Joey frowned. �Hey, where�s Katie and Matt?� Jackie giggled. �Knowing them, they�re probably off making out somewhere.� Josh nodded. �Yeah.� JC looked down, silently. Ali sighed. �Well, I�m hungry. I say we order some pizza.� Joey nodded. �I agree.� Justin snorted. �Yeah, you would...�
(at a park not too far from the hotel)
Matt turned to look at his girlfriend. �Katie... I brought you here for a reason.� She nodded. �Oh? What reason might that be?� He sighed. �We need to talk.� She nodded. �Ok.� He took a deep breath. �God, this kills me. But... Katie, I see the way he looks at you. But what�s worse is that I see the way you look at him.� Katie shook her head. �Matt... what?� He held up his hand. �No. Let me talk. Katie. I love you. Which is why I have to do this. It�s over. I can�t sit back and watch the way you �innocently� flirt or look into his eyes. I noticed something had changed. Simply by the way you acted and I know I�m right. I should�ve known something would happen when you left.�
Katie closed her eyes, trying to fight back tears. �You�re... breaking up with me?� He nodded. �I have to go. My flight�s in an hour.� He stood and walked away. She sat numbly on the bench, before putting her head in her hands and cried to herself.
(an hour later, back at hotel)
Josh shook his head, walking back into Joey�s room. �Where�s Matt?� Ali shrugged. �Still not here.� Josh sighed, worried. �I just checked the hotel... his stuff�s gone.� Jackie jumped up from the couch. �What?! Where�s Katie?� Katie stood in the doorway, brokenly. �Right here.� Josh shook his head. �Where�s Matt?� She bit her lip. �Probably getting on a plane.� Jackie�s eyebrows shot up. �What!� Josh growled, beginning to get angry. �Why? What the hell happened!� Katie clamped her mouth shut, shaking her head. Josh stepped in front of her. �Katie! Are you deaf?!� Ali took Katie�s arm and glared at Josh. �Shut up, Josh. Katie, honey, what happened?� She sighed, her eyes filling with tears. �He... he broke up with me.� Ali sighed, hugging her. �Oh, Katie...� Josh�s mouth dropped open. �WHAT?! That�s impossible!� Katie wiped a falling tear. Josh slammed his fist against the wall. �WHY?!� Katie growled, beginning to get very upset. �It doesn�t matter why! He just did! If you want to know so bad, go and ask him yourself!� With that, she fled from the room.
Jackie sighed, slapping Josh. �Great job!� Ali tries to run after her, but Justin grabbed her arm. �No. Let her go. She needs to be alone right now.� JC quietly got up and headed out the door. Josh caught him out of the corner of his eye, and he clenched his fists. �Where the hell you going?� JC frowned. �None of your damn business!� Justin sighed. �JC, man, what are you doing?� JC sighed. �What do you think? I�m going after her.� Justin shrugged. �I wouldn�t if I were you.� JC nodded. �Well, you�re not me.� He headed out, after her. Josh sat down and frowned. �What is his problem?� Jackie sighed. �Can it, Josh.� Ali sighed, looking at Justin. �He shouldn�t have gone. He loves her and he�s just going to end up getting hurt.� Justin put his arm around her and nodded. �I know.�
JC sighed, and found her outside on a bench crying softly. She saw him approach and quickly turned away. JC sighed, sitting next to her. �C�mere...� She allowed him to pull her closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder, crying a bit harder. He sighed, and sat and held her.
A bit later, he walked her up to her room, and sat her down on her bed. He sat next to her, pulling her into a strong embrace. She buried her face into his chest and cried. Stroking her hair gently, he sighed. �Shhh, it�s gonna be alright.� Sniffling she looked up at him. �Do me a favor?� He nodded. �Anything.� She sighed. �Don�t leave.� He nodded. �I won�t, I promise. Gee, Katie. This is all my fault. I never should have kissed you in Houston... I should�ve just kept my feelings to myself. Now look what I�ve done... it kills me to see you so broken up by this.� He glanced down at her. �Katie?� He smiled sadly, as he saw that she had fallen asleep in his arms. Gently, he laid her down and tucked her in, kissing her forehead gently. He kneeled beside her and shook his head. �I shouldn�t say this, but... I love you, Kate.� Sighing to himself, he pulled a chair up beside her bed and watched her sleep.
(the next morning)
Katie gasped as she bolted up. JC woke as well, as looked around. �What�s wrong?� She rubbed her face. �I... I had a nightmare.� JC nodded. �It�s over now...� She nodded, looking at him confused. �You.. you stayed here all night?� He smiled. �Yeah.� She sighed. �Thank you so much... for being here for me. So I could cry on your shoulder.� He grinned. �Anytime. I�m always here for you.� She smiled. �We have a show tonight, don�t we?� He nodded. �Yeah...� She groaned. �I totally forgot.� He frowned. �Are you sure you�re ok?� She nodded. �Yeah. For now, anyhow. Gosh. You can go, I know you had better things to do. I�m so sorry I asked you to stay.� JC touched her arm, gently. �No, Katie. I wanted to. I�m gonna go shower, ok? I�ll be back in a bit.� She nodded, reaching out for a hug. �Thanks.� He hugged her tight, before touching her cheek. He smiled and walked out.
She sighed, reaching for her purse. She cursed softly as a picture of her and Matt fell out. She sat down and sighed, remembering one of her favorite Silverchair songs.
I�m not, not sure, not too sure
How it feels to handle everyday
And I miss you love
Remember today I have no respect for you
And I miss you love
I love the way you love
But I hate the way I�m supposed to love you back�
She sighed, putting the picture away, and headed for the bathroom to shower. A while later, she got dressed and began putting on make-up when she heard a knock on her door. She opened it to see Ali. �Hey girl.� Ali grinned. �Hey hun. How you holdin� up?� Katie shrugged. �I�m hangin� in there.� Ali nodded, sitting down on the bed. �Justin wouldn�t let me chase you down last night.� Katie nodded. �It�s ok.� Ali smiled. �Wanna fill me in?� Katie took a deep breath and nodded. �Well, he said that he saw the way he looked at me and the way I looked at him...�
Ali held up a hand, interrupting her. �By him, I�m assuming you mean JC?� Katie nodded. �Yeah, and he just went on to say that he knew why I was acting so differently and that something like this would happen.� Ali nodded, a bit confused. �I don�t get it... I thought you wanted to be with JC.� Katie sighed, frustrated. �I don�t know what I want... is it possible to be in love with two people at the same time?� Ali nodded. �Very possible.� Katie put her head in her hands. �Then I have no idea what I want.� Ali nodded, prodding her. �No idea?� Katie sighed. �I just... wish he never kissed me!� Ali frowned. �But he did.�
�Exactly... he makes me feel so alive.� Ali sighed. �And Matt?� Katie shrugged. �Matt�s always been there for me... through everything...� Ali sighed. �You want Matt, don�t you?� Katie nodded. �I think so...� Ali nodded. �Well. Calling won�t do it. You�ll have to go and see him.�
Katie smiled. �Yeah...� She trailed off upon hearing a knock. �Come in.� JC poked his head in and smiled. �Hey.� He spotted Ali and held up a hand. �Oh, I�ll come back later.� Ali laughed. �No. I was actually just leaving. I�ll catch up later, K.�
Katie smiled, watching her friend leave. �JC... come on in. We need to talk.� He nodded. �Which is why I�m here. You go first.� She took a deep breath. �Ok, well. I love Matt. And I�m going to do everything I can to get him back.� JC nodded. �I see.� She nodded, as well. �I just wanted to tell you that. What was it you needed to tell me?� He shrugged. �Oh, just that. I think you two should try and work it out. You have a lot of history.� She nodded, and turned upon hearing a rapid banging on the door. �Come in!� Jackie threw open the door, and opened her mouth to speak, but saw JC sitting there. �Oh, ah. Nothing... Just wanted to see if you were up... which you are.� She smiled and waved, before closing the door behind her.
Katie looked after her, confused. �That was weird.� JC groaned, slamming his fist on the table. �Dammit!� Katie jumped, and looked at him. �What!� He sighed. �Katie, I�m in love with you and I can�t just give up!� She shook her head. �JC, don�t...� He sighed, standing up. �What? Don�t love you Katie? I�m sorry, but I don�t have a choice!� He stormed out and she sighed. �Just what I need.�
She walked to Justin�s room, where she figured most everyone would be. �Hey guys. I�m gonna head home for awhile... I talked it all out with Johnny and he said it�d be fine, so I came to say goodbye, but I�ll see you all soon.� She waved, and headed out and down to where her cab waited.
Everyone sat in numb silence. Justin was the first to pipe up. �What is going on?� Ali shook her head. �Katie needs some time to figure out what�s going on for herself. Until then, we�ll just be her back ups.�
Eighteen