Before she knew it, she was standing in front of his door. It looked huge to her at that moment. The same door she had walked through a million times before. She same door she shut Joey in one night to keep him from attacking her and throwing her in the pool, only to have him push, sliding her across the floor in a feeble attempt at resistance, grab her and succeed in his mission.
She smiled at the memory. They were her family. She loved each and every one of them, and would do anything for them. Just as they would for her.
Taking a deep breath, Lauren closed her eyes, raised her hand like she had many times already, and before she had a chance to lose her nerve, knocked on the door. She didn't know why she knocked. She knew it wasn't locked. JC never locked the door when he was home, and his car was in the driveway.
'What the hell am I doing? I cant go in there like this! What am I supposed to tell him? ........Oh hey, JC, Jimmy just beat the hell out of me, and for some reason I came over here.......Whatever, Lauren' she mentally scolded herself.
Just as she was about to turn and leave, the door swung open. There stood Justin, leaning his arm against the doorframe, with the famous Timberlake grin plastered across his face.
"Well, hey there Pebble. What? Did you forget how to just walk into the house? You should know how by now, after seeing me do it for so long" Justin joked, his smile widening.
The mention of his nickname for her made her smile to herself. He had been calling her that ever since she had begun to play basketball with him. The first time they played together, she had been so bad that he could only stand and stare at her. He didn't know what to say. He had never seen anyone so bad. After a few moments, he started laughing hysterically, leaving Lauren standing there with her hands on her hips, looking at him like he was insane.
"What? Just because I'm not as good at shooting the rock as you, you think you can laugh at me!"
"Whoa, Lauren, careful! You almost sounded hip there for a second! Did you hurt yourself?" Justin mocked, "The 'rock', eh? Girl, I shoot the rock......you couldn't even shoot the pebble!"
Ever since that day, he had called her Pebble, a secret joke between the two of them, mocking her nonexistent basketball skills. The others would ask from time to time what the nick-name meant, only to have Justin laugh, and Lauren hit him.
Since that day, she had gotten better. Pretty good, actually. Although Justin would never actually admit it, because that would mean he would have to admit that she didnt suck, and he wasnt about to do that.
"Hey Justin. Sorry, I didn't know you were over here. You guys are probably busy, so Ill go." Lauren turned to walk away, but Justin wasn't having that. He grabbed her from behind, picked her off the ground, and stalked into the house with her. Placing her gently on the floor in the foyer, he laughed "Oh jeez, girl, you know I practically live here. And we're never busy! All us guys are over here just hanging out. Brits here, too, so you girls and talk hair, makeup, whatever girls talk about." flailing his hand dramatically.
Lauren could hear the familiar voices coming from the living room. It was music to her ears. They were always so happy and always goofing off.
"Hey, you cheated! Get off my side of the road!" Joeys voiced yelled through the house. Obvious, he and Chris were playing video games. Chris was notorious for cheating, so she knew who Joey was playing against without having to see.
"Hey, what happened to your lip?" Justin asked after closing the door. He raised a hand to gently touch the small split in Lauren lip.
"Huh? Oh, I slipped in the bathroom, and hit my chin on the floor. Split my lip in the process. I'm so graceful, aren't I?"
Justin was going to question her, but thought the better of it..
Justin headed back towards the living room, before turning to find Lauren still rooted in place. She was acting rather strange, but oh well, Justin was one to talk about being strange.
"Com'on, get your butt in here before I send Joey after you"
"Who am I after?" Joeys voice called.
"Lauren. She's standing here like a dweeb" Justin answered, pulling on Laurens arm until she entered the filled living room.
Inside that one room, were 6 of the most cherished people in her life. She was lucky that she still had her ability to trust people, even with what she went through in her relationship. Some people lost all ability to trust after being through what she had, but Lauren was lucky, and had found people she could really rely on. And these were them.
Joey and Chris were parked in front of the TV, eyes glued to the set, playing some sort of car race game. They waved at Lauren, without turning their heads. Heaven forbid they should lose their concentration. Lance sat in one of the plush chairs right inside the door of the room, he turned and smiled at Lauren as she entered. Britney and JC were sitting on either end of the long beige couch that sat against the closest wall. Justin had obviously been between them before coming to answer the door, because there was popcorn all over that area of the couch.
"Hey, baby!" JC stood to hug his best friend. Lauren winced slightly as his arms pressed against her bruised back, but JC didnt notice. "What's up? Whoa, what happened to your lip?"
"She fell the in bathroom" Justin answered before Lauren had the chance, he was already making his way back to his spot on the couch.
"Its nothing, don't worry about it. Sorry, I didn't know you were having everyone over or I would have called first."
"Don't be silly, you're acting like your intruding or something" JC pulled Lauren down on the couch with him. She quickly hugged Britney, before Justin was able to plop back into his space, placing the bowl of popcorn back in his lap. Kernels fell on his front as he missed his mouth in an attempt to throw them in. 'He is such a smooth one', she thought as she watched Justin try and look under his butt for the missing popcorn. 'I wonder if his fans would still worship him if they saw this picture?'
"So, what are you up to?" Britney asked, while picking the popcorn off her shirt that had flown from Justins feeble attempts at being cool.
"Nothing much. Just needed to get away for a little while."
"Well, there's no better place to get away than here! Why else do you think we're always here!" Joey didn't even turn from the TV as he spoke.
"You okay? You seem a little tense." JCs concern for her obvious in his voice. He slid his arm across the back of the couch, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired I guess" Lauren replied, immediately dismissing his concern.
"Hey! Chris, I don't think so! Its my turn after you, now step away from the controller before I'm forced to hurt you!" Justin yelled, attempting to jump across the coffee table that separated him from his prey, only to have his foot catch on the edge, sending him face-first into the floor.
"Oh, you're so smooth, Lake. Can I be like you when I grow up?" Lance said, the sarcasm shining right through.
"Shut Up!" was the only reply Justin came back with. He stood up, dusted himself off, and tried to act cool. "I meant to do that"
"Sure you did, Lake, tell yourself that enough and you may actually convince someone"
Ignoring Lances comment, Justin turned back to Chris. "You're really pushing your limits here, Chris! Don't make me have to open a can of whoop-ass! And since none of you offered Lauren a drink, I guess its my gentlemanly nature to the rescue" Justin said, walking out of the room with as much dignity as he could muster after that little episode. As soon as he left the room, everyone got quite a laugh at Justins expense. Even Lauren. They never ceased to cheer her up, even when they weren't even trying. Britney rose to go help Justin, taking several of the glasses that scattered the room with her to refill, exiting through the door on her side of the couch. There were two doors to the living room, which is why Justin liked it. Made it harder for someone to hide from him.
Lauren turned to JC, her back to the door Britney exited from. "So, what's new with you?" She may as well try and act normal.
"Nothing much. We've got the next two weeks off, so we're loving every minute of it. Then we have to start recording. So for now, we're just hanging out, as you can see." JC answered, raising his arm out to the others in the room to make his point.
Lauren was about to continue, when she heard Justin behind her.
"Oh my God, Lauren! What's wrong with your back?"
Her eyes went wide with the realization of what Justin had said. She could see JCs curious stare, so she quickly did her best to cover "I told you, I fell in the bathroom"
"Yeah, but you hit your chin on the floor. Why would your back be bruised like that if you fell face first?" Damn him! He just had to be logical this once!
Lauren knew she shouldn't have come. Or at least she should have put on a more covering shirt. The sheer light material in the shirt she wore would easily show the damage done, but she had exactly been thinking clearly when she left. Thank God she was wearing jeans, and not shorts.
"Its nothing, Justin." she said firmly, turning to him. The look in her eyes pleaded with him to let it go.
She felt JCs soft hands touch her back at the hem of her shirt. Lauren turned quickly, attempting to stop him, but he was not to be refused. "Lauren, let me see." She had never heard that tone in his voice before. It was firm, but still in control. It scared Lauren a little, for some reason.
With the whole room directing their gaze at her, she knew it was pointless to fight. They knew. She knew they knew. And fighting would only make it worse.
Lauren dropped her eyes, unable to meet JCs gaze, and slowly turned her back to him. Gently, almost as if he was scared to break her, he lifted the back of her light, white shirt. Not too far, just enough to get a good enough view of what he had known had been happening.
"Jesus," Joey whispered, almost inaudibly.
Lauren raised her eyes to look at Justin. The concern and anger in his eyes scared her. If he looked like this, she could only imagine what JC looked like. He was always very protective of her for some reason.
Just as gently as he had raised it, JC lowered the back of Laurens shirt. She slowly turned to face him, but still did not meet his eyes. She knew if she looked at him, he would know everything. She knew he already knew, but she wasn't quite ready to give him that kind of confirmation. He had always been too good at reading her, and she knew he would read right into her at that moment.
Reluctantly, she raised her head slightly, still looking down, until she managed the courage to look up at him.
His look surprised her. It was almost unreadable. No anger. No confusion. Nothing. That was not a good sign. JC had always been one to show his emotions quite clearly, so Lauren knew that this was definitely a bad sign.
"Tell me what happened" JCs voice completely calm and in control.
Lauren looked back down to her hands, and begun to fumble with a piece of popcorn on the couch. JC took her hands, forcing her to look at him. His look was softer, coaxing her to let it all out. "Tell me" he said softly.
And with a sigh, Lauren let it all out. Everything. How Jimmy had gone out that night with yet another one of his little tramps, came home where Lauren asked him where he had been. He then proceeded to scream at her, asking why he should have to answer to her. Then, with a deep breath, she told them how he had beaten her up. "He just hit me a couple times, and and pushed me around a little." she said, trying to down play the events.
"What about the scratches?" JC asked, still too calm for Laurens liking.
"Um, he kind of threw me over the couch. My back scraped against the armrest, I guess."
Lauren was doing her best to make it sound less serious than it was. Unsuccessfully, however.
Britney had reentered the room just as Lauren had begun her confession. She stood, hand over her mouth, shocked that anyone could do something like that to Lauren. Or to anyone, for that matter.
"Its not a big deal, really." Lauren tried to make it seem like she was alright, but her voice was shaky.
"He's the reason you've had the bruises in the past, isn't he?" It was Justin that asked the question this time. Lauren could only nod. She lowered her eyes to the floor, determined to keep them there.
The room was quiet for what seemed like ages. Was no one going to say anything? Even if it was to yell and blame her for what happened, anything was better than this silence.
The silence was broken by the sound of JC rising from the couch. Letting go of Laurens small, trembling hands, he turned, and calmly walked out of the room. Everyone else just stood there, not knowing what to do. Not knowing what to feel. Until they heard the front door slam. Then they all felt the same emotion; fear. They all knew where JC was going, and Lauren was terrified.
"Oh God. JC!" Lauren yelled, rising quickly from the couch, heading for the door. Lance stood just as quickly, grabbing her and holding her close. "No, Lauren, you cant go back there."
"But I cant let him go! Lance, for Christ sake, you know where hes going!" Laurens screams were frantic now.
"But you cant go back." Lances voice staying calm, he gently ran his hand over the back of her head comfortingly.
"Justin, you and Joey go after him. Stop him before he does something stupid." Britney took control of the situation. Lord knows the guys werent going to be much help. They all stood there with the stupidest looks on their faces.
Without a word, Justin and Joey raced from the room, seconds later the door shut, signally them in pursuit of JC.
Britney calmly walked over to Lauren, who was crying now. For the first time that night, she was crying. "Sshhhh......they'll catch up to him. Don't worry."
"But you saw him! He was furious! I've never seen him that way! He was too calm, and you know how he is! JC is not the calm type, which only means hes going to freak!" Lauren could only hyperventilate the words out.
"Com'on, lets get you upstairs. Ill clean up your back, and you can rest. Justin and Joey will catch up to him, I promise." Britney reassured Lauren, and she took her from Lances comforting hold, leading her upstairs to JCs room. Britney gave Lance and Chris a sweet smile to ease their fears, before turning to head up the stairs. The guys could only stare at the door where the two girls had left.
Britney knew Justin and Joey would catch up to JC, but would it be too late? She had known him a long time, and had never seen him that way. It scared her. She knew how much Lauren meant to JC, and that he would defend her with his life without a second thought. That devotion was sometimes blinding, and JC had a tendency to act out emotions before thinking. She just hoped this wouldn't be one of those times.
