"I know you're up." His voice was way too loud and it was echoing in my eardrums.

"No yelling," I said pulling the covers over my head and curling up into the fetal position.

"Not feeling good are ya champ?"

"Did you really just call me champ?"

"You insisted I call you champ all night last night when you went shot for shot with me even though I warned you that you would feel like this today. But you don't remember that do you champ?"

"First of all...don't call me champ. Second of all, if you don't stop screaming I will kill you. Third of all there is very little that I remember about last night but I'll sum it up for you. There was Patron, a table, and I'm assuming sex since we're both butt naked. Anything beyond that I don't remember, in fact I don't even know where I am right now if you want me to be perfectly honest with you. And I'm really hoping that we didn't have sex on a table while taking shots of Patron, but that's all I can seem to put together right now." I felt him throw the blankets off of me and light flooded my eyes that I squeezed tighter while searching for the blankets to throw back over my head, but they were nowhere to be found.

"We didn't have sex on a table while taking shots of Patron. We did however have sex in almost every single room of my house including the bedroom which is where you are right now, as well as the kitchen counter, living room floor because you said it would take too much time to walk to the couch, the shower, and on the dining room table."

"So we did have sex on the table."

"Well...yeah, but that's not the table you're thinking of and there was no Patron involved in our sexual escapades."

"I'm so confused, and I have a headache, and I know you're not really yelling but really, just try and whisper. And where the hell did the covers go?" He laughed throwing the covers back over me. I put my head back on his chest trying to remember having sex with him throughout his entire house last night, but nothing was coming to me. I couldn't even tell you what the room I was sleeping in looked like never mind remember us having sex. "You have a comfy bed."

"You said that approximately 50 times last night."

"I haven't been this hung-over since...well ever."

"You were utterly shitfaced last night, but you handled your shitfacedness pretty well."

"That's not even a word Justin, don't try to confuse me even more then I already am."

"You..." he kissed my nose, "are awfully cute when you're drunk and hung-over. How many Advil's do you want?"

"Four..No five...will I die if I take six?"

"How about three?"

"Why do you even ask if you're not going to get what I request?" He didn't say anything just kissed me and rolled out of bed. I flopped onto my stomach and sprawled across the bed that I was only assuming was a king size since my feet didn't hang off the sides when I spread them apart like they usually do. I so badly wanted to open my eyes, get out of bed and roam what is probably a castle that Justin lives in, but I couldn't move. I heard pills being poured, water running, and a few minutes later I heard a toilet flush before I felt hands on my bare back and Justin's weight sitting on my ass. He gave me a massage before getting off of me. I sat up with my back against the headboard and took the three pills Justin put in my hand. "Your hands work miracles," I said opening my eyes and allowing light in which I immediately regretted doing.

"You said that a lot last night too."

"Jesus...I meant the massage."

"Oh I know what you meant." I punched his shoulder and he pretended like I actually hurt him.

"My throat is fucking killing me, I've never had that happen to me when I was hung-over."

"It's probably from screaming my name all night long..." I lunged and attempted to attack him but he grabbed my wrists before I could do anything, and pinned me down on the bed. Normally I wouldn't complain, I'd be all for him being on top of me but I was in no mood to play fight with him so I just let him win. "You're no fun when you're hung over."

"Sorry we can't all be chipper like you after a night of nothing but tequila, tequila and more tequila."

"It's okay...I understand we can't all be as perfect as me."

"Oh okay Mr. Ego." He kissed my nose and got off the bed and it was only then that I noticed he was dressed. "Why are you dressed?"

"I have to run to the office real quick, go back to sleep I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"You're going to leave me all by my lonesome?"

"I'm going to let you go back to sleep so that when you wake up I can take you out to a nice dinner and show you around the real LA without your head pounding, and so that you'll be able to open your eyes more then just a squint."

"Dinner? What about breakfast?"

"It's already 4 in the afternoon babe."

"WHAT? What have you done to me Timberlake?"

"You're hung-over and jet lagged, go back to sleep I'll be back soon and wake you up."

"Fine, but I'm going to roam your house and find dirt on you."

"There's no dirt to be found champ."

"I hate you," I yelled as he walked out the door.

"You love me," I heard him yell back before the door slammed shut. I was able to fall back to sleep for about an hour before I heard the bedroom door creep open. I looked up and saw no one, but I could hear breathing and footsteps. I felt my heart start to race and I began to panic, pulling the sheets up to my chin and frantically looking around. I reached for a phone, any phone really but couldn't find my cell phone that was usually right next to me no matter where I was. The footsteps stopped, then started again and I tried to convince myself that I was just hearing things because there was no reason why I wouldn't be able to see a person standing in what I now saw was a bedroom double the size of my entire house. They were getting closer and closer, and I let out a loud panicked scream when Buckley jumped up on the bed scaring the daylights out of me. He laid down next to me as my heart began to slow to a normal pace again and he placed his head on Justin's pillow. I calmed down realizing that I was just scared shitless over a dog. Somehow Justin's dogs knew that they could walk all over me because I was a softy for dogs particularly Boxers. If Justin were here the dog probably wouldn't even think to enter his room never mind hop up on the bed and take a snooze on his pillow. I let him get a way with it for a little while, but the minute I heard a door close downstairs I shooed him off the bed and out of the room.

It was 6:13 and I figured it was about time I got out of bed. I stood up looking around for something to put on but there was nothing. Where the hell were my clothes from last night? There were four doors in Justin's room, and two of them were to leave the room, because who doesn't have french doors in there bedroom right? I walked over to the third door and walked into a gigantic bathroom with marble floors, a Jacuzzi tub, his and hers sinks and a shower that had shower heads coming from every direction. I couldn't wait to step foot in that shower, I may never come out of if. I closed the door and walked over to the last door opening it and exposing a huge walk in closet packed to capacity with Justin's clothes and what had to be at least a thousand pairs of sneakers. He had his clothes sectioned off. One side was filled with T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Jeans and Sweatpants, and the other side had his suites, button down shirts, and dress clothes. And of course in true Justin fashion everything was in color order, and his shoes were placed neatly in plastic containers with pictures of what shoes they were in the front. This closet was every girls dream. I jumped up and sat on the island in the middle of the closet taking it all in and trying to pick out what I wanted to wear. I went to go grab a T-Shirt and next to it was a Lakers jersey. We were going to have to have a discussion about that and ship that jersey and any other Lakers apparel he had off to goodwill or something, better yet we should probably just burn it because I'm not sure if I can date someone who is a fan of my rival team. I pulled the t-shirt over my head and it hung down to my knees. No pants needed I guess. I walked out of the closet closing the door behind me and went to go find Justin.

Walking down one of the two staircases I had to choose from, I stepped on my shirt that I was wearing last night. Justin wasn't kidding when he said we had sex in every room in his house, apparently we also had sex on the stairs. I saw the TV flickering in the living room and walked in expecting to see Justin sitting on the couch but was shocked when I saw Trace turn around and look at me.

"Jesus, what are you doing here? I thought you were Justin." He had an evil grin plastered on his face but didn't say anything just looked at me over the back of the couch, laughing. "What? Did I do something?" He lifted his arm, and attached to his pointer finger was something Trace should never have in his hands.

"Looking for these?" He burst out laughing and I ran over grabbing my panties off of his finger.

"You are so gross Trace. It's like dealing with a two year old."

"Hey it's not my fault you leave your shit hanging around all over the house. I wouldn't have anything to act immature about if you didn't leave your panties lying around."

"Ugh, I hate you. What are you even doing here anyway?" I asked sitting down on the couch.

"Justin asked me to come over and make sure you were awake. He's running a little late and wanted you ready by the time he got here."

"Well I'm glad I wasn't sleeping because you're not exactly doing your job sitting here and playing video games."

"I was going to check on you after this game don't you worry champ."

"Oh God you too with this Champ thing?"

"You insisted."

"Well I uninsist. In fact I forbid you to call me that."

"Too late Champ, you're stuck with it now."

"You make me angry Ayala. I'm going to shower, if I'm not out in an hour make sure I'm not sleeping in there." I got up and walked back to the stairs picking up my skirt and my bra on the way over.

"Make sure you put your panties in a safe place," Trace called back to me.

"Your lucky I'm not in the mood to fight Trace because I'd kick your short ass."

I got out of the shower before Trace had to pull me out. I literally sat on the floor of the shower for a good 20 minutes and just let the water hit me from all angles. I got out and wrapped a JRT monogrammed towel around me and walked into the bedroom to find my luggage, and to my surprise Justin was sitting on the bed waiting for me.

"You are supposed to be ready. But I'm not going to complain because you look sexy in my towel."

"I'll be ready in a couple minutes," I said rolling my eyes and giving him a kiss. I opened my luggage and on top was a simple black dress that was not mine, and the tag read Michael Kohrs. I looked up at him and he had a huge smile on his face. "Justin..."

"Don't say anything, just put it on."

"Justin I can't accept this dress."

"And I said not to say anything and put it on. So go put it on, you deserve it."

"I don't..."

"Put it on Marissa. Just put it on and don't say anything."

***

The two weeks I spent in LA was possibly the best and most crazy two weeks of my life. The day after I got there the paparazzi spotted us and it was literally a mob scene every single time we stepped foot out of Justin's house. He wasn't kidding when he said Boston was nothing. We couldn't get anywhere without security, and every time we drove out of a parking space I had to close my eyes for fear that we were going to run someone over. It didn't take them very long to figure out my name and where I went to school and where I worked and who my friends and family were either. We'd turn the TV on every night and there would be a new report about "Justin Timberlake's flavor of the year," with false information about how we met and what our relationship was like. Apparently we were already on the rocks and I didn't like the fact that Justin was on tour, which is why he postponed his shows, and came to Boston to "sort things out with me." The things that people were saying were hurtful, but I had to look past all of it and realize that people that actually knew me, and knew us weren't saying anything to anyone so the people that were didn't matter.

Justin took me to parts of LA that I didn't even know existed and that most people wouldn't even think Justin Timberlake would go to. I also got to go to the studio with him and watch him at work producing some of his artists that he has signed to his label, and we may or may not have rendezvoused in his office on top of his desk. I met his friends, his neighbors, his pool boy and everyone in between. The trip to LA only confirmed even more that I wanted to make LA my home after college. I was getting use to being followed around and as annoying as it was, after a while it was almost like it was normal. Some days I didn't care so much about what they said and other days I wanted to get in their face and smash their cameras on the ground. I tried to never go out alone, but sometimes it just wasn't avoidable and it was on those days when I didn't have the comfort of Justin holding my hand that I wanted to beat the crap out of people.

It was nice being able to visit my family, even though there was always a trail of cars behind me while we were driving there. We arranged for everyone to meet at my aunt's house for dinner one night, and when we got there, there were about 35 cars lining her street all of which were family members who I hadn't seen in a really long time. I introduced everyone to Justin and Dane tagged along with my cousin which I was happy about because that meant Justin didn't have to sit there and be bored listening to family stories since he and Dane knew each other. It was so nice to see my family and know that they still accepted me even though my immediate family didn't.

It took us a few days to pack up everything Justin wanted to bring back to Boston. It probably wouldn't have taken so long if I actually wanted to go back, but I had no desire to get on a plane and go back to real life. It was nice not having to set an alarm and wake up whenever I wanted and do whatever I wanted. And waking up next to Justin everyday was something I don't think I would ever find a problem with. But after two weeks my dream world came to an end and we were on our way back to Boston.

***

I've walked out of Logan International Airport at least 100 times before. I'd roll my bags behind me and go stand on the sidewalk waiting for my ride to pick me up. Never, have I ever had so much trouble not only walking through the airport, but also getting to a car that was waiting for me as soon as I walked out the door. Dealing with this in LA was one thing; I expected it and for some reason it didn't bother me too much. But having it happen at home was something totally different. It hit me hard that now my life was forever changed. Before I was on vacation, it was almost like once we left it would all go away but it certainly didn't. We were followed from the moment we stepped out of the terminal until I passed security in my building.

Walking up the stairs to the third floor with Justin behind me carrying my bags was a bit surreal. I opened the door to my floor and people were literally lining the hallways hoping to catch a glimpse of Justin, and once he stepped into sight everyone started whispering to each other and I even heard some people squeal, but no one said a word to either me or Justin. I'd never felt so uncomfortable in my life. Two weeks ago I'd pass these people in the hall and half of them wouldn't even think to glance at me, and now all eyes were on us and it wasn't the best feeling in the world. Justin put his hand on the small of my back and we walked through the crowd of people to my room. Right before we got to the door someone actually spoke saying hi to Justin. He turned to her being polite as always and said hi back and then she practically ran him over as she jumped on him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He stumbled backwards and wrapped his arm around her back trying to regain his balance and Stephanie the girl who lives across the hall from me started yelling at her to get off of him, while everyone else gasped and held their breath not knowing what to do and say. I knew the girl that now had her legs wrapped around my boyfriend, her name was Kelly and she really was one of the nicest girls on my floor, which was probably the only reason why I wasn't flipping out. I put my bag that I was carrying on the floor and walked over to them.

"Kelly, I love you, I really do but you need to get off my boyfriend." I was surprised at how calm I was considering how uncomfortable I was feeling. I saw Justin's shoulders going up and down, for some reason he found this to be extremely funny. She loosened her grip on him and he put her down so that she was now standing on her own two feet. She was looking back and forth from me to him and Justin could no longer contain his laughter and was now hysterically laughing out loud. I walked over to her and put my hand on her shoulders. "You can do this. He's just another guy walking down the hall. FOCUS GIRL!" She shook her head as if to snap back to reality.

"Sorry...sorry...it's just...well I mean it's Justin Timberlake...sorry...it won't happen again I promise."

"Look," I said turning around and looking at everyone, "I know this might be weird for some of you, exciting for others, and quite out of the ordinary but it is what it is, and I would hope that all of you would have the same respect for me and Justin as you have for everyone else and there boyfriend or girlfriend. I get it, he's a celebrity, but in reality he's just a person like you and me. I love living here and I love you guys and I really don't want to have to move so that my boyfriend can come visit me, so please just act normal around him." Everyone was staring at me and no one was saying anything including Justin. Maybe they didn't expect me to say anything; maybe they thought I was mad I wasn't exactly sure. I looked at Justin and he put his hand out for me to take. "And I'm sure if you want an autograph or a picture Justin would be happy to do that for you." Justin smiled and nodded his head looking around and after a couple of seconds everyone dispersed into there own rooms to I'm sure talk about what just went down.

After unpacking my stuff, Justin, Amy and I headed up to Justin's new apartment to direct the furniture people on where to put things. Once everything was in place, we all stood in the living room and looked around to the entire first floor patting ourselves on the back at how amazing it looked. Justin was really happy with the selections that I made which made me consider a career in interior design for a split second. Both Amy and I spent that night at Justin's place. We stayed up until three in the morning playing Taboo with him and Trace who came over after all the unpacking was done, before we all crashed. Amy pulled me aside right before we went to bed and started asking me a ton of questions about Trace. It was beyond obvious that she liked him, but wouldn't actually say that to me just yet. I crawled into bed with Justin who was sitting up watching a movie.

"Amy likes Trace," I said looking at the TV.

"Trace likes Amy."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No did she?"

"No."

"How long will it take her to make a move?"

"Less the 24 hours."

"They really are perfect for each other then," he laughed. We stayed up and finished watching the movie with my head leaning on his shoulder. Once it was over he turned the TV off and layed on his side propping his head up with his hand to look at me. "What time is your class?"

"10. And I already don't want to go."

"You'll be fine once you get back into the swing of things."

"Yeah, I guess. I wish I could have just stayed on vacation with you for the rest of my life."

"You'd get bored after a while I'm sure."

"Or I'd just be broke." We both laughed and he placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

"So what's the plan Stan?"

"What plan?"

"How are we going to work around school and your job? Are you going to stay in the dorms or are you going to stay here? What does your schedule look like?"

"I guess I really haven't put too much thought into that," I said sighing and rolling onto my back. "I feel like if I stay here, I'll be distracted and I won't do any work, but at the same time you're only here for two months and I want to spend as much time with you as possible. My schedule is pretty packed. I'm in class until at least 3 everyday and I'm working at least four hours a day everyday. I wanted to be able to work 40 hours a week but it's just not possible this semester so I'm going to cut it down to 30."

"How about we just take it day by day?"

"I think that sounds really good." He turned the light on the nightstand off and pulled me close to him. This is where I could stay forever. "I love you J."

"I love you too baby...and Ris?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really proud of you. The way you've handled all the negative press, and the paparazzi, it's really admirable. I know it's really hard and I appreciate you doing it for me. I promise in a few months when this isn't so new anymore it will slow down at least a little bit, and we'll actually be able to walk down the street without stopping traffic."

"It's the least I can do after all you've done for me. And being able to go to sleep and wake up beside you is worth it to me." I put my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat until I finally fell asleep.

***

May 2008

It had been nine months since Justin had become a part of my life, and those nine months have been the best and most stressful nine months of my life. He moved to Boston for what was suppose to be two months, but eight months later he's still here. He thought after two months he'd get antsy and need to go back to LA and start recording again, but he figured out a schedule and a routine that he was happy with here, and when he needed to go back to LA or New York for something like working with his artists or something for the clothing line, he would and then he'd fly back here as soon as he was done. We worked out a routine for our relationship too. I did my thing, and he did his but there was never a day that we didn't at least talk to each other, and if we had free time we always spent it together or with Amy and Trace who have now been dating for about 8 months.

Justin was right, (much to my dismay, he usually is) the media frenzy slowed down after a couple of months and now instead of having 30 people follow me everyday I only have about 10. And luckily my face is no longer on the cover of the magazines I see in line at the grocery store, it's only on the inside of those magazines now. I haven't had any contact with my parents since the death of Frankie, and I see my sister every once and a while. My friends have gotten use to having Justin around and so has the staff in my dorm room and in the buildings my classes were in. Justin was now just another person walking the hallways, which was a relief to not only him, but to me. My life had done a complete 180 and no longer was there tears everyday, in fact now it took a lot to wipe the smile off of my face. Justin had turned my life around. I was grateful for him before he even knew I existed, and now the love and appreciation I have for him is beyond words.

I had just finished my first semester of my senior year. I was graduating in December, a semester early, which made me feel better about taking all those summer courses, and nothing was more exciting to me then taking the summer and planning my move to LA. Luke had just come back from his year and a half long journey across the country and I was supposed to meet him for lunch today. I woke up next to Justin with a smile on my face and a knot in my stomach. I was just getting over food poisoning and thought I had finished throwing up after a week and a half, but I guess I thought wrong. I ran into the bathroom just making it to the toilet before throwing up again. I was looking at myself in the mirror after washing my face and brushing my teeth when Justin appeared behind me. He had been the prized boyfriend for the entire time that I was sick. He'd make me soup and check on me every hour. He'd even hold my hair up when I threw up which is so much more then I could ever ask for.

"Still don't feel well?" I leaned back against his chest shaking my head, and he wrapped his arms around my waist. "So now probably isn't the best time to tell you that I have to go back to LA for a couple of weeks?"

"No, now probably isn't the best time but its too late now. When are you leaving?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight? Justin why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because you were sick and I didn't want you to be sick and upset at the same time."

"Well thank you I guess, but you should have told me."

"I'm sorry babe. I have some stuff I need to work on with Esme and other random odds and ends that I have to tie up. I'll be two weeks tops. You can come with me if you want to."

"You know I can't come with you Justin, I have to work. It's just two weeks it's fine I just wish you told me sooner."

"Will you stay here and hold down the fort while I'm gone?"

"Yes, because security would totally let someone into your apartment while your gone."

"Well I was thinking that...I mean it's just..."

"Spit it out Justin you can do it," I laughed while I spun around and jumped up on the sink so that I could face him.

"Well I was just thinking that maybe while I'm gone you can move your stuff..."

"Move what stuff?" I asked now concerned that he wanted the little stuff that I had brought to his apartment out.

"It's just...Marissa I..."

"Are you breaking up with me?" I asked, tears starting to fill my eyes.

"NO...NO...God no. I don't know why this is so hard for me to say." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm asking...Maris...I'm asking you to move in with me."

"You are?" I said letting out the breath that I was holding in.

"Yeah...I mean I love you and this whole going back and forth thing is just so stupid. You spend most of your time here anyway and I've proven to not be as big of a distraction as you thought I would be. You're paying to live five minutes away from me when you spend most of your time here so you're wasting money and I just...I love you and I want to wake up next to you every morning. Plus you're going to move to LA in December anyway so you'll only be moving out a semester sooner then you expected." He looked at me with concerned eyes when he saw the tears actually start to fall. "What? What's the matter? Is it too soon?"

"No...it's not too soon. I'm happy really. It's just that you said you've never lived with a girlfriend before and that you don't want to unless you're going to get married and I don't want you to do this just so that I can save money or whatever."

"That's not why I'm asking you Marissa. I'm asking you because I love you and because I want to live with you. And someday, not today or anything, but someday I do want to marry you. You're it for me, so why put it off any longer. I never said I didn't want to live with someone because we weren't married, I said I didn't want to live with someone I didn't know I was going to marry. But I know I'm going to marry you."

"You do?" I asked brushing the tears from my face. He put his hands on either side of my face and kissed my lips.

"I do. So what do you say?"

"I say...yes. I say yes. But what about Amy? I can't just leave her."

"Well if all goes according to plan, Amy will be moving in with Trace."

"Shut up! Trace is asking her to move in?"

"Trace is asking for a little more then that."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't say anything okay?"

"Fine, tell me," I said now excited and clapping my hands.

"Promise?"

"God I promise Justin just tell me."

"I'm serious Marissa. I know she's your best friend and you tell her everything."

"Justin," I put my hands on his face, well more like slapped them on his face just for more of an effect, "I promise."

"Hesaskinghertomarryhim," he said really fast and then closed his eyes for some strange reason. It took me a minute to figure out what he said and once it sank it I had a hissy fit. I jumped off the sink and started pacing the bathroom.

"HE'S DOING WHAT? HE'S PROPOSING? SHE'S GOING TO DIE! Oh my God Justin she's going to pass out. When? Where? I have to tell her...no I can't tell her. Tell me everything, give me details. Is he going to videotape it because I need to see her reaction. Holy crap this is crazy...crazy I tell you..."

"Slow down..." he said pulling me over to him so I'd stop pacing. "We're all going to go out to dinner when I get back so you'll be there when he does it."

"I can't believe this. I'm so happy for them! Who would have thought this would ever happen? But wait...this means I have to break her heart and make her think I'm moving out and leaving her alone."

"Yes, but don't worry about it, because she'll be over it faster then it took her to get upset. I'm just glad  that you're not upset to be honest."

"Why would I be upset? My best friend is getting engaged and I get to be a maid of honor!"

"I don't know. I was just scared that you'd be upset that she's getting married before you."

"Justin I'm totally not mad about that," I kissed him on his lips and wrapped my arms around his neck. "What we have works for us right now and I wouldn't change anything about it."

"So if I asked you to marry me right now you'd say no?"

"Hell no! I'd scream and cry and say yes a thousand times, but I know neither one of us are ready for that right now so I am by no means sad, upset or mad about them getting engaged before us."

"Good. Now..." he playfully slapped my ass, "want to help me pack before you go to lunch with Luke?"

"Only if I'm rewarded for it." I replied biting on my lower lip.

"Oh you'll be rewarded for it," he laughed picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder running into the bedroom, "I'll reward you right now."