For Charise Wilson, the summer of 1993 will be remembered for many things; being a cast member on Disney's All New Mickey Mouse Club, bonfires on the beach, living next to the happiest place on earth, and spending almost every day in the Chasez apartment six doors down from her own. Her best friend Heather's room had practically become her second bedroom as they spent almost every weekend discussing which boys they wanted to go out with and putting together outfits for the coolest parties. Every time she thought about that magical summer of '93 she would always smell Bath and Body Works Cotton Blossom, feel the cool breeze of the ocean water wash up against her legs, and the feeling of falling in love for the very first time.
"Okay Jason or Rodney?"
"Ugh, that's so not fair!"
"C'mon Char, just pick one." It was a rainy Saturday and fifteen-year-olds Heather Chasez and her best friend Charise Williams were sitting on her bed playing one of their favorite games, Who Would You Rather? Heather was holding up two posters, one of Jason Priestly, and one of Rodney Harvey that she had ripped from an old issue of Tiger Beat.
"Fine," Char sighed, twisting a cherry Blow Pop between her fingers. She looked from left to right, contemplating between the choices as if she were choosing whether to donate a kidney. "Hmm,"
"Oh, for crying out loud," Heather whined.
"Okay, okay, I pick Rodney," Char decided.
"Really?" Heather grimaced.
"Yeah, what's wrong with Harvey?"
"I heard he's a druggie," Heather said, placing both posters aside and digging her hand into the bowl of caramel popcorn on her nightstand.
"Oh whatever, that's probably just a rumor! Pass me some popcorn." Heather reached for the bowl and passed it to Char.
"Yeah just like it was a rumor about River Phoenix," Heather countered. Both Char and Heather bowed their heads in a moment of silence for beloved fallen idol.
"Okay, maybe you have a point, but I don't want Shannen Doherty to claw my eyes out!"
"Oh whatever, they are not dating, that'd be like incest."
"Heather, they play twins, they're not twins."
"Yeah, well I still don't see it for them." Heather reached for another magazine from the stack on her bed. The latest issue of People magazine.
"Oh, come on, the chemistry between them is palpable, they're totaling doing it!" Char speculated.
"Hey maybe you can get cast on the show and find out for yourself."
"Oh my God how cool would that be? Then I'd have my pick of Jason, Brian, and Luke!"
"Hey what about me?"
"You can come along, and take your pick, but I call dibs on Brian."
"Brian Austin Green is too wimpy," Heather said. "Luke is way more.... Manly!"
"Okay, you can have Luke, and I'll take Brian. It's a win-win. Neither us has to fight over Jason, and then Shannen won't claw our eyes out!" Char and Heather laughed as they fantasized about mingling with the cast members of Beverly Hills, 902010.
"Ugh, that wench," Heather snarled, thinking of Shannen Doherty.
"Okay, my turn!" Char spread the stack of magazines out on Heather's bed. She took a copy of Tiger Bear and a copy of Us Weekly and began flipping through them until she landed on her two desired heartthrobs. "Who would you rather lose your virginity to?" She asked Heather, as she picked up the copy of Us Weekly and held it front of her face. "Leonardo DiCaprio, or..." Char held up the copy of Tiger Beat in the other hand, "Joey Lawrence?"
"Oh, don't make me choose..."
"C'mon Heather just pick one," Char said mimicking her friend.
"Fine, Leo. He seems like he'd be a passionate lover," Heather smiled.
"He'd hold you tight while sweetly making love to you, and you could stare into those gorgeous blue eyes of his..." Char teased.
"What is it with your obsession with blue eyes?" Heather groaned. Typically, Char loved the pretty boys with the classic good looks. Jason Priestly, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rob Lowe. Heather liked them a little rougher around the edges: Johnny Depp, Luke Perry, Anthony Kiedis.
"You can get lost in blue eyes, they're like an ocean. Besides only 8 percent of the world's population has blue eyes. By my estimation that means that around roughly 4 percent of men have blue eyes, making them unique and-"
"Yeah so that makes me pretty unique huh?" Heather and Char were interrupted by Heather's older brother Joshua, also known as JC, collapsing onto her bed behind Char.
"JC Chasez has entered the building standing at 5'11, with dark luscious waves, and deep blue eyes. Yes ladies, he's unique, charming, and oh so handsome!!!" Char teased in her best sports announcer's voice. Heather rolled her eyes so hard she thought she'd seen her skull.
"Well you know, not everyone can be as gifted as I am," JC joked.
"Wow, I'm starting to feel claustrophobic there's not enough room in here with Josh's big ego," Heather chided.
"You love me," JC teased. He reached over towards Heather and grabbed a handful of popcorn. Char could feel the back of his hand brush up against her bare thigh, right were her overall shorts cut off. She hoped he hadn't noticed the sudden goosebumps on her skin, or her hear her heartbeat a mile a minute. She worked alongside him nearly every day for the past two years and being in close proximity to him did not get any easier. "What are y'all doing later on?" He asked.
"Why what's up?" Char asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Me, Dale and Tony are gonna go see Hocus Pocus, wanna come?"
Char made eye contact with Heather, silently pleading with her to say yes.
"Hmmm, I don't know," Heather replied, deciding to mess with her friend, whose eyes were practically begging by now.
"What about you, Char?" JC asked.
"Char and I are hanging out tonight!" Heather protested. As much as she loved her brother, sometimes she hated having to share her best friend. He already had the upper hand with Char considering that they were cast mates on Disney's MMC. He did know her first.
"Char's a big girl she can speak for herself," JC countered. "C'mon Char, what do you want to do?"
Char hated feeling stuck between her two best friends, especially since they were siblings. Considering that she was an only child, she hated being in the middle of a sibling rivalry. "Well, I mean the movies do sound fun." Truth be told, Char could care less about what movie they were going to see, as long as she could sit next to JC, they could be seeing Pee-Wee's Big Adventure for all she cared. And there's no one in the world that she hated more than Pee-Wee Herman.
"C'mon, just say yes..." JC urged.
Heather could see that she wasn't going to win this one. Whenever JC came around, Char practically melted on the spot. He could say ‘jump' and she'd ask, ‘how high'. It would be pathetic if it weren't so darn cute. "Fine, we'll go," Heather conceded.
"Cool, be ready by eight. I called Moviefone and there's a 9:15 show," JC smiled.
"Fine 8:30 it is," Heather teased. If JC said eight, what he really meant was eight-ish. He was good at a lot of things but being on time was not one of them.
"Hey, I said what I said," JC shot back. He grabbed Char's hand and took a lick of her Blow Pop. He winked at her and got up from the bed.
Char thought she would die.
"You snot," Heather reached behind her for a pillow and tossed it at him. In smooth JC fashion he ducked right on time, and the pillow just missed him landing by the doorway.
"Like I said, eight o'clock," JC called, disappearing down the hall.
"Oh my God Char, please wipe that grin off of your face," Heather sighed.
"What grin?" Char asked, trying hard to purse her lips and keep from smiling.
"That big ear to ear grin that screams ‘I Love You JC Chasez and I Want the Whole World to Know About it!'" Heather exclaimed.
"Oh, whatever," Char said looking down at the bed to avoid eye contact with Heather. She grabbed a hold of one of her French braids and began to furiously twist it around her finger.
Heather smirked at the typical tell-tale sign that Char was lying. "You are so in love with my brother."
"Am not," Char contested.
"Uh, yeah you are. There's no point in lying. You're only lying to yourself. Everyone can see it. Besides, my brother's crazy about you." As much shit as Heather gave JC and Char, they were both important to her. So maybe she did have a tiny jealous streak, but nothing would make her happier than seeing them together.
"He is?" Char perked up at what she thought of as pertinent information.
"How can you not tell?" Heather asked. "You should see the way he looks at you." Char blushed. "Oh God, don't get all sappy on me!"
"Shut up!" Char squeaked, playfully swatting Heather across the arm.
"Okay, okay, enough about my dork of a brother. Back to the game!"
"Your turn," Char replied.
"Okay, Mark-Paul Gosselaar or Will Friedle?"
"Duh- Mark-Paul!"
Later that night, JC, Heather, and Char were waiting in line for tickets to see Hocus Pocus, along with Dale Godboldo and Tony Lucca- two of JC and Char's castmates on the MMC.
"Dang, how long is this line?" Dale asked.
"See Josh, I told you we should have left sooner," Heather said.
"We won't be in line for much longer. Besides I'm not the one who spent so long in the mirror doing my make-up," JC shot back.
"Oh whatever, you spend more time I the mirror than I do pretty boy!"
"Okay, break it up you two," Tony said. "The lines moving up." JC and Char who were standing together took two steps forward, and Heather gave him a gentle shove. Tony and Dale were both behind Heather.
"Cut it out, we can't take y'all anywhere," Dale whispered.
"Hey Char, can I borrow your Lenny Kravitz CD?" Tony asked. "I wanna practice the chords to Believe."
"Yeah sure," Char replied. "I'll give it to you when we get back to the complex."
"Don't do it Char," Dale warned. "I let him borrow my Arrested Development cassette tape and haven't seen it since!"
"Man, your trippin'. I gave you that tape back. I know for a fact I did because I gave it back to you when I gave JC back his copy of Lethal Weapon 3!"
"Which I still don't have," JC interjected.
"Never mind. The line's moving up," Tony said trying to deflect the conversation. Finally, they reached the ticket counter.
"What are you all seeing tonight?" The cashier asked.
"I'd like a ticket for Pocus please," Char requested. She unzipped her purse and took out her wallet.
"Uh, I got this Char," JC said.
"Huh"? Char asked, confused.
"I'll get your ticket," JC clarified.
"Oh, that's okay, you don't have to do that," Chad protested.
"C'mon Char I insist. Please," JC pleaded. The cashier looked at them expectantly waiting on someone to purchase the tickets.
"C'mon girl, let the man pay for your ticket. It's just a movie ticket, not a down payment on a house!" Dale interjected.
"We'll take two tickets see Hocus Pocus," JC said to the cashier. JC handed the woman a twenty-dollar bill, and she rang up the purchase, handing JC the tickets and his change.
"Finally," Heather huffed. While Heather, Dale, and Tony purchased their tickets, JC and Char walked over to the concession stand.
"Thanks again for the ticket JC, you really didn't have to do that," Char smiled sweetly.
"Nonsense, I wanted to. What do you want?" He asked as they approached the concession counter.
"No, you're not buying my snacks too!"
"Of course, I am. What kind of gentleman doesn't buy a ladies' snacks?"
"You're not buying Heather's snacks," Char countered.
"I said lady," JC joked, and Char laughed. "Relax, let a guy treat you sometime."
Char could feel her heart soaring. Was this a date? "Thank you," was all she could manage to get out.
"Can I get a large popcorn with extra butter, Twizzlers, and large Cherry Coke please?" JC asked the concession attendant.
Char stood back in awe that he remembered her usual order. She hadn't even thought that he paid attention.
"And I'll also take a pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups." JC's favorite. "Hey, what do you say we get two seats by ourselves?" He asked, turning to Char.
"As in just me and you?" Char asked.
"Yeah, unless you have an imaginary friend or something?"
"I-" Char was completely caught off guard. JC tricked her into a date. Smooth, real smooth, she thought.
"It was a joke Char," JC laughed. "Why are you so tense?"
"No, I know it was a joke, it's just what about-" Char motioned toward their group who had started to walk toward the concession stand.
"Heather, Dale, and Tony will be fine. I just wanna spend some time alone with you. Is that alright?" JC asked.
Char could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She was blushing hard. She couldn't help but to smile from ear to ear. "Yeah, I'd really like that."
"Did I ever tell you how much I love your smile?"
Around midnight the group arrived back at their apartment complex. Tony and Dale each went to their own apartments, and Char went with JC and Heather to theirs so she could retrieve her backpack from Heather's room.
Char was in Heather's room stuffing her make-up kit, curling iron, and magazines into her backpack while Heather was tidying up.
"Hey, here's the book you let me borrow," Heather said, handing over a copy of V.C. Andrews' My Sweet Audrina.
"Oh thanks. Did you like it?" Char asked, stuffing the book down into her bag.
"I didn't finish it," Heather replied. Char gave her a look. "What? It's too tragic!"
"Whatever. Anyway, are we still up for the mall tomorrow?"
"You know it, there are a pair of Doc Martens with my name all over them!"
"Cool, see you tomorrow," Char said, before leaving Heather's room.
"Have a good night!" Heather called.
Char made her way through the hallway and into the living room where she found JC on the couch channel surfing. Quiet as a mouse, she took a moment to just stand there and take him in; watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed, his laser focus on the TV screen, his silky dark brown hair, his intense blue eyes, that perfect jawline. He was flawless.
JC could feel the presence of someone in the room. He looked up to see Char intently staring at him. "Oh, hey Char, I didn't know you were there."
"Uh- I was just on my way out," she stuttered. "Thanks again for everything JC, I really had a nice time tonight." Char made her way to the door.
"Here, let me walk you home," JC offered getting up from the couch.
"Oh no that's okay, I only live six doors down."
"Girl, do you think I'm really gonna let you walk home alone? It's well after midnight and anything can happen between here and those six doors," JC responded.
"If you insist..."
"I insist". JC opened the door for Char, and they made their way out of the apartment. They stepped out into the muggy August air, and he shut the door behind them. "So."
"So," Char repeated, looking up at JC in the moonlight.
"About tonight." Char and JC began their short walk to her apartment, and in a short time they were in front of her door.
"Yeah?" Char asked hopefully.
"Can we call it a date?"
"Yes, we can call it date." Char could feel her heart racing again. She tried to play it cool, but the butterflies in her stomach were betraying her.
"Good, because I'd really like to take you on another one. This time, alone." JC confessed.
"I'd really like that," Char said shyly. As outgoing as she typically was, JC was the only one who could turn her into a mute.
"So, is next Saturday good?" JC asked,
"Next Saturday is perfect," Char replied. "I can't wait. Thanks Josh." Char reached into her pocket for her door key and turned to unlock her door.
"Uhh Char," JC stammered. "There's something else I want to ask you."
"Yes," Char turned back to face him.
JC took a deep breath before he spoke. One question could change everything as they knew it. He wanted to get the words out before he talked himself out of it. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
The small swarm of butterflies in the pit of Char's stomach had turned into a full-on kaleidoscope. JC Chasez wanted to be her boyfriend? JC Chasez wanted her to be his girlfriend?
They stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity. JC could feel the wind being knocked out of him. He'd blown it. He'd just completely compromised their friendship. "Listen, I know it seems really sudden, and I can totally understand if you don't want- "
"JC, yes! I want to be your girlfriend!" Char exclaimed.
"Y-you do?" JC stuttered in disbelief.
"Yes, I always have," Char admitted.
"Really?" JC sighed in relief.
"Yes, really. JC?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you kiss me?" A sudden boldness came over Char.
JC looked down at Char and smiled. He pulled her close, grabbing her by the waist, and placed a soft gentle kiss on her lips. A proper kiss after a first date. A gentleman's kiss.
The moment their lips met; it was as if small currents of electricity were sparking their bodies. Everything was perfect about that moment; the moon, the stars in the night sky. Neither of them would have traded that moment for anything in the world.
Char pulled back from the kiss, and locked eyes with JC. He looked down at her, smiling. "Goodnight JC," Char smiled sweetly, twisting the doorknob behind her.
"Goodnight Char," JC smiled back, and began to walk back toward his apartment.
Char stepped into her apartment and closed the door behind her. With her back up against the wall, she took a moment to savor what just happened. Joshua Scott Chasez was hers, and she was his. And at that moment in her young 15 years of life she was positive that there was nothing better than that. She had completely fallen head over feet.
