You can’t outrun the rain. That’s what he decided as he leaned up against the tree and tried to catch his breath. His lungs were burning as he gulped in the fresh air. It wasn’t until the rain stopped that he realized his face was still wet...with his tears.
He wiped them away and sank down to the damp earth. He had never before been so humiliated and he had to get away. Their security had tried to stop him as he raced by them, but he was running on pure adrenaline.
The world that he knew...the man he had been in love with – all of that had been ripped out from under his feet moments earlier. And then he left...he just started running.
He choked back a fresh wave of tears when the image of his lovers – his ex-lovers – betrayal flashed before him.
Lance had declined going out that evening in favor of staying in and drawing up new contracts for Meredith. Or so he said. So the remaining members of the group dressed and headed out for the evening.
He sat back in their private booth and watched with boredom as Chris and Joey tore up the dance floor with their ‘girlfriend’ of the night. He had never bothered to pick anyone up himself – he always had Lance to go home to.
He looked around the club and noticed that Justin had disappeared. He figured that Justin had sneaked off for another drink or to use the facilities. When he didn’t return within ten minutes however, he started to worry. He was so engrossed with looking for his younger friend that he didn’t notice Chris approach the table.
“Hey C,” Chris took a drink of his rum and coke that had been sitting for so long it had gone flat and condensation covered the outside of the glass. “How come you look like your dog just died?”
“I haven’t seen Justin in a while...” he frowned.
“Oh he told Joey that he was starting to get tired and he was heading back to the hotel to call Kristina.”
“I’m thinking about doing the same, I’m kind of bored…and I miss Lance.”
“You can go...Joey and I are going to hang around with our ‘friends’ for a while.”
“Yeah well...have fun, eh?” JC sighed and caught a cab back to the hotel that was the group’s temporary home.
Dark clouds began to move in and they hid the stars and the moon as JC stepped out of the cab after paying the driver and giving him a generous tip.
“Looks like there’s going to be a storm,” the driver noted.
“Yeah,” JC looked up at the sky and agreed. “Thanks again.”
As he made his way through the front doors of the hotel, JC assumed the fans were sparse because of the impending weather, or perhaps even the late hour. At any rate, he found himself not caring… not wanting to deal with them right now. As much as he loved his fans, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his world was about to be turned upside down.
The ride up to his floor in the elevator seemed to take forever and when the doors finally opened, he stepped out onto the royal blue rug and regarded the white wash walls that seemed to be the status quo of every hotel ever built. He dug his keycard out of his pocket and slid it into the door, waiting for the light to turn green. After a few seconds it changed color and he was granted access to his room.
The lights were off and he let the door close quietly behind him in case Lance was already sleeping. He realized his concern was needless when he heard soft moans and urgent whispers coming from the direction of the bedroom. He felt his chest tightened and suddenly found it difficult to breathe.
With courage from an unknown place, he slowly began to make his way to the bedroom...he didn’t want to see – but his morbid curiosity didn’t allow him to stop. It drove him closer and closer to the door and through the crack he could make out two figures on the bed – their bodies writhing in the tangled sheets.
“Oh fuck,” JC heard Lance groan. “Yeah...you’re incredible Justin.”
With a choked sob, JC turned and ran from the room. He ran past their security that tried to stop him and failed miserably. He didn’t want to wait for the elevator so he took the stairs, practically flying down each flight. He unknowingly passed Joey and Chris who were returning to the hotel with their dates for the night and he didn’t hear them as they called out to him.
As he hit the sidewalk, it began to rain.
JC’s sobs began to subside again and he looked up at the sky. The rain was beginning to taper off and the clouds were parting to expose the night sky. He looked around at his surroundings at realized that he hadn’t gone far from the hotel. He heard the sounds of footsteps approaching and groaned inwardly. If it was a fan...
It was Joey.
“Hey man.”
“Where’s your date?” JC asked, but didn’t look up.
“I gave her a raincheck. Your well being is more important than getting laid. Sometimes.”
“Thanks.” JC responded sarcastically.
“Come on C… let’s go home.”