Justin exhaled with dismay as he lazily dropped his cell phone onto the cushion next to him. Gliding his fingers through his unruly curls, he bent forward and lifted the television remote that had been lying on the ground at his feet.
Leaning back against the sofa, he slumped down in his seat and scanned through the channels. Not finding anything of interest at the moment, he set it on the Discovery Channel and watched the Elephants trample in a herd across the screen. His face crinkled with boredom as his phone went off beside him to the sounds of ' Hip Hop Is Dead ' by Nas. His movements were quick as he snatched up the phone and it fumbled in between his fingers as he flipped it open and answered without even bothering to check the caller id.
" Oh, " His face fell upon recognizing that it was his cousin Rachel phoning him. " What do you need Rach?"
After a five minute conversation with his cousin, Justin offered up his credit card number at her request. She was out running his errands and had decided that it would be a nice gesture to spruce up his wardrobe so she was currently at the mall in search for a few T- shirts and Jeans.
" How much!" He distressed and sat up a bit upon hearing how much she said she had needed. " $ 1,355? The fuck-- what in the hell for?"
Apparently not only was she buying him a new wardrobe, she suddenly decided that her wardrobe was also in need of a bit of glamour.
" Fine," He relented slinking back down into his previous position. " But you better not trash those receipts. I want to see them all when you get here. Yeah, even the ones for the Tampons you bought too. I don't care, it was with my money that you bought them with anyway."
Trace came to a sudden halt as he caught word of Justin speaking something along the lines of female products. Letting the conversation dissipate in his mind, he walked further into Justin's home Theatre room and parked his bottom on the Tan loveseat opposite of where Justin was seated on the Tan double. Silently signaling for the remote, Justin lighly tossed it and he caught it with ease.
He chuckled at the antagonized expression of his friends face. Before rising from his seat, Trace switched the television so that it remained on a blue screen before crossing the room and opening the DVD stand that held Justin's Xbox 360 console. Flipping it on, he slipped in a Madden Football game and carried the controller back to his seat. Turning up the volume a bit, he was soon into his game just as Justin was finishing up with Rachel.
" Sure Rach, whatever. I'm not even going to waste my breath and tell you not to do it because since when do you ever listen to a word I say anyway."
Trace could hear Rachel's witty response and chuckled to himself. Justin on the other hand was not charmed.
" Ha ha very funny. Alright, I'll see you a little later on. And don't you forget to bring me back those receipts. I ain't playing with you girl. Ok, like you too. Bye."
" She still hasn't returned your call I presume." Trace spoke with his eyes still glued on the game ahead but still full on aware of Justin's crabbed manner.
Justin eyed him momentarily. " No." He murmured fixing his eyes on the screen.
Trace bounced his shoulders.
" Go figure."
Justin's lip twitched and he let out a huff. So much for words of encouragement. He rolled his eyes at his friends lack of understanding.
" Why are you even here man? Don't you have somewhere to be other than at my house?"
" Nope." Came his astute reply. The controller rattled in his hand as he fiercely handled the colored buttons. " Actually, " He began. " I was supposed to be headed over to Kate's place but, I decided that being over here is much more fun." He stated. " And, because she doesn't own an Xbox."
Justin grunted.
" And neither do you." Justin pointed out to Trace who was more focused on scoring a touchdown. "You're so gay Trace. Just wait until the day she decides to drop your sorry ass. I don't even want to hear a word of it as I'm sure it will be coming soon."
" Trust me you won't. Unlike you, I actually know how to keep the women I want."
That response earned Trace a pen to the head.
" The door is that way." Justin spoke as he returned to his seat with the second controller in his hands.
The hit didn't even bother Trace. He was more upset by the fumble he had just performed then to be bothered by Justin's mild threat.
" You say something over there?"
Refusing to acknowledge Trace's lack of intelligence, Justin tuned into the game. Often he or Trace would either poke fun at the other for lack of playing skills or even resort to calling one another a string of disapproving words, but in the end it was Justin that defeated Trace by 105 to 97.
" Booyah baby! Unh, right there!" He exclaimed as he spiked his controller onto the ground and stood from his seat.
Trace looked to the heavy controller on the ground laying upside down. " I think you broke it."
Justin stopped mid victory dance. " And I say again, you are so gay." Returning to his seat, Justin planted his bottom right on his cell phone. Seconds later it rang.
" I think your ass is calling you." Trace snickered as he turned off the game and set the television on the food channel. Rachel Ray was cooking up something or the other.
" Dumbass." Said Justin even though he had to laugh a bit himself. He had to admit that Trace was just a basket of laughs at times. " What's up Johnny?"
Trace took notice of how Justin's demeanor dropped slightly as he entered the room again after having stepped out with his phone. In one second he went from an arrogant bastard then back to the sullen mood he had greeted Trace with earlier.
" What's up man? Everything ok?" He inquired.
Next thing, Trace's eyes moved to the tabloid magazine that Justin harshly threw on the table after picking it off his door step. He reached out for it.
" Obviously some people are more ' ok ' than others." Came Justin's bitter reply as he left the room for the kitchen.
Trace perturbed by his comment looked at Justin's back before settling on the tabloid in his hands. Having read the front cover headline it was then that he figured out what had gotten Justin to fall so pissy all of a sudden.
' Star Magazine's Sizzlin Summer Romances!'
" Meghan Carter and J.C. Chasez ignite gossip columns all over the world with said, ' New Steamy Relationship'. The fireworks flying around these two is undeniable. Has Meghan finally found herself a new Beau? Or could this be just another Hollywood Hookup? Page 28 holds all the spicy details."
Quick to flip to the page, Trace observed the many photos taken of Meghan and J.C. Two full pages were dazzled with photos of them out and about on Rodeo Drive and other Hollywood attractions. Some from just walking up and down the sidewalks to others of them enjoying lunch at various restaurants.
But what really captured his interest was a photo of them seemingly in a very intimate embrace at as Trace recognized, the parking lot of Battery Recording Studios.
He studied their profile a bit longer just as Justin entered the room again carting a bottle of Mikes Ice Hard.
" Where's mine?" He asked looking from his magazine to witness a grumpy Justin plop down. The glare he sent to Trace was the only incentive Trace needed to get the picture that Justin was in no mood for jokes at the moment.
" Maybe that's the whole reason why she hasn't called me back yet." Justin suddenly spoke. " She's been too busy gallavanting all around Los Angeles with him." He motioned grimly toward the magazine with his bottle. " My supposed brother." He chided with air quotations. " Now is it me, or is that just the worst form of betrayal on his part?"
Trace took a moment to respond as he engrossed himself with an article about Hayden Pannatierre.
" I could be wrong here but I'm going to take a stab at it anyway. Maybe she hasn't called you back because, hmmmm......would it be possible that she hates you? Or despises you even? But then again that would be stretching it a bit far don't ya think?. I mean, you did only embarrass her to the fullest extent of humiliation last month at the Music Awards but, " He paused a second to flip the page. " Who cares about that right."
Justin kept his tone eerily calm but his labored breath and his closed eyes said more than anything that he was a jellybean away from losing his cool.
" Trace, I am really not in the mood for your sarcastic ass comments right now. If you want to act like a dick, then as I said before, the door is that way."
Trace, finished with the magazine, set it in his lap. Shifting, he draped his leg over the arm of the couch and crossed his arms. He silently examined Justin's profile as he nursed his drink and stared into space with a sour glare.
" Well what in the hell do you expect me to say dude? Huh? Tell me the words that you want to hear that is supposed to make you ' Mr Perfect ' feel all better."
Trace was met with silence. He had to kick Justin off his high horse soon because in his case, though Justin was his bestfriend the guy was a far line away from perfect.
" Please tell me now so that the world can start spinning again and everyone can then again go on about their day." Though his words were meant to bite Justin in the ass, Trace kept his voice steady and restraint.
Once again silence. The only noise was him flinging the magazine onto the coffee table. He didn't miss how Justin's eyes immediately settled on the cover before him. On the cover was Meghan and J.C. happily holding hands while strolling out of the Kitson clothing boutique.
Trace sighed.
" Listen man," Trace started, cracking his knuckles. " I hate to be the one to add on to the rain pouring on your parade but, you seriously need to get yourself a big reality check. Now, note that the words that I'm about to spiel, you may not like or want to listen to but just hear me out ok. I'm not picking sides here and I'm still always going to be in your corner but this is some real shit that I'm going to shoot to you right now so listen clear."
Justin's eyes remained transfixed on the article but from the corner of his eye he was aware of Trace jittering around in his seat for a more comfortable position. He did that regularly whenever he was about to get into something serious.
Content, Trace began.
" This....this ' thing ' that you're doing, um, trying to make it right with Meghan, don't get me wrong I'm all up for you wanting to fix your mistake but then again, you need to go about it the right way. When I say ' right way, what I mean is that you can't let yourself get disheartened over articles and crap such as these."
Justin watched the liquid run round inside the bottle as he swirled it. No disrespect to Trace but Justin was really in no mind set on wanting to listen to a lecture. Regardless, he was going to anyway.
" Justin, initially you're going to have to accept the fact that she's moving on. You can't really presume that she's just going to sit on her ass all day in wait for the Justin train to come rolling back around."
Justin barely cracked a smile. Justin train? That was a new one.
" It doesn't and it won't ever work like that. You were the adulterous one in the relationship, not her. Keep in mind that she's not going to rekindle yall's relationship again with open arms. It won't be that easy. And I know that you know this. And seeing as it won't be that easy that means that you are going to have to push twice as hard to get her to even spit a glance in your direction. A simple message left on her answering machine is not going to do the trick. Hell, knowing her she probably just deleted it."
Trace held his hands up when Justin sharply fixed his gaze on him.
" Hey, I'm only being real here." He defended himself. " Look, Meghan is living her own life now. Infact, she's doing the things that you, yourself, have wanted for her. Isn't that why you cheated on her? Wasn't that your main reasoning? You wanted her to and I quote: ' seek love with someone else before coming to the realization that spending the rest of her life with you was something that she wanted to do.' Well, she's doing that. She's fufilling your wishes. The only downside to that is that she won't come to the realization that she wants to spend the rest of her life with you because basically... there is no ' you ' anymore. You took that from her man. And now you have to live with it....."
Justin bit the inside of his cheek with discomfort. Trace's words were just eating at him like termites on wood. Casting his gaze onto the table before him, he willed himself not to get emotional as his friend drilled into his head all of the things that he had already knew himself but had been to stubborn to actually acknowledge.
But as Trace's voice droned in the background, no matter how hard he bit down on his cheek it wasn't enough to stop the feeling of anguish he felt bubbling to the surface.
And for the first time in what felt like years he let a single tear escape.
Who knew that the happiness of one person could cause damage to another.
Meanwhile in Germany........
Meghan with a pillow tucked under her head stolen from the sofa had her legs propped on the couch as she lay on the soft beige carpet engrossed in a magazine of her hotel living area. The television sounded in the background and the french doors belonging to the patio remained open wide as a gentle breeze flowed through the room.
Soon, there was a pound at the door. Scrambling to her feet, she skipped over to the door forgetting that she was only in sweat pants and a lace push up bra.
Sometimes the brain of a popstar doesn't always seem to be functioning around the clock.
" Who is it?" She asserted still into her magazine.
" Room Service." The voice sounded. At this Meghan perked up. She had been dying for that Strawberry Cheesecake and glass of orange juice she ordered earlier as her breakfast.
" Finally." She breathed softly and was quick to open the door. A frown quickly formed on her face when she saw that she had been decieved. It was her assistant.
" Did you atleast bring some Cheesecake with you?" She asked hopefully though she knew she was to be let down as Shannon made her way inside.
She eyed Meghan up and down as she closed the door behind her.
" The better question would be where in the hell are your clothes?" Meghan examined herself. " What if it wasn't me at the door? I'm pretty sure that whoever was to be serving you today would get one hell of an eye full."
Slipping off her sandals she crossed the room. " Or more so one hell of a handfull." She bit into the green apple she retrieved from the complimentary fruit basket with a devious smirk.
Though her boobs were literally spilling out of her bra, Meghan ignored her friend and took her original position on the ground.
" Don't end up like Snow White and choke on that apple ok." She retorted.
Shannon cackled and moved to the couch.
" Nice one. I see you seemed to have gotten your hands on the latest edition of Meghan Weekly." Shannon joked commenting on the Star Magazine in her hands with her and J.C. gracing the cover.
The magazine shielded Meghan's face from Shannon's eyes.
" Yeppers. Only this time we're on two pages. Not four like the one in Spain."
Shann shook her head at the false disappointment in her tone.
" Poor you." She spat with sarcasm. " So what's it say this time?"
Meghan animatedly wiggled her rainbow sock covered feet against the cushions.
" Eh, the usual." She passed on casually. " Summer Romances, Me and J.C., Sizzlin like the sun, blah, blah, blah."
Shannon chortled. Digging inside her bag she pulled her nail file and began to file her nails.
The television was now on some commercial about Pro Active. Kelly Clarkson was promoting the product.
" The sun huh? I'd say that's pretty hott. Scorchin even." She blew her nails. " So what's been up with the two of you lately? I've been traveling with you for the past four weeks now and yet I still haven't seen as much of you as he has. Care to share?"
Meghan softly sniggered. " Not really. If you really want to know what's going on, turn to page 28."
Shannon chucked her file at Meghan's knee. " Rudeness."
Meghan released a long breath. She set the magazine beside her and sat up indian style.
" I always found it weird that you fancy reading while on your back. Let alone read a magazine that's not even in english."
Meghan shrugged relieving the itch on her head with her fingers.
" Luckily the German part of me tends to kick in at times like these and helps me decipher the things that you can't."
" You're cute."
Meghan cheesed taking on the image of an innocent five year old girl. Bouncing her shoulders for the full effect.
A knock at the door again and Meghan was quick to scramble to her feet when Shannon stopped her.
Pointing her finger at her. " Sit. I'll get it." She commanded.
Meghan rolled her eyes comically. Shannon was on her way to the door mumbling something along the lines of Meghan having issues with answering the door half naked scaring off innocent people and such.
Opening the door, Shannon stepped aside and let a male pushing a cart glide into the room. He stopped just before the tall glass table perched behind the couch. His red vest clung to his chest and his black slacks fitted his bottom perfectly. He looked to be somewhere around twenty two to twenty three. His brown hair was spiked and his green eyes gleamed.
" Is that the Strawberry Cheesecake I ordered?"
Meghan piped up from her position on the floor. She craned her neck upward to see three silver covers.
" It sure is Ms. Carter. I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. The chef wanted to personally make this one himself. He is a really big fa--"
The stammer that took over his motor skills was a result of Meghan who had came to a stand and was rounding the couch. Speaking, his head was down but as soon as he looked up he was on his way to drool city.
Shannon who still held the door open closed her eyes with a shake of her head.
" Oh, that's ok." She kindly dismissed with a light wave of her hand. " I don't mind. Just as long as it was here before Judge Mathis came on." She joked.
" I... uh...well...aha..."
Cheeks reddening and the back of his neck heating up, the boy opened and closed his mouth as he looked off to his left then his right. Anything to keep his eyes from straying toward her chest.
Innocently, Meghan stepped closer to the table unaware of the hormornal server desperately trying to keep himself in check. Uncovering the Cheesecake, Meghan lifted the small plate into her palm and smiled happily.
" This looks yummy." She spoke eyeing the small pieces of strawberreies sprinkled on the top.
" I'll... I'll... I'll be sure to relay your satisfaction with the chef. I'm sure he'll be pleased. Um, en..enjoy your meal Ms. Carter. Glad to be of service to you."
Pivoting on his heels, he dashed from the room with his head bowed.
On his way passed, Shannon caught his rushed words in German and laughed to herself as he scurried down the hall and onto the elevator.
Meghan as she swirled her tounge around her fork, sighing at the taste of the whipped cream, she looked to the open door then at Shannon.
" Was it something I said?"
Shannon shut the door. Stepping over, she took her own plate of sliced peaches and the girls rounded the couch.
" What does ' Wirklich grole bruste mean '?" Meghan crinkled her nose at her sloppy attempt at German.
" Why?" She questioned forking some cake into her mouth. She was seated on the floor again. Shannon on the couch.
" For future references. Now what does it mean?"
Meghan flipped the channel manually to the German version of Judge Mathis.
" Really big boobs." She educated.
She furrowed her brows at Shannon who nearly choked on a peach as she covered her mouth with her hand at an attempt to stifle her giggles.
" You're weird." Meghan declared.
Tuned into the thirty minute episode of Judge Mathis in which he ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the two had finished their sweet goodies and Shannon had brought back up the topic of her and J.C.
" I thought I already told you. Page 28." Shannon huffed impatiently and Meghan relented. Not before killing her with a long silence just for her enjoyment.
" Everything is going great. He's great company and I like him a lot." She revealed.
" That's it?" Shannon posed nearly on the verge of lunging at Meghan for more answers. Meghan stared at her.
" Is there more that you need to hear?" Shannon clamped her jaw shut and sat back.
" Anyways, when are you two going to go ahead and make it official?"
Meghan fiddled with the ring attached on her pinky.
" When you find yourself a boyfriend so that we can all double date." She replied.
Shannon ignored her grin.
" Well," She started with a toss of a stuffed animal in Meghan's direction. Meghan caught the small white tiger and began to groom it's fur. " As your bestfriend of eleven years I say you and J.C should go ahead and just be together despite what others have to say about it. You two would make a great couple."
Meghan listened intently. Shannon's focus was on the band around her wrist as she spoke. " But as your personal assistant slash publicist I really can't anticipate that the two of you together would be the best thing for you right now."
Meghan dropped the stuffed animal as it landed on the ground. Sitting up, she opted to move to the couch opposite of Shannon.
" Elaborate." Was all she said.
Shannon sighed with a rub of her eyebrow. " As your publicist Meghan you know that protecting your image is my main concern. Now I find that it's great that you have found someone that could possibly be your next long term relationship but I can't even begin to stress how bad it looks to the media that you have not only moved on to a former band member of Justin's, but also a close friend and almost brother to your ex husband. Doesn't that come off as a bit...awkward to you?"
Meghan shrugged, raking a hand through her hair. " Not at all. Mostly because I don't care about the opinions of the media. Who are they to me?"
Shannon untucked her feet from under her and moved to sit on the couch next to Meghan who seemed to be just a bit too careless about the situation.
An arm around her shoulder, Meghan rested her head on her.
" They are your entire career that's who they are. Babes, I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad, I'm just letting you know before hand that pursuing a relationship with J.C. right now is definite to bring on some major drama. The last thing that you need right now is bad publicity. We need to leave that all to Justin." She joked mildly.
Meghan smiled at her attempt to make light of the tense situation. Tilting her head to the side, she slid further down until she was on her back and laid her head on the arm of the couch. She looked on at the figures dancing across the screen.
" Shann, I'm already aware of everything ok. I'm very much aware but this is my life. It's my life and I'm going to live it the way that I choose to. The media doesn't run my personal life. I'm in charge of that. Always have been and I always will be."
And with that she was done. Shannon stared her on a bit longer. With a gentle pat on her knee, she sat back and tuned into the television.
There was nothing else to be said. Meghan wasn't that little girl anymore to be told what to do. She was now a grown woman.
A grown woman which in Shannon's eyes, she couldn't have been anymore proud.
Moments later, her cell phone sounded from the bedroom and she hopped up to get it.
" It's J.C." She informed Shann in a whisper as she covered the mouth piece with her hand.
Shann winked and watched a perky Meghan skip to the patio so the two could maintain their privacy.
Back in Los Angeles, Trace had just left Justin's house an hour before. Justin was left to stew in his thoughts and Trace's words of fortitude.
Smoothing his hand over the back of his neck, Justin puckered his lips and stood still in the living room. Trace's words had really sunk into him this time. His eyes darted around the room as a deep silence took over. Then with a slow but sure nod he knew what he needed to do.
With quick strides Justin was in his kitchen and on the phone in record time. He dialed the number and waited patiently until the other line picked up.
Rocking on his heels a bit, his fingers drummed the counter top rapidly. Hanging up with Johnny after getting the information he needed, he dialed the number to an airline.
" Hello, yeah, I'm calling to make a flight reservation."
After supplying the female attendant with his information and things Justin anxiously listened on as she sprouted of the price of the tickets.
He smiled.
" Perfect. Yes I'll take them. And you said the earliest flight will be in the next hour?" Justin stole a glance at his oven timer that read 11:32 p.m.
" That's correct Mr. Timberlake. And again, you're wanting the flight to Germany?" He confirmed that she was correct. " Then all is set up for you Mr. Timberlake and everything will be ready to go upon your arrival."
Justin thanked the lady and hung up the phone. Taking the steps two by two into his bedroom he then took on the task of packing a bag and moments later headed out of the door on his way to the airport.
Author's Chapter Notes:
:)
Story Tags: cheaterj soloj marriedj
