Leaning against the headboard of her bed, Cierra looked down at Justin, who had his head on her pillow and was smiling from ear to ear, with wide eyes, “You have got to be kidding me. Are you really asking me that question!?” They had been sitting in her room for the past couple hours, the television on but down low. After watching the beginning of Dark Knight, they gave up once they got to talking.

                Justin chuckled and nodded his head, “Are you really this shy about your sex life?”

                She nodded and laughed, “I don’t see how knowing where the craziest place I’ve had sex has anything to do with this conversation!”

                He wiggled his eyebrows as he sat up on his elbow, “I want know! C’mon, tell me!” They had been talking about anything and everything to two of them could come up with but somehow it turned into Justin only asking the questions. He wasn’t the type to just open up to someone he just met but Cierra was different. She took him seriously, laughed at his lame jokes and called him on his bullshit. She didn’t act awkward after their kiss earlier but they hadn’t talked about it either.

                Groaning Cierra stared at the ceiling, “You can not judge me, mister. I’ve only had sex with two guys in my life, both of which I was in pretty serious relationships with. The craziest place I have ever had sex would be while watching a movie at the theatre back home.”

                Justin licked his lips, “And how did you manage to get away with that?”

                She grinned, “Wouldn’t you like to know. But it’s my turn. On a more serious note, what happened between you and Jessica?” She wanted to know, part of her needed to know. The couple she saw on television and in pictures seemed pretty perfect. She understood, more than Justin could know just how something so good could go so bad in such a small amount of time but if the two of them were going to be kissing each other like they did earlier, she needed answers.

                Justin sat up fully, crossing his legs in Indian style, a defensive look coming over his face, “It doesn’t matter.” His tone warning her to stop.

                “Yes it does. It obviously hurt you otherwise you wouldn’t be looking at me like that. You’ve been asking me questions for the past hour, it’s my turn. You can tell me, you know.”

                “It does not concern you, Cierra. If it did then I would tell you but for now just mind your own business.” He turned to look out her window. She had a nice view of the street and he could see just how lit up L.A. was at night.

                “Is this how it’s going to be every time I mention her? You get all pissed. I mean seriously, Justin.  I don’t mean to pry and maybe it isn’t any of my business to know all of the details but I’m just curious and concerned. These mood swings of yours are getting old.” She scooted over to the end of her bed and stood up, walking towards the bathroom.

                Justin’s head turned when he felt her weight coming off the bed, “Where are you going?” He watched her enter the bathroom and after a few minutes he heard the sink turn on and the sound of an electric toothbrush running. Standing up, he walked towards the bathroom and once he made it to the doorway, he lead against the frame. She had managed to change into a pair of shorts that said ‘VA Beach’ across the butt and a wife beater. She was staring at him through the bathroom mirror while brushing her teeth.

He spoke, “It’s a sore subject, I’m sorry. She just … decided one morning that she didn’t want to be with me anymore. She ended it. Now, she’s telling me she was wrong and doesn’t know what she was thinking but it happened, you know? I can’t just ignore the fact that she told me she didn’t love me anymore. Over a year together and I thought things were going great but apparently I was the only one that thought that.”

After rinsing out her mouth, she sat her toothbrush down and turned, leaning her back against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest, “I’m not here to hurt you, you know that right?”

Justin looked down at his feet and nodded, “I know. I’ve just always been weird around women.”

Cierra smiled a little, “I find that hard to believe. Look, I’m sorry for what she did to you but I’m your friend and you’ve got to trust me. If you truly do not want me to know anymore than that, then that’s fine. I now know the source of your bitterness.”

Justin walked towards her, placing his hands on either side of her against the sink, “I’m not ready to give out details, and the only people who know the whole ordeal are my mother and Trace. I do trust you, I am doing my best to be open and honest with you because I like what we have going but you’ve got to be patient with me. She and I just broke up over a week ago and jumping back into something… I’m just not ready for that yet; at least I don’t think I am. When I am with you, though, I feel like I am. I thought she was the one. I enjoy hanging out with you, kissing you and just being able to watch movies and talk. If I get moody, I am going to apologize now because there is more to come probably. If I pull away, bare with me. I’m trying, I really am…”

She placed a hand on his chest, the other one still crossed over her chest and played with the color of his t-shirt, “Are we having a heart to heart in my bathroom? I like being with you, too and you do realize that to some degree we are not just friends? I have baggage of my own, trust me. I do enjoy being around you and talking to you and being near you, which isn’t all that normal for a “just friends” relationship. I want… I want to try.”

Justin cocked his head to the side and grinned, “Yes, we are getting all kinds of emotional at 11 o’clock at night in your bathroom. I want to try, too. Do you work tomorrow?” He leaned forward, so their foreheads were touching. Her arms made their way around his neck and she sighed, “This is going to be hard, you know. Not acting on what I am feeling but no, I don’t work tomorrow.”

Justin stared into her chocolate brown eyes, “You’re not exactly making things easier on me, either. These damn shorts, woman, are doing things to me that should not be happening between friends. Can I stay?” He knew he shouldn’t stay. If they were going to try and just be friends before acting on their feelings, spending the night is the dumbest idea.

But she nodded, “Yes. We can share gossip and do each other’s make up while watching MTV and gushing over Justin Timberlake. He’s so sexy!” She started giggling and Justin took a step closer.

Growling, he picked her up, placing her on her sink counter, “You will not do my make up but I do agree that Timberlake is quite the looker.” He pressed his lips against hers before he could stop himself. Her arms tightened around his neck, her legs encircling his waist to bring him closer, ankles locking behind him. She turned her head to the side, parting her lips slightly when his tongue traced her bottom lip, granting him access.

He moaned quietly when her hands made their way under his shirt. They pulled back long enough for him to remove it before locking lips again, her hands trailing down his stomach to his pants. She unbuttoned then unzipped his pants, using her legs to push them down. Justin stepped out of pants and took a step back. He was standing in his boxers, watching her. Her lips red and swollen, her bottom one caught between her teeth and she was grinning, “What are you smiling at?”

She hopped off the counter and kissed him quickly, “See – now you’re ready for bed.” She stepped passed him and into her room, walking over towards her bed, laughing when she heard him curse under his breath.

“That’s not fair. You got me all worked up just to tell me we’re ready for bed?” he walked back into the room, pouting. She pulled the covers back and climbed in, patting the space beside her. He made his way over slowly, shaking his head the entire way. Crawling up, he laid his body over top of hers, “You know that’s called being a tease.”

She nodded, “I know. Besides, we haven’t even been on a date. I’d really hate to have sex first, that’s so doing things out of order.”

He growled deeply, tickling her sides, laughing along with her as she tried to squirm out of his grasp, “You’re being unfair, woman!”

She kept wiggling while laughing hysterically, eventually knocking Justin over to her side, she laid still breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath, wiping the tears that managed to make their way out of her eyes, “You are not allowed to that. Tickling is against the law in this apartment.”

Justin wrapped his arm around her waist, letting go long enough for her to turn the bedside lamp off along with the television, plunging the room into darkness, “I do what I want.”

Rolling over on her side so her back was to him, she scooted closer to him and closed her eyes, “Goodnight, asshole.”

“Mmm… Goodnight, beautiful.”