Yes this is a new chapter posted within a week of the other one. Don't faint, please. I told you that I am going to be keeping up with the story a lot more than I used to be. I hope you like this chapter. Its time something happened and I think this is the right way for it to happen. Again, I hope you like it.
Keep the comments coming!! I would still love to hear from each and every one of you who want to write me. The more feedback I get the more I know where to take the story. Plus I like hearing from you all!!
Please email your thoughts and comments to Shywriterboy29@hotmail.com.
Disclaimer This story is totally fictional and is not meant to imply anything about the personalities of NSYNC or any other celebrities mentioned. If you are under the age of 18, offended by male/male material, or it is illegal to view such materials in your area, you should be leaving now. If you are looking for a story with lots of sex, this is not the story for you then! This is a story of love and friendship. Sure there will be sex, but it will not be an all out orgy every story.
With that said I hope you enjoy the story!!
NOW ON WITH THE SHOW!!! __________________________________________________________________ PREVIOUSLY ON THAT DAY
Looking around, trying to find something to keep me occupied, I got up and looked out the window of my front room. The night sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly. The weather had been very warm today and the night was no exception, so I decided that maybe a nice walk around my complex would be good to clear my head. Fresh air always did wonders for one's body, mind and soul.
So I went back into my room and slipped on my shoes. Walking out of my room I grabbed my keys from off the table and headed out the door. Quickly locking the door, I turned to start heading down the stairs and noticed someone sitting with their back to me on the bottom stair. Paying no mind to who it was, I walked right past them as I came down the stairs. I had taken about 3 steps past the stairwell when I heard a familiar voice from behind me say "Hey, Cody."
My body and my heart stopped dead. I slowly turned to see Lance sitting on the bottom step. He stood up and walked to where I was standing. I could see the tear stains on his face and my heart immediately broke in two.
"What are you doing here Lance?" I asked looking into his hurt-filled eyes.
"You said that I could call on you any time I needed to talk," he said taking my hands, "and right now, I think we both could use a shoulder."
He then gently pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arms around me. I stood there motionless for a second, not sure of how to react or what to do.
Slowly I gave in and hugged him back. All at once it felt like a dam had broken in my heart, and I buried my face in his neck and just cried. __________________________________________________________________
That Day By ShyWriterBoy
Chapter 6 I don't know how long we stood there hugging but I didn't want it to end. I felt so safe and sound in his arms that I could have stayed like that forever. Eventually, though, I did calm down and stop crying. We broke our embrace but Lance did not let go of my hands. Looking into my eyes he softly asked, "Are you OK now? Do you feel better?"
"Yes," I said taking a deep breath, "I feel a lot better now."
"Good," he replied with a comforting grin.
"Speaking of tears," I asked, "Why were you crying?"
"How do you know I was crying?" he asked. I just gave him the `don't start with me' look. "All right, fine," he said exasperated. "I thought I would never see you again and I would never know why you left in such a hurry."
"I'm sorry I did that, and I'm sorry I'm such an emotional wimp tonight," I said looking disappointed. "It's just been one of those nights and it all kind of hit me at once. If you want to you can send me the cleaning bill for your shirt"
"Stop it. It's not a problem; we all have those days. You just needed to let it out," Lance said, very understandingly. "Don't worry about the shirt either. A few tears never hurt anything."
"Lance, why are you here? How did you know where I live?" I ask.
"I hope you're not mad," he said looking at the ground. "But I called Lonnie after you left and ask him to follow you home."
"That would explain the phone call he got when he was taking me back to the hotel. But why would you do that Lance? Chris is right you know. You don't know me very well and I am only going to screw things up for you guys in the end," I said letting go of his hands, turning to face the opposite direction.
"Cody Walker!" Lance said grabbing me by the shoulders and spinning me back around to face him. "Don't you ever talk like that again! Chris is an immature asshole who hasn't got a positive bone in his body. I have never met anyone like you. You're strong willed, have a wonderful personality and are a very good friend to me, Joey and Josh."
"Lance, you're just saying what you think I want to hear," I said, starting to get emotional again. "It's OK though. You're not the only one that's done it, and you probably won't be the last. I always end up screwing up all the good things up in my life. Again, Chris was right when he said that when Josh hit me, it was exactly what I deserved."
"Cody," Lance said, stepping closer to me. "The only thing you deserve is this!"
Before I knew what hit me, Lance grabbed me by the waist, pulled me to him, and gave me the most gentle and sweet kiss that I have ever had. Fireworks went off in my head and my knees nearly buckled. HOLY SHIT', I thought, is this really happening? Is this angel of a man really kissing me?'
We finished kissing and all I could do was stand there in awe, struggling to catch my breath. I couldn't speak; I couldn't move. Lance still had his arms around my waist as I stared and took in every inch of his beautiful face.
"Are you still with me Cody?" Lance said lovingly.
"Whoa," was all I could manage to say.
"I'll take that as a yes," he said chuckling. All of a sudden a panicked look came across his face. "OH NO, I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry. I got carried away."
Lance let go of my waist and turned to walk away as I grabbed his hand.
"Lance, don't go," I said as he stopped and looked at me. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, I was too shocked."
"I shouldn't have just kissed you out of the blue like that. It was very forward of me and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have presumed that I could kiss you or that you even liked me." He still looked very panicked as he finished talking.
I stepped forward and grabbed both of his hands. "Lance, I liked the kiss," I said, looking him in the eyes. "And I like YOU, too."
"You do?" he asked.
"Yes, I really do," I replied as Lance's eyes began to light up. "You know, I originally came outside to go for a walk. Would you like to walk with me?"
"I would love to walk with you," he replied. We released each other's hands and began to walk.
My condo's complex was built right next to a river. When they built the complex, the landscapers put in a walkway right next to the river so that the families and people living there could enjoy the water. We began to walk down to the walkways near the waterfront.
We walked in silence for a couple of minutes when Lance broke the silence and asked "Penny for your thoughts?"
"I'm still trying to process what just happened," I said. "I'm still in shock I guess."
"Well, is that a good thing," Lance asked, looking at me, "or a bad thing?"
"Let me put it this way," I said, putting my hands in my pockets.
At this point I figured it was time to be honest with him. I wanted Lance to be a lasting thing in my life. I did not know, as of yet, how big of a part he should play, but I wanted everything out in the open. No secrets and no hidden feelings. I wanted him to like me for me.
"Good things rarely happen to me, and when they do, I always do something to screw it up. That is what tonight was all about. I'd made three wonderful new friends, one that I liked quite a lot," I said looking at Lance. He smiled. "I was having a good time with them until I overheard Chris saying those things. I immediately, because of past experience, believed what he said and decided to leave. I didn't want to follow down the same path and end up screwing this up and hurting you guys. You guys have a lot to lose and I didn't want to chance it."
Lance looked up at me as we continued to walk and asked "Do you mind telling me exactly what Chris said? I tried to get it out of him after you left but he just turned into his usual asshole mode and wouldn't tell me anything."
"Well," I stared, taking a deep breath, "When Chris and Justin came into the bathroom, I was in the stall with the door closed, so they didn't see me right off. Chris was complaining about how much of a bad idea it was having dinner with me. He said that you don't know anything about me and that I'm probably someone who is out to better myself at your expense."
I stopped to take another breath and Lance asked, "Is that it?"
"No," I answered, to which Lance just shook his head. "He said that there had to have been a reason Josh hit me like he did. That I should have had a plan to handle skittish patients and that I probably deserved to get knocked on my ass."
"I can't believe that he could be that damn cold. I don't see why you didn't just come unglued right there and tell him off," Lance said sounding almost mad.
"You want to know why I didn't?"
"Sure," Lance replied.
"Cause I believed him," I said looking away not wanting to see his reaction.
Lance stopped abruptly. "Why the hell would you believe him?"
"Because that is how my life goes," I replied, stopping to look at him. "I have this impeccable knack for screwing things up. Everything that starts off good always goes wrong. I haven't dated anyone for years, I don't go out much, and all of my past relationships have all gone to hell because of something I did. So, I just usually keep to myself. That way I don't chance screwing anything or anyone else's life up."
I was too ashamed to look at Lance at that point. I had just laid everything on the line for him and I thought I sounded like a pathetic idiot. I was sure he felt the same way when I felt Lance's hand lightly touch me under the chin and turn my head so that I was looking at him.
With a warm smile he said, "I want you to know that I'm not afraid. You are not going to screw up my life, or the lives of my friends and band mates."
"But Lance, how can you say that? You just met me. Give me time and I'll..."
I was interrupted by Lance's finger softly touching my lips.
"Shhhhh. Stop. I have faith in you and I know that you're not as bad as you may think, and I just met you two days ago. Have a little faith in yourself," he said. "I don't care what you say, I want to be a part of your life in whatever way you'll have me. I don't care who you are, where you're from, don't care what you did, as long as you love me and treat me and my friends with respect."
"Hey, wait a minute!" I exclaimed giggling. "Isn't that part of a Backstreet Boys' song?"
Lance thought for a minute and started giggling himself. "Well yeah I guess it was. You tell anyone I just did that and you're toast, you got it, Walker!?!"
"Got it," I said with a smile. "And Lance?"
"Yes, Cody?"
"I do respect you quite a bit and I owe you a huge apology."
"What for?" he asked puzzled.
"For being a pathetic loser tonight. I probably embarrassed you and the other members of the world's best boy band, and I am very embarrassed and sorry."
Lance just smiled and put his arm around my shoulders. "You have nothing to worry about," he said as we started walking again. "As far as Joey, Josh and I are concerned, you are still our friend, and now that you have explained things to me, I don't blame you at all for leaving. I probably would have done the same thing. So stop worrying."
"So then would you at least take a Thank You?" I said smiling.
"Yes I will," he said cheerfully. "And you're very welcome."
We continued to walk and talk by the riverside, stopping every now and again to sit and watch the moving water or to throw stones in. It was nice to laugh and talk and just enjoy each other's company. After about 30 minutes, we decided to head back towards my house.
As we started walking, Lance began to speak. "OK, now it's my turn to say something that if I don't I just know that I'm going to explode."
I looked at him weirdly. "OK what are you talking about?" I asked.
Lance took a deep breath and asked, "What if I told you that I kissed you on purpose?"
My eyes got very wide and I replied, "I would hope you had good reflexes to catch me because I would probably faint right on the spot."
"Then it's a good thing that I have good reflexes," he said softly.
For the second time that night I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned and looked at Lance, my heart beating out of my chest. Did he just say what I think he just said? He meant to kiss me? Oh, Lord, am I ready for this?
"You OK, Cody?" Lance asked.
"Yeah, I just don't know what to say," I replied, still trying to understand what he just said.
"You don't have to say anything," he said, walking back to where I had stopped. "Just hear me out."
I nodded, "OK."
"When I came out of the hospital bathroom and heard Josh screaming my name, I thought to myself, oh great, now what. But when I walked around the bed and saw you lying on the floor, it took my breath away. I thought you looked like a peaceful, beautiful angel laying there asleep."
The minute he said that, my heart began to race once again. I could not believe what I was hearing. Someone pinch me', I thought, I have to be dreaming.'
He continued on. "Josh then explained to me what happened and I immediately picked you up and laid you on the bed. I sent Josh to get a nurse or someone and I just sat there watching you. I was completely captivated. I'd never seen something or someone so beautiful. When you started to come to, I got really nervous. I started thinking, what am I going to say to him, how should I talk to him? Am I going to be able to fight the urges to touch his face and make sure he's OK? Fortunately, that is when the heavy set woman came flying from out of nowhere and saved me."
"Ugh," I said rolling my eyes. "Don't remind me."
"What was up with her anyway?" Lance asked. "What was that all about?"
"That is a whole other story in and of itself," I said sarcastically. "Please finish."
"Well, after the nurses gave you the once over and you were OK, we started talking. It was all I could do not to just completely out myself to Josh and fawn all over you. There was something about you, Cody, I can't explain it but I felt this weird connection with you. After Josh and I left, I couldn't stop thinking about you, so I snuck away from the hotel and came back to see you that night. You were sleeping and I didn't have the heart to wake you up. I sat in a chair next to your bed and watched you sleep. You were so peaceful, so beautiful. After awhile I decided to leave you to your slumber, so I left you that note and the rest, as they say, is history."
I was stunned as I sat there and watched this beautiful man bare his heart to me. I could not believe that he was putting it all out there for me, ME of all people. Never have I had someone do that for me. I'm always the one putting my heart on the line and each time it ended up broken. Now here is the most beautiful man I have ever known telling me that he feels these things for me. I still couldn't believe that this was really happening.
"Lance, I don't know what to say," I said looking in his eyes. "To be honest, no one has ever said anything like that to me. I just don't know how to respond."
Lances look and demeanor immediately changed after I said that. He looked as if someone or something took all the wind out of his sails; he looked completely defeated. I began to panic. I wasn't saying that I didn't want to hear it, I just was stunned that someone like him could think that way about me. I knew I had to say something before he began to think I hated him.
"But I will say this," I began, commanding his attention, "In the last two days that I've been around you, I've felt things that I have never before felt in my life. Every time I'm around you, my heart starts beating out of my chest. I melt each time you look at me and every time we touch, even if it's for just a split second, my body surges with..."
"Electricity," Lance said softly, smiling.
"Yeah," I said smiling back at him, "Electricity."
We sat there, looking into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. It was me who decided to break that silence.
"So where do we go from here?" I asked.
"Cody," Lance said taking my hand. "I like you a lot and would be honored if you would be my boyfriend."
My mind was reeling. Did Lance Bass, the hottest member of N'Sync just ask me to be his boyfriend? Is this a cruel joke? Am I going to wake up and find this whole thing was a dream? This couldn't be really happening to me.
"Oh my God, Lance! Again, I don't know what to say," I exclaimed half excited, half stunned.
"Well a Yes would be nice," Lance replied smiling.
"Oh, Lance, I want to say yes I really do," I said as a look of panic swept over his face. "Now don't panic, hear me out." Lance nodded.
"I want to say yes, but I have to let you know that my relationship history has not been very good. I really do like you a lot and I very much want to get to know you more, but for my own peace of mind, I can't rush things," Lance nodded. "I have been single for almost 3 years now and I told myself that if I ever found someone again I would make damn sure that it will last. I would love to be your boyfriend, eventually. I don't think two days of knowing each other is sufficient time to start a relationship. If you are willing, I say we date, hang out, learn about each other and just be together. Then, if time and fate are willing, we become boyfriends when it's right."
"I like that idea. I guess I wanted to be more than your friend so bad that I didn't stop to think," Lance said.
"It's completely understandable. But look at it this way," I said. "Now we can be more than friends to a certain degree, and not have the label on it."
"To a certain degree?" he asked. "What does that mean?"
"Lance, I want to be with you, hold you, kiss you, and learn to love you. I won't have sex with you until that day comes that we are boyfriends. I have been hurt way too many times to let it happen again," I replied rather seriously. "That is the degree I am willing to go to."
"Cody Walker, where the hell have you been?" he asked.
"What do you mean, Lance?"
"Why has it taken me so long to find you? That is exactly what I want to a T. I have never had a boyfriend and I want it to last. Especially if it's with you," he said pulling me into a hug.
I pulled back from the hug a little and looked him square in the eye and said, "Now it's my turn."
I moved forward and placed a kiss on Lance's lips to end all kisses. The soft moan that escaped his lips was proof enough to me that he enjoyed it. I took a chance and let my tongue tickle his lips a little and he opened his mouth welcoming it inside.
We broke the kiss after a little while and Lance began to speak. "I'm so glad that I met you, Cody Walker."
"Not as glad as I am that I met you," I replied kissing him quickly again. "Now let's head back to the house before it gets too late."
We walked the rest of the way back to my house hand in hand. Both of us were on cloud nine and both of us were anxious to see just what the future held for us. We reached the house and made our way back to Joey's rental car.
"Does he know that you took it?" I said pointing to the car.
"Yes, he does. He and Josh were the ones that insisted on coming to find you. They wanted to make sure that you were OK too."
"Are you going to tell them about us?" I asked him seriously.
"Not right away. They don't need to know yet. Honestly, I don't know if I can tell them. I'm scared they won't love me anymore," Lance said solemnly.
"Lance, I don't think there is any way that those guys would stop loving you," I said wrapping my arms around him. "But you have to do it when you're ready. Just remember that I'm here for you when you ARE ready. I'll be right there with you."
"Thank you, Cody, I appreciate that," he said with a hug. "I better take off. The show is tomorrow night and we have an early rehearsal. Do you still want to come?"
"I would love to be there, but what about Chris and Justin?"
"You don't have to worry about Justin. He feels very bad and is going to apologize. Chris can just go get fucked for all I care. The rest of us want you there and that is all that matters."
"Well alright then," I said laughing. "What time do you want me there?"
"Our rehearsal goes from 7 am to 1 pm. After that we are just going to hang out at the arena `til show time. It's kind of boring but it would make it so much better if you were there, too," he said smiling.
"I'll be at the arena at 1:30 then. Am I going to be able to get in?" I ask him as he opened the car door.
"I'll make sure security has your name and an all access pass for you," he said climbing in. "I'm sorry tonight started rather bad, but thank you for a wonderful finish."
"It's you that deserves the thanks. You have made me happier than I have been in a long long time. Now get home, young man, 7 am comes rather early," I said walking to the car and giving him a kiss goodbye.
"Yes sir!" he replied laughing. "I'll see you tomorrow, Cody."
"Bye, Lance," I said as he closed the door and drove out of sight.
I stood there until I could not see his taillights any more, then I made my way inside. I felt like I was floating on air. I went to bed and dreamed fantastic dreams of a wonderful blonde boy from Mississippi.
To Be Continued