Part Four
Justin sat up in his bed and stretched. “Ahhh,” he yawned. He turned his head and looked out the nearby window. “Looks nice out,” he said and staggered out of bed. He had on nothing but a pair of light blue plaid boxer short that hung right on his hip line. He ran his fingers thru his hair and then went into the bathroom. Justin reached over and turned on the water and ran his hands under it. He brought the water up to his face and then ran some of it through his hair.
He slowly raised his head and looked into the mirror before him. “Things are gonna be just fine,” he said to himself. “I’m gonna get myself back on the right track and then go back home to Annie.” He lifted his lips and looked at his teeth. Tiredly he mad a cringed face and then reached for his toothbrush.
A couple minutes later Justin sat on the edge of his bed and bent over to tie his shoes. He figured that he might as well take advantage of his small break. He leaned over on the bed and grabbed his wallet off of the night stand and shoved it in his pocket. He tucked and fluffed his shirt as he stood and then found his way outside.
Justin stood on the porch of his little cabin and looked out into the ocean. He had always loved this place. He first came here when the group started to get huge and were trying to get used to the paparazzi that went down day after day. Mauldache Island allowed them to wander around without cameras in their face with every move they made. Justin really needed that freedom right now.
A pair of strong muscular arms held Justin’s weight up against the rail. He leaned forward and looked out and around the cabin. There were more people there than he was used to, but it still seemed fairly calm. He decided that he wanted something to eat, so he stumbled down the four steps of the cabin and his shoes shuffled in the sand. “I should have brought sandals,” he said. “I’ll pick some up later.”
Justin arrived at the little cafe area about three minutes later and found his way to the counter. “Would you like a table sir,” the lady asked.
“Please,” he replied.
“Smoking or non?”
“Non,” he answered with a smile.
“Follow me,” said the lady in a red shirt and white skirt. “I’m Lauren and I will be assisting you this morning. What would you like to drink?” she asked.
“Uhm, an orange juice,” he said.
“Alright. I’ll be right back,” she said and handed him the menu.
A minute later she returned with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. ‘Looks good,’ Justin thought to himself.
“Can I take your order?” she said and grabbed her pen and pad of paper.
“Actually, I’d just like some cereal.”
Lauren smiled. “Will that be it?” Justin nodded, so she continued with, “what kind would you like sir?”
“It’s Justin, and I’d like Captain Crunch.”
“Coming right up sir, Justin I mean,” she corrected herself.
“Thanks,” he replied and took a big sip of the OJ. Justin took his bottom lips within his mouth and looked around the room. He had a fork in one hand and a spoon in the other. He had absolutely no plans with them, he just wanted something to fiddle with. He spun them around and nervously tapped the fork on the end of the table.
“Your cereal,” Lauren said a brief second later.
Justin shook himself back into the real world. “Thanks,” he said.
“No problem. Just holler if you need anything else.”
“Will do.”
Lauren smiled and walked back to the back of the cafe. She peered over the counter at Justin hungrily eating his cereal. “He sure is a cute one,” she said.
“Who?” Tracey replied.
“That guy over at table six.”
“Ahh,” she said. “I bet ya twenty he has a girlfriend.”
“I wouldn’t doubt that one,” Lauren said back. “But she doesn’t seem to be with him.”
“Lauren you are horrid,” Tracey laughed.
“I know. I know. Honestly though, he’s a hottie.”
“Get a grip,” Tracey laughed.
“Yah yah,” she laughed back.
“Table twelve needs more drinks,” a tall woman yelled from over on the smoking side.
“I’m going. I’m going,” Lauren said and tore her eyes off of Justin and headed to the other table. Tracey on the other hand just leaned over the counter and replaced Lauren’s eyes with her own as she gazed at Justin.
Justin finished his cereal and just looked around the cafe and focused his eyes out the side window. It had a clear view of the water and a few boats that were racing off in the distance. His own little world was interrupted by the sweet voice of a girl.
“Are you finished?” she asked.
Justin whipped his head around and said, “yes, thanks.”
“No problem,” she said and took his bowl from him. “Would you like more,” she looked at the glass, “orange juice?”
He smiled and answered, “yes. Shouldn’t MY waitress be doing this,” he joked.
“Lauren is at another table right now and asked me to take care of you for now,” she laughed back. “If you don’t want me though I could leave you with your stuff, and no drink, and just wait for Lauren.”
“I’m only kidding,” he laughed, “thanks.”
Tracey giggled and then headed to the back to refill Justin’s glass. “Here ya go,” she said.
“Thanks.”
“So, do you always prefer to wear sunglasses and a hat while you eat?” she laughed.
“Oh,” Justin said and took off his hat. “I suppose that is rude. My mother would have had a fit.”
“I’m sure she would have,” she smiled.
“It’s habit,” he said and then took off his sunglasses. Justin knew that this place was safe from all the crazies that ran around with cameras and markers attached to their palms awaiting autographs.
Tracey then realized why he had the hat and shades on. “And I see why you are used to them.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled.
“Well just yell if you need a refill or anything else to eat Justin,” she said as if she and he were friends all along.
“Thanks I will. I didn’t catch your name,” he said.
She turned and over her shoulder she said, “Tracey.”
“Thanks Tracey,” he said and then continued to drink his orange juice.
“Lauren,” Tracey whispered in a rather loud manner.
“What?” she answered and got closer to Tracey.
Tracey pointed over at Justin, “that’s why he looked so hot!”
“Oh shit, it’s Justin Timberlake.”
“Yeah no kidding.”
“I always knew this job would pay off,” she laughed.
“Lauren we see famous people every day girl,” she said and hit her in the shoulder.
“Yeah I know this. I’m not saying I am gonna go all ballistic or anything.”
“Good, cause you’d loose your job faster than that that boy thrusts if you get out of hand.”
“Tracey. Chill girl. It’s just cool to see famous people my own age.”
“I know. I’m just sure that he’s here for some down time or something. Let’s leave him be. We meet hot guys all the time.”
“Damn girl,” she said and put the back of her hand on Tracey’s head. “You feeling okay? You are sure snippy. You’d think you were like his body guard or something.”
“Oh quit it,” she said and shook her hand off of her forehead. “I’m fine and you know what I mean.”
“I know. I’m fine. You can even finish up with that table if you want. Just so I don’t go bug him.”
“Lauren you know...”
“I’m for real. I don’t wanna mess up or anything.”
“Fine,” Tracey said and then took the bill over to Justin.
“Thanks,” he said when she handed it to him.
“Yup,” she said and then turned around to walk off.
“Strange one,” he said in surprise that she didn’t even ask for an autograph. He was definitely going to enjoy the peace and quiet of this trip. Justin gathered his few items and then left the small cafe with a smile from ear to ear.
Around three in the afternoon Lance was walked down the quiet hallway of the hospital. When he got to Annie’s room he stood outside the door for a minute trying to figure out what he would tell her about Justin. Finally he figured out what he would say.
Just as he walked in she turned her head and spat out, “where is Justin?” as if she were honestly worried about him.
“Well hello to you too Annie,” he said.
“Sorry,” she said back. “I tried to call him and I don’t get an answer. His cell phone isn’t on either.”
“I, uh, I went over to see him this morning and I found this note.”
A look of fear washed over her face. She had no clue what she was about to read. Lance handed her the letter and she quickly read over it. “He left?!” she screamed.
“I know,” he started.
“I’m in the hospital and he decides to go off for a vacation?” she was very angry now. “I was worried about him, and now I go to find out he is off having a good time!”
“Annie,” Lance tried to say.
“Annie I am sure that isn’t how it is,” JC broke in. He had just showed up, very unexpectedly actually.
“What do you mean?” she said with a stern look on her face.
“Justin and I got into it last night and I really think he just needed some time to himself. He is feeling horrible right now,” he didn’t get to finish because of Annie’s interruption.
“He should. Look at me!”
“I know,” he said and then looked over at Lance, who just stood there trying to think of the right words to say. “I really do think that he is going to try to get help. He said that he can’t talk to Rae about this because she is too much like one of us now. He doesn’t want to spill all of his problems onto someone who sees him daily.”
“So he plans on telling them to a stranger?” she said infuriately.
“If it makes it easier on him, we can’t take that away from him,” Lance finally said something. “He needs the help, and if he can get it somewhere, that’s all that matters.”
Annie didn’t know what to say. She just wanted him near her. “If he calls one of you,” she paused. “Tell him that I love him?”
“We will,” they both said in unison.
“You know that he loves you Annie. Something really horrible just happened to him that night, and hopefully this little ‘vacation’ will help him some,” JC said.
“I hope so,” she said and then put her head down. Lance reached over and placed his hand atop of hers and just looked at her and then back to JC. JC’s deep blue eyes were all glassed over and he was praying inside that everything would work out. He couldn’t stand seeing the people he loved in so much pain.
Justin sat in the sand right near the water, just outside of his cabin. He ran his long thin fingers through the sand and picked up small handfuls of it, and then watched it fall to the ground. The sun was starting to go down and there was a slight breeze around him. The sound of the water crashing against a set of rocks nearby was soothing to Justin. This was the serenity that he needed.
The wind brushed through both his shirt and his hair. It felt good as miniscule drops of water hit against his face. He lay back, bent his knees straight up in the air, and threw his arms above his head. The clouds were slowly moving through the sky and Justin tried to make figures out of them.
Justin had just started to drift off into a calming sleep when he felt the sand beneath him shuffle. He opened his eyes to see the waitress from the cafe he had ate breakfast at that morning. “Hey,” he said and then brought his hands to his face to wipe his eyes.
“Hey,” she replied back. “I’m not bugging you am I?”
“No, not at all,” he answered. Justin sat up and brushed his hands quickly through his hair to get rid of the sand.
“May I?” she said as she motioned to sit.
“Plenty of sand for two,” he said.
Tracey laughed and then sat next to him. “So, it’s nice out tonight huh?”
“Very.” Justin sat there looking out into the waves of the ocean.
Tracey licked her lips and the wind tossed her long golden brown hair behind her. “You didn’t bring any body guards with you. Getting brave huh?” she joked as she noticed that she hadn’t seen the familiar men that were normally trailing behind the guys.
“Nah,” he shook his head. “This place is normally really calm. I didn’t think I’d need them. My mom probably would freak if she knew that I came without one though.”
“Really protective?”
“You bet,” he laughed.
“She doesn’t know you’re here?” she asked without the intentions of prying into his own business.
Justin again shook his head. “No. The guys know I am gone, but no one knows where I am.”
“Oh?”
“I just needed some time to myself, ya know?”
“Oh, I’m probably really bothering you then,” she said and was about to get up.
Justin turned toward her and said, “no, honestly you aren’t. You didn’t hassle me for photos or autographs the second you realized who I was.”
“You deserve privacy as much as anyone else does,” she replied.
“I wish everyone else saw that.”
“Does it really get to you?” she asked.
“I love my fans, don’t get me wrong. But there is a time and place for it all. When you are eating, you really don’t want to stop in the middle of it, wipe your hands off, and then sign something. When you are at a personal event with your girlfriend, you don’t like to be hounded with cameras. You get what I mean?”
“Yeah. It’s gotta be rough.”
“That’s an understatement,” he said and then turned back to look at the water.
“Annie looks like a really nice girl,” she said. She had seen plenty of pictures of the two of them. Their relationship was no secret to the public eye.
Justin tried not to think of how Annie was probably doing. “Yes, she is great. Thanks for saying that.”
“Fans seem to love her Justin,” she smiled.
“I’m thankful for that too. I hated it when Joey was dating Denise and everyone hounded on her.”
“Yeah. I remember all of that. I still don’t know why they hated her.”
“Me either. I guess they just find certain things to pick at. Everyone loves Chris’s girl. JC and Lance are playing it single, so they are safe for now, and Joey is kinda starting to see someone. I’m sure it’ll hit the press soon.”
“Doesn’t take long,” she joked back.
“Ain’t that the truth.”
“Can I ask why your girlfriend didn’t come with you on your little private get away?”
“She’s uh... we’re... I mean,” he tried to say something, but he wasn’t having much luck with it.
“Hey,” she said and put her hand on his arm. It was obvious that the question bothered him and he was fighting for the right answer. “It’s okay. Forget I asked.”
“Sorry,” he said.
“No need to be. We just met. You don’t need to tell me anything.”
“Thanks,” he put off a half fake smile.
“Look, I gotta run. You gonna be here for a few days?”
“Yeah I think so. I just need to clear my mind some.”
“Alright,” she said and stood up and brushed off her backside. “I’ll see you around?”
“Breakfast. I gotta have my cereal if I expect to function,” he laughed.
“Right,” she smiled. “Breakfast then. Night Justin,” she said and then slid her bare feet through the sand as she walked off.
Justin watched her walk away and then looked down at his feet. He bent down and took off his shoes and stuck his bare feet into the sand. His toes dug into the tiny grains of sand and then arose again. He stuck his socks into his shoes and then stood up. He picked up his shoes and walked toward the water.
Right where the water hit the sand, Justin stood. The sand was wet and thick now. He walked a little further in and the water rushed against Justin’s ankles. The water was cold, and yet it felt great to him. Justin walked up the side bank and then back again.
Finally when it was pitch black out and getting late, Justin decided to go back to his cabin. He slowly made his way back and went right inside and headed for the shower. After he felt nice and clean again, he lay on his bed, watched TV, and then fell into a deep peaceful sleep. It was the first time he had fallen asleep so easily without having a bad thought about the night he wanted to forget so bad. It felt good to shut his eyes and only see darkness.