Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 19:26:26 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) From: David Grimstone <grimstone@btinternet.com> Subject: Two Way Conversation 3 Two Way Conversation by DCG ########## DISCLAIMER ########## I do in no way want insinuate anything about anyone, thing, sound, belief, taste, thought, look and anything else...Do not read if offended by something perfectly normal...Although if you are underage, then you are excused from my wrath and you may leave unscathed...All those offended by material of a natural and beautiful nature, please return to your twisted world and ideals (bad day!) Everyone else...Enjoy!! Authors Notes: Hey there... chapter 3 is here of the 5 chapter saga... Please feed my craving for feedback and I hope you all have a great day... (as you can probably imagine by the above disclaimer I have had a bad day!! ah well) Enjoy and get back to me...even if it had nothing whatsoever to do with the story...I luv to chat and meet new people... (email...grimstone@btinternet.com or ujemeflip@hotmail.com) And here we go... ***************************************************************************** Last Time in Two Way Conversation... "What are you smiling for?" asked Justin as he looked back bemused...but Lance removed the smile as quickly as he revealed it... "Nothing...I just know that if we don't get back soon, they're gonna send out a search party, and we don't want that...!" laughed Lance as he turned himself and Justin towards his parked car and they walked silently off... Lance could have told Justin there and then what he thought, but it wouldn't be right. `If JC isn't gay then it would devastate Justin, again...' `I have to find out first...' Then another clarity hit Lance... `Joey seemed to know more than he was letting on...he must know...' mused Lance as he engaged the engine and pulled out from the court. The drive home existed in perpetual silence as both continued to think to themselves...about completely contrasting situations... Lance, about the possibility of JC and Justin realising their feelings...and Justin about whether he could exist in a bubble that contained JC and Bobbie, together... And Now...the continuing story... ***************************************************************************** Two Way Conversation by DCG Chapter 3 - Blind to the Most Obvious Things... The rest of Tuesday progressed without incident, confrontation, or lapse in emotions... Lance and Justin rode back to their house, entered and joined the group. They watched TV, they ate evening dinner, and they all retired to bed early, an unusual occurrence for these 5 people. But under the circumstances, a predicable one. Morning broke and the sun shone. It was Wednesday the 30th of January and one day away from Justin's 21st birthday. But he didn't realise that. Everyone from his mother to his most distant relatives had been running around like headless chickens buying presents and setting up surprises, but he didn't see it. In any other frame of mind he would have laughed at their failed attempts to pull the wool over his eyes, but right now, he didn't even know they existed. For he was still asleep... Lance had mentally decided to check in with Joey at the first opportunity he had. He wanted to find out what JC had to hide, and what reason he had to get so upset at Justin's show of support yesterday. 'Just remember not to let slip about Justin.' reprimanded Lance as he descended the stairs into an empty living room. The 30th of January held no responsibilities for the guys, so Lance wasn't surprised that he was the first up of the five. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, his cell-phone began vibrating in his trouser pocket. "Hello...Oh hi there." Answered Lance as recognised the voice of Justin's mom on the phone. "How are the plans going?" Whispered Lynn as if Justin were in the same room, Lance just laughed slightly "He's not here Lynn, so you don't have to whisper. He'll probably not be up until lunch, you know how he is..." smirked Lance as he walked into the empty lounge and sat down on the sofa. "Is everything going ok, you know, with the preparations? This is an important day for Justin, and it needs to be perfect..." Wished Lynn, reminding Lance for the umpteenth time that this day had to be the best day ever... "I get it Lynn, and it'll be alright. Everything's been arranged, just as prescribed..." Said Lance sarcastically, a bit too sarcastically. "Don't pretend I didn't hear that Lance. You know I'm grateful to you for organising this for Justin. I just wish I knew why Josh wouldn't do it...He seemed a bit out of it the last time we talked. Is there anything going on between Josh and my Justin that I should know about?" Probed Lynn. The right question at the wrong time...or the other way around... Suddenly the doorbell chimed it's presence to Lance. `Thank god for that!' he thanked as he stood up and walked to the door. "Sorry Lynn, I have to go, there's someone at the door..." Said Lance as he and Lynn said their farewells and Lance put the phone on the telephone stand next to the door and proceeded to open the door. On the porch stood a delivery man. "Delivery for a Mr Timberlake." Stated the man. "I'll take that." Said Lance and he duly sighed the electronic gizmo and collected the small envelope type package. As he closed the door and turned back into the house, he looked the envelope over, side to side, and smirked to himself. `American Airlines...' `Hmmmm, wonder where he's off too...' `Must be a holiday or something...' And he then placed the envelope, unopened on the kitchen table as he grabbed his keys and set off out the front door... Up the stairs, in the second bedroom on the right was the only other person awake in the house. JC sat on the edge of his bed recounting the events of yesterday, and it all seemed so far away. It could have been a dream that Joey and Chris knew the truth, and he so wished it was a dream that Justin was ok with him and Bobbie, because that bit, he didn't want to be true. He looked down at his watch as the time struck 9am. It was extra early for him, the `sleeper' of the group, but with so much on his mind, he couldn't sleep anymore. As if by coincidence, his phone began ringing on the bedside cabinet. He answered it seconds later... "Hi mom...I guess this is becoming a regular thing this..." Said JC laughing slightly and referring to the constant calls he shared with his mother recently... "You say that as if it's a bad thing..." Laughed along Karen. "How are you today?" Asked bluntly "Not too bad. I feel bad for not organising his birthday stuff. Lynn asked me but I said no. I gave some stupid excuse about being busy and stuff and I know she saw straight through it. And now I probably look like a complete fool and like I don't care about him or anything...." Spluttered JC as he tried to explain to his mother "Slow down...slow down...Josh, baby, don't knock yourself about over it...I bet she's probably already forgotten about it. Do you want me to call her and let her know?" Asked Karen, only trying her best to help her troubled son. "No, no, don't call her, it'll only get back to Justin, and I don't want that." Said JC, as suddenly the realisation that his mom didn't know that his little `secret' had spread hit him. "Oh, and mom, Joey and Chris kinda know about me now." "And?" Probed an anticipating mother "They said they were ok with it...They said they had know for years or something, although I can't figure out how..." Mused JC. "Then that a good thing Josh. There's nothing for them to be upset about. You're getting this the wrong way around. It's usually the mother you would worry about, not the friends..." Laughed Karen. She wanted to put a smile on her sons face and hope it lasted the day. "I didn't have time to worry about you mom. You were the one that asked me remember, and when I was drunk!" "Not the best time to bring it up I know, but you told the truth. If there's one thing to say in alcohols defence, it's that the truth always comes out a little easier." Stated Karen, and her plan was working, and a smile, one of a recent few, appeared across his face and he looked genuinely content. "Jace...JC...It's me Joey, are you awake?" Echoed through the closed door, and it startled Josh from his call. "Joey's at the door mom, I think I better go, and let him in." "Ok, but you make sure you call me if you need me, remember, I'll be there tomorrow at Justin's Birthday, so I'll see you then." Reassured Karen. JC and Karen then ended the call with a round of goodbyes and JC went to the door to let Joey in. "What is it Joe?" Asked JC as he pulled the door ajar just in time to see Chris pass by and descend the stairs. Joey looked at Chris for a second before turning back to an expectant JC. "Can I come in?" Fumbled Joey "I need to ask you something." JC just opened the door and beckoned him in. Truth being told, he was glad Joey had stopped by. Now he had someone other than his mother to talk to. And with the `big day' fast approaching, he needed an ear, a receptive on at that. "What's the matter Joey?" Asked JC as he perched himself on the edge of his bed as Joey stood at the window. "You JC...Your the matter!" Exclaimed Joey. He didn't intend it to come out so harshly. As soon as the final syllable left his lips he berated himself as it caused JC to look around in mock horror. Since Joey had said he was `ok' with JC being gay, JC had relaxed, markedly, and now, Joey has a problem, with JC. Joey saw the look of complete horror in JC's eyes, as if he was a deer caught in a cars headlights and regretted even coming into the room in the first place. All he could do was to calm him down... "Don't even think about taking that the way you heard it!" Calmed Joey as he walked towards JC and sat beside him. "That totally came out like crap. I didn't mean it like that at all." Reassured Joey and JC relaxed a notch, but still looked apprehensive, and not at all at ease. "I just meant that all this `secrecy' starting to weird me out a little. I know you have feelings for a certain someone Jace." Stated Joey in a final attempt to get JC to at least admit the truth. JC jumped at the statement. He looked up at Joey and for a second actually thought about not telling him anything. But how could anyone not see the distance he had put between him and Justin. `It was obvious' thought JC as he contemplated what to say. But as he looked again at Joey, he melted. His resolve disappeared from existence. "You know that too? Am I that easy to read?" Asked JC, dejected. "It's a good thing you are. Hey, I don't have a reputation for not being in touch with my feelings for nothing you know. I would have missed it if you hadn't gone out on the rooftops and shouted it." Laughed Joey "I didn't do that!" Stated JC, confused "You do, every time you and him are in the same room." Said Joey. He needed JC to admit the truth. He needed it before he set things in motion that could ultimately either end up with them both together, or with them even further apart. He needed some sort of guarantee. "I love him." Said JC, his head bowed low, as if it were a sin to say it. "I love him." He repeated. Joey for a second didn't want to say anything. Not that he could muster anything if he tried. He had thought there was true love there, but the realisation of it didn't hit home until then, until those three words echoed through his lips. "How long?" "Years Joe, three, four, five, maybe six years..." Answer JC as he looked up for the first time in a while. "You've loved..." Started Joey, in disbelief "Yes, I've been in love with Justin for as long as I can remember." Stated JC in as strong a voice as Joey had heard in some days. JC felt liberated as he said those words, out aloud, to someone he considered a brother. But as soon as the sentence disappeared from hearing, suddenly, a shuffling was heard out side JC's door, and both JC and Joey looked at the door, then at each other. There was only one person that could have been. "Justin!" Exclaimed Joey, to himself as he leapt off the bed and to the door. He scampered to the top of the stairs to see the front door ricochet off the door frame as Justin's form ran down the drive to his car. He turned around, defeated to see JC slumped against the door frame. He looked beyond communication. His head lurched forward as he sighed heavily. Joey could see the tears approaching, fast. "That's it then...I got my answer." Stated JC in a voice filled with sadness. Joey didn't know which way to turn. But right now he needed to comfort JC, then he needed to find Justin... ***************************************************************************** There we go again folks...Chapter 3 is done and dusted and Chapter 4 is well on it's way... Again I have left you all with innumerable questions to answer, but as this is only a 5 chapter story I doubt it will take long for it to all pan out into the 'happy' ending (I haven't decided that part yet!) Please feel free to get back to me to remind me that JC and Justin are in no way this mushy or that Chris and Joey haven't got drunk and pulled a prank yet...or that Lance is just too luvy duvy for your taste... I know all these things, but ha ho, this is fiction babay!! Please feel free to get back to me while I wait for Christopher to write another chapter to 'Something Like Justin' and 'Building Dreams'... (grimstone@btinternet.com or ujemeflip@hotmail.com) See yaz all laterz DCG