The Girl Next Door > jariana (COMPLETED)

twenty-four

Justin

My dreams were so vivid. They had me feeling like I hadn't fallen back to sleep and that Ariana never left my side. I was inspired by all the new energy coursing through me. I decided I wanted to change things up a bit with the music. What would the guys say when I told them I wanted to write a couple of love songs? The thought made me laugh. They would think I was the gayest ever, that's what they'd think. Fuck 'em, if they didn't like it, they could walk. It's not like I wanted to sing an R&B ballad. Getting up I paced around. I picked up my phone, thinking about dialing Notting's number. I really needed someone to talk to, someone that wasn't my mother.

After four rings, Notting finally answered. "Hello, Son."

"Hey Not, um, do you have some time to talk?" I hedged, unsure if I should involve him, now wishing I hadn't called.

"Of course," he said. "Shoot."

"Are you gonna be at practice today?" I said, deciding not to say anything.

"Not unless you want me to be, why?"

"Oh, it's nothing, never mind. It isn't a big deal."

"Justin, when was the last time you've asked if I'd be there? And you want me to believe something important isn't on your mind?" He responded, paternally.

I sighed, Notting knew me too well.

"I wanna try something new with the music. I mean, not a huge departure, I suppose."

"What do your mates think?"

"I played the song for them and they liked it, for the most part," I offered.

"That's good news...and I suppose this has to do with the girl your mother told me has been coming over?"

Zing – I didn't realize my mom had been on to Ariana and I. My heartbeat speed up. This must be what happens with lie-detector tests.

I couldn't lie to him. Why? Facts were the facts. "It has everything to do with her. Her name is Ariana, by the way," I admitted, truthfully. "I've never been more inspired by anything, let alone by any one person."

My heart raced faster with this admission. I wished Notting were sitting in front of my face instead of on the phone.

"I see. We can meet before practice, see you soon."

I turned, facing my guitar and fragmented lyrics popped in my head. I grabbed my guitar and a note pad. The melody flowed, along with the words, from my mind out through my fingers tips with ease. Clarity was instantaneous. Each feeling, emotion and vision I've had of Ariana over the last week appeared in hard form in front of my eyes. Thoughts whipped around, images of our younger years ran past my minds-eye. Her innocence, she was like a blank canvas, just opened and new – dreams of you – that's what I was doing, dreaming of that first moment. Those few words echoed back at me. I'll wait for you - I would have to. I had no choice. The human side of me wanted to just go for it, and Ariana's willingness to allow me to have my way, made it that much harder to think of anything else. I sat writing one-liners and kept thinking back to the way she looked at the party. I wished she didn't have to leave.

I could hear my mother clinking around in the kitchen as I walked out of my room.

"Justin," my mother called out.

"Yeah," I responded trying my best to look relaxed as I walked in.

She was cutting a Cantaloupe and the brewing coffee aroma wafting through the air caught my attention. I grabbed a large white mug out of the dish rack. I slowly poured the hot black liquid into my cup and locked in on the swirling steam as it rose in every direction. That's how I felt last night, hot and out of control.