Chapter 2*~

“Justin, I have a question..” Aaliyah turned to look at him

Justin looked at her, “Ok, what is it?” He asked and watched her sit down at the edge of the bed.

“Well, what would you do if I told you that Britney was going to be in the city this week?” She looked at him and waited for an answer.

“I would tell you that I don’t care what she’s doing in the city.” He sighed and studied her face, “Why?”

“Well she is going to be in the city this week, and actually we have been some what friends, even though you told me not to become friends with her, and actually we’re planning to do some shopping this weekend.”

“What?” He sat up and looked at her, “I told you not to become friends with her, but no did you listen to me?”

“Look Justin, you can’t pick who I become friends with and who I can’t become friends with.” She folded her arms over her chest.

“I told you not to become friends with any of my ex’s that’s all I asked of you.” He said angrily.

“Why not, I mean me and Christina are great friends, and me and Britney are good friends, I don’t know what’s your problem but I never had a problem with Britney.” She narrowed her eyes and looked at him, “And she’s a good person who made mistakes, just like you and me, so if you have a problem with my friends I suggest you straighten out your attitude.” She sighed, “Besides the only ex of yours that I never became friends with is Carmen, and you know why.” She looked him dead in the face, “Last I checked, you don’t tell me what to do, I tell myself what to do, and you can say whatever but it’s not going to make any difference to me.” She started to walk towards the door when he grabbed her wrist.

“I don’t remember you being so smart mouthed.” Justin said and looked at her.

“You don’t remember me being smart mouthed or me talking out about what I think?” She said.

“You know you better watch yourself.”

“Or what Justin?” She snatched her arm back, “You can’t hit me.”

“I can’t or I won’t?” Justin looked at her.

“Both,” She climbed on top of him and whispered in his ear softly, “Besides I’m too good looking.” She looked him in his eyes, “I’ll leave you with that thought, I need to go check up on the kids.” She got off of him and walked out of the door.

He rolled his eyes and watched her walk out of the room. If there were one thing she did better than singing and acting, it would have to angering him some way. One thing he noticed about her was she was never going to take no for an answer.

~*The Next Day*~

“This is hell Val.” Aaliyah said over the phone and sighed. “I never thought that both Issabell and Ashleigh would be sick at the same time.” She looked over her shoulder at Courtney, “I mean do you know how hard it is to watch all three of them at the same time? I have to watch Courtney and I have to keep an eye on Issabell and Ashleigh at the time, and to make matters worse if I clean up one more thing of puke I’m going to be sick.”

Valerie sighed and listened, “God do you ever think of going away again?”

“Of course, but I don’t like always being away from the girls for a long time, and the last time I got away from them was what when I went to Paris last year?” Aaliyah sighed at the crying behind her and looked at Courtney who was obviously throwing a fit because she wasn’t getting any attention. “Look Val, I’ll call you later when I have a minute to myself.” She sighed, “Ok talk to ya later, bye.” She looked at Courtney. “You’re going to make me cry too.”

“Mommy…” Issabell whined from upstairs and could tell by the silence that her mother was about to breakdown.

Aaliyah looked at Courtney and started crying, “You three are driving me crazy.”

Ashleigh looked at Courtney and then her mother as she walked in the room. “Mommy what’s wrong?”

Aaliyah looked at Ashleigh, “I don’t want to talk about it.” She buried her face in a pillow on the couch.

Justin walked through the door and closed it behind him. “Liyah?” He walked into the living room and looked at Ashleigh. “What’s wrong with your mom?”

“I don’t know,” Ashleigh said and looked at her father.

“Aaliyah, what’s..” Justin started and watched her get up.

“I can’t take this anymore, I’m going to seriously lose my mind.” Aaliyah looked at him, “Look, I’m going upstairs, I’m going to take a long bath, and then I’m going to sleep with out anyone bothering me got that.” She said and stormed up the stairs.

“Wow, what did you all do to her?” Justin asked and raised an eyebrow.

“It was Issabell and Courtney.” Ashleigh looked at him.

“Sure,” Justin smiled. “I have a question, if your so sick, then why aren’t you in bed?”

She folded her arms over her chest and looked at him, “I couldn’t sleep, and I was thirsty and I didn’t want to bother mommy again because she didn’t seem so happy.”

“I see,” Justin smiled and picked her up. “Alright missy, you’re going back to bed.” He carried her and Courtney upstairs, “Alright it’s bedtime for both of you, Ashleigh I’ll be back in fifteen minutes you know the drill.” She nodded and he took Courtney across the hall and put her to bed and went back into his bedroom. He opened the door to the bathroom and closed it behind him and sat at the edge of the tub and looked at Aaliyah. “Are you going to be ok?” He asked and stared at her for a while.

“Define ok,” She looked at him, “I’ll be fine, it’s just that the kids are driving me crazy.” She sighed, “I’m twenty-eight and I’m losing my mind.”

“You had a mind?” He asked and raised an eyebrow playfully.

“Funny, but have you forgotten that I was the one to graduate with a 4.0 GPA?” She laughed, “Of course I had a mind.”

He smiled at her, “Well I need to go check on, Ashleigh to make sure she’s in bed.”

She laughed, “Good luck, your going to need it.”

~*An hour later*~

Dear Diary,

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you could kill someone? I never really would “kill” someone but lately I don’t know what’s with Justin. I mean sometimes he can be the sweetest guy you could know, but on other instances you could totally hate him. There are so many questions that need to be answered. So many blanks left in this relationship. You know how I told you that there are a lot of what ifs. Well I’ve been thinking about that. I hate how Justin is so over protective of me and how he hates when I talk back, but it’s just the type of person I am, and that’s why I love the song What If. It tells a story and it’s just like my story.

I hate a jealous man, one who doesn't understand
That I'm attractive so of course men wanna take my hand
And lead me off round the corner maybe to their place
But when they speak you get mad, jumpin all up in my face
 
But on the other hand when women come and speak to you 
You kiss and hug them like it's something that you let me do
You're only jealous cause you know the ish you put me through 

I might turn right around and do that ish right back to you

I’m going to get through to Justin one way or another; I don’t care what I have to do to get to him.