You Bring Me Joy

(Like a Best Friend Should)

by Zaen

Chapter Four

8. Next weekday after powerbonding

From: Chavez, J.

To: Timberlake, J.

Security: Private

Time: 9:13 AM

Justin,

1. I hate that I’ve been here 3 weeks and these idiots still can’t spell my name right!

2. I have a cat named Shere Khan.

3. Sometimes…sometimes…I’ve been known to be somewhat “frugal.” I’m just saying.

From: Timberlake, J.

To: Chavez, J.

Security: Private

Time: 9:23 AM

1. Yeah. Um, how do you pronounce your last name?

2. I have 5 tattoos. Or is it 6?

3. I wish I were as funny as Chris. My attempts at humor are sometimes quite pathetic.

From: Chavez, J.

To: Timberlake, J.

Security: Private

Time: 10:20 AM

Your humor suits you just fine.

How to pronounce my…ugh. Remind me later. Where’s the MIS person in this place? Who do I have to blow to get my name spelled correctly?

I was kidding about the blowing. :-0

This is too much, isn’t it? This is more than one per day. I’m bothering you, aren’t I? Ignore me. I’m bored over here.

From: Timberlake, J.

To: Chavez, J.

Security: Private

Time: 10:27

I think Wade is the MIS guy you need to speak to. Please don’t blow him. He’s an a**hole. :-)

You’re not bothering me at all. Email whenever you want.

“Who won?”

“Huh?”

“Who won your precious game?” Joey asks Justin. He sits down on the corner of Justin’s desk and takes a bite out of a large homemade bran muffin. He flicks a few crumbs from his shirt. Justin helplessly watches them bounce on his floor. “You know, the game you had such a hissy fit to see that you abandoned the Friday Fellowship of the Flesh.”

“Oh, yeah.” Justin looks down at his hands. “It was good.” He smiles at the memory.

“So North Carolina won, then?” Justin looks up at Joey. He suddenly realizes that he has no idea who won.

“Um…yeah,” Justin mumbles. He sighs with relief when the others approach, pointing to the 11:59 on the wall.

“Let’s go to lunch,” Chris says gruffly. “Now. Less sitting, more moving.”

“I’m just eating my breakfast!” Joey laughs as he wraps the bran muffin up. “Kelly is trying to kill me with this high fiber crap!”

“Move it!” Chris barks. “What’s with the powwow at Justin’s desk? What did I miss?”

“I was just asking how his special basketball game was,” Joey says as he waves Josh over.

“Oh, yeah, I heard your team lost by 2 points in the end,” Lance announces, shaking his head at Justin. “You must have been really pissed.” Joey looks strangely at Justin.

“I thought you said you won, J.”

“Um.” Justin ignores the question as he stands up.

“Hey, guys,” Josh says cordially to the four, but he smiles at Justin. They greet him back and the five of them head toward the cafeteria.

“So, Justin, why didn’t you know that your team lost the game?” Joey asks curiously.

“Weren’t you paying attention?” Lance teases.

“He’s been weird all morning,” Chris broadcasts, poking Justin in the shoulder. “What’s the matter with you?”

“Nothing!” Justin responds bashfully.

“What did you do this weekend?” Joey asks, eyes narrowing on Justin.

“Nothing! Quit bugging me, you guys,” Justin snaps.

“But you did watch the game, right?” Chris asks as he opens one of the refrigerators and looks for his lunch. “Right?” Justin rummages in another fridge. When he sits down the other guys are looking at him.

“What?”

“You had a fit to abandon us at Pearl’s Necklace to watch that game, and you don’t even know who won?” Chris asks as he rips into a frozen meal. Justin shrugs, avoiding Josh’s eyes on him.

“He must have had a date,” Lance says. Justin rolls his eyes.

“Yep, that must have been it,” Joey adds. Justin tries not to smile, but he still won’t look at Josh.

“Did Mr. Privacy get lucky Friday night?” Chris teases.

“Yeah, right,” Justin grunts, trying to fight a blush. “So, what did you and Kelly do over your Valentine’s weekend?”

“Nah-uh, don’t try to change the subject,” Joey laughs. “C’mon, J. Who was the lucky girl?”

“There was no girl—I just fell asleep before the game ended, that’s all! There was no date, ok?” Justin feels embarrassed at his outburst, but it’s too late now.

“Ok, ok, don’t have a cow, man,” Chris says. “We get it, no date. Jeesh!” Justin studies his lunch closely, avoiding everyone’s eyes.

“Well, we know the kid didn’t get any, and I know these two didn’t,” Joey says, nodding towards Chris and Lance, who nod and sigh disappointedly. “So, what about you, Josh? Did anything special happen with you this weekend?”

“Um,” Josh mumbles. “No. I guess not.” He glances at Justin briefly and then goes to the microwave to retrieve his lunch. Justin doesn’t say anything for the rest of the lunch break.

The rest of the day drags. Justin can’t concentrate. Every few minutes he clicks on his email, hoping the little envelope icon will pop up and Josh will say something—anything—to him. He tries not to think about why he lied to the others. He tries to think of a way to explain it and still sound cool about it. All the while Josh works silently at his desk. He’s cordial. He speaks when spoken to, and he doesn’t give attitude. He treats Justin like…like he was just anyone. And Justin feels like an asshole, because he knows that’s how he made Josh feel at lunch.

“Hey, Josh, wait up!” Justin calls out as he runs across the parking lot. “Can I talk to you a second?”

“What’s up?” Justin stops next to him and suddenly doesn’t know what to say.

“Um…I’m sorry, ok?”

“About what?” Josh asks evenly, neither angry nor relieved. Justin sighs.

“Look, I didn’t tell them about us…about our…about Friday because—”

“You don’t have to say anything, Justin,” Josh says, holding his hand out to stop Justin’s explanation. He opens his Jeep door. “Don’t worry about it.”

“But, I want to—”

“It’s not a big deal, ok?” Josh says, but his tone and his eyes say otherwise. “Goodnight, Justin.” Justin watches him get in and start the engine. Before he can stop himself he’s on the other side of the Jeep, knocking frantically on the window. Josh gives him a questioning look.

“Let me in!” Josh sighs and unlocks the door. Justin crawls into the Jeep and closes the door behind him. They both stare straight ahead for a bit, until Josh turns off the engine.

“What is it, Justin?” Josh whispers.

“Look,” Justin starts, staring at Josh’s hands on the wheel, “I didn’t know what to say, and then they started with this date thing and—shit. And you know, it’s weird enough trying to be friends with your coworkers and when you finally figure it out someone new comes along, and then you don’t know if you’re gonna be real friends or work friends and…I’m babbling.” Josh nods, looking at Justin out of the corner of his eye. “Look, I didn’t tell them because I didn’t want them to feel weird.”

“Feel weird?” Josh asks.

“Josh, I’ve known those guys for six months and…well, none of them has ever been to my apartment, ok?” Justin blushes and looks out the window. “I thought maybe they’d be, I don’t know, weird about it. Because, you know, two weeks versus six months. I thought they might be offended or something. Does that make sense?” Justin asks without looking at Josh. When he doesn’t get a reply he looks over at Josh, who’s biting his thumbnail.

“I know, it’s a bad habit.” Josh looks down bashfully at his feet. “I do it when I’m nervous.” They’re quiet again for a minute.

“It wasn’t like I was…ashamed or anything. Of our…what did we call it?”

“Powerbonding?” Josh answers thoughtfully.

“Yeah.” Justin settles into his seat, finally secure that Josh won’t throw him out. “Powerbonding. It was fun. We pigged out and did each other’s hair. We’re 12 year old girls, you know that, right?” Josh giggles and finally meets Justin’s eye. “I’m sorry, Josh,” Justin says sincerely. “OK?”

“Ok,” Josh answers. “So…do you want me to lie to them?”

“No,” Justin says regretfully. “Of course not. They took me by surprise, that’s all. I’ll just tell them the truth next time.”

“Next time?” Josh asks with a raised eyebrow. Last week, Justin would have blushed. But now, after getting to know Josh, he feels comfortable enough to say, “Yeah…next time.”

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