An
Idea
By: Lara
One
“I've
got an idea,” Diane Bass said to her son as they left the meeting room. “Why
don't we just go grab our things from the hotel and get to the airport.”
“What?
Why?” Lance whined. “Mama…”
“James
Lance, don't talk to me in that tone,” she snapped. She unlocked the door of
the rental car and unlocked Lance's side. Lance flopped onto the passenger seat
and pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. “This isn't what's best for you.”
“How
do YOU know?” Lance muttered.
“James!
Already you've picked up attitude from these boys. You most definitely will NOT
be staying anywhere near them.”
“Mama,
please!” Lance begged.
“James,
it's all wrong for you. I don't really like that Mr. Pearlman. And those
boys…they're nothing but trouble.”
“Trouble?
How are they trouble?” Lance protested. “Justin's only, like, fourteen, or
something!”
“And
he's already cocky…thinks he runs the world just because he was on a television
show.”
“And
JC?”
“Too
thin. You can't trust people who don't care enough to keep themselves fed,
James.”
Lance
thought that was the WORST logic he had ever heard, but he knew better than to
contradict his mother. “Chris?”
“Don't
get me started,” his mother groaned, and Lance pretty much agreed with her. It
was obvious that Chris disliked Lance, and the feeling was mutual, though Lance
never would have said anything.
“Joey?
You liked Joey, Mama, I know it,” Lance said.
“Yes,
Joey was nice,” Diane admitted. Joey had shaken her hand politely, given her a
friendly smile, and called her “ma'am” in a way that wasn't at all insincere,
the way Justin's “ma'am” had been. “I liked that boy.”
“Me,
too, Mama,” Lance said. “And I can get along with the others. Please.”
“James,
I don't know,” Diane sighed.
“Just
sleep on it. Okay, Mama? Sleep on it. Our flight doesn't leave until dinner
tomorrow, anyway.”
“Okay,” Diane said, sighing again.
Lance
lay awake long after his mother was asleep, his fingers absently scratching at
the cheap bedspread. His mother HAD to say yes. He needed to be in this group.
He needed out of the tiny backwards town more than his mother could ever know.
She knew he didn't really fit in, no matter how popular he seemed at school,
but she didn't know why. She didn't know he liked boys, and that it wasn't a
very good way to be in a town like theirs.
He could fit in with these boys. He could
sing and learn to dance, and maybe even get Chris to like him, eventually. He
could…if he could just stay.
“Hello?”
“Is
this Lance Bass?”
“Yes,”
Lance said slowly. His mother was in the shower and he was packing.
“This
is Joey. Joey Fatone…from the group?”
“Yes,
I remember.” Lance sat down hard. “Hi, Joey.”
“So…we
were wondering…you wanna join us?”
“Really?”
Lance whispered. Joey laughed.
“Sure.
You sing great, and me and JC will help you with the dancing. You're perfect
for us.”
“Wow.”
Lance sat silently. His mother came out of the bathroom already dressed, her
hair dripping onto her shoulders.
“Who
is that, James?”
“Hold
on, please,” Lance said politely. He put the phone down. “It's Joey…you
know…the nice boy you liked? They want me, Mama.”
“James,
I thought we decided.”
“No,
Mama, YOU decided,” Lance said quietly, hoping Joey wouldn't hear. “I want
this. I NEED this, Mama.”
Diane
stared at him for a long moment. “Fine,” she said finally, and Lance heard Joey
whoop from his end of the phone.
