Chapter 8
"Oh Lord no! Don't show him those! Do you not like him or something?" Ashley asked as they sat down on the couch. Justin looked at her puzzled.
"Photo albums from when Jake and I were kids....that's blackmail right there..." She groaned and tried to close the album Jake was handing to Justin. Jake just laughed and handed the book to Justin, who smiled evily at Ashley before opening the book.
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and red faces from both Jake and Ashley. It seemed Jake had forgotten that he was also in that album, and Ashley made the bast of that situation. Justin felt at ease now. They all treated him normally, and they accepted him for Justin...not Justin Timberlake of *NSYNC. It was nice and relaxing to be himself, and share baby stories instead of talking about the album or something like that.
After the album had been gone through, Ashley said it was time to leave, and dragged him out the door. He asked her why and she said it was becuase after the albums meant home movies and slide shows, Maybe some other time.
After saying goodbye, and Justin getting an invitation to come back again, the two got into his car, and drove back toward Ashley's house.
"Well, that went well." Justin said smiling.
"Yea...it did. I'm glad you came, and now I don't have to worrie about my mom coming to check up on me, to see how i'm with." They both laughed, and then Justin said,
"She just loves you, and wants you to be safe....hey Jim told me that you write songs and stuff, and that you're really into music, why didn't you ever tell me?" He said, glancing at Ashley.
"First off, if I had told you you would have thought 'she's just using me to get to the music business' and don't say you wouldn't have, because you would. Plus, i don't write for show, I write for me. And I stopped with music after....." She stopped talking to take a deep breath.
"After your dad left?" Justin said softly. She turned to look at him and gave a weak smile.
"Jim told you a lot didn't he...yes. After my dad left. I'm going to visit him this weekend. I havent had a chance to see him since we moved." She stated sadly.
"Does he ever come see you?" Justin was shocked to think that her father had just left her alone, without coming to visit.
"He's always with me...Justin, my father's dead." She turned and saw the shocked expression on his face.
"I...I'm sorry." He stuttered. "I had no idea...I"
"Don't be sorry. I never told you. I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me. It happened, and I miss him like you wouldn't believe, but there's nothing I can do to make him come back....I" She was about to say more, but stopped, and Justin didn't question her becuase it wasn't his place to.
The rest of the ride was in silence. Justin saw tears stream down Ashley's face, so he placed his hand on her knee. This time she didn't remove it, instead she grabbed it and held on tightly. Justin was fighting tears himself. He could feel the emotion that she was exuding and it scared him. He had never lost his father. His parents had divorced, but his father was still very much apart of his life. He just held Ashley's hand, and silently said a prayer for her well being.
After they arrived at Ashley's, they silently entered the appartment together. Justin sat Ashley down at her table, and got her a drink from the fridge.
"I'll be back...I have and headache, I need advil." She said. A few minutes later she was back in the kitchen, sitting down in a chair beside Justin.
"This yours?" Justin held up a red note book Ashley recognized right away.
"Yea, that's my song book. All my poems and songs are in there....did you read it?" She asked cautiously.
"No...only the poem it was open to...can I read some?" He watched her think it over.
"Yea, sure. I mean, there not anything to call home about. Just don't get the wrong idea, I mostly write when I'm upset, so those are mostly morbid, but I'm not usually like that." Ashley explained as Justin walked to the living room. He motioned for Ashley to sit with him on the couch, and he started to read.
He was shocked as his eyes fed his mind the words, and his brain digested them. They were some of the saddest things he had ever heard. Most of the poems were about heartache, and they touched him. He was glad she let him read the poems, becuase he know felt like he had discovered another part of her soul. Something that she didn't often show, but he saw it, and they could share in that now. He finished reading and looked up at Ashley who had watched him intently throughout his reading. He smiled and leaned over and gave her a big hug.
"What was that for?" She said, leaning back.
"That was for all the heartache you've been put through, and that was promising that I would never cause you such pain. Never." With that, he kissed her. Not passionately, but promisingly. Telling her through body language that he would protect her, and she believed him. Just as they we're both getting into the kiss, the phone rang.
Ashley let out a sigh"Hold that thought..."
Justin watched as she picked up the phone and he listened to her side of the conversation.
"Hello...Hey!....oh, no. No that's ok....I can't, I only have this weekend off....yea, the studio....no, that's ok, I'm a big girl now....really. No I doubt it.....whatever....yea, yea.....I'm fine, really....yes, you did....ok, whatever....yea, I love you too....uh huh....bye!" She hung up the phone and sat with Justin again.
"Who was that." He asked, pulling her to him so her back was to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Jake...we were suposed to go to visit my dad's grave this weekend, but he had to cancle. So I'll just have to go alone. I can't get any other weekend, becuase of the dance studio, but that's ok...I'll be fine." She sighed, and rested her head on his shoulder and chest.
"I'll go with you. I don't want you to be alone....please?" He whispered into her ear.
"I'd love that, but don't you have things to do? I mean, with *NSYNC and stuff?"
"Nope...this is our week off. I have to go back tuesday, but I'm free until then." He rested his chin on her shoulder and she placed her cheek against his.
"Alright. I didn't want to be alone anyways. You probably wont need security either. Only to take you to the airport and pick you up. I lived in a town full of older people and kids who like punk. You'll be fine." Justin wasn't so sure but at that point he didn't care. He just felt like he needed to be with Ashley as much as possible. He could feel something looming in the distance. Something evil, and he had the feeling it was heading straight for Ashley....if only he knew how right he was.
Chapter 9
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