There are just some stories that write themselves. This particular story is not one of those stories by any means. It took a lot of work on my part, well, our parts. There were many a nights we sat up struggling over what was going to happen next or if we had totally ruined everything with our silly antics. But for all my, our, hard work, I'd have to say we did some good.

Before I go too far there are some things that need to be explained. Justin Timberlake has been the bane of my existence since the day I turned 12. Maybe 11. Either way I have hated that boy with my entire being for a good majority of my life. So logically I dated him. Two long years. Off and on. Mostly off, because well, I hated him. But come on; how can you resist that? He lured me in with his promises of free trips to Disney (that mouse is my weakness) which he never kept and lots of hot sex. That's right, I said it.

But as all relationships based on hate and sex go, it didn't last. He found something a little more entertaining. And I have to agree. I'd do her too. Kendall was just too perfect. She's gorgeous and dim-witted: everyman's dream. I think they met on some tropical island; I would assume she was in her bathing suit most of the time. She's my complete opposite, but I still love that girl to death. Kendall's my roomie now. Along with the latest and greatest of Mr. Timberlake's ex's: Tani.

Tani was a temp at the studio. Working her way through college. UCF. At least that's what all the !#$! she has laying around the house says. Anyways, although their relationship lasted less than 6 months it was so drama packed it should have been on prime time television. Lots of !#$! happened (most of which I'm sure hasn't been shared). Oddly enough, even through all of it, Tani and Justin can't completely let each other go.

Ok, fine. None of us can. We all sit in the living room in our pajamas and talk about Justin. Damn, that was supposed to be sarcastic but sadly it's true. Damn! We're losers. That boy just…I can't even explain it. I'm usually pretty good about it, because, say it with me, I hate him. Kendall is too sweet and forgave him the minute after she was angry. What the issue with Tani is I'm not quite sure…yet.

So if we're all hung up on him, why'd we do it? Because despite all of his faults (his many, many, many faults) Justin's a good guy deep down. And he deserved something special. Besides, we couldn't stand hearing him brag about his little trysts and conquests much longer.

"I'm not here to see you," he spat pushing his way off the couch and into the kitchen. "And it's not just your house."

"Yeah well, I'm security in this mother and you ain't getting anywhere near either of those girls." As the resident bad girl, Zoe took her role as protector of the other girls deeply to heart.

Justin scoffed and turned to lean on the counter, popping the top of his can. "I could take you. Actually I have."

Zoe glared at him using all her strength to resist wiping that seductive smirk off his face, "Screw you Justin."

"Yep. Done that too."

"You know what-" Zoe started before she was cut off by Justin's phone.

"Hey Youngin' what's up," he asked jumping up on the counter and taking a sip of his Coke. "Tonight? Hold up." He looked at Zoe who was still brewing over the previous statement, "You girls up for a little clubbin' tonight?"

"You know I hate that word Justin," was Zoey's reply. "Who actually calls it clubbin'? Great. Now I have to wash my mouth out just for saying it." She leaned over the sink and reached for the faucet.

"Ooooo," Kendall said throwing her keys on the table as she walked into the kitchen, her long blonde locks falling in curls around her shoulders. She flicked off her sandals and replied, "I heard the magic word. I'm up for some fun tonight. Hey Zoe, hey J."

"Kendall," Justin replied giving her a head nod. He returned to his conversation on the phone, "We'll be there." He hung up and turned his attention back to the girls. "So who's cooking me some dinner."

"What do you want," Kendall asked opening the refrigerator. Zoe slammed it shut, droplets of tap water making their way down her chin. "He can get his own food Ken."

Justin stuck his lower lip out and whimpered. "But ya'll make it with love. Mickey D don't love me."

"$%@$ Justin! No one in this house loves you," Zoe replied throwing a washrag at him.

"As I recall," Justin said jumping from the counter and slinking towards Zoe, "There was lots of love." Zoe put her arms out to stop him, but he continued walking until she was trapped in the corner of the kitchen blocking any way to escape.

"Kendall help," Zoe cried avoiding looking at Justin. "Come on! I hear you giggling over there. Girl! You better sleep with one eye open for this."

"Dude, don't rape my roommate," a third voice called from the doorway.

"Tani!" Justin cried turning around, "Just the girl I was looking for."

Rolling her green eyes at her roommates Tani crossed her arms and walked right up to Justin, "What is it this time Timberlake?"

"Maybe I just wanted to say hi," Justin said tilting his head to look down at her. Tani laughed and pushed him playfully out of her way.

"You always want something from me," Tani replied.

"No I don't," Justin replied innocently. He tried to ignore her, but Kendalls' giggles always seemed to distract him. "Kendall, come on."

Kendall tried to contain her laugher. "What? It's funny!"

"Let's go," Zoe said pulling her friend along by the arm.

---
Later than night after the girls had successfully rid the house of Justin after feeding him Tani joined Kendall in her bedroom. She took one look at Kendall's adorable outfit and flopped onto Kendall's bed pulling a pillow up under her chin. "You stink."

Kendall turned from her vanity bench and gave Tani a warning look. "Come on T. Don't start."

Tani sighed, "You're so freakin' perfect it's hard not to. With your tiny waist and-"

"Puh-lease! I always ask you to come work out with me," Kendall explained turning back to the mirror and applying a layer of mascara.

"I pale in comparison to you when I'm not all sweaty, why would I wanna do that?"

"So you'd stop complaining about how you're not as small as me," Kendall asked.

"Not this again," Zoe complained walking into the room, leather pants low on her hips. She took a seat next to Tani and put a hand on her shoulder. "So what if you're a little fuller than Ken. Or if you're boobs aren't as big as mine. At least you have a nice ass."

Looking back at her friends through the mirror Kendall nodded in agreement, "I'd eat doughnuts all day if I could guarantee they'd go straight to my butt."

Zoe laughed, "Now if you put all of us together, we'd make the perfect woman."

"So that's why we always hang out," Kendall replied.

Tani laughed, "Yes Kendall. That's exactly why."

Downstairs they heard the front door open and someone shuffle to the stairs. "Women! You better be ready."

"Oh god," Tani said taking Kendall's lip gloss and looking in the mirror.

"We should take another ten minutes just to piss him off." Zoe smirked.

"I don't know about you," Kendall said reaching for her clutch, "But I'm not gunna piss off the guy paying for my drinks."

"Good idea," Zoe said making a beeline for the stairs.

"Kendall, sometimes you really are smart," Tani added following her.

---
"What about that one?"

"Too thick."

"Her?"

"Fake 'n' bake dude."

"Ahhh. That one!"

"Dude! That's Tani!"

"Oh right. Already been there."

"Trace you're an idiot," Justin laughed taking a drink from his glass.

"So?" Zoe asked nudging Justin's arm.

"So what?"

Zoe looked at Trace as if to say Justin was actually the idiot, "Would you still do her?"

Justin looked over at Tani who was standing several feet away with Kendall. "If I could guarantee there'd be no drama, hell yeah."

Trace laughed, "I believe Tani's middle name is drama."

"Is not Trace," Tani replied smacking him on the back of the head, "it's Evil. Get it right. Why's everyone talking about me?"

"Justin was just saying that-" Trace started before Zoe kicked him from under the table.

"Just saying what," Tani asked looking between the three at the table.

Zoe spoke first, "He was just asking why we aren't all dancing?"

"Yeah, let's dance J," Kendall said pulling at his hands. When Justin was slow to get up Kendall stopped him, "You aren't meeting one of your chicks here are you?"

Justin shrugged, "You never know when they'll show up."

"Well screw them. Not right here, but later. Come dance," she answered successfully pulling him out of the booth.

The remaining three watched them walk off in amusement. "She is such a blonde," Zoe laughed.

---
An hour or so later Tani, Zoe, and Kendall were taking a break from dancing and watching Trace and Justin attempt to hit on random girls.

"What's sad is that girl is totally only talking to Trace to get to J," Tani spoke.

"Even if that worked," Zoe added, "It's not like it's some great prize."

"Unless all she's after is a good lay," Kendall added. "What? It's true."

The three tried to contain their laughter when Trace and Justin returned empty handed.

"No luck with the ladies Troll-man," Zoe asked making room for Trace to sit next to her.

"I'm saving myself for you Zoe. Didn't you know?" He flexed a tattoo-covered arm and grinned.

"Boy please," Justin said shaking his head at his friend, "You know Zoe doesn't date boys anymore."

"Correction," Zoe interrupted glaring at Justin, "I don't date immature boys. I date men. So that means you're both out."

"Yeah, ok," Justin replied rolling his eyes. "Good luck with that one."

"Like you're one to talk Justin. Apart from me, when's the last time you actually dated someone in the last year?" Tani asked. "And sleeping with someone and dating aren't the same thing."

Justin opened his mouth to respond but quickly closed it. "I…I…Girlfriends are overrated."

"Says the horny single guy," Kendall mumbled into her drink.

"Ken!" Tani cried.

"What!? All I'm sayin is that it's the people that can't get a nice, normal girlfriend that think girlfriends are stupid."

"Hey! I could get a girlfriend," Justin protested, "I've got proof."

"Oh yeah, because those relationships all worked out huh," Zoe replied.

"Like you could do any better?"

"I date," Zoe replied, "Kendall has a boyfriend. Tani keeps getting drinks from that hot ass guy at the bar. So that leaves you and Troll man alone."

Trace held up his hands in defense, "I know I have trouble with the ladies. No need to rub it in. Leave me out of this."

"I bet we'd do a better job of finding you a girl than you would," Zoe suggested to Justin.

"Sure you would," Justin said finishing the last of his beer, "I'm so sure."

"Between the three of us, you won't know what hit you," Zoe smirked.

---
The girls turned their backs to the boys and the table and surveyed the crowded club. Sure there were plenty of hot women there. But all three knew there had to be something more than that if this girl was going to keep his attention for more than two weeks.

"This is gunna be harder than I thought," Zoe sighed and turned to look at her friends.

"Let's move in a little closer," Kendall suggested pulling on her friends arms.

Tani grumbled and let herself be led. "I'm just praying none of this backfires."

Zoe released her friend's hand and grabbed onto the railing to descend the stairs, "Even if it does, it can't be any worse."

After an hour of wandering around the club the girls hadn't found anyone that fit the profile of what they were looking for. "This isn't working," Zoe complained longing to sit down or go home.

"Just hold your horses," Kendall replied, "It's not just gunna be as simple as close your eyes, spin around, and open them."

Just to be a brat, Zoe did exactly as Kendall said. "Oh $%@$!" she yelled grabbing her friends' arms.

"I didn't say to spin while intoxicated," Kendall laughed.

"No," Zoe said waving off Kendall's laugher. "I found her!" Zoe nodded her head in the direction of the bar. There stood a group of five or six beautiful women, laughing and getting their drinks.

"Which one," Tani asked sizing each of them up.

"Do you even need to ask," Kendall questioned looked up at Zoe to see if she agreed. "The one in green" they chorused.

Tani took another look at the group, this time paying close attention to said woman in green. While the rest of her friends, as well as most girls at the club, were scantily dressed, Green Girl maintained a sense of class with her green halter dress, perfectly curled hair, and-

"I so want those shoes!" Kendall interrupted her thoughts.

Zoe nodded, "And that hair is not even fair."

"Haha, you rhymed," Kendall giggled into her glass.

Tani ignored them and took a minute to check out this new girl. She was shorter than all of her friends, but not exceedingly short. She had an incredible figure: curves is exactly the right places and she knew how to highlight them. And $%@$, the girl was just standing there smiling like she was the happiest she'd ever been.

"Oooo! He's soooo gunna want that," Kendall beamed, "Good work Zoe!"

The girls nonchalantly made their way towards the group and were ready to order drinks when a high pitched squeal interrupted them.

"Kendall!"

Kendall turned towards the sound to see one of the girls from Green Girl's group running towards her. "Ashley!" Seven pairs of eyes looked at the two girls embracing.

"Guys this is Ashley. We were in ballet together," Kendall explained to Zoe and Tani.

"Until your big butt left us for some kinda tour or something," Ashley joked.

Kendall gave the girl a nudge, "I'm not the only one. I heard you were on tour with the biggest act this summer."

Ashley looked at her feet and then back at Kendall with a huge smile, "You're right. These are the other dancers."

After introductions were made Zoe whispered to Kendall, "Let's get em all upstairs."

Nodding, Kendall offered a suggestion, "You know what? We've got a VIP room upstairs with a lot less creepy guys and higher priced free drinks. Anyone interested?" After a chorus of yes's the girls headed back upstairs. Zoe rounded out the pack taking the opportunity to talk to Green Girl.

"Hi. Sorry, I forgot your name," Zoe said.

"Annabelle. But everyone says that's too long to say, so they call me Anna."

"Hey Anna. I'm Zoe."

"Hi."

---
Once in the VIP area Kendall distanced herself from her old friend and took some time to study Anna. She seemed much more impressed with her surroundings that the other girls.

"Have you ever been here before," Kendall asked leaning towards Anna.

Anna shook her head, "I'm usually the one who comes in her pajamas to pick everyone up when they're drunk." She chuckled at some memories and took a sip of her drink.

"Well we're here to make sure you have a good time," Kendall threw an arm around her shoulders. "Oh look, here comes Trace."

Anna turned to look in the direction Kendall was turning her. She was thankful no one was looking at her, as her eyes grew wide.

"Ken, I'm always surprised at how you find more and more beautiful friends, and yet refuse to introduce me," Trace smiled at Anna.

"This is Anna. She's a dancer for-"

Anna quickly shook her head and waved her hands, "Oh god no!"

"It's fine if you don't wanna talk, but you don't have to be so rude," Trace frowned.

Anna shook her head again and put a hand on Trace's arm, laughing quietly. "No, no. I just meant I'm not a dancer."

"Then what are you?"

"Physical therapist," Anna beamed.

Trace wiggled his eyebrows, "So you know all the right places to-"

Suddenly the beginning chords of "Rock Your Body" started and the dancers went crazy. They started moving towards the dance floor.

"Girl, you better get your butt out here. You know you want to," Ashley said suddenly appearing next to the threesome and pulling Anna with her.

Kendall looked to her friend for further explanation as to why everyone went crazy.

"Ashley, if you tell anyone I won't dance," Anna laughed taking her friend by the elbow and leading her towards the other girls.

"Why do I get the feeling this just might be even easier than we imagined," Tani asked smirking at Zoe.

---
"Would anyone care to explain how I ended up paying for over 40 drinks," Justin asked the next morning rolling off the couch and joining the girls in the kitchen.

"Hey," Zoe replied holding her hands up in defense, "You're the one that invited us."

"I invited the three of you," he replied reaching into the cabinet and pulling out a coffee mug. "Not an entire background crew." He plopped himself on the stool next to Kendall, sipping his coffee.

"Pu-lease," Kendall scoffed, "you didn't mind when they were all up on you."

Justin stole a bite from her muffin. "No I didn't."

"Then don't complain."

"I was just sayin-" Kendall held her hand out impatiently waiting for her muffin to be returned. Reluctantly Justin handed it back.

Zoe threw him a silver packet of pop-tarts. "Someone must be loosing their touch, if you ended up on our couch."

Justin faked a laugh, "You ladies are supposed to be hookin me up, remember? It looks like someone forgot to do their part."

"Hey, we just might make a gentlemen out of him yet," Zoe smirked.

Anna bounced freely on the therapy ball, listening to Kendall gab on and on. Near the end of Ashley's session Kendall had called to talk about going out again. Ashley, never one to miss a phone call, had called it quits for the day. When Kendall found out Ashley was with Anna she immediately insisted Ashley put her on the phone. Anna had been listening to her for the last twenty minutes and hadn't gotten a word in.

"So," Kendall finally paused, "did you have fun with us girlies the other night?"

Relieved to know Kendall wasn't planning on doing all the talking Anna answered, "Actually I did. Not as much fun as others, but fun nonetheless."

Over the phone Kendall laughed, "Girl, that's just how Zoe is. She wasn't even wasted yet."

"I don't know if that makes me scared or intrigued to see more," Anna admitted. Balancing the phone between her ear and shoulder she started cleaning up the studio.

Kendall let out a squee of delight, "Oh my gosh! You have to come out with us again! I'm not even joking."

Finding Kendall's enthusiasm contagious Anna couldn't help but smile too. "How could I say no?"

----
Zoe and Tani were laying by the pool when Kendall came bursting out of the French doors and onto the deck. They rolled their eyes in tandem.

"Who wants to go out tonight," she asked plopping herself on the foot of Tani's chair.

"Apparently you," Zoe said sitting up and reaching for her sunglasses.

Tani eyed her roommate closely. "I know you get excited about going out and all, but this is a bit too much excitement I'm sensing. New boy?"

Kendall gave Tani's leg a sizeable smack, relishing the look of shock on the brunette's face. "I'm serious. Ashley wanted to do something tonight and I think I'm going to rope Anna in too."

With the mention of Anna's name the other two girls leaned in a little closer.

"Anna? Really," Zoe asked.

Kendall nodded, "Yep. You know I think we make a wonderful choice with her. She actually is a really nice girl."

"Ken, you talked to her for what, a half hour, on the phone? That's not enough to warrant a nice girl conclusion," Tani replied.

"Safe to say Tani's not going with us," Kendall teased.

Rising from her chair and wrapping her towel around her lower half Tani grunted, "You're not going to get to know her if you keep taking her out to bars and getting her liquored up. Sheesh. No wonder you and Justin hit it off so well."

Zoe tried to hide a laugh while she could see Kendall's mind churning to understand Tani's comment. Stuffing a pair of empty Corona bottles into Kendall's arms Zoe followed her tanning buddy. When she was pulling the door shut behind her Kendall finally comprehended Tani's dig.

"Hey! Tani! That wasn't nice! Justin and I liked each other because we are both hot."

Breezing by on her way to her room Tani just laughed.

----
Taking her roommate's words to heart Kendall decided that a night in might be in order to get to know Anna a little better. But between the three of them calling up a few friends, their quite night in became more like a party. A full blown drunken mass of a party.

"Who invited the man-%+%*$," Zoe asked looking up to see Justin smirking in the doorway.

"Girl, no one needs to invite me. I have party radar."

"Party radar? Lame-o," Trace added pushing him out of the way and plopping onto the back of the couch.

"Hey," Kendall cried looking up from an intensive conversation about concealer, "where'd you get a Heinekens from?"

"The store," Trace offered teasingly swinging the bottle.

Zoe smacked his leg and motioned towards the kitchen, "Now you have to get her one for being such an ass."

"Damn," Trace said walking back towards the kitchen.

"So what's with this party," Justin asked looking around the room.

"There is no party Justin. Just a couple friends hanging out."

"Then why's everyone dressed up?"

"Can't girls sit around a house playing board games with each other in expensive, revealing outfits?" Zoe bantered.

"Not unless I'm invited," Justin replied, "and look I was. Wow."

Zoe was about to walk away and pretend Justin never showed up when she noticed Anna making her way towards the two of them.

"Hey Zoe. Hi Justin. Sorry to interrupt, but is there a bathroom I can use?"

"It's upstairs, to the right. Can't miss it," Zoe explained.

"Thanks! Oh, Justin, I love your shoes," she replied turning and heading towards the stairs.

"Nice shoes?" Zoe asked looking down at Justin's feet. "What the hell threw up on them?"

"They're Ice Creams. They're supposed to look like that." Justin crossed his arms in mock anger.

"Whatever man," Zoe answered shaking her head.

"Wait!" Justin said grabbing her arm.

"What?"

"I didn't know you guys actually knew her."

"Who? Anna? I didn't. Kendall does I guess. Who knows? She's sweet." Zoe smirked to herself and made it her mission to tell Tani and Kendall that Justin was definitely interested.

----
Anna sipped on her Mike's Lemonade and took in the unusual surroundings. True she lived fairly well, but this place was huge! And everyone seemed to be dressed to kill. She looked down at her jeans and witty graphic t-shirt and shrugged. With the state of drunkeness most guests were reaching no one was going to notice her anyway. She passed a pair of platinum blondes making out in the hallway before she noticed Zoe standing in the kitchen by the blender.

"Zoe," she nearly cried, relieved to find someone she knew.

Holding the top on with one hand Zoe looked over her shoulder to see the shorter girl entering the kitchen. "Hey Anna Banana!"

Anna smirked and leaned against the counter, "How wasted are you Zoe?" In her life experiences people only called her Anna Banana before her tenth birthday or when they were drunk.

Zoe pulled two glasses from the cabinet and filled them up with her frozen concoction. She handed one to Anna. "Honestly? Not enough. I can't believe Justin and Trace crashed our party. They always do that! P.S.: Justin's shoes are ugly. " Through the doorway the two could see the guys pulling out the box of Twister from under the t.v.

Anna patted Zoe's back. "I wouldn't worry about them. We can have our own fun without them." She held up her glass, insinuating that Zoe should do so too. Zoe looked out at the living room where a mess of arms and legs were drunkenly trying to find different colored spots and shrugged.

"Best idea of the night Anne-B. A toast to new friends who could care less about boys." They clicked their glasses together and left the messy kitchen behind.

----
It was well past two in the morning. Zoe had chatted with Anna for an hour before Tani came and stole her away saying someone broke her grandpa's cuckoo clock. The culprit turned out to be Trace and so the party died pretty quickly after that. Watching Zoe chase and finally overtake Trace in the front yard was probably the highlight of Anna's night. After looking for Ashley only to find out that her friend had left her about two hours prior without even telling her, Anna found herself leaning against the railing on the front porch searching through her phonebook for anyone who would be available to offer her a ride. Glumly she realized she was the one everyone called and thus there was no one else to help her out.

"AnnabellaBoo," Kendall blurted, joining her on the front steps, "que pasa Mama?" Anna reached out to steady the blonde and helped her sit down on the top step, shaking her head at Kendall's drunkeness.

"Did you steal all of Trace's beers?" Anna asked pulling Kendall's hair into a ponytail.

"Solemente cinco, yo creo."

"Only you would start talking in Spanish when you're this drunk," Justin replied coming up behind the two.

"Justin," Kendall cried grabbing for his pant leg. "Do you know Anna? Anna this is my boy Justin. Don't call him Justy. He hates that. Right baby?"

Justin pulled Anna to her feet with a sigh, "Right Ken. I think it's time for the tiny dancer to head to bed." Kendall stuck out her bottom lip and leaned against Justin.

"But who is gunna take care of Anna?"

Anna looked at the porch railing before quietly replying, "I'll call a cab or something. Don't worry." She gave Justin a gentle shove towards to door. "Go take her to bed."

"Yes," Kendall yelled as if Anna had come up with the best idea in the world, "Take me to bed Justy!" Justin swept Kendall up and over his shoulder and started into the house.

"Hey, Anna?" he paused with his hand on the door. Anna looked back over at him. "Ten minutes. I got it. Don't go anywhere."

----
"So this is pretty awkward, huh," Anna asked looking out of the passenger window.

Chuckling to himself Justin replied, "I've had more awkward rides, but yeah."

"I so don't even want to know," Anna answered looking at him with wide eyes.

"Trust me," Justin said glancing at her quickly, "I'm not going to share." Laughing, the two settled back, a little more at ease. A few minutes later Anna spoke.

"This is gunna sound totally weird, but do you mind if I turn the radio on? I have this thing about being in cars without sound."

"Sure," Justin said reaching out for the controls, "but why?"

Anna shrugged, "I don't know. I just always have to be listening to something. It weirds me out when a car is quiet. I don't know. I'm weird."

"Yeah, you are."

"Hey!," Anna cried, "I can say that. You aren't supposed to agree."

Justin shrugged, "But it's true."

"You don't know that."

"You're right. I guess it's not that weird."

"Thank you," Anna nodded. She turned away and continued looking out the window and giving Justin directions.

As Justin pulled to the curb Anna sighed and turned. "Thank you. I really, really appreciate this."

"No problem," Justin said looking up from the dashboard.

"Can you find your way back? I can write-"

"I'm good," Justin smirked.

"Ok. Well, thanks again." Anna pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear and opened the door. "Goodnight."

Justin responded with a "goodnight" as well. He stayed to make sure she got in ok and the pulled away from the curb and making a u-turn, headed home.

----
Somehow Anna found herself sitting at lunch with Tani and Kendall. While she agreed that they were pretty cool people, she was unsure why they had a sudden desire to hang out with her all the time.

"I thought you said Ashley might be coming with," Anna said taking a sip of her water.

Kendall chomped on the cherry from her drink and smiled, "I guess she forgot she had rehearsals today."

"Oh yeah," Anna remembered, "She is so friggen excited to get back. You'd think someone had died the way she talked about missing dancing."

"You should see this one," Tani said motioning towards Kendall, "if she goes two days without dancing she barges into my room demanding we have a dance party. I should have objected the first time like Zoe did. Now I get suckered in every time."

"You enjoy it. Don't lie."

"I mean it's fun and all, but sometimes a girl just wants to sit on her butt and watch the soaps," Tani answered.

"That's what I'm talking about," Anna smiled, "gimmie a little Sonny or Jason and I'm set."

"General Hospital? Oh no girl. It's all about Days of Our Lives," Tani corrected her.

"This girl needs more drama like another hole in the head," Kendall interrupted. "And this is my invitation to you Ms. Annabelle, anytime you wanna dance partner let me know."

Anna laughed and answered, "Although I'm not much of a dancer I'll keep that in mind."

The girls lunch was filled with laugher and random topics. Tani looked down at her watch as they waited for their bill and sighed, "We gatta get you back home Ken."

Kendall frowned, "Why?"

"It's your turn to cook."

"Is it Tuesday already," Kendall asked. She turned to Anna and explained, "we each have to cook two days a week. It sucks."

"We eat the same things every week. Kendall can only make frozen stuff and I even burn that."

"Hey! I'm pretty good," Kendall objected, "And Zoe experiments way too much."

With a small chuckle Anna replied, "But at least you don't have to cook every day like me."

"You can cook," Kendall asked, eyes on the waiter and hands busily scribbling down Tani's cell phone number on the check. But Tani caught her in the act and quickly tore the corner off of the receipt.

"I don't need a hook up from you too," she told Kendall sassily.

Walking through the front door of her house Anna was thoroughly excited to be home for the day. She loved her job. Ever since she was little she had wanted to help people. But halfway through her college career she realized that nursing wasn’t they way to go for her. Somehow her roommate had gotten her to volunteer to help at sports events where she had the opportunity to see countless lifelong dreams of professional sports die all too easily. And through her volunteerism at the school wellness center(she had a lot of free time in college, no car, and an unreasonable fetish for athletes) she finally realized her goal. But it was hell putting up with people who were weak and cranky and didn’t feel like trusting someone her size to tell them what to do. Who was she, all 5’4” of her, to tell Mr. Hot Shot Basketball player how to rehabilitate his knee? Her only saving grace for the past few months was Ashley’s request that Anna be her personal therapist so she would be healthy enough to go on tour this summer. Now Anna was getting back into the swing of things at the office and it was going to take some getting used to.

Putting her lunch bag in the sink, Anna changed into her lounging clothes and set herself to making dinner. She searched through her collection of cd’s while she waited for the water to boil. It had been getting pretty lonesome around her house these past few weeks since her roommate had gotten herself married and moved out. The girls had met through one of Anna’s clients; later to be Pepper’s husband. At first Anna was excited to have a roommate. Pepper’s personality was as true to it’s meaning as it could be; fun loving and energetic to say the least. Pepper was always out having a good time with her friends. Of course she always invited Anna, but after a full day’s worth of work Anna usually declined. So it was still odd for Anna to feel like the house was completely empty and deserted when Pepper spent so little time there.

As Anna continued to prepare her dinner she started reflecting on how much things had changed since Pepper moved out. Before she would never have spent most of her nights outside of her house or her weekends at parties. Try as Pepper might Anna would rather be at home reading a new therapy journal article. Yet there was something about this new group of people she had started spending her time with; she just couldn’t say no to any of them. Reaching deep into the inner recesses of her mind Anna decided that it was because Kendall reminded her so much of Pepper. Actually, Tani did too a little. Zoe did not, Anna nearly laughed in her head, but it was that total antithesis that too reminded Anna of one her greatest friends. With a pop of a cherry tomato in her mouth Anna reached for her phone praying she could catch her friend.

______

Tani flopped a pile of manila folders into the out box on her desk and sank triumphantly into her chair. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched her toes and closed her eyes. At this moment she wished she wasn’t out of school yet and could still bask in the joy that was college life. Her brief moment of rest was disrupted almost immediately.

“Isn’t there a rule about no bare feet in this place? We’re trying to be professional Tee.”

Taking a pen from her desk without opening her eyes, Tani lobbed it in his general direction praying it would hit him. Unfortunately all she heard was a laugh and she knew she’d missed her target. “Professional my ass Timberlake. Since when are nylon pants and cut off tanks professional?”

Justin laughed, seating himself on the corner of her desk. “You know you like a little distraction. You weren’t walking past the studio seven times for your health.”

“Ah yeah, actually I was” Tani said finally opening her eyes and looking at Justin. “I’ve started walking laps during my lunch break. Sorry to burst your bubble hun.”

He scrunched up his nose and started poking her with the pen. “What are you doing that for?”

“Did you have a purpose for interrupting me,” Tani asked. Justin poked her one too many times and she yanked the pen from his hand before putting it away. “If you couldn’t tell I’m busy today.”

“You get off in like fifteen minutes Tani.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not busy right now.”

“Such hostility Tani. Really. That time of the month again?” This time Tani reached into her desk for her letter opener. Justin jumped from his seat and moved around to the front of the desk where she couldn’t reach him, all the while giving her a cocky grin. “You know I’m just playing.”

“You know I’d get a lot more work done if I didn’t have to keep turning away your ‘friends.’”

“But you’re friends can hang around whenever,” Justin asked crossing his arms referring to Kendall and Zoe’s mid afternoon visits.

“Whatever Justin.”

Leaning over the desk Justin answered, “Wasn’t that phrase outlawed in week three?”

Fighting the beginnings of a smile Tani shook her head, “Why you remember these things I don’t know. But all outlaws became null and void when certain goings-downs occurred. So, I can say ‘Whatever Justin’ as much as I’d like. Whatever Justin.”

He could tell she was easing up on him. Justin still noticed the little things she did that told him she was no longer angry, like when her eyebrows became less furrowed and she would sigh. Fortunately for him he knew exactly what to do and say to make her calm down and enjoy his company. “Are you gunna hang with me tonight?” He asked, giving her his puppy dog eyes.

“Trace in LA?”

“He’s got nothing to do with it. I haven’t had any Tani Time lately.”

Tani patted his stubbled cheek before reaching under her desk for her shoes. “That’s because you’ve been having some Jessica, Melanie, Tiffanie, and Shavon time.”

With a twinkle in his eye Justin replied, “Yeah. I have. Good times.”

“You’re a pig,” Tani laughed batting him with her purse.

_____ 

On Thursday nights Anna always made her weekly trip to the grocery store. There was never anything on television that she liked and the store was sufficiently less crowded than on the weekend. So as usual she was pushing her cart down the cookie aisle looking for the Chips Ahoys with candies in them since they seemed to move them every week. She happened to look up just in time to avoid running into another cart as hers veered into the middle of the aisle.

“I am so sorry,” she cried, holding a hand to her chest. Her heart was beating overtime with the near head-on collision barely being avoided.

“Ordinarily I’d have to throw down. But since it’s you I’ll let it slide.”

Anna scrunched her eyes and looked at the would be collision-mate for the first time. Under his dirty baseball cap and frayed polo she recognized him. “Trace?”

“Anna,” he simply replied.

“You shop here?”

“Where else would I shop,” Trace asked grabbing a bag of the same cookies Anna had been looking for into his cart.

Reaching over his cart and grabbing two bags of her own Anna laughed. “I mean, aren’t you afraid of people coming up to you and bugging you while you’re shopping?”

“Like you’re doing? I know you didn’t ‘accidentally’ almost run me over Anna. All part of your master plan to get you some Trace.”

Fidgeting with the hair ties around her wrist Anna looked back at him, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to almost run you over. I’ll just get moving on down the aisle now.”

But before she could start pushing her cart Trace grabbed it. “That was my payback for the whole, ‘oh no, not Trace’ comment from the other night. You’re cool Anna. Maybe if I keep you around to shop with me we’ll scare off all those people waiting to stalk me in the middle of the grocery store at ten on a Thursday night.”

“Are you mocking me Mr. Ayala,” Anna asked as Trace turned his cart around to join Anna in her shopping.

“For as long as you’ll take it,” he smiled. “Now we need to talk about your choice of torillas-”

_____

Zoe, Kendall, and Tani sat around their kitchen table looking sullenly into the bowls in front of them. Zoe scooped up a spoonful and cringed as the lumpy victuals slopped back into the bowl. Kendall’s face spoke for her on what she thought of dinner.

“Am I to take it the orange chunks are carrots,” Tani asked poking the food.

Regretfully Zoe shook her head, “I didn’t use anything orange.”

“We really should stick to Lean Cuisine,” Kendall said licking the edge of her spoon. She nearly retched at the taste.

“So,” Tani said tossing the entire bowl into the garbage and reaching into the drawer by the phone, “Chinese or Mexican?”

“Neither compare to full blooded-country bred American.”

“The only way I’ll forgive you for such an asinine comment is if you come baring food,” Zoe shouted waiting for Justin to show his face in the kitchen. When he did he was carrying each of the girl’s favorites.

“Thursdays,” he humpfed sitting at the table and digging into his own beef sandwich. “Should I add this to your tabs?”

Tani looked behind Justin, waiting for his usual follower to join them. “Where’s Trace?”

Wiping a stream of gravy from his mouth Justin replied, “Groceries.”

Kendall pulled a chunk of chicken from her Caesar salad. “But it’s tradition! You two always save us from Zoe’s Thursday Night Catastrophes.”

“I guess he ran into Anna last week and they had such a,” he paused, waiting to emphasize the next word, “great time, they decided to meet up again this week.”

“They made a date to go grocery shopping,” Tani asked in awe. “What dorks.”

“He can’t be making dates with her,” Kendall cried.

“Why not,” Justin asked around a chunk of bread, “he’s allowed a pretty girl that isn’t a slut every once in awhile.”

Zoe smacked the back of his head causing him to choke a little. “Anna isn’t available.”

“She’s not,” Justin asked taking the bottle of water Tani handed to him as she took out a can of Sprite for herself. “She never said anything.”

“You mean in the ten minutes you’ve talked to her,” Tani asked pulling the tab from her can and flicking it at Kendall.

“I’ve talked to her plenty of times,” Justin informed them.

“What? When? Why,” Kendall asked jumping from her seat and moving closer to Justin. “Dish, Lake.”

“Damn, Ken,” Justin said, before looking at Zoe and rolling his eyes. “She’s been hanging out with Trace a bit lately. I’m not just gunna ignore her sitting on my couch. That would be rude.”

“So just pleasantries then,” Zoe summed up the extend of Justin and Anna’s conversations.

“What are the three of you so interested in this for? You’ve never cared about Trace’s girls before.”

“Aye,” Zoe said tapping Justin on the nose. “There’s the rub. Anna’s not supposed to be Trace’s girl.”

“Who’s girl is she supposed to be then?” Justin asked before taking a chunk out of his sandwich. He continued to chew it, noticing that no one answered but they were all looking at him. Swallowing, he replied, “Now hold on. That whole set Justin up thing was a joke guys. You can’t be serious.”

“As a heart attack,” Zoe quipped with a smile.

_____

It had been nearly two weeks since Anna had been over at the girls’ house. Kendall had continued to call her at work, and Anna didn’t want to say pester her, but for lack of a better word, did. So when Zoe gave her a call right before lunch on Friday she was surprised. Zoe invited her over for a girls night out, this time completely limiting the guest list to four. Anna weighed her options of a night at home with Harry Potter on cable, or drinks with the girls. She opted for the latter.

“Ok,” Kendall beamed, Indian style on the loveseat, “let’s play a game.”

Boyishly climbing over the back of the couch and planting herself next to Anna on the couch Zoe rolled her eyes. “Ken, I’m too old for truth or dare or lighter than a feather.” Beside her Anna laughed softly, the side effects of her martini finally kicking in.

“Not that kinda game,” Kendall replied sticking her tongue out, “a real drinking game.”

It was Tani’s turn to protest, “Kendall, every time we play drinking games with you someone ends up naked on the patio and/or at Justin’s house.”

Setting her glass as neatly as she could on the table Kendall answered, “Like none of us here would object to that anyway.” Zoe protectively tried to cover Anna’s ears.

“Ken, not everyone here has done that before,” she cried before dissolving into a fit of laughter.

Anna patted Zoe’s shoulders lightly, “It’s ok Zoe. I won’t object. Let the drinking games begin.”

Across from her Kendall’s eyes lit up, “You mean-You like him too!?”

“Like him too,” Tani asked eyeing her roommate carefully, “who else likes him?”

“Very funny Tani,” Zoe teased. “What game do you want to play Ken?”

“I’ve Never,” she replied hastily. “I’ll start. I’ve never-” she stopped. “This is too hard. I’ve done too much stuff. You start Anna.”

Anna pulled at the end of her ponytail in thought. “I’ve never had a one night stand.”

“Oh boo,” Zoe said gulping down her drink. “You’re too boring Anna. Where’s your wild side? I’ve never bought my own drink at a club.” Tani and Anna took sips from their glasses and Kendall gave Zoe a high five.

“I’ve got one now,” Kendall opened, “I’ve never been single for more than two months.”

“I’m starting to think this game should be called ‘Make Anna drunk because she’s a good girl.’” She smiled, letting the other three know she was joking.

Next was Tani who tried her best to be deep in thought. When she had the perfect statement a giant grin spread across her face. “I’ve never…kissed Trace. Like a real kiss. On the lips. With tongue.” She gasped when all three took a swig of their drinks.

“Anna!” Kendall cried. “When was this?”

Anna looked nervously at the three faces looking back at her. “Just a few days ago.”

“Did you like it,” Tani asked curiously.

“It was alright, I guess.”

“Wait,” Kendall cried holding up a hand, “Zoe? When?”

Zoe blew a bang from her eye, “We were like sixteen. It was more slobber and groping that kiss.”

“Ew,” the other three chorused before dissolving into a fit of giggles.

“My turn,” Zoe sidestepped the issue.

“But wait,” Kendall stopped her again. “Anna, you know you’re not supposed to like Trace, right?”

Anna shook her head, “I didn’t know that. Why not? Does he have herpes or something?”

“Probably,” Tani muttered under her breath.

“You’re supposed to like Justin,” Kendall answered.

Setting her empty glass on the table Anna stated, “I do like Justin. Of course I like him. He’s nice. Sometimes he’s sober enough to drive me home. That’s always a plus in my book.”

“I won’t tell you the only plusses he has in mine,” Zoe teased, wiggling her eyebrows at Tani.

“No!” Kendall pouted, “You’re supposed to like him, like him.”

“Kendall, we’re not in sixth grade ok. Use big girl words.”

“What they’re trying to say is, we think you and Justin would be good together. You guys should hook up,” Tani summed up. Then she downed her entire martini and left to make another.

Anna sat in her seat stunned. “Me and Justin? I think you’ve all had one too many.”

“No,” Kendall said yet again. “It would be cute! You could be the good girl who makes him normal again.”

“Ken, Justin was never normal. Ever,” Zoe reminded her.

_____

Another weeknight and Anna found herself not at home again. She wondered if her couch was missing her by now.

“How goes the therapy ish,” Trace asked passing a plate of frijoles to Anna.

“Same ole, same ole,” Anna replied spooning some onto her plate before putting it to the side. “I had this massive college football kid try and hit on me. I told him he can keep his hands on the equipment or he can work with Arlen.”

“Isn’t Arlen the crazy gay Czech guy?”

“Yep.”

“Nice. Did he behave?”

“Enough.”

“Enough? Now how come I know if I tried any of that stuff I’d be bitch slapped and sent to spend the day with Arlen,” Trace asked, pausing with his bottle halfway to his mouth.

Anna smirked, “Because.”

“That’s not a good answer,” Trace stared, “With your college degrees you should know not to start sentences with because.”

Playfully ruffling the small amount of hair on his head Anna laughed. “Fine. He knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere with me, so it wasn’t like I really had to worry.”

Trace raised an inquisitive eyebrow, “And that means I can?”

“Can what?”

“Get anywhere with you?”

Eyes wide Anna covered her mouth, “Oh!”

Letting out a hearty laugh Trace patted Anna on the back, “I know what you mean.” Anna shook her reddened featured face and stuck a mouthful of corn into it, hoping to avoid any other embarrassing comments.

_____

Only slightly inebriated Justin shut the garage door and kicked his shoes into the kitchen on his way to the stairs. Halfway up he realized that he was going to need some water tonight and a Gatorade in the morning. He put a bottle in the refrigerator and started pouring a glass of water when he noticed a bag laying on the counter. He recognized the red Coach heart tag hanging from the much used thrift store find she had raved about for a week. Then his eyes fell on the clock on the microwave: 3:35. It was 3:30 in the morning and Anna’s purse was on his counter. Trace’s car was in the driveway. Justin’s eyes grew wide when he noticed the few Coors bottles sitting on the edge of the sink. He ran up the stair and tiptoed to Trace’s room. Pausing, he put his ear against the door but only heard Trace’s occasional snort telling Justin he was dead asleep. He pushed the door open prepared for the worst. But all he saw was Trace passed out on the bed, fully clothed, and no sign of Anna.

Justin trudged back downstairs not sure if he should be relieved or disappointed. Sure Trace deserved a nice girl. But did Anna really deserve to have to deal with Trace? Without realized he had carried the Gatorade with him, Justin put it away and started to make his way back to the stairs.

“Trace,” a voice called softly from the living room.

Justin strolled into the living room and found Anna sitting on the couch. Or he assumed it was Anna since the lights weren’t on and he had no intention of turning them on. His eyes were just as tired as she sounded. “It’s Justin.”

“Oh Justin,” she yawned, “Hi. I hope you don’t mind. Trace and I are having a sleep over.”

He felt himself smile. “In different rooms?” He slid onto the corner of the couch, flipping the switch on the side. The couch shook and the recliner burst out under Justin’s feet. Anna kicked the end of the blanket his way and Justin pulled it over his legs too.

“He was going upstairs to brush his teeth,” Anna explained. “Must have gotten lost in this place.”

Justin laughed quietly. “Maybe. Happens to me all the time.”

“Oh shut up,” Anna laughed before yawning again. It was contagious and Justin yawned too.

“You wanna stay here? I can drive you home. Again.” Anna pulled the pillow tighter under her head and kicked her feet out as far as they would go. They were only halfway on Justin’s lap. “I’ll take that as you’ll stay here.”

“I can’t just leave a sleepover,” Anna whispered, starting to fall back asleep again.

Justin nodded in agreement and felt his eyes slowly shut.

When he woke up the next morning Justin was prepared for a hangover. He knew it would hit him the minute he opened his eyes so he tried to prolong the pain as long as he could. He felt someone shaking his shoulder and he tried to ignore it.

“Justin. Justin? You have to get up now. Your phone is ringing.”

“No,” Justin mumbled pulling the blanket up and over his head.

“I know this isn’t my house, but I will kick your butt if you don’t get up,” Anna answered pulling the blanket completely off his dozing form.

“You sure are lively in the morning,” Justin groaned stretching his legs out. He opened his eyes to see Anna standing in front of him with the blanket balled in her hands. He wasn’t used to waking up to the sight of a fully dressed woman, but it was a pleasant surprise. She tossed him the phone and left the room to give him some privacy but not before placing the folded blanket on the back of the couch. Searching the caller ID he saw who had been calling. Instead of calling back he reached for the blanket and laid across the couch this time, taking Anna’s spot from the night before.

“Justin! Get up, please,” Anna pleaded shaking him again.

“Woman! Let me sleep.” He felt Anna sink onto the other side of the couch and heard a sigh.

“Trace won’t get up either.”

“Good,” Justin replied. He scrunched his legs up. “Go back to sleep. I’ll even share the blanket again.”

“I have to go to work Justin.”

“Call in sick.”

Anna rubbed her own sleepy eyes. “I would if I could. But I can’t. People count on me.”

“I count on sleeping all day.”

Anna smacked the back of his legs, “Please? I’ll buy you breakfast and Starbucks?”

“Yeah?”

“Please?”

Justin groaned and pushed the blanket back off. Rubbing a sleepy hand over his eyes he made his way to the kitchen and pulled out his Gatorade. Anna followed nervously.

“You can just go back to sleep as soon as you get home,” Anna told him. “Plus, when Trace tells you to get up and do something today later you’ll have an excuse.”

“Always thinking Anna,” Justin smirked behind the red liquid. His hangover was surprisingly slight this morning, which only had him thinking about how much more he could party tonight. With a shrug Anna followed him into the garage. “Which one shall we take today?”

“That one,” Anna said pointing to a silver sports car in the middle.

Justin grabbed the key. “Nice choice Annester.”

“I’m in a hurry, it looks quick.”

Justin let out a laugh while climbing into the car.

_____

Anna thanked God she had left a few days worth of scrubs in her locker earlier in the week. Pulling the blue top over her white tank top she ran a finger over her teeth praying that the Dentyne Justin gave her would last at least until her lunch break. She hated not being fresh and clean.

Her closest co-worked sidled up to her. “Who’s Mr. Flashypants?”

“What?”

“Mr. Flashypants in the fancy sports car,” he answered without a beat, “don’t think I didn’t miss your little entrance. All decked out in crinkled clothing. I should be disappointed. But I’m not. You go girl!”

Anna nearly fell down in laughter, “Arlen, you really need a social life.”

“Look who’s talking,” he answered, his voice thick with his foreign accent.

“Well,” Anna shrugged, “Mr. Flashypants would disagree.”

Wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulders Arlen shouted, “Go Anna! Now, tell me more. Tell me more.”

Anna playfully pushed him away, “I have work to do. If you’ll excuse me…” Arlen didn’t miss the smile or the blush working their way to Anna’s face.

_____

“Wakey, wakey!”

“Are you for real,” Justin asked. He opened one eye enough to see his best friend smiling down at him from the edge of the bed.

“For the most part. Now let’s go,” Trace called moving towards the doorway.

“Go where,” Justin asked sitting up.

“We have a meeting.”

“We do?”

Trace tried not to roll his eyes. “Yes.”

“I thought I got to sleep all day,” Justin said slowly getting out of bed and searching for a pair of clean pants.

“Who told you that nonsense,” Trace asked, “we’ve got like twelve issues on the board. What the hell did you drink last night that you can’t remember? You’re the one that wanted this meeting.”

“I don’t think I had that much. That’s the problem,” Justin voiced. He stood in the closet debating shirts.  He pulled one from the hanger. “Anna told me I could sleep all day.” Trace raised an eyebrow. Justin continued, “You know, when you wouldn’t get up and I had to drive her to work. At seven in the morning.”

“I would have driven her,” Trace answered. “But I knew you’d do it. So…”

“Ass.”

“Ready?”

Justin emerged from the closet with gym shoes and hat in hand. “This is going to be a long day, isn’t it?”

_____

“We still haven’t decided the new name for the next style,” Trace said looking at the next order of business on the agenda. Beside him Justin drummed his fingers on the table; partly in frustration, but mostly in boredom. Normally he was excited and interested in what was going on. But the not-so-bad-hangover he thought he had reared it’s uglier side when he was met outside with a gaggle of photographers. Now he just wanted to go home, take a nap, and see what kinda ass he could get for the night.

“Excuse me,” the pepper haired secretary called sticking her head into the room.

“Yes,” Justin and Trace chorused, one more relieved than the other.

“There’s a girl out here with doughnuts claiming she knows you?” Neither one to turn down free food Trace and Justin ventured into the hallway.

Anna was standing nervously against the receptionists desk looking around the office. The light blue scrubs made her stand out against the fashionable staff running to and fro around the office. Her face lit up when she saw the guys following the receptionist.

“Are you lost Nemo,” Trace asked giving her a one armed hug and reaching for the box of pastries.

Anna poked his stomach unsure where that new nickname came from, “No. I actually promised this one breakfast because he got up.” Trace’s jaw fell when Anna pulled the box away from him and handed it to Justin.

“Tease,” Trace played watching Justin pull out a sprinkled covered doughnut. Gloating, Justin took a huge bite, sprinkles falling on his red vintage t-shirt.

“Don’t be a baby,” Anna told Trace, “I’m sure he’ll share. Right?”

Justin looked between Anna and his doughnuts. “All right,” he sighed with exaggeration. Trace grabbed a powdered doughnut and gave Anna a kiss on the cheek in thanks.

“I have to get back to the meeting. They actually need me there,” he said. Walking backwards down the hall he pointed at his watch and bit into the doughnut. Strawberry filling squirted from his mouth and he jumped back quickly to avoid staining his white shirt. The carpet now had a big pink blob on it and as Trace tried to help the receptionist clean it up he caught Justin and Anna laughing. So what else could he do but flick them off and return to the meeting room.

Justin turned to Anna, “You really didn’t have to bring me food. I told you not to worry about it.”

She pulled a plastic cup with its green straw from the desk and handed it to him, “I keep my promises. Sorry it took so long. I didn’t have a break until now, and then I didn’t know where you were. So I had to call Kendall, and you can assume how that went. Ten minutes later I finally found this place. Which is beautiful might I add.”

Sipping the iced beverage Justin closed his eyes. It was the perfect combination of refreshment and caffeine that he needed. And it was peach; a flavor he’d been craving for some reason for the past week. “Anna, I love you.”

“Love you too,” Anna asked, more than proclaimed.

Chuckling Justin pulled her in for a hug. “I really needed this,” he said raising his cup.

“Anything for my chauffer.”

Justin took another sip. “About that…I think it’s becoming a habit Annabelle. You’re just using me for my fancy cars.”

Anna laughed and tucked her hands into the pockets of her shirt. “What else would I use you for?”

With the straw in his mouth Justin wiggled his eyebrows. “Lots of things.”

Blushing Anna gave his shoulder a push, “Oh get out of here, you little pervert.”

Adopting a serious face Justin looked shocked. “Anna! I was just saying you could use me for some free food too. But now that I know you’re thinking these things about me, maybe I don’t want to have you at my house alone.”

Not knowing what to say Anna kicked the toe of her white gym shoes against the carpet. She wasn’t sure how it had happened but their playful banter had just turned awkward. Standing next to Justin she wished Trace was there, he’d be some comic relief to stop the jitters Anna was feeling. Justin pushed the box in front of her.

“Eat. You didn’t give up your lunch to watch me eat did you?” Anna pulled out a glazed doughnut and broke a piece off. She ate it slowly while Justin scarffed down two more.

“So are you planning on falling asleep at my house again tonight,” Justin asked breaking the silence, “or do you have better plans?”

“No.”

“No what,” Justin asked leaning down to look Anna in the face. “What’s with the shyness all of a sudden Annester?”

Anna took a deep breath, “They’re looking at me.” It was the best she could come up with without saying she was feeling very nervous. Justin swept the room quickly noting that the two were indeed getting curious glances before leaning into Anna’s ear.

“They are waiting for us to leave this box unattended. Then they can swoop in.”

“You think so,” Anna asked, a little more at ease.

Justin took a gulp of his drink, “Maybe. Who knows.”

_____

That night Justin watched Trace run around the kitchen grabbing objects and placing them on the kitchen table before running back upstairs. Then into the living room. Back upstairs. Bathroom. Kitchen.

“You know too many energy drinks can kill you. It’s been proven,” Justin teased when Trace entered the kitchen.

“You know what,” Trace asked, slightly out of breath. Without finishing his comment he unplugged his phone and slid it into the front pocket of his jeans.

“Where are you goin,” Justin asked swinging himself up on the counter top and leaning against the cabinets.

“Out.”

“With who?”

“Does it matter,” Trace questioned tapping his car keys against his thigh, obviously impatient and ready to leave.

Justin shrugged. “You know how I worry.”

Trace outright laughed. “Right.” They were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Trace had to go that way anyway to leave so he made his way to the front door.

“Anna?”

She smiled up at him from behind another box that looked just like the one from earlier in the day. “Tracie! Are you joining us too?”

Trace’s face twisted in confusion. “For what?”

Behind him Justin cleared his throat. “Let her in Trace. Weren’t you in a hurry to get somewhere?”

Taking a step to the right Trace allowed Anna entrance into the house. “I got the last cobbler,” Anna proclaimed proudly following Justin into the kitchen and tossing her bag on its usual spot. Debating, Trace looked at his car and then back into the hallway leading to the kitchen. Curiosity won out and he joined the other two.

“What are you guys doing,” he asked sliding onto a stool.

“Weren’t you in hurry to be somewhere,” Justin asked again. Trace was surprised at Justin’s tone. Was he trying to kick him out?

“If you’re worried about the cobbler, we’ll save you some,” Anna chirped interrupting the stare down between the two men. “Look. I’m putting some on a plate right now.” Trace watched her put some on a plate and stick it in the refrigerator. “See? All is well. Now go out. Have fun. Call if you need us to pick you up.” Trace felt her grab his shoulders and spin him back around towards the door. Was she kicking him out too?

_____

“I call this meeting to order,” Kendall laughed pounded her tub of ice cream on the table.

“Kendall, please,” Tani rolled her eyes. “Just give me the Funky Monkey.”

The three roommates sat around the kitchen table decked out in their grungiest clothes. Kendall’s usually neat hair was pulled up into a rat’s nest of a bun and Tani’s t-shirt left evidence of their Sloppy Joe dinner. Zoe was relieved to loose her bra and enjoy her tank top in peace.

“Does this feel awkward to anyone else,” Zoe asked the other two. It seemed almost unnatural to not have Anna around. Either Kendall invited her everywhere or she was tagging along with Justin and Trace. But obviously she hadn’t been invited tonight.

“A little,” Kendall admitted, “but it’s for Anna’s own good. I don’t know what happened, but something got twisted around and now she’s got a thing for Trace. Trace! Of all people.”

“Is that so hard to believe,” Tani asked.

“Trace!” Kendall repeated. “The same guy who tried to catch all of us in the shower.”

“In his defense,” Zoe replied, “it’s not often we do it together.”

Kendall snickered remembering that day, “His poor face when he sneaks in and we’re still in our suits.” The three friends laughed. “See, look. Now we’re thinking about Trace instead. Ugh!”

“He does have a way of sneaking in, doesn’t he,” Zoe asked pulling the top off of her Neapolitan ice cream and plunging her spoon into the strawberry section.

“Anyhoo,” Kendall drawled, “back to Anna and Justin.”

Tani let out a sigh. “This was all fun and games before we knew anything about Anna. But now? I feel like we’re meddling where we aren’t wanted.”

“We made a bet,” Zoe reminded her. “I adore Anna to pieces too, but I won’t let Justin win.”

“But you heard him yourself,” Tani voiced, “he said this whole bet thing was a joke.”

“Well of course he would say that,” Zoe cried, “he wants to win. He says it, we believe him and knock this off, and then he wins because we lose.”

“Duh,” Kendall proclaimed.

“I’m not even sure Anna’s a good match for him anyway.”

Kendall licked the edge of her spoon, “Anna’s a good match for anyone. If she was a pie, she’d be apple. Everyone likes apple pie.”

“Thanks Ken,” Zoe smirked, “now I’ve got images of-oh. No!” Beside her Kendall licked her lips, but not from the ice cream.

“You two are bad,” Tani laughed.

“So,” Zoe started squirting a dollop of whipped cream on her finger, “Mission Justin and Anna Hookup, Stage II. What’s going to happen?"

_______

To say Trace came home frustrated was an understatement. Not only had he been charged cover and valet, but he’d seen his ex pressing herself up against her newest boy toy. So that in itself put him over the edge. When he tried to find himself something or someone to occupy his night his friends decided they wanted to call him out on why he hadn’t been spending time with them lately. And then that turned into why Justin wasn’t out with him tonight.

“Always freaking Justin,” Trace mumbled under his breath as he pulled into the driveway. Anna’s car sat in the same place as when he left. That just set him off. “Wonderful.” He slammed the door shut. Pushing open the front door of the house he called out, “Put some damn clothes on, I’m home.” He threw his phone on the counter and yanked the door of the refrigerator open. Trace pulled out the left over cobbler and a spoon and turned to sit at the table.

“Hi,” Anna said walking into the room. When she saw Trace and the agitation written on his face her demeanor turned cautious. “Not such a fun night?”

“Not as much fun as I’m sure you had,” he spat shoving a piece of peach into his mouth.

“You mean before or after Justin’s phone rang off the hook for a solid hour and I took the dogs for a walk?” Eying the girl sitting across from him Trace noticed her usually twinkling eyes weren’t so, well, twinkly.

“That happens.”

“So I’ve been told,” she said resting her chin in her hands. “It’s good cobbler, isn’t it? I knew you said you were craving some, so.”

Trace scoured around the plate for some crust. “You don’t have to pretend you got it for me.”

“Of course I got it for you silly. Justin got his doughnuts. It was only fair you should get a treat too.”

He tried not to laugh. “How thoughtful.”

“Trace, what the heck pissed on your cake tonight? Really? I don’t think I like you right now.” He shrugged. Anna pushed in her chair. “Alright, fine. I stayed up waiting to talk to you and see how your night on the town went. But obviously you’re going to be a jackass about it.”

“Yep.”

“Goodnight. Call me when you’re attitude isn’t so ugly.”

He heard the front door close and her car start up. Suddenly not hungry anymore he threw the rest of the cobbler in the garbage and mumbled obscenities under his breath as he made his way to bed.

-----

Sitting on a stack of mats Anna poked herself in the thigh with the eraser of her pencil before letting out a heavy sigh.

“What’s wrong,” Arlen asked from across the room where he was also waiting for his next patient.

“Nothing,” Anna said, sighing again.

Arlen sauntered over and plopped himself next to her, “Did you have your big night with Mr. Flashypants last night?”

Anna shot him a look, “He has a name Arlen.”

“Excuse me. Justin Flashypants.”

She was glad she had a friend like Arlen, even if he was annoying sometimes. “It was fine. We planned out nearly all of Trace’s birthday party. Pretty productive for all of the distractions.”

“So what’s with the long face,” Arlen asked taking her chin into his hands. Anna playfully swatted him away.

“Trace had a cow when he got home. And he won’t call me back.”

“Maybe he’s still sleeping,” Arlen offered looking at the watch around his wrist. “It’s still kinda early.”

“I guess,” Anna sighed again. Without much time to dwell on their conversation Anna’s patient came in and she let herself get engrossed in her work.

-----

Zoe settled on the floor pulling the multicolored fabrics out carefully and discarding the unwanted ones in a pile to her left. A few feet away Anna rifled through a basket of her own.

“I think I’ve found my new nirvana,” Anna gasped pulling out a short dress decorated with what appeared to be raindrops. She threw the dress over her shoulder and continued her perusing.

Taking her pile of things and putting the rest back in the basket Zoe joined the shorter girl. “At least someone else thinks so. Tani came once and said the smell gave her a headache.”

Anna handed Zoe a Whitesnake shirt from the bottom of a pile. “And heaven knows Kendall wouldn’t even get into the car to drive past here.”

Zoe laughed and nodded. “Little does she know the Gucci pumps I got her for her birthday were from here.”

“Really?”

Zoe moved down the aisle towards the accessory department, “They have some pretty good things here. I once got Justin a pair of Jordans. The fact that they had them and in his size was fate.”

Anna nodded in understanding and the two continued looking through the store. Heaving their bags with them to the car Anna decided she might as well ask.

“Hey Zoe,” she pulled on her hair tie around her wrist, “what’s with you and Justin?”

Slamming her trunk shut Zoe slipped into the driver’s seat. “What do you mean?”

“Do you hate him, or do you like him? Cuz this bi-polar Justinism has got me so confused.”

Zoe laughed over the sound of the radio. “I hate Justin, really I do. He’s done some really shitty things to me An. But I’ve done just as much back at him so I can’t hold it against him. And it’s hard not to like him.”

“I find it very difficult to imagine the two of you dating. Him pulling out chairs and stuff.”

“He didn’t do that shit for me,” Zoe proclaimed. She saw her companions’ green eyes searching for more. “To put it simply: Justin needed ass and I needed to get out of Tennessee.”

“Wow.”

“You asked.”

“I guess I did. I just didn’t think…well, I guess that does explain a lot then.”

Zoe turned questioning to Anna, “It does?”

“Oh yeah,” Anna nodded with a smile, “you hate him because you know you want some of that, but you hate it more because you know you can have it if you wanted but you won’t let yourself go back there. And between the three of you, I can assume why you like him. Well actually I guess he is a nice person to boot too.”

“Annabelle,” Zoe said shaking a finger at her, “you sure you’re just a physical therapist? Cuz I‘ve paid some good money and never got read like that so easily.”

“My grandpa was Sigmund Freud. Maybe I learned from him,” she winked.

“Really!” Zoe gasped.

“No.”

Zoe reached out and pushed Anna’s shoulder. “You goof. Honestly? Making jokes about Freud. You’re out there Anna.”

-----

The sun was high in the afternoon sky and there was nothing Tani wanted more than to stay permanently in the pool relaxing. Scooping a handful of water from the pool and onto her legs Tani spied Justin and Kendall making their way to the pool.

“Took you long enough,” Tani spouted. “Did you have to sew the bathing suit yourself too?”

Kendall tried to shush her roommate, “I couldn’t find my bottoms.”

“And I told her who needs them and we should just go,” Justin answered grabbing his own raft from the storage shed and placing it into the water.

Tani eyed the two of them from behind her sunglasses. “Topless, sure that makes sense. There’s no bottomless beaches. We wear bottoms in this pool Justin.”

“Are you sure about that,” he asked hiding a smirk as he sank on the raft.

Kendall’s mouth formed a tiny ‘o’ of surprise and Tani blushed. “Yes, I’m sure Justin.”

“I seem to remember a couple nights when-”

“And anyways, why didn’t you bring Trace today,” she cut him off.

Justin shrugged as best he could from his prostrate form on the plastic raft, “He’s been pissy at me since he went out with his boys.”

“Why would he be pissy about that,” Kendall asked.

Again Justin shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe someone spilled on him? All I know is Anna sat up for like three hours after I went to bed with a sinus headache and he came home and blew her off.” Kendall tried to contain her excitement. Tani just rolled her eyes.

“So she not hanging with him today,” Kendall questioned.

“Nope. She’s got a cartilage or something or other class today,” he explained.

“Too bad.”

Slipping from his raft and into the water Justin voiced his agreement. “It is. I didn’t realize how used to her being around I had gotten until she’s been gone. I might just have to call her up myself and make her come over. Got Anna withdrawal or something.”

From their positions in the pool the girls nodded in approval.

-----

One look around the kitchen told Anna she should try and high-tail it out of there before anything else happened. But before she could even try to leave the room she felt a pair of hands grab her around the waist.

“Annester you are not getting away so easy.”

Anna pushed his hands away and tugged on the pockets of the apron she was wearing. “You invited me to bake. Not to clean.”

Justin turned from his new position in front of the sink, “It goes without saying Anna. You can’t just have your cake and eat it too ya know.”

Caving in and wrapping an arm around Justin to grab a sponge Anna shot back, “There isn’t any cake involved in this mess Justin.”

“Not yet. Why? Should we make some?”

Green eyes settled on plates of chocolate chips, muffins, and what was supposed to be pudding. “No, I think we’ve done enough damage.”

He chuckled. “I suppose so. But it was fun.”

A loud crash followed his statement when Anna dropped the cookie pans into the sink. “If you mean throwing flour into my hair, sure.”

Justin pointed a warning finger at her, “You’re the one that squished chocolate chips down my shirt. I’m going to be washing that shit out for two days Anna.”

She shrugged, “Bring over Vanessa. I’m sure she’ll lick it off for you.”

His chin dropped. “Annabelle!”

She turned innocently from the counter, “What? It’s true.”

“One,” he said holding up his finger, “you aren’t supposed to know about that kind of thing. And two, you aren’t supposed to know I do those kinds of things.”

“Ha,” Anna laughed, “you just admitted it. So technically you should be thanking me for what is sure to be an entertaining night, not complaining.”

“I don’t like these things Trace is teaching you,” Justin proclaimed shutting the door of the dishwasher.

Anna raised an eyebrow, “Trace? Oh hunny. Trace doesn’t even know the half of it.

-----

“I think I’ve missed you all,” Anna smiled flattening her hand against the table. The four friends took up nearly all of the space at the nail salon and were having no problems sharing all their personal information with whomever else was there too.

“We missed you too Anna Banana,” Zoe called from three seats away. “Where have you been?”

“Quite honestly it’s almost been like I’ve gotten back to my normal routine since Trace won’t talk to me. Work, go home. Work, go home. Work, talk to one of you at home. Maybe hang out with Justin sometime in between there.”

“Yeah,” Kendall interrupted her face all kinds of smiles, “we were at the pool the other day and he kept saying he missed you being around.”

Anna turned to look at her in surprise, “He did?”

Next to her Tani nodded, “I was a witness.”

“At least someone does.”

“I wouldn’t worry about Trace,” Tani said soothingly rubbing her free hand over Anna’s shoulder. “He’ll come around.”

“No,” Kendall cried out making her way towards the pedicure station, “Trace is just an ass. Don’t let him bother you.”

-----

Clicking her turn signal on Anna’s face was beaming. Even if she wanted to she couldn’t stop. The news she had just gotten was exactly what she needed to take her mind off the fact that Trace hadn’t even returned any of her calls. He’d been a jerk when she left the other night and she just assumed he still was. She tried to use Justin to figure out what was wrong, but Justin always changed the subject.

“TRACE! JUSTIN! GET OUT HERE,” Anna yelled quickly and loudly running into the living room of Justin’s house. She was nearly bursting and couldn’t understand what was taking them so long.

“What,” Justin cried skidding into the room in a full run, “what’s the matter?”

Trace sauntered in a minute later, still giving Justin the silent treatment from the other day. “Hi.”

“You’ll never guess,” Anna grinned rocking back and forth onto her tiptoes.

“Then you’ll just have to tell us,” Trace replied, “we’ve got things to do today Anna.”

“Trace, seriously,” Justin exclaimed. He’d had enough of Trace’s attitude. “What is your problem this week? Do you need a vacation or something? A few days in Memphis?”

Trace’s mouth dropped in shock, “You would send me away, wouldn’t you? Make sure I’m not here to interrupt anything. Yeah, no thanks buddy.”

“What are you talking about,” Justin asked frustrated.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Trace declared stepping closer.

Justin shook his head, “If I knew we wouldn’t be playing this little guessing game, now would we?”

“Don’t play stupid with me Justin.”

“Man, seriously.”

“Seriously,” Trace mocked. “I don’t appreciate this bullshit Justin.”

“What shit Trace? You’re the one who comes home totally smashed, yells at Anna, and then won’t talk to us,” Justin cried.

“The fact that I came home drunk has nothing to do with any of this,” the shorter man answered.

“Well you’re being an ass to Anna.”

Trace rolled his eyes. Both men had seemed to forgotten that Anna was standing right there with urgent news. “Who cares?”

“Um,” Anna interrupted.

“Shit Anna,” Justin cried rubbing his palms over the back of his head, “Sorry. You didn’t need to hear this. What’s up chica?”

Anna sighed. Her happy news had been tainted now. “It’s nothing really. I guess. You guys really wouldn’t even care anyways. I was just excited and my first thought was to come here. Maybe I’ll go see what the girls are up to.”

“No,” Justin pleaded grabbing her hand, “what is it? We want to know.” He shot Trace a look then turned his attention back to Anna.

“Go on,” Trace urged less convincingly.

Eyes darting between the two Anna felt her smile starting to return. “Pepper’s having a baby!”

Trace nearly shot out of his seat. “No way! Pepper?” He ran up to Anna engulfing her in a hug.

“Can you believe it!? I’m gunna be a godmother,” Anna laughed while Trace spun her around.

“Who’s Pepper,” Justin asked, brows scrunched in confusion.

With Anna still dangling in his arms Trace turned to look at Justin. “What kind of question is that? Who’s Pepper? Who is this guy?”

Anna laughed, escaping from Trace’s grasp and glad to see him back to his normal self. She pulled him down onto the couch to fill him in on all the details. Justin crossed his arms and watched the two for a few minutes before turning and going back to his nap, all the while thinking who the hell is Pepper.

With a smile from ear to ear Anna pushed open the door of the locker room and took a sip of her Frappachino. She gave Arlen’s shoulder a small squeeze when she passed him in the hallway and went to check out her schedule for the day.

“Someone looks mighty pleased with herself,” he joked sliding onto the corner of the table and stealing the straw. He took a quick sip before Anna pulled it from his reach.

“I happened to have had a nice night. Not that it’s any of your business.”

Arlen huffed and stuck out his lip, “Annabelle.”

“Don’t whine at me Arlen!” She let out a laugh and used her free hand to smooth out the front of her new scrubs. “Pepper’s pregnant. Trace is being nice again. And Justin bought us ice cream. So of course I’m gunna be happy today.”

“The three of you all hang out,” the older man asked following her down the hallway.

“Yeah,” she called over her shoulder, “why wouldn’t we?”

Arlen shook his head at her. She was so naive it was funny. “How can one get into your pants when the other is there. Unless,” he trailed off tapping a stumpy finger to his lips.

“You kill me Arlen,” Anna proclaimed tossing the empty bottle into the garbage and giving her ponytail a quick tightening.

“Beach, beach, beach, beach, beach, beach, beach,” Kendall sang happily swinging her bag.

“And this is the environment where you met her? Didn’t she give any warning signs,” Zoe asked from her position next to Justin.

“Didn’t know, I swear,” Justin told her.

“Come on slow pokes,” Kendall cried turning around and noticing everyone was just making their way across the parking lot. She grabbed Anna by the arm and yanked her up the steps and onto the sand.

“Hot!” Anna cried throwing her sandals on the ground and slipping them back on.

“All the better to get in the water my dear,” Kendall laughed. The two ran down to the edge of the water and let the ocean cool their feet. After a few minutes they rejoined their friends who had already set up camp.

“You did that on purpose,” Trace accused, pointing at Kendall while putting the finishing touch on the large umbrella. “You didn’t want to help. And then pretended you couldn’t hear us. No lotion for you.”

“Ah shut it,” Kendall told him pulling her own towel and lotion from her bag. When she was done she grabbed Zoe and Tani by the elbow and drug them to the water’s edge. The three held hands and jumped into the incoming waves.

Justin and Trace shared their own bottle of lotion and watched the three roommates jump around in the water like five year olds. They had gotten over their little tiff with a lot of help from both of their mothers calling the other. But Justin still wasn’t sure why Trace had exploded and been so mad at him or so rude to Anna. True to his word, however, he had taken Trace on a mini-vacation. Even if it was just a few hours away and for a day.

Anna slipped out of her terry dress and folded it neatly next to her towel. She then reached for the lotion left behind by Kendall and started rubbing some on her shoulders. She didn’t notice Justin and Trace exchange looks of pure shock.

“Need any help,” Trace asked motioning to the lotion. He rubbed his hand over his chest to illustrate.

“No thanks,” Anna told him rubbing the remaining lotion on her face. “That should do for now.” She gave the knot of her bathing suit a cautionary tug.

“Oh.”

“Let’s go,” Justin exploded between the two. He caught Anna around the waist and Trace in a headlock and ran with them to join the other girls.

It was about two hours later and the girls decide to take a break from avoiding the waves and have a snack. Justin and Trace were out showing the local kids how to boogie board.

“Hey Anna,” Kendall asked popping a frozen grape into her mouth.

“Key Ken,” Anna answered.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were so hot?”

“I assumed you could feel the sun too?”

“No,” Kendall laughed, “hot, hot. You know. Bangable.”

“Oh wow,” Anna laughed nearly choking on her grape, “I must have forgotten.”

“Not everyone feels the need to flaunt themselves,” Tani replied.

Kendall tried not to let Tani’s dig get to her. “You’re just jealous because Justin’s been checking Anna out all day and not you.”

“What,” the two exclaimed together.

“I am not jealous.”

“He’s not checking me out.”

Zoe nodded from her seat in the shade, “Actually I think he was. Why do you think he keeps running into the water whenever you come over here?”

“It’s hot out,” Anna asked.

“No,” Kendall smiled, “I think he likes you. And your little green bikini. But most of all I think Lil Justin likes you too.”

“Would ya stop with the Justin likes Anna stuff,” she said shaking her head. “I’m not really the type of girl that meshes with a guy like Justin in anything more than a platonic way.”

Tani let out a laugh, “Zoe’s right. You are like a real therapist or something. But in all reality, Justin’s type is anything hot and with a vagina.”

“Ew, Tani!” Kendall cried holding her hands over her ears.

“Vagina, vagina, vagina,” Tani chanted leaning closer to Kendall with each word.

“Hey now, what kind of conversation is this,” Justin demanded plopping his wet self between Anna and Kendall.

Zoe looked up at Trace who was looking down at Justin with a scowl, obviously having stolen his seat. “Just talking about all the similarities we have with Trace.”

“That was low,” Justin smiled through a laugh, shaking his head. He grabbed a couple grapes from Anna’s hand. “Were you girls talking about me again?”

Zoe zonked him on the nose with one of her grapes, “Ego check Timberlake. We were talking about Anna.”

“And her bathing suit,” Kendall snuck in, “what are your thoughts?”

Nervously Anna bit her lip when he turned his attention to her bikini. She had no problems hanging out with him, but now that he was staring at her while she had minimal amounts of clothing she felt very self conscious. She was fairly certain her cheeks were bright red. “I guess we know Victoria’s Secret now.”

“Justin!” Anna smacked his shoulder.

“Why do you know what,” Tani questioned in shock.

He shrugged his shoulders, “Trace leaves the magazine in the bathroom. I need something to look at sometimes.”

“Ok, wow, we’re changing topics now,” Anna answered standing up and brushing stray pieces of sand off her legs. “Who wants to race me?”

Zoe took the brunette’s hand and as they walked down the beach they could hear Justin yelling behind them, “It’s a natural part of life. Don’t be so snooty Annabelle.”

“Puh-lease,” Kendall pleaded like a two year old into the mouth piece of her phone. Zoe, Tani, and Trace sat around the room listening in on the call over speakerphone. Anna was only in the next room but they were too lazy to walk across the hall. Justin had gotten held up in the lobby of the hotel signing autographs and taking pictures.

“Sorry Ken,” she heard Anna groan over the phone. “Just go on out without me.”

“But you’ll be bored,” Kendall whined again.

Zoe snactched the phone from the blonde’s hand, “Let her be Kendall. She’ll try to get some aloe and that alone will be an adventure.”

“I’m glad you are all laughing at my misfortunes,” Anna pouted.

“We’ll bring you some chicken fingers,” Tani offered.

“Done deal,” Anna laughed, “Go have some sex on the beach.”

Trace threw an arm around Tani and Kendall, “You heard the lady.”

“Ugh,” Tani said removing his arm, “Now I have to take another shower.”

Anna lay on the crisp, clean white sheets of her hotel bed and tried not to move. After Kendall called pleading for her to go out with everyone she had passed out from exhaustion. She cursed under her breath when she heard someone banging on the door. “No one’s home,” she called out, muffled by the pillow in her face.

The pounding stopped, “Oh. Well if no one’s there I guess I can take Anna’s aloe somewhere else then.”

Anna shot up. “Justin!?” She creaped to the door and opened it to find him in a tank top and basketball shorts holding an obscenely large bottle of green aloe. He smirked.

“Red’s a good color for you Annester. Although I prefer green. But-”

The door cut him off when the wind caught it and slammed shut. “Ha. Ha.” The two retreated to the interior of the room and Justin sprawled himself out on the bed laying the lotion against his left leg. “How bad does it hurt An?”

She gingerly touched her shoulder and watched the skin turn from red, to white at the touch, then back to a blinding red again. “What do you think?” She went to reach for the lotion and it was only then that she noticed his shoulders were a bit red too. “You’re a bit burnt too buddy.”

He shrugged, “When you’re this white it tends to happen. But, see, I knew better. I put on sunscreen. That’s why I’m only pink and you can be mistaken for the Kool-Aid man.”

“Well excuuuse me if I haven’t spent my life on the beach.”

“It’s really common knowledge Anna,” Justin smirked.

“Maybe to you. I grew up in Indiana. What the hell use do I have for a beach and beach-ly things,” Anna nearly shouted, “the closest I’ve been to a beach is the Indiana sand dunes.”

“You live in Florida,” Justin pointed out.

“Central Florida. I work 60 hours a week, I don’t have time to drive to the beach like you.”

“You made it this weekend, didn’t you?” He looked at her, challenging her to come up with another comeback.

“I bribed Arlen to cover for me.” She told him lightly placing her hand on her neck. She could already feel the heat stinging her neck.

“With what?”

“Pictures of you, naked.”

Justin’s hands slipped on the bottle of aloe he’d been holding and the green liquid shot out onto the comforter. “What!?

Anna laughed at his astonished face. “Zoe said she’d hook me up.”

“Anna-you can’t-how-but-No,” he stuttered.

She reached across the bed and grabbed the bottle from him and squirted aloe onto her hand. “Relax. It’s not like I was really going to,” she admitted, “you’re not his type anyway.”

A little offended Justin asked, “Why not?”

“He likes guys with some meat on them,” she laughed softly, “a little cushion if you will. But I‘m sure if you had a couple hamburgers or something he’d seriously consider you.”

“No thanks,” Justin answered scrunching his nose in disgust. “Arlen’s not my type anyway.”

Squiring another handful of aloe into her hand Anna asked, “Then what is your type?”

He had to clear his throat before he could begin. Anna had pulled up the bottom of her tank top to reveal a very defined and very red stomach. “Um, I like a girl that knows who she is, doesn’t put up with bullshit, and is hot.”

Hand on the lotion pump Anna laughed, “Yeah, I knew that. I’ve met some of your exes, remember? But I mean, really.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Really what?”

Anna gave his leg a little kick with her foot, “You’re such a guy. I like hot girls. Duh!”

“You do!? I never knew Anna.”

She playfully smacked her handful of aloe onto his forearm, “You know what I meant Justin.”

But he didn’t respond to her soft laughter. He was staring at the glob that was slowly starting to slide off his arm and onto his leg. “Did you just gloop me?”

“Gloop you? Uh, I put some lotion on your arm. Just a friendly reminder that you too were kissed by the sun today.”

Rubbing the lotion up his arm he countered, “Well if I was kissed I don’t wanna know what the sun did to you.”

“He raped me is what he did,” Anna teased.

The pair shared a couple minutes of laugher. Anna placed the aloe bottle on the nightstand and leaned across the bed supporting herself with her elbows. “You didn’t go out with everyone huh?”

“Nah,” he replied picking at the fabric of the comforter, “too tired.”

“Me too,” Anna replied. And to demonstrate her point she let out a long yawn. “Who knew laying down would make you so tired.”

“Maybe if you’d have let us teach you to surf-”

“Can’t you break bones doing that? Yeah. People have died in surfing accidents and they were professionals. No thank you. I’m happy with my nose and all my bones just the way they are.”

Slipping his arm under his head Justin let out an agreeable laugh, “I guess that makes sense. So if you won’t surf, what will you do?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. Anna’s response was the smack him in the stomach.

“Justin Timberlake! You look at your momma with those eyebrows?”

Trace held Kendall and Zoe under each of his arms while Tani trailed behind running her fingers along the wall. They had only gotten as far as the hotel bar and had spent a few hours on the pool deck reminiscing about the old days. Even though they had only been out for a short while the sun had defiantly made them more tired than they expected. Trudging to the elevators and down the hallway it seemed like they would never reach their rooms.

“Trace,” Kendall mumbled stopping in the middle of the hallway and looking down at him. “Will you be my cuddle buddy?”

He took a step forward forcing her to keep moving. “I thought that was Anna’s job. She’s your roomie tonight.”

Kendall shook her head wildly, “No! Justin’s Anna’s cuddle buddy tonight.” She snickered into her hands and flopped her head on Trace’s shoulder.

“Oh really,” he asked patting each of his pockets not remembering which one he put the key in.

“Yep!” He finally pulled the key from his back left pocket and slid it into the door. Holding it open he waited for the girls to make their way into the room.

“You have to be my cuddle buddy,” Kendall repeated once Tani and Zoe were in their room and the door was closed. With her best attempt at a pout Kendall pulled on his hand. Trace let out a deep sigh. His eyes wandered from the door across the hall to Kendall.

“One condition,” he replied slowly walking to the next door. “You have to tell me why Justin’s Anna’s cuddly buddy.”

*Thump* *Thump* *Smack*

*Thump* *Thump* *Smack* *Smack* *Giggle*

*Thud* *Smack* *Smack*

Green eyes shot open. Anna sucked in a deep breath as she adjusted to her surroundings. Soft sheets lay tangled around her right arm and leg beneath the thick comforter. Heavy curtains blocked any sun that might have entered the room. The pounding on the door continued and she knew any second one of the four other people on this little trip would be ramming down the door. She moved to sit up but felt something heavy across her stomach.

“Just pretend you can’t hear,” a gravely grunt replied from underneath a pillow beside her.

Quickly running a self conscious hand over her hair and pulling it back up into a ponytail with the rubber band around her wrist Anna pulled Justin’s arm off of her stomach and kicked back the covers. “I’m already awake.” She hissed when the cool air of the room hit her burnt skin and she reached for her sweatshirt that was laying on top of her suitcase. Quickly unlatching the chain and unlocking the door Anna pulled it open just in time before the two people on the other side of the door launched into another round of knocking.

“Anna Banana,” Zoe cried engulfing the girl in a hug, “we thought you were dead.”

“What time is it,” Anna asked rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes as they adjusted to the light in the hallway.

“That is the least of our worries,” Tani replied peering into the room as Anna stood dead center in the doorway.

“What? Why? What happened,” Anna rushed unsure if something really had happened since they were banging on the door like madmen.

“Oh, you know, just Trace and Kendall, spending the night together,” Zoe nonchalantly answered.

“Wait, what!?” Anna cried out, and then remembered Justin was still trying to sleep. “What,” she whispered.

“Oh, yeah,” Tani said with a roll of her eyes, “note to self: don’t stay next to Trace again.”

“Do they even like each other like that,” Anna choked out.

Zoe shrugged, “Apparently they did last night.”

“I don’t beli-” Anna started when the door across the hall opened. The three girls stood in silence as Kendall slowly shut the door behind her. Her nearly always perfect hair was a tangled off-centered bun. One shoe hung loosely from each hand.

“Hey Ken,” Zoe smarted.

Kendall shot around. “Hi.”

“Looks like you had fun with your cuddle buddy. Tani wouldn’t let me cuddle.” Zoe gave the girl beside her a light shove.

With a shrug Kendall replied, “Yeah, I guess. You know Tani doesn’t cuddle with anyone anyway.”

“This is true,” Tani put in. “So, eating?”

“Well-” Kendall started before Zoe cut her off.

“To the continental breakfast it is. Anna, you coming?”

Anna shook her head, “No thanks. I’m not really hungry.”

“Suit yourself,” Tani answered already making her way down the hallway, “I need some carbs to ward off this stinking hangover. Remind me to smack Trace when he wakes up.”

“Done and done,” Kendall said linking arms with the other two. She turned over her shoulder and yelled out to Anna. “Remind me to tell you what I found out last night.”

Trying to stay composed Anna waved to them then turned quickly back into the room. She slumped onto the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. Trace and Kendall? What the hell! She felt a knot forming in her throat and turned onto her side. Pulling her knees up under her chin she wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the wall. It shouldn’t bother her, she knew that. But she had started to think maybe she and Trace were working their way past the flirting stage and possibly into something else. Her brain started working itself up and overanalyzing everything.

“It’s fucking freezing in here,” Justin whined next to her. She didn’t respond. “Anna? Did you leave?”

She heard a chuckle and realized it was her own voice. Before she knew it she was full out laughing. Beside her Justin pulled his head out from under the pillow and looked at her in confusion.

“What is so funny? Damn.” He rolled over onto his side so he could rest his head on the pillow but still look at Anna.

Laying on her back Anna turned toward him, “Would I have answered if I had left?”

“Huh?” His eyes were closed again.

“Nevermind,” Anna answered. Tentatively she reached over and gave him a small, one armed hug. “I needed a good laugh this morning.”

“Uh huh,” Justin mumbled latching his arm around her, forcing her head against his shoulder. “Now keep me warm Annester. I’m not used to waking up without someone next to me.”

“Oh please,” Anna groaned in mock protest. “What if I wanted to get up and do something?”

Justin pulled back, eyes fully open now. “Like what? Go surfing in the sun? Anna, right here in this room in this bed is the safest place you are going to go today.”

Letting her arms relax and placing her head on his chest she sighed in defeat. “You’re probably right.”

“Yo Ken, grab me another one of those omlettey things,” Zoe pleaded from her seat in the intimate lobby. Most of the tiny hotel’s guests were gone and the hotel staff was starting to clean up the breakfast so the girls were getting all they could before it was gone.

Kendall balanced her bowl in one hand and pulled out another plate. “You two should be doing my bidding today.”

Zoe exchanged a look with Tani. “Please, you know it wouldn’t have worked any other way.”

Placing the food in front of Zoe, Kendall protested, “Doesn’t mean I had to enjoy it.”

Tani laughed under her breath. “We probably should buy her a spa treatment or something. Cuz God knows I wouldn’t be locked in a room with Trace all night.”

“Oh my gosh,” Kendall burst out, “you have no idea! I needed a freaking gas mask. And I think you owe me more than a spa treatment. I’m thinking Bentley.” She beamed and bit into her bagel.

“Girl please,” Zoe waved her off with her glass of orange juice.

Tani chewed her granola quickly before taking a sip of water. “But it worked. Did you see her face?”

“Oh man,” the darkest of the three nodded, “I kinda feel a little guilty. It looked like her dog just died or something.”

“But be honest,” Tani reasoned, “We’re saving her in the long run. I mean, it’s Trace.”

“This is true,” Kendall answered using one of Tani’s favorite phrases.

“Again,” Justin demanded when the knocking on the door started again. This time he was the one who had to pull the sleeping figure off his stomach before pulling back the blankets. He looked into the peep hole and groaned. He pulled the door open and crossed his arms. “Can you not read?”

Trace’s eyes widened. He didn’t know how to comprehend the situation so he replied in the only logical way he could. “What?”

Justin pointed to the sign on the door, “Do not disturb. Look. There’s even a picture for you.”

“Where’s Anna?” Trace asked giving the sign a flick to show he didn’t really care what it said.

One hand reached to lean against the doorframe and the other scratched his bare stomach, “Sleeping.”

“Still?”

“Yes still. The girls came in and woke us up about an hour ago. Can I go back to sleep now?”

Trace tried to look around Justin into the room, “Oh. Um. Well.”

“Yes?”

Trace slumped in his spot. “What are we doing today?”

Justin shrugged. “I planned on staying inside most of the day.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Justin answered.

“So no beach?”

Justin was tired and cranky and not in the mood for this. Trace was a grown man and could decide what he wanted to do for himself. “Do whatever you want Trace. I’m not going out until later. Anna’s probably going to stick with me since she had too much sun yesterday anyway.”

“Oh.”

“We’ll come and find you later and do something tonight, okay?”

Trace didn’t really have a choice, “Sure.”

“Ok. Night,” Justin answered stepping back into the room and swinging the door shut on Trace.

The shorter man stood looking at the door for a few minutes unsure of what had just happened The more he thought about what had just happened, the more he remembered that this trip was supposed to be all about Justin apologizing for spending the night with Anna.

“Oh Tracey,” a girly voiced called down the hallway. “You’re room is across the hall.”

“I know that,” Trace spat.

“Oh, whoa,” Zoe stopped in her tracks, “Someone is Pms-ing.” Trace flicked her off. “Now is that any way to treat the person who brought you the last chocolate chip muffin?” Trace took the muffin and started pulling back the wrapper.

“You’re welcome Zoe. You’re the best,” Tani spoke in her best attempt at a deep voice from behind Trace’s back.

“Why thank you Trace,” Zoe teased back giving his shoulder a pat. “Anything for my best guy, huh?”

“So,” Kendall asked tapping her fingers against her thighs, “Beach round number two?”

“What else,” Tani asked sliding her key through the slot and pushing the heavy door open. Trace’s eyes wandered back to the door across from his.

“What else.”

“Ewwww,” Anna sputtered sitting up. She felt Justin’s hand slip from her back to her waist while he laughed. “No, honestly, I didn’t even know a stomach could make that much noise. You should have that checked out Jay.”

“I guess we should eat, huh?” He pulled himself up into a sitting position against the headboard and reached for the room service menu.

Anna crossed her legs in front of her and nodded in agreement. She finally caught sight of the alarm clock behind Justin and gasped. “It’s two o’clock!”

“No wonder I’m hungry,” Justin answered. “I wonder if their macaroni is good. Should I try it?”

Anna shrugged and scooted next to him so she could read the menu too. “I think we need that.” She pointed to a picture of a strawberry sundae.

“For lunch?”

“It’s lunner,” Anna stated.

“It’s what?”

Anna took a deep breath before explaining, “You know. Lunner. Lunch and dinner. Like brunch, but later in the day.”

“How does ice cream sundae’s fit into that?” Justin asked unsure.

“It doesn’t. It just looks good.”

Justin laughed. “Ok. Well how about you have real food and then if you’re a good girl I’ll get you a sundae.”

Anna folder her hands and batted her eyes, “But Justin, I’m always a good girl.”

“Bah. I don’t believe that for a second,” he chortled.

"I love the beach, but I hate feeling like I wet myself when I walk," Zoe complained, legs wide apart as she walked. Her flip flops squeaked on the hotel floor while the girls and Trace walked back inside.

"Maybe you did, " Trace answered back, "You were doing some pretty heavy laughing back there."

Zoe reached out and smacked the back of his head with her beach bag. "Yes, you gonad, I would know if I peed myself. Don't assume just because you don't know doesn't mean others don't." 

"Fuck, " Trace cried rubbing the back of his head. "Are you carrying bricks in there. Ken, do I have a bump? I can feel a bump." He shoved his head into her face effectively stopping her. 

"That's what she said," Tani mumbled under her hreath before cracking up with Kendall.

Trace crossed his arms and pouted. "What good friends you three are. I'm over here concussed cuz Mary Poppins carries the bathroom sink with her and you two are laughing."

"Mary Poppins? Mary Poppins! Trace. Really, " Zoe asked playfulling swinging her bag.

"You hit me again woman and I swear to God-"

"She does like spoon fulls of sugar,"Kendall smirked, "What are you gunna do Trace? Huh? Hit Mary Poppins? That's just wrong."

"Can we just stop yapping already," Tani cried suddenly. "I'm tired, cranky, and hungry and you aren't helping any."

"Alright," Zoe relented, letting her bag fall limply against her side. The elevator chimed and everyone filed in silently. Trace took the corner farthest from Zoe.

"Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to be a bird. Like whatever the kind of bird that one is," Anna declared pointing to the small white bird fluttering over the ocean in the distance. The light breeze meeting them on the balcony had sparked a contemplative aura in Anna. "They're just so free. I mean, I'm sure they have worries and baby chicks to feed, but-stop it!"

She reached over and smacked Justin. He held one hand up in surrender and the other squeezed his cheeks in an effort to hide a smile. "What? Now you wanna fly and feed chicks? Alrighty Annester. I'm not gunna hold that against you. You're still ok."

She tried to give him a glare, but ended up laughing herself. "And what kinda animal would you be Timberlake?"

"Easy," he said lacing his hands together and putting them behind his head, "Lion."

"Uh-hmm," Anna nodded before looking back over the railing. "Is that because you already have the hair style going for-"

"Anna, get the door, "Justin mumbled behind a chuckle. The pounding continued across the room.

She gave his leg a kick, "You get it."

"It's your room.".  

With a shrug she pushed herself from her seat. "Just because you won this battle doesn't mean-"

"Just answer the door," he laughed and pointed through the balcony doors.

Anna trudged into the room and pulled open the door. Kendall and Trace rushed in.

"So, what's the plan Stan," Kendall asked throwing an arm around Anna's shoulders. Anna winced lightly at the pressure on her sunburnt shoulders, but Kendall didn't notice. "You two homebodies joining us for dinner?"

Justin pulled the door open more to hear them but made no attempt to get up. "We just ate lunch like an hour ago. Although, I could eat."

"Bottonless pit," Kendall whispered to Anna.

"I heard that," Justin yelled out.

"Ok, seriously, come back inside now," Anna chastized

Justin hung his head and came back in, sinking down on the bed by Trace. "Fine."

Leaning back against a palm tree it finally hit Anna how tired she was. Tired, and sunburnt. She didn't want to go back to work tomorrow. The six of them had ventured back onto the beach for a few hours after dinner. Now, in front of her, the sky was a dusty orange from the sunset and she could smell candles being lit somwhere nearby on the beach. She closed her eyes and took a sip from her champagne, thankful for the hotel's complimentary services.

"Do we really have to leave," Zoe pouted from her seat to the right. Her glass was tucked into the sand and she wiggled her toes beside it.

"I can call you in sick tomorrow," Justin offered from his position behind Anna.

Anna tried not to laugh. "I can only image how that phone call would go."

Zoe held a hand up to her ear and lowered her voice. "Hi, this is Justin Timberlake. I'm calling to-yes. Yes, from Mickey Mouse Club. No, I didn't do that with Britney. Yes, I did do that with-"

"We get it," Justin smarted. Anna could feel his chest shaking as he lightly laughed.

"Good. Since you're 'getting things' can you explain why Trace is so cranky?" Zoe managed to ask with a straight face.

Anna felt Justin shrug behind her. "He came to the door this morning all pissy and has been that way since. I don't know what his problem is."

Anna's eyes sought out Trace who was closer to the surf kicking abandoned sandcastles at Kendall. "He came by this morning?"

Justin nodded, "Yeah. He wanted to talk, but I told him we were sleeping-"

"You what," Anna cried, turning her back uncomfortably to face him. "Oh no. Justin. Why?"

Justin crunched his eyebrows together in confusion. "Because we were?"

Anna sighed and let her legs flop against the cool sand. "Now I get it," she said more to herself than to anyone else. She pushed herself up, grabbed her glass, and started to walk towards Trace and Kendall. "At least I hope it's jealousy. Or I'm about to make a fool of myself."

The two watched her leave without an answer. Justin spoke first. "What just happened?"

Zoe gave him a kick in the knee with her bare foot. "Dense. You are so dense."

Tani swirled the swivel straw in her drink. Every few minutes she turned to the man next to her and nodded as if she was interested in what he had to say. It's not that he wasn't attractive. If she'd met him on any other day with any other company she would have been thrilled. But even as he talked, Tani's eyes kept wandering back towards the beach.

Justin and Zoe were practically cuddling against a tree. Not that that would mean anything. Zoe was definitly staying away from Justin in that aspect lately. She was committed to Operation: Justin and Anna. But it still made her feel unsettled. It brought back memories of her time with Justin before she and Zoe could stand each other. And then further away Trace and Kendall were flirting. Even from her seat at the bar, yards away, she could tell. But why?

"And what about you?" a voice interrupted her inner dialogue.

"What about me," she asked sweetly turning to her neighbor. At least someone was paying attention to her.

As Anna approached Kendall and Trace her heart faught with her head. Her head knew Trace and Kendall had spent the night together. Her head also rationalized she and Justin had done the same and nothing had happened. But her heart knew good things didn't come easy for her and it would be just her luck that she finally finds a guy she likes, only to have him like her friend. Her heart also knew men aren't cranky unless something they want is taken away.

The beach wasn't long enough to sort through her feelings, though.

"Hey you," Kendall said cheerfully, "Those two drunken bums boring you yet?"

Feet away, Justin and Zoe lay sprawled out in the sand. Zoe's head was propped up on Justin's legs. "They're not drunk enough," Anna smiled, "otherwise they wouldn't be boring."

"You have a point. I'll go make some fun then," Kendall smarted. "And I'll find Tani too. I hope she didn't run off with a local."

"Ken, that's your department," Trace replied.

Kendall nodded, "I KNOW. Which is why it's not a good idea, Ayala. Remember Anna. No matter how cute he is or how thick his accent is, it's not worth leaving the beach."

"Gotcha," Anna saluted before rolling her eyes at Trace. Trace quickly turned towards the water. There was a loud squack behind them and they both turned in time to see Zoe tackle Kendall to the ground.

"Can't take them anywhere," Trace quiped shaking his head. He returned to his survey of the darkened sky leaving Anna just a few steps behind. She kept her eyes on the back of his white t-shirt. The silence stretched awkwardly for what Anna felt was hours.

"Nope," Anna finally answered. She let the rising surf tumble over her feet and back away. The rhythmic motion did nothing to calm her nerves.

"Trace," she asked quietly.

"Anna," he replied back.

"I think, I mean, do you-" She stumbled over her words so badly she smacked herself in the forehead, momentarily grateful he wasn't looking at her. "Are you upset?"

Trace shrugged. He hadn't even turned around to talk to her. Anna's stomach dropped. What if he was mad like last time and didn't talk to her for weeks. Now that she thought about it, he hadn't talked to her all day. Even when he was sitting across from her at dinner.

"I haven't seen you long enough today to make you this angry," she said softly. When his shoulders stiffened and he swirled aroung she knew she'd said something wrong.

"That's fucking right, Anna."

"I-what?" How did she respond to that? What had she done?

Trace laughed maliciously, "You aren't any different, are you? I gave you the benefit, you seemed nice. Normal." He paced in front of her. Each step seemed more and more angry. Water splashed up behind him as he walked and Anna stepped further back to avoid getting wet. "But you are even worse that the others. You went above and beyond Anna. Congrats. You had me thinking you actually cared about me. That you actually really liked me just for being me. Poor judement on my end, I'll admit. But what the fuck is new, right? Butter Trace up, get him to like you. It's all part of the game, right?" Trace suddenly stopped in front of her. He finally looked at her. Even in the dark Anna could see his eyes were raging. "Well, Anna, I guess our pseudo friendship's done. You got what you came for. Good job. He's never given up a day of surfing for a girl. You must be fucking fantastic in bed for that."

Anna wanted to smack him. But she couldn't move. He though all she wanted was to sleep with Justin? He thought she had slept with him. And he'd called their friendship a sham? There was no way he was feeling the way she did about him. Shattered, Anna felt her entire body fold in upon itself. Quickly, she turned and ran. Each step into the sand she faltered and stumbled. Sand stuck to her face and legs. She didn't even care that some got into her mouth. It seemed to take forever just to reach solid ground. With tears running down her face she raced into her room and locked the door.

Zoe watched Anna and Trace carefully, ignoring Justin and Kendall who were making inappropriate sand figures. She could tell Anna was nervous by the way she was rubbing her foot against her leg. Zoe'd noticed she did that a lot around Trace. Moderately around Justin, more when he was shirtless. She was easily distracted by the mental image and the next thing she knew Anna was rushing up past them. She was gone before any of them could have gotten up, but Kendall ran after her.

Trace trudged up the beach. He would have kept walking if Justin hadn't called him out.

"What's up with Anna, man," Justin asked brushing the sand off the back of his shorts.

The shorter man shrugged, "Not my problem."

"Would you shut up with the sniffling," Tani complained across the room through the dark.

The sniffling stopped. Bed sheets russled. "I'm sorry," Kendall whined. "But I can't take them yelling anymore. It's like when my parents fought."

"Come on," Zoe offered holding up one end of the comforter and welcoming Kendall into the bed. Tani moaned in protest, but scooted over. Kendall bounded over the small distance seperating the two beds with a small bunny in arms and joined the other two girls in the already too small twin bed.

"It's not right," Kendall muttered into her pillow and Zoe's ear. The girls fell silent.

Through the wall they could hear the muffled yelling between Trace and Justin. After Anna had tumbled back inside and Kendall had ran after her it had been tense to say the least. Trace was pissed at whatever had happened between him and Anna. Apparently drinking hadn't been the way to make him feel better. Now Justin didn't have the good sense to let the sleeping dog lie and was pestering Trace even further. The girls couldn't make out what Justin and Trace were saying. Tani and Zoe had tried, but they could tell they weren't yells of joy. Kendall winced when someone slammed their fist against the armoire.

"I told you she was gunna be trouble," Tani pointed out.

Zoe shifted to face Tani. "How do you know they're arguing about Anna," she asked.

"Well they aren't fighting cuz Trace is pissy because Kendall didn't put out." Tani reasoned.

"Hey," Kendall cried, "it's not my fault." She crossed her arms over her chest and continued mumbling 'it's not my fault' softly.

"Now look what you did," Zoe said motioning towards Kendall.

Tani groaned. "Ugh, ok. Ken it's not your fault."

"You're just saying that so Zoe doesn't yell at you," Kendall pouted, then rubbed the bunny ears against her cheek.

Tani sat up and leaned across Zoe. Patting Kendall's head she repeated, "It's not your fault Kendall. Really. Honest."

"Thanks," Kendall murmered tunneling deeper into the blanket. "But seriously, I don't like them yelling."

Snuggled under the blanket Anna peeked out with sore eyes. Her throat tasted of iron and her lips of salt. Rubbing her cheek she felt patches of dried sand flake off. Dramatically she flopped one arm out of the blanket and on the bed. Turning her head she noticed Kendall hadn't returned to the room.

Sweet as Kendall was, last night Anna didn't want to talk to anyone. She wanted to wallow in self-pity. Well, technically no one ever wants to, but it was a fitting occasion. There was a reason Anna was constantly single and it very much involved the fact that she couldn't get hurt if she didn't have high expectations. But for whatever reason she'd allowed herself to think maybe Trace was worth letting her guard down for. She'd been wrong. And for Anna, she wasn't sure which was worse: not being desired or being incorrect.

Eyes on the empty bed beside her, she felt her stomach clench at the thought that Kendall may have stayed with Trace again. With just the thought of him she curled up and groaned. However, she didn't get too caught up in her misery as there was a knock on the door and very poor attempt at an imitation of a woman from housekeeping. Clumping to the door she pulled it open, then turned back to the bed.

"You're sure getting my money's worth out of those sheets Annester," Justin teased setting two boxes of Apple Jacks on the dresser.

"Uh hmm," she mumbled face down on the bed.

Justin plopped himself beside her and wrapped her up in a hug from behind before she had a chance to resist. She squirmed when he made no attempt to end it. His stubble rubbed against her sunburn.

"Justin, let go," she comanded through a giggle. "My arms are numb."

Finally relenting he laughed too, "I got carried away."

"Apparently." As she resituated herself Anna caught sight of Justin's drawn face. "Hey, why are you so glum?"

Justin shrugged, "Trace and I fought last night."

Anna didn't know if she should laugh or just nod. Sure she'd done the same with Trace, but Justin actually looked more upset about it that she did. Granted, she hadn't looked at herself yet. Her hands flew to her puffy cheeks and disheveled hair. "I'm a mess!"

Justin gave her sloppy ponytail a little tug, "You look just fine for someone waking up after tumbling down the beach."

Anna's cheecks flushed. "Y'all noticed that?"

He gave her shoulder a small squeeze before letting his arm rest across them, "Anna, you took more sand up the stairs than was left on the beach."

She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "I"m sure I"m asking for it, but why'd you and Trace fight?"

"Stuff."

"Always so eloquent Mr. JT," Anna smirked.

He nudged her shoulder, "It's early. I didn't sleep much."

Anna nodded, "I wasn't going to say anything, but sheesh, Justin, your bags are worse than mine."

With his free hand he touched under his right eye, "Yeah? That's pretty bad Anna."

"Oh hush," she shot back when she noticed the playful smirk underlying his actions. "When are we going home?"

"Are you not enjoying your trip Ann?" His voice was playful, but Anna wasn't sure if he didn't look a little hurt.

She thought a moment, "Do you mean the part where I almost broke my nose, got second degree sunburn, or the part where I pretty much got called a groupie slut-"

"Hey, when Zoe calls you that you can't take her seriously," he jumped in. "That's how she shows she cares."

"It wasn't Zoe Justin," Anna corrected.

His eyebrows drew together. Kendall might have called her a slut, but that was like the kettle calling the pot and was basically indiscriminate. And Tani, who could be quite the bitch, hadn't really talked to Anna much. "No. He didn't...he wouldn't have-Trace!" Anna tried to grab his arm as he barged out of the room, but he shook it out of her grasp and flew across the hall.

But before he could reach Trace's room Tani and Zoe cut him off in the hallway.

"Justin," Zoe cried, "let's get shaking. Some of us gotz jobs to get to." She slumped her overnight bag on the floor right in front of him.

He ignored her, stepped over the bag, and banged on Trace's door.

"Oh, good morning to you too Justin," Tani rolled. "No, I did not have a good night. Thanks for askin' though. Someone's yelling kept me up half the night. The other half was telling Kendall I did not want to cuddle."

Turning briefly, Justin shot her a threatening look.

Up until just now Anna didn't think riding in the back of an Expedition next to Tani would be the highlight of her day. But it was. Zoe and Kendall had managed to get Trace and Justin down to the car without arguing and without a scene. Once they were on the road Trace zonked out against the window and the mood was a little lighter. Anna could see Justin and Zoe talking in the front seat, but couldn't hear them over Tani's Ipod. Not that she was entirely interested in what they were talking about, but she felt bad for Justin. From the greeting Trace had given him when he'd opened the door and the way Justin reacted to Trace not being the most gentlemenly to her, Anna assumed there had been more to their argument that just her. Then she'd thought, 'wow, when did I get so full of myself that the only logical argument they could be having would be about me?'

When the car pulled up to her condo complex Anna actually smiled, even though the mini-vacation was over. Kendall climbed out first and when Anna'd finally managed to maneuver her way out of the back seat Justin was at her side with her bags.

"Thanks," she said taking the shopping bag and resting it on top of her travel bag. "For all of it. I might have put up a little stink about going in the first place but it was really nice. Sunburn and all."

Justin just nodded. Anna could tell he was tired. While she didn't think she knew him that well, he looked a little unhappy too. "Anytime Annester."

Anna mustered up another smile for him. "Maybe I'll let you teach me to surf next time."

He gave a soft laugh and pulled her into a hug in one swift motion. To her own surprise Anna relaxed instantly and squeezed him back. They stood that way for at least a minute before Zoe honked the horn. Anna looked at the car in the nick of time to see Kendall hit Zoe with her pillow and Trace jerk awake at the sound and smack his face on the window.

"Ah, my life," Justin mummbled down to Anna. "I guess I can't get away as easy as you can, huh?"

Anna gave him a reasurring squeeze and patted his back. "Anytime you need to get away, my door's open Justin." With another honk of the horn Anna let him go and stepped back to grab her bags. She blew Kendall a kiss and set off up the sidewalk. She didn't turn around, but gave another wave when Zoe yelled out the window.

Throwing her bags on the floor Tani crawled up onto the kitchen counter while Kendall and Zoe walked in. "I'm not moving," she groaned. "Can someone get my blanket?"

"Tan, it's like 12 steps to your bed," Zoe joked, giving her side a poke as she walked by and towards her own room. Kendall followed Zoe, no attempt to get Tani her blanket made by either girl.

Tani sat up and pouted, "Thanks ladies."

Upstairs, Zoe yelled down "I love you Tani. Now got to bed. You have to work tomorrow."

"Yeah Mom," Tani muttered, then added, "Hey look who's talking. You have to work too."

Still yelling down the stairs Zoe replied, "Yeah, but as far as I know my boss isn't on his male pms right now like yours is."

"He's just a horny ball of hormone and he'll take care of it," Tani teased back.

"You get paid extra for that, right?"

Tani heard Kendall gasp, then the two of them giggle. Just to get a rile out of them she said yes and a few more words about where, when, and how before she got bored with it and her back started to hurt from laying on the counter. She pulled herself down and wandered into her room. Once there she realized she'd left her bags in the kitchen but didn't really care.

She kept shiftin from being too tired to think and thinking too much. Anna was a nice girl, she was sure of that. And she knew it was screwed up for them to continue to try and set her and Justin up when Trace clearly liked her. Maybe, too, she just didn't like the idea of Justin being with Anna because she knew they had the potential to pull off a really nice, sane relationship. Which was hard to say when it came to Justin. Then where would she be left? With Kendall and Zoe? Laying on her bed, she closed her eyes.

Upstairs Zoe and Kendall were having a pow-wow in Kendall's room. Zoe flipped a fluffy teddy bear wearing a scarf on the floor and sat down.

After pulling a nail file from a nighstand drawer Kendall sat on the bed. "Do you really think Tani does that with Justin?"

"At work?" Zoe asked, "Nah. You know when he's at work it's work. You could probably walk through the studio naked and he might not even notice. I did get pretty close to that once, but of course the producers and staff typically frown on nudity. It's also a policy of my own not to let Joey Fatone see you naked. If Jay's bored or has writersblock or something, maybe. After work, or even before, who knows."

Kendall nodded as if she agreed. She thought about it for a minute or two. Then her brain switched into a more exciting topic. "So what was up with that hug," Kendall nearly squealed.

"Right," Zoe asked.

Kendall nodded enthusiastically, "So, why'd you do it?"

"Do what?" Zoe asked taken back.

"You honked the horn dorkus and ruined their moment. I swear to God I thought he was going to nuzzle her neck or something. And we both know what that means and leads to and then-"

"He wasn't going to do that Ken," Zoe cut her off.

"How do you know," Kendall questioned, "maybe he wanted to. He's been with us for the past two days and I know that's been killing me to only cuddle with girls and he is a very needy lover-"

Zoe closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, "Ken. No. Were you even listening in the car today?"

Kendall stopped picking at the polish on her ring finger, "No. Why?"

Rather than explain to Kendall, Zoe replied, "Kissing girls isn't really on his mind right now. Surprisingly. For the first time."

"Funny," Kendall said, then returned to her nail, "that's like saying the sky doesn't want to be blue right now." Still mumbling to herself Kendall continued, "Not wanting to kiss people. Who is she talking about? Has she met him? What else would he do?"

When Justin pulled the Expedition into the garage he hadn't even pulled the keys out of the ignition before Trace was slamming the door and into the house.

"I'll get the stuff T-bag," Justin shouted after him. "Why should I get any help around here?"

Trace yanked open the door. "You want help? Who the fuck do you think you are that you deserve help? And, let's be honest here, buddy, you already helped yourself to everything anyway." Door slam.

Justin tried to deconstruct what Trace had blabbed about while carrying the bags inside. Right away he threw the sandy contents into the washing machine before any of it could get tracked into his carpets. It had only been a few days but he was already thinking about the naps he could take in the next few days. He made a mental note to tip his housekeeper a little more so he didn't have to do anything except enjoy his bed.

Through the doorway he heard what sounded like metal on ceramic. A second later Trace came tramping down the hallway with a piece of Nutella bread in one hand and the plate it was supposed to be on in the other. "And just so you know, I'm not giving you the satisfaction of holding it above me that I'm living here. You can try to kick me out, boy, but I will not leave."

Justin shook his head, "I'm not goin to kick you out."

Trace's eyes widened. He gestured to an imaginary audience. "Oh now he's playing the part of the chivalrous knight taking pity on the poor peasant."

He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling at the absurdity of Trace's remark. "I...I don't even know how to respond to that."

"Venti white chocolate mocha." Anna listened to the couple of people placing their orders at Starbucks. It was her treat for getting up early. She had to. Because the last thing she needed after the weekend she'd had was to have to talk to Arlen about it. Even though she knew he'd want every detail. Maybe distracting him with caffeine would help, but she doubted it. One thing was for sure though: she loved getting to wear her scrubs all day. They didn't itch her sunburn either.

With two cups in hand, Anna walked from the coffee shop to the elevator further down the lobby. It was entirely too quiet this early, yet Anna actually liked it. When she arrived at her floor and walked into the reception office of the practice she was shocked to see she'd even beaten the secretaries. This was a first. Smiling brightly knowing that she could at least start her day without any conflict, she placed Arlen's macchiato in his station before she went to check on her paperwork.

The sound of a basketball on concrete echoed through the backyard. Justin, with one hand, bounced the ball twice before taking a lay up and letting the ball fall effortlessly through the net. His other hand held his phone. "Zoe, I'm not doing a party. What do you mean? No, I've never had a Halloween party. No, that was Jayce and then Joey. No, I'm pretty sure I've never had a Halloween party. Ok, but Zoe think, that was really my Mom having a party, not me. And if I do remember correctly I was a basketball player because my mom forced me into a costume and Trace and I hid on the back porch stealing back the candy Momma gave to the trick-or-treaters. I don't even like Halloween."

His ball hit a crack in the court and he chased after it, just catching it before it fell into the grass. He bounced the ball once before grabbing it and holding it against his hip. "Well, no, of course I'm not gunna turn one down if you are going to have one, but-" He shook his head at what Zoe was saying over the line. "Just don't use me as the bait to get people there Zoe, okay. I'll just be using it as an excuse to get wasted so fans are a no. And y'all better get some slutty chics-"

"Justin Randall!"

"Shit," Justin cursed softly. "Gatta go. Mom's here." He was about to hang up when he heard Zoe laughing. "It's not funny Zoe. She looks pissed."

"Did I stutter Justin?"

"No Momma," he answered, hanging up on Zoe and walking towards his mom who was standing in the back doorway of the house. He wasn't surprised his mom was yelling at him for what he'd said, but was more surprised to why she was at his house. He'd talked to her a day ago and she was rambling on about getting new flowers planted before the first frost and whatever. No mention of visiting him.

He threw his basketball onto a chair and reached to hug her. "What are you doing here Momma?"

She just pointed inside. Justin did as she asked and his surprised doubled. "Mrs. A?"

Trace's mom sat at the island in his kitchen sipping a Dr. Pepper. Justin went straight from curious to concerned. His eyes flashed back and forth between Lynn and his Mom. "What's going on?"

"Is Trace home," Lynn asked taking a seat beside her own best friend.

Justin, still confused, shrugged, "Uh, I'm not sure. Trace!"

"Suck it," was the reply.

Momma Ayala turned to Lynn, "What happened to their manners? Remind me to get some soap for that boy."

"Trace," Justin yelled out again, "I think you better get in here."

A thump could be heard as Trace threw open a door and pounded down the stairs, "Do you really think I give a tit-mouse's ass what you-Oh, hi Momma. Lynn."

"Sit," the two women chorus and Trace and Justin sat beside each other in a flash.

"Now Zoe tells me that the two of you just can't seem to get along," Lynn began. Both boys turned to each other and without a word made an agreement that Zoe was at the top of their shit lists.

"Oh my gosh," Tani mumbled walking past Zoe and into the kitchen, "what kinda crack are you on Zoe?"

Zoe, meanwhile, was laughing hysterically on the couch. "Justin...mom...shit!" She literally had tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard.

Tani continued her search for some graham crackers and tried to wait out Zoe's hysterics before she got the story. By the time she'd spread some peanut butter on three crackers Zoe sobered up. "So?"

Zoe grabbed one cracker. "So, you know how Trace and Justin have been having their pissy fit?"

Tani cupped a hand under her chin to catch the crumbs when she bit into the cracker. "They aren't getting along? No! Since when?"

Zoe flicked Tani in the arm. "Alright, smart ass."

Tani smirked. "So, what'd you do?"

With a smile Zoe proclaimed, "I called their moms."

"No really."

Zoe nodded.

"Seriously?"

"Yep."

Tani took another bite. "You're cruel."

Zoe waved a dismissive hand. "It appears that way. But when they're playing sword fights in the pool again or whatever they do for bonding they'll thank me."

"Zoe," Tani cried tossing the remaining piece of her cracker in the sink, "please do not talk about Trace's parts while I'm eating. You think calling their moms will work?"

Zoe shrugged. "Probably. They're over there now. So we'll know soon."

"What do you mean they're there now?" Tani stopped running the garbage disposal and turned to look at Zoe.

"Justin and Trace's moms are at Justin's house right now. And Justin got yelled at for saying slut and ass." Tani stared at her in shock. "You wanna go visit?"

"Yes!" Tani cried running toward the garage. Zoe had just enough time to grab the remaining graham cracker before she ran after Tani.

"Is red the new tan?"

Anna threw a therapy ball onto a coaster chair and let out a long breath. She glanced at her watch and reasoned she'd gone pretty far in the day without Arlen asking her about her trip. "Unfortunatly no. I just don't handle sun well."

When she turned around he was leaning against the wall, a bottle of water in his hand and a giant smirk on his face. "You know a cup of coffee does not make up for the compromise we made," he winked.

Anna nearly laughed. "Arlen, he's not your type."

Pulling Anna's chair away from her desk Arlen made himself at home. "In case you haven't noticed, my type is anything with a penis. Preferably free on communicable diseases."

Anna covered her face in shame for Arlen. "Arlen, really?"

"Just being honest sweethart," he answered, "which you are not. You had fun and I was working. Tell me!"

Taking a look again at her watch Anna sighed, "It'll have to wait until after work. I'm booked through lunch."

Arlen held out his hand and Anna linked pinkies with him. "Don't make me hunt you down and search through the personel files to find you. Oh, and just a little fyi, I'm really in the mood for some maki."

"Noted," Anna smirked, knowing she'd have to buy off Arlen with food and stories about boys. He seemed satisfied and left, giving her a good eight minutes or so until her next client. She grabbed the bottle of aloe Justin'd brought to her room and squirted a little onto her hands before rubbing it across her shoulders as best she could and tapping a little on her nose. She looked at the bottle thinking how she was going to explain the past two days to someone else when she wasn't even sure herself what had happened.

Tani and Zoe were so used to waltzing into Justin's house that they didn't even think about knocking when they arrived. Zoe was too eager to see Justin and Trace getting yelled at. When they walked into the kitchen though, the scene was perfectly peaceful. Justin and Trace's moms were cutting up some fruit in the kitchen. Meanwhile,Trace and Justin could be seen through the back door playing basketball.

"Oh, dear! Hello," Trace's mom cried, clutching her chest and tossing her knife into the sink. "I didn't know Justin was expecting guests."

"Hi Mrs. Ayala, Mrs. Harless," Zoe beamed. "So, how'd everything work out?"

Tani stood back a little watching Zoe's interactions with Justin's mom. If Zoe hadn't told her herself that she'd talked to Justin's mom, she wouldn't have believed it. Lynn was literally shooting daggers at Zoe. Tani knew they didn't get along, but this was even making her uncomfortable. No wonder Justin usually did what his mom said.

"Hello, Zoelie."

"Zoe, dear, good to see you," Trace's mom cut in through the tension, "you look fantastic. Come give me a hug sweetie." Zoe smiled at Mrs. Ayala and ran around the counter to give her a hug.

"So has crisis been diverted? The stars and moon have aligned once again? Trastin is still a couple?" Zoe asked again.

Lynn gave the pineapple she'd been chopping a sharp jab, "Yes Zoe."

"What was the deal," she asked grabbing a chunk of watermelon. "At first I thought it was some macho fight over a girl, but-"

"Not really any of your business," was the reply.

"Zoe, does it matter," Tani asked, finally joining in, "I mean, look at them. They look happy." Tani pointed out the window where Justin and Trace were whipping the basketball at each other. Faint snorts and yelps were heard through the open window.

"Oh, gosh, Tani, hello darlin'" Lynn cried dropping her knife and rushing to Tani. "Gimmie a hug."

Tani exchanged glances with Zoe before wrapping her arm around Mrs. Harless. Zoe looked pissed! But Tani had gotten along much better with Justin's mom than Zoe ever had. Then again, Justin's mom had known Zoe since probably birth and knew about every misdeed Zoe'd done. Tani had been pretty good at keeping her image clean.

Suddenly the door flew open and all four women turned to see Kendall breeze into the room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw who else was there. "Hi?"

"What are you doing here," Zoe asked surprised.

Kendall sucked at her teeth, thinking. "Trace said he needed a pick-me-up, so I picked one up." She held out a brown paper bag.

Trace's mom smirked. "That boy's poor liver. I swear."

"Let's go give it to him," Zoe said grabbing Kendall's arm and pulling her outside.

Kendall shook her off, "I can give this to him by myself Zoe."

The boys hadn't noticed them yet. Zoe grabbed the bag from Kendall and pulled the top off. She took a long swig. With her face contorted in disgust, she swallowed a second gulp. "Trace, Jack's here."

"Who," Kendall and Justin asked, before Trace walked up and took the bottle from her.

The four plopped onto a pair of deck chairs before passing the bottle around, with Kendall refusing to sip.

"You better drink her share Zoe," Trace warned, "cuz you're going to need it."

Zoe grasped the neck of the bottle, throwing the paper bag over her shoulder, "why?"

"Cuz," Justin laughed, a grin on his face, "you called our Moms! What is that shit? We're getting you back. Bad. When you least expect it."

"Or," Trace said holding his hands up to stop Justin, "or maybe we'll get her exactly when she is expecting it."

"Oh please," Zoe said passing the bottle to across and to the right, "three hours ago you wanted to rip each other's trachea's out. Now you're all hunky-dorey. Well, maybe only one of you is hunky, but you know what I mean. Best pals forever again. Plus, I got the stare down from your mom J, so I think that's enough."

Justin took the bottle from Trace. "I'm sure she'll still get more from Mom," he reasoned to Trace. "I don't even know how you got her to actually listen to you Zoe. She thinks you are-"

"Yes," Zoe said blowing at her bangs before smacking her hands on the chair, "I'm well aware of what your Mom thinks of me. And you could at least defend me about it."

"Defend you! Zoe, I can't say stuff that isn't true."

She did not find the little chuckle that followed his declaration cute in any way. "Now you know half the stuff she thinks isn't true. But heaven forbid you tell her the truth about the things that her saintly son did."

"Fuck that. I don't need to tell her anything and frankly I dont' even know why-"

"Oh god," Trace cried grabbing the bottle from Justin. "Here we go. Ken, you want some pineapple cake? I'm sure it's almost done."

Kendall looked from Justin's balled fists and Zoe's red face back to Trace standing in front of her with a smile.

"I forgot Jack makes them angry."

"Eh," Trace shrugged, "I don't think it's just the Jack. Zoe hasn't had a good fight in awhile anyway." He threw the arm that wasn't holding the bottle around Kendall's shoulders and led her into the kitchen where the smell of fresh pineapple upside down cake and fried chicken floated through the air. "The more they fight, the more food for us, right?"

Anna pulled her sweater on over her tshirt with a sigh. They day had been long, but she was glad to be back at work. Her final client had made huge gains recently. It was one of those rare times when someone came in, tried their hardest during therapy, did all the at home activities she suggested, and the results were showing immediately. She pulled her purse out of her locker and fished out her phone to check the time, noticing two missed calls.

She typed in her password. Cradling the phone between her shoulder and head she threw her purse over her shoulder and headed out. Arlen nearly knocked her over when she reached the elevator, but stood silently while she listened. The first message was from Pepper telling her about her most recent sonogram and that a picture of Baby was on the way. That made Anna smile. Her next message did not.

"Hey Annester. It's Justin. Uh, hmm. I don't know what-how. Ok. Wow, I really am at a lost for words right now. Which is weird cuz I'm usually so good at words with girls. I mean I'm not just good with words but- Do you think, um, I could come? Yeah, I can say this better in person. Right? You're off at like 5 right? Call me."

"What," Arlen asked, noticing the extreme change in Anna's mood. "Girl, what happened?"

Anna shut her phone. "I don't know. Oh gosh Arlen. He sounds horrible!"

"Who?"

"I'm gunna have to rain check you Arlen. I don't know what happened or what he has to say, but the fact that he called me out of everyone he knows means I can't just blow it off."

Arlen nodded, "Which he?"

"Justin."

Another nod. "Sugar, I don't blame you. You go help that fancypants man."

"I'll bring maki for lunch?"

"No. You'll tell me all the drama tomorrow over a long dinner." He patted her shoulder, then held the door open into the parking garage.

"Thank Arlen," Anna answered, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. As she dashed to her car she flipped open her phone and dialed Justin's number.

"So..." Justin trailed, sinking into the couch across from Trace. He held two bottles of beer between the fingers in one hand, his phone in the other. After the girls had gotten their moms to drink more than they should have and both women were sound asleep upstairs, Kendall, Tani, and Zoe had left in a fit of giggles.

"Yep," Trace replied, eyes straight ahead. His jaw was tight as he chewed tensely on a piece of gum. Trace had nodded and smiled while his mom was around. And while a lot of what she said and what he and Justin had talked about made a lot of sense, it still didn't diminish the way he was feeling. It didn't help that he wasn't sure himself why he was feeling so angry about everything and why he couldn't just let it go like he usually could.

Extending a hand, Justin offered one bottle to the shorter man leaning across the small table. "At least ya didn't swear at me," Justin joked. "Baby steps Momma said." He took a sip of his own beer. Both men continued to sip their beers, eyes everywhere but each other.

"Dude, she called our moms," Trace finally busted out. His laugh started softly under his breath and soon he was full out laughing, "I can't believe she sold us out like that!"

"Oh come on," Justin said between his own laughter, "It's not the first time Zoe's told on us."

Trace nodded in agreement. "But shit, I don't tell her momma her dirt."

"Yeah," Justin added, "she had good reason to though, you know."

"Not really."

"Oh come on," Justin chastised. "You refused to answer my phone since we've been back and I missed a collabo offer."

Glaring, Trace took a sip from his beer. "So you're really just mad you lost money? That's it?"

"Absolutely not. Come on Trace, really?"

"Really."

Justin threw his head back in frustration. "I have my days, I know, but shit Trace. You know you're my boy right? Thick and thin. You're the only one who's able to knock me in my place and doesn't back down when I throw shit in your face. Clearly. You do know you're here to keep me grounded."

"Pretty good job I've been doing lately then," Trace snapped.

Still with his head back against the couch, Justin eyed Trace with one eye. "I haven't even been working in a month. What could I have done that bad?" Silence.

Trace took a deep breath. Might as well get it out in the open. "Oh, you know, fucking every girl you see."

Justin straight up laughed. "That's it! You're mad cuz I'm getting pussy and you're not? Dude. Come on. Why didn't you just say that." Justin set his beer down on the table and reached for the phone. "That would explain your pissy moods. Sometimes I totally forget about your personal life Trace. Sorry. Lemme call up...who do you want? Dorle was pretty into you. Trisha was kinda freaky like you like 'em."

"I don't want you to call up anyone Justin," Trace said shaking his head.

Justin tapped his phone against his leg, then scrolled through his phonebook. "Nah, it's no problem T."

"I can get my own goddamn girls Justin," Trace yelled.

"Whoa, ok." Justin held up one hand in surrender. With the other he continued looking through his phone. "So..."

Trace chewed fiercely on his piece of gum. "Just, just stop seducing girls that I like man."

Justin's head popped up. "What?"

"You heard."

Justin tossed his phone on the table. "Who am I seducing." He leaned forward clasping his hands in curiosity. "Who do you like? Seriously, I can give up any of the randoms if you're that into 'em. And it's not like we've been hanging around anyone but the girls."

Trace locked eyes with Justin.

"Oh." Justin nodded. Then realization set it and he eyes grew large. "Oh! Anna? Really Trace? Alright, I can see it."

"Don't b.s. with me Timberlake."

Justin grabbed his beer again, taking a short sip. "No, I had no idea Trace. You think I was seducing her?"

"You fucking slept with her dude!" Trace cried swinging his beer wildly.

"Since when is sleeping with someone synonymous with seducing? Seducing involves actually taking an interest is something other than tits and-SHIT. Trace I didn't sleep with her," Justin laughed when Trace's eyes widened, "who told you that?" Trace didn't respond. "No. Man, Anna's nice and all, but that's it. Thought hadn't even crossed my mind."

Trace eyed Justin from the corner of his eye, "Never crossed your mind? Fucking liar."

A sly grin crept to the edges of Justin's mouth. "Alright, alright. I mighta thought about it once or twice. I'm not blind. But she's just-she's Anna. I don't know. I don't want to sleep with her. I would, but I don't have to."

Trace shook his head and let out a small laugh. "Did we just spend an hour arguing about a girl neither of us is fucking?"

Justin finished the last of the liquid in his bottle, "It appears so." The dull sound of his phone vibrating against the table interrupted the silence.

"Hey," he smiled before standing up and walking into the kitchen, "just thinking about your pretty face."

----

"What about this one!"

Anna groaned and tossed a paper plate into the garbage. She walked into the living room where Arlen was sitting with her laptop. Anna had been unnerved by Justin's call the other day. When she'd called him back, he acted like everything was ok and he'd sorted it all out. However, knowing him for the short time that she had, she was pretty sure Justin didn't sort things out in a three hour span. She didn't want to be nosey and push it, but it hurt a little that he didn't think he could share whatever he was going through with her.

Then she hadn't heard from anyone in three days until Zoe called her halfway through her dinner with Arlen. How she'd let it slip to Arlen that Zoe had invited her to a Halloween party she didn't know. What she did know, however, was that he was having way too much fun trying to dress her.

Leaning over the back of the couch Anna looked at the costume on the screen. "Absolutely not."

"Why not," he asked clicking on the photo and enlarging it. "No body parts are hanging out. Sorry boys."

Anna tapped him on the back of the head. "Do you know how many times I'll get asked if I'm looking for any seamen if I wear that."

"Ohhh," Arlen cooed, "guess I just figured out my costume. At least one of us will get laid this Halloween." He looked behind himself just in time to see her shake her head.

Anna went back into the kitchen to finish cleaning. Arlen continued looking.

"Fine, you don't wanna be a whore. Even though that's what Halloween is for. But girl you know both those boys are gunna be waiting to see what you have on and I'll be damned if we don't wow them."

Anna stuffed half of a fortune cookie in her mouth, throwing the fortune in the garbage without reading it. "Did you not hear a word I said tonight?"

Arlen turned his shoulder so he could see Anna in the kitchen. "Yes I did darling. What I heard is that Stud Muffin is jealous and you slept with Fancypants."

"I did not sleep with him!" He turned around and started clicking on the keyboard. "Arlen I didn't sleep with him."

"How do you feel about the Cowboys?"

----

"I love Halloween," Justin mumbled under his breath. His head rested against the back of his chair, both legs lazily out in front of him. His Memphis Grizzlies hat was pulled low over his head. He'd have it even lower and be sleeping if there hadn't been two girls staring at themselves in the fitting room mirror and giggling about six feet to his left. He wasn't about to tell them that their matching slutty nurse costumes were cheap and nearly transparent.

"You fucking hate Halloween," Trace called out from the room in front of him. Justin could see his stubby legs under the door. He didn't want to stare at Trace's leg hair all day. He could think of a thousand other ways to spend his day.

He had no idea how many costumes Trace had jammed in the room. But he had a good idea how long this would take. They went through this every year. After three trips to the local Halloween superstores, Trace never finds what he is looking for. Nothing seems 'right'. Then they'd go to a few costume rental stores. Nada. Next thing you know Trace finds a pair of overalls at Walmart, throws on a John Deere hat, and calls himself Bud the Farm Stud.

"Correction," Justin said shifting in the chair and resting one leg on the knee of the other. "I don't like dressing up. It's gay."

Trace pushed his door open. "What's so gay about it?"

"Dude," Justin groaned, covering his face with one hand.

Looking down at the white and green one-piece, Trace innocently asked, "What? No?"

Justin pulled his hand down from his eyes, keeping the rest over his mouth.

Trace nodded. "You're right. The red ranger was better anyway." Trace turned and walked back into the room. "You have to get a costume. Zoe will not let you in without one."

"She gunna have security manning her Halloween party," Justin joked. He turned his attention back to the girls down the hall. One still stood in the nurse costume, obviously liking how she looked in it. Justin did too. Her friend, though, had changed into what he assumed was a Miss Muffit costume. Thoughts of offering her some of his curds and-

"Fuck you!"

Trace's eyes widened as his fitting room door slammed shut behind him. "What?"

"You heard me. Fuck you."

Trace turned to look at himself in the mirror. The two girls stepped back when he got close.

"Mariska Hargitay," Trace bowed with folded hands. He skipped back toward Justin. "The beard is itchy. But damn if the little slippers don't feel good."

Justin smirked. "Yeah Trace, why don't you wear that. I'm sure NO ONE will confuse you with a gnome. Long beard, robes, shorter than shit."

Trace flipped Justin off before throwing open the door to his room again. Justin heard rustling as Trace changed yet again. "Yeah, so, you should go look for something to wear."

A buzzing in his pocket sent Justin reaching for his phone. "I already got it covered," he proclaimed punching the keypad.

"What," Trace asked poking his head out.

"None of your damn business. You'll see," Justin answered.

Back in his fitting room Trace replied, "I still think Mario and Luigi woulda been funny."

"People would think we were gay Trace."

"No. It would be funny."

"Grown ass men in overalls. Matching overalls. With porn 'staches and conductor hats. No."

"I'd let you be Luigi."

Justin let out a soft grunt. "No one wants to be Luigi!"

"Whatever. I think I found it."

"What the hell!? No. Fucking no!" Justin shot straight up in the chair, phone falling from his hands. He looked frantically from right to left to be sure no one else was seeing what he was.

Trace walked right past him and up to the mirror. Miss Muffit and Nurse who had become Angel and Bumblebee both covered their mouths at Trace's arrival and proceeded quickly back to their rooms.

"No," Trace said, "This is definitely it. The red looks fantastic on me."

Justin's eyes kept trailing over to Trace, but as soon as they would focus he'd rip them back to the white of the fitting room door. "Are you wearing underwear?"

Trace turned a little in the mirror. "No."

"Dude! That's sick."

Trace turned again. "I tried it with the boxers, but I couldn't get the full effect. This looks, dare I say, hot!"

"It's a dress Trace!" Justin shook his head, "At least I think it is supposed to be. But your fatt ass makes it look like it's a fucking shirt. Stop turning! Everything keeps flapping around."

Trace stopped. Then he gave himself a little wiggle from right to left, "Oh, shit, you're right. Need to ask Kendall for one of those thongy things. That'll hold it all in, right?"

"Change, NOW!"

Trace strode back towards Justin. He bent to pick up the phone Justin had dropped.

"Trace!" Justin cried covering his eyes again.

The shorter man frowned, "Well if I can't get it, can you at least take a picture?"

Justin's mouth dropped open. "What the hell for!?"

"Because," Trace explained shoving the phone back into Justin's hands, "if I'm ever in a situation where someone is like, 'I wonder what Trace looks like in a dress' and I know I look damn good, but no one else will believe me, I'll have proof."

"Where would you be that that situation would come up?"

"Just take it," Trace said leaning against the door frame.

----

Anna shouldn't have been so happy for Scary Movie Night. But when Trace had called asking if she wanted to hang out and watch a couple movies after work the thought that she hated them hadn't even crossed her mind. Honestly she'd just been happy to hear from him again. He had apologized for the things he had said explaining he and Justin were having some issues and didn't mean to put her in the middle of it. She wasn't sure how to digest that bit of info and how she fit into it, but an apology was an apology.

Now, however, her happiness had hit it's peak. Curled up in the corner of the couch while Trace sifted through movie titles, Anna ebbed into nervousness. She didn't like to be scared. Much more so than a normal adult should.

"No one wants to see that lame ass movie," Justin's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"No one asked you," Trace returned.

"Exactly," Justin smirked, now standing behind the couch. "But see, Little Annester here doesn't know your passion for weird ass movies, so I was just educating her."

"At least I only watch weird ass movies, not act in them," Trace shot back.

Anna's mouth dropped open in surprise. Then she began to laugh. "Burn!"

Justin tapped the back of her head. "I used to like you Anna."

"Kids, movies, focus, please," Trace announced shaking the boxes again.

"I'm out," Justin said stepping back and leaving the room. "Anna might like Seven."

"That's got Brad Pitt, right," Anna asked, somehow remembering that she'd seen that. "Can't we watch a normal horror movie, like Scream?"

Trace choked. "Seriously? That movie shouldn't even be in the genre of horror. It's like the worst-"

"Ok," Anna laughed at his seriousness. "Just pick one where there aren't too many body parts flying around and nothing jumps out at you."

Trace cocked an eyebrow at Anna, "My dear, what kind of fun would that be?"

Justin checked the time on his clock, then walked to the window. Anna's car was still in the driveway. Almost with a sense of giddyness he crept towards the stairs. So Trace liked Anna. Anna seemed to like Trace. People didn't actually watch scary movies together in their living rooms just to watch movies. He should get his camera...blackmail was a bitch. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen his mind was busy anticipating what he might see that he didn't notice Anna until he bumped into her.

Anna let out a muffled scream as Justin reached to cover her mouth. Shaking in his arms, Anna tried to shove him away.

"Anna, Annester, it's me," Justin whispered. She seemed to relax immediately.

Then she punched him. "That wasn't funny Justin." She was still shaking a little.

Justin switched on a light over the stove so she could see it really was him. "I didn't mean to scare you. Honest."

"Then why were you creeping around like some," she paused looking for the right word, but could only come up with, "creeper."

"Hey," Justin defended, "it's my house. I can creep around all I'd like. The question is, why are you creeping around my house at 4 in the morning?"

"I fell asleep."

"Likely story," Justin smirked, "so, you two had a good time, huh?"

Anna nodded and gave her lip a little bite, "Yeah. As good a time as I can have when I'm not nervous or scared."

"Next time we'll watch some Disney crap, sound good?"

"And by Disney crap do you mean Mickey Mouse Club? Because I think I actually have those on vhs and-"

"Get out of my house you traitor," Justin laughed.

Anna nudged his shoulder, "No, I'm serious. You just committed yourself to that. You said 'Disney crap'."

Justin took Anna by the shoulders and let her towards to door. "See Anna, if you knew me you'd know not to use the word committed around me."

Anna leaned against the door. "See, Justin. I think I do."

----

"Holy decorations," Tani cried pushing open the back door. The whole back deck was covered in bats and snakes and bloody body parts and things Tani couldn't even tell what they were. "Where did all this crap come from."

"Tani! Good. You're tall, hang this," Zoe cried running past her and shoving a string of silver lights into Tani's hands.

"Dont' even try to object," Anna said strolling up next to Tani. "I stopped by for ten minutes to give Kendall something. Three hours ago."

Tani raised an eyebrow. "She won't let you leave?"

Anna shrugged, "A bit of she won't let me leave and a bit of guilt."

From the corner of her eye Tani caught Zoe yelling at Kendall and pointing, so Tani quickly found a chair and scooted it closer to the eve of the house. With a grunt she pulled herself up. "Guilty about what?"

Anna handed Tani a staple gun that was laying on a table nearby. "I don't know. I always feel guilty when people have huge parties to do. I know, it's weird. Just my thing."

Tani smacked the gun, stepped down, then scooted the chair over. "So you were little Ms. Homecoming Decorations Committee then?"

Anna laughed, "Oh hell no. I have no artistic bone in my body. Physical science Tani, remember? Facts and figures, not colors and shapes."

Tani gave the staple gun another smack. "Right." She sat in the chair for a second, looking over at Anna. It was hard not to like Anna. Tani did have to admit she was sweet and given that Zoe and Kendall had pulled her into their whole world without knowing what she was getting into, Anna was handling it very well. Tani just didn't like that she was so nice and so sweet and so perfect. No one was actually as perfect as Anna appeared to be. And Tani knew she and Zoe could get over whatever it is that will eventually surface. But Trace, Justin, and Kendall were wrapped around her finger pretty tight. Even if none of them knew it. Tani wasn't ready to have to be there when it all fell apart.

"So, what girl were you in high school," Tani asked standing back up as Zoe made another round past the two of them.

Anna shrugged. "I didn't really hit my stride in high school, if you know what I mean. I was just normal, I guess."

"There's no normal in high school Anna." She slammed down the last staple and stepped back to inspect her work. "Like me, I thought I was normal. I really did. Then I met all these folks and realized I was part of the jocks. Surprise to me since I didn't play a sport. Unless you count making out."

The two shared a laugh. "I was in the National Honor Society," Anna admitted.

"Tell me something I wouldn't have guessed," Tani joked before tossing an arm around Anna's shoulder.

----

"This is stupid. I'm not wearing it. I'm not going. I'll watch the house, have fun. See you soon."

Anna smacked her forehead while laughing. "Just shut up. You're going." She pulled open the bathroom door and walked to her bedroom where Justin was putting on his costume. "What's the problem?"

"This," he said holding out a brown wig as if it were a dead animal. "No matter what I do, it won't look right."

"Are you putting it on right," she asked taking the wig from him. She pushed against his shoulders making him sit on the bed. Standing it front of him she tugged the wig down over his head. Anna motioned toward the mirror Justin had been using. "Are we good now?"

"No," Justin pouted, "it's fluffy. It's not supposed to be fluffy."

"Oh god," Anna cried throwing her hands up. "If you hadn't played with it so much. Let's go put some product on it or something then."

She tugged Justin by his shirt into the bathroom and shoved him down on the toilet seat. While she worked, Justin fidgeted with one of the rhinestones in her dress.

"Thanks for keeping my costume."

Anna tugged a comb through the wig. "No problem."

"I've got nosey friends."

"So I've heard," Anna smarted. "All done."

Justin stood and looked in the mirror. "Miracle worker Annester," he said giving her cheek a kiss. "So, you ready to roll?"

"Do I look ready," Anna asked pointing to herself. "Ten minutes of make-up and I'll be set."

"Need help?" Anna watched Justin's lips curl into a smile.

"Not unless you want my fairy dust all over your outfit," she answered before leaning over the sink and picking up her eyeshadow again.

"That's a new name for something," Justin pondered with a smirk.

The two sat quietly for several minutes. Anna wasn't bothered by the fact Justin was watching her. "You sure you don't wanna show up solo," she asked suddenly.

"Why would I want to do that," Justin asked in the process of opening and closing the sliding glass door of her shower.

Anna turned to lean against the sink. "Well, you show up to a Halloween party with a girl and people get the impression you're together."

"With that little outfit I don't think I'd mind that," Justin said with a wink. "But really we're gunna know everyone there anyway."

"You'll know everyone," Anna hohumed.

With one arm Justin pulled her down onto his lap and gave her a one armed hug. "That's the beauty of showing up with me Anna. You'll meet everyone in no time."

"I'm not going. I'll watch the car."

Justin slammed his door and walked around to yank Anna's door open. "Funny."

"No," Anna said crossing her arms. She looked around Justin's frame to the dark decorations blowing in the night breeze. A ghostly yowl floated out of a window and Anna squeezed her forearms. "I'm serious."

Placing one arm on the roof of the car he leaned in closer to Anna. "What's the deal?"

Anna bit her lip. "I...something's going to jump out at me. Or chase me."

"It's Halloween Anna. What did you expect?" Justin asked with a sigh. She shrugged. "You were just fine watching the movie with Trace."

"He held my hand."

Justin laughed. "Fine, I'll hold your hand then."

"If something jumps at me will you kick it?" she asked taking a firm grip on the hand he offered. He only laughed and pulled her along after him. Anna walked pressed up against his back, eyes closed.

"We're in Annester," Justin whispered behind him. He pulled her around in front of him. "It's safe."

Anna slowly opened one eye. It was dark. But there were lots of little lights. And most of the costumes weren't too scary. "Thanks."

"Anything jumps at you, you come get me, aight?" He gave her side a pinch before he was dragged away by someone Anna didn't know.

----

Trace took one look at Justin and burst out laughing.

"At least he wore a costume," Zoe admitted eyeing Justin. Then she turned to her other friend. "I didn't know you saved your Jeeter uniform Trace. On wait, that's right, you didn't make the basketball team."

"Oooo, burn," Justin cried high-fiving Zoe above Trace's head.

He pushed the two out of his way, "Don't be jealous you don't look this good in yellow mesh."

"If that's good..." Zoe trailed.

"At least people know what I'm supposed to be," Trace defended, arms crossed.

"Gay?" Justin and Zoe snickered.

"Says the guy dressed like a Disney Parade."

Justin scoffed and took a sip from his cup. "At least I know every girl in the room has dreamed about me. And my costume."

"It doesn't count if they were eight Justin," Trace played. "And really, Prince Charming? You couldn't have been any less creative."

"80's basketball player," Justin asked, eyebrows raised.

----

"You helped put it all up. It's just plastic. Nothing will hurt you," Anna mumbled to herself as she walked through the house. She knew the kitchen would be the safest place to be with the fewest possibilities of things jumping out at her, so that was her goal.

"Anna Banana," Zoe cried as soon as she entered the room. Anna let out a huge sigh of relief and ran to Zoe. "Aren't you adorable. Don't tell anyone, but did you know the real TinkerBelle is actually an asian man and that-"

"I have a feeling they have a new one these days. That story has been around since I was a kid," Anna answered. She reached a hand out to smooth the shoulder of Zoe's costume. "I like this."

Zoe smiled, then spun around. "Thank you. It's real. Justin got it when he went to Japan once. I thought if I'm gunna be drinking, which I am, I don't wanna have to worry about falling out of my costume. Which is a responsible thought, I think. So a robe and some white face paint, and drunken geisha it is."

"It suits you," Anna laughed.

"Zoe, there's a guy at the front door who isn't in costume," Kendall informed them as she walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Anna, love the costume. And the make-up! Oooh, the glittery eyeshadow."

Reaching for a plastic cup on her way to the keg Anna smiled. "Thanks Ken. You look very...spirity."

Kendall giggled, "It's real, do you know? I have a friend on the team; we were in hip hop classes together a few years ago. Now that she's with the Lakers she is set. It's nice because she's mostly in the same place all the time, but I'd get bored being in the same place too."

She took a sip on the beer before responding. "Are all of your costumes the real deal? Cuz I don't usually go all out for Halloween like this."

"I swear to God he puts his balls in my face one more time," Tani cried as she walked into the kitchen.

"What," Anna and Kendall chorused.

Tani yanked open the freezer and grabbed the Bacardi. "Trace. He's walking around shoving his balls on people."

"Ew," Kendall cried popping a carrot into her mouth. "What is he that his balls are out?"

"Speak of the devil," Tani moaned before tipping the bottle straight into her mouth.

"Love you to Tan," Trace smirked smacking her on the back before stealing the bottle. Then he noticed Anna. "Hey! Look at you."

Anna stood silent while her mind rushed through the acceptable responses the Trace's costume. One, he looks ridiculous. Two, she could see through his shorts.

"I didn't know you and Ken were matching," she finally mustered out.

"I'd say great minds think alike," Kendall started, "but I can't honestly say that's true in this case."

"You could have changed," Trace pointed out, "That's right. I saw that little box of goodies in your closet."

Kendall's eyes widened, "Who let the troll in my closet?"

Anna's attention turned to Zoe. She looked like she was going to throw up. But to her surprise, Zoe let out a loud giggle. "Trace...was...in...the...closet," she managed between bursts.

"Whoa, what did I miss," a deep voice called out. All heads turned toward Justin who walked into the kitchen with a scantily clad girl scout under his arm.

"Nothing," Trace snapped, grabbing a carrot and throwing it at Zoe.

Tani grabbed the bottle Trace had place on the counter and took another long sip from. "Nothing's what you got going on down in those shorts Larry Bird." She let out a yelp as Trace chased her out of the room.

"Those two," Justin chuckled, shaking his head. He carelessly pulled open the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Gatorade. "So..." He placed his arm back around the girl's shoulders.

"Hi," Anna said sticking her hand out, "I'm Anna."

"Ok," the girl scout said with a roll of her eyes. Then she turned her attention up towards Justin, "You said you were gunna-"

"Right," Justin said cutting her off, "this way."

Zoe, Kendall, and Anna watched their retreating forms. "God, he is such a whore," Zoe cried out.

"And he knows it," Kendall agreed.

"And she was way rude," Anna added before the three burst into giggles.

----

Much to her dismay Anna had spent a lot of the night wandering around the house alone. She'd spotted Trace and Kendall actually getting along and playing beer pong as a team, since they matched and all. Zoe was busy making drinks in the kitchen. She didn't know where Tani had gone off to and she hadn't seen Justin or his new friend. So much for him making sure she knew everyone at the party. At least nothing had popped out at her yet.

She knew Kendall had said she could crash in her room for the night if she wanted to, and feeling that no one would miss her, Anna headed up that way. There were a couple girls waiting for the bathroom, so she opted to pass out first, then wash her face. Too tired to turn any lights on she shut the door quietly behind her. Anna rubbed her feet along the floor in the dark knowing when she hit carpet she was close to the bed. But instead her toe tapped something slippery. Kneeling down, she cautiously picked at it. It was mesh. Standing straight up, she took the object in her hand and raced from the room. Once in the hallway, she took two deep breaths before forcing herself to look down. Yellow mesh shorts. Tiny yellow mesh shorts.

Anna tossed them on the ground. She could feel her eyes starting to burn. "Have you seen anyone in a Laker girl jersey?" she asked the two remaining girls by the bathroom.

"She just went in there like 5 minutes ago," one replied pointing to Kendall's room. "You didn't see them?"

"Them?"

"Yeah. Her and that shorter guy in the basketball outfit. It was cute. I wish I could get my boyfriend to match his costume with me."

Anna forced herself to swallow. "Uh huh. Me too." Turning quickly on her heels, she clumped down the stairs. She walked straight out the front door in a daze. Even the guy standing on the front porch who jumped out at her didn't phase her. She took a seat on the curb next to Justin's car. Wrapping her arm around her legs, she leaned into the wheel and cried, hoping the ghoulish sounds from inside the house would drown her out.