| Summer Secrets Chapter 6 |
| They stepped out of JC's SUV the sun was still up in the sky, fairly high. It was kind of hot out but the humidity was making the situation worse. They walked up the steps of Joey's house where he lived with his long time girlfriend Gracie. JC pushed the door bell button with one finger and waited patiently. "It's hot out here." JC said as they waited. "Yeah." Summer said. Just as the small word exited her mouth the door swung open and there stood Joey wearing a chef hat and an apron that read "Kiss The Cook." "Hey Joe." JC said as if he wasn't wearing a complete get up. "Hey what's up man!" He said and they did one of those 'Dude hand shake thingy.' "Hey Summer." He said and embraced her in a hug. "Hey Joey, How are you?" She asked in her usual polite manner. "Good. Come on in, everyone's in the backyard." Joey said and led the way to the backyard. As Summer walked behind the two men her palms began to sweat. She had met the guys and Justin's girlfriend Nichole, but she was nervous to meet the rest. If they were even half as beautiful as Nichole then she would definitely feel out of place. She knew very well she wasn't beautiful, but she was confident enough to know she wasn't hideous. Still Summer was no Miss America. When they reached the backyard Joey went toward the barbeque and JC turned to her. "Come on" He said and grabbed her hand and pulled her to where everyone was sitting around a large table. "Hey everyone!" JC said when the reached the table. They all said their hello's and how are you's. As Summer looked around the table she suddenly felt self conscious. Everyone woman that sat at the table was completely gorgeous. They were like models or something, but of course they were *N SYNC's girlfriends. It wasn't likely they were going to be anything less than beauty queens. "This is my friend, Summer" "Hey Summer!" Nichole said brightly and stood up to give her a hug. Nichole was Justin's girlfriend and probably just as beautiful as Vanessa Williams. Her caramel skin was perfectly smooth and her straight black hair was perfect. Every hair was in it's place. "Hi Summer I'm Becki" A girl with gorgeous long blonde hair and sparkling green eyes said. "I'm Lance's girlfriend." She stood up and shook Summer's hand. "Nice to meet you." Summer replied. Justin, Lance and Chris all came over and gave her a hug they soon sat down again. This time Chris spoke up. "Summer, this is my girlfriend Denise." He said with a bright smile. The girl like the others was very pretty her straight light brown hair glistened in the sun as did her crystal blue eyes. "Nice to meet you." She said and flashed a smile that was completely unforgettable. The girl had the teeth of a person who did nothing all day but groom their teeth. "You too" Summer said with a smile a bit embarrassed to show her teeth after that smile. JC noticed her discomfort and told her to sit down. "Hi Summer!" A girl said behind her. Summer turned around and was met with another raving beauty. "I'm Gracie, Joey's girlfriend." She introduced herself and took Summer's hand. "Nice to meet you." She said, she then smiled and said "Excuse me," She then turned around and went to help Joey. Summer turned back around and everyone was busy in some form of conversation and she once again felt very out of place. Luckily before very much happened Joey came over with a huge plate of steaks and said, "Food's ready!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They all sat around the table eating. Summer basically listened, although she didn't say much she was still enjoying them talk about stupid things that had happened. "Oh jeez, JC, you should have been there it was so funny." Nichole laughed. "We went to this karaoke bar and Justin was so drunk he stage dived and after people caught him they dropped him. It was the funniest thing. It was like Country Bears gone afro!" Summer looked over at Justin as he turned beet red as everyone else around the table laughed. "Not one of my finer moment" he declared. "So Summer, JC told us you're going to Harvard." Becki said with a big smile. "Yeah, It's pretty exciting." Summer said with that smile. That same smile JC knew all too well. He looked over at her and he immediately recognized it. It was that smile when she was trying to please others. Although he knew he was right he didn't say anything. They finished eating and they all sat with their empty plates in front of them and their bellies full. As soon as Gracie got up to clear the plates, Summer offered to help. "It's ok, Summer don't worry about it." Gracie said. "No really let me help." Summer said. Gracie finally agreed and they carried the plates into the kitchen. "Thank you" Gracie said and she put all the plates next to the sink and began to rinse them and put them in the dishwasher. Summer helped by handing her the plates. "If you don't mind my asking, are you always this quiet?" "Not always. It's I don't have much to say." Summer said with a smile. "Is there something going on between you and JC?" Gracie asked with a curious smile. "Me and JC? No, we're just friends." "No like friends to lovers situation goin' on?" Gracie asked. "No, why?" "I don't know. I guess it's just the way he looks at you." "What do you mean the way he looks at me?" Summer asked a bit confused. "I don't know. Maybe he likes you and you don't know it. I don't know I could be wrong." She said as she finished rinsing the last plate. "You want to help me get dessert?" "Sure." Summer said. "Ok there are bowls in that cabinet." Gracie pointed. "Get 10." Summer did as she was told as Gracie got mint chocolate chip ice cream from the freezer. Summer lined the bowls up in two rows of five. Gracie grabbed the ice cream and set it down next to the bowls. "You're very organized, aren't you?" Gracie said with a small laugh. "Yeah I guess." Summer said turning a tiny shade of red. "It's ok, that's not a bad thing at all." Gracie said and started scooping the ice cream into the bowls. Once she was finished they started giving everyone ice cream. "Thanks for the help." Gracie said with a warm smile. "You're welcome" Summer said and sat back down to enjoy her ice cream. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So what did you think?" JC asked once they were inside the car and he had fired up the engine. "What did I think of what?" Summer asked. "The guys, their girlfriends, dinner, I don't know, what just occurred in the last 4 hours." JC said with a laugh. "They were nice." Summer said simply. "That's it?" "Well what else do you want me to say?" Summer asked. "I don't know." "You want to know what I thought?" JC simply nodded. "Well all of those girls are complete beauty queens. You can sit then next to Miss America and it would be hard to tell the difference. To tell you the truth I don't really know them but they seemed nice enough." "Then why were you acting so strange all night?" JC asked. "Strange? What do you mean?" She asked and glanced over at him. JC looked over at her and then back at the road. "You were very quiet. You looked like you were going to cry at some points in the night, and you had that smile." JC said. "That smile? What the hell is that?" Summer asked with a laugh. "That smile when you're trying to please someone but you don't actually want to do whatever you're doing, but you only do it to please them." "Uh huh, right JC." Summer said and laughed. "It's not funny." "Yes it is." Summer laughed more. "What is it?" "Ok well to tell you the truth all my life girls that were pretty and popular never even talked to me unless then needed to tutored in something. So don't you think when 4 very pretty girls I just met are nice to me I would find it a bit strange?" "Ok fine." JC said and turned into the gated community where he lived. "but you didn't absolutely hate them?" "No, JC they were very nice." Summer said with a smile as he stopped the car in his garage. Summer stepped out of the car and walked into JC's house. He could tell something was wrong with her. He knew it, but he couldn't tell what. He followed her into the house and thought he would find her in the living room but when he walked in she wasn't there. He went into the kitchen and she wasn't there either. He quickly went upstairs and slipped on some pajamas. After he was dressed he walked over to her room and knocked on the door. "Come in" She said. JC opened the door to find her laying on the bed with a pillow covering her head. "What are you doing?" JC asked. "Laying here what does it look like I'm doing?" She laughed and took the pillow away from her face. JC stood staring at her as she laughed. That laugh was very distinct. "Are you going to sleep?" He asked and glanced over at the clock. It was 9:15 PM. "Yeah, I'm kind of tired." Summer lied and faked a yawn. "Ok I'll leave you then." He said and turned around. "G'night" He said and shut the door behind him. Once he was outside the door Summer sighed loudly. Summer lay in bed remembering Gracie's words. "He would not like me! That ridiculous!" Summer said out loud to herself and laughed. "I mean look at all the girls his friends are dating. They're freakin' beauty queens! Why on Earth would he want someone like me. I'm not pretty like that. I never will be." She said it was partially true. She wasn't beautiful. Summer lay in bed when she heard a noise coming from downstairs. She stood up and walked to the door. She opened it to hear the noise more clearly. It was soft and gentle. She walked down the stairs to where the noise was coming from. She recognized it a classical piece by Schubert. Summer walked toward a room where the door was partially open. She walked and poked her head in. JC was sitting on a piano bench of a baby grand piano. His feet were firmly planted on the ground and occasionally he would hit a pedal. He looked completely peaceful as he played. At that moment every crush or feeling she had ever felt for him turned into something much deeper, something sweet and longing. Something she would have never expected. His eyes were closed and his long fingers glided across the ivory keys. She looked at his hands as they moved quickly and to the rhythm of the song. Then it hit her. The thing about JC's hands, the thing that made her completely crazy, that special thing about his hands... JC had piano hands. |