A week came and went.
Justin has me wrapped up in a safe cocoon every day in his home. Our home. As he calls it.
Honestly, I'm not complaining. I've developed an irrational fear of the unknown, which includes finding out what I used to know. I have an idea of what happened now, but I haven't mustered up the courage yet to speak to anyone besides Justin.
Will has been calling. Blake has been calling. Frank Leigh has been calling. Hundreds of unknown numbers have been calling.
In fact, one of them are calling me right now. I sigh and decline the call.
"Another private number?" Justin mumbles with a mouth full of food.
"Yeah," I nod and pick up my empty plate towards the dishwasher.
"Maybe we should consider getting you a new number, yours must have been leaked if you're receiving so many calls," he mouths and takes another bite of the avocado toast.
"It's not like I use the thing anyway," I comment as I set down my phone on the counter. I walk to the cabinet and take out a two glasses, "You want some OJ?"
"Yes, please."
I should consider getting rid of my phone. From what I understand, it only brought me trouble in the past; and I don't want to speak to anyone else.
When I'm done throwing the now-empty carton in the dustbin, I pick up Justin's glass of juice and hand it to him.
There must have been some spillage to the side, because my fingers can't grip the glass quick enough and it slips right through my fingers.
Countless pieces of glass shatter on the kitchen floor.
I see my bare feet standing in a puddle of yellow liquid and chunks of broken glass and I can't help but feel stuck in the moment.
Where have I seen this before?
"Calista?" I hear Justin's voice and look up to see him look at me with furrowed brows.
I try to say something, but air is all that escapes my mouth. I return the frown and look down again. Glass, so much shattered pieces of glass.
I should get the broom and clean this up.
And then, it hits me in the face like I've collided with a car straight-on.
"Leah?" I hear Justin's worried voice behind me.
I try to wipe the tears, but he already saw them.
"What the hell is going on?" he furrows his brows, opening his arms to hold me.
I stutter, "Just a st- stupid gl- glass!"
"You know I didn't refer to the glass," he mutters.
All the emotions I've been hurdling, bursts into a thousand tears at once. I break down, crying into Justin's warm embrace.
"Leah, talk to me," he begs, bringing my chin up to look at him.
I shake my head, "You won't love me anymore," thinking of all the secrets and lies I've told to keep safe.
"You own my heart, nothing you say can change that," he reassures me, "unless you've cheated on me, then I'd have to kick you out."
I chuckle through the tears, "I would never cheat," I say.
"I know, so why don't you start telling me what you've been keeping from me?"
"My whole life," I whisper.
"I don't understand."
I look at him, biting my tongue. I can't possibly lose anything more than what I already have. I take him by the hand, leaving the mess on the floor behind. I walk up the stairs and drag him to my favorite room - the music room. It calms me.
"You're really worrying me Leah," he admits as he brings my hand up to kiss it, not letting go.
I take a deep breathe, "For starters, my real name is Calista."
"Calista! Look at me!"
I shoot up my eyes to see Justin standing in front of me with a worried face. His hands are cupping my arms and he inspects me up and down, "Are you hurt? Why aren't you responding to my questions?"
I open my mouth and gape, "I, I," I shut it again and look around me.
The broken glass.
It was in the middle of the night. I broke down after hearing that my parents were still not found from none other than Will.
Will.
He was working for Frank Leigh as my secret bodyguard. To give him feedback. He came by that day to apologize, to tell me where he is going.
Justin.
Justin comforted me. I admitted everything to him that night.
We...
I look at him with wide eyes and whisper, "We made love that night for the first time."
"Say what now?"
I look at the floor and then back at him, "The night I broke the glass. We made love. I told you everything about myself. I told you my real name, didn't I?"
In a matter of seconds his confused look disappears and instead is replaced with the widened pupils of realisation. The golden pecks in his eyes play around and then he smiles, "You remember?"
I sigh with relief at the memory. I wasn't making something fictitious up. That was real. That really happened. I can't help but feel the tears streaming down my cheeks and I giggle.
"What else do you remember?" he asks.
"Everything. I remember everything!" I exclaim as images flash before my eyes. Everything from bumping into him in New York, Los Angeles, my boss, Will, the kiss, making love, admitting the truth, my parents, Blake, the gunshot...
I look to him, "I was engaged to Blake, but he," I choke.
"It's alright, take your time. Deep breaths." Justin drags me to him and makes me sit on the barstool at the counter.
I swallow and think, "He said I could be with you. He gave me his blessing. He asked to be friends."
"Yeah?"
"I wanted to call you, come back to you, but then I got shot." I gulp. The painful memory of blood dripping from my core tugged at my heart. I was so sure that it was the end for me.
Justin visibly exhales a breath he was holding and pulls me closer to him in an embrace, "Thank God," he says and kisses my temple, "Thank the heavens," another kiss is planted on my forehead, "Thank anything and everything that made you remember," he whispers in my ear and kisses my neck.
I can feel him give a sigh into my neck as his hot breath travels down my side. He pulls me tighter in for another hug and I let him hold me.
"You still want me?" I ask in a soft voice.
He pulls back and looks at me with disbelief, "Want you? Calista, I need you! I love you so much baby girl, you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. The real question is, do you still want me? Now that you remember?"
It seems I can't control the tears that falls from my face and Justin caresses my cheek with his hand and wipes one away with his thumb.
I close my eyes and breathe.
This is what I want. I want him. I love him.
One sole mission infiltrates my mind and my eyes finds his gaze.
Maybe it's irresponsible to think this way. Ridiculous to think of this of all things. Crazy to let nothing else matter than this moment.
But it's what I want.
I move around him as he follows my gaze that is set upon him until I am directly behind him. My arms wrap around him and move down his chest. I kiss his cheek... jaw... neck.
"What are you doing?" he asks in a deep voice.
That husked croak at the end of his question gives me enough confirmation that he wants this too. So I do what he did to me and nibble on his ear, before my mouth opens and whispers the bravest thing I've ever whispered.
"Let me show you how much I want you."
* * *
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