Chapter 47: It All Comes Crashing Down
I turn from Elli and quickly rush out the door towards the staircase. If she wants to tell Steve everything and end what we have, then so be it. I can feel Elli moving closely behind me, but she’s unable to keep up with my fast pace. Just as I reach the top of the stairs Elli’s hand grasps my arm and she forcefully pulls me back to her. I stop and turn around, giving her an annoyed look. I can tell from the look on her face that she can see the hurt and sadness I’m trying so desperately to hide from her. She slides her hand down my arm to lace her fingers with mine and takes a few steps towards me. My face softens as she looks up at me sorrowfully and reaches to cup the side of my jaw gently.
“I don’t want to tell him.”
“Elli””
“No,” She cuts me off, on the verge of tears. “I’m not ready to lose you yet.”
We simply stare into each other’s eyes for a few intense moments. All that can be heard is the sound of our breaths crashing against each other and our hearts beating. I don’t want her to not tell Steve just because she feels guilty. I mean as much as I would love to keep this all a secret and continue on with our relationship, I understand why she wants to get the truth out there. All of this had been really difficult for her and I’m sure she feels immensely guilty for all the lies she’s had to tell to her mother.
“You stay here okay.” She orders with a firm whisper. I don’t have to question her now. I can tell from the look in her eyes and the conviction with which she spoke that there would be no talking her out of this. I nod and lean down to kiss her lips quickly. She returns the kiss before pulling away and casually trotting down the stairs.
I move to stand at the top of the stairs, just out of sight so that I’m able to just see Steve and Trace standing in the foyer as they watch Elli descend to stand next to Trace. She’s nervous”I can tell because her body is tense and she’s fidgeting with her fingers.
“I think you have some explaining to do Elli.” Steve is the first to speak. Elli remains silent, only offering a questioning look of innocence. “Are you dating Justin Timberlake?”
“Justin Timberlake?” She echoes with an incredulous look adorning her sweet face. “The famous guy? No.”
“That’s not what you’re friend Liz told me.”
Liz? He went to Liz? I may not care for that girl, but I know that she would never betray Elli like that. It wouldn’t matter if Steve went to her and said that Elli had already confessed, she still would have said that she didn’t know anything and that the idea was prosperous. He’s just trying to get Elli to admit to it. She better not fall for that.
“I think I would know if I were dating a famous pop-star.” She laughs off. “Liz must be confused or something. I did meet Justin Timberlake once; he’s a friend of this Justin.” She explains, motioning towards Trace. “He gave me a ride home and that’s when we ran into your friend Officer Butler.”
That was good. Very believable.
“Why did you claim to be his cousin then?”
Elli falters a bit at that question and I’m not sure she’s going to be able to get herself out of this for a minute because it takes her so long to respond.
“I never claimed to be his cousin. I don’t know why Officer Butler would say that.”
Steve nods seeming to have bought her story. Oh dear Lord please let him drop this interrogation shit and let her go.
“Oh, well sorry,” He apologizes with a genuine smile. “I guess I didn’t quite have all my facts right.”
Elli shrugs in response and Trace lets out a sigh of relief. I sigh as well and am now able to relax…at least a little bit. I really just need this guy to leave. I have enough shit on my mind right now with the call I got earlier from Trace. I still don’t know what I’m going to do about that.
“I know that I’m supposed to be saying over at Liz’s tonight,” Elli prompts, “But do you think it would be alright if I stayed here instead?”
“Sure.” Steve smiles. “I’ll let your mom know.”
“Thanks. Tell her that I’ll be home in time for church.”
“Alright, goodnight.”
The moment we hear Steve’s car start we all start moving again, me towards the foyer, Elli up towards the stairs, and Trace to follow Elli. We all meet on the landing of the stairs and no words are spoken for what feels like an hour, but is really only a matter of seconds. Elli reaches for my hand and I meet her halfway, grasping her hand tightly in mine and pulling her back up towards my bedroom.
“Justin.” Trace calls out in protest. I toss him a bored look of my shoulder. I’m not going to take her upstairs and have sex. I know that look was also one to tell me that I needed to explain the paparazzi situation, but I’m just not up for that right now and neither is Elli. I just want to take her upstairs and cuddle up next to her in my bed and forget about our problems even if it’s only for one night.
~*~*~*~
My mom knows and now Steve does too. How did they find out? They read it in a magazine. When I went home, the morning after Steve’s inquisition, I didn’t even make it to my room before both of them cornered me. They were sitting in the family room waiting for me to get back. My mom looked….angry and sad and Steve just looked angry. I can’t really say that I blame him though. I mean I did lie right to his face only the night before. He even apologized for accusing me and I still didn’t say anything. I just couldn’t tell him the truth; I wasn’t ready to lose Justin yet.
I didn’t really realize how much trouble I was in until my mom used my middle name…
(FLASHBACK)
“Elli Elizabeth, come over her right now.” I swallow thickly and quietly close the front door and slowly walk to sit in the chair opposite to the couch Steve and Mom are perched on. “Do you have something you would like to tell me?”
I swallow again and nervously fidget with my fingers. My eyes flick back and forth between Steve and my mom. They can’t possibly know. There’s no way. I just cleared up this misunderstanding with Steve last night. It must be something else, but what? I can’t just confess to my relationship with Justin when I’m not even sure that mom knows.
“Elli, this is your chance to be honest with me.” I bite my bottom lip as it begins to quiver. I will not let myself cry”that will only give me away. I’m not going to admit to a thing. When
I remain silent my mom sighs in frustration and grabs a magazine that was face down off the coffee table. She passes it to me and I take it with a shaky hand.
I gasp at the sight of the cover. It’s People Magazine and my face is plastered on the front. There’s a picture of myself and Justin together juxtaposed with a picture of Justin and Allison. I don’t have to read the headline to know what it suggests. I look up at my mom with tears streaming down my cheeks”tears from the guilt of what I’ve done, but more so from the magazine in my hands.
Her features soften and she stands and comes to sit on the arm of my chair. She takes the magazine from my hands and tosses it back to the table before enveloping me in her arms. I sob into her shoulder as she gently rocks me back and forth.
“I love him Mom.”
(END OF FLASHBACK)
So here I stand at the door to Justin Timberlake’s house with
that same copy of People Magazine rolled neatly in my hands waiting for him to answer the door. After my mom comforted me, she grounded me”no phone, no TV, no friends, no computer, basically no fun for the next three months. She said that she was “very disappointed” in me and that it would take a long time before she was able to trust me again. I’m also not allowed to see Justin again. So I guess I’m breaking the rules of my punishment by being here, but I have to know if the allegations made in this magazine are true or not.
“Hey Elli,” Trace greets gloomily. His body language is not making me feel any better about this situation. I was hoping that he would say something like, ‘hey Elli, did you see the crap that was printed in People?’
“Hey.” I answer back as he steps aside so that I can come in. “Where’s Justin?”
“He’s in the music room. You want me to go get him?”
“No, I’ll go to him.” Trace nods and smiles sadly at me. We both go our separate ways and I walk just about as slow as humanly possible down the long hallway to the music room. I’m terrified to go in there. What if I find out that he really has been cheating on me all this time? I would have to end it. I will not be with a cheater. I have too much self-respect.
Taking a calming breath, I push open the door and step inside. Justin is sitting at the piano writing on a notepad. I clear my throat and he looks up at me only after finishing whatever he was writing. We stare at each other for a few moments before he finally stands up moves to me. He leans down and softly brushes his lips against mine and I nearly cry at the sensation. I clutch his arms and stand on my tiptoes to push my lips harder against his, deepening the kiss.
Pulling back, I press the magazine to his chest. His eyes fall from mine to the magazine as he takes it from my hand and unrolls it to look at the cover I’m sure he’s already seen by now. I silently pray for him to not say those three words to me that would confirm my worst fear.
“I can explain,” He mutters in a desperate tone.
And with those three simple words I know that whatever relationship we had is now over.
The End
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