Part 13


“I’m telling you Brit, he was hard for me!” Josh giggled, a broad grin on his face and a happy gleam in his eyes.

Britney laughed and ruffled Josh’s hair. “Glad to hear that, Josh. Why didn’t you do something about it?”

Josh’s smile faded and he fell back onto his bed. Britney laid next to him, propping herself up on one elbow and looking down at him.

“He’s got a boyfriend.”

Britney’s eyes widened. “What?” she shrieked.  “Are you kidding me? Since when?”

“Since last night.”

Britney frowned. “Come on, Josh. Be serious.”

“I am.  His name’s Lance.  Kirkpatrick knows him, and he was at the party last night.”

“So then all of a sudden just decides that Lance is his boyfriend? I find that hard to believe.”

“Well, there’s more to it than that.”

When Josh didn’t answer, Britney poked him. “I’m waiting.”

“Lance and Justin…they used to date, back when Justin was in Tennessee.”

“Ok…”

“Justin went through some rough times when people found out about him and Lance…and Lance broke up with him, only to hook up with some guy Nick a week later. Justin was devastated.”

“And why is Justin back with him?”

“I don’t know, Brit. I tried to talk him out of it…that’s when the fight happened.”

“Did he give you any explanation?”

“Yeah. He’s lonely. Really lonely. I just…I don’t want to see him get hurt again, Brit. He’s like…this beautiful, amazing boy, and he deserves nothing but the best.”

“And you think you could give it to him.”

Josh’s eyes widened in hurt at Britney’s snide comment. “Brit!”

“I’m kidding, Josh!” she giggled, squeezing his arm gently.  “You’d treat him like a king. He’d be happier than he’s ever been in his life.”

“But he’s with Lance. And I have to respect that.”

Britney saw the sadness in Josh’s eyes and cuddled next to him, running her fingers through his hair.  “If it’s meant to be, it’ll all work out, Josh.”

“I’m falling for him, Brit. I’m falling hard.”

“I know, baby. I know.”

They lay in silence for half an hour, Britney’s fingers dancing in Josh’s hair.  “You two would be absolutely adorable, you know.”

Josh smiled, his cheeks turning red. “Britney…”

“I’m serious! “

“I really like him, Britney,” Josh said softly, his eyes drifting closed as he dozed off.

Britney kissed him on the forehead and smiled. “Then you’ll have him.”  

She crossed the hall to Justin’s room and rapped on the door lightly. “Justin?”

“Go away.”

Britney frowned. “Justin, it’s Britney, can I come in?”

“No. Leave me alone.”

She sighed and turned the knob, happy to find that the door was unlocked. “Justin, come on, I just want to—“  she gasped when she saw Justin’s face, wet with tears. His eyes were blood shot, his hair was a mess; it looked like he’d been crying for hours. “Justin, baby what’s wrong?” she whispered, rushing to his side and wrapping her arms around him.

He buried his face in her shoulder and sobbed, his tears drenching her shirt.

“Shhh…” she cooed, smoothing down his hair, rubbing small circles on his back.  “Justin, shh, it’s ok, I’m here…baby, what happened?”

“He…and then…we…and I…” He gasped for breath as he sobbed, still clinging to Britney.

“Justin, honey, calm down, it’s ok, take a deep breath…”

She continued to whisper soothing words to him until his breath became regular again, and she wiped the tears from his cheeks.  “Can you tell me what happened, Justin?”

He nodded and snuggled closer to her, needing to feel someone next to him, someone that he knew cared about him.  “Did Josh tell you?”

She smiled. “About Lance?”

He nodded and looked up at her. “Yeah, he told me.”

“Do you hate me?”

“God, Justin, why would I hate you?”

“Because I’m gay.”

“Justin Timberlake, you are an amazing person, and your sexual preference does not change my opinion of you one bit.”

He smiled weakly. “Thanks Brit.”

“So what happened?”

“Well…Lance…he told me that he still loved me, and that he made a mistake when he broke up with me, throwing away the best thing he ever had. And it felt so good to hear someone say they loved me, ya know? Felt so good to have someone’s arms wrapped around me while I slept…”

“I know what you mean.”

“So when he left this morning…he was acting kind of strange…saying I shouldn’t call him, because his phone isn’t hooked up yet…”

Britney felt her shoulder dampen once again with Justin’s tears.

“When he left, he told me he loved me. And I came in to take a nap, and Josh came in…”
Britney couldn’t help but giggle, because she knew Justin was blushing.

“Fuck. Don’t tell me he told you.”

“Ok. I won’t.”

Justin groaned and covered his face with his hands. “I can’t believe he told you,” he mumbled.

“It’s ok, Justin. Josh is hot, I would have been excited too if I was you.”

He groaned again and laid down on the bed, hands still covering his face.

“Justin, it’s not a big deal! Really!” Britney laughed, tickling Justin’s sides.

He couldn’t help but smile himself, and with one last sigh he looked up at her. “So you wanna know what happened or what?”

“Yes. I do,” Britney said, pulling her hands back and folding them in her lap.

“Ok…so after Josh left…I was…um…well, you know…” he blushed again and ran a hand through his curls.

“And Lance has this deep, sexy voice…so I reached over to call him, forgetting that he told me his phone wasn’t hooked up yet.  I was just about to hang up when an answering machine picked up.”

Britney saw the tears brimming in Justin’s eyes again and closed her hand over his. “It’s ok, Justin, you can tell me.”

“It was Lance. And his ‘baby boy’ Nick.”

“Oh god, Justin…” she whispered, pulling him into a hug. “I’m so sorry. God, what an asshole! I’m so sorry…”

“It’s ok, Brit…I don’t think I love him anymore anyway…I think I’m just upset because Josh was right, and I was wrong, and he did hurt me again. I’m such an idiot.”

“No you’re not, Justin! It’s not your fault, ok?  Lance is an ass, and he doesn’t deserve you. You’re gonna find someone who loves you for you, and who’s going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”

“You think so?”

“I know so,” she smiled. And if I have anything to do with it, his name’s going to be Josh.



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