The Changing Moods of Lance Bass Tuesday "Lance, I need to talk to you." "What is it, Jayce?" Lance looked up from his computer for the briefest of moments. "I’m worried about you." "Is that so?" "Will you just look at me when I’m talking to you?" "You don’t need to get agitated." "Yeah, well you don’t need to be rude, you prick. I said I was worried about you." Lance swiveled in his chair until he was facing JC. He grabbed his glasses and tossed them on the computer desk. He then crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest. He gave all of his attention to JC. "I’m sorry," Lance said, his tone sarcastic. "Was there something you wanted to talk about, Josh?" JC decided that Lance’s attention, however misdirected, was good enough for him. "You’ve been very...hmm...well, unobtainable, and...standoffish, borderline snotty." "Well, thanks a lot. I’ll be sure to correct the problem, now that I know there is one. You’re a great friend, Josh." "Okay, someone should really tell you that sarcasm is not an attractive quality." "Even though I wear it so well," Lance deadpanned. "You’re a jerk." JC left the room in a huff, while Lance picked up his glasses, put them on, swiveled to face the computer and resumed his business. Wednesday JC heard a knock and turned his head as the door opened. "Hey Josh," Lance said with a bright, winning smile. "What are you up to?" "What do you care?" "That’s not fair, I just came to say hello." JC was thrown by Lance’s chipper attitude. "Just yesterday you treated me like crap and now you’re trying to be my best friend again." Lance looked hurt. "Why would I try to be your best friend when I thought I already was. We aren’t best friends, Josh?" JC immediately felt guilty. "Of course we’re best friends, Lance. I’m sorry, I was just confused. Did you wanna do something today?" "Actually, that’s why I stopped by. We haven’t done anything, just the two of us, in a while. I thought you might want to go get lunch or shop...I dunno, you’re the creative one." JC smiled. Lance was back to normal, or as normal as Lance ever got. Thursday "Lance..." "No." "No?" "No." "Um...okay..." ......................................................... "Lance..." "Didn’t I say no?" "You did." Pause. "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I’m doing?" "It looks like your cleaning...you do realize that you’re a twenty something bachelor...we don’t know how to clean." "Sure...it’s just this damn carpet. It’s really dirty. I never noticed before today. I need to clean it. I bought a carpet shampooer." "You bought one? Why?" "Well, you never know when you might need one." "Most people just rent them." "I’m not most people." "No, you’re not." ............................................................... "Lance..." "No." "Geez. This conversation is getting repetitive. Do you think you could stop dusting the t.v. for a second and come pick up dinner with me?". "No time." "You can’t take a break?" "The dust bunnies never take a break, Jayce." "Even on vacations?" "No, the dust bunnies never take breaks. Why don’t you ask Joey?" "It’s ninety degrees outside, the air conditioner in my car is broken, and Joe is the biggest guy I know." "Alright, go alone. Look, I really hate to leave you hanging, but this is important." Lance had moved on to cleaning under the couch cushions. "Eww..." Lance lifted up a moldy piece of pizza crust that he found. "Good god, I’m living with a bunch of cave men." JC gave up on Lance and went out by himself. Friday JC grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee. He sat down, bypassing the cream and sugar. He looked around the table. Justin was munching noisily on his cereal, Chris was reading the newspaper. Every once in a while he would smile or chuckle. JC suspected he was reading the comics. Joey was barely awake. His eyes would slowly close and then quickly snap open. Then slowly close... Justin’s spoon fell to the table with a clank. JC looked in the direction where Justin’s eyes were glued. Slowly the other guys caught on and they all gawked at the doorway. Moments later they diverted their eyes from Lance, everyone except for JC. "So, Lance." Chris began. "What are we doing today?" "Not much." JC decided that somebody needed to speak up. "Lance...have you...um...did you decide to go for a new look?" Lance looked puzzled. "Naw, this old thing." Lance pointed at his shirt. "I’ve had it for years and I never really felt like wearing it. Then this morning it called to me." "It’s awfully pink, don’t you think?" Lance shrugged. He was wearing a tight, three quarter length shirt, with tight, three quarter length sleeves. It was an eye catching shade of pink. Lance was dressed normally everywhere else except... "Are you wearing lip gloss?" "My lips were dry and I ran out of chapstick." Lance sat down at the table and JC returned to his coffee. He was done with the conversation. .................................................. JC sat with his back against the arm rest of the couch. His feet were propped on a pillow that rested on the other end of the couch. He was working on a crossword puzzle when... ompfh!!! Lance threw himself on JC’s lap. "Hello darlin’," Lance drawled lazily. "Hi, Lance. Are you comfy?" "Very...Did anyone ever tell you that you look adorable with your glasses on?" "Not recently." JC felt very uncomfortable. "I was watching you, you know. I was across the room. At first I didn’t want to disturb you. You looked so cute, concentrating on that silly puzzle. But I decided that I wanted to sit with you. I wanted to be closer to you. To touch you." "To touch me?" JC squawked. Lance petted JC’s cheek. "You’re so pretty, Josh." Lance pecked JC’s lips. Then before JC could react, the kiss was over and Lance was gone. Saturday JC primped in the mirror before exiting the bathroom. "Finally," Lance hissed, as he breezed by JC. JC shook his head. Lance had been in a pissy mood all day. JC had come into Lance’s room for a visit earlier in the day. He had wanted to talk to Lance about the kiss. Lance had basically told him to get lost and find a friend. JC was semi hurt. "I’m so stupid." JC muttered to himself, in the safety of his room. "Of course it was just a little friendly thing. Guys kiss guys when they’re friends...right? Great, now I disagree with myself!" Unknown to JC, Lance was standing in the doorway. He watched JC pace back and forth. "Even if I don’t know what the hell it was....Lance shouldn’t have dismissed it the way he did. My feelings are important, too." "I know they are." JC turned and faced the door, when he heard Lance’s voice. "What are you doing?" "I want to talk to you." "About what?" "About what happened yesterday." "Alright. Talk." Lance couldn’t think of anything to say. He could sense JC’s impatience. "If you weren’t so cool and mean right now I might be able to make my argument." "So, it’s my fault, is it?" Lance sighed heavily. He walked until he stood in front of JC. He reached a hand up and JC flinched. "Relax." Lance mumbled. His hand continued it’s trek. It slowly pushed JC’s hair away from his face. "I care about you, Josh..." Lance’s breath tickled JC’s face and he closed his eyes. "I’m in love with you." JC’s eyes snapped open. He pulled away from Lance. "Whoa! Hold up a second. You’re in love with me?" "Isn’t that what you wanted to hear?" "So, you’re not in love with me?" "No...I am in love with you...I just thought you wanted me to mention it...now." JC looked at Lance skeptically. Lance sat down on JC’s bed. He looked down at the floor and said, "How do you feel about me?" Lance’s eyes moved and searched JC’s for the answer he was desperately seeking. "Lance...I don’t know. I mean you kissed me yesterday and I can’t even tell if I liked it. You ran away." "What if you knew you liked it?" "Well, I guess it would clear everything up..." JC was interrupted by Lance’s lips upon his own. When had Lance gotten so close? When the kiss ended, JC said, "I’ll get back to you." He then left the room. Sunday Lance paced back and forth in the living room. Joey and Justin were seated on the couch, watching Lance pace. "Pacing should be a new Olympic sport," Justin said. "Lance would be a good pacer." "It’s sad that all we have to do is watch Lance pace." "It is sad. What’s Chris doing?" "Don’t know." "Why don’t you ask him?" "Because I’m relaxing. Why don’t you ask him?" "Well, I’m the one who wanted to know...so, you ask him." "Huh?" Lance sighed. "If we were on Gilligan’s Island, Chris would be the professor." "You’re being really philosophical today, J." "I’d be Ginger." "I’d probably be the Skipper." "So, who’d be Gilligan. JC or Lance?" "Lance." "Then who would JC be?" "JC would be Mary Ann." "Oh." "Was there something we could do for you, Lance?" Joey asked. "No." "Shh, Joe. Don’t disturb him, he’s practicing. I’ll call the Olympic committee." "Do they have a committee?" "I guess so. I mean, they must have a committee." Lance walked out of the room. "I don’t think Lance wants to be an Olympic pacer anymore." "Guess not." "We should start a committee." "A committee for what?" "A committee to elect new *N SYNC members. The ones we have just aren’t fun anymore. Even Chris. He used to be fun and now he’s just..." "Old." "Yeah, like super old. I mean he’s like thirty. That’s like really old." "Yeah." ....................................................... JC had spent the better part of Sunday morning hiding away in his room. He didn’t want to confront Lance. He really didn’t know what to think. Besides, God would be mad if he discussed these matters on his day. Sundays are meant for worship, sleep, and good meals. Work and difficult decisions are not permitted. ‘Neither are gay relationships,’ a small part of his brain whispered. JC shushed it immediately. Catholics weren’t strict enough to lash out at gays. Monday "It’s just another manic Monday, I wish it were Sunday, cause that’s my fun day, my I don’t have to run day, it’s just another manic Monday," Justin sang as he danced around the kitchen table. Everyone else groaned at him. Everyone not counting JC, who remained in his room. "What happened? You used to hate mornings and now you’re singing?" Chris asked Justin. "I have important business to do today. I need to start interviewing candidates. It’s part of my job as the co-chairman of the committee." "That went way over my head, Justin." "I know it did, Chris. That’s why you aren’t part of the committee. Note to self, interview tenor/alto singers." Tuesday "Lance, I need to talk to you." "What is it, Jayce?" Lance looked up from his computer for the briefest of moments. "Wow, deja vous." "Really?" "Yeah." JC shook his head. "Anyway, I think I could fall in love with you." "Well, that’s wonderful." Lance was sarcastic. "Maybe if we fuck a few years you might develop some feelings for me. Is that it?" "Whoa, no! That’s not what I meant. Let’s just kiss and see if a relationship will develop." Lance shrugged. "Alright." THE END