Justin Fan Fiction
Never Again
By Ashley
Chapter 7
(A week later.)After the night at the basketball court, Alyssa had relented. Justin knew there was something inside of her that wanted so much to be able to love him, and to be able to tell him so, but something held her back.
In the past week Justin had seen more of Alyssa, they went out every night, and he spent most days having lunch at the school with her. He knew he loved her, and he hadn't been lying when he told her so. He also knew that she felt something for him, but he couldn't understand why she tried to keep herself distanced from him.
They hadn't gone back to his apartment, something kept her from wanting to go there. Now, in her apartment, she was washing the dishes from dinner while he put things away. He put the last of the food away, then leaned against the counter to watch her. "What are you thinking about?"
She looked toward him and gave him a thin smile, "Nothing."
He folded his arms across his chest, watching her while she ignored him. It wasn't getting any better. She moved across the kitchen to put something in the cupboard, then she turned around to look at him.
"I'm leaving tomorrow." He stated finally.
Her head snapped up, "Why?"
He gave a shrug, "I'm not doing either of us any good by staying here."
He watched her eyes for her reacion, he saw the fear he had expected, along with a flash of anger. "You told me you loved me." She told him in an angry tone.
He was across the floor and towering in front of her before she could say anything more. "I do love you Alyssa, and I've meant it every time I've told you. But what have you told me Alyssa? You've told me your scared, and I've tried everything to get you to trust me. But let me tell you something, I'm scared too." He took a step closer and her eyes dropped. "The only girl I ever loved laughed in my face when I told her that. I love you more than I ever could have loved her, and you can't tell me you love me. Tell me Alyssa, who's the one who should be scared here?"
Her eyes slowly raised to meet his, but he couldn't read them.
"Tell me what you're thinking." It wasn't a question anymore.
Alyssa looked into his eyes, he stood still waiting. Her arms came around him, pulling around his neck. His head bent toward her, accommodating her height to meet her lips.
As they touched, Alyssa pulled away. He sighed, pulling her close to him, his arms tight around her, his chin on the top of her head.
"So," He asked gently, "what's Ashley thinking right now?"
Alyssa buried her head farther into his chest. "Ashley thinks Britney will be disappointed. She can't like you because. . .she can only see you with Britney."
Justin sighed, so that was the problem. This could end up being more complicated than he thought.
He pulled Alyssa toward the couch, pushed in down, then sat beside her. "Why would Ashley see Britney with me?"
She shrugged slightly, not meeting his eyes, she looked blindly at the other wall. "Ashley has to have some reason, will you tell me?" He asked, knowing his tone was bordering on begging.
"Ashley is very confused, you know." Alyssa told him softly.
"Oh really? Why is she confused?"
"She hated you for so long, she thought you cheated on Britney, she thought you were the bad guy. . .But you're not playing the part of the bad guy. So Britney should still be with you, and Ashley thinks it's wrong that you are telling her you love her instead of Britney." She stopped, standing up and walking to the window, looking out into the gray sky. Alyssa took a deep breath, "I keep seeing you with Britney. I see you kissing Britney when you try to kiss me."
He pushed up off of the couch and walked over to the window next to her, "I can't turn back time and stop that from happening; I don't regret anything that happened with Britney because that won't change anything. But Alyssa, I don't feel anything with her like I do when I kiss you. . .and I don't know what you want me to do."
She didn't meet his eyes, "I don't know either. I always knew that you and Britney were meant to be together. . .but now, I don't want you to be with her. I want you to stay here with me, but I can't get the image out of my head of you with her. . .and being happy, of you kissing her."
"What do you think we can do to change that?" Justin asked her.
"There's nothing you can do!" She insisted. "You can't change the past, and you can't change how you felt about her." She whirled around to face him. "You loved her Justin, and the mark she left on your life will always be there. You can't just wash that away." She looked away, her head dropped. "You should leave Justin, just leave."
An idea came to him, he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bathroom. She didn't have a chance to argue as he closed the door. He looked around the sink, found a bar of soap and put it in her hand. "Take this."
"Justin, what are you doing?" She asked him, her blue eyes looking at him like she was crazy.
"Follow me." He pulled on her hand once again as he walked towards the shower.
Alyssa's eyes widened in surprise when he opened the door to the shower and stepped inside. She was even more surprised than ever when he pulled her inside and closed the door.
"Are you CRAZY!?" She asked him with a gasp. "I'm not taking a shower with my clothes on, with YOU!"
He still ignored her, and she screamed when he turned on the water. The water hit his back, and what he didn't block hit her dry clothes. The water ran down his face, then soaked his clothes while she still stared at him with wide eyes.
"Justin, what are you doing?"
He looked at the soap in her hands, and he rubbed the soap into her hand, then rubbed both her hands together. "Do this for me if it will help you forget the past."
He held her hand up to his face, rubbing them slowly against his cheek, then he closed his eyes and let his hands drop.
She watched him with wide, scared and confused eyes, but soon her fingers started to slowly massage the soap into his skin. He stood perfectly still with his eyes closed as she scrubbed harder.
After getting more soap, she looked at his lips. It took her several attempts before she touched them with her fingers. She busied herself with rubbing them as hard and as quickly as she could with soap.
As she continued scrubbing the painful memories away, she too closed her eyes. She knew that Britney would always be part of both of their lives, but she wouldn't be a part of the painful memories. Maybe, just maybe she would have to meet this girl she had protected for so long, only to find out that she had been protecting the wrong person. Maybe both she and Justin were right about Britney.
He was right when he said that she needed to be put in the past; at least the painful memories, and maybe she was right in that there was more to Britney than Justin ever knew.
When she was satisfied, she ran her hands over his face one last time before opening her own eyes to see that he was now watching her. He tilted his head under the water, wiping his face until the soap was all gone. Finally his straightened and looked down at her again. "Do you need more soap?"
She lowered her eyes, shaking her head, "No, I think I'm done."
"Then look at me Alyssa." She shook her head, and he put a finger under her chin, tilting her eyes up to meet his.
When her eyes met his, a small sob escaped her lips. She threw her arms around his neck. "Please don't leave me Justin."
He hadn't been expecting her reaction, and was slow to react as he put his arms around her. "Will you give me a reason to stay?"
"I love you Justin. Don't leave me, I love you."
Justin opened the door for Alyssa once again at her apartment building, "So where are we going tonight Justin?" She asked him.
"Well," Justin drawled, "I decided that since our last dinner at my place was ruined, we're going to try this one more time."
Alyssa gave him a skeptical look, "Are you SURE that I won't get sick from your cooking."
Justin rolled his eyes, "YES, I'm sure."
Alyssa laughed at his face, "Okay, I guess we can try this again."
Justin and Alyssa stepped out of the elevator, and the figure next to Justin's door caught both or their eyes. It was Britney.
As they walked toward the door, Justin leaned down to Alyssa, "Next time, we're doing this at your place. She doesn't know where you live. Are you going to be okay?" Alyssa nodded.
"I think I need to do this, I've always wanted to meet her you know." Justin nodded, and Alyssa glance at Britney, then back at him. "Be nice." She whispered a final warning.
"Hello Britney," Justin greeted her warily.
"Hi Justin." She said in a sincere tone, then she gave a shy smile towards Alyssa, "I don't think we ever formally met, I'm Britney."
Alyssa matched her shy look, "I'm Alyssa." She gave a sweet smile towards Justin.
"I came to apologize to both of you. For me, and for JC, and for everything that I said. I shouldn't have come that night." She looked over at Justin. "I'm sorry Justin."
For the first time, Justin saw sincerity in her tone, and he smiled at her, "It's fine Britney. And I should apologize too. I think we both said things we shouldn't have."
"Yeah." Britney smiled, but Alyssa caught her biting her bottom lip that was starting to tremble. "I also have something to give you." She said with a slight tremble in her voice.
"You don't have to give me anything." Justin told her confused.
A small smile came to her lips, "Not you Justin. It's for Alyssa."
Alyssa saw her twisting her hands, and she pulled a small ring off of her pinky. The ring, Alyssa knew, was the one Justin had given Britney long ago. She held it out to Alyssa; Alyssa looked up at Justin who nodded, before she held out her hand. "I think that this belongs to you now." Britney said softly.
"Thank you." Both Alyssa and Justin told her.
Britney gave them both a smile, and for the first time, he realized what Alyssa had meant when she told him that Britney was sad; but she wasn't anymore. Her smile was sad, because she was giving away something that meant a lot to her; him. But he knew that she was happy; she knew she was doing what was right.
"I better go." Britney said.
"Thank you Britney." Justin told her, then he bent to hug her. She hesitated, but then she put her arms around his neck.
"It was right." She told him softly.
"Yeah, it was." Justin agreed.
Britney pulled away from him, she glanced at Alyssa who gave her an encouraging smile, "I really did love you, Justin. I was too scared to tell you."
Both Alyssa and Justin exchanged a smile, "I know Brit. But-"
"It's over Justin. Never again." Britney interrupted him. "Good bye Justin, bye Alyssa." She told them both before she turned and walked down the hall towards the elevator.
The two of them watched her as she reached the elevator, then Justin nudged Alyssa. She looked up at him with a questioning glance. He motioned his head in the direction of Britney. "Ask her."
Alyssa broke out in a smile, "Britney, wait!"
Britney turned back to look at her, "Yeah?"
"Can I have your autograph?"
