JC paced back and forth inside the house he shared with Lance. He looked at his watch. Where was his boyfriend? He said he'd be home an hour ago, and he also said he'd call. Lance hadn't done either and JC was worried. Lance was never late. And he always called. He raked a hand through his hair and paced for another half hour, twisting the pinky ring Lance had given him for his birthday. Finally, from his bedroom window, he saw Joey's car pull into the driveway. "Oh, thank God he's okay..." But he started to feel prickles of anger. Why hadn't he called, then? If he was fine, why hadn't he called? He practically flew down the stairs, a feeling in his stomach he didn't like. He opened the door just as Lance walked up the steps, shouting a goodbye to Joey.
He turned to JC, a smile still present on his face. "Hey, Josh, sorry I'm late, but--"
"You didn't call," JC said, his voice cold. "You said you'd call and you didn't call. And you were home late."
Lance walked in the door and looked over his shoulder at JC. "I said I was sorry. My cell battery died and the place was too packed andtoo loud to use the pay phone. I think it was broken anyway."
"What about Joey's phone?" JC asked, eyes icy.
Lance turned around now, where JC had shut the door, hands behind his back. "You know he never brings it when he goes clubbin'. He thinks it'll interfere with his ability to be a chick magnet if anybody calls to check up on him."
"Then why were you late?" JC asked, taking a step forward.
Lance's eyes flashed in amazement. JC briefly forgot his anger and marveled in how expressive the green eyes were. "You wouldn't believe it, Jace. The place was packed. We couldn't get out of it and when we could, there was an accident in the road somewhere. I'm actually surprised we got back this early."
JC took another step forward. "I don't believe you," he said. "You just went clubbing with Joey and come home an hour and a half late? That's not like you, Lance..."
Lance didn't like the way JC was talking to him and he rolled his eyes. "I just told you why I was late. Calm down and let's go to bed."
"No."
Lance turned back around. "Excuse me? Josh, what's the matter with you?"
"It's not ME, it's YOU. I told you to be home by one and it's two-thirty. I told you to call and you didn't." He'd disobeyed...
"JC! I don't want to argue with you. I told you why I was late, and why I didn't call. And I'm sorry, okay? Let it go and come to bed. I'm tired." "You're tired? You're not the one that was waiting up!"
"I told you not to--" Lance began, but JC cut him off.
"Are you sure you were really clubbing with Joey?" JC asked, eyes narrowing. "How do I know you were?"
"Jace, you've never had a problem with me going out with Joey before. I was bored and he asked me to go with him since Justin went shopping with Lynn and Dani's in town, so Chris wanted to spend time with her--"
"Cause he's her boyfriend, right?" JC asked sarcastically.
Lance rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he said.
"Well you're my boyfriend and I want to spend time with you too, but you go out with Joey instead, doing God only knows what!"
"Josh, you were fine with this when I left. I asked if you wanted to come and you said you didn't, you wanted to sleep. You didn't get much sleeping done, I see. Nothing happened between me and Joey. You know I love you." JC opened his mouth to say something more, eyes on fire. "Stop this nonsense. I'm going to bed. If you want, follow me."
"Lance, I'm not done talking to you. Don't walk away from me!"
"JC, what's wrong with you? I love you to death, but I've never seen this side of you before...and quite frankly, I don't like it one bit. So...just...stay down here until you've become Josh again. I'm going to bed."
"No."
"Okay, then don't go to bed. Whatever, JC."
JC had enough and sprung forward, swinging his open hand and connecting with Lance's left cheek, his ring scraping against the side. "DON'T 'WHATEVER' ME!"
Lance staggered back, raising his hand to his reddening face, green eyes wide and looking at JC with fear. He lowered his hand down and saw blood from the scrape made by JC's ring. He slowly brought it back up against his face, and looked up at JC. Tears shone in the expressive eyes JC loved so much, and right now, the expression was quite clearly disbelief. He couldn't believe JC had hit him. He'd never done that before...he'd gotten angry, but never had he actually hit him...or threatened to hit him...
JC's eyes widened, anger disappearing as he realized what he had done. He looked at the offending hand. "Lance--" he stepped forward.
Lance shrunk back. "You hit me," he said, his voice tiny, quiet. "You hit me."
"Oh my God, Lance, I'm so sorry...I can't believe I...I'm so sorry, Lance, I'm so sorry..." He tried to reach out to Lance, but the blond backed away, eyes still wide.
He kept his hand on his cheek. "D-don't touch me, JC," he said. "Don't..." He backed away and opened the door. "Stay away from me..."
JC watched as he turned around, ran outside and jumped into his car and drove away. JC just stood and stared out the open door in a daze, staring at his hand every few seconds. Then he ran.
*****
Justin awoke sleepily when he heard his doorbell ringing over and over and over...getting out of bed, he stumbled to the door. He turned on a light and opened it cautiously. When he saw who was at it, his eyes widened. "JC? Man, come in," he said with a yawn. Noticing the shortness of breath and the slightly dazed look, he turned to his friend. He didn't fail to notice the way he was staring at his right hand. "You okay, man? What are you doing here? It's like, three in the morning--" he stopped as a thought came to him. "Lance is okay, right? Nothing happened to him?"
JC looked up from his hand. "I...I hit him," he said, his voice inaudible even in the silence of the house.
"What?"
"I hit him," he repeated, louder this time. "I hit Lance. I hit Lance hard..."
Justin's eyes narrowed and he took a step closer. "Why?" he asked angrily.
JC looked back at his hand. "I...I don't know why, I didn't mean to--" he stopped suddenly and Justin raised an eyebrow as the confused blue eyes became not so confused, rather, stony. "He disobeyed," he said in a monotone. "I told him to call and he didn't and he came home late. He disobeyed..."
Justin's eyes shot open. He was definitely wide-awake now. "What? What do you mean?"
JC shook his head as if to clear it. "I don't know," he said. "I don't know...I don't know I don't know I don't--"
Justin was confused. "Come here," he said softly, taking JC by the elbow and leading him upstairs. "Go to sleep and we'll figure everything out in the morning."
"I don't know I don't know I don't know..."
*****
Chris and Joey walked into Justin's house. Seeing JC on the couch, Chris asked, "JC, hey man, where's Lance?"
JC looked up from the floor. "I don't know...he didn't listen to me...punish...make him learn..."
Joey looked at Justin, who had just come down the stairs, in alarm. "Just? What's goin' on? Why's he saying that?"
"He hit Lance," Justin sighed. "Last night, after you guys got home...he said something about being really sorry, but once in a while he slips and becomes this angry person...like he'll say Lance disobeyed him and weird shit like that..."
Chris jumped forward but was grabbed by Joey and Justin. "He hit him? The bastard--"
"Stop, I don't think..." Justin began, but just then, Lance walked in the door.
"Hey," he said quietly. No one failed to notice the small scratch on his cheek or the puffy eyes.
JC jumped up the minute Lance spoke. "Lance?" Lance flinched but didn't move other than that. JC's face fell and he brushed past them all. "Have to go..."
"Where are you going?" Justin asked.
"Nowhere..."
Lance followed JC's retreating form with his eyes. "Lance, come in, buddy, and you can tell us what happened," Joey coaxed.
Lance sighed and followed. "There's nothing to tell..."
