: Chapter 4 :

The phone continued to ring the rest of the night. She layed silently for hours as she cried into her pillow. She had turned off the answering machine so that she wouldnt have to hear his voice echo through the suite. She knew he would come around tomorrow. She didn't know really what to expect. She looked at her bandaged arm and sighed.

"Once the media finds out about this and puts two and two together, he will be happy that I ended it." she thought to herself as she lay in darkness. "At least he is with someone now that isn't crazy."

Her thoughts were broken when the phone started to ring again. "Just give up! I'm not answering!" she yelled outloud as she put a pillow over her head.

But, this time the phone kept ringing. It didnt stop after five rings like before. This time it kept going. Five, ten, Fifteen.

"Ugggh!" she exclaimed as she stomped her way back out into the living room and finally picked up the phone. "What?!" she yelled into it.

All she received was silence but she could definately hear someone on the other end.

"If you're not gonna talk then stop calling here!" she yelled and was about to hang up when someone finally answered.

"Wait! Sorry."

"Who's this?" she asked, puzzled.

"It's JC."

"Oh. Okay. Why are you calling me?" she asked as she sleepishly walked back to her room.

"Because I can't sleep."

She smirked to herself. "Well then that makes two of us. I could get to sleep if this phone would stop ringing!"

"Don't yell at me. This is the first time I've tried to call. Must have been Justin before."

"So, what do you want with me at 1:30 in the morning?" she asked bluntly.

"I think we are almost in California."

"JC?" she sighed. "What do you want?"

"I'm sick of hearing Justin cry."

She sat down on her bed. "What? He's crying?"

JC paused for a second almost as if he was checking to see if anyone could hear him. "Well not like a baby, but, he is just whining. I mean he should be asleep by now. And come on, would you think he would be able to keep someone like me awake?"

"It's that bad?" she winced.

"You ripped his heart out with a spoon."

"Me?!" she almost jumped up. "He is the one sleeping around with Britney behind my back."

"You didn't even give him a chance to explain."

"Explain what? That he loves me but he was too lonely on the road and he needed some ass from the first person he knew would give it to him?"

"That's harsh."

"But, it's the truth."

"Actually, to tell you the truth, I don't know what is going on with him and Britney personally. But, when you were talking to him on the phone earlier and you heard Britney, she wasn't in the bus for awhile. She just showed up to confirm a few things about her album before we left and I guess it was bad timing."

"Well, she sure has a way of saying things to get me pissed off."

"Like what?"

"I don't really remember all of it, I was really mad. She said something that he better get to bed because his bunk was getting cold. Almost like she was keeping it warm for him."

"Actually she just came into the bus like a minute before she said that."

"Then why did she say it?"

"Because she is jealous."

"Jealous of what?" she asked as she got comfortable under the blankets again.

"Of you. Whadya think?"

"So," she thought for a second. "Then you don't think anything is going on between them then?"

"Well if there was, then she wouldn't be jealous now would she?"

"I don't know what to think right now. I don't even think I could even talk to him."

JC paused as another voice was heard in the background. "Well you better think of something because he wants to talk to you."

Ambria sat up quickly. "No! Not yet. I don't know what to say!"

There was a bit of phone scuffling in the background and then it was quiet again. She sat impatiently, not knowing who was going to answer.

"Ambria?" his voice quivered as if heartbroken.

She knew who it was. Everytime she heard his voice, it echoed in her heart like an earthquake. This time she was the one not talking. The sadness in his voice made her stomach do flip-flops. She couldn't bear him hurting. But, she wasn't ready to talk to him yet, either.

"Please talk to me." he sighed heavily as if he were going to cry.

The tears were forming in her eyes. "I won't let you do this to me!" she yelled in her mind to herself.

"Ambria," he paused shortly. "I love you."

A tear fell from her eye as she hit the button, ending the call. With a fresh mind then maybe she could talk to him tomorrow.

The phone rang again as she held it in her hand. She pushed the button and then hit it again. Picking it up and then turning it off quickly, she ended the call again before it began.

She hit the talk button one more time, taking it off the hook. She sullenly put the phone on the night stand beside her bed. She wanted to talk to him so bad, but she didn't want to say anything else to hurt him. She had already done enough.

She layed her head back down on the soft pillow almost drifting off as she hit it. She quickly fell asleep to the sounds of the operator telling her to hang up the phone.

******

The morning came quickly and work called early. She would have a short work day, only to finish the scenes that she didn't complete the day before, leaving the rest of her afternoon open.

She knew that Justin would be in town by lunchtime and that he would be looking for her everywhere. She only hoped that today was going to be a good day so that she could look at things in a clearer perspective.

But, things changed after she finished work. Justin didn't come around and for some reason, JC called her for lunch at a nearby cafe.

"So...why did you want to meet me here?" she started.

He looked down into his coffee before answering as if pondering the right thing to say. He looked up slowly and sighed. "I need to tell you that a few things have changed."

A strange look appeared on her face. "Like what?"

"Like about Justin and what we talked about last night."

"Ok?"

"Well you haven't seen Justin at all today yet have you?"

She readjusted herself on the seat. "Actually, no, I haven't. Is everything ok?"

"Well, it all depends on how you look at it."

"Would you just spit it out?" she exclaimed as she started to get impatient.

"Ok! Ok!" he paused. "Britney showed up at the hotel this morning. He has been with her all day."

Ambria's mouth dropped when what he said actually sunk in. "Are you serious? I thought there was nothing going on between them?"

"That's what I thought, too. I mean, he sat up all night because he was upset. I don't know what happened."

Ambria's head dropped in sadness. Her smile had become an obvious frown. Her eyes became glassy. "He told me that he loved me last night."

"I'm sure he does. But, I don't know what he is trying to do with her here."

"Is he trying to make me jealous?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't try to hurt you like that."

She looked back up at him as he stared intently at her. "I wouldn't blame him though. I hurt him alot."

"Well, I think he is just lonely and he turned to her for comfort."

"Yeah, I'm sure he turned to her for more than that."

"Well, I don't have any proof of that so I can't tell you for sure." he added as he stirred his coffee around with his spoon.

"Well, come on, if he wanted some comfort he could of turned to one of you guys. You are all practically brothers."

"True." he bluntly replied.

"I need to talk to him. I need to find out what is going on."

"Well, we have to be at the venue around three for sound check if you want to come around then."

"I guess that's what I'll have to do then. I just wish I knew what this was all about with Britney."

"She'll probably be there too so you can ask her."

"You know, this really makes me mad. I don't know how he can say he loves me and that he doesn't want to be with anyone else but me and then turn around and hang out with his ex."

JC pushed his empty cup away and leaned into the table. "I don't think he knows what he is doing right now. I think it's best if you talk to him and get this straightened out."

"And what if he does know what he is doing and he does want to be with Britney again?"

"Well, I think that is something that you two have to figure out. As for right now, I have to get going. Gotta finish some things before sound check."

"Oh. Ok." she quickly replied as she stood up with him. "Well, thanks for meeting me here and letting me know everything."

"No problem." he leaned in and hugged her. "I feel like matchmaker for some reason. I just want everything to be okay with you two."

She smiled a little before turning away. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Ok. Bye!" he replied as he jumped into an SUV and sped away.

Ambria walked a few feet down to a newsstand on the corner. She looked through the day's papers when she came across a tabloid paper with Justin and Britney's face plastered on the front of it. There was a picture of them holding hands as they walked up the steps to Britney's new house. It read, 'Superstar couple secretly in love again?' written in huge yellow letters across the front.

Ambria scowled a few words under her breath as she threw the paper back down on the stand and stomped away to her car around the corner.

******

Two hours later, she pulled up to the venue. Hundreds of girls were hanging around the gates trying to get their first glimpses of the guys during their sound check. The sounds of Justin's voice was loudly heard throughout the parking area. Ambria sat in her car for a few moments, listening to the sweet sounds that were coming out of his mouth. This time, it seemed like she were merely a fan, obsessed with a voice of someone she could never touch.

She sighed to herself, he was now someone that she didn't even know. She wondered if he would be someone that she would never touch again. She opened her glove compartment, grabbed her all-access pass, and hung it around her neck. She looked down at it and hoped that it wouldnt be the last time she wore it. She hoped she wouldnt have to return it one last time. The fear of that reality though was outweighing any positive thoughts.

She got out of her car and walked across the parking lot. A few young girls noticed her badge and quickly ran up and started asking her for it. She smiled and politely said 'no' as security let her in through the gates.

"Well hello Miss Ambria!" Lonnie called to her from behind the stage.

"Hey!" she replied as she quickly walked up and hugged him.

"It's good to see you again."

"Yeah well if only everyone thought the way you do."

Lonnie looked away and quieted his voice. "I heard you two aren't doing too good."

"And I heard that Britney was here." she replied as she looked around the venue.

"Yeah, I think she is somewhere around."

Ambria sighed. "I thought she was busy with her album and stuff. Why is she here?"

"Well, I think Justin confided in her when they were in Arizona. He's really upset about the whole thing."

"I'm sure." she quickly replied with a bit of sarcasm.

"What are you talking about?" he shook his head.

"I heard there was more going on between them than just her supporting him because he feels like shit."

Lonnie turned towards the stage and started walking. Ambria followed as the sounds of the guys' voices were still heard around the other side.

"To tell you the truth, I haven't seen them together like that and I am with them mostly 24-7."

"He didn't need Britney. He has four other brothers that he could talk to."

"Maybe he wanted a girl's opinion about everything."

She stopped and looked at him. "And he couldn't have just called her for that?"

He just shrugged his shoulders as she walked up the metal steps to the stage. She could see him through the curtains. He was laughing and running around on the stage with the guys. He didn't seem sad to her. He kept turning around to look at someone. She thought that he saw her, but, he didn't. He wasn't looking at her. She decided to walk out and finally meet him face to face for the first time in three months.

She moved the curtains away and walked around the bands instruments when she almost ran right into Britney. She was sitting on a stool near the drum set and almost fell off when she noticed Ambria behind her.

"Ambria?" Britney exclaimed as she stood up quickly.

Ambria just glared at her with a menacing look as Justin turned around. They met eye contact immediately like two people that haven't seen each other in years. He then looked at Britney and realized that the whole situation had become instantly tense and uncomfortable.

"Uh, hi." he said, not knowing really what to say.

"We need to talk." she replied sternly.

"Oh, yeah, sure." he added as the other guys took a hint and quickly walked offstage.

Ambria looked over at Britney who was still standing there. "Has your blonde hair impared your hearing or do I have to kick your ass out of here?"

"Yeah, whatever!" she exclaimed with an attitude as she flipped her hair and walked away.

"That was really rude!" Justin yelled.

"No, this whole thing you are trying to pull with her is rude!"

He walked closer to her. "What thing?"

"The whole 'I'm lonely so come with me on tour' thing."

"That's not how it is."

"Oh yeah? Well first I hear about you two being seen everywhere together, then she is in your bus while I'm talking to you on your phone. To top it all off, I'm seeing your faces plastered on every God damn magazine and then I find out that she is out here with you. So, you explain to me that it isn't what it looks like!"

"You have this way out of proportion!" he walked a little more closer.

"The proof is all there."

"No," he grabbed her hands and held them. "The truth is that I love you and I would never do anything to hurt you."

Ambria put her head down and stood quietly for a second before replying. "I don't know how you thought that hanging out with your ex would not be hurting me."

Justin sighed. "Well, I figured that if you loved me that you would trust me."

Ambria looked back up at him and softly replied, "I do love you."

"That's what I wanted to hear." Justin smiled.

"But, I love you." Britney interrupted as she sullenly walked her way back towards them. "You wanted to hear that from me too."

Ambria ripped her hands out of Justin's and backed away as her menacing look returned to her face.

"What are you talking about?" Justin denied.

"Yeah, tell us what your talking about!" Ambria exclaimed as she became face to face with Britney. They were close enough to feel each other's breaths on their faces.

Britney shoved her away and quickly replied. "You took him away from me before. You aren't taking him away again!"

Ambria shook off the shove that sent her a few feet back. "And thats what you think!" she answered back with a confident grin and charged towards her.

: Chapter 5 :