chapter13-15

CHAPTER 13

*Later That Night*

Justin was relaxing, waiting for someone to come get him for the meeting, when there was a knock at his door. He answered it and was surprised to see the rest of *Nsync standing at his door.

�Your room was chosen for the meeting tonight,� Chris said, explaining their presence.

�Ok, come in,� Justin replied. They sat themselves around Justin�s living area. JC, Joey, and Chris sat on the couch and Lance sat in the armchair next to the couch. �Thanks for leaving me a seat, this is my room you know.�

�We may be able to squeeze you in over here on the couch Curly,� Chris joked, trying to push Joey and JC over to make room for Justin.

�No thanks Chris, I was joking anyway,� Justin told him, sitting on the floor.

�Ok, so who want to start?� JC asked after a few moments of silence.

�I will,� Chris said. Everyone looked really confused. �No, I�m not gay,� Chris stated, causing everyone to laugh. Chris continued, �I just want to say there are no hard feelings here, for me anyway. Everyone should be completely honest. We�re practically brothers, and brothers don�t have secrets, understand?� Once a collective �yes� was heard, he continued with his speech, �We need to fix everything and I�m not leaving until we do.�

�Ah man,� Justin interrupted Chris, �Why�d we have to do this in my room?� The other guys laughed, happy to have some comic relief. They really needed it at a time like this.

�*Anyway*,� Chris said to get everyone�s attention again, �Be nice.�

�Ok, mom,� Joey joked. Then the room became silent. Lance figured he should start, but he wasn�t sure what to say first. So he just came out and said, �I�m gay too.�

�Holy shit,� JC swore. Justin was frozen. He�d wanted to hear those words come from Lance�s mouth for so long. He was at a loss for words. When JC recovered from the shock, he had a million questions. �What? Why did you, how can you, I thought, what about�?� he stuttered. Then Lance proceeded to explain exactly what he�d told Joey and Chris before. Then he said, �Oh, there�s one more thing.�

�What is it?� Justin asked, hoping - but doubting � that Lance would say he loved him.

�I think I�m in love with Joey.�

�You�ve got to be kidding me,� JC thought, �This is insane.� Justin felt like crying. Lance had to love Joey instead of him. �Shit,� he thought, �But Joey loves me.� All eyes were now on Joey.

�Lance already told me. But there�s just one problem,� Joey replied.

�What�s that?� Chris asked.

�I love Justin,� Joey stated simply.

Lance felt like his heart had been shattered. He�d finally made up with Joey and he thought he might have a chance with him. But Joey loved Justin and Justin loved Lance. �This is a mess,� Lance thought.

�Oh God,� JC gasped, �Let me guess, Justin already knows and now he�s going to tell us that he�s in love with Lance,� he said sarcastically.

�Um, yeah, actually I think I do love Lance,� Justin said shyly.

�Really?� JC said, surprised, �I was joking.�

�Well I�m not,� Justin replied.

�Woah,� Chris said suddenly.

�What??� the rest of the guys asked curiously.

�A love triangle!� Chris exclaimed.

�Huh?� Joey asked, confused.

�A love triangle,� Chris repeated, � Joey loves Justin, Justin loves Lance, and Lance loves Joey. That�s a love triangle.�

�Yeah,� JC agreed. The group meeting ended soon after, and everyone started to head back to their rooms. Justin spoke up then, �Joey. Lance. Can you guys stay for a few minutes?� he asked.

�Sure,� Joey replied as he and Lance turned around and walked back towards Justin.

�Later guys,� Chris said as he and JC left the room.

�Night,� Justin replied, �So guys.�

�Yeah?� Lance asked, speaking for Joey too.

�Can we not let this whole��thing� affect out friendships? Because you are my best friends,� Justin told Lance and Joey.

�Of course, Justin,� Joey started, �we can just go with the flow and see what happens I guess.�

�Sounds good to me,� Lance replied.

�Me too,� Justin agreed.

�Well I am going to go to bed now,� Joey said, �later.� Joey hugged both of his friends tightly and headed out.

�Me too,� Lance told Justin and he left Justin with his thoughts after hugging him. Justin was now thoroughly confused. �How come I felt all tingly when Joey hugged me? Weird.�

CHAPTER 14

Justin was in his hotel room relaxing after the show that night. He was getting a headache from all the thoughts running through his head. �I think I love Lance, but Lance doesn�t love me. Joey does love me. Could I love Joey back? Maybe. But then what about Lance?� His mind wouldn�t leave him alone. He jumped at the sudden knock on his door. �Who could be at the door,� he thought. He opened the door to see Chris. �What�s up Chris?� he asked.

�You wanna go clubbin� with me, Lance and JC?� Chris questioned.

�Not tonight, I�m too tired. Wait, Joey�s not going,� Justin said, surprised.

�Nah, he said he didn�t feel well,� Chris answered, �Well, see you later then.�

�Yeah, have fun,� Justin replied somewhat mechanically. �Joey must be really sick,� he thought out loud, �he never says no to clubbing. Maybe I should go check on him.� Without a second thought, Justin grabbed him room key and headed from Joey�s room.

*****

Joey had even surprised himself by saying no to clubbing. Usually when he had a lot on his mind, he�d go clubbing. The loud music and dancing helped to clear his thoughts. But tonight, he didn�t want to clear his mind. He wanted to think about Justin. Joey caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror across the room and saw the silly smile on his face and his pink cheeks. �Man, I�m pathetic,� he said, his voice echoing off the walls, �I hope I don�t smile and blush like that every time I think about him. That would be embarrassing. He was shaken from his daze when he heard a knock on his door. He got up and opened the door to see Justin standing there.

�Hey Joe,� Justin said.

�Hey,� Joey replied, �You didn�t go with the guys?�

�Nah, I�m too tired. Why didn�t you do? You never miss a chance to go.� Justin asked.

�I don�t know, I just don�t feel like it tonight,� Joey answered, trying not to get lost in Justin�s crystal blue eyes.

�You sick or something?� Justin asked, putting a hand to Joey�s forehead, �Nope, you don�t feel too hot,� Justin said, trying to ignore the tingles that shot through his arm when he touched Joey.

Joey was also trying to push away the wonderful sensation of Justin�s warm hand touching him. �I wonder what his hands would feel like all over my body,� he thought to himself and then scolded himself for letting his mind wander again.

Justin was the first to recover, saying, �So what movie should we watch?�

�Um,� Joey said, trying to clear his head, �I have no idea, let�s just see what�s on TV.�

�Ok,� Justin agreed. They both sat down on the couch, making sure they weren�t touching, but both very aware of each other. Joey flipped through the channels until he found a movie that suited him.

�Armageddon,� Justin said laughing, �We�ve seen this 100 times.�

�Hey, shut up. I like this movie,� Joey replied, laughing along with Justin. �Damn, why does he have to be so cute when he laughs,� Joey thought to himself.

�Joey? Hey Joey? Hello? Earth to JOEY!� Justin yelled, trying to get Joey�s attention.

�What?� Joey replied finally.

�Woah, where were you?� Justin asked.

�Just thinking,� Joey stated, �Hey, you want something to eat or drink?� Joey asked.

�Sure,� Justin replied, �How about some popcorn?�

�Ok, I�ll be right back,� Joey said. Joey hurried to the kitchenette part of his large hotel room and popped some popcorn. He returned to the living area and he smile softly when he saw Justin�s long body stretched out on the couch, his eyes closed peacefully. �Hey Justin, you asleep?� Joey asked softly.

�No,� Justin mumbled, lifting his head up and motioning for Joey to sit down. Joey sat, and was surprised when Justin put his head back down, right in Joey�s lap. Joey couldn�t figure out where to put his hands because the place where he�d normally put them was� occupied. He say for a few minutes, trying to watch the movie, but the curly mop in his lap was distracting him. He finally went against what his head was telling him, wrapping his fingers in the soft, think curls. He realized what he�d done seconds later, and started to pull his hands away. To his complete surprise, he felt Justin�s hand on his wrist, pulling his arm back to rest on the curls again. �That feels so good Joey, don�t stop,� Justin whispered.

�Ok,� Joey replied, not knowing what else to say. He began to play with Justin�s hair and was becoming very turned on by Justin�s random moans of pleasure.

Justin could feel Joey�s excitement under him and for a moment he was shocked. Then he too was starting to be turned on. Joey was praying that Justin couldn�t feel the hardness that was forming under Justin�s head. Justin then turned his head slowly to look up at Joey. They stared into each other�s eyes for a while. Finally Justin spoke, �Kiss me Joey.� Three words Joey had been longing to hear for what seemed like forever. And he wasn�t going to waste this opportunity.

CHAPTER 15

Lance sighed as he walked into the club and the loud music filled his ears. He was glad he agreed to come with Chris and JC because he needed to get Joey out of his head. Chris, JC and Lance made their way to a table near the back of the club and sat down. Chris offered to go get them drinks and left JC and Lance at the table.

JC looked over at Lance curiously, wondering why he had such a serious look on his face. �Is something wrong Lance?� he asked.

�Nah, nothing�s wrongs, I just have a lot on my mind,� Lance answered.

�Is it about Joey?� JC pressed, trying to get his friend to talk to him.

�Isn�t it always?� Lance sighed.

�I don�t know what to tell you Lance,� JC said sincerely wishing he could help his friend, �Maybe talking about it will help?�

�Yeah, maybe. I don�t even know how I feel anymore. I�m not even sure if I do love him. Maybe it�s just lust or something. I wish I could just figure this out because it�s giving me a big headache,� Lance confessed.

�Why don�t you go dance and try to forget about Joey for now. You never know, maybe you�ll find someone nice on the dance floor,� JC suggested with a teasing grin.

�I doubt there is anyone here interested in me,� Lance thought aloud as he walked to the dance floor.

�Think again,� JC mumbled, resting his head on his hand while watching Lance on the dance floor.

*****

Chris walked back to the table, smiling to himself, and trying to carry all three drinks without dropping them. When he got to the table, he put the drinks down and said excitedly, �You�ll never guess what just happened,� he paused and then continued before JC could say a word, �I just met an amazing girl at the bar. I think I�m in love.�

�Cool,� JC stated simply.

�Cool? Just cool? Aren�t you going to say anything else?� Chris asked.

�No,� JC said.

�Ok, something�s wrong. What�s up with these one-word answers? You ok?� Chris questioned.

�No, I�m not ok Chris. I have a slight problem,� JC answered.

�Well what is it? I need to go back and get that girls number before she leaves� Chris said impatiently.

�Oh, never mind. It wasn�t important. Go ahead and talk to your friend,� JC sighed.

�No way are you getting off the hook like that. Tell me what�s wrong,� Chris demanded.

�I�m worried about Lance, that�s all, ok?� JC snapped.

�All right, sorry I asked,� Chris said shortly, walking back to the bar. JC couldn�t figure out what was wrong. He decided to take his own advice and dance off all his thoughts.