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WEDNESDAY - 11.24.04
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Justin stared at the clock in disbelief. It looked like it was frozen in spot. He was brought out of his daze when he felt someone nudge him. Looking over to his left he looked into a pair of green eyes watching him in amusement. "Hi?"

Lance smiled. "I think you're intimidating that clock," he said nodding over to the clock on the wall.

Justin smiled. "It should be intimidated," he said. "It's going too damn slow."

Lance laughed and shook his head. "You in a rush to go somewhere?" He questioned. Usually when you have to be somewhere and actually WANT to be in that place, time tends to go really slow and seeing Justin bouncing his leg up and down and staring at that clock Lance figured he really wanted to be in that special someplace.

"No, well, yea," Justin said thinking about it. "I mean, I just wanna get home and relax a bit, ya know, before the dinner and dance tonight." That night would be the first time in three days that he'd see Nick. He was excited about that. He really missed Nick.

On Monday when he'd come back to school, just like he'd feared, there was a note from his guidance counselor saying that he didn't really need tutoring anymore since all his grades were up. Justin had wanted to scream because now he wouldn't be able to see Nick at all during school or during the week. Damn it.

Lance nodded his head and smiled. "I like totally know what you mean," he said. "Not only the dance but we get this whole week off. I can't wait to just sleep!"

Justin laughed and nodded his head as well. "Yea, so, you going tonight?"

"Yup." Lance nodded his head and sighed in relief when the bell rang. He waited for Justin to grab his things before they both made their way down to the locker room to get their things together. Once he was done putting his winter gear on Lance walked over to Justin's locker and said, "Hey, I'll see you tonight, okay? Bye."

Justin nodded his head and closed his heavy book bag and put it on before shutting his locker and walking out of the room. He was so glad that his mom was going to pick him up that day because he wasn't sure just how he was going to make it home with all the books he had to carry, in the blistering cold. As he got in the hallway he froze as he heard the voice of the man who'd been occupying all of this thoughts and dreams. Slowly he turned around and saw the back of those familiar blonde spikes walking towards the student council room and when the crowd before him cleared a bit he saw his arm around another man's shoulder and when Justin looked closely his heart stopped. There under Nick's arm was another man he knew with similar blonde spikes, laughing along with Nick.

He didn't know just how long he was standing there in the middle of the hall but he was brought out of his daze when someone accidentally somewhat bumped into him. Justin stared at the door which was closed with both Nick and Lance on the other side of it, in the room, together. He didn't understand why jealousy was coursing through his being. As far as he knows, Lance is straight and was already friends with Nick before Justin had even met Nick. He needed to breathe. He needed to not jump to conclusions. He reminded himself that Nick was interested in him because of the things that went on Saturday. But he couldn't help it. He quickly spun on his heels and walked out of the school, not bothering to put his hat, scarf, and gloves on. Spotting his mother's car out front he walked out and quickly got in, not saying a word even when his mom had asked him how school went. He just mainly couldn't hear his mother with the loud pulse that was beating in his ears. He was seeing red.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nick sighed as he stuffed his book bag in his locker and rubbed the back of his neck. He then sighed in content when he felt someone massage his shoulders for him. "Oh, that feels good," he said smiling. And a few minutes later he said, "Thanks Marsh."

Marshall chuckled. "How the hell did you know it was me?" He questioned, smacking the back of Nick's neck playfully before walking away and having a seat by the table where everyone was, ready to make the last minute arrangements for the Thanksgiving dinner and dance.

Nick laughed, shaking his head, as he closed his locker and walked over to the table. "It's no secret that you know how to give a fucking good massage," he said. "That girl you dated... what's her face... uh, Mariah," Nick paused, thinking. "Yah, her. She mentioned that on a comment she made to one of your blog entries."

Marshall rolled his eyes and opened his planner.

"Besides, when Brian does it you don't feel like anything is being done," Nick laughed and ducked Brian's arm that aimed at his head.

"I happen to be one of the BEST masseuses in school," Brian said huffing and crossing his arms over his chest, sticking his chin out. "You just don't know it."

Scott snickered and then coughed, covering his mouth to stifle the laughter threatening to come out. "Whatever you say Rok," he ended up saying.

"Oh Nick," Marshall said as he saw the post it reminded he made for himself in his planner. "I need you to go to the main office and give them the receipts of all the things we've purchased for tonight."

"Oh right," Nick said remembering what Marshall had told him that morning. "I'll do that now." He got up and went to his locker. Once he found the folder with receipts of their recent expenses he waved it front of the guys. "I'll be back!" With that he went up to the main office just as the freshman bell rang. He waited for a minute for the principle to be done with his current meeting and handed the folder over. After another few minutes of discussing things Nick left the office and made his way back down to the council room, bumping into Lance by the entrance to the locker room.

"Hey Nick," Lance greeted, surprised to bump into him at this time.

"Hey!" Nick said, smiling. "Long time no see, man. Where've you been hiding?"

Lance laughed as Nick put his arm around him. "No where. I've actually been doing everything BUT hiding. I joined the genesians!"

Nick chuckled. "That's awesome man," he said as they walked over to the council room. "Going home or something?" He nodded at Lance's backpack.

Lance nodded his head and then shook it. "Actually, yah but I was going to see what Marshall was up to," he said instead.

Nick nodded his head. "He's inside, come on in," he said and he inserted his ID card and soon they both entered. "Lookie who it is Marsha," he said, laughing.

Marshall sneered at Nick before narrowing his eyes and then smiling over at Lance. "Hey Bass," he greeted. "Where you been, kid?"

"Around," Lance replied, shrugging.

"He joined genesians," Nick added, walking over to take his seat.

Marshall widened his eyes. "That's awesome kid," he said. "You coming tonight?"

Lance nodded his head and grabbed an extra chair and pulled it up over to the table and took a seat between Nick and Marshall. He started to fill Marshall on everything that happened since the last time they'd talked. While the rest of the table talked about the last minute preparations.

* * * * * * * * * *

As soon as Justin got home he dropped his book bag down by his bed and flopped on the bed, stomach down and closing his eyes. His mood had taken a huge down fall and he was at that point where he didn't want to go to the event at school that night. He didn't understand just why he felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and he didn't understand why he wanted to cry as badly as he did. He sniffled into the pillow.

Lynne walked up to Justin's room and was about to knock on the door when she noticed that it was opened. Gently, she pushed the door more open and peaked inside. She frowned when she heard a few muffled sniffles escape from her son. Walking inside and over to the bed, she sat down on the bed and placed a comforting hand on his back. "Honey," she said as she ran soothing circles over his back. "Want to tell me what happened?"

Justin sighed as he rolled over on to his back and shook his head. He was just being overly emotional. He knew that. There was no way Nick would ever be interested in Lance. No way. At least that's what Justin hoped. "Nothing," he told his mother.

Lynne shook her head and cupped Justin's face with one hand. "Honey," she said. "I don't believe that."

"It's just really stupid," he said and when Lynne gave him a look he continued. "I just got jealous, that's all. I haven't seen Nick since Saturday, right, and like tonight would be the first time I'd get to see him and I was all excited about it too. Then when I was leaving the locker room I heard his laughter and when I looked I saw that he had his arm around Lance and that was the first time I felt like someone had just ripped my heart out."

Lynne's face softened as she looked at her son. "Oh, honey," she said. "Don't you think you're kind of overreacting, just a little?"

Justin sighed. "I know," he said. "But it still doesn't stop the pain I felt... It's like my brain understands it but my heart doesn't."

"Did you see them do anything more than just laugh, anything at all that might indicate something more was going on between them?" Lynne questioned.

Justin shook his head. "No," he said in a quiet voice, pouting. "I guess I'm just a jealous kinda guy!"

Lynne chuckled. "Honey," she said. "I've seen the way Nick looks at you..." She paused as she furrowed her forehead in thought. "Who's Lance?"

Justin sneered. "This guy in my homeroom and PE class. I think he's got a thing for Nick too," he responded, rolling his eyes. "He and Nick know each other through one of Nick's friends in the student council."

Lynne nodded her head. "Oh okay," she said.

"He's coming tonight," Justin added with a look of unhappiness on his face.

"I'm sure that if you wear that suit we bought the other day," Lynne started. "There is no way Nick would be looking at anyone else but you!"

Justin couldn't help the small smile that came on his face. "Sure," he said.

"I'm serious, sweety," Lynne said reaching over and tugging on one of his curls.

Just then Justin thought of something. He grabbed his mothers hand before she pulled it away from his hair. "Mama," he said, sitting up. "Could you give me a hair cut?"

"A hair cut?" Lynne questioned, looking at Justin. "Honey, I just gave you one last week!"

Justin shook his head. "No, I mean yes, mama," he said getting up and headed over to his book bag. After a few seconds of looking through it he walked back to the bed with a paper in his hand. "I want this kinda hair cut!"

Lynne took the piece of paper from Justin and looked at the child-like sketch and then looked back up at Justin. "I don't think I know how to do this..." She said, sadly and then got an idea. "BUT there is that place a block down... we can ask them to do it."

Justin's sad face soon was beaming. "Really?" He questioned, bouncing in his spot, excited. "Let me just go and shower first and can go..."

Lynne nodded her head and laughed at the way her son was acting. "I'll go take a shower myself," she said getting up and walking out of the room to her own room.

Justin didn't waste any time as he ran into the bathroom and quickly got out of his clothes and into the shower. Within minutes he walked out of the bathroom, clean and damp, with a towel wrapped around his waist. He walked over to his dresser and took out a pair of boxers. He then went over to his closet and proceeded to get dressed in normal winter clothes since he was just going out to the hair parlor. Fifteen minutes later he was all dressed and walking down the hall to his parent's room.

"Mom?" He questioned, knocking on the door. "You ready?"

Lynne opened the door and smiled at him. "Almost," she said and walked over to her closet and took out a sweater to wear. Once she had it on she put her socks on and then her snow boots. "Okay, I'm ready!"

Both Justin and Lynne walked downstairs to the closet and put their winter coats on. Once that was done they walked out of the apartment and made their way downstairs. It wasn't until ten minutes later that they walked into the warm hair salon. Justin looked around and smiled to himself seeing that there weren't many customers in the place. He smiled at the four women and two men in the room who looked like they worked in this place.

"Hello," a woman greeted him as he walked over with a smile on her face. "How can I help you!"

Justin and Lynne both smiled at her as Justin dug into his coat pocket and retrieved the folded piece of paper out. "Hi," he said. "Um, I would like to know if you can cut my hair like this..." He showed her the picture, biting his lip, praying that the lady would know how to.

The woman looked down at the drawing and frowned as he shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "I can't do that!"

Justin's face dropped.

The woman took the paper and walked over to the other hair dressers and asked.

Justin watched as one by one they said no, shaking their heads, and each time Justin felt sick and light headed. It wasn't until the drawing got to the last person who said that she could do it. Justin stopped breathing as he looked at her with hopeful eyes.

She nodded her head and laughed at Justin. "Why don't you go and take a seat," she suggested nodding at her station. "I'll be right with you."

Justin beamed as he took his coat off and handed it to his mother who sat in the waiting area and walked over to the chair. A few minutes later the lady walked over to him and smiled. She looked at the picture one more time and nodded her head. "Do you want to dye your hair or anything like that before I start cutting?" She questioned.

Justin licked his lips as he thought about it. "Blonde," he said looking at her in the mirror with a smile. Sure he was blonde but the blonde he had was like light brownish blonde. He wanted to be completely blonde.

She nodded her head and went about getting everything ready.