'A Second Chance' Chapter 14
Disclaimer: I don't know the Backstreet Boys or NSYNC. I'm not implying anything about the sexuality of any of the members of these two bands. If you're homophobic or too young to be reading this, please leave.
Here I am with yet another installment of my little story. It seems as though there are actually three people out there who still occasionally check out my story. Thank you guys!! Remember at the beginning of the story, when I said that I'd try and build real characters? Well, I've kind of been neglecting that. So for the next couple of Chapters, I'll focus a little more on Nick's and Justin's feelings and what's going on in their heads. Yes, this will mean trouble in their relationship, but don't worry. They'll be fine.
Without further ado, I present chapter 14.
It was the ringing of the phone that woke them up. At first, Justin considered ignoring it again, but then he gave in and picked up.
"What took you so long?" Britney complained at the other end of the line.
"We were asleep!" Justin replied.
"It's so hard to get a hold of you. I tried calling last night, but no one was there." Justin burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Britney asked.
"Oh, we were here alright. Just too busy to pick up the phone." From Britney's groan, Justin gathered that he'd just revealed a tad bit too much information. He quickly changed the topic.
"To what do I owe the honors of your call?" he asked.
"Management decided to screw me over. You know that charity event I was supposed to sing at? Well, they decided that it would be fun if I sing a duet with the genie." Britney was practically screaming.
"What genie? You mean Christina Aguilerra?" Before Britney had a chance to reply, Nick grabbed the phone.
"Hello, Britney? I'm very sorry that you have to sing with the genie, but we only have a half an hour left till the wake-up call and Justin still owes me something."
"Dare I ask what he owes you?" Britney asked, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. Both Nick and Justin started laughing.
"Let's just say that last night, we were to exhausted to finish what we had started. Bye!" Nick replied and hung up, not waiting for Britney's reaction. He turned to face Justin.
"Now, where were we..."
Exactly 36 minutes later, Kevin was knocking on the door.
"Hey you guys! Breakfast at my room in ten minutes. And you'd better not be late again." He yelled, then moved on to the next room. Justin pulled the blanket up over his head.
"I don't wanna get up. Tell him I died." Justin's voice came out from under the blanket. Nick grinned.
"But you did die, sweetie, several times." He teased. Justin groaned.
"I didn't mean it that way. Fine, tell him I feel sick. Does that sound more believable?" Nick sighed. He was going to have to resort to desperate measures. He jumped up, pulled back the blanket and started tickling his man. Justin squirmed and screamed, but finally gave up and vanished into the bathroom.
They made it to Kevin's room with only a five-minute delay. And they weren't even the last ones to get there. Howie, JC, and AJ were still missing. They arrived only seconds later. First Howie, with a look on his face that could only be described as utter confusion. AJ and JC came in after him, hand in hand. It was so silent in the room that you could have heard a pin drop. Finally, AJ broke the silence.
"Ok, I know this is gonna come as a surprise to you guys, but JC and I are together." Everyone was pretty surprised, but it was Kevin who went deathly pale.
"But, AJ, what about..." He didn't finish his sentence. AJ turned to face him.
"I'm gonna talk to him right now. In fact, I want everyone to know. I have to apologize for having been kind of out of it lately. I know I haven't put in as much work as I am capable of. And I think it is only fair that you guys know what's been going on." He stopped to take a deep breath. He wasn't sure why he wanted everyone to know, especially now that it was over, but for some reason he needed to put closure to this chapter of his life. And if he kept his inner struggle a secret, it would never be quite over. So he would tell them.
"Until very recently, I was in love with Nick." He paused again, this time to let his words sink in. However, he didn't give anyone a chance to say anything.
"I've been in love with him since the first time I saw him, but by the time I was ready to tell him, he'd found Justin. I couldn't deal with that so I--I resorted to destroying myself. I started drinking and cutting. Kevin walked in on me cutting once and we had a long talk. I was better after that, until we started the tour. Being together with Nick and Justin all day and having to see them ... it broke my heart. So I started again. JC found me passed out on the balcony, and we've been getting closer ever since. I'm a lot better now. And Nick, don't beat yourself up over it. It's not your fault. I should've told you earlier, or found someone else to confide in or..." AJ stopped his explanation. He knew that, whatever he said to console Nick, the damage was done. Nick was slumped together in his chair. All color had left his face and his breathing was flat. Justin was trying to comfort him, but Nick pushed him away. Finally, he got up and walked out of the room.
"That was really necessary!" Justin yelled. "If it's over and you've got someone new, why did you have to tell him? Didn't you know that he was gonna hurt?" He'd jumped up and was ready to beat AJ down. JC was holding him back.
"I'm sorry. I really am. I don't know what I was thinking..." AJ looked to the ground.
"I'll go talk to him." He offered.
"Oh yeah, that'll do it. I'll go." Justin stomped towards the door.
"No, Justin, wait. AJ did this, so it's his place to make it right." Kevin said. Justin glared and Kevin, then at AJ. His eyes were throwing daggers, but he did sit back down.
Nick didn't know where he was going, what he was thinking. For a second, he didn't even know who he was. A flood of feelings and emotions was rushing down on him and he felt like he was going to drown. The only thing he could make out with certainty was the questions in the back of his mind. Why? Why had AJ told him? Why had AJ fallen in love with him, of all people? For the fist time since he had left Kevin's room he consciously registered his surroundings and realized that he had ended up on the roof of the hotel. Deciding that this was as good a place as any to clear out his head, he sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall.
He hadn't been alone for very long, when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to look who it was, and recognized AJ.
"What do you want?" Nick's voice was cold.
"I'm sorry man. I didn't realize how selfish I was being by telling you guys." AJ started.
"I didn't stop to think how much it would hurt you. I just wanted to get it out of my system." He tried to explain.
"I'm not hurt. I'm sad." Nick stated in a monotone voice, void of any emotion. AJ shivered when he heard that voice.
"I didn't want to cause you this kind of pain. I'm so sorry." Nick continued. AJ sighed.
"Nick, it's not your fault." he exclaimed.
"If loving me made you hurt yourself, then it is my fault." Nick insisted. AJ sat down next to Nick.
"Listen. You didn't make me love you. You didn't make me hurt myself. Those are things I did, not you. And I want you to forgive me for telling you. I shouldn't have bothered you with that." He was almost begging Nick to understand.
"And now, you're gonna go back to your man. He's worried about you." AJ finished. Nick stood up slowly and walked towards the door.
"Wait. Are we okay?" AJ asked.
"We will be."
Nick found Justin in their room. He was curled up on the bed. Nick walked over to him and sat down.
"Hey." He whispered. Justin sat up.
"Oh my god. You had me so worried. Are you alright?" Nick shook his head.
"Justin, we have to break up." He choked out, in that cold voice. But this time you could hear a hint of sadness in it. Justin gasped.
"Why? I love you, I can't let you go just like that!" He cried out.
"That's just it. You love me. What if I hurt you like I hurt AJ? I don't want to be responsible for that. I couldn't live with the thought of having hurt you." Nick stammered, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Nick, as long as I know you love me as much as I love you, nothing in the world can hurt me." Justin whispered. "Do you love me?" Nick nodded.
"Then that's all that counts." Justin leaned forward and they joined in a kiss. It was deep, and full of love and promise. Their souls touched, mingled, and emerged as one. And the rest of the world stood still.
Lance walked out of the bathroom, clad only in a towel that was wrapped around his waist. He found Kevin standing in front of the window, staring at the city below.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
"I'm still worried about Nick. He seemed pretty down this morning." Kevin replied without turning around. Lance stepped closer and put his hand on Kevin's shoulder.
"He'll be fine. He has Justin to help him through this." Lance offered. Kevin turned around to face Lance.
"Yes, he has Justin." Kevin said, in strange, throaty voice. It had a strangely ominous ring to it. Before Lance had a chance to figure out what was going on, their lips were touching. He didn't protest. Hands, and lips, and tongues everywhere. Warm flesh on hot flesh, a mesh of bodies and limbs, joining to one. Moaning and sighing, moving faster and harder until everything eclipsed as they came together.
Here goes chapter 14 for ya. Hope you liked it. And as always, I appreciate any kind of feedback, so e-mail me. Take care, j