: Chapter 3 :

"Ambria! Are you here?" Monica yelled throughout the suite. Walking through darkness she followed the light coming from the bathroom. Only silence answered her as she felt the steam pouring out of the cracked door. "Ambria!" she called out again as she opened the door.

"Huh? What?" Ambria opened her eyes and then shaded them from the bright bathroom light. She sat up, realizing that she must have fallen asleep.

"Are you ok?" Monica replied, relieved to see that she was at least conscious.

"Yeah. I'm fine." she yawned as Monica gave her a towel to cover up from the missing bubbles that have faded from the long amount of time that she was in the tub. "Geez. I look like a dried up prune."

"I was worried about you. I tried calling and you didn't answer then I come over and all I see is darkness."

"I'm sorry. I was so relaxed that I must have fallen asleep." she replied as Monica turned around so that she could get out of the tub and wrap the towel around herself.

"Well, when I left that message about Justin and Britney and I didn't get a call back, I got worried." she said to the door.

"Ok. I'm covered." she announced as Monica turned back around, only to get a shocked expression on her face.

She walked up to her and grabbed her arm. "Why is there blood on your arm?"

Ambria pulled back quickly. "Ow!" she looked at her wrist which was cut open with a small slit.

"What did you do?" Monica asked with a bit of hesitation.

"Uh." she paused. "I don't remember."

Monica leaned over the tub to the other side to grab the loose blade that leaned up by the wall. "You don't remember?" she asked as she showed her the blade.

She took the blade from her and looked at it intently. "No. I don't."

"Well, don't tell me you were trying to shave your arms." she paused and walked to the door. "Put some clothes on. I'll be out in the living room waiting for you to explain to me what that was all about and I help you bandage that up."

"Ok." she said softly as she sighed.

"I'll make some tea." she replied consolingly as she walked out the door.

******

"I really don't remember." Ambria said as she sat on the couch. "I took the blade out of the razor and rubbed it over my wrist. I guess just to see what it would do. But, I don't remember cutting myself."

"So, you were thinking about doing it?" Monica asked as she finished wrapping up her wrist.

Ambria sighed as she ran her hand over her bandaged wrist. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"You don't know much, do you?"

"It's just," she paused. "Work was a bitch today then I hear about this whole thing with Justin and then I pick up the paper and read another bad review about the show." she stopped to take a breath.

"So, you thought that this was the easy way out?"

She looked up quickly in defense. "No. Well, I don't know."

Monica stood up and walked over to the phone. "What is Justin's cell number?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm gonna ask him what that was all about and to tell him that you are upset about it."

Ambria sat up. "Please don't tell him what happened."

"He has a right to know. Now what is the number?"

"I'm sure if he actually cared if I heard about him and Britney, he would have called already."

"Ambria!" Monica exclaimed impatiently.

"Fine." she grumbled and gave her the number.

"It's ringing."

"He's not going to answer."

Monica's face lit up quickly. "Hey Justin. It's Monica."

Ambria got up quickly and ran back into the bathroom, fearing to hear the worst.
"Um, hey, is something wrong?" Justin answered back.

"That's a good question to ask."

"Where is Ambria?"

"Did you know that you and Britney have been plastered all over the TV together?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately. The press has blown that whole thing out of proportion."

"How so?"

"They automatically thought that me and Brit had this secret thing going on again when in fact we were going to this restaurant with a few of her other label associates to go over her new album and a song that we are recording together."
She paused, "And, you think that recording a song with your ex would not look suspicious?"

"Well, we've known each other for so long. We are best friends. I couldn't turn her down when she asked me to be on her album."

"Oh. And, what about Ambria?"

"What about her? I mean, I love her. You know that. The world knows that."

"The world knows that you loved Britney, too. Alot. And maybe still do."

"C'mon. This isn't about that. Me and Brit are in the past."

"And this sudden recording opportunity isn't going to spark that up again?"

"No. It shouldn't and it won't. Like I said, I love Ambria and I am with her now."
"Well you almost didn't have her."

He paused. "What do you mean?"

"I found her in the bathtub. She said she was sleeping but I'm sure she was unconscious. Her wrist was slit open."

"What?!" he exclaimed loudly enough for Monica to pull the phone away from her ear.

"Yea, see, obviously this little trist between you and Britney isn't such a joke to some people."

"Oh my God! Is she okay? Where is she?"

"She's fine now. Luckily I came over to her apartment to check on her. She obviously had a bad day at work and she had read some more bad reviews and on top of that, she watched the news."

"Is she there? Can you put her on?" he sighed softly.

Monica heard a quiver in his voice. She could tell that he was worried. She could almost sense the tears in his eyes. "Yea, she's here. I'll put her on."

After a few moments of phone switching, Ambria finally got to speak with Justin for the first time in almost a day and a half.

"Hello?" she asked shyly as if she never talked to him before.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

"Yeah." she sniffed lightly. "I'm fine."

"You have me so worried. Why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry."

He paused. "You know the press got that whole thing wrong. I was not having any little rendezvous with Brit. We are working on a new song on her album."

"Oh. That must be nice."

"C'mon. You sound like Monica. You know it's strictly business."

"Do I? I didn't see you trying to call me after this leaked out, making sure that I knew the truth."

"I'm sorry, but I have been working with some people who are looking into how this all got out of proportion."

"Yea," she sighed. "I guess."

"You don't believe me?"

"I just don't like this whole thing with you working with Britney."

"Why? What are you afraid of?"

Ambria walked back out to the living room and sat beside Monica who was drinking her tea. "I don't want to lose you, Justin."

She could hear him laugh lightly in the background. "Girl, you know I ain't goin' nowhere."

"Typical line from a song." she rolled her eyes.

"No, seriously. Don't worry about the whole Brit thing. We are in the past. I am with you and I'm going to stay with you."

She sighed. "Okay."

"Hey, we will be in town tomorrow afternoon and then we can get together, you can stay for the show and then we can do whatever afterwards."

"Yes, I know what the plans are. Unfortunately you have to leave the day after and continue on with the tour."

"Well, after that there is only a week and a half left and then I can come back out there with you."

"I can't wait. Your side of the bed has grown very cold."

"I plan to warm it up very soon." he added just as a girl's voice was heard in the background.

"Justin? I was looking all over the place for you."

Ambria sat up. "Who is that?"

He paused. "Hold on." he put his hand over the phone. Ambria heard him talking to someone in the background.

"Justin!" Ambria yelled into the phone, jarring Monica from her slight nap.

"Sorry." he finally replied. "Can I call you back?"

"Who is that?" she asked again.

"Hey Ambria! It's Britney." she yelled from the background.

"Oh God." Justin mumbled into the phone.

"Britney?! What the hell is going on, Justin?"

"Come on Justin, your bunk is getting cold!" Britney again yelled in the background.

"First off, I'm not even going to ask what she is doing in your bus or your bunk. Second, as for meeting you tomorrow, you can hang out with Brit Brit. I'm sure she will have loads of fun with you. And, third, you better go warm up your bunk because of now, your side of the bed here will always stay cold!"

"Wait Ambria. Let me explain."

She didn't wait. His only reply was the click of the telephone.

: Chapter 4 :