"Well, we rode the Ferris-wheelate some cotton candy, played some games, kissed, did I mention the cotton candy?" Danielle asked nervously. "He kissed you?!?!" Mercedes screamed. "It's about time." Danielle shook her head vigorously and flung her dressing room door open. "It shouldn't have happened," she said, brushing past Mercedes. "What do you mean it shouldn't have happened?!?!" Mercedes demanded. "He said that neither of us meant for that to happen and that it shouldn't have happened," Danielle paused. "And he's right." "Like hell he's right!" Mercedes screamed. Danielle was shocked by her tone.
Mercedes calmed down and lowered her voice. "Didn't you want this to happen?" she asked, knowing the answer. Danielle thought for a moment and shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, okay?"
"Why? You never want to talk about this or him, or how we both know you feel about him! Why are you so afraid of this?!?" Mercedes demanded. "You know good and well he didn't regret it," Mercedes continued calmly. "Why should you have to?"
"Because Mercedes!" Danielle shouted at her. She shook her head in disbelief. "As much as I loved what happened, I have to pretend it didn't."
"But,why?" Mercedes asked, confused. Danielle smiled at her weakly. "Because that is a lot easier to do then tell someone who has a girlfriend of three years that you're in love with them."
Justin paced the studio back and forth, his thumbs in his back pockets, and his fingers tapping along to a non-existent beat. "What's wrong with you?" Lance asked between paces. Justin stopped pacing and poked his head out the doorway of the studio. He carefully examined both sides of the hallway. "Where's JC?" he demanded. "Don't worry, Mom, he'll be here," Chris replied sarcastically. "Sorry, sorry, sorry I'm late. There was this strawberry donut just CALLING my name," Josh began, entering the studio, donut in hand. "Okay, fellas, we gotta get going in about 5 minutes, okay?" Mr. Richards asked. The guys nodded and began indulging the donuts Josh had delivered. "Where were you last night?" Lance asked Josh, with a mouthful of Strawberry jelly. "I tried calling your place around ten and you didn't answer."
"Well...I was...out," Josh explained. "Out?" the four of them questioned. Josh shrugged and continued on. "Well, Danielle took me to this carnival." He paused and a smile slowly spread across his face. Justin leaned forward and snapped Josh from his daze. "And?" he asked. "Nothing," Josh immediately blurted out. "We rode some rides, played some games; that's about it."
"And?" Justin asked. "Nothing." ustin sighed, and stood up. "Man, you had the perfect chance, too."
"Chance?" Josh asked confused. "To tell her straight out how you feel." Justin insisted. Josh stared at him in shock. He laughed it off. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Wait, wait, wait," Joey interrupted. "Tell who what?"
"Danielle," Justin answered. "Tell Danielle what?" Lance asked. "That he's in love with her!" Justin shouted. "Josh is in love with Danielle?" Chris asked, confused. "Yes!" Justin shouted. "NO! Okay enough," Josh interrupted, annoyed. "I am NOT in love with her, okay, this is stupid, can we drop it please?" The five of them sat in silence.
Josh rested his head in his hands, and massaged his temples with his fingertips. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe what he had done. "I just kissed her," he blurted out of the blue. "and I shouldn't have."
"Why not?" Justin demanded. "Why not!?!" Josh questioned. "Justin, I don't think you understand."
"No you don't understand, JC! You are wasting your time in a relationship you're not even happy in and letting the girl you're in love with sit at home. Did I miss a step or is that pretty much it?" Josh looked at him coldly. "It's not fair what you're doing, man. To either of them. What's wrong with you? What are you so afraid of this?" Josh hesitated to answer. "Because being in THAT relationship is a lot easier then being in love with someone who's not in love with you.�
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