The laughter was contagious. The more Justin tried to stop, the harder he laughed. He just couldn't help himself.
"Stop it!" he wheezed as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. "CHRIS! Stop before I piss my pants!"
This comment only caused more laughter, with JC falling over to a heap on the floor.
"Its not funny, you guys!" Joey complained as he crossed his arms over his chest in a pout that would usually be one for Justin to pull off.
"Aw, com'on Joey!" Lance said, trying his best to cover his laughter. "You know we're just playing with ya."
Joey shot him an evil glance, before turning the direction of his angry gaze back to the man on the floor. "Why did you have to tell people?"
"Because, dude," Chris said, trying to stand back up. He was still laughing too hard to make this feat accomplishable, so he gave up and fell back to the floor. "No matter how many times it happens, its still funny."
Joey rolled his eyes before sitting down on the couch in the corner of the dressing room.
A second later, Justin sat down next to him, stretching his arm across the back of the couch behind Joeys head. "Man, seriously, how do you do that all the time? I mean, sure, I got me a bootay, but this is, like, the fifth pair of pants you've split!"
The moment the words left Justins mouth, Chris started laughing harder. He was sprawled out across the floor, his arms wrapped tightly across his stomach as he laughed. His legs were bent in the air as he lay on his back, his face crunched tightly.
Joey didn't respond to Justins question. Instead, his arms crossed tighter over his chest, his bottom lip sticking out in a more defined pout.
It was here. Finally, the last show of the tour, and everyone was energized.
The day they had been waiting for had finally arrived, and even though they had been looking forward to the time off and the chance to spend some time at home with their family and friends, it still held a sense of sadness that the tour was over.
The crew on the road with them always became like a family. Everyone took care of each other, and now this family was being dispersed in a matter of hours.
But with it came a sense of relief. They could finally take the time they needed to recuperate after a rather grueling tour.
And no one needed the time off more than Justin.
Since the show in Cleveland a little over a week before, he had not heard from Trystan again. This, of course, was a good thing.
He had almost been expecting more phone calls from her over the first couple of days after they pulled the tour out of the city, but as the time passed, he was able to let it go. His plan had worked, and it seemed as if everything would be able to now get back to normal.
He still thought about her and what happened quite often. There wasn't a day that went by that it didn't cross his mind, or a moment that he didn't wish he could change what happened. But he knew there was no way to undo what had happened, and all he could do was move on and try his best to forget.
He had spoken to Erin several times over the last week, and each time it somehow got easier. He still felt the guilt and unease whenever their conversations would begin; in the back of his mind he found himself wondering if he was doing the right thing by keeping the truth from her. But the longer they talked, the more he realized just how much he loved her and would do anything to keep her from the pain the truth would inflict. With her voice, words and trust came the feeling of security that he needed to be able to function without worry, and slowly he was able to move on and go about his daily business with less and less trouble.
Thankfully, he had returned to his old self again before too long. After the last couple of weeks where he had been distant, nervous and preoccupied, the rest of the guys were beginning to become very worried. Justin was always one to keep his emotions, concerns and fears to himself. He never wanted to burden anyone with his troubles, but they all knew that something was bothering him and it killed them to know that he was hiding it.
But, as he told them many times, it seemed to have passed. They had no idea what it was that had been troubling him, but thankfully it was over and he was the same old Justin again.
The concerts had been going excellently, bringing up some of the best reviews they had had yet. The energy Justin felt after finally being able to let go of his heavy thoughts was to freeing to him, that he found himself with more energy than ever.
Now, it was almost over. In a few hours, everything would be finished, and they would be able to go home.
This concert was even more important to Justin, because Erin was going to be in attendance. She hadn't been able to make it to the show the night before, so he was overly excited to have her see this one.
She was due to arrive at the venue about an hour before show time, which was still three hours away.
They were scheduled to have their sound check in the next twenty minutes, so they had gathered in the dressing room to hang out and wait in comfort before being called to the stage.
Since this was the last show, and in their hometown of Orlando, several fans were going to be in attendance to the sound check. Winners from radio stations, magazines and other contests, these lucky people were going to get to spend a little quality time with the guys from NSync.
They were going to be able to watch the sound check, take pictures, and even have a few minutes to talk with the guys before they had to go and get ready for the show. It was a small group; about thirty to forty fans. This small number made it easier to have such an intimate setting.
NSync loved to meet with their fans. It somehow made it that much more fun and rewarding to actually know some of the people you were performing for.
Everyone was excited for the sound check this time.
Yawning, Justin stretched his arms over his head before turning to lay down across the couch. Laying his head on a small pillow, he reached his legs over Joeys lap. Joey looked down at his legs as if they were intrusive, before giving Justin a hard look.
"Screw off, dude." he whined, pushing at Justins legs. "I'm still mad at you for laughing at me."
"Oh com'on." Justin said, rolling his eyes. "We talked about you splitting your pants on the Rosie O'Donnell show in front of millions of people. You're mad because we're laughing about it here with just the five of us?"
Joey looked at him for a long while as he tried to come up with a good comeback. When nothing came to mind, he turned away from Justin. "Fuck off." he whined as he pushed Justins legs off of him and stood up to walk over to the pinball machine in the far corner of the room.
Justin smiled to himself as he tucked his hands behind his head. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply.
He couldn't wait to see Erin. It had been too long, in his opinion, since he had seen her last.
He needed to hear her voice in person. The way the corner of her eyes crinkled when she laughed. The way she could look at him, and somehow make everyone else in the room disappear. She had a way of making him feel like he was the only person in the world that she saw. Which to him was funny, because whenever she was around, all he ever saw was her.
JC smiled at the content look on the face of his friend. Leaning over in his chair to Lance, who was sitting on the floor with his lap top across his legs, he whispered. "Look at J." he smiled. "He looks peaceful for once."
Raising his eyes to look at Justin, Lance grinned. "Yeah. Its about time. For a while there I thought we were going to have to have an exorcist come on the road with us or something."
JC smirked at the comment, but knew the harsh truth behind it.
They had all worried themselves sick over Justin after they left New York. It was obvious to all of them that was when his behavior seemed to change. He wasn't rude, mean or cruel; but distant, thoughtful and nervous. As if something was bothering him deeply, but that he was unable to talk about it.
Of all the guys, JC knew that Justin always came to him first whenever he had a problem that he couldn't handle on his own. JC had waited for a long while for Justin to finally break down and come to him with whatever had been the cause of his sudden withdrawal from life, and grew more worried with each passing day when he never did.
But it seemed as if Justin had worked the problem out on his own, because after the show in Cleveland, everything seemed to be fine. He was joking again, laughing and carrying on like he always had. It was almost as if nothing had happened. He had his sense of freedom back.
Although JC still wondered what it was that had had such an impact on Justin to make his behavior change so drastically in such a short time, he knew better than to ask. They all knew that if something was meant for the rest to know, then it would be told. But Justin hadn't told anyone of this problem, therefore it was considered personal and no ones business but his own.
But that didn't mean that they weren't all curious. Quite the opposite. They were very, very curious.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened and Lonnie came in. Crossing his arms over his wide chest, he grinned at Joey. "So, I heard you split another pair of pants." Laughing at the pitiful expression on Joeys face, Lonnie smiled. "Guess Dre owes me ten bucks."
"What?" Joey gawked. "Why?"
"Cause I bet him that you would rip the ass out of at least one more pair of pants before this tour was done." Lonnie smiled innocently back at him.
Joeys jaw dropped, but no words came out. Everyone smiled, waiting for Joey to respond to the information just given to him. Again, nothing came out. Finally, Joey closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes at Lonnie before flipping him the finger.
Lonnie laughed in response before looking around at the other members of the group. "Okay guys, we need you at sound check." he said, leaning over the back of the couch to look at Justin. "The fans are already out there and waiting."
Chris pushed himself up from his spot on the floor, wiping his hands on the legs of his pants, while JC and Lance stood to follow Lonnie towards the door. Joey followed behind the group, still frowning at their jokes at his expense.
Justin yawned again, before pushing himself up from the couch. Following behind Joey, he slid his hands in his pockets as they made their way to the stage.
All Justin could think of was that in twenty four hours from then, he would be officially off tour. He would be able to stay in bed all day if he so desired. He could watch basketball in his underwear. Eat whatever junk food he wanted, and not have to worry about deadlines, schedules or concerts.
Faintly, the voices of excited fans chattering to each other could be heard as the guys made their way to the back entrance to the stage.
Stepping up to the control panel, Eric, their sound engineer handed each member their microphone before the guys prepared to take the stage.
Clipping his microphone to his pants, Justin grinned. This would be the last time for a long while that he would have to do a sound check.
He smiled wider at this thoughts. It was like a countdown to him now. The more he thought about it, the more excited he got.
Stepping up beside Joey, he reached over and slid his arm over his shoulders. "You still mad at us?"
Joey nodded. "Yeah. You all suck." he frowned.
Justin leaned forward, giving Joey his best pitiful whine. Joey tried to resist the look, but before long he broke down and laughed. Pushing Justin away, Joey took a few steps to the side. "Screw off, Justin."
"You love me." he shrugged as he turned his attention towards the entrance to the stage.
"You guys ready?" Eric asked, calling over from his place at the controls.
They all nodded, and Chris gave him two thumbs up.
"Okay, go on out there. Chat it up for a while and then we'll start the sound check." Eric explained as he pulled his chair up closer to the panel.
JC nodded as he made his way out onto the stage.
As the fans noticed him, their screams shrieked through the huge arena. For such a small group, the noise they made was impressive.
Joey followed next, with Chris right behind. Lance made his way out, immediately waving at the group.
Justin straightened his t-shirt before walking casually out onto the stage to stand with his five best friends.
Smiling out at the small group, who were standing across the front row of seats in the audience, Justin laughed. "Wow, for a small group, ya'll are loud."
The moment he finished his sentence, the girls screamed again. Justin laughed. He was sure that they didn't much care what he said to them, and they would scream.
"Glad you guys could be here with us for this. This is kinda cool to have fans at the sound check." Joey exclaimed, smiling out to the group.
As Lance began to explain to them what would be happening in their time with the guys during the sound check, Justin let his eyes scan over the faces in front of him.
Smiling at a young girl, around the age of eight, who was jumping up and down and waving at him, Justin winked at her. He laughed to himself as she pulled on her mothers shirt, yelling excitedly that Justin had smiled at her.
There were several younger girls there, but the majority of the fans in attendance were in their mid to late teens.
Sliding his eyes towards the far right end of the stage, Justins gaze froze. His heart stopped, and his blood immediately ran cold. He felt himself grow warm before almost instantaneously turning cold. His eyes widened and his palms began to sweat.
He had to be wrong. There was no way. Surely his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Tearing his eyes away for a moment, Justin returned them back quickly, only to find that he was not wrong.
The person he was seeing was really there. Standing among the fans, smiling at him.
The person he thought was out of his life. Finally, he thought he was going to be able to let go and move on without any more reminders. But it looked like she had other plans in mind.
Feeling the nervous tension in his stomach rise as she waved at him, Justins eyes closed painfully.
Opening them again, he fought the urge to run backstage and hide. Hide from the world, from the guys, and most importantly, from her.
He quickly averted his eyes to focus on a corner of the stage. One of the speakers that sat in the far corner was now the object of his full attention. The last thing he wanted to look at was the audience.
Because standing in the audience, was Trystan.
