“Remember the hats, Lance”, I told myself repeatedly as I wheeled through the Super Target. “Remember the hats. And the Santa suits. JC will be epically pissed and strangle me with Christmas lights if I forgot the ha…”
All thoughts of hats fled my mind as my mouth dropped open when I turned the corner and saw a whole lot of stuff on sale that I’m sure the guys would like. There was the state of the art music player I’m pretty sure Chris would enjoy having seeing as his old one got busted. There was the custom-designed pair of basketball shoes that Justin’s been crowing about, hinting heavily at any one of us to get it for him. I immediately plucked the pair off the shelf, along with the music player and put them into the cart.
Ten minutes later, I had a lot of great stuff in the cart – stuff Joey would enjoy, things JC would appreciate, and some stuff that I got Chris and Justin. I grinned to myself. The guys would love these, I’m sure. I plucked some wrapping paper along with them and headed straight to the checkout counter.
“That’ll be $276.45,” The cashier said in a bored tone. I quickly paid – in cash – and hefted all the bags towards the car. On the drive home, I was pretty sure I was forgetting something, but pushed it to the back of my mind. Whatever it was, I’m sure it wasn’t that important.
I grinned to myself as I walked up to JC’s house. I entered to find Justin and JC fighting over the color scheme – seriously, could those two get any more old-married-couple-ey? – and JC relenting to have baby blue this year all because he couldn’t resist the patented Justin Timberlake Puppy Dog Eyes. Yep, he’s got it bad for Justin and vice versa.
As if they sensed I was there, all four of them turned their head in sync (heh, I’m so funny) and eyed the bags I carried. I grinned at them and JC tilted his head. “What are you so smiley about?”
I shrugged, trying to act nonchalantly but the grin was splitting my face. “Nothing, I just bought some cool stuff.” I said, holding up the bags.
JC eyed the bags and looked up at me. “Wait…you did get the hats right?”
I suddenly felt my stomach drop to my toes. I knew I was forgetting something! I decided to play it off and blame my sucky memory. “Oh, yes, the hats... no, I don't have 'em.”
“What?! You went out to buy five simple Christmas hats and you come back with anything but!” JC exclaimed. His eyes darted around as if to find the nearest thing to kill me with which wasn’t a whole lot, but JC could be very creative with pulling my innards out with a rusty fork.
“I'm sorry, but when I started buying these things I didn't remember about the hats...” I said, apologetically, and somewhat irritably. JC’s acting like it’s the end of the world, which, quite frankly, it’s not.
“Calm down, JC, it's okay.” Joey spoke up, trying to placate JC’s growing anger. “Lance will go back to the store and he'll buy the Christmas hats. And if you want, I could go with him to make sure he buys them.” I shot Joey a baleful glare but he didn’t see me.
Everyone looked at JC as he tried to calm down. That vein on his forehead wasn’t looking pretty good. “Okay, yeah, sounds good.” He paused. “Why don’t you just go on your own, Joe? Meanwhile, Lance and Justin will help me with the meals.”
“What?” we both asked simultaneously. Okay, I forget five freaking hats and I get saddled with kitchen duty? With the two lovebirds? Forget that!
“Forget that!” I said. “I’ll go find wherever Chris has gone.”
I immediately went out of the kitchen before either JC or Justin could pull me into kitchen duty. I walked around JC’s house for a while, looking for Chris who seemed to have disappeared. I started getting worried. Chris gone for minutes at a time is very troublesome for reasons. Just as I was about to sprint and bust down every door to look for him, I found him in the garage, setting up what looked to be…
“Are those fireworks?!” I asked, somewhat alarmed. Okay, very alarmed. Chris plus Fireworks equals very bad things to public property around us and my blood pressure.
“Yep,” He chirped cheerfully as if hoarding a box of dangerous fire hazards was nothing to be scared of.
I stared at him, but when it seemed like he wasn’t going to explain, I cleared my throat. “Did I somehow miss the memo that New Year’s apparently arrived early?”
Chris shrugged and then shot me that very dangerous grin that had me shuddering in fear. “Oh Lansten,” He began. “Sweet, innocent, little Lansten, you have a lot to learn.” He then left it at that as he started to set up. I stood idly by for a moment, wondering if I should interfere, when Chris looked up. “Well, are you gonna help me or not?”
I huffed. How I get stuck with helping these crackpots, I have no idea. Oh right, I’m one of them. “Fine, but if JC’s house burns down, I’m blaming you for being a corruptive influence on a minor and not helping you when you get charged for arson.”
Chris cackled at me. “You’re twenty, Lance. Not so much a minor anymore. And trust me, if JC’s house burns down, I’m taking you with me and we’re going to run away from the law. Bonnie and Clyde style, baby.”
I laughed. Chris was definitely crazy but that’s one of the things we love about him. I helped him set up the fireworks and somehow, I got excited at the thought of lighting these up. We went back into the house minutes later where we found Justin and JC working in the kitchen together effortlessly. It was so domestic. It’s like watching those old Lifetime movies with the husband and the wife cooking together in the kitchen. Every now and then, I’d see Justin peek at JC while the latter’s back was turned and then I’d see JC sneak a glance, very fondly at Justin whenever the younger one was distracted.
“Where’s Joey?” Chris asked and both of them looked up in unison.
“He went out to buy the hats,” Justin said.
“Which was supposed to be Lance’s job, but whatever.” JC added.
I growled softly. “I’m sorry, alright. I’ll go prepare the drinks if that would make you feel better.”
JC seemed to think about it for a moment. “You know what? It would.” He then smiled a little which meant that JC’s forgiven me and I can breathe easily now. JC walked over to Justin and helped him with whatever Justin was doing and we could see the lingering touches and the secretive smiles.
Chris nudged me with his elbow. “Those two are so made for each other.”
I smirked at him and hooked our arms together. “They so are. Come on help me prepare the drinks so JC would at least get a reprieve.” And not bite my head off, I added in my head.
Chris grinned at me and with one last look at the couple puttering about in the kitchen, went over to the bar and started doing some mixing.
