Part 3


After the party…

As they sat down Trace leaned over to apologize to Justin.

“No…don’t say anything to me…you’ve been getting me in trouble the whole game. I’m gonna sit here and eat my other snickers bar.” Justin grumbled embarrassed.

“But I thought one of those was for me?” Trace pouted.

“Well to bad aint it?” Justin teased. He sighed. “Fine, ya big baby here!” Justin said as he handed the candy bar over.

“Thanks man! So we gonna go to that party or what?” Trace asked ripping open the candy.

“Well I guess so, I mean we got the tickets…plus the guys seem nice…dude we get to hang with Alonzo Mourning!” he said getting excited.

Trace laughed. “Aren’t you excited about hanging with a certain blue eyed brunette?” he teased.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Trace!” Justin insisted turning his attention back to the court for fear of more cameras.

“Yea sure ya don’t, that’s why you dragged me to this thing, paying 30 bucks a ticket no less.”

“Man we were in town for our break anyways ain’t like you had any better ideas!” Justin huffed.

“Yea yea whatever, but you forget who you’re talking to…Trace, your best friend since diapers…sandboxes even. I know you, and I know how that little Timberlake mind works…especially where a gorgeous man is concerned.” He laughed.

Justin glared at him. “Don’t even think about going there with me man! You know how it is… I can’t get into all that right now!”

Trace nodded. He knew more than anyone. If Justin came out told anyone outside of close friends and family he was gay…the potential of it ruining his career before it even began was a very real possibility, at least according to Justin it was, so that meant, no dating, well no dating men at least.

~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

The After Party:

The club was loud with the music blaring from the DJ’s speakers, the latest hits moving the crowd. Justin and Trace walked in using the VIP passes to skip the lines. They’d stopped off at the hotel to change, Justin pulling on a pair of baggy dark blue jeans that rode low on his hips showing his boxers and a tight white tank top under a white short sleeved shirt. Trace dressed in baggy black pants and a tight t-shirt. Once inside the club they both headed off to the dance floor.

Hands reached out as Justin slid through the crowd, making his way a comfortable distance before settling in to dance. A girl stepped up to him, hips moving to the beat. Inwardly Justin rolled his eyes as she moved closer and closer. She was a pretty girl, if you liked the type dark brown hair, blond highlights, nice body but she was without certain equipment that Justin had on the top of his list of ‘requirements’. Besides he was not looking to take anyone home tonight even if she, was a he.

JC watched from the above VIP balcony. He’d seen him as soon as he stepped through the door. Not at all ashamed to admit he’d been waiting for him.

He watched as Justin danced, girls pressing themselves against him from the front and from behind. He moved effortlessly, but JC noticed something different.

He wasn’t really enjoying it. Where any straight man would be groping and touching any place he could Justin’s hands stayed well above the waist of his dance partner and discreetly moved hands reaching from behind and a little to low.

“You gonna stand there stalking the kid or you gonna go down there?” a deep voice asked.

JC turned his head. Lance. He sighed. “Lance what’s the point, he’s straight, if not he’s not interested in me…” he said.

Lance shook his head. “If the way he reacted to your flirting at the game is any indication, he is anything but straight and definitely interested.”

“That coulda been cuz he was being stared at by a stadium full of people Lance and you know it!” JC grumbled.

JC watched as Gabrielle Union approached Justin and they danced to the reggae song blasting. His eyes narrowed in jealousy.

“There’s nothing wrong with a new friend now is there? You need to get out more anyways…” Lance said looking down at the floor. “Relax man, she’s married, they’re cool.” He said clapping a hand on JC’s back.

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~

As soon as the song ended Justin followed Gabrielle up the stairs to the VIP room with Trace following.

“I had fun dancing with you girl, you got some moves on you!” Justin said smiling. Gabrielle seemed really nice.

“Well thank you cutie! Hey come meet people...” she led him over to a table full of people. “Justin, Trace, you met Zo at the game, this is Iverson, and this here is my baby Mike she said flashing her wedding ring.”

Justin smiled reaching out to shake hands in awe. “Man I cant believe that I’m meeting you man!” He said to Alan Iverson. “Nah man its cool to meet you to, people have been watchin you at UNC, waiting for you to enter the draft!” Alan said.

“Man I know, I wanna but I promised my mom’s I’d finish school first so you know…” Justin spoke up.

“Yea and Momma Lynn does not play!” Trace laughed causing the table to laugh as well.

“Well an education is important I think it’s good you’re holding out” JC said sliding up to the table.

Justin sucked in a breath. JC was just everything that personified beauty. Dressed in dark tailored pants a tank top and open blue shirt, his hair in a mass of curly chaos on his head.

He smiled.

Justin blushed.

The people at the table grinned knowingly.

“Hey JC.” Justin said.

“Justin, I told you…call me Joshua…or Josh…all my friends do” he smiled.

“Josh it is then” he responded.

Trace stepped in knowing Justin was uncomfortable. “Ya’ll know how to throw a good party man!”

“Yea, thanks…I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself…how’s everything going over here?” he asked the people at the table.

“Joshua man you did it again! Your parties are always tight,” Iverson laughed, man its messed up you have better parties than I do most times!”

“Well you know…I do what I can” JC laughed.

“I still say it’s a shame you’re not straight…Ida dropped Mikey here a long time ago” Gabrielle joked. Her husband’s shocked _expression making her laugh louder.

Justin did a double take. Iverson knew JC was gay, bi, not straight, whatever…and he didn’t seem to care. By the looks of it, they all knew.

Justin’s surprised look didn’t go unnoticed by Zo.

“You aiight man?” he asked.

“Y-Yea I’m fine…just”

“Surprised I’m gay…?” JC asked nervously. He didn’t try to hide his sexual preference, his fans knew, though most thought he was bisexual, he knew he leaned more towards gay than anything but it was a necessary lie placed by the PR people.

“No- I knew that I mean everybody can call themselves a fan knows…” Justin trailed off embarrassed at his admittance.

JC smiled. “Didn’t know you were a big fan…thankyou”

“Well uh yea…” Justin replied.

“Are you gonna blush and studder at everthing outta Joshua’s mouth there curly?” Chris spoke up from next to him.

Justin blushed even more if possible.

“He was just surprised that we knew huh Justin another NBA player said.”

“Uh sorta?” Justin croaked out.

“We may be jocks but we ain’t tryin to hate on people for stuff like that. Joshua’s cool we know that. So are you.” Zo spoke up.

All heads turned to him then flipped back to Justin.

Oh My Good Lord….how the heck did he do that?! Justin thought stunned. His jaw dropping wide the only indication of the truth to what Zo had said.

“Damn…he called you out didn’t he!” Trace spoke up.

Justin glared at his friend. Well there went any chance at covering it up!

“Uh you know what….I think it’s bout time I headed back down, I’m gonna head back to the hotel, um…it was nice meeting you all thanks…” he said eyes stuck to the floor.

He turned and pushed past Chris then Trace blocking out his friend’s voice calling for him to stop.

“Damnit!” Trace breathed. “I’m sorry bout all this…he just, he’s not really OUT, I shouldn’ta said anything.” Trace said rubbing his hand over his face tiredly.

The table of stunned people sat sadly. Knowing how hard this had to be on Justin, having heard the stories of Joshua’s problems when he came out.

“Nah man…I’m the one who’s sorry, I shouldn’t have said what I did to him…I just didn’t want him to worry.”

“Yea, he’s NBA bound…I know that the first thing through his head is to keep it a secret if he’s gay, or bi, but just…well tell him he’s got friends if he wants em.” Iverson said.

JC’s eyes were trained on the door Justin had walked out of.

“He looked devastated…” he said.

“Well, it’s not everyday you meet all of your idols…well minus Michael Jordon” Trace said quietly.

JC’s eyes looked to him then. Understanding.

“Well, we were leaving…do you want a ride back to where you’re staying…its no problem.” Gabrielle spoke up.

“Uh yea..if you don’t mind I should be there for Justin…” Trace said.

Trace walked to the door with Mike and Iverson.

“Joshua it’ll work out ok, I’ll talk to him” Gabrielle said.

“Thanks Gaby” he said hugging the woman. She was a close friend to him.

Once they’d left JC sat and listened to Zo, Chris, Lance, and Joey talk. They all assured him not to worry so much. Finally the night at the club wound down and they all headed back to the hotel hosting them.



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