Where am I? Why am I so cold? Who�s talking?
My eyes fluttered open. Then a rush of voices.
�She�s awake! She�s awake!�
�JC?� I asked wearily. My teeth were chattering. My body was shivering. I was lying down on cold cement.
�What is it sweetie?� he asked worriedly.
�I�m so cold,� I shivered.
�Justin! Get her a towel and some new clothes!� he ordered.
�Ok. Be right back.� He rushed into the house.
I hugged myself and tried to stay warm.
�That was so stupid! I should�ve seen that puddle!� JC cursed,
�It wasn�t your f-fault C. You c-couldn�t see it. Y-you were t-trying to s-save me.�
�Back. Here JJ. Here�s your towel,� he said handing me the thick fluffy towel.
I wrapped it tightly around my freezing, shivering body. �T-thanks J-Justy.�
�C�mon Jessie. Let�s get into the house,� JC said, pulling me up.
It may be Orlando, but I was still cold. I am a very sensitive person to cold.
�JJ, I�m sorry for doin� that. I only meant to have a little fun,� Justin apologized.
�It�s ok Justy. All is forgiven.� I was feeling warmer in the house already.
�He almost caused you to DROWN, Jessie. And you just FORGIVE him?� JC asked angrily.
�JC, he only meant to fool around. It�s not his fault there was a puddle there.�
�He should�ve listened to Chris,� he muttered.
�When has he ever listened to Chris?� I asked rhetorically.
�Never, but still�� he trailed off.
�Don�t pay attention to him Justy. He�s just pissed, that�s all,� I told Justin.
He just shook his head sadly and went upstairs.
***************************************************************************
JC remained distant from Justin for the rest of the night. He was still mad about the accident. Justin was glum.
I pulled him into the other room.
�JC you�ve gotta stop acting like an ignorant pig and forgive Justy about what happened,� I scolded.
�He almost got you killed Jessie. Do you know how much that would�ve hurt me Jessie? Any clue? I�d be nothing. That�s what I�d be. How am I supposed to forgive him?� he asked bitterly.
�Well, JC, I�m not dead. I�m safe and sound. And Justin is feeling like the lowest thing on earth because he got his best friend�s girlfriend in an accident. That�s what it was C. An accident. Now please go and forgive him,� I pleaded.
He thought for a moment. �Ok I�ll forgive him. I guess I owe it to him,� he said reluctantly.
�That�s my man,� I joked, giving him a kiss.
�I should do that more often.�
�Just get out there. You�re stalling.�
I followed, feeling relieved and happy I didn�t end their friendship.
***************************************************************************
A bright light blinded me when I awoke.
�Rise and shine!� called JC, who had opened the blinds.
�What are you trying to do? Blind me?� I asked, yawning.
�Nah. Just to wake you up. Keith is coming remember?�
�Oh yeah. He was so-wait a minute�why are you happy? You don�t usually talk highly of him. Why are you so excited?� I asked suspiciously.
�Can�t a boyfriend be excited about meeting their girlfriend�s ex with out having suspicions come up?� he asked exasperatedly.
�No. Now tell me why you are so anxious to meet him,� I said firmly.
�I had a little too much coffee this morning. Does that explain it?�
�No. You don�t drink coffee. Tell me what�s going on!�
�Nothing is going on. I just have some energy today that�s all.�
�Yeah. Right.�
I shook my head as he left.
I got out of my canopy bed and headed toward the oak dresser. Even my clothes had been put in.
Picking out a pair of black soccer shorts and a navy blue shirt with a dragon on it, I got into the shower.
***************************************************************************
�Good morning everyone,� I said cheerily as I went down the stairs. �What�s for breakfast?�
�Breakfast? Morning? I don�t think so. It�s 12, and it�s no longer breakfast,� Lance replied.
�So what if I took a bit in the shower? It just happens to be the longest shower I�ve had in the past 3 months,� I said as I poured some cereal in a bowl of milk.
�And probably the 3 years before that too,� Chris snickered.
�Shut up Chrissy Wissy,� I teased.
�I thought I told you not to tell anyone!� he pouted.
�I did? Whoops.�
�That reminds me! What did Keith mean when he said your name was Tsui Mei?� Joey asked.
�Nothing. Not anything.� I went to my cereal, hoping to have the excuse of food to stall.
He pulled the bowl away.
�Hey! I was eating that!�
�Answer me now and I�ll hand over the cereal,� Joey compromised.
�Ok fine. It�s my middle name. Happy?� I asked, grabbing my cereal.
�It�s your MIDDLE name?� they chorused.
�See. I told you not to ask.�
�TSUI MEI!� Chris and Joey shouted.
I covered my ears to block it out. I hated my middle name. It was just plain weird.
�Leave her alone guys,� Lance said.
I let my hands down.
�Tsui Mei!� Lance shouted.
�Lance!� I pouted.
�Had to get ya,� he responded, slapping high fives with Joey and Chris.
I took my cereal and went to the living room. There was faint conversation I could hear.
�Is everything ready?�
�Yep. Got everything set up and everything.�
�Good. I want this to go smooth.�
�Actually, all you want is a yes for an answer.�
I crunched mindlessly on the cereal, concentrating on the conversation.
�Shut up! Even if the answer�s no, I�ll be able to handle it.�
�No you won�t. You�ll be crushed to tears."
�No I won�t! Just because I got a little teary before, I won�t this time.�
�But that�s if the answer�s no.�
�Right. If it�s yes, I whoop for joy.�
�Oh yeah.�
Their voices were growing louder. They must be coming in.
Justin and JC walked in nonchalantly and sat down on the couch on each side of me.
�Hey sweetie.� JC kissed my milky lips.
�Good morning.�
�Morning?� Justin asked.
�I know it�s not morning, but I thought it was so Joey, Lance, and Joey were making fun of me and my middle name-�
�What is your middle name?� Justin interrupted.
�I would rather not say,� I replied, embarrassed.
�She�s blushing! Must be a nasty one,� Justin pointed out.
�Oh shut up!�
�No really Jessie, what is it?�
�Tsui Mei,� I said under my breath.
�What?� they said in unison.
�IT�S TSUI MEI ALRIGHT?!�
They jumped. �Sorry,� they countered.
�Sorry, I just don�t really like my middle name,� I apologized.
�It�s ok.�
�Well, well, well. If it isn�t�� Chris started.
�TSUI MEI!� he, Joey, Lance, and Justin yelled.
�Oh shut up!� JC and I shouted.
�I�m gonna go for a walk now,� I said, going to put my bowl in the sink.
�I�m coming with you,� JC said, standing up himself.
�Why?�
�You don�t know this place, remember?�
�Oh. Yeah. Ok. You can come. Let�s go. What time is Keith getting in again?�
�4:45. You forgot already?�
�Well, I�ve just been preoccupied. Let�s go.�
***************************************************************************
I tapped my foot impatiently on the floor. They should be arriving any minute now�
The door opened.
I searched the river of people, looking for a familiar face plus one. Then I spotted them.
�Keith! Mikey!�
They looked for the source of the voice. Then Michael found us.
�Hey! Jessie. What�s up?�
I hugged Keith and said, �I�m fine. Keith, JC.�
They shook hands and said hi.
I hugged Michael and said, �Michael, this is my boyfriend, JC.�
�You finally met him. I can remember when you-�
�Just don�t even go there, Mikey.�
�Ok. So where�s this apartment you were telling me about?� he asked.
�C�mon. We�ll show you.�
***************************************************************************
After we dropped Keith off, we got into JC�s Jeep.
�Ok Jessie. Now I want to take you somewhere. Somewhere special,� JC said as he started the car.
�Where?�
�You�ll see.�
***************************************************************************
He pulled the blindfold over my eyes.
�Not this again! Why all the surprises?� I groaned.
�That�s what you get when you got me as your boyfriend.�
I sighed. �Hope we get there soon�
***************************************************************************
�Ok, you can look now,� he said softly.
He was carrying me and I took off my blindfold.
I gasped at the sight as he set me down.
The sun was setting, changing the clouds to shades of purple, pink, gold, blue, orange, and lavender. The colors we running into each other like watercolors. It was like a masterpiece. We were on a cliff on the beach. The water was calm and soft waves were rolling into the sand on shore. The light of the remaining rays of sun was glinting off the water, creating a fantasy scene.
�JC. This is beautiful,� I breathed.
�I knew you�d like it,� he replied, putting his arms around my waist from behind. Then he started kissing my neck softly.
I closed my eyes. This moment just had to last.
