As Long as there is Love-Chapter 19
“Nina?” Justin followed her into the kitchen, which she quickly exited once he entered.
“Would you wait a damn minute?” She ignored his frustrating words going into the living room.
“Nina-”
“Hold up. What the hell did ya do to my sister?”
Ronnie had pushed him back allowing Nina to get away. Justin watched her run upstairs before focusing on Ronnie. They had left her upstairs, yet now she appeared before him out of nowhere.
“I didn’t do anything to your sister.”
“Then why is she crying?”
“Ronnie I’m not going to talk to you about this.” Justin almost whined.
Ronnie laughed. “Why not? Ya scared?”
“Yes.”
Ronnie released another laugh. “Ooh some honesty. Now, tell me what happened.” She pushed him hard enough for him to fall back onto the couch.
“Nope news travels too fast.”
“Oh so it’s either something you don’t want the media to know or you don’t want ya fiancée to know?” Justin remained silent.
“I’m guessing it’s the latter. So I’m going to ask you again, what did ya do to my sister…and I’m talking about Nina.”
“I know who you’re talking about.” Justin rolled his eyes as she sat beside him.
“Well, you were acting so dumb before.”
“Whatever.”
“Justin I want you to leave.” Their heads turned simultaneously to see Nina leaning against the banister.
Justin rushed to his feet. “Nina I-”
“No, don’t wanna hear it.”
“Nina, come on be rational.”
“No Justin you can’t just go around kissing people when you feel like it.”
“Kiss? What!” Ronnie was so shocked by what she had just heard that she would’ve jumped up from her seat if she could have.
“But you’re not just people Nina.” Justin added before walking out and shutting the door behind him.
Ronnie rushed over to the stairs where her sister was now sitting. “Okay what the hell is going on? I heard people and kissing. If I put two and two together, you and Justin are the people and y’all were kissing?” Nina nodded.
“And you put him out before I had a chance to cuss him out!”
Nina sighed. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll handle it.” She didn’t know how, but she would.
“Okay you’ll handle it. I just wanna know what kind of game he is playing. What is he doing kissing you when he has a loving fiancée at home?”
“I don’t know.” Those were questions that she was afraid to hear the answer to whether it was the truth or a lie.
“I didn’t see it coming--okay that’s a lie, I did. I saw it before it happened—damn he should’ve never been in my room.” Nina allowed her eyes to fill with frustrated tears once again as she raked her fingers through her hair.
Ronnie wrapped her sister in her arms. “It ain’t ya fault.”
“But I kissed him back!” Nina cried into her hands.
“And? We both know you weren’t playing any games, can’t say the same for him though. He shouldn’t be all up in your face anyway. He already has someone to go home to, you don’t.”
“Gee thanks Ronnie”
“Mmm hmm just keeping it real. And I’ma keep it real rude next time I see him…that’ll teach him to play with ya heart.”
Nina sighed. So much for letting her handle it.
~*~*~*~*~
Justin placed his keys and cell phone on the nightstand before allowing the bed to shift under his weight. Without turning around to look at her, he could feel Michelle waking up. He could sense the words she was about to say before she opened her mouth and he didn’t want to hear them.
“Shelly, go back to bed.” He whispered.
“But I was waiting up for you. What took you so long?”
“I was driving slow.” Justin uttered while removing his shoes. He tossed them aside and rolled under the comforter.
“Oh.” Michelle wiped her eyes and pushed herself up. She supported her head on her bent elbow. “I want to talk to you.”
“About what?” Justin snuggled into his pillow. He didn’t feel like talking.
“Our argument on the phone.”
“Let’s just drop it, okay?”
“But Justin-”
“We can put it behind us Michelle.”
“Oh yeah like everything else.” After hearing her words, Justin finally faced her, yet she had already turned away from him.
“What does that mean?” Justin asked but she told him to forget she had said anything.
“No. I want to know what you mean.” He grasped her shoulder rolling her towards him.
“You never want to talk out your problems, especially with the person you have a problem with.” Then her back met him again.
Justin sighed, not this again. Michelle hadn’t said the exact words but he knew they held the same meaning. Just like Nina, she believed that he was giving up; unwilling to work out his issues until there weren’t any issues left to work out. And in a blink of the eye their relationship would be over and he would later wonder what went wrong between them.
That was exactly what happened between him and Nina. Their relationship had ended before either of them had realized it was heading in that direction. And Michelle had been right about him sharing his feelings with the wrong person. He had never once called Nina to ask her what was happening between them. He had sought comfort and closure from Michelle instead. And he had done it again. He didn’t come to Michelle. He went to Nina, right into her arms.
And she had done nothing to coax him. He was just a sucker for comfort. Thankfully, it had ended at a kiss. Not like with Michelle, who had comforted him into the beginning of new relationship.
Flashback
“Why hasn’t she called me?” Justin mumbled into his pillow. “I mailed my numbers to her and left them on her voice mail, cell phone, dorm room number, even the number to the front desk!”
“Maybe she never got them.” Michelle patted him on the back.
“Yeah whatever.” Justin pouted.
“Was she mad at you when you moved away?”
Justin thought for a moment. He rose on his arms. “No…she couldn’t have been. Nope ‘cause we had sex before I left.” He smiled while Michelle grimaced.
“And I told her I loved her.”
“After the sex?” She frowned again.
“Yeah.”
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
Justin sat up. “Why not? I always tell her I love her after we have sex what’s wrong with that?”
“Because men always say they love you after some good lovin’.” Michelle gagged; she couldn’t believe she was talking to him about sex between him and Nina.
“I mean it when I say it.” Justin replied somewhat offended.
“Sure you do.”
“I do!”
“Then why hasn’t she called you back?”
“Because…she doesn’t love me? Wait, why are you putting these thoughts in my head? I love Nina and she loves me.” Justin gripped the pillow in his arms. He was beyond upset now.
“Sure she does.”
“She does!”
“She refused to follow you though.”
“That’s has nothing to do with it.”
“Yes it does, yes it does.” She repeated scooting closer to him. “Because I followed you and she didn’t.”
“Oh what a good friend you are.” Justin sulked sarcastically.
“Justin-”Michelle silenced her own words placing a kiss to the corner of his lips.
“Michelle don’t-”
“Justin it has been months since you talked to her.” She kissed the right side.
‘So what I love her.”
“Mmm hmm…” She proceeded to kiss him fully on lips, this time pushing him back on the bed. The phone began ringing.
Justin pushed Michelle away. “I better get that.” It could be Nina…finally, he thought.
Michelle straddled his waist. “Don’t answer it.” She put an end to whatever he was about to say next with her lips.
The phone continued to ring.
~*~*~*~*~
“What did I get myself into?”
“It’s for the kids Justin, remember?”
“Yeah I remember and that’s the thing.” Justin turned towards Nina. “I don’t feel like being around a bunch of screaming girls today.”
“You’re used to it by now.” She waved her hand nonchalantly sitting down on one of the locker room benches. “And we really need that money from the fundraiser. My girls deserve to go to the championships as much as the boys.”
“Okay, you don’t have to put your evil face on.” Justin said to her frown.
“I’m just saying--thanks for agreeing to do the fundraiser. I needed a celebrity and I didn’t know who else to ask.”
“Oh no problem.” Justin sat next to her. “Besides, I’ve been waiting forever to play you again and I can do that helping my boys beat you and your girls.”
“Boy what-”
“Mommy Jon teasing us.” Neece interrupted, entering the gymnasium locker room along with her sister and Jon.
Nina stood. “What is he saying baby?”
“He say we have to call him Uncle Jon now.” Nina turned to Justin as they both snickered. What would she tell Neece? That is was a lie, when it was really the truth.
“Do we have to mommy?” Nikki spoke up.
“Not if you don’t want to short stuff.” The twins seemed to be satisfied with that answer as they began to tease Jon. Nina watched them leave in their cute little jersey dresses. Nikki’s was the Lakers and Neece’s was the Pistons.
“You brought them those?”
“Yup, I had to have my kids looking good.” Justin boasted. “You cool with that, right?”
Nina nodded. “Did Neece fight you to put that dress on?”
“Nope. I told her it was an extra long shirt.” They both laughed.
Soon Nina fell silent, feeling uncomfortable as Justin stared at her from where he was sitting. He did that last time. Don’t let him get to you. Remember what Ronnie said, he’s just playing with your heart.
She disregarded whatever she was reading in his eyes and chose to switch the direction of the awkward atmosphere.
“Why ya sitting there all scared? Let’s go so I can whoop ya ass out there on the court.” She bragged pulling her hair up into a tight ponytail, strands fell loose around her nape and at her temple.
“I’m not scared of you, Ronnie maybe but not you.” Justin stood up and strolled towards her. He retrieved the hair that was tucked inside her jersey and placed it gently against her back.
Nina took a huge step forward and released a small sigh before she faced him. “How do I look?” Why did I ask him that? She berated herself. What answer am I expecting to hear? He can’t say I look sexy even though I do with feeling like he was jeopardizing his relationship with his fiancée-he already did that when he kissed you last week.
Justin took in her appearance. Strands of her hair caressed her face that was fresh; free of makeup, while her short curvy frame was covered in a loose-fitting jersey and baggy, yet snug hooping shorts that stopped just below the knees. A pair of black boxers and a black sports bra seeped through the thin jersey material.
He thought she looked enticingly feminine, still he said, “You look like a boy.”
Nina gasped, “That better be a joke coward.”
“Why are you calling me a coward now?” Justin laughed.
‘Cause I bet ya didn’t tell your fiancée you kissed me.
“Huh? Why?”
“Forget it.” Nina said instead.
“I’ll let you off the hook this time.” Justin said as his phone began ringing. “Where did I put my cell?” He patted his pocket-less shorts.
“Right here.” Nina retrieved the cell phone from the bench. “Oh it’s Michelle. Can I say hi?” She asked but never waited for his answer.
Justin almost pissed in his pants when he heard her say ‘hello’ to Michelle. He wondered what Michelle was telling Nina since he couldn’t read it on her face. Please don’t let the shit hit the fan today.
He wasn’t able to truly breathe until Nina handed his phone over and exited the locker room.
“Hey…Shelly.”
“I wish I would’ve known she was gonna answer the phone Justin!”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop her she wanted to say hi.” Justin defended before changing the subject. “Are you coming for the basketball game?”
“Hmm that depends are you prepared to tell Nina about us?”
Justin uttered a slow, “No.”
“Well then I’m not coming.” She hung up leaving Justin to wonder why she had called him to begin with.
“Justin ya ready?” Nina reentered the room. He nodded. “Well, come on then.” She threw her arms up in the air challenging him.
“I hope you’re ready?” Justin challenged back wrapping one arm around her neck as they exited.