Chapter 3

JC, looked over towards Justin who’s back was towards him.  All he could see what Zoë over Justin‘s shoulder.  She was smiling and seemed to be intently listening to whatever it was Justin was going on about, with little bursts of laughter here and there.

When they turned JC’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.  He hadn’t noticed before that Zoë had taken her hoody off.  As Justin and Zoë turned further he could see that her back was practically bare from her mid-back up to her shoulders, and the pants were really low on her hips.  And then he noticed Justin’s hand which was very close to being planted on her ass.

Suddenly, JC felt the need to separate the two.  This was Zoë, his best friend.  Surely Justin wasn’t trying to put any moves on her!  “What’s wrong baby?” the blonde, broke JC from his thoughts.

“Huh?” he, asked looking back at her.

“I asked you what was wrong, you’ve all but stopped dancing with me.  What are you starring at?” she, asked looking over in the direction he had previously been starring off into.

“Oh, nothing.  I was just surprised to see Justin GROPING, Zoë!” he, said.

“Who’s Zoë?” the, girl asked following JC’s now staring eyes again, over at Justin and Zoë.

“She’s my best friend.  We grew up together.  She just moved down here from Maryland, she’s staying with me until she can find a place of her own, so we brought her out on the town with us tonight.”

“Oh” she, said.  “Well I’m sure they’re having as much fun as we are so there’s no reason to star!” she, said grabbing his chin and making him look back at her.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” JC, muttered.

“What do you mean?” she, asked growing annoyed by the lack of JC’s attention on her.

“Well, Justin’s all over her!  That’s ZOE!” he, said as if this woman should see the problem with it.

“AND?  What are you jealous or something?” she, asked placing her hands on her hips.

“Hell NO, I’m not jealous.  It’s just weird is all.” he, said still watching Justin closely.

“Well, I tell you what.  When you decide to focus your attention back on me, come find me!” she, said and then walked off.

JC, stood there for a second trying to figure out what had just happened and then made his way back over to the sofa Lance was sitting on alone again.

“What happened to the blonde?” Lance, asked.

“I have no clue!” JC, said searching the dance floor for Justin and Zoë, as he’d lost site of them when he left the dance floor.

“Who are you looking for?” Lance, asked looking to the floor trying to figure out who JC was looking for.

“Justin and Zoë.  Did you see how they were dancing.  Justin’s practically got his hand on her ass!”

“They’re just dancing man!  What’s the problem?” Lance, looked at JC oddly.

“This is ZOE!  Justin, better not even be trying to put the moves on her!” JC, said as he’d now spotted them on the floor again.

“Why not?” Lance, asked and the quickly regretted his question when JC shot him a look of disbelief.

“What do you mean why not?  Do you know something I don’t?” he, questioned.

“No, they’re just dancing JC.  Damn, what’s the big deal?”  Lance, shot back.

“I don’t want him hurting her.  She’s going through a lot right now.  The last thing she needs is for Justin to lead her on.”

“Come on C, you know Justin better than that!  They’re just dancing and having a good time.  Or did you forget you went off and left her with that blonde chic.  Did you expect her to sit here on the sofa all night?  Really, JC get serious!” Lance, scolded.

“OK, OK…I was just saying.” JC, said slouching back in his seat.

A few minutes later the song ended and Justin and Zoë made their way back over to the sofas where JC and Lance were setting.  They sat down on the one across from them.  Zoë, was out of breath and quickly grabbed her drink off the table to take a big gulp, and then began fanning herself with her hand.

“It’s so hot out there!” she, said shaking her head and still fanning herself.

“Naw, girl it’s just you!” Justin, smiled at her, and Zoë rolled her eyes at his comment.

“I see you took your hoody off!” JC, said.

“Yeah, Justin said I’d overheat in it.  I’m glad I did because I’m burning up!” Zoë, said still fanning herself with her hand.

Justin, got an evil grin on his face and leaned in and began blowing on her neck.  Zoë, jumped back and looked at him as if he was crazy, but before she could even say anything JC was already mouthing off.

“What the hell are you doing, Justin?”

“I’m cooling her off!” Justin, smirked.

Zoë, shot JC a funny look.  Where was this big brother act coming from all the sudden? She wondered.  Then turned her attention back to Justin.  “That’s ok.  I’m good now!” she, said pushing him away as she laughed at his attempts to keep blowing on her neck.

JC, just glared at Justin as he sat there and continued to flirt with Zoë.  He was getting really upset with his friend.  Justin, knew what she was going through, why was he acting so stupidly?  Lance, noticed JC’s growing anger and decided to step in before JC blew a fuzz and said something he’d regret later.

“Hey J, come over to the bar with me.” Lance, said standing and motioning for Justin to come with him.  He just shrugged his shoulders and followed Lance, as he asked.

Once, they were gone JC got up and moved over next to Zoë to ask her if she was having a good time, while Lance was over at the bar telling Justin to lay off Zoë cause JC was getting pissed.  Justin, couldn’t understand what the problem was.  They were just joking around and having a good time.  But Lance explained that JC’s logic was that Zoë was going through a lot right now and didn’t need for Justin to be leading her on.

“That’s CRAZY!  We were just dancing!” Justin, said in his defense.

“Just cut it out!” Lance, told him and then started to make his way back over towards where JC and Zoë were sitting with Chris and Joey again.

They all spent the rest of their evening drinking and chatting.  Zoë, danced with Chris a couple times, and shared a slow dance with Lance.  Justin, was irritated that JC didn’t seem to make a big deal out of her dancing with them, yet he’d had a cow over him dancing with her.  It didn’t make sense to him, but he just shrugged the thoughts off.

They all cleared out of the club around 1:30.  They loaded back up in their Suburban and dropped Chris and Joey off first, then headed towards JC’s house to drop off Zoë and JC.

Justin, climbed out of the back of the Suburban to let JC and Zoë out of the backseat.  They all said goodnight and Justin leaned in and gave Zoë a hug and a kiss on the cheek before he hopped back in the vehicle to be on their way, but not before he caught the funny look JC shot him.  He smiled at JC and said goodnight before shutting the door, and they were off.

“You did that on purpose just to get a rise out of him!” Lance, laughed.

“I think it’s funny.  He didn’t have a problem with you or Chris dancing with Zoë, but he has a problem with me dancing with her!  Of coarse I’m gonna mess with his head!” Justin, laughed as they made their way toward their homes.

Once, inside the house both JC and Zoë exhausted from their night at the club made their way upstairs chatting about the nights events.  Zoë, pointed out to JC that he still hadn’t showed her around the house yet, and JC said he’d do that tomorrow he was too tired at the moment.

“I didn’t mean you had to do it tonight!” she, laughed.  “I’ll see you in the morning.” she, said as she opened her bedroom door.

“Alright see you in the morning.  If you need anything I’m just across the hall.” JC, said pointing towards his bedroom door.

“Thanks, but all I need right now is sleep!” Zoë, said as she shut her door behind her and called goodnight to him.

JC, retreated to his bedroom.  Kicking off his shoes just inside the door.  As he made his way towards his bed he peeled off his clothes down to his boxers and then crawled in the bed.  “I’m gonna have to have a talk with Mr. Timberlake.” he thought to himself.  “But that’ll have to wait until tomorrow!” he, said aloud as he snuggled into his pillow.  Only a few minutes later he was out like a light.

Zoë, sat down took her boots off and then took off her clothes and grabbed an oversized T-shirt and threw it on.  She then disappeared into the bathroom to wash off her makeup and brush her teeth before turning in.

“This is why I never wear all this shit!” she, thought as she scrubbed to get all the eye makeup off that she’s applied.

After finally getting her face cleaned, she retreated back into the bedroom turning off all the lights and climbing into her bed.  She snuggled into the large comfy pillows and comforter that her bed was made in and drifted off into thoughts of the night.

She’s had so much fun out with the guys.  She hadn’t thought about her parents all night.  “Oh great there’s those thoughts I was managing so well to push out of my mind.” she, thought.

She let out a long sigh and rolled over and buried her head in the pillows.  “I’m too tired to think about this stuff.” she, said aloud.  She laid there twisting and turning in the bed trying to get comfortable and clear her mind before she finally dozed off to sleep.

JC, sat straight up in his bed looking around, listening.  He could of sworn he’d heard something.  He sat there for a few moments listening and when he didn’t hear anything else he shrugged it off as he was hearing things or dreaming or something crazy like that and laid back down.

He was just about to drift back off to sleep again when his eyes flew open again to a blood curling scream, and then a loud crash.  He jumped up out of his bed, thinking maybe someone had broken into the house and stumbled upon Zoë.

He made a mad dash out of his room, and across the hall swinging her door open.  He searched frantically for the light switch as he could hear what sounded like a struggle and Zoë’s whimpers.

Finally, he found the switch and flipped it on.  He couldn’t see Zoë, so he rushed into the room, and to the other side of the bed and found her laying on the floor flopping around in her sleep.  She’d somehow fallen out of the bed and took the lamp with her.

He moved swiftly to her side.  “Zoë, wake up.” he, said as he held her still on the floor, to prevent her from hurting herself.  “Zoë, it’s ok.  It’s Josh I’m here, wake up!”

She quit struggling and slowly opened her tear filled eyes, blinking several times trying to focus on the person above her.

“It’s ok, Zo.  It’s me Josh.  I’m here it’s ok.” JC, said trying to comfort her.  He was sure she was having some kind of a nightmare.

“Josh” she, said her voice quivering as she began to cry.

JC, pulled her up into his arms and hugged her.  “It’s ok.  It was just a bad dream.” he, said rubbing his hand up and down her back trying to calm her down.

“No, it’s not just a bad dream.  It’s real.  They’re really dead.” she, cried.

“I know, I know sweetie.  I’m sorry, Zoë.  I wish I could make the pain go away.” he, said as he continued to hold her tightly and rub her back in a soothing motion.  “Shhhhh, it’s all going to be ok.”

Once, Zoë had finally calmed down and her crying had halted to a minimum JC ushered her up.  “Come on get back in bed.” he, told her as he helped her up from the floor.  It was then that he noticed her arm was bleeding.  “Jesus, you’re bleeding!” he, said holding her arm out and then looked at the broken glass on the floor from the lamp.

“Sit down I’m gonna go get something to clean your arm up.” he, said leading her back to the bed and then disappeared out into the hallway.

He returned quickly with a box of bandages and some gauze and bunch of other things in his hands.  He quickly cleaned off Zoë’s arm with some alcohol on a cotton ball.  When she jerked at the sting, JC smirked and blew on her arm to make the sting go away faster.  “Don’t be such a baby.” he, told her.

“It stings!” she, retorted.

JC, only chuckled and continued to clean her arm off and then put a couple large bandages over the cut.  “I don’t’ think it needs stitches or anything.  So this should do.”

“Thanks.” she, said looking at the bandages on her arm.

“That’s what friends are for.” JC, smiled at her as he threw the trash away and sat the bandages and other stuff on the nightstand.  “Now get back in bed.” he, told her pulling the comforter back and trying to straighten it out.  The sheets and everything where all practically on the floor.  It was obvious she’d been all over the bed tossing and turning.

“Yes sir!” she, said sarcastically as she crawled back in the bed.  JC, pulled the covers back up over her and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“You gonna be ok?”

“I’m fine.  Just a bad dream like you said.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.”

“OK, well try to go back to sleep, and we’ll talk in the morning then.” he, said as he made is way for the door, and flipped the light out.

“Josh?”