JC actually managed to talk Justin out of making him shower for the third time that day, though the idea was tempting. He stood in front of his dresser, trying to decide what to wear over to Justin's house for dinner with the Timberlake family. Justin sat in the middle of JC's bed, watching JC look through his drawers. JC pulled out a sparkily-silvery t-shirt and held it against his chest. "This?"
Justin grinned and shook his head. "No party clothes for dinner, C. Something more conservative. You can wear that for me later."
"Fine, but I'm not sure I should be taking fashion advice from you, 'Lake. Haven't you been wearing that same outfit for over 24 hours?"
Justin frowned. "I'll change when I get home, before dinner."
"Good. I can help you get dressed then."
Justin smiled and said, "OK!" and JC went back to his drawers. He pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans and a black long sleeved shirt. "Much better," Justin said from the middle of JC's bed, and JC dropped the pants he was wearing to change into the new ones. Justin whistled, but JC silenced him with a look.
Then Justin said, "Josh, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, J, what's up?"
"Remember the Jefferson/Kennedy game? Last week?"
"Of course, why?"
Justin paused, then said quietly, "I saw you looking at me on your way to the locker room. I saw the fire in your eyes. What was that, JC?" JC looked away from Justin, out the window, and didn't answer. "Josh?" Justin prompted softly.
"I was upset."
"I figured as much, but why? What was it about that night?"
"Lance."
Justin raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"
"He was trying to take you away from me. That night, until after the game at the party, until you jumped me in the hallway, I thought he had succeeded."
Justin looked as confused as he was. "Lance? Take me from you? I don't think I ..."
JC cut him off. "He was the one who said you guys shouldn't be friend with me, or Joey, or Kevin, or any of the other guys on my team. Brian told me about that -- Lance's whole 'traitor' speech."
Justin had forgotten all about that, the night Lance had said no one should hang out with the guys from Kennedy anymore. Justin had forgotten because he had ignored Lance's directive. Or at least he thought he had. Now that he was thinking about it, Justin realized that he hadn't spent much time with JC this year. Between the time Lance had made his proclamation and the night of the game, Justin had seen JC only ... never. Not once. "Josh, oh my God, I'm so sorry! I can't believe I did that! I didn't listen to Lance, I swear, I just ... I was just busy is all. I wanted to see you, I did, honest, I just ..." Justin didn't know how to tell JC that he had spent every night during that period falling asleep to dreams of JC. When class got boring, Justin daydreamed about JC. When he was driving to and from school, he was thinking about JC's blue eyes. When he was out shooting hoops, we was wishing JC was there to watch him. He liked having JC's eyes on him -- at least until that night after the game, when his eyes had turned cold. "Josh, I'm sorry." He finished, unable to put any more of his thoughts into words.
JC looked back at Justin who looked truly horrified and sorrowful. Maybe he didn't mean to lock me out of his life, JC thought. Maybe Lance wasn't successful. Maybe he was thinking of me the way I was thinking of him all those nights. "It's OK, Justin," JC said, "I believe you."
Justin climbed off the bed and walked over to where JC stood. "I never meant to hurt you, JC, honest," he whispered, brushing his lips over JC's neck. JC made a low sound in his throat, which Justin assumed was an acceptance of his apologies. He moved his mouth up and caught JC's lips in a kiss. Eventually, Justin broke the kiss to say again, "Josh, I'm so sorry."
JC looked away from Justin, unwilling to have the other boy read his thoughts in his eyes, but then Justin touched JC's chin and made JC look at him.
"Josh, what is it?"
"I missed you, Justin," he said, looking down, "I thought I'd lost you." He looked up and met Justin's blue blue eyes wanting nothing more than to drown in those pools of blue.
"Lost me?" Justin asked quietly, not wanting to spoil the intensity between them.
"Yeah, I thought ... I thought you were gone. I thought you'd forgotten about me and ..."
"Josh, I never forgot, not for a minute. In all that time we didn't see each other, I can promise you I never forgot." Justin's eyes flashed with such passion that JC was sure he was telling the truth. Suddenly he felt warm all over, as if Justin had just said the magic words to break the spell of fear which had been surrounding him. JC knew Justin was his, and now all he needed was to make sure Justin knew JC was his -- and he was.
JC brought his lips back to Justin's again, to reassure the other boy that he understood. The kiss was tender and sweet, and Justin got the message loud and clear. He pulled away from JC only to smile. "We'll be OK as 'us,' Josh," he said.
"We will," JC echoed, and Justin kissed him again.
JC kissed back, then pushed Justin away gently. "We should get ready for dinner, J."
"But I don't want dinner, I want you."
"Yeah, well, we've got some explaining to do at your house," JC said, and when Justin looked frightened, he continued, "not about us, no, not yet, but we do need to say something about the fight and stuff if you want to transfer. Right?"
Justin sighed. "Right. But can't we play first?" the curly-haired boy whined, running his hands down to JC's ass.
JC stepped out of his reach, grinning. "Tonight. After dinner. You'll come back here with me. But first we have to go make nice at your house, OK? Or no fun for you tonight!" JC threatened. Justin pouted, but JC kissed him. "I'll make it up to you, K?"
"OK."
In a flurry of kisses, the two boys left to drive across
town.