Looking back, he had to admit that it was true. He had been an arrogant, pompous, egotistical jerk on more than one occasion. In fact, it was rare that he wasn't.
He'd changed since then, all right. He'd changed quite a bit. He'd done as she suggested, he'd grown up, he'd started putting other people in front of him, and he'd realized that he was not invicible and not everyone loved him.
He was sure he was annoying the living crap out of his band-mates with his constant let's-go-the-mature-route attitude and always being cheerful and basically being the perfect all-around guy, but he couldn't care less. He was the perfect guy. Everything was beautiful. But beautiful is empty.
But he wasn't happy. There was only one thing that would make him happy, and it was the one thing money couldn't buy and he couldn't just say "I'm Justin Timberlake of *N Sync" to get it.
He wanted her. He wanted Mandi. He knew she was the one who'd yelled those harsh words at him 18 months ago, breaking his heart in half. He also knew that she was the one for him. She had a happy smile, beautiful, innocent-looking eyes, the most adorable dimple he'd ever seen in her left cheek, a tinkling laugh, generous personality, and the biggest heart he'd ever come into contact with.
She had been his girlfriend from when he was sixteen to the day of his eighteenth birthday party, when she had dumped him in the beautiful split-level house they shared. She had been trying to tell him something, and he kept telling her to "hold on, we'll talk tomorrow, honey" and she had continued trying.
"Can't you wait until tomorrow to tell me about your day, Christ Jesus!" He'd snapped at her.
"Can't you get your priorities straight enough to realize your family comes before your work?" She's screamed, in front of everyone. "Don't you care about anyone but yourself? Why can't you just grow up?! I was trying to tell you something that would change your life, and I am telling you something that will change your life now! Only not the same thing. What I'm telling you now is it's over. Don't ever talk to me again! You are the most arrogant, pompous, egotistical jerk I've ever met!"
She had then stomped to the bedroom, just off of the livingroom, leaving the door wide open as she pulled out suitcases and began packing, throwing clothes, pictures, knick-knacks, everything that was hers, into her bags.
Justin stood on the steps going from the livingroom to the kitchen, stunned, staring at her with tears filling his eyes.
As she came down the stairs into the lowered livingroom, two suitcases in hand, his voice returned. "Baby..."
She turned and gave him a look that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Every single time he closed his eyes, he would see it.
All the guests filed slowly out after her except Lance, JC, Chris, and Joey. They looked at him curiously and he looked pointedly at the door.
JC nodded. "Ok," He grinned. "See ya tomorrow at dance rehearsal, ok?"
Justin nodded miserably. As they filed out, he looked around and saw a blanket of hers that she left behind and he wrapped up in it on the couch. He lay there, numb, until the sun rose.
Justin rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling of the livingroom, which had been decorated with mirrors. He had no idea why, it had been like that when he bought it. He stared at his reflection, and decided it would be a good idea to take a shower and put on some clean clothes.
As Justin stood in the shower, the numbness returned as he remembered the many times he'd take a shower while Mandi did her make-up and hair, playfully blaming him for the mirror fogging up.
Justin finally turned the water off, reached out, grabbed a towel, dried off and stepped out. The reality of it all hit him when he received no happy, giggly, cheerful girl beam up at him and say, "Mornin', Sexy," with a light kiss on his lips. All he saw was an empty bathroom with an old tube of mascara on the counter.
Justin shook his head and realized he was on the bus with tears filling his eyes. He looked around at his four friends, who were all staring at him, and said, "I'm gonna find her. I have to find her."
JC, Chris, Joey, and Lance all stared at him, mouths wide open.
JC nodded. "We have a week off, starting in ten minutes, go for it."
Justin looked up. "What did she mean by my family? We weren't married..."
JC looked at him slowly. "Go find her. Just...Just go find her."
Justin stared. "You know something, don't you?"
JC turned his head away. "Find her, Justin. Doesn't matter if you talk to her, but at least find her." He turned and walked away.
Justin looked at Chris, Lance, and Joey. They all shrugged.