Igniting

Chapter II: Burning Through

Kim's POV

"Thanks again Kim, you're a life saver." Gustavo said while we I opened the door.

"No problem, you guys are always welcome." I turned on the lights on and I led them to the living room, "You guys hungry?"

"Starving!" Carlos and Kendall exclaimed as they sat on the couch.

"I refuse to eat that airline food..." Logan said and Gustavo gave me a thumb's up. James looked down at the floor. He hadn't really said anything on the way here, maybe he's sick. Or maybe its jet lag, I really hope he gets better by tomorrow.

I went to the kitchen to find something, still thinking of James. Maybe I should make him some tea or chicken noodle soup, which always makes me feel better. I placed a few bags of chips on the coffee table, "That'll hold you over until I make dinner." The boys attacked the bags and ripped them open and Gustavo was yelling at them to behave, I laughed at the sight. Everyone except James was there, "Where's James?"

Carlos pointed to the bathroom hallway. I walked over to the bathroom door and knocked lightly, "Hello?" A deep voice said and I got startled. Hearing his voice in person made me realize how much I missed him, "Hello?" He said again. I wanted him to keep talking, just hear his voice; I could feel butterflies in my stomach. What am I saying? James is my best friend, my partner in crime. He opened the door, his face was wet.

"Oh my gosh, are you sweating?" I put the back of my hand to his forehead. It was cold but suddenly got hot when I looked into James' eyes. Those big brown eyes, I haven't seen for three months.

"No, I-I was just washing my face." He said. I could see he was blushing like me.

"Oh," I took my hand away, "So you're not sick?"

He shook his head, now I feel like a complete idiot, "Oh, you didn't look so good before so I was just making sure." I explained, thunder was booming outside.

"You worry too much." He smiled widely, his cheeks wrinkled, "I'm fine." A lightning bolt struck outside the window.

I stood there for a second, admiring the way his smile crooked his face, "Well that's good." I said without thinking. I walked away before I could make even more of a fool of myself. Okay, so maybe I do like him, but the chances of him liking me back are slim to none. He's always made girls fall for him and now since the tour's over, he's got girls drooling over him everywhere he goes. Now I'm just one of those girls. Pull it together Kim.

"Hey Kim." James called me.

"Yes?"

"It's good to see you." He smiled.

"Good to see you too." I smiled back, my heart was pumping harder and I forgot about what I had just told myself.

I walked back to the kitchen to get started on dinner, "Hey, you need any help in here?" Kendall came through the doorway.

"Sure, can you get the rice out from the cabinet over there?" I asked him since I was too short to get it without a chair.

"Sure." He easily grabbed it as I took out a pot, "Kim?"

"Yes?"

I heard him take a breath in, I waited, "Never mind."

I turned around, "No tell me." I demanded.

"Well...," he scratched the back of his head. BOOM! Suddenly, the lights flickered.

"What the?" the lights flashed and then it was all dark. This storm is crazy; my first reaction was to get out some candles and flashlights, "Here." I handed Kendall a flashlight. I went into the living room to place candles everywhere, Kendall right behind me. Carlos, Logan and Gustavo were all staring out the window, "What?"

"It was nuts! The lightning was right there!" Carlos pointed to the front lawn where a tree fell over, knocking out some wires.

"Well, that explains the power outage." I said frustrated that it hit my property. Everything happens for a reason I guess.

"What happened? Is everyone okay?" James came into the room and even through the darkness I could feel him staring at me. A few seconds passed of us staring at one another. The room fell silent and all eyes could see where James was staring, maybe the delusion of him liking me wasn't that crazy. James eyes drifted from mine when he realized everyone was staring.

"Do they like each other?" Carlos whispered to Logan. Logan shrugged but was still waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Who wants marshmallows?" I blurted out.

"Oh I do!" Carlos shouted.

"Me too!" I could tell Logan said that to make it less awkward.

"I'll go get them!" I said breaking my gaze away from James. I grabbed Kendall's wrist and dragged him into the kitchen.

"I'll get the sticks!" Kendall said. I shut the kitchen door behind me and leaned my back against it, "What was that?" Kendall flared his arms.

"I don't know!" I said in a hushed voice, he paced back and forth and looked worried, "Wait, why do you care?"

"What?" He asked me like I had three heads.

"You looked really stressed." I responded.

"What are you talking about? I'm not stressed! Where do you keep the marshmallows?" He started looking through the cabinets.

"You know something I don't!" I could tell by the look on his face that he had some idea why James is acting so strange.

He found the big package of marshmallows and started dumping them into a bowl. I took out the kabob sticks from the drawer, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Fine, don't tell me." I huffed. We came back into the living room.

We used a big candle to toast the marshmallows, they tasted waxy but they were still pretty good. Gustavo went to the guest room to go to bed. So now it was just the guys and me, "I have an idea." Carlos said.

"What's your idea?" I asked him, Carlos always reminded me of what a little brother would be like. I may be three years younger but he is definitely more kid-spirited.

"We should play truth or dare!" Everyone agreed.

"Okay…so Logan." Kendall smiled.

"Yes?" He flinched.

"Truth or dare?"

"Mmm…truth."

"Okay...if you could date any celebrity, who would you choose?"

"Natalie Portman!"

"Saw that coming." James laughed.

An hour later we were still playing and it was getting intense, "Have you ever peed in the pool?" I asked Kendall.

"Next question!" He exclaimed.

"You have to answer!" Carlos demanded.

He rolled his eyes, "Okay once, but it was an accident!" We all started rolling over in laughter, "Okay, okay. It's hysterical, next person." He said, crossing his arms.

"James." Logan said.

"Yes?"

"Truth or dare?"

"I'll go with dare." He said smiling. Even in the dark he was amazingly handsome.

"You have to…" Logan thought, "Run around the room in your underpants." Carlos and I started laughing until I realized how much I wanted to see him in his underwear. I saw the guys naked before, I never really thought anything of it. It's like when you were little and took a bath with your brother, but now, I don't even know what to think. James in his underwear? I'd for sure get a boner if I was a guy. I hadn't noticed James was bright red; even in the dim lighten room. Before today, he would do it with no second thoughts, with pride even. Just because he was James Diamond and could do anything he pleased.

"Do I have to?" He asked.

"You have to! It's a dare!" Carlos said jumping up and down.

"Okay…" The guys were chucking as he took off his pants and shirt off. The guys were cracking up but I was overwhelmed. Why does he have to be so damn hot?

"Now run around!" Logan demanded, the guys were now on the floor and looked like dying walruses. I was still frozen in my seat, staring. Like an idiot.

He started running around my living room, "You're going to pay for this Logan!" He laughed, but it was forced and awkward. As if he felt the way I did. I was just staring at him, not saying anything; I made myself giggle so it looked like I wasn't hypnotized or possessed.

"Okay, I think that's enough underpants viewing for one night." He made his way to his clothes pile.

"Grab his clothes!" Logan said, launching himself at his chair and snatching the clothes. He tossed them to Carlos and he started running when James chased him around the house. Kendall, Logan and I got up to look for them.

"You're so dead Carlos!" He said as he came back into the living room. Carlos bolted through me and Logan; I turned around to yell at him. Crash! James ran into me, we were on the floor, him on top of me.

I looked at him, he wasn't moving. His big brown eyes looked at me and the world stopped for a second. I felt his bare chest and his heart was beating like a timer. Or was that mine? He started to get up, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" He helped me up, both our hands were shaking. Lighting struck and thunder boomed.

"Yeah I'm fine." I laughed. Carlos handed him his clothes back. I was still staring at him, realizing how much I like him so close to me. So maybe I do like him, but that's no reason for things to get awkward between us. James starting putting his pants back on and a moment's glance I thought fast and grabbed his shirt.

"Hey!" He laughed, "Come back with that!" He started chasing me.

"You'll never catch me alive!" I waved the shirt like a helicopter wing. I jumped on the couch and dangled the shirt above him, "Come get it!" He was an inch away from getting it when he took my legs and pushed me onto the couch cushions.

"Aha!" He took the shirt back, "Nice try, but you're no match for James Diamond!" He made a kidding seductive face, we started laughing together.

The truth or dare game ended and the guys were telling me about their London experience, "No way!" I said in amazement.

"We totally saved the world." Carlos bragged.

"That's so awesome!"

"Yeah, I wish you were there."

I shrugged, "Maybe next time." Carlos nodded.

"So what have you been up to?" Logan asked me.

I tapped my chin, "Well, I wrote songs, choreographed some dances, the usual."

"Maybe Gustavo will let us do a song together this album." Kendall suggested.

"Yeah, you've written a few of our songs. It's the least we could do." Logan agreed.

"I don't know, the whole reason I don't sing my songs is because I don't want to be famous." I explained.

"One song's not going to hurt." Kendall persuaded.

"I guess so," A song with the guys? This could be fun, "Okay, I'll do it."

"Then it's settled. We'll ask Gustavo in the morning." Kendall said happily.

"Sounds good to me." I smiled; I looked at my watch, "It's getting pretty late. We should go to sleep."

"Yeah, we have to wake up pretty early tomorrow." Kendall said, looking at his watch too.

I grabbed a bunch of blankets and pillows out of the hallway closet and made four beds in the living room.

"Good night guys." I said smiling to myself, extremely glad I had my best friends back.

"Night Kim!" They said in unison. I heard James voice and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Ello there! Just improvised this chapter but I have a great idea for the next one to come! Wrote this at three in the morning so it's kind of crappy…I REGRET NOTING. Anyways, I have to go make corndogs for Carlos. Good bye everyone! Say good bye Carlos! Carlos: Good bye computer peoples!

Sincerely, Pinhead