Chapter 16

As the group made their way to the awards, JC sat starring at Zoë in the limo.  He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.  She was stunning.  He’d never seen her looking so radiant.  It suddenly hit him out of nowhere.  Zoë, was no longer that little girl he had known since childhood.  Zoë, was now a full fledge woman.

Lance, noticing JC’s stare nudged JC with his elbow.  JC, looked at Lance and was met with a knowing grin.  As if Lance could completely read his thoughts.  “I agree.” he, said and then turned his attention back to the conversation he’d been having with Meredith whom was accompanying him to the awards.

They pulled up to the red carpet.  “It’s show time!” Chris, said as the door was thrust open, and the noise from all the reporters and fans rushed inside the limo.

Chris, exited the limo first, followed by Trace, Joey, Lance, and Meredith.  Then JC made his way out of the limo, turning to give Zoë a hand as she climbed out.  And she was followed by Justin whom was meeting Britney there.

Zoë, stood frozen for a moment in awe of all the celebrities, cameras, and reporters rushing around.  Justin, shot JC an amused look at the expression on her face and the two chuckled a bit at her reaction.

“Zo, we gotta move now.” JC, laughed linking his arm through hers.

“Oh, right!” Zoë, said snapping out of her daze.

“Come on girl!” Justin, laughed linking his arm through her free arm.

“Oh, I get two escorts.  Now I really feel special!” Zoë, laughed joined in by the guys.

“Well, just until I find Brit.” Justin, said.

The group made their way up the red carpet.  Camera’s flashing.  Reporters yelling out questions.  Zoë, moved off to the side with Meredith, as the guys stopped to do interviews and posed for photographs.

Britney, joined their group after arriving and did the whole red carpet thing with Justin.  The two answering questions and posing for photographs.

Once, they were all finally inside they located their seats to get ready for the Awards Ceremony. Trace, sat on the isle, followed by Justin, Britney, Zoë, JC, Lance, Meredith, Chris, and then Joey.

When the guys had to go off to present, and then perform.  Zoë, and Britney held each others hand in excitement for the guys.  Meredith, moved over to join them and the girls sat chattering about the performance.  Zoë, was blown away.

She had seen the guys in concert before when they came to her area.  But there was just something different about them performing in front of their peers at an awards ceremony.  She felt overwhelmingly proud of the guys.  This was JC’s dream.  And here he was.  She was so proud of him.

And when the guys got up to accept their awards the proudness that Zoë was already feeling grew times ten.  She couldn’t believe that her best friend since childhood was winning awards for the talent she always knew he had.  She sat and watched the guys acceptance speech as tears flowed from her eyes in happiness for them.  For HIM.
 
 

After the Awards were over Zoë left with Britney to go back to the hotel to change into something a little more mellow for the after parties, agreeing to meet the guys there in about an hour or so.

The girls went back to Britney’s room and changed.  They both were dressed in faded low rise jeans.  Brit, wore a blue baby doll shirt with some writing written across the front.  And Zoë, wore a white short sleeved peasants top.

When they arrived at the party they could hear the music pouring out onto the streets from inside.  The party was defiantly booming.  Britney, and Zoë exchanged an excited look at the sounds of the music as they made their way in.  Something told Zoë in that moment that this was actually going to be fun.

She’d never really been one to do a lot of partying.  At least not in the last year or so.  She’d done her fair share when she was younger, and of coarse illegal for her to do it.  Seemed that had somehow gotten most of the urge out of her system.  But she had to admit that so far that night had been like a fantasy.

She had actually went to the American Music Awards.  She had worn a beautiful dress that she had received many compliments on.  She felt beautiful.  She felt truly happy for the first time in a long time.  And she felt free.  And she owed it all to Josh.

Josh?  She’d been so caught up in the nights events thus far that she had completely forgotten about all of those overwhelming feelings that had been rushing through her body and mind earlier that day.  Now she once again felt somewhat consumed by them.

Josh, had taken her in when she had no one else.  Sure she could have made it in Maryland.  But he knew her well enough to know that she needed to get away.  Had she stayed there and buried herself in all of the memories of her parents, it would have just dragged her deeper and deeper into depression.

Never over the many years that she had known Josh had she ever really doubted that he sincerely cared for her.  He’d always kept in touch somehow.  Either by phone, letter, or emails.  He was always there when she really needed him.  And he didn’t let her down this time either.  When she truly needed him the most.  He was such an important part of her life, she didn’t know what she would do without him in it.

And now here she was completely confused by her feelings.  She loved Josh.  She knew that much.  Any fool could see that.  They had always loved each other.  But now she found herself seriously questioning the type of love she was feeling for him.

Zoë, decided that on that night she was just going to go with whatever.  She was tired of holding back.  Tired of trying to figure things out.  She was having a good time and she just wanted to keep enjoying the time she had with her friends.  Keep the smile on her face that had been plastered there every second she was with him.

There was time later to figure out all the small irrelevant details of whatever it was she was feeling.  Right now she was going to live in the moment.  She was going let her hair down, so to speak and just live.

“Hey girls!” Lance, said walking up to the two girls as they made their way into the party and jerking Zoë from her thoughts.

“Where’s Justin?” Britney, quickly asked in response.

Lance, laughed at her eagerness to reunite with her man.  “Last I seen him, he and JC were over by the bar talking to Nelly about something.  He couldn’t have gotten far.”

“OK, I’m gonna go track him down.  You coming, Zo?” Brit, asked.

“No, I think I’ll hang out with Lance, you go ahead!” she, responded.

And with that Britney was off in search of Justin.  Lance, shot Zoë a grin.  “So you’re not gonna go hunt down JC?”

“No!  I figure we’ll bump into each other sooner or later.  More than likely he’ll hunt me down, so why bother! “ she, laughed.

Lance, agreed and laughed with her.  He offered his arm, and she accepted and he began leading them through the crowd of people that was filling the room.

“So where’s Meredith?” Zoë, asked when she didn’t see her anywhere.

“Oh, she ran into a couple people she knows.  She’s around her somewhere!” he, answered and Zoë nodded in understanding.  “You want something to drink?” he, then asked.

“Sure”

So they made their way over to the bar, and got Zoë a mixed drink, and then began making their way through the crowd again until they spotted Joey and Chris sitting at a small table, so they walked over and joined them.

“Having fun?” Joey, asked Zoë as she and Lance joined them at the table.

“Yes.  I’m having a great time.  This whole experience has been amazing.  You guys looked so great up there tonight.  It was kind of overwhelming.  And I hate to admit it.  But when ya’ll won your awards I couldn’t help but feel very proud of you guys and cry.”

“Awww, Zo’s getting all mushy on us!” Chris, teased.

“Chris, I’m being serious.  I’ve very proud of you guys.  You’ve all worked so hard, and come so far.  You’re living and fulfilling your dreams!  I can’t help but feel proud of you.”

“Thanks, Zoë.  That means a lot coming from you girl!” Joey, told her.

“I’m a little jealous too!” she, admitted.

“Why?” Lance, asked.

“You guys are living your dreams.  I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever get to do the same thing.  So I guess I’m a little envious and jealous.” she, smiled.

“Zoë, your dreams will come true!  I’m MORE than sure of it!” Lance, reassured her, and she smiled in response.

The four of them sat in silence, taking everything in.  The music.  The people.  Everything.

Joey, growing tired of the lack of conversation decided to pick one up.  “So, Zoë you really did look incredible tonight.  That dress was amazing.  I don’t think any of us were prepared for you to come out of your room looking so amazing!”

She blushed slightly at the compliment.  “Thanks Joey.  I guess I was trying to play Cinderella tonight or something.  But it was fun.  I’m having a great time.  And I love that dress.  It’s a shame I’ll probably never wear it again.  But it was worth it.”

“Yeah, Trace said you paid a pretty penny for it.” Lance, added.

“Yeah, I did but it was totally wor…” Zoë, started but was cut off why Chris’ interruption.

“Is that JC dancing with Emmanuelle?”

Lance, looked around Zoë to the dance floor.  Where he spotted JC and Emmanuelle Chirquoe, his co-star in “On The Line”, dancing together to the slower song that was playing.  “Yeah, that’s Em.”

Zoë’s, eyes darted to where her three friends eyes where starring.  There was JC, dancing closely with this very beautiful dark haired women.  She recognized her from Lance and Joey’s movie.  She’d only been forced to watch it a zillion times.

“Wow, I didn’t realize they knew each other all like that.” Zoë, said and quickly realized that her words hadn’t come out exactly the way she wanted them to.  “I meant to say I didn’t know they knew each other.” she, corrected.

But none of the guys really seemed to notice her words.  At least they didn’t pay any attention to them.  Lance, finally responded with an.  “Oh yeah they hung out a lot while we were filming.  They seem to have a lot in common.”

Zoë, felt a sting of jealousy from Lance’s words.  “They have a lot in common?  Whatever!” she, thought to herself while glaring at the couple as they continued to dance.

Chris, jumped up from the table.  “Well I’m gonna go mingle!” and then disappeared into the crowd.

A few minutes later Joey ran off somewhere, shortly followed by Lance who said he was going to go find Meredith.  So now Zoë was left alone.  Completely alone sitting at this table.  In a room full of people she didn’t know.  Most of them celebrities of some sort.  And here she was all alone at this table.  Suddenly, feeling very out of place and kind of stupid.

“Not going to let this ruin my night.” she, told herself getting up from the table.  “I’ll just go find Britney and Justin.”

Zoë, made her way through the crowd towards the bar.  The last place she knew where they’d been.  Once, there she could see that Britney and Justin were no where in sight.  Sighing to herself in somewhat of a defeat she decided to get another drink since she was at the bar.  So she ordered herself a Margarita.

Drink in hand, she turned from the bar to continue her search for at least someone she knew.  She made her way through the crowd.  The music was still blaring loudly.

Zoë, went in one direction, but when she didn’t see anyone she knew she turned and started back in the other direction.  She was beginning to get a bit frustrated.  There was so many people there.  There was no possible she was ever going to find any of the guys.

She stopped and looked all around.  Then out of the corner of her eye she caught Justin bouncing up and down at a table in laughter.  When she looked more closely she saw Justin, Britney, Trace, JC, and Emmanuelle all sitting at a little table off to the side of the room.

Zoë, suddenly felt a little furious with JC.  He hadn’t made any attempts to find her.  He had his head stuck up the actresses butt, he wasn’t even worried about her.  She was supposed to be his DATE that evening.  How was he just gonna ditch her like that?  She was going to give him a piece of her mind, and then she was going back to the hotel.  To hell with this whole mess.

She started to make her way toward their table.  People walking out in front of her, she had to stop quickly several times to prevent from spilling her drink all over herself.  She was growing more frustrated by each step.

When Zoë was about twenty feet from the table Justin looked up and noticed her coming their direction.  “ZOE!” he, yelled out standing up and motioning her over.

Of coarse Justin’s actions caught everyone else’s attention at the table and they all looked in her direction and smiled at her as they seen her making her way through the crowd towards them.

JC, looked at Zoë and shot her a smile.  But his smile was returned with an evil look.  “Oh shit she’s pissed off about something.” he, thought to himself.

Zoë, was so set on glaring at JC once she had caught is attention she was no longer paying attention to where she was walking or anyone around her.  Her eyes were strictly focused on his, making sure he seen anger in her eyes.

“Oaf!” Zoë, gasped slighted.  Someone had walked right into her.  Then she felt the chill of her Margarita, sliding down her leg.  “SHIT!” she, said loudly looking down at her jeans where her drink had ended up.  “Well at least not on my white shirt.” she, thought looking up, fully prepared to read someone the riot act for not watching where they were going.

But when she looked up and met blue eyes starring back at her in partial amusement and partial horror, she froze no words slipping from her mouth.