The phone rang.
And rang once more.
It continued to ring for three minutes straight. Stopped and then rang again. JC climbed out from his mountains of pillows and cursed. He looked at his digital clock and the time was 11:06 in the morning. He looked at his caller ID. "Fucking Bass." He picked up the shrilling receiver and barked, "Why in the fuck are you calling me on my fucking late day? You know I would be sleeping."
"Well good morning to you grumpy bitch. I wanted you to be assured that you will not miss your call from Justin." Lance chirped happily into the phone.
"First of all asshole, I told him noon and that makes me have," he looked to his clock, "Fifty-two minutes of more sleep. So I have to ask why in the fuck are you calling?"
"I have a feeling your Justin will be calling 12:00 on the dot."
"Lance," JC sighed. "He isn't my Justin. He isn't my anything. I can't even call him my acquaintance for God sakes." He pouted because he knew there would be no way in hell he could fall back asleep now that his brain started to process thoughts.
"I think he's cute. And so do you." Lance said in a happy tone, too happy for Josh’s likes.
"Your point? I mean I do. So what? Stop making a big deal over it. You'll get my hopes up." He yawned.
"So are you nervous?"
"No. I'm tired you fucker."
"Well since you're up. You definitely should brush your teeth and drink some coffee. You don't want to scare your Justin away with that voice." Lance knew JC wasn’t exactly beaming with enthusiasm first thing in the morning but he couldn’t help bothering his best friend a little.
"Shut the fuck up! Damn it Bass, you just woke me up. How do you expect me to sound?"
"Well excited. I mean this could possibly be your friend or something more," Lance drawled darkly.
"Go to hell. I am going to go," he stopped to yawn. "I'm going to piss and you are going to try and not be a pain in my side. Bitch."
"I love you too." His voice was full of patronization.
JC slammed the phone down. He looked to the clock. Forty-six minutes to go. JC shook his head and walked to the bathroom through the entrance in his bedroom. "Stop it. Lance has infected my brain. Now I'm goddamn counting down till noon. I am pathetic." He chastised himself out loud.
"No actually what is pathetic, brother dear is that you argue with yourself so early in the morning."
JC jumped from being startled. "Tyler we have our own bathrooms. Why are you in here?" He didn't even bat an eyelash at his brother's state of undress, who was wearing only hickeys.
“I missed you.” JC snorted. “Actually because I needed an extra toothbrush. I have company,” he winked cheekily.
“Of the male or female persuasion?” JC had long given up on lecturing his younger bother on his promiscuity. It went through one ear and out the other.
“One of each. Twins. I bet you are jealous, huh?” Tyler twirled the unopened toothbrush around his pink nipple.
“Stop it and get out!” Josh pushed his brother towards the door and locked it.
Tyler shouted through the closed door. “Prude!”
JC sighed. His brother loved sex. Which JC had no problem with but his brother was a nymphomaniac when it came to sex. Tyler had to have it all the time and with everyone. If their parents knew what their darling baby boy really studied in college, they would have never left the family house to their eldest son and moved to their summer home.
JC frowned as he washed his face and brushed his teeth. He and Tyler both went to college, the boys only being ten months apart in age but the two never hung out. They ran in different crowds. Josh being more studious and obedient and Tyler being wilder and never giving a fuck for rules. But it still hurt Josh to see his brother act that way.
He left the bathroom and decided to skip the kitchen for the time being. He didn’t want to be around Tyler in post orgasmic mode or the twins. He couldn’t help but to look at the time again and saw that he had thirty-four minutes. After making his bed, changing his clothes, getting another pep talk from Lance, checking the time every few minutes and receiving yet another pep call from Lance, the time passed by rather quickly.
Well somewhat.
Josh broke into a cold sweat when there was only two minutes left until noon. It was a good thing that he never ate before or it was sure to have come back up. So JC got up off his bed and walked around the room. Bu when the clock said 12:03 he felt a little disappointed. Of course Justin could have been running late but from the way the guy had acted he would have thought that he’d call at 12:00. But maybe JC needed to calm down and chill out. He could call anytime after noon but JC had a feeling he would be waiting for the call all day.
And then he heard his cell phone ring. Josh hit his leg as he ran to his pants that were lying bunched up on the floor. He dug his hand into his pants pocket and grabbed the ringing machine. He took three deep breaths before answering it. “Hello?” He tried sound as causal as he could.
“Hey there JC.” Justin breathed into his phone. “Well you sound as good as you did last night.”
Josh was happy the other man couldn’t see him blush. “Yeah well you do too.” He laid on his bed and smiled into the phone.
“So what are you doing for today?”
“Well I am chilling a little bit at home before I go to school.”
“You go to school?” He sounded surprised.
“Yeah I am an accounting major at Gaskins University.” Josh informed.
“Damn. You’re a smarty.” Justin exclaimed. “How old are you?”
“I’m nineteen. How old are you?”
“I’m twenty. I want to take you out.”
JC breathed out loudly and widened his eyes. “Wow you get straight to the point.”
“I see something in you. I know I’m getting ahead of myself and I hope I don’t scare you off. But I have to see you. How long are in you going to be at school?”
Josh wasn’t too sure about telling Justin his schedule. He was moving a little too fast. But wasn’t that the reason why Ronal dumped him? He moved too slow. “Er. Well I finish class at 6:30-”
“How about we go out for coffee? Or a movie? I can get you from your college. I’m overwhelming you aren’t I? You don’t even know my full name. I’ll tell you though if you go out with me. C’mon JC gimme a chance. I bet you’re hesitating.”
Justin was right. He was very overwhelming. But he was going to get over it. “Okay how about we meet at Coffee Café?” The coffeehouse was a block away from his school. “It’s on-”
Justin interjected. “I know where that is. How about we meet at your school? After class? I wanna walk you over. I mean if that’s okay JC.”
When Justin finished off so bashfully, JC couldn’t resist. He believed he was forming a weak spot for the older man. “Sure. Do you know where Gaskins is?”
“Yeah. I’ve passed it a few times. Which building? The first one?”
Josh was surprised that Justin knew it so well. “Yeah I’ll meet you there.”
“Good so it’s a date.” He sounded very happy.
“Something like that. So enough about me. Let’s talk about you Justin. Like your accent. You’re not from here.” There was more of a Southern twang in Justin’s voice.
“Well I’m from Tennessee. And I’m in between jobs right now. I live at my friends’ house. What about you though? You live in the dorms?”
“Oh no. I live at my-” JC broke off because of the loud moans coming from down the hall where his brother’s room was located. Sounded like he didn’t get rid of the twins as yet. “Can you give me a second?”
“Always.”
“Smooth Justin. You are smooth.” JC got up and quickly shut the door. He went back to the bed where his phone lay. “Sorry. My brother has…friends over and they were getting loud.” He hoped Justin didn’t hear them.
“You live with your brother?”
JC was about to answer but the loud muffled groan was heard through the door. “Yeah we live at home.”
“That’s cool. So what do you look for in a guy?”
“Why?” He said lightly. “You’re going to be my dream man?”
“Oh I know I am. You are my dream guy. You took my breath away when you walked in the club last night. I wasn’t even gonna go but I’m thankful that I did.”
“You were? I thought Lance was just adding on but I guess he wasn’t.”
Justin asked in a lower tone. “Lance?”
“Oh that’s my best friend. He’s the reason I was there.”
His voice got brighter. “Well then I’m grateful for him too.” He chirped into the phone.
“God you are too much.”
“No I just can’t wait to see you.” He rushed out breathily.
JC heard the front door being slammed and he looked to his clock. He had classes to go to. “Listen Justin I have to go. My class is starting soon and I need to get some grub. But you’ll be in front of the auditorium? That’s the building you were talking about. Do you need to know what color clothes I am wearing?”
“No. I’d know you from a mile away. So 6:30 right?”
“Right. I’ll see you then. Bye.”
“Bye.” JC hanged up. But Justin couldn’t help but add, “Baby” after the dial tone was heard. He pressed the off button and stared hard at the newcomer in his room.
“Yo you calling him baby now?” Joey smiled as he walked to Justin’s bed.
“Shut the fuck up. You sneaking in my fucking room now?” Justin folded his hands behind his head and stared menacingly at his friend.
“No Jesus Justin calm down man. I am your friend you know. I mean this is my house.”
Justin squinted. “So you want me gone? Cause I’ll fucking go.”
“No.” He held his hands out. “Damn Justin. Stop man. I’m making small talk.” He tried to placate the loose wire that his friend was and sat down on the edge of his bed.
“Well I don’t want you to small talk. Where’s my fucking money Joey?”
“God so angry.” He pulled a wad of money out of his pocket and gave it to the man. “So what’s up with your dream boy? You were being all tight-lipped last night about him. What was his name?”
“JC.” He smiled quickly. He looked down and began to count the money. “There’s five hundred extra.” It was a pleasant surprise. He learned the hard way though that not everything is what it seemed.
“Yeah well the car you got was new. Good choice man. Carlos gave you a bonus. You gonna take your boy out?”
“You took your cut?” Joey nodded his head. “Good. He ain’t my boy yet. But he will be.” He said with determination shining in his eyes.
*`*`*`*`*`*
“Man Professor Kern is boring. I have to pinch my damn arm to stay awake.”
Josh laughed and nodded his head. He definitely could relate. He purposely sat in front of the man so he wouldn't fall asleep in class. “I think he even bores his self.” The two students, classmates and friends walked through the front lobby of the auditorium building.
Zander laughed at his friend’s comment. “Yeah. Hey you wanna go the café?” He was referring to the university’s cafeteria. “I believe it’s Loco Taco night.” He wiggled his red bushy eyebrows up and down and held the door open as they walked out of the building.
Josh giggled. “No. That’s ok, Zan. I have plans.”
“That’s cool.” He pushed his glasses higher on his nose bridge. He opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off.
“Hey JC.”
Josh turned to his right to see Justin leaning against the bike rack with his arms folded. He put his Timberland boot clad feet together and looked like he had all the time in the world. He saw JC from the moment he stepped out of the door.
“Justin. Hey, I hope you weren’t waiting long.” Josh walked closer to the older man and introduced his friend. “Zander, this is Justin. Justin this is Zander.”
“Pleased to meet you Justin. What major are you?”
Justin looked the younger man up and down. “I don’t go to school here.”
“Oh? Attending a rival school eh?” He smiled too wide for Justin’s like.
Josh decided to lie. He knew his friend could be a little too nosy sometimes. “Um he’s from out of town. He’s taking a semester off. But we really have to go. His mother is waiting for us. So I’ll see you next class.” Josh grabbed Justin’s hand and pulled him forward. When he was sure he was a good distance, he let go and apologized. “Sorry about that. Zander thinks everyone is a student and well he kind of lives in his own world but he’s harmless and hello.” He grinned.
Justin returned it. “Yeah he just screams dork. But let’s not talk about him. How were your classes?” The two walked side by side off campus.
“They were basically the same ole, same ole. My last class was boring as hell. But I could use a cup of coffee.”
“Yeah. I like how you look with those glasses. Smart and sexy.” He placed his hands in his jeans pocket.
“My God do you love to compliment.” JC slipped his glasses off though. He only needed them for reading.
“You are more than worthy of it. I’ve been thinking about you all day.” He made sure to brush their arms together as they walked.
“So you promised to tell me your name.”
“It’s Justin Randall Timberlake.” He turned and walked backward in front of Josh.
JC stuck his tongue out at him. “I’m Joshua Scott Chasez. JC’s a nickname.”
“Joshua,” Justin breathed out. “I like it more than JC. But the man who it belongs to is even better.” He stared into Josh’s eyes while he returned to walking aside of him.
He stuck his tongue out at the other man. “I tell you that you are smooth.”
“Like your lips?”
Josh blushed and was happy to see the coffeehouse. “Argh!” He exasperated. “I’m going to zip your mouth shut. Let’s go inside before you make my cheeks melt off.”
“No let me get the door for you.” Justin opened the door and winked. The two walked to a table and sat across from each other. They ordered their coffee and chocolate donuts.
“You drive?”
“Yeah I drove over to the school. My car is down the block actually. I live on the other side of town.”
“I live closer to Gaskins but since I tend to work late at night sometimes, I just drive over.”
“You work too?”
“Yeah at my college’s library.”
“I’m digging a librarian.” Justin shook his head teasingly. “Damn I know how to pick ‘em.”
JC quirked his lips playfully, “You making fun of me?”
Justin leaned onto the table and stared intensely. “Never that. Tell me Joshua what are you doing tomorrow?”
“Working. I have classes only on Mondays and Thursdays. Why? You wanna go out?”
“Well since you asked. Who am I to turn such an offer down?” He quickly asked and smiled.
“You’re slick.” JC chuckled. “But I like it.”
Justin dragged a finger down the back of JC’s hand. “And I like you.” The waiter placed their orders on the table and left as quickly as he came.
“I’m getting a padlock for that mouth.” He warned jokingly.
“Fine.” He pretended to zip his mouth. “Tell me more about you then.”
JC sipped his mocha latte and smiled. “What about me?”
“Everything. Anything.” He gazed over his mug of black coffee.
“Well you know I’m younger than you and I’m going to be an accountant. I share my family home with my little brother, Tyler.”
Justin swallowed. “Just you two?”
“Yeah. Our parents gave us the house when Ty graduated. They moved to Florida. What about your family?” He stuck a piece of doughnut in his mouth. Justin eyed the lips moving as he chewed.
“Well my father is dead. And my mother is probably on her tenth husband or who ever she could harpoon with her used goods. I’m an only child. But once I turned sixteen I was out of that house.” He took a bite out of the chocolate pastry.
“So I take it you and your mom don’t get along?”
“Not really. But I got my GED, got my ass out of Tennessee and here I am today.” He finished off with a grin.
“Just like that?” He sipped his hot drink and chewed his donut.
Justin snapped his fingers. “Just like that. So what about it? You gonna go out with me tomorrow or am I going to have wait and plead with you at your job?”
JC chuckled. “No. I’ll go. Since you tricked me into asking.” He smiled and drank the last of his coffee.
“What do you think about me?” Justin took hold of Joshua’s hand and ran his thumb in Joshua’s palm.
“I think you are slicker than oil. You’re cool and observant. And I also think you like me a lot. And I think the feelings mutual.”
Justin leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Yeah. Well that’s good but what about me?”
“Like how you look? You’re sexy and straight to the point.”
“Well I have to be especially around you.” He looked down to Josh’s empty cup. “You’re done? Cause we could go. I’ll just end up staring into your eyes all night.”
“Next time we go out, I’ll make sure to have my padlock. So we’re going fifty-fifty or what?” Josh grabbed his shoulder bag. He was prepared to take his wallet out.
“Are you crazy? I’m paying Josh.” He sat up over the bench to reach into his back pocket.
“But-”
“I insist.” He quickly threw a twenty onto the table and stood up. “C’mon. Let’s go walk.” Joshua shook his head and grabbed his book bag. Their order was less than ten dollars but Justin didn’t even worry about the change. The two walked outside. The sun had set and the streetlights seemed to give the two guys a glow. “So where do you wanna go?”
“Well I have an early morning tomorrow and some homework to get to so…” Josh trailed off.
Justin got the drift. “We’re going back to school. Do you want me to drop you home?” He offered.
“No I drove over. But let’s walk back.” This time Josh made sure their arms brushed as they walked. Justin moved closer every time. They walked back to the campus gates and Josh walked over to his black Camry. “I had a great time Justin.”
“Me too.” Justin stepped into Josh’s personal space. “I don’t want you to leave but I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. So I gotta let you go.” Justin leaned even closer, sharing the same air with JC.
“Yeah.” Joshua couldn’t seem to pull a coherent thought out of his head. Justin was like a lovely fog pleasantly filling his skull.
“So I’ll get you from the library?”
“You don’t have to go out of your way. We could meet where ever. Where are we going tomorrow?”
“It’s a surprise. Call me when you get home so I know you got home safe, okay?” Justin dragged an index finger down the teenager’s cheek. “Can I?”
“Can you what?” Josh asked huskily.
“Can I do this…” Justin breathed a leaned the rest of the centimeters to kiss Josh’s closed lips. He grasped his hand around Josh’s, brought it to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “Thank you,” he whispered. He kissed Josh’s cheek and whispered into his ear, “Until tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” Josh breathed out so lightly it could barely be heard. The two pulled away and held each other’s eyes as Josh got into his car and drove away.