Yeah, Right...
Chapter 9: Wiggley Fingers
Colorful blankets and towels lay covering the grassy hill that dipped into the large fresh spring pool. JC and Lance could hear yells and laughter as they reached the gate. One voice rang clear above the rest.
“LANCE!!” Bethany practically screamed, waving her arms frantically from the other side the of the hill, where her and several other people were spread out on a large red blanket.
Lance and JC both started laughing as a boy with blonde hair, who was seated below her, starting pulling her to sit down. When they reached the blanket Beth introduced JC to Joey and Collin.
“Stella and Lynn are already swimming.” She explained, pointing in the direction of the pool.
Bethany reached over towards a large picnic basket and began pulling out sandwiches and bags of chips.
“I brought lunch for everyone.” She handed the food to JC and Lance.
“Thanks. You didn't poison it or anything, did you?” Lance smirked.
“Lance, dear, that would be too easy. I hope you don't really think I'm that dull.” She snipped.
Lance rolled his eyes and bit into the tuna sandwich.
Lance splashed Beth lightly in the water. And Collin splashed Lance. Beth looked past Lance and up the hill where JC and Joey sat, engaged in an animated conversation. They had decided they didn't want to swim, and instead were trying to tan.
“Well, JC and Joey seem to be getting along well enough.” Beth observed.
Lance followed her gaze up the hill. “Yeah, I guess..” he shrugged, trying to act as though he wasn't jealous. Of course, Beth could read him like a book.
“Sounds like someone's in loooove!” she sang. Collin laughed at his girlfriend.
Lance gave a confused expression, “With Joey?! Gross!” he shuddered.
Beth hit him on the side of the head. “JC, dumbass! You do like him, don't you?”
Lance shrugged again, refusing to give an answer.
“Seems straight to me, Lance.” Collin said, looking up at JC, who was obviously talking about some great victory in basketball, waving his arms wildly in Joey's face as he did.
Lance growled, running his fingers through his wet hair. “I know, god, I know...but I cant help it. I care about him, a lot..its not just the ‘hot’ thing; its something else to, he’s sweet, and nice, and smart, and..I don't know what I’m suppose to do.” Lance sighed.
“I dunno, Lance, maybe it’ll just go away.” Beth sighed.
“Maybe.” But he couldn't imagine that happening anytime soon.
“Speaking of which, when are you gonna ‘break-up’ with Beth, here?”
“Soon, I promise.” Lance reassured Collin, “She’s kinda a bitch anyway..” Collin and Beth both began to splash Lance.
“So, it was down to 5 seconds left in the game, and I knew I had to shoot, but this guy kept on getting in my way, but at this point I had no choice so I shot the ball, even if it was practically a blind shot. The entire gym was holding their breath, I swear. But, it made it, breaking the tie, I could believe it, then the whole place just erupted. It was great!” JC chatted excitedly.
“You must've been so proud.” Joey smiled.
“Yeah, we had a party afterwards.”
“God, I bet all the girls loved you.” Joey wiggled his eyebrows.
“I guess.” JC brushed off the comment. “So, you play any sports?”
“Well, not really, well I like them and all. But I’m more into theatre. We have a great program at my high school, and I generally get the lead,” he chuckled, “so I have a lot of fun with it.”
“Theatre, huh? That's cool. I’m definitely not an actor. I’ve secretly always wished for voice lessons though. I love singing, but I don't do much of it, just to the radio. I didn't want to tell Lance, because he’s so good.”
“Yeah, Lance is a great singer.” Joey noticed the way JC’s eyes started to sparkle, like they did when he talked about basketball, when he talked about Lance. Funny...He decided to pry.
“So, you have a girlfriend?”
“Nope...I mean, yeah, well, she’s still in Maryland. Bobbie, but I think I might break up with her.”
“Why?” Joey inquired.
“...uh..long distance, stuff..you know how it goes.”
“Is there anyone else?”
“Not really...well, this girl Hannah, at Austin High, invited me to go to this party with her on Friday.”
“Oh..” Joey said knowingly, “Justin and Britney’s Bash. They have it every year, a lot of hot chicks there, but there's also a lot of beer and drugs...Not really my thing. But, you know, you’ll have fun.”
“So they're not ‘your crowd’ either, huh?” JC asked.
“Nope. Not really. Its not like I don’t drink or anything...they're just...you know what? Forget it. I know Hannah and she’s hot. You’ll have fun.”
“Good.” JC pushed his sunglasses up his nose, and rested on his back, letting the sun soak into his chest.
“Actually,” Joey continued, “You and Justin Timberlake might get along pretty well. I’m surprised you haven't met him yet, he’s like the city’s star basketball player. I guess Lance probably tries to avoid him,” Joey laughed to himself, “but he’s great. If you impress him, and it sounds like you will, he might try to recruit you onto the Austin High team. Coach Kirkpatrick is always looking for new star players for his team, and Justin knows it.”
“Really?” JC had sat up, and was looking excited again. Suddenly he couldn't wait for this party.
“Y’all wanna take a stroll down Congress and go into the shops?” Beth bounced up to Joey and JC, interrupting their conversation. Lance and Collin were a few steps behind her.
“Yeah, sure.” Joey agreed. “Where did Stella and Lynn go?” Joey asked.
“Oh, they had to leave early; there was some meeting at Out Youth they wanted to attend.”
Nobody noticed JC shift awkwardly on the blanket when Beth mentioned Out Youth.
“Well, lets all go shower and change and meet back up in the parking lot. OK?” Beth chirped, grabbing her duffel bag and heading towards the women’s bathroom.
Lance picked up a slinky and played with it, shifting his hands, and listening to soft patter of the metal as the toy coiled and uncoiled. Terra Toys had to be their first stop on the long street of anvant-garde stores, since Joey insisted.
“C’mon, Lance.” JC had snuck up behind him and grabbed his arm. Lance placed the slinky back on the shelf and let JC drag him over to the see-saw.
“You’re kidding..” Lance laughed.
“Nope.” JC pushed Lance in the direction of the small seat, then JC plopped down onto the other side.
“Oh my god. I haven't been on this thing since, like, the fourth grade..” Lance laughed as he was lifted into the air.
Joey stood near them playing with the Magna-Doddle, he raised his eyebrows when he saw JC and Lance on the see-saw, both giggling like girls. Joey was in theatre and if he didn't know any better he would've said that they were flirting. But JC..is such..a jock. At the exact moment Lance toppled off of the see-saw with thud, rolling onto the floor, still laughing hysterically, JC got off of his side quickly and ran over to Lance, there was no mistaking the look of panic on his face when Lance fell off, and the relieved smile that clung to his lips when he saw that Lance was still laughing. JC extending a hand to helped Lance up off the floor, he was now laughing just as hard. Lance grabbed his hand, and almost stopped laughing, surprised at how soft JC’s hand was and how perfect it felt in his own. He got up. Breathless, now, not only from laughing, and remembered to let go of JC’s hand. Definitely flirting. Joey observed.
Beth walked up to Lance. “That was some smooth move there, Lance.” she mocked.
“Are y’all ready to leave?” Collin asked.
“Yeah. I am.” JC answered, between laughs, he obviously thought it was really funny that Lance had fallen on his ass, once he found out that he wasn’t hurt.
The next store they went into, Dragon Snaps, had a lot of various astrology items and hemp clothing. JC and Beth went to the back of the store and sat on the couch reading to each other about their signs out of an astrology book. Lance stayed towards the front of the store with Joey looking through a glass case at the various astrological jewelry.
“So...” Joey began. “I hate to point out the obvious, but y’all were flirting back there in Terra Toys, ya know.”
“What?” Lance questioned, “What is it with everyone today?”
“Just telling you what I saw...” Joey put his hands up defensively.
“Well, you saw wrong, ok? I..I..mean JC is as straight as they come. Maybe, Maybe I was flirting..” Lance said nervously lowering his voice, “but not JC...”
“Maybe you're wrong, Lance.”
“I don't think I am.” Lance replied simply.
They were silent for a few minutes, before a necklace caught Lance’s eye.
“Don't you think JC would like that?” He pointed to a black necklace with a silver pendant that had the Leo sign engraved in it. Joey nodded in agreement.
“I think I’m gonna buy it.” Lance decided.
Joey just raised his eyebrows.
“Don't give me that look. He’s been through a lot, Joey, and I’m just trying to be nice, a friend, he needs one of those right now.”
“Ok, man. Whatever.”
Lance sighed and waved to get the attention of the hippie behind the counter.
“Can I buy that.” Lance pointed towards the necklace.
The girl brushed a stray dred away from her face, opened the glass encasement and retrieved the necklace for Lance. She placed it in a small brown bag, rung it up at the cash-register and handed it to Lance as he paid the fifteen dollars.
“Hey, Lance, whaddya buy?” Beth inquired from her spot on the couch.
“Oh..uh, just some incense..” he stammered.
“Neat.” she smiled sarcastically.
“Mo-om! We’re home.” Lance called loudly into the house. She was sitting right next to the door, in the living room, chatting with Karen.
“Lance, I’m right here, for Pete’s sake.” She shook her head.
“Woops, sorry..”
She stood up and walked over to her son. “Lance, did you put sunscreen on? Its looks like you got a burn.” Lance sighed, no matter how much sunscreen he put on he always burned. But Lance hadn't even noticed this one until his mom pointed it out.
“You’ll have to put some Aloe-Vera on, after you take a shower.”
“I got a tan, mom.” JC smirked. Lance turned his head quickly and glared.
“Oh, we’re going out tonight, Lance. We’re gonna take Karen to Speak Easy’s, ok?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Lance waved his hand, “I’m gonna take a shower.” he turned and headed towards the hallway. JC ran up in front of him and beat him into the bathroom.
“I’m first!” he shouted as he slammed the bathroom door, practically in Lance’s face.
“Prick!” Lance yelled through the door.
“Lance!” Diane hollered from the living room.
“Sorry...” Lance mumbled.
His burn seemed to get more intolerable as the hot water hit his back, causing painful stinging sensations. Fifteen minutes later Lance exited the bathroom, dressed in just a pair of jeans, he wanted his mom to help him put some Aloe-Vera on his back before he attempted to put a shirt back on. He grabbed their large tube of the soothing cream and went into the living room to find his mom, but her and Karen were no longer there. He went back into his bedroom, where JC was lying on the bottom bunk bed, he was already showered and dressed in a pair of worn jeans a plain white t-shirt.
“Do you know where our parents went?” Lance asked as he entered the room.
“Yeah, they left for that club or whatever, your mom said they’d be back probably around midnight. Why?”
“She was gonna help me put some Aloe-Vera on my back.” Lance explained.
JC sat up on the bed. “Here,” he patted the spot next to him, “I can do it.”
Lance was speechless, of course he would let JC do it. Its not a big deal, you're just friends, act cool, its oookkay..he told himself as he walked over to the bed and sat down. He handed JC the tube of cream. JC squeezed some of it out onto the palm of his hand, slowly he began to massage it into Lance’s red back. Lance winced as the cold hit his hot skin. Everything he said to himself before about being ‘just friends’ completely vanished. JC’s hands worked the cream methodically into Lance’s back. For once, Lance was grateful for the Texas sun; he wondered what it would feel like to have JC’s hands rubbing him in other places besides his back. His cheeks blushed at the thought, and once again he was grateful for the burn.
“Lance.” JC’s voice pulled Lance out of his thoughts.
“Hmmm?” he answered with a half moan.
“I told you I had fun today. I like your friends.”
“Oh. Yeah, they're great. I think they liked you too..” Not nearly as much as I do though.
Just then the telephone rang, Lance reached over and picked up the receiver.
“Hello?” He said in a low voice.
“Hi. This is Bobbie. Is JC available?” Her voice is soo goddamn...bouncy.
“Yeah...sure..” Lance handed the phone to JC.
JC mouthed ‘who is it’, to Lance, and Lance told him it was Bobbie. Lance saw JC’s eyes physically grow wider, and he could've sworn that he paled.
He brought the phone up to his mouth.
“Bobbie, hey!” He was trying to sound cool, Lance could tell it wasn't working.
“You asshole. I’m sick of this shit. You promised me on Wednesday when you shoved me off the phone to go play B-ball with your new best friend, that you would call me back. Its Saturday night and I’m calling you.” Bobbie was screeching. Lance could almost make out every word she was saying. Finally JC cut her off.
“Listen, Bobbie,” he started in a calm voice, “ I know..I know I was suppose to call you, and I didn't, but I realized something, and its that you're right. That....this isn't going to work. I just can’t pull off the long distance thing. Lets...just, take a break Bobbie, at least until Stanford in the fall, ok?” Silence. JC knew that ‘long distance’ was just an excuse. That if he had wanted their relationship to work, he would've made sure it had. But that was just thing. He didn't want it to work anymore. And he wasn't even sure if he wanted it to in the fall either. But he wasn't about to tell her that now.
“Three years, and that's it?”
“Bobbie, I’m sorry, really I am.” JC’s tone was pleading. Even though he was doing what he wanted, it still hurt. He was letting go of something that he clung to for so long, something that was a part of him.
“I’m sure you are. Who is it, JC? Who else is there? Some Texas bimbo?” She interrogated. For some reason he remembered that Lance was sitting right next to him. He looked up at him, Lance gave him a lop-sided smile.
“No, Bobbie, that's not it. I just need a break. That's all. I swear.”
“Whatever, JC. Listen..” she was crying now. “I gotta go. Just call me every once in a while, or email me, so at least I’ll know you're still alive, ok?”
“Ok..I will. Bye...”
“Bye.” She sniffled, and hung up.
JC sighed as he hung up his end of the receiver. They both sat in silence. JC took the bottle of Aloe-Vera and squeezed more into his hand, he gently grabbed Lance’s shoulder and turned him around so he could rub more of the cream into his back. Lance sighed and closed his eyes.
“You know..” JC spoke quietly, his hand caressing Lance’s sunburned back and shoulders and neck, “It wasn't just the long distance thing.”
“I know.” Lance said simply.
JC spoke again, this time even more quietly. “Its just...ever since I’ve been here, I’ve realized that I don't have to be ‘perfect’ that I can be ‘JC’. That I don't have to do what’s expected, but what I want to do. And Bobbie wasn't what I wanted anymore. I don't even know if I ever did.”
JC words struck something inside Lance. Ever did. Why not?
“But, well I’m sure she was attractive and that made you want her.” Lance spoke cautiously.
“Not really.” JC answered, staring, not at Lance, but outside his window and into the clear, black night. He wished things would be that clear for him. But they weren't. They were cloudy and hazy and he had no idea what he wanted anymore. Lance turned to look at JC. JC looked into Lance’s green eyes. At least he had Lance. He was lucky to have Lance as a friend. Lance was amazing and smart and funny and was himself...
All of a sudden JC bounded up off the bed, and started yelling.
“Fuck, Lance! I feel like I’ve wasted my entire fucking life so far trying so hard for everything to be what everyone else wanted, but not me. It was always, my mom, or my girlfriend, or my coach, but never me.” Lance tried not to look too surprised at JC’s sudden outburst. JC looked down at his wrist and violently yanked the power beads that had adorned his wrist now for three years. Three whole fucking years. And threw them across Lance’s room, they broke and the blue and red beads scattered in every direction. He sat back down on Lance’s bed, next to Lance.
Lance didn't say anything, but let JC continue to vent.
“I’m sorry, Lance...I’m sorry, I’m such a wreck.”
“What? Don't be. Everybody goes through shit sometimes. JC, what’s important now is that you remember what you want out of your life. I know you love basketball, so that wasn't a waste. And you're mom loves you. And you're the smartest person I know. You have impeccable taste in music. They’re are so many things about you that are wonderful.”
“You know what I want to do Lance? I want to sing. I’ve always wanted to sing. I just always thought that people would think it was too prissy...”
“Hey. I sing.” And I’m definitely prissy.
“Exactly.” JC chuckled at his own joke.
“Asshole.” Lance hit his shoulder, “Hey, I got something that might make you feel better.” Lance proclaimed.
“What?” JC said, still chuckling lightly.
“Ok, this is gonna seem like total cheese, but I found this today, and I had to get it for you. I just knew you would love it.” Lance beamed.
“You got me a gift?” JC tried to hide that fact that his face was lighting up.
“Yeah..” Lance blushed, as he reached into the pocket of the pants he was wearing earlier that day and retrieved the small brown paper bag. Dear God let him like it. He prayed silently.
He handed the bag to JC, and JC opened it slowly, a grin spread across his face.
“Wow.” he said, truly amazed by the gift. He was already in love with the silver Leo pendant.
“Lance, I fuckin’ love it.” He got up off the bed, and standing up next to Lance, gently pulled the still bare-chested Lance into a hug, that lasted a little too long to be just friendly. He handed Lance the necklace and turned around so he could put it on him. Lance did so clumsily, making sure to let his fingers softly brush the silk-like hairs that touched the top of JC’s neck.
JC turned around, a ridiculous smile still painted on his face.
“It..it looks good on you..” Lance stammered. It did. It looked amazing.
“Thank you, Lance. God, you've made everything so bearable. More than bearable. Almost enjoyable.”
Lance didn't know what to say. He didn't think he could say anything if he did. But he didn't anyway. He needed to get out of this room and into the night air. He knew that much.
“Hey.” he said, as if lightening had struck him, “Whaddya say we go down to the park and shoot some hoops.”
“You're kidding. You want to play basketball.”
“Sure.” Lance smiled. I’d do anything at this point to get the hell out of here.
“Well, I bet this won’t happen very often, so might as well.” Lance grabbed a loose t-shirt out of his drawer and threw it on.
“C’mon. Star Player.” JC grabbed his basketball and through an arm around Lance’s shoulder.
“Ow..” Lance whined.
“Oops..” JC had forgotten about the burn. He giggled. “Sorry.”
“The rest try to stop him but they cant. Because he’s... Lightning Lance! He shoots, and, of course,...he Scores!” Lance shot the basketball and it actually went through the net. JC caught the ball, as Lance did a victory booty-dance.
“You're a nerd.” JC laughed. “And have no rhythm. What the hell is that suppose to be?” he pointed at Lance, who was still dancing.
“Its my victory dance.” Lance defended.
“Well, you do that during a real game and you’ll get your ass kicked.”
“I could take ‘em all. Hell, I could take you.” Lance sneered.
JC just shook his head. “You wish.”
“Nononono, I know that-” But it was too late, JC had already dropped the ball and charged Lance. Lance lost his balance and fell backwards onto the court. Laughing hysterically as JC tickled him relentlessly. JC’s wiggling fingers jabbed at his side and stomach; Lance tried to fight, but it was futile, JC had settled himself down onto Lance’s thighs, so he couldn't move his legs. He would lift his arms to try to defend himself, but then JC would tickle under his arms, which happened to be his most sensitive spot. Lance’s face had turned a bright shade of red, and tears were beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.
“Uncle! Uncle!” He gasped, his voice ragged. JC stopped. But didn't move from his position on top of Lance.
“So? You still think you could take me?”
Lance let himself catch his breath.
“I guess-” He said quickly, before surprising JC by swiftly turning onto his side, causing JC to lose his balance and fall onto the ground. Lance rolled over on top of him, the positions reversed, as he straddled JC and began tickling. Of course, JC was stronger, and after a few minutes managed to push Lance off. They both lay on the ground, a few stray laughs still escaping them, between their ragged breathing. Finally they were both quiet. The game forgotten by now. They lay peacefully staring up at the stars.
“There are a lot of stars in Texas. I dunno, the sky just seems bigger here.”
“That's because its so flat.” Lance answered his voice matching JC’s own low tone.
JC hesitated before speaking again.
“Its beautiful.”
“Yeah, it is.” Lance agreed.
“I’m glad I’m here, Lance.”
“So am I.” Lance turned his head to look at JC and was surprised to find JC’s blue eyes staring back at him.