Call Me A Liar [Book 1] (Justin Bieber Love Story / Fan Fiction)

13

I take my last final on Monday and as promised, I'm sure to start registering for classes at Notre Dame on Tuesday afternoon prior to taking the boys to boxing class.

If I had waited a second longer, I'm sure my mother would have my head on a silver platter. Perhaps she'd serve me at one of her infamous networking parties.

The thought of that makes me laugh.

On the way to practice, Birdie groans about how incredibly thankful she is that classes are done and we can finally enjoy our summer. After all, this is the last summer where we will be less than minutes from one another. While I'll be in Notre Dame, she's going to Kent State nearly four hours away.

It'll be an adjustment, but we'll be okay.

I try not to think about it.

The boys run into the gym as normal, excitement radiating off of them as they run towards the locker room. RJ yells to them to slow down, then rolls his eyes when he knows he shouldn't bother. Justin only laughs as he sits so comfortably on a weight bench, legs straddling the cushioned leather with his hands relaxed before him.

As it always seems to, time stands still when he looks to me. His dark eyes looking amber as the sun shines in through the high glass windows, golden hair looking even more golden in this beautiful light. Flushed cheeks and a glistening forehead indicate that he's been working out or training. He's so effortlessly beautiful in every sense of the word.

I offer him a soft smile to say hello, and he gives me one in return. Something about it seems shy but still knowing— this unspoken chemistry between us not needing words. We both feel it enough not to speak of it.

"I keep telling him not to run in here like a lunatic," Birdie narrows her eyes at her little brother when RJ approaches us. "He doesn't know how to listen."

RJ shakes his head. "He's a good kid. Just excitable, that's all."

"That's not the word I would have used," she scoffs jokingly.

"Hey, I know you guys aren't from here and uh, with everything that's gone on the last few days, I just want to make sure our asses are covered. So when you leave practice, either Justin or myself will walk with you guys out to the car," he explains, his normally lighthearted demeanor shifting to a more serious one that I haven't seen before.

Although Justin is on the other side of the gym, I notice him watching us from afar. He probably knows that RJ is telling us this. I wonder if it was his idea.

"That's fair," Birdie shrugs.

"Yeah. Thanks for looking after us," I nod.

"I'm going to have the boys work with some other kids today and do some mock matches if that's alright," RJ hooks his thumb over his shoulder.

"As long as neither of them get a black eye again, I don't care what you do with them," Birdie waves her hand before heading to the bleachers.

I roll my eyes and offer RJ a kind smile. "Thanks, RJ."

Although it takes quite a bit from me, I don't look at Justin as I make my way up the steps. Not because I don't want to, but because I know I need to get myself together a bit before I torture myself again. It's one thing to see him, but to see what he looks like after strenuous movements only makes my mind go filthy. With the intense heat wave that has no end in sight, this only makes me feel hotter.

This has been the hottest week in Linford and Redlake's history. It hasn't gone below eighty degrees at night, and hits upwards of ninety-eight in the afternoons. Rumors of rain this weekend keep us all hopeful as we restlessly wipe the sweat from our necks and foreheads.