Last time on Chapter 20 of Love Interest -
"Nah, just a little shocked." Justin replied. "You, you didn't have sex with Jim did you?" Justin asked and Josh turned towards the door, which gave Justin an answer without words. When ever Josh couldn't tell the truth, but hated to lie, he would turn away from the other person. So he didn't have to meet them in the eyes.
"I'm sorry Justin."
"While I was crying, and realizing I loved you, you were out fucking some guy." Justin almost muttered it to himself, but Josh heard it.
"I didn't know you were in love with me baby. I was an ass for those two days, I didn't even notice that you were in pain. I should have, but we weren't dating, so it's not like I cheated on you or anything." Josh replied to Justin's statement, and waited. Justin did not answer, but his gaze on Josh did turn, as his face now just stared up at the ceiling. Josh could hear slight trembles from the curly, blonde-haired boy sitting next to him, and he knew that they were sounds made from tears. "I'm sorry Justin, I love you." Josh said loudly, and leaned over, instictively, even though Justin was upset at him, his response was to fall into Josh, and he did just that.
And as Justin cried on Josh's shoulder, he could vividly make out a muffled sound of I love you too. He smiled, and stroked Justin's back, waiting for the tears to stop flowing.
"So, time for details." Christina chirped, as she, Brittney and Samantha walked into her room. Brittney had told Lance she would return to their room after they were done chatting. She figured he probably knew she was going to tell the girls about it.
"We had sex, it's no big deal. I mean, we just both figured we were ready, and we did it. I want to say it was great and romantic, but it was really quick. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, but it wasn't the most pleasant feeling at first." Brittney replied, acting as nonchalant as she could.
"You mean, it was just a quickie?" Samantha asked in disbelief. She had figured the first time she would have sex with a man, it would be special, but Brittney was describing a fling.
"It was quick, but it wasn't a quickie. We've been dating for a long time now." Brittney stuck up for herself, feeling like Samantha's question was out of place from the otherwise polite up and comer.
"I didn't mean it like that. I just thought that the first time you and him would have sex would be special." Samantha replied, defending herself to Brittney.
"Sorry, I love Lance, and I know he loves me. I know that it did mean something to us, but I don't know what it meant to me. I can't even remember the exact time it happened, I just remember we did it, and I went back to sleep. But it had to mean something, it was my first time, it had to mean something." Brittney spoke with confidence, but she could see the looks Christina and Samantha were making, and they gave her a second opinion entirely.
"Maybe you two need to talk about it. It sounds to me like you guys might have rushed into it." Christina spoke for the first time since they entered the room.
"I don't know, but I think Chrissy's right Britt. You should really talk to him about it, and figure out what it means to you as a couple." Samantha added, as Brittney stood.
"Alright, I guess their's no better time then now." Brittney smiled, and walked from the room.
"So, what do you think about Britt and Lance having sex?" Samantha asked, figuring Christina would know them as a couple better.
"I don't think it was a good move. Did you listen to the way she talked about it? This stays strictly between the two of us, but I never thought they'd make it anyways. And after listening to what Britt said, I think the sex is going to be what proves it to them both as well." Samantha almost choked after hearing Christina speak, but she didn't say anything.
"So..." Samantha didn't know what else to say, besides trying to change the subject.
"How long on you gonna be on the tour with us?" Christina got the hint, and changed the subject for her.
"For another two weeks and then I'm done. I have to head back to make another single, and then I don't know what I'm gonna do. What about you? Are you staying for the whole tour?"
"Yeah, I mean, it's not that long of a tour. It's only a month or so, and then I have to head back to record." Christina replied, looking around the room, and focusing on the clock. "Damn, we've got a lot of time to kill." Noticing that it was only 6, they had plenty of time before tiredness would sink in.
"What do you think we should do?" Samantha questioned, she too noticed that it was still early.
"I don't know, let's give Brittney some time to talk to Lance. And then we ask them all what they want to do." Christina shrugged her shoulders after making the suggestions.
"What about Josh and Justin, should we see what they want to do?" Samantha suggested.
"Um, I don't think they really want to be bothered." Christina replied, she was able to see the expressions Justin had made while they were swimming, and it was obvious he didn't want to be with a group.
"Alright."
"So, you wanted to talk?" Lance asked, looking her in her eyes. It was pretty clear that something was bothering her.
"About earlier." She replied, pulling her eyes away from his. "What happened, do you think we might have rushed it, ya know, not been ready for it?"
"I don't think we rushed it at all. We've been dating for a long time now Britt, and I think we waited long enough. What happened, well it happened for a reason. And I think that reason was because we both were ready for it." Lance replied, pulling her face up so her eyes were interlocked with his. "I love you Britt."
"I love you too." Brittney replied, with a smile. "I'm sorry I even brought it up. It's just I was talking to the girls, and I was telling them about it. And they said, well, that we might have rushed it. And that I should talk to you about your feelings towards the sex."
"It's okay, we did need to talk about it. It's good to let your feelings known, and I'm glad you asked me how I felt." Lance's warmth made Brittney's smile even broader. The sex may have been rushed, but to Lance it hadn't and that made Brittney happy enough.
"You okay now?" Josh asked with a smile. Justin just nodded and threw in a small smile to show that he was. "Good, cuz I hate to see you crying." Josh made sure that Justin could see his smile, and it grew ten times when Justin smiled back.
"Well, then you must hate a lot." Justin jokingly spoke.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Josh asked a little confused.
"I'm always crying, over the smallest things too." Justin replied, in a tone that made Josh feel like he was stupid for even asking.
"Don't say that. You're just honest with what you're feeling. And I like it that you aren't afraid to cry around me." Josh smiled, and Justin could see that his words were nothing but sincere and came from the heart.
"I still make things bigger then they are." Josh just rolled his eyes, and decided to stay away from the arguement all together.
"What do you want to do tonight?"
"Um, dinner, and then you." Justin laughed at his own joke, and Josh just smirked, amused more at how easy it was for Justin to change moods then his joke.
"Well, I think I can arrange dinner, but I'm pretty sure I'm all sold out for tonight." Josh joked back, which got a sarcasmed displeasing look from Justin. "Maybe if dinner is good, well, just maybe we'll have a little each other." Josh smiled, because that had made Justin smile, and they both set about the room to get ready for their date.
"What do you want to do?" Chris asked Joey as he looked around the room. They were both bored, and knew that by themselves they wouldn't be able to have much fun. Especially since they couldn't stay out late, it being the night before a concert.
"Let's go talk to Lance, we can get every one over there and play truth or dare." Joey suggested, they were both dressed, and it seemed like a good option.
"Think we should go over yet?" Samantha asked, referring to the original plan to go and see what Brittney and Lance were going to do for the night. It had been long enough for Brittney and Lance to discuss the days events, and she was getting bored just the two of them.
"Yeah, I think they should be done. And if I know the guys, they are probably over their already, bored like us." Christina laughed, and they walked out of the room. Samantha remembering to grab a key before she slipped out.
"Come on Just." Josh hollered into the bathroom, he had been getting impatient with his boyfriend. He had given Justin plenty of time to get ready, and Justin was still working on his hair. "I'm sure you like fine, now come on." He hollered again, and the door opened. Their stood Justin, and Josh broke into a smile right away. Although it was true that Justin would have looked fine seconds earlier, Josh couldn't help but admit that he was damn fine, and if it took him twenty minutes to do it, it was well worth it.
"Alright, alright, I'm ready. Now where are you taking me?" He smiled, grabbing a coat. Josh helped him get into it, and they pulled open their door. Walking past the other rooms they didn't hear any noise but from Lance's, and figured that they were all in their watching a movie or something. The rest of the floor they were staying on was empty, save their friends, and they headed to the elevator.
"Well, well, you two look nice." Lonnie smiled, and giggled to himself. Although he had not been officially told, he had come to the conclusion on his own that the two were dating. And he had no problem with it, except it made him laugh numerous times when he thought about it. But not because they were dating, but because it had taken so long for Justin to admit that he wanted to date Josh.
"Yep, I'm taking my sweetie to dinner." Josh smiled back, wrapping his arm around Justin's waist.
"Oh really, down in the hotel restaraunt? Don't you think that's a little risky, I mean with all the fans." Lonnie asked, sending them a scowl of disapproval.
"Nope, I saw this really romantic restaraunt down on the corner a block or two away the other day. It seemed really nice for a quiet dinner." Josh replied, confused by the scowl.
"Sorry guys, but no can do. I know you guys aren't going to stay out late and party like Joey and Chris would, but you have a concert tomorrow. And I have been told not to let you out of the hotel tonight, even just a quick trip some where." Lonnie frowned, hating to have to tell them that. It was the second time since the tour started, which was relatively not even started yet, that he had told them they couldn't go out. Obviously ruining their night that first time, he was hoping they wouldn't be upset about it this night.
'This sucks, they used to let us out when we were going on dates with fans." Justin mumbled, and caught Lonnie's scowl again. Justin didn't like it when Lonnie scowled at him, it made him feel like a child, and Lonnie always did treat him like one. His mother always told Lonnie that he could treat Justin like one, and that what ever worked for him was okay with her. He was happy that Lonnie was protective of him, after all it was better to have a personal bodyguard, but at the same time it was like having your mother on tour with you.
"It's okay baby. We'll just go and watch the movie with every body else." Josh smiled, and winked. Justin caught the wink, but was confused by it at first. Until he realized that Josh was pulling him in the direction of the stairs and not the rooms. At first they both thought Lonnie wasn't paying attention, had they turned around, they would have realized he was trying to stay quiet.
"Guys!" He yelled just as they were about to round the bend that would take them to the stairs. Both of them turned to see Lonnie broad smiled, and smirking. "Sorry to tell you this, but their's security at the top of the steps, and downstairs at the bottom." He giggled, and watched as they both turned from happy to upset. Justin just frowned, but Josh seemed genuinely angered that their night was ruined.
"Come on Just. I guess we really will go to Lance's room." Justin followed, and they headed back to Lance's room.
Knock!Knock!Knock!
"Coming." They both heard Lance's voice, and could hear his footsteps as he made his way closer to the door. "Oh hey guys. We didn't think you would want to come over." Justin peered in the room, and caught no movie, and also noticed that the tv wasn't even on.
"Yeah, well our dinner plans got cancelled before they were even started. So, we figured we would hang out with you guys?" Josh asked in a begging way, Lance looked at him, and although he could refuse the eyes of Josh, when he looked at Justin's puppy dog face, he couldn't say no. Even though it made him mad that they were second choice to being alone.
"Sure, we were just starting." Josh and Justin just shrugged, unsure of what was just starting, but walked into the room anyways. They found open seats on one of the beds, and Josh leaned up against the head board. Justin sat in between his legs, and they waited for Lance to take his seat next to Brittney.
"Alright, so who wants to start?" Christina asked, antsy to get the game started.
"Start what?" Justin asked, still unsure of what they were going to be playing.
"Truth or Dare." Christina replied, not losing any bit of her hyperness to start. "Fine, I'll start. Joey, truth or dare?"
"Um, um, truth." Joey responded, everyone gave him looks for choosing truth, but instead of saying anything they waited for Christina to ask him a question.
"Okay, have you wanted to, or actually have done anything sexual with a man?" The group got silent for a few minutes. They knew Joey was a flirt, and that he openely flirted with both men and woman at dance clubs, but none of them had ever seen him with a man.
"Well, I kissed a guy once. But I was drunk, so you can't hold it against me." Joey responded, and then gave every one looks. "And before we say anything more, nothing leaves this room." Every one booed at this, it was always Joey who remembered to say that rule, and it was usually because he was the one who needed it to be enforced. It was only him that embarrassing stories came out of.
"Your turn Joe." Sam shouted, annoyed with the fact that he wasn't asking anyone.
"Okay, geez girl. Brittney, truth or dare?"
"Dare!" Brittney giggled, she was always the first to take dare in their games. And she was never afraid to do anything. But then she remembered that it had been a long time since they had played truth or dare. And she had been able to do anything, because she wasn't dating any one at the time, especially not the person sitting right next to her, playing the game with her.
"Taking a walk on the wild side sister." Justin teased, he and everyone else knew in the room that Joey's dares were the worst to be on the recieving end of. He himself had been on that end numerous times, and he never enjoyed it.
"For that, I'm gonna go after you next." Brittney shot back, and that got Justin silent. He had to think about it.
"Okay, I dare you to give Lonnie a seductive rub down." The room erupted into laughter after the dare was issued, that is, except for Lance and Brittney. Her jaw dropped, and Lance's first turned red, either with anger, or with sadness for her. "All you have to do is go out their and rub his chest and face, and lick your lips all teasingly." Joey added, thinking he was making it an easier dare, when really he was just making it worse. "Chris and Lance will go with you to make sure you do it." Joey threw that in too, and let the three leave the room.
"This is the worst dare." Brittney muttered, as Lance and Chris followed her down the hallway. Coming up to Lonnie they both smiled, and even Lance couldn't keep from chuckling a little bit.
"Sorry, none of you are allowed out of the hotel tonight." Lonnie answered the question he thought was coming, but just recieved laughter from Lance and Chris again, Brittney gulped, and began to speak.
"I hope you can take a joke." Brittney spoke, and then began the rub down. Lonnie began to laugh, which surprised Brittney, who finished, and turned to see Chris and Lance on the floor in tears. Lonnie himself was trying to stay steady, his laughter getting the better of him.
"I guess you guys are playing truth or dare?" He asked after they all had stopped laughing.
"Yeah." Brittney managed to say, but she too had started to laugh. Able to find the humor in the situation, they enjoyed the laughter, before the three of them returned to the room, and took their seats again. "Happy?" She smiled facing Joey, and he looked at Chris and then Lance. Seeing the smiles on their faces he could tell that they had witnessed it, and he shook his head in approval. "Good, cuz now it's my turn to get some one. Justin, truth or dare?" Justin just stared at her. He didn't want to seem like a baby and take truth, but she had warned him that he was going to get a bad dare from her.
"Dare." He replied, but it was apparent that he wasn't too sure of the answer he had given.
"What?" She asked, a little confused. "You're taking a dare." Brittney giggled at her own little joke, and soon the whole room was laughing, even Josh. Justin just made a face at them, and shook his head. "Alright, well, then I better make it good, we may not get this chance again." Once again the room laughed, and Justin just put up with it, while he waited for Brittney to think of a dare. "Okay, I dare you to kiss Joey for ten seconds." The room fell silent after that. Justin didn't know what to do, he turned and looked at Josh, but he couldn't make out an okay or not from the face he had. Joey meanwhile was a little shocked at it, but other then that seemed fine with the proposal.
"I'm dating Josh." Justin responded, knowing it was his only hope. And that hope lied in Josh, and whether or not he would say it was okay or not.
"Well Josh, it's just a kiss, no tongue. And it's only for ten seconds. Are you cool with it?" Brittney asked, giving Josh a glare.
"Uh, sure." Josh replied. "But I'm not watching." Turning his face, he counted ten seconds on his hand, and then called for the stop. Justin admittedly pulled out of the kiss, and took his seat. Joey just smiled, and relaxed.
"It wasn't that bad was it Justin." Joey laughed, and Justin just cuddled into Josh. Leaning up, he quickly kissed Josh passionately, until the group all made coughing noises to interrupt it.
"Yes it was, but that made up for it." Justin laughed, and Josh held his arm around him. "Now it's my turn." Looking around the room he saw a large group of care-free faces. He knew none of them feared his dares, he never made good ones that were ones worthy of fearing. "Okay, Sam, truth or dare?"
"Truth." Unlike most of them, no one said or even gave Sam a look. She was new to playing with them, and after the dares she had watched they didn't blame her for taking truth, although with a dare from Justin, she would have been just as safe with a dare.
"Whose you're favorite member of NSYNC? And it has to be a better reason then because his curly hair is so cool." Justin giggled, and waited for an answer. While everyone else just rolled their eyes at his comment about him something, except for Josh who curled and uncurled a lock of hair.
"I don't know, I can't say I've got to know any of you that well yet. But I'd have to say you Justin. I caught you kissing Josh, and you ran off, afraid I was going to expose you to the world. Which by the way I would never have done. And after I explained that I would never do that, you were down to earth with me. In fact, from what I've seen you're the most down to earth out of everyone I've met on this tour." Justin blushed from the comments, and the room fell silent. For whatever reason, they were all lost in thought, but for Justin, he was going back to that day. The first day of the tour, the kiss he shared with Josh, and the exposure that shocked him.
"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's your turn Sam." Chris had to tap her on the shoulder to revive her from her own dreaming. She too was thinking about that day, and how bad she felt. She too felt the same pain that Justin felt, but not because she was afraid of being exposed, but because she had caused it, and that hurt her. She smiled thoughtfully at Chris, letting him know she was sorry for delaying the game, before shaking her head to revive herself a little further.
"Chris, truth or dare?" Not having much time to decide, she just quickly chose him, since she was seating next to her, his name came up first.
"I'm not in the mood to be turned down, so truth." Chris replied, and the room got uneasily quiet. They all knew what he was talking about, and it was the fact that Justin and Josh would not participate in anything with him, and at the same time he was probably good enough to assume that neither would Brittney or Lance.
"Um, what is your sexual preference?" Samantha didn't know if the question was really that deep, she didn't think it was. Slowly she slipped back into dreaming, this time wondering why it was such a big deal for Justin and Josh to be upset about exposing themselves to her. In Ireland, along with most of Europe, sexuality was nothing to be ashamed of, but she then realized in the states it was.
"I'm bisexual I guess." Chris replied nonchalantly, and looked around the room scanning out his target. Lance, Joey, and Christina were the only options he saw. He knew that Josh would refuse almost anything that he was asked. But something in Chris's head, something just told him, he should go for it. To ask the question he had wanted to know, and for some reason he had all the intentions to do it. "Josh, truth or dare?"
The room fell silent, again, and this time it was the oddest of them all. The tension was thick, and Josh just looked at Chris with confusion. He had not expected Chris to choose him, and he wasn't going to do any dare that he would ask. So taking the safer option, he chose truth. "Truth."
"Did you feel anything when I kissed you?" Chris's words came out in slow motion for Josh, he knew after the word feel came out what was coming. He didn't know what to say, he knew the answer, and the answer was no, but his first reaction was to see what Justin was doing. Looking at Justin's face he could see anger beginning to build, and he was unsure if he should have answered.
"No." Josh answered harshly, and slowly began to rub Justin's shoulders. Chris's face went to a mixture of sadness and contempt, and Justin just smiled at him. "Chrissy, truth or dare?" Josh wasted no time in changing the topic.
"Well since so many party poopers have chose truth, I'm gonna take dare."
"I dare you to cut Chris's hair." Josh smirked at his own dare, and even started a little giggle.
"What the fuck!" Chris yelled, standing up defensively.
TBC.....
This chapter ends with a controversy. Was Truth or Dare the right idea? And is Josh taking it a little too far? I don't know, the next chapter will tell us whether or not I think so.
If you want to e-mail with suggestions, it's still aci_85@hotmail.com