Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:56:54 CST From: Gay Night Subject: 98 Degrees is Hot 9 Disclaimer - This story contains gay relationships between the members of the pop music band 98 Degrees and a fictional character. This story in no way implies that any members of 98 Degrees is gay (but if they are they should feel free to e-mail me). If you are under the legal age to read pornographic material in your area please leave immediately. The author takes no responsibility for anyone's actions based upon this work of fiction. ***Everyone, I want to apologize from the start that it has taken me soooo long to get this segment out. I have been so busy lately with performances, and school that there has been no time to think, much less write. Then when I finally got time over Christmas Break I had to spend it with my family. And everyone knows how family can be, especially about stuff like this. Anyway, I have finally found some time with the short-term we have now so I should, knock on wood, be able to write MUCH more often. Also, now that I have gotten rid of my N Sync story I won't have to take time to write it as well. That is one less plot to worry about, and a whole lot less time to spend on another story. So if anyone is still reading, I'll get to the story after the last few formalities. As always - Questions, Comments, Suggestions - e-mail GayNight@hotmail.com Now that all that is out of the way. Enjoy!!! 98 Degrees is HOT!!! Nick started to beat on the door again. "Out in a second!" Jeff shouted. "According to our tour schedule," he told me, "we should be back in LA in a few weeks. You and Steve should be there recording or something, right?" "Well Paris said that we would be heading out there in four days. But he isn't going to be our manager so he didn't have any more information. At this point I don't even know who our manager is going to be, much less what we'll be doing next month. My guess is that, yes, we will be recording, so we should see you there." "I can't wait till we get back to LA. Then I'll be able to see you again." "Neither can I," I replied. We kissed lightly. Not a deep passionate probing kiss, but a light airy loving kiss. "I love you," I whispered. "I love you too," he whispered back. "But you know," he said much louder, "it isn't a secret!" We both laughed as he picked up his stuff and walked out into the hall. My laughter didn't subside until he left and I finally realized that they had just walked out of my life, if only for a few weeks, and I knew Jeff would call me. But he wasn't there for me to hold anymore. I felt strangely empty as I walked into the hall. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe for Jeff to still be there, waiting for me. Steve and Meg were standing in the hallway, obviously as empty inside as I was. I walked down the hall to them. "Well I guess that is it," Meg said as I approached. "No," I replied, "Steve and I have both been hired by Motown records, and you are coming with us to LA and probably on tour too, if we can work it out." She turned towards me with hope overflowing from her eyes, "You mean it?" "Do I ever lie?" I asked. She jumped forward the few feet between us and threw her arms around me. "I love you!" She yelled. "Careful," Steve said from beside me, "Drew and Jeff might get jealous!" "Except they aren't here!" Meg retorted, still huging me for all I was worth. "Sorry babe, but I don't do women," I said laughing. "Smart ass," she replied, reaching around and smacking me on the ass. "And I'm not into that kind of kinky stuff!" She finally released me from the hug but left her arm around my shoulder. We walked down the hall together, stopping only long enough for Steve to put his arm around Meg before continuing down to the elevator. I pressed the down button then whipped my head around when I heard a door closing on the other end of the hall. I saw Paris closing and locking the door. He then looked up and saw us standing there waiting for the elevator. "Hold the elevator for me!" he called. "Sure thing!" I replied. He started talking again, as he walked up to us. "Mr. Timmons, Jeff, gave me your telephone number and address. You should have plane tickets in the mail by tomorrow or the following day. We are sending three tickets, just in case you want to bring someone with you for the time being." He ran his eyes over Meg. "Drew said that you might have a friend that would want to come." Meg smiled. "Motown will set you up with an apartment and basic furniture. Other than that you will have to speak with your manager. At this point," the elevator made its appearance and we all stepped in while Paris kept talking, "I don't know who your manager will be, you should find out when you arrive in LA. My guess is you'll start recording after you have a few days to make yourselves at home. After you finish recording you will be coming on tour with 98 Degrees, and myself, for promotion of your new CD which will probably come out a week or two into the tour. Don't forget, this is all speculation, I'm simply guessing based on the usual." The elevator door deposited us in the lobby and we prepared to part ways. "Good luck with your manager!" Paris said. "Thanks, have a great tour," I replied. "And keep those guys in line," Meg added, causing us all to laugh. Paris turned the corner and walked towards the service entrance of the hotel, where the bus was waiting, and we walked out through the main doors to my car. As we walked down the stairs from the slightly elevated building a strange thought hit me from out of the blue, this might just be the last time we would be able to walk out in front of a hotel in public view and not have to worry about being swamped by fans. "You know, there are three of us and only two seats," Steve said as me approached the car. "Well I'm driving," I said. "So I guess Meg gets to sit in your lap." "As long as she doesn't get any ideas," he laughed. "Ideas like these?" she replied, then brushed into his leg suggestively. "Those are the ones," Steve said smiling. "Remember babe, I don't do women!" We all broke into laughter as we piled into the car. "Alright, so where to?" I asked as I pulled away from the curb. "I dunno, I'm actually pretty tired," Meg said. "Yeah, me too," Steve added. "Well then, we can drop Meg off, than go home,"I told them. "Maybe we can go to a club later tonight." "Sounds good to me," Meg said. "Have I ever said no to a club!" Steve added. "Then it's settled," I said. We were all tired so we were, for the most part, quite for the rest of the trip to Meg's house. We listened silently to the radio and watched the scenery flying by us. When we pulled up to Meg's house she quickly got out, thanked us for the ride, told us she'd see us later then dissappeared through the front door. Then we continued home, a home which wouldn't be home too much longer. "Well, I guess we have to break it to Mom and Dad," Steve said as we walked up to the door. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," I replied softly. "You wann do it or should I?" "I don't want to!" "Fine, I'll do it!" I said, exasperated. "But we'll have to wait until later when Dad gets home, I want to tell them together." Steve replied with an affirmative grunt. We walked into the house and made it to our bedrooms without being spotted by our mother who was in the living room watching her favorite soap operas. I walked over to my bed, stripped down to my boxers then lay down on top of the sheets, pulled the comforter up to my waist and promptly fell asleep. I woke up several hours later. I blinked several times to clear the grogginess then rolled over to look out the window. The sky was taking on a pink hue fading into purples and finally into a deep blue. I sighed then jerked upright in one quick motion. 'It's much more fun to wake up with Jeff right here beside me,' I mused. I got out of bed and threw my clothes back on then walked out into the hall. I could hear the sounds of pots and pans drifing downt he hall from the kitchen. 'Wow,' I thought, 'Mom is actually cooking.' I walked past Steve room, sticking my head in and waking him, then finished the short jaunt to the bathroom. I quickly relieved my overflowing bladder and began to primp in the mirror. "Alright you peacock," I heard Steve shout from the hall, "other people have full bladders too!" I laughed and finished fixing my hair before openning the door and letting him in. "Your turn, then we talk to the parental units," I told him before walking down the hall to the kitchen. "Hi son, are ya'll staying for dinner?" Mom asked. "Nope, sorry. We're going out with Meg to celebrate," I told her. "Celebrate?" "I'll explain it to you when Steve gets in here." "You talking about me," Steve said, walking into the kitchen. "Yeah, just telling mom what a pain you are," I joked. "Oh really!?!" he joked back. "Actually, Mom, would it be possible to talk to you and Dad for a little while?" "Sure honey, I'm not doing much more than stirring now," she replied. "I there some sort of problem?" "No, but there are going to be some big changes in our lives." "Alright, lets go find your father, I think he's in the living room." Judging by the sounds of the television she was right, so we all walked into the living room and found Dad splayed out on the sofa flipping through all the games. "Honey, the kids have something to tell us," Mom said, snapping him out of his TV trance. "Huh? What?" he replied, slowly coming back to reality while the rest of us giggled. "The kids have something to tell us!" Mom repeated. "Oh." He obviously wanted to get back to the TV, but he was considerate enough to at least mute it. "Remember a couple of days ago when I went to that concert?" I asked. "Yes," mom replied, "wasn't it that group that I like." I laughed lightly, "Yes, 98 Degrees. Anyway, I ended up getting to meet them after the show. I spent quite alot of time talking to them and somehow ended up telling them that I wrote some music. Well they forced me to show it to them and they thought it was excellent. They wanted me to play a little of it for them which I did, and they thought that I was really good, so they had me sing some stuff for their manager. Their manager called the label, which is Motown records by the way, and they wanted to sign me on. Then I brought Steve over to the hotel the next day and their manager found out and he talked the label into signing us both on. We both agreed and they're flying us out to L.A. in the next couple of days." Our parents nodded slowly throughout the whole "speech" and froze when I came to the part of signing on with them. When I finished, it took them several moments to become reanimated, then they both started talking at once. "What do you. . .," Dad began as Mom said, "Are you trying to say. . ." "Yes, we're moving to L.A. to sing and you can't do anything about it," Steve and I said at the same time. "But what about your job Tris, and school Steve?" Mom pleaded. "Singing is a much nicer job, and something I've always wanted to do, you know that, and it pays a whole lot better than working at grociery and department stores all my life," I replied quickly. "And I just ended the last semester of classes that counted," Steve said. "The stuff I was going to take over the summer semester were just a couple of fun classes that I wanted to take, but I can graduate now if I want to." "Now hold on one minute," Dad began again, "how can you possibly think that we are going to let the two of you run off to L.A. to try and make it in the music career. Do you have any idea how long it can take to get a break!" "Yes Dad, we do," Steve said, "but fact is we already have the break, and we weren't even looking for it. Sometimes people get lucky and we did. The label ALREADY wants to sign us on, all we have to do is go. Our jobs are already assured!" "But you can't leave us here, the west coast is so far away," Mom said. "We can't stay here forever mom," Steve replied. "We aren't your little children anymore," I added. Both parents leaned back and slowly let the knowledge that there was no way that they were going to stop us sink into their heads. I quickly spoke up before they had a chance to think of another reason to stay, "We're going out now, to celebrate with some friends. We'll be back later tonight." Steve and I stood up together and walked towards the door to the hall. We walked quickly down the hall and to the garage where the cars were parked. As we closed the door to the house behind us we heard a sudden burst of voice ring from the living room. We both looked at each other and sighed as the door shut, shutting out the voices with it. "We'd better take the Camry," I said. "That way we can fit Meg." "Good idea," Steve replied. "I get to drive," he added slyly. "Fine!" I said, grabbing the keys of the wall hook and throwing them to him. We both climbed into the car, then Steve started the engine and we pulled out of the driveway. We listened to the radio as Steve speeded through the streets. Before we knew it, we were at Meg's house parking and climbing out of the car. I knocked on the door and waited for a moment until Meg's mother came to open it. "Meghan is upstairs guys, she'll be down in a minute," she told us. "Thanks," we replied simultaneously, then turned to each other and laughed. Meg's mom just rolled her eyes and walked back into the house. we followed her in, then detoured to the living room. We sat down in the couch and silently waited for Meg. She appeared in a sudden burst of laughter and tight skirt. "Man girl!" I said. "That is almost enough to turn me straight!" "That is gorgeous!" Steve added. Meg just giggled, turned in a full circle to show the dress off then started talking. "Alright, I'm assuming that we're grabbing a bite to eat first then going to the clubs." "You got that right," Steve said, "I'm starving!" "Then let's go!" Meg yelled. Jeff sat in the bus's couch, head in his hands, staring off into nothing. He'd never really felt the way he did now. He couldn't keep his mind off of Tris. He already missed him, and they hadn't been apart but a few hours. 'This really isn't good,' he thought to himself. 'This kind of thing shouldn't happen. I've only known him for a couple of days, and already I feel attached. It isn't healthy! I had enough physc courses, before I joined the band, to know that!' Nevertheless, he did miss Tris, but he missed him in a way he had never missed anyone before. He missed Tris more with heart than anything else. "Hey Jeff," Justin said, walking over to Jeff and sitting down beside him. "Hey Justin," Jeff absently replied. "Alright man, what's wrong?" "I don't know. I feel kind of strange." "You miss Tris, don't you?" "Yeah," Jeff quietly replied. "Well don't worry, we're only going to be on tour a couple more weeks. Then we'll be back in L.A. and you can see him again." "Yeah, but what if when they get to L.A. he finds someone else. I mean, you've walked down the streets. There are thousands of good looking gay men on the streets there. Why would he want to stay with me when there all those good lookin guys just sitting around waiting to be picked up!?!" "Jeff! Man you're hopeless. He wants YOU, not some guy off the street. Besides, in case you haven't looked in a mirror lately, you're pretty darn good lookin yourself," Justin replied. "I don't know. . ." "Well I do! Don't worry about it Jeff, he'll be there when we get back. Now I have to go, it looks like Nick over there is feeling kinda down too. I'll see if I can cheer him up." "I'll come too!" They both smiled, then stood up and walked over to Nick who was staring off into nothingness. Meg, Steve, and I lay back on the couch half-asleep. "Is anyone else as tired as I am?" Meg asked. "Yeah, I definetely think so!" Steve replied. I simply moaned. "I miss Nick," Steve said. "I miss Jeff," I added. "I'm gonna call Drew," Meg said, then laughed. "Silly guys, why didn't ya'll think of that." She walked over to the phone and picked it up off the receiver and started dialing. "Drew!" she yelled into the phone. She paused, "Oh, sorry!" "This could take awhile," I said, then rolled over. The numbers on the clock blared 11:00. "Hey! Tris! Wake up!" Meg urgently spoke into my ear. "Huh, what?" I said, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "Jeff wants to talk to you," she told me. My eyes flew open and suddenly I wasn't tired anymore. I quickly grabbed the phone. "Geez!" Meg said, laughing. "Jeff!?!" I said into the phone. "Yeah!" he replied. "Hey babe!" "Hey yourself!" "Did you miss me?" I asked jokingly. "Yeah," he replied. I was surprised with the seriousness in his voice. "Hey, what's wrong?" "Oh nothing, Justin already talked to me about it." "Oh so you tell Justin and you won't tell me!?!" "Well, I was just feeling kinda depressed because I missed you already, and I was afraid that you would move to LA and find some other guy and leave me without anyone." "Oh babe," I said, pain touching at my heart, "I'd never think of doing any such thing." "I know, but it's hard to know when I'm not there with you." "You don't have to worry about it, Meg will keep me straight. Or something like that," we both laughed. "You'll never have anything to worry about." We talked into the night until we were both to exhausted to talk any longer. "Well babe, I love you, but I have to go before I pass out," I told him. "Yeah, me too. I love you." "I love you more!" "No you don't, I love YOU more!" "Alright fine, we love each other equal, which is the way it should be. I'll talk to you soon!" "Bye." "Bye." I hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. 'I wonder why Jeff was so scared. He must have had something happen to him before. I'll have to remember to talk to the guys. . .' My thoughts trailed off as I drifted off to sleep. The last thought in my mind before I fell the rest of the way into a deep slumber. Jeff hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. 'I wonder why he cares so much about me,' he thought. 'Why would anyone? . .' His thoughts trailed off into darkness as he drifted into sleep. The last thought in his mind before he feel into a deep slumber was of Tris. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Be Continued *I just want to apologize to everyone one more time for taking soooooo long to get this out. My life has been, and still is, extremely busy, and I wanted to finish my 'N Sync-Gang story to get it out of the way. Thank you all for being patient, and I am going to be looking forward to hearing from everyone about how they thought of this segmentm and their suggestions for the next segment. Thank you all for reading! Questions, Comments, Suggestions - e-mail GayNight@hotmail.com