CHAPTER 20
(Justin's hotel room)
Justin paced back and forth and it gave Lance a headache. "Justin do you think you can wear that carpet out any more?" Lance asked rubbing his aching head.
"It's just that, I don't know....I'm worried about her. I just want to go and find her but I know if I do that then Lou will kill me." everyone in the room could feel the tension in the room build, and it did not sit well with any of them.
"So what do you guys think I should do?" Justin said finally stopping in front of the four guys sitting on the bed.
Lance's head had been turning side to side the whole time watching Justin walk back and forth that once he stopped he practically fell off the bed.
"You okay man?" Joey said helping him up.
Lance nodded and Joey looked back at Justin, "well curly, what I think you should do is go find her. Even though you don't know where she went, have no clue where she went, don't have any means of getting wherever she went, and frankly, she might not listen to you if you try to talk to her. I mean, she did leave, and it wasn't just for the heck of it."
JC looked at Joey and gave him a dirty look, "could you have made him feel even worse? Good going Superman!"
"No it's okay JC, Joey's right, but I think I'm going to do it." Justin said trying to sound completely sure of himself, even though he wasn't.
"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" Lance asked.
"Yeah, it may not seem right, but I know it is. And I have a pretty good idea where she could have gone. But I'm going to have to leave right away. so I need you guys to help me out..."
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(On the plane)
"So where you headed?" The lady in the next chair looked over at a distraught Kaitlyn.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry, I kind of spaced out for a moment there. I'm going to Key West." Kaitlyn said finally answering the lady.
"Oh, I can see that. So what's his name?" The lady asked.
Kaitlyn turned and looked confused at the women. By her accent, she was from the south. *I should know, Lance has a strong and noticeable accent* The lady had frizzy dirty blonde hair. Her white silk blouse and black formal pants made her look skinny. she didn't look too old, but not young at all, most likely about mid-40's.
"What do you mean?" Kaitlyn said confused.
"Who's the boy your running away from?" The lady asked once again.
"Why would you think I'm running away from anyone? A guy for that matter?" Kaitlyn asked suspicious. How could she know?
"No offense miss, but I've been around, I've done exactly the same and let me tell you, I have up until this day.....wondered what my life would have been like if I never ran." The women smiled a tender smile at Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn looked at the lady in amazement. It was like she knew how she knew what she was feeling. but everything she had said seemed to register on her mind and made her think about Justin even more.
"So what do you suggest I do?" Kaitlyn asked fully engulfed in what the lady had to say.
"Seriously, if I were you, I would get off this plane at Orlando, pick up that phone, call that boy up and tell him you were wrong to leave. And that you will be back on the next plane to him."
"Easier said than done." Kaitlyn said sadly.
"No my dear, only if you think like that. You need to think of it as if your life depended on it. Like this challenge was your whole world."
(Kaitlyn)
*Getting back to Justin IS a challenge, and my whole world IS Justin*
This lady really intrigued Kaitlyn. She had a real eye into the soul. she had just met her and already Kaitlyn loved her. she loved her for one reason, she helped her decided what to do about Justin.
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(Hotel Lobby)
The suited chauffer fit the two black duffle bags into the trunk and opened the door for Justin. Justin stood there in a baby blue North Carolina jersey and cargo pants. The cold November chill didn't seem to bother him at all. He turned to look at the four guys in front of him and said, "okay, well....you know what to tell Lou and my mom. Hopefully I'm right about where Kaitlyn is and hopefully she'll listen to what I have to say. Thanks you guys. I'm really sorry about leaving at the last minute. And sorry I had to keep you up this late JC. I know how much you love sleep."
JC patted him on the back and smiled, "don't worry about it Curly, just find Kaitlyn."
Chris smiled and joked, "take as much time as you need. Heck, it will give us the oh so needed vacation we all deserve."
Justin chuckled and smiled back at them. He got into the car and the man closed the door. The four guys waved to him through the tinted windows and watched the car exit the driveway and turn out onto the street.
In the car, Justin took out his cell phone and dialed the airlines number to confirm the flight.
(Justin)
*Please God, let everything work out. I need Kaitlyn back.*
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"So how exactly are we going to break the news to Lou?" Joey asked as they all rushed into the hotel.
"Seriously, I don't know. I mean, what Justin told us to say is perfect, for a happy-go-lucky-who-cares-it-will-be-okay kind of Lou. But in reality he's every-single-detail-must-be-correct-or evrything-and-everyone-is-screwed." Lance said, thinking very realisticly.
"He's right you know. So who wants to tell him." Chris asked the guys.
They all looked at each other and finally JC said, "well, it has to be someone who knows how to keep things on the good side, someone who won't mess it up. Someone responsible, professional...." JC suddenly stopped once he noticed six eyes looking straight at him. "No come on you guys, you can't possibly..."
"Oh hey look at the time, got to go sleep." Lance said.
"Oh geez, I want to finish that nice dream of Miss America." Joey said a feisty smile and walked off in another direction.
"I have to go.....go.....I just have to go." chris said starting off towards the exit.
"Oh come on you guys?!?!?!" JC said desperately. A few seconds later he was relieved to see Chris walk back in his direction. "Oh thanks so much Chris for helping."
Chris chuckled and said, "help? I just remembered that my room is the other way."
"Funny! Very funny you guys!" JC said out loud. Suddenly he felt a finger tap his shoulder from behind him and he jumped as he turned to see who it was.
"Umm...JC, don't take this the wrong way but, who are you talking to?" Lou asked confused.
(JC)
*Of all the nights, Justin had to pick Thanksgiving to ruin for me. I
hope Kaitlyn hears what he says then shoves it back up his ass!*
"LOU! oh buddy 'ol pal. Shouldn't you be sleeping? AAUUUUUGGGHHH, look at the time. You know you need your beauty sleep." JC hurried to get Lou's attention from anyhing that would remind him about Justin.
"Beauty sleep? JC, I think YOU need your beauty sleep. Look at you, you're clamy." Lou said looking at a now flushed with nervouseness JC.
"Yeah, that's right, how about both of us go on upstairs to our rooms?" JC said ushering Lou into the elevator lobby.
"Okay, but before I hit the sack, I'll do a random room inspection. Make sure the guys are all comfortable." Once Lou said that, he immediately paniced.
(JC)
*Don't panic JC, don't panic. Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod! He's going to
see that Justin's not in his room. What do I do? WHAT DO I DO???? Calm
down man, just think, think!*
"Umm, no. I don't think that's a good idea Lou. They were all so tired, maybe you should just wait until later. It wouldn't be good to disturb them. Would you?"
"Well, since you put it that way.....alright. I'll just check in on them before you guys leave to wherever plan on going to tomorrow." Lou smiled and walked out of the elevator, with a very relieved JC wiping the sweat off his forehead, right behind him.
(JC)
*Thank you GOD!?!?!!?!?!*
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(Chicago: the airpot)
"Good evening sir. Do you have a ticket already waiting for you?" The lady behind the counter asked.
At first Justin didin't hear her since he just seem to be in space for a moment there. He finallly stopped spacing out and turned his attention to the ticket lady.
"Umm....yes. Justin Timberlake." He finally answered.
The lady pressed a few keys and then tuned to Justin with a big smile, "alright sir, you are all set. Here are your tickets. Your plane departs in about fifteen minutes and you wil reach Orlando by sunrise."
"Thanks." Justin took the tickets in his hand and headed straight for the departure gate.
He prayed that he was right on where he thought she would be. And he hoped that she would go back to him.
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(Orlando: John F. Kennedy Airport)
"Welcome to Orlando, we hope that you have enjoyed your flight with us. Please feel free to ask our stewardists any questions you may have and thank you for flying American Airlines." The lady on the speaker said as Kaitlyn quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and took her bag out of the overhead compartment.
She wanted to get off the plane quickly since she wanted to get to where she wanted to go before the sun rose. She walked out of the terminal and saw a peak of light lay on the sleeping city. She walked out of the airport and hailed a cab. About 5 minutes later, she jumped into the cab and gave the driver directions to her apartment. She wanted to drop off all her luggage at her apartment then go to where she wanted to go.
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(on the plane)
Justin had been sitting awake in his seat while everyone else on the plane was fast asleep. It was about 2 in the morning and he still hadn't slept. He was thinking about where he thought Kaitlyn would be and how he thought she would be there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I love the ocean Justin. How could you think I wouldn't love being here?" Kaitlyn said dreamily.
"Well I'm glad sweetness. I know once we go on tour we won't be able to do stuff like this anymore." Justin said smiling at her.
"Yeah, but just the thought of seeing the country with you guys is so exciting."
"Yeah, it is." Justin said kicking at some of the beach sand.
"It feels kinda weird being the only two people on a beach this beautiful at 4 in the morning." Kaitlyn said sitting down on a little mound of sand.
"Yeah, well you just have to watch that beautiful big sun rise over that ocean and set on the clouds. You'll understand what I mean. Look, it's already starting." Justin next to her and pointed out the little light that was showing through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
"You know what?" Kaitlyn said keeping her eyes on the sunrise.
"What?" Justin said staring at her complexion intently.
"If I ever needed a place to runaway to, this would be it....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~end of flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justin thought of how beautiful Kaitlyn looked in the morning light that day. He rested his head comfortably on the pillow and dosed off to sleep.
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"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have now reached Orlando, Florida. Thank you for flying United Airlines, please visit us again."
Justin woke up with the sudden jolt of the plane parking in the terminal spot. He stood up and stretched then took his bag and walked out of the gate. He had had a car ready for thanks to Lance who had called into a friend in Orlando. Justin looked up at the dark sky and looked at his watch. 5:10am, about 15 more minutes until sunrise.
"Get me to the beach as fast as you can."
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Kaitlyn had gotten there about 10 minutes earlier and already she was upset once more about what had happened the whole night. She wondered what Justin was doing, probably sleeping. what he was dreaming about, what he had felt after she had just run out on him. She was so caught up on all the feelings she felt inside that she didn't notice someone walk up behind her.
"Someone once told me that if they ever needed a place to run away to, this would be it..."
* * * * *