9
Elizabeth had come back to Anna's just
before dinner time. Justin had to be somewhere with his family, so they spent
the time up till he had to leave, together. They had talked about practically
everything, as they cuddled up on the couch.
She sank back on her bed thinking about
the two kisses they had shared the day before. She couldn't remember feeling
so alive, so vibrant since her and Thomas' breakup years ago. But Justin's
kisses were so much more, they had feeling attached to them. Though she had
thought at the time that Thomas’ did too, she knew this was different. Justin
wasn’t like Thomas at all.
Anna walked into the room and saw Elizabeth
lying on her bed in deep thought. “Elizabeth I'm back,” she announced.
Elizabeth sat up after realizing she
was still wearing her clothes from yesterday. She looked over and saw Anna.
“Oh hey, where were you?”
Anna walked over and placed her hand
on Elizabeth's head. “No fever. Are you alright?”
“Of course I am, I feel great,” Elizabeth
replied, moving Anna's hand off. “Where were you?” she asked again, walking
over to her dresser to pick out some new clothes.
“I told you before I left yesterday
that me and JC were going up to the mountains for the day,” Anna said walking
over to Elizabeth. “And why did you wear clothes to bed?”
Elizabeth didn't say anything as she
pulled out a pair of fresh jeans and a navy shirt. “I just wanted to,” she
finally said.
“Oh my God.” Anna paused. “JC called
me this morning and said Justin was acting all weird when he got home. Have
you guys hooked up?”
“No.” Elizabeth said. Why was he acting
weird?
Does it have to what happened yesterday?
she wondered.
“I did go over there yesterday, but
we just watched some hockey.” Out of curiosity, she asked, “what do you mean
he's been acting all weird anyways?”
“Well JC said that he's so cheerful,
and this morning he walked into Justin's room and he was singing,” Anna told
her.
“So?” What was so wrong about that?
“He hasen't sang like that, not since
he and Meg broke up,” Anna said. “What have you done to the boy? But whatever
you did, good job.” She grinned. “And no one thought the spell could be broken.”
Elizabeth turned around to face Anna
as she slipped the shirt on. “I haven't done anything. I’m sure he just realized
he shouldn't be moping around, that he has a destiny to choose. He can be
either unhappy, or happy.”
Elizabeth put on her running shoes.
“I’ll see you later.”
“And where are you going?” Anna followed
her out onto the porch.
She got in her jeep and started the
engine. “Just for a drive. I think I'm going to go and visit the art museum
downtown you were telling me about.”
Elizabeth's car pulled out of the driveway
and disappeared down the road.
Sure you are, Anna thought with a smile.
Our plan is working JC, they're
both happy; pretty good liars.
Elizabeth drove straight to his house.
She didn't know if he would be home, but he had said she could stop in anytime.
Just as she pulled her jeep into the driveway, Justin was opening the front
door.
He looked over and saw her. He smiled;
he knew it was her jeep he saw out his bedroom window. He walked over and
out the gate to greet her by the garden. “I thought it was you I saw coming
up the street.” He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick hug.
“I hope you don't mind that I stopped
by. I was being interrogated, I had to get away,” Elizabeth said.
“You too?” He took her hand.
“You mean you've been interrogated
too?”
He nodded. “They think it's a crime
for me to be happy.”
“That's what Anna said. She said JC
told her that you were singing this morning and that you haven't done that..…”
She paused. “Since you and Meg broke up.”
Justin remained silent for a moment,
then he looked up into her eyes and smiled. “I've never been happier then
I am right now.”
“Really?”
Without answering, he leaned over and
kissed her, a light but sweet kiss. “Yes really. Come on let's go inside.”
He took her hand in his then
walked with her to the front door. He opened it, she followed him inside.
“Are you sure I'm not interrupting
anything?” she asked.
He closed the door behind them, then
turned so their eyes met. “Oh yes I'm sure,” he smiled pulling her into his
arms. He held her close as he brushed a string of hair out of her face. “So
what did Anna say this morning?”
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him
and sighed. “I slept in my clothes. I didn't know that was something that
tells hers you and I have hooked up.”
“She's smart.” Justin kissed the top
of her head.
She looked up at him. “Have we?”
He kissed her sweetly. “Well I hope
so. I don't know how you feel about it, but what happened yesterday only
reminded me how much I care about you.”
“I care about you a lot, too.”
“I know you do. You've shown me the
kind of friendship I'm only to used to from the guys. I didn't think a girl
would ever care about me as much as you do,” he said softly, placing his
forehead against hers as he held her tighter in his arms.
"You're not like Thomas at all, you
know.” She leaned her head against his chest. “He was so....so cold to me
sometimes and he never really cared about my feelings, but you do.”
“How could I not? You are the most
amazing person I have ever met.” He looked up, bringing her face to meet
his, then kissed her gently.
When they pulled away, Elizabeth said,
“I….” Then she paused. She wanted to say ‘I love you’ because that was what
was in her heart, but she knew if she said it, he probably wouldn't say it
back. She knew he was still in love with Meg. Though he would deny it, she
knew it was the truth.
He smiled. Lately he’d been smiling
so much, it was starting to scare him.
She moved away from him. “I better
get going. I promised Anna I wouldn't be too long.”
Justin pulled her back into his arms,
not wanting her to go. “Let her worry.”
“Or maybe I should just call her and
say that I stopped out of town or something.” Elizabeth took her cell phone
from her purse.
He kissed the tip of her nose as he
pulled away. “Very good. And tell her you won't be back till after dinner.”
She raised an eyebrow at Justin. “Till
after dinner?”
“I hoped we could watch another one
of those games. I still have the tapes,” he explained.
“Just let me call her.” She dialed
Anna's number. “Hey Anna, it's me,” she said, when she heard Anna’s voice
on the other end of the line.
“Hey, where are you?”
“I stopped out of town. I'm going to
stay here for dinner. I should be home around 7,” Elizabeth told her.
“Oh okay.”
“I hope you don't mind me staying out.”
“Of course not. I’ll see you when you
get home,” Anna said.
Elizabeth folded up her cell and put
it back in her bag. “I think she has plans with JC or something cause she
didn't seem too concerned.”
“JC said they were going to the movies
or something,” Justin said taking her hand and leading her into the living
room.
She let go out his hand and sat on
the couch while he turned the game on. It felt good that for a while she
could forget about everything else but being here with him.