Part 1

She went out of the car and stared at the house that will be her house from that day. It was a big house and it was located in a condominium with similar houses. All houses were of some kind of yellow color with some brown details. It seems like a very cozy house… and that made her happy for some reason.
She had been there before… but now… this was going to be her house definitely.

“Give me your suitcase, Kristen, I’ll take to your room” James said to the girl.
“Is everything ok, Kris?” Eileen asked; she was her mother.
“Yeah… don’t worry…” she answered walking to the door with her backpack.

Eileen and James met each other long time ago. James Bass was a distinguish lawyer in the state, in fact, because of his job is how they met. James defend a case in favor of Eileen, those cases were against Kristen's father.
Eileen took care of Kristen since she born, and Kristen's dad never help her, but he recognized her as his daughter… She was practically a single mom. James, on the other hand, was widower since his son was 10.
The rest of their story its deductible…

“Hey Kristen” a blond guy with green eyes said.
“Hi Lance, how are you?”
“Good… I didn’t know you were coming today… my dad told me you still have some stuffs in the house…”
“Yeah… but not too much… so I decided to come today anyway…”
“Oh… cool…”

Kristen looked around… The house was a two-floor house with three rooms. It was well decorated.

“So you’re going to the same school as I” Lance said
“Yeah… Actually I didn’t want to change but… well… it was too far, you know… is another city… so… there’s nothing I could do about it…”
“Uhm… but don’t worry about that… you’ll love the school… besides I’m sure my friends will like you a lot…”
“I hope so”
“They’re upstairs… in my room… wanna meet them?” he asked kindly
“Uhm… sure… just… give me a minute… I’ll leave my backpack on my room”
Kristen left her backpack on her bed and then she followed Lance to his bedroom.
“Hey guys” Lance said, “This is Kristen”

Four pairs of eyes stared at her. She looked each one and then she looked at Lance.

“These are Chris, Joey, Tom and JC” Lance said pointing each of them.
“Hi” Chris and Joey said before they kept playing their video game.
“Hi” she answered

Tom said hello with his hand from Lance bed and Kristen did it too, then he kept watching his friends play.

“Hi Kristen…” JC said standing up from the chair in front of Lance’s computer, “I’m Joshua actually, but you can call me Josh… or JC… both are cool…”
“Okay…” she said smiling.
“Guys, this is Eileen’s daughter… Eileen is my dad new wife… well… not yet, but soon…” Lance explained.
“Wow Lance… why you didn’t tell us you had such a beautiful sister…” JC said without staring at her.

Kristen stared at him and blushed. JC smiled… there was something in her look, in her skin, in her hair… her face… she was beautiful… really beautiful…

“We’re not brother and sister” she said looking at the floor
“She’s right… we don’t have any bows of blood…” Lance said
“Brother and sister… stepbrother… stepsister… is the same…” JC added.
Kristen smiled this time and stared at JC… there was something in him too… his eyes… his lips… he was cute… so handsome…
“Well… I’ll go unpack my stuffs… nice to meet you guys…” she said before she left the room.

After she left the room, Lance sat on the bed to watch how Chris and Joey play the video game. JC watched Kristen on the hallway and she entered her bedroom.

“Lance… How could you have hidden your step-sister so long” JC said sitting in front of Lance’s computer.
“Don’t say step-sister… I hate that… just call her Kristen…” Lance said, “And… she’s not available for any of you guys…”
“What…? JC is the only one who seems interest in her…” Joey said.
“Yeah, Joey’s right… besides… JC had a girlfriend… the only one you should be worried about is Tom… he’s the one who doesn’t have a girl…” Chris added.
“I haven’t said anything about Kristen…” Tom exclaimed.
“Well… don’t worry… it’s not like we’re gonna see her everyday, isn’t it?” JC asked
“Uh… actually… yes… she’s going to our school… last year… same as us…” Lance answered.

A few days later, Kristen’s room was done, all her stuffs were there. Her old house was empty and on sale.

“Kris…” her mother said entering the bedroom, “Are u busy?”
“No…” she replied closing her laptop, “what’s up?”
“I was talking with James, and he has to go to New York to defeat a case… he asked to go with him” she said sitting on the bed, “Is that ok with you…? It is your decision… If you don’t want to stay here with Lance… it’s okay… I’ll stay…”
“It’s ok, mom… Lance and I get along… just go with James… I’ll be fine…”
Eileen smiled.
“Ok… then… I guess I’ll go packing…”

Kristen smiled too and the she opened her laptop again… She will be alone with her stepbrother. It wasn’t a big deal… what could it go wrong…? They had a good relationship, and he always was nice with her.
On the next day, Eileen and James left the house in the morning. After noon, Lance entered Kristen’s bedroom. She was still sleeping.

“Kristen…” Lance said
“Uhm…” she said opening her eyes, “What’s up?”
“I want to tell you something…”
“What…?” she said with a sleepy voice
“Listen, when my dad had cases outside the city… or when he goes to seminaries or congresses… I usually have visits…”
“Alright…”
“I just wanted to let you know… they’re coming tonight…”
“Who’s coming?”
“My school friends…”
“Oh… Ok…”
Later, that night…
“Kristen, are you going downstairs with us?” Lance said entering her room
“Uhm… sure… in a moment…”
“Cool… we’ll be waiting…”

Kristen turned off her laptop, stood up, ordered a little bit her hair and then she went downstairs. She entered the living room.

“You’re just… boys…” she said looking at Lance and the four other guys.
Everyone laughed.
“You don’t have girlfriends?” she asked
“Yeah… we do… but… we usually don’t invite them when we came to Lance’s house… I mean… it’s good to be only men sometimes” Joey said
“A beer?” JC offered to Kristen
“No, thanks… I’m still minor…”
“We all are…” Chris added.

She watched them for a moment… actually… they doesn’t seem comfortable with her there, otherwise, there will be more women in the house. Besides, for some reason, she was feeling a little dizzy…

“I think I’ll make me a sandwich and then I’ll go to my room… I won’t bother you… don’t worry…” she said

Everyone looked at her confused; nobody said anything to bother her, did they…? JC watched her walk to the kitchen.
Kristen entered there and she leaned in front of the sink putting her hands there.
“Can I make a sandwich for me too?” JC asked to Lance
Lance just nodded.

Part 3

    The next day, Lance woke up and noticed JC wasn’t in there in his room. He got up and went to the kitchen to check if he was eating something… but he wasn’t there either.
“JC…?” He called him
    Nobody answered.
“Where can he be?” Lance thought
    He went upstairs again and knocked at Kristen’s bedroom door, and then he opened it.
“Kristen…” he paused.
    What was HE doing there? In her bedroom…? In her bed…? When did he get there? Why they were sleeping together…?
    Lance was confused. JC had a girlfriend… why he was sleeping with Kristen…? He just didn’t understand it…
    He closed the door quietly and waited for them to woke up… He needed an explanation… especially from JC.

    A couple of hours later, JC entered to the kitchen… the rest of the guys were there.
“Finally you decide to show up…” Lance said
“Hey what’s up guys” JC waved
“Where did you sleep you naughty?” Chris joked
“Stop joking Chris” Lance told him, then he stared at JC, “Why did you slept with Kristen?” He asked seriously
“That is not of your business…” JC replied
“Yes, it is… because she’s my stepsister and this is my house…”
“Look… we didn’t do anything… we just… kissed a little… nothing serious…”
“Does she know about Britney?”
“No… and nobody will tell her…”
“What?” Lance asked.
“Nothing happened… I mean… it was nothing…” JC tried to explain, “Just… don’t tell her…”

    Lance was caught, and so were Chris, Joey and Tom. JC was kinda like “the leader” of their group… and they were the most popular group on school because of JC… so… If any of them didn’t do what JC says, probably he will kick them out of it.
    Later that night.
“Hey… will you give me my space again?”
“Uhm”
    It was hard to say no to those beautiful blue eyes.
“Fine...” she said moving a little
“What are u doing?” he asked watching her laptop
“Memorizing musical scores…”
“You play?”
“Yes… piano…” she said pointing the electronic piano on her room
“Cool… I play piano and guitar… I try to compose some melodies…”
“Really? You don’t seem the kind of guy who… enjoys that kind of stuffs…”
“I do enjoy playing… I’d love to be a musician… but… you know… it’s like a dream… so I leave it as a hobby…”
“Cool... I’d love that too... I mean... be a musician… or write songs… I don’t know…”
“Songs?”
“Yeah… I like to write too…”
“Seriously? That’s awesome…! Maybe you can show me some of your songs other day… I’ve wrote some songs too… I can show you my work…”
“That sounds good...”
    He came closer to her and gently kissed her lips.
“That doesn’t sound good... that feels good...” she smiled.
“You’re beautiful... I’m... like... shocked... with you...” He said.

    Kristen blushed. She had just met him. He doesn’t even know her... so, he was all about the physical...
    She had to admit he was handsome, but she didn’t know him very well...
“I think I’m gonna sleep...” JC said
“Ok... I’ll... finish my idea...”
“Okay... sleep tight...”
“You too”

    Well... he didn’t take advantage of her... he had been a gentleman actually... Was it possible that they could have something...? Didn’t JC have a girlfriend...?
    On the next morning, Lance entered to the kitchen, JC and Kristen were there.
“Hey Lance, we’re making some eggs, want some?” Kristen asked
“Sure...” He answered
    Then Lance stared at JC, he just smiled.
    Lance knew JC was an asshole with women, and he didn’t want to see Kristen suffer because of him.
    He sat next to him.
“So… how did you sleep?” Lance asked
“Good… why you ask?”
    Lance just stared at him.
“I warn you about Kristen” Lance whispered to JC
“You can’t warn me” He whispered back
“Is everything ok?” Kristen asked
“Yes…” Both guys answered.
“Uhm… ok…”
    Later, that day.
“I want you stop flirting with her” Lance demanded
“Fine… anyway it was nothing…” JC said, “We just kissed…”
“Twice” Chris added
“Shut up” JC shouted, “Lance, don’t worry… I’m not staying here the rest of the days… Britney called me… so…”
“Good… just… leave Kristen alone…”

    A week later they finally had to go to school. Kristen was having breakfast with her mom.
“Kris, are u ready to go?” Lance asked entering the kitchen
“Almost, why?”
“Tom is picking us up… so…”
“Aren’t you gonna have breakfast?”
“I had already…”
“What did you ate?”
“Some fruits… C’mon Kris, hurry up… Tom will be here any minute…”
“Ok…”
    A couple of minutes later Tom made the horn of his car sound. Kristen and Lance immediately went out of the house and got inside the car.

    When they arrived to the school, Tom parked his car next to JC’s. He was standing against his car… with… a girl.
    Kristen stared at him when she got out of the car… Was he kissing another girl…? Why…?
“Kris, are you ok?” Lance asked when he saw her.
    She shook her head.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you…” He excused
“It’s ok…”
“I’m sorry Kris… but he asked me not to tell you…”
“Don’t worry… I’ll see you in class… I have to…” She paused and then she left.
    A few minutes later.
“Ok, Miss Stewart… here’s your key locker, your schedule and your books…”
    The guy gave her three books
“Thanks…”
    She was feeling a little dizzy again… Why didn’t he say he was with someone else? Was he some kind of player…? Did he enjoy just kissing strange girls…?
    She was in front of her locker, but she was too dizzy now. She wasn’t even able to put the key on the locker’s hole.
    Her books fell to the floor and her legs betrayed her.

“Oh God… hey… are you ok?” A guy said to her
    She didn’t answer.
“Let’s take her to the nursery…” A female voice said.
“Ok…”    
    Two boys took her to the nursery and the girl picked up all her stuffs. When they got there, Kristen finally was able to speak.
“Are you ok?” The nurse asked to Kristen
“Yeah… I… just… need my pill…”
“Ok, do you have it?”
“Yes… in my backpack”
“Here it is” One of the boys said
    She stared at him. He had blue eyes, not much as lovely as JC’s, but nice. His hair was short. And he smiled when he gave her the backpack.
“Hi… I’m Justin…” He introduced himself
“Hi…”
    Kristen opened her backpack and took the pill. The bell sounded in that moment.
“Ok… only one of you should stay here… the other two have to go to class” The nurse said.
“Justin… you should stay…” the girl said.
“Ok… please, Miss Bledel, let the teacher know about this, and tell him that Mister Timberlake and Miss Stewart will be there soon.”
“Yes, don’t worry…”
“I’ll be right back” The nurse said to Kristen.
    She nodded, and then the nurse and two of the three guys who “rescued” her left the room.
“So you’re Kristen…” Justin said
“Yeah… how did the nurse know my name?”
“She saw it in your schedule…”
“Oh… I’m so sorry… Justin, right?”
    He nodded.
“I’m sorry for wasting your time with this…”
“Don’t worry… we’re not missing too much… is just the first day…”
    She smiled.
“So… what was that… what happened? You didn’t eat or what?” He asked
“No… is just anemia…”
“Oh… that’s why you’re so pale?”
“Yeah… well… I’ve always been… pale…”
    He smiled this time.
“You’re new…” Justin affirmed
“How did you know?”
“I’ve never seen you before…”
    In that moment the nurse entered the room again.
“So, how do you feel?” She asked
“Better…”
“Good… only if you want you can go to class, if you don’t feel very well yet, you can stay here a little bit longer…”
“It’s ok… I can walk…”
“Ok”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be with her” Justin said to the nurse

Part 4

         Justin helped Kristen and after a couple of minutes they entered the classroom. Everyone stared at them.

“Excuse us…” Justin said to the teacher, “We were on the nursery….”

“Yes… Mister Robson told me… don’t worry…”

         Kristen sat next to Justin, in front of Wade and Alexis, the other two guys who helped her, they were Justin’s friends.

“Well… Miss Stewart, you’re our new student…” The teacher said.

“Yes”

“Welcome class, are you feeling ok, now?”

“Better, yes… thanks for asking”

         Then the teacher kept talking. An hour later, the bell sounded, it was break time.

“Lance, why is Kristen with Timberlake?” JC asked

“I don’t know…”

“Who’s Kristen?” Britney asked

“My step-sister” Lance answered

“She must be here with us…” JC exclaimed

“But… maybe she just sat there for a moment” Lance said

“I’ll tell her to sit with us…”

“Yeah, you should…” Britney added.

         JC walked towards Kristen, she was still sit next to the guys, and Justin had already introduced Wade and Alexis.

“Kristen” JC said

         She stared at him, as well as Justin did.

“What?”

“Lance saved you a seat next to us… you should go sit there now…”

“I’ll stay here… don’t worry…”

“Stop joking, let’s go…” JC said grabbing her backpack

“I said I’ll stay here…” She said taking it from his hands

“Come on, Kristen…”

“She said she wants to stay here, didn’t you just hear her?” Justin said standing up and facing JC.

“I’m not talking to you, Timberlake”

“Just get lost, Chasez” Justin said pushing him.

“Don’t tell me what to do” JC pushed him back.

“Stop it…” Kristen said standing up too, “Just… let me do what I want…” she said to JC

“You should be with us…” JC whispered

“But I don’t want to… I’ll stay here… you can go with your friends and girlfriend…” she whispered back.

         Justin sat down in that moment. Wade and Alexis just stared at the situation. JC and Kristen kept whispering.

“So, this is because of my girlfriend?” JC asked

“Let’s talk about it later, ok?”

“Fine… you know what…? Do whatever you want…”

         JC turned around and went to his seat. Then, Kristen sat down again. The three other guts were quiet… they were curious… Why did she know HIM?

“Kristen… can I ask you something?” Alexis said

“What?”

“How the heck do you know JC?”

“Yeah… she means… how… why?” Wade added

“Well…” she stared at them, then at Justin, “I’m… Lance’s step-sister”

         No one of them said a word.

“What?” Kristen said

“Well… you shouldn’t hang out with people like JC…” Justin affirmed

“Like what?”

         Justin made a gesture with his face.

“He’s not a good person, Kristen” Wade said.

“Yeah… he is insensitive and mean… Alexis added

         Kristen didn’t answer, she just stared at JC for a moment, and their eyes met… he was staring at her too… she just wondered why…

         Later that day, Alexis and Kristen were on the girl’s bathroom. Britney entered.

“Hey Alexis!” She said

“Hi”

“I’m sorry for not calling you yesterday… JC was in my house…”

         JC… JC… Those were the only words on Kristen mind.

“Don’t worry… its ok… hey… this is Kristen, Lance’s step-sister”

“Oh, right… hi, nice to meet you…”

“Hi…” Kristen said

“Hey, I’m sorry about JC… he doesn’t get along with Justin since…” she paused a moment, “Since a couple of months…” Britney explained

“Why?”

“That’s a long story, Kristen…” Alexis said, “And Justin is waiting for us in his car…”

“Ok…”

“Well then… see you tomorrow girls…” Britney said to both

“Bye Brit…”

         After awhile, Justin left Wade and Alexis on her house. Then he went to Lance’s house to drop Kristen. Justin knew where she lived.

“I live in this same condominium…” Justin said

“Really?”

“Yeah… but… on the other street…”

“Cool… we can hang out sometime…”

“Sure, that’d be great” Justin parked his car in front of her house, “Someone is waiting for you” He said

“Yeah… I noticed…”

“Well… see you tomorrow then, bye-bye…”

“Bye”

         Kristen got out of the car and walked to the door where HE was waiting for her.

“So he drove you home too” he said

“He lives in the same condominium… he just did it as a favor…”

“Yeah right… and… by the way… I know he lives here too…”

“What do you want, JC?” She asked

“Let’s sit…”

         They sat on the steps of the entrance.

“What…” she said

“Look… I just… wanted to apologize with you… I’m sorry… I… should have told you… I…”

“You don’t have to say anything… what’s done is done…”

“I’m really, really sorry, Kristen…”

“Just… never mind…”

“But… I want us to be friends…”

         Kristen looked down… she liked him so badly… and now he was asking her to be his friend…

“I don’t know, JC”

“C’mon Kristen, you don’t have to hang out with Justin anymore” JC said, “He’s not the kind of person you should be spending time with…”

         Kristen stared at him, his blue eyes met with hers.

“That’s funny… he said the same thing about you…”

“That’s because he’s jealous”

         There was a silence for a moment.

“Are we going to be friends or not?” JC suddenly asked

“We can be friends… but, I’ll still be with Justin, Wade and Alexis…”

         JC sighed.

“Fine… it’s ok… that’s up to you” JC said, “Then… we’re friends… and we’re ok…”

         Kristen nodded. After a moment they stood up and without saying anything JC hugged her.

“What’s that for?” Kristen asked.

“I’m just saying thanks…”

“For what?”

“For letting me be your friend… I… don’t know why… but, something tells me that I can’t be apart from you…”

         Kristen didn’t say anything, and then he kissed her on her right cheek. She felt a shiver and moved her face just a little to the right.

         Their lips touched, but JC immediately separated from her.

“Okay… then… I guess I’ll you on school…”

“Yeah… sure…”

“Bye-bye my friend” he said smiling.

         Then he went to his car and left. She just watched him…

         Would she handle be just his friend? Why was she feeling this for that guy she met just a couple of weeks ago? And… most important… Why he had the feeling he couldn’t be apart from her…?

         But… the only thing they had now… was friendship.

THE END