| Chapter Six Lance threw Justin a dirty look as they closed and locked the door to JC�s room. �I didn�t tell him anything,� Justin licked his lips. He didn�t like the look Lance was giving him one bit. �I swear!� �It�s okay, Lance... don�t bite his head off. Old Justin there didn�t say a word,� JC shook his head when Justin sighed in relief and Lance began to relax. �But... it�s pretty obvious that, you know, you�re interested in Catch.� Lance shrugged his shoulders, trying to act nonchalant about the whole thing, �Well... I guess... I�m feeling something more than just a brotherly feeling towards her... you know, I just, well, I know this sounds crazy, but I want to be with her. She�s all I can think of... every second of the day I just... I can�t focus on anything other than her. I mean, yeah, our music�s really important to me and sometimes I forget about her and all my problems. When we sing, I just lose myself in the feeling of it... but when we stop everything just comes crashing back down on me. Damn, I don�t even know what I feel for her.� JC folded his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently on the floor. �Lance, somehow you sound like you�re out to play with Catch�s feelings and I don�t appreciate that thought.� Justin sighed and flopped onto the bed. He looked from Lance�s confused expression to JC�s angry one, and sighed again. �Cool it, guys. Lance, do you like Choc or not? I�m sorry but I agree with JC. You sound like you want to toy around with her. And I�m beginning to feel really protective over her so...� �Dammit Justin! I�m not out to toy around with her, okay? I just... I�m not sure how I feel about her. When you told me about Marcus today, the first thing that went through my mind were the words �I�m gonna kill that guy�... of course there was shock that anything like that could have happened to our lively girl, but... I felt this defensiveness over Naomi. I just... I just wanted to hold her and tell her how everything would be okay.� Lance glared at JC and then turned to face Justin. �I�ll say this once, and only once. I am NOT out to play with anyone�s feelings.� Justin raised his hands as if to shield himself from Lance�s anger. �Okay, I believe you. But there are a lot of issues to be cleared here tonight. Look, this room is set far apart from the rest because I know JC is more of a private person than the rest of us so we can just scream and fight and curse and no one�s going to hear a thing. JC, I know you�re feeling really angry and worried over this Marcus thing, so you can vent it all out... later. Lance, I really don�t know how you feel about it but... now�s the time to tell us.� Lance licked his lips. �It�s difficult to explain. Look, JC, I know you love Naomi like a sister and you want to protect her at all costs, but I�m not going to hurt her. I... I think I�m in love,� Lance shrugged helplessly. �But that�s the craziest thing I have ever heard. I don�t believe in love at first sight, or that love can be built in a matter of two weeks. I... I don�t know what I�m feeling towards her. I don�t know if it�s attraction, or if it�s a crush, or if it�s love. I am just so FREAKING confused.� JC sighed, �You know what, Lance?� �What?� �I think I understand exactly what you�re trying to say.� �WHAT?� �Mmhmm... I�m getting mixed signals from Alyssa and Catch here. One minute, I feel like Alyssa is drooling over me, literally. And the next... the next she�s acting like I�m her older brother. The signals I got from her today just read, EAT ME UP, I AM YOURS FOR THE TAKING... but I don�t know how she�ll behave tomorrow. It�s like she�s blowing hot and cold. I don�t really know what she wants. �And then Catch... now I know this is gonna sound weird, but... usually I get the feeling she loves me as nothing, I repeat, nothing, more than an older brother. But when she sees me and Alyssa together, maybe acting a little bit closer than we should be, I see something like uncertainty in her eyes. I thought I even saw jealousy the other day. I don�t know what she�s thinking. I don�t even know what I�m thinking, for crying out loud!� Justin could see that it was now JC�s turn to go all hysterical. �Sometimes I feel something pulling at me... and it�s screaming at me to... to take Alyssa in my arms, dip her and give her the most passionate kiss she's ever felt in her life... and sometimes I... I just want to shake Catch and ask her what the hell she thinks of me.� Lance swallowed painfully. �I�m not allowing you to hurt Alyssa in any way, JC. You want to protect Naomi, fine. But Alyssa is my good friend and someone I would lay down my life for. You better make up your mind before you go for either girl.� Lance sighed, �Actually, what I wanted to ask you really was whether you would mind if I went out with Naomi, like, on a date?� �As long as she�s single, you should go for it. It doesn�t matter if I�m in love with her, because as much as you care for me, Lance, it would be totally wrong for you to keep your feelings to yourself just because I liked her. If she chooses another guy at the end of the day, then well, too bad, give up. But as long as she�s single, you should go for it... with everything you�ve got.� Lance grinned, �So Alyssa was right after all.� JC and Justin looked at him funnily but didn�t pursue it. Justin patted Lance and JC on the back. �Now I want to know your feelings about the whole Marcus-and-Naomi thing. Come on, tell me how you felt the exact moment you realized she was that close to being raped. And how you felt when you got over the initial shock.� �Justin, are you the friggin� interrogator or something?� �Okay, okay... forget I ever said anything.� Justin shuddered at the look JC gave him. �Jesus JC, if looks could kill, I�d drop dead at your feet.� �I don�t think that�s such a bad idea, J.� �Ouch.� Lance rolled his eyes. �Look, how I felt you guys already know. And I swear I have never been as worried or freaked out over someone as I was over Naomi at that moment. If you think I�m lying, I really have nothing to say. But I�m praying I�ll never meet that Marcus guy... for his sake... because I don�t know what I�ll do if I see him.� �Well, firstly, you�d say good morning, because YOU DON�T KNOW WHAT THE HELL HE LOOKS LIKE!� �Although that�s a good point, Justin, I know you�re feeling the same thing I am. I may not know what he looks like, but that�s besides the point. All I can say is that I definitely feel more than just �brotherly affection� for her,� Lance grimaced. �I guess it�s my turn?� JC chuckled bitterly when Lance didn't continue and Justin didn�t think he had ever heard anything more ugly than JC�s laugh in his life. �I can�t even begin to explain the feelings or thoughts that raced through my head when Naomi said she had ALMOST... BEEN... RAPED. I can�t explain the reason behind the adrenaline that flowed through my body like lightning or the reason why my heart began pounding at two hundred beats per second! I can�t explain why I almost punched the tree and broke my knuckles when inside I felt like crying. But I can tell you why I hate myself more than I hate that bastard who did this to her. �I HATE MYSELF for not being there when she needed me. I HATE MYSELF for not pulling her out of her crisis earlier. I hate myself for having to watch her grow up through her letters instead of being there to see her at her senior prom, out on her first date, her first interview, her first job... I HATE that I couldn�t be there through her life and that she could pick what she wanted to tell me when I wanted to know every single detail about her life. I wanted to know about her disappointments, her heartaches, her troubles, her worries... but all I got were the happy times. She would confide in me after her troubles were over or when they were just too much to bear, but other than that, she would keep everything locked up inside, and I HATE that I couldn�t be there to force everything out of her!� JC was breathing heavily. He had never felt as much anger or hatred towards himself as he did at that moment. �I hate myself for having to hear her choke out her problem with Marcus when I should have been there to stop it from happening. Dammit! Are you satisfied now, Justin? I told you exactly how I feel. I... HATE... MYSELF.� Justin bit his trembling lip and blinked back his tears. �I�m sorry, JC,� he whispered. �But none of this was your fault. You never meant for this to happen. You wanted to be there. You tried to be there. That�s what matters. That�s what counts here.� JC stumbled backwards and stopped when his back finally hit the wall. �No Justin... you don�t get it. I claimed to be her friend, her confidante... I claimed that I would love her forever. And you know what? The mere fact that I couldn�t be there even though I wanted to be... that is what hurts me the most. Privacy and normalcy... the two things I want, no, I need... I can�t have them. And you know why? It�s all because of our music. I love music. It�s my life. I wouldn�t give it up for the world. But I just wish there could be some way for me to be there every day in her life. Some way for me to make this up to her. I wish there was some way I could spend more TIME with her!� Lance closed his eyes, an anguished look on his usually carefree face. �Don�t do this to yourself, JC. You�re just torturing yourself. It�s not going to help her in any way... she needs to be helped... and your ranting isn�t helping anything.� �Dammit Lance... then tell me what I can do!� JC shouted. Then he sighed and ran an agitated hand through his brown hair. �Look, I�m sorry. Forget it. Let�s just drop it. I don�t want to start another fight or another argument over something like this. I just want there to be some way to help her... and to get out of this never ending pit I seem to have dug for myself. I�m just going to take it a step at a time. I�m so confused. I�m going to forget about any feelings or signals... maybe I�m just reading too deeply into them. They�re both innocent and I�m just... not thinking straight.� Lance gave JC a brotherly hug. �Look, everything will turn out okay. Right now, the biggest problem is already settled. Naomi is okay now that she�s gotten everything off her chest. She needs your support and your friendship. Now is the time you can make up for it. Now is the time to start making amends.� Lance went out of the room after JC forced a smiled and said, �Yeah... I think you�re right. Thanks Lance. And... you should make your move now. Catch should know how you feel for her... even if you�re not sure yet. Just go with the flow... maybe it�ll come to you like a bolt from the blue.� Justin bounced on JC�s bed, his lips pressed into a thin line. �JC, you know that I didn�t buy that �I-am-okay-with-you- and-Chocolate-dating-so-go-right-ahead� thing for a second, right?� JC shrugged. �I don�t know, Justin. I don�t know anything anymore.� Justin sighed, �Listen, JC. I should probably be on Lance�s side because, honestly, you sound like the one trying to play with the girls� feelings... but I know you�re not the type, so I have a few words of advice.� �Shoot.� �Listen to your heart.� "What?� Justin smiled and shrugged as he left the room. �You heard me. Now it�s up to you to decide what you want to do about it.� Justin giggled at JC�s confused expression as he closed the door. �Go for it, JC. Do what you told Lance to do and go... for... it.� He whispered to the door, knowing that JC wouldn�t hear him and yet having to speak his thoughts. �I�m behind you all the way, buddy.� (In Naomi�s bedroom.) Naomi sighed and rubbed her eyes. She lifted the clock from the bedside table next to her. Twelve-thirty in the morning?! I�ve just got to get some sleep if I�m going to meet the guys at Jive tomorrow... I mean, today... at nine. Okay, close your eyes, Naomi, and start counting sheep. One... two... three... five, I mean four... hell! This isn�t working! Ally�s sleeping, James is sleeping, so why can�t I sleep? You know why, Naomi... you know exactly why you can�t sleep and- Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. She quickly picked the cordless phone up, hoping that James hadn�t been awoken by the sound, and wondering who would call them that late at night. �Hello?� �Catch?� Naomi almost cried when she heard JC�s voice. He sounded so good. Just that one word brought her comfort and calmness. And listening to his reassurances were just what she needed then. �Chase?� �Yeah... listen, I�m sorry I called... I know it�s late and I know you don�t like it, but... I needed to talk to you,� JC bit his lip, wondering how she would react. �If you want me to hang up then-� �No!� Naomi protested. �No... don�t hang up, Chase.� �Um, you see, I�m really sorry but I just had to talk to you.� Naomi giggled, �Funny but I was just thinking the same thing.� JC smiled to himself, but then his face fell, �So why aren�t you sleeping? I thought you were still the early sleeper kind.� "Well, yeah, I am...� Naomi admitted, �I just... I�m just not very...� she stifled a yawn. �tired right now.� �Right...� JC rolled his eyes and his tone plainly gave away his disbelief. �Listen, you don�t really think I fell for that �I�m-okay-now-so-don�t-worry-about-me� act, do you? Come on, Catch, you know I know you better than that.� �Well...� Naomi bit her lip, then sighed. Why am I even hiding this from him? Why shouldn�t I just tell him how I feel about everything? �You... I am scared, Chase... but it�s over now and I�m trying really hard to get over it. But... but at night I just...� Naomi felt tears coming to her eyes and she swiped them away. �The memories just come flooding back and there�s no way to hide from them or keep them away.� JC inhaled sharply when he heard the fear in her voice, �Is that all you�re scared of, Catch? I�m sure there�s more. You can�t have gotten over it that quick... you always put up a brave front... what�s so wrong about showing your vulnerable side? It�s only me.� Naomi sighed, �It�s because it�s you. I... I don�t want you to feel burdened or worried about it. Heaven knows... you�ve got enough work as it is. I just...� �You�re trying to protect me, aren�t you, Catch?� JC�s bottom lip was trembling. �All this time you wouldn�t tell me how you were really feeling about... about everything... you were just trying to protect me.� Naomi hung her head and nodded, even though she knew that he couldn�t see her then. �Yeah.� �Then tell me now. Tell me everything. I want to know, Catch... I need to know.� JC ran a hand through his hair. �You�re right, Chase. I�m scared. I... I don�t know how the other guys are going to react after they�ve gotten over the shock. They acted like I was a live bomb even today. I don�t want that. I don�t need their pity. That�s why I didn�t tell anyone in the first place. I need to have some sense of normalcy... I need to know that after all this I can still be treated like... I don�t know, a normal person.� �The guys would never chide you because of this, Catch. I know them and they�re not the type. They�ll put it behind them and everything will just be normal for them.� JC reassured her but he knew there was a look of disbelief on her face. �I hope so... the other thing I�m worried about... I... I want to know that Marcus is out of Jive before he does something else.� �Like what?� JC asked, gently. He was glad that Naomi was opening up totally towards him. He knew that what she had said was true - she was going to live life her way, and she was going to start trusting again. But he also knew that it wasn�t that simple to trust someone. Trust wasn�t something you could build overnight. It took years to be able to trust in someone, and even then, the trust may not be totally there. There was a pause before Naomi answered softly. �I don�t know.� JC knew she was lying. She was scared Marcus would try to rape her again. JC hated to hear the fear in her voice. With a steely determination, he replied, �I�ll get him fired. I promise.� There was another pause. Naomi listened to JC�s even breathing and it calmed her somewhat. �Chase?� �Hmm?� �Do you think you could... you know, come over for a while? I... don�t want to be alone tonight and... Alyssa�s gone to sleep already.� JC chuckled. �Naomi, go out into the garden.� �Why?� �Just do it... come on.� Something in JC�s voice made Naomi giggle. She walked down the stairs, opened the front door and stepped out into the garden, the phone still in her hand. She clutched it tightly as she walked forward a few steps cautiously. �Chase? What exactly am I supposed to be-� Naomi struggled when someone gently put a hand over her mouth and eyes. �Shh...� she heard him whisper and she grinned when she realized who it was. He dropped the hand covering her mouth to his side, cleared his throat and said, �Guess who?� Naomi giggled, �I like your surprises, Chase.� JC groaned, �Aww man... how did you know?� He spun Naomi around to meet him and she grinned when she saw the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. �Come on, admit it, I know you cheated!� �I did NOT!� Naomi cried indignantly. JC shrugged, but there was a devilish look in his eyes that Naomi didn�t miss. �It�s okay if you won�t admit it.� Naomi stuck out her tongue and JC grinned, his teeth a brilliant white in the moonlight. �Come on, let�s go for a drive.� �Now?� Naomi asked, amazed. �Now.� "But you�ve got work tomorrow and...� JC clapped his hand over her mouth and said, �It�s just for one night. Don�t worry about me. And you can�t sleep either. So let�s just enjoy the ride.� Naomi giggled and nodded. (Ten minutes later, In JC�s car.) Naomi sat comfortably in the passenger seat of JC�s car. He had his hand over hers and that gave her some comfort. �Chase?� �Hmm?� �I... do you... never mind.� Somehow, Naomi just couldn�t find the words to say. She badly wanted to ask JC if he felt anything for Alyssa. She was curious and yet worried about his answer. JC scrutinized Naomi carefully for a second before turning his eyes back on the road. �Look, Catch, if there�s anything you want to ask me, shoot. We�ve always been blunt with each other and now is just not the time to start getting tongue-tied.� Naomi nodded and licked her lips nervously. �Well, I... you see... oh hell! Alyssa likes you, Chase. And I want to know if you feel anything for her.� JC couldn�t help smiling. �Okay... I have to admit that was pretty straightforward. Mmm... this is kind of a tough question, Catch. Lance, Justin and I had a good talk just now... and, well, let�s just say I�m not very sure about my feelings yet. I�ll admit one thing, though... Alyssa is definitely a woman I feel attracted to. I just don�t know if it�s only attraction... or something more.� �I see...� Naomi sighed. She understood completely what JC meant. Well, kind of. �And... what about Lance?� JC almost accelerated instead of braking when he heard her question. He slowed down at the traffic light and turned to Naomi. �Are you absolutely, positively, one-hundred percent sure you want to know?� Naomi nodded fervently. JC turned away quickly to hide a grin as he said. �I can�t tell you.� Naomi�s eyes were wide with indignance. �Hey... you... I... how can you just... I mean, you told me to...� she sputtered. JC couldn�t help smiling at her. �Okay, okay! Well... Lance admitted he feels more than just �brotherly affection� for you. He thinks he likes you and I think he�s going to make a move on you real soon. So you�d better be careful.� Naomi giggled. �If he�s after me, then the only one who should be careful is him! You can ask Alyssa, I�m deadly on dates.� JC laughed at her devilish expression. �Ahh... but you don�t know our Lance, young lady. He can be just as baaaaaddd as you claim to be.� �Claim?� Naomi smacked JC on the shoulder and smiled in satisfaction when he howled with pain. �What do you mean, claim?� �Okay, okay!� JC shook his head at her, jamming his foot on the accelerator when the light turned green. �While Lance is only bad, you are absolutely the worst, deadliest thing on dates.� He turned to look at her with an amused expression on his face. �Is that any better, O queen?� Naomi crossed her arms over her chest and grinned, �Yes. Thank you.� They giggled and JC continued to drive slowly down the road. �Chase?� �Hmm?� �Where are we going?� �You�ll see, Catch...� Naomi shrugged and focused on the road again. They had been driving down the same road for about ten minutes now. �That�s it!� JC yelled suddenly, turning the car and swerving into the nearest parking lot. �Finally!� Naomi�s eyebrows were raised in surprise and it took her a second to catch her breath, �Phew! Chase, when did you start driving like JUSTIN? In other words, when did you start driving like a LUNATIC?� JC smiled sheepishly and hopped out of the car. He helped Naomi out of the car before leading her down a path. After they walked for a few minutes in silence, Naomi finally realized where they were heading. �Chase... this... it�s the-� JC nodded before she could finish her sentence. �The exact place, Catch.� �Oh my god!� Naomi covered her mouth with her hand. �Chase, it�s seems like forever since we were last here...� JC smiled at Naomi�s shocked expression. They were at a deserted beach. There wasn�t a soul in sight. The sand seemed to sparkle in the moonlight and the waves were gently lapping against the shore. A light breeze blew gently over the surface of the water, and white foam appeared. The serenity of the atmosphere was something JC had sorely missed. His life was a whirl of buzz and excitement and most of the time he wished he could just hide from the rest of the world till he had gotten enough time to clear his thoughts. Naomi tugged at his arm, hurrying him along. JC smiled at her impatience and innocence. �Okay, I�m coming, I�m coming...� Naomi giggled as the breeze flirted with her hair and her soft curls tickled her neck. She felt so at ease with the world and she smiled at JC. �Thank you Chase. This is... it�s just so... it�s too good to be true.� JC ruffled her hair and grinned, �Any time, Catch. Any time.� Naomi grinned at her own words. She pulled JC and they fell in a laughing heap onto the soft sand. They wrestled playfully for a few minutes, rolling over each other in the sand. JC managed to pin Naomi under him and they laughed as Naomi squirmed under his grasp. His eyes met hers and abruptly, they stopped laughing. The beach sounded strangely quiet as their laughter was carried away by the wind. JC�s breath stuck in his throat. His eyes travelled over Naomi�s hands, up her arms, over the necklace he had given her so long ago, to her beautiful face, to her lips and finally his eyes slammed into hers. Naomi was breathing heavily, and it wasn�t because of the playful wrestling match she had just had with JC, but instead, because of the way his eyes seemed to be searching hers... he seemed to be searching deep into her soul... Naomi gazed up at JC and suddenly realized his nearness. Her hands were pinned tightly to her side and his grip on her made her gulp. Her eyes wandered over his chest as it heaved up and down, his face, his lips... and finally they rested on his intense blue eyes. She could hear him panting and his breath felt strangely warm against her cheek. They stayed like that for what seemed like eternity. Then, slowly, JC lifted his hand and stroked her cheek, brushing a few curls of hair away from her face. Naomi felt a tingle rush down her spine at his touch and her cheeks burned. Slowly, almost nervously, JC leaned closer and closer to Naomi. She swallowed nervously, tilting her head so he would have easier access to her lips. Both of them drew in their breaths and waited for the magic moment when their lips would meet. His lips were hovering only centimetres above her own. Naomi closed her eyes, waiting expectantly, almost impatiently, for what she knew was about to come... �Hey! This looks like the perfect place! Come on!� JC opened his eyes and jerked back quickly at the noise. What was I doing? What was I thinking? How could I just... I was using her vulnerability! I... how could I? He almost kicked himself for his stupidity. He got off of Naomi quickly and dusted himself. A group of youngsters were making their way across the sand. They were laughing and joking and didn�t seem to have noticed either of them. JC hoped they wouldn�t recognize him. He bit his lip, extended his hand and helped Naomi up, brushing the sand off of her clothes. She looked as embarrassed and uncomfortable as he felt. �Um...� �It�s okay,� Naomi quickly stopped him before he could continue. �I mean... you don�t have to explain anything. What happened just now was... all a mistake. We... I... just don�t bring it up in front of the others.� Naomi forced a smile, �You know what they�re like. We�ll be teased like hell.� JC forced a weak chuckle, �Yeah.� Naomi licked her lips and sat back down on the sand. �Um...� �Do you remember when we first came here?� JC asked, sitting next to her, but putting some distance between them. He was trying desperately to get her mind off of the awkward moment. What had started out as an innocent outing was now ruined. And all because of one stupid move on his part. JC relaxed a bit and sighed thankfully when Naomi�s childish excitement returned and the uneasiness on her face disappeared. �Yeah,� she smiled. �I�ll never forget that day. We were sitting here and talking...� �Chase, why did you bring me here?� �Well, I�m leaving for High school soon, Catch,� JC sighed softly when Naomi leaned her head on his shoulder. �I don�t want you to go, Chase.� �I don�t want to go either, Catch. But... I have to.� Naomi was on the verge of tears and JC could feel tears coming to his eyes. He pretended to wipe his face with his hand as he swiped his tears away. He couldn�t and wouldn�t cry. Fifteen year-old boys never cried. And he didn�t want Naomi to see how miserable he was feeling. He didn�t want her to know that her friendship was the most important thing in his life because that would be admitting that he was weak when she wasn�t around. And he didn�t want her to know that there was nothing he wanted more than to be able to spend each and every day of his life with her. Naomi�s lips were trembling when she next spoke, �Will... will you forget me when you go, Chase?� JC shook his head vehemently. �No! I�ll... I�ll never forget you, Catch. I promise.� Naomi smiled when JC wrapped his arms around her and wiped her tears gently away. �I�ll miss you, Chase.� �I�ll miss you too, Catch.� Naomi pressed her lips against JC�s cheek and laughed at the stunned look on his face. She was only twelve, but she had already grown attached to JC. And she was more mature than anyone knew. She was childish in some ways but she knew, deep down, that she was more mature than anyone believed her to be. Most girls her age would believe in promises like the one JC had just made her. But Naomi knew, with a sinking heart, that promises like those were hard to keep. JC would make new friends, and there was a high chance that she would be forgotten after a few months. She sighed and her tiny hands squeezed JC�s larger ones. JC smiled despite his sadness and tilted his head to look at Naomi. �I�ve got something to give you,� he told her, hoping to lift her spirits. He was relieved when her eyes brightened and she smiled. He pulled two necklaces out of his pocket and handed one to her. Naomi stared at the heart and then turned to JC and looked funnily at him. �Why�s the heart broken, Chase? I don�t want a broken heart. When your heart is broken, you cry. I don�t want you to cry, Chase.� JC smiled at her childish innocence. That was what he loved about her. She never failed to brighten his day with a silly comment and one smile from her was all he needed to make it seem like everything would be okay. She was his lifeline and his hope, and she would always be there for him. Just like he would always be there for her. �Look at this, Catch,� he told her, joining both necklaces together. The broken hearts fitted together and the bears on either side seemed to be reaching out to each other with big smiles on their faces. �When we�re apart, I�ll be really sad. But I just have to look at this and think of you, and all my sadness will be wiped away. When we�re apart, I feel broken. But when we�re together, everything feels right again.� Naomi smiled. She knew JC didn�t expect her to understand a word he was saying, but surprisingly, she did. �I like this necklace, Chase. I�m going to keep it with me everyday and it will remind me of you. So I won�t feel so lonely or lost anymore.� JC looked at her with a genuine smile on his face, �Do... do you really understand what I�m trying to say, Catch? That I really mean it when I say I won�t forget you? And that this necklace is like a symbol of our love for each other?� Naomi nodded solemnly. �I understand, Chase. I know you don�t think I�m old or mature enough, but I understand. Truly.� JC tightened his grip on her shoulder and swallowed painfully. There was a lump in his throat and he kissed Naomi�s head. �Thank you for everything you�ve given me, Catch. Thank you so much.� �Don�t thank me, Chase.� Naomi�s eyes closed and a peaceful expression spread slowly across her young face. �I didn�t do anything to deserve a friend like you. I didn�t do anything to deserve the love, encouragement and help you�ve given me. I didn�t do anything to deserve the-� �The hurt you�re feeling because I�m leaving. You didn�t do anything to deserve the pain and bewilderment that you�re too young to understand and comprehend. You didn�t do anything to deserve the fear that I�m going to forget you.� There was a pain so intense in JC�s voice that Naomi flinched when she heard it. �Don�t worry about me, Chase,� Naomi tried to reassure her best friend, but when he looked at her and she saw the lost look in his eyes, tears began falling down her cheeks. �Yes, I�m scared and I�m worried and I don�t understand why the people I love seem to be leaving me one by one, but...� JC knew that Naomi meant the death of her parents and his leaving for high school, but he was worried, not only by her tone of voice, but also, by her choice of words. �I swear I�m not leaving you, Catch. I�ll may not be with you everyday, but I�ll always be in your heart, remember that.� Naomi shook her head. �But I�m scared. I don�t think I can keep going on without you Chase. You�re the one who�s made me try my best through everything terrible, and I�m scared that once you leave, I�ll give up.� �No!� JC protested wildly, �You can�t ever give up, Catch! Promise me... promise me that no matter how hard it seems, you won�t give up.� Naomi looked so young and frightened that JC closed his eyes and pulled her to him tightly before gently releasing her and looking into her pale blue eyes. �Come on, Catch, please. Promise... me...� Naomi opened her mouth and the words came out so softly JC had to lean forward to hear her. �I promise, Chase.� He smiled in satisfaction and held her close, burying his face in her long, wavy hair. �Good. Then there�s nothing to worry about.� Naomi nodded, �I�m going to do my best... and the necklace is going to help me. Because then I�ll know that you�re always with me, even though you�re far, far away.� Naomi knew her words didn�t make any sense, but she also knew that JC understood perfectly what she was trying to say. She smiled at him, fitting the necklaces together again. Her smile grew even wider when she read the completed message on the hearts. �Love... ya... forever...� Naomi smiled as she added in a final word of her own. �JC.� He smiled and hugged her, �Love ya forever... Naomi.� JC smiled, the memory imprinted deep in his mind. He knew, without a doubt, that the promise she had made to him was what had kept her going throughout everything. Naomi hugged herself and thought back to all the tough times she had been through and survived... survived because the one person she had always counted on, the one person who she knew would always love her, he had always... been... there... JC reached into his jeans pocket and felt an uncanny sense of calm when he felt the necklace still lodged there. The only time he had worn it was the day he had given the other half to Naomi. It just wasn�t right for a growing boy to be seen wearing a necklace with a bear and half a heart hanging off of the chain. But he had carried it around with him everywhere he went. No matter what the event, the necklace had always been somewhere close to him. And it had always given him the reassuring feeling that no matter what, Naomi would always be there for him. Naomi smiled when she saw JC reaching into his pocket. She saw his fingers tighten around something and knew at once what it was. She was smiling at him when he pulled his hand out of his pocket and turned to face her. �What?� he asked quizzically, puzzled by the knowing, impish look on her face. �Have you ever taken that necklace out of your pocket?� JC grinned roguishly at Naomi�s evil question. �Oh yeah... but only to put it into another pocket.� He smiled at Naomi and she smiled back. The uneasiness of the moment was gone and he sighed in relief when she leaned her head against his shoulder. His arm went around her shoulders and he pulled her tighter to himself. She sighed contentedly and stared out at the waves, smiling softly when JC gently placed a beautiful coral in her palm. �Thank you Chase.� JC only smiled in reply. Naomi shivered a little when the wind blew a mite stronger. JC grinned at her and shrugged off his jacket. He planted it firmly on her shoulders and looked sternly at her when she started to protest. �Shut up, Catch. I�m a big boy now and you�re gonna catch a cold if you don�t keep warm.� Naomi grinned at JC�s words. She shrugged and said, �Whatever you say, boss... whatever you say.� JC and Naomi stared at the open waves for a few minutes before Naomi sighed. JC looked at her tenderly. �What�s wrong, Catch?� �I... I was just worrying.� �About what?� �About... Lance.� JC inhaled sharply and bit his lip. �Oh... Lance... right...� JC wanted to slap himself. How could I forget that Lance likes Catch? I almost kissed her, for crying out loud! And... what am I feeling for Alyssa now? Naomi and JC were wrapped up in their own thoughts as they continued to stare out into the waves. Naomi sighed softly a few times and began to sway slightly to the motion of the waves. Up... down... up... down... the rhythmic movement of the waves and of JC�s breathing soon lulled her into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. JC smiled down at her tranquil face and forgot all about Lance and Alyssa for a minute. He leaned his cheek gently against her head, glad that she had finally managed to drift to sleep. He couldn�t help noticing how beautiful she looked. Her wavy hazel hair was blowing in the breeze and a few soft ringlets were curling gently against her cheek. Her eyes were closed peacefully and her breathing was deep and even. JC sighed comfortably, closed his eyes and finally gave in to the exhaustion that had been gnawing at him all day. Up... down... up... down... the teenagers watched the couple breathing peacefully and in time in front of them. They looked so peaceful together, lying in each other�s arms. �When I grow up, I want a boyfriend to hold me exactly like that,� whispered one of the girls, a dreamy, love struck expression on her pretty face. And slowly, an arm crept protectively around her shoulders. End. |