Chapter thirty-eight

     Lance and Bobbie rushed passed Lonnie at the venue not caring who got in the way they shoved through whoever got in the way. They needed to let Justin know what a mistake he'd made. They looked onstage and he wasn't there. They headed to were his basketball net would be set up and found nothing but a bunch of crew members.

"Where the hell is he?" Lance asked none in particular.

"Well let's go back to the dressing room." Bobbie said exhausted. The nervousness of telling him was killing her. They both headed towards the Nsync toy room. Slowly. They went inside to find Jc, Chris and Joey lounging around.

"Can you tell us what you two are up to?" Chris asked wondering why the tag team had come in the room minutes before. Looked in and left without a word. Jc looked at Bobbie and she quickly changed the direction she was looking.

"Where is the dumb ass of the group?" Bobbie asked. Jc and Chris didn't hesitate to point at Joey.

"Hey!" Joey disapproved. Jc and Chris laughed.

"Justin. Where is he?" Lance let out sitting across from them.

"What are you guys up to? Bobbie?" Jc asked. He specifically remembered telling Bobbie to stop harassing Justin about Juls. And yet he had a feeling she was at it again.

"I need to tell him that…"

"Bobbie, I asked you to mind your…" Jc was cut off mid sentence by lance.

"Jc? Chill!! Let her talk."

"Oh this has to be big, if you got Lance to be a smart-ass. What are you two trying to do to J?" Jc said offended.

"Josh, will you please let me tell you what we just found out?"

"Just say it already." Joey said anxiously. He wanted to know what was going on as much as the next guy.

"Alright" Bobbie pointed to the sofa. The three of them now sat in front of Bobbie and Lance. "You guys know Justin's side of things. So you know that apparently he walked in on Juls and John. Well Juliana told me that she didn't know why Justin was soo angry with her. And I don't blame her for being totally confused."

"You remember how Justin said that he saw Juliana in bed with this John guy?" Lance added. The guys nodded. "Well when he told me the first time at Johnny's he said he saw her hair under the covers."

"Yeah, he told us that he saw her." Jc said puzzled. Lance and Bobbie weren't making any sense.

"Well he didn't see her exactly." Bobbie said making quote symbols in the air. "Juliana was in the hotel room but she was in the bathroom. She didn't know Justin was in New York, therefore she let her friend, John, stay in her room." Bobbie finished. The three guys looked at each other and then back at them with perplexed looks.

"What? What re you guys babbling about I don't understand shit you are trying to tell us?" Joey asked putting his arms up in defeat.

"Listen damnit!" Lance yelled out. "Justin thought he saw Juliana with John in her bedroom. When in reality he saw John and his girlfriend Amanda, who apparently is a fan of Juls. Her hair is almost identical. The hair that Justin saw didn't belong to Juls at all. It belonged to Amanda. Get it?"

"Wow, that's crazy. I knew Juls wouldn't do that to him." Chris said.

"But where was Juls?" Joey asked.

"In the bathroom!" the other four said unison.

"Alright Geez, don't yell at me." Joey whined.

"So where is he?" Bobbie asked again.

"He went to go get something to eat with Britney" Jc informed them.

"Where?"

"I don't know Bobbie. I'm not their mother!" Jc snapped back. Bobbie just looked at him and sat down on the couch opposite of him. "You are getting all `reporter' on me again. Calm down he'll be back." he snapped.

"Yeah and when he does, he's going to get it. Do you know how many days of girl time I've missed with Juls because of him?"

     Jc let out a small chuckle. He missed Juls too. He would do anything to get them back together. Now that he knew the truth.

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ACROSS TOWN-

"You need to talk to her J. You can't keep doing this to yourself." Britney said popping a mozzarella stick in her mouth.

"I don't think I can handle seeing her again, B. I get sick just looking at the magazines." Justin confessed. He told Britney everything that had happened the last three months.

"Why do you think that is, Justin?" Britney asked worried. She couldn't believe Juls would do anything like this. But Justin was her best friend and she couldn't betray him by doubting what he was saying about Juliana. Who'd she met not long before. "Do you love her J?"

     Justin raised his head and looked at his best friend. "Yes" he said out loud for the first time in months. His eyes became teary. Britney's heart broke. She'd never seen him that torn up before.

"Then do something about it Justin. If you love her then you are willing to forget."

"I can't. I don't think I can forget what I saw. It's too real to me."

"Try Justin. Try. She loves you J and I'm sure she's dying inside for what she did to you. But you will never know if you don't try."

"Thank you for lunch B. I have to get back to the venue before Lonnie freaks out."

"J?" Britney said also getting up from the table. "Promise me you'll talk to her."

     Justin looked at his friend in silence. He answered. "I promise Britney."

***********************************

"Come on Juls pick up!" John said over the phone. He was trying to reach her all day and got nothing. He wanted to tell her about the visit he got at the restaurant the day before.

     Juliana ran out of the bathroom as the phone kept ringing. She didn't really want to talk to anyone but she suddenly remembered that Mrs. LaViolette said she would call.

"Hello?"

"It's about time Juls! Where you in the bathroom or something?"

"Hi John. And yes I was in the bathroom actually. I was in the shower."

"Lucky guess. So what are you up to today?"

"Well considering its nine p.m. here I'm not doing much. I had a shoot earlier and I got home a little while ago."

"Ohh. Well I'm calling to tell you something."

"Well duh!! That's what phones are for." Juliana said with an attitude.

"Ahh. I see we don't have an attitude today." John said sarcastically.

"Look, I'm sorry John. I'm just a bit tired. What's up? Is everything alright over there?"

"Well sort of. You might want to go sit down, Juls. "

"Why?" Juls asked sitting on the barstool. She pulled her bathrobe over her legs.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. Remember I told you that Lance guy called?"

"Yeah" Juliana said not shocked at all by the news.

"Well I guess since they didn't get anything out of me over the phone. They stopped by here yesterday."

"They? Who are they? Wait! Let me guess. Bobbie?"

"Yup, the pretty brunette. She remids me of you in a way."

     Juliana had to smile at that remark. She missed being around Bobbie. She missed the times they spent patronizing the guys. She missed sneaking up on Jc and messing up his hair. She missed talking to Lance about movies. She missed lecturing Joey about trashy women at the clubs. She really missed Chris and Danielle. They were the cutest couple to look at. And most of all she missed Justin. A tear started to come out of her eyes but she quickly brushed it off.

"You there, Juls?"

"Yeah, I'm here." she said faintly.

"Juls. I know you're not alright. I can hear it on your voice." John said sensing her state of emotions just by listening to her tone. "But you need to be strong and forgive him. As much as I hate to admit this, he loves you, Juls."

"He doesn't love me John. He hates me. He thinks I slept with you. Can you believe that?"

"Wait, you know about that? Juls, that's what I'm calling about.Bobbie and Lance just found out Justin saw me and Amanda, and not you and I."  Silence. "Juls, he doesn't know it wasn't you. It was just a mistake. You need to talk to him."

"It's too late John. He's too late. He tore me apart and the words he said to me I just can't forget. I can't go back now. Don't tell them where I am.  I'll call you next week sometime.Goodbye John." Juliana hung up and sat on the floor. No tears were shed. She couldn't cry anymore.

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"Look. I'm a friend of Juliana's. Come on you know who I am." John said to the big wall of a man.

"Yeah I know who you are. But I still can't let you in man." Lonnie said sternly.

"Can you just please tell, " he tried to look over Lonnie's shoulder. "Bobbie that I need to talk to her."

"Look. I'll call her up. But if she says…"

"I'm here Lonnie. It's alright he can come in." Bobbie said coming around the corner. They were at the virgin mega store. The guys had an autograph signing for their new DVD. `NSYNC: Live and across the world'

"Thank you" John said as he made his way into the store passed Lonnie. "Wow, you'd think the president was in here with all the security." John joked as he walked up to Bobbie. She gave him a blank gaze in return.

"What did you need? I said I would call you." Bobbie asked.

"Wow! Chill Demon. I'm not here for anything that has to do with you. Not right now atleast. I just wanted to tell you  I talked to Juls." John said pushing Bobbie's hair off her shoulder.

"And?" Bobbie asked in a hopeful voice.

"She pretty much says she's done with all of you guys." Bobbie's eyes dropped. That wasn't the answer she was looking for. "But I think that's bullshit. As a matter of fact I KNOW its bullshit. Can I talk to Justin?"

"What for? I don't think he'd be very happy to see you right now."

"Why not? Haven't you told him?"

"Not yet. When we went back to the venue but he wasn't there. The he got back too late and had to get ready for the show. And today has been too busy and why am I explaining myself to you?"

"Because you know I can help you." John said grinning at her. "Where is he? I'll tell him myself."

"I'm right here. What the hell do you want?" Justin stood by the door. John turned to face him.

"Look man I'm not here to argue with you. I just need to tell you that Juliana.." all John felt next was the pain. The blood gushed out of his nose and onto his shirt. He found himself on the floor.

"Do yourself a favor. Don't you ever say her fucking name again." Justin yelled down to him. He hadn't thought twice about what he just did. He didn't think. Period. The moment her name came out of his mouth. He made a fist and now John was on the floor. Bleeding.

"What the fuck! You know you need to watch what you do Super Star." John said getting up. He wiped the blood off his nose with the only thing available. His shirt. "You need to grow up Kid."

"I warned you." Bobbie said with an I-told-you-so-look. John was an arrogant bastard but he didn't do anything wrong. "Justin calm down." Bobbie said getting between the two men who seemed to burn through each other with their eyes. Luckily they were in the back of the store so no one remotely important saw what happened.

"Calm down? Yeah alright, Bobbie." Justin said mockingly. "Who let you in here?' Justin asked John who was still bleeding.

     John in return looked at Bobbie who was facing Justin. Bobbie closed her eyes. She knew Justin was about to…

"YOU LET HIM IN HERE?!!!!!!" there it was he blew up. The rest of the guys now came running in.

"What's going on?" Jc asked looking at the bleeding man.

"Well it seems like your girlfriend, fiancée whatever the fuck she is let this in." Justin said referring to John.

"Calm down J." Chris said walking up to Justin.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Justin asked clearly pissed off.

"Joe, can you go get him a towel?" Jc said to Joey.

"Sure." Joey went to the back room and got him a towel and some ice.

"No! F U C K him. What's going on?" Justin said holding Joey's arm so he wouldn't walk any further.

"We need to talk Justin." Bobbie said grabbing his hand and pulling him inside the big office. "Come on in guys." The other five men walked into the office.

     Half hour and the whole story later. Justin sat on the sofa with his head down. Tears dripping on his pant leg. He couldn't believe he was such an ass. He felt like shit. He wanted to die. What had he done? He lost her. He hurt her. He didn't deserve another chance. He lifted his head up. Five people were waiting for a reaction.

"I'm sorry about your nose man!" he said referring to John.

"It's cool man. You'll be sorry when you get the bill." John said trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah. Well I don't think  I can feel more sorry than I feel already. Where is she?"

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry. I made a promise to Juliana I wouldn't tell you guys. Especially you."

"Come on John!" Bobbie interfered "How is he supposed to fix this if you don't tell him where she is."

"Look! I will talk to her. But I think she needs some time. She knows why you blew up on her. And she's miserable. You finding her right now is going to be worse on her." John said getting up. "I will call her tonight. I'll keep in touch with you. I just wanted you to know that she loves you man!"

"How do you know that?" Justin asked quietly.

"Because I can hear it in her voice every time I talk to her. She's not the same Juliana we all love and care for. You hurt her. You have to learn and live with that for a while."

"I've been living with it for three months. I can't do this anymore. Tell me where she is. I'm begging you."

"I can't. I will get in touch with you tomorrow." with that he walked out of the office. Lonnie walked him out the store.

"I'm sorry J." Jc said patting Justin's back.

"Thank you guys. I'm sorry I've been a jerk these past few months."

"Tell me about it!" Bobbie said out loud. "Did I just say that out loud?" she asked when all five guys stared at her. "Sorry" she said shyly.

"I don't need you guys to feel sorry for me. I screwed this up and I'm going to fix it. Even if it's the last thing I do. I can't stand this void inside of me anymore. I need her. I know she needs me."

"Well it's about freaking time!" Joey yelled out. "It took you long enough to come to your senses. Now let's find this girl already."