I just wanted to say a quick thank you to those who wrote feel better comments in my last chapter. Thank you so much to all of you and I'm happy to say that I am feeling much better :-))
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Bea Ashby:
"What is this?" I ask, picking up the invitation card that was placed on the dinning room table.
It was a creme and gold coloured with designs around the card with its own pocket right next to it. I notice seven huge piles sitting next to it with different names written out on each invitation card.
"Invitations," Jennifer states the obvious, taking the card from me as she places it into a card pocket. "I know that, but for what?"
"Justin's three month stay." Noah replies for me as he reads one of the cards from the pile and Jennifer grabs the invitation from her son with an irritated look on her face. "Please don't touch these." She sighs heavily and Noah backs away from the table. I'm still staring at all the invitations with a slight frown on my face. It's been three months already?
"We are inviting everyone to come see Justin and we'll have cake, food, music and it's just to have a good time. Lots of people are also coming to congratulate your father, Beatrice. For helping this man and bringing him into our home." She explains quickly as she sits back down in front of a pile of invitations and starts to place them into the invitation pockets.
I was a little surprised to hear about this party. My dad did a good job trying to keep Justin away from the public eye and from large crowds, minus the time Noah threw that party, so it was strange to hear that they were inviting others to join us for this.
But three months already? It felt weird. It's only been three months and Justin and I have had made some progress from where we first started off. He's also improved a lot since he's first come here. His english improves everyday and he's learning a little more by each day.
Justin is sitting at the kitchen table writing as usual. He always has his notebook with him.
"What are you doing today?" I ask, slipping into the seat across from him.
Justin just shrugs, looking back down at his notebook. His long hair is falling right in front of his eyes and I watch as he pushes it back. I suddenly get an idea. "Justin?"
He grunts in response, continuing to write. I take his grunt as a 'i'm listening' so I continue. "Would you let me do your hair?"
I'm not sure if he would let, but it was worth a shot. The only time I ever get to touch Justin's hair is if he wants me to tie it back for him.
The man across from me looks back at me with curious eyes. "Bea-" He pauses for a second before correcting himself. "Y-you want to play with hair?" He uses the correct pronouns for the first time and I smile a little.
"Well not play, just style it, I guess. If you'll let me." I shyly look away from him. Sometimes his eyes are too intimidating to look at it. Just the way he holds eye contact gets me all nervous and flushed.
Slowly nodding, Justin stands up and closes the notebook, neatly tucking it under his arm. "Where?" He asks and we head upstairs to his room. Justin sits on the bed with his legs crouched and his arms out in front to keep him balanced.
I fiddled with the elastics on my wrists and go over to his bed, sitting down like I usually would with my legs crossed.
Justin stares at the way I sit, titling his head to the side. He's looking at me as if I did something complexed, as if he's trying to figure out how I got my legs to bend that way and get tucked under the other.
I uncross my legs and show him again how to do it and he looks down at his own legs before dropping onto his butt. I watch as the boy from the jungle attempts to copy my position and laugh lightly when he looks at me in confusion when he hasn't gotten it. "I'll help you."
I scoot over to him and tap his left leg, asking him to lift it. Once he does I cross his legs the way I usually would when I sat like this and move away to his reaction. Sitting across from him with my legs crossed, Justin looks at me in amusement.
"Cool, huh?" I joke and Justin just nods, a little in aw from the new sitting position he's learned.
"Okay, let's get started, yeah?" I crawl behind him and look at him through the mirror that was across from the bed. "C-can I touch your hair?"
Justin nods and I reach out to touch his silky hair. The smell of his shampoo filled my nose as I ran my fingers through his soft hair. He had very nice hair and I could find myself running my fingers through it forever if I could.
I take a peak in the mirror and notice how relax Justin looked. He didn't look as stiff and tough as he usually did so it was nice to see this side of him every now and then.
I pull his hair back and start to braid it into a french braid. I never grew up with any siblings so I didn't have a sister to braid her hair and my mom was never around to teach me or let me do her hair so I had to do it on myself.
And it's not like Noah and I ever got along to do each other's hair. Not like he'd be interested in the first place or even have the long enough hair to do it. Point is, it felt nice to just sit with Justin and do his hair.
I obviously wouldn't do it if he was uncomfortable with it and if he doesn't like it, I'll take it out for him and not do it again. I just thought since he had long hair I might as well style it for him. He's only ever tied it back and did it in a bun once.
When I'm done with his hair, I tie the end of the french braid and smile at him through the mirror. "Looks silly," Justin comments with a grunt as he looks at it in the mirror. His eyes land me on and he eventually smiles, "It's o-okay."
"I'll take it out." I reach to pull on the elastics, Justin stops me before I can. "Don't," He stops me before I can. "K-keep." He mutters, standing up from the bed and I stare at him in shock.
To say dad was confused when Justin came down for tutoring in braids was an understatement. He just looked at me before shaking his head. "I don't want to know anything other than the fact that he allowed you to do this and you aren't just using him like a doll?"
"J-justin-" The man pauses before correcting himself the second time today. "I let her."
Dad and I look at Justin. Dad was a little shocked to see those words come from his mouth. Mostly because he used the right pronouns and replied with grunting. I, on the other hand, just smiled to myself as I turned to get ready to take Milo, my dog, out on a walk.
After returning from the walk with Milo, I was surprised to see Jennifer in my room, patiently tapping her foot with a few seamstresses around her. My room looked completely different with different fabrics around and a tall mirror set up in my room with a small platform in front of it to stand on. "What the heck?" I sputter out in shock.
Jennifer huffs, "There you are! We've been waiting for much too long. Get out of those clothes, it's time to get your dress done."
"Couldn't you have warned me in advance?" I asked, a little annoyed. I wasn't in the mood to have my dress for the event made. I also didn't see why I couldn't have just boughten the dress myself. Jennifer waves me off. "Don't worry, the dress is partially made, we just need to make adjustments and add details. Hurry up now." Jennifer claps her hands when I don't move, "Quick, quick quick!"
Shaking my head, I snap out of my thoughts and get changed so I could do the fitting.
I'm standing on the platform for quite awhile until all the adjustments are made. The dress is very nice and made with white and gold silk fabrics. I was a little curious to see how it would turn out.
"The dress will be ready in time for the party." One seamstress assures Jennifer before leaving my room with the last of the stuff. Jennifer follows behind her and Noah peaks his head into my room.
"Grant is here." Is all he says before ducking out.
"What?" I gasp, standing up right away. Why was Grant here? We didn't have any plans or anything.
Noah peaks his head back in, "He was in the neighbourhood for his cousin's birthday. Holly I think?"
"Helena." I instantly reply, walking out my room.
Noah and I walk downstairs together and I walk over to where Grant stood waiting patiently. "Hey," We both say in unison.
"What are you doing here?" I cut right to the chase. Usually, I would be over the moon to see Grant, but right now I'm just a little tired. Dress fittings always make me a little cranky.
Grant sends me a charming smile. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about. Do you mind if he head out?"
"It's getting kinda dark," I point out. The sun was just starting to set. "How long would we be out?"
"Not long," Grant assures me. "I got you your favourite drink from that cafe. We'll just go for a quick walk." He holds up the drink in his hand.
I perk up from the mention of my favourite drink. "Sure," I give in and Grant smiles, opening the front door to let me out first. He hands me my drink and before jogging over to his car to pull out a drink from his car, closing the door shut before we go for the walk.
"So, how have you been?" Grant asks as we walk around the neighbourhood. I find myself laughing with him about old memories and by the time we reach my house again I kind of wish we didn't. I liked talking to Grant, but on the inside I couldn't help but feel like this was what I wanted at the moment.
Did I want to be in a relationship with Grant?
My mind was flowing with different thoughts, but I was distracted when Grant took my hand and lead us to the garden.
"What are we doing here?" I question, looking around.
My eyes instantly catch Justin standing by the tree, holding his hands behind him, watching us. Oh my god, he sees us.
I know for a fact that Justin does not take a liking in Grant and this worried me a little bit.
The boy in front of me fiddles with the flower he picked up on the way and hands it over to me with a gentle look on his face. "There was something that I wanted to do the night of the dance and I didn't do it so now it's sort of bugging me." He admits.
I take the flower from, looking past Grant. Justin is now watching us with a blank look on his face and I can't seem to read his emotions.
"What was it?" I put my focus back on Grant.
My long time crush stares me for a moment before stepping up to me and leans in to kiss me. "Grant," My hands are instantly out, separating us.
My heart is beating quickly and I instantly see the look of upset and confusion set on Grant's face after he was pushed away.
I look behind Grant and notice Justin is no longer standing where he once was and panic rises inside of me. He doesn't like Grant so I had to stop the kiss before it happened.
"What is it?" Grant looks around to see what I was looking at. I catch Jennifer by the sliding door, minding her own business as she sipped on her coffee, re arranging the invitations in front of her on the table.
"Jennifer," I whisper meekly, lying right to him. I couldn't tell him that I stopped the kiss because of Justin! Grant would think I had feeling for the man when I didn't and I wouldn't want that. This is the second time he's leant in and the kiss hasn't happened. What is wrong with me? I need to stop doing this!
"Oh," Grant chuckles, turning back to look at me with kind eyes. "Sorry," He instantly says, noticing my uneasiness.
I honestly couldn't care any less if Jennifer saw us kiss. I just panicked in the moment because of Justin.
That's when the sidling door opens and Jennifer emerges outside from the indoors, an envelope in hand.
"Grant! How lovely it is to see you." Jennifer smiles, walking over to us. Grant greets her politely, charming her like he would with anyone.
Jennifer hold out the envelop to him. "This is for you. I haven't sent out the invitations yet, but I saw you out here with Beatrice and thought I should do it now. I know you might have already been her plus one, but I thought why not give you a personal invite anyway." Jennifer explains.
Grant takes the invite from her and thanks her politely before looking back at me. "Your plus one, huh?" He slightly smirks and I feel my cheeks heat up. Why did Jennifer have to invite him? I can be such a nervous wreak around him and lately, I've been confused about my feelings for him. Sure, I like Grant... but maybe not as much as before?
Jennifer excuses herself, letting the two of us be alone in the garden and I look down at my feet, tapping them together. "I need to go." Grant checks the time on his phone before pocketing it away.
"I'll see you soon." I tell Grant and we walk together to the front and I watch as he gets into his car with a final wave before pulling out the front driveway.
Sighing, I rush inside and run upstairs, ready to find Justin. My heart beat was quick and I was getting nervous.
When I reach the last step, I head in the direction of our rooms and freeze in my spot when I see something on the floor in front of my door.
Inching closer, my features pull into a sad look when I see small bouquet of hand picked white and purple flowers from our garden, smushed, on the ground.
I gently pick them up and stare at them before looking back to Justin's door. I want to knock on his door, but I was nervous. I know he doesn't like Grant, but he can't just get mad at me every time I talk to the guy! Grant's a close friend and not to much a long time crush.
Gripping the slightly crushed flowers in my hand, I bring them into my room and place them on my desk.
If only I didn't always manage to screw everything up....
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A/N:
Soooooo yeah. This was chapter 19! I know some of you guys really want Justin and Bea to kiss I just feel like it's a little early for them, (you may not see it that way but I do) but don't worry i sense a kiss coming in the near future!!!
I hope you guys enjoyed! I really appreciate all the comments and feedback you guys give me so thanks so much for all the support and I'm so sorry i don't say it enough! You guys are appreciated and I hope you know that! :-)
Sending the love to you all,
-Diana