It was just a bet.
Just a spur of the moment decision. Something they planned out of the blue to prove each other wrong.
They didn't put any thought into it. They didn't consider the possibilities or the actual emotions that could become involved in something like this. All they thought about was that the other was wrong.
Neither one of them ever thought that they could be wrong.
Of course, no one ever really thinks about the consequences of their actions, until they see the outcome. Until they know exactly what their decisions will result in, who bothers to really think about what a tiny word or thought will turn into?
This very thing; the inability to think about the outcome, was exactly what thrust these two friends into the predicament that would change their lives and their friendship forever.
They had made tons of bets with each other during the course of their friendship. Bets on the weather. On who would win the NBA finals. On whether Fuji apples tasted better than Granny Smith. They made bets on anything and everything they could think of.
Even the reason they met, was because of a bet.
"Ha! Joey, you suck!" Hayden exclaimed excited as he threw his arms up in the air in victory.
"Oh, bite me Hayden." Joey scowled as he tossed his pool cue onto the table.
"You wish, Phat One." Hayden teased with a playful smirk.
The music surrounding them was deafening. It was surprising that they could even hear each other. Joey actually wished he couldn't hear Hayden at this moment, considering he was still rambling away to himself, or anyone within earshot, on how great he was at billiards.
Sitting down on a small, overstuffed couch in the corner of the room, Joey stretched his arms over his head.
He had been working hard over the last few months. Not that he was complaining. He had to admit that he had never been so happy to be working this hard. It was finally for something worth while. Something that was going to be worth it in the end. Finally, it looked as if his dreams were going to come true.
Joey had just signed a record deal. Something he had wanted since he was a child. He, along with four friends, were going to be the next big thing in pop music. Just the thought of it was exciting, and no matter how tired he became, that thought always seemed to help push him through.
Looking around the club, Joey smiled. It was this very place that he had run into three old friends, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick, only four months before. It was in this very place that they told him of their plan for a group, and had asked him to participate in something that could change their lives forever.
Never in his dreams did he think that it would become what it had. They already had the backing of a local record company, and upon finding a fifth member, a young Mississippi native by the name of James 'Lance' Bass, things began to get moving.
They were working hard. Singing, dancing and perfecting everything they would need to promote themselves as a group.
The four other members had become like family to Joey. They were four of the hardest working people he had ever met, and he felt privileged to have them in his life, and felt confident in having them in his career. They were now, in his mind, his brothers.
Two days from now, they would be flying to Sweden to record their first single. Joey could hardly contain his excitement, and decided he needed a night out. Calling one of his closest friends, twenty-three year old Hayden Carpenter, the two set out for a night of celebration before Joeys life began to change forever.
The noise from the club below pounded around him, as Joey rubbed his eyes. Feeling the couch move beside him, he opened his brown eyes to meet Haydens amused blue ones.
"Now, don't be bitter, Joe." Hayden smiled antagonizingly. "You sing better than me, so you still got that. Even if I kick your ass at everything else."
Joey rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Hayden."
Looking over the railing to the lower level of the club below, Joey watched as the crowds of people danced to the music surrounding them. He knew that this was something that he may not be able to do once this music group of his got going. He had already been warned about the prices of fame by his family, friends and the guys. But they were sacrifices he was willing to make.
He had times when he was unsure. Not confident that he was making the right decision. With everything you do, sacrifice comes along with it. It just comes down to whether or not you really wanted it.
And he wanted this. He wanted it so badly, it was a borderline obsession.
And the sacrifice was going to be worth it. He knew that. Sacrifice is just a decision you make. And he was sure he had made the right one.
An elbow jabbing into his side broke Joey from his thoughts. He turned to give Hayden an annoyed stare. "Dude, fuck off." he scolded.
Hayden said nothing. He simple nodded his head towards the group of girls now playing pool at the table the two men had vacated.
There were 5 girls; two playing while the other three watched, chatted and laughed together. They all looked to be about Joey and Haydens age. Early to mid twenties. They were all very pretty, but one of them had a certain air about her. A confidence that Joey couldn't quite place, but he could feel was there.
She was tall, with shoulder length blonde hair. Her smile seemed to light up her entire face, as she laughed at something the girl across the pool table said to her. Leaning across the table, she tried to poke her friend in the stomach with her pool cue. The friend, a lovely brunette with dark eyes, dodged the intrusive pool cue and gave the blonde a stern but playful look.
The group of three onlookers laughed at the antics of the other two.
"Joey, you know what's cool?" Haydens voice broke Joey from his gaze.
"What?" he managed to say.
"Blinking." Hayden stated with a grin. "You should really try it some time. Its pretty cool."
Realizing that was Haydens way of telling him he was staring, Joey blinked several times before turning to look at his friend. "Shut up." was the only comeback he could think of.
The two men continued to sit and watch the girls play in front of them. They tried to make it subtle that they were watching, but the girls weren't stupid and were fully aware that they had their full attention.
"Lois." the brunette playing pool whispered to her blonde opponent.
"What?" Lois whispered back, wondering why in the hell they were whispering when they could hardly hear each other speak at a normal tone.
"Lookie." the girl nodded with her head in the direction of two young men, who were obviously watching them.
Lois looked over, as her friend poked her with her cue. "Don't look directly at them, dumbass!"
"Lauren!" Lois yelled. "How the hell am I supposed to know what you're nodding at if I don't look. Dumbass!"
"Well, do it more subtly!" Lauren scolded. "You don't just go flinging you head to look at them!"
Lois rolled her eyes before casually peeking at the men from the corner of her eye.
She grinned slightly, when the two realized that they were talking about them and tried to advert their gaze elsewhere.
One of the other girls, a brunette by the name of Nicki, stepped by to the two. "They've been watching you for the last twenty minutes." she smiled.
"Yeah," continued another girl. "I almost went over and offered them dribble bibs, but I didn't want to seem rude."
"Suzy, since when do you care what others think?" Lauren questioned as she looked at her friend.
"I don't." she shrugged. "I'm just sayin, I didn't want to seem rude." When the other five girls gave her looks of bewilderment, Suzy shot them a stern glance. "Oh shut up."
"Lois," the fifth girl, who had been rather quiet most of then night, spoke up. "Why don't you really get their attention?" she said with a mischievous grin.
"Valerie, what do you want me to do? Go over there, sit on his lap, and shove my tongue down his throat?" Lois said as she placed a hand on her hips.
"Yeah." her friend smiled.
"I bet you that you don't have the guts to say something to them." Lauren spoke up.
Turning to look at her, Lois smiled back defiantly. "Oh really? Seems to me like my poor little cousin has forgotten who she's talking to."
"Oh I haven't forgotten anything, hun." Lauren grinned. "So are you saying that you accept my challenge?"
"Depends." Lois said, "What do I get if I do?"
"Other than the guy?" Nicki asked, giving the two men appreciative glances. "What else do you want?"
Lois grinned evilly as she pondered the question. Finally, she spoke up. "Lauren has to do whatever I ask her to do, WITHOUT COMPLAINING, for the next twenty four hours."
This request caused Laurens eyes to pop farther out of her head than normal human eyes should be able to go. "WHAT?!"
Now to some, this request wouldn't seem too unreasonable. But most people didn't know Lois. And most people weren't aware of the kind of requests she was capable of asking. They were not your normal, everyday, wash-my-car kind of requests. Oh no. A Lois request was something far too original, and almost always embarrassing.
"Well?" Lois asked, tapping her foot impatiently at her still gaping cousin. "What's it gonna be."
"Oh just do it, Lauren." Nicki urged. "I wanna see what Lois will do!"
"Yeah, com'on Lauren!" Suzy and Valerie chimed in.
"Shut up! Ya'll don't know what that woman is capable of!" Lauren protested, pointing an accusing finger at Lois. "Last time I agreed to that, I ended up taped to the hood of her car!"
Giving Lois questioning looks, the girls continued to urge Lauren into agreeance.
"Fine!" Lauren huffed. "Fine. If Lois can tease and flirt it up with that guy to my satisfaction, then I will do her bidding.........within reason!"
"Thankee. Consider it done." Lois smiled.
Giving the two men another glance, Lois placed her pool cue on the table and made her way over to the bar across the room.
"Go on, Joey." Hayden urged. "I bet you cant get her number."
"Piss of Hayden," Joey whined. "I don't see you going over there and saying anything to 'em."
"I don't have to." Hayden stated. "I am giving off the vibes."
"Oh dear God." Joey rolled his eyes. Ever since they were in grade school, Hayden had talked about 'the vibes'. He rarely ever approached a girl, without sitting for a while and letting 'the vibes' work for him. Joey always laughed at him, but he had to admit that it seemed to work. Girls always seemed to be drawn to Hayden. His tall body and California looks were an attribute for sure, and he always managed to attract woman. No matter where they were, or what they were doing, woman seemd to flock to him.
"Hey, dude!" Hayden spoke up. "The blonde is heading over to the bar. Go talk to her. I dare ya!"
Joey looked over towards the bar where the blonde was now leaning across the counter, talking to the bartender. Grinning to himself, he allowed his eyes to drop back to his hands which were fumbling with each other in his lap.
"Why don't you go?" he asked.
"Because, she was giving you the look before she walked over there. Now get your ass up and GO!" Hayden said as he pushed Joey up and out of his seat.
Sighing loudly, Joey made his way over to the bar. Leaning up beside the girl, he watched her for a moment.
She was even more attractive up close. Her blue eyes brightened every time she laughed, which seemed to be quite a bit. Her slender frame was enticing, but it was her confidence that was the true reason for intrigue.
"What would you like?" the girls question broke Joey from his thoughts. He was even more shocked to find that question directed at him.
"Um, what?" he fumbled.
"What would you like to drink?" she asked again.
Joey couldn't stop himself from gaping at her. The way she was looking at him shocked him. It was as if she had known him for ages, not like she was talking to a stranger.
"Whatever you're having." he managed to smile.
The blonde grinned before turning back to the bartender. Moments later, Joey found a strawberry daiquiri placed in front of him. He looked down at the drink confused.
"What? You no like?" the girl asked as she turned to lean her back against the bar, her drink in her hands.
"Um, no, its not that. Its just," Joey wasn't quite sure what to say, so he let his voice drift.
"Too girly?"
"A little." he laughed.
The woman smiled at him, continuing to watch him for a long moment before extending her hand to him. "I'm Lois."
Smiling back at her, Joey accepted the hand offered to him "Joey."
"Nice to meet you, Joey."
Glancing back over to Hayden, Joey smiled a little at the look on his friends face.
"Your friend dared you to come and talk to me, eh?" the woman spoke again.
This question caught Joey off guard yet again. "What? Um, no. What?"
The girl laughed. "Oh com'on." she smiled. "Lets be honest here. We all noticed you watching us," she stated as she motioned towards her friends. "How about we cut the shit. I don't like it much. Too much trouble. So Ill tell you right off that I am not into one night stands. And Im not looking for a relationship either. Too much drama. But Im always looking for friends and people to hang with. Lord knows I wrack my brain daily on why I chose those girls over their to be my friends, but eh, it was a weak moment. Okay?"
"Um, okay?" Joey said, unsure of what she meant or where this rambling was coming from.
"My friends bet me that I didn't have the nerve to flirt with you. Of course, I never back down from a bet, so here I am." she smiled.
Joey had to smile at her honestly. "My friend bet me that I didn't have the nerve to talk to you. So here I am."
Lois grinned at him, before laughing hysterically at something only she understood. Joey simply stood and watched her.
When her laughter settled, Lois placed a hand on Joeys arm. "Well, looks like they lost, huh?"
Smiling, Joey agreed. "What's funny about that?"
This question caused Lois to laugh again. "Well, my cousin over there is going to regret ever trying to challenge me." Looking at Joey for a moment, she smiled again. "So, my new friend Joey, wanna show our dear friends over there how wrong they are about us?" she asked as she offered a bent arm to Joey.
Looking down at her offered arm, Joey grinned. He had never met a woman quite like this one before, and even though they had only just met, he knew right then that she was going to change his life.
Taking her arm, he nodded. "Lets kick some ass." he said as the two began to walk back in the direction of their gaping friends.
That is how they met. Their meeting was based on a bet. Their friendship would be filled with bets. And this was just another one. Just another bet like they had always done. With the main intention of proving the other wrong.
But this bet would have an entirely different outcome.
