"Why?" she asked, looking at him before resting her spoon against the dish.
"I..um..." he stammered before taking a deep breath. "Lets wait a second and go dance," he covered.
"Umm...why don't we eat first and then dance? Justin, what's wrong? Don't give me some stupid line, I want the truth!"
"Really its nothing," he began but stopped when her mouth opened to say something. "I'm just really wanting to dance with you and I promise that nothing is wrong!"
"I don't understand why you're lying to me, but I'm dropping it for now. As soon as we get home, we're going to talk about this."
"Fine..if you don't want to dance, we'll have dessert first and head back home," he said as he stuck his spoon into the dish.
She sighed and laid her spoon down on the table. "I don't want any."
He took a deep breath to remain calm. He reached over and picked up her spoon, dipping it into the dish and bringing it up to her mouth. "Just a few bites for me," he said as his lips began to pout.
She opened her mouth and allowed him to slide the spoon into her mouth. He pulled back as a satisfied grin appeared on his face. "Now eat."
"Fine..just a few bites. I swear you're trying to make me fat."
"Whatever," he said as his eyes nervously watched the small bowl infront of her. "You're making me eat, now you eat."
"Sorry!" he said before placing a small bite in his mouth and chewing slowly on it.
"OHMIGOSH!" she exclaimed as her eyes peered deeper into the dish. "Justin...there's something in this!"
He choked on the small piece that was in his mouth, and coughed to clear his lungs. "What is it?" he asked as his eyes watched her.
"I don't know," she said as her fork fished the thing up. "It looks like a piece of paper."
His heartbeat quickened as he watched her unfold the piece of paper. His hands dug into his pants pocket and patted the next step of his plan. His eyes never left her face as he watched her read the words that were written on the piece of paper. Once she was finished, her eyes slowly looked into his hopeful ones. "What's the answer, Whitney?" he asked her as he pulled the ring out of his pocket.
She continued to stare at him, not being able to speak. Her eyes lowered as she took a deep breath. "Before I tell you my answer, there's something I have to tell you first that will definately affect YOUR decision in this."
His face scrunched up as confusion as he looked at her. "There's nothing you could say to me that would change the way that I feel for you..Whitney I love you and I want you to marry me," he said as he took her hand and slid the ring up her finger, where it rested behind the other one that he had gaven her.
Tears ran down her eyes as she tried her best to control her emotions, but this was the moment she had dreaded since that one night she had made a big mistake. "You really need to know this, Justin."
"If you're sick, that doesn't matter..I'll love you no matter what."
"Where did you get that I was sick from this?"
"That's the only thing I could think of..."
"Lets just go home and talk about this, Justin..this isn't the place to discuss it."
He nodded his head before motioning to the waiter. "We need our bill."
"Here you go, Mr. Timberlake. Thank you for dining with us tonight, we hope to see you back again," the guy told him as he laid the bill on the table. Justin handed the guy his credit card as the two of them waited. "I don't see what's so bad here...its making me feel as if you don't want to marry me," he said as hurt sapped through his voice.
She reached over and grasped his hand. "There's nothing I want more in this world, but Justin, theres something that you have to know."
"Thank you once again, Mr. Timberlake and have a great night," he said before winking and walking off. Justin stood up and took her hand, rubbing his finger across the back off it as the two of them exited the restuarant. The limo was waiting on them outside as rain poured down around it. "I wonder when it started raining," Justin said as he watched her slide into the car.
"I don't know," she said quietly as she looked out the tinted window on the other side of the limo.
"Baby..what's wrong," he said as he took his hand and gently turned her face around to where it was facing him. "You're scaring me like this."
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Tears rolled down her face as she continued to look into his innocent face. He had been good to her, he loved her, and she knew that he would never cheat on her. She didn't deserve him. She couldn't lie to him while they were married about the face that Ashley and her had a one night stand, because that would be completely wrong. It had been wrong to lie to him in the first place, and she just hoped that she could explain her reasoning behind her actions.
"Whitney..don't cry," he said softly as he reached up and wiped away her tears. He bent down and kissed her lips softly and she savoured every moment of it because she knew it could very easily be the last kiss that she recieved from him. The two of them broke apart, and she rested her head against his shoulder as his arms held onto her tightly. "I love you so much, Justin," she told him softly as she felt the limo come to a stop.
"Come on..lets go work through this minor problem and begin celebrating," he told her before winking and slidding out of the car. He waved to the driver before pulling her inside. Once the two of them were inside, he lead her to the living room and sat her down on the couch, giving her his full attention. "Talk to me, baby."
"Justin...before I tell you this, I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much....you changed me and I'm grateful for that..."
"I'm confused here."
"Something happened a few months ago...."
He chuckled as he tightened his arms around her waist. "What do you say about us finding the two of them and getting out of here? I kinda want to get you home," he told her as his lips kissed her neck.
"You always think about yourself, don't you?" Cait joked as her eyes searched the crowd for Jenn and Ashley. "But I do like your plan..do you see the two of them?"
"Yeah..they're right over there," he said as he pointed out two people who were dancing very close together. "Looks like they did hit it off," he commented as the two of the moved through the crowd to their two friends. "Lets go you guys..its kinda late."
"That's fine with me,"Jenn said as she ran her fingers through her hair. The four of the exited the club and walked to Dan's car. Small talk was made between them, and they soon arrived at Ashley's house.
He cleared his throat before looking at Jenn. "I had a great time tonight..you have my number and I hope you'll keep in touch," he told her as his blue eyes sparkled even in the darkness of night.
"I had fun tonight too," she told him as her hands rested on her knees.
He leaned over and brushed his lips lightly over hers before pulling back and smiling. "Have a good night," he told her before getting out of the car and heading to his door. Once he was inside, Dan backed the car out of the driveway as Cait had a huge grin on her face.
"I told you that you guys would click!"
"Just because we clicked doesn't mean that we're going to end up married or anything so dont' go getting any ideas."
"I know, I'm just setting the record straight that I was right for a change," she said before turning around in her seat and not saying another word.
The pulled into Dan's house, and the three of them slowly exited the car. Dan smiled at Jenn as he dug in his pockets for his housekeys. "It was nice meeting you and hopefully you'll keep in touch," he told her as he hugged her quickly.
"I guess I could..Cait isn't all that bad of a friend," she said as she turned to Cait and hugged her. "It was great seeing you again...keep in touch."
"Dont' worry..now that Dan is securely in my life, I have time for friends once again," she said as the two girls slowly walked to Jenn's car. "Be careful getting home..this rain isn't easy to drive in."
"Don't worry about me," she said as she unlocked the door and sat down in the driver's seat. "I'll call you sometime soon."
"Sounds good,..bye Jenn!" she said as she backed away from the car and watched as it pulled out of the driveway. She turned to see Dan standing out in the light rain that was falling and she felt her blood pump faster through her veins. "Damn!"
"What?" he asked as he unlocked the door.
"You look really good right now."
He pushed the door open and waited for her to step inside, but instead, she stood there looking at him with some type of hunger in her eyes. "Um..Cait..go inside now."
She didn't say anything but instead through herself in his arms and attacked his lips. He was caught off guard but he soon recovered as he picked her up and carried her into the house, closing the door on his way. As the door shut, it closed a night that the four of them had enjoyed. A night that had brought around happiness for four people, but confusion for two that should be the happiest of them all.
She took a deep breath and paused a moment to hold back the tears that were building up in her eyes. "You remember that big arguement we had about me being on tour with Otown?" she asked pausing to let him answer her. "I was really upset that you were being that way.."
"I apologized for that..I didn't know that it still bothered you," he interrupted as he leaned over and kissed the end of her nose. "That was a period in which I was being selfish..."
"That's not all, Justin.." she said as her voice cracked. "That night..I was upset and I didn't know what to do. I was angry at you for even thinking that I should give up something that made me happy, just to make you happy...that night...something happened Justin," she said as she turned away from him. She couldn't look him in the eyes to say the next part, cause she didn't want to see the pain in them.
"What exactly happened, Whitney."
"I...I needed someone to talk to," she started, pausing to take a deep breath. "I went to Ashley's room...and..."
"Please don't tell me that..oh god no," he said as he jumped off the couch. "That's not funny, Whitney..God please don't tell me that the next thing you're about to say is that the two of you slept together," he said as he walked around to face her.
She let her eyes slowly climb up to meet his, and she didn't have to say a word because he knew her answer. "I can't believe this," he said as he backed away from her and ran a hand through his curls. "You...you slept with another guy?"
"I'm so sorry, Justin," she said as she sobbed. "I..."
"I can't believe this...I never thought you would do this to me! And more importantly why have you kept this from me for so long?"
"I didn't want to lose you..I love you, Justin..I love you so much," she said as she stood up and touched his cheek. He flinched at her touch, causing her heart to break. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you...that's why I didn't tell you. I was going to, but something inside of me wouldn't let me."
"I honestly can't believe this right now,"he told her as his eyes landed on the ring that was resting on her shaking hand. He closed his eyes before holding out his hand. "I need that back...I can't marry you right now," he said as his eyes began to become teary. "I can't look at you right now, Whitney.."
"Please let me explain," she begged as her tears poured down her face.
"Give me the ring back and get out of my sight for now," he told her as his voice rose in hurt and anger.
She pulled the ring off her finger before placing it in his outstretched hand. "Will you please let me explain?"
"What's there to explain? You slept with Ashley...kept it from me, and have to tell me the night I ask you to marry me..I can't believe this. You're not the person I thought you were..I never thought you could do something like this to me after you worked so hard to open up my eyes about Britney and then you do something like this!" he yelled.
"Justin....please," she said as she sinked to her knees. "I love you," she continued to sob as her body shook violently.
"Just get out," he said as his voice broke, finally allowing the tears to slip down his face. "Just get out...I can't stand to look at the woman I love like this..knowing ...knowing that you let another ...just get out."
She grabbed her keys off the table and slowly walked over to the door. "I love you," she said before she opened it and closed it softly. Once she was out the door, he picked up a lamp and hurled it across the room, and cringed as it broke into a million pieces. "Why?" he yelled into the empty room. He listened as her car started up and pulled out of the driveway. He sat down on the couch and cried as the words she had said repeated themselves in his head.
A loud crash errupted the silence in the room, and he felt his face grow pale. "Whitney," he whispered before running out the door without thinking twice.