The Girl Next Door > jariana (COMPLETED)

forty-one

Justin

I stared at my neatly made bed, picturing rumpled sheets and Ariana as she was in my dream. It was the most sexed out dream I'd ever had. All the pent up desire was getting to me. Distracted by the piles staring at me, I began putting my clothes away. It was just after ten a.m. and I wondered what ever happened to Bobby, but didn't want to call him. Checking my other texts message, there were several from Dump and one from Rachel. I didn't begin to read them, not wanting to feel bad or mad or any bullshit for that matter. It was all over for now. I had to search for a new rhythm guitarist. I decided to put the word out.

Ariana arrived still in her PJ's. She stuck her head in and leaned against the door looking like the girl next door that she was.

"Hey, you," she beamed. "Where's your mom."

I turned holding a finger to my lips. "Shhh...just in case."

I jumped up going to her and we hugged and kissed for a long moment.

Wiping my lips dry with the back of my hand, I needed relief. "Will you please type for me? I need to finish this email about a new guitarist," I said and walked away, sitting on my bed. I was still exhausted.

"I can't believe you're gonna get rid of Mike. Are you sure there's no way to work it out?" She said, sitting in front of the brightly lit screen computer screen.

"No. End of," I said in finality and went into the bathroom.

"Ariana?" My mother's voice poked at my gut through the door.

"Hi. Um, Justin's in the bathroom," Ariana stammered.

"Hey, mom, I'll be out in a minute," I said loudly, frantically finishing up.

"I didn't hear you come in," Pattie said in a questionable tone to Ariana.

She was gonna start in on her. I flushed the toilet and zipped my pants.

"Oh, yeah, I called Justin...." Ariana attempted to explain, but I couldn't have that.

"What's up?" I cut in, breezing through the door swiftly, startling the both of them.

Pattie looked at me sideways, tripping over her words. "I was going to water the plants and I saw your door open. I went to shut it and..." she said, motioning to Ariana.

"She's helping me with emails for Mike's replacement," I said, stepping in between them, wanting to protect Ariana from her impending verbal bullets.

Pattie's eyes narrowed and an incredulous smirk sprouted at the corners of her mouth. "Okay," she replied heading toward the door. "Notting is on the road already. You'll need to be available at around three o'clock."

"Fine," I said coldly. We stared each other down for a long moment. Finally she turned and left without another word.

"Oh my God, she hates me. " Ariana looked at me bowled over.

I wondered that myself. "I don't want her asking questions, backing you into a corner," I offered. "I can't handle her anymore. She needs to find something else to obsess about."

"And that means?" Ariana probed.

"It means that if I keep letting her in, she won't ever leave, she'll just keep asking questions. I just want to have something that's mine, alone."

"I feel weird being here now, should I go?" she wondered.

"No," I said sitting on the bed, looking at her perfect, clean face. "I like when you don't wear make-up."