Disclaimer: I don't know anybody from N Sync, though I'd sure like to, and thus this story is fiction and is not intended to imply anything about the true sexuality of the celebrities mentioned or any personal knowledge about their private lives. This story should not be read by anybody who is not legally allowed to read it.. So if you're underage, leave right now!!
Author's Notes: I've gotten a few e-mails asking me to make the chapters longer. Now, I suppose I could do that, but if I do, the chapters also will not come out as quick. If I make them twice as long, it'll also take me twice as long to write them. So really, you wouldn't be getting any more story. I can only write so fast, ya know. And if you're one of those people who needs a daily fix of this story, I don't think that the longer chapter idea will work quite so well. So e-mail and tell me what you want. Shorter Chapters that occur more frequently, or longer chapters that take longer to make. And no, long chapters occuring frequently is not a choice. If you have any comments or suggestions, e-mail me at THRAWN5678@aol.com. We should be seeing the rest of N Sync in the next chapter or two. So don't worry about that. This chapter will be focused mostly on Ryan. Much more is revealed about his past, and the experiences that got him where he was. And don't worry. Now that most of the buildup is over, the story will truly begin!!
I didn't get much feedback this last time. I wonder if I've scared everybody away already... Huh...
Here are some good stories: Jamie's Romance (a great Justin story) Millenium Love (a Brian Littrell story) My Surprise Romance (a Lance story) Lance in Shining Armour (umm, a Lance story?) Lance's Story (a Lance/JC story and a spinoff of Jamie's Romance) and many more!! But I can't remember the names of them...I'll put them down as I remember them...
You'll Never Guess Who Ran Into Me Today by Squall Thrawn
Previously on Never Guess....
"What's the matter, Ryan? Please, tell me!! I want to help you in any way I can!"
Ryan sniffed, and wiped his eyes. "That's what Greg said, just before he..." Ryan choked up again.
'What is it? What could it possibly be that would make his friend turn on him so quickly?' thought Lance. "Please, Ryan, tell me. I'm your friend, and I won't run out on you."
"Lance?"
"Yes, Ryan?"
"I'm... I'm gay..
Chapter 5
Lance shrugged. "So you're gay. No big deal. What's the big secret you were supposed to tell me?"
Ryan was shocked. "Wha.. What? You mean.. You don't hate me?"
"Hate you? Why would I hate you because of that? We're friends, remember? No matter what." Lance said this with a calm voice, but inside he wasn't nearly so calm. Ryan's admission had caused his mind to start working doubletime. 'He's gay!! Then what is this feeling about Ryan that I have? Am I gay too? No!! It's just a feeling that friends have for each other. Or is it?'
Ryan was unaware of the emotions playing across Lance's face, because he was looking down at the bed, stunned. No, not stunned. Flabbergasted. He had told somebody he was gay, and that person didn't hate him. The feeling was refreshing. Somebody finally liked him, for him. Ryan started crying. No one had ever done that before.
Lance noticed Ryan's crying and put his arm around him. "It's ok, Ryan. Everything will be alright."
"Tha..Thank you, Lance. Nobody's ever liked me unconditionally like that before."
"That's what friends are for. Do you think you're up to telling me the rest? If you're not, that's fine."
"No, I think I can continue. Where do you want me to start?"
"Why don't you start by telling me how you found out you were gay," said Lance. 'Maybe this will help me figure out myself, too.'
"Are you sure, Lance? Are you really sure you want to hear all of that? Most straight guys don't want to hear even a hint of it. At least in my experience they don't."
"Whatever, Ryan. I want to hear the whole thing," said Lance. "I want to know where you're coming from, so I can understand you better."
"Alright. Well, since I can remember, I've always found guys attractive. Girls don't do anything for me. All the other guys would point out hot girls, but I didn't know what they saw in them. They all looked about the same, and not at all attractive. But the guys? I found a bunch of them hot. I used to look forward to gym class, since I could see all of those guys with their shirts off. But I used to view this as just a phase I was going through, nothing else. But it was the two relationships I had my senior year that made me realize the truth. The first one was with a girl named Sarah. By then, I starting to glimpse the truth, and I sure didn't like what I saw. So I figured, I'll go out with a girl, and I'll start liking girls. There was nothing there, Lance. When we kissed, there was no spark, nothing at all. There was absolutely no attraction there. She broke up with me after 2 months, saying that our relationship wasn't going anywhere. Boy was she right. The second relationship... I was in our school choir, and there was this cute guy in the choir named Mike. We didn't talk much, really, cause I'm usually pretty shy. I actually can't believe that I'm telling you all of this, Lance, seeing as we've only known each other for an hour or two. And yet, there seems to be this connection between us, like we've known each other for far longer."
"I feel the same way, Ryan," said Lance. "Otherwise, I'm not sure I would invite a complete stranger up to my hotel room and offer him my clothes!!!"
"Hehe.. Anyway, where was I?"
"You were talking about that guy in choir, Mike, that you found cute."
"Alright. Anyway, our choir was going to Chicago for a choir competition, and we needed to choose roommates for the hotel. Since I didn't have any real friends in that choir, I was going to wait until everybody else had signed up before sticking my name in a blank spot. So suffice to say I was amazed when Mike came up to me and asked me to be his roommate. I agreed eagerly. During the trip, when the other two people in our room were gone, he sat down on the bed next to me and asked me if I minded if he asked me a personal question. I was kinda nervous, but I said yes. Then he asked me if I had been or would ever be interested in being kissed by a guy. I know, pretty forward, huh? I was speechless. He thought I hated him, and got up and started leaving the room. I called him back, and told that I never had kissed another guy, but would be interested in it. He came back over to me, and gave me a gentle kiss. That one simple kiss decided my life forever. At that point, I finally accepted the fact that I was gay. Mike and I fooled around for a while, nothing serious. We kissed, and once we even.." Just then, Ryan looked up suddenly at Lance and blushed. "You probably didn't want to hear that did you? Sorry..."
Lance laughed. "That's ok, Ryan. So, what happened to Mike? I mean, you're not with him still, are you?"
"No, I'm not. Like I said, we fooled around for a while. I knew and he knew that we really weren't in love with each other. It was more of a exploratory relationship. We stayed together until college began. He got a scholarship to SMSU, thats Southwest Missouri State University. My grades were never that good, and I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with my life careerwise, so I've been going to community college. I still talk to Mike sometimes, but we've drifted apart. He's currently going out with a nice guy named Brandon. I've met him once, and he's way more handsome and smart than I am."
"Don't say those sort of things about yourself, Ryan," said Lance. "You're a handsome and kind person, and you're gonna make a guy happy one of these days."
"Thanks, Lance. I appreciate it," said Ryan. 'Too bad it isn't you.'
"So, what about Greg? Where does he fit in?" Lance asked inquiringly.
Ryan sighed. He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out of it. "I met Greg my sophmore year in high school. I still don't know how we managed to start talking, since I'm shy, and he's even worse. But slowly, we got to know each other. We had a few classes together. I could talk to him about anything. We have about the same kind of humor, and we were interested in the same sort of things. So by the time I started community college, We were good friends. I don't make friends easily, since I prefer to form a few lasting friendships. My other friends went off to college, and I was stuck in hick country. But Greg was still around, and we got together often, playing video games and the like. But soon after we started getting together, I found myself attracted to him. So I made subtle advances towards him, ones that he would catch if he was gay or at least bi, but not so obvious so that he would miss them if he was straight. And do you know what, Lance? He not only didn't take offense at my actions, he seemed to respond to them. I started thinking that he was gay as well. But we never talked about our sexuality, mine or his. I knew I was gay, but I wasn't ready to tell anybody. It was a year ago that my crush on him turned into fullblown love..."
Ryan cleared his throat, and continued talking. "We were biking along a dirt trail. My front wheel hit something and I flew over the handlebars. I tumbled a bit, gashing my arm on a rock, and I ended up hitting my head on a tree trunk. I later found out that Greg called an ambulance for me. All I remember is Greg holding me, and telling me that everything would be alright. It was at point that I fell in love with Greg. Whenever I started to doubt that he really felt anything for me, I looked at the scar that gash made, and I remembered his words and him holding me." Ryan looked at his scar. But no longer did the scar remind him of Greg's supposed feelings towards him. All he heard in his mind was Greg's last words to him, words of hatred and degredation. Ryan's eyes watered and he put his hands over his face.
Lance came over to Ryan and put his arm around him again.
Ryan cried even more. That simple gesture was more than just a gesture. It was a sign that Lance was his friend, and that Lance was there for him.
"Do you feel up to telling me what happened today?" asked Lance. "You don't have to if you don't want to.."
"That's ok. Maybe if I get it off my chest, then I'll feel better. I've kept my feelings for Greg a secret, as well as not telling him that I was gay. I finally summoned up the nerve to tell him today. I asked him to come over, and he did. He promised me that we would be friends forever. Then, I told him I was gay. He..." Ryan's voice broke. "He called me a sick perverted cocksucking fag, and yelled at me for keeping it a secret from him. He accused me of wanting to jump in his pants, and then said that he never wanted to talk to me again.." Ryan started sobbing.
Lance didn't say anything, just pulled Ryan into his arms. Ryan cried against Lance's chest.
"And then..." Ryan said hoarsely. He didn't want to continue, it was just too painful. But he knew that he needed to do this. "I came out of my room. My mother had heard every single word Greg had said. I had never told my parents, for fear of what they might say. My mom.. she.. she kicked me out of the house and disowned me!!" Ryan cried even more. Lance just held onto Ryan tighter.
"It'll be ok, Ryan. Everything will work out," said Lance, trying to console him.
"But what will I do, Lance?! I went to work, and Greg had told everybody that I'm gay!! Everybody hates me there now!! There's nothing left.. I've been disowned, and there's no one to turn to. I don't have a job, and I don't have a place to stay!!"
"That's where you're wrong. Right now, you're staying here. We'll work something out more permanent later. And you do have somebody to turn to. You can turn to me, and once the guys meet you, they'll like ya too." Lance just held Ryan.
"Tha, Thanks, Lance. I'm sorry to burden you with my problems."
"I don't mind, Ryan. Like I said, that's what friends are for. Listening to each other, and helping each other. Say, you must be hungry, after all that you've been through. Why don't we order room service?"
"Actually, I'm pretty tired. Would you mind if I went to sleep? I'm totally drained of energy."
"Alright. I need to talk to the guys for a sec, let them I've returned, and letting them know what's happening tomorrow, the various appearances. I'll be right back."
"I doubt I'll be awake when you come back," said Ryan, yawning. Lance released him from his hug, and Ryan made a beeline for the bed. He got into the bed, and heavy, regular breathing let Lance know that he was already asleep. Lance left the room, and headed for JC and Justin's room, where he knew that the others were lounging around in. He knocked on the door, and Joey answered.
"Hey, Scoop!! Why didn't you bring your friend over?! We'd be glad to meet him!!" said Joey as he let Lance in. Chris was sitting on the couch, playing with Busta. Justin was talking on his cell phone, and JC was sitting on the couch next to Justin, lost in thought.
"Hey, Joey. I suppose Josh told you the story?" asked Lance.
Hearing Lance, JC turned around in his seat. "Yeah, I did. Hope you don't mind, Scoop.
"Nah, that's alright. I was just going to tell you that he's gonna crash with me tonight," said Lance.
"Are you sure that's the right idea?" questioned Joey. "I mean, you've only met him today."
"Yes, Joe, I'm sure. He told me his whole story, and I feel for him. Besides, he has nowhere else to go."
"What do you mean, nowhere else to go?" asked Chris, getting into the conversation. "Doesn't he have a home or anything?"
"It's a long story, Chris, but no, he doesn't. You'll find out his story tomorrow, if that's ok with him. I don't want to make him uncomfortable or anything."
"I guess it'll be alright," said JC. "But we want to meet him tomorrow. Alright?"
"Fine," said Lance. "I guess I'll go back to my room, now. He was already asleep, but I don't know how he'll react, after everything, if he wakes up in a strange bed with nobody around."
With that, Lance left the room and went down the hall. Joey and Chris gave each other worried looks. JC merely looked contemplative, as he wondered about Lance's true feelings about this Ryan person. Justin finally finished his call, and turned off his phone. He looked around. He noticed the expressions on Chris, Joey, and JC's faces.
"What's the matter, people? What's with the worried faces?" asked Justin. He had missed the entire conversation. Joey hit Justin with a pillow, and the war was on. Soon, the whole Lance situation was forgotten.
Lance got back to his room. Ryan was softly snoring. Being careful not to wake him, Lance got ready for bed, taking off everything but his boxers and a wifebeater. He got into the other side of the bed, being careful not to wake Ryan up. He laid there for a while, trying to figure things out in his mind. Lance now had serious doubts about whether he was straight or not. The way Ryan had described it was exactly what Lance had felt for years, now. Lance had never been attracted to girls. But he had always noticed the cute guys. Just then, he heard Ryan mumble in his sleep.
"Please, don't hate me. No!! Greg! Please don't hate me!!" Ryan started tossing and turning in bed. And then he started yelling in his sleep. "Please!! Don't hurt me!! Somebody, please help me.. Anybody..Please.. Why doesn't somebody help me? Mom? Dad? Why don't you love me anymore?"
Lance immediately rolled over and put his arms around Ryan. "It's ok. I'll protect you. Nobody will hurt you. It's ok."
Ryan immediately stopped struggling. His screams stopped, and he relaxed in Lance's arms. And they laid there the rest of the night, with Lance's arms around Ryan, protecting him against the night.
That's all for now!! Tell me what you think!!!
Squall Thrawn THRAWN5678@aol.com