JC was hanging out with his friends in front of the school by the front gate. All of them saw Haylee, Jennifer, and Sophie coming towards them. Haylee was wearing a midriff tube top and a mini skirt. The others were dressed about the same.
"You know, I don't know why she wears those things. She has nothing to show off. It just looks disgusting." - Chris
"Did you know Bob dumped her? He got with this other chick." - Joey
"I wouldn't doubt it."- JC
"JC, did you ever find out what happened between her and Tammy?" - Lance
"I know enough not to trust her."- JC
"She didn't make it to the talent show. After she was finished my ears wouldn't stop ringing they hurt so much." - Lance
"She's coming." - Justin
"Oh, brother." - JC
"Hello everyone! Hi JC." Haylee smiled devilishly. "JC, since your not going to the prom with anyone, I was hoping you'd go with me." Lance and Joey smiled trying to hold back their laughter.
"What makes you think I would want to go with someone who back stabs their best friend?" - JC
"She asked for it and you know if you weren't so blindly in love with her maybe you'd see that you can do much better than her." - Haylee
"Like you for instance?" - JC
"Well, yes actually." - Haylee
"What kind of sick minded person are you to think I would actually take someone like you to the prom? Give me a brake!" - JC. Haylee's face turned bright red in anger.
"You are the most impossible pig headed, stuck up argh!!!" and with that she stomped off in the auditorium.
"That went well." - Chris
"If she wasn't a girl I think I would have punched her." - JC. Tammy and Matt pulled up in his car. Tammy got out and waved to Matt who went to look for a decent parking spot. Tammy walked quickly keeping as far away as she could from JC and his friends. She kept her gaze on the road ahead of her and walked into the auditorium.
"Talk about the cold shoulder." - Lance
"She's just insecure. Don't worry she won't be by the end of tonight." - JC
"I sure hope so." - Justin
"I better get backstage and deal with the music now." - Joey. He took off running toward the back entrance of the stage.
Tammy walked into the auditorium to find Haylee, Jennifer and Sophie in a group with stern faces. Haylee glared at Tammy with evil eyes. 'I wonder what I did now.' Tammy thought to herself. She headed backstage. She found herself in a crowd of people putting on make-up and preparing for their performance. She made her way to the music equipment and found Joey watching her.
"Um, here is my tape. It is already rewound. " Tammy could feel herself turning red. Joey looked at her and smiled.
"Ok. Tammy your not going to the prom with anyone are you?" - Joey
"Uh, no. I wasn't planning on going. Why?" - Tammy
"Oh just wondering." - Joey
"Oh, ok. I uh, gotta go." Tammy turned around covered her cheeks with her hands in hopes to make the redness go away. She went to go find Matt for some last encouraging words.
"Tammy! Over here! " - Matt
"Hey!" - Tammy
"Ok, where should I sit to get the best view?"- Matt
"Um," Tammy scanned the room that was quickly filling," over there," she said pointing in the direction of the stage. "In the front, a little to the left."
"Ok, you better get going." - Matt
"Ok. Matt, thanks for everything." -Tammy
"No problem Tammy. Good Luck." Matt hugged her. Then she turned and headed backstage.
Matt walked up to the front and sat where Tammy had recommended him to. Though it may have seemed like it Matt was not in love with Tammy. Nor was Tammy in love with Matt. When Tammy was 9 Matt babysat her and Arron. Tammy considered Matt as the older brother she never had. She had known him since she was 5 and since then he had been her best friend. The one she could depend on when she didn't know where to turn.
The show had begun. The house was full. Not a seat was left open in the building.
"Tammy you're on next!" the director called over the applause from the audience. Tammy waved in recognition. This was the big moment. The curtains were closed as she walked out on stage. Her heart was pounding with excitement.
"Our next performer has been doing this for eight years. So I would like to introduce to you Tammy Anderson!" – Announcer. The music started and the curtain slowly opened. She held her beginning stance. JC watched from the opposite end of the stage in which Tammy had come out. Three and a half minutes passed. The music slowly drowned out. She had given a flawless performance. The room was filled with applause. The curtains closed. Tammy walked off the stage they way she had come, still oblivious to JC’s presence. She received her comments and exited the backstage area. She moved down the aisle while the next performer took the stage. Tammy stood in the back of the room and leaned against the wall. The announcer came over the speakers. " Our next performers will be singing in memory of Kailie Philips. Before they begin I would like to hand the mic over to JC Chasez who would like to share a few words with you. As JC walked out on stage the audience applauded. Tammy stood in the back flabbergasted.
"Justin Timberlake and myself will be singing a song that that we wrote and recorded the music for ourselves. We will be singing the song in memory of Kailie Philips. I would also like to dedicate the song to someone who had given myself a new take on life, that not everything in life is handed to you, that you have to take life as it comes. She suffered greatly form Kailie’s death. After her friend moved away Kailie was all that she had. But tonight I would like to tell her that all her troubles she is going through I will be there for her. Who that person is, if it isn’t obvious already, thank you and enjoy. Tammy this is for you." JC lowered the mic from his its position went behind the closed curtain. Tammy stood in the back, her jaw on the floor. She wasn’t sure what to think. She was so confused. The day she heard the new about Kailie and when JC held her. It all made sense now.
The curtain began to open. JC and Justin sat on two stools with microphones in their hands. The music began to play. Justin stood up and walked to the front of the stage and began to sing. (For those of you who have the song, ‘This I Promise You,’ play it now for a better affect.)
When the visions around you
Bring tears to you eyes
And all that surround you
Are secrets and lies
I’ll be your strength
I’ll give you hope
Keeping your faith when it’s gone
The one you should call
Was standing here all along
JC stood up and joined Justin at front of the stage.
And I will take you in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Til’ the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you
Justin lowered his mic from his face and turned to walk back to sit on his stool. JC stood center stage.
I’ve lover you forever
And lifetimes before
And I promise you never
Will you hurt any more
I give my word I give you my heart
This is a battle we’ve won
And with this vow
Forever has now begun
Tammy’s past was flashing through her brain. Her troubles with Haley, Lanai leaving, Kailie's death, all crowded her brain. Then the thought of JC flashed. It was all too much to handle. She turned and fled out of the building. JC saw the back of her head as the doors closed behind her. He turned to see Chris already going after her.
Just close your eyes
Each lovin’ day
And know this feeling won’t go away
Til’ the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you
Over and over I fall
When I hear you call
Without you in my life, baby
I just wouldn’t be living at all
And I will take you in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Til’ the day my life is through
This I promise you, baby
Just close your eyes
Each lovin’ day
And know this feeling
Just won’t go away
Every word I saw is true
This I promise you
This I promise you
The crowd roared with applause. JC could have cared less. The curtains closed and JC bolted of the stage and out the door where he found Lance.
"Where did she go?" – JC
"She ran to the beach. Chris followed her." – Lance
"Ok," JC took off as he waved Lance good-bye. The beach wasn’t far from where the school was in Santa Monica near Malibu. It was dark. The sky was lit up slightly by the almost finished setting sun. JC saw Chris sitting on the curb as he pointed in the direction Tammy had gone. JC nodded and started down the beach. After he walked about a fourth of a mile he stopped and tuned to look the ocean crashing against the warm sand. ‘ It’s beautiful,’ he thought," I can understand why she’d come here.’ He continued down the beach as the wind blew past his face and the waves continued to gargle. He strode across the beach for about another fourth of a mile till he saw a figure sitting in the sand looking out at the ocean. ,her eyes red from crying.
"Tammy I-"JC
"Go away." – Tammy
"Tammy please," – JC
"You know I don’t get people like you. One of the few friends I have moves away, then the only friend I have left," she stands up as tears roll over her cheeks," gets murdered and found in and ally in New York. Then you come to me and use your blue eyes to seduce me into being another pathetic life from on your list of useless chicks I picked up in their moment of desperation." – Tammy
"Tammy," – JC
"I mean common, what would a pretty boy like you want to do anything with me anyhow. You and I come from different places in school hierarchy, so you’re just wasting your time," Tammy turned from JC’s gaze. "Why don’t you go with Haylee. I’m sure she’s more your type anyway," she said quietly. She picked up her dance shoes and started to walk further down the beach.
"But it’s not like that at all." – JC Tammy stopped walking but didn’t turn to face him.
"Of coarse it is. Why else you ever want to take a second look at me, let alone a first," she sniffled trying to hold back the oncoming tears. JC lowered his head with his arms at his side. Tammy started to walk back up the beach.
"But Tammy what you don’t know is that I liked you even before I knew something was wrong. From the day we were paired up I thought-" he paused carefully choosing his next words. "I thought that you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen," Tammy laughed half heatedly in disbelief. " The most beautiful person on the inside.. I thought that maybe you would be the only one who would like me for who I am, not what I look like or what I can do for you or any one else," he stopped and looked down for a moment. "Tammy I’m sorry, but I can’t help how I feel."
"But JC, your--- popular, a social butterfly if you will. You don’t need me. You can probably do much better anyway. You belong with popular people, not me. You’re just wasting you’re time. ," Tammy tuned once more. JC stood there, silent. ‘But you’re wrong, I belong with you. Tammy, I-I love you.’ It was too late. She had already disappeared into the darkness.