Thank you guys so much for your reviews and support from the last chapter! Due to the response I got, I am now typing and posting a brand spankin' new chapter. And don't worry you guys, the end is drawing near...muahaha...And there was one review I gotta comment on...something said about JC...all I gots ta say is...DUUUHHH. Search engine: word beyond duh. Searching....no matches found. So duuuuhhh.
~*~(sorry Micki)
The next day, we were both feeling much better. We fixed ourselves some cereal and played basketball in Brian's hoop until about 11am, when everything that would change music history forever happened...
"Ha! Now it's 92-89!" I said, after I'd just made three from the outside.
"Not for long, bush head!" B-Rok said, dribbling the ball.
"Justin?" an uncertain voice said from behind us. I turned around fast, and Brian raced to my side.
JC, Lance, Joey and Chris were standing by Brian's court, staring at me angrily. (Well JC looked uncertain.)
"Why are you here and what can I do to change that?" Brian said, incensed.
"Now hold on Brian." Lance said calmly. "We don't want any trouble. We just want Justin." He looked at me. "You'd better get your stuff and come with us right now, Bastard. You're in Trouble."
"So what." I said, grabbing the basketball and shooting it (made it). "Get out of here. You're not wanted nor welcome."
Lance stepped forward. "You talk back like that and you'll really get it." He warned.
"Fuck off." I said.
He looked infuriated. "Get him!" he said to Joey and Chris and JC. Joey and Chris took a step towards me.
"You lay one finger on him and I'm calling the cops." Brian said. They stopped uncertainly, and looked at Lance.
"Beat his ass too!" Lance yelled. They looked to Brian.
"Oh no you don't!" Brian yelled. "If you so much as touch me I'll call the police on you for assault and battery and I could even file a suit for discrimination and hate crimes!" he said, stepping closer to Joey and Chris, who were backing up as he advanced. I guess they weren't used to a gay guy actually standing up for himself. Humph. "You're damn lucky I'm not calling the cops already for what you did to Justin. The only reason I haven't is cause he don't want me to. You guys-all you guys-are so lucky that he's such a caring forgiving person or he would have called the cops a year ago and gotten you arrested. And I mean it! If you ever, ever so much as touch him again, your ass is mine." He said. "Now get off my property."
"Brian, just calm down-" Joey started.
"Calm down your ass. I mean it. Get off my property or I'll have you arrested for trespassing."
"Fine, we'll go." Lance said. He looked over at me, and practically stuck his finger in my face. "This isn't over yet, Bastard."
"No." Brian said. "It's far from over."
The guys left, JC giving me a desperate glance. I just looked at him. They got into Lance's car and drove away.
"Let's go inside." Brian said darkly. I wordlessly followed. "I'm thinking about calling the police and filing a complaint of harassment." He said thoughtfully. "Should I?"
I thought a moment. "I wouldn't. It'll just cause more problems. Maybe you'll be right and they'll stop with your threat of calling the police."
He nodded. "You should threaten to leave the band. Most of *NSYNC's fans are centered around you anyway."
"Well yeah, but then what would I do? I love making music, I love singing. What would I do?"
"Go solo. You'll be plenty successful."
"I need bandmates. Companionship, brotherhood. Close, understanding friendship. I need that."
"Oh, and like you really have that with NSYNC?" he muttered. "Hm...let me think..." he was quiet a moment, then smiled. "You could join Backstreet Boys."
"What! C'mon Brian, be serious!"
"I am. I'm dead serious." He said. I looked at him. He had a dead serious look on his face but his eyes sparkled. "I'm so serious." He said. "You could join our band."
"Don't you have to, like, ask the other members of your band before you ask me that? And quit playin' around."
"I'm not." He said. "I really really want you to join BSB." He said seriously. "Wait here, I'll call the others." He went and got his cordless phone, and dialed. "Hey Nick...guess what...no, it's not gonna be me!" he said, exasperated. I fought an insane urge to laugh. "I need you to come over here real quick...it's very important...yes. Why? Oh. Well, he's here...Yes actually. No, I'm calling everyone. You call AJ and Howie and I'm calling Kevin, okay? Justin Timberlake. Yep. Mmmbye." He said. He pressed end, and then called his cousin.
"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" I said in awe.
"Damn straight I am. You're my friend and I love you. As a friend. And they're never going to hurt you again, so help me." He jumped up and got the door to let Nick and AJ in.
They came in. "Hi Justin. Whassup?" Nick grinned.
"Hello Justin, how are you?" AJ greeted.
"Hi. I'm okay. Hey Nick."
He sat down. "Hiya BushHead."
"So what's going on?" AJ said to Brian.
"I'll explain when Howie and Kevin are here." He said. In a minute they showed.
"Now." Brian said, standing in the cuddle chair so everyone could see him. "First, I'll explain. I'm sure you all recall when he came swimming with us, and you all saw those marks on him. And true to what you asked Howie, he doesn't sleepwalk. The other guys in *NSYNC hit him and beat him up terribly just because they don't like it that he's gay. Justin, show them your back." He instructed.
I stood up, and lifted up my shirt so they could see my back. They (excluding Brian and Nick-but Nick winced) gasped.
"They hit him with a belt too." Brian said. He told them everything he'd learned in the past two weeks about me, my life, and what they did to me. I chimed in every now and then about stuff he couldn't remember and stuff I hadn't told him. That took no shorter than three hours.
"Wow." Howie said, stunned. "That's really cruel. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. If I was you, I would have called the police on them long ago."
I shrugged listlessly. "I just can't."
"That's so terrible." Kevin shook his head. "You shouldn't take that. Brian's completely right. If they ever hit you again, get their asses arrested."
"That's kinda why you guys are here." Brian said. "I think Justin should leave *NSYNC. It's gotten to where there's no way it's going to get better, only worse. He doesn't want to leave music, and wants companionship, so solo is out. I think he should join Backstreet Boys."
Silence. "I'm all for it." Nick said with a wide grin.
"Me too." AJ nodded.
"That's fine." Howie said.
All eyes on Kevin. "Kev?" Brian questioned.
He didn't say anything for a moment. "Are you and him sleeping together?" he finally asked.
"No." Brian said immediately. (Ah-ha! So who was the one with the stupid questions now! Humph.)
"Are you involved in any way?"
"Only as friends Kev, only as friends. Nothing else. He's just one of my dearest friends."
"Is this what all of you truly want?" Kevin asked, looking at all five of us.
"Yes." Brian said confidently.
"Me too." Nick said just as firm.
"Sure." AJ shrugged.
"Not a problem." Howie agreed.
Kevin nodded. "Brian, may I use your phone? I'll go about finding out how to do this officially. Does the rest of *NSYNC know?"
"Nope." I shook my head. "I'll tell them later. When it's certain it will happen."
He nodded, and took Brian's phone in the kitchen.
"Well, how do you like that?" Nick said to me, smiling.
"I like it perfect." I said. "thank you guys so much for understanding and trying to help me."
"You're welcome." Howie nodded.
"Yeah, and if you're joining the group, we're gonna have to tell you what we told Nick and Brian. Your homosexuality doesn't bother any of us and it won't be a problem unless you make it a problem." AJ said.
"Ah ha, a not so subtle hint." I said slyly. "In other words, hands and eyes off and no problemo."
"In a word, yes."
"I'm going to see how ol' Kev's doing." Brian went into the kitchen.
"Well, Brian already told you a lot about me." I began. "But I guess I should tell you a bit more about myself. My birthday is January 31st 1981. I'm 21 years old. I love basketball and videogames. I'm not a good roommate for a neat freak. And I will really really try not to cause any problems."
"For the first week or so anyway." I added. AJ and Nick laughed and Howie smiled.
"Ohhh Just-tin!" Brian singsonged. I looked up. There was Brian smiling like there was no tomorrow.
"Yes Bri-ian?" I singsonged back.
He ginned even wider. "How would you like to become an official member of the Backstreet Boys?"
"Would I!" I repeated, grinning wider. I honestly have never been so happy in my life. Well, except when we first started *NSYNC and our careers took off.
"Would you?"
"Yes! Yes yes yes!" I said.
He kept grinning. "Tomorrow we're going to meet with our management and record company and sign you on. We'll get new contracts and everything. The appointment is at 10am. After you've signed on and your bandmates know what's up, management will call MTV news to get it out to the world."
"You're supposed to tell your bandmates ASAP." Kevin said, coming in. "They're definitely going to have a problem with it. But it's your right to step out. What about your contracts with *NSYNC? Will you be in breach by leaving?"
"As a matter of fact, Kevin, this is the perfect time to be doing this." I said with a huge grin. "Our contracts expired with the release of our new album. We're supposed to go to the record company the day our vacation is over and renew them. This is perfect cause I can drop out of the group without getting sued."
"Yes, that's always good." Brian said. "Now, you'll have to tell *NSYNC. Unofficially you're a Backstreet Boy now, but officially you're still *NSYNC. How are you going to go about telling them? I know you live with JC and Lance-is it wise to continue doing so?"
"Hmm. No." I said. "Well, I guess I should move out then ASAP."
"You can pack and put your stuff in my basement." Brian offered. "You can stay with me until you find a place or whatever. You can go over there now-we'll go with you so you don't get jumped-and tell them and pack. Do you own or lease?"
"Own."
"then call whoever and get your name taken off the deed." He said.
"That sounds good, let's go." I said. We all hopped in Brian's car and drove to the house I shared with The Twilight Zone (JC) and Ripley's Believe It or Not (Lance). (I was The X-Files. We all had weird TV show nicknames. Chris was Looney Toons and Joey was The Planet's Funniest Animals. Um...how about you just run away screaming now and we can save time, rather than you asking? That's right. Don't ask.)
I got out and put my key in the lock, but it was already unlocked. Hm. Odd.
"I'm going to get my truck so you'll have something to put your stuff in." Nick announced. "Can I take your car Bri?"
"Sure." Frick tossed Frack the keys. I went in, 5 of the 6 Backstreet Boys right behind me, ready to back me up and support me. Nick left.
"Hello?" I called. "Anyone home?"
"Hello Bastard." Lance said darkly, coming out of the kitchen.
"Hi Freakshow." I replied cheerfully. "Where's the others?"
"We're here." Chris snapped. "And we're going to beat the hell out of you."
"I'd like to see you try." I said, stepping aside so they could see Brian, AJ, Howie and Kevin. *NSYNC was outnumbered. Us Backstreet Boys were more, bigger, stronger. (I called myself a BSB now even though it was unofficial.)
They looked shocked. "What the hell!" Lance demanded.
"I'm moving out." I announced.
"In with your boyfriend Brian?" Joey snapped.
"Yes." I said sarcastically. "No, actually, I'm moving in with your mother. We have a quaint, charming cottage, right outside the dumpster of McDonald's. Out is out. It's none of your concern where." I said. "Oh, and by the way, just so you know? I'm a Backstreet Boy now." I turned to go up to my room.
"You're a WHAT?!" they said simultaneously.
I turned back. "A Backstreet Boy. I'm dropping out of *NSYNC, because the way you all treat me is unacceptable and way out of line. So I'm leaving. Our contracts are up so I wont be in breach. Tomorrow the others and I are going to the record company and their management to officially sign me up as a Backstreet Boy. We're getting new contracts and stuff. Tomorrow I'll be an official Backstreet Boy. For now I'm unofficial."
"You're...you're leaving the band?" JC said in disbelief.
"Yep."
"Why?" he sounded hurt.
"Because you guys hit me. You hit me and beat me when I never did anything wrong except be a smartass sometimes but you have to expect that. You guys beat me all the time when I never did anything to deserve it. I loved you guys." I continued sadly. "Not in a gay way, not at all. Like friends or brothers. I never hated you, especially the way you hated me just because I'm gay. I don't hate you-any of you-even now, even though you've forced me to go to these desperate measures. These guys are my friends. They like me, not my sexuality, and they want me in their group. You guys don't seem to want me in yours." I said, and picked up the telephone. In thirty minutes, my name was off the deed for the house and a new one with only JC's and Lance's names on it was in the mail Federal Express to get it here quick. I told them I was going with Brian and they could send me the forms to sign when they arrived.
"Can you help me pack Brian?" I asked. Nick came back with his green pick up and came upstairs with us. He'd also brought two dozen cartons with him so I could put my stuff in them. I left Kevin, Howie and AJ to explain the details to *NSYNC.
In three hours I was all packed (with Nick and B-Rok to help of course). We carried my stuff downstairs and loaded it into Nick's truck. We put my bed and dresser and all the big stuff in first, then the boxes.
"You can't do this!" Joey said as they came outside just as I was about to leave.
"Sounds like a wager to me." I said, and climbed into the back of the truck. Brian and Howie were already there. We were going to make sure none of my stuff fell out, and besides, there was no more room.
"You can't do this to us! To our group!" Chris complained. "You're in *NSYNC too, your name's in it!"
"So call the group 'Sync'!" I said, settling down.
"You can't do this to us!" Joey tried again.
"You did it to yourself. And to me." I said, touching my black eyes and bruises.
"Justin?" JC said softly. He didn't say hardly five words since I got there. (Go ahead and scroll back to count of you want. Actually it's about seven, but I don't count it if it's the same word.)
"Yeah?" I looked at him.
"I...I'm sorry, Justin."
"For what?"
He looked so solemn, and had the saddest look in his eyes. "For hitting you. For hurting you."
I sat and chewed on my lip in thought at his, and Lance said, irritably, "You know he's only saying that cause you're threatening to leave the group."
"First off, I'm not threatening, I am. And second, no he isn't." I said softly, looking at JC. "He told me that earlier, only I didn't know what he meant by it."
"I'm sorry." He said again. "I never meant to hurt you."
"Then why did you?"
He shrugged. "I honestly don't know. And I'm so sorry. I would never ever hit you again."
I just looked at him. "I sure hope not Josh. Because if you do, I'll have you arrested. Any of you."
"You little conniving selfish faggot-" Lance began.
"Lance?"
"What?"
"There's a dickfor on your face."
"You are a dickfor!" he exploded.
"You're a cheesedick." I retorted.
Lance began swearing at me. Honestly, I didn't even know he knew those words. Before I'd come out to the guys, he was the nicest guy. Really. He was always happy, and would almost never get mad.
"Lance." I sighed in the middle of his swearing session.
"WHAT?"
"Blow it out your ear." I said. "Let's go Nick!" I shouted. Nick started up the truck and we pulled out.
"Way to go Justin!" Brian slapped me on the back as we drove. "See, I knew you had it in you."
"Yeah, I knew it too. It was just a matter of finding it."
"So where are we going?" Nick called when we were stopped at a red light.
"My place." Brian called.
I saw 5 girls in a convertible behind us. Three had *NSYNC t-shirts and two had BSB. They were all staring at me, Brian and Howie.
"Hey B-Rok look." I said.
He looked. "Hi!" he called.
One of the girls whipped out a camera. Brian put an arm around my shoulders, smiled, and waved. I smiled and waved too.
"Are you guys Brian Littrell and Justin Timberlake?" The driver called.
"Yup!" I said. She started squealing. So did the others, except one certain blue haired tie dyed girl. "Hi Dandy!" I shouted.
"Yo, rock on BushHead!" she said, stood up wriggled her hips, and winked.
"Hey Dandy sup?" Brian called.
"Uh, Bleach Blonde the light's green. IT'S GREEN YOU DUMB BLONDE!" she yelled. Nick stepped on the gas hard, causing me to fall down, but Brian caught my sleeve. Dandy cracked up and I smiled and waved.
When we got to Brian's place, the other's helped me load the stuff in Brian's basement. That took about an hour, with all of us working. "Whew!" Nick said, when we were done. "What should we all do now?"
"I'm going to go home and shower." Kevin said.
"Me too." AJ and Howie seconded. They left.
"Can I just shower here?" Nick asked Brian.
"Sure, you can borrow some of Justin's clothes when you're done. They should fit you."
"Or, if it takes your fancy, nothing at all." I said, raising my eyebrows up and down.
"No, I'd rather not be nude, thanks for the offer though, loverboy." He said, and went upstairs.
"You're welcome!" I called. He laughed.
"Did you really want to see him naked?" Brian asked me.
"Thought had crossed my mind." I said loftily.
"Yeah I'll bet." He said.
"Cram it."
"Where?"
"Your ass, back where it came from."
He laughed. Nick came downstairs in about ten minutes. "Hey." Nick said.
"Hi loverboy." I said, trying to sound sexy.
"Hi." He said nonchalantly, causing me to laugh. "Brian...I...oh wait." He said, glancing at me.
"It's okay. He knows." Brian said.
"You told him that we..." Nick pointed to himself and then Brian.
"Used to go out. Yeah."
"Oh." Nick said quietly.
"Did you not want me to?" Brian asked.
"Oh, no, it's okay." Nick said quickly. "I just suppose you told him why..."
"I told you why too Nicky." Brian said softly.
It was quiet a minute. Nick and Brian both looked really sad. Ah ha, so it's up to Justin to save the day...
"Yoink!" I said, yanking Nick's towel off and darting away with it, smirking. He just started at me, and Brian eyed him. So did i. Nick turned that shade of red you can never get from crayons.
"Wow..." I said exaggeratingly.
"No fair." He protested, sounding a lot like me when I whine. "Gimme my towel back!"
"Actually, it's my towel." Brian intervened.
"Oh, gee, thanks for your input...Brian LITERAL." Nick rolled his eyes. I laughed some more, then after Nick whined and threatened to chase me, I threw the towel back at him. I went to 'my' room and got jeans and a t-shirt and boxers for Nick to wear while Brian washed his clothes. I tossed them at him and he went into the bathroom to dress.
After awhile we got bored so we played strip poker. Brian won. Damn his poker playing abilities...whines and I really wanted to see him again...he barely had anything off even...grr...I was the fastest loser...and they laughed at me...grr...
~
The next day, Brian woke me up by throwing ice water on me at 7am.
"Ahh!" I sat up, shivering. Brian grinned from my door, an empty dripping bucket in his hands. "P-please Brian don't do that." I shivered. "*NSYNC used to wake me up like that after they hit me and beat up unconscious."
His expression changed quickly. "Oh Justin I'm so sorry." He said. "I'll never do that again."
"Okay." I nodded. "But now you got to change the sheets. You made them all wet."
He nodded, and walked over to my bed. He sat down beside me, and touched my hair. He looked deep inside my eyes...and sighed.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
He sighed again. "I want to kiss you."
I swallowed thickly, a teeny bit scared. "So do it."
He shook his head. "I can't."
"Why not?" I whined.
He sighed. "Because we can't be. Trust me Justin. Just...get dressed. I'll make breakfast and we'll get ready to go to our appointment. Your buddies will be there too. We need to sign you on and they need to renew their contracts. So they'll be there about the same time we will. The guys will be here in about an hour. Nick's already here." He announced.
"Okay." I sat up. "You mind if I shower first?"
"Sure." He said. "I'll make breakfast when you come down, then."
I got up, got some clothes from my closet (Brian and I had put all of my stuff in the guest room for me. It was now my room, until I 'found someplace or whenever' to quote Brian. He was kinda shrugging when he said it, which meant he wanted me to stay. Guess he wanted a roommate.) I took a quick shower and came downstairs.
"Hiya Justin." Nick said. He was sprawled out on the couch watching MTV. Brian was sitting sideways in the cuddle chair.
"Hi loverboy." I said, and plopped down in the other armchair.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked.
"You called me it first." I retorted.
"Aww, lookit the new loverbirds." Brian said, with a smirk, his eyes glued to the screen.
"Cram it." I said.
Brian got up. "I'll make breakfast. What do y'all want?"
"Anything." We said.
After Brian made us our food and we ate. It was 8:30am. We watched Looney Toons and TRL until 9:15 when the others showed up. We got to our appointment ten minutes early.
"First you have to get it set that you're dropping out of *NSYNC." Kevin told me. "Then come back out here-"(the waiting room dealy)"-and we'll get you signed on."
"Okay." I said. I walked off to where I'd be if I was *NSYNC to get my contract renewed. I saw the four *NSYNC guys were waiting to be called in.
"Hi gang." I said cheerfully.
They all looked up. "Justin!" Lance said. "You changed your mind!"
"Not exactly." I said, sitting down. "I'm just here so I can get it all legal wise that I'll be a Backstreet Boy."
"You're really doing this?" JC said somewhat sadly. I wondered about him a minute. I nodded to him. He sighed.
Soon we were all called in, to draw up our new contracts. "So, what's new?" Lou Pearlman asked, once we were settled in.
"I want to drop out of the group." I said.
Everyone except the four *NSYNC guys looked at me, shocked. "What?" Lou asked.
"I want to drop out of *NSYNC, and join Backstreet Boys." I said. "I'm free to do so, my contract is expired."
"Yes, you are most certainly free to do so." Lou said. "But may I inquire why?"
I shrug. "Personal reasons."
"Oh." They said.
"Can't you stop him?" Lance cried out. "Can't you make him stay in the group?"
"I'm sorry Lance, but there's nothing we can do legally." Lou said. Lance slumped in his seat. He knew as well as any of them that I was more liked than any of them put together. Nick Carter was always tied with me, and at times was ahead cause BSB was before *NSYNC. And with Nick and I in the same band? Whoo-whee. Backstreet Boys, I could practically guarantee, would be more successful and more liked.
They didn't like it, but they signed me out of the band and wrote new contracts for *NSYNC. Well, as of now I had no band. I walked back and sat with BSB to wait for us to be called in.
When we were, we explained we wanted me in the band and would need new contracts and such. We signed a paper stating that I was the official sixth Backstreet Boy, and all signed new contracts.
"Well," Nick said to me when we were all done. "You're one of us, now, how does it feel?"
"Pretty good." I said, smiling. Brian put an arm around my shoulders and smooched me on the cheek.
"Welcome to the band." He said.
"I still can't believe you did that." A voice from behind us said.
~*~ email me at ajsaysyourefired@yahoo.com and tell me what you think! and be sure to put '6bsb' in the subject line. last week i accidentally deleted a few emails cause i didnt know they were about the story!
you have just recieved mail from aj. consider yourself lucky!
Stop saying why. Start saying why not?
How can anyone govern a nation with 246 kinds of cheese?