It's twisted, messed up
And the more I think about it
It's crazy, but so what
I may never understand it
I'm caught up and I'm hanging on
"I can't choose between the light purple or the lavender. What do you think?" Lauren throws two pieces of fabric down in front of me, then frowns.
We've spent the last three hours going over some of the minor wedding details... well...technically, Lauren's been agonizing over this shit, and I've just kinda sat here.
It sounds stupid, but for the first time...I'm having a really hard time seeing Lauren and Trace as a couple. Sure, there was a transitional period when they first got together...but right now...it's just so weird.
For starters, look at Lauren. Tall, thin, blonde. Model good looks. It kind of pisses me off how gorgeous she is, especially when you compare her to me. Even in high school, people were able to see it.
She was the prom queen, and nearly every guy in school would have killed to be with her. She's got that typical southern beauty thing going for her. The long, flowing, blonde curls. The bright blue eyes. It's ridiculous.
Then of course, you have Trace. Now, I'll admit...he's not a bad looking guy, but if I was to observe the two of them as an outsider, I'd really wonder just what the hell Lauren sees in him.
It's a well known fact the dude is a little on the vertically challenged side. He's actually kind of average in the looks department, I suppose.
His hair never looks the same. He's constantly letting it grow out, until it begins to curl and look a little like an afro. Then, he'll cut it into a mohawk, or some other ridiculous style that he claims is, "in." Then he'll shave it completely off and start the entire process over again.
I know, my friends are strange.
"Well?" She asks impatiently, disturbing the speeding train that is my mind.
Justin unloaded all of my work on Trace for the day, which left me completely open to help Lauren. I know I'm the maid of honor, and I should be jumping up and down..but this girly stuff just isn't my thing.
For once in my life, I'd rather be working.
I study the two swatches for a minute, then glance at her. They're almost identical, but I know better than to open my big mouth. Lauren's one of those girls who has spent her entire life dreaming up this magical, fairy tale wedding.
She always knew she'd have the big lavish wedding with hundreds of guests. The perfect church, beautiful ceremony, amazing reception.
She's known all along that it would be perfect.
I don't think she ever planned on marrying a midget though, but I digress.
"I'm gonna say the lavender."
"That's what I was thinking." She grins, then disappears into the kitchen to make several phone calls.
I know I seem totally anti-love and romance, but I really am happy for her. She's been through her fair share of losers, and as unexpected as her relationship with Trace was, she deserves to be this happy.
Speaking of the troll...I should probably call to check on him. Justin had a lot of shit going today, and I'm a little shocked that he let Lauren and I take the day off.
Two magazine interviews, a photo shoot, and radio interview.
I guess it's kind of pathetic that I have his entire schedule committed to memory, but it's hard not to. Johnny spends so much time drilling this crap into my brain...plus, atleast one person around here needs to know what the hell is going on, and right now...it's not even that bad.
I know I need to prepare for things to pick up. The album's nearing completion and Justin will be promoting until he's blue in the face, which means Trace and I will be right there with him.
But, I've kinda gotten used to this much slower pace. I don't miss running around like a crazy woman, or living out of my suitcase from one city to the next.
I've really enjoyed being home so much and not having my mind going in a thousand different directions.
It's been a little over a year since we were in the middle of our usual routine, but I don't think I'm ready to go back to all of that just yet. I guess I just like everything being so simple.
But then again, I'm probably just freaking out. Johnny doesn't seem to think the album will be ready for quite some time, and with Justin being as anal as he has been about it, Johnny might be right.
"Alright...we have a small crisis." Lauren reenters the living room and tosses her phone down on the couch. She's pacing back and forth, running her hands through her hair.
This can't be good.
"Alright...shoot."
"I just talked to my mom...apparently she planned some big thing for mine and Trace's families...I knew about it like a month ago, but with everything else...I kind of forgot...and Trace...oh, I'm not even going there." She rolls her eyes and continues pacing.
If she keeps that up, she's gonna put a hole in the carpet, and there will be no living with the pop star if that happens.
"Anyway...Trace and I need to go to Memphis for a couple weeks...I just talked to him, he's clearing Justin's schedule."
"Sweet...a mini vacation." I grin. She's major stressing out, but I don't really see what the big deal is.
"Umm...about that..." She forces a smile and plops down next to me. "I've got a ton of wedding stuff set up the next couple weeks...dress fittings, meetings with the caterer, Trace set up some auditions for a DJ...umm...oh! cake tasting's. I had every crucial thing set up for the next month...and with us having to leave, I'd have to cancel everything, and setting up these appointments was a bitch to begin with..."
"So you want me and Justin to plan your wedding?"
"Oh Ally! You know I completely trust you...I have almost everything written down anyway.. please...I am begging you."
I bite my lip and stare at my feet. I know it sounds horrible, but I really do not want to do this. I wouldn't ever forgive myself if I screwed something up and completely ruined Lauren's wedding. Hell...she'd probably kill me. But then again...being the maid of honor...it's kind of my duty to help with all of this stuff...so you see where I'm conflicted?
"Are you sure most of it's written down?" Remind me to never participate in another wedding, ever again.
"Of course. I swear...I will love you forever if you do this." She smiles hopefully at me, and suddenly...I can't say no.
"I'll take care of everything." I force the best smile I can, and Lauren tackles me in a hug.
Well, well, well...looks like I've got a wedding to plan.
****************************************************************
"Look at this...we're not good enough for a real goodbye...we just get a note." Justin chuckles, then sits down across from me, bowl of cereal in hand. "I already miss Laur...she makes me breakfast...unlike some people."
He pouts at me playfully and I simply nod, not even bothering to tear my eyes away from my newspaper. I haven't had my minimum two cups of coffee yet, so I am in no mood for Justin and his sunshine and rainbows horse shit. He used to be an unbearable bastard in the morning. You couldn't speak to him until he'd eaten and laid around for atleast an hour.
The last several years, it's like he wakes up high on life...or maybe he's doing drugs. Who knows. But, nobody should be that chipper in the morning, it's just sick.
"The whole thing's kind of stupid though, ya know?" He's been babbling since he walked in, and he shows no sign of stopping. Why do I live here?
"I mean..we just had that huge ass party..what...two months ago? Flew all the families out and shit, for free, no less. Why do they need another party? It's not like they're fuckin royalty."
"Apparently it's just a family thing." I shrug and sip my coffee. "They didn't even want us there."
"Which is pretty shitty if you ask me." He mutters and rolls his eyes.
I don't really know why he's being so bitter about this...personally..I don't see the issue. Sure, all of our families know each other really well, but as far as I know...it's pretty common for families to get together to celebrate this kind of thing.
I think Justin's just being emo because he wasn't invited.
"Do we have any wedding shit to do today?"
"Not anything major..Laur wants us to come up with a list of music for the reception. She already picked out the father-daughter dance song, and the song for her and Trace's first dance, so the rest is pretty much up to us."
"Maybe we need to seek some counseling for her. She's got to be on some heavy ass drugs for trusting us with this." He smirks at me and I can't help but giggle.
"Yeah...two single people planning a wedding is just a disaster waiting to happen. Then throw in the fact that it's us...this might end up being the worst wedding in the history of marriage."
"Way to be positive Al...I can't wait to see you get married."
I glance at him over my paper and arch an eyebrow. "If...and that's a huge if...if I get married, I'm eloping."
"Oh I think not...I'm seeing a big southern wedding for you...maybe a gone with the wind theme...huge dresses and shit."
I scrunch up my nose at him and shake my head. He's a complete mental case, really...I don't know why I socialize with him. "Cute."
"I prefer strikingly handsome...hot, maybe...definitely not cute."
"Shut up and eat your cereal." I giggle at him and shake my head.
I can already see that the next couple weeks are going to be interesting.
****************************************************************
"Marvin Gaye? You can't be serious." I scratch the name out on the list before Justin yanks the notebook away from me.
"Hell yes I'm serious!" He squeaks.
We've been sitting on the floor in my room for almost four hours, going over every song either of us could think of, disagreeing the entire time. Lauren had to have been out of her damn mind when she thought Justin and I could do this. I mean...we bicker constantly...we have virtually nothing in common, especially musical taste. I can only imagine what's going to happen when we go to pick out flowers.
"I'm calling Lauren." I mutter and reach for my phone. Unfortunately, he's quicker than I am, and grabs it first. "Are we in third grade again? Give me the damn phone, Justin."
"Nah...I think I'll keep it. I could use a new phone, and this is a blackberry, after all."
"Like you don't have four of them laying around in that mess you call a bedroom." I roll my eyes.
I really don't get his deal today. It's like he's hell bent on irritating the shit out of me, and he's doing a fantastic job. I'm more than ready to rip every curl out of that over sized head of his.
"True..but I like this one." He grins wickedly and starts browsing through my text messages.
"Damnit Justin...give me the phone."
"No."
"Fine." I cross my arms over my chest and stare at him. The easiest way to get him to do what you want, is to ignore him.
Sure, it's childish...but it's a trick Lynn taught me when I first started working for him. Getting him out of bed used to be a daily battle, he'd whine and complain the entire time, but once you ignored him, he'd get up and shower at lighting speed.
I'm sure the same will apply for this little game as well.
"Tell ya what, Ally Lynn...you want it so bad...come get it." He smirks at me, then shoves my phone into the waistband of his shorts.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me...now I have to buy a new phone!"
I can just see the headlines now, "Justin Timberlake found beaten to death in his own home, personal assistant lands in the nut house."
But, the worst part...the way I've been feeling lately...I don't think I'd really mind having to get my phone out of his pants.
Yes, I know just how awful that sounds, but the past few weeks...I've had a very slight physical attraction to my best friend.
Now, I'm not falling in love by any means...hell...I don't even have romantic feelings toward the idiot...but damnit..he is attractive.
Just the other day, he was outside playing basketball with Trace...shorts slung all low, shirt off, covered in sweat..the whole nine yards, and I couldn't help but look. The way his muscles flexed with every move he made, the perfect sculpted chest...even a blind woman would be staring.
It was in that moment that I kind of saw what 90 percent of the female population goes so crazy over. The man is beautiful.
Maybe it's my lack of a love life, or maybe I'm just losing my mind, but suddenly...I'm very aware of all things Justin Timberlake, and I'm more than a little worried.
"Twisted"-Carrie Underwood
