Behind His Smile---JC Chasez Fanfiction

Nine

What is the annoying beeping sound? And why is there a weird metallic taste on my tongue?

JC forced his eyelids open, blinking a few times against the bright light. Where was he? He heard a stirring to his right and he turned his head slowly.

"Hey man." Joey said, looking up from a magazine with sparsely dressed females on the front of it. His voice was quiet and a little muffled to JC's ears.

JC wet his lips, making a face against the bitter metal taste. "What happened?" JC inquired. "What is this place?"

Joey tossed the magazine aside and picked up another. "No one knows what happened. One minute you were giving these girls a tour of the bus and the next you were out...on the floor."

JC yawned. "I can kind of remember that. My stomach was churning...did I throw up?"

"Yeah twice. On the way here. You don't remember?" Joey eyed his friend.

JC shook his head. "No I don't remember that part." he glanced around the room. "How long have I been here?"

"Like two days," Joey replied. "We had to cancel two gigs. The fans are really concerned."

JC leaned his had back. "Where are the others?"

"Probably back at the hotel, or partying in clubs," Joey answered. He studied JC for awhile.

"Can I ask you something?" he ventured.

JC looked at him. "As long as it doesn't have anything to do with food. I'm not hungry."

Joey smiled. "It's not food....it's about Pearlman." Joey didn't miss the stressed looked that crossed JC's brow.

"Okay, what is it?" JC said cautiously, looking down at his hands and picking at them.

Joey paused a moment. "Well, I just wanted to know if something was going on between you two that we--me and the boys- could help you fix. We've noticed how he's always up your ass about something. And the other day at dance rehearsals when he pushed you against the wall--"

"He's just being a manager," JC jutted in quickly. "I feel like sometimes he's an annoyed grandfather, and he has to--h-he has to get after us sometimes."

"Why are you nervous talking about it then?" Joey wasn't missing anything.

"I'm not nervous. It's the medicine." JC fibbed. "My body feels like it's been--"

"But if Lou was doing something to you that he shouldn't be doing, you would tell us right? You trust us, right?" Joey interrupted.

JC stared at him. "Why are you asking this?" he said quietly. "Nothing's wrong. Maybe I'm just someone that brings back bitter memories to Lou, and he doesn't realize he's taking it out on me." JC bit his lower lip and looked away.

Joey looked down at his hands. "The other day in the suburban, when he grabbed your arm and the paparazzi took pictures, I saw his other hand down in your lap, and I thought about saying something...but I kept quiet. I didn't know if it was purposely or just looked that way."

JC shifted in his hospital cot and refused to make eye contact. "I don't remember that," he said hoarsely. Joey was sure it was also a lie. JC continued. "So many other things were happening at that moment that it's hard to keep everything straight."

"Do you know what's the worst part about that?" Joey said next. He tossed the other magazine on the table and folded his fingers together.

"What," JC said.

"It's in the papers."

"What is," JC had started to gnaw on his lip, a tell-tale sign of his nervousness.

"The picture." Joey stated. "Not one of the paps missed it. Lou told us to tell them you were feeling faint, but it's kind of hard to just make that up."

JC's eyes wondered over to the side table. "The cherries look gross on that salad."

"And now you're just gonna change the subject." Joey mumbled.

"I'm gonna try and sleep, I'm tired," JC said. He turned away from Joey and tried to close his eyes, but all he could see were the hands of Lou Pearlman. And all the memories were flooding in.