Riley wiped away the tears forming in her eyes. She wouldn’t cry. Not in front of him. She should have known better.

Grabbing her own phone, she opened her Facebook app to confirm what she already knew. 

Unblocking Derek, she scrolled his page, and there she was. On her birthday. On his birthday. 

At a music festival. Out to dinner. Riley sighed and stopped her tears once again. 

“In a relationship with…” Both of them. 

Of course they are, stupid… she scolded herself. 

Taking a few screenshots, she hovered above a dropdown menu.

Unfriend.  Clicking it before she could change her mind, she got dressed, and waited. 

Towel around his wait, and drying his hair with another, Derek walked out of the bathroom, smiling. 

“...So what do ya think, Riles...Eggs or -?” He stopped when he saw her, noting her face “Babe, what’s-”

“DON’T call me that,” she cut him off. “Don’t call me anything...or ever...again…” She threw his phone toward him. 

“You should maybe call your girlfriend. She’s worried.”

“Riley, what are you talking about…”

“I’m not an idiot, Derek. You have text messages.”

“You were on my phone?!” he acted offended.

“Not the point.”

“Riley, it’s not what you think, we..”

Riley walked toward him. “You what?” Riley opened her phone and held up her screenshots. “You’re WHAT, Derek? FINE? Together? Fucking LYING to her like you did to me??”

“Riley...She’s not you...”

“You are DISGUSTING…”

“RILEY...LISTEN TO ME. It’s not working….I made a mistake.” He grabbed her arm and she pulled free.

“DON’T touch me. That’s YOUR problem, NOT mine.”

“Please, babe, we can make this work, I - I love you.”

Riley was shaking. It took everything in her not to break. Not to cry. Not to hit him or throw things. Finding every bit of strength left in her, she looked right at him.

“NO. I don’t love you, Derek. Not anymore. Not ever again. Don’t follow me. Don’t call me. Don’t text me.”

“RILEY…”

“YOU DON’T EXIST to me, anymore. Goodbye, Derek…”

Riley grabbed her bag and quickly left the room with him calling her name, as the tears she held began to fall. She wished feelings could be turned off instantly. She wished she had never loved him, but it hurt more that she had. It hurt more that she had believed his lies, more than once. 

Making her way out of the hotel, she froze, not knowing exactly where to go. Before she knew what she was doing, she pulled out her phone and dialed.

“Hey Ry, what’s up?” 

“Katie…” Riley managed. 

There was a brief silence, and Riley’s best friend knew she wasn’t ok. 

“Riley...What happened? Where are you? I’m on my way…”

***

Riley stared blankly at her tv. She knew people were talking, but she didn’t care what they were saying. She was numb. 

“Ok. Food time. French toast, Ry!” Katie chirped. 

“Katie, I told you I’m not hungry.”

“Riley...You haven’t eaten in two days. You have to eat. It’s just bread…”

Katie had insisted on staying at Riley’s apartment after picking her up at the hotel. It was bad again. Riley was back to being distant; quiet. She hadn’t wanted to talk much about her night with Derek. She hadn’t wanted to talk much at all.

Riley reluctantly grabbed the plate and started picking at the food. “Katie...I just need time, ok?”

“Riley...You gave HIM  time. You gave him too much time. Take all the time you need but he doesn’t get to destroy you. No one does. You never needed him. Look at you now! Riley you are doing amazing...Honest. Give yourself more credit. “

Riley smiled weakly. “Thanks...I’ll get there…” She looked over as her phone started buzzing and sighed. “Not now...please not now…”

“Is that him? Give me the phone..” Katie snapped into mama bear mode. 

“No, Katie it’s not-” Riley tried to stop her but it was too late.

“She doesn’t want to speak to you. STOP calling her,” Katie answered as Riley pulled a pillow up to cover her face. 

“Um...EXCUSE ME?” the voice on the other end came through. 

Every bit of color drained from Katie’s face “I-I’m sorry who is this…”

“Put Riley on the phone please.”

He didn’t have to tell her who he was. She would know that voice anywhere. 

“Y-yeah um. Of course. Just a minute” Katie covered the phone with her hand and held it out to Riley “I’m so sorry...Holy SHIT…”

Riley had to admit she had needed this amusement and bit her lip so she didn’t laugh. 

“Tell him I’m busy…”

“RILEY! NO! TAKE THE PHONE…” Katie whispered through gritted teeth. 

“Tell him I don’t feel well…” It wasn’t exactly a lie. 

Katie shot her daggers and pulled the phone back up to her ear. 

“She um...She actually isn’t feeling great right now. Can I..uh--take a message?”

“Who is this??...Is she ok?” There was genuine concern, mixed with confusion, mixed with a little bit of annoyance.

“K-Katie. This is Katie. She. She will be. Is there a message?”

Justin sighed on the other end of the phone. “She needs to call me back. As soon as possible. It’s important...Did something happen…”

“She’ll be ok…”

“Good. Then please remind her she still has a job when I’m not there.”

“She’ll call you back.” Katie rushed. “Goodbye.” 

Katie turned back to see Riley grinning. “Ohhh...My God…” 

“RY WHAT THE FUCK…” Katie screeched at her. 

Riley fell apart into giggles that quickly turned into full laughter. It was the first time she had laughed in days, and it felt amazing.

“I mean...You’ve always wanted to speak to him,” she teased. 

**

Riley and Katie finished breakfast and she excused herself to call Justin back. Katie had threatened to poison her next meal, but she didn’t believe her.

“Riley?” He answered.

“It’s me this time. Sorry about that.”

“Marin...Why is your friend answering your phone?”

“It’s been a rough few days, Justin. Again, I’m sorry...What do you need?”

“...Are you ok?”

“I’m...fine...bad cold...” she lied. 

He didn’t believe her, but he decided not to pry. “Glad you’re ok. Listen, I know we told you you’d be strictly New York based, but I need your help. We need your help…”

“We..?”

“Yeah. Uh...So this Star Ceremony.... It’s turned into this whole thing. Fans are flying in and they want us to speak. Our families are coming. Ellen…”

“Oh wow.” Riley knew about *NSync getting a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and had been proud of the group of fans that organized it, but figured she would be watching it from New York. It wasn’t her “territory,” and she hadn’t guessed how big of an event it would be. The plan was for him to come back to New York to rest for a couple days before the ceremony and the west coast portion of the tour.

“Yeah..Yeah...Crazy, right? So, we’re gonna need a few more hands on deck just to make sure everything runs smoothly. Can you come out to LA on the 22nd?”

“Of course. Do I need to arrange the flight, or…”

“Talk to Johnny. He will help set it up. You’ll fly out with us “

“Ok..through when?”

“The 30th…” he answered.

Riley smirked. “April 30th?”

Justin rolled his eyes on the other end of the phone. “OH GOD Not you too…”

**

Riley got out of the car first. They had arrived in a quiet airport parking lot, ready to board a private jet to Los Angeles. She couldn’t help but be grateful that there would be no chance of sitting next to a chatty neighbor or screaming child, and wondered if there would be champagne.

Johnny and Justin got out of the car along with security, who would be accompanying them for the trip. 

They waited as bags were situated, and Riley noted the way Justin was dressed. She wondered just how many pair of Jordans he owned. So far she had counted about 30. His beanie sat high, and she wondered what the point of covering only half his head was. 

As they made their way to a private check-in area, Riley heard a scuffling noise and turned to find it. Her eyes landed on a woman with an *NSync hoodie running in their direction. 

“Justin…” She grabbed his arm suddenly. 

Startled, he looked up in time to back away from an advance.

“JUSTIN HI!” the young woman shouted. His eyes got wide as he found a reluctant smile. 

Their security detail appeared as if from nowhere, a barrier between him and the fan.

“It’s cool...It’s cool…” Justin warned. Autopilot. He was on autopilot. 

“What’s up?” he softly spoke to the woman. 

“Oh my God I love you! Can you sign my CD??” She held it out along with a sharpie. 

“Of course,” he flashed her a smile, and looked down to scribble his name before handing it back to her.

“Good luck at the star ceremony...I’ll be there!” she beamed.

He winked at her. “Thank you....See ya there” 

Security flanked him as they walked away, and Riley watched his face fall. 

Where had she come from??

“Why didn’t you see her…?” Justin asked his detail, shaken.

“Sorry, boss… She must have snuck in. Area was secure.”

Justin sighed. 

“Hey. You’re fine, Justin…” Riley got his attention. It was more a question than a statement.

Justin answered her with a quiet look, and she wondered if he ever really got used to these moments. 

“ Yep. “ He kept walking. 

Was he, though…?