A Long Time Coming

Chapter Twenty Three

JUSTIN'S POV

After everyone was done talking and laughing and eating, I excused myself. I need to talk to Liv and clear things up with E!.

"I need to make a few phone calls." I stood up from the table and made my way to my room.

I took my phone out and went to call Liv, but I realized I don't have her number. I sighed. I twiddled my thumbs trying to figure out how to get her number. I logged into twitter, mentally belittling myself for not thinking of this right away, and DMed her. "We need to talk. Can I call you?" I was really impatient waiting for a reply so I just paced until I heard my phone.

I ran over to my bed and took her number down. I called her immediately.

"Hi, Liv? It's Justin." I calmed down a little after I heard her voice.

"Yeah... we should talk about what E! News is saying. Have you heard it?" I scratched my head, hoping she didn't get too freaked out.

"Okay. So I can either call them or just let them run the story. You can choose. It's your privacy they're invading." I felt bad for her. She's been put into the public eye because of me. I let her ramble for a while before an idea came to me. I've been thinking about how I could do this since we met and I think I finally have a way.

"Or... you know... we could always make the story true. Not the part about you cheating, but the part about us?" I winced at the thought of her reaction. I just asked her out.

"Yeah... I guess I am. I know we don't have the best odds, but I just want to try." I let out the breath I was holding and smiled to myself. "Okay! We can confront them as soon as you want." I couldn't stop smiling; she makes me so happy.

"Okay. We'll talk soon. Bye, Liv." I hung up and jumped onto my bed. I closed my eyes and thought about her... about us.

I was going to call E!, but decided to wait until Liv and I could do it together or talk more about it. I got off my bed and went out to where the rest of the family was. While I was in my room, Scooter had come home.

"Why are you so happy?" He asked while pulling me into a side hug.

"You know... stuff." I wanted to play it cool until we came out publically. I decided to change the subject. "How was LA and your flight?" We took a seat on the couch.

"Good, everything went really well. Now that the tour is almost over, I'm assuming we'll be heading back to that area fairly soon, right?" He was messing around on his phone, probably organizing meetings and stuff already.

"That's the plan. Listen, Scoot..." I wanted to tell him about E! News before he saw it himself and took it the wrong way.

"I already saw it. Don't worry, I talked to them and cleared it all up." Still not looking up from his phone, he blew it off as if it was no big deal.

"You, uh, you did?" I pulled my hand through my hair, trying to conceal my worried face. Why would he do that without talking to me first?

I got on my phone and texted Liv. "Turns out Scooter talked to E! and 'cleared things up' which I don't know what that means, but it may make things a little more difficult." I sent it and then forgot about it until later that evening when she replied.

"Sorry I'm just getting back-- parent stuff. What do you mean?" I smiled at the cuteness of the thought of her getting in trouble.

"Nevermind, it'll be okay. Don't worry about it. Have a good night. (:" I didn't want her to get nervous and anxious and then back out. Then it dawned upon me... what she said when we first started talking.