"Hello? Anyone here?" Mikayla called out when they walked inside. There was no answer. JC walked into the hallway.
"Joe? Justin? Taylor? Where is everyone?" He asked aloud. Mikayla shrugged, turning the kitchen light on.
"Hey, there's a note on the 'fridge" Mikayla told him, pulling the note off. "Joe and Chris went out to a club," She read aloud, "and Justin and Taylor are at Mike's house."
"Whose Mike?" JC asked, standing next to her as he examined the contents of the refrigerator.
"Taylor's best friend. Are you hungry again?" Mikayla asked, stunned.
"Nah. Just thirsty," He said, his grin hidden inside of the refrigerator. He pulled out a can of soda and popped it open. "So, seems everyone's busy. What do you wanna do?"
"Let's watch some TV?" Mikayla suggested. He nodded and they both went into the den and plopped down onto the couch. Mikayla made sure they weren't touching whatsoever, she knew she couldn't prevent herself from blushing if they sat really close together. JC picked up the remote and turned the TV on. It was cold inside of the house, so she ran up to her room quickly to get herself a blanket.
"Let's see…." He murmured when she got back, flipping through the channels, "What do you want to watch? Springer? Friends? A TRL rerun?"
"I dunno. Hey!" Mikayla said, "there's you!" She pointed at the screen. Carson Daly was talking to the guys and they all stood there, cheesy smiles on their faces.
"No!" JC said, pressing the buttons on the remote. Mikayla expertly snatched it from him and giggled at the sight of them. "Man, you look scruffy!" She commented, studying his face.
JC moaned and covered his face. "Let's change it!" He begged.
"Hold on." She said, watching the TV.
"You just love to see me humiliated don't you?"
"Of course I do, but that's not the point. You guys look hot, actually," Mikayla told him. She finally switched the channel to a Friends rerun.
"Remind me again why we're here?" Justin asked Taylor as she dragged him by the hand up the front walkway of Mike's home.
"Because Mike's friends had a surprise party for him," She told him, exasperatedly. It must have been the millionth time he'd asked her. "And I didn't want to go alone, and who else to take but the famous Justin Timberlake." She said, smiling at him. Music boomed from inside the house, and Justin seemed a bit hesitant.
"Something wrong, Justin?" She asked suspiciously after ringing the doorbell. They stood waiting for someone to answer it.
"What? No!" He answered. "Why do you think that? Why do we have to go to this party anyway, Taylor? We could have gone to see Mike some other time," He said. Taylor noticed his effort not to grimace at Mike's name."
"Look, Justin, if you have a problem with being here then you don't have to go in." Taylor told him.
"I don’t have a problem!" Justin insisted, lying through his teeth.
"Gosh, stop lying! It's almost as if you're jeal-" Taylor started, but stopped abruptly when the door opened.
"Taylor!" Mike said, a huge grin on his face. "Now the party can begin!" He nodded politely at Justin and gestured for them to come inside.
"Chandler and Phoebe are hilarious," JC commented, watching the television screen. Mikayla had long since forgotten her self-imposed 'no-touching' rule when they had begun watching the show. They now sat close to each other, their arms touching.
"Ross is so cute."
"How so?" JC asked, looking at her.
"Because of the way he likes Rachel, except that every time he gets up the nerve to tell her, something always happens." She told him.
"That's because Ross is a wimp. If I liked a girl like that, I'd just do it." JC realized how hypocritical his comment sounded to himself. He glanced back at Mikayla, and noticed her eyes drooping.
"You sleepy?"
She yawned, "no."
"Liar," He teased. "You can go ahead and sleep on my shoulder, I don’t think I want to stay by myself when no one else is home."
"Why? Because you're scared the Boogeyman will get you?" Mikayla teased, yawning again and placing her head on his shoulder. She was too sleepy to argue.
"Exactly." He answered, smiling.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you." She smiled before drifting off to sleep.