Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 22:15:22 -0500
From: aCi 2785 <aci_85@hotmail.com>
Subject: Love Interest - Chapter 21

Last time on Chapter 20 of Love Interest -

"Nah, just a little shocked." Justin replied. "You, you didn't have sex
with Jim did you?" Justin asked and Josh turned towards the door, which
gave Justin an answer without words. When ever Josh couldn't tell the
truth, but hated to lie, he would turn away from the other person. So he
didn't have to meet them in the eyes.

"I'm sorry Justin."

"While I was crying, and realizing I loved you, you were out fucking some
guy." Justin almost muttered it to himself, but Josh heard it.

"I didn't know you were in love with me baby. I was an ass for those two
days, I didn't even notice that you were in pain. I should have, but we
weren't dating, so it's not like I cheated on you or anything." Josh
replied to Justin's statement, and waited. Justin did not answer, but his
gaze on Josh did turn, as his face now just stared up at the ceiling.
Josh could hear slight trembles from the curly, blonde-haired boy sitting
next to him, and he knew that they were sounds made from tears. "I'm
sorry Justin, I love you." Josh said loudly, and leaned over,
instictively, even though Justin was upset at him, his response was to
fall into Josh, and he did just that.

And as Justin cried on Josh's shoulder, he could vividly make out a
muffled sound of I love you too. He smiled, and stroked Justin's back,
waiting for the tears to stop flowing.

____________________________________________________________________________


"So, time for details." Christina chirped, as she, Brittney and Samantha
walked into her room. Brittney had told Lance she would return to their
room after they were done chatting. She figured he probably knew she was
going to tell the girls about it.

"We had sex, it's no big deal. I mean, we just both figured we were
ready, and we did it. I want to say it was great and romantic, but it was
really quick. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, but it wasn't
the most pleasant feeling at first." Brittney replied, acting as
nonchalant as she could.

"You mean, it was just a quickie?" Samantha asked in disbelief. She had
figured the first time she would have sex with a man, it would be
special, but Brittney was describing a fling.

"It was quick, but it wasn't a quickie. We've been dating for a long time
now." Brittney stuck up for herself, feeling like Samantha's question was
out of place from the otherwise polite up and comer.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just thought that the first time you and
him would have sex would be special." Samantha replied, defending herself
to Brittney.

"Sorry, I love Lance, and I know he loves me. I know that it did mean
something to us, but I don't know what it meant to me. I can't even
remember the exact time it happened, I just remember we did it, and I
went back to sleep. But it had to mean something, it was my first time,
it had to mean something." Brittney spoke with confidence, but she could
see the looks Christina and Samantha were making, and they gave her a
second opinion entirely.

"Maybe you two need to talk about it. It sounds to me like you guys might
have rushed into it." Christina spoke for the first time since they
entered the room.

"I don't know, but I think Chrissy's right Britt. You should really talk
to him about it, and figure out what it means to you as a couple."
Samantha added, as Brittney stood.

"Alright, I guess their's no better time then now." Brittney smiled, and
walked from the room.

"So, what do you think about Britt and Lance having sex?" Samantha asked,
figuring Christina would know them as a couple better.

"I don't think it was a good move. Did you listen to the way she talked
about it? This stays strictly between the two of us, but I never thought
they'd make it anyways. And after listening to what Britt said, I think
the sex is going to be what proves it to them both as well." Samantha
almost choked after hearing Christina speak, but she didn't say anything.

"So..." Samantha didn't know what else to say, besides trying to change
the subject.

"How long on you gonna be on the tour with us?" Christina got the hint,
and changed the subject for her.

"For another two weeks and then I'm done. I have to head back to make
another single, and then I don't know what I'm gonna do. What about you?
Are you staying for the whole tour?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's not that long of a tour. It's only a month or so, and
then I have to head back to record." Christina replied, looking around
the room, and focusing on the clock. "Damn, we've got a lot of time to
kill." Noticing that it was only 6, they had plenty of time before
tiredness would sink in.

"What do you think we should do?" Samantha questioned, she too noticed
that it was still early.

"I don't know, let's give Brittney some time to talk to Lance. And then
we ask them all what they want to do." Christina shrugged her shoulders
after making the suggestions.

"What about Josh and Justin, should we see what they want to do?"
Samantha suggested.

"Um, I don't think they really want to be bothered." Christina replied,
she was able to see the expressions Justin had made while they were
swimming, and it was obvious he didn't want to be with a group.

"Alright."


____________________________________________________________________________


"So, you wanted to talk?" Lance asked, looking her in her eyes. It was
pretty clear that something was bothering her.

"About earlier." She replied, pulling her eyes away from his. "What
happened, do you think we might have rushed it, ya know, not been ready
for it?"

"I don't think we rushed it at all. We've been dating for a long time now
Britt, and I think we waited long enough. What happened, well it happened
for a reason. And I think that reason was because we both were ready for
it." Lance replied, pulling her face up so her eyes were interlocked with
his. "I love you Britt."

"I love you too." Brittney replied, with a smile. "I'm sorry I even
brought it up. It's just I was talking to the girls, and I was telling
them about it. And they said, well, that we might have rushed it. And
that I should talk to you about your feelings towards the sex."

"It's okay, we did need to talk about it. It's good to let your feelings
known, and I'm glad you asked me how I felt." Lance's warmth made
Brittney's smile even broader. The sex may have been rushed, but to
Lance it hadn't and that made Brittney happy enough.


____________________________________________________________________________


"You okay now?" Josh asked with a smile. Justin just nodded and threw in
a small smile to show that he was. "Good, cuz I hate to see you crying."
Josh made sure that Justin could see his smile, and it grew ten times
when Justin smiled back.

"Well, then you must hate a lot." Justin jokingly spoke.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Josh asked a little confused.

"I'm always crying, over the smallest things too." Justin replied, in a
tone that made Josh feel like he was stupid for even asking.

"Don't say that. You're just honest with what you're feeling. And I like
it that you aren't afraid to cry around me." Josh smiled, and Justin
could see that his words were nothing but sincere and came from the
heart.

"I still make things bigger then they are." Josh just rolled his eyes,
and decided to stay away from the arguement all together.

"What do you want to do tonight?"

"Um, dinner, and then you." Justin laughed at his own joke, and Josh just
smirked, amused more at how easy it was for Justin to change moods then
his joke.

"Well, I think I can arrange dinner, but I'm pretty sure I'm all sold out
for tonight." Josh joked back, which got a sarcasmed displeasing look
from Justin. "Maybe if dinner is good, well, just maybe we'll have a
little each other." Josh smiled, because that had made Justin smile, and
they both set about the room to get ready for their date.


____________________________________________________________________________


"What do you want to do?" Chris asked Joey as he looked around the room.
They were both bored, and knew that by themselves they wouldn't be able
to have much fun. Especially since they couldn't stay out late, it being
the night before a concert.

"Let's go talk to Lance, we can get every one over there and play truth
or dare." Joey suggested, they were both dressed, and it seemed like a
good option.


____________________________________________________________________________


"Think we should go over yet?" Samantha asked, referring to the original
plan to go and see what Brittney and Lance were going to do for the
night. It had been long enough for Brittney and Lance to discuss the days
events, and she was getting bored just the two of them.

"Yeah, I think they should be done. And if I know the guys, they are
probably over their already, bored like us." Christina laughed, and they
walked out of the room. Samantha remembering to grab a key before she
slipped out.


____________________________________________________________________________


"Come on Just." Josh hollered into the bathroom, he had been getting
impatient with his boyfriend. He had given Justin plenty of time to get
ready, and Justin was still working on his hair. "I'm sure you like fine,
now come on." He hollered again, and the door opened. Their stood Justin,
and Josh broke into a smile right away. Although it was true that Justin
would have looked fine seconds earlier, Josh couldn't help but admit that
he was damn fine, and if it took him twenty minutes to do it, it was well
worth it.

"Alright, alright, I'm ready. Now where are you taking me?" He smiled,
grabbing a coat. Josh helped him get into it, and they pulled open their
door. Walking past the other rooms they didn't hear any noise but from
Lance's, and figured that they were all in their watching a movie or
something. The rest of the floor they were staying on was empty, save
their friends, and they headed to the elevator.

"Well, well, you two look nice." Lonnie smiled, and giggled to himself.
Although he had not been officially told, he had come to the conclusion
on his own that the two were dating. And he had no problem with it,
except it made him laugh numerous times when he thought about it. But not
because they were dating, but because it had taken so long for Justin to
admit that he wanted to date Josh.

"Yep, I'm taking my sweetie to dinner." Josh smiled back, wrapping his
arm around Justin's waist.

"Oh really, down in the hotel restaraunt? Don't you think that's a little
risky, I mean with all the fans." Lonnie asked, sending them a scowl of
disapproval.

"Nope, I saw this really romantic restaraunt down on the corner a block
or two away the other day. It seemed really nice for a quiet dinner."
Josh replied, confused by the scowl.

"Sorry guys, but no can do. I know you guys aren't going to stay out late
and party like Joey and Chris would, but you have a concert tomorrow. And
I have been told not to let you out of the hotel tonight, even just a
quick trip some where." Lonnie frowned, hating to have to tell them that.
It was the second time since the tour started, which was relatively not
even started yet, that he had told them they couldn't go out. Obviously
ruining their night that first time, he was hoping they wouldn't be upset
about it this night.

'This sucks, they used to let us out when we were going on dates with
fans." Justin mumbled, and caught Lonnie's scowl again. Justin didn't
like it when Lonnie scowled at him, it made him feel like a child, and
Lonnie always did treat him like one. His mother always told Lonnie that
he could treat Justin like one, and that what ever worked for him was
okay with her. He was happy that Lonnie was protective of him, after all
it was better to have a personal bodyguard, but at the same time it was
like having your mother on tour with you.

"It's okay baby. We'll just go and watch the movie with every body else."
Josh smiled, and winked. Justin caught the wink, but was confused by it
at first. Until he realized that Josh was pulling him in the direction of
the stairs and not the rooms. At first they both thought Lonnie wasn't
paying attention, had they turned around, they would have realized he was
trying to stay quiet.

"Guys!" He yelled just as they were about to round the bend that would
take them to the stairs. Both of them turned to see Lonnie broad smiled,
and smirking. "Sorry to tell you this, but their's security at the top of
the steps, and downstairs at the bottom." He giggled, and watched as they
both turned from happy to upset. Justin just frowned, but Josh seemed
genuinely angered that their night was ruined.

"Come on Just. I guess we really will go to Lance's room." Justin
followed, and they headed back to Lance's room.

Knock!Knock!Knock!

"Coming." They both heard Lance's voice, and could hear his footsteps as
he made his way closer to the door. "Oh hey guys. We didn't think you
would want to come over." Justin peered in the room, and caught no movie,
and also noticed that the tv wasn't even on.

"Yeah, well our dinner plans got cancelled before they were even started.
So, we figured we would hang out with you guys?" Josh asked in a begging
way, Lance looked at him, and although he could refuse the eyes of Josh,
when he looked at Justin's puppy dog face, he couldn't say no. Even
though it made him mad that they were second choice to being alone.

"Sure, we were just starting." Josh and Justin just shrugged, unsure of
what was just starting, but walked into the room anyways. They found open
seats on one of the beds, and Josh leaned up against the head board.
Justin sat in between his legs, and they waited for Lance to take his
seat next to Brittney.

"Alright, so who wants to start?" Christina asked, antsy to get the game
started.

"Start what?" Justin asked, still unsure of what they were going to be
playing.

"Truth or Dare." Christina replied, not losing any bit of her hyperness
to start. "Fine, I'll start. Joey, truth or dare?"

"Um, um, truth." Joey responded, everyone gave him looks for choosing
truth, but instead of saying anything they waited for Christina to ask
him a question.

"Okay, have you wanted to, or actually have done anything sexual with a
man?" The group got silent for a few minutes. They knew Joey was a flirt,
and that he openely flirted with both men and woman at dance clubs, but
none of them had ever seen him with a man.

"Well, I kissed a guy once. But I was drunk, so you can't hold it against
me." Joey responded, and then gave every one looks. "And before we say
anything more, nothing leaves this room." Every one booed at this, it was
always Joey who remembered to say that rule, and it was usually because
he was the one who needed it to be enforced. It was only him that
embarrassing stories came out of.

"Your turn Joe." Sam shouted, annoyed with the fact that he wasn't asking
anyone.

"Okay, geez girl. Brittney, truth or dare?"

"Dare!" Brittney giggled, she was always the first to take dare in their
games. And she was never afraid to do anything. But then she remembered
that it had been a long time since they had played truth or dare. And she
had been able to do anything, because she wasn't dating any one at the
time, especially not the person sitting right next to her, playing the
game with her.

"Taking a walk on the wild side sister." Justin teased, he and everyone
else knew in the room that Joey's dares were the worst to be on the
recieving end of. He himself had been on that end numerous times, and he
never enjoyed it.

"For that, I'm gonna go after you next." Brittney shot back, and that got
Justin silent. He had to think about it.

"Okay, I dare you to give Lonnie a seductive rub down." The room erupted
into laughter after the dare was issued, that is, except for Lance and
Brittney. Her jaw dropped, and Lance's first turned red, either with
anger, or with sadness for her. "All you have to do is go out their and
rub his chest and face, and lick your lips all teasingly." Joey added,
thinking he was making it an easier dare, when really he was just making
it worse. "Chris and Lance will go with you to make sure you do it." Joey
threw that in too, and let the three leave the room.

"This is the worst dare." Brittney muttered, as Lance and Chris followed
her down the hallway. Coming up to Lonnie they both smiled, and even
Lance couldn't keep from chuckling a little bit.

"Sorry, none of you are allowed out of the hotel tonight." Lonnie
answered the question he thought was coming, but just recieved laughter
from Lance and Chris again, Brittney gulped, and began to speak.

"I hope you can take a joke." Brittney spoke, and then began the rub
down. Lonnie began to laugh, which surprised Brittney, who finished, and
turned to see Chris and Lance on the floor in tears. Lonnie himself was
trying to stay steady, his laughter getting the better of him.

"I guess you guys are playing truth or dare?" He asked after they all had
stopped laughing.

"Yeah." Brittney managed to say, but she too had started to laugh. Able
to find the humor in the situation, they enjoyed the laughter, before the
three of them returned to the room, and took their seats again. "Happy?"
She smiled facing Joey, and he looked at Chris and then Lance. Seeing the
smiles on their faces he could tell that they had witnessed it, and he
shook his head in approval. "Good, cuz now it's my turn to get some one.
Justin, truth or dare?" Justin just stared at her. He didn't want to
seem like a baby and take truth, but she had warned him that he was going
to get a bad dare from her.

"Dare." He replied, but it was apparent that he wasn't too sure of the
answer he had given.

"What?" She asked, a little confused. "You're taking a dare." Brittney
giggled at her own little joke, and soon the whole room was laughing,
even Josh. Justin just made a face at them, and shook his head. "Alright,
well, then I better make it good, we may not get this chance again." Once
again the room laughed, and Justin just put up with it, while he waited
for Brittney to think of a dare. "Okay, I dare you to kiss Joey for ten
seconds." The room fell silent after that. Justin didn't know what to do,
he turned and looked at Josh, but he couldn't make out an okay or not
from the face he had. Joey meanwhile was a little shocked at it, but
other then that seemed fine with the proposal.

"I'm dating Josh." Justin responded, knowing it was his only hope. And
that hope lied in Josh, and whether or not he would say it was okay or
not.

"Well Josh, it's just a kiss, no tongue. And it's only for ten seconds.
Are you cool with it?" Brittney asked, giving Josh a glare.

"Uh, sure." Josh replied. "But I'm not watching." Turning his face, he
counted ten seconds on his hand, and then called for the stop. Justin
admittedly pulled out of the kiss, and took his seat. Joey just smiled,
and relaxed.

"It wasn't that bad was it Justin." Joey laughed, and Justin just cuddled
into Josh. Leaning up, he quickly kissed Josh passionately, until the
group all made coughing noises to interrupt it.

"Yes it was, but that made up for it." Justin laughed, and Josh held his
arm around him. "Now it's my turn." Looking around the room he saw a
large group of care-free faces. He knew none of them feared his dares, he
never made good ones that were ones worthy of fearing. "Okay, Sam, truth
or dare?"

"Truth." Unlike most of them, no one said or even gave Sam a look. She
was new to playing with them, and after the dares she had watched they
didn't blame her for taking truth, although with a dare from Justin, she
would have been just as safe with a dare.

"Whose you're favorite member of NSYNC? And it has to be a better reason
then because his curly hair is so cool." Justin giggled, and waited for
an answer. While everyone else just rolled their eyes at his comment
about him something, except for Josh who curled and uncurled a lock of
hair.

"I don't know, I can't say I've got to know any of you that well yet. But
I'd have to say you Justin. I caught you kissing Josh, and you ran off,
afraid I was going to expose you to the world. Which by the way I would
never have done. And after I explained that I would never do that, you
were down to earth with me. In fact, from what I've seen you're the most
down to earth out of everyone I've met on this tour." Justin blushed from
the comments, and the room fell silent. For whatever reason, they were
all lost in thought, but for Justin, he was going back to that day. The
first day of the tour, the kiss he shared with Josh, and the exposure
that shocked him.

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's your turn Sam." Chris had to tap
her on the shoulder to revive her from her own dreaming. She too was
thinking about that day, and how bad she felt. She too felt the same pain
that Justin felt, but not because she was afraid of being exposed, but
because she had caused it, and that hurt her. She smiled thoughtfully at
Chris, letting him know she was sorry for delaying the game, before
shaking her head to revive herself a little further.

"Chris, truth or dare?" Not having much time to decide, she just quickly
chose him, since she was seating next to her, his name came up first.

"I'm not in the mood to be turned down, so truth." Chris replied, and the
room got uneasily quiet. They all knew what he was talking about, and it
was the fact that Justin and Josh would not participate in anything with
him, and at the same time he was probably good enough to assume that
neither would Brittney or Lance.

"Um, what is your sexual preference?" Samantha didn't know if the
question was really that deep, she didn't think it was. Slowly she
slipped back into dreaming, this time wondering why it was such a big
deal for Justin and Josh to be upset about exposing themselves to her. In
Ireland, along with most of Europe, sexuality was nothing to be ashamed
of, but she then realized in the states it was.

"I'm bisexual I guess." Chris replied nonchalantly, and looked around the
room scanning out his target. Lance, Joey, and Christina were the only
options he saw. He knew that Josh would refuse almost anything that he
was asked. But something in Chris's head, something just told him, he
should go for it. To ask the question he had wanted to know, and for some
reason he had all the intentions to do it. "Josh, truth or dare?"

The room fell silent, again, and this time it was the oddest of them all.
The tension was thick, and Josh just looked at Chris with confusion. He
had not expected Chris to choose him, and he wasn't going to do any dare
that he would ask. So taking the safer option, he chose truth. "Truth."

"Did you feel anything when I kissed you?" Chris's words came out in slow
motion for Josh, he knew after the word feel came out what was coming. He
didn't know what to say, he knew the answer, and the answer was no, but
his first reaction was to see what Justin was doing. Looking at Justin's
face he could see anger beginning to build, and he was unsure if he
should have answered.

"No." Josh answered harshly, and slowly began to rub Justin's shoulders.
Chris's face went to a mixture of sadness and contempt, and Justin just
smiled at him. "Chrissy, truth or dare?" Josh wasted no time in changing
the topic.

"Well since so many party poopers have chose truth, I'm gonna take dare."

"I dare you to cut Chris's hair." Josh smirked at his own dare, and even
started a little giggle.

"What the fuck!" Chris yelled, standing up defensively.


____________________________________________________________________________


TBC.....


____________________________________________________________________________


This chapter ends with a controversy. Was Truth or Dare the right idea?
And is Josh taking it a little too far? I don't know, the next chapter
will tell us whether or not I think so.

If you want to e-mail with suggestions, it's still aci_85@hotmail.com