Jacob and Collin were at the gym working out. Collin hadn't told Jacob that he had talked to Megan so he was a little uncomfortable with what Jacob was saying about her.
“Dude, I can't believe that bitch rejected me.” Jacob said. “I mean we were together for years and now just because she found some loser, it means that I'm totally out of the picture?”
“Well, it's not exactly like you tried very hard to keep her with you.” Collin commented. You beat the crap out of her for crying out loud! He thought.
“I apologized for cheating on her and she pretty much hung up on me.”
“C’mon Jake, she's obviously trying to move on. You should do the same.”
“Whose side are you on anyways?” Jacob questioned angrily.
“Yours! I'm just saying that maybe you should…find somebody else to chase after.” Collin explained. “She's moved on.”
“She's not gonna move on. I won't let it happen.”
“Dude! Just back off of her. She doesn't want you anymore!” Collin said loudly.
“How do you know this?” Jacob asked. “Did you talk to her?”
“Well, yeah. I called her a few days ago to see how she was doing. Why? Is it wrong that I want to talk to one of my friends?”
“Oh, so she's your friend now?”
“Look, man. I don’t wanna fight with you.” Collin said. “Let's just get out of here. We can go to you're place and do something.”
“Whatever.” They drove to Jacob's house and decided to watch TV.
“So what's on?” Collin asked sitting next to Jacob.
“Umm…that new Denzel Washington movie…and the VMA’s. Nothing else looks very good.” Jacob said flipping through the channels. “What do you think?”
“I guess the VMA’s.” Collin shrugged.
“Video Music Awards it is.” The guys watched the VMA’s laughing and playing around the whole time, not knowing that in a few minutes their fun would come to a halt.
Before a break the camera was panning the audience and the camera landed right on Megan and Justin. Jacob, who was taking a drink of his Coke, stopped mid-sip. He stared at the TV in shock. Collin noticed the change in Jacob’s mood and looked at the TV. His eyes got wide and he looked at Jacob. He could see the enraged look on his face.
“Jake-”
“Did you know about this?” Jacob interrupted him. Collin didn’t answer. “COLLIN!”
“Yes.” Collin mumbled.
“How long have you been keeping this from me?” Jacob yelled.
“Almost a month.”
“How could you not tell me?! I’m your best friend!”
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to freak out, like you are now!”
“Of course I’m freaking out! Look who’s she’s with!” He pointed to the TV. “How could she go out with Justin Timberlake!”
“She’s happy! Why can’t you just accept that?” Collin asked.
“She can’t be happy with him.”
“She wasn’t happy with you.” Collin commented.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Jacob demanded.
“Dude, you beat the crap out of her. She was in the hospital for Christ’s sake!” Collin yelled. “What did you expect? That she would come back again?”
“She brought that on herself.”
“No one asks to get beaten. Especially not Megan.”
“What are you saying?” Jacob asked.
“I’ve watched you hurt her too many times. You never deserved her. Justin treats her the way she should be treated. I’ve stuck around you for too long. I’m outa here.” Collin grabbed his gym bag and walked to the door. “Don’t hurt her again, you’ll regret it. Trust me.” And with that he left.
“We’ll see about that.” Jacob said grabbing his phone.
“Justiiiiin?!” Megan called from the back lounge. Justin came running from the ‘kitchen’.
“What’s wrong? Are you ok? Do you need some more soup?” He asked looking her over.
“I’m fine baby. I just don’t want to be alone. Will you lay with me?” She stuck her lip out.
“You don’t even have to give me that look.” He said. “You know I will.” Megan smiled and moved to the edge of the couch so that Justin could slide behind her. Megan snuggled up against him and closed her eyes. She felt Justin’s hand on her forehead and then her cheek. “You still have a fever. Do you need some more medicine?”
Earlier that week Megan had gotten the flu and Joey told her that she had to stay in bed until she was better. She fought it, saying that she was a 20-year-old woman, not a 5-year-old child, and didn’t need him telling her what to do, but he somehow got Justin on his side. They tried to get her to stay in her bunk, but she wasn’t having it. So they agreed to let her stay in the back lounge as long as she didn’t leave the couch.
“No Justin. I just took some a half an hour ago.” She sighed. “Can we forget about the fact that I’m sick and just lay here together?”
“I’m just worried about you. The doctor said that the flu could interfere with your asthma and-”
“Justin!” She interrupted him. “My asthma is fine. I haven’t had an attack since yesterday and my inhaler is right on the table. Now shut up.” She turned to face him and wrapped an arm around his waist. He kissed her forehead and winced.
She’d had a bad fever for days now and was playing it off like it was nothing but everyone could tell that it was getting worse. She was shades paler than usual and the fact that she had the immune system of a pigeon didn’t help her health at all. He was very worried but knew Megan would be upset if he voiced it. Justin could feel his eyelids get heavier and heavier and soon he was asleep.
He woke up a few hours later and heard Megan’s cell phone ringing. He reached over and picked it up, not wanting to wake her because she was finally sleeping peacefully. He looked at the caller ID. Jacob Mandrake. Justin frowned. He debated whether to answer it or not. Megan stirred next to him.
“Baby answer it for me.” She mumbled. “Just tell whoever it is that I’m sleeping.”
“I will. Just go back to sleep.” She nodded and rested her head on his chest. Justin took a deep breath and answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Is Megan there?” An angry Jacob asked.
“She’s sleeping.”
“Is this Justin?”
“Yes it is.” Justin said. “Jacob, what do you want from her?”
“How did you know? -”
“Caller ID.” Justin snapped. “I asked you a question. What do you want?”
“I want Megan.” Jacob said.
“You can’t have her. Look man, why don’t you just get a life and leave her alone?”
“I have a life.”
“Beating up women isn’t a life. How could you do that to her?” Justin asked looking down at Megan. She had a small scar above her left eye, a constant reminder of what Jacob had done to her.
“That’s none of your business. What happens between me and Megan is between us.” Jacob snapped.
“There is nothing between you and Megan. You blew it man, give it up.”
“I am not losing her to you.” Jacob said. “This isn’t over. You’ll be seeing me soon.”
“Don’t even think-” Justin was interrupted by a click. Jacob had hung up on him. “Ass hole.” He mumbled tossing the phone on the floor. He laid back and pulled Megan closer to him. There was no way he was going to let Jacob do anything to her. Joey came into the room and saw the troubled look on Justin’s face.
“What’s wrong?” He asked softly noticing that Megan was asleep.
“Jacob just called Megan’s cell phone.” Justin told him.
“Did Megan talk to him?”
“No I did. He somehow found out that we were together.” Justin ran a hand through his hair.
“I know how he found out.” Joey sat on the couch.
“How?”
“Think about it J.” Justin thought for a second. A look of realization came to his face.
“The VMA’s. I didn’t even think about that.”
“No one did. I told Megan that it was going to be hard to keep it a secret.” Joey said. “She said that everything would fine…is it.”
“I don’t know.” Justin sighed. “We said we’d be seeing him soon. He’s pissed.”
“We can’t tell Megan.” Joey said.
“What? Why?”
“She’ll flip if she finds out that he called again.” Joey said. “There’s nothing we can do right now. Since we’re on tour, he can track us down.”
“What about security? We can have Lonnie and the others guard everything.”
“Did he say when?” Joey asked.
Justin shook his head. “All he said was ‘You’ll be seeing me soon.’”
“Just don’t tell her. We’ll tighten security and everything will be fine.” Joey assured him.
“I hope so.”
When Megan woke up hours later, it was pitch black; she had slept all day. It was now 11:00 and Justin was gone. She drug herself off the couch and went to the front of the bus where he was looking over some papers. She walked up behind him and placed a kiss on top of his head.
“Hey Angel Face.” He smiled. “How do you feel?”
“Better. Whatcha reading?” She asked sitting in his lap.
“Just some stuff for the Foundation. We might have enough to help another school.”
“Good for you.” She said. “I would give you a kiss, but I don’t want to get you sick.”
“You’re not gonna get me sick.” He slapped his chest. “I’m made of steel!”
“I don’t think - ” Justin leaned over and kissed her deeply. He pulled away from her and smiled.
“I’ve wanted to do that for days.” He said. “Now get offa me! I gotta work!” She pushed him a little but slid next to him. She studied his profile.
He had physically gotten more mature over the years. He was no longer the 15-year-old that she used to know, he was a new 22-year old…man, something that she might not ever get used to calling him. He had grown practically 2 feet. He now wore glasses, but usually contacts. His hair was short (still curly) and a reddish brown color. She reached over and ran her fingers through it and he smiled at her.
That was one thing that hadn’t changed: His smile. He had the same Timberlake grin that she had fallen in love with so many years ago. The smile that made her smile every time she saw it. The smile that seemed to light up his eyes. The smile that he would have until the day he died.
She started coughing again, startling herself out of her daze and Justin looked over at her. She coughed herself into an athsma attack and Justin ran to get her inhaler. He ran back and handed it to her. When she had recovered, she leaned against Justin’s shoulder.
“That was a bad one.” He said kissing her forehead. “Are you ok now?”
“I’m fine.” She said. “It just wore me out.”
“Why don’t you go lay down?” Justin suggested. “I’ll be in there in a minute.”
“Alright.” He kissed lightly. “Hurry.”
He smiled and kissed her again. “Love you Angel Face.”
“Love you too baby.” Justin smiled and went back to his paperwork.
