Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2000 13:11:19 EDT From: Khiem725@aol.com Subject: "Umm...Whatever" -- Chapter 1 -- Gay Male/Celebrity/Boybands Umm...Whatever! ---- Chapter 1 (I know, it's not a very creative or poetic name, but it's a name) By Khiem Vo. Wow. How freakishly weird that I'm writin' a story of my own. I didn't plan on postin', ya know. But I got really motivated one night after readin' "My Surprise Romance" by Gabriella, the SheDevil =P. So, I was hyped up and just started writin'. I was kinda like "Whoa!" afterwards cause I wrote so much and stuff. But then, It took me hella long to actually find the courage to post and stuff. Gotta warn ya... I'm from Dallas, Texas and all so I'm gonna be sayin' "Y'all" a lot. Way more than y'all would like =). I can't help it! I'm not good with this characterization thingy so the main character is totally based on me. It is me! I'm a freak! Yeppers. Disclaimer and stuff : Okay, so I don't know `N Sync. As far as I know, none of them are really gay. But I can't help but notice how JC always has his hands around Lance in all those pictures. But that's just me! Oh and um... like, I take snippets from lots of songs and I guess I gotta say they all belong to their respective artists. I don't want to get in trouble for plagiarizing or something. Oh! One more thing! Like, the story starts out outta no where, ya know. And I planned it that way. And I know all of you will have questions and be thinkin' "What the hell?...." but I got it all worked out in my head. And It'll make sense as it goes along. So bear with it and deal! =) Oh yeah! This is the part where I beg for your responses "Good or bad." Or if you just think that I'm a total cutie (Which I am!) or if I'm just conceited =), then email me still! I'm not really good at stuff like this, so any suggestions would be totally coo'. And if you guys think I use that little apostrophe too too much, then tell me that too! =) I'll just shut up now. Oh! I forgot to give y'all my email address ::blushin':: Khiem725@aol.com. Thank you, and Happy Fathers day!!!!! Chapter 1 'Ladies leave your man at home. The club is full of ballas and their pockets full grown!' Destiny's Child was pumpin' through the stereo system and the crowd was wild... or at least that's what I'd imagine seeing as how Jack didn't let me go clubbin' tonight. That Ass. The local radio station played live music from this club every weekend. You could hear the crowd all wild and crazy through the radio. I was sittin' at the hotel, decked out in my flannel PJ's. "I win again!" Lance said with false enthusiasm. How can you not love him? So cute and always trying to please someone. And tonight, that was me! He decided to stay at the hotel while the whole crew went clubbin'. Not clubbing but clubbin'. There's a difference. I've never been clubbin'. Clubbin' must be a real blast... "I quit. You always win." It was only 10 at night. Was it my fault that I wasn't old enough to go clubbin'. No! So I'm 17! That's one away from 18. One year isn't much of a difference and plus, I'm with 'N Sync. I was at an advantage but leave it to good old Jack to ruin everything. That over protective freak. He was like, really nice before we went on tour. He was always cool. Now he's just way too up tight about everything. I thought tourin' was gonna be fun and stuff. But now, it's just the stuff, without the fun! "I could purposely lose." Lance offered. "Yeah but then that wouldn't be fun! Goldfish is never fun!... Ya know what'd be fun?" I knew it'd take some convincin', but that was really easy. Especially with Lance. "Hit me." He said, making himself comfy on the floor in front of me. "If you and me go and explore the city and stuff! It's only 10, Lance," I said with hope. Lance raised himself up with one elbow and sighed. He seemed to always sigh. "But umm... Jack wouldn't want that. I dunno if..." "Dude! Fuck Jack... He's an old hag!" Why was everyone so scared of him. Well, not scared but more respectful, I guess, towards him. "He's just a 27 year old wort!" "And our ruthless manager, Khiem. He'd kill me." It was time to break out the water works. Believe you me! I know how to play the guilt thing well, really well! "I wanna go outside, Lance. I've been stuck here for three days. I'm in LA for the first time and Jack is too paranoid to let me go anywhere! I don't want to go to the concerts anymore. Sure, that was fun for, lets see, the first ten times, but now, it's freakishly boring as hell. No offense by the way. I'm tired of this place! Please!" I forced a tear out. I looked at him with my most sincere look I could muster up! He finally sighed and caved in! 'And I would like to dedicate this Oscar to my mom; for giving me years and years to perfect my act!' Yesssssss! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "So where we goin'?" I asked him as we walked out of the hotel doors. Man, I was full of energy. The bell boy hailed us a cab. Wow. LA is pretty cold at night! Really windy! "Tour the city then go eat something. Late night snack. That okay with you?" We stepped into the cab. I was still wearin' my PJ's. Lance tried to get me to change but I was in too much of a hurry to get the hell outta there to change. I'm an impatient little brat! =) "As long as you're payin' I'm coo'." "Of course." He turned to the driver. "Drive us around for a while and go to the edge of the city so we can see the scrapers and the beach." "Awe shit! I forgot my camera! Can you wait?" I asked Lance. "Aight, but hurry!" Okay, so I'm a geek! Beat me up! I don't care! This camera is like my journal. Lord knows I hate writing and what better way to capture memories than with a picture right? LA nightlife was supposed to be spectacular! That's what Lance said! "Spectacular!" I ran and I was back down in a Jiffy. I didn't see the cab anymore. Noo. All I could see, or hear rather, were girls practically clawin' their way into the cab to get to Lance! Wow... the popularity! That's something I want! "Excuse me! Comin' through! Pregnant woman! Pardon me! Move it! Fuck off!" Wow... some of these girls were strong! Someone scratched me! Damn! That was gonna leave a mark. Grindin' your way through a bunch of hormonal girls was tough! I think I was groped... =) Hmm... Lance saw me through the window but he couldn't open the door 'cause all the girls were blockin' it. So he did the next best thing, he rolled it down and literally pulled me through! I was half way in, with my legs danglin', when the cab started movin'!!! Dumbass driver, I swear! "Hello! I'm not in yet!" I was screamin' but the cubby just cruised right on. The girls started grabbin' at my legs while Lance was tryin' to pull me in. All of this while the cab slowly pulled out into the street! What a sight, huh! So I'm kickin' and yellin' for the cab to stop. Some girl is pullin' on my shoes and I'm trying hard as hell to grip them back. They were my favorite shoes! I just bought them a week ago while we were in San Francisco. But my kickin' didn't help. Someone grabbed the other pair and off they went. I fell face forward into Lance's lap. Every girls fantasy! =) I just looked up at him and hissed at him. We finally got my feet into the window. "I hate you!" I yelled at Lance with mocked anger. He just laughed. "I'm sorry! But it ain't my fault! Someone wanted to go upstairs to get his camera! Someone wanted to drive around the city with an oh so famous celebrity!" "Someone better shut up before he gets a beat down!" I emphasized the 'someone' more than Lance did. My hair was a mess. I grabbed Lance's hat from him and put it on. A little big. Okay, too big but he didn't seem to mind. He smiled instead. "Well, it was your fault!" He said. I raised my fist ready to punch him "...but I won't say anything about it anymore!" He raised his arms up, surrendering. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wow! You weren't kidding, Lance! This is so beautiful! And I thought Dallas was pretty at night! It's nothing compared to LA!" I was snapping my camera like mad. Tryin' to get every angle and every building! Lance didn't say anything. He just sat back and smiled. He was really cute at that moment. Tonight didn't turn out so bad. It was good actually. It was romantic really. The dark buildings and their neon lights up against the pinkish background. Hey! It's LA That was as dark as it was gonna get! We stopped at the edge of the beach. It was pretty crowded so I wanted to go look around. Lance hesitated but agreed. "That'll be 85 dollars." The cabby said through the plexi glass window. Lance pulled out a 100 dollar bill and told him to keep the change. I couldn't help but argue. "Hell no! He doesn't deserve to keep the change." I looked at his ID plastered on the back of the seat. 'Abdule Bhimani Kurien' "I could've been killed today and you're giving him 15 extra? Plus the cab smells. And I lost my shoes!" I said, pointing to my bare feet. I grabbed the 100 out of Lance's hand and took out my wallet, counted exactly 85 dollars and handed it to the man. I didn't even bother to look at him and I chose to ignore Lance's stare at me. "You're mad?" Lance asked. "Well duh. It was only 15 I know but still... he didn't deserve it." With those words, I felt really guilty. I mean, he was only trying to protect his car, ya know. What's up with that! Why did my Id and ego always have to fight? Now I felt really really guilty. "I shouldn't have done that. It was really rude. Now I feel like an ass." I frowned, putting my hands in my pocket. I am always irrational. "It's okay, man. As long as it was you that was the ASS." He smiled. "Justin would have done the same thing." He tried to comfort me. "Oh thanks! Now I'm like Justin. That didn't help much, Lance. But I am undeniably cute! So, I'll take that as a compliment! It was a good thing you didn't say, "I would've done the same thing", huh? I would die if anyone ever compared me to you!" I ran off before he could hit me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We went along the beach to the board walk. We got out and decided to just walk along the various stores like everyone else! It was really homey. There were souvenir shops lining the streets. I told Lance to remind me to buy a 'I Love LA" T-shirt from one of the stands on our way back. He just laughed at me, earnin' him a punch in the arm. Mexican music was pumpin' through somewhere, I dunno, but that gave a really salsa'y mood to the place. Everything was just livened up, or something. We stopped by at a snow cone vendor and bought some blue berry cones that were way way too expensive. But Lance didn't mind. He even told the guy to keep the change. "Ya know, you spend money like it's nothing." "Ya know how it is." He smiled. "Actually I don't. My dad does but I don't. I just think maybe you should watch your money carefully. I dunno. Like, it's good to spend money but to just give it away like that." "Dude. I'm rich. Okaaayy!... that sounded way conceited but I am." He chuckled "I just don't want to be some millionaire that hoards all his dough, ya know." "I guess. Your life, man. I'm just here to make it as crazy as I can." So I don't condone the way he throws his money around but it wasn't my place to judge him. I just had to let it go. For now... We walked to the end of the boardwalk and turned back. It was pretty chilly near the beach but at the same time, it was hella humid and my skin was turnin' all sticky! We didn't talk or anything. We didn't have anything to talk about. I was having a good time just walkin' along the beach looking at the people passin' us. Lance looked like he was havin' fun too! He had this goofy "I'm a doofus" smile on his face while he chomped away at his cone! I couldn't help but laugh at his blue lips and teeth. Mine were most likely like that too! I couldn't miss out on a picture like this. With the moon and the stars all shining. It was perfect! My life was perfect! He wouldn't have let me take a picture of him like that but he was too busy in is own little world to notice. Snap. "You little shit!" He kicked my butt. "It's cute! Here," I handed him the camera "Take one of me then we'll take one together. For memories dude!" Snap. "Okay... find someone who will take a picture of us." I told Lance. "One thing you should know, Khiem. Don't trust LA people. At all! Never ever!" He scolded. "Seems like you got experience, huh!" I smiled "All I'm gonna say is that I once had a pretty camera like yours." He smiled. "Well, I don't think you should stereotype everyone." I said simply. I looked around for awhile to find someone to take a picture of us. There was this harmless looking man sitting on the bench that faced the beach. He was probably thirty something, I dunno. But he looked really preppy so I didn't think he'd be one of the LA folks Lance told me about. "Excuse me sir! Um. Like. Could you take a picture of us and not run away with my camera?" I asked him. Lance nudged me in the side and sheepishly grinned at the man. "What?" I asked him. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes. So I gave the man my camera and me and Lance stepped back a few steps. "Hold up your cones, smile and on the count of three, say cheese!" The man said. "One... two... three..." Snap! The flash was blinding. I rubbed my eyes. Next thing ya know, the man was runnin' away with my camera! I hate it soo much when Lance was right but I was even madder that man took my camera. I know Lance will be in my face about it later. "Hey! Give me my camera, asshole!" I took off after him but I didn't need to go very far. At the sound of my voice he turned around. Big mistake. Always look where you're going! Cause if you don't, you too might run into a stray palm tree! It wasn't a pretty sight! Thud!!! "Eww... shit! That must have hurt!" I said. The man tried to get up but I ran and jumped on his back. "Ahhh!" "If my camera is broken or if the film is exposed, I'll kill you!" So I took my time giving my camera the once over, while standing on the man's back. He grunted and I just kicked him in the head. A little too hard! Cause he fainted. I looked up at Lance who had his cheeks flush from the adrenaline rush he had. "Opps! I'm sorry! I hope that didn't do any permanent damage!" I blushed. "Oh my God! Wow! That was a pretty bad run in. You are so lucky that there are palm trees around! I can't believe the luck! And I told you! I told you! Don't trust anyone! But did you listen? No! You never listen!" He said in one breath. "Sorry. But nothing happened! It's all your fault anyway!" "Wha? How so?" "You jinxed us. This whole situation wouldn't have happened if you didn't say anything 'bout being robbed and shit! And I stopped him, anyway. No thanks to you! Look!" I said pointing to the body. "He's lifeless! Call the police Lance! Make a report! This is just like cops on TV! So cool!" I was actually excited. My first run in with anything like this. Lance had a look of "boy you are weird" on his face. He just stared at me silently for awhile. "Don't just stand there dude! Call!" He shook his head and dialed the police. "What happened!?" Yelled a man behind me? He yelled a little too loud! Suddenly, there was a circle of people around us. Everyone was askin' me questions. "Oh my God! Like, this man came up to me and he totally grabbed my camera and started running, right? So I like yelled at him to stop and started running after him. He's like, running around trash cans and pushin' people everywhere. But I was faster than him. So I did a jump kick in the air and hit him in the back! It was WAY Jackie Chan! He flew like five feet and hit the tree and fainted!" I was really hyped up. I answered a few questions then everyone just clapped their hands and congratulated me! Slowly the crowd disappeared! Lance was finally left. He just stared at me. His mouth agape! "Okay! So I kinda bended the truth!" He kept looking at me. "Fine! So I tied it in knots. But it could have happened that way!" I smiled at him. He finally laughed and shook his head. "You are too much Khiem! Maybe that's why I like you so much? I can not stay mad at you! Not with a face like that!... And you can get off him now." I looked down. I totally forgot that I was standing on his back. Opps... again. I hope nothing was broken. Aww, how sweet was that? In the face of danger, well not quite but still, Lance could even mush up something like that! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "...And I kicked him in the face and he fainted. That's all that happened officer." I said with sad eyes. I told them the truth. Frankly, they scared me. I didn't want to lie. They'd might put me in jail or something. Authority figures scare me. Maybe that's why I'm often afraid of Jack, although he's my best bud. Jack! Shit. Hope he doesn't find out about this. "It's alright son. We're gonna have to contact your guardian... um... a Jack Willis." The officer said. Hearing the name make my eyes bulge out! Oh my God! Jack was gonna kill me! And Lance! "No!!!" I screamed. Everyone looked. "Um.. I mean... you don't have to. Cause like, me and my friend here could just go home! I don't want to bother Jack. He's really busy!" "Sorry but we can't let you go son! Policy!" Shit!!!! I was gonna be in big trouble. But I wasn't worried about me. Lance was who I was worried about. Jack will surely kill him for taking me out in the first place. I found him pacing the floor next to the cop cruiser. I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked at me and gave me a small smile. "Some adventure huh?" He said. "Yeah... I guess." I was silent for a moment, trying to find the words to say 'I'm sorry.' "Look, I'm totally at fault and stuff. You told me to stay at the hotel and stuff but I didn't listen and I dragged you out here. Then this all happened and stuff. So like, I don't blame you for being mad. And I'll tell Jack something so that he won't kill you for tonight. Cause you know he will." "If that was an apology," he smiled. "Then I accept. But I can't blame you for all of it. We still had fun right?" He nudged me. I just nodded and smiled. "Jack IS going to kill me, though. But I promise you I'll come back and haunt you for the rest of your life." He pulled me into a tight grip and gave me a noogie. And you call ME a child. "Don't worry Lance. I'll get you out of this! It's me, remember? I gotta plan. Just leave it up to me!" He looked at me for a while. And just sighed. I just took that as a yes. I know Jack too well. Sure, he likes to yell at me and stuff but I know his weak spots. I AM just like a little brother to him, ya know! =) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Oh my God! Khiem!!! Khiem!!! Officer, where's Khiem!?! Jacked yelled through the crowd. Okay, so that's a good sign. He's not mad, just concerned. 'kay... take a deep breath. Bite your tongue!' "Oh Jack!" I cried, running to him with open arms. "It was so so bad!" I was practically heaving right now. Jack grabbed me and patted my head. I noticed all of 'N Sync just standin' behind near the cab they arrived in. " Calm down Khiem! Just calm down." He rubbed my back. The plan was working perfectly! "I asked Lance to take me to see the beach cause I wanted to get outside!" I began crying again. "... and we were just walking along the beach mindin' our own business, really I was!" I squeezed out a few more tears. "... when this man came up and stole my camera!" Whole new set of tears now streamin' "And like, he scratched me on the arm! But I don't think he did it on purpose though. He just couldn't afford a nail clipper. Lance ran after him and dragged him down! I was really scared! I was!" Now I was practically panting. "I'm sorry Jack! I shouldn't have gone out at all! I'm so stupid! STUPID!!!" I pounded my fist against his chest and cried harder into his chest! "Don't cry Khiem! This is all my fault! If only I had let you out more often, then you wouldn't have gone out so late at night! I'm so sorry! Don't cry anymore! I promise. From now on, I'll be more lenient! Okay? But you gotta stop crying." He smoothly said. Wow... this wasn't a side of Jack I was expecting. He really did care for me! "Lance." Jack said. Lance walked up to him, his didn't dare make eye contact with Jack. He was afraid of what Jack was going to do to him. Lance was with the guys so he didn't hear everything that went on, but I know all of them were watching my Oscar worthy performance in awe. . "Yeah?" Lance said quietly. He felt a hand on his should and he cringed. Then he felt Jack pull him into a hug and the look on his face was of total shock. He reluctantly returned the hug and looked at me over Jack's shoulder. He could see my red face and teary eyes but he also saw the big smile and the two thumbs up sign I gave him. "Thank you so much for being with Khiem! I don't know how to thank you!" "It wasn't really anything." Lance replied, having no clue why Jack was thanking him but certain it had to do with me. "Yes it was! For what you did, I'm gonna give you guys two extra days off next week. Okay?" "Yeah. Um... That'd be good! Thanks Jack!" "Come on guys. Let's get you to bed Khiem!" Jack said putting his arms around me. "By the way, where are your shoes?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~