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Chapter 2
"Are you crazy?!" JC cried out at Chris. "Why can't you just tell her? I swear, it'll all be better that way!"
"No, I want to do it this way! Please, JC!" Chris begged.
"I don't know," Lance stepped in. "I agree with JC. What you're doing could backfire."
"Oh? And give me an example where it would." The two stayed silent, unable to think of something on the spot. "See? Please, you guys. It would mean a lot to me."
"I still don't like it," JC shook his head, following Chris up the stairs to pick up Kat and Dee. The other three stayed behind in the van to wait for them.
"I promise, I'll make it up to you."
"I'll remember that promise."
Chris shot him a look as he knocked on the door to the apartment. A muffled voice answered and after a short minute, the door was opened. "Hey Chris! JC! Nice seeing you again!" Kat greeted them.
Each gave her a friendly hug before she turned back inside. "Come on, Dee! They're here!"
As she met up with them at the door, introductions were made for JC. Already, Dee found herself slightly attracted to this tall, brown-haired, blue-eyed person but hid the feeling for now as the guys led the way down the stairs and out into a waiting van.
There, a round of hello's echoed as more introductions were made. Joey waved a hello to the girls behind him as he carefully pulled them away from the curb, driving them back to the hotel after their long morning. Lance sat up front next to him and turned to give Dee and Kat a friendly smile. Behind the two girls, the last three sat. Justin grinned widely as he said his hello.
In no time at all, they were there and back in the guys' suite. Soon after their arrival, a gentle knock came from the door and in came a parade of waiters with trays and trays of food. Kat grinned, shooting the guys a teasing look. "So we didn't want to welcome the chance of being mobbed while eating out with friends. Can you blame us?" Joey asked as he served himself a heaping plate of food.
"Not one bit. Who would want to see you guys pig out the way you do?"
"Wow! So Dee can talk!" Justin gasped, laughing.
"Justin!" Kat lightly admonished as she laughed. "Just you wait! Once you get Dee to start talking, you can't get her to stop!"
"Oh, is that right?"
Each looked at Dee and she gave them all a wicked smile. "She's right. Just wait. I'll get you back for that one."
"Yeah right!" Justin challenged her.
"Justin, I'd watch it if I were you. You're stepping into dangerous territory right now," Kat laughed.
The others joined in the laughter and continued to help themselves to the feast in front of them.
As the others quietly talked among themselves, Kat found herself being pulled aside by Chris. "What's up?"
"How are you feeling?"
She gave him a puzzled look but he kept silent, waiting for her answer. Then it hit her. "Oh, that! Chris, I'm all right. I really did just get upset. I was stressed and I just broke down then. Nothing to worry about."
"You sure?"
"Please, Chris. This sounds like our talk yesterday only you're the one who's worried now. Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
"Well in that case, here." Chris took a small, folded piece of paper from his pocket and slipped it into her hand. Puzzled, she took it and was about to open it when he put a hand over hers. "Don't open it yet. Wait until you're alone."
"Chris-"
"Shh. Trust me. You can wait, can't you?"
"Of course I can wait!" Kat said in a huff. As if to prove she could wait until she was alone, she hurriedly put the note into her purse and came back to him. "There."
He smiled at her and beckoned for her to join the others in their talk. Joey was speaking. "Yeah! It was hilarious! We were all lounging around in the hotel after the concert and we were watching a movie, I forgot which one, when all of a sudden Chris over there screams."
Justin jumped in. "You should have seen us! We were all laughing hysterically! Apparently, he'd been so into the horror movie that he hadn't noticed when Busta climbed up into the seat next to him. When it saw that he wasn't getting any attention from his owner, it climbed up onto the top of the couch and butted its head against Chris. It was such great timing too! The character on TV had just been hit on the head. Oh, it was hilarious! Chris was screaming like a baby!"
At this, Chris groaned as his friends all laughed. Then, he found himself turning to look at how Kat was taking it. He grinned, seeing Kat laugh so hard. His desire to just tell her right there, to hold her in his arms and share in her happiness… All this grew unbelievably strong in that moment as he watched her and so he tore his gaze from her. He caught Justin giving him a knowing look but thankfully the young blonde stayed silent. As the afternoon wore on, the others gave Chris similar looks and he felt himself cornered. If only he could give in… But no. Chris was determined to do this his own way. Oh, I hope everything turns out all right… Only a bit more time…