During dinner, Justin could keep his eyes off Britney. Even though they were only sitting across the table from each other, Justin felt as if Britney were a million miles away. Every time Justin tried to get Britney alone, Laura Lynn would be talking to her or she would be busy helping with Christmas decorations. Keeping their feelings from rest of the family was going to be impossible if Justin felt this way about it on the very first day back.
"Hey you." Britney said walking into the kitchen.
"Hey!" Justin said.
"Having fun?" Britney asked.
"You know what I would rather be doing." Justin mentioned to Britney. Justin slipped his hand under Britney's shirt, knowing that any member of the family could walk in on them at any minute Britney didn't care. Justin's touch was too important to her. Every stroke of his hand was like heaven to her body. Justin then slipped his tongue into Britney's mouth and caressed hers. All of Britney's emotions were flowing and she couldn't help herself. Britney moaned and heard footsteps. Justin quickly walked away from Britney and she tucked her shirt back in. Turned back to the sink to stack up the dishes. By the time Kerri walked in suspected something peculiar was going on.
"Did I hear a strange noise coming from here?" Kerri asked eyeing the both of them. Britney looked at Justin and smiled and Justin smiled at her.
"No. Sis you worry too much. Why don't you go and sit down with mom and have a nice warm cup of coffee." Justin suggested. Kerri followed Justin's suggesting, but still eyed them too before she left.
"Whew! Justin we have to do something. Something like this is going to happen again and we might not be so lucky." Britney said. Britney always worried about details.
"We can't tell them." Justin said with a low voice.
"We can't go on without having some kind of contact with each other. With all the people in this house right now, being alone would be impossible." Britney said.
"They would flip if they new the truth." Justin said.
"Actually they wouldn't. Haven't you heard the whispers when we hang out together or when we pick each other up to go to a movie?" Britney asked.
"No, I really don't pay attention to people when not being spoken to." Justin said.
"Well, they have been whispering for a while. Justin, if we keep going like this, sneaking around and lying to everyone, it's going to come out sooner or later. I don't want to answer to my mom when she asks me why I lied about having a relationship with you." Britney said.
"Right now all this is confusing. But I guess we should tell them. What else can we do?" Justin asked her.
"There's nothing else we can do." Britney said.
Just as Britney was about to announce her and Justin's feelings to the family, Justin pulled her into his room.
"Think about what you're doing." Justin advised.
"I know what I'm doing. I'm telling my family the feelings I have my best friend." Britney said.
"I know it sounded like a good idea earlier, but now I'm not so sure. I mean, what if we did tell them and they would always be smiling at us and whispering to each other when we walk around the house holding hands or lying on the couch together. I don't want that." Justin said.
"What makes you think that will happen Justin?" Britney asked.
"That's the way families are. They will expect us to do things that maybe we don't do. I don't want to have to live up to certain expectations that my family has with my girlfriend." Justin said. Britney strongly wanted to say no to Justin and tell the family she had more than friendship feelings for Justin. But she agreed that it wasn't right for them to say anything just yet. Both of their feelings were brand new, not for anyone to make fun of.
"Hey you two." Madison said when Justin and Britney were about to share a kiss.
"Hey Madison. What's up?" Britney asked stepping away from Justin.
"Well the family is going to go out and look at Christmas lights. Want to join us?" Madison asked.
"Sounds like fun." Justin asked.
"Great. Britney, you can ride with Laura Lynn and me. It's time we had some girl talk." Madison said.
"Actually, I thought that Justin and I could ride together." Britney said nervously.
"You have been with this guy for two days straight now. Aren't you getting tired of him?" Madison asked. Britney looked at Justin confused and to find words to express why she didn't want to ride with Laura Lynn and Madison without giving away their feelings for each other.
"Madison is right Britney. You girls have fun. I'll catch a ride with my mom and step dad." Justin said. Looking at Britney, Laura Lynn could tell that a million thoughts were running through her head. If only she could tell the family what was going on, Britney wouldn't be so stressed. But Laura Lynn vowed that the secret would not leave her lips.
During the car ride to the most exquisite houses, Britney kept glancing in the rearview mirror trying to see Justin. All she saw was his mom and step dad having a conversation. Britney wanted to be with Justin so badly right now she could taste it. But she had to keep her cool and not let anything out about feelings for him. How was Britney going to make it through Christmas break if she wants Justin bad right now?
"This house is nice. Let's stop." Lynne radioed to Kerri. They all had radios in their cars when they went to see Christmas lights. They decided after the year that Justin got Britney and Laura Lynn lost because he accidentally followed the wrong minivan down the interstate.
"This house is beautiful." Britney commented.
"Not as beautiful as you." Justin said wrapping his arms around her.
"Justin! Everyone is around, someone will see us." Britney said worried. Justin took Britney around to the back of his step dad's car and kissed Britney.
"Worried now?" Justin asked.
"No." Britney said. This time Britney kissed him. They were so wrapped up in each other they didn't care who saw them. But the thoughts rushing through both of their minds made them break away suddenly when they heard footsteps. Justin and Britney both stepped far apart from each other.
"Hey you two. Come and see some of these lights." Madison said taking Britney's hand.
"What were you two doing?" Madison whispered to Britney.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Britney asked worried.
"You two were very silent and stood in one place the whole time. It kind of looked like you two were making out, but that's a silly thought. Best friends don't fall in love." Madison said.
"Yes they do." Britney said under her breath.
"What?" Madison asked.
"Oh, nothing. Let's see some Christmas lights." Britney said catching up with everyone else.
"Mama, we should decorate our house like this when Christmas gets closer." Britney said.
"That's a good idea. Maybe Justin and Laura Lynn might like to pitch in." Lynne suggested.
"I'll go ask." Britney said running over to them.
"Hey, you two want to help put up Christmas decorations when Christmas is around the corner?" Britney asked.
"Sure, you in Justin?" Laura Lynn asked. Any moment to spend with Britney, he'd take it.
"I would love to." Justin said.
"Let's go to the next house." Lynn said and everyone scurried to their cars.
"Where's the next house on the list?" Lynne asked Madison, who had a list of the top twenty tackiest houses off the Internet.
"Well, if you make a right at this light and go all the way down to where you can you only go left or right, you make a left and the house she be there." Madison said.
"Okay, making a right at this stoplight and going all the way down and making a left at the end." Lynne said over the radio. 'Okay's' came from both radios. Britney was still trying eye Justin from the backseat of the car.
"What have you and Britney been doing since you got home?" Justin's stepfather Paul asked.
"Paul!" Lynn said respecting Justin's privacy, even thought Britney was only a friend.
"It's okay mom. Britney and I have been hanging out together. That's it." Justin said.
"Well, you two haven't spent any time but with each other. I was wondering if you two had some kind of secret you were hiding from the family." Paul said.
"Oh, no!" Justin said a little too quickly he thought. No one said another word so no speculations were thought.
At the end of that night, everyone dragged themselves into the house after going to all twenty houses on the list. Everyone said goodnight and went to their bedrooms. Britney thought no one would notice if she slept in Justin's room that night. Since Britney was up before everyone else was, she could quickly get to attic before anyone noticed she wasn't even there.
"Britney, aren't you going to sleep?" Kerri asked.
"Yes, I am. Why?" Britney asked. "Well, the attic is upstairs honey." Kerri said.
"Oh, I was just going to talk to Justin for a little bit then I was going to sleep." Britney said.
"Britney, haven't you worked those boy's ears to death already. Get some sleep." Kerri said going into her room.
"That knocks out my plan." Britney said.
"It's okay. We always have tomorrow and the rest of Christmas break to be together." Justin said.
"Okay." Britney smiled. Justin kissed her lightly on the lips and Britney left to go to the attic.
"It's about time you made it up here." Laura Lynn said.
"What? Were you timing me or something?" Britney asked.
"No. I was just wondering if you were going to sleep in Justin's room tonight." Laura Lynn assumed.
"I tried. Then Kerri asked me why was I in Justin's room when I was in my pajamas." Britney said.
"So you got caught!" Laura Lynn said.
"I'm tired Laura Lynn. Goodnight." Britney said turning off the light.
"You should be after that make out session you had with Justin." Laura Lynn said. Britney sat up in shock and quickly turned on the light.
"How did you know about that?" Britney asked her.
"I'm surprised the whole family didn't. You know, when you are trying to hide something, do it behind tinted windows." Laura Lynn said.
"I thought we were being so careful." Britney said.
"Don't worry about it. No one was paying attention to you two." Laura Lynn said.
"Madison was." Britney said.
"I'm not following." Laura Lynn said.
"When Madison walked around the car, she saw Justin and I together. We stood far apart to where no signs of affection were being exchanged. But she told me that it looked like we were kissing. Then she shook it off as illusions." Britney said.
"That was really close. You have to be more careful." Laura Lynn advised.
"I know! I just love Justin so much that every minute I go without him touching me or us holding hands, I'm dying. I don't know if I can survive Christmas break not being able to hold him whenever I want to." Britney said.
"So you aren't telling anyone at all?" Laura Lynn asked.
"I don't know. Justin and I really haven't discussed what we want to do yet. But we both decided that right now it would be best to keep this a secret." Britney said. They both went to sleep.
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
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