"Okay," Marissa said. She and Anika sat at the table, where various papers were spread out across it in front of them. "We have plane tickets, reservations, and days planned out. Now we tell Joey, because he's practically threatened to kill me if we don't give them at least one day."
"I'm heartbroken," Anika said with a smile. "So, email the plans already!"
Marissa grinned. "Just needs a click of the mouse button."
Anika shoved at her. "Go click!"
Marissa laughed. "Okay." She went in to connect to the Internet, and soon called Anika in. Anika stepped into the room to a cheery ‘Uh oh!' from the computer.
"Who's on?" she asked.
"Joe." She double clicked the flashing ICQ envelope.
So? the message read.
I just sent the email with all the details. You should get it soon, she responded.
"Are they home?" Anika asked.
"Yeah. Vacation. JC is really glad to be there, too. Justin hasn't sent me a single message." She laughed.
YOU GOT RESERVATIONS?!?
"Yeesh, Joe, what's with the shouting?" Marissa muttered with a grin. Yes, we got reservations. And put a deposit down. Why?
"I think he thought we'd stay with them," Anika said, reading over her shoulder.
"You been talking to JC?"
"He's the only contact I have since Chris freaked." She made the face she always did when he came up.
"What did you tell him?"
"Nothing!" Anika protested.
How are you getting around?
"Oh, he'll hate this," Marissa grinned. Bus, and foot.
"Did they ever tell him what happened with Chris?" Anika asked.
"If they did, I didn't hear anything about it. I asked them not to."
Anika chuckled. "So he's really confused."
BUS?!?
"Very confused," Marissa smiled. "What's with the yelling?" Well, we hope you pick us up for the day we spend with you guys, she typed.
"Do you think Chris regrets going off on you like that?"
Marissa sighed. "I don't know. I can't even say that I don't care, because he was really nice when I first met him, but I'm beginning not to care."
Day?!? Only one day?
Anika laughed. "He's gonna demand that you get off the computer in a minute."
"Nah. He won't think of it." You guys are on vacation, she wrote back.
The return message came too quickly, she knew he hadn't seen her last one. Get offline. She obediently disconnected. "It's a good thing that wasn't a bet," she told Anika with a grin. The phone rang, and Anika snatched it up before Marissa could.
"Hello?"
"Marissa?"
"No, this is Anika. Can I tell her who's calling?"
"Joe Fatone."
"Oh, the red haired one. Is that the color you wanted?"
He laughed. "Have you been talking to Marissa?" he asked.
"Well, yeah! She's my best friend. Why?"
"She asked me the same thing."
"Oh... so is it the color you wanted?"
"Yes, it was. Hey, are you coming down with her to Orlando?"
"Yes."
"Does she have two phones?"
"Yeah, hang on." She grinned at Marissa. "Go get the extension."
"Okay... It's Joey?"
"Yep," Anika grinned. "I like meeting your friends over the phone."
Marissa went into the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Hey, Joe."
"You're planning on taking the bus around Orlando, and you're giving us one day?" he demanded.
"Yeah, the bus! We even checked into week passes, but they don't have them."
"You can borrow my car!"
Anika chuckled. "How would you get around?"
"I've got two of them."
Marissa laughed. "Oh, right, drive around a strange city in someone else's car, never mind that it belongs to a member of ‘N Sync? No.... we'll do the bus, and catch a cab if it gets too late. But thanks, Joe." Never mind that Chris would have my head.... So much for not caring what he thinks, she thought with disgust.
He sighed. "We'll see. And you have one day planned with us?"
"You can join us at Disney, or Universal," Marissa told him.
"Or, if you talk hard enough, you might get a second day," Anika said.
"We're trying not to take up your vacation, Joe," Marissa broke in. "You guys have been working hard. You deserve a rest."
"We've been home two weeks. We're rested."
"You speak for everyone?" Marissa asked.
He laughed. "Mostly, I think. I know Lance is bored."
"Tell him to get a girlfriend," Anika said.
Joey chuckled. "He'd like that. Are you volunteering?"
"No," Anika said, almost too quickly, and Joey laughed.
"Still," Marissa said. "We don't want to infringe on your time."
"You can't, really. You have someone's number?"
Marissa blinked, surprised at the change of subject. "No. Why?"
"So we know where to pick you up. And when you get in, so we know you made it. It's going to be... late...." He drifted off.
"Joe? Something wrong?"
"Nope, not a thing."
"Something right?" Anika guessed.
"Very good! Got a piece of paper?"
"Sure," Marissa said. "Why?"
"I'm gonna give you my number. I'll be up, so call when you get settled into your hotel."
"Oh, okay." Marissa found a pen and paper. "Go ahead." She wrote the number down, then they said good bye and got off the phone.
"They sure trust you," Anika said when Marissa got back to her room.
Marissa nodded, sinking down on the bed by her friend. "I know. It's kind of scary, you know? But a really nice feeling." At least, her thoughts added, one of them trusts me.
Go on to Next Chapter | Chance