His eyes were perpetually smiling to begin with, but as he cracked the joke, Joe looked almost without vision. It amazed me beyond belief. Reaching to control the wheel was a terrified AJ, fumbling for the stick shift while the foot of Joey pushed down on the accelerator, "OHMIGOD WE'RE GONNA DIE!"

The throaty scream from the passenger seat kicked Joey back into driving gear and he turned to regain control of the Acura with skill. Erin and I giggled in the back, and I saw my brunette friend sneaking meaningful glances at the Italian Stallion who was chauffering us around Orlando. Josh was all business, however, merely cracking a forced smile.

"Thanks Joey, get us killed why don't you? These ladies are our guests, can't you show a little class? And quit calling me JC...it sounds ridiculous." He straightened the lapel of his shirt and rolled his blue eyes at me, as if to suggest he was embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Joey checked the rearview with a sardonic grin plastered across his face before commenting, "Classy, huh? I'll give you class. BURRRRRRRRRRRT."

The loud resonating sound that split the icy silence Josh left was nothing short of shocking. Erin clasped her thin hands over her mouth, and her light eyes danced with laughter that she tried to keep in check, unsuccessfully. AJ turned around in the seat to face us, biting her lip, while Josh smacked a hand over his high forehead, causing the car to shake with hysterics further.

Catching my breath, I turned to our suitor and asked the burning question of the night, "Hey, um, where are we going anyway....JC?" My sly slip up left him speachless, but the winning smile we fell for replaced the worry as he answered that we were headed to his friend's place off of the Parkway.

The rest of the ride the five of us chatted easily, and Joey was proving to be a hit with us as well. His jovial behavior had Erin rolling on the floor, not to mention the musclar biceps I saw her checking out. Before I knew it, the Acura pulled into a long driveway, and stopped quickly. Piling out, I couldn't believe my hazel eyes. Erin and AJ both stood in awe as we looked at the expansive property in front of us.

The perfectly trimmed lawn gave way into lush gardens surrounding a massive modern exterior of what could easily qualify as a mansion. A basketball court, full length, was visible from my angle, and I could see a few guys pounding the hardwood. Erin tipped up Aj's fallen mouth to keep the drool from spilling out, and JC (as we were now accustomed to calling him), knocked on the door with ease. Joey leaned on Erin's purple clad shoulder and grinned up at her with a puppy dog face, eliciting a small "oh" from her mouth.

"I like it better from this view," was his sole excuse.

The heavy oak door that JC was presently leaning on swung open suddenly, and our new friend found the foyer floor fast. A pretty middle aged woman greeted us, her blond curls blowing in the nightime breeze.

"Hey y'all," her southern accent was pleasant,"Joey, nice to see you again. JC, hope you had a nice landing, dearheart...oh, and who are these lovely ladies?"

Joey jumped at the chance to introduce us, and slid a hand aroung the waist of my roommate as he explained also why he and JC brought us. Introducing herself as Lynn, she ushered our motely crew into the living room, which was no less impressive than the outside suggested it would be, and we sat on the plush cream seats.

JC sat next to me, his firm body wedged up next to my own, and I smiled nervously and scanned the room in wonder. I caught the nasty look from the petite freshman across the way, and to appease AJ, wiggled farther from our host. Erin had no such inhibitions and she and the brown haired Joey were deep in conversation.

Blue eyes caught my own, and JC squeezed my shoulder comfortingly, aware of my tension. "Hey, we're just getting the crew together. This is Justin's house...he'll be hanging out with us too, and I think Chris is here too."

"Chris as in your roommie, Chris?" I asked, remembering his earlier claims,"The one from Pennsylvania?"

"Yeah," JC's pouty lips pursed before froming more syllables, "We all live here. Me, Chris, and Justin. One big, happy family."

Joey coughed from across the room, and JC laughed accoordingly. I pondered his statement and AJ came out with what I was wondering,"Wait, you ALL live here? I don't get it...why?"

Before JC could fish for another evasive answer, a flying projectile violated my space. I caught it before my upturned nose became flattened, and held up the basketball with surprise.

"Dang, she's on my team, Chris! Nice catch, for a girl!

Erin's eyes unlocked from Joey's gaze and she turned to meet my own darkened expression. I could feel the flush rising in my cheeks at the sexist comment, and met the eyes of my tormentor. My roommates knew that play like a girl comments were not my favorite thing to hear.

His baby blue eyes sparkled and the tongue that was stuck from his mouth had to make me smile in jest. Throwing the ball back at him, I introduced myself and my friends to the hunk of blondness that stood in the doorway. Directly behind him was another attractive male, decidedly older than the tall teenager who blocked his immediate view. JC jumped from the couch and showing hyperness that he had been keeping under wraps, grabbed the curly haired blond in a headlock, forcing him down and onto the rug. Struggling in his white sleevless tank, the pre-pubescent squeals from the younger one rang throughout the room as we all looked on in disbelief. Shrugging his broad shoulders, the dark haired guy standing in the doorway joined in the mini-rumble.

Calling the impromtu wrestling match was Joey, who had left the side of my roommate and now stood over the writhing guys laughing.

"And Justin looks down for the count, with Chris pinning his legs. With authority, I might add. And 1-2-3. Chris and JC, winners!"

Breathing shallowly, JC collapsed on the floor, as the wife beater clad kid sat next to AJ to regain his breath. The one I assumed to be Chris, checked what was his dreadlocked hair, and then plopped next to a disraught Erin. Lynn re-entered the room, arms crossed in mock anger, and walked over to her son, "Justin...don't get hurt. You can't afford another broken thumb, hon."

"Awww, Justy, don't play with the big boys, you might get hurt," taunted JC and Joey, as Lynn broadened her smile.

Handing a cordless telephone to Justin, she seemed oblivious to the chaotic happenings that were occuring in her household. AJ widened her brown eyes at me, and I shrugged, figuring we'd beeter go with the flow. Smiling at his seatmate, Justin dialed a number and spoke in a deep voice, different than his own high pitched southern drawl.

"Hell-ooo, may I please be connected with the master of this domain?" Erin and Joey shook their heads as the blond one grinned wickedly, "Yes, the one who likes to dance to 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' in the privacy of his bedroom. Yes...that's right. Hey, whassup dawg?"

I nearly busted a gut at the psuedo-Philly speak eminating from the little wanna-b-G. JC calmed me with a raised eyebrow, but I caught Chris' equally skeptical facial expression.

"Hey Justin...ask him how 'da hood' is...maybe it's 'played out' for all you know." Chris shouted over the ebonics Justin was spouting on his end of the phone, while Joey attempted to fill us in.

Apparently, the party was not to be, but their other friend was going to come over to watch a movie with us. Five to three ratio. Great, I WAS gonna wind up raped somewhere off of I-4 after all. Heck, at least they were hot.

Disappearing with Justin to help get drinks, AJ left me with a wink. I guessed, JC was fair game now, and didn't move this time when he squeezed on the couch next to me. His blue eyes were amazing, and I found my gaze wandering down to his throat, where a small silver medallion laid. The filigree was the atsrology sign of a Leo. Interesting stuff.

Chris curled up on the floor, Nintendo controller in hand as he set to the theater sized TV to play James Bond. Joey eyed the TV enviously, but looked back to see Erin beside him, and made a mack of a decision to stay by the girl. To say I was happy for her would be true, but seeing the radience from her pure face made me dang jealous too.

"Hey, Mand," she called in my direction, trying her long silky hair back in a ponytail, "We're gonna fail our finals. Hmm. Good thought, huh?"

"What finals?" I called back in innocence, causing JC to put a comforting arm around my shoulder in a quick sueeze. That was to good to let go, so I kept rambling, "Poli Sci-chmi...I have no recollection of college at all at this point!"

On that note, Chris groaned unhappily at the game onscreen and switched to Mortal Kombat in desperation. Justin returned with AJ, and I pushed aside their long departure without thought. However, she was extraordinarily chipper. Dang her, my roommates were going like hotcakes. Justin and AJ. Joey and Erin. Me and Chris...I think not.

Despite the utter hotness of Josh, I didn't feel quite comfortable enough around him, and found my way onto the floor beside Chris, and picked up a controller to do battle, "Prepare to die at the hands of a GIRL, Chris!"

Justin glanced in embarrassment at me, and placed the Dr. Pepper beside me with a wink. How he guessed my favorite drink is beyond me...but not beyond AJ, I suppose. She nodded at me, with her redish-tinted hair flowing in waves, and slyly glanced at Justin, making a grabbing motion with her hands as he bent down to hand Chris his drink. Ready to pee on the clean carpet, I tried to keep my self in check, but Erin couldn't contain her laughter and she rolled off the couch in tears. This left Joey and ample amount of excuse to help her up by tickle attack. JC looked sour on the couch, and his eyes wavered on my own, in a puppy dog expression.

Despite my momentary distraction via the ornery AJ, I managed to whip it up on Chris, who glared at me menacingly.

"You suck! I can't even beat a girl!" he cried, and JC moved to take his spot in the game. Sulking back onto the couch, the dreaded man held the earlier discarded basketball and examined it, before hitting Joey with a well aimed shot. "Two points for Chris!"

The brown haired cutie smiled at his counterpart, nodded to his seatmate to hold on, and proceeded to sit on Chris, while Justin shouted encouragement. AJ intercepted the muscular blonde before he attempted to join in, and informed him of the ringing doorbell. Hurdling the loveseat, with new girl close on heels, Justin sprinted for the foyer.

Meanwhile, I was engaged in a deathmatch with JC, which I easily won. Countless hours observing my best guy friends back home had obviously paid off, when it came to the Kombat, "Toughen up, buttercup." My sarcastic line was met with a surprised expression, and JC took to poking me lightly in the stomach. Chinese water torture if you will.

"Hey, I think we've got a contestent for Lance, huh?" Chris nodded his head as Justin returned with a new visitor.

This one took my short breath away. Dressed in khaki pants and a sea green plaid shirt, the medium blonde walked into the room only to plop on the couch next to the skater clad Chris. He smiled at me, and extended his hand, which I took gratefully.

"I'm Lance, nice to meet you," he grinned, green eyes highlighted by the shirt, "And you are not EVEN trying to play my game...oh it's on now." Laughing, JC gave up the controller, and Erin cried from her position, next to Joey once again.

"Oh, Lance, you're in for it now. Kick his rear Peaches!"

"Y'all, it's not like I'm that good..." I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, and tried to survey the boy sitting to my right as discreetly as possible.

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