we could catch up to her!" Joey yelled into Justin's ear. He grumbled and reluctantly shoved the covers to the foot of his bed. JC didn't move, still in a deep stupor. Chris solved this problem quickly by hurling himself onto his best friend's back and pounding it incessantly. Josh sat up so suddenly that he knocked Chris to the floor, and Lance started laughing, his deep voice ringing out in the small room. Chris got to his feet a little disgruntled, but his goal was reached; Josh was up.

Justin and JC took showers quickly and dressed. The group of five then took the bus to downtown Paris and walked to a quaint little coffee shop for breakfast. They sat down at a table near a window to talk and eat in peace.

* * *

The next day, Becky was feeling much better and much more relaxed. The feelings of pain and agony were still there, but had dulled from the night before. The feelings had come and gone like that for almost a year. She wished there was a way to stop them from coming at all, but no such would happen.

The group decided to go to a coffee shop first, before starting for the house. Ashley and Trisha were the equivalent of walking zombies, and they definitely needed the caffeine boost just to look presentable in public. Their hair was disheveled, eyelids drooping, mouth hanging open, signaling a state where one is not really awake and not really asleep.

They stopped at a little French place near the hotel. Walking in, the scent of fresh-ground coffee beans meant Becky's nostrils, and almost choked her. The place was filled to about half capacity, with the occasional person coming in or out the door and the bell tinkled, but there were a few recognizable faces. The same men from the day before were in the shop, sitting in the nearest corner near a window.

Slipping by unnoticed, the quintet grabbed a booth at the opposite end of the shop, also near a window with green and black checkered breezy hangings. The red booth seat screeched as Jamy slid over so Trisha could sit next to her. Ashley and Becky sat in two wooden chairs with the same red covering as the booths, as Nikkie placed our orders at the front counter. Trisha was talking semi-normally by the time she got back, but Ashley was still half-asleep. After a sip of her Java-nut expresso, though, she was back up to her normal, hyper self.

While the others were talking about the house, Becky was wondering when someone was going to gather enough guts to go over to the mysterious guys. In the past, usually Trisha or Jamy would just dare someone (usually Ashley) and she would go do it. But Becky didn't expect Trisha to dare her, too.

"Becky, Ashley! Oh, my God! I just got the best idea! I dare you to go up to those guys and talk to them in French," Trisha proclaimed, almost loud enough for them to hear. One of them looked around seeming to search for something. The five ducked down when he looked in their direction and sighed in relief when he looked away. She folded her arms across her chest and sat back in her seat triumphantly. Ashley curled her lip and started to mock her before Becky answered.

"Why me?" she asked, sticking out her bottom lip. "I always have to! Why can't you just make Ashley go do it?"

"Oh, come on! You know you want to! We've seen them three times in the past twenty-four hours! Go. Now," Trisha pointed and Ashley and Becky reluctantly got up. Scraping their chairs on the linoleum floor, they stuck close by each other, watching the men's movements. The men were laughing and talking animatedly, just like brothers or best friends. Their words were garbled and unintelligible. Suddenly a thought struck Becky.

"Oh, my gosh! Ashley! What if they speak French? What if they answer our questions and we don't know what they say? What're we going to do?" Becky asked anxiously as the gap between their bodies and the guys' table narrowed. Ashley didn't look at her when she answered.

"Well, then we're screwed."

"Who should do the talking?" Becky asked as the gap got narrower still. Her stomach churning strangely. Why am I feeling this way? She thought with a slight shake of her head. I've never met them before!

"You talk. You know more French than I do," Ashley whispered, still not looking at Becky.

"Fine, be that way," Becky hissed. They had finally approached the table, and the men stopped talking. All of their beautiful eyes were upon them. Becky started to twirl her hair seductively around her finger as she started the conversation.

"Excusez moi! Bonjour. Je m'appelle Faith et mon amie Ashley. Excusez-moi de vous adresser la parole. Ne nous connaissons-nous pas deja de vue? Etes-vous seuls ici? Vous permettez que je m'asseye a cote de vous?" She said, putting on as thick of a French accent as she could muster.

The guys just stared. One of them, the one with spiked blonde hair and green eyes, started rummaging in a bag that his curly blonde-haired blue-eyed friend was holding. Another, with spiky brown hair and brown eyes, was looking extremely nervous and hyper, his foot shaking the table. The person next to him, brown-haired and blue-eyed, basically had to hold down the table. The one with dyed red hair and brown eyes looked especially flirty. Finally the blonde-haired one pulled out a book that had the words French Dictionary for Dummies on its yellow and black cover. He opened it up nervously as Ashley and Becky started sniggering.

"Bonne nuit! Ce midi. Nous pouvons-nous baigner sans soutien-gorge?" He said uncertainly, with a hint of Southern accent instead of a French one. At that, Ashley and Becky burst out laughing. The men nervously looked at each other, not exactly sure what the two women were laughing at.

"I guess they're not French," Ashley concluded in French. She turned to the confused men to explain. "Do you know what you just said? You said 'Good night! This noon. Can we swim topless here?' " she explained in English.

A red color flushed onto the blonde's face, and Ashley stopped laughing apologetically. "I'm sorry. What we said was 'Hello, our names are Becky and Ashley. Hope you don't mind if I can talk to you. Haven't we seen one another before? Are you here alone? Mind if I join you?' " Ashley said sympathetically. Becky thought she felt sorry for the way we embarrassed him in front of his friends. After the introduction, though, he seemed a lot more confidant.

"Of course you can join us. My name is Lance. This is Chris, Joey, Justin, and JC," the blonde haired man said to the women as he introduced his posse. Chris was the hyper brown haired one, Tony had the dyed red hair, Justin had the curly blonde hair and was holding the backpack, and Josh had the brown hair and crystal-blue eyes. "I'm sorry, I just don't know how to speak French. Is your friend French? She speaks very well," Lance added as he pointed to Becky. She smiled happily, glad she had spoken so fluently in French.

"No, I'm not. I just took a lot of French in college," Becky replied, looking directly into his soft green-hazel eyes. Immediately, she regretted it. His eyes just lured her in. They were the kind that are windows into a person's soul. Becky looked away and continued, "Why don't you come join us? My friends are seated over there. Come on!" She tugged Lance's hand and the rest of his friends followed.

Becky took them over to her table. Trisha, Jamy, and Nikkie gasped at her as she lead Lance to meet her best friends. She just grinned as she introduced them, while her friends frowned in horror.

"Lance, Justin, JC, Joey, and Chris, these are my friends Jamy, Trisha, and Nikkie. Jamy, Trisha, and Nikkie, these are those guys from the karaoke stage Justin, Lance, JC, Joey, and Chris. Now make small talk," she commanded playfully.

James and Becky pulled up two more tables so the guys could sit down too. Her small hand brushed up against his large one, and she shivered. Their eyes met for a brief second. What beautiful green eyes he has! She thought to herself. What are you talking about, Becky? Stop it! She sat down distractedly and Lance sat down next to her. JC sat next to Trisha; Chris sat next to Ashley; Justin sat next to Jamy; and Joey sat next to Nikkie. They seemed to pair up naturally, as if they did this every day.

"So what did you say to them, Becky?" Jamy asked, tilting her head towards Justin and had a twinkle in her eye.

"All I said was hi. It was him that screwed it up," Becky said, pointing to Lance. He blushed. He looked even cuter when he blushed. The girls burst out in giggles, and he blushed even more, flushing his face to a shade of crimson Becky had never seen on a man before.

"So what did you say... James was it?" Nikkie asked in her French accent. Becky saw Joey shiver slightly when she spoke. She thought he liked that accent.

"I said good night, this noon, and can we swim topless on this beach," Lance said, hiding his head in his hands in shame. Becky's arms ached to hold him and comfort him. Wait a second! Hold him? Comfort him? Why am I thinking like this? Becky demanded of her conscience.

"Aw, poor Lancey! He's all embarrassed," Chris said in a baby voice. He stuck out his lower lip, and Lance reached across the table and punched him. Becky was still checking out the guys. I know I have seen them somewhere, Becky told herself. Suddenly uncomfortable, she got up from the table.

"I need a refill on the coke. Anyone wanna come?" Becky asked getting up from the table.

"I will," Becky said in his deep bass voice that rang out like an old church bell. Becky melted; she loved guys with deep bass voices, and that time was the first she realized he had one. On the way up to the counter, Becky silently scolded herself. You don't even know him! He could be some type of serial rapist coming to get you! She shivered.

"Are you ok?" Lance asked, seeing her shiver as Becky put her glass on the counter. She kept her back to him as she answered.

"Fine. Just leave me alone," she snapped back. He shrunk away timidly, and she thought better of her actions, but decided not to take them back. The waitress handed Becky her new glass of coke and started walking back to the table.

They got back to the table to see each couple immersed in their own little private conversations. Becky cleared her throat to announce her presence, and everyone looked up at her simultaneously.

"You guys, when are we going to go to the house? We need to get started if we ever want to move in," Becky said still standing up. Jamy slapped her head lightly.

"Oh, that's right. I don't want to paint anymore. Hey, you guys want to come? We could always use an extra hand," Jamy asked, looking at Justin quizzically. Justin smiled at her warmly and nodded.

"Sure. Just don't let Chris near any valuables, paints, or stuff like that. He's likely to break it or spill it," JC replied immediately with a sideways glance at the friend he spoke of. Chris stuck out his tongue at his best friend and Ashley giggled.

"Ok, but I don't know if my Explorer can hold all you people. You either have to sit on each other or ride on the roof," Becky said seriously while grabbing her stuff. Chairs scraped as everyone else got up and grabbed their belongings.

"I think we can handle sitting on each others' lap. I mean we are all adults here," Trisha commented with a quick glance at JC.

"No! I'm not!" Chris yelled as they left the little shop. He smiled devilishly as he added, "Shot-gun!"

* * *

An hour later, the group of ten pulled up to the house. The guys' mouths dropped open at the house in front of them.

"You didn't tell us you were rich!" Joey exclaimed surprisedly to no one in particular. Becky rolled her eyes as reveled in his stupidness.

"Well, we didn't tell you much of anything," she said as she parked the car in front of the house. "And we're not rich anyway. Ok, last stop. Everybody out. Trish, we gotta change; I hope you aren't wearing that while painting!" Becky added, pointing at Trisha's clothes.

"Oh my God! I forgot to bring extra clothes! This is a new dress! I'm not ruining it!" Trisha exclaimed while panicking. JC chuckled at Trisha as they all got out of the car.

"Don't worry. I brought extras for all of us. They're in the back. Get them while I show the guys around," Becky told her friends while she walked with the guys to the front doors to show them in. They looked around in awe, and the tour began.

* * *

An hour later, all the women were changed, and the guys knew their way around the place fairly well. They were still amazed at how big and grand the house was. The large group had decided to use the buddy system because the men didn't know the place as well as the women. Becky was with Lance. The two were doing what was going to be Becky's room. It was about the size of two unfurnished master bedrooms next to each other without the shared wall. Becky wanted to paint it green, her favorite color.

"So green's your favorite color huh?" Lance asked as he got himself a paintbrush. "It's mine too." He grinned brightly and his green eyes twinkled with a light Becky hadn't seen in anyone in a long time. Something gave way in her heart, but it was behind the brick wall she had built around her since about a year in the past. The wall still stood strong and sturdy around her heart, and it wasn't about to budge anytime in the foreseeable future.

"How did you know?" Becky snapped quickly. She turned around too swiftly, and upset a paint can. Becky slipped and fell onto Lance' large, muscular chest.

Becky looked into his deep green eyes, and almost melted again. Almost. You have to stop liking him! Her brain screamed. But the inside of her heart said something different.

Lance looked into her warm blue eyes, and then something changed; her eyes turned to ice, and it seemed as if a battle was going on inside of her. He almost said something, but kept his mouth shut, in case she tore into him again.

"Sorry," She mumbled as she quickly got off of Lance. From her knees down was green paint. She regrettably turned back to her painting in a different corner of the room with a face as red as a beet. Oh, my gosh! I can't believe that I just did that! Oh, I feel so embarrassed! Becky thought, mentally kicking herself for her clumsy actions. Lance just smiled at her with a silly, lovesick grin on his face.

"Don't be."

Becky was too embarrassed and humiliated for words. She knew she could never look him in those beautiful eyes again. The woman was still a brilliant shade of red a half-hour later, when the ten met up to take a walk outside. The paint fumes were getting to their heads, messing with their minds; they were all light-headed, and acting in a way that was unlike they had ever acted before. They took the long dirt and gravel from the back door and walked along there and talked to try to clear their heads of the toxic fumes. The rolling hills surrounding the castle were lush green, and there was even a forest at the end of the path. To the north of the castle was a wide river with blue waters, which gleamed even with the clouds covering the sun. The group took to the path a bunch of carefree humans, stumbling and bumbling everywhere.

"Whoo! That feels good!" Ashley exclaimed as she wobbled down the dirt path.

Becky tried to run, but tripped and received a mouthful of black dirt as she fell flat on her face. Trisha laughed gaily at her friend as Lance tried to help Becky up. She graciously took his hand, and almost fell down again when she looked into his friendly eyes.

The group came to a fork in the road; actually a few forks. The path branched off into five smaller paths. Each pair took their own path: JC and Trisha walked down the first one hand in hand, then Chris and Ashley took the next, then Lance and Becky, then Justin and Jamy, and Joey and Nikkie were stuck with the last one.

As Lance and Becky walked down theirs, they headed into the lush forest. The trees towered over them like giants in a mystical land, and the undergrowth brushed her bare legs (she had rolled up her pant legs). Lance cautiously reached for her hand, and she took it. The scene was very romantic. It might have just been the fumes influencing her logic, but she thought she felt a twinge in her hardened heart. The two came to a little brook, full of clear, babbling water. Becky stooped to drink, and Lance did the same. She cupped her hands, put them under the water, and splashed the liquid cool onto her face. Lance cupped his large hands under the cool water and drank from them like a cup. Faith got a devilish idea.

"Hey Lance. Come closer!" She said seductively. He came closer, thinking that he finally got his feelings known. Becky quickly cupped her hands under the water, and splashed him. His green long-sleeved shirt quickly darkened where the water had touched it as he shook his head in surprise. Little droplets had stuck to his face, and he shook his head vigorously to rid himself of them.

"What the heck!" He boomed, breaking the delicate silence that surrounded them. He tried to splash Becky, but she was too quick; she jumped out of the way just in time. Giving up his feeble attempt to splash her, he tried to throw her in the brook, but Becky started running in the opposite direction.

"You can't catch me! You're too slow!" Becky yelled in a triumphant voice, slowing to look over her shoulder behind her. He was running with his arms outstretched, like a zombie or Frankenstein.

"I bet you I can!" he yelled back, suddenly dropping his arms and putting on a burst of speed. Just when Becky had thought all hope was lost, she saw Ashley and Chris in the distance. A wave of giddiness swept over her being, a strange feeling, to say the least.

"Ashley! Help! A blonde is after me! And you know how dangerous they are!" Becky yelled to Ashley. Tiring of the game, Becky slowed down slightly, allowing Lance to grab her, and throw her gently into the knee-high brook.

"Hey, that hurt!" Becky exclaimed, exaggerating her pain. She was soaked from head to toe, and her rear end hurt slightly. "Now my clothes are ruined! You have to buy me new ones, Lance!" He laughed his deep laugh, but this time it had no affect on her.

"Hey, that's no problem. Anything for you," he reached down to kiss her, thinking it was what she wanted, but Becky pulled away. She chose that moment to realize that she was leading him in a charade, the falsest of false charades. He was really nice, and she really liked him, but she just wasn't ready for a relationship yet. Not since...

"What's that matter, Becky?" Lance asked, trying to reach for her hand again. She pulled away from him, and jumped up disgustedly. She was more disgusted in herself, not the company she was keeping.

"Get away from me!" Becky yelled as Ashley and Chris slowly approached, having no idea what had happen between their friends. Chris stared at his usually shy friend in surprise.

"Whoa, what did you do to her, Lance?" Chris asked as Becky ran stormily off toward the house in tears. It was too much: the previous night at the club, the feelings Lance brought up in her...it was all just too soon for Becky.

"I better go help her," Ashley said regretfully, and she started to sprint off after her best friend. Ashley knew what plagued her friend, and she ached for her. What had happened to her she wouldn't wish upon her enemies.

"I did nothing. Do you think they're hiding something from us?" Lance asked Chris as they walked off towards the house, having no reason to stay out there any longer. Chris thought about Lance's question. While talking to Ashley, he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, but while observing Becky from a distance, he saw a drastic mood change. He could sense something wrong with her.

"Yeah. I feel like Becky's hiding something from you. But it's not like you're going out or anything. Or Ashley and I are or going out. Yet," Chris replied, smirking.

* * *

An hour later, all the couples were back at the house. Becky had explained to her friends everything that had happened that day. Just as she was about to go on, Chris came over and wordlessly took Ashley aside. He asked her something, and she squealed. She came running over toward the group of girls and knocked Becky to the ground.

"Chris asked me out!" She yelled in her ear. The feeling that flooded through her being was that of joy and happiness. Chris was her soul mate; witty, funny, smart, and caring, and even though she had only known a few hours, knew that he was a guy she would like to be with for a while.

"What! I don't think they heard you on the moon! That's great!" Becky said as she got off her. Becky was genuinely happy for her friend, yet deep down she wished she could be as ecstatic as she about a guy.

"Oh, you guys. I forgot to tell you. Justin asked me out too!" Jamy said, sticking her tongue in between her jaws. She felt the same way that Ashley did: the same excitedness, giddiness, and joy.

"Me too!" Trisha screamed, and the guys looked over from across the room.

"You mean Justin asked you out too?" Jamy said, getting slightly defensive. Even though she wasn't a blonde, there were times where she still acted like one. Most supposed it was because she hung out with two of them.

"No! JC asked me out. I can't wait! Why don't we all go out tonight together? Nikkie, did Joey ask you out?" Trisha asked as an afterthought. Nikkie and Joey had been getting cozy ever since the run-in at the coffee shop. They had gotten to know each other as well as two people could when you have only a few hours together.

Nikkie nodded. "Yep, just as we approached the house. What about you, Becky?"

"Nope. And I don't want to. It's too early," Becky said quietly, not looking at anything but the floor. She knew it was childishly immature to act the way she was, but it still hurt too much.

"Come on Becky. That was a year ago. It's time to move on. Nothing's going to happen to Lance," Trisha said, rubbing her back in small circles. Becky shrunk away at what she thought were harsh words. The simple sentences hit hard and deep and sparked a rebellious response.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT! I DON'T HAVE TO MOVE ON! I'M GOING!" She yelled so that everyone could hear. The men looked up from their conversations at her outraged words in confusion. Becky stormed out, got into her car, and waited for everyone else to join her. She refused to let the tears that were welling in her eyes to fall; she was too tough for that. Crying twice in two days was not her style. She was the tough one, the one who was always hanging with the guys, joking with them, talking about sports. She wasn't the girly-girl who cried at every little thing. But this topic deserved tears.

"What's up with her?" JC asked the remaining girls after Becky stormed out, slamming the door behind her. JC was confused. He hadn't been told about the dialogue exchange between Becky and Lance or Lance and Chris earlier that day.

"None of your business. Yet," Ashley said elusively, tugging Chris in tow behind as Becky honked the horn impatiently from outside. The others followed, listening in on Josh and Ashley's conversation.

"What do you mean 'yet'?" Lance chimed in as he ran to catch up to Ashley. Without his knowledge, he was falling head over heals in love with the girl he just met. He wanted to know every possible detail about her, the things that plagued her soul. Whatever was wrong with her to brush him off must be something big. He had never been turned down before. Most adolescent teens would kill for a date with him. Ashley turned her back to him before she answered.

"I'm not telling," She said as she opened the car door and hopped in.

The ride home was silent and uncomfortable. Becky was still as mad as ever at her friends, but she never held a grudge for long, so she would eventually get over it. But she just didn't see why they didn't get why she was so hung up over not moving on. Lance was sitting as far away from Becky as possible in the small Explorer.

Suddenly, JC exclaimed, "Go back to the hotel that you are staying! We want to see where we you are staying. I mean, what if we want to hook up later?" He winked at Trisha and she smiled back. When Becky pulled into the parking lot, JC had a puzzled look on his handsome face.

"I told you to go to the hotel you were staying at, not ours," He said pointedly.

Becky rolled her eyes, clearly apparent that she was still mad. "I did, you fool. Why would I know where you're staying?" She asked, annoyed.

Justin poked his head up to the front. He draped his arm over the passenger seat and looked over at Becky. "Well, we're staying here too," he put in his two cents worth.

"No really, butt-head! Even a blonde could've figured that out by now," Becky replied angrily. She exited her vehicle, walked into the hotel, and gravitated into the elevator before anyone could close his or her door.

Trisha sighed as she watched her friend positively fly into the hotel. She shook her head in disappointment. Becky could be emotional at times, and it was really unfortunate for one of those times to be then. "I'll talk to her later. Do you guys what to go clubbing tonight? I mean we're all free," Trisha said, squeezing JC's hand. He smiled at her warmly. There was a strange sensation in his stomach, and he was all but certain that butterflies were doing a dance in there.

"Sure. We'll pick you up around 9. That give you enough time?" Joey asked, risking a glance at Nikkie. She nodded vigorously, as was her style, and looked at her other friends to give their acceptance.

"Yes. We'll try to be ready. You have no idea how long it takes for Jamy to get ready," Ashley joked, playfully punching her friends arm. Jamy stuck out her tongue and started walking towards the hotel, talking animatedly with Justin.

"Oh, and Trisha? Will you try to figure out what's wrong with Becky?" Lance asked as they got into the elevator. The men were on the floor directly above the girls; their rooms even aligned.

Trisha sighed and looked at Lance sadly. "Oh, I know what's wrong with her. I just need her permission to tell you," she said as she waved good bye and the elevator doors closed on the fourth floor.

The five men continued the short trek to the fifth floor, still in conversation about Becky. All were confused and confounded about her behavior, especially since her friends were keeping her secret. "What do you think's the matter with her?" asked Chris seriously, too curious to execute any silly antics.

Lance shrugged his muscular shoulders. Not knowing was tearing at his soul. He didn't know why, but all his friends could see his apparent like for Becky. "I don't know. Do you think she already has a boyfriend?" James questioned, looking at Tony for an answer that might not come.

Joey shook his head with defiance at his best friend. "No. Definitely not. Nikkie told me it had something to do with her past. She hasn't had a boyfriend in over a year," he commented. Silent seconds passed as the elevator rose as fast as an injured snail. The elevator doors opened and they silently went into their respective rooms.

* * *

"No! I am not going with you! I already made a fool of myself earlier and I'm not about to do it again," Becky stated firmly after the girls told her of their plans. She planted her feet firmly in the doorway and folded her arms with finality across her chest.

Ashley ignored the protest. "You are coming no matter what," Ashley replied as she rummaged around noisily in the dresser, trying to find something for her friend to wear. She finally pulled out a pair of baggy black jeans and a forest green long sleeve shirt. She threw them to Becky and went into the bathroom with Jamy to get some hair clips. Ashley was ecstatic that she was going to see Chris again. Just being with him for those few hours made her happier than she had been with all the other guys she had as acquaintances.

"No way!" Becky yelled as she threw the clothes back on her bed in defiance. Trisha emerged from the doorway wearing a pink leather tube top and a pink skort.

"Yes you are. I already told the guys that you were coming, and I never go back on my word. You know that. If you don't want to see Lance, then just don't sit by him," She said while throwing the clothes on my bed to her.

Becky scowled at her best friend. "The only reason I'm doing this is so that you don't look bad!" she yelled at Trisha as she walked out of the room to wait for the guys. But secretly inside Becky did want to see Lance again. She quickly dismissed that feeling as...well, as something else. How can you be so quick to just drop him? Like he never existed? Becky asked herself.

Jamy and Ashley came out of the bathroom and pounced on Becky. They curled her hair, but she didn't let them put it up or do anything else special. After doing so, they looked at the digital clock upon the nightstand and, panic-stricken, ran out of the room. They weren't ready yet, and the guys were set to be there in ten minutes. Becky quickly put on some raspberry-scented chapstick and went into the other room to wait.

* * *

"I'm gonna see Ashley! I'm gonna see Ashley!" Chris exclaimed in a singsong voice as he bounded into JC's bathroom, where JC was fixing his hair. JC looked over his shoulder at his long-time friend and smiled back at him.

"And I'm gonna see Trisha! Oh my gosh, we are, like, so cool!" He replied in a high-pitched voice, not unlike Chris'. He dropped his bottle of hair gel on the counter, grabbed Chris' arms at the elbows and started jumping up and down. Chris just looked at his friend with a blank look, wrenched his arms out of JC's grasp, and walked silently out of the room while JC chuckled.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the guys came, and took the girls out. They went to a different club than the night before, and this time they made sure it did not feature any karaoke. As soon as they arrived, Becky made a conscious decision not to sit by Lance, but of course 'it just happened that way.' Embarrassment flooded her soul, and every five minutes she used some excuse to get away from the table. As soon as the DJ started the music, Becky leapt up and gravitated to the dance floor with the rest of the girls. Becky could finally let herself loose from the restrictions that embarrassment had put on her. She was ripping it up on the dance floor when a slow song came on. Disappointed, Becky went back to her seat as the rest of her coupled friends got up. Lance and she were the only ones without dance partners.

After thinking long and hard, Becky decided to put her embarrassment aside and started talking to the only other person at the table. "Want to go get a drink?" She offered to Lance with a small smile. Becky was then fully prepared to apologize for her behavior earlier.

"I thought you would never ask," Lance replied as he got up. The two went to the bar, and he ordered for both of them. She turned to him indignantly.

"Excuse me! I can order for myself!" She stated, playfully hitting his strong arm. She apologized for her behavior earlier that day as the drinks were delivered just as the song ended. They returned to their seats to find Justin and Jamy making out there.

Becky cleared her throat nervously as Jamy and Justin slipped apart and wiped their mouths on their sleeves. Lance covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. "Wow, did it just get a little hot in here, or is it just me?" Becky asked while looking any other direction besides that table. The couple didn't respond. Becky stared at Jamy with a look that asked if the two were an item. Jamy nodded back slowly, a smile creeping onto her lips. Becky giggled and clapped her hands quietly, applauding her friend's conquest. Just then, Lance motioned for Justin to follow him, and the two left, talking quietly over the loud music. Becky sat down in the vacated seat to talk to Jamy.

"Where's Trish, Nikk, and Ash? Sucking face with their boyfriends?" Becky sneered as she looked across the dance floor. Jamy nodded solemnly as Becky turned back to her comrade.

"Actually, yeah. Well, at least the boyfriend part. Not the sucking face. Well," Jamy continued, visibly flustered, "actually, I don't know what they're doing. I just know that they all have boyfriends now." Becky's shoulders drooped and her mouth dropped open as she stared unbelievingly at her friend. After finally thinking it over, she pursed her lips and turned back to her Bloody Mary.

They had been there for a few hours, when the karioke night stated up again. Becky sighed exasperatedly as a drunk, lovesick couple went up to sing a song. "Ok, who was in charge of picking the club? I thought I said no karaoke!" Becky exclaimed to the group. Lance sheepishly raised his hand.

"That was me."

"Dude! Who let him?! If the first time was any indicator, he can't speak French to save his life! Ah, come on, let's go," Becky scowled, the night suddenly cut short. The unusually large bouncer let out the group of ten. The cool night air brushed their skin as they walked to their cars.

"Are you guys free tomorrow? Do you want to do something?" Joey asked as he went to his own car. Trisha stopped by his Benz to think.

"Nope. We're free. Including Becky," Trisha added as she saw Becky try to speak up. Becky sneered and leered at her friend as the conversation continued.

"Cool. Then we will meet you at the Riviera at 10. Bring your bathing suits!" JC said from an open window. He smiled at Trisha and drove off with the rest of the guys.

The girls walked back Becky's car, still chatting. Becky was seething about when Trisha had said they were all free when she knew perfectly well that Becky didn't want to spend another second with James. "Why did you say we were free?" She asked as they go into her own car.

Trisha put her hands on her hips and stared at Becky with a frown playing on her lips. "Because I think you'd have fun!" she replied. "Now, start driving!"

The ride back to the hotel was full of exclamations from Trisha, Ashley, Jamy, and Nikkie comparing how 'cute, sweet, and just plain wonderful' their new boyfriends were. Becky still had a feeling deep inside that she had seen them somewhere before. She ignored it, dismissing it as a piece of unsettled Oreo with salsa. They arrived home just in time to see Lance and the other guys pull up. The girls waved, and Becky got another feeling in the pit of her stomach as Lance waved back, looking directly at her. She recognized it, having felt it many times in the past, but ignored it all the same. The group of five went into their rooms, and Becky pulled Trisha aside.

"Trisha, I have to talk to you," Becky stated, wringing her hands and looking from side to side to see if Jamy was anywhere near by. Trisha looked concernedly at her best friend of many years. She put her arm around her friend's shoulders and led her to Becky's room.

"What? What's wrong with you? Is this about going to the Riviera tomorrow? Cause if it is, I ain't listening," Trisha said sourly.

Becky continued wringing her hands, but looked into Trish's eyes. "Well, kind of. You do know that I can't resist a guy with a deep voice."

As the memories surfaced, Trisha laughed. "I know all to well."

Becky's eyes got shifty again, as she expertly avoided her company's eyes. "Well, I kind of like James. I mean, he's so nice and, God, is he HOT! You know that I hate southern accents, but he makes it seem like the language of angels! I think I'm falling for him," Becky exclaimed quietly in a worried voice.

Trisha let out a breath that she was unconsciously holding. That's all! She thought. By the way she looked, I thought it was gonna be much worse! "Well, girlie, it's about time! I mean it's been a year since . . . well since . . ." Trisha trailed off, avoiding her best friend's eyes.

Becky clasped her hands in her lap and stared at them. "Yeah, I know, but it seems like I'm betraying him or something," She said as she sat down on her bed with a sigh. Trisha sat beside her.

"No you're not. I bet he even wants you to go for Lance," Trisha said, rubbing her friend's back.

Becky stared harder at her hands, willing the congregating tears not to fall. "I don't know."

Trisha turned her own eyes to the floor and sighed. She just had to get through to Becky for Lance; she just had to. "Well, sleep on it. I'm going to bed. We have to get up really early in order to get there by 10. Good night," Trisha said as she got up and closed the door. "I don't know," Becky repeated into the silence. She changed quickly and went to bed, heavy thoughts still weighing upon her mind.

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