artist | bieber

T H I R T Y - S I X | C R O U T O N

T H I R T Y - S I X
C R O U T O N

The car ride was too quiet for my liking.

I wanted to explode and ask him why he loved me. I wanted to tell him that I wish I felt the same way. Most importantly, I wanted to hear him say it again. It wasn't like I hadn't been in a relationship before. I have had my fair share of boyfriends but none of them lasted too long and I would start questioning the relationship by the second week. "Talk to me." My eyes were anywhere but him.

We'd been in the parking lot for a minute at least, the restaurant packed which is probably why he couldn't wait another second to hear something from me.

"I love you, I said it and I mean it. I knew I was falling for you the day that we went out to dinner with your mom. It was when you were talking about the studio with her. You were so passionate about it and I could tell that you were stressed, you had been in there for two weeks straight just making it look like your idea of perfect. The way you talked about it .. that's the way I talk about you. Our relationship isn't like a fucking fairytale. I didn't think I had a chance with a girl like you.

You're so strong and independent, and it drives me crazy because I want to provide for you. I want to be there for you from dusk till dawn. You don't care about shit and you don't take anyones shit because you know that at the end of the day, the only person that's there for you is yourself. You're also so beautiful, it's a fucking wonder how you weren't with someone when we met. You bring out this side of me that only one person has before but you took it out in less than two weeks when it took them months to see it."

I didn't realize until I scratched at my cheek that I was crying. "I-I," I stuttered whatever had come out, not trying to fully form an actual sentence. "Justin."

"You don't have to say it back. I don't care if you say it now or next year, as long as I have you. I love you, I know you will at one point and that I'm not letting you go." A smile formed on my lips, my hand reaching out to his face and caressing it. "I don't love you, and that sounds terrible coming out. Doesn't it? But I know that I'm falling in love with you. You're the only guy who I've felt this way about and I don't show it because of the things that I've been through. But I know that I'll be able to tell you it soon."

The tears continued to fall freely and I didn't do anything to stop them. I knew they were tears of happiness, because it was all true. "You're falling in love with me," he grins, taking my hand off of his cheeks and putting his on mine.
"That's enough for me." His lips pressed against mine and instantly I kissed back, but it didn't feel like a normal kiss.

It wasn't one of those kisses where you're just kissing because you want to. It wasn't from desperation or lust, it was passion. "I'll never get tired of doing that." He mumbled against my lips, leaning in once more.

My eyes fluttered as I pulled back, the back of my hand wiping away the tears that had finally stopped. "Come on, Scooter might think we ditched him." I pointed out while I gripped the door handle with my hand. "Can we?"

Picking at the small salad in front of me, I listened to Scooter who was going on about how excited he was to have Justin go to Los Angeles. "You're gonna have Michael with you at all times, from the moment you step foot on the airport here to the moment you come back. I'm not risking anything, especially for you Catherine."

"Scooter, it's fine. I told Justin to tell you that we don't need a bodyguard. I appreciate it but it just seems so excessive." I protest, picking at the crouton in the salad while talking to him. "I still think it's a need. I don't know if Justin told you but I told him not to visit your home much."

"He only said that because I told him I would be there all the time. No one is going to know that you live in Coral Gables, I'll make sure of it. It's the reason why I have –"

"Did you uber here? Don't say it's the reason when you haven't even followed my instructions." I could see Justin roll his eyes from the corner of my eyes, my hand instinctively going to his to get him to behave. "Don't roll your eyes. Catherine, you get where I'm coming from?"

"Of course I do." I pause, looking down at the salad to see Justins hand picking up my crouton and put it in his mouth.
"You didn't. You really just — Justin."

"What? I ate all of mine, they're so good."

"Mhm." I hummed, looking back at Scooter who was waiting for me to finish my previous sentence. "Like I was saying, I do understand but it's going take a lot more to get him to listen to either of us."

"Maybe we can get his mom to convince him if anything. Just to make things clear though, security will be definite in Los Angeles. Neither of you can change my mind."

"Understood." The two of us mumbled in unison, Justin smirking and picking at my croutons once again. "You're unbelievable." I gasped, quickly taking the one he had in his fingers. "They're good, sorry."