Summary: 
Ellie Plymouth is desperate to get respect and Justin Timberlake is just trying to pass that one mistake of a class so he can go on to do what his father has always demanded of him. She'll make sure he gets what he needs, all he has to do is this one...little thing for her. Sometimes, compromises aren't that easy. Especially with two evil step siblings hanging around, and feelings that neither of them counted on.
For my Secret Santa SomethingBlue42!. Here you have it...finally complete. Let me say, when I knew you were the one I had to write for I was honored. You write the most amazing stories and I hope I have done this one justice. It's been a very long project. Please enjoy it!
Categories: Challenges
Characters: Justin Timberlake
Awards: None
Genres: Alternate Universe, Drama, Humor, Romance
Challenges: Secret Santa Challenge 2013
Challenges: Secret Santa Challenge 2013 Series: None
Chapters: 17
Completed: Yes
Word count: 38360
Read: 12243
Published: Dec 31, 2013
Updated: Jan 01, 2014
1. Chapter 1 by ialwayzbesingin
2. Chapter 2 by ialwayzbesingin
3. Chapter 3 by ialwayzbesingin
4. Chapter 4 by ialwayzbesingin
5. Chapter 5 by ialwayzbesingin
6. Chapter 6 by ialwayzbesingin
7. Chapter 7 by ialwayzbesingin
8. Chapter 8 by ialwayzbesingin
9. Chapter 9 by ialwayzbesingin
10. Chapter 10 by ialwayzbesingin
11. Chapter 11 by ialwayzbesingin
12. Chapter 12 by ialwayzbesingin
13. Chapter 13 by ialwayzbesingin
14. Chapter 14 by ialwayzbesingin
15. Chapter 15 by ialwayzbesingin
16. Chapter 16 by ialwayzbesingin
17. Chapter 17 by ialwayzbesingin
Chapter 1 by ialwayzbesingin
“If my ears are ringing in my sleep tonight, I’m blaming you entirely.”
“Oh come on,” Bonnie nudges me and giggles slightly. “Just live a little would you?”
I open up my book and sigh. “I don’t see the point of this. I told you that I need to get a head start on my term paper before break.”
“We both know you’ll have that crap done in like…a day, Ellie.”
“You don’t know that.”
The book is ripped out of my hands suddenly. “What the…HEY!”
She laughs as she throws it behind the bleachers, and when I hear it clunk down far below us I scowl, and push myself to my feet.
“Sit down.”
She yanks me on the arm, and I clumsily stumble backwards before I’m able to take a seat again. “I can’t believe you…I really…I just cannot believe you.”
“Live. A. Little. You never come to games, and you should, you know? It’s part of the experience!”
I roll my eyes at her. I hate this. I never asked for this. I try to keep to myself, but for some reason she’s got it in her head that she needs to be my friend. She’s been this way for two and a half years, and…and I want to tell her to stop bothering. That I don’t need her around to drag me out of the dorm, that I have no desire to have a social life like she does.
But I guess deep down…a part of me is thankful.
Hell.
The loud buzzing comes before I can protest further. Bonnie jumps to her feet and cheers loudly as our team jogs onto the court. I’d say she was foolish and embarrassing, but the truth is, this place seats thousands and I’m the only one who’s not on their feet tonight. UCLA’s basketball team is one of the biggest things going in this town and on this campus. It’s not what I signed up for of course. I came here because it was simpler than moving across the country like my brother did. I could get a good education without having to suffer the political drama and social roderick that comes with attending a more prestigious school. For a while I was really happy here.
But my family hasn’t been pleased with my decision. They say I can do it better, and it’s a constant topic of conversation whenever I come home. I tend to avoid them…my family. I’ve been convinced for years that my dad wouldn’t act like he does if life had worked out differently for us.
“There…oh my god….there he is!”
Bonnie knocks into me again, nearly tipping me over, and I shove her back with equal force. “Would you quit?”
“Just look at him,” she sighs stupidly, gazing up at the huge screen hanging from the ceiling. “We’re so lucky we get to look at that for the next year.”
I cave in and observe who Bonnie is drooling over. Typical. Your All American college jock. He’s got it all. Nice eyes, perfect hair, perfectly toned body, perfect smile. I know his type. I write their terms papers three times a year so they can keep their GPA’s where they’re supposed to be. I gotta stop. They don’t deserve an easy ride while the rest of us have to kill ourselves to get through school.
If I didn’t need to save up money so badly I wouldn’t even do it, but another half years worth of purchased term papers under my belt and I’ll probably have enough to get away from my family and start my own life.
That’s something I’ve been dreaming of since I was fourteen.
It’s time.
“They say he’s going to enter the NBA draft next year,” Bonnie continues, dreamily. “If you ask me I think he should just play here until graduation. He’s like…famous, and we need to win some more championships!”
“Bouncing a basketball shouldn’t make anybody famous.”
“Oh whatever. He’s amazing. We haven’t been to the final four in five years, and this year we’re undefeated! It’s a huge deal! I heard they gave him a Ferrari and a huge check just to transfer here from his old school.”
“Somehow I doubt that.” I say it while my eyes follow him up and down the court. Number 44…Timberlake. Right. Justin Timberlake. He came here about two months ago and he’s in my English Lit class. I was surprised he ended up in mine, just because of who the professor is. Fitzburg is as tough as they come, hates jocks trying to get an easy A. That’s why I took her class. I figured it would keep me away from most of them, but then one day…there he was. I don’t notice him much, and him…I know he’s never even looked my way. He sits next to a pristine looking brunette in the back of the class, and they talk in hushed whispers whenever Fitzburg isn’t lecturing. Her name is Jesse…something. She’s a cheerleader and looks dumb, but she usually has a good point to make during group discussions. For that reason alone, I don’t despise her, but I’m sure her boyfriend is only taking the class so he can spend time with her.
That irks me.
“Don’t doubt it. He was voted most valuable college player by Sports Illustrated last season.”
“And I bet you have the issue tucked under your pillow,” I smirk. “Right?”
“Whatever. There’s nothing wrong with looking, El. He’s the only reason why I want to come to these games, along with most of the other people here. It’s a big deal, and the school is going to get more funding because of it.”
“And that means what for me?”
“More jocks begging you to write term papers.”
I shrug and look back at the court. I’m just in time to see Justin skid to a stop at the three point line, two guys from the other team struggling to block his shot, but it’s as if they’re invisible. I see the slightest smirk take over his expression and then he takes his shot, effortlessly sinking the ball into the basket for three points, and the entire place erupts into a celebratory roar of applause. Justin basks in the glory of accomplishment for about five minutes, high-fiving his teammates and waving at the crowd.
What a show off.
“Told you he’s amazing,” Bonnie sighs. “Man, if I could just get one date with a guy like that, my year would be made.”
“Well, get a boob job and one of those skimpy cheerleader outfits and you might just have a shot.” I rise to my feet. “Now come on, I’m done with this nonsense, and you need to help me find my book.”
“Ellie! The game just started!”
“Then stay, and I’ll see you around.” I turn and walk back down the bleachers, fully expecting her to follow me like she normally does. When my feet finally land back down on the court floor, I don’t hear her behind me, and when I look back up the bleachers I find that she’s talking to a couple of other girls who have sat down next to her. She’s forgotten about me, of course. I’m a bore, and she knows it.
She’s also like…my only friend, and I wish so badly that I could let loose sometimes, be like her…more carefree. I just can’t though. I’ve been locked up tight for years, and I know that’s something I can’t change. I can’t dwell on it so I push it to the back of my mind and focus on my book, start to go over the lists of things in my head that I want to accomplish before the end of the week. I need to finish a couple of term papers for some clients, get that history paper handed in ahead of schedule…
And oh, yeah…I need to let my father know if I’m going to come home for Christmas this year. He asked me two weeks ago and told me it would be ‘really great’ if I could let him know in advance this year so he can ‘plan accordingly’. Planing accordingly means letting his wife know I’ll be coming for a visit so she can tell her kids not to belittle me so much, as they’ve done since I was fourteen.
I really don’t want to go.
But I don’t want to spend another Christmas alone in my dorm room, either.
“Ellie look out!”
“Wha…”
Whap
It happens before I have a chance to react. A flying basketball whacks me in the face, and my head immediately begins to pound. I sink to the ground, clutching my face, trying so hard not to cry as I hear about a thousand of my peers laughing their asses off.
Great.
Just great.
A whistle blows and I hear a voice booming something over the loudspeaker about a time out.
r32;“Oh shit, you okay?”
Whoever said it, is trying really hard to stifle his laughter. I groan, and it takes me a long time before I’m able to meet my greeters gaze. I’m in so much pain that my vision is fuzzy for several moments, and I squint, trying to make out his face.
“It was totally my fault,” he laughs, and I can just make out his outstretched hand. “Ball just slipped out of my hands.”
My vision eventually clears, and I come face to face with the idiot. Justin. I’m certain Bonnie would give her left boob to switch places with me right now, and I’d gladly give her the pleasure. “Aren’t you supposed to be professional or something?”
He continues to smile, and helps me to my feet. “Well, I try.”
I pull away from him as soon as I steady myself on my feet again. “Great.”
“Whoa, that’s gonna leave a mark.” He stares at my face and smirks his cocky smirk. “You should ice that. It looks really bad.”
“Thanks.” I snap at him. “I’ll manage just fine.”
“Hey Justin!” Someone yells.
“Gotta go. I really am…sorry,” He half laughs it, and smiles quickly, before jogging back across the court to his team. I see him give one of his friends a high five, then they turn slightly, and start to laugh at me some more.
Assholes.
I’m running next, down the basketball court, out of the gymnasium. The tears are running down my face and I can hear them all laughing at me as I run past. I’m a wreck. Ellie the wreck.
Nothing ever changes. Not here, not at home.
I need a miracle. I mean, how the hell am I supposed to move on in life? Support myself? I can’t even enjoy a basketball game with my roommate.
I’m just…terrified of letting people get close to me. Terrified of showing them a smile, or a laugh.
Back in my dorm room, I fall onto my bed and cry for the longest time. I hate it. I wish I could stop, but I just can’t seem to. Everything is falling apart. I feel so alone. I always do, but this year…this year it’s just hitting me too hard. I guess it’s because I miss her so much. I’ve missed her since the day she left us, and everyday I wake up thinking about what my life would have been like if she hadn’t passed away. Would I be happier? Would I be miss popularity? Would I be like the perfect brunette in English lit? Sexy from head to toe and dating a guy that just walked off the cover of Sports Illustrated?
Maybe.
Now the phone is ringing. I don’t answer, but after seven times I know it has to either be Bonnie or my father, and they never give up. For some reason, they always know I’m here, because really, where the hell else would I be if I wasn’t in class?
I sniffle back my tears and take in a breath. “Hello?”
“Hi Ellie, how are you sweetheart?”
Dad. I fall back into my pillows and sigh just slightly. “Hi Dad. I’m fine.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
There’s more to this. I know just by the tone in his voice, and I begin to loathe speaking to him. “Well…”
“Have you given any thought to Christmas, Ellie?”
God. “I’m…I’ve been a little bit tied up at school.”
“Well Jeanine needs to know, for the caterers and for the party planner.”
He’s ridiculous if he thinks I’m going to buy that. I’m one person. There’s no way Jeanine’s party planner needs a stupid detail like that. “Really? I seriously doubt it’s that much of an issue.”
“Honey, look,” he sighs, as if this is harder for him than it is for me. “It’s been two Christmases. It’s time for you to be a part of this family, as much as you hate the idea of it.”
I’m silent. Really, he’s lucky I don’t hang up.
But mom would never forgive me if I did. He’s not the man she married, lord knows, but I’m sure she would want me to give him the benefit of the doubt because he’s my father.
“I guess I don’t have a choice then.”
“Wonderful, and does your date have a dinner preference?”
I try not to groan. Right. Of course he would think that I would be dating somebody by this point. “Um I…”
“You are…bringing a date, aren’t you sweetheart?”
They’re convinced that I’m a lesbian. I’m sure of it, since I never talk about boys, or send them pictures of myself cuddled up with some cute pre med, or law student. Of course it’s not the truth…I just have no desire to put myself out there like that. Dad can’t understand. His mind was warped years ago by Jeanine’s lifestyle, and he can’t understand why I didn’t change with him.
“Ellie?”
“I…yea.” I sit up and smack my hand to my forehead.
Shit.
“You’re bringing a date?”
I think he’s more shocked than he’s ever been, and all that does is make me angrier. He doesn’t think I’m capable. He was ready to take that blow from me…that I still haven’t made an effort to meet someone at school.
“Of course. I…I’ve been meaning to tell you about him.”
“Ellie I’m so happy,” he chuckles. “Really. I can’t wait to meet him. We’ll have a real holiday together as a family.”
“Oh…yes.”
“I’ll send George with the car to bring you both here next week, darling. Make sure you call if there are any changes. I’ll tell Jeanine…I’m sure she’ll be just as excited…”
“Okay Dad.”
“And…”
“Dad I have to go,” I say, nervously. “I’ll…I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Right,” he sighs. “Can’t wait to see you, sweetheart.”
“Bye.”
I hang up quickly and bury my face in my hands. Fuck. Fuck…why the hell did I tell him that? Why could I just admit it? That I’m single. That I’m the same loser I’ve been for years.
I can’t just walk in without a date now. Not to this. I’ll get stared down and belittled the whole damn holiday.
I need a plan.
But how do you get a stranger to come home with you for Christmas?
Especially if you have to go home with me?
Chapter 2 by ialwayzbesingin
“Great game man. You sailed that last one right over that guys head.”
I shut my locker and can’t suppress my smile. “Thanks. I played my best, you know?”
“Well, you’ve brought a whole new dimension to the way the rest of us play. My game is better. I know what to look for more than I did. I really appreciate the help.”
I shrug. “Just doing my job.”
“Well, whatever deal they made with you, was worth it.” Dean holds his hand up to high five me.
I slap his hand and smile again. “Yeah well, I’m glad I’m here. Everybody has been great.”
“You comin’ out with us tonight?”
I have that assignment due. It’s two weeks late. “Yeah, I’ll bring Jesse.”
“Sweet. See you then.”
Dean slams his locker shut and walks off. I let out a long breath. I’m tired. Really tired, but I’ve been trying not to let it show. We won again, so I guess I’m still at the top of my game.
I just don’t know how much longer I can do this.
“Dude I can’t believe you hit that girl in the head,” Tony laughs heartily as he walks past. “Genius move.”
“Hey it slipped,” I laugh. “I apologized. She just…took it personally.”
“Timberlake.”
I stop laughing and look towards Coach’s office. He’s standing there, hands on his hips, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen him look at me so seriously. “Yeah, Coach?”
He doesn’t say anything, just motions me to come into his office before walking back inside of it.
“What’s up with him?” Tony whispers.
I shrug and pull my shirt over my head. “Dunno. I’ll see you later.”
“Comin out tonight?” He calls after me.
“I’ll be there,” I say it quickly and make a bee line for Coach’s office before I can get stopped again. I have to admit, I’m a popular guy. They all love me here, and my teammates look to me for guidance and support. They know how valuable I am, how much they can learn from me, and I respect them, try to show them how to play the game from the heart.
Lately though, I think I’ve been hanging out a little too much. I know I’m hanging on by a thread in one of my classes. I don’t remember exactly when it was I started slipping, but I know I’ve dug myself into a hole. I’ve been playing it off as nothing, acting as if I’m invincible. Maybe it’s my ego. I let it get to me…that superstar status that comes with being a winner. It’s followed me around my whole life, and I grew to love it.
Sometimes I think I might love it a little too much. I guess it’s why I’m trying to go pro early. Once you’re there, feeling like this is the norm. You don’t have to worry about your ego, just everybody else’s. The scouts are coming after the holidays. My dad’s been talking to a few people. The Lakers are interested, Miami too, but they want to see me up close and personal first. Over the break I plan on going all out with my cardio and workout regiment. There’s a court not to far from my buddy’s house and I’ve already designated a three hour daily practice there. In a sense I’m not really getting a break, I’m just getting away from all this, but it’s a good thing. I’ve missed Trace, and it will be good to spend the holidays with him and his family.
“Hey Coach.” I walk in and smile for him. He’s sitting at his desk with a folder open in front of him, and the look on his face is telling me something just…isn’t right.
I’m nervous. That’s a first.
I spent two years with the Tarheels in North Carolina, and last year UCLA came out, gave me this big song and dance about how they needed me to come help their team. I didn’t want to leave. Ever since I was a kid I dreamed of playing for Carolina, and I was happy there, playing with my friends, having the people I loved cheer me on at all our home games. But UCLA offered me an amazing deal, and my dad all but signed the contract for me. I wouldn’t have felt right refusing it of course, not after Dad and I had that talk. It’s better for him. He can spend all his time with Tamara now.
LA is a world away from Carolina but I’ll be okay.
I’m trying to be okay, anyway, despite how homesick I’ve been.
“Have a seat.”
He motions me to sit in the chair in front of his desk, and I do it quickly. “What’s up?”
“Justin…I hate to have this conversation,” he sighs, and rubs his face with his hands. “At this juncture, it’s the last thing the team needs, but I don’t have a choice.”
I just stare at him.
“I received notification today, that if you don’t hand in an exceptional paper when term starts up again, you’re going to fail your English class.”
I swallow. “Oh.” I say it like I’m clueless, but the reality is I’ve known this was going to happen for weeks. There’s no real excuse. I was too busy partying to bother, and…yeah, I can’t write a paper to save my life. My girlfriend, Jesse, wanted us to have at least one class together, so I transferred into her English Lit, figuring it would be fine. Every other class I’ve attended has been an easy A. The teachers here love me because I’m a winner.
Not Fitzburg.
She’s a fucking hard ass, and come to find out, she loves failing star athletes. I’m sure she’d love nothing more than to send me packing, ruin my chance at the draft. Ruin my chance at being a winner.
And if I’m not a winner, who am I?
“Justin, I’m not kidding.”
“I…well…” I shift uncomfortably in my seat. “I’m going to get to it.”
“Professor Fitzburg has every intention of failing you,” he tells me, bluntly. “She’s given you extension upon extension because you just transferred, but she’s not playing around anymore. You need to do something.”
I run a hand through my hair. “Well, isn’t there anything you can do to stall her? Maybe she can give me another assignment.”
“I’ve tried everything,” he sighs. “The only thing you can do at this point, is the work.”
“They wouldn’t really throw me out,” I scoff. “I mean, they wanted me here so badly…”
“It doesn’t matter. Rules are rules, and you have to maintain that GPA if you want to play.”
“Well what am I supposed to do? I mean, I have to train all break if I want to make an impact on the scouts.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Justin. But you better figure it out, because they’re not going to take it very well upstairs if you reneg on your deal. They can sue you, do you realize that?”
Suddenly, I feel like a very large weight has been dropped on my chest, and it becomes hard to breathe. “They never…but they never said…”
“They never said because they didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to transfer into a class that you couldn’t pass in your sleep, Justin,” he sighs roughly and opens his desk drawer, tossing a small business card onto the top of it. “I normally wouldn’t do this, but it’s an emergency. Just know that I didn’t give you this information, understand?”
I lean forward and read the words on the card. Come to Walman’s Dormitory at 6 o’clock tonight. There will be a phone in Box 561. Pick up on the third ring and be prepared to discuss what you need. “What is this?”
“They write papers, and not just any papers. They give you exactly what you need. I set up the phone call for you, so you better be there to answer it. You still have money left I’m assuming?”
Is he kidding? “Plenty.”
“Good. Get it done, and let me know when you do.”
I get up. “Coach.”
“Hm.”
“I just got a little in over my head…that’s all.”
“Do you want the draft?”
“Of course I do.”
r32;“Then stop partying, forget the girl, and focus on your damn priorities. You can pay me back with an extra hour in that weight room.”
“Yes sir.”
He waves me off and I walk out of his office, gently closing the door behind me. The locker room is empty now. Perfect. Nobody has to know about this, and when they ask me what happened, I’ll just tell them he wanted to congratulate me personally on todays game.
It’s what a winner would say, and that’s what I am.
I do my hour in the weight room, and after showering, I head straight for the location described on the card. It takes me about forty five minutes, I get lost really easily around this campus because I haven’t been here long enough, but thanks to a couple of helpful (and awestruck) women, I’m able to find my way. I find the mailbox too, and when I open it, there is a small throwaway type cell phone waiting for me. I wait about ten minutes and then it starts to play a subtle ringtone. I look behind me and all around to ensure nobody is watching, and then I pick it up on the third ring.
“H-hello.”
“What do you need, and when do you need it?”
It’s a woman’s voice, and she doesn’t sound like she’s playing around. “I need an English paper as soon as you can get it to me. I’m beyond my extension and I’ll fail otherwise.”
“Subject?”
“Hamlet…uh…” I reach into my back pocket and pull out the crumpled piece of paper that I scribbled the assignment on. “Despite Hamlet’s highly developed moral nature, he becomes morally compromised by delaying his revenge. Discuss.”
“Okay, and the professor?”
“Fitzburg.”
The line goes silent for a very long time, and I begin to think that she’s hung up on me. “Hello?”
“Name?”
“I have to give you my name?”
“Obviously if I’m going to write a paper for you I need your name.”
Shit. I’m an idiot. But, I guess if Coach thinks this is the best option for me, I don’t have a choice. “It’s Justin Timberlake.”
More silence.
“Look can you do it or not,” I say harshly. “I’m sort of desperate here.”
“I’m going to need to meet with you in person.”
This is so fucking weird. It’s supposed to be anonymous and now I have to have a meeting with this girl? All that’s going to do is increase my chance of getting caught. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to meet.”
“Take it or leave it.”
I groan. Just great. “Well we need to be in private.”
“Obviously.”
She’s talking to me like I’m dumb, and I hate that. Nobody ever does that to me, they usually glorify or compliment me instead. “Tell me where and I’ll be there.”
“Student union, tomorrow at five am. Be there.”
“But…”
The line goes dead.
I pull the phone away from my ear and stare it stupidly for a few moments. That’s it? Really? I press every button on the keypad, trying to figure out how to get the girl back on the line, but it’s useless. She planned it this way.
Maybe I should just tell Coach that I can’t go through with it, that Fitzburg can just fail me. Do I want to be a number one draft pick? Of course, but I don’t want to be humiliated if I get caught cheating.
Then I start to think about Dad. If I let him down, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look him in the eye again. All of his sacrifices will have gone unnoticed, all of his dreams will have been shattered. The reason she left will have been for nothing…it’ll be my fault, just like I always told myself.
I can’t let it happen.
I shake my head roughly and toss the phone back in the box, slamming the small door shut in disgust.
I have no choice.
My own cell phone vibrates in my pocket next, and when I pull it out, I find a text from Jesse, asking me when I want to meet for dinner. It makes me smile. Yeah, dinner and a party…the perfect cure for stress.
I mean, I shouldn’t have to stress. I’m an MVP headed to the NBA, and I can pay someone else to worry about passing my class.
Right.
Tomorrow morning, everything will be right again.
Chapter 3 by ialwayzbesingin
It’s fifteen after five.
I should have known better.
I mean, really, why would somebody like him be on time? It’s not like he cares, not like my time is valuable to him. There was a big party at one of the fraternity houses last night, I’m pretty sure Bonnie went, and I’m positive Justin Timberlake was there too with his perfect looking girlfriend.
In fact, I’m positive everyone in my dorm house was there, with the exception of myself.
Max says I have the personality of a concrete wall and that’s why nobody likes me. I’ve tried to argue with him but it never works out. I’m not good at defending myself in front of him.
He always wins.
I’m not looking forward to seeing him again. Not looking forward to being called “smelly Ellie” all winter break. Not looking forward to explaining what happened to my date when I don’t show up with one.
There’s no way I’m going to get someone to come home with me. I mean, what the hell was I thinking? Who the hell would ever want to come home with me? Better yet, why would I want to subject some poor soul to the experience of Christmas with my family?
It was a stupid idea, and the lie I tell will be even worse. I can see myself now, sitting in the corner during the dinner party, watching as my step sister whispers and laughs about me with her friends, watching as my father dances with his wife, completely forgetting that I exist, grimacing as Max makes snide remarks about me every time he walks by.
I’ll be Invisible Ellie once again.
I sniff, flick away a tear.
I feel hopeless, but this is my own fault. I shouldn’t have opened my mouth, but I just…I just wanted my dad to notice me…to appreciate me.
It’s pathetic, and if I could bring myself to call and cancel I would, but I can’t do it. I don’t have it in me to tell him I lied.
I’ll just lie to his face instead. I’m hoping it will be easier, even though I know the truth.
A door creaks open, and I look over my shoulder. Justin is staggering into the empty student union, holding his head in one hand and a large coffee in the other. He’s in Tarheel blue jogging pants and matching tee shirt baring his old university’s logo.
So much for school pride.
He disgusts me. He disgusts me so much because he doesn’t have to try. He just rolled out of bed after a night of partying and he still looks semi put together. Better yet, he’s about to have me do his work for him so he can continue to party, and when he turns pro, he’ll have achieved more fame than he could ever imagine, having barely worked for it.
It’s just not fair. I work. I work hard. I don’t take my step mother’s money. I don’t believe in that. I think you should work for what you want, and I received a full scholarship to this university. My brother took the easy way out, but then again, he wouldn’t have gotten into F.I.T without her help.
I don’t blame him.
I guess I just miss him more than I care to admit.
“Are you her?”
I look up and he’s standing before me, waiting for me to answer him with bloodshot eyes. It takes him a couple of seconds more for his eyes to widen slightly, and I know he remembers me from the game. It’s uncanny that he needs my help now, after that embarrassment, and the moment I realized it was him on the other end of that line, I wanted to hang up.
“Nice of you to be prompt,” I mutter.
Justin plops into the seat across from me with a thud and plunks his coffee down on the table top. I sit back and cross my arms, not hesitating to narrow my eyes and give him a strong glare.
“What do I need to do?” He says, weakly, placing his face in his hands. “Just tell me so I can go back to sleep.”
“It’s not my fault you were out at a party all night. You knew what time you were supposed to meet me.”
It takes him a minute, but he’s finally able to look at me. “Everyone was there.”
“Really? I wasn’t.”
“Of course you weren’t,” he half laughs, before remembering himself. “Sorry.”
He’s too cocky for his own good. I can tell by the way he smiles, by the way he doesn’t care about putting his head down on the table. He just expects everything to be handed to him. Mr. MVP.
It makes me sick to my stomach.
I’d do my self a disservice if I walked away right now. I’ll be turning down more money than I want to, and I’ll be that much further away from getting my own place, but I’d rather put up with another summer of Max’s criticism than see this asshole get his way again.
“Figure it out yourself.” I get up, and slide the chair aside, before storming away.
“What? Wait!”
I don’t listen. I bang out the door, feeling the smile spread across my face once the cool air hits it. For once, I’ve beaten them…the privileged.
It feels amazing.
“Wait…would you just wait!”
I feel his hand land on my shoulder, and then he pulls me to a rough halt in the middle of the sidewalk. I shriek and whirl around, ready to slap him. “Who do you think…”
“Look!” He pants harshly, and narrows his eyes. “I’m…I’m sorry. I’m sorry about that comment back there, and I’m really sorry about hitting you with that basketball at the game. I’m pretty desperate here. I need you to do this for me. You’re…you’re in my Lit class right? Edie?”
I stand there with my lips pursed together. I can’t run anymore, can’t turn away from him. I don’t know what it is but he seemed a little more genuine just then, even though I can tell how hungover he is. “It’s Ellie.”
“Er…right. I knew that.”
He flashes me a perfect smile, and I stare at him for the longest time. I can see why he’s such a ladies man. That smile…those blue eyes and rippling muscles are those melt you to the core qualities only men like him possess.
He’s the kind of man that my parents would kill for me to bring home for the holidays. He’s the kind of man that would make Max shut his fucking mouth for once.
It slowly starts to creep into my mind, the idea. How easy would it be to pass him off as my new boyfriend? How wonderful would it be to have my family off my back about the godforsaken subject that is my love life? How great would it be to have my dad interested in me for the first time in almost ten years?
Would Justin even go for it?
Sure he would, he’s desperate, and whether I’m a frumpy bookworm to him or not, won’t really matter as long as he gets that A term paper out of me.
“If I don’t pass Fitzburgs class I’m getting a one way ticket home this holiday, and that means I can kiss any shot I have at the NBA goodbye,” he finally says. “Name the price. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it. I have money.”
I cross my arms, gathering my thoughts for a moment before I finally decide to go for it. “I don’t want your money, Justin.”
He flashes that smile again. I feel my stomach twinge and then I get myself together.
“So you want to do it for free?”
“I didn’t say that.”
He frowns.
“What are your plans like for the holiday?”
He gives me an uncertain look. “I’m…going to spend it with my best friend and his family. My dad is taking his girlfriend to Europe. Why?”
“Well.” I start walking, and he’s quickly at my side. “Maybe you can do…something else for me.”
“Like what? Need an autograph for somebody? I can get the whole team to sign a basketball.”
“You would say that.” I roll my eyes.
He just laughs.
“Look it’s a compromise right? You need something, and I…I need something.”
“Um…” He gives me a weird look. “You’re not one of those sexual sadist type of chicks right?”
I stop walking and glare at him.r32;
“I was kidding!” He laughs. “You can’t take a joke, you know? You should laugh things off more. Like…if that basketball hit me in the face I would have laughed my ass off.”
“Well it didn’t hit you.”
He sighs. “What then? Tell me what it is and maybe I can help you.”
“Oh you’re going to have to, or you’re not getting a term paper.”
He swallows hard, and his shoulders sag slightly.
“I need to bring someone home with me…for Christmas. It would sort of be like a date for hire.”
He smirks slightly. “What’d you do? Lie to your family ‘cause you couldn’t get a date and now they’re expecting you to walk in the door with the man of the year on your arm?”
I don’t get it. He’s not supposed to be this smart. “Sort of. I just need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for a few days.”
“I’d love to help you out and everything, but I can’t sacrifice that kind of time. I have to practice and get my cardio in every day for three to five hours. It’s the only way I’ll be ready for the scouts. I’ll up the price. How about twenty five grand for the paper and we don’t discuss this again?”
My mouth almost drops open. My usual rate is five hundred for a top selling subject like English. How much money does this guy have anyway? Maybe Bonnie was right about that Ferrari and bonus money, after all.
I should take the money. It’ll be the answer to all my issues.
I should.
I almost say yes.
But my pride gets in the way. I can’t show up at the house without a date. I just can’t. “No.”
He laughs. “No? What do you mean no? I’m offering you the deal of a lifetime girl. Take it.”
I shake my head. “You either come home with me or no deal. We have a basketball court. It hardly gets used anymore. You can use it all you want, and there’s a gym in the house too.”
I walk away from him again.
“Ellie come on!” He’s caught up with me in a flash. “Come on. You gotta be a little bit more realistic about this. I can’t just…go home with you.”
“I told you my terms,” I grunt, but don’t stop walking. “At this point you should be thankful I’m doing this at all. I actually respect Fitzburg. She puts effort into every class, and you have a hell of a nerve taking it just to be closer to your girlfriend.”
“Well it’s not my fault all the other professors look the other way when I don’t…do some stupid assignment. How was I supposed to know Fitzburg was going to do this?”
“It’s not my fault you think you can take the easy way out of everything. Take my deal or leave it, Timberlake. I won’t renegotiate with you, and once I walk away today the deal is off the table. I don’t care what your coach says.”
“I can’t believe you’re serious right now.”
He’s stopped walking, but I haven’t. I keep going, smirking slightly. Hell, even if I have to be the laughing stock of my family Christmas this year, at least I’ll have taken this spoiled brat down at the same time.
“Fuck…fine all right? Fine! I’ll go!”
I stop dead in my tracks, not sure if I should believe him or not. I slowly turn around. “You will?”
He glares at me. “I don’t have a fucking choice do I? It’s either this or lose everything I’ve been working for, and I’m not about to tell my Dad that I threw my shot at the NBA away because of some freak’s family dilemma. Just don’t expect me to do anything over the top. I’ll do the basics, hold your hand, smile and play your all american college boyfriend, but that’s as far as it goes, and I better have a room to myself.”
I nod, flashing him a pleased smile. “Done. I’ll type up a basic biography for you to memorize and have it to you by tomorrow morning. I suggest you write one about yourself for me as well, because if my family doesn’t believe you’re my boyfriend, I won’t write your paper, either.”
“Do you really think they’re going to believe you anyway? I mean…you and me, we’re completely different people.”
“Better brush up on your acting skills then,” I chuckle. “I’ll expect that bio tomorrow morning.”
I don’t say anything else. I just walk away from him, hoping I’ve scared him enough that he won’t stand me up in the end. He seems so desperate though. It’s like he has to do this…not even for himself, but for some greater purpose.
Maybe, he tends to reach his goals to please others more than himself. His voice sounded too strained when he mentioned his father.
There might be more to Justin Timberlake than I originally thought, although, it’s never been my intention to care about a jock like him.
Chapter 4 by ialwayzbesingin
I broke up with Jesse the night of the Frat party. She asked me to come to her family’s house for Christmas and it freaked me out, so I did what made the most sense and broke things off. I guess it’s why I got so wasted with my teammates. I didn’t want to think about her, about what I might have been losing. I couldn’t. I had to focus on my career. That meant transferring out of Fitzburg’s class once I handed in my assignment, and getting rid of the rest of my distractions in time for the scouts.
There’s no more time for girlfriends. Just sex. Sex is pretty easy to get as long as you don’t put your heart into it, especially at UCLA.
I can’t commit to a woman. I’ve never been able to. I dated in high school and during my time at UNC, but I never kept a girlfriend around for more than six months.
Jesse is no different, and I could kick myself for transferring into her English Lit class to be closer to her. I should have thought about it, and told myself I’d break it off with her sooner than expected just like always. But I was stupid. I wanted sex, and now I’m paying for it dearly.
I’m going home for the holiday’s yes, but not to Dad’s and not to Trace’s.
But to Ellie Plymouth’s house.
Really? Of all the fucking people I could get mixed up with, it has to be the girl I beaned in the face with a basketball. I’ve been reading her bio this week in between practice, games, and management negotiations, and I’ve come to the conclusion that she’s the most boring woman on the planet. I didn’t have much time to dwell on the situation with her though. Sports agents from all over the country have been lining up to sign me, because they’re sure I’m going to be selected as the first overall draft pick next spring. It’s hard talking to them by phone conference with my Dad and attorney. I wish we could all meet in person, but it’s not realistic. I don’t have time for all those meetings right now with the season in full swing. It’s all about finding the best offers. Who can get me the best endorsements. So far, I’ve picked two agencies that have intrigued me, but I’m not completely ready to commit to anything. It’s pissing my Dad off. He wants me to make a decision in time for March Madness. He knows I could get a couple of commercials by then if I play my cards right.
Make him more money.
I love my Dad. He’s done everything in his power to get me where I am. I mean, I sacrificed a good part of my childhood to get here too. I didn’t go to birthday parties, or my friends houses after school or on weekends. Every bit of free time that I had was spent on a basketball court. I was taught in private at my school by a tutor so I could do the work at my own pace. Strange, I know, but it was the only way I was able to play ball on an elementary school team so I could get on a good high school team. My Dad paid the school a ton of money to agree to it, and so…I guess I owe him.
In the summers as a kid, I was sent to basketball camp that cost upwards of twenty five grand a year. I was taught by the best. Retired hall of famers, and famous basketball coaches. Everyone always told me I was destined to play ball, that it was built into my blood and I had a future with the NBA. I’m one of those players that comes around once every fifteen or twenty years. I don’t know what it is. People see me play ball and they just foam at the mouth. I guess I love it. I mean, I don’t know anything else. Just plays, and moves, dietary regiments and work out routines. I spend countless hours on the court, shooting baskets into the early hours of the morning, perfecting my craft because anything else is unacceptable.
It’s my entire life.
Really, all I ever wanted to do was make my Dad happy. Especially when Mom had enough and left us. She wanted to take me away from the life he created for me, but just like everything else, his money overcame the issue. He’s not a millionaire by any means, but his construction business has always kept us comfortable.
He paid my mom to leave me behind and not look back.
The last time I saw her, I was twelve. She kissed me goodbye as I begged her not to go. I told her I’d quit ball for her, and all she did was smile.
“I’ll see you soon, honey.”
I wake up sometimes, with her voice echoing in the back of my mind, telling me she’ll see me soon, only…she’s not there. My dad said she got remarried few years ago, but that’s the most I know. She doesn’t call or write, and I guess…I just haven’t had the time to hunt her down.
Or maybe it just hurts me too much to try.
I don’t have time to worry about it now. I have too much to focus on.
And now this. Now Ellie. I have to stop my life because of a damn term paper and it’s not fair.
“I can’t believe you’re not gonna come. My mom was so excited.”
“I told you I’m sorry.” I dribble the ball and shoot from the three point line. It swishes. “Maybe I can come for New Years if I stay out of trouble.”
He pushes his notes off his lap and gets up to join me on the court. Trace isn’t a ball player. I make him look like a fool every time we get together on the court, but he’s a friend, he doesn’t care if I’m the best ball player that’s come around in a long time. I’ve known him since I was in the third grade, and somehow, we managed to hang on to our friendship despite the fact that I was never around. We were really good pen pals all those summers I was at camp. I think that’s part of it. He goes to UCLA too, so when he found out I was transferring here he was ecstatic. We see each other more now than we ever have, and it’s one of the biggest reasons I’m glad I was able to come here. I need a friend like him. Someone who knows me.
r32;It’s hit me all too hard lately, that nobody really knows me besides him. I don’t even think Dad understands me like he does. He just sees the ball player, he doesn’t see the other side. The one with a human personality. But maybe he doesn’t have the time to see that part of me.
It’s not his fault.
“Ellie Plymouth.” He laughs as I pass him the ball and he dribbles it clumsily. “She’s in one of my classes. A real train wreck.”
“The girl can write a term paper,” I sigh and wipe the sweat from my forehead with my arm. “She gave me a sample. At this point, that’s all I care about.”
“So…let me see if I have this down.” He shoots the ball, and naturally, misses. “You go spend Christmas with her and her family, and she writes you a paper in return?”
“Something like that.” I catch the ball when he throws it back to me and start to dribble it while he attempts to block me.
“I don’t get why you have to go to her house though,” he pants out as I throw the ball over his head and sink another basket. “What’s the point?”
I haven’t told him the truth. To be honest, I’m embarrassed that I have to stoop this low. I was just dating one of the hottest women at this school and now I have to play boyfriend to Ellie Plymouth who looks like she hasn’t had a date since…ever. She’s not exactly ugly, she’s just not somebody you would notice, really. She tends to blend in, and maybe that’s because of the dull baggy clothing she wears or the fact that she never smiles. Maybe it’s because her hair doesn’t quite fit the shape of her face, and when it’s down, it covers most of it up where you can’t see her whole expression. r32;
But more than anything, it’s because she’s shut up tighter than Fort Knox. I swear to God, I’ve never met someone wound so tight, and I seriously doubt walking into her house with me at her side is going to change anything. Her family will see right through us an hour into our visit, but that’s not my problem. I’m complying with what she’s asked me to do. I can smile and act as charming as she wants me to, but it won’t change the fact that she has the personality of concrete.
“You’re holding out on me, man,” Trace laughs. “What’d you do? You must be pretty desperate to go to all this trouble.”
I sigh harshly. “I…I’m going to fail my English class unless she writes me this paper, that’s all.”
“Okay, and money wouldn’t do the trick?”
“Apparently not. She needs this more I guess.”
“What? Are you going to pretend to be her boyfriend or something?” He laughs it off.
I shrug, and shoot the ball again. I miss, and curse out loud. Distractions. I can’t have any more distractions.
“Tell me you didn’t agree to some crazy shit like that, Justin.”
I let out a long breath. “It’s the only way she’ll do it, so I have to play along.”
“Are you shitting me?” He walks close to me and puts his hands on his hips. “Seriously?”
“It’s no big deal.”
“Really? Do you realize how degrading that is?”
“It’s not worth losing the draft over, Trace. If I fail Fitzburg’s class they’ll ship me back to Carolina and I won’t have a chance in hell. Plus, they’ll make me pay back the money we’ve spent out of the offer.”
He’s silent. He gets it now. He knows how hard I’ve worked, how bad I want this, and that I’ll stop at nothing to get it. “You know who her dad is married to right?”
“What’s it matter?” I dribble the ball harshly and shoot. When it goes in, I let out a relieved sigh. “Wait…” I look at him, confused and slightly angry, because she didn’t mention anything about her father being married to someone significant in her “bio”. “How do you even know that kind of information?”
He laughs. “Everyone knows. It’s why she’s so damn serious all the time. She doesn’t want to be associated with it.”
For the first time since I bounced that basketball off her face, I’m curious about Ellie Plymouth. “Spill it.”
“You sure you’re ready for this?”
I tuck the ball underneath my arm. “Trace?”
“Jeanine Granby.”
For a moment I stare at him, at a loss for words. “Bullshit.”
“I wouldn’t lie about a hottie like that.” He swipes the ball out from under my arm and shoots again. It hits the rim and bounces elsewhere in the court.
“Jeanine Granby…the actress? That’s her mother?”
“That’s the one, and no…it’s her step mother,” he snickers. “Fuckin’ hot as hell right? I loved her last movie, the one with Matthew McConaughey…did you see it?”
I shake my head slowly as he chases the ball down the court. It’s mind blowing, to say the least. It explains a lot too. I mean, I’m not sure about her family situation, but it explains the bitterness.
They can’t be all that close.
Now I have to play nice with this woman. She’s an A list celebrity, which means she has a lot of contacts and a lot of influence. It could make or break me.
Why couldn’t Ellie have been up front about this? Doesn’t she realize how many things can effect my career over the next few months?
Oh wait that’s right, she doesn’t give a fuck.
“You want my advice?” Trace calls out to me.
I grunt and shrug.
“Bail.” He shoots, and makes it, barely.
“I can’t bail.”
He turns to me. “You have to. What’s Jeanine gonna do when she realizes you’re nothing but a fake? She could seriously fuck things up for you.”
“I’m a good liar.”
“It won’t matter. Have you taken a good look look at Ellie? Who’s going to believe you fell head over heels for that mess?”
He’s right. I feel my heart sink down into my stomach, and I suddenly have the urge to vomit. “It’s a few days. I can do it. I’ll kiss enough ass where they’ll ignore Ellie for the most part. I mean, maybe it’s a sign. Maybe Jeanine has enough influence to get the Lakers to sign me right away instead of scouting me.”
“I think you need to at least talk this out with Ellie before you do anything.”
“It’s too late for that. We leave tomorrow, Trace. If I bail I’m going to flunk. There’s no options.”
“Well.” He grips the basketball with both hands and throws it at me. “At least bring me back an autograph.”
I roll my eyes. “Nice. I guess I know why she wanted me to bring a suit now. I’m getting thrust into some industry Christmas gathering at the house.”
“Great. You’ll be in a room filled with supermodels and movie stars and I’ll be home watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with my family. Great trade off. Remind me why we’re friends?”
“Because we got each other through summer camp for ten years by mail,” I laugh.
“True. I guess I can’t hold this against you then, but you better keep me updated. I want details.”
“I guess I can do that.”
He slaps me on the back. “Let’s get out of here. I’m starving.”
“Actually, I’m going to spend another couple of hours here,” I tell him. “Maybe we can have a late dinner?”
“You’re crazy. It’s already seven. I’ll see you later. Try to have a good Christmas though, even if you are spending it in a very awkward situation.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Peace out!” He pushes himself out the door, and then he’s gone.
I’m alone again, but I’m more informed. Whether or not that’s a good thing, I have no idea, but I’m about to find out.
Chapter 5 by ialwayzbesingin
Bonnie left for home yesterday. She spent the morning telling me her plans for winter break and asking me about mine. I did my best to smile and bullshit my way through it. I couldn’t tell her about Justin, about those plans, because she would have crucified me for forcing the poor guy to give up his holiday. The more I think about it, the worse I feel. Who am I to force somebody to give up their Christmas? It’s not exactly fair, and it makes me a horrible person. I was blindsided by my eagerness to please my father and get my wretched step family to lay off of me. Using Justin was the easy way out. He couldn’t say no to me, unless he wanted to fail, and playing basketball is so important to him that he’d live at my family’s house for a month if it meant he would get into the draft come spring.
I could see it in his eyes, how much basketball really meant to him. I could tell it was his whole life, just like schoolwork is mine, and a tiny part of me started to respect him. I hated it, and I also hated that when he smiled my heartbeat intensified and my stomach flip flopped like it used to on Christmas morning when mom was alive. I’ve never been one for the pretty boys, but he’s got me curious, making me think about what his bare skin would feel like underneath my fingertips.
It’s not fair, because I’m not meant for someone like him. He had a point when he said we’re completely different people, and it’s taken me all week to let his words sink in. He’s right. My family probably won’t buy it, no matter how charming he is when they meet.
I could end up being the laughing stock of Christmas anyway, but I have to try.
If I didn’t think this was my only answer, I’d call up his dorm and tell him not to bother. The thing is…Jeanine called me yesterday. She actually picked up the phone and called me on her own.
She’s never done that before.
“Eleanor,” she said, and I cringed because I hate when she calls me that. Only my mother was allowed to do that. “Your father told me that you’re bringing someone home to meet the family. I think that’s wonderful. We’ve set up a guest room for him, and made a place at the main table next to you at the dinner gala. We’re so excited. Maybe this will be a fresh start for us.”
She said the words like she would have in one of her movies, scripted and perfectly heartfelt. She’s a really great actress, I’ll give her that. All those Academy Award nominations aren’t for nothing. I just wish she didn’t have to act when it comes to me. She’s been doing it my whole life, since the day my father brought her home to meet Adam and I. One heartfelt smile and speech about how we were all going to be one big family and that was it, my father replaced my mother and nothing was ever the same. While my brother put as much effort as he could into bonding with her, I did nothing of the sort. I refused, because it hadn’t even been a year since mom died. My father barely grieved. He got together with Jeanine three months after the funeral, but wouldn’t admit it to us.
I’ve never accepted them. I never will.
“Yeah well…it’s just Christmas, Jeanine.”
“I really wish, just for once, you would give me a chance to get to know you, Eleanor.”
“It’s too late for that.”
She was silent, and then I hung up. It’s why my father dislikes me so much, why my step siblings can’t stand me…because I don’t accept her.
But I don’t care.
I left her out of the bio I typed up for Justin. Thinking back on it now, I know I should have included that information so he’ll be prepared. I just hate talking about who my father is married to. I don’t think it should matter, don’t think that she should be given special treatment just because she makes movies. People view me differently when I tell them about her. They think I can get them autographs, or tickets to the Oscars. There’s nothing worse.
Justin will have to find out on his own. I’ll just look the other way. Besides, I’m sure she’ll love him right away. He’s like her, privileged and pampered. People love him like they love her. It’ll be a match made in heaven. A distraction from me, perhaps, and isn’t that the whole reason I’m doing this?
I’m so nervous. I dry heaved for about twenty minutes after Bonnie left me alone in our dorm. Then I cried.
Oh God. I don’t want to go home.
A soft knocking comes at the door, and for a few moments I can’t make myself answer it. I know it’s Justin with his bags packed, ready to head home with me.
I want to just…hide, wait out the holidays in my closet.
“I know you’re in there Ellie.”
I’m frozen. I keep picturing him behind the door, clad in jeans and one of those plaid button down shirts I’ve seen him wearing in class.
I must stare at him more than I thought.
This has to be bad.
Bang Bang “Ellie! Stop messing around!”
I make my legs move. Left, right, left, right, and then I’m at the door. I open it with a trembling hand. He’s standing there, arms crossed, his eyes narrowed and angry just like mine were that day we had our meeting. “Hey.”
“Are you ready? Jesus, I thought you stood me up.” He pushes past me, dragging his wheeled suitcase behind him. He carries a bulky duffle bag over his shoulder too, and throws it down on Bonnie’s bed. “I would have hunted you down. I’m missing a lot to do this, I hope you know.”
“I wouldn’t have stood you up.” I say it seriously, and zip the suitcase lying on my bed closed. “Actually, I’m surprised you showed.”
“I told you, I don’t have a choice.”
My throat feels so tight when I turn to face him again. It’s as I pictured in my mind, him in his plaid button down, white tee peeking out from underneath, jeans and brand new black and white Nike Air Jordan’s. I normally don’t care about brands, but they’re all Max wears. “Right…yeah.” I haul my suitcase off the bed. “Well…the car should be here in a few minutes. We should go wait outside.” I turn away from him and walk to the door.
“I have a question first.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. I don’t like the tone in his voice. Not at all. “What?”
“I read your bio forwards and backwards, and I have the key shit memorized, but…you left something out. Why didn’t you tell me who your father is married to?”
I turn, bewildered. “How…”
“Everybody on campus knows apparently, except for me, and that’s only because I’m new here. Now, pardon me for being a jerk, but I have to tell you…I can’t have this lady messing with my career if she finds out the real reason that…”
“It won’t happen,” I cut him off. “Just relax.”
“Relax!” He yells. “It’s not the rest of your life on the line, Ellie! It’s mine!”
I roll my eyes. “Look, if I thought it would be an issue I wouldn’t have asked you to do this. If anything she’ll love you. You’re exactly the type of person she associates herself with, and my family will love you too. You’ll distract them…that’s why I want you to come.”
“Distract them?” He laughs. “Why the hell are you even going home if you hate these people so much?”
“That’s my business. You don’t need to know everything.”
He laughs at me. “You know, you told me an awful lot in your stupid biography about how you’re an honor student, how you’ve won all these awards and shit, but you barely mentioned your family. I felt like I was reading a history book. I…I don’t really know you, Ellie…”
“You know enough,” I grunt. “And your bio wasn’t all that informative either. Your dad raised you on his own, which is kind of unique I guess, and then you talk about how he pushed you to become this champion basketball player. All I kept reading was ‘oh I’m an all star…Oh i trained with this person and that person, blah blah’…If I wanted to read Sports Illustrated I would have bought it at the book store!”
“Oh yeah? Well you have the personality of concrete! You’re just…dried up and boring. Good luck getting your family to respect you because I sure as hell don’t.”
His words sting and I feel my back hit the wall a moment later. Did he talk to Max? Did Max tell him what a loser I am? How pathetic I am? No…he couldn’t have. Max wouldn’t waste his time on this campus. He’s too busy tending to himself.
That means it’s a coincidence that those words came out of Justin’s mouth.
And that means Max must be right about me.
“You’re lucky I’m so desperate, that’s all I’m saying. Let’s just go okay? How long does it take to get to your parents? I wanted to get some court time in this afternoon if I can. You weren’t lying about there being one at the house I hope?”
I don’t answer him. I grab my suitcase and my small carry on size bag and storm out of the room, slamming the door behind me.
I wipe the tears off my face as I walk down the hall, knowing I could care less if he follows me now.
There’s no point. It’s me. I’m the problem. That’s the way it’ll always be.
Merry Christmas, Ellie.
Chapter 6 by ialwayzbesingin
I stood as far apart from Ellie as I could while we waited for our ride to show up. She stood there, her head held high while she stared straight ahead, as if what I said hadn’t effected her at all.
But I knew it had.
I could tell she’d been crying before I joined her at the curbside, and all that did was make me feel like a piece of shit.
I was too into the moment when I got angry at her. I mean, I’m scared. While it’s going to save my GPA it’s such a big risk, going to meet these people. I have to be on top of my game, socially. I’m good at all that stuff too, but…if they find out the truth I have no idea if they’ll take their emotions out on me. I can’t have bad press before the scouts come. They’ll never take me seriously.
Despite all that, I know I shouldn’t have said what I said to her. Nobody has the right to be that nasty to somebody else, no matter what their status is. I was ready to apologize to her. I really was. I was trying to come up with the right words to say. I wanted to make a truce, tell her to forget about what was said so we could get through the next week without issues.
But then a stretch limo pulled up to the curb, and when the driver got out, smiled and greeted her as Miss Plymouth, I couldn’t say anything. It was time for me to play my part, and I figured as long as I did that, it was as good of an apology as anything else I could have said.
“Who’s this?” The driver smiled as I handed him my duffle bag.
“Oh George this is my boyfriend, Justin.”
It was the first time I had ever seen her smile like that, and I have to admit, she doesn’t have such a bad one. Although, it did look very foreign on her face. “Nice to meet you,” I immediately responded, and stuck my hand out for him to shake.
“Pleasure’s all mine. I work exclusively for Jeanine and the family, so if you need to go anywhere while you’re a guest let me know.”
I thanked him, and he motioned us to get into the limo while he loaded our bags into the trunk. The minute I was settled into my seat, Ellie joined me, but said nothing. I wasn’t worried about it then. I was busy taking in my surroundings. It’s a pretty amazing limo. Satellite TV, fully stocked fridge, Bose stereo system.
It’s a taste of what I’ll be getting when I go pro, and I like it.
What I don’t like is being ignored by Ellie, who should be prepping me on what I should say when we arrive. I want to make a lasting impression with my introduction so a bunch of questions aren’t thrown at me later on.
“El.”
She raises the book higher over her face.
“I know you’re mad at me, okay?”
“Hmph.”
“I’m sorry I was a jerk back there,” I whisper. “All right? Honestly.”
“Yeah, so?”
I sigh harshly. “You’re not helping the situation. We haven’t discussed our story. How did we meet? How long have we been dating?”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, since your personality is so much better than mine.”
“Want me to tell them I hit you with a basketball,” I laugh.
She groans and puts her book down. “We’ve been dating for two months. I was your tutor. It makes sense. I was your tutor, you asked me to dinner, and for some reason…I said yes. Match made in heaven. The end.”
“It was my charm, right?” I smirk.
She glares at me.
“You realize you’re going to have to play the girlfriend part right? I mean, it’s going to look weird if I’m smiling and touching you, and you’re sitting there with that face you make.”
“I don’t make a face.”
“You do. It looks like this.” I do my best impression of her classic expression. “I should know. It’s pretty much the only face you ever make.”
“I’ll fake it, don’t worry. And what do you mean you’ll be touching me? I thought we agreed to draw the line at hand holding.”
“Well…yeah, but I guess I’m going to have to put my arm around you when we’re sitting on the love seat.”
“Try not to.”
“You’re really bad at this lying game. If you don’t play your part, I can’t play mine. What’s the point of doing this, Ellie? You should have taken the money.”
She pushes the book off her lap, and turns toward me, her expression telling me she’s fighting a battle with herself. “You want to know if I can play my part?”
“I know you can’t,” I smirk.
She doesn’t hesitate, the next thing I know she’s putting a hand on my chest and pressing her lips against mine, lightly at first, but then she deepens the kiss, pulling away just as my eyes begin to close, just before…I’m able to get lost in her. Then she sits back, picks her book up again, and acts completely unaffected.
“What was that?” My voice is a hoarse whisper. I stare at her, still frozen in my seat.
“Convinced?” She says, not taking her gaze from her book.
“I uh…yeah.”
She smirks. “Then shut up and let me enjoy my book.”
I don’t say anything else. I just gaze out the window and think about what just happened. It was an act of course but…why did a part of me want it to continue? Why? I have nothing in common with the girl, and I’ve never been attracted to her. She’s dressed frumpier than ever today. Long wool skirt down to her ankles and a cream colored turtleneck. She made absolutely no effort with hair and makeup. It’s her normal appearance, concrete and dull.
But damn, she’s a good kisser. I can’t deny that.
Does that make me crazy?
Fuck. I can’t do this to myself. I can’t think about this. No distractions, I can’t have any distractions, and this morning I was a little bit thankful to be going to Ellie’s. I knew I’d be so removed from everything that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything else besides ball.
But my heart is still beating rapidly in my chest, I can still feel the way her lips felt against my own, and I can feel the perspiration on my brown and under my arms. Is it just because I haven’t gotten any in a week or so? It’s gotta be.
I could never go for a girl like her.
I keep telling myself that the rest of the way to the house. We end up in a very rich section of Bel Air, where the houses are so huge they could have their own zip codes. I’ve always said I would move here if I signed a big contract with the Lakers, but I never thought this would be the way I’d experience the area for the first time.
What’s more, when we pull up to the house, it turns out to be the biggest one on the block. The gates part after our driver buzzes the intercom and then we pull onto the larger than life estate. I can’t help but gawk at the surroundings. Fountains and statues line the circular driveway, and the house itself looks more like a palace. “This is the house?” I whisper.
“Yeah.” She drones. “Welcome to paradise.”
The car stops in front of the large staircase that leads into the house, and I know we’ve finally arrived. This is it. There’s no turning back now. The door is opened for me within seconds and when I get out, I take in the full scale of the entire property. It sprawls out in every direction. I feel like I’d get lost if I went exploring. Search party kind of lost.
This is insane.
I turn to Ellie. She’s helping George get our bags out of the car like she’s the hired help. I can tell she hates this lifestyle, crazy as it is. She’s removed from it I guess. It’s never suited her. She doesn’t know how good she has it. If my dad was this rich, I wouldn't’ have to worry about scholarships or anything else. We could most likely buy my way into the pros. I’d give anything for that kind of advantage.
“I’ll bring your bags in,” George says. “You two just go inside.”
“I can help, George,” Ellie says.
“El,” I say, flashing my best boyfriend like smile and putting an arm around her. “I think we should let the man do his job, huh?”
She glares at me, but doesn’t protest. “Sure honey.” She pulls herself away from me, and holds out her hand. “Back to hand holding for now, got it?”
I laugh. “Yeah…” Crazy. I was the one who made it so clear I didn’t want to touch her in the beginning. I guess she just…seems to need that. She needs somebody to be by her side and treat her well, even though..she’s never going to let me in.
She doesn’t let anyone in.
Not that I care.
I lace my fingers through hers as requested, and we walk up the steps. Ellie takes in a long breath before she rings the doorbell, and shifts from one foot to the other while we wait for somebody to answer. She’s so scared, and I wish I could help her, but the truth is I’m probably more scared than she is.
The door opens, and one of the most breathtaking women I’ve ever laid eyes on stands before us. It’s not Jeanine. She’s younger, our age most likely. Tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, killer smile. She could model. She’s amazing. I’m almost drooling, and then I get a hold of myself.
“Oh Ellie…” She trails off. Her smile is forced, until her gaze lands on me. “Welcome home.” She says it to me instead of Ellie. “Mom said you were bringing someone home. Max and I were taking bets…oh well…anyway, who’s this?”
“Justin,” I smile. “And you are?”
I feel Ellie twisting my hand so hard that it starts to hurt.
“Jeanine’s daughter, Juliet,” she grins and her eyes dart over to Ellie. “Ellie, didn’t you tell him about me?”
“I didn’t get around to it,” she says darkly.
“So what…don’t tell me you’re dating?” She laughs. “Oh my god, Justin, you poor thing. How do you do it? She’s paying you right?”
I can’t look her in the eye so instead, I look at Ellie again. Her face has turned bright red, and already…I know her situation at home is a lot more complicated than I originally thought.
“She’s a great girl.” I force myself to give her a light kiss on the forehead.
Juliet gives me the oddest look I’ve ever seen. It’s like, she’s amazed anyone would want something to do with Ellie. “Who Ellie? Are you serious?”
A minute ago she was exactly the type of girl I’d go for. Now…I wish she’d disappear.
“You gonna invite us in, Juliet?” I say it to her seriously, doing my best to sound professional but dismissive at the same time.
“Oh…well yeah,” Juliet rolls her eyes. “Everyone is milling around inside. Ellie knows her way around, so just get settled in okay? Maybe I’ll see you later, Justin.” She winks at me, like she’s not done with me yet, and walks away from us as we make our way into the massive foyer.
Once we’re alone Ellie rips her hand from mine, gives me a look like she’s going to be sick, and runs away from me.
“Ellie,” I call out, and follow her down a hallway. She beats me to a doorway, and when I try to follow her into a fancy powder room, she slams the door in my face. “Ellie!” I knock on the door. “Come on, girl. It’s nothing.”
No answer, just sobbing, and I know I have to let her be for a while.
I sigh and lean my back against the door. Not even ten minutes into this little visit and I can already tell had bad things are. If Juliet was like that, I can’t imagine how everyone else must treat her.
r32;Now more than ever, I understand why she was so determined to bring me here. It was her big attempt at fitting in, but I don’t think she’ll ever succeed at that. These people are entirely too narrow minded to accept her as she is.
And I thought I had a big ego.
“Was it Jules or Max?”
I look to my left. A young man is standing there. His hair is cut in unique angles. Some parts of it are dyed purple, and other parts are blue. He has a piercing in his lip, one in his eyebrow, and countless ones in both of his ears. He wears eyeliner, a skin tight tee that bares the word normal in fancy script, and tight leather pants, with a cocky smirk to match.
Where the hell am I?
“Juliet.”
He nods. “Give El a few minutes. You must be the boyfriend Jeanine told me about?”
I nod, hesitantly. What’s next? “Justin.”
“I’m Ellie’s brother Adam. The real one, not the asshole. Have you had the pleasure of meeting Max yet?”
"No."
He smiles and holds his hand out. I shake it. "Then you got lucky. It’s nice to meet you, although, not under these circumstances. Jules is a witch. She won’t even come near me. I think she’s jealous because I look better in eyeliner than she does.”
I like him already. “I totally agree.”
He smiles. “Then let me get you settled in, before the rest of the vultures discover you.”
Chapter 7 by ialwayzbesingin
“I’m going to pick this lock with my nipple ring, El. Open the door.”
He’s persistent , but he’s always been this way. I can’t open the door for him though, because it’s been almost two years since I’ve seen him and the last time…I said horrible things to him, so we parted ways. My brother. I’ve missed him more than he knows, but I can’t face him.
I can’t.
“El.” A light knocking comes next. “Come on. The witch is gone for now. I promise.”
"You hate me," I whimper.
I hear him groan. "If I hated you I wouldn't be sitting out here threatening to break down the door with my nipple ring. Come on, that’s love. Those things are a bitch to put back in.”
I try to stifle my giggle, but can’t help myself. I’ve been without Adam’s sense of humor for entirely too long. It’s one of the things he got from our mother that was always able to comfort me after she was gone.
I’m so embarrassed.
I knew things weren’t going to be easy. Abandoning the family for a couple of years wasn’t the smartest idea, but I didn’t think I had any other option. I was miserable, and needed a break. I figured maybe they would change if I stayed away, but I was so wrong. Jules will never change, that’s obvious, but I never expected her to say the things she did…act the way she did, in front of Justin.
I’m sure he’s gone. I really wouldn’t hold it against him at this point.
I’ll write the paper anyway. He came, he tried. It’s my fault for being a loser.
“Ellie, please let me in.”
He says it softly, sadly, like he needs me just as much as I need him. I take another moment, then I slowly get up off the floor and open the door for him. He looks the same. Exactly the same. I shouldn’t have expected different, no…not from Adam.
“Oh honey,” he sighs. “You’re breaking my heart.”
He steps inside the powder room, holds his arms out to me, and I don’t hesitate to fall into them. He wraps them around me, pulling me tight to his chest. I breathe him in, and the familiar scent of rosewood fills my nostrils. I start sobbing all over again because I’ve missed this. I’ve missed it most of all.
“You’re fine,” he whispers. I can feel him stroking my hair. “Jules is a bitch. Don’t worry about whatever she said, because she’s wrong. She’s insecure and she’ll always be.”
She wasn’t entirely wrong. “Did he leave,” I whimper.
“Who?”
“Justin.”
He chuckles. “No, I saved him before Max and the rest of the vultures could get in the way. I can’t guarantee that he hasn’t run into them by now though.”
I tilt my head up to look at him. “He stayed?”
“Of course he stayed. I doubt you’d bring a guy home that could be so easily intimidated. You have to have a strong stomach to spend the holidays with our family.”
He’s saying it sincerely but I can read his expression like a book. He can see through the whole thing. Do I admit it to him though? Or do I just keep my mouth shut and be thankful that he’s putting our separation out of his mind?
“Did Roger come?” I ask him next.
“Are you kidding me? I’d like to keep that relationship in tact, thanks. You know how dad is, cleaning his throat and changing the subject whenever I bring Roger around and we start talking about our plans. I wasn’t going to put him through that again. He was in tears last time.”
“I figured, but I was hoping that I’d get to see him before the wedding.”
“Well you know my opinion about moving you to New York to stay with us, but I don’t feel like having that argument again since it’s reason we haven’t spoken. He wanted me to tell you that he loves you though, and that he still wants you to play a big part in our ceremony next year.”
I hide my face in his chest again. “I’m sorry,” I whimper. “Adam I’m…”
“Shh, I know.” I feel him nuzzle his nose into the top of my head. “I love you and it’s done, okay? I’m just glad you made it out. I was really beginning to think that…we’d never talk again. I don’t think I could have dealt with that. I mean, Jules would have to be my actual sister. Do you know how awful that would be? Hagsillaville twenty four seven. I’d pitch myself off the balcony.”
“Only after you belted out Bohemian Rhapsody.”
He smiles brightly. “There’s my sister.” He kisses my cheek. “How about we get out of this room? It’s too pink, a fashion nightmare. Roger would die. He’s cranky because he wanted me to come to his parents house for Christmas, but when dad told me you were coming, I had to fly out.”
“You gave up the holidays with your fiancé for me?”
He places his arm around my shoulders as he leads me out of the room. “I’d give up almost anything for you, El. Besides, I wanted to meet this boyfriend of yours. I almost died from shock when I heard that news. When did you decide to crawl out from your cave and look humanity in the eye?”
I shrug and pull the door closed behind us. I hate lying to him, because he never lies to me. “It was kind of a fluke, actually. I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Nobody ever does,” he smirks. “He seems like a good guy. I talked to him a little bit. He’s cute as hell.”
“You…you talked to him?”
“Why? Was I not supposed to?”
It’s the look again. Shit. “No I mean…I just didn’t know…”
“He’s a basketball player,” He smirks and narrows his eyes. “Totally your type.”
“Well he’s…you know, deeper than that.”
“Don’t explain yourself to me,” he laughs. “I could care less what you’re really up to. Just don’t let them find out what’s going on. It’ll be like Satan himself came to Christmas.”
“There’s nothing going on.”
He strokes his chin and nods slightly. “I can’t believe you, but thanks for playing. Are you hungry? I know I’m starving.”
“Adam.”
“Why don’t you go freshen up, doll. You look like you just came back from the dead.” He gives me another little peck on the cheek. “Justin went out to the basketball court. You should go check in on him and make sure the others haven’t completely warped him by now. Maybe later, after we put ourselves through the horrors of a Plymouth/Granby family dinner, you’ll feel like telling me what’s really going on with you and this…handsome young man.” He winks at me, and walks away.
He knows. He’s too smart and knows me too well not to figure it out, but I’m not as nervous about that as I should be. I guess it’s because he’s my brother, and he’d take a secret of mine to the grave if it meant he could protect me.
I never, ever, want to be cut off from him again.
I drag myself down the hall, up the grand staircase, and with each step, I’m reminded of so much…so many bad memories of growing up with Max, and Jules. When I was fifteen they locked me out of the house, buck naked, while they watched from the balcony with their friends. I remember…Max threw garbage at me. It smelled rancid, I can still smell it now. Adam came home and discovered the whole thing. I don’t remember what he said to them, but it was enough to make them stop laughing. r32;
He told Dad later that night who naturally, did nothing. Neither did Jeanine. They said we were ‘just being kids’
The next day I went to school and someone had passed out pictures of the previous days events.
I never lived it down, and I would find out later that Max was the one who distributed those pictures, automatically making me the biggest loser in a brand new school. From then on I was known only as ‘smelly garbage Ellie’ or ‘smelly Ellie’ by everyone.
I don’t know how I made it through those four years of high school. If it wasn’t for Adam, I don’t want to think about where I’d be.
“Well, I thought I smelled something rotten.”
He’s smiling from his place at the end of the hallway. I was almost there. Almost to my bedroom, but he’s cornered me now. I don’t look him in the eye and do my best to push past him, but he blocks my path and I know better than to try and fight back.
I cringe. “Max, please…”
“I heard you brought some guy home to meet the family,” his laugh is sick and intimidating in my ear. “How much did you pay him, huh? Come on. I want to win this bet I have going with Jules.”
“I didn’t pay him,” I say darkly.
“I saw him out by the basketball court. I made sure to introduce myself.” His smile is sly and intimidating.
“What…what did you say to him?”
“I was just making casual conversation.”
The laughter in his voice is telling me what a lie that is. Oh God.
“You know, you’re not fooling anyone, Smells. You could never get a guy like that to come home with you on his own. Hell, you could never get a guy period.”
“Are you done?”
“Not even close,” he laughs. “Welcome home. It’s a shame I don’t have those Polaroids anymore, you know? Mom burned them all years ago because she felt sorry for you. I could have had some real fun with those.” He’s leaning in closer now, and his breath is hot against my neck. I can feel the bile rising in my throat.
“Maybe I’ll just regale us all with that story during dinner. I’m sure Jules remembers the details I’ve forgotten.”
“Don’t.”
“Why? I’m sure your new boyfriend would love to know how you got your nickname. I mean, if that’s even what he is.”
“He is.” I push him away from me. “Just leave me the hell alone, Max.”
“See you at dinner,” he laughs.
I barricade myself in the bedroom.
r32;I hate him. I hate him so intensely and there’s nothing I can do to rid myself of him except cut myself off from the entire family.
r32;I can’t do that anymore. Adam is counting on me to be his sister again and oh yeah, I haven’t even seen my father yet.
How the hell am I going to make it through a week of this? No, how am I going to make it through a week of this and get everyone to believe that Justin is legitimately dating me?
I know the answer.
I won’t be able to. I’ll go off the deep end first if Max has anything to do with it. He’s like this disgusting virus. A piece of vermin that you can’t get rid of no matter how hard you try.
Sometimes I wish he were dead, and then I realize that it’s terrible to think that way.
But I just can’t help myself.
Chapter 8 by ialwayzbesingin
Despite being flamboyantly gay, Adam is the coolest person I’ve met here today. I’ve never been one of those homophobe types. Mom raised me to accept all people, that’s what she left me with. I was friends with a couple of gay guys back in Carolina. One even played ball with me. They’re no different from anyone else I would consider a friend, and maybe Adam could sense how I felt about people like him. Maybe that’s why he didn’t ask me a lot of questions about Ellie or how we got together. Still, something wasn’t right about the way he skidded around the subject. He’s not buying our charade, because he knows his sister too well, and she would never bring somebody like me home.
I didn’t say anything about it, and neither did he. That’s our silent agreement for the week, and I’m just fine with that.
While Ellie was barricaded in the powder room, he helped me settle into my guest room, which is as big as a five star hotel suite. I asked him about himself, because he seemed to be very open to talking to me. He’s in his final year at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, wants to be a fashion designer and makeup artist wrapped into one. He received an internship at Marc Jacobs for next summer, and in January he’s going to be working with him exclusively at New York City’s fashion week. He didn’t hesitate to ramble on about how excited he is, but I let him, because I didn’t think anybody else in the family cared enough to listen and he’d been nice to me from the get go. He gave me some good advice too: ‘stay away from the vultures’. When I asked him what that meant, he just smiled and said ‘you’ll find out’.
Sure Jules was a bitch, but I’d met women like her before. Actually, the more I thought about it, the more she reminded me of Tamara. I hate Tamara. Actually, I’d probably hate any nineteen year old that was dating my father, but that’s another story.
It wasn’t exactly right, the things Jules said, but I think Ellie needs to get some backbone when it comes to her step sister. They’re just empty words. Maybe I can make a difference, get this girl to toughen up a little bit and stand up to her family, if nothing else.
Adam showed me where the basketball courts were, once I was changed and refreshed. He sort of laughed when I asked about them and said that nobody had used them in a years, but that I was welcome.
“Do you play?” He asked.
“Yeah…it’s sort of my life. I have scouts coming to take a look at me after the holidays, so I need to be ready,” I told him. “When Ellie told me that you guys had a place for me to practice I was pretty excited. Thanks for letting me use it.”
“Sure. Dad had it built when I was in high school. I think he convinced himself that if he got me hooked on sports it would somehow turn me straight, since he always had an idea that I wasn’t “quite right”. Max was on the team and was appointed to be my teacher, and honey let me tell you, those were quite interesting days.” We stopped in front of the black iron fence that surrounded the immaculate outdoor courts, and he pushed the gate open for me. “You could imagine his surprise when I didn’t make the team. After that I told him that I was gay and wanted to design women's clothing. If Jeanine hadn’t protected me, I swear he would have sent me straight to military school. Instead, he just sent me to therapy.”
He laughed, but I could tell it pained him to talk about it.
They have a fucked up family, it’s obvious, but for the first time, I can sort of relate to them…and to Ellie, because my family is messed up too, just in a different way.
I’ve been out here for hours. The sun has set, leaving the California sky a thousand different shades of orange. I’m quickly losing daylight, but the spotlights have turned on high above me, providing me with what I need. This place is great. I wish we could afford to put a court like this back at my dads, but I can’t even imagine how much it would cost. Still, it’s nice to know that I’ll be able to practice after sundown while I’m here. Things are starting to look better for me, although not so much for Ellie.
Shortly into my solo practice, I had the privilege of meeting Max, the stepbrother. I was running suicides up and down the huge court when I head the gate creak open. At first I didn’t stop because I thought it might have been Ellie, but when I saw an unfamiliar person leaning up agains the fence, smirking at me, I forced myself to stop and stare at him. He looked like your typical rich, spoiled, arrogant asshole. The smirk on his face said it all, the way he looked at me, like he was plotting something, told me he was one of the ‘vultures’ Adam warned me about. Needless to say, my expression didn’t welcome him into my practice.
“So, you must be the guy Ellie brought home.”
“Justin Timberlake,” I said, still trying to catch my breath as I walked across to greet him. “Are you Max?”
He shook my hand. “Word gets around fast. Did you talk to Adam?”
I just nodded.
“Nice trainers,” he said, pointing to my Jordan’s. “What…do you play basketball?”
“Yeah. I just transferred from Carolina.”
“Oh,” he nodded and his smile grew wider. “You’re that big transfer I heard about aren’t you? The one they gave all that money to and that car?”
My dad has the car. I gave it to him because I didn’t think I’d be able to use it, since I’d be away at school. I’ve never driven it, but it’s nice, and my dad really enjoys it. “Well, I’m not really supposed to talk about my contract.”
“What’s a guy like you doing with Ellie anyway?” He asked me as I started running the suicides again. “Sounds like you can get any woman you want on that campus.”
I didn’t want to answer him. It was obvious that his point of coming to introduce himself wasn’t to get to know me, it was to prove that Ellie was lying. I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.
“She’s great in bed.” I stopped running and caught a stitch in my side as I panted the words out. “I mean, you wouldn’t think so, just by looking at her, but damn, get her out of those clothes and she’s like a tiger. Great personality too. I can’t help but love her.”
He chuckled, but didn't smile. He didn’t like my attitude, didn’t like me. “What a heartwarming pile of bullshit.”
I gave him an intimidating look. “Do you have a problem?”
He shrugged slightly. “No. I just know a lie when I see one, and I’m going to make sure Ellie doesn’t get away with it.”
“What makes you an expert on Ellie and me?”
He smiled again, the same fake one he’d shown me upon his arrival. “Come on Justin,” he whispered and came close to where I stood. “You and I both know what a big fuckin’ mess she is. You can’t tell me that you really find her attractive?”
I couldn’t manage to say anything to him.
He laughed. “Thought so.”
Then he walked off, laughing to himself.
If I had a choice, I’d pitch him off the roof of this place before the others.
I can tell he deserves it more than anyone I’ve ever met.
“Dinner’s going to be ready soon.”
I shoot another basket and smile when it goes in. Then I look at her. She looks more tired and run down than I’ve ever seen her. I know, I haven’t really been around her all that long, but at school there was a lot more light in her eyes, and her face wasn’t this pale. “Thanks.” I dribble the ball. “You want to play defense for a few?”
“Defense?”
I smirk. “You stand over there and try to block me.”
“Seriously?” She narrows her eyes. “Where’s the challenge in that for you?”
I laugh. “Come on.” I walk over to her and gently pull her her into the center of the court by the arm, and she doesn’t try to stop me. Her skin is soft and I’d like to keep my hand where it is, but I don’t.
“Justin…”
“Hey this is good stress reliever.” I bounce the ball a couple of times. “It helps you forget shit.”
“Somehow I doubt it.”
I attempt to shoot, and she puts one hand up to block me, which of course, doesn’t get in my way. “Is that really the best you’ve got?”
“Can we go in now?”
“Do you really want to?”
She drops her hand at her side. “What did Max tell you?”
I don’t look her in the eye as I dribble the ball a couple of times. “He didn’t really tell me anything, just tried his best to make me think his shit smells better than most.”
“Justin…whatever he told you…
“Could you stop worrying about it? I don’t care what he said. He’s a piece of shit.” I say it automatically, and look into her eyes. “You need to forget about these people and their supposed opinions. They know they can get to you Ellie. That’s why they do it.”
“I can’t just forget…”
“You can.” I cut her off. “Now come on, I want you to block me…really block me. Think about how much your family pisses you off, that’s what I do when I need to focus on my game more.”
“I doubt your family pisses you off that much.”
“You forget that you barely know me.”
She’s silent.
“Come on, block me.”
A stern, angry expression takes over, and she bends her knees, puts her arms high in the air as I dribble the ball. I take a few moments and then I surge forward, putting my arm in her face to block her advance when I spin around and attempt to shoot the basket.
She catches me by surprise when she knocks me back. The ball falls out of my hands, and then she trips over it, landing on her backside.
“Oh man,” I laugh. “That was great.”
“Asshole.”
I hold my hand out to her, and she takes it so I can help her to her feet. “Hey, that wasn’t fake. You really did block me…you just lost your balance. Maybe I should have you help me on the court this week. I can get some real practice in.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m all set with basketball for the time being. Let’s just go in so we can get the rest of the introductions over with. My Dad and Jeanine can’t wait to meet you, and they practically ordered me to come out here and drag you inside. You’re the guest of honor.”
“Wow, already? That’s like a record or something,” I smirk.
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
She turns and starts to walk away in the usual, miserable way she always does. I hate it, because I know somewhere inside of her, a better person is waiting to break free. That part of Ellie had to exist once. I wish I could help her find it again. “Hang on.”
She stops, sighs, and then turns slightly. “What?”
“Well, shouldn’t we come up with some kind of plan for dinner?”
“Just wing it, who cares? You’re great at charming the crap out of everyone.”
“You know, it’d be great if you could smile a little. If you did, you could show Max and Jules that what they said to you earlier hasn’t effected you.”
“Well it did effect me,” she admits. “It always does.”
I step closer to her, so close that I can reach out and touch her, and I do. I take her hand in mine, and feel myself begin to smile. Her hand is warmer than it was when we first got here, although, her expression is still stone cold.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I just…I don’t think you should sell yourself so short, that’s all. I think a lot more people would like you if you would let them in. That’s your biggest issue you know? I mean, now that I’ve hung out with you a little bit, I can sense that you’re better than how you act most of the time. You close yourself off. You don’t have to, you can talk about it, you know?”
She yanks her hand out of mine. “You’re acting weird.”
“What?”
“You can’t just…don’t stand there and pretend that you give a damn about me. I know you don’t, remember? You’re here for one reason, and that’s all.”
“El…”
“Just play your part, Justin, and let me play mine so we can get through this!”
“I…”
“I mean it!”
It takes me a few moments to say anything at all. I’ve struck a cord, gone too deep with her and she wasn’t prepared for it. I should take a step back, remember why I’m here. It’s not so I can save Ellie, or start to have feelings for her. It’s about my career and nothing else…
Yeah, she’s right.
“Okay…fine, all right.”
“Now come on.”
She stalks away and I follow silently, preparing myself for dinner, for the smile I’ll have to flash and the fake feelings I’ll have to put out there about Ellie, for the good of my career.
Still, I can’t shake the peculiar feeling inside of me. I can’t shake the way I started to feel this time, when my hand was holding hers.
Chapter 9 by ialwayzbesingin
Justin has been amazing at pulling our relationship off at dinner, but then again, I wouldn’t have expected less from him. My Dad and Jeanine have been all smiles since we entered the room, exchanging pleasantries with him, and at times, myself as well. He’s regaled them with the basic details of his life, how we got together, and what his plans are as far as basketball and the draft. My father is fascinated. He’s always been a big fan of UCLA’s team, and hasn’t hesitated to ask my supposed boyfriend every question under the sun about his game strategies and other nonsense. Jeanine has been smiling, as she normally does at functions and dinner parties. It’s that pleased smile. The one that says she accepts this relationship.
They’re buying it, despite the fact that Max and Jules can’t be convinced. It’s all that matters. Now I’m normal. Now I’m the daughter my father has always wanted. I’m the one with a promising future, rather than the social outcast that abandons the family. I should be happier.
I should be bursting with happiness, actually, because this is what I wanted most of all.
I’m not though. I think it has a lot to do with Adam’s eyes tearing into me every so often. He knows I’m full of it, and he’s waiting for this whole thing to come tumbling down on me. He’s worried, and I don’t blame him, but I’ll take the mood Dad and Jeanine are in while it lasts.
Justin grabbed my hand on the court before, not out of necessity either. It was like…he wanted to hold my hand. The idea of anyone wanting to do that scared the hell out of me, and because it was him, I freaked out. I haven’t dated in a few years. I’m not used to the idea that someone might be able to care about me, especially someone like Justin. Maybe I took it out of context. I mean, after spending so much time with the guy, I’ve realized he’s not all that bad. He’s a little cocky, sure, but deep down he’s a decent guy who wants to do the right thing. I’m thankful for him…
But I can’t let him start to like me…or something…I’m just not ready. I’ll never be ready for someone like him.
I feel awful for yelling at him.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It’s also Jeanine’s biggest dinner party of the year. Everyone in the industry will be there, and to be honest, it’s a little much for me. Still, Justin and I are expected to be there, and I made sure he brought a suit with him just for that purpose. Jeanine has been mentioning little things about it to us here and there, what the theme is this year and who some of the guests are. I could care less. I’m nervous about it, but I’ve been trying not to let it show since Max and Jules are all about it, and would love to come up with a way to embarrass the hell out of me, Christmas Eve or not.
I can’t wait to get the damn holiday over with and go back to my life.
“You know, Nathan,” Jeanine speaks up. “Mitch is coming tomorrow.”
“Oh…yes, thats right,” my father smiles and looks our way. “Justin weren’t you saying you were interested in negotiating with the Lakers?”
He pauses, mid chew, and glances at my father before swallowing. “Yes sir, well, it’s on my list. My father says its good to explore all my options.”
“Well of course, but like Jeanine was saying, Mitch is a personal friend of the family and he comes to our dinner gala’s every year.”
I see Justin’s eyes go wide. “You mean Mitch Kupchak, general manager of the Lakers?”
“That’s him,” Jeanine grins. “I just love Mitch. We’ve been friends since the kids were in middle school. I’ll make sure to introduce you. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to meet such an outstanding young man.”
I see Justin swallow hard, and then his hand lands on my knee, rubbing it nervously. I’d slap him, but when I feel it trembling, I know he needs me to go with it, so I do. “Well that’s….thanks.” He looks back down at his food.
It’s a lot to put on him. I know that. He’s been getting ready for scouts and wasn’t expecting to have to talk to a team executive so soon.
“You seem a little nervous.”
Max. Oh God. Please. Please just shut up.
Jules giggles.
Justin glances at my step brother. “Well I…”
“Hush Max.” Jeanine says. “Naturally he’d be nervous. He’s not signed up yet.”
Max glares at the two of us. He won’t say anything as long as Mommy is hovering over him. He’s always been such a pussy when it comes to her, but it’s better this way, for tonight anyway.
“Nothing to be nervous about son,” my father smiles. “He’s a decent guy. The most it’ll be is an opportunity to get to know you before they send the scouts out. Remember when he took a look at you Max? He said you may have had a shot if you had put a little more effort into your game.”
“I’m more cut out for business,” Max grunts, and his gaze shifts to Adam. “At least I played, unlike some people that couldn’t be taught.”
I feel the rage burning inside of me. I want to take him and strangle him, throw him off the roof, because he has no right to talk to my brother that way. No right to turn the conversation onto Adam just because he feels bad about himself right now.
Adam of course, doesn’t let it effect him. He never has. Instead, he smiles for everyone. “Right…and what is it that you do these days, Max? Playing mommy’s secretary must be such fulfilling work.”
“Boys.” Jeanine narrows her eyes, as she did when we were kids. I wonder when she’s going to realize that it won’t help?
“I’d rather be doing that than fag designer work,” Max shoots at him. “At least when I get married, it’ll be socially acceptable. You think you’re doing a good thing by coming home for Christmas? Honestly, we’d all be better off if you stayed the hell in New York doing whatever sick shit you do.”
The whole room falls silent. I watch my brother sit there, trying to maintain his composure. His knuckles are bright white as he balls his hands into fists.
It’s nothing new.
r32;It’s been going on for years, and my father won’t even defend his own son.
It hits me. This is half the reason I loathe coming home.
Adam picks the napkin off his lap and throws it onto his plate. “Thanks for dinner, Jeanine. Everything was delicious.” He leans over and gives her a small kiss on the cheek, smiles for me, and then leaves the room.
Max laughs and Jules does too.
My father changes the subject to Jules’ latest endeavor in the modeling world, and dinner goes on without a hiccup.
I feel like crying, and then I feel the tears on my face. Justin is squeezing my hand, so hard, like he wants to help.
But he can’t help, and going after my brother now, I know, wouldn’t be good for the image Justin and I have created tonight. So we continue on with dinner, until dessert is served and consumed, and it’s only then that my father and Jeanine bid us a good night and a “we’ll see you tomorrow night”, before moving on with their evening.
“You wanna get out of here,” Justin whispers.
I stare at him, and I want to say no, but I know if we stay, we’ll be stuck here with Max and Jules who are cackling and whispering to each other, probably about us. “Yeah,” I nod.
“What do you say we find your brother?”
I smile. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
And when he takes my hand this time, something changes. I want him to do it. I feel safe, protected from Max and Jules, the way my father conveniently ignores my brother and his life choices, and the way he views me as a disappointment most of the time.
r32;It just feels right, and I guess…melting away into him for just one night, won’t hurt.
Chapter 10 by ialwayzbesingin
“I can’t believe he drank that whole bottle.”
“I can,” Justin sighs. “Get his legs.”
We painstakingly drag my brother from the limousine, and between Justin, George, and myself, we manage to carry him into one of the first floor master bathrooms. Adam hugs the toilet and vomits violently into the bowl while Justin supports him.
I haven’t seen him like this in such a long time, and to think…he came out to deal with this just so he could see me again. It makes me feel so damn awful.
I can’t handle it, but I can’t break down. I have to be strong for my brother, because he has it worse than me. He does. Max and Jules are awful to me, but they’re completely out of line when it comes to my brother, and things have been this way for as long as I can remember.
“You know…” Adam manages, weakly. “If mom were here, she’d put that lil’ shit brick in his place.”
“If mom were here we wouldn’t have to deal with that shit brick,” I say quietly.
He laughs, and then he starts to vomit into the toilet again.
“Your mom bail too?” Justin speaks up after helping Adam through a few more rounds of vomiting.
I stare at him, but can’t speak for awhile. It’s a subject I swore I would avoid because I didn’t want to share that part of myself…the vulnerable part…with him. But Adam is very, very drunk, and he doesn’t care. I can’t blame him for exposing that part of our lives, but I’m not thrilled. “She passed away,” I whisper.
“Oh.” Justin nods a little. “I’m sorry.”
I shrug. “She had Cancer. It was a long time ago. I was fourteen and Adam was sixteen.”
“My mom bailed,” he tells me. “I was twelve. I haven’t seen her since.”
I tilt my head back against the cool tile of the bathroom wall. My stomach twinges with nausea and my head starts to spin all over again causing the room to tilt left, then right, then back again. I’m still drunk, and I don’t know if I want to get into this with him. It’s pretty deep, considering we’re practically strangers, but then again, tonight hasn’t been all that normal anyway. Justin and I found Adam minutes after we bolted from the dining room, sitting at the top of the staircase in the front of the house. He was on the phone with Roger, who I could tell was begging him to get on the next flight back to New York. Honestly, I was ready for him to ask us to bring him to the airport, but as soon as he hung up with his fiancé, Justin didn’t hesitate to turn the grim situation around.
“You know any good places to party?”
Adam and I exchanged glances.
“What kind of party?” Adam laughed.
“Your kind of party,” Justin smiled.
Instead of heading to the airport, we ended up at one of the biggest raves in Los Angeles. It was in an old warehouse, one I’d only heard rumors about, but Adam and Justin had obviously been there before. They knew the bartenders and several of the waitresses. I was scared, I admit. I’m usually not big on crowds or loud music, that’s always been Adam’s thing, but for some reason I held myself together and went with it. Maybe it was because I felt safe with Justin’s hands on my waist as he guided me forward onto the massive dance floor, or the way he smiled at me when I was finally able to turn around in his arms. He didn’t hold back as our bodies started to move to the music, he moved in close, let his hands run themselves up and down my body, and I let him do it. I was barely dressed for the situation in my long skirt and floral blouse, but it wasn’t really the type of place where people would have judged you. It was the perfect place, actually.
The perfect place to allow myself to melt away into him.
I always knew he had a nice smile, nice eyes, really nice body, but tonight…tonight all of that just hit me, right where it matters. My heart fluttered when he would look at me, smile at me, when my hands gripped his biceps or my fingers brushed against his chest. He was allowing it, and it wasn’t an act, because there wasn’t anyone to put one on for. It was just us, and the music, and a half drunk dance floor. Then the alcohol finally made it our way. I was sure I saw Adam with a bottle in his hand as he danced provocatively with some other guy, but I didn’t say anything to him. I was too entranced in my own drink…in my own date, even though he wasn’t supposed to be mine.
Justin and I must have drank a bottle of vodka between us, and I was staggering slightly in his arms by the time midnight rolled around. He was half in the bag himself, but still more coherent than I was at that point, and I could only assume he had more of a hold on his liquor due to all the partying he did with his teammates back at school. Still, it was nice to know that he had some control over our situation. Especially when…
Well.
“Come on.” His blue eyes lit up against the neon lights. He took the empty party cup out of my hand and put it inside of his before tossing them into a nearby garbage can.
“Where’re we goin’?” I giggled it when he laced his fingers through mine and started to lead me away from the dance floor. When he didn’t answer, I should have known right then that he was up to something. But my head…it was spinning, and my heart was still racing from being in his arms all night.
I knew that I didn’t want to escape him, I wanted to go wherever he was taking me.
We ended up in a far corner of the warehouse space, away from the wild party going on in the center, but not so far that we were removed from the music and atmosphere. He backed me up against the wall, and I nearly tripped, but he caught me in time. We both laughed, stared into each others eyes for awhile, and it was the first time I’d smiled like that in…well, years.
“You’re really pretty when you smile like that,” he told me, bringing his face right up to mine so I could hear him better. “You should do it more.”
I giggled and hiccuped. “I hate to smile.”
He just smirked. “Maybe I should give you a reason to like it, then.”
“What’d you…”
He caught my lips with his suddenly. I tasted his scent…some musky cologne that I didn’t know the name of, but had been driving me insane since the day I met him. I couldn’t get the scent out of my nostrils, but when I was sober, I did a really good job of tucking my feelings away. The reality was, I’d had a crush on the man since that day he walked into my English Lit class. He was just too good looking to ignore. It wasn’t fair, because I knew…I knew I wasn’t good enough for him.
He was kissing me passionately, more passionately than any man ever had. I’m not a virgin as many of my peers probably believe. I’d lost it in high school to an older guy because I thought it would make me feel better about myself. Naturally I was wrong but…but…this was something entirely different. My heart wasn’t the only one that was pounding furiously, my body wasn’t the only one that was trembling, because I could feel his doing the same thing. His lips worked themselves from my mouth, down to my neck, keeping them there as he began to fumble with the buttons on my blouse. I felt the cool air sweep across my partially exposed breasts moments later, and before I could say anything to him, his face was down at my chest, and his lips and tongue were working themselves between my cleavage. I groaned with pleasure as he sucked the skin there, felt my head hit the back of the stone wall, and didn’t think about who might have been watching.
For the first time since Mom died, I let someone in, and I felt that part of myself that was lost for all those years, spark back to life.
“I don’t know what we’re doin,” Justin said to me breathlessly, coming up for air after what must have been a good half hour of making out with me. “Are you…”
“Shut up.” I pulled him back to me and pressed my lips harshly to his. This time his hands slid my long skirt up my body, and found their way underneath to other parts of me. I swear to God, we probably would have done it right there if Adam hadn’t interrupted us. Justin had already started the process, unfastening his belt and lifting my right leg to wrap around his body. It was all a blur, and I felt so amazing I wouldn’t have tried to stop him.
“HEY GUYS!!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw my brother smiling in my face while Justin was still…discovering my body parts, so to speak. I didn’t exactly shove him off of me, but he got the hint, and quickly put my leg down and yanked my skirt back to its normal length.
“There’s so many hotties here!” Adam giggled, completely disregarding what he’d seen as he stood in-between us, tossed his then empty bottle of Ciroc to the side, and threw his arms around our shoulders with a smile. “Roger would be sooo-oo mad if he knew I was dancin’ with those boys. Don’t tell him, El? Promise?”
“I promise,” I laughed, and met Justin’s gaze.
He was still smiling.
“Great,” Adam laughed stupidly, before he threw up on the floor, right by our feet. Justin and I jumped back, and then Adam fell to his knees, continuing to vomit his night away.
Needless to say, the party was over. We met George out front of the place twenty minutes later, and after hauling an incoherent Adam into the limo, we finally headed for home. There was plenty of water, which Justin and I didn’t hesitate to indulge in, and when sober started to set in, I quickly realized what I’d done with him in that club, and what it meant.
I think I’m still in shock. I don’t know. I don't know what to think about the fact that Justin was about thirty seconds away from fucking me on the dance floor. Maybe it’s an early Christmas gift from the Gods.
It’s sick to think that way.
“El.”
I glance at him. Adam has resorted to passing out right next to the toilet, and the film of puke around his mouth is something I’d really like to take care of now, but I find that I can’t move. I’m frozen, because Justin is staring at me with those damn eyes of his. I don’t know what to say. I’m terrified if I say the wrong thing, he’ll regret what we did tonight, and even if it didn’t mean anything, even if we were drunk, I’d like for him to think back on it fondly as ‘that night I messed around with Ellie the bookworm’.
“Ellie.”
I lick my lips and clear my throat. “Yeah…I…I’m sorry about your mom too.”
He chuckles softly and narrows his eyes. “This isn’t about our moms right now.”
I nod. He’s right.
“You not too drunk to forget about what happened back there, are you?”
I can’t look at him this time. “No.”
“I just want to say…I don’t really know what happened. I never had any intention of…you know…”
“Yeah. I know.”
It’s silent for a very long time. I can feel his eyes on me, but still, I can’t look at him. I feel my cheeks grow red hot, and I want to say so much to him, but I physically can’t do it.
“Would it be such a bad thing if I said I’m attracted to you, El?”
I force myself to look at him. He’s staring at me, and his expression isn’t that of somebody who’s completely wasted. Yeah, he’s still just about as drunk as I am right now, but Justin can handle his liquor even better than I can, and I know he’s not playing around right now. I feel my heart stop, I swear, and then I’m able to catch my breath again. “I…I don’t know if it’s bad, but it’s not exactly realistic.”
He laughs. “Not realistic? Why?”
“Well you’re just…I mean you have the whole basketball career and I’m just…”
“You’re just what?”
Justin checks on Adam quickly, and repositions him on the floor so he’ll be more comfortable. He groans slightly and mumbles incomprehensibly in his sleep, but he doesn’t wake up, which I guess is good for us. Justin crosses the room next, and slides down to the floor right beside me. “You’re just what, El?”
“I’m not exciting like you are,” I tell him, focusing down on my hands that are in my lap. “I’m boring like concrete. Everybody tells me that, including you.”
“Hey.” He curls his finger under my chin and tilts my head up so I’m forced to look into those eyes again. “I didn’t mean that, you know I didn’t, and I’m not that into myself, El. I know I may have come off that way at first but it’s just not true and I’m sorry I ever showed you that side of me. Back there…it was exciting, being with you. Something inside of me just…I’ve never kissed someone and felt that way before.”
It’s scaring me, what he’s saying. I want to tell him that this can’t work, and when he protests, I want to tell him to go to hell and run out of here. But once again, I can’t do it. I’m frozen in place and my body is refusing to let me do anything of the sort. It’s making me so angry, and I don’t know if I should scream, or cry, or just laugh because this is all turning out to be so much more than I ever thought it would be.
“What about your girlfriend…the one in Fitzburgs class?”
He rolls his eyes. “Really? She’s long gone.”
“Why?”
He sighs. “Awkward.”
“Well I think it’s a reasonable question, Justin.”
“I dumped her.” He looks at me seriously. “I’m not really good at long term relationships.”
“Oh really?” I laugh. “That’s reassuring.”
“So being honest about it isn’t getting me points?”
I knock my head back against the wall. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s good you said it. I’ve never been in a relationship, so what do I know?”
“It felt amazing to kiss you, that’s all I’m saying,” he says softly. “I just wanted you to know that. This whole thing isn’t such a charade anymore. Not to me.”
My chest tightens again, and I take another deep breath, but it doesn’t help. “Why me?”
“Do I need a reason, El? You underestimate yourself. I’ve…I’ve been attracted to you since we had that meeting, I just couldn’t see it until tonight. Yeah, you’re not the type of girl I would usually go for, and I’m not the type of guy you’d consider spending time with, but for some reason this works. I don’t know why, it just does.”
“So what now?” I hold my breath and wait for him to tell me he doesn’t know, he doesn’t have time, yada yada.
Instead, he smiles, pulls my face closer to his, and kisses my lips so gently, letting his linger against mine for the longest time before pulling back slightly and staring into my eyes. “Now…we spend the rest of the Christmas holiday with your family, and then I’m going to take you to my dad’s for New Years. After that, who knows?”
“Your dad’s?”
“Yeah,” he chuckles. “I’ve never brought a girl home before. Should be interesting, but I figure if you could do it to me, I can do it to you. It’s only fair.”
I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. The better part of me is pleading with me not to give in to him, but I can’t help myself. He’s not the same guy I met at school. This is how Justin is when he’s not around his teammates, not drowning in his glorified persona and overwhelming popularity. This isn’t basketball Justin…and suddenly I start to understand.
r32;This is the Justin that nobody gets to see, because they’re too invested in his career to care. I’m probably the first girl that hasn’t cared about how many three point shots he can get in one game, or how rich he’ll be once he signs with the NBA. I just care about him.
I care about him.
It’s scary to think about the type of impact that can make on him, and what could happen if something goes wrong and we can’t be together anymore.
I’m terrified but…
Shit.
I’m in love with him. How can I be in love with him? Am I crazy?
“El.”
“Yeah,” I rasp.
“Would I be out of line if I told you I might be in love with someone I just met?” He cups my face in his hand, and I can see the emotions overwhelming him. “Because I think…I think I might be.”
“No.” I smile. “You wouldn’t be out of line.”
Chapter 11 by ialwayzbesingin
We sat on the floor, wrapped in each others arms for another hour before Adam woke up again. Then we were able to get him upstairs to bed, leaving a bucket beside it for good measure, and a ton of bottled water. I knew he’d be okay. I’ve seen worse, and figured he would be able handle himself if he got sick again. Ellie seemed to agree, because she didn’t protest when I took her down the hallway to my guest bedroom and shut us up inside, propping a chair underneath the doorknob so ‘the vultures’ wouldn’t be able to sneak in when the morning came.
Normally, I would have stripped her out of her clothes right there, and had my way with her in bed. I didn’t though. I just…I just felt like cuddling with her instead as stupid as that sounds. Ellie is different. She’s not like the other women I’ve dated, and while I’m pretty sure she’s had sexual encounters before, something inside told me that she’s better than a fling. That she needs to be taken in slowly, and cherished. When I was kissing her at the rave, I felt that way about her, and if I hadn’t been drunk, I would have made myself stop my advances. Thank God for Adam. I wouldn’t have wanted to have sex with Ellie in the middle of a drunken rave.
This isn’t me.
It’s never been.
Or maybe I just haven’t been able to be myself, ever, and this is the result. I’m finding myself in a lost Christmas vacation, all because I’m failing my English class and Ellie was desperate for her family accept her.
Is it fate? I can’t say. I’m not a big believer in all that stuff. I think you have to make your own destiny, and your own way in this world. But man, it’s been a weird couple of days.
“Morning.”
I take my gaze off the ceiling and look at her, smiling when I see her smiling back at me. She’s pretty in the morning, sleepy in the sexy sort of way that I like in a woman. Her hair is frizzy and unkempt but that’s okay. I’m growing to like the way she sort of doesn’t care about what people think. She doesn’t have to layer on makeup or spend hours doing her hair to impress me. I just…like her for who she is. “Merry Christmas eve.”
She curls up closer to me and rests her head against my chest. “Don’t remind me.”
“It won’t be so bad.” I rub her back consolingly. “At least we’ve got each other, right?”
She smiles slightly and laughs. I like her laugh. It’s different to hear it, to see her smiling. I like this version of Ellie. A lot. “Oddly enough, yes.”
I kiss her gently. “Hungry?”
“Yeah, but I think we should make sure my brother is alive before we do anything else.”
“Right. Almost forgot about the fashionista in the other room.”
“Justin.”
“Yeah?” I catch myself in another goofy grin, but don’t try to hide it.
“Were you serious last night, when you said you…you’re in love with me?”
I was. It’s fucking crazy. I don’t fall in love. I don’t get involved in relationships because they pose too much of a distraction, but it’s different with her. I don’t…I don’t want to be without her. She relaxes me. I don’t think she realizes how important that is, especially with everything coming up with me career wise. I know she’ll be there for me, regardless if the scouts like me or not, and she’ll make it easier for me to face my father when that time comes. It’s why I want to bring her home to meet him. I want to show him I can handle having a girlfriend and my career at the same time. He doesn’t think I can. He’s always told me to leave relationships to the side until I’m established. I have no idea what he’ll say when I walk in the door with a girlfriend, but I’m willing to risk it.
I can’t lose Ellie, being with her is the one thing that makes sense in my life right now, even though its the most illogical thing.
“I’m still serious,” I tell her.
Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink.
“What do you think now that you’re completely sober, El?” I smirk. “Freaked out? Ready to toss me to the vultures?”
“You’d have do something really awful off for me to put you at Max and Jules’ mercy,” she laughs. “I think…last night, I realized that I feel the same way. It’s crazy, and I’m scared shitless, but…I don’t want things to change. Not right now. I want to see where this goes.”
“Then lets start the day.” I grin again, and sweep her up in another kiss. She pulls me down to her when I crawl on top, and grabs my lips hungrily. My shirt is pulled up my torso after a few moments, and it’s completely off when the knocking comes.
“Eleanor! Dear, are you in there?”
We both freeze.
r32;“Jeanine,” Ellie groans. “Christ.”
“Are we about to experience the dark side of your step mother,” I smile.
“No, please, she’d be happy to learn that I have an interest in the male species. I’m positive she and my father have thought I was a lesbian for all these years.”
“Were you?”
She whacks me in the chest as I laugh heartily.
“Jerk.”
I kiss her again before she can get up from the bed, and pull her back to my bare chest. “Come on, don’t make noise and she’ll leave.”
“Justin…I have to answer that. Put your shirt back on.” She rolls her eyes and playfully pushes me off of her so she can answer the door. I do as she’s asked of me, turning on the television to make the scenario less obvious.
“Good morning kids.” Jeanine Granby smiles when Ellie gets the door open and lets her inside. “Just wanted to see what your plans are like for the morning and afternoon. We usually go down to the shelter and help out for a few hours. I was able to get about six trucks of food donated this year. Isn’t that great?”
It’s only nine am and she’s already dressed to go walk a red carpet. She really is beautiful in person. I’ve seen a couple of her movies, but never really thought about her much. Max has her eyes but Jules inherited all of her mothers looks. She seems nice. A lot nicer than the way Ellie has made her out to be, and a hell of a lot nicer than her kids are. I won’t ask questions of course. It’s not my place, not yet. “The shelter?”
“The Los Angles Mission,” she smiles. “The services provided are part of my charity, the Jeanine Granby Food Project. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”
I see Ellie rolling her eyes. “No, ma’am. Sorry.”
“Well, maybe you two could come help pass out some meals in a couple of hours?” She says it like we better do it. “It would mean a lot to the people that have to rely on that place for their Christmas holiday.”
“Of course.” I give her my most professional smile. “El and I will be there after breakfast.”
“Wonderful. It’s such a pleasure having a nice young man like you here for Christmas. Once you get to the mission, partner with Max and Juliet. They’re running the operational aspect of the charity this year,” she smiles at me and her eyes dart quickly to Ellie. “Take my advice, Eleanor, don’t let this one go if you know what’s good for you. I’ll see you both in a bit.”
Jeanine walks away without looking back and closes the door behind her. Ellie just stands there, absolutely fuming.
“Come on,” I laugh. “What’s the big deal? I’ve volunteered at soup kitchens a few times when I was in high school. Thanksgiving dinner mostly. It won’t be so bad…hell, it might be fun doing it together.”
“That’s not the point,” she mutters.
“What’s your deal with her, El? She seems really nice. I mean, her kids are another story but besides that…”
“Don’t you get it? It’s not about the homeless! It’s about her! About showing me what a wonderful person she is!”
I give her an odd look. “I don’t get you. It’s charity work. Everyone in the business does it. Eventually, I’ll end up doing it too.”
“You see the person she wants you to see. It’s not your fault.”
I sigh. There’s more to this. A lot more than I don’t understand yet, because I haven’t dove that deep into her and, I haven’t known her long enough, despite my feelings for her. It’s not time to get into it with her yet, even though I’d like to. It’s Christmas Eve though, and I’d like it to be a good one with her if possible. “How about…” I get up from the bed and walk up behind her, so I can place my hands on her shoulders and kiss her neck gently. “We just make the best of it, El?”
“But Jules and Max,” she whimpers. “Justin…I already know…”
“Fuck ‘em,” I say, sternly. “You’re with me, and I’m not letting them mess around with you. That’s ending today.”
She glances back at me, and it kills me to see the tears streaming down her face. “I just…I just know she came in here like that to spite me. To throw everything in my face.”
“I think she just wants to help you make amends and be a part of the family.”
She sighs. “I really don’t want to do this.”
“Oh and I do?” I smile. “Come on, lets just get it done. If anything, it’ll make the party tonight less awkward.”
She groans. “I’ll go see if Adam is coherent.” She pulls away from me miserably and I give her another quick kiss before she can leave. When she pulls the door closed behind her, I start to gather clothing together to get ready for the day. Then my phone begins to ring from its place on the nightstand. When I walk over and read the ID, I see it’s my father, and I pause for several moments. I know I was prepared to walk in his door with El at my side, but I wasn’t really prepared to talk to him today. He’s been off in Europe with Tamara, and I figured he’d be too busy.
“Hey daddy.” I force a smile when I answer, so he won’t question me.
“Oh Justin! Sweetheart! Hi! Your dad wanted me to call you…he’s in the shower right now!”
Tamara. I cringe slightly. “Oh…hi Tamara.”
“Yes, sweetheart! Guess what?”
I squeeze my eyes shut. I swear to god if she calls me sweetheart one more time…
“Your daddy proposed to me this morning!” She squeals like the teenager she still is. “I can’t believe it! I can’t wait to show you the ring sweetie!”
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. “Are you serious?”
“Yes! Listen, we’re going to stay in Paris a little while longer but we’ll be home in time to ring in the new year! You’re still coming home for New Years right? Your dad said you were.”
“Um…”
“Oh wait!” She cackles and I can hear her muffled voice in the background a moment later, laughing and carrying on and saying ‘Ryan stop it!’
“Justin?”
This time it’s my dad. I look up and catch my reflection in the mirror. My face has turned a frightening shade of white. “Hi…um…hi daddy.”
“How are you? How’s everything at school? I heard your game on the radio last week…great game, but what you should have done in that third quarter is stuck to your defense. I know you made a few fantastic shots but you know son, you can’t let your guard down or you’ll give up the whole game.”
“Oh yeah…yeah I know.” I sit down on the bed and think about the next thing I say carefully. “Gotta watch that.”
“Tamara told you the news?” He says, softer this time.
I’m so angry at him. Angry at him because he’s marrying someone that, to put it bluntly, is the same age as my kid sister would have been if I ended up with one. How can he marry that…that tramp? “She told me.” My tone is unforgiving.
“Justin, I love her. I love her very much, and she’s going to be a part of our family. I just wanted you to know now, before you come home to see us.”
“Dad, she’s nineteen.”
“The age of the person I choose to be with isn’t really your concern, now is it son?”
“It shouldn’t be.” I let out a very long breath. “I’m just trying to understand it I guess.”
“It’ll be just fine. Now, have you been practicing? How’s your workout going? Have you been going everyday?”
“Yeah…listen I…”
“How long? Are you doing the full three hours like we talked about? Miami is coming to scout the first week you’re back on the court you know.”
“Dad…”
“I think you should call Greg Schaller after the holidays too. I think he’s the most promising agent…”
“Dad!” I yell it at him. I never do that, but I’m really ticked off at the moment. He never listens to me.
“What’s the problem?” He says stupidly. “Have you lost your focus again?”
I let out a disgusted laugh and shake my head. “Enjoy the rest of your vacation, daddy.”
“You just hold on a minute, Justin. Don’t forget who’s running the show.”
I grit my teeth and try hard to hang up on him. I should. I should walk away and never look back, let him keep all the money I’ve made so far and try to do this basketball thing on my own.
But I know I wouldn’t get far. He’s negotiated all of my contracts and gotten all these scouts to take an interest. I know he could just as easily take it all away.
Where would I be without basketball? Walmart? Target? Burger King? Most likely, because I don’t know anything else besides how to play that damn game.
I secretly loathe it.
I’ve never admitted that to anyone, not even myself, until now. Basketball isn’t my life. Basketball controls my life and it always will.
I’m trapped, and I can’t lose my focus. I’m too scared to see what would happen if I did.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, like a little coward. “I’m sorry, dad.”
“Mm.” He grunts. “So we’ll see you for New Years?”
“Yeah. I…I have someone I want you to meet, too. I’m bringing her with me.”
He’s completely silent, and I brace myself for what’s coming.
“All you have going on and you have the nerve to bring a distraction into the picture?”
“Dad…”
“We discussed this, didn’t we?”
“Yes but…”
“No girlfriends. Not right now. Get rid of her.”
I feel horrible gut wrenching pain pierce through me at the mention of telling Ellie to get lost. I’m too deep into her now, and what he doesn’t get is that she’s not a distraction. She…she completes me. She’s going to get me through all of this stuff I have coming up. I know she will. “You don’t understand,” I whisper.
“I haven’t worked all these years and given up a marriage so you can throw it all away now! Why are you trying to ruin everything!”
I won’t cry. I refuse to cry. I’ve done it too many times because of him and I can’t let him do it to me now, on Christmas Eve, when I’ve been happier than I’ve ever been before. “I’m not giving her up, dad,” I say it sternly.
“You think you can do what I do for you on your own, and still be on top of your game? You’ll be booted out of that university in a week, son. I guarantee it. Then where will you be? Not here in this house, I’ll tell you that much.”
“I have money.”
“Which you’ll have to pay back if you reneg on your contract.”
I feel my hands begin to tremble.
Fuck.
Fuck he’s right. I’m nothing without him. I have nowhere to go and no money to support myself if I don’t do as he says.
But I’m in love.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
“You take the rest of the Christmas holiday to think about this. If you come to your senses, I’ll see you New Years Eve.”
“Dad.”
He hangs up.
“Look who’s up with the sun!”
I pick my head up out of my hands. Ellie is standing in the now open doorway with a very hungover Adam at her side. She looks amazing with that smile of hers. Just yesterday she never would have flashed it, but now…now she feels good about herself, and that’s because of me.
I’m just supposed to walk away?
“You okay?” She gives me an uncertain look.
I just nod. “You gonna be able to serve up some grub for the cause?” I fake a smile and direct my question at Adam.
“They can disown me for all I care. I’ll hurl into the soup. You two have fun though. Make sure to give the vultures my best.” He gives me a thumbs up, and then miserably drags himself out of the doorway.
Ellie closes the door and comes back to sit beside me on the bed. “You’re not okay.”
Of course she would be able to tell. She’s not an idiot and she cares about me. That thought alone makes me smile, and I put a hand on her knee, rubbing it gently. “My dad called.”
Her expression becomes even more serious. “He doesn’t get you, right?”
I shake my head. Of course she would be able to guess at that.
“And you told him about us?”
“Yeah.” I sniffle slightly, but don’t let the tears come. “You can guess how that conversation went. He doesn’t want me dating, period.”
“Yeah, but you’re an adult.”
I smile sadly. “I know.”
She leans her head against my shoulder, and holds me close, because she knows I need it. I need her right now, more than she knows.
“I can’t hold you back from your dream, Justin.”
“It’s not my dream,” I whisper. “It’s his.”
She gazes up at me. “So what are you going to do?”
I kiss her gently. “Don’t write the paper.”
“You’ll lose everything.”
“I don’t care anymore.” I squeeze her hand. “My whole life has revolved around a damn game, El. I…hell, I couldn’t even remember the person I was outside of it until I kissed you last night.”
“I know you don’t want to give up the NBA.”
I sigh roughly, and this time, I feel a tear crawl down my face. “I’ve worked hard for it, I know that much. But it’s not the love of my life…this game.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” She strokes the back of my neck. “But it can be something you’re passionate about.”
“My father will take everything away if I show up with you, and if I don’t show up at home, he’ll take it all away anyway.”
“What about your lawyer? He can stop him can’t he?”
“He works for my father first. That’s the way it’s always been.”
She cocks her head to the side and smirks. “Well, I’m willing to bet there will be a dozen sports attorneys at this gala tonight, that will be foaming at the mouth to represent you.”
“I don’t know…”
“Justin you can’t let your father run your life forever. You have to take control of your career. He doesn’t have the right to do this to you, do you realize that?”
I hold her face in my hands, knowing I can tell her anything, and she’ll understand. “He’s the only family I have. I’m…terrified of letting him down.”
“He let you down the minute he started using your talent for his own benefit. Now he wants you to get rid of me, when we’ve only just connected…when you’ve just started to find things out about yourself that you never had the chance to. I don’t want you to walk away from us because of him. It’s not fair.”
She’s right. She’s right about it all, and I wish I had her strength. I wish I could have said something to him last year when UCLA came and offered me the deal. I didn’t want to leave Carolina, my friends, everything I’d ever known. But he put it to me that I didn’t have a choice, only I didn’t have Ellie to stand there and tell him that he didn’t have the right to make my life decisions for me.
But I guess if UCLA hadn’t made me an offer, I wouldn’t have met Ellie.
For the first time, I feel empowered to make my career work without him. I can do it. I have to do it, so Ellie and I can make this thing work.
“Will you just…promise me something, El.”
She kisses me gently, and smiles. “Within reason.”
I laugh. “Don’t go anywhere on me.”
“Justin.” She looks into my eyes intensely. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter 12 by ialwayzbesingin
I feel strong today. Hell, even empowered. Empowered to make a difference in my life, and help Justin make one in his too.
It’s been so fast. I hated him, and now I’m in love with him, but I don’t think there’s a thing on the planet that could make the feelings I have for him fade away. If anything, they’re even stronger since we talked about his father. I know it took a lot for him to break down and confess the issues he has with his father to me. In fact, on the way to the mission, he admitted to me that he probably would have packed up and left without a goodbye if I hadn’t come in when I did.
I’m glad he didn’t.
The trip to the mission wasn’t the best, as was to be expected. Justin walked in there with me, confident as ever. He held my hand and walked us up to Max and Jules, who seemed to have their hands full as far as directing the food people and the overwhelming amount of press that was there to get a glimpse of Jeanine.
“Max.” He said.
I flinched.
“Can’t you see I’m busy?” Max snapped.
“Jeanine wanted us to come help,” I spoke up, softly.
“We don’t need your help,” Jules said with a glare. “Just take your date for hire somewhere else.”
Normally I would have caved in, walked away and hid in a corner somewhere until the afternoon was over. But things were different. Justin was by my side, and he had made it clear that they were going to stop treating my like an invalid if he had anything to do with it.
I just had no clue what he was going to do.
“Look,” he said harshly. “There’s a lot of people here that want to eat, and there’s a lot of press to get through. Now why don’t you let us help you?”
Max snorted. “Smelly will just fuck everything up. You know…you might be able to help us though, Justin. You could talk to the press until my mom gets here. Regale them all with your big basketball contract at UCLA and then you can tell them the real reason you’re here with Ellie. I’m sure we’d all love to hear the truth. How is that term paper writing business you have on the side anyway, Smells? Profitable? You gonna get a place of your own with your earnings?”
I froze. I could feel Justin’s eyes on me but I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t know what to say, all I knew was that Max had done his research, contacted some people, and found out what it is that I do when I’m at school.
“Speechless?” Jules smiled. “I bet you’d be even more speechless if I told you we found out you’re writing his term paper to hide the fact that you’re a social outcast from mom and dad. How does it feel anyway? Having to hire someone to save your humility? Personally I’d kill myself.”
I felt my knees slowly begin to give way underneath me. They knew. They probably paid someone at UCLA to find out what classes Justin wasn’t doing well in and put two and two together.
“So what? What are you gonna do?” Justin challenged, squeezing my hand tighter. “I’m with this girl right now, and I love her. Go ahead and tell whoever you want about what you know. You think it’s going to get me kicked out of school? I could care less, and getting your step sister kicked out is going to do more damage to your parents than anything else. Smart move though, and all to get back at Ellie for…oh wait, what was it again that makes you hate her so much?”
They both just stared at him. Nobody had ever stood up to them for me, besides Adam, and they never cared what he had to say anyway.
“I’m waiting for an answer,” Justin spoke up.
“She’s never been one of us,” Max said quietly. “She never will be.”
“Fine. So just leave her the hell alone. You’re not kids anymore.”
Again, they said nothing. I think it might have hit them then, that they were a couple of dimwitted fools going to all that trouble to find out about my supposed “secrets”. Lord knows, they’d done a hell of a lot worse things in their lifetime.
“You okay?” Justin whispered as he led me over to the food distribution side of the hall.
I smiled at him. “I’ll be okay.”
We spent the next few hours handing out trays of food to the needy. I’d never done it before, and there was something magical about standing next to the guy I was falling head over heels in love with, helping people who really needed it. If it weren’t for Max and Jules, I might be enticed to come back next year.
We’ll have to see I guess. Either way, I have a feeling that Max and Juliet won’t be so hard pressed to make my life miserable now. I have a feeling they’ll just ignore me, and that’s more than fine.
“So?”
“Hm?”
“Don’t hmm me.” Adam rolls his eyes and continues to apply concealer all over my face. “What happened with you and Mr. NBA?”
“When?”
He narrows his eyes. “I was talking about last night, but we can go for all along, honey. You still haven’t given me details, and don’t hand me that ‘we’ve been together all along’ crap. We both know that’s a lie.”
I sigh. I thought he’d skip over the topic because of his hangover, but that’s not how Adam is, and it’s not like I haven’t experienced him hungover before. He remembers all the details after he sobers up. I should have known better. “You can’t tell anyone you know.”
“You must really hate me. Like I’d actually spread gossip around this god forsaken family. Hold still.”
I flinch when he yanks a few hairs out of my eyebrows. “That hurts you know!”
“Hm, pain is beauty, after all. Now dish.”
“He was failing his English class so I said I’d write his term paper for him if he came home with me. I just wanted all of them to lay off me about not having a boyfriend. I guess it almost worked. Dad and Jeanine bought it. Max and Jules saw right through it though.”
“You knew that’s how it would be anyway though. It’s classic blackmail, El. I’m not surprised. We both have the same snakelike traits in us from dad’s side.”
“Adam…”
“Okay and so, he came here with you and now…what? You two seemed awfully close last night for two people who weren’t even dating at the beginning of the week.”
“You were watching?”
“Periodically,” he laughs. “Smile.”
I do it and he starts to apply blush, not that I need any right now. “We just…I don’t know…”
“Discovered you had more in common than you thought? Well congratulations. I could tell something might happen with you two after I talked to him. He really is a decent guy, El. I don’t know how you lucked out like this. I hope it lasts. He’s really wonderful eye candy…don’t tell Roger I said that.”
I smile at him. “I’ll tuck it away until I need to blackmail you.”
“I’m disgusted. Put this lipstick on.” He thrusts it at me and spins my chair around so I can apply it in the mirror. It’s a color I’d never dream of putting on, but he begged me to be his makeover puppet for the gala tonight to get his name out there amongst Jeanine’s guests, so I begrudgingly agreed. He promised nothing too over the top, but that could mean anything when it comes to Adam. I can already tell how flashy the makeup is going to look when I’m done, and I haven’t even seen the dress he made while Justin and I were at the mission. I’m baffled he could even design a dress in that amount of time. All he said was ‘honey, it’s nothing.’
“Elaborate. How did the charity function go? Did Max get thrown into a boiling pot of water? How about Jules?”
r32;I finish applying the lipstick, a strange metallic purple color that makes me question everything he’s putting on me tonight. “Sadly no, but I made it through the day. I don’t think they’re going to make life as difficult for us anymore.”
“Damn, that’s unfortunate. And how do you know that? Making us feel like outcasts is what they live for. Blot.”
“Justin put them in their place.” I take the tissue from him and do it, and he immediately moves a finger around my lips to take away any excess purple gunk I may have left behind. “Are you sure this is the right color?”
“Hush. Close your eyes.”
I sigh heavily. “I hate make up Adam.”
“You won’t when I’m do-one.” He sings.
I feel brushes begin to sweep over my eyelids and don’t bother protesting while he works.
“What do you mean Justin put them in their place?”
“He basically told them that we aren’t kids anymore, and to move on with their lives. For some reason, it seemed to sink in. Maybe that’s because they deem him as somewhat normal? Who knows.”
“It’s not over, believe me. Steer clear of them tonight,” he warns me. “Okay, open.”
I open my eyes. “I’m not worried about them, Adam. You shouldn’t be either.”
“I have to be,” he laughs. “Besides you, I have nobody else on my side. They gang up on me, Dad does too. Remember last night at dinner? Jeanine means well but she’s not exactly going to do much else but scold Max until he shuts up. I think this is going to be my last Christmas out here. I can’t take it anymore, El.”
I don’t blame him. I wish my dad could just open his eyes and realize he has a son that wants to be close to him. He can’t accept the fact that Adam is gay. If he could just take a minute to meet Roger properly, he would see how happy they are together. He never will though. It’s just not in him. I think back on all the years my father has resented my brother, and I know…things will always be this way. Maybe I shouldn’t hate Jeanine as much as I do. She’s always been there for my brother, believed in him, and helped him achieve the things he wanted to do. I know she’s gone to New York several times to visit with him and Roger.
Maybe Justin is right. Maybe she’s not so bad.
Maybe I’ve just been so afraid about forgetting our mother, that I didn’t have it in me to let her in. If I tried, maybe things would be different.
I guess I’ll never know, because we’ll never be close.
“Okay…moving on from family drudgery. Stand up,” Adam grins into the mirror. “I can’t wait to see this on you.”
I do it only so he won’t get depressed. When I turn around I come face to face with a dress that can only be described as ‘loud metal’. It glitters, literally. It’s metallic sliver and Adam managed to sew tiny silver jewels and sequins all over. It definitely goes with the metallic looking makeup he’s put on me, and the silver stuff he sprayed in my hair, but I know this is way more than I was expecting. “Adam…”
“I know what you’re thinking. Don’t even say it, just put it on.”
“But…”
“El you promised.” He gives me his best puppy dog eyes and sticks out his bottom lip.
“God, fine,” I groan and step forward so he can help me into the dress. “You seriously owe me.”
“You’re gonna be the talk of the party.”
“That’s for sure.” I narrow my eyes at him as he finishes lowering the dress over my body, and he zips it up in the back.
“You have no faith in me, dear sister. I’ll have you know, this is the latest trend. It’s all about glam. Now turn and look at yourself.”
I don’t recognize myself when I finally turn around to look in the mirror. I look like one of those models you’d see on a fashion billboard, but I’m sure that’s what Adam was going for. He’s trying to sell himself and get his fashion line off the ground so he’ll have something to work with next year.r32;
“Look out Tyra Banks,” he giggles. “You’re gorge.”
“I better not get laughed at.”
He plants a kiss on my cheek. “So what if you do? Do you really care what these people think?”
“No…but I care what Justin thinks.”
“You’re gorge! He’ll be lucky to have you at his side tonight,” Adam smiles.
I wish I could believe him.
*********************
The gala started twenty minutes ago, but I haven’t gone inside the room yet. The guests have been filing in and I’ve made myself as inconspicuous as possible. I want to wait for Ellie, but damn, I don’t get why she’s late.
I hope she’s all right.
“Sorry! I know we’re a little late.”
I look up and see Adam jogging down the grand staircase, grinning from ear to ear. He left all his piercings in, but he’s wearing a three piece suit tonight, complete with pinstripes, a fedora, and spats. “Where is she?”
He comes to stand beside me when he reaches the bottom of the stairs. “She’s…stalling,” he groans. “ELEANOR!”
“DON’T CALL ME ELEANOR!”
Adam grins. “Gets her every time. By the way, thanks for switching your suit to gray at the last minute. I know how much I hate having to change my whole ensemble an hour before a party.”
“It’s really no big deal,” I laugh. He came to me frantically about an hour ago, asking if i could wear his gray suit. I didn’t get it at the time, but since Ellie was getting ready for tonight, I figured I’d make life easier on the both of us and just do it. “I was happy to do it.”
“Ellie get down here! There’s no sense hiding! You have a handsome young man here dressed up to take you to the biggest dinner gala of the year! You should feel like Cinderella!”
“I feel like the Tin Man’s wife!”
I glance at Adam and smile. “What did you do?”
“I made her do something different for once. GET DOWN HERE ELLIE!”
I hear her groan once more before she appears at the top of the staircase. I don’t laugh…no. The look is different, I’ll give Adam that, but it’s kind of cool. I would expect to see her metallic outfit on a runway someplace, not here, but I know it’s Adam’s intention to show off his talent to the rich bastards in the next room tonight. “Where’d you get it?” I whisper, as Ellie miserably plods down the stairs.
“Surely you can give me more credit than that honey. I made it, and the makeup style is all mine own, and the hairstyle was my idea too. Adam Granby, at your service.”
“Thought your last name is Plymouth?”
“Jeanine and I talked about it and I told her I wanted to take her last name when I start my line. I’m sure you can understand why.”
I nod a little. I get it. He doesn’t want to be associated with his father. It’s sad, but then again, I’d probably do the same thing if my father chastised everything I did in my life.
Oh wait, he does.
“You made him wear a matching colored suit?” Ellie says when she reaches where we are standing. “Adam, really?”
“It’s part of the package, dahling,” he winks. “See you inside.” He pecks her a little kiss on the cheek and saunters away from us, disappearing into the party room seconds later.
“I was waiting for you to start making jingling sounds,” I laugh at her.
“Oh right. Great.” She crosses her arms and glares at me. “I look like a hunk of metal.”
“I was going to say glitter princess, but whatever you want.” I pull her towards me and kiss her on the lips. “Look, in the fashion world, especially the one that your brother is in, we’d make a statement on the runway. We’re doing it for Adam, that’s all. He did a nice job on your makeup. I think it’s cool. Everyone in there will be in black dresses and tuxes.”
“I’d rather blend in.”
“No.” I shake my head. “You shouldn’t. You’re special,” I say quietly and feel my cheeks begin to burn. “I want everyone to be jealous when I walk you into a room.” I hold my arm out to her. “Come on.”
“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”
I smirk. “Yeah, but it’s working isn’t it?”
“So?” She loops her arm through mine. “Let’s just go.”
I lead the way and the door is opened for us when I knock on it. Jeanine is there to greet us enthusiastically, and I don’t hesitate to kiss her on the cheek.
“You two look amazing,” she gasps. “Adam told me he was working on something special but I never expected this. He’s something else. Right, Eleanor?”
I glance at her and her teeth are gritted, so I decide to answer instead. “Yeah, really amazing.”
“Why don’t you two get settled at the table, and I’ll come by in a while to take you around the room. I talked to Mitch about you, and he said he’s very excited to meet you tonight.”
“Wow, thanks,” I smile.
Ellie drags me away to our table, not stopping once to let me take an hors d’oeuvre off a tray or accept a flute of Cristal Champagne. It’s annoying, but then again, I know she’s uncomfortable in the dress and the fact that we match isn’t helping. One thing she hasn’t learned during our little experience together is how to relax, not yet. I don’t think she’s had enough time, but to be honest, that time won’t come soon enough.
I hope I can last, but I will, because I know I love her.
We’re seated at a table with, guess who, Max, Jules and a few of their friends. Adam is nowhere to be found, and I’m assuming it’s because he’s working the room. I’m uncomfortable and when I look over at Ellie, I can tell she wants to run and hide.
“Hey guys, you know our step sister Ellie right? She kind of fell victim to our step brother Adam’s fashion craze this year. It’s cool though. Metal is cool.”
Max says it, and I look up at him, ready to tear him to pieces. There’s a soft gaze in his eyes though, and a calm expression on his face. There’s no intimidation right now, no hard feelings, and he’s trying to tell me that. My mind is blown.
The other guests at the table all nod, acknowledging us.
“This year she brought a date home,” Jules smiles. “This is her boyfriend, Justin. El, why don’t you tell us the story of how you met? It’s so cute.”
We sit there in stunned silence for several moments. I’m waiting for something to happen, for Max to make some really snide remark or for Jules to pour wine over our heads, and I know Ellie is too. But they don’t do a thing. They sit there smiling, waiting for Ellie to tell them the story.
So fucking weird.
Did I make that much of an impact on those two? Did they finally come to their senses?
“I was Justin’s English tutor…” Ellie begins slowly, and I give her hand a squeeze of encouragement. “He plays basketball for UCLA and…apparently he had a crush on me the whole time.”
I smile. “I thought you had a crush on me?”
Everyone laughs and welcomes us into their conversation for the evening. Bewildering, yes, but I won’t say a thing. It’s better for Ellie that they’ve decided to give this a try. It’s all I could have asked for…it’s a damn Christmas miracle.
God, I hope it lasts.
One of Max’s friends starts talking to me about basketball and the draft the moment I mention my plans, and I’m swept away into the conversation. At some point I lose track of Ellie and when I look over for her, I find that she’s not there. Jules is gone too. “Where’d they go?” I look at Max.
“Oh…bathroom. They’ll be back.” He takes a long drink of his cocktail and tries to hide that sinister smirk of his.
Damn it. I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true.
Something isn’t right. I start to get nervous, and I’m about to get up and go find my girlfriend but then Jeanine appears at the table, all smiles, with the general manager of the Lakers and Ellie’s dad. How the hell can I leave now?
“Justin, this is Mitch!” Jeanine exclaims.
I force a smile, force myself to do everything my father has always taught me, because there’s no choice. “It’s great to meet you sir,” I come around the table and shake Mitch’s hand firmly. “Jeanine has said great things about you.”
“Well I would hope so,” he laughs. “We’ve been keeping track of you, Justin. I have to say, I’m impressed. Now…when can we…”
He starts to ramble on about setting up meetings. He even wants me to come to one of the teams practices for a private audition. It’s incredible and I’ve been working my whole life for an opportunity this big.
But I can’t shake the fact that my girlfriend might be in a very uncomfortable situation with her stepsister.
“So when can we set it up?”
“I’m um…I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I have to step out for a few minutes.”
“Justin?” Jeanine says, baffled. “What’s going on?”
“I have to go.” I push past them, and I’m sure I have absolutely no chance with the Lakers now, but it doesn’t even matter.
Ellie matters.
I spot Adam halfway out of the room, and pull him out of a conversation.
“Whoa, honey, you look like you’re going to be sick,” he smiles. “What’s the matter?”
“Jules took Ellie somewhere.” I gaze all around the grand room, trying to see if I can spot them, but they’re just not there. “Did you see them?”
“No…but…why would she go off with Jules?”
“When we sat down they welcomed us. I thought maybe they decided to listen to what I said…”
His expression pales, and his eyes go wide with intense fear. “Vultures never change. Come on.”
Chapter 13 by ialwayzbesingin
“Please don’t.”
She grins and holds the scissors up to the dress. I struggle against the bungee cords binding my wrists to the bed, and feel the tears running down my face.
How could I be this stupid? How could I trust her enough to go off alone with her? After everything she’s done to me? She asked me if I could go to the bathroom with her, because she didn't want to go alone. I don't know why I said yes. God, why did I say yes? When we got to the second floor, she twisted my arm behind me, and I tried to cry out, but she shoved me into a bedroom before I could do anything. I fought her so hard, but she was too strong for me. The next thing I knew she had pinned me down to the bed, and bound my wrists to the headboard. I couldn't make a sound. I was paralyzed, and terrified that Max was going to come in and do something awful to me. He never came. Jules got the scissors instead, told me it was time for me to pay for what I did the other day at the Mission.
They welcomed Justin and I to the table like we were equals, like they accepted us, and for a while at least, I was sure what Justin said at the Mission had made an impact. I thought things were going to change, that I would finally be able to come home and not live in fear of Max and Jules.
Nothing is that simple.
“You think you can just march your little boyfriend into our lives and have him demand that we be nice to you smelly?” She moves the scissor blades under one of the straps of Adam’s dress and snips it off.
“Why are you doing this?” I sob. “Just let me go, Jules.”
“You’re getting what you deserve. Max wishes you well on your trip downstairs, by the way. He can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction to your change of clothes,” she laughs.
Snip. The other strap gets cut off, and then she starst to pull the whole dress apart. It rips halfway down my body and then the whole thing is yanked off me. Adam’s dress is completely ruined and I would say good riddance, but this situation is a little too extreme for me to dwell on it. I’m in nothing but a bra and panties now, and when she puts the scissors up to my bra straps, and snips them off too, I know I’m doomed. She’s going to strip me naked and parade me in front of Jeanine’s entire gala. It's flashbacks from that day they did this to me in high school, but... I won’t just be the laughing stock of the family after that. I’ll be the laughing stock of Hollywood. People will take pictures. I’ll end up on the internet for sure.
Justin won’t want to be with somebody that’s a laughing stock.
I’d rather be dead than face this humiliation.
“Bye bye panties.”
Snip.
I’m completely naked now. I shudder and sob. When she unties my wrists, I know it’s over. I know there’s no choice but to face humiliation.
She yanks me to my feet. “Go downstairs.”
I just stand there and sob, holding my breasts tightly against my chest.
“Go!” She pushes me roughly, and yanks the door open. “I said go!”
“Ellie!”
I hear Justin’s voice somewhere down the hallway. Oh God. I can’t let him see me this way.
Jules is laughing.
“Ellie!” Adam turns the corner first, and stops in his tracks when he sees what’s happened to me. He doesn’t hesitate, he races to me and shields me with his whole body. “What the HELL did you do to her, Juliet!” He screams.
“She got what was coming to her,” she grins. “Have a merry Christmas, Adam.”
She saunters away. She got away with it. Of course she did. So did Max. But Max would never have been the initiator. He’s the delegator, getting his sister to do his dirty work so he’ll never take the blame. “Adam get me out of here,” I whimper. “Please.”
“You’re okay, honey.”
“Just get me out of here.”
“El.”
Justin is standing at the end of the hallway, looking absolutely bewildered at my current situation. I’m mortified. “Adam…” I cry.
“Justin, go back to the party, okay?” He tells him. “It’s a bad time.”
“Wait…where are her clothes? What did she do to her?”
“Justin go!” Adam yells. “Just go.”
“Ellie,” he says tenderly. “Ellie come on. Talk to me.”
But I can’t. I’m too humiliated. I can’t tell him that I let her strap me down to the bed and rip my clothes off like a weakling. I just can’t. “Go, Justin. Just leave. I’m sorry.”
He looks like somebody just sucked all the life out of him, as stares back at me, like he can’t believe what I’m saying. But I meant it. I can’t…I can’t face him, not now, like this, on Christmas Eve. I don’t know when I’ll be able to.
“I’ll call Roger.” Adam whispers to me as he leads me into another bedroom. “We’ll get on a plane in the morning okay?”
I just nod, and let him take me away from all of it. It’s all I can do right now, although, that small voice inside my head is telling me I might be making the biggest mistake of my life, walking away from Justin, after I promised him I wouldn’t.
I never said I was good at this.
Chapter 14 by ialwayzbesingin
Finally finished! Yay! Merry unChristmas!
********
March
I’m still in love with her. Crazy, head over heels in love, but I can’t get to her, and the pain is indescribable. I stopped calling a long time ago. I left her parents estate in a rush on Christmas Eve, and checked into a hotel downtown, instead of seeking sanctuary at Trace’s. I couldn’t face him. He wouldn’t have understood and I had been through enough. I called Ellie every hour on Christmas Day but I couldn’t get through to her. Adam eventually answered and asked me to please stop calling. He said he would let me know as soon as she was ready to talk.
“Ellie has had a really hard time with Max and Jules. So have I, but they never did anything like this when it came to me,” he said. “Right now, she just needs to get herself together and move on. In fact, I wish she hadn’t come home at all this year, but she was trying to do something to get our father to take an interest in her. I guess…she may have used you, and that was wrong, and I’m sorry she dragged you into it. I really like you Justin. I thought you might have been the perfect person for El, but…you have to realize she’s not in any condition to talk or see anybody right now. It seems extreme, but she’s traumatized and it’s Christmas. I just need to spend this time alone with my sister and get her through what happened the best way I can. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
“No I…I wouldn’t have a reason to hold it against you.”
“Thanks. I’m glad that I was able to meet you.”
“Can you do me a favor, Adam?”
r32;He sighed. “Sure, what is it?”
“When she’s ready, can you just let her know that I love her?”
He was silent for a very long moment. “Yeah. I can do that.”
He hung up, and we haven’t had contact since. A week after that conversation, I received an email from Ellie. There was no message, just an attachment.
My term paper.
I knew it was the last thing I was going to get from her. It was closure, at least for her. For me it was just a painful reminder of what happened with us. She promised she wouldn’t go anywhere and a day later she cast me away. I wanted to be angry at her, hate her, but I couldn’t because I cared about her too much. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t let me in that night, let me talk to her after we’d already done so much together in those two days. Jules just ripped all of her dignity and confidence away. It was her intention, Max’s too. They’re the real people to blame for this, but they’ll never pay for what they did.
It’s awful. I can’t even look at women the same way. I have the occasional fling, but never date anymore, it’s too painful, but it’s better for my game.
Actually, my game is the only thing that’s been going my way lately.
I ended up at my dad’s for New Years. Since Ellie was out of the picture, I figured it would be easier to do as he said and keep my career on track. I had no reason to fight for a difference, because the person I wanted to spend my time with was gone. Tamara was there, flashing the large diamond ring my father had given her in my face, and I did everything I could to avoid her for the few days I was visiting. My dad sat me down a few times and talked to me about business dealings, and different agents he wanted me to talk to. It was nothing new. The majority of my time there was spent on the court at the park, and in the weight room downstairs. I’d skipped a couple of days because of Ellie and I knew I needed the extra time. Pumping weights helped get my mind off of her, but I couldn’t suppress those memories for long.
I didn’t say a thing to my father about taking control of my own career. I let it go, just like Ellie had let me go. It was easier. I didn’t have to stress myself out, just let him handle all the paperwork.
r32;Nothing changed. I handed that term paper into Fitzburg a week after new years and she barely acknowledged me. Bitch.
I’m so glad I’m out of that University and away from Ellie.
We decided that I should sign early, rather than have me enter into the draft this spring. Miami and Los Angeles both made me offers at the same time. Mitch even had me come down for that private audition, despite what happened Christmas Eve. I think Jeanine may have had something to do with it. It was barely a blessing though, because all I thought about the entire time, was Ellie. I was there because of her, and it hurt.
Maybe that’s why I didn’t sign with them. Hell, I don’t know. I try not to think about it. My father wanted me to play with Miami since the NBA became an option for me, so signing with them seemed to make the most sense. I signed a four million over four year contract, and after that I’ll be looking into free agency.
He’s happy.
I’m just happy to be away from him. I have people now. A sports agent that handles my career, trainers, coaches, and doctors that help me stay on top of my game. I haven’t needed to hire a personal assistant yet, but people tell me that in a year, when my name is more popular, I probably won’t have a choice. My dad doesn’t have to linger around me anymore. He’s off living in the lap of luxury with his nineteen year old bride to be. We don’t talk as much as we used to. He takes the fifty thousand dollar cut of my salary that I promised him, and that’s about it.
“Naked?”
I lick my lips and roll onto my side. “Yeah.”
“Her sister did it?”
“Stepsister, yeah.”
“Shit dude. Crazy ass relatives. You never know with the quiet types. They can be related to anybody.”
“She wouldn’t talk to me, Trace. She just…told me to leave.”
“Can you blame her? The girl must have been mortified. Anyway, it’s not like you had anything going with her. You did her a favor, and now it’s done. You have more important things to focus on. I mean, shit, you’re in the NBA now.”
It’s the first time I’ve been able to have an actual conversation with him since winter break. I haven’t been able to tell him that I fell in love with Ellie Plymouth over the span of three days, though. I guess…I know what he would say to me, and I don’t want to hear it. Instead I’m telling him what happened when I “pretended to play her boyfriend” and he’s reacting just as I thought he would.
I feel separated from him now. Separated from everything I ever knew, because my life has changed so much in the matter of a few months. I’m on my own a lot. I just bought a house in a quiet suburb of Miami and it’s very nice, but I don’t know anyone here. Going pro is surreal, you feel like a king for about a month before reality sets in. Then you’re just sort of thrust into this big pit of rookies trying to make an impact on the team, and hope like hell that you get to play more than twice a month. There’s ten of us. We’re all judged, ranked, and rated at every practice, and every game. The coaches are relentless and the players that make eighteen million plus a season could give a shit if you make through your first season or not. We aren’t even in their league. Lebron and Wade don’t exchange small talk with me in the locker room. If I put a foot out of line, I don’t play, and while my ego isn’t as big as some of the other rookies on the team, I’ve been told more than once that I’m not an MVP anymore. They do it to knock you into place, get you aggressive so you’ll play harder. I have to admit, I’ve never played so hard.
I’ve never played this well either.
Last week, I played my first big game, had a couple of assists to Wade, one to Lebron, and afterwards, in the locker room, he came up to me and said ‘way to play’.
I tried not to get the warm fuzzies, but it was the first time anyone high ranking had spoken to me like I was on the same team as them.
I think I’ll be okay. I think I’ll make it, even if I get traded away.
“Just tell me that Jeanine was as hot as I think she is.”
“I guess.”
“Shit man, you had that hot ass woman right in front of you, and I bet you didn’t even give her a second look. Pathetic”
He’s right. I was too into Ellie to care. “I wasn’t really there to hit on her, Trace.”
“Yeah well…I would have.”
I can’t talk about this. I’ve been doing better lately, focusing on my game more than anything else. We have a four game stretch in New York City this week, and Coach told me that he’s been thinking about playing me in all of them. He wants to open me up and see what I’ve got, because trade season is right around the corner, and he’s only going to keep so many rookies. I’d like to stay with Miami for at least a year if I can. There’s no locker room drama, and people tend to keep to themselves. It’s better for me, and so, I can’t afford to dwell on something that was never meant to be. I’m moving on, completely, and somewhere down the road I’ll meet another woman that can understand me.
Who am I kidding? There’s no one like Ellie.
“Listen, my car will be here in a minute. I have a photo shoot today for this new endorsement my agent booked. Can I call you tomorrow?”
“Sure, I guess. If you get around to it.”
I sigh. I know, I’m probably the worst person in the world to be friends with right now. I don’t see him, I barely call him. I don’t know why he continues to try. “When I get back home I’ll fly you out to Miami. How about that?”
“Hey, I’m not your dad, I can pay my own way…but sure, I’d like that. It’ll be fun.”
“Great. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“I still think you should have gone for Jeanine.”
“Goodbye Trace.” I roll my eyes, but can’t help but laugh when I hang up on him. I swear, he’s my saving grace right now, even if it can only be by phone.
I do a final check in the mirror before grabbing my wallet off the dresser and heading out of my hotel room. My agent got me some endorsement for a new Gatorade type drink called Thunder Water. If they like me, and I continue to play at the level I am now, they might take me on as their spokesperson. He said it’ll be a good way to introduce people to my “persona” before I get big. Really? It’s flavored water. It’s also a forty thousand dollar check that my dad doesn’t know about, so I haven’t let my true feelings shine through.
The car is right on time, but I wouldn’t have expected less. The driver greets me quickly and opens my door, and I sink down into the leather interior, letting out a long breath. I’m tired. Practice this morning killed me and I’m still sore from all the suicides I ran. Standing under a bunch of hot lights and being told how to pose for hours on end doesn’t sound like fun, but I signed on and can’t back out now. I use the time we spend in traffic to my advantage, lean my head back against the seat and close my eyes, nearly dozing off before I feel the car come to a gentle stop. I know we’re here, and groan heavily as the door is opened for me.
“I’ll be right here when you get out, Mr. Timberlake,” the driver says.
I nod and smile at him, before I open the heavy door and step inside the building. The woman at the reception desk dials a number on her phone and lets whoever it is know that I’m here. It literally takes thirty seconds for someone to come down and get me. She’s young, tells me her name is Gloria and that she works for the photo studio.
“If you need anything at all just wave me over. Don’t ask the photographer to stop what he’s doing or he’ll have a fit. He’s a bit of a maniac, so when he tells you to stand or turn a certain way, try to get it right the first time. You’ll see Adam first. He’s got your wardrobe and makeup set to go, and he’ll take you out to the shoot, and touch you up when you need it. You can talk to him all you want, but I have to warn you, he’s very…passionate, about what he’s doing. Got all that?”
“I um…yeah, I think so.”
“It’s your first time?” She smirks.
“Well I’m not a model, I’m a ball player.”
“Yeah, that’s what Lebron said too. It’s all the same thing these days, models, actors, singers, athletes. They all come here. I can’t tell the difference anymore, personally.” The elevator doors ding open and she lets out a sigh of relief. “Here we are, come.”
I follow her hesitantly. Suddenly, I’m not exactly sure what I’ve gotten myself into. I don’t know if I’m cut out for all this modeling. I knew I’d be doing endorsements but I figured it would be more TV than anything else.
I’m uncomfortable, and I can’t tell anybody, because there’s too much at stake. I wish I had someone with me, like Trace, that could get me to crack up laughing over something dumb so I would forget about how sick I feel right now.
But I’m alone.
We walk down several hallways bustling with people, before we reach a door labeled ‘wardrobe.’ Gloria raps on it harshly. “Adam! Next appointment is here!”
I can hear music blaring from the inside of the room. Loud techno club music much like the kind I heard at the rave during my time with Ellie. My stomach twinges, and I try to shake off the feeling.
But when the door opens, I just about lose it.
“Well hello,” Adam Granby flashes me a sly smile. “You’re the two o’clock?”
He’s changed his appearance slightly. His trademark eyeliner and piercings are still in place, but his hair isn’t cut into thirty different angles anymore, and there’s only one streak of color mixed in with his natural black…neon blue. He’s in a simple white tee shirt and jeans, with a crazy looking belt and heeled boots that have been covered in rhinestones. “I’m the two o’clock,” My voice trembles when I speak.
God, what are the odds?
“Come in honey.” Adam smiles more so for Gloria than me. “We’ll be fine from here.”
“Hm, yeah. Hurry up. Claudio is already pissed off and I’m the one he’s been taking it out on.”
“Whatever.” He yanks me inside, and slams the door in her face. “That woman needs to tone it down, if you know what I mean. Have a seat.” He spins his makeup chair towards me, I guess to make it more inviting.
He hasn’t even acknowledged the fact that it’s me. “Adam…”
“Listen, I’m on the tightest schedule of my life.” He drags me to the chair and practically pushes me down into it. “We’ll talk later. Just work with me.”
“How can I…”
“Hush.”
He pulls a lever and the chair falls all the way back. My body smacks against the back of it, and I groan. “Ow!”
“Pain is beauty.” He grins and pulls a makeup brush out of the belt hanging off the side of his jeans, dabbing it in some kind of creamy foundation before bringing it back to my face. “Don’t move. This is going to be epic when I’m finished with you.”
I flinch at the first touch of the stuff, and Adam scolds me (honey I mean it. Hold still), but after that it gets easier. I’m in that same position for forty five minutes, surrounded by the sounds of techno music and the sight of watching Adam work furiously with his palate of makeup. At some point I realize that he’s actually drawing on my face, and I’m not sure if I like it, but I say nothing. Too much is running through my mind. Does he live here? Is Ellie here? Is she back in California? Is she okay?
Did he tell her that I love her?
I can’t ask the questions and it’s driving me out of my fucking skull.
“There.” He finally smiles and lets me sit upright again. “I think that came out splendid, don’t you?”
He turns the chair, and I’m able to see my face. It’s been caked in a layer of white face paint and running down the very center of my complexion is a huge silver lightning bolt. It’s crazy, too crazy, too bold for my first ad. “It’s a little out there Adam…”
“Too late now.” He laughs. “Come on, we’re late and you have to get dressed.”
“How is she?”
His hand lands on the door knob, and his shoulders sag slightly. “I can’t do this while I”m working, Justin. Please just let me get through the rest of the day.”
“Just give me something.”
He turns slightly. “Then will you stop asking questions?”
“For now.”
“She’s…better, I guess, if that means anything. I’ve sort of hired her to work for me, but you can’t really consider it that, since my project is still getting off the ground. El is a whiz with finance though. She’s kept me from going over budget dozens of times. I think she’s happier here than she was back in California, but…she’s still not herself.” He opens the door. “After you.”
I slowly get up from the chair and walk toward him. “Can I see her?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I can’t say yes or no, and I know if I asked her she’d go all Eleanor on me.”
“Give me something, Adam. What can I do? That night I…”
“Let’s not get into that night,” he says seriously. “Look, we didn’t get to have Christmas. I was planning to have a few friends over to celebrate with us on Saturday night. We have a tree set up and everything. If you’d like, you’re more than welcome to join us, but I can’t promise you anything.”
“I have a game,” I frown. “We’re at the Garden Saturday night.”
“Oh, right, you signed with Miami didn’t you?”
“You’ve been keeping track?”
“Roger loves sports, as much as it disappoints me. He has season tickets to the Knicks and he drags me to games whenever he can. His company gives them to him for free. I normally loathe sports, but I was happy to hear you made it. How’s it been anyway?”
“I have a lighting bolt painted on my face, Adam. What do you think?”
He laughs. “Welcome to the world of sports endorsements. It’s not just for breakfast anymore.”
I roll my eyes.
“Maybe…I can con Ellie into coming to the game Saturday night. I’ll just tell her that we have an extra ticket or something. If she doesn’t murder me before the game is over, you can come back and celebrate our unChristmas with us.”
“You’d do that?”
He shrugs and crosses his arms. “I don’t respect that many people, but I respect you. You went out of your way to help my sister when you didn’t have to, and that night when you told me that you loved her…I knew you weren’t pulling it out of your ass.”
“No.” I shake my head slightly . “I meant what I said. Did you ever get to tell her?”
“I couldn’t. I think it would have just messed her up more.”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I can understand that.”
He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Just prepare yourself for the worst on Saturday. Is there a place we can meet you after the game or something?”
“I’ll leave some passes at the will call. The media coordinator will bring you back with the press.”
r32;“I feel so dirty,” he sighs. “You realize it’s my ass if she gets pissed off, right?”
“I’m hoping she won’t,” I half smile.
“I guess we’ll find out. Now go on, get dressed, Mr. Thunder Water before my artwork melts off your face.”
“Is he not in dress yet!” Gloria storms up to us and puts her hands on her hips. “Adam! Claudio is waiting!”
“Just chill out sweetheart.” He rolls his eyes and sweeps his bangs out of his face. “It’s just shorts and sneakers anyway.”
“Exactly! He should be set to go by now!”
“Come on,” he groans, and pulls me down to the next door by the arm. “Do you want me to help you change?”
“No…no I’m okay.”
“If you smudge I will kill you,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me. “It’s the red and white shorts and the black and red basketball trainers.”
“No shirt?”
He smiles. “Not this time.”
I cringe. “You owe me.”
Chapter 15 by ialwayzbesingin
“So you want him to do something artistic with a vat of Jello…oh? I see…you want to be in the vat of Jello?” I exchange glances with my brother.
“No way.” He whispers it, and rolls his eyes. “Nightmares for life.”
r32;“I’ll let him know the concept. Yes, he’ll get back to you. Bye now.” I slam the phone down. “Who have you been giving your card to?”
“It must have been one of Claudio’s people,” Adam shrugs. “Hey, at least they’re calling. I have six private clients lined up for the next month, and Claudio says he’s going to spotlight my work for fall fashion week. Business is blooming El. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
He kisses me on the cheek, and it gets me to smile. A month ago, when I finally started to smile again, it felt strange, but now I’m used to the feeling again. I’ve come a long way since that night. I guess you could say…I’ve come back to life. It’s been a slow process and for awhile, I never thought I’d be able to. When I first came out here I would lay in bed most days, removed from society because I was still so embarrassed about what Jules and Max had done to me. It wasn’t even just the episode on Christmas, it was everything they’d done since my dad had married Jeanine. They’d turned me into this closed off shell of a person, who feared everything and everyone. Even though I was across the country and no one knew me, I was convinced if I stepped outside someone that knew Max or Jules would see me, and make my life a living hell all over again.
Adam has helped so much. He has really awesome friends out here that have welcomed me into their circle, and Roger is always around to brighten my day in some small way, leaving fancy little boxes of cookies on my pillow, or calling me out of the blue to see how my day is going. He works on Wall Street but likes to bake on the side too. He has a little online business that specializes in gourmet gift baskets, and he does pretty well with it. On the weekends, it’s become somewhat of a ritual for him and I to bake cookies and sweets all day. It became my therapy I guess, because getting the ingredients meant going on trips to the food store with him, and little by little that branched out into trips elsewhere in the city, until I wasn’t afraid to go outside anymore. Roger is just like Adam, he doesn’t question or judge me, he likes me for who I am. I guess it’s easier for him to do that, since he’s judged his whole life because of his sexual attraction to men.
People suck.
Last week I contacted UCLA and had them transfer my credits to me. They gave me a hard time, said I had been classified as a drop out, but then I talked to Fitzburg who didn’t hesitate to help. She always liked me, and because of her, I’ll be starting classes next month at NYU. It’ll be a little hard to catch up, but I’m going to take some courses over the summer too, which will speed the process along, and I’ll be able to start fresh in the fall.
For now, I’ve made it my mission to help my brother get his fashion business off the ground. He made a name for himself during fashion week this year, and was hired shortly after by a very popular abstract photographer named Claudio Gratzeu. He does all the hair, makeup, and wardrobe for his photo shoots. So far, he’s worked with about two dozen A list celebrities, not that he cares…we grew up around half of them. It’s been very lucrative for him but the schedule is grueling, sometimes he works seven days straight, and he goes on location a lot too. There are some weeks I barely see him, but I know he loves what he does and wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Being here with my brother has been life changing to say the least, and I know I should have moved with him the first time he asked me. I was so hell bent on doing everything myself, that I couldn’t see his reason. I can’t believe I would have rather spent my summers being degraded by Max and Jules when I had two amazing people that loved me out here. I may be book smart, but I swear, I have no common sense.
I can’t see a good thing, even when it slaps me in the face.
I regret so much, but it’s done now, and I can never get him back. I wouldn’t want to try, because I know in the end, I’d just drag him down, and he’s better than that. I think about him sometimes, late at night in bed. I remember the way he kissed me, the way his eyes would close, the would pour everything he had into it. I remember the way he would smile, the way he held my hand.
The way he told me that he was in love with me.
It was three days. Three days that never should have happened, but they did. I think he was confused. We both were. Still, I’m thankful for the experience of him. I felt special for the first time in my life, and I guess…I’ll look back on it fondly as ‘that Christmas I fell for a jock’. I spied on Roger’s ESPN time enough to find out he signed with Miami. I hope he’s happy, hope he got away from his father.
I hope he found someone that likes him for the Justin inside, and not the ball player.
“I’m so excited for unChristmas.” Adam creeps toward our Christmas tree, carefully picks up one of the immaculately wrapped packages that Roger put there for him to open tomorrow night, and shakes it a little bit. “You think it’s new makeup brushes, El? Burberry gloves? You know how much I love Burberry.”
“You know he doesn’t want you doing that. Remember how angry he was yesterday?”
“He just hates it when I push his buttons,” Adam laughs. “I made it up to him later, don’t worry.”
“Please spare me,” I groan. “I love you both but I don’t need to know what goes on after hours.”
He smiles, and I see his cheeks turn a little pink as he continues to pick at the package. “By the way…we got stuck with an extra ticket for the Knicks game tomorrow. Roger wanted to know if you wanted to come with us.”
“It’s unChristmas, I thought you were skipping the game.”
I’ll be honest, when Adam initially came up with the idea I didn’t want anything to do with it. The devil had come to Christmas, just like he told me, and I didn’t want to think back on it. The thing is, Adam loves Christmas. When our mom was alive, you couldn’t have asked for a better time of year. We were close with dad then, we were a family, and Christmas was the ultimate day for us. After she was gone, Adam always tried to get me in the spirit. He would spend hours helping Jeanine decorate the house in hopes that everything would be the same.
It was never the same, and by the third Plymouth/Granby Christmas, the enthusiasm he’d once had for the holiday was non existent. When he went off to college and met Roger, I guess it came rushing back to him. Apparently, they’ve been having epic Christmases every year they’ve spent together, and they’ve made the best of things for ‘unChristmas’ even though it’s way late. The penthouse they share has been decked out with lights and cheesy festive decorations, complete with a real tree that Roger got imported from someplace in Canada. Hell, there’s even lemon liqueur cookies laid out for Santa. Roger and I baked them, and it got me to laugh, so I guess that’s good.
I’m going to eat them later. All of them.
“They’re court side seats. You know how Roger is with his sports infatuation. It’s the straightest part of him. We’ll celebrate unChristmas after the game is over.” Adam rolls his eyes, and carefully peels a piece of tape from the present and manages to lift a part of the shiny gold wrapping up without ripping it. “Shit, white box. That bastard. He knew I’d peek.”
“I don’t know if I’m up for basketball,” I drone, and focus back on the pile of paperwork I’ve been working on for my brother. “You should give the ticket to someone who cares, and have a good time. I can stay here and start making platters for the party or something.”
“Come on, I can’t sit through a basketball game with Roger. I whine too much and he gets annoyed. They company only gives him court side tickets once a month, so I have to behave. Please, El?”
He’s giving me those stupid puppy dog eyes. God, I hate it, but I can’t say no. “This isn’t the best unChristmas present.”
“I’ll make it up to you later,” he smirks. “I swear.”
r32;“Yeah, right.”
He won’t look at me, and my stomach twinges just slightly. I’m not really sure why, either. I just know how my brother gets when he has an idea. “Adam what are you up to?”
“Nothing,” he can’t suppress the nervousness in his laugh. “Honey, you’re such a worry wart.” He carefully tapes the wrapping paper back into place and tucks the package back under the tree. “I just want you there so we can make fun of the masculinity that defines sports together. Is that so bad?”
“I…I guess not.”
“So you’ll go?”
“Well…”
“Good, I’ll tell Roger.” He kisses my cheek again. “Carry on. I’m going to redesign my color palette for next weeks wardrobe. It’s all wrong. I swear, sometimes I’m such a dope.”
He walks away.
I’m nauseated, and frightened. Waves of panic rush through me, and I can’t figure out why. But I already said yes.
I’m stuck now.
Chapter 16 by ialwayzbesingin
“I heard you’re on first roster tonight.”
I glance at him as I open my locker. Wade. He’s never spoken to me before tonight. “Yeah. That’s what Coach said.”
“Well just make sure you don’t get in my way, rookie,” He pulls his jersey over his head and walks away. “By the way, you’re late.”
I let out a long breath. Great. I’ve been a nervous wreck as it is, with such a big game hanging over my head. I’ve played in big arenas, but this is by far the biggest, and I’m first on the court tonight. I’ll be playing alongside some of the best in the business and normally I could handle that just fine. I mind my business and Lebron has warmed up to me a little more during practice. It’s only a matter of time before Wade gives in too.
I’m not even nervous about the game so much as I’m nervous about seeing her.
Adam is holding true to his promise. He called me and told me last night that he convinced Ellie to come. He said the rest is up to me, said they would see me after the game, and if she ran away, he wouldn’t be able to stop her.
I know it won’t be his fault, but I just want a chance to talk to her if nothing else. I want her to know that what happened…it didn’t make me think badly about her. What happened was humiliating and I would have given anything to help her through it. Thinking back, I don’t think she was ready to have me help her.
I wonder if she is now?
“Timberlake, get on the court.”
I look over my shoulder. The assistant coach is standing there impatiently. Apparently I’m the last of the bunch to go out for warm ups. “Coming.” I say it quickly and yank my jersey out of the locker. “I’m coming.”
“Be late again and it’s your ass.”
I’m literally three minutes past schedule, but here, they don’t care. They’ll fine you for anything and it’s something I’ve been warned about. I’ve been distracted though. I’ve been distracted since I saw Adam and that’s very bad. Shit, I have to focus. I can’t play badly tonight, no matter who is here, because this is my chance at becoming a real part of this team.
I strip out of my clothes and get into my uniform as fast as I can before running out to the court. Everyone is already there, on our end, warming up. Lebron stares at me as I start my basic stretches and I know he’s pissed.
Damn, it was three minutes.
I focus intensely on getting through the basics before I join the first roster at our designated basket. We take turns shooting from all different angles, and I try to see if I can spot Adam or Ellie at the same time. He told me they have court side tonight, so it shouldn’t be too hard, especially with Adam’s choice of clothing, but I never see them.
Maybe Ellie found out. Maybe they aren’t coming.
I take a deep breath. I can’t have it hanging over me tonight. I have to get through the game. I lose myself in warm ups until the buzzer sounds, and surprisingly enough, Lebron slaps my hand along with everyone else's and tells me to have a good game. I thank him, but he doesn’t acknowledge me, and Wade glares at me slightly before he retreats back to the locker room. I wipe the sweat from my forehead before I start to drag myself off the court as well.
And that’s when I see her.
They’ve just gotten here, that’s obvious, because they’re taking off their jackets and settling into their seats. I stop walking. I can’t move, all I can do is stare at her. She’s different. Her hair is done nicely, hanging in long loose curls that fall to her shoulders and she has makeup on for the first time ever. Her outfit is classy, a shorter skirt and a brightly colored dress shirt with matching scarf. It’s a different version of Ellie, a brand new one, that I’m sure Adam helped to create.
She’s beautiful.
At some point she must realize I’m staring at her, because she looks up, and her eyes meet mine. I can tell right away that she’s overwhelmed, and I’d give anything to be able to go over to her and tell her not to leave, that I need to talk to her.
“Timberlake! Get your butt in the locker room for the meeting!”
Shit. “Coming.” I wave at the assistant coach and after several grueling moments, I’m able to move my feet again. She doesn’t react. She just stares at me as I walk off the court.
I’ll be lucky if she’s still there once the game starts.
I have to stand there while the head Coach goes over our plan for the game, and I try my best to pay attention. It’s imperative that I pay attention because he’s having me lead the face off. Why the hell would he do that?
Oh wait, I’m supposed to be the best player that’s coming around in ten years, right.
Not tonight.
The buzzer sounds and we’re back out on the court within seconds. I’m directed to take a seat with the first roster, versus ‘rookie row’ as we so affectionately refer to it, and glance back to Ellie’s seat.
She’s still there, but she looks like she wants to run far away. I’m sure Adam is the only reason she hasn’t. He can be pretty persuasive…
But for an entire game?
I have a really shitty first two periods. As much as I try to keep my focus, I just can’t, and it throws my entire game off. We’re still in the lead, but barely. The other team is only trailing by ten. My coach is pissed. I missed a few things that shouldn’t have been a problem. I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be right back on rookie row, and he’ll pick someone else to take my spot.
r32;“What the hell was going on out there?” Coach snaps at me when we come back to the locker room for half time. “Your game was all over the place.”
I shrug, and squirt some water into my mouth. “I don’t know. I guess I wasn’t focusing.”
“Maybe I should just put Heller in for the rest of the game,” he says. “Since your focus isn’t here with us tonight.”
I sigh and rub my forehead. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“Give him a chance.” Lebron says, in passing. “The kid is having a rough first night.”
I stare at him, but again, he doesn’t acknowledge me. Does that mean he respects me?
“I’m giving you one more period,” Coach sneers. “Get your ass in line.”
He stalks away, and I make a beeline for the hallway. There’s all kinds of press swarming around, but since I’m barely a blip on the NBA radar, I escape easily, and I’m able to walk to the entranceway without any interruptions. I peer out, and I can still see her in her seat.
It’s now or never. She may have a pass to come back after the game, but I know she won’t. It’s up to me. I have to do this.
Because I love her.
*********
“I told you it’s not a big deal.” Adam shoves a handful of popcorn in his face. “He’s here, you’re here…what’s the problem?”
“You knew this was going to happen,” I mutter, doing my best to suppress my tears. “Adam, you knew it!”
“Calm down, sweetie,” Roger smiles. “I think it’s a good thing. You need to face this thing head on. It’s unChristmas. Everyone should get their wish.”
“What wish did I have to come here and see him…” I glance up, and see him appear on the court. He’s heading straight for us. “Oh God. We have to leave.”
“Would you relax.” Adam smirks. “You should be glad he’s coming over. Those last two periods were wretched. He had four penalties called on him. That’s what Roger said.”
“Hey Ellie.”
I never thought Adam would pull this, and when I saw Justin appear on the court for warm ups, I wanted to leave. I told Adam that, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He kept saying how this was Rogers unChristmas gift or something, and Roger kept on agreeing. r32;
He’s in on this too. They’ve been plotting this for awhile.
Jesus.
I do my best not to acknowledge him, but I fail miserably. My brain forces me to look up at him after a moment. He’s standing there with a nervous smile on his face, looking just…shit, as handsome as I’ve ever seen him. He’s a lot more toned and muscular, and I guess that’s because he has to work out non stop now. Still, he looks tired. I can’t imagine his agenda is any less grueling than Adam’s is. I hope whatever woman he met is helping him get accustomed to this crazy new lifestyle he’s made for himself. “Oh hi…hi Justin.”
He crouches down to meet my level, and I rear back in my seat. “I don’t have much time. Can you just stick around until the game is over?”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “I just…we’re…”
“I invited him to unChristmas,” Adam informs me brightly . “Either way, you’re stuck, because I’ll never let you live it down if you miss our unChristmas party, Justin. You might as well just say yes, El.”
My head snaps in his direction. “Are you kidding me?”r32;
He just laughs and puts an arm around Rogers shoulders. “Merry unChristmas!”
“I’d really like to talk,” Justin says gently. “If anything, you owe me that much, El.”
“I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?”
He smiles. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”
He jogs off the court again. I glare at my brother. “I can’t believe you did this. I can’t believe either of you.”
“He walked into Claudio’s for a shoot and begged me to help him, El,” Adam says. “What was I supposed to do? He’s not a bad guy and I have no backbone when it comes to that sort of thing.”
“It won’t be that bad, El,” Roger reassures me. “It sounds like he just wants to talk to you. Maybe you can even cheer him on for the rest of the game. He needs all the help he can get tonight.”
“Why should I?”
“You pushed him out and he’s giving you another chance to clarify what happened,” Adam shoots at me. “You know, the guy is still in love with you. He wanted me to tell you that months ago, but you were in no condition to hear it.”
“What?”
Adam smirks. “Enjoy the game, dear.”
Justin loves me? I know that Adam wouldn’t lie, so what am I supposed to tell him? That I never really stopped having feelings for him? How can I say that, when I haven’t tried to contact him, when he called every hour on Christmas day and I ignored him? Adam and I had a long talk about it. He told me that I used Justin more than anything else. I was ashamed then, and after seeing him, I feel even worse.
I brood for a good fifteen minutes until the buzzer sounds again. The Knicks are announced back to the court and the crowd cheers, but I could care less. Then I see Justin’s team return, and he’s still on the court, so I guess his coach is giving him the benefit of the doubt. He positions himself off to the left for the face off, and casually glances back at me before the whistle blows, sending me that same smile that made me fall in love with him.
It’s like nothings changed.
I don’t know what to think.
The level of the game goes from mediocre to exciting once the whistle is blown. I watch Justin, and see that talent I remember from UCLA spring into action. He steals the ball, catches every pass, and assists some of the more seasoned players in sinking their baskets. When the fourth period begins, Miami is leading by thirty points, and that’s mostly thanks to Justin even though he won’t get the credit for any of it.
I can’t help but wonder if he started to play like that because he knows I’m going to be here when he’s finished.
I guess I never realized how much I meant to him. How much I make him come alive inside and forget everything and everyone else.
I realize that I never stopped loving him. I just suppressed it for all these months.
I want to tell him. I want to apologize and say I was wrong to push him away.
I hope he’ll let me. I hope he’ll give me another chance.
Chapter 17 by ialwayzbesingin
I wasn’t anticipating a tie. It wasn’t my fault. I played my ass off. Wade fucked up in the beginning of the fourth period and the rest of us have been scrambling to clean up his mess ever since.
“One minute to go!” The announcer yells and the crowd starts to roar.
I pass the ball to Bosh, and he passes it to Lebron. I skid to a stop at the three point line, ready to catch a rebound in case he misses so I can give him another assist. Lebron hesitates for the slightest of seconds and stares at me. The game is in his hands. He’s about to get what? His tenth consecutive winning shot of the season?
No.
He passes the ball to me, and I catch it.
“Thirty seconds!”
It’s up to me. He gave me this one moment, this chance to prove myself. If I make this, I’m a shoe in. Coach will back off and I’ll be promoted from rookie row.
“Fifteen seconds!”
“Shoot the ball kid!” Lebron yells, his eyes wide, probably thinking he made a mistake.
I glance at Ellie from the corner of my eye. She’s on her feet with her brother and his fiancé, cheering her ass off for me. I have to say I never thought I’d see the day, and it makes me smile.
I focus on the basket momentarily, as the other team charges towards me. Then I shoot, and despite their best efforts to block my shot, it soars over their heads.
Swish.
Buzzzzzzzz
I raise my hands in the air and close my eyes, letting the fact that I just won the damn game sink in. The cheers erupt, not as loud as they would if we were home, but still, they’re cheering for me. Moments later, I’m pummeled by my entire team, our coaches, and our trainers. Media swarms us, a million flashes go off in my face. I know how big this game was. It just put us in first place. When I get back to the room tonight, my agent will be on the phone with me right away, listing then twenty five different endorsement offers he’s received since I sunk the basket.
Things are going to change now. They’re going to get crazy, because I’ve officially stepped out into the spotlight as an NBA winner. I’m sure my father will come back into the picture, trying to worm his way into part of my new profits. But the difference is…I’m not going to let him this time, or ever again, even if it means the demise of all this.
I’d give it all up for Ellie tomorrow, and I know that.
It seems to take years just to get back to the locker room, and the media is relentless, cornering me by my locker and shooting off question after question. I see Lebron out of the corner of my eye. He’s swarmed by press too, but he’s so seasoned he can pay attention to them and to me at the same time.
“Way to play, kid,” and this time he smiles. “See you at practice.”
I’m in his little circle now, and that’s great.
But I really would like to see Ellie more than anything. I’m antsy and fidget uncomfortably while they all continue to question me and take my picture. It’s getting annoying, but I have to keep smiling for the good of everything I’ve worked so hard for.
“No more questions, please!” Jerry, the teams PR person, interrupts my overwhelming interview and steps in front of me so they’ll all back off. “Some of you will be invited to practice tomorrow for tv segments. For all other requests please email.” He turns to me, smiling as they media pleads for a few more minutes of my time. “You have guests who seem very anxious to congratulate you.”
“I can go?”
“Get out of here.” He pats my back. “You deserve it.”
I don’t wait, I literally run to the door, and become slightly frustrated when I’m not allowed out into the hall without a security escort, but my frustrations melt away when I see her there waiting for me at the end of the hall.
“Hey,” I smile.
“Good game.” Her cheeks turn pink. “Did you get a pick me up or something?”
“Yeah.” I step towards her and can see Adam and Roger smiling as they back away slightly. “I’d say so.”
“I agree with you.” She nods, and takes my hand, lacing her fingers through mine. “And you’re right. I think we should talk, but it might take a while. There’s a lot to tell when it comes to me.”
“Time we have,” I smirk. “What we don’t have, is privacy.”
“Well, I think we can work something out,” she laughs. “Are you ready to celebrate unChristmas with us? We have lemon cookies for Santa, the whole nine. We’re going to get in our flannel pi’s and read stories too. Adam told me he bought you a pair.”
“Sounds amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so ready for anything.” I smile and stroke the side of her face with my fingers. “Ellie.”
She stares into my eyes. “Yeah?”
“I don’t care…what happened. I never did, but…you didn’t let me tell you. I didn’t want to leave that night. I love you. I loved you then. You don’t have to be afraid to let me in anymore.”
She closes her eyes and boosts herself up on her toes. Then the kiss comes, soft and smooth, gentle like I remember, like I’ve been dreaming about for months.
“That’s one thing I never had the chance to, you know, actually say. I kind of skidded around the actual words but...now I want to say them to your face,” She says softly, when our lips part.
“What’s that?”
“That I love you too, Justin.”
I smile. “Let’s go.”
She takes my hand and I lead us out, and into the awaiting car. She wraps her arms around me, and I hold her close. We’re silent the whole way back to Adam’s apartment, but I wouldn’t expect anything else. We have each other, finally, and we’ve waited so long for this that we don’t need words. We just need us.
That’s all we’ll ever need.
“Have a holly jolly unChristmas,” Adam sings. “It’s the best time of the year.”
“Baby please don’t. I love you, but you're tone deaf,” Roger sighs. “Justin I’m sorry. You’ll have to get used to this if you want to be a part of the family.”
I kiss Ellie’s forehead and she smiles up at me. “I think I can deal with that.”
*********
Ellie and I are still together. Miami made the playoffs, but lost in the second round, so El and I spent the late spring and the entire summer hanging out and getting to know each other even better. She went back to school a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been busy gearing up for the new season on top of all the endorsements I’ve been working on. It’s been crazy flying back and forth between here and in Miami, but I’d make anything work for the good of us, and Ellie hasn’t let our sometimes long distance relationship get in the way of the fact that we love each other. Adam and Roger are doing great. They’re getting married next month and we can’t wait to be a part of the wedding. Adam’s career has really taken off and Ellie works exclusively for him when she’s not involved in her studying.
As for our families, I can’t say much. But then again, we’re mostly too busy to pay attention to their lame issues. I cut my dad off a week or so after that game at the Garden. My lawyer and my agent had to get involved, but in the end, we got all the paperwork sorted out so he’ll never have a say in what I do ever again. I hope that some day, we can just be a family, but right now it’s just not in the cards.
Jeanine came out to visit last weekend. It took a lot of begging and pleading on my part and Adam’s too, to convince Ellie that it wasn’t going to be dramatic. She legitimately wanted to come out and see all of us, even Ellie, and I told her it was time to let her barriers down and give Jeanine a chance. She wasn’t happy, but she agreed to do it, mostly for my sake. It wasn’t a bad visit, and I know that there was a point that Ellie and Jeanine talked in private. I’m sure it had to do with Max and Jules and what happened at Christmas, but if anything, Jeanine has become more aware of what they’ve done not only to Ellie but to Adam too.
I think things might start to turn around for them. I know I really love Jeanine, and I want us to be close with her, but I haven’t pushed the issue with Ellie. Their relationship will come in time. As for her father, I’m beginning to think it’s a lost cause, but we’ll find out what happens at Adam’s wedding.
“Hey baby.” El leans down and gives me a long kiss before taking a seat beside me on the sofa and handing me the coffee she made. “You played great today. Adam and I watched.”
I take a sip and put the mug down on the coffee table, closing my eyes as I pull her down to lean against my shoulder. I press my nose to her hair and breathe her in. It’s been a few days since we’ve been able to do this, and I’m so thankful for it. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
It’s what I’m most thankful for, her here with me.
I know I’ll never let her go.
The End
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