“Nope,” replied Justin with a huge grin as Chris led him through the house into the living room where an Italian, whom Justin figured was Joey, was playing a Playstation game.
“Joey this is Justin,” introduced Chris after Joey put the game on pause. “Any sign that JC will be ready soon?”
“I’m right here Chris,” replied a new voice and Justin turned around to find a slim, young man with short brown hair and piecing blue eyes.
“Good now we can go,” declared Chris as he left JC to introduce himself to Justin. “C needs some action, he spends too much time in the studio.”
“Studio?” asked Justin.
“I’m a music producer/song writer,” explained JC with a smile but before he could go any further he was distracted by the sound of Chris’ head thumping against the wall.
“I should of warned you J,” explained Chris stopping the pounding. “Never, ever ask JC about his work or else he’ll talk his head off for hours. We put up with it since we’re his best friends but if you’ll know what’s good for you you’ll never mention music around C again.”
“I love music though,” informed Justin excitedly. “That’s what I’m majoring in. I want to teach music some day.”
“Your funeral,” laughed Chris tossing Justin his car keys. “We’ll take my car since it’s the biggest, but your driving since your underage.”
“Cool,” cried Justin knowing that Chris owned the purple SUV sitting in the driveway. “So what are we waiting for lets go!”
*~*~*
Four hours and three clubs later, Justin driving them all home after a fun night. Chris and Joey looked ready to party more; JC however was passed out in the back.
Despite not hooking up with anyone Justin still had a good time. He knew he would have no problem with Chris since despite being ten years older than Justin, Chris always acted like twelve-year old, he had however been worried about JC and Joey. Nevertheless he had been worried for nothing as both were friendly and easy to get alone with. Plus he discovered JC was gay which met that potential match-making between him and Lance could happen in the future.
“J could you help Joe get C up to his room?” moaned Chris as he pulled into their driveway. “He’s a pain to wake up and you’re stronger than I am. He’s heavier then he looks.”
“Sure,” laughed Justin, figuring that he could easily carry JC up the stairs by himself. Chris however had been right as it took everything that he and Joey had to drag his skinny ass up the stairs.
Dropping JC on his bed, Justin was about to follow Joey out of the room when something caught his eye. It was a picture. A picture of a young JC with his arms around another person who looked a lot like young Lance.
“James,” moaned JC out in his sleep startling Justin and there was no doubt in his mind that the other person in the picture was Lance.
“Lost?” asked a voice and Justin turned to the door finding Joey back who must of wandered back to the room when he realized that Justin was no longer with him.
“What’s JC’s real name?” asked Justin quietly looking back at the picture. “Is it Josh? Josh Chasez?”
“How did you know that?” asked Joey frowning. He liked Justin but if he was trying to hurt JC in some way then there was going to be trouble.
“That guy,” said Justin holding up the picture and pointing the blond-haired person who Joey knew was James. “That’s my best friend Lance, James Lance Bass.”
“James!” exclaimed Joey eyes widening but keeping his voice low as possible. “Your best friend is James Bass?”
“He goes by his middle name, Lance, now,” informed Justin nodding his head. “Has for about the last five years. At first he never told me why the change but I asked around and I found out the story about Lance and a guy named Josh Chasez from some friends. I think a piece of Lance died that day JC left, that’s why he started going by his middle name.”
“Shit!” whispered Joey. “Where’s Chris? We need to talk.”
“I’m right here,” spoke up Chris entering the room. “You two could wake the dead but I see not JC.”
“Justin’s roommate Lance is James,” blurted out Joey.
“Huh?” asked Chris confused and Joey and Justin quickly filled in Chris one what they had just learned.
“Is James . . . Lance seeing anybody?” asked Chris praying Justin said no as a plan was formed in his brain.
“Some prick named Nick,” sighed Justin. “He was coming over tonight so that Lance could “help” him with his history essay which translate into Lance does it for him. Nick’s a jerk and I don’t think Lance is truly happy with him. He reminds me the complete opposite of JC.”
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” informed Chris. “Justin find out just how serious Lance is with Nick and if he still have feelings for Josh. Don’t tell him about JC though just like we’re not going to tell C about Lance. Get back to us as soon as possible.”
“Got it,” replied Justin with a large grin. “Operation Basez now begins.”
“Basez?” asked Joey.
“Combine their last names and you get Basez,” informed Justin with a smirk. “I figure we need to call this little plot of ours something that C or Lance won’t know what it is if they overhear somehow.”
“Good thinking J,” replied Chris shoving Justin towards the door. “Now get out of here and report back to us tomorrow.”