A Face In The Hall (Justin Timberlake fan fiction)

Chapter 6

Justin smiled and mouthed thank you to the young man behind the counter who was nervously handing the NBA player his change and receipt.  The boy watched him as he walked out of the store, still shocked that he had just sold a pair of sneakers to his idol.

Trace continued to re-iterate to Justin that he wasn't buying the worried son in town to see about his father act, "Your dad doesn't even remember who the hell you are most of the time, so why da fuck you still there?" Trace didn't skip a beat before adding, "Actually, I know exactly why the fuck you're still there."

Justin quickly changed the subject. "You comin’ down for the reunion?"

"If I can get these designs prepped to send off before deadline.  I thought you weren't going to the reunion?"

"I'm not.  I'm about to head over to the hospital to check on my pops' test results and if everything’s cool, I’ll head out tomorrow night...Promised moms I'd spend time with her before I left town."

"You should stay and go to the reunion. I need a wingman. We've got a better chance of comin outta this thing unscathed if we stick together." Trace paused thinking to himself for a moment. "Plus, it might be good for you."

"Nah, I think you're right for once. I'm done this trip down memory lane."

"How is she?"  Trace asked, getting back on topic.

Looking down at a display case of one of the malls vendors, Justin sighed. "Fuckin gorgeous…I mean, you should've seen the look on her face when we bumped into each other. She bolted outta there so quick! And guess who the fuck she’s dating?" Without even giving Trace a chance to answer, Justin exclaimed, "Bobby fuckin Beaumont, man!"

Trace chuckled as he friend continued to update him on the events of what happened after his arrival back in Boone.  "...I'm pushing my luck wantin her to have coffee with me. Especially after last night. I'm sure she can't stand me now."

"Did she tell you no?" Trace asked.

"She said she'd think about it."

"Well it wasn't a no.  If she didn't give a shit, she wouldn't have stayed with you all night, Bro."

"I heard her crying this morning…Even if she says no to catching up, I want to at least make up for the fool I made outta myself last night."

"So come to the reunion and make up for it then! You ain't leaving anytime soon and you don't have shit else to do till you find out about your knee, JT."

"I'm leaving." Justin replied emphatically, more to convince himself than Trace.

"Bullshit!  No you're not." Trace snickered. "You ain't goin nowhere now that you've seen Cherish!"

Justin stood there silently thinking to himself when he heard Trace laugh on the other end of the line, "So I'll see you next Thursday, right?"

"Trace, I'm not staying. Two more days and I'm done with this town."

"Put your money where your mouth is, JT. I bet you a cool grand that your lovestoned ass will still be there when I get there next Thursday."

"That's an easy grand I'm willing to take from you, son!" Justin quipped.

"Alright…Bet." Trace said before telling Justin he had to head out to a meeting. "I'll see you next Thursday, homeboy!"

On his way back through town, Justin decided to grab some groceries before returning to his father's house to finish washing his soiled clothes and sheets from the night before. As he pulled into the parking lot, he spotted Cherish struggling to help Mrs. Sawyer down the road and carry grocery bags at the same time. He grabbed the black and white checked bag from the passenger seat and sprinted over to them, taking a bag from the old woman's arm. "Here, lemme help you with that, Mrs. Sawyer."