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Chapter thirty five
She walked into her nearly empty bedroom and sat on one of the boxes. One of the movers grabbed the boxes labeled `cosmetics' and headed out the door. The only things remaining in the room where seven suitcases and bags and the box. And a woman sitting on the box sadly sat there one last time. She got up and put her leather jacket on. She grabbed her purse and the bag containing her pictures and files. Two men walked into the room and grabbed the rest of the items.
"Will these go with you Miss?" one of the guys asked.
"Yes." she answered with absolutely no emotion. She walked out of her apartment and stood at the door. She looked around and saw the big empty space that was known as her apartment. The space symbolized what she was feeling. Empty. She was leaving and if she could help it, she wouldn't be back.
She arrived at the airport and immediately boarded the plane. She made sure to get there right on time. She didn't want to have to stand around the airport and have some teeny bopper recognize her. That was the last thing she wanted to be in any shape or form be connected to them. She sat in first class and tried her hardest to get the memories out of her head. They were driving her crazy and she was miserable in return. She had promised herself that she would forget. But every little thing reminded her of him. Like sitting first class. The time she and Justin went to visit Lynn in Orlando while on tour. The time he surprised her and took her to Boston, just to get her a cookie out of the vending machine. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She had a long flight and it was only to get off and get on a connecting flight.
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March 25th 2002
"Good! I think we are done here fellas. Now that wasn't so had was it J?" Wade asked grabbing a bottled water off the counter.
"Yeah, that was alright. I'm glad it's done."
"Yeah with rehearsals. Now you have a tour to do. I`m out of here guys. C-ya in two weeks." he walked out of the room after shaking the guys hands and leaving them in the rehearsal room exhausted.
"I can't wait to get onstage and do our thing." Jc said from the couch he now laid on. He dried the sweat off his face and groaned. "So what are you doing today J?"
"Going home. Why?" Justin said putting his sweatshirt on.
"J, how long has it been since you went out?" Chris asked.
"Don't start guys."
"What?" Lance asked from behind the speaker where he sat tying his shoe.
"I don't feel like going out. I want to stay home and.."
"Sulk?" Jc asked rolling his eyes in annoyance. Justin had been cooped up at his house ever since the whole Juliana drama unfolded. He had been hanging around some blonde chick. Who apparently made house calls. "What are you doing to yourself J? And Tiff?"
"Tiff? What does she have to do with anything?" Justin asked trying to find out how they knew about Tiff. She was just someone he called over from time to time. He wasn't sleeping with her but not far from it. He didn't have feelings for her. He didn't even like her. She was just around and he wasn't complaining. He knew he was leading her on. But he didn't care.
"She came here asking for you the other day while you were at the store." Lance answered.
"And you tell me now?"
"Who cares? Are you sleeping with her man?"
"Not that its any of your business, but no. I dropped her last week."
"Nice man! What are you a big player now?" Joey asked seriously.
"That question coming from you, Joe?" Justin asked frustrated. He really wasn't in the mood for all the questions. He knew the name would come up soon.
"What about Juls, J?" Chris asked sadly.
"And there it is. Didn't take long for you guys to bring her up again." he said as he headed for the door.
"Come on J. We just need you back man. And I think you need to talk to her and at least be at peace." Joey yelled out.
"Joe, I already told you. And all of you." he said pointing to the other three. "that, it's done. Over. Nothing more. I need you guys to stop bringing her up. I'm fine."
"Alright J. Whatever you say. But we need the JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE we all love onstage man." Jc said smiling at his friend.
"Always man. that's what is keeping me sane dawg!" He said hugging his friend. "Please. Please, tell your girl to stop calling me C."
"Ahh I don't get in her business. You are on your own with Bobbie man." Jc said laughing. They all walked out of the rehearsal room.
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Same Day. Europe.
"A little to the left. Yes! that's right now give me a serious look. Perfect. We are done Ms. Moore." Pierre said rushing out the door to the photography lab.
"Phew. Thank God. Does he ever stop and breathe?" Juliana asked her new assistant Mel. The young girl smiled at her.
"You are done today Ms. Moore." she informed her. Mel was assigned to Juliana by the Dolce and Gabana people. She was sort of an intern. She too wanted to be a model and was very pretty. She was Juliana's assistant and so she was with her twenty four seven. Juliana adored her. She had spent almost a month with her and was the only person she knew in Europe other that the millions of photographers she had met.
"It's Juls, Mel, please?"
"Okay Juls."
"I am twenty and you make me sound like I'm forty. Don't you feel awkward calling me that being eighteen yourself?"
"Actually yes, but I work for you so I guess it's the right way. You know?"
"You work for the agency. Not me, Mel. Please think of me as your friend. Now would you join me for lunch?"
"You sure?"
"Come on girl. Let's go." Juliana said laughing. Juliana was doing a great job of hiding the pain inside her. She was all smiles the moment she got to Europe and she planned on keeping it that way.
After eating some weird looking yet delicious food the girls sat at the café looking at the people go about their business. Mel looked at Juliana curiously and was trying hard to bite her tongue. Mel knew who she was. Why didn't she ever mentioned it? She wondered. She didn't want to loose her job but she couldn't help it.
"Ms. Moore. I mean Juls. Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure Mel. What's up?"
"I know this may be out of line but I'm eighteen and that's just the way I work. I love working with you and I want to be just like…" Mel rambled on.
"Spill it Mel. What?" Juls asked curious why the girl was thinking. A feeling in her gut was telling her Mel was about to ask her. Ask her about him.
"Aren't you Justin Timberlake's girlfriend.?" Mel finally let out closing her eyes in fear. If Juls snapped at her that meant she no longer had a job. She crossed her fingers and prayed.
"Why would you think that?" Juls asked pretending she didn't know what she was talking about.
"I don't know maybe because the entire world knows you are."
"But why would YOU think that? You don't see him around do you?"
"No, but I was wondering because I've been with you for like a month straight and you haven't mentioned him at all. No pictures. Nothing."
"Well aren't we observant?" Juliana said sipping on her Pepsi.
"Please don't fire me Juls." Mel begged. Juliana let out a laugh.
"Why would I do that? And I told you, you work for D&G not me. And to answer your question. No, he is not my boyfriend."
"But don't you work for Chris?"
"Not any more. Can we change the subject." Juliana said getting up and grabbing her purse.
"Yeah. I'm sorry Juls I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sure you have your reasons."
"Reasons for what?"
"For being so angry." Mel said walking next to Juls.
"I'm not angry, Mel."
"Again I'm sorry but I'm honest and I tell it like I see it."
"You think I'm angry." Juliana said smiling to try to prove her point of being happy not angry.
"Actually not so much angry but sad. I saw anger when I said his name that's all."
"What are you some sort of mind reader or something?"
"No. I just have a lot of friends back at home who have had that same look in their eyes when their boyfriends break their hearts."
"You are very observant."
"You already said that." they laughed as they made their way to Juliana's apartment.
Juliana opened her door and invited Mel inside. Mel was amazed at how beautiful her place was. It was a huge studio with sculptures dividing the different areas of the place. The kitchen. The living room. The bedroom. The only place that was enclosed was the bathroom which was made with glass blocks. It was the kind of apartment you saw in movies. On the wall was a large picture of Juls. The picture that was on the cover of the new Vogue magazine.
"Wow Juls. Nice place."
"Well thank you. But I have to admit that it was this way when I moved in. all paid for by D&G of course. It's kind of fancy, and it's not really my style but I can't complain." Juliana said heading to the kitchen.
"That's a nice picture, Juls." she said pointing the huge framed picture on her wall.
"Thank you. I just received it last week. My first cover and I'm very proud of it. Someday soon I bet you will be receiving one of those."
"Hopefully. You know those magazines are flying off the shelves in the U.S. as we speak right?" Mel teased.
"Maybe." Juls said a bit embarrassed. She had just come to a realization that she was on a cover. And Vogue at that. The cover read, `Meet one of the beautiful people of the year 2002. First time cover girl, Pittsburgh's own Juliana Moore' A week after she had arrived in Europe Mrs. LaViolette had informed her of the job. Juliana was of course ecstatic. Her parents were singing their praises when she called them and told them. "My mom said she bought fifty copies for all her friends. I can't believe her." Juliana said laughing.
"Well she should be proud. How many moms can say `my daughter is on the cover of vogue'?" Mel said taking the glass of soda Juliana handed her.
"Well thank you Mel." Juliana said flipping the TV on. The topic of Justin wasn't brought up again. That day at least.
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April 25th 2002
New Jersey
Justin sat in the back of the bus talking to his mother. "Yeah I'm alright mom. How's everything in Memphis?"
"Everything is good baby. I'm heading back to Orlando tomorrow."
"Okay. Well mom, I'm gonna go to bed now. We are heading to Pittsburgh now. Love you. Bye." he clicked his phone off and headed towards the front of the bus where the others were resting from another show.
"Calling mommy again?" Lance teased.
"Oh shut up." Justin snapped back. He had been in a better mood since the tour started and everything seemed to be back to normal. Everyone missed Juliana a lot but didn't bring the topic up. At least not around Justin. All of the guys knew that going to Pittsburgh was going to bring the pissed off Justin back. They were right.
"What crawled up your ass?" Jc asked. He knew Justin wasn't happy about having to go to Pittsburgh. They all thought that Juliana had gone back home to Pittsburgh. Anything that seemed remotely close to Juls, Justin wanted nothing to do with.
"Nothing C. I'm fine!"
"Yeah sure. Wanna play?" Jc said pointing to the playstation.
"Not, now I'm going to bed." he walked to his bunk and jumped in and went to sleep. At least tried to.
"Guess who's back?" Joey whispered.
"Who?" Chris asked like an idiot. He knew what Joey meant he was playing along.
"ohh ohh I know I know!" Lance said putting his hand up for permission to talk.
"Ignorant Asshole? Is that the word you are looking for?" Bobbie cut in.
"Hey watch it Bobbie. He's still our friend." Lance said to Bobbie.
"Sorry I couldn't help it." Bobbie got up and walked to the back of the bus not before throwing a punch into Justin's bunk.
"Ouch! Damnit Bobbie. Do you have to do that every night?" Justin said from inside the bunk.
Hours later they arrived in Pittsburgh, they were held up by traffic and so it was now five in the morning. The sun was already out and shining. Justin couldn't sleep so he sat on the couch looking out the window. Lonnie sat across from him on the laptop. The bus pulled in infront of the Omni hotel and Justin got up to get his stuff. He needed a shower. Ever since Juliana was gone he never showered after the show. I guess he was rebelling against her. He knew he was being stupid but he just wanted to make everything different than how it was when she was around. He went up to the bunks and opened up all the curtains.
"Get UP!" he yelled. All the sleeper awoke. Except for Jc. Justin did exactly what he did every time Jc wouldn't get up. He walked over to the sink and grabbed a cup of water. He walked to Jc and started to turn the cup.
"Don't even think about it J." Jc said with his eyes still closed.
"You are learning. I'm impressed." Justin said with a smile. "I'm going in"
"Then go. Why you telling me?"
"I wanted to talk to you C." Justin said seriously.
"You alright J?" he opened his eyes and looked at him.
"I think so. Will you come to my room later?"
"Yeah. Sure. I'll go after I get a some more sleep." Jc said getting out of the bunk.
"Thanx man." Justin grabbed his bags and went down the steps of the bus. He stepped off the bus and saw Lonnie looking to the side of the building with Bobbie. She was had a big smile on her face. He walked a few steps forward to see what they were looking at. About two blocks down was a large billboard. The top said VOGUE in large black letters. Justin's eyes landed on the green ones staring back at him. He read. `Meet one of the beautiful people of the year 2002. First time cover girl, Pittsburgh's own Juliana Moore' He felt a knot in his stomach and blinked as if it was some kind of visions he was having. Nope. It was real. It was her.
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