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�Better Than Best� Chapter 6: Airport Tears I watched his face. He listened for a few moments before his eyes sunk. �I�ll try to get there. Today isn�t good though,� he said. He looked at me and gave a half smile. �OK. Yeah later,� he hung up the phone. �Jake, can you swing by the airport and get Cindy?� �Now?� Jacob asked. �Yeah, she�s there now,� Dan said. �Any complaints?� Jacob asked. Nobody said anything. �To the airport it is then.� I looked Dan. Questions filled my mind. I could see in his eyes that he didn�t want to hurt me or for that matter hurt Cindy. We went to the airport in silence. I was tense to see Cindy. I�m glad no one said anything because if they had, I might have gone off on Dan. We got out and followed Dan to the elevator. I walked in back with Trevor. �I think I�m going throw up,� I whispered to him. He gave my shoulder a squeeze. �It�ll be okay,� he whispered back before we got in the elevator. We made it all the way to the C terminal before I started to actually feel sick. Had Dan really told Cindy that I was his girlfriend? We turned a corner and there she was. She saw us and ran up to Dan and gave him a big hug. Dan turned to me and said, �Cindy, this is Jenna, my girlfriend.� �Hi Jenna. It�s nice to meet you,� Cindy replied. Dan introduced her to the other guys as we made our way back to the SUV. On the ride home, Dan and Cindy caught each other up on what had been going on with them. When we got home, we got right to work signing CDs. Cindy sat down with us. �Can I do anything for you guys? Are you hungry?� she asked. �There�s money by the phone in the kitchen. You can order pizza. Pizza Hut loves us. Just order the O-Town special,� I told her. She went into the kitchen and came back with the phone and money. She dialed the number Trevor had written on the phone and ordered our O-Town special. After she hung up, she asked, �What�s an O-Town special?� Jacob explained as he kept signing. �A large cheese pizza, a large pepperoni pizza, tow 2-liter bottles of Pepsi, delivered to the door with no screaming fans.� The pizza got here quickly and we ate while signing CDs. We stayed up all night with the CDs. Cindy slept on the couch while we joked and talked, trying to keep ourselves in good spirits. Around 7:30 A.M. our last CD was signed and put back into the box. Just in time for our 8:00 A.M. deadline, Trevor volunteered to deliver the CDs to the Staples Center. The rest of us went upstairs to take showers and get ready for the day. We met downstairs ready to go at 9:00 A.M. Even Trevor was back and ready. Dan and Cindy were in the backyard talking. Ashley was at the kitchen sink finishing the last of his cereal looking out the window. �Hey Jacob, come here. Do you see what I see?� Ash asked him. �Oh my Lord,� Jacob said. �What is it?� I asked as I walked to the window. As I looked out I could see why Jacob and Ashley were so surprised. There, in plain view, were Dan and Cindy kissing. �Jenna, please don�t go out there now and beat her up. Let�s all calm down and we�ll help you deal with him later,� Ashley said. �Ash, all I wanna do is cry right now. I�d be grateful if you helped me later,� I said fighting back tears. Jacob hugged me. �If you cry now he�ll come in and see you. Cindy will do fake apologies and you�ll probably take him back too easily. Don�t cry and I promise we�ll make him pay.� �I love him so much. He said that if Cindy came it would jeopardize his feelings for me,� I shrugged. �I won�t cry.� �That�s a girl,� Trevor said. �Sit! Sit everyone! They�re coming!� We ran to the table and sat down. Cindy and Dan walked in, separately. �So what are we doing today?� Trevor asked to break the tension. �Meet and greets,� I said. �Virgin Record appearances.� �Let�s go!� Ashley got up and headed for the door. We followed him. �Hey Jenna, you wanna drive?� Jacob asked. �Sure, sit in front with me then,� I replied. Jacob and I got in front while the others got in back. I drove in silence to meet Mike and Mike at the recording studio, where we always meet them. We went inside because we were going to be transported there by limo. Mike Cronin met us at the door. �Let�s go people!� Mike said. We went to the limo and got in, one by one. Mike Cronin took Cindy to a different limo that they got into. Mike Morin got into our limo and gave the driver directions. I was sitting between Dan and Ash. Dan sat closer to me than usual. I wanted to scream at him but I kept my cool. I turned and talked to Ash and Jacob who was sitting next to Ash. Dan was too distracted to notice that I was ignoring him. We got to the Virgin Record store where there was a line of screaming fans waiting to meet us. I was shocked to see so many fans. We went in and got busy signing autographs and taking pictures. When the last person had gotten autographs and pictures we were allowed to leave. Cindy informed us that she had a flight out in an hour, so we all went to the airport. Just before her flight was about to leave, Cindy said her goodbyes. She started with me. �Jenna, it was great to meet you,� she said. �Yes, goodbye Cindy,� I extended my hand and she took it. She said goodbye to Jacob, Ash, and Trevor before she turned to Dan. �It was so good to see you. Call me anytime,� Cindy said as she hugged Dan. �Final boarding call for all those on the 12:00 P.M. flight to Cincinnati,� an announcer said over the intercom. �Bye Cindy,� Dan said. We watched her walk down the ramp until she was gone. I couldn�t take it anymore. I turned to Dan. �Why Dan? Why?� I asked. �Why what, Jenna?� he asked innocently. I lunged at him. Jacob and Ashley caught me before I could grab Dan. �You know what!� I screamed at him. �Why did you kiss Cindy?� �You saw that?� Dan asked. I started crying. �Yes Dan. Yes, I saw it,� I turned and started walking to the door. Trevor caught up and walked me to one of our limos. I got in. He waited by the door to tell the other guys that we were taking the other limo. I sat inside sobbing. Dan raced out the doors with Ashley and Jacob trailing behind. �Jenna, please let me explain,� Dan said into the opened door. �Should I let him in, Jenna?� Trevor asked. �Yes, Trev, I wanna hear his excuse,� I called back. Dan stepped into the limo and sat next to me. He took my hand and held it to his chest. I felt his heart beat. It was faster than normal. Then he took his hand away leaving me with my hand still on his chest. He took his sleeve and dried my eyes. �Dan�� I began. He put his finger over my lips. �Don�t speak. Just hear me out,� Dan said. He took my hand again and held it. �I didn�t kiss Cindy. She kissed me.� �Dan, I don�t care who kissed who. Why did it happen?� I was getting angry and sad all at once. �The kiss wasn�t anything personal against you. She�s not over me yet, I guess. It only made me love you more,� Dan looked at me and smiled. �I love you too Dan. So, you have no feelings for her?� I asked. �None at all. Jenna I love you with all my heart, more than anything,� Dan�s eyes scared me. They were slowly filling with tears yet they seemed tired and lonely. Was I losing my boyfriend? I glanced down and quickly looked back up at Dan. �I love you so much, it makes me want to cry that we�re even having this conversation,� I kissed his cheek. �No apologies or more tears needed.� He hugged me. �Thank you for being so understanding. I love you,� Dan motioned for the others to get in.
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