"You guys, com'on." Lauren whined from the back seat of Lances car. "I want to go home."
They didn't appear to have heard her. Or if they did, they were ignoring her. She hated being ignored!
Leaning forward, she reached around the side of the passenger seat and pulled on Joeys ear, twisting it.
"Ack!" Joey screamed in pain, grabbing his throbbing earlobe. He pried her fingers from him. "Damn it, Lauren!"
"Well, that will teach you not to ignore me!" she smacked him on the side of his head for good measure. Leaning back against the seat in a huff, she noticed Lances amused smile. "Don't you get all smug, Poofoo. I only did that to Joey because I couldn't reach you!"
Lances smile disappeared immediately. He coughed lightly, pretending that the road ahead of him required his complete attention.
Turning her head to stare out the side window, Lauren crossed her arms over her chest in a pout. Why in the hell had they taken her out tonight? Didn't they know about everything that happened yesterday? Did this seem like a time to go out on a road tour? Hell, no!
She watched at the city lights flew passed. They were speeding down the interstate; well, not really speeding. Lance wasn't exactly known for his daredevil driving. Christ, her grandmother drove faster than this! She smiled as a car passing by, carrying three teenage girls, slowly slid passed them. The girl driving the red sedan looked over at their car, her eyes widening with recognition of the one and only Joey Fatone in the car adjacent to her. Her jaw dropped, and Lauren could tell by the motions of her mouth that she was screaming. The other two girls in the car jumped, turning to stare in the direction that their now crazed friend was pointing. Shouldn't she be keeping her hands on the steering wheel? When the other two realized who the girl was pointing at, they joined in on her frantic screaming. They jumped up and down in their seats as best they could considering they were held down by seat belts. Joey looked over, and upon noticing the girls, smiled graciously and waved. This causing the girls to freak out even more. The girl in the back seat turned her attention to Lauren. The girl smiled sweetly, and Lauren returned the gesture with a wave. The girl waved back before pointing to Joey in front of her, mouthing the words 'Is that Joey?' Lauren just nodded, her smiled widening. The girl laughed, mouthing 'Is he your boyfriend?' Lauren laughed at the comment, before answering 'No. Just a friend' Man, she was good at this lip reading stuff. The girl nodded, and waved again as Lances car sped up to pull in front of the teenagers to pull off at their exit. Luckily, the girls didn't follow. Not that they didn't try, however. They were too busy staring, that they missed their chance to exit.
Turning back to face front to stare out the windshield, Lauren remembered that they still hadn't answered her.
"Guys." she spoke up again. "Seriously, where are we going?" She leaned forward as far as her seat belt would allow, looking between Lance and Joey, waiting for one of them to answer her.
"We just thought that you never get to have the privilege of hanging out with us, so we thought we would make your life complete." Joey smiled flirtatiously over at her. "You're always hanging out with JC or Justin, you poor girl, so now we're gonna show ya what the real men of Nsync can do!"
"So where are we going?" They still hadn't actually answered her question.
She had stayed up most of the night waiting for JC to come home. He never did. She was frantic with worry, nervously pacing around the house. She had never had him be mad at her before. Justin had gone out to find him around 11 o'clock, and it was two am before he got back. He had said that he couldn't find him, but told her that JC had a lot of little places around the area that he went to when he needed 'alone time', so he was probably somewhere cooling off. Justin had stayed over, sleeping his 'his' room across the foyer. Since he had spent so much time there since Britney headed out on tour, he had basically taken over one of the guest rooms and designated it has his own. He had finally persuaded Lauren to go to bed around three, but she didn't sleep. She tossed and turned, so many thoughts racing through her mind that she couldn't concentrate on a single one. She thought of where he could be? What she had done? What would happen between them now? She had finally fallen asleep around five thirty, but it was a restless sleep. She thankfully got settled around eight, and slept peacefully for a few hours. When she finally got out of bed at noon, Justin was already up and had lunch made. JC still wasn't home. She was making herself sick worrying, but Justin seemed surprisingly calm. Like he wasn't worried about JC at all. Lauren thought that strange, but figured that if Justin wasn't worried, then there must be a reason. Justin had known him a long time, so she figured she would trust his instincts.
When Lance and Joey had shown up around two that afternoon wanting to take her out for a day of 'Joey Fun', as Joey liked to put it, she had declined. Repeatedly. She was in no mood to go out after everything that had happened. It wasn't even what had happened to her with Jimmy the afternoon before that bothered her. That was almost completely out of her mind. Her leg was still a little sore and stiff, and her cheek was a little bruised, but she was alright. She had been through worse. It was knowing what had happened between her and JC that she was upset over. How could they expect her to go out now? What if he came home? What if he came back, and she wasn't there to apologize. What if he found out she was having 'Joey Fun' when she should be there to make things right between them? He would think she didn't care! And she did care. More than she ever thought possible. She had met so many people in her life, but none of them compared to JC. As a friend, or even just as a person, he was everything she never knew she needed and wanted. After trying to sleep for a few hours unsuccessfully, she had turned on the lamp on her night stand, and started flipping through her quote book. She came across a few that made her smile. A few that made her cry. And a few that made her realize that she wasn't wrong for feeling the way she did about him. He was everything to her. Her entire world. She had laughed after she had that thought, because the very next quote basically stated that very thing. 'To the world you may be one person. But to one person you may be the world'
She had never known that to be true until now.
Lance stopped the car at a red light, bringing Lauren back from her thoughts. She looked around, glancing across the shops and restaurants that lined the street on either side of them.
They had been out all day. Just hanging around. Lauren had made more than one sarcastic remark that this 'Joey Fun' wasn't all that fun. Joey just came back saying that he wasn't allowed to show her real 'Joey Fun' because Kelly, his girlfriend, wouldn't like that very much.
They had gone to a movie, then spent a couple hours at a local arcade. Surprisingly, they had not had any problems with fans. A few girls came up and politely asked for Lance and Joeys autographs, which they gave. Then they would chat for a moment before excusing themselves, saying that they didn't want to bother them. Lauren really liked Nsync fans. All the ones she had encountered had been wonderfully sweet. She had heard stories about some of the less than polite fans, the ones that didn't like any other girls hanging out with the guys.
Some fans knew about Laurens friendship with JC, but it wasn't a wide spread knowledge. She had chatted with a few at concerts, when the girls in the first few rows would lean over the barricade and ask Lauren how she knew the guys. Since she was sitting in the VIP area, the fans quickly assumed she was a girlfriend or relative. Lauren just told them she was a friend, and the girls would ask her a few questions about the guys, even asking her to take pictures with them. A few select fans recognized her from her own career, some saying that their brothers had pictures of her in their rooms. Lauren always laughed at that. She found it strange that someone would want a picture of her hanging from their walls. Some had asked her for her autograph, too. None had ever been rude to her, which she was thankful for. She didn't want to be hated by anyone, especially just for being friends with guys she thought of as normal. They just happened to have a little less than normal career. Not that hers was all that normal, but it was nothing in comparison to what the guys did.
By the time Joey was done 'beating down' on a boy about the age of seven, who had challenged Joey to some wrestling game, they had decided to pry him away and find something else to do. Lauren had repeated suggested going home, mostly because she wanted to be there if JC came back. She was having a good time, occasionally even forgetting for a moment or two the drama that had taken place in the last twenty-four hours. But she would always be brought back to the night before, immediately wanting to go home. Lance and Joey would make up some excuse why they couldn't go back, and change the subject. Their excuses were pretty bad. Lance said he had to pick something up at the other end of town.......which turned out to be a CD Lauren knew he already had. To change the subject once, Joey had even gone so far as screaming. When Lauren asked what was wrong he simply said "I just had that feeling like I was falling......but I'm not" Even Lance had looked at him like he was a complete moron.
So now it was eight o'clock, and she was headed for yet another destination she didn't really feel like going to. Leaning forward further, Lauren whined again "You guys, seriously, I want to go home."
"We cant go home." Lance said, accelerating once the light turned green.
"Why not?" Why in the world couldn't she go home? She hadn't told them what had happened between her and JC, but the fact that they knew about what had happened with Jimmy should have been enough for them to grant her wish to go home a long time ago.
"Because......." Joey was obviously trying to think up another lame excuse. "I'm hungry. Lets get something to eat." Well, at least he wasn't falling this time.
"Joey, you ate four hot dogs at the arcade an hour ago! How in the hell can you still be hungry?" Lauren questioned, staring at him in wonder.
"I'm a growing boy. I need my nourishment." he smiled down at her. "Hey! There's a Hard Rock Cafe! Lets go there!"
"Joey, you think you're really going to be able to just go in there like a normal person and have dinner?" She was amazed how sometimes they could forget just how popular they were. They could hardly go anywhere without being mobbed. So far today they had been lucky.
"We can request a corner booth, or VIP area or somethin'" Sticking his bottom lip out, he whined pathetically down at her. "Com'on Lauren, peeeeeezzzz?" He added a whimper or two for effect.
God, he sucked! He knew she couldn't resist it when any of them pulled the 'dog whimper' on her. Sitting back hard against the back seat, she sighed loudly. "Fine!"
Joey bounced happily from his seat, clapping his hands. He loved getting his way.
Pulling into the parking lot, Lauren offered to go inside and check the place out. Making sure that there wasn't a horde of teenagers in there, she spoke to the manager, asking if there was anything they could set up to keep the guys from being mobbed. Luckily, there was a small VIP area upstairs, which was empty that night. 'Thank god Orlando is boyband-land,' Lauren thought as she headed back to the car. 'They must be used to having to hide popstars from teenies.'
Stepping up closer to the car, Lauren could see Lance talking on his cell phone. He had his other ear covered by his hand, as Joey snag along loudly to the radio.
"Ooops, I did it again.......I played with your heart.........Got lost in the game........Oh baby, baby....Oops, you think I'm in love.........That I'm sent from abo-o-o-ove..........I'm not that innocent!" Joey flailed his arms around, bouncing in his seat as he sang along with the radio.
"Joey, shut the fuck up! No one ever mistook you for being innocent! Now shut up!" Lance finally couldn't take it anymore, punching Joey in the arm.
Rubbing his arm, Joey looked almost shocked that Lance had actually hit him. "Oh hell no! My Mama doesn't even talk to me like that!" Joey jumped across the seat, desperately trying to pull the cell phone from Lances hand. To keep Joey from succeeding, Lance stuck his arm out the open window, the cell phone clearly out of Joeys reach.
Figuring she would settle this her way, Lauren stepped up and took the cell phone from Lances hand. The two stopped their struggle immediately, looks of shock and horror on their faces.
"If you two cant play nice, I'm taking away your toys." she smiled playfully down at them, dangling the cell phone beside her.
Joey quickly sat back in his seat, his eyes still locked on the phone in Laurens hand.
"Lauren, can I have my phone back please?" Lance pleaded with her. The look on his face gave Lauren the impression that he was terrified she would find out who was on the other end of the line. "Please, Lauren. Give me the phone." He reached his arm out the window, hoping she would place the phone back in his hand.
She wasn't having any of that. "Okay, what's going on?" She demanded. First, they drag her out after she repeatedly told them she didn't want to. Then they spend the entire day keeping her away from the house. Now they look like deer caught in the headlights just because she took a phone? They were up to something. "Lance," she repeated. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." He made sure to return his face to normal before smiling sweetly up at her. Now she knew something was up.
"Who is on the phone?" She didn't know why she asked, since she could just speak into the phone and find out for herself. But she was going to give them the benefit of the doubt, hoping they would come clean about what they were up to.
"What phone?" Joey called stupidly from the passenger side of the car. Lance just closed his eyes, almost painfully, at the completely moronic comment of his friend.
Lauren fought the urge to roll her eyes at Joeys comment, keeping her eyes fixated on Lance. He was never able to lie very well, so she figured he would be easy to crack. She stared at him, questioningly raising an eyebrow. She crossed an arm across her stomach, leaning her elbow on her hip. She placed her other elbow on the arm across her, she held the phone up in the air.
When neither man made any attempt to answer her, she was fed up. "Fine" She flipped her hair back from her ear, and placed the phone to it. Lance just about jumped out the window of the car to stop her, so she stepped back out of his reach. Lucky for her, he hadn't undone his seat belt yet. He struggled to free himself from his restraints, giving her enough time to answer her own question. "Hello?" she called into the phone.
No one answered, but she was sure she heard a small draw in of breath when she had spoken. A look of confusion crossed her face, trying to figure out who Lance had been talking to. Lance was till struggling to undo his seat belt, with Joey helping him. Lance smacked away Joeys fumbling hands, giving him better access to do the job himself.
"Hello?" she repeated more forcefully.
Still no answer.
Then a thought struck her. Her face changed from a look of confusion to one of shock. Taking a quick moment to look over at her, Lance stopped struggling once he looked at her face. She knew. Shit, shit, double shit! Justin was going to kill them.
"JC?" Lauren whispered into the phone. For some reason, she couldn't make her voice any louder.
Still, no one answered.
"JC? Is that you?" She raised her voice, thinking that maybe he hadn't heard her the first time.
Still, no response. After a moment, the phone clicked, signally that the person had hung up.
Lauren stood in place, the phone still pressed to her ear. It had been JC. She knew it. What she didn't know was why Lance and Joey hadn't wanted her to talk to him. What was going on?
Slowly pulling the phone away from her ear, she flipped it closed. She continued to stare at it as if she didn't know what it was. Turning her gaze to Lance and Joey, who were staring at her stupidly, she stepped up to the car.
"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.
They just stared at her. Neither moved. Lance with his hands still on the buckle to his seat belt. Joey with his hands on the back of his seat, the other on the dash board steadying him as he leaned to look out at her.
"I said," she repeated loudly. "What the hell is going on!"
"Lauren, don't be mad," Lance was first to regain his composure.
"Don't be mad?" she laughed bitterly. "Don't be mad?" She stopped laughing suddenly, turning an angry stare to the two in the car. "I'm not mad. Oh no, not me. You two have just spent an entire day keeping me away from the house, not allowing me to go back. I just figured you were trying to keep my mind off what had happened with Jimmy yesterday, and that you had no idea what happened between JC and I last night." She took another step forward, pointing the phone at them accusingly "But you knew! You knew all along! And that's why you were keeping me out!"
"Lauren, we...." Lance was cut off by a raise of her angry hand.
"Take me home, Lance." Leaning forward, she made herself clear. "Now!"
He stared at her for a moment, his eyes pleading with her to let him explain, but he knew it was pointless. "Okay." he answered, removing his hands from the buckle of his seat belt to place them lightly on the steering wheel in front of him.
Straightening herself, Lauren made her way around the car to the back door behind Joey.
While she was circling the car, Joey shot Lance a shocked look. "What the hell are you doing! We cant take her back there yet!" Joeys eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head.
"Well," Lance answered, starting the car. "I don't think you're going to be able to stop her by saying your falling this time"
