Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 17:27:37 EST From: aCi 2785 Subject: Love Interest - Chapter 14 Last time on Chapter 13 of Love Interest - "I went outside, and he was still out there. He told me he felt electricity when he kissed you, and he asked me if you felt it too." Justin replied, almost like he had been defeated at something. "You know I didn't baby, I only feel electricity with you. God, I feel electricty when I'm near you Justin, not just kissing you. No one could take away from me." "I got pissed though, and I threatened him. When I went to punch him, well, let's just say he kicked my ass." Justin said almost embarrassed to admit it to his boyfriend. His head drooped, he didn't want to look Josh in the eyes after admitting it. "What did he do to you?" Josh asked, lifting his face to look at him. "He punched me in the stomach. Then in the face, then he kneed me in the face while I was on my knees. He stopped after that, but then he told me that you were definetly his now. He said you were only dating me because of my looks, and now that he had taken them from me, that I wasn't what you wanted." "That's not true Justin. I don't love you just for your looks. You, you are so beautiful Justin, not just because of your angelic face, or toned body." Justin blushed at the response. "But because of the kid I grew up with. The intelligent, mature, and caring person that I shared a room with every tour. And most of all your beautiful, because your Justin Randall Timberlake, right now, even with a black eye, and a cut lip, you are ten times more perfect then anybody else on this world. Every day I thank God that I am lucky enough to have you as my boyfriend, even if you didn't have a face, I would still be that lucky." ____________________________________________________________________________ "Justin, the beauty in you hasn't left. A black eye and a cut lip aren't going to take my love away from you." Josh clarified it all, and smiled. Justin shed a few tears, Josh not sure if he was touched by his words, or upset about the situation. "Why's he doing this to me? We're friends, I never did anything to hurt him." "I don't know baby, I don't know." Josh pulled Justin into a tight embrace again, and held him as he cried. ____________________________________________________________________________ Meanwhile..... "Chris, what the fuck have you been up to? I mean, it was one thing for you and Josh to kiss, but you beat up Justin?" Joey had finally caught up to Chris, wondering where he was going took a back seat to the topic at hand. "I like Josh. I kissed him, then he hit me." Chris replied rejectedly, maybe if he played off Joey's friendship he would be able to have an ally on his side. "Damn right he hit you, he's dating Justin. They love each other." Joey had to contain himself from laughing. "Yeah, I know." Chris's hopes were shot down, it was obvious Joey wasn't go to take his side. "That isn't a reason to hit Justin. Damn, you beat him up bad Chris." Joey's voice was growing with anger. He felt it hard to identify with the bestfriend that stood before them. For as long as the group had been together, Justin had been the one they all protected, even when he didn't want the protecting. And now one of them had done the damage to Justin, and Joey found it hard to choose. "He yelled at me for kissing Josh. I just defended myself." Chris replied back harshly. "He had every right to yell at you. You kiss his boyfriend, you tried to take his boyfriend from him. And don't give me the shit that you were defending yourself. As much as I hate to admit it, Justin may be a big kid, but he ain't tough in any sense. He's never had to defend himself. You know after one hit he would have been done." Joey yelled back, and was startled to realize that a few of the background dancers were watching him as his words came to a close. He looked at them, and they took off, leaving the hallway empty besides himself and Chris. "I don't care if he can't defend himself. He started it, I ended it." Joey couldn't believe what he was hearing. But before he could get out another word Chris was gone. Heading back towards where ever he had been heading. ____________________________________________________________________________ "Hello?" A familiar voice answered the phone. "Um, yeah, this is Christina. We are kinda having a problem, and we want to be put up in a hotel tonight. And what would be the possibility of rescheduling the first day of the tour, one back?" "I can get you the hotel, and if you have a good reason then maybe the postponed date." PR replied over the phone. "Well, sorta been a fight among us, and I don't think Justin is up for the show tonight." Christina let him know, and worried as the phone line became quiet. "Alright, one day, but this pushes us on a busier schedule. So no more bullshit for the rest of the tour. Tell the bus driver to take you over to the Hilton. The reservations will be made by the time you get there." "Thanks." Christina clicked off the phone, and walked out into the tour bus. Josh and Justin were still in there bunk. Brittney, Lance, and Samantha were in the back talking, while Joey and Chris were now back on, neither of them were talking to each other. Although they sat in the same area. Christina hesitated, and went to the back with the people she knew were talking. "So?" Brittney asked after seeing Christina's face. "The driver is taking us to the Hilton. We have the concert tomorrow night, but after that we have a much busier schedule to follow." Christina replied to the question that had been asked with only one word. "Alright, then tonight we work this out. All of us." Lance spoke up, as the bus drove onto it's destination. ____________________________________________________________________________ "What?" Josh asked as he opened his door in a towel. Justin was sitting on the bed, holding an ice pack on his eye. "We need you guys in my room in ten minutes." Lance replied politely, even though Josh had just blown up at him. He could understand that Josh was not in a good mood, he was after all having problems with his friend that involved his boyfriend. "For what?" Josh asked still annoyed, checking to make sure Justin was still okay he looked back to find Justin still sitting there, wincing at how cold the ice was on his face. "A meeting, we are working this out." Lance replied, and at the sight of Josh's mouth opening to deny it, he spoke again. "And don't say no, because if you won't come over, then I'll bring the meeting to your room. And yes I do have a key, so don't even ask." Lance snickered, and walked off, giving Josh and Justin about 5 minutes to get ready before they were wanted in the other room. "Justin baby, there's a meeting in Lance's room in 5 minutes. Um, we have to be there." Josh didn't know how to tell Justin that he was expected to confront Chris after everything he had been put through by his bandmate. "You okay with that?" Josh asked, as he took a seat next to his boyfriend. "I don't have much of a choice do I?" Justin asked, knowing by Josh's face that he didn't. "No, Lance said if we didn't go, he would bring it here." "Are you going like that? Cuz if you are, the answer would be yes right away." Justin teased, and Josh looked at himself. Realizing he was still clad in a towel, he walked back to the bathroom to get changed. Justin stood up, and tossed the ice pack on the dresser. When Josh exited the bathroom they left, heading for Lance's room. "Coming." They both could hear Lance's voice, as they waited outside the door. Opening it, he ushered them, and they found themselves the last to arrive, even Samantha was there. Justin walked to the far side opposite of Chris, and took a seat. Josh took a seat next to him, and Lance addressed them all. "Um, you all know why we are here. So, you three can start the meeting." Lance said only that, and took a seat, he waited, and watched the scene. "Okay, I'll start." Chris made light of the situation with sarcasm, but was met with no laughs. Standing and frowning, he stepped in front of everyone. Feeling uncomfortable, he found it much easier to lean against the dresser on the wall, then stand upright in front of his friends. "Alright, here it goes. I love Josh, and I kissed him. I know it was wrong, I know I shouldn't have done it. But I did. And now everything is fucked up." Chris didn't even seem to have pain, or understanding in his eyes or words for Justin or Josh, something that surprised the both of them. "That's all you can say, is that you did it, and it was a fuck up? You almost cost me one of the few things that make me happy in this world. If I didn't have a career I'd be able to live with it, but I lost Justin, I don't know what I would do. And all you can say is that you fucked up." Josh yelled, catching everyone off guard, except for Chris, he was expecting it, and just shook his head. "I know, it was an accident. I understand that you love Justin, but I had to know. I had to know if there was any chance for me. I couldn't go on living, knowing that I never tried to get you, that I never kissed you at least once." Chris replied, his words having some merit behind them, but still no reason to risk a relationship. "That's it, you had to kiss me at least once? You think that justifies what you did? Bullshit. I don't know if anything could justify you kissing me." Josh reacted harshly again, his voice staying at a steady yell. "And you have justification for hitting me?" Chris shot back, waiting for a reply to that. "You kissed me, I think I should hit some one that kisses me when I have a boyfriend." Josh yelled. "And anyways, you hit Justin. No, you didn't just hit him. You beat him up, I mean, you kneed him in the face, and the things you said to him. You made him feel worthless compared to you." "Don't speak for Justin. If he has something to say to me, then let him say it." Chris's words startled Justin, he didn't realize that Chris would challenge his words. "I thought we were friends Chris? It's one thing to kiss my boyfriend, I could have forgiven you for that. But, you know I couldn't have beaten you even if I tried, and you didn't stop after one hit." Justin spoke up, much to even Josh's surprise. He had come into the room thinking he was there to speak for himself and Justin, and he was a little taken back by Justin's forwardness. "We are friends Justin. I'm sorry I hit you, I'm sorry I didn't stop after one hit. And I'm sorry for what I said to you." Chris got looks from everyone in the room except Josh and Justin questioning what he had said. "They don't need to be restated, but I'm sorry for saying them. I'm sorry that I hurt you, and I know you probably think I'm full of shit. But I'm not. I know we aren't going to be friends for a while, I tried to take your boyfriend and then I beat you up, but I want to try. You too Josh, I want to make things better between us. Whaddya say?" ____________________________________________________________________________ TBC..... ____________________________________________________________________________ Cliffhanger baby.....Do you think Josh and Justin will want to work things out?