Hey everyone here it is finally chapter seven of my story. Sorry I took so long
I just could'nt stop writing this chapter and it ended up lets say more than 2
pages long. Now a word of warning. I do not know Sarah Martin so the Sarah in my
story might be completly diffrent to the real one so dont have a go at me for it
okay. If you have any questions or comments mail me at ajslovetoy1982@...

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Chapter seven: A night to remember

"She must have been planning to do what she just did ever since she said yes to
us. I must admit I’m starting to believe that CJ is becoming just as sneaky as
we have been recently." Howie told AJ, laughing while he said it.

"I think she got you good this time Howie. She played you brilliantly. I have to
hand it to CJ, she is very good at doing things like that, and adapting to the
situation." AJ said, grinning almost as much as Howie.

Howie checked his watch, pointed out the time to AJ, then both of them zoomed
out of the studio so AJ could tell his wife Sarah to start getting ready.
Everyone knew Sarah was one of the worst one to get ready and be on time. She
took the longest and it usually did not make much difference to the way she
looked anyway. CJ had always had a bad feeling about Sarah but she kept it to
herself so she could keep AJ working normally. CJ sat back, watching everyone
else filtering out of the building, chatting happily on the unusually warn night
that night. She was lost in thought about what would be going to happen at the
club later that night. Ryan made an appearance after everyone had disappeared so
he could talk to CJ about what had happened that day.

"CJ what had just happened here today? Are you going to clarify it to me?
Because I really don’t understand."

"I really don’t fully understand myself Ryan. Its been hard to take it all in at
the moment."

"Are you going to actually take that wig that you wear off and show everyone
your real hair colour or the colours it is now?"

"Listen Ryan, you know the only reason that I wear a wig is because it fell off
right in front of you one day. I’m not sure weather or not that you should know
that I wear one."

"But CJ, why should you want to hid the hair you were born with. I have never
seen hair that long before. Please CJ just do it for yourself, if not for you do
it for me."

"Ryan please stop badgering me. Just let me make up my own mind. I need to run
it through my mind and decide weather I should stop wearing it or not. Listen if
you want to go to the club with us you better go home and get ready or you’ll be
late."

"Alright, alright. Ill leave you alone so you can make up that mind of yours.
Just make the decision that’s right for the person you were CJ."

"Ryan you better go now." CJ said in an irritated voice that Ryan knew could
turn dangerous at any second. He scarpered as quickly as he could so CJ couldn’t
or wouldn’t put him in the firing line.

CJ thought for a while about what Ryan had just said to her. The idea of showing
everyone what her true hair colour was, actually, a very good idea. CJ also
wondered if she should show the people she was now starting to consider her
friends her tattoo’s that went up and down her arms that she usually kept well
covered. CJ thought that the beautifully artistic thin patters and drawings that
snaked up parts of her arms should be shown again. Nobody had seen them since
the year they were done. CJ had her reasons for not showing the artwork that had
been done four years ago. It sometimes reminded her of what had made her desire
for performing die or to curl up and hide in the depths of her mind. Some days
she remembered that year so vividly but it was hard to deal with, the pain of
what her family did to her early on in her career and on top of that the pain of
her manager dying and leaving CJ by herself in a world that made her the
extremely hard person the everyone knew now.

"Why am I thinking about my depressing past? I don’t need to be overly unhappy
tonight." CJ said to herself, cheering up slightly.

"Well I better find something to wear. I have to have something that’s decent."
CJ continued to herself.

CJ couldn’t help feeling a little sad still as she looked through her wardrobe.
She had kept most of her things from the four years before to remind her of what
had happen then.

"Why do I have to dwell in the past. It doesn’t do me any good really!" CJ said,
talking to her reflection.

After ten minutes or so of scrounging around in her wardrobe, CJ found one of
her best outfits. There was a beautifully kept pair of leather pants that had
always been one size too big and hadn’t been worn since CJ’s last performance.
She had also found a pale mauve silk button up, tailored shirt that she
remembered wearing to many award shows. CJ was reminded of times that she had
gone to those shows as a presenter. It gave her a good feeling. She threw the
shirt on her bed with her leather pants.

"Now all I need to find is a jacket and a pair of shoes to go with the rest of
this outfit." CJ muttered to herself not expecting an answer.

She rifled around for another five minutes throwing cloths everywhere in her
bedroom, when she found what she wanted.

"This is what I was looking for. I haven’t worn this for years. I wonder if it
still fits?" CJ said to no one in particular.

The coat she had found was a beautiful light brown soft Swede and it reached
down to CJ’s knees. CJ crossed her fingers and tried it on and was extremely
pleased to find that it still fit perfectly.

"Jesus look at the time, I better get my ass into gear and get ready otherwise
I’ll be late." CJ said to herself while running around like a chicken without a
head.

CJ showered, dressed, put her make-up on, walked out, and locked her apartment
door. Her apartment was above the studio so she didn’t have to go far to work.
This was because until a year ago CJ was constantly being harassed by
over-excited fans or people who wanted a piece of her money. She checked herself
in the studio windows quickly before setting off to the club they had all agreed
to meet at, which was only about a block away. It was only a five to ten minute
walk so CJ strolled down, taking a little more time than usual so she could
think of what she was going to say to the guys about her dramatic change in
appearance. It was seriously drastic in some sense. CJ’s appearance wasn’t
strange to her but it would be to the people she was now working with. CJ had
started wearing a wig right after she stoped performing so people wouldn’t
recognise her as easily as usual. The wig was always shoulder length and light
brown. Somehow after all the years since she had first put it on the wig had
become part of CJ’s routine. Her real hair was down to her elbows by now and she
usually dyed it red or had it half-red, half brown. But recently she had taken
to dying her bangs blonde just for a change. CJ had this hairstyle for a while
now. This was also the reason she chose to wear a wig because of the unique
hairstyle she had now. It was the main reason why she had changed her appearance
slightly because people began to know the hairstyle. It was the same with her
tattoos; she always kept them covered because people knew them too well. CJ had
been so absorbed in what she was thinking about and about the guy’s reactions
that she almost missed the entrance to the club.

"Hey CJ, how’s it going?" Mike, one of the bouncers from the club, called out
loudly to CJ breaking her train of thought.

"Oh, hi Mike. I’m all right at the moment. How’s the family?"

"They’re all doing great for now. So what brings you out of hiding tonight
shortie?"

"Hey don’t mock my shortness," CJ said with a big grin, "I’m actually here on a
night out with some new friends. It definitely has been a while hasn’t it?"

"It’s been at least a year, maybe a year and a half. Now what’s this about you
getting some new friends? What’s that all about?" Mike asked questionablely.

"I’ve got some new friends and that’s all you really need to know Mike."

"Okay I won’t ask any more, I remember what happened to the last person who
asked to many questions. Didn’t that guy end up is hospital?"

"Him and a few of his mates. But if you remember I had help."

"I do now." Mike said chuckling, "Not that you really needed it."

"Smart ass, that’s what you always are around me." CJ said smiling, herself.

Just then, CJ heard her name being called from down the street as if someone was
looking for her and hadn’t noticed that she was right in front of them. It was
Howie calling for her followed by everyone else. CJ stood still for a few
minutes watching Howie look for her worryingly. She was getting some amusement
watching this scene and Mike had a big grin on his face as he watched it with
CJ.

"Are you just going the let him continue to look for you?"

"Just for one-two minutes more. You have to admit it is slightly funny."

"Now that I think about it, I can see that this is the first time you’ve come
out in public like yourself and haven’t hidden the real you for a long time."

"I admit it, that is true. Now watching them is amusement for me. Do you like
mocking me Mike?"

"Ill shut up about it then. Aren’t you going to put him out of his misery?"

"Alright, alright. I’ll put him out of the pain hes definitely in." CJ said
sarcastically.

"Well go then." Mike said urging CJ onwards.

"We can have a bit longer can’t we?"

"No. Get going."

"Okay."

CJ walked around and had just started to walk towards her friends when Howie
went straight past her to mike:

"Excuse me but have you let in a lady called CJ yet by any chance?"

All mike could do was grin cheekily at Howie, like he knew something that Howie
didn’t. All CJ could do was shake her head as she walked through numerous
groups, waiting for other people, towards Howie’s back. Mike just kept grinning
as CJ place her hand on Howies shoulder, making him jump in fright. Mike burst
out laughing along with several other people.

"Hi Howie, are you looking for me?" CJ said with a smile.

"Sorry to be rude but am I supposed to know you?" Howie said with a look of
confusion.

"I think you might. Don’t you recognise me Howie? It’s CJ, you know your
friend." CJ said to gales of laughter from Mike.

Mike was doubled up laughing because of the look on Howies face. He was in a
state of shock as if he couldn’t believe that the woman he was looking at was
actually CJ.

"Is that really you CJ?" Howie asked CJ as she moved him out of the entrance.

" Of course Howie. This is how I’m really supposed to look without the little
things I do to hide who I really am and to hide myself from fans."

"But your hair has changed and you’ve got make-up on, you really look good. I’m
impressed. But how did your hair get so long in two hours?"

"Well I’ve actually been wearing a wig since I stoped performing and moved into
producing but I decided that tonight I’d get rid of it for good. I wanted to
show you guys what I really looked like. The hair, the earing, the tattoo’s,
everything. So do you like?"

"Yes very much but did I hear you correctly CJ, you have tattoo’s!! When did you
get them? I’ve followed your career for years and I never knew that you had
tattoos. Now that was a real shock to the system. I wasn’t expecting anything
like that from you."

"Well I got the tattoos three years ago and my hair has been getting longer ever
since I stoped the performance side of show business. In addition, it’s been
three colours for a while. Enough with that for now, lets get everyone else and
go inside okay."

"Okay. Hey guys over here." Howie yelled beckoning the rest of the group over to
CJ and himself. "I found CJ everybody."

"That’s not CJ Howie. She has a different hair cut and the colours different as
well and she really wouldn’t wear something like that." AJ said being slightly
rude.

"Rude prick." CJ said sarcastically, "Say that again and I’ll reduce your pay to
a third of what it is and increase your working hours."

"My god the only person I know that would be that rude and heartless is CJ. You
look absolutely amazing CJ." AJ said with a shocked look on his face.

"Now that the rudeness is out of the way lets get inside and get a good table
before the club closes. I know the people here very well so they will probably
be really good to us and give us decent service, but don’t point it out and
don’t make a big thing about it please."

The big group pushed their way through the crowd into the club. CJ waved to Mike
as she passed him and just as she turned back, she spotted Sarah giving her a
less than welcome look. CJ had always felt like Sarah had always given her the
cold shoulder but this look was glacial. CJ could see that Sarah had a huge
dislike for her ever since she had first met her. CJ found it slightly scary
that someone could have so much dislike for another human being but she thought
to herself:

‘Its Sarah’s problem not mine. If she wants to be, a cow let her!’



CJ let the thought go knowing that it would get the better of her if she didn’t.
She did not want it to spoil the happiness of the night so she purposely forgot
the look Sarah had given her. Kevin got her attention shortly after the walked
into the club, while they were looking for some tables.

"Hey CJ I just wanted to tell you that you look really good. I never realised
how well you scrub up." Kevin said with a smile.

"Tank for that Kevin. It has been a long time since I’ve heard a nice comment
like that. I appreciated it."

"I was happy to help. Have I introduced you to my wife yet?"

"Not yet but I would like to meet her."

"Okay. CJ this is my beautiful wife Kristan. Kristan this is our new music
producer CJ."

CJ and Kristan shook hands and smiled at each other.

"Kevin talks about you all the time Kristen. It sounds like he loves you a lot.
He is a good man, you’re very lucky to have him." CJ said with a smile.

"I feel very lucky. I have a great guy. Do you have anyone CJ?" Kristan asked.

"Apart from Howie following me around, no. I haven’t had anyone for years."

"Aren’t you lonely at all?"

"Not much. I’m used to it really."

"Seriously. I wouldn’t be able to do that."

"It’s not that bad once you get used to being by yourself. It’s a little hard
when I see some couple and on days like Valentines Day but most of the time, I
try not to think of the negative side. So how long have you been with Kevin?"

"All I can say is a long time."

"Alright I’ll leave it there. Hey I think I see a table big enough for all of
us." CJ said with a smile, pointing out the table taking up one of the back
corners of the club, looking out on everyone else.

"Hey guys CJ found us a table." Kevin called to the rest of the group.

The rest of them wandered over to join Kevin, Kristan and CJ at their table. As
soon as everyone was sitting down CJ piped up to say something.

"Okay everyone, what drink does everybody want to order?"

"What have they got we can decide?" Brian asked.

"I’ll go and get the drink list."

CJ pushed her way around the table, brushing past Howie, trying to ignore his
cheeky grin because she didn’t want to start something with him at this point in
time. Howie had been keeping a close eye on her recently and this was giving CJ
they idea that he liked her more than just a friend. She decided just to hurry
up and get the list before they all started complaining. When she got to the
bar, she realised that the barman was a friend of hers as well.

"Hey Steve. It’s been a while. I thought you would have moved on from here
already?"

"Well if it isn’t CJ Williams. I did move on for a while but I came back because
the people here are wonderful and the pay was always a lot better than where I
moved too. So what are you doing here? You disappeared a few years ago and I
didn’t think you were coming back at all."

"Well I have haven’t I. So how are your family?"

"They’re all doing really well at the moment. One of my boys is going to
university soon, and my other boy is graduating high school next week. So CJ do
you have a family yet?"

"You know me Steve. I don’t think I’ll ever have a family. One I wouldn’t be
able to handle kids. I don’t think I would want to have them anyway. And
secondly I haven’t been with anyone since Rob."

"Well that’s sad to hear. Do you still use that beautiful voice of yours?"

"I haven’t sung for a few years now. You know I stoped after… you know." CJ said
quietly.

"After what happened with you know who! I remember now."

"I might try singing again tonight if I feel like it."

"It’ll be great to hear that wonderful voice again. Now that I think about it
I’ve missed hearing it and how much you could express through your music."

"I said I would think about it not that I would do it and it wasn’t just me
doing all of the work. There were many talented writers doing most of the songs.
Hey listen I’ve got to get a drink list and get it back over to the people I’m
with or they’ll take my head off." CJ said with a laugh.

"Okay. But come back and talk to me. I still want to hear what’s been happening
with you since I last saw you."

"Alright I’ll come and talk to you later. Maybe we could have a drink and a
chat."

CJ grabbed the drink list, smiled at Steve and turned to walk back to the
impatient group to give them the all-important list.

"CJ why did you take so long? I’m really thirsty." Nick complained.

"I was talking to someone I know, so stop whining Nick."

"Well I’m thirsty!" Nick continued.

The look that followed Nick’s remark put a stop to his complaining. CJ dropped
the list in the middle of the table so everyone could look at it and mill over
what drinks they wanted. It only took them a few minutes to have pitchers of
different drinks including coke and soda. CJ had ordered herself a separate
pitcher of coke with a few added extras in it. AJ went to pick up the pitcher
and pour himself a drink when CJ smacked his hand and gave him a dirty look.

"Please don’t drink any of this one AJ. I got this one just for myself."

"But why can’t I drink any of it?"

"Because theirs alcohol in it and I don’t want to be the one to send you back to
rehab. I’m going to keep you clean while your working with me. Do you
understand?"

"Yeah I understand completely. I don’t want to go back to rehab either."

"That’s good to hear that coming from you. Just remember theirs alcohol in this
one."

"Ill watch him for you CJ, as best I can anyway." Howie pitched in.

"Thanks fro the offer Howie but I’m sure AJ can look after himself." CJ said
with a smile.

Howie’s face broke into a soft smile after CJ spoke to him. AJ caught Howie
looking at CJ, punched him in the leg and smirked. Howie blushed and turned away
from CJ so she wouldn’t see him turning red.

"I wonder when they’re going to start that singing thing that they were
advertising?" Howie said trying to distract people from the red tinge on his
face.

"You little shit" CJ whispered rudely to Howie, "You tricked me to come here
didn’t you?"

"Kind of." Howie whispered back not looking CJ in the face.

"You’re going to pay for this later little man." CJ said quietly with an evil
grin.

"I had a feeling I would."

After everything had quietened down CJ just sat back and watched everyone else
around her chat happily. She felt at ease again after so many years. Unknown to
her, Howie was watching her watching everyone else. Howie was wondering if his
plan was going to work. He was hoping that CJ would sing tonight because Sarah
had been blasting CJ behind her back, implying that she had sold out and
performing had just got too hard for her. But in that train of thought, Howie
considered that at least CJ had made a name for herself through her own steam
and didn’t either date or marry someone famous just to boost her own career.
Howie had come to this opinion because of Sarah’s constant verbal abuse of CJ
when she wasn’t listening. So he really hoped that CJ would show Sarah what her
voice was capable of achieving. Everyone went quiet suddenly. The compare
announced that the singing contest had just been open and anyone that wanted to
take part had to sign up within ten minutes.

"Hey is anyone going to sign up?" Howie asked everyone.

"I will of course." Sarah gloated. "I will probably have a good chance of
winning you know."

"Sarah you have to give everyone else a chance too." AJ said to his wife.

The stern look that came from CJ’s face made Howie shiver. It was more than just
angry it was beyond that. Howie thought it was scary.

"I need to go to the bathroom. Ill be back soon." CJ said coldly.

"Will you sign up CJ?" Sarah said smugly.

"If I did it would be none of your business Sarah."

With that cold remark CJ got up and walked off the bathroom. As CJ washed her
hands, she kept running over what Sarah had said in her mind. She was so angry
at what Sarah had said she thought:

‘I’ll show her. I’ve been doing it longer than she has and it might give all the
other contenders a chance. But I wont tell anyone I’ve entered until I have too’



CJ nodded to her reflection with a determined look in her eyes. She checked her
watch to see how much time she had to sign up. There was only about five minutes
left if she was lucky. CJ hurried out and ducked through the crowd, waiting
until the last person before her had signed up before putting her name down,
making sure that her friends didn’t see her signing the form. She noticed that
Sarah was one of the first people to sign up. She nodded at the compare then
made her way back to their table. As CJ sat in her place, the stage lights in
the club were centred on the compare.

"Welcome everyone. It’s nice to see so many contestants in our small
competition. We even have a few famous names on the entrance list. It good that
we have some healthy competition. We had better get on with the singing. Let the
contest begin!"

There were a few shaky entrance at the start but once they had got a few drinks
in them they just let loose. They were all starting to have a ball. Some were in
it for fun but other were really trying because they wanted to win either first,
second or third. Then the compare announced the next entrant.

"Now we have a lovely lady that we might all know. The other contestants better
be ready to put up a fight. Here she is Sarah Martin."

There was a decent amount of applause but it wasn’t enthusiastic. CJ hadn’t
realised what song Sarah was singing until she started sing the chorus. Then it
clicked in CJ’s mind. It was an old song from her parent’s era. Sarah had chosen
a song called ‘More Than A Feeling’. CJ considered Sarah’s choice of song and
thought:

‘She does the song no justice.’



CJ really didn’t ant to say what she thought because she didn’t want to offend
the people she considered her friends. Everyone suddenly started clapping
quietly, the clapping had snapped CJ out of her train of thoughts.

"Well done sweetheart." AJ said kissing Sarah as she sat down.

"You’ve been quiet for a while CJ, don’t you have anything to say about my
performance?" Sarah commented to CJ with a subtle hint of rudeness.

"I don’t think I really should comment until everyone has had a chance to show
what they can do." CJ replied with what looked like a slightly forced smile.

"So you have no opinion the CJ." Sarah said trying to make CJ bite at her
comments.

"As I said before Sarah let everyone do their songs before you judge. It’s not
like the actual industry." CJ said calmly.

Sarah gave CJ a snobby look, then turned so she could ignore her. CJ started
tapping her two inch manicured nails quietly, waiting for the next contestant to
organise themselves and their song.

"CJ what do you think about the people we have already listen too?" Howie asked
casually.

"Well the people I’ve heard up to this point have been mixed in talent."

"What do mean by that?"

"I’m say that… with a little bit of coaching some of these people would have a
chance of making some decent money but there are others that should even
bother."

"Oh."

"You have to admit Howie there have been some good and some bad performances up
too now."

"If I think about it there have been some really bad ones haven’t there?"

"Yes there has, like the woman performing now. She’s alright but with a vocal
coach she could be a lot better."

"So that’s why you’re so hard on most of the people that come into your office."

"Most of the people that come into the office are extremely bad. Sometimes it
just gets really annoying when the same people keep coming back and wont take
the advice you give them that even with lessons they just don’t have the talent
to make it."

"Hey there’s only two more contestants left." Nick said as he sat backs down
after talking to the compare.

"Did he say who they were?" Howie asked.

"He wouldn’t tell me. Nick replied with an annoyed look on his face.

"The second last person’s just about to do their song." CJ pointed out to draw
everyone’s attention away from her so she could sneak away to the stag to
prepare to show sarah that she could perform just as well as she used to. Just
as she got to the curtain CJ turned and checked that no one was watching her,
then she ducked behind the curtain to meet the compare and have a quick chat
with him.

"Hello Miss Williams. You can’t believe how happy I am to see that you are going
to sing for us with that beautiful voice."

"Well I appreciate that you think my voice is beautiful. But I’m doing this
because this voice hasn’t been used for a while and it needs to be exercised."
CJ said with a smile.

"It’s nice to see you here anyway. I just have to introduce you okay?"

CJ nodded and picked up a microphone. Then she heard her introduction.

"Here is our last contestant. She has a wonderful voice and you will probably
all know it when you hear it. I will just let you hear it for yourself."

CJ heard the music start and she walked forward and be gan to sing ‘suga, suga’
originally by Monifah.

"Mm ooh
Baby whatcha wanna do

Mm yeah
Baby whatcha wanna do"



"My god it worked." Howie whispered to AJ, "We’ve finally got her to sing."

"Boy I know you’re spoken for
But I adore you
(I’m making love to you every night)
In my mind there's fantasies of what I wanna do
(can’t wait, I’m hungry)
hungry for a taste of love
Your body's all I’m thinking of
(won’t say a word, baby not a single word)
It’ll be baby, baby just between you and me
(If you don’t scream, I won’t scream)"



CJ’s voice softly filled the completely silent room. Everyone’s attention was on
her.



"1 - If you kiss me, I won’t tell
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga (suga)
I’ll make you feel good, that’s no damn lie
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga (means what I said)

If you kiss me, I won’t tell (oh)
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga (mm)
I’ll make you feel good, that’s no damn lie
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga

I won’t tell nobody
Don’t say nothing
Cause we don’t have long

Jump into the shower
Let me soak you in my love
It’s about to be on (It’s on)
I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long
(Oh, word is bond)
C’mon if you don’t scream, then I won’t scream"



At that moment Howie glanced around the table the rest of the club, and saw that
everyone was watching CJ, taking up every word that she sang. He quickly turned
back to watch her with everyone else. CJ felt alive again when she was singing
this song or just singing in general.



"1 - If you kiss me, I won’t tell (if you kiss me I)
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga
I’ll make you feel good, that’s no damn lie (I wont tell a soul)
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga

If you kiss me, I won’t tell
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga (baby)

I’ll make you feel good, that’s no damn lie
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga (means what I said)

2 - Sweet like candy, hot like wax
Slow like honey, dripping down my back (slow)
Sweet like candy, hot like wax (sweet)
Slow like honey, dripping down my back (slow like honey)

Sweeter than candy
Hotter, hotter than wax, hotter than wax
2 - Sweet like candy, hot like wax
Slow like honey, dripping down my back (slow)
Sweet like candy, hot like wax (sweet)
Slow like honey, dripping down my back (slow like honey)"



Just as she was singing CJ looked at the table where her friends were sitting
and saw that Sarah’s mouth looked like it had dropped to the floor. She thought:

‘Lets seal the deal with this last verse’



And she just let go and sung the last bit of the song the best she could.



"Oh baby

Give me the chance to feel everything

Baby just bring all your loving

Right here to me

Give me tonight

I’ll do you right

You know I will baby yeah

Ill make you feel good

Like you know, I would

Ohhhhhh yeah

Between you and me

Take you two weeks to see

If you don’t scream, I won’t scream

Yeah, yeah, oohh

And I wont tell



If you kiss me, I won’t tell
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga
I’ll make you feel good, that’s no damn lie
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga

If you kiss me, I won’t tell
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga

I’ll make you feel good, that’s no damn lie
Suga, suga, suga, suga, suga

Oh suga, suga, suga, suga

If you kiss me, I won’t tell"



CJ bowed as the room erupted in applause. All CJ could do was smile. She
wandered over to her table, nodding and smiling at people as she passed them.

"Close your mouth Sarah it doesn’t do your face any justice, plus you might
start catching flies."

All Sarah could do was shut her mouth to giggles and quiet laughter. CJ grinned
broadly, knowing that it had shocked Sarah that she could actually sing
extremely well. She had also surprised herself that she still knew how to do it.
Seeing Sarah fuming made CJ feel that she finally proved her point without being
nasty to her. Everyone was calming down because the compare had come back on
stage and was trying to get everyone to be quiet.

"Well everyone we have heard every contestant and now we need to vote. Please
take the voting forms on your tables, fill them out and bring them up to us when
your finished. We will tally them up then we’ll announce the top three going
from third to first."

The compare gave a little grin when he finished his sentence. CJ noticed that he
was perving on Sarah and that it looked like Sarah was flirting with him badly.
This made CJ very cranky because she considered AJ a good friend and with what
he had been through recently CJ thought it was extremely selfish of Sarah to be
flirting with other men when she had only just married someone CJ considered a
decent person.

"Okay everyone we have tallied the votes. I’ll start at third place. It goes too
Sarah Martin. Where is she? There she is. Come up and get your prize."

Sarah was a little annoyed at only coming third but she considered that CJ would
never win because she was better than she was. Sarah got a small trophy and $200
cash. After getting the prize, she wondered back to her seat smirking at CJ.

"Now to second place. This prize of $400 and this trophy goes to, drum roll
please, Martin Lewis."

The guy jogged up to the stage, took his prizes, nodded to the applauding crowd
and hurried back to his seat a slight pink colour looking very embarrassed.

"Look at that poor guy." CJ mentioned to Howie who was sitting next to her, "He
just keeps getting redder and redder."

"He looks so embarrassed." Howie said chuckling, "But he did a good job."

"He did actually. With a bit of work and training he might sell records."

"Really?"

"Yes really!"

"Okay, Okay people. Settle down please. I need to announce first place."

It took a while for the crowded club to settle down because people were trying
to guess who was going to be that year’s winner.

"I hope you win CJ." Howie whispered in CJ’s ear.

All CJ could do was smile at Howie. She was beginning to really like Howie, more
than just a friend.

"Quiet please. Okay our first prize of $800 and their name engraved on our
trophy of winners goes to…… CJ Williams."

The whole room applauded loudly as CJ got up out of her seat. She brushed
lightly past Howie getting slightly excited from touching him. It had been a
while since she had felt that kind of excitement. CJ thought about it a bit
longer as she got up to get the first place prize. All she could say was:

"Thank you everyone."

CJ saw that Sarah was extremely cranky and considered that she should be going
home soon. After all, it was heading towards 2am.

"Well done CJ. Did you think you would win?" asked Kristan.

"I definitely didn’t. It was a last minute decision on my part to do the
competition. I never expected to win."

"You were very good. I loved the song. Is it one of your songs?" Le-anne said to
CJ.

"Thank you for the compliment Leanne. It’s not my song originally. It’s a
Monifah song. But I’ve always loved its flowing sound." CJ said with a smile.

"Look at the time, it’s nearly 2:15am. Brian we better start off home it’s
getting very late." Leanne pointed out to Brian.

"Alright sweetheart. Listen guys I’ll see you at work on Monday."

"See you Monday Brian. It was nice to see you leanne."

"I think we better go too, it’s really late. Kristan do you want to go?" Kevin
asked.

"Yes I’m feeling slightly tired. See you soon CJ." Kristan said smiling at CJ.

CJ watched four of her friend’s walk out the door to their homes. The rest of
the group stayed for a while longer, dancing and laughing. CJ danced with Howie,
AJ and Nick, enjoying herself so much. The only one that hadn’t joined them was
Sarah. She had gotten another pastime of chatting up every other male in the
place. It was 4:30 in the morning by the time they all left. However, that was
only because the club was closing up for the night. CJ waved goodbye to the
others and started walking home.

"CJ can I walk with you?" Howie asked.

"If you want." CJ said smiling.

"I don’t think Sarah like you very much." Howie mentioned.

"I know she doesn’t. I figure that out the first time she talked to me."

"So what do you think of her now that you’ve met her and spent time with her?"

"She seems very self-centred in my opinion but that might just be while she’s
around me."

"She’s been like that for a while, its not you believe me."

"That’s nice to hear."

"Can I ask you something CJ?"

"Sure ask away."

"Why did you stop performing?"

"It’s a long story. First of all my family were trying to sue me to get access
to all the money I was making. I had to remove my whole family from my life
apart from my grandparents. Then about a year, before I quit performing my
manager and I fell in love with each other. He was going to propose to me but he
was killed while he was coming to meet me for dinner by a hit and run driver.
After that day, I refused to perform until now. The song I sang tonight was our
song. It will always remind me of him I guess and that he loved me." CJ told
Howie, with a tough of sadness in her voice.

"Did they catch the driver that killed him?"

"In the end they did. He was one of my friends at the time or so I thought. He
had apparently done the same thing to numerous other women he had befriended."

"That’s really sad. Do you think you will ever come to terms with the fact that
he’s gone."

"Now with all you guys as friends I think I slowly will," said CJ smiling
softly.

"Really? Well I’m here if you need me."

"Thank you Howie. Well I’m home."

CJ walked to her door then turned to Howie.

"Howie you don’t know how much it means to me to have someone like you around
me."

CJ kissed Howie softly on the lips touched his face gently, then walked inside
her house and quickly shutting the door, smiling as she closed it. Howie gazed
at the door for a few minutes then started walking back to where he was staying,
thinking that, hoping than something might be happening between CJ and himself.



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