Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000 08:45:09 GMT
From: JaDe - <melsleepy@hotmail.com>
Subject: Mirror mirror 12

	NuMber TWELVE! Yey! Anyway as usual, thanks for reading and
etc. All mails to melsleepy@hotmail.com and addressed to the one and only
JaDe. =)

Mirror Mirror 12
----------------
Previously:

	"Baby, when do we tell the others about us?" Spencer crooned into
JC's ear.  Spencer nibbled JC's ear gently.
	"Just, will you marry me? I don't know when will it be but will
you?"
	Justin looked at Lance with tears in his eyes and nodded. Lance
sprung up and kissed Justin, both of them slightly tearing. They got ready
to meet the rest downstairs. As they entered the lobby, there was a spring
in both of their steps.
	Brian stood there, smiling in amusement. 'So this must be the sick
friend,' he thought as he raised his hands. He decided to play along for
the moment.  As he turned around and came face to face with Ann, his jaw
dropped and so does Ann's baseball bat. "YOU!" both of them exclaimed.

NoW witH tHe neW cHaPter...
	JC stood outside the bedroom, a bit stunned for words. Others just
glanced around uneasily. "What is going on here?" demanded Lisa, putting
her hands on her hips. "We need to talk to Ann there," Joey
answered. "Why?" Hope now questioned. Britney and the guys kept quiet, not
wanting anyone to know what had happened.
	"Ann? Please, let me in. We need to talk," begged JC, kneeling
before the door. Justin joined in, pounding the door. "Annie! You have a
lot of explanation to do!" he yelled out. After all the cajoling, Ann still
wouldn't open the door. Karyna and Lisa then shooed them away, promising to
try to get Ann to talk to the guys.
	"Ann, they are gone. Let me in right now," Hope demanded. When
silence replied her, Hope went mad. "IF you don't open the door this
minute, I am going to kick it down," she threatened. Shortly after, Ann
opened the door.  "You control freak," Ann muttered. Hope grinned and sat
down on the bed, looking at Ann. After a few uncomfortable minutes passed
by, Ann finally gave.
	"WHAT?"
	"What's with you and those people?"
	"A little history,"
	Hope didn't push things when she saw Ann's inner walls being built
around her again. Hope remembered the girl who sat in the cafeteria, so
beautiful and yet so sad. She remembered wanting to go and kiss all her
tears away and make her laugh. When she approached Ann, Ann all but told
her to go to hell and stay there. After a lot of pushing, here they are
today. Good friends, if not best friends. Hope wants something more but she
knew that Ann is not a bisexual.
	"Aww, honey," Hope opened her arms when she saw Ann about to
cry. As she hugged Ann, she looked down at Ann. 'I am going to make things
right for her. Somehow I know that she and JC are meant to be. I will make
them right, even if it kills me in doing so,'Hope furiously thought.
	JC sat on the couch, nursing a beer. "Mind if I joined you?" asked
Kev who is staying the night. JC shrugged. Kev flopped next to JC, looking
at him intently. "Would you believe it? I had thought she would be around
the world by now and she is just under my nose all this while," JC said
disbelieving.  Kev just snickered at the irony of it.
	"What should I do?" JC turned and look at Kev.
	"What about Spencer?"
	"What the... How did all of you guys know?"
	"The way Spencer looked like a cat that just swallowed the canary,"
	"I don't love him,"
	"And you loved Ann," Kev made a statement more than a question. JC
nodded.  JC glanced at Kev and smiled.
	"What is the smile for?" Kev asked.
	"Did you know I used to be jealous of you? I thought that Ann would
leave me for you,"
	"What? Me? Ann? She is like my sister," Kev stammered out.
	"I know that now. So, answer my first question. What should I do?
If I go on like I am, I am likely to go nuts. But if I go on pestering Ann,
she would run away again and now god knows where,"
	"Follow what your heart tells you to do,"
	JC frowned. "That is easier said than done," Kev stood up. "Well I
am pooped. Night," and walked off. "That is not much help," JC muttered
under his breath and looked out the window.
	Chris held Sarah's waist lightly as they danced to the slow
music. "Chris, what is wrong?" her musical voice rang out. Chris shrugged,
"It's JC," She wrapped her arms around his neck and motioned him to
continue with her eyes.  He told her about the whole story except with the
rape and certain parts about JC's bisexuality.
	"It sounds like that girl needs someone to talk some sense into
her. She thinks that by leaving, she will stop hurting but instead, it is
getting worst,"
	"How do you know?"
	"I am a girl. Girls know each other best," she answered simply.
	"One thing that scares me. She has this amazing really light gray
eyes.  Don't get me wrong, baby. Of course your eyes are even more
amazing," Chris quickly corrected himself. Sarah laughed softly and just
nodded.
	"Anyway, you can see her emotions clearly in her eyes. Brian said
that all he sees when he looked into them are sadness and also just plain
blankness.  It frightened him. It was as if he never knew her,"
	"Ohh,"
	"Sarah, what can I do to help JC?" Chris muttered into her rich red
hair.
	"Just be there for him,"
	Chris nodded lightly and lifted Sarah's head to give her a kiss on
the lips. They moved to the music, getting lost in the soft music.
	Joey sat outside the campus dorm, talking to Lisa. He pretty much
filled in everything that he could without jeopardizing the group's future
to Lisa.  Lisa sat there, thinking. Karyna had already entered the dorm,
going to sleep. Hope is staying the night over at Ann's place.
	"Just, we are going over to talk to Ann tomorrow. Talk some sense
into her," Lance muttered. Justin nodded and thought of the person he never
thought of meeting again so fast.

*At the university*
	Ann sat in her art class, looking at the blank piece of canvas in
front of her. The teacher looked at the girl sitting there. That girl has
talent but everything that she paints was dark, and sad.
	Ann mixed some colors on her palette and started to paint the first
thing on her mind. The teacher stood next to her, waiting to see the
masterpiece unfolding. Ann didn't even realize the teacher was there, so
into her work she is. She stood back and looked at the freshly painted
canvas.
	"That person looked larger than life. Someone you know?" the
teacher asked, gazing at the mirror image of JC. "Someone I wished that I
didn't know," Ann answered. At that moment, the bell rang and she walked
out of the classroom with her backpack. "Wait.." the teacher barely got out
before Ann disappeared. The teacher placed the painting against the wall
and let it dry. She looked at it again, the person in the painting looked
as if he is intrigued and a bit sad too. The teacher took out her cellular
phone and called her friend.

*That evening*
	She walked along the beach, enjoying the sunset view. She looked at
the wide sea. 'If only I could get lost there,' Ann's thoughts are getting
bleaker as every minute passed. Even though she have a new future here, but
she had learned that the past always come running back.
	She made her way back to her apartment with her head bowed low,
thinking.  "Hi, Ann," a familiar voice said out. She jerked her head up;
all of them were there. The Backstreet Boys, *N Sync and also Britney.
	She smiled wearily and opened her apartment door, letting them
enter.  Justin went and gave her a hug, and one by one all of them followed
except JC. JC stood there, looking at her.
	"Do you guys want something to drink?" she asked.
	"No, it is time we settle things. You don't go missing on us and
then ask us whether we want something to drink," bit out AJ.
	"What do you want me to say? I am sorry? 'Cause I am NOT sorry. If
I have the chance, I would do the same thing,"
	"Calm down. First tell us why you ran away," Kev tried to get them
to settle down.
	"I couldn't stand being there. With all the sympathy looks. All the
silence when I enter a room,"
	"It was not like that. We wanted you to open to us in your own
time," Britney cried out.
	"You are the one pushing all our efforts," Chris blurted.  "Some
things are better off in the past,"
	"No it is not. Not when it is affecting your future, all of our
futures," Justin now said.
	"We know this is something more than just your parents' death,"
Brian continued.
	"I guess nothing escapes you all," she said ironically.
	"Well, sit back and enjoy the story of my life,"
	All of them made themselves comfortable while Ann sat cross-legged
on the floor, facing all of them.
	"That person who killed my parents? It was my brother. Shocking,
huh? My own brother,"
	"But you didn't have any older brother," Justin stammered. The rest
of them sat there, stunned.
	"I did. I didn't know then. In Singapore, I started to date this
guy, Jack.  My parents opposed to it strongly. Finally they told me that he
is my older brother whom they gave away last time. The reason for it, they
didn't have the money to support him then. Their best friends who took him
in moved to Singapore. And then I moved to Singapore. My parents wanted to
make amendments but it turns out that Jack hated them. And me because I got
to stay with them and he was given away,"
	"What happened to Jack?" Lance asked.
	"I don't know. After the shooting, he disappeared and the
police.. the police couldn't find their own guns much less a professional
killer,"
	"How old is Jack?" Joey asked.
	"He is 25 years old,"
	"But then you told us that you all thought the hitman is a normal
passerby?" questioned Howie.
	"He was clad in a big overcoat and a hat covering his face,"
	Ann continued her tale in a monotone as if she is listening to
someone else talking and not her.
	"How did you think how I felt when I realized that the reason he
started dating me is to take revenge on my family? And that he, my own
flesh and blood killed my parents?"
	'All this relates back to her parents,' Brian thought, looking at
Ann.
	"I never know what I did wrong for God to punish me so. At first,
my parents and then now Greg. Why can't I be like everyone else, carefree
instead of like the way I am now?"
	"You have to let go of the past," Kev said, sitting down next to
her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she flinches.
	"It is not that easy. Every night when I sleep, I see Greg coming
towards me again. Every time I think, what if I meet him again. Then what
will happen?"
	"You don't have to bear this alone. We are your family now," Nick
too came towards her. Ann looked at JC who stared back at her with sadness
and love in his eyes.
	"Now it's time to resolve the past," Kev stated.
	Ann nodded, her walls crumbling down around her. They talked for
quite sometime. Tears were spilt and laughter arises. It was the wee hours
of the morning when Kev stood up and stretched. He looked down at the
emotionally exhausted Ann sleeping on Nick's lap. Britney is leaning
against Brian's shoulder while Chris and Joey are asleep on the
couch. Howie was on the floor, napping while AJ are on the love seat.
	Lance and Justin were seating near Ann, talking silently. Kev
turned to look at JC who was quite silent throughout the whole
conversation. JC sat there, quietly staring at sleeping Ann. 'What about
Spencer?' Kev thought again.

*Washington, D.C*
	"Where is my payment?" demanded Greg at the blonde in front of
him. The girl flipped her bleached blond hair and smiled at him
flirtatiously.
	"I thought you more than received your payment?"
	"What do you mean?"
	"You know. You had gotten what you wanted, Ann. And I heard
including her body as well," she laughed loudly.
	"Look here, we had a deal. You are supposed to pay me a million
dollars for getting her away from Lance. And I did that, so pay up. Or
else, I will tell the police and your beloved Lance what is happening,"
	The girl's blue contacts flashed dangerously.
	"Didn't you know that genies have the power to do almost anything?
To threaten one is not such a good idea,"
	"Don't go singing your song again. I just want my money and you
won't see me again,"
	"Miss Aguilera! Cue to go on stage now," the assistant manager
called out from beside the stage.
	"I'll talk to you later," with that she ran onstage.
	"HELLO WASHINGTON! How are you all? I am feeling like a...genie in
a bottle.." and she launched into the smash hit song. As she danced and
sings to the song, she thought to herself. 'That guy will keep on extorting
me for money. He has to go,'
	The next day on the newspapers, it was headlined that a young
Caucasian male was found murdered by a bar and the police suspected that it
was the job of some robbers.
	When Christina read the news, she called a number. "Hey, great
job. I left the money in your bank account,". She was answered with a soft
hmph and the phone went dead. Christina hanged up the phone and continued
brushing her hair. She thought of Lance whom she was quite fascinated
with. He has the deep voice that sends shivers through her spine. She had
tried her best to make Lance jealous by flirting with Justin but then he
would just ignore her.
	 "Argh! Nevermind, I'll just try harder when I go to Florida next
week. Who could resist me?" she mumbled under her breath and powdered her
nose. She was getting ready for an interview with some local teeny booper
magazine.

*Florida*
	JC had broken up with Spencer and it was a messy one. Spencer had
ranted and gone on and on about how JC and Spencer were meant for each
other.  Finally Ray had taken charge by removing Spencer away and talking
to him. JC looked around, slightly embarrassed when everyone looked at
him. The remaining bodyguards just shook their heads slightly while Justin
gave him a thumbs-up. JC was thankful that they all haven't told the
bodyguards about Ann yet. Or else Spencer would blame her.
	JC and Ann hadn't gone back together yet. They are starting all
over again by being friends first. One night, everyone was invited to
dinner at Lance's house. This includes all the bodyguards. Spencer was
reluctantly included because they couldn't invite all the bodyguards but
him.
	This dinner was before the concert and it was a thank-you dinner
for the bodyguards. As one by one arrived at Lance's house, they were
seated at the living room. Lance, Justin, Kev and Brian were doing the
cooking. Joey wanted to help but they said no because they were afraid of
the house being burnt down. It is not that Joey is a bad cook, only that he
was too careless and would always forget to switch off the stove.
	As Lance chopped up the vegetables to make the salad, Justin was
making the sauce. Kev and Brian were grilling the steaks outside the
patio. "So, Mr.  Bass. What do you think of my extravagant sauce de Just,"
Justin pushed the spoon under Lance's nose. Lance took a lick and stood
there pondering. "Hmm, Mr. de Just. I think I tasted something better
today, like just an hour ago," Justin blushed knowing exactly what Lance is
referring to.
	"Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself, you horny toad,"
	"Oh, but you love this horny toad," Lance reached over and kissed
Justin tenderly. "Get a room you guys. This is getting very old," Howie
said, reaching into the fridge to get a soda. "Who asked you to look, you
peeping tom," Justin stuck his tongue out at Howie.  Howie made a motion to
grab it before Lance swatted Howie's hand away.
	"Hey, don't touch that tongue. It is very useful,"
	"Useful for what?" Howie fell into Lance's trap.
	"It is skillful in making me feel absolute pleasure," Lance
leered. "Eww! I don't want to hear anymore," Howie stuck his fingers in his
ears and started to hum as he walked away. Justin and Lance grinned at each
other before continuing with the salad and proceeding to the baked
potatoes.
	Kev and Brian stood over the grills, sipping a beer each. "Bri,
what are you thinking?"
	"About when was the last time we did this,"
	Kev started to snicker. When they did this two years back during
one of their rare vacations, they were bitching about *N Sync copying
them. All that changed now since they are all one big family. JC opened the
glass door and stepped out, joining them.
	"What are you doing here? Stay inside and wait patiently," said
Bri.
	"I can't. I felt like a bug under the microscope with the way
Spencer is staring at me. I think he wants to rip my balls off,"
	"Ouch,"
	"Haha, Kev,"
	"He still bitter over the break-up?" Brian asked the obvious.
	"DUH! But the thing is we are never officially together,"
	"For him it is official," Kev helped. JC frowned and sat on the
lounge chair.  "When are the girls arriving?" Kev asked.
	"I called Ann just now and she said that she is waiting for Hope
and Britney to get ready. Lisa and Karyna is on her way over," answered
Brian.
	"What? Britney still not ready? I thought she was getting ready
when we called her three hours ago," Kev exclaimed.
	"Turns out that she had nothing to wear and the girls went
shopping. They just came back,"
	"Girls, can't live without them, can't live with them" all three of
them muttered. Nick was as usual, playing some video game with Gary and
Frank. It seems like he is losing badly by the way the bodyguards are
cheering Gary on. Chris had gone and fetched Sarah up from her house
earlier and still wasn't back yet.

*Ann's apartment*
	"Britney! This must be the fifth time you are changing your
outfit," Hope sat down, exasperated. Britney smiled sheepishly and joined
Hope on the couch. "Why are you so jumpy? No one there to impress. It is
only the guys," Ann continued before fading off. "Wait a minute. It is one
of the guys. Spit it out. Which one?" she attacked Britney gleefully. "No,
it isn't" she denied. Ann looked at Hope and on three both of them jumped
on Britney, tickling her.
	"Tell us or else we won't let up," Hope threatened. Britney face is
quite red from laughter and she raised her hands in surrender. Hope fell
back on the couch, tired from all the laughing. She looked at Britney and
Ann. 'Who would have thought that I would be friends with these two
gorgeous girls without jumping them,'
	"Is it Nick?" Ann questioned.
	"Or Justin?" Hope now questioned. Britney shooked her head. As they
named one by one of the boy band members, Britney shooked her head. When
they finally said Brian's name, Britney blushed red.
	"AH HAH! We got you," Hope said wickedly.
	After an hour, Britney finally decided on an outfit. The very first
one that she tried on. Both Ann and Hope smacked their foreheads in
unison. They walked down to the carpark where Ann's convertible sat. It was
a beautiful shiny black Lexus. Ann had used her inheritance quite lavishly.

*Back in Lance's house*
	"What are taking them so long?" Brian said, looking at his
watch. Everyone had arrived except Ann, Hope and Britney. The doorbell rang
and Brian sprinted to the door. "Hey, you looked gorgeous," Brian pulled
Britney in.  "Hey, what about us?" Hope protested. Brian turned around and
pulled them in too.
	Spencer looked at the newly arrived guests and he went pale. 'Ann?
How come she is here?' Ray went up and gave Ann a bear hug. "Little girl,
where had you been?" he looked at her up and down. Ray was like a brother
to Ann.  "Here and there," she replied. "Nice haircut. Better than looking
like a witch with all the hair hanging over your face," teased Frank as he
walked up to her. She protested a little before being enfolded in a warm
hug.
	Spencer stood aside while the other bodyguards went up to greet
Ann. Ann looked at Spencer and gave him a smile. He turned away, walking
into the kitchen. No one realized it because they were busy mingling. 'The
bad blood is still there' she thought to herself.
	During dinner, there was a steady flow of conversation going
around. Ray was busy catching up with Ann and was asking her about her
college subjects.  Spencer just glared at Ann.
	Lance straightened abruptly when he felt someone's feet on his
crotch. He looked at Justin seated in front of him but Justin was busy
talking to Kev.  If it were not for the glimmer in Justin's eyes, he
wouldn't have guessed it was he. 'Well, two can play at this game,' Lance
took off his loafers and started to rub his feet along the sides of
Justin's legs.
	"Lance, I would really appreciate it if you stop rubbing against my
legs," AJ announced loudly to the table. Lance pulled his feet back in
horror while Justin laughed loudly. "Sorry," Lance apologized, blushing to
the roots of his hair. "Aww, Lance baby. You are all red," teased
Chris. "Shut up," Lance answered, eating his potatoes.
	After dinner, they all sat around the living room. Lance pulled
Justin up and cleared his throat delicately. "We have an announcement to
make. Justin told me his answer but we will make it official in front of
you guys,"
	Lance knelt down before Justin and pulled out the jewelry box,
which he had kept dearly for sometime. "Would you marry me?" he simply said
and presented Justin two rings entwined together on a silver chain.
	"Yes," Justin said, slightly tearing and pulled Lance up. They
shared a sweet long kiss. "Well, finally!" Howie exclaimed. "Stop
that. There are straight guys here too," yelled out Chris. Lance and Justin
pulled back, embarrassed. Justin took a closer look at the rings. It looks
simple but to Justin, it meant more than anything. "I didn't know what to
get but I figured you would like whatever that I like," muttered Lance,
hugging Justin from behind. Justin nodded and saw some inscription on one
ring. 'Till death do us part,' while on the other is 'I will be by your
side,'
	That simple inscription was more than any other words that Lance
could have spoken. The rings were entwined by a silver basketball which if
looked closely were engraved, 'JLB + JRT' It was so carefully made by the
old jeweler.  JC sat down on the love seat next to Ann, both of them happy
for the engagement of their best friends. "How long did you all know?" Ann
whispered. "We suspected but weren't sure," he whispered back. "Why are we
whispering?" Ann asked. "I don't know," he replied. Both of them started
laughing.
	Spencer looked at this from across the room. 'She is why he broke
up with me' "Get away from him," he gritted out to the surprised
Ann. "What?" "You heard me, get away from him," Spencer repeated. JC stood
up, "Spencer, you're not thinking straight,"
	"I AM!"
	"What is going on here?" asked Ann.
	"I was never in love with you. Not then and not now," JC said
softly so that Ann wouldn't hear him. Spencer then looked at him with a
betrayed look on his face. He turned to face Ann with anger.
	"Let it known that when you were gone, he was sharing his bed with
ME"
	Spencer snarled out. Ann sat there, not saying a word. "Every night
that you were gone, he was in bed, moaning not for you but for me," he
continued viciously. JC pulled him away. Spencer started screaming curses
at Ann while Kev and Ray helped pulling Spencer away from Ann.
	"Oh, boy," Ann muttered.

~~~~~~~~~~2 bE coNtiNued~~~~~~~~~~~~~~