|
Another week had past. Justin lay in bed, fully clothed, next to a sleeping Dru, who had fallen asleep on the sofa while
they had been watching a movie downstairs. He had thought about covering her with a blanket and letting her sleep there for
the night, but had decided against it, knowing that she would be more comfortable in the bed.
He let out a satisfied
sigh, his gaze now intent on the shadow dappled ceiling. The deal was done.
Money talks...
Charles was
out as the head of the charity, Vivian had taken his place, as per Justin's request. It hadn't been as big of a problem as
he had thought it was going to be. Vivian had been appalled at the way Charles had acted, and wanted him off of the committee
as soon as possible. After a short debate with the other committee members, Charles had been sent packing.
...and
sometimes it screams...
It didn't matter to her that Justin had handpicked Dru. What mattered to Vivian was that
the charity got the best possible publicity from the tour. Justin assured her it would. And when the Timberlake charm was
blazing, what woman could resist? He smirked, his head snuggling deeper into the down pillow. Dru was quietly snoring...
Something
vibrated against his thigh. His cellphone. Confused, he reached into his back pocket and pulled it out. Nadia...the screen
read. He gently pecked Dru on the top of the head, and got up from the bed. He went out into the hallway, quietly closing
Dru's door behind him. "Hello?" he whispered.
"Hi boy."
He could hear music playing in the background.....Luther...
He smiled. "How you been? You miss me already?"
"I thought you would have come to my party tonight," she pouted. "You
came to the last one."
He leaned against the bannister. "You always gotta leave 'em wanting more," he replied, smartly.
"At least that's what I was taught."
Nadia chuckled. "You alone?"
"Um..." he scratched the corner of his mouth.
"Sort of."
"Sort of?" Nadia scoffed. "You one crazy mutha..."
"What I mean is..." he interrupted her. "My house
isn't fair game."
"Oh." She was silent a moment. "Well...I'm the only one in this big ol' place."
He perked
up. "You want company?"
"I'll leave the light on."
He pushed the "end" button, and shoved the phone back in
his pocket. He glanced at his wristwatch...12:37. He had less than a half hour to get to her, before she gave up on him. Nadia
didn't play games...if she had to wait longer than she wanted to for somebody, she would simply forget about the whole thing.
He had learned this the hard way. Like a hungry dog, he raced down the hall and into his room. He yanked open his top dresser
drawer and grabbed his box of condoms out of it. He shook it...yes, he was running low. He took two and shoved them into his
pocket. He squirted himself with his favorite cologne, before grabbing his car keys and leaving the room.
Moments later
he was pulling out of his driveway, praying the sound of his tires running over his gravel driveway didn't wake Dru. She didn't
need to know about this. He loved her, he did...but he needed to have sex too. Nadia was the solution. She would give it up,
and keep her lips sealed. He knew she would. She had so far, so there was no reason why tonight would be any different. Even
if the idea did cross her mind to tell all, he knew all he would have do to shut her up was pull his checkbook out. Nobody,
could resist a blank check.
Did he feel bad about what he was doing? A little. But not enough to turn down a midnight
booty call from Nadia. Dru was beautiful, loving, caring...a sweetheart. But she wasn't ready to get that physical with him.
Justin respected this, but at the same time, he wasn't about to wait around for her and whack off in the shower...no. He was
a superstar. Superstars didn't whack off for pleasure. Superstars got laid. He turned up the volume on his stereo,
and tapped his fist on the steering wheel in time with the beat.
Betcha don't know what I'm gon' do tonight
Betcha
don't know where I be
I love you baby...but I'm gon' play you anyway
Cus' she can give me what you can't, she
can give me the pleasures I need
But don't worry girl, you're still the only one for me
You're the only one...oh
you're the only one for me...
Justin pulled up to Nadia's apartment, and turned off the car. Her light was still
on. His phone began to vibrate almost immediately. He accepted the call, knowing who it was. "Yeah."
"Come up," she
spoke quickly. "I'll be waiting."
(Song credit goes to myself. I made it up)
*****************************
The
wonderful scent of food being prepared, awoke her from her peaceful slumber. Dru sat up, confused for a moment. Was Justin
cooking? The thought that he was capable of such a task had never crossed her mind. Curious, she rolled out of bed and quietly
made her way downstairs. She crept across the living room and into the kitchen. Justin was there, batter covered spoon in
hand, peering at the page of a cookbook. Dru noticed the spoon wasn't the only thing covered in the gook. She giggled.
Justin
peered over his shoulder. "Hey sleepyhead," he smiled. "You ruined the surprise. I wanted to give you breakfast in bed."
She
plopped herself onto one of the stools surrounding the kitchen island. "Sorry," she murmured, playing with the salt shaker.
"I didn't think you could cook."
"I cook the best pancakes in Millington," he frowned.
"Millington?" She yawned.
"It's
a town in Tennessee," he nodded. "I grew up there."
"Oh," she paused for a moment. "Why didn't you sleep with me last
night?"
Justin sucked the batter off of his index finger. "I fell asleep in my room." It wasn't a total lie. He had
slept in his room last night... after staggering into the house at three in the morning. Wanting to get off the topic of last
night's festivities, he quickly changed the subject. "I talked to Christina yesterday."
She traced a pattern on the
table top with her finger. "Who?"
He flipped one of the pancakes, and looked back at her. "Christina...remember? I
told you about her. She's going to be touring with me."
"Oh yeah...Christina Agarliry right?"
Justin poked at
the pankcakes a little, and deciding that they were done, turned off the burner. "Agarliry?," he laughed, beginning to fix
Dru a plate of food. "It's Aguilera."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Hush."
"When I told her about you, she
got curious I guess," he smiled. "She wants us all to get together as soon as possible. She told me she's dying to meet the
girl who's got me so whipped."
Dru gasped. "I never whipped you!"
Justin laughed out loud. "That's not what
I mean D. Whipped...it pretty much means...you have me to yourself...like, nothing can distract me." It was a lie, plenty
of things had distracted him from her. But he would never tell her that.
"Oh," she chuckled.
He walked over
to where she sat, two plates of food in his hands. He plopped one in front of Dru, and slid onto the stool opposite her, immediately
beginning to consume the food off of his own plate.
Dru stared at her plate. The three round discs, she figured, must
have been the pancakes, but she wasn't sure about the other objects.
"Whas' 'atter?" Justin asked, his mouth full.
He swallowed, "Don't you like it?"
"I don't know if I like it." She admitted. "What is all this?"
He gawked
at her. "Girl, what the hell did you eat before I met you?"
She wouldn't meet his gaze, "Whatever people threw away."
"I'm
sorry," he sighed.
"Don't be," she forced a smile. "Just tell me what I'm eating."
"Well, today is your lucky
day," he smiled. "You've just ordered the Timberlake Special, the best breakfast in the West."
Dru giggled. "I'm flattered."
"You
should be. Now," he began, using his fork as a pointer. "These round things are called pancakes. These long red things are
called bacon strips, and these long brown things are called sausage links," he smiled, stabbing one of the sausage links with
his fork. He held it up to Dru's mouth. "Taste it. You're taste buds will tingle with excitement."
"You sound like
a that guy...you know, the one that's on that show with the people that guess the prices."
His smile faded. "The Price
Is Right?"
She shrugged. "Is that what it's called?"
"Yeah...and I don't sound like Bob Barker," he muttered.
"Bob Barker?"
"Don't worry about it. Just eat this," he said, shoving the sausage in her face. "Eat it n-o-w."
She
laughed and bit into the "sausage". She waited for her taste buds to tingle...they didn't. She swallowed the piece of meat,
wincing as she did so, "It's gross."
Justin dropped the fork. "What!"
"I don't like it," she shook her head.
"It's not the best breakfast in the West. I want a refund."
Justin picked up the bottle of syrup, a mischievous glint
in his eyes. "Take it back."
She crossed her arms. "Never."
Justin smiled, and rose off of the stool. "You'll
be sorry."
"I'm not scared of you." She taunted.
He pointed Aunt Jemima toward her and gave her a powerful squeeze,
causing a stream of sticky syrup to shoot out of her head.
Dru squealed as the substance landed on the front of her
nightgown. "Justin!!"
"Take it back woman!"
"No!" She yelled, bolting from the table.
Justin ran after
her, armed with his bottle of Aunt Jemima. "The syrup war has begun!" he hollered. He turned a corner, and was ambushed. Somehow,
Dru had gotten into the pantry and grabbed her own bottle of syrup. She let out a playful laugh and squirted him. The syrup
landed on his face. "Dru!"
"Oh! Jus' I'm sorry." She said, reaching up to wipe the syrup off of his face.
Justin
took his chance. He grabbed the syrup bottle out of her hand before she had the chance to stop him. "Ha!" he said, pointing
both bottles at her. "I am the champion!"
"I surrender!" She whined. "Justin! Please!" She said, cowering before him,
laughing the whole time.
"You're my prisoner now," he whispered , dropping the bottles on the floor. "You have to do
what I say."
Dru giggled. "What's my punishment?"
He smiled. "I'll decide in the shower."
Any normal
man would have felt guilty saying this. But of course, Justin wasn't your average, normal guy. The events that had occured
the previous night were now almost non existent in his mind and he didn't feel the slightest twinge of guilt about what he
had done.
And Dru was as clueless as ever.
******************************
"It's so fancy here."
Justin
nodded, and continued to study his menu. It was hard to find something that he was sure Dru was going to like. This was Chinese
food. Dru had never tasted Chinese food in her life. She would probably be scared of it. Why did Christina have to be so damn
particular?
"Why is it so fancy here?"
"I dunno," he grunted. "You like rice?"
Dru shrugged. "I guess
so."
Justin smiled, and snapped his menu shut. "Good." He glanced at his watch. Christina was late...but he wasn't
surprised. She was always late. She was even late for her Mickey Mouse Club auditions. He was never late...
"Hey guys!"
"Hey,"
he said, with forced enthusiasm. He glanced at Dru, who had barely noticed that Christina had arrived. She was too busy gawking
at her large bodyguard, with wide, terrified eyes. "Dru..." he said, nudging her a little. "This is Christina."
Dru
tore her eyes from the large man. "Oh...hi," she murmured. "It's nice to meet you. Justin told me all about you."
Christina
giggled, and stole a glance at Justin. "Did he?"
Dru nodded.
"Nothing bad of course," Justin replied, his cheeks
a shade of crimson.
Christina rolled her eyes. "Sure." She focused her gaze back on the girl seated beside Justin.
"So...you must be the famous Dru I've been hearing about." She stuck out her hand. "I've been dying to meet you!"
Dru
returned her handshake, letting out a nervous laugh as she did so. She had no idea why this girl had been so interested in
meeting her. She was nobody special. "Do you know why...it's so fancy here?"
Justin sighed. "Dru..."
Christina
laughed out loud. "Oh...you're so sweet!"
Dru cocked her head to the side. She had just asked a simple question. Why
that made her sweet...she had no idea. She smiled, deciding to play along. "Thanks."
The waiter came. Justin was relieved.
He hoped Dru wouldn't ask any more of her annoying "i'm stupid" questions while they were here. One thing he didn't need...was
Christina going back to her hotel, telling everybody how much of an airhead Dru was. He wasn't about to be the laughing stock
of his first solo tour. Christina ordered first...some veggie-tofu thing. Justin wanted to yak. He scrunched up his nose.
"What
are you gonna have Dru?" Christina asked, smiling at her.
"Umm..." Dru began nervously. She had no idea what they had
here. Justin was supposed to order for her. "I..."
"She'll have the lo mein, with a side of pork fried rice." Justin
interrupted. "I'll have the sweet and sour chicken."
Dru let out a relieved sigh.
The waiter nodded, and hurried
away.
"Damn...how you gonna order for her?" Christina said, glaring at him.
Christina had been a cool girl to
grow up with. She had been a great girl to hang out with in her "Genie in a Bottle" years too. But now...now she was all about
women's rights, and taking her clothes off. He commended her for being that way...for speaking out, for being confident in
who she was. But he wasn't about to let her do it with Dru. She didn't know Dru...she had no idea that Dru couldn't read...that
she wasn't educated...
That she was from the street.
"Dru wanted me to," Justin supplied. He looked to his girlfriend.
"Didn't ya?"
Dru nodded. She looked down at her placemat, too embarrassed to say anything.
It was obvious that
Christina didn't believe him. She rolled her eyes. "So Dru...I hear you're joining us this summer."
"Yes," she got
out.
"Did they tell you what you'll be doing yet?"
"Ummm..." She looked at Justin. She felt like a moron.
"She's
gonna help with the soundchecks." Justin said quickly. "With the charity auction winners."
Dru's eyes widened. He never
told her that. It probably was all explained in the contract...but of course, she had never been given the chance to go over
it with someone who could read. She trembled. She didn't like the idea of dealing with people. Suddenly, her throat felt as
dry as the desert. She took a sip of her water.
Christina snorted. "That's lame. Couldn't you have thought up something
more creative for her to do?"
I would have if she could read...,he wanted to say. "I thought it was a good choice,"
he grumbled. "We think it's a big responsibility..." he paused, and looked at Dru. "Don't we Dru?"
She shrugged. He
was lucky Christina was there...or she probably would have left. She was angry. She hadn't been informed of this "responsibility".
For a moment...she almost wished she was back in New York digging through a Dumpster.
"Don't-we-Dru..." Justin repeated,
through his teeth.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Besides," Justin started before Christina could think of something
else to say. "She doesn't need a big job. She's going to be busy earning her GED," he smiled. No, Christina wouldn't have
anything to say about that. She was all about that kind of crap.
"Oh!" Christina exclaimed. "That's so perfect! One
of my dancers is going to be doing the same thing! Dru...you guys can learn together!"
Dru half smiled. She wasn't
as excited as she should have been. "Neat." It was all she could get out.
The food finally arrived. But Justin wasn't
very hungry now. Dru wouldn't look at him, and he knew why. He had meant to tell her about the job...but he had been so busy...with...things.
One thing he had found out about Dru, was that she hated being kept in the dark. No matter...he would talk his way out of
it. She trusted him. Totally trusted him. His goal had been acheived. He knew Nadia could probably walk up to them right now
and tell Dru that they had been sleeping together, and she wouldn't believe it. Dru was sitting in the palm of his hand.
He
loved her though. He did.
"What's that?"
Justin looked at his girlfriend. "Huh?" Dru was gawking at her plate,
a terrified expression on her face.
"Is it worms?" She gasped. "Justin! Is it?"
"Worms!" Christina cackled.
"Worms!! Justin...I love this girl!"
Justin glowered and shoved a piece of chicken in his mouth.
|
