Six Weeks.   

It's been six weeks since my birthday and I signed my soul over to Justin and JC.  

Five weeks since Liz apologized for being a bitch.  

Four weeks since I quit my make-up job.  

Three weeks since realization kicked in.  

Two weeks before I decided I should probably go to a psychiatrist and get a good dosage of Valium.  

One week since Justin told me I'd be taking part in a photo shoot for the promotional tour shots.  I could do this. After all I've been putting make up on women for years and sent them off to have graduation and wedding pictures done. This would be a piece of cake!  

"You all set?" Justin asked coming up behind me.  

A wave of nausea that shouldn't happen in the presence of a man this good looking hit me. I so can't do this.  

"I think I'm going to throw up." I admitted.  

"Why?" Justin asked, "It's just a promotional photo shoot, you've done stuff like this before."  

"I've done makeup for regular portraits, not something that's going to be seen by millions of people."

Oh God, I wasn't just going to throw up, I was going to hyperventilate.  

JC had at least been nice enough to let me figure out what make up suited his skin tone a few days ago; Justin on the other hand had cancelled twice, hence my panicking.  

"On top of all of this, some ass hole cancelled twice on me so now I have to set aside extra time to make sure I don't make him look too pale or orange." I snapped.  

I jumped when a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders. I glanced back and felt myself relax as JC's hands started to massage my tense shoulders.

"Here, this will probably help." JC said, slipping my headphones into my ears and handing me my mp3 player.  

He was right; my music always soothed my nerves. I know I said that I listen to mostly "alternative" music with the odd exception, but when I'm at work I have a special play list that doesn't involve any of my normal listening selections. It's mostly Broadway songs, classical and some trance music. It helps me to get into a groove that I can't find when I'm listening to my heavier stuff.  

Of course I would never admit this to the boys, not that I think that they'd make fun of me, cause really they used to be in a boy band, but I have an image to uphold damn it.  

I started setting out some colors that I thought would fit Justin's skin tone and set to work matching them up, blending for spots that I needed to cover any blemishes or redness. Justin startled me when he reached up and popped one of my ear buds out of my ears and placed it into his own.  

"I think JC gave you the wrong player." Justin said looking slightly shocked.  

"No, it's mine." I told him, finally grabbing the chord and ripping the bud from Justin's ear.  

"How can that be yours, that's not your music."   I was tempted to smack him, it's not like I wouldn't be able to cover the mark.

"I do listen to other music you know."  

"But that?"  

"It's called Broadway music, Les Miserables to be specific, excuse me for getting some culture in my life." I snapped.  

It was a pet peeve, I couldn't help it. Nothing irritates me more then when people assume things about me, especially people who don't know me that well. I can live with my close friends and my family making assumptions, because they have the experience to back them up.  

"What did you do?" JC's voice asked from my left as he sat down in the spare chair.  

"Why do you always assume that I did something?" Justin pouted.  

"Because when I left, Robyne was fine, she now looks like she's tempted to shove an eyeliner pencil up your nose."  

I popped my headphone back into my ear and set about finishing Justin's makeup. I could see him wincing and I knew that I was pressing harder then I had to, but at that point I was so pissed off I didn't really care.  

When I was finished I tossed down my sponge and stormed away, not really caring if I did a shitty job or if he was going to keep me on staff for either this or the bar.  

I stepped outside and took a deep breath of fresh air, well as fresh as you can get in LA. I clenched and unclenched my fists, a nicotine craving hitting me full force. I had quit smoking two years ago, but when I'm really stressed or really angry I get horrible cravings and have one to calm myself down.  

I screamed as a hand grabbed my arm and stopped my pacing. I had left my headphones in and had pumped the volume, going from Broadway to Korn to soothe my anger. JC had obviously followed me outside and I probably hadn't heard him calling me.  

"Jesus JC." I gasped, pulling my headphones from my ears.  

"Sorry, I called your name like five times." JC said, "Then again I doubt you would have heard me."  

"So am I fired?" I asked, wanting to quit this idle chit-chat and find out if I needed to start looking for a new job.  

"Why would you be fired?" JC asked me.  

"For practically being ready to kill Justin with a contour brush." I muttered.  

"He had it coming." JC shrugged, "He shouldn't have been teasing you."  

"Yeah, well I didn't have to over react either."  

"You're fine." JC laughed, "I would have smacked him."  

"Oh the temptation was there." I sighed, "I guess that was pretty unprofessional of me huh?"  

JC shrugged, "He made a hair stylist quit back in the old days. That's why bandannas became part of the costumes for him."  

I had to laugh at that, because I had no doubt that Justin could have done that. "I'm not really surprised."  

"Are you okay Robyne?" JC asked.  

"I'm fine I'm just irritated that he kept cancelling on me, then made fun of my -"  

"I'm not talking about today." JC said, "You've been, I dunno, different since your birthday."  

I had to frown at that, of course JC would notice when I start acting strange, we'd hung out almost everyday since my birthday. Believe me I'm not complaining about that, cause really how could you. The problem was that since I was now technically his employee I had been trying to distance myself from him, trying to get myself to get over the feelings I had for him. Where before I would flirt and joke around with him, I was trying to be serious. The few times we had cuddled on the couch watching movies, I would try to pull away and move to the other end of the couch.  

"I'm just stressed over everything that's going on." I sighed, "It's my biggest dream come true, and I don't know if I'm ready for it or if I can handle it."  

JC pulled me to him and hugged me tightly, crap my eyes are leaking now.  

"Robyne, you're going to be fine." He assured me, "You already have friends that are going to be with you and will support you."  

"I know; I'll be fine once I find my groove and am working a daily routine." I sighed, pulling away and wiping my eyes quickly.  

"Okay, so that part's settled, now are you going to tell me what I did wrong?" JC asked.  

"What do you mean?" This wasn't me playing dumb; I really had no clue what he was talking about.  

"Well, I just thought that since your birthday, we were, I don't know, closer." JC said, not looking me in the eye.  

This was a shock to me. JC always seems so sure of himself and confident. The shy act was throwing me off guard and making something inside me both panic and do a happy dance.  

"Well of course we're closer." I said, "You're becoming one of my best friends."  

JC looked up at me, his face blank, "Just friends?"  

Okay the happy dance just came to a screeching halt and full on panic has set in. I could feel my eyes widen as JC took a step closer to me, making me step back. This was becoming a game. Each time he approached me I would back up, until I felt my legs hit the picnic table that was apparently behind me. My knees buckled and I pretty much fell onto the bench of the table. I gasped as JC leaned forward and trapped me between his arms, his face inches from mine.  

"Y-yeah, just friends." I breathed out, watching his eyes drift down to my lips.  

JC leaned forward and my lungs stopped working as his lips brushed against my ear.  

"You know what I think?" JC whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. "I think that you feel far too good in my arms for us to just be friends."  

"What do you mean?" I squeaked out, feeling my face burn and my body tingle.  

"We're not the platonic sort." He told me, placing a small kiss below my ear.   

Christ this man was going to be the death of me. Not only is he sex incarnate, now he's quoting my favourite line from Jane Eyre, I don't know if I should hit or kiss him. I think the second option is far more appealing. I could already feel my head turning on its own accord, bringing our lips closer together.  

"Robyne!" Justin's voice screamed out, "Where the hell are you, I need you to finish this!"  

I groaned and buried my face against JC's shoulder, listening to him growl in frustration.  

"I should go back in." I said so softly that I'm surprised JC heard me.  

JC nodded and pulled back, "I'll be in in a minute so that you can do me."  

Oh the way my mind just took that. Two seconds ago I was about to kiss him and now I have to put make up on him? You have got to be kidding me!  

"There you are!" Justin said as I approached the door. "Where did you go?"  

"To calm down before I gave you a clown face for being such an ass." I snapped.  

"I'm sorry; I didn't think that it would bother you that much." Justin said, pulling me into a hug and kissing my forehead.  

Right now I'm not sure who I want to kill more, Justin or Murphy. My life sucks balls.