Krysti stormed into Symone’s room, slamming the door shut behind her. “How could you!” She yelled, not noticing Symone was curled up in bed, sobbing. Symone stared at Krysti, her eyes red and puffy, nose swollen and face blotchy.

“What else did I do?” Symone asked sarcastically, sniffling.

You kissed Lance right in front of me and you knew how much I like him!” Krysti was so angry; she still hadn’t noticed her friend’s condition. Symone burst into a fresh round of tears, which Krysti noticed.

“Oh God, Symmy, I’m so sorry!” Krysti threw herself onto the bed and hugged Symone. “I know you were probably just doing it to make Justin mad, and it wasn’t really anything big and I didn’t mean to make you cry!”

Symone sobbed for a few more minutes, before being able to speak. “It’s not that, I knew you would get over it, its--its him!” Symone said.

“Justin?”

“Yes! He canceled our date.” Now instead of crying, Symone was getting angry. “Why can’t he just take it like a man that he lost and get over it?! And I had to do something to get him to play. Why can’t he at least keep his word?!” Symone shouted to the walls. After she had calmed down and resumed normal breathing, then phone rang.

Krysti reached over and picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Symone?”

“No, may I ask who’s calling?”

“It’s Justin.” Silence.

“What do you want?” Krysti asked coldly. Symone started at her, a pretty good guess of who is was.

“Justin?” Symone mouthed. Krysti nodded.

“I wanted to speak to Symone. I want to re-schedule our date for tonight. I’m sorry about canceling it.”

“Hold on.” Krysti pushed the hold button and turned to Symone. “He says he’s sorry for being a whiney-assed wimp boy and is begging you to go out with him tonight.”

Symone laughed. She knew he probably hadn’t really said that, but she knew the effort her best friend was putting in to make her feel better.

“I really don’t care, and you can tell him that! He had every opportunity to keep his promise, and he turned out to be a prick. He couldn’t pay me to go out with him now!” Symone’s brief moment of levity was now gone, and she was back to being pissed. Krysti clicked the Hold button again, and began to talk to Justin. Symone didn’t intend on listening to more relayed messages, so she decided to go inside and get herself a drink. As she was reaching into the ‘fridge, the doorbell rang, startling her. She quickly grabbed her Dr. Pepper, and headed into the foyer. ‘Watch it be Ian or Al…That’s all I need, I look like crap right now.’ Her hair was messily pulled up into a bun, and her eyes were still bloodshot. She was wearing an oversized, well worn Yankees shirt, and little else. She turned the locks as the doorbell rang again. “Chill out, I’m coming!” She threw the door open, and when she saw who was on the other side, the cold can she was holding slipped from her grasp. ‘What in the hell is he doing here?’

“Um, hi.”

“Save it, Justin. I really don’t care. You had every right to cancel, and I’ve accepted it.” Symone cut him off, and tried to believe her own words, though tears were threatening.

“Yeah. To tell you the truth, I’m not too sure why I’m here.” Justin nonchalantly replied.

“You are such an egomaniac! Do you seriously think you are God’s gift?” Symone was shocked. She expected him to beg and plead for forgiveness. Instead he was acting like a self-centered bastard.

“Listen, I promised Terri that I would take you out, and I’m here to keep my promise.” Justin sighed out, seemingly annoyed.

“OH! So you keep your promises to Terri?” Symone asked, sarcasm dripping from her words.

“She doesn’t lie to me and stab me in the back!” He shot at her.

“Get over it Justin! What did I do to you that was so terrible?” ‘Besides kick your butt at basketball’ she said in her mind, containing the smile that wanted to creep onto her face by setting her jaw, her lips in a straight line.

“Do I have you spell it out for you? Y-O-U L-I-E-D!”

“About a stupid basketball game! It’s not like I conveniently forgot to tell you I have a kid or something!” Symone shouted.

“Whatever! I was raised to believe that a lie is a lie, no matter what.” Justin said matter-of-factly, staring down at her.

“Oh, OK Jim! I see how it is Mr. I-Never Dated-Britney-The Silicone Princess-Spears! Why is it that you can and I can’t?” She was mad, and the whole neighborhood probably knew.

“Those lies didn’t hurt anybody!” he claimed.

“And my saying I had important plans did? Please, get off your high horse! You need a serious reality check!”

“You also lied about liking Lance. He told me you said you liked me and only kissed him to make me jealous. Is that true? Or are you just really a little slut?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he closed it tightly, and then let it hang open, obviously surprised at what had come from it.

Tears had begun to spill from Symone’s eyes, uncontrollably now. She could not believe he had said that to her.

He started to speak. “Oh my gosh, I-“

“SHUT THE HELL UP TIMBERLAKE! NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER COME NEAR ME AGAIN!” She slammed the door in his face, and banged her head against it. ‘He called me a slut!’ “What a jerk!” Symone yelled, a little softer this time.

Krysti had just entered the house and saw her best friend slumped against the front door, obviously sobbing.

“What’s wrong? Who was that?” Krysti asked, pointing at the already secured entrance.

Symone continued to cry, and attempted to tell her what had transpired moments earlier. It took almost an hour of Krysti rubbing her back and soothing her before the whole story came out. Krysti was furious that Justin had treated Symone in that fashion. “Don’t worry Sym. You will never have to see him again.” She said angrily.

Symone nodded, but her mind was reeling. ‘Do I want to have him out of my life forever? Could I handle that?’ It was a question that went unanswered.