Inspired by this picture.
Rope Burn
by Karen and LB
© 2002
JC looks at the flimsy vests they're supposed to wear, and then over at the thick rope they're supposed to be wrapped in. Finally, he looks over at the sweaty, somewhat porcine face of Lou Pearlman. Lou looks way too pleased with his latest idea. It gives JC a creepy feeling, especially when he follows Lou's gaze, which is trained on the two youngest members of the group. He quickly makes a decision. "Hey, Chris," he says. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Yeah, sure. What's up?"
"Does this seem kind of, well, weird to you? Weirder than usual?"
Chris looks around, whipping his head from side to side. "People, cameras. Nope, nothing unusual. Except your face."
"Look at Lou, dude."
"Do I have to? Okay." Chris makes as though he's startled, then follows Lou's gaze to where Lance and Justin are standing, holding their vests.
"Okay, guys, shirts off," orders Pam, the stylist.
"What do you mean?" says Lance. "Don't we wear something underneath this?"
"Nope. Just the vests. C'mon, it'll look sexy."
Still not used to changing in front of so many people, especially mixed company, Lance hesitates. Justin has already stripped off his shirt, but Lance can feel eyes on him, and that just makes him more uncomfortable.
"You see?" JC says. "He gives me the creeps, man. I think we should keep an eye on Lance and Justin. Make sure they're never left alone with him."
"Are you crazy? You don't think he'd really . . . ?" But then Chris looks at Justin and Lance, still so young and on the cusp of adulthood. Especially Lance. He's only been in the business a short time and still has that hometown naivete about him. "Okay, we watch them."
"Good. You wanna take Justin, since you hang with him a lot anyway?"
"Okay, but I hope you're wrong about this."
"You think I don't?"
Lance has turned to face the wall and slips on the vest. When he turns around, he can feel those eyes on him--it's like everyone in the room is staring, so he looks away as Pam adjusts him for what seems like hours.
"Perfect," Lou says as he walks around the boys. "You," he barks at JC. "You're too skinny. Put a t- shirt under yours."
With a pained expression, JC does as he's told.
Lou circles the boys again, sharklike.
Lance doesn't know what to do with his hands, so he holds them uncomfortably at his sides. He silently wishes he could trade places with JC so he wouldn't feel so exposed.
JC moves next to Lance.
"Let's get this done," Chris says.
Lou whispers something to the photographer. "Lance, let's get you up front."
Lance looks from face to face, then does as instructed.
"JC, let's have you and Justin in the back." JC unwillingly moves to the back. The boys move around patiently as the photographer and stylist position them. At another whisper from Lou, Pam apologetically unbuttons the top buttons of Lance's vest.
Heat rushes to Lance's cheeks, and he smiles uncomfortably as the ropes are brought out. There's something strangely pornographic about this, even though they're all friends, all guys and completely clothed. Well, almost completely. The ropes are wrapped around them and crisscrossed, and Lance is just grateful that both Chris and Joey find enough humor to make everyone laugh. After a couple of warm-up shots, the boys start to loosen up and get silly, and Lance can almost forget how exposed he is. And when he feels JC's hand come over his shoulder, he's genuinely relieved.
JC can feel the tension still in Lance's shoulder, and he squeezes it encouragingly. Lou paces behind the photographer like an angry pendulum, but Chris's jokes about rope burn keep everyone distracted.
It seems like hours until the shoot is over, and Lance's face hurts from smiling so much. There's an awkward moment when the rope is tangled and the boys have trouble getting loose, but then they're free and Lance scrambles to find his clothes.
As the boys troop toward the door, Lou puts a hand on Lance's shoulder. "I'd like you to stay and show me how you're doing on those new dance steps."
"Um, I, um, I've been practicing."
"Good."
"I'll stay, too," JC tells Lance. "I have stuff I want to work on."
"Oh, good. Thanks."
"That's really not necessary, JC," Lou warns.
JC looks at Lou with innocent eyes. "Oh, it is. There's this one section that I'm just not getting."
"Fine," Lou says, disgust evident in his voice. "Both of you do it."
JC puts on the music, and the two boys run through the latest choreography. JC makes sure to mess up one section.
Lance knows that JC can do this number perfectly. He knew it the minute it was taught to them. So he wonders why JC is messing up now. When the music stops, Lou sighs. "You shouldn't be missing that kind of thing at this point, JC. And Lance, you need to practice more. You're getting better, but there's room for improvement."
"Sure, Lou. I'll work on it."
"See that you do," Lou grouses.
"We could do some extra practices together," JC offers. "I sure need it."
"You do that."
Outside, hands in pockets, Lance studies the ground. "Thanks for covering for me."
"No problem. You need a ride, don't you?"
"Yeah, Joey was going to drive me home. Do you mind?"
"Nope. Wanna grab a burger or something on the way?"
"Yeah. I'm so hungry. That was a little weird, wasn't it?" He gestures behind them, at the building they just exited.
"Yeah. Lou is, I think he's a strange man."
"But he's a good businessman."
"Yeah, he must be. He's got a lot of money. But you know more about that stuff than me."
"You've been doing this a lot longer than me, JC."
"But I'm not smart like you about the business stuff."
"Sure you are. You're just more interested in the creative side."
"Way more."
"And you're good at it."
JC smiles at the younger boy. "Thanks. You are, too. Better than you think."
"I'll never be the best dancer. But that's okay. I love singing."
"I know you do. And the dancing is coming. You don't see it yet, but you're getting better all the time."
"Thanks. I just don't want to make us look bad, you know?"
JC pulls into a McDonalds. "You won't. Chris, maybe."
"He's really easy to flip, though."
"That's true. I guess we better keep him around."
They talk easily through their meal, Lance taking his time as usual, JC finished long before Lance is even halfway done with his fries.
As he drives Lance home, JC reflects on the evening. He's never spent a lot of time with just Lance, and wonders why. Lance is fun and easy to talk to, and even more likable than in the beginning, when he was trying so hard to please everyone and fit in.
Rehearsals for the next few days are tense for JC and Chris. Lou seems to be turning up even more than usual, and he seems to be proving JC right--his attention is frequently focused on Lance or Justin. The two older boys manage to deflect Lou's suggestions to group events, and most of the time it feels natural.
One night, JC overhears Lou telling Lance he'll drive Lance and Justin home if they'll stay for a while. Justin, he says, can help Lance with his dance steps. JC's pretty sure Justin's already gone. "Hey, Lance, come on," he calls. "We've got that thing."
"What thing?"
"You know. The thing." JC widens his eyes for emphasis.
"Ohhhh, yeah. I totally forgot. Sorry, Lou, we have this thing we have to do. Maybe some other time." Before Lou can react, Lance scampers after JC.
JC cracks up as they run to his car. "The look on his face, man!"
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you did that! That was great!"
JC is practically doubled over as he tries to unlock the car. "Well, we do have that thing."
"What's the 'thing'?"
"Um, I have to take you to my favorite pizza joint. The one even JOEY doesn't know about."
"You have, like, a secret place?"
"Yeah. I even go there to write sometimes."
"You do? Did you write a song about pizza?"
"No! About meatball subs."
Lance cracks up. He's been thoroughly enjoying JC's company lately, he hasn't even questioned it. "You have to let me hear that one sometime."
JC pulls into a parking space in front of a small, unassuming restaurant. "This is it. Be prepared for like the best pizza ever."
"This place?" Lance is skeptical, but always willing to try new things.
"I know. It doesn't look like much, but just wait."
Even though the place is small, there's table service, and before long a large pie is placed on their table. Lance takes a bite, and as promised it's the best pizza he ever had. "Oh my gosh, this is amazing!"
JC grins. "I told you."
"It really is the best pizza."
"So, now when I say 'the thing,' this is what I mean."
"Pizza, thing, got it."
That makes JC giggle, and he almost chokes on a piece of pizza crust. "That's it, dude. Pizza thing."
"It's our seeecret code."
"Right. And a secret place. You can't tell anyone. Even Joey."
"I don't know, JC. That's asking a lot. This is food we're talking about."
"Yeah. If we tell him, he'll come eat it all."
"This is a lot of pizza."
"And your point is?"
The banter continues through the rest of dinner, until at last Lance crumples his napkin and tosses it on his plate. "That was so good. Thanks for taking me here."
"I thought you'd like it as much as I do."
"I do." They pay the check and they're back in JC's car, Lance looking out the window as music plays on the radio. "So what was all that about back there?"
"All what?"
"You know, back at Lou's."
"Oh. You're, you're doing enough extra work. And I didn't feel like eating alone."
"Are you sure that's just it?"
"Do I need more reasons than that?"
"No, I guess not. It was still weird. It's like, um, you didn't want me to be alone with Lou."
"I wouldn't wish that on anyone, dude."
"Why?"
"He's creepy."
"You don't want me to be alone with him, do you?"
"No. It's just. No."
"Why not?"
JC stares at the road ahead of him, signaling his turn with meticulous care. "It, it might not be anything. But, he's always staring at you and Justin, and he's always trying to get you guys alone."
Lance stares incredulously. He's never felt entirely comfortable with Lou, but he never suspected that he'd . . . "You think he's interested in me and Justin?"
"I, I don't know. But something feels wrong."
"So all of this is just about keeping me away from Lou?"
"If it was, I wouldn't have shared my super-secret favorite restaurant with you."
Lance mulls it over for a minute, then decides to just go ahead and ask. "So why did you?"
JC pulls up in front of Lance's house. "Cause I like hanging with you. And I thought you'd like it."
"I did. And, um, I like hanging out with you." A lot, he adds, in his mind.
"Good. Look, just because I warned you about Lou, doesn't mean we have to stop spending time together. If you still want to."
Lance looks down at his hands, then back at JC. "I want to."
"Good." Without even thinking about it, JC leans in and presses his slightly open lips to Lance's.
Stunned, Lance just sits there, paralyzed. It's not that he didn't want JC to kiss him. He did, he realizes now. He's just shocked that JC actually did it.
Suddenly, JC pulls back, mortified. "Oh, man, I, I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be, like, protecting you and I . . . I . . . I shouldn't have."
"Protecting me?" Lance asks, astonished, touching his lips.
"You know, like, that stuff with Lou."
"I'm not some kid, JC. I can take care of myself."
"I know. I just, I couldn't handle it if something bad happened to you."
Lance's face softens. "Why?"
"I like you." JC goes on, saying the words as if he's just figuring them out for himself. Which he is. "You know, like you."
"Wow, that's, um . . . big. Because I, um, like you, too. So if you're gonna kiss me, I want you to kiss me because you like me, not because you want to protect me."
"I wanted to kiss you. I just didn't know if, if I should want to. If it was . . . okay."
"Why wouldn't it be? JC, I'm 17. I think I can handle it."
JC looks up hopefully. "And I'm not a 20-year-old pervert?"
"You're only three years older. It's not like I never kissed anyone before."
"So I should just stop worrying?"
"You should stop worrying and just kiss me."
"Okay." With a smile, JC leans in again and closes his lips over Lance's.
This time Lance kisses back, a not-yet-adult kiss, but a kiss all the same. When JC feels Lance responding, his fears melt. He knows he'll have to take his time, not rush Lance, but he has a feeling it will be worth the wait.
Feelings of attraction surge through Lance with that one kiss, so he pulls back, knowing how quickly things can get out of hand. "Wow, you're a really good kisser."
"So are you," JC says softly. "And I'd love to kiss you all night. But you better go in. Your mom's waiting."
Lance looks over at his house, then licks his lips quickly and kisses JC one more time. "If I have to have someone protect me, I'm glad it's you. And, um, my mom would be glad too."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, I do. So, I'll see you tomorrow?"
"You know it. You need a ride?"
"I do now."
JC grins. "I'll be here."
One more kiss, and then Lance opens the door, reluctantly. "Good, because we have that thing tomorrow."
"Oh, yeah. The thing. We can't forget the thing."
As Lance shuts the car door behind him he leans in the window. "I'll never forget the thing."
"The best thing ever."