After a successful concert, the guys decided to head out for some fun at a nearby club. All of them, that is, except for JC, who insisted he was tired and wanted to stay in. They had left about 10 minutes ago and JC pulled on a jacket and headed out. He stopped by the front desk of the hotel. �Um, do you know where Anderson Lake is?� The receptionist nodded and gave him directions. �Thanks, know by any chance where I might find some ice skates?� She smiled warmly. �Sure. Go on down to Steve�s. Ya can�t miss it. Just take main and you�ll surely see it.� He thanked her and headed out.
He got the skates and went down to old Anderson Lake and prayed she�d be there, and sure enough she was. He watched her and smiled. He hadn�t even met this girl and already he liked her. He watched her do her routine and saw it came to the part, in which she refused to do yesterday. He leaned against the fence casually. �I think you should do it.� She stopped skating and turned toward the voice. She saw a young dark-haired man leaning against the fence. �Do I know you?� She asked. He shook his head. �Nope. I�m a casual observer.� She looked at him, curiously but skated over to him. �I�m Nicole.� She stuck out her hand. He smiled. �I�m JC.� He took her hand in his and shook it. The warmth of it surprised her and she smiled shyly and drew her hand back.
�How did you know I wouldn�t do my jump?� He looked down. �Oh, um, I saw you yesterday at the arena.� She raised an eyebrow. �So you�ve been watching me?� He nodded guiltily. �My band performed there tonight and yesterday we went to check it out and I came across you skating and you didn�t do your jump.� He motioned for her to sit on the nearby bench. She did and he sat down next to her. �Mind if I ask why?� She shook her head. �Well, about 6 months ago, I took a pretty nasty fall. And I screwed up my ankle and got a couple cuts and bruises. I�m lucky that�s all I got. And ever since then, I�ve just been afraid to get back up and do it again.� He nodded, understandingly. �That must�ve been quite a scary experience.� She nodded, reminiscing. �It was. But anyways- you said you were in a band? Which one?� He smiled. �Nsync.� She smiled. �I can�t say I�ve heard of you guys, I don�t get to watch much TV or listen to much music.� He smiled at her honesty. She honestly had no idea whatsoever who he was and he liked he could be himself for a change and not JC Chasez of Nsync.
She looked down at his feet and saw the skates. She looked at him curiously. �You know how to skate?� He nodded. �Sure, it�s easy.� She raised an eyebrow. �Want to show me what you can do?� He grimaced. He had no idea how to skate. �Um� yeah, why not?�
�How hard can it be?� He asked himself. The minute he reached the ice, his feet slid out from under him and he went down on his butt. She looked at him with an amused smile on her face. He coughed. �It�s been awhile.� She nodded. �I�m sure.� She held her hand out to him and she pulled him up, in which he nearly slipped again but he managed to throw his arms around her waist. She laughed. �You have no clue, whatsoever how to skate, do you?� He looked at her. �Gee, how�d you guess?� She laughed again and he grinned. He liked her laugh� it was infectious.
She pried his arms off of her and grabbed his hands and helped him stand up straight. �I guess it�s harder than I thought.� She grinned. �Yeah, it is.� He laughed. �Teach me?� She nodded. �I�ll try. Ok, go slow. Move your right foot, then your left.� He did so. �Ok, now hold on.� She skated a little faster and he lost it and fell pulling her down with him. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. �Oooook.� He grinned. �Ouch.� She laughed. �Yeah, ouch. You�re crushing me.� He scooted backwards and she stood up. She bent down to help him and slowly they made their way back to the bench. He smiled. �Guess that didn�t work out.� She laughed. �I guess not.� He looked at her. �Wanna go get some hot chocolate or something? I don�t see how you can stand it, but I�m freezing.� She nodded. �Ok, let�s go.� She leaned down and un-laced her skates and he did the same. She stood up and slung her bag on her shoulder. �Ready?� He nodded. �Yep.�
�Ok, just lemme drop this off at my house, first. It�s just up there.� He nodded and they walked along talking and laughing. �I�ll be right back.� She walked in and tossed her bag down. She saw her mom wasn�t home and sighed, relieved. She walked back out. �Alright. Come on in.� He raised an eyebrow, and she rolled her eyes. �It�s too cold to walk, and the car�s in the garage.� He followed her in, when she heard voices coming downstairs. She grabbed his hand and pulled him down. She raised a finger to her lips, indicating for him to be quiet. She watched as her mom came down with Brandon. �Well Mrs. Andrews, let Nicole know I stopped by.� Her mom nodded. �Yes, dear, I�ll tell her. Here let me give you a ride home. It�s much too cold to walk.� He nodded gratefully. �Thanks.� They walked out and left.
Nicole stood up and walked over to the window to make sure they were gone. JC stood up also. She turned to face him. �Mom would have a heart-attack if she saw us. She�s awfully strict. Nothing can interfere with my skating.� He nodded, feeling a bit sorry for her. �Do you ever wish you could have a normal life?� She looked at him. �Don�t you?� He smiled. �C�mon. Let�s get going.� He nodded and followed her out to her car. An hour later she dropped him off at the hotel where he was staying. �Ya wanna come up and watch a movie?� She looked at her watch. �I guess I could.� He smiled. �Ok. C�mon.� He grabbed her hand, pulling her up to his room.
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