This couldn't be happening.
There was no way that this had become his reality. Never in his dreams did he think that the mistake of a lifetime would follow him. And refuse to let him forget.
But alas, here he was. Sitting in his car across from the woman he loved as she stared at him with confusion written across her delicate features, while the woman he wished he could forget; the one he never should have known, taunted him through the phone in his hands.
It was hard to keep his features emotionless. No matter what, he couldn't let Erin see the fear and nervousness he felt. Instead, he kept his attention on the road ahead of him, trying his best to concentrate on his driving.
Trystans sick, menacing laugh floated through the phone and into Justins ear. He had to fight the urge to cringe at the sound.
"Ah, I see," she said, her voice easily showing her smile. "You are speechless." Again, her evil laugh teased him. "Didn't realize I was that good of a photographer, did you? Well, maybe you would have if you hadn't just pushed me aside like you did. Maybe you would have realized a lot of things about me. But, you didn't bother. You didn't bother to take the time to get to know me. Instead, you rush off on your merry way and back to her." She spat out the last word, and Justins stomach churned at the tone.
"You know, Justin," she continued. "It was kind of fun watching you at the store that day. I saw you approach that woman, thinking it was me. I know you saw me in that isle. At first, I thought about coming up to you. Letting you know that I was there. But I'm actually glad I didn't. It was much more fun watching you grab strangers thinking it was me. Watching the confused and scared look on your face." Again, she laughed. "It was kind of thrilling to know I had such an impact on you."
There was silence for a moment, when neither said a word. Trystan waited for some sort of reply from Justin, while he sat still, his mind processing her words, his fears rising with each breath he took.
"Who is it?" Erin whispered quietly at his side.
Turning to look at her, Justin grew nervous. He had to give her some sort of explanation.
Blurting out the first name that came to his head, he mouthed the name "Landon" back to her. She nodded, but her eyes stayed on him. Her intense glare made him cautious, as he turned his eyes back to the road.
Trystans annoyed sigh brought him back to the phone.
"Listen, Justin," she said, her annoyance clear. "I know you cant really say much right now because she is in the car with you. Heaven forbid she should know who you are really talking to, huh? Who did you say it was? One of the guys? Your mom?" Her grin grew with each name she rhymed off. "The woman you had sex with?"
Her last words, caused a jump in his body, the car jerking to the side quickly. Erin reached out to her sides, steadying herself as the car swerved on the road. Quickly, Justin reached his other hand out, the phone between two fingers as he steadied the car back in his lane.
"What the hell?" Erin asked, her eyes wide.
Justin ignored her, bringing the phone back to his ear. He was greeted by Trystans laughter.
"Caught you off guard, there, huh?" she teased. "What's the matter? Don't like to hear the truth? Like it or not, Justin, it did happen." There was a short silence, before Trystan got to the point of her call. "Okay, here is the deal. I want you to meet with me tomorrow."
"I cant." he said, finally finding his voice.
"You cant?" she repeated. "Hmm, that's interesting. You seem to have taken that statement as a request, rather than a demand. You will meet with me tomorrow, Justin. I know how nervous you have been lately. The store wasn't the first time Ive watched you."
Justins palms began to sweat, his hand sliding easily along the steering wheel as he tried to keep the car on the road.
"I know that you have been thinking of me. Of how I got your number. How I got Erins number."
Justin immediately looked to Erin, who was still watching him. How did Trystan even know her name?
"You're probably even thinking right now, how do I know her name?"
Justin felt ill.
"But she is not the issue here, Justin. At least not right now. We have a few things to discuss, and I want to discuss them soon. There is no avoiding it. There is no postponing it. Tomorrow, you will meet with me. You may have said all you wanted to say that day in Orlando, but I haven't had the chance to say what I want to say. But I will. I will say everything I want to say, and you will listen. I'm sure you want to talk to me, too. You want to know a lot, I'm sure. I know you better than you think I do. I know that you have probably been agonizing over a million questions since that morning I called your home. Now, this meeting will be a chance for both of us to get some things out in the open. You can ask your questions, and I will get to set a few things straight."
Justin didn't know what to do. Yes, it was true that he did want to know a lot. Why she was still in town? Why she was doing this? So many things, he was going to have to write it all down so not to forget anything.
But that didn't mean he wanted to meet with her. That was the last thing he wanted. He never wanted to see her again, and thought that his wish was coming true. More than once, he had thought he had seen the last of Trystan Michaels. But each time, she had found some way back into his world.
"Understood?" she asked, her voice commanding.
Justin swallowed hard, before nodding. "Yes."
"Good," she replied, her smile obvious. "Tomorrow. Three o'clock. Meet me at 2569 Olsen street. Don't be late."
"Okay."
"Good boy." she taunted, the thought of her evil grin making Justin sick to his stomach. "See you then, Justin."
He kept the phone pressed to his ear for a few moments after he heard her phone hang up. Slowly, he pulled the phone from his ear, closing it gently before setting it on the seat beside Erin who was still watching him.
"What did Landon want?"
Justin looked over to her for a moment, his thoughts confused. Landon? Thankfully, he remembered what she meant.
"Oh, nothing." he said, shrugging as he looked back to the road. "Just wanted to borrow something."
Erin looked at Justin for a moment, her eyes narrowing at him. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes fixated on the highway.
"I mean, you're acting strange. You look pale, you're fidgeting, which you only do when your nervous, and you look like your going to be sick. What's wrong?"
Justin looked at her, and almost told her the truth. About the night in New York. About missing her so much it made him sick, forcing him to leave the confines of his hotel room, only to end up making the biggest mistake of his life. About the meeting in Cleveland. The concert. About Trystan showing up at the sound check in Orlando. And about the reasons behind everything strange that had been happening in the last few weeks.
But instead, he grinned at her. Reaching his hand out to hers, he linked his fingers with hers, pulling her hand to his lips.
"I'm fine." he said softly before kissing her hand again. "Nothing is wrong."
Erin looked at him uncertainly for a moment, before squeezing his hand tightly. Turning her attention back to the window, Justin held her hand as if it was his only source of strength or comfort.
Because at that moment, it was.
"Aw, no, Joey! For fuck sake, don't do that again!" Chris' scream rang through the house, the laughter of the others quickly following in behind. "How the hell can that smell come out of one person?"
"Talent, my elderly friend," Joey teased, patting Chris on the head. "Just plain, simple, talent."
"Yeah, that and the few hundred pounds of chili he ate for lunch." Lance interjected, laughing at Chris' face.
The room continued to laugh around him, as Justin stared ahead blankly.
They had driven the rest of the way to Joeys in silence. Justin had been able to subside Erins worries for the moment, but he knew that if things continued the way they had been, that he wouldn't be able to dismiss her concern for long. She had a way about her for knowing when something was wrong with him. Sometimes even before he knew it himself, she knew that something wasn't right.
And she was getting more and more suspicious each day.
Arriving at Joeys, Justin had almost made himself sick at the thought of having to see Trystan the next day. After the initial greetings with the rest of the guys, who were all already there, Justin excused himself and quickly made his way to the washroom.
Locking the door behind him, Justin hung over the toilet. Kneeling down, he felt the cool porcelain beneath his hands as he rested his hands on the side. His knees dug hard into the tiled floor, his forehead sweating.
Breathing heavily, he kept telling himself that it was all a dream. This wasn't real, and it wasn't his reality.
Things like this didn't happen in real life. Not like this. This was the kind of thing that only happened in the movies, and soon, the movie would be over and he would wake up. Wake up to Erin at his side, smiling and peaceful.
Lifting his head, he closed his eyes and he continued to breath heavily. Small beads of sweat slid down his face, falling down his neck and onto his shoulders. Leaning back on his heels. he ran his hands over his face.
He had to fix this. Somehow, he had to end this now. He would meet with her tomorrow, and no matter what it took, he was going to end this secret horror that had become his life.
Composing himself, he returned to find everyone in the living room, fighting over Joeys continuous flatulence.
Taking his seat next to Erin on a small love seat, he tried to push all thoughts to the back of his mind. For tonight, all he would think about was his friends, and the woman he loved more than life itself. He would deal with the problems of his life later, and not let them continue to consume him the way they had been.
That plan had worked for less than fifteen minutes.
Now, everyone was scattered around the house. Joey and Chris sat across the room from Justin, as they fought over Joeys farts. Lance lay on the floor, stretched out in front of the TV.
JC and Erin were in the kitchen, ordering the pizza that Joey had forgotten to order, and putting chips and popcorn into bowls.
Justins eyes were glazed over as he stared ahead mindlessly.
What was going to happen tomorrow? Was this all going to end? After allowing her to say whatever it was she felt was so important that she had to practically stalk him to get his attention, would she feel better and let him continue his life?
Or would she be unsatisfied with his answers to whatever questions she had, and still not allow him to let go? Would she haunt and follow him in his life forever, never allowing him to move on and live a life free of the reminders of his mistake?
Lifting his eyes to Chris and Joey, who were now wresting on the couch across from him, he shook his head.
Tomorrow at this time, he would have some sort of idea as to what was going to happen.
Tomorrow, would answer everything.
