If it's one thing I hate the most, I hate having to wake up earlier than I need to. And this was definitely earlier than I needed to be up. I mean, I was on a break from college and the only thing I wanted to do was get some sleep, something I haven’t been able to do since I enrolled at the University of Memphis. I’d rather it be my dog that was waking me up this early, but no, it had to be my cell phone ringing.

"What?" I growled as soon as I picked up the phone.

"Trace? Man, it's me,” a soft voice said on the other line. So soft that I couldn’t recognize who was talking, which only added to how annoyed I was.

"Me who," I demanded, rubbing my eyes and yawning.

"'Me' Justin, idiot," Justin replied. Ah, Justin Timberlake. My former best friend. Former because he woke me up at six fucking AM.

"What's up man?" I yawned again and propped myself up on my elbow.

"What're you doing?" I stared at the phone in my hand. Was Justin really that stupid? He woke me up early in the morning to ask me something as stupid as that. I sear if he were here I'd strangle the guy. He knows as well as I do that I hate waking up before nine. Hell, he’s worse than me when he wakes up. He’s so fucking grouchy that I can’t even say anything to him until he’s had his fucking sacred bowl of damn cereal.

"I was sleeping," I responded, pushing myself up in a sitting position. Once I was awake I was awake, I would never be able to get back to sleep. Some friend you are, Timberlake.

"Your Mom said you're on break from college," Justin continued. I could hear the anxiousness in his voice and I didn't even need to hear him as to know what he wanted. I hate it when he does this to me.

"When do you want me out there?" I asked, looking across my room at the calendar on my wall. I still don’t get why my mom gets me one. I don’t really use it unless I need to work out when I’m getting off break and need to know where I was going. Otherwise I lived each day by the day, I didn’t really look forward to the next one.

"As soon as possible man," Justin sighed. "I really need to talk to you about some stuff."

I groaned and rubbed my face. Of course J would rather me fly across the damn country to talk instead of talking on the phone. I don’t blame him though, he wasn’t a phone person. Neither was I but at this moment in time I would rather stay home and do nothing all day. "Ok man, I'll try and figure out some flight times. Where are you going next?" I questioned, getting out of bed and going over to my computer, scratching my head as I waited for it to boot up.

"Uh, Grand Rapids, Michigan,” he replied after a few seconds of silence. I laughed to myself. Justin traveled so much he never knew when he was in a different state. Once during a show he addressed the crowd as Las Vegas when they were in Los Angeles. He got crap from me and the rest of the guys the rest of the tour. He definitely made sure not to make that same mistake again.

"Ok, like I said I'll get some times and stuff. Once I figure all this out I'll call you back,” I told him as I quickly typed in my password. "Ok, thanks so much man," Justin sighed. Was it relief in his voice or anxiousness?

"Bye."

"Bye."

As I waited for my ridiculously slow computer to load (I really need a new one) I sighed and I flopped back on my pillow, replacing my phone on my bedside table. What could be so important that he wants me to fly all the way to Michigan for? I rolled over onto my side and looked out my window.

In the distance I could see the lake where Justin and I used to always go fishing. I grinned. I was always a better fisherman than Justin was. I’d always catch the biggest fish and I’d catch more of them. Justin would constantly pout and complain about it. A couple of times when he went to the bathroom I would stick one of my fish on his rod and throw it back into the water, making him think he caught it. I always liked to see the accomplished gleam in his eye. I was a better fisherman but he would get me back whenever we played basketball. He always owned me in that game.

I sighed again. I really wanted to stay home in Shelby Forest this time to be with my mom, but if Justin needed me I had to go. At least I'll get a trip out of my vacation and hang out with my best friend. My computer took forever to get to my damn homepage so I laid there thinking of different reasons as to why he wanted to talk to me so bad. I kept coming up with different scenarios but I couldn’t settle on one that was more like Justin. I just hoped to god he didn’t get a girl pregnant or something stupid like that.

“God!” I cried out, jumping out of bed and turning off my computer. It wasn’t worth the stress. I quickly changed my clothes and pulled on my favorite red and white trucker hat. I left my room, went down the stairs, and into the kitchen where Mom was making breakfast. I kissed her cheek and sat down at the table, picking up the newspaper.

“Morning, Trace,” Mom greeted me cheerfully, putting a plate of breakfast in front of me. I put down the newspaper and took a bite out of the bacon, grinning. I don’t care what anyone says, there is nothing like a home cooked meal. “What’s on your mind, honey?” She asked, studying my face as she sat across from me and blew on her cup of coffee.

“What makes you think something is wrong?” I questioned, wiping my mouth with my napkin.

Mom just smiled at me. “Because I know you Trace,” she replied. “I know when there’s something on your mind, you act a little different, like now. You don’t read the newspaper unless you want to talk about something.”

I chuckled. Leave it to Mom to figure out my mannerisms. I sighed. “It’s just…there’s something going on with Justin and I feel bad for not knowing what it is,” I replied.

“What do you mean?”

“He called me about twenty minutes ago saying that he needed me to come to Michigan so we could talk. He usually doesn’t ask me to leave home unless it’s for a very good reason. He has me worried, that’s all.”

“I think you should go,” Mom replied.

“Really? I thought you would want me to stay here. I don’t get to see you,” I pointed out.

“I know, but it sounds like Justin really needs his best friend.” She reached across the table and tapped the back of my hand. “I can see you when you get back.”

I flipped my hand over and squeezed hers. “Thanks so much, Ma.” I stood, kissed her cheek again, and moved to leave the room. I stopped in the doorway and turned to look at her. “May I use your laptop?” I asked. She nodded and shooed me away with a wave of her hand. “Thanks.”

Later that day I finally got online and got myself a flight out to Michigan first thing in the morning. Justin better appreciate this for me flying out this damn early. I spent the rest of the day hanging with my mom, telling her about the things that I went through at college and how, after two years, I still miss everyone at home which is why I come home every chance that I can get.

The next day I woke up and headed off to the airport. Besides waking up early I hate airports. Why? Because everyone’s in such a fucking rush to get on a tin can that can go down in any second. I really don’t get it. It’s not like they’re going to miss the damn plane when they’re two fucking hours early! After about an hour of annoyed waiting I finally got on the plane and managed to take a nap for an hour. The rest of the time I was awake because of the bunch of screaming babies, snoring old men, and overly (hot) cheerful flight attendants that kept asking if I wanted something to drink or eat. Waking up on a noisy plane did not help the mood I was in before I got here.

“Finally!” I practically shouted once the plane set down in Michigan. I was so ready to get off that plane that, as soon as I grabbed my carryon bag, I was shoving my way through the people to get off of the plane. I got a few dirty looks here and a few curses there but I really didn’t give a fuck. You screw up a plane ride for me; I screw up your departure. It’s a fair trade if you ask me. I finally get off the plane and grab my bags at the baggage claim and, to make my day even better, I lost my one of my bags. Note the sarcasm there.

So I was forced to spend an hour with security trying to find it. All to turn out that it was still on the plane. I really want to kill incompetent ignorant people sometimes. "Ooops, sorry kid must've missed that one" the guy laughs. He seriously thinks this is funny, I'm trying so hard not to punch the guy in the face. And kid. I’m twenty fucking years old, almost twenty one! Who the hell is he calling a kid? Damn my 5’6” frame.

"No shit Sherlock" I mutter under my breath, fighting the urge to flip him off.

"What was that?" he asked, turning to me and raising his eyebrows. Yeah, like raising those caterpillars is supposed to intimidate me, asshole

"Nothing, thank you," I say as I walk out to the receiving area, to see Lonnie waiting for me.

"Hey Shorty," he smiles.

"Don't start with the short jokes again, man. I aint in the mod for it," I groaned, rubbing my forehead to try and ease the headache that had suddenly come on.

"Bad flight?" Lonnie asked as he walked next to me. I dodged many little kids that were running around and screaming. Never in my life did I want to attack kids as much as I wanted to right now.

 "Bad is an understatement," I replied. "They claimed to have lost my fucking suitcase when it was still on the fucking plane," I grumbled, shoving my hat down over my head.

"I hope the bus ride makes things better for you,” Lonnie said with a small smile.

"I hope so too." I followed Lonnie outside, around the side of the airport, and to the busses that were in the parking lot. It kinda struck me as odd that they would bring the whole bus with them but they were on a tight schedule.

"You better have a fucking good reason to call me out here, asshole!" I shouted as soon as i saw Justin lying on the couch, although I grinned.

"Thanks for commin' man," Justin said with a big smile as he gave me a hug and the other guys called/nodded their greeting.

"So whats this about?" I ask as I sit down on the couch.

Justin’s eyes shifted, looking around at the other guys before looking back at me. "Can we talk later? In private" he whispered so only I could hear as the rest of the guys were messing around.

"Sure, whatever" I grumble.

"Awww are we grumpy, how was your flight?" Justin grinned.

I sigh, "Oh just great" I said with massive amounts of fake happiness. "I only got a few hours of sleep and then they fucking almost lost my suit case and I had to get on the first flight just to see you because I'm a good friend like that!"

Justin laughs, "Oh man that’s bad, but I'm glad you came." He smiled warmly.

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter.

We (finally) made it back to the hotel and I sat on the couch. “So we’re alone, now what is it you wanna talk about?"

“I think we’re alone now,” Justin started singing under his breath. He stopped when he noticed me glaring at him and he looks at me with worried eyes.

"Oh god, don't tell me you got a girl pregnant!" I cried out.

He looks at me confused, "What? No."

"Then what is it?" I demanded.

He gets up and starts pacing, "I've been thinking about some stuff.”

That’s the only reason he brought me here? Because he’s been thinking? “Oh what kind of stuff?"

"Just where I'm going with the band."

When he says something like this I usually end up thinking the same thing: what the hell is he jawing about?

He didn't disappoint.