You Made Me Love You

By:  Lara

"No. No, Lancey. No way." Lara walked into Lance’s house, talking over her shoulder. She dumped his groceries on his dining room table and turned to glare at him.

"Hello, there are eggs in there!" Lance rescued the carton and quickly checked to make sure they weren’t broken. "Lara, this is perfect. What better time to tell him than on his birthday?"

"Number one, Lance, he’s Justin Timberlake. He could have anyone in the world. Why would he want dumb old me? Number two, it’s his TWENTIETH birthday. He’s like a little over eight years younger than I am. Number three, he’s basically my best friend next to you. Number four…he’s Justin Timberlake." Lara sat down with a sigh, staring at the celery stalks in her hand. "I can’t."

"Honey, you need to tell him." Lance took the celery from her and held her hands in his. "You’ve had these feeling for what, months now? How many…three? Four?"

"Four and then some…since your Labor Day picnic," she answered softly. "You knew all this time? How?"

"Who knows you better than me, except maybe Justin? It was so obvious. You are totally in love with him, and you have to tell him."

"He’ll hate me."

"Impossible."

"He’ll laugh at me."

"Most doubtful."

"He won’t want me?"

"What’s not to want?" Lance cupped her face in his hands and kissed her nose. "You are wonderful. Amazing. Smart. Sexy. Fun."

"Remind me again why you dumped me then."

Lance raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t dump you. We…"

"I know. We decided it was for the best to just be friends," Lara finished, referring to their short-lived romance of six months. "I just don’t know, Lance. And what do I say? I didn’t want to love you, but you made me, and now I’m totally in love with you?"

"It’s a start," Lance said, a sly grin on his face.

"I think you should tell her," JC said to Justin as they hung decorations in their large living room. "Just take her by the hand and say…"

"Lara…I love you. You’re my best friend and this could jeopardize every part of that, but I love you. I know I’ve been a dick in the past sometimes, acting like I didn’t even want to hang out with you, but it was all because I didn’t want you to know my true feelings. Yeah, JC, that will go over GREAT!" Justin said, blowing up a balloon and then releasing it to fly around the room.

"I didn’t mean for you to be THAT brutally honest, doofus," JC said, rescuing the balloon and blowing it up again. He tied the end and eyed the room before strategically taping it to a lamp. "I’m gonna stay over at Becky’s tonight so you guys can be alone after the party. We’ll herd everyone out around eleven and then you can tell her."

"I can’t." Justin sat down on the sofa and played with a streamer. "She’s way older than me…I’m just a kid. That’s fine for a friend, but not for a boyfriend. And she’s so smart and down to earth. What in the world would she want with someone who lives our life?"

"J, listen to me. You are a great guy. You guys are so damned close already the only thing you HAVEN’T done together is get horizontal."

"You’re disgusting," Justin said, trying to act offended. It didn’t work.

"You’ve never thought about it? Never thought about kissing her…and doing more?" JC said, laughing.

"Of course not," Justin said, though he couldn’t keep the smile from his own face.

"Okay, here’s the deal. You love her. I bet she’d be into hearing that and perhaps acting on it. You tell her tonight or you’re outta here."

"WHAT?" Justin yelled.

"Yes." JC nodded slowly. "You tell Lara your feelings or I’m kicking your ass out on the street. My name is on the lease, not yours, so I have the right."

"Some friend," Justin muttered as he stomped off to his room. He slammed the door and fell onto the bed. He stared at the ceiling and tried to think of the right words to say to Lara when he saw her that evening.

"Happy birthday, Justin," Lara said politely, kissing his cheek when she saw him in the living room. The party was already in full swing. She had just arrived with Lance and his girlfriend, Shelley.

"Thanks. Wow. You look fantastic," Justin said, eyeing up her short black skirt and dark blue top.

"Thank you," Lara said, blushing. She went off to mingle so Justin could great his other guests, but his eyes did not leave her for most of the evening.

When it came time to have his cake, Lara helped light his candles. She giggled at all the teasing Justin got. He smiled and laughed, though he pretended to be hurt. She loved seeing him as the center of attention. He just seemed to radiate. "Okay, J, make a GOOD wish," JC yelled. Justin gave him a glare that was NOT joking. He closed his eyes, made his wish and carefully blew out his candles.

Lara watched his eyes close, watched those lips she loved turn into a pucker as they blew out the candles. She sighed, wondering what he had wished for. She knew what she was wishing for and it wasn’t even her birthday.

Justin sat down and opened his presents. The pile was large and it took almost an hour. Some were true gifts, but others were gag gifts that caused a lot of hooting and giggling. Lara took pictures for him. She had given him her gift the day before, a grey sweater that seemed to make his eyes bluer than humanly possible. He was wearing it that night, and it made her proud that he had liked her gift so much.

"Okay, that’s all the gifts. Thanks so much you guys! You spoil me," Justin said, beaming his beautiful smile around the room.

"Wait. There is one more gift," Lance said, looking at Lara.

"Lancey, no," Lara whispered.

"Where?" Justin searched around him on the sofa. "I opened everything here."

"This isn’t an opening kinda gift." Lance shoved Lara into the middle of the room. "Do it."

"What’s going on?" Justin looked at Lara curiously. "Is this some joke?"

"No, no joke," Lara said quickly. "But I don’t think…"

"Do it or else I will," Lance whispered. She gave him a look chock full of hatred before turning to look at Justin.

"Um…well…this was Lance’s idea…but it’s my gift and…well…dammit," Lara sighed, clenching her hands into fists. "Might as well get it over with." Her blue eyes met Justin’s and he smiled at her encouragingly.

"You made me love you…I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to do it," she sang softly. Justin’s eyes widened and Lance poked her.

"LOUDER," he said softly. The other members of NSYNC stared at her. They knew she could sing fairly well but she never did it in public.

"You made me want you…and all the time you knew it. I guess you always knew it." Lara gained courage and sang a bit louder. "You made me happy sometimes…you made me glad. But there were times dear…you made me feel so bad." She glanced at Lance out of the corner of her eye and he gave her the thumbs up. After that, however, her eyes were only on Justin. "You made me sigh for I didn’t want to tell ya, I didn’t want to tell ya…I want some love that’s true, yes I do ‘deed I do you know I do." Lara’s fingernails bit into her palms as she made herself finish. "Give me give me what I cry for…You know you’ve got the brand of kisses that I’d die for…you know you made me…love you." Everyone applauded and cheered and Lara blushed furiously. Justin just stared at her. He clapped but did not smile. Lara’s eyes filled with tears and she hurried from the room.

When Lance came to find her she was cleaning up the food in the kitchen. "JC is kicking everyone out so you guys can talk," he said softly. "You did great. Wonderful."

"That was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, Lance? Why the HELL did I let you talk me into that," Lara said, tears streaming down her face. "Did you see the look on his face? He was embarrassed. He hates me now!"

"He doesn’t hate you, honey," Lance said, trying to hug her. She pushed him away.

"Lance, everyone else is gone," Shelley said softly from the doorway. "You okay, Lara?"

"No, but that’s nothing uncommon," she said with a sniff. "Thanks, Shel."

"Let’s go, Lance," Shelley said. "Call me tomorrow, Lara."

"Okay." Lara turned back to her cleaning.

She was up to her elbows in dishes when Justin came into the kitchen. He was carrying a garbage bag full of soda cans. He let it fall to the floor and she jumped. "Sorry," he said. "I didn’t mean to scare you."

"It’s okay," Lara said softly, turning back to her dishes. "These are almost done and then I’ll go."

"You don’t have to," he said quickly.

"Well, I know you hate doing dishes and it’s your birthday, so…"

"No, I mean you don’t have to go," Justin said. He walked over to her and stood behind her. She wiped off her hands and turned around. "You sounded so good. I forgot how well you sing."

"Hardly," she said, and blushed a bit. "It was dumb. Lance made me do it and…"

"Why that song?" Justin interrupted. "I mean, that’s an old song, isn’t it? Why that one? Why not happy birthday or something?"

"I…well…" Lara’s eyes filled with tears again. She couldn’t tell him…couldn’t risk seeing that look on his face again.

"I was shocked," Justin admitted finally. "Those words…they were EXACTLY what I was feeling."

"Huh?" Lara was confused.

"JC told me I had to say this or he’ll kick me out, so here I go," Justin said, taking a deep breath. "I love you. I mean, I’ve always loved you as a friend, but I’m IN love with you. I have been for a while now."

"You’re what?" Lara whispered.

"See? I TOLD him that you wouldn’t be interested! That I was dumb and young and you wouldn’t be interested. DAMMIT!" Justin punched the counter.

"No, wait, Justin, quiet, please," Lara begged. "Did you just say you’re in love with me?"

"Yes, Lara. And then you sang that song, and it was just what I felt. You totally made me fall for you when I wasn’t expecting it. And when you sang it I thought that maybe you…that you felt…"

Lara giggled through her tears as she caressed Justin’s face. "I do…I do, Justin. Lance made me sing it for you because it’s EXACTLY how I feel and he knew it. I DO love you…you made me love YOU!"

"You mean…wow…" Justin gasped, his smile brightening his face. "I love you, Lara."

"I love you, too, Justin!" She giggled again. He wrapped her in his arms and gently kissed her. She sighed against him and the kiss intensified.

"What was the line about the kisses again?" Justin asked breathlessly.

"Give me give me what I cry for," she began, and smiled as Justin wiped one of her tears away with his thumb. "You know you’ve got the brand of kisses that I’d die for…"

"Exactly," Justin whispered, kissing her once more.

The End

 

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