She waved to her best friend and brother and walked out to her car, and slid into the front, heading out. She pulled up to the crowded Jive parking lot, and sighed as she saw Cynda, trailing behind her uncle, chatting on the cell phone. Quick note. Mr. Salinger, Cynda's uncle, is the head of Jive enterprises. Therefore, Cynda got whatever her heart desired. She got out of the car, and took a deep breath, before grabbing her bags from the back of her car. She smiled as she saw Lance walking towards her. "Hey, Chlo', let me get your bags. I don't want you carrying them." She smiled, gratefully. "Thanks so much, Lance." He grinned. "Did you bring your movies?" She nodded. "Of course." Joey beamed, as he bounded up. "Whadja bring? Huh?! Huh?" JC sighed. "Joey. Let the girl get settled. We can talk on the bus. We arranged it so you could ride with us to Miami. Cool?" She nodded. "Cool." He grinned, and looped his arm with hers. "So, what movies DID you bring?" She laughed. "Let's see� High Fidelity, Blow, Say Anything, Star Wars, Empire Records, Full Metal Jacket�" He held up his hand. "You are obsessed with that movie." She nodded, sheepishly. "Yeah�" He smiled. "Come on. Let's get your stuff to your bus� but you're riding with us." She nodded. "Who, exactly, is gonna be on my bus?" He coughed. "Well, uh, all the other female crew members� Mel, Lia, Rach, Cynda�" She raised her eyebrows. "Cynda? I don't think so!"
He sighed. "Chloe, please. She's a nice girl." She shook her head. "Nice girl� so, what does that make me? A nice kid? Thanks. Thanks a lot." She walked past him to her bus and jumped on, ignoring everyone else. Cynda sighed and shook her head. "JC. Was it really necessary for her to tag along? She's going to make this trip miserable for all of us." JC sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Cynda, enough." He turned and walked to where the other guys were saying their goodbyes, as Cynda threw a triumphant look over her shoulder to where Chloe was standing on the steps to the bus.
Chloe threw her bag into her bunk and looked around frustrated. At least she had Mel. "Melanie!!!" Melanie looked behind her to see Cynda looking excited. She grinned. "Cynda!! What?" Chloe groaned and grabbed her headphones and settled in for, what would be an extremely long ride.
"Hello?'
"Chloe, I thought you were going to ride with us." Chloe sighed. "I'm sorry, JC. I just felt like taking a nap." He frowned. "Well, we're about to make a pit stop, so you'd better be on our bus, or else." She sighed, and hung up her phone. Anything to get off this bus. She got out of her bunk and saw Melanie and Cynda painting each other's nails. Melanie grinned. "Hey, Chlo'." Cynda smiled sweetly. "Morning sunshine." Chloe smiled fakely. "Hey girls. I'm gonna get out and go grab a soda." They nodded, barely acknowledging her, and Chloe headed for the guys bus. She smiled at Sam, the driver, and walked back to where the guys were lounged out. Justin beamed. "Chloe!" Chris yelped and engulfed her in a hug. "Yay! I was afraid you'd ditch us for the girls."
She shook her head. "Never, Chris. I don't ditch my friends." He smiled and hugged her. "Good. Now, High Fidelity time!!! Go Jack Black!" She laughed, and sat down next to JC. "What's Miami like?" He smiled. "It's nice� the water's amazing� You'll like it." She nodded. "Good." She rested her head on his shoulder, as the others began to watch the movie. It was nice to have a friend like Hayden.
Miami
"Wow. This place is� incredible. We're staying here?!" Justin chuckled. "Don't act so surprised, Ms. Maguire. I'm sure you've seen these places before." She laughed. "Not pretty ones on the water." Joey laughed. "Come on, girlie girl, let's go check out the inside." Chloe held up a hand. "Who am I rooming with?" The guys looked at each other and exchanged worried glances. Lance cleared his throat. "Well, ah, Cynda requested to room with you and Mel." Chloe's smile faded, and her shoulders visibly slumped. "I see." Justin frowned. "But. We decided that since, there's an odd number of us, we can sneak you into JC's room, if that's cool, since he's the odd man out." Chloe groaned. "Won't work. If I'm not in that room, Cynda'll squeal. She doesn't like me." Justin sighed. "Then it won't work." Chloe smiled. "It's ok. I'll be fine. I can take it. Come on. Let's get going. You boys have got a show to get ready for, and I have some things to add to the web-site."
Lance grinned. "Which looks amazing, by the way." She smiled. "Thanks." Justin clapped his hands. "Come on, kids. I wanna tan before we have to hit the stage."
"Oh, good golly Miss Molly! Look at all these hunnies!" Chloe swatted at Joey. "Enough, Cassanova. Don't ruin my moment. I'm surrounded by 5 guys. Let me at least pretend they're not all thinking of how hot the other girls are."
Chris grinned. "Hey, I'm thinkin' about you, Chloe. I'm thinkin' about how you're gonna race me down to that ocean, and how I'm gonna dunk you underwater, and you're gonna come up sputtering." She smiled sweetly. "And I'm thinkin' about how I'm going to give you a slow, painful death."
She stood, brushing sand of her bathing suit. "Come on, Chris. I'll race ya. I'm sure everyone here wants to see how girly your run is." He stood up and shook his head. "It's ON!" Chloe screamed and took off running down to the ocean, as Chris chased after her, the others' laughter echoing throughout the air.
JC smiled at the pair, that found extreme joy in splashing each other like 5 year olds. He felt a hand touch his shoulder, and looked up to see Cynda smiling down at him. "Hey there. Is this towel taken?" He shrugged. "Well, actually, it's Chloe's�" Cynda waved a hand. "Ah, she won't care." He looked away, trying not to stare� Everyone knew Cynda was absolutely beautiful� she did, as well. But he knew she was far from his type. Yet, he didn't mind her company.
Chloe glanced over at the guys and noticed her spot had been taken. She grit her teeth, and pushed Chris away. "Enough." Chris followed her stone gaze up to Cynda and he sighed. "You really have issues with that girl, don't you?" Chloe sighed and sank back into the water. "Chris, you don't get it� none of you do. Why can't you see right through her? I know I can, because I'm just like her� or I used to be. I haven't dated in a while, so I wouldn't know. The fact is, she's just using you guys� and I know you don't see that now, but when she tears up something good, maybe then you'll realize it� but of course, the damage will have been done, and it'll be too late." She shook her head and got out of the water and headed back up to the others. She smiled fakely at Cynda. "Cynda, hun, you're sitting on my towel." Cynda covered her mouth. "Oh, Chloe, I'm sorry� the guys got it all sandy trying to get me with sand, so I'm not sure you'll want it now."
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'll just go inside and get one. No big deal." Chloe crossed her arms across her chest, and headed up to the dock to go inside. "Chloe!" She turned to see JC running after her. He smiled and held out his towel. "Come here." She didn't move, as he wrapped the towel around her, and rubbed her arms. "You don't need to be catching a cold." She shrugged. "Like it matters." He frowned, and tilted her chin up to look at him. "Enough, already. You know it matters." She shrugged. "Whatever." He sighed. "Don't be like that." She looked at him defiantly. "Be like what?" He sighed. "Be all nonchalant. You have an opinion, you have something to say. Just tell me what it is."
She shook her head. "I don't like her. I absolutely can't STAND her. Is that what you want to hear? She's a single-celled organism, who is as stupid as that very rock on the ground. She has no respect for herself, or for women, and she's trashy. She doesn't carry herself like a lady, and she's insulting to those who work hard all their lives for what they want. THAT is my opinion, THAT is what I have to say." He shook his head, eyes cold. "You are judgmental, and you're close minded. And you are not a very decent person yourself."
Her mouth dropped open, as she watched him walk back to the others, and she clenched her fists, before walking inside.
Nine