Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 23:35:43 -0700 From: Mikey <strytll3r@gmail.com> Subject: Secret Lives, chapter 3 Secret Lives An *N Sync Experience Disclaimer: I do not know any famous people. I do not know any friends, relatives or friends of relatives of any famous people. This is a creation by me to help ease my writer's block, and nothing serious will come of it. Occasionally, this story will divulge into areas that some deem inappropriate. If you deem it so, please rant and rave elsewhere. Thank you. So here I am, writing chapter three. It took me a while to get back to the story due to . . . well. Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies. Thanks for being so patient for chapter three, and hopefully, four will be out shortly. Email me @ strytll3r@gmail.com Chapter Three "This place this wonderful," James said between mouthfuls of his frozen hot chocolate. "Where did you find this place?" Jason smiled. "From a movie, actually." James' grin grew wider. "No, I'm serious. Here I was, thinking I was a true New Yorker and it takes John Cusack to tell me what I was missing." James' eyes fogged over for a second. Jason could tell he was searching for the movie. Figuring he would get it in time, he looked out of the window and reflected on the night he had, and smiled a little. Who knew when it started that it would end up like this -- knocked out at the after party of a bad Andrew Lloyd Weber musical and waking up to find what came close to being an angel on earth. Waking down the moonlit corridors of the city and now, watching the deserted streets begin to lighten as the sun rose, still hidden behind the buildings. Jason thought that this was heaven. That he was falling in. . . But that couldn't be the case, could it? Not so soon after Victor. It had only been a few weeks since he had walked in on Victor and . . . "Serendipity!" shouted James, causing Jason to smile broadly. "I thought that was a set, a made up place for the movie." Jason nodded, "I thought that too, 'til Sheila dragged me here, just to prove me wrong. I can still hear her cackling at me, making me shout to the world that I was not perfect." He looked down at scooped up the last bit of the desert. "That was one of my first moments of actually living in the city. She thought I was full of myself, brand new teacher at a prestigious school, living in the Dakota with Yoko and Connie, and wanted to bring me down a couple of notches." "So, proving you wrong did it?" James leaned forward his elbows on the table and his face resting on his clasped hands. "To her? Yes. Proving me wrong is Sheila's favorite pastime." "Well," said James. "I, for one, am glad that she was able to prove you wrong." He looked around. "I think I could fall in love with this place. And it really sets the mood, doesn't it? A person could fall in . . ." James blushed deeply and concentrated on his empty dish. Not that Jason noticed, though, since he was doing the same thing. Luckily the waiter stopped by to break the moment. "Is there anything else I can get you?" Jason shook his head. "Then have a pleasant morning, Mr. Smith." Jason looked at James sheepishly. "Yeah, it's bad when the wait staff recognizes you on sight." James gave a quizzical look. "Mr. Smith?" "Not very original, huh?" James shook his head as he reached for his water. "Yeah, you would have never thought you'd have a boyfriend with such an unimaginative name." James began choking on his water, and Jason realized what he said. Blushing fiercely, Jason looked away and concentrated on a parked car across the street. Soon, James stopped coughing and looked at Jason. Before he could say anything, though, his cell phone rang. "Who would be calling me at 6 in the morning?" He looked at the caller ID and sighed, flipping the phone on. "Yes, mother hen? I'm hanging with a friend. No, you don't know him. Why? Oh, please, Joey. . . I'll be back soon. Yeah. Yeah. Fine. Good night." James sighed again as he put away the phone. "The band's been broken up for years and still Joey mothers me." He glanced at Jason who was still looking out the window. "Jason." He looked around, still pink in the face. "Want to get out of here?" "Yeah. Let's go." James began to put on his coat and then remembered. "Hey, don't we still need to pay?" Jason laughed. "No, I have a tab here. Come on, let's go." * * * * * "Wakey, wakey, eggs and bacey!" Jason refused to open his eyes. The hangover that threatened to rear it's ugly head all night long had finally emerged. Vengeful, it seemed, angry that it had been kept at bay for so long. He tried to turn, and noticed a large weight sitting on his chest. "Sheila . . ." Jason cried out, exasterbated. But Sheila would not have any of it. "You're lucky I let you sleep in this long, mister man. It's 5 o'clock? Where you in bed all fucking day?" "Don't swear," was all Jason could mumble. "You're lucky you gave me a spare key, or else I wouldn't have been able to check up on you." Jason grimaced. "Yeah. Remind me why I did that, again?" Sheila laughed. She leaned in and half shouted, "because you looove me!" Jason's eye's flicked opened and stared at his cruel friend. "Remind me of why I do that, too?" And Sheila hopped. Jason cried out in pain, but Sheila was unrelenting. "Now that I have your full attention. . ." she hopped again. "You are in the Post, my dear." Jason groaned. Sheila laughed hauntingly as she opened the paper. "Yes, you must be the most famous gay, private math teacher in all of Manhattan." She cleared her throat. "It was a fabulous party, with the ONLY black eye the WHOLE evening being a PARTY CRASHING LUSH who almost stole the thunder from Lord Weber." Sheila sighed as she hopped again. "Now, this writer, this Andrew Douglas, has a way with words, don't you think?" Jason laughed in spite of the pain he was in. "Stole the thunder? Who talks like that?" Sheila hopped again. "Jason, my dear. I love you. You know that, don't you? But you are such a slow learner. Now, I've got to run. Work to do, I'm a busy girl, you know. I'll stop by after the show. That'll give you the opportunity to formulate a more . . . proper response." And with a flourish, Sheila exited. Jason smiled to himself. Thankfully, he had thrown up most of his stomach contents last night. He tasted an acidic chocolate in his mouth as his breakfast tried to exit, but Jason willed it down. Jason sat up in bed and looked around for his shorts. Leaning over the side, he saw a black tux folded neatly on the floor. It must have fallen when he wearily got into bed. James' tux. Jason sighed as he picked up the clothes. He really blew it, he could tell. Both he and James recently got out of bad relationships and weren't ready to be in another one. Jason certainly did not want to be in one right now, so why did he say what he said. He closed his eyes, thinking of James, and smiled. Everything seemed perfect when he was with him. That's why he let what he said slip out. Jason laid back on the bed, clutching the tux to his bare skin. Soon, he was fast asleep. * * * * * Short and sweet, I guess. But I figured you've waited long enough. Chapter four will be out soon, I promise. Email me (please note the address change) if you want at strytll3r@gmail.com