Chapter Fifty

"You guys put on a great show," Eryn said, when they all walked into the house later that evening.

"Thanks," Justin said, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

"Um, Joey, JC, Chris, Sash... I need to talk to Justin and Lance," Eryn said, quietly.

"Well, do you have a Tim Horton's or something around here? I really would like something," JC said.

"Sure," Eryn said. "Go down this street and turn left. There's one right there."

"Thanks," JC said. "Joey, Chris? Want to come?"

"Sure," Chris said. Joey shook his head, and the two walked out the door.

"Joey, let's go up in my room, we can talk," Sasha said. "We have a lot to talk about."

Joey smiled. "Sure." They walked upstairs.

"Eryn, why are you being so secretive?" Justin asked. "Are you sure nothing is wrong?"

"Come into the living room," Eryn said, ignoring his question.

Lance and Justin followed Eryn into the living room.

"What's going on?" Lance asked.

Eryn took a deep breath. "Sit down," she instructed.

The guys sat down, and both looked really concerned.

"Are you sure there isn't anything wrong, Eryn?" Justin asked again. "Did I do something?"

She couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears began to stream down her face.

***

"I'm really happy what's happening," Sasha told Joey.

"Me, too," Joey said. "I've liked you for so long... Sasha... I..." he stopped and laughed. "I'm speechless!"

She sat down beside him on the bed. "When I'm with you Joey, I feel... great. It's like JC all over again, but a hundred times better. I really like you, Joey. And I want this to work."

"I do, too," Joey said.

"But-" Sasha said.

Joey sighed. "There's a but?"

"But we can't tell JC... I have a feeling he will be mad." Sasha said truthfully.

"Yeah," Joey said. "We can work it out."

"Nothing stands in the way of-" Sasha started.

"True love," Joey said, cutting her off.

***

Justin sat beside Eryn. "It's okay, Eryn," he said. "Just tell us."

Minutes later, Eryn stopped crying. She looked up at Justin. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Why?" Justin asked. "You didn't do anything."

Eryn reached over and grabbed a Kleenex from the table beside the couch. She wiped her eyes, and took a few deep breaths. "Okay. I'm ready to tell you guys what I wanted to say."

She moved away from Justin on the couch. "Okay, Justin, you know I love you very much, right?"

"Yeah," he said hesitantly.

Eryn saw Lance grimace as she said that.

"Well, Justin... I did something awful," Eryn felt tears well in her eyes again. She instructed herself not to cry.

"Why is Lance here?" Justin asked.

"Because it has to do with me and Lance and you," Eryn said.

A feeling of dread came over Justin. "What did you do?" He felt his stomach drop.

"I cheated on you," she whispered.

"Pardon?" Justin said. "I can't hear you." His smile turned into a frown.

"Eryn, just tell him," Lance said. "Just do it. I've been trying to keep quiet as you tried to tell him. I don't even know why you are."

"Lance, please," she said.

"Why do I have to be in here?" Lance asked.

"I want you to be," she said. "I have to tell you something too."

"This feels like freakin' Jerry Springer," Lance said.

"Eryn, what did you say?" asked Justin. "I told you I couldn't hear you."

"Damn, Justin, she cheated on you!" Lance exclaimed.

***

Joey moved closer to Sasha. "Remember when we went on tour and you came with us?"

"Yeah," Sasha said.

"Well, when JC was kissing Melissa, I felt so bad for you... I just wanted to sit with you in your bed and hold you in my arms," Joey said.

Sasha smiled. "Joey, that's so sweet."

Joey's face turned serious. "It's the truth."

Sasha put her index finger on his lips. "I've wanted to do this for awhile." She leaned in, and gently kissed Joey.

Joey pushed back. "Sasha, I wanted to do that for awhile, too." He said.

"Well, do it again," she said.

Joey leaned back in, and tenderly kissed Sasha.

***

"You cheated on me?" Justin whispered.

Eryn looked at her lap. "Yeah."

"I can't believe this," Justin said, a single tear rolling down her face. "Do you love him? Do you love me?"

"I love you," Eryn insisted.

"I can't believe you," Justin said.

"I love you," Eryn repeated.

Justin put his head in his hands and started to cry.

***

Joey pushed away.

"No," Sasha mumbled, trying to kiss him again.

"Wait," he said, leaning over and shutting off the lamp. "There." He kissed her again.

***

"Justin, I am so sorry," Eryn said.

"How could you do this?" Justin asked through tears. "Why is Lance here anyway?"

"I don't know why I did it," Eryn said. "I just wanted something else..."

"I didn't fulfil you enough? I wasn't sweet enough? What, Eryn? What did I do?" Justin stood up. "I'm leaving. Wait, no, I'm not. I'm not leaving till I find out who you cheated on me with."

"Justin, I really love you," Eryn said.

"Stop saying that!" he yelled. "I'm so stupid, sitting here, crying. Who the hell was it?"

"Justin-" Eryn began.

"WHO WAS IT?" Justin yelled.

"It was Lance," Eryn said, starting to cry.

Justin was stunned. "L-Lance?"

"Yeah," Eryn said, ashamed to look at Justin.

"You cheated on me with my best friend?" He looked at Lance. "You got with Eryn behind my back? I can't believe you guys."

"I'm really sorry," Eryn said, still crying.

Lance sighed loudly. "Why am I here?"

"Because you're a back stabbing asshole," Justin said, glaring at Lance.

"Sorry, Justin," Lance said. "I am. But I liked her too. In fact, I loved her too."

"Did you tell him you loved him?" Justin said. "Did you?!"

"No," Eryn said. "I swear, I only love you..."

"Why did you do it then?" Justin asked.

"Wait," Eryn said. She looked at Lance. "I wanted you here to tell you that... I know I told you I liked you, but I didn't. At all."

"Why did you do it?" Justin repeated.

"You didn't like me?" Lance asked.

"I did it because it was sneaky and fun and spontaneous and something that I wouldn't do," Eryn admitted. "I needed a change. I didn't really like you, Lance."

"You lied?" Lance asked.

"Yeah," Eryn said. "I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you. You were a really good friend, but that's it. I'm sorry."

"Whatever," Lance said. "I need... time. I'm going for a walk."

"I'm leaving," Justin said. "Eryn, if you really want to talk about this, we can talk some other time but right now, I am just too pissed off." He looked over at the picture of himself and Eryn on the table beside the couch. He reached over and looked at it for a few seconds. Justin lifted it up and smashed it down on the coffee table.

"Justin!" she said.

"What?" he asked, faking a smile. "I guess it doesn't matter that I broke that. I don't mean anything to you, anyway."

"But you do," Eryn insisted. "I love you."

"Well, maybe, just maybe, you should act like it," Justin said.

Eryn looked into Justin's eyes and saw the pain that she had caused him. She couldn't believe how insentsitve she was... she couldn't believe she had cheated.

After Lance and Justin both left the room, Eryn laid down on the couch and began to bawl.

End Of Chapter FIFTY