| Chapter 14 |
| TWO WEEKS LATER... Lance walked around the empty apartment, biting his bottom lip in thought. Joey followed behind him, checking out the place and wrinkling his nose at the dust caked on the windows. "Well, it's definitely going to need some work," he said, "but it looks pretty good." "Yeah," Lance nodded. "It's cheap too. I'll still have to get a job to pay the bills, but that shouldn't be too hard. Hopefully." He sighed and smiled at Joey, holding his arms out wide and motioning to the room. "So Joe, what do you think? Is this me, or what?" Joey ran a finger over a pile of dust and grinned at Lance. "Oh yeah, this is all you." Lance rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Joey, heading for the kitchen. Joey wiped his dusty finger on Lance's arm as he walked by and followed him. "I like it," said Lance, sitting down on an old wooden chair in the middle of the kitchen. "I haven't lived alone for a long time, so I think this will work nicely." He bit his lip and looked up at Joey. "Do you think Justin would want to see it? Or would that be like, rubbing it in his face? I don't want to hurt him Joe. I don't. He's still my friend," he sighed, "I hope." Joey patted Lance's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Give him some time, Lance. He'll come around. This breakup hasn't been easy on anyone, and you both deserve to be happy." He looked around the room and nodded. "I think this place could be a kick-ass bachelor pad." Lance laughed. "You think so?" Joey grinned. "Hell yeah. Allow me to demonstrate." He walked into the living room area of the apartment and pointed to a place near the window. "You could have your TV right there. Then right in front of it, have a big ass couch to sit on, and for "special occasions" make-out on." He winked, making Lance grin and roll his eyes. "Then, right over here in this corner, you can have like, a lamp or something. Ooh yeah, a lamp with a leopard print lamp shade!" Lance cringed when Joey grinned excitedly. "Add some food to your fridge and you're all set buddy." Lance shook his head. "Ahh, the simple life," he laughed. "Joey, what would I do without you?" "Sulk, pout, and live a boring ass life," grinned Joey. "You should just thank me now. Go ahead. Say it." "Go away." "But-" "No. Just go." Joey stuck his tongue out at Lance, making him laugh. A loud growling noise interrupted the silence, and Joey made a face, putting a hand on his stomach. "Dude, I'm hungry," he grinned. "Lets go get lunch somewhere. I'm starving." Lance nodded. "Okay, sounds good. Where do you want to go?" Joey thought for a minute. "How about that little restaurant downtown? It's kind of like a coffee shop, with live bands and everything, but it makes a mean burger." Lance's face fell a little. "Oh. Okay, yeah sounds good." "Lance? What's wrong?" Lance smiled a little. "Not the best memories there," he said. "That's where, you know, everything happened with Justin and JC." Joey cringed. "Woah. Sorry man. I didn't know that was the place. We can go someplace else if you'd like..." Lance shook his head and waved the idea off. "Nah, don't be silly. It's fine. It's the closest place anyway. And if you don't get some food in you soon there'll be hell to pay." He grinned. "I can see you getting thinner by the minute." "Haha," said Joey dryly. "You think you're so funny Bass." He turned to the side and Lance gasped. "What?" Joey asked, looking around. "What's wrong?" Lance put a hand to his chest and let out a breath. "Oh, there you are," he said in relief. "You've gotten so thin that when you turned to the side I couldn't see you!" He started laughing at the look on Joey's face. "Fuck you Lance." "I'll pass, thanks." "That's it. You're paying for lunch." ~*~ Twenty minutes later, Lance and Joey walked into the small coffee shop. Joey looked around as Lance got them a table. The place looked like a restaurant during the day. The lights were brighter, and there were more people seated at the tables and booths. The hostess showed them to a table and handed them each a menu. "Your waiter will be with you shortly," she said politely, and Lance smiled and thanked her. Joey watched her walk away and whistled softly. "Damn, I wonder if she's on the menu," he said, winking at Lance. Lance shook his head and shot Joey a look. "You're such a pig." "And proud of it baby." As the two friends continued to argue softly, the girl who had seated them headed back into the kitchen. She looked around for the shop's newest employee, and spotted him a little ways down, drying dishes. "Joshua!" she called, walking over to him. He turned around and she caught the way he rolled her eyes at her. "Kelly, would you stop calling me that?" he growled. "It's JC, or sir." She rolled her eyes and hit him with a menu. "Whatever," she laughed. "You've got two customers at table two. Go to it. And hey, they're both pretty cute." She laughed when he glared at her. "Remind me not to tell you anything ever again," he grumbled, setting the plate down and snatching the order pad from her, tucking it into his apron. "You need to stop trying to set me up with customers." "Even the cute ones?" JC thought about it. "Okay, maybe just the cute ones." Kelly laughed, and JC winked at her as he walked by. Going through the double doors, he ran into somebody. "Oh, hey Randy," he said to his manager. "Yo, JC," he said, grinning. "You're going to perform tonight, right?" JC chuckled as he headed for his table, looking at Randy over his shoulder. "Yeah, we'll see," he grinned. "Maybe I forgot how to sing." Randy shook his head, the dread locks twirling around. "Ain't possible," he said. "Not with your voice." JC laughed as he stopped in front of table two, waving at Randy. Looking down at his order pad where had written down the specials, he gave the two men at the table his little speech. "Hi, welcome to Randy's Place. Today's special is the teriyaki chicken with a baked potato on the side, or you can order a side of fries. What can I get you to drink?" "JC?" JC's eyebrows furrowed together. Where had he heard that voice before? It was soft and surprised, but it still sounded very familiar. Looking up, his eyes met wide green ones. He felt his arms fall limp at his sides as he stared at the man's face, his eyes wide and unblinking. "Lance," he whispered. |