POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
I was late May. We had started the tour a few weeks prior. It was all going great. Our new album had skyrocketing sales. I was happy, content, I wasn't confused anymore.
Britney and me had had a long and I mean LONG discussion about what we wanted out of this relationship. We decided it would be best if we just ended it. We are still really good friends. I mean, I've known her since I was 12, how can I NOT be a friend with her. We haven't told the public anything, and we still go to award shows with each other. It's easier that way.
And Britney even called up Meredith and apologized after we decided to call it quits. Believe it or not, they are attempting a friendship. It's kinda weird for me to see my ex-girlfriend and my girl be civil to one another.
Meredith. Now that's one part of my life that I'm not sure about.
Valentines Day was an eye-opening experience for me. I ended up falling asleep in her arms. It was a school night for her so I'm not sure when she left, but the next morning I woke up alone with a blanket over me.
I was in a really good mood that next day.
Not because I got a little action the night before, even though that WAS nice. Don't get me wrong, we didn't do...much.
Well, we kept our clothes on.
And yet, we didn't really do anything about that night. A week later I called Britney and that's when all that drama happened.
But me and Meredith, well we are still same old, same old. I don't know if she is waiting for me to make a move, or what? But we were still nothing more than friends.
We cuddle a lot more, and our hugs are longer, and we spend almost all of our free time together, but we don't kiss, and we don't say we love each other.
Even though, everytime she walks through my front door, I fall a little bit harder.
It'd been about a week and a half since I last saw her, I talked to her almost everyday. Her graduation is in a few days.
I'm trying to get off so I can go. I know it would mean a lot to her.
But I just don't know how my schedule will work out; we got SO much going on. Our first break is the 3rd of June to the 10th. And I intended to relax, RELAX, RELAX! The only problem is that's when Meredith goes to the beach.
So I REALLY want to see her soon.
----
I couldn't believe it. He was being nice to me. I don't really know what it was, but he was being unbelievably NICE to me. I was kinda unsure when he sat beside me, I figure her mom would, but when Mr. Williams decided to take his place beside me, I swear my heart JUMPED.
"So, when is this thing supposed to start?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
"In about 10 minutes." He replied with a smile.
This was unusual. I thought her dad HATED me. And when I called up her mom to tell her I was coming to her graduation, he answered the phone. He was the one who told me to come to their house. He was the one who said I could go with them. HE was the one who sat beside me in the row of seats in the auditorium.
I tried keeping a low profile, but by now everyone had grown use to my shaved head, so I still got a few glances now and then. But most people kept their distance.
I watched the ceremony, trying not to fall asleep. I couldn't help that it was boring. And the fact that Casey Mitchell was the class representative and had to speak really made me want to fall asleep. And then they announced the Valedictorian, who would make the main speech of the night.
She did not tell me she was Valedictorian. I was kinda shocked that she didn't, but her father leaned over and whispered to me that she had just found out the week before and didn't want me to feel obligated to come. But yet, there she was, about to address the people she could care less about.
And her speech was beautiful. It was soulful and sentimental and humorous and thought provoking. It captured me and drew me in, and made me think about my life.
And it was just a graduation speech.
I realized the talent she had for writing in that moment.
When she was done, amazingly she got a standing ovation, from the class, from the audience, from the teachers, of course from me.
I had never been more proud of her then in that very moment.
They called out the names and gave out diplomas; she was near the end. And then they presented the class of 2001. Cheers and hollers were heard. I whistled for my girl and as soon as I did, her eyes locked on to mine.
It was such a sight. Her eyes got huge and her mouth dropped in shock, which slowly turned into a smile. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at me.
The ceremony was over and we ushered ourselves out into the lobby of her school to wait for her to come out. About 5 minutes later I saw her run out of the auditorium straight for me. I picked her up in my arms and hugged her in her huge blue robe and goofy looking hat.
I twirled her in the air and finally set her back down. "I'm so proud of you, girl."
"Thank God, its over. It's OVER!" She said gleefully looking in my eyes. She squealed excitedly and walked up to her dad and mom and sister and hugged each one of them.
We stayed in the lobby chatting a bit. I caught Casey's scared and shocked look when she saw me and I smugly waved at her. It was funny.
A few people came up to Meredith and commented on how much they liked her speech and by the time a half hour passed we were ready to go.
Her parents and sister drove in one car on the way home and I rode with her in her own back to her house.
"I can't believe you came!" She said amazed looking out at the road.
"I wouldn't have missed it for anything." I looked over at her and got some urge to lean over and kiss her cheek.
When I pulled away she giggled. "OK?"
"Sorry, I just had to do that."
"If you say so Timberlake. You are staying to eat with us right?"
"Yeah, but Mike is picking me up at 8:30 because I gotta catch a flight to New York tonight."
We pulled into her driveway and she looked at me. "You really shouldn't have done all this for me."
"Hey, don't say that. I'd do ANYTHING for you, sweetheart." I said dramatically. She gave me a crazy look and got out of the car.
Dinner was good, of course. Mrs. Williams is a great cook. Her sister was all tied up talking about her boyfriend and how she was leaving the next week for Mexico.
And then her Dad asked me a question. And I almost choked on my food.
"Justin, Meredith says you have the 3rd through the 10th off. Right?"
"Yes sir." I said with a smile.
"I know you want your rest, but would you like to come to Hilton Head with us. We are staying at a private resort, so you don't have to worry about fans or press. It's from the 4th to the 8th."
"Wha?" I couldn't believe HE was asking me this.
"Oh my gosh, is going to be GREAT Justin. They have like all these pools and the beaches are great and secluded, and they have a spa. Ohh yeah. See, Beth will be in Mexico, so we need someone to take her space."
"Well, I guess. Yeah, that would be awesome." I said looking from Meredith to her Dad.
"All right then." He smiled and the rest of dinner was filled with light happy conversation.
Her dad ended up in the living room watching TV, her sister ended up on the phone with her boyfriend, and her mom was cleaning up the dishes. Mere and me offered to help her, but she told us she was fine.
So we ended up on the front porch swing, lightly letting the bench rock us into a sleepy state. We were just sitting there, my arm around her, her head on my shoulder.
"Did I tell you how cute you looked with your little cap and gown?" I finally spoke.
She pushed my stomach, "Shut up."
"Well, it's the truth." She snuggled back up to me.
"We are going to have fun at Hilton Head. Mom and Dad will be doing their own thing because you know, this is a business trip, kinda, and me and you will just be able to hang out."
"Yeah, that will be fun."
She looked at her watch in the dim light that was coming from the house onto the porch. "It's almost 8:30 is Mike coming here."
"Yeah, he is just going to pull up on the curb and yell for me to get my butt in the car and you know, the usual." I chuckled and she turned to look up at me.
"Guess what?" She said with a big grin.
"What?" I looked down at her.
"I'll be 18 in a week."
"Uhhh ohhh. You know what that means?"
"Yeah, I can buy cigarettes. Whoop te do." She said sarcastically. "But I can get into clubs now, that's cool."
I added. "And you can vote."
"And live on my own."
I smiled evilly. "And get freak nasty with me."
"And- wait a minute..."
"What?" I asked innocently.
"Ugh, men! That's all you think about." She pushed away from me and slid to the other side of the porch swing.
"No, that's not ALL I think about." I slid over to her side of the bench, practically ontop of her and got very close to her shocked face. "Just when you're around." I wiggled my eyebrows.
I thought it was funny.
She groaned and pushed me away.
"I'm just kidding, that's not ALL I think about where you are around." I giggled and she rolled her eyes, snuggling back up near me.
I ended up getting caught up in the way she was leaning against me. I loved it when she would get close like that. She felt perfect against my body.
It was great cuddling and all, but honestly, I wanted nothing more than just to kiss her.
"What are you thinking now?" She asked after a few minutes of silence. She caught me off guard and turned her head so she was looking up at me.
"Huh?" I asked blankly, tiring to remember what she had asked, getting lost in those eyes, and those lips...God, those lips.
"What are you thinking about Justin?" She stared at me, and I knew it was hopeless for me to try and make up a lie.
"I was-" I stopped and looked down at the floor where my feet were planted on the wooden porch, making me swing us back and forth.
"You were what?" She turned my head to look at her, her hand staying on my jaw and those eyes looking at me with concern.
My voice barely came out. I don't know if it was me being a coward, me trying to be sexy, or just the fact that staring at her made me in awe. But it came out as a low, husky, whisper. "I was thinking about, about how I much I want to kiss you."
Her mouth opened to respond, but instead she closed it shut and tilted one side of her mouth up in a grin. "Then why are you sitting here staring at me like an idiot." Her teeth broke through her lips in a giggle.
"Way to ruin the mood, Mere. Good job." I chuckled, rolling my eyes.
She shrugged. "It's a gift."
"But seriously-" She wasn't going to get out of this, THAT easy. The look in her eyes had told me everything I needed to know. And it had been WAY too long since I was going to do what I did. "Seriously, I want to kiss you. So, can I kiss you?"
She turned and looked up at me shocked.
I guess she didn't realize how close I actually was to her, because when she turned, my lips accidentally locked on to hers.
Opps! Hehe, Real Smooth, Timberlake.
The kiss was slow, it was passionate, and it was deliberate. It was amazing, and it was the kind of kiss that you never wanted to end.
She pulled me closer, by wrapping her arms around my neck. She attempted running her hands through my hair, but there wasn't any there.
I smiled and giggled and against her lips when she did this and she mumbled a 'shut up' against my mouth, before crashing our lips together in a fast-paced kiss that was about to get out of control.
And of course, right when it was getting good, Mike pulled up and beeped the horn.
I groaned and pulled away. "Damn."
"I think its a good thing he came, I'd hate for you to take advantage of me out on the porch and dad come out and catch us." She giggled. I trembled at the thought and stood up, holding her hand in mine. I walked down the steps for her porch as she stayed on the porch.
I turned around and smiled at her. She was being illuminated from the back from the dim light coming from the house. I smiled at her swollen lips and slightly static filled hair.
"One week Meredith. One week and you'll be 18. And will be on the beach, just me and you." I spoke stepping up on the bottom step. Looking up at her.
Mike beeped again.
"I know." She replied nervously.
"I'll be thinking about you, and missing you, until then." I brought my hands to her face and lowered it to mine. We were inches apart when I whispered. "I'll call you everyday until then." And I lightly brushed my own swollen lips with hers in a simple kiss.
Mike LAID, literally on the horn and I hat to pulled away. I winked at her and whispered goodbye, before I turned and jogged to the car.
I hopped in the passenger's side and did a small dance before pointing to the road infront of me and happily saying. "LET'S GO!"
The car didn't move so I turned and looked at Mike.
He was smirking at me, trying not laugh. "WHAT?" I said annoyed.
"Nothing, your lips just look at little, umm, well, you know. And boy I don't know what was going on up there, but to me it looked like you couldn't pry you two apart."
"Shut up." I mumbled, sinking embarrassed in my seat. He chuckled finally and put the car in drive.
I turned and looked up at her house, to see the front porch empty. I looked up to the window on the 2nd floor that was her room and the light flicked on. I smiled as Mike slowly drove away.
Number of reviews: 1
Print:
Chapter or Story