The voice on the other end of the line surged through his brain repeating the awful words. "I'm watching you, angel. I know what you did last April. Don't think it won't come back to haunt you..."

"What is this guy trying to pull? An 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' rip-off? He's so unoriginal!!"

"Justin, this is serious. Stop making jokes!"

He chuckled softly and unraveled the cord from around his finger before circulation stopped, watching as the purple skin turned flesh colored again. "Sorry, Liv.", he sighed. "Listen, how many people know what happened that night?"

Her voice was silent for a minute as she thought. "It could be anybody. There's only seven people who know full detail, though. Do you think it could be one of them?"

"Who are the seven? The people who were in your car, Greg, and who else?"

"Well, you're the only other person I've told. My parents don't even know the FULL story."

He laughed. "You don't actually suspect ME do you?"

She was quiet. All Justin could hear was her breathing. "Olivia... you don't think it's me do you? Answer me."

"... well, no. Not really."

He sat upright in his bed, crossing his eyebrows. He scratched his head and stood up, pacing the room, going as far as the cord would let him. "What do you mean, 'not really'? Where does the 'really' come in? Look... there's gotta be something else. What about the nickname? Who calls you 'angel'?"

"There's been only one person to call me angel."

He sighed, relieved. "Well, great!! Who is he? It's probably him, then."

This time, she was so quiet he couldn't even hear her BREATHING. It took her a minute to respond, but when she did, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"You. You're the only person that's ever called me 'angel'."

(the next day, at Lance's apartment)

"She thinks it's ME, Lance! ME! How could she-- how could she THINK that!?", Justin yelled, while pacing through Lance's living room.

The four remaining guys of *NSYNC had returned to Orlando that morning, after a long three days in California without Justin. They had answered the question to where he was so many times, they were all ready to pounce on him for leaving.

"I mean...how could I be the one doing it? It doesn't make any SENSE!"

Lance sat on the end of the couch, watching Justin pace back and forth. It looked like he was watching a tennis match. "Look, Justin... just try to think of what could make her think that. Was there any references in any of the notes that could be directed from you?", he paused, and lowered his eyebrows. "And stop pacing, you're going to wear a hole in my carpet."

Justin huffed and sat down in a chair that faced a big TV. He stared at the black screen while he tried to think of possible reasons for her suspicion. "Well, yeah... um, I have called her angel before... but only like once or twice!! And, and... I'm one of the only few people that know what happened last April... but-but...", he sighed. "This isn't fair."

Lance scratched his throat and looked at Justin curiously. "Are you the one leaving her the notes?"

Justin's head shot up so fast, it was almost like he hadn't been looking down in the first place. His eyes were so wide, it looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets, and he looked at Lance as if he had lost his mind. His voice was strong and very defensive when he spoke. "WHAT!? NO, OF COURSE NOT!! HOW COULD YOU EVEN SAY THAT!?"

Lance shrugged and continued to look at him. "Well, I'm just putting the facts together. But I believe you, man."

"Lance, we have to find out who's doing this to her! She can't keep thinking it's ME all the time."

"Who else could it be?"

He put a hand to his chin and thought. "Her ex-boyfriend! It's gotta be him... or-or..." His head shot up again, but this time Lance swore he saw a light-bulb flashing rapidly above the blonde curls. "Of COURSE! You idiot, why didn't you think of this before!"

"What?"

Justin grabbed his jacket, and began to walk to the door, but stopped himself, walked back and stood so close to Lance their noses touched. His eyebrows merged together in warning. "Lance, I swear to God if you tell ANYBODY anything or everything I just told you today in reference to Olivia Jacobs, I will come hunt you down and kill you. Keep your big mouth SHUT."

Lance put a finger on his nose and pushed him away. "Yessir. While you're out, get some Altoids or something, because man, you've had one to many spices."

Justin rolled his eyes and ran out to his car, looking down the whole time to avoid anyone that might recognize him. He drove to Olivia's as fast as the speed limit would let him.

"It is not Brian.", she tightened her jaw and glared at him. "How can you make assumptions like that, Justin?"

He sighed in frustration and rubbed his forehead. "Look, I was just over Lance's house and we were trying to figure out who could be doing this, because I swear it's not me. I would never do --"

She held up a hand to interrupt him. "Whoa whoa whoa... you told Lance?"

He realized he blew it and a few beads of sweat popped out on his forehead. "Um...well.."

Olivia looked at him in disbelief, her eyes wide in fury. "How could you? I thought I could trust you!"

"You can!"

"No, Justin. Look, I didn't mind that you told your mom because she's an adult, but I barely even KNOW Lance or any of the other guys. I've met them maybe twice! For all I know, they could be in on your little games with your cruel little notes!"

His heart began to sink...deep into the pit of his stomach.

"First you come in here, telling me that one of my best friends is trying to stalk me, which I assume you did to throw me off so that I think it's not you. Then you tell all your idiot friends about my past? HOW DARE YOU!", her forehead was scrunched together and her eyes formed tiny slits. "I'll tell you why it's not Brian, Justin. He doesn't know what happened that night. You know, because I was foolish enough to trust you. I was stupid; I was blind and stupid. And to think that I was starting to fall for you....", she shook her head angrily as a tear escaped her angry eyes. "Get out. Leave me alone." She turned around, so she wouldn't have to see the pained look in his eyes and waited until she heard his footsteps fade away. She heard his low voice mumble "tell her I'm sorry" to her mother before the front door closed.

Tears began to cascade down her flushed cheeks and she slowly made her way to her bedroom window, pushed aside the curtains, and looked out to watch Justin. Rain had started to fall and it was at a steady pace now, hitting the ground like a shower of bullets. It pattered against the window sharply, getting louder every second.

Justin hadn't left yet. He was sitting on the curb, hidden from passing cars by his Mercedes, which was parked alongside the sidewalk. His elbows rested on his knees and his hands held his head up. Every so often, he would run his fingers through his hair, like he had just been dealt a set of disturbing "death" cards. He seemed oblivious to the rain, too. The droplets trickled down the back of his leather jacket. He didn't seem to care, though. His hundred-something dollar jacket was getting ruined, and he remained motionless.

Five minutes later, he finally stood up, took one look at her bedroom window where he knew she would be standing, and climbed in his car. The engine made a roar as it came to life and backing into her driveway to turn around, he drove out of sight. Liv touched the glass of her window and sighed, repeating her own words to herself: "And to think that I was starting to fall for you... ", she shook her head. "No, Liv. It's too late. You've already fallen for him."

She closed her eyes, which pushed the tears faster down her face. There was a flood around her, tissues were scattered around the room, and she was alone. Alone and scared.