We leave for the tour today after several days of recuperation and TLC. After Beth left with Jake a few days ago, I decided to go out with Cameron for a quick bite to eat which has turned into a sort of rekindling in our relationship. She decided to stay with me until the tour started so we have been spending our days together. And nights I might add. Sure her highly annoying way of making me feel like a high school freshmen is dating the college senior can be enough to want to send her packing, when she is herself, everything is good. That’s exactly what I need right now; something good.

I decide to walk down the stairs instead of taking the elevator to just me a couple seconds to relax before getting on the bus. I felt Cam’s signature complaint rise up in her throat but she muffled it when I held her hand. We walk down the stairs slowly and I prepare myself to walk outside and start my life again. I feel Cam squeeze my hand and I appreciate the gesture right now. We get down to the lobby and Beth is sitting across from Jake playing some sort of card game.  

Gia comes through the front doors and gives Beth a quick pat on the back to tell her we have to leave and hurries over to Johnny to give him some coffee. Beth and Jake clean up the cards and she reaches over the table giving Jake a kiss before hoping up and coming over to me, “It’s time to go.”

“Is everything on the bus?”

“Yep, everything is loaded and your things are exactly where you want them.” Beth says, heading in the direction in which her name is being called to figure some scheduling conflict out.

“So I guess I’ll see you when I see you.” I say, throwing out a ice breaker for the upcoming goodbye. Cam and I were never god at this kind of shit. In a way, Cam and I are made for each other. Neither of us know what to do with serious relationships or able to make commitments easily outside of our work.  

Cameron moves her sunglasses from her face to her head, pushing back her hair somewhat, “I’ll come see you in a few weeks. We’ll hang out; try to be normal for once.”

“Sounds like a date.” I say.

Cameron kisses me softly, “See you soon champ.”

I watch her get into her Plymouth Prowler and jet off down the street. Beth comes up behind me and puts her small hand on my back gently, “Let’s go.”

I head out the door and into the bus as a million flashes go off followed closely by Beth. We watch out the window at the media frenzy that is my life and don’t speak until we are on the highway. Beth sits back down from her kneeling position to see through the tinted glass and smiles, “It’s deju vu all over again.”

“It sure is. So what did I miss while I was gone?”

“Nothing much. Gia and Derek finally got a break and moved all their things into their apartment. I guess they had never moved all their things out of storage. Went home for a couple days, saw Sam.”

“And hung out with Jake apparently.”

Beth can’t stop herself from smiling as her smile spreads over face, “That too.”

“So had did that happen in just a month?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

“Those flowers I got were from Jake so when you took a break from things, I called him. Before I knew it, we were spending every day together. He’s really a great guy. It’s been around five years since I’ve been with anyone. It’s really nice to finally have that kind of thing again.”

Five years? I can’t even fathom going that long without dating anyone, “Well good for you.”

“Things seem to be better with you and Cameron since you were hiding from her at your party.”

My defenses immediately go up. I’m not about to admit that we are having problems finding a sense of normalcy in a relationship, “I was just a little nervous about starting something up again but in the end, everything worked out.”

Beth offers me a slice of her orange, “I’m really happy for you. It’s great to have someone there for you when you need them.”

I take the orange slice and eat it, “I guess it’s a new start for both of us. So what exactly does Jake do?”

“He’s a roadie for The Who. He tours with them and a few other bands.”

“Sounds exiting.” I lie.

“It’s an interesting job. The Who’s last stop was in New York so now he is going with Roger Waters.”

“From Pink Floyd?”

Beth nods, “Yeah. He said that if I get a chance I could go to one of the shows with him.”

“Isn’t he the greatest.” I say, not bothering to hide my sarcasm.

“Yes he is, thank you very much. What bit your ass?” Beth asks, tipping her head back to look at me.

“Nothing, it just seems a little perfect to me. Besides, roadies are never very reliable. Take it from someone who knows roadies pretty well by now.”  

“Whatever. You are so full of it Timberlake. You want to talk about things not appearing as they really are, you should take a good look at yourself.”

I study her demeanor, “You are really brutally honest aren’t you?”

“I thought I could be with you.” Beth replies.

I pause for a minute before answering, “You can.”

“Good.”

________________________________________________________________________

We arrived in South Carolina and I stretch my body out as we get off the bus. I’ve been sitting on that bus for around twelve hours now and it’s about time I get to stretch my sore muscles. Unlike Justin, I can’t just sleep the day away and although there is a TV on the bus, I don’t want to risk waking him up. He looks like he needs the rest.

Justin grabs my shoulder and steers me towards the arena. We fall into such a comfortable friendship that it kind of feels like we have known each other for years. Justin points to a beach, “That is our getaway.”

“That’s nice, I still don’t have a bathing suit.”

“Well you could strip down and take a swim.” He says grinning.

“Fat chance. Neither Jake for Miss Diaz would appreciate the thought either.”

Justin chuckles, “The photographer for tomorrow is doing a beach scene, I’m sure you could borrow a swim suit from there. And for further reference, during the summer when on tour, bring a swim suit.”    

I roll my eyes playfully as Gia comes bounding of the SUV, “Hey, what are you guys up to?”

“A little beach time.” I say as Gia surveys Justin’s arm around my neck.

“Mind if I join? Johnny is going to grab some dinner early.”

“No, come on. Do you have a bathing suit?”

Gia wrinkles her nose slightly, “Of course, did you think I was going to go nude?”

He ruffles my hair a little, “No, but apparently Beth is. Can you loan her a suit?”

“Sure. Come on girl, let’s go change.” Gia says, grabbing my hand.

I’m whisked away from under the security of his grip and into the new hotel. Gia and I get into the elevator and she begins her interrogation, “So what’s with the overly touchy embrace out there? He is the last person you need to be bonding with, especially when he is now back with what’s her name.”

“Were just friends.” I protest.

“Justin doesn’t have female friends. He has concubines.”

I glare at Gia, “Friends. Period.”

Gia relents and we go into the hotel room. She searches through her suitcase until she comes across her bathing suit and throws me her extra, “Try on this.”

I look over the red two piece. Thank God were the same cup size. I go into the bathroom and pull on the suit. It fits fine, a little skimpier than I would normally wear but not something that would be found on Girls Gone Wild. I open the door to the bathroom, “What do you think?” I ask Gia.   

She pulls on a pair of shorts and looks up, “Awesome.”

I grab an oversized shirt and put it on with some shorts and we start walking over to the beach. Rob and Tiny can be spotted a mile away and a couple of towels are spread out over the sand to protect our bare skin from the burning sand. I sit on the towel next to Justin and Gia immediately goes into sun bathing mode, sunglasses on and lying face down in the towel. I smile as I watch a little boy playing in the waves and squealing in joy from the water, “I love the summer, it’s my favorite time of year. I hate being cooped up.”

Justin laughs, “Yet you live in New York.”

“It’s close to my family so I can see them but still make enough to support myself.”

Justin nods and hands me some sunscreen, “You look like you need this.”

“Are you insinuating that I’m too white?”

“No, I’m insinuating that your peaches and cream complexion will burn within ten minutes.”

I smile, “Thanks.”

Justin looks me over, “What are you, English?”

“Irish and English. That’s why I’m so fair.”

“I figured.”

“I do tan, I just burn first if I don’t put any on.” I explain, rubbing the lotion on my arm.

“Let me do your back.” Justin says as more of a command then a request.

I freeze for a moment before turning my back to him as he lathers it all over my skin. I’m facing Gia and I see her eyebrows go up in surprise and concern, but I shake my head slightly to tell her not to worry. Justin finishes up my back and I stand up, adjusting my swimsuit, “I’m going for a swim.”

“I’ll join you.” Justin says standing up and walking with me down to the shore. We walk along the water’s edge as it laps around our ankles. The foam from the water reminds me of when Sarah and I used to do the dishes together when we were younger, dancing in our socks to some killer rock album as we cleaned up after dinner. I sigh softly at the memory and kick at the water.

“Something you want to share with the class?”

I shake my head no and I turn away from his face, looking out over the ocean. Justin pushes me slightly into the water as it comes back onto the beach. I smirk and push him back and he grins. Within seconds he kicks water on me and I squeal as the cold water hitting me, “Hey!”

I bend down and start using my hands as a shovel to throw water at him. Justin scoops water before charging me and going down into the ocean with me. I spit salt water out of my mouth as he comes up to the surface, “You have a habit of trying to drown me you know that?”

“Well you have a habit of pissing me off which causes me to want to drown you.”

I sit in the water and just stare at him as he stares at me back. Suddenly I feel freezing water dump on my head and both Justin and I scream. I look up as Gia stands over me grinning with an empty water cooler. I stand up and look at her, “You are so dead.”

Gia takes off running as Justin and I get to our feet and chase Gia down the beach. Justin catches her first and they take a dive into the water. I swim over to them and hang on Gia’s back as Justin splashes her. I stop for a minute listening to Gia’s infectious laughter and Justin trying to see through the water being splashed in his direction. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I feel happy. Really, really happy.

I stand there just watching the two of them before Justin notices me. He looks at Gia playfully and she looks back. I start to back away slowly but they start a full out sprint and I go running in the other direction. Yeah, really happy.   

________________________________________________________________________

Gia sighs happily in her bed across from mine at about one in the morning. She smiles over at me, “You were right, he can actually be fun.”

“I know.”

“But it’s because of you. He wasn’t like that before.”

I glance over at Gia, “It’s not me, he just lightened up a little. I hear rehab can give someone a new outlook in life.”

“No, that’s not it. Nice try though. I’m not blind you know.”

“Did you know that today was one of the calmest I’ve had without any drama? Everything was just casual. It just goes to show that were all human. Even him.”

Gia yawns, “Well I’m going to bed. Night.”

I roll over onto my pillow and turn off the light. Justin Timberlake is human. Will wonders never cease.