Chapter 2

I ran to you like water.

I threw my body in

and I'll stand up on the ocean

just to show you that I am strong,

strong.

But what if I am wrong?

A familiar look.

A familiar smile

makes it so hard to make a choice.

I don't know if I should stay...away

Jordin looked around the room and there were mirrored expressions of shock on all of the execs faces.

"So what do you think?" she asked as she stopped the playback of the song she and Justin had been working on for the past three days.

"I don't know about you guys, but it sounds like we've got a hit on our hands to me," said one of the older gentlemen in a suit. Jordin didn't know who he was, but when she looked over at Janet she saw two thumbs up and smiled.

"I agree," Barry Weiss. Jordin was elated; that was an amazing compliment coming from a man as accomplished as him.

"Well if you like that then just wait til you hear what we're working on now," Justin said, walking up and throwing an arm around Jordin's shoulder. She couldn't help the smile that was growing on her face. She was in the company of musical geniuses and they were singing her praises.

"So you are planning to do more tracks together?" Mr. Weiss asked.

"Yes sir," Jordin began, "I want to work with Justin until he gets sick of seeing my face," she said jokingly.

"Which could never happen," Justin said with a gentle squeeze to her shoulder.

"Well what are we sitting here for, get back in the studio," Janet said with a smile. Everyone began to file out of the room, shaking Jordin and Justin's hands as they did. Jordin shrieked and jumped up and down in excitement when it was only she and Justin and in the room.

"Whoa there cowgirl; calm down."

"They liked it! They actually liked my song...our song."

"Yeah, but you're gonna tire yourself out if you do this after every song. We still have quite a few more tracks to go, baby girl," he said with a chuckle. He gave her a pat on the back and headed out of the room and back to the studio room they were working in. He was fiddling with the mixing board when Jordin walked in sat down in the seat next to him.

"So Mr. Timberlake, what do you want to do now?"

"Well I want to take you out for lunch since you blew them away in that boardroom, but how about we finish this track while you're warmed up. Then we can call it a day and go eat."

"Sounds good to me," Jordin replied before walking in the recording booth. She put on the headphones and was fiddling with the lyrics sheet when Justin asked her if she was ready to start.

"Whenever you are Mr. Producer." Justin cued up the track and gave her the thumbs up, signaling for her to start singing.

It started as a flicker

meant to be a flame.

My skin has gotten thicker

but it burns the same.

I'm still a baby in a cradle

gotta take my first fall.

Baby's getting next to no where

with my back against the wall.

The ones who make me happy

make me sad.

Wanna make it better-better so bad.

Save your resolutions for your never new year.

There is only one solution I can see here.

Jordin bobbed along as she sang the mid-tempo track.

Love, you're all I ever could need.

Only one good thing left trying to be

and it's love, love, love, love.

I do it for love, love, love, love.

Only gonna get-get what you give away.

Love, love

Only gonna get-get what you give away.

Love.

She took off her headphones when she saw Justin give her another thumbs up.

"How did I sound?"

"How do you think you sounded?" he responded.

"I think I sounded ok, but you always have some sort of critique." Justin laughed under his breath, she was right. He was a perfectionist and would continue recording until the song was perfect.

"I'm gonna play it back and you tell me what you think." He did just that and it didn't take long for her realize that she was a tad bit flat.

"Let's do it again," she announced as he started the backing track once more. This time she corrected her pitch and it wasn't long before they were finished recording the song. Justin saved everything and began shutting down the equipment as Jordin gathered all of her belongings.

"So, what do you wanna eat Ms. Sparks?"

"I don't care; whatever you wanna eat," she replied with a smile, "You're treating me, so you pick."

Justin was silent in thought for a moment before grabbing her hand.

"C'mon, lets go."

"To where?" Jordin asked quizzically.

"It's a surprise."

"It better not be nasty Timberlake," Jordin said with a slight grin.

~*~

"I must say that I was kind of hesitant when you said fish tacos, but these are pretty good."

"I can't believe you doubt me," Justin said before taking a swig of his beer. They were at a local hole in the wall Mexican restaurant pigging out of tamales and fish tacos.

"Never again will I do that...and we're gonna have to come here more often. How did you find this place?"

"Funny story actually," Justin began, "back when I used to be famous..." Jordin rolled her eyes at him.

"You still are famous, goofball."

"Well, back at the height of it I was out with my girl and trying to get rid of some stalkerazzis and we ducked into this place. I guess this place looked so run-down on the outside that they thought that we'd never be in here and we ended up staying and eating."

"Wow, you never know what could happen on a date with Justin Timberlake," Jordin said with a laugh.

"Well you know me," Justin joked and popped his collar playfully.

"Cocky much?" Jordin replied with a chuckle.

"If the shoe fits..."

"Wow, now I can see why so many women fell for you."

"What are you trying to say Ms. Sparks?"

"Nothing," she laughed, "Don't worry about it."

"No, what is it?"

"Nothing, nevermind," she replied, "I just don't see what they saw in you..." she finally said with a playful smile.

"Oh really?" Justin said before throwing a balled up napkin at her.

"No need for violence, Timberlake," Jordin said, blocking the paper product.

"Wow, most women would be happy to be happy...honored even to be out with me; and you're sitting up here making fun of me."

"Well I'm not most women."

"You're right," Justin said with a charming grin, "you're better." Jordin felt her heart flutter in her chest. Was he flirting with her? Naw, he couldn't be. There's no way that this 27 year old man would be interested in her...she was only 18 for goodness sakes! And even if she was his age she wasn't his type. Nope. So the best thing to do was to dismiss that foolish idea and finish the rest of her dinner.

"You ok? Did I say something wrong?" Justin said, looking at her over his Corona bottle.

"No, I was just thinking," she replied with a slight grin.

"About?"

Your lips on mine.

"Nothing in particular," she lied.

"Oh ok," he replied before taking a bite of his tamale, "The album's going well. At this rate we'll have at least 14 tracks for them to choose from within a month."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we're averaging out a track about every two days. I'm just happy you're letting me produce them."

"What? I told you, the pleasure's all mine. I was shocked when you agreed to even work on my project."

"I told you before that you have a remarkable voice and raw talent. I'm just happy that I get to be apart of this project. But enough talk about music. What are you doing after this?"

"I was planning on heading home, curling up on the couch and probably catching up on Degrassi and eating ice cream."

Justin looked at her quizzically before saying, "Well change of plans; you're tagging along with me tonight." Jordin didn't like the sound of this.

"To where?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"This jazz club my cousin told me about. I've been meaning to check it out for awhile now, but I've been too busy."

"I don't know," she hesitated, "you may have to go to this one by yourself..."

Justin cut her off, "I'm sure that your ice cream will still be in the freezer when you get home girl. Do you not like jazz music?"

"No! I love jazz music, it's just..."

"You don't have some kind of curfew do you? I thought you were 18?"

"I am, and no I don't have a curfew."

"Then what's the problem? You don't want to be seen out in public with me? If that's the reason then I'm sorry because I saw some photog snap our picture and I'm pretty sure that Page Six is gonna run the picture to announce our engagement on tomorrow's front page," he joked. Jordin laughed at his statement.

"Well damn, my mom's gonna wring my neck because she didn't know first," she replied, playing along. Justin pulled out his cell phone and placed it on the table.

"You can call her on my cell if you want. Wouldn't want my mother-in-law to hate before she meets me." They both got a good laugh out of the joke.

"Ok, now other than that, what's your reason for not wanting to go to this club with me tonight."

"I don't really have another one."

"So it's settled then. It's what, 8 o'clock now and the doors there don't open til ten."

"Well how about we head back to the studio so I can get my car and I'll meet you at the place at ten."

"Or I can come pick you up, I'm not really good at giving directions," Justin responded. Ok, now Jordin knew she wasn't imagining things, this guy was definitely asking her out...and was very persistent.

"Alright, that'll work," she agreed.

"You finished eating?" he asked, pulling a few bills out of his wallet.

"Yep, let's go."

Tonight was going to be interesting...