“Do you think it would be too soon to call him?”she asked Baby who was sitting next to her on the bed.The cat meowed,”Yeah maybe I should wait…hes probably busy anyways”

Then her phone rang,she picked it up,hoping it wasn’t Sean,”Hello?”

“Paris?”

“Justin?”she asked.It couldn’t be

“Yeah its me.Thank God.I thought maybe it was someone else”

“Why would it be?”

“I thought maybe you didn’t give me the right number”

“Why would I do something like that?”she asked

“I dunno,girls these days…anyways I was calling because…um…well what are you doing later on tonight?”he asked her

“Nothing…”she said.This was all still a shock to her.Justin Timberlake was actually calling her and asking what she was doing!

“Maybe…we could do something?”he asked,”Unless your still uncomfortable about the whole thing-“

“No its fine.I would love to do something”she said.She needed to start over. Sean was long gone and she was never going to take him back.And anyways,Justin probably just wanted to be friends.

“Really?Ok…um…how about 7ish?I’ll pick you up?”he asked her

“Pick me up?That means,you’ll need to know where I live”

“Yeah..well I know what your apartment looks like on the outside,and you have seen mine”

Paris smiled,”Ok um do you have a pen and paper?”

“Yeah”

“Ok my apartment is 315 and the apartment complex is on Beachside Avenue. Its called Beachside Apartments”

“Ok,I can figure that out.I will see you at 7 then?”

“Yeah”

“Ok see you later”he said

“Bye”she said.Then she heard him hang up.She hung up and then picked up Baby.”Ahhhh!I have a date!”she said as she jumped up and down with Baby in her arms.Baby didn’t really like that and jumped out of her arms,”Sorry,but can you believe it?”

“PRAISE GOD!”the preacher said on the tv

“Damn right!”she said to the tv,”Ohmygod…what am I gonna wear?”she yelled to herself.”Wait…Im talking to myself…Im going crazy…”she said as she ran to her closet to find an outfit.

__

Paris paced around her apartment.It was almost 7 and shes been ready…for the past few hours.It took her awhile to finally figure out what she wanted to wear. She decided to keep her casual rule,but not wear black since hes already seen her in black.She decided on her dark blue denim jumper with flared bottoms that had a zip-front and a halter neckline.She had a matching denim jacket and black heels.She had little makeup,just black eyeliner and clear lipgloss and her hair was down.

“I hope he gets here alright”she said.Then there was a knock on her door. She squealed and then she covered her mouth,hoping he didn’t hear her.She took a few deep breaths and then opened the door

“Hey”Justin said and flashed a killer smile

“Hi how are you?”she asked and smiled as she let him in.Baby ran in the room and greeted him also with a meow.

“Oh you have a cat?”he said

“Yeah,shes my pride and joy.Her name’s Baby”she said

“Aww shes nice”he said as the cat rubbed itself against his leg,”So this is your humble abode?”

“Yeah,want a tour?”she asked with a smile

“Sure”he said

Paris laughed,”Well this is my kitchen that we are standing in now”she said as she gestured to the whole room,”And if you take six steps this way-“

“One,two,three,four,five,six”Justin said as they walked.

“Now your in my living room/den/working space”she said as she pointed to a couch,a small loveseat,a tv,and a desk with a computer and all its essentials that went with it.

“Nice”he said

“Now if you turn back this way,and retrace those six steps-“

“One,two,three,four,five,six”he said as they walked and they both laughed

“And you take three extra steps to your right,and now your in my master bathroom”she said

“Nice,so this is where you lay your pretty head huh?”he asked

“Um…yeah….my head…it lays here”she said and blushed,”And that’s it”

“Wow,so you can get all around your apartment in less than 30 steps huh?”

“Pretty much…nothing too spectacular”she said

“I like it,its more intimate.I cant get this feeling in my house.I mean you need 50 steps to get out of one room”he said

Paris smiled,”Yeah its alright for me and my cat.Perfect size”she said.”Um we should get going huh?”she said

“Sure”he said

“Ok,oh lemme get my purse”she said as she walked to the living room.Then the phone started to ring,”Let it ring”

“Ok”he said

Then the answering machine came on,”Hey you reached the right person at the wrong time.Leave a message”then there was a beep

“Im not surprised that I got your answering machine…Paris I will keep calling you until you get this straight in your head…I mean it”came a mans voice.Justin frowned.Just then Paris ran into the room and erased the message.It was Sean,he couldn’t hear that message

“Wow someones mad.Whos that?”

“Um…”Paris said as she turned her tv off,”My….cable guy”

“Your cable guy?”

“Yeah Im kinda behind”

“Maybe you need to switch companies”

“I was thinking the same thing…lets go shall we?”she said really fast.She wanted to get out of there now.”Bye Baby”

“Bye Baby”Justin said and they left,”So you’re a cat person?”he asked as she locked her door

“Yeah always been.I like dogs,just not big ones”

“Why?”

“I had a bad experience with a German Sheppard.I had to get stitches”

“Aww poor baby”Justin said as they walked to his Mercedes.”So what dogs do you like then?”

“I always wanted a Yorkie…I think they are so cute.But I don’t know if Baby would get along with one”she said.

“Oh those little dogs that you dress up?”

“Yeah”

“My mom has one of those”he said with a smile.Then he opened the door for her

“Thanks”she said as she got in the car.It was nice on the inside too,”So no one recognized you on your way here?”

“I have what they call tinted windows.And in LA,celebs are always walking around so most people don’t care.I just go on my merry way,pretending I don’t see them”he said as they headed to their destination.On the way they talked about everything from favorite movies and Broadway plays to cartoons.Justin took her to a nice waterside restaurant,one shes never been to because its pretty expensive.

“You haven’t been to New York?”he asked her

“No,nowhere on the east coast,Ive only been on the West Coast actually”she said

“You have to go to New York City once in your life…I mean everyone has to go before they die”

“I bet its nice then”

“No,its beautiful.Its so much different than here in LA”he said.

“Would you like to try the dessert menu?”the waiter asked as he came up to the table

“Do you want dessert Paris?”he asked

“Im sorry but Im afraid I wont be able to fit anymore”she said.She just had the best shrimp alfredo that shes ever tasted

“We’ll pass thank you”he said.The waiter walked away,”I think he was checking you out”

“Who the waiter?”Paris asked.He nodded,”Ugh please hes like 80 years old”

“Hes got good taste at 80 still”Justin said,”So…whats a pretty girl like you…why are you single?”

Paris froze,”Um…well,it ended badly….”she said

“Heres your check sir,would you all like anything else?”the waiter asked

“No we’re fine thank you”Justin said as he looked at the check and took out his wallet.He put the money in the booklet and then put 10 bucks down for a tip.”Lets take a walk”

“Ok”she said.They left the restaurant and they walked along the beach

“Sorry about that”he asked

“Sorry about what?”she asked as they both walked barefoot in the sand

“The whole why are you single thing.I had my nosy moment”he said

“No its fine”she said.She looked at him and for some reason,she felt ok telling him,”His name was Sean”

“Oh?”he said,”What happened?”

“We were dating for about three years,he bought me the apartment that I live in now and we were living together for six months”she said,”Then he cheated on me with some girl at my job….I kicked him out….and its been about a month since that happened”

Justin stopped walking and he pulled on her arm gently,”Im sorry.Why would he do such a thing?”

“Who knows.He told me that he was sexually frustrated but I think theres more to it than that”she said

“Im sorry Paris”

“Don’t be…Im over it”she said.Then she felt a raindrop on her head and soon there were more

“Its raining”he said,”Come on”he said as they ran off the beach and to the parking lot where his car was parked.They got in and started laughing.

“I don’t think Ive ever run so fast”she said with a laugh as the rain poured down on the windshield

“I guess I should take you home huh?”he asked

She didn’t really want to,but she didn’t want him out late,especially when it was raining like this,”I do have work in the morning”

“Oh your 9-5”he said and smiled,”I’ll probably be busy all day tomorrow”he said as he turned on the car,”What are you doing tomorrow night?”he asked

“Um,nothing….why?”

“You wanna do this again tomorrow?Well not the same thing exactly but….”

“Sure”she said with a smile,”It’s a date”she said

__

Paris laid down on her bed and smiled.Tonight was perfect,and she didn’t want it to end.But at least she gets to see him tomorrow.Then the phone rang and it interrupted her thoughts,without thinking,she answered it,”Hello?”

“Its about time you answered the fucking phone”came a voice.It was Sean

“Sean,I am sick and tired of you calling me 16 times a day”

“You had to pick up the phone sometime”he said,”Now,I want to make reservations at-“

“What!?Reservations for what?”

“For us to go out to eat.Paris,its time that we stop acting like children and start being serious”

“Oh and your to talk about being serious!?Who went behind my back and fucked Gabrielle?!”

“It was a mistake”he said

“No Sean its over,and I want you to stop calling here.Just leave me the hell alone.I am moving on with my life and you need to do the same”

“I was afraid you would say that”he sighed,”Well Im afraid that I have no choice”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your right Paris.We both need to move on…Ive been foolish”he said,”I’ll move all the things out of the apartment-“

“Um I threw all of your stuff out remember?”

“Not all of it.That whole goddamn apartment is mine,Im taking what is mine”

“You’re not serious.I don’t belive you”.she said.He wasn’t going to take the apartment away,not while she was still living in it?

“Theres no point in torturing ourselves Paris.You have obviously made your decision.Now I have to do my best to pick up the pieces and move on”.He was acting as though she betrayed him.”What are we going to do about the apartment?”

“Nothing Sean.Your crazy.Your talking a whole bunch of bullshit.I still live here,your trying to make me homeless is that it?”

“You wouldn’t be if you were still with me”

“That’s blackmail and you know it!”she shouted

“Its not blackmail.The apartment is mine,its under my name and I bought it with my own money.You just have the luxury of staying there”

”Im not listening to this,I don’t have to put up with this”

“Don’t you hang up on me!”

“Well I am”

“Fine”he said angrily,”But don’t say I didn’t warn you”he said and then hung up

Paris stared at the phone and then hung it up.She wiped away the tears that almost fell down her face.Sean wouldn’t go through with this.He was just still upset and now he knows what he did was wrong,and he can never have her back.He wouldn’t sell the apartment while she was still in it.She repeated that to herself as she took a shower and went to bed.Even though she tried to convince herself,something inside her was still afraid.

__

Paris and Justin went out the next night to the movies,and they went bowling the night after that,they spent every night together.Paris couldn’t be any happier.Sean stopped calling her so she figured he actually moved on.Francine was still dating Leo,so she was actually being nice to her.They went out to lunch and actually had a decent conversation without fighting.Pierre also was happy,he and Rico have been very happy together,and he didn’t tell anyone her secret.

But everyone started to notice Paris’ good mood.She was more chipper and optimistic.She always had a smile on her face.

“Good morning Chelsea”she said happily as she walked into her office

“What are you doing here?”Chelsea asked her as she followed her into the office

"I work here silly”Paris said happily as she sat down behind her desk

“But its 8;30,your early….for once.Are you feeling alright?”

“Oh Im fine.I realized that I should come here early.Get to work faster so I wont be rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off”

“But Paris,you aren’t a morning person”Chelsea said

“I figured since Memorial Day is coming up…and since that’s a holiday.I figured that I should come in early and get started on the deadline for next week”

“Next week?Your already done with the one due this week?”

“Yeah,the early bird catches the worm correct?”Paris asked,”Cute outfit you got there Chel”

“Thanks”she said with a laugh

“Any messages?”

“No”

“Oh,well if anyone calls,send the calls straight to me”

“Really?You don’t mind?”

“No,I mean I can answer my own calls.Why put you through that?”

“Well what am I supposed to do?”

“Read”Paris said as she dug through her purse

“Read?Read what?”

“This”Paris said as she handed her a book

“’A Perfect Stranger’,a romance novel?"

“Yeah its great.I just finished reading it.Danielle Steele is a genius”Paris said

“Ok…so whos the guy?”Chelsea asked

Paris froze,”Who told you?”she asked.She hoped that Pierre didn’t open his big mouth

“You just did.You just gave it away and I mean you have some glow about you lately.Everyones been noticing it.Your up early,your reading romance novels and Sean hasn’t called at all.Who is he?”

“There is no guy”

“Come on Paris,you cant lie very well”

Paris sighed,actually she was starting to be good at it.Justin still believed that she was a writer.”His name is….Dave”

“Dave…original yet…sexy”

“Yeah”Paris said

“So how did you meet?”

“Um…the Laundromat”

“Wow”

“I mean its nothing serious but…it might be”she said and smiled,thinking of Justin.

“Aww,Im so happy for you.You deserve it more than anyone”Chelsea said

“Thanks”

“I’ll go get your coffee”

“I don’t need it”Paris said with a smile,”You just go and read that”

Chelsea smiled,”He must be really hot if you don’t want your coffee in the morning”she said with a laugh as she left the room

Paris smiled,”Yep hes hot alright”she said to herself.

__

“So,what are you doing for Memorial Day?”Justin asked as he drove

“I don’t know,all I know is that I have the whole day off”she said with a smile.She hasn’t had a day off in awhile

“Wanna spend the day with me?”he asked

“Really?You aren’t sick of me yet?”she asked

“No,I can never get sick of you”he said and winked at her,”You ready to go home or do you wanna go back to my place?”

“Im not ready to go home,so lets go to your place”she said.He smiled at her and drove back to his house.Soon they were seated on his big,plush leather couch and watching The Chappelle Show and drinking wine.

“I got popcorn!”Justin said as he jumped over the back of the couch and sat next to her

“Ooh goody”she said,he put his arm around her,”I love this”she said

“Me too”he said.For the next hour they watched two Chappelle episodes and laughed their asses off,”Chappelle is crazy man.He acts the same way in person too”

“Really?You met him?”

“Yeah,hes a cool guy”

“Wow,you suck.Your so lucky”she said

He turned the tv off and turned on the stereo.”Raspberry Beret”by Prince was on

“Oh!I love this song!I even have a raspberry beret”she said and laughed

“Your such a loser”he said,”Im kidding,but this is one of my favorite Prince songs”

“Yeah you probably have a beret in your room and one of those Prince outfits with the assless pants”she said and laughed

“Yeah baby”Justin said,”Have you ever noticed that Prince dresses like a black Austin Powers?He be wearing some fly suits!”he said and laughed.They laughed some more and got up and danced.They weren’t drunk but wine just made them a little more giggly.Soon that song went off

“That was Prince with ‘Raspberry Beret’,make sure to get tickets to his Musicology tour.He will be performing at the Kodak Theatre on June 15th”the dj said

“I wanna see that”Paris said as she drank some of her wine and put her glass down

“But lets get back to Flashback Friday and heres an old 80’s love song by St.Paul,here is ‘Every Heart Needs A Home’”he said and then the song started to play

“This ones really old”Justin said,”You finished your wine?”

“Yeah I love Arbor Mist”she said and smiled

“Your not drunk are you?”

“Oh no huney,I just get a little giggly and hyper”she said and smiled

“Yeah you have loosened up too”he said,”I notice that your very serious. You act mature for 23”

“I had to grow up fast”she said,remembering back when she was 18 and she came home and found all her stuff packed in bags.

“You’re an adult now huney,start acting like it.Let me know when you find a place to stay”Francine had told her

“Yeah,I cant believe she did that to you”

“Im not surprised.I didn’t call her mother,and she didn’t really act like one either”Paris said,”Hey lets not talk about this…we were having fun”

“Sorry”he said

“Dance with me”she said to him.Justin smiled and put his arms around her waist.She put her arms around his neck and smiled at him as they swayed to the music.

“Im gonna dip you ok?”he said.He turned her around and then dipped her

“Whee!”she said and laughed as he brought her back up,but she was much closer to him.So close she can feel his breath on her lips,then a second after,she felt his lips on hers.

The kiss started slow at first,but then they both kissed each other with a hungered type of passion,like they hadn’t eaten in months.It was all so passionate and fiery,it scared her.She then pulled away

“Im sorry”he said

“Its fine…it was fine…”she said and laughed a little and bit on her lip,which was now swollen from the kiss

“That was…different”he said

“Yeah”she said,she looked at her watch it was after 1.”I should go”

“Ok”he said simply.They both put on their shoes and Justin got his keys and they both left the house.They drove to her apartment in awkward silence

“Well here I am”she said as he walked her to her door,”I had fun”

“Im glad you did”he said,”Good night”

“Good night”she said and turned around and unlocked her door

“Wait”he said

“Yeah?”she asked as she turned to him

“I forgot to tell you….that you look beautiful”

She smiled at him,”Thank you”she said

__