TWIST OF FATE
By Kim
PART TWENTY-ONE
They guys packed their things and headed to the limo.
"I'm so excited about going home and relaxing for a whole week!" Lance said as he climbed in the limo with the other four guys.
"Me too. I can't wait to see Michelle!" Justin exclaimed.
"Here we go again." Joey sighed. "It's Michelle this, and Michelle that." He joked.
"Shut up man!"
"When are you going to Atlanta?" Joey asked.
"Me and JC are flying up there this weekend."
"I wanna go with you guys. I love Atlanta!" Lance said. Justin and JC told Lance that he could go with them as the limo pulled up to the front of the airport.
~*~*~*~
Even though it was the middle of November, it was a warm and sunny day in Orlando. Justin's parents picked him up at the airport and took him straight home. Justin realized how much he missed home as he walked into the house. After Justin had unpacked and gotten settled in, he called Trace, his best friend of 12 years.
"What's up man?" Justin said into the receiver when Trace answered.
"Hey Justin! Where are you at?" Trace asked.
"I'm here, in Orlando. We got a week off so I'll be here all week." Justin informed him.
"Hell yeah. I gotta go to work right now, but come up there later!" Justin agreed to meet Trace at his work later and they hung up the phone.
"Justin!" He heard his mom call from downstairs. Justin walked into the kitchen where his mom was talking on the phone. She hung up when she saw Justin coming.
"I'm fixing to go to the store. Do you wanna come?"
"Sure, I need to pick up a few things." Justin said.
They opened the garage door to find his Mercedez still parked where he left it. Justin ran his hand along the side of the car as he walked to the door to get in.
"I miss my car!" He whined to his mom.
"It's just a car Justin." Lynn reminded him as they climbed in and Justin started the engine.
~*~*~*~
Justin walked into the small arts and crafts store with his mom. A young girl immediately noticed it was him and rushed over to ask for an autograph. A few other woman came over to him and asked for them to sign something for their daughters at home. As Justin was signing a torn off piece of paper a mother had handed him, he heard a familiar voice call his name. He looked up to see Jessica standing by the door. She was bathed in sunlight from the window and looked more beautiful than ever. Her blonde hair shined from the sun and her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. Justin couldn't believe it was her. It had been almost a year since he last saw her.
"How are you?" She asked in a soft, angelic voice as she approached him. Justin had always loved her voice.
"I'm good." He answered, trying to sound calm. "How have you been?"
"Good." She answered. Justin could barely breath. All the pain and heartache she caused him came rushing back, along with the love he still had for her. He had pushed her out of his mind for so long, and now, here she was, standing right in front of him.
"When did you get in town?" She asked him.
"We got here yesterday afternoon. We have a week off from the tour."
"I've seen you on tv and read about you some. You guys seem like you're doing really well."
"Yeah we're doing great." He replied. They stood there for a minute just starring at each other before Justin asked, "my mom and I were about to grab a bite to eat. Do you wanna come along?"
"Sure," she agreed. Lynn came up and hugged Jessica, surprised to see her as well.
"Jess is gonna go eat with us," Justin informed Lynn as they left the shop.
"Actually, I'm gonna have to cancel on lunch. Sam just called and he needs me down at the office." Lynn told them regretfully. "I sent for the limo Justin, so you take the Mercedes and I'll see you at home later." She added. They said good bye and Justin turned to Jess.
"Still wanna go with just me?" He asked.
"Sure," she replied. "I know just the place."
~*~*~*~
Chris knocked on the door and waited for Dani to open it. Dani, his girlfriend, had no idea he was in town. He wanted to surprise her. Dani opened the door with a look of disbelief.
"Oh my god Chris! What are you doing here?" She exclaimed as she threw herself into his arms.
"Hey there." Chris said, returning her hug. "Missed me huh?"
"You bet I did!" Dani said smiling. "How come you didn't tell me you were coming you jerk." She said playfully shoving him.
"Cause I wanted to surprise you."
"Well, you did!" She replied.
"So you gonna invite me in or what?" Chris asked.
"Oh god, I'm sorry! Come in." Dani said as she moved back to let Chris in. Chris made his way to the couch where he sat down.
"Come here baby." Chris said, patting the seat beside him. Dani did as he requested and sat down beside him.
"I'm so happy you're here!" She told Chris. He moved closer and embraced her with a kiss.
"I'm happy I'm here too." He told her smiling.
~*~*~*~
Justin pulled into the parking lot of Selby's. Selby's was a hamburger joint that Justin and his old friends used to hang out at all the time. Jess grabbed a booth while Justin ordered their food. He came to the table with 2 hamburgers, 2 fries, and 2 sodas.
"I haven't been here in so long." Justin said as he sat down and bit into his hamburger.
"Yeah, it's been a while." Jess added. Justin realized, as he watched Jess eat, that he was still in love with her. He felt so great being with her again. It was as if nothing had changed between them.
He thought about Michelle. He loved Michelle very much, and she was really great, but he couldn't help the way he felt about Jess. They have been through so much together. She was his first love.
"What are you thinking about?" Jessica asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Nothing much." he lied.
"Remember when we used to sit up here for hours, making plans for when we would get married and how many kids we were going to have?" Jessica asked laughing.
"Yeah," Justin said remembering the long talks they used to have about their future together. "Who would have guessed it would turn out the way it did?" He added, as he looked at her with sorrow in his eyes.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you..." She began.
"Let's not talk about it," Justin interrupted. "It's in the past, so let's keep it there."
Jessica nodded her head and didn't say another word about it. As they finished eating, Justin told her all about the tour and what was new in his life, and she did the same.
"I better get home." Jessica said, not wanting to leave. "I told my mom I'd go to the store with her later."
"Yeah, I better get back home too." Justin said.
Justin took her back to her car and watched as she hopped out of his Mercedes.
"Wait!" he shouted after her. He knew he should just let her go and move on with his life, with Michelle, but he couldn't. "What are you doing tonight?" He asked.
"I don't have any plans. You could come over if you want. My parents would love to see you again." She said. "And so would I."
"You would?" He asked, surprised.
"Yes, I've missed you a lot Justin. I never forgot about you. There's been so many times I've wanted to call you, but I didn't know what to say."
He felt the same way. When Jessica first broke up with him, he prayed every night that she would call him and tell him she was wrong and wanted to be with him. But she never did.
"I'm glad you feel that way." He said as he smiled at her. He told her he would go over to her house later tonight, and with that, he drove away.
~*~*~*~
"Justin, Michelle's on the phone." Lynn shouted to Justin from the kitchen.
"Hey." Justin said as he picked up the phone. "What's up?"
"Nothing much. I was just missing you so I thought I'd call." I said sweetly into the phone.
"I miss you too baby." Justin said, feeling guilty. He really did miss Michelle. He was so confused. He loved Michelle, but at the same time he had so many mixed emotions about Jess.
"How was the concert last night? I asked.
"It was good." he replied.
"Are you ok?" I asked. "You're acting kind of strange."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I'm just really tired."
"That's ok. I'll let you go so you can get some rest. I'll talk to you soon."
"Ok, I'll call you later. Bye Michelle."
"Bye sweetie, have a good week."
"Thanks, you too."
~*~*~*~
Justin pulled his Mercedes into the driveway and turned off the engine. He had agreed to meet Jessica at her house at seven. He sat in his car thinking about Michelle. He was so confused. He knew he should be faithful to Michelle, but he couldn't resist seeing Jess again. He got out of the car and walked up to the door. He had been anticipating this moment all day. He rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.
"Well hello there, Justin!" Jim, Jessica's dad, said.
"Hi Mr. Jones." Justin answered as Jim stepped back to let him in.
"Is that Justin?" Cindy asked as she saw Justin. "Oh it's been so long, how are you hun?" Cindy was Jessica's mom and she had always been fond of Justin. Justin hugged Jim and Cindy and then asked where Jess was.
"Looking for me?" Jessica asked as she came around the corner. She looked stunning in her red t-shirt and tight blue jeans that showed off her near perfect body. She put her arm around Justin's waist and asked, "Are you hungry?"
"I'm starved!" he replied, happy to be in Jessica's house again. He had always loved coming to her house and he missed visiting with her parents.
Jessica led Justin to the kitchen where he found take out boxes of chinese food. Justin laughed. Jess's family had never been big on cooking. They got their food and went into the living room to watch tv and eat.
"Oh, I almost forgot something!" Jessica said, after she finished eating. She went to the kitchen and came back with two fortune cookies.
"You first." She told Justin, handing him a cookie.
Justin agreed and cracked open his cookie. He read it out loud to her. "An old girlfriend, who is still madly in love with you, will come back into your life and want to have sex with you tonight." Justin read aloud, grinning at Jess.
"Shut up, it doesn't say that!" Jess exclaimed.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Justin asked laughing.
"Come on, what does it really say?" Jess asked as she playfully pushed him.
"Ok, Ok, you caught me." He admitted. "It says "You will be faced with a difficult decision. Rely on a good friend's advice to help you through it."
"Hhmmm, I wonder what decision you're gonna have to make?" Jess said curiously. Justin knew exactly what the fortune was referring to. He had to choose between Jess and Michelle.
"So what does yours say?" Justin asked, changing the subject.
Opening her cookie, she read aloud, "Something you thought you had lost comes back to you. Don't make the same mistake again." Jess looked up into Justin's blue eyes searching for a reaction to what she had just read. She knew what that fortune meant. She loved Justin. She had never stopped loving him. And seeing him again, she realized she always will.
Justin returned her stare. "She is so beautiful," he thought to himself as Jess moved closer to him on the couch.
"I still love you Justin." Jess said as she leaned in to kiss him. Justin returned her kiss, not being able to pull away. He had prayed for this moment to happen for so long and now that it was finally happening, he couldn't resist. He thought about Michelle. He wondered where she was and what she was doing at this moment. He pulled away from his embrace with Jess and leaned back on the couch.
"What's wrong?" Jess asked. "Don't you still love me?"
"I will always love you," Justin began. "But I have something I have to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I have a girlfriend Jess. We've been together for about four months and I love her very much." He told her honestly. Justin saw the look of pain in Jessica's eyes. Even though she hurt him in the past, he didn't want to make her feel the pain that he felt.
"I'm happy for you," Jessica said, smiling at Justin. She was trying so hard not to look upset, even though she felt her heart breaking inside.
"I know I should have told you earlier," Justin admitted. "I just hadn't seen you in so long and there was never a right time, you know?"
"It's ok, really. I didn't expect you to stay single forever. You're a great guy and you deserve to be happy."
Justin looked into her eyes and could tell she was upset. He had always been able to see her true emotion just by looking in her eyes.
"I better get going." Justin said as he stood up to leave.
"Already? You just got here." Jess said, pleading for him to stay.
"I'm sorry Jess, but I gotta go."
Jessica walked him to the door and watched as he walked out to his car. He turned around and smiled at her before getting inside.
"Bye Justin." She said to herself as he drove off down the street.
PART TWENTY-TWO
Dani woke up in Chris's arms and smiled. It had been two months since they last saw each other and she missed him terribly. She thought back to the day at the photo shoot, the day they met. Her boss told her at the last minute that she had to organize a photo shoot for a music group. She arrived at the photo shoot first thing that morning to find five guys waiting for her. She introduced herself and told them what they needed to do. As she watched the guys pose for the camera, she couldn't take her eyes off Chris. She remembered thinking how cute he looked and how goofy he acted. She had always been attracted to funny guys and Chris was definitely that. After the shoot was over, Chris asked her if she wanted to go out sometime.
She thought back to their first date. He took her to a nice Italian restaurant and to a movie. They laughed all night long and she had the best time. It was that night that she knew she was going to love Chris for the rest of her life.
It has been 2 years now and they are still going strong. Dani watched Chris as he slept peacefully next to her. She hated that he was always on the road and sometimes she wished she could just drop everything and go with him. But she knew she couldn't. She had a job and friends here in Orlando and her life was here. She is very understanding about Chris's career, which is probably why their relationship works so well.
Chris stirred and opened his eyes to find Dani watching him.
"You know I hate when you do that!" Chris said sleepily, when he caught Dani watching him.
"I can't help it. I just can't take my eyes off you." Dani said, kissing him on the forehead.
"Yeah, I know. I am a pretty handsome guy." Chris joked.
"Don't get too cocky now." Dani teased. "You're not that good looking."
Chris stuck his bottom lip out and pretended to be hurt by her comment.
"I'm just playing baby!" Dani admitted. "You know I think you're the most gorgeous guy in the world!"
"Yeah I know. I just like to hear you say it." Chris said, grinning. Come on, let's go get some breakfast. I'm starving!"
~*~*~*~
Justin woke up to the smell of pancakes. He sleepily walked downstairs and into the kitchen where Lynn was cooking.
"What's for breakfast?" Justin asked, grabbing the orange juice out of the fridge.
"Pancakes and sausage!" Lynn announced. "And don't say you'd rather have cereal!" She added laughing.
"What's wrong with cereal?"
"Nothing is wrong with it. I am just trying to get you to eat something for breakfast besides cereal for a change!" Lynn replied.
Justin grabbed a sausage patty off the plate and bit into it.
"So how did it go with Jess last night?"
Justin groaned. "Oh mom, I'm so confused. Jess wants me back but I don't know how I feel about her. I still love her but I love Michelle as well."
"Don't worry sweetie," Lynn said, hugging Justin. "Everything will work out fine."
"I know. I just don't want to hurt anyone." Justin added.
"If you want my opinion, I think you should stay with Michelle. She is really good at handling the long distance thing and we both know how Jess feels about you traveling all the time." Lynn said as she handed Justin a plate of pancakes and sausage. "Here you go. Eat and you'll feel better."
Justin did as he was told and hungrily ate everything on his plate.
"I'm stuffed." He announced as he stood up to go take a shower.
After he finished getting ready, he walked downstairs in his dark Tommy jeans and a red and white Tommy shirt.
"Bye mom. I'm going to Trace's for a while. I'll be back later."
"Bye sweetie! Have fun!" Lynn called out as Justin shut the door to leave.
~*~*~*~
"Man, I don't know what to tell ya." Trace said. Justin had just told his best friend about his dilemma with Michelle and Jess. "I can't believe Jess kissed you." Trace added.
"I know. It shocked me too."
"I think you should forget about her. She was a bitch to you when you started going out of town a lot. All she ever did was bitch at you for not being able to give her all your attention."
"I know. But it was hard for her. She just missed me, that's all."
"Screw that. She started seeing Todd before the two of y'all even broke up. I haven't met Michelle, but she sounds really sweet. Not to mention how in love you sound when you talk about her."
Justin agreed. Trace always had a way of bringing Justin back to his senses. Michelle was great and he loved her and wanted to be with her. Jess had her chance and she blew it.
"So what are we gonna do tonight?" Justin asked, changing the subject.
"Well, Brian's parents are out of town so he's throwing a party. Everyone is supposed to be there."
"Cool, let's go then." Justin decided. Trace agreed and they made plans to meet back up around 9:00 p.m. to go to the party.
~*~*~*~
Justin ran the hair gel through his hair and styled it with his fingers. He walked to his closet and pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a baby blue jersey. He put on his white Niki's with a baby blue stripe across sides and headed downstairs. He told his mom goodnight and headed off to Trace's house in his Mercedes.
As he pulled into the driveway, he honked the horn. Trace came out a few seconds later, carrying a Bud Light can.
"Drinking already?" Justin asked as Trace climbed in the car.
"You know it!" Trace replied grinning.
Justin pulled into the circle drive and parked the car.
"We're is everyone at?" He asked, noticing no other cars in the driveway.
"Oh yeah. Brian is making everyone park in the back so the neighbor's won't complain."
"Oh, Ok." Justin said as he drove around to the back of the house.
They got out and opened the back gate. There were at least 20 people in the backyard standing around drinking and laughing.
"Wow. Brian sure knows how to throw a party!" Justin said as they made their way inside the house. Once inside, Justin noticed at least 30 more people were there. They grabbed a beer from the kitchen and walked around.
Everyone was surprised to see Justin there and a few people, that weren't friends with him, even asked for autographs. Justin spotted Amber, one of his good friends, and made his way across the living room to where she was standing.
"Hey there." Justin said as he snuck up behind her.
"Justin! Oh my god, what are you doing here?" She shouted as she hugged him.
"Just in town visiting!" He replied, hugging her back.
"Wow! Long time no see!" They talked about old times and Amber introduced him to more people at the party that he didn't know. Justin had drank quiet a few beers and was starting to feel a strong buzz.
"Come on man, they're having a drinking contest in the kitchen." Trace told Justin. "Let's go show em how it's done!"
Justin followed Trace to the kitchen and got in on the race. Justin and Trace shot gunned their beers and Justin won, downing his in 7 seconds.
"Damn, you've been working on that!" Trace commented after they finished.
Laughing, Justin joked, "Nah, I don't need practice. It comes natural."
Justin turned around to go back to the living room and spotted Jessica. She had on shiny, black pants with a shiny, white top.
"Wow," Justin thought, noticing how great she looked. Jess saw Justin and began to walk towards him.
"Well hi there." She said, smiling. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Yeah, surprise." Justin said. He was drunk at this point and slurring his words. "Do you wanna get some air?" He asked.
"Sure," she replied as Justin took her hand and led her outside.
"Pretty wild party, huh?" Jessica asked, trying to make conversation.
"Yep. Brian always did know how to throw a party."
"Are you drunk?"
"No, why would you think that?" He replied, grinning.
"Because I know you Justin." She answered. "Come on I want to show you something." Jessica led Justin up the stairs to one of the bedrooms and locked the door behind her. Justin went straight to the bed to lay down.
"The room is spinning." He told Jess as he tried to sit up. Jessica sat down next to him and placed her hand on his leg.
"I want to ask you something Justin."
"What is it?"
"Do you love me?" She asked him seriously.
"Of course I do. I've always loved you." Justin told her. He had a bad habit of getting drunk and saying more than he should. "But I have a girlfriend Jess and I love her very much."
Ignoring him, she proceeded to kiss him on the cheek. Justin could feel her hot breath on his skin. She whispered softly in his ear, "What she doesn't know, won't hurt her."
"But..." Justin began. He was interrupted by Jess kissing him on the lips.
"Ssshhh." She said as she kissed him again with more passion. Justin returned her kiss, not knowing what was happening. She kissed him on the neck and whispered, "I love you Justin. I want you to make love to me now, just like old times."
~*~*~*~
Justin opened his eyes and rubbed his throbbing head. He looked around to discover he was in his own room. "What happened last night? How did I end up here?" He asked himself.
He slowly stood up, feeling dizzy and sick, and made his way to the bathroom. He got in the shower and let the hot water flow over him. He tried to remember last night and figure out how he ended up back at his house. The last thing he remembered was going up the stairs with Jessica.
"Oh god," he thought. "What did I do with Jess? Why was I going to a room with her?"
He turned the water off and grabbed a towel to dry himself off. He picked up the phone and called Trace.
"Hey man. What happened last night?" Justin asked him.
"You don't remember?" Trace asked. "Man you were wasted. I found you passed out in one of the rooms with Jess and I woke you up and took you home."
"With Jess? Tell me I didn't..." Justin began.
"I think so man." Trace finished.
"Oh god. I've got to talk to Jessica. I'll call you later."
"All right, how you feeling anyway?"
"Like shit run over twice." Justin complained, his head still throbbing.
"Hangovers are a bitch, huh?" Trace asked laughing. "Take some Advil and sleep it off."
"All right, I'll talk to ya later." Justin said before he hung up the phone. He picked it up again and dialed Jessica's number. As it rang, he prayed Jessica would tell him that nothing happened last night. She answered on the third ring.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hey Jess, it's me."
"Oh, hey there. How you feeling?"
"Not too good."
"Yeah, you were pretty drunk last night." She informed him.
"Yeah, so I hear. That's actually why I am calling. I was wondering something."
"What's up?" Jess asked.
"Did we, you know, do anything last night?"
"You mean did we have sex?" Jess asked, laughing.
"Yeah, that."
"You mean you don't remember what happened?"
"No, all I remember is walking up the stairs to the room with you. After that I blacked out."
"Well, that's too bad. You missed out on a lot of fun."
"So we did have sex?" Justin asked.
"Well, let's just put it this way. You were a very happy guy last night." She answered.
Justin sighed. "How could I be so stupid?" He asked himself after he said goodbye to Jessica and hung up the phone. He laid back down on the bed and fell back asleep, hoping to wake up and discover that last night was all just a bad dream.
~*~*~*~
Dani wrapped her arms around Chris's neck and kissed him gently. Chris responded to her kiss by picked her up and spinning her around.
"Aaaahhhh, put me down Chris!" She shouted, laughing. Chris did as he was told and put her down.
"You're so silly!" Dani said, ruffling his hair.
"Yeah, but you still love me anyway!"
"Yep, I love my little goofball!"
"How much do you love me?" He asked.
"More than you'll ever know."
"Well, since you love me so much and all, how about doing me a favor?"
"Sure, I'd do anything for you."
"How about making me happy for the rest of my life?" He asked, grinning.
"What are you getting at?" She asked, curiously.
Chris held her hand and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me, Dani?" Chris proposed.
A tear escaped her eye as she bent down and wrapped her arms around Chris. "Yes!" She replied, crying.
"Why are you crying baby? I thought you'd be happy."
"I am happy! I love you so much Chris. I can't wait to start the rest of my life with you!"
"Yeah, you're stuck with me for good now!" He joked as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
"There's no one else in the world I'd rather be stuck with than you Christopher!"
PART TWENTY-THREE
Justin woke up and looked at the clock on his night stand. It was already two in the afternoon. He sat up, feeling much better, and walked downstairs to get something to eat.
"There you are sleepyhead!" Lynn called out as Justin came into the living room. "Come sit down, we just started a movie."
Justin sat on the couch and tried to watch "My Best Friend's Wedding," but his thoughts kept wandering back to Michelle. He couldn't decide if he should tell her about Jessica or not. She would probably never find out, but he couldn't keep lying to her about it. He decided he had to tell her. Hopefully, she would understand and possibly forgive him. He knew he had to tell her the truth, no matter what the cost.
He went to his room and picked up the phone. He dialed her number, trying to figure out the best way to tell her.
"Hello." Her mother answered. "Hi Debbie, is Michelle around?" Justin asked.
"No, she went out with the girls somewhere. Is this Justin?"
"Yeah. Can you tell her I called please?"
"Sure, I'll tell her. You take care hun."
"Ok, thanks. Bye Debbie." Justin said and hung up the phone. Maybe that was a sign. Maybe he shouldn't tell her. The phone rang, startling Justin.
"Yeah?" He asked as he picked up the phone.
"Yo dude, wassup?" Chris asked, extremely happy.
"Oh, hey Chris. Not much, what's up with you?"
"Not much, other than getting married!"
"What?!?" Justin asked, shocked. "You're kidding, right?"
"Nope. I proposed to Dani this morning." Chris informed him excitedly.
"Wow! Congratulations!" Justin told him. "When's the big day?"
"I don't know. We just told her parents and they have already taken over the wedding plans." Chris said, laughing.
"That's great man. I'm so happy for you." Justin said sincerely.
"Thanks. Well, I'm gonna call the rest of the guys and let them know the good news. I'll talk to ya later." Chris said. Justin said goodbye and hung up the phone. He went downstairs to tell his family the good news.
~*~*~*~
"Justin, hurry up." Paul, Justin's step dad, shouted to Justin, who was in his room getting ready. Lynn, Paul, and Justin had planned to go out to dinner, just the three of them since it was Justin's last night in town. The went to Jorge's and sat at a booth in the back of the restaurant. Some girls sitting at the table across from them kept looking Justin's way and giggling. He guessed the recognized him but were too shy to say anything. He smiled at them and continued his conversation with his parents.
"So have you thought anymore about looking into college?"
"Dad, I told you. I barely have enough time right now sleep, much less go to college."
"I'm just saying, you need something to fall back on." Paul added.
"I know, but I just don't have the time right now."
"All right boys, that's enough. Let's talk about something else." They agreed and Lynn asked how things were with Michelle and Justin.
"Everything's great." Justin lied. He hadn't talk to her all week. After he tried to call her and she wasn't home, he never tried back. She had called the house several times but Justin avoided her call. He just didn't know what to say to her.
"Are you excited about seeing her this weekend?" Paul asked.
"Yeah." Justin replied, not really wanting to talk about it. "So what are y'all going to do for your anniversary?" He asked, changing the subject.
Paul looked at Lynn and grinned. "He won't tell me!" Lynn said, glaring at Paul.
"You know how your mother hates surprises." He said laughing. The waitress brought their food and as they ate, they laughed and talked about old times.
After dinner, they decided to go home and watch movies. As Justin laid on the couch, watching a movie with his parents, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Justin said. He opened the door to find Jessica standing on the other side of it.
"Hey Jess. What are you doing here?" Justin asked, surprised to see her. She had also called a few times, but he had avoided her call too.
"Trace told me you were leaving tomorrow. I just wanted to say goodbye." She said, shivering from the cold. Justin invited her in and led her to the living room. She said hi to Lynn and Paul and then gave Justin the "I need to talk to you alone," look.
She followed Justin upstairs to his room. Justin sat in the chair as Jessica took a seat on the end of his bed and bit her bottom lip. Justin knew something was up, because whenever she bites her bottom lip, it means she's nervous about something.
"What's up?" He asked.
"I just wanted to apologize for the other night. I knew you were drunk and I took advantage of you. I'm really sorry that I made you cheat on your girlfriend and I hope we can still be friends." She said sincerely.
"No, it's not your fault. I may have been drunk, but that's no excuse. You didn't MAKE me cheat on my girlfriend. I did that on my own." Justin admitted.
"But still, I feel really bad. I know you've been avoiding my calls and I just don't want you to leave mad."
"I'm not mad. I just didn't know what to say to you."
"Friends?" She asked as she stuck her hand out.
"Friends." Justin confirmed and shook her hand.
"So what time are you leaving tomorrow?"
"My plane takes off at 2 in the afternoon. But I'm meeting Lance and JC at the airport around one."
"Oh, were are y'all going?" Jessica asked.
"To Atlanta. That's where Michelle lives."
"Oh, I see." Jess said awkwardly. Talking about Michelle made her uncomfortable. It was hard for her to imagine Justin with anyone but her.
"Well, I better get going." Jess said, looking at her watch. "It's already 10 p.m. and I have to work in the morning."
"Ok, well thanks for stopping by. I'm glad we got everything cleared up."
"Me too." Jess agreed, even though she wasn't happy. She didn't regret what happened between them and she still wanted Justin back. Justin watched her through the window as she walked to her car. He thought about all the good times they had together in the past. He knew he had to let go of his past with Jessica if he was going to move forward with Michelle.
"Goodbye Jessica." Justin said to himself as he watched her drive off down the street.
PART TWENTY-FOUR
"Hi, is Justin home?" I asked Lynn for the fourth time this week. Every time I called she told me Justin was either out with his friends or in the shower.
"Yes dear, he's right here. Hang on and I'll go get him."
"Hey Michelle." Justin said into the receiver.
"Hey there stranger. I've been trying to reach you all week."
"I'm sorry. I've been pretty busy. What's up?"
"Not much. I was just calling to see what time you wanted me to pick you up from the airport tomorrow."
"My plane gets there at 4:30." Justin informed me.
"Are you ok? You've been acting strange lately." I didn't know what was wrong, but ever since Justin arrived in Orlando last week, he's been acting weird.
"Yes I'm fine. I just miss you, that's all. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."
"Me either. Are JC and Lance still coming with you?"
"Yep, they'll be there too. Are your friends coming with you to the airport?"
"Yeah. Jenn and Ashley are. Sara has to work so she can't come."
"That's too bad." Justin said. "Well, I better get going. I still have to pack and everything."
"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow at 4:30."
Justin hung up the phone, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. He felt so bad about what he had done and he couldn't bring himself to tell Michelle. He didn't want to loose her and he was afraid if he told her, she would never talk to him again. "Why did I have to drink so much that night?" He asked himself.
He packed his things and decided to go to sleep. He would figure out a way to tell Michelle everything tomorrow.
~*~*~*~
"Look, there they are!" Jenn said, pointing to three handsome guys coming their way. I looked in the direction she was pointing and saw them. Justin looked better than ever with his khaki pants and a navy blue shirt. He had dyed his hair a light brown color with blonde tips.
"There's my angel!" He said as I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. "Damn, did you miss me, or what?" Justin said, laughing.
I leaned upward and kissed him gently. "Does that answer your question?"
"No, I'm still a little confused. Maybe you outta kiss me again so I'll know for sure." Justin replied, grinning.
"My pleasure," I said and kissed him again.
"Get a room!" Jenn joked as she walked toward us. JC, Lance, and Ashley joined us and we all went to get their bags. While we waited for their bags to arrive, Lance and JC went to rent a car.
Justin, Jenn and I rode in my mustang, while Lance, JC and Ashley followed us in the red eclipse JC rented. We decided to go to my house and hang out for a while after the guys got their room at the Holiday Inn.
~*~*~*~
"So, did you miss me?" I asked Justin, once we were in my room, alone.
"I always miss you baby." He replied, pulling me close.
Justin realized how much he loved Michelle as he looked into her beautiful green eyes. He couldn't tell her about Jessica. He couldn't stand the thought of causing her any pain. She was so sweet and trusting.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked.
"I was just thinking about how lucky I am." He replied, smiling. "I love you so much Michelle."
"I love you too sweetie." I said as he kissed me again.
~*~*~*~
"Ok, Ok, I give up!" Lance shouted as Jenn pinned him to the floor. Jenn climbed off of Lance and threw her arms in the air.
"I win, I win!" She shouted proudly.
"I let you win!" Lance said.
"Shut up Lance. She kicked your ass!" JC said, laughing.
"Yeah, you want some more?" Jenn asked, putting up her fists.
Laughing, Lance pretended to hide behind JC. "Please don't hurt me!" He joked.
"What are you kids up to?" Michelle's mom asked, walking into the living room.
"Jennifer beat Lance up!" Ashley informed her.
"She did not!" Lance said, defended himself. He looked over at Jenn, noticing how cute she looked as she put up her fists again.
"You kids are silly!" Debbie said as she walked off.
"Where's the phone?" JC asked. "I need to make a call."
"Right in there." Ashley said, pointing towards the kitchen.
~*~*~*~
"All right, I'll pick you up at your house at seven." JC said before hanging up the phone with Christie. They made plans to go see a movie later tonight. He looked at his watch and saw that it was already 6 o'clock. He still had to get back to the hotel and get ready. He walked back into the living room to find Lance and Jenn sitting on the couch together, laughing.
"What's so funny?" JC asked, sitting in the lay-z-boy.
"Nothing." They both replied, grinning at each other and bursting into laughter again.
"Hey, where did Ashley go?" JC asked, noticing she wasn't in the room.
"She went to go get Michelle and Justin. We are going to go see a movie." Lance informed him. JC realized that Ashley probably wanted him to go to the movies with her.
"I think I'm going to go to the hotel and take a nap." He lied.
"Don't you ever get tired of sleeping?" Lance asked.
"No way! Y'all have fun tonight. I'll see ya later." JC called out as he walked toward the door. "Tell Ashley bye for me."
"All right, later man!" Lance called back.
~*~*~*~
JC turned off the water and grabbed the towel off the rack. He dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his waist. He went to the room and grabbed some clothes out of his suitcase. He didn't have much time before he had to pick up Christie, so he quickly ironed his shirt and got dressed. He ran some hair gel through his hair and combed it with his fingers. He grabbed the car keys off the dresser and took off towards the parking lot.
He pulled into the parking lot of the Wildflower Apartment complex, which is where Christie lived with her best friend, Mandy. JC walked up the stairs to the second floor and knocked on the door of apartment 235. Christie opened the door wearing a purple blouse with a long black skirt. She pushed her long, blonde hair off her shoulder and smiled at JC. "Wow," JC thought as she invited him inside. He had forgotten how beautiful she is.
"We'd better get going if we're gonna catch that movie." Christie said, looking at her watch. They said goodbye to Mandy and walked outside to the car. JC opened the door and Christie climbed inside.
"So what do you want to go see?" Christie asked.
"I don't care. Whatever you want." They got to the movie theater and decided on a romantic comedy. The took their seats just as the movie was starting. JC put his arm around Christie and smiled at her.
"I'm glad you came." Christie whispered, laying her head on his chest.
"I'm glad I came too."
~*~*~*~
"That movie was so awesome." Justin said as we walked out of the theater. He had talked everyone into seeing the new James Bond movie.
"That movie sucked." I said, mad that Justin talked me into seeing it in the first place.
Laughing, Justin wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my cheek. "You know you liked it babe. Come on admit it!" Justin teased.
"I did not!" I replied, as I turned around and punched him playfully in the stomach. He bent over, pretending to be hurt, and everyone laughed.
"Hey, isn't that JC?" Jenn asked, pointing at a man and a woman walking towards the parking lot. Everyone looked and saw JC with his arm around a girl.
"Who's he with?" Ashley asked, trying not to sound jealous.
"Yo, JC!" Justin called out.
JC turned around and saw his friends walking toward him. "Oh shit!" He thought to himself. He told everyone he was going to the hotel to sleep because he didn't want to hurt Ashley's feelings. He saw her walking towards him and noticed the look of hurt on her face. Some girls had heard Justin call JC's name and before they knew it, they were flooded with fans wanting autographs and taking pictures. Their bodyguards rescued them after they signed a few autographs and escorted everyone to the limo.
As they drove away from the mob of screaming fans, Jenn exclaimed, "Wow, that was crazy!"
"Yeah. You get used to it." Justin said, hardly affected by the mob of fans that had just attacked them. Ashley looked up and caught JC starring ather. She quickly looked away, not wanting him to see that she was upset.
"I hope those girls don't do anything to my car!" I exclaimed, worried they might do something after seeing me with Justin.
"Yeah, if the fans find out I have a girlfriend, all hell will break loose." Justin said laughing.
JC didn't say much. Christie could sense something was wrong and so she didn't say much either. When the limo pulled into the hotel lobby parking lot, everyone got out of the car.
"You guys hang out here for a while, and when it's safe to go back to the movie theater, we'll take you back to get your cars." We all agreed and went up to the guy's room.
~*~*~*~
JC asked Christie to wait inside, while he went to talk to Ashley. He explained to Christie that Ashley was an ex-girlfriend who still had a thing for him. He felt bad lying to her, but he couldn't tell her he was seeing Ashley as well as her. She said she understood and joined the rest of the guys in the living room.
"Can I talk to you for a second?" JC asked Ashley.
"Sure." She replied, not wanting to sound upset. JC led Ashley to the bedroom and shut the door.
"I'm sorry you had to see me with Christie." He apologized.
"Don't worry about it. We agreed nothing serious, so it's no big deal." She lied. She was really upset about seeing JC with another girl, but she didn't want him to think she was stupid or immature.
"I know. I'm just sorry I lied about going home and taking a nap. I should have been honest with you."
"Yeah, you should have. I understand that you don't want to get serious with one girl right now. But it's ok. No big deal. Let's just forget about it." Ashley said. JC agreed and they joined the rest of the group in the living room.
James, one of their bodyguards, came in and said it was safe to go get their cars. Justin and I decided we would go get my car while the other's stayed at the hotel. Christie and JC rode with us in the limo to pick up the eclipse that JC had rented as well. When we pulled up to our cars in the parking lot, we said goodnight to JC and Christie and got in my blue mustang.
~*~*~*~
"So did you get everything worked out with that Ashley girl?" Christie asked JC once they got in the car.
"Yeah. She was fine. It was just a little awkward, ya know?" JC replied. He pulled into the apartment complex and parked his car.
"Thanks for the movie."
"No problem." JC said, walking her to her apartment.
"Do you want to come in?" Christie asked as she opened her door.
"I'd love to, but I better get back." JC said.
Christie moved closer to him and pressed her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her kiss.
"Are you sure you don't want to come in for a while?" Christie asked, breaking away from the kiss, leaving him wanting more. He kissed her again as she backed into the apartment. JC kicked the door shut behind him, kissing her passionately.
"I'll take that as a yes!" She said between kisses as she led JC to her bedroom.
~*~*~*~
"I can't believe JC did that." I said as I drove back to the hotel.
"Well, he really came down here to see Christie. But he likes Ashley too. I guess he's having a hard time decided between the two."
"Still, he should have been honest with Ashley instead of saying he was going to take a nap."
"Yeah, he probably should have." Justin said as he shuffled through the cd case, looking for a cd to play.
"What kind of relationship do you have if you can't be honest with each other?" I added.
Justin stopped looking through the cd's and looked up at Michelle. "What made her say that?" He thought to himself, still feeling guilty about what he had done. He knew that she was right though. Without honesty you don't have anything. Justin's heart ached at the though of telling Michelle about Jessica. He wanted to tell her so bad. But every time he looked into her big, green eyes, and saw how they lit up every time he smiled at her; he just couldn't do it. He never wanted to do anything to hurt her. She meant too much to him.
PART TWENTY-FIVE
"Man, I had fun last night." Lance said as he walked into the kitchen. Justin was sitting at the table eating his cereal while JC sat next to him reading a magazine.
"How'd everything go with Christie?" Lance asked.
"Man, I can't believe I got busted at the movies. I told Christie that Ashley was an ex-girlfriend that still had a thing for me." JC informed Lance and Justin.
"Did she buy it?" Justin asked with a mouthful of cereal.
"Yeah. I felt bad lying to her but I didn't know what else to say. It was pretty awkward."
"You sure did get home late last night." Lance said, fishing for details.
"Yeah. I had a good time. Christie is really, um, talented!" They all laughed. "Where's Michelle at?" JC asked, looking around.
"She went home early this morning. She had to work." Justin replied.
"Well, I'm going to meet Christie for lunch. I'll see y'all later." JC said as he headed for the door.
"So have decided if you're going to tell Michelle about Jessica?" Lance asked once JC was gone. Justin didn't tell anyone, except Lance, what he had done. Partly because he was ashamed, but also because he was closest to Lance and always told him everything.
"I keep trying, but I just can't do it." Justin told him. "She's just so trusting. She never seems to doubt me."
"Yeah, that's gotta make you feel even worse, huh?" Lance said sympathetically.
"Yeah, it does. That's why it's so hard for me to tell her. I don't want to disappoint her."
"Well, I don't think you should tell her. Just move on with your life and try to forget about it."
"It's not that easy." Justin complained.
~*~*~*~
"So, did Lance ask about me?" Sara asked Jenn over the phone.
"Yeah. He asked where you were when we picked them up at the airport. We told him you were at work and he looked disappointed."
"Aaawww. Let's go see them at their hotel."
"All right. Let me get ready real quick and we'll go." Jenn said and hung up the phone. While she was blow drying her hair, she thought about Lance. Something had clicked between the two of them yesterday and she couldn't help but feel something for him.
"What are you thinking?" She asked herself. "Sara is with Lance, he is off limits!" She tried to convince herself.
After she finished curling her hair, she picked up the phone and dialed the number of the hotel the guys were staying at.
"Room 612, please." She told the receptionist.
"Hello?" Lance asked after picking up the phone.
"Hey there. This is Jenn."
"Hey Jenn!" Lance replied, a little too eager. "How's it going?" He added, trying to sound less excited.
"Pretty good. I was just calling to see what y'all were up to."
"Not much. We are just hanging out here at the hotel, relaxing. What are you gonna do today?"
"Well, that's why I was calling. Y'all want some company?" Jenn asked.
"Sure, come on over!" Lance said happily. He didn't know what was happening, but after yesterday, he couldn't stop thinking about Jenn.
"Cool. Sara and I will be there in a little while." Jenn informed him.
"Oh, Sara's coming too?" He asked.
"Yeah. She's really excited to see you again." Jenn told him. Lance knew he should be excited to see Sara, and he was, but he wanted to see Jenn more. They hung up the phone and Lance returned to his seat at the kitchen table with Justin.
"So Sara and Jenn are coming over huh?" Justin asked as Lance sat back down.
"Yeah. They'll be here in a little while."
"You don't want them to come over or what?" Justin asked, noticing something wrong with Lance.
"It's not that. It's just that..." He began.
"It's just that what?"
"Well, this is going to sound really bad, but, I think I like Jenn."
"Oh my god, are you serious?" Justin asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. Yesterday we just clicked, ya know?"
"Man, that's crazy. What are you gonna do?"
"I have no idea. I don't even know if Jenn likes me." Lance said, followed by a knock on the door.
~*~*~*~
"So where are you doing your next show at?" Christie asked JC. She bit into her cheeseburger and waited for him to answer.
"We have a show Monday night in Dallas and then we'll be putting on a few more concerts in San Antonio and Houston I think." JC informed her, sitting in a booth at Chili's.
"Cool. When are you coming back to Atlanta?"
"Who says I'm coming back?" JC asked with a grin on his face.
"You better come back. I'd miss you terribly if you didn't." Christie said, laughing.
"Well, in that case, I'll be back soon."
"That's what I like to hear." She added as she grabbed his hand from across the table. JC held her hand, noticing how soft her skin was.
"Let's get out of here." JC said, suddenly wanting to be alone with her. She agreed and they hurried to the car to get out of the cold. Once inside, JC turned up the heater and looked at Christie.
"What are you looking at?"
"You." JC replied as he leaned in to kiss her. She leaned forward as well, and kissed him passionately. He kissed her neck and told her how much he wanted her. She climbed in the backseat and smiled at him. JC jumped in the back and kissed her again.
"What if someone walks by?" JC asked, a little nervous as Christie pulled his shirt over his head and threw it in the front seat.
"Don't worry." She assured him. "We'll be careful."
~*~*~*~
I grabbed Justin's hand and pulled him along. "Come on Justin! This will only take a second." I told him as I dragged him into The Buckle. He surprised me at work and we decided to get something to eat at the food court. But first, I wanted to stop by The Buckle, which is where some friends of mine worked. They didn't believe me when I told them I was dating Justin Timberlake, and so I had to prove it to them.
"But I'm hungry babe. Let's go eat first." Justin whined.
I turned around and kissed him on the lips. I pulled away slowly, knowing he wanted more.
"Will you please come with me now?" I asked sweetly.
"Only if you promise to give me some more of that later." He said, grinning.
"I think that could be arranged." I said as I led him into the store.
"Hey girl, what's up?" My friend Amy asked, looking at Justin. "Who's your friend?"
"Remember that guy I told you about?" I asked. "Well this is him. His name is Justin."
"Nice to meet you." Justin said, shaking her hand.
"Oh my god so you're the guy from 'N SYNC!" She shouted in disbelief. Justin and I both panicked. Just as we thought, some people had overheard our conversation and before we knew it, a crowd of fans gathered around us, wanting autographs. Justin signed his name and took a few pictures with the fans. His bodyguard, who was always hanging around in case he needed him, came to our rescue.
One of the fans asked Justin who I was. He looked at me and said, "A friend of mine." I was a little hurt that he didn't say I was his girlfriend, but I understood. Sam, the bodyguard, escorted us to the car and we drove off.
"So much for eating in the food court." I said as I drove through the mall parking lot.
"Yeah, sorry." Justin said, laughing.
"I still don't think I'll ever get used to that. How do you handle it?" I asked him, amazed at how calm he stays in those situations.
"Like I said, you get used to it. I really don't mind it much. I mean, yeah it's kind of annoying that I can't do normal things sometimes, but for the most part, it's pretty cool." He said. We decided to pick upsomething from McDonald's and take it back to his hotel.
~*~*~*~
"What am I gonna do with you?" Dani asked Chris, ruffling his hair with her fingers.
"You're gonna marry me, that's what!" he replied, grinning.
"You bet I am!" She added. "Now come on we're going to be late."
Chris and Dani were meeting her parents for lunch to discuss the wedding plans. They arrived at her parent's house a little after 1 in the afternoon.
"Hey sweetie. You're late." Dani's mom, Cheryl, said as they entered the house.
"Where's dad?" Dani asked, avoiding her mother's comment.
"He's out back in the garage. He's been fixing up that damn car again." Cheryl complained. "So, Chris, have you told your mom the good news?"
"Yeah, I told her yesterday. She told me to tell you to get in touch with her so y'all can talk about the arrangements." Chris replied.
"Ok, I'll do that. So when do you two lovebirds want this wedding to happen?"
"Well, Dani wants a spring wedding. So we were thinking around April or May." Chris suggested.
"That sounds nice." Cheryl agreed just as Tom, Dani's dad, walked into the living room.
"What sounds nice?" He asked, giving his daughter a hug and shaking Chris's hand.
"Well if you had joined us earlier instead of working on that stupid car, you'd know." Cheryl answered.
"Here we go again." Dani whispered to Chris and rolled her eyes. "It's gonna be a long day."
~*~*~*~
Lance sat on the couch beside Sara and tried to watch the movie they had brought over. His thoughts kept wondering to Jennifer. He looked at her, sitting on the other couch with her legs curled up under her. She rested her head on the arm of the couch and laughed at something funny in the movie. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He couldn't believe he'd never noticed how beautiful she was until recently.
Jenn looked up and caught Lance starring at her. "Why does he keep looking at me?" She asked herself, feeling a little uncomfortable. It wasn't that she minded Lance watching her, she was flattered. She just didn't want Sara to notice and think something was up with them.
"I have to use the restroom." Sara announced as she stood up. "I'll be right back."
As soon as she closed the bathroom door, Lance locked eyes with Jenn and smiled. "You enjoying the movie?" he asked, trying to make conversation.
"Yeah, it's all right. I don't really like these kinds of movies. Sara picked it out." she replied.
"Me either. I'm more of a comedy kind of guy."
"Same here!"
"We have a lot in common, ya know?" Lance asked.
"Yeah, we do." Jenn replied, looking deep into Lance's eyes, searching for something to tell her Lance liked her as much as she did him. Lance returned her gaze, smiling at her.
"What'd I miss?" Sara asked as she sat back down next to Lance.
"Not much." Lance and Jenn replied.
~*~*~*~
"So what are we gonna do tonight?" I asked Justin as we made our way up to the hotel room.
"I don't know. Wanna hang out with the guys or do something alone?"
"It doesn't matter. Just as long as you're there." I replied, grabbing his hand.
"Where else would I be?" He asked, smiling.
"Who knows? With one of your other girlfriends perhaps?" I joked.
Justin laughed weakly and stuck his key in the hotel door. He knew she was only kidding with him, but he felt guilty. "I've got to tell her." He thought to himself as they entered the living room.
"Hey guys! Where have y'all been?" Sara asked.
"We went to get something to eat. I'm on my lunch break." I replied as I sat at the table and unwrapped my quarter pounder with cheese.
"Ooohhh I want a fry." Jenn said as she walked over to the table and grabbed a handful of my fries.
"What's up for tonight?" Jenn asked sticking a fry in her mouth. "We drinking?"
"That's all you ever wanna do is drink! You're such a drunk." I told her, laughing.
"Hell yeah, I'm a drunk and proud of it!" She exclaimed.
"I feel like getting drunk too." Lance said, joining us in the kitchen.
"All right. Someone else wants to get drunk with me!" Jenn said, reaching up to give Lance a high five.
"Ok, so we'll meet back up here around 7. Is that ok with y'all?" Jenn asked. We all agreed and Sara and Jenn left.
"I'm gonna walk the girls out." Lance told us as he followed them out the door. Justin stood up and walked over to where I was sitting. He stood over me and leaned down to kiss me on the forehead. He quietly sang in my ear, "I think we're alone now," and kissed my neck.
Laughing, I told him, "Lance will be back any second. And besides, I have to go back to work in a few minutes."
He ignored me and continued to place kisses all over my face and neck.
"Come on, I'm serious..." I began, but Justin quickly silenced me with a kiss. I put my arms around his neck and returned his kiss. I could never say no to him.
"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"Nope, how much?." I asked, looking deep into his eyes.
"More than you'll ever know." He replied and kissed me again.
TO BE CONTINUED