Conflicts of Interest: A Justin Fanfiction Saga

Chapter Six: Crossroads

He happened to glance up as he passed the left-hand trailer and stopped short.

Madeline was in the window, eyes closed, dancing to a slow hip-hop beat he could only partially hear through the walls.

I thought she didn't dance.

There was a freedom in her step he hadn't seen before, as if she'd shed her cool, high-strung exterior at the door and was letting loose in her own college-girl sanctuary.

Could this be the same sardonic, cynical person? he wondered as he saw her groove around the room. It was so un-Madeline, or so he'd thought. Comical, definitely ironic and highly entertaining.

Justin was fascinated, watching her movements, graceful and natural as she moved her arms about and sang along to the words. The way she tossed her head.

This was most assuredly not the intelligent but severe woman he met six days ago. Yesterday he'd seen more color to her personality; now she actually seemed herself. He saw that as layers disappeared, the character underneath seemed to fit more comfortably than her previous masks. And just as her impressions of him were misconceived, his perspective of her had altered as well.

A secret smile tugged on his lips.

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I sit and think about everything we do / And I find myself in misery and that ain't cool / Hey now, I really wanna be with you the whole way through / Cause the way you make me feel inside keeps me confused

As I swing back from mood to mood it's not because of you / I never want you to be insecure / So won't you understand that I'm only in love / You're the only one I need / I'll be there for you when you need me boy / Baby don't you leave

Just one of dem days / That a girl goes through / When I'm angry inside / Don't wanna take it out on you

Just one of dem days / Don't take it personal / I just wanna be all alone / And you think I treat you wrong / Don't take it personal

--"Don't Take it Personal," Monica

Madeline laughed at herself in the mirror, as the stress of her load slowly melting off her shoulders.

The song belted as she moved in short, jerky steps about the room. I could be singing this to Justin, she thought gloomily, when the bomb drops on him.

She had turned her back from the mirror. Now whirling to face it again, she gasped. He had materialized five feet behind her, hands in his pockets and an amused grin on his face.

She stopped moving altogether, hands dropping to her sides. He's gonna laugh, she thought murkily. How humiliating. She moved to turn off the radio.

Justin prevented her by walking closer and dancing so comically that Madeline began to laugh. It was just what he wanted to hear. He wriggled and shook to her amusement, then held out his hand.

She hesitated for a second, then took it and let him spin her around, then began to mimic his comic steps. Finally, he moved behind her as they grooved in unison; left, left, right, right. Even though she didn't see his face, she'd turn her head once in a while and glance in his direction. Their bodies stayed a safe distance apart, but without words their strengthened bond was now obvious.

On one of her turns, she looked straight at him and smiled. At him.

Justin's heart skipped a beat.

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