"What's up with you?" Jovie gave her a look and asked, as they walked around campus, heading back to their flat, a few weeks after New Year. 

"Nothing" she replied apathetically and shrugged, barely looking at her best friend and keeping her eyes straight. Truth was, she was still bothered as to why many people pumped Justin about Britney at the party she and Justin went to, the night after the Ball Drop. Questions like her whereabouts, why wasn't she there, why wasn't she there with him?? The thought of it bugs her.

Sometimes, I just want to punch some people and tell them, 'Can't you see? I am with him, I AM THE GIRLFRIEND!!' in their faces, she thought. 

"I am not buying it.", Jovie shook her head, giving her side glances, and observing her frowning face while adjusting her Body Bag. 

They walked in silence, with Jovie giving her space to contemplate. She gazed around her, everyone who passed by them seemed to be in a hurry, at a fast pace on a bright, Friday afternoon. Why is everything at full throttle? , she thought. Perhaps, it is true? What started fast, may end sooner than we expected, she told herself. 

Jovie sat down on one of the benches at Central Park, "Mind if we stay for a while? It's still early."

"Good idea" Georgia replied, sitting down. 

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Jovie asked, a solicitude was building up inside her as the look of agony on her best friend, Georgia's face was evident.

She breathed hard as she answered dryly. "It's nothing, really. I am just weighing things." she kept her face straight and avoided looking at her best friend, shunning Jovie from seeing right through her. 

It has been weeks after the New Year's Eve party. When she asked Justin about it, he brushed her off by saying that, maybe it was just because of their appearances with Britney that made people see their closeness as something else.  But for her, it felt different. 

....

"Hello, babe!" Justin greeted her as she picked up his call, Sunday night. "How is my Georgie doing?" 

Warmth surged through her as she heard him say My Georgie. "I'm tired, babe, so much schoolwork and stuff. We have an upcoming exam next week and I have a report that is also due. But I feel relaxed now that I hear your voice." she said, smiling. 

"Aww, I promise I'll fly as soon as I can, babe. What can I do for now?" Justin asked.

"Don't worry about it. Are you recording songs right now?" she asked, upon hearing the music from the background. 

"Yup, we're listening to some demos, too. And--" Then she heard a woman's voice from the background who sounded familiar. 

"Is that Britney?" she cut Justin off, as she felt a pang of resentment bite her. 

"Uhm, yeah. She's around the city, so she visited, babe." Justin answered reluctantly.

"You sound dubious" she snapped, failing to control the jealousy that had been building up in the past weeks. 

"Babe."

"HMMM??" she answered wryly. "Listen, I have to go. I have loads of stuff to do.", ending the call without letting Justin speak.

...

That same night, she lay on her bed. She was twisting and turning as sleep refused to come, rereading Justin's text messages right after she dropped the call hours ago. 

: "It's upsetting that you didn't even bother to ask how am I doing here in Los Angeles. Am I eating on time? Am I tired from rehearsing, recording, and guesting?" 

: "But it's fine. I understand you're also tired. I wish you could have let me speak first before dropping the call. Or at least, allowed me to say how much I miss and love you."

: "Please call or text me. I'll wait, babe."

She stared blankly at her phone, uncertain whether to say goodnight to him or not. What for? Britney's there. They can say good night to each other! , she deliberated. 

: "Night, J. I Love you" --- SENT. 

Just like that, she turned off her cell phone without waiting for a reply and drifted to sleep. 

....

Another week has gone by, Georgia and Justin managed to fix their misunderstanding a week ago, or so Justin thought. 

"B-? What happened, G?" Maxwell asked, bewildered by her friend's report grade. "You were so good with this." 

"I don't know. Maybe, I wasn't that good at all?" Georgia replied. Maxwell was the first person she talked to in her class on their first day and instantly became good friends with her and Jovie. 

"Or, she has been dealing with something lately, and refuses to talk about it." Jovie butted in, coming from behind Georgia's back, carrying her bag and books in her arms, and sitting down beside Georgia. 

Georgia just gave her a knowing look.

"Oh, does this have something to do with the celebrity boyfriend?"  Maxwell teased. 

Unwrapping her sandwich, she responded, "Come on, it's nothing. Justin and I are doing fine." 

Both Jovie and Maxwell looked at each other and shrugged. 

--

Sunday Morning.

(Image of B's Interview)

She was curled up in bed, wearing her pyjamas, and blanket over her head. A wave of pain rolled through her, this time she couldn't dismiss it. It was like every pain she had tried to obscure these past weeks all came rushing through her like it was catapulted by a foe during a fight. She has nothing to throw, let alone a shield. 

B's Interview with Rolling Stone magazine proved  Georgia's suspicion these past weeks. I was not overthinking, I was feeling it. Something was going on and Justin lied to me! she thought as tears raced down her cheeks. 

Georgia quickly wiped her tears as soon as she heard footsteps coming. It was Jovie, walking from across her bedroom to hers. 

"Hey," Jovie shook her and gently pulled the blanket away from Georgia. "Have some breakfast." she placed a tray full of apple slices, milk, and some slices of bacon. 

"Thanks," Georgia said in a quavering voice as she sat up from her bed, picked up the apple, and took a bite. 

"I'll order food for lunch. I will be just inside my room if you are ready to talk about it," uttered Jovie and reassuringly squeezed her shoulder as she stepped out of Georgia's room, with Georgia only giving her a nod in response. 

She grabbed her phone while taking a sip of milk. 20 missed calls and text messages from Justin. She turned off her phone and continued having her breakfast, weeping in between bites and drinks. 

----

"Turn your phone on, please Georgie?" Jovie asked her nicely as soon as the former opened the door of their apartment for her, Tuesday night after class and dinner with their friends. 

Feeling a little light-headed from the glasses of wine she had, Georgia looked at her best friend questioningly, acting clueless.

Jovie put both her hands on her waist and gawked at her best friend, trying to call forth Georgia's memory of her boyfriend that she had been evading for the past few days, she said, "Just want to remind you that you have a boyfriend who keeps on calling and texting me about you." 

Georgia nodded in silence and made her way to her room, completely disregarding her best friend's words. She was tormented, despite having a few drinks with her friends in hopes that it would numb her, it was a futile move. 

Friday afternoon.

"Hey, Georgia," Maxwell called her as soon as she rose from her seat after their Literature Professor, Mr. Fitz dismissed their class. 

Grabbing her books, Georgia turned to see Maxwell already standing beside her. "Hey"

"I had a great time the other night." Maxwell blurted out, speaking about the dinner and drinks they had with their circle of friends. Georgia looked at him nonchalantly.

"And the others, too. I meant," he added with a shy smile. 

They began walking outside the room and towards Georgia's locker. "Yeah, Jovie missed the fun," she replied casually.

"Do you want to grab some coffee? I know a place," he asked, hands in his pockets and looking at Georgia with a hopeful smile. 

Georgia looked up at him uninterested, her eyebrows furrowed and oblivious to the fact that Maxwell was trying to ask her out. "You know, I don't drink coffee that much." 

"Oh, well, How about some pizza and hanging out?" 

Before Georgia could even answer, her attention was caught by a mob of students standing around the hallway, circling what seemed to be a group of people. "What's that?" she asked while craning her neck and adjusting her eyes to have a clear view. 

Georgia let out a gasp the moment she spotted what, or to put it accurately, who, the crowd of students was raving about. Of course,  she thought as she saw the band signing autographs for the students. 

Maxwell hissed and snorted, "Oh, as one would expect, it's the celebrity boyfriend." 

Lance immediately spotted Georgia and pointed her out, which made Justin to look her way. He called and quickly ran to her, "Babe!" with the four boys following his trail.

Justin kissed her on her forehead while hugging her tightly as if trying to make up for the weeks they have been distant, physically and emotionally. 

Georgia hugged him back, she felt all the pain and anguish melting away as their bodies collided. Once again, she felt secure in his arms, as she always had since the beginning, before all the chaos.

He leaned down and kissed Georgia as soon as they broke apart from the hug. How he longed for his girlfriend was evident in the way he ogled at her after their kiss. 

"This is the most stunning view I have been dying to see," he mumbled breathlessly after they shared a long kiss, cupping Georgia's cheeks with his hands while staring at her pretty face. His smile was so radiant that even his blue eyes were also smiling at her. 

Georgia bit her lip and her lips curved into a smile. Oh gosh, how can he send me into a whirlwind of emotions? She pondered as she stared back at his handsome face, marveling at how he could flip her world, from being frustrated and heart-wrenched one moment to feeling at home back in his arms the next. 

"Let's talk?" Justin asked, his blue eyes begging, reaching for her hands.

Georgia felt her heart rushed. The truth was, she was not ready for any confrontation. She nodded her head in disapproval. "No, I don't want to talk. I just want you here with me," she replied, squeezing his hand.

Justin looked at her long enough, he couldn't believe what he just heard. He flew just to make sure they would talk and fix what needed to be fixed. "Are you sure, babe? I wanna make things up with you." 

Georgia smiled, "Guess you already did. Your smile always gets me.", she teased. Justin hugged her once again. 

What matters is he's here now, with me. Other girls never matter at all. Georgia thought as she closed her eyes and melted into his embrace once again.