The usual legal jargon, get the hell outta here if you don't belong or don't care to read :P.
I don't claim to know anything about any of the celebrities mentioned in this story. This is a work of fiction nothing more.
Hot and Humid
Chapter 11
I climbed up to my middle bunk and tried my hardest to get some sleep. The bus was noisy, Chris and Joey were busy playing Goldeneye, Lance was tapping his pen against the side of the small table and Justin....? He was on the phone to Ryan.
These past few weeks have been torture for me. I would always get to hear them talk or see them together when we stopped back in Orlando and it was starting to get to me. Not in the way that you might think though!
Ryan's a great guy and hey what can I say? The two of them were made for each other. The only problem is that being alone has started to get to me. It's always been hard in the past with girlfriends. There was always that funny feeling in the pit of my soul that seemed to scream out. WAIT STOP SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT HERE!!!!! Something would always happen and we'd fall apart. Lately I've been wondering if maybe I've been closing myself off to another world of possibilities. Maybe, just maybe the one that's out there for me................ The one that I'm meant to be with isn't a girl?
"Am I gay?" I thought to myself as I stared blankly into the opposite wall of the bus. I let out a deep sigh and tried desperately to block out all the other garbage from my head and get some sleep. After all I'm not about to sort everything out in one night...............
We spent the next few days in a studio just outside NYC. Most of my days were spent lost in the daze that I've come to know as work. Any time that we weren't busy shooting the new video, planning the new video etc I spent roaming the streets in search of something I couldn't yet grasp.
The guys and the management were all very concerned for me although they never truly came out and said it. I was in my own little world; nothing really mattered to me except internalizing what was going on inside my head.
"Am I really gay? What's going on and when did these changes start to happen?" I didn't have the answers and it was eating away at me piece by piece. I was so lost in my own little world that I never noticed where I was or for that matter where I was going. I looked around in every direction but found nothing. Nothing familiar, no land marks. Nothing. In my confusion I noticed a small male figure in the distance. In my mind he was set apart from the crowd like I knew he before but couldn't quite put my finger on it. His features were covered in confusion and he looked as though he was expecting someone or something.
Mindlessly I started walking in his direction; mesmerized by his mere presence. He was around my age, he had pitch black hair and slender features. I could tell that he was toned and reasonably well built. There was an air about him that I cannot even begin to understand.
The crowd was thick and it took me quite a while to even begin to get near him (I'm still happy that no one recognized me :)).
"What would I say to him?" I thought wildly, "Hey there beautiful you doing anythang tonight? I can keep you warm..." (yeah right :P ) As soon as I was closing in something happened that I will always remember.
Someone from the crowd bumped into my mystery man and knocked him off balance and into the direction of the incoming New York rush hour traffic. A brief and startled cry escaped from his lips as he plummeted towards the oncoming peril.
Time stood still. The mind numbing crowd was gone, the din from the chaos in the urban jungle had momentarily stopped.
The adrenaline shot through my system like wild fire as I sprinted through the last few feet towards the dark haired stranger. I grabbed one of his outstretched arms and pulled with all my strength but his momentum was too much. We both started to tumble, my mind raced as fast as my pulse!
"I had to do something!!" I thought. With my free hand I searched wildly for something, anything to hold onto. I felt my digits brush with cold steel and I braced for the shock of impact. It held, we held.
"Ooh," he managed through rapid panting breaths. I pulled us both up and we collapsed onto the sidewalk both to terrified to speak.
"My god!" he breathed clasping one hand to his chest as though his heart would suddenly jump out. "Thank you SO much," he cried as he grabbed me and pressed me to his chest, "oh my god."
"You're welcome," I smiled as I broke the hug (not that I wanted to or anything :)). "Are you ok?" I asked empathetically.
"Ooooh....... Yeah," he said as he tried to stand up without much luck. He started to topple a little as he grabbed his head with his right hand. I managed to catch him easily this time.
"Th......Thanks," he did his best to try and smile. I could tell that the brush with traffic had affected him more than he would have liked to admit.
"Do you have any place to go?" I asked him, "you don't look so good." He blushed lightly and stood back up.
"Ughhh......" he started. "Oh! My stuff," he exclaimed bending down to pick up his papers and folder that were now scattered all over hell's half acre.
"Here let me help you," I offered bending down to give him a hand.
"You don't have to.........." He said, a little unsure of himself.
"No problem," I shrugged.
"............. Oh I'm so sorry......" he said obviously still bothered by the accident.
"What on Earth for?" I laughed a little, I was kinda confused.
"Well....." he shrugged. "You saved my life and I don't even know your name," he smiled. I could have melted into a puddle on the pavement.
"Ugh....." I snapped back into reality aware that I had been staring. He smiled again, I blushed.
".........J.....Umm I mean Josh," I smiled offering him my hand. He grasped my hand and shook it warmly. I was surprised at how warm it was and the tiny jolts of electricity through my system and down my spine.
"Hi Josh," he cocked his head slightly to one side. "I'm Rich pleased to meet you," he briefly looked down to our hands. I blushed; I was still shaking his hand.
"Well Josh," Rich beamed, "I can't thank you enough."
("Oh I wouldn't say that," I thought to myself, "I could think of a few... What!? Bad Josh bad bad Josh!!)
"I know," I said as he gathered the last few papers off the ground. "I'll buy yah lunch."
"Ugh......" I replied.
"Oh come on," I scolded, "It's nothing at all considering what you did for me!"
"Um...." I started, "it's not that."
"What then?" he asked with a hint of curiosity. "I can't be that scary." I laughed to myself.
"No you're no scary," I shook my head, "it's just that I've got to get back to the studio."
"Oh...." he said with a hint of disappointment. "Well can I at least have your number so that I can thank you properly?" he asked I couldn't help but laugh.
"No," I shook my head.
"You don't want me to thank you?" he asked a little hurt.
"No it's not that," I shook my head a second time.
"Well I'm fresh out of ideas," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you want to come with me?" I looked him in the eye.
"I'd love to," he smiled, "that is if I won't get you into any trouble."
"I guess we'll just have to find out," I told him as I started walking.
"I can never say that you're boring now can I?" Rich said while running to catch up to me.
We managed to find our way through the crowd and get oriented. The studio was only a few blocks away.
"Great!" I thought, "At least I'll get to know him a little on the way."
It turns out that Rich was here on vacation alone (bonus bonus!). He was still going to school at the University of Florida (BIG bonus!!) to get a degree in Education. I was in NewYork to visit a few old friends from high school that were currently living in NYC. But hey plans can change, right? ;).
"So Josh," he asked as we rounded the last curb towards the studios. "What is it that you do for a living?"
"Ughhh...I" I began but I was cut short. Lance was out in front front of the studios waiting for me to get back.
"JC good you're back......." Lance began but stopped short. 'You're new," he smiled at Rich.
"Lance I....." I started.
"JC? Lance? Oh now I remember you guys," Rich said, "*N'sync right?"
"Yup," I scratched my neck lightly with my right hand."
"That's us," Lance smiled, "Now Josh I hate to cut the formalities short but......."
"Everyone's waiting for me," I finished. "But what about Rich......." I asked gesturing at my new companion.
"Why doesn't he just come with?" he asked casually.
"I don't want to get in the......." Rich began but this time I was the one to cut him off.
"You can arrange that Lance?" I pleaded with him.
"Welllllll," he teased.
"Lance!....."
"For you J," he laughed, ".....sure..."
"Thanks," I punched him playfully in the arm. The three of us went back inside the bowels of the studios. Lance left to arrange all the little details while the two of us went in search of food. We eventually ran into the cafeteria one way or the other.
Both of us gathered together some food and found a little table in the corner.
"Sheesh," Rich smiled.
"What?" I stopped from shoveling the food in and paused. "Is something wrong?"
"Well," he began, "It's just that I should be the one treating you. I mean," he paused, "you were the one who saved my life after all. Oh and by the way I feel like an idiot for not recognizing you."
"No worries," I smiled, "you wouldn't be the first."
"Still," his face lit up, "you've got a knack at sprucing up my summer vacation."
"Still want to look up your friends so soon?" I laughed.
"Welllllll........" Rich hesitated, "Maybe bot just yet." We both couldn't help but laugh.
After we were finished eating, we dumped off our junk and headed out in the direction of the set of the music video.
"Ever seen the set of a music video?" I asked him en route.
"Well there was that time with the Back street boys........" he nudged me lightly in the gut with his elbow.
"BSB?" I asked almost falling over, "you traitor!"
"Kidding kidding," he put his hands up in his own defense, "I repent I repent."
"Well........" I reconsidered.
"Sorry but one boy band is the extent of my tolerance," he shrugged his shoulders.
"HEY!" I chased him down the hall and around the corner.
We burst into the studio doors suddenly. I fell over onto Rich's back in a very humiliating position.
We got up and brushed ourselves off.
"I'm sorry that I'm late guys," I began, "I guess I got a little bit lost......... Oh.... Um everyone this is......."
"It's ok Josh," Justin smiled. "Lance has already told us," he winked at me on the side, "nice to meet you Rich."
"Now everyone, let's get rolling!"
Well what do you think? I'll get back to the others don't worry :). I think that my writing is taking a nose dive although I'm not sure :(. Oh well
Best wishes sec_ko@hotmail.com P.S I'll have to think some more about what to do about Justin and Ryan. For now I hope that you all liked Josh and Rich and I'll explain the whole thing soon don't worry ;p.