When The Snow Settles - Justin Bieber Fanfiction

Whispers of Snow

The day had been filled with laughter, like we were kids again, running around in my parents' backyard. Justin and I had spent the entire shift helping customers, joking between the aisles, making fun of each other, and sharing stories like no time had passed at all. It was easy—effortless, even. For those hours, it felt like nothing had changed, like he'd never left Stratford. Like he was just... here.

But deep down, I knew better. As much as I tried to push it away, the truth lingered beneath the surface, always waiting to catch up with me. This would end. He would leave at the end of the month, and I'd lose him all over again. The thought gnawed at me, even as I smiled and laughed with him.

It was almost time to close when the shift in the air came as if the room knew something I didn't. We were mid-laugh, Justin leaning against the desk when his phone buzzed. I saw him glance down at the screen, the playful grin on his face slowly fading. Reality crept in like a shadow cutting through the warmth of the moment.

I watched as his eyes scanned the phone, and I already knew. I didn't have to ask—I knew who it was. Serena. His girlfriend. The thought stung, but I'd gotten good at hiding that.

"I... I need to take this," he said, his voice quieter now, the tone shifting into something more serious. He didn't meet my eyes when he said it. "I'll just be a minute."

I nodded, trying to seem unfazed, even though I could feel the familiar weight settling back into my chest. "Yeah, of course. Go ahead."

Justin hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering to mine as if he wanted to say something more, but instead, he turned and walked outside, the door creaking softly as it closed behind him.

And just like that, reality hit me too. Hard. This was temporary. It had always been temporary. I stood there, frozen for a moment, staring at the spot where he'd been standing, the laughter from just moments ago now replaced with silence.

I waited for him to come back inside. My hands fidgeted with a stack of books on the desk, but my mind was somewhere else entirely, replaying the way his face had changed the moment he saw who was calling. A part of me wanted to brush it off, to pretend it didn't bother me, but it did. It bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

Minutes ticked by, and my shift was coming to an end. The library had emptied out, and still, Justin hadn't come back. I glanced over at the two coffee cups we had shared that morning, the ones he'd surprised me with. The sight of them made my heart sink just a little, like the weight of the day had finally caught up to me. I couldn't help but feel a knot forming in my chest.

With a sigh, I picked up the cups and tossed them into the trash, trying to ignore the tightness in my throat. He wasn't coming back. Maybe something had come up, maybe it was an emergency, or maybe he'd had to leave in a hurry and didn't have the chance to say goodbye. I told myself that over and over, trying to make sense of it.

I grabbed my bag and went through the usual motions of locking up the library, but my heart wasn't in it. I was distracted, the nagging feeling of uncertainty gnawing at me.

Once I stepped outside, the cold winter air hit my face, snapping me back to the moment. I looked around, half-expecting to see Justin waiting by the door, but he wasn't there. The streets were empty, quiet except for the crunch of snow under my boots. He'd left. Just like that.

I tried to shake it off, but it lingered. I locked the doors behind me, shoving the keys into my coat pocket as I headed home, alone, the weight of the day following me with every step.

When I got home, the apartment felt colder than usual, despite the warmth from the crackling fire I'd lit in the small hearth. I hadn't heard from Justin, and I wasn't sure if I should reach out. A part of me wanted to, but something held me back. Maybe it was pride, or maybe it was fear. Either way, I stayed quiet, waiting for a message or a sign, but nothing came.