Abby Monroe smiled at one of the pictures in the magazine in front of her. She was lying on her stomach one arm propped under her chin, flipping the pages of the latest Rolling Stone.

"Hey Josh?" she asked. "Is it true that you never mentioned Tammy to the press?"

The tall man turned around from his place in the closet.

"Nope. We were just friends in the eyes of the press. It was one of those relationships where everyone knew we were together, but no one talked about it." He held up the two hangers in his hands. "Should I take these?"

Abby scrutinized the two shirts with her eyes. "Sure," she said. She shrugged. "I don’t know how much stuff you’re supposed to pack."

"Enough for four months," JC said. He turned back around, still studying the shirts in front of him. He hung one back up and threw one over his shoulder onto the bed.

"Hey!" Abby cried indignantly. There was laughter in her voice.

JC turned around and smiled when he saw the shirt covering her head.

"Oops, sawry."

"You’d better be," Abby said. "Or else I’ll have to go kick your ass."

JC smiled at the playful challenge in her voice. Even though he’d only known Abby for less than two weeks he felt like he’d known her forever. He felt like she’d been one of his best friends forever.

"I don’t think you could," he said.

Abby looked up from the magazine again. "Oh really."

JC nodded. He pounded he chest lightly with his splayed fingers. "Bring it on baby," he said.

Abby grinned. She didn’t move.

"Whas da matter?" JC asked. "You chicken?"

"Nope," Abby said. "I just don’t think your management would be totally thrilled if you began your tour with two black eyes."

JC stared at the small girl in shock for a moment. He began laughing and turned back to the closet rooting through the hanging clothes. He turned around a few seconds later with two sparkly pairs of pants in his hands.

"Should I take the red pair or the blue pair?"

Abby looked up from her magazine again. She nearly choked when she saw the pants.

"What the hell are those?"

JC looked at the clothes in his hands. "What?"

"Those pants are covered in sequins."

JC looked at the pants again and back at Abby.

"So?"

Abby shook her head. "Those are hideous."

"They aren’t hideous," JC said. He held them up closer to his face. "I’ll take the red pair."

Abby smiled and turned back to her magazine. "It’s your fashion reputation, but I’m not sure I want to be living with one of People’s Ten Worst Dressed of the year."

JC smiled and stepped back into the closet.

Brad brushed his blond hair up off his forehead. He squeezed the soda water tap, adding sparkle to one of the drinks in front of him. He looked at the girl glumly stirring a drink next to him.

"Absters?" Brad asked.

Abby looked up at him, her eyes extremely sad. "Yeah?"

"What’s the matter girl?" he asked.

"Nothing."  She shoved the drink across the counter to the waiting customer.

"That’s bullshit Abby," Brad said. He put the three drinks he’d been mixing on the bar. They were quickly snatched up.

"I don’t want to talk about it Brad," Abby said. She took the cloth out of her apron and began wiping down the counter.

"Abby," Brad said. His voice got a pleading note. "Please tell me. I don’t like to see you unhappy."

Abby sighed. "I’m just upset that Josh is leaving tomorrow, that’s all. It’s stupid."

Brad felt his fist muscles try to clench. He willed them to relax.

"What’s up with that Abby?" Brad asked. "Are you guys like, I don’t know, together?"

Abby stopped wiping down the wooden counter. "Me and Josh? Together?"

"Yeah," Brad said slowly. "I mean like one day you don’t have enough money to make rent and the next you’re moving in with this random guy."

"Josh was just kind enough to offer me a place to stay. To help me get back on my feet."

"I would have let you stay with me," Brad said.

Abby raised an eyebrow at Brad. "Why are you being so friendly?"

It was Brad’s turn to look shocked. "What?"

"Why are you being so friendly?" Abby repeated. "I mean two weeks ago you were hardly giving me the time of day and I got to hear about all your conquests into the female population. Now you’re saying you would have let me move in with you?"

Brad leaned toward the smaller girl. "You’re one of my best friends Abby. I’ll do anything I can to help you okay?"

Abby couldn’t help the tingles that ran up and down her spine. Brad’s eyes held something that she hadn’t seen in them before. Caring.

"Okay," Abby said. "I’ll remember that."

Brad nodded. "Good." Maybe he wasn’t losing her to these new guys.

"Brad?" Abby asked.

"Yeah babe?"

"Could you cover for me until two tomorrow?"

Brad nodded. "Yeah, why?

"Josh and the guys are leaving tomorrow. I want to go see them off."

Brad felt himself tense again. Or maybe he was losing her. But he’d have her all to himself for four months.

"Go for it," he said.

Abby smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

For the first time Brad realized that he’d do about anything for that smile. And suddenly he realized why he didn’t like the new guys in Abby’s life. Now what was he going to do about Melissa?

"Listen Tammy," JC’s voice came through the answering machine. "I’m sorry I’ve been calling so much. I just had to hope that maybe you’d change your mind and give me some reason for… I’m leaving tomorrow morning. I just wanted to say goodbye. That’s goodbye for good. I’m really sorry things didn’t work out between us." His voice paused for a second. "And Tammy, please know that I’ll always love you."

Tammy listened to the message for the third time. She felt guilty, almost. She felt an unparalleled desire to go see Josh. She felt the need to go explain to him that she’d been playing with him for their six months together.

That was what she had to do. It would tell both of them for sure that they were never going to get back together. It would tell him for sure that they were never going to get back together.

He was leaving in the morning though. She wouldn’t be able to see him for four months. He’d get over her. That was the best thing to do. The best thing by far.

Abby glanced up at the jingle of the bell on the bar door. She saw JC entering into the dark room. She looked up and down the bar. No one was waiting for anything. Brad was at the other end of the bar talking to their boss.

"Tony!" she yelled. "I’m on break!"

Tony grunted in acknowledgement.

Abby took off her apron and set it behind the counter. She ducked under the door and met JC before he was halfway to the bar.

JC smiled at her enthusiasm to come see him.

"I was just going to come talk to you while you worked," he said.

"I know," Abby said. She pulled JC back outside, not feeling the glare of Brad’s eyes as he watched them leave. "I need to talk to you."

JC laughed as they ended up on the hood of his car.

"Did I do something bad?" he asked.

"No," Abby said. "I need your advice."

"Okay," JC said slowly.

"Brad’s acting really strange." Abby felt herself blush as she mentioned the name of her crush.

"How so?" JC’s interest was immediately piqued.

"Today he said that I was one of his best friends and that if I ever needed anything I could just ask him. He also said that I could have moved in with him."

JC felt a small smile light up his face. He’d seen how Brad had looked at Abby while he was helping her move. He’d seen how Brad had been jealous of the attention that Justin and himself had paid to Abby. Maybe Brad had finally woken up to his feelings.

"It sounds to me like he’s jealous."

"That was my feeling," Abby said. "Why would he be jealous though? He has Melissa."

"I think maybe you’ve always been there and so there wasn’t any reason for him to worry about you always being there." JC was thoughtful. "And now I entered the picture."

Abby laughed. "You’re so threatening to his masculinity."

"When it comes to you I am," JC said. "Cause he just knows we’re going to jump into bed together before he can get to you."

Abby began laughing. She looked at her watch. Her break was almost up.

"That will be the day pigs fly," she said. "So you really think he’s jealous?"

JC nodded. "I saw something when he looked at you while you were moving into my apartment."

Abby’s face lit up. "Really?"

JC nodded again. His grin was covering his face. "Really."

Suddenly Abby slapped him hard on the arm.

JC rubbed the spot. "Ouch, what was that for?"

"For not telling me you dork," she said.

"Dork this," JC said putting his arm around Abby’s neck and rubbing her hair vigorously.

"Hey!" Abby yelled, pulling away laughing. She ran her hand through her hair, pulling out the pony tail holder. "Now I have to go redo my ponytail. Thanks Josh."

"You’re welcome," JC said smugly. He hopped off the car and walked over to Abby, pulling her into a hug. "I’m going to go back to the apartment and tie up some loose ends, okay? I’ll stop by later. Keep you company."

"Are you sure you want to spend your last night here with me?" Abby asked. "Aren’t there other people who you’d rather…"

"Who?" JC asked interrupting her. "The guys? Nope. I’m going to be on a bus with them for four months. My family lives in DC. It’s just you and me babe, unless you don’t want me to come…" JC trailed off.

"No!" Abby said quickly. "I love the company."

"Okay then," JC said smiling and going back to the car. "I’ll be by later, ten-ish maybe?"

"Bye," Abby said.

She walked into the bar, feeling happier than she had all day. She didn’t notice the glares Brad was sending out the door. She also didn’t notice that he’d moved so that he was able to see everything that went on outside.

"Lover-boy’s gone already?" Brad asked, unable to keep the sneer out of his voice.

"He’ll be back later," Abby said. "Can you believe that he’s going to spend his last night in Orlando here in the bar with me?"

Abby felt like she was doing something bad saying that to Brad, but the idea that he might possibly be jealous was just too much for her to bear.

"I can’t believe that," Brad said dryly. He narrowed his eyes at the outside world. "You guys must be pretty good friends." There was a lot of emphasis on the word friends.

"Oh we are," Abby said, apparently obliviously, inwardly jumping up and down.

Brad turned toward the other end of the bar, suddenly engrossed in a non-existent spot on the counter.

Abby couldn’t help laughing to herself. Maybe JC was right.

Tammy shifted in the car seat. She had no clue what she was doing sitting outside JC’s apartment. She didn’t want to be there. She wanted to be anywhere but there.

She told herself that this was for the best. She told herself that she needed to see him one last time to get it out of her system. This was very necessary.

She took a deep breath and opened the car door. She was going to regret doing this, but it was something that she just had to do.

JC looked around the living room. He had three suitcases lined up by the door. His computer bag, the Nintendo and his box of books and magazines rested beside them. He thought that was it. That was everything he’d need. He’d been doing this for four years and he still forgot stuff. That was just the hazard of packing.

He looked at his watch. 9:45. Maybe he’d head over to the bar.

And then there was a knock on the door.

JC was confused. He knew the guys wouldn’t be coming over. They never did the night before a tour. He didn’t know of anyone else who it could be though.

He walked over to the door and opened it.

"Tammy," he said breathlessly. Suddenly his world had turned ice cold.

"Hi Josh," Tammy said. She bit her bottom lightly.

"You were probably the last person I expected to see," JC said. He swallowed hard.

"I didn’t expect to find myself here," Tammy said.

"Come in," JC said quickly. He stepped out of the doorway and allowed his ex-girlfriend to enter.

"Thanks," Tammy said quietly.

She walked over to the couch and sat down. She crossed her legs primly. JC sat down next to her, a safe foot and a half away.

"You wanted to talk?" Tammy asked.

"Why Tammy?" JC said. "Why couldn’t you have backed out before I’d moved out of my house?"

Tammy stared at JC. This should have been easy. This should have a piece of cake. She’d lied to him for six months. All she needed was an hour more. And for the first time in her life she couldn’t lie.

The tears came first. Her lip quivered something that never happened to Tammy. Never. This was absolutely unacceptable. She only wanted one man and that wasn’t JC. She had to get that through to herself.

"Because I was fucking with you," she whispered.

JC had been about to wipe her tears away. He’d seen the tears, the quivering lip and had thought she was going to say it was all a mistake. When he heard her words though he backed away quickly.

"What?" he asked.

"I’ve never cared about you JC," she said.

They cringed together as the words hit home.

"It was just a game. An aspiring model needs a celebrity boyfriend."

JC opened his eyes widely. This was not what he’d expected to hear. This was not what he wanted to hear.

"You’re lying," he said. "What we had was special."

"No JC it wasn’t," she said. She opened her purse and pulled out her wallet. She flipped open to a picture. "I’ve been dating this man for three years. I’m going to marry this man within the year."

JC felt his world crumbling around him.

"What?"

"I was playing you Josh."

"Don’t call me Josh," JC hissed. "That right is reserved for my friends."

Tammy cringed.

"So when you said you loved me…" JC trailed off.

"It was all a lie," Tammy said. Her heart broke at that moment. What she’d just said was the lie. And she suddenly realized that. She closed her eyes and the tears poured out of her eyes.

"I’m sorry JC," she said.

"Get out." JC’s voice was deadly calm. "I said GET OUT!"

Tammy nodded and got up. She walked to the door and let herself out.

She collapsed against the hallway wall for a second. That was supposed to make her feel better. Why did she feel a hundred times worse?

JC returned his hands to the semi-permanent place against his head. His mind was reeling. How could he have been so stupid? What sort of sick demented person would do that? His heart felt like it had broken into a million little pieces. This hurt worse than the initial breakup.

There was only one person he could think of talking to.

Abby laughed lightly with Jim. He had lasted longer than normal tonight. Normally he’d be passed out on the counter. She’d taken his keys two drinks before.

Her eyes were drawn to the door as she heard it jingle. What she saw made her blood run cold. Completely forgetting Jim she ran to the door.

"Josh?" she asked frantically. "What’s the matter? What happened?"

"She never loved me," JC mumbled. "She used me. She fucking used me."

Abby had never heard JC swear before so it shocked her that he would now. She helped him over to one of the tables.

"By she I take it you mean Tammy?"

JC nodded. He’d given up wiping the tears away. His cheeks hurt too much from the constant stream of salt water.

Abby looked at the man in front of her. She bent down and pulled him into a hug. He gripped her tightly, as if he were never going to let go.

"God JC," Abby said. "I’m so sorry."

"Can I get a drink?" JC asked.

Abby looked at him, her eyes evaluating his condition. "I don’t think that’s a good idea Josh," she said. "You’re too upset."

JC nodded like a little kid who had been reprimanded. "Okay."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Abby asked.

JC shook his head. His resolve lasted for about a second. "Why’d she do it?"

"Because she’s a bitch," Abby answered truthfully. "She couldn’t appreciate what a truly wonderful person you are."

"This always happens to me," JC said. "The girls always love JC. They don’t love Josh. This was just worse than most. She set out to hurt me."

"What do you mean?" Abby asked. Normally a girl would stay with a guy because she wanted something from him, but she wouldn’t intentionally set out to hurt him.

"She’s been with another guy for three years. The only reason she was with me was to build her fame up."

Abby felt an unfamiliar emotion build up inside of her. Hate. The world began to turn red.

"Bitch," Abby hissed. How could someone do that to another person? She couldn’t physically comprehend it.

JC nodded slightly. He looked at the customers surrounding the bar.

"I’m sorry. You need to get back to work."

Abby looked up. She saw Tony glaring in her direction.

"I’ll be right back Josh, okay?"

JC nodded. He stared at the table in front of him.

Abby walked over to her boss.

"Tony, I need to go." Her voice was resolved. There was no room for question.

"Abigail," Tony said in his deep voice. "It’s Friday night. We need you here."

"I have a family emergency," Abby said.

"The last family emergency you had lasted a week and a half. I can’t spare you Abby," he said.

"Please Tony. If I can find someone to fill in for me?"

Tony looked at her. She was serious. He looked at the man crying in the corner of the bar.

Slowly he nodded. "Only if you can find someone to cover for me."

Abby nodded and raced to the phone behind the bar. She dialed a number she knew by heart. There were two rings and a female voice picked up.

"Hello?"

Abby fought down the surge of jealousy that filled her being. "Is Brad there?"

"Babe," the girl said away from the phone. "There’s some girl on the phone for you."

Abby could hear Brad’s muffled voice.

"Who is it?" the girl asked.

"Abby. Tell him it’s important."

She heard the girl relay the information.

"Hey Absters," Brad said into the phone.

"Brad, you know how you said you’d help me in anyway you could?"

"Yeah," Brad said quickly. "Are you okay? Aren’t you working?"

"I’m fine," Abby said. "Josh isn’t though. He just found out that his ex fucked him over royally. He’s an emotional wreck. I need to be with him."

"So you want me to work for you tonight?"

"Please Brad. I’ll cover any of your shifts. I wouldn’t ask unless it was important."

Abby could almost see the wheels in Brad’s head turning.

"I’ll be there in ten, okay?"

Abby let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. You don’t know how much I appreciate this."

"I’ll figure out a way for you to repay me," Bread said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Abby smiled slightly. "I’ll see you in ten."

She hung up the phone. Even in serious situations his voice worked her emotions over.

"Abby?" JC asked hesitantly.

"Yeah?" Abby answered just as hesitantly.

"Can you hold me tonight?" he asked. They were lying on his bed. JC’s head was on Abby’s chest and she was stroking his hair.

"Of course," Abby said. "Just let me go get ready for bed okay?"

JC nodded and sat up slightly so that she could get up. He lay back down immediately and closed his eyes.

Abby walked quietly out of his room and down the hall to her room. As she changed she thought about how much JC was hurting. She couldn’t believe what Tammy had done to him. And the night before he left on tour, too.

Slowly she picked up the phone and picked out a number, struggling to remember it. She looked at the clock. 1 a.m. It was late, but…

"’Lo?" a sleepy voice came through the phone.

"Justin? Its Abby."

"Whassup!" Justin said. His voice gave way how tired he was.

"I’m sorry for calling so late," she said. "But something happened tonight that I think you should know about."

Justin’s voice showed concern immediately. "’S mah bro okay?" he asked.

"Yes and no," Abby said. "Physically yes," she clarified. "Tammy came back."

"Sheet," Justin muttered. "Dey back togeter?"

"No," Abby said slowly. "She pulled a number on him."

"Whad she do?" Justin asked.

"She, well, she was only dating him for his fame, apparently. Said that every aspiring model needed a superstar boyfriend."

"Sheet," Justin repeated.

"Oh, there’s more," Abby said. "She apparently has had another boyfriend for three years. Apparently they’re getting married this year."

Justin was silent. Abby could picture him turning bright red.

"Justin?" Abby asked. "I know I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I thought someone should know."

Justin remained silent.

"Justin? You there?"

"I gonna kill’er ," he said. "I gon tah f-in’ kill her."

"It’ll be okay Justin," Abby said. "Calm down."

"’S nah okay," Justin said. His voice was calm. "She hur my bro, she hur ma family."

"She’s gone Justin," Abby said. "She’s not coming back. I need to go back to Josh though. I just thought someone should know."

"Thanks," Justin said. "Do yah wan me o’er der?"

"No, we’re okay. I’m sorry for calling so late."

"Nah," Justin said. "Don worry ‘bout id. I glad yuh call me."

"Goodnight," she said and hung up the phone.

She walked back to JC’s room and walked over to the bed. She couldn’t tell if JC was asleep or not.

"I’m awake," JC said.

Abby nodded and crawled onto the bed. She climbed under the covers and wrapped her arms around JC.

"I called Justin," she said quietly.

She could feel JC stiffen.

"I’m sorry," she said. "I just thought someone should know what was going on."

She could feel JC nod into his pillow. He rolled over and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thanks," he said into her ear.

It was Abby’s turn to nod.

"I’m sorry Josh. You didn’t deserve any of this."

JC was silent. Abby thought that he wasn’t going to answer.

"I’ll get over it. I just feel really stupid."

"Don’t," Abby whispered forcefully. "Try to get some sleep okay?"

"’K," JC said.

"And just think tomorrow you’ll be on a bus on your tour." Abby didn’t know why she kept talking. They were going to have to be up in a few hours.

"I’m going to miss having you around," JC said.

"I’m going to miss you too," Abby said. "This apartment will be way too big."

"Thank you for everything Abby," JC said.

"You’re welcome," Abby said. She cuddled back into him. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," JC said.

Slowly they drifted off to sleep. Together.