The room had a cheery glow. The glow produced by a single lamp in a dark room. The lamp was on a desk, illuminating a shadowy figure hunched over the bulky object. The figure leaned back in the chair, pulling her left leg onto the seat.

Abby looked at the checkbook in front of her. Her hand stuck to the green plastic cover as she drummed the fingers of her other hand on the desk. The number at the bottom of the lines was just too small. There was just not enough money. There still wouldn’t be enough money when she got her paycheck at the end of the week.  Not if she wanted to eat at all, that is.

She ran a hand over her hair, several bumps prevalent on her head. She felt the tears begin to sting her eyes. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. Not now.

But it was. It was simple. All she had to do was find a new apartment in this neighborhood with in walking distance of the bar.

Yeah. Simple.

It was the pounding that woke JC, although he wasn’t sure whether it was the pounding in his head or on the door of the apartment.

He put his hands over his ears, willing the sound away. It didn’t help. It only amplified the constant throb of his temples.

He groaned, opening his eyes. That was a mistake. The bright light flooded his eyes. He shut them quickly.

There were more knocks on the door.

"Josh, bro. Stop fuckin’ an answer da door!"

JC winced at the loudness of the voice. He managed to pull himself up off the couch and walk the ten strides to the door. He opened it, putting a hand over his eyes, trying to shield out the light.

"Hey man," Justin began. "Goddamn you look like shit bro!"

JC shook his head, grabbing it as he did so, and walked back into the room, collapsing on the couch.

Justin followed him in, sitting on one of the green chairs. He sat forward, gingerly.

"Where’s da woman?" Justin asked, looking around the room and seeing only his friend’s boxes. They hadn’t been touched.

"Gone," JC croaked.

"Gone, as in at a shoot gone?" Justin asked.

"No," JC said. His voice was entirely raw. "Gone. As in, gone."

Justin sat back, relaxing fully into the chair. "Gah, wha happen?"

"I think she freaked," JC said. "Justin, can you draw the curtains please?"

Justin got up and went to the picture window with a perfect view of the nearby park.

"Ah ya guys still together dough?" he asked. Mentally he prayed no.

"No," JC said. "One minute she was kissing me and then the next she said we weren’t working anymore."

Justin couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face. "I sorry bro," he said. Even to his ears his voice sounded gleeful.

JC nodded. He didn’t quite trust his voice to speak. He decided to try anyway. "I’m sorry too."

"So wha’d ya do last night?" Justin asked, sitting back down in the now dark room.

"What do you think?" JC asked. "I went to a bar and got very drunk. Well, I guess I did. I don’t really remember getting home."

"Damn man, how much you have to drink?" Justin said leaning forward again. He’d never seen his friend this hung over before.

"I don’t know," JC said. "I was just talking to the bar girl and there was this bottle of rum and I… Oh my god."

JC put his head back in his hands.

"Wha?" Justin asked, an extremely confused look passing over his face.

"I remember how I got home."

"How?" Justin asked.

"The girl brought me home. Shit. She knew who I was too."

"Josh," Justin said. "So wha?"

"I don’t do this sorta thing."

"We all do this sora thing," Justin said. "We all do it ah some point."

"God this is embarrassing," JC said. "I can’t ever go in there again." He put his head in his hands.

"Josh," Justin said. He felt like he was talking to a two year-old. "If this is going to bug you so much you gotta go apologize."

"Apologize?" JC asked. "I can just avoid the whole thing by not showing my face."

"Let me put it this way," Justin said. He leaned forward. "What’d you make me do if I made a complete ass of ma-self."

JC looked at Justin, knowing the answer. "I’d make you go apologize."

"Don’t set a double standard here bud. If ah gotta do sumthin’ you gotta do sumthin’.

JC nodded. His head heart as he did it. "Fine."

Justin hopped out of the chair, causing JC to cringe. "Gecher ass up man, we gotta go see this chick."

JC slowly maneuvered himself off the couch as Justin watched, a grin splitting his face.

Justin walked up to the small building. The door was open, chatter and smoke both coming out of the gaping hole. He looked over his shoulder at the tall dark-haired man behind him. He continued through the door.

He looked at the girl behind the bar, leaning over the shining wood, laughing with a customer.

"Is dat her Josh?" he asked.

There was no answer.

Justin looked over his shoulder again. No JC. He looked out the door. The man stood still about five feet from the entrance, paralyzed.

Justin looked toward the sky and walked back through the door.

"Joshua Scott Chasez," Justin began. "Get in der right now and apologize."

"Justin," JC began.

"Josh, now." Justin put his hands on his hips and glared at his friend before walking forward and grabbing the sleeve of the jacket.

JC stumbled forward, surprised by Justin’s forcefulness. He balanced himself and then shook Justin’s hand off before stepping into the bar.

He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light. He glanced around, trying to remember the room from the night before. He wasn’t too successful. His eyes found the bar and he closed them as he saw the girl behind the bar. She was pouring a liquid into a glass, laughing at one of the patrons.

"Go on Josh," Justin growled from behind him. "Go apologize so we can get to the studio."

JC nodded and walked slowly toward the bar. His heart began to pound. He was never the one who had to apologize.  He slipped onto one of the round bar stools, drumming his fingertips nervously on the bar. He stared at the grained wood as if it were the most interesting thing in the entire world. He almost got lost in it, however his concentration was broken by the easy laugh that permeated his memories of the night before.

"What can I gecha?" Abby said, barely looking at the man in front of her.

"Um," JC said. He swallowed hard.

Abby recognized the voice. She looked closely at the top of the head of the dark-haired man. "JC?"

"Hey," he said quietly. His cheeks had flushed a bright red. It set off the blue of his eyes.

"I didn’t expect to see you in here," Abby said smiling. "I didn’t think I’d see you near alcohol again for quite awhile."

JC felt his stomach lurch at the mention of alcohol.

"I wanted to apologize," he said. "I wanted to apologize for last night."

"It’s okay," Abby said. She felt awkward standing looking at him. She began to twist a cloth in her hands. She waited for JC to say something. He didn’t. "It happens to all of us," she said.

JC still remained silent.

Justin was standing back watching this exchange. He looked between the two of them, a smile playing on his face. He was a good judge of character. He liked the girl behind the bar.

"Whassup!" he said stepping forward. "I Justin."

Abby turned, glad for the distraction. "Hi Justin…" she narrowed her eyes. "Say… aren’t you still 20?"

Justin looked confused. "Yeah."

"Than my dear pop-star," Abby said. "I don’t think you are allowed to be in here."

Justin looked shocked for a moment, but was quickly distracted as JC burst out laughing, clutching his head at the same time.

"Shaddup!" Justin said glaring at his friend.

"He hasn’t been kicked out of a bar or club since he was 14," JC said. "That look on his face was just too priceless."

"I didn’t say that I was kickin’ you out," Abby said, a smile in her eyes. "I was just commenting. You think I’d kick anyone out?"

Justin smiled slowly as JC began nodding his head up and down rapidly.

"JC stop it!" Justin said without turning around. "Well are you gonna start now like the dork next to me seems to want you to?"

"Hmm," Abby said, narrowing her eyes. "Which boy band member to piss off: the one that said he’d be in juev-ey now if he weren’t in ‘N SYNC or the one that likes to sleep and get really drunk. You can stay Justin."

Justin looked back at JC. "See bro, she know which of us to make all friendly wit."

JC shook his head. He’d relaxed after Justin’s interruption of his apology. "Well, we gotta get goin’. Just wanted to come in and apologize."

Abby nodded. "Apology accepted. As I said everyone does it at some point." Her eyes met JC’s and held them.

Justin looked back and forth between the two of them again.

"Yep, even ma bro here." Justin began walking toward the door. "’Mon Josh. We gotta go."

JC slowly began walking backwards. "Thanks again. I’ll see you around, ‘k?"

Abby nodded. "Just remember I don’t do pukin’."

"I don’t either," JC said with a laugh. "But I’ll remember anyway." He raised a hand and then he was out the door.

The door behind the bar jingled. Abby turned around. Her eyes were drawn to the man who walked up to her.

"Hey Absters," the man said. "Thanks for openin’ for me."

Abby nodded. It was always hard to find her voice around Brad. He had the look of an Abercrombie and Fitch boy. The bronzed skin, the spiky highlighted hair, the muscles that rippled underneath his skin…

"Not a problem," Abby managed to gasp out. "I need the money." She blushed lightly. "You don’t need me to work any of your shifts do you?"

Brad looked at her. "Why?"

"I can’t make rent," she said slowly. The smile slipped off her face for the first time since Justin had begun talking to her. There was pain in her eyes. "I had to pay for those tickets so I could go see…" she trailed off. "And now I can’t make rent."

"God, that sucks Abby," Brad said. He leaned against the bar. "Well, Melissa’s and my two week anniversary is on Thursday so if you want to open Friday for me you can get a few more dollars."

Abby nearly hugged Brad but she didn’t. "Thank you Brad. I appreciate it so much."

Brad stood up, tying an apron around his waist. "Not a problem. Not a problem at all. Now go get some sleep. You look like you need it."

Abby nodded and untied her apron. Sleep would be a very good thing. Especially since she didn’t know how much longer she was going to have a bed to sleep in.

"She be fly dude," Justin said as he sped down the freeway.

JC turned toward his younger friend. "Who?"

"That chick. Abby." Justin met JC’s eyes. "Don’t tell me ya din notice."

JC placed a hand to his perpetually pounding head. "Sorry Justin, my mind has been a little preoccupied recently."

"Josh," Justin said turning the car sharply off the freeway. "Tammy be a bitch. You don’ need tah pine o’er her. Now Abby…"

JC held on tightly to the door handle as the convertible spun into the parking lot.

"You are not going to try setting me up with the bar-girl," JC said. "I’m going to get Tammy back Justin. She’s the one that I love. Besides, I thought you liked her."

Justin rolled his eyes. "If she what make you happy bro."

JC nodded. "Believe me, she makes me happy."

"Tony," Abby said hesitantly as she approached the tall lean man, "can I talk to you for a second?"

Tony turned around, the squeak of his chair echoing around the nearly empty office. "What’s up Abby?"

"Is there any way you could give me some more hours? I need to make some more money."

Tony leaned forward in his chair, resting his chin on his cupped hands.  "How much more time?"

"About ten hours, or more," Abby said quietly.

"Shit Abby," the man said. "That’s a lot. Other people need to work too."

Abby nodded. "I already talked with Brad so I’m openin’ Friday, but I need more hours. I need more money."

"I might be able to give you a few more. I know Karen said she couldn’t work for an hour tomorrow, but…"

"Please Tony," Abby pleaded.

Tony scrutinized the schedules in front of him. There were no available time spots.

"I’m sorry Abby," he said. "I wish I could help."

"Could you give me an advance on next months salary?" Abby asked. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

"You know I don’t do that Abby," Tony said. He leaned back in his chair again, another ear piercing shriek being emitted.

Abby closed her eyes and opened them again. They had a sad glint in them. "Do you know any cheap apartments?"

JC looked at the phone in front of him. It’s little red power light stared back at him. Why was this so hard? He picked up the phone and pressed the on button. He dialed the familiar number. It didn’t feel right to use speed dial anymore.

The phone range four times. Then he heard the voice that sent tingles through his body still.

"Hi! This is Tammy. I can’t come to the phone right now, but leave a message and I’ll get back to you!"

JC sighed, waiting for the beep.

"Hey Tam, it’s me," JC began. Why was he doing this? "Listen, I don’t know what happened yesterday. I don’t know if you’re scared or what, but Tammy I love you. I want to make this work. I know we can make this work. Call me, okay? You know the number."

JC hung up the phone and stared off into space. As ugly a color as the couch was, it was very comfortable.

Tammy looked at the man sitting next to her with tears running down his face. He leaned back in the chair, massaging his side, an indication of the cramp forming there.

"My god Tammy, you really pulled a number on him," he said. "I don’t know if you’re scared or what, but Tammy, I love you."

Tammy felt a small twinge of anger in her heart.

"He’s a very sweet man," she said.

"And you played him for what eight months? Well six months of actual dating." The man was wiping the tears of laughter from his face.

"Yeah," Tammy said. "I did."

"He sounds like a little love sick puppy," he laughed. "He wants to make it work with you."

Tammy was silent.

"Tammy, you’re awfully quiet."

Tammy was still silent.

"You don’t want to be with him do you?" the man said slowly, his fists clenching with his words.

"No!" Tammy said forcefully. "No, babe, I want to be with you."

"Good," the man said pulling her into his lap and kissing her hair. "So what’s the problem. I don’t like to see my Tammy unhappy."

Tammy turned in the man’s lap. "I just," she paused. "I just feel sort of sorry for him. He treated me like a princess."

She could feel him tense below her.

"And I don’t?"

Tammy closed her eyes. "You do, but you aren’t getting screwed over."

"If you want to go back to him," the man trailed off, his voice cold.

"Babe," Tammy said. "I love you. I want to be with you. But I care about Josh and I’m feeling a momentary stab of guilt. That’s all. It’ll pass."

The man nodded, though they both knew they were both less than happy with the situation.

JC lagged behind his two friends, as they walked through the door into the bar. He was back yet again. He was glad there weren’t any tabloid people in his new neighborhood yet. One bar, three times, 24 hours. Didn’t look good.

"’Mon Josh," Joey called from in front of him. "The longer you take to get in here, the longer it’ll take you to get back to your couch and keep mopin’."

JC sighed and quickened his pace. He should never have let them talk him into coming out. But when they talked straight for an hour and a half, it’s a little hard to keep saying no.

JC walked through the door of the bar for the fifth time in 24 hours. Each time the small room looked different. Lance and Joey hung back, following him since this was his ‘home turf.’

JC walked up to the bar and sat down. Two seats were empty on his left. Joey and Lance joined him.

Abby looked over from where she was taking an order. She felt her jaw become slightly slack. Yesterday she’d never met a celebrity and there were the third and fourth sitting at her bar. She finished getting the drink for the older lady sitting in front of her before slowly meandering down the length of the bar.

"Am I going to have to leak that you’re a closet alcoholic to TEEN?" Abby said, a small grin playing on her lips.

JC looked at her and smiled. "I’m not drinking tonight," he said. He gestured toward Joey and Lance. "They are. They wanted me to get out of the apartment and stop moping."

Abby nodded seriously. "That much green would make anyone mope," she said.

Joey and Lance looked at Abby surprised looks on their faces.

Joey turned to JC. "How does she know about the excessive green in your apartment Josh?"

JC opened and closed his mouth. He hadn’t enlightened the rest of the band about his exploits of the night before— just that he and Tammy had ended to his disappointment.

"I was in here last night to try to relax and forget about things," he began. He was wondering how to avoid mention of his not being able to find his own home.

"And I’d mentioned that I’d never seen him before. He was telling me about the green-ness of his apartment. I can’t imagine living in a green apartment," Abby said.

JC looked at her with a look of appreciation.

"That’s cool," Lance said. "So can I get um…"

Lance looked at the picture menu in front of him. He pointed to one. It was orange. "One of those?"

Joey was looking over his shoulder. "Make that two."

Abby nodded before turning to JC. "What about you?"

"I’ll have a sprite," he said.

Joey and Lance looked at him.

"Josh," Lance said. "Aren’t you going to have a rum ‘n coke?"

Abby was fixing the two orange drinks and managed to hide her laughter.

"No," JC said. "I sort of over did the rum and coke last night. I’m going to take a break from alcohol for awhile."

JC and Lance burst out laughing as Abby put their drinks in front of them.

"You got drunk?" Joey asked. "Holy shit dude!" He turned to Abby. "Was he completely assed out?

Abby looked at JC. She squinched up her cheek as if pondering the question. "Not completely," she said slowly. "Just a little."

"Ha!" Joey said. "Big Daddy assed out! I would ‘a paid to see that!"

JC buried his face in the sprite that Abby set in front of him.

Abby could see that he was blushing. "He wasn’t that bad, really. Besides, he deserved it."

Lance nodded. "If that bitch had treated me like that I would have done the exact same thing," he said.

Abby could see JC’s knuckles turn white as he gripped the glass.

"I’m sure that she had her reasons," she said. She looked at Joey and Lance. "I just realized you guys have no clue who I am. I’m Abby."

Joey and Lance stuck out their hands. Joey eyed her up and down.

"So Abby," he said. "Are you taken?"

Abby raised an eyebrow, and then smiled softly and sadly. "Nope. I’m single… and ready to mingle."

All three guys groaned. Lance pushed his glass forward for a refill and Joey gulped the rest of his down, not to be outdone.

"Same thing?" Abby asked. Both guys nodded.

JC stirred his sprite, ignoring the bantering between Abby and the two guys.

JC pushed the door to his apartment open. He stumbled against it as Joey lurched forward, lunging into the apartment.

"Careful Joe," JC said. He walked towards the couch. "Let’s get you sitting down."

Joey fell onto the couch, sprawling out over the length.

JC turned around and looked at Abby who was struggling to hold Lance up. He walked over to the couple and put Lance’s free arm around his own neck.

Abby relinquished her hold on Lance as JC guided him over to the chair and placed Lance carefully on the seat cushion. Lance’s head lolled over to the side and he looked at his friend.

"Josh," Lance slurred. "Your apartment is really green."

"I know," JC said. He looked around the room. Lance had closed his eyes and Joey was already snoring on the couch.

"I’m really sorry Abby," JC said. "This is so unfair to you."

Abby smiled and pushed the piece of hair behind her ear.

"It’s okay. How many times to I get to say that I’ve walked drunk celebrities home?"

JC laughed. "Too many times," he said. He rolled his eyes. "I feel really bad about this."

"Don’t Josh," she said.

JC looked at her. She’d called him Josh, the name all of his friends called him. Was she becoming a friend?

"Listen, I’d like to make it up to you. How about I take you out to lunch tomorrow? We have a break around noon." He paused for a second. "My treat."

Abby mentally checked her schedule. "Sure," she said. "I’d love to."

"Great."

Their eyes met and their gaze held. Until the loud snort from the couch. They both began to giggle.

"I’ll see you tomorrow Josh," Abby said.

"At noon," JC said. He walked with her towards the door and opened it for her.

"Thanks again," he said.

"Not a problem," she said as she walked out the door. "Bye."

"Bye," JC said. He shut the door behind her and smiled to himself. He looked toward the two prone figures in the living room and the smile became a giggle and then an all out laugh.

He went to a box and got two blankets, spreading one over each man.

He walked to his bedroom and lay down on the bed. He was asleep before the minute hand made it once around the clock. He had a smile on his face.

CHAPTER 3

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