JC and Gina stepped back and stared at each other not breaking out of their trance until the others began clapping. Gina looked at JC, turned to the others and her gaze went back to JC. She opened her mouth, closed it and then opened it and said what came naturally.

"Who said you could touch me?"

"Umm, Gina, we were kissing. Touching lips is required for that."

"I meant the hands on my face. That wasn’t part of the dare."

"Well, excuse me, but I do believe your hands were on my chest first. You’re the one who went over the line first."

Lance and Justin looked at each other. This was not what they were expecting. Fighting was the last thing they expected JC and Gina to do after the kiss.

Gina backed away from JC to get some air. "Well all I know is that the dare went too far. It seemed kind of long for two minutes. Actually it should have been shorter than that if Justin hadn’t broken us up by then." She turned to Justin. "How long were we kissing? It seemed much longer than two minutes. I lost count."

Justin raised an eyebrow. "You were counting? Yes, the kiss was longer than two minutes. It was more like seven."

"Seven!" JC exclaimed. "You let us kiss for seven minutes? Why didn’t you break us up after two?"

Justin looked at his hands. "Well, umm, umm…"

"We tried but you two didn’t respond," Lance interrupted, saving Justin. "You two were kinda involved there."

Gina waved her hand in disgust. "I don’t even want to hear it. I’m going to work. I have less than a week until the site opens. Excuse me." She pushed her way through the crowd of guys.

JC looked out the window and turned on his friends. "Thanks a lot, guys. You just have to keep pushing and pushing us. Can’t you see that there is nothing there? We aren’t in love like you guys think. Just accept it. I can’t stay in here with you guys."

JC grabbed his computer on his way to his bunk. He took a long glance at the booth before turning on the light in his bunk and turning on his computer. After getting on-line he saw Gina had senorita78 on and did something he never thought he would do to that name. He blocked it.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Home sweet home. Thanks for picking us up, mom." Justin gave his mother a kiss on the cheek as he pulled his luggage out of the trunk.

Lynn patted his stomach lightly. "Anytime, sweetie. Paul and Jon are inside."

Justin and Tyler followed Justin’s mother into the house leaving JC and Gina behind.

"You can get your bags first. I can wait." Gina stepped aside to let JC grab his bags.

"Oh you know how much that means coming from you. I wait for your call to see what I’m going to do. Ice princess rules all. One must never forget that," JC retorted.

Gina glared at JC’s back but smiled as Jon Harless ran out of the house and ran straight to her with barely a wave to JC.

"Jon! Come give me some lovin’" She knelt down to give the boy a hug. Gina laughed as he began talking about all that had happened while they were on tour. She gave JC a victory smile as the two passed him.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Gina, dinner’s ready."

"Thanks, TJ, I’ll be there in a minute. Let me just finish this frame."

"You’d better hurry up or it’ll get cold. Or it’ll all be gone. You know a house full of guys. Just get your butt out here if you want to eat tonight."

Gina tensed at the voice. "I’ll be right there, JC. Thanks for your concern."

JC stuck his head in the room. "Actually, it wasn’t concern. If you don’t show up then it’s more food for me. Plus, that means I don’t have to see you. Two good things. I’m only thinking of myself."

"As usual," Gina muttered as she read her codes.

JC stepped into the room. "What was that?"

Gina shut the program and stood up. "I said as usual."

"And what’s that supposed to mean?"

"JC, I’ve told you this a thousand times. Don’t you ever listen?"

"To you? No."

"Then I guess I’ll just have to repeat myself so maybe one of these times you’ll get it through your thick head. You think of no one but yourself."

"Well, someone has to."

Gina clicked a few buttons and walked around the desk. "Yeah, everyone needs someone to think of them but it’s not good to think only of yourself. I doubt you know that there is anyone else in this world other than yourself."

"Unfortunately that’s not true. I have to know you’re in this world because you keep coming around and bothering me."

"Me bothering you?" Gina raised her eyebrows. "I think you have that the other way around. I’m plenty happy without you around. On the other had, you go out of your way to fight with me."

"Give me one example?" JC leaned against the couch arm.

"Umm, how about now. TJ was just telling me that dinner was ready and you stuck your nose in and started this fight. Don’t even deny that you started this fight. You’d just lose that one hands down."

They stared into each other’s eyes until a little voice broke the silence.

"JC? Gina?"

JC lowered his gaze to the small boy in the doorway. "What’s up, Jon?"

"Why do you and Gina have to fight all the time? I don’t like it."

Gina walked over and knelt before Jon. "I’m sorry, Jon. We just can’t seem to get along now."

Jon looked between the two. "So you two are just not getting along?"

Gina nodded. "Yup. We’re just not getting along. I’m sorry we’re bothering you. I’ll try not to fight with him."

"Me too, little bounce. I’ll try not to fight with Gina here."

Jon looked up and the towering man. "Why don’t you two just kiss and make up?"

JC’s face went white. "Kiss and make up?"

"Yup. I think you guys should kiss and make up. I hate seeing you guys fight. Will you do that, Gina?"

Gina, whose face was as white as JC’s, looked at JC. "He wants us to kiss and make up. Are you talking about on the lips, Jon?"

Jon’s face squished up. "Ewww. No. Just on the cheek. I don’t want you guys to get the cooties."

Gina chuckled and got to her feet. She gave JC a look that said ‘what could it hurt.’

JC nodded. "All right, Jon. We’ll kiss and make up." He walked to Gina and briefly kissed her cheek, pulling away as fast as he could, and mumbled an apology.

"No, no,no. Like you mean it."

JC sighed and kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger. He pulled back slightly and stared in her eyes. They slowly brought their faces together and lightly grazed lips. This time when they apologized they said it breathlessly.

"Ewww. You guys are going to get the cooties now." Jon rushed out of the room.

JC, noticing he was still near Gina, whispered, "Now you’re upsetting Jon. Better leave while you’re ahead and still have some fans in this house. You’re already disgusting two of us."

Without waiting for a response JC left the room, leaving Gina’s jaw on the floor.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Oh, Gina?" Gina heard over her typing.

"Yes, TJ?"

Tyler popped his head into the room. "It’s my last meal in Orlando and the guys decided to get together and have a barbecue out back. Last one out is a rotten egg."

Gina sighed and looked up. "You know I’d love to, Tyler, but I still have a lot of work to do. I’m leaving in a few days and I need to have a finished product to Bobby by Wednesday. Don’t forget that I lost a lot of my stuff a few weeks back. I’ve worked very hard to do it again and it’s all finally coming together. I know if I take a long break I’ll loose my concentration and won’t get it done in time. I’m really sorry but please come up before you leave."

"Don’t worry. I will," Tyler replied quietly.

"What’s wrong, Tyler?"

"Well, I was just thinking of another reason why you’ve been getting a lot of work done recently."

"Why?" Gina asked, not looking up from the screen.

"You haven’t been talking to JC on-line. I don’t know if you’ve even been on-line to talk to anyone. Lisa said she hasn’t talked to you."

"No, I haven’t been talking to sleepygoof."

"JC."

Gina sighed and put her head in her hands. "That’s right, JC. JC is sleepygoof. Sleepygoof is JC. They are one in the same."

"That they are. And, Gina," he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "you haven’t been as happy since you two stopped talking. Neither has he. You two have got to get this straightened out. You two could talk forever on-line."

"But that was when I was talking to sleepygoof. Not JC."

"Gina, you just told me they were the same person. Why should it make a difference then?"

"It just does." Gina focused on the monitor. "Now if you’ll excuse me I have a deadline to meet."

Tyler walked to the door. "You won’t always have a deadline to hide behind, Gina."

JC saw his brother walk out of the house.

"Hey, little bro, why you so sad?"

Tyler looked back into the house. "Gina’s not coming out. She says she has to work to meet her deadline."

Behind the two brothers Justin sighed. "Don’t tell me she’s still working. Gigi needs a break."

"I know that, and you know that, but I don’t think she knows that. At this rate she’ll have changed the layout completely by Wednesday."

"She’s been working hard. I can’t wait until Wednesday. She’s going to be here for two whole days and she won’t have the page as an excuse for not doing anything."

"Yup. And she won’t have to come back to talk to anyone on-line. She hasn’t done much of that lately." Tyler glanced at his brother for a reaction.

"I’d better go to the grill and make sure Chris isn’t burning his clothes like last time."

Justin and Tyler watched JC walk away.

"He didn’t even flinch."

"He did hesitate there for a split second. Knowing him for almost eighteen years you get to know him. He wanted to show some emotion but held it back. He’s been doing that so much lately he doesn’t even know that he’s doing it."

"And you know he’s not the only one. I know he’s stubborn but I can’t believe after that truth or dare kiss they are still fighting it. I guess they’re so used to it that it’s almost a reflex to fight."

Tyler shook his head. "This is my last day and I don’t want to spend it talking about how dumb my brother’s being. Usually I don’t mind it but not this time. Not when I can see how much it’s hurting him."

Justin threw his arm around Tyler’s shoulders. "I completely understand. Now about Lisa. What’s going on there?"

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Gina, we’re back? You still working?"

"But of course. Where else would I be, youngin’?"

Justin walked in the room and plopped on the couch. "I don’t know. Having fun?"

Gina laughed distractedly. "Fun. Yeah right. I have too much work to do. I can’t do anything else until I’m done."

"Yeah. You’re too busy to even to see my brother off to the airport. He was crushed you know."

Gina rubbed her temples. "JC, I’m very busy and TJ said he understood. I said good-bye to him before you guys left. I am not here just as a social toy for you guys. I actually have to work."

JC placed his hands on the desk. "Nobody would agree with that more than me but couldn’t you just take a break to go with us to drop Tyler off at the airport. He is your friend."

Gina slammed her pen down. "Listen, JC. I know he’s my friend. I also know he’s very close to hooking up with my roommate so I should at least talk to him on the phone when he calls. I’ll talk to him again. This isn’t good-bye isn’t forever."

"I know. Believe me I know. I wish when you leave on Saturday it would be forever but somehow some people actually like you."

"Umm, excuse me, guys. I think I’m going to leave now." Justin stood up and left the room. He walked to the kitchen to get a glass of milk.

"I can’t believe those two."

"Can’t believe who?"

Justin turned around and saw his step-father behind him. "JC and Gina," he stated simply.

"Aahhh. I take it they’re fighting again."

"Again? Always is more like it."

"Those two are so bad to each other. Were they like this the whole tour?"

"Yup," Justin nodded. "They were but they’ve been worse lately. Ever since they’ve found out that the person they were talking to everyday on-line was the other person."

"Huh? What are you talking about, Justin?"

Justin explained everything that happened the last night on the bus. "And now they’re like they are now."

"So that’s what you’ve been living with on tour? And now that they have another reason to be with the person they just continue to fight?"

"Right, but, Paul, I think I know why they fight more often and harsher than before."

"Why?"

"I think right now they fight just to be close to each other. They start the most ridiculous fights and to prove to themselves that the fights are worth it the words are just getting harsher. I’ve tried to make them see what’s right in front of them but both are being blind."

Paul placed a hand on Justin’s shoulder. "Maybe you’re going at it the wrong way. So far you’ve taken the direct approach. Maybe if you slip in the side you’d be more effective."

Justin thought about it for a minute. "You might be right. I’m going to think about this. Good thing that I have until Saturday to get them together."

"And she emerges."

"Hey, Paul. Justin. Get who together, Justin? If you’re talking about JC and me you’re going to be sorely mistaken. I’ve been thinking and am going to see if there is a flight on Friday morning. I promised Thursday to you so I want to leave on Friday. I think I’m going to go call Bobby and ask him about it."

Justin stood there in shock. "Wait a minute, Gina. Do you want me to call, Bobby? I don’t want you to get behind on your work."

Gina turned around. "If you could. I should talk to him about my progress but I just want to get more done before I talk to him."

"No problem. Let me worry about the flight change."

"Thanks, J. You’re a lifesaver." She blew him a kiss and went back to work.

Justin pretended to catch it. He picked up the phone. "Hey, Bobby. I’ve got a favor to ask you." Justin explained the plan and hung up. I need an idea fast and playing ball always helps me think. He grabbed his basketball and went outside.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"I now officially declare The Official Chris Kirkpatrick Website open for visitors. And now to show off the creator. Come here Gina."

A round of applause made Gina blush as she walked towards Bobby.

Bobby raised his glass. "A toast to this incredible girl. When we hired he we had a feeling that she could handle the job. Being on tour with these guys isn’t the easiest task but she braved it."

"Hey. I resent that."

"Sorry, Chris."

"It’s okay. Just get it right. We are down right unbearable to be on tour with." Chris would have continued had five guys not surrounded him.

Bobby laughed. "Now, guys, be careful. We don’t want the next thing posted on his web page to be his obituary. Let me get back to the purpose of my speech, Gina. Now we knew we were taking a risk hiring a female but she pulled through with flying colors. We had high standards for this page and she blew them away. We got so much more than we expected. I think I’ve embarrassed Gina enough here. Let’s cut the cake. Gina, would you do the honors?"

"Hey, Chris, want to help me with this? I did have to delve into your personal life for this."

"Sure. Let me just get away from these guys. Justin, Lance, Joey, Steve, JC," he nodded his head to each, "it’s been a pleasure. I must be going now." He quickly made his way to Gina.

Everyone was quiet as the cake was rolled out. It was a flat yellow cake molded like a computer monitor with the words, "The Official Chris Kirkpatrick Website Created and maintained by Gina Gacona."

Gina gasped as she read the icing. "Created and maintained?"

Bobby nodded. "Yup. I was about to get to that part. You did such a good job in creating the site we were wondering if you’d like to maintain it. You only have to do it at least once a month and it would be money to have during the school year. What do you say?"

"Please say yes, Gina. I don’t know if I’d trust anyone else with this. Please say you’ll maintain my website. Please," Chris pleaded, sticking out his bottom lip.

Gina laughed. "Who could resist a face like that? Of course I’d love to do the job. How else can I blackmail one of these guys for money? I could just use things I learned about him against him for the money. This deal is good."

Chris playfully swung his fist in the air. "Why I’d oughtta…"

"Oughtta what, Chris?"

"Let’s just cut the cake before a brown haired, hazel eyed girl gets any of it on her."

"Good plan. Now where is the knife?" Gina reached out as the utensil was passed through the crowd.

Chris and Gina placed their hands on the knife, ready to cut the cake when Chris held his hand in the air.

"Wait a second. This doesn’t mean we’re getting married or anything, does it?"

"Just cut the cake," Gina ordered as she slapped his arm.

"Yes, ma’am." Chris saluted.

"Just be lucky a slapped your arm. I would have done it to the back of your head but I’m afraid I’d be in more pain then you."

"Like you said. Just cut the cake. One the count of three. One. Two. Three."

Chris and Gina pushed down on the knife causing another round of cheers.

After an hour of talking Gina yawned.

"Tired, Gigi?" Justin, who was next to her, asked.

She nodded and yawned again.

"Do you want to go home? I don’t think this is going to last much longer and I want you to save your energy for tomorrow."

She looked up at him. "Are you ever going to tell me what you have planned?"

Justin nodded. "Nope. You’ll see and I promise you’ll have fun."

"Okay. Just let me make the rounds. This may be the last time I see some of these people."

"All right. I’ll meet you at the door in a few."

"Be right there." Gina walked around the room saying good-bye to everyone she worked with. She started to make her way to Justin when she was grabbed from behind.

"Now don’t be going anywhere without saying bye to me."

"Now why would I do that? You could kill me just by shaking my hand." Gina turned around and smiled at the bodyguard. "Come here, Mike."

JC watched as Gina hugged his bodyguard. "How come everyone likes her? Can’t they see through her?"

"Actually, JC, they can. You and her are the only one’s left in the dark here."

"I didn’t ask you, Justin," JC sputtered bitterly.

"Well, I didn’t see that question directed at anyone in particular so I thought I’d take a stab at it."

"Next time don’t. I don’t need people telling me lies."

Justin put his hand on his older friend’s arm. "What kind of lies? The kind where you and the girl of your dreams are wasting precious time fighting with each other because you’re both scared. The kind where I know how much you want something but are denying yourself of the facts and are not making use of the two eyes god gave you. Open your eyes, Josh. All that you are looking for is coming this way." He pointed to an approaching Gina.

JC turned his head as Gina stopped next to Justin.

"Ready to jet?"

Justin took one last look at his friend. "Yeah. I need to do something at home and now is my only chance. See you later, JC."

Without as much as a second glance Gina pulled Justin out of the room. "I’m glad to be out of there. It felt suffocating. I needed air."