Five

Today I got the answer…and there’s a world of truth behind it…love is out there waiting somewhere…you just have to go and find it…

“Justin, what’s your problem?” Lance asked as he, JC and Justin piled into the back of a limo.  Joey and Chris were in another car behind them.  “You didn’t say three words the entire interview!”

“The words I wanted to say could NOT be spoken on the radio,” Justin growled, glaring at JC.

“What? What did I do now?”

“We are not talking about this here.  We’ll talk at Chris’ house.” Chris was ordering in a nice dinner for them as a way to relax after a week of interviews and appointments.

“Whatever,” JC mumbled, looking out the window.  Lance gave Justin a quizzical look, but Justin looked out the other window.

“I’m starving,” Joey announced as soon as they were in Chris’ front door.

“We’re not eating until Justin gets the bug out of his ass,” Lance said. Joey and Chris looked at him. “Trust me.”  Lance looked at Justin.  Justin took one look at JC and slammed him up against the wall of Lance’s foyer.

“Justin!”  Joey gasped.

“What the hell gives you the right to treat people like that, Jayce?” Justin snapped.

“Huh?”

“You think you can just breeze along, screw anyone you like, and then when someone actually says NO, you tell lies?”

“Oh…you’re talking about that waitress?” JC asked.

“You remember!”

“Of course I do. It’s rare anyone says no to ME,” JC said with a snotty smile.  Justin shook him so hard his head slapped against the wall.

“You lied about her, JC. You made her sound like some kind of cheap groupie, and she’s not! She’s a decent human being with feelings.”

“I don’t care,” JC said, and Justin realized that JC really didn’t care.  “There’s someone out there to take her place.”

“Good God, JC, what have you become?” Justin asked, slowly releasing JC.  “Are we all this bad?”

“I think so,” Lance said softly.  “At times.”

“That’s so wrong,” Justin whispered, stepping away from JC.

 

“I believe in love…I believe in love…love that’s real, love that’s strong, love that lives on and on…” Lara danced Harley around the room, singing with the Dixie Chicks. He meowed in protest but didn’t jump down.  “Yes, I…believe…in love…”

Someone rang the doorbell, and she blushed, as if the person could hear her.  She held Harley tighter and opened the door a crack. “Hi,” Justin Timberlake said.

“Hello.”

“Can I come in?”

Lara sighed and moved aside.  Harley jumped down and rubbed against Justin’s ankles.  “This is Harley.”

“Hey, Harley.  Great name.”  Justin picked Harley up and the cat purred contentedly.

“Traitor,” Lara mumbled.  “What can I do for you?”

“I need to ask you something.”

“Okay.”

“Would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow night?  A real date, dinner, the works.”

Lara stared at him. “Why?”

“Why? Because I like you a lot. Because I have fun with you. Because I jumped to conclusions based on what my jaded friend told me, conclusions that I now know were based on lies. And I want to start over the right way.”

Lara gulped. “But you’re Justin Timberlake.”

“Last time I checked.”

“You don’t go on dates with me. You go on dates with Britney Spears and Janet Jackson.”

“I USED to go on dates with Britney Spears, and that whole Janet Jackson thing wasn’t true,” Justin said.  “Are you turning me down?”

“I…no,” Lara said weakly.  Justin smiled his beautiful smile and stroked Harley’s fur.

“Good.  So…are you busy right now?”

“Um, no,” Lara said. “I was just trying to write.”

“Can I read it?”

“You want to read my work?”

“Sure.”  Justin pouted slightly. “I DO read, you know.”

“I know,” Lara said, shaking her head.  “Okay.  I have something printed out already. Take a seat.”

Justin flopped onto her sofa, and Harley climbed up on his lap.  Lara looked at them and sighed, turning so Justin couldn’t see the broad smile on her face.

I believe in love…I believe in love…Love that’s real…love that’s strong…love that lives on and on…yes, I believe in love…

The End 

“I Believe in Love” sung by the Dixie Chicks

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