{Justin}
Why do I suddenly feel like I’m back in elementary school, making my way to the principle’s office for a good lecture? Chris isn’t saying a thing as I gingerly follow him towards his bedroom where we can have our little man-to-man “chat.”
Stuffing my hands inside my jeans pockets, I pass through his doorway and close it behind me. Chris is quiet for a moment. I don’t say anything either. I’m just standing here, waiting for what I know is about to come. I wonder what he’s going to do though. I mean, I know I’m going to get the warnings, the disapproval, but is he going to kill me too?
I hear him clear his throat, so I look up from the carpet, the spot I’ve been staring at since we walked through his door. He’s ready to start the lecture. I can tell he’s pissed, although I think I’ve seen him angrier than this before. Hopefully that’s a good sign that he’s not going to murder me?
“Justin,” he starts, calmly. “What the hell did I exactly just walk in on? Please tell me why I saw you kissing Chloe?”
Geez.
He didn’t have to say ‘you’ with such disgust, now did he?
I mean, there are a lot of people that I just don’t give a fuck about what they think of me, but Chris isn’t one of those people. He’s one of my best friends, and I’ve looked up to him for the entire five years that we’ve known each other.
“I’m sorry,” I apologize, finally, lack of a better answer coming to mind.
“Sorry?” Chris asks, exasperated. He sighs, crossing his arms over his chest, staring me in the face. “Look Justin, I know what’s going on here,” he states.
My heart rate immediately speeds up, and I’m sure my face has just paled. He knows? How could he know?
“You know…what?” I finally ask, hesitantly.
“I get it. Chloe’s a pretty girl. She’s smart. And she’s hard to get it. I’m not surprised that you want her, it makes sense to me. But I’m telling you this—warning you right now—to stay away from her Justin.”
I gulp at his harsh words. “Chris…” I instantly begin to protest. I mean, I can’t just let him tell me to stay away from her. I can’t stay away from her. I live with her. “You’re overreacting.”
His eyes narrow on me before he suddenly begins to pace the room. Back and forth. Back and forth. Finally, after a few seconds, he stops. Regarding me once again, he says, “Justin, you know I trust you. I do. But I don’t trust you with her. I mean, ever since--”
I know what he’s about to say, so I stop him before it even leaves his mouth. Angrily, I snap, “Don’t even say her name to me, Chris. Don’t even fuckin’ say it.”
Chris knows me, and he knows my limits. He quickly nods his head apologetically before taking a seat on his bed. With a sigh, he runs his hand through his short black hair. “All I’m trying to say is that you’re different. I see you bringing all these hoes up in here all the time, and I don’t say anything ‘cus honestly, it’s your choice to do what you want. But Justin, the fact is you treat women like they are just a piece of ass anymore.”
Immediately, indignantly, I say to him, “I don’t treat women like a piece of ass!”
Chris is way out of line here.
Is that seriously what everyone really thinks about me?
Well, do you?
Chris gives me a ‘get real’ look. “C’mon, J. When is the last time you actually had genuine feelings for a girl? And I’m talking about a girl since…” he trails off, knowing good and well that I’ll snap again if he says that name.
I don’t answer him. I just stare at the wall instead. Man, I suddenly feel like shit. It’s always a nice thing to find out what someone truly thinks of you—this case being that my best friend really thinks I’m just a scummy bastard who treats women like ass.
I mean, okay. I know what you’re thinking. And yes, I admit I have treated err—a few women—not so great lately. But damn, it’s not like I don’t have a fucking heart either. I can be a nice guy. Just cause--
Chris’ voice is suddenly interrupting my thoughts and the silence that has come over the room, “Justin, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing,” he goes on, his voice a little more concerned. “I mean a lot guys go through this phase…and I’m sure you’ll grow out of it when you’re ready. But I’m sorry, best friends or not, I’m not going to allow you to treat Chloe that way. She’s not just some random slut coming home with you—she’s like my little sister.”
“Fine,” I say, my blue eyes boring into his own.
I mean he’s right. I should stay away from her. I’m just using her anyways, right? But I like her. I could be her friend. But I don’t care….she’s just a fucking, stupid bet. And I don’t need to be shot by Chris over a bet. Fuck, I should have never made the damn bet in the first place.
“Fine? Just like that? No arguing with me? No ‘fuck you Chris, I’m gonna do what I want?'”
I give him a crooked grin, pretending that I’m not bothered by what he’s just said to me in here. He doesn’t need to know. “Naw man, you’re right. I shouldn’t be messing with her like that. She’s our roommate,” I say. “And just so you know, all we ever did was kiss a few times.”
Chris looks relieved, as he stands up and reaches his hand out to give me the ‘guy-half-way-pat-hug thingy’ that girls are always making fun of. “Thanks man. I don’t want you to feel like I’m being a dick about this either; I’m just trying to look out for her—and even you J. I mean, Chloe’s not the type of girl you date for some fun. She’s the type you bring home to mom and marry. Know what I mean?”
I nod my head, my thoughts just a tad bit depressing. “Yeah, yeah—I know what you mean.”
****
{Chloe}
My knuckle raps against Justin’s bedroom door, as I impatiently wait for him to reply.
“Come in,” he finally calls out after a few seconds.
I crack the door open, poking my head inside. My eyes land on Justin, finding him perched against the pillows on his bed, a text book lying in his lap. He looks up from what he’s reading and I smile, noticing he has on reading glasses.
I didn’t know he wore glasses. He looks cute—smart. He also looks surprised that I’m the one to be at his door. “Hey, can I come in?” I ask sweetly.
He nods his head, and I quickly shut the door behind me as I shuffle towards his bed. He watches me, as I cautiously take a seat on the edge of his mattress. My gaze lands on his face as I begin a conversation. “I didn’t know you wore glasses,” I comment, smiling at him.
Justin hastily reaches up, as if he’s just remembered they were on, and takes them off. “Oh yeah…well only when I read,” he explains, quietly. “I know I look like a dork in them.”
“No…you actually look really cute in them,” I find myself immediately blurting out.
He gives me a small smile and shrugs. “Thanks.”
Now I’m not claiming to be the almighty, all-knowing Justin Timberlake expert, but something about him seems…well, off I guess. Since the first day I’ve met him, I’ve never known him to be so…quiet and well…modest even? I mean normally, he would jump up at the fact that I called him cute, probably going on to say that he was better than cute, that he was fine. He would want to know why I was here, knocking on his bedroom door.
But right now, he’s just quiet. Staring at whatever he’s staring at. I sigh and look down at the opened text book lying on his lap. “So what were you reading?” I ask him.
“Um, just some stories for English.”
“Well, I’m proud of you!” I state, enthusiastically.
Justin’s face looks even more surprised than it had been when I said he looked cute just a while ago. He glances in my direction and asks, “You are?”
“Yeah,” I agree. “You know that I think getting an education is very important. So I’m glad to find that you are taking your studies seriously.”
He gives another small smile. “Oh—well thanks.”
Tilting my head to the side, I observe him with curiosity. “What’s wrong with you, Justin?”
“Me?” he asks. “Nothing. Why?”
“You sure?”
“Where’s Chris at?” he mentions, obviously avoiding my question. “He would kill us if he knew you were in here right now.”
“He’s out. Besides, who cares what he says? And what did he say to you anyways?” I ask him.
I’ve been curious as to what they talked about all day today. In case you’re wondering about the lecture I got, I’ll summarize it for you real quick, so as not to bore you. Here’s the gist of it:
Chris oh-so-nicely told me, “you mess with fire, you’re gonna get burned.”
He thinks I’m idealistic, and that I need to realize that I can’t “change” a person. (If that’s what I’m trying to do with Justin, he wasn’t really sure why I was taking sudden interest in him.)
He said I shouldn’t mess with Justin because Justin is confused and isn’t ready for a relationship right now.
Blah blah blah.
Mainly, Chris just doesn’t want me to be romantically involved with Justin—at all.
Of course, I agreed with him, but I really didn’t take it to heart much. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love Chris to death and I do wholeheartedly value his advice. And I know he’s just trying to look out for me, but…I mean, I have a deal to keep…right?
So anyways…
I watch as Justin shrugs his shoulders at my question. He slides the text book off his lap, sticking it on the side of his bed. “So—what’d he say?” I pry again, as he still hasn’t answered me yet.
“Basically just told me to stay away from you, that he doesn’t want us messing around,” he finally states, blankly.
I roll my eyes. “Oh gosh, he’s just being overprotective. What did you say?” I inquire once more.
I think I’ve noticed another annoying habit of Justin’s, besides licking his lips all the damn time; he sure does seem to be shrugging with indifference a whole hell of a lot. “I agreed that I wouldn’t.”
My jaw drops and I blink my eyes. He just agreed? I mean, ugh! I know he probably doesn’t really like me like he’s been saying, but why would he just listen to Chris anyways? That’s not like Justin. At least, not the Justin I know.
“You agreed?” I ask him, disbelievingly. “Why?”
Justin sighs, once again shifting his gaze away from me. “I can’t blame Chris for not wanting you to hook up with me, Chloe. I mean—I realize—I’m a jerk. I treat women like objects…I just use them. I don’t deserve someone like you.”
“And you’re just now realizing this?” I joke, raising an eyebrow at him. He doesn’t look amused. Pulling a Justin, I reach over and poke him in the side. “Oh come on, Justin. I was kidding. I mean—you’re actually serious about this?”
He shrugs.
Yes, a-fuckin’-gain.
“Just forget it…”
“You know,” I state, waiting till he looks at me before I continue, “The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. So see, you’re already making progress!”
I grin when I notice the corner of his mouth twitching. See? I knew I could make him smile.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “You make it sound like I’m an alcoholic or something.”
“Seriously though,” I sober up. “If you know that you’re treating people bad and that you’re hurting them, then why don’t you just…stop? I bet you could even turn out to be a real sweetheart.”
“Ya think?” he asks.
“Of course,” I grin. “And besides, you know good and well that if you treat me badly—never mind Chris being pissed—I will seriously get on your ass.”
For the first time, Justin seems back to his normal, perverted self, as he suggestively wiggles his eyebrows at my previous comment. “But what if I want you to get on my ass?”
“Shaaaad up,” I warn him, teasingly. “You know what I meant. I don’t take your shit, and you know it.”
“God, I do know,” he replies, shuddering for effect. “I remember the first day I met you, the first time you yelled at me, just because I had freakin’ whistled at you when you walked by me with some boxes.”
I giggle at the memory. I never thought I’d find that moment amusing, but in retrospect, I guess it was kind of funny. Justin was utterly speechless that first time I opened up my mouth and gave him a piece of my mind. But hey, I was having a bad day, and he was being a pervert—something I’m beginning to realize may never entirely change. “Well you deserved it. You didn’t even know me!”
“I guess I probably did,” he admits. “I’m kinda glad you don’t take my shit though,” he adds as an afterthought.
“You are?” I ask him, skeptically. “Please. That’s why you always give attitude and argue right back with me, huh?”
“Well that’s cause you piss me off,” Justin says, grinning. “But I still like it. Secretly…I really like your feisty ass, Cruella.”
“Good,” I laugh. “And would you stop calling me that!”
“It’s cute.”
“It’s not cute. It’s mean,” I whine. “At least if you’re gonna give me a nickname, make it nice.”
“I’ll think about it,” Justin says.
Before I get the chance to argue, my stomach growls and I suddenly remember why I came to see him in the first place. So, changing the subject, I ask, “Hey, I’m really hungry. Do you wanna order a pizza and watch a movie with me or something?”
Justin scratches his chin, pretending as though he’s contemplating my question. “I dunno…you promise you won’t touch me when we watch the movie?”
I immediately scoff at him. “You wish!”
He grins. “Good, ‘cause I promised Chris that we wouldn’t—”
“What Chris doesn’t know, won’t hurt him,” I interrupt him, evilly.
Justin adamantly shakes his head. “No really, we mad a promise, Chloe. So I think we should just—”
Before he can finish his sentence, I once again interrupt him. Only this time it’s not with my words, but instead with my kiss.
I don’t know what possessed me to just lean down and start kissing him, but I just did it. And I don’t even know why I’m beginning to find him attractive….
I know I shouldn’t be enjoying this so much, but I certainly am anyways….
I can’t help it….
Justin really is a good kisser.
And plus he smells really good all the time.
My hands are resting on his cheeks, and I love how his skin feels. His lips keep moving against my own, responding to my touch. I know he just said we shouldn’t be doing this, but that kinda just makes me want it even more.
Finally pulling away, I take a second to catch my breath. Then I lean over and softly kiss a spot on Justin’s neck, close to his ear, before whispering, “That’s okay…you’re my little secret.”
“Mmm,” he mumbles, tugging me away from him so that he can look at my face. “Am I?”
I look in his sparkling blue eyes and answer him, “Yes…if you want to be.”
I get my answer pretty quickly. Before his mouth is on my own again, he whispers, “I won’t tell if you won’t tell.”
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