Love is a temporary madness. It shakes your entire being like an earthquake causing a landslide of emotions. When it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part, because that's what love is.

Love is not promises of eternal passion. Love is not excitement. Love is not breathlessness. Love is madness.

Finding oneself wrapped up in the process of everyday work sometimes becomes the person someone is. Sometimes that choice is made piece by piece and never noticed until it becomes too overwhelming. But sometimes, that choice is made for the selfishness part of someone that doesn't want to be hurt again. They don't want to deal with that level of pain that has no grey area.

Love is the greatest of emotions and the worst of heartaches. Even with the unknown, the matters of the heart rest in the palm of one's hands.

The choice; to live with your heart in someone else's hand, or wipe your hands clean of love.

Justin's hands have been clean for some time, and that is exactly how he'd plan on leaving them. He has spent years in relationships that were never going to work. Years wasted. Years of filled with living day to day, even making the grand gesture, only to end in heartache.

Which has lead him to where he is today, in her bed again, hanging on by a thread again... it won't be long till he is asking when can he come back again.

One more day. He whispers to himself as he watches her climb out of bed and leave the room. If only I could have one more day. He aggressively rubs his hands over his face. He knew he was defying his own rules.

One of his favorite places on earth was New York City. He loved the city; what it represented, and how it felt to be standing in a city that size yet he was so small. He was a nobody in a city full of success. His schedule has been crazy the last year that he didn't know what he was doing on any given day. He was rarely in the same city for very long or at least the city he wanted to be in. Between touring, fitting in more studio time, and managing to film two movies in the process, the last year has been a blur.

Everything was a blur besides the time he spent with her.

She seemed to bring him down to earth, into reality, and in the moment. But he knew it was a temporary fix, he knew the time he had was limited. He wanted more than that temporary feeling of carefree moments.

Sophia was the most brilliant, level headed photographer that he ever had the pleasure of working with. Professional and personal pleasure. She had the vision that no one else seemed to have. She made something out of nothing. She changed his entire view and outlook on his position in the industry that he consumed himself in. Unknowingly to her, she was his inspiration for everything from the day they met. Her vision changed his.

They both were fed up with relationships, broken hearts, and one night stands. ‘Hooking up' with a random person in a club wasn't the same feeling any more. They were adults and had to make adult decisions. After making the first fateful, semi-drunken decision on the rooftop of her apartment building, a new motion was set in place. Something that happened seemed to happen every time they crossed paths.

 For them, this was the adult decision to make.

Friends with benefits it wasn't, they weren't friends.

It was simple, get in, get off, get out.

There he was again, in her bed again, staring at the ceiling of her elegantly designed New York City Apartment, hanging on by a thread again. Saying things he'll regret again, things that shouldn't be said again, going over the past again... It won't be long and he'll be asking when he can come back again.

Sophia became his drug of choice. Not in any negative kind drug, but a drug nevertheless.

I wish I could stay with you.

His first set of words that he shouldn't have said for her to hear. He whispered those fateful words to her just moments before she climbed out of bed and out of his view.

His words hurt himself, but worst of all, his words hurt her. He's going, but he knows he just needs one more day with her. He needs her carefree spirit bringing him joy and stress free.

He used her, for all the wrong reasons. And now, he was saying things he couldn't take back.

Sophia has always been the strong willed and never a ‘matters of the heart' kind of woman. All of her relationships seemed to be just what they were. It was never an over-the-top romantic adventure, it was what it was, until it wasn't anything anymore. She always wanted compassion from a partner, she wanted spontaneity, she wanted to simply come home after a long day on set and crawl into the arms of something that genuinely made her happy. She hadn't found that in her life thus far.

His words meant nothing. The amazing things that would flow off his tongue and past his lips meant nothing. Never before had she let the words affect her in this way. They were just words after all. He was only saying the right things to ensure that he could come back again. His actions spoke volumes, and she was aware of that.

"I've gotta go." He said in a deep sigh. "My flight leaves..." He continued to talk but she zoned out on him, staring out into the view from her twentieth floor apartment building, the Hudson River just outside of her window. She exhaled a deep breath, her eye lids fluttered in pain, running chills down her body.

He watched as her body shivered under the lace tank and panties she was wearing. Her hand went to her arm to wipe away the goosebumps it created all down her body. Slowly her hand reached up to her face, wiping away the tears that managed to escape her once uncaring eyes.

They were both in too deep, both too stubborn to admit they needed to part ways.

It hurts if he stays, but it's worse if he stays away. He always wants, just one more day. Seeing the hurt in her eyes, hurt him more than any broken heart has ever felt. The pain in her eyes wasn't something he was ready to see. The reason for their arrangements was so they didn't feel the pain of walking away. Maybe they were both in over their heads. Maybe they were both not cut out for this, the way they convinced themselves they were.

She didn't turn back to tell him goodbye this time. Swallowing back her pride, she spoke in a low shaky tone, "Have a safe flight. I'll see you when I see you..."

Her tone shook him to the core. She was hurting and he knew that no matter what he said, it wasn't going to be the right words. "I'll see you soon..." he fought with his own thoughts. He wanted to feel her in his arms just one more time before he left, but he wasn't sure that was the best decision either.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect for him. He was about to embark on overseas promotion and touring would keep him thousands of miles away from her, masking the feelings they both were fighting.

He picked up his bag that awaited him in the very same spot it always did, turning back to her one last time, he sees her wiping away more tears. If he cared of the least he would comfort her. If he was of the least a caring person, he would comfort her.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, his hand turned the knob and he stepped out of the door, closing it behind him. He felt the lump in his throat begin to cut off his airway. He dropped his head the door, reaching his fists up in way that he was going to knock on the door, change everything that just happened. But he didn't, he bucked up his emotions and walked down the long hallway to the elevator.

"I'm going back to my place for some well needed drinks..." Sophia admitted as she gathered up all her belongings from the day. Shooting in a warehouse isn't her favorite thing, but it served its purpose for the day. She would rather be out in the real world, taking shots of the artist with moving objects behind them, or a piece of history than a generated image in a blank room.

Granted her eye candy wasn't so bad for the day. Shooting the album promotion for Justin Timberlake for his long awaited follow up album was a huge privilege. She had worked with many celebrities for many different magazines but she had never been given the opportunity to reinvent someone's entire image. She took this as a challenge.

"I could join you." Justin said coyly, his cheeks turning a shade of pink from embarrassment.

"I hope you can drink big boy!" She patted him on the shoulder as she walked by him. She paused, turning back to look at him as he remained in the spot she left him in, "I thought you were coming home with me?"

Justin's eyes lit up, the smirk widened on his face and without hesitance he followed suit behind her. She wasn't someone that went after anyone, she never really had to.

*

Sophia dropped her items on the table in the kitchen as she entire her apartment. She started to remove items of clothing that she has been wearing all day, leaving a path to her bedroom.

"Make yourself at home." She leaned her head out of her bedroom door, "I'll just be a minute... There's beer in the fridge!"

Justin caught the slide glimpse of her nearly naked body and it his body shivered with excitement. He shook his head and headed straight for the beer.

As he twisted the cap off the beer, his eyes caught the attention of something that instantly made him stop in his tracks. His focus became enamored in the image that rested on her wall.

A portrait, grand in scale hung high on the stone wall. A man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, was stepping down, back down to ground level.

"Wow..." he mumbled. He felt as if that image was a direct representation of how he felt about his entire life at the moment. Everything about his life, and the lives of those who surround him, was the weight on his shoulders. If he didn't take the right photos, if he didn't sell enough albums, if no one showed up for the tour... the livelihood of everyone around him laid upon his shoulders.

"The day I took that photo, I felt like I couldn't do any this anymore. I was fresh off a breakup... and I thought I couldn't handle the pressure of capturing the perfect moment, every time..."

"You took this?" He questioned.

"Yes, a little over four years ago." She smiled, grazing her fingers over the canvas she was proud of. "I let go of everything seeing that image on the screen of my camera. I promised myself I would just be me. I would capture what I could and that would have to be good enough. And somehow I found my true passion from that."

"This is truly amazing." He exhaled a deep breath. "It says so much..."

She watched as he admired her work. His face was in daze, studying every detail. She wondered what exactly he was thinking about. She wondered if the view she created could be that inspiring, enough to take his complete attention away from her.

"Come..." Sophia demanded, grabbing the blanket from the back of the chair where she had left it the last time. "Come... see the view that inspires me..." When he his feet remained planted on the hardwood floor, his eyes still on that very photograph she took his hand, pulling on him to follow her. She placed the twelve pack of beer in his hands and started down the hallway of her apartment.

She led him through her dimly lit apartment, up a dark flight of narrow steps before Justin started to feel a little nervous. He had been in control of his every move for so long, the simple idea that he was letting this stranger take control puzzled him. "Where are you taking me?" He questioned.

She turned back to look at him... "Have a little faith in me..."

Without hesitance, he trusted her. He had faith in her.

As they reached their destination, Sophia dropped the blanket to the ground. "Now this..."She smiled, waving her hand at the skyline that rested around them. Each tall skyscraping building having a purpose in a city filled with millions, each one lit up for all to see.

He watched as her lips moved with such passion and release.

"...this is my version of clarity." She exhaled a deep breath as they stared into the city sky together. Two near strangers had one of the greatest city skylines at their view.

She plopped herself down on the blanket, tapping it, wanting him to lay down with her. She had laid in this very spot more times than she could count.

He lowered himself to the blanket, keeping a safe distance from her. "You realize you can't see the stars in this city full of lights, right?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I like to stare into the empty sky okay... endless possibilities."

He watched her face, content and passionately watching the midnight blue sky. He scooted closer to her, she didn't move.  He rolled on top of her, her eyes catching his.

"I prefer the shine of a real star above me, instead of whatever you are." She muttered, looking into his lust filling, oceanic blue eyes.

His lowered his face to hers, never taking their eyes off of each other. As their lips met one another, instantly they knew it wasn't going to end with a simple kiss, or even an incredible kiss. But Justin pulled his face back away from hers, teasing her with the brush of his lips.

Justin's hand went to the side of her face before reaching down to unfasten her jeans.

Sophia's daze was interrupted by the sound of her phone going off. The memories of their first time were ingrained in her memory. She could remember his touch... as if he was touching her right now. His scent seemed to linger around her, even when he was thousands of miles away.  The intense beat of his heart, pounding off of her chest.

I want to see you. I want to see you... NOW. I can't wait any longer. Meet me in Paris... I will have a private plane waiting for you. Just say the words.

The words in black in white, staring back at her, was exactly she wanted. She couldn't deny that her first thought was how quickly she could get to the airport during rush hour traffic, but she also couldn't accept his offer.

She forcefully rubbed her hands over her face, cursing at herself. She knew deep down that he was lonely on the road but she couldn't be the girl that drops and runs to him. It was times like these, in the very moment that she was thinking about their first of many nights together, he was thinking the same thing she was.

When she didn't respond, another message came through, however this time Justin's words were like ripping a page out of her heartbreaking journal.

...Will you come see me? I want to see you. I need the comfort of your arms. I need... you.