*Reality is a funny thing. There is the you that is projected to the world and then there is the you that only you know.*

Mara’s fingers stopped typing. She read the words over. That is so true, she thought. She laughed lightly. Of course that’s probably why I wrote it.

Her finger impulsively tapped the delete key and she watched as the letters disappeared. Mara pulled her headphones out of her desk drawer and put them over her head. She put the Vertical Horizon CD in the player, went to track 3 and pushed the repeat button. She smiled as her fingers found the way to the keyboard again.

*Justin Timberlake was bored. He was sitting alone in his room playing channel roulette. He knew he was bored when he couldn’t even muster enthusiasm for Nintendo or the more risqué channels on the all access cable.*

Mara smiled. Maybe this story would almost write itself. It had been too long since that had happened.

*The rest of the guys were out with their girlfriends, but he was just sitting there, in his room, alone.

He thought about what he normally did when he was bored. He normally called Michelle, but that was no longer an option. She wanted to be more than friends and Justin couldn’t deal with the extra stress that added to his life. They had broken up for a reason after all.*

Mara frowned. She could see where this story was going. Writing was a way to get her anxiety and unresolved feelings out. Evidently Mike was still getting to her.

We did break up for a reason, Mara thought. Really we did.

*I’ve got to get out, Justin thought. I’ve got to go be me.

Justin pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his jacket. He opened his hotel room door and slowly peered out. No guard. Justin smiled. He looked down the hall. He saw Mike down at the end…*

Great, Mara thought. Another Mike.

*…of the hall talking to another guard. Neither was facing him. Justin pulled himself back into the room and felt in his pocket for his keycard. It was there. Justin pulled his sunglasses on and thanked god that he’d just cut and bleached his hair again.*

Hey, I can always hope! Mara thought.

*Justin tiptoed out of his room, shutting the door quietly. He heard the latch click like it was a cymbal but neither guard turned around. He walked swiftly and quietly down the hall, constantly glancing over his shoulder expecting Mike to turn around at any second.*

Mara smiled. She liked where this story was heading. It wasn’t original, yet it hadn’t been done before.

I’m sensing murder, drugs, intrigue and a girl to replace Michelle, Mara thought. Now if only I can find a guy to replace Mike. All I want is one member of a boy band. Is that too much to ask?

*Justin finally reached the door of the hallway. He opened it, willing any creaks and squeaks away. Luck seemed to be with him. He slipped through the open space. He let the door rest against his hands as it slowly closed. Finally it came to a rest, almost silently and Justin breathed a long sigh of relief. He quietly took the stairs three at a time.*

Okay, Mara thought, that’s unrealistic, but it is Justin Timberlake…

*When he reached the floor below his, he exited the stairwell and went to the elevator shaft. As much as he relished the idea of escape, he didn’t particularly want to go down 27 flights of stairs to do it. He tapped his foot as the elevator slowly rose to meet him. He expected it to stop, but it continued to the floor above him. Justin’s eyes widened as it stopped. Was one of the other guys back or was the other guard leaving? He gulped as it started back down. Justin dashed down the hall to the first alcove in the wall. He was breathing hard, his breath ragged in his ears. The elevator doors opened and secretly Justin peered down to the elevator. The doors opened and he saw…*

Okay, so if I was evil I would end this part here and post it… Mara thought. But, I’m not evil, really, well, most of the time I’m not.

*the empty elevator. Justin ran as fast as he could and made it just as the doors closed. He wondered which one of the guys had gotten back from their date. Inevitably they were already in the room fucking. It seemed that’s what all the guys did with their girlfriends now.*

I hate how stories always imitate life, Mara thought. She looked around the room in her sorority. Neither of her roommates were there, or had been there all evening. It was one a.m. now. Looks like they were shacking, again.

*Justin leaned against the yellow wall of the elevator, his breath loud in the empty enclosed space. Finally the elevator reached the ground floor and Justin exited into the lobby. He had an unusual feeling at that moment. He felt like he was naked. Then he realized why. He hadn’t been out alone in weeks, months, maybe close to a year. Just swallowed harshly and looked at the crowd of girls outside the door.

I’m not going to make it, Justin thought.

He looked around the hotel lobby and saw a gift shop. A hooded sweatshirt almost leapt off the rack at him. He walked to the shop briskly and got it off the rack. San Francisco was boldly emblazoned on the front. He walked up to the cash register and handed over two twenties. He pulled the sweatshirt on quickly, covering it with his jacket and pulled his head as far back into the hood as he could. He took a deep breath, clenched his sweating palms and walked out the front door.

The girls looked at him, but didn’t scream. Justin walked calmly through them willing them to not recognize him. They didn’t. Justin almost felt like leaping around and singing as soon as he was on the sidewalk away from the hotel, but the last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself. Justin almost skipped down the street, but to the casual onlooker, it just looked like an extremely hot guy with a nice bounce in his step.

Justin pulled the hood off of his head. They were in San Francisco, but between the sweatshirt and the jacket, he was warm enough to start sweltering with the hood up. He looked over the top of his sunglasses and smiled at the busy city. He walked for a little bit before he reached Union Square.

Justin stopped and almost began to drool as he looked at the Nike store in front of him. It was three stories tall and a beautiful sight to the teenager. Justin walked up to the big glass entrance. He pushed open the door and walked in. This had to be heaven.*

Mara let her fingers fall from the keys. She leaned back in the chair and stretched her arms above her head. Her back popped once. This had to be a record. Four pages into the story and she wasn’t bored yet.

Sex, lies, intrigue, Mara thought. How do I get him there?

Mara moved her lips to the left side of her face, a sign that she was playfully thinking.

He needs to tell Mike that he’s gone. That’s a must. That would add a twist to the story.

*Justin walked up to the cash register three hours later. He saw the pile of clothes at the register. They were all his.

"Are you ready Mr. Randall?" the cashier said.

Justin smiled and nodded. He handed her the credit card with his fake identity on it.*

Is that legal? Mara wondered. Oh what the hell, this is fiction.

*Ten minutes later the cashier finished ringing up the last item of clothing.

"The total is 506.97," the girl said.

Justin nodded and signed the slip that had been handed to him. Justin lowered his glasses and looked the girl in the eye. She appeared to melt as she looked in his eyes.

"Could you do me a favor?" Justin asked.

"Of course Mr. Randall," the girl said.

"Can you have these bags delivered to my hotel?"

The girl nodded. "I’ll get someone to go right away."

"Here’s the name and the room number," Justin said taking a scrap of paper out of his pocket. "And do you have a piece of paper that I can write a note on?"

The girl nodded again.

Justin took the paper and a pen and wrote a quick note.

Mike—*

God I hate that name… Mara thought. I can’t change the name of the bodyguard though, can I? It is fiction. No. I can’t do that.

*I’ve gone out for a field trip. I have my phone and I’ll call if I’m in trouble.
-Justin*

Okay, now that’s unrealistic, but it serves the purpose. No, it doesn’t. Mara’s fingers hit the delete key.

*Mike—
I’m sorry that I had to do this without telling you, but I needed to get out on my own for a little while. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I’m okay. I’ll call you if I run into trouble.
-Justin.*

Well, that’s a little better, I guess, Mara thought. Okay… now the sex, lies and intrigue…

*Justin wandered out of the Nike store, his hands gloriously empty. He walked down the street that was now beginning to get a little dusky. He walked up to one of the large hotels on Union Square. There was a line of taxi’s waiting out front. He walked up to the first one in line and hopped in back.

"Where to?" the taxi driver asked.

"Where’s the best 18 and over club?" Justin asked.

The taxi driver thought for a moment. "Club X on Harrison."

Justin nodded.

"Their doors don’t open until nine though."

"Oh," Justin said. "Well, can you take me to the Kabuki?"

Justin thought he’d remembered hearing about the Kabuki Theater somewhere.

The driver nodded and maneuvered into the traffic.

Ten minutes and six dollars later Justin was standing in front of the large glassed in building. He walked into the foyer.*

"Okay, this is getting boring now," Mara said to herself. She looked at the screen. She tapped her finger on the delete key. Finally she pressed her finger down and watched as the lines of text disappeared.

She read over the last line of text: Justin wandered out of the Nike Store…

*He put his hands in his pocket and looked at the darkening sky. He knew he was going to get bitched at for being out on his own in a city as dangerous as San Francisco. He’d already earned the bitching. He might as well make the most of his last evening of freedom.

He began walking, not something most people do at night in downtown San Francisco. His eyes studied the ground as the sky got darker and the workers left. He kept walking, ignoring the rumbling of his stomach. Justin had to wonder whether this was what it was like to be normal. He’d like to think so.

Justin found his feet turning into a small pizza place with the brightly painted name ‘Blondies!’ He walked in and realized he wouldn’t need the sunglasses.*

Okay, so Blondies is in Berkeley. Mara thought. No one’s going to know the difference though. It works with the story.

*The men that filled the restaurant wore leather and had hair down to their shoulders.

Nervously Justin walked toward the counter where a sign proclaimed ‘PIZZA and SODA 2.50.’ Justin dug a hand into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled five-dollar bill.

The man behind the counter merely grunted as he handed Justin the pizza and drink. He took the five-dollar bill and handed back two equally crumpled dollar bills and two grungy quarters.

Justin moved to the back of the small restaurant. He munched on the pizza as he watched the people walk past the window. It was dark now.

He noticed a girl looking at him through the window of the restaurant. He looked behind him, but he was the only one sitting in the corner. Instinctively his pulse quickened and he pulled on his sunglasses. The girl walked into the restaurant and ordered a slice of pizza.

Justin decided that he was being paranoid, but he picked up his plate and glass and threw them away. When he looked back at the girl she apparently wasn’t watching him. He still hurried out of the restaurant.

I’m just being paranoid, Justin thought. I have every right to be paranoid. It’s my first time out alone in… Maybe I should go back.*

Mara stared at the screen. Where was this story going? It was definitely taking on a life of it’s own, but she was intrigued.

And I thought I knew where this was going, she thought.

*Justin walked down the dark street as he thought about the hotel. Mike would be pissed. As if on cue Justin’s cell phone rang. He looked at the call ID before answering it. He recognized Mike’s number. Justin turned the ringer off on his phone. He felt it vibrate against him. Justin closed his eyes as he resisted the urge to answer the phone. Finally the vibrations stopped.*

Mara jumped as a hand touched her shoulder.

"Mara?" Mara recognized the voice before closing her eyes and plastering a grin on her face.

"Hi Linz," she said, hopefully enthusiastically. She quickly made the screen with the story on it disappear.

"I wasn’t reading Mara, don’t worry." Lindsey said.

"I know," Mara said with a smile.

But all she’d have to do is catch the word Justin Timberlake and she’d know my secret.

Mara had only told one person that she wrote fan-fiction. She didn’t want it getting all around her sorority. She got enough crap from just being slightly obsessed with boy bands.

"So what do you want?" Mara asked.

"Oh," Lindsey said. "I just came into say hi. Am I interrupting something?"

Mara groaned inwardly. It was 2 a.m. Why was Lindsey still up? Didn’t she have an eight o’clock class? Didn’t she know that headphones and a screen full of type generally meant interrupting?

"No, of course not," Mara said. "What are you still doing up?"

"Oh, you know, finishing a paper," Lindsey trailed off. She looked longingly at the beanbag chair.

Mara didn’t invite her to sit down. She was still in the zone she associated with writing.

"Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever you’re doing," Lindsey said. "I’m gonna head to bed."

"I think I’m gonna be there soon myself," Mara said. In about five hours when I finish this story.

"Night Mara," Lindsey said.

"Night Linz," Mara said. She felt a pang of guilt as Lindsey walked out her room. She’d talk to Lindsey tomorrow though. There wouldn’t be any hard feelings.

Mara turned back to the computer. She reread the last lines. And then she yawned. Her eyes felt a little heavy and her brain had slowed down.

Damn you Lindsey… Mara thought.

Mara turned off her computer and got changed for bed.
 

Mara sat down at her computer. It was three days, two midterms, one computer program and one 30-page screenplay later. She booted up the Internet, visiting her site. There had been thirty more visitors to her page. She was beginning to feel bad for having nothing new to post. Her thoughts drifted back to the story she’d started the other day.

She read through it, smiling. She read the last line: And then the vibrations stopped.

*Justin began walking down the street again.

"Rich!" a female voice called from behind Justin.

Justin ignored the voice.

"Rich!" The call came more frantically. "Rich! Wait."

Justin turned around to see who was calling so frantically. He saw the girl from the restaurant running towards him. She slowed as she approached him.

"Rich, thank god I got you. What do you think you were doing leaving the restaurant? We were supposed to be meeting there."

"I’m sorry, I’m not Rich," Justin said.

"Like I wouldn’t know my high school boyfriend whom I dated for six months, uh-huh."

Justin looked at the girl in front of him at a loss for words.

"I don’t know you, I’ve never seen you before and I’m not Rich, your ex-boyfriend." Justin cringed as his voice came off ruder than he’d intended.

"This isn’t funny anymore Rich," the girl said. Her voice had a slight waver.

"I’m sorry. I wish I was Rich so that I could help you, but I’m not." Justin put a comforting hand on the girls shoulder.

The girl’s cell-phone began to ring.

She flipped it open.

"Hello?" The girl paused for a few seconds. "Shit. Please tell me you’re fucking with me. Please."

Justin noticed that she sounded extremely scared.

"Fuck." She hung up the phone. She turned to Justin. "No, I guess you aren’t Rich are you?" There was a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Justin asked.

"Believe me, you don’t want to get involved with this," the girl said. "This was supposed to be the last time and then I’d be out. Now I’ll be lucky to survive tonight."

Justin felt immediate concern for the girl.

"I’m Scott," Justin said, taking his best friends middle name.*

And I like that name, Mara thought. I want a Scott…

*"Jen," the girl said. "I’m sorry I stalked you down the street. I need to figure out how to get myself out of this fucking mess."

"I’ll be happy to help in anyway I can. You said I look like Rich. Surely that’s got to count for something."

"You don’t want to get into this," Jen said. "It was nice to meet you Scott."

Justin looked at the retreating form of the strangely alluring girl. He thought about his life in his hotel and on the road. He thought about the shit that he was going to get from Mike. He thought about the fact that he’d never had a teenagers life.

"Jen!" Justin called. "Let me help. You said you’d be out of this after tonight so I don’t have to worry about being sucked in do I?"

Jen turned around. Her eyes appraised the pop star. "Okay," she said hesitantly, "but if you fuck with me, I regret to say that you won’t live to see tomorrow."

Justin swallowed. Why was he doing this? "I’m not going to fuck with you." The word sounded foreign to his ears. They weren’t allowed to swear since they might slip up in front of a fan at some point. It would completely ruin the wholesome image they had created. "Now, what am I getting myself into?"

"Well, you wanted into it…" Jen said. "Let’s go back to Blondies. It’s safe there."*

Mara leaned away from the screen. Jen was the bad girl that Justin needed. If you want it to be good boy… get yourself a bad girl… Oh well, wrong band.

*Justin didn’t know how he’d ended up in Club X. What had started out as an innocent romp outside the hotel had led to him sitting in this club waiting for a man named Dan. Dan the Man. Justin couldn’t say what had made him call after Jen. He had though, and he was glad of it. She was sitting at the table with him. Neither of them looked exceedingly happy.

"What’s ETA?" Justin asked.

"Huh?" Jen asked.

"When’s Dan’s ETA?"

"Oh," Jen said. "In about half an hour."

"Then come dance with me." It wasn’t a question.

He took her hand and led her to the packed dance floor. They began dancing about three feet apart. Justin rolled his eyes.

"You’re supposed to be my girlfriend. Who’s going to believe that if you’re all the way over there?"

Justin walked up to her and pulled her close to him. Jen gasped lightly as her legs ended up between his. One of Justin’s hands rested on her ass while the other one pulled her to him at the small of her back. She had no choice but to put her arms around his neck. Justin’s hips immediately went into action, grinding against her and forcing her to move with him. Justin turned Jen around so her back was flush with his chest. He put his hands on her upper thighs and pulled her with him as he moved.

Jen didn’t realize that she’d moved her arms to around his neck until they were already there. The feel of Justin’s hands captivated her. They were causing a tingling sensation that she hadn’t experienced in years.

Justin lowered his lips to her hair and kissed it lightly. Jen turned her head and their lips joined together as they wove their way to the floor.*

This is going in the wrong direction, Mara thought. I don’t want to do a soft porn.

Her finger hit the delete key and the last two sentences disappeared.

*They were causing a tingling sensation that she hadn’t experienced in years.

The song ended and Jen grabbed Justin’s hand leading him off the dance floor.

"You’re a great dancer Scott," she said.

Justin smiled and nodded. "It’s what I love to do. Not very many people can keep up with me."

"It’s what I love to do also," Jen said.

They sat back down at their original table. Ten minutes until ETA. Justin and Jen looked at each other silently. Jen put her hand out on the table in a nervous gesture and Justin put his hand on top of it, giving it a squeeze. Five minutes until ETA. Jen got up.

"I’ll be over there in case you need anything, okay?"

Justin nodded dumbly. His throat had suddenly constricted. Jen left the table and sat at one about ten feet away. It would have been hard to see her if he hadn’t known that she was there.

Justin was staring off into the darkness and flashing lights of the club when he felt someone slide into the seat Jen had vacated.

"Rich," the man said. "Long time, no see. I thought that you had given this up."

"There’s got to be a last time for everything," Justin said. "Dan."

"You got the money?" Dan said.

Justin pulled the envelope Jen had given him out of his jean pocket. Justin assumed that it held the money. He slid it across the table to Dan.

Dan opened the envelope and counted the bills. He seemed satisfied and pulled a small bag filled with white powder out of his jacket pocket.

Justin took it and immediately pocketed it.

Dan got up from the table. "It’s been nice doing business with you for the last time Rich."

"The pleasure is all mine," Justin said. He narrowed his eyes at the retreating man.

Jen came running over to the table as soon as Dan had left. "You got it?"

"Yeah," Justin said. "I got it."

"Give it to me," Jen said frantically.

Justin narrowed his eyes at Jen. "It’s in my pocket and I’ll hold on to it."

"Scott, it’s too dangerous for you to hold onto it. If you get caught, well this is your first offence. You don’t deserve to get in trouble for that. I’ve been courting danger for years."

"And you haven’t been caught yet," Justin said. "I’m trusting you to get us both out of this."

Jen sighed and looked defeated. "Please Scott, get out while you still can."

"I started this Jen, I’m going to finish it."*

Mara looked at the page she’d just finished typing. The story was taking control of itself. It was flowing like no other story she’d written recently had flowed.

Justin Timberlake, drug dealer extrordinaire.

*Justin was sitting in a blue Honda Accord going 80 down the freeway.

"Um, Jen?" Justin ventured to ask. "Where are we going?"

"We are going to the airport," she said in a dry voice.

"Oh. Am I going to be able to get back to San Francisco tonight?" Justin asked.

"You were the one who insisted on coming along Scott. I tired to leave you behind."

"I refuse to let you be harmed because of something I helped you with," Justin said.

"This isn’t you Scott. I’ve been doing this for so long. I have to take care of me. Tonight it’s over. Either I live and prosper or I die and don’t have to worry about the past coming back to haunt me."

Jen shut off the possibility of more discussion by turning on the radio. It wasn’t a radio station Justin had listened to before. And then he realized what it was: the police radio frequency.

Justin tensed as he heard his name.

"Justin Timberlake is loose in San Francisco? He shouldn’t be too hard to find… just look for the crowd of girls," a crackly voice said.

"All cars are looking for him. We can’t have a pop star disappear in our city." Another voice said.

A more distant, impersonal voice crackled in "Repeat APB on Justin Timberlake. Blond headed male age 19, wearing a black jacket and a San Francisco sweatshirt. Roger out."

Jen heard the radio bulletin and was about to make a comment about the stupidity of pop stars when she looked at Justin. Her eyes narrowed.

"Justin?"

Justin turned his head towards her.

Jen swerved off the highway skidding to a stop on the shoulder. Gravel sprayed in all directions.

"Justin fucking Timberlake, what the fuck to you think you’re doing?" Jen yelled. Her eyes were wide, her breath ragged.

"Getting out of the hotel?" he said with a small smile on his face.

"You could fucking go to jail for this little stunt you pulled. Is that what you want?"

Jen’s voice was getting louder as she was talking.

"No, I don’t fucking want to go to jail," Justin said. "What I want is a normal life away from four guys who spend all day and night fucking their girlfriends, an ex who wants to get back together with me and a body guard who goes with me everywhere."

Jen stared at Justin.

"I don’t know what possessed me to call after you," Justin said. "I just did. This is the one thing in my life that hasn’t been scripted out for me. I didn’t think about the publics perception of me for the first time in five years. I’ve sworn more around you in the last two hours than I have in years."

Jen was silent. She moved closer to Justin.

"I know you didn’t want me to come, but this is the most liberating thing I’ve done in years. I can’t let it pass me by." Justin leaned in towards Jen.*

Mara stared at the screen. This story really had taken on a life of it’s own. I think it’s time for the sex…

*Jen looked at Justin’s lips only a few inches away from her own. "I’m sorry," she murmured.

Justin licked his lips as he felt her breath brush his.

"It’s okay," Justin said.

He put a hand on her cheek and pulled her mouth to his. Their lips brushed hesitantly at first, however they met again quickly with more force.

"Repeat, APB on Justin Timberlake. Male, blond, 19…"

Jen pulled away. "Let’s finish this shit and then we can explore that idea more."

Justin nodded, slightly breathless.*

Mara smiled. She touched her lips as she remembered the feeling of Mike’s on her own. New guy! She thought. I must meet a new guy!

*The warehouse was dark. The alleyway where Jen was waiting was even darker. She could feel Justin’s eyes on her from where he sat in the car. Jen paced the dark pavement, the echo of her heels echoing on the warehouse walls.

Suddenly there was another set of footsteps. Jen felt herself tense, but made herself remain calm. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure the man could hear it.

Jen stopped pacing and faced the man. He wore a hat low over his face.

"You got the shit?" the man asked.

Jen nodded. "Where’s my money?"

"Give me the shit," the man growled.

Jen shook her head. "Give me the money."

Suddenly the man pulled out a gun. He pointed it straight at Jen.

"Give me the shit," the man said very slowly.*

This is getting repetitive. Give me the shit… give me the money… give me the shit… Mara rolled her eyes. Time to get Justin back in the action.

*Justin stared from his place in the car. He heard a small noise through the open window of the car. There was the sound of tires on gravel. Justin turned to look and saw a police car with it’s lights off cruising into the parking lot. Justin began to sweat he saw the man brandishing the gun at Jen.

Justin closed his eyes and prayed the police officer wouldn’t see him. He quietly got out of the car and dashed towards Jen. The man with the gun said "What the hell?" and pointed the gun at Justin. Justin ran up to an angry looking Jen.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

Justin stuck his hand down the front of the shirt where the bag was, pulled it out and tossed it to the man. Before Jen could protest he dragged her by the hand toward the car.

"Justin? What the hell are you doing? That was a shit load of money you just thew away."

Justin dived into the backseat of the car and pulled Jen on top of him. "I was getting you away from the cops," he said.

"Cops?" Jen opened her eyes.

"Yes cops. Now they’ll catch him with the dope and we’ll be free to go. Sorry about the money. I can pay you back."

Justin heard the wheels of the police car stop.

"Justin, you don’t have to do that."

"Jen, shut up and kiss me." Justin roughly pulled Jen’s mouth down to his. His fingers worked frantically on her shirt, pulling it off.

"Justin!" Jen shrieked. "What are you doing?"

"Making us look unsuspicious," Justin answered running a hand through his hair and hers at the same time.

Jen looked into his eyes before kissing him again. She ground herself against him and felt him respond. She unbuttoned his shirt.

Justin put his hands on her breasts and she moaned into his mouth.*

Okay, this is getting a little too risqué, Mara thought.

*They were getting into the kiss when there was a tap on the window. Justin felt the bright shine of a light in his eyes.

Slowly Justin and Jen parted. Justin leaned over and opened the backdoor.

"Yes?" he said innocently.

"Could you please step out of the car?" the officer asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sweetie, could you let me get up?"

Jen had a scared look on her face. "Of course honey." She paused before self-consciously covering herself up with her shirt.

"You too miss," the officer said.

Justin extended his hand to Jen. She put on her shirt and took it. She glanced at Justin and noticed the bulge in his pants. She smiled inwardly.

"May I ask what you’re doing here?" the officer asked. "This is private property."

"I know," Justin said. "It’s just that I haven’t seen my girlfriend in months and if I were to go to a hotel, well people would recognize me. I went and picked her up at the airport tonight and well, we got a little desperate."

The officer shone a light in Justin’s face.

"You’re Justin Timberlake," he said.

"Pleased to meet you sir." Justin said. "I’m sorry, but you know how hard it can be," he looked down at his crotch blushing. "And this way we weren’t endangering lives on the freeway."

The officer tried to keep a stern face, but failed miserably. "I’ll let you both off with a warning, but please try to make it to a hotel next time."*

Mara rolled her eyes. That was unrealistic. But it was fun...

*"I wouldn’t normally be that lenient," the officer said, "but my wife and I used this parking lot on occasion."

Justin and Jen smiled.

"Mr. Timberlake, I’m afraid you’re going to have to ride back with me though. There’s been an APB out on you all night and I need to make sure you get back to your hotel."

"Officer," Jen said. "I’d make sure that he got back…"

"He still gets to ride with me," the officer said. "But if you can come get your car tomorrow, you can come in the car with me also."

Jen looked at Justin who was smiling.

"Okay!" Jen said happily. She wasn’t quite as happy when the officer shut them both in the back seat.*

Mara rolled her eyes. This was getting a little silly…

*The police car pulled up at the back entrance of the hotel. The police officer stepped out and nodded at the large black man standing scowling at the door.

The police officer opened the back door of the car but neither of the two people emerged. He walked to where Mike was standing.

Justin sighed. "I don’t want to lose touch with you," he said quietly.

"I know," Jen said. She was silent. "Thank you. You saved my life tonight. In more ways than one. Even if I am out 3000 dollars."

"I didn’t want anything to happen to you," Justin said. He opened Jen’s bag and pulled out a pen. He took her hand in his and wrote on it. "Call me," he said.

Jen nodded, a tear in her eye.

Justin pressed his lips to hers.

Slowly she pulled away. "We’ll explore that idea later."

Justin laughed lightly, extended his hand and pulled Jen out of the car. She leaned against the black and white vehicle as he walked slowly toward Mike.

"Justin RandALL TIMBERLAKE!" Mike began, his voice booming. "HOW DARE YOU PULL A STUNT LIKE YOU PULLED TODAY?"

"Mike?" Justin said quietly.

"I’M NOT DONE YELLING AT YOU!" Mike said.

"I know," Justin said. "But can we please go upstairs and not tell all of San Francisco?"

Mike nodded, putting a hand on Justin’s shoulder. Justin turned around and took one last look at Jen. He raised a hand and smiled as she waved back. And then they were in the building.

Jen sighed and wiped her fingers under her eyes where tears had inexplicably welled up. She pushed off the car, waved at the police officer and began walking.

San Francisco was a big city and she hoped she could lose herself in it.*

Mara sat back. It was done. She liked it too. She’d never written a story in two days. She pasted the story in a web page document. She posted the story on her page and shut down Netscape. The bell in her sorority gonged dinner. She got up and went down to see her friends.

*Knock… knock… knock…

Justin got off his bed, his head pounding from the eight lectures he’d gotten. He threw open the door and said: "I don’t want to hear—"

"I can always leave," Jen said.

"No!" Justin said. He pulled her into the room shutting the door. "What are you doing here?"

"We had some more ideas to explore didn’t we?" Jen said. She stared at Justin while licking her lips.

"Hell yeah!" Justin said. "Hell yeah."

And then there was no more talking.*
 

Sign Guestbook View Guestbook