Needless to say, Piper learned that Justin Timberlake was her angry stranger in no time. After all, it was only a matter of time before somebody saw her pictures and recognized him. It just worked out that her best friend happened to like Nsync.

Of course, in my opinion, she shouldn’t have apologized. Justin was, after all, being a total jackass to her when he had no reason to be and didn’t really deserve Piper’s apology. But who am I to judge them? They did make it work in the end, so I guess that’s all that counts.

Damn, I’m jumping ahead again. I’m sure you’re probably sick of hearing my voice by now, but I guess I’m the best candidate to tell the story. So we’ll continue on…

Piper nervously pulled the edge of her tank top down as she approached Justin’s backyard, the all-important portfolio in hand. She didn’t know why she had let Virginia and Rae convince her to wear a skirt and the slinky green tank top over her bathing suit…it just made her more nervous. She would have been much more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, her normal attire.

But oh well. It wasn’t like she could run back to the house just to change. She was walking up to Justin’s backdoor and she wasn’t about to make a fool of herself all over again.

Taking a deep breath, Piper hesitantly knocked on the door, silently hoping that he wasn’t home. After all, this was THE Justin Timberlake, whom she had unknowingly pissed off the previous day. She was terrified that she’d stutter like a fool and he’d just slam the door in her face.

Trying to keep her attention from the thoughts racing like the roadrunner through her mind, she turned and studied her surroundings. She wasn’t one for landscaping, but even the most ignorant person could appreciate the pure beauty of the yard.

The landscaping was gorgeous, with palm trees, oaks, and weeping willows providing a good deal of privacy; something Justin obviously desired. The grass was an immaculate green, not a weed in sight, and was interrupted here and there with beautiful flower beds filled with tulips, roses, and a number of other flowers Piper couldn’t name.

Her favorite part, however, was the stone pathway that split off in all directions and led towards the front of the house, down to the beach, up to the pool and patio, and out to the very edge of the property where there was a quaint guesthouse. She’d honestly never seen anything more wonderful and almost laughed aloud because Rae would probably give both her arms to photograph this yard.

“Can I help you?” a voice suddenly interrupted. Piper froze.

Blushing, she ripped her attention away from the scenery and found herself staring at a very muscular, very naked chest. Silently, she trailed her eyes up until they came in contact with the beautiful blue ones she had first encountered yesterday. This time, however, where there had been anger, now there was exhaustion and that haunting sadness.

She must have gotten him out of bed, much to her chagrin, for he was clad in nothing but a pair of worn sweatpants, his curly hair adorably mussed in all directions. He stared at her for a bit, until recognition finally began to dawn on his features. She made sure to get the first word in before he began to yell at her. That’s what he was going to do, right?

“Hi, I just came by to apologize,” she began, clutching her portfolio like it was a life raft, “I didn’t mean to be such a bitch yesterday.”

“It’s okay,” he replied, shifting from foot to foot, “I wasn’t exactly Mr. Sunshine either, so I should probably apologize too. I acted like a complete bastard and you really didn’t deserve it.” Was he actually being nice?

The way Virginia had portrayed him (like she actually knew him!), Piper had expected some sort of egotistical remark and all the blame to be placed in her corner. She was pleasantly surprised at his gentlemanly manner and ability to actually admit a wrongdoing. Maybe she had judged him too harshly.

“I’m Piper Saunders,” she finally replied, sticking her small hand in his direction. He quickly wrapped his around it and sparks flew at the connection. But both just brushed it aside as nerves or some such thing.

“Justin Timberlake,” he returned, his voice still somewhat gruff from sleep.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, smiling as they pulled apart, “I hope I didn’t get you out of bed.”

“What time is it?” he asked, covering a yawn with his hand.

“Around eleven,” she responded, giggling.

“I can’t believe I slept this late. Genevieve and JC must be long gone,” he mused to himself, glancing towards the guesthouse.

“Friends of your’s?” she questioned, following his gaze.

“Yeah, my two closest friends and the happiest couple on the planet,” he miserably retorted. Sensing his sudden mood change, Piper decided to change the subject.

“I brought something to show you,” she stated, pulling the portfolio forward, “Here, I thought you might want to look at these.”

“What’s this?” he questioned as he took a hold of the leather folder.

“The pictures I took yesterday,” she simply replied, shrugging her shoulders, “I figured since I took pictures without your permission, you should get to see them.”

“You already got them developed?” he asked, surprised.

“I developed them myself,” she shyly responded. His eyebrows rose.

“Wow, somebody’s talented,” he teased, then held the door open, “Come on in, I promise I won’t bite this time.”

“I’ll take your word for that,” she stated, stepping into the house. He closed the door behind them and led her to a large oak table situated almost next to the patio door.

“Want some coffee?” he lazily drawled as he disappeared into the next room.

“If it’s no trouble,” she called, not sure exactly where he had gone.

“None at all,” he called back and reappeared a few minutes later as the coffee began to brew, “Let’s take a look at these.”

“Don’t get your hopes up too much, they’re not the greatest,” Piper said, settling into a chair, “I’m only a struggling college student, not exactly what you’d call professional.”

“Hey, I haven’t even seen them yet,” Justin protested, taking a seat next to her and pulling the folder closer.

He opened up the folder and began to flip through the glossy pictures, impressed with her talent. There was a certain something about her style that caught the attention, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Not yet at least.

He smiled at the pictures of the happy couple, flirting like a pair of teenagers out on their first date. The fisherman distinctly reminded him of his grandfather, all serious and weathered from the years. There were a few odd pictures of a bunch of girls, a cute little baby with his mother, and a young girl and her puppy. Then he came face to face with his own mug.

He stared in shock. She had perfectly captured the emotion on his face, including the haunting sad streak that would cause his normally bright blue eyes to turn dull pewter. He could read his own body language in her pictures, body language that obviously said, ‘no trespassing’.

Besides that, she had captured him in the perfect light. But hadn’t it been cloudy yesterday? Nevertheless, the shadow of his eyelashes and the five o’clock stubble he’d forgotten to shave stood sharply out in the picture.

He finally knew just what it was about the pictures that made them different from anything he’d seen before. She obviously loved being behind the camera, and had strived to pick up not only the person, but their emotion and the story behind that precise moment when she had clicked the camera button.

He stared up at her in shock. Who could imagine that this young college girl, who sat there nervously biting her lip and awaiting his approval, wearing a cute little skirt and tank top, had this much talent? He wasn’t really expecting much from the start, but he had vastly underestimated her.

“What?” she finally spoke up as he continued to stare, “You don’t like them? Don’t say I didn’t warn you ahead of time, I’m not exactly the most talented person when it comes to taking pictures. Which I guess would make me crazy, since it’s all I’ve ever, and will ever, want to do.”

“Are you kidding?” Justin replied in disbelief, “These have got to be some of the best pictures I’ve seen in awhile. And believe me, I have seen my share of good and bad pictures.”

Piper was speechless. That had to have been the most sincere and beautiful comment she had ever gotten on her work. And he was a complete stranger (not counting the pop star status).

“Well thanks. I wish my teachers would see what you do,” she finally replied, smiling sadly at him, “Unfortunately, I don’t have much of an opportunity to pursue photography at my school; it’s not exactly a major.”

“Where do you go to school? I thought there were some pretty good schools for photography in California,” Justin said, confused, “Not that I would really know anything about that.”

“Oh, I’m not from around here,” she explained, “I go to Michigan State University. I’m here on vacation with some friends.”

“You’re here all the way from Michigan?” he questioned in disbelief, “Dang girl, no wonder you’re walking around like it’s the middle of summer.” She giggled.

“It definitely beats the slushy cold weather Michigan’s having right now. My friend’s are gonna be so jealous when I’m come home with a tan,” Piper stated.

“Tell me….oh, hold on a second, that’s the coffee,” Justin suddenly said, jumping up and practically running out of the room. Piper tried vainly to keep from giggling at him, but it was no use.

He returned a few moments later with two coffee cups in hand, oblivious to the fact that he was still without a shirt. But if he was comfortable like that, Piper wasn’t going to say anything.

“I hope you take your coffee black because I don’t have any cream right now,” he spoke up, taking a sip and wincing, “Aww, shit!”

“Burn your tongue?” she questioned, eyebrow raised.

“Yeah,” he replied as he stuck his tongue out.

“Don’t leave it out there for too long or else you’ll get stuck like that,” she quipped, laughing. He looked at her like she was crazy.

“My momma told me that was an old wives tale,” he stated in a little boy voice; she only giggled harder.

The two of them sat there for another hour, chatting about anything and everything, including Piper’s wish to get the scholarship and transfer to Tisch. Justin said it was a unanimous hands down that she would get in. She blushed some more at the comment; the second in the past hour.

“I should probably get going,” Piper finally stated as she followed Justin into the kitchen to dispose her dirty cup in the dishwasher, “My friends will probably be wondering if you’ve kidnapped me.”

“Very funny,” he teased, playfully shoving her. She giggled.

What was it with her and giggling around him? Piper Saunders was not the kind of girl that giggled. She was starting to make herself nauseous with all the high schoolish bullshit she was pulling off. She hoped Justin didn’t notice.

She would have been relieved to know that he didn’t think that way at all. In fact, he was enjoying Piper’s company so much (definitely better than the kissy face Genny and JC played all day) that he was disappointed that she was leaving. Now he was just stalling.

“Hey, you wanna come shopping with me?” he suddenly blurted. Piper’s eyebrows rose in question. “I don’t exactly have all that much in my fridge right now, and I don’t want to go by myself.”

“Aww, poor pop star doesn’t know how to go shopping?” she teased, amazed that she was flirting, yes FLIRTING, with him. She had just freakin met him this morning (yesterday didn’t actually count). Where had all her common sense gone?

Obviously out the window because she had never once felt shy or unconfident in his presence the past hour and a half, something that was new to her. She was normally very reserved, almost cold, around strangers. Yet here she was buttering up to Justin and picking on him like they were old buds. She was starting to act like Virginia and Rae! Oh lord.

“What are you talking about?” he finally responded, “You know there are so many interesting people you can take a picture of while in the grocery store.”

“Yeah, and I could also get arrested for shoving an unwanted camera in some stranger’s face,” she shot back, grinning, “I could just see the headlines now “Pop Star and Friend Arrested for Invading Personal Bubble of Grocery Store Customers”.

“This is me laughing,” Justin said, rolling his eyes.

“Hey, it’s probable,” Piper said, nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders.

Justin began to laugh, a deep rich sound that started from his gut and erupted full-blown by the time it reached his mouth. Piper felt her skin tingle from the assault, but refrained from shivering. She was not supposed to act like a teeny and squeal. Nope, she wasn’t going to squeal. Really.

“So are we going?” Justin suddenly questioned, interrupting her rapid thought process.

“Not with you looking like that we aren’t,” she teased, poking him in the chest.

“Hey, watch it, you’ll injure the abs,” Justin pouted, sticking his lip out at her, “I had to work for these babies.”

“I don’t think poking is going to do any damage to those muscles of steel,” she commented, rolling her eyes.

“You think I’ve got muscles of steel?” he questioned hopefully, looking like a dog who had just received a pat on the head for fetching the newspaper.

“Just go put some clothes on,” she replied, shoving him in the direction of the stairs.

“Alright already, I’m going,” he yelled as he ran up, two steps at a time.

“Stop showing off!”

“Whatever, you just wish you were as cool as me.”

Piper refrained from answering as she sat on the bottom step. What had she gotten herself into? She was acting all buddy-buddy with Justin freakin Timberlake. Okay, so he was hot, but that didn’t mean she knew who he was. And here they were bantering back and forth like old friends. It was all a little bit strange in her opinion.

Then again, maybe she needed a guy friend. She had few guy friends back home, and those she had were normally just acquaintances she knew through Rae, Virginia or some other girlfriend. But realistically, the guy was five years older than her and lived here in California, across the entire country from her home town. Did she really want to try and start a friendship with him?

Justin bounded down the stairs that minute, dressed in a pair of comfy jeans slung low on his hips and a green and white t-shirt. How cute, her school colors. He gave her a lopsided grin and she felt her insides turn to butter.

She’d be crazy if she didn’t let a friendship come of this.