VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 21:58:58 09/24/02 Tue
Author: Sonali
Subject: TORN - CHAPTER 14 (ALL OF IT, HOPEFULLY!)

CHAPTER 14

“This is not a date. This is blackmail,” I said for the millionth time to Brit.

“You say that now, but let me tell you…you’ll have a change of heart and soon you’ll be thanking me.”

“Yeah, uh huh. Whatever you say. You took your medication, right?” She smacked me and I started laughing.

“For someone who’s not interested in Jace, you sure are dressed like you are.” I rolled my eyes.

“I have to keep up with you,” I said as I put my lipstick on. She was wearing a red dress that came to her knees but had a dangerously high slit up the side. I decided on a black skirt which was long in back, but short in front, paired with a natural color tube top with a black lace overlay. I decided that tall black boots would complete my ensemble.

“Whatever, we’re both hotties who are gonna have our boys drooling.”

“I don’t have a boy, got it?” She grinned and we walked out to meet the guys. We were met with grins and whistles. On the way to the restaurant, I was quiet, being preoccupied with guilt. It was a bit much, putting on such a façade. I prayed Britney wouldn’t see right through it all. I started to feel a bit uneasy and I think JC sensed this because I calmed down once I felt his hand gently on top of mine. Thankfully Justin and Brit didn’t notice. We pulled up and headed into the small, yet elegant Italian restaurant. We were seated immediately and after the surprise wore off our waitress, she took our drink orders.

“So what did you do, rub a little toothpaste on that baby,” Brit asked. I shot her a nasty look as JC tried to not laugh.

“ANYWAYS what are you guys gonna order,” I said, changing the subject.

“Dunno, but here are our drinks,” Justin said. God bless alcohol, I thought to myself. I downed almost half my glass of wine in an effort to calm my nerves. It worked. Pretty soon I was more relaxed and began to enjoy the evening with the others. Half way through our meal, I started to feel a little lightheaded. I shrugged it off and continued to eat.

“So any regrets about taking a semester off,” Brit asked.

“None. No one said I had to graduate in four years. Although I’m sure I’ll be able to make it up during the spring semester. And I may do summer school. Who…who, uh, knows,” I said feeling lightheaded again.

“Sonali, are you okay,” JC asked. I swallowed and closed my eyes. I heard Justin’s fork clang against his plate as it dropped from his hand. He reached over to feel my face. I opened my eyes.

“I – I’m fine. Just a little head rush. Really, I’m fine,” I said with a smile. I realized I had missed a dose of my medication and that’s why I was feeling a little loopy.

“C’mon, let’s go to the bathroom to freshen up a bit,” Brit said. JC helped me up and we made out way to the bathroom. She wet some napkins and dabbed my face.

“See what all your giving me shit has done,” I joked.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Honestly. And thanks for the freshening up, I really do feel better.”

“Okay, ready to head back?”

“You go ahead, I have to actually go to the bathroom now. I’ll be out in a second.”

“Alright.” She walked back out and I sighed. My hands were shaking because I felt so horrible. She was so sweet and didn’t have a clue. Didn’t have a clue that her boyfriend was cheating on her with me, her friend. Here she was, treating me like a sister and I was lying to her – betraying her. When had I turned into such a bitch? I dug through my purse and found my pills, swallowing them quickly and then regained my composure. I made it through dinner and dessert and was grateful as they called it a night. I was exhausted by the time we got to the hotel.

“Okay, I’m gonna hit the sack,” I said.

“Your’s or JC’s,” Brit asked, snickering. JC tried to stifle his laughter but failed.

“C’mon already, gimmie a break,” I whined.

“Alright, g’night kids,” Brit said as she and Justin headed into their room. Justin and I looked at each other one last time before the door closed.

“Come here,” JC said as he pulled me into him for a much needed hug. Somehow he managed to get my door unlocked and us into my room with me clinging to him.

“Everyday I wake up and tell myself no more. It’s done with. But then I see him and he smiled at me and kisses me and I lose all sense and reason.”

“I know. I know. I honestly don’t know what to tell you, doll.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just being here right now is more than enough. I really am sorry you’ve been dragged into the middle of this mess.”

“Hey, someday I know I’m gonna need you and you’ll be there for me.”

“You know it.” There was a knock on the door so JC went to answer it. He left and Justin came in.

“Baby, are you okay? You scared me at dinner,” Justin asked, sitting down next to me. He engulfed me in his arms and I reveled in the feeling. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT HIM THAT MADE ME LOSE ALL SENSE AND REASON???

“I’m fine. I forgot to take my medicine but I did in the bathroom and now I’m okay. It’s happened before.”

“Oh. I was so scared.” We were quiet for a while.

“Justin, you should go. You need to go.”

“I know. It’s just that, well, I don’t want to.” I think my heart must have skipped a beat or two. I leaned in and kissed him.

“Go.”

“One more minute.” Now he kissed me.

“Justin, I mean it, if we don’t stop now…”

“Okay. You know, you really looked beautiful tonight.” I felt myself blush and I smiled.

“Yeah, JC thought so too.” He smiled.

“We owe him,” Justin said. I looked at him suspiciously. And then he realized. And I realized.

“You know he knows?” Justin nodded, looking like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar before dinner.

“We are going to have to pay for his therapy,” Justin joked. We both cracked up before he left.



The next week I tried my best to avoid having time alone which meant I avoided having time alone with Justin. That meant less of a chance for us to get caught. I realized that this was my glimpse at what hell was like. I had to pretend to act normal as he and Britney paraded around, happily in love, all the while him stealing looks with me, making sure no one noticed. And this was all self-induced, making it so much worse. JC knew what I was feeling and he also knew how I was trying to avoid being with him, and never did he hesitate to comfort me. Justin knew I was avoiding him and though he understood, he didn’t like it. We were in New York and the guys had the day off. Britney decided to go shopping but I passed. Her, Lance and Chris didn’t make it easy for me to say no, but they gave in eventually. JC and Joey were gonna join them after getting a bite to eat.

“Since you’re staying back, can you check in on J for me since he told me he wasn’t feeling well,” Brit asked.

“Sure,” I said, hoping she couldn’t hear the stress in my voice.

“Thanks,” she said before she left. I sighed and decided to give into myself one last time. This was seriously going to be the last time I’d fool around with Justin. I meant it this time. I waited half a half hour before I walked across the hall and knocked on his door.

“How long were you gonna make me wait,” he asked. Obviously he didn’t care since he pulled me in for a kiss before I could answer him. I laughed and shut the door. He surprised me by hoisting me over his shoulder. I screamed.

“Justin, put me down!” He did – on the bed. He grinned mischievously and I smiled back as he climbed on top of me.





As I laid there watching him sleep, I decided not to say anything to him about my decision. I knew he wouldn’t hear of it and we’d end up arguing. Or he’d say something or do something that would make me change my mind. Let me tell you, that boy sure did have a way with words. I smiled to myself as I thought about how our relationship had started off so bitterly and how it was now. Justin opened his eyes but I was so caught up in daydreaming that I didn’t notice.

“Look at that smile.” I jumped and he laughed.

“You scared me.”

“Sorry.”

“Sleep well?”

“You’re here next to me – of course I did.” I smiled and slowly sat up.

“Where are you going?”

“To take a shower. I’m sure they’ll be back soon,” I said.

“Want some company,” he asked with a sly grin.

“Yes but it’s not gonna happen. Need I remind you about the last time we tried that?” Justin laughed.

“How was I supposed to know Joey would be back so soon? And how was I supposed to know that you didn’t care if he came in the bathroom while you were in there? In fact, he hasn’t gotten any free previews, has he?”

“Absolutely not!” I laughed, thinking about the incident. Joey and I were sharing a room and he went out for a while, so Justin came over to join me in the shower. Joey came back earlier than we thought and decided to have a heart-to-heart with me while I was in the shower. He never knew Justin was in there with me, but it was so hard to focus in such a crazy situation. That was the closest we had ever come to getting caught. As scared as we had been, we couldn’t help but laugh about it afterwards.

“Good.” I put his shirt on and gathered up my clothes.

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” I said kissing him.

“Excuse me, but how many more shirts do you plan on stealing from me?”

“If you want it, come and get it,” I said as I ran to the door, laughing. He quickly threw on his boxers and started chasing after me. As I opened the door, I stopped dead in my tracks.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Post a message:
This forum requires an account to post.
[ Create Account ]
[ Login ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.