Disclaimer: This story is fiction. This does not imply anything about the members of *N SYNC. If you do not like it then don't read it.
Note to the reader: Okay, this chapter involves some already well-known fictional characters into my story. Devon and Rob. If you guys aren't familiar with these characters then read T.R.'s: Devon and Lance, and Rob's: Rob and Lance, they're my favorites. Next thing, in no way does this have anything to do with the outcome of the above mentioned author's stories. I'd also like to thank Jared for the great ideas, as well as Phoenix. I hear Phoenix might be starting a story of his own soon so keep an eye out for it.
And one last note. I'm sorry to say but this will be the last installment of "Brush with Fame". I'm not able to write anymore, due to some pretty hectic going ons in my life. I may pick up the typewriter later for another series, but I think River and Justin deserve a little privacy now. Hehe. Thank you so much for reading.
`NSYNC-Brush with Fame
I spent a lot of my time after the single was released doing promotional gigs. It was tiring but we were promised a week break before we left for our tour if we did them. After about a month of autographs and pictures we were allowed our week. Luckily, this was also the week that Devon was coming to visit, so it was all good.
I pulled into the airport and made my way to the terminal he was arriving at. I sat around for about ten minutes and then a girl came up to me and started freaking out. "Oh my GOD! It's you, you're River," she yelped.
"That is correct," I said calmly.
"Hey guys," she yelled over her shoulder to her group of friends that were standing around talking, "Look who it is! It's River from Infiniti! Oh my gosh, can I have an autograph."
"Sure thing babe," I said as I pulled out a pen and signed her plane ticket cover. I was then surrounded by about five of her friends whom I'd also signed autographs for. I posed in a couple of pictures and then the airline announced the arrival of Devon's flight. "Sorry to cut this short you guys," I said as I got up. "But my friend is coming in on this plane and I need to make sure that he sees me." They said okay and watched me as I waiting at the gate for Devon.
There he was, gorgeous as ever, smiling that huge smile of his at me. "How ya been Riv," he asked as he hugged me.
"Pretty good, kinda tired, but good all in all."
"That's great to hear." We made our way to the luggage claim and out to my car. "Nice wheels," he said as he put his bags in my trunk. I had just bought a new car, an Infiniti, to coincide with my band name.
"Thanks," I started, "I like it too." We got in and began chatting about everything that has been happening. I told him about the whole situation with Justin and how Lance was dating Rob. He kinda laughed it all off. It didn't seem to phase him in one bit.
"More fish in the sea, my friend," he laughed. I nodded. We finally drove up to my apt. and got his luggage inside. No one was home so I couldn't introduce him to anyone. I showed him to my bedroom and he jumped on my bed and just lay there.
"So what do you wanna do," I asked.
"How about just lay around for today, I'm bushed."
"Sounds good to me," I stated. I flopped down next to him and we began talking about old times. Not that we went way back, but we did have a little history to talk about. He turned to his side and noticed my answering machine blinking. Before I could stop him he had already pushed the button.
"River, this is Justin, it's like the fifteenth time I've called. Where are you?!? I really want to see you. I miss you. Me and Jay are through, I told him everything. I feel like a complete jerk, but I did it all for you. Please call me back. I love you."
"Woah," Devon said, "He really has it bad for you. Maybe you should call him back. He deserves at least that after what he's done for you."
"I guess. I feel so responsible for this though. It's like I'm finally being forced to deal with my actions. Fate must not like me," I said as I picked up the phone and dialed Justin's number.
"Hello," a woman answered.
"Hi my I speak to Justin please," I asked in my most polite voice.
"My I ask who is speaking?"
"Sure, this is River. Justin left a message for me to call him."I was cut off by her yelling.
"IT'S YOU! Get your ass over here right now young man. I think we need to have a little talk about my son," she said rather rudely.
"Nice to meet you too. Sure we can talk, but only if you treat me with a little more respect. I may be young ma'am, but I deserve to be treated a little more fairly than how you have already decided to," I blurted out assertive like. Devon had the most astonished look on his face; I just smiled at him and punched him in the arm.
"Well, I'm sorry son. I didn't mean to come off like that," she was obviously dumbfounded by my acrid but polite response, "But will you please come and talk to me?"
"Sure thing Mrs.."
"Harless. Lynn Harless. Call me Lynn," she said.
"Alright Lynn, I'll be over there in about an hour. By any chance would the guys happen to be there?"
"Yes, all of them are."
"Could you tell them I am on my way and I am bringing a friend of theirs along," I mentioned as I smiled at Devon.
"Okay. I will see you in a while."
"Bye ma'am. Err, Lynn." I hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh. "I wonder what she wants to talk to me about?"
"I don't know, but she sure did jump your ass when she answered," he snickered.
"Well let's get ready. We have an appearance to make." We rushed around changing and prepping. We casually attempted conversation but I was too nervous about Lynn, and Devon was nervous about seeing Lance again. About thirty minutes later we were all prepped and ready to leave. The drive was deafened by Devon and I singing the songs off the radio as horrible as we could, it was a riot. He was a really great guy. I wished I could have felt something for him, but what I did feel was more of a brotherly/best friend type of feeling. This meant we could get as close to each other as possible without feeling awkward.
We pulled up to the house of unseen horror and got out. I told Devon to wait by the door out of sight so that we might surprise them. When I rang the doorbell Lance answered. "Hey River," he said uncomfortably, "Come on in."
"You sound like you know what's gonna happen to me," I snickered, "Just fill me in on something. I'm not going to lose a body part am I?" He laughed under his breath and walked me into the living room where everyone else was sitting except for Justin and Lynn.
"River, ooh man, I can't believe you stood up to Lynn like that. No one has ever done that. I don't know whether she hates you for it, or respects you for it," JC joked.
"So who is the guest," Chris asked anxiously. I had completely forgotten about Devon outside. And at that moment the doorbell rang.
"That's probably him," I laughed, "I forgot he was there."
"I'll get it," Lance said as he walked to the door. When he left I shook my head.
"Maybe one of you guys should have gone to get it."
"Why," Joey asked.
"You'll see," I said. A few seconds later Lance shrieked.
"OH MY GOD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" The guys ran to go see who it was. When the realized it was Dev. They began the exchanges of welcome. Lance was way too excited. "I can't believe you're here. I'm so happy to see you again," he cried as he hugged Devon.
"AHEM," someone cleared his throat behind me. When I turned to look I noticed it was Justin in back of his mother. He had obviously been crying. "You must be River," she said as I shook her hand.
"And you must be Lynn, very nice to meet you," I shook her hand firmly, but not as much as to crush her hand, "And Justin. How have you been?" He looked up at me.
"Horrible," he cried as he ran up to me and hugged me. He began to let the tears flow on my shoulder. I held him tighter. God, how I missed these moments.
"It'll be okay," I said as I kissed his forehead, "It will all be okay."
"That's enough of that now you two," Lynn said sternly as Justin flinched out of my arms. She had this boy whipped. "River, maybe you and I should go into my office and talk."
"Okay," I said unsurely. I followed her into her office and sat down. I glanced around the room to see pictures of Justin all over; it was like a shrine.
"River, I called you in here to talk to you about my son," she said very acutely. I was scared of what she was going to say. "I have never in my life," she broke down right in front of me, "seen my son this distressed over someone. What you have done to him I do not know, but I am asking you, no begging you, as his mother, please take him back." I almost fell out of my chair when she said that. I was expecting something about me hurting her son and that she was going to cut my penis off or something.
"Lynn, in all the time that I have known Justin, I have loved him. I would never and will never intentionally hurt him. Things just got out of hand because of my stupidity. I never should have ended it between us, but I couldn't stand the thought of us being together but at the same time being physically apart for so long," I said while shedding a few tears.
"Will you please try and make it work? For me, for Justin, for the future of `NSYNC," she asked melodramatically.
"So much pressure," I joked, she laughed as much as she could without disrupting her sullen state, "But yes, I will. I have missed him. But as you know, being a new group I'm all over the place and I have to give up a lot." She nodded.
"I understand. I just would like to see my son happy again."
"I'd love to see that again too," I calmly said as I placed my hand on her shoulder, "and I really admire you for caring so much."
"And I admire you for standing up to me," she laughed.
"If I would have known you were Justin's mother, I wouldn't have. Anonymity does that to me," I shrugged.
We walked back into the living room. Devon was entertaining the guys with some story about his promotional gigs for the Class tour. It must have been really funny because they were laughing like there was no tomorrow. When they noticed us, they stopped dead in their laughing tracks. "What's wrong," I asked happily. They all breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're still alive," Chris joked.
"Yes he is," Lynn smiled, "I like this young man. Maybe even a little more than you Chris." Everyone laughed.
"Hey, that's not fair," Chris yelped.
"I think she was kidding with you Chris," I said.
"Oh."
Lynn excused herself because she has to go do some work with Innosense. We all said goodbye and things went back to normal. Almost. I pulled Justin outside and began talking to him, "Justin, I'm really sorry. I have been a real big jerk. I know it seems that I was ignoring you, but you understand what it's like in the beginning. I wish we could just erase everything back to the day when I made the stupid mistake of separating us. But we can't, so the next best thing would be to try at it again."
"You really mean it," his face lit up.
"Yeah. I've missed you bud, and I don't think I could be happy with everyone else. And most of all, I love you."
"I love you too," he said as he came up to me and hugged me. We began to cry for about the next ten minutes and then started making out. It was pretty intense, but I handled it well. After a few kisses JC stepped outside.
"Well it looks like things are finally back to normal. Good, maybe Justin will be able to perform better on stage now that he's happy," he laughed.
We walked back inside and Devon and Lance were making out in the corner. "It looks like things are really back to normal," I joked as I pointed at Lance and Dev. Everyone nodded in agreement.
The next week I spent not only with Justin and Devon, but with the rest of the guys too. We were inseparable. We did everything together, save for using the bathroom. It was pretty weird. Justin and I had lost all morality when we were with each other. We turned into major sluts. It seems that we slept together as much as we could. Everywhere. My room, his room, public restrooms, telephone booths, park benches, cars, pools, hotels. I think we were making up for all the times that we were not going to be together.
Devon left at the end of the week. We made a pretty big scene at the airport with all of us seeing him off. It was like saying goodbye to my left arm. He was a part of me. But I knew I would see him again.
`NSYNC left next. We had a pretty big shindig to see them off, which involved lots of alcohol. It was hilarious seeing all of them drunk. Especially Lance. Don't ask. Justin and I spent every second together. We weren't very emotional about it. We promised to keep in touch as much as possible. This time we decided that we would stay monogamous. We were one. And in a heartbeat he was gone. I didn't cry. I went on with business. I knew we would be together again.
Infiniti finally hit the road. It was pretty wicked. We ended up opening for Hole. Courtney Love was a major bitch. But she had a crush on me so I used her for all it was worth. I got all the good stuff, special treatment, good food in the bus, and big hotel rooms. Stellara and I basically became the parents on the tour, since we were used to tour life. Kat, Skyler, Jane, and Jonas complained nonstop, but finally became accustomed to it.
Halfway through the tour I got a call from our label. We were asked to do a special song with a few other well-known artists. I asked who they were and it turned out to be Devon and `NSYNC. The song was called "You Can't Undo Yesterday". I immediately accepted for the whole group without even consulting them. But when I did they accepted. This song was supposed to bridge the gap between rock and pop.
The recording process was a blast. I got to see all my old friends and we got to sing together. I knew that this song was gonna be a great hit, partially because of the artists involved and mostly because it had so much meaning. And a hit it was. This meant Infiniti got invited to tour on the Class of 2000. Life was great. Friends were great. Justin and I were great. Pinch me.
Looking back through distant past, The present seems to fade away. You can't reverse what has been done, But you can cherish today.
You Can't Undo Yesterday, The memories are here to stay. The past has been laid, For a future to be made.
The End.
Thank You. You guys have been the best readers and responders. I'm sorry I had to cut it so soon but life has been getting pretty hectic. I will continue writing but maybe not in the recent future. I'd like to say thanks again to everybody because all of you were the best. I can't stop thanking you guys enough. To all the other author's: Keep up that great work. I'll continue reading. Forever.
River groundwriter@hotmail.com