Jenna carefully applied her make up, nervous about the evening. Her eyes went to the pictures that were carefully arranged in frames. A small smile crossed her face as she thought of the last picture of her and Chris together. It was his graduation day and she'd flown down to see him. He'd come up for hers and it was only fair that she went for his. They'd kept in touch through out their high school days. Afterward though, the letters and phone calls had tapered off. Especially once Chris had went overseas with four other guys to start a singing group. She'd read how NSYNC had gotten famous over in Europe. She'd ordered the European album and listened, amazed at the sound of the five men, picking out Chris's counter tenor, loving any little solos he'd have. Once they became a household name in the United States, she'd caught a couple shows, but never got the chance to get close to Chris. It wasn't that he didn't think he wouldn't remember her, but she no longer had contact with his mother or knew if the last address she had for him was the same. Even now in the world of electronics and internet, she wasn't going to trust finding him with that.
She caught her reflection in the mirror and smiled, her eyes going to the ticket stuck in the corner of the frame. Her brother Brenden had given it to her, claiming an early Christmas gift. A ticket to see NSYNC where they were taping an Ntimate Holiday Special. A myriad of emotions went through her. It might be a long shot, but she was hoping to see Chris. Her last piece of getting ready was in her jewelry box, where it stayed when it wasn't around her neck. The necklace she'd gotten from him was a constant on her person. The Orlando weather was much warmer than Chicago when she'd left, but still it was winter so she wore a long sleeved gray shirt with some jeans and comfortable shoes. Her hair was the same brown color it was in school other than a few highlights. She wore contacts now and then glasses when those were out and had gained a few pounds, but for the most part looked much the same. Sticking her ticket in her purse, she blew out a breath and tried to steady her nerves. Even though Jenna wasn't expecting a lot, she was still excited as she went out to the waiting taxi that she'd called.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
“You got that look on your face again. Spacing out,” Joey told him, snapping Chris out of his thoughts.
“Oh. Sorry...It's Christmas. It's nothing,” he told the younger man, sighing. He wouldn't admit it, but he kept hoping to see Jenna. That she'd just pop into his life. He'd hated that they lost contact. And while he didn't think of her all the time, he couldn't help but think of her around this time of year. He'd come across the picture of them together from tenth grade and he'd looked at it for a long time before closing the picture album it was in and putting it up.
“What's the girls name, dude?” Justin asked on his other side as he fiddled with the marker cap. There was only 200 fans allowed in for this 'intimate' setting with NSYNC, so they were poised to do a meet and greet with them.
“Jenna...She's a girl I knew back in Ohio,” Chris explained, knowing he'd talked about her some, getting nods from the guys. He could see the line starting to get long and put a smile on his face, shoving his memories to the back of his mind to focus on the task at hand. He enjoyed the smaller venues and more personal concerts. Chris felt like he could give more of his time to the fans and appreciated those who came out and supported them. While some were more passionate than others, it was still enjoyable to meet people.
“I was wondering if might remember this,” a woman's voice said before Chris could look up at her, sliding a picture towards him. He stared at the image. Of a much younger him and the girl he'd thought about just earlier. He lifted his head and met hazel eyes, his breath catching when he spotted the necklace. “Jenna...” his voice trailed off, not believing he was seeing her as she nodded.
“Hi Chris,” she said, praying her voice wasn't shaking, knowing her stomach was in knots. “You have girls with posters all over their rooms and singing along to your songs now,” she said, watching him stand up and lean across the table and hug her hard, laughing when he just jumped on the table and landed just to the side of her and pulled her in for the hug. “And your hair was so wacky...” she said, feeling silly at the sudden onslaught of tears.
“God, Jen...I've missed you,” Chris told her, not cauring who stared or that they were holding up the meet and greet line. He smiled at the familiarity of her embrace, his heart swelled with happiness and pride that she'd come. “How are you?” he asked, giving her a good looking over, smiling at her tears.
“I'm...” Jen wiped tears and hugged Chris one more time. “I'm great now,” she told him, laughing. “How are you?”
“I'm great...wonderful...” he replied, pulling her around to the back behind security with her things, instead of holding up the meet and greet line. It was a quick introduction and Jenna sat behind him and they talked in small snippets between autographs and pictures.
Chris couldn't believe she was here, sitting behind him. He'd had no idea how to reach her either when he'd come back from Europe and he'd let it go that it was a pipe dream he was going to see Jenna again. “Remember what you told me after that poster and girls singing stuff?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her laughing at something Joey was saying.
Jenna shook her head at his friend and then looked at him. “I think so. Something about I'd be in the front row...I'm finally here. So does that count? Brenden scored me the ticket from some radio show. I told him he won brother of the year. The HBO special was awesome, by the way. I was one of those screaming fans way up in the rafters,” she told Chris, blushing a little.
“She was the one that sent that letter that went down the hallway, I bet,” Justin stage whispered, laughing.
“I saw that,” Jenna chuckled. “Sorry...that wasn't me. I don't have that much time on my hands and besides that, I'm not sure Chris is worth the postage it took to send the letter,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.
“That hurts, Davis,” Chris told her, his lips snaking into a grin. “At least you can say you've kissed me...” he laughed when she shook her head and covered her eyes. “What? Turnabout is fair play...”
“You're still something else, Kirkpatrick.” Jenna had no idea what was going to happen between them. She couldn't say for sure they would keep in constant contact, but her heart was hopeful that she could at least have her friend back. The rest of the fans went through and that left them all sitting there until it was time for them to go get ready.
She let Chris pull her to him again, smiling when his lips brushed hers. “So Christopher Alan, you still have that Steelers jacket? What do you want this year?”
“Yes, I have it,” Chris told her, chuckling. “And I have what I wanted this year. I don't need anything else.” His eyes studied her and he winked at her. “You still want me to sing to you?”
Jenna nodded. “That was all I wanted that year too. The Christmas gift I wanted was just to hear you sing.”
“Well, if that's all....” Chris's voice trailed off when he heard his name being called. “You'll stay after the concert, right? Come have dinner with me...or us,” he motioned to the guys who were waiting on him. He couldn't lose her again.
“I'd love to,” Jenna told him. “Go get ready,” she told him, pushing him towards his band mates. Out of all the holidays, Christmas was her favorite. It wasn't about the material things, but about the love and hope it brought with the season. And she figured this was going to be one of the best Christmases she'd had. The ticket in her hand was that reminder: Row 1 Seat 28. Just like she'd promised.
Completed
Story Tags: christmas chris
