Disclaimer: I am not assuming anything about the lives of anyone in this story. Many may wish things to be true, but who knows so don't be offended, just enjoy. If you're UNDER 18, stop reading this, and all that other legal stuff.
This is my first attempt, and I know this story lacks sexual adventures, give it time, I want them to get to know eachother first, okay?
Justin awoke with a start, not knowing where he was. `Oh, it's the hotel room, geez, I'm really trying to give myself a heart attack.' He got up slowly and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge as he glanced at the alarm clock. "Only 5:30p.m. Not bad, there's still some daylight left."
As he stretched he thought about his lunch with Lance. `God, he just drew back again, like these last few days hadn't even happened. Why doesn't he want to talk to me anymore?. . .geez, relax, maybe he was just tired. . .he did say he wasn't feeling too hot before you left, you should probably go over there now and check on him. . .yeah, that's a good idea.'
Justin walked to the door and out into the hall, running smack into Chris.
"Hey stranger, what's up?" Chris said, slapping him on the back.
"Oh hey Chris, not much."
"Oh is that all we get?" Joey said, catching up to them. "Gee Chris, some friend we got here, we haven't seen him or the other two for longer then 30 mins aside from the concert in the last few days and all he has to say is `not much'!"
Chris laughed. "Yeah, why do we put up with this abuse, Joey?"
"I dunno man, I just don't know."
"Oh come off it you two!" Justin said, laughing along. "I've just been kinda chilling, JC has been hitting up the town with Jason and Lance has been kinda just kicking it with me every once and a while. It's not like we deserted ya'll! Even though we all know that you guys are just along for the ride. I mean, look at me, listen to my music, I am what drives all the girls crazy since you guys are all too old to make `em wild!"
Chris and Joey looked at each other and simultaneously burst into laughter. "Yeah man, and those girls all just go for that blown up head of yours!"
This made Justin burst into laughter as well and soon the three of them were clutching their sides, they'd been laughing so hard. All this commotion apparently woke Lance up inside his room. He slowly opened the door, wiping the sleep outta his eyes.
"Hey guys, what am I missing? Or more importantly, what was so good that you thought it'd be too much for me to sleep through so ya had to wake me?" Lance said, laughing lightly.
"Oh hey man, sorry bout that!" Joey said, straightening himself up a bit, still trying to regain his composure.
"Yeah Scoop, didn't mean to wake ya's, we were just talking with Mr. Ego over here."
"Hey come on, can I help it I'm so great?" Justin said, looking at Lance and lifting his eyebrows up and down. Lance burst out laughing.
"That's what I thought."
"Yeah, so anyways Scoop, as we were saying to J, we haven't seen ya's three for longer then 30 minutes aside from the concert, ya want to hit up some dinner? We could leave boy wonder here home, you know since he is a bit young to be joining us more mature heartthrobs?" Chris said, smiling at Justin.
"Aw, c'mon man I wanna go, too!" `Only if Lance goes that is. . .'
"Yeah, sounds cool guys, let me get a little more awake and ready, alright?" Lance said, turning towards his room.
"No prob Scoop, we're gonna head into my room for a sec, gotta grab our wallets and such." Joey said, walking down the hall after Chris.
"Hey Lance, I'll join ya, since I am naturally stunning ya know?"
"Sure thing Curly, you know I just want on you right now." Lance burst out laughing as he went in the room while Justin followed slowly. `God, I could only hope. . .'
"So J, why so quiet?" Lance asked from the bathroom as he fixed his hair a bit.
"Oh, I dunno. . ." Justin was sitting on the edge of a chair, looking at the floor. Lance peeked out of the doorway at Justin.
"Hey J, are you alright?"
"Oh yeah, it's nothing."
"C'mon J, I thought we could tell eachother everything, remember?"
"Well, it's just. . ."
Lance came out of the bathroom and sat on the floor by Justin, grabbing one of his hands.
"It's ok, Curly, I'm here for ya."
"Well, the thing is. . ."
"Yes?
"I'm. . .I'm gay Lance."
"You're what?"
"I'm gay. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I know I am."
"Are you sure it's not just because you know I am and you're having doubts?"
"No, I. . .well, I know I'm gay because I'm in love with a guy."
"Oh. . .well, who? I mean, do you know him well? Maybe it's just infatuation when you're with a new friend?"
"No, I've known him quite sometime. . .you see Lance. . ." A single tear rolled down Justin's cheek.
"What is it Curly?" Lance asked, getting up on his knees and wiping the tear from his face.
"I, I love you Lance." Justin looked away. Before he knew it he felt Lance's fingers bringing his face towards his and as their eyes met, he felt Lance's lips on his. `Ohmigod.' Just then the phone rang.
"Let it go. . ." Justin mumbled, but Lance was already breaking away, leaning towards the phone. . .
Justin sat straight up in bed, listening to the phone wail as he touched his lips softly, still feeling Lance's gentle kiss. "It was only a dream. . ." he whispered to himself softly, groaning as he reached towards the table, trying to make the phone stop ringing.
"Ugh, hello?"
"Geez, happy to talk to you, too, Curly."
Justin instantly smiled. "Hi Lance, sorry, the phone just woke me, and you know how I like my sleep!"
"Yeah, I'm surprised you even heard it!"
"Well, it kinda found it's way into my dream." Justin frowned, thinking back to Lance's soft kiss.
"Well, now that you're awake, do you want to hang out or something?" `God Lance, can ya sound anymore pathetic? You woke the kid up to hang out with you. . .' Lance hung his head down. "I mean, well, you can sleep if you want, and I really didn't mean to wake you, I just thought you might want to, but if you don't it's cool, don't think you. . ."
"Gee, Lance, settle down, it's cool." `Geez, he's so cute when he's nervous.' "I'm kinda scraggly right now, cool with ya if I jump in the shower quick?"
"Oh yeah, I don't have any plans or anything, just thought we'd go down to the lobby and rent a movie or something. Maybe order a pizza?"
"Sounds crunk Scoop, I'll be over as soon as I shower and get dressed."
"Alright J, ya don't really have to though, I'm just hanging out in my flannels and a t-shirt."
"Well, I need a shower, but I'll dress casual, kay?"
Lance laughed. "Whatever Curly, I'll call and ask about movies."
"Alright, see ya in a few!"
As Justin hung up the phone he could barely keep himself from jumping up and down. C'mon, it's only a movie, you're acting like you're 12 or something. . .' Justin sighed. In some ways it was like he was 12, he never really had had a relationship before, and even the few half-flings he'd had were with girls. Why do I even think I deserve him? God, I didn't even know I was gay until the other day, and here I think Lance will just fall in love. He probably thinks I'm just a dumb kid, all the other guys do. . .' Justin didn't feel like going anymore, but he got into the shower anyway. `I'll just call Lance and tell him I wasn't quite feeling up to it.'
In Jason's car:
"Mmm, I can't wait to get home, that food you bought looks absolutely delicious!"
JC laughed. "Well, I hate to break it to you but it's gonna take a while for me to actually cook it!"
"Yeah, well, I still want to be home."
"Oh, and why's that?"
"Because," Jason said as he placed his hand on JC's thigh, "I miss you."
"Miss me? That's odd, we've been together all day long?" JC acted confused, looking around the car.
"Oh shut up, you know what I mean. Unless you don't mind me pulling over and jumping you right here in the car?" Jason lifted his eye brows up and down.
"Oh, I suppose not. I might mess up my hair."
Jason threw his checkbook at him. "What's this for?" JC asked, looking through it.
"Lack of anything better to throw at you until we get home."
JC laughed and leaned over to give Jason a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm just kidding you hun, let's pull over." It was JC's turn to rub his hand up Jason's thigh.
"Uh, um, we better not." Jason was getting flustered from having JC's hand so close to his groin.
"Hmm, are we a bit uncomfortable, sweetie?" JC asked kindly, rubbing his hand closer and accidentally brushing against the ever-growing bulge in Jason's pants.
"Uhh, you could say that, now cut it out!"
"Cut what out?"
"You know perfectly well what. Hey, look, we're home." Jason said, pulling into a parking spot and jumping out of the car before JC could torture him any more. "C'mon, help me get these bags."
As they headed towards the elevator they saw a red mustang pull into the lot. "Geez, they're not in any hurry, are they?" JC asked, as he tried to grab the bag he almost dropped.
"It's. . ."
"JASON!??" JC turned around to see Sarah jumping out of her car and quickly coming towards them.
"Oh Christ, what does she want now?" JC said, getting pissed as he took a step in front of Jason and was about to set down his bags.
"JC, wait! Look, I know I've been a total ass, a complete bitch if you will, but I want a chance to apologize."
"And what makes you think he should give you one?"
"JC. . ." Jason was about to interrupt.
"Because I've been his best friend for two years, that's why! Because I was incredibly stupid to ever let him think I didn't want to be his friend, or to ever act like I wasn't his friend."
"Well, maybe he doesn't want to be your friend anymore!"
"How dare you? Who the hell do you think you are? I've known him far longer than you have, Jason would never treat me like that when. . ."
"When you already treated him like shit? He shouldn't even be listening to you right now."
"Jason would never abandon me like that, I. . .Jason, you wouldn't would you?"
"Sarah, I. . ."
"He should! You haven't acted like a friend at all he. . ."
"JC, I. . ."
"BUT I'M trying to APOLOGIZE. . ."
"ENOUGH!!!!!!"
Both Sarah and JC turned to look at Jason, shaking.
"Jason, honey, what's wrong?" JC said, taking a step towards him.
"Jay, are you ok?" Sarah said, advancing as well.
"Both of you just, just leave me ALONE!"
Jason ran into the elevator and the doors closed in both their faces.
"What?. . ." JC was confused. "What just happened?"
In Justin's room:
Justin stepped out of the shower, drying his hair with a towel as he had another one tied around his waist. He slowly pulled his clothes on and laid on the bed.
`Well, I can't be with Lance, and girls just obviously weren't doing it for me, what the hell does this leave me with?' Justin felt a tear streak down his face as he buried his head in his pillow. As he let his body tremble with sobs, he barely heard the phone as it started to ring.
`I, I just can't go sit and pretend to be having fun right now. Pretend that I don't love him.' The phone continued to ring and after the twelfth ring Justin finally picked it up.
"Yeah?" he asked, trying not to let his hoarse voice show through.
"Justin? How come you're taking so long? I have the movie and the food's on the way?"
"Well, Lance, I, I'm not really feeling very well, can we," it was taking all of Justin's strength not to start crying, "just do it another time?"
"Oh, c'mon Curly? You're not mad at me about lunch are you?" `Way to go, don't even think of the fact that you were completely cold to him at lunch and then expect him to want to hang out with you without even an apology. . .' "Look J, I'm sorry, I just wasn't feeling too hot, I should've apologized. . ."
"No, no, it's fine, Lance, I'm not mad. . ."
"Then why won't you hang out?"
"I, I, I'll be over in a few minutes." Justin sighed.
"Great! See ya in a few!"
"Yeah," Justin said after Lance had hung up, "it's gonna be great."
Justin got up and ran a comb through his hair, then walked out of the room. `Just be normal, he doesn't know how you feel, so he doesn't need to know and you can just move on. . .I can't move on, I love him so much. . .'
In Jason's apartment:
`I can't handle this! Why can't they just be friends, I love them both so much!'
"Jason?!! Jay, sweetie, it's me, what's wrong? Why'd you run away like that?!" Sarah was pleading from the other side of the door.
"Jas? Jason, honey, I'm so sorry, what'd we do?"
"Jay? Will you please just let us in to apologize? I know I have a lot of it to do, but I know you'll let me, right?"
"I, I. . ." Jason was stuttering from the other side of the door.
"Jason, please open up? Please? We've stopped fighting, please?"
Jason slowly opened the door and walked over to his couch, sitting down.
"Jason, what's wrong?" JC asked, running over to his side.
"JC, I, I know you don't like me very much, and I know I deserve that hatred, but please, let me try?"
"Ok." JC moved aside, looking at Jason with sad eyes.
"Jay? Honey, I still love you. I know I've acted like an ass these past few days, but you're still my little brother, I've missed you so much. And I know now, I know JC's watching out for you, and I've learned from what he said to me that he isn't using you, I'm sorry I couldn't see it before, I was blind. What's important to me is that you're happy, and if I need to leave to make you happy, I will, but it will hurt me so much. I. . ."
"Sarah, you know I never want you to leave me. . ."
"Shh, I just, I'm so sorry. . ."
"I know, I'm sorry, too. But I love him, AND I love you. . ."
"I know, hun, I know, and I see that, and I see that he loves you, too, and I'm SO sorry, but please give me another chance. . ."
"Of course, you've been there for me through so much. . ."
Sarah nodded her head, a tear running down her cheek as she leaned over and gave Jason a hug that he returned strongly, looking over her shoulder at JC.
"I, I don't understand. . ." JC mumbled from the corner.
"I'm not mad at you JC, I'm just upset. You were trying to speak for me, and you just don't know that part of me, I could never lose Sarah, just as now I'd never want to lose you."
"I'm so sorry Jason, I never meant to. . ."
"I know, it's ok." Jason said, getting up to give JC a hug.
"I just didn't want. . ."
"Shh, I know, I'm sorry, too. . ."
In Lance's room:
"Hey Curly, it's about time! I got us `Silence of the Lambs'. Cool, huh?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, that's great Scoop."
"Justin, are you mad at me?" `May as well get it right out in the open.'
"What? No! Why'd you even think that?" `God, I could never be mad at you. . .'
""You're just, so distant."
"I'm sorry Scoop, guess I'm just tired is all, where's that pizza? That should wake me up?"
`Good, he's just being normal Justin, quit getting so paranoid!' "It should be here any time now." As Lance walked toward the couch the phone rang.
"Well," Lance said, hanging it up, "speak of the devil, food's here!" Justin went to the door to grab the food, and after the bell boy left, he sat next to Lance on the couch, putting the pizza between them.
"You want a soda?" Justin asked, getting up and heading towards the fridge. He pulled two out and threw one to Lance.
"Thanks kid," Lance said as he opened his.
"What'd you just call me?" Justin asked, feeling hurt.
"Um, kid I think. . ."
"You've never. . .called me that before."
"Justin? What's wrong?"
"I, just. . .do you really think I'm a kid?"
"No! Oh man, J, I was just joking. You know, like how we've been joking about the car and all? Me being an old man?" `God, he's really upset about this!' "Curly, Justin, look, I definitely don't think of you as a kid. I didn't mean it that way, I was trying to play on our joke we've had going, is all. I think you're very responsible, and I've seen you grow up, you've become a very mature adult."
"You, you really think so?"
"Yes! Geez, Curly, I respect you so much. I stopped thinking of you as a kid long ago, you've become so much more adult-like as we tour and everything."
`Wow! He doesn't see me as a little kid! Maybe, just maybe. . .no, don't get your hopes up too high. . .but it IS a little more possible. . .' "Thank you, Lance."
"Your welcome man, it's the truth."
"I just. . .I dunno, I'm sick of being thought of as the `child' of the group."
"I understand Curly. . .don't worry about it. But you know, you may want to try to learn to drive to be a real adult!" Lance said, trying at humor once more, but laughing this time to show Justin he was kidding.
"Oh, now you've asked for it!" Justin said, laughing along as he attacked Lance with a pillow.
"Really? Big man thinks he can take me? I doubt it!" Lance said, reaching for his own pillow and pulling Justin on the ground with him so they didn't disturb the pizza.
"Bring it on Scoop, you can't beat all these muscles!" Justin laughed, flexing to show off his strong biceps.
Just as he brought his left arm up Lance hit him hard on the side of the head with his pillow. Justin grabbed his shirt, bringing Lance down on top of him and rolling over to pin him, then start beating on him with the pillow.
Lance begged for mercy, and just as Justin let him he reversed and tackled Justin, tickling him on his sides.
"This-isn't-funny-Lance-cut-it-out!" Justin pleaded between laughs.
"Not a chance pretty boy!"
As Lance continued to tickle him, Justin managed to roll over and beat him a few times with the pillow. Lance tried to get up, but just before he could Justin pulled him down on top of himself again. As Justin looked up he caught Lance's eye just as Lance was leaning down. Lance leaned towards Justin's face slightly, parting his lips. Justin's heart caught in his chest and just as Lance's lips were about to touch his own, Lance blinked.
"Um, I, um, think we should probably, um, eat and watch the movie now. Truce?"
Justin just lay on the floor while Lance lifted himself off and walked toward the bathroom. "I'll be right back."
OhmiGod. I can't believe. . .' Justin shook his head, trying to slow his heart. Maybe there is a chance after all!' Justin smiled suddenly, jumping off the ground quickly. He was ready to scream, but he suddenly remembered where he was. `Lance almost kissed me! I KNOW he was going to!!'
Lance sat down on the edge of the bathtub. What is WRONG with you? That's JUSTIN out there! You almost kissed him! He never would've spoken to you again!. . .but Mel says he likes me. . .but Mel is wrong, Justin's NOT gay, and even if he were, you love JC. . .who conveniently loves Jason. . .are you saying you have a thing for Justin. . .he's just a. . .just an incredible guy. . .who's again conveniently NOT gay.' Lance put his head in his hands and sighed. "I almost blew it. I almost lost Justin's friendship with a dumb mistake. It's not bad enough that I took too long with JC, but I almost made Justin hate me." Lance whispered to himself. Without him, I couldn't go on. Not knowing JC loves Jason and I'm alone. I have to be more careful, I can't do something stupid with Justin and lose his friendship. . .relax, Justin didn't even know you were about to kiss him, he probably just thinks you have to go to the bathroom and are hungry, but you better get back out there.' "Right."
"Lance, did you say something?" Justin called from the couch, eagerly eating a slice of pizza while he was internally jumping from happiness.
"Uh, nope." Lance replied, coming out of the bathroom.
"Oh, alright, let's watch that movie now, I can't wait!"
In Jason's apartment:
"I'm sorry JC, I just, got really emotional I guess. It's just, I hate seeing people fight, my parents always used to fight, and it just hurts me to see people I love fighting. Sarah did hurt me," he glanced over at her sitting on the couch, "but I still love her, and I know now that what she did was out of love. I know it's hard for you to understand, but she's like my sister, she watches out for me, and usually she's very perceptive about things. . ."
"But I wasn't this time." Sarah finished for him. "I'm sorry JC, I just. . .well let me be truthful, only because I want us to be friends. Jason's got money, he's not that bad looking, and he was very vulnerable at the time. You're a pop star, you're only going to be in town a few more days, and probably have 100 people throwing themselves at you every day. I just found it hard to believe that out of all of them you weren't just using Jason. I realized earlier when you yelled at me, I realized then that you love him and want to protect him just like I do, and I realize how wrong I was. I am truly sorry, I hope we can be friends?"
"I'd really like that, Sarah. I really would."
To Be Continued.
Send all comments to jas_stories@hotmail.com. Well, it'd be stupid of me to bother telling you all why this has taken so long. Only half of you would believe me anyhow. But this past weekend it only took me so long because when I actually started writing, I hit severe writer's block! So here it is, what I finally came up with. I've hit that awful point in the middle where I want to jump straight to the next event but I can't, so it's hard to fill in pesky details that aren't as exciting. I hope everyone enjoyed it, and I want to thank EVERYONE who wrote me these past few weeks (has it been a whole month already?) wondering if I was continuing the story and if everything was ok, here I am, and here's the story, as I promised! Now that September and most of October are over, I hope to get back on track, like I said that month has a way of making me lose track of time, told you all it might be a while!
P.S. Just as a side note, I know this part's a bit emotional at times, it's kind of reflecting my mood these past few weeks, sorry if it bothers anyone, I promise not to have the characters quite so touchy next time, but I think it works for a little filler space.