Chapter Two

"Can I give you girls a lift?" Justin asked through the window of his black, shiny brand-new looking Navigator.

Alison and Samantha stopped in shock, at first not recognizing who this stranger was that was offering them a ride home from school. Sam squinted, "Justin, is that you?"

"Yeah," he answered quickly. "Come on and hop in – it’s cold outside," he told the two shocked teens, standing on the sidewalk dumbfounded. How had he found them?

When you thought about it, it wasn’t that hard, really. Alison had danced with him at H20 and all sorts of feelings she’d never felt before bubbled up inside of her. They hit the floor just as a 50 Cent set began and Ali loved 50, but only knew the radio version of his songs and had been shocked to hear the real thing. Still, she didn’t let that bother her as she got down with Justin who was an amazing dancer. They’d danced for almost an hour then returned to their booth where Justin had questioned her about everything under the sun. Under the influence of champagne, the walls that normally surrounded her were down and she told him about her whole life – including where she went to school, she now recalled. The guys had even driven them home – Justin and Alison in his car while JC drove Sam home in their parent’s car – because the girls had had too much to drink at the club. So he knew where she lived and went to school, she thought in the brisk air. Was he stalking her now?

Sam was all for catching a ride but Alison hesitated. It was freezing out and she really wouldn’t mind a lift. Besides, she thought slowly, he already knew where she lived. What difference did it make if they got a ride? He seemed like a nice – if persistent -- guy but she was with Sam and knew she would take control of the conversation and make sure she was okay. "Okay," she said to a pleading Samantha, and the two got in the vehicle. Alison purposely chose the back seat even though Sam whispered to her that she should get up front. She just wasn’t ready to be so close to anyone, although Justin seemed to be a force of nature, pushing his way into her world.

"How the hell did you find us?" Sam asked, taking off her gloves and settling back onto the plush leather seats.

Justin chuckled at how quickly she made herself comfortable. "Alison told me what your school was the other night, and she forgot something so I decided to bring it to you. I was worried I wouldn’t catch you guys but y’all look so good that I saw you right away. You were late coming out too, so it was easy to spot you. Y’all dressed for a pep rally or something?" he asked, referring to the uniform with very short skirts that the girls wore.

Sam shook her head. "Nope, we have a basketball game tonight and we have to wear our cheerleading uniforms on game day. You’re lucky you caught us – someone decided that we should stay later and study Trig forever! And then it was so cold and everyone left so we couldn’t catch a ride. I swear I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" she chattered on as Alison sat quietly in the back. Justin’s eyes met hers in the rearview mirror every few seconds and she knew he had come to see her.

"So what did Ali forget?" Sam asked, ever the inquisitive one.

Justin told her, "Just a little something … I’d like to give it to you when I get to your house, if you don’t mind," he told Alison. The message was clear – he wanted to give whatever he had to her alone and Sam was more than happy to acquiesce. In her opinion it was about time that Ali started dating and as far as she was concerned, it didn’t get much better than Justin. He had money, he was cute and he was nice. Yeah he was little older but if he didn’t seem to mind than neither did she. The only person that had to be convinced to give him a chance was Alison herself but she’d work on that this evening. And the next if necessary. Whatever it took, she wasn’t going to let her sister pass up such a golden opportunity.

"Okay," Sam replied easily, then went on talking about the cold and how they had to go back out to cheer at a basketball game later that evening – mundane stuff that Justin listened to with one ear. His mind was elsewhere.

Ever since he laid eyes on Alison in the club he’d wanted to spend some time with her. And when they danced and her body brushed up against his he was in heaven. Unfortunately, even though he managed to get some personal information on her while she was tipsy, there was only so far he could go. And kissing her was out of the question – she ‘d practically run out of the car after a hurried thank you on Saturday night. But he was not deterred. The more he saw, the more he liked. And what Justin Timberlake liked or wanted he got.

No exceptions.

That was why he found himself lurking outside of a high school, feeling like an idiot and a pervert. But if that was the only way to see her again, he would do it. He just thanked God that he’d found her. "What’s up Ali?" he used her nickname easily, as if they were old friends. "How you doin’?

She smiled hesitantly in the rearview mirror at him. "Fine, thanks … and thank you for the ride," she told him as she, too, took off her gloves. "But I didn’t leave anything at the club, Justin. Maybe you got me confused with someone else." She wracked her brain to think of something she could have left behind and came up with nothing. If he was playing games … well, she knew how to shut a guy down if she had to. Something inside her hoped that he wasn’t playing games. They’d had so much fun Saturday night and he’d been a perfect gentleman when he dropped her off.

Hopefully he was on the up and up, she thought.

In minutes, they were at the girls’ home – they didn’t live far from school. Neither their mom nor dad was home this early, giving Alison a chance to see what he claimed she’d left behind. Sam climbed out as soon as they got there, thanking Justin for the ride and telling him to tell JC to call her. She also told Sam to get in the front, leaving the door open so Alison gathered up her textbooks and hesitantly got into the front. Luckily for her, the SUV was so big that she had enough space to feel somewhat comfortable across from him.

"So what did I leave at the club?" she asked, genuinely curious now. "I don’t have long; I’ve got to do some homework and eat dinner before the game tonight," she told him.

Justin smiled a little, remembering the days when was on his high school’s basketball team. He had lived and breathed it for years and still played pick-up games all the time. "You look really cute in that skirt," he complimented her, making her blush furiously, something he loved.

"T-t-thanks," Alison stuttered, feeling insecure and unconfident around this self-assured man. It wasn’t the self-assured part that got her so much as the man part. "But I really do have to go; I have some more homework to finish, then I have to eat before we go to the game."

Justin reached into the side pocket of his car door, extracting a subtly colored blue box that said ‘Tiffany’s’ on it. "You didn’t forget anything – I’m just late getting this to you. Happy belated birthday, Ali," he put the package in her trembling hands, liking the effect he had on her.

Alison had no idea what to do. Tiffany’s? Everything in that store was expensive, she’d heard. She didn’t even think her mom had anything from there … and here was a stranger that she’d shared a few drinks of Cristal with – Cristal –handing her a box like it was from some cheap store. She wanted it more than anything but knew she couldn’t accept it.

"Justin! I can’t take this … I barely even know you and besides … it probably cost a lot of money and I can’t just take it…" her voice trailed off as she stared at the box, trying to suppress the desire to rip the top off the box to see what it contained.

He chuckled again and shook his head, "You have to take it … I can’t take it back. It’s engraved. So go on, open it. I want to see if you like it." He was pretty sure she would, any girl he knew wouldn’t turn down something from Tiffany’s. That was one of the reasons he liked her so much – her innocence and honesty was refreshing.

Engraved? Well, that was different, Alison thought to herself. If he couldn’t return it … what the hell, she decided, and ripped the top off of the box, dying to see what it contained. "Ohhhh," she breathed when she saw the gift." It was a white gold locket with her initials, AT, engraved in script of the top. It was beautiful and she held it with still trembling hands. "This … it’s beautiful. I can’t believe … thank you so much, Justin," she finally lifted her eyes to meet his piercing gaze, the same one he’d given her all night long at H20. For a moment there was only silence between the two as they gazed at each other, then he seemed to come out of the spell that only she could put him under.

He smiled broadly. "I’m glad you like it. Wanna put it on?" He lifted it out of the box and motioned for her to turn around so he could put it on her. Still in shock and not knowing what else to do, she did as he said and turned. She shivered as his hands lifted the necklace over her head then lifted her hair up so that he could clasp it. Once it was on, she turned to him, one hand gently toying with the necklace.

"I don’t know what to say, Justin. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough." But that was all she could do – he wasn’t getting any funny business from her over a present that he’d decided to get for her. But oh, how she loved it. "I know exactly what picture I’ll put in here," she grabbed her purse and started rummaging through her wallet to show him. It was a photo of her parents, smiling and carefree, not thinking of the car accident that would cut short both of their lives just a few months later.

"Is that your parents?" he asked softly, taking the photo from her to study it himself.

"Yeah," Alison said sadly. Then she thought of the necklace and perked up. "If I can just find one of those places to make a copy of it, I’ll make it small enough to fit in the locket." She began thinking of where she could get that done when Justin interrupted her thoughts.

"There’s a place at Montgomery Mall," he informed her, having already anticipated her need to have a photo shrunken. "I can take you there to get it done. Only takes a few minutes." Inside he was leaping up and down like a little boy, thinking ‘She likes it! She really likes it!’ but outside he kept it cool.

She shook her head. "I can’t tonight. I already told you that I have a million things to do…" her voice trailed off in disappointment but he changed that again.

"What about tomorrow?" He leaned over to her, just a little closer to better catch the smell of her perfume. "I can pick you up after school and we can go. That’s if you’re not busy studying or cheering or whatever else it is that you do." He somewhat resented the busy schedule that was keeping her from him but he knew how to be patient. He knew very well how to be patient and God knew he needed it with this woman. She was like a wild horse that needed to be soothed and pampered in order to get used to its new owner.

He would be very patient, no matter how much he wanted to plant his lips on hers at that very moment more than she could imagine.

Alison thought for a moment. Should she really go anywhere alone with this guy? She could always bring Sam. "Can Samantha come, too?" she asked hopefully and Justin was honest with her.

‘"I was really hoping to spend some time alone with you," he said, his face open, his expression hiding nothing. "I want to get to know you better and I want you to get to know me, too. No offense but if Sam is around, the conversation will be completely controlled by her. Don’t you think I’m right?

Alison laughed and covered her mouth – she shouldn’t be laughing at her sister like that. But everything Justin had said was true. "Mmm … I guess so. But I barely know you and my parents would have a fit if they knew I even accepted this, much less going places with you in your car. They’re used to me staying at home, watching basketball games with my dad or something," she told him, her brow furrowed.

Justin said seriously, but as calmly as he could, "I would never hurt you, Ali. I just want to help you fix the locket up and spend some time with you. It won’t be more than an hour or so. I could pick you right up from school and we could get it done tomorrow."

Alison thought for a moment. He was right, they could get it done in about an hour and she could be back at home before her parents suspected a thing. And she knew Sammy would cover for her if need be – neither of her parents would be surprised too hear that Alison had decided to stay late at school to study as it was a regular occurrence. The thing that surprised her was the strong reaction she was having to this guy – no, this man. He had on a dark red Vokal sweat suit that probably cost a couple hundred dollars and looked so delicious to her. In a way part of wished he would try to kiss her – she was that attracted to him but so far he’d been hands off which she also liked. It showed that he respected her, unlike the few teenagers she’d dated – they’d always fumbled around, trying to touch her breasts or breathing their hot breath onto her. She really didn’t see what Sam saw in the multitude of guys she dated and talked to on the phone. Alison had never been interested at all.

Alison had never been in love before. And while she certainly didn’t love Justin, she really really liked him at this point. How could she not? It wasn’t the material thing he’d gotten her, although that was impressive, too. She just liked his laid-back, comfortable style. So why shouldn’t she get to know him better?

"I guess that would be okay," she finally relented and he flashed a dazzling smile at her, making her momentarily forget about anything and everything but him. God, he was handsome, she thought. "But I can’t let my parents know … they’ll have a fit if they knew how old you are."

His brow furrowed now. "We won’t let them know this once but … Ali … I’d really like to take you out on real dates. I don’t want you sneaking around and lying to be with me … if I meet them, I promise they’ll like me. All parents like me," he finished, cockily.

Her dad would probably throw something at him if he really knew his true age Alison thought but didn’t say. She hated lying to her parents too. Maybe they could fudge his age a little or something. "I guess we could come up with something … maybe not tell them your real age or something like that?" Already she was asking his opinion on things and he liked it.

He shrugged. "If that’s what it takes to see and be with you, I’ll do it. So we’re definitely on for tomorrow then? What time should I pick you up?" His mind was already thinking ahead to the next time he would see this cute little thing.

Alison thought for a moment. "Well, I have last period free because that’s when we work on our cheerleading," she told him. "But we’re not working on anything right now. How about around 1:30 in front of the school?" Skipping school was so not her style but something in her changed when she was around this Justin character. He made her want to do crazy things, like accept a necklace that had to cost a couple of hundred dollars and sneak away to be alone with him.

It was crazy but she had to do it. Something inside her was sending her directly into his arms.

"Great … I’ll be waiting for you."

"Don’t you have to work?" How could he afford a necklace like this when he didn’t seem to have to ever work? He sure didn’t look like he was building houses, and she told him so, asking where his hard hat was or whatever it was that guys wore when they did that kind of work.

He laughed. "I look over blueprints, meet with potential buyers and stuff like that, Ali. I’m not out there, like, putting cement on anything. The workers do that," he told her and she felt a little stupid.

"Oh," she said, blushing again and enchanting him again. He couldn’t get enough of this girl. Just then his cell phone rang, interrupting the two.

"Hold on, Ali … Hello? … Yeah, I’m finishing up what I’m doing, why? … They what? Well, did you get it? Okay, good … No, we need to move on this now. I’m heading your way, gimme about thirty minutes … Alright … talk to you in a few."

Ali noticed that when he talked his voice was low and he turned away from her, like she was intruding on what was obviously a business-related call. She felt uncomfortable and started gathering her books together, preparing to go inside the warm house. She couldn’t wait to show Sam her present and ask her opinion on Justin. Just as she was about to leave, Justin hung up his phone.

"Hey, wait a minute you forgot something."

Something else? What was wrong with her?" What else did I forget?" When he was around her brainpower seemed to just disappear,

"I know it’s too soon for a kiss, but can I at least get a hug?" His blue eyes bore into her brown ones and she couldn’t look away, even as shy as she felt.

"Umm … sure, if you want one," she finally answered after their eyes had a private conversation. She knew he wanted a kiss but asking for a hug was just plain ol’ romantic and it made her feel warm all over. Awkwardly, she leaned across the console and he wrapped his arms around her, settling his face on her shoulder, inhaling her perfume deeply. She settled in on his shoulder, feeling like she was going to get sick because he made her so nervous.

"Why you shaking, Ali?" He rubbed her back in soothing circles and she calmed down, stopped the shaking and just enjoyed the feeling she got from him touching her. "I don’t want you to ever be nervous around me. You can tell me anything or whatever … don’t be nervous, baby. Okay?"

"Okay," Ali whispered into his ear, blushing again and glad that he couldn’t see it.

"I won’t," she promised.

"That’s my girl," Justin squeezed her a little tighter and then reluctantly let her go.

"So I’ll see you tomorrow. Right?"

"Tomorrow," Ali echoed her mind still on how she felt in his embrace. She liked it. A lot. She opened the car door in a daze. "I’ll see you tomorrow.’"

"Bye, Ali. Have a good night."

And she was gone inside the house so quickly that Justin felt a pang of disappointment. He’d wanted a kiss but instinct told him that holding back was the right thing to do. He needed to let her come to him, and she slowly was. He’d get her one way or another.

But right now JC had called and there was business to take care of. Making a three-point turn, he drove out of Sam and Ali’s middle-class neighborhood and headed for downtown DC.

He’d take care of business now, putting her completely out of his mind, and do what he was paid the big bucks for.

And he’d take care of Miss Alison Thompson tomorrow.