Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 01:36:11 EST
From: DivaKitT@aol.com
Subject: Justin's Secrets (chapter one)

    Well, I finally got the courage to send in one of my stories. This is a
story of homosexual content, I just thought I'd say that right off the bat.
In this part, I know there is nothing to lead you to believe that this is a
homosexual story, but I have to set it all up otherwise it would just get way
too confusing.
    Disclaimer: This is a fictional story of homosexual content involving the
members of *NSYNC. To my knowledge they are not gay and I do not claim to
know that they are. If you are offended by this type of material . . . don't
read it. If you're under 18 . . . come back when you're older.
    NOW, ONTO THE STORY!!!

    The Beginning- October 1995

    "Justin, come back!" Lance called after the slightly younger boy. "We're
not done yet!"
    Lance had only been part of the group for a short while, but he had
already assumed the position of the groups' unofficial leader.
    "Let the kid play. He hasn't even seen snow in the last eight years aside
from pictures," Joey smiled, walking up behind Lance and placing a friendly
hand on his shoulder.
    Lance frowned slightly as he continued to watch Justin's receding figure
run down the narrow hallway.
    "Oh, come on, Lance! We're basically done and he's been in the studio all
day," Joey coaxed, then let out a laugh. "And you know you want to be right
there with him Mississippi boy!"
    Lance cracked a smile at that. It was true.
    "Okay," Lance finally conceded, "he can go."
    Joey placed his arm around Lance's shoulder and led the 16 year-old back
into the control room.

			       *     *     *

    Justin ran all the way out of the dark building and onto the foreign
street. He slowed down once on the sidewalk, trying to remember his way back
to the hotel.
    Justin looked up at the thick fall of snowflakes as he continued down the
sidewalk. He couldn't help but be in awe. He hadn't seen much snow in his
short life, rarely in Tennessee and never in Orlando.
    His mind began wandering, and Justin found himself thinking back on the
day. It had been so long! They'd been in the studio since seven a.m., and
they had barely stopped twenty minutes for lunch.
    Justin knew it was so they could get done with the recording as soon as
possible, and it wasn't that he didn't enjoy singing. He loved it, and he
loved the song. But eight hours is a long time for a 14 year-old to work
without a break.
    And JC.
    What was up with him? The two of them just couldn't seem to get along
lately. They could barely even be in the same room together without breaking
out into some kind of argument. Justin knew it was his fault really. He just
felt so uncomfortable around JC, he wasn't sure what to do about it, so he
usually just snapped at JC, which was normally how an argument was started.
    Justin continued down the street staring up at the snow. He couldn't
figure out what was wrong. Why was he so uncomfortable with JC? They'd always
been so close. It was only recently that they'd started arguing, within the
last couple months.
    Justin was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the person
walking around the corner until they collided. They fell and landed on the
icy sidewalk, Justin lying under the other person.
    "Förlåt!" a female voice proclaimed.
    Justin slowly translated the phrase in his head.
    "Oh! Sorry," he realized after a moment.
    "You speak English?" the girl asked immediately, a light French accent
tainting her almost perfect English.
    Justin laughed.
    "Yeah. You do too?" he asked.
    The girl nodded in response.
    Nothing was said for a moment as the two stared at each other. Then
Justin spoke up.
    "Um, could you maybe get up off me. I mean, this is okay. . . but it's a
little cold," he laughed.
    The girl blushed and immediately pushed herself up to her feet. She then
reached down to pull Justin up. He took a hold of her hand and let her help
him up.
    "Sorry," she said.
    "Don't worry about it," Justin replied, not realizing he was still
holding her hand. They stared at each other for a minute, before she blushed
and looked away only to have her gaze fall to their intertwined hands. At
this, they both blushed and let their hands drop.
    "What's your name?" Justin asked feeling a little shy, an odd emotion for
the usually outgoing boy.
    "Angelique," she answered also sounding a little shy. Then more boldly,
she asked," What's your name?"
    "Justin," he told her.
    She smiled and Justin returned the smile.
    "Where were you going?" Justin inquired.
    Angelique pointed across the street to a little cafe.
    "I was going to get some tea," she said. "My hotel doesn't have a cafe."
    "Hotel? You mean you don't live around here?" Justin asked a little
surprised.
    Angelique smiled and shook her head, her long blonde hair moving from
side to side.
    "No. My parents and I are here on vacation. . . for skiing, but I'm not
much good," she laughed.
    Justin giggled along with her.
    As their giggling subsided they began staring at each other again. Each
one studying the features of the other one. Angelique had long blonde hair
which reached the middle of her back. She tucked it behind her ears, but
there was one tendril which always fell back to her cheek. She had blue eyes
the color of the sky, competing only with his in their color. Her cheeks and
the tip of her nose were pink from the cold, giving her an almost angelic
glow.
    "Do you mind if I come with you?" Justin finally spoke.
    Angelique didn't answer for a moment. She had been staring quite bluntly
at Justin's figure, and she was obviously impressed.
    "What?" she asked, shaking herself out of her stupor and focusing back on
Justin's face.
    Justin blushed at her evident appraisal.
    "I, uhm, asked if I could come with you. . ." Justin stuttered.
    "Mignon!" Angelique giggled. "Of course you can."
    Justin got a confused look on his face.
    "Mignon?" he repeated.
    "Cute," she translated.
    Justin thought a moment.
    "Is that Swedish?" he finally asked.
    Angelique laughed lightly.
    "No. It's French."

			       *     *     *

    The two teenagers strolled into the little restaurant and found a small
booth near the large front window of the cafe.
    "I wanted to be able to watch the snow," Justin explained as he sat down
across from Angelique. "We don't get much snow where I'm from."
    "Where are you from?" she asked curiously.
    "Florida," he replied. "In the states."
    "Really? I went to Florida once when I was younger," Angelique told him.
"When I was thirteen my parents took me to Disney World and . . . what's it
called? That studios place. . ." Angelique looked up at him waiting for him
to tell her what it was called.
    "Universal Studios?" Justin asked.
    "Yes! That's it," she smiled. "It was so much fun. I got to watch them
film a TV show. I don't remember what it was called because I'd never seen it
before. There were a bunch of kids and they sang and danced and such--"
    "Mickey Mouse Club!" Justin laughed.
    "I suppose," Angelique answered confusedly. "What's so funny?"
    Justin took a moment to control his laughter.
    "I was on that show," Justin explained still laughing.
    "You were?!" Angelique asked smiling.
    Justin nodded laughing lightly.
    "Yeah, me and JC were both on that show," he said.
    "Who's JC?"
    Justin's laughter subsided and he let out a long sigh.
    "I guess JC's my best friend," Justin replied.
    "You guess?" Angelique repeated.
    Justin sighed and nodded.
    Before Justin could speak a waitress walked up to their table.
    "Hello," she said with a thick French accent.
    "Bon apres-midi," Angelique greeted the woman. The woman smiled and
looked relieved.
    "Je voudrais une tasse de the, s'il vous plait," Angelique said with a
smile.
    "Oui. Et vous monsieur?" the waitress asked.
    "Um . . ." Justin looked at Angelique for help.
    "What do you want?" she smiled.
    "Oh, um. . . tea also, I guess," Justin replied a little shyly.
    Angelique smiled sweetly at him.
    "Deux tasses de the, s'il vous plait?" Angelique translated for the
waitress.
    The woman nodded. "Oui."
    "Merci," Angelique said politely, then turned back to Justin.
    There was a moment of silence before either of them spoke.
    "Well?" Angelique said finally.
    "Well?" Justin repeated.
    "Well, what about JC?" she asked.
    Justin sighed. He had hoped that she would forget.
    "I don't know," Justin explained. "He's my best friend, but we haven't
been getting along very well lately."
    "Why not?" Angelique coaxed.
    "I don't know," Justin sighed. "Do you mind if we talk about something
else?"
    Angelique shook her head and smiled.
    The two teenagers continued talking for hours, not realizing that during
their conversation, the sun had set and the snow had begun falling in earnest.
    Justin set down the now empty mug that had contained his third glass of
tea. He glanced down at his watch.
    "Oh man!" he groaned.
    "What?" Angelique asked with worry in her voice.
    Justin sighed.
    "It's eight thirty," he told her. "When I left the studio today it was
four. The guys are probably worried. . . well, JC's probably not worried, but
the rest of the guys are probably wondering where I am. I have to go."
    Angelique frowned, her lips forming a cute pout.
    "You know that's really sexy," Justin stated.
    Angelique giggled and nodded her head.
    Justin laughed and turned to look outside.
    "Wow, it's snowing really hard. How far away is your hotel?" Justin asked.
    "Only three blocks or so that way," Angelique reported pointing in the
direction of her hotel.
    "I'll walk you," Justin suggested.
    Angelique smiled and nodded.
    Justin pulled out his wallet and laid a $10 bill down on the table.
    "Shall we?" Justin smiled.
    The couple stood up and pulled on their jackets before linking arms and
stepping out into the flurries of snow. Justin instinctively grabbed ahold of
Angelique's hand as they started down the sidewalk as if protecting her from
the harshly blowing snow.
    Five minutes and three blocks later the teenagers reached Angelique's
hotel.
    Angelique turned to face Justin with a smile gracing her pretty face.
    "Well, thank you for spending the afternoon with me, Justin," Angelique
sighed.
    Justin smiled and nodded.
    "I'd like to spend more time with you," Justin said feeling bold, then a
bit more shy, "If you'd like to."
    Angelique smiled widely.
    "Absolutely."
    "How long are you staying?" Justin asked.
    "Only until Friday," Angelique said, her smile fading.
    Justin frowned as well.
    "We're only staying until Friday too. . . " Justin said sadly.
    They stood there for a moment, not speaking, then Angelique's face brighte
ned.
    "Hey! What are you doing tomorrow?" she asked sounding excited.
    Justin thought about it for a moment, then broke into a grin.
    "I don't think we're doing anything. We finished recording today, so I
might have to go back tomorrow, but not for long," he responded.
    Angelique smile wider.
    "Do you want to go skiing?" she asked.
    "I've never been skiing," Justin reported sounding wary.
    "Come on!" Angelique pleaded giggling. "You're a dancer. I'm sure you'd
be able to pick it up easy!"
    Justin stuck his bottom lip out and pouted.
    "Fine," he said sounding defeated, "I'll go skiing with you."
    "Yay!" Angelique jumped up and down a few times before calming down. She
leaned in and gave Justin a quick peck on the lips.
    Justin looked at her a little surprised. She smiled sweetly and after a
moment, Justin returned the playful smile. He leaned in and gave her another
slightly longer kiss. Nothing dangerous. Just a gentle, innocent kiss.
    "I'll meet you here at 10:30 tomorrow morning," Justin informed her as he
pulled slowly away.
    Angelique smiled and nodded.
    "Okay. . . bye, Justin," she said softly.
    "Bye, Angel," he replied.
    Justin dropped her hand and turned to walk back to his hotel, only a few
blocks further down the road.
    "Oh! Angel?" Justin said turning around.
    "Yeah?" she replied still standing in the same place he had left her.
    "I just remembered. . . I don't have any skis," Justin informed her with
a sly smile.
    Angelique simply laughed.
    "Don't think you're getting out of it that easily, dancer boy!" she
teased. "Just be here!"
    Justin laughed and waved over his shoulder as he continued down the
sidewalk.

			       *     *     *

    Justin was still smiling when he reached his hotel. He trudged into the
elevator and hit the button for the fifth floor. He was so lost in thought
that he didn't even see JC waiting for him by the elevator when he got off.
He walked right past JC to his door.
    JC cleared his throat, but it didn't quite catch Justin's attention. So,
he cleared his throat again, louder this time, and once again, it didn't
phase Justin.
    Justin was fiddling with his keycard when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
A little surprised, he turned to face JC.
    "Hey, Josh," he said casually, then turned back to his door and continued
fumbling with the lock.
    A little flustered at Justin's lack of attitude, JC put his hand on
Justin's arm and turned him around. Confused, Justin looked up at JC, who was
still a little taller than him by a few inches.
    "What's up, Josh?" Justin asked curiously.
    "Where have you been?" JC asked.
    Justin smiled widely, throwing JC off even more.
    "Well, see, I met this girl and we were talking and then we had tea and
we didn't even realize how late it was and then I had to walk her back to her
hotel because it was too late and too dark for her to go alone and then she
kissed me and we're going skiing tomorrow!" Justin rushed out in one excited
breath. "And she's French." He grinned widely.
    JC smiled at his younger friend, happy with the change in attitude.
Justin had been acting very oddly lately. All the guys had noticed it, but
none had felt it like JC had. Most of Justin's temper tantrums had been
directed at his best friend, and JC wasn't sure what he'd done, but he hoped
that Justin was getting over what ever the problem was.
    "Well, sounds like I should thank her," JC told his friend with a smile.
    Justin furrowed his brow.
    "Why?" he inquired.
    JC smiled at his best friend.
    "Well, Justin. . . did you notice that we're having a conversation?" JC
teased.
    "Yeah, what about it?" Justin asked still looking confused.
    JC smiled wider.
    "Do you know how long it's been since we've had a conversation that didn't
 end with one of us, normally you *cough*, stomping out of the room?"
    "Hey, you're right," Justin realized, a smile forming on his lips.
    JC stepped up and pulled Justin into a tight hug.
    "I missed ya, Curly," he sighed, happy to have his best friend back.
    "Curly?" Justin laughed.
    JC pulled back and looked at Justin.
    "Yeah. . . the hair," JC explained running a hand through Justin's mop of
golden brown curls with a laugh. Justin giggled at that.
    "Curly," he repeated as if testing it out. "Hmm. . . I like it."
    "Alright, well then, Curly it is!" JC declared.

TBC. . .
Please send questions, comments, and constructive criticism to
DivaKitT@aol.com
(I promise it will get more interesting in future chapters, but like I said,
'I have to set up the story or it will get really confusing later.')