"Huh? Oh, uhhh, nothing." Justin paused long enough to blush and continue shyly, "Hi Leigh."
Hayleigh smiled and stifled a giggle as she replied, "Hi, Curly." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Justin, I have to tell you something."
Justin panicked. "You don't call me Justin unless it's important. What's wrong?" the thirteen year-old curly-haired blond asked, concerned for his friend.
The brunette seventeen year-old bit her lower lip, in concern for Justin. He is not going to like this, she thought. But I guess he's gonna have to deal with it.
"Justin, you know how I just graduated and all, and how I'm turning eighteen in September, well, I guess what I'm trying to tell you is that... I'mmovingtoNewYorkCityandgoingtocollegeatNYU."
Her last sentence came out in such a rush Justin didn't understand it at first. "What? You're what?"
She took a deep breath and said, slower this time, "I'm moving to New York City and going to college at NYU."
Justin was shocked. Leigh had always told him that she would be going to college somewhere around where they lived, in Orlando. But New York City? His mom would NEVER let him visit her there. "Oh," Justin said, in shock.
"Curly, I'm sorry, but they accepted me, and I'm going on a four-year scholorship for Modern Dance and Performing Arts. I have to take it, Justin, I've always wanted to be a dancer, you know that."
Justin shook his head almost in what seemed like disbelief. "I know, I just, I wanted to be near you," he said, looking up at her with tears forming in his clear blue eyes.
"Justy, don't do this to me," Leigh begged. "Don't cry. I'm gonna come back home as often as I can, you know that," she said.
"Yeah, I know," he replied, brushing away the beginnings of tears. "Just promise me that you'll never forget me."
"Curly, I promise."
*~*~*~*
~At Orlando International Airport
"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Leigh said to her best friends, made through two years of work at MMC; J.C. Chasez, Keri Russel, Tony Lucca and of course, Justin. Justin was five years younger then the other four, but the five were inseperable. Up until this point.
"It's only goodbye for now, LeeLee," Tony said, calling her by his pet name for her.
"Yeah, and you're not exactly saying goodbye to me, I AM gonna be your roommate in a few months," Keri said, smiling. Keri got accepted to NYU also, and the two were going to be roommates when Keri got done with her last few projects for MMC.
Justin was standing by J.C., being quiet for once in his life. "Flight 101 to New York City is now boarding at Gate 27."
"Well, I gotta go, guys," Leigh said, willing herself not to cry. With that, she hugged J.C., Keri and Tony, and got to Justin.
"I'm gonna miss you, Curly," Leigh said.
"I'm gonna miss you too. Umm, Leigh, I wanted you to have this," Justin said, shoving a silver wrapped box into her hands.
"Oh, Justy, you didn't have to..." she began.
"I wanted to," he cut her off by saying. "Open it, while you still have some time."
Leigh opened the small box, to see a silver charm bracelet with five charms on it. "Oh, Justin, I love it! Here, help me put it on."
Justin put the bracelet on her left wrist as the last call for Flight 101 was called. "Well, gotta run. Bye, guys." Before she turned to leave, she thought for a moment, and turned to Justin. "What the hell," she said as she leaned over and gave Justin a quick kiss on the lips. Justin stood in shock as she turned to leave.
"She kissed me," he said, clearly in another world, as the rest of the group laughed.
Upon further inspection in the plane, Leigh found that the five charms on the bracelet Justin gave her symbolized the two years at MMC that they had spent together. The first one from the left was of Mickey Mouse, the next one was an oval shaped one that had "G/L at NYU" on it, the next was an MMC Logo charm, then next was another oval shaped one that had "J & H Forever" inscribed on it and the last was one of Minnie Mouse. How sweet, she thought. Whoever Curly ends up with is gonna be one lucky lady.
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