PART ONE



    “Do I have to go to this party,” JC asked.
    “Dude, it is mandatory. Some of the press is going to be there. Why don’t you want to go?” Lance asked as they walked down the hallway in the hotel.
    “I’m just tired like crazy,” he said as he rubbed his eyes and then ran his hands through his hair.
    “Time to partay, partay!” Justin yelled as he came running up the hall behind them. “What’s up y’all?” he said and he dragged out the last word.
    “How the hell do you have all this energy?” JC gasped.
    “Cereal... it does a body good I tell ya. I just had me a bowl,” Justin laughed.
    “You kill me kid,” JC said back.
    Lance laughed and patted JC on the back. “You’ll make it,” he said as they rounded the corner.
    “Here C, have a Lollipop,” he said as he handed JC an orange sucker and then darted off to the bus.
    “Great,” he said. “Maybe this small ounce of sugar will wake me up some,” JC said as he stuck the sucker in his mouth.
    “I doubt it,” Lance laughed back.
    “It’s worth a try isn’t it?” JC smiled.

    They got to the club, Spiral Axis, and all entered with smiles on their faces. The press was there all right. Cameras surrounded the outside of the building and teenyboppers engulfed the area. Justin, Chris, and Joey hit the dance floor right when they got in there. They were ready to shake what the good Lord had given them. JC and Lance pondered the issue of going out there. They dance everyday for a living, they hardly wanted to do it when they could sit down and just watch.
    JC and Lance pulled up a spot at the bar and both ordered themselves a beer. JC spun himself around on the stool and watched Justin try to get his mack on with a girl. He hit Lance on the arm, “dude, look at this,” he said as they both looked over at Justin.
    “So, what’s your name?” Justin asked as he danced in front of a cute blonde.
    The blonde giggled, “Kasey,” she said as she popped her hips to the beat.
    “Cute name,” he said back and got a little closer.
    “This is too much,” JC said as he turned towards Lance.
    “No kidding!” he said back.
    “Oh, Joey’s going in for the kill,” JC said as he watched his friend leaning up against the wall next to a tall brunet.
    “So Joey, you’re really cute,” she said.
    “Thanks, you’re not too hard on the eyes yourself,” Joey said slyly.
    The girl ran her hands through her hair. “Wanna dance?” she asked.
    “Sure I do,” he said back. Then the two of them headed to the floor.
    JC and Lance laughed. “So C, you don’t wanna go hit the floor to pick up some chics?” Lance asked.
    “Are you kidding? I am not about to degrade myself as to meet a chic at the club,” he said.
    “Uh, whatever C. I’m not a loser, I’m gonna go find a chic. Get outta your funk and come,” Lance said as he started to stand.
    “Maybe later,” JC said and turned back to the bar. “Give me another,” he said to the bartender.
    “Hey, can I get a Shirley,” a girl said next to him. He didn’t even bother to turn to see who she was. She reached over JC and grabbed her drink. “Thanks for moving for me,” she said sarcastically to JC who was in her way. JC paid no attention to her. “Typical male,” she said as she walked back to the floor.
    “Was that chic talking to me?” JC asked the bartender.
    “Yeah dude, I think she was,” he said back.
    “Well that was rude.” JC thought nothing of the fact that he didn’t bother to move over so that the girl could reach her drink better. He spun around on the stool and saw Lance dancing with a tall blonde. “Figures,” he said.
    JC eyed the crowd and then his eyes were soon fixated on a girl dancing in the corner. Her soft brown hair flowed from side to side as she swung her hips. Her hair was chin length, but full of volume. She looked about 21 or 22, was about 5’6 and not much over 110 pounds. He watched her as she swayed her hips to the beat and ran her left hand through her hair. She held a drink in her right hand and sipped it occasionally.
    Not being able to stand it anymore JC decided that he had to go over and talk to this girl. Her beauty was almost breath taking and she had some type of glow to her. JC wasn’t going to let the guys rag on him all night because he failed to flirt with a girl the whole time they were there. He stood up and made his way for the kill.

    “Hey,” JC said as he moved in rhythm in front of her.
    “Hey,” she said back.
    “So, I saw ya dancing over here and thought I’d come say hello.”
    “Well hello,” she said and then slightly turned away.
    JC raised an eyebrow in surprise and then made his way back in front of her. “Got a name?” he asked.
    “Yeah, I think everyone here does,” she said back sarcastically.
    “Aren’t you a feisty one,” he said back to her.
    “Only to people who don’t deserve my respect,” she said and held up her drink.
    JC gave himself a mental slap and then said, “damn, Shirley eh?”
    “All I really drink when I come to these things.”
    “Look, I’m sorry. I figured you were just a teenybopper trying to get me to turn around.”
    “Only people over 18 are allowed in here,” she said.
    “And what, you don’t think that there are some 18 year old crazy teenies?” he laughed.
    She laughed a little, “I guess so,” she said as she looked around and saw a couple sets of eyes staring him down.
    “So, you know my name. Care to share yours? Since I now know that everyone here has one,” he said sarcastically to her.
    She couldn’t help but laugh at the smirk that JC made as he said that remark. “Yeah, I’m Jordan Elise,” she said and extended her arm out to shake his hand.
    “Pleasure to meet you Jordan Elise. Is that like one or two names?” he asked.
    “Well, it is my first and middle. I always introduce myself that way. Most people don’t see Jordan as a girl’s name.”
    “Well I think it is a really pretty name,” he smiled.
    “Thank you,” she blushed, “so do you always go by JC, or is it just your NSYNC name?”
    “I answer to a lot of things. Most of the guys call me C, but you can call me whatever you wish. I must admit though that I don’t often answer to anything degrading,” he joked.
    “Damn, that takes out a lot of options JC,” she joked back.
    “I know, I am difficult to please and keep up with,” he smiled again at her as he watched her laugh. The two of them danced together for about an hour. They talked about just normal stuff and tried to get to know each other as much as one night would allow.
    “I’m from here in L.A.” she said.
    “Well, that’s cool. I have some friends here so I am around quite a bit. Maybe we’ll be able to hang out sometime.”
    “That would be nice,” she said to him.
    “So Jordan, I never caught your last name.”
    “Mitchell, Jordan Elise Mitchell.”
    JC’s eyes widened. “Daughter of LauraAnne Marie Mitchell?”
    She tightened her face and smirked, “that would be me.” Jordan’s mother was a very well known woman. She took the cover of many magazines. She modeled for years and still did a lot of photo shoots.
    “Do you model too?” he asked.
    “Every now and then. I don’t really do a lot of photo shoots. I do some Calvin Klein commercials though.”
    “You’re not proud?” he asked when he saw the look of discontentment on her face.
    “No, I am. Don’t get me wrong. I just always get looked at as the ‘daughter of LauraAnne’ and not often by my own accomplishments.”
    “Eh, did I stick my own foot in my mouth by saying what I did?” he said concerned.
    “Nah, I am used to it. I shan’t look down on you for following suit with the others,” she laughed.
    “As long as I didn’t ruin my chances of talking to you again,” JC said.
    She giggled and winked her eye, “I don’t think you did. Not yet anyway.”
    “Good,” he said.
    Jordan and JC chilled together the rest of the evening and JC introduced her to the other guys. “Justin, this is Jordan.”
    “Hey Jordan,” Justin said as he gave her the look over.
    Chris slapped Justin in the arm and said, “hey, I’m Chris. Nice to meet ya Jordan.”
    Jordan shook both of their hands and then got introduced to both Joey and Lance. “Nice to meet you all,” she said.
    “Pleasure is ours,” Joey said.
    “I’m sure,” she giggled back. She turned to JC. “How long are you guys in town?” she asked.
    “Uh, three days. Right Lance?”
    “Yeah, well, two and a half. We leave Monday afternoon,” Lance answered back. Lance always knew what was up with their schedule. JC has enough trouble remembering what state he was in.
    “Well, I’ve got some things to do in the morning, so I really need to go home and get some sleep. I would love to hang out again though while you are around,” Jordan said as she wrote her number on a napkin. “Call me tomorrow afternoon?”
    JC looked at her number on the paper and said, “definitely.”
    Jordan reached over and gave him a small and quick hug. “Talk to you soon. And it was nice meeting you guys,” she said as she shook each of their hands again. Then she made her way to the door.
    Justin hit JC on the back and said, “damn dude, you picked a hottie.”
    “She’s for sure a cute one,” Lance said back.
    “And you’re telling this to whom?” JC laughed. “You think I didn’t see her cute looks?”
    “She has a brain too,” Joey said surprised.
    “Not every girl is an airhead,” Chris said.
    “Just the ones that Joey finds,” JC joked.
    “Haha, funny one C,” Joey said.
    “You’ll deal,” JC said back.
    “For your information, C, Becky had a brain too,” Joey said trying to defend himself.
    “Who is Becky?” Justin asked.
    “That foxy brunet I was with earlier,” he laughed.
    “Ah jeeze,” JC said and then they all headed for the door. They were beat and ready for a good night of sleep.

    The next morning Jordan crawled out of bed and got herself all dolled up. She had to do a couple things with her mom that morning. She promised to go with her to the parlor and then they both were going to do one photo shoot together. They had never had their pictures taken together for a magazine.
    LauraAnne realized, after many years, just how wonderful Jordan was. Jordan was a beautiful girl and never got the recognition that she deserved. She figured that this photo shoot would plaster her face all over and then maybe people would start to recognize her when they saw her in the commercials on TV.
    Jordan had only done four commercials, but all of them she was proud of. She mostly modeled their jeans, but once she did model their swim suit selection. Jordan had always wanted to do ’head shot’ modeling, but she never got into it. She knew that if she really wanted to she could, but she just never took for the effort to do it.
    After being in the parlor for what seemed like hours, her and her mother made their way to the studio. Mark opened the door and smiled at the both. He showed them to the dressing room and told them what he wanted them to wear. Mark had picked out two cream-colored turtleneck sweaters for them both.
    LauraAnne and Jordan went into the main part of the studio again and got all situated the way that Mark wanted them. “You two look fabulous,” he said as he took photo after photo.
    This went on for about an hour and then they were finally free to leave. Jordan had had a good time and was glad that her mom asked her to do it. Jordan went straight from the studio to her place. She walked into her house and was about to open the refrigerator when she heard the phone ring. It was sitting on the counter right next to her so she reached over and grabbed it.
    “Jordan?”
    “Yeah, this is her,” she said.
    “Hey, it’s JC. Are you still busy?” he asked her over the phone.
    “No, actually I just got home. What are you up to?” she said as she grabbed a Sprite from the fridge.
    “Not a whole lot. Just pulled myself out of bed actually.”
    Jordan looked at her watch and said, “JC it is like noon already. You’re just getting up?”
    “Hey now! I finally got some time to sleep, don’t you know I wasn’t about to let it go to waste,” he laughed.
    “Ahh, I must remember that not everyone gets to sleep whenever they want,” she laughed back.
    “So, what are you doing today?”
    “I’m hanging out with you,” she said slyly.
    “Oh are you?” he said back extremely flirtatious.
    “Uh huh,” she said back. She was definitely flirting back.
    “Well, where are we going then?” he asked.
    “Hmmm,” she thought. “Well, how about the zoo? I haven’t been to it in forever!”
    “Ya know, I haven’t been to a zoo in who knows how long. Sounds like a plan. How soon can ya be ready?”
    “Give me an hour? I need to shower.”
    “I can do that. I should probably take a shower too if I expect you to get anywhere near me,” he said.
    She laughed, “well go clean yourself then. We’re going to be at a zoo, I don’t want to have to deal with their smell and yours!”
    JC shuddered at the thought, “yuk,” he said. “I’m on my way to the shower now.”
    “Okay, see you soon,” she was about to hang up when she said, “wait!”
    “Wha?” he said right before he hit the off button on his phone.
    “JC, you don’t even know where I live. How are you going to pick me up?” she teased.
    “Ahh, smart girl you are.” JC grabbed some paper and a pen. “Okay, give it to me. How do I get to ya?” he said and then paid close attention to all the directions that she gave him. “Ok,” he said, “see you soon,” and then hung up.

    An hour and a half later JC showed up at Jordan’s door. He was surprised to see the glamorous house that she lived in. It was a two story with white pillars and a small balcony from one of the rooms directly over the front door. Deep green bushes lines the outside of the house and a trail of stepping stones took you to the front door. There was a two-car garage and one side looked as if it had been converted into an extra room.
    Jordan opened the door seconds after JC knocked on it. She was just about to run upstairs to grab her purse when she heard him. She let him in and told him to make himself at home while she went to get her stuff. He walked into the living area and then peered out the back patio door. The back yard was a huge yard with a pool right off of the patio. He walked back to the living room and took a seat on the couch and glanced around the room. He saw all the crystal covering the room and then noticed the mantle full of pictures.     “It’s my brother and father,” Jordan said as she snuck up behind him.
    JC gasped as he was startled. “It’s a great picture. Where are your brother and father now?” he asked as he continued to look at the picture.
    “Kyle lives in New York, he’s a year older than I,” she stopped for a second. “And my father,” she said as she ran her finger over the picture, “he died of cancer three years ago.”
    “Oh Jordan, I’m sorry,” he said as he turned towards her.
    “Not you’re fault,” she managed to say with a smile.
    Her father’s death was a huge part of her life. She was always ‘daddy’s little girl’ and when he died she felt like she had lost the world. She went through a lot of therapy to get back to a normal functioning state. Depression took over her world for almost a year after his death. It wasn’t till a year and a half ago that she straightened her act up and realized that she had to accomplish everything that she told her father she would.
    Flashbacks went through her mind of her and her father. She remembered dancing with him and him grabbing her hand and twirling her in circles. She remembered how she used to make him sit still for her for hours as she painted pictures of him or made him watch the dances she had been practicing. Jordan remember the party he threw for her when she graduated from high school and she remembered sitting in the hospital with him only months after she graduated.
    Jordan cleared her thoughts and said, “are you ready to go?”
    JC felt awful for bringing up the topic of conversation so he tried to put on a straight face for her. “After you my dear,” he said as he raised his arm and pointed to the door. His actions brought a smile to Jordan’s face and she headed for the door.
    She opened the door and turned back to see a big smile on JC’s face. “What are you smiling about?” she asked.
    “Just you,” he said back as the made their way down the stepping stones.
    “What about me,” she said with a smile.
    “Just thinking about how I might have to fight off them monkeys... they are gonna want ya!” he laughed.
    Jordan nudged JC’s arm, “you’re too much,” she said.
    JC winked at her, “nah, I speak only the truth!” he said as he shut the car door and started the car.

    JC clapped his hands like a child and jumped up and down. “Oh My God Jordan look!”
    “What? What?”
    “He looks like Chris,” JC said as he pointed at a baboon that was walking around in one of the big encaged areas. Jordan laughed hysterically. “I’m freakin’ serious. Look at him!”
    Jordan looked at the baboon with the red colored but and burst out laughing. “How can you compare that animal to one of your best friends JC?”
    “Well duh! Cuz it for real looks like him! Look at the nose and forehead!” JC exclaimed as he pointed at the animal again.
    Jordan looked around and saw an old couple staring at them. She grabbed JC’s arm and pulled it down to his side. “JC, people are staring.”
    “I’m not gonna be quiet or move until you agree with me,” he said. He planted his feet on the ground firmly and crossed his arms.
    “JC you’re impossible,” she laughed. “Okay okay, he looks like Chris.”     Jordan looked at the baboon as he started to turn around and walk away then it turned back around fast and faced them. She couldn’t help but laugh. She saw what JC did. “JC, I so see it now. Look at the way he is looking at us!” she said and began to laugh uncontrollably again.
    JC grabbed her arm and pulled her away. “Now I believe you,” he said.
    She smiled and said, “but JC, you have to admit, he was quite cute.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I know he was.”
    The two made their way through more of the zoo and even stopped at the small pond to feed the fish and ducks. They chuckled as they watched all the ducks fighting for the same piece of food. After they did that they decided to go check out more of the animals. They made their way from the elephants to the lions and tigers, and through the reptile exhibit. Who would have thought that people could have that much fun at a zoo.
    “I’m getting hungry,” Jordan said.
    “Ditto that,” he said back.
    “How about some ice cream?” she said with a smile from ear to ear.
    JC licked his lips, “sounds yummy.” Jordan and JC went to the small ice cream stand placed in the center of the food area. “Oh wow, it’s even a TCBY cart,” he said as they stood in line.     The neared the counter thing and the lady behind it asked what they wanted. In unison they both said. “White Chocolate Moose.” Both of them looked at each other and laughed. They got their ice cream and sat down at a little bench nearby. The two of them talked while they savored each lick of the freezing ice cream.

    JC and Jordan walked up the stepping stone path to her front door. They nudged each other and giggled all the way to the door. When they got to the door they just stood there for a minute and then they started to talk again.
    Jordan looked at her watch. “It is relatively early ya know? Do you wanna come in?”
    “If it means spending more time with you, of course I would.”
    “You’re too much Chasez.”
    “Oh, I try,” he said back as he stepped inside. “So, what do you wanna do?”
    Jordan set her stuff down and bit her lower lip. She looked around the living room. “Well, we could watch a movie, or go swimming.”
    JC pondered both ideas and then said, “how about both?”
    “Both?” she said back.
    “Yeah, we can watch a movie, and then after that we can take a dip for a little while. By the time we get out I will be ready to go to sleep, so you don’t have to worry about trying to figure out how to kick me out. I’ll leave on my own when it comes to sleeping!” he laughed.
    “Well, Kyle has a couple of his trunks here. He left them last month when he was visiting.”
    “That will work,” JC said. “What movie do you want to watch?”
    “Oh, I dunno. What do you want to watch?”
    “I dunno. What do you want to watch,” he mocked her.
    “Alright Mr. Jungle Book. For real... what do you want to watch? You’re company, so you get to choose.”
    “Hmmm,” he said and raised a finger to his chin.
    “JC,” she said and looked at her watch. “The night isn’t going to go slower just so your heinous can think,” she joked.
    “Well then mah lady,” he said as he looked at the shelf of movies. “I think I want to watch... this,” he said and handed her the movie case.
    “My Best Friend’s Wedding?” she said just to make sure that he knew what he grabbed.
    “Hmm, Julia Roberts,” JC said and tilted his head one way. “Cameron Diaz,” he said and tilted his head the other way. “They’re hot babe, gotta admit it?” he laughed.
    Jordan picked up Something About Mary and said, “this is a movie a guy would normally pick. It has Cameron Di in it too.”
    JC shook his head and laughed. “Justy and I watched it last night at the hotel.”
    “Ahh, I got it. OK, I have NO problem watching this movie. It is wonderful!”
    “Ok, good,” he said as he plopped down on the couch. “So let’s watch it already,” and then he patted the couch space next to him. Jordan put the movie in the VCR and then made her way around the coffee table and sat on the other cushion of the couch. “I don’t bite,” he said and pulled her arm so that she sat closer to him.”
    “I do,” she giggled.
    “Uhm, I might have to remember that,” he joked and covered his manhood. She gave him a slight slap on the arm and they both laughed. The movie started and they sat side by side together for the whole movie and barely said a word.

    When the movie had ended JC ran upstairs to change into Kyle’s swimming trunks. It was dark outside already and that didn’t bother JC at all. He would almost prefer to swim in the dark. No sun to catch you in the eyes, and no sunburn!
    Jordan also went upstairs to change. She walked into her bedroom and pulled the swimsuit out of the dresser drawer. It was a shiny blue two piece that shimmered when any kind of light hit it. She went into the bathroom and changed into the slim outfit. She thought for a moment about what she was about to do. There was obviously an attraction towards JC, and she was about to see him half-naked, and wet.
    Jordan walked down the stair and looked out the back patio door only to see JC already in the pool. The water was all the way up to his chin so she didn’t get the honor of seeing him yet. She opened the door and stepped outside.
    JC’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when she dropped her towel. Her figure was perfect, and she had a small silver belly ring, which accented her stomach. Her stomach was tight and she even had herself a four pack. Her legs seemed to go on for days. He was stunned at how great she looked and he had to work hard at not dropping his jaw then and there.
    “You didn’t even wait for me,” Jordan said as she took off her flip-flops.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you wanted me to,” he said and was about to get out.
    “It’s okay, JC,” she said. “I’m only kidding.
    “Well here, let’s play it even. I will get out and then get in AFTER you do!” he laughed. JC swam towards her and the water lowered on his chest. Jordan sat with her feet in the water and stared at him as he neared her.
    JC put both hands on the ladder handles and pulled himself up. Jordan could see the muscles in his arms when he grabbed the bars. She gulped when she saw the rest of him rise. The beads of water trickled down his firm chest. She fixated her eyes on one drop and watched it roll over the top of his nipple, down his abs, and then disappear under the waistband of the swimming trunks.
    “Earth to Jordan,” JC said. He had just tried to get her attention, but she was too busy studying him to hear what he said.
    “Huh? Wha?” she said.
    “Are you gonna get in?” JC asked as he tilted his head down towards her.
    “Oh yeah, well I...” before she had the chance to say anything else she found herself in the water. JC pushed her from behind while she was contemplating on whether or not she was about to get in.
    She shook the water from her hair and yelled, “damnit JC!” She reached toward her ear tugged at her earring. “Could you at least set my earrings on the table?” she asked and reached her hand up.
    “Sure I ca...” she grabbed his arm and pulled him in too.
    “If you can do it to me, I can do it to you,” she laughed as she saw JC try to catch his breath.
    “Yeah, you’ll get yours,” he laughed and then dunked her.
    The two of them goofed off with each other for quite some time. They dunked one another and splashed each other continuously. Jordan loved to watch the water fall from JC’s chin to his chest. JC on the other hand liked to watch the water drip from her forehead down to her eyes, because then she would flutter her eye lashes to get the water from entering her eyes.
    “What are you doing tomorrow?” Jordan asked JC.
    “Hanging out with you,” he said back. He copied what she had told him when he asked her the same question.
    “O~ you little,” she said and got closer to him so that she could splash him better.
    She was stopped by the look in JC’s eyes. He had held it in as long as he could. He was trying to be a gentleman and play it cool. She was just so irresistible. He looked deep into her eyes and licked his lips. She licked hers in return.
    Jordan gulped and said, “you can hang out with me if you want to.”
    JC moved in a little closer and said, “I think I’d like to.”
    Jordan was stalling. She didn’t know why she was so afraid. “Are you sure...”
    Her words were stopped by the touch of JC’s lips. His soft pouty lips brushed hers and then backed off. She looked at him and then moved in closer and put her lips to his. She ran her hands down his wet back and he ran his hands through her wet hair. The kiss lingered on and they shared the feeling of each of their soft tongues colliding with each other’s in a slow steady rhythm.
    They slowly pulled away from each other and then let their lips lightly brush against one another. Jordan had butterflies in her stomach and JC’s knees felt weak. They had both kissed quite a few people before, but this was just, ‘wow”. They both took a step back and said nothing. Neither of them could think of anything to say.
    Finally JC broke in to break the silence. “I’m sure.”
    Jordan giggled softly and said, “I’m glad.”

    The two of them got out of the pool about twenty minutes later and decided to call it a night. They both had had a busy day and were ready to collapse on their beds. They tried to decided what to do the next day and completely ran on blank.
    “Well I will call you in the morning to see what’s up,” JC said as he leaned against one of the pillars in front of Jordan’s house.
    “Alright,” she said back as she glanced back and forth from his eyes to his lips.
    “You sure you don’t have any idea on what we can do tomorrow?”
    “I’m sure,” she said back.
    “Well, I’ll talk to the guys and see if they have any ideas.” JC was stalling big time. He didn’t really want to leave yet. He had just had an amazing day with Jordan, and definitely an amazing kiss, and he didn’t want to see it all end.
    “Just call me in the morning and we’ll figure it out,” she said as she glanced from his eyes to his lips again. She knew that if he didn’t leave soon that she would end up pouncing on him. She wanted so badly to kiss him again.
    “Alright. Goodnight Jordan. I had a great time today.”
    “So did I JC. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
    “Okay,” he said and leaned in to give her a small good night kiss. With that he turned around and walked to his car. Jordan stood by the door and watched him get in and pull out the driveway. She waved to him as he left.
    Jordan walked in the house and threw herself on the couch. “Wow, he is so wonderful,” she said and then closed her eyes. She could see him all dripping wet in the pool. She opened her eyes and said, “let me get rid of that image until later.” She laughed and then headed upstairs to go to bed.



Part Two