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VI - A Plan Comes Together

"So, um.... You know James is straight, right?"

Joshua hadn't known he was going to say anything until it popped out of his mouth, and immediately regretted it when Banks whipped his gaze away from across the room where Anthony and James were conversing quietly, heads close together over one of Anthony's chemistry books. "Yeah, so?"

Joshua winced at the defensiveness in Banks' tone. "Oh. Okay, then." His eyes strayed over to the other two boys, and then back to Banks. "Um... I just...." He willed himself to be quiet before he got himself into even more trouble, but his mouth didn't seem inclined to obey. "You seemed kind of annoyed at them, being together so much lately, and I wasn't sure if you knew...."

"Why should I care that they're together?" Banks' suddenly raised voice attracted the attention of the librarian, who glared and shushed him.

"They're not!" Joshua insisted hurriedly, shrinking away slightly. "Because James is straight and he doesn't want Anthony that way so you don't have to worry—"

"I'm not worried!" Banks slammed his English book shut and hightailed it out of the library before he could get thrown out for excessive noise.

Joshua lowered his flaming face to his books and tried to ignore the stares, only to jump, startled, as Anthony and James slid into the chairs on either side of him. "Huh?"

James chuckled and repeated his question, slowly. "What... did... you... say... to... Banks? He reached a new level of annoyance with you, I think."

"Definitely," Anthony agreed. "I'm almost jealous."

"Don't be." Joshua hunched back over his book, trying to hide his still-flaming cheeks. "I didn't enjoy it very much."

"You still haven't answered my question." James plucked the pen from Joshua's hand and began to twirl it effortlessly between his fingers. "What sent him off in such a foul mood?"

Joshua sighed, averting his eyes. "Who knows, with Banks? He's awfully sensitive, you know."

"We did actually hear every word he said, you know that, right?" Anthony pointed out, eyes sparkling. Joshua groaned and let his head fall forward until his forehead rested on the open pages of his book. Anthony patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"Want to change your answer?" James asked, his maddeningly calm voice radiating amusement.

"No."

"Joshuuaaaaa," Anthony started to whine, but James cut him off.

"Let me guess. You mentioned something to him about how he was staring holes in my back, and said something about how Anthony and I weren't together. Banks got highly defensive, yelled at you, and left. Am I right?"

"Umm...." Joshua sighed into his book. "Maybe."

"Yes!" Anthony pumped his fist in victory, then cringed away from the librarian's glare and waved at her, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry."

James smirked. "Nice job, you've got his attention. Now what?"

Anthony stared blankly at him. "Now what what?" Joshua lifted his head and looked curiously at James.

"He's slightly interested. How are you going to get him interested enough to do something about it?"

"Well...." Anthony frowned thoughtfully. "I thought he'd just... come around... eventually."

Joshua shook his head knowingly. "No way. He thinks he's straight. He won't 'turn' unless something really catches his attention."

"Exactly," James nodded sagely. "You've got to knock his socks off."

"Oh." Anthony looked almost afraid. "How?"

James' grin made him look just like a hungry shark.

~*~

Anthony walked into the cafeteria and stopped short, shocked, when he saw a grinning Joshua waving frantically at him from what had been—up until a few days ago—their usual table. After their puzzling and somewhat scary conversation, the two boys had all but vanished. They didn't come to any of their usual mealtimes, and when Anthony saw them in class, they both took off as soon as the bell had rung, quite obviously avoiding any and all contact with him.

He had tried not to be too hurt, but found that all but impossible, since their reasons for their behavior were incomprehensible to him. And yet, here they were, smiling at him as if nothing whatsoever was wrong.

He approached them warily. "Hello."

"Hi!" Joshua chirped, putting a hand on his back and ushering him to a seat. "We were hoping you'd show up today. You don't always come at afternoon snack time, but you've done it often enough that we figured it'd be a good bet. Plus, Banks never comes, so it's perfect!"

Anthony stared at him. "What?"

James took over. "This is the first day of the rest of your life, my friend."

Anthony drew back. The shark grin had returned.

"Look!" Joshua bubbled, shoving a piece of paper across the table to rest in front of him.

Anthony looked down and froze. It was him—a carefully and lovingly created drawing of him with Joshua's distinctive signature at the bottom right—but it was a him he didn't quite recognize. The figure in the picture was, for lack of any other words, hot. He wore trendy, tailored clothing, a carefully sculpted beard, a short, striped haircut with burgundy highlights, and a rakish grin. "You... it... that's...." Anthony gave up. "Huh?"

James leaned forward, his light green eyes piercing and determined. "That is going to be you. Joshua and I have decided to help you achieve your full potential. I'm about to show you something, Anthony, and I want your word that you will never breathe a word of it to anyone else, ever again."

Anthony glanced at Joshua, who nodded solemnly. "O...kay?"

James slid another piece of paper facedown across the table, this one smaller—the size of a photograph. Anthony picked it up and gasped in shock. It was a photograph, one he never would have believe unless he'd seen it. "This... this is you?" he whispered, staring in disbelief.

James grimaced, nodding reluctantly.

The boy in the picture was... well, a huge dork. He had pudgy, little-boy cheeks, flat, mousy, almost-blond hair, an absolutely forgettable outfit that did his average, somewhat squat body no favors, and a vacant grin. "My God...." Anthony managed.

James sighed and snatched the photo back. "Yes, well. The point is—"

"Oh, I get the point." Anthony looked at the impeccably groomed James in a whole new light, then down at Joshua's drawing. "Banks won't know what hit him."

All three of them grinned like sharks.

End

Screencap in the "Deerfield" image taken from *NSYNC: THEN AND NOW and used with permission. Many thanks to them!
"Deerfield" image © 2000-2001 JulieOh

Email: kittie.verdena@gmail.com