It has come to my attention that there is another story on Nifty with a similar story line. I didn't know this when I posted the first chapters. I've never read any chapters of that story and I won't till I've finished my story. This is not to hurt the author but to keep both stories original. Any similarity between the two stories is pure coincidental.
But I hereby promise the author of Intimate Stranger that I will read the story after When My Pretty Boy Sleeps is finished.
I want to thank Scott and Adrian for telling me about the other story. And thanks to all of you for giving me feedback.
Happy holidays. The next instalment will be in 2001!
Part 3
Justin finally managed to get hold of Lance after the concert. Ryan, JC and Lonnie, his bodyguard, had left straight after the concert. Justin learned later that they had gone home for a day. Lance was constantly on the phone until he hung up a few minutes after midnight. Justin had almost given up.
'Lance?'
The blonde looked up. 'Yeah?'
'Can we talk?'
Lance shuffled his papers and took off his glasses. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. 'Make it short ok? I'm tired.'
Justin cleared his throat. 'I think that Ryan is abusing JC.'
Lance slowly dropped his glasses and looked at Justin.
'Ryan?'
Lance started laughing.
'We are talking about JC's Ryan right?'
Justin nodded.
'The same person that nearly cried when Joey killed that little spider last week? And the same Ryan that always spends time with the fans who have a meet and greet?'
Justin nodded again.
'You have a vivid imagination Justin.'
'No, seriously. I mean it.'
'Come on Justin. Ryan would never do that to JC. You know how much they love each other.'
'He can still hit JC. I saw it myself.'
Lance's eyes narrowed.
'You saw Ryan hit JC?'
'Well, no...'
'See!'
Justin sat down. 'I saw a bruise on JC's ribs and I asked him what happened.'
'And JC's answer was?' Lance started to get ready for bed.
'That he fell over a chair when he showed Ryan a new dance move.'
'I told you!'
Justin shook his head. 'There's more. Before the concert I heard Ryan hit JC. The sound of flesh on flesh was so clear.'
Lance started to clap his hands.
'Here Justin, flesh on flesh.'
Lance walked to the younger boy.
'Don't make up stories like these Justin. Doing that can seriously hurt someone.'
'I'm telling the truth!'
Lance laughed bitterly.
'You were telling the truth last year when you said that someone broke in your hotel room because you didn't want to tell us that you lost your cell phone.'
Justin hung his head.
'I was sorry about that.'
'Be careful when you cry wolf Justin. We might not believe you again next time.'
Lance walked back to his bed and sat down.
'Are you going to sleep or are you going to watch TV?'
Justin rose to his feet. 'I'm going to bed.'
He quickly undressed and slipped under the covers. He heard Lance turn around in the other bed and soon the soft snoring of Lance was the only sound filling the room. Justin turned on his side and stared at the window. How could he sleep when JC's voice kept echoing in his head? Chris and Lance didn't believe him. He wouldn't even try Joey. He had to find some evidence. Something that would proof what he saw and heard. Something that would convince the others that he wasn't lying. Justin closed his eyes. He had no idea where to start or how to gather the evidence that he might need to convince the others. He turned to his other side. He would start on the net. Maybe some fans had noticed it too and who knows. He might find a site with a theory on it. If he weren't the only one than maybe they would believe him.
Part 4
Joey played with his game boy. Occasionally he would cheer or groan depending on whether he was winning or losing. Everyone in the room thought that he was playing but instead he observed everyone in the room. He had noticed a change in the band. Chris and Lance were constantly taking the mickey out of Justin. Joey had seen a few tears shine in Justin's eyes but the young man never said a word back. That was what got Joey's attention. Normally Justin would be replying with some smart comment but now he just hung his head and crawled back behind his laptop. That was sign #2 that there was something wrong. Justin never used his laptop before and now he wasn't able to leave the thing alone. Justin was constantly looking at Ryan and JC. Joey didn't see anything wrong with Ryan and JC. They were lying on the couch. Ryan spooned behind JC. JC had his eyes closed and clearly sleeping. Ryan was mumbling sweet nothings in his ear. Joey didn't see Ryan's fist pressing hard in JC's ribs, right on the spot when JC had broken his ribs just a few months ago. JC wasn't sleeping but kept his eyes closed to hide his pain from everyone. Instead of sweet nothings Ryan constantly told him that he was useless...But Joey couldn't hear that from where he was sitting. To him and the rest of the room they were the perfect couple. Joey's gaze left the couple and moved to Lonnie. JC's bodyguard never left him alone. He always walked a few steps behind JC. Joey wondered if he slept in the same room as JC. Lonnie nodded at Joey, letting him know that he had caught the man staring at him. Joey turned his attention to Chris and Lance. They were sitting close talking about Justin. Apparently Justin had played another trick on them. Joey finally returned his attention back to his game boy. As long as there were no serious fights in the band he was satisfied.
Justin stared at the computer screen. He had had no luck so far. Most of the sites were about how cute Ryan and JC were together. It made him sick. There had to be people who saw Ryan for who he was. He had entered a few chats under a fake name and started a conversation about Ryan and JC. But again no luck. He clicked on a new link to another site. An entire site dedicated to Ryan and JC. Justin quickly browsed through it. They all seemed to use the same pictures and the same stories. Justin snorted. The perfect love story that isn't so perfect at all. Justin raised his head again. His eyes locked with Ryan's. Ryan's brown eyes were cold. The corners of his lips were lifted in a sarcastic smile. Justin swallowed hard. Ryan knew! He knew that Justin knew! Justin paled.
'Are you ok Justin?'
Justin looked at Joey. 'I'm fine.' His voice sounded funny. Justin closed his eyes for a mere second to get himself back together again. When he opened them again he stared in JC's eyes. The older man's eyes were filled with tears. Justin saw JC biting on his lip not to scream out loud. JC closed his eyes again. Justin couldn't fight the bile rising in his throat. He didn't make it to the trashcan. Things happened very quickly. Lance and Chris jumped up, seeing Justin's body retching. Joey threw his game boy aside and rushed to Justin's side. He started to rub Justin's back.
'Take deep breaths. It will stop the convulsion.'
Justin tried to relax. His body slowly came to terms with what he saw. Ryan actually abused JC when they were all there.
'Oh god.' Justin heaved again.
Joey scooped Justin in his arms. 'You are going straight to bed. You are obviously sick.'
Justin tried to fight Joey. If he'd stay here than JC wouldn't be alone with Ryan. Than Ryan couldn't inflict more pain. Justin suddenly saw the empty couch. JC and Ryan had already left. Justin went limb in Joey's arms.
'It's too late.' He mumbled.
Joey frowned. Something was seriously wrong here. He carried Justin to his room.
'This...'
'Chris can stay in your room for a while.'
Joey placed Justin on the bed and went to the bathroom to get a wet cloth.
He gently wiped off Justin's face.
'What happened Justin?'
'I saw something disturbing on the net. It made me sick.'
Joey frowned.
'It must have been pretty disturbing.'
Justin nodded.
'Something I don't want to see again.'
Part 5
Joey got the shock of his life when he returned to his hotel room. He had had a nice massage and he felt alive again. Things had been pretty awkward lately. Justin was withdrawing himself more and more. Chris and Lance didn't help much. All they did lately was making fun of every word Justin said. The poor lad couldn't even blink without receiving a snarling comment. The only time Justin seemed to relax was when he was alone with Joey. He had lost his obsession with his laptop a bit. Joey was hoping that the next three days would help Justin get some rest. Three days with no interviews, photo shoots or concerts. Just them and a nice hotel. A hotel room that was clean and tidy before he left but now looked like a hurricane had stormed through it.
'What the hell happened here?'
Justin stood in the middle of his suitcase throwing clothes all over the place.
'I can't find my favourite hat.'
Joey sighed.
'Do you need that hat?'
Justin stopped digging through his stuff.
'I'm going out tonight, Joe. Yes I need that hat!'
'Where did you last see it?'
Joey started to clean up the room a little. He threw all the clothes back in Justin's direction.
'I had it when we arrived here.'
Justin smacked his head.
'I left it on the bus.'
Joey sat down on the bed. Justin managed to get all his clothes back into the two suitcases.
'Who are you going out with?'
'No one. Just me.'
Joey raised an eyebrow.
'Going for a manhunt.'
Justin froze. Slowly he turned around and looked at Joey.
'How...'
'I'm not as stupid as you all think that I am.'
Joey grabbed a comic book and started reading.
Justin grabbed his coat and walked to the door.
'Don't wait up for me.'
He said with a smile.
Joey lowered his comic book
'Justin?'
The blonde turned and looked at his older band mate.
'Just keep searching. You will find what you are looking for as long as you look hard enough.'
Justin's jaw nearly hit the floor. Joey shrugged seeing Justin's confused face and returned his attention back to his comic.
Joey's words kept going through Justin's mind as he took the lift down to the parking garage. They had parked the bus there for the days that they had off. Was Joey on to something? So he had figured out that Justin liked men more than women. Was that last comment about searching for someone to love or about Ryan? Justin shook his head. He didn't want to think about that right now. He wanted to get his hat and go clubbing.
The door to the bus opened with a small hiss. Justin climbed inside and walked to his bunk at the end of the bus. His precious hat was lying on his pillow. Justin smiled. He was so ready to go clubbing now. He pulled the hat over his hair and quickly checked the mirror. He blew himself a little kiss. Justin giggled. His laughter echoed through the empty bus and mixed with a soft whimper. Justin looked around but didn't see anyone. He shrugged and made his way to the front again.
'Please.'
The sound was soft and Justin almost didn't here it. He stopped dead in his track and swirled around. The bus looked normal. All the bunks were empty. Justin narrowed his eyes. The curtains of the last bunk were closed. That was Chris' bunk. Justin's heart pounded in his throat as he walked closer. He opened the curtains and screamed. A hand instantly clamped down on his mouth.
'Stop the screaming, boy. We don't want any attention.'
Justin relaxed hearing a familiar voice. He slowly nodded indicating that he wouldn't scream again. The hand left his mouth.
'Sorry Lonnie.'
Justin looked over his shoulder at the massive man behind him. Lonnie nodded. Justin turned his head again. JC was lying in Chris' bunk. His face was black and blue and blood dripped from his nose, mouth and a cut right above his eyebrow. He held one arm tightly to his chest as the other was bent in an inhuman angle. JC's leg was scratched from hip to toe and his ankle appeared to be broken.
Lonnie passed Justin a wet cloth.
'Wipe his face.'
Justin sat on the bunk and softly touched JC's face. He flinched the second the cloth touched his skin.
'Shh.'
Justin gently wiped away the blood.
'He needs to see a doctor. Where is Ryan? Why is JC on the bus?'
Justin asked all the questions in one breath.
JC shook his head.
'No doctor.'
He slurred and Justin saw that he was missing a tooth.
A rage started to build inside Justin.
'Where is that bastard?'
Lonnie placed a hand on his shoulder.
'Ryan went home for a few days to take care of some business.'
Justin looked at Lonnie.
'How did you...?'
'I was looking for JC and I saw you go down to the bus. I followed you.'
Lonnie softly pushed Justin out of the way.
'We are going to the hospital now.'
'No.'
Mumbled JC.
Lonnie lifted the bleeding man of the bed and ignored JC's protests. He didn't protest for long. The pain was too much and he passed out.
Any feedback, positive or negative can be send to: alecsandria@yahoo.com I answer all emails.
Hugs, Alec