Author's note: Thanks to everyone who has sent me feedback. I try to reply to you all personally but sorry I didn't. Happy new year btw!
Disclaimer: this story is fictional. Not gay as far as we know.
Enjoy the story
Part 6
Justin sat down and stood up again. He sat down and stood up again. Lonnie growled at him.
'Sit or stand.'
Justin immediately sat down.
'You weren't very shocked seeing JC.'
Justin looked at Lonny.
'I've seen it all before?'
'You knew?'
The disbelieve was clearly visible on Justin's face.
Lonnie moved from his spot at the window to the uncomfortable plastic chair next to Justin.
'Let me tell you, boy. JC asked me not to tell. I owe him much so I didn't tell.'
'You knew that Ryan was abusing him and you didn't say a word?'
'Listen to me, boy. There have been plenty of times that I wanted to kill Ryan. But JC loves him. And JC is like my son. He asked and I obeyed.'
Justin shook his head.
'What did JC do to deserve this? Why didn't you say a word?'
'He taught me how to read and write. I would have lost my job if your management would find out that I couldn't read nor write. JC helped me. Even though Ryan gave him hell. The bastard said that JC was too stupid to teach someone else.'
Justin covered his face with his hands.
'Someone has to do something.'
Lonnie rose to his feet.
'I'm going to press charges. He went a little bit too far.'
'I'll be your witness. Anything to get Ryan behind bars.'
Lonnie looked at his watch.
'Go back to the hotel, boy. There's nothing you can do here.'
'I can wait.'
Lonnie raised one eyebrow.
Justin sighed.
'I could do with a shower.'
Justin stared at the bloodstains on his shirt. His jeans were worse where JC had rested on in the car.
'I'll call when I have some news.'
Justin managed a sad smile.
Justin made no sound when he entered the room. It was past 4 am. He walked to his bed and sat down.
'How was it?'
Joey's voice startled him.
'Ok. The club was busy.'
Justin untied his shoelaces and his shoe fell to the floor with a bang.
'Any luck on finding the guy of your dreams?'
'No...'
Justin struggled with the shoelace of his other shoe.
'Do you need a light?'
'No, I'm...'
But Joey had already turned on the light.
Justin was too late and couldn't turn away anymore.
'I don't like being lied at.'
Joey sat up straight.
'You never went to a club. None of the bodyguards went with you and your clothes don't smell like a club. Instead you show up at 4 am with blood all over your clothes. Care to share some information with me?'
Justin stared at his hands.
'It's not my blood.'
Joey snorted.
'How stupid do you all think I am? You wouldn't be walking around if that were your blood.'
Justin ignored the comment.
'I went down to the bus to get my hat and when I was about to leave the bus I heard something. I walked back to check and there he was. His whole face was beaten and he has broken several bones. Lonnie and I took him to the hospital.'
'Where is Ryan?'
Justin looked at Joey.
'Did you know about Ryan and JC?'
Joey shrugged.
'I had my suspicions but I can't proof anything. I never saw or heard him hurt JC.'
'I have.'
Joey threw of his blankets and moved next to Justin.
'When?'
Justin shivered.
'Remember when I threw up a few weeks ago?'
Joey nodded.
'Well Ryan knows that I know and he hurt JC right there in that room with all of us there. Lonnie and I are going to press charges. JC could have died if I didn't go down to get my hat.'
Joey wrapped an arm around Justin.
'Let's get you out of these clothes first.'
'Lonnie is with JC now. He knew too. How come Lance and Chris don't believe me?'
'I didn't want to believe it myself. JC obviously loves Ryan and it was so hard to believe that Ryan would hurt him.'
Joey helped Justin take off his blood stained clothes. Joey pulled back the covers of Justin's bed and the blonde slipped in.
'Try and get some sleep. JC is in good hands now.'
Justin closed his eyes and within a few seconds he was gone.
Joey took Justin's clothes and stuffed them in a plastic bag.
Part 7
Joey woke Justin early the next morning.
'Wake up Just.'
Justin opened his eyes and yawned.
'It's too early.'
'Lonnie called. JC is awake. Lonnie is bringing him back to his room.'
Justin was suddenly wide-awake.
'So soon?'
'JC told Lonnie to get him out of there or he'd make the news as a hospital serial killer.'
Joey tossed Justin some clothes to wear.
'Lance and Chris will be here.'
Justin's head jerked up.
'Why? They never believed me.'
Joey sighed.
'JC is their friend too. We can't keep this from them.'
'Watch me.'
Justin angrily put on these clothes. He wasn't impressed with Lance and Chris lately.
Joey grabbed Justin's arm.
'They can't help it. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't had my suspicions.'
Someone knocked on the door and Joey went to open it. Lance and Chris came in laughing.
'What's the emergency? Justin had to pee and couldn't get his pants open.'
Chris and Lance started laughing hysterically. Joey glared at them.
'Sit.'
Justin went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He pulled his hat over his hair again and went back to the room. Chris and Lance were still smirking at him. Justin snarled softly.
'Justin and I have got something to tell you.'
'You are madly in love and are leaving the band?'
Chris said enthusiastically.
Justin rose to his feet but Joey pushed him back in the couch.
'It's about JC.'
Lance shook his head.
'Don't you start too. It's bad enough that Justin makes up all these stories about Ryan.'
There was another knock on the door. This time Justin rushed to open it. Lonnie stood in the doorway. He carried JC in his arms. The younger man had his arm wrapped tightly around Lonnie's neck and his face buried in his shoulder. JC now had a cast around his left arm and his ankle was covered in plaster.
Lonnie carefully placed JC on the bed. JC covered his face and rolled on his side away from everyone.
'How is he?' Whispered Justin.
'He hasn't said a word so far.'
Justin turned to Lance and Chris. Their mouths were open and they both tried to understand what they had seen.
'Did he have an accident or something?' Mumbled Chris.
'Yeah, he accidentally ran into Ryan's fists.'
Lance turned red.
'Stop it with that nonsense Justin. JC had an accident. Who says it had anything to do with Ryan?'
'I do.' Said Lonnie.
'I do.' Said Joey.
'It was an accident.'
JC's words lingered in the room. The five people turned to see him. He was still lying with his back towards them.
'I made him angry and he accidentally hit me. He never intended to hurt me.'
Justin mouthed to Joey to get everyone out of the room. Joey grabbed Chris and Lance by their arms and dragged them out of the room. They were both too shocked to even protest.
Lonnie moved to the door and stayed there. Justin walked around the bed and sat down beside JC.
JC tried to hide his face but Justin gently pushed his arm away.
'I've seen it all Josh.'
Justin reached out and touched him.
'Why do you let him do this to you?'
'He loves me.'
Justin cringed.
'I love you and I don't hurt you.'
JC moved his head a little and looked at Justin.
'Don't love me. He will kill me.'
'No, Ryan won't hurt you anymore.'
JC struggled to sit up.
'I love him. He loves me. It was an accident.'
Justin pulled JC in his arms.
'He loves me. He loves me.'
Part 8
Justin held JC for hours. He listened to JC defend Ryan by telling him over and over again that Ryan loved him and that it had been an accident. It was almost dark again when JC fell asleep. The door softly opened and Joey snug in.
'How is he?'
'He just fell asleep.'
'Did he say anything?'
'Part from that it was all an accident, no.'
Joey sat down on the bed.
'We've tracked down Ryan. He is coming back straight away.'
'What will happen now?'
Justin raised his head and looked at Joey. He had never looked so vulnerable before.
'Lance and Chris want to know Ryan's side of the story. Lonnie is ready to kill him the moment he sets foot in the hotel. I called management and everything we were suppose to do for the next week is cancelled.'
Justin sighed.
'JC keeps telling me that it was all an accident. How many accidents has he had the past years? How come we never knew?'
Joey gave Justin some printouts.
'I've been browsing the Internet. I found some pages about victims and all. Maybe it will help us understand him.'
Justin flicked through the pages. He cringed reading the short stories from victims and the hell they went through.
'Are you mad that I never told you what I knew?'
Justin locked eyes with Joey.
'You had your reasons Just, and I had mine.'
'I keep thinking that I should have done something, you know. Something to stop Ryan.'
Joey shook his head.
'That might have made matters worse. JC is lucky to be alive.'
Joey stared at the sleeping face of JC. He seemed relaxed now. His head was lying on a pillow in Justin's lap.
Joey wiped away a strand of hair.
'Take good care of him Just. He's going to need a strong person next to him when he is going to fight this.'
Justin nodded.
'I'll do what ever I can.'
Joey gently brushed his lips against Justin's forehead.
'Just holler when you need a break, ok? Lonnie and I are right outside.'
'Thanks Joey.'
JC slowly woke up. The room didn't smell like his. His head was pounding and every breath that he took hurt. He turned on his side and his face hit a hard thigh. JC gasped. His first thought was that he had fallen asleep on Ryan. He squeezed his eyes closed and waited for the blow. He slowly counted to ten. He than opened his eyes and focussed on the room. A face hovered over him.
'Hi.'
JC swallowed hard. What was Justin doing here? Why did his head hurt so much? JC licked his lips.
'Can I get some water?'
JC noticed that he was missing a tooth. He checked the rest of his mouth but that seemed to be all the damage. The memories of the night before slowly settled in his mind. JC groaned.
'Are you ok?'
Justin had returned to the bed again.
'Yeah.' JC's voice was hoarse.
'JC?'
The brunette struggled to sit up straight. A familiar pain shot through his ribs. He accepted the glass of the water but ignored Justin.
'JC, please?'
'Don't Justin. You don't understand. You'll never understand.'
The 19-year-old sat down next to JC.
'Help me understand. Help me to see things your way.'
'How?'
Justin looked at his hands.
'Tell me about you and Ryan. Everything, please.'
Part 9
(author's note: this is a monologue)
'I met Ryan when I was 16. We both auditioned for a new music show to be aired on local TV. I was so sure that I would get a spot on that show. But reality hit me hard when I didn't. Ryan was rejected too and we started talking. He told me that we should form a duo. We both had the looks and the voices to do so. We hit off really well and soon we became best friends. He was the first person to know that I was gay. I had doubts all the time. Should I tell my parents or should I keep that a secret? Ryan and I had a long talk and I decided to tell my parents. The people that loved me and cared for me for 16 suddenly turned their back on me. There was no way that their son was gay. So I was all alone without a family and a house. Ryan took me in. He had a spare bedroom. We both worked during the day to pay the rent and at night we would play small gigs in local bars. One night we came back from a successful gig and we sat down on the balcony with some wine to celebrate. I don't know who made the first move but suddenly we were kissing. It was confession time again and Ryan admitted to have feelings for me. I moved into his bedroom the same night.
It was only a few weeks later that he came home with the newspaper. He showed me Lou's add and we went to audition. I made the band and he didn't. I felt so sorry. Ryan shrugged it off and told me that I needed a personal assistant. I didn't want to leave him alone. He was the only family that I had. Besides I had made some stupid mistakes in the past and Ryan had always been the one to make them right again. I don't know if I had made it so far without him.
The band hit off and we were travelling Europe. God it was what I always wanted. I was on stage almost every night. There were people that actually wanted to hear the songs that I wrote. Ryan has a good ear for music. He always listened to my songs and told me what he thought.
I know that you all wanted to be friends with me but I don't need anyone but Ryan. He is my best friend, my lover and my family. I of course had to tell you that I was gay and that Ryan was my boyfriend.
Touring all the time put a strain on our relationship. Ryan wanted me to stay alert. He told me to always keep my eyes open. I could miss opportunities if I didn't. I've made some mistakes and I paid for them. Ryan said that I flirted too much with the fans. That I gave them false hope. He felt that as a gay man I shouldn't portrait myself as being straight. That was our first fight. I felt miserable for days. Losing Ryan would mean losing everything that I had.
Thank god that the fight didn't last long. We made up only a few days later. He is all I have, Justin. Without him I'm nothing. I need him to breathe, to live, to smile, to feel. He is my everything. Don't take that away from me. He didn't mean it. It was my fault. It really was. I thought that he was cheating on me. I doubted his love for me. How could I ever doubt him? He has given up so much just to be with me. See it's my entire fault. My fault.'
Yes I know that Lou didn't form the band...but it's my story and it will come back later on...
Any feedback, good or bad, can be send to Alecsandria@yahoo.com