key to my heart | jariana

33

"For what?" Justin repeated.
"I'm sorry for being the one to set up Ariana and Nathan."

Justin climbed in the black escalade that was waiting for him at the entrance of the police station. He could hear his fans screaming around the corner, but he didn't even bother turning his head.

The past few days had been the worst few days of his life, from getting arrested, sobering up to face the consequences, contacting his lawyers, to standing in front of the judge, listening to everything that he had done and was charged for.

After tireless negotiations and plea deals, everything was finalized and he was good to go, despite the heavy fine he had to pay and the everlasting stint on his reputation. Justin was able to leave with all legal charges cleared, and now all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and stay there forever.

However, he knew that it wouldn't be the case when the minute the car door closed, he was faced with the disappointing look on Scooter's face.

"I don't even know what to say."

"Then don't say anything," Justin mumbled, pulling the hood of his sweater higher over his head.

"Drunk driving? Resisting arrest? The least you could've done was have your ID."

Justin bit the insides of his cheeks, crossing his arms across his chest as he stared out the window. The car was headed straight to the airport per his request to leave the city immediately and go as far away as he possibly could.

"Justin, you do understand that you're not like normal 18 year olds. You can't just drink and party and go on joy rides in expensive cars. Even if you didn't get arrested, what if you crashed and died? Worse, what if you get so injured that you can never perform or make music again? What then?"

The blonde sat quietly in his seat as his manager rambled on. The words pierced through his skin like daggers, knowing that everything he said was true. If it wasn't for the arrest, something could've gone wrong and he could've lost control. Justin could've ended up on the side of the road, paralyzed, missing a limb, burnt up.

He wouldn't ever be able to make music or sing anymore. He wouldn't be able to go on tour again and perform for his fans. He wouldn't be able to do anything.

He wouldn't be able to make up with Ariana.

Justin knew he had changed ever since he told Ariana to leave him alone. He regretted telling her that, instead of manning up and letting her know how he felt. He was never forward with his feelings for her, and even though they said "I love you" to each other and almost kissed on a few occasions, that didn't mean that Ariana liked him back. And it definitely didn't make it okay for him to be mad at her for Nathan. He had more than enough chances before she got with Nathan for him to tell her how he felt.

"I know that the past few months have been hard on you," Scooter said, shaking his head. "But there is no excuse to let yourself go like the way you've been doing. Yelling at paparazzi, peeing in buckets, egging houses. This isn't you. This isn't the Justin Bieber I met. You don't do all this. I don't know what is going to happen in the future, but this all has to stop. The drinking and drugs has to stop."

"I know, alright?" Justin snapped, face red in anger. "I shouldn't have fucking done it, any of it. I shouldn't have peed in the bucket or egged that house. I shouldn't have been drinking or smoking or driving, but I was and I got arrested for it. I'm the one who spent the past two nights in jail. I'm the one who has to face the world with what I've done. I'm the one who fucked up. So can you please just stop fucking talking?"

Silence fell inside the small car and the tension rose as Justin fell back into his chair. He let out a big breath, immediately regretting yelling at Scooter.

He was the one that dealt with all the lawyers and courts. He was the one that talked to the judges and officials about the situation. He was the one who figured it all out and got him off with just fees and community service.

"I'm-"

"It's okay," Scooter said, sighing. "I get it."

It was a long silence as Justin stared at his lap, feeling Scooter's eyes bore into the top of his head. Scooter felt guilt for the boy, having an inkling as to why he had changed so much. He didn't realize how much his decision had affected Justin, and he wish he could go back in time and change what he did because then maybe, they wouldn't be where they are right now.

"I should be the one saying sorry."

"For what?"

Justin looked up when Scooter didn't answer immediately. Scooter's face looked like he wanted to say something, but it was like he was afraid to. He felt his anxiety gnawing at the pit of his stomach as remorse flashed in Scooter's eyes. He's never seen his manager look at him like that before.

"For what?" Justin repeated.

"I'm sorry for being the one to set up Ariana and Nathan."

+

Justin stared at his house, ready to just ignore the world for a few days and hide in his house. He hadn't touched his phone, not wanting to see the headlines and Twitter blowing up over his arrest. He already knew his mugshot was everywhere.

Unlocking the door, Justin threw his luggage by the entrance. He peeled off the hoodie he had on, throwing it onto the floor along with his backpack. He'll deal with it later.

As he walked through his living room, he noticed a figure laying on his couch, and he immediately grabbed a fire stick from the fire place, waving it over his head.

He walked closer to the couch, trying to figure out who it was and how they had gotten through his security. Maybe it was a paparazzo or a crazed fan that found their way inside, wanting an inside scoop of the story.

Focused on the intruder, his foot got caught on the end of the coffee table, sliding it against the floor making a creaking sound.

Hearing the noise, the stranger woke up, jumping up as she saw Justin swinging the fire stick, and she raised her arms over her head to protect herself.

"Justin wait- Please, it's me, Ariana!"

Once Justin locked eyes with Ariana, the fire stick was dropped from his hand, landing on the floor with a loud clang! His breathing began to increase, and soon Justin was hyperventilating as he continued to stare at the girl in front of him.

"I-I heard what h-happened," Ariana stammered. She was sitting on her feet at the edge of the couch, nervously wringing her hands, waiting for a reaction from Justin. "I w-wanted to make s-sure you were okay."

Ariana's soft face frowned at him, and he allowed a tear to slip from his eyes when he heard her voice quiver. He began walking over to Ariana.

She was terrified by the way Justin was looking at her, and she was unable to read how he was feeling. Ariana stayed in her crouched position on the couch.

The minute he reached her on the couch, he fell into the cushions, burying his head in her lap.

It took Ariana a second to register Justin's tears staining her leggings and his sobs echoing the large living area. She lowered her arms to intertwine a hand into his hair, the other rubbing his back. It broke her heart to hear Justin's cries.

They stayed there, Justin crying in Ariana's lap, Ariana comforting him in the only way she could in the moment. They didn't even think about getting up, even when Justin's sobs died down and Ariana's arms became weak. They fell into a deep sleep once Ariana adjusted her body next to Justin, squeezing herself against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

lmao not me saying i'm gonna finish the story and then disappearing again
the end really is in sight though, one more chapter and then an epilogue. hopefully i'll get those done soon and this book will be complete. not that i'm in a rush to complete this book because i am very proud of the "success" this story got, but it would be nice to have at least one complete story haha

-biebuhftari