Ritchie

      The lads and I were sitting in doing yet another interview.  We always got the same questions.  In fact, to tell you the truth, after a while we  ended up saying the same things over and over.  I wasn’t devoting all my attention to it though.  I had things on my mind.  Well in all honesty it wasn’t a thing it was a SOMEONE on my mind.  I eyed Scott who was sitting next to me as he as usual answered cheekily to a question.  He was in a really swell mood and I mean really swell.  He still hadn’t explained why Julie had been there and where he had been.  Then again we hadn’t had the time to really talk about it all.  We had to go straight to the interview. 

“Do any of you have girlfriends?”, Jill, the interviewer asked. 

I sighed softly to myself.  It was a typical question....but this time...

“No I don’t”, J answered.

“Neither do I”, Sean said as he glared at me coldly.  I shifted my gaze uncomfortably.  It didn’t seem as if he was going to forgive me anytime soon. 

“I did.  But we just broke up.  So I’m single lad now”, Abs said thoughtfully.

“I wouldn’t say I have a girlfriend”, I answered.  I was telling the truth.  Grace and I hadn’t discussed it.  I heard J snort and saw Abs shaking his head...and then there was silence. 

We all looked expectantly at Scott to answer so we could move on.  But for some reason he had suddenly become quiet.  Something that wasn’t one of his normal traits...

“I don’t have a girlfriend.  But there is someone special in my life who I’m with right now”, he said softly smiling.

What?  I gave him a glance but he was looking elsewhere.

“That’s all the questions I have for you- Thanks guys.  Nice meeting you”, Jill said as she turned off her recorder and got up to leave.  We all shook her hand and as soon as she walked out the door...

“Who exactly are you seeing Scott?”, Abs said.

“Julie”, he replied looking straight at Abs.  Abs didn’t say a word in reply.  He just turned, walked over to his CD player and put on his headphones.  That was a sure indicator that he was upset.
 
“Since when?”, Sean asked.

“A couple of hours ago”, Scott replied glancing over at Abs worried.

“That explains everything...why she was here”, I said in realization.

“Don’t bother to talk to him now Scott- he isn’t going to want to”, J added motioning over to Abs, recognizing the reason for Scott’s worried expression.

This was getting complicated all right.  First J, Jen and Michelle.   Grace and I.  Now Scott and Julie.  I shook my head in disbelief.  What was it with those birds?  I reached into my pocket and took out my mobile.  I had to hear her voice.  I had to make sure that these last few hours hadn’t been a dream. 

“Yeah”, I heard her say on the other line.

“It’s Ritchie”

“Oh HI....hold on” 
 
 

     GRACE

     I looked around to my comrades, and they were looking at me like I freaking turned into a frog!  Julie had the most confused look on her face…if only she knew what I knew.  Then again, I didn't need another person to know what I just got myself into.  Shoot!  I didn't even tell all the other girls jet what was going on!  Not wanting to interrupt the splendid interview with…"What th' Chuck!", I bounded over to a secluded corner to have my little conversation with Ritchie.  And a wonderful direction it was heading too!  "Do we have a significant other in our lives?"  What the hell kind of question was that?!  And why did I answer "I'm not sure".  I should've flat out denied everything…I don't know why I didn't.  Maybe I was just too preoccupied.  And since when did Laura go out with J.C.?

"Hello, love, are you there?"  A british voice got me back to my senses.

"Yah, so what's up?  Enjoying that San Francisco weather, eh?  (Drawn out
fake laugh.)  Heh…heh…heh…um…yah."

"Yes, actually.  At it's foggiest it reminds me of London."

"(Laugh that's a tad bit too enthusiastic.)  Oh HAH-HAH-HAH!  London fog!
You're so funny dude!  HAHAHAHAH!"

"Well…yeah.  Um…I was wondering…are you…ah…ok?"

"Yep, swell my friend!  Snug as a bug…yah, stuff!  Why?"

"Um…well…circumstances as they are…I was just wondering if…"
All of a sudden I felt this aching feeling at the back of my head.  Like
someone or something was laughing at me!  And then it started feeding me
words…like what I should say in this very awkward moment.

"Oh you mean the kiss!"  What the hell?!  I did not just blurt that one
out!  I even said it as if all we did was shake hands and not share a long,
passionate…

"Yes!  The kiss!  (A satisfied sigh.)"

"Yah well, what about it?"

"Well…How can I say this?  (Pause.)  It was the most incredible thing I've
ever experienced, for one thing."
"Yah…well, yah, it was huh?"  There was that think at the back of my mind
again.

"So what…I mean…what does that make us now?"

And as suddenly as it manifested itself, it left…that little…thing that
seemed to manipulate me.  It left me at a loss for words.  "Heh…now?
Well…that depends.  I mean…what  were we before?  There can be no change of state without first identifying the state that  a change is made from
right?  It's all a matter of the laws…of…physical…thermodynamical…stuff, ya know?"

"What?  I didn't get all that."

"It's just…I…I don't know."

"You mean you kissed me and you don't know why?"

"Um…yes."

"Oh…I see."

"Sorry…"

(Silence.)

I continued, "It was all…well…you see…I'm a very impulsive person, and you
were all sad.  I didn't want to make you sad so…so…I just did it, I guess."

I heard some muttering on the other line, and all of a sudden, "YOU MEAN
YOU WANTED TO LEAD ME ON?  After all I-urgh-WHAT DID I SEE IN YOU ANYWAYS!"

Surprisingly, he stayed on the line.  I think he was holding on the sliver
of hope that I wasn't going to break his heart.  Why oh why did I do what I
did?  I didn't even know.  I swear that an alien invaded my body and was
making me do things I didn't want to do!  "HA HA HA HA HA HA…."  Oh my
gawd!  There it was again!  That…that…other personality coming into my
head.  And as if picking up where it left off, it started feeding me things
to say.

"You concieted little-!  Why do you think that the world revolves around
you all of a sudden!?  I had to choose.  Me Me ME!  And so sue me if in a
moment of weakness and indecisiveness I kissed you!  Maybe I did wrong.
Maybe I shouldn't have kissed you.  Maybe it should've been Sean after
all!"  And with that I pressed "end" on my cell phone.  He called back almost immediately after.  I let it ring for a while, and
pressed "answer". 

 "Yes, and what have you to say?"

"Uh…Grace, love…I'm…I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to upset you.  I would be
lying if I said that I wish you didn't kiss me, so I'll take anything that
comes with it.  Whatever you want to do about this…it's your own choice-AND you don't have to make a choice if you don't want to." 

 Smart guy, learning from his previous mistakes, no doubt.

"Hey…are you guys going to meet us at that address I gave you?  I want you
to show me how to do that 'Slam Dunk da Funk' dance, and maybe I can teach you how to Cha-cha!"  Sudden change of subject probably confused the hell out of him, but that was the way I was.  Maybe confronted with both Sean and Ritchie will decide me.

"Well…sure, um…I guess.  I'd rather we talk face to face too.  So, I guess
we'll meet later then?  I can't wait."  Just then, the interview apparently
over, Jules rudely pulled me away from the corner I was in.  Hastily I said into the phone before hanging up, "Okay...See you soon Ritchie...Me too…."  I realized my mistake too late.  Jules mouthed a questioning "Ritchie", and I felt my cheeks flush.    Damn you Jules!  Irritated, I brought up a possibly equally uncomfortable subject, "So Jules tell me who exactly are you seeing?" 

"Yeah Jules?  WHO's the lucky guy...or should I say LAD?", Jen caught on to
the direction of the questioning.

"I'll tell you in the van....I'll tell you ALL in the van", she said, and
not letting herself be the only one on the spot, added, "And Laura can tell
us about Mr. Chasez..."

Michelle elbowed Antonio on his way to the drivers seat, and yanked the keys out of his hand, "Yeah.  I can't wait to her that one!" 

"But first- Can someone fill me in on what happened at McDonalds with
Grace?", Jules said as we hopped into the van after her.  Expectedly, everyone turned their eyes on me.  I looked towards the air,
and was about to come up with a crazy story, when I settled on the truth.

"Ok, I'll be honest.  He wanted to meet me alone, and we took a walk.  He
wanted me to choose between him and Sean, and I was about to break his
heart when I…I…."

"You kissed him," Jules said, surprisingly perceptive.  My surprised look
probably gave truth to her claim, and everyone widened their eyes at me and
gave incredulous gasps.    Before they could jump to any conclusions, I hastlily said "It was an impulsive act!  I didn't even mean to, but he was just looking sad and…I couldn't help it!"

"Sure Grace!"

"Whatever!"

"We saw the looks you gave Ritchie all this time!"

"So you don't think he's gay anymore, do you?"

I couldn't believe it!  They didn't believe me!  They thought I planned to
kiss Ritchie all along, and I was just leading Sean along!  I was about to
burst out in a moment of fury when Antonio calmly said, "I believe her.
She IS very impulsive, but she can also be indecisive.  She is also not one
to toy with another's heart."

That remark silenced everyone.  I tried to look into Antonio's eyes, but he
was in the passenger seat next to Michelle, and remained facing forward.
Even if he tried to mask his voice with a dismissive tone, I could hear the
emotion in it.  It was the first time he alluded to our previous
relationship in years.  I was touched, and I was also aware of how moving
on to other relationships affected him.  He, on the other hand, was not so
successful with moving on.

I continued, "We-I haven't decided what to do from here.  He's leaving it
up to me."

It was silent once more, until Jen turned to Jules and said mischeviously,
"And now it's time for you to be honest, Jules."

I could see her trying to mask her blush, "Well…ok, honestly right?  Scott,
(and with the mention of his name everyone echoed an 'Oooo, Scott'), picked
me up on our way to look for Ritchie and Grace, and we looked in Golden Gate
Park for them.  And Abs called me.  He wanted me to go to the
Fairmont…well…anyways… (we all gave her piercing looks, which made her
admit what she seemed reluctant to)  Ok, ok.  YES, Scott kissed me!  And I
hung up on poor Abs….  Well…I-we did decide that…we should say that we, I
mean, that we are in fact…official you might say."

It probably was an effort for her to get that out.  But it was out, and so
we turned to Laura expectantly.  Michelle gave voice to our thoughts, "Laura,
you gotta tell us about the N'Sync boy now!"

Laura gave a nervous laugh.  "Well…I have to be honest from the beginning.
I had a ticket to the concert all the time.  My co-worker had one, but at
the last minute she wasn't able to go.  And somehow I got out of my
obligation-so it was meant to be, you know.  So I turned up at the concert
early, and it was a lawn seat so I looked everywhere for you guys and
couldn't find you!  I know now why-so anyways I kept looking for you that I
even bumped into a Security guy guarding the way into backstage.  He was
being so mean, and I was trying to explain that I was looking for my
friends.  I forgot who was performing, but it wasn't N'Sync cuz at the next
minute someone rescued me from this mean guy and guess who it was!  It was
J.C.!  And he told me how he knew who I was looking for by the way I
described you guys.  He told me to hang around him meantime, and he'd
reunite me with you guys.  I even watched them perform from backstage, and
I saw 5ive too-they were great also.  So afterwards, we still couldn't find
youguys.  Somehow he found out you went to the 5ive afterparty, and he said
he'd take me there himself!  Well, it was a personal limo apparently.  We
took several detours, even to Koit tower cuz he told me he always wanted to
see it.  And that's where it happened, under the starry night overlooking
the bay-"

"YOU KISSED HIM!" we all chorused at once.

"No! No…not exactly.  He told me, I don't know, stupid stuff.  He had to
go, so he said something like how beautiful I was, and how he couldn't bear
to let me go just when he found me.  Then I said something stupid, like how
it didn't have to be the last time he saw me.  It was cold, so he put his
arms around me, and-yes-we kissed.  So that's how it happened.  I gave him
my number, and he gave me his.  And anytime I could, I called him on my
cell.  Of course in private.  I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys earlier, but
we didn't make it 'official' until this afternoon."

So that was her story.  That was it for all of our stories.  Everything was
out in the open now-or so I thought.  Who knew what secrets everyone held?
The studio was not far now until I remembered one secret I forgot to tell
everyone.  "Umm…guys?  I forgot to tell you, we're on our way to the studio
anyways…and so…I thought that I'd have the guys meet us there too."
Everyone gave me yelps of surprise, mostly because as we turned the corner,
there was a big van, and 5ive british guys lined in front of it.  Quick
thinking Jen said, "Ok, this is just in front of the studio and it gives
nothing away about PARTYGURLS.  But we're here just to drop off Antonio who works here, ok?  We'll leave him the van and-"

"And get in their van and take them to our apartment!  Yes, I was planning
that all along!"  I quickly added in, to save face.

"Whatever man, you just gave them the address without thinking about what
excuse we'd come up with!" Michelle pulled into a reserved parking space, and
killed the engine.

"Ok, we got our stories straight?  Let's go and face the music."  Jules
anxiously looked at the waiting guys, mostly between Abs and Scott I knew.
We filed out as FIVE came to meet us halfway.  When they were in hearing
distance, Antonio abruptly said, "Ok guys, thanks for dropping me off at
work.  Sorry for bothering you all day, but I promise I won't for the rest
of the day at least.  (He gave us a wink only we could see.)  Take care,
bye!"  And he bounded off towards the building.  He probably wanted to
avoid the fiasco that would undoubtedly occur, which was all good and fine for him.  But what about us?!

Now we are heading into trouble!! What is up!   CLICK HERE for Chapter 16
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