Justin heard groaning as soon as he woke up. He turned onto his side and saw his father holding his head.

“Dad?” Justin questioned concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“Headache,” Randy answered softly. Justin sat up and turned to face his father.

“Can I get you anything?”

“Painkiller,”

Justin nodded and got up to go to the bathroom where their toiletries were standing on the sink counter. He grabbed the painkillers and filled a glass with water, then carried both items towards his father.

“Here,” Justin said quietly, knowing how his voice could sound like a drill in his father’s head. His father got these headaches occasionally.

“Thanks son,” Randy answered just as quietly, taking the medicine quickly and washing it down with the water Justin had brought him. He layed back down.

“Can I do anything else?”

“No, I’m just gonna rest for a while, you go ahead and get breakfast, I’ll be good to go for the game.” Randy instructed and Justin nodded.

“Okay dad.” He showered, got dressed and went downstairs to the dining room to eat just as his father had said.

Almost thirty minutes later Justin made his way back up to the room. Justin could tell immediately that his father wasn’t feeling better but he asked nevertheless.

“I’m fine, let’s go.” Randy answered stubbornly and with a grimace he pushed himself to a sitting position. He groaned loudly as the pounding in his head increased and Justin was by his side in an instant.

“Dad you’re not fine, lay back down,” he instructed, gently pushing against his father’s shoulder, knowing his father really didn’t feel well or he would have said something about the tone he was using.

Randy instead shook his head against better judgment as he stubbornly said, “No I should be going with you.”

“Oh no, dad you just rest today I can handle it, I’ll knock them dead.” Justin said seriously, gently pushing his father back to the mattress. Justin didn’t know what exactly had caused this particular severe headache to come up but his father had those sometimes, they were unpredictable and came and went as they pleased.

“I’ll be fine.” He promised again as his dad started to protest once more.

Randy sighed. “Okay then, I’ll take another pill and meet up with you tonight.” He promised as if Justin would be bothered with not having him there.

“Sure,” Justin agreed. He felt bad for his father that he wasn’t feeling well but he couldn’t help to thank his lucky stars for this.

“But only if you feel well enough tonight.” Hoping his father would pass up on the game tonight as well.

Randy nodded slowly before lowering himself back in the pillows. Justin went into the bathroom to pick up a washcloth from the towel rack and wet it in the sink, he then went back to his father and placed it on his forehead.

“I’ll see you soon.” Justin whispered before quietly going out the door, once it closed behind him he let out a sigh of relief followed by an immense smile. He actually caught himself whistling as he made his way to the elevator, ready to have fun and bowl.

As he played his first game of the day, Justin began to realize that not having his father there had except for a lot of advantages also a disadvantage. His father only had to look at him a certain way and Justin was focused again. A strict look and he forgot everything around him except for the ball he was holding in his hand and the pins he was supposed to strike down with it.

Halfway through the game his eye had fallen on a guy he knew, Josh. He was playing just a few lanes away from him and as he saw him, he remembered what had happened the night before and what Josh had said to him. The unwanted questions came with it and Justin was out of balance, he was unfocussed and the next time he let go of that ball he knew it would miss every pin. The other guy smirked pleased and Justin slapped himself mentally, he pictured his father’s stern look, eyeing him right now with a death glare. With that image in mind he picked up the ball for his second throw; it went straight through the middle and till his relieve every pin tumbled over. The kid wasn’t looking quite as pleased anymore and Justin let out a sigh of relief.

He knew he should not think about Josh or what he’d told him. He decided to confront him later but for now he steadily pictured his father’s glare to get him through the game, and get him through as the winner.

“Why did you say you liked me?” Justin demanded. As soon as the game was over and the scores had been written down he’d marched over to the slim boy who’d almost succeeded in making him lose the game. Josh was too shocked to respond and just stared at him.

“Think you can play with my head!”

“No,” Josh denied, getting his wits back.

“It won’t work you know, you won’t succeed.” Justin said angrily, pointing a finger at him.

“I’m not trying to,” Josh denied still.

“Yes you are!”

“No I’m not. Look Justin, I’d like to win yes but I only want to win if I’m best not cause I managed to screw with my opponents heads, as you so nicely put it.”

“Do you believe your own bullshit?” Justin questioned.

“Actually I don’t see it as bullshit and yes I do believe it.” Josh answered although knowing it wasn’t really a question Justin had expected an answer to. Justin sighed loudly, beyond frustrated, whatever he threw at this guy he had a comeback and it was starting to tick him off.

“Stay the hell away from me!” he demanded angrily before storming off. Josh was trying to play with his head well tough he wouldn’t let him.

Justin was worried. It was his second game of the day and he was behind. He needed a good throw to get him ahead again because just because his father wasn’t behind him watching his every move didn’t mean he could lose the game. His father would be angry and he’d hear about it anyway, bad headache or not. Only two frames left, he needed to focus. He’d said he wouldn’t let Josh play with his head but he realized he’d already let him.

With difficulty he managed to force himself to keep his attention on his game, his mind kept wandering back to Josh’s words and the questions his own mind had added to them. He’d once again used the trick of pretending his father was behind him again but it only worked to some extent. He needed to talk to Josh. He needed to make sure he was out of his thoughts before he would play another game.

“Can you tell me in which room Joshua Chasez is staying?” Justin asked sweetly, leaning over the front desk hoping the woman would give him the information after he’d learned Josh’s full name from the game survey.

The games of the day were over, it was nearly eight o’clock and Justin was happy he could say he’d won all of his games again today. It wasn’t because he’d managed to talk to Josh in between the second and third game however. It was because around four his father had showed up. He hadn’t said much to him but the real thing of those eyes boring into his back, knowing they held expectations and a warning not to lose, had been enough to keep his focus on the game and to completely forget about Josh. His father had retreated to his bed after dinner but Justin still felt the need to confront Josh. Justin needed to know what Josh was trying to do or if he maybe had been honest.

“I need to talk to him.”

The woman was hesitating.

“It’s important, please.”

He batted his eyelashes at her and he could see her caving in front of his eyes.

She typed the name into the computer and came up with the answer, “837”

“Thank you!” he said happily before dashing to the elevator taking it to the 8th floor. He was going to set things straight once and for all before this would become disastrous by losing a game or getting chucked out of the competition completely.

“You gotta stop this shit now.” Justin said immediately as the door opened and he saw how the nonchalant boy automatically leaned against the doorframe. Josh did a double take as the words sunk in.

“Ex… excuse me?”

“You said you didn’t want to screw with my head but you are!”

“I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?” Josh wondered confused.

“I did! I do,” he sighed.

“You really like me?” Justin wondered softly.

Josh nodded, “Yeah.”

“Then please stop screwing with my head.”

“Let me prove to you that I have good intentions.” Josh said confidently.

“If you think I only want to take out the competition, let me prove to you that I do really like you.” Justin looked wearily. His father was still in bed, he could go but did he want to?

“How do I know you’re not trying to get me to go to bed late so I’ll be too tired to play tomorrow?”

Josh sighed. “I’m coming too right? So I’ll be just as tired if we stay out late. We won’t, I promise, just come on give me a chance.”

Justin sighed, slumping in defeat. His eyes were honest or… he was a really good actor. Screw it, Justin thought suddenly.

“Alright.” Josh’s toothy grin was passed his way.

“Let’s go then.” He said, grabbing his jacket and key card quickly before stepping out of the room, letting the door fall shut behind him.

They took the elevator down to the lobby and walked out of the hotel. They turned right as they walked down the stairs that led up to the hotel and walked down the street for a bit. All of this was done in complete silence. Justin didn’t know if this was a trick, first he asked him to come out with him and then he lead him down the street, what was he doing? But Josh knew exactly what he was doing and where they were going.

They stopped finally, there was a bench that overlooked the grass field and Justin realized Josh had lead him to the park. A few trees provided shadow and they both sat down. For a moment they both stared out in front of them. Justin finally broke the silence.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Josh shrugged. “I was walking around a bit a few days ago and came across this park. It relaxed me,” Josh turned towards Justin, eyeing him.

“I hoped it would relax you too.”

Justin stiffened. “You saying I’m not relaxed?” he wondered somewhat angrily.

“Honestly? Yes.” Josh was sure he’d heard a hmph escape the boy’s lips and he wondered if this was the right way to approach him. Well tough, the words had left his mouth, he couldn’t take them back, better to explain them.

“I mean you were crying that first day. You pretend it didn’t happen and I know you want me to pretend it didn’t happen either but it did. That doesn’t seem relaxed to me.”

“So what if I was a little nervous for this tournament, what do you care?”

“If you want to pretend, be my guest.” Josh said meaningful, he knew it wasn’t just about being a little nervous, there was more to it but Justin obviously didn’t want to talk about it.

Justin scowled at him, “What do you care?” he asked again, angrier now.

Josh shrugged. “I told you, I like you.”

“Oh right, you like me.” Justin repeated sarcastically, making bunny ears as he said the word like.

“I do, why are you doubting that?” Josh wondered seriously, why would he say it if he didn’t mean it?

“Oh I don’t know, because you’re my competition. It’d real easy to take me down that way.”

“Why are you so obsessed with this whole competition thing and taking you down theory?”

“Because I want to win.”

Josh sighed. “Look Justin,” he started, looking him straight in the eye.

“I like you, honestly. I am not doing this to take you down, I am not doing this to screw with your head. I simply like you and I wanted you to know that. That’s all I swear. If you don’t like me, fine, I won’t bother you again but don’t hide behind this whole competition thing because this is not what it is about.”

Justin listened open mouthed, his eyes wide. He really seemed sincere, he was eyeing him and he didn’t look away once. Maybe he was honest about this.

Justin sighed, his defensive armor crumbling. “I think I like you too.”

Josh smiled, “You think?”

Justin nodded.

“I’ll take it.” Josh said then grinned and Justin allowed a tiny smile to appear.

The first step was made.

“What got you into bowling?” Justin wondered after a while. They’d been sitting on the bench for a while now and had talked about random things. Justin was curious. Josh frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you just don’t… seem to be… the type.” Justin explained the origin of his question.

“What type am I then?”

“Basketball, football, golf, not…”

“Bowling?”

Justin shook his head.

“You can’t laugh,” Josh started, it made Justin want to know more desperately.

“I won’t.”

“Grease,” came the soft admittance. Justin leaned in closer.

“What?” Josh looked up, searching for the beginnings of a smile but he found confusion. He sighed.

“Grease,” he said again.

“There was no bowling in that movie.” Justin said, still too confused to laugh.

“The second movie did.”

“With Michelle Pheiffer?”

Josh nodded, his head slightly ducked now that Justin knew what he was talking about. Justin bit his lip to stop his smile from forming but he couldn’t stop it. Josh looked up quickly as there was no response.

“I said you couldn’t laugh!” he cried accusingly.

Justin did his best to force the smile away, “I’m sorry!” A giggle escaped.

“Sorry,” he said again, succeeding in getting himself somewhat under control. Josh scowled but secretly enjoyed the teasing they had going on. They were more comfortable already.

“So you liked it cause of her?” he wondered.

“No!” Josh bit back, then adding softer.

“Cause of him.”

Justin looked surprised. “Oh, right.” Justin said, as if he only now realized Josh was gay. It seemed stupid he’d said he liked him and that was a sign as any but it was still a shock.

Josh saw how Justin reacted and couldn’t help but ask, “You do know I like you in that way right?”

Justin met his eyes and nodded. “Uh yeah, I well, like you that way too.” Justin admitted with a shy smile. He knew he did.

Josh had been on his mind for the past few days and although he had told himself it was because he’d said such strange things if he was completely honest with himself there had been thoughts of Josh’s sexiness as well. The way his dark brown curls bobbed loosely on his head when he walked, how his piercing blue eyes looked at Justin as if he knew everything he was thinking and the way he dressed, baggy jeans and a tight shirt that hugged his abs and biceps. There was also a nonchalance about him, he seemed at ease with who he was. It showed in the way he carried himself and it was something Justin really envied about him but what also made Josh extremely sexy to watch.

Josh smiled back, relieved he hadn’t given the wrong impression. Justin understood and better yet, felt the same way.