Part 14


"It's been going on since JC and Bobbee broke up."

Lance and Joey looked at Chris in shock.  

"Are...are you serious, man?"  Joey asked.

"Joe, do you really think I'd make something like this up?"

Joey shook his head and looked to the floor.  "I just can't believe this. I never would have thought..."

"I can't believe you guys didn't see this!  Them sneaking off together, sharing a room at every hotel, always wanting to be on the same bus.  It was starting to become pretty obvious what was going on between them."

"I just thought they were really close," Lance said softly.  "They've always been the closest out of all of us, so I guess I just didn't even notice anything different."

"Why didn't they tell us?"

"I think Justin wanted to...but JC was scared.  He didn't want anything to come between all of us, so he and Justin decided to keep it a secret."

No one spoke for a few minutes. Joey picked at his nails, Lance wrung his hands, and Chris waited for either one of them to share an opinion.

"I've noticed how happy they've both been," Lance said, a small smile forming on his lips.  "Justin's always got this goofy grin on his face, and JC always looks content."

"They're not happy right now," Chris said quietly.

"Yeah, what's the deal with those two the past couple days?" Joey asked.

Chris sighed and shook his head.  "It's all my fault.  JC broke it off with Justin, and it's all my fault."

"What? What are you talking about, Chris?"  Lance asked.

"I freaked out on them.  I caught them in bed together a couple days ago, and I freaked. I told them they were going to ruin the group, ruin everything we've worked so hard for.  I told them they had to tell you guys or I would.  So, instead of letting their secret out, JC ended it."

Lance and Joey looked at each other, then at Chris.

"Does it really bother you that much, Chris?"  Lance asked, reaching out to touch Chris's arm.

"I don't know...no, I guess not.  I just...I hated having to keep it a secret, having to walk past their room and know what they were doing, having to make excuses for them even though they had no clue that I knew."  Chris sighed loudly and buried his head in his hands.  "And now neither one of them will talk to me, and they're both miserable."

He looked out the window and saw the other bus driving beside them.  "I wonder what they're doing right now."

********************************************************************************

How did I get stuck on the two-person bus with him? Justin thought.  Someone must be trying to torture me.

He glanced over his shoulder at JC, curled underneath the covers in his bunk, and wondered if he was sleeping.  Watching the slow rise and fall of the blankets, he fought the urge to crawl into the bed with JC and hold him like he would never let go.

He sighed, a loud sigh that woke JC from his not-so-sound sleep.  JC rubbed his eyes and peeked over the blanket at Justin.  How did I get put on this bus anyway?  Someone must really be trying to test my will power.

Justin stood up and stretched, his shirt rising just above his belly button, revealing his sharply sculpted stomach.  JC's breath hitched and he turned away just before Justin looked over at him.

Without even looking, JC knew Justin was standing above him.  He could feel Justin's eyes on him, feel the heat of Justin's body inches from his own as Justin knelt down next to his bed.

"Jace..." Justin whispered.  JC stopped breathing.  "Jace, are you awake?"

When he didn't get a response, Justin sighed and started to stand up.  

"I'm awake."

A smile formed on Justin's full lips and he knelt back down, resting his chin on JC's bed.  JC turned and looked at the younger man, trying his best to hide his budding erection.

"Hi," Justin whispered.

"Hi," JC whispered back, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I haven't slept in three days," Justin pouted.

"Neither have I," JC said with a sigh.  "I can't sleep without you next to me anymore."

"Me neither."  Justin slid his hand underneath the blankets and wrapped his arm around JC's waist.

"Justin...we can't."  He closed his eyes and sighed, reluctantly removing Justin's arm.

"Josh, why? Why can't we?"  Justin demanded.  "We're the only two people on the bus, no one else is around...and I love you, Josh!"  Tears formed in Justin's eyes and he blinked them away.

JC sighed heavily and looked at Justin.  "I love you too, Justin.  But we talked about this.  It's too risky.  I thought you understood."

"Well I don't understand, Josh!  I don't!  I don't understand how you can say you love me and then just leave me like this!  How can you just walk away, Josh?"  Tears were streaming down Justin's face now.  "I need you! Please don't leave me, Josh! I don't give a fuck what Chris thinks, it doesn't matter!"

"Justin, please, please don't cry," JC whispered, cupping Justin's face in his hands and wiping away his tears.

Justin leaned in closer to JC, trying to kiss him, but JC turned away.  "Damn it, Josh!"  Justin stood and stormed away.  JC heard him demanding that the driver stop the bus so he could get off.  
"I'll get off at the next exit, Mr. Timberlake,"  the driver said nervously.

Justin paced, arms folded, until the bus came to a stop.  JC went to the window when Justin got off.

"Justin, what's the deal?" Lance asked, stepping off the other bus to meet the young man.

"Where the fuck is Chris?" Justin demanded, fists clenched.  Joey came out next, looking confused.

"What's going on, man?  You ok, J?"  

"Where the fuck is Chris?!"  he shouted, louder this time.

"I'm right here, Justin. What's up?"  Chris asked as he stepped off the bus.  "Uh oh," he mumbled when he saw the tears on Justin's face and the fists clenched at his sides.

"How could you do this to me, Chris? Huh? I thought you were my friend!"  He walked toward Chris slowly, deliberately, looking like he was ready to pounce at any second.

"J, man, calm down..." Lance said, placing a gentle hand on Justin's shoulder.  Justin shook him off and continued stalking towards Chris.

Joey stepped in front of him and placed a hand on his chest.  "I'm not going to let you do this, Justy.  Kicking Chris's ass isn't going to get JC back."  Justin's eyes widened at the realization that Joey and Lance both knew about his relationship with JC.

"You...you know?"  he stammered, not knowing exactly what else to say.

"Chris told us, Justin," Lance said.  

"You TOLD them?!"  Justin roared.  "JC leaves me because he doesn't want them to know, and you STILL told them? Fuck you, Chris!"  He lunged at the older man, knocking him to the ground.  Joey grabbed Justin from behind, holding him back.  

"Justin, calm down," Joey said.  Justin squirmed in Joey's grasp, trying desperately to free himself.

"No! I'm not going to calm down!  I love him, Joey! I love him!"  

"Justin," a familiar voice called.  Justin stopped writhing, stopped fighting, the minute he heard the voice.  He turned to see JC standing in the doorway of the bus.

"Come here, baby," he said. "Don't cry. Let him go, Joey, it's ok."  Joey released his grip on Justin, who ran straight to JC's arms and collapsed there.

Lance and Joey watched in awe as all the tension and anger left Justin's body the moment JC touched him.

"I'm sorry, Jus," JC whispered.  

"Look at them," Joey said to Chris.  "How could anything that good ruin what we have?"  

"Justin, go back on the bus. I'll be there in a minute," JC said, kissing Justin lightly on the forehead.

Justin nodded and retreated to the bus as JC walked towards the other three men.

"Well...now that you all know..."  he sighed and ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"I'm ok with it, Jace," Lance said reassuringly, patting JC on the back.

"Same here, man," Joey grinned.  "You guys look so....happy!"

JC smiled, then looked to Chris.

"I"m sorry, Josh.  I'm sorry that I told Lance and Joey, and I'm sorry that I freaked out at you guys...I guess I didn't know how much you really meant to one another..."

"I love him, Chris."  

"I know, Jace." Chris sighed and looked to the ground. "It's just that the group means everything to me, and if I ever lost you guys..."

JC hugged Chris close to him.  "You're not going to lose us, Chris.  I promise.  We love you guys too much!"  Chris smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Jace.  Now, you better get in there and make up for the lost time that I caused you by being an idiot," Chris said, pointing to the bus and laughing at Justin's face plastered against the window.  

Lance and Joey retreated back to their bus, and Chris soon followed.  He watched the door close to the bus JC and Justin were on.  I hope I find something like that one day, he thought, smiling as he closed his eyes to sleep.



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