Meanwhile in the parking lot, the girls were getting in the guys' cars. "Why don't we go in the same cars?" Kimber asked. "It would make more sense doing it that way, and you'd save gas." "Not if we're going to separate places," Chris added with a bit of sarcasm. Cheryl just shook her head and got into Chris' car. "Where are we going?" she wondered. "That depends. Are you hungry?" Chris asked. "Not really," Cheryl answered. "It's only been six hours since we've eaten last!" "Ok, then food it is!" Chris said as he backed out of the parking lot slowly, being careful not to tip the pineapple over in the trunk. Driving east on the express way, there was silence in Lance's car until he turned on the radio. "So what do you have planned for tonite?" Katy asked Lance. Lance just chuckled. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it now?" "Guess not. Where are we going? To the beach?!?!?!?" Katy asked sarcastically. "Actually..." Lance's voice trailed off. Katy just sat there and smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone to the beach. Two years maybe? Of course the girls had done plenty of photo shoots there, but not leisure time on the beach. They arrived at the beach twenty minutes later. Lance pulled out a blanket from the back of his car, and they layed it down on the sand. "This is nice. But what are we doing here?" Katy asked. "Well," Lance began. "I wanted to do something special to welcome you to Orlando. I know you like the beach." "That I do!" Katy answered. "And I also got you a little something," stated Lance as he pulled out the wooden box. "I hope you like it. I saw it and immediately thought of you." Katy opened the box, and as she opened it, a sweet melodic tune played out. Then in the moon's dim light, she saw the gleam of the gold locket that layed inside. "Oh Lance. I love it! You didn't have to." "Well, I did. I knew you'd like it," he said as he got even closer to help her put it on. It felt so good around her neck. Instead of pulling away after he clipped the locket on, he held on to her and gave her a smooth passionate kiss. Although Katy didn't want to pull away, she did so she could get a better view of the guy that treated her like a queen. "It's good to be back with you," Katy said as she leaned forward to engage in another lustful kiss from hers truly.
JC and Kim had decided to catch a moive. They arrived at the 4:55 show for She's All That. It was a little bit akward at first for the both of them, but the uneasiness soon wore off and they were able to act like their good old selves again. When the movie got over, they exited the theatre into the dark, dusky sky, and headed back to JC's car. "Remember when we were on tour and you and I always used to be together?" JC asked as they were heading back to the apartment. "Yeah, I kind of miss that," Kim confessed. "I liked it. Whatever happened?" "I really couldn't say," JC said, shaking his head. "After the tour we just kind of drifted. I would relive those days, even if it were only for a short 3 months." JC pulled the car over to a lighted parking lot with a picnic table at the end. "OK, get out, we're talking," JC said stearnly. "What?" Kimber asked, somewhat confused. "You heard me." They proceeded to get out of the car and walk over to the picnic benches. The air was damp and a little bit stuffy, even for December. It was completely dark out now. Only the street lights and the few lamp posts lit up the area. "I don't want this to sound stupid ," JC announced. "I've been doing some thinking. A lot of thinking, actually. I don't want it to be like this anymore. I want us to be together again. Life has been dragging on for me since we haven't been talking. How you feel about this, I don't know. Hopefully you feel the same, but if you don't, just tell me right now. Just tell me so I won't go on wondering if we'll ever be able to have something again. I care about you, and that has and will not ever change." A tear came to Kim's eyes. JC quickly reached over to wipe it away. "Oh my God. I can't believe this." "Can't believe what?" JC asked. "I don't know. I guess I've been doing some thinking lately, too. I remember the times that we shared. The laughs, the cries, all the hard times, all the good times. And in the end, everything solved itself," Kim said, trying to hold back tears. "But not for now. Now everything's back to the way it was, maybe even worse this time. I guess I'm just happy that we're talking right now. I'm sorry that we had to drift, I really am." Now JC was holding back tears himself. "You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault." The tears began to flow from the both of them, then embraced in the warmest, friendliest hug. Nothing had felt this good since the tour.
After an eventful hour and a half, Chris and Cheryl had managed to go out to eat at what they both thought the best restaurant in town: Taco Bell. Following 3 Gorditas, an large order of super-spicy nachos, and a sprite, they went to a lighted park and laid a blanket and a picnic basket on the grass. "What's in the basket?" Don't tell me we're eating anymore!" Cheryl said cheerily, however a bit tired. It didn't take Chris very long to pull out a giant, almost life-sized pineapple. "All for me?" Cheryl asked in a very surprised voice. "Well, we can share the pineapple," Chris explained. "However, these are only for you." Chris pulled out the dozen red roses. "That's so sweet!" Cheryl said as she leaned over to give Chris a satisfying kiss. While in mid-kiss, Cheryl stopped for a moment. "What's that noise?" she asked. "Huh?" Chris asked, pretending he didn't know what Cheryl was talking about. "That noise! Did you hear it?!?!?" "Oh! You mean from the basket?" Chris questioned, as he stuck his hand in there once again. "Okay, close your eyes and put out your hands," he instructed. Cheryl did what she was told. All of a sudden, she felt a warm little furry ball in her hands. She opened her eyes. "Oh Chris! A kitten!" Chris had got Cheryl a little kitten. It was black with little white paws and the tip of the tail was white, like it had been dipped in white paint. The feline had deep green eyes with the sweetest little face. It purred contently in her arms. "There's only one problem," Chris added. "It doesn't have a name." "Oh, I'm sure we can come up with one before the night is over," Cheryl assured Chris. They stayed at the park for a few more minutes then left for the girl's condo.
***
Although it had been a good hour and a half since Joey had opened the door at the apartment, they were still shooken up as to what happened. It was another note. But not just a note this time. Attatched to the note was a picture of the whole group of people in the apartment before everyone left just hours before. "Joey, this can't be happening. I know it is, but it's... it's... it just doesn't make sense," Chelsea said sitting on Joey's lap on the couch. Joey didn't say anything. He just kept reading the note over and over again. This time it read:
