Justin took one last swig of his drink before casting his blurry vision around the club, which was quickly emptying, his gaze landing on Michelle. He sighed as he watched her laughing with Shannon, oblivious to the fact that he was staring.
"Yo, Timberpond ... what are you staring at looking like a lovesick cow?" Chris teased his best friend.
"Chris - you wouldn't understand," Justin shook his head sadly.
"I wouldn't understand what? The fact that you like Michelle a LOT? The fact that you just need to stop being a wuss and just ask her out? Stop me when I'm right," Chris said sarcastically.
"But she's older than me!" Justin pointed out. "She'd probably just laugh at me."
"Justin ..." Chris turned and looked at the younger man seriously. "I don't think she's going to laugh at you. So she's a little older than you ... so what? I'm older than Shannon -"
"That's different, you're the guy - that's allowed."
Chris looked at Justin strangely. "And who made that rule up? Whoever did was wrong - age is totally relative. I mean, you and I are ten years apart and you act older than me most of the time. Dude, if you like her, just go for it - or you'll be kicking yourself later."
"Kicking yourself for what?" Shannon wondered, sitting down next to Chris.
"He likes Michelle and I told him to just go for it, ask her out or he'll be kicking himself later," Chris explained as Justin turned pink.
"She likes you too, Justin - she was going nuts tonight trying to find something to wear. She took forever, Des almost had kittens," Shannon laughed.
"But that's just a girl thing - y'all always take forever to get ready," Justin plucked at his pant leg.
"Trust me, Justin. I'm her best friend - she likes you." Shannon insisted.
The three fell silent as Michelle approached the table, a smile on her face. "Oh, please ... don't stop talking about me - I just came to tell you the van is here."
Shannon and Chris giggled as Justin's face turned a deep shade of red. The two couples moved towards the entrance of the club where Dre and Lonnie were waiting to usher them to the van, and Justin made sure he was seated with Michelle. His heart was beating quickly, and he couldn't remember the last time anyone had had this effect over him. Usually he was so smooth with women he was in to, for the first time, one had thrown him for a loop. Maybe it was the age difference, maybe it was the fact that she seemed unimpressed with him, he didn't know. But Chris was right - Justin had it bad for Michelle. He let his arm rest along the back of the seat, his fingers just brushing against her shoulder as he hummed a mindless tune to himself. Michelle cleared her throat and gave Justin a strange look.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
Justin blushed and looked up at her, his heart pounding nervously. "Sorry - I was just thinking about something." He sighed and placed his hands in his lap.
Michelle tried not to smile at the picture he made. "Justin ... is there something you want to tell me? You're acting kind of strange tonight."
He sighed again and shook his head. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me, I just might." Michelle touched his hand softly. "I think I understand more than you know."
Justin turned vulnerable eyes on Michelle. "This is hard to tell you ... I don't want you to laugh at me."
She smiled gently and tightened her grip on his hand. "Justin - I'm not going to laugh at you. What's the matter?"
It's now or never, he thought, taking a deep breath. "Ireallyreallylikeyoualot." He stammered out in a rush.
"Wanna try that again?" Michelle giggled.
"Fine ... I like you a lot, okay?" Justin's cheeks were tinged with pink as he tentatively raised his head to look at her. "I like you."
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I like you, too?" Michelle cocked her head and looked at him curiously. "Is this why you've been acting weird all night? Why didn't you just come out and tell me?"
"Well ... there's the age difference between us. I mean, not everyone wants to date me - I don't think I'm some sort of god, contrary to popular opinion." Justin smiled ruefully. "I didn't know if the age thing would throw you off."
"Justin, you should have figured out the age difference didn't bother me - I mean, how many strange men do you think I let sleep in my bed?"
"Well, there was that one guy -" Shannon piped up from the front of the van until Michelle glared at her to shut her up.
"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted -" Michelle glared at her best friend again. "Age is just a number. If you don't let it come between us, I sure won't."
Justin grinned broadly and squeezed Michelle's hand. "Does this mean that you and I are an us?"
"Yeah ... I guess we are." Michelle leaned over and brushed her lips against his quickly as Shannon and Chris cheered from the front of the van.
*********
(9:30 a.m., July 26th)
*bangbangbang*
Laurie opened her eyes slowly in the dark hotel room, her mind searching for a source to the loud banging that had interrupted her slumber.
*bangbangbang*
"Josh?" Laurie whispered to her sleeping boyfriend. "I think someone's at the door."
"Hmm?" JC buried his face in his pillow and mumbled something incoherent.
"What was that?" Laurie got out of bed to grab her robe.
"There's no one at the door - we don't have anything to do until soundcheck." JC repeated sleepily as someone knocked on the door again.
*bangbangbangbang*
"No one at the door, huh?" Laurie teased as she opened the door as Johnny was about to knock once more. "Hi Johnny, what's up?"
"Hello Laurie - I need to see JC for a minute." Johnny said curtly, his face anything but pleasant.
"But it's only nine-thirty - soundcheck isn't until one!" JC protested, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He then noticed Johnny's stern expression and backed up. "Whoa ... this looks serious. What happened?"
"I'm just curious ... why have we paid for five individual hotel suites when only two of them are actually being slept in? And that's when Joey actually bothers to sleep - any idea just what is going on with Justin, Chris, and Lance?" Johnny questioned.
"No clue ... is something wrong? Didn't they come back last night?"
"No, they didn't. Instead, I received a very cryptic message on my cell phone from Lance, explaining that the three of them would be spending the night at 'the apartment'. Where's 'the apartment' JC?"
"I don't know - maybe it's a club or something?" JC ran his hand through his unruly hair, trying to figure out what was going on.
"I don't mean to interrupt," Laurie spoke up from the doorway to the kitchen. "But I think Lance means the girl's apartment, Josh. They've been nearly inseperable since they met."
********
(10:30 a.m.)
Lance, Chris and Justin followed Dre and Lonnie into the hotel elevator quietly, each concentrating on what they planned to say to Johnny when they sat down with him. All too quickly, the elevator arrived on their floor. Chris turned his back on the elevator doors and looked at his two best friends.
"Well ... this is it."
Lance said nothing and looked at the floor while Justin's face went pale.
"Oh for crap's sake guys!" Chris rolled his eyes. "It's Johnny - what's he going to do? Ground us?"
"Actually, that's not a bad idea," came Johnny's voice from behind Chris. Chris turned around quickly and smiled.
"Hey there, Johnny - didn't expect you to be there!"
"Obviously," Johnny replied dryly. "If you three would follow me, please." They were led quickly into a small conference room that was serving as Johnny's office while they were in New York. Johnny sat down behind the desk and gestured for the three of them to sit down.
"Johnny, I think that -" Lance began.
"I'll start, thank you, Lance." Johnny's tone left no room for protest. "Now ... what's going on, gentlemen? The hotel manager spoke to me this morning, he's spotted the three of you carrying on several times with three of his employees - a big no-no for the three young ladies he's talking about. I don't have a problem with any of you having relationships - you've always been allowed to do that. But you could seriously get these girls in trouble, they could even lose their jobs if they're seen here with you during their off hours."
"I know - Shannon's already told me that. That's why I've been hanging out at her place," Chris explained.
"Which brings me to my point." Johnny looked at him seriously. "Mr. McDonald, the hotel manager doesn't know that it was Shannon's brother who was in that accident with you two days ago. If he were to find out that it was her brother and not one of your friends, he could hold her accountable. She could lose her job."
"But that's ridiculous, she didn't even know he was with us." Chris protested.
"And what if she did lose her job, what then?" Johnny asked quietly. "What do you see happening with her ... is this serious? Is this over once you leave New York?" Johnny looked at each one of the three in turn and knew that his words had sunk in, as they all were deep in thought as he dismissed them and watched them walk down the hall to their rooms.
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