Wind blew rapidly through the open car window, rustling the hair of the driver inside.
The cars surrounding the red mustang went unnoticed. The drivers full attention was everywhere but on the road.
Lois sighed to herself as she passed a light blue Volks Wagon, an elderly man at the wheel. Normally, a sarcastic comment about old people and their driving would come to her mind right about now, but she wasn't in the mood for even her own humor. She was too concerned about what was going to happen went she got where she was going.
After hanging up the phone from Joey, Lois almost felt sick.
It was strange to her that only moments before she had been thankful that Joey hadn't brought up the bet and its grounds, because that would mean that he wasn't really feeling anything real for Rae.
Moments later, he called her wanting to talk about the one thing she wished now she had never started.
Justin knew immediately that something was wrong, and after an hour of jumping up and down on the bed, holding Lois' head under the covers and sticking his wet finger in her ear, she finally told him what Joey wanted to talk about, and what was bothering her.
She didn't tell Justin everything though. She wasn't about to tell him that she wasn't sure of her feelings for Joey as far as just being friends went anymore. She didn't want to talk about that with anyone yet, until she figured it out herself.
Instead she simply told him that she was concerned that she was losing her best friend, and the fact that Joey wanted to talk about the bet only intensified her anxiety.
Justin knew she was bullshitting him, but didn't confront her. Lauren had already said it was pointless trying to make Lois admit to something she wasn't ready to admit to, and Justin knew Lauren was always right when it came to Lois. He was going to do as he was told, and just be there.
They had hung around the apartment most of the morning, since Lois wasn't supposed to go to Joeys until the afternoon.
Justin had mad his supposedly famous JRT specials, only burning two pieces of toast.
They sat around, watching a movie, until Lois got the urge to go through some of her old pictures and letters.
This was a ritual for her whenever she was feeling lost or depressed, which wasn't very often. If Lois brought out the pictures, you knew she was upset.
Hauling a huge box from her closet, Lois dropped it in the middle of the living room floor, sat beside it and began to pull out its contents.
Pictures from concerts, vacations and parties with the guys. Justins twenty first birthday party, when Lois shoved cake in his face. Chris and his girlfriend Kate at a FuManSkeeto show. JC and Mel playing a game of cards with Lance and Kayla. Nikki pinching JCs ass at a Jive party.
Nicki, Suzy and Valerie trying to hold Justin back from kicking Chris' ass after he had made a rather humorous joke at Justins expense.
Lois, Nicki and Lauren all wearing the shirts JC had made them one day as a gag gift. All three of them wore shirts all day that said 'Focker' on the front.
Hayden and Joey playing pool, with Hayden obviously winning.
Lois smiled at all the memories flooding her mind. All the happy times she had spent with these men who had become so important to her. So crucial in her life.
Opening another envelope of pictures, Lois smiled. It was pictures of her and Joey at his last family reunion. She had gotten dragged along, so if his old aunt Stella asked him if he had a girlfriend, he could say yes. Lois, was supposed to act as his girlfriend.
She had been hesitant at first, until Justin told her that it would be a good chance to get Joey back for some of the pranks he had pulled on her over the last tour.
Lois had spent the majority of the reunion, chatting away with all Joeys relatives, telling them anything she could think of from how they were going to get married, to the fact that she thought there would be little Fatones running around very soon.
Joey, was none too pleased with her after that.
Justin had joined her on the floor, rummaging through pictures and trying to hide the ones that made him look stupid. Which was most of them.
Opening a folder, Lois laughed out loud.
"Whats so funny?" Justin asked as he flipped through a stack of pictures.
"A letter Joey wrote me a few years ago." she giggled.
Justins face scrunched a little in confusion, before he reached out and took the paper from Lois' hand.
Reading it over, Justin laughed along with her. He remembered when Joey had written this one night on the tour bus.
Lois and Lauren had been complaining about their boob size, and Lois had made a comment that her Wonder Bra wasn't doing a very good job.
Joey had overheard their conversation, and decided to add his own little twist to the topic.
Later that night, when Lois climbed into her bunk, she found this note on her pillow:
To Whom It May Concern
I have failed. I was put here on this earth for one purpose and one purpose only: To provide boobage for those lacking it. After a few weeks in Victoria's Secret, I saw her. The one who would take me home! I then looked at her chest and was scared. 'Was I up to the job?' I wondered--no pun intended. But my pal, Miracle Bra, convinced me that I was up to the challenge. I knew it was right! I could do this! When she bought me and took me home, I was so happy. I knew that I would make the Wonder God proud.
But alas, it wasn't to happen. For weeks, I have done my best to provide support for someone who need only use bandaids. I have failed. And so I leave this cruel, cruel world with one last statement: Lois, for the sake of other wonder bras like myself, get a boobie job. Please.
That is all. Please tell my manufacturer I love her.
Signed--
WB
Justin could still remember hearing Lois laughing hysterically from her bunk, waking the entire bus with her sorting and honking.
Lois' face fell as she remembered all the fun times she had had with Joey, and the fact that it had been ages since she had even seen him now.
After lunch, Lauren had arrived home to find the living room covered with pictures and letter, with Lois reading over some papers, and Justin asleep in a pile of pictures.
Lois told Lauren everything that had happened that morning. How Joey had called wanting to talk about the bet, and how she was nervous that he was falling for Rae and that she was going to lose her best friend.
Lauren tried to reassure her as best she could that nothing would ever be able to take Joey away from her, but Lois was too nervous to be calmed.
After getting ready to go to Joeys, Lois came back out in the living room to find Lauren and Justin 'getting frisky' as Justin put it, in the pile of photographs.
Making her presence known, the two excused themselves and retreated to the privacy of Laurens room.
Now Lois was on her way to see Joey.
Normally, she would be excited to go and see him. Especially after not seeing him in so long. But this wasn't the case this time. Now all she felt was nervous anxiety.
She knew exactly what he wanted to talk about, and didn't know how she was going to handle it. She wasn't even sure how she felt about him anymore, but she had a pretty good idea that if he said what she was pretty sure he was going to say, that a part of her would be crushed.
Granted, she wanted Joey to be happy. She loved him as a friend if nothing else, and would do anything in her power to make sure he was happy. But that didn't make this any easier.
If Joey did tell her he wanted to call off the bet because he was having real feelings for Rae, then Lois needed a plan. She needed something that would make sure Joey didn't see the hurt in her eyes or the fear in her voice.
But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't think of anything. The harder she thought, the only thing that came into her head was the Herbal Essences theme song.
Pulling off the highway and towards Joeys neighborhood, Lois got more and more nervous.
Maybe he just wanted to check in and see how things were going with her side of the bet? Maybe, since they hadn't seen each other in so long, that he just wanted to hang out? Maybe she was worrying and making herself sick for no reason.
Yeah, fucking right.
As she pulled her car up to the gates of Joeys house, and reached her hand out the window to punch in the security code. As she reached out, she noticed her hand shaking slightly. She was going to have to get herself under control before going in there, or Joey would know right away that something was wrong.
That was the sucky thing about him. He always knew when something was wrong with her.
As the gates swung open, she eased her car up the long driveway towards the looming house ahead of her.
For the first time ever, she felt terrified of this house. The house she had helped him pick out. The house she had stayed over in countless nights. The house that he always said was partly hers because she helped him decorate it, making sure that not every room had a Superman logo in it.
Stopping the car behind his, she turned off the engine and slowly climbed out.
She took her time walking up to the door, not knowing what to expect when she entered. She wanted to get this over with, but also didn't want to have to know for sure everything she was afraid of.
As she reached her hand up to knock on the door, it swung open before she had the chance to make contact.
"Hey there Lolo." Joey smiled happily. "What the fock? Why are you knocking?" he asked when he noticed her hand still in mid air.
Retrieving her hand, Lois looked around nervously. "Um, I dunno." she shrugged.
Smirking at her, Joey turned and entered the house, giving Lois room to walk in and close the door behind her.
She shook her head at herself as she entered. No matter what, she had to keep herself calm. Just be the normal, sarcastic, fun loving Lois that he knew and loved, and everything would be fine.
"Com'on in," Joey called over his shoulder as he made his way towards the living room. "Im bored out of my mind! I have nothing to do today, and this silence is driving me crazy!"
'Quick, Lois! Think of something smartass!' she told herself. "Short drive." she called to him. 'Woo. Hoo.'
Joey only laughed in response as he sat on the couch.
Entering the living room, Lois grinned as she looked around the familiar setting.
The overstuffed couches that lined the walls were cornered by simple black end tables. The huge TV that sat across from the main couch was on, an old episode of Will and Grace playing. The walls were lined with pictures and gold albums, with a few awards lining the mantle over the fireplace on the far wall.
For the first time in a long time, she felt whole. Just being in this room made her feel like nothing had changed.
"You want something to drink?" Joey asked, looking up at her.
"Sure." she answered, her eyes still scanning the pictures on the walls as she sat on the couch beside him.
"Welp, you know where the kitchen is. Get me a Coke while you're up." he grinned.
Lois didn't miss a beat, and she reached out to swat Joey on the back of the head. Joey only laughed at her feeble attempt, grabbing her hand and pulling her to him. Wrapping an arm around her, he smiled. "Know what?" he asked. Lois tried to answer, but his arm was across her mouth. "I actually missed you." He paused, his face looking shocked. "Whoa. Did I just say that?"
Lois punched him limply in the side, and Joey let her go.
She gave him a dirty look, before scooting to the far end of the couch out of his reach. "OF course you missed me, you jackass. I am Lois. And I am great." she nodded affirmatively. "No ones life would be complete without me, and those who dont know me are merely drifting through life, not knowing how wonderful everything could be if they just knew--wait for it--all the wonder that it Lois."
She smiled at herself. Oh yeah, she still had it. She was still the best at sarcastic comebacks.
Joey laughed at her. He really had missed her, and when he thought about it, he couldn't really understand how he let it go so long without seeing her. Sure, he had been having the time of his life with Rae. But this was Lois. She completed a part of him, and he didn't even realize it until this moment.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Lois asked, her fingers drumming nervously at her sides.
She figured it was better to get this whole conversation going and over with before she burst an internal organ with her frantic worrying.
Joey turned to face her, his features drawn into a serious gaze. Lois knew this wasn't good. Joey never looked serious. Stupid. Yes. Confused. Yup. But serious? Never.
She was screwed.
"Well," he started, clearing his throat as he looked at the floor from the corner of his eye. "You know how we said that if either of us started to feel something real for the person we are going out with for this bet, and we would call it off. No questions asked. Right?"
Lois nodded. This wasn't sounding good.
"Well," Again, Joey paused, as if trying to think of the right words. "Im really starting to like Rae." Joey smiled a little at the confession, completely oblivious to the fact that Lois' stomach just did a bungie jump towards her feet. He continued, "I know we haven't been hanging out that long, but she is just such a great person. We have a lot in common, you know? In a lot of ways, she reminds me of you."
Even though she was sure that that was supposed to be a complement, Lois felt ill at that comment.
Sure, that was part of the reason she had picked Rae as Joeys conquest. She was almost certain that anyone like herself would never fall for any of his stupid lines or come ons. Who the fuck would have thought that he wouldn't use his usual tactics and actually get within ten feet of her?
"Thats great, Joey." Lois said, mustering as much happiness in her voice as she could.
Looking at Joey, with that happy look on his face, Lois almost frowned.
She knew. She knew right then and there, with the feeling that was churning in her stomach, exactly what was bothering her all this time.
Lauren was right. Damn her straight to hell in a hand basket, but she was right.
She loved him. She, Lois Lawson, smartass queen of the world, actually loved Joey Fatone.
The thought almost made her cry.
Because now that she actually knew what she felt, it didn't matter.
Now, he cared for someone else.
She felt her eyes well up, and knew she had to do something before he noticed her emotions.
Before she had a chance to second guess it, and without a real thought in her head, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.
"I like Brian." she said.
Joey looked up, slight shock and confusion on his face.
Lois' expression matched his. She couldn't believe she had just blurted that out. Sure, she did like him, but not in the way that Joey was going to take this. Not in the way that she had just meant it when she had said it.
Dammit, she knew she should have thought of a better plan on the way over here rather than singing the Herbal Essences song!
"Really?" Joey asked, his face unreadable.
Clearing her throat, Lois spoke up. "Yeah." she said. "Id been thinking about it for a while, but for some reason I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want you to think I was saying it just to call off the bet or something." she lied.
Joey only sat across from her, his face somber. After a long while, a smile pressed his lips.
In one quick motion, he jumped across the couch at her, laughing. "That is great, Lolo." he smiled at her. "Finally, you found someone whose ass you didn't kick within the first week." Pulling back to look at her, Joey smirked. "Did he eat your jelly?"
"Um, no?" she said, confused.
"Then I think you got a winner." he laughed as he pulled her to him in a hug.
Lois closed her eyes over Joeys shoulder, wrapping her arms tight around his neck. Sighing deeply, she fought the urge to cry.
This wasn't how this was supposed to go. Even though she knew this was probably going to be the outcome of this conversation, she didn't want it to be the truth. And now she had just told him that she wanted to be with Brian?! When in actuality she wanted to be with him?
She was a stupid, sad, woman. She needed more therapy than Justin.
Joey pulled back, and smiled at Lois. She gave him her best smile, when inside she was crying.
"Imma go make some ice cream with grape jelly, okay? To celebrate." he said, jumping up from the couch.
Lois smiled as she watched him rush from the room towards the kitchen. When he was out of sight, she turned and stared at the TV.
Her lip quivered, and her heart fell.
So this was what it was like to have your heart broken?
Yup, everyone was right.
This sucked ass.
