I stroll into the store and smirk at the disheveled state of my two best friends. They each look like they were hit by a Mack truck last night and that can only mean one thing. They got completely fucking hammered.    

I, however, was a perfect little angel. I had two drinks with Max, we flirted, got to know each other a little, exchanged numbers and went our separate ways.    

It was a decent evening, although, I'm pretty sure I'll never see or hear from him again. After all, the guy is just here on vacation. In a couple weeks, he'll go back to where ever the hell he's from, and I'll continue my day to day routine.    

And really, I'm ok with that. Maybe the fact that it was a one time thing is the reason it was so enjoyable. In the back of my mind, I knew I'd never see him again, so I didn't have to impress him. I was able to totally be myself and not really care what he or anybody else thought.    

"Don't you two look lovely this morning?"    

"I swear to God Emma, if you don't stop screaming, I will rip your vocal chords out." Jules mutters, her head resting in her hands.     

Oh, today is going to be a freaking blast, I can already tell.   

"So, where'd you disappear to last night? Timberlake finally land you in the sack?" Cooper smirks before tossing two aspirin into his mouth and downing them with a bottle of water.    

"Yeah, right." I snort and roll my eyes.    

These two are so not fun when they're hungover.     

"I did meet a guy though. Prolly won't see him again, but I did get a phone number." Cooper's eyes light up and I can just see the wheels turning in his head.    

"Alright, let's hear it." He grins and pats the counter, encouraging me to take a seat. "I want to know everything."    

"There's nothing to tell." I shrug. "We had a couple drinks. We talked. We left. End of story."    

"And exactly why aren't you seeing him again?"    

"He's just here on vacation."    

"So? You have a fling. Be wild... be spontaneous, be slutty."    

I giggle at him and roll my eyes. "You're out of your damn mind. But anyway... it's really not a big deal. We just hung out for awhile. Nothing to get all worked up about."    

"So, what about Justin?" Cooper arches an eyebrow at me and I groan.     

I really don't know why they're so focused on this Justin thing. I mean, I know they want to see me dating and happy, but... they have to know that I just couldn't handle it right now.    

"What about him? I barely know the guy and he's beginning to reach stalker level and it's fucking creepy."    

"I think it's cute." Jules mumbles, still hunched over the counter. "He's like this puppy that really wants to hump your leg or something and no matter how many times you kick him away, he just keeps coming back."    

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" I laugh in disbelief and shake my head. I really don't know where she comes up with shit like that.    

"So anyway, I've got some ideas for this new jeans display..." Cooper begins babbling about racks, mannequins and God knows what else, but I quickly tune him out.    

For some unknown reason, my friends seem to really like Justin, even though they've only talked to him a handful of times.    

And, even I'll admit that he's probably a good guy deep down, but I just can't see him going beyond friend territory, if he gets even that far.    

Although, he does have a little bit of that mysterious quality going for him, because for the life of me... I can't figure out why in the hell he keeps coming back.     

I mean, even a dog doesn't want to hump a persons leg that fucking bad, does it?    

Great, now I'm borrowing analogies from Jules. I'm officially losing my mind and it's all thanks to Justin Timberlake.    

*********************    

"Rum and coke for my lady." Justin grins and places a fresh drink in front of me and all I can do is roll my eyes.     

"Getting me drunk isn't going to do you any favors."    

"I'm just being nice." He shrugs and takes a sip from his bottle. "So, where's the crew tonight?"    

"Jules is still recovering from last night...Coop's in the bathroom." I nod slowly. "Why are you always here alone?"    

"I'm not. My friend Trace is around here somewhere, probably trying to pick up some chick. No boyfriend tonight?"    

"He isn't my boyfriend." I mutter and roll my eyes. Clearly, jealousy suits him about as well as desperation does.     

"Maybe not yet, but he will be." He laughs humorlessly and shakes his head.     

Every day, this gets harder and harder to understand. This guy spends two weeks being shot down and humiliated, but refuses to give up. Then, when he sees me talking to someone else, he goes into this jealous boyfriend routine, like I'm deliberately trying to piss him off.     

By now, it's fair to say we're acquaintances but, by no stretch of the imagination are we friends, or anything more. What the hell gives him the right to judge or question me?    

"Justin, can I ask you something?"    

"Shoot." He nods and eases onto the stool next to me.     

"Why do you keep doing this? I mean, honestly... who puts up with this kind of shit? Nobody gets rejected like this and keeps coming back."    

"I'm not so sure you'd understand it." He says simply and shrugs.    

"I'm a pretty understanding girl, try me."    

"Well...." He lets out a long sigh and nervously peels the label off his beer bottle. "Not to sound like an arrogant prick or anything, but I'm used to getting my way... alot. Like, I never really have to work for anything. Half the time, shit just gets handed to me, even if I don't really want it. And, I like you Emma, there's something about you that I just like, and I'm not gonna lie... I expected you to fall at my fucking feet the first time I talked to you, and when you didn't... it was like holy shit, this chick ain't buying it. I'll be the first to admit, I'm a determined little fucker. And on the rare occasion I don't get my way, I keep going til I do."    

"I see. You're borderline stalking me to pump up your ego? Real nice Justin. I thought the idea was to change my opinion, not solidify it."    

"See... you don't get it. I fucking told you, you wouldn't understand." He sighs and rolls his eyes again. "It's not about my God damn ego or anything like that. You just... you knock me off my pedestal, and I need that. I like knowing there's somebody around to tell me how it is. Then throw in the fact that you're fuckin hot..." He trails off and I can't help but laugh at him.     

He's right. I don't really understand, but then again... I don't really know anything about him. I mean, I'm sure he's telling the truth, he probably lives a privileged life that most people can only dream about, but I have a hard time feeling sorry for him because of it.     

That poor, pitiful celebrity shit just doesn't fly with me. He's got God knows how much money, the world at his fucking fingertips, he can probably do any damn thing he wants. Why would anyone whine or complain about that?    

But then again, I don't know what it's really like. He probably has little to no privacy. Doesn't get to be with the people who genuinely care about him. Works more than any person should. Has to live up to millions of people's expectations.    

I guess I can see where that would get tiring, but... I don't see how chasing after a girl balances that out. So, I've come to one simple conclusion.    

Justin Timberlake, is fucking weird.