"What do you have to do to get some service around here?" Justin made an unimpressed face at a passing waiter. Who stared back with a stricken expression, and dashed off towards the kitchen.
"You know I hate it when you do that," Marie took a sip of champagne. "What's the rush?"
He shrugged, "I Can't stand too wait to long."
Even his tone was impatient as he glanced around the restaurant. At the gaggle of faces, that stared with open mouths back at him. She never knew whether Justin liked the attention he got or not. He always looked around to see if was being noticed, but he would moan about never getting any peace. It was funny how people observed him with so much interest do simple things like take a drink of champagne, as if he did it in a spectacularly different way to everyone else. Even as his companion she felt like an animal in zoo, she would never understand how he dealt with it.
"This is a beautiful restaurant," she said glancing around. "Very um, what's the word-romantic." It was lit dimly with an orange glow, from the ornate candles that stood on every table. Soft stringed music echoed in the background, and framed pictures hung neatly on each cream wall. Not romantic, more pretentious, to her at least but he didn’t need to know that.
He grinned, "don't ever expect anything less." His eyes were darting round again. Why couldn’t he just relax? She bit a bread stick watching him. He was so very impatient. Maybe because his life was all rush, rush, rush, he never actually seemed to sit back and slow down. He was always waiting for something. Marie on the other hand just wanted to unwind. She'd only agreed to go out tonight, at such short notice; on the promise it would be quiet and relaxing, ha yeah-fat chance.
"Look Justin that’s it. What's wrong for crying out loud? Who are you looking for the paparazzi?" She shook her head, selecting another bread stick. "Would you just relax, you’ve been on a knife-edge all day. Tell me what's wrong? Please."
"Well it's Jc," he replied idly, a hint of resentment in his tone. Damn it why did she have to ask. Jc had this uncanny ability to follow her wherever she went, and yet again here he was, on a date with her and Justin, not literally, but he might as well have been. What was the deal with Jc? everyone was virtually obsessed by the man.
"Let me guess you had a fight?" Marie asked Justin nodded, folding his napkin into a swan. Some people could just do everything.
He placed the swan on the table admiring it. "Actually we haven’t made up since the last fight, he's distant. It's starting to really get to me." He crushed his swan, and hastily poured more wine. "Do you want some?" He held up the bottle. "Where is that waiter?"
She shook her head. "No thank you," indicating to her full glass. "It's not your fault he's immature. He'll come round eventually." Justin didn’t look convinced moving his wondering attention to inspecting his knife.
It was like Justin could not function with out Jc. Totally unable. She likened it to having two hands all your life then suddenly having one cut off. He didn’t know what to do anymore. Lance had once told her that Jc and Justin were like brothers, Jc was the older brother and Justin was the baby. Jc made the decisions, he solved the problems, and Justin just let Jc look after him, almost his entire life. Marie was having none of it. Justin wasn’t idle. He was strong, he was independent, and he was nobody's baby.
"But that’s it. He's not immature. I must have really upset him. Jc is not petty." Justin's voice was laced with guilt; he ran his finger over the edge of the wine glass. "I'm about to get really drunk," He added wistfully. Not good Marie registered; Justin wasn’t the best of drinkers.
"You keep saying Jc is oh so great, but he has a problem with me, for no reason what so ever." Marie said quickly. Justin looked up suddenly, his face completely blank. Shit, broken a golden rule never insult Jc.
"He hates you?"
"Pretty much the impression I got."
Justin shook his head. He does not have a problem with you." It was so final. Like he was making Jc's mind up for him. Just like that.
"Oh please. He won't even speak to me Justin, that does not scream, hey I wanna be your best friend." It seemed like Justin hadn't heard what she said, or at least hadn't understood it.
"He doesn’t hate you."
"Yes Justin he does, that is glaring obvious. Marie insisted raising her tone so he knew she was serious. Maybe hate was a little over the top, well a lot, but Justin could be so stubborn sometimes. Maybe another glass of wine would be a good idea.
"He's just-"
"Misunderstood I know!" Marie concluded having heard that line so many times. "So what the hell is his problem?" She vented her frustration by stabbing her napkin with her fork. "He makes me so-," she groaned, putting the fork down. "So mad."
"Have you apologised?" He said quite plainly. Was he deaf? It was Jc who should apologise.
"What for?"
"I don’t know, whatever." Justin was casually in his reply, looking around again for the waiter, he located him and clicked his fingers impatiently. Marie hated that. The 'don’t you know who I am' Act. She sighed, lowering her eyes.
"You refuse to believe Jc is not god don’t you?"
Justin pouted. Looking far too beautiful, the candlelight reflecting in his wounded eyes. "Why would he have a problem with you?" He reached over the table and took her hand. "How could he have a problem with you?" His voice was romantic again; sadly she noted it could be the result of the wine, glancing at the bottle, which had emptied unnervingly fast. He smiled; he smiled, 'The Justin Timberlake guaranteed to make any girls knees go weak and I'll get my way', smile. And he was forgiven. Just like that.
"Got me." She replied unable to stop a smile escaping to her own lips. He really was pretty, and so very sweet.
He released her hand. "I'm gonna talk to him about it." As he spoke a waiter appeared at their table. "I'm so sorry Mr Timberlake," Marie heard him mutter. Justin shock his head.
"Look Justin is that really a good idea?" Marie said loudly. But Justin had stopped listening and was complaining to the waiter about lack of service. Marie hung her head. Sometimes she thought Justin didn’t actually take on board a word she said. Even if she protested, he'd go right a head and do it anyway.
"Is this broken?" Joey hit the Playstaion controller on the couch.
"It will be if you keep doing that." Chris said rolling his eyes. "Give me it." He took the controller from Joey's hands, and shock it, then he pressed a few buttons. "No it's defiantly broken." Chris looked over at Jc who hadn’t batted an eyelid; he had this spaced expression on his face. Like he was sat with them, but he wasn’t really there. "Anybody home?" Chris asked waving his arm, nothing. "Jace!"
"Huh?" Jc tilted his head. "Did you say something?"
Chris laughed. "Oh no nothing. What is wrong with you you’ve been sat there for like twenty minutes, just gazing into space."
Jc shrugged. "I'm just thinking that's all. Is Justin back from his date?" He added as an after thought.
"How do I know?" Chris replied, looking to Joey, he was still messing with the playstation. "Are you ok man?"
"Yeah I'm fine. So what are you doing tonight?" Jc asked.
"Well my date with the playstation has fallen through, so how does clubbin sound?" Chris looked at Joey who smiled slowly.
"Count me in I hear London has some pretty hot spots." Joey nodded suggestively. Jc rolled his eyes.
"Hot spots? Ha I doubt that. I think I'll pass."
"Straight up? Brand new country, brand new clubs and your gonna pass." Joey said in disbelief.
Jc nodded. "Yep."
"So what are you going to do?" Joey asked still trying desperately to fix the playstation.
"I don’t know, talk to Lance, maybe."
"What if he wants to come with us?" Joey said thoughtfully, "he might you know."
"He won't his in bed his back hurting again. He's such a wuss."
"Ok. And you're sure your ok?" Chris asked looking from Jc to Joey and then back again
Jc rolled his eyes. Didn’t I say that already get off my back, go out have sex, whatever. It was not the tone of a person who was ok. He leaned back in his chair, biting his fingers. Bad sign. Without a word Jc got up and left, Joey remained silent for a while.
"What is wrong with him? He's starting to scare me."
"Oh it's Justin." Chris knew that, he was fluent in Jc speak and that was clearly I'm pissed off cause my best friends gone out without telling me with a girl I don’t even like. He'd only found out Justin had gone out because one of the wardrobe ladies had told him. Justin always told Jc where he was going, always.
"Isn’t it always? We don’t get involved." Joey said turning to Chris, who nodded.
"Right. We go out we have fun we don’t worry."
"Right."
"Yep." Chris paused for a few seconds; "I'll go talk to him."
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"Justin went out. He didn’t even say where he was going, he is and I-." Jc ran his hand through his hair. He looked so much like the agitated parent. "What's the use?"
"Chill dude he can look after himself, he's not 14 anymore," Chris said. "He can look after himself." Jc dismissed that notion with a wave of his hand.
"Yeah but he's still Justin!" Jc made it sound like an affliction. "He doesn’t think; he just dives straight in, head first. And I pick up the fucking pieces!" Chris coughed. Did Jc just swear?
"Jace calm down please."
Jc paused; "I've never known him be like this over a girl," his tone was soft. So now this was about Marie, he should have guessed.
"Is that so bad?" Chris asked, with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
"I sound like his dad, don’t I?" Jc looked ashamed with himself. Chris knew Jc should never be ashamed of caring about his best friend, even if his way was slightly extreme.
"It's only because you care."
"Yeah way too much."
"You can't let him walk over you anymore." Chris said after a while, he knew Jc had accepted that, because his eyes looked misty, and he forced a weak smile
"I know"
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"Honey what's wrong, bad date with Justin?" Karen asked as Marie appeared, in her room. She flopped down in a chair; her hair was damp from the rain. She seemed troubled and slightly drunk. Karen had seen many of Justin's girlfriends come and go, she knew Marie was a real gem. Karen liked Marie.
"No not really, it's just," Marie sighed biting her lip. "I did a dumb thing. Where is everybody?"
"I don't know about the rest but Lance is asleep;" Marie raised an eyebrow. "It's his back, I'm just finishing up this last bit of work then I'm going to him, he needs t.l.c" she explained; "Anyway go on honey I'm listening."
Karen always called Marie honey. Maybe it was because Karen had been around so much longer than Marie; she had been Lance girlfriend for over a year. Karen was an image consultant, so maybe she sort had a right to be the one in charge. In a way, Karen was the best friend Marie had, she understood, the things she was going through. And they weren't normal things. So now she always came to Karen for advice.
"I told him I thought Jc had a problem with me."
"And that’s bad because?"
Marie shock her head, "because now it’s an issue, a thing I know where going to row about, because he just doesn’t get that me and Jc, were not connecting." Why was she letting this bother her? As if Jc's approval was important. Well it was to Justin.
"You and Jc still not talking huh? Rough. Where's Justin now?" Karen asked.
"No were not talking were not talking with bells on. Justin's gone to talk to Jc I think. Oh god I hope not, I came straight to talk to you after our date."
Karen handed Marie a tissue. "Are you sure Jc has a problem with you I mean he's a pretty private person, I've known him years, and he hardly ever opens up, a confession of feelings from Jc is like, well its very rare."
"Well I think so I mean, if he doesn’t why wont he talk to me." Marie sounded utterly convinced. She dabbed her face with the tissue smudging her mascara.
"Oh," Karen said unable to think of anything better.
"He's so distant, and quiet and annoying, I just wanna talk to him, without feeling like you know Satan!" Her frustration came through, and she sunk back in the chair sniffling. "He's an asshole right? I shouldn’t care. But I do! And I don’t even know why."
Karen had lost count of the times Marie had come to her for advice in just a month, and it was nearly always about Jc. To say they didn’t speak they had certainly got under each other's skin.
"Listen Honey Jc's a great guy." Karen said. Marie wondered just how many times she'd heard that one. "I swear it. But you don’t just get his approval, you have to earn it, you need to sort this, the only advice I can give you as much as you don’t want to, talk to him. He doesn’t bite."
"I just don’t want Jc to come between Justin and me;" Karen rubbed Marie's shoulder. This girl really was a gem.
"That won't happen." Karen promised with a soft smile.
"I hope not. I really hope not."
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Hey man, Justin called out wandering straight into Jc's room, no knock, no nothing, as usual. Jc was at on the bed talking to Chris, who looked up and smiled
"Hey Justin. I was just leaving." He turned to Jc, "remember what I told you dude ok?" Jc nodded and stood up, letting Chris out.
Justin closed the door. "What was all that about?"
"Nothing Justin, forget it. So did you have a nice date?"
"It was good yeah"
"Good. Is that it?" Jc said bluntly, Justin looked slightly wounded. "Oh by the way it would have been appreciated if you'd have let me know you were going out."
"I didn’t know I was supposed to. Come off it you cannot still be pissed about the other day." Justin asked softly, he punched Jc playfully on the arm. "Dude?"
Jc rubbed his arm." You'd think that wouldn’t you?"
"Look I'm sorry, I screwed up so big and I owe you, ok, am I forgiven?" That was Justin's apology? He was saying all the right words, but it didn’t sound sincere. It sounded like he was apologising because he wanted something. Well that wouldn't be a first.
Jc shrugged. "Maybe" damn it. You should have said no, idiot.
Justin nodded, maybe was all he needed. "Listen anyway, I need to talk to you."
"Hey, that’s unusual."
Justin looked irritated. "Jace not now please?"
Jc hung his head. "Fine, What?" Honestly Jc, when will you learn.
"Do you have a problem with Marie?" He should have expected this, everyone else had accused him of having a problem with her, so it was about time it was Justin's turn. Funny how he always ended up being the one apologising.
"Excuse me?" Jc said, trying to pretend he had no idea what Justin was talking about.
"So you don’t have a problem with her?" Justin asked still unsure.
"Why would you think that?" Jc said not being able to manage no.
"I don’t know its this crazy idea she got in her head that you don’t like her, and seen as there's no reason for that, I figured she must be wrong." Justin explained with a half smile.
"I don’t hate her" That was true enough, he barely knew the girl.
"Of course. I mean why would you?" Because she's stolen my best friend, good a reason as any. Right?
"I don’t know." you coward.
"Good cause then when can do stuff, as a three." Justin suggested looking all hopeful and 14 years old again.
"You have no clue do you, there is no way she wants me hanging around when your there." Justin just shrugged.
"Could you at least talk to her, make her see how much she's overreacting?"
"I don’t know." Say no, lay down the law, you are the oldest.
"Please?" Justin pouted.
"What does it matter anyway?"
"I don’t know Jc, I just think it might be nice if my girlfriend got along with my best friend I don’t know call me crazy." Well when you put it that way.
"Look you just-I can't-but you." Long pause. "Fine, what do I have to do?"
"Smile. Act nice make conversation. Make her like you." Easy for you to say.
"How do I do that?" Justin looked at him like an idiot.
"Same way you got half of America to like you. Look I gotta go, where cool right?" Justin asked backing away to the door.
Jc nodded "Oh yeah were cool." As usual Justin missed the sarcasm in Jc's voice. Typical.
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"He spends five seconds apologising, and then ten minutes telling me what to do, and what do I do, I say yeah were cool." Jc stopped pacing for a second and turned to Lance who was propped up in bed. "God I'm a doormat, aren't I?" Lance had requested to be left alone; he was feeling extremely unwell, well like shit really. Then Jc stormed in, and Lance would have told him to go away. Although he didn’t because Jc had started to pace, and he knew it was serious if Jc started to pace.
"But you are cool aren't you?" Lance asked shifting in bed.
"Oh I don’t know, whatever. Its Justin always gets his own way!" Jc snapped. He was angry, pissed off, generally in a bad mood, all because Justin got his own way.
Hell that was how life worked; Jc slogged his guts out doing this and that for Justin. Justin only had to pout and army of people would rush to his side, fighting to be the one that got to help him. Justin only had to ask and he could have anything he wanted. They all knew it, they all saw it, realized he was the important one, but they never mentioned it, never complained about it, well not normally anyway.
"Boy you really are pissed off tonight." Lance bit down on his lip, the pain in his back returning, but Jc didn’t notice because he was still pacing. Then he stopped suddenly and spun round.
"Oh yeah, and you know what he's asked me to do, right?"
"What?" Lance asked trying to sound interested, this Jc and Justin escapade was wearing thin, they could not go on like this.
"Spend time with Marie." Jc made it sound like a big deal, like Justin had asked him to throw himself off a cliff.
Lance rolled his eyes. "And why did he do that?" He sighed examining his hands as Jc began to pace again.
"Because she thinks I don’t like her." He over gestured his arms, Jc always did that when he was making a point.
"But you don’t," Lance commented without thinking, Jc spun round yet again.
"Why does everyone think that? Jesus! It's like its all my fault."
It is your fault Jace. Or at least partly, maybe it's hers too. Justin's not asking too much of you. All he wants is for you to give his girlfriend, at least a chance, to prove she's all he thinks she is. You can't deny him that."
Jc sighed. "Like I have a choice anyway."
"Good point."
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Jc knocked on the door, scuffing his shoes on the hotel carpet. He really didn’t want to do this. But he had to, just go in, make friends, then leave, not too hard right? She opened the door. He stepped back surprised, she leaned against the doorframe and waited for him to speak.
"Marie." Jc stroked the back of his neck. "Can I come in?" He blushed, eyes everywhere except on her.
"Sure." Her reply was short and she disappeared into the room leaving the door open, uncertainly he stepped in closing the door behind him. What was he doing here? This was bounded to be a disaster. She wasn’t even looking at him. He took a deep breath
"Listen, I want to talk to you." The things I do for Justin.
She smiled looking at him. Talk about deer in headlights, for some reason she found it quiet sweet, that he looked all bashful. What was he doing here anyway? Didn't he hate her? Then she remembered- Justin.
She smiled looking up. "Justin told you to come talk to me huh?" She got changed from her date clothes into a pair of sweatpants. It was the first time he'd ever seen her with her hair down. Her smile relaxed him. The only light in the room was from the open window. She wasn’t in the mood for this. She'd only forgive him for Justin. That's all.
"Is it that obvious?" He jammed his hands in his pockets and looked around the room. Justin had left his mark on it his possessions lay scattered around. He didn’t like that, weird.
"It's not you that’s obvious, it's Justin," she said softly, turning on the tiny lamp on the nightstand. He nodded, and for a brief second they had something in common, but then it passed and he hung hid head, nervous again.
"Yeah. Listen."
"Would you stop saying that? I'm here I'm listening!" she stood still arms folded, waiting. She sounded so English then, just her voice, he liked the way it sounded.
"Ok, um, I think we got off on the wrong foot, so maybe we could start over." his hopeful eyes finally met hers, but she shock her head.
"Is that it? Jc I want us to have a conversation! Nothing to do with Justin, just you know about the weather or sports, or just-talk to me!" She snapped, and then she shrugged. "Never mind."
"The only thing I know about you is you like Justin." Jc said truthfully.
It was hardly something to base a friendship on. Ok, lame excuse Jc. It surprised him that she was actually bothered he hadn’t really spoken to her. He'd never expected that, she had Justin what did she need him for? It was just about then; he realized he did want to be her friend, not just because Justin was making him. Hey that was a shocker.
"Ditto. I don’t get you, are you afraid of me, or something? For gods sake Jc!" Frustrated she wiped her brow. They stood some distance apart as if he was afraid to come closer to her. Her at one side of the room; him on the other side.
"No."
"What is it then?" He studied her expression. She really did look upset, disappointed even, he didn’t like to think it was him that had done that to her, he had to be honest.
He took another deep breath. "Look I'm an idiot; you don’t need me as a friend, you just feel you have to because-"
-Of Justin. She finished his sentence for him; closing her eyes. "That’s not true! What makes you think that?" He shrugged. Maybe she had missed judged him, Maybe Justin was right. His eyes were pure and innocent, not stubborn and selfish. Maybe he really was a great guy.
But God Jc Chasez was a beautiful man.
"I mean, Justin wants us to be friends but so do I. I really do." She meant it, and he knew. The smile he returned was truly special. The invisible barrier between them had just been broken and she couldn't help but smile as well.
Although, he was still unsure, biting his lip. "Ok so can we start over?"
"Sure. If that’s what you think is best." Satisfied she started to fold some clothes, humming softly. When Jc finally spoke to her, she had been meaning to shout at him, but looking at him somehow she just couldn't. He stood still watching her for a while.
"I'm sorry," he said eventually. Didn't someone say he didn’t show his emotions? That was one right there. How could they not see? There were so many emotions swimming in those pretty eyes.
"For what?"
"For not giving you a chance." He paused, "Justin is like my little brother. I worry about him like you wouldn't believe."
She laughed. "What was it anyway? Do I have a mass murders face? Is that why you wouldn’t talk to me?" She had to turn away then, as if the time limit on how long their eyes could meet was up, she knew she should turn away.
"No! I'm stubborn and stupid, and it's Just, he think your perfect and-." He faded away, not sure if shed be insulted by what he was about to say.
"Nobody's perfect. I know." She whispered, looking at him briefly. How did she know what he was thinking? That was the second time shed finished his sentence. Maybe she read his face. "He does that sometimes huh?" She went on." He walks around in his rose colored world, hey but nothing ever goes wrong for Justin Timberlake eh?" She almost sounded bitter, but he dismissed that.
"Yeah he's not human." He meant for it to sound sarcastic, but maybe she saw through it. Because for a brief second they were connected, for the first time she saw the Jc Chasez they all raved on about. And it scared her, although she didn't know why. "I'm glad were on the same page now." He added, breaking the completive silence. I don't hate you. She knew it was the truth.
"I know."
"Thank you," she whispered. He didn’t know what she was thanking him for and he didn’t ask. He just laughed softly. "I'm not taking him away from you I promise."
"It's been nice talking to you."
"Yeah." She was still looking at him, but then suddenly she shock her head away, was she blushing? "I'll see you." He turned to leave but then noticed the book on the nightstand.
"Are you reading this?" He held up the book, The Silence Of The Lambs. He didn’t notice the distance between them now was only a few inches. He didn’t care.
"Yeah." She smiled taking it from him. "I thought I'd give it a go."
"I love this book." He admitted almost too excitedly, she sat down on the bed; examining the book.
"Really? I think it's kinda hard work"
"Oh it's worth it," he promised, sitting down beside her. Without so much as a second thought.
Their legs were touching.
Jc Chasez was a beautiful man.
Chapter 3
Only One Friend
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