Chapter Ten

"There's a China Garden here too?" JC asked as we all entered the restaurant.
Rainbow nodded. "Yup, small world, huh?"
"We used to come here, like, all the time in high school- remember that, Rain?" I asked.
"Yeah, I remember those days�." Rainbow said wistfully. "It was either all work and some play or all play and some work."
A waiter approached our group. "How many?"
"Ummm�five. We have one more coming," Lance said.
"Follow me," the waiter said.
Once we were seated, I gasped. "Oh! Do you remember Jim Slater?"
"Yes!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Oh, he was- oh he was a jerk."
"What happened with Jim Slater?" JC asked looking over the menu.
"Well, our freshman year, he liked me for a little while and he was such a sweet talker. I totally fell for it. Then one day he totally stopped talking to me and moved on to our friend Hilary for awhile. Then he moved on to her sister, Mara. And then he stopped talking to us and hanging out with us for a couple months," I explained.
"Player," Lance said.
"You think?" JC said sarcastically.
"It doesn't end there," I went on. "Then out of nowhere he calls me up and asks me out. I said no, and he tired to brush it off as a joke. He twisted all my words around to his advantage�it was just like�Grr!"
Rainbow laughed. "Speak of the devil�"
I looked toward the entrance of the restaurant and saw a face I hadn't seen in years. "Oh my gosh�"
"Is that Jim Slater?" Lance asked.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"With Eddie right behind him," JC observed. "Eddie!"
Eddie's head snapped up. He spotted our table and waved, making his way towards us. "Hey everyone. Osh- look, it's Jim Slater. I'll bet you're happy to see him, huh?"
"Oh yeah, I was just dying to see him," I said sarcastically.
Eddie laughed as he opened the menu. "I knew it."
"Let's just hope he doesn't recognize us," Rainbow muttered.
"I'm with you on that one," I agreed as the waiter approached our table.
"Are you ready to order?"
We all ordered our food and the waiter collected our menus, promising to return with our drinks.
"So Eddie, how was your Thanksgiving?" Lance asked.
Eddie took a sip of water. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I can't wait to go back home to Cali."
"Yeah, no kidding. I wanna go back home too," Rainbow agreed.
"Especially since we have a house now and we don't live on campus anymore," I said gleefully.
"Yeah, that's right- we still need to see your guys' new house," JC said.
"You will, don't worry. It's not gonna disappear before you get to stay in it," Rainbow said patting JC's knee.
"Excuse me, but are you Ocean Griggs?" a male voice asked from behind me.
Judging from the look on Rainbow's face and the smile Eddie was trying to hide, I could tell who it was. I turned around in my chair to see the face of Jim Slater smiling down at me. "Yes, I'm Ocean."
"Do you remember me?" Jim asked.
I thought for a moment as if I was trying to place his face. I couldn't let him think he had stuck in my brain for years. "Ummm�Jim Slater."
"Yeah. So how have you been, Osh?" Jim asked.
"Pretty good- how about you?"
"Good. When I heard you were on MadTV, I couldn't help but brag about you," Jim said.
"Brag about me? How?" I asked.
"My ex-girlfriend has gone Hollywood!" Jim exclaimed.
"What? Jim, I was never your girlfriend," I said.
"Yeah, you were- freshman year. Don't you remember?" Jim asked.
I shook my head. "Um, no. I don't remember being your girlfriend."
"That's funny. I do."
"Right, you wish."
"Do you have a boyfriend now, Osh?"
I nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."
"Wow, I was wondering when you'd stop being afraid of guys and what would happen if you were alone with one of them," Jim said.
I snorted. "I never was afraid of guys or what would happen if I was alone with one of them."
"Whatever. So who's your boyfriend?" Jim asked.
"Jim, this is my boyfriend, Lance Bass. Lance, this is Jim Slater," I said as the two shook hands. "You remember Rainbow I'm sure and that's her boyfriend JC Chasez. I don't know if you knew Eddie Mann�."
"You guys are from N Sync, aren't you?"
"I knew we would come upon a smidgen of truth from your mouth," I said.
"So you two are actually together," Jim said disbelievingly.
Lance nodded. "Yeah for awhile now- almost nine months now."
"Have you ever kissed?" Jim asked.
"Jim, dude, I don't think that's any of your business," Eddie said.
Lance shook his head. "No, it's okay Eddie. Yeah, we've kissed many times, Jim- why do you ask?"
"Osh never kissed me or anyone else�"
"Well she kisses me," Lance replied.
"I'm dating Britney Spears," Jim said.
"Are you really?" Rainbow asked, forcing down her laughter.
"Yeah. She said Justin didn't have what she wanted," Jim boasted.
"Umm�and you do?" Eddie asked.
"Apparently."
"Well, Justin thanks you from the depths of his very soul for that," JC said. "We all thank you for taking her away."
"What do you have to say about that Osh?" Jim asked.
"What do you want me to say Jim? Oh please dumb Britney so I can go out with you?" I snorted. "I don't think so. And it's not like you're really going out with her anyway."
"Why don't you believe me?"
"First of all, you? Haha, yeah right. And second, since you haven't changed at all, I know you're lying to try to get a reaction out of me," I said quietly. "And Jim, you know what? Move on- I have."
"Well, it was nice talking to all of you. My date is waiting," Jim said and walked away.
"I thought he was going out with Britney," Lance said with a smile.
"I didn't believe Jim was as bad as you two made him sound, but now�he's worse," Eddie said.
"Too bad he's not really dating Britney," JC added. "Those two would be perfect together."
"No kidding," I muttered.

"Mmm. That was some good food," Eddie said, leaning back in his chair as the waiter dropped the check and fortune cookies off at the table.
"Yeah, this was really good," JC agreed. "I'm glad we all got together for dinner."
After we had eaten the cookies and shared our good fortunes, I stood up and stretched my arms.
"Well, everyone, it's getting late," I said with a yawn.
JC nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is. We better get back to your house, Rain."
"Yeah, okay," Rain said. "We will see you guys later-"
"Yeah, tomorrow, back home!" Eddie cheered.
Lance smiled. "Okay. Well, Osh, we better get going."
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Cuz your dad said he would show me some stuff on the moon and some galaxies through the telescope," Lance said excitedly.
I laughed as I hugged Rainbow and JC. "Okay, okay. The moon isn't going anywhere for awhile."
"Okay, but hurry O."
"Bye Osh. I'll see you back home tomorrow," Eddie said as he put his arms around me in a hug.
"Yup yup yup," I said with a smile. "We're gonna have to get together before everyone leaves to go on tour." I threw a playful glare at JC and Lance who protested.
"Hey, do I get a hug?" Lance asked.
"Of course," I replied, wrapping my arms around him in a long hug.
Lance pulled back and planted a nice long kiss on my lips.
"Mmm, yummy," I murmured. "What was that for?"
Lance grinned. "Jim's watching."
I laughed and pulled his head down. "Well, then�."

                                                       THE END!

on to the sequel...You Don't Have To Be Afraid
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