HERE AND NOW

Book One: Young Love

Falling In Love

“You seen Liz Cargill’s niece?” Joey Fatone asked seventeen year old JC Chasez as the crowd of regulars gathered to decide what they should do that evening.

“No.”

“Hot little number – nothing like Liz.”

JC had nothing to reply. He guessed Liz was okay as far as older women went. The shy young performer had had little to do with the opposite sex.

“Red hair, green eyes, sweet little body…”

“Is she visiting?” JC really wasn’t in the mood to discuss the popular boy’s latest conquest.

“Yeah, already graduated high school with honors. I hear she waiting to see what scholarships are available for next year.” Joey shook his head. “All that and brains, too. What was God thinking?”

Then JC saw a vision. A cloud of the darkest auburn hair, creamy skin, and large, luminous eyes of deep emerald. The girl was small and curvy. She was smiling down at young Justin Timberlake as he claimed her attention. If love at first sight really was possible, JC was in love.

“That’s her,” Joey muttered. “What a babe!”

“This is JC Chasez,” Justin was telling her. “And Joey Fatone. Guys, Mel Madison.”

“Mel?” Joey questioned.

“Melissa,” the girl replied. “Justin here is just too lazy to say all three syllables.” She rumpled the youngster’s hair.

Justin gave the older boys that ‘she’s all mine’ grin he had patented.

Melissa turned her gaze to the blue-eyed boy who seemed to be staring at her. “So, what’s your name? JC is initials.”

“Uh, Josh,” JC answered. She was speaking to him? “Joshua Scott. Um – when I got here they already had a Josh.”

“They renamed you? You aren’t a house pet!”

“I—I don’t mind really.”

Melissa harrumphed.

“Hey, Mel, a bunch of us are gonna go hang out. Wanna go?” Joey asked.

“Are you going, Josh?” she asked.

“I—um—yeah, sure.” Oh, God, he probably seemed like a stammering idiot!

“Can I ride with you?”

“Sure, Mel.”

She slid her arm through his, placing him between her and Joey. “And you’ll protect me from any big bad wolves?” She eyed Joey who had yet to quit drooling.

“Don’t worry about Joey. He’s just a big flirt.”

“You aren’t?”

Joey laughed. “JC? You gotta be kidding. He uses the lamest lines known to mankind!”

“I find that sweet – and sort of comforting.” Once again, she smiled up at JC and he was totally under her spell.

The group of friends went to their favorite burger hang out. Melissa stayed close to JC, though she didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by anyone. It was almost as if they were on a date; he could pretend anyway – a group date. Somebody suggested going to the cinema and JC waited for Melissa to decide – and she was waiting for him.

“Do you have to be on the set tomorrow?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Well, I’m still looking for a job—“

“I’ll buy your ticket, Mel,” JC offered. That way it could be a real date! “I’ll even throw in buttered popcorn, if you wanna share it.”

“That’s very sweet of you, Josh, but I’m not one for charity.”

“It’s not charity. It’ll be my ‘welcome to Orlando’ gift to you.”

“Why would you be welcoming me to Orlando?”

“Because I like you.”

She smiled and said, “I like you, too.”

“Then let’s go to the movies.”

“If you really want me to.”

“I really want you to.” In the worst way.

“Okay. But I’ve got to go to the little girls’ room first.”

“I’ll wait right here.” JC watched her walk away. Melissa was graceful as she was beautiful.

“I can’t believe it,” Joey muttered as he came beside JC.

JC looked at him. “What?”

“The hottest number that’s come into this town for years – and you get her.”

“I don’t have Melissa. You could have tried to come on a little less like a teenage boy with a testosterone load.”

“I am a teenage boy with a testosterone load.” Joey shrugged. “If that iceberg wants you…”

“You just finished saying she was hot,” JC pointed out.

“Not for me. She’s aiming straight for you, Chasez.”

It did seem like it. And JC couldn’t say he wasn’t pleased with the notion.

Melissa came up and put a hand on JC’s arm. “I’m ready, Josh.”

“Then let’s go.” Taking her hand, he led her to his car.

It definitely qualified as a real date, JC decided. He had bought the tickets, the popcorn, and the drinks. The group scattered throughout the theater in couples or clusters of buddies. He had Melissa all to himself. Once in a while, their hands would meet in the popcorn bucket. He’d stammer a quick apology. After one such incident, she lifted the kernel of the buttery stuff to his mouth. JC carefully took it, but his lips touched the lips of her fingers, making his insides quake with awareness. Later, she rested her head on his shoulder.

“Tired, Mel?” he whispered.

“Mmm…not really. Am I bothering you?”

“No.” Hell no! Bravely, he slid his arm around her shoulders – and she snuggled closer!

And dates ended with a kiss at the door – so this had been a date! JC walked her to the front door, standing there awkwardly with his hands in his jean pockets.

“Thank you for playing my escort and chauffer tonight, Josh.”

“My pleasure, Mel.”

“I hope I see you again,” she hinted and looked up expectantly.

“Oh, I’m sure you will.”

“Well, good night then.” She turned to unlock the door.

“Uh, Mel?…”

When she looked back at him, he seemed lost for words. Finally, she rose on her toes and brushed a kiss on his lips. “Good night, Josh.”

She’d kissed him! He was stunned with disbelief. Melissa Madison had kissed him! “Night, Mel. See you soon.”

After that first night, Melissa and JC were together whenever the friends gathered. Even though they were not ‘officially’ a couple, people knew where you found Melissa, you found JC. He had yet to come out and ask her on a real date, but he was the one at her side and the one who took her home. He was the one who got a soft, brief kiss at her door.

“So…when are you gonna ask her out?” Kelly asked JC one day. Though the brunet worked with JC, she had become good friends with Melissa.

“What do you mean?”

“Mel. Are you ever gonna ask her on a date? Just the two of you?”

JC had seen less of Melissa since she had taken a part-time job at the park. She wasn’t available for as many of the group outings. “Would she go?”

“You’re an idiot, Chasez!” Kelly declared. “Of course, she’d go. She’s practically done everything but wear a sign that says ‘I’m with him’! She doesn’t even give other guys a chance. She might though if you keep dangling her on a string.”

“I’m not dangling Mel. I like her – a lot!”

“Then you’d better be staking a claim before she dumps your skinny ass.”

JC was truly scared. He was in love with Melissa – He couldn’t lose her!

“Hey, Mel!”

Melissa looked up at the bus stop to see JC’s car pull up to the curb. “Oh, hi, Josh.”

“Hop in. I’ll give you a ride home.”

“No thanks. I’ll take the bus.” She put her back to him, pretending to check her bus fare.

“Got time for a bite?” he persisted.

“No thanks. I’ll eat at home.”

“Mel—“

“Josh, you’ve made it pretty clear you aren’t interested—“

“What?” he demanded incredulously. “Not interested? You’re the only girl I am interested in!” He got out of the car and went to her.

“You hide it well.”

“Do I? To everyone else, it’s pretty obvious that I’m wild for you.” He touched her chin to make her look up at him. “I’m an idiot, all right? I’m not smooth like other guys. I thought we were okay the way we were. When you can’t go, I go with the guys or I don’t go at all. I don’t go with another girl.”

“And I’m supposed to know that exactly how?”

“Like I said, I’m an idiot. Let’s skip the ‘let’s go on a date’ part and go straight to the ‘will you be my girl’ part.”

Her eyes went wide. “What?”

“Be my girl, Melissa. Exclusively mine.”

“Josh…I mean…I don’t know what to say…”

He grinned at her. He’d never seen her at a loss for words and believed she was always a cool customer. Evidently not always! “’Yes’ works for me.”

“Oh, yes!” Melissa threw her arms around his neck.

JC led this kiss as he caught her up in his arms. Slowly and gently, he kissed her upper lip, then her lower lip, then both lips. He smiled against her mouth when she whimpered a little. His tongue stroked the seam of her lips, questing for entrance. She opened for him, shyly touching her tongue to his. Raising his head, he looked into her dazed face with satisfaction.

Melissa pretended to fan herself. “You’ve been holding out on me, blue-eyes. Wow! You sure can kiss!”

He chuckled and gave her a quick, hard kiss. “So, you’re my girl, right?”

She nodded. “All yours. That kiss sealed my fate.”

JC stroked her hair back tenderly, gazing into her eyes for the first time. He felt a very real connection between them, something magical and wonderful. He captured her lips again. “Now, that I’ve started kissing you, I don’t want to stop,” he murmured.

“No complaints here.”

“Good. I like the taste of you.”

“Josh?”

“Yeah, Mel?”

“You’d better move your car before the bus comes. She can get pretty nasty about cars parked at her stop.”

“Let me buy you dinner?”

“Just us?”

“Mmm-hmm…There’s gonna be a lot of ‘just us’ in the future,” he promised.

“You mean that?”

“I don’t have to share you with everyone – you’re my girl.”

Her smile dazzled him.

“C’mon. I’ll buy you dinner.”

It was great being part of a couple, JC thought as he watched Melissa cross the studio to visit with him. He had seen how other guys eyed her with interest, but he knew his girl never even considered anyone else. He’d seen a couple of boys try to hit on her. She would ignore them until they became obnoxious – then with a flash of dark emerald, she sent them scurrying away like undesirable cockroaches.

“Hey, baby.” He held out his hands as she drew closer.

Instead of taking his hands, she moved between them so his arms were around her. “Hey, handsome.”

He smiled down at the sweet girl in his arms. “I’m not you know.”

“Don’t tell that to the girl who loves you.” Melissa tilted her head back to gaze into surprised blue eyes.

“You do?”

“I think you already knew that, Mr. Chasez.”

“I had hoped.” He stroked her hair tenderly. “I love you so much, I didn’t wanna be there alone.”

“Nope. I’m right there with you, blue-eyes.”

He lowered his head to kiss her softly. “Can you stay for a little while?” They had less time together since her bosses had discovered her talent for song and dance.

“A very little while.”

“I hate it that we can’t be together more.”

“I’m saving for school, Josh. That’s why I came to stay with Aunt Liz in the first place.” What he didn’t know then was that her mother had sent her packing, fearing young husband number three would be tempted by her lovely daughter.

“Sweetness—“

“Hey, JC! Ready for a quick run-through?” One of his cast mates called.

“I’ll be right there!” he told them. To Melissa, he whispered, “Love you, baby. If you gotta leave, I’ll call you later.” He pressed a quick kiss on her lips.

Melissa watched as he went through the dance routine he was doing for the show. He sang the song under his breath as he moved. Whatever song it was, it was fast paced.

When they started from the top, JC began singing, “I Saw Here First…I’m gonna keep her…Whoa, oh, she’s mine!” A song about a guy warning others away from his girl. He caught Melissa’s eye and winked.

“Okay! That’s lookin’ great. We’ll film in twenty,” the director said.

JC was pleased Melissa hadn’t left. He reclaimed her in his arms. “That song was made for us.” He grinned down at her.

“You aren’t going caveman on me, are you?”

“I don’t have to. I’ve seen the way you handle other guys. You seem perfectly capable of chasing them off all by yourself.”

“That’s ‘cuz I have the one I want,” she told him quietly.

“Me, too.” And he was amazed everyday what a fine fit they seem to be. “I gotta get going. Tomorrow – Dinner – My folks, right?”

“Tomorrow then.” Reaching up on tiptoes, she kissed him softly. “Bye, Josh.”

He watched her as she walked away. His sweet baby, he sighed happily. She was nearly perfect in everyway.

It didn’t matter how nice JC said his parents were it was still nerve racking for young Melissa to meet them. She had met his younger siblings at the park earlier and they seemed to like her. But parents were a different story entirely.

“It’s not an execution,” JC assured her teasingly as he helped her out of his car. “They’ll adore you like I do.”

“I very much doubt that. I don’t want your parents pulling me into corners for a quick kiss,” she mused.

“That’s my baby. Smiling and sassy.” Grabbing her hand, he led her to the apartment.

His mother came in from the kitchen, smiling and wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “You must be Melissa.”

“I must be,” Melissa said weakly.

Karen Chasez took the girl's hand and squeezed it warmly. “I’m glad you could join us for dinner.”

“Thank you for inviting me,” Melissa said politely.

“Where’s Dad?” JC asked.

“He’ll be home shortly.

“I’m gonna show Mel my room,” JC told his mother. Rolling his eyes, he added, “And I’ll leave the door open.”

In his room, JC showed Melissa his private treasures, then sat her at the foot of his bed. He sat against the headboard with his guitar. He played her some songs that he’d written. When he was finished he looked at her hopefully. “What do you think, Mel?”

“You have a God-given talent, Josh. Those are lovely songs.”

“You inspire all sorts of music in me.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you.”

“Why in the world would I be inspiration?”

“Because I love you, Mel. You make me feel things.”

“Like what?”

“Like I wanna share everything with you. Every moment, every sunrise, every sunset. I don’t feel whole unless we’re together. The only way for me to explain it is through song and melody.”

“I think you just explained it pretty well, Chasez,” she said huskily. “Like we want to share everything we are.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I do, Mel. I wanna share everything with you.” He set down the guitar and moved towards her on his hands and knees. Reaching her, he brushed his lips to hers. “Everything,” he murmured, his voice rough with arousal.

“Soon, baby,” she promised. “I want you, too.”

“Mel, I’ve never…”

“Me, either. We’ll just find our way together.”

“I love you, Mel,” he whispered just before he kissed her in that way that made her melt and made her knees weak.

Melissa put her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. She hadn’t known she could be seduced with a single kiss. If they had been alone, she could have easily given in to him. “That kiss should be illegal,” she murmured breathlessly.

“Then we’ll have to keep it between us. I don’t wanna be arrested,” he laughed as he sat back on his heels. Then in all seriousness, he said, “You know how good it feels for you to want me? To know we’ll be each other’s only lover? It’s awesome, sweetness. Beyond comprehension.”

“Josh! You’re father’s home!” His mother’s voice carried down the hall.

Hopping off the bed, he pulled Melissa to her feet, imparting one last, quick kiss to carry her through the evening. “C’mon, Mel. Let’s do this.”

The Chasezes found young Melissa a sweet, charming, levelheaded girl. She had her life goals firmly in place – and she obviously adored their eldest son. JC had chosen well for his first love. They only hoped his heart would survive when Melissa decided to pursue her own dreams.