Tainted → Justin Bieber

FIVE.

My parents were finally home the following night and we ate pizza for dinner. It was rare for us to eat pizza for dinner but my mom said she wanted to treat me to something for her and dad not being home that often this week.

It's not like your home any other day. I thought.

I enjoyed the greasy slice of heaven that sat on my plate.

"Thanks mom." I said. "and Dad."

They both smiled at me without actually responding. I guess they were enjoying the pizza just as much as I was. But then again, my parents never really talked, especially since Lianna left. The only times I really saw them were if we were having dinner (like now), or on the weekends. Both of my parents worked late and by the time they came home they were too tired to do anything other than shower and sleep.

I've always been kind of jealous of my older sister. My parents would give her the world if she asked for it. They made Lianna their main priority. Whatever she wanted, she got it. She was the first child so I didn't expect it to be different. The first child always got more.

Dinner was still silent. Sometimes I wished my parents would ask me how my day was or how I was feeling but, they didn't. There were times where I thought they didn't love me like they loved Lianna. I thought Lianna leaving would give me a chance to bond with my parents more but they drifted even further apart.

When we were finished eating, mom and dad both gave me a kiss on the forhead, told me good night and left upstairs to their room. I forced a smile and traveled to the kitchen to wash the dishes like I had promised mom I would.

As the warm water soaked my hands, images of my sister kept popping up in my head. I wish Noah wouldn't have brought her up because now I couldn't stop thinking about her. With her and Justin on my mind, my brain was sure to explode. Both individuals consumed my thoughts and it was too much to handle at once.

I filled the sink with water and added dish liquid, scrubbing away at the plates and glasses. It wasn't much tonight which was a good thing. So I finished within fifteen minutes and grabbed the empty pizza box to take it outside to the trash. I pulled the door open and screamed at the sight of Justin standing at my door. As a reflex I hit him with the cardboard in my hands and he laughed, taking it away from me.

"Why were you just standing there?!" I gasped.

"I wasn't." he smiled. "I was actually just about to ring the doorbell."

"Lacey, what was that?" My mom called.

I turned around and yelled up the stairs, "Nothing! I'm uh, I'm just taking the trash out."

She didn't say anything back so I faced Justin and stepped outside closing the door behind me. "So what's up?" I said crossing my arms over my chest.

"I finished cleaning the pool and I wanted to go swimming but, I didn't wanna go alone."

It was then that I realized he had on a tank top and a pair of orange and white swimming trunks.

"So you want me to come?"

Justin shrugged. "That's why I'm here."

"But it's almost ten." I pointed out.

"You have a bed time or something?" he walked over to the edge of the porch and dumped the pizza box in the garbage.

"No, but--"

"Great." he smiled. "Go get changed and I'll be in the back waiting for you." With that, he walked down the steps and into his backyard.