Famous | j.b

twenty

avalyn sparrow

Things felt off for the weeks to come after Justin and I got back. I assumed it was because he was grieving his grandfather and wanted to do it on his own. I gave him the necessary space I thought he needed and let him communicate with me as he felt. Even then, I wanted more. I wanted to see him more often but didn't know if it would seem insensitive of me to want to have fun with him like we usually do.

Elena and I had finished a closing shift and were walking home together when she brought up Justin. I shouldn't have tensed at his name, but I did.

"Have you spoken to Justin recently?" Elena questioned out of nowhere. I looked at her confused. At the start of Justin and I's relationship, she was far more invested. Now she rarely speaks of him because she doesn't see him as Justin Bieber first and my boyfriend second. She now sees him as my boyfriend first.

The last time I had spoken to him was a few mornings ago on my ride to school. I'm supposed to be moving into my apartment this weekend which immediately means being distant from Justin since I can't talk to him about it. We've both slowly been pulling away and it surprisingly hasn't created an issue yet.

"Why?"

"I've just seen a lot of stuff. You told me he's been grieving, but he's been partying quite a bit. Which isn't a problem because I understand that's how some people grieve, but it's been with Julie. They've been spotted at a lot of the same clubs and leaving together too."

It stung hearing this. Knowing he was choosing Julie to help cope other than me did not feel good at all. Of all people, why would he turn to her? Now all I could think of were Julie's words about how I'll never be good enough for him and how he'll always turn back to her. Maybe he's now tired of me.

I knew what she was proposing and I hated it. "Justin wouldn't cheat on me." The confidence in my voice was gone. I meant what I said, he wouldn't cheat. It's Julie I don't trust. I don't even understand why he'd been partying so much. Is this why he's been so distant? I thought I was being smart by giving him space, but I was clearly making a mistake.

I hit the button to cross the street. "I know you have a lot of faith in Justin. But we've talked about this, he's not a relationship guy. He-"

"Please stop," I cut her off, feeling my skin turn cold. I couldn't listen to her because I knew her words were right. I don't extend my trust to everyone and Justin knows that, but I trust him. He would never break it. We've come a long way in our relationship and he wouldn't destroy it like that. "I trust him." I was trying to convince myself more than her.

"Okay," she dropped the topic but the remnants of it still remained. We were now awkwardly walking in silence. I tried getting the thoughts out of my head, but I couldn't.

"Maybe I'll stop by his penthouse to check on him. I know the code to his floor," I suggested because we were going to be passing it anyways. This was a pressing thought I wasn't going to be able to let go of until I saw him. "You can come," I linked arms with her.

We walked into the apartment building and I waved at the receptionist I'm familiar with. Unlike her usual self, she didn't smile. She looked scared. I frowned, entering the elevator. I pressed Justin's floor then punched the code. The nerves were keeping me from seeing straight or breathing straight. I squeezed Elena's hand as we left the elevator.

His penthouse was dark and I couldn't tell if it was because he was asleep or out. The further I walked, the more I noticed the little things out of place. I hadn't been here for two weeks. Thinking about it made me realize I haven't physically seen him in two weeks. Is that normal in relationships?