Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 09:09:57 -0500
From: JS <darthappetite@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Story of Us

     Ok this is my first attempt at writing a story so I
don't know quite where this is going to go and what I am
expecting from it.  I do know that this is not going to be
based around sex, so if that is what you are looking for
then this story isn't for you.  Other than that I hope you
like what you see, either way send me an e-mail telling me
what you think so I know whether or not to keep writing and
some ideas if you think I should continue. All feedback is
appreciated as long as it is tactful.  Now for the necessary
disclaimer:  I don't know the guys and I am not implying
anything about them or their sexuality. As nice as it would
be this is as far as I know purely fiction. Now on with the
story.

Part 1:

     Lance woke up that morning at about nine and proceeded
to get ready for a long day of rehearsing and technical
checks for the up coming tour.  "God this is gonna be a long
day."   He said aloud to himself as he turned on the news
and then went into the bathroom to take a shower.

"Ring, ring, ring"

"Damn not the phone" he sighed " always when I'm in the
shower."

     He grabbed a towel and hoped out of the shower and
headed for the phone in the other room wondering who would
be calling him this early.

"Hello"

"Lance, its Justin you need to hurry and get ready cause
management wants to meet with us to discuss some changes to
the tour and the opening acts before we start rehearsing
today."

"OK, when do we need to be there?"

"30 minutes"

"Alright, I'll see you in a half-hour, Bye."

"Love, Peace, and hair grease." Click

     Lance looked at the phone for a second trying to
process the last thing Justin said and then looked at the
clock.

"Well so much for the shower." He sighed and continued to
get dressed and head for the offices where they would be
meeting with management.

     When he got to the offices, he walked in still trying
to figure out what was so important that they had to discuss
it at 10 am.  He found his way in to the conference room
where they usually had their meetings with management
surprised to see that not only was he the last one to get
there but also that it wasn't just `Nsync and their
management in the room.  He looked around and saw his band
mates sitting on one side of the table with the guys from O-
Town and their management sitting on the other side.

"Well not that we have everyone, why don't we get started."
Said Johnny `Nsync's manager. "No we have a lot to discuss
and little time since you guys are expected for dance
rehearsals with Fatima in about an hour.  We have a few
changes to the schedule that you guys need to look at as
well as some stuff about your sets but first I would like to
introduce you to your opening act for the entire tour.  I
would like you to meet the guys of O-Town, Dan, Eric, Jacob,
Trevor, and Ashley." The guys from both groups stood up and
shook hands and sat back down. "Now here are the details, O-
town will be .." Johnny continued but Lance wasn't paying
attention anymore.
     He kept glancing at Ashley as he was trying to make it
look like he was paying attention and not trying to be too
obvious that he was looking at Ashley.  `He is even cuter in
person.' He thought to himself.
     Lance had thought Ashley was cute ever since he saw him
for the first time on Making The Band. He had been trying to
figure out how he would get to meet him for quite some time
now and it wasn't that easy as `Nsync was now on Jive.  But
as luck would have it he was going to get to do a four-month
tour with the guy he had a crush on. Lance had come out the
guys after they finished their very first US tour but none
of them save Justin knew that he had a crush on Ashley so
this was his dream come true.
     About five minutes later the meeting was adjourned and
everyone parted ways.  The guys of `Nsync went to the dance
studio to rehearse the routines they had been working on for
the upcoming "Celebrity" tour, while the guys from O-Town
headed back to their house to relax seeing as they had a few
days off.
     Trevor, Jacob, and Eric jumped into one car while
Ashley hopped in Dan's car.  Dan and Ashley had been out for
an early morning run on the beach when they had gotten a
phone call from Jacob telling them about the meeting.  When
they got in the car they told the guy that they would meet
them at the house later cause they were going to go finish
their run.  As they got on the road Ashley put his head back
and closed his with a thin smile in his lips.  Dan didn't
realize that his buddy was in another world until he didn't
respond to his question.  The silence caused him to turn and
look at Ashley and see the state he was in.

"Ash. Ash.. Ashley"

"Huh"

" Are you going to answer me?"

" My bad I didn't hear you. What were you saying"

" Never mind, what I really wanna know now is what had you
so distracted?"

" Nothing really, I was just thinking"

" Right. you were in a completely different world and you
had this little grin on your face that made it look like you
just got the news you had been hoping to hear?"

" Well.. I did"

" What do you mean you did?"

" You were at the meeting, you know exactly what I'm talking
about."

" Okay. So which one is it? Justin or JC?"

"Neither, its Lance."

     Ever since Dan had joined O-Town he knew that there was
something different about Ash, but it wasn't until they had
started shooting the video for "Liquid Dreams" in
preparation for the albums release that he had found out
what it was.  They had gotten close over the course of the
recording of the album and when they finished shooting the
first day the guys had gone back to their hotel rooms and
decided to go out for some fun.  Everyone but Ashley went
out.  He said he was tired and wanted to stay in and get
some sleep and talk to his girlfriend.
     The rest of the guys went out and got some dinner from
a local diner.  Fortunately for them the place was dead and
the waitress was about 55 and had no clue as to who they
were.  After eating the guys decided to go catch a movie
since it was a dark place they could just chill in.  Dan was
worried about Ash because he knew that he had been having
problems with his girlfriend and had been kinda of stressed
lately.  So he opted to grab a cab and head back to the
hotel telling the guys he would see them in the morning.
When he got back to the hotel he went up to the room he and
Ashley were sharing and as he reached the door he could hear
Ashley and it sounded like he was talking but he was also
crying.  He carefully opened the door and saw that Ashley
had his back to him and he was on the phone.  So he quietly
slipped in not wanting to disturb Ash and just as he turned
to close the door "Look it's over okay " Dan paused not
moving. He was about to go back out so Ash could have some
privacy since it looked like he was having a fight when
"Why? You wanna know why? I'm Gay okay that's why it's
over." Hearing this caught Dan by surprise and he let go of
the door and it slammed shut causing Ashley to jump and turn
around.  When he looked up and saw Dan he went pale " Bye"
and hung up the phone.  Dan headed for the bathroom trying
to pretend like he hadn't heard what was said.

"Dan"

He paused. " Yeah "

"What did you hear?"

"Umm nothing"

"Then why won't you look at me?"

Dan Turned around and was met by a look of fear and shame on
Ashley's face.  He slowly walked over to the bed where he
was sitting and sat down beside him, as he went to put an
arm around Ash, Ashley flinched for fear of being hit.  He
pulled Ashley into a tight hug and just sat there with him
as he cried. After about five more minutes of crying Ash
pulled away and began to dry his eyes.  He looked up at Dan
and was about to speak and the stopped.  He sat there
looking as if he was trying to figure out what he wanted to
say.

" I'm Sorry' was all he got out before he started crying
again.  He got up to head for the bathroom and was
immediately stopped by Dan.

" Why are you sorry? What did you do to be sorry for?"

" You heard me. You heard what I said on the phone, I'm
Gay!!! That's why I'm sorry."

Dan pulled Ashley into another hug and stood there for a
moment before whispering into his ear " you have nothing to
be sorry about, you did nothing wrong"

Still crying into Dan's chest he asked " you mean you're not
mad at me for not telling you, for being gay?"

" Why should I be? You're still the same guy I met when I
first joined the group.  That Ashley hasn't changed, you
haven't done anything wrong to anyone."

" I should have told you sooner."

" No you shouldn't, you weren't ready to tell me and that's
not an easy thing to tell someone."  He let go of Ash and
then looked him in the eyes and said " I will never be mad
at you or judge you for who you are as long as you do the
right thing.  Now go in the bathroom and get cleaned up,
cause you look like death warmed over."

At the Ashley cracked a smile and nodded his head and walked
into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

That was five months ago and neither Dan nor Ash had ever
figured on that night taking place nor did they have any
idea how much it would help their friendship grow.
The rest of the guys in the group still didn't know about
Ashley and he still wasn't ready to tell them although he
thought that might change as the tour went on.  Dan just sat
back not saying a word just being happy for his friend as
they headed towards the beach to finish the run that they
had started earlier that morning.


"Okay guys if you get this right we will break for lunch."
Shouted Fatima as the guys of `Nsync quickly grabbed water
bottles to take a drink before running through the routine
for "POP" one more time. "And Lance lets see if you can get
it right this time."

The guys all took their spots and the music started.
Fortunately for all of them and especially Lance the routine
went smoothly and they broke for lunch.  As they headed for
their bags Fatima called Lance over so she could talk to
him.

"Look I don't know what's going on but you need to get your
head out of your ass, I haven't seen you have this much
trouble with a routine in a long time, so get your head
straight at lunch and come back in here focused okay"

"No problem, and I'm sorry for not being focused I just have
a few things on my mind but I'll do better this afternoon, I
promise."

"Alright get outta here"

With that Lance turned and jogged over to his bag where
Justin was waiting for him.

"So what did she have to say?"

"Just that I need to get my head out of my ass and focus"

"Yeah what's up with that, you seem to be in another world
and I noticed it this morning at the meeting."

"I was not in another world at the meeting."

"Okay so what did Johnny have to say?"

Lance stood their trying to figure out what to say for a
moment and before he had a chance.

"Exactly you didn't hear a word he said."  Justin said while
laughing.

"So"

"So why were you in another world?"

"Because HE was there"

"He.. Who exactly is He?  The room was filled with nothing
but guys, so exactly which he would you be referring to?"

"Okay I'll tell you but you have to promise not to tell the
guys."

"I promise"

"I'm serious Just, I don't want the guys to know who I have
a crush on because I don't really feel like being teased
about it."

"Okay I promise I won't tell them"

" Not that it really matters cause it's just my luck that
he's straight, but it's Ashley."

"Well I must say you do have good taste Lance and I won't
let the guys know.  Now lets go get some food."

     With that they headed to the other room where there was
a buffet of food laid out for them.


Okay that's it for part one. I hope you all like it, if not
that's cool.  Either way please feel free to tell me what
you think. If you liked it and would like to see more Ideas
are always appreciated.

JS

darthappetite@hotmail.com