Don’t you know what can happen to you….

Sheridan gasped and opened her eyes. At first, she had no idea where she was. This wasn’t her room. But then she heard what sounded like a long sigh being let out, and looked to see what caused it. Justin was sleeping at her side, his arms wrapped around her. Now she remembered. Last night…him crying…her having to give him that damn pill. She fell asleep here. It probably wasn’t the greatest thing she could have done, and she knew her mother wouldn’t approve if she found out. But she knew she couldn’t have left him last night. She knew he wouldn’t have taken it well at the time. And she was afraid of what he might have done if he woke up this morning alone.

She kissed his forehead. “Justin,” she whispered.

He didn’t reply. Sheridan knew it was because of the pill. He had taken it at two, and it was only eight now…he had at least another four hours to go before he would wake up again. But she couldn’t lay here all day. Sheridan was sure her mother would want her to feed the horses this morning…because Justin was in no condition to do any of that. Marcy had to be at the airport by noon as well. She had to get up…there was no other choice. She carefully pulled away from him, making sure not to jostle him or slide him over too much.

He never fluttered an eyelid. Sheridan felt terrible. The last thing she wanted to do was drug him last night, but her mother hadn’t given her much of a choice. In all honesty, she knew it was the best thing for him…but that didn’t mean she liked it. She felt like she had betrayed him in a way, because he trusted her so much. With a sigh, she rose from the bed. “I’ll be back later, grumpy bear,” she whispered. She silently opened the door, and closed it behind her.

“Sheridan.”

Her mother was standing before her, her arms crossed…her expression grim. She knew where she had slept last night, and as Sheridan expected…she wasn’t happy about it at all. “Hi mom,” she said after a moment.

“He’s still sleeping?” Karen asked.

Sheridan nodded in response.

“I’m disappointed in you Sheridan,” Karen continued. “Justin is a patient.. You shouldn’t have slept in his room last night. You’re supposed to be smarter than that.”

“I-I know that,” she sighed. “I just wanted to make sure he got to sleep okay…and I just…I fell asleep.” She met her mother’s gaze. “It won’t happen again.”

“I knew I should have put a stop to this from the beginning,” Karen sighed. “Justin is becoming too attached to you Sheridan. Last night proved that. Now, I have to call his mother and tell her about last night.” She shook her head sadly. “I don’t even want to think about her reaction to all of this.”

“I’m all he has mom!” Sheridan protested. “Why is it that nobody can understand that?”

Karen gritted her teeth. “You’re not all that boy has. Do you know where he comes from…do you know the kind of life he leads, Sheridan? Do you?”

“He’s not that person anymore mom,” Sheridan whispered. “You just…you don’t know.”

“Don’t tell me what I don’t know!” Karen snapped. “I know his story…and I know the kind of world he comes from. Yes, it’s a good thing he’s been able to step back from all of that for awhile. But what in the world do you think will happen once he gets back on his feet?”

She wouldn’t look at her, and simply shrugged.

“He’ll break your heart, Sheridan,” Karen whispered, cupping Sheridan’s face in her palm. “He’s not going to change his life to stay with you.”

“I…I’m not expecting him to,” she lied. She stepped away from her mother. “He’s just my friend.”

“Sheridan,” Karen whispered. “I don’t believe you.”

She started away from her. “I’m going to feed the horses,” she muttered.

“They’ve been fed.”

Sheridan whirled around.

“What if…” Karen began. “What if I buy you that apartment you’ve been asking for, honey?”

Sheridan’s eyes widened. There was a fantastic Manhattan apartment a few blocks from her dorm, that she had been begging her mother to consider for the past four years. Up until now, her mother had refused. It was expensive of course, but it was nothing that her mother’s salary couldn’t handle. Sheridan knew her mother had her own reasons for not giving in. She was a firm believer that if you wanted something, you earned it. But right now, she was ready to forget all of that. Sheridan knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and knew she would be crazy not to accept.

But at this moment, she didn’t care about the apartment.. The only thing she wanted, was to be with Justin…every day until he recovered from his accident. She knew her mother wouldn’t be able to understand. Justin didn’t talk to her mother, like he talked to her. He didn’t tell her things…or bring out his humorous, carefree side around her mother. And he certainly didn’t worry about her mother like he worried about her. “No,” she said finally. “You can’t just buy me off, mom.”

“I’m not trying to buy you off,” Karen whispered. “I just thought it might be better if you got on with your life now, instead of waiting until September. You need to think about that too, Sheridan. What’s going to happen when you leave for school?”

She hadn’t really thought about that at all. She hadn’t had the chance. She was having so much fun getting to know Justin, and helping him to get better that the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. “I’ll handle it when the time comes.”

Karen frowned. “You’re being unreasonable.”

“I’m not going to leave him now mom,” Sheridan nodded. “I can’t.”

“Give me one reason why not.” Karen placed her hands on her hips.

There were a million reasons why. Sheridan knew that, but at the same time she knew she couldn’t tell her most of them. “Because he needs me,” she told her. “That’s all that matters.”

“I can handle the things he feels he needs you for,” Karen said. “Unless there’s something that you’re not telling me.”

Sheridan swallowed hard. “No.”

Karen raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Because if there is something that you’re keeping from me, Sheridan,” she began. “The consequences will be severe.”

“I’m not lying to you,” Sheridan said, sternly. “I would tell you if there was something going on with him.” Oh God. She hated lying to her mother. After her father died, they hadn’t been on good speaking terms for a couple of years. She lied to her mother a lot then….about where she went…who she hung out with. But when they reconciled, she swore that she wouldn’t tell another lie to her mother ever again. But now she felt she had to. She’d given Justin her word, that she wouldn’t say anything about what he told her. She couldn’t break a promise to him…he couldn’t handle it.

“Alright,” Karen said after a moment. “I believe you.”

She forced a smile. “I’m sorry I slept in there, mommy.”

“Do you want this internship to be positive or negative?” Karen asked her.

“Positive,” Sheridan whispered.

“Then all of this personal involvement with him needs to stop. I’m not saying you can’t be a friend to him, Sheridan. I’m glad he trusts you enough to be friends with you. But that’s all you can be to him Sheridan…his friend. I need you to understand that, or else I don’t think I’ll be able to let you help rehabilitate him any further.”

Sheridan nodded slightly. “I understand.”

“Good. Now, go on…go get Marcy up. You don’t want her to miss her flight,” she said quickly. Without so much as a smile, she turned on her heel and quickly walked back down the hallway.

“Liar.”

Sheridan gasped, and looked around. There was that voice…that same voice she heard that night in the car. “Who’s there?” she whispered. “Justin?” She opened his door again. He was still sound asleep. She frowned, and shrugged; thinking her imagination had gotten the best of her again.

Liar… The voice was a whisper, almost a hiss, warm and seductive in her ear.

She yanked the door closed. “Stop it!” She listened, but she was alone now…she knew it. She ran a shaky hand through her hair. What was going on? Now she felt as confused as she knew Justin was, when Trace came around. This was the second time this had happened. Why was it happening? Stress. It must have been stress. It was the only explanation she could come up with. It scared her that she didn’t have a solid answer.

Maybe she was the one who needed to be drugged.

****************

His head hurt. He didn’t like it. Justin sat up a little, and glanced out the window. The sun was shining in on him. It was beautiful outside. This was a day for the beach. He smiled. He used to go to the beach a lot. He and Trace would pack their surfboards in the back of his Jeep, and then the girls would pile into the back seat. Then they would go, and try to enjoy the day. Of course, the paparazzi would be there…and half the day would be spent trying to find a spot on the beach where they could avoid them. But then there were the moments where they actually got to enjoy themselves…those were the best moments.

Justin shook his head, and let the memory fade. He didn’t want to think about Trace right now. He had done too much of that yesterday, and in the end he had broken down because of it. Hell, because of everything. Sheridan, Marcy, Karen…they had all seemed to blend together at the moment he was most vulnerable. He had completely lost it.

Now here he was, sitting in bed…still half groggy from whatever sort of drug Sheridan slipped him the night before. He was annoyed that she tricked him, but at the same time he knew it was for the best. There was no way he would have gotten to sleep without that pill…and if he had known it was a pill there was no way he would have taken it. Sheridan was too smart for her own good sometimes.

Sheridan. Where was she right now? He was sure she had slept beside him. Why did she leave? Curious now, he pulled the emergency cord behind him. Moments later he heard the sound of rushed footsteps outside his door. He smiled, thinking it was Sheridan, but frowned when the door opened and Karen was standing there instead.

“That’s for emergencies, Justin,” she grumbled, flipping the switch to make the buzzing stop. “Is there something you need?”

“Where’s Sheridan?” he mumbled, hoarsely.

Karen sighed, and walked over to his bedside. “She went to the airport. Marcy is going home.”

“Oh.” Marcy. He remembered screaming at Trace to never come back, but Marcy had thought that his comments were directed at her. At the time he hadn’t cared…but right now he felt awful about it. Marcy had been nothing but sweet and supportive from the moment she arrived. Now she was going to go back to New York, her faith in him lost. “I yelled at Marcy,” he confessed.

“I had a talk with her before she left. You don’t need to worry, Justin. She didn’t take anything you said personally,” Karen sighed, and sat down on the bed. “How do you feel?”

He shrugged. “Tired, I guess.”

“Too tired to have a talk?”

He shook his head.

“We need to talk about this Sheridan thing,” Karen decided.

He was slightly confused. Sheridan thing? What did Karen mean? “Huh?”

“I need to know how you feel about her.”

Now he wasn’t so confused anymore. Karen seemed to know that something was going on between himself and her daughter. She didn’t like it either. His eyes widened a little. Had Sheridan told her about the kissing? How they snuck out to LA that day? No. She couldn’t have. He knew Karen wouldn’t be this mellow if she had. “Feel?” he whispered. “I…I guess I care about her. I mean, she’s one of my best friends now, you know?”

She smiled a little. “I know that, and I’m happy for you Justin. I’m happy that there is somebody up here you can relate to like this.”

He smiled.

“But it worries me at the same time.”

He frowned. “Oh.”

“You need to focus on yourself…you know that don’t you?”

He nodded. “There’s nothing goin’ on between us,” he lied.

Karen nodded, but didn‘t seem convinced. “Do you wish there was?”

“What kinda question is that?” he scoffed. This was ridiculous. After the night he had, why was she sitting here, hassling him about Sheridan like some 20/20 interviewer?

“I just need to know,” Karen said. “It’s vital to your therapy. I can’t have Sheridan around if she’s going to be a distraction to you.

He grit his teeth. “What is it with you? Why do you want to take everything away from me?”

“That’s not it at all. I want you to have what makes you happy. But Justin, there’s a fine line between being happy in a friendship…and being in love with somebody.”

He looked away from her. He knew if he met her gaze, he would give away his true feelings. “I’m not in love with Sheridan,” he muttered. “And you’re stupid to think that I am. I don’t…I don’t have the time to think about that stuff now. I just need to get myself fixed, so I can get back to what’s most important…my career and my family.”

“That’s the truth Justin?” Karen asked, smiling a little bit.

She was buying it. “Yes,” he said. “I mean, I meant it when I said I care about Sheridan. I do…she’s been there for me. But as far as love and junk goes…I just…I can’t even see myself being with her. She’s really not my type. And I really didn‘t want to get into it with the two of you…but I actually have somebody waiting for me back home.”

“You limp dicked fucker.” Trace walked into the room. “You’re such a liar. You know as well as I do, that you couldn‘t commit to anybody after the douche bag fucked you over.”

Karen let out a relieved sigh. “You have no idea how much better you’ve made me feel about all of this,” she smiled. “Thank you for being honest.”

He nodded at her. It was taking all of his strength not to say anything to Trace. He knew if he did, Karen wouldn’t believe a word that just came out of his mouth.

“You’ve got…somebody waiting for you,” he laughed. “Who the hell would wait for you now that you can’t get your shit up?”

Trace’s words hit him like daggers. He sucked in a breath, clenched his fists…

“Are you feeling okay?” Karen asked.

“Maybe the doctor will please you,” Trace laughed again. “Ask ‘er. Maybe she’ll give you a kinky sponge bath or something.”

“Just….just shut the hell up!” he yelled, not being able to hold back any longer. “Damn it Tra--shit.” He looked at Karen, realizing too late what he had done. She seemed worried now. He shook his head.

“Sheridan told me nothing was wrong with you when I asked her. But I’m not so sure. Justin, if there’s something you need to tell me, or talk about, I’m here to help you.”

“I don’t need to talk about anything,” he whispered. “I can handle it.”

“These outbursts of yours are telling me otherwise.”

“I’m. Fine,” he seethed. He knew he should tell Karen about Trace, but he was afraid what she would do once she found out. He didn’t want to be put on any sort of drugs…and he didn’t want to talk to some shrink about it either. Sheridan. She was the only one he needed to confide in about it. He knew she wouldn’t try to shove pills down his throat…he knew she wouldn’t make him talk to anybody else about it.

“If they continue, Justin,” she told him. “I’m going to have to take some sort of action. You can’t be…talking to yourself like this.”

Suddenly, he didn’t think he could trust Karen as much as he thought he could. He looked back at Trace, as if to say Do you see what you’re doing to me?

Trace winked at him, and disappeared.

He looked back at Karen. “Don’t threaten me. I’m not crazy, like you think I am.”

“Tell me why you do this,” Karen nodded. “Tell me why you talk to yourself.”

“Maybe because I’m lonely,” he told her. “Ever think about that?”

“It’s not healthy.”

“Just leave me alone about it,” Justin said. “It’s my thing…I mean…you took everything else away Karen. I gotta have something.”

Karen rested her chin on her hand, and seemed to be deep in thought about something. “What can I give you?” she asked him finally.

“Give me?”

“Yes. What sort of privilege can I give you, that’s going to make you feel better? Please, tell me.”

Anything. He could ask for anything. Justin didn’t know where to begin. There were so many things he wasn’t able to do now that he was here. The telephone…the computer…pig out…go out… “Hell Karen,” he said, laughing a little. “I can’t choose.”

“What if I set aside a day where you can do anything you want to?” Karen suggested.

“Like Saturday nights?”

“Yes…but you’ll have the entire day. And it will be free range…you can use the phone…the computer…you can call and talk to whoever you want to. You can even go out if you want. I’ll allow it, within reason. There will be no going home or anything like that.”

He smiled. “You mean it?”

“I mean it,” she said. “If it will help you…I’m open to it.”

“What about my friends,” he asked. “If I go out, can I see some of them?”

“I’ll make you a deal. If in the next week you show some real effort when you do those parallel bars…I’ll let you have a friend over the following weekend. That’s one friend, Justin…only one. And you have to show real, consistent effort.”

He leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek. He wasn’t angry at her for questioning him about his weird tendency anymore. Karen was simply trying to help him, and even though he knew he couldn’t talk about Trace’s ghost with her…he was still happy she was making a blind effort for him to get over it. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Sure,” she smiled. “Now come on, lets get you going with your exercises.”

*************

“Are you going to mope all day, or are you going to talk to me before you leave?”

Marcy shrugged her shoulders, and didn’t look at her.

“Marcy,” Sheridan huffed. “My mother and I both told you it wasn’t your fault.”

“He hates me,” Marcy moaned. “He said it.”

He hates Trace, not you… Sheridan wanted to say the words so badly, but knew that it wasn’t a good idea. It wasn’t Marcy’s place to know about Justin’s problem…it wasn’t anybody’s place to know. “He doesn’t hate you,” she got out. “He was just…distraught. He didn’t know what he was saying. I know for a fact that he really enjoyed having you around Marcy. He really needed to know that people like you still care…I don’t think he believed they did.”

“What does it matter,” she whispered. “I’m just another face to him.”

“Marcy!”

“That’s me,” Marcy stated, rising out of the chair she had been slouching in. She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Don’t worry Sher. When you get back to the dorm…all the pictures will be gone.”

Sheridan shook her head sadly. “Marcy, please don’t be this way. Last night…last night was just something that happened. I’m sure Justin is up by now…” She looked at her watch. “…and is sittin’ there saying ‘boy, I hope Marcy doesn’t think I’m an asshole’.”

“I’m a fat white girl…why should he care if I think badly of him? He’s Justin fucking Timberlake…”

She grasped her friends hand tightly. “You know he’s not that way Marcy.” She looked directly into her eyes. “I know you know that.”

“I guess,” she whispered, pulling her hand away. “I better go.”

“Don’t leave angry,” Sheridan told her. “Look at all the fun we had. I mean Christ, aside from last night…you hung out with Justin Timberlake all weekend, and had fun doing it! What fan could say that?”

“Not now Sheridan,” Marcy said. “I don’t want to think about him.”

Marcy was really upset. Sheridan could remember only one other time that Marcy had gotten this upset over something…and it was when NSYNC’s second album came out, and she hadn’t been able to get it at the stroke of midnight. She was miserable for days after, stating that she wasn’t a true fan. Of course, Sheridan had called her crazy and told her to get a life. But now she almost wished she hadn’t. Now she saw how much impact Justin had over his fans…how much he meant to fans like Marcy. It was her whole world.

And it had come crashing down around her, because Sheridan decided she simply had to dance with Juan for a few more songs. “This is my fault,” she admitted. “If I didn’t make us late--”

“Sheridan,” Marcy said, giggling slightly. “It’s not your fault that I’m obsessed with a pop star, who strangely enough…is being treated by your mother. I just…I need to grow up,” she decided. Marcy looked into her eyes. “I think it’s time for me to grow up, Sher.”

“I gotta go, or else I’ll be stuck here,” Marcy said, sniffling a little bit. “And I know my parent’s won’t bail me out.”

Sheridan nodded, and wrapped her friend up in a long hug. “I love you Marcy.”

“Love you too.” Marcy pulled away from her. “I’ll call you when I land.”

“Oh,” Sheridan gasped, pulling the magazine she had bought for Marcy out of her backpack. It was some special magazine she had found when she went for coffee earlier. It commemorated Justin, and his achievements. She knew Marcy would love it. “I almost forgot…here.” She handed it to her.

Marcy glanced at the cover. “Thanks. But…I think you should keep it.”

“Oh come on. You know you want it,” she smiled.

“Fine,” She took the magazine.

Sheridan smiled. Marcy was feeling better. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye.”

Sheridan watched Marcy walk over to the doorway, and waved one last goodbye to her before she disappeared through it. She smiled a little, knowing that by the time Marcy landed in New York, she would be itching to tear the magazine apart, and tack the best pictures to her bedroom walls.

“Hey, don’t I know you?”

Sheridan turned around. Her eyes widened. Juan was standing before her, that famous sarcastic grin of his plastered across his face. “Wow…” she smiled. “Juan! How are you?”

“Doin’ good,” he yawned. “Still tired from last night though. You ran me ragged girl,” he chuckled. “Whatcha doin here?”

“Oh,” she said. “I had to drop my roommate off.”

“Cool,” he nodded. “I’m goin’ to Philly…wanna go?”

She giggled. “You’re very spur of the moment aren’t you?”

He smiled. “You could say that. Come with me.”

“I can’t come with you,” she smiled. “I have prior commitments. I told you that.”

“Alright,” he nodded, walking toward the doorway. “Well, I’ll be thinking of you anyway girl.”

“Why do you have to go to Philadelphia?” she asked him, a little curious now.

“Work.”

Work. She had been so busy enjoying herself last night, she hadn’t even bothered to ask him what he did for a living. “What do you do?”

“Oh…lots of stuff,” he said.

She smiled. “What’s that mean?”

“I work in the music biz,” he said, leaning in toward her. “It’s all very hush hush.”

Sheridan laughed out loud. “Like the CIA?”

Juan smiled a little. “Sometimes,” he took her hand and pulled her close to him. “I like you.”

Sheridan felt herself go weak at the knees. She didn’t like this feeling. She didn’t want him to make her feel this way…but he was. She loved the way he talked. It was a southern accent yes…but sometimes it cracked into a northern one, making it apparent that he fluctuated between North and South often. She loved the way he smiled, and the way he didn’t seem to care that he needed to shave or get a haircut. He was content in who he was…so it seemed. And to Sheridan, it made him even more likeable. “I like you too, Juan,” she confessed.

“What’s keeping you away from me?” he asked her after a moment. “You got a man?”

She looked away from him. “Not yet.”

“Huh?” he said, in a confused tone. “You gotta do better than that Sheridan.”

“I…I have this friend,” she admitted. “And well…I know I like him, and he knows he likes me. But things are just so hard,” she paused and let out a long sigh. “I mean we want to try to be together…but at the same time we know its not worth it right now.”

“And you said you’d wait around for him,” Juan said.

Her eyes widened. “How…how did you know?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been through enough relationships to know,” he smiled. “But I respect that. It takes a strong girl to do that. He must be a good guy.”

“He is,” she nodded. “He’s totally different from any other guy I’ve ever know.”

“You love him, don’t you?” Juan said, knowingly.

Sheridan gasped. “I don’t know.”

“You must,” Juan reasoned. “If you weren’t in love with him, we’d be standing in that corner making out right now. Cuz hell, I know I want to,” he laughed.

“I can’t be in love with him,” she muttered. “It’s not fair to either of us.”

“You can’t pick and choose who you fall in love with.” Juan shook his head. “You just…fall in love. It just happens.”

Sheridan sighed. “Have you ever been in love before?”

He looked down at the floor, and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Once.”

She had struck another chord with him. It was the same as when she questioned why he dropped out of school. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, looking back at her. “It was my fault that whole thing ended anyway.”

“I’m sure that wasn’t the case.”

He laughed softly. “It was the case,” he reassured her.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave,” Sheridan told him. “I really don’t feel like going back home right now. I’m so…confused today…I’d rather sit around and talk to you. You’re a good person to talk to.”

“Aww,” he smiled, reaching out and caressing her face. “You’re sweet.” He glanced at his watch. “Hey, what the hell? I can leave tomorrow. I mean sure, my boss’ll be a little pissed, but who really cares? I do more than enough for the guy as it is.”

Sheridan felt herself blush. “Juan no…you can’t just not go to work.”

He smirked. “I’m Juan…I can do what I want.”

“You’re Juan?” she laughed. “Is that supposed to intimidate me?”

He winked at her. “Maybe.”

**************

“What kind of fool jumps off of a roof?” Sheridan said, as she continued to trace patterns into the sand with her finger. Sheridan was thankful Juan suggested they go to the beach. It was the perfect day for it. She made sure to call home first of course, so Justin wouldn’t worry. Her mother seemed happy that she had ‘ran into an old friend’, and was going to ‘be a little late’ though.

She was hoping Justin felt the same way.

Juan had taken her here, in his classy looking Mercedes, reassuring her that her car would be fine in the airport parking lot. Sheridan hadn’t hesitated. The car was beautiful. Her mother didn’t even drive a car as nice as Juan’s. She drove a Volvo, which was a nice…but it wasn’t a Mercedes. But now that she thought about it…she didn’t think she could picture her mother in a Mercedes anyway.

“I was nine!” Juan laughed. “And I thought I could fly.”

“When I was nine,” Sheridan mused. “I was winning horse competitions.”

“Okay okay,” Juan groaned. “So you’re more sophisticated than me. That was a given from the start.”

“Maybe I am, but my life is probably a snore fest compared to yours.”

“How so?”

“Oh come on,” Sheridan said, nudging him a little. “You party all the time…you travel all the time. That must be so great.”

He shrugged. “That stuff can get boring after awhile. It’s just a lifestyle Sheridan. It doesn’t mean anything. I mean sure, when I first started out it was amazing. But I think it was because I was so damn young. I mean, I was only seventeen when I started in this business. And when you’re seventeen and can get into the most elite clubs and junk…it’s really awesome. But now I’m twenty three. I’ve been living like this for years. I’m tired of it,” he laughed. “As strange as that sounds.”

Every time Juan brought up his lifestyle, and what he did for a living…Sheridan couldn’t help but become more curious. “If you don’t mind me asking you,” she began. “Who do you work for?”

He laughed. “You’re nosey girl.”

Sheridan frowned. “I’m sorry. I just…I can’t help myself. Can you blame me?”

He shook his head. “Not really. Alright…you wanna know who I work for?”

Her eyes widened. “Yeah.”

“You ready?”

She gasped. “Yeah!”

He leaned forward. “Marty Kudelka, he’s a choreographer,” he whispered. “And then…there’s Renee Earnest…she’s an exec.”

Sheridan yawned. “Snore, what about…famous people?”

“Famous?” he scoffed. “Don’t you know who Renee Earnest is?”

Sheridan snickered. “I get the point.”

“See…my life ain’t so luxurious. Although…I did get some kick ass court side seats for the Lakers last year,” he pointed out.

“Ooo,” Sheridan giggled. “There’s a plus.”

He laughed, and pounced on her, pushing her down on to the sand. He pinned her wrists down ,and smiled. “You’re just jealous.”

“Am not,” she cooed. “Can I get up?”

“Hmm…nope,” he decided.

“I’ll knee you in the balls.”

“And that would hurt,” he laughed, not loosening the hold he had on her. “But I’m pretty sure you’re bark is worse than your bite, Sheridan.”

He was right. “So?”

He lightly brushed his lips against hers. “You gonna knee me in the balls now?” he whispered.

Sheridan was flabbergasted. That kiss had been so perfect…not to passionate…not too quick. She gazed up at him, and felt her face begin to burn with embarrassment.. “No,” she whispered.

He smiled. “I’m glad.” He kissed her again.

She kissed him back. She wanted him to kiss her. She loved the way it felt to have him so close to her, making her feel so sexy…so wonderful inside.

Sheridan gasped, and broke the kiss. Juan…he kissed like Justin kissed.

“What?” Juan gasped. “What’s the matter?”

“I can’t do this,” she managed. She rolled out from underneath him. “I can’t.”

“Shit,” he jumped to his feet. “I’m sorry, Sheridan. I just kinda lost my mind there for a minute I guess. You know, you’re just such a down girl. I couldn’t help myself.”

She felt a chill pass through her, and she shivered a little. It confused her, because it was so warm out today. It had to be at least eighty degrees. “Don’t apologize Juan,” she said. “I kinda lost myself there for a minute too.”

He looked at his watch. “I- I guess I could probably still make the next flight if I rush,” he said. “I probably should.”

Sheridan nodded. “Probably,” she murmured.

“Come on,” he held his hand out to her. “I’ll bring you back.”

She took his hand. She couldn’t help but feel bad about all of this. Justin wanted to be with her…Justin wanted to kiss her, and she had told him that it wouldn’t’ work. But she had just made out with Juan, a guy she had only just met. Was she wrong? She didn’t know. She couldn’t say she cheated on Justin, because they weren’t a couple…but for some reason she still felt like she betrayed him in some way.

She got into the car, and buckled herself in. “Thanks for the day anyhow,” she said, as Juan started up the car.

“It’s no prob,” he told her. “I had fun.”

She didn’t reply, and focused her gaze out the window.

“Sheridan.”

She looked at him.

“You should just…be with that guy. Regardless of what anybody else has to say about it. You know…it’s hard to find somebody to be with. Hell, I know that.”

“It’s complicated, Juan.”

He shrugged. “Complicated or not…it’s still love,” he reasoned. “And love can’t wait for anything. Life’s too short, Sheridan. Just think about that.” He turned up the radio, seemingly not wanting to talk anymore about the subject.

Sheridan couldn’t help but think about what Juan said. In a lot of aspects he was correct. Granted, he didn’t know who it was that she wanted to be with…or the situation he was in. But still, for a guy that wasn’t that much older than her…he seemed to know a lot about life.

And that it was too short.