Chapter 15 I hope I never break a leg  again, or any other bone It was not fun." "If JC asked you to climb a tree again, would you?" "I would do anything he asked, except hurt my friends.  That I wouldn't do even for him." Justin nodded his head. " If he asked you to leave him alone, let him live his life, would you?" "I would do whatever I could to avoid him, but not to the point where I'd leave my other friends."     Silence descended as they walked around the restaurant grounds.  Chris, Lance Sarah and Bri came out and everyone headed for the cars.  Chris and Lance didn't say anything about what Sarah and Bri told them. Sam was thankful for that, she didn't want or need pity.                                     ~~~~~~     The next day the girls checked out the apartment. A.J was walking out of the elevator, heading for his apartment, when they walked out of the apartment. "Hey, Sam, Sarah, Bri," he said hugging them.  "What are you three beauties doing here?  Visiting me I hope." "No, A.J, we're not here to visit you," Sarah said. "We've come to look at apartments." "Are you going to take the one between Chris and me?" "Yeah" Bri said. "I'm happy, Sam doesn't care, and Sarah.... Well she's likes the apartment; but not the fact that she's living next to her boyfriend and you." "You don't love me?" A.J took off his sun glasses, giving Sarah a sad puppy- dog face. "A.J, you've already got hundreds of people who love you. One more won't make a difference," Sarah told him, rolling her eyes. "You don't love me," A.J said. " I'm hurt.  Now I'm going to go sulk in my apartment," He walked to his apartment. "Have fun A.J," Sam called as he closed the door. "Oh I will," A.J called, a wicked not in his voice. "I don't like the sound of that," Bri said. "We're in trouble." "Aw, he won't try anything," Sarah commented.  "Come on, let's go fill out the paperwork."  They headed for the office.                                     ~~~~~~     A.J picked up the phone, dialing Howie's number.  So they believed he wouldn't do anything?  He'd teach them to underestimate A.J McLean. "D, did you know Sam, Sarah, and Br are moving down here?"  he asked when Howie  picked up. "No, when did you find out?" "A little  while ago. They're renting the apartment between chris and me. When they get down here with their things, you want to help me throw a party?" "A surprise party?" "Yep, I'll get Chris and someone else to help  us.  We'll probably have to let all the guys in on it, but everyone will have to swear secrecy." "They'll kill us, you know," Howie told A.J.  "Sarah hates surprise parties, Bri doesn't like ones planned for her and Sam......." He stopped, trying to decide if Sam would like a surprise party or not. "Sam wouldn't care. Sarah and Bri would get over it. But you'll help ?" "Yeah. Just tell me when, where and what to do, and I'll be there." "Why don't you find out when they're moving out here. I doubt they'd tell me." "Did you make them mad again?" "Me? Anger them?  Never!" "Sure, Bone, Sure."  Laughing, Howie hung up.                                   ~~~~~~~~    "I still can't believe Sam's loved him for that long," Lance said to Bri as they sat in the living room of his apartment, talking.  It was Wednesday.  The girls were flying home the next day, leaving early in the morning. "Me neither. And she kept it hidden from everyone." "That's the shocking thing. I thought Sarah and you knew everything about her." "Well I guess we didn't.  Are you glad we're moving out here?" "Yep. You're only five minutes away, which is very good." "Why is that good?" "It's always nice to have one's girlfriend close at hand." "I'll take your word for it," Bri told him, just before his mouth captured hers.                                     ~~~~~~ Chris and Sarah walked hand in hand down the street heading for a small restaurant a few blocks from the apartment. "Do you know when you guys will be back?" Sarah shook her head. "It depends on how long it takes us to pack and put everything in the moving van and things like that. In about two weeks, I'd imagine. "So you'll be out here for JC's birthday?" "Yep. I want to give him and eye-opening present too. We'll definitely be back here by then." "I'm not going to ask." Chris opened the restaurant door for Sarah, and followed her in.     They both ordered steaks, and baked potato's.  Over dinner they talked about little things, nothing major.  Occasionally Chris would play with the ring box in his pocket, wondering if he should ask her now or wait.  Once he started to, but stopped before he could get the question out.  He didn't want her to say no, so he decided to wait until she was settled in the apartment.                                    ~~~~~~~     Lesley boarded the plane. She was leaving for Europe for a photo shoot.  She'd be gone for a month, which meant she'd miss JC's birthday.  That didn't bother her. What bothered her  was the fact that Matt, her ex-boyfriend, would be there.  She loved him, even after dumping him to become a model.  And before she found out Sam had been offered a job as a model for Armand, was looking forward to seeing him.  But she didn't want  anyone to tell Sam about it. And since she wouldn't turn down the offer; Only an idiot would and Sam wasn't an idiot.  She'd hear the rumors soon enough. And Sam would tell JC.     That alone wouldn't be bad.  When she tried to get Justin to fuck her, and he told JC she was a slut, JC hadn't believed him.  But when combined with that, and the bitchy attitude she'd had lately, JC might believe his friends and dump her.  And Lesley couldn't risk losing him.  His fame and fortune were her safety net.                                      ~~~~ Sarah paused in the middle of her packing to get something to drink.  She'd just poured herself some soda when the phone rang. "Hey, Sarah," Howie said when she picked up. "How have you been?" "I'm tired, hot, and bored. And you?" "I'm okay. Do you know when you're getting out here?" "Why?" Howie thought quickly. "We're throwing a surprise party for JC." "We'll be out the sixth," Sarah told him.  "It didn't take us long to pack, and we're flying everything out there."  She stared straight ahead, thinking of the present she was giving JC. "The sixth? That's good.  Do you need anyone to pick you up?" "Nope, everythings been arranged." "Well, if you need any help, just call me."  Howie said. "I will." They talked for a little longer then Sarah finished her packing.  Sam had already finished and was sying bye to her friends, and getting addresses so she could write all of her friends.