Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 23:29:19
From: M. F. Luder <jmfluder@hotmail.com>
Subject: Boybands. Mysteries Unspoken. Chapter 2

Ok, here is the next post. Hopefully someone is liking it and will be nice
enough to tell me about it. At least I'm happy Angel liked it. *s*

Disclaimer: I don't know them. This is all *my* imagination. Ok? Good

Feel free to tell me anything about the story, even though it's barely in
diapers. Write to:
jmfluder@hotmail.com

To the ones that keep up with me:
Angel, for bugging me about the story.
Karen, just for being there to listen to my ramblings.

Now with the story...

Mysteries Unspoken
By M. F. Luder

Chapter 2

*****

The Mississippian opened his eyes slowly, the darkness of the room
comforting to his still groggy eyes. He had shut all the blinds off. Light
was something he didn't want. It was like even the weather was against him.
He'd be more pleased if it was raining or cloudy. But no! It had to be
sunny. At least if it was dark and raining he'd feel like the weather
understood him and that he wasn't all alone.

He looked at his wrist watch. It was just 12.30pm. He still had half an hour
before the guys would arrive to go out for lunch. Making his way to the
bathroom, he thought of his earlier conversation with JC. It was pretty
visible that he was worried about him, but he couldn't talk with him. It was
his own problem and he had to deal with it by himself.

Trying not to remember the concern look in the older man's face, he washed
his face, brushed his teeth and after combing his hair, made his way to the
bedroom.

Sitting on the bed, he realized that he wasn't in the mood to be with all
the guys in that moment.

'Not that you are *ever* in the mood lately' he thought to himself.

He was right, he had been trying to stay alone for a while lately. Believing
that maybe he could think things over and just get passed it. But it hadn't
happened. It hadn't even helped. Lunch with the guys, the idea itself make
him feel awkward in that very same moment.

"Not that I have much of a choice, now do I?" he said aloud. He couldn't
help but laugh a dry laugh. "And now you're talking to yourself. Way to go
Lance."

He stood up and walked to the chest drawer to look for something to wear,
after all his clothes were all wrinkled from the nap. Sometimes he didn't
even know why he even bothered unpacking when he knew he'll have to pack the
next day.

Checking his watch, he realized the guys would probably arrive anytime now.
Just then a knock could be heard in the room. Walking to the door, he opened
it to reveal JC and Justin standing there.

"Good to see you're in time." Lance acknowledge while letting in the room.

"Hey! We're not always late!" Complained the younger blond.

"Yeah! Only *most* of the time." He finished with a smile

Both best friend took a sit on the couch, the door to the bed room slightly
ajar. JC just then realized that Lance had changed clothes.

"You changed?"

"Yeah. They were all wrinkled from my nap." He left awkward somehow. It was
like he was being analyzed by both friends.

Justin could see that Lance felt totally uncomfortable. Looking over at the
twenty four year old, he noticed that he was actually staring at Lance.
Nudging him lightly, JC turned to look at the younger man. "You were staring
at him." He whispered back.

The dark haired man nodded, he hadn't noticed he was doing it. He just
wanted to help his younger friend, knowing that something was really wrong
and ha probably been for a long time already.

"Did you sleep well Lance?" asked the older singer. If his friend didn't
want to tell him directly, he was gonna do his best and try to pry it out of
him.

The nineteen year old was surprised by his friend's bluntness. "Josh!" he
hissed.

JC just shrugged and continued looking at the bass singer, waiting for a
reaction, any indication  that he felt uncomfortable at the question.

"Yeah, a couple of hours of shut eye is always good." Was the answer with a
small smile.

"Have you been having trouble sleeping at night that you need to take a
nap?"

"Nope. I think it was just the tiredness of the touring that is catching up
on me." He knew exactly where the older man was leading and he wasn't gonna
let his facade slip.

As the twenty four year old was gonna ask another question, a knock
interrupted him.

Lance smiled at JC and made his way to answer the door, fully knowing that
it'd be either or Joey or both of them.

"What was that all about?" inquired the younger friend.

"I needed to know if he'd been sleeping fine."

"And if he hasn't, wants makes you think he'd tell you after the way you've
been behaving!"

JC placed his face in his hands. All he wanted to do was help his younger
friend, but with his actions and persistence he was only pushing him away.

Justin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Even if he didn't think
that something was indeed wrong with Lance, he was planning on finding out.
Not only to help the bass singer, but his best friend as well. If there was
something that truly got to JC's nerves was the fact of not being able to
help a friend.

The sound of laughter brought both of them back from their reveries. Looking
up from their position on the couch, they could see Joey and Chris talking
with Lance, who was laughing at something that had been said.

"What happened?" asked Justin as he too wanted to be let on the joke.

"I  was just telling Lance how Joey and I had gone shopping earlier this
morning and he had been flirting with a cashier, everything had been going
fine until her 'boyfriend' had come by and had almost killed Joey."

The nineteen year old was holding his laughter as well as he could
considering the circumstances. Looking over at the New Yorker, he noticed
that his older friend seemed very interested on the carpet pattern and his
cheeks were completely red from embarrassment. "I can't believe it!"

"And then." Chris continued the story, throwing a glance every now and then
at his very uncomfortable friend. "He had wanted to beat the crap out of
Joey." He said as he patted him on the back. "Turns out this guy lifted
weights. You should have seen him. He was like 6"5', two hundred pounds and
muscles like Schwarzenegger!" by this time Chris himself was laughing over,
holding onto his younger friend by the arm.

"God Joey! Only this kind of things happened to you." Added the nineteen
year old as he kept picturing Joey trying to fight someone like that. It was
right down hilarious!

"I didn't know she had a boyfriend!"

"Of course you didn't. You kept telling her how beautiful she was and how
you wanted to know the city and if she wanted to help you. It was obvious
she was waiting for that Hulk to let you know she was taken!"

"What do you say if we head to the restaurant?" suggested Lance. He could
see that Joey was starting to feel a little bit uncomfortable with all the
joking around the incident.

The guys all nodded and made their way to the elevator JC too joined the
party after the laughter had died down and only patted the 'victim' on the
back, letting him know that they'll forget it soon enough.

*****

Lunch went without anything beyond the usual. Some laughing, cracking jokes,
some lettuce and carrots flying by. Nothing much.

However JC still kept a close eye on the bass singer. Everything seemed
kinda normal, but he could see under the young man's masquerade. He would
talk with the guys like nothing was going on, even laugh at the jokes. But
from time to time, he would kind of just... stay quiet. Not long enough for
anyone else to notice. no one else but JC, as he kept trying to figure out
what was wrong. Then, just as quickly ash e had gotten quiet, he'd get into
the conversation and enjoy the moment.

Now they were back on their rooms and JC kept thinking it over as he laid
down on his bed. He tried to think of something that could have the
Mississippian so worried about. It wasn't anything related to the group, as
he had put down that possibility as soon as he had thought about it. It had
to be something personal. Something private. But what?

'Maybe a fight with his parents?' he thought. Lance had always thought very
highly of them. Specially of his mother. She had been there for him,
supporting him in every way possible when he wanted to follow his dream. She
had even been on the road with them from time to time.

He scratched that possibility right away. lance and his mother had a very
tight relationship and he was sure Lance was such a great son, he'd never do
anything against her wishes.

'Then what?!'

That had been the question running through his mind when he felt someone lay
down next to him on the bed.

"Thinking about Lance again." It was an statement, not a question.

The older man sighed. "Yeah." Looking at Justin, who was sitting by his side
he continued. "You think I'm wrong? That I'm seeing too much in nothing?"

Now it was Justin turn to sigh. He too thought that something was going on
with the bass singer, even though he didn't know why. "To tell you the
truth, I do believe you're right. I noticed earlier at lunch."

"You too?"

"It wasn't easy not to look at Lance when you were staring at him." The
nineteen year old answered, remembering his friend's behavior at the
restaurant.

"I was not starting!" JC said as he turned to look at the ceiling once
again.

"Yes you were! I kept looking back and forth between you and Lance." Justin
had been surprised when Lance himself didn't notice JC staring at him and,
if he had, he hadn't shown it.

"What did you notice?"

"Nothing much." Standing up from the bed, Justin walked to the windows and
opened them, suddenly feeling short of air. "Did you notice something?"

Sitting on the bed himself, JC looked  at the nineteen year old as he walked
back to the bed and sat by his side. "Nothing too important. It was like
he'd grow somber from time to time, staying quiet for a moment, but not too
long for anyone to notice."

"You should let him be Josh. If you keep insisting him about it, you'll push
him away."

"Then what do I do?" His voice betrayed his sense of dejection. JC felt
horrible at not being able to help the younger man. He felt helpless and it
was a feeling he hated.

"He already knows you'll be there for him if he needs you. You told him
already. Now just wait."

JC sighed. Wait. A lot easier said than done.

*****

I know it took me a lot longer to put this up, but I just didn't have the
time. Sorry.

If you have anything to tell me, let me know at: jmfluder@hotmail.com

And check out my page: www.geocities.com/sdlucly/

Take care and investigate.

M. F. Luder