Chris dried his tears, thankful for the relative darkness of the seats, and for the fact that Emily, Marcy and Jeannette were focused on the stage. After the hip hop song with the hideous green things, they had changed clothes again, sang a couple more songs, and ended the concert with a love ballad that could have made Chris' heart break had he been paying attention to the lyrics.
The truth was that he was not paying any attention to the songs, because he was trying to catch just a glimpse of Joey's voice. For some reason, the Italian -because now he knew that Joey was Italian- never sang as the first voice, and it was hard to say if he or the platinum blonde -Lance, his mind recalled him- was the main background voice.
Then there was also the little nagging problem of knowing Joey's first name -and birthday, favorite color, hobby, videogame and most embarrassing moment during a tour- before having actually talked to him. Not that Chris believed that he would get a chance to do that. He knew that even if he did, if he managed to get past hundred of screaming girls, security and possibly PR people, Joey -and he really had to stop thinking about him in his first name- wouldn't recognize him. Hell, probably he wouldn't even admit been in a gay bar. According to Emily's magazine, Joey was the flirt of the group and had a different girl in every town.
In the stage, as the song ended and the crowd cheered, Lance walked towards the other blond, Justin, and whispered something to his ear, to which Justin nodded before getting the microphone again.
"Hi, everyone! Thanks for coming!" Justin said, drawing a whole new round of yells and cheers. At this, Chris thought he would go deaf. Then they went away and a short man, probably pushing forty came out. When the disappointed cheers ended, he spoke on the microphones.
"*Nsync has asked me to tell all of you that four lucky girls can win a dinner with them for tomorrow night." New round of cheers, excited yells and Chirs could have swear he heard someone faint not far away from them. "But, as they know you all are devoted fans, and know all the answers to any questions they might have, they decided to make it as random as possible. So the lucky girls will be the ones who have someone dressed completely in black in their group of friends!"
A sudden silence fell on the auditorium, as everyone turned to see their companions. And Chris felt a knot in his stomach as three hopeful 14 year old girls turned to see him.
Because, given his sour mood, all the clothes he wore that night were black.
* * *
Joey heard the words uttered by the MC and turned to look at Lance, shocked.
"WHAT?!" He yelled, even when Lance and him were the only ones there. JC and Justin had left early to change their clothes. "When did we decided that?"
"I told Justin, he wasn't against the idea." Lance smiled, his green eyes sparkling. "Besides, didn't your mystery guy came dressed completely in black?"
"Yeah, I think so but…" Joey stammered. He really didn't like the direction Lance' thoughts were having. And for the tenth time that night he wished he had stayed silent. "…he can't be the only one dressed in black there…"
"Well, cross your fingers, hope for the best." Lance smiled, wiping the sweat from his forehead, then walking to the dressing room. After staring at the stage for a long minute, Joey followed.
Twenty minutes later, feeling much refreshed after a quick change of clothes, the group was called by Tom Miller, who acted as PR of the group during the duration of the tour. He had a weird smile, which was enough to tell Joey that the man wasn't really amused by Lance's great idea.
"Someone dressed completely in black, Lance?" Tom said, looking straight into the bass singer' eyes. "What were you thinking? We almost got a strip tease out there because the girls were trying to make someone of their friends to be dressed completely in black!"
"Who won?" Justin asked, trying to hide the amused chuckle.
"The only ones who brought someone who apparently _was_ dressed in black before the concert. At least his clothes fit." Tom shook his head. "The problem is, it was a three girls' group, and they all are 14 so, if you don't mind, their chaperone, who was the one dressed in black, will accompany us in the dinner."
Before JC, Joey or Justin could answer, Lance agreed. "Great. Maybe we will get some intelligent conversation in the dinner."
Tom shook his head again, sighing. "Yeah, probably. Well, the lucky girls are Emily Kirkpatrick, Marcy Richardson and Jeannette Quezada. We will pick them up tomorrow at Emily's house, and will be accompanied by Christopher Kirkpatrick, Emily's older brother."
"The guy dressed in black, right?" Tom nodded at JC's question, and Joey frowned a little upon seeing JC's eyes narrow. "Is that such a good idea? A guy who is not in the group dinning with us?"
"There will be no pictures of him," The PR said, concealing. "He's just there to keep an eye on his sister and her friends, that's all.
They all nodded, and got ready to get into the bus without being kidnapped on the way. Justin and JC first, since they drawn close most of the fans, and then Lance and Joey. And right before they went out, Lance turned around to see Joey, and give him an encouraging thumbs up and a smile.
Joey just shook his head. It couldn't be that this Christopher Kirkpatrick was Brown eyes. It would be too much of a coincidence…
Still, as he mulled the name over and over in his head, comparing it to the mental image of Brown eyes that he had memorized, it sounded as a perfect fit.
* * *
Chris looked at his meager closet, with a disappointed frown. When Emily had been announced as the winner of the contest, he hadn't believed it. Not the fact that Emily won. In all fairness, since all *Nsync fans were wearing something with the group logo, there hadn't been many black wearing people, and for some strange coincidence, he had been the only one there dressed completely in that dark color.
No. What he couldn't believe was that _he_ was also invited. And since Emily's favorite was Justin, Marcy had a crush on Lance, and Jeanette thought JC was hot, he would be seated next to Joey Fatone.
Lucky him.
However, once that the butterflies in his stomach had settled enough to allow him to breath again, he had remembered three very important things: 1.- Joey Fatone was a member of one of the most popular boy bands -harmonizing quartets- in the country. 2.-He would never admit having been in a gay bar. 3.-Chris had nothing to wear.
He was an English Lit. Teacher at the local high school. He didn't had money to buy great clothes, not to go to a fancy restaurant. Much less to impress someone who earned in a day what Chris wouldn't earn in 10 years.
"CHRIS!!" Emily bounced into the room, wearing a pair of dark velvet pants that Chris had never really liked and a red blouse. "You aren't ready! They'll be here any minute now! C'mon!"
"Emily, I'm almost ready." Chris lied, returning his stare to the closet.
"You're in your underwear." Emily pointed out, shaking her head. "You haven't even put your earrings!"
"I don't think the earrings would be a good idea tonight, Emily." Chris smiled, as he finally reached for a pair of dark pants, a wine colored T-shirt and a dark jacket.
"Why not?" The girl smiled. "Joey and Justin wear earrings too! C'mon, Chris! The earrings won't 'out' you!"
"Just give me a minute and I'll be ready." Chris smiled, ruffling his sister's hair affectionately. When Emily was gone, he sighed, and looked at his reflection in the mirror again.
Who was he trying to fool? He asked himself again. He was everything but ready.
The butterflies in his stomach had returned with a vengeance and he still didn't had a clue of what he was going to say or do. He didn't knew the music of the group, and had barely paid any attention to the concert. He was only there as his sister's chaperone.
Which made everything even more pathetic.
He dressed, his mood getting worse than before. He looked at the mirror one last time, not anymore caring much for his appearance, but happy with what he saw. As a last thought, he grabbed his pair of dark glasses from the nightstand and went downstairs, ready to wait with the three girls for their escorts.
* * *
Joey looked at himself one more time, not fully convinced of his appearance. The restaurant they were going to was casual, there was no point in overdoing it for 14 year old girls, but there was a possibility that Brown eyes was going to be there.
If Brown eyes was indeed Christopher Kirkpatrick, as Lance seemed to believe.
After a lot of discussing with PR and Lance, Joey had settled for a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a dark vest. He looked good. Or so Lance said. And he had always liked the combination.
However, now as he saw himself in the mirror, his engine red-dyed hair shouting 'I'm here'… He wasn't at all sure. There were butterflies in his stomach, that felt almost like a swarm of wasps.
"You ready man?" Justin knocked on his door, entering without waiting for an answer. He was dressed far more casual than Joey, with black pants, white t-shirt and a light blue sweater. A silver cross was the only accessory he wore, having left the earrings behind. Not Joey, he still wore his on both ears, still in panic over if that was a good idea or not. "You've been taking, like, hours."
"We have to look good to our fans." Joey smiled, hiding his nervousness. "Not everyone is like you, Justin. I have to make an effort to look hot."
"You're not planning on hooking with a waitress, are you?" Justin frowned, apparently really worried for Joey. But the older man shook his head, smile still in place.
"No. Just thinking on the photographs they will want."
"Sure." Justin shook his head, turning to leave. "With you looking like that, they'll forget we're there"
Joey sighed, as Justin left the room again, probably to pester Lance or JC.
"If only that was true." He muttered to the mirror, before turning off the lights and walking towards the aisle, where Lance was waiting for him. Seeing the hopeful look in Lance's clear green eyes, he groaned. "I'm going to kill you for getting my hopes up."
"Don't worry, Joey." Lance smiled, as they walked together to the elevator. "Everything will be all right. I've got this feeling… I'm sure it all will work out."
"Yeah, right." The older man sighed. He really didn't want to tell Lance that half of his nervousness came from the fact that Lance was one of the only two who knew about his preferences. Not even his family knew about that. And Lance… Lance had reacted exactly the opposite way of what Joey imagined all his band mates would
Which was why he didn't told JC or Justin… or any of the PR guys. The other one was Loomie, who always was behind him, and who had gone to pick him up to one too many bars. Since the excuse of 'going to a place without flirting women' didn't work for the flirt of *Nsync, Joey had come out to his bodyguard, barely three months after the group had ended his Europe tour.
And now… now he was getting ready to go in a fake date where there was the slightest possibility that a man who had stolen his heart just by standing there. If he let his feelings out of control, there was no way that JC and Justin didn't figure his secret out. If he played it cool, and the Kirkpatrick guy was really brown eyes, he could loose his only chance at him.
Either way, he was going to end up loosing the game.
* * *
When the doorbell rang, Chris felt his stomach tie itself in knots and bounce all over his insides. The truth was that he was even more nervous than his sister and her friends.
Especially because, as the official chaperone, he had to open the door.
So, trying to forget all the reasons why his outfit wasn't good enough, he got up the coach, shushed the nervous girls, and went to open the door.
To find himself face to face with Joey Fatone.
* * *
Joey felt his throat go dry as he found himself staring right into the brown eyes who had him mesmerized almost a week ago in a bar.
It was him. Brown eyes. Still looking sad, but not as sad as he had been that night.
But he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He was tongue tied as his stomach did a crazy jump inside his stomach.
Thankfully, Lance came to his rescue.
"Hi!" the cheerful man said, extending his hand to brown eyes -Christopher Kirkpatrick. "I'm Lance Bass and this is Joey Fatone. We came to pick up the lucky winners of a dream date with *Nsync."