"What's there to understand Justin? I just spelt it out for you plain and simple. You would think I am talking to a three year old. Get it through your head. YOU MOVED IN ON SOMETHING THAT I HAD MY CLAIM ON!" JC shouted, balling his fists tightly in rage.
Justin shook his head, "There was no claim there dude, seriously...YOU are the one acting like a three year old. Get over it."
Suddenly the door to Eternity's suite opened and a very startled Jordan stepped out between the two men who were arguing. Both Justin and JC started to speak as she held up her hand gingerly. "Just...stop." she said, her voice breaking slightly.
Closing her eyes briefly, she continued. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what Jordan?" JC said, stepping toward her, reaching his hand out for her shoulder.
The brunette held up her hand once more to silence him as she shrugged his hand off of her shoulder. "This is ridiculous first of all. You both know that. Secondly, I'm not going to come between best friends, especially you two." she stated emotionless, her eyes cold as they shifted back and forth between the two men.
Justin tried to edge in with a comment of his own, "I thought you wanted your space!" he protested.
Jordan turned toward the blonde as her heart ached within, "That's the last thing that I need right now. You of all people should realize that Justin." she replied, her voice becoming tight with emotion as she struggled on the brink of tears. Turning quickly, she pushed the door back open with a firm shove and walked back into the suite, leaving the two men in the hall, flabergasted.
As the door shut behind her, Justin shook his head and looked at JC with fire in his eyes. "You might be mad about me 'taking' whatever you thought was yours, but I need her, love her, and you've come between that." he said before turning on his heel and stalking back to N Sync's room, leaving JC staring after him, his chiseled face expressionless.
"Hey..I was just looking for you." Lance said, stepping out into the hall as Justin neared the door to the suite. "Where's JC?"
Justin pointed over his shoulder at JC who stood silent, his feet still planted next to Eternity's door. "Oh..well Johnny just called and the buses are ready to take us to the venue. We've gotta get going." Lance said loudly enough for JC to hear.
Justin continued into the room in silence and began gathering his stuff as JC nodded slowly and walked down the hallway toward the room.
****
"Thank GOD that show is over! I think that was one of the worst shows we've ever had. Man oh man. The best laugh was when Joey fell on his big fat ass and slid halfway down the ramp. Ohhhh the humor!" Chris laughed out loud as the two groups walked toward the McDonald's where they had stopped on the way to Seattle.
"Aww shut up. That hurt by the way." Joey said, rubbing his butt in discomfort.
Rachel ran up behind Joey and held her finger to her lips telling the others to be quiet. "So I probably shouldn't do THIS!" she yelled as she gave Joey's butt a good solid smack.
"Nah, he likes it when you grab his ass!" Chris smirked as Joey shot him a dirty look.
"Oooh Rachie. Looks like you have an admirer who has a strange love of your hand being attatched to his rear end." Lance teased.
Pouting, Rachel shoved her hands deep into her coat pockets. "Whatever." she muttered, trying to hide her growing smile.
"You know, when you try to do your serious face, you look really cute." Joey said shyly in Rachel's ear as he fell in step next to her.
Rachel blushed and kept her eyes on the ground. "Thanks" she mumbled, barely loud enough for him to hear. Joey winked at Chris and smiled broadly as they walked in the doors of the resturant.
****
"Leigh...I saved you a spot over here." Lance said, patting the empty spot in the booth next to him.
Smiling shyly, Leigh nodded as she approached the booth that Lance, Jordan and Chris shared. Placing her tray on the table, she slid in next to Lance. "Thanks."
"So, Jordan, how you doin kid?" Chris said in a low voice so that only the four of them could hear.
"I'm okay thanks. I've been better...a LOT better, but I'm surviving." she said, mustering a crooked smile for her friends who looked at her, their expressions concerned. "Really guys, I'm alright." she said quietly before taking a bite of her chicken nugget.
"Okay..." Chris said before turning back to his food, then changing his mind before he took a bite of his hamburger. "What's up with YOU two?" he asked Lance and Leigh pointedly.
The pair exchanged embarassed glances, and Leigh shot a look at Johnny, who was sharing a booth with Justin, to see if he was paying attention to Chris' question. "Nothin." she smiled slightly, avoiding Chris' gaze.
"Oh BALONEY!" Jordan said loudly, then turned a brilliant shade of red as soon as she realized everyone heard her. Slouching down in the booth, she mouthed an apology to the pair sitting across from her and glanced around, embarassed. Johnny had looked up sharply from his paper, startled by Jordan's outburst. Rachel looked over her shoulder curiously, as Joey was trying to be discreet, staring at Jordan's sister like she was a french fry. JC, who sat in the booth with her sister and Joey, sat motionless as he sipped his water. Jordan's eyes rested finally on the blonde whose back was to her as he sat across from their manager. Her heart sinking deep in her chest, she sighed, saddened...Justin had never even looked up from his meal.