Kara closed the door quietly behind her as she stared down at the carpet. She stood in the long hall of the hotel where a long line doors held large, luxurious rooms. Kara sniffled as she turned around and began walking slowly towards the end of the hall. Her knee’s felt weak and she lifted her hand to the wall to brace her self as she walked towards the elevators. Suddenly the hot tears tumbled down her cheeks and her shoulder’s shook with sobs as quiet cries whimpered from her lips. The image of both Jeffery and the model-like body moving over each other and then scrambling to hide under the sheets when she had opened the door, came and went; flashing what seemed like a million times through her mind and caused the tears to fall hot and fast. She pushed against the wall to stand up straight and continue walking.
"Britney! Wait! Goddammit." Justin ran faster, the pain and anger and adrenaline pushing him.
The pain was so intense, it fogged Kara’s senses; she didn’t hear this person or the pounding feet behind her.
Kara screamed and fought against the hands that had suddenly gripped her upper arms and pushed her back against the wall, fresh tears sprinkling out in fear.
Justin saw red when he finally caught her. He wouldn’t let go. Not until he knew why and how long. “Damn you! Why? If you were sick of me you could of…” Justin’s voice trailed off as his vision cleared. His eyes looked onto the wet brown ones and he took in the red flustered face from tears and sobs. Tears that had been there before he had ran up.
Justin immediately stepped back and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He frowned and sympathy washed over him through the cloud of pain and heart shattering emotions that were already digging through him. She stood in the same position against the wall, shaking and her eyes still, in shock or fear; he didn’t know.
“I’m sorry. I mistook you for someone else.” His voice was soft, for fear of breaking, what seemed like, this woman made of thin glass. She made no response and her chin fell to touch her chest and she slid down the wall to wrap her arms around her legs and lay her forehead on her knees.
Justin immediately crouched down to her level in front of her and his hand gently rested on her gripped hands, surprised at how gentle they were compared to the fists he had made earlier and was ready to smash a wall with them. His mind suddenly went blank and he could only take in this young woman, crying now, helplessly in front of him.
“I’m going to get someone…”
“No.”
He was unfolding himself to a standing position when he heard her quiet whisper and stopped to crouch back down. He saw her shoulders racking with sobs and her cries seemed to pull him to lend comfort. At the same time, he knew who he was and knew he shouldn’t be doing this. And yet, when the anger had been blinding him earlier, he had to actually think about the pain now before he was aware he was hurt in the first place.
His hand came up to rest on her head and he gently worked his fingers into a message over her tense scalp. He could feel the heat of her skin under his fingers and knew she’d been crying hard.
“Where's your room and I’ll help you get there.”
He heard her cries die down and a few sniffles before she said anything. “I don’t have one. She took it.” Her voice was muffled and low. But she raised her head to look at him and he could hear the words and the pain clearly.
“She took him. I loved him, dammit!” Her eyes were instantly filled again even as she wiped at the ones sliding down her cheeks.
Justin’s heart was shattered already but a chunk of it went straight to her.
He now knew exactly what was wrong. And he knew exactly how much pain she was in.
He gently took her hands and helped her stand up. She was limp with weakness and her arms fell over his shoulders and they were embraced in an intimate hug before they knew what had happened. They were shocked at first that they were actually hugging but soon all the emotions that swirled inside them made them hold tight, each one gripping and finding comfort in their embrace. His hand came up to tangle in her soft hair and hold the back of her head as she cried against his shoulder. A few minutes later, Justin pulled away with his own eyes filled with tears. He looked at the young woman; his arms still wrapped around her and his mind went blank again. He moved a piece of hair out of her face and behind her ear before taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “I think we both needed that.”
He saw her nod slightly and sniffle.
“Come on. I’ll get you a room."