�Ok, well, yeah, she�s fun to hang with and easy to talk to.� Joey shouted back at them. �Hey! What are you guys talkin� about?� Lance sighed. �Nothing.� He turned back to Chris and Katie. They reach the club. Joey smiled. �Party time!� They show their ID�s and walk into the lively club. Joey waved. �I will see you all later!� Chris nodded.
�Ditto!� Lance shrugged. �I guess that goes for me too.� Joey turned back around. �Hey, Katie, I get a dance tonight, k?� She laughed. �Sure.� Chris nodded. �Same goes for me, unless I�ve found some chick.� She grinned. �Gee, I�m touched Chris.� She said sarcastically. Lance smiled. �Same here.� They wave and walk off. Katie turned around. �Don�t tell me you�re leaving too!� JC laughed. �No, chill.� She shrugged. �Well, I just don�t want to look like an idiot all alone.� He gestured to all the others. �All those other people look like idiots?� She hit him. �You know what I mean.� She walked over to the bar to order a drink. The bartender looked at her and smiled. �What�ll it be?� JC walked up behind her. �Water.� They both said. They look at each other and start laughing. �I�m not an avid drinker.� Katie said smiling. He grinned. �You�re also not old enough.� She laughed. �Oh, shut up!� She got her drink and takes a sip. �I love water.� He nodded in agreement. A guy walked up to her. �Hey, wanna dance?� She looked back at JC and shrugged as he pulled her to the floor. She danced with him, then walked back over. �If I hurl, promise you�ll at least hold my hair back?� He chuckled. �That bad?� She groaned. �I�ve seen guys with big egos, but not an over-compulsive one that brags for that long.� She shuddered. �From now on, no more dancing.� He grabbed her hand. �C�mon.�
�What?� He grinned. �Let�s dance.� She looked confused. �Was I just talking to a wall?� He shook his head, but pulled her out there. She laughed. �This is insane.� �I know, but that�s what makes me un-boring.� She laughed. Joey danced up next to them with some girl. �Hey, look at you two!� JC looked at him hardly. �Shut up.� Katie blushed. Joey didn�t miss a beat. �Whoo! Someone�s blushing!� She looked at him evilly. �I am not!� Joey grinned. �Are too!� She began to get upset. �Am NOT!� He chuckled. �Suuurre.� Katie smiled sweetly. �Hey, Joey, when I see Mandy, I�ll tell her you went to a club and forgot all about her�� The girl he�s dancing with gives him a disgusted look. �Ugh! You told me you were single!� She walked off, leaving him. Joey looked at her, mad. �Hey! I�m gonna kill you! C�mere!� He pulled her away from JC. �Time for my dance, since you made my other one leave.� She looked surprised. �Hey! What are you doing?� He gives her a look. �Shush. I needed to talk to you.� He moved her away from JC.
�You couldn�t have waited? That was mean.� He shrugged. �What can I say? I�m a mean guy.� She growled. �Ugh, what did you want to talk about?� Joey scratched his chin. �Well, I�m just curious, but what�s goin� on between you two?�
�Nothing! Absolutely, nothing! Hello! Forget I had a boyfriend?!� she practically yelled. He put his hands up in defense. �Down girl. I was just askin�.� She shrugged. �Fine. Look, I�m gonna go, ok? I�m getting tired, anyways.� Joey nodded. �Aight then.� She walked back to JC, shaking her head. �What a clown.� He nodded and smiled. �Yeah.�
�Look, I�m gonna go take a walk, and then head back, ok?� He nodded. �Sure.� �Bye.� She walked out and crossed her arms and started walking. He came running after her. �Hey, wait up!� She turned around. �Yeah?�
�I�ll come with you.� She nodded. �Ok.� He looked at her arms that were crossed. �Are you cold?�
�It�s not too bad.� They start walking. �Want my jacket? It�s getting a bit hot.� She shrugged. �Nah, I�m fine.� He took it off. �Here. I can tell you�re freezing.� She sighed, but smiled. �Thanks.� She slipped it on. �Dang. You could fit a whole army in here.� He laughed. �But, it�s warm.�
�Yeah.� She looked out at the water and breathed in deeply. �Geeze, I love California. I could so stay here forever.� He smiled. �Wait till you get to Florida.� She laughed. �I can�t believe we leave the day after tomorrow� I take it you guys have photo shoots and interviews?� He nodded. �The first half of the day, then we have the rest off. You gonna come with us?� She shook her head. �Nah, I think I�m gonna sun. I glow in the dark practically.� He laughed. She grabbed her cell phone and turned it back on to call Ali. �Ali?! Where the heck are you guys?! Oh. Ohhhh. Ok.� She stifled a laugh. �Um, well have fun. And remind that cousin of mine he does have to get up early. Ok, bye.� She hung up. �Where are they?� he asked her.
She started laughing. �Well, apparently they ended up going to some restaurant. In Malibu.� His mouth dropped open. �Malibu?� She nodded. �Yeah.� He ran his hand through his hair. �Man, Johnny ever finds out��
�Hey, they deserved it. Ali hasn�t had the easiest time with guys� I mean, she has, but she�s just so damn picky, ya know? She�s been hurt before, and I guess now she�s scared.� He nodded. �Yeah, same with Justin, I mean you know his story with Jenn..� She nodded. �Stupid whore. Scuse the poor choice of words.� She said flatly. He shook his head. �Nah, it�s true. And to be honest I guess I may be the same way� especially after the Nikki thing- just using me to get to Tony, and sometimes, it feels like it happens again, using me to get to Justin.� She looked at him and saw his eyes were full of so much pain, toward the ones that hurt him, and she was tempted to reach out and comfort him, but knew better.
�You can�t think like that though. Cuz what happens when it�s not the case? Then where does that leave you?� His shoulders slumped. �Unhurt and alone.� At this point, she no longer cared about what impression this made. She took his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. �Exactly. ALONE. That�s something no one should have to be.� He looked down at her hand in his and tightened his grip on hers. �It�s still hard� Damn. You were the only one I let do that.� She looked at him. �Do what?� He frowned. �Open me up, like that. I�m not exactly one to overshare.� She squeezed his hand comfortingly. �I noticed. But if you ever want someone to talk to, I�m here. C�mon, we should get going, you�ve got an early morning.� He nodded. �Yeah.�
They walked back to their hotels and to their separate rooms. She walked in, but walked back out and hugged him. �Thanks. For takin� me out. I had fun, and I thought being here would suck beyond measure. Boy, I guess I was wrong.� She released him. �G�night.� He smiled. �Night.� Katie walked back into her room and shut the door, leaning against it. He walked into his room and sighed. �It�s not fair, I like her so much, but can�t be with her��
Back in Katie�s room�
She realized she still has his jacket. Oops. Guess I�ll give it to him tomorrow. She frowned. Why am I so confused? She got changed and into bed with the last song she heard was �I wanna be with you� by Mandy Moore�
I try but I can�t seem to get myself to think of anything, but you
Your breath on my face
Your warm gentle kiss
I taste the truth
I taste the truth
You know what I came here for
So I won�t ask for more
I wanna be with you
If only for the night
2 be the one who�s in your arms to hold u tight
I wanna be with you
There�s nothing more to say
There�s nothing else
I want more than to feel this way�
Chapter Nine