Thanks:- I thought I would start off by apologizing to you all for the amount of time that it has taken for these parts of the story to come out. Unfortunately my computers all crashed and I have had to build me a new one :) so now all is working. Ooh and before I forget thanks for all the help that I have had from my good friend Yuli a.k.a. Busta she has been a real, real big help on this story. Finally I would appreciate any comments (good or bad) to: bigc79_uk@yahoo.com Thanks and hope you enjoy the story :)
Disclaimer:- This story is fiction and does not imply anything about the group NSYNC or any other person involved in full or in part. If you are under the legal age to read such material in your area please leave immediately. The author takes no responsibility for anyone's actions based upon this work of fiction.
GRAND ENCOUNTER
Chapter Five:
As Clive stood to his feet, smiling broadly, to go and meet his friend he could see a change come over Justin. Justin turned around and faced Peter before a single tear began to form in one corner of his eye. Both Peter and Justin stood still, almost as if frozen in time. And before anyone in the room could hypothesize why the two of them were deep in concentration over one another, Justin swung his cast arm into the side of Peter causing the older man to move sideways or to be hit. Peter sidestepped Justin's swing and turned his head towards Clive in a questioning tone before his face to took a change of its own showing pain and confusion over why Justin was reacting in the manner that he was.
Justin stormed past Peter back along the corridor and headed straight for the lift at the end, within seconds of arriving he had pressed the silver disk summoning the elevator and was immediately met with a low shrieking ping and the swift response of the silver doors ahead of him. He stepped through the silver doors and pounded on the button labelled ground, not caring about the low voice yelling down the hall, not caring about anything other than the pain in his heart.
"JUUSSTIN!" Peter yelled from the now open doorway facing towards the far end of the corridor. He yelled, he called and he now stood fast with paling complexion and tear filled eyes as Justin robed him the chance to explain himself.
"What's all that 'bout?" Joey said lifting his head in a pointing action towards the open door ways where Peter stood.
"Dun no" was all that Chris replied slightly shrugging his shoulders and at the same time looking towards Clive to gage his reaction. After all, he seemed to know the man standing at their doorway even though he hadn't been introduced. And Justin obviously seemed to have had met him.
Clive gingerly stepped up to Peter's side and rested his hand upon his friends right shoulder and started to pull him around to partly face him. But Peter refused to be moved...seemingly transfixed upon the far end of the corridor where the elevators were located. Noticing his reluctance, Clive turned to JC and mouthed the words "Can we use your room?"
JC just nodded and leaned forward to the table, picked up the key card and tossed it towards Clive's direction. Outstretching his right arm Clive caught the thin card and placed it into his jacket pocket before almost unnoticeably winking his right eye at JC, but JC noticed it, he beamed and blushed at Clive's silly attention.
"Pete... Pete... we need to talk! NOW" Clive said sternly at Peter who only made a sign of acknowledgment on the final command that he was given.
He slowly turned his head towards the crowded room, but only his face was visible to Clive. It was only then did Clive saw the full emotions that was displayed to the world upon Peter's once illuminated face. Behind the once vibrant eyes now held nothing but despair and pain. And Clive's heart ache out to his friend's hurt.
Clive just leaned in closer to Peter and whispered quietly to his closest friend "Pete, hun I am so sorry... lets go talk. O.K?" This time it wasn't a command that was being placed in front of Peter instead it was pure and unhampered concern with a questioning tone that showed that Clive didn't want to push him but knew that they needed to talk.
Peter didn't respond verbally, but instead hung his body and pulled his shoulder in the fashion that he always did when he was willing to do what Clive requested.
"Pete and me here are just going to have a chat. We'll be back in a min. ok?" these wasn't directed to anyone in particular but it was evident to the three people in the room that JC had taken it was a one on one conversation with him and Clive. Thus they watches him smile back at Clive and gave a silent nod of agreement. Nobody said a word about this gesture but Lance (being Lance) made a mental note to 'have a little talk' with JC later.
Clive turned to face Pete and slightly nodded his head towards the hall way, as soon as the two tall man were out of the room and the door clicked shut a volley of questions could be heard bombarding around behind the thick hallway door.
********************************************************************* Outside leaving the lobby... *********************************************************************
Justin just kept walking ignoring every thing around him, all the smells and sights that were in his way... soon his eyes were misted and aching so much that he couldn't even keep them open. But determined not to stop and to carry on he moved forward blindly stumbling until...
"Watch what ya doing prick!" a small man only just visible blared at Justin. Justin, barely avoiding from walking straight into the man, thought that it was a better idea not to say anything back. Instead, he kept on moving towards the corner of the street, not knowing where he was going.
"I can't believe I let him use me, I trusted him... I think I trusted him, I mean I have only known him an hour or so, but he seemed so caring and, oh my god what have I done" Justin quietly mumbled under his breath as he carried on walking along the now crowed street. It was as if he only had one thing on his mind and was totally indifferent to all his surroundings, in fact the young youth didn't have any idea where he was or where he was heading. All he could think about was why, oh why had he let himself be used... no, not used, abused...
Justin just kept on walking and walking for hours moving past people of all types and class, sauntering past well lavished and decorated department stores but not once did he move his head up from the pavement (maybe that is why nobody had notice him... yet).
********************************************************************* Meanwhile up in JC's room... *********************************************************************
Clive entered JC's familiar room, looking around and only now noticing how the room hadn't changed since he had last been in there only the day before. Every thing was in its place and the room looked as if it hadn't even been lived in, unlike Joey's! All this only took a moment to sink in and it was then that he remembered why he had returned to this room and was taken aback when he noticed Peter studying his face.
"Hey Clive are you alright?" Peter lifted his right eyebrow and motioning towards the bedroom with his head whilst forcing a small chuckle. But all the time he was caught up in thought over his Justin. Why had Justin stormed out on him... he just couldn't comprehend why, why had Justin abandoned him.
Looking pale faced but begging to regain colour in his cheeks (even though they were turning red) Clive retorted back, "WE know that we DIDN'T come here to talk about ME...." A long silence hit the room before he continued, "Are you going to tell me about your escapade in Joey's room or do I have to tickle you to death?" the question ended with a large grin and a mischievous twinkle in Clive's eyes.
"Shit no... you ain't getting me to talk that way, I'll talk." Replied Peter as he held both his hands up in defeat. Both men started to laugh as they recalled times when they had wrestled each other and almost inevitably Clive would win and end up pinning Pete to the floor and tickle him until Clive got his way.
"So spill..." was all the taller and more powerful friend said as he leaned back and popped his spine sending a wave of cracks through the room.
Peter began to describe the afternoons events to Clive (but not in detail, just the how where and when's) before coming to a realization himself of why Justin had reacted in the manner that he had...
"Oh god... Oh god..." was all Peter kept saying over and over again nothing more than this simple phrase.
"I don't think that's how we learnt to pray Pete!" Clive said toward his friend with a hint of sincerity and an underlying tone of sarcasm...
"I got to go find him Clive, I made a real big mistake. I told Justin earlier that I had had a crush on you... and I think that when he saw how we said hi to each other he must have thought that we were an item. Shit... shit..." again Peter began to repeat him self but his voice gradually getting quieter and quieter.
"Well I don't see how he can think that, I mean he may know that you are gay but he doesn't know that I am." Clive logically pointed out and at the same time placed his hand onto Pete's right shoulder trying to calm his friend down.
"That's not exactly true..." was all the smaller framed friend said now letting his body go limp and expecting an outburst from Clive to take over the (in his opinion) stale and un-naturally eerie atmosphere of the room.
"You told him about me." Clive said calmly as he removed his hand from Peter's shoulder. He wore the mask of gentleness perfectly, not showing any signs of the irritation he's feeling inside him, knowing that it wouldn't help the situation to have an 'outburst' as Peter called them. After all, he had dragged his friend here to 'help' him in his situation, 'the rest can wait,' he thought, recalling that revenge is sweet always.
Peter pulled back his shoulders and looked Clive in the eyes before speaking quietly, "I'm really sorry Clive, I didn't know at the time that he knew you... no I lie... I wasn't sure if he knew you. I really am sorry." As he ended his apology, to his friend a tear appeared in the far corner of his left eye. But as soon as Peter felt it forming he drew his eyes closed, waited and opened them again leaving no sign of the tear that would have inevitably dropped if he had left it to do so.
"You know me by now hun, I am pissed at you but that ain't going to sort your problem out with Justin so I am going to let it drop. For the moment, I suggest we just forget about it and try to get your man back, 'K'?" Clive said with a tone of authority and an ease to his voice whilst at the same time replacing his hand back onto Pete's shoulder where it had been a minute ago.
********************************************************************* Out on the streets back with Justin... *********************************************************************
BLEEP... BLEEP... BLEEP... BLEEP...
Justin placed his hand into his Jacket pocket and pulled out his mobile phone, he never left it anywhere and verybody that knew him also knew that. Looking down at the display it read that he had one new text message, Justin pondered for a moment or two looking at the display contemplating whether or not to read the message and eventually decided to leave it and look at it later. Slowly he placed the phone back into his pocket and moved on, along the street just following the crowd. But by now it had started to close in and the air was getting cold and damp. Justin looked up at his surrounding for the first time in nearly 3 hours and noticed that even thought there was still a fair amount of people on the streets there wasn't near as many as when he had left the hotel. Not only that but it dawned on Justin that he didn't know where he was... looking around he couldn't see anything that he recognised at all... until he came around a corner and there with the lights starting to be turned on was a large illuminating sign... "THE CLAPHAM GRAND"
"OH GRREAT!...Just my luck to be back here." He thought ironically at the way life love to play with him. He allowed himself to move forward to the front door, looking at the font elevation. He noticed a plaque on the side of the main door and started to idyll read it. Then his eyes gazed up to met with the picture of Clive, showing himself off as the manager of this fine establishment!
"Hey stranger..." a smooth young male voice came from behind Justin.
Justin didn't pay much attention not thinking that the words were even aimed at him, so he just kept staring at the picture in front of him...
"Earth to Justin... earth to Justin..." the voice said again, this time getting his attention Justin snapped his head round in a surprised state.
"You scared the shit out of me" was all Justin said before he realised who he was talking with..."Clive... what are you doing here?" Justin snapped back at the older (and at the present time) more presentable man who had been standing behind him.
"I think I should be the one asking you that question! After all I do run this place and if you must know I am here to work... but I got to say I wasn't expecting a heart throb to be standing outside my little place" Clive added a small quiet laugh to the end of his statement to try to alleviate the noticeable hostility that Justin was showing towards him. " I tell you what Just...come on inside I think that you and me need to talk about a certain something,"
"Don't you mean a certain someone!" Justin said this time not taking the aggressive attitude he had shown a minute ago but tilting his head down to the ground and sighing at he shook his head at the thought of 'that' certain someone.
"Whatever, lets just talk about 'it'" Clive emphasized the last word as he motioned with his right hand toward the main door. Turning on his heals and heading towards the door Clive removed a large cumbersome set of keys from his right hand pocket and started to unlock the door. He moved inside without waiting to hear a reply from Justin, he knew that if they stayed out there and talked much longer eventually Justin's refusal to listen would make Clive mad so he decided to at least prepare himself in a comfortable familiar environment.
********************************************************************* At the same time in the hotel... *********************************************************************
Lance decided that now was as good a time as any to have a talk with JC, after all Clive had headed off to work for the evening and his friend, who turned out to have had gone to school with Clive had headed off at the same time. Lance had waited until both him and JC were alone and it didn't take long because both Joey and Chris to decide that it had been far too long since their last meal all 5 hours ago so they had headed off to one of the restaurants near by on their own. So now that Lance and JC were the only two on their floor he decided that it was time for him to bring up the 'issue' over Clive that he, (and obviously so had every one else) witnessed earlier, just after Justin stormed out. As Lance thought about this his thoughts processes moved over to why Justin had flown off the handle and where he was at that moment.
All of the guys had decided that it was best to leave Justin to his own devices but Lance knew something that the others didn't and he sort of figured that he was upset at the thought of not being able to have Clive. Maybe Peter was the problem and Justin felt that Pete would be getting in his way of something happening between him and Clive... but at the moment all this was just him guessing and he didn't actually have anything to back this up with so he left well alone for the moment. After this brief side track of thought over Justin, Lance remember who he had to talk to and made his way out of his room down the corridor to JC's room.
Lance knocked lightly on JC's door and before he could knock a second time JC pulled open the heavy wooden object and was met with a startled Lance...
"Where you off to?" Lance questioned JC as he noticed JC had on one of his better looking getups on...
"ermmm, yeah I was just... I was just heading over to that club that we were at the other night." JC stammered out, obviously surprised to see Lance in front of him. It wasn't like he was trying to lie to him or deceive him by going out with out him, it is just that he didn't really feel like explaining why he was heading over there on his own.
"Oh... Ok... but before you go Josh I need to talk to you." JC knew that he couldn't back away from Lance's questions especially when he called him and the others by their real names and not their nicknames.
"You want to talk in yours or my room Lance?" JC questioned, wanting to know where Lance was heading with his questions...
"Might as well use your since were here!" he pointed out moving past JC and not even waiting to be invited in.
"'K' so what you want to talk to me about Lance?" JC still hadn't got any more information of Lance to why he was intent on speaking to him now of all times and so needless to say was getting slightly... intrigued to what Lance was up to.
"What's up with you and him?" was all Lance said now facing JC and sitting down on the recliner.
"'cuse me? What you talking about" JC thought that he was insinuating something was going on between him and Clive but didn't want to give Lance any information on it if it wasn't what he was asking about.
"I was wondering what you and Clive are up to... you seem to be friendly, or at least it looks like you want something from him. I am just going to ask you this straight off the cuff Josh... Are you gay?"
The look on the two men's eyes couldn't have been any more different, Lance's eyes were quizzical whereas JC's eyes were full of shock and looked like a scared child's eyes might.
"I... I..." JC couldn't force himself to either deny or acknowledge what Lance had just said.
"Then I take that as a yes", Lance said out loud please with himself that he had outed (not to others but to himself) two of his friends in the same amount of time.
"Lance I'm sorry... I don't know what to say. I guess I want to know how you knew" JC said with a small tear in his eye looking up to meet the gaze of one of his best friends.
"Firstly Josh don't be stupid and go apologizing, I only figured it out today and I should be the one apologizing for not noticing it earlier. Secondly I guess the way that you were drooling over Clive sort of gave it away" Lance couldn't help but laugh to himself as he said this, and was relieved to hear JC take a deep intake of breath and then the beginning of a smile appeared. "I got to know something though JC... just promises you that you won't go and mess up what chance you have of being a friend with him by telling him that you are gay. I don't want you to be upset when you find out that he isn't that way inclined" Lances face was dead serious but JC's was a contrast to his friends as his smile grew even wider.
"I promises that I won't spoil what chance I have of us being friends by telling him that I like him more that most 'normal' people!" JC's smile continued to get wider and wider.
"Now that is cleared up...how's about us going out together, cos' I wouldn't want my little gay friend getting chatted up all on his own with nobody to help keep score!" Lance now joined JC's smile as he shook his head and stood up slowly to go and hug JC.
"Deal! ... just make sure you don't look as good as I do, after all I don't want more people to hit on you than on me" both men started to laugh hard as the two of them headed over to Lance's room so that Lance could get ready to go out.
TBC
:)
What is going to happen between Clive and Justin... well to find out if they patch things up check out the next part, coming out soon :)
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Mail me with any comments to bigc79_uk@yahoo.com ICQ# 56762367