Tessa stared wide-eyed, unsure of how to make up for the lie.

Emily looked back and forth between the two young people and smiled knowingly. "I'm sorry. Of course, your sister. You know it's my old age. Ricky keeps telling me that I'm losing my mind. I am starting to believe him."

J.C. looked to Tessa for verification and noted that her face looked white.

Tessa coughed, hoping that J.C. wouldn't place too much significance on her reaction. She smiled, hiding her nervousness. "Well, Emily, it's alright with me. She's pretty forgettable."

Emily laughed. "You and your sister never did get along."

Wow, Emily's never lied in her life, Tessa thought guiltily. What have I done?

"I can see why," J.C. smiled. "You two are as different as night and day."

This guy must be some kind of idiot, the voice mocked. How could the same person be so different?

I'll just have to keep up the differences, Tessa thought. I'll be a young, snotty girl by day and a sophisticated professional by night. Just in case he runs into me again.

"I guess you could say that," Tessa spoke. "And Emily's right, we never did get along. She's a little hard-headed."

J.C. replied, "As is her sister."

Tessa blushed slightly. I guess I can be stubborn sometimes.

"Yes, indeed," Emily smiled warmly at the young woman with a twinkle in her eye.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, Tessa pushed back her seat. "Well, this dinner really was wonderful, Emily. Give my regards to Ricky."

She stood and smiled at J.C. "I'm sorry for running out on you, but I really have to get home early."

J.C. frowned. "Okay. When can I see you again?"

Tessa paused. "If you can get the documents to your personnel by tomorrow afternoon, I can meet you for dinner tomorrow night."

J.C. smiled immediately. "Sounds great. Thank you for joining me for dinner, Miss Bentley."

Tessa shook his hand. "Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Chasez."

He grinned at her with that charming expression of his and she felt the ground beneath her start to slip. J.C. was smiling at her the way he used to. The one who broke her heart.

"Please, Josh is fine. If we're going to work together, I hope it's as equals," J.C. explained.

Tessa simply nodded, unable to respond otherwise.

She picked up her suitcase and walked away, praying that he hadn't seen through her thinly veiled lies.

~!~The Next Morning~!~

Tessa awoke at 7 A.M. to the sound of her alarm clock buzzing away. Well as awake as Tessa could be at that hour.

She grumbled as she made her way to the shower. She had slept and she had not. Slept if you defined sleeping as being unconscious. Not slept if you defined it as a peaceful slumber.

After the events with her new client and her newly-gained respect from her co-workers, she still couldn't forget what she had lost.

She had spent three years living with another human being and suddenly she was expected to be independent again. Not that she was dependent on him, quite the contrary, but because taking care of him, of them as a couple had become a part of her. Now it was gone.

She let the cold water wash over her in hopes it would wash away the burden she felt pressed against her shoulders. She didn't want anything more that moment than to feel numb. She just wanted to be able to say that he hadn't hurt her. She didn't want to give him that kind of power.

Tessa stepped out of the shower and finished getting ready. Uncaring about her clothes, she just threw on a pair of jeans and a tank top. It was no time to be stylish.

She grabbed her bookbag and walked out the door. For some reason, it relaxed her to be out of the apartment.

As soon as I get finished with this client, I'm getting a new apartment, she consoled herself. It was something to look forward to, anyways.

~!~An Hour Later~!~

Tessa grabbed her usual table in the corner of one of the many libraries at USC. This particular one was the law library. Her major wasn't in law, but she found that this one tended to be the quietest.

She was reading a novel for her philosophy course. Thoreau interested her as his idealist beliefs were fascinating, but like many other authors, he tended to write more than what was needed which resulted in a 200 page reading assignment for her.

She was just beginning to get into a good part when she heard the chair from across her squeak, indicating that someone was intending to sit at her table.

She looked up from her book to see a pair of blue eyes looking intently at her.

"I don't think I've properly introduced myself," he held out his hand. "My name's J.C., what's yours?"

Surprised and disoriented, Tessa panicked.

Your first opportunity in maintaining your pathetic lie and you suck, the voice mocked her.

Just remember, young and snotty, Tessa reminded herself.

With angered glare in place, she looked at him and replied, "I know who you are. Who doesn't? Your face is on every BOP and J-14 magazine in every checkout line."

J.C. winced at the mention of that last particular magazine. "I see. Well you know who I am, but I don't know who you are."

Tessa maintained her cold attitude and said, "Thank you, Mr. I-Like-To-State-The-Obvious."

J.C. sat down, not losing his ground. "Well if you insist upon acting like a---"

"I'm not acting, I'm REACTING," Tessa threw back.

J.C. simply shrugged and looked down at her book, "Walden, eh?"

Tessa continued to glare at him, though her resolve was slowly slipping with his persistence. "What's it to you?"

"I don't know. I just find it ironic that you, of all people, would be reading about a utopian community," J.C. commented.

So he's intelligent and well-read, Tessa thought to herself. How would a snob react to that?

"Why is that ironic?" Tessa asked, keeping her voice cool and detached but losing the angered tone.

"You seem the cynic to me," J.C. explained.

"Oh I didn't know that knocking me over in a hallway made you the expert on me," she retorted. She gave him one last glare and looked down at her book, attempting to ignore him. Still, the anger remained on her face.

She wasn't acting anymore.

How dare he assume to know what kind of person I am just from ONE encounter? Of all the pompous behavior . . .

Aren't you lucky that you can be pissed at him when he thinks you aren't Tessa Bentley, but rather, her bratty little sister? the voice laughed at her. How manipulative you have become, CB.

She noticed out of the corner of her eye that he had not moved.

Frustrated she finally looked up, "Are you going to be sitting here all day?"

"Nope, I have a dinner meeting tonight," J.C. grinned smugly. "That's in a good 9 hours."

Tessa groaned. Great, from now until then I have to make myself civilized towards him again.

"Look, can't we start over?" J.C. offered.

"Why do you even care what I think about you? I'm a nobody," Tessa said slowly.

"No, you aren't a nobody. I am working with your sister, Tessa," J.C. explained.

Shocked face time, she thought. Act surprised.

"Oh, really? I pity dear old Tessa," she said. She was surprised at how naturally her words flowed. "That still doesn't explain why you're here. You're her client. It's her job to please YOU, not the other way around. Besides, I'd doubt if Tessa cared one way or another whether we made nice."

"Made nice?" J.C. said with a raised eyebrow.

"That is what you're trying to do isn't it?" Tessa said as her eyes challenged him to refute her.

"I guess," J.C. conceded. "But other than that, I just wanted to apologize for my rudeness yesterday. I just wasn't having a good day."

Tessa eyed him suspiciously. I still don't get why he cares what I think, she said to herself. It wouldn't affect him one bit if he just forgot about me.

Tessa brushed away her worries and replied, "You weren't the only one. You aren't the first either, so that is no excuse for being such a jerk."

Way to push the envelope, CB, the voice said to her. You just better pray he never figures out you and Tessa Bentley are one and the same. He'll have you fired among other things.

"I know," J.C. said, to her surprise. "How about a truce? I'll buy you breakfast and you forgive me?"

Tessa was shocked to say the least. He was admitting to being a jerk to her?

Okay, some time between yesterday morning and today I must have hit my head because everyone around here is going whacko on me, Tessa thought. First, Missy, then Rebecca, and now him.

"I promise I won't knock you over again," J.C. said with a boyish grin on his face.

It couldn't hurt, Tessa thought as she nodded and gathered her things. What harm could a free breakfast do?

Little she knows, little she sees.

~!~At A Nearby Park~!~

They both walked out of the cafe with bags in their hands which contained their breakfasts.

"You know, you're not so bad when you aren't pissed off at me," J.C. commented with a teasing smile.

Tessa glared at him. "Who says I'm not? Just because you offered me a free breakfast doesn't mean we're cool."

"Oh I'm very cool," J.C. joked. "Teen People says so."

Tessa looked at him. "They also say that Nick Carter is good-looking."

"Touche!" he said, smiling at her.

I wish he would quit smiling at me. I'd rather he be rude and obnoxious, she thought to herself.

Why, CB? the voice asked.

I don't know, she replied. I just do.

They found a spot near a patch of flowers and sat down. It was right smack in the middle of the park, but yet it was somewhat secluded from the noisy park visitors.

"Perfect," she said as she sat down.

He eyed her brown bag as he commented, "You sure don't eat much."

She replied, "I don't usually eat breakfast. It's part of this new diet plan I just started."

He laughed as she pulled out the contents of her bag.

She looked up in surprise, her face showing that she was offended by his reaction. "What?"

J.C. eyed her with a grin on his face. "Is that donut a part of your new diet plan?"

She looked away nonchalantly and replied, "Any reason stating that I should or should not eat this donut should be put clearly in writing."

He laughed.

"Technically, a donut is of the grain group. It should be allowed as an essential to any diet," Tessa rambled staring at the pastry in her hand.

J.C. couldn't help but smile. "Did anyone ever tell you that you should be a lawyer?"

Tessa looked up flirtatiously. "Now was that a compliment, Mr. Chasez?"

"I said you should be a lawyer," J.C. smirked.

"Ha ha," Tessa said sarcastically. "I'll let you know it takes a lot of smarts to be a lawyer. Besides, if I remember correctly, some lawyers helped your sorry ass out of a jam once or twice."

J.C. chuckled, seeing her take a bite out of her donut with a victorious grin on her face. He shook his head. He could see what Tessa meant when she said that her sister was hardheaded.

"So you obviously know a lot about me," J.C. commented. "Are you a fan?"

"Oh, wouldn't that just tickle your ego?" Tessa winked at him. "Yes, I like your music. It would be stupid of me not to admit it, but it doesn't mean I have to like you as people."

"I'm not saying you do," J.C. said to her.

"Your fans would say otherwise," she said before she took another bite of her donut.

"Yes, well they tend to take things pretty extremely," J.C. said, his voice slightly betraying the sadness he was feeling at the mention of the fans.

Tessa looked at him intently. She had heard that sadness. "You mean how they can't differentiate between J.C. the person and J.C. the product?"

J.C. shrugged. "They are our fans. They are the only reason we are successful. I have no right to judge them."

"Why not?" Tessa challenged.

"Because that would be ungrateful of me. It's just wrong," J.C. said.

"They are your customers, even if you don't want to admit it. A person who hires a lawyer can't make that lawyer not date and do only business law, or pop music in your case, just because that's what the client wants. If the lawyer isn't that way, then he isn't that way. They don't have the right to make those demands and they wouldn't normally expect them. Why are your fans allowed to make those demands on you?"

"Don't you get it? I AM the product. The lawyer offers a service. He isn't the thing he is selling," J.C. said solemnly. "If I do something wrong it effects how they see us. If the world was perfect, it would just be about the music, but unlike you, most people don't separate the artist and their work. I can't hold it against them either. If I knew a fellow musician was on drugs or was convicted of a crime, I don't think I could buy their music."

"You aren't committing a crime," Tessa said. "Wanting a life isn't a crime."

"In this industry it is," J.C. said.

Tessa looked blankly at him. He was right in a way, but it was too sad to admit to.

She could see she had struck a sensitive chord with him, but she had to be careful. If she wasn't, she might slip and he would realize she was a fraud.

"Will you tell me your name anytime soon?" J.C. asked, searching for a new topic.

Swallowing the last bite of her donut, she panicked inwardly.

My name? she thought.

Her inner voice laughed at her. Good planning, CB. You don't even have a name for your imaginary sister!

Suddenly a voice called out over J.C.'s shoulder. "Hey, CB, there you are!"

J.C. and Tessa both looked up as a young man approached them.

Tessa smiled. It was her friend, David. "Hey Dave, have you been looking for me?"

"Obviously, you brat. I need those psych notes you borrowed last week. The midterm is practically here and I can't study without them."

Tessa laughed as she turned to J.C. "He exaggerates. Everything is life and death with David."

J.C. smiled, surprised that she included him in the conversation.

"Oh, by the way, David, this is J.C. J.C., this is David," Tessa introduced them as she searched for the notes her friend needed.

"So how do you know CB? She never told me she knew anyone famous," David said to J.C.

"You know who I am?" J.C. asked.

"Of course, who doesn't? Not that I'm a fan or anything," David blushed.

"Oh, God forbid a guy admit to liking *N Sync," Tessa laughed, handing her friend the notes.

"Don't listen to her, she's just trying to make a fool of me. AS ALWAYS," David glared at her. His smile, however, showed that he wasn't angry at all.

"I don't do that ALL the time," Tessa said.

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not," Tessa persisted, as she turned to J.C. "Sometimes he does it all on his own."

J.C. laughed as a sly smile spread across Tessa's face and David blushed even redder.

"I'm just kidding, David," Tessa said, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "You know I love you."

"Yeah right," David laughed. "Well I'll leave you alone. But remember, we have a study session tomorrow night at my place."

"You wouldn't let me forget," Tessa smiled at her friend.

David shook his head and smiled as he walked away.

Tessa watched as he got on his bike and headed toward the library.

David was the only other male person in her life besides her ex-boyfriend in the past three years. At least David was someone she could count on.

"So you CAN be nice, CB," J.C. said, emphasizing her initials.

Thank you, David, she said silently. That's the perfect name for my alter ego. Everyone here calls me that should J.C. ever decide to drop by USC again. Wait, what's he doing here anyways?

"What are you doing here anyways?" she said aloud. "Are you stalking me?"

J.C. laughed heartily. "Don't flatter yourself. I was in search of some legal documents and I was referred here by a business associate."

"You mean you don't have people to do that for you?" Tessa said, in surprise.

"I'm not helpless, you know. I can do things on my own. I even dress myself sometimes and buy my own food."

Tessa laughed at her own prejudices and apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

"So she laughs," J.C. commented. "And she even apologizes."

"I'm not a total brat, despite what David said."

"And I'm not a total celebrity, despite what Bop says," J.C. replied.

"I'm beginning to see that," Tessa smiled.

Chapter 4 -->