Elation.
That was the only word that could adequately describe how he was feeling at this moment.
Complete, unmistakable, elation.
Justin knew that there was still much to be done to correct the situation he found himself in. It wasn't over. Not by a long shot. And he knew that the simple conversation had between himself and Erin only an hour ago was nowhere near the end of the subject, but it was a start. It was the hardest part, he felt, and now it was in the past.
He wasn't sure if she would ever talk to him again. He hope, and deep down figured she would. But really, he wasn't completely confident.
She was so angry, rightfully so, and he wouldn't blame her if she never forgave him.
But she had talked to him. Yes, she had yet to forgive him. That would probably take a long, long time in coming, if it ever happened, but at least it was a start. He had gone to her and they had broken the ice to the hardest thing they would probably ever face together.
The wind floated gently into the car through the open window at his left as Justin drove down the quiet highway. It was early afternoon, the workday still in progress. There were not many cars on the road at this time of day, and Justin took the chance to relax for what seemed like the first time in forever.
He usually loved to drive, but lately had felt stressed in everything he did. This was the first break he had had since his life was turned upside down. And although it was only a small step, and certainly not the last obstacle, he took pleasure in knowing that his risk of going to talk to Erin turned out in his favor.
They stood in her office for a long time. Neither saying a word or moving. Erins face was buried deep in Justins chest, while his arms remained tightly wrapped around her slender frame. Resting his cheek on the top of her head, Justin sighed, breathing in the smell of her hair. It was a simple pleasure he hadn't been able to enjoy in an eternity.
Both of them would have loved to stay there forever. Even though they were in the middle of a busy office building, they both felt like they were in a world of their own. Protected from the outside by the four walls around them. No one could touch them. No one could hurt them. No one could come between them.
Their solitude was broken by the sound of a knock at the door. Pulling back slowly, Erin smiled gently up at Justin before stepping back and out of his arms.
They were both quiet for a moment, before Erin spoke. "I still need time, Justin." she said.
"I know." he agreed. "I'll give you whatever you need. I just needed to know that you would be coming back to me."
"Of course I am." she smiled. "But I have a lot of thinking to do. A lot of things I need to work out for myself before I can start to forgive you or rebuild a life with you."
Justin nodded in response, before another knock at the door broke their moment.
Sighing, Erin turned to face the door. "Come in."
The door opened to reveal a middle aged man, dressed in a dark blue suit. His thinning brown hair was laced with gray, his eyes tired. The man smiled at Justin before turning to Erin.
"Sorry to interrupt. But we need you in conference room B." he said, standing only a few steps in the door.
"Ill be there in a moment." she said, her business voice strong and in control.
The man nodded before smiling again at Justin and turning to leave. Closing the door behind him, the man left them alone in the room again.
Erin looked back at Justin before sighing quietly. "I have to get back to work." she said.
"Okay," he nodded. "Ill talk to you later." Leaning down, Justin placed a gentle kiss in Erins forehead. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes before stepping back, and turning towards the door.
Reaching the door, Justin pulled it open, pausing to look back at Erin who was still watching him.
"I'll do whatever it takes, Erin." he assured her, before stepping back through the door and into the hall. Closing the door behind him, Justin let out the first sigh of relief he had enjoyed in the last week.
Now, he was on his way home, a smile still pressed to his lips since leaving Erins office.
He had hoped that she would talk to him. That was his only real hope. But not only did she talk, she said more than he ever hoped she would. He figured he had lost her forever. He had never seen her as angry as he had that night, and wasn't sure their relationship would be able to withstand that anger, hurt and betrayal. But Landon was right. Time was all they needed to think and gain some sort of perspective.
Justin knew he was lucky. Erin could very well have taken that time to become more angry and hurt over what he did, therefore deciding not to be with him anymore. That she could never forgive him, and would rather end things now before she found herself hurt again.
He knew he was lucky that her thinking had taken the path it did. Because things could have turned out a lot differently.
Turning off the highway at his exit, Justin found his thoughts returning to Trystan.
He hated that even though he had yet to hear from her, she still had such an impact on him.
He knew Landon was right. He hadn't heard from her in a long time, but he knew that she was still around. She wasn't the type of girl to just walk away. Not after everything she had already said and done. If she was going to do that, she would have done it a long time ago, before things had gotten to this point.
She was still around. Somewhere. What she was doing, he had no idea, but he knew it wasn't something he was going to like.
Secretly he hoped she had given up. That she had returned to New York and let her obsession with him go. But he knew even hoping something like that was stupid and pointless.
He was her obsession. And obsessions rarely died.
His thoughts remained on Trystan as Justin neared his home. Pulling into his street, he found himself watching the houses on either side of him as he drove. Looking for any sign that Trystan may be hiding in the bushes.
He knew it was stupid. But he couldn't help it.
All this time, he was hoping for her to leave his life. To disappear without a trace. And now that she had, he found himself searching for her. Seeking her out.
He was a sick, sick man.
Pulling into his driveway, Justin smiled again as he thought of Erin.
He knew it would still he a long time before things were back where they once were. For her to be able to look at him the way she once had. But it would happen. Of that he had no doubt. All he had to do was wait, and he knew that she was the one thing he would wait for forever.
Parking the car in front of the garage, he turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. The air around him was warm and heavy, a light breeze the only relief from the mid day heat.
Sighing, Justin locked the car and turned towards the house. He took his time up the walkway, his eyes on his feet as he walked. Hands slid in his pockets, he wondered how things would be different in a month from now. Maybe two?
He found himself doing that more and more as he got older. When he was young, if he found himself in a situation he did not like, he would just think about how things would be different the next day. Or the next week. Somehow, that always made things seem a little less endless.
And yet again, all these years later, he found himself still doing it. Even more than he had when he was young.
Approaching his door, he rummaged in his pocket in search of his key. Finally finding it, he slid it into the lock, opening the door to his home.
Stepping inside, into the cool air conditioned foyer and out of the heat of the outside, Justin took a deep breath.
Walking into the house had a new feeling this time. Not one of endless worry. Not one of stress and concern and fear. This time, he had a sense of hope.
Justin tossed his keys onto the table inside the door, kicking his shoes off as his side. Running his hands over his face, he turned towards the kitchen.
Reaching the fridge, he pulled it open and leaned over to look inside in search of something. What, he didn't know. Finally settling on a bottle of Pepsi, he closed the door behind him as he turned back and exited the kitchen, opening the bottle as he walked.
Taking a long swig, Justin headed towards the living room.
Sitting on the couch, he looked to the phone at his side. A tiny light on the answering machine signaled a message. Leaning over to look closer, he realized he had three new messages.
"Jeez," he said aloud. "Ive only been gone a couple hours. Now everyone wants to talk to me?"
Scooting across the couch, Justin leaned on the armrest closest to the answering machine and reached over to push the button to listen to the new messages.
"Hey Justin, this is your mother." the first voice rang into the room. A smile came to Justins face. "Give me a call when you get in. Nothing important. Just wanted to check in. Love you."
A beep signaled the end of the first message and the beginning of the second.
"J, its me." Landons voice entered the room. "Just wanted to see if you wanted to do something today. I know your probably still wrapped up in your worrying, but hey, you gotta get out of that house, man. Remember what I said. Everything will work out. Give me a call."
Justin laughed. No matter what happened in his life, Landon always tried to make light of it. He hated it when Justin dwelled on things, and no matter how much they deserved to be dwelled on, he did whatever he could to make it seem less endless.
Another beep, before the final message.
"Hello Justin," the voice entered the room. Justins smile immediately fell. His heart beat increase, his hands claming. His eyes widened as he looked at the machine his a mixture of shock and disbelieve.
It couldn't be. Not after all this time.
He thought it was over. He thought she had left.
Apparently not.
"You thought I had forgotten about you, huh?" she said, her voice thick with sarcasm and taunting. "Aw, baby, how could I forget about you?" A sick and bitter laugh filled the room, sending a cold chill down Justins spine. "I know its been too long since we've talked. Ive been thinking about you a lot. So, what's new? Anything I should know about?" There was a short silence, and Justin knew damn well she knew everything that had happened. "Oh, I heard the funniest thing the other day. I heard that you finally had the balls to tell Erin the truth, and she left you!" Another laugh, stronger and more evil this time, echoed around him. "Well, I cant say I blame her. I mean, you did cheat on her Justin. You did lie and keep things from her. I mean, if only you had been honest about us from the beginning maybe you could have saved her some pain and heartache. But no. You had to try and fix things on your own. You had to try and convince yourself that we weren't meant to be together. That you would be able to make things stay the way they were. I guess now you know better, huh? We're meant to be, Justin. I know it, and soon enough you will to." Trystan was silent for a moment, and Justin wondered to himself what she was going to say next. Her voice was sickening to him, but he found himself wanting her to continue. To get to the point of her torment. "Erin knows it too, you know." she finally said. "She knows that we are meant to be. Isn't that right, Erin?" Justins eyes widened and he heard the phone being moved. A moment later, Erins terrified voice filled the room. "Justin!" Erin yelled, fear thick in her voice. "Help me!" That was all she said, before the phone was brought back to Trystan. "Now, that's not exactly what she was supposed to say." Trystan explained. "But she will. She'll admit it soon enough."
Justins heart was racing. His entire body shook with fear and disbelieve as he found himself hanging over the edge of the couch, hovering over the answering machine. As if getting any closer to the small black box would bring him closer to Erin.
"Hey, Justin. Why don't you come on down here. I'm sure you would love to help me show Erin the truth. Show her how wrong she was to think that you would actually want to be with her. After everything we have been through together. I think its only right for her to hear it from you. For you to be the one to finally end it. But hey, if you don't, I will."
Her voice changed in an instant, from playful taunting to evil hatred. Justins blood ran cold at the sound.
"All you have to do is find us." she said. "You need to come down here and break her heart. Break her heart like you broke mine that day. Think hard enough, and you'll know where we are. But you better hurry. We're not going to wait forever."
With that, a dial tone replaced Trystans voice in the room.
Justin couldn't believe what he had just heard. What he had just been forced to listen. What was now his reality yet again.
Only this time, it was more real and more horrible than he could ever have imagined.
This time, his worst fears were coming true. Trystan had Erin, and Justin knew without a doubt that she would stop at nothing to make her point.
But where were they? The place he broke her heart? What was that supposed to mean? In her eyes, that could be anywhere?
New York? No. It wasn't possible. There was no way for Trystan to have taken Erin there.
Cleveland? No. He was nothing but nice to her when they were there.
What did that leave?
Suddenly, it hit him. He knew where they were.
And he knew where he had to go.
