| Chapter 5 |
| Lance sat down in the booth in the kitchen area of the tour bus as it headed for the hotel. He pulled out his book and tried to pick up where he had left off, but before he could really get into it, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. JC, Justin and Joey had been acting really weird that morning. Lance rolled his eyes slightly and grinned to himself. Well, weird for them. While Lance had acted like he was deeply into their meeting with Johnny, he wasn't stupid. He could see the way Justin would look at him from underneath his eyelashes. That wasn't new. Justin had been doing that a lot lately. Lance smiled to himself and flipped the page. Now, JC and Joey, they were more confusing. Lance was really close to both of them, and he had no idea what was going on, but he figured if they wanted him to know they would tell him. Lance sighed, but before he could get through another page, he felt someone plop down next to him. He groaned inwardly but smiled at the man next to him. "Hey Josh, what's up?" JC smiled, almost nervously Lance noted, and kept looking towards the back of the bus. Lance set his book down and turned toward his friend. "Something wrong?" he asked. JC turned at the sound of Lance's worried voice. "Nah, I'm cool," he said. "I just, I have a problem and I need to talk to you." Lance nodded, and JC continued. "But not here," he said, almost in a whisper. "Not with Just- er, I mean, not with the other guys around." Lance caught his slip and wondered what it meant, but he ignored it for now. "Sure Josh," he said, patting JC's back. "Anytime you wanna talk, you know I'm here." JC gave him a sunny smile and hugged Lance tightly. "You're the best!" he said, before scampering off to the back of the bus. Lance shook his head and picked up his book again. He was right in the middle of chapter six when he heard someone clear their voice. He sighed quietly but smiled up at Joey and scooted over to make room for him on the booth. "Hey Joe," he said. Like JC, Joey looked kinda nervous, and he spoke in a whisper, like he didn't want somebody to overhear their conversation. "I need to talk to you Lance," Joey said. "You gotta problem Joe?" Lance asked, ready to give his best friend any advice he needed. "Uh, no?" Joey asked more than answered. "Well, kinda. It's like this. I don't know if it's a problem or not, you see? I need some advice Poofu." Lance rolled his eyes at the nickname and punched Joey's shoulder. "Don't call me that," he said teasingly. Joey grabbed his arm and pretended to be hurt. "Ow! Oh, OWWIE! Geez, Lansten, I didn't know you were so violent! First Chris, now you? Hell, with friends like you two who needs enemies?" Lance laughed and Joey smiled. He sat up again, and the nervous appearance returned. "Anyway, we gotta talk. Later maybe?" "Of course Joey," said Lance. "Anytime you want, I'll be here." Joey grinned and pretended to knock the younger man on the end of the chin. "Thanks kid." Lance pushed Joey out of the booth, mumbling something about not being a damn kid. Joey laughed and headed to back to his bunk for a quick nap before lunch. ~*~ Lance tried his best to get interested in his book again, but it just wasn't working. He cursed JC and Joey before closing his book. He could hear the other guys laughing and Justin squealing, and he decided to join them. As he got up, he noticed for the first time the TEENBEAT magazine that sat at the other end of the table. He read the cover and rolled his eyes. He reached out to grab it and maybe flip through the pages. After all, people only got them for the articles, right? Lance rolled his eyes and thought of a large pinup picture of Justin. Yeah, right. His fingers grazed the magazine, but before he took it someone called his name. "Lance! Lansten!" Justin paused to laugh before screaming again. "POOFU! HELP! They're double teaming me!" Lance chuckled to himself and the magazine was forgotten as he headed for the back room, momentarily thinking that he liked the way Justin screamed his name. |