Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 17:27:37 EST
From: aCi 2785 <aci_85@hotmail.com>
Subject: Love Interest - Chapter 14

Last time on Chapter 13 of Love Interest -

"I went outside, and he was still out there. He told me he felt
electricity when he kissed you, and he asked me if you felt it too."
Justin replied, almost like he had been defeated at something.

"You know I didn't baby, I only feel electricity with you. God, I feel
electricty when I'm near you Justin, not just kissing you. No one could
take away from me."

"I got pissed though, and I threatened him. When I went to punch him,
well, let's just say he kicked my ass." Justin said almost embarrassed to
admit it to his boyfriend. His head drooped, he didn't want to look Josh
in the eyes after admitting it.

"What did he do to you?" Josh asked, lifting his face to look at him.

"He punched me in the stomach. Then in the face, then he kneed me in the
face while I was on my knees. He stopped after that, but then he told me
that you were definetly his now. He said you were only dating me because
of my looks, and now that he had taken them from me, that I wasn't what
you wanted."

"That's not true Justin. I don't love you just for your looks. You, you
are so beautiful Justin, not just because of your angelic face, or toned
body." Justin blushed at the response. "But because of the kid I grew up
with. The intelligent, mature, and caring person that I shared a room
with every tour. And most of all your beautiful, because your Justin
Randall Timberlake, right now, even with a black eye, and a cut lip, you
are ten times more perfect then anybody else on this world. Every day I
thank God that I am lucky enough to have you as my boyfriend, even if you
didn't have a face, I would still be that lucky."

____________________________________________________________________________

"Justin, the beauty in you hasn't left. A black eye and a cut lip
aren't going to take my love away from you." Josh clarified it all, and
smiled. Justin shed a few tears, Josh not sure if he was touched by his
words, or upset about the situation.

"Why's he doing this to me? We're friends, I never did anything to hurt
him."

"I don't know baby, I don't know." Josh pulled Justin into a tight
embrace again, and held him as he cried.

____________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile.....

"Chris, what the fuck have you been up to? I mean, it was one thing for
you and Josh to kiss, but you beat up Justin?" Joey had finally caught up
to Chris, wondering where he was going took a back seat to the topic at
hand.

"I like Josh. I kissed him, then he hit me." Chris replied rejectedly,
maybe if he played off Joey's friendship he would be able to have an ally
on his side.

"Damn right he hit you, he's dating Justin. They love each other." Joey
had to contain himself from laughing.

"Yeah, I know." Chris's hopes were shot down, it was obvious Joey wasn't
go to take his side.

"That isn't a reason to hit Justin. Damn, you beat him up bad Chris."
Joey's voice was growing with anger. He felt it hard to identify with the
bestfriend that stood before them. For as long as the group had been
together, Justin had been the one they all protected, even when he didn't
want the protecting. And now one of them had done the damage to Justin,
and Joey found it hard to choose.

"He yelled at me for kissing Josh. I just defended myself." Chris replied
back harshly.

"He had every right to yell at you. You kiss his boyfriend, you tried to
take his boyfriend from him. And don't give me the shit that you were
defending yourself. As much as I hate to admit it, Justin may be a big
kid, but he ain't tough in any sense. He's never had to defend himself.
You know after one hit he would have been done." Joey yelled back, and
was startled to realize that a few of the background dancers were
watching him as his words came to a close. He looked at them, and they
took off, leaving the hallway empty besides himself and Chris.

"I don't care if he can't defend himself. He started it, I ended it."
Joey couldn't believe what he was hearing. But before he could get out
another word Chris was gone. Heading back towards where ever he had been
heading.

____________________________________________________________________________

"Hello?" A familiar voice answered the phone.

"Um, yeah, this is Christina. We are kinda having a problem, and we want
to be put up in a hotel tonight. And what would be the possibility of
rescheduling the first day of the tour, one back?"

"I can get you the hotel, and if you have a good reason then maybe the
postponed date." PR replied over the phone.

"Well, sorta been a fight among us, and I don't think Justin is up for
the show tonight." Christina let him know, and worried as the phone line
became quiet.

"Alright, one day, but this pushes us on a busier schedule. So no more
bullshit for the rest of the tour. Tell the bus driver to take you over
to the Hilton. The reservations will be made by the time you get there."

"Thanks." Christina clicked off the phone, and walked out into the tour
bus. Josh and Justin were still in there bunk. Brittney, Lance, and
Samantha were in the back talking, while Joey and Chris were now back on,
neither of them were talking to each other. Although they sat in the same
area. Christina hesitated, and went to the back with the people she knew
were talking.

"So?" Brittney asked after seeing Christina's face.

"The driver is taking us to the Hilton. We have the concert tomorrow
night, but after that we have a much busier schedule to follow."
Christina replied to the question that had been asked with only one word.

"Alright, then tonight we work this out. All of us." Lance spoke up, as
the bus drove onto it's destination.

____________________________________________________________________________

"What?" Josh asked as he opened his door in a towel. Justin was sitting
on the bed, holding an ice pack on his eye.

"We need you guys in my room in ten minutes." Lance replied politely,
even though Josh had just blown up at him. He could understand that Josh
was not in a good mood, he was after all having problems with his friend
that involved his boyfriend.

"For what?" Josh asked still annoyed, checking to make sure Justin was
still okay he looked back to find Justin still sitting there, wincing at
how cold the ice was on his face.

"A meeting, we are working this out." Lance replied, and at the sight of
Josh's mouth opening to deny it, he spoke again. "And don't say no,
because if you won't come over, then I'll bring the meeting to your room.
And yes I do have a key, so don't even ask." Lance snickered, and walked
off, giving Josh and Justin about 5 minutes to get ready before they were
wanted in the other room.

"Justin baby, there's a meeting in Lance's room in 5 minutes. Um, we have
to be there." Josh didn't know how to tell Justin that he was expected to
confront Chris after everything he had been put through by his bandmate.
"You okay with that?" Josh asked, as he took a seat next to his
boyfriend.

"I don't have much of a choice do I?" Justin asked, knowing by Josh's
face that he didn't.

"No, Lance said if we didn't go, he would bring it here."

"Are you going like that? Cuz if you are, the answer would be yes right
away." Justin teased, and Josh looked at himself. Realizing he was still
clad in a towel, he walked back to the bathroom to get changed. Justin
stood up, and tossed the ice pack on the dresser. When Josh exited the
bathroom they left, heading for Lance's room.

"Coming." They both could hear Lance's voice, as they waited outside the
door. Opening it, he ushered them, and they found themselves the last to
arrive, even Samantha was there. Justin walked to the far side opposite
of Chris, and took a seat. Josh took a seat next to him, and Lance
addressed them all. "Um, you all know why we are here. So, you three can
start the meeting." Lance said only that, and took a seat, he waited, and
watched the scene.

"Okay, I'll start." Chris made light of the situation with sarcasm, but
was met with no laughs. Standing and frowning, he stepped in front of
everyone. Feeling uncomfortable, he found it much easier to lean against
the dresser on the wall, then stand upright in front of his friends.
"Alright, here it goes. I love Josh, and I kissed him. I know it was
wrong, I know I shouldn't have done it. But I did. And now everything is
fucked up." Chris didn't even seem to have pain, or understanding in his
eyes or words for Justin or Josh, something that surprised the both of
them.

"That's all you can say, is that you did it, and it was a fuck up? You
almost cost me one of the few things that make me happy in this world. If
I didn't have a career I'd be able to live with it, but I lost Justin, I
don't know what I would do. And all you can say is that you fucked up."
Josh yelled, catching everyone off guard, except for Chris, he was
expecting it, and just shook his head.

"I know, it was an accident. I understand that you love Justin, but I had
to know. I had to know if there was any chance for me. I couldn't go on
living, knowing that I never tried to get you, that I never kissed you at
least once." Chris replied, his words having some merit behind them, but
still no reason to risk a relationship.

"That's it, you had to kiss me at least once? You think that justifies
what you did? Bullshit. I don't know if anything could justify you
kissing me." Josh reacted harshly again, his voice staying at a steady
yell.

"And you have justification for hitting me?" Chris shot back, waiting for
a reply to that.

"You kissed me, I think I should hit some one that kisses me when I have
a boyfriend." Josh yelled. "And anyways, you hit Justin. No, you didn't
just hit him. You beat him up, I mean, you kneed him in the face, and the
things you said to him. You made him feel worthless compared to you."

"Don't speak for Justin. If he has something to say to me, then let him
say it." Chris's words startled Justin, he didn't realize that Chris
would challenge his words.

"I thought we were friends Chris? It's one thing to kiss my boyfriend, I
could have forgiven you for that. But, you know I couldn't have beaten
you even if I tried, and you didn't stop after one hit." Justin spoke up,
much to even Josh's surprise. He had come into the room thinking he was
there to speak for himself and Justin, and he was a little taken back by
Justin's forwardness.

"We are friends Justin. I'm sorry I hit you, I'm sorry I didn't stop
after one hit. And I'm sorry for what I said to you." Chris got looks
from everyone in the room except Josh and Justin questioning what he had
said. "They don't need to be restated, but I'm sorry for saying them. I'm
sorry that I hurt you, and I know you probably think I'm full of shit.
But I'm not. I know we aren't going to be friends for a while, I tried to
take your boyfriend and then I beat you up, but I want to try. You too
Josh, I want to make things better between us. Whaddya say?"

____________________________________________________________________________

TBC.....

____________________________________________________________________________

Cliffhanger baby.....Do you think Josh and Justin will want to work
things out?