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| Subject: A Beautiful Mess *NEW JC STORY* prologue and ch. 1, part one | |
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Author: mystikpixie |
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Date Posted: 06:31:04 06/05/02 Wed PROLOGUE: Laughter rang out through the air, ringing in her ears as she pushed her way through the massive amount of people, holding a long neck bottle in one hand and using the other hand to wave at anyone who called her name. Her mind was far away from the party as it had been for the entire night since she arrived with her roommate, against her own will. Partying was something she enjoyed just as much as any normal college student. But with the end of her senior year just around the corner, her mind was on her future instead of how much beer she could consume in one night or how hot her one nightstand would be compared to the others. Instead, all she was able to concentrate on was what she would be doing after graduating college. She would be starting her life over once more on her own terms since she would be the one paying for graduate school and working long hours to make sure the rent was paid on time. The parties she attended nearly every week would disappear from her life, and while most of her friends were drinking and fooling around as much as possible before the school year ended, she could not join in on the festivities. Taking in a deep breath and a sip of her drink, she stepped outside of the packed fraternity house, wishing she could leave all her troubles inside even though she knew they would follow her wherever she went. In fact, her troubles would more than likely consume her even more now that she stood outside, away from the loud talking and drunken laughter that practically shook the walls of the fraternity house. The clean air swirled around her, sending a chill through her body and blocking the noise of the party out of her ears. As she stood still, looking out at the college campus in front of her and forgetting about everything that was going on inside, her mind drifted to a few weeks back when she had gone home to visit her family, her parents and younger sister. Things had been wonderful at first, but her parents had soon begun talking about responsibility and the responsibilities she would have in her life once she graduated. Everything her parents related to her was filled with truth, and every word had struck a chord within her, more so than she was willing to admit to anyone but herself. The words had filled her thoughts ever since the lecture occurred, and now, as she stood outside staring at the college campus she would soon be leaving behind, she was beginning to see that it was time for her to take charge of her life, cleaning up all the messes she had simply swept under the bed for so long as she did so. Just as the tears of regret at the thought of her life began to fill her eyes, she felt a hand rest on her shoulder and turn her around. As if someone had turned the switch to her tear-ducts off, her eyes were dry and she smiled up at the visitor. “Hey Hannah, how is it going?” “It’s going well. This party is really going strong; should be a fun night, don’t you think?” She shrugged her shoulders and brought the bottle of beer up to her lips, taking a quick sip. “I guess so. They normally all end the same way, so I’m not holding my breath for anything spectacular to happen.” “You are such a drag at parties lately, do you realize that?” Hannah asked, her voice tinged with disgust at her friend’s lack of enthusiasm. A smile crept up her lips as she nodded her head. “Yes, I do realize that, and I am rather proud to say I can ruin just about any party thank you very much,” She replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes once she was done speaking. “Anyway, it’s not like I am TRYING to ruin the party or anything of the sort. I just have a lot going on in my life right now with graduation so close and getting ready to move out of our apartment so I can go to graduate school. It’s a lot to deal with all at once, know what I mean?” She cast a look to find her friend, only to discover that Hannah was no longer standing beside her. Just a few more weeks, she reminded herself. In a few more weeks you can start over again and make all your wrongs into rights. CHAPTER ONE, PART ONE: Walking through the crowded street was something he was not used to, especially since he was walking alone instead of being surrounded by large men whose soul duty in life was to make sure he was not attacked by a crazed fan. The freedom was both welcomed and shunned. Welcomed because it added normalcy to his life that he longed for, and shunned because he was terrified that something would happen with no one there to help him escape the situation. Pulling his baseball cap down so it covered his face even more and stuffing his hands into his pockets, the lone man tried to imagine that he had his bodyguards with him, hoping the imaginary protection would bring him more courage. The childish attempt failed, not to his own surprise, but before he could become even more paranoid than he had been for the past five minutes spent walking along the street, he was away from the multitudes of people and standing inside a small but well-known bookstore. Sliding his disguise off and folding it so he could stuff it into his pocket, the young man looked around the store, searching for the one employee who knew who he was and what it was that he wanted. When he spotted her, squatting in the children’s section talking to a young toddler, he made his way towards her and leaned against one of the shelves, watching her for a moment. The way she smiled at the young boy, as if he were the only person in the store at the moment, brought a smile to his face, and the way she talked to him as though he were older than three made him respect the hard-working woman even more. Their conversations had been short and to the point, for the most part, but he still enjoyed watching her interact with other customers, especially the younger children. After watching her for a few minutes and being spotted as the toddler ran off to find his mother, the young man slid his hands into his back pockets and smiled lazily at the employee. “Hey there, Madi. How are you doing today?” She pushed herself into a standing position and wiped her hands off on the back pockets of her blue jeans as she waked past him, towards the cash registers. “I am doing just fine. How about you, JC? Here to pick up the book you ordered a few weeks ago?” He nodded his head and flashed her a Kodak-worthy smile. “I sure am. Sorry it took me so long to get up here to pick it up. Things have been rather crazy with getting ready for the tour and…” “And the break-up with Bobbie?” She questioned, handing him the book across the countertop and peering at him. “My aunt told me,” Madi explained after noticing the bewildered expression on his face. “I work with the woman and live with her for a night at a time if I am working late and then have class early the next morning, so I hear ALL the gossip.” JC nodded his head once and flipped through the book, glancing at the pages as he did so. “Yeah and the break-up with Bobbie.” He slammed the book shut and shrugged his shoulders leaning back on the countertop. “The breakup wasn’t pretty, to say the least, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. How much do I owe you, anyway?” She glanced down at the cash register quickly and then met his eyes. “Forty-five dollars, even. I’m really sorry to hear about the break-up I know how much you cared for her.” He nodded as he pulled his wallet out from the back pocket of his pants. Without glancing up at her, JC withdrew his credit card and tossed it to her, ready to get out of the bookstore area but also wanting to stay so he could talk to her for even longer, as strange as it was for him to think. Lifting his head up to watch her charge him the said amount on his credit card, JC allowed himself to truly observe the way she looked from her blond hair to her crystal blue eyes to her small but curvy figure. She was aesthetically gorgeous, to say the least, and he was surprised to notice just how much of her beauty he had kept himself from noticing while dating his ex-girlfriend. Before, when Bobbie was the woman he wanted, Madi had been nothing more than another pretty face in an endless sea, but now that he was single and already aspiring to find a new girlfriend, she appeared to be much more than a pretty face. In fact, as a whole, he knew she was an amazing person, at least that is what her aunt had related to him over a quick bite to eat or a phone call. Of course, her aunt was a bit biased seeing as how they were related, but after knowing her for quite a few years, since the first time he wandered into the bookstore, JC had come to consider her a reliable source of information. “Hey babe magnet,” Madison called, breaking him from his thoughts. “Here is your receipt and your card.” She smiled at him and handed both objects over to him while pushing a piece of her hair out of her eyes. “You alright there, sweetie? You don’t look like you are exactly living on earth at the moment.” “I’m fine, Madi, just have a lot on my mind with the whole break up and the knowledge that I am single now.” He shrugged his shoulders and slipped the receipt in between the pages of the book while sticking the credit card into his back pocket. “Anyway, what are you up to tonight?” “I get off work around eight, and then I am supposed to be going to a club or a party with a roommate. Why do you ask?” “Because,” He responded with a grin, “I need something to do.” “You need something to do so you are asking me what I am doing tonight?” Madi shook her head with an amused smile on her face. “I’m sorry, sweetie, but I am not the sort of person you would normally hang out with.” JC rolled his eyes and set his book back on the counter. “Why do you say that? From everything your aunt has told me, you and I would be perfect together. In fact, she has been trying to manipulate me into breaking up with Bobbie for quite some time so I could take her sweet niece out.” Madi giggled, shaking her head to herself as she stepped out from behind the counter. She patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the back to go about her job of organizing the books on the shelves. “My aunt thinks I would be perfect with just about anyone she finds mildly attractive, JC. You should know this since you have known her for a few years, and she has been harassing you about dating for a few years as well. So ignore everything she has told you about me because I can promise you that I am no good for you. Plus, you just got out of a serious relationship and I refuse to be a rebound.” “I’m not asking you out on a date, Madi,” He told her, leaning up against one of the shelves with a smirk on his face. “I am just asking you what you are doing tonight because I need something to do.” JC cracked a smile when her cheeks and ears began to slowly turn red. “As much as I think you are an attractive young woman, I’m not ready for a relationship yet, so as a friend asking a friend, what are you doing tonight?” She slid two books into place and then slowly turned around to face him, hoping her face wasn’t as red as she feared it was. “Going to a party?” Madi responded, raking a hand through her hair nervously as she did so. “Would you like to come with me? There’s going to be alcohol and stuff there, just so you know.” “I have partied before, Madi. Hello, I am one fifth of N Sync. Do you know how many times I have given an interview hung over or thrown up on the bus because I drank too much the night before?” He smiled and slid his hat back over his head. “Anyway, I need to get going. I am going to write my number down and leave it for you on the counter. Call me with the details, got it?” She nodded her head and went back to stocking the shelves as he did just what he told her he would, pausing on his way out to look back at her for one last moment. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
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