The group of friends was getting ready for their annual camping trip when Justin's cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Justin?"
"Lena, where are you? We're packing everything into the cars. Do you need us to pick you up?"
"Justin, I'm not going. There's someone else. It's been going on for a few months now. He loves me in a way you will never be able to. I just wanted to tell you that I'm moving to L.A. with him. Goodbye." She hung up the phone before Justin could say anything. He was so stunned that he just stood there.
"Justin, are you okay?"
"She's moving to L.A. with some other guy," Justin whispered.
"Lena?" He just nodded his head.
"I'm sorry, hon," Amber said giving him a hug. Amber shared a house with Justin and JC in Orlando. She had been looking for roommates a few years ago when the two guys were looking for a place away from parents that they could call home. The ironic part was that Amber had become their "mother" even though JC was older.
"Look, everyone else just got here. Let's just go to camp and you can get your mind off of it for a while, okay," she asked ruffling his hair. He smiled before shoving her playfully.
"Aww man! C, she hugged me and gave me her cooties!"
"Just get your ass into the 4Runner!"
Besides the housemates, Lance and his girlfriend Jessie, Joey and his fiancee' Holly, Chris, Jessica Ann, Jen, Andy and Warren made up the rag tag group of friends who went camping every summer. The tradition began when Amber, Jessie, Holly, Warren and Andy were looking to do something over their summer vacation before they went to college. The next year, Jessica Ann joined them and two years later, when Justin and JC moved in with Amber, Amber's best friend moved to Orlando and joined the tradition. Now they were one big group of friends who planned their year around the trip. The members of *NSYNC made sure they had a full seven day break in their schedules for the vacation where they could just be normal people.
JC was driving Amber's 4Runner while she was navigating. The other three vehicles were following behind. Justin was in the backseat trying not to think about Lena and soon found it an easy task.
"C, I swear, if you don't drive faster, I'm going to beat you!"
"I'm sorry if I don't feel like getting a speeding ticket today. I'm the driver..."
"So drive, driving bitch, or pull over so I can!"
"You two need to get over it and just have sex already. You know you want to. I'm sick of the sexual tension," Justin said laughing. He didn't catch the look on either of his friends faces.
"If you only knew," JC muttered under his breath as Amber turned up the radio.
Four hours later, they arrived at the camp ground. The five band members were on one lot and the girls plus Andy and Warren were right across the road. As soon as they had everything unpacked and set up, they made the trip down to the lake front. Lance, Jessie, Joey and Holly rented a sailboat. Jessica Ann, Chris, Andy and Warren started a volleyball game. Amber and Jen were already working on tans and JC decided to talk to his best friend.
"Hey man, why do you look so down?"
"Lena called me as we were packing up this morning. She's been seeing some other guy for a few months now and is moving to the west coast with him."
"So that explains the hug from Mama Ber. I was wondering about that."
"C, not to be mean, but could I just be alone for a bit?"
"Sure, I need to talk to Amber about something anyhow. I'm sorry it ended that way, man."
"Thanks for understanding, C."
*****
So she just called him and said that right before we left? Poor Baby J. Is he taking it well?"
"I don't know. I'm hoping this week away from it all will help him. Maybe if you told him how you felt..."
"Amber, I don't want to confuse things for him. Don't look now, but here comes the blue eyed Adonis and he looks serious as usual."
"Hey girls. Amber, could I talk to you?"
"Sure, JC. Let me cover up some skin though. We don't want to cause you a scandal," she said pulling khaki shorts on over her bikini bottoms. Jen looked over at Justin after Amber and JC left. She watched him as he stood up, cell phone in hand.
"He's probably talking to her," she thought. Jen made a mental note to talk to him that night at the fire.
"How are things with Liam?"
"JC, you didn't bring me out to the middle of the lake on a paddle boat to ask me about Liam," Amber said, blunt as usual.
"You're right. I just don't want things to be weird between us."
"Well we messed up all chances of that when we drank too much and slept together."
"Have you told Liam?"
"No, and I don't intend to."
"Amber..."
"Look, JC, the relationship I have with Liam might not be the greatest, but it's a relationship. I don't want to ruin it by telling him that I slept with you." Amber remembered more of that night than JC. In the heat of the moment, she'd told him that she loved him. She wasn't going to take it back because it was true, but she just hoped he never remembered it. Things were awkward enough. Besides, he'd made it perfectly and painfully clear that it was just a one time deal.
"We agreed that it was a mistake that no one else ever needed to know about. Now let's get back to camp. I want to make sure that Justin is okay."
*****
A Few Hours Later
"Hey, members of *NSUCK, dinner is ready," Warren yelled.
"Where are Jen and Amber?"
"The Condiment Twins had to go shower after they attacked each other with the ketchup, mustard and relish. You should have been here for that. It was priceless."
"Why is it that Amber acts like a mother around me and Justin, but not around everyone else?"
"Because I live with y'all and I don't want you thinking you can get away with anything. Now let's eat," Amber said walking up the hill from the bath house. Justin avoided all conversation for the rest of the night. When he thought that everyone else was asleep, he snuck out of the lean-to, grabbed a basketball and went down to the courts. He was very surprised to find Amber and Jen there playing one-on-one.
"You actually said "I love you," to him? Did you mean it?"
"The scary thing, Jen, is that I actually think I do mean it. But what about you? Do you still want the boy?"
"I do, I just don't want to confuse him or be his rebound relationship."
"Aight, enough basketball for me. I'm going for a walk down by the water front, okay? You keep the radio, I have my whistle if I need help."
"Okay, I'll see you later." Amber left and Justin watched Jen shooting foul shots for a few minutes.
"Would you like some company?" Jen missed the rebound and jammed her finger on the ball.
"Damn it! Justin, you scared the crap out of me."
"I'm sorry. Let me see your hand." She obediently held her hand out to him, just enjoying being next to him.
"You probably don't want to hear this, hon, but I need to pop that back out. You jammed it good. Do you have something to bite down on so you don't scream?"
"Just my shirt."
"It'll have to do." She rolled up the bottom of her shirt and Justin fought hard not to comment on the skin that had been revealed to him. She bit down as he yanked on her finger. Tears formed instantly in her eyes and Justin felt bad.
"I know, you hate me now, but it will feel a hell of a lot better tomorrow."
"I thought it was broken for a second there."
"So how are you doing? I haven't heard from you in a while. Boyfriend keeping you busy?" Why did you ask, Timberlake? You don't want to know about her relationship with someone else.
"The boyfriend left because I was too busy. He didn't understand that my choreography would always be a huge part of my life. I guess you could say that I'm between relationships right now."
"I know how that feels. Lena called me today right before we left. She told me that she's been playing around for a few months and is moving to L.A. with the guy. She said that he loves her in ways that I never will. What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm twenty-years-old. I can't even drink legally and she is pushing me for marriage. I just don't get it, Jen."
"I wish I knew all the answers, J, but I don't. How about you try to get some sleep and figure it out in the morning?"
"Thanks for letting me rant, Jen."
"What are friends for? Come on, Curly, I'm tired. I need my beauty sleep."
"You're already beautiful, Jen."
*****
The Next Morning
No one in the group was really surprised that Amber was still sleeping at eleven-thirty. She hadn't come back to the campsite until well after dawn. JC was the only one slightly confused.
"Where's Amber?"
"She's sleeping. She went for a walk last night because she had a lot on her mind and she didn't get back until after sunrise."
"I see." They all watched as JC moved the tarp covering the front of the lean-to enough to get inside, letting it drop closed behind him.
"I wonder when they'll figure out they belong together," Joey said to no one in particular.
"I don't know, but I hope they do before it's too late." While everyone else went down to the lake for the day, JC crawled under Amber's blankets and curled his body around hers.
"Liam doesn't know how lucky he is," JC whispered pulling her closer. She was so exhausted that she didn't notice, merely snuggled back into the added warmth his body provided.
*****
The Last Night At Camp
"I don't want to go back tomorrow."
"Neither do I, Justin, but we have the tour. I certainly don't want to leave Holly all alone to plan the whole wedding."
"She's not going to be alone, Joey. She has her whole group," Jessie said throwing a twig at him.
"Lance, keep your woman in line."
"What did you just call me?"
"Oh, it's on now," Amber said laughing at the two.
"I believe I called you woman ."
"At least I can take a dare!"
"Oh, she got you there, Joe."
"It's official. Down to the lake! Holly, grab the camera." Every year on the last night of camp, they would dare each other to jump off the dock and into the lake.
"Who wants to take the first dare?"
"What if it's cold? Holly, are you set up to tape this?"
"Camera is taping," she said walking onto the dock as everyone took off their shoes.
"I dare JC," Amber said laughing and pushing the unsuspecting man into the water. Justin threw Amber in, which made Jen try to push Justin off the dock. They both fell into the water. Everyone else made it into the lake shortly after. Chris was the only one who actually jumped in of his own will. Oblivious to the commotion around them, Jen and Justin shared a kiss after they surfaced.
*****
Three Months Later
"I can't believe I'm coming home tomorrow."
"Are you excited to come back and see me," Amber asked laughing.
"I'm excited to see Jen, actually. I was thinking of asking her to dinner tomorrow night. Do you think she'll be okay with Italian food?"
"Lasagne is the key to that girl's heart. You're not going to hurt my best friend, are you , J?"
"Ber, I don't plan on hurting her. I know how that feels, remember? The reminds me, I know someone who misses you."
"Tell Chris that I'm not interested."
"I think you and I both know exactly who I'm talking about."
"Justin, I have to go. Liam is waiting and you know how upset he gets if he's late. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Take care of yourself, Amber." Justin ended the conversation with her and was putting his phone back in his bag when it rang.
"Talk to me."
"Justin...it's Lena."
********************
So you say you've been here
You know me
You really understand
You've felt the way I feel
Well Sugar, let me say
I dont think you even have a clue of how
You've blown my life apart
Honey you got no idea
Don't tell me you do
Don't tell me that you cry in your sleep each night
Don't say you spend each hour wonderin' what wasn't right
Do you stare into the mirror thinkin' "what is it you should change?"
Do you wake up every mornin' reachin' over to find
You ain't there and you ain't coming back?
You cannot know how this feels
Don't tell me you do
********************
"Lena, why are you calling me?"
"I wanted to apologize and see if we could maybe be friends. I know how you feel right now..."
"You have no idea how I'm feeling," he hissed.
"I'm angry that you did this to me and that I left myself be deceived by you. I'm angry that you made me cry in front of people."
"Justin..."
"No, I have one more thing to say. Thank you, Lena, for showing me that I was never truly happy with you. It's going to hurt for a very long time when I go to our old haunts, but it will eventually make me a better person." He hung up the phone.
********************
And you thought
This phone call
Could fix things
Could wipe away the guilt you feel
You ask too much
When you said forever
I guess the forever that you meant must be
Much shorter than I planned
Tell me where do I go from here?
Don't tell me that you cry in your sleep each night
Don't say you spend each hour wonderin' what wasn't right
Do you stare into the mirror thinkin' "what is it you should change?"
Do you lose yourself in conversation lookin' ahead
Then look up, there ain't nobody there
You can ask me to say I love you
I do, and that won't change
But please don't ask me to say everythings okay cause it ain't
********************
"J-dawg, grab your shit and let's go. We have to be on the plane in ten minutes."
"I'm on my way." He called Jen as they were boarding.
"Jen, this is J."
"Shouldn't you be on the plane?"
"Yeah, but I needed to call and ask you something."
"You need someone to pick you up from the airport?"
"No, I need you to go to dinner with me tomorrow night."
"I don't...are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I'll pick you up at seven. Wear something nice, but casual." They hung up smiling.
"Do you feel better now, Justin?"
"I have a date with Jen tomorrow night and I've dealt with Lena. Of course I feel better. C, you need to watch over Amber now that I'm not going to be at the house as much. I have Jen to take care of now."
THE END
** Don't Tell Me You Do - performed by Rockapella, lyrics by Scott Leonard **
Back to Short Story Index
Back to the Den
Angelfire HTML Library
htmlGEAR - free polls, guestbooks, and more!