Written. (JB//Complete)

Chapter 17.

      "What is it?" My head shoots up and I adjust my body to Ryan's full attention, curious with what he's got on his mind.

"Okay, it probably isn't the best idea, and ostensibly you'll despise it, but..."

He looks up at me, raising his eyebrows, and I nod, encouraging him to continue.

"Well, maybe, since he apparently only cares about you for your appearance, what if you could, like, bribe him or something?"

I flinch back, eyebrows crinkled. "What do you mean, bribe?"

He shakes his head. "Never mind, just forget it. It's a completely absurd idea."

"No, no! I want to hear it," I push.

"Okay..." he sighs. "I mean, what if you kind of, flirt with him or something? Like, lure him into your 'feminine trance' and eventually, he just might want to do almost anything for you, including giving you your journal."

"That's ridiculous," I laugh. He throws his arms in the air as if he were telling me 'I told you so.' "Come on, Ryan. You know I wouldn't last ten seconds without freaking out or having an anxiety attack if I attempted flirting with Justin."

"I know."

"And you know he would never want to do anything for me. He doesn't take orders from anyone."

"I know... But just think about it. This whole 'flirting' thing is definitely going to take a vast personality change, don't you think? And that would throw him off, kind of confuse him," he says, elaborating.

"I know, I know. Yeah, that could be one scenario, but another could be that Justin will like that new side of me and that only gives him a bigger advantage to benefit from."

I don't know what Ryan's thinking right now. If he thinks I'm actually going to do this, he's gone mad; he's finally snapped.

"It's a fifty-fifty chance," I counter. "Plus, I said I never want to see him again."

"But, you said, unless he gives you your journal."

"Well then I'll leave that work for him, not for me to try to win it myself."

Now I'm really contemplating if it would be a good idea or not. I wouldn't be able to pull it off, but if I had the skill to, who knows how Justin would react? He's too unpredictable.

"How else would I get my journal?"

He shrugs. "You might just have to wait it out."

Well that's no use. I keep telling myself that I could always start over, create newer, maybe even better stories. But I can't. I can't just throw all that's left in my original book away. That's too much for me.

Ryan yawns and checks the time on his cell phone. I wouldn't doubt he's tired, he probably barely got any sleep on his flight.

"I think I should get going now," he reads my mind.

He gets up, collects his belongings and walks toward the front door. But before he exits, he leaves me with advice.

"Just keep that idea in mind, alright?" Then he's gone.

Justin

I've dug through all my drawers, searched through piles of my clothes, scoped through my closet, and I just can't seem to find my ray bans-I've practically searched everywhere for them. I need those damn things to go out, I never leave the flat without them. Where the fuck are they? Do you know how expensive they were?