*******
Margot looked up quickly. She hadn�t seen anyone walk down the aisle and was surprised, and a bit shocked when she saw a man staring down at her. A rather attractive man.
�Hi,� she replied as he sat down next to her. She sat up in her seat and patted her somewhat static-filled hair down. She extended a graceful hand. �I�m Margot.�
Margot. That�s a beautiful name, JC thought to himself. He took her hand and shook it warmly. �I�m JC.�
�JC?� her brow furrowed, �Does that stand for something?�
He smiled at her question. �Kind of, but not really. My real name�s Joshua.�
Joshua, that�s a beautiful name, she thought to herself.
�Well, I like Joshua.� JC smiled at the girl sitting beside him. No one ever called him by his real name, excluding family and family friends. This would be�different.
To say the least.
�Bonjour Joshua, je suis tres heureuse te connaitre. Je m�appelle Margot, mais tu la sais. J�espere nous avons un bon vol. Si l�aero s�ecrase, je vais etre en col�re.�
JC blinked at Margot. He thought he had picked up the tiniest bit of an accent before, but now he was pretty sure she was from France.
Well, duh.
She laughed good heartedly at JC�s lost expression ever since she was born, her parents had spoken to her in both French and English, making her bilingual at a very young age. She knew JC had no idea that she was French so she decided to play with him a little. And it had worked perfectly.
�Um what did you say and did you say anything bad about me?� he asked cautiously. Margot laughed out loud again. She touched his arm lightly. He began to tingle underneath her fingertips.
�No, no. I just said, �Hello Joshua, I�m please to meet you. My name is Margot but you always knew that. I also said I hope we have a nice flight for if the plane crashed I will be very angry.� See? Not a bad thing about anyone, except maybe the pilot if this darned thing does plummet to the earth from 30, 000 feet.�
She smiled at her lame attempt at a joke but stopped soon after she realized where JC�s attention had gone. She looked down to where her hand and his arm met and swiftly put it back in her lap. She mumbled an apology while JC slowly came back to his senses. He tried to smile reassuringly, but it had ended up looking kind of twisted. He had to break the uncomfortable silence.
�Oh, no, it�s no problem! I was just wondering how I never managed to take a single French lesson. You would think I would, huh.�
It was her turn to blink at him.
�Why?�
JC�s face brightened noticeably. She didn�t know who he was. At all. He liked it much better this way.
�Oh, because I have French ancestors. My last name�s Chasez. How come you�re so good at French?�
�Because I�ve lived in France all my life.�
JC was even more impressed. *NSYNC had gotten huge in Europe long before America had even heard of them and she had managed to stay hidden in the closet the entire time. But he wasn�t amazed just for that reason. She�d lived in France all her life and she hardly had an accent. Her English was impeccable. Probably better than his. Definitely better than Justin�s. JC smiled at the thought of his younger group mate. He loved and missed his best friends, but he would definitely enjoy his vacation without them.
�What are you smiling at me for?� Margot asked warily. JC must have been zoning out, smiling goofily at her for at least five minutes. He shook his head quickly.
�Nothing. I was just thinking about something.�
�Oh.�
JC mentally smacked himself.
�I was thinking about something.� Smooth move Romeo. Now she probably thinks that �something� you were thinking about were you, her and a room. Now she thinks you�re some sex fiend out to get her body.
JC glanced over at Margot.
And what a nice body it is. Oh my god, did I just say that? Jesus help me, I�m starting to sound like Joey. Now she�ll definitely think I�m weird. Now in all probability, she won�t give me the time of day�
Wait. What are you talking about? You just broke up Roxanne last night and you�re already talking about Margot like she�s someone worth pursuing.
JC glanced at her again. She looked deep in thought.
She probably is worth pursuing. I mean she�s obviously beautiful and definitely intelligent. She has a nice personality from the bit of it I have witnessed�but you will now use her. You need to get over Roxanne by yourself and you sure as hell are not bringing Margot down in flames with you. So stop trying to rush into things Chasez. That�s probably what drove Roxanne away in the first place.
�Oh.� She says, �Oh.� Boy am I a genius of what. �Oh.� I just can�t get over that! Of all the words in the English and French dictionaries, I have to choose to say the one that makes me sound like an idiotic�thing! Ugh, I think I am losing my mind, Joshua definitely won�t fall for a moron like me�
Whoa. What are you talking about girl? You just met the guy, plus your three-year relationship with Luke just ended. And you�re already thinking of playing the field again! He may be intelligent and funny, and painfully beautiful, but you will not use him to help you get over Lucas. You have to get over him by yourself and stop wanting to rush into things. That�s most likely what drove Luke away in the first place�
The two young adults sat in silence for several moments while they tried to �get themselves back together,� figuratively speaking, of course.
�What an fascinating conversation this turned out to be.� Margot joked.
JC just grunted and looked at the back of the seat in front of his. He shifted uncomfortably in his leather chair as Margot turned to look out the window again.
That wasn�t quite the reaction I had hoped for�
JC immediately began to feel bad. He hadn�t meant to block her out of his mind like he did, she was just trying to lighten the mood. He felt the need to make it up to her.
�Margot?�
She grunted this time. JC sighed.
�Margot, where are you staying in Los Angeles? I mean, do you have family or something there?� An idea dawned on JC. �Or are you going to visit your boyfriend?� he spoke again, his voice faltering slightly.
Margot froze. She almost had to force the words to come out of her mouth.
�No, I don�t have a boyfriend. I used to, but he broke up with me last night. I don�t have anyone in California.�
JC�s mouth dropped open. How could anyone break up with such a beautiful person? And now just outside, inside as well. She seemed to have such a good heart. He immediately felt the need to protect Margot and make sure no one ever hurt her again. This time, he didn�t listen to the warning voices inside his head.
Margot sniffled. She hadn�t planned on talking about Luke with JC or anyone else for that matter. But she had just opened up to him. Even after she told herself she wouldn�t open up to anyone ever again. He just seemed so nice and trustworthy. But she still had to be careful.
�Why?� she asked, her voice cracking a little
JC sighed, mentally trying to prepare himself for the responses he might receive in exchange for what he was about to ask her.
�Because I happen to have a beach house in California and I was wondering if you�d like to stay there with me.�
Margot sat in silence. He wanted her to stay at a beach house with him? His beach house? What was that about? She�d just met this guy about an hour earlier and he already wanted her to move in with him? Margot quickly unbuckled her eat belt and stood up.
�Um, I have to go to the bathroom.�
JC sat up straighter in his chair and touched her arm lightly. This was the reaction he hoped wouldn�t happen, but had a feeling it would. Margot quickly jolted it behind her back.
�No, wait, you don�t understand. It�s just that I�ve got this huge place all to myself and you don�t seem like you have anyone to stay with,� he sighed and continued after a moment. �Plus, my girlfriend just broke up with me too. California�s the place I find such comfort in and I really need to relax. We could share tips on how to deal with a broken heart. Plus, I kinda don�t want to be all alone, the place kind of scares me at night.� JC smiled, hoping to get some kind of a reaction out of her. Preferably a more positive one. Margot stayed standing. She just looked at JC.
�But I don�t even know you. How in my right mind would I stay at your house? Alone! With you! I�m sure you�re no psychotic killer or anything, but a girl in the21st century can never be too careful. Plus we really need to get to know each other better. You don�t even know my last name!�
�Then tell me,� JC pleaded, he was starting to panic. Margot sighed at his pleading look.
�And I don�t even know you! There�s-�
�You already said that.�
Margot smiled in spite of herself.
�I know I did. I think you understand where I�m coming from though, right?�
JC nodded, understanding completely. Margot took the pause in the conversation as an opportunity to sit back down and refasten her seat belt.
�So what are we waiting for!?� he yelled suddenly.
Margot looked confusedly at him. He just smiled.
�Let�s get to know each other! I plan to know you inside and out by the time this plane lands!�
Margot smiled genuinely at JC. He practically glowed, knowing he was the one her smile was directed at.
�Well, Joshua. My full name is Margot Caroline Martin. I�ve lived in France all my life��
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