I sat at the back of the plane waiting for the people to exit so I could stand up and make my way out, Trace was suppose to pick me up and we were gonna meet Justin at his mom’s house.

Pulling my bag over my shoulder, I took a deep breath as I made my way down the aircraft and out into the airport.

Walking towards baggage claim I saw a newsstand with a tabloid, with Justin on the cover.

“What Justin did while he was missing,” I read and stopped and picked up the life and style magazine.

Opening I found the page the story was on and tried not to laugh, “Justin’s trip to rehab,” I read the titled and saw pictures of him that were obliviously recent of him out in the Tennessee country side.

“This is totally worth it,” I said placing the money down to buy the magazine and tried to read the article at the same time I dodged other travelers only to end up running into a giant man.

“I’m so sorry,” I said looking up at the man but saw Trace laughing next to him.

“Don’t worry about him, it should be you, we should worry be worried about,” He said making me chuckle.

“Michelle,” I said holding out my hand to I guessed was one of the bodyguards.

“Dre,” he said smirking and giving Trace the evil eye.

“What are you reading,” I heard Trace question.

“Oh nothing just about Justin’s trip to rehab,” I said holding out the magazine to Trace since I had just finish reading it.

“Your kidding,” He said.

I shook my head, “ I never buy those things but that story made it worth it, since well ya know,” I said with a wiggle of my eyebrows.

Dre chuckled at my comment making me take in he probably knew what had really happened.

“OH, Justin is gonna get a kick out of this,” trace said as he read it.

“ I thought so,” I laughed but as we picked up my luggage and got out I felt the butterflies in my stomach start to fly as I sat in the back of the SUV and buckle up. Would our relationship be the same, no probably not would it be strange would it work out even as friends we once were?

--

I had gotten a text from Trace saying they were on their way and if I hadn’t felt like I was gonna puke before I really wanted to run to the bathroom now. I didn’t know what to think I didn’t know how I was gonna act around her, how I should act.

How was she gonna act around me.

“Fuck,” I blew out a breath and grabbed my head as I sat on the couch looking at the TV that had been on mute for last hour and a half.

“You ok in there Hunny,” I heard my mom say from the kitchen.

“Yeah,” I said letting go of my head but not the factor that I was freakin out beyond belief.

I wanted things go back to normal, but I wasn’t sure what was normal. But I had a plan if I could get her to be comfortable with me again I was planning to see if she wanted to spend sometime with me out on tour, she was going for a A.A. in sound after all so what harm could being on tour do.

I don’t know where the time between me and my heart racing and being able to calm myself went, because it was out the window when I heard the SUV pull up the driveway.

“Honey where home,” Trace called out as he wheeled what I assumed was Michelle’s suitcase behind him.

“Trace do you not know how to knock anymore,” my dad said from his easy chair in the dining room part near the door.

“Not when Justin gave me a key,” he said and I saw the look on my Dad’s face but we only laughed since it was all in joke.

When I saw her walk into the house my laughter stopped as Trace and my Dad still bickered on like they always did with each other.

“Hey,” I said coming up to her.

“Hey,” she smiled and adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

Seeing that Trace had left her suitcase by the door I took it and told her to follow me up the stairs.

“Is that normal,” she asked me watching my dad and Trace.

“Yea, its all in fun spirit though I do it with his dad,” I shrugged.

“Ah,” she said as I lead her the guest room.

“So this is your room for as long as your here for, which by the way you never said,” I questioned as she placed her carry on bag on the dresser and sat on the bed.

“I never booked a return one,” she said.

“Why not,” I questioned sitting down next her but not to close still unsure of our boundaries.

“I don’t know,” she laughed making me chuckle.

“Well its not a big deal if that makes you feel any better, I’m gonna be here for a good month and a half and your welcome here that long and longer, if my ma likes you enough I ended up with a tease which made her laugh, thank God,” I said to myself.

I watched her leg bounce as silence came over the room.

“I let you get unpacked and comfortable,” I said patting her leg and getting up making it to the door when I felt her hand on my wrist grab me back.

I saw her look at my hand but not at me, “What is it Shell,” I asked her.

“I don’t know if its right but, I wanted to let you know I missed you,” she said.

“You have the right,” I told her bringing her to hug her, my body finally relaxing in what felt like forever.

“You do too,” I heard her say.

“I do what,” I questioned.

“The right,” she said.

“Well I did miss you,” I told her making her smile a bit.

“Justin,” she questioned as I held my hands at her sides.

“Yea,” I asked as she brought her hands up around my neck but placing one on my cheek she smiled at me.

“I’m glad I came,” told me making me smile back at her.

“Are you sure you’ll stay that way,” I questioned lightly making her laugh as she nodded her head.

“Can I tell you something,” she questioned.

“Anything,” I said but at the same moment I heard my mom call me to come help her.

“Can it wait,” I asked her and saw her nodded but some how the little bit of sparkle that I saw on her face when she was in my arms seemed to disappear the moment I let her go.

“I’ll be right back,” I told her and she smiled as she nodded and brought her suit case up on her bed and start to unpack.

--

I had been there for about two weeks and our little conversation never had its chance to start up again. Justin had been busy at daily rehearsal and promos for his new tour and album that was in mid progress the album was suppose to come out mid tour.

He was also trying to explain the whole disappearance thing without bringing it out in the open all of it including me. Or that’s what he said, but he did get a laugh out of the rehab story that I had shared.

Right now I was helping Lynn in the kitchen as she talked about some of the trouble Justin did as a kid, even if it wasn’t much.

“He didn’t,” I asked as I placed the silverware out on the table.

“Yes, he got a week for that,” she exclaimed as she handed me stack of plates.

“You know my mom would have given me a month for that,” I said.

Lynn only nodded as she helped with setting out glasses.

“You love my son don’t you,” she asked as she handed me the ice tea pitcher to set on the table which I almost dropped.

“I…,” I said not really coming up with anything.

“I can see it honey, don’t be scared of it,” she said patting my back and letting go of the pitcher and heading towards the back yard to check on Paul who was grilling some ribs.

“Love, him,” I questioned myself as I placed the tea on the table and looked at the mirror on the wall that lead to the downstairs hallway.

I took a breath and closed my eyes, jumping when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Whoa there, tiger,” Trace laughed making me smile.

“Sorry Trace I zoned out and you scared me,” I said making him chuckle.

“You know he loves you back right,” he said making me look at him.

“Where you listening to what Lynn was saying to me,” I questioned and he shook his head and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Look girlie, he could have easily avoided me seeing him and I would have left, he gave up the act for you,” Trace said.

“What,” I asked.

“He couldn’t take you calling him Jason, he couldn’t take lying to you when he fell so deep,” he told me, as he rubbed my shoulder and winked at me as he walked away.

“He loves me,” I questioned and I saw Trace turn and nodded hearing me as he went to helping take things off the grill.