SLY2

Chapter Two

The first half of the train ride back the girls were silent. Laklynn was so lost in thought that she had completely forgotten Rachels presence.

I just had a conversation with Justin Timberlake. An actual conversation. I hope I didn�t sound too stupid. Oh my god, what if I did. What if he was like, get this girl away from me. But it�s okay. I got to meet him. I spent the whole time talking to him. Oh goodness, I didn�t even go look for the other guys. I skipped three classes and I only got to meet Justin Timberlake? Wait, what am I complaining for? I got to meet THE Justin Timberlake!

�Laklynn! Do I need to use a megaphone to get through to you?�

Laklynn shook her head to get rid of her thoughts. She focused in on her surroundings and noticed Rachel waving her hand in front of her.

�Sorry, I was just zoning.�

Rachel smirked at her.

�I can see that. Thinking about Justin?� she asked in a sing-songy voice.

�Rachel, I actually had a conversation with him! Can you even believe it!?�

�Yes, I can believe it. I sat there and watched it.�

Laklynn eyed her friend closely.

�And what did you do the whole time? I know you weren�t just talking to JC alone.�

�I went and talked to the rest of the guys for a bit. That Chris is quite the character. I will admit it was fun, but there is only so much boy band I can handle.�

�Well I think it was time well spent. Definitely worth missing three classes for,� Laklynn replied, relaxing in her seat.

Three classes and then some.

*************************

�Thank god that is over,� Justin exclaimed as he flopped onto the bed in his hotel room.

Lance looked over at him and smiled knowingly.

�I think you enjoyed yourself more than you�re letting on to.�

Justin turned his head to face his roommate for the night. When Lance made no effort to explain himself Justin sat up and looked at him questioningly.

�What do you mean?� he asked.

Lance just laughed at him and continued to search through his bag.

�Lance, explain, now,� Justin said, growing impatient.

After a few seconds Lance replied, �Oh we all saw you chatting away with that cute red head.�

�She didn�t have red hair,� Justin replied.

�Well, whatever color hair she had doesn�t matter. What she did have was your interest for a good half an hour. Care to explain?� Lance asked, eyebrows raised.

Justin shrugged and laid back down on his bed.

�She was just a normal girl. I liked that. I liked just being normal.�

Lance grinned and replied, �I guess it is true what they say.�

�What�s that?� Justin asked.

�You always want what you don�t have.�

�I swear, I am limiting the time you spend with Chris. You are turning into a real smart ass.�

�I�m allowed those comments every once in awhile,� Lance defended.

Justin just shook his head and continued.

�She was very down to earth and honest. It was like she was trying to impress me, but she wasn�t, ya know? I don�t know. She was refreshing.�

Lance looked at his friend. He had this gleam in his eyes that wasn�t normally there.

�Don�t get any ideas JuJu. Not a single one.�

If Justin heard him, he didn�t acknowledge it.

�How long are we in New York for?�

Lance thought about it for a minute before answering, �I think we�re here till Friday, why?�

Justin�s mischievous grin seemed to fill up his whole face.

�No reason,� he replied. �No reason at all.�

************The Next Day************

�Laklynn, what time do you have practice tonight?�

Not taking her eyes off of her computer screen Laklynn answered, �Eight o�clock I think.�

Rachel smiled at her.

�And are you going to get that paper finished before then?�

Laklynn turned around and glared at her roommate.

�It�s only two. I think I can manage.�

�Well you�ve been sitting there staring at the computer screen for a good hour and I don�t see a thing typed.�

Laklynn slumped down in her chair, turning her attention back to the blank computer screen.

�I�m sorry, but writing a paper on the meaning of life isn�t exactly the easiest thing in the world to do.�

Rachel grimaced when she heard that.

�The meaning of life? Ouch, that is rough.�

�Tell me about it. I probably will be here until I have to go to practice. Maybe if I don�t move and have tunnel vision directed on the screen then I won�t get distracted.�

As if on cue, the phone started ringing. Laklynn looked over at it and groaned.
�So much for that idea.�

�I got it. Write your paper,� Rachel said, answering the phone. �Hello?� she said into the receiver. There was a pause then, �Yeah, she�s right here, hold on,� Rachel put her hand over the mouth piece. �Laklynn, it�s for you. It�s a guy that I don�t recognize.�

Laklynn gave a curious look and reached over and took the phone from Rachel.

�Hello?......Oh, hey.......yeah sure, I�ll be right down,� she said. She clicked the phone off and put it back in its cradle. She grabbed her keys and headed for the door.

�What happened to the whole �I have to write my paper� deal,� Rachel asked.

�I will write my paper. That was my friend Justin from orientation. I�ve been telling him for weeks he needs to stop over. It�s about bloody time he did. I�m just going down to let him in,� and with that Laklynn bounded out the door and down the stairs. She ran to the front entrance and swung the door open.

�Oh! Excuse me,� she said to the stranger she almost hit with the door. She glanced at him and wondered why she didn�t recognize him. She knew almost everyone who lived in the dorm.

Maybe it�s the hat and sunglasses, she thought as she stole another glance. He was just sitting there smiling. Every once in a while he would look up at her.
Laklynn glanced up and down the length of the building, but her friend was nowhere in sight. In fact the only people out there were her, the stranger and a burly man reading a newspaper on the bench a few feet away.

�Hmm, that�s weird,� she said to herself.

�Looking for someone?�

Laklynn looked down at the young man. He was just sitting there grinning at her. It was starting to unnerve her a little.

�Um, yeah actually. My friend just called and said he was down here, but I don�t see him anywhere.�

�Are you sure you�re looking hard enough, Laklynn?� he asked, the smile never leaving his face.

�Well I don�t see--wait, how did you--do I, do I know you?� she asked scrutinizing the young man.

He laughed lightly and stood up. He was quite tall, at least five inches taller then her. His slender frame was hidden by a pair of baggy jeans and a hooded sweatshirt.

�We�ve met before,� he responded.

�We have? I�m sorry, I don�t remember. I�m usually really good with names,� she said, thinking of where she would have met him. �Wait, did we meet at a party? If we did, then I definitely wouldn�t remember.�

�No, it wasn�t a party. Not really,� he said, still grinning.

Laklynn was starting to get uncomfortable. Her friend was nowhere to be seen and there was a strange guy out here who knew her and she couldn�t, for the life of her, remember who he was or where they had met. And he wouldn�t tell her how he knew her, he just kept grinning.

�Well since my friend isn�t out here, I�m going to go back and finish my paper. Goodbye,� she said and turned to go back in the building.

�You�re going to go back in before you figure out who I am?� he questioned her.

�I�m not very good at guessing games. If I really do know you, I�ll probably see you around,� she replied, getting her keys out.

�Oh, you�re no fun Laklynn. Maybe this will help,� he said, taking off his hat and sunglasses.

The second he did that, recognition hit Laklynn so hard it felt like someone had knocked the air out of her. Her eyes became as big as saucers. The young man laughed at her expression.

Regaining some of her composure she said, �Hold on two seconds.�

She ran into the building and to the stair well.

�OH MY GOD!!!!� she screamed once the door was shut behind her. Once that was out of her system she went back outside.

�Got it figured out now, don�t you?� the young man commented.

�I�m sorry, but when I got on the phone and you said this is Justin, the farthest thought from my mind was Justin Timberlake. I assumed it was my friend Justin from orientation,� she explained.

�Understandable,� he said, still grinning at her surprised expression.

�Why are you here?� the words sounded wrong the second they left her mouth. �I mean, what are you doing here? No, I mean, how did you find me? Why did you find me? Why am I still talking? Shut up, Laklynn!�

Justin laughed at her again. �Why don�t we go inside. I think the last thing we need right now is a mob of girls surrounding us.�

�Oh, um, right. Come on,� Laklynn stuttered as she tried to put her key in the lock.

�Wait, hold on two seconds,� Justin said. He bounded over to the man sitting on the bench. He leaned down and whispered something to him, receiving an eye roll from the man. Reluctantly the man stood up and followed Justin back over to Laklynn.

�Laklynn, this is Anthony, my bodyguard. Anthony this is Laklynn,� Justin introduced.

Anthony extended his large hand and Laklynn shook it tentatively. �It�s nice to finally meet you. JuJu over hear has been talking about you the whole way here.�

Laklynn raised an eyebrow as she looked at Justin questioningly. �Is that so, Justin?�

Justin glared at Anthony and turned back to Laklynn. �I thought we were going inside?�

�Sure. Just don�t think you�re getting out of it that easily,� Laklynn grinned as she opened the door to her hall. The two men followed her up the stairs and down the corridor to her room. She put the key in the lock and started to open the door, stopping suddenly. �Oh sugar.�

�What?� Justin asked.

�Rachel.�

�What about her?�

�She�ll flip out if you just walk in there.�

�So let her flip,� Justin said with a mischievous smile.

Laklynn gave him a stern look before saying, �Let me just go in and talk to her first. I�ll be back in two seconds.� She opened the door a crack and squeezed inside.

Rachel looked up from the computer when she heard the door open. She saw Laklynn standing there by herself. She looked at her, her brow furrowed in confusion. �I thought you were going to get your friend?�

�Um, yeah, about that. I went down there and my friend Justin from orientation wasn�t down there,� Laklynn started.

Rachel looked at her and knew there was more to the story.

�And...� she prompted.

�And Justin Timberlake was,� she finished, waiting for the laugh and eye roll that was sure to follow. Rachel just looked at her for a second and turned back to her computer. Laklynn sighed in exasperation. �You don�t believe me do you?�

Not even looking up from the screen Rachel answered, �Nope.�

�Alright then. Justin, Anthony, you can come in if you want now,� Laklynn called through the crack in the door. Slowly the door creaked open and Justin and Anthony strolled in like they did it all the time.

Rachel looked up from the screen and stared at the two new comers. Justin smiled brightly at her.

�Holy shit,� she said, staring, her eyes wide as saucers.

�Yeah, that�s what I though,� Laklynn said, smirking at Rachel who hadn�t blinked yet.

Rachels wide eyes went from Laklynn, to Justin, to Anthony and then back to Laklynn, who was still smirking triumphantly at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a jumbled bunch of words. �Where did he, how did he, but you said that......� her words trailed off.

�I told you Justin Timberlake was here. You chose not to believe me.�

�Well, I mean, why would Justin Timberlake be here to see you?� Rachel asked, once calming down a bit.

Laklynn gaped at her friend. �Well gee thanks for that boost of confidence Rachel. I feel so good about myself now,� she replied sarcastically.

�You know I didn�t mean it like that,� Rachel apologized.

�I know. And that is a question I�ve been wondering myself, actually,� Laklynn said, turning to give Justin a pointed glance. �So Justin, would you mind telling me why you�re here at lovely New Paltz and how the hell you found me? Or am I going to wake up and realize that I slept through my 11:30.�

Justin grinned at her comment. �This is definitely no dream. I can pinch you if you want.�

�I think I�ll pass, thanks.�

�Well,� Justin continued, �I found you by going to about seven buildings before someone finally told me where the resident living office was. Then after much convincing that I really am Justin Timberlake and that I�m not stalking you, I�m more used to having girls stalk me, and many autographs signed for the womans daughter, she gave me your number and hall address. You know it�s a good thing that Laklynn is a very uncommon name. I realized when I began looking for you I didn�t know your last name.�

�Landeu. Laklynn Elizabeth Landeu,� she said, then, eyeing him skeptically, she added, �How do I know you�re not stalking me? Wait, why would you stalk me? Why would you even want to stalk me? Again, why am I still talking?� Laklynn rambled before sitting down and shutting her mouth.

�Don�t worry Laklynn, I�m not stalking you,� Justin laughed.

�Then why are you here? I don�t mean to be rude or anything, it�s just that this whole situation seems a little shady to me.�

�That�s a good question,� Justin responded, realizing even he wasn�t exactly sure of his motives for driving an hour and a half to see some girl he had, had a half hour conversation with. There was just something about her that he couldn�t explain and it bothered him to no end. Everything in his world was cut and dry until Laklynn came along. She just had this way about her that he couldn�t figure out. She was confident, but there was something underneath. Some insecurities. He could tell there was something more then she let on to. �To be quite honest, I don�t know why I came here. I just kinda felt like it, so I did.�

�You don�t know? I�m sorry, but having pop stars randomly show up at my dorm isn�t a common occurrence. Things like that just don�t happen to me. You can see why I�m a bit sketchy about this.�

Justin shook his head in understanding. �I realize that this is very out of the ordinary. I can�t say that I�ve ever searched for a girl that I only knew for half an hour before. This is a first for me too.�

�If you don�t mind me saying miss,� Anthony jumped in, �I�ve known Justin here for quite some time. I can tell you that when he does something his intentions are true. Granted he tends to screw things up a lot, but his heart is always in the right place.�

Laklynn smiled at that, while Justin glared at Anthony. �Thanks Anthony, that was real nice,� he said sarcastically. He then turned to Laklynn and looked in her eyes. �Look, I had a nice time talking to you yesterday. You�re the first normal person I�ve met in a while. I don�t get a lot of that in my life. I guess I just wanted to hang on to that bit of normalcy.�

Laklynn searched his eyes for any hidden agendas, but she only found truth. He seemed genuinely interested in just being with someone his age who wasn�t a huge star. As strange as this whole situation seemed, Laklynn couldn�t help giving in to it.

�All right super star, what did you have in mind?�