Chapter 5: Maximus! Maximus!

JC walked onto the stage, and smiled at Julia. She was sitting in the front row, holding a clipboard and studying it, her expression serious. 'N Sync launched into the first song on the list, which was Bye Bye Bye.

" I'm doing this tonight, you're probably gonna start a fight, I know this can't be right, hey baby come on …" JC sang, singing with confidence. The guys danced to the music, their moves fluid and thorough.

* * * * *

During the concert, Julia watched them through the eyepiece of the camera she held. The crowds of girls were screaming, and it would have been impossible for her to concentrate without her earplugs. She paced the floor right in front of the stage, capturing the guys in their natural states. She noticed JC seemed more into the music, but did her work.

"That was great, guys!" She yelled up at them when they finished and ran back onto the bus.

"Thanks," Justin said, sitting on the edge of the stage. His legs dangled over the side. He checked his watch. "Wow it's late, wanna go catch a movie?"

Julia laughed. "You want to catch a movie this late?"

"Yeah," Lance said from his place on the stage, "it's the best time to see a movie for us. There's nobody at the theatre so they don't mob us."

"Sure." Julia said, "what do you guys want to see?" All five of the guys glanced at each other.

"Gladiator!" They chorused. Julia groaned, knowing it was another blood and gore movie.

* * * * *

"MAXIMUS! MAXIMUS!" Julia and Chris chanted loudly during the scene where Russell Crowe was battling Caesar. She held a bucket of popcorn to herself, and whooped whenever Maximus executed a hit.

"You know," Lance said, whispering to Joey, "I thought the whole purpose to going to a movie this late was so that no one would notice us. They're making that impossible."

"I know," Joey grumbled.

Julia watched, eyes wide, as Maximus fell to the ground. Her eyes filled with tears, and she glanced at JC who was sitting next to her. He was holding Michelle in his arms, eyes fixated on the screen. He didn't notice her gaze. Julia noticed that his eyes were suspiciously bright. She shook her head, wondering how a guy who mocked everything that was 'sappy' could cry at a movie.

The movie ended and they all got up. Julia stretched, yawning loudly. "Sleepy?" Justin asked as they exited the theatre.

"Yep." She climbed the bus, and went to go and change into her pajamas. When she was finished, she landed down onto the bunk. "'Nite guys." She called out, and received several goodnights in return. She buried her head into the midnight blue pillow, and inhaled the masculine smell of it. It smells like JC She realized sleepily, but floated into sleep clutching the pillow tightly.

* * * * *

JC stared at the wall of the TV room, wondering why for Goodness' sake he couldn't sleep. He had just fixed things up his relationship with Michelle, and had overcome what had happened in the past with Julie. He listened to the sounds around him, the gentle rumble of the bus' engine, and the snores the came from the bunks. He could mainly hear Chris' snores, but he struggled to hear another person's.

He got off of the couch, carefully so he wouldn't wake Michelle. "I'm thirsty," He said to himself, and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. He shivered as he entered the kitchen, his boxers and white wifebeater didn't give him much protection against the chill that was in the kitchen. He poured some water into a glass and sipped it slowly.

"Couldn't sleep?" Julia asked sleepily from the doorway. JC jumped at the sound of her voice and whirled around. She laughed, "did I scare you?"

"Yeah," He admitted. "Why are you awake, anyway? You were snoring like a horse earlier." He joked.

"I was not." She whispered indignantly. "And what's this? You've never missed out on the opportunity to sleep."

"I don't know. It's weird having her on the bus with us." He told her. She didn't say anything, but only sat down in one of the chairs.

"But is it a good kind of weird?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. We still have a bit more to work on, but I think it's okay for now." He glanced back to the door of the TV room.

"Well, that's understandable." She said. He took a seat in the chair next to hers.

"How about you? Any serious relationships?" He asked.

She hesitated. "There was one." She whispered, so softly that it was barely audible. "His name was John. He was handsome, smart, funny, but he did have his moments." Her eyes focused on the floor. "he'd have these spells where he'd become incredibly angry. I used to think it was my fault."

"Did he," JC swallowed, "hurt you?"

"No," She said, "Not physically. But every mean word he said was like digging a nail right into my heart. It hurt badly. I finally got the courage to leave him." She smiled weakly at JC. "It's been a while since I've talked about him. It felt good, thanks." She got up, wanting to end the conversation as fast as she could. She touched his hand briefly before getting up and heading back to the bunks.

Ticket To Ride Contents | Chapter 4 | Chapter 6