Chapter Nine

Justin jerked the car to a stop. His car was stopped right in front of JC's house. He knew JC wasn't home yet, and he was still livid. He looked up and saw a dim lighted window. That must be Gina's window, he thought, sighing. He needed to talk to someone. He might as well talk to Gina. She would understand and maybe give him some advice.

"Easy access," he muttered, looking at the trellis. It had a few vines covering it, but he figured that it wouldn't stop him. I don't want to wake JC's folks, thought Justin. He got out of his car quietly and ran over to the side of the house. Then he started climbing the trellis. "Oh, no!" he hissed as it wobbled. "I'm going to break a few bones tonight!"

He reached the top, which was right next to the window. Then he started peering into the window sneakily to see whose room it was. Gina's room! he thought. He saw her lying on her bed reading a book. He knocked on her window softly and whispered her name. "Gina!" Justin hissed.

Gina obviously didn't hear him. She yawned as she flipped to the next page of the book. "Gina, look out your window," Justin said through clenched teeth. "Gina!" he shouted again.

Gina glanced his way quickly, then did a double take. She screamed with widened eyes as she saw Justin. Justin flinched and the trellis started to shake again. He lost his balance and his foot slipped. "Oh, shit. Oh, shit!" he cursed, trying to find a big enough hole for his foot to slip in.

Gina rushed to her window and grabbed his left arm. "I've got you!" she said quickly, pulling Justin towards the inside with all her might. Justin's feet dangled as he tried to balance himself. Gina pulled him up. It was working. He pushed on the trellis and his body slipped inside her window. Justin fell on top of Gina clumsily and they both fell onto the floor.

He stood up quickly, embarrassed. "Thanks," he replied, sticking out his hand to help her up.

Gina took his hand and he pulled her up. "Are you all right?" asked Gina worriedly. "Do you have any cuts or anything?"

"I'm fine," Justin persuaded. He looked around her room. "Wow, your room is clean!"

"Justin, I have a question. Why are you here?" Gina was completely puzzled and she walked back to her bed.

"Oh, um…" Justin didn't know how to tell her. "Well, you see, I got back from this party-"

"Would it happen to be the same one JC went to?"

"Yeah," Justin responded, trying to keep his voice even. "I saw your cousin there."

"Okay. Go on." Gina sat down on the bed and Justin joined her.

"Okay, anyway, I left early because I wasn't feeling good. And I thought that since you weren't there, you'd be here," explained Justin. "And I really need someone to talk to," he added. "I was hoping that you'd listen to my problem."

Gina nodded understandingly. "Sure," she replied with a smile. "I'll listen."

"Thanks," Justin replied gratefully, sighing in relief. "I just need advice right now," he told her. "It would help me out a lot, even though I'm not telling my guy friend. Whatever advice you have, please tell me."

"All right," said Gina. "What's up?"

"Okay," Justin began. "It's like this. There's this girl." "Is she your girlfriend?" Gina inquired, praying that she wasn't. Please let him be single! she begged.

"Um, sorta." He looked tentative. "I guess you could say that." Damn! Gina thought miserably. I thought he was single! He has a girlfriend. I am going to shoot myself right now. "Okay," Gina replied. "Go on."

"She was at the party," continued Justin. "But, her ex was there too. He was trying to hit on her. That really pissed me off."

"Jeez, her ex has issues," remarked Gina with a disgusted look.

Justin smirked. Little do you know that you're dissing your cousin! he thought, stifling a laugh. "Well, I didn't like it one bit," he said. "Also, her ex-boyfriend happens to be a friend of mine. And I overheard them talking about their past relationship. They broke up not too long ago. I'm mad 'cause my girlfriend's ex is trying to steal her back." He let out a sigh.

"Wow," said Gina, shocked. She looked at Justin. "Are you absolutely, positively sure that he's trying to win her back?"

Justin nodded. "I'm sure of it," he said. "I heard him tell her that he still loves her and wants to get back with her."

"And what did your girlfriend tell him?"

"Well, I kind of interrupted them there," responded Justin, "but she was pale in the face. She looked like she was really scared."

"Hmm," said Gina, pondering about the situation. "Well, would you like my opinion on this?" she asked him. He nodded. "Okay, well I think you should have a little talk with your girlfriend and get things straight. You should find out the relationship they're having right now, which is probably nothing, but she should tell you the truth. After all, she is your girlfriend."

Justin blinked. "Whoa, you should be a psychiatrist or somethin'!" he drawled, impressed. He grinned. "What other advice can you give me, Dr. Gina?"

Gina snickered. "Well, as for her ex…If he really is trying to win her back and he knows that she is taken, he is wrong to do that!" she protested. "He really is scum if he hitting on her. If I were her, I'd tell the bastard off!"

Classic, thought Justin. She just called her own cousin a bastard! He nodded appreciatively. "Thank you for the great advice," he told her sincerely. He meant it. He would have a talk with Jana, and they would clear things up and things would be back to normal. As for JC, he wouldn't be talking to him for a while. Well, not at least until he cooled down. "I hope JC-oops I mean-uh, he stays away from her…" Justin flushed bright pink.

"Wait, did I just hear the name JC?" Gina's eyes widened. "The jerk is JC? That's impossible! He wouldn't do that." "Well, he did," Justin argued. "I didn't think he was like that either. But I heard everything he said to her."

Gina's face looked sickened. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't believe that JC would try to steal his ex-girlfriend back. I have heard about this girl," she told Justin. "This girl dumped JC, and she ripped his apology letter!"

"Why did she dump him?" questioned Justin, now confused.

"I am not sure," Gina told him. "I know JC did something, and then she just got all pissed off and blew their relationship off. How irrational." She rolled her eyes in disapproval.

"Oh," said Justin. Okay, this is getting weirder and weirder, he thought. Jana broke up with JC because of something that he did. What could he have done to hurt her? Justin rethought the situation. Who would come between JC and Jana for them to break them apart? Was it another person? Or was it something else? Then it hit him. Britney. Was she the reason? Jana and JC had been tense in the car that night they went out. JC and Britney were going out. Jana punched Britney. JC had told Britney that it was over between them. Justin had heard JC demand why she had lied to Jana.

"I can't believe I cheated on her with you," JC had said to Britney furiously. Her was Jana. It made sense. That was possibly the reason why they had broken up. JC didn't deserve Jana one bit!

"I know why they broke up," Justin blurted out. Gina looked at him. "I do," he said, sure of it. "JC cheated on my girlfriend with some girl," he told Gina.

"Really?" Gina asked. "Why would he do that?"

"That I don't know," said Justin. "No offense Gina, but I don't think your cousin deserves Jana."

"Oh, well I don't know anymore," said Gina. "I just don't like the idea of her being so irrational towards my cousin-and burning his letter!" She fell back on her bed, exhausted. Then she sprung up again. "Oh my gosh, my face!" she squealed, touching it. "How does it look?"

"Normal," Justin answered with a smirk. "Why?"

"I-it's not red or anything?" she asked him.

"No," Justin told her slowly. "Why would it be red? Overload on the blush?"

Gina shot him a look. "No, silly," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I, um, hurt myself today," she said, not wanting to tell him the real reason why her face was red. He would probably laugh at her.

"You're okay, right?"

"Yes."

Justin looked at her and smiled. It was nice having a friend. Gina looked so cute in her baby blue doll nightgown. She looked cute, but sensual at the same time. And baby blue happened to be his favorite color. "You look really nice tonight," he told her.

"Uh, thanks," she replied, feeling the hotness in the room. Her cheeks were burning. Was that a compliment? Or a pick up line? Gina wondered, hoping it was both. "So do you. I like your leather jacket." She touched his sleeve. "It's cute."

"Not as cute as you," he teased, not realizing what situation he was getting himself into. He felt the urge to kiss her and make out at that moment. He was a faithful boyfriend, but this was too hard to resist. "Uh, is anyone home?"

"Nope," said Gina. "I'm home alone. JC's parents and my mom aren't getting home until past midnight." "Oh, okay." Justin inched closer to Gina. Hormones, freaking hormones…! thought Justin tensely.

"Justin, are you a bad boy?" Gina asked with a laugh. "I know it's a silly question, but I want to know." Gina felt his arms slip around her. She felt herself being pulled down on the bed, and Justin was kissing her tenderly. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. "You can't tell anyone that we're doing this," Justin whispered huskily into her ear. Gina nodded and kissed him back, not caring about anything else in the world.